missrelena

Not sure how Tasuki would feel about a girl playing him, but when I saw his character was still open, I couldn't resist! Long live the fanged bandit! :catgirl: Seishi Name : Tasuki "Mountain Fire" Star Pattern: Crater Pronunciation: ta-ski Real Name : Kou Shun'u Nick Name : Genrou or Gen-chan or Fang-boy Birthdate : 4/18 Age : 17 Height : 178cm ~5'10" Hair Color : A fiery red Eye Color : A beautiful brown Blood Type : B Seishi Power: Martial Arts, Speed, and Flame Fan Character : "yoku" - Wing Location of Character: Right forearm Interests : Arguing and brawling Flaws : Dislikes women

[COLOR=Purple]A) Which aspect of OtakuBoards do you find to be the most negative/confusing?[/COLOR] I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I've always had a great time here. Whiners and trollers are a pain, but nothing that can be fixed by the system itself. [COLOR=Purple]B) What is your favorite aspect of OtakuBoards?[/COLOR] I LOVE Adventure Square/Inn. Getting involved in some of the stories that people create is amazing. There is also a terrific sense of teamwork or community there as everyone works together to create something that is greater that it's individual parts!

Dante stormed out, a black cloud of fury raging inside him. As Nathan tried to console Eclair, Geni felt the young lord's anger pounding in her mind. Already dizzy, her equalibrium was lost entirely. Fortunately for her well-being, Geni had the forethought to sit down abruptly rather than tumbling forward. "Why Geni, dear, whatever is the problem?" Eclair asked, putting aside her speachlessness over Dante's misinterpretation of her teasing aside to try and aid the obviously distressed Countess. "I am not -- not feeling very well." she stammered. "I guess I fainted earlier today, and I have not been quite myself since then." She gasped as a wave of Dante's rage broke over her mind again. He was seething, and it was excruciating to experience second-hand. She dropped her head into her hands, closed her eyes and attempted to make the world stop tilting. "Poor thing. Nathan, would you be put out if we took this young lady home?" Eclair kneeled next to Geni and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That will not be a problem." the officer replied. "I need to make a call to that worthy house anyway. Word at the yard is her mother is hosting a dinner party tomorrow -- I believe Dante mentioned it. My orders are to attend the silly thing so that the lady of the house will have an offical presence in case the lunatic that attacked her tries again. I need to find a way to get myself included to the event without inviting myself." "I -- I would be honored if -- if you would be one of my -- guests at my mother's party." Geni offered, pausing at each stab of pain. If possible, Dante seemed to be getting more angry as the minutes passed. Despite all she had been taught about smiling though discomfort, she cried out to him. [I]: Dante -- please. Please, you're hurting me. Keitaro it hurts!:[/I] Unable to help herself, she began to cry pitifully. The pain cut off like a switch. The relief of it was almost as overwhelming as the pain itself. It was replaced with suprise, then regret. The anger was still there, but just a dull brooding rather than a blind fury. If Dante had said anything to her, she was either too far away or she was too upset to hear him. "Come, dear. Can you stand?" Eclair took Geni by the elbow and helped the young woman to rise. She kept her voice low and soothing. The girl was obviously unwell. Eclair was sure there was more to Geni's 'fainting spells', but she didn't want to speculate in front of her. With the Duchess's assistance, Geni made it down the stairs and Nathan carefully handed her into the carriage. Before they could drive away, Geni pushed passed her headache to tell Dante what was transpiring. Heven forfend he think that Eclair was abducting her. [I]:Milord, I'm sorry. I'm afraid that I am still unwell. Eclair is taking me home. Please forgive me for missing our dinner tonight. I am so sorry. Please come to dinner at my home tomorrow. Please come.:[/I] She sensed resignation and apology, but again, she was too far away for words. He would have to have been a telepath for her to hear him as they traveled down his drive. "Lord, my invitation was in earnest." Geni turned her attention back to her present companions. "Please come to dinner tomorrow as my guest and not a representitive of Scotland Yard. Then you, Dante and Rufus can protect my mother. She may be a snob and a despot, but she's the only mother I have." The carriage rocked gently, and Geni felt her eyelids grow heavy. She fought it off long enough to continue. "Just give your card to our butler and he will take care of all the arrangements." That said, she allowed herself to be lulled to sleep. "Rufus?" Nathan asked Eclair softly. "A friend of ours. His wife, the Lady Ariana also glows blue. She's a telepath, like yourself and Lady Geni." was Eclair's answer. She watched the sleeping girl with concern the entire trip to her home. It was obvious that the two young ones cared for each other, but with one being so volatile and the other so fragile they were both going to require a lot of care. __________________________________________________ OCC: Okay everyone, we're now jumping to the dinner party. Since you are Geni's friends, feel free to show up early if you are so inclined. Yay Dinner Party!

Geni was happy to see Eclair, but was having a hard time remaining on her feet. She felt dizzy, a bit nausiated, and for some strange reason her lips were sore. She knew there was more to what had happened with the letter than Dante was letting on, but she couldn't find a polite way to dig deeper on the subject -- and scanning his mind wasn't even an option. An invasion of privacy on that level was beyond any horror that Geni could imagine. So she gripped the bannister at the top of Dante's staircase, and hoped no one noticed her distress. In her mind she 'heard' Dante ask [I]:Are you a gentleman of the Blade, good sir?:[/I]. When he continued the conversation, and Geni hadn't heard the new gentleman's response, Geni understood that Eclair's blue-glowing escort was another telepath. Suddenly, she felt shy and unsure of herself. She didn't feel at her best physically, and the strange emotions she was receiving from -- she presumed Dante -- were throwing her mentally off balance. She didn't even know if she could count on her shields to remain strong. The last thing she wanted was a gentleman telepath picking up her stray broadcast thoughts. Especially one she didn't know. She did her best to tighten her shields around her mind, and swayed as the dizziness hit her again. It was getting more pronounced the longer she stayed standing. Fortunately, Dante was distracted by his fraternal duel with a brother of the sword, and did not notice Geni. If luck was with her, no one had. She placed a warm smile on her lips as the two men shook hands - no one was hurt, and therefore she was going to smile, even if she didn't understand what had really been happening - and prayed that Dante would unknowingly come to her rescue by climbing back up the stairs and offering her his arm as she attempted to decend them. That hope was pushing the extent of gallantry, but one could pray all the same.

Geni's eyes fluttered open and she stared at a ceiling that was starting to become familiar. She recalled visiting her mother, changing her dress, and traveling with Dante to his manor house. Everything got blurry after that. She knew that several things -- important things -- had occured after that, but she just could not bring them into focus. Strangely, she could feel something in the back of her mind that had never been there before, brooding and worried. She felt at it curiously and was suprised to feel it change from brooding to startled to slightly relieved. Still not understanding what the presence was, she decided to let it lay and see if its source would reveal itself. She still wasn't sure how she had gotten into this room and onto this bed, fully clothed, and slept for what looked to be several hours. She didn't even recall feeling tired. A light knock at the door interrupted her musings. The housekeeper and a young maid that Geni thought was named Denna softly opened the door and peered in at her. "Oh, Miss! Milord said you were awake." the little maid said in a spritely tone when she saw that Geni's eyes were open. "I do hope that you are feeling better. Milord was in such a rage when you had your spell and I weren't there to lend a hand to you." she gushed. "That's enough, Denna." the housekeeper shushed. "The young Miss needs her tea, and then would probably like her hair repaired. Snap to and get the tea cart." She wasn't harsh, but it was obvious who was in charge below staris. "I had a fainting spell?" Geni asked the housekeeper after Denna had scampered off. "Yes, Milady. With all the excitement of late, your constitution seems to have become a bit delicate, if you don't mind me saying so." the older woman observed. "No, I don't mind." Geni reponded. "But [I]I[/I] do." a deeper voice interrupted. "Lady Geni is just fine the way she is. See to her comfort and keep your opinions to yourself." Dante stepped into the room with a slight scowl on his face. "Yes, Milord." she bobbed. She helped Geni to rise, then led her to a vanity chair where she began to straighten out Geni's mussed hair. "So harsh, Milord?" Geni teased lightly, not wanting to undermine his autiority in his own home before his own empolyees. Amazingly, despite the dimness of the light in the room, she knew that Dante blushed slightly. She felt his blush in her mind. Never being at all empathic, being able to sense his emotions came as a bit of a shock, especially as she was shielding her mind from outside thoughts. Curiouser and Curioser, as Alice would say. "Go help Denna with the tea -- please." he ordered, a bit more polite this time. Again, the housekeeper bobbed a curtsey and left the room. "So, what did I miss? I think it was imporatant." Geni asked

