The Other Side of Life (Cecil) (Post-awakening)

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

The night had calmed down, impossibly. In the stillness of the air as they walked toward the Vagabond, it would be hard to tell that they had just fought for their lives. Her arm still stung from where she'd been cut by the monster. And yet...

Nadia was beside herself with excitement. This was something she never thought she'd ever get to experience in her lifetime - or if she did, it would be the last thing she ever experienced. But instead, she'd fought it off with Cecil - the Knight in dark armor that he had turned out to be. Full of surprises, this one...

Since they had started walking, she'd been a bundle of thoughts and wonders...but words had failed her. Cecil was insistent still on getting her back to the Inn, and they were almost there now. Their pace had slowed a little - her newfound power and perhaps their fatigue, had muted the urgency from before.

When Nadia could handle the silence no longer she finally opened her mouth. "Ce- Revenant,...How long have you..." She stopped. As the light of the Inn came into view, she looked at him. "I can't - we can't go into the Inn looking like this."

...he wasn't sure how to feel about all this.
Alright, that was a lie - he felt like utter shit right now. Had he not been out so long with Nadia, they'd have managed to get her back to the inn before night fell and its associated horrors emerged from the dark to terrorise those who remained out. He'd had a lucky break in Nadia proving to have access to similar powers to his own, but unfortunately that came with its own set of problems to deal with - these current guises of theirs being one of them.
At least that one was easily amended.

"With me now. If we can see the light, we likely ought find somewhere else." With a glance around, he pulled Nadia into a space sheltered space, a windowless alley where only those by its sole entrance could hope to see into. "My apologies for not doing this earlier...I had other priorities in mind." He taps a gauntleted finger on Nadia's mask, then on his own helmet. "As I have found, these too are facets of our own power...guises called when we wield the powers that saved our lives before. So...simply let go if it. Release that power so that it may dwell once more within."
With a long breath out, the dark armour that covers Cecil's form dissipates into the ether, black plates becoming ghostly wisps that vanish into nothingness as they leave his skin. What remains is a somewhat tense looking blond boy, glancing down the alley. "And...there we go. If you tell it to go, it will. Just...let it happen."

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

"As I have found, these too are facets of our own power...guises called when we wield the powers that saved our lives before. So...simply let go if it. Release that power so that it may dwell once more within."

Just, take it off...it was that simple was it? She looked down at the outfit she was wearing. She really quite liked it, despite how gaudy it was in comparison to her usual attire. When she saw his armor disappear into the wind, she felt like he was transforming from one person into another. Should she be doing that? The "Nadia" who sketched and wandered and scared people away during the day...she could be someone else in this realm. The idea was exciting.

But for now, just let it go. Take it off. Her nerves were wound so tight she wasn't exactly sure how to do that. So, she decided to try it literally. Maybe the action would help her visualize it in her mind. Reaching up she gripped the side of the mask she wore, and pulled. At first, it wouldn't budge, but as she visualized the mask and attire disappearing, she was able to pull it from her face. As she pulled it off, the mask and the rest of the attire dispersed into tendrils of black smoke, with a faint sound of chains. She was once again in her Kimono, which was a little dusty now, but no worse for wear.

"Thank you...Cecil." She offered honestly, a look of apology in her eyes. They'd both have been safely home by now if she hadn't pushed them to stay later. And now she felt somehow like she'd encroached onto something sacred for him. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like she'd butted into his world and had forced him into an uncomfortable situation. Despite how exciting the prospect was, she felt a little bit bad that she kept pushing him into things. "And I'm sorry."

Cecil watched as Nadia tried taking a more physical approach to unmasking, finding himself relieved when the initial difficulties subsided. Honestly, he...hadn't tried it that way, before. His first few experiences were essentially him struggling with it til he finally managed to get it to disappear itself.
Not important, anyway. These incriminating guises were gone...and all that left was two teens in an alleyway. People would probably come up with less incriminating ideas for their presence if they were seen.

He shook his head frantically at the apology, however. "No! No no...no. You...you've got nothing to be sorry for. You had no way of knowing about any of this, nothing you can really be held at fault for." Unlike him, it went unsaid. "As far as most people are concerned, it's safe to go out at night. Just have to look at the clubs in Suzie Q to see that. Probably would have been fine most of the time if you stayed in public. This was just...bad timing."

He sighs.

"...I'm glad you weren't defenceless, but...now you've got new problems to deal with." He pauses. "We...need to stop hanging around in an alleyway. You probably have questions, but...not now."

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

Nadia's spirits rose a little bit now that rambling Cecil was back. Her conflicted excitement and nervousness died as he stuttered about with his words. Allowing herself a small smile, she considered his words. "I've never been to the club's at Susie Q. Are they fun? Can we go?" She asked him, smile widening. Now that she could defend herself, she wasn't concerned about going out at night. Her other self could fight demons now.

But, this likely wasn't the time for that, and she knew he would shoot her down. She would just have to add it to the list of things to subject him too. Probably right above the op-ed baths at the bath house... "Not now, though, I know. I do have questions. Will you come back to the Inn with me? My room's not big, but It's private."

If the way he grimaced was any indication, Cecil was leery at the prospect of going clubbing. "I've...never actually been to any of the clubs. I just know they exist." He shook his head with a reluctant look to his eyes. "They just don't, uh...appeal, that much. Noise, lights, people...so much of all of them. Some people might like that stuff, but I don't really think I could handle it."

A solemn expression settled on his features as Nadia asked her to come back with him. Really, he ought to get home...but he didn't have it in him to leave her this way. It might be problematic for him, but he wasn't exactly the priority here. "...alright. You...deserve that much."

