Faint clatters reached Noni's ears in the silence of the shop; her assessing gaze flicked upwards and narrowed as a tired mind tried to pick through its store of faces. The woman was blond, seemingly delicate, but was armored like that of a medieval warrior with a massive sword on her back. After a long moment, Noni's chin lifted as she remembered her, and also the fact that she wasn't tailed by a child. Apparently, she wasn't the only one in recollection, as the woman's steely eyes met her own, and locked on.
"Ah, the coffee's good here, by the way," Noni said in her whisper quiet tone, gesturing behind her to the counter, and showing no visible abhorrence to the blond's fearsome stare.
The click of the door rang audibly as she closed it behind her, giving only glimpses to the pedestrian-traffic swimming by outdoors. Retracing her searchful steps, she repeated the motions of turning chilling, bittersweet stares onto Noni. Clinks of sabatons radiated as her movements started carrying her toward that of the Argentine woman, an unprecedented stare in the determination of yoki. No one person was free from such scans, even were they subjected to such a heavy burden, prior.
Noni lifted her coffee to her lips and took a long sip, swishing the now barely warm liquid around her mouth as she neared. She was making her own study, particularly trying to discover what about this woman's gaze made it so intimidating. For she wouldn't mind pointers.
"You," she began, the fanning sweep of her gaze met the mocha-haired female, then. "Do you recall the boy I was with?"
"Red hair and bright eyes, right?" Noni gestured about her face to go along with each description, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Motions were followed, mental pings of sonar judging steps taken in assurance. The aloof expression was retained even at the plausibly exceptional response she was provided. "Have you seen him? He was supposed to return to our room some time ago."
Noni had seen many memorable characters but that one.. it caused her head to shake, loose curls swishing around her features. "Not since I last saw him with you. Do you think something's happened?"
"I doubt my luck," said in a mocking, disheartening tone. "I should ask you: Interested in a clingy kid?"
Noni snorted some of her coffee then, unaware that a female like that had a sense of humor. Tiny fingers flew to her lips to catch any brown droplets, and seemed to wipe the emotion away with their touch. "It depends, what's he good for?"
"Being a nuisance," clicks of the steel heels meeting the floorboards as she swapped support of spry legs. "But taking him along with me any longer, I do not consider this an option."
One arm crossed over her stomach, and she rested her other elbow upon it, her head tilting in thought. "And why's that, if I can ask? He seemed to like you enough, and you.. you didn't seem that intolerant," the last word was spoken against her cup before taking a sip.
With the exception of using his face like it were smashable fruit, she would agree. She'd refrain from words, from further questions. Some distance was placed between she and Noni, her prominent hand rising to extract the blade from zounds of leather buckles beneath the momentum of her ivory cloak, and slice a wound within the floor as she sank it in effortlessly. It was to be used as a support, for comfort. She would await the completion of exchanges, plopping down in a sprawl on the floor before the behemoth claymore.
Eyes widened and lips parted to this in surprise. Of all things, she wasn't expecting that. Noni blinked furiously for a brief instant, then seemed to settle. "I guess that topic's closed. If I find him before you do, what should I say to him? And am I to expect a random kid with no explanation someday?"
She remained aloof to Noni's question.
Noni opted for a nearby chair and sunk into it heavily. "I'll take that as an "I don't care" and a "yes".
A leg, taught in cream-colored fabric that squeezed the flesh beneath in a strangle, was pulled towards herself so bent knee could be a makeshift armrest. She insisted on the stare, gleams of silver twisting as she calculated. "The Organization has a zero-tolerance policy against humans being harmed. He remaining in my care poses such a threat, and I care tenderly for my own head," wasting no time in explanation. Her handler, one that danced amongst the shadows of her presence in anticipation, would be the very first to catch wind of this. If he had not already. The sooner, the better. Steels drifted upwards to meet chocolate. "That is why."
Eyebrows lifted in comprehension, but her hopes were dashed. There went the idea to try and hire her or ask her assistance. Noni was proficient and capable, but she was only one woman. And those that carried weapons usually knew how to use them. "I see.. they seem strict."
