Irritable (Gabreil, Unfettered)

[Bastille Amtrum]

Irritable…


Crimson eyes glared straight ahead. Flash backs where returning and Homi had taken her to the hospital late the night before for unconsciously reopening her own wounds. Bastille had apparently scratched her head straight through her skull, or that was what the doctor commentated when he saw the graze across her left temple. He bandaged it and gave her medicine but it was that medicine which was causing her to be more moody and pissed off them normal. It was that medicine that was causing her to have stupid dreams that drove her absolutely nuts.

“F***ING A** HOLE” she screamed suddenly at the top of her lungs. Something told her to halt her aggressive yelling at god. She knew he wouldn’t reply even if he had chosen to lend an ear to her suffering which he never did. She crossed her arms and slammed herself against the pillar again. Her sword sheathed neatly at her hip clanked against the stone.

She didn’t even understand why she was here on a perfectly cloudy Saturday. In fact she felt like screaming her head off simply for the fact she had found herself here. She was acting like a child and she knew she needed to stop it but being tired didn’t sit well with her. She wanted to sleep…wanted to sleep so badly. She slid down the pillar and laid herself on the ground. Who would wake her up on a Saturday anyway? No one would find her here…and it was time she got some sleep. She closed her eyes but only a few seconds later she found herself in a dream. The dream infuriated her and she opened her eyes immediately up in the standing position and punching the wall.

“YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS YOU HEAR ME?!!! PAYYYY!!!” she sighed and slid back down the wall to a sitting position.

“though I doubt its really your fault, its Amtrum’s…every time he’s here he gives me a headache. So tell me why my intuition told me to come here on Saturday…I can easily be taking my frustration out at the shooting range….something’s going to happen isn’t it? Just like last time you gave me this feeling…oh well I guess ill listen but you better be doing this for my benefit this time…and of course now ‘he’s’ in the whole picture too…why on earth do you do this to me?” she whined aloud.

She leaned her head back a stayed in the silence a long moment with her eyes closed before opening them. Great back to where she started. She took out a bag from her back pocket and pulled out a small piece of chewing gum. She growled.

“I LIKED SMOKING WHY DOES IT CAUSE YOUR STUPID LUNGS ISSUES?!!!” and she was back to being grump-fest 09.

["Unfettered"]

Dropping In. Literally.

“I LIKED SMOKING WHY DOES IT CAUSE YOUR STUPID LUNGS ISSUES?!!!”

"Because generally... vat makes you feel gut... mein gut Frau Red Eyes... iz sometimes very... very bad for... you."

Not completely true, of course, but it was enough sarcasm to make the point of his entrance, as he walked up to the side of the pillar that the ever so familiar voice emanated from. But his own voice was slightly unfamiliar, even to himself. Wasn't sure if anyone followed him here---he hadn't the wit to pay attention to that. But his usually clear, deep voice had heavy intonations of being completely haggard and worn. Indeed, what was "Unfettered" doing here in school on a Saturday?

*CLOMP*

...

...

...

*CLOMP*

...

...

...

A few more slow steps like that. "Unfettered" looked out towards the destroyed courtyard. He had on a familiar, cocky grin to his face. But he looked... worn down. His hair looked roughed and unwashed, blood caking the edge covering his right ear. His scars seemed more apparent on his face---or perhaps they were recently attained and healed ones. The one going over his eye... almost a star-striped-shaped one over his chin. The darkened skin of the scars a reminder of what exactly this fellow had to go through to get to his position (...Of what, exactly?). Lack of sleep was apparent in his eye, as it weighed heavily underneath his eye. The only thing that seemed rather alright was the rest of his attire, which was kept as spick-and-span as usual: The scarf wrapped around his neck, going down his chest, just over his Hades coat. Sealed up completely on a hot day like this---though it looked like he was wearing some extra layers underneath. And his jeans as well, and his typical weird shoes that he'd also gotten from the "Gods" incident, a year or so back.

