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 Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:54 pm
~::Okina City Station::~
The central shopping district of Okina City, houses several fashionable shops and hangouts. Some of those include: Croco-Fur, a retail outlet for brand-name clothing and the latest in clothing fashions, and the local cinema, which plays all the latest films. Students and citizens of Inaba who are looking for a place to go outside of their small, rural city but don't feel like making the journey all the way to Port Island can stop here instead.
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Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:53 am
Soji Seta, Investigation Team Leader
The good thing about the Okina Station was that you didn't have to walk very far in order to get where you were going; stepping off the train, Soji could already see in the distance over the hill where the movie theater sat and a few of the different dining establishments in the area where they could have a meal later. Idly, he felt his stomach grumbling as the delicious scents of the place wafted through the air to find his nose, but with a mildly strange look he pushed them down, still wanting to see a movie before he sat down for dinner. He could always eat some popcorn in the theater if he was really hungry anyway...assuming that he wasn't already preoccupied at the moment. That thought brought a small smile to his face, and as he began down the station stairs towards the center of the strip mall there he thought about what else they could do before heading back into town, already planning two moves ahead to make sure that Rise was able to enjoy herself and relax as much as she needed to. Watching a movie first, then going to dinner afterward so that you could use the movie as a conversation topic during the meal...that was a standard trick in dating to make things a bit more pleasant. Still, he knew that nothing could be perfect...but that didn't mean he wasn't going to make an attempt to get as close as possible for the sake of his girlfriend.
"Movie first, then dinner?" he reiterated their thoughts from back in Inaba to confirm their destination just as they stepped out into the center of the station, the dreaded Croco-Fur shopping center now well within eyesight. He had quite a few memories of that place...being drug around by Ai, Rise...and though he would go back again in a heartbeat if they really needed or wanted him to, it didn't mean he had to like the place. What the heck was "Croco-Fur", anyway? Obviously just a lame pun based on the fact that they sold fur and crocodile skin clothing and accessories, but still, the name alone was enough to make animal lovers everywhere flinch. Well, at least it was identifiable. "I am at your command today," Soji told Rise finally, an honest smile on his face as he resolved to do whatever she liked, if only for today, "I will be your own, personal Senpai. How's that?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:53 pm
Rιsє Kujικɑωɑ  ▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀
As Rise breathed in the city air, she could 'taste' the familiar tang that really couldn't be placed. It was really just a stifling sensation, like you were being pushed in twenty different directions. It was nothing like the freedom that Inaba gave, but it also had a feeling of both being home and being in a land of strangers. Quite the paradox indeed. Having Soji bring up their plans, the idol bobbed her head. "Sounds about right," she agreed, her hand finding it's way to twine with his.
At her command ? She pouted playfully and rubbed her cheek against his arm. "I thought you already were my personal senpai ! Sheesh, how could you be dating me and say something like that !" Laughing, she had wondered why he would word a sentence like that. It sounded silly.
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Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:26 pm
Soji Seta, Investigation Team Leader
Soji couldn't help but feel a bit sheepish as Rise pouted at his comment, lamenting that she thought that he already was her personal Senpai. Of course, he was hers...as long as she would have him, he didn't want to be with anyone else but her...and that was something that was never really in question. Hell, he knew that it sounded silly when he said it, but somehow it had felt right coming out of his mouth...as if reflecting some hidden desire inside of him that he couldn't quite own up to. And maybe it was right...he felt his cheeks warm a little as she teased him, but couldn't hold back the uncomfortable feeling that slithered around in his stomach when he thought about why he worded that sentence the way that he did. "I'm sorry," he apologized finally, his confidence and mood having taken a minor hit at having her laugh at him that way [even if she was just teasing him], "I guess..." He paused, his voice trailing off as if he were debating on whether or not he should say what was on his mind, what he had nearly let slip without thinking about it a moment earlier. He tried to force a small smile, but he found that when he looked up at her his smile wasn't quite as 'forced' as it should have been. No, he didn't have to hide anything from her...he knew that, he was just so pent up and solitary that he sometimes forgot to let it all out every now and then.
