Description: Elias finally runs into one of the other members of the King of Fighters team he agreed to join when he met Ash. It seems he and Elisabeth end up having similar thoughts on what is going on and some agreements are made to keep a close eye on the dear team leader.
Things in Sunshine City are seemingly getting back to normal. All the tourists that were attracted by the fight exhibitions set up all around town have headed home and all the parties going on in the streets have all pretty much ran their course. It is nice that things are getting more peaceful again. It certainly makes things for some people around town. For one Elias has alot less drunk homeless people wandering in causing problems. Everyone is welcome, but ones that had a bit too much and get violent of course dealt with in the most peaceful way possible. On top of that things getting more quiet seems to leave Alice less on edge which makes handling her problem easier in the long run.
The inside of the shelter is actually pretty empty at the moment. A few vagrants are in the eating area and a few others are watching the news on the television. Standing among the latter group is Elias himself. He rarely gets a chance to catch up on the world's events so he is watching the news while he can without any pressing tasks going on at the moment. He stands behind a couch with hands clasped behind his back. That stern face of his turned to the television as he gazes at the screen. He is silent for now, only nodding at times when one of the other viewers ask him a question.
Quiet works for Elisabeth. It means slightly less attention as the taxi drops her off outside the building Elias uses for his shelter. It's not exactly an area the heiress spends much time in, and the expensive cut to her clothing could otherwise bring her a little trouble. Dressed for winter in her white wool coat, Elisabeth strides up to the door of the two story building. Her expression is stern, her dark blue eyes hard to ward off unwanted advances. She hesitates a moment, unsure of whether to just go right in or if she should knock first. She doesn't know the rules to the establishment. Besides which, it just seems rude -not- to knock.
Pulling off her gloves and stuffing them into her pocket, Elisabeth takes a steadying breath and knocks, eyes looking over the doorway for a bell while doing so. Then... she waits.
The door itself is closed due to keep the cold out, but it does seem to be unlocked for any to enter that need to seek shelter. Even so the knock does draw the attention of a few of the people nearby. Elias himself turns to move towards the door which leads to the others to just go back to what they are doing. It seems the priest has everything in hand. The door is opened and the priest steps to the side while offering a small, cordial bow, though he seems to look over the woman that is on the other side. She doesn't exactly look like the type that would stop by such a place. She certainly isn't one in need of help from his guess.
"Welcome, no need to knock, madam. My door is open for everyone." he tells her and waits until she is inside before closing the door. His hands clasp behind his back once again and he turns to address Elisabeth. "I am Father Elias Patrick. How can I help you today?" The expression he has is unsettling, but at least he is very polite. It might just be a touch odd that even indoors he wears those shades of his despite it being dark outside as well.
Indeed, the dark haired woman is not of the sort in need of assistance. Not in the way that his shelter offers assistance, in any case. Her gaze stops traveling over the doorway when it Elias himself opens it. "Merci," she thanks as he invites her in. How strange to be wearing sunglasses indoors. Perhaps he has an eye condition? Stepping past, she tries not to show anything other than bland indifference to the interior of the building. This is definitely a fully different world than her hotels and stately family home in France. For a brief, uncomfortable moment, she remembers Ash pointing out how much different things are here for people.
Turning, she favours the older gentleman with a nod for his introduction, eyes widening just a little for it. She had expected someone... a little different. "My name is Elisabeth Blanctorche, monsieur." She pauses a moment to see if her name means anything to him. Perhaps she was mentioned by their teammate? She continues on, regardless. "I wanted to stop by and introduce myself. Ash has informed me that we are to be teammates for the King of Fighters tournament, non?" Nothing like getting right to the point!
The attention of alot of the occupants seems to have shifted. Alot are kind of staring at the rather proper and good looking woman who had entered. Of course before they get any real ideas they catch Elias looking their way makes them suddenly remember they were busy watching television or eating. Once she introduces herself the name does ring a bell. The priest had wondered if he would meet any other members of the team before they gathered for the tournament itself. If any would stop by it would be this woman given how Ash talked aboth both her and Shenwoo. "Ahh, a pleasure to meet you."