Aside from looking battle ready, his entire body language was that of a man on the verge of defeat. Subtle, quick intakes of breath that silently played along in front of his face. Sweat sweltered down his face---either from being overworked, or a fever. But still, that same, cocky smile. To be quite frank, it was rather uncertain as to what had gone on to put him in this condition, but that's as he stood, watching a very familiar Frau in front of him.

Still though, the detail of her last phrase was not lost on him.

"...Still... You actually... quit?"

Small talk. He wasn't a big fan of it. But it would be rude to just randomly offering her something---After all, his memory was foggy. And he didn't know about her type of relations with the transfer known to everyone as the "Earth Dragon," around here in Public High School #259. For the time being, "Unfettered" would play his cards a bit cautiously.

...And hope that the others felt as shitty as he did from their overzealous "work out" with each other.

Subconsciously, his left hand lifted out from his pocket to go over the back of his head, to lightly brush against a bruise---stopping himself before touching it, fearing the obvious twitch that would come from it. No signs of weakness here.

[Gabriel Seran]

Gabriel followed at Unfettered’s heels silently, taking up the flank of his shadow almost imitating its presence. He followed him till his approach till coming upon a very familiar face.

“I LIKED SMOKING WHY DOES IT CAUSE YOUR STUPID LUNGS ISSUES?!!!”

"Because generally... vat makes you feel gut... mein gut Frau Red Eyes... iz sometimes very... very bad for... you."

Gabriel clung to the shadows still drifting in the late morning hours, only lingering long enough to keep his body hidden as he traced out each of their figures from the darkness. Bastilles smallish figure pressed against a pillar almost reciprocated that of Unfettered who leaned at a similar angle.

"...Still... You actually... quit?"

Gabriel emerged at his side slowly, his figure almost the opposite of Unfettered’s, he was neatly attired in the finest of silk shirts, looking to be a tad bit more Victorian attire though it had a modern edge to it. His face kept neatly trimmed as was the rest of his figure, everything maintained in a presentable fashion, the contrast was quite apparent.

“I certainly hope I am to blame ma belle…?” he kept his accent fluctuating at the tails of his words addressing her with the respect of his household.

Gabriel swiftly looked unto Unfettered with a sense of revere mixed with pain, it wasn’t too much for him to simply ask for assistance, and Gabriel hadn’t had much to do since returning from Italy. The fires he’d set in retribution were miles away now from the reclusive sanctuary of his estate, however greatly it bored him.

“Bon matin seigneur, Hope I’m not interrupting.” He suggested towards Unfettered.

[Bastille Amtrum]

“a French man, and a German …what is this world war 3? Don’t worry if you lost your white flag frenchie I can give you mine, we’ve no use for it…better yet ask German there, im sure he’ll give you his until he steals it back…” The joke was mulled over by her grim voice.

Two familiar faces both giving her this weird look. What was going on anyway, the German looked like he really had just gone through a war zone, barely coming out alive. His face looked distressed and that was worrisome to Bastille who felt like she was out of the loop on something big here. Her mind quickly reminded her curiosity to back off…last time she got in on something big at this school it hadn’t gone over well for her. Correctional Facility memories made her shudder.

So why was the man, she still had no name for, following him. She had seen him quite quickly in the shadows…her own assassins eye was stronger then about 98% of the others. Partly because she had trained her eyes to pick up on the faintest of muscle movements as her strength to keep her alive, the other part was due to another correctional facility memory…the devils contacts. She could practically see movement behind brick walls they where that good. She could even decipher when molecules in the air moved due to wind or physical movement…so unnecessarily to say…it wasn’t hard to spot the French man quite early in.

She quickly stood up adjusting her sword somewhat bracing for an attack the other part of her waiting and standing at attention like a soldier, despite her upper body looking quite at ease. Her leather, knee high, black fencing boots clicked together when she pivoted her feet to touch the heels. Her eyes looked both of them over and she made a notion to make up for her comment earlier.

“So what brings two people here in the wee hours of the morning…I doubt its because you knew I was here…or is it just that?” her eyes watched both of them carefully without the slightest up turn of her frown.

