Shooting Scars [Event Topic :: Morning]

It was on this particular day that a pair of siblings had decided to attend the planetarium since was one of the few rare days that it was open to the public. The finely dressed velvet room attendant had encouraged his older sister to step outside once and while. She reluctantly agreed to do so, Alexander smiled and laughed a bit about it on the inside. Alexander was not sure if she had been out before recently, but he was fairly certain that she had not been to this planetarium, which from Alexander's exhibits demonstrated humanity's hopes and dreams about the stars and space above. It sounded like a bunch of exhibits, that should be interesting for the two attendants, at least that is what he had thought.

When he saw the dome, he began to worry about the size of the rooms. His dear sister did not handle large spaces well, getting her outside the confined quarters of the velvet room was difficult. He had presumed and informed her that they would try to visit places with smaller enclosed spaces to help her calm down from time to time. He also said he would stand right by her side, and help her stay calm about everything. He did his best to assure Paige that it was going to be tighter spaces, or that she wouldn't notice how big the room was with all the cool stuff in it.

Then they stepped inside and amongst the crowd waiting to see the display or show that they were putting on today. It was here that Alexander realized his mistake, and began to whistle a tune to himself as if trying to ignore....the elephant in the room. Maybe if he was that lucky...Paige wouldn't actually see it, or she would refuse to see it.

    She was in utter hell.

    Were she in her right mind, Paige might have admired the shining lights and the intricately colored displays. She might have marveled at the sleek architecture that she rarely saw in person. She might have observed the people and tried to see if her own approximation of modern clothing was up to real life standards, maybe even taken pride in the fact that she was able to accurately adapt her usually outdated wardrobe to this era.

    Instead, all Paige could think about was the struggle to hold Alexander close or to shove him away. Keeping him close meant she would be safe, didn't it? He could protect her, he knew more about this place. But what if one of those...planets fell, aimed for her? No doubt he'd do what he could to help, and then he'd be crushed flat, and it would be her fault because she was so close to him and didn't give him that distance. On the other hand, if that happened and they were together, she could run and tug him with her and they'd both be safe...right?

    This internal battle still raging, Paige ended up looping one arm around her brother's and clinging to it tightly, her other arm holding her compendium close. She tried to focus only on the familiarity of the two and calm her erratic heartbeat, maybe even bring a semblance of composure to her short quick breaths, but the slightest movements or particularly loud laughs and talking had her shifting anxiously back and forth, eyes darting here and there.

    Oh, why did Master have to insist that she come here...?

Oh dear, this all was going rather poorly already, wasn't it. His dear sister was clinging to his arm like it was her only lifeline. He had never had a woman cling so intently to his body before now, well that's not entirely true, but those times are irrelevant to the current situation. Alexander was starting to pity his dear sister, and was about to suggest to her if she would feel more comfortable away from the crowd. It was clear the laughter and sudden noises were bothering her, it ached his poor womanizing heart to see his dear sister so unnerved like she was right now. "Dear sister, would you prefer if..." He began, until a familiar voice cut him off, and he turned around very slowly as not to startle his dear sister.

"Ah look Paige, if it isn't our dear guest Yomi!" He said offering her a genuine smile, and his posture relaxed a bit. Another familiar face would help his dear sister relax for certain. Though when she questioned if Igor had approved this, the male attendant scratched the back of his head. "Master Igor requested that Paige be taken out of the Velvet Room for a bit, to gain a better understanding of your world. I agreed to take her somewhere, and because I too felt that getting fresh air would be good for her as well. I saw that today this planetarium would be open to the public, I figured this would be a wonderful experience." It was then that Alexander rubbed the back of his head, now looking a bit unsure about himself. The doll slouched forward due to the movement as if it was frustrated with him as well.

Alexander smiled as Yomi tried to cheer Paige up and encourage her with an impression of Master Igor. "See, you're safe here, my dear sister Paige. No one and nothing is going to hurt you while we're here." Alexander said smiling at his dear sister, though that faded as he was slapped in the back. He coughed a bit, before looking back at her with a nervous smile, "It was an honest mistake, my dear and beautiful Yomi, you know that I would never intentionally mean put my dear sister in this sort of stress." Alexander explained, while trying to flirt a bit with Yomi. He was being honest with her, he did not intend to place his sister in undue stress. But it was here or outside, and Alexander thought that in here it might be better. "But my dear Yomi, tell me. What brings a beautiful and shining woman like yourself here? Surely, you already know that none of the stars shine as brightly as you."

    At her brother's words, Paige whirled around, searching for the raven haired girl. On one hand, she adored her guest. ...Well, Alexander's guest. She still wasn't allowed to serve users until her...issues were taken care of. But still, she cared for the girl all the same, and looked forward to her visits. On the other hand, she hated for Yomi to see her in this less than appealing state. Normally she was so composed, almost regal, doing her best to keep guests informed and comfortable in the Velvet Room. And now...now she was a mess. A shallowly breathing, pale, wild-eyed mess who looked less than presentable. She couldn't represent their guest like this. It felt shameful, intolerable, horrible. But she managed a tight-lipped smile at Yomi, at least letting her know she was, on some level, glad to see her despite the situation.

