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Post by { o p a l } on May 30, 2013 16:25:30 GMT -6
"Come, Vincent, we must be on our way as swiftly as possible." Regina tucked the holder in the crook of her arm and strode out of the café, getting into the car quickly She grabbed her official tailcoat and did an admirably fast job at changing into it.
She smirked at his first question. "I am not a stupid thorn in anyone's side, and considering my achievements, he respects me as much as the rulers of this country have always respected the Nocturnes. While we stay out of mundane affairs, in the realm of the supernatural, none are our equal. I can trace my bloodline back to the time when the Silence was first founded. We have always been in the shadows, and we will always be in the shadows."
Kalyani materialized on the seat again, still curled up. "In the area of the fae, the rulers have always counted on the Nocturnes to do their job, and left them alone most of the time. There are times, however, where the Nocturnes defer to the Prime Minster to make decisions that would impact the entire nation."
"This is one of those times." Regina scowled for a moment. "The first time since I've been instituted as Chief Executive."
And it is causing me no end of worry. I don't want to rely on them, though. I am a Nocturne, I can handle this situation, she added silently.
"Calm yourself, Regina. They expect that you will need help with the first few situations. That's why they're still alive." Kalyani's calm voice soothed her. The two had not just become friends and companions over the course of their lives, but fighting partners too. They trusted each other with their lives from a young age- something that most people would never have to do, no matter how close they felt to their spirit animal.
"But I should be able to be independent." She sighed. "It's so strange to be the one at the head of this all. I'm finally seeing from the inside what I saw from the outside before."
"I know what you mean." Despite the fact that it was practically babble, Kalyani understood the workings of Regina's mind.
Vincent's other questions pulled the Chief out of her silent dialogue. "An official uniform will look more or less like mine, as befits an assistant of the Chief Executive. It's not something we use much, as a secret organization- but for official meetings between Executive Officers or meeting with the Prime Minister, it's simply something to make the event more formal. You will rarely need to use it. Trust me, there are plenty of incognito meetings as well." She smirked. "You may have even witnessed some in the past without ever realizing it."
She looked down at the file holder. "This holds the Executive's report on Titania. The Prime Minister will wish to review it, as will I." She stroked its smooth surface. "As for what that file contains, that's currently confidential information. If you'd like to look at it, you may." She held it out in case he wanted to prod at the device.
They were stopped for a moment at the entryway to the street, but after their license plate was checked out,they were allowed to continue.
Before long, they had pulled up to 10 Downing Street. Regina unbuckled, opened the glove box, pulling out what appeared to be a small black wallet, and turned around. "Here's your official badge as a Silence agent. Only bring it with you if truly necessary, and otherwise keep it in a very safe place, preferably back at Stonehenge. You'll need it to get past the first level of security. You can keep holding the files as well, it'll make you look important." She held it out to him.
"Before you get out, Vincent, some words of advice: act formal; do exactly what I do, or barring that, as close as possible to it; follow me and you won't get lost; be superfluously polite; and should we run into an older woman with black hair or a man of the same age with light blue hair, run. Should we happen upon them both, try and be as polite as possible. If they're both there, there's no escape."
With that, she got out of the car. Without waiting for Vincent, she strode up to the front gate, nodded at the security, and pulled out her identification from an inside pocket of her coat. The security guard bowed to her, which she returned with a nod, and then stepped past, going slower to allow Vincent to catch up with her. She paused before the imposing black door, the 10 set firmly on it.
The door slowly opened from inside by an unseen force.
Taking a breath, she stepped in.
After wiping her boots on the welcome mat and waiting for Vincent, she continued without a word, climbing the stairs to the second floor. Glancing down the hallway carefully, she continued one way and paused before a closed door.
Placing one hand behind her back and assuming a polite, courteous face, she cleared her throat, raised her hand, and rapped on the door with meticulous care.
"Come in."
Glancing over her shoulder at Vincent, she carefully stepped in.
Inside was a dark wooden desk, and seated behind it the Prime Minister. He glanced up at her and smiled. "Chief Executive Nocturne! It's a pleasure to see you."
She smiled as pleasantly as she could. "It's a pleasure to see you as well, Prime Minister Blackmore. How is your day?"
"A little more hectic now that this situation has arisen. I assume yours is very similar due to the same fact."
