A Certain Visit

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Man cannot face death...

..until they have a feeling of life.

But for one to truly live... What is the means? In a world that constantly holds our hands and guides us, when will a man truly find life's blessing? That is the one question I ask.

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The white haired man closed the pages of his book as the train came to a sudden stop. Looking up at the sign, he'd see it was marked as Malstu, and in response he'd stand from his seat with a soft smile. The train seemed rather empty, most likely because of the time of day being such an inconvenience for those with school or work. Not only this, but people rarely traveled to the Volcano, did they? What was there to see if you had been living on this series of islands for some time now? No matter, the man made his way off the train and scanned the area with his golden eyes. He seemed to be looking for someone. Perhaps someone who could potentially show him around this scene. For now, his eyes scanned the area and took in the information about this island. He needed to know the in and outs of it, the population, and the most walked paths. The best way for him to find information of this site was to speak to the locals, or someone familiar with the surroundings. In a dangerous location such as a volcano, he was sure there would be some sort of security around where he could pierce their mind and learn the exact details on what sort of place he had just come too.

The mysterious man kept his bag over his shoulder as he walked from the train station and made his way to a dirt path that seemed to lead upwards towards the volcano. He knew traveling up this mountain alone was a suicide mission. Even though he knew his life was not long for such a sheltered world, he had much to do before forfeiting his will to live. But there was something to admire when thinking of the animals that populated this Earth. They lived off pure instinct. There was no set standard for them, and that was admirable. A tiger was not frowned upon for killing its own kind like that of humans. They were not judged for killing a wounded Gazelle, or hunting its prey. So why were humans put on such a pedestal to where they could not also follow these basic instincts of life? It was quite simple. Society was crafted to keep the human mind, and its instincts, dormant behind set rules. If you could not follow society's rules properly, you were locked away. This world was a beautiful thing, but rules gave it an ugly exterior. A lawless world was a truly free world.

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

As the young man walked up to the tower, Serena Borges would be leaning against a tree, polishing her tranq rifle. She was actually off today so she was wearing something normal, like pants and a green t-shirt. She still put on makeup, which did a great deal to conceal her age in looks. Her hair was tied to the back of her head, now nearing her shoulders. She needed to get it cut at some point. Setting it aside, she took a swig from her water bottle and looked to see a gentleman show up and make his way to the tower. She sighed and yet smiled. “Hey there,” she called out casually. “Need anything or are you just checking out the mountain?” She remained silent and awaited a response from the young man. He looked almost eerie his white hair and amber-looking eyes the more Serena got a good look at the man. He was certainly not anyone she had ever seen before. Was he someone from Standasen, or a new arrival to Azores? She couldn’t help but keep an eye on the man as he walked by, given that there wasn’t really much else to look at on the trail to the Volcano.

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael casually stopped in his tracks and his eyes drifted to catch the person calling out to him. A soft smile came upon his face, as he addressed the woman politely. "I was wondering if anyone was around here who could show me the scenery of this island. I'm rather new to Azores, so I believe this would be a good experience for me." Even with his odd appearance, something about his voices and demeanor seemed to be inviting. It was almost like that of a mysterious feline than one of a ravenous dog. "Telling from your attire, can I say you're familiar with this area? Excuse me if I'm prying, I'm just very interested in this beautiful island." Gael looked ahead on the beaten path towards the mountain and gave a smile. He was a lean man and could be compared to a toothpick if he were to be put up against any of the more violent animals of the island. Would someone willingly let someone like this wander off alone into the wild? He was defenseless, save for the bag he had over his shoulder.

Traits:

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

The woman smiled. The man was certainly easy to speak to, and something about him seemed very pleasant. She almost felt a bit nervous talking to that almost surreal-looking man. She pushed herself up from her knees, and grabbed her bottle and her tranq gun. She would look to the young man and blush slightly. “That I can do. Oh! Never mind this. It is just something I use in case animals show up. But usually none show up on the trail. We have posts and fences if need be for that,” she said with a semi-nervous chuckle, holding it by the barrel with the safety on. “But I can accompany you easily and tell you about the area. I work here as a tour guide, so can tell you what you need to know about this island.” She began to walk to him slowly, noticing that the man was extremely thin. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. “Did you want to make a stop at a concessionary stand before we go up? It’ll be a long walk up to the Peaks, and you might get hungry,” she said, a friendly smile on her face. If he declined, then she would go ahead and lead the walk on the trail on the way to the silent volcano. “Actually, the Silent Mountain Festival is coming up in a few weeks. It’s celebrating every five years the volcano is inactive. Everyone will probably come here or celebrate in their respective islands. But there’s plenty of things to do here. But I’d rather not bore you with my talk,” she said, running a free hand over her head to scratch an itch.

