08-22-2014, 02:25 PM
Aria smiled at his quip. Club wear, as if she ventured into the dark mass of people bobbing around to overly loud music. The music alone would deafen her, much less all those people. Mass was much the same way, except the level and type of music. People close together, everyone with their own problems, their own demons, and everything so close to the surface. God brings out the best and their worst fears come to the forefront to bring before Him and be forgiven.
Aria hoped the late hour would bring fewer people, but like the Vatican she doubted it very seriously. But one thing was certain, Lucas would be there, and there was an anchor to be found if she needed it. Aria told herself he wasn't a crutch. He wasn't the solution. No matter what he offered, he couldn't beat the darkness for her. But neither could she go it alone, he was the anchor that kept her from drifting. It was a helpful thought as Aria walked down stairs to find the shop keep.
Lucas wasn't far from her mind, she was eager to see him. He made her smile and he made her feel safe, and there was not another soul in the world who could make her feel that way. But for as much as he was a god-send, he was a far bigger temptation. His demons and his pain were so easy to grasp, so tempting. Aria pushed the thoughts away. She refused to hurt Lucas.
Conleley was sitting in the back office going over some paperwork in the dim light the desk lamp gave off. "Are you alright deary?" He looked up from the paper to Aria.
She smiled. "As okay as a gun shot to the shoulder is. Can you help me, I can't go to headquarters right now. I'm not exactly sure how to explain this particular injury to the medics."
He laughed, "Yes in our line of work gun shot wounds are very rare. But I can tend you." Conleley pulled Aria into the chair he had vacated near the desk. Aria tried to pull her shirt off over her head but that wasn't going to work too well. He laughed again. "Child I can manage, the shirt is ruined already we'll just cut it away." Aria sighed and let him work.
Conleley worked quickly as if he'd done this before, and he likely had. Almost an hour had passed and Aria still had nothing to wear into a cathedral. Her makeshift medic patted her on the shoulder with a sly grin on his face. "Now off to see your new friend?"
Aria gave him a sideways look and he laughed. "I'm not as old and daft as most think I am child. I've seen the changes." He leaned in and whispered. "Keep him safe Aria. This is no world for men like him."
Aria nodded. How did you bring a loved one into this life willingly? And yet that was exactly what she was doing to Lucas. And he knew nothing of what she was, or what she did. Aria started out the door and Conleley stopped her. "For the pain child." He handed her two pills. "One for now and one for later."
Aria smiled. "Thanks. I owe you."
Conleley frowned, "No, child it is I who owe you. I told that retched man you lived here and he could wait for you."
Aria patted her friend on the shoulder. "He would have found me anyway. He said he was my father, he was determined to return the favor we did his family."
Aria left the shop keep and went back to her room, 20 minutes to find something fitting to wear. She'd been here months and had pretty much worn the same basic outfits the entire time. Her luggage was still partially packed. She sighed and prayed that there was something to wear.
The bag was layered with more t-shirts and jeans, not many and nothing suitable either. But at the bottom a flattened box sat. Aria vaguely recognized it. It had been something she'd purchased while in China, hunting and learning about Oni.
The box protected two souvenirs she'd kept. Such an odd thing for her to do and to bring with her. Sentiment was not usually something she possessed. Aria removed the crumbled lid and the red Terylene Cheongsam Dress, not that she knew what any of the words meant in terms of fashion but she'd remembered them for an odd reason. It was knee-length and sleeveless, but the fabric itself was warm, meant for the fall or winter in China. It would do for a Moscovian winter. The black shawl below would cover her arms, and if she played it right, the wounds on her left arm.
Aria only hoped it would fit, but then again, she probably could still wear most of the clothes she'd worn a decade ago, such was her diet and training. Little had changed since the beginning of her training to now. Aria took a quick shower, she didn't even let the water warm before jumping in. She didn't have a lot of time. Thankfully when it was time to pull the dress on it fit, she had a little trouble with the zipper at the back but it she'd managed just fine. Aria ran her fingers over the black trim and buttons, she supposed it was appropriate, but it was all she really had that was.
Aria owned two pairs of shoes... both boots, her normal combat boots, and a pair of leather healed boots that went to her knees. While not completely appropriate, she had little choice.
With five minutes to spare Aria was able to make herself presentable. Typically she only wore eye-liner and mascara, today she added a bit more. Mass was one of the few times Aria had ever done more than that, and she was meeting Lucas. It made her smile. A faint brown eye shadow would do, lipstick was a no go, it was one of those things that needed to be reapplied and Aria couldn't be bothered. Lip gloss worked well to keep the wind at bay.
Aria's shoulder hurt, but it was doing better since she'd popped the pill that Conleley had given her. Hopefully it wouldn't make her too loopy. Aria could finish the rest on the train. She'd learned to pull her hair up and pin it just about anywhere.
She grabbed the silver hoop earrings, the silver Jesus on a cross necklace, and a small handbag, that barely fit her wallet in, there was no room for a gun or anything else really. But she wasn't completely unarmed. The sticks she brought had a hidden treasure, she'd had them purposefully crafted with razor sharp dirks with an elegant case that made them appear mundane, and wouldn't hurt the passer-byer or herself until a quick turn of the top and the blade was released.
The train ride got her a few stares as she finished getting ready. Earrings and necklace were by far the easiest part. But pulling her hair up into a half messy bun and securing with the faux chopsticks finished the look.
The train lurched to her last stop, Krasnopresnenskaya, located pretty close to the Moscow Zoo, that was someplace she'd never been before, but all those caged animals, Aria felt sad for them. Aria walked the rest of the way in the cold air at a quick pace, she missed her leather trench coat, but it would ruin the effect. Aria was amazed she'd not fallen or twisted an ankle by the time she neared the cathedral, it'd been a while since she'd walked in heals. It was nearly 8pm and Aria really hoped she was neither too early or too close to starting.