["Unfettered"]

Yet Another Convenient Trio-Meeting

“I certainly hope I am to blame ma belle…?”

...Was that...?

Yes. It was. It was. Slowly, "Unfettered" would turn himself about to look at the newcomer---He'd been followed? Well, it actually wasn't all that surprising. But still, he had his reasons for being here. What was Mr. Seran's excuse for being here? Not that he had anything against it.

“Bon matin seigneur, Hope I’m not interrupting.”

Raising a brow, his smile turning into something more sincere and genuinely welcoming. "Not at all, Mr. Seran. Impeccable timing, really," the German would chuckle to himself, though curiosity still played in his eye, as he beheld Mr. Seran's attire. After a moment, he satisfied himself, dismissing it politely. Nodding. "---Though... you already know Frau Red Eyes? Vell, zat makes things easier for me. For us," the junge would note with increasing amusement and delight at this situation---

---“a French man, and a German …what is this world war 3? Don’t worry if you lost your white flag frenchie I can give you mine, we’ve no use for it…better yet ask German there, im sure he’ll give you his until he steals it back…”

...

Biting the better part of his tongue from either laughing harshly or spitting out a terrible retort, the German decidedly kept himself quiet. The only sign that he had even considered responding to that being in the sudden, slight bulge in his lips, before slowly retracting.

He couldn't decide whether or not to be insulted, pleased, spiteful, or---No, he choose to be non-nonchalant. Well, that and sigh rather explosively at an otherwise dry joke with bad delivery. No questioning the perfect timing, though.

“So what brings two people here in the wee hours of the morning…I doubt its because you knew I was here…or is it just that?”

"Mmm... nein. Und... I have no... idea why Mr. Seran's... here---I'm here more or less to... train... in private," he'd reply slowly to look at Gabriel one more time. Pausing for a moment, he would look back at Bastille. Consider her for a moment. His next few words were drummed about his head, as he thought about things. Circumstances. Loyalties. And everything he did not know.

"..."

Looking again at Gabriel, as if for some reassurance, he'd sigh one more time before leaning backwards, stretching his aching back. After all...

Matthew Amtrum was back.

...One more unpleasant thing to find out upon coming back from a month's disappearance. However, his next bit he'd say after Gabriel said his own explanation.

"So. ...Um. Vat is... uh... your disposition, these dayz?"

---The moment he said it, he realized that he was probably being too vague. His gaze would switch between Gabriel and Bastille.

Thinking, as usual.

[Gabriel Seran]

"Not at all, Mr. Seran. Impeccable timing, really," Unfetterd’s approval of Gabriel’s dealings had been a bit less suspicious then what he would have expected, “---Though... you already know Frau Red Eyes? Vell, zat makes things easier for me. For us,"Gabriel heard him mutter off the words, mentioning us…what he meant by it, obviously he was here for a reason. In the short time he’d known the man; Gabriel knew he was always a step ahead of the curd, planning out what was to come. Though now he seemed a bit out of his safety net, injuries covering his body like the plague, it didn’t do the man justice. Gabriel let his gaze tauter off of Unfettered’s weakened appearance and tried to reassimilate himself with the opportunity at hand.

“a French man, and a German …what is this world war 3? Don’t worry if you lost your white flag frenchie I can give you mine, we’ve no use for it…better yet ask German there, I’m sure he’ll give you his until he steals it back…”

Gabriel cocked a brow, he was a bit offended by the remark, he’d been in the states long enough to pick up on sarcasm and jokes but that was a bit over the top. He felt the need to bite back on his lower cheek to resist any violent retorting of a remark.

“So what brings two people here in the wee hours of the morning…I doubt it’s because you knew I was here…or is it just that?”

"Mmm... nein. Und... I have no... idea why Mr. Seran's... here---I'm here more or less to... train... in private," Unfettered would reply slowly to look at Gabriel one more time.

Gabriel caught the glimpse but averted his gaze to Bastille’s, truth is he didn’t fully understand what he was out here for, perhaps to catch up on midmorning stalking, perhaps being locked away in his estate since his return from Europe was driving him mad with boredom. Curiosity was clawing its way at his insides begging for knowledge of what had been going on since his absence.

