Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2017 11:06:11 GMT -5
#THELOSTCHILD 5.0
It had been quiet around the mansion for the past hours. Christian had flown to Seattle, sealing some deals and making money. And although he had insisted she tag along, it was nice to have the mansion to herself. Considering that her stepson and his wife had taken Izzy for the day -- they called it practice -- she was able to do things that normally weren’t possible. Enjoying a drink in the garden, admiring the view of all the flowers that had been planted for her. Even going as far as taking a sunbath.
Yeah. Get a tan. Red is the new colour.
Listening to music via her iPod made it impossible to hear any of the noises around her, which included security guards and their personal staff. Elena was relaxed, able to finally forget about what kept her awake at night. Aaron. Rumble. And the list went on. Her body felt light when all the tension finally left. She felt like she was in this state right before drifting off. Calm. Relaxed
Behind her huge sunglasses, her eyes stayed closed until she noticed the warmth of the sun missing. Someone was blocking the view, which caused her to sit up immediately. It was their youngest maiden, Annabelle, with her closely-cropped ashy brown hair that covered her ears and her bright, almost doll-like eyes. It wasn’t her, however, alone. There was someone else right next to her. Kei Hideshima. Quickly she removed the earplugs, sitting up.
“Excuse me, ma’am, Mister Hideshima for you.” The young girl said, a little shy. Obviously intimidated by Kei. Which, honestly, was how most people felt when he was in their presence. Not Elena’s though.
“I can see that Annabelle, thank you.”
The young maiden walked off, leaving the two alone, with Elena wrapping a towel around her body, coming to a fully sitting position and taking off her sunglasses. Maybe it was out of good manners, but she offered him a seat opposite of her. When the truth was, she didn’t want him here at all. Like ever. Too close to Isabella. Too close to her family.
The Japanese Yakuza member had always been a problem for her family, what with his dealings with Finn and the like. He’d been curiously absent, however, for the past few weeks. She didn’t know why, honestly, nor did she care. No matter how intrinsic he’d been in training her brother, he was still a blot on her painted landscape that she had to paint over too many times to make disappear.
But still, apparently, here he stood -- well, now sat, taking a seat on the reclining chair next to her. The occasional conversation on Twitter or text message was all they’d ever interacted as, save for the few times he was at the Complex, but even then, it was mostly his interacting with Finn. So to see his emotionless face without the presence of others was remarkably disconcerting.
“Finn isn’t here,” she stated, when he didn’t speak first.
“No, I know where he’s at,” Kei replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I didn’t come here to speak with him though, Ōkami. If I were, it wouldn’t have been through your lovely maid.” And the way he said lovely was particularly off-putting.
It was hard to not feel uneasy being around him. And when thinking that, she didn’t even mean his looks. Or his nighttime job. It was more about the way he presented himself and the tone of his voice. Often enough, he could say the nicest things, but the tone was not fitting. But as a matter of fact, she wasn’t scared of him. Not even after finding out what kind of stuff he put Finn through.
It was still his decision.
A couple of moments passed before Elena looked at him directly. On the small table between them stood more glasses and scotch. Her manners came into play when she filled one of them, nudging it towards the young man, who took it carefully.
“Good. We’ve cleared that you ain’t here to approach Finn. I’m fully aware that you know where he is -- we both do.” She took a small sip. “So, what brings you here then? Missing me?”
Kei’s lip twitched, though in amusement or irritation, she wasn’t sure. “If that were the case, I think we’d have multiple problems that wouldn’t be solved. The kid asked me to keep away, and at this point, I’m mostly inclined to do so. However, I’ve noticed that you’ve had . . . let’s call it, for now, a problem. A situation. And I think it’s the same one I have too.”
No one really needed a genius to gather was he was referring to: the one problem that a handful of people had currently, including herself and Dickie. The return of the High Queen. The thought alone amused her so he probably was slightly irritated when she let out a small laughter.
“I am not sure I wanna call it a problem . . . I think the word disease is a lot more fitting. Or we could liken it to a kid pulling a tantrum over her favourite toy. Either way, it’s highly pathetic, as you cannot steal a person from another.” Elena looked at the glass in her hand, watching the deep colour. “Unless we are back in the times of slavery and no one told me. But let me just ask you something, out of curiosity of course, how is she your problem?”