Slain Chapter 3 [I]You would think[/I], Millenear mused to herself as her phone began to buzz in her gym bag, [I]that there would be a better way to notify me of my assignments than a text message to my cell phone. Addresses and names are all very good, but a little detail about what I?m being sent to do would come in handy.[/I] She pulled the still buzzing device from its pocket and flipped it open. The message was short and to the point ? like always. [I]Would a little variety kill them?[/I] She wondered. The address was nearby, and the name provided sounded female. Unfortunately, under the name was the code P-1. A priority one. That meant Millenear wasn?t going to get her shower. A priority one meant that she was needed immediately . . . a matter of life, death and eternal salvation. Two hours at the gym, and now she was going to skip out on getting clean. This was shaping up to be a real doozie of an evening already. She quickly changed out of her shorts and tank top and into her ?work? clothes. After tying the laces of her sneakers in double knots she grabbed her bag and rushed out the gym door, waving at the doorman as she blazed past. Jogging down the block, she came to the apartment building with the same address as on her phone and started up the stairs. [I]Why is it the first thing demons seem to do is knock out the power so I have to take the stairs? No consideration for my quads.[/I] Four stories later, Millenear found the apartment without even having to double check her message. The loud crashes and inhuman shrieks gave her enough clues. Catching her breath in an instant, she settled herself in for a long night. * * * * ?I hate runners!? Millenear shouted as she raced down the narrow staircase and out of the apartment building. The exorcism had been going well. As a mid-level exorcist, Millenear had seen worse than this possession. The demon hadn?t had much time to get comfortable and take full control of its unwitting host. She had been able to drive the dark demonic entity from the woman?s body, but before she was able to drive it from this existence entirely it had fled.[I] Does anyone know how hard it is to track a dark cloud at night?[/I] Millenear would have cursed if it had been in her nature to do so. Fortunately, the evil of the creature was like a sharp pain against the inside of her skull, giving her a compass of sorts to follow. And the closer she got to the demon, the more painful its presence was to her. Millenear was running full tilt, not even noticing the people she crashed into and pushed past. There was no telling who the demon might choose to inhabit. Any touch of darkness on a person?s soul would leave them open to its power ? and Millenear was realistic to know that everyone, to some extent, had a touch of darkness in them. That didn?t make them bad, just imperfect and human. Shattering the night, she heard three gunshots echo down the streets. It was coming from the same direction as the demon. Putting on a previously impossible burst of speed, Millenear began summoning her powers as she ran. She prayed that she would be in time to prevent a death. Losing a soul to the demons was the worst thing she had ever experienced, and she never wanted it to happen on her watch again. Ahead of her, she caught the glow of the holy aura belonging to someone who shared her profession. Those who use the power of light to drive off demons gave off a distinctive aura to anyone who knew to look for it. That was probably why lesser demons tended to avoid them and greater demons came hunting them. Only a person with unimaginable holy powers could mask that glow. Letting her mind slip from its focus on the demon she was chasing to recognize Kita, an omiyo-something that was an eastern equivalent of what Millenear did. She was a cute girl, if a bit of a newbee. If she remembered how the eastern ranks went, Kita was a lower class of exorcist. If the demon Millenear was chasing turned up close by, Kita wasn?t strong enough to handle it on her own. Bringing her thoughts back to the demon, Millenear began searching for the presence of evil with her senses again. She was nearly knocked to the ground by its nearness. She was practically on top of it. She gave a small yelp of surprise, but Kita didn?t seem to notice. The Asian girl?s attention seemed transfixed on something across the street. Millenear sensed another demon?s fleeting aura from area Kita was staring at. It had already been dispatched, and so was of no concern to the exorcist. An enraged roar bellowed out of the alleyway behind the girls. A man, high on something illegal from the looks of it, heaved his way out onto the street toward them. Millenear?s ?evil-detector? started sending off alarm bells in her head. Here was the demon she was pursuing. It had come home to roost inside the body of someone who had left themselves wide open to its invasion. If only the people who eradicated these monsters for a living could clinically prove to the world that taking hallucinogens drew demons to a person like moths to a flame, the drug cartel would find themselves hurting for work. It figured that this particular demon would find a druggie. Not only did the drugs make a person weak to resist possession, but it added to the demon?s powers as long as it was coursing through the body of the host. Millenear just wasn?t having a good night. [I]First, no shower - and now this. Who hates me?[/I] Forcing her power though her hands, she touched the man-turned-monster. Enraged, he shrieked, wind-milling its arms around to swat Millenear aside. The blonde was able to dodge the brutish attack, but Kita, who was only just now coming to realize that she was in danger, took a fist full in the chest. The small figure was lifted off the ground and slammed into the building behind them with a painful crunch. ?You keep her out of our fight!? Millenear shouted at the monster, not even sure it was lucid enough to understand her. It did, however, get the thing to return its attention to her. He ? it grabbed at her, trying to rip her limb from limb. [I]Why do they always go for my arms? I guess I shouldn?t whine, it?s better than going for my eyes.[/I] ?By all that this earth and mankind holds holy, I banish you from this existence!? she declared, her power backing up her voice and making it ring like a church bell. She formed a knife blade of light emanating from her hand and plunged it into the heart of the addict. While it caused no physical damage to the body, the thing screamed in pain. A dark cloud seeped from the eyes and mouth of the now freed body and limp body. The druggie slumped boneless to the ground. Millenear paid him no mind. She dared not look away from the darkness before her. She retracted the light blade and created a ball of power between her hands with the malleable spirit essence. ?Be gone from here and never trouble this world again.? She shouted as she placed both hands on either side of the cloud and drowned it in the light that they held. The evil presence left, and her ?evil-detector? went quiet in her head. [I]Wait, didn?t I hear gunshots?[/I] She thought to herself. Millenear looked around, but saw no trace of a gun anywhere. Confused, she checked the druggie over. He had no gun. Who had done the shooting? Who was being shot at? Looking at Kita, Millenear realized that the girl was a mess. She had a gash on the back of her head and the rasp in her breathing gave away troubles internally. She did her best to heal the girl with what little power she had left. It slowed the bleeding, and her breathing became easier, but it wasn?t enough to be safe. It was a good thing the demon hadn?t been any stronger that it was or Millenear would have been outclassed and out of luck. Sighing, she took her cell phone out of the small hip pouch she used when working. She dialed three numbers and waited for dispatch to answer. ?9-1-1, what is your emergency?? a tinny voice asked. ?Uh, a druggie just attacked someone on the street. The victim?s pretty banged up and bleeding. I had to knock the guy out to get him off her, so I don?t think he?s in great shape, either. Could you send some paramedics to . . .? she looked up at the street signs, then recited the address. ?Yes, I stay on the line till they arrive.? Millenear gave the usual information to the operator. Her name, address, Kita?s name, no ? she did not know Kita?s address, self-employed, yes ? she knew Kita vaguely, they worked in the same field, they were not together when the attack happened, she was in the neighborhood because she was on a job and doing a house call. It went on and on. The paramedics and police showed up and she went through it all again. This night was just getting longer and longer. The cops agreed to retrieve Millenear?s bag from the apartment building and bring it to her at the hospital if she swore not to go anywhere else because they still had questions for her. Since a police car was her only means of accompanying Kita to the emergency room, it wasn?t like they would have troubles keeping tabs on her. Several hours, and a phone call to Kita?s brother later (thank heaven for cell phone address books) the triage doctors released Kita into Millenear?s care. The girl was moving on her own power, but Millenear truly doubted that she was aware of what was going on around her. Her eyes were still glassy and the pain killers were dulling any wits she might have left after that shake-up. She had graciously accepted the prescriptions from the doctors, and shook her head wonderingly at the appropriate times when the medical people all marveled at how lightly she had gotten off after such a savage attack. She knew that between the powers the two of them could call on, Kita would be up and moving sooner that they all would expect. She might not be comfortable, but she would be moving. Another officer, who had been flirting with her off and on all through the early morning hours, offered them both a ride to Millenear?s apartment. Too tired to care about over-eager observation cops, she gratefully accepted the offer. She heaved her now-returned gym bag over her shoulder and carefully levered one of Kita?s arms over a shoulder while Officer Nice took the other arm and slowly shambled in and out of the elevator and into her apartment. The officer left them at the door with a smile and Millenear put Kita in to her own bed, opting for the couch for herself. Her order had gotten her a decent place to live in a decent part of town. She wasn?t paid for her services to humanity, per say, but the order looked after her immediate needs. At least she wasn?t freezing or starving. But now, before sleep ? a shower! When Kita had completely come to several hours later, Millenear was discouraged to learn that the girl had seen the man in the gray coat, and Millenear had missed him entirely. The man and whoever had been trying to catch him had been nowhere around by the time the cops arrived and set up a perimeter. ?You mean he was right there? Just twenty feet away and I missed him?? she berated herself loudly. ?Yeah, he was there. I now I?m back to square one looking for him.? Kita despaired. ?That makes two of us. So why do you want to find him?? Millenear asked, then settled in on the foot of her bed to listen to Kita?s story.