"I abhor human persistence. You'll do him a favor, won't you?" fanning gray hues onto various bits of the store in the midst of her question. It was means of avoiding any further indication that Lisa cared what Noni thought of them, or their methods.
"That depends," Noni mused after a long pause, "If I kill him, they'll find a way to pin that on you, right?"
"If you agree to this, and something happens to him in the next five seconds, I am not held accountable. Kill him, for all I care. Just keep him from my presence," to assure her the arrangement of this deal.
Noni's head tilted this way and that in consideration. "What will I get as compensation?"
"A friend," providing Noni with a wry, almost twisted smile. It was unnatural to her, to deliver expressions outside of the jurisdiction of comfort. Some of her comrades had attempted to assist, but this was the best they could part her with. "And somebody remaining half-intent on keeping her hand stilled on her blade."
"Huh.." That brought eyes drifting Lisa's way once more, and her own dark lips tried and failed to mimic the smile presented. Although her eyes danced like fire. Noni usually settled deals like this, all deals in fact, with a handshake. However, she wasn't partial to trying with this one, at least not yet. "Well.. I'm sure this little arrangement will work out in the best ways for everyone.."
"For all parties involved." She would accept that as an utterly perfect form of agreement, regardless of what intentions were resting behind such actions. Shrewd silver rested on Noni, once more. "Then all we have left is your agreement."
"I don't see why not," she nodded once, then again more deeply. "Sure. It sounds doable. Aside from the fact that I have to find this little kid.. where did you last see him?"
"Don't care," she said, sliding the arm from her knee, and moving to pull herself to a stance. Flicking her prominent wrist back, the elongated hilt of her claymore was yanked, drawing the tail end of the blade from the floorboards with a resounding, audible noise that mimicked the crashing sound of a microphone shrieking in feedback. The motions were so spry, the blade had returned to her back before it could be disputed. "He's in your hands now."
Her attentions drifted to her coffee as the woman stood, and she swished it around in her cup, the liquid splashing audibly. She was amused by the answer. "At least give me something. The more I have, the quicker I can dispatch him, and the less chance he'll find you before I find him."
She tuts Noni, threaded finger waggling from side-to-side. "Now now. Would I give the child to somebody who would only wind up killing him to prevent myself the agony of his annoyance?"
"You never know, some people are just that gracious."
Her voice was resilient, with a drastic tone, to touch basis with what they agreed to. "Alas, I should give you something to guarantee his well-being," appalled, yet stoic. She landed a sober gaze to Noni with exactness. "The baths. He's either a wrinkled raisin by this point, or digging in the trash to find himself an adequate meal."
Noni nodded as she stored those bits of information away. She also found it odd how the woman seemed to do a complete one-eighty in attitude concerning his death. "Baths or trash, alright. And does he respond to something other than "kid"? Or is that something I'll have to find out on my own too." Not that she was the least bit worried. She was energetic, had a great deal of stamina, and was quite skilled at finding people. It came with the job.
Perked lips inched open as Noni continued her cross-examination of the child. "Toby," Lisa spoke over a shoulder. "His name is Toby."
"Toby.. no problem." She nodded for what seemed like the hundredth time during that short conversation. A small hand lifted and dragged loose curls from her brow, and she sighed gently. Noni doubted very much that her own back would get scratched in this exchange.
A continued onslaught of silver bombarded the young woman before her, a firing squad brashly unleashing rounds into the target dummy for practice. Her own uncertainty was narrowing, for so few seemed to be frightened by her presence. She wasn't aware any from their organization had made an impact in this zone, before. She would discard it based on a fluke, then. There was no yoki present, that she could be aware of. The chair squeaked and she watched while the small woman afforded herself a spare moment to relax, lids drifting closed, and the entirety of her face seemed to slacken. "What is it you want in return, then?" Asked of Noni as she turned, the clinks of armor sounding after its substantial silence.