He didn’t respond immediately, instead choosing to swirl the scotch in his own glass for a little while. But when he did, he looked directly at her, setting his dark eyes on her face. “Aaron Asphyxia has always been a problem. Always. She gets into matters that don’t involve her. She destroys chances that people get. Under all of that makeup and that sweetness that she exudes on a regular basis, she’s an akuma, a rīchi.” He paused, watching as Elena narrowed her eyes. “A leech, Elena. A fucking leech.”
He took a sip of the alcohol and then set the glass down, where it would sit for the rest of the conversation.
“Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get Callien where he’s at? He came to my training school under her guidance, and I took him from mediocre, at best, to what he is today. And because she cannot stand not being the center of attention, here she is. Again. Perhaps your name for her is better, but I’ll go one step further: she’s a cancer to him. You and I both know that the second she appeared, his goals shifted. He may think he’s still able to handle all of it, keep his eyes on the prize, but what happens if she were to be out there when he challenges for that championship?”
Elena nodded, seeing where he was going. “You’re worried that his mind would be focused on her rather than his opponent.”
“He’s Reece Crosslin two-point-fucking-oh. Once his girly hit the table, the match was over. If Aaron is out there and something were to happen to her, Callien would throw away everything for her. He may say he won’t. But he will. She’s like a heroin overdose, and you and I both know how he reacted to that in the past. She’s his downfall.”
She looked at him, before closing her eyes. Only a moment while her index finger rubbed against her temple, and she tried to get a clear thought. The problem of this conversation was easy to spot. And she hated herself for even thinking it, but Kei was right -- About most of the things he said, maybe not all, but the better part. He hadn’t moved when she turned her focus back on him, putting her glass down.
“I might have to kill you after saying this, but I agree with you. Let's be real for a moment though, you’re aware of the fact that I ain’t a fan of your tactics, or the things you do behind closed doors. But the fact of the matter is this: he was doing way better in the past couple of months. Getting his focus back on what he always wanted to be -- the champion.” Again she paused, thinking through her words. “I wasn’t around when they got together and I cannot tell you what he has seen in her. But if that girl was only fifty percent of how she is today, I don’t get it, because that manipulative kind of behaviour is what disgusted Finn and me the most when we were growing up. I will not tell him what to do and I am afraid he won’t listen to you either . . .”
It was in that moment that her phone went off but Elena decided to ignore it, knowing it was neither Christian or Austin. Instead of picking it up, she shoved it away, looking at her opposite.
“. . . I am aware what she is whispering into his ear. I am aware how she likes to be seen, Kei; I guess at this point, everyone has figured it out. But I will be damned if she ruins that match for him. Because, believe it or not, there is this part of me that has thought about erasing her. This part that I’m not proud of, but you know better than most-- I know people too. But that is not going to happen. You hear me? I, Elena DeDraca, fight this battle. It might be about Finn when it comes to the core, but this goes way deeper.”
“But what if you didn’t have to do any of that, Ōkami?” He insisted. “I know you liken yourself to being the hand of the serpent, but even the Hydra has its flaws. How many cards can you show, Elena, before one of your heads is cut off?”
“So little faith in me, Kei? And here I thought you’ve been paying attention to what I am capable of. Because my friend, I have not once left you out of sight.”
“So you’re saying that you’re willing to murder the leech in that ring on the twenty-fifth?” He questioned then, straight and to the point.
“That is the thing about you males that think they rule the world. You don’t understand anything when it comes to finesse, darling. You don’t have to actually murder someone to ruin them forever. Where is the fun in that?”
“It’s not about ruining her life, Elena. It’s not about making sure she’s miserable.” A smile slipped up to his face. “It’s about erasing her existence. For someone who has supposedly kept tabs on me, you clearly haven’t done all of your research. I could do all of that. And I have done that, particularly to her. Whose face do you think she sees when she’s scared at night, when she can’t see the lights outside? Mine. I ruined her life ten years ago, and I regret not one damn thing. I’m not like you and Alejandra and Pixie. I’m not a cat looking to toy with a mouse before I kill it. I’m not a spider weaving a web to dessicate the fly that lands in it.” His fist clenched. “And I’m not a hydra whose blood is so poisonous that it corrupts everything in its path.”