"Sometimes, I feel so stretched thin..." he admitted quietly, running his thumb over the back of her hand in a gesture that was as comforting to him as it was for her. There was a warmth in his clouded eyes when he looked at her that just wasn't there most of the time...it was a look reserved just for her. A symbol of his feelings...his trust in Rise Kujikawa. "Today, I want to be just yours...alone," Soji told her finally, putting an emphasis on the word 'alone' so that she would understand the implication. Every day, everywhere he went, there always seemed to be someone that needed him. His friends at school, his family at home, and his team whenever he went into the TV world...it seemed like all the people around him counted on the silver-haired Senior for something precious to them...something he couldn't deny them. Even now there were a million and one things waiting for him back in Inaba, not the least of which were the murders that had yet to be solved...that only he could solve. Today, though, he wanted to put all of that aside. If only for now, he wanted to focus on just Rise...making her happy. To be her personal Senpai. He tried his best to look innocent when he quirked his lips up into a small smile and glanced back up at her again. "Is that bad?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:56 am
As soon as the doors to the train opened, Mio walked out of the car and onto Okina Station. This was pretty much the first time he's been here, so he'd probably spend half of his trip looking around places, trying to memorize where what store was where. The other half would probably be spent buying a few things, maybe clothes, and probably eating out while he was there. Walking down the station, he took in the sights, and it seemed like a pretty nice and chill city. One that he would probably visit more often in the future. It made a good first impression on him, and that was enough to bring him back for future visits. But for now, it was time to unwind, as he would start school tomorrow.
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:25 pm
Minori Koroko  It...had been long since she had been here last. Before the lockdown the blond used to roam around the small shops in the Okina Station with friends or sometimes even on her own, quite frecuently. And well...since the lockdown was lifted and they were allowed to travel once again, she hadn't foound the time to actually come here and relax. It almost felt as if she didn't have the right to spend some time in the cinema or in one of the little boutiques or restaurants when there were so many things going on back in Inaba... And it wasn't until now that the girl remembered how nice this place was, and that she had missed it...maybe just a little. She made a small mental note of telling Amelia about this the next day...or to text her later about it. She was sure the violet eyed senior would like the change of scenery and well...Okina had more places to go than Inaba. It would distract both of them from the events of last night... She had seen her friend too quiet and spaced out when they had parted ways earlier that day and well... the blond knew that she needed it. Perhaps they could go to the movies someday...or get something from one of the boutiques. Minori nodded to herself, before green eyes returned to the plaza in front of her, as they made their way out of the station.
This was the first time she had come here with Duke as well...and that made the experience even more exciting. She had wanted to come here with him before, and well...they were finally here. Her gaze turned to her boyfriend for a moment, his eyes looking at the different stores and places, before shifting to follow his gaze as well. Croco-Fur... the cinema...several restaurants. They were all places they could visit, yeah...but, something told her that they weren't it. His gorgeous green eyes seemed to gaze at them without any interest, making the curiosity in the blond to rise...If not here, then... "So,-" Minori began after a moment, her gaze shifting away from the plaza in front of them, and back to him, just to notice how his face brightened suddenly, almost as if he had just found the perfect place for them both, making her to lose her train of thoughts. Though...before the blond could turn to gaze just where he was looking at or even ask about it, her arm was already being pulled once more, their run towards their destination resumed. She couldn't complain though...A smile appeared in the corner of her lips. Yeah, she was having a good time.
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 8:23 am
Duke Devlin, The King of Games (3-1) (Theme)
Out of sorts, a little rushed, but with a quickening heartbeat that was practically bursting with barely-concealed excitement? Both Duke and Minori were just the way that the ridiculously sexy gamer wanted them to be; if she was a little frazzled now it would only make the surprise that much more interesting once they made it to where they were going. He might have taken her to a similar place back in Inaba, but he was fairly sure they didn't have one of them that was...quite what he was looking for. Okina, however, he was certain had just what he was looking for...and as they passed another designer clothing store his eyes finally fell upon the full building that they were looking for. Lips curling into a smirk, he made sure that they rushed straight into the building without the time to stop and take a good look at the sign...she would find the whole idea a lot sweeter if she didn't know about it, right? Doors flew open, he waited until she stepped inside in front of him to follow (even in a rush, he was as smooth a gentleman as you could find), but once they had he slid in front of her to the desk and spoke to the tired-looking man there. It didn't look particularly up-scale from glancing around the lobby, and in fact, it was almost a little cheesy. But it had fair technology and a fairly decent flair...sliding the man some money, the card key in his hand was of a similarly retro variety. Flipping it between his fingers with all the skill of a practiced hustler, he turned and smiled prettily at his girlfriend beofre motioning with his head towards the hall to the left.