He gives a look around and motions to some seats nearby where no one is currently sitting. "It does appear that we are team mates, yes. I admit the invitation was a surprise one. I hope I can meet the expectations of both you and Mr. Crimson. Would you like a seat?" Looks like one or two teenaged boys are debating that they should suddenly find something interesting to tend to in that direction get caught with the look and quickly retreat back over into the kitchen area and decide dishes need to be cleaned.
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation. Elisabeth wondered how Ash may've talked up the rest of the team to Elias. She couldn't see 'stuck up' and 'extremely violent' as attractive descriptions for herself and Shenwoo, so there must've been some serious glossing over in certain areas. Probably some out and out lying went down. What a mismatched bunch. At least they're all fairly talented in their areas of combat.
Giving Elias a very brief smile, she nods her thanks at the offer to sit. Elisabeth's making a concerted effort to pretend that she doesn't notice the attention she's receiving from the other people currently in the building. Truth be told, she's used to being stared at. It comes as a sort of package deal, what with her exalted heritage, wealth and good looks. "Thank you. Is it really a surprise, monsieur?" she asks as she crosses to the indicated seat. "I sincerely doubt Ash would have gone out of his way to invite you, otherwise." Or... would he? The Blancotorche heiress' brow furrows a little at the thought.
It is hard to tell exactly what Elias was told by Ash. At least the priest is nice enough to really not mention anything that was said that could have been considered unsavoury even if her thoughts are somewhat on the mark in the general descriptions. He follows to takes a seat as well and he rests his hands on his lap as he remains sitting up straight. "I try not to draw much attention, Miss Blanctorche. I do compete on occasion, but I admit I was not expecting an invitation for King of Fighters." Even more so the way he got it. It is a rarity in the modern world to actually get a written letter in the mail to meet someone halfway across the world at the time for a coffee and cheesecake.
He is silent for a few moments as he considers what to ask. He is curious about things and Ash was vague on alot of subjects. he has to wonder just how much she would divulge if asked the right questions. "Well if there are any questions that I can answer let me know." he finally says and gives a faint nod of his head. "Though I must ask what are your intentions for this upcoming tournament? Mr. Crimson was was straight forward to an extent, but still rather vague." He still isn't sure if the answer he got was a genuine one. It might be part of Ash's reason to be fighting, but he wonders if there truely is something more and if he can find out this way.
Elisabeth appreciates someone who can get to the point, as her own personality tends to be rather blunt and straight forward, as well. "Mmm, I wonder." Elias Patrick must have done -something- to attract Ash's notice. "Ash has his reason," she then says, and she'd really like to know what those reasons are.
The heiress tries to make herself comfortable in her seat by crossing one leg over the other, her long, slender fingers smoothing at the non-existant wrinkles of her neatly pressed black slacks. Places like this shelter tend to make the well-to-do rather uncomfortable, and Elisabeth's not completely immune to that. Returning her attention to Elias, the lightweilder cants her head to one side every so slightly while she considers just what to share. Honesty, she hopes, is the best policy. Might as well put it out there and hope for the best. "To be perfectly honest, Monsieur Patrick, my intentions are to keep an eye on Ash. I want to know what he's been up to, and I want to find out why. I have already promised Ash that I would agree to donate any winnings to your shelter should we do well."
So he gets an interesting it would seem. If anything Elisabeth seems quite different than Ash in so many regards. This is a good thing since he had a feeling the other team mate he has yet to meet probably wouldn't be able to offer up much information given the way Ash talked about him. It sounds like Shenwoo truely is in it just to punch people in the facemeats several times over. The answer does intrigue the priest. Of course given their differences in personality that answer could mean a few things. She might just want him to stop being such a slack ass or maybe she has a bad feeling and wants to make sure nothing is wrong.
"Keep an eye on him? I hope there is no real trouble." he says while considering things. "If you would like I could help with that, but I am unsure what I would be looking for." Ash is still a bit of an enigma to Elias at this point. He isn't sure what he would look out for in this case because he isn't sure what would be erratic behavior for the Frenchman. Even so it is worth putting the offer out there. In a way it might satisfy his curiousity in the long run as well.
If Elisabeth were to warrant a guess, based on her previously rocky interactions with Shenwoo, it would be that Elias is completely, one-hundred percent correct about his assumptions that Shen's only in it to blissfully smash faces. Then again, the Chinese brawler doesn't strike Elisabeth as a person who has much of anything below his abrasive surface, despite Crimson's insistence that he's not a bad guy should she deign to get to know him.