Regina nodded. "Correct." She stepped in. "May I introduce my new personal assistant, Mister Vincent Evan Chambers." She glanced at Vincent to make sure he was observing the proper ceremonies. "If you hand the files here and close the door, we will get down to discussing business."
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Post by Wildsky on May 31, 2013 3:01:09 GMT -6
Vincent was reassured by Regina's answer to his first question. It was a pleasant surprise, as it always was, how calm and sure she was of herself. In a way, this let him relax so he could think more efficiently. Whether or not Regina knew she had this affect on people was irrelevant; Vincent wouldn't bring it up so she wouldn't second-guess herself.
Despite the fact that she was still worried about issues, he was more willing to relax. He knew that Regina would go in as she always would -- with a mind, heart, and opinion. In truth, Vincent appreciated this of Regina -- the honesty, caring, and confidence of the most basic aspects of Regina's personality were the glow that she gave off.
'You like her, don't you, Vincent?' Eyvindr asked, his body barely in the physical world, blind and deaf, yet his mind fully there, more than willing to speak to Vincent. He hated having his body fully materialized -- he could see how it made sense for animals that could fight more effectively, but for him, it simply caused too many issues for the slight benefit that he could have.
'Of course. She's a wonderful leader. She trusts me, perhaps only because she can kill me without a second thought, but she doesn't trust me. In the way that a professor trusts a prized student, but doesn't trust the prized student in matters like entries into a scientific journal and whatnot.' Vincent had his head pressed against the window, hating the cramped quarters of the car and longing to be where he loved it most: in the dark.
The dark was an interesting experience for Vincent, as it always had been. It never was something physical that you could touch, but it had a physical realm of its own. It took a lot of effort to get there, and generally speaking he had to be in a physically dark area, relaxing, and concentrated. But when he was there, he felt free. Free beyond what he thought was possible: perspective only existed in the mind, sight was tenfold as powerful yet a tenth as useful, sound existed yet was so far away. He could do so many things there, from casting light into a room he had imagined to creating a disc the size of the Earth and crushing it between his fingers.
He had forgotten that he was holding the "folder", but began to glance through it. He quickly gathered as much information as he could about Titania and her prison before they pulled up to the house that he thought he would never visit: 10 Downing Street. In reality, he shouldn't have been surprised by this as he knew of it beforehand, yet the reality of it shook him still. Seeing as how Regina was already getting out, he quickly got out as well.
And then the corridors, hallways, elegant rooms, and private conference areas. All of it seemed superfluous to him, and that was saying something, as he lived in a house that was built upon the idea of superfluousness. He hated that; the excess, the redundancy, all of it was unnecessary in his mind. All he wanted was peace and quiet, not to be in the middle of London at the most well-known building in all of England.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sounds invaded his mind, and then the voice of the Prime Minister (which he knew from television) spoke. He glanced at Regina and then slipped in after her, fear dancing in the depths of his heart, raging a fire of flight through his body. If Vincent moved just the wrong way, he would be burned, yet if he did everything right, he would come out unscathed.
He smiled at the Prime Minister and extended a hand to shake. "A pleasure to meet you in person, Prime Minister, though I'm afraid we do have more serious things to discuss than pleasantries." He walked over to close the door and then took out the "folder", handing it to Regina (whom he trusted more than the Prime Minister) and following her moves. He kept his hands at his side, slightly behind his back, and kept his mind open. Without Eyvindr's eyes, he felt blind, but he also doubted a bat had any place in the Prime Minister's office. Though he was curious about the Prime Minister's spirit animal.
---
((Few things that I lampshaded: romantic attachments (see third and fourth paragraphs), Vincent's aptitude for magic (see fifth paragraph), the fact that I have no clue if Vincent and Regina are supposed to be sitting or standing, and the question of does everyone have a spirit animal and know of the spirit zodiacs, and magic is simply a well-kept secret? Or is the entire idea of that kept secret? You said before (see information post on Spirit Zodiacs) that everyone had one, and that some "worship the Spirit Zodiacs as gods", but I'm not sure if you changed that in your head but didn't change the post. Anyway, have fun with my ridiculous length reply.))
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Post by { o p a l } on May 31, 2013 6:04:20 GMT -6
((It was originally going to be that only the Silence had spirit animals, but that got changed because a member accidentally messed up and I kinda liked it. At this point, I'm not sure which I'll put in.
