a gentleman and a saint

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

Who: a mysterious passer-by and whoever is in Radiant Garden
What: He's looking for someone but likes to talk. A lot.
Where: anywhere in RG
When: sometime during the day?

He didn't actually stand out from the usual hustle and bustle that was the norm for an afternoon in Radiant Garden. He actually appeared quite average, from his height to his nondescript coat and sunglasses to his posture. Nothing too odd about him at all.

He sat on the stairs leading down to the towns square, watching as people passed by, completely unbothered by his presence.

Comments

[ariakitsune.livejournal.com]

Aria probably wouldn't have given the him a second look if Pancake hadn't stopped suddenly to stare at him nervously.

She picked up the critter and tilted her head curiously at the stranger. It wasn't often that Pancake seemed afraid of someone after all.

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

He turned his head slightly, peering at Aria and Pancake through his sunglasses. Amused by their suspicious glances, he gave a little smirk and a small wave.

Other than that, he didn't do anything.

[ariakitsune.livejournal.com]

Aria did not like that smirk but, she wasn't about to start any hostilities. She grumbled something mostly unintelligible about dream hares.

"Do you often wave at people who look at you like you might be plotting something?" she asked, fully aware that she lacked anything resembling a poker face.

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he replied amiably in a hard to identify accent, resting back on his elbows. "What can I say? I like it when pretty girls give me their attention."

[ariakitsune.livejournal.com]

Greeaat, one of those. "I'm sure Pancake would appreciate the compliment if she wasn't afraid of you for whatever reason." She obviously wasn't taking the compliment at face value.

[rox-chan.livejournal.com]

There hadn't been many reasons to leave the house as of late - apart from the occasional urge to train and the need for fresh air, Rox had been, as usual, a shut-in, with little but studying and failed attempts to write to occupy her.

Today, however, it had occurred to her that her and Ray's little home was short on a small necessity known as food. She had been, honestly, relieved for the chance to get out. Even though the marketplace was familiar to her, now, it was still a nice change of scenery.

So, an hour and about 75 Munny later (food, in comparison to potions and weapons, was surprisingly cheap), she found herself feeling somewhat calm and alert for the first time in weeks.

...Being more alert, sadly, didn't save her from a a complete and utter lack of observational skills.

Or from falling up the stairs to the town square, for that matter.

She feel forward, not catching herself in time to stop herself from sliding along the step. For a second she stayed there, and took a quick look at her hand. Skinned, of course. Son of a bitch.

In addition, her groceries had fallen everywhere, including next to a man sitting on the steps.

"Oh, sorry about that!" she said, picking up a some of the stray cans and bags.

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

He laughed quietly and immediately began helping her pick up the fallen groceries. "No need to apologize. Accidents happen."

[rox-chan.livejournal.com]

"Still, you were just minding your own business, and then some klutz drops a bunch of tomato sauce cans on your back..." She was clearly flustered; she always was when she was talking to people she didn't know. It was even worse when she noticed he was actually helping her...not that she wasn't grateful, of course.

"Thanks." Rox said, smiling and getting her first good look at his face. There was something...odd, about him. Not his appearance, or the way he was acting - he seemed pretty normal, for the most part. But just a little something in the air around him, maybe, was off.

Then again, she had never been very good at noticing that sort of thing. Maybe it was only her imagination.

"...hey, have I seen you around here before?" she asked, the words out of her mouth before she had even formed a coherent thought.

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

"I guess it's just one of those days," he laughed, shaking his head. "A beautiful girl comes along and plays damsel in distress. How could I refuse?" While reaching for a can of said tomato sauce, his hand brushed hers just slightly, and a wave of something like a static shock except more intense passed between them.

He handed her the can. "I can't say that we have met before. I haven't really been here long."

Because Rox can only do things late.

[rox-chan.livejournal.com]

She pulled her hand back, but only about an inch or so, almost as if she didn't want to call attention to the movement. A habit, really, more then anything else - it was only a shock, after all, but...it took a moment for her to figure it out.

If that had really been an electric shock, she wouldn't have noticed, plain and simple. She used way too much Thunder magic to be bothered by something like that. Besides, that had just felt...strange. Really strange. She didn't want to think too much on exactly how it felt strange, but she sure as hell let herself get more suspicious.

Hearing that he wasn't from around here only put her more on guard, though she didn't let it show. Gummi tech or no, world travel still wasn't very common. Radiant Garden didn't get many strange tourists.

She still didn't feel comfortable jumping to conclusions, but asking more questions couldn't hurt.

"Oh, really? Where're you from?" she asked, words sloshing together. It seemed her Southern roots liked to make themselves known when she was nervous.

[shadowchaser.livejournal.com]

Amy hurried past people, clutching a paper bag to herself, intent on really only one thing: Getting home. There'd been a few things she'd wanted to pick up for herself, but she'd been loath to leave Eli, and just as reluctant to wake him from his nap and bring him with her. Jalen had finally enlisted her gran's help in pushing her out the door, with promises that Eli would be just fine without her, and she could cuddle him silly when she got back. She'd ended up blowing a raspberry at the front door as it was closed in her face.

Now, as she neared the stairs, she found herself stopping and looking around. Was Lilith here? Because to be honest, it felt like her...No, not quite. Shaking her head, Amy began to head up the stairs. Home, baby. Who cared about weird vibes?

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

"In a hurry, love?" the man sitting at the base of the stairs asked, peering up at Amy over the rim of his sunglasses. "Careful there - it would be a shame if you injured yourself."

