Description: Two soldiers under different commanders. Varying views with similar pasts. Which one is right and which one is following blindly?
After a week such as the past one a more quiet week can be acceptable to most. To someone like Leona Heidern it is usually something she is not a great fan of. She was mostly told to take some time to rest by Heidern himself after the beating she took from Eiji before her scheduled match and then getting caught in one of Rolento's blasts a few days later during one of Duck's events. Perhaps she was acting a bit irrational when using explosives in the small wine cellar that Rolento and her commander were fighting in, but the beef she has with Rolento has grown steadily since she found out that Eiji is working with him as well.
It seems Rolento has been rather quiet at least as of late. He had shown up in Germany for Saturday Night Fight, but otherwise she hasn't heard much of a peep about him causing problems. Not like she can act on anything just yet. She still has a few days to rest up and then she might finally get her chance at the militant. With a bit of a grump the mercenary stalks forward through the sidewalks of Southtown. If anything the cool air at least helps make her feel more calm than she has felt the past few days.
Enter.../The Arab./
If Nassir had his way, he wouldn't be here. He'd be somewhere else entirely, doing something of merit with the rest of the squad. Maybe he'd be doing drills with Dimitri, or maybe he'd be making a report to El Gado or Holly Wood or just spending time with squadmates. Heck, he'd even find it acceptable to be in the Justice High dorms, or even atop one of the buildings here.
Somewhere down deep, Nassir knew that just wouldn't fly. No, he had to be here...and now.
Dressed in the sharp uniform of Justice High as opposed to his fatigues, Nassir did his best to calm his nerves and appear casual. If he -appeared- casual, the logic went, he would -be- casual. Making the uniform unique was a black duffle bag slung over his shoulder--audibly clanging with each booted step against the pavement.
How long had he been following? Likely not long at all, at least not like this. He would've been forced to play it straight, as he couldn't really afford to be caught stalking before the meeting. It wouldn't help -diplomacy-, really. Slowing to a halt a decent distance behind her on the pavement, Nassir's attempt at diplomacy begins.
"Blue-haired woman," comes the greeting, tenorous voice still dripping with generic middle-eastern accent. "I have come to speak with you."
Did she know she was being followed? It is hard to tell since she really shows no surprise as well as no smugness that one might show before claiming they knew Nassir had been following them all along. Instead he finds the intense gaze of the young woman staring him down after she turns about to face him. The uniform is something she is familiar with. Afterall she had to deal with the likes of Hyo and Horatio in the past and the look of Justice High is unique enough to never leave the mind of someone who tries to keep attention to details.
"I don't believe I know you." she says after what might be considered a look over, though her stance never changed and her eyes only moved to look downwards for a brief moment before locking eye to eye with the arab again. "Apparently you know me, but not well enough to know my name. What do you want?" she asks. To be honest she is slightly curious, but also cautious at the same time. A trained person can tell that she is less relaxed that she was a few moments ago almost as if she was a cat preparing to pounce.
"I am not much to fame." Nassir's voice draws off, eyes busily searching for a sign of rank...and evidently finding none. Nassir's shoulders drop slightly, frustration betraying him before careful neutrality is resumed. "At least, not to the level you have attained. I am familiar with the body of work you have put together. In general, you are efficient...if on the conservative side during televised fights."
Nassir's boot rises slightly, body leaning into the first of three steps forward. "I do not wish to delay your arrival to your chosen destination. If you wish it, we can continue to walk while talking. What I have to discuss with you should not take long, but I understand that yours in not a profession to tolerate a less-than-punctuality." Awkward phrasing aside, Nassir does his best to at least seem unoffensive...which is to say, he probably still looks ready to go at any moment.
Each movement seems to be carefully observed just as much as every word is taken in and mulled over. She is still unsure of who this man might be, but he really doesn't seem to be someone that would be working for Hyo or Justice High in general. Her brow furrows ever so slightly and even as she turns there seems to be a bit of movement that gives away that she is not letting her guard down. There is no reason to do so when a mysterious person like this comes seeking information.
Yet she starts to move forward once again, her footfalls coming in sync with the young man's walk as she falls in line beside him. "And who am I speaking with? You certainly seemed to have studied enough to know that this is a risky move you are making." she murmurs in a more hushed tone so only the likes of both she and Nassir can hear. This is Southtown afterall and who knows what might be hiding in the shadows listening or ready to attack
Working for Justice? No, Nassir was about as unlikely a candidate for that as any. The fact that he was even able to attend Justice seemed suspect, though that didn't stop him from entering in regardless. "I am aware that there is some risk," Nassir explains. "I know that there is a certain risk about you in general, for you have a great many enemies who would prefer to see you crippled or dead." Seemingly comfortable with the pace the pair were moving at, Nassir shifted the duffle bag so that it faced away from Leona.
"I can only hope that I do not adopt your enemies by association, then. I am willing to trust in my abilities to some degree, but I am aware of the fact that there are a great many people of greater skill than I, including you." Nassir forces a smile onto his face at that, making a half-hearted attempt at seeming friendly oncemore. More awkwardness results though, like he's got to actively remind himself to do these small humanizing and/or endearing things.
If anything the familiarity of dealing with someone that seems just as awkward about showing emotion might make things a bit easier to handle for Leona if not for Nassir as well. She only looks towards him briefly at that last comment and there is a slight shrug of her shoulders before her attention returns to the path ahead of her. "Doesn't everyone have enemies? I suppose being a mercenary does make you a larger target at times." she admits as she gracefully turns on her heel to take a turn down another of the streets.
