Description: In its attempt to get some fresh new members, Mad Gear's 'Grand Vizer' Stray is hanging out at the entrance to Suiryuu school. Along comes the beautiful, but feared, sorceress Ninon Beart weaving through the crowd intending to spend the evening in town. Can the catty gangster find a way to get this girl to sign up to be a member of Mad Gear or will she be insulted enough to blast him back to the 90's?
Friday night! The night that all high school students look forward to. A night where they know that, at least for a couple of days, they are free from the tedium of their school lives, free to do all those irresponsible things that make them kids. It, of course, meant little to the girl known as Ninon Beart.%She was a girl that didn't really keep any friends. Someone who determined a person's worth by how much they interested her. And so far, on her little night trip into Southtown Village, she hadn't seen anyone worth speaking with.
Of course she really hadn't expected to. She had originally came to Southtown expecting the city to be a much more lively place. And while to some extent she hadn't been disappointed, in the end, it had really been much like her own home, only with a few more fighters. The people around her were the same idiots she had left behind in America, only in a different country.
Her opinion of the people around her seems to show, too. Most of the people out and about give her a wide berth despite the fact that she doesn't look very dangerous. One particularly bold fellow stops to speak to her "Umm...." All it takes is a single glance for him to lose his will. "Naw, never mind..." He tries to blow it off as if he isn't interested, but judging by the taunting he gets from his friends as Ninon leaves them behind, he just didn't have the nerve. "Dude, I told you! That sorta girl just ain't gonna go for a guy like you! Now if it'd of been me, then maybe..." The black-clad girl simple ignores them as she sighs to herself. She KNEW it was going to be a waste to leave the dorms. Perhaps it would be best to simply return to Seijyun for the evening.
Of course, even when in Southtown it may not seem as though America is terribly far away. There are quite a few Americans to be found in Southtown, perhaps especially in Seijyun and the other high schools around. And then there are those who come to America on other business... those with less educational goals in mind. Such as the one Ninon is about to have a rather accidental encounter with.
She'll spot him at first at a fair distance. A tall, lanky man of clearly European heiritage, the bright purple hair and large sunglasses doing nothing to hide his background. He seems to be relaxing, leaning back against the wall in a position that seems all too posed, as though he may be voguing for a magazine cover shot. One arm lays in front of him, bent, and upon it rests a small fluffy black cat. His other hand lays on top of the small feline petting it over and over again idly as it purs loudly within the crook of his arm.
Unlike the crowds that spread out for her, he does absolutely nothing to try to give her an inch, to even move a muscle for her sake. However, that is likely to be expected, for he clearly hasn't been a high school student for a number of years, and even if he had been, he wouldn't attend an academy like this. What is more unsettling about his refusal to move, however, is that the way his tall body is stretched out, it prevents passage along the sidewalk. One needs to brave the road in order to pass him by. The docile, polite, submissive Japanese citizens willingly walk around him, no doubt berating the rudeness of Americans, but having too much tact, perhaps too much sense, to say a thing.
Yet, to a girl like Ninon it may well seem as though he is simply there to intentionally block her path. If this small thought did form in the back of her mind, it no doubt grows just a little as he speaks up to her even as she approaches him. "Your presence commands a lot of fear... Rather notable for a girl your age," he speaks up in a cool, lazy tone, not even turning his head to address her at first. Only once these words have left his lips does he turn his head just a little, her reflection appearing within his mirrored shades as he gives a very faint smile as he questions in a tone of almost mock curiousity, "Did you kill someone? Or is your whole 'sexy gothic' style all too much for them?"
