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Post by Anwen on Oct 26, 2011 20:24:58 GMT -8
Litonya walked down the steps into the street. She involuntarily began to walk towards the Subterrean part of town. Leaving work early again, she thought. How long till I'm discarded altogether? She sighed and went on her way, walking past a few houses and over a bridge.
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Post by lordenthia on Oct 27, 2011 13:12:04 GMT -8
Enthia stared suspiciously at the black and white keyboard. How can such an innocent thing cause so much frustration? thought Enthia. Perhaps I should go on a walk before completing this waltz. This song was for a special occasion. The birthday of one of the poor Subbie kids. Enthia walked outside.
The cool, October air hit him like a freight train. This wasn't the first time Enthia wished for a coat. It probably wouldn't be the last either. He walked quickly along, passing by ratty shacks that were sad excuses for hovels. Enthia didn't know whether to blame all this poverty on the Royales or Neobolsheviks. Neither were kind to the Subterreans.
As he was coming to the bridge, he saw a small figure in the distance, staring into the river. It was the same girl* he saw every day coming over the bridge. At first, Enthia wanted to follow his usual practice and ignore the girl, however, something was telling him to speak to her. He walked over to her.
"Hello, my name is Enthia. I see you walking around here everyday. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"
*Litonya
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Post by Anwen on Oct 27, 2011 17:09:19 GMT -8
Lita was startled! No one ever spoke to her on her walks! She regained her composure and and answered Enthia's question, smiling hesitantly. "I'm pleased to meet you Enthia. My name is Litonya, but you can call me Lita." She held out her hand to shake.
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Post by lordenthia on Oct 28, 2011 4:03:48 GMT -8
Enthia smiled and shook the hand. He was starting to think that he should talk to people he didn't more often. He couldn't remember the last time he had shaken someone's hand. He noticed that Litonya looked and smelt noticeably cleaner than most other Subterreans. As not to look like he was staring impolitely, he looked at the river and sighed.
"Isn't it unfortunate that this river, once a symbol of might and beauty, has now become a slow-moving, polluted stream of filth? To add to that, you can't even draw water from it any more since the Neobolsheviks dumped gallons of Clorox into it! You know, my grandfather used to tell me what it looked like back in the 2200's. He said that there were trees on the edges, and little pathways where you could walk."
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Post by Kabitha on Oct 28, 2011 5:37:18 GMT -8
Rab walked quickly, his head down in the wind. It was times like these that he wished he hadn't lost his sport coat. He glanced up and saw that he was approching a bridge. Well, he thought. I might as well find somewhere to sleep over on the other side. He sighed. No one had invited him over to spend the night.... Not that he blamed them. The Subterreans are so poor.... Poor people. The bridge creaked under Rab as he stepped on. He shivered and walked faster, wanting to get the other side fast. He glanced up to see how far he was and saw a back right in front of him. Rab tried to stop but couldn't and rammed right into the back of the tall man, falling to the ground.
-----------------------
"Thy!"
"What Cy?" Thyatira turned toward the tall, thin boy who was laughing like a maniac. She stared at him, puzzled.
"Thy.... you know that..... boy we met..... in the alley that..... one day?" His statement was punctured by laughter. Thy stood silent thinking. Suddenly she grinned.
"You mean that totally ignorant Royale do-good?"
Cy laughed. "Yup, him.... Well he was walking on the bridge and he just ran into two people talking!" He began to crack up again.
Thyatira laughed. "Sounds exactly like him...." She shook her head, now smirking, remembering the time they had met him.
~She and Cyrus were looking for shoe's for him. At least Thy was looking. Cy was mainly going along for the ride..... and looking for a Royale to pickpocket. They had gone down the alley where Thyatira had found him a pair of shoes last time when a dirty boy suddenly stood up, the boxes piled on top of him tumbling off. He looked surprised to see them. "Hello," he said. "I'm Rab..... Who are you guys?"
Thy glared at him. "I'm don't go around telling my name to Royale boys, even if they have been living on the streets for 5 months."
Rab blushed. Cyrus grinned. "I....." Rab stopped. "How did you know that?" he finally blurted out. \
Thy smirked while Cy bit his tongue to keep from laughing. "Doesn't matter." she said. With that they left. Cyrus laughing as soon as he left the alley.~
"Well?"
Thy looked at Cyrus blinking. "Well what?"
"Don't you want to get closer to see what they say to him?"
"Nah.... You go ahead."
Cy grinned and ran off toward the other bridge.
