#1 Settling in

[bloodypast]

Characters: Vincent Valentine, Open or Closed depending on prompt.
When:June 9th onward
Summary:Vincent is getting used to life in Aquares Ixen, to being 'human' again, and to a little thing called the Blitzball World cup (and vuvuzelas).
Warnings: None yet?



House A02--Yuffie

Vincent was a surprisingly boring person as a housemate. At least that was his opinion, and Ophelia had been surprised by it too. Given his demeanor and appearance, his moogle had expected something else. She'd expected something far more dramatic anyways, but she'd adapted to him well. Vincent was practical, really. He had his own tastes, but he wasn't there to put on a show for anyone.

Once he'd worked through the memories, in his own way, and dealt with a hysterically worried Ophelia, the gunslinger had started to settle in to life here. He'd chosen the Gunner and Red Mage jobs, and Ophelia had helped him retain his gauntlet. It was as much psychological, as well as physical support, for his weakened left arm. From there, it had been shopping.

Food was first, and clothing that was basic and casual. Sheets, and a note book and pencils. The kitchen was now stocked with basics to do a variety of simple meals, quick and normal. His room and clothing favored the darker-hues, as he did like his red and black and dark blue. Ophelia had aided him, as there was a very nice basket in the bathroom. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, washcloth, brush and comb. And smaller fur-comb and soap, as Ophelia insisted. She'd also made part of her bargain, that Vincent read to her.

So they had books now. More often, if Vincent wasn't out and getting used to his new jobs or wandering around the city getting used to things, he was at home. Often in his room, occasionally in the living room in a chair. Reading to Ophelia from a book she picked out. He didn't do funny voices, or act things out; his tone was dry and businesslike. But Ophelia enjoyed hearing him read, and the little moogle had used it to bargain loaning him some gil.




Aquares Ixen, pre-world cup. Open

Supplies. Learning a new city. Vincent is out and about, dressed casually as he stands out enough otherwise. Dark pants and shirt, medium length dark brown jacket over those. His gauntlet covers his left arm, although the sleeves from the jacket help disguise most of it. His hair is loose but the red bandanna keeps it out of his eyes mostly.

Feel free to approach him. Occasionally a little moogle in a bright red long scarf will zip to him. This is Ophelia, as the two are out buying supplies. He'll be in and out of shops, and the library.




Aquares Ixen during the world cup--daytime. Open

Vincent's out and about again although people are giving him a wider berth. Mostly because in the midst of his shopping, he's had to put up with greater crowds. The crowds are not the issue--it's the horrible sound from the long trumpet-like instruments. He is keeping to himself more, as he tries to pick up normal supplies (weekly groceries, a new book, ammo which is guarded jealously).

He doesn't begrudge people their excitement, and has even tried to figure out what this Blitzball is. So you might be able to find him around food and drink stalls, or watching the artistic matches. He looks more annoyed than usual, given the constant buzzing of vuvuzelas and chatter of excited people.




Aquares Ixen during the world cup--nighttime. Open

The noise has not stopped, even if parts of hit have gone from deafening clamor to dull roar. It's definitely given Vincent headaches, and insomnia. Not that he wasn't prone to insomnia before...but the noise isn't helping.

He really is doing his best to not squash other's excitement though. Even if they're being idiots, so long as they're not causing harm? Not his problem.

It does mean he's prowling around the city, lurking on the edges of roofs though, trying to find quieter spots to just observe things. Keep himself busy. If he spots some of the annoyed losers going to ruin things or make trouble, he's likely to intervene. He might also have dabbled in a least one fight-club (sans gauntlet) as a practical means of getting used to his 'human' body again. He's keeping himself very carefully controlled and disciplined through it all.

Comments

Nightime

[victorix]

Rikku's surprised to spot someone in one of her usual rooftop hangouts when the whole city is in the middle of a festival. It's not as if the extrovert came here to escape herself - she figured the height would give her a nice vantage point to scout out the best source of fun.