"After you, my lady," he bowed playfully, his surfer-dude accent making the whole medieval phrase sound silly coming out of his mouth...but that was what made it all the more fun, slipping in and out of that romantic persona just to see the way she smiled at it. It wasn't a far walk to the room which matched the number on their card, and once there the dark-haired man deftly slipped the key in the reader and listened as the mechanical lock undid itself in the jam. Pushing the door open, he motioned inside and let the blond go first into the center of it...a small screen-monitor and a plush-looking green couch visible immediately from the doorway. By now, it would be fairly clear what the formerly most-desirable teen bachelor in Japan had on his mind for he and his girlfriend. The two of them alone, all the way out here in Okina City in a place like this...now with the visible clues, all the cards were on the table...so to speak. Stepping in behind her a moment later, the tall, dark-skinned beauty of a man smiled brightly and placed his long fingered hand gently onto her shoulder, sliding his fingers on his other hand out of hers so that he could take it completely. Looking down into her lovely green eyes with his own, there was a bright and somewhat expectant look on his face. "So...what do you think? Are you ready, baby?" Quote: Can you guess where they are? 8D
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:02 pm
Minori Koroko "A-ah!" Her green eyes hadn't been able to have a look at the neon sign outside of the building, having rushed inside way too quickly for her to register just where they were at. The lobby gave her little information of the place itself, just the front desk, the bored-tired looking man behind it and some posters on the walls. It was a nice place, but by the lobby alone, it looked almost like the lobby of a hotel of some sort. Only that... that wasn't it. Her hands clasped together behind her back, eyes drifting to the decoration as her boyfriend went up to the man behind the front desk. She took a step forward, her mind scratching away some of the ideas she had of places they could have gone, and instead being replaced by some others that hadn't been there before. Though, the more she thought about it, the more it...This...was starting to sound like- No...well, no...I-it couldn't be. It would be ridiculous to think it could be...right? S-she couldn't...he wouldn't...She really needed to calm down. The blond snapped away from her thoughts, returning her gaze to the handsome smile given to her by her boyfriend, nodding as she walked up to him, noticing the card key between his fingers.
Leaving the little uncomfortable nervousness that started nesting inside of her stomach aside, the words spoken made a light giggle to escape her lips as she made a lady-like bow in return, a bright smile on her face. "Why, thank you my lord," The easiness of it all almost made the girl forget about the gnawing feeling on her insides...almost; but as they made their way through the hall and steps got nearer to the door with the matching number, the blond couldn't help the racing heart or the thoughts that invaded her mind. What if... what would happen if I... And if... They stopped in front of a door, the lock opening sounding absurdly loud for her...and she was just about to apologize and said she wasn't ready before running off when the door was pushed out of the way to reveal the screen in one of the walls and a couch in front of it. Ah, of course! How...how could she have thought s-something else?
"Karaoke!" And well...she would have been embarrassed of her own incorrect assumptions if the idea of singing her lungs out hadn't been taking her whole attention at that very moment. Bright eyes turned back at Duke with an energetic nod in return. "This is... This is great! I love it! I love sing-" the blond senior stop in mid sentence, her mind throwing at her that tiny reminder of her not being...well...not being all that great at it. She usually just sang to herself, so there wasn't much public that could tell her anything about her lack of skill. Sure, she had sung at the Festival, but... there had been many others there. "Though... I don't do it much...and I'm probably not very good at it..." the blond added after a small silence, flustered, giving out a sheepish smile. B-but well...it wasn't as if she could cause his ears to bleed...right? H-her voice didn't sound horrible when she talked, right? So...it couldn't be very different...she hoped.