    She listened to Yomi carefully, trying to follow her advice to the letter. The Velvet Room? She supposed she could try. After all, a valued guest was helping her. How could she not manage at least one attempt? Forcing herself to take slower, deeper breaths, she closed her eyes for a minute. Holding onto Alexander was a good first step. She buried her face in his sleeve, focusing on his scent and presence, trying to block out the rest of the things around her.

    // ...Hm...? //

    At Yomi's request, Paige turned her face towards her, still resting her head on her brother's shoulder. She watched the girl's impression of Master Igor, a small laugh slipping past the faint smile on her face. It was quite the terrible impression, but it was funny, and she appreciated Yomi's attempt. Her giggles continued for a few more seconds at the interaction between the guest and her brother before she managed a quiet, "Thank you." She still wasn't fully at ease and there was a terrible feeling in her stomach, but she was touched by their attempts to make her feel better.

    Still holding Alexander close, she nodded slightly in response to Alexander's question, gazing curiously at Yomi. What were the odds they'd meet their guest here?

The attendant tugs at his collar a bit when Yomi says that, "Well you see, I did think that this was more like a museum when I saw the brochure..more enclosed spaces than what is seen here....once again an honest mistake." He said rubbing his head, before nodding his head at Yomi's point. He turned to his dear sister, and patted her on the back, "My dear sister, I do apologize for bringing you here...my expectations...did not match the reality. I do apologize for the stress I've caused you, and I'll make it up to you later." The brother said, offering her a polite smile, and quick hug too. He didn't mean to put her through such stress if he could help it.

"Hmmm?" Was the response that Yomi got when she said "also" ....Evidently there was more going on then what the younger attendant had orginally thought. "I see...that is most troubling, most troubling indeed. Perhaps, when Paige and I return to the Velvet Room I can inquire if Master Igor knows anything or perhaps one of my dear siblings has noted something that my dear sister and I have not. Though you are right...an opening to the public would be the perfect target to do just as you say." Alexander said, now peering at the faces in the crowd...as if trying to read each one of them, trying to find someone whose face hides darker intentions.

"With my sister in this condition, I'm afraid I have no choice but to take her some where safe, not to mention..we are restricted in our ability to aid you. The main rule is that we cannot aid you in human affairs or conflict between humans, aside from the very rare exception." Alexander explained, perhaps reminding Yomi of this rule.


"No, please do join us, we both enjoy your company. We are truly blessed this day to recieve a visit from a beautiful angel like yourself." He said flirting with Yomi once more, even throwing in a wink and sly grin to try and seal the deal.

    A barely perceptible whine came out of Paige's mouth as he wrestled his arm away to hug her. She was just starting to relax somewhat. The jostling was unwelcome, even if the hug was nice. Almost in retaliation. but more so desperate to hold onto something familiar again, Paige instead looped her arms around Alexander's waist and clung onto him that way, offering him a small nod to know she accepted his apology. She wasn't quite sure how he planned to make it up to her, but maybe she could send him on some kind of errand instead. Maybe for those candies he brought back last time...

    She hated to hear Yomi's words. Robberies and crimes? That was already highly troubling for her. To know that her guest was in the middle of that just made her even more anxious. If she could, she would have invited, maybe even insisted, that Yomi stay with her in the Velvet Room where she could be safe from all of that. But Master Igor would never allow it. As Alexander was saying, they were forbidden from shielding Yomi from hardships. They could only assist, and in very minute ways. So frustrating. Long ago, when she first had her duties, she could abide by that rule so easily. Maybe being forced to sit back and do literally nothing made her more empathetic as the years went by. At least back then she had the option to help...

    Paige nodded quickly at Yomi, managing another small smile. As much as she hated this outing, having Yomi around was helping somewhat. Maybe she could actually somewhat enjoy today. Maybe this would even be a wonderful breakthrough for her.

    The instant Alexander started to use suave lines on their guest, however, Paige immediately tightened her grip, almost choking off her brother mid-sentence. It wasn't proper for a gentleman to be so bold when talking to a lady, especially a guest. Paige looked up at her brother, a warning little glare evident on her face. She then looked at Yomi curiously, if not apprehensively. "...What do we do?" she asked, glancing around the area. Were they supposed to just stand here in this place, waiting for something, or were they expected to perform something particular...?

The attendant nodded his head, and stopped his explanation when Yomi said that she had heard it all before, and that was perfectly acceptable. He did not want to sound as though he was scolding her, and he noticed how she sort of zoned out....as if something was holding her attention It didn't take a genius to figure out what, and it was easy for Alexander to see this after people watching for so many years. He was going to say something, except his dear sister decided to do more than just squeeze him.

He then tried to worm his way out or make the hug looser, "Alright, dear sister, I'll stop!" He said a bit, a little reluctant to give up a chance to flirt with Yomi. The poor guy, but he feared his older sister's ire more than anything else at this moment. That's when the guest decided that they would be getting a tour of the planetarium, how wonderful! Though...her question about aliens was...truly odd and not one that Alexander had an answer for right off the top of his head. He looked down at his older sister, wondering if she had an answer for their dear guest instead.

