Such Disdain (Open)

[Elastor Ito]

The time it took to get from the door to the outside was insurmountable. Each occasion he trekked down the fourteen flights of steps to the lobby, Elastor contemplated moving. Out of breath and out of sorts, the apartment in which he lived with his older sister was crowded with two...monsters, nuisances, children. Aah, he didn't know what to call them, nephews. Sometimes, the jabber drove him insane, and other times he couldn't stand the silence. It was a lose-lose situation and needless to say, he wasn't happy about it. Ever since the festival and Csilla Angelis moving from Amestris to Creta, he was on edge. There was no comforting him or anything like that. One day Zen Howler shows up, and the next he's gone. Where was the consistency with this world!? He'd stamp his feet and complain all he wanted, but there was no changing some things. Like Taro pulling apart his tea packets and smelling each one. If he wanted tea so bad, he could just ask his uncle to make it for him. It was easier than going to the store and buying more!

Wielding his wallet in one hand, and the apartment keys in the other, the redhead was on a mission and nothing--nothing was about to get in his way. He decided that it was nice enough out to walk, and the convenience store was just a block down. Passing homeless toothlessly smiling at a dime, he went on among the other Londoners in pursuit of his favorite beverage. Caffeine was becoming more and more of a necessity these days. He didn't know what was going to happen with Csilla living so close or with Anouk, his sister, disappearing frequently off to The Steel Rose, her bar. It was all a mess of mishmashed thoughts and worries coming together in a sleepless frenzy capable of driving even the human ice cube into unstable ground. Thus, he would buy tea. Because tea made everything better.

Ding-ding, the bell on the door clambered as he sauntered in, sizing up the place. The cashier was Ishvallan. He looked about to shit bricks. What, was a sword that endearing? Or did he recognize the glare leering out of his eyes at the unsightly price tag hanging off the box of green tea? Imports from Aerugo were sucking the economy dry. It was ridiculous. He swiped it off the rack and kept walking, slamming it on the counter with some cash from last month's pay. "Just this," he murmured.

[Guest]

Amadi was waiting for Wolfgang. It seemed again, that her master had abandoned her to the meager missions. At times she wondered when it was that she had become a simple grocer, but really she couldn't complain. His will was her will and if he needed a month's worth of munchies.. then who was she to judge? That wasn't her job. Her job was simply to keep him safe and do whatever it was he needed of her. It wasn't like he didn't have three other guards at all times. Though, at times she had to wonder if that was even enough with how he managed to up and defy the laws of physics most of the time. Seriously it was a mystery how he was still alive and must have involved a miracle.. along with the ability to understand a word he said.

Anyways, as soon as she had stepped into the store, she could see the strange looks she got. Not that she really cared. Let them judge, I am made of steel. Her armor was an amazing thing that prevented her from caring about gaping mouths. She grabbed a gallon of milk and two bags of potato chips. The leader wasn't the healthiest of eaters, but again came the law-defying ability he had. He could just eat fatty foods nonstop and not gain a pound. Amadi would watch her weight, not because she was conscious about it in a girly fashion, but because she needed to make sure she remained the right size for her armor.

The line was short and the man behind the register looked rather shocked at the man in front of her who was buying some tea. Tea... when was the last time she'd even had tea? Amadi shifted and let her lance rest lightly at her side. It earned a few more strange looks along with a small child running behind his mother. Was she really truly so intimidating? Her brow furrowed behind her helmet. Perhaps they thought her to be a robber? It was possible, after all her head was covered. Strange that Amadi never saw any other knights. In every country about, she saw, people posed as knights, but wore armor of just clothes. So illogical. A knight was a shield and the armor was what made a second into an few moments.

She placed the milk and potato chips upon the conveyor belt and divided her group from the man's. She perked as he spoke in a mumble. Was something the matter with him? She thought of asking, but she was sure he wouldn't trust a stranger anyways.

[Jay Furor]

~BUMP~

[Rachel Ascot]

THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

It was a fairly usual trip for Rachel at this point, but everyone in the street knew it was anything but. At least it was regular now; just about every month, she went to the same shop to pick up supplies. Of course, what made it unusual was the mode of transport, and the beast that she bought the supplies for; a 12-foot high 5 ton pachyderm that acted as her pet and tertiary bodyguard, the primary and secondary being Elastor and Franklin. Those who knew about Samson's status wondered why she even need bother with other bodyguards if she had her own elephant, which was admittedly well-trained but also, like its master, wholly unpredictable. He only seemed to behave itself when Rachel was around, and even then it wasn't without problems. He wasn't actively malicious, but the danger came from the fact that he simply slept wherever he felt like, whatever or whomever was underneath him. He'd crush just about anything he slumped against, and was thus a major liability.