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Post by Anwen on Oct 28, 2011 11:00:05 GMT -8
Lita looked at the brown sluggish liquid that was once a river. "This is not a river anymore. It is simply a mess. When I picture a river, I think of the kind mentioned in old poetry, or pictured in an old painting in my employer's dining room. When I hear recordings of an old-time brook, I feel like singing along."
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Post by lordenthia on Oct 28, 2011 12:43:50 GMT -8
(Ok I will resolve this issue lol)
Enthia paced around to Litonya's back and looked down at the sluggishly moving muddy water making its way down. He faced Litonya again, and was about to remark on how beautiful a song would be about a real river when he felt a thud on his back and an "oof". Instinctively, he pulled out his switchblade knife and pounced on the person he saw on the ground behind him.
"Who sent you here, boy? Answer me!"
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Post by Misty on Oct 28, 2011 12:47:13 GMT -8
Analise grabbed an order slip from off the counter. "Eight minutes," she informed the cooks, though she was sure they weren't even paying attention enough to care about how fast they were cooking everything. They were working as fast as they could. Analise scanned the list and glanced across the counter where the plates of steaming food were lined up. She swiftly picked out the dishes holding the correct food and called, "I need a runner t' fourty five!" There were servers buzzing around her, some making drinks, some following others out with food, others dumping dishes off at the bussing station. It was so loud with the frying and the dishes clinking and the washer running. She had to strain to yell loud enough to be heard above the noise. "I need a-Jacques!" She stopped her brother who was rushing passed with a glass of water. "I need a runner!"
"But I-where to?!"
"Fourty five," she answered.
"Ugh, fine!"
"Smiles," Analise prodded him as he set down the glass of water, picked up a plate, stacked the other three up his line, grabbed the water, and hurried on.
The cooks shoved another receipt out onto the counter, Analise grabbed it, scanning the list to search out the next set of order. "Five minutes!"
It was busier than it had been in a long time, and most of the afternoon crew wasn't used to working like this. Whereas they usually were able to cruise through work at a liesurely pace with no more than four tables each to take care of, tonight they were having to run around in a chaotic mess, unable to keep track of their own tables, unable to keep their orders straight, and unable to sort priorities. The only one who had worked there long enough to know how to handle a rush was Maggie, and she was freaking out with the lack of skilled servers that night. They had had to call her in just to come try to help straighten out the mess, but all it appeared to be doing was stressing her out. Everything involved with the customer service was being dumped on her shoulders because Isaac, the manager, was in the back helping the cooks out.
"I need a runner to thirty two!"
"Ay, mama!" Maggie exclaimed as she rushed up beside Analise and began grabbing up the plates. "You should be out there, mama; they don' know what they doin' an' I can't cover for 'em all!"
"They don' know the menu well enough t' know what food is what," Analise replied. "Ain't nobody here's fast enough t' expo 'cept you an' me." Not even Jacques; they both knew he was too new. Everyone was new, even her, but she had picked up on it well enough, and she'd been here for a month. It was just easiest to get the food ready and send them out to the tables. At least they could figure out which number was what table well enough.
"Oh, mama," Maggie murmured as she turned to rush the food out.
"Thirty two, mama," Analise called after her. Then she grabbed the next receipt. "Seven minutes!" It was going to be a long afternoon...
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Post by Anwen on Oct 28, 2011 16:02:05 GMT -8
(Thanks lordenthia!)
Lita was surprised by Enthia's quick reflexes. She sighed as she saw a boy in what seemed to once have been high quality clothing. "Enthia, he wasn't necessarily sent by someone."
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Post by lordenthia on Oct 29, 2011 3:30:23 GMT -8
Enthia looked at the boy's scared face, and then at his clothing. He nearly came out with a burst of laughter! This was a Royale kid! Enthia stood up and started to chuckle.
"Get up," he said.
Enthia looked over at Litonya and said, "You never know who is a Bolshevik these days." He flipped his knife blade back into the closed position.
"What is a rich boy like you doing in this side of town, eh?"
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Post by Kabitha on Oct 29, 2011 4:30:10 GMT -8
(haha sorry about that. I actually just meant that Rab was walking from where Enthia was coming from, but it doesn't matter)
Rab scrambled to his feet. "I.... uh..... ran away from home," he said, trying not to look embaressed. "The Royales are too frivolous. And no one sent me." There was a pause. "My names Rab," he finally blurted out. "Who are you guys?"
-------
Cyrus bit his tongue to keep from laughing when the tall man jumped on Rab with the switchblade. "I can't wait to tell Thy," he said under his breath. "Finally this guy is being shown that life on the streets is nothing like he's used too!" He peered back up through the rail of the bridge.
