Status
Not open for further replies.
53a0a8fbe9af2ed839646baf_arya_no.gif


If there was one flaw that Arya clearly exhibited, her stubborn hubris was certainly one.

The words did not ease her troubles nor calm her spiteful resentment, being forced to play yet another life, her body like some mesh of mechanical, organic, and now immortal attributes. The words from Teresa and Joshua hit her hard, yet she dared not visibly show it. Life was simply unfair, and that unfairness almost made her wonder if the Old Gods had damned her to this horrid fate for the sins of her noble name. From Father to Ellie, three deaths more agonizing than the last, the cycle never seemed to end. Partially, it affected Arya's ability to feel sympathy or solace, her icy, Northerner heart still bent full on vengeance and blood-lust.

"Justice has still not been served, a'ye, you know that. I spent for six months lookin' for justice and it got me killed." she softly spoke, her words lowly and grim. "The only comfort I wish is the steel of Needle and blood of those that deserve it. Nothin' more, nothin' less." the She-Wolf admitted, such bold claims from a girl whom cannot see anymore. "If it takes me sic days or six years, I won't stop, I have a list of names to cross out." Arya finally elaborated, her normally hollow voice turning a bit sly, the softest traces of an almost devilish smile creeping on the corrupt girl's lips. This was brief, however, reaching up to gently graze her fingers against her wings.

No comment escaped her lips about them, hearing the names of this "Joshua" and "Teresa" echo outwards, the Northerner princess simply nodding in response. Eerily, she could not find a name for herself, keeping simply silent, as if she were not deserving an identity anymore. Abruptly, she flicked Needle upwards, the girl able to finally walk without much of a crippling limp, the Braavosi rapier twirling artistically in her left hand. Making another "sk sk sk" sound, using some primitive echolocation again, Arya paused, intent on walking wherever they must go.

"Now, I'm sick of bein' treated as if I'm in the wrong. Ye dragged me from death with little explanation, what did ye expect? Now, is there any purpose I have here, or a'ye, are you just here to taunt me snarky remarks?" Arya peered, her temper and patience running thin. "Because if that is the case, I will happily go back to the Coalition, where I'm looked at like I'm some horrendous traitor...even though they hire killers and murderers to serve them with the all'ring ch'rm of gold." the Northerner concluded, her voice showing shocking intelligence, having spent six months in research had an effect on the She-Wolf's capabilities.

Biting her lower lip, Arya suddenly began to lift her left hand, the child curious about one trait of her that she was unsure about. Closing her blinded eyes, she breathed in through her nose, as if trying to channel some sort of power. Letting out a faint growl, the She-Wolf began to exhibit some strange aura. Shadows danced around her, thin and weaken, but remnants of the Archdemon still within her. Despite being somewhat reborn as a Reaper, her body was tainted and marked, forever curse lest healed.

"It still is there...faintly." Arya whispered, recalling her days of countless research and honoring the process of death with her cult of lost and damned souls.

@Hospes @Klutzy Ninja Kitty
 
  • Like
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
2c9GVnA.png


The Composer raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help feel but Teresa's declaration of appreciation was a bit forced. He decided not to call her on it though. She wasn't used to people helping her, so Joshua should have expected this reaction from the ravenette. He simply replied, "Well, you don't have to tell the Producer if you don't want to. I was just suggesting it as an option. He is a messenger to the higher ups, so if you ever want to go around me and tell have any sort of message delivered, he would be the one to tell." Joshua only told this to Teresa because he was curious if she ever really would go around him and report him for anything. It was a test of sorts, to see if he could trust her.

Joshua then went quiet for a moment, folding his arms as he listened to Teresa's statements which were directed at Arya. He didn't speak up again until Teresa said that she wasn't Joshua's anything. "Don't lie to the girl. You're my conductor for the moment, so technically you are my something, as much as I'm sure you detest the idea."

upsgbKY.jpg


"Anyhow, since you did ask, I'll tell you I live near a sewer for a fairly simple reason: people don't like them. It's quiet, and everyone leaves me alone just the way I like," he replied, keeping his head turned from the girls for a moment. His words, however, seemed to contradict his body language. He frowned, not really seeming all that happy about it. On the subject he said nothing more.

Not in the mood to talk much for a moment, Joshua seemed to comply and hush up after she asked for it. Instead, he listened to Arya's words. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about being frequently teased by me. I don't need to say teasing or snarky comments to you, that's what I have Teresa for," he said with a smirk. "But anyhow, yes, young one, you will have a purpose here. All reapers have a purpose. But you really have no need to worry about it until you're settled here. Clearly, you're in turmoil so if there is anything you'd like I do hope you let me know. I'll see what I can do."

The Composer continued walking, sticking his hands in his pockets--recognizing the faint smell of the sewers begin wafting into the air. This told Joshua they were getting closer to his base. He frowned at the thought of the Producer already being there waiting for him. He wasn't in the mood for any meetings, especially ones meant to judge Arya--who was too damaged at the moment to be fairly judged.

Josh halted for a moment, eyes widening as he sensed the dark aura emanating from the child behind him. He turned to look at Arya, his frown deepening. "I'd recommend trying to keep that darkness hidden if you can. If you awaken if often, I fear it will be nurtured and grow. We wouldn't want that to happen, otherwise you could become like the dead arch-demon."

@Hospes @Krieg
 
Last edited:
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
Arya's statement about justice just made Teresa give her an exasperated look. "Justice? Or revenge?" she mused. It may've seemed like a mean statement.. But she was genuinely curious. "There's a fine line between the two, kid. Maybe ya hate the world, or believe it hates you.. But that isn't the case, alright? Life just isn't fair, for you or anyone else," she dismissed, with something like disinterest. "..An' don't worry. I'm sure you've heard the term 'what goes around comes around'. Going after someone an' seeking blood ain't the way to go about it," she murmured. Her mind wandered back to the instances she'd sworn to get revenge on Ryu for killing Ash, and the way she'd felt the moment she'd finally had that chance...

..And she hadn't taken it. Just hurting the man that couldn't control his actions had left only pain and remorse. At first, she had considered herself a coward for backing out of it. Weak. But she'd eventually come to think she'd done the right thing.

The ravennette did tilt her head at Joshua upon his next words, her burning blue eyes searching his with something like.. Confusion, as though trying to determine if he was serious or not.. Before she burst out laughing. It wasnt bitter, or her typical scoff or even like the ocassional snicker. It was surprisingly.. Warm. It was like this for a good minute, before she managed to speak through the laughter. "Yeah, yeah; I'm totally gonna go around ya," she remarked, sarcastically. "C'mon, Joshua, be serious. If I had a problem with you.. We both know you'd be the first to know," she told him, shaking her head with a faint grin. "You really are funny sometimes, huh?"

Well.. At least she didn't seem so defensive and emotionless.

The fact Arya thought she was being treated as though in the wrong just made Teresa shift her weight. There was that familiarity again. "..We aren't treating ya like you're in the wrong. We're telling it how it is.. Call it 'tough love' if ya want. Explanations that ain't bein' spoken in a coddling manner. You'll get used to it." She didn't bother to even glare at Josh for his comment about teasing her. There was a pause, before she nodded. "Josh's right. We've all got purpose. An' not all the Reapers 'bicker' like us, so don't worry about that. I'm sure all of them are nicer than me, too."

The Glader simply clicked her tongue in response to Joshua, before pursing her lips. "Well.. Yeah, I am. But we haven't started training yet. I figured that didn't count yet," she countered. "Aside from that, all I am is your Reaper," she stated further. Though, now that she wasn't quite so embarrassed.. It was her turn to tease again. "Unless, of course, you wanted to admit you were being serious about wantin' to marry me?" she teased with a slight grin.

The statement about the sewers earned a raised eyebrow from the young woman. She picked up on the contradiction between his words and body language.. But hesitated to point it out. "Well.. Yeah. It's unexpected; I'll give ya that," she replied simply, frowning slightly as her keen nose picked up the scent from the ever-nearing sewers.

