First day on the job [Festival Topic]

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Sakura had arrived in Azores that early morning. The boat ride in was quite comfortable, excluding the fact she was hanging over board, and literally blowing chunks into the ocean. It was very embarrassing for someone of her family, and even more embarrassing for a woman in general. She surely was not getting any eligible bachelors if they saw how she carried herself during the ride in. However, she did not worry about this for the time being. For the moment, her mission was more important. Five years ago, she had received approval to work alone when it came to the family's business. However, she had never left her home country to go about this business. This would be the first time she'd venture out into the world alone, without any major support from the Tsurinai family backing her. She was well aware she had someone waiting for her the moment she touched down, however. You could say this person was like a servant to the family, but you could say butler aswell. That was his cover, but in actuality, he was a guardian who watched the estate when the family was away.

When the boat actually touched down, Mai would make her exit immediately. Her hands grasped her suitcase as she walked down the pier barely keeping herself standing. A hand was covering her mouth, and an eye was closed from the sunlight. Though she was not particularly fond of the sun, because of her paleness, her hair seemed to glisten in it. If there was one thing that caught many eyes about her appearance, it would be the hair. Though the air of serenity and the clothes of elegance did help. Atleast, it would have if she didn't look like a wreck at the moment.

Luckily her ride was waiting. There was a long black car and a man standing towards the back. His hands were folded behind his back, and he had a smile that seemed inviting. This was the first time Sakura had met the man, but she could honestly say he was quite sharp. Just seeing him made her straighten her back and become abit more professional before introducing herself. His attire was all black, his hair was wavy blonde, and those eyes of his made her think of trees back at home.

First day on the job [Festival Topic] Tumblr_inline_n2qng7WCFO1rokhgx

Needless to say, when she walked up to him, he would bow his head. In response, she would grasp her dress and bow aswell. Though she was his superior, she would see him as an equal human being. Her bloodline surely had not gone to her head, as she even opted to open the trunk of the car herself and place the luggage in. It was easy to notice he was not use to this, as he held up a hand ready to help. But no, Sakura insisted on doing this herself. She had to reclaim some dignity she lost as she hung over the side of the boat on her way in, correct?

Once all was said and done, and they were on their way to the estate in Penecia, Sakura sat in the back seat and was going over some notes left for her. The young Butler, who introduced himself as Alastair. The young woman continued to look through the notes before pinching her chin between her index finger and thumb. "I see. So this place is giving off signs of the unknown. Alastair, if you do not mind, once we swing by the place and freshen up, I'd like to get right to work." Sakura spoke in an even tone, even though she was rather stressing over the work before her. This was a heavy load, and if she failed, she'd embarrass her family name. So much pressure was swelling up in her chest, she couldn't help but reach into her pocket and remove a pill bottle. Alastair noticed this, as she popped a pill in her mouth.

"Ms. Tsurinai, I would recommend you take a breather before getting started. However, it is not my place, so I will inform you that there will be a festival tonight at a volcanic island by the name of Malstu." He seemed to be regretting every word as he spoke, but knew her mind was most likely made up. How could he tell? Well the moment he looked in the rear view mirror, his blue eyes caught her own pale ones. It was not his place to question her, and she would more than likely be visiting this festival to get started.

********* Current time

Alastair persisted on accompanying Sakura to the Festival, and she saw no reason to deny him. They would arrive on the island together, him dressed in an all white attire while she, herself, dressed in her usual attire. The snow white gown and the boots to match, would most likely call some attention to herself on such a frigid night. However, with the fireworks over head, there was a chance she'd slip by without making too much of a scene. She figured with such a large amount of people gathered, there was a chance the cause of the disturbance would appear aswell. Standing around and waiting for this would certainly tell people she was a foreigner, so she walked arm in arm with Alastair as if they were on a date. Their first stop would be one of the various stands: specifically a stand that sold candy apples. She would pay for Alastair before taking one her own. To ones surprise, this would be the first time she would try such a treat. But with one bite, she grasped her cheek and gave a satisfied hum. "This is quite delicious. So sweet!" The young woman laughed alone with Alastair, who seemed rather amused at her reaction to the treat aswell. And even though she would be enjoying herself here, she did not forget her over all mission tonight. If the cause for the disturbances were demons, then they'd be drawn to a large crowd, hopefully. But how should she defend herself? Oh yes, she did pack her sutra incase a quick cleansing needed to be done.

"Let's continue on, Ms. Tsurinai. There must be more for you to see here." The young man gave a smile and would lead the way through the crowd. It seemed the next stand coming up was one for more oriented as a contest. Bobbing for apples, was it? Sakura looked one with some wonder.

Guest

Festival.

That was the only word Hyacintha needed to hear to become the most excited girl on the face of the earth. As she held the flyer in her hand, she would run from her neighbor’s house all the way back home where Snow was getting the last of the cleaning done. As she burst into the now organized and clean house, Snow would pause in his cleaning and look up at her as he spotted his master beaming in the door way to the kitchen. Before he could even welcome her back, the girl was speaking.