Posts : 5994 Join date : 2013-10-06 Age : 30

As Nadia and Cecil were enjoying their recent success and it would seem as if nothing could ever sneak up behind them. However, the duo began to hear footsteps approaching them. When they turned to see who was coming towards their midst, they would notice a young woman in what appeared to be a nun's dark attire and a remarkably large coffin straddling on her back through a single strap. She had a remarkably austere look on her face, accepting no distractions. Had either of them been paying attention to the rumors in school, they would immediately know who she is...

The Other Side of Life (Cecil) (Post-awakening) ADuvhe1

"Good evening, both of you. Do you have any business in this alleyway? It's dangerous to be out here tonight in a place like this."

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

Footsteps alerted Nadia that the two were not alone. Disguises stowed, they likely looked like two young people in...well...she looked at Cecil as the woman approached. A Cadet. Even without the information from Cecil, Nadia knew she would be in trouble if she found out about their power. This was bad luck. But still, she could use the truth to her advantage in this predicament, with any luck.

As Nadia turned to put a hand on Cecil's chest, steadying herself, she addressed the woman with the same curious eyes she always bore. "An oversight. We were visiting the Little Tokyo district and lost track of time. My...friend... has been kind enough to walk me home, but my stamina isn't as high as his. I needed a moment. I live at the Vagabond Inn, just down the way...and we'll be heading that way shortly..." She trailed off as her eyes traced the coffin on the Cadet's back.

"If you don't mind my asking...what is in the coffin? Is it...a corpse?" asking that may have been a mistake, but her curiousity was plain, innocent even, despite the situation. "I would love to draw it, if we had some time."

Cecil looked around to the source of the noise and jesus christ that was a massive fucking coffin. He looked at Maria as if he wasn't quite comprehending what he was seeing, the sight a surreal one in the night.
His attention drew back to Nadia at the hand on his chest, and he sighed as she gave the explanation. "Pretty much...didn't intend to be out this late. Hope Dad isn't worrying too much..." Something twigs in his mind. "Oh dammit, Dad is not going to be happy..."

He shakes his head and facepalms as Nadia starts asking about the coffin. "Are you kidding me...?" He looks up. "I don't get why you're so interested in this stuff..." He looks over to Maria. "Sorry. She's...I don't get it either. I'm, uh...sure there's a good reason you have that which doesn't involve corpses?"

Posts : 5994 Join date : 2013-10-06 Age : 30

The Other Side of Life (Cecil) (Post-awakening) ZKGkP1t

"I... see."

She narrowed her eyes at the excuse. It was hard to tell if she were deliberating on whether to approve of it and let them through or question even a little bit more. While she was in the initial stages of consideration, Maria found herself giving a glum look towards Nadia. She was slightly annoyed about it, but accepting the fact that she was indeed a strange-looking and suspicious person. "A corpse? No, it's something... special that I use for my work. Seguing away from my belongings, have either of you seen any Psyche-Terrorists on your way here? There was one in armor and another in a gilded attire with a cape according to a report."

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

So...it wasn't a corpse. Nadia's smile fell a little at that realization. She supposed that would be a little cumbersome carrying all that dead weight around. Still...it was interesting. She was dying to know what was inside it.

Even though every fiber in her body wanted to fly from here, she found herself facing the cadet in spite of her mounting apprehension. To get this excited in the face of death and fear...there really must be something wrong with her. She met the Cadet's question with an easy smile. "No, I don't believe we've seen anyone like that..." she looked back to Cecil, to get his confirmation, before continuing. "We have passed very few people, and we were, as I said, in a hurry. If we had seen anyone like that, we'd likely have reported them ourselves." She finished.

Then she looked around. "If there really are terrorists around, we should head back to the Inn quickly. Would you mind letting us pass?" there was uegency to get home in her voice, but she showed no direct action to leave without the Cadet's permission. Afterall, the Cadet may very well have more questions for them.

Definitely, definitely a Cadet...he still wasn't sure what would be in there that just about any other container wouldn't be better suited than a coffin, but it made blatantly clear that he wouldn't want to know what was inside. Still, he didn't do anything rash. Right now, he just wished he was at home.

As Nadia looked to him, he shook his head. "I can't remember anything like that either...if they'd found us, I..." He swallows. "...I think it's safer to stay at the inn tonight."
He nods along as Nadia asks if they can leave. "I...don't feel comfortable being outside anymore."

Posts : 5994 Join date : 2013-10-06 Age : 30

They were increasingly nervous. It was easy to see it. Was it because of the coffin or was it because they had something to hide? It was difficult to tell. This would've been a nice moment to have someone like Susan to analyze them or at least attempt to, if it were in the scope of her abilities. But here she was, alone. Her cellphone vibrated, all of a sudden. Maria checked it and grimaced at the text message, their saving grace of all of this. She finally sighed and addressed the duo.

The Other Side of Life (Cecil) (Post-awakening) 4st4L3K

"Very well, make it fast. Please, don't make it a habit of remaining outside in a place like this for too long.I don't want anyone in danger.
Please give the innkeeper my regards."

She stepped to the side, giving them space to move past her. And if they did, she would watch them leave.

Posts : 1468 Join date : 2018-09-15 Age : 34

Nadia let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and moved to tug Cecil along, hand slipping gingerly into his. "Thank you so much," She replied honestly. "If you attend Seven Stars, maybe I'll see you around school?" She offered, in passing, "Stay Safe"

True to her word, she guided Cecil to the Inn via the quickest possible means.

Cecil smiles gratefully. "Me either. Thanks for warning us."
His eyes widen as Nadia's hand slips into his, developing an awkward, nervous expression as he's pulled along. "U-Uh, bye!"

Cecil doesn't resist as he's pulled along, focused on getting to the Inn.

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