The darkness Arya radiated probably should've made her recoil.. But she didn't so much as flinch. She'd seen- and felt -much worse things, and was hard to intimidate.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
MNLWeJk.jpg


After speaking his last words, the Composer continued walking. He momentarily listened to Teresa's advice directed at Arya, half wondering if giving the little she-wolf and advice or helpful suggestions would do her any good at all. Right now, the girl seemed rather closed-minded. Not that he could blame her after all she had gone through. Everyone had things they were closed-minded about, even Joshua. But the things that Joshua liked to keep blocked out where different than the helpful comments Arya wanted to ignore. He hoped that, in time, the girl would change her ideas. If there was one thing Shibuya was good for, it was helping people change...

When Teresa laughed at him, the angel rolled his eyes, but wore a smile on his face anyhow. "Hah, well, you never know. There are some reapers who have disagreed with my ways so often that they've reported me on several occasions," Joshua replied to his Conductor. "What I said really wasn't that funny, was it? I was only trying to be helpful to you. That way, you'll know who to go to if I ever piss you off or make a decision you feel is so bad that it deserves being reported." In truth, Joshua knew he had made bad decisions before. In fact, one of his decisions could've disrupted an entire universe. It wasn't something he liked to talk about often.

"Well, we haven't started your training yet because our little task of finding Miss Arya took a bit longer than we intended," Joshua explained, continuing to walk along. "Anyhow, I wouldn't mind marrying you, but I don't really see the point. As my wife, I'd be able to irritate you for the rest of your life, but I can already do the same thing with you as my Conductor. So I think what we have is good enough, don't you?" he teased. "Besides, have you ever heard the saying: "Marriage is like a deck of cards. It starts off with two hearts and diamond, but by the end you wish you had a club and a spade?" Well, I have a feeling you'd be the one wishing for the club and spade. Tee hee."

tumblr_inline_mhh7arzjEy1qz4rgp.jpg


As the trio continued walking, they eventually came upon the Shibuya river. They found themselves on the right side of the river, walking next to it on a narrow path with a large cement wall right next to them. On the other side of the river was another path and cement wall, but it would be impossible to reach unless they wanted to cross the river. "Welcome to the river; my base is just dead ahead under the bridge," he told the group.

687474703a2f2f32352e6d656469612e74756d626c722e636f6d2f74756d626c725f6c737167786668526d6831723439616e676f315f3530302e6a7067


Along the walls, they could also see quite a bit of graffiti drawn. Joshua looked at it as they moved along, saying nothing about it. "It looks like Sane has added even more graffiti drawings down here. But then again, there's so much down here already that it's hard to remember what's new and what isn't..."

@Hospes @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
superthumb.jpg


There wasn't even the slightest moment of hesitation from Teresa, and she replied without a second thought; completely oblivious to the smile she'd unintentionally inspired. "Aw, c'mon, Josh. If you were really that big of a problem to me, I'd already have decided ta pass on," she remarked, still grinning faintly. "An' if not.. Like I told ya; You'd be the first to know if I had an issue," she reminded him pointedly. His question managed to earn a wider grin from the Glader. "It was hilarious," she declared, honestly, folding her hands behind her neck. "But.. Right, I guess I'll keep that in mind," she finally said, absently. "Just don't do anythin' too bad; I wouldn't want to have to snitch on you," she joked, playfully.

In total honesty.. Teresa had no intentions to report Joshua. Even if the male got on her nerves sometimes, she generally liked him quite a bit. Maybe it was just because.. Well, because aside from Ash and Hurley, he was one of the first people she'd met that truly and fully actually trusted her; and on top of that? Didn't hate her or treat her badly. It was an amazing feeling, and while she tried to avoid expressing it often as to not give Joshua a bigger head.. Teresa appreciated this more than words could describe.

The female didn't give much response to the Composer's statement about how they had needed to find Arya before starting, other than lowering her hands from her neck and letting herself relax slightly. She was always so tense.. It was almost a surprise to see this. "I'm aware of that," she finally spoke, idly observing the lake and the graffiti around it. It was annoying that people vandalised the place like this.. But there wasn't exactly anything Teresa could do about it.

8470819464.jpg


The young dark-haired woman was almost disappointed with Joshua's lack of reaction to her marriage jab. She had honestly been wishing for a bigger reaction; but it seemed she was out of luck. So, she just laughed and averted her eyes. "Funny. I don't think I need a spade or a club to put you in place," she teased. "But.. Yeah, I'd say that I'm more than content with things the way they are... As long as ya don't go an' try to kiss me," she quipped with a mock wink. "I'm sure it'll be a sad, sad day for ya when I go down for good and ya lose your favorite person to tease."

It wasn't exactly.. Uncommon, that Teresa pondered why Joshua kept bringing her back. There wasn't anything special about her, that she was aware of. She was just like any other Reaper; She just.. died a lot more. She supposed that the question of why Joshua kept bringing her back to life was right up there with the question of why he'd made her his Conductor. Right now, it didn't matter; their focus was supposed to be Arya: not her little uncertainties.

Speaking of. "Right, good," she replied to Joshua, glancing at Arya. At least she hadn't fallen again... Yet. Just in case, Teresa stuck semi-close to her. Better safe than sorry.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Klutzy Ninja Kitty
fKkJpai.png


"Aw, what a wonderful sentiment; you like me enough to stick around. That would warm my heart if I was the type who clung to warm, fuzzy feelings. But since I am no sort of person, I do ask that you restrain your mushy admiration," Joshua replied teasingly, attempting his best to sound snarky. The nicer people were toward him, the more teasing and critical he became of him. It was just the angel's way of putting up a wall between that individual and himself. He couldn't have very many people liking him too much, after all. The Composer had his reasons.

The angel found himself smirking, however, when Teresa continued to keep up their teasing war about a "marriage" between the two of them. "I'm sorry, darling, but I don't really think kissing you would do me any good. I've tried kissing frogs to find myself a prince or a princess before and it didn't exactly work out well. Tee hee."

"But yes, the day I ever lose you would make my job a bit less entertaining. I always try to pick interesting people to be my conductor. There was this other young man I considered picking for a while, named Neku. Quite the cranky fellow; a blast to tease though. We really got along well..."

77HGIyi.jpg

VsVqL8O.jpg

JbZd9xY.png


"He turned me down, unfortunately. I guess I was just too much for him to handle," Joshua said with a shrug as he walked. He continued to walk until the three of them had finally reached the bridge.

"Hm, here we are. Ladies first," he said, gesturing under the bridge where their group was required to walk. "Watch yourselves, it's dark," he warned. "Do you know how to make your wings glow, Teresa? Conductors can do that, you know. It would help you see in the dark," he suggested, as if hinting that he wished for her to practice that power right here and now. "In fact, even some ordinary reapers can make their wings glow," he said, hinting again--but this time for Arya. The angel rather liked training experiences on the go. He felt that his reapers learned better from experiences such as those.

@Krieg @Hospes
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
This teasing about Teresa's 'mushy feelings' and 'admiration' for Joshua just made her snicker. "Oh, of course, how could I forget? I've always had quite the desire to get up in your personal space, and to slam a body part of mine against your lips," she remarked, pausing for a long moment and tapping her chin as she did so, her feet still moving rhythmically against the ground. "..My fist, that is; before ya get any ideas," she finally finished with a teasing wink. Of course, that statement was a lie. Josh irritated her, but she didn't have any desire to punch him. The most violent thing she'd ever do to him was give him a playful jab with her elbow, a not-too-harsh slap, or- if it counted -yank him down to her height by his shirt collar. Admittedly, the latter was something she did a lot when he got on her nerves.

