Description: The Young Fighters' Community Center. Acacia's heard about it, of course. Even visited it before. But today, it's more than just a place. No, it's something more. A possibility. Maybe the future. She's come with Hotaru, come to speak with someone in particular. And the first step is made.
Alma can't seem to concentrate.
It's quite unusual for him, so much so that Miss Clarissa Maxwell, used to giving him a hard time for just about everything, finds herself speechless at the slowness of his progress today. Fortunately, nothing urgent requires his attention, and the paperwork to be done today is the same paperwork that will need to be done tomorrow. Still, the eternally busy fighter-model and now vice-president can't but wonder to himself if maybe he should pull this more often, just to get his secretary to relax a little.
He's been working. Just slowly.
Because every fifteen minutes or so he finds himself gazing out of the large open window at the end of his quiet office with a mild smile gracing his peaceful, handsome features, listening to the sound of the little fountain outside in the back garden of some neighbor's house.
~ I have a sister... ~
The world seems a fuller place for it. Really, the world hasn't changed that much; but he himself, he suspects, has become a fuller person.
~ Once Jiro returns, we'll... ~
Because he will return, Alma knows-- or believes, without a doubt.
Faith like his isn't easy to come by.
But in the end it is that faith as well that rouses him from his inevitable moments of serene introspection and back to his work, for though his 'family' defines him so too do his actions here-- finishing these tasks, however tangential they might seem from day to day, is just as much a part of his integrity. Because he is Alma Towazu.
And every day is a beautiful day when you're Alma Towazu.
His gaze flickers back down to his paperwork, and his smile softens.
Even these ones.
An offer to help extended, Hotaru stuck to her word, arranging to meet Acacia outside the YFCC. The purpose of the visit is simple enough on the surface, but sometimes things have a way of just seeming way more complicated than they need to be and the pig-tailed student is here to try and keep things from going that way.
"Yeah, I know he's here today," the girl had assured her laconic friend, having called and spoken with Miss Maxwell to make sure before heading over. Prior random drop ins had been less successful in catching the busy male model around.
For once she's not in her traditional Chinese styled outfit. Since she hasn't had time to train, garden, or do much of anything besides study for her summer finals, she's clothed in her fancy Seijyun school uniform, replete with a nifty dark blue blazer that bears the school's pink flower emblem. It looks expensive. Are those shiny cuff-links really made out of gold?
A regular volunteer at the YFCC, she knows her way around, so once the two step foot inside, she doesn't waste any time, heading directly for the library where she knows Towazu's office is located. "I'm sure he'll be able to think of something," Hotaru insists, her tone confident and encouraging. If Acacia pauses, she'll do likewise though. She isn't going to let her friend fall behind out of some kind of last minute uncertainty about this whole thing.
Indeed, there's a faint tightness about Acacia. A sense of tension. Not full blown apprehension, not yet, but a faint hint of discomfort. She looks round as they walk towards the library, her studying their surroundings. She hasn't spent much time in the new community centre, knowing the place more by association and reputation than actual familiarity. Which perhaps makes her reason for coming here...all the more unusual.
As they enter the main library, Acacia turns to Hotaru. She doesn't stop, though, but continues walking. Her footfalls are soft against the carpet, her heavy-soled boots brushing against the thick pile. Unlike Hotaru, she isn't particularly dressed up today. No, she's wearing pretty much what she always does. T-shirt, jeans, combat boots, and an oversized Army jacket, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Combat gear.
Acacia answers Hotaru with a quiet nod, as they near the office door.
Alma leaves the door open at all times. Normally, no one comes near, located as it is near the back of the library so that it can face out on the opposite side of the building. No one except Miss Maxwell, of course, who since lunch has been absent. Alma presumed it was simply because she had tired of his slothlike progress today, but now he wonders if he has forgotten about a meeting-- not one but two people are approaching.
On a normal day he might not have noticed until they entered, but two things are different: first, he is not paying nearly as much attention to his work as he might and is therefore more aware of any outside disturbances, which in the YFCC library really doesn't take much more than boots against carpet; and two, one of those approaching auras is /especially/ familiar to him. It takes a lot for Alma to be able to immediately recognize a specific individual from his or her aura signature; it's more variable than a face, occupying certain vague boundaries rather than a set position, boundaries which only repeated and intimate interaction will make manifest for him. But this is an aura he knows well; as of not so long ago, it might be the aura he knows best of all, even better than his sworn brother's.
