Nope Nope Nope Nope [Open]

[Saeko]

[OOC: Happening at roughly the same time as the 1st Meeting]

In the list of "shit that was a terrible idea", this was probably easily the top of the list. The Creme of the Crop. The Sharpest in the Shed. The Slammest of Jams. Except in the worst possible way.

"Enter the Moon Cell!" he said.

"It's for the family!" he said.

"You won't die!" he said.

If she ever saw her father again, she was going to murder him. Well, maybe not murder him, but beat the crap out of him! ...Er, maybe just give him a stern lecture. ... Well maybe-- You know what nevermind, she'd worry about that part after she got out. If she got out. Oh god, she was never going to get out of this place alive. She was going to die here surrounded on the damn moon on a fool's errand she never should have gone on.

Breathe. Don't panic. Breathe. Don't panic. Don't panic.

Panic alot.

Saeko was currently doing the same thing she did every time she didn't feel like dealing with life: Looking for the nearest book to bury herself in and forget about the real world. Maybe not the most prompt or proper decision. After all, she hadn't even met her Servant-- She had appeared alone, and had prompty spent the next few minutes freaking out. She now found herself in the library, ignoring the NPCs within that tried to converse with her and quickly snatching a book at random off the shelves.

She sat down, book in hand. A fate ping clued her in to a message coming into her portable terminal: Some crap from a guy named Leopold or something. Whatever. The last thing she wanted to do was go conglomerate with a bunch of people who had come here to murder one another in a war. At best it was a meeting of insane people, at worst it was a trap. She dismissed the notion entirely, looking back at her book.

It was some fantasy novel she hadn't heard of before-- The Forests of Silence or something. She wasn't even really reading: She read the words but found it incredibly hard to process anything with the now ever present threat of death looming over her head. Damnit, damnit, damnit. She just wanted to be left alone.

Unfortunately, almost nothing would be going the way she wanted today.

[akakios]

Akakios walked in a rhythmic manner with an occasional skip, almost as if dancing to some unheard tune or following one inside his head. Akakios was in a good mood, his chaotic tendency was rather satisfied with the sudden turn of events that the Moon Cell had brought up. A war of survival, now turned into a cage, no door to exit but one huge amount figuratively speaking loaded guns and sharp knives for the people locked up. It was almost as if their surroundings were saying "Let's kill each other, what better way than with Servants!".

Speaking of which, Akakios was rather pleased with his own theoretical knife. She wasn't his first choice, oh no he would have loved to meet I don't know someone like Jack the Ripper or Niers but oh well, Assassin would do and she would do nicely. Though they opposed each other heavily in methodology and he felt that they were incompatible with their true desires, he had no doubt that they were a fabulous pair. He just couldn't wait to see her motivated...

Since awakening in this place when not pulling at Assassin's skirt to see what made her tick, he had been pacing around the campus. He had this entire place as a playground, before he went around toying with potential playmates he had to know every inch of this place, he needed a lair as well. Sure he had his private room but well that was a private place and he would only reserved it for those he really wanted to mess up. He needed a good haunt where he could see his toys first hand.

Ideally that meeting set up by some master was a good place to start, it would sure be convenient to seize up his playmates buuuut, well almost as a whim Akakios felt it wasn't the best time to reveal himself. He wanted a haunt of his own, and what better time to take over his ideal choice when others were focusing elsewhere.

"Say, you think NPC's bleed?"

He spoke in a cheerful manner, in an innocent manner unbeffiting of the words he had just spoken outloud. It was an innocent question he had for Assassin.

Reaching the library, Akakios none to subtly opened the door boldly walking inside. A girl in a school uniform approached him, plain looking honestly. Such a boring little thing.

"Wel..."

Akakios gloved hand lightly pressed one finger on the NPC's lips shutting her up, it was a delicate action. "Hello my dears" Akakios cloying voice filled the room, he spoke somewhat loudly obviously announcing his entrance. With his finger he persuaded the NPC aside and moved inside, he wasn't a butcher no, no. First things first was to check the room and its occupants.