MMmmmmm. [B]Tokyo Babylon[/B] is a must read for a shonen-ai fan! Clamp is (as always) amazing, even if it [I]is[/I] one of their earlier works. [B]Cardcaptor Sakura [/B] is another manga series that, while the main characters are interested in guy/girl realationships, there is a super-cute shonen-ai couple towards the end. It just goes to show that Clamp is definately wonderful at the BL. Another that I recommend is [B]Kyo Kara Maoh![/B], although I don't know if it is a manga . . . I've only seen the anime. TOO CUTE! It's silly and sweet all at the same time. Add [B]Demon Diary[/B] to the list (yummy Eclipse) and you've got all my favs!

I adore Fruits Basket! The art is fabulous, and the character interaction is deep and believable (if you can believe 13 people turing into animals when they are hugged by a member of the opposite sex.) It might be a Shojo Manga, but my husband and three other guys I know (all in their 30's I might add) all compete to see who gets to read my manga after me. However, it [I]is[/I] a long series. As far as I know, there are 22 books out in Japan so far. There are 11 in the USA, with volume 12 expected in December. I think the investment is worth it, but you'll have to form your own opinion there. Smiles!

Geni reached into her small handbag and pulled the letter out. It had the letter "J" in an elaborate script written with red ink on the face of the envelope. The envelope felt unusually heavy, but the lady could not see any obvious reason for the added weight. The wax seal on the back had no identifing marks, just a plain empression. She cracked the seal, and a strange perfume escaped from the letter. Curious, Geni lifted it to her nose and breathed it in, trying to identify the scent. Dante started to his feet as the young lady's eyes rolled up and she bonelessly crumpled forward, out of her chair and onto the floor. He wrenched the letter from her limp hand and carefully brought it near to his face. One whiff explained everything. It was chloroform. The entire parchment the letter was written on must have been liberally sprayed with it. He knew that even a small dose applied close to the face could knock a strong man out for hours, but Geni had gotten a huge facefull. Tossing the letter away for now, Dante turned his concern to the girl on his floor. He felt for her pulse and found it, but it was slightly irratic, and not horribly strong. When he checked her breath, he found none. She wasn't breathing. The chloroform had filled her lungs, and because of her corset, Geni's lungs weren't strong enough to force the bad air out. It was suffocating her inside her chest. He looked around, but saw no help. If he called for the servants to aid him, it would take too long to rally them. Seeing no other option, he tried something he had seen during his travels. He rolled Geni onto her back, pinched her nose, then forced his own breath inside her mouth. Sailors from China said that this could bring a drowning man back to life. Dante just hoped it would work in this case, too. Again, he placed his mouth over hers and breathed for her. He did it four more times before Geni began to cough violently on her own. Her mind wide open to him, Dante felt her confusion and fear as she fought for breath, then felt her fright subside as she once more passed out from the effects of the drug. This time, however, she continued to breathe on her own. "Faustus!" he roared. "Milord?" called a voice from down the hall. "Faustus!" he shouted again. The door swang open immediately. The man must have started running the moment he heard Dante's first call. "Yes, Milord?" "Lady Geni has had a fainting spell. I thought I told you to bring Denna here." the lord snapped. "Yes, Milord. Denna was helping cook and was covered all over in flour. She is washing up and should be here any moment now." Faustus answered. "Never mind that now." Dante was in no mood to hear excuses right now. "Prepare the room that the lady stayed in last night. Send Denna to her there." "Do you wish me to help you carry the lady upstairs, Milord?" the servant offered. "No." Dante was adamant. "I can manage." Faustus quickly left the room to obey his lord's orders. Dante knelt and carefully lifted Geni's unconsious form into his arms. This was the second time in as many days that he had found himself in this position. Not daring to teleport, Dante carried the young lady gingerly as he acended the stairs. An extremely apologetic Denna met him at the door to Geni's room. He set Geni on the bed, barked a few orders to the girl, then made his way back to the front room. Covering his mouth and nose with his hankerchief he lifted the letter and removed the parchment from what he could now see was a wax lined envelope. Keeping it as far from his face as possible, he opened the sheet and began to read the red inked writing: [COLOR=Red]- Welcome Travelers from another Time. Yes I know who you are, but do you? I do hope that my friend was able to help refresh your fragile memories. After all this wouldn't be near as much fun if you didn't even know who you "really" are. I hope you enjoyed my little joke, and that you enjoyed your tiny naps. Rest is very important when you are trying to save the world. Another thing, I would not let your guard down after this simple attack because I promise you this was merely a tease. I have far better in mind for you, I wouldn't want to let you down. Don't worry your pretty heads, though. I also promise you time. We wouldn't want to be unsporting, now, would we? I won't play again till near summer's end. Remember, loves, you can run through time to get away from me. But you can't hide. Sincerely Your Drear Friend... Jack [/COLOR] Dante was insensed over the 'joke' this Jack had implied that had nearly killed Geni. If only she had let him open it. He began to work himself into a true fury till he realized that he could "feel" Geni in the back of his mind, and she was begining to react to his anger with nightmares. Leaving the letter on the table, he crossed to one of the large bay windows and opened it, letting in fresh air. Breathing deep, calming breaths, he settled his emotions and "felt" Geni relax into a normal, happy dream. Geni jolted into a memory flash. She inadvertantly took Dante with her as she "remebered" the scene. Without meaning to, she opened her mind completely to the young lord, so she couldn't hide any of her own feelings, even if she had been aware enough to try. . . She was speaking to Eclair and Ariana. Her gray coverall felt too tight at the collar, but she ignored it. Standing with her was a person she didn't immediately recognize. "The deadman's switch is built in to the program. I have proof of it. If we try and stop the program in any way, something truely devastating will occur in Victorian England. It could reach a point that London would be completely uninhabitable. The psy-techs must go back to the era. It's the only way to stop it without mass devastation. I know some of the professors want to just cut the program off at this end, but that would absolutely end civilization as we know it. They must not suceed. It is imperitive that they do not suceed. The ripper program must be executed for our plan to be complete. Keitaro must be eliminated as well, do you understand?" The people resembling Ariana and Eclair nodded silently. I handed Ariana an envelope, and the unknown person gave one to Eclair. Then we turned away, and the other man continued walking into the darkness of the dimly lit lab. I went through the doorway, but turned, hesitating to hear what the women would say. "You know what we must do" Ariana said, Eclair seemed reluctant, and declined to comment. "It would break her heart if Keitaro went back in time and then hated it. You know she fears that he will then hate her because this whole time-travel thing was her idea to begin with." Ariana continued. "She's just come out of a horrid relationship. If Jeni thought that Keitaro hated her it would kill her. You know that." "Yeah, I know that." Eclair said glumly. "But I think we need to be fair and give him the chance at this if he wants it. This is Jeni's personal problem. She shouldn't be holding Keitaro back because she has feelings for him. Especially since the guy doesn't even know about it." "I guess you're right. Jeni will kill us, but I won't take his name off the canidate list. You and I are the only one with access to the lists before they are given to the big bosses. She won't know till it's too late." The two women turned in the opposite direction from the one I had taken and walked away together. I was hurt at their words, but I knew that they were right. Geni fell back into a normal sleep, but her concious mind stored away the vision for her to review when she awoke. Dante, on the other hand was wide awake, and had much to stew over. _______________________________________ OCC: Yet another novel. Sorry about that. Had lots to say, I guess.

