The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Jul 30, 2016 3:15:26 GMT -7
When Geata saw Azoth blush and smile, he became very aware of his own blush. It had gotten to the point where he could have dived head first into the room's lighting and his face wouldn't have felt as warm. Geata couldn't believe it but it was irritating that the girl in front of him was so adorable. He hadn't been intending on developing a crush that evening. It was his plan to try and pursue a partnership of sorts with Azoth, but not in that way. That didn't change the fact that even looking close to her general direction made him nervous, however.
Whereas Azoth had looked to one particular area when she looked away, Geata couldn't focus on any one thing in the room. His eyes followed invisible paths across the walls, ceiling, and floor, taking in innumerable details that he instantly forgot. It wasn't until Azoth posed her question that he was able to simply stare into his lap. He raised an eyebrow slightly, and gave a similarly slight smile before answering. "That's really simple, actually," he said quietly. "I-I was hoping we could be friends." He could feel his face become a deeper shade of red, and it made him all the more determined to do his damnedest to hide that he was suddenly hoping for more from their relationship. Damn emotions.
Azoth wasn't the only one who was happy about the timing of the meal being served. Geata breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the crab was set in front of him, thankful for the opportunity to fill his mouth so he wouldn't have to speak immediately.
He smiled weakly at Azoth when she asked his preference of drink, although he couldn't look her in the eye, even if she was wearing shades. "It doesn't matter to me, as long as it isn't alcoholic. Underaged and all that," he joked quietly. He moved a pawn to capture the invading knight before turning to the food. "Sorry if you're wanting to take a break while we eat, I just saw the opportunity and couldn't help myself. As for a question... What would you say is the most important ideal a super could have, or, if you'd prefer, the ideal you hold in the lowest regard?"
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Jul 30, 2016 13:25:17 GMT -7
Geata’s answer left Azoth’s mouth in a failed response. He wanted to be friends? That’s why?
“B-but we just met each other! We’ve worked together once, talked only one time prior to that when I gave you the email! How have you already decided that!?” Her butler gave her a concerned glance. Azoth sighed and gave him a dismissive wave. Her gaze went stiffly to the side, hands clenched in her lap and her brow knitted. His blushing was not helping her blushing. Simple, he had said, as though this was at all simple. He must be planning something. He hadn’t said otherwise and that was the only logical reason to why he was being so friendly - her face lit up again with the thought of the word - after such a short amount of time.
But… she felt the same way. She had known she felt the same way before he’d even arrived. She’d said it in her letter; he’d taken her interest and had wanted to learn more about him. Hoping to have it build to what, well, he’d just said it himself.
Why did this happen? It’d been what happened with Unhallow, but Azoth had thought that to be a singular and anomalous case. For it to happen twice within such a short amount of time... She knew why it had happened with Geata, or at least she thought she knew, but in another sense she had absolutely no idea why this was happening. She’d gone and sent that letter in the same mechanical, thoughtless mindset in which she’d bought Unhallow that house. She was conducting business as she always did, she had told herself when she told the messenger to find the super. She was trying to make another ally she could call upon if needed. It was not for any other reason than Geata might be useful to her.
But she’d been wrong. Her mechanical, thoughtless self had won and now she was bright red and fidgeting with the button on her sleeve.
The butler returned again from the kitchen, snapping Azoth (visibly) back to the conversation. He placed a glass of the same non-alcoholic sparkling cider beside Geata’s plate and gave Azoth what she swore was a knowing smile, and then departed again for the kitchen.
“T-the ideal I hold in lowest regard,” she repeated, still not looking at him. “W-when supers think of themselves and us as a group as a curse. Superpowers are not a blight on humanity, they are humanity’s next step in evolution. We are humanity's next step in evolution. To think our existence is evil or such is an insult to what we are. The most important is perhaps the opposite of this; that supers have the right to and should claim this world as our own, and we mustn't let unpowereds get in our way. Our failure to do so is a failure to our race.”
Azoth forced herself to take several deep breaths and focus back on the game in front of her. It was time to get her blushing and fidgeting under control. She moved her king and tower. Her question was one she had thought up prior to this, and thus requiring little thought, was what she went with. She was looking at her pieces when she asked it, still, try as she might, unable to make eye contact. “What would it take for you to consider killing someone?”
