tampered | Log; Ongoing

Log; Ongoing

When; Just after this
Rating; Pg-13ish?
Characters; Joshua

violet_overture
Summary; Concerned for his safety, Valerie agrees to meet up with Joshua in Xanadu. Fiore tags along to chaperone.
Log;

She had an uneasy feeling about the entire idea, which perhaps bothered her more than the uneasiness itself. Fiore had grown accustomed to the rare but intense bouts of emotionality she'd been experiencing; and while she maintained enough control to carefully conceal such things, she wasn't used to the doubt and hesitancy that had begun lurking so close. There was a time when she had trusted Master Aion implicitly- where he was beyond reproach and his orders were absolute. But for whatever reason, her confidence in him had begun to wane, and Master Joshua seemed to be growing more and more unstable. There had been many nights where sleep eluded her.

And yet despite everything, Fiore found herself seated silently at Master Joshua's side, hands resting idly in her lap as dark eyes studied their surroundings impassively. So many things occurred in Xanadu- perhaps the garden was a better meeting place than the City's center. They hadn't been seated long, and the bench itself was a more than comfortable resting place- though she had yet to meet this Valerie in person, Fiore doubted she would be the type to keep them waiting.

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By the time Joshua had his bath and eaten something, he was already feeling much calmer. Much more collected. Of course, Fiore's presence helped with that.

As he sat on the bench, the teenager slumped over a bit to rest his cheek against her shoulder. It was cold, of course... Fiore had made sure that he had worn his coat and gloves. He wondered why she was still wearing a skirt in the snow. Wasn't she cold?

Of course, just because Joshua felt calm didn't mean he was doing well. He had two extremes to his illness. The most notable was when he was having his violent fits. The one that was easier to miss was when he was completely calm. Languid. It was as if he had almost been drugged, from how sweetly he smiled, and how clouded his eyes were.

Even without his horns visible, they still controlled him. He was just having one of his blissful moments currently where the noise wasn't bothering him.

Sighing, Joshua shut his eyes. "What should I do...Fiore... She isn't my sister. I only want my sister. But...Valerie would make a good mother, don't you think? I wonder if she liked the mirror I gave her..."

The slight pressure on her shoulder caught her attention, but Fiore didn't bother turning to look. Instead, her arm relaxed, becoming more pliant in order to make him more comfortable. If indeed the cold bothered her, she gave no such indication, breath shallow but appearing a soft puffs in the air regardless.

Master Joshua's sudden bout of calm eased her mind greatly- though as with most things, it was not nearly enough to allow her to feel calm herself. After all, at any given moment he could be riled up once more. Slender fingers reached out to rest beside her Master's own gloved hand- an easily overlooked bridge of contact, only just touching.

The questions were more to himself than to her, Fiore knew, but offered soft commentary despite it. "If you picked it, I am certain she thought it was perfect."

For the entirety of the night, Valerie had been glancing to the clock, counting down the minutes to midnight. She didn't care what Aion said-- she was worried. She didn't know completely what Joshua's sickness was, but it didn't matter. Maybe she would get some answers tonight.

Not that his words hadn't struck a chord of unease in the woman. He couldn't tell her what the problem was, but he could show her? The concept didn't frighten her so much as peak her curiousity, leaving her a little wary. After all, ever since coming to this place, she had met with nothing but eccentric individuals and peculiar events. She had quickly learned to keep on her toes.

Luckily, such action was second nature to her now.

Ten minutes to midnight, she wrestled Gordon back into the house and slipped from the apartment, tugging the fur of her collar around her neck to fight off the chill of winter. It was cold tonight, she hoped Joshua had dressed properly. It was only more of a reason for her to arrive at the garden as quickly as possible-- she didn't want the boy out longer then neccesary.

When she finally arrived, just minutes after the clock struck, she had to force herself to relax into a calmer walk, green eyes bright as they fell on the two seated figures. And somehow that was a relief, that he hadn't ventured out alone in his state of distress. She unfolded her arms as she came to the bench, right hand lifting just a little, subconciously reaching for him.

"Joshua..."

His heightened senses could pick up the light footsteps as she entered the garden, but he didn't open his eyes until she had drawn near enough for her voice to be heard.

When he saw her hand outstretched just a little, Joshua smiled and took her hand, standing to move away from Fiore. "Valerie... You wanted to see things, didn't you? Wanted to see what I could do. I want to show you." After all, if she really cared, then she would like it.

She would have to.

Turning to look at Fiore, he stepped back a ways, one hand remaining clutched to Valerie's so that she had no choice to follow. Lifting his free hand, the young man smiled gently at the handmaiden and murmured, "Don't forget to smile, Fiore."

Valerie said nothing to anwer his question. It sounded more rhetorical, anyway. But what could she say? He was right. She wanted to know what was going on, and if this was the only way she could get an honest, straightforward answer-- then she wouldn't argue.

