Hello, everyone! after dealing with real life and the other nonsense of living, panny and i have decided to bring back war of change. give a round of applause. we’ve worked through all of the information and hopefully improved coherency and cohesion; however, tell us if we missed something. eventually, we’ll announce an event to celebrate the re-opening, so look out for information on that. -RAIDNE, THE HEAD ADMIN
From the moonless night, screams of terror and fear resound, spreading across the world and infecting the masses; however, those sleepless nights occurred years ago. A new era began with the fires of war, and with no end in sight, the residents of Selene Isle trudge through life, basking in the momentary peace. Despite their prayers for continued monotony and peace, a storm brews, stirred to life by the continued presence of Rapture and Wraith. And as we set our sights on the seemingly peace laden isle, we must ask: how shall this tale end?
As the years passed, the number of true pairs increased; however, they continued to live in the shadows, catering to the whims of the mundane. Seven Moons kept watch over them all, instructing them and assisting them, but for many, the attitudes and ideals of the organization were smoldering, suffocating. With Seven Moons and the mundanes, they could not grasp the freedom, the power dangling before their eyes. In the beginning, rebellion was a dream, a fantasy, a figment—developed by the repressed and carried forward due to the nature of humanity. No one expected the call to sound, and no one expected the call to be answered. However, it happened.
a yawn forced itself past pale lips as reijne blinked slowly, staring at the sea of files in obvious disdain. his exaggerated rendition of the emotion caused his features to twist into a prominent scowl while he leaned into his chair, allowing the leather to yield to the weight of his body. one slender finger tapped against he arm of the object as he watched the door, jewel toned eyes refusing to shift from the wooden piece of furniture; however, the metallic knob did not turn, which meant that the fair haired fighter resigned himself to continued solitude. he wanted to simply disappear, vanish from his office and spend the afternoon without the responsibilities of his position hanging over his head. his new secretary—unfortunately—proved highly intuitive regarding his escape attempts, translating into his inability to flee from the office building.
a distraction, he murmured while tipping his head back, resting it on the back of his chair and shifting his gaze away from the door to stare at the ceiling—which lacked personality and stared drolly back at him. his scowl transitioned into an agitated frown as he narrowed his eyes at the ceiling, daring it to continue taunting him; however, as an inanimate object, reijne lacked the ability to triumph over the white washed monotony of the ceiling. despite running the company, he did not have the authority to demand the reconstruction of the office. the obvious flaws in the original design grinned in his face as he stalked through the halls of the building, reminding him constantly of his failure. a sigh escaped him as he applied pressure to one foot, utilizing the appendage to twist the chair. the object spun and granted him the picturesque view situated outside of his window, and he wondered if he could trick his employee.
pale lips quirked into a devious grin as he leaned forward, carefully removing his body from the chair and then pivoting to face the object. gloved hands carefully positioned the item, keeping the back to the door and adding several piles of files to the seat, stacking them and providing the chair with the illusion of a heavy human being inhabiting the device. chuckles issued forth as he pranced away from his desk, hands reaching out and snagging his preferred disguise. his fingers wrapped around the handle of the door and tugged it open with caution, peaking into the hallway and releasing a relieved sigh upon noticing lilianth’s absence. he crept forward, shutting the door and moving toward the stairs—recognizing the futility in taking the elevator.
roughly fifteen minutes later, reijne ducked into a nearby alley, aiming to take a shortcut to the crescent moon district. members of the company’s security team would be swarming the streets soon, and he wanted to remove himself from the building’s vicinity. his fingers trembled in an obvious desire to grab his motorcycle and simply disappear from the districts for several hours; however, he quickly reestablished control over his appendages and continued following his selected route, aiming to spend uninterrupted time in café mystique—which continued to thrive due to his generous donations. perhaps he should suggest a few new themes to the owner. amusement colored his features as he settled his hands into his pockets, striding leisurely toward the café and crossing over the threshold of the establishment without prompting after reaching the gibbous moon district. he needed a break from reality after all.
575 open yeah, kinda gave up near the end. //shrugs.
Tullia was so grateful her shift was done. Her last customer left her room satisfied, and after a quick wash up she would be out of this place about as soon as she could manage.