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Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:24 am
Duke Devlin, The King of Games (3-1) (Theme)
Keeping the destination a secret was a good idea; the way that the blond's face lit up with excitement when she saw the monitor and couch, realizing where he had taken her, made the smooth gamer's lips curl into a smirk that was as warm as it was charming. It was a place where the two of them could be alone together without familiar eyes watching them, somewhere that they could have fun and drinks, and it was a place that they could be comfortable and talk to one another openly. She seemed to understand that, too...though the way that she suddenly became nervous told him that there was at least one thing that gave her pause. She said she loved singing, but...ah, he was listening for it and there it was...she didn't think she was very good at it? Taking her hands into his, he lead her over towards the couch and offered her the first seat, remaining standing with the soft skin of her hands running lightly underneath his thumbs. "Good or bad, just hearing your voice right now is music to my very sexy ears," the dark-haired man smiled brightly, kissing the back of her knuckles on each hand before letting them go for a moment and heading over towards the intercom next to the door, "I'm like, going to order some drinks...so you should totally pick out the first song for me..."
Winking in that handsome, sexy way that he did he turned to the intercom and pressed a button, putting in an order for a couple of sodas in his smooth voice before letting go and turning around with an easy flourish. Sliding casually cross the room, he caught the microphone in his lithe fingers and twirled it once as though he had done it quite a few times before...which he probably had, given his past lines of work. Emerald eyes found the most beautiful thing in the room...besides himself...and as he held her gaze he couldn't help the calming confidence that practically oozed out of his fantastically tanned skin.
"So, what do you want to hear? It's been a while, but I totally hope I can meet your expectations."
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:15 pm
Minori Koroko The blond smiled warmly, eyes never turned away from green pools as she took the sit on the couch in front of the screen, the faint blush appearing on her cheeks for the umpteenth time that night. A soft chuckle left her lips as she shook her head, before it was replaced by a little pout. "That doesn't count though! You're my boyfriend, of course you are going to say that." The blond answered with a giggle, her tone light and playful despite the pout. Though...she had to admit that the perceptions of her voice that got stuck in her head when she was younger was less of a worry now that she had heard Duke's words of reassurance. She could just let go of any doubts that could be swarming around her mind and just relax and spend a good time…without fearing she’d make his ears bleed. And well…perhaps she was overreacting, she couldn’t be that bad…just a normal, non-idol level kind of voice. Yep, that had to be it. Her gaze shifted to her hands on his, the soft brush of lips on her knuckles bringing that familiar sensation of butterflies on her insides, before returning back to him as he said he’d be ordering some drinks. “Alright!” Minori nodded, her eyes following for a moment before turning to the screen. Yeah…she had missed this. She smiled to herself, believing this had to be the best date ever, and that…even if there were heavier subjects to speak of…there was enough time to do that later, right? They could have just a few moments where they could pretend nothing was wrong and have a normal date between two completely normal teenagers…right? Right!
A-ah! The song! “Let’s see…” A slender finger pressed against her lips in thought as she passed through the list of different songs. She knew quite a few of them…some she liked, some she didn’t. Popular artists…some others not as known…international…classics. There was a huge list from where she could choose from, making it just a little harder for her to decide on which. Like she had said before, karaoke wasn’t an activity she participated in too often…Actually the last time she had been in anything of the sort was in the Festival and… Ah! She passed through the songs quickly now, in search of one in specific, finding it not much after. Well, why not start with something she had tried before? It was a great song…and very well known, even here in Japan. And later she could choose some others she liked as well. They still had time…
“Oh, I am sure you will.” She chimed with a smirk as the familiar intro started, taking the other mic on her hands, her head bobbing slightly with the rhythm,
“Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely woooorld,
She took the midnight train goin' an-y-wheere “
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:46 pm
Duke Devlin, The King of Games (3-1) (Theme)
Yeah, there was nothing like this...nothing in the world that could make the smooth gamer feel any better than this easy atmosphere, spending a day together alone with the blond-haired girl that he cared for more than any other (which was saying a lot, given the incredible number of females who had come and gone in the life of the ridiculously handsome man). Every little thing about her was a trait that he remembered with the utmost fondness...or a new portion of her, a little quirk (like her self-consciousness about her voice) that he could add to the vast library of things that he knew and loved about her. Once he had ordered he slid back over towards her side and quirked a very dark, very sexy eyebrow in her direction as she fixed him with her little pout...his lips curling into an even sexier smirk as he took the microphone in-hand and peered over her shoulder at the selection of songs as she fingered through them. He saw plenty of familiar songs, though most of them passed by without his notice...until finally the page stopped on a section of English music that he failed to recognize before her finger landed on the one song on the page that he did. Chuckling beneath his breath, he was a little surprised by her...she seemed a bit more traditional than that, in a Japanese sense. Or rather, he just hadn't pictured her as being quite so...worldly. Maybe it was because she was such a small-town girl (lyrical reference point!) living in a lonely town like Inaba (+2), but seeing her take the midnight train, musically speaking, he couldn't help but smile a little wider, focus his lovely green eyes on hers in a sidelong glance, and tap his toe as the music began to play. She seemed to expect that he would be fairly good at this...he was, after all, Duke Devlin...and he always rose to the occasion, baby.