Also, w00t for lampshading.))
The Chief's relief at Vincent's politeness was immense. Of course, she wouldn't have him around if he didn't do the right thing in the field. Which was, to a lesser extent, what the Prime Minister's office was- the field. A minefield of possibilities.
"Glad to meet you, sir. Now please, the both of you. Do sit." The Prime Minister smiled and gestured to chairs. Regina carefully reclined in one.
She took the folder and paged through it. She knew, of course, basically what it said- it hadn't been too long since she looked at a report herself. "To be perfectly honest with you, I haven't had the time to go over this most recent addition. However, I do know the condition of the prison." She held out the folder, still in its holder, to the Prime Minister. "It is also utilizing one of our newer prototypes for protection."
The man cast an appreciative eye over the file holder. "Admirable," he breathed in wonder as he looked at the device. "The Silence proves its usefulness once again. Technology advancements nowadays are to be prized, especially in a field like information protection."
Regina dipped her head in acknowledgement of his praise and murmured her thanks.
"So, explain to me our situation while I go over this report." He set the file down on the desk covered in papers and began to read.
The Chief ran a hand through her hair, her face creasing into a scowl. "As you know, Titania is remarkably close to freeing herself. Should such a thing happen, there will no doubt be an outbreak of fae. While the Silence could contain it, the projected losses of life are... staggering. Up to 25% of the population in London could be affected, something that would damage the secrecy and thus the security of our operation. Meanwhile, we could lose up to 72% of our membership."
The Prime Minister looked up and frowned. "That's a large amount of fae. You're certain that Titania controls this much?"
Regina nodded. "Yes, sir. Should she come free, so would her pet knight Puck. We could stall her at her prison, however..." She paused for a moment and drew breath.
"In my discussion today with the Doppelganger, he stated that Titania would be able to use our own prison against us should it get damaged enough. It is already, as you can see, at 57.89%." She cast a glance at Vincent, wondering how he was taking all this extremely confidential information spilling out in front of his eyes. "It's risen since I checked this morning by a tenth of a percent. It may not seem like a lot, but Titania's strength and the rate of the prison damage have been increasing nearly exponentially over the past day, which is why I called an emergency state earlier."
"This Doppelganger... what danger does he pose?"
"He is a long-time enemy of Titania. He willingly put himself in our prison if we swore to keep Titania in hers... and now that she is releasing herself, he offered me a trade: he would come free and assist in fighting Titania." She looked as if she had eaten something bitter- it seemed to frustrate her that she would have to rely on anyone other than herself and the resources of her organization to ensure the safety of Britain. "He is dangerous because he can imitate anything almost exactly, and he'd be hard to keep a leash on should he be released." She sighed, and adjusted herself in her chair. "The Doppelganger is cunning, patient, and crafty. I don't doubt that there's some advantage over us he hasn't pressed yet that he's waiting to use."
Blackmore glanced at her with a small smile on his face. "You sound almost as if you like him, Chief Executive."
A flicker of amusement passed through Regina's eyes. "Just because I fight the fae doesn't mean I can't respect their talent with craftiness. That certainly doesn't mean I love them, or even enjoy them, it's simply a fact that I respect my enemy. At times, I believe it has helped me to better estimate their strength and thus avoid catastrophe."
"You have certainly killed too many of them to consider them friends. But this... this enemy of my enemy situation... this is an entirely different beast."
"I am most willing to admit that, sir. It is a matter of national security, and that is your field."
He sighed, apparently just as stressed as she. "If we were to bring in Agent Nightingale and Agent Jack Frost, would they impact the casualty count any?"
"They would reduce both casualty counts by five percent, more or less. I will also be deployed in the field as necessary."
"I don't like that risk, but it's probably necessary at this point." Blackmore leaned back in his chair in a thoughtful pose. "If we were to bring in the Doppelganger, how would he reduce the count?"
"He may be able to prevent Titania from escaping at all. He claimed he had that ability, anyway. I don't doubt that he has the power, I simply am uncertain whether or not the consequences of his release would be less than Titania's."
The Prime Minister raised an eyebrow. "You seemed certain that Titania would cause huge swaths of destruction."
"Dealing with any Seelie Noble is tricky business, sir." Regina's quick response possessed the serenity of total certainty in her statement.