Her boss's next continuation of the marriage banter earned an annoyed look.. Before she shrugged it off, going right back to commentary of her own. "Yeah, well, good. It doesn't take a kiss to know I'm no princess," she dismissed, shrugging calmly. "At least it means I won't have to put up with you kissing me in attempt to find out."

tumblr_lvovjcEUrE1r3h4ef.gif


But, now, a sly smirk started to tug at her fine lips once again. She glanced away inconspicuously, donning an innocent look. "Hm.. I do find it quite odd, though, that you find what ya just called a frog 'cute'. What was it ya were insisting to me, just a few weeks ago, again? Because I believe it was something along the lines of 'you can be tough and adorable'," she reminded him with a mockingly 'innocent' tone. Sure, she didn't like the compliment; but it was more than worth having it to tease Joshua about. "I s'pose the question is which of those statements to believe, huh?" she teased him.

"Ah, well, I'm not sure many could handle you. You're quite the character," she mused in response to his comment about Neku. She wasn't too surprised that he'd turned Joshua down; especially if he had a bad temper.. But, then again, Teresa had quite the temper, herself. So what made the difference between the two? Why hadn't Teresa turned Joshua down? It was a question that even Teresa, herself, didn't really know the answer to. She supposed it all came back down to the way the angel treated her.

..Well, that, and she might've maybe enjoyed their banter.

As the bridge came into closer view, Teresa just whistled. Of course, Joshua's comment once again just earned another joking jab from Teresa. "Then what're ya waiting on us for?" she quipped, jokingly. Despite the remark, she waited for Arya to go ahead of her to make sure she got in safely, before slowly following through. Luckily enough, the technique Joshua spoke of was something she was veryyyy slightly more aware of than that of intangibility had been. "Right, right. On it," she replied, trying to concentrate. How was this done, again..?

She couldn't quite recall from the top of her head, so she had to just give it a shot. Besides, that was probably just what Josh expected of her, anyways.

So, uncertainly, Teresa closed her eyes in the dark, eyebrows furrowing in concentration. At first, nothing happen. But after a minute or so.. The ravenette's wings began emitting a soft glow. It wasn't brilliant or blinding, but it wasn't quite dim, either. Of course, the female seemed more surprised with herself than she probably should've.. But hey; could you blame her? She'd only just become Conductor, after all.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
Arya-Stark-arya-stark-34438457-500-600.png


The reassurance of finding a purpose in this abnormal, horrid existence was one that was vain in the blind eyes of the cynic. Lie after lie had been fed to her, the alluring dream of tranquility spurned out of her hands and cast aside heartlessly. As Teresa spoke of vengeance or justice, no words escaped Arya's mouth at first, simply limping her way along with Needle. It was strange, the ravennette, how her personality reminded so much of herself and yet how much Arya began to detest the older female. Although, Arya's flimsy patience was already running thin, growing ill of their snippy remarks and constant blabbering banner between the two.

"The head of my brother's wolf was stitched upon his neck, my Mother thrown into a river, and my best friend electrocuted by a man before my eyes." Arya repeated, her voice not somber, yet oddly nostalgic. Each of those moments had hurt her more than some trivial physical death. The burden of guilt, as they say, is more crushing than a thousand deaths. "Only a l-life can repay death, Valar Morghulis, Valar Dohaeris." Arya spoke, speaking in the ancient High Valyrian, a language long dead yet still echoing, much like the Valyrians to the Targaryen dynasty.

Keeping pace with the two shockingly, the flowing murmurs of a river caught the She-Wolf's ears. If she had retained her sight, Shibuya must of been a glorious sight to gaze upon. With looming architecture far beyond her comprehension to structures that the Valyrians would envy, Arya found slight ease surrounded in a realm coated with at least the illusion of wealth and prosperity. Of course, being a "Reaper", the mere concept of wealth was most likely irrevlant. After all, earthly materials tend to lose value when a person is gifted the curse of immortality.

"W-Why did you two choose this, this trade." Arya softly questioned, her voice shockingly curious and gentle. "You could of died long ago, passed on, like I. Accepted that yer battle was lost...like mine." the crestfallen Norlander somberly recollected, finding almost twisted sanctuary in the warmth of Death's icy grasp. She had failed far too many times, and if wasn't for the nightmares of screams and the darkness that coats her eyes, her soul would of felt painfully relieved. Yet, as if she were special, another opportunity was put into her hands, the Stark cursing her namesake and the misfortune it seemed to harbor.

Beginning to cross the bridge first, instinctively keeping near Teresa, the young teenager sheathed her rapier shockingly, walking plainly on her two feet. Holding her hands out, each step tender and careful, she continued her conversation. "I must ask...do you know why I cannot see? If you brought me from death, a'ye, why can you not fix me?" Arya almost spat, bitterness in her voice, finding it not fair she could at least not see the world around her, perpetually trapped in darkness.

How eerily fitting.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
Oh, damn it all, Teresa seemed to be on fire with her next few statements. Joshua cocked an amused eyebrow and let a chuckle escape his lips. If Teresa had been hoping to get on his nerves with her teases, it was quite a shame that she was going to be disappointed. The angel had nerves of steel, for the most part, and few things bothered him. "Hee hee, you think you're so smart, don't you? Well, your days of being victorious over me in verbal banter will most certainly be short lived, Teresa Agnes. Your feisty suggestions of wishing to punch me in the lips and stating you are not a princess are rather weak, however..."

you-got-me-there-gif.gif


"...you seemed to have trapped me with my own words on that tough and adorable statement. Still, when I said that, I was speaking generally; meaning I suggested anyone could be tough and adorable. But, considering that conversation was a while back, I likely can't prove to you what I really meant. Well, technically I could, but that would require using Composer powers to show you a snippet of the past, and I think that would be a rather wasteful use of my abilities, don't you agree?" The angel let out a small chuckle again. "Also, you didn't deny anything when I called you a frog. That will be food for thought which I shall ponder for days," he told her, sarcasm oozing from his tone.

After speaking his taunting words, Joshua smirked when he viewed Teresa's wings start to glow under the bridge. Truthfully, it was good she had been able to glow at all, but because her light wasn't something brilliant to look upon, the Composer used this as more fodder to tease her with. "My, you're not very bright, are you? I'm afraid your attempt did nothing to enlighten me. You'll have to practice more later, I suppose."

While he couldn't help but keep up his banter and teasing remarks toward Teresa, Joshua did notice Arya speaking as well. It was quite sad how negative she was, but the angel couldn't blame her. He understood how it felt to bear witness to traumatic events as a child, even if it didn't appear that way. "While neither of you may be aware, young one, I too was a human long ago. My life was not only horrid, but boring. I fought to get here. I became a reaper, and I slowly made my way up to becoming the Composer because I sought change. I knew my human life wasn't good, but that didn't mean my life as a reaper would be the same way. I became something here that I never could as a human: stronger. And I continue doing my job here because, just as the Reapers changed me, they change many others as well. I'm not saying that it will change you personally, but keep an open mind... you may find something here that you never could as a human..."

"...as for why you can't see, well, I'm under the impression that there has been some kind of curse placed on you, myself. I do intend to speak with the Producer about this, because he is rather knowledgable in these sorts of problems. Together, the two of us may be able to come up with a way to fix you. But don't get your hopes up." Joshua narrowed his eyes. Even if they had a way to fix Arya, would they? The angel wasn't sure if Arya deserved to have her sight restored so soon. Perhaps being blind for a while would help her to stay humble, although he really wasn't for certain.

Although the light from Theresa's wings appeared dim, it was enough to for the little group--minus Arya--to be able to see as they made their way along. Under the bridge were several doors, navigating his way over to one of the doors, Joshua gestured to it. "Anyhow, this is it. The Producer's office." Joshua picked up his phone, letting out a sigh as he looked at it. "He's tried to call me a couple of times, so I know he's waiting on us. Let's hurry up inside."

home-office-design-ideas-for-men-4-home-office-design-1100-x-1102.jpg


Upon entering the Producer's office, the group would notice a spacious, cozy, and almost hip looking little area. They would view a light, cream colored desk with a neatly organized bookshelf behind it and a large window with a view of the outside. How that the window could show a view of the outside when they were underground was likely a question many people asked the strange man who sat at the desk.