The door was yanked open from inside with a frustrated force. "The Lady is not accepting callers." the butler growled, as if he had repeated this sentance far too many times for his liking. "Not even me, James?" Geni asked playfully. "Good heaven Miss, with a the bruhaha that had been going on today, I did not even recognize you. I do beg your pardon." James apologized, and managed to scrape up a bit of dignity as he opened the door wide and stepped aside to let the Lord and Lady in. "How is my mother this morning?" she asked the man. "In vapors, but I really cannot blame her." he answered with a slight roll of the eyes. "Too true. Well, I guess I'd better fasten down my armor and brave the mother of all dragons." Geni smirked prettily. "Wouldn't that make you a dragon, too, Milady?" James retorted. "Why, yes. I believe it would." With that she gripped Dante's arm and led him up the front staircase. "Your man is rather informal, if you don't mind me saying so." Dante observed. "James changed my diapers. I've known him all my life. At times, he was the only shoulder I had to cry on. My parents were parents more by blood than as part of my life. You could call James my de facto father if you wish. He usually seems more like a father to me than my actual father does." "I think I can understand that." he said. By this time they had reached the top of the stairs. The first door on the left was shut tightly, but voices could still be heard mumbling through the wooden surface. "She certainly is in high dugeon today." Geni warned. "Prepare for the worst, but with you here, I shall hope for the best. Mother is usually better behaved before guests." With that, she took a deep breath and opened the door. "Genieve! It is about time you returned home! My heart has been fluttering and pounding with worry over you." Like a matron from a Jane Austen novel, Geni's mother was sitting in her room, moaning, pouting and ordering the servants around like a wild banshee. She may have deserved a few vapors, but her mother certainly pushed it beyond the reasonable limit. "Do forgive me, mother." Geni said, putting on the most repentent face she could muster. " I have been out, doing my best to put to rest all the rumors that the nosey neighbors of the ton have been wildly speading about last night. Why, I even heard one lady say that you had been slain last night and were now haunting Almack's ballroom. Could you imagine what would happen to your social standing if I allowed rumors of you being deceased to run wild?" "Good hevens! What horrors!" her mother exclaimed. "You do me credit to think of my welfare, but did you actually go about town in that rumpled rag of a dress?" Geni blushed deeply, but Dante jumped in to her rescue. "She did not think of herself, milady, but only of you. Why, she even visited the Dutchess Eclair today in this attire to be sure that everyone knew of your good health. You are of course aware that what Lady Eclair knows, everyone knows." Geni shot Dante a reproving glance. Even though the lady was not present to know of the jab, Eclair had been kind to her, and Geni did not feel that she deserved a reputation as a gossip, as her mother most certainly was. "Mother, allow me to re-introduce you to Lord Dante. He was the man who took such kind care of me after I collapsed from the shock of your attack. He has been most attentive to me, making positve that I was never away from any chaperone for any ammount of time. Isn't he just the image of a saving knight? Most heroic of all heros." Geni turned to look again at Dante mid-gush, and winked impshly. A little payback for laughing at her 'milord' slip in the carriage was due. "Yes, most Galahad of you, I must say." her mother added. "We must thank you properly." "I have invited him and three other aquaintences to the dinner party tomorrow. I hope I have not overstepped myself in doing that." Geni told her. "No, no. Not at all. But Geni, dear, we have not been able to return to the dressmakers to pick up your dress. You would think with the prices they charge, they would deliver. And the outrageous police will not let me leave the house in case the attacker comes back. Of all the nerve!" her mother whined. "Not to worry, madam. It would be my honor to escort Lady Genieve to the shops so she might be well prepared for your fete. Besides that, we have been invited to a dinner party this night. Would I be too remiss to ask your permission to be her partner to there?" Dante offered almost too sweetly. Geni had troubles keeping a grin off her lips. "Will there be proper chaperones there? You are a touch young to be my daughter's only supervision. You are male, after all." her mother replied. "I swear on my soul that there will be elders of good standing at the party." He galantly bowed over the lady's hand and smiled a smile that Geni knew had been painted there and was not honestly felt. Her mother, at least, was fooled. "Then all is good. I am glad you are making such successes in your social standing so soon in the season, Genieve. Now, go change out of that rag and into something appropriate. Heaven knows what society thinks of me for allowing out out in public dressed like that. I shall send Mary to you to help you dress." That was a dismissal if Geni had ever heard one. She curtsied and Dante gave a slight bow and they left the rooms, shutting the door tightly once more. "If you would go down to the front parlor to wait, I shan't be more than a few moments to change. Then you can tell me all about this party we have been invited to." She smiled, then wisked away to her own rooms. Dante decended the stairs and went into the appointed room to wait. True to her word, Geni wasn't more than twenty minutes, but the change was complete. Not one strawberry curl was out of place, nor one lace loose. She had changed into an emerald green gown that complimented her looks perfectly. She still carried her small bag from the night before, but other than that, no trace of the bedraggled and sleep deprived debutante remained. Dante looked a bit startled at her transformation, but he did not disgrace himself by letting his mouth hang open or anything else of that silly nature. He offered her his arm, and James opened the front door for them with a small wink and smile. The cab they had used earlier had been replaced by a fancy hack with matching bay horses. Mother had certainly ordered up the apropriate best for the occasion. Once they were seated and off back toward town Geni seemed to relax. [I]:I'm sorry if I seemed glib back there, but something about that house has always given me chills. I think it is because it is so old, but I'm not sure.:[/I] Geni apologized in Dante's mind. [I]:Now, tell me about this party. Who is going to be there and why haven't I heard of it before this?:[/I] [I]:The dinner party includes you and me at my manor. You haven't heard of it before because I just came up with it. It gave me the perfect excuse to get you out from under your mother so we could talk for the evening. Do not worry, I will keep my vow. My housekeeper will never be far. You will be completely chaperoned.:[/I] he thought back at her, taking shrewed delight in her shock at his confession of inventing the party. [I]:Well, whatever works. Now, on to your manor and on to whatever it is you wish to speak to me about.:[/I] ____________________________________________ OCC: Sorry about the novel. . .