"Just a city boy...born and raised in South Detroit,
He took the midnight train goin' an-y-wheeere"
Now some people might not know it, but when it came to karaoke there were four types of people...the first were the people who had no idea exactly what they were doing and simply sang along in whatever voice they usually sang in, putting in just enough effort to hopefully not be embarrassed or laughed out of the room. This group isn't exactly bad or good at karaoke, in terms of performance (sometimes they're actually pretty good in their own right), but the lack of courage to just go for it generally makes it a little less entertaining. The second group was the one which simply went wild, going all out to just sing and put on a show without any real thought to whether or not they were all that good at it. Inevitably, this group was always the one which had the most fun when it came to karaoke, as win or lose, the performance and chatter about it afterward make for a good time (provided they don't totally make fools of themselves). The third group are the singers who imitate the artist of the song which they are performing; they do their best to reproduce the original sound, sometimes to remarkable levels. Like a cover band, those singers that can do this are quite rare, but always enjoyable to listen to. And the last group are the singers who have remarkable talent, but for whatever reason, they either can't or won't attempt to match the performance of the original artist. Instead, they turn the song out in their own style, and depending on just how talented they are, it can be anywhere from a little worse to arguably better than the original.
It was into the last category that Duke fell, and though he couldn't even dream of matching the high-pitch tones of the legendary Steve Perry, his low voice turned Journey's timeless hit into a vehicle all his own. And though he couldn't say that it was better than the original (nobody on Earth could make a claim like that), he managed to perform the lyrics in a fashion that was smooth, sexy, and decidedly Duke Devlin. He wouldn't miss a note...his body swaying and occasionally (meaningfully and playfully) bumping the girl next to him as he sang, all of his performance intended only for her. He wanted to sound good for her...look good for her...and with the end of a line he sometimes tossed her a sweet smile and a handsome wink, showing that not only was he having fun singing...but he didn't seem to be bleeding from the ears at all from her own singing as she expected he would. In fact, adjusting his pitch just so, the two of them almost...harmonized...fairly well, actually. Maybe she wasn't a pro, but she wasn't nails on a chalkboard, either...and together with Duke (who probably could be, and likely had been a pro at one time), they made an enviable couple.
And they were, enviable...not just for the fun they were having, but because that was how much he cared for her. More than anything...she had become the most important thing in the life of a man who had so very much to care for. His company, his friends, the fans who depended on him...all of them together did not equal her. And come screechy voice or English lyric, he was going to treasure this night...and her, as well.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:51 am
Minori Koroko And well...the blond hadn't been wrong to think her boyfriend would be great at singing; his deep, sexy voice filling her ears as he continued with the second verse of the song, her smile widening as she felt it warm her up inside. Her face brightened, a chuckle escaping her lips as she moved with the music, him bumping her every now and then as the words continued appearing on the screen. She looked at him with a playful glint on her eyes as she swayed; she was having fun. Yeah, nothing matter for now…not her voice, not the thought that she was fooling around, not the insistent feeling of worry that remained after all the time they hadn’t seen each other. The night was theirs and theirs alone…and for now, she would sing to her heart’s content; anything was fine if she had him with her. This was a night she would cherish forever, one of many perfect dates they would have in the future…when everything was all well again.