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Jul 30, 2016 14:56:54 GMT -7
Geata couldn't help but smile at how Azoth responded. If it was that surprising to her, maybe he was being a little unrealistic. A sight edge of disappointment laced his voice as he spoke. "If that's a problem, I understand. You just strike me as the sort of person I'd be lucky to be friends with." He sighed as he looked up at Azoth and smiled shyly. "What was it that you said in your message? You had taken an interest in me, right? Well, you could say the reverse is true too." He blushed again and silently cursed himself for being unable to help it.
He nodded in thanks to the butler when the drink was brought and quickly sipped at it to distract himself and use the opportunity to think of an answer. "I haven't actually killed anyone, so please understand that my answers are hypothetical. That being said, I can almost guarantee that I'd do it to preserve my own life or the lives of people I cared about." He glanced Azoth as he spoke and blushed again, causing yet another stream of self directed insults and profanities to flash through his mind. "Otherwise, I suppose if I was left with the decision of killing one person or sacrificing a chance to save a multitude of others, I'd probably be willing to bring myself to take a life." He sighed as he absentmindedly moved a pawn forward.
"What..." He paused as he considered his question. The tension in the room was already palpable, and he didn't want to make things worse. "I can't think of a specific thing I want to know right now. What's something you'd say is important for someone to be working with you to know?"
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Jul 30, 2016 23:22:48 GMT -7
Azoth’s shoulders tensed together and the red, no matter how hard she tried, was not leaving her cheeks. “N-no, no, of course not.” She stuttered out. Coughing again, she tried to sound formal. “I-if there was a problem, I wouldn’t have invited you.” She failed. Her high voice was normally light and weak, but a quiver and stutter had long since settled in. It seemed neither would be easily shaken.
She took a sip of her drink and tried anyway. “There are a couple things you will want to know about me in battle.” Her attention had shifted again to the first claw of the crab, which she picked up and placed gently in her palm. “First, if I am concentrating on my powers, do not interrupt me. A sudden jarring from my powers can result in very undesired consequences. Second, if I tell you to do something in battle, even if it is ‘odd’, do it. I likely will not have time to explain and I am telling you to do so in your best interest. Lastly, I will never do something in battle that will kill you. If you are harmed by something I do, know that it was because I had no other choice and I have means of helping you afterwards.”
There was a fork for cracking open the shells, but Azoth had never had skill with that particular take on the utensil. She narrowed her eyes on the claw, the thin line and joint holding together the shell. Slowly, a paper-thin crack appeared around the wide perimeter of the shell, circling the claw until it met where it began. Azoth lifted the top of the shell cleanly from the bottom, revealing the meat inside.
After placing the top of the shell on the side of her plate, she took one of his pawns with her bishop. “Check. What does it take for you to fully trust someone?”
Picking up the other fork by her plate, she began the art of attempting to eat her whole dish while she waited for his reply.
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Jul 31, 2016 0:55:44 GMT -7
Geata couldn't help but feel immense relief at Azoth's response, although it gave him a terrible, mean idea that could only make things worse. He smiled at the little Keeper shyly while plotting. Even he would never quite understand his reasoning for saying what he did next, but he was well aware of the fact that it wasn't going to improve anything. "When you say it like that," he said, quietly yet warmly, "it almost sounds like that's what you were hoping for too." He blushed, but this time it wasn't entirely unwelcome. While he hoped his suspicions were true, he also enjoyed the fact that it was no easier on Azoth than it was on him, and he could feel that the blush would help him along with making the girl squirm.
Upon Azoth's battle instructions being listed, Geata took note. Maybe it wasn't quite what he had been expecting, but it was useful information all the same. He was willing to take her word at face value, if at least because he doubted she'd try to hurt him while he could be useful. And besides, it was seeming like they actually might become friends. It was comforting to think that, he found.
However, as much as he was able to maintain a semblance of composure during her answer, Azoth's question completely surprised Geata. It took him several moments of deep thought before he attempted to answer. "If I'm going to be honest with you, I don't really know if I ever have trusted someone completely. And that's even considering back before I discovered my abilities and realized I couldn't trust anybody. Admittedly, you're probably the closest I've come to that, what with me showing you my face and all." He had reverted back to studying the patterns on the floor while speaking, his blush brighter than ever. "So I don't really know what it would take, but I'll let you know when I do."
