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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 19:06:27 GMT -8
Somewhere in the no-mans-land that was Once Upon a Time known as Long Beach, there stood what was once a ritzy hotel, the front half crumbled inward like so many other buildings in the surrounding area. As there was no shelter or refuge here, there were no citizens to amble about, looking for scraps of food or supplies. The area had been picked clean in the early months of the catastrophe: the richest areas had the most resources, you see. And since none of the buildings or surroundings provided any kind of tactical advantage, the area, however small, had been left alone.
Even knowing this, Delilah watched from underneath a shadowed canopy, her irritation evident. She was antsy to get on with her little...task, but her usual caution was playing a huge factor today. Though she had her weaponry with her, she was alone. It wouldn't do to wander unknowingly into a trap she had no idea was there.
When she was reasonably certain there was no one in the building, she made her move across the street towards the hotel, sticking to the shadows as much as she could. It was imperative to her that no one saw her.
She ducked around the ruined side of the building and moved a large rock among many. This would expose a small, dusty hole in the wall of debris. Nodding to herself, she quietly slipped in.
Delilah strode through the ballroom with ease, again marveling at how little of it had been damaged. The large crystal chandelier was shattered on the main dance floor, of course, and the floor was nowhere near the polished cedarwood it had once been, but that wasn't why she was here.
Sitting just off to the side was a large object covered by a white canvas that had turned gray from dust.
She exhuded a sigh of relief at the sight and a small smile touched her lips. Even in the dim light shining in from the shattered windows and the small specks offered from holes in the debris, she could see her quarry as though she had just been here yesterday.
In fact, it had been a couple of months since her last visit. Oh, how she missed this place. When she had found it, it had been an accident as she was looking for survivors and supplies for the Crows. But when she saw the piano sitting in the corner, she knew she had to come back. It had been years since she had last played anything, and found that she missed it dearly. Since there was no way she could ask anyone to bring it to the base for her, she came here every few weeks or so to play.
Approaching the tarp, Delilah pulled it off gently and it slithered to the floor. A grand piano sat underneath, black as her own hair and shiny as the day she found it.
She checked around herself one more time before moving around the piano and taking a seat on the hard wooden bench. She lifted the cover hiding the keys and sat there for a moment as she thought of what to play.
Then it came to her and she began.
Soon, music filled the hollow, dusty ballroom and poured into the outside world. That was fine with her: the area was empty. It wasn't likely she would be discovered.
Not likely...but still very much possible.((OOC:Where ever you want to go with this is cool by me. I've been waiting to start a thread in this way for a while. I hope it doesn't mess with whatever ideas you have.))
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 19:32:06 GMT -8
So long since he had been in California. Everything was fresh and new to him. The rubble and disaster that filled the world was something he was used to. But this was his first time to see how it transformed Southern California. It was fascinating. He had no emotional attachment to Seattle, so seeing it in ruins meant nothing, but this city. He had memories here. Some good, some bad, but they were all his.
Today he was walking through a rich area of long beach. Memories flooding through his mind. Memories of Leon and Ark and him flying the soul plane after having stolen it. Snoop Dogg flying it, stopping down here for food. No more.
He wasn't looking for things to scavenge, the place looked barren and deserted. Not a soul in sight. Not even crows or seagulls eating scraps. It would seem any scraps that might have been here were already picked clean. He kind of liked it, it was peaceful to be so alone.
At least, he thought he was alone, until he heard the faint sound of music playing. The sound was almost too quiet to hear, but with the dead silence around him he was able to pick it out. He followed the sound. Moving through rubble to an old hotel. A building that had certainly seen better days in the past. Like most buildings in this city.
The music grew louder as he approached, his bare feet nearly silent as he creeped across the floor of the hotel, entering the ballroom and leaning against the doorway and listening to the music play. Waiting until she was done before slowly, very slowly clapping.
"Very pretty."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 20:33:17 GMT -8
Delilah let out a breath as the last notes faded away, reveling in the serenity playing brought her.
Yeah, that lasted precisely half a second.