Though when Yomi offered an explanation and a chance to learn about the different solar systems and the stars above, the male attendant smiled. "Only a little bit to be honest, but I'm sure it will be a spectacular presentation." He said, holding his dear sister's hand to help her stay close to him as they moved through the crowd after Yomi. If she did not want his hand, then he supposed that he could allow her to cling to him instead!

    Paige perked up slightly as Yomi mentioned she had questions for her and Alexander. While she couldn't directly help guests, information was her strong suit, and she delighted in using her knowledge to help any visitors one way or another. For a moment, however, she was temporarily speechless. Aliens? ...She knew the term, of course. It was in the dictionary, after all, and the dictionary was one of her best friends as the years passed, seeing as how the vernacular kept changing and she felt obliged to keep up with it as best she could. But did Yomi actually mean the kind that looked strange and misshapen, the ones with large eyes and erratic proportions that gazed up from the planet themed craft pages of her books?

    "Perhaps." Paige responded quickly, seeing as Yomi was attempting to dismiss her inquiry and Alexander was remaining silent. "I cannot tell you more. The rooms are all...separate. Isolated. Save from Master Igor. He can move between them. Ask him." Now, whether or not her Master would be forthcoming with that information was another matter, but at least hopefully Yomi would get the information she sought.

    Paige immediately tightened her grip on Alexander's waist as they shuffled forwards through the crowd, pressing her face into his shoulder and only peeking out to look down at her feet. Not being able to see some of the people was helping. But a large weight still settled in the pit of her stomach as she pictured so many things going awry: people bumping into her, things falling, people tripping and colliding and causing a huge mess.... The thought made Paige shudder and press herself almost unbearably close to Alexander, forcing herself to slow her breathing and focus on only her brother and her guest...and prayers that nothing would go wrong and she'd be home soon.

Alexander seemed perplexed by all this, suddenly their dear guest was very...very down and depressed. It was what Alexander had thought at first, it was this mysterious other person, but not only that Yomi was questioning her choices and her decisions. She was afraid of what lay ahead of her, and the difficulties that come with being a wild card and the contract that she signed. It was a shame to see such a beautiful woman so distraught and confused about her future. The attendant looked at his sister, before whispering in her ear.

"Dear sister, I think our guest needs our help at this moment, let's comfort her, shall we? The usual way of course." He knew Paige was frightened at the moment, but at the same time they had a guest that was distraught and afraid at this very moment before them. As attendants they had a responsibility to help her find her way, and aid her in her journey to find the Answer she sought. The young man looked at her with confident eyes, and then smiled at her.

"Fear is a natural part of life, we're all afraid of something, it is normal to be afraid." He said as he stepped closer to Yomi. "You bear a heavy burden as the Wild Card, my siblings and I know well of the burden you bear. With this burden comes great power, and the ability to overcome any difficulty that stands in your way." Alexander explained "While it is a crushing weight upon you, I know you have the strength and the will to rise above and beyond any challenge that threatens you. I believe you are able to do much more, I believe you are able to overcome this fear that you feel." He said as he took another step closer to her.

"Even the most powerful Wild Cards get afraid of the evil that stands before them, but even in the worst situations, even if fate is against them they rise to the occasion and surmount the challenges before them. They never quit, and I can see in your eyes, though at the moment they are full of doubt, you have a will of a true hero. One who will never surrender or give up, despite the odds." He said, before looking at a dear sister Paige and giving her a nod. The signal that it was time to intitate the usual way of comforting a guest whom they were both close to.

    Paige peeked up at Yomi in confusion as they came to a sudden halt. Why were they stopping? Was something happening? Was something about to happen? Something wrong? Something bad? Possibilities raced through Paige's head. For a moment, all she could do was look around, trying to spot any incongruities or dangerous things taking place as a heavy weight settled in her stomach. As Yomi's words began to filter through her mind, though, that weight changed from fear to despair.

    Were Paige in the velvet room, she wouldn't have hesitated to take Yomi into her arms and coo apologies and assurances to her. She would have explained how none of this was wrong, there were no wrongs to this power, fear was normal, natural, and it was better to accept it than push it away. She would have apologized for the burden despite having no control of the wild card's power, apologized for the stress and pain tracing the girl's features. But given the circumstance, touching Yomi felt wrong now. Thank god for Alexander; he said what needed to be said, gave Yomi the hope she needed to hear.

   At Alexander's signal, Paige gave Yomi a soft smile before unhooking one arm from Alexander's waist and looping it around Yomi instead. For a moment, the attendant rested her chin on the guest's shoulder and murmured just loud enough for Yomi to hear, "I do not believe your power could have been given to anyone more capable than you, darling. Whatever happens, whatever trials await you today, tomorrow, years from now, I know you will overcome them, and we will do whatever we can to assist our darling guest." For a moment, Paige seemed like her normal self as she pulled away and, in a motherly fashion, tucked a strand of hair behind Yomi's ear before cupping the girl's cheek gently and giving her a serene, encouraging smile. She hated to see her guest in such distress. Yomi was far too lovely of a girl to allow herself to be weighed down with so many regrets and fears.