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Post by Misty on Oct 29, 2011 7:20:43 GMT -8
Later...
Analise made her last round amongst the tables. The restaurant was considerably much more empty than it had been a few hours before at the abnormal lunch rush. She held packets of three different kinds of sugar in her fists, inserting them in the caddies that were lacking. Shoving the last few into the caddy on the last table, she turned back around and strolled towards her table.
"Here you go, hun," she said as she came up on her last turning table and slipped the book with their receipt and credit card in front of them. She and her fellow waittresses were the masters of pet names. It made the customers feel as if they were more important, Analise supposed, and it made them happier. So that's what she did.
"Thank you, darlin'," the man replied as he pulled his arm free from around the woman's shoulders and picked up the book.
"Of course," she said warmly. Leave them with a good note and they might just come back and request her again.
Analise picked up their glasses, dropped them off for the busser, pulled a rag out of the sanitizer bucket to sweep it along the counter seperating the galley from the rest of the kitchen where the cooking actually went on, tossed it back into the bucket of sanitizer at the other end, and stopped by the soda machine, making to drinks to go.
"Hey!"
Analise looked back at the cooks. Pablo was looking at her, spatula in hand as he paused in the middle of flipping whatever he was cooking. "Yes..?"
"G'bye!"
She laughed. "Adios." She didn't know much Spanish herself, though she used what little she knew. He didn't know much English either, and what he did know was tinted with a very strong accent; sometimes she had to think for a moment to figure out what word he was trying to say.
Analise left the kitchen, finding Jacques at the front counter at the front of the restaurant, and nudged him with her fist as she came up behind him as he rolled a last set of knife, spoon, and fork up in the center of a napkin. She began picking up rolls from the untabbed pile, wrapping the piece of paper around them, and stacking them in the bucket. She was faster than him, so they should be done in no time.
"You about ready, handsome?" She asked.
"Been ready for two hours," he answered as he tabbed a roll of silverware and didn't bother to look at her. His eyes were sullen with burnt out stress and his face was expressionless with weariness.
"You two look good to go," Isaac said, coming up beside them, a pad of paper and a pen in hand. His check list. The head boss would be in in the mornign as usual, and Isaac always wanted to make sure eveything would be prepared for her inspection. "You go do your drop; I'll finish this."
Analise thanked him with a smile; sometimes her manager was the most amazing manager in the world. It did depend strongly on which manager she was stuck with. Isaac typically always made them stay longer than they were actually supposed to, but at least he was nice and willing to help them out. She took Jacques over to the computers and helped him insert his drop and everything. Then he was able to count out how much he owed himself. Everything else was his in tips. He handed it to Isaac, and Isaac counted everything to make sure it was right.
"Thank you for staying to help," he said, "See you later."
Analise and Jacques folded their aprons the way Maggie had shown Analise and Analise had later shown Jacques: top down, side in, other side in, roll, wrap, and tie with the apron strings. They untucked and unbuttoned their white shirt to reveal the dark clothes underneath and look a little less dressed up. Analise wrapped her arms around her folded apron while Jacques tucked his under his arm, and then they ventured out into the street to head home.
"Whoa!" Jacques put his arm out, and Analise smacked into it before she could stop, her teeth banging into her lip and making it sting enough to start feeling numb. She looked at what had stopped him. The bridge. The people. There were three on the bridge itself. Anyone who tried to go through would have to squeeze past them. And turn their back at one point. "We're going around," he decided.
"That adds ten minutes till we get home," Analise argued, knowing there was no alternative. He was right. If they were a gang, it would be ridiculous to get closer than this to them with aprons holding around two hundred dollars.
"I'm the man," Jacques said. "And I say we're goin' around."
"We're goin' around," Analise agreed with a grin, "But we're goin' because I'm the oldest, an' I say we are."
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Post by Anwen on Oct 29, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -8
"I'm Lita and this is Enthia. Nice to meet you!" Lita's gaze wandered around the street and saw a boy avidly watching their conversation. She looked him in the eyes for a moment and turned back to Rab. "Do you know that fellow?" She said, nodding her head in the other boy's direction.
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Post by Kabitha on Oct 29, 2011 12:15:56 GMT -8
Rab looked over Lita's head. "Nice to meet you guys too..... and no, never seen him before. You don't seem to know him, but do you?" he said turning to Enthia.