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael gave a soft smile when the woman explained herself for carrying a gun. "Well, I feel much safer with you around. I'm not much of a fighter myself, so I'll be counting you, Miss..? Excuse me, what is your name?" The pale man tilted his head, but excused the woman from answering. When he heard she was a tour guide, he immediately understood this was most likely the best person to speak to when it came to the underbelly of this island, and the less frequented areas. "I am interested in this island, so it'd be great if you told me everything you knew. You could say I was one who was attempting to learn more about this planet." When the woman made a comment about him eating, he looked down towards his bag with a smile. "Don't worry, I've brought some supplies with me. I'm glad you're worried about me. I'm not one who's longed for this world, as I was born with a genetic illness, so I'm hoping to understand life alittle better before my inevitable end. But enough about that, let's not ruin this beautiful morning." The Man would follow behind the woman as she lead the way up the hill. His eyes were taking in the surroundings. He listened to her about this festival, which he found strange they were willing to do so soon with talk of criminals escaping in Azores recently. Though, he hadn't been keeping up with the news actively, so perhaps they were found? Moving on from this, he'd narrow his eyes in thought for a few moments before speaking. "And what do you plan on doing during this festival? Surely not tours, correct?"

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

The woman gasped slightly and laughed. “Sorry about that. Serena is my name. Serena Borges if we are being formal. What do you go by?” She held out a hand to the young man in a friendly greeting, taking a moment to stop walking in order to do such. Whether he took it or not, she would soon be walking down the trail, walking beside him or leading him if necessary. The man was certainly a friendly type. She did not know if he felt him rude for not introducing herself in the first place. Maybe she should watch herself next time. “Well, this island in particular is well known for its tourist attractions as well as a good camping spot to simply visit. There are the springs located off behind the volcano,” she said pointing in the direction of said springs. “Beside to the east of the peaks are the Lasyian Ruins. There is where various small tombs and statues can be looked at and examined. Some of the rocks from there and other relics were taken to the museum to study and preserve. As for the rest of what there is on here…” she pointed directly at the volcano, as if to add emphasis to the giant that they were currently on a trek towards. “Up there, and all around it are trails to walk and ride up to. The place is just a marvel...” she said almost passionately, like some history buff. However it didn't take long for her to notice her ramblings about it all, and would decide to quiet down for a brief moment to listen to him speak. She could not hide her look of slight distress and sadness, but nodded when he advised to continue on a happier topic. She didn’t want to impose that on him, as much as someone like that interested her. This man knew he was going to die? Does he not feel so sad about it?

Her mind was in a jumble until he mentioned the festival. “The festival will probably have some change-arounds from all the recent hubbub, so I may be working before the actual event, but I may just stay home. Maybe if I have a mind to I will camp out at this island when it goes on. I bet it’ll be a wonderful sight. There will be plenty of competitions, food, and other things to look forward to. I do hope you’ll attend this festival,” she said to him with a smile. In the back of her mind poked the words he had mentioned before, about he was not going to live much longer. He didn’t mean in a few days or weeks right? Surely it was years away, or at least a few months. The temptation was there, but she did not show it in her face, nor did she ask about it. It was his personal business after all.

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

"Serana Borges, hm? That's quite a lovely name. I'll have to certainly remember that." The pale man spoke with an easy tone as he gave the woman a soft smile. He knew once he asked her for her name, he'd get the same question in response. There would be no hesitation on saying his name, so alas, he would give it to her. "My name is Alan. If I had known Azores had such a beautiful environment, with equally beautiful women, I would have paid a visit some time ago. Thank you for taking the time to show this area to me." He simply followed along now, listening to her explain some of the islands tourist attractions. "Ruins? What sort of marvels are in there, I wonder?" He spoke more to himself, but was loud enough for her to hear him. There was some interest when it came to the ruins, but that wasn't the reason why he was there, so he'd have to push it off for now.

Moving on to the details of the festival, he'd continue to listen to get a good idea on how this festival would take place. He couldn't get a grasp of everything, but he had a good idea. Now the question was, would he actually participate? He rubbed his chin with his free hand, and just gave a simple smile. His golden eyes looked her up and down before looking off to the side with a sly expression. "I'm surprised you will not be going to the festival with a date. You seem rather charming, it'd be a waste to spend that time only at home."

