MatthiasAngel

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The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

A secret door? Interesting. The prospect bounced about in Amie's mind. It would be a tremendously exciting way to begin her stay. If she was fortunate, there may even be threats to her safety, and she wouldn't mind a good spar. Jaiden had effectively robbed her of a proper duel, and her gloved hand twitched at the thought of putting her sword to use. On the other hand, her luggage was still packed and sitting on the opposite side of the front door. She had not even started to move in.

She soon discovered, to her horror, that this was a good thing. A sharp knock at the door caught her attention, and she was wondering if she should get up and answer it herself (like normal people do) when it was opened from the outside. The color drained from her face at the sight of a certain assistant who was approximately 365 days too early. His face was emotionless, and his stiff upper lip and half-closed eyes confirmed that he was now playing the part of a proper servant. He cleared his throat in an effort to gain the attention of the occupants.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he called, bowing to everyone present. "Presenting the Lady Ingrid Jane, Baroness."

He was overshadowed almost immediately as the new Lady Jane filled the doorway. She was nearly as tall as Amie and almost as slim, but everything about her commanded attention, from her sharp features to her long, raven-colored hair to her piercing black eyes. At first glance, she looked very little like the wide-eyed, cheery Amie, but the connection was made clear the moment she spoke.

"Amethyst Jane! Your attention," she barked. The edge on her voice could have matched the blade of her daughter's sword, who felt a chill roll down her spine. She rose silently and curtsied, though the blood had returned to her cheeks and her face burned red in embarrassment.

"Your stay at the Lodge has been terminated. I will spare you the lecture for the time being," she said, emphasizing the last four words in a way that made it clear to any listeners that a very long lecture was in Amie's near future. "Your luggage has been loaded. You have two minutes to make any goodbyes you deem necessary. Starting now."

Amie took a deep breath as her mother vacated the door, aware that she had time for perhaps one individual farewell. She decided to use it on her assistant.

"Winters," she said in an icy tone.

"The Lady Ingrid made contact first. I refused to lie. All consequent decisions have been made by her," he said quickly. His face remained unconcerned, though Amie could sense a strand of regret in his voice. He may have had his way, but he was just as displeased about the methods as she, and he knew full well that Amie would give him a lecture immediately after hers. He was right, of course. He couldn't have changed Lady Ingrid's mind if lives depended on it. But he was also wrong. Winters was always wrong.

Turning to face the others, Amie's mind conflicted one final time. Should she return to her formalities, using a stiff bow and strong words? Or remain sincere (and admittedly awkward) in these last seconds? Last impressions are important, but ultimately she wondered how she wanted to be remembered. A lady, or a compatriot? She couldn't resist a chuckle. It would likely be formalities from here on out. She might as well enjoy the common dialect one last time. Raising her head with a smile, Amie waved to the group.

"So long, everyone. I'm sorry I haven't been more, well, honest about who I am. I'd be more like any of you (more or less) if I had the chance. Looks like I won't be getting it here. Might not get another one. But -" A soft tap of the foot from Winters indicated that she had ten seconds remaining. Ingrid Jane had a mind like a machine, and two minutes meant exactly two minutes.

She paused, then flicked her head, tossing the loose blonde strands of hair to the side. "But you never know. Wish me luck." And without another word, she turned and walked calmly from the room. Winters closed the door quietly behind her.

"I'll have your head for this, Winters," she muttered as they approached the car. He sighed.

"As you wish, Lady Jane."

-END-

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

"Ah hah...yes, of course," Amie responded as her brain stalled for a moment, though she managed to successfully return the handshake. She was thrown off track again as the door was thrown open to reveal a sudden appearance and disappearance of her host, whose name Amie only managed to make out before it was obliterated by a sentence that sounded more like a single word. Blinking several times, Amie was about to step inside when she remembered her luggage. Jaiden was, surprisingly, holding the door and motioning for her to precede him. Unfortunately, it was the exact sort of treatment she was used to, and without thinking Amie pointed a finger towards the car, saying only "The luggage."

She realized too late that she had given direct orders to Jaiden. Without hesitation, she tried to convert the order into an observation.