His smile widening, the tall young man looking beginning to look quite cheerful as his mild expression brightens noticably, he sets down his paperwork, looks up, and straightens in his chair.
"Come in," he says as they approach, though the door is open.
As they near the office, Hotaru's gait increases, a certain eagerness impossible to miss. It might almost be inferred that she just used bringing Acacia to see Alma as an excuse to visit the young man that has recently filled a very painful void in her own heart. One brother lost and another gained as the girl continues to survive with a very delicate balance in her soul. She was ready to pause at the door and check to see how busy he is, but before her pig-tailed head can even peek around the door frame he has already invited them to come on in, the papers that were failing miserably to hold his attention already flat against the desk.
"Alma," the girl smiles, stepping into the office completely. She rarely has troubled him at this office in the past, even when they've been at the center at the same time. While she knows he would no doubt pause whatever it is he's doing if she were to drop in, she also knows that the work he does is important and not wanting to interrupt the business end of the community center she has come to enjoy so much is at least a mild inhibitor.
"It's good to see you. I brought a friend with me, Acacia." The soon to be ex Gedo student had mentioned that they had met before, but the prior meeting involved more face punching than talking, from the sound of things. At the same time, Hotaru realizes that she's at a loss as to Acacia's last name, so informal introductions will have to rule the day for now.
On her part, though, Acacia doesn't volunteer an introduction. At least not immediately. She just stands, framed in the doorway. Looking into the office. Acacia cocks her head to the side. She blinks, just once, and when her eyes open again, they're half-lidded, her pupils staring out beneath her lashes. She gives Alma an odd look, directing her gaze at the man behind the desk. Something between a quizzical stare and one of intense scrutiny.
She's met Alma Towazu before, but under different circumstances. Social ones, in passing - he's Jiro's friend, after all. Then there's the one time they fought. Normally, Acacia'd consider a fight to be where the truth about someone /really/ emerges.
But looking at Alma now, in the professional setting of his office...and at the familial way he and Hotaru are treating each other.
It's different. He's different. Or maybe Acacia's opinion of him was, if not wrong, then at least lacking in full dimensions.
But the moment of silence is stretching a little too long. So Acacia lifts a hand, holding it up in a vague sort of wave.
"Hi," she says. Though it's her expression that speaks more than her words.
"It's good to see you too, Hotaru--"
Alma was curious at the intensity of the other approaching aura, but he was not prepared for this particular visitor. Blinking once, he rises to his feet smoothly, smiling and reaching up to surreptitiously straighten his loosened tie. Whatever Ingrid might say about suits not suiting him, he is at work, after all, and this is a guest.
"--oh, Miss Gillespie!"
One he hasn't seen in quite some time.
His smile is friendly, his expression still laidback. Well, there's something to be said for a handsome young man all dressed up, but-- given that mild-mannered demeanor of his, Ingrid may be right about the professional look being a bit odd. Still, maybe that's the special appeal, if there is any; his boyish charm makes the whole thing seem a little absurd, lightening the atmosphere automatically.
"Have you been well? It's been quite some time."
Not that either of these girls would be noticing these things.
"Not since our League match," he continues conversationally, reaching up now to brush a stray red-tinged blond bang out of his eyes, still smiling. "You really outclassed me that time. I was quite impressed." Grinning a little now, the young man reaches up to rub the back of his head. "I've been practicing, but-- with all this, I've had little time for tournaments."
A pause, as his smile fades slightly, and he begins to rather contemplative himself as he regards the stoic girl. "I hope," he adds, "that things at Gedo have stayed alright since then."
Though he does hope for a response, he won't dwell on this; he casts Hotaru a look, smiling again, and tilts his head questioningly: It's great that you brought a friend, but why Acacia, and why now?
She hadn't really asked Acacia why she and Alma had fought before. In their age group it's such a common event that any number of reasons could be equally justifiable. That it was just some Neo League fight mitigates it a lot in her mind. She's had more of those against Alma than she cares to reflect upon at the moment. As far as his attire goes - while Hotaru might not say anything, just about any set of clothes seems to seem perfectly right on the handsome youth.
