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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Jan 1, 2014 18:26:09 GMT -8
Lucien had thought he was going to go crazy, tucked away in the top floor of the Crystal Palace. It was just him and Kun Shui, and as much as he liked Kun Shui, it was somewhat torturous to have spent two years isolated, finally earning his freedom only to be immediately shoved back into captivity. It hadn't been Kun Shui's fault, but instead the fault of the creatures that had attacked them.
That didn't make it any easier. It just meant he was left to suffer alone, unable to walk anywhere and with only the tiny sugar glider for company. It had become his constant companion, seeming to go out of its way to keep him cheered up. It slept on the side of his pillow, ate beside him when meals were brought, and generally kept him company when he was otherwise alone.
It was the first time he'd been allowed to leave the house. Not because Kun Shui wanted to keep him in, but because Kun Shui didn't think he could manage going out. He'd run out of books though, having been unprepared for a week of nothing but reading. He had practically begged Kun Shui to let him go, and he'd reluctantly agreed, sending a guard with him. The guard trailed just behind Lucien, who was using a single crutch to keep his injured leg up.
He'd made it to the bookstore, loading a bag with books before passing it to the guard, who carried it dutifully. He was halfway back before his leg started to twinge with pain, and he was forced to look at his options. He hadn't even realized where he was until he started looking, and he found himself only a little bit down the road from the art gallery.
He wasn't sure he was comfortable with it being there, but after a moment he decided that cowardice wasn't tolerable. He found a bench and lowered himself down, the crutch at his side as he let his hand rest in his pocket, cupping the tiny ink glider. It never left his side, and going out was no different. He found himself just sitting there, staring at the gallery and letting himself think.
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian  
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Jan 3, 2014 20:12:18 GMT -8
 Kyoko was quite unhappy. For one, she feared she would never trust adolescent children again (the whole idea was just bad, everything about that had been a bad idea and yet she still...). Which was kind of horrible, but Morris was cute as ever and it'll be a while until he grew into his teens. But dear god her shoulder. The doctor said lots of rest and relaxation and no strenuous activity and she would make a full recovery but Kyoko had been growing a little bit restless. Staying cooped in all day not doing anything while she was on leave did that to her.
She was stuck with this sling, too. It was stupid, she thought. But she supposed the injury could have been worse. At least she would be going back to work soon... maybe in a month. Kyoko felt bad for leaving Kei all by her lonesome while she healed, but it couldn't be helped. How was she supposed to know an innocent little outing to a boring art gallery would turn into this? And said boring art gallery was right where she was going.
It was probably a bad idea to go there injured. And without a gun. Regrettably, even if she did bring it with her she wouldn't have been able to use it very well. That being her injury and all. Kyoko honestly wasn't sure why she wanted to go, anyways. Some sort of investigation had taken place or something, but there were monsters, everyone saw them. But what did people call it? Closure? It wasn't really closure so much as trying to understand what exactly had happened.
Honestly, it was a bit surprising she had even managed to make it here at all, with her really skewed sense of direction. But it was the same place, the stupid art gallery with the stupid monsters. She looked around a bit. She didn't want to go inside, but she didn't want to leave. Though, that hair of red, sitting over at that bench. He looked very... familiar. No, no that was definitely one of the people there! Who could forget him? Hell, who could forget anything of that?
But she was only here to look at the art gallery in some attempt at philosophical musing. And try to figure out exactly what happened. So she approached him (though she guessed it wasn't really the best idea), sling and all. "You were here the other day right? Do you mind if I sit with you?" |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Jan 4, 2014 9:07:01 GMT -8
The muscles in Lucien's neck tensed as someone started to approach him. People coming to speak to him in the street was always a dangerous proposition. The possibility always existed that someone from France would recognize him one day--that they'd take his life apart like a falling house of cards. There were so many things that could go wrong. What if his family found out he was still alive? What if his sister came to find him? What if someone realized he was illegal? Because he was--he had been smuggled in, and as far as every country on earth was concerned, he had died two years past. There were so many things that could go wrong when someone approached him, and he had little doubt that the guard was standing at attention, waiting for some kind of signal for what to do. Probably he had his hand at his hip, resting over the holster in case things came to violence.