While some people might find it unimaginably rude to have their paths blocked so suddenly, to Ninon it is merely a curiosity. For a brief moment she simply considers ignoring the stranger, but something feels a bit different about this one then the last one. Perhaps the fact that this one seems to have a backbone convinces her to stop in her tracks. Or perhaps it is simply boredom. Regardless, it seems that Ninon's has found someone to direct her attention torwards.%"Murder is a messy thing, in every sense of the word." the girl responds. "I have little interest in it. While I suppose the world would be better off with fewer cowards in it, I see no reason to take their lives with my own hands. That said, I can only assume they are charmed by my grace and beauty. And, perhaps, some of them are intelligent enough to realize that I prefer to not deal with commonplace cattle like themselves. It seems, however, that not everyone gives me that courtesy." If she means the failed flirt of her current company isn't obvious. "Do you have something you wish to speak about? I trust if so that it is worth my time, I do not give it casually." She crosses her arms in front of her and waits in silence.
The hand that was petting the small cat lifts up and reaches a little in front of Stray as he outstretches a finger and motions it up and down slowly as he says with a wider smile, "Indeed, that's what I've always said. Too many people are willing to be docile, let themselves be controled, manipulated and used by those in power. They go through their lives and die out with a whimper, only serving to make the rich people richer and more powerful."
He shakes his head just a little in disdain at this idea, his weight shifting subtly as he prepared to change his balance just a little, "There are too few people willing to rise up, claim what they want and take control of their destinies." His arm outstretches, reaching beyong Ninon as he indicates the boy who had approached her earlier. Of course, a bit bored from no longer receicing the attention, the small black cat takes the opportunity to carefully siddle out along the arm and then scrunch down, shaking its rear, as it seems to be preparing to hop onto Ninon, purring all the while.
"Take that boy for instance," Stray continues not paying much mind to his pet's actions, "If he desired your attention, he shouldn't have fled like that. Had he tried something... anything... it would have in the very least have been more interesting and exciting for you. Instead he accepted an illusional paradigm and slipped back into some arbitrary role."
"He would of been disappointed." The dark-clad girl allows herself a small smile. "What his friends said was quite correct. A girl such as myself has no reason to be interested in him. His personality was found...lacking. I cannot say it would of went much better had he not backed down, however. I did not come here this evening seeking that sort of companionship. I have not yet found the man that I would consider worth my time. I have rather strict standards, after all. I trust you aren't trying to pick up where he left off, hmm? If so, allow me to cut you off right here and now. While you can certainly claim manhood with much more confidence than that cowardly fool, you are still not my type."
Her eyes lock on the cat, but not without some small semblence of fondness. Witches always did get along with cats, after all. They make fine familiars. "I take it that is not the case, however. If you were trying to be flirtatious, you would likely be speaking a bit more foolishly. So, tell me. What is it? Why did you stop me? There are others here that you could harrass if you were merely bored."
"Of course, a girl such as yourself has no reason to be interested in him," parrots Stray with a slow nods. However, his head tilts just a bit and he turns his attention back upon the dark-clad girl before saying with a low huff, "My point is that this is so because HE chooses it to be so. Had he been the type of person who would not have backed down, he would not be the same person he chooses to be now. And that other person he could have choosen to be might well have held your interest for a few hours, even if you find that hard to believe."
With nothing else to stop its path the small cat leaps off of its master's arm and onto the dark-clad girl, scrambling onto her shoulder before rubbing up against her cheek as though hoping to get more attention from this human than it was getting from its master. Quite friendly with strangers for a feline, but perhaps it senses the kinship with her.
Slowly lowering his arm, Stray gives a faint smile, "Indeed, you are correct. I have very little of that sort of interest in you." He tactfully doesn't try to explain exactly why that might be, although one might well expect that he is holding back a bit and would love to tell her exactly why were he not trying to hard to play nice. "Actually, I am on a quest to gather together the young, restless souls of the world that are ready to break out of their definitions and choose to claim this world rather than to remain slaves of an abusive system."
A quick, wide smile appears on his lips as he assures her, "I knew from the moment I saw you part that crowd with sheer will alone, that you are indeed one of those who doesn't let destiny and society control her, but choses to make a glorious place for herself."