Instead of replying to Dante's request, Geni turned to the other three occupants of the room and spoke out loud. "Lady Ariana, I am very grateful to you for sharing this with all of us. It adds another shard to our fractured picture." To show good faith, and to prove what she meant, Geni telepathically shared her most recent memory flash with Ariana, highlighting on the points that were very similar to the dream the lady had just shared with the group. "Oh, then you've seen the same type of things that I have." Lady Ariana exclaimed. "Yes, and I find it terribly disconcerting to experience." Geni shook her head, then turned to Eclair. "Dutchess, thank you for your hospitality. I am so sorry to cry off after you have shown such kindness, but I [I]am[/I] quite worried about my mother's welfare. I really do need to check on her and let her know that I am still living on this earth." "And I'm sure you would have a sweeter outlook on the day if you could change out of last night's ball gown." Eclair smiled knowingly. Geni blushed and looked down at her rumpled attire. "Yes - uh - that too." Eclair smirked a sly expression. "Why don't we see if 'galant Lord Dante' would escort the lady home." "If you had given me the chance, I was about to offer." Dante rejoined. He stood and offered his hand to help her to her feet. Geni took it, and gracefully stood, trying to do her best to show how reluctant she was to leave, but the great honesty of her excuses with her facial expression alone. "Allow my man to call you a cab." Eclair offered. Dante nodded, and the Dutchess moved to the door and muttered her intructions to Edward. He headed for the front door and Eclair returned to the group. "I nearly forgot!" Geni started. "My mother is hosting a dinner party tomorrow night and I was supposed to offer invitations during the ball last night. Obviously, I let the whole matter slip my mind till just now. Please, won't all four of you join my mother and I for dinner and some small entertainment tomorrow evening? It won't be anything spectacular, but our cook is quite accomplished. It would also be a wonderful oppertunity for all of us to discuss any new developments or ideas that may come up between now and then. Do, please, come." After recieving positive answers from all, Geni took out two small cards from her bag, careful to keep the mysterious letter well hidden, then handed both Eclair and Lord Rufus one. "My townhouse address is there." She pointed out. "Appetizers will be served at 8pm and dinner will follow shortly after." She bobbed one more curtsey, then blushing slightly, took the arm Dante offered. He looked as if he wished she would get on with leaving, but said nothing. "Till tomorrow night, then." Eclair waived at them cheerily. "Yes, tomorrow night." Ariana echoed. "Till then." Geni answered, and Dante escorted her out of the parlor and out the front door. He handed her into the cab coach that Edward had waiting for them, hesitated a moment to let her get situated comfortably, then joined her inside. Edward shut the door securly and the cab started off with a lurch. [I]:Now, My Lord, do we go to my home or yours first? And do you wish to tell me what you need to here or would you perfer us to wait till we're behind secure walls?:[/I] she asked softly in his mind. ________________________________________ OCC:[B] I[/B] don't have short-itis it appears.

[I]:Of course, My Lord. I would know your mind and I wish to understand your doubts. Speak freely with me whenever you are comfortable.:[/I] she responded. Geni didn't grasp Dante's reasons for his reluctance to trust the others of their group, but she was sure they were valid to him. He had become more withdrawn, both verbally and with his body language, since the Lady Ariana and Lord Rufus had joined them. Geni wondered at this, and wished she could soothe him somehow. Except that, right now, he didn't look in the mood to be soothed. "Little Lord, you're frowning again." Eclair teased Dante, trying to lighten the sudden heaviness in the air. "What is troubling you so much this time?" "You are." he growled. "They are." He gestured at the newly come couple. "This whole mess is. People glowing red and blue, assassination attempts at secure, invitation-only balls and memories of a life I don't understand [I]trouble[/I] me. Forgive me if I have scrimped on pleasantries in lieu of all my [I]troubles.[/I]" Dante stood abruptly and crossed to the front windows, glaring out of them to the street outside broodingly. _________________________________________ OCC: Sorry it's so short!

[I]:It's nice to meet someone who has a mutual talent!:[/I] Geni responded to Ariana. The new countesses mind was open like no one else Geni had ever encountered before. Geni had to be careful not to 'accedentally' pick up any stray thoughts from her, despite the fact that they were both shielding themselves from the outside world. Out loud, for the benefit of everyone gathered, she said, "I am the Lady Genieve, Countess of Salisbury, but please call me Geni. I also attended your wedding, but since I had not yet had my debut, I was back minding the children. You probably didn't see me. Your entire ceremony was breathtakingly beautiful. I hope for a wedding even half so lovely someday." Geni smiled at the Newlyweds. It was terribly obvious that they were totally enamoured with each other. "And the man seated here," she continued, gesturing gracefully to the young man next to her, "is Lord Dante." "So you saw the blue auras, too?" Dante asked, a slightly curt tone to his voice. "So why didn't you speak with us at the ball last night?" "Silly, married's rarely have the chance to mingle with the single of society. It just isn't done with much aplomb -- especially at Almack's where everyone keeps detailed notes about who spoke with whom and where they went to do it." Eclair answered for Ariana. "Besides," Rufus added, "we had just managed to make it across the room to where Lady Geni was when the attacker appeared. Then total pandemonium ensued and you and the sweet young Geni had vanished. I believe someone mentioned that she had fainted and the galant Lord Dante had taken her outside for air, but when we followed you out, there was no sign of you to be seen." "That was my fault." Eclair said. "I saw them outside and offered them a ride in my carriage. Poor Lady Geni was so distraught, but my duties wouldn't allow me to stay with her. I escourted them as far as Lord Dante's front door, where I turned her over to the gentle care of the lord's housekeeper." Well, that took care of the rumor mills, in case anyone unknown was listening. "I'm sorry my act of chairty made your evening difficult." Eclair concluded. "Now, what do you remember of your dream this morning?" Geni asked urgently. "If your 'memories' are anything like the flashes I have been having, we might be able to compare notes and find a few more answers to this strange puzzle. At this point, I'm open to a good idea from nearly any source."

Xi Li was taken aback a bit. She had been certain that she would need to use some of her diplomatic skills to convince Kiyoshi to return with her. That he meerly accepted her request after taking the day to think startled her. "That - that's wonderful. For me, at least." she stammered. "By how beautiful your garden is, I can tell that returning to the capital with me and leaving this place wasn't an easy decision to make." "So, did Kyung show you some of my friends?" he asked her. "Yes master." the man in question replied. "But only immediately around the house. We did not wish to disturb you." Kiyoshi gave a small nod of thanks to the thoughtfulness, then he turned back to Xi Li. "And what do you think of my garden?" "I've never seen a garden so well tended or so loved. Everything is green and lush. I wish my small flower boxes at home could look so happy." Xi Li sighed over the comparison. "And your roses are - uh - lovely." Kiyoshi looked at her curiously. "Don't you care for roses?" "Oh, don't misunderstand me. Your roses are the pride of the world, to be sure. I've just always thought of roses like the ladies at court. Beautiful to gaze at, but underneath all is thorns and unwelcomeness. They take hours of care and scratches to receive only tempermental vividness in return. I guess I have always been more fond of the water lily. You see, upon first glance, the water lily looks small, fragile and delicate. But what the eye can't see is the strength and defiance that the flower keeps hidden inside to thrive where it does. Just because it has little or not soil to call it's own doesn't stop it from blooming. It's leaves give shelter to tiny creatures while granting shade to the fish. It might not be the most beautiful flower, but I think it has the best personality." "Indeed?" Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow at her vehemnance. "I - uh - um" Xi Li blushed as she realized that she had been babbling . . . again. She didn't do it normally. Maybe she was becoming as undisiplined as her governesses claimed. "I talk too much." she lamely finished. "No, you don't." Kiyoshi replied. Xi Li wasn't sure how to respond to that so she changed the subject. "Like I said earier, you were out most of the day. We could still set off for the capital now, if that is your wish, there is still a few hours of daylight left. Or we could wait till dawn to begin our journey. I'm open to whatever schedule best suits you and Kyung."

[I]:You know I have, if you saw my memory flash from this morning.:[/I] she responded silently. [I]:I was wearing one around my neck in it.:[/I] [I]:But do you have one now? In reality?:[/I] Dante's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he tried to think hard in her direction. [I]:Well, yes, but --uh--:[/I] She wanted to tell him that she didn't have it with her, but it was impossible to lie mind to mind. [I] :I don't wish to show it to you right now.:[/I] [I]:Out with it.:[/I] was his unsympathetic reply. [I]:It might have cluse that we need to understand what's going on. I may not trust the Dutchess, but this is something she already knows about. Stop being coy and show it to us.:[/I] [I]:I am NOT being coy!:[/I] Geni was indignant at the implication that she was only being a tease. "I have one of those as well." she said out loud for all to hear. "The chain was broken when I first remember discovering it. I repaired it as best as I could, but it shortened the chain quite a bit." Blushing, she raised her skirts to reveal her left shin and boot. This was highly unlady-like and she knew it. On a short chain that wrapped around her ankle, over her boot, shined the metal plate in question. Geni carefully leaned over, mindful of the boneing in her bodice, and unfastened the clasp on the chain. Her skirts quickly recovered her leg, and she held out the necklace-turned-anklet to Dante. "Mother thought it was tacky, so I couldn't wear it around my wrist where she might see it. But I knew it was important to keep it with me, even if wasn't the height of fashion. If there any any clues held in it, I hope wa can decipher them before anyone else is killed."