“Cabin fever…” Gabriel suggested towards the pair knowing Unfettered may pick up on what he was talking about since he was the one picking him up from the airport…

[Bastille Amtrum]

Bastille would ignore any weird looks for her joke and stand up. She pulled herself into a stretch before her bored eyes reached either of the two. With a grimace she shrugged her shoulders and continued to move and stretch her limbs with little to no emotion crossing her face.

“That’s a bit odd you two…” she said ignoring the fact she two was here in the very early hours of the morning with little to no reason. Then again her gut always told her to go somewhere important and low and behold here she was. There had to be more to this, and the way they where looking at each other was making her irritable again. They where like newly broken up lovers…she shivered and looked away trying to remove the image from her head.

She returned to look at them for a moment.

“this is awkward…well for my disposition…its rather non existent. Im doing fine in school, as I should…I only come here lately for an education so I can get my degree then leave to college and start working as an assassin again…friend is starting up her own unit and all. As for this melodramatic high school fight stuff I see no interest in it for me and thus I take no side…seems unfortunate for us neutrals…especially for me who is stuck knowing both the leaders on intimate terms.” She said nonchalantly continuing to stretch her bones with a bored look on her face.

["Unfettered"]

Cutting Pleasantries

“Cabin fever…”

Mm... "Unfettered" wouldn't press Gabriel on it for the time being. He just shifted his weight from one heel to the other, pending on how much pain that particular ankle was in, trying to be as subtle about it as possible. A common courtesy, at least, to the compatriots present.

“That’s a bit odd you two…”

...At this, the German began to chuckle, but he stopped mid-way, his cheeks expanding. Holding the top of his fist to his mouth, he held it there, until he breathed out (somewhat) explosively through his nose. His eye looked up for a moment, before settling on Bastille. Looked like she was ready to her her thoughts. Had to stretch about to get her blood flowing, eh?

“this is awkward…well for my disposition…its rather non existent. Im doing fine in school, as I should…I only come here lately for an education so I can get my degree then leave to college and start working as an assassin again…friend is starting up her own unit and all. As for this melodramatic high school fight stuff I see no interest in it for me and thus I take no side…seems unfortunate for us neutrals…especially for me who is stuck knowing both the leaders on intimate terms.”

"Friend... Homi, by chance? Mm. Vell, gut to hear zat you have zings settled out." he began slowly... before beckoning his rear backwards, slowly sliding himself to sit on the ground. Resting his head on his propped up left knee, while his rest was on its side, the ankle going underneath his left leg. But his eye was looking sharp again. "Even so, I'm amazed at how you can stay neutral ven you know both of ze leaders."

"---Are you truly?" he suddenly questioned. Almost glaringly. Perhaps he was irritated at the nonchalant tone in her voice? Or...?

A moment would pass, unless someone said anything.

His mouth would turn to a grin. Maybe he was convinced...?

"Vell, zat's gut, zen. Because... I vas vondering if your services were for hire."

...His eyebrow quirked up for a moment, before he bit the the tip of his tongue briefly. Smiled a bit more openly.

"...I mean, your skillz---Fack---If I could hire you could train us. ...In ze manner of ze sword," slowly getting flustered with himself. She irritated him, but she had knowledge that he did not. "Und likevise you, Gabriel," he'd say, slowly shifting his sitting position to look over to Mr. Seran. He'd no idea how Gabriel had through the CF, no idea what happened to him, thus far, but he was pleased to see that the others still looked up to him.

After all, he was sitting in the presence of two people whose influence was steadily on the rise.

Whether or not they realized it.