There is that long awkward silence once again. A moment where the mercenary is unsure if she should say something else in response to the man walking alongside of her. If anything she does finally manage to find the words and then turns to look towards Nassir with a bit of a curious look on a usually emotionless face. "So I suppose the question is. If you aren't here to kill or cripple what is it that you are here for?"
"Did you expect me to attempt to kill or cripple you?"
The question is posed with some degree of curiousity to it, and the smile becomes more of a smirk. At least that's a bit more of a genuine expression on the youth, though, and may do more to reveal his true personality in that aspect.
"I can assure you, that with no duplicity I have no interest in even attempting."
The smirk fades at that, Nassir's face and demeanor taking on a more businesslike edge. "I am seeking to know what the relationship is between yourself, your mercenary unit, and Rolento Schugerg."
And so, the cards are laid out, face up on the table.
Often the shifts of emotion on the Ikari woman are very minute and hard to see to someone that isn't one of her fellow Ikari or someone that has spent their life working as a weapon of either a war or cause. That is why when the name of Rolento is mentioned Nassir can notice a distinct change in the woman's demeanor. If she was indifferent before then she is outright close to reaching out for the man beside her right now. "And who are you to ask such a thing?" she says her voice taking on a somewhat angry tone. It isn't often she lets her emotions get the better of her, but it does seem the right buttons were pressed.
Despite the fact she doesn't seem pleased about the subject she does offer just a slight answer to the inquiry. "Heidern and Rolento served together in the United States army. I suppose you can say that Rolento has always been jealous of the Ikari and wishes to build a mercenary unit to rival us." she says though her attention is strickly on Nassir and nothing else at this point. If she was ready to strike before then she is doing her best to hold back at this point. "Jealousy has apparently driven Rolento to madness. Only fools would follow such a man."
"..."
At first, Nassir seems wholly indifferent to the shift in emotion--it was something he was prepared for to some degree, something he only lets on by the subtle shift in his stance. A hand begins to creep upwards, testing fingers seeking out the zipper to his duffle bag. It's not until she finishes her comments that Nassir lets on more.
"Madness? I...Madness? No. Rolento Schugerg is much, but he is no madman. He is visionary." Unless Leona otherwise stops him, Nassir continues to walk along. "Is agression the stance of the Ikari unit? Is that Heidern's wish? Does his aim go beyond Mercenary duty, or does he follow the doctrine of a given idealogy? Do you, for that matter?"
A long silence is only interrupted by a single question at first. "Have you lost your family?" she asks in a tone much more peaceful than it was just mere moments ago. Instead her attention is driven back to the path ahead of her as she tries to restrain herself from lashing out more than she already has. "Both me and Heidern lost of family. A madman took the life of those he held dear and I don't even remember what happened to mine. He said he found me in the jungles just barely over three or four years."
Only then and there does she move with the poise of someone that has trained to be a soldier. A hand whipping about to grip Nassir on the shoulder to turn him towards her so she can stare him down once again, her cold gaze boring holes into him. "If someone as homicidal as Rolento is a visionary that will hurt and kill innocents to get what he wishes, then I rather follow a madman that tries to make things better such as Heidern. I will consider that you will not tell this to your boss because only someone blinded by his madness would call him such a thing. This conversation ends now."
And just like that, the brakes are applied. "I fail to see the releven--" Nassir's mask of neutrality shatters into so many shards, leaving behind a mask of anger. Anger, the simplest fallback emotion possibly ever. A balled fist rises towards the offending hand, though it doesn't quite move to stike. Instead, Nassir returns the sentiment in low, hushed tones.
"My family is dead, yes. Brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles...not to mention my Father. I have witnessed family raped, enslaved, tortured, left maimed, and killed. I have seen this, over and over and over again." Each word tumbles forth slowly, as Nassir attempts to make sure that the fallacies of a second(third? fourth?) language don't get in the way of his sentiment. "I almost envy the ignorance of your family's fate, you understand. I do not have such an illusion." The hand unfurls, the sudden threat of violence over(on his end, at least) though the hand of his shoulder earns no small degree of suspicion.
"I have not offered you violence. I expect the favor returned, please."
The hand that grips that shoulder eases only slightly and then pulls away. "So you understand to an extent." she says offhandedly while turning back away from him. For this to happen in a time when she is supposed to show restraint seems to be a slap to the face to Leona. Only an attack by Rolento himself could possibly be something she rather see happen due to lack of preparation for such a task. "If you are of lesser skill I rather not waste time with you anyways." she says perhaps in just a way to help work off the slight edge she is feeling at the moment.
With that she turns away and moves to walk away. "I don't believe I wish to talk to you again until you shed the wool." she calls back to him without even sparing a glance over her shoulder. All she needs now is some distance and time to cool down. Perhaps she has overworked herself lately. NEver has she let herself get worked up over such trivial things.
"Shed the wool?"
Nassir doesn't continue in walking, instead stuck in a moment of hesistation. "I...hm." Deciding caution against valor, Nassir remains behind, adjusting the strap to the duffle bag and watching the mercenary walk away. "Such is the strength of indoctrination. I am certain I will see you again, and when this occurs I can only hope you find yourself more willing to listen to talk of peace." That said, Nassir begins to go about his way, in an opposite direction.
What were the chances of that happening without an explosion of some sort? 40-60? Worse?
Log created by Leona, and last modified on 17:26:48 02/18/2007.