Surprise awoke her mind, and one eye twitched, lid barely lifted, thick lashes still kissing her skin. "Well.. I was going to ask for an affirmation of someone I could go to should I have the need of a hired hand besides myself. The no-human policy you live by makes it difficult, but... if you were with me, I could make it look like you weren't." Legs in faded jeans crossed at the ankles, and she bobbed her feet to keep herself from dozing.
An interesting light brought to the darkness of her individual. One that rose the aloof stare of silver, to something of enlightenment. "I should inform you, I don't standardly meddle in the affairs of humans. They're petty, and lack plausible reason beyond greedy goals," her stance being given before declaring her absolute response. "You are doing a favor for me, though. Perhaps I can weasel myself into accepting it. Once."
"Once," Noni mirrored. She had no problem with that agreement, and chuckled lightly to the woman's reasoning. "Yes, we are. But.. we all choose our way of life, this happens to be ours. I'll inform my Family of this arrangement and track down any looming offers so as to get this settled as quickly as possible." Although, looking after a child for an extended amount of time wasn't really in her job description, the Bohannons, luckily, had a vast staff.
"Once," to ensure the amount. A lone digit rose to pronounce it physically. A third time was essential. "To honor this, I presume we agree with some handshake?" queried with a lean hand extending toward Noni.
"Ahm, traditionally but.." her words trailed off as the woman offered. Noni felt it only polite to stand, and when she did, found herself shorter than her. She slipped her own small hand into the given one, fingers curling firmly around it. "Thank you." She figured she would get her name when she found Toby.
Fingers coiled about the base of Noni's hand, tightening in a squeeze that mirrored a hand being driven over in a repeated fashion. Brisk was the motion; the complete roster of their settlement coming to a conclusion. And just like that, it was complete. She parted from the woman, the clinks of sabatons rattling audibly as she moved with an ambling purpose toward the door. "Toby will inform you of how to get in touch with me. Consider that how I will know you have held your end of the deal."
Noni nodded, flexing her fingers after they were released. She had shaken many a man's hand before, but this woman could rival their grip easily. "Let's just hope he doesn't lie."
Was there a hint of a smile as Lisa removed herself from the shop? She didn't offer a chance to be certain, for the door was opened and her frame disappearing behind it as it closed in a see-saw motion.
Lisa and Noni's players on June 30th in Teas'n Tomes. Permission granted by both players. ]
"Ah, the coffee's good here, by the way," Noni said in her whisper quiet tone, gesturing behind her to the counter, and showing no visible abhorrence to the blond's fearsome stare.
The click of the door rang audibly as she closed it behind her, giving only glimpses to the pedestrian-traffic swimming by outdoors. Retracing her searchful steps, she repeated the motions of turning chilling, bittersweet stares onto Noni. Clinks of sabatons radiated as her movements started carrying her toward that of the Argentine woman, an unprecedented stare in the determination of yoki. No one person was free from such scans, even were they subjected to such a heavy burden, prior.
Noni lifted her coffee to her lips and took a long sip, swishing the now barely warm liquid around her mouth as she neared. She was making her own study, particularly trying to discover what about this woman's gaze made it so intimidating. For she wouldn't mind pointers.
"You," she began, the fanning sweep of her gaze met the mocha-haired female, then. "Do you recall the boy I was with?"
"Red hair and bright eyes, right?" Noni gestured about her face to go along with each description, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Motions were followed, mental pings of sonar judging steps taken in assurance. The aloof expression was retained even at the plausibly exceptional response she was provided. "Have you seen him? He was supposed to return to our room some time ago."
Noni had seen many memorable characters but that one.. it caused her head to shake, loose curls swishing around her features. "Not since I last saw him with you. Do you think something's happened?"
"I doubt my luck," said in a mocking, disheartening tone. "I should ask you: Interested in a clingy kid?"
Noni snorted some of her coffee then, unaware that a female like that had a sense of humor. Tiny fingers flew to her lips to catch any brown droplets, and seemed to wipe the emotion away with their touch. "It depends, what's he good for?"
"Being a nuisance," clicks of the steel heels meeting the floorboards as she swapped support of spry legs. "But taking him along with me any longer, I do not consider this an option."