“Drop that broom good sir and go get ready. We are going to the festival!” Hyacintha said excitedly. A bit confused, Snow would blink at her as he held the broom lightly in his hand.

“Festival? Where? And when?” he would ask calmly.

“The Silent Mountain Festival on Malstu Island. It celebrates the many years the volcano hasn’t erupted and it begins a few hours from now,” Hyacintha said as she glided over and took the broom from Snow. As she placed it carefully against the counter she would turn back to Snow and begin to shove him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

“Move! Move! Or we will miss everything!” Hyacintha whined to Snow as he took his time getting up the stairs. With his master yelling at him to hurry, the young man did his best to hurry with getting ready…while helping her find lost things. While she blamed Snow for their late start out of the door, the young man did not complain as they headed to the train station to take the ride to Malstu Island.

A train ride and lots of walking later, Hyacintha stood under the colorful skies of Malstu Island as she looked around at all the booths and games that surrounded the festival with round eyes and the excitement of a kid at a candy store. Despite having on her bright pink princess dress and wearing feathers in her braided and pinned up hair, this did not stop her from jumping in down happily in her spot as she clapped her gloved hands together.

“Oh my. Look at all the people and things to do, Snow! Isn’t this great?!” she would say excitedly as she spun to her companion who looked like he was going to be ill as he looked around at all the commotion around.

“It is different…” Snow said doing his best to be polite in this situation. In all honesty, Snow was hating this festival all ready. All the people, the sounds…the chaos…it all got under his skin and made him edgy as if something was going to jump out and attack at any moment. On top of this, he was very concerned about losing Hyacintha in all this mess. After all, she was so excited about the festival that even as she saw the discomfort the other was showing, she would turn away quickly as she was distracted by the a booth selling chocolate strawberries.

“Oh food!” she would say excitedly before hurrying off into the crowds.

“W-wait a minute!” Snow said in a panic as he moved to hurry after her. The task was difficult with a bunch of people around, but in time Snow caught up to Hyacintha who had thankfully stayed by the stand to eat her strawberries; however, as soon as he caught up, something else caught her eye and the girl was off again.

Snow chased Hyacintha around Hyacintha like a worried parent for at least 30 minutes before the girl came to a sudden halt in the middle of the path. Slowing so he wouldn’t crash into her, Snow took a moment to catch his breath as the young lady looked around for something else to do.

“Hmmm….” she said as she looked around with one gloved finger tapping her lips in thought. She didn’t seem to notice Snow who was bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to regain his composure and air. Was she…actually enjoying torturing him at the moment? Maybe, but it was really hard to say as she spotted a game booth. As Snow saw her spot the booth, he prepared himself for another run, but instead found himself quite shocked when Hyacintha held out her had to him instead.

Oh good. She wanted him to escort her instead.

Regaining his breath, Snow would push his glasses back on his face, he straightened once more before he moved closer to her and allowed the other to wrap her arm around his.

“Thank you…” he said softly to her.

“You’ve earned,” she said with a light giggle as they began to walk towards a booth called “Bobbing for Apples”. Curious about the game, Hyacintha and Snow went over to see how the game was played. As Hyacintha watch, she became quite fascinated with the game and decided she wanted to try it.

Seeing nothing wrong with letting his master do such a thing, Snow easily paid for one game for her; however, he would find this was the worse mistake he had made in a while. What started off as an innocent enough attempt to grab apples for prizes, soon became a competition between Hyacintha and whoever dared to try their luck at beating her high score.

Within seconds, Bobbing for Apples became a contest of seeing who could beat Hyacintha in collecting as many apples they could within a time limit. The crowd such a contest drew was phenomenal making Snow highly uncomfortable as he stayed a bit behind his master as she continued to compete liked a possess being.

The crowds loved the show and the booth owner was making a fortune off of the event. After all, who wouldn’t pay to see a princess turn monster compete for the highest amount of apples.
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Note: Hyacintha is very much into the competition while Snow is feeling like he wants the ground to swallow him due to embarrassment.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Sakura watched those competing in this contest with round, bright eyes. This was her first time experiencing this, even though she was not a stranger to events held at shrines. She, however, never participated in this event before so she was taking much notes. Alastair seemed to happy to see Mai taking such interest in something not related to work. His sky blue eyes shifted to the two newcomers who had appeared. A younger couple, perhaps? Alastair made sure to step to the side so the young woman could try her hand at the game, and Mai's crystal eyes took notice. Something about these two made the Tsurinai maiden shiver. It wasn't as if they weren't human, but at the same time it wasn't as if they were an evil spirit either. The situation was rather strange, but a hand came on her shoulder that calmed her down. It belonged to Alastair, who looked towards her with a soft smile. "Mai, let's not forget your reason for being here. At the same time, it'd be nice for you to show empathy for those you do not know. Do not judge a book by its cover. Enjoy yourself until you're completely sure of your surroundings."