"All NPC's if you can be so kind raise your hands~"

[Assassin of Akakios Simodes]

Following her Master, the formally-clad Assassin took in the sights around them. It was an...interesting choice of scenery, not necessarily her first but it was not a bad thing. In terms of scale it reminded her of the homes of lords back home, but it was definitely more hospitable to many guests. Those parties were always too crowded and impersonal for her tastes, but it seemed this school was just right for its scale. There were all sorts running around the school, and she no doubt was a bit odd by comparison to even them. A red and black striped dress, with no visible weapon on her and her rosy complexion did not betray one who could kill.

Of course, none of that description mattered at the time because nobody would perceive her. In order to ensure she could properly enjoy things, as tiring as it might be, she chose to remain in a materialized form for the time being. She also made sure to avoid giving away any hints she did not want to give, and thus chose to activate her Presence Concealment. As far as any onlookers were concerned, the pink-haired man was simply strolling down the hall by himself.

"Perhaps, though I cannot imagine it would be more than a five second distraction for you, Master." was the woman's response in a thoughtful tone. Indeed, the two were both similar and yet total opposites where it truly mattered, but for now it would likely not cause much of an issue.

When the two arrived at the library, she immediately began looking over those present. There was the librarian NPC that began attempting to speak with her Master, only to promptly be interrupted, and a few others. Though the NPCs were meant to emulate humans, they were distinct enough on their own to her eye to stick out. There was one, on the other hand, that wast most definitely not an NPC; a girl that was sitting on her own, ignoring the NPCs and trying to shove her face into a book of some sort. Moving over and examining it without breaking her concealment, she noted it was some kind of storybook. Likely a fantasy one, if one was using the resources in this library to read a fairy tale of all things.

"I believe we have one human present, Master." her voice was the first thing to reveal itself to the others present, followed by the rest of her behind the girl with the book. Her hands were folded in front of her and her expression was a soft one, not showing much in the way of emotions. Her smile was equally vague, slightly curved in a smile but just enough that it could be conceived as fake. Of course, such was the demeanor of a proper lady.

[Saeko]

HOLY APRICOT FLAVORED ORANGUTAN NIPPLES

The pink haired guy walking in and asking all NPCs to raise their hand had been weird. Something Saeko glared at for a moment, but, as she was not an NPC, felt fit to just ignore. She thought maybe if she shoved her nose deep enough into a book, he'd just ignore her. And that would have been alright with Saeko. And then this lady had just appeared right behind her. If she was attempting to scare the damn daylights of Saeko, who already had a case of unstable nerves due to the whole Moon Cell thing, she had done a damn good job.

"I believe we have one human present, Master."

"JESUS MOTHER OF--"

It would not be an understatement to say Saeko literally leaped out of her chair away from the voice, slamming the book she was reading shut and gripping it against her chest with both arms.

She paused mid sentence, although a string of expletive terms continued in her head, she managed to clamp her mouth shut before she said anything else she would regret. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two clearly-not NPCs in the room, trying to calm herself down. Easy Saeko, easy. They don't look particularly harmful. Maybe it was the formal way they seemed to carry themselves, or maybe it was the overwhelming amount of pink between the two, but it made Saeko have an easier time rationalizing that these two may not have deemed the "OH FUCK" response she had given them. 

The Japanese-American girl coughed awkwardly, before settling in a new seat a few feet from her original one. She debated just trying to ignore the two, but clearly that wasn't going to happen. She lay her book on the table and glanced back and forth between the two of them.

"Erm, I mean, yeah."

Good going Saeko, what a great statement. Someone should give you a nobel fucking peace prize in linguistics.

"Y-Yeah, I'm human. What about it?"

[akakios]

With a caring look in his eyes Akakios checked up and down the confused npcs raising their hands. They were so plain, honestly.

