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| Not Canon | |
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| This article is not canon to the mush and contains references to people and events that do not exist in the current theme. | |
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Vista Point - Alex and Mariah[]
(Note: Their first meet. Alex was still with FM. Prime example of a critical failure.)
They became friends. It was a regrettable result, but Perseus wasn't surprised at that. Using the information he had gained from watching her and Subaru's interchanged, Alex knew something had to be done... with a friend in the hole, War-Rock gained that much more of an edge.
"...you think she'll bite?" A voice echoed quietly from his transer unit as Alex strolled down the street, the voice older and hardened. Alex himself was in pretty ordinary clothes with his hood up, with earbuds in from some music player in his pocket. There was no music playing, though, it was off.
"I'm betting on it," Alexander Skye says, wandering towards nowhere, on one of many streets. There is something in his back pocket, probably a wallet. "...you still sense the presence around here, right?"
"...yeah..." Perseus replies. The conversation ends as they walk on.
Mariah is sitting on a bench near Vista Point, looking out over the bay as the sun is setting. She's enjoying some time of being melancholy (as all Starforce characters are wont to do), with Vulpecula, invisible to human eyes, sitting beside her.
This persists a little while. Alex keeps moving around, seeming to just look around at the setting. Truth be told, he's never been here, so it is pretty interesting.
As he rounds a corner, pausing for a moment in curiosity of where to go, he follows a hunch and stays on the sidewalk, moving along. A tune plays in his head even if the music player is off, allowing him to faintly headbob in rhythm as he continues to move along. The university is down the road, through Vista Point, leading him to consider going to go see it as he walks on into the vicinity. Until his eyes settle on someone just down the way, a girl over by the statue and old train.
The reaction could be downright comical. He keeps walking, but the initial glance turns into a second look as he tries not to seem like he's staring at her or anything, but... wow, she was kind of hot. His eyes eventually fixate back forward, though, as he keeps walking, trying to fight off a blush. Could she have noticed it? Whoops. Some slight embarassment leads to some faint coloration on his face, but he keeps his cool pretty well.
However, his transer arm gently bumps his leg as he moves along. The signal that they planned. That was her...?!
Mariah is lost to her thoughts. With the hood of her jacket pushed back, her semi-long black hair is ruffled in a late spring breeze. The air is fresh and cool, smelling faintly of the sea just beyond. Fortunately for Alex, his foible will go unnoticed. Something is weighing heavily on the young girl's mind.
He slows down. She hasn't moved from the spot; in the quiet, he can hear pretty well, and would've heard if she had gotten up. Or so he figured, beginning to wonder if she was coming up to snatch the wallet as he has planned. But as he slows to a halt, he looks one last time.
She's still there.
"Well, that didn't work too well..." Perseus mumbles through the headphones. Inside the transer, though, he smirks. He knew Alex by this point. Watching her prove his hunch wrong was slightly satisfying.
"Whatever," Alex replies, thinking. What now? Looking at her, she seemed pretty down in the dumps. He thinks for a moment, raising his arm as if looking at his transer. He came all this way just to do something, hopefully get her focus off of War-Rock. He couldn't just go home now. He looks at her face for a moment as she gazes out distantly.
(...what are you so sad about? Your family?)
There's a moment in passing, before Perseus speaks up in the headphones again. "...why don't you go talk to her? Maybe you could actually pull something off. You don't know when you're going to have another shot..." he says.
"......" Alex seems to frown for a moment, but it's lost after a second. He's right. (Why not? Can't be that hard, right?) He turns around for a moment, glancing at her again. (......right?)
He begins walking back.
With Vulpecula sitting next to her, not in the transer, she can't really see what the fox FMian is up to. Vulpecula, however, can sense the approach of Perseus, and she dives into the Transer on Mariah's right arm.
"Mariah! There's an FM being coming!" she says through the device. Mariah is startled momentarily and flips up the lid, looking down at the purple-magenta ninja vixen. "... Is it War-Rock and Subaru?" she asks quietly.
"No. It's someone else. Be careful."
Mariah nods, and turns closes the lid, turning around to see exactly who's coming.
(What should I say?) Alex wonders. (Sh doesn't know who I am, does she? Would it really be as easy as talking...?)