“Don’t stop belieeeving
Hold on to the feeeeelin’
Streetlight people ooooh"
The blond finished with a pose and a wink to her companion before bursting out in a giggling fit. She might as well resembled a small kid having the time of her life, her cheeks brightly colored, her eyes gleaming and her breathing if only a little bit faster. “Well, that was fun,” she chuckled before a content sigh left her lips as she left the mic on the couch. It had gone better than what she had firstly thought, and despite her worries over her singing skills, she had been able to pull it off just fine…with his help of course. She stepped closer to Duke, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back once again, her arms under her back. “Thanks,” the girl simply said softly with a cute little smile, opening her mouth to continue speaking when three knocks on the door stole her attention away. Ah, that had to be the drinks…And good timing as well, she was thirsty after the song. “You choose the next song!” Minori chimed as she moved towards the door.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:49 pm
Duke Devlin, The King of Games (3-1) (Theme)
She was silly to have worried...and he was a fool not to have done this sooner. He knew that he had a good reason for keeping his distance from Minori for a while now, but days like today were too precious to continue to give up on, even for something like that. Dancing, swaying, bumping occasionally with the blond as they sang to Journey's great hit, he couldn't help but utterly stupid for not having just called her up before to ask her to meet him in a private place like this. Maybe he had been worried about her family seeing his name on the caller ID, or her friends seeing his name pop up on her cell phone. He couldn't remember...it all seemed so distant now when he was standing right next to her. Everything did, in fact...his company, his fangirls, that annoying theme music that he could never actually hear but everybody always told him about...most of all his troubles with the Nanjou were washed away by a single smile, the warmth in her laughter. After the song ended, he took a deep breath and turned to return the wide smile that he knew Minori was wearing...and instead found himself on the receiving end of a lovely kiss to the cheek that nearly (nearly) made the man who had never before been on the wrong end of a blush...blush. It was a perfect scene, a perfect moment...he almost cursed the fact that he had ordered drinks when the knock on the door came and interrupted them. If only he could have seen that cute smile of hers just a little longer; pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he hurried past her with a pair of smooth strides and winked as he reached behind him (his back to the door) and caught the handle before she could open it for him. There was something deliberately handsome in the way that he smirked in her direction then, the gorgeous man acting the gentleman both for play and with more than a hint of honesty. ...And who said chivalry was dead?
"Allow me," his silky voice crossed the distance to her with a genuine feel, and since he already had an idea what song he would sing next...and what song he hoped to hear her sing...he figured it didn't hurt anything for him to do so, either. Thus he winked, bowed slightly to the lady, and then turned to the door just in time to slide it open...
...And feel a short blade pierce directly into the center of his chest...
"I beg your forgiveness," a deep voice came from the far side of the suddenly stiff body of the handsome gamer, before a single thrust sent Duke caroming to the far side of the room and into the wall where he sank to the floor, eyes half-closed as he struggled to remain conscious and fight against the pain. Behind him where he had slid down, a streak of fresh red slid down the wall to reveal that the blade hadn't just gone in the front. And standing in the doorway in place of the tan-skinned, green-eyed beauty was the intimidating figure of a man with a fine hat, a cross born worn around his neck and carried as a burden upon his back. Replacing the small blade into the necklace, he stepped into the room and moved to the side, eyes blue and white crosses as he stared down the likely-stricken blond with a gaze that would pin her to the spot. Following in behind him, several green-armored soldiers filed into the room two-by-two and took to forming lines on either side of the room...each gun immediately having the hammer pulled back and the barrel aimed at a single target in the small karaoke parlor...until there were at least twelve of them fitted into that tiny space with their deadly weapons aimed at the pierced heart of Duke Devlin.
There was a pause then...a moment of silence as if they were all waiting for something in particular to tell them whether or not to strike, to withdraw, to move or something. The moment passed...footsteps in the hall of the karaoke parlor echoed like drumsticks tapping slowly on the flat end of a tympani. Suddenly, the doorway flashed green...became filled with the color as a man turned the corner and stepped inside the room. And in an instant Minori was once again face-to-face with the personified embodiment of her darkest nightmares.