It was probably the first time she seen him so passionate about something, if he was even capable of that feeling. All this time, she let him talk, tear apart her working manner -- to a point it even amused her. When his mouth finally shut, a wide smile had plastered across her face.
“Now, now don’t flatter me like that, Kei. We’re beating around the bush -- aren’t we? Your name is death, that is what you trying to tell me. It doesn’t need any metaphors for that. I give you credit where you deserve it, darling. I have never met anyone like you and I am yet not sure if that is a good thing or not. But the truth is, I know what you’re offering me. I remember the text messages even though I erased them the moment they were read.” She looked directly into his cold eyes. “But I will have to decline. Not because it isn’t tempting. Not because I haven’t thought about it. But at this point, the only thing that keeps Aaron alive, is my love for Finn. And while that still exists, I cannot and will not give in to what rests in my poisoned blood.”
He stared at her for a few moments, and even underneath the mask he wore around his nose, she could see his nostrils flare slightly as he exhaled. But whatever he was thinking disappeared, and he rose to his feet, planting the military-styled boots he wore into the ground.
“I’m saddened to hear that. And here I was, thinking you were actually a wolf ready to tear out the throat of a rival.”
She held his look for a little longer before smiling, watching him turn around. Everything was said and to a degree she was proud of herself. Because the truth remained the same, the offer was way too tempting. While her eyes still followed his figure walking towards the exit, she leaned back again.
“Maybe next time, Ryo.”
He stopped, turning his head to look at her. And the smile he gave her showed every indication that this wasn’t done. It was far from done. She’d resisted, but that didn’t mean he would listen or take heed. She knew that. Kei was never one to listen to others, or to the system.
The whole conversation was probably done to see if he could get her to fall. And she could be proud to say she didn’t.
“The offer won’t be there next time, Elena. There will be no need for one.”
It had been quiet around the mansion for the past hours. Christian had flown to Seattle, sealing some deals and making money. And although he had insisted she tag along, it was nice to have the mansion to herself. Considering that her stepson and his wife had taken Izzy for the day -- they called it practice -- she was able to do things that normally weren’t possible. Enjoying a drink in the garden, admiring the view of all the flowers that had been planted for her. Even going as far as taking a sunbath.
Yeah. Get a tan. Red is the new colour.
Listening to music via her iPod made it impossible to hear any of the noises around her, which included security guards and their personal staff. Elena was relaxed, able to finally forget about what kept her awake at night. Aaron. Rumble. And the list went on. Her body felt light when all the tension finally left. She felt like she was in this state right before drifting off. Calm. Relaxed
Behind her huge sunglasses, her eyes stayed closed until she noticed the warmth of the sun missing. Someone was blocking the view, which caused her to sit up immediately. It was their youngest maiden, Annabelle, with her closely-cropped ashy brown hair that covered her ears and her bright, almost doll-like eyes. It wasn’t her, however, alone. There was someone else right next to her. Kei Hideshima. Quickly she removed the earplugs, sitting up.
“Excuse me, ma’am, Mister Hideshima for you.” The young girl said, a little shy. Obviously intimidated by Kei. Which, honestly, was how most people felt when he was in their presence. Not Elena’s though.
“I can see that Annabelle, thank you.”
The young maiden walked off, leaving the two alone, with Elena wrapping a towel around her body, coming to a fully sitting position and taking off her sunglasses. Maybe it was out of good manners, but she offered him a seat opposite of her. When the truth was, she didn’t want him here at all. Like ever. Too close to Isabella. Too close to her family.
The Japanese Yakuza member had always been a problem for her family, what with his dealings with Finn and the like. He’d been curiously absent, however, for the past few weeks. She didn’t know why, honestly, nor did she care. No matter how intrinsic he’d been in training her brother, he was still a blot on her painted landscape that she had to paint over too many times to make disappear.