Exhaling through his nose, he glances to her again as he grows close, as she... seems to look at him. As he's moving to her, he gets a better look again, his face turning slightly more colorful. His brain practically all but shuts down on him in an instant. All of a sudden, he's all at a loss of words to say, only one real reminder in his head popping up, quiet background noise well-timed. "...remember. The two of you really aren't that different."
"...hey..." He says kind of quietly. "You, uh... you okay?"
Mariah hehs softly at him, and manages a little smirk. "I'm all right." She puts on a brave face, at least. "Just kind of moonwatching and thinking a little."
"You uh... you can sit here too, there's room, if you want to."
And with that gesture, Perseus smiles. Everything is going smoothly. According to his plan, anyways... certainly not Alex's, which amuses him even more.
Alex himself seems kind of tense. He's not thinking straight. This was supposed to be easy. He was going to break the ice, break the potential bond, bam, done. Did he really plan it out right? She wasn't supposed to be hot, she wasn't supposed to be cool or friendly, it wasn't supposed to go this slowly and as he nods and sits down his mind barely registers how awry this has totally gone, muddled with some strange curiosity about her and who the heck she is and what her deal was. "Alright..." he says with a slight chuckle, somewhat embarassed. "...you, uh... you from around here...?" He asks.
Vulpecula hops out of her transer, and materializes just above and behind Mariah, and she GLARES at Alex. Oh, if dagger-eyebeams were one of her abilities she would SO be using them right now. << All right you. Show yourself, >> she demands of the FMian with Alex, her complain inaudible to the two humans.
"No," Mariah replies, looking back over the water. "I'm from a little scrap town near the Megatropolis ruins." She glances over at him. He looks pretty well dressed. Probably loaded.
This makes her emotionally retreat a bit.
He does indeed come out, behind Alex, materializing. His form is starkly humanoid, that of a male, a head something in between helmeted and crowned, wings at the ends. A cloak seems to surround and flow from his back, fastened in front of the shoulders; his form is tan. << ...good evening, Vulpecula, >> Perseus replies, giving her a respectful nod... a loyal, yet honorable character among the FM army. She might just be alright.
Alex smiles. He tries to dress simply, but he is still rich and it still shows. Old habits die hard. Slowly, the interaction, the talking to a person, an activity he doesn't usually do /in/ person pushes him. The need to be nice forces whatever good is left in him out. "Ah... yeah, I'm not from around here, either... I'm Netopian..."
"That's a hell of a long ways away," Mariah says with raised eyebrows, looking back at Alex. "What's your name?"
Vulpecula folds her arms. <<So you know who I am.... I suppose you want something, or you wouldn't be here.>> She's cautious as always.
"It's a long story, too..." Alex says with a laugh. "I'm Alex Skye, you?"
<< How could I not? You've been branded as a traitor... >> Perseus replies, with stern but friendly eyes which close as he explains. << I hope you don't mind the interruption, I just noticed the need to give my human a little social interaction before he went insane. >>
He looks at her with a vague feel of pride and respect. << You have nothing that I want, unless it's the key. Except maybe an answer to my curiosity... what brings you out here? >>
"I think we both have long stories. Mine's Mariah Fox," she replies. "Nice to make your acquaintance, richboy." She says those two final words together, not necessarily an epithet, but as a nickname and summary of what she makes of him.
Vulpecula facepalms.
<< No, I don't have the key. Frankly even if I had it I would have destroyed it by now. >> She looks up. << We're sitting out here and just feeling sorry for ourselves. Trying to plan our next move. >>
"Just call me Alex," he requests with a laugh. "I get enough people pegging me for a rich snob as it is. Part of why I left..."
Perseus nods. << Of course you don't have it, War-Rock has it. We've had the opportunity to talk and everything. >> He tilts his head back a little. << You do realize the entirety of the FM army has come or is on its way, correct? You two would be best disappearing, particularly away from him. >>
<< We made a deal, and we're going to stick with it for now, >> Vulpecula states firmly. << I know the FM Army is coming. And they're making the same mistake they did with Planet AM. >> She lowers her voice and adds, << And I'm still going to try to save this planet like I did AM. >>
"You're upset with being /rich/?" Mariah asks incredulously. "Try living the other side of the tracks!" She snorts and folds her arms, leaning back against the bench. Still half smiling though. "I came here to try to find money for my family." She sighs and the smile fades from her face. "Not quite working out like I'd hoped, though."