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

Serena smiled at the man, in a light shade of pink. She was letting herself be . “You have a way with words. I wouldn’t worry about me. There are plenty of younger women out there. You don’t want to waste your time you know,” she said. Now she was talking like she was some old lady. She wasn’t that old really, at least, nearing middle age. But how old was Alan? She almost felt self-conscious, and tried to not show it as she led him on. “The ruins has plenty of tombs go to searching through. It is mostly just one large ruin complex you can look in. It has a burial chamber we found, as well as other pathways apparently dug through to make a small system to other rooms.” She finished. It was like she was on the job again, without a tram or her uniform. Not necessarily a good or bad thing.

Though she did not exchange looks, she could not help but notice him eyeing her up then complimenting her. Was all of this smooth talk meant to have an ulterior motive? She just wasn’t exactly sure, and yet she willing to play along for the time being. “I am not married at the moment. I did have a husband, but sometimes things change, not always meant to be, you know? You have surely had those moments right?” she said, keeping eye contact with the man even in the face of his oddly catching demeanor. The volcano was becoming larger and larger in view, signalling that the path up the side was nearing arrival.

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael simply gave a smile to the woman's words before looking off to the side to a clearing. They hadn't been walking too long, but a break was necessary for him. Well, in all honesty it wasn't, but he wished to take a short rest for the time being. "I apologize for prying into your personal life, Serena. If it means anything to you, I haven't had a relationship in my life once. Not because people pity me; more so because I am not longed for this world. I'd rather spend my days like this. But regardless, would you like to take a short break? I even packed a lunch I could share. It'll be like a picnic." He gave a soft smile before grasping his bag and walking off the trail slightly. "No wild animals will attack us if we take a break here, right? Though, I'm sure they're not hostile unless provoked." He said that half hearted, knowing some animals loved the hunt. Gael was positive this woman knew more about this island, and perhaps even some things she didn't share with him without some convincing. So far, he believed this would be the best place to set up camp for his endeavors in Azores. However, a few things needed to be done. For one, this festival she spoke of gave him an odd feeling. It would also be a good opportunity for picking the minds of a few residents of this lovely region, and for him to get a good feel for how their society was currently being ran. Being new to an area had its perks, but it was also quite a pain to get started.

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

She frowned again slightly at him. Was he that content with his life being so short? He must either be hiding it, or he was truly a strong man. It’s not so easy to accept death. The more she and Alan talked, the more bewildered she was of this man. “Oh. Yeah, we don’t have to worry about animals, and even if we do…” she lightly tapped her rifle with her knee a couple times, expressing their easily safe situation. She would direct Alan to the side of the trail and allow him to sit first before sitting herself. “You don’t have to share anything for me. Don’t worry, I will be fine for the rest of the day,” she said with a pleasant smile. It was originally packed for him, so most likely even if Alan said he could share, it probably wouldn’t feed him fully. She didn’t feel that was right. Though if he insisted, she would accept what he had to give if he was intent on sharing it. “So you are new to Azores entirely you said? We get plenty of tourists so you’re not alone. Are you moving here or just visiting?” she asked. She figured he was most likely moving here, at least, that was what her gut told her. Serena had been working with tourists for a long time, so she knows the difference between on and then one who just moved here. Still, it did not hurt to ask and be courteous. “Was there anything else you’d like to know about Azores itself, or just this island in particular?”

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael gave a smile as he sat and began to reach into his bag. "Please, Serena. I wasn't raised in a barn. It'd be rude for me to eat infront of you without offering. And either way, I always pack too much. I do not each much, so I'd be grateful if you helped my food not go to waste." The white haired man would pull out a bagged lunch, containing a ham sandwich with chips and a bottled water. When she asked her question, he crossed a leg over the other and crossed his arms. "You can say I'm here for business and pleasure. I'm interested in seeing how Azores runs. It's just odd that the moment I arrive in this region, some weird things seem to be happening." Gael brushed his hair to the side and opened his sandwich, taking a half of slice and taking a bite. "Does anyone actually live on this island?" He was actually interested in this piece of information. If there were other residents, it meant there was places to get supplies. However, if it were inhabitable thanks to the Volcano, that could make things rather difficult for him in the future.

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

Well when he put it that way, who was she to not oblige? She took the lunch gratefully and ate conservatively along with Gael. When he brought up the strange recent events, she grew a frown. "Yeah, it's a shame that all happened. Those poor girls.....at least Lewis was caught. He's in prison now so it's probably going back to normal. The last thing we need is drama to this island. This place I can't even imagine what it used to be like. People just moved here, and there's even more locals, so who knows how much fighting went on to live in these places before people added a more stable civilization?" she rambled. Talking to the young man was rather easy. She could not help but get into gossip and other things, like he was just another friend or someone she knew intimately. "But anyway, this island most people who live here either camp out for a little bit, have a shop here that just live on, or work here. Most people who want to live a life without the city go to Lunapa. That's where the rainforest is. Plus many people just don't like the idea of staying near a volcano. But some do I suppose. Planning on trying to stay here?" she asked.