Sakura looked at Alastair with wide eyes before nodding her head and stepping forward. She's stand by the young girl with a smile before extending a hand for a shake. "Hello, my name is Mai Tsurinai. I hope you don't mind if we partake in this together." The young woman spoke with a soft smile and a voice that melted easy. However, the moment she saw how the girl partook in the contest, she merely jumped before turning towards the bobbing apples herself. Say one thing or another, but the blood running through her veins told her not to lose this meager contest regarding apples in water. Mai would figuratively roll up her sleeves and give Alastair a nod to hold her hair. The guardian sighed and held her hair in hand. Mai took a deep breath and went face first, dipping her head into the cold water and biting towards the first apple in hand. She did not even remove her own candy apple from hand, and Alastair noticed this with a frown. He looked towards the other young man, accompanying the young woman who was bobbing for apples aswell, and gave a sigh of understanding. Was this the job of men this day and age?

Mai continued her motion of dipping her head into the water and attempting to pull apples as if it were a way of life. Maybe her archery training keened her eyes, because she moved with great precision when grasping these apples between her teeth. Mai wasn't always the most competitive type, dealing with her insecurities, but for some reason she truly didn't wish to lose to this young girl. Alastair could sense this determination and would give a quiet sigh, but a smile aswell. Atleast his Mistress was not brainwashed by her family line like those of the main branch of the Tsurinai. That was all he could have ever asked for.

Guest

This was madness. Plain and simple.

When Snow and Hyacintha had come up to the Bobbing for Apples stand, they had crossed paths with another young couple or pair. While Hyacintha easily accepted the approach of the young woman and took her hand, Snow felt a bit uneasy around the girl more so than the male. He wasn’t quite sure what it was about her that made him uncomfortable, but there was an instinct within to back away from the girl as if she could and would harm him if necessary. It was an odd feeling, but one that made him curious about the girl and her partner nonetheless. She appeared human enough, so…what was this?

In any case, Hyacintha didn’t seem to notice as she looked at the girl that had dared to challenge her.

“Nice to meet you Mai! My name is Hyacintha Rose and I don’t mind you joining at all. May the best win!” she said as she shook the other’s hand with the most innocent smile imaginable; however, as she went over to her own barrel handing her gloves and purse to Snow, this innocence turned into pure determination as the pair began to bob for apples.

Shaking his head not really understanding why this was necessary, Snow would look from his master viciously grabbing apples to the challenger and her partner. As they met eyes, he saw the other sigh as he held the girl’s hair back for her. There was understanding there that Snow automatically appreciated. Honestly, why did this have to occur and why did appear that the Hyacintha was working harder than ever to get the apples? Was this some sort of female thing he did not understand or was his master really possessed? He couldn’t say as he continued to watch the pair. The crowd and the stall owner were not helping any with their noise that only increased with the more apples collected.

The event seemed to go on for an eternity before the booth owner blew a whistle to let both parties know the game was over. As Hyacintha stopped and looked over at her competition with a smirk on her wet face, she would eventually move away from the barrel and take the towel that was in Snow’s free hand.

As she wiped her face quite proud of herself, she waited for the booth owner to count up the apples.

“What a night lady and gentlemen! Such excitement and fire! Now then the winner is…”

Results:

Regardless of what the results were, Hyacintha would politely decline the stall owner’s offer for a retry. She had been playing this game for a long time now and her jaw was beginning to hurt. Besides she was more curious about the girl that she had met than another round of Bobbing for Apples.

Getting herself straightened out again, Hyacintha would wait for the girl to finish the game if she continued to play. When the girl was done, Hyacintha would drift over to her with a bright and friendly smile.

“That was a good game. How about we walk and chat with each other. There is still plenty to do, so we'd enjoy the company, if you don’t mind that is?” Hyacintha said in friendly tones. Snow, on the other hand, kept quiet as he stayed near his master watching the pair carefully. Unlike Hyacintha he was still very uncertain of the odd pair.
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Note: Hyacintha is friendly and bubbly as ever. Snow is cautious, but will tolerate the company.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Mai was, for a lack of a better term, overwhelmed by the young woman's tenacity. She continued bobbing for apples but her eyes couldn't help but look at the young girl giving such a honest shot towards winning. Maybe something had come over her, but the pale maiden would pull back, releasing an apple back in the water, which would ultimately cause her to lose in the end. One part of Mai felt happy to see the girl win, while the other part was quite envious of her competitive nature. Alastair could probably read Mai's feelings on this, and placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile. "Well done, Ms. Tsurinai. You did your best and your results were impressive." He was obviously trying to make her feel better about her defeat, and she appreciated it. One could tell from the soft, warm smile she had given him on this cold night.