He captured the enemy bishop with his own, saving his king from check for now. He then turned his attention to the crab, entirely unsure of how to use the utensils provided for getting to the meat. He debated asking Azoth, but he wasn't sure of how to go about that either and she seemed to forego them. With a sigh, Geata picked up the crab as a single portal opened up above it. He dropped the crab and the meat dropped through the portal, which closed the moment the meat was clear of it. It was at that exact same moment that he realized that he could've just asked Azoth to do the same for him as what she did for herself. With a head filled with insults to his intelligence, Geata tried to decide on a question. The best he could manage was to repeat hers.
"How about you?" he asked quietly with a smile and a blush. "What could I do to earn your complete trust?"
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Jul 31, 2016 22:16:03 GMT -7
She knew that look: the sly smile and plotting eyes. Why, when she insisted people didn’t do things, it only made them more inclined to do so? Azoth sighed. As hard as it was, she had to convey this clearly. She locked eyes with him. Her voice was serious. “Do not interupt me when I’m concentrating. You will get us both killed.”
His answer set her back to blushing and looking down at her plate. At least now her hands had something to do, rather than just clench in her lap. Stiffly, she picked at the crab and the sauces with her fork. He didn’t know the answer to the question, at no fault of his own. She didn’t fully know the answer when he returned it either.
“My trust is not something I give lightly. I treat everyone with respect when I first meet them, both to who they are and their capabilities, but of course trust and respect are two very different things.” She paused to pick up her knight. “If you can maintain that respect, treat me with respect,” Azoth shook her head. “No, that’s not correct.” She remained quiet, a hand on her chin, and placed her knight. Finally, she spoke up. “If you want to gain my trust, don’t betray me even when it is in your favor to do so.” She nodded, content with her answer.
In truth, she’d gotten all of the information she wanted from him already. Indeed, more than what she’d expected, if her blush was anything to go by. This was question number eight; the last one before Geata had two questions and two skips. As such, her next question was one of interest more than anything else. “Geata, would you consider yourself happy?”
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Jul 31, 2016 23:45:55 GMT -7
Geata nodded, his face quickly becoming serious. "Alright, my apologies. I didn't realize the consequences were that dire, I'll do my best to behave. I'd hate to see you hurt because of my stupidity," he sighed. When he caught sight of Azoth blushing again, he could feel the color rising back into his own cheeks but he did his best to show he was paying attention to her answer. He couldn't help but chuckle at what she said, though.
"In that case, I think I stand a good chance of earning your trust," he said with a smile. "Like I said, hurting you is something I intend on avoiding." And he meant it. It wasn't just that he wanted to avoid hurting her himself, either. He wanted to do his best to keep her out of harm's way as best he could. At the very least, that was his job as her friend.
Her question, however, surprised him for no reason more than just how incredibly vague it was. "I'm going to be honest, Azoth," he said sheepishly. "I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that. Big picture, happiness in relation my life and my place in it, I don't really know yet. Everything has changed drastically and the world I thought I had a place in no longer wants me, but I'm gifted with the potential to do great things and change said world. Not to mention, it's providing me opportunity to meet some of the coolest people I've ever met." At that, he smiled nervously and averted his eyes, once again studying patterns in the room. "And if you mean right now, well, I can't exactly think of very many things that I'd be happier doing instead of this." With that came his near signature blush. He quickly moved his knight forward and started to think.
"Oh," he said quietly to the small girl, "I was thinking about how we're nearing the end and I just remembered you said something about passes at the beginning. Just to let you know, I was planning on not using mine from the beginning." He grinned for a moment before letting his face fall back to a serious look. "As for my question; when we were working together before, I was hindered by a certain faceless super. On top of making me temporarily blind, he made some unsavory comments about you. He obviously wasn't acting like you two were friends, but he seemed to know you well enough to talk about your personal affairs without a moment's hesitation. What exactly is the relationship between you two? A business partnership gone wrong? Creepy stalker? Annoying thorn in your side?"
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Aug 1, 2016 0:44:19 GMT -7
At this point, her gaze was unwavering from her food. Eye contact was hard, keeping a steady voice and the red from her face impossible. It had become her neutral state for the evening and she was certain her cook and butler were giggling to each other in the kitchen. His words only strengthened her liking of him and she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that. Good? Nervous? This felt like a math problem she was going to have to sleep on.