"Your confidence is admirable. It was stated in your message that you plan to return to the Doppelganger with an answer in ten hours?"
Regina nodded. "It was based on a rather shabby calculation in my head, if you will excuse that. I knew the rate of Titania's release to be going at 0.1 an hour, and judging from the past few days that it would increase by 75% over the next ten hours, I threw in a haphazard guess from our information earlier about Titania using our prison against us that we would probably be either in a critical state by then or have managed to shut her down."
"Did you send for Agent Nightingale and Agent Jack Frost?" It was the second time that he'd mentioned those names, and it seemed to irritate Regina slightly. Her frown deepened.
"No."
"And why not?"
"To tell them to come when needed would be a redundancy. They will come anyway, whether I call for them or not." She sat up a little. "Besides, it would be a pity to pull them away from their relaxing retirement."
Blackmore smiled a smile filled with tiredness. "If we all survive through this, the Silence will be getting more funding to avoid another event."
Regina once again smiled and nodded, murmuring her thanks.
"I will authorize the release of the Doppelganger under the condition that he should only be used if absolutely necessary. I will also require constant updates on the status of all prisons from now until the emergency state ends." He paused and paged through the files. "I must agree with you on the subject of Nightingale and Jack Frost. They will come when necessary. Should you require anything, simply contact me and I will have it arranged."
Blackmore sighed and stood. "Now that I've gotten official business out of the way, I want to ask you this: would it be a good idea for me to visit the complex holding Titania?"
Regina stood as well, following his signals that the meeting was coming to a close. "The place is dangerous, certainly, but it might prove an interesting tourist attraction, sir. We may never need it again."
He raised an eyebrow sardonically. "And why would that be, Nocturne?"
The Chief Executive replied with perfect confident calm. "It would be due to the fact that by the end of this emergency state, if I have my way, Titania will be dead."
There was a moment of silence.
Blackmore chuckled, slowly building up to a roar of laughter he was famous for. "I like your confidence, Chief. Continue on with the operations. Perhaps I will come by. I'll need to borrow security, though. My own guards would be fairly useless." He paused for a moment. "You're certain we shouldn't send an alert to Nightingale and Jack Frost?"
"I am perfectly certain, sir. They will come when needed. Besides, I believe they listened in to our entire conversation."
The man frowned and instinctively tensed a bit. "How do you know?"
The Chief Executive gestured to the room. "There is at least one area of shadow, sir. More than ample space for Nightingale to conceal herself in. They do enjoy being in-the-know." She paused. "I do apologize for concealing the fact. I simply thought it obvious."
Blackmore grinned. "You're smart. Good luck, Chief Executive Nocturne."
Regina smirked and bowed, a true full-length bow. "Have a nice day, Prime Minister."
Once Vincent had said his ceremonies, she exited the office with the same swift confidence she normally held.
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Post by Wildsky on Jun 2, 2013 21:07:58 GMT -6
Vincent listened to the details as much as he played an "assistant". He realized now that they didn't have any time to waste. So he didn't waste any time -- he listened carefully, and was slightly surprised. He didn't expect the Prime Minister to allow it so easily. Perhaps the Prime Minister had been expecting this, or perhaps he trust Regina more than Vincent thought, or perhaps he was just more daring than Vincent though.
The Doppelgänger... He's patient. He's crafty. He's powerful. Where Titania will break through with brute force, he will break through with trust. Vincent nearly shuddered at the thought, but all he had to do was feel Eyv's presence and recognized that he could trust someone, at least.
Regina respected the Doppelgänger. Vincent believed that it was the right thing, but it still caused a flurry of unease to go through his body. Where was the line drawn between respect and enjoy? No, but Regina wouldn't dare enjoy the Doppelgänger alive. Dead? Yes. Imprisoned? Maybe. But free and alive? Not in the slightest bit.
He stood up (more uneasy now that he knew that “Agent Nightingale” was hiding – who was this powerful agent?) and briefly smiled at the Prime Minister. “It was a pleasure to see you Prime Minister.” He left quickly so his mouth didn't slip anything else. Now wasn't the time for useless words of flattery.