Instead, eyes cutting to the handmaiden (so that was Fiore?), she smiled softly, trying to show the girl that she meant no harm. Though really, if what Aion and Joshua insisted was true, it was her own well-being she should be looking out for. Still, as Joshua stepped away, she went willingly. This was her choice, and she didn't plan on going back on it.

The woman looked harmless enough, she decided, and Master Joshua seemed to find something worthy of attention in her- so perhaps their late night get together would be something peaceful after all...

A hope that was crushed in as brief a moment it took for the other to address her. At first it startled her, caught off guard by the request, the demand. So this is what he'd wanted her there for. A demonstration. Try as she might, Fiore couldn't ignore the sudden weight in her chest.

It didn't matter. Master Joshua's will was near as powerful as Aion's...perhaps moreso. She hadn't fought him before, when he'd wished to end her life- and she would not fight now. Fiore stood slowly, ever passive and she made no effort to argue or escape. Dark eyes lifted to catch her Master's gaze; heartbroken but obedient.

If her heartbreak reached Joshua's eyes, he showed no sign of it. Instead he just nodded, and immediately swept his hand through the air, as if cutting through it. Now he was able to control his power much better, so nothing was blown away with the force of the wind. It was more like a light breeze that made Fiore's skirt billow--before it completely froze.

Joshua's hand dropped, only seconds later, to reveal the sight to Valerie. Everything within twenty meters ahead of them had been completely frozen. Nothing moved there. Not the air, and any leaves or cherry petals that had been in the process of falling now remained stationary in the air. Trees, grass, and insects were silent and unmoving.

Fiore stood there, just as frozen, and as solid and grey as the bench behind her--like a statue sculpted by a master artist.

Using his power like that wore him out a bit...but at the same time it made him feel stronger. Elated. With a smile that bordered on excited, Joshua turned to face Valerie. "See? The whole City... I could do it if you wanted. It's what stops the noise. And that isn't all. I could destroy it, too. Do you want me to...?"

Already he was lifting his hand again, and the horns that hadn't been present before were now sprouted from his head just above his ears, and a crackling white ball of energy had gathered before his palm. He was aiming right in Fiore's direction.

Valerie gave pause as she saw the look on Fiore's face, her brow furrowing just the slightest bit. As Joshua moved, though, her eyes pulled away to the path of his hand, watching the arc it carved through the air. When it fell, she tilted her head, glancing into his face before turning her attention to where he looked.

And what she saw stilled her completely.

Everything and nothing-- entirely still. Like a black and white photograph, the kind her grandmother had shared with her as a child. Wind, grass, trees, Fiore-- it was as if time had ground to an abrupt halt. Her jaw actually slacked just the slightest bit, jade eyes wide with wonder.

Don't forget to smile.

As Joshua spoke again, the woman dragged her eyes from the ethereal sight, only to have it land on an even more spectacular one. Light and horns and--

Destroy it? She frowned just a little, more perplexed then alarmed.

"No," She said, simple and honest, watching his pale face a moment before looking back out to the picture he had created. "I don't want you to destroy it." And then, as an after thought: "...How?"

He was a little confused why she didn't want to see what it looked like when he destroyed something. He personally thought it looked magnificent. A real show of power.

But because of the way she had said it, so simple and calm, he just lowered his hand and didn't argue. "How...? You're asking just about this much? This isn't even everything... I can move faster than you can follow. I can heal almost any injury and illness. I can crush and shred anything with my bare hands."

But even boasting that, his grip on her hand was gentle as he slowly spun her into a more solid embrace, gently hugging her as a pair of brilliant white wings spread from his back, as if they had been there all along just like his horns. Unlike the Devil's horns, though, the wings mimicked an angel's, and practically glowed.

Spreading them to stretch them first, he then let them fold down to envelope both of them as he grinned. "I can fly. And I can do anything else you want, especially with Aion's help... Why don't you stay with me, Valerie? At the mansion. You can decorate it however you want, and Fiore makes the best meals..."

Joshua started to reply, and Valerie once again found herself pulling from the would-be photograph to look at him, watching his face. All of those things-- she would have doubted such a thing could ever happen, before arriving here. But now, she held no delusions that each and every word he spoke was true. And yet his hand was delicate as a bird's. Yes, she understood now what he and Aion meant about danger. Even an accident could leave her terribly hurt.

Her eyes widened and she actually straightened a little more as those magnificent wings arched from behind him. Angel wings and devil's horns. But wasn't that the way it was for everyone? Her chin turned, green eyes sweeping from one wing tip to the other. He pulled her into the hug, but instead of returning it, both her palms lifted to cradle his jaw, and she pulled her attention back to study his face, silently, for a long moment.