The two would turn to the young woman who introduced herself as Hyacintha Rose. That was quite a strange name to Mai, and she couldn't place the origin of the name itself. However, it was still quite lovely for the young princess before her. Still, Mai continued to get these weird vibes from her, and she did not know why. To Alastair's suggestion, she'd lean more towards the ignorant side of thinking and give a soft smile. "I don't mind spending time with you here. I've new to Malstu, so having company wouldn't be too bad." She said this without thinking, and placed a hand over her lips. Alastair stood behind her, a cloud forming over his head, as he hung himself low. It was as if she had forgotten him altogether. Mai took note of this and wrap and arm around his own.

"Anyway, spending time together would be great. Maybe we can compete in even more events tonight. As long as you don't mind me being your rival!" The young woman gave a smile before looking onward towards the crowd and awaiting for this Rose to lead the way. She figured the young male accompanying her did not introduce himself for a reason, so she figured she wouldn't attempt to pry. However, something about him felt so strange to her, to the point that it reminded her of her training back at home. If Alastair was not there with her, was there a chance she'd become overbearing and demand to know what made these two so different than the rest of the crowd?

Guest

The battle to win was more or less flooring to watch for Snow. He didn’t understand why his master was trying so hard to win this game, but she was and making quite the scene in the process; however, the girl didn’t seem to care as she continued to grab the apples. When the rounded finally ended, the stall owner was about to call a draw, but after recounting deemed Hyacintha the winner. While the girl beamed at this, Snow couldn’t help but wonder if the other had let his master win.

It was hard to tell and the excitement of the crowd left no room to ponder the thought for long. In any case, Hyacintha thankfully declined another round and would drift away from the girl. Snow followed giving a small glance back at the pair that had challenged his master as they went back to the main paths. He could see the male with the other girl comforting her despite the loss and while the action was normal enough…there was just something wrong with the picture that Snow could not quite place his foot on.

When Hyacinta decided to wait on the girl and even ask if she would like to join them, Snow remained quiet as ever as he watched the pair that was before them. They appeared normal enough…just a pair…like themselves…and yet….they weren’t. There was just something so very off about the whole nature of the deal that made Snow cringe slightly inside. He…wanted to hurt that girl for some reason….saw her as a threat.

But why? She had done nothing to him and they were nothing, but strangers right? So what made him so wound up? Made him want to attack? Perhaps it was the hope of getting to the bottom of these questions that allowed Snow to keep his cool appearance and accept the girl and her companion when the other agreed to joining them for the night… although it would appear that something had been said that shouldn’t have been said. Mai was new to the island, huh? Well that shouldn’t have been too much of a problem to state, so why the odd reaction. Snow’s eyes would narrow slightly with suspicion as he kept an eye on the pair. Hyacintha on the other hand was delight.

“Oh how wonderful! Welcome to Malstu! While I am not a resident of this island, I have heard some wonderful things about the place and all this festival has in store. It will be fun to explore even more with good company!” she said as she clapped her hands together in delight. The delight would quickly turn to mischief as she heard the girl’s other words. With a grin on her face, Hyacintha would fold her arms behind her as she rocked slightly back on her heels as she looked up at the girl before her.

“Oh a challenge, huh? I’ll accept!” Hyacintha said before looking around the festival with eyes on fire at the prospect of the competition; however, when she eyed a shooting game a few booths down, she looked over at Mai with a smirk.

“Let’s try aiming, yes?” she would say as she grabbed Snow’s arm and began to lead the way to the shooting booth. Her mind already knowing what was in store for the girl with this game. As she began to walk, she would chat and seemingly enjoy the company like any other social butterfly would, but deep under all that chatter, she wanted to know more about the girl and her odd partner. Maybe if she could get a chance to speak one-on-one with the girl the conversation might be more open, but how could she keep Snow distracted long enough for that to happen and what about the girl’s companion. If he was like Snow that could be a problem too. Hrmm…this would take some thought, but for now the games were calling.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

This girl's vibrant expressions caused Mai to give a soft smile. It was nice to see the people of Azores were quite friendly compared to where she had come from. Her partner, the young man, gave off a contrasting aura. One of danger, which Alastair seemed to pick up on, as he moved slightly infront of Mai and took her hand in his own. The silver haired woman would look towards Alastair's hand and then upwards towards him. A tint of red came over her face as she looked back to the other couple. "G-Good company? You flatter us. I'm just happy we were able to meet. This festival will be alot more fun with others. Seeing how you're not a resident of this island, maybe things will be new for you just like for us." This simple greeting did not last long as her young companion seemed to be ready for the next challenge already.