He was a tall, thin fellow with black hair and a bit of stubble on his face. He wore a pair of dark shades that partly hid his mysterious eyes. His eyes, however, weren't the only thing mysterious about him. The man's entire aura seemed to reek of mystery, yet it wasn't the sort of mystery that would make you fear him. No, this man also gave off a very comfortable, warm, and relaxed feeling. He appeared to be an open, inviting person, a stranger that anyone could feel themselves drawn to speak with.

Sanae.gif


He held a coffee cup in one hand, and a phone in the other. "I hope he picks up this time," the man said to himself.

7VIOWEa.png


Just as the Producer spoke those words, Joshua felt a vibration in his right pocket. He took his orange phone out, frowning when he saw that the Producer was calling him once again. Sighing, he flipped open his phone and answered the man. "Hey--"

"Yo, J. man, I'm still here waiting for you. I gotta head out soon and close down my shop. Are we gonna have that meeting or what?"

"Sanae--"

"Because I wanted to close down early and have me a little R&R if you catch my drift."

"Listen, we're--"

"It's not every day that 'ol Mister Hanekoma gets to take himself a break from all of those hip youngsters that hang out at my shop all--"

"Sanae, look over at the door."

"Excuse me?"

1acce925958a3b616f143032a330bcc0.png


"We're here, look over at the door."

Turing his head, Hanekoma glanced over at the group, a smile spreading over his lips. "Oh? Ha ha ha ha ha! My bad! Ey, boss, good to see ya! And you finally brought the little girl! It's about time! Why don't all of you come in and make yourselves comfortable!"

The man sat his coffee cup down and stood up from his chair, pushing it out in the open and offering it to the youngest of the group. "Here, you can sit if you want. They always say kids should respect their elders and let them sit down, but this elder has been sitting a lot today and wouldn't mind sharing his chair." He gave Arya a gentle pat on the back before turning to Joshua and ruffling his hair--treating him as if he were his brother, or something of the like.

"Gee, you're sure in a chipper mood today," Joshua grumbled, taking the treatment without saying much. "Anyhow, yes," the Composer began, gesturing toward Arya. "This is the girl I went to fetch, Arya Stark."

"Great!" he exclaimed before turning to look over at Teresa. "And who might this lovely young lady be?"

"Uh, this is my new Conductor, Teresa Agnes," he explained.

With a smile and small nod, the Producer stepped forward and gently took Teresa's hand, placing a kiss atop it. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Teresa."

"Okay, enough of that," Joshua grunted, swatting Sanae's hand away from her before shooting him a glare. She's my Conductor. Quit looking at her already.

The man complied, stepping away from Teresa with a knowing, sly smile on his face as he adjusted his sunglasses. Heh, do I detect a hint of jealousy? Interesting... that's not like you...

"Yeah, I get ya. Let's get on with our little meeting. I'm just gonna be asking the kid and the new Conductor a few things. So, for the record, are you really Arya Stark? That's the kiddo Josh needed to find. And no fibbing now, I'll know of you're lying." Of course, just as Joshua did, Sanae had enough power and could likely tell who Arya was already. He was simply analyzing the girl, interested in seeing how she would answer the question. Then he turned to Teresa, offering her a smile. "And a question for you, young lady. You played the Reapers' Game and sorta died so you never got your entry fee back. If ya could get it back, would you like to?" he offered.

@Hospes @Krieg
 
Teresa-Agnes-the-maze-runner-37827704-245-135.gif


Sighing through her nose, Teresa's blue eyes looked back to the water, absently staring into it as she walked. For a long few minutes, the ravenette was silent, as though thinking this over. "..Look, kid, I get it. Life ain't fair. Good people that don't deserve anything bad happening to them suffer. People die. The bad people.. Well, it'd be a lie to say they don't face consequence. But if there's one thing I've learned... It's that stooping to their level ain't the way to get back at them," she tried to reason, though she faltered slightly. "Maybe you're too mad to listen to some shank like me ya just met, but think about it; which is worse? Givin' the bastards that did that to the people ya loved an easy way out? Or leavin' them ta live with the weight of what they've done draggin' them down?"

"'Cause in my mind.. There's no worse punishment than livin' with what you've done."

And that was something Teresa knew very well. Sure, she wasn't the same girl she was when WICKED was tampering with her. She'd learned her lessons. But the thing was.. Changing her ways would never take away the scars of what she'd done. If the look forming in those deep blue eyes, now, didn't give that away.. Nothing ever would.

Luckily enough, Joshua's next jab at her managed to snap her out of the memories she was once again plunging into. She offered a grin, though it lacked the enthusiasm she'd held, before. If one were to really look close enough.. It almost seemed to hold a tinge of sadness. "If you're so sure of that, why don't you prove it, instead of using empty words?" she remarked, obviously challenging him. "Ah, touche. Is that same 'general term' the reason ya insisted that point so stubbornly? Is that the same reason ya got so adorably flustered and sheepish in tryin' ta explain ya didn't think I was cute?" she teased further, biting her lower lip with amusement.

Joshua's next tease about her not denying his frog remark just earned an eye-roll and a bemused snicker. "Has it ever occurred to ya that maybe I just don't give a damn what ya think of me?" she asked, jokingly. Of course... The truth was quite the opposite. Teresa did give a damn about others' opinions of her- especially her superior's -.. She just tried to deny that this was the case.

Anyways. Onto lighter topics, eh?

"Yeah, well.. At least I'm not as dim as you, Joshua," she jabbed right back, subconsciously keeping a careful eye on Arya. Who, to Teresa's surprise, was actually staying close to her.. And not protesting that the Glader was doing the same. Of course, Arya's next question just surprised Teresa even more.. And she found herself actually faltering in step, for the slightest moment, caught off guard.. Before she quickly covered this up, shrugging and resuming moving forward. "That's pretty simple, kid.. I wasn't a good person," she stated, voice steady. "I messed up. A lot. I..-" For the slightest moment, Teresa almost slipped up. Disclosed the monstrosities she'd been forced to witness.

But she wasn't ready for that.

"..Saw a lot of things. Went through a lot. I let people push me into hurting the people I cared about. But.. That wasn't who I wanted to be. I guess when it came down to it, I broke the coding I was put under," she mused, shifting uncomfortably and staring at her feet. "..Point is, I didn't want to shuck up the only second chance I'd ever get," she finished, shrugging. "So.. I took it. Simple as that." The Reaper's story wasn't quite as humble as Joshua's before her, but at least she wasn't lying.

Eager to move away from the topic, Teresa actually gave a suppressed sigh of relief at Joshua's comment. "Well.. Lead the way," she replied, eager to get this over with. The female was more than ready for the day to be over, and didn't exactly want to be dealing with some strict and snappy higher-up that was going to be judging her hardcore as Josh had sai--

...Oh.

c0d0c69071.jpg


To say that the Joshua's Conductor was surprised by the calming and homey feel to the office that they'd just walked into was the understatement of the day. But as the Composer and the Producer conversed on the phone, Teresa pieced it together quite quickly: Joshua had yet again been trying to get a rise out of her, that little jerk. But then again, it hadn't worked, so it wasn't exactly like the girl was at a real loss. As such, rather than taking to giving Joshua an annoyed jab, she just awkwardly watched the conversation unfold, awkwardly rubbing her neck....

...Right where her last parting gift from WICKED, a small, neat, tattoo reading 'Subject A1: Teresa Agnes: Property of WICKED', forever labelled on her pale skin in black ink.

The Conductor was eerily quiet as Joshua and the Producer exchanged greetings, followed by the man with the dark glasses also greeting Arya before asking the kid to have a seat. Teresa just remained there uncertainly. She wasn't really used to talking to new people, and so she didn't really know how to go about this.

But, this first uncertainty had nothing on what happened next.