"Heya!" Ever since becoming an assassin, it seemed like the only time she made noise was when it came out of her mouth - so she wanted to make her presence known. Once she stood beside the dark haired man she looked up at him, offering a friendly smile. One of those awful obnoxious vuvuzelas was tucked into an extra loop she'd made in the straps for the sheaths of one of the girl's twin daggers. "You're missing out on a lotta stuff up here. Are you mopey, did your team not win?"

Re: Nightime

[bloodypast]

Vincent was crouched not unlike he would've been back home. A longer red coat in place of his normal mantle, indicating one of his jobs as his outfit blended the Gunner and Red Mage. Except for the gleaming tarnished golden gauntlet covering his left arm from elbow down, fingers encased in wicked looking claws. He was as still as a statue, until addressed.

Oddly, his first impression was of a blonder-version of Yuffie. From the cheerful attitude, to the smile, as he looked up from where he crouched. Oh dear god, she...please don't let her play the horrid instrument while around him. An inward sigh, as he answered. "I haven't been following it really. More observing in general." His low voice was audible, and calm. No real hint of the annoyance of the constant noise or fatigue that came with insomnia.

[victorix]

Plopping down next to Vincent as though invited Rikku proceeds to dangle her legs over the edge, heedless of the drop below. She leans back on gloved hands. "Yeah?" Preferring to be in the midst of everything, the girl could never understand people who just stood back and watched. "That sounds pretty boring." How could anyone not want to follow Blitzball? It was Blitzball! To each their own, she supposed.

On getting a closer look at the red coated man through the curtain of the dark, the thief narrows her eyes. Leaning in closer with a curious expression, spiral pupiled eyes dart back and forth between her rooftop companion's gauntlet and claws. "Hmm. Were you in the fights earlier?" While not one to partake in the fighting herself, she was an avid spectator - that's when the real parties started taking place. What sort of Al Bhed would she be if she did not involve herself with the underground activity?

[bloodypast]

The comparison to Yuffie was just growing stronger in his mind. He could deal with that, he supposed. It wasn't as if Vincent hadn't had to deal with her during all sorts of occasions in their travels. A little headache from god-awful annoying plastic trumpets and insomnia was easy, right?

Her second query went unanswered, and Vincent made a noise to himself before he replied. "It allows one to gain the whole picture." Answering her first question, which was on much safer territory.

[victorix]

Swinging her feet with telltale restlessness, Rikku blinks up at Vincent. "Nah, you're missing out on lots if you're not watching from the middle of it, I think." She points out a woman running across a courtyard in the distance. "Like her, is she hurrying to meet a lover in secret - afraid her disproving father will discover their secret affair? Or did she just eat some bad noodles and is in a frantic rush to find the little chocobo room?!"

With a light giggle, the blonde raises her hands to clap them together lightly. Not so much making noise as expressing excitement. "Or you, avoiding my question about the fights. Tells me you were in fact, in them!" She flashes a bright grin, "I should be thanking you, you earned me a nice bit of gil!" Not so much one to gamble on Blitzball games - the fights were where the Al Bhed liked to try her luck. She was much better at assessing fighting skill than guessing the many variables of a game. She also did not tend to underestimate the little guys - what with being one herself.

Aquares Ixen, pre-world cup.

[flowershrine]

Anthy is out when people are supposed to be awake, rather than her odd hours kept from stress. Nanami is hovering not too far and the two are chatting, if a little quietly about their future plans. It was high time to treat this city as the second chance it truly was and the first stop was to find some books on local monsters for her studies at becoming a Blue Mage. Blessedly, she retained her ear for music that was honed in Ohtori and felt less of a need to find a teacher immediately.

Reaching her destination in decent time despite the larger population, she paused outside the library. This was only her third pause in the trip, a wholesale miracle considering her absolute distaste for such large crowd. Funny, that her fear was not nearly as paralyzing as it had been, though considering her recent brush with her memories made everything less daunting.