"Hm hm." The girl laughs without humor. "You certainly have a way with words. How much of it you believe and how much is simply flattery, though, is another matter. The cat does not go entirely ignored, though Ninon isn't entirely happy to have the thing on her shoulder. It's getting fur on her dress! It is fortunate she is not allergic. This is why she pats it softly instead of slinging it from her. "So, you want to remove the chains of society? Interesting, if not somewhat foolish. Like it or not, society is necassary. Most people aren't ready to think for themselves. If they were forced to do so..well, I imagine that I don't have to describe what it would be like. Still, I suppose there is a difference between being guided by it and being controlled by it. I, for one, choose to live my own way. Society and its rules cannot be ignored, but to me, I follow the law solely to avoid having to deal with the frustration of being told I am doing 'wrong'. And if I decide that it is wrong...well, then I will consider taking action." She turns her attention as best as she can to the cat on her shoulder. "I do not think I can help you. I like my life just the way it is. I am not unhappy. I am...perhaps frequently bored, but as for myself, I am not unhappy. I also have no desire to rule. Do you have any idea how annoying it would be to deal with all the idiots in the ENTIRE WORLD? A mere handful is all I have the patience for. All I want from the world is to be known by it. If people realize that I am better then them, and if they don't force me to deal with their stupidity, it is good enough for me."
Slowly Stray wags a finger back and forth towards the air in front of him as he dismisses the details that Ninon seems to have gotten herself caught within. "/A/ society is necessary, my dear..." he corrects her as pleasantly as possible. His hand out stretches as though to grab the buildings before him as he thrusts his hand slowly forward and then moves it back and forth, "/THIS/ society, is not necessary. /THIS/ society was built in order to serve a select handful of people. People who are not us."
He draws that hand back, clapping it together as another and tilting his head to look towards the gothic witch with his peripheral vision, "Now, we, all of us, have two choices. We can move along with the masses and accept our role. Or we can defy the role." He finally lifts up from the wall and takes a quick step forward to stand before Ninon as he unclasps his hands and lays them to his sides, "When I say 'claim the world' I do not mean to directly control and direct others, the responsibility part. What I am saying is to not follow commands, not give up what we desire simply because we are told what we are doign is 'wrong'. Why cringe before such a word when what is 'wrong' is simply what is unbeneficial for people who oppress us?"
He leans in towards the girl, giving a wide smile before whispering quietly, "Yes, there are too many idiots in the world. There are too many small-minded people. However, you are also right that it is far too troublesome and messy to eliminate them... Instead, it is better to show the masses how they /could/ live... then spread the message to bring out those who are willing to embrace their potential and stomp on those who still refuse to live up to theirs." He spreads his arms up a little to his sides before adding, "You see? We forge a new world, a new order that benefits those who are strong enough to claim it."
"Not 'us'? How amusing. How exactly do you mean the society does not serve 'us'? It may not serve /you/, but as for me, can you really say? After all, can you even claim to know my name? All I know of you is that your cat seems to of taken a liking to me." She gives the feline an affectionate scratch under its chin. The cat at the very least she seems to like. "I believe that you have made your point. You don't like the world the way it is now. Good for you. I really can't tell you that you are wrong. The world is filled with weakness, and there is no reason for people to live otherwise. Being weak is no crime, there is no punishment for lacking the strength to defend yourself. No punishment aside from the sense of shame you feel when you realize that fact. I understand all this. But my question to you is simple. Whats your point? Do you really intend to change all of society? Such a task won't be simple. Decades upon decades of scientific advancement make the world a smaller, safer place every day. You don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home to shop anymore. So I ask you this. How can you change this? How will you 'stomp' everyone that doesn't agree with you. Not even I am so arrogant to believe that all of the world will cower before me simply because I say it will."
The comments merely cause the cat-man to smile wider. He stays leaned in towards Ninon as he tells her quietly, "Oh, I don't need to know your name to know.. You control these students quite expertly, but surely you've felt it looming down on you. Whether it be in the glances from your teachers, being disregarded by outsiders... having people at stores watching you distrustfully every time you go out." His hand motions towards the school before he continues, "The methods you use here... they'll mean nothing after you've graduated. And then?... Well, you can look at how the lives of other girls you seemed to rule the school turned out."