"Good evening, Minori Koroko...we meet again."
His eyes were as cold and empty as she remembered them...only this time they weren't focused on Amelia, or on the horizon, or even on the little monkey boy Woli. Nobody would be jumping out of the trees to save her this time, and even the hope in the depths of her heart that Duke would rush to her rescue were doused by the fact that he had been surprised and fallen before their confrontation had even begun. His attention belonged solely to the blond this time, and his ill intent was still written as plainly as black lettering against a stark white backdrop. Now the room was a mixture of colors...the red of Duke's blood dripping down the walls, the pitch black of his hair set against his maroon and dark headband and the burning emerald green of his eyes smoldering as he fought off unconsciousness to glare at both the swordsman who had wounded him and the dangerous-looking general that now eyed his girlfriend as though she were an item to be looted from the room. His white hand struggled to push himself to his feet but as a gun barrel pressed against his cheek he slipped and sunk back to the floor a little, unwillingly having to concede...for the moment...that he seemed to be the victim of a check and mate. And in the center of the room was the golden hair of the blond, the green eyes that Duke loved and the dark brown of her sudden antagonist which watched her...there was a moment of stillness as he waited for some sort of response from the girl, before finally...after that hesitance...extending his hand to her in a motion that was as empty and casual as if he were setting the table before his own meal.
"If you want your boyfriend to live, you will come with me now," he told her simply, every single syllable in his tone practically bleeding finality, "if you do not, then he will die. ...This is not a matter which I intend to debate, so choose now. And choose wisely..." He didn't seem willing to negotiate or wait...the time to make a life-altering decision had come! Duke's life? Her freedom? They hung in a balance as precarious as any other...and the decision was hers. ...Or was it? Time was ticking away...it was now or never.
His eyes watched her as though he could see into her very mind, lips set into a perfectly line that betrayed nothing.
...How had it come to this?...
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 11:39 pm
Minori Koroko Eyes widen as crimson slowly tainted the back of her boyfriend's shirt, her mind stopping working properly for the time being. Everything felt heavier, slower as she shifted her gaze to the man at the door, the blade dangerously glistering with the light coming from the room. It... all felt like a nightmare; the nightmare that she had dreamt the night before...it was as if it had returned to haunt her this night as well...As if it would haunt her for the rest of her life. Everything was impossible to believe; just a second ago he had been smiling handsomely back at her, they had been having a good time...they had been happy. Just how had it all taken a 180 degree turn in less than a fraction of time? Why had fate cruelly snatched everything from them? A cry died down on her throat before it could leave her lips, her body feeling completely numbed, her heart stopping as the body of the man she loved and cared for crashed against the wall at the other side of the room. "No!" Her voice finally found its way out of her throat with a distressed scream, her legs beginning to move on their own, ready to rush to the wounded man in a beat, before the threatening stare anchored her to where she stood. She understood the meaning...and knew better than to try anything. But thinking how or why this had happened had turned into the least important matter inside of the blond's mind, concerned eyes never turning away the fallen figure. Please...Please...
She was afraid, not only for her, but for Duke...He was hurt, he was bleeding. "Please don't hurt him," she pled weakly, a dozen of men following behind the first one to attack...soldiers clad in green she wished she couldn't recognize. The dread that was becoming way too familiar returned to the blond, the pointed barrels frozen without shooting meaning only one thing...they waiting for an order. The arm falling down as a signal before bullets flew towards Amelia, taking away life as it were nothing of importance...iciest eyes staring down at the dead body...coldest voice speaking... it all returned to her mind as much as the girl had wanted to suppress the memory, making her realize that...she had been wrong to believe she had been safe...To believe she could lower her defenses, even if for a night. And the footsteps were just the final clue to her worst nightmares...