Nanami indicated something and she followed his gesture, smiling as she spotted the familiar gauntlet. Her approach was easy and as she drew close enough, she greeted him with a small wave.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Valentine."

Re: Aquares Ixen, pre-world cup.

[bloodypast]

Ophelia was off on her own, gathering her desired reading material. Vincent had bargained with her, in exchange of loaned money, that he would read to her. This wasn't really much of a hardship, even if he didn't quite understand why she wanted him to read to her.

He didn't do 'voices'. He didn't act out as he read. But it had been what she'd requested in return for a loan, while he was getting used to things.

The silence of the library was comforting. Once he'd learned the layout, he simply wandered through the stacks, looking to see what might catch his eye. Yuffie's moogle had been surprisingly helpful in catching him up, as had others he'd met--not least of which those from his own world.

Currently, he was drifting somewhere in the history-section, when he heard and sensed someone approach. A shift of his head with the motion of the wave, and he resisted the urge to move for a gun not holstered at his side. A momentary reflex, before he calmed once more and looked in reality upon someone whom he had met in a memory.

"Miss Himemiya." Vincent greeted with a nod of his head. Acknowledging in that gesture their shared secrets, while letting her maintain her privacy. He'd spent several of his own days, coming to grips with the fact his private memories had been bared for anyone to see.

Re: Aquares Ixen, pre-world cup.

[flowershrine]

It was strange to see him walking around, after seeing him on Ohtori's dueling arena - but she was glad to know he was not a figment. Her mind conceded that he might have been one anyway, but there were worse companions in madness. She sensed a kindred nature between then, after all; a silence born of pain and understand of their fates.

And yet she'd been surprised by him.

"Are you a lover of books then? Or simply knowledge?"

Re: Aquares Ixen, pre-world cup.

[bloodypast]

"Must only one of those be true?" A dark eyebrow rose, even as the rest of his expression remained neutral. It was the only hint of amusement his countenance and posture gave off. Not unwelcoming, but even dressed differently he was much as he had seemed in the arena.

Calm, stoic, tall, and dark. Not exactly someone that people approached without purpose. Except perhaps for moogles with long red scarves as Ophelia came zipping around a corner. Her wings flapping, and she thrust a book at him excitedly. "This one kupo!" Keeping her voice low at least even as it was clear she was excited.

Vincent was careful of his claws as he took the dark blue leather. "A calm before the storm. Tales of Sailors before the storm swept them away." He looked at the grinning moogle, who just nodded her head excitedly. The book was then tucked under his arm.

"Ophelia, this is Miss Himemiya." Gesturing to his companion, as Ophelia moved to readjust her long red scarf and perch on his shoulder. "Miss Himemiya, Ophelia. My companion as a Hero."

House A02

[thegreatninja]

Yuffie didn't know what she was expecting when Vincent moved in. For some reason she thought it would be like living with Sephiroth but less scarier. She wasn't completely wrong though she wasn't about to tell Vincent who she compared him too. At least he didn't have pets...

She walked from her room having entered through her window. It was a habit though there was no reason for her to hide from Vincent. At least no reason to hide that she was home. Mooshoo wasn't with her making her entrance quieter than usual.

"Hey. Vin. Hey. Ophelia." She hadn't thought of a nickname for Ophelia just yet. She slipped onto the couch with a smile. "What cha reading?" Because it sounded pretty cool of course Yuffie wasn't listening to the words.

Re: House A02

[bloodypast]

Ophelia waved, curled up on the couch with a pillow that was easily as big as she was. "I found this great book of superstitions and ghost-tales about the calm plains kupo!"

Vincent just nodded his head in greeting, deciding not to comment on the nickname. He had learned a while ago that Yuffie would not listen, and it was better than 'vinny'. He wasn't terribly surprised to find that she just appeared; he'd heard from Mooshoo that like himself, Yuffie kept odd hours.

House A02

[thegreatninja]

"Oh?" She looked between the two before settling in. next to Ophelia. "Go on read more." She smiled brightly and even though it was late she didn't look tired. It would be nice to be distracted.