Geni descreatly placed the letter into her tiny handbag. It barely fit. The silly bag was more for looks than usefulness, but it kept the letter in question out of sight, and hopefully out of mind till Dante could speak with her later. Apparently Dante had [I]not[/I] missed her inadvertant broadcast. Geni wondered who else might have picked it up. Hopefully not anyone who would not just dismiss it as a strange dream. Not long afterwards, lunch was served. They were guided by thier hostess into a grand dining room with a huge oak table centered in it. The food spead out across it looked sumptious, more fitting a large gathering than a small visit. It was painfully obvious that Lady Eclair was extremely wealthy. The ate in relative silence, remarking on the weather and upcoming social events inbetween when the quiet got too profound. Once the meal was over, Eclair ushered them into the front parlor and motioned for them to seat themselves. "Now, describe this assassin to me." the Dutchess said. "Don't leave any detail out. Remember, I was not present when the attack occured. My servant, Darian, is emmensly observant. If this attacker is frequenting any shops near here or the waterfront, Darian is sure to see him -- or at least obtain information about him." Geni sighed. It was a good idea to set people out looking for the assailent, but somehow she knen instintively that he would not be found so easily. She let Dante go over the details of the man's features, since the lord got a much closer look at him than she did. "Oh!" she piped up as Dante was wrapping up his description. "The man had a White Chaple Cockney accent." "How can you be so specific?" Elcair asked her. "I had a nursemaid from White Chaple when I was young. Her accent was distinct and unforgettable." Geni smiled at the memory, but a small frown began to edge itself in as she realized that the memories she had always treasured might not be true after all. Perhaps her young life was total fabrication. That's what these flashes she kept experiencing was leading her to believe. It was all leaving her very befuddled.

Geni woke up in stages, as she always did. First, she thought that the bed was facing the wrong direction, the sun should be warming her toes, not caressing her left cheek. Then she decided that the covers were too coarse. She would never get used to natural fabrics. Before she completely returned to waking, another flash hit her. She was sitting on the edge of a small bed in what looked like an army barracks or a boarding school domitory. Identical small beds lined both sides of the room. She was pulling on a gray jumpsuit, sealing it by pulling up a small tab along a strip of metal teeth that interlocked. She ran a brush through her hair and braided it back in a long tail. She then pulled a silver-looking chain out from under the coverall. A small metal plate shined in the strange lights overhead. Geni could just see that it said "Psytech 0014 Jenni" on it. Sighing, she slipped on a pair of black shoes and strode from the room. "Duty calls." she muttered to herself. The hallway outside was busy, but not crowded. She walked past six or seven doorways, then placed her hand on a black plate next to another door. A light ran up and down the plate, then a strange and disembodied voice said "Jenni DeSul, acknowledged." Geni flippantly said "Thanks," like she always did, and entered the next room. The room was filled with strange machinery and glowing boxes filled with colored pictures. The air was stale, but not warm. She nodded or waved to others who were already seated before their own small glowing boxes with what looked like typewriters before them. Dante was there. So was Lady Elcair. They looked like themselves, but different in many aspects, just as Geni was sure she herself did. She sat down at her own desk, flipped a few switches, and her box -- no, it was called a screen -- sparked to life, and Geni got on with her assigned tasks for the day. This time Geni came awake all at once. She realized that in her half-awake befuddled state, she had broadcast her flash to any open mind within approximately two blocks of herself. She only knew of Dante, it was actually fairly rare for anyone to hear her mind unless she forced her way into theirs, but that did not mean that there were others out there. She blushed as she understood that whoever [I]had[/I] picked up the flash, got it completely uncensored, with all of her side thoughts and impressions as well. She could only hope that Dante had slept through it. [I]The only way to find out for certain would be to get up, get dressed, and see if he says anything about it.[/I] she decided. Determindly she got up and rang the bell for the maid in the next room. Geni knew she would need help dressing. The only clothes she had here was her ballgown. She did not look forward to squeezing herself into the corsets and ruffles, but she really didn't have a choice. Besides, she and Dante were supposed to meet the Dutchess for lunch, and that would only be an hour or two from now. [I]My mother really [B]is[/B] going to take my life when I [B]finally[/B] get home.[/I] she thought to herself as the maid entered.

"He needs your help. That's why I was sent." Xi Li pasued, gathering her thoughts. "I could recite the message word for word, or I could just give you the meat of it without all the courtly manners. Which would you prefer?" Kiyoshi smiled a bit at her bluntness. "Give me the heart of the matter. You can impress me with your memorization later if need be." "The Assassin Beast Clan is on the move. The ordinary soldiers of the Emperor's Army are being cut down like it was harvest in the fields. The Emperor requests -- in the way that only emperors can -- that you and your three collegues and any followers that you deem fit return to the capital and destroy the Beast Clan that so unworthily attacks his citizens. He also said he figured you might be a bit upset that you had been sent off in four different directions and banished, but he says it's all in the past. He's got nerve, our Emperor. Anyway, I am to act as your guide -- although I am sure you know the way -- and as your politcal hostage to ensure the good behavior of the Imperial Army, should the need arise." Xi Li took a deep breath, then flushed slightly, realizing that she had been rambling. "Why would you be a good hostage?" he asked her softly. "Because I am Yen Xi Li. My father is the general over all the Imperial Forces. He would not be pleased if I were to come to harm because of the actions of those under him." She had been used as such before this, but it still grated on her spirit that her father still did not believe she could take care of herself. "I am to persuade you every way I can to answer this summons, but before I start in on all that, I might as well just politely ask if you will please come to the capital with me because the Emperor needs you." she cocked her head slightly to the left in an unconsious manner. "What do you say, will you come?"

Dante escorted Geni away from the grisly scene. At a loss as to where to go, he guided her to his own townhouse. His valet answered the door, and the surprise he showed on his face after noticing the pale debutante that entered with his master fortunately went without comment. "There was an assassination attempt on this Lady's mother at Almack's tonight. She was so distraught that I offered my assistance. The Dutchess who was acting as her chaperone while the police and doctors cared for her mother could not stay with her, and so I had Lady Eclair Chamberlayn bring us here so the maids could look after her." Dante smoothly hid the lie in the truth. "Shaken as she is, I do not want her left alone." "Yes, Milord." his man said, then turned to go wake a maid to act as the girl's chaperone. Dante led Geni into the sitting room and offered her a padded chair. "My mother is going to behead me." Geni muttered as she gratefully sank into the chair. "Why would she do that?" Dante questioned. "Oh, well, " she stammered. She didn't think Dante had heard her. She must remember not to underestimate his hearing. "because I came to a man's house unescorted, among other things." "You heard what I told Richard. As far as anyone, save the Dutchess, knows, you have never been out of a respectable lady's sight till we reached my front door, and the servants can swear that I was compeletly circumspect once we crossed that threshold. Why do you think I spun that fib. Servants gossip, and this way they'll spread what we want them to." Geni looked at Dante, obviously impressed on how well he had thought out what he had told the valet. In fact, she initially had been surprised that he had offered any explaination to the servant at all. Now she realized that not saying anything would have set her reputation up for ruin without question. Dante was defiately more worldly wise than she was. She looked up at his face and began to speak when another memory flash hit her. It was Dante -- it was! She recognised his face. But he was in one of those gray jumpsuits with metal shining around them in a sterile looking environment. She could feel her own cheeks flushed red with anger and embarassment. Dante lightly rapped her on top of her head. "You need to think before you speak, idiot." he chided her. "I know, but those bigwigs think they can pull our strings like puppets just because they have all the cash. It drives me crazy!" she defended herself. "That doesn't mean you can call them evil names at the top of you lungs." he chuckled at the discomfort on her face. "Yeah, well the pay dock was worth it." she muttered back. "I feel better at least, and you were all thinking it -- I was just the only one with guts enough to say anything." "You've got me there, but I'm still getting all my pay. Come on. We'll get a cup of coffee and then get back to work." he shrugged, then led the way down the shiny hallway. Geni came back to herself with a start. Dante was sitting in a chair across from her and leaning forward so his face was only a foot or so away from her own. "Your eyes glassed over again. What did you remember this time?" he asked. Geni wasn't so sure she wanted to share this flash. It was more of a personal nature that those of the past, but it had to do with Dante, so she supposed that he had the right to know. She opened up her mind and shared the flash with him. His eyes glassed for a moment, then as he returned from the memory a slight smirk appeared. "Interesting." he said. What was interesting, he did not share with her. Before Geni could ask, a light knock came at the door. "Milord, Richard said that a young lady needed a room and chaperone." a middle aged woman opened the door slightly and bobbed a curtsey at the sight of them. "Yes, Willamina. Take Lady Genieve to a suitable room where she can sleep. Help her undress, then have a cup of camomile tea brought to her to soothe her shaken nerves. She has had a large fright tonight, so make sure she is never unattended." he ordered effortlessly. Then he turned to Geni. "I hope you rest well, Milady. I shall see you in the morning, I am sure. I will send Richard to your house with a note about your whereabouts as soon as it is light." he could tell that the young lady was exhausted. She thanked him for his kindness, then stepped up to the maid. He followed the two women as far as the base of the stairs, then turned and went to his own quarters, but not to sleep. He had a lot to think about.