Then she smiled softly, and stroked his hair back like a mother would her son. "I couldn't come with you now, Joshua. Your Aion did not even want us to meet, remember?" She said gently, taking any unintentional sting from her words with the way she pet his hair.

It hurt, but she did speak the truth. Still, the pain only made him angry, and he turned to cut his hand across the air once more. This time it was more that just a billow, and the gust of wind brought back life in their section of the garden, including Fiore.

"It doesn't matter. Aion will understand. He'll understand I need you, like I do my sister! He'll let you stay if you promise to never leave."

Joshua kept a sturdy grip around Valerie's, apparently not having any plans of letting her go, and he looks straight at Fiore--almost desperately. "Right Fiore?!"

The wind cut right through her, and Fiore found she couldn't deny the chill it left in her. Part of her wanted to deny that the entire incident had just taken place, or to find a quiet place to get away to- to forget it. Discussing it with Master Aion, was out of the question.

Despite it all, she wanted to reassure him. Master Joshua had always had a way of moving her, being important in a way that even Aion was not -but the words wouldn't come.

She maintained her distance, fingers clenching at eachother almost imperceptively but when she spoke, Fiore's voice remained gentle and soft. "Master Joshua, Master Aion is concerned about you and does not yet know how special Miss Valerie is to you. Perhaps you should introduce her to him first." There was an unspoken understanding, she knew. After all, if Valerie was indeed so special to Master Joshua, he would not wish to put her at risk by circumventing Master Aion's approval.

Valerie's eyes softened with Joshua's outburst, but she refrained from commenting on his sideways demand. She couldn't promise to stay with him forever at his mansion. She had her own life, she had Ruth, and it was simply impossible. But it didn't mean she cared any less, or that she wouldn't stay with him for a little while and visit regularly, if Aion permitted it.

Joshua had yet to let her go, if anything holding her tighter, but she didn't fight it. Instead, she curled one arm around his shoulder and tucked a strand of hair back behind his ear with her free hand. Fiore was right, she had yet to meet Aion properly, and she had a feeling that he was as extraordinary as Joshua was. If she wanted to help, it would do no good to be on his bad side. She didn't want anyone to get hurt out of this exchange, and she knew that if anyone did-- it would most likely be herself.

But she wasn't scared so easily. Both of her hands moved to cradle the boy's jaw, and she smiled maternally.

"Listen, sweetie. I wouldn't want your Aion to be upset with either of us. How about I come over for tea in the daylight, and we all meet properly? Then I will be able to come to the mansion without having to worry, okay?"

Joshua didn't want her to just be able to visit. He wanted her to stay. Forever. Why didn't she understand that?!

For a moment, while he stared down to meet Valerie's gaze, his own eyes narrowed a touch, and his wings fanned out while the air got incredibly dense. Heavy, just like the anger that was practically humming inside of his head.

But then the day's events caught up with him, along with his fits and the excessive use of his powers. Suddenly, there was no energy left, and just like it had when he was a child, his heart felt weak and pained.

The teenager's eyelids drooped, and he wobbled a bit before shutting his eyes and nodding. "Mm. Tea... Fiore makes good tea..." he murmured as the horns retracted and the wings disappeared, and quite suddenly he collapsed.

Valerie forced herself to remain calm as she saw the shift in Joshua's demeanor, but despite the gentle look on her face, her shoulders tensed just slightly in reflex. She could feel the air almost crackle, and it sent a shiver of anxiety down her spine.

But like the wind, he changed again, and all the fight went out of him all at once, and before she could say another word, he was crumpling. A soft gasp and her arms snapped forward, wrapping around his ribs and holding tight. Her knees buckled as nothing met her brace but dead weight, and caught by surprise they both hit the ground.

Kneeling there, Valerie murmured, "Oh, Joshua," and gathered him to her chest before looking up to Fiore for guidance.

She stepped forward as a reflex, instinctively reaching out as the teenager crumpled- only to be caught by the woman before her.

Perhaps the City was having a more negative impact than she'd thought. Fiore pushed the thought from her mind, going to her Master's side and pulling one of his arms around her neck- wrapping one of her own around his waist and standing slowly.

It would have to do.

"He needs to rest." She said simply, looking up, in the direction of the mansion; their home.

Though she did not ask, Fiore was more than certain Valerie would offer to help her carry him. She was certain she could manage alone, but the trip would be much faster with assistance.

Valerie followed as Fiore stood, letting go hesitantly as Joshua's guardian took charge. But though the handmaiden seemed to have a firm grip on the boy, Valerie was still uneasy with just letting them go. She wouldn't be able to relax at all until Joshua was back at the mansion. He was ill, after all. She probably should not have even agreed to meet him out here in the chill of midnight.

"I'll help you back to the mansion," She offered immediately, moving so she mirrored the way Fiore held the teen. It would be quicker, after all. And he needed to be in bed as soon as possible.

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Log; Ongoing

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