"Aaaah, really why did the Moon Cell have to pick such dreadfully boring characters. If only they would be as entertaining as the dear nurse and shopkeeper."

He regretted, he quietly lamented. That besides two examples he would find no source of amusement in the ranks of the school npcs. The cloying man, he would have to shift his gaze toward the newcomers, the other masters and servants, without excluding his dear assassin.

Still for now, he wanted to satisfy his craving for possessing a public holding and it would just not do for him if the attendants were as plain and dull as the entire campus. It would not simply do. It called for a forceful eviction of the library personnel.

Then Assassin spoke, then someone yelped in surprised. Akakios only smiled, seems a little someone foiled his plan. With a kind gesture he looked at the npcs "If you would excuse me for a moment dearies." He said, swiftly turning around and approaching assassin and the girl. Akakios maintained a gentle expression as he approached.

"Oh my dear that was awfully rude of you, startling a poor girl." He said, taking a seat on the table right next to the girl. He briefly examined her, nothing more than a passing glance. She looked a bit better at least far more personable than the npcs in the room.

At this point Saeko would make out a cloying smell coming from Akakios, a sweet aroma of honey and flowers. Something which Akakios had gone out of his way to hack into his avatar, a present soft aroma. At first tolerable but probably after ten minutes it would be obtrusive and penetrating. Perhaps a hint of Akakios troublesome personality.

"My honest apologies, for my dear servant's interruption" He said, kindly almost curtly while casually grabbing the book the girl was reading with no real reservations or inhibitions. His gaze shifted to the book and began examining the cover, then casually flipping through the pages, at times stopping and reading a random passage or two. He didn't really bothered talking anymore and just perched there for a while.

"I'm surprised, a young lady such as yourself is not in the meeting and all tucked in here~"

[Deleted]

It was natural for Shoji to go to his home away from home first in this situation. The only way he'd be able to calm himself down enough to think rationally about how to handle the glitch in the Moon Cell's routines was to focus his mind on a book. Surely there was something he could read in this "school's" library that wasn't a textbook or manual, some kind of piece of classic literature or something.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with this idea, and he noticed two other students conversing near one of the study desks, one of which with a book.

He gulped. As long as he left them alone, they'd leave him alone, and he wouldn't need to open his mouth to talk. At least, he hoped this is how things would transpire.

He cautiously shuffled over to some bookshelves, adjacent but relatively out of sight of the two Masters, and perused some titles. His brown eyes zeroed in on something out of his reach. Not wanting to leave his interest dissatisfied, he procured a nearby chair and used it as a boost in an attempt to grab the book. Even the chair didn't help the 16 year old magus in reaching the book he wanted - he was still far too short. It was then that Shoji had the brilliant idea of standing on the back end of the chair in effort to get high enough to reach.

It granted him a slight boost to his height, enough to touch the spine of the book, but he needed a teensy bit more elevation, so he stood on his tip toes - it was at this moment, after finally reaching and grabbing hold of the book he wanted to read, that he had made a grave mistake. For after grabbing hold of his prize, he lost his balance on the chair. 
"Got it... whuh-WHA!"
The chair wobbled, and then gave way, and tumbling down afterwards with a loud THUD was Shoji, who landed quite harshly on his back. From the force of his fall, his glasses fell off and landed in the aisle behind him. 
"...ugh..." 
In retrospect, that whole ordeal could have been avoided if he'd just asked his servant or another magus that was taller than him to get the book for him, but it was too late for that now. He could only hope that there weren't many people that would want to see what happened... 


 

[Assassin of Akakios Simodes]

Assassin's eyes widened ever so slightly at the girl's reaction to her appearance. It was an appropriate reaction to one's sudden appearance, if not a bit exaggerated. She was likely attempting to focus heavily on the book and ignoring her surroundings. A bookworm perhaps, or simply one who sought solace in the pages away from the circumstances they were placed in. There were quite a number of ways to handle the nature of this space, and this was but one of them. Now that Assassin got a good look at her features though, while her master proceeded to steal the girl's book, the Servant proceeded to steal glances at the girl herself. Perhaps a little plain, but it is the cute sort of plain. Sort of like her now that I think about it...