His question was this time more startling than his answer. Azoth blinked. “Anonymous was there?” At this point, it wasn’t too much of a surprise, but she hadn’t so much as seen him. Now that headache she’d gotten at the end was making significantly more sense… Azoth looked up, realizing she’d drifted out of the conversation. “The two of us have run into each other more often than I would like. I have traded information with him on occasion and we have been neutral parties before, but more often than not, he is trouble. He is… perhaps the most dangerous super I have encountered. In the sense of his powers alone, but also in his personality, abilities, and action. He is a treacherous person to work with to say the least, but he still has the potential to be useful as his skill is undeniable. I would call his relationship with me as, a rival, perhaps?” She paused, considering her word. “No, that’s not quite right. I don’t know how exactly to describe our relationship." Azoth picked up her other bishop. “I recommend staying away from him if you can.
“That is good to hear. I was going to suggest calling the game there, as there would be little point if you were to skip both of them - and also, this is checkmate.” Azoth placed her bishop to threaten the king, indeed, if Geata checked, removing all options of the piece's escape. “I will ask you another two questions. How much information do you need me to tell you about a job before you will be willing to do it?”
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Aug 1, 2016 10:52:01 GMT -7
Geata sighed as he realized that he may have made an enemy that he didn't want. If Anonymous was everything that Azoth had said he was, it would be quite the nuisance to deal with him in the future. The young super was even more disappointed when Azoth put him in checkmate. Still, he mused, it wasn't all bad news. Hearing that he had made a powerful enemy, while not something he would want, did mean that future interactions with the faceless super would be interesting, to say the least. Maybe not something he looked forward to, but entertainment when it came time.
"I would prefer to have all the information pertaining to how to do the job, such as the goal, easiest way to achieve the goal, possible opposition, et cetera. Other than that, like I said before. If you ask for my help, I'm happy to assist." He paused for a moment to consider his answer before speaking again. "Yeah, that's pretty much it. The less I know, the happier I'll probably be." He wasn't going to lie, knowing what dastardly deeds he was going to be implicating himself in was something he could live without. Still, he had offered to help and he was a man of his word, if nothing else. And if he ever really had any issues with what he did, he could just make it up to himself by helping the Bulwarks with something.
He looked at Azoth and thought about their conversation. He certainly had odd tastes, but even knowing that couldn't help him from blushing as he smiled at her. "For my final question," he said quietly, "all I really want to know is this: would you be opposed to us hanging out like this again? I've enjoyed it and would look forward to doing it again, if you would like to." Geata was blushing profusely and unable to come close to making eye contact, but his voice was steady. He gave a small, hopeful smile to the girl as he awaited an answer.
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Aug 1, 2016 14:33:30 GMT -7
Good. Azoth preferred to explain what was going on to those she asked assistance of as it made things simpler in the long run, but occasionally that wasn’t an option. If Geata wished to know less, she assumed she could do to tell him less, or after the fact, poor business practice aside. She would honor his request where she could.
Azoth’s face was so red and her throat so full of butterflies that she had essentially hit a ceiling for how high either of those could rise. She was initially silent after his question, picking up her drink with both hands and sipping from it rather than answering. When she did speak, her voice had quieted further and came at an offbeat moment as though spat out rather than planned. “Yes. I would enjoy that.”
She awkwardly sipped the rest of her drink.
Azoth had had a pretty good idea of what her last question would be since she’d asked him everything she’d deemed as necessary at question seven. It was as good of a time as any to bring up the more business oriented side of this gathering.
Azoth cleared her throat to try to prepare herself for the more business oriented side of this gathering. Placing her glass on the table, she held her hand out in front of her. Swiftly, a sheet of paper materialized between her index finger and thumb - full sized printer paper, marked with ink. She held it out to him.
“This is some information gathered by other Keepers. Please give it a read.” She would wait for him to do so. When he was done - she wouldn’t start before he was - she locked her fingers together on the edge of the table. “The ISH only invites prominent businessmen, politicians, bureaucrats, and scientists. I have enough money and enough knowledge to become at least two of those things - and I wish to become ‘distinguished’ enough that they cannot ignore me.” She expected she did not have to say what she was getting at. “This will be a delicate procedure, as if the wrong thing is discovered about me I will not only fail at this opportunity but in the worst case I risk having everything I’ve worked for thus far crumble. However, the returns that I see could be gained are of great benefit not only to me, put to the super community as a whole.” A bit of fear of this worst case scenario had creeped into her voice; it was the greatest stress of contemplating this whole endeavor. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. “I will need all the help I can get. Geata, will you aid me?”