When her next choice of sport was shooting, there was a quick sparkle within Sakura's eye. If there was one thing she knew she was competent in, it was aiming. Even though she was more accustomed to bows, the strength being able to mark one's aim was still with her. She never would have guessed her training as a Tsurinai would come in handy here of all places. The young woman could not help but to follow with a pep in her step, releasing Alastair's hand and walking on her own. The blonde man followed behind her with a smile. If she was having a good time, he was aswell. And even so she seemed to be getting comfortable with these two, Alastair kept up his guard. Something was certainly strange about these two. Were they foreigners? Perhaps they came to Azores recently, or did they live here their entire lives? There were many things Alastair wished to question these two about himself, but he determined that was not his job. As long as Mai was safe, he was content. As long as the world around her was safe, there was nothing more he needed. To some it'd be sad that he was so dedicated to another person, but perhaps some would see the loyalty of it aswell.

No difference, the two followed behind closely. It seemed they'd have company for tonight while investigating the festival for anything that didn't belong. Alastair remembered this mission, even though Mai was moving to Rose's side with a soft smile. She seemed ready for their next competition, almost as if she had forgotten her origin goal.

Guest

This was turning into an interesting night. While Mai seemed to be relaxed enough around Hyacintha, the two males of the party were indeed contrasts to their female companions. Snow remained cautious with the pair, the girl’s aura taking a while to get used to. She ruffled his feathers for sure, but as long as nothing happened to cause the young man to see the pair as a threat, he would do nothing except observe to figure out just what was wrong with the picture.

When the girl’s companion moved slightly in front of her, Snow caught the move as his eyes narrowed so slightly it was hardly noticed. Ah. So this one would protect the girl if necessary, eh? Well, that certainly proved the earlier suspicion that the pair was not normal in the usual fashion. Interesting. If they weren’t normal, then what were they exactly?

Snow wanted to know the answer, but at the moment found no room to ask such things. His master and the girl with them seemed to be getting along well enough and seemed oblivious to the tension in the air. Hmmm…perhaps he should relax a bit. After all, his master was having fun and that is all that mattered right? Perhaps….perhaps that was right.

In any case, as Snow tried to settle with their new company, Hyacintha remained as bubbly as ever as she kept her smile on her face as she listened to the girl not seeming to mind the stuttering. To the other’s words, Hyacintha gave a light giggle as one hand went up to her lips to cover it lightly.

“No need to be so modest about it all. Good company is good and yes we will have a blast together! I must agree that this meeting has indeed improved the mode of the evening. Come. Let’s see what we can discover together in this new place!” Hyacintha said excitedly before she made her observation of the festival activities and then in turn suggested the shooting games.

As an agreement took off and they took of towards said new challenge, Hyacintha would hum happily to herself as she walked by Snow’s side with her arm wrapped around his; however, when Mai came to her other side some time later, the young lady would give the other a bright smile as she slipped her arm from Snow’s and instead wrapped her arm lightly around the girl’s. She knew this could cause a bad reaction, but with a potential new friend at her side, Hyacintha could not hide her excitement.

Besides walking arm and arm would help them stick together more easily and talking would be simpler too. Oh and look! Snow seemed to get the message of privacy and had dropped behind as he fell in step next to the girl’s companion. As the two girls walked ahead of them towards the shooting booth, Snow stayed quiet for a moment as he collected himself before speaking.

“It seems my master has taken a liking to Ms. Mai,” he would say in calm tones before his eyes slid to look over at the other next to him. “My name is Snow and yours?”

The words were casual and polite despite the lack of smiles and warmth that Hyacintha gave off. Snow was still highly cautious of the pair, but paranoia or not he would not be rude to the pair that had caught his master’s eye.
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Note: Hyacintha is enjoying herself. Snow is cautious and watchful.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Mai continued to walk along with Rose, and was rather caught off guard when her female companion had wrapped and arm around her own. At first she did not know how to react, but soon enough, she'd return the gesture and give a smile. "I agree. We shall have a blast together! But don't think I'll go easy on you because we've just met, Ms. Rose. I will play this shooting game as if my family's honor is on the line, you know!" Sakura would giggle and continue forward with her young companion. Alastair, on the other hand, would hang back and follow behind the two. His blue eyes watched carefully, but he would not intervene. Though he had only met Mai today, he knew a young woman like herself was most likely robbed of anything called a child hood. Thinking back on it, it was the same for himself. His family sold him during poor times and the Tsurinai had taken him in. Though his role was as a guardian, he had no qualms about it. They gave him a home, food, and they showed him respect even though he was of a lower class. But even then, he understood what sort of family they were. They were most likely harder on their own children than the children of others. It made sense, to a certain degree. From such a noble bloodline, you'd want all your offspring to be the cream of the crop. And even while knowing this, Alastair could not feel stop feeling sorry for her.