[shadowchaser.livejournal.com]

"Wouldn't be anything new." She answered, then paused. Talking to strangers, bad. She glanced down at him and frowned. So why was she still standing here?

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

"Yes, but I do so hate when a beautiful woman hurts herself over sheer clumsiness," he replied good-naturedly. "It breaks my heart, it really does." He rose to his feet and flashed her a devilish smile. "Of course, now I'll have to accompany you to wherever you're in such a hurry to get to. I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't."

[shadowchaser.livejournal.com]

Oh great. "That's quite a compliment to give a complete stranger, you know." Amy took a step back when he stood, because she'd finally narrowed down where the feeling was coming from. Perfect.

"Naw, I can take care of myself just fine, thanks. My husband's waiting anyway."

And another step back...which missed.

Brilliant, klutz moment. She thought as she slipped. She landed on her butt a step or two down, the bag still clutched in her arms. Amy was still for a moment before she began giggling helplessly, the stranger forgotten. The situation wasn't all that funny, but it reminded her too much of her last spill down the stairs on Earth...but at least she wasn't carrying dishes this time.

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

Ray yawned and leaned against the wall. She hadn't really planned on going out to fight today, but didn't want to just kill time around the house, so here she was... killing time outside of the house. At least she was out?

She shoved her hands in her coat pockets, watching people go about their business. Idly, she remembered that she had plans to leave tomorrow or the day after and should probably do some errands while she was still here - get some ethers, elixirs, maybe look into a weapon upgrade with the Moogles - but didn't really want to get to work just yet. So instead, she watched people.

It was an old habit of hers. Ray liked to see how people moved, for no particular reason at all. Maybe it was because she'd always liked to draw, and sometimes dreamed of being able to do some animation. Whatever the case, it was sort of calming to watch the people - some of them she knew, others she'd only seen around - just doing menial things.

But then she saw a face she didn't know, over by the stairwell - one of her favorite spots to sit every now and then. He was doing the same thing she was, she noted, but he didn't look all that special, so she quickly went back to watching others. But her eyes fell on him again, and after a moment's thought, she pushed herself off the wall and walked over, sitting down next to him with a small smile.

"Haven't seen you around before. You must be new," she greeted lightly, watching people pass by for a moment before turning to him curiously. "Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

He noticed her long before she noticed him and only smiled slightly when she headed his way. For a moment, it almost looked as if he didn't see her coming, but at the last moment, he tilted his head towards her and presented her with a bright smile.

"You could say that," he said with a chuckle. "I'm certainly not from around here - I travel often."

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

She laughed quietly, a sparkle in her eye. "You too, huh? I was actually planning on heading to another world in a couple days, myself. You a Gummi pilot, or do you have another way to get around?"

"I'm Ray," she said warmly. "So what brings you here to this lovely little world?"

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

He sat back just a little bit, that same rogue smile on his face. "I'd make an awful pilot, unfortunately."

"James," he replied amiably. "Pleased to meet such a beautiful lady here. I've actually been looking for an old friend, but I'm getting the feeling that I may be waiting around for awhile."

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

"Same here. And I'm not crazy enough to risk being the subject of Cid's wrath when I crash a ship," Ray said dryly.

She paused when he gave her the compliment, but chose to ignore it. "Nice to meet you, James. And how long you'll have to wait will depend on who you're looking for, y'know. Even if you're here a while, I'm sure you'll find plenty around to entertain you while you wait."

[nachtstar.livejournal.com]

Being such a nice day, Ari had taken to doing something she hadn't done in a while. Carrying a sketchbook and a regular hardbound, she slipped out of her apartments window and climbed up to the roof, and gently glided her way to her usual sketching spot in the marketplace. To her, the rooftops were the best place to do so since no one quite ever really looked up and she could draw without being disturbed (unless your name was Yuffie).

So absorbed in her sketching she had forgotten about the book she had taken with her until she accidentally nudged it off the ledge and watched it fall, too in shock to try and grab it.

Blushing furiously she peeked over the ledge, wincing at that it most likely just hit someone over the head. "....Ah. Are you, uh. Alright?" She called.

:|

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

Someone certainly had been the target of the falling book, but if it had hit his head, it was hard to tell. He was already paging through it by the time Ari called down her concern. And there was definitely something about him that commanded attention.

He lifted his head slightly and help up the book with a flashing smile. "Lose something, love?"

C: ♥

[nachtstar.livejournal.com]

She grinned sheepishly at him, that blush of hers brightening slightly. Sitting back up, she swung her feet over the ledge and dropped down, gently gliding her way down to the stranger.

"Sorry about that." Ari said sheepishly, "I sort've had forgotten I had it with me." She indicated to the sketchbook, still open to the page she had been working on.

;_;

[demonic-affairs.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's hardly a problem," he replied, handing the book back. "It's certainly a way to open up a conversation with a beautiful young woman such as yourself."

He tilted his head to the side. "And that's certainly an interesting ability you have there."

/:D/~♥♥♥

[nachtstar.livejournal.com]

Ari laughed sheepishly, accepting it back and crushing it along with her sketchbook to her chest. It was rather obvious she was blushing now, not only with the fact that her ears seemed to take on a reddish hue as well. She really wasn't used to getting such random compliments (especially from a stranger)

She blinked at him, having forgotten not everyone knows of it. "It's something I've learned on my travels." She said, shrugging it off slightly. "Dead useful too, especially for a klutz like me."