He lowers his hand down, placing it atop his cat upon the girl's shoulder as he gives a quick shake of his head, "Somehow, I imagine that you won't really want to have to face the choice of having to fundamentally change yourself or be minimized for the rest of your life. Your only other choice would be to find a rich husband who'd let you do your own thing until he found himself a younger mistress."
He brings his other hand up to his chest to indicate himself before explaining, "I am Stray, Grand Vizer of Mad Gear. I was also the lieutenant of Skull Cross Gang. Between the two we have taken control of Metro City twice. And, although we did not keep control, we are still here, still alive and perfectly ready to make a move again." He gives a wide smile, "We just need more people who are willing to stand up and fight for their destiny... People like you."
"How delightful." Ninon seems horribly amused by this whole thing. "I admire your determination. It is not commonplace to find someone who actually has the courage to even speak as you are, let alone actually attempt it. However, I believe that you are, perhaps, underestimating me more then a little. The Beart family has nothing to fear from society because we stand atop it. My time spent in school is solely to pass the time, to alleviate the boredom of a mundane city, and a mundane world. I have no need for the teachings they have to offer, I had already mastered the knowledge and the skills I would need to succeed before I first stepped into Seijyun. I will never have to seek a 'rich husband' because I already have the wealth I need to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Even should my family cut me from them, I have already taken steps so that it would not present me with any problems. So while I cannot help but find your determination admirable, Stray, I believe that it is in my best interest to decline your offer. You see, while I won't tell you that you are wrong, I simply can't bring myself to care. People can look at me how they wish. They can judge me how they wish. They cannot, however, change who I am. I am Ninon Beart. No one and nothing can take this from me, Grand Vizier.
Well, this new information causes Stray to have to reassess the girl just a little. She was coming from the opposite direction in society than he'd previously assessed. In fact, that meant that she was one of those people he had been talking about taking down a few pegs. However, any lost confidence in his proposal wavers only momentarily as he rises up and gives a rather dismissive shrug. "You'd be surprised what people can take from you," he answers her in a tone that seems to suggest he thinks her no less 'doomed' even with this new information set in front of him.
"You call the world 'mundane', you think of others only as 'idiots' and you go to a school that you do not enjoy and do not believe to be valuable to you merely because you think it 'entertainment'," he lists off her points in quick succession as though to highlight his coming conclusion, "You are not a happy person. In fact, you are a very, very unhappy person, and you wear this on your sleeve so to speak, anyone can see this."
He lifts a hand up and taps his shoulder three times in quick succession. This seems to be a signal that the cat understands for it hops off the girl and returns to its master to be petted lightly as reward for its obediance. "If you really believed anything you just said, you wouldn't be so unhappy. You pretend to disregard the thoughts and feelings of others directed at you, but if that were true you wouldn't have built the shell around yourself that you have." He gives a weak smile before saying softly, "I may not know anything more about you, Ms. Ninon Beart. But I know how a happy, confident person acts and talks... and I know how a depressed, unfulfilled person acts and talks. And it isn't others not being up to your standards that leaves you unfulfilled. The root of the problem is internal."
For a moment, Ninon remains silent. But slowly, a smile forms on her face. "Oh, you are so /GOOD/ with words, Grand Vizier. So very good indeed. You truely are a unique individual. A lesser person might of broken down right here and now and begged you to 'save' them. I, however, am not so weak. I do not 'pretend' to disregard the feelings of others. No one can live entirely without others. What I want from others is simple. I demand their recognition for my abilities. If you truely believe that I live devoid of others, you really do not know me. However, in the end, it is my own opinions, my own desires, they are what are important to me."