One arm crossed over her stomach, and she rested her other elbow upon it, her head tilting in thought. "And why's that, if I can ask? He seemed to like you enough, and you.. you didn't seem that intolerant," the last word was spoken against her cup before taking a sip.
With the exception of using his face like it were smashable fruit, she would agree. She'd refrain from words, from further questions. Some distance was placed between she and Noni, her prominent hand rising to extract the blade from zounds of leather buckles beneath the momentum of her ivory cloak, and slice a wound within the floor as she sank it in effortlessly. It was to be used as a support, for comfort. She would await the completion of exchanges, plopping down in a sprawl on the floor before the behemoth claymore.
Eyes widened and lips parted to this in surprise. Of all things, she wasn't expecting that. Noni blinked furiously for a brief instant, then seemed to settle. "I guess that topic's closed. If I find him before you do, what should I say to him? And am I to expect a random kid with no explanation someday?"
She remained aloof to Noni's question.
Noni opted for a nearby chair and sunk into it heavily. "I'll take that as an "I don't care" and a "yes".
A leg, taught in cream-colored fabric that squeezed the flesh beneath in a strangle, was pulled towards herself so bent knee could be a makeshift armrest. She insisted on the stare, gleams of silver twisting as she calculated. "The Organization has a zero-tolerance policy against humans being harmed. He remaining in my care poses such a threat, and I care tenderly for my own head," wasting no time in explanation. Her handler, one that danced amongst the shadows of her presence in anticipation, would be the very first to catch wind of this. If he had not already. The sooner, the better. Steels drifted upwards to meet chocolate. "That is why."
Eyebrows lifted in comprehension, but her hopes were dashed. There went the idea to try and hire her or ask her assistance. Noni was proficient and capable, but she was only one woman. And those that carried weapons usually knew how to use them. "I see.. they seem strict."
"I abhor human persistence. You'll do him a favor, won't you?" fanning gray hues onto various bits of the store in the midst of her question. It was means of avoiding any further indication that Lisa cared what Noni thought of them, or their methods.
"That depends," Noni mused after a long pause, "If I kill him, they'll find a way to pin that on you, right?"
"If you agree to this, and something happens to him in the next five seconds, I am not held accountable. Kill him, for all I care. Just keep him from my presence," to assure her the arrangement of this deal.
Noni's head tilted this way and that in consideration. "What will I get as compensation?"
"A friend," providing Noni with a wry, almost twisted smile. It was unnatural to her, to deliver expressions outside of the jurisdiction of comfort. Some of her comrades had attempted to assist, but this was the best they could part her with. "And somebody remaining half-intent on keeping her hand stilled on her blade."
"Huh.." That brought eyes drifting Lisa's way once more, and her own dark lips tried and failed to mimic the smile presented. Although her eyes danced like fire. Noni usually settled deals like this, all deals in fact, with a handshake. However, she wasn't partial to trying with this one, at least not yet. "Well.. I'm sure this little arrangement will work out in the best ways for everyone.."
"For all parties involved." She would accept that as an utterly perfect form of agreement, regardless of what intentions were resting behind such actions. Shrewd silver rested on Noni, once more. "Then all we have left is your agreement."
"I don't see why not," she nodded once, then again more deeply. "Sure. It sounds doable. Aside from the fact that I have to find this little kid.. where did you last see him?"
"Don't care," she said, sliding the arm from her knee, and moving to pull herself to a stance. Flicking her prominent wrist back, the elongated hilt of her claymore was yanked, drawing the tail end of the blade from the floorboards with a resounding, audible noise that mimicked the crashing sound of a microphone shrieking in feedback. The motions were so spry, the blade had returned to her back before it could be disputed. "He's in your hands now."
Her attentions drifted to her coffee as the woman stood, and she swished it around in her cup, the liquid splashing audibly. She was amused by the answer. "At least give me something. The more I have, the quicker I can dispatch him, and the less chance he'll find you before I find him."
She tuts Noni, threaded finger waggling from side-to-side. "Now now. Would I give the child to somebody who would only wind up killing him to prevent myself the agony of his annoyance?"