You see, considering that Teresa had had her family murdered in front of her, and then had been kidnapped by the same people who'd killed them, and experimented and played with the mind of for her entire life... Teresa had never exactly been introduced to people with such pleasantries or formalities as the one that she was greeted with by the Producer. She was a bit taken aback when he reached for her hand, leading to her tensing slightly, but this tensity was quickly replaced with embarrassment. Yet again, a slight blush tinted the Glader's cheeks, and she struggled to formulate a response. "Err.. J-just Teresa is fine," she finally replied, offering an awkward smile. Because of her lack of experience in the field of formality, she didn't know if she was supposed to return the gesture.. Which led to a rather awkward inquiry. "Am I supposed to..-?" Well.. Wasn't hard to see where that sentence was going.

Oh, thank the Lord; Teresa was rescued from having to finish that awkward question by Joshua slapping away the Producer's hand. She was startled by this, to say the least, but she was glad that she didn't have to finish that odd question, in any case. Besides.. Teresa wasn't exactly used to physical contact, especially of a gentle sort, so she was more relieved than she let on. And with that, she fell silent again, gladly letting Sanae move on to ask Arya questions, instead. But, to her surprise, he also presented her with a question.

There was a long pause, and the ravenette tried to think this over. It was a.. Difficult question, to say the least. On one hand, it was tempting, the offer of learning what she'd lost. But on the other hand.. What if it was better she didn't know? What if whatever it was that she'd given up was a part of what had let herself be bent so easily by WICKED? "..I don't suppose there's a way I could take a rain check on that?"

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Klutzy Ninja Kitty
N49Nfad.jpg


In the presence of the Producer, Joshua remained composed, pun sort of but not really intended, opting not to respond to any of the teasing remarks Teresa shot back to him in reply to some of his jabs before entering Sanae's office. He did, however, look over at her and wiggle his eyebrows, hoping she would at least notice he had been lying about Sanae being a harsh man to deal with. Yes, the Producer was actually a very nice fellow, as Teresa immediately discovered. Joshua had simply been pulling her leg with his provoking comments.

Once the introductions were over, the Producer leaned up against the bookshelf behind his desk since he had given up his chair to Arya. Upon hearing the answer to Teresa's question, he smiled, gently adjusting his sunglasses for a moment. "Sure thing, little lady, you're more than welcome to take a raincheck on it, or just leave it altogether if you'd like. The reason I brought it up is because, reapers of higher authority have access to gain their entry fees back. Although all players are told that once they lose the game, they lose their entry fee as well, that isn't entirely true. Every entry fee we collect from players are stored somewhere. Only the Composer, Conductor, and Producer are allowed to know where."

Joshua nodded. "That's right, so whether or not you desire to have your entry fee back or not, we will be telling you where they're stored. Watching over the entry fee is part of a Conductor's job, in fact."

50340.png


Sanae smiled, glancing over to Joshua. "You're telling her that as if you've never explained it before. Have you told her all about what her job entails yet, J. man?"

Josh shook his head. "Afraid not. I've been rather busy as of late, hunting for..." The Composer gestured toward Arya with his head. "So yes, I haven't told her much yet."

"Heh, well better late than never. Since we're here, would you care to have a crash course in hearing all about your duties?" the Producer asked, glancing over at Teresa again. "Or, you could always get out of it now. Better now than later if you don't think you want the job, because if you decide you want to quit later, well, we gotta erase your memories. The Conductor knows a lot of secrets about the game that even regular reapers don't."

The Producer then glanced to Arya again. "And don't think I've forgotten about you. Tell me a little about who you are, kiddo, I need to hear it straight from the horses mouth just to make sure I know it's true."

@Hospes @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
be6c0bd346.jpg


The look that Joshua gave her just made Teresa pout. What a smug little jerk, that Joshua. Pulling her leg, constantly riling her up, always shooting jabs at her(though admittedly, she had a tendency to start this and not want to stop, so she was just as guilty), building a love-hate relationship with her, and having the gull to actually have the rare ability to make the Glader smile or even laugh on occasion. Putting that aside, Teresa did her best to resist the urge to elbow Joshua in the ribs for that little action. So, instead, she settled for leaning over to whisper sweetly in his ear.....

[spoili]"...I hate you sometimes," she whispered in a playful tone, before moving away again, a more serious demeanor returning.[/spoili]

Aww, how cute. Teresa's tsundere was showing.

fde107545a1dc2acae5c84221c60cdd7.jpg


In the meantime, Teresa's gaze drifted back to the Producer, and she watched him idly as he leaned on the book shelf. What he had to say was certainly.. intriguing, to say the least. Rather laxly, Teresa shrugged her shoulders, pursing her pink lips. "Well.. It ain't that big a deal. I mean.. I've survived this long without it," she pointed out, though deeper down, Teresa still considered this opportunity. Maybe it'd reveal the missing pieces of her past... But then again, hadn't she thought that when she asked for her memories back at WICKED? And now she knew there was nothing good in them. A family that was slaughtered right in front of her, WICKED kidnapping her and forcing her to work for them, being experimented and tested on... Not to mention, controlled.

Tch.

Shaking those bitter thought from her head, Teresa bit her cheek, listening to Joshua and the Producer talk about how Joshua hadn't had the chance to explain her duties to her. She wasn't too concerned that Joshua hadn't told her anything yet, but she certainly wouldn't mind knowing such things now. She was about to agree, when Sanae went into telling her that if she wanted to back out, now was the time. To be honest, Teresa found that thought funny. Sure, she hated the thought of having her memories stolen from her for a third time in a row, but she doubted she'd be backing down unless Joshua didn't want her.

So, her response was quite simple. "I wouldn't mind learning a thing or two about the job now," she answered. "It'd be good to know what all I'll need ta do. As for whether I'd like ta back down or not.. I'm not too crazy about having a bunch of power. But.. I do want to help people. I'd like to do that any way I can. And if being Joshua's Conductor lets me do that... I'm more than happy to oblige," she explained, every word ringing true. Not that she minded being around Joshua extra, anyways. But something did come to mind, first... "..But I should say, first, that Joshua wasn't the one that wanted Yuki Nagato revived. I was," she stated, firmly, her confidence and firm posture not swaying for a minute. Maybe Joshua had been joking about telling the Producer this... But Teresa hadn't. "So if that changes either of your decisions.. You can go ahead and take me off the job."

Well, it looked like, in Teresa's mind, protecting Joshua came before her job.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Klutzy Ninja Kitty
Had he not been trying to keep himself in line in front of the Producer, Joshua likely would've responded back to Teresa immediately when she first whispered to him. Instead, he waited for a moment, making sure Mr. Hanekoma was entirely looking at Arya before he did anything else. He positioned himself behind her, reaching out to pinch the back of her neck. "Don't mind me, there was getting a bug," he mumbled, dropping his hand back down when the Producer looked over at them again.

Smart enough to know Joshua was goofing off with her, Sanae shot him a look. "Do I need to separate the two of you?" he teasingly asked, laughing again after a moment.

PT2VFlk.png


"Unlikely," Joshua replied, pouting. In truth, Sanae was quite a bit older than him, but that didn't meant that Joshua wanted to be treated like a child by him. "Anyhow, since you seem to be in a talking mood, you're welcome to start explaining what Teresa's job entails."

The Producer nodded, standing up straight for a moment and reaching to take the coffee mug off of his desk. He sipped his mug once before stating to speak again. "All right, but if you pick on her again, I'm gonna have you step out of the room. This talk is important. So, anyhow, the Conductor's main job is simple: he does a meet and greet with the players, explaining the game to them when they first arrive..."

Joshua frowned. "Yes, that is the Conductor's job. Unfortunately, John White was a bit lazy. He asked someone else to do it for him, which was a big no-no."

"Heh, but I assume this Conductor will do a better job than him," Sanae said with a wink. "So you shouldn't have much to worry about when it comes to that. Anyhow, the Conductor also collects the entry fees, knows the hidden location of where the fees are kept, guards the entry fees, oversees the game to make sure rules aren't broken, follows direct orders from the Composer, and protects him when necessary. You think you can do that?"