Hands idly clasp behind her back and she rocks up on her leather shoe covered toes a little. There's the urge to hug the red-blond haired young man that recently became closer to her than merely a friend when he took it upon himself to call her his sister, but she feels like such a greeting would subsequently require explanation that would distract from the purpose of this visit to begin with.
She knows his expressions well enough to read the silent question written on his face and her own visage brightens in reply. "Acacia and I were talking the other day and she mentioned... well, an interest in perhaps finding out more about the YFCC. I know you're probably very busy, but I was hoping you would have some time to talk about it. You see, she is going to be graduating soon and..." Her voice trails off as she shifts her eyes toward her friend, "It's probably better if she explains it." she finishes, not wanting to put too many words in her mouth. Though with the way Acacia speaks, sometimes that becomes necessary.
"Thanks much," Acacia quips, dryly, with a faint hint of sarcasm. She purses her lips, giving Hotaru a glare - but not much of one. There's no real ire there. True, it'd be -nice- if she didn't have to explain herself again, especially to someone she doesn't know well. But on the other hand, she can't expect Hotaru to do the talking for her.
She's done enough already. After all, it's anyone's guess if Acacia would have come here alone.
She looks back at Alma. Pauses a moment, gathering her thoughts. She scratches the back of her head, fingertips against her scalp, parting strands of hair.
"Just about done," she replies, "you'll have to ask someone -else- about Gedo."
Acacia's faux-frown, directed at Hotaru, twists into a tiny smile.
She regards Alma for just a half-second longer, briefly hesitating. Wondering just how much, or what to say.
...
Hell with it.
"So, I need...something to do. Fighting, yeah. But that's..."R
Acacia makes eye contact. Holds it.
"...not enough."
Alma would be sweatdropping now, were that actually possible.
~ My pleasantries... they have no effect. ~
As it is, his expression, though subdued as usual in non-combat situations, is rather the real-life equivalent, which is to say it looks a bit like someone has hit him in the back of the head with a baseball bat multiple times and now someone else is shining a flashlight in his face. At least it's how /Alma/ would look after that, so it's not quite as bad as how someone else would look, but...
"I see."
...for him, it's pretty bad.
"And you're... interested in the YFCC, then."
To his credit, though, he never once breaks eye contact; not even to look at Hotaru, and the warmth of her aura is extremely distracting. He can feel her affection, almost as well as he can feel his own affection for her. Sensitive though she is he doubts she can feel it in the same way he can, and that just makes him want to scoop her up in his arms all the more, to treasure what they now have in while it is new and fresh and stunning--
"Well, Miss Gillespie..."
But this is business.
"I would welcome another full-time employee," he says judiciously as he gets out from behind the desk and begins walking over to a corner of the room where another chair sits; picking it up, he moves it to the opposite side of his desk so that there are now two chairs facing his seat. "Most of our fighter-staff are all volunteers, and someone with your experience would, generally speaking, be invaluable for our efforts. Generally... theoretically." He moves back over to his side and gestures to the two other seats, smiling again. "Please sit down."
He pauses until they are seated and then sits himself, folding his hands in his lap as he continues to regard Acacia, his usual calm and mild expression having returned.
"However..."
He tilts his head slightly.
"I'm not sure precisely in what capacity we would /need/ you as a full-time employee. For starters, we're trying to be self-sufficient, but-- the kind of money you could make as a tournament fighter, well-- nothing we could offer you would be suitable for your talent. Now, even if that is not an issue for your, for which I would commend you, I wouldn't want to relegate you to... odd jobs... in any case. Perhaps if we made an effort to expand somehow, but-- it's been an uphill battle staying on our feet as it is."
Alma looks quite thoughtful now. He seems to be choosing his words carefully. It's all the more apparent that, really, he is remarkably young to be in the position of power that he is, even /if/ most of his co-workers are also kids.
"I ask the both of you this," he says in a rather abrupt change of subject, his gaze now shifting from Acacia to Hotaru and back. "How do you feel about the direction of the YFCC thus far? Now that we seem to be fast becoming a Southtown fixture, already more than we might have dreamed possible-- where do /you/ think we should go from here?"
Has he really not had anyone else helping him make these decisions?