First day on the job [Festival Topic] Tumblr_luy5duCfXa1qatcfzo1_500

His eyes turned upward towards the sky as his mind began to wander. However, a voice snapped him back into reality. To think he'd day dream while he was supposed to be watching Mai made him bite his lip as punishment. It took him a few seconds to overcome his self loathing before glancing towards the young man who spoke out to him. "It would appear Ms. Tsurinai has taken a liking to your Master aswell. That's good, she does not have any friends here in Azores. You could say she's all alone, for the most part." Alastair's words would hang in the air before looking back towards the two young women before him. Though he could not really call Mai young, as he was only but a year ahead of her in age.

This young other, by the name of Snow, continued on to introduce himself. Alastair could do nothing but smile as he looked back towards him. "My name is Alastair, but please do not attempt to lock arms with me aswell. I think speaking like this is plenty." It was a joke to lighten the atmosphere between the two, even though Alastair barely gave a chuckle after saying the words. "So, how did a young man like yourself become that young woman's... guardian, I presume? Or perhaps servant? I mean no disrespect, I'm not sure what your relationship is."

Guest

Shock.

That is what Mai seemed to express as Hyacintha wrapped her own arm around the girl’s. At first, Hyacintha was thinking that perhaps she should let go as the young woman seemed to become stiff for a few seconds, but then the girl was returning the gesture as she gave Hyacintha a smile and responded to her words. As she heard them, Hyacintha giggled.

“I would expect nothing less in such a competition. This will be delightful to watch. It is not everyday, I get to see another pitted against Snow’s skills in aiming. I hope you are prepared for I am sure he will not go easy on you Ms. Mai,” Hyacintha said as she continued to walk along side of the other, not seeming to be bothered she had revealed the truth to the girl. There was no way Hyacintha would play a shooting game. She couldn’t hit a wide barn a few feet in front of her if her life depended on it. She thought at one point she could aim, but for whatever reason had lost her skill in the matter. Maybe she had forgotten because she gave up practicing. Hmmm…a curious case, but one she would not ponder too long as her attention returned to Mai as curiosity hit her even more.

“You say you’ll play the game as if your family’s honor is on the line, hmmm? I am assuming that means you are an excellent shooter then, yes?” Hyacintha said her eyes bright and full of joy at the possibility as they continued to walk.

Snow, on the other hand, would drop back and fall in line with the girl’s companion. At first, he thought not to disturb the other as he saw him looking towards the sky lost in thought, but then thinking it rude to not say anything at all, the quitter of the pair opened his lips and spoke. The reaction from the other was odd. He seemed to snap out of his thoughts, but bit his lip in such a fashion that if he wasn’t careful, the young man would break the skin. Was it wrong for Snow to have spoken then?

It seemed that way for a bit as a negative air, similar and yet different to Nilo’s, surrounded the man. Curious, but thankful it didn’t linger about long enough for Snow to question it. As the other responded back, Snow nodded lightly at first as he heard the words.

“Mmm. My master is the same way. She has only one friend thus far she has made, but outside of that there is just me. It is nice to see she has found another that seems equally agreeable with her nature,” Snow said as he watched Hyacintha continue to chat away and laugh. It had been a while since he had seen her that happy. The change up was nice and the fact the other was female too made it that much easier for Snow to let what happened happen.

In any case, as Snow’s words came around to an introduction, the taller male gave him a smile as he told him his name was Alastair before making a comment that only got a practiced smirk from Snow. There was no warmth there, but Snow could appreciate the other trying to do something about the tension in the air that hung between them.

“You have nothing to fear there. Unlike my master, I am content with my space,” Snow said his tone light despite the lack of a true smile following the words. There was a moment of silence between the pair before the other male asked a question that at first got a narrowed glance in response as Snow considered giving the answer or not, but then seeing the other as not a threat, Snow blinked as his eyes drifted to Hyacintha as he thought.

“It’s…complicated to explain. While I do not recall any particular detail that would put me in either position, ever since I can remember I have always been at her side protecting her and bowing to her whims. I do not believe I was trained to be this way. It is just something in my nature that causes it I guess,” Snow said with a perplexed frown. The situation was indeed complicated, but up until now Snow never tried to make sense of it. He simply accepted Hyacintha was his master and it was his job to protect her. Where he got such a notion was beyond him, but it was there.

Snow would linger in thought for only a few seconds more before his eyes slid to the other once more.

“And you? What is your relationship to Ms. Mai?” Snow asked casually as he continued to walk and gauge the situation.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Mai was alittle more than just surprised when her younger companion admitted that she would not be partaking in the shooting competition. Was this not a competition between two ladies, and was instead becoming a competition between the four of them? Yes, four, because if there was something she could not do, she would make Alastair do it instead! But still, it was rather disappointing that Rose decided she wouldn't be partaking in this event. But this did give Mai some more information on this mysterious boy she was with. The vibes he gave off were strange. He looked and interacted like a human, but for some reason she believed him to be abit more than just that. Maybe when she saw his skills in action, she'd be able to give an accurate hypothesis on what sort of person he was. But right now, she'd keep her concerns to herself. After all, this evening she may have been on the job, but she didn't want to ruin Rose's fun here. Unlike the other members of her prestigious family, Mai put the thought of others first over her own.