"...you don't understand what it does to people..." Alex replies quietly, leaning forward, arms on his legs. His head, after a moment, turns to look at her. "...want some of mine?"
<< You really haven't learned much since then, >> Perseus replies. << You're just one EM against an entire army. All you will be able to do on your own is drag your host into this fight and kill the both of you... >>
<< She knows what we're up against. I've tried to dissuade her, but she wants to help me. It's her world too. Why should she /not/ want to help stop this? >> Vulpecula replies firmly.
Mariah raises an eyebrow. "This is a joke, right? You can't seriously be offering me money, I mean, we barely know each other."
"... You don't want something in return... do you?" she asks, a little cautious.
Alex puts on a playful smirk. "What if I did?" He asks, starting to regain enough composure to play around.
Perseus takes a look at Mariah for a moment, letting out a half-chuckle. << I suppose you have a point. Though I have to wonder what you see in her... >>
<< She's a survivor, >> Vulpecula says. << Like me. >>
Mariah has raised eyebrows again. "At least you're not freaking out like that kid I met the other day." Sitting up, she turns and looks at Alex. "All right then. Talk, richboy. What sort of deal are you wanting to cut? I may be poor but I don't take handouts."
Alex pauses for a moment as she says that last line. Doesn't enjoy gifts? Doesn't want to just take the money and run...?
(......) Alex balks. (...are you serious...?) For a moment, he thinks, his eyes growing lost in the blink of an eye as he looks out towards the water. He tries to think. What did he need her for? What could she offer, if she were that poor, aside from getting the key which he was not about to ask up front?
"...I dunno. I haven't thought of that yet," he admits.
<< Hard-working and stubborn to boot, >> Perseus says, noting Mariah's reply. For a moment, he quiets himself, looking to Mariah, then to Alex. Maybe this was a good idea after all, meeting them. Hopefully she could rub off on him. He seemed a bit different around her. << ...she's a good kid. >>
Mariah laughs softly. "As long as it's not something unseemly or unethical, I think we can probably cut a deal."
<< She really is, >> Vulpecula says with a certain sadness in her voice. << She doesn't deserve to die. Neither do many of the other beings on this planet. >>
<< ...... >> Perseus seems to relax a little, mood taking a slight swing for the somber. << If only my host would understand that. He wants to see this world destroyed. >>
"Well, it's more the fact that you don't really have anything I need." He leans back, head resting with hands behind his head, still staring outward. "I've got an inheritance that I've been thriving on. I don't have a home to be chained to, family to be responsible towards, a steady job other than network clearing to keep me stuck in a location."
His brown eyes stray to her. "Got something to offer?"
Mariah hmms, sitting back up. "Well, being /poor/ I don't exactly have a lot of property or anything to offer." She rubs her chin. "All I've got are my skills and my body--"
She glances over at him and adds quickly, "--And that does not include anything under the shirt or below the waist, got it?"
Vulpecula tilts her head to the side. << ... You're not like the others, are you. >>
Perseus lets out a sigh, before glancing around. Gemini and the others weren't around, thankfully. For a moment, he thinks about it. << ...my goal here is to acquire the key, like the others. But my goal is different. I don't see a reason in destroying a planet that has not openly aggressed against FM. There's no logic in it at all. >>
Alex fights off a blush as she gets quite up front about it, but in between half-laughs he bites back a little. "You're the one who thought of it first, don't look at me." Liar.
Vulpecula looks a little surprised. Quickly, she replies, << I'd be willing to help you on this. Anything is better than living it in Gemini's hands. >>
Mariah smirks and folds her arms, self-satisfied. "I just decided to cut you off at the pass."
<< Of course, >> Perseus replies. << ...however, I would rather not. Not yet. For everything to go into place, I need to be an enemy, for some time at least. Part of why I needed someone like Alex in the first place. >>
Oh no you don't, Mariah. Alex just dons a smug smirk. "You assume I was going to travel there at some point. Geez." Eyebrow arch plus quizzical glance. "Unless this is some reverse psychology trick. I know I'm hot, but damn, Mariah."
Vulpecula nods slowly and acquiesces. << Very well then. But should you need my help... call for me. Admittedly I have a side mission of my own... >>
Mariah raises a hand to her forehead. "I know! I... I just can't contain myself! What's a poor girl to do?!"