Yuffie looked down at Ophelia and whispers as if she couldn't be heard. "Does he do this often?" Because if he did she'd be home for it.

Re: House A02

[bloodypast]

Ophelia grinned, her face looking decidedly pleased. "I loaned him money, kupo. He'd only just arrived before whatever happened that took you all away, so I don't blame him. But part of my price is he has to read to me kupo. That's also my fur-comb and fur-soap in the basket." Decidedly a smug little moogle.

Motioning for Yuffie to bend down closer, she abandoned her pillow briefly to whisper in her ear. "I love his voice! I'm so glad he's my Hero kupo!" Before she went back to snuggling against it and waited for him to continue.

Vincent just waited patiently for the two to finish whispering. He wasn't entirely fond of this, but he had agreed to it. So if he was going to read, he'd rather he had their attention.

"There was at the outskirts of a village bordering the plains, a large and roomy house, which had a bad name, so that no one could live there. In the dead of the night, a noise — resembling the clashing of iron — was frequently heard, which, if you listened more attentively, sounded like the rattling of chains," disturbances that led to the appearance of a specter "form of an old man, of extremely emaciated and squalid appearance, with a long beard and dishevelled, hair, rattling the chains on his feet and hands."

Aquares Ixen during the world cup

[whereishe]

Yuna had just finished her first game and they did surprisingly well. She was excited to watch the others and see who she will be playing against next when she spotted the grumpy spectator. She didn't know him but he stuck out enough for her to guess that he was a hero of light.

"Hey." She looked up at him with a wide happy smile. Her braid fell forward as she leaned forward to look up at the taller hero. "Don't look so sad. Blitzball should make people happy."

Her two toned eyes sparkled brightly. "Do you know the rules?" From the look on his face she'd guess no.

Re: Aquares Ixen during the world cup

[bloodypast]

Vincent couldn't help but stand-out. Sometimes he missed the comforting anonymity of a dark blue suit that was the only thing people remembered. The person behind it usually meant trouble, and that was that. Never mind how someone looked, or how tall or short they were--just one of ShinRa's Turks. You didn't ask questions of them.


He'd been following fine, for not knowing anything about the game but what he over heard. His posture was straight, and with his height, even sitting he stood out from the other spectators. To say nothing of his hair, or the gauntlet and claw he kept mostly hidden under brown-jacket. An eyebrow raised at the comment about him looking sad. "I was observing. It is a new sport to me."

He wasn't sad. Was she also to be one of those people who assumed everyone who wasn't smiling, was upset? At least she was more polite about it than some.

Aquares Ixen during the world cup

[whereishe]

"Oh!" Realization quickly dawns on Yuna that his stoic expression must be his thinking face. She found it interesting though maybe he didn't know what he looked like when he stood there with a slight frown.

Her smile was bright as her arms swung side to side. "Well, can I explain it. I'm on the Aqures Chocobo's so I know the game pretty well." She pointed to herself with a wide grin. She wanted people to enjoy the sport and cheer and get absorbed by the atmosphere for the sport.

"And if you've been watching I can skip over some of the boring parts you have probably picked up on."

Re: Aquares Ixen during the world cup

[bloodypast]

Vincent had kept himself mostly away from troubling others, as he knew his general appearance was intimidating. Moreso since his time being Hojo's experiment. Even without trying, he tended to loom.

She reminded him of Tifa though, as she was open and friendly without being loud or pushy about it. "Are you a native of Crystallis then?" He asked, tilting his head to regard her.

Aqures Ixen, Daytime during the world cup

[zodiac_brave]

With the town fully occupied with excitement over the progressing Blitzball games, the Weapon Shop Keeper had declared business fruitless for the day and sent Ramza on his way from his usual shift.

The blond wandered through the crowd with his head down and his posture rigid. The constant high-pitched drone of the whatever they were put him on edge, and he was jumpier than he had been in a long time. The noise and the crowd and the recent reminders of life as a heretic reawakened an itch in his spine, the silent paranoid scream in his mind that he was too exposed, that an assassin could lurk anywhere and he'd never hear them approached with all that damnable noise and bustling motion every time something happened in the arena.