------
Thy scrambled up the side of the bridge she and Cy had been under and jumped over the rail. She turned back toward the other bridge where Cyrus had run off too. Rab was talking to the other two people now and two more people were standing at the end of the bridge watching them. But Cyrus was no where to be seen. "Cy where are you...." Thy muttered. Then she sighed and shrugged. "Don't matter anyway." Pulling her coat more firmly around her, she set off in the opposite direction from where the people are. She needed to head over to the market before it closed and all the people left. That was the best time to steal food. Thy stepped off the bridge and looked behind her again. Everyone was still were they where before. "Oh whatever....." she muttered, and headed off.
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Post by lordenthia on Oct 31, 2011 3:28:23 GMT -8
Enthia looked over at the two scruffy tramp looking kids.
"From they way they were dressed I think you would know them better than us."
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Hwin
Junior Representative
Posts: 129
I'm Listening To: People Help the People // by Birdy
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Post by Hwin on Nov 1, 2011 18:27:51 GMT -8
(So I guess I'll go on...)
Tucker swiftly walked down the mud brown walk. It had been a long day, trying to find odd jobs here and there. In the end only ending up with a few bucks. Suddenly, voices interrupted his thoughts and in no time he saw some people. In the middle of the path stood a guy and a girl and a little further up, on the bridge, few more people roamed around talking. He let out a long tired sigh. Tucker had been hoping to get back to his temporary home in an ally as quick as possible...now he might have to go around the long way, just to get by this group of strangers. As he sat there, wondering what to do next, he realized they would see him anyway, so made up his mind to go straight through. "So what? They can't be that bad", he muttered to himself. Getting up, he turned his hat off to the side and began stridding towards the old brige, tightening his knuckels as he went.
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Post by Kabitha on Nov 2, 2011 5:48:02 GMT -8
Cyrus grow bored at the groups talking. Looks like no more switchblade jumping, he thought. He wrinkled his nose and crawled under the bridge. Guess I'll go find some Royale to pickpocket.... And then I guess I'll find Thy.
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Thyatira walked through the market, hands shoved into her pockets. Her sharp green eyes watched closely the market sellers. When one was yelling at other she snuck a apple into her pocket, and then headed to the market edge. Once she reached it, she climbed on the surrounding wall and sunk her teeth into the apple.
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Post by Misty on Nov 2, 2011 16:11:19 GMT -8
Analise followed Jacques along the uneven, cracked sidewalk and skipped ahead a few steps to catch up with him and his long strides. The breeze tugged at her dark brown hair, causing bangs to dance across her forhead, covering her hazel eyes. She pushed it back behind her ear just to have the breeze pull it free again. There was no taming her hair, Analise knew, it had a mind of it's own when it mingled with the wind.
A person was coming towards them from the opposite direction, a homeless looking man with a scruffy face and patched clothes, a typical steet-side beggar. She could tell he had some pride in him though because, though his clothes were poor, he kept them clean and nice.
Analise fell back and slipped over behind Jacques to let him pass. She watched him carefully as he did so, nerves on edge. But he continued walking without any trouble. She knew he'd given her no cause to be suspicious, other than the fact that he was an obvious beggar, but it never hurt to be too careful.
"Hey!" A voice snagged both Analise and Jacques attention. "If it ithn't the pretty little therving girl."
Oh no... Analise recognized that slurred voice with its noteable lisp. There was the man with his three two buddies smoking as they leaned against a building wall, each grabbing a bottle by the neck. They had wanted her to serve them, and one of the new servers had sat them in her section, thankful, she bet, to not have to deal with them herself. But all they wanted was some fun and entertainment with her, and they never left her much of a tip for all her troubles. So, at her request, Jacques had taken care of them for her.
"Why don't you mess with someone who would return the favor," Jacques replied. "Crud bag," he muttered under his breath.
"It'th okay, boyth," the guy said, putting his hand out to still his two companions. The lisp was aweful; she didn't know why he didn't talk less to hide that thing. "She doethn't wanna play right now. And we'll thee you," he nodded at Jacques, "later."
"What?" Analise scurried up beside Jacques. "What does he mean 'they'll thee you later?'"
"Nothing."
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Eya
Mail Room Clerk
Posts: 8
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Post by Eya on Nov 2, 2011 22:21:36 GMT -8
((OFF TOPIC: I know TBC = To be continued, but am I allowed to enter Zylle in now? If I am... Then....))
Zylle wakes up. She stares at a tear-streaked face which muddily reflects from a puddle. It's her own. She stands up from her curled sitting position and gazes at her shopping cart.