The fact that Elias has offered her his help in watching Ash's movements at the tournament gives rise to a flutter of hope. Shrugging lightly, Elisabeth continues to rest her attention on Elias, those dark blue eyes holding their gaze steady while she lifts her shoulders in a light shrug. "I hope there won't be any trouble, myself, but I just don't know. I've known Ash a very long time, but his actions of late are a mystery. Anything you observe would be most helpful to me." A pause has the heiress lifting a hand to rush the sweep of her bangs from her cheek while she considers her words. "I had hoped I could count on your assistance."
Perhaps this team will not be too bad in the long run. It seems that he has found an ally in Elisabeth in this case. He just hopes that perhaps both are just being paranoid and there is nothing really to worry about. One could hope it is some strange phase that Ash is going through. He is still young enough for that kind of thing afterall. Either way another set of eyes will be useful and there is someone he can now exchange information with if he feels Ash may be doing something strange that he should be confronted about.
The priest gives a nod and he lets out a small sigh. "Let us hope we are just overanalyzing things. Mr. Crimson seems like a good man, but through the years I tend to find myself more cautious about things." Even more so with recent events, but the recent meetings with people like Alma and Amy also make him realize that he has good people on his side willing to help which is always comforting. He hopes in the end Ash may be someone like that, but right now time will tell he supposes. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Blanctorche?"
"I think it's for the best to err on the side of caution," the dark haired beauty agrees. While she sincerely hopes that Ash is merely going through some strange phase, as it could explain some about his behavior, it would not explain everything. There's that admittedly unnerving darkness he sometimes allows to peek through for instances so brief Elisabeth is half convinced that she's only imagined them, for one.
Relieved by the encounter, Elisabeth shakes her head at the query. "No, thank you. It's selfish of me, but this was the reason I came today." A brief smile follows. "That, and I did want to meet you before the tournament. I think it will be an eye opening experience." Uncrossing her legs and beginning to stand, Elisabeth holds out her hand for a polite handshake to end their meeting, should Elias choose to engage her in one. "I don't want to intrude any further on your evening. It's been a pleasure, monsieur."
The priest rises as well and his hands smooth out his vestments before he takes her hand in his. His grip is firm, but he is a bit careful not to use too much pressure out of the sake of being respectful of the noblewoman. "It is not a problem. It is good to know it seems we have similar thoughts. It will be a pleasure working along with you." he responds and lets the hand go before clasping both of his behind his back once again. This tournament certainly seems to be getting more interesting by the day.
He allows himself to lead her back towards the doorway and holds it open for her. "It is never a problem. My door is always open as I said." It might not hurt the man to smile, but at least the slight shift in tone can often allow one to tell what mood he is in and it sounds like he is rather pleased with how things just turned out. "Do be careful out there, Ms. Blanctorche. I know you are a capable woman, but there are always unsavory sorts out there in the evening."
Elisabeth's own grip is firm, though it might be a surprise that they're not the too soft hands of an idle aristocrat. The calluses from her practice with that somewhat infamous crop of hers are in evidence. She does work to keep her hands from being rough and unattractive, however, as anything else would be unacceptable laziness. "Thank you," she says again when her hand is her own and they're on their way to the door. If Elias is pleased, Elisabeth's ecstatic. Just the fact that Elias seems a stable, polite sort means that the heiress will have an easier time of things than she'd thought.
Elisabeth's gloves are fished from the pockets of her jacket and she slips them on in preparation of the chillier winter evening outside. As the door is held open for her, she dips back into her pockets to pull free a small cellphone from a tangle of green woolen fabric that gets stuffed back out of sight with a faint frown. What're those mittens doing in her pocket? Must have forgotten to take them out after her walk with Ash the other night. "I thank you for your warning, Monsieur Patrick. I have a car coming for me. I won't be on the street for long." She's out the door soon after, tossing back an, "I appreciate your time tonight. I look forward to our next meeting," as she heads out to the sidewalk, her phone already flipped open and her driver's contact info being pulled up.
Log created on 20:14:00 01/15/2011 by Elias, and last modified on 23:19:15 01/15/2011.