"I don't know, she says that she 'hates me sometimes' so this might not work out too well," Joshua said with a smirk, making air quotes with his fingers after he spoke the words hates me sometimes.

"Okay, outta the room, Josh," the Producer said with a chuckle.

The Composer raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I said if you teased her again, I'd send your behind out of the room. Just wait outside for a moment, okay? This won't take long."

WnYVdCC.jpg


Joshua sighed and folded his arms, wearing an expression similar to that of a child who had just been sent to time out. "I didn't even say anything that bad. But fine, I'll be back in a moment." Joshua turned and left the room, respecting Sanae enough to listen to him even if he was the one in charge.

Once Joshua was out of the room, the Producer chuckled again. "Great, now that he's outta the way, I can tell you about one last thing... Arya, you may as well listen to this too. It wouldn't hurt for you to know something about your Composer."

@Hospes @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
Teresa immediately got suspicious when Joshua got behind her, and she subconsciously tried to cover her butt. That's right; Teresa had caught onto Joshua's tendency to touch butts, and she didn't enjoy having his hands anywhere near hers. So, she was relieved when Joshua only pinched her neck-- Hey! The small pinch made Teresa instinctively swat at Joshua's hand, a bit agitated. She didn't like being touched, and the fact he'd pinched her neck of all places definitely had her on alert. She was about to retaliate... When the Producer looked at them again, and chided Joshua.

Something that had Teresa internally laughing her ass of, and externally giving Joshua a bright, amused and.. Almost smug.. look. Oh, yeah, the girl was totally enjoying this. Way more than she should've? Likely. But she was definitely enjoying it. "Oh, there's no need for that at all. I'm sure Joshua and I can behave ourselves. After all.. We're both adults, right?" Teresa remarked, grinning over at Joshua and, when Sanae wasn't looking, shooting the Composer a playful wink. Hehe. Even now, it seemed that the two couldn't stop going at it for five minutes.

The female did put aside her and Joshua's mischief when Joshua asked the Producer to explain her job details, and her attention obediently moved to the male with the glasses. She heard Sanae out, listening closely to every detail of what he had to say. Some of the details had her less than excited, like needing to host a meet-and-greet. But, as Teresa had said, herself; she'd be happy to help people in any way she could. If this was it... So be it. Having to socialize a bit would be worth it if she was getting to help. Joshua's comment about John made her frown slightly. "I wouldn't worry about that. I ain't anything like that shank," she assured, hoping she wouldn't be compared to the Conductor before her. She despised the fellow for endless reasons; siccing the traitors on innocent people, trying to play her and the others, trying to take Little Guy, and... Almost killing Joshua.

But she hated thinking about that. Joshua was okay now.. And Teresa fully intended to make sure he stayed that way.

a898e39bed.jpg


As Sanae went on, Teresa only nodded. "I believe I can handle all that," she stated, offering a smile. "After a--" Whatever Teresa had been about to say was cut off by Joshua's remark. It actually earned a small laugh. Wow. What a surprise. He didn't tease me with being upset about his near-death, the Glader mused to herself. She wasn't bothered by the jab in the slightest. "Real funny, Josh.."

Butttttt not nearly as funny as what the Producer said next.

8470819464.jpg


It was an understatement to say that Teresa was struggling to not laugh or smirk. This was just too hilarious... And she was totally going to tease Joshua about it, later. The corner of her mouth twitched upward, and the new Conductor waved slyly at Joshua as he walked out. Yeah.. She was enjoying this too much.

But, she put a straight face back on when Sanae addressed her, and she actually faltered very slightly. "..Is this something Joshua would be okay with you telling us?" she inquired, uncertainly. She didn't want to know something about Joshua if he didn't want her to know it.. After all, Teresa knew she'd hate it if people talked about her past to others when she wasn't around.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
While the young Conductor may have thought she had Sanae fooled with her immediate straight face, he had noticed her the little smile which had tugged at her lips before. The old Producer couldn't easily be fooled.

Hanekoma07.png


"Hey, you'd better watch it too, missy. I don't think you want to get in trouble like Josh just did, do ya?" he asked, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "If you tease him about this later, I'll know." Winking at Teresa he added, "So, I hope the two of you will play nice. You will be working together a lot from now on, after all."

Clearing his throat, Sanae moved on to what he really intended to talk about. "Anyhow, I hope Joshua is okay with me talking about this, because I've been telling people this about him for decades now." The man laughed. "Eh, I'm just playing. He knows I tell people about him. Doesn't care much, really. You'll find he doesn't care to talk much about himself, but doesn't give a damn if others talk about him. I usually tell his Conductors a little about him, since they'll be working closely with him and I'd hate for him to pull the wool over their eyes."

Before adjusting his glasses, the older angel began, "He honestly ain't all that old for a Composer. He's fairly... new. He's 'bout a century and a half years old, give or take. So don't let him fool ya if he claims to be anything more. That's still gotta sound pretty old to you kids, but I'm way older than Josh myself so he's still like a kid to me sometimes."

The man chuckled. "Also, I knew him back when he was alive." Sanae rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, actually have known him since he was a little kid. Weird, huh? He's been getting on my nerves my friend for as long as I can remember."

tumblr_mejg3dZhcZ1rcghmgo1_500.gif
"Anyhow, like you kids, he used to be human. And humans ain't perfect, so if he happens to make any errors, be sure to call him out on them. That's part of your job, missy, so don't forget it." He tapped his chin for a moment before adding. "Humans especially make errors if they've had a rough life. I'm sure both you and Arya know that..."

He paused and looked between the two girls, as if he knew more about them--and their lives--then he let on.

"But yeah, he's also like you kids in a way that he's had a rough life. Hides it pretty well, but that's the truth. I won't tell you much, but there's one thing I can tell you guys that'll give you a pretty clear picture of what his human life was like. Ever since he was little, he could see things: angels, spirits, reapers, noise, the Reapers' Game, and everything. Drove him a bit crazy seeing things others couldn't see, nobody believing him, and thinking he was a nutcase." Hanekoma frowned.

"I'd always see him sitting outside alone, crying for hours..."

0bd5efdf2f132b5f3316d6111d6e5643.png


"...so I helped him out. I let him vent to me since I'm an angel myself, and can see the same things he could see as a human."

1YIqhCk.gif
The Producer paused before smiling. "And that's all for now. Of course, there's more to it than that, but I ain't about to tell you how he ended up with the Reapers or became Composer. That's a story for another day, but..." He looked Teresa in the eyes and pushed off the wall, stepping towards her. He reached out and played with a lock of her hair, a very serious, stern expression overtaking his face. His presence suddenly became much more menacing. "Let's not have another John White. I won't let something like that happen again. Cross him, and we will have problems. Got it?"

He then stepped away from her, his friendly aura returning. "Any questions you have for me, by the way? I've been doing all the talking and haven't let you girls get a single word in, have I? Ha ha ha, sorry!"

---

*Meanwhile*

EdSrkkr.png


Apparently, outside of the room while waiting for the others to finish talking, Joshua was making a harassment phone call. "Hm? But I was at your house the other day, Minato dear. Don't you remember? Oh, sorry, I forgot! I visited you while you were asleep, my bad. I left right after your morning shower. I got some pretty adorable pictures of you, by the way. You should do a shampoo commercial one of these days..."

4135650788_de43289d58_o.jpg

"Hm, is something wrong, Minato dear? You've gone quiet."

...

"Oh, I see, you've hung up on me. Tee hee. How wonderful."

@Hospes @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
Damn. Totally caught.

c0d0c69071.jpg


An embarrassed look crossed Teresa's features, but rather than trying to explain herself, she just gave a sheepish smile. "Eh.. Sorry. I won't do it again," she replied, rubbing her arm embarrassedly. Of course, Sanae's comment about the fact he'd know if she tried to tease Joshua about this just made the girl inwardly sigh. Damn. No Joshua teasing for me. D; "Don't worry yourself, heh.. I mean, it's all in good nature," she explained. Honestly, teasing Joshua was like a second instinct. That'd be hard to suppress...