But still, apparently, here he stood -- well, now sat, taking a seat on the reclining chair next to her. The occasional conversation on Twitter or text message was all they’d ever interacted as, save for the few times he was at the Complex, but even then, it was mostly his interacting with Finn. So to see his emotionless face without the presence of others was remarkably disconcerting.
“Finn isn’t here,” she stated, when he didn’t speak first.
“No, I know where he’s at,” Kei replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I didn’t come here to speak with him though, Ōkami. If I were, it wouldn’t have been through your lovely maid.” And the way he said lovely was particularly off-putting.
It was hard to not feel uneasy being around him. And when thinking that, she didn’t even mean his looks. Or his nighttime job. It was more about the way he presented himself and the tone of his voice. Often enough, he could say the nicest things, but the tone was not fitting. But as a matter of fact, she wasn’t scared of him. Not even after finding out what kind of stuff he put Finn through.
It was still his decision.
A couple of moments passed before Elena looked at him directly. On the small table between them stood more glasses and scotch. Her manners came into play when she filled one of them, nudging it towards the young man, who took it carefully.
“Good. We’ve cleared that you ain’t here to approach Finn. I’m fully aware that you know where he is -- we both do.” She took a small sip. “So, what brings you here then? Missing me?”
Kei’s lip twitched, though in amusement or irritation, she wasn’t sure. “If that were the case, I think we’d have multiple problems that wouldn’t be solved. The kid asked me to keep away, and at this point, I’m mostly inclined to do so. However, I’ve noticed that you’ve had . . . let’s call it, for now, a problem. A situation. And I think it’s the same one I have too.”
No one really needed a genius to gather was he was referring to: the one problem that a handful of people had currently, including herself and Dickie. The return of the High Queen. The thought alone amused her so he probably was slightly irritated when she let out a small laughter.
“I am not sure I wanna call it a problem . . . I think the word disease is a lot more fitting. Or we could liken it to a kid pulling a tantrum over her favourite toy. Either way, it’s highly pathetic, as you cannot steal a person from another.” Elena looked at the glass in her hand, watching the deep colour. “Unless we are back in the times of slavery and no one told me. But let me just ask you something, out of curiosity of course, how is she your problem?”
He didn’t respond immediately, instead choosing to swirl the scotch in his own glass for a little while. But when he did, he looked directly at her, setting his dark eyes on her face. “Aaron Asphyxia has always been a problem. Always. She gets into matters that don’t involve her. She destroys chances that people get. Under all of that makeup and that sweetness that she exudes on a regular basis, she’s an akuma, a rīchi.” He paused, watching as Elena narrowed her eyes. “A leech, Elena. A fucking leech.”
He took a sip of the alcohol and then set the glass down, where it would sit for the rest of the conversation.
“Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get Callien where he’s at? He came to my training school under her guidance, and I took him from mediocre, at best, to what he is today. And because she cannot stand not being the center of attention, here she is. Again. Perhaps your name for her is better, but I’ll go one step further: she’s a cancer to him. You and I both know that the second she appeared, his goals shifted. He may think he’s still able to handle all of it, keep his eyes on the prize, but what happens if she were to be out there when he challenges for that championship?”
Elena nodded, seeing where he was going. “You’re worried that his mind would be focused on her rather than his opponent.”
“He’s Reece Crosslin two-point-fucking-oh. Once his girly hit the table, the match was over. If Aaron is out there and something were to happen to her, Callien would throw away everything for her. He may say he won’t. But he will. She’s like a heroin overdose, and you and I both know how he reacted to that in the past. She’s his downfall.”
She looked at him, before closing her eyes. Only a moment while her index finger rubbed against her temple, and she tried to get a clear thought. The problem of this conversation was easy to spot. And she hated herself for even thinking it, but Kei was right -- About most of the things he said, maybe not all, but the better part. He hadn’t moved when she turned her focus back on him, putting her glass down.