"...is still in my vehicle. And I will go and get it. After I eat." Amie said awkwardly, attempting to make it sound as though that was what she meant to say from the start. It wasn't a very good presentation, compounded with the paleness of her face, and she decided to make the best of it by stepping swiftly past Jaiden and into the main room. Miss Nora (as she should be called, since only servants are addressed without title) had mentioned food, but it was smelled long before it was seen. Amie was not familiar with the dish, though it resembled something more from a previous venture, the difference being that this was less professional and smelled far more appetizing. She arrived at the table to see others already eating, so she took it upon herself to, possibly for the first time, serve herself. It was a bit strange, what with putting food on a plate for yourself rather than having someone else do it for you. She caught hold of an unoccupied chair and seated herself in it, bringing with her a plate of food and a drink. It would take a little time to accept that if she wanted anything done she would have to do it herself.

How unladylike.

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

The trip back to the lodge was quiet and uneventful, which was a nice change of pace from the trip away and the time between. Winters had done his very best to both remain respectful and object violently to the entirety of the plan, but ultimately the presence of a Jane took precedence, and Amie was the highest of the family present at the time. Had her mother been there, the entire excursion would likely have been cancelled. Instead, Amie checked her assistant into an upper-class room for two (one being for her luggage, half of which was being abandoned) at a rather modern hotel, entirely at her own expense, with the length of stay set at one year (as was the maximum time allotted for her visits). She wasn't expecting to stay for so long, but she couldn't begin to predict the adventure that lay before her in the coming days.

Winters insisted at least on going over every inch of Lady Jane's luggage, checking for damage and cleaning away the stains. Her jacket, pants, and boots positively glowed by the time he was done with him, though she hadn't the heart to tell him this would likely be in vain. He even oiled and rubbed the leather in her sword belt, polished the belt buckle, and honed the blade on a whetting stone. To her frustration, he also insisted on showing her how to drive the car and describing every feature. She was nearing the two hour mark by the time her luggage was reloaded and her assistant bid farewell, but Amie had decided to make up for lost time by taking full advantage of the car's acceleration and suspension. She assured Winters that the resulting smile was in regard to the spreading of the glory of the Jane household. The poor assistant waved goodbye, clutching his tablet so tightly that his knuckles were white, as Lady Jane pulled away and made the return trip.

The car handled beautifully, and Amie, now free of the watchful eye of Winters and her family in general, pushed it to the safest limit she could. The 45-minute trip was completed in just under 30, and the first thing any outside residents of the lodge saw was a cloud of dirt as she braked hard into a sharp turn. Steadying her breathing and calming the trembling in her hands, Amie vacated the car. She had changed into much lighter, more comfortable clothing; a light blue dress that came down to her ankles, a gray jacket, and gray ankle-length boots. She was still wearing the gold-stamped glove on her right hand. The other was bare, with a thin silver bracelet around the wrist to match the two plain silver earrings in each ear. The belt, sword, and sheath were still present and in place, though. The most noticeable different, however, was her countenance. The stern, prude noblewoman had been replaced by a cheery young lady, complimented by a warm smile and bright eyes.

The smile faltered as she saw her path blocked by whom she believed was named Jaiden. He was undoubtedly the last person she wanted to meet after the...altercation in the forest. He didn't seem like the sort of fellow who would easily forgive, much less forget, that sort of thing, and for a split second she wondered if she should just return to the hotel. Amie forced the thought aside immediately. The Jane house is not so easily deterred. If he wished to be rude and impudent, fine, but she would not stoop to such a level as that. Rather, she squared her shoulders and walked briskly towards him.

"Salutations. Methinks that, as we will reside together, we could..." Amie cleared her throat, aware that she was still speaking too formally. She lightened her tone and adjusted her vocabulary and wordplay, though it ended up sounding more awkward that informal. "We could start over with the whole thing. I'll go first. My name is Lady Am...my name is Amie. And you may call me...Miss...Amie," she said with some difficulty near the end. Being addressed by first name was very, very abnormal. It was probable that she would not even be addressed as "Miss." Regardless, she controlled her pride and extended her hand to shake once more. Whether he accepted or not made no difference to her. She had decided to test his maturity.