When they were out of the office, Vincent quietly murmured to Regina, “Nightingale and Jack Frost? May I ask who these people are? They seem very persistent to be present, regardless of what we think.” He knew that either one could probably hear them right now, and didn't expect any less of them at this point, but if they were trusted, then Vincent didn't see the point in trying to keep this away from them. It would only make them want it more.
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Post by { o p a l } on Jun 3, 2013 5:50:26 GMT -6
At Vincent's whispered question, Regina stopped in her tracks.
"Dammit, I was hoping he wasn't going to ask that."
"Same here, Regina. Let's just tell him the truth."
"The truth? Do you know how highly classified that is?!"
"Of course I do."
Regina sighed. "Kalyani, we can't just wave around this sort of stuff like it's fliers for a town carnival."
"Regina, we can't just leave Vincent completely clueless about the two people who have more power than you." The cat pawed at her leg. "Besides, he'll be meeting them soon anyway. They're obviously interested."
The Chief grumbled, but turned to Vincent. "Normally this information would be far above your clearance level. However, due to the emergency state and the nature of your position, you will probably end up meeting them before this is over."
Her ocelot leaped up onto her shoulders. "This is highly classified information, after all."
"Would you like me to communicate it to Eyvindr? It might be the safest."
"No, I think I'd like to tell him."
Regina stepped closer to Vincent so that no one else could hear, even though they were on an abandoned street, feet away from the security guard or from the chauffeur. In a half-whisper, she explained. "Agent Nightingale's real name is the Right Honourable Victoria Nocturne, and Jack Frost's real name is the Right Honourable Darian Crowley-Nocturne. They were the Chief Executives before me... as well as my parents. Both are the preeminent sorcerers for their respective Patrons." Although she hesitated, her voice didn't waver, nor did she take her eyes from Vincent's. Confidence was important in a time like this. However, Kalyani was busy watching the surrounding area. In a mutter, Regina added, "I do believe they've been following us since we met up with the Doppelganger. Perhaps before. They were on the other side of that phone call you heard and were probably wondering about."
"Regina..?"
"What."
The cat's voice turned teasing. "I think you enjoy his company."
"He's a useful pawn. Should he come in contact with my mother, he would become even more useful."
"If they approve of them as your-"
"Personal assistant? They will."
Kalyani sighed both physically and mentally. "You're hopeless."
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Post by Wildsky on Jun 4, 2013 5:23:38 GMT -6
'Reg has parents. I didn't see that coming, Eyv,' Vincent said to Eyvindr, his thoughts still tumbling about this information. He didn't know what else to expect from the parents of Regina, but he didn't expect them to be so... real. Ah, what a fool. All myths are true if you look carefully.
"So Nightingale has been following us since the Doppelgänger meeting? Perhaps even before? I wonder how often she sticks her nose into business." Vincent spoke with a hushed tone, but not too quiet. It was an abandoned street, and he understood the nature of the codenames perfectly.
'Nightingale and Jack Frost. I'm going to assume Nightingale's zodiac is Night, and Jack Frost's is Rime. But, still. That doesn't say anything about their personalities, just their powers -- though it wouldn't be a surprise if they were a thousand times more powerful than anything we'd seen.' Eyv flew slowly above the two of them, enjoying the flight, but knowing that he had to fly lower than he usually liked. It was middle of the day in London, and fox bats didn't usually hang out in the midst of London, so he had to weigh the risks.
'Yeah. But Reg's parents?! As in, with... rules. And stuff. Except in their case, probably sword fighting and sassy attitudes.' Even though Vincent could hide his emotions well on the outside, it didn't mean he didn't feel them. Regina's parents. That was new. And different. And completely unexpected.
"Though, more important, Regina, is where we're off to next. You're in charge, but I can't be left in the dark." Unintentional puns are unintentional.
Excitement, fear, and caution ran through Vincent's body. He wasn't excited about the bloodbath that would hopefully not happen, but the meeting with the Doppelgänger and the dancing of words that would surely ensue. But Titania was a being not to be toyed with. Neither was the Doppelgänger, but he wasn't as deadly in the short-term, but far more devastating in the long-term. But above all else, caution guided Vincent through this. Rationality, steel-like nerves, and the ability to put on one hell of a face helped him through situations from dealing with the Doppelgänger to meeting the Prime Minister.