Her body tensed, the hairs behind her back stood on end as Motonari Mori stood in front of her with the emptiness that rendered her useless, his cold voice making her to unconsciously take a step backwards, her head moving slightly in a negative...He couldn't be here. He... he was here to end what couldn't be ended the day before, wasn't he? Moistened eyes didn't dare shift away from him as he stared back at her, his gaze burning inside of her mind, reading all her thoughts and movements. The silence that followed his greeting felt like ages, every minute passed breaking her down slowly. The icy voice resumed, this time with a proposition...or better to say, an order. Her eyes widened, before green orbs shifted to the floor, disappearing under closed lids as the girl realized her position against the wall. There was no other answer to this...She wouldn't let...She couldn't let him die. "... I'll... I will go with you. Just..." words choked on her throat as she turned to look at her boyfriend, all those weapons threatening to end his life. She...couldn't do anything. 'I'm sorry... "Just don't...do anything to him."
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:50 pm
Duke Devlin, The King of Games (3-1) (Theme)
He couldn't believe what he was seeing...armed men lead by a terrifying swordsman, storming into the room in the middle of what had been the greatest date...the knife in his chest, the guns pressing against his cheek and all aiming at him with full intent to fire should a single hand fall. And then that man in green, the empty, cold eyes that stared at his girlfriend as though she were already his...that ignored him like some sort of discarded refuse...and no matter how he struggled against the weakness that began to lock his muscles he couldn't bring himself past his knees to fight back against what was undoubtedly a hopeless predicament. But Minori...Minori, he couldn't let her go with this man...he couldn't! "Mi-Mino-" he coughed and crumpled forward in a heap, blood splattering the floor of the karaoke lounge where his lung was bleeding into his throat, threatening to gag him...breathing was a struggle, and he knew that before long, without healing or treatment, it would collapse and he would be moments away from dying. She was trying to save him, he knew it, but even if he died...even if he died he didn't want to give her away to this terrifying, icy-looking b*****d knowing what he might do to her! Why, Why had it come to this?! And from the look on her face she knew this person, knew that something like this could happen and that she hadn't said anything about it until now most likely for his own sake. ...No, it was probably as much for both of them, trying to share this private moment of happiness, to treasure it as long as they could...only to have it snatched away like this?!
"I..." he coughed, struggling with all his waning strength to extend a hand despite the terrible pain that had scared the girl into agreeing to the creep's deal...why couldn't he just move?! "I...love..." A boot in his sternum silenced him and the butt of a rifle left a fresh gash that leaked crimson blood over the outside of his left eyebrow. It was just a final nail in the coffin, a promise of what they could do if she changed her mind. ...But the die had been cast, and for once, it looked as if the King of Games had truly met his match.
Inevitable...that was what her agreement had been. There was no other option in this situation in which any favorable outcome for the blond could be had, and so he knew that she would agree to come with him. It was just a matter of haggling, which she wisely hadn't attempted with him at all, but just as he had planned...she was coming with him without a fight. Taking her hand to seal their agreement, he gently pulled her to his side and looked down at the bent-over form of the dying boyfriend that had been with her before his intervention. It had been all-too-easy...such a man was hardly worth the attention of the woman that he had decided to claim for his own. He watched him for a moment as if taking in the sight of his beaten 'rival', soaking in the utter despair and weakness that he had reduced the gamer to, and it was only once he was finished, with an air of cold finality and several touches of superiority that he finally raised his voice again to put the nail in the coffin of this little bargain. A declaration of victory and intent that was more for the loser's benefit than anything else. "Very well. He is no longer a threat to us. You have my word," the general agreed simply, turning his back to the dark-haired young man and walking towards the door, a light tug a signal that the blond was to follow him. In the wake of the general's departure, the gunmen began to file out one after another, holding to the strategist's orders until finally it was only the swordsman and the gamer remaining in the room. Mihawk seemed to examine the gamer for a few moments as Duke struggled against his fading consciousness, trying to crawl towards the door of the room to follow them, and perhaps for the rarest of instants there was a hint of respect...or admiration in them...but just as fast as it had appeared it was gone, and as he made his way towards the door he only looked back for a moment and uttered a single phrase before he was gone.
"Don't die..."
And then the group was gone, off to the final destination of this plan...the location of their grand finale and the place where he would make all of his arrangements final. Minori would belong to him and the future of the Mori Clan under his name would be secured. They would rise and reclaim what was rightfully theirs, all the lands upon which the sun smiled.
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