The two of them reached their destination, Rachel hanging between Samson's tusks lazily like a cat on a hammock, a large hat slumped across her eyes as she slept. It was only when Samson stopped (he knew the shop well, because he knew that's where the treats came from) that the queen jolted awake, almost falling out of the tusks. She took her time getting out, quickly secured Samson to a lamppost with a comically impractical dog-leash across his tusk, as if she actually expected it to hold him in place, before she walked into the shop. The shop owner recognised her, but given that he was already dealing with customers he just shouted to his assistant.

"Abdul! The four o'clock's here!" He bellowed, before nervously looking back to the customer in front. A young Ishvallan walked into the shop proper from the back room and started placing huge bags of peanuts on what little space on the counter there was. Rachel walked up close, grabbing one of the bags, before turning to the queue, comprehending what she was looking at. A knight in shining armour. A female knight in shining armour. In fact, she looked a whole lot like...

"You..." She pointed to the knight, mentally placing her in an image. "You were in my club one night... oh god, I must have gotten so hammered that night I can't remember a damn..."

Her mind almost audibly clicked.

"You're Wolfgang's bodyguard!" She shouted in an almost 'Eureka' moment, happily taking the armoured hand in her own and shaking it firmly. "God, that was a great night. I hope you remember it, because I certainly don't. We didn't kiss, did we, that would've been a scandal and a half!" She smirked knowingly. THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

It was a fairly usual trip for Rachel at this point, but everyone in the street knew it was anything but. At least it was regular now; just about every month, she went to the same shop to pick up supplies. Of course, what made it unusual was the mode of transport, and the beast that she bought the supplies for; a 12-foot high 5 ton pachyderm that acted as her pet and tertiary bodyguard, the primary and secondary being Elastor and Franklin. Those who knew about Samson's status wondered why she even need bother with other bodyguards if she had her own elephant, which was admittedly well-trained but also, like its master, wholly unpredictable. He only seemed to behave itself when Rachel was around, and even then it wasn't without problems. He wasn't actively malicious, but the danger came from the fact that he simply slept wherever he felt like, whatever or whomever was underneath him. He'd crush just about anything he slumped against, and was thus a major liability.

The two of them reached their destination, Rachel hanging between Samson's tusks lazily like a cat on a hammock, a large hat slumped across her eyes as she slept. It was only when Samson stopped (he knew the shop well, because he knew that's where the treats came from) that the queen jolted awake, almost falling out of the tusks. She took her time getting out, quickly secured Samson to a lamppost with a comically impractical dog-leash across his tusk, as if she actually expected it to hold him in place, before she walked into the shop. The shop owner recognised her, but given that he was already dealing with customers he just shouted to his assistant.

"Abdul! The four o'clock's here!" He bellowed, before nervously looking back to the customer in front. A young Ishvallan walked into the shop proper from the back room and started placing huge bags of peanuts on what little space on the counter there was. Rachel walked up close, grabbing one of the bags, before turning to the queue, comprehending what she was looking at. A knight in shining armour. A female knight in shining armour. In fact, she looked a whole lot like...

"You..." She pointed to the knight, mentally placing her in an image. "You were in my club one night... oh god, I must have gotten so hammered that night I can't remember a damn..."

Her mind almost audibly clicked.

"You're Wolfgang's bodyguard!" She shouted in an almost 'Eureka' moment, happily taking the armoured hand in her own and shaking it firmly. "God, that was a great night. I hope you remember it, because I certainly don't. We didn't kiss, did we, that would've been a scandal and a half!" She giggled a little at her own joke. "Don't wanna steal Wolfgang's personal guard from him, do I?"

"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

"YEAH, SAMSON, I'M ON MY WAY!" Rachel bellowed loudly. She twisted her head to the door, looking through the window. He wasn't really causing any trouble, but he was getting restless. The noise was certainly enough to panic the shop assistant, dropping one of the four bags of peanuts.

"H-he's not going to..."

"Nah, he's fine, just being a big impatient child." Rachel reassured him, before slapping a debit card on the counter. The royal funds, which she used more for peanuts and drinks for her club than any other royal business. She twisted her head to the man in the front of the queue, recognising him immediately. "S'up Elastor, long time no see. How's the missus?" She asked, partially as a joke and partially to get a conversation going. She then swiftly paid up, before heaving one of the heavy bags of peanuts off the counter. She was stronger than she looked, but it was clear that she was struggling with the effort. "Ooof! When you're done buying what you need, you couldn't help me get these to Samson, could you?"

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