A quick roll took her off the bed and onto her feet, and a few more noncommital movements stripped her of the clothes that still clung to her body. For now she let them lay among the rest of her ensemble with the goal of getting in the shower as soon as possible, after which she would change and clean up. The warm water was so inviting, and stepping out of it was such a shame, but she had more things to do in her day.
Once properly outfitted in loose-clinging jeans and a t-shirt Tullia took the chance to pluck her various bits of clothing off the ground and slip them into her work bag. She'd make sure they got a good cleaning before her shift tomorrow. But before she headed home to do that she decided it was important to relax just a bit more, and she knew exactly where she wanted to go.
On her way out of Amour Tullia made sure to keep a smile on her face. All employees were supposed to make sure not to scare away or dissuade customers from staying -- or coming back -- until they were well outside of its doors. She offered her pearly whites to anyone within as she walked, returning flirtatious comments from regulars as she passed and offering her condolences when they expressed wishes to see her today.
Disgusting people all of them, but at least the pay was good.
The door shut behind her with a firm slam and she was free to go about the rest of her day. First matter of business was winding down, and she'd already figured out where in the shower. She made a b-line to Cafe Mystique, a logical idea really. It was nearby, and while she wasn't a fan of its atmosphere the service was good and the coffee was better. Maybe she'd catch a glance of Delaney while there and could get a bit of extra attention! How great would that be?
the dull roar of whispered conversations greeted reijne’s ears as he stepped into the café. aromatic scents assaulted his nose as he forced his lungs to expand, greedily sucking in the pastry tainted oxygen. despite the crowd spread throughout the quaint building, the fair haired fighter experienced a subtle shift in his body language, subconsciously relaxing due to the familiar aura exuding from the establishment, and the relaxing atmosphere permeated throughout the area, sinking its claws into visitors and seducing them into wasting hours of their time in a mindless daze. pale lids descended over jewel toned eyes while his shoulders sagged, tension vanishing from his limbs while his expression gained an undertone of childish delight. the heady concoction of sounds and smells provided the male with an opportunity to forget about his responsibilities and to relish the simplicity of life. he dreamed of owning and operating the café on his own, but due to his obligations as the oldest biological child of the de vries family, he could not escape the bestial maw of fate.
with a cautious step forward, reijne traversed into the main area of the café. sapphire tinted eyes swept across the nearby tables, searching for an empty set, and when his search yielded zero possibilities, he stepped further into the building, twisting his way through the crowded area and slipping into a hidden alcove of the establishment. due to years of spending time in café mystique, the white haired ceo understood the layout and recognized his luck in stumbling upon the table. most people wanted to secure a sense of privacy when they visited the crescent moon district, demanding that they obtain the most secluded spots and indulging themselves with the pleasures offered by the various shops that lined the district. as the benefactor of café mystique, he spent a majority of his time ensconced in the owner’s office, reviewing the expenditures and discussing finances, but for once, he wanted to relax without the threat of monetary gain or loss hovering over his head.
pale brows furrowed as he plopped onto the nearest seat, relaxing instantly upon removing the pressure from his aching feet. his cobalt blue hued eyes disappeared behind pale eyelids, and the comforting embrace of darkness helped ease him into a dazed state. his inattention resulted in his negligence, which halted with the arrival of a stranger—whose footsteps roused him from his drowsy state. one eye opened to study the intruder, but with the subtlest of upward movements, he shrugged and lifted one arm to lazily gesture toward the seat across from him. plese, doll. take a seat, reijne drawled in a purposely husky tone, mischief highlighting his features as petal pink lips curved into the faintest of smirks. the expression remained etched upon his visage as he shifted, draping one leg across the other and allowing his lifted arm to rest upon the table. shall we call a waiter over? he queried while tipping his head to the side and silently studying her—intrigue evident in his gaze.
More people was just about the last thing that Tullia wanted after a day of work. As much as she had learned to socialize and get along with others in the last few years, a day at Amour was enough to turn her off of all of them for awhile. Thankfully, spending so much time with Delaney meant she knew Mystique like the back of her hand. A bit of walking brought her to the back room, where the murmuring was even less evident and the people much scarcer. Sadly, this area seemed just as busy as the main room.
Finding a table was a pain when it was busy. So many people hated to share a table with a stranger, and it seemed her fortune wasn't great today since all she saw was new faces. While she wasn't going to walk around aimlessly like some high school outcast, Tullia did make eye contact with those in the room to gauge their willingness to spare a spot. Eventually she caught sight of a tired looking man. Certainly he wouldn't be much of a challenge to persuade.