It was very clear that Sanae's response reassured Teresa, and she slowly nodded. "Well, as long as he doesn't mind, I don't, either," she replied with a little more confidence. "I do think it'd be nice ta know about him, since like ya said, we'll be working pretty closely." As much as she teased Joshua, she wasn't about to just let someone else tell her all about him if he didn't want her to hear it. So the fact he didn't mind made her feel much more lighthearted. But, Teresa found that feeling very rapidly slipping away.

As opposed to her usual playful banter with Joshua, Teresa listened to Sanae very attentively, now. She didn't interrupt even once, and though she occasionally had a question or response she wished to give, she kept her mouth shut. Well... Most of the time. Sanae's comment about humans being imperfect made it hard to stay quiet, though she managed. Instead, a million responses flashed through her mind, tugging at her heart. Recollections of the ways WICKED made her bend, and how she'd let them so easily.. How she'd let them take her away from her family without a fight. How she'd hurt someone she loved so badly just to keep them alive... And then died for them.

So needless to say.. Her response wasn't very enthusiastic. She offered a small- verging sad, though she kept it under a cap -smile, though it was a bit forced. "Don't worry.. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, and I'll expect you and him both to do the same for me," she assured him, though she seemed a little uncertain when he looked at her like he knew her story.

And somehow... Teresa didn't doubt that he did: A fact that made her stunning blue eyes avert themselves away from the Producer, almost as though ashamed.

But as the Producer began to tell Joshua's story... Well, it wasn't Teresa's own past that was tugging at her heart strings. She felt a pang of sympathy for her Composer as Sanae spoke of how he'd cried so often, and been looked down upon for his ability. Teresa didn't know exactly what this was like... But she vividly recalled the way people looked at her when it was revealed that she was immune. How she'd been treated so poorly for something special about her that she couldn't help. For the fact that she had a resistance to the disease, while all these others were forced to suffer...

Little did they know, Teresa had suffered just as much, if not more than they.

251683140c.jpg


But this wasn't what really got to Teresa. What really stuck with her was the way Sanae spoke of how truly alone Joshua had been before him... And in a way, that was what Teresa understood and related to the most. She'd only had her family for maybe five years.. And they'd been killed. Then she'd been taken in by WICKED, and later sent to the Maze. Sure, there were countless others there.. But all of which despised her, except for a boy she'd loved that she couldn't even remember. And in the end.. All of them had hated her; even the one person she'd had. Maybe that changed in those final few seconds in which she'd saved him before dying.. But if that was the only time he could care anymore, did she really matter in the first place?

It didn't matter now, she supposed. What did matter.. Was that she understood now. Maybe not fully, but as much as she could with that info.

The feeling was a bit overwhelming; knowing someone was like you. Teresa hadn't gotten to really feel that before, and to either her luck or the opposite, she found herself quickly yanked from it when Sanae suddenly approached her. She tensed visibly when the man casually began playing with her hair, seeming a bit taken aback. ..Joshua's the only guy that's done this before, the Glader thought, rather adverse to the idea of having people making physical contact with her, hair or otherwise.

But needless to say.. That was the least of her worry.

Sanae's words couldn't have been louder or clearer. The Glader's slightly saddened and pained look from before now turned to that of.. Well, what could only be described as pure sincerity, as her piercing blue eyes locked with Sanae's. "..Agreed," was all she said, at first. "But.. You have no reason to worry." Wow. She must've been serious;; she wasn't using slang.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to him. I swear. And if I go south and end up like John White.." There was a pause, and a very solemn expression returned. "..Well, I've already made Joshua promise that he'd put me out right then and there," she stated, and with that, her emotionless demeanor that served as a wall to block others from her feelings returned. Now, it was her turn to expect something of him. "..And if he doesn't enforce that... Well, you better."

With that, Teresa fell quiet, biting her cheek as Sanae approached Arya instead.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
  • Love
Reactions: Klutzy Ninja Kitty

When Teresa stated she wouldn't tease Josh again, the Producer simply shot her a knowing a smile. He had a feeling that even if she didn't tease him, it wouldn't last long. He remembered the time he had asked Neku to go easy on Josh for a while too. It lasted all of a day or so before the young man was again pissed off by Joshua's antics. He couldn't blame the boy, or anyone else for that matter, when it came to struggling with Joshua's teasing. But Teresa seemed different, almost as if she enjoyed it, so perhaps their interactions wouldn't turn out all that bad after all.

At the end of his explanation about Joshua, however, he looked at Teresa and could tell it tugged on a couple of her heartstrings. "Ya know, I never tell anyone these things to make you feel bad for him. I tell people these things so that they either cut him some slack for his different behavior at times, or so they won't look up to him as some high and mighty deity. He's powerful, but he's got human heart underneath all of that power no matter how hard he tries to hide it. It's just something I feel you should be aware of."

The man nodded, a grin on his face when Teresa so seriously declared she would never betray Joshua. "Good, good, I'm glad to hear it. Believe me, I would end you if you ever crossed him. Missy, there are two things I'm sworn to protect, and that would be Shibuya first, and Josh second. If he ever betrayed Shibuya, I'd end him. Not happily, but I would. He's like my own kid. So you'd better believe I'd make anyone pay if they messed him up." Adjusting his sunglasses once more, he moved to take a sip of his coffee again before placing the cup back down.

"Well, Missy, I really don't have much else to say to you. Arya, on the other hand, I still wanted to talk to." He glanced to the younger girl who hadn't even spoken two words since she arrived. Was she intimidated by him? Or perhaps there were just too many people in the room before and she hadn't felt like talking?

"So, yeah, you're free to go, but if you don't mind, I'm going to keep Arya a little longer. I'll send her out to you when she's done." Glancing to a few cups on his desk he stepped forward to pour some coffee into one of them. "Would you like some coffee? At least take some to Josh for me on your way out." He offered her a cup, smiling as he did. "It was nice to meet you. Swing by my shop sometime: Wild Kat. One of the best little coffee shops in town if I do say so myself," he told her with a wink.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
84efd49531.jpg


To say that Teresa was confused by the smile was more true than she let on... Okay, that wasn't exactly true. She knew just what that smile was about; the fact that she teased Joshua more often than not, and that, yes, she probably would struggle more than a little with just stopping. Not that she would admit that, though. In fact, she suspected that if she teased Joshua, it would likely be out of instinct. After all, it was as though the two were always playing a game: a battle, of sorts(though competition was a better word), with words serving as both their shield and sword. In any case, though, Teresa tried to deny this. "Aw, don't look at me like that. It isn't like I'm addicted to arguing with him, or anythin'," she dismissed, though it was total blasphemy. The Glader absolutely loved to bicker with her superior.

But, Teresa's small denial was nothing in comparison to how she reacted to Sanae's next comment. Was she really that easy to read? Was she such an open book that the man could just look at her and tell what she was feeling? Whether this was true or not, Teresa immediately steeled her emotions away, trying to shut the man out. Nowadays, it was hard for even her to discern her emotions and feelings.. The last thing she wanted was someone else knowing before her. Or, even worse, someone thinking they knew her or her feelings when they really didn't.

Teresa was to be alone and unfeeling, in her mind.. End of discussion.

Regardless, the female just crossed her arms and bit her cheek, trying to brush off the statement. "Well, you haven't got anything ta worry about. I won't treat Joshua like Mr. High-and-mighty, but I won't treat him like he's nothing, either," she assured, doing her best to seem nonchalant. Oddly, it seemed that the fact Sanae read her so easily made her a bit nervous, on top of more determined to keep her wall up. Almost like the thought of someone managing to know her.. Scared her. The most likely reason for this was... Well, that it did. "Everyone's got a heart," the girl pointed out, giving a small shrug. "Just a matter of how much klunk ya have to dig through to get to it." ..And wouldn't she know that better than anyone.

