Abandoned Playground

[Luka]

[glow=red,2,300]An old forgotten playground in one of the 'backalley' neighbourhoods. There are the usual play-things, but most of the equipment is broken or rusted from disuse. Cold mist snakes through the chain link enclosed area, a light breeze carries the faint sounds of children playing. Sometimes you can hear footsteps crunch on the sand and glass, but when you turn to look, no one is there. Fighting is Allowed.[/glow]

[Adrian]

Every inch of the planets holds a wealth of history, far grander than any bank hiest could produce for a group of thieves or even a single con-man. Only a single entity knew every last second of such a mometic legacy, but He only left hints of it behind for the rest to find. Bits that eroded into indescipherable scraps with the sands of time while the rotation of Earth turned about its own hourglass again & again. Put there to learn from so that may try in vain to create as He had once created at the very beginning. Only with the rise & fall of flawed civilizations did the Human Race slowly grow closer to discovering the secrets left behind. Piecing together bits that still fell short of a greater potential.

Fossil fuels. . .when it came down to it the energy came from burning remains of those long-dead ancestors of evolution. And what did it bring to burn the nameless dead? Nameless in the modern sense of a unique name rather than refferenced collectively as a species with an all-encompassing word.

One that ends up harder to spell than pronounce.

Unearthed for their burnings, giving limited energy while sending out pollutants into the air. Hordes of environmentalists cry out for the sake of their own & future living conditions over this action. But why really? Such smoke carries the blackest hue, that of death as so many against the burning have compared it. Romanticism over such an irony mght hold ever true, bringing out the black smoke of death, smoke that can kill as a testament to the origns from which it came.

But a man who could ponder such things does not try t lecture a group of collegeans on how to buy 'Green' products or chain himself to a tree down in the Amazon. He likely does not even spend more than a few moments considering such a trivial matter. One more trivial treasure added to the wealth of history.

Instead he is walking this planet in a place where happiness made its graveyard. Wandering through an abandoned section of land where each plastic or metal structure stands as a marker for laughter passed on. Cold fog permeating the air as he breathes it in, outwardly showing no suspicion of it holding a possessing spirit. Now his ears moved ever so slightly, perhaps trying to pick out the direction from where those footsteps had just come from. . .

. . . But to no avail, in the place where many childhoods were now buried. . .

[Luka]

The foggy, dingy metropolis was a far cry from the countryside where she had been spending her days, the place where she had remained until she could make some sense out of the world around her. Her sheltered universe had practically shattered, exploding like a delicate glass bulb. It had begun with only a few cracks before everything she knew lay in splinters around her.

She knew that she had no reason to feel sorry for herself, her ancestors had gone through the exact same thing. It was her turn now. Her chance to do something. Become something.. Even if in the end the world never knew any different, at least she could feel proud about herself. No amount of studying or chasing leads would accomplish that. Of course it would be best if any of this never even happened but...what could you do? If anything, she wasn't going to let it strip away everything. What she could do on the way to destiny was pick up what shards she could.

He was one of those.

[Adrian]

Adorning a frame in a way that added mystery while robbing away stealth came his white trenchcoat. Within that existed an alternate array of clothing of either black or white colour. Boots of a protective looking nature existed solely for that purpose while concealing feet. It turned out a heavy burden to carry on those shoulders some nights. But a choice of attire definately did not qualify as the largest cross to bear. Especially with what rested underneath it all for this particular inividual.

Blonde hair framed a face which once had its organic fragility ignored many years ago. Faint lines were left etched upon that face, once erased vigorously to hide wounds of the past. The hair itself once stood gold against daylight, but in these murky surroundings the hue found itself subdued a little differently from the usual appearance. Set in sockets like blue rubies were his pair of eyes that managed to lend his silence an air of mystery that flowed onto the fog itself. Or so it might seem with a prolonged glance. However they remained perfectly normal aside from precieved abnormalities.

No inhuman senses existed with him, no pre-cognative abilities beyond an impulsive intuition. Marksmanship had a place by his side however, along with some technological know-how. Only standing there to examine the area he currently inhabited for a reason. Good or bad, this reason did try hard to govern his logic. Intellect that proved resourceful when given enough understanding. By no means the World's Greatest Detective or a Sherlock aside from the sarcastic implication some threw his way. Teasing about his hair colour. . .a shade that was starting to die out among the genetic variety. Scientists had declared it so.