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Post by { o p a l } on Jun 4, 2013 5:56:24 GMT -6
"Yes, that's probably quite accurate. She likes to be around when important things are happening. Usually they stay out unless there are Seelie Nobles involved... and right now, we have two on our hands." Regina frowned as a cloud passed over the sun, and everything became darker. Her hand pulled into her sleeve slightly.
"Kal."
"Yeah, on it."
The ocelot suddenly flew through the air, catching a metal missile in her mouth and bringing it to the ground, out of its original trajectory towards Regina's heart.
"No blood."
Regina whirled around, three shurikens fanning outward from her hand as she released them. Two clattered to the ground, one hitting something soft. She smirked. "First blood."
A shape of shadows had half materialized, the gleaming metal of the shuriken visible embedded in it. More shadows pulled together into the shape of a woman, then suddenly fell apart, revealing an older lady with black hair, wearing black clothes. A shuriken was stuck in her shoulder. She pulled it out unconcernedly and threw it to the ground.
She was the spitting image of Regina, only a slightly older Regina with darker hair. Raising an eyebrow at her daughter, she simply said, "Poison?"
"There's a tube and plunger that will release anthrax into the air on your command."
"How do you know?"
"It's Anthrax Monday, of course- uh, and you could hear the hollow area containing the poison when Kal slammed it against the ground," she added hurriedly.
The older woman scowled at her.
"I still had first blood." The Chief's eyes narrowed. "And I still knew you were there."
Finally, the woman smiled. "Alright, you're just as sharp as usual. We raised you right. Now, a hug for mommy?"
Regina took a defensive step back, drawing a blade. "I think I'll pass, thanks." Not moving her gaze from her mother, she muttered to Vincent, "Stay alert. Watch her movements. Don't touch her, and preferably don't get in dagger-throwing range. And if Jack Frost arrives, don't piss him off. Ever."
"Introductions, Regina."
"Mother, this is Vincent Chambers, my new personal assistant. Vincent, this is my mother." Regina still seemed entirely on her guard- even more so than with the Doppelganger, perhaps.
"Well, well, well. Where did you find this little prized recruit? And a Night, nonetheless. Well met, brother in shadow. Perhaps you would like to meet my spirit animal as well?"
"No, he doesn't want to meet Siabhre. He's just fine meeting you, thank you."
"I think that perhaps we should let him decide this one, Regina." She smirked, and turned her gaze to Vincent. "Well, my dear? What have you decided?"
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Post by Wildsky on Jun 4, 2013 18:14:19 GMT -6
Vincent could feel his muscles tensing, but he placed a well-laid half-smirk on his face. Perhaps Nightingale could see through, perhaps she could not. Though she was experienced, Vincent was as well -- though not to the extreme of Nightingale. "Siabhre, Regina said, correct? Well, I must say my curiosity is piqued, but... Oh, aren't we short on time?" Vincent desperately wanted to meet this "Siabhre", but it would probably be best if he didn't meet her directly after being "attacked".
"But, as a brother in shadow, I would be happy to meet the spirit animal of the most powerful Night that lives." He didn't say that for flattery, but respect. He doubted that there was one more skilled than Nightingale, though perhaps others were more specialized than she.
'Eyv, keep close. But, she wouldn't hurt me... Well, let me rephrase that: she would test me to make sure that I wouldn't be hurt by something simple.'
Vincent stepped forward, but still quite a bit away. He carefully eyed the woman, letting Eyv handle the surroundings. He had to keep his eyes on the most dangerous woman here, not the fancy background, but he was smart enough to know that the "most dangerous" woman could easily have planted something in the background.
Think, Vincent!
His mind was scrambling between conventional thought processes and reverse psychology, but he silenced those thoughts. It's useless to worry about it. Take any information she gives you, no matter how small, but be wary of distractions. He did make sure to keep his body in a position that could easily move to either side if it came to it.
'After we're done, Eyv, ask Kal what is wrong with Reg's mother! She's a thousand times worse than she is, practically,' Vincent said to Eyv in nearly distressed tone.
'Apparently Reg learned from the best.'
'Apparently.'
Vincent did make sure to bring a dagger along with him (he was a Night, he knew how to conceal a few things), but it was strapped in securely in his sheath under his suit jacket. Suits weren't exactly good for fighting, from the tie to the limited flexibility. He doubted it would come to a fight, even. He'd probably be poisoned before he even unsheathed his dagger. And that didn't scare him, just fueled his excitement but increased his caution.