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Aug 1, 2016 15:51:12 GMT -7
Geata's cheeks burnt bright at Azoth's answer as he murmured thanks. He smiled nervously at her while she sipped at her drink, trying to think of something he could say to fill the awkward silence. When Azoth materialized another folder, he supposed that worked just as well. He read it quietly, happiness quickly giving way to worry. He gave a small nod to let her know when he was finished before listening intently.
"You can count on my assistance," he said calmly, "however I can provide it. Of course, this isn't going to be easy. The best odds of being noticed by them would be if you were to be prominent in every field they have an interest in, but politics might simply be out. That being said, have you considered bringing someone else in to cover that area? Be it a puppet or an ally, it might benefit you to have someone else working with you, especially if, should one of you successfully be invited, you could convince the ISH to recruit the other." He stopped and thought for a moment, lost in thought. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter, but no less calm. "Of course, that course of action isn't without its risks, but it may be worth pursuing. And then there's the other contents of this," he said in regards to the new information he had been provided. "If a dragon can randomly appear at any time, anywhere that there's a super, it probably wouldn't hurt to make sure that everyone is aware. There isn't need to let them know about ISH at this point, most likely, though. That could only cause more harm than good at this point."
Geata sighed before speaking again, his voice back to its original volume. "That isn't the point right now, though. What's important is that you can count on me, and you won't have to worry about my saying anything. You've been kind enough to inform me of this, and it would be problematic if I shared information that wasn't mine to give. Especially considering how one never knows what could cause problems in the future. If you want me to stay quiet on everything and keep it to myself, I will."
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The Keepers
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Post by Azoth on Aug 1, 2016 23:10:42 GMT -7
Azoth nodded, hand pressed to her lip. “I had considered that. I would need to find a proper politician, someone who would be willing to work with a super like me. Further, I would have to reveal my identity to them, and I’m not sure that is something I’m willing to do to someone with that much influence.” She grew silent, considering the possibility. She would have to think that through harder later. For now, she returned to Geata. “Please do not share my plans, and it would be best if the existence of the ISH did not get out to supers as a whole, but I see no harm in sharing the information about dragons. Feel free to do with that information as you wish.”
Smiling, she placed her hands back together on the table. “This concludes our match. If you would like to take my offer of payment, this is your last chance to change your mind.” Absently, she looked back at the fire. It’d dwindled to embers since the beginning of the match. Normally, now would be the time to throw another log on it, but the house would be again empty before the fire’s heat cooled. “There is one last thing.” Looking back at Geata, she again raised her hand infront of her face, two fingers pointed up. Between her index and middle fingers formed a small slip of paper. This, too, she held out to him.
“This is the address to another estate I own. I bought it with the intent of turning it into a place where my inner circle, you could say, can converse without fear of being overheard. Feel free to visit there whenever, even when I am not there. I have a butler permanently staffed there and there are several bedrooms on the second floor, should you need a place to rest. I simply have three requests: do not fight with any other supers on the premises, do not tell anyone of its location or existence, and do not speak of anything discussed there off of the property.”
With that, Azoth stood. Geata might have more to say, but business was concluded. She had best return back to her studies before too long. Adjusting her coat’s collar, ignoring the red still in her cheeks, she waited for Geata’s reply.
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The Keepers
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Post by Geata on Aug 3, 2016 0:30:20 GMT -7
Geata smiled and stood when Azoth did. His blush was easily as bright as hers, but he managed to make eye contact. Or as close to eye contact as he could, considering her shaded glasses. She was absolutely adorable, there was no point in denying it to himself. Still, it wasn't something to speak about to her. She seemed at her limit just being friends. Thinking about anything else could wait for a long, long time, so far as he concerned.
"Payment is off the table. You're already doing a lot more for me than I am for you," he said sheepishly. "Offering me a place to stay, and a fancy place at that; I'm very much already indebted to you. Please, don't worry about it. And I have no issues with following those rules." He smiled and nodded at her.
"Azoth, thank you for a wonderful time. I enjoyed our game and I look forward to the next time we spend time together." He felt his blush grow even deeper as he searched for his voice, which had decided to leave him for the moment. "A-And thank you... thank you for wanting to be my friend."
With that, he turned away and started towards the door, fixing his mask back on his face before stepping out.
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