[Gabriel Seran]

“That’s a bit odd you two…”

Gabriel cocked a brow, what was so odd about it, the three of them coming together in one place, coincidence some may say. Though Gabriel had another thought…fate? There was promise in this future you had but look at the picture from a different angle.
“This is awkward…well for my disposition…its rather nonexistent. I’m doing fine in school, as I should…I only come here lately for an education so I can get my degree then leave to college and start working as an assassin again…friend is starting up her own unit and all. As for this melodramatic high school fight stuff I see no interest in it for me and thus I take no side…seems unfortunate for us neutrals…especially for me who is stuck knowing both the leaders on intimate terms.”

Gabriel remained stoic, his features unchanged and unaltered. Bastille had never been this openly cynical and progressive in their pat encounters, though their last meeting he’d seen a different and probably more vulnerable side of her. But the hostility didn’t surprise him, he remembered taking her cigarettes secretly he enjoyed the angered reaction and pain he’d cause, though of course it was for her own good.

"Friend... Homi, by chance? Mm. Vell, gut to hear zat you have zings settled out." Now “Unfettered’s” turn to speak as he slowly slouched to sit, "Even so, I'm amazed at how you can stay neutral ven you know both of ze leaders."

His stature looked like he’d needed the rest, and most certainly he deserved it, the hard work leading up to and following the Correctional facility were chaotic at best, though it surprised him how much he was still in shreads.

"---Are you truly?" he suddenly questioned.
Back to the conversation Gabriel caught on to the accusations being made, so Bastille was playing both sides, very clever, a move he’d attempted to pull earlier on in his stay here. Though through the events which unfolded over the past few months had changed his outlook on things. His plans hadn’t exactly unfolded how he planned but as he said to Blaze earlier on they had unfolded as he predicted, simply a different threat.

"Vell, zat's gut, zen. Because... I vas vondering if your services were for hire."

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably, a mercenary? He didn’t like how this was headed, Mercenaries couldn’t be trusted as soon as the money was handed over she could turn on them knowing everything. Brows furrowed as his glinting emerald gaze fixated on “Unfettered” questioningly.

"...I mean, your skillz---Fack---If I could hire you could train us. ...In ze manner of ze sword, Und likevise you, Gabriel,"His mood turned from bitter to curious now at what he’d been planning as of late. Surely Gabriel would fight with them till the end but train? Was he really that respectable to live up to those expectations? Second in command had its duties and undoubtedly he would live up to them.

A nod, “If that is your will?” what he wanted to know is the plan behind all of this, would it take to much time to pull him aside? No of course he couldn’t; wouldn’t want to lose face with the Merc. The word sounding condescending in his thoughts.

[Bastille Amtrum]

She had listened to him accuse her but she said nothing. She couldn’t give a damn if they thought she was on the other side, let them fight her and let her die protecting herself. It would be that way in the end. Her life was meaningless if she was too choose a side. She knew that much. She took out a cigarette and lit it sticking it between her lip and then inhaled. Her red eyes grew dimmer. She withdrew the bud and blew out a steady stream of wispy smoke. She turned to look over her shoulder as he asked to hire her. She was not an assassin for hire, never had been. She only accepted trades she saw worth in accepting. She always thoroughly researched the projects as well. That’s how she had met Ami and Conrad, how she had acquired Homi…her eyes narrowed and she leaned against the wall her backs still to them. Finally she would turn and go to answer.

“ Im sure frenchie there can fence just as good as I can…his muscles read as well as mine…I cant teach your group anything, but rest assured I wont teach Amtrum anything either…im going to sit this one out boys, I see no profit in it for me and im not interested in money.”

She said this with a grumpy tone. She ran a tense hand through her hair and crimson hues narrowed as those hands worked to keep from trembling. She didn’t like having multiple people inside her head again. For a while now she had worked to make the mask mold to her personality, to blend together to two egos in order to form a stable being once again. One who did not live as the wife of night, silent, dark, and completely empty like a shell. Because that had grown to be too much and the girl she had locked up inside to keep this mask from breaking had been growing louder and louder. Now she was struggling to chain her up again. Human emotions had become void to her in three years, and now after five she was finally regaining them but with regaining them came the strength of the girl inside. But she needed the mask, only the mask to get through this spot, she knew the other her was too emotionally involved in this to ever come out alive.