"You are safe to assume anything, darling. But my lips are sealed until the contest, you know?" Mai gave her a playful wink before continuing onward. There was a wonder what Alastair and the young man spoke of, but she believed it was not her place to intervene in guy time.

Alastair continued his conversation with the young man. He did not think the young maiden accompanying him could possibly have only one friend. She seemed rather out going. Was he scaring potential friends away from her? Telling from the aura he gave off, he could have scared any of the boys and girls of their age away. Regardless, Alastair continued to listen to the young man's words. Especially the part when he explained how he came across this act of playing guardian. Did such a young maiden need a guardian to begin with? Seeing how friendly she was, then supposedly so. Who knew what kind of person would take advantage of a young girl like that. This boy seemed to be the perfect guardian in a sense that he's hot-wired for the job.

When it came to the question about his own relationship with Mai, Alastair would pinch his chin and wonder. "I'd say I'm her guardian, and that's it. Strangely enough, we've only met today. However, it does feel as though I've known her for years already. Ms. Tsurinai isn't as complicated as one would think, but maybe she tries too hard to make everyone feel wanted. Confusing, isn't it?"

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Hyacintha’s companion seemed a bit surprised when she admitted that when they got to the shooting game that she would not be facing herself, but Snow instead. It wasn’t that Hyacintha was trying to cheat or anything of that nature, but rather she simply called in her other half when she couldn’t do things on her own. Unfair? Absolutely not. If she had not been up front about the whole thing then yes, she would’ve been unfair and rude. Imagine the alarm that would occur if she had dropped such a detail upon the girl when they were about to shoot. Imagine how much that would knock one off their game…unless of course the girl was as good as she seemed to be making herself out to be.

Hyacintha didn’t miss the playful comment given in response to her question. In turn, she would grin as they continued to walk.

“Hehe. Alright. Keep your secrets then. I will find out soon enough the truth,” Hyacintha told the other as she let out a laugh full of warmth and joy. Unlike some, Hyacintha loved surprises, especially ones she wasn’t expecting to get. She was eager to see what Ms. Mai could do when pitted against Snow, but at the same time she was doing nothing to get them to the booth faster as she continued to walk quite content next to her older companion. As they continued to walk, Hyacintha barely noticed that Snow and the young man with him had fallen into conversation. She was simply content with walking with Mai.

Meanwhile, Snow would continue to walk along side Alastair’s unphased by any judgment the man may have come up with due to his rather honest words. Snow wasn’t into lying too much and now that he had become himself once more, he felt no need to be so cautious of the world or those he met. If anything got in his way or tried to harm Hyacintha, he would simply erase them completely from the dream and the truth. Not even the Judges would be able to find these sort of souls lost to Limbo’s endless reaches. This man and his young charge would be no different, but due to the way things were turning, Snow did not see any future problems quite yet. Maybe a bit of strain, but that was the nature of who he was there. Unless someone knew him well, no one was ever truly comfortable with him….In a nutshell, the whole world judged him. Period.

In any case, when the subject turned to Alastair, Snow would become silent as he watched the other think for a bit before speaking. As the other spoke, Snow would frown lightly in thought. So he too was a guardian of a sort to the young lady, but had just met her today…even if he felt like he knew her for years. He asked if the subject matter was confusing and in turn Snow shook his head.

“No. It is somewhat similar to how my master behaves. Perhaps that is why they get along so well. The only thing I cannot quite understand is how you feel towards the young lady despite meeting her today. I do not recall ever having that sort of experience with anyone,” Snow said to the other in calm tones as they continued on.

Posts : 168 Join date : 2013-08-09 Age : 30

Saying she was a strange young woman would be an understatement at this point, but Mai couldn't help but smile at her. It was nice to have a reminder that maybe what she was doing was the right thing. Fighting to protect the smiles of people like this. It sort of made the young maiden seem like a heroine in her own mind's eye. Not like she was a big fan of such a title, she was always curious about those strange Feathermen shows that come onto TV when she was but a child. Of course she was never allowed to watch, but that only fueled her interest. Maybe it was childish of her to even be thinking of a children's show at a time like this. Especially since the only reason she was in Azores right now was to solve this strange mystery that came to her family's doorstep. Mai seemed to be in lala land at the moment until a small buzzing came from her blouse. It seemed to snap her back to reality, as she gently released herself from her young companion and reached into her pocket. The buzzing had obviously come from her cellphone. There was only a certain few who knew her number, so she automatically knew she simply could not just ignore the call.

"I'm sorry, darling. Give me just a second, this is important." Mai gave a polite bow before walking off a few meters from the group. Alastair would only watch for now, stroking his chin in thought. He knew the young woman was on an important mission right now, but he did wish for her to enjoy herself for once. It was sad, but he did not have the power to take that phone from her and forcefully hang it up. He'd have to stand back, by Snow, and simply watch from afar.