The voice was familiar though, and Lucien half-turned his head to look her over. The police officer. Or he thought she was, anyway. He couldn't remember if she'd ever explicitly said she was one, and it was possible that she was something else--military or FBI or who knew what. Something commanding and as good with a gun as he once had been. He gave a little nod, gesturing to the half of the bench that was open. It meant she was going to have to walk around him to sit, but at the same time he wasn't going to shuffle down with his injured leg.
"Miss Police Officer, yes? Good to see you got out in one piece." By the time he'd left with Kun Shui, the danger had seemingly been all gone, but there was always the possibility that it could have flared up again. He let his eyes drift back to the gallery across the street, considering it for a moment before continuing. "I can only assume you were either told not to talk about it, or you figured out as much on your own." His voice still showed traces of his french accent, but otherwise his English was as impeccable as his clothes--nice and formal, slacks and a dress shirt that managed well in the Los Angeles heat.
KYOKO SHIOMI | MAY 24TH, 3PM |
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Jan 11, 2014 3:53:29 GMT -8
Kyoko was more than delighted to just sit down. And not get lost on the way here. "Thank you." What were the chances they'd meet again? Though she had a few questions for him, maybe it was a little bit too early? Or... hmm, maybe it was just a bad idea to probe in general, especially since they've been through a probably worse than she had been through. Or maybe it was just best not to talk about it at all because monsters? Probably all just a bad dream.
Kyoko was still pretty bummed out about her leave of absence. If only she hadn't run after the stupid boy she wouldn't have injured her arm and she wouldn't have to have taken off from work. She walked over towards the empty half of the bench and took a seat. "Oh right, I'm Kyoko. I could say the same for you, too.I guess the both of us are lucky not to have gotten killed." Though she was still plenty displeased with her arm.
She supposed she should think herself lucky. First giant talking rats then... monsters.
"Who'd believe me if I said anything, anyways?" She had just pretended she forgot pretty much all of it, or was too in shock to remember. The only person she could really tell was Keiko, and it was all she could do to say that she wasn't losing her grip on reality. Because it was perfectly reasonable that she fired off all of her bullets at monsters who attacked her and other people. "How are you dealing with it? From what I saw, you didn't exactly have a ball either." |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Jan 12, 2014 11:37:13 GMT -8
For Lucien, giving his name was pretty tricky business. Legally speaking, he didn't exist anymore. He had died--no doubt listed as being killed in a tragic and unfortunate accident. He never gave his full name, but his first name was common enough if you traced it back to France, and there was no reason that Lucien Margaux would have gone to America. He'd have fled someplace else in Europe, or else still have been in Hong Kong, but certainly not LA. A twist of fate had brought him there, and it wasn't the sort of twist that could be easily followed. He supposed that his first name wouldn't matter. She couldn't get anything off of it, and it was far easier to have a polite conversation if someone was using his real name. If she really dug around, she'd probably simply assume that he'd given her a fake name or a pseudonym.
"My name is Lucien." It hardly mattered anyway--Kun Shui had used his name freely, and while he couldn't remember if Kun Shui had done so explicitly in front of her, it was entirely possible she'd already heard it.
Lucien tipped his head slightly. No, he hadn't been explicitly told. He hadn't needed to. Whoever had organized the whole thing--covering up what had happened and making sure everyone stayed quiet--had no doubt figured out that a former mafia heir and the dragon head to be didn't need to be told about keeping their mouths shut.
Lucien glanced down at his leg, still stiff under him, and the crutch. "I'm healing." Which no doubt wasn't what she was really asking, but he didn't particularly want to discuss his mental state with a cop, of all things. She hadn't explicitly denied it, and she'd simply let him calling her 'Mrs. Police Officer' go, which meant it was true.
He hadn't thought he'd ever get to just sit down and chat with a police officer, of all things.
"Did the other two get out alright?" The girl and the boy, neither of which Lucien knew about. He vaguely recalled that the girl had bolted, but that hardly seemed to matter--surely the cop would have checked to make sure they were alright? Or had she tried to pretend it hadn't happened, as so many people would have in her situation.