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael nodded and reached into his bag. "I can see why people would like to live near a Volcano. I suppose since it's a symbol of power, people feel drawn to it. Staying here myself? I'm not entirely sure as of yet. But if it means I get to see you, it may be in my best interests." He removed what appeared to be a silver watch. "When I was a child, my Father always told me a story about living in dangerous areas. When you weren't protected by the urban jungle of a city, your life became truly exhilarating. The only memento I have left is this watch." The white haired man gave a soft smile as he held it up between them and gave it a slight twist. "This island is a perfect location for someone to live without being sheltered. A place to be themselves without feeling the oppressive eyes of their brainwashed peers. I hope you understand how lucky you are to have to be here for the majority of your days." Gael gave his usual soft smile, as the silver watch remained between them. She may not have known it, but that sandwich he had given her had a certain extra ingredient. All it took was to give her the side of the sandwich he made sure to put it on. A certain drug that would lower the natural defenses of her mind, just so he could see what was truly going on within that grey matter in her skull.

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He didn't particularly dislike this woman, nor did he like her either. It was more based on needing to understand this area abit more. Considering all she told him, she was well informed, and thus a perfect representative of this island for him. "You're a beautiful creature. Most humans are beautiful creatures. However, you'd never be able to tell when their true selves are being masked by the facade they must put on within society. That is such a shame, is it not? But Serena, I believe you can truly be free from those shackles placed upon yourself. I'll be sure to free you from this bigotry known as the modern society." Gael raised a hand and placed it on her shoulder, still keeping that soft smile.

Traits:

Posts : 6498 Join date : 2013-07-06 Age : 29

She listened silently to the young man when he pulled out his watch. She could see the watch as he fiddled with it, as her mind began to get a bit hazy. Her experience with drugs and tranquilizers were blaring in her head. Something was inside her food. She felt herself reach for the rifle, which was very much loaded, but all she could do was place her hand on it before she yawned and sort of tilted her head forward, as though she was falling asleep; though she was definitely wake. Her eyes were opening and closing slowly, and she was breathing deeply. She didn't live in Malstu, but still, Gael was right. "It is pretty nice here..." she agreed with Gael. The drugs were having a noticeable effect, and she was agreeing with certain things Gael was talking about. She remained silent, staring at the watch as Gael added his subliminal messages which gave her weakened mind room for thought. "Society...in shackles...mmmm..." she said, sounding somewhat confused, and also as though she were pondering the notion. Maybe everything in front of her was fake. She certainly remembered there were times she felt she should be honest, and maybe everyone is trained to just act a certain way. Could that be done? Was it possible to be free of societal standards and actually live more free? He made it seem like there was. Gael was making a fairly good point with his words....or was it just the drugs?

Posts : 1185 Join date : 2013-01-16

Gael's soft smile remained intact, as he had made his way past the defenses of her mind. Now was the time to start inserting information within her grey matter. He wished for this woman to be completely loyal to him to a fault. The male moved his hand to her cheek, and looked deep into her eyes with his own. "Serena, don't you remember? You are my most loyal friend. We've been together for longer than we can remember." His words were smooth, and slid off his tongue like that of poison. The false memories he would instill within her mind would be of those that would put him in good spirits with her. A simple meeting years ago where the two of them had become close friends. Back then, she understood his mission. His final goal of anarchy and freedom. The normal Serena would have probably saw this as mere fantasy, but with the state she was under now, it felt like it was her responsibility to see this through with him. Did Gael feel sorry for taking advantage of this woman? Not at all. However, he did decide to spare her of a completely broken mind. He'd leave everything intact so she could continue her job without issue. Serena would just simply know, when he contacted her, nothing else would be more important than her close one, Gael.

He was sure to build these false memories carefully, simply so there were no inconsistencies. And once he was complete with his work, he'd take his hand from her cheek and place the silver watch back within his bag. "Okay then, Serena. This may seem rather cliche, but at the snap of my fingers, we'll continue where we left off here." The young man would place the contents of his bag to the side, and would snap his fingers. At this time, the woman would be able to snap from her trance, not exactly sure what had just occurred. It'd be almost as if she snapped back from a day dream. However, Gael would still be sitting next to her with a soft smile. "Serena, you're a wonderful tour guide. I hope I can always count on you for simply things such as this. Perhaps during the Festival we can attend it together? I'll have to keep in touch. It's always nice seeing you again."

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"This place, Azores. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here."

» A Visit [Oswald]
» Another visit: (Paige)
» A visit? [Megumi]
» Friendly Visit [Jack]
» A Good-Will Visit (Lewis)