"You would think someone the Emperor deems this important would be a little easier to track down." Xi Li muttered to herself. She had been searching for Kiyoshi Kozue for the past six days. Yesterday had been entirely wasted on a wild goose chase through a dark wood. It hadn't been pleasant. Even the bandits apparantly avoided that area. She had been warned that the man liked to keep to himself, but this was bordering on the rediculous. Finally, as the day neared it's end and Xi Li was beginning to look for a likely place to camp for the night, she came across two men walking down the path in companionable silence. One was quite tall, even from her perspective on horseback, and the other , slightly younger looking, had brown hair and an earcuff. Both were unusaual traits that were easy to take note of and remember in case the Emperor wanted her to report on every one she spoke to -- he had emphasised in her letter that she was to do her best to keep her target as serect as possible. "I beg your pardons, sirs." she spoke as she rode up to them. They both stopped and looked at her, but neither spoke. Disconcerted, she continued in her most polite tones. "I am looking for the man named Kiyoshi Kozue. He is supposed to be living somewhere in this area. Do either of you claim an aquaintence with him?" "Not many would claim such a thing." the taller one answered. "I have discovered that." she sighed. Another dead end. "What would you have with him?" the man with the earcuff asked. "I have a message that I need to deliver to him." Why ask if they didn't know him -- or did they and they just didn't want to tell her till they knew her business? The taller one looked a bit surprised. "Who would want to send Kiyoshi Kozue a message?" "The Emperor." Xi Li replied flippantly. She was growing tired of all this question and answer. The two men looked at one another, then they looked back at her. "Then follow. We will take you to him." The younger man said. "So you do know him." she brightened, but remained wary. They could just be thieves, but they were the best lead she'd had all day. "He said as much." said the other. These men were definatley not conversationalists. They both resumed walking down the path. Realizing she wasn't going to get anything more out of them till they got to where ever they were going, she resignedly signaled her horse to fall in behind them. Nearly an hour later the three of them approached a well tended building that was practically hidden in a large copse of trees. Ivy climbed up most of the walls, cleverly camoflaging the structure from all but the most observant. The light of dusk made it especially hard to see. Xi Li was almost to the front door before she could make out exactly what she was looking at. The two men ushered he inside after showing her to a small stable-like structure that she could leave her horse in. She could smell the perfume of many flowers nearby, but it was too dark to see them. She was in awe of how much the presance of nature filled the area, almost like it was, itself, a resident of the building. "Now, what is your message?" the older man requested. "I am to give it [B]only[/B] to Kiyoshi Kozue." she retorted. "You're looking a him." the shorted man smirked, gestureing at the other. Xi Li was too astonished to speak. She just stared at them both, slightly openmouthed. ___________________________________________________________ OCC: Hope this works and that I didn't step on anyone's creative toes! Smiles

One moment Geni and Dante were standing on the walkway not far from Almack's, and the next the scene around them was totally different. Stunned, Geni looked across her surroundings. Feeling more and more like a country cousin, she realized that she did not recognize this part of London at all -- especially not in pitch black darkness. "Milord, where are we?" Geni again had to fight to keep her breath. Who ever had invented her underclothing needed to be burned at the stake and sent to the ninth level of Hell. Gasping, she muttered, "Blast all corsets, anyway." Beginning to answer her question, Dante stopped, not sure he had heard her oath correctly. "I beg your pardon?" he asked. Geni blushed a furious red. Fortunately, it was dark enough she didn't think he could see it. "Nothing." she covered lamely. "Just having a few troubles breathing." "Uh-huh." was his only reply. Again, he began to tell her of their location when a host of sirens split the quiet of the night. "They are not far from here." he told the young lady. "Do you think it had anything to do with the assassin?" she asked him. "That is more sirens than a mere break-in or other small crime would warrant. We should investigate." He held his hand out to Geni. Hesitantly she place her hand in his. In a blink they were in a small alleyway just off a street that held a growing crowd. "Move allong now, mates. Nuthin to see 'round 'ere." the officers kept saying to the lingering crowds, almost like a cockney litany. No one was paying them any mind however. Dante kept a hold on Geni's hand as he wound through the people. She was doing her best to keep from attracting attention, but the truth was she was an obvious debutante in a ball gown being escorted by a young man in tails in an extremely low end of the London Metropolis. She stood out like a sore thumb. "Excuse me detective." Dante said as he reached the edge of what appeared to be a crime scene. Smokey flashes from a large camera filled her eyes with spots, and Geni was feeling more and more turned around as each minute ticked by. "I was bringing my sister home from our evening's engagement when we heard the ruckas. May we be of any assistance?" "Naw." the detective slurred. "This is just a killin' of a lady o' the evening. Nuthin' to worry your fancy heads 'bout. Funny though --" he continued, almost as if something were making him speak without realizing what he was saying. "several witnesses saw 'im and 'er go inta the alley, but when she screamed and they all come runnin' 'he just vanished. No one got a good look at 'im." Then the detective turned and walked away from them. "Lord Dante, the officer said the killer 'just vanished.' Just like the assassin at Almack's" Geni whispered intensely to him. "Yes. Seem to me that this is what he meant by something being 'on my head."' Dante mused. " I guess he had to kill someone, and if he coudn't get to his target, he would kill the first person who gave him the proper opportunity." "Milord," Geni said softly, "I'm scared."

Geni's eyes fluttered open as slightly familiar voices murmured around her. The first thing she noticed was the roof of a carriage. [I] Carriage? When did I get into a carriage? I was at the gala with mother -- Mother![/I] She sat bolt upright, then swayed and nearly fainted again from the rush of sitting up too quickly. "Sit back, dear. There's a good girl." the dutchess said soothingly as she moved across the carriage and sat down next to the young woman. She gently pushed Geni back against the plush cushions that lined the back of her private conveyance. The deb was pale, but she seemed to be regaining control of herself. "Is my mother all right? The last thing I recall is the attacker disappearing. Did he resurface, or is he truly gone?" she was proud that her voice only held a hint of a tremor. Her corset was making it very difficult to catch her breath, but there was no way on this green earth she was going to mention that in her present company. "She's fine, if shaken." Dante said. "The assassin, however, remains at large." "How did I get here? I thought . . ." "I brought you out here for some fresh air after you fainted. The Dutchess had returned and offered the accommodations of her carriage until you regained consiousness." Dante answered. "As the majority of the gathering witnessed your faint, there will be not question to your honor as to why you are out here with a single gentleman." "And I shall vouch as chaperone if necessary." Eclair chimed in. "That must have been a sight." Geni demurred, trying to find the humor in a bleak situation. "I can hardly imagine you carrying me out of the building with my skirts trailing in your way." "Yes." was all Dante would say. "Be that as it may," Eclair said, "but now, my dears, we need to decide what to do next."