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Post by { o p a l } on Jun 4, 2013 18:34:00 GMT -6
"The most powerful Night that lives." Nightingale laughed. "I like that. Perhaps I should have you call me that, honey."
"Not a chance. I don't state the obvious."
Regina saw Vincent out of the corner of her eye, watching him scramble for answers. His squirming was slightly disconcerting to her. He mustn't show this sort of weakness in front of mother. It's degrading on both his image and mine.
Meanwhile, Kalyani was hurriedly contacting Eyv. "You must keep watch for any projectiles coming towards Vincent. Regina will keep watch as well and attempt to slow them with wind, but your dive must be swift and your aim perfect to knock it out of the air."
Within a moment, Regina had thought of a distraction.
"Mother, where is Jack Frost?"
"You mean your father?" Nightingale's gaze transferred from Vincent to Regina, and for once that brought a measure of relief to her. "He's at home. He had to take out the chocolate chip muffins I was baking. Can't let them burn, you know."
"Good. He will stay there and you will leave and return home. You will not return unless a true emergency arrives."
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "What's the magic word?" she asked in the tone so familiar to children world-wide that are being taught their manners.
Regina drew her other blade and leveled one at her mother. "There is no magic word. I am Regina Nocturne, Chief Executive of the Silence. I am the first and last line of defense for Britain. You may have been ruler before me, but I am in the chair now, Agent Nightingale, and this is an order."
For once, Nightingale seemed to relax a little. She beamed slightly at her daughter, the slightest sketching of a proud half-smile appearing on her lips. "Well said, my daughter. I will return, and await a true emergency state." She turned to Vincent and smirked. "Well met, dearie. Do take care of Regina for me." With that, she raised her hand as if in salute.
...and suddenly pointed it straight towards Vincent, a flash of metal flying from her sleeve. A heavy wind blasted from behind him suddenly, sending her hair flying back as a blur of ocelot lunged in front of him.
Shadows raced up her form, coating her in liquid black, her eyes two pits of burning violet fire. Then, blowing a kiss to Regina, her form collapsed into a puddle of darkness. It ran like ink into the shadows of the buildings and vanished.
Regina sighed tiredly, seeming drained emotionally, physically, and mentally. "Of course she'd show up now, just in time to waste time," she muttered.
Sheathing her swords, she turned to Vincent. "Well, congratulations on meeting my mother. Quite the charmer, isn't she." Regina sighed. "You alright? She normally doesn't fire on regular agents. I suppose you're a special case." The Chief paused. "Then again, she did show a fairly large amount of interest in you. Probably because you're a Night. I'm surprised she didn't ignore you outright."
Regina looked at him with a strange curious look in her eyes. "You do realize that she's considering teaching you, right?"
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Post by Wildsky on Jun 8, 2013 5:52:30 GMT -6
Vincent wasn't too surprised (in hindsight) by the flying object at him, but he was no fool. He jumped out of the way as soon as he saw it, which would have been to late, had it not been for Kalyani's extremely quick reflexes. He grunted and got up, looking at Regina.
'I was going to tell you, but then that happened,['i] Eyv said to Vincent sheepishly. 'You didn't die!'
Vincent just shook his head and focused on Regina. She normally doesn't fire on regular agents. I suppose you're a special case. He wasn't a special case, just another fool who claimed to know more than she.
"You do realize she's considering teaching you, right?"
Vincent frowned and said, "Why? Because I'm your personal assistant or because I have some innate power that lets me be extremely fluent in the way of Shadows? That was a joke, in case you didn't get it." He sighed and shook his head. I suppose I shouldn't be bitter. Or surprised. No, I'm not surprised. Well, maybe at that fact that she's considering me for a student, but not at the attempted assassination. I mean, she tried to kill you, so why not me?" He shrugged and glanced up at the skies.
'Eyvindr... Wherever you are, keep an eye out for shadows.'
'Of course, Vincent.'
And may the zodiacs have mercy on us. We don't have time for games, not with the horrors that are about to come.
He looked back down at the ground and smiled slightly. "Shall we continue? Lot to do today, still, eh? No time to spare for the ones who wage war."
He gave a slight grin and continued, "Plus, who knows when ridiculous, stupid people will get in our way. Have to make the most of all the time we can."
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