When Mai put the phone to her ear she heard the familiar voice of her Mother. To those who did not know her Mother, she was a very controlling woman. When Mai was growing her Mother was always plotting the course of her life. After all, she was not a member of the main branch of the Tsurinai so she needed to work alittle extra to stay within the side of power within the family. That little "extra" was offering her only daughter up to the main branch to get in their good graces. But that was expected of the child of a Family tied to the Tsurinai. Mai did not hold any ill content for her Mother or Father. She loved them both dearly. When it came to her line of work, she put business after Family. But even so, Family and Business fell right along each other. They were practically the same thing here.

Her conversation over the phone was inaudible for the others, and she cover her mouth just incase someone had the weird talent of reading lips. Obviously it was a private call, but surprisingly it didn't take long. She would soon hang up the phone and walk back over to the group with closed eyes and a deep breath. Her major worry was to ruin the atmosphere of the night, but she was just reminded that she was not put there to enjoy herself. It was for the mission, and only the mission. After all, if the Tsurinai Family did not maintain the thin line of balance between the natural and supernatural, what else would? Who else would?

First day on the job [Festival Topic] Tumblr_mk3d8giUNw1qg1v6ho2_250

"Rose, um, I apologize but can I ask you a few questions about something?" The young woman's demeanor seemed to become alittle bit more composed, and Alastair took quick note of this. Her assistant would cut his conversation with Snow short as he moved to her side in thought. "I hate to mix pleasure with work, but I've been informed that some strange happenings have occurred here in Azores. I was wondering if you had noticed anything strange recently? It could be anything at all." Mai did not beat around the bush with her question, and Alastair noticed this. He also knew how protective Snow was of his other, and as such, took it upon himself to make sure Mai remained safe. After all, that was his mission. To protect the Tsurinai Mistress, even if she had put herself in danger.

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Hyacintha continued walking arm and arm with her companion enjoying the sites of the festival all around. It was quite nice to be able to have a young lady around rather than her usual company as of late. The young woman didn’t know just how much she needed another of the same gender around her. She had gotten so use to Snow and guys in general that she honestly didn’t know she could be even happier around a girl. It wasn’t until she met Mai that this realization had slapped her.

Had she truly been that sheltered and disconnected from her own kind that she forgot that women needed sisters or friends of the same feather? Oh dear. That was certainly something she needed to fix. While it was true that she was not one for rank and class, she did have a reputation to hold up and to be a lady of high society she certainly needed more friends to keep up that appearance. Or at least that is what society demanded of her, but was that the sort of life Hyacintha really wanted? Hmmm…

The young woman fell into thinking about this as she managed to keep up her carefree and untroubled attitude hardly noticing that the other next to her also fallen into her own train of thoughts. It wasn’t until a buzzing sound started that Hyacintha and the young lady were pulled back to reality and had halted as the young woman reached for the item that was causing the sound.

It was a cellphone.

Looking from the cellphone to Mai, Hyacintha nodded lightly at the girl.

“Sure. Take your time,” Hyacintha said with a smile as the other slipped from her grip and then walked off a few distance away to talk. Not wanting to be rude, Hyacintha looked to the two men who were behind them the whole time.

“So what is your name?” she asked the young man who seemed to be in thought. She wondered if he heard her as waited rocking lightly back on her heels to see if he answered. Whether he did or not, Hyacintha wouldn’t mind as her attention shifted back to Mai as she returned with an expression on her face that made her wonder just what had happened over the phone. Still being a patient and polite young woman, she would tilt her head at the other in a questioning fashion as Mai asked her question and the young man she had with her went over to her side.

Not liking the change in air or the question, Snow slid to his master’s side calmly as he watched the male in particularly carefully. Snow was not one to attack without reason most of the time; however, if the young man made the wrong move, then he would not hesitate to defend his other. For now though, he would remain relaxed as he listened to the words being exchanged.

“Stange things..well…” Hyacintha would think carefully about this as she put a finger to her chin in thought. She wasn’t sure how far she could go with this lady regarding herself and Snow or their experience with the other side. After all, they had just met…and she wasn’t exactly sure what the other was talking about when she referred to work. Hmm, what to do?

She looked over at Snow, who gave her a calm look back. She could…say a little, couldn’t she? Snow gave her look a light nod. Alright. He approved, so then. Hyacintha turned back to Mai as she looked up at her with innocent eyes.

“I am not sure what exactly is strange, but I have notice odd images around home. Not sure if that helps much,” Hyacintha said with a light smile as she folded her hands behind herself as she watched Mai. She honestly didn’t want to do anything to damage what could potentially be a great friendship, but on the other hand she wasn’t very happy about sharing too many secrets…

After all what if this girl and man really worked for the same company that ruined her family….?

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