The way he shrugged and invited her to his table proved Tullia's suspicions correct. She didn't hide her sigh of relief as she got off her feet and slid into the chair, enjoying its padded embrace. Her gratitude for his hospitality was the main reason she didn't let herself fall completely into her own world. It would be rude to ignore someone who'd just invited you into their own privacy.
"Whenever you're ready I'll be ready sir," She responded, with a smile of her own, not unlike that she offers while on the job. A pleasant show of the teeth with the goal of bringing comfort. She didn't have a whole lot of genuine positive energy to offer, but hopefully a perky attitude would keep that fact hidden. Meanwhile, his glances didn't escape her attention, and she was quick to capture his eyes in a pleasant stare.
people—reijne mused—lacked the capability to understand one another. they selfishly guarded their material possessions, and they feared the consequences of subjecting themselves to the fickle nature of their comrades. the irony amused the enchanted fighter as parents spent years instructing their children regarding the joys of sharing; however, when faced with similar circumstances, they jealously remained latched onto their treasures, hissing and clawing at anyone that dared to risk approaching them. to an extent, the café survived under unusual circumstances. the populace enjoyed the delectable pastries that filled the display cases, yet the establishment could not contain the number of people that desired to waste their afternoon in peaceful bliss. in the morning and the late evening hours, the building boasted of a scarcer crowd, operating with only three or four guests per seating area.
as for the alcove, few people comprehended the layout of café mystique, which translated into a sparse handful of individuals sneaking into the hidden segment of the building; however, as the sun drifted behind the towering buildings, the regulars began to filter into the store, taking up residence in the darker portions of the homely café. on this particular afternoon, many visitors shuffled into the establishment and sought out seating, leading to an unfortunate overflowing of the alcove. reijne understood the woman’s dilemma despite having admitted her to his table before glancing around the space. he, after all, enjoyed indulging himself in conversation with strangers and delighted in watching as their expression shifted with the continuous fluctuation between emotions. for him, dealing with people morphed into a game of risk—would he charm them? or would they walk away after leaving an imprint of their hand upon his handsome features? for the moment, he deluded himself into believing the lie painted across the other’s beautiful visage.
doll, reijne drawled while pressing his back further into the padded embrace of his claimed chair. don’t force yourself. pale lids fluttered as he opened his other eye, blinking twice as he settled his gaze on his companion. you might hurt yourself. soft laughter escaped him as he lifted his free hand, absently beckoning from a nearby waiter and watching as the man struggled to avoid crashing into the various patrons littered across the room. petal pink lips quirked into a noticeable grin as his attention returned to the blackette, confident in the knowledge that the black and white clad man would eventually reach their table. and pleasure to meet you, doll. name’s reijne, but i’d prefer if you’d indulge me and refer to me as “rei.” the amused grin morphed into a charming smile—one that mimicked the smile fixated upon the woman’s mien.
The word seemed to melt on the man's tongue. It had obviously been said many, many times to countless people. Tullia could only imagine the men and women who had melted along with it in the past. She, however, was not one of them. Instead she simply quirked an eyebrow, curiosity lifting her cheery features even higher. A waste of effort after hearing his next few words.
For a moment Tullia's eyelids shuttered -- open, close, open close -- but then she just sighed and deflated a bit. Her teeth vanished and her brows dropped. Now she looked much more natural. Not quite how she'd like to be, but certainly closer to it. Gone was the perky face lift, instead she wore a mildly amused smirk and bored eyes. His subsequent mimicry of her smile even coaxed a roll of her eyes, a graceful roll that scanned table, ceiling, and then Rei's face itself.
"If I have to stop smiling you might as well drop the charmer act 'Rei'," Tullia spoke with a playful tone, the slight upturn of her lip twitching with greater and greater amusement. Honestly, she didn't know many people who could schmooze as well as the man across from her. The drawling tone, the intentional silkiness to his words.
"And my name's Tullia, but you can call me just Tully if you like," The introduction came with a shrug. Her eyes lazily drifted from Rei to their future server. She really wanted her coffee. Hopefully the waiter would put a bit more hustle in his step.
575
open
yeah, kinda gave up near the end. //shrugs.