"My humblest apologies, my dear. I did not mean to frighten you." she spoke in turn in order to apologize to the girl, giving her a deep bow for a solid few seconds before raising her head again, closing her eyes as she did so. Only when she raised back up did she open her eyes, just in time to notice the boy beginning to fall off of the chair beside them out of the corner of her eye. She could have moved to stop it. Probably. She might've been a little too slow to make it but it was possible. However, covering any sign of noticing it by immediately moving her gaze back to the girl, she allowed the boy to fall. It would not be fitting for a lady to rush in and save a man. He obviously needed to learn from his own errors to preserve his manhood.

Her Master was acting as usual, stealing the girl's book without so much as a second thought and pretty much abusing the poor book with his manner of flipping through it. She maintained her composed and carefully arranged posture, truly appearing as a noblewoman you would expect to see in a castle somewhere. And of course, as her Master finally spoke up again, he completely ignored proper courtesy. She was not one to judge due to her previous blunder, but honestly, it's hard to consider it a blunder when it was intentional.

"You are hardly one to judge, Master, seeing as you are here as well. Perhaps we should begin with introductions though, so we may refer to each other by proper titles than simply 'you'."

[Saeko]

"That's my--."

Saeko started as the man grabbed her book, yoinking it out of her hands without so much as a word of apology. And then he just flipped through it. She could tell he wasn't really reading it, he just flipped through it like a child looking for fancy words. It made her blood boil, but she did what she was raised to do and just kind of simmered angrily in her seat, glaring at the man. Years upon years of childhood repressing of emotions made her very poor at expressing herself. It had however, made her almost a master of being passive aggressive. She kept the scorn out of her voice, but it clearly came out in an almost condescending manner.

"Who would go to such a public meeting? It's an obvious target for anyone looking to take out competitors."

Her response was flippant, as if the words she spoke were obvious fact. She moved to continue, but thought better of it, addressing his servant instead. She seemed infinitely more agreeable than her Master. She only hoped she was actually agreeable and not just playing at it, because who was she kidding, she was basically completely at the mercy of this random duo. Whether they were simply capable Masters or one was a Servant, she was sure they could probably get rid of her at that moment if they wished. So much for avoiding the meeting for safety.

"Er, it's fine, I guess."

She really didn't know how to respond to such an apology, so she muttered out an awkward acceptance, losing her previous flippancy faster than she had gained it.

"I'm Saeko. Saeko Nakahara."

She noticed the boy whom had just fallen flat on his ass in the book aisles a distance away from them and hoped, or more accurately prayed, that they would refocus their attention on him. It might even give her a chance to slip away. One can only dream.

[akakios]

Akakios selfishly entertained himself flipping through Saeko's book. He of course with one exaggerated provocative blinking and smile turned his attention toward the source of the noise and the quickly running away little kid. "Oh my, poor thing."

Akakios noted the young kid's back, he'd later investigate who that was. Though thankfully, his exit from the library made it less hassling for the pink haired man to continue his mischief. "I'm sure we'll meet him again~"

"But everyone knows that wolves and hunters will go for those that don't flock, you are very brave young lady. You must have one amazing Servant." Akakios, probed and provoked with the wishful belief that if such a helpless lady was on her own that she'd be pretty confident on her companion and who knew maybe her Servant would appear.

The cloying criminal closed Saeko's book and gently placed back in front of the girl. He smiled sweetly to Assassin calling him just as rude. He wasn't bothered by the remark, he actually liked it. It was always nice when such conversations happened, well really there was no subject that Akakios found unpleasant though there were plenty that he'd find boring.

"Yes of course" Akakios playfully got off the table with a small hop.