Ramza looked up to navigate past a queue forming around a particularly popular food stand. He spotted an unfamiliar Hero in the crowd, and seeing his annoyance mirrored in the other's pale face, gave him a commiserating nod.

Re: Aqures Ixen, Daytime during the world cup

[bloodypast]

Vincent raised an eyebrow at the nod; he did not recognize the other beyond a sense of annoyance in expression. From the noise or the crowds, Vincent could not tell. He sighed, particularly as a moogle in long red scarf zipped over to him and was chattering excitedly as her wings fluttered.

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza forced a smile at the moogle. His moogle companion, Simon, was shy by nature, and rarely received visitors, so Ramza was still working on learning the polite way to greet a fellow Hero's moogle.

He settled on a basic, "Good day," though it had to be shouted to be heard, and it was more a wish that the moogle's day be good than conveying that Ramza thought it so. How did anyone think with that bloody racket in their ears?

[bloodypast]

Vincent tilted his head, as he'd heard him even if Ophelia hadn't. Some words, before she moved to perch on her Hero's shoulder and clung there. One of the advantages of Vincent being tall and looming (whether he wanted to or not) meant it was easier for him to sort of make his way through the crowds. While not generally a person who sought others out, having some...company who understood the annoyance of the throngs of people, would be pleasant.

Besides. Maybe they knew a quieter place.

It didn't take him long to get closer and then to the other's side. Closer than Vincent usually bothered, given the crowds, but it couldn't be helped. Ophelia waved from her perch on his shoulder.

Night

[not_most_days]

Vincent wasn't the only one prowling the rooftops that night. Another figure leaped and ran from roof to roof with a fluid ease. Ever since she figured out the right job combination the Assassin was happy to have her body moving the way she wanted it to.

The joy of free running wasn't the only thing that had her out that evening. With a major sporting event came a certain criminal element. Nothing overtly terrible but still some badness in usually calm streets. A shriek rose as a thug tried to accost someone and the seeming young man in pirate garb hooked left and then leaped from the roof into the alleyway below.

Re: Night

[bloodypast]

Vincent had often been more of a night-owl. Ever since his reawakening, it had been more pronounced. Whether it was his own quirk that made him lurk in the higher places, or some lingering tendency from whatever Hojo had done to him that allowed him to shapeshift (and brought his inner demons out) he couldn't say.

It did mean that he blended in well in the dark and stillness. It was also quieter as the sound of the crowds was a dull roar instead of thundering din. Even with a purely 'human' body though, he'd been trained and in the middle of too many things, to not pick out the piercing shriek.

It wasn't close nor was it too far off, and Vincent frowned to himself. He had vainly hoped that the only trouble the sports would bring were the kind of disappointed fans making trouble. Which it could still be, but not that kind of trouble.

It wasn't his problem--which is what he tried to tell himself. It didn't work, not when Avalanche had been rubbing off on Vincent. Not when his greatest sin, had been that he had only 'watched' before. Stretching, he moved in the direction he'd heard the shriek from.

Re: Night

[not_most_days]

He may have been able to blend in well enough out of skill and practice, but this world offered a few tricks to those who put the effort in and found ways to bring out the greatest power of their new jobs.

Down below in the alleyway was just the unconscious form of the unfortunate mugger, his victim having already gotten away. There was no sign of the hero who had stopped him however. That is, not until Kidd dropped her job's special cloak of invisibility, standing on a rooftop behind him.

"Out for an evening stroll as well are we? It seems to me we have to designate these rooftops as a special Hero prowling zone."

Re: Night

[bloodypast]

As soon as she spoke, he was pivoting in his crouch. Death Penalty at his hip in case he had needed it, even as he was mindful of ammo. It was drawn smoothly as he moved, crimson eyes already tracking as he aimed.

[Up to you if you want Kidd to get shot or not. He's firing...]