"White and black constrast cleanly. But both mixing into grey looks messy and dull except the luster of silver. Is that all white and black ever see then? The luster of silvered grey. . .the silver lining."

He did not turn to face the person, if he knew their location remained unclear. Let alone if he knew the person's identity as well. This only negated itself if they were already right in front of him. Directly ahead of one young man that had little more than a Gun & a Crucifix with him. Even those items had no confirmed abilities falling under scientifically abnormal.

But what did his question mean? Who was it for? Did those intentions even matter when an answer might not even exist? Not the answer he was looking for anyway. Hardly anyone found what they were looking for aside from that random wallet on the kichen counter someone managed to look over. And then find it, only to feel stupid for not noticing moments earlier. Analogies like that might not even work for the answers sought out by the white-clad figure. Who did his best working in his own mysterious ways.

[Luka]

Any one of the previous darker figures intwined in Leon's particular story would have been delighted and amused to the point of tears if they had heard his little reverie. Alas, their hyena howls would have to be saved for another time. The person who caught the end of his question was neither evil nor particularly pure.

Her sharp green eyes peered from the darkened veil shadows where she stood. It almost could have been seen as some sort of dramatic foreshadowing, the two opposing figures. Was it an omen? A sign of the possible future?

The girl stood there, staring at the figure bathed in white with a piercing gaze. Her face was expressionless and only the twisting fiery locks of her hair could have given away any of the inner turmoil she might have been feeling - if she was really feeling any at all.

Her right hand tightened into a fist at her side slightly. Not in anger or any other frustration, but more than likely an unconcious effort to grasp that imaginary shard as tightly as she could.

[Adrian]

Cold mists parted under the gaze of blue eyes that never seemed to let outer light in, as if to show the way toward this young woman silently grasping at shards. Or reaching out to them, & therefore to him? Fog that had fled from those eyes that at times almost had their own light, a pathway remained made for his gaze as it changed direction.

Just how had he noticed someone standing in the shadows? Perhaps she was lightly wearing some sort of perfume he recognized? Unlikely since the girl he had in mind almost didn't seem the type to wear that sort of stuff when heading out after a unique, almost dual-natured soul like his own.

One that wandered, sort of lost. . . even after found.

"I can feel your eyes on me."

Humans were allowed that much of an edge by Him over the supernatural, or eachother for that matter. Weren't they? Certainly a common occurunce through the generalization of many lives. At one time or another everyone might claim they felt the indescribable, paranoid sensation of being watched. Some let it go with the breeze while it drove others almost just like them into madness. Both hands remained in the medium-sized coat pockets, possibly holding anything from a gun to a simple can of bodyspray.

The expression he wore continuosly however might come off as enough an armament on its own against some foes. Mortal ones at the very least. A mask in many ways, stretched over flesh in a handsome way while holding a few subtle but unsettling qualities. Victims of severe trauma were capable of the same types of looks. Only those who were trustworthy acquantinces or even friends might be allowed to see the more emotional side buried underneath. It left strangers only the adorning eyes as a window to the soul inside such sensitive flesh, mortal boundaries he'd learned the lines to clearly. But right now they acted more like a two-way mirror than anything else.

[Luka]

There was silence.

"Nuh uh."

The fist at her side loosened as both hands flattened out and traveled up through the air, moving over her face to cover her eyes. It was almost a childish gesture...Well, yeah, it was one. As it was the gesture looked like just one of the usual quirks of her personality.

Behind the hands though her eyes were shut tightly, almost as if she were trying to memorize something or recall something she had fought to memorize earlier on. Then blinked open again a moment later.

When her hands dropped the girl tilted her chin up slightly, one hand moving to rest on her hip. "Well what if they are, huh?" Her gaze flicked away from his for a brief moment. "Geez, make it sound creepy though why don't you. . ."

She looked forward, drawing her lips into a thin line, mimicking Leon's serious face and voice. "I can feel your eyes on me...Get three coffins ready."

[Adrian]

A faint crack came in the expression he wore, the crack of a slight smile. What a seismic dissapointment after how he often made the mask seem so solid. But then again, a smile coming easy never really did much harm outside of a card game. Or stand-off. Just one thing given from him to those that sparked his interest in one way or another. But he certainly seemed to reveal knowing the girl's identity.

"Since one coffin isn't big enough for the two of us."