KYOKO SHIOMI | MAY 24TH, 3PM |
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Jan 24, 2014 16:20:40 GMT -8
Lucien, so that was his name, was it? It... sort of rung a bell? Not really, actually, Kyoko had definitely not been paying attention to him at all. He was with someone, but she figured she wouldn't ask any questions about it. But besides that, she really was more or less paying attention to Canis and the other woman that had been there.
Because all she had really done the whole entire time was empty out her gun on the monsters and tried (and completely failed, it seemed) to protect them.
She still completely blamed Canis, but he was a reckless kid (who could have really gotten killed because he just hadn't listened to her) and Kyoko really couldn't say much seeing how reckless she had been. And still was, technically, her fault for it all, but there was no changing that.
Also, it didn't seem like Lucien was much of a talker. Kyoko didn't really want to bug him into talking, though she didn't exactly just want to sit in silence either. He was healing, that was good, right? Because from what she saw, he probably got the worst of the injuries (she saw little, of what actually went down, to be fair). "As am I." If only it would heal faster.
"They, um, I'm sure they're recovering. No deaths, at least, not for those two." She... made sure to check on Canis, but from what she saw the other woman had seemed to make it out fairly unscathed. Kyoko couldn't even remember her name now. "At least, one of them is alive..."
Kyoko wasn't sure, it was clear she wasn't sure, and as of the circumstances of the strange event, she hadn't bothered trying to check death count or survivors or any of that sort. In fact, she'd sought to avoid it at all costs. Which was easier than she had expected, seeing as she stayed home all day and didn't do crap for the past week or so. "You were, I think you were with someone?"
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Jan 28, 2014 13:02:46 GMT -8
Lucien could be quite a talker if you caught him on the right day, but he'd been raised in an environment where knowing how to hold your tongue was an important asset. Kyoko was police--the enemy of his family for his entire life, and the fact that he wasn't truly a Margaux anymore didn't change that. The Weis didn't really seem to fear the police at all, but Lucien was fairly sure it was a side effect of the environment they'd thrived in. The police were nothing to fear when you owned every single one. The police in France had been far less corrupt then the police in Hong Kong, where the Weis could do as they pleased, and feared only other triads.
Her questions made it obvious enough that she was doing what any reasonable person would do--avoiding the situation. She hadn't stayed in touch with at least one of the people who she had escaped with. She was doing everything she could to avoid the scenario, and Lucien almost smiled at the idea. She had faced down monsters, and now they were eating her alive mentally. It was a normal enough reaction, and he had little doubt that most of the others were experiencing the same thing, but instead he was focused on other things. Not the fact that monsters existed, but the fact that monsters were hidden.
Lucien had always fixated on strange things.
"Have you realized yet?" He couldn't help it--he sounded amused when he spoke, a little smile tugging on the edges of his lips. He was trying to maintain a straight face, but it was hard. She probably hadn't realized. It was the sort of thing that was hard to realize unless you were in the exact position Lucien was, or if you were goaded into it. "The police--the FBI--they aren't actually in control of your country." KYOKO SHIOMI | MAY 24TH, 3PM |
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Feb 9, 2014 11:41:43 GMT -8
The somewhat break in conversation gave Kyoko a bit of a means to think about this situation. It was odd, yes. And he didn't really answer her innocent enough question. Maybe she was just recollecting wrong or something, but he neither confirmed nor denied so... she supposed she'd just have to rely on her memory. Though, she supposed he didn't respond because he had been through a lot - they all had, so she just assumed as much.
But it couldn't have been some perfectly normal thing, like robbers or something? No, it had to be actual monsters. And just talking to someone there definitely confirmed that Kyoko had seen monsters and they weren't just a figment of an overactive imagination. Seriously though, Kyoko really would have been fine if they weren't monsters. She might've even been able to save people from pain... because gunshots could definitely stop a man.
"Huh? Realized what?" Huh, was it just her or was he acting a bit strangely than he was before? Well, Kyoko really didn't know him all that well so she just shrugged and let him continue. To suddenly jump into a conversation about whatever the heck he was... okay maybe it was about the monsters again? Did she not realize something about the monsters that he did? She was surprisingly good at being quite oblivious about some things.