While Alma's gaze is fixed on Acacia, and Acacia is giving her the Evil Eye for a moment then looking at Alma, Hotaru is looking all over the place. Eyes stray across the young man burdened with keeping this place operational - surely not a trivial task as he seems almost perpetually occupied by it. Her quiet friend who is so intently focused Alma, perhaps reconsidering impressions she had before? The desk, with its mountains of paperwork, inboxes, outboxes, no doubt a computer, keyboard, monitor... the rest of the office is examined as well. She suspects there will be personal touches to it that mark it as distinctly /his/.
When the second chair is pulled out and the invitation to sit given, she steps forward to do so, hands smoothing her skirt then coming to rest in her lap as she falls quiet now, allowing the two to communicate. The question has been sprung on Alma out of the blue, so it's no surprise if he needs to work his way through the potential options.
But then she is pulled back into the conversation, shaking her head to dismiss her idle contemplative reverie to focus again on him and Acacia. "I think it's been coming along good," comes the response from the Seijyun student. Would one really expect anything else from the girl that dedicates so many weekend hours to volunteer teaching? But where to go from here? Hotaru leans back in the chair a little, looking weighed down by the simple enough question. "You made it sound like money is an issue. Do we need to find more sponsors? Considering the good image the YFCC has been building up, it might be possible to find other businesses interested in chipping in some."
"Contacts," Acacia says, evenly, "network. That's business."
"I know," she continues, raising a hand - heading off any potential question, "you're not a business. More 'social enterprise'..."
You can almost hear the quote marks around the word, as she stresses that bit of jargon with an ironic little twist.
"...but still."
She takes the other proferred chair, sliding her lean frame into the seat. She grounds her elbows against the armrests, links her fingers together. And gives Alma a level look.
"I know how to run one. Jiro tell you about the weapons I gave the resistance? When Rolento Schulberg sieged Metro?"
A bland statement. But also true. Acacia spent her formative years, the later years of her childhood that -meant- something, living in an old storage building in Metro City. Owned by an old soldier and fighter, the man who adopted her. Just a small little military surplus store...
...with extensive basements and a massive stockpile of firearms.
"But," Acacia continues, "then again. You aren't a business. So you need to consider your partners. Carefully. Be sure their aim's yours. This is Howard's city. Syndicate. Do you know who's -really- for you?"
She says all that with little hesitation, beyond the existing slow and measured pace of her usual speech.
It's true that Acacia doesn't like to talk. She doesn't find it easy to communicate. She's not -good- with words. And often she needs to simply stop and think.
But this? This is something she's already thought about. She wouldn't be here if she hadn't. She has her answer.
And the fact Alma Towazu thought to /ask/...
Acacia smiles.
Alma sighs softly.
For the first time since they arrived, he looks a bit weary.
"You're right, Hotaru," he murmurs. "Money isn't so much of an issue. What is an issue, however, is how well we can use the talent at our disposal-- and an aspect of that is how well we can reward it. The YFCC needs fighters, and it should be staffed by fighter volunteers who know how to connect with /other/ young fighters. We should always be reminding each other of what we have in common. But fighters as talented as yourself or Miss Gillespie, well..." He tilts his head again, casting his sworn sister a sidelong look. "If you requested a full-time job, Hotaru, I would love you have you, but I might try to dissuade you for your own good. I'm not sure what I could offer you, at this point, that would /really/ be worth more than part of your time."
"I'm proud that we made it this far, but..."
He inclines his head toward Acacia-- and, to his mild surprise, he finds her smiling. He smiles back, but he still is looking a bit fatigued, the weight of this planning weighing on him. It's in his nature to fulfill his duties and support his community; it may not be in his nature to be a long-term business strategist.
"Miss Gillespie makes an excellent point," he continues. "It's difficult to know how to expand because we don't know /where/ to expand. Specifically, the last thing we want to do is tread on any toes. So far we've had little trouble with the city, which is incredible considering the vast potential for damage or complaint there is with so many talented young people in one place... and we haven't bothered anyone, least of all the Syndicate." Alma pronounces the last word a little uneasily. Despite some run-ins with affiliated members, he really has no experience with the crime world; the idea of that changing fills him with a bit of trepidation. Still, he forges on. "We fill a niche. But even as a non-profit organization, I don't want to end up competing with anyone without realizing it beforehand. I don't know who is really for us, Miss Gillespie. We /aren't/ a business. But if we get too big, businesses will want to deal with /us/, and... it may become all too easy to forget our real mission. We have... too much potential, you might say."