Walking away from the cold mist, it had a vague artistic look in what most would call a fluke occurence in nature. The chilly fog gave the illusion of triying to take hold of him while standing nearly engulfed within. Only now with his movements, did the etheral grip slacken, slipping away to reveal the white figure without any exagerrated distortion.

"But who goes in the third?"

Leon asked, knowing full well what she refferenced in those words. After all, how could a young gunfighter honestly have any decent marksmanship without knowing that man. If anything distracted from his words, it might be an over-looked implication in the first statement. But who might not catch it? Saint surely would never try to provoke a young, determined Huntress searching for the shards of destiny.

[Luka]

Even though her lips were still pressed into a thin line the corners managed to curl upwards, giving her a slightly mischevious look which might or not have been intentional.

"Well that depends..." she said, still mocking him. "...on if you're feelin' lucky."

"But whoever goes in the third one...isn't gonna be any way but Ugly."

[Adrian]

Maintaining his outward demeanor, the Blonde refused himself the chance to make a comment about someone 'butt ugly' laid to rest in the third coffin. Such a gentleman with the public. If only his manners and consideration extended beyond the moments in her presence.

Growing closer to the shadows where she stood, the light changed trajectory keeping in time with the laws of physics. Only a pitiful excuse for a fence rested between them both now. Placing both hands on the aged barrier, he leaned on it ever so slightly in a way that did not test the structural integrity.

"Your mistaken, there's four coffins."

Did he know who would end up in the fourth?

[Luka]

"Invite whoever you want then. I don't have anyone else in mind." she said, cutting short the mockery as he leaned against the fence. He was close enough now to see him clearly but made no move on her end to close the gap. She shifted her stance, moving her weight from one foot to the other. It was almost a nervous gesture, one someone would make when they were unsettled by something. But that was unlikely. The girl wasn't someone who was frightened or even intimidated easily.

"We'll make a party out of it."

[Adrian]

Resisting the urge to say it would be a Killer party, he picked up on the unsettled shift in her gesture. He had been around her long enough to pick up on a few things at least. The smile found itself wiped away cleanly, eaten away by the somewhat curious voice right off of his own lips that it came from. Or the somewhat curious tone with which Leon spoke next, anyway. Needless to say it bobbed up above his usual inflection of indifference, held up by floaties of a friendlier tone.

"Are you inviting me to come back then, Katherine?"

Did he feel safe with her? Or was he trying to ease whatever troubled her mind?

[Luka]

She was silent as she seemed to contemplate the answer to his question. She shifted her weight again as she slowly crossed her arms in front of her, squinting one eye a bit as she looked him over.

". . ."

Part of Katherine wanted to give him a sarcastic answer, one that bordered on almost mean. 'How do I invite someone back I never noticed was gone?' was one option...but she couldn't do it.

>=( Damnit she was getting soft!

She nibbled on her bottom lip as she squinted at him even harder.

"I think I am." she said before quickly waving a hand, "That is, if you're done with whatever it is you went off to do?" There was a slight question in that statement. She wanted to ask but left it up to him.

[Adrian]

He probably deserved the first answer.

Even if she had tried leaving once without bringing him, to head off to a Colloseum. But then again she might have been back before he even woke up, if he'd slept. Katherine's errands didn't turn into trips like his had started to with this new buisiness. But it paid the bills he ran up with his tastes, even if he hardly bought anything. Regardless not everything about the trans-Atlantic rendevouz related to monsters. Or even bullets for once.

"I'd wager to think I'm done traveling abroad, alone."

Reaching into his pocket the White Figure then pulled out a set of keys which jingled ever so slightly. One of them looked a little more complicated than an old-fashioned key. Pushing a button caused a lone headlight to light up nearby in the direction of Katherine & Leon. After a brief walk over to it, thusly leaving the hauntingly Abandoned playground, he vanished from sight behind the light. Until the Belmont's eyes adjust or she moved anyway.

"I got you a few things. Not as an apology so much as to prove I had not forgotten about you during the trip. But you've caught me. Do you want them now?"

[Luka]

Katherine almost closed her eyes completely when the light flicked on, the eye on that side almost being blinded. She raised a hand, blinking hard as she tried to adjust her vision. Stepping quickly she moved until she was off to the side of the beam the best she could be, tilting her head to the side in an effort to see what the source of it was.

He got her something?

"S-sure, I guess." she answered hesitantly, thrown off slightly.