Huge violet pack that takes up half the cart standing, check! Twenty-seven books, check! Sleeping bag and pillow, right there! Ice box half-full of food and supplies... And the synthesizer... Noooo!!!!! Zy rushes to the cart and searches all around the dead-end alley. She wipes her eyes at her sleeve when she spots it right beside where she had sat. Zy-Fire was actually crying! I had no idea that I was that attached to this! Ah yes, I jumping electricity from my home--no, scratch that, HOUSE--and playing around with it before I fell asleep.
After packing away the synthesizer (legs folded and stowed away underneath the cart), she fishes a washcloth out of her pack and dips it in the moderately clean rainwater she stored in her ice box. Zylle rubs it on her face and arms; the icy-cold refreshing her, mentally and physically. Wringing and hanging the cloth over the side, she wheels her cart out of the alley, sure that she left nothing behind.
Zy pokes her around corner and into the street. She faces left and sees her house... her home. Boarded up and empty. One window was smashed right through, that's where Zylle broke in to get what she needed. It gapes like an open mouth, begging for its inhabitants to come home... Her parents were both torn away. Zylle wrenches her eyes away as she feels them turning glassy. Be sensible! God will take care of you and I bet whatever you have left that they are alright. For now, stay alert and sharp! As mam has said, the streets are a harsh place for the likes of you! Her eyes narrowing, she tries to remember what was advised to her about the outdoors. Nothing! She had been too sheltered. Zy gives up and turns her head to the right. Best go away from home and stay alert than stay but too much in danger. She spies a bridge farther down with three people on it and a few more hanging around. Deciding to get closer and listen if whether they were friendly folk, Zy-Fire ran right and jumps on the cart. She lets it free-wheel.... the wind whips at her hair and pulls it back. She closes her eyes and smiles, an awkward one for she hasn't smiled for a long time. For now, Zylle's content.
All too soon, Zylle reached the bridge. She ducks and steers her cart to the side and parks it there. She presses herself against the bridge in a half-crouch, peering up at whoever's at the bridge. Zylle suddenly senses movement at the cart. A grimy hand is rifling through it! Shrieking, Zy-Fire rushes towards the cart with her fists flying....
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Post by Kabitha on Nov 3, 2011 3:58:05 GMT -8
Cyrus headed for the market, knowing that some Royales went there. He looked back over his shoulder at the bridge. Still no switchblade jumping. Suddenly he saw a girl with weird sticking up hair riding on a shopping cart headed for the bridge. Cy couldn't help but laugh and headed off toward the market, still laughing.
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Hwin
Junior Representative
Posts: 129
I'm Listening To: People Help the People // by Birdy
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Post by Hwin on Nov 3, 2011 6:01:45 GMT -8
The moment the two up ahead turned around and passed him, Tucker knew he must look a mess. The girl had practilly hidden behind the guy...maybe her brother. Normally he washed in the morning and evening, but what he had todo in order to earn money was pretty dirty work. This didn't faze him much though, maybe the others up ahead might feel the same and let him through with ease.
(Misty -- Tucker normally keeps himself and his clothes clean, helps when getting odd jobs and such... (: )
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Post by Misty on Nov 3, 2011 6:53:26 GMT -8
(Ohp, sorry, didn't realize that was him hehe)
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Post by Anwen on Nov 4, 2011 11:11:00 GMT -8
Lita looked around. "It seems as though the streets have suddenly gotten very crowded..." She was suddenly feeling a bit nervous. She knew (a) that she looked and smelled as clean and well-dressed as a lower level Royale. (b) That Subterreans dislike Royales. and (c) She was surrounded by Subterreans who didn't know her.
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Eya
Mail Room Clerk
Posts: 8
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Post by Eya on Nov 4, 2011 23:56:49 GMT -8
((Surprising no one else heard her scream...))
Zylle found herself face to face with a ruffian. Snarling, she remarked, "Excuse me?" The scamp grinned and ran off, with Zylle at his heels. After she ran a little ways, she skidded to a stop. I mustn't leave my cart alone! Sure enough, as Zy trotted back, there were a few shrouded figures surrounding her stuff. The beings dispersed upon seeing her turn. "Luckily", nothing was lost. Zy-fire wheeled her shopping cart out to the open. Much safer than the shadows I bet.
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Post by Kabitha on Nov 7, 2011 6:47:12 GMT -8
Rab nodded, watching the girl and her brother leave. "Well I best be going..... I need to find somewhere to sleep." He smiled. "Great meeting you and I hope I'll see you guys soon!"
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(I fully expect this to not be replied to until at least a month from now) 