"You never know, some people are just that gracious."
Her voice was resilient, with a drastic tone, to touch basis with what they agreed to. "Alas, I should give you something to guarantee his well-being," appalled, yet stoic. She landed a sober gaze to Noni with exactness. "The baths. He's either a wrinkled raisin by this point, or digging in the trash to find himself an adequate meal."
Noni nodded as she stored those bits of information away. She also found it odd how the woman seemed to do a complete one-eighty in attitude concerning his death. "Baths or trash, alright. And does he respond to something other than "kid"? Or is that something I'll have to find out on my own too." Not that she was the least bit worried. She was energetic, had a great deal of stamina, and was quite skilled at finding people. It came with the job.
Perked lips inched open as Noni continued her cross-examination of the child. "Toby," Lisa spoke over a shoulder. "His name is Toby."
"Toby.. no problem." She nodded for what seemed like the hundredth time during that short conversation. A small hand lifted and dragged loose curls from her brow, and she sighed gently. Noni doubted very much that her own back would get scratched in this exchange.
A continued onslaught of silver bombarded the young woman before her, a firing squad brashly unleashing rounds into the target dummy for practice. Her own uncertainty was narrowing, for so few seemed to be frightened by her presence. She wasn't aware any from their organization had made an impact in this zone, before. She would discard it based on a fluke, then. There was no yoki present, that she could be aware of. The chair squeaked and she watched while the small woman afforded herself a spare moment to relax, lids drifting closed, and the entirety of her face seemed to slacken. "What is it you want in return, then?" Asked of Noni as she turned, the clinks of armor sounding after its substantial silence.
Surprise awoke her mind, and one eye twitched, lid barely lifted, thick lashes still kissing her skin. "Well.. I was going to ask for an affirmation of someone I could go to should I have the need of a hired hand besides myself. The no-human policy you live by makes it difficult, but... if you were with me, I could make it look like you weren't." Legs in faded jeans crossed at the ankles, and she bobbed her feet to keep herself from dozing.
An interesting light brought to the darkness of her individual. One that rose the aloof stare of silver, to something of enlightenment. "I should inform you, I don't standardly meddle in the affairs of humans. They're petty, and lack plausible reason beyond greedy goals," her stance being given before declaring her absolute response. "You are doing a favor for me, though. Perhaps I can weasel myself into accepting it. Once."
"Once," Noni mirrored. She had no problem with that agreement, and chuckled lightly to the woman's reasoning. "Yes, we are. But.. we all choose our way of life, this happens to be ours. I'll inform my Family of this arrangement and track down any looming offers so as to get this settled as quickly as possible." Although, looking after a child for an extended amount of time wasn't really in her job description, the Bohannons, luckily, had a vast staff.
"Once," to ensure the amount. A lone digit rose to pronounce it physically. A third time was essential. "To honor this, I presume we agree with some handshake?" queried with a lean hand extending toward Noni.
"Ahm, traditionally but.." her words trailed off as the woman offered. Noni felt it only polite to stand, and when she did, found herself shorter than her. She slipped her own small hand into the given one, fingers curling firmly around it. "Thank you." She figured she would get her name when she found Toby.
Fingers coiled about the base of Noni's hand, tightening in a squeeze that mirrored a hand being driven over in a repeated fashion. Brisk was the motion; the complete roster of their settlement coming to a conclusion. And just like that, it was complete. She parted from the woman, the clinks of sabatons rattling audibly as she moved with an ambling purpose toward the door. "Toby will inform you of how to get in touch with me. Consider that how I will know you have held your end of the deal."
Noni nodded, flexing her fingers after they were released. She had shaken many a man's hand before, but this woman could rival their grip easily. "Let's just hope he doesn't lie."
Was there a hint of a smile as Lisa removed herself from the shop? She didn't offer a chance to be certain, for the door was opened and her frame disappearing behind it as it closed in a see-saw motion.
Lisa and Noni's players on June 30th in Teas'n Tomes. Permission granted by both players. ]