The mask, which an assassin wears, no one can seek behind it, only look and behold its wonder but in the end will only find blankness and lack of depth, the ribbons that hold this mask on…are impossible to untie.

Bastille cringed at the thought. She turned around to look at them.
“if you’ll excuse me then…I believe its time I go to sleep…” she was angry at herself. She didn’t try to hide that this was so.

She stopped a moment slightly pulling out her sword to look at her reflection.

“however, should I find reason to enter this farce…trust that it will be on the side I see fit to get my gain” she said hoping to end any further bargaining of this subject. She was unaware of the rising influence she had. It was in this moment she decided that she would become the sword she wore at her side, a sword ready to be used by Amtrum as was the will of their contract, until the blade grew dull from abuse. However a sword can break upon a rock it does not wish to strike…she hoped the day would never come when her honor would force her into battle against the things she sought most.

["Unfettered"]

What We Do To Ourselves

“If that is your will?”

*Nod*

---His eye lit up as he watched Frau Red Eyes whip out a cigarette, lighting it up.

So much for giving up smoking... But then, this girl. Stubborn. Stubborn. He couldn't help but crook up his grin a bit, to his own amusement. Letting his eye trail after the stream of smoke, he watched her as she looked back at them with this bored, uncaring look.

“ Im sure frenchie there can fence just as good as I can…his muscles read as well as mine…I cant teach your group anything, but rest assured I wont teach Amtrum anything either…im going to sit this one out boys, I see no profit in it for me and im not interested in money.”

...Watching her.

Looking at these little subtleties. Musing to himself, as he considered what she was saying under what possibly appeared to be... distraction? The grin stayed. He wasn't surprised, nor was he displeased by what she said. It was the opposite, and, from the way he was grinning, maybe even something he was looking for. But his lips were pursed, as he continued to observe.

“if you’ll excuse me then…I believe its time I go to sleep…”

...?

Odd. A flicker of unusual emotion. It was not flirting, nor was it even pining (at least he didn't think that much of it...), but he was intrigued. And his battle plan had stepped forth once more.

“however, should I find reason to enter this farce…trust that it will be on the side I see fit to get my gain”

Aye. It was that blade. That blade again that tore into him so badly from last time. A blade he was uncertain as to whether or not Mr. Seran had even faced. Just nodding, his eye condescendingly looked at her, even as she was turning away...

"Freedom."

'Freedom,' he spoke, more then a little loudly, so that she'd hear him under his mutterings. Freedom he lived, even if it were in chains and shackles. Freedom being of the ironical sense... And of truth. Haha.

…And with that, he slowly unsheathed his own blade, to bring it against her. That bokken with that metal sword core to it, which weighed so heavily in his hands. From the way she was holding the sword, he’d tap it once against, so that the side of his blade was touching the edge of hers. And he grinned.

Wondering how Mr. Seran, and not Frau Red Eyes, would react. Because his own eye was alive, flickering with something… The light of a fire in his eye? Or…?

---"Pray."

...For...?

[Gabriel Seran]

Gabriel stood there a blank slate watching as she drew forth a cigarette, lighting it at the end of her lips without a single whim. It angered him almost as much as the comment however

“I’m sure frenchie there can fence just as good as I can…his muscles read as well as mine…I can’t teach your group anything, but rest assured I won’t teach Amtrum anything either…I’m going to sit this one out boys, I see no profit in it for me and I’m not interested in money.”

“If you’ll excuse me then…I believe its time I go to sleep…”

She stopped a moment slightly pulling out her sword to look at her reflection. At the same moment Gabriel unsheathed his own blade aiming to splice the end of the cigarette left to burn.

"Freedom."

Indeed, freedom is what they sought. And whether it be by Gabriel’s blade or Bastille’s, their fates were coincided, they all had to make a choice all had to choose a side. Gabriel did not flinch as he leveled the blade in his hand down. He took a moment to look towards “Unfettered.” He feared a storm was brewing, and they would inevitably be right in the center of it.
“Pray.”

For what?

“Hope”