The slow, echoing clap startled her out of her reverie and she jumped up, knocking over the wooden bench as she drew her tanto knife. She searched only a moment for the sound, catching the appearance of a man in a doorway she had not come in through.
"Very pretty."
How had she not noticed his presence before?!
Well, duh, you were kinda playing a complicated piece, absorbed in your work, you know, that sort of thing.
No excuse.
Her eyes traveled over him as she took a moment to get over her shock. Tall, green eyes, scarred face. Interesting attire (she thought the man was crazy for not wearing any shoes in a world where tetanus was a very real danger). She didn't sense a threat from this man, but he seemed as ready as she was. If she wanted to throw down, she had a feeling he would oblige.
Finally, she spoke.
"No one's ever heard me play before." she replied, dropping her stance, but retaining her knife, a sheenless black recon tanto.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 20:41:42 GMT -8
"I find that hard to believe if you play that well. A parent, or teacher or someone must have heard you play at some point."
Also fuck tetanus, he didn't even have to walk if he didn't want to. His eyes scanned over her body. Taking his time with it. Not worried at all by her blade. Or the possibility that she would want to fight him. It would just be silly to do that.
"You planning on putting away the knife or do I need to take it from you?"
Serious question as he tilted his head. Taking a step in to the room. And then another. He was not afraid of her. And he wasn't even looking around for an ambush. He was cocky, like he owned the place. Which he did, in his mind. Since he was inside it, it was his turf until he left.
"What's your name?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 21:13:57 GMT -8
"I find that hard to believe if you play that well. A parent, or teacher or someone must have heard you play at some point."
"Excluding my teacher, then. But she was partially deaf. Otherwise, no."
Ignore the compliment, ignore the compliment.
"...and, thank you."
Dammit.
The need to be polite was often a burden.
She felt his eyes roam over her and she shivered slightly, but otherwise remained where she was. Normally she was quite good at reading the intentions of others, and this man threw her off. Not only had HE been the first one to hear her play (something that was quite jarring, thank you very much), but she hadn't noticed his presence at all and now as he looked at her...like that, she couldn't tell if he wanted to fight her or fuck her.
"You planning on putting away the knife or do I need to take it from you?"
...or neither, more likely the former.
She said nothing but raised her eyebrows and tipped the bench upright with her foot and slowly replaced her knife. Not a smart decision in her mind, but hey, that was why she carried three of 'em. Plus, he didn't seem too keen on fighting after all.
He started walking towards her and she responded in kind. Unlike him, she was checking her surroundings, trying to discern if he had brought any one with him. She thought no...but then, she had also thought no one came to this area. Soon, they were only a couple of feet apart.
"What's your name?"
She locked her blue eyes with his and folded her arms beneath her chest, still studying, trying to find something to go off of. Not having an intuitive insight on someone was wrong somehow...and interesting, too. "Delilah. And yours?"
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 21:25:29 GMT -8
"Smart move."
He said when she put the knife away. Because he wouldn't be gentle. The stone under his shirt and coat shifted just slightly on the underside of his arm. Ready to lash out should the need arise. Just in case. Even if the blade was put away. When they were mere feet apart, eyes locked the small smug smirk on his face remained fixed, as if etched in stone. She gave her name, and he waited. Watching her for a few more moments before he spoke.
"Mathew Amtrum."
First and last name, he assumed she would know him from that. The Earth Dragon. Not to mention the other titles he had acquired recently and over the years.
"Come here often?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 21:45:37 GMT -8
"Mathew Amtrum."
"A pleasure."
And once more, not being on the up-and-up in high school fails to pay off. If he had mentioned his Earth Dragon status, it might have rung a few bells, but when he had acquired this status Delilah was either in San Francisco or in prison.
Wait...
No...she had seen him somewhere. He was older now, but...
She ignored his question as the cogs started working in her brain, trying to remember where the hell she had seen this guy.
"Gym class." she would say suddenly after a few minutes of silence. She looked triumphant for a moment and then the horrible, horrible memory washed over her and she looked uneasy. "Eisenkasten. The costumes. Oh, God..."