OOC: Just so everyone knows, when the post is in all red, it's not Geni -- it's the person who wrote the Ripper Program talking. :flaming: [COLOR=Red]A delicate hand held the silver pocket watch gently as greys eyes watched the time pass by, only seconds until the apointed time. She lifted her eyes to the scene before her as she quietly closed the watch and hid it away. A thin smile spread across her face as she watched one of the galas attendants move forward quickly into the crowd. "Five... four... three... two.... one..." Her voice was soft as she spoke to only herself. "MOTHER! WATCH OUT!" The cry came from one of the Debutants. This happened at the very moment the man came within five feet of the Lady, he held a knife ready to pounce. "As expected..." She replied to herself as she spotted one of the young Lords step in a intercept the attacker. He caught the knife in his hand and held it firmly, then with his free hand deked the man sending him tothe floor with a split lip and a bloody nose. He unsheathed his sword, which had been hidden until this moment, and held it close to the mans throat. "Stand Down!" The Lord was called Dante and his voice boomed with justice as his eyes narrowed at the lady's attacker. She became board with the lack of dramatic climax and turned to leave the room silently and un-noticed, leaving a small envelope labled "J" on a table.[/COLOR] ___________________________________________________________ OOC: Geni's turn. The attacker looked up at Lord Dante and sniggered. "It's on your head then, bloke." With that, the man vanished. No puff of smoke, no mirrors. Just one minute he was there and the next he wasn't. Geni thought Dante looked as if he wanted to swear, long and loudly. She applauded his restraint that he didn't do it. The matrons and lady guests on the dias were in an uproar, twittering and squealing to each other about the frightening man with the knife. Their panic was obvious to anyone, and unimaginably painful to one who couldn't help but hear their minds frantically racing. Now Geni vividly remembered why she enjoyed living in the country rather than in the crush of the big city. Less thoughts pressing in on her, less emotions to filter out. She grew pale, and though she tried to cross up to her mother, the crowds made it impossible. Everyone was scrambling to know what, exactly, had just happened. After all the dancing, all the flashbacks, all the sudden fear, and all the use of her power, Geni's body couldn't hold up any longer. Gracefully, and without any fanfare, she fainted.

The hours seem to drag on and on for Geni. She caught glimpses of other blue auras at the party, but she never had a spare moment to catch her breath, let alone seek the individuals out. She had danced with fools and fops, ancient wraiths and anxious money grabbers, men old enough to be her grandfather and men without a shed of decency. The evening was only half over, and it seemed far over-long to the deb. Suddenly, Geni found herself at the end of a dance with no new partner waiting for her. Her mother came bustling up, puffing at the exertion of quickly crossing the warm room. "Lord Longly's mother passed away this morning, so the Matrons have excused him in good standing from the ball. but there was not enough time to change the dance cards." she gasped at her daughter. "I grieve for his loss." Geni replied diplomatically. " I suppose I shall just sit down and wait for the next dance then." "You most certainly will not!." Her mother was indignant. "People will mistake you for a wallflower. You must move slowly across the room, looking a little lost, and hopefully a gallant gentleman will see your plight and ask you to dance." "Yes mother." she bobbed obediently. [I]How on earth does one 'look a little lost' on purpose?[/I] she wondered. She dutifully headed across the room, searching, without trying to look like she was searching, for another dance partner. "Your mother sent you searching, did she not?" a low voice murmured from directly over her left shoulder. Geni gave a small meep of surprise, then turned to see Lord Dante standing behind her. "Well since I still have things I need to discuss with you, I shall stand in for whichever knight in shining armor you were looking for." "I wasn't looking for anyone, really." she defended herself softly. Dante smirked and swept her onto the floor in time with the fast-paced polka. Geni was certain that whoever had invented this dance must never had worn a corset, but Dante moved as fluidly as if he were merely strolling rather than swiftly spinning across the large room. She envied him his obvious grace. "My mother is going to claim to everyone that you are showing a preferance for me. You know that, don't you?" "If it means I don't have to dance with another feather head, then yes, I prefer you." he retorted. Geni had to agree with him. The other seven debs acted as if they had never born the burden of an original thought ever in their short lives. "Where is your despotic mother, anyway?" The expression he worn indecatied that he wanted to know so that he might avoid another encounter with the lady. "She's over there," Geni pointed. "By the matrons on the dias." They both glanced the direction she had indecated. Before thier eyes the stern matron sitting next to her mother lit up with an intense red aura. It nearly blinded Geni with it's brightness. "Red . . . she's red." Geni stammered. Then she was slammed with another flash. The same old man as before, looking even more harried and worn. He was speaking, saying something imprortant. She strained to hear him. "Red for blood." she could barely make it out. "Red so you don't forget. Red light so the red blood won't be spilled. You MUST protect the red, or they will die." Geni snapped back to herself as her knees gave way beneath her. Lord Dante managed to catch her before anyone noticed her miss-step. "What did you see?" he hissed urgently as he moved her toward an open seat. "What is the red?" "Milord, the Lady must be gotten away from here now! She's being targeted to die, and it will happen in mere moments." Geni was beginning to tremble. She could not remember ever being as frightened of her own mind as she was right now. "How can you be so certain?" he demanded. Instead of wasting time in explaination, she again threw her vision into his mind. He blinked but showed no other sign of upset at her fourth invasion of his mind this night. "I don't even know who or how or even what form the attack will take. Only that it will be any moment now, and it will be on that dias and focused on the one with the blood red aura." she elaborated as she gratefully sat down. "I know that." he reminded her. "Blast!" Lord Dante fixed his eyes on the dias behind Geni, his hand straying below his light cloak. "I knew nothing good would come of this night."

"Milord, I think you are quite correct. We do need to find others who also see and possess these strange auras. Unfortunately, we have a considerable lack of information. Other than some type of death, what do these colors mean, and why can everyone not see them, but only a select few?" Geni echoed the unease she felt from the lord. She couldn't help but feel that she was in over her head. "Now, there is no need to get flustered." the dutchess said, soothingly. "I am sure that if we all put our heads together and share what information we can remember from these possible 'other lives' something is bound to surface. At the words 'other lives', Geni experienced another flash: A man, old and worn looking, pointing at a box that held pictures and graphs and glowed eerily. He seemed very sad about something, but the feeling of excitement nearly overwhelmed Geni. The old man was in a gray coverall. It had an emblem with the letters HRV over the breast pocket. Then it was over and she returned to herself. Surprisingly, Geni picked up that Lord Dante was also experiencing a similar flash, but Lady Eclair was simply smiling serenely at them. [COLOR=Green]:You know, don't you.:[/COLOR] she sent into the lord's mind. [COLOR=Green]:You remember the people in gray, too.:[/COLOR] "Yes, but . . ." Dante stopped, and gave her the same intense stare as he had the last time she had slipped up and spoken mind to mind with him. What was wrong with her tonight? She hadn't used her powers in years, and now she'd mistakenly used them twice on the same person in a matter of minutes. "I - I am terribly sorry --" before Geni could finish her apology she was interrupted by a shrill voice. "Genieve! Gads, girl. What madness brings you away from the gala." Geni turned, and faced her mother, who was dressed to the nines with lace and ribbons, trying to look decades younger than she was. Trying and failing at the attempt. "I am truely sorry if I worried you, Mother. You see," Geni madly tried to think of a reason for her to be out on the veranda with the lord and dutchess. "The excitement was so much for me that during the waltz I became faint. Lord Dante was gracious enough to end our dance early and bring me out here for some air. The sweet dutchess came out with us as chaperone." Concern crossed her mother's powdered face. Geni hated lying to her, but she would never believe the truth. "I would hate to have to leave early at your coming out gala." Mother simpered. "No, mother, that will not be needed. The clear night air has quite refreshed me." "Then we had better return to the ballroom. The waltz has ended and your next partner is awaiting you. Come," she gestured into the room with a shoo-ing motion. "Do not dally." "Yes, Mother." Geni turned and curtsied to Lady Eclair and Lord Dante. As she raised her head her eyes met the lord's. [COLOR=Green]:You must know. You must see what I have seen.: [/COLOR] With that she sent him all the flash images that she had 'remembered' this night, from when she had been presented as well as just a few moments ago, into his mind. He reeled just slightly, but had no other reaction. "You both must come visit us at our home so I might repay the courtesies you have shown my daughter this night." she said to the two who had accompanied the girl. "Yes, please do." Geni whispered intently. Then she was swept back inside by her insistant mother to find her next dance partner before any offence might be given.