Alma shakes his head. Around these two, he doesn't feel as though he has to pretend to be any more sure of himself than he is. He's obviously confident that he wants to be here, that this is the fight he wants to fight, but-- as for his plan of action, well.
"I feel it is the duty of the YFCC to do whatever it can to aid the young fighters of today and, by extension, their communities," he says quietly. "But if I push too far, I may lose everything."
Looking up again, he smiles softly.
"It's... a predicament."
Hotaru sits quietly in the chair, comfortable in the office in the company of a friend that she has slowly made over time and a sworn brother that gives her strength. The only thing that might improve things is switching out the office for something a lot more pleasant. Like maybe a garden. Or maybe in the back of a bus on some kind of long road trip. Between heartbeats, the girl idly pictures what it would be like with Alma trying to bring up pleasant conversation topics while Acacia keeps shutting them down all along the way. It's a rare thing seeing the normally perfectly poised male model looking anything but nearly perfectly composed. The way he looks now though, it seems like he needs a break. Yeah... a road trip would be fun.
She is paying attention to the conversation though, nodding slightly, a faint smile as he points out that there's probably not much here beyond her part time volunteering for her. "I'm happy to be doing what I already can," she offers, "In a way, this place gives back to me every bit I give to it." Except on Remy weekends. The occasions where that argumentative foreigner visits feel more is being taken than given. But those are the exceptions! She is quiet as matters shift into areas she is far less familiar with. While she listens to what Acacia has to offer and how Alma replies to it, she is at a loss as to how to contribute anything more to it. In a sense, Acacia has stepped up into carrying herself perfectly fine now and Hotaru feels she can almost just let things run their course on their own.
Acacia glances at Hotaru, then shifts her attention back to Alma.
"Her volunteering," Acacia says, waving a hand in the other girl's direction, "that's why I'm here. Point is - you're not alone. Talk as if you are."
Acacia flicks her thumb over her shoulder, out the office door. "Your assistant. Maxwell. Your staff. You persuading -them- to quit? That this..."
She circles her hand, indicating the building, "not enough for -them-?"
Acacia snorts, nostrils flaring. Showing what she thinks of that.
"No. You need more people - who can fight. Not strength, not skill, but...the knowledge."
She taps her head. "Here." Then her heart. "And here."
~ What...? ~
That stings more than a little, but Alma, despite appearances, is man enough for it. Whatever irritation he might momentarily feel doesn't show in his expression. But his gaze turns to the taciturn girl and he regards her again, this time rather impassively.
~ I'm not quite sure I understand, but... ~
"Miss Gillespie," he says softly. "I have a responsibility to the people who support me. I won't let them down by having the YFCC ruined by overambition. Yet because of the very purpose of the YFCC -- because of why I am here -- I cannot be underambitious, either."
"These are not issues I would normally share with volunteers," he continues, before casting Hotaru another little smile. Yeah, now that they've settled down and the moment of their arrival has passed, he does look like he could use a vacation. YFCC, modeling, school-- and training, too, not that he's fought professionally in some time. There really aren't enough hours in the day. "Hotaru, of course, is... more than that. But for the others, I... am trying to be a leader. I feel it is my responsibility not to share all of my worries with my staff."
"Miss Gillespie... I am well aware that I am not alone. I am, however, uncertain."
He leans in slightly, gazing intently at her now.
"And I only tell you this because I am confident in your ability."
A moment's pause, before he smiles softly again, warmly.
"And as you say, this ability has nothing to do with your performance in battle. It has everything to do with the sense I have of your courage and integrity. Besides..." He leans back again, still smiling. "...you're Jiro's friend."
He says that as though it explains everything.
"So I ask you: if you were to fight our fight... how would /you/ fight it?"
~ I want her talent, but... I'm just not sure how I wouldn't waste it. ~
"Mmn," Acacia replies, arching one eyebrow.
Her reply, though, is almost instant.
"By," she says, "asking that question. Opinion."
She returns Alma's gaze measure for measure, looking evenly across the desk. Her eyes on his.
"Yes, you're responsible. Yes, you decide. But /listen/ to your people."
A pause, before:
"You /never/ fight alone."
Her voice is calm. On anyone else, it would be dispassionate. But Acacia manages to put a distinct weight to the words.
"I've learnt that much...at least."
Log created on 02:49:04 08/18/2007 by Acacia, and last modified on 17:34:14 09/05/2007.