Almost as bad as Winklewood. Almost. |
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 21:53:30 GMT -8
Mathew actually became the Earth Dragon in New York, he just assumed everyone knew because he was kind of a big deal. But that was just him. He frowned a bit when she didn't answer his question right away, and he tilted his head slightly at her contemplative look, until she spoke and he almost gagged. God that gym teacher was ugly. But then she mentioned the costumes and it came back.
"Sexy maid right?"
He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. He was pretty sure that's what she was. Pretty sure.
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 22:14:11 GMT -8
“Unfortunately.” She admitted with a pained expression and a slight reddening of her cheeks. Fuck, stilettos were hard to run in. Even harder when you were trying to keep your cleavage from spilling out of your top.
“And you were...Methusalah or whatever it was you were supposed to be.” She nodded to herself. Then Delilah remembered his earlier question and she looked over her shoulder at the piano behind her. “Not really but I'd like to. Why?” she turned back to face him, her eyebrow raised. “is this where you live?”
Not a bad guess, but even she was pretty sure that this wasn't it.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 22:25:24 GMT -8
That part wasn't so bad. The bouncing cleavage part at least. And the reddening of her cheeks told him a bit about her. A modest girl. Well then, that was something to keep in mind for the future. It could be useful somehow, in some way.
"First time I've been here in years. Actually just recently back in town. Thought I would walk around and see how things changed."
More or less.
"So you here alone? That's pretty gutsy, there are a lot of powerful people out there looking for blood, or more."
He scoffed slightly at that. It was amusing to him, mostly because he didn't have those problems.
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 23:09:38 GMT -8
"First time I've been here in years. Actually just recently back in town. Thought I would walk around and see how things changed."
She nodded at that with a short laugh. That was the underestimation of the year.
"So you here alone? That's pretty gutsy, there are a lot of powerful people out there looking for blood, or more."
"Like yourself?" She allowed herself an easy grin here. She was still cautious, and she still wasn't picking up any vibes from Mathew, but she had relaxed enough to make jokes. Or half jokes. "I'm here because I want to be. Any one who has a problem or wants to do something about it can take it up with my knife." Delilah's shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "What about yourself? There's only one of you, near as i can tell. And you're not wearing shoes."
Yes, it was still bothering her.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 23:14:49 GMT -8
"That little knife won't do much to stop someone who really wants to hurt you."
He said casually. His hand raising up to run through his bangs. Trying to get that mental image of her running and jumping in a sexy maid outfit back in his head. That would be a nice image to have.
"There only needs to be one of me. People don't normally attack a Dragon."
Obviously. And if they did, boy would they be in for a surprise. He had to resist the urge to show off. But he just loved his new trick. And using it to beat the immortal Dragon Slayer Seigefried was a great field test for it. He couldn't wait to use it on Barker. And to watch him bleed out at his feet.
After finding Leon of course. Unless he ran in to Barker. But probably after Leon.
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 23:25:11 GMT -8
"That little knife won't do much to stop someone who really wants to hurt you."
She let out a throaty chuckle and she smirked. "You should know that size doesn't matter as long as you know how to use it."
Failing that, she also carried a bowie knife and had a 42 inch katana at home.
"There only needs to be one of me. People don't normally attack a Dragon."
This actually made her eyebrows raise in surprise. A Dragon, was he? No. She didn't think so. She would have remembered if she had seen his face among the other members of that gang when she had met with David.
But perhaps he didn't mean a group so much as he did a title?
"I've heard that before..." she admitted slowly. "Elemental whassits, am I right?"
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Oct 7, 2012 23:27:50 GMT -8
"Earth Dragon."
His smirk grew.
"Do you need a demonstration?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 7, 2012 23:34:30 GMT -8
"Earth Dragon."
He smirked and she blushed again at the scrutiny. It was as if he found her amusing some how. She couldn't decide whether to be offended or pleased.
Frig this guy is weird.
"Do you need a demonstration?"
"You got to see my special talent, I think it's fair if I see yours." She replied lightly, hands slightly on her hips. Earth, he mentioned. That made her think 'Qi' user. She was one too, but she didn't like using hers. It made her too...angry.
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