He grabbed the sides of his white jacket and performed a curtsie. He the proper protocol would be to bow, but well he liked to probe Assassin's nitpicks and in a way he was just doing a parody of proper manners. Akakios pink eyes looked sweetly at Saeko as he spoke in his honeyed tone.

"Akakios Simodes, most humbly pleased to meet you Ms Nakahara. Must admit you are the first Japanese I've met~" Of course, Akakios was being exceedingly polite to make Saeko more uncomfortable.

Akakios finished his curtsie and gestured to Assassin next to him. "And this sweet lady is my Servant." He paused there to let Assassin introduce herself as she saw fit.

[Assassin of Akakios Simodes]

He really did just do that. Assassin was unphased by the whole matter of him performing the curtsy, despite the nitpicks she had about his execution. However, he knew the issue regarding self-introductions and yet he did that anyway. Though her expression did not change, the overwhelming amount of anger and frustration she had could definitely be felt through the tie they shared as Master and Servant. Still, it would not do to give no form of self-introduction, especially not when she was the one who proposed it. No doubt he did this simply to mess with her, but as a proper lady she was prepared for such an occurrence.

"I am indeed the Servant of Akakios Simodes. My class is that of Assassin. It is truly a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nakahara." she spoke sincerely and followed up with a curtsy of her own, perfect in form as the result of many years of practice. Though it was obvious the pronunciation of a Japanese name was a bit unusual for her, she did not stumble in her speech and her tone did not change. While indeed she was a Servant, disregarding her class feature, the Assassin did not come across as an entity of great power. Then again, one could never be sure with an Assassin.

A greater question did come to mind though with the introductions out of the way, relating to the fact that the girl decided to not go to that group meeting.

"If you do not mind me asking, Miss Nakahara...what does bring you to the library? There are many places one may go to avoid that meeting." her question was probing, but not intruding, her delivery making it clear that she would not mind if the question was avoided. Her hands returned to their folded position in front of her and her gaze, calculating but gentle, remained fixed on Saeko. The boy seemed to have made his timely exit after his stumble, but she did not concern herself with it. There are more important things to her going on right now.

[Saeko]

"...Nice to meet you both, I guess."

She didn't bother correcting him that she was Japanese-American; She was so used to being called "Japanese" or just "Asian" that it had long since been something she learned to ignore.

Saeko was legitimately unsure what to make of the two sitting across from her. They didn't seem malicious, as they hadn't attacked her or made any hostile moves. Yet. Surprisingly enough, the Servant seemed much more pleasant than the Master. Well, maybe pleasant wasn't the right word. He was quite pleasant and official, and even gave her a curtsy. But he was certainly annoying. Despite giving back the book he had snatched away, she was still rather cross with him about it. At least his servant was scolding him about it, so she was tolerable. Quite the opposite of what Saeko expected from a master-servant pair; Given all the Servants were called here specifically to kill each other, she expected them all to be either bloodthirsty or obnoxiously heroic. Pleasant surprise.

A kind of half-nod was all they really got a second later, as she realized she might kind of needed to do something rather than sit there like an ass after both of these people took the time to get up when they introduced themselves formally.

Was a nod a sufficient response?

Nope.

Did every polite bone in her body scream for her to get up and at least bow in return?

Yep.

But her legs seemed to have no strength in them as she stayed firmly rooted to her seat, an embarrassed shade of red decorating her face as she turned away for a moment, pretending to gaze at the door to the library. She bit the inside of cheek faintly enough to cause pressure but not enough to actually leave one of these irritating wounds that makes it impossible to eat for days, debating how she should answer Assassin's question and trying to avoid the awkwardness she currently felt.

"...I like books."

She let it hang there, struggling to grasp the words to continue. Explaining her actions wasn't foreign to her, but usually it was to cover up for some mistake that her family had thought she had made or was blaming her for, not for things she actually did for personal reasons. She wasn't really sure how to express what she wanted to strangers.

"So I came here."