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

Copy that, Red Leader.

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

The woods melted away, revealing the pleasant face of the lodge and less pleasant face of Winters, who had one hand on one of the larger suitcases (now neatly stacked in a small cityscape of luggage) and the other on his wireless phone. He turned to see the approaching Lady just as his thumb reached for the last digit between moving in or vacating the premises. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, returned the phone to his vest pocket and bowed to her Ladyship.

"Ah, Lady Jane. You have excellent timing."

Amie was again forced to admire the assistant's patience. Whatever frustrations he held, he was keeping them safely out of view (in her presence, anyway). She caught sight of her reflection in the windshield of the car and winced. Her journey through the forest and close encounter with combat had left more than a few marks on her person, mainly in dirt smudges and sweat stains. Calming her breathing, she elevated her chin and assumed the posture of a Jane. First order of business: put down on Winters for something he didn't do.

"Indeed. I see you have succeeded in removing the luggage from the vehicle. May I ask why it did not complete its voyage to the interior of the lodge?"

"The door is locked and we do not have a key, my Lady," Winters replied quickly. He was at the very least thankful he had a good reason for only doing half of the job (which, in the Jane household, is considered not doing a job at all). "We believe it is in the possession of a man named Justin, who joined your ladyship in her forest venture. He has not returned."

"Forest venture, hmph!" she responded sharply. "I believe I met the man, though he said nothing of a key. We shall have to wait for him to return, as I have quit myself of the business in the forest."

"Your Ladyship is unharmed, I presume?"

"Do not fret, Winters. I do not feel half as bad as I appear." She paused. "I must say, Winters. Today was perhaps the most unusual day I have ever entertained, and it is not yet evening. I haven't the will to recount the...details, I suppose, at the moment, but I will do you the pleasure of telling you the whole tale on the ride."

"The ride, my Lady?"

"Yes Winters, the ride to your hotel room, where you will be residing for the duration of my stay at the lodge," she replied with a lump in her throat. She had been structuring this part of the conversation for the duration of her journey back to the lodge. The best approach, she had determined, was to play aggressively. The more time Winters had to think, the more time he would have to give her excellent reasons why her plan was a bad idea. And he was right. But he was also wrong. Winters was always wrong. His eyes opened in shock and he was halfway to asking her to repeat herself when Amie launched a counteroffensive.

"I have examined all aspects of this expedition quite thoroughly and have reached the conclusion that it is physically and morally impossible for two individuals of our social tier (you serve the Jane household and are entitled to a standard, Winters, you know this) to occupy this facility at once. I regret to inform you that I have packed too much luggage and likely have room for half that which I brought. I regret further to inform you that I will be staying as ambassador of the house, as is my duty, and you will be staying elsewhere. There is an upscale hotel not fourty-five minutes from here. I will transport you there in my vehicle and return to the lodge with it. The Jane household will as is customary sponsor your stay, and you shall want of nothing save my presence until the days of my stay have expired.

"And I regret further still to inform you that you have no say in the matter," she said firmly, and for a moment Winters was completely out of character. His jaw dropped and he stared directly into her ladyship's eyes. She noticed and pressed her advantage.

"Winters, you are staring at me. Refrain," Amie said coldly, giving him a harsh look. He immediately snapped his mouth closed and ceased eye contact, choosing to instead stare at the lodge in disbelief. He had so many objections to give that he couldn't decide on one. After coughing a few times and trying unsuccessfully to clear his mind, he managed to produce only one reply:

"Your ladyship's family will not approve."

"My family will not be informed. You may report my insubordination when we get home...if you dare," she said, gritting her teeth for the last three words. Amie was going all-in, riding every chip she had on this one power play, which reluctantly involved a good bit of malice. Winters was used to this form of treatment, but not from her, and he found himself at a complete loss of words. Amie turned to face him, snapped her fingers and told him to reload the luggage. Nothing motivated an assistant of the Jane house like the snapping of fingers, and nearly without realizing it Winters found himself bowing and moving the carefully-stacked luggage back into the vehicle. She waved curtly at the remaining residents, still gathered outside the lodge.