She mock swoons and slides over, falling face up into Alex's lap. Was that a challenge???!?!?!?! .... It's on now.
<< I... >> Perseus begins, before pausing. Looking at the two youths, before laughing. << ...understand. >> He eventually finishes.
In matterspace, though, the laughing has practically ceased as Mariah falls into his lap. It has turned into a battle of wits with pride replacing stamina. For a moment, Alex dons a shocked, startled look in his eyes that could only really be described as a O_o, glancing down at her. "...I dunno, Cinderella, you tell me," he replies, the smirk returning quickly.
"Well, Prince Charming, I guess you're just going to have to sweep me off my feet and carry me away to your castle so we can live happily ever after then," Mariah replies calmly, folding her eyes, looking up at him.
Vulpecula is snickering. << Oh yeah. I picked a good one.... >>
Perseus is also snickering. << I don't think I've ever seen Alex get like this, >> he admits.
This is getting hard for Alex to keep straightfacing. And it's noticeable, but damn if he isn't going to keep pushing, trying. He doesn't even realize what he's gotten into, certainly not something he would have done in a sane state. "Don't tempt me, I might just do it," he remarks.
Mariah sets up halfway, placing one hand on each of Alex's knees and using them as a brace, looking him straight in the eye. She's bold if nothing else. Being a digger's daughter means some courage has been bred into her.
"Oh? I'm waiting," she replies with a grin, eyes carrying a certain playful sparkle about them.
Vulpecula shakes her head and tsks. << I'm going to have to pull her away at this rate. >>
Alex balks. Hard to be a prince without a castle.
For a moment, he just stares at her, delayed for a moment, quite turned on and in the mood but finally without a rung to grab onto. His face contorts, going from flirty to faux annoyance as he just looks at her, there in his lap until he finally says, "...you know what? You suck."
Perseus just shakes his head. << Called it. >>
Mariah just grins even wider.
"I win," she whispers, before leaning in and giving Alex a light kiss.
Vulpecula facepalms, peeking out between a couple of claws. << ... This is just like how /we/ got started, >> she murmurs.
<< Huh? >> Perseus replies, confused with a glance her way. << You and... >> An eye is arched as he tilts his head to the humans.
As Mariah pulls back, Alex just looks dazed, his face red, but happy. "Oh, trust me, there shall be payback," he replies, smirking for a moment as eventually his eyes close. Reality sinking in with the kiss, something appreciated considering he hasn't had one in so long, but... considering what he had resigned to do...
In a moment's notice, Mariah would notice it, his countenance go from happy to distressed. He shakes his head, exhaling. He needs to get out of here. He needs to get away from her. A hand reaches into his pocket before a black card is pulled out... an image of something on there, something not unlike Vulpecula. An FMian, as the card is slid into the transer.
"...Sorry, I..." He stammers, before vanishing in a rapid change into wave form, leaving her without anything under her for a second. For a brief moment, Perseus would seem to stammer before the form changes before Vulpecula's eyes, much more humanoid with still a minor hint of regality, but a bit of darkness too added in. But even she has little time before a hand touches his own helmet and he falls from sight completely, vanishing and launching off, fast, out of the area.
Mariah blinks, having to catch herself as Alex vanishes out from under her. She knows what that means and she's left there, jaw agape for a few seconds, eyebrows raised.
" ... Was it my breath?" Mariah asks no one in particular.
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "Aaaand cut. XD"
<OOC> Mariah Fox says, "Now I have to chase you like pepe le pew because you've piqued my interest."
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "This can only end awesomely. :P"
<OOC> Alexander Skye has come to the sudden realization that 'holy crap I love her but I also want to destroy the world'
<OOC> Mariah Fox will save you yet.
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "Maybe. Maybe."
<OOC> Mariah Fox says, "The more you refuse the harder I will work!"
<OOC> Alexander Skye XD
<OOC> Mariah Fox says, "Don't you know? You just used the successful ploy to attract an aries woman."
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "Manipulation success? XD"
<OOC> Mariah Fox says, "You approached and then suddenly... turned away. Didn't fall for the charm."
<OOC> Mariah Fox says, "Now she's going to go nuts trying to figure you out."
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "Only to wind up conflicting him more, considering he hasn't gone completely evil."
<OOC> Alexander Skye says, "Crap."
<OOC> Mariah Fox :D