The ravenette was definitely relieved to hear that Sanae would step in and take her out if she ever failed her duties. "Good. Nice to hear I've got backup on that, if Joshua doesn't stick to his word," she mused, truthfully. Awkwardly, her hand once again moved to rub her neck. "I guess the fact Joshua hasn't let me just stay under for good yet makes me concerned he wouldn't put me under, then, either," she admitted with a shrug. "I guess he cares about me too much to let me go, huh?" This was supposed to be a joke, purely, as Teresa hardly even considered that this was a real possibility. Quickly enough, however, she caught herself. "..Heh. Sorry," she apologized, sheepishly. I guess not teasing will be harder than I thought.

Still trying to conceal don't feel her emotions, the young Reaper gave a small nod as the Producer told her she could go ahead and leave. "Right.. Good talk." Briefly, Teresa considered making a joke, but she didn't quite feel comfortable doing so. Which was.. Odd, considering she was so happy making them with Josh. What was the difference? Ah, there she went distracting herself.

Uhh.. Right. Coffee.

Truth be told, Teresa had never had coffee before. Hell, she hadn't ever had a lot of 'common' foods or drinks. Everything she'd been allowed to eat- and that was even available to eat -in her world was.. Quite bland, to say the least. So, she wasn't very sure what to think about the offer: which was quite obvious. But, hesitant as she was, the polite thing to do was accept... Right?

"Err.. Sure, I'll try some," she stated, hesitantly. Her response to him asking her to take some to Joshua earned a much more certain response, and she took the cup with a nod. "Right, I'll get it to him.. And sure, I'll stop by sometime," she agreed, managing a small smile of her own in return.. Though the wink threw her off. "Nice to meet ya, too. But.. I'll leave you two be," she stated, sheepishly. After receiving the coffee, the female awkwardly slipped out of the room, her features returning to their normal nonchalant and emotionless mask. She didn't need Joshua realizing that she related to him. That would just be..-

The-Scorch-Trials-kaya-scodelario-38701196-500-205.gif


..Crud. Joshua.

Too deep in thought to pay any real attention to what she was doing, Teresa nearly walked straight into the angel: an action that likely would've resulted in both coffee cups spilled on the ground. Instead, the Glader managed to stop herself right before the collision, saving herself from the potential embarrassment and teasing that that would've lead to.. Of course, the save was very close, and the girl found herself a bit too close to her boss for comfort. So, quickly, she took a couple of steps back with more than a little embarrassment. "..Ah.. I.. Uhh.." There was a pause, and she had to consider what she wanted to say. It needed to sound good, right?

"..I brought you some coffee."

Damn smooth, Teresa. That Reaper had swag.

Awkwardly, Teresa offered Joshua the coffee cup, still trying to refrain from letting on any emotion.. And totally oblivious to Joshua's little chat with Minato.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Krieg
 
21782978


The Producer smiled, quite amused by Teresa's subtle teasing comments about Joshua and the sudden stiff behavior she brought on as she tried to hide her emotions. The amused look on his face was quite obvious to read, in fact, and he didn't even bother trying to hide it in the slightest. "Heh, I wonder if Josh realizes it yet? This girl is a lot like him. You try to read him and he shuts down more, blocking out as much emotion as he possibly can. Yeah, these two working together will definitely make an interesting combo."

"Good talk indeed," Sanae replied, smiling when she took a couple cups of coffee. "But yeah, like I said, come visit anytime. I don't bite. And I'm not the type of guy to go around gossiping, so you can tell me whatever you like if you need to rant and get something off your chest." The man paused for a moment. "Oh, and what I told you about Josh doesn't contradict that statement. That's the only time you'll hear me talking about someone behind their back. And it isn't to gossip either. Only told you what I did for your benefit, and his. If you're gonna be working with him, ya need to know more about him."

After Teresa exited the room, Mr. Hanekoma turned to the small newbie reaper and placed a hand atop her head in order to ruffle her hair. "Okay, it's your turn. Enough of the silent treatment, kiddo, its time for us to talk too. My sources tell me that you're blind, not mute, so you should at least be able to tell me a little about yourself, right? Even if you can't see me." He moved away from Arya and patted the chair he had offered to her earlier. "And don't worry, I promise I won't judge."

@Krieg

---

7VIOWEa.png


Meanwhile, when Teresa exited the room, Joshua didn't even look up from his phone. The light from its screen lit up Josh's face within the dim hallway. He was no longer looking at anything to do with Minato, but instead he appeared to be playing a cell phone game of some kind. "Damn, Candy Crush. If the Composer, an angel and practically a god, can't beat these harder levels without paying for them, I don't understand how mortals can do it at all."

When Teresa came close to walking right into him, he simply sidestepped her at the same time she awkwardly stood back from him--his eyes remaining fixed on his phone. He hadn't even really noticed how close she got to him. "Hm, did he kick you out too? I see you're here but no Arya," he said.

At the mention of coffee, Josh finally did look up in order to give Teresa a glance. "Oh? Thank you then," he replied taking one of the cups from her. After looking up, he finally realized that the Conductor seemed a bit awkward. "Something the matter?" The angel flipped a bit of hair out of his eyes and smirked. "Or is it just that I look really attractive in low light?"

And thus, the teasing commenced and they hadn't even been in the room together for a minute.

@Hospes
 
  • Love
Reactions: Midnight Maiden
Good thing Teresa hadn't really been looking at Sanae at that point... Because she definitely wouldn't have liked the way he was looking at her. She was already feeling unnerved, and she didn't want anybody to look at her like that after they'd been looking at her like they knew her... Granted, Sanae more than likely did. Something that just made it much worse.

The Glader forced a small smile at Sanae's words, though. I ain't got nothing to get off my chest. Or that I want to tell anyone.. Let alone someone I don't know. Despite that outlook, she nodded. "Ah.. Right. I'll keep that in mind; thanks for the offer," she responded, trying to be polite.

SgdTac.gif


In any case, Teresa was at least relieved Sanae didn't talk about people behind their backs, if he really did know her already. It meant that she wouldn't have to worry about being judged by others for what WICKED had originally made her into... And, more than that, that she wouldn't have to worry about her past being brought up. That she wouldn't have to relive the horrors of her 'past life', as one could say. That much really was appreciated. Obviously, she understood what Sanae said about their talk not being gossip. "Ah, no worries. I get ya," was her simple response. Yeah.. Teresa was definitely a woman of few words.

With that, she was gone, with one last glance at Arya.

tumblr_inline_nh8onyWYEc1t0wp8k.jpg


Of course, the Glader was definitely relieved that Joshua was so distracted, as well as that he had sidestepped. Awkwardness saved... Sort of. Joshua's question just earned a small shrug, as opposed to how Teresa would normally gladly start teasing him. "Guess so," she answered, absently. She didn't seem to be in much of a teasing mood, at this point. In fact, she seemed rather.. Distant. "..The Producer said he'd send her out shortly. He wanted to talk with her a bit longer," she answered, biting her cheek and leaning back against the wall.

When Joshua thanked her, the female just shrugged once more, gladly passing him one of the cups. "Your friend is the one you should thank," she dismissed. Though, at this point, Teresa's eyes weren't on Joshua.. They were fixated on her own cup of coffee, uncertainly. Right now, aside from her awkward and steely air, that was the only emotion that peered through her little defenses. Clearly, she had no idea what the drink in her hands was, and she didn't really know what to think of it. Stupid WICKED.. Never showin' us this shuckin'-..

Blinking, Teresa looked up at Joshua as he addressed her. She stared for a moment or two, at his first question, before her eyes just drifted down again. "No, nothin's wron-.."

Once again, Teresa looked up at Joshua; her expression remaining very serious. She bit her cheek, her jaw tense as she stared at him. "..." Must.. Resist.. Urge... To tease....... "Heh. I think I'd much prefer seein' ya in no light," she remarked, a small grin breaking through her steely expression. ..Dammit.

@Klutzy Ninja Kitty
 
  • Love
Reactions: Klutzy Ninja Kitty
Status
Not open for further replies.