"My assistant and I have business in the city. Please give word to the others that I will return within two hours, and until then, I bid you good day," she said as Winters opened the door for her, started the car, and escorted the both of them away.

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

"But you know what they say, let bygones be bygones and all that. I've never been one to hold a grudge. Just put the sword down and I won't report you to the Segaso police for assault with a deadly weapon.

For a moment, this actually seemed like a good idea. The sword quivered ever so slightly as she considered his words. Despite her eagerness, and the potential threat he posed, there was no solid reason to strike. She had little fear of the Segaso police; the long history of peace and respect between the law and her family would play in her favor. But tainting her honor was another matter. Whoever this man actually was, Amie had to admit he was a smooth talker, and he might have won her over if he had finished speaking. But he hadn't

"I know rich folk like you believe you're above the law, but please remember the time period you live, Miss. I've done no wrong, while you've out right threatened my life like some sort of sociopath. I'm sure the authorities would just love to hear about this, not to mention the company that invited us all here."

Her head twitched and a scowl passed over her face. He was either intentionally or unintentionally taking things in the wrong direction again, and she had half a mind to believe it was the former. The tone of voice, the smile, even his posture showed a very serious lack of respect, and that is something the Jane family does not tolerate. The noblewoman in her rose up again in retaliation, and the sword returned to steadiness. Even now, though, she had no grounds to strike, and indeed it seemed as though he would leave without another word. But he didn't.

It was instinct, really. He had intended to move directly and deliberately within, and past, striking distance. She might have taken issue with the smug look on his face or the string of soon-to-come insults, but neither mattered so much as his actions. Without a word, Amie lept forward in a forward parry, feet forward, torso curled, offhand raised, and sword outstretched. The point rested perfectly still at level with the bare throat of the man (if he was a man), not half a foot away. Already her mind was drawing on her countless hours of training in preparation for a follow-up strike, tracing patterns in the air for slashes, thrusts, and blocks, along with offensive and defensive movement. A supernatural element was at play; at the very least, her foe could manipulate himself into other shapes. The golden coat of arms, hidden by the crossguard, glowed gold as she prepared to call on an armament.

And still she could not bring herself to strike. He was, after all, unarmed. But his distance from the swordswoman was, whether he knew it or not, an informal challenge to combat. Further still, infringing on the honor of nobility is a feat not easily forgiven. He was a single step or insult from justifying her actions, and for a third time the entire confrontation could have ended without incident, had he finished speaking. But he hadn't.

"Now do us all a favor, your craziness, and put the sword down. You're getting just a little bit old for cosplay, don't ya think?"

That would do. Without missing a beat, she raised her chin and responded in her coldest voice. "Know your place, beast. You have slandered my status as nobility, my competence with a blade, and the honor of my family. Never has one done such a thing without reprisal. You are heretofore challenged to a duel. May you use your skill in battle rather than your tongue..."

She lowered her head and cracked a wicked smile. "For I am inclined to remove it from between your teeth."

The tension was interrupted by the reappearance of the man from before, who inched his way towards them, each hand pointing palm-forward at either of them. There wasn't enough room to fit between the two, so he held his position and spoke up.

"Okay, easy - you guys are going to be living at the lodge together, both of you, so can we just have a do-over with introducing yourselves, please?"

Her eyes widened, and the smile was immediately erased. A wave of discomfort (perhaps even nausea) washed over her. On one hand, it was a relief to be informed that the other party was already known and apparently not a threat. The danger posed to herself and her comrades had not been there in the first place, it seemed. On the other, it was a disappointment to be rid of a proper fight. But the prospect of engaging and killing a man (which is what he was) in the middle of a negotiation was poor behavior, and she would be hard pressed to explain why an occupant was no longer present when she returned to the Lodge. It was with a snarl of frustration that Amie sheathed her sword, returning it to its place by her side in a fraction of a second.