Aria hoped the late hour would bring fewer people, but like the Vatican she doubted it very seriously. But one thing was certain, Lucas would be there, and there was an anchor to be found if she needed it. Aria told herself he wasn't a crutch. He wasn't the solution. No matter what he offered, he couldn't beat the darkness for her. But neither could she go it alone, he was the anchor that kept her from drifting. It was a helpful thought as Aria walked down stairs to find the shop keep.
Lucas wasn't far from her mind, she was eager to see him. He made her smile and he made her feel safe, and there was not another soul in the world who could make her feel that way. But for as much as he was a god-send, he was a far bigger temptation. His demons and his pain were so easy to grasp, so tempting. Aria pushed the thoughts away. She refused to hurt Lucas.
Conleley was sitting in the back office going over some paperwork in the dim light the desk lamp gave off. "Are you alright deary?" He looked up from the paper to Aria.
She smiled. "As okay as a gun shot to the shoulder is. Can you help me, I can't go to headquarters right now. I'm not exactly sure how to explain this particular injury to the medics."
He laughed, "Yes in our line of work gun shot wounds are very rare. But I can tend you." Conleley pulled Aria into the chair he had vacated near the desk. Aria tried to pull her shirt off over her head but that wasn't going to work too well. He laughed again. "Child I can manage, the shirt is ruined already we'll just cut it away." Aria sighed and let him work.
Conleley worked quickly as if he'd done this before, and he likely had. Almost an hour had passed and Aria still had nothing to wear into a cathedral. Her makeshift medic patted her on the shoulder with a sly grin on his face. "Now off to see your new friend?"
Aria gave him a sideways look and he laughed. "I'm not as old and daft as most think I am child. I've seen the changes." He leaned in and whispered. "Keep him safe Aria. This is no world for men like him."
Aria nodded. How did you bring a loved one into this life willingly? And yet that was exactly what she was doing to Lucas. And he knew nothing of what she was, or what she did. Aria started out the door and Conleley stopped her. "For the pain child." He handed her two pills. "One for now and one for later."
Aria smiled. "Thanks. I owe you."
Conleley frowned, "No, child it is I who owe you. I told that retched man you lived here and he could wait for you."
Aria patted her friend on the shoulder. "He would have found me anyway. He said he was my father, he was determined to return the favor we did his family."
Aria left the shop keep and went back to her room, 20 minutes to find something fitting to wear. She'd been here months and had pretty much worn the same basic outfits the entire time. Her luggage was still partially packed. She sighed and prayed that there was something to wear.
The bag was layered with more t-shirts and jeans, not many and nothing suitable either. But at the bottom a flattened box sat. Aria vaguely recognized it. It had been something she'd purchased while in China, hunting and learning about Oni.
The box protected two souvenirs she'd kept. Such an odd thing for her to do and to bring with her. Sentiment was not usually something she possessed. Aria removed the crumbled lid and the red Terylene Cheongsam Dress, not that she knew what any of the words meant in terms of fashion but she'd remembered them for an odd reason. It was knee-length and sleeveless, but the fabric itself was warm, meant for the fall or winter in China. It would do for a Moscovian winter. The black shawl below would cover her arms, and if she played it right, the wounds on her left arm.
Aria only hoped it would fit, but then again, she probably could still wear most of the clothes she'd worn a decade ago, such was her diet and training. Little had changed since the beginning of her training to now. Aria took a quick shower, she didn't even let the water warm before jumping in. She didn't have a lot of time. Thankfully when it was time to pull the dress on it fit, she had a little trouble with the zipper at the back but it she'd managed just fine. Aria ran her fingers over the black trim and buttons, she supposed it was appropriate, but it was all she really had that was.
Aria owned two pairs of shoes... both boots, her normal combat boots, and a pair of leather healed boots that went to her knees. While not completely appropriate, she had little choice.
With five minutes to spare Aria was able to make herself presentable. Typically she only wore eye-liner and mascara, today she added a bit more. Mass was one of the few times Aria had ever done more than that, and she was meeting Lucas. It made her smile. A faint brown eye shadow would do, lipstick was a no go, it was one of those things that needed to be reapplied and Aria couldn't be bothered. Lip gloss worked well to keep the wind at bay.
Aria's shoulder hurt, but it was doing better since she'd popped the pill that Conleley had given her. Hopefully it wouldn't make her too loopy. Aria could finish the rest on the train. She'd learned to pull her hair up and pin it just about anywhere.
She grabbed the silver hoop earrings, the silver Jesus on a cross necklace, and a small handbag, that barely fit her wallet in, there was no room for a gun or anything else really. But she wasn't completely unarmed. The sticks she brought had a hidden treasure, she'd had them purposefully crafted with razor sharp dirks with an elegant case that made them appear mundane, and wouldn't hurt the passer-byer or herself until a quick turn of the top and the blade was released.
The train ride got her a few stares as she finished getting ready. Earrings and necklace were by far the easiest part. But pulling her hair up into a half messy bun and securing with the faux chopsticks finished the look.
The train lurched to her last stop, Krasnopresnenskaya, located pretty close to the Moscow Zoo, that was someplace she'd never been before, but all those caged animals, Aria felt sad for them. Aria walked the rest of the way in the cold air at a quick pace, she missed her leather trench coat, but it would ruin the effect. Aria was amazed she'd not fallen or twisted an ankle by the time she neared the cathedral, it'd been a while since she'd walked in heals. It was nearly 8pm and Aria really hoped she was neither too early or too close to starting.