“I might have to kill you after saying this, but I agree with you. Let's be real for a moment though, you’re aware of the fact that I ain’t a fan of your tactics, or the things you do behind closed doors. But the fact of the matter is this: he was doing way better in the past couple of months. Getting his focus back on what he always wanted to be -- the champion.” Again she paused, thinking through her words. “I wasn’t around when they got together and I cannot tell you what he has seen in her. But if that girl was only fifty percent of how she is today, I don’t get it, because that manipulative kind of behaviour is what disgusted Finn and me the most when we were growing up. I will not tell him what to do and I am afraid he won’t listen to you either . . .”
It was in that moment that her phone went off but Elena decided to ignore it, knowing it was neither Christian or Austin. Instead of picking it up, she shoved it away, looking at her opposite.
“. . . I am aware what she is whispering into his ear. I am aware how she likes to be seen, Kei; I guess at this point, everyone has figured it out. But I will be damned if she ruins that match for him. Because, believe it or not, there is this part of me that has thought about erasing her. This part that I’m not proud of, but you know better than most-- I know people too. But that is not going to happen. You hear me? I, Elena DeDraca, fight this battle. It might be about Finn when it comes to the core, but this goes way deeper.”
“But what if you didn’t have to do any of that, Ōkami?” He insisted. “I know you liken yourself to being the hand of the serpent, but even the Hydra has its flaws. How many cards can you show, Elena, before one of your heads is cut off?”
“So little faith in me, Kei? And here I thought you’ve been paying attention to what I am capable of. Because my friend, I have not once left you out of sight.”
“So you’re saying that you’re willing to murder the leech in that ring on the twenty-fifth?” He questioned then, straight and to the point.
“That is the thing about you males that think they rule the world. You don’t understand anything when it comes to finesse, darling. You don’t have to actually murder someone to ruin them forever. Where is the fun in that?”
“It’s not about ruining her life, Elena. It’s not about making sure she’s miserable.” A smile slipped up to his face. “It’s about erasing her existence. For someone who has supposedly kept tabs on me, you clearly haven’t done all of your research. I could do all of that. And I have done that, particularly to her. Whose face do you think she sees when she’s scared at night, when she can’t see the lights outside? Mine. I ruined her life ten years ago, and I regret not one damn thing. I’m not like you and Alejandra and Pixie. I’m not a cat looking to toy with a mouse before I kill it. I’m not a spider weaving a web to dessicate the fly that lands in it.” His fist clenched. “And I’m not a hydra whose blood is so poisonous that it corrupts everything in its path.”
It was probably the first time she seen him so passionate about something, if he was even capable of that feeling. All this time, she let him talk, tear apart her working manner -- to a point it even amused her. When his mouth finally shut, a wide smile had plastered across her face.
“Now, now don’t flatter me like that, Kei. We’re beating around the bush -- aren’t we? Your name is death, that is what you trying to tell me. It doesn’t need any metaphors for that. I give you credit where you deserve it, darling. I have never met anyone like you and I am yet not sure if that is a good thing or not. But the truth is, I know what you’re offering me. I remember the text messages even though I erased them the moment they were read.” She looked directly into his cold eyes. “But I will have to decline. Not because it isn’t tempting. Not because I haven’t thought about it. But at this point, the only thing that keeps Aaron alive, is my love for Finn. And while that still exists, I cannot and will not give in to what rests in my poisoned blood.”
He stared at her for a few moments, and even underneath the mask he wore around his nose, she could see his nostrils flare slightly as he exhaled. But whatever he was thinking disappeared, and he rose to his feet, planting the military-styled boots he wore into the ground.
“I’m saddened to hear that. And here I was, thinking you were actually a wolf ready to tear out the throat of a rival.”
She held his look for a little longer before smiling, watching him turn around. Everything was said and to a degree she was proud of herself. Because the truth remained the same, the offer was way too tempting. While her eyes still followed his figure walking towards the exit, she leaned back again.
“Maybe next time, Ryo.”
He stopped, turning his head to look at her. And the smile he gave her showed every indication that this wasn’t done. It was far from done. She’d resisted, but that didn’t mean he would listen or take heed. She knew that. Kei was never one to listen to others, or to the system.
The whole conversation was probably done to see if he could get her to fall. And she could be proud to say she didn’t.
“The offer won’t be there next time, Elena. There will be no need for one.”