She twirls about, arms crossed in front of her. "I cannot help you, Vizier. You presume too much." She glances behind her, as if solely to show that she isn't trying to hide her emotions. Her face is as calm as ever. "So, you see, I do not have a problem. My life, boring as it can be at times, is fine. I do not need the help of you or anyone else. You are not the first to approach me like this, and you will likely not be the last." This is no lie, she had been rather busy since she'd set foot in the city.
Stray lifts his kitten off of his shoulder gingerly and drops it into one of the deep pockets on his coat, something the kitten seems to enjoy quite a bit if the sound of its purring is any indication. Afterwards the 'Grand Vizer's' hand raises up to adjust his glass steadily before he states calmly, "My point was merely this-- you've spent far too much of this conversation claiming that others are boring, that your life is dull... and yet you also claim to be above consequences and have the power to do whatever you want."
He tilts his head just a bit before pointing out, "Clearly these two things are mutually exclusive. If you can truly do anything you want and you feel bored, you would do whatever it is that would make you no longer feel bored. Whatever it is... afterall, you are 'Ninon Beart', right? That means no consequences, right? So then, what could possibly be stopping you from fulfilling your desires and no longer feel bored? You could dress up, go to a club and dance in ways that would cause all eyes to be on you. You could run down a street and light cars aflame. You could pick out a random boy, seduce him and drag him along just to see how far he'll go. You could challenge the strongest people in the city to a fight. You could rob a bank or blow up a bar, simply because you don't like their decorations." He turns away just a little to stretch his arms wide and look up at the sky as he murmurs questioningly, "I don't see anything stopping you from doing whatever it is that you'd find entertaining and challenging. Unless you are so totally devoid of creativity you cannot think of anything at all... In that case, I do pity you."
He looks back down to her with a wide grin, "Maybe joining my gang isn't for you. But-- if you, eventually everyone, are willing to break their mold and live your life reckless and free, that's plenty enough to make me happy."
"I live my life free. I do not live it reckless." The girl turns away, and drops her arms by her side. "We are not as much alike as I had thought, Vizier Stray. While I do not deny that there is some sense to be found in your words, and that on some levels I entirely agree with you, I cannot fully devote myself to your ideals. That being said, it should be obvious that your 'gang' is not for me. Do not misunderstand, however." She turns back to the face the man. "You are, perhaps, the most interesting person I have met in this city. However, you made one simple mistake, and that was trying to tell me who I was. Only Ninon Beart has the right to tell Ninon Beart who she is, no one else. Besides, you refer to it as 'your' gang. Were I to agree to join it, it would mean becoming your subordinate. I am no one's follower. In a sense, unless your words were all lies, you should be glad of my refusal. It means that I am choosing to live my life as I see fit." Her heels click as she turns to walk away. "Good evening to you, Vizier. Let us meet again another night."
Since he knew that she was not going to become an arduent supporter already, he is not at all surprised or even disapointed at this second refusal. Besides, there are plenty of others he can try to recruit and maybe this girl will eventually become dissatisfied enough to reconsider. All in all, there isn't much reason for him to feel as though he'd wasted much time with this girl. She was an interesting one to analyze anyway.
"Well then," he tells her in a tone that tells well of his lack of disapointment in her decline, "I am sorry that Ninon Beart tells Ninon Beart that she is a cautious person who sees fit to live her life in such a way that she feels bored, thinks everything is dull and only has the envious and fearful gazes of others to call upon as fulfillment."
His head lifts a bit to see where her path could possibly be taking her, but since she'd have to walk past him in order to get further into town. Thus, he assumes she must have decided to head back to school. He lifts a hand up and waves to her while calling out, "Well, do have a pleasant evening. And next time you decide to step out, consider my words and do try something that you wouldn't find dull. The thrill will be worth the consequences."
"I will make no promises either way. Perhaps I shall, perhaps I shall not. It depends on my whims." Without anything more said, Ninon makes the trip back torwards Seijyun. Not once does she ever look back.
Log created on 03:19:33 09/08/2007 by Stray, and last modified on 05:50:05 09/09/2007.