"Very well. I will retract my challenge," she replied, quickly folding her arms behind her back to block the coat of arms as the glow faded away. She gave Jaiden a harsh glance. "It would do you well, young man, to mind your tongue and know your place. You have made your stance on my person and heritage very clear. Do not do so again."

Amie took a very deep breath and introduced herself for a second time. "As the gentleman opposite us requests, I am Lady Amethyst Jane, baroness. You may address me as Lady Jane, or Lady Amethyst, though I highly recommend the former in the presence of my assistant. He is considerably more formal than myself." With great reluctance, the baroness extended her hand. Traditionally one would kneel before taking her by the hand, but she was prepared to accept that she would be fortunate if the man even returned the handshake.

Will Draw your RP Character For Money

Dang son maybe you should offer to make catalog pages for people o_o

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

Amie stepped around the other members of the search party just in time to witness a disturbing scene; a second young woman was lying on the ground, directly beside what looked like a mass of writhing black tendrils. They were taking shape, but with no way of knowing what sort of being is composed of something so wicked-looking, she decided to take action. She grasped the hilt of her sword, curled her wrist, and withdrew it in less than a second, holding it at a vertical angle. Her knees flexed and shoulders tensed in preparation for a strike, should the need arise. To her surprise, the tendrils took on the shape of a human, and were soon complemented by arms, legs, a chest, and a head. It was a man, or at least a being replicating the form of a man. The thought didn't sit well with her. Fortunately, he didn't give any indication that he wanted to fight; rather, he engaged in conversation.

"Sorry about the scare, ladies, was just thinking you were some thugs in need of some spooking."

Thugs, indeed! If she were in any less danger, she would have been insulted at the offhanded remark, and she had half a mind to teach him some manners with the business end of her longsword. Something about the man was unsettling, and already she didn't trust him, as was no doubt indicated by her raised weapon.

He continued.

"So, are you peeps from that Lodge thing? Cause if so, I hope you got room for one more for a while. Oh, and my name is Jaiden. Jaiden Fairfield, and it's a pleasure to meet ya."

Peeps, indeed! Her royal blood boiled, and she felt herself relapse into the noblewoman she was supposed to represent. Narrowing her eyes, she decided to respond in as cordial a manner as she could when she was interrupted by the young lady lying in the dirt:

"Yeah...crashed. Sorry. I'm fine, though. Gimme a minute to fix it up and I'll be out of your way."

She paused, then addressed the man who called himself Jaiden.

"Good day. I am Lady Amethyst Jane, baroness of the Jane household of Regalia. It is a...discomfort to make your acquaintance," she said flatly, still holding the sword at the ready. "If you have malicious intentions, I sincerely hope you make them known immediately."

She flashed a smile, unable to hold back her excitement. The noblewoman evaporated again, taking her eloquent vocabulary with her. "In other words, you're one wrong move away from the shortest fight you've ever been in. If you want to go, you better get on with it."

The Lodge Outside of Segaso City (RP is now closed by GM)

"Space debris," as Winters had referred to it, was hardly a fitting description. Amie had never seen anything like it. It was void of any distinct features, yet it was carefully machined to resemble a triangular pyramid of sorts, though a bit longer and apparently controlled from the inside, as indicated by a large hole in the side that displayed some form of cockpit. She moved cautiously, hand hovering by the hilt of her sword, scanning it for any form of threat. Nothing presented itself. Whoever had occupied it was no longer present. And yet she was not without company. The young lady from the forest was here, along with a young fellow. They both seemed decent enough, though not enough to convince Amie to withdraw her hand.

The young lady was waving the other two to a nearby disturbance in the landscape.

"Hello? Search party is here for survivors of the crashed ship!"

Amie twisted around, checking every angle for an immediate response. The hair on her neck stood up as she considered how much danger the three of them were currently in. She grasped the sheath with her left hand and wrapped the fingers of the other gently around the handle, sliding her feet apart into a traditional combat stance in preparation for a strike. It had been ages since Amie had engaged in an actual, literal sword fight. The snobby aristocrat, whose butler carried her luggage, had been replaced by a fierce young swordswoman, edging her way towards the other woman and listening keenly for an excuse to draw steel.