It was just in her nature, she guessed. But she didn't expect what he said next. She looked at him in mostly blank confusion as she struggled to comprehend what he was saying. Did he mean that the force, the beloved workplace that she devoted more or less most of her adult life to, was... weak? To what, monsters? "Well, what's in charge then? The government? Those monsters?" Not monsters, hopefully. Though it was a little thought-provoking.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Feb 9, 2014 17:23:48 GMT -8
Lucien actually let out a short laugh when she suggested the monsters were in charge. Technically speaking, he had no solid evidence of what he was about to say--but the evidence was in the blanks. It wasn't what had happened that proved his theory, but what hadn't happened and absolutely shouldn't. To anyone else it seemed like a bizarre topic swap, but to Lucien it flowed easily enough. He hadn't even suggested the idea to Kun Shui yet, although he would in time.
"No, not monsters. Not the government either. We were attacked by monsters--by monsters that came out of paintings and tried to kill us. They did kill others. Yet here we are. If you were in charge, and suddenly there were monsters, you would do something about it, wouldn't you? Lock it down, investigate it, something." He paused, gesturing across the road to the empty but cordoned off building. "Nothing. It's not swarming with agents of the highest caliber. It does not even rate."
For a moment he wondered if he would reveal too much before deciding it didn't matter. "People who believe the governments are hiding things from them--aliens, reptile people, whatever they believe--are stupid. No doubt some small things are hidden, but not by the government--only by individuals within the government. If the whole government knew something, there would be no way it could not leak. Someone would slip up. Someone would tell their spouse, their child, and it would be repeated a thousand times over. Humans aren't meant to keep secrets. It's something every organized crime group has known for a hundred years, and yet it's something that eludes the general public."
That was simply his premise though. "And yet here we are, and there is no news crew, no people screaming about monsters. Do you believe those were the first monsters to ever step upon this earth? No--it was not the first and it will not be the last. Monsters and magic and who knows what exists, but it's been hidden from us so thoroughly that to suggest it would be to invite ridicule. Not the government though, because monsters cannot be an american invention. To imagine a government might hide something is several degrees less insane then the idea that every government is hiding something. So who? Someone else--someone else is behind the scenes, pulling the strings to keep things from the public, puppeteering every government in the world without any one of them realizing it."
Lucien settled back on the bench, folding his fingers together. "I would like to meet them one day, but I doubt I will ever get the chance."
KYOKO SHIOMI | MAY 24TH, 3PM |
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Feb 16, 2014 19:27:12 GMT -8
Whoosh. It was the sound her head made as Kyoko listened to this guy get rather animated over the subject of... what? Monsters, publicity, behind the scenes pulling the strings? If she didn't know better (and to be honest, she didn't know better), Lucien must be some madman. Or maybe the events from a week earlier had done something to his brain and he just snapped. Or maybe she was, again, being oblivious. He seemed rather spirited about it?
"Conspiracy... theory?" This was what it was starting to sound like. It was kind of odd, though, the way he was saying these things. Did he hit his head in the art gallery? But... at the same time, he was actually making a lot of sense and backing his shit up with things that she knew was true. What was left in her was a mixture of puzzlement and incredulity.
"Oh... not a conspiracy theory, then." She was interested, sure, but Kyoko was also a little bit unsure of what exactly Lucien was trying to say. Much as she tried to follow his train of thought, she found that she couldn't really. Did that mean she was stupid? Unintelligent? What? What did it suggest? It seemed like a lot of information to process and it was bordering on ridiculous. She'd say it would be like believing in unicorns, except with all this supernatural shit going on, unicorns might actually exist.
He was bringing up a good point though. There was something going on, obviously something that was really odd. Obviously people died. But obviously people were going into the art gallery, clear as day. Kyoko has just assumed there would be investigators, but obviously not, it seemed. She'd been so out of commission she'd been sleeping all day and hadn't been paying any attention to news... or lack thereof of it.
"How'd they explain that away? The dead people, witnesses, the damages... everything?" Now she was curious, she had been so out of touch with reality recently... despite insistent asking of her partner (who, of course, didn't tell her much).
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Feb 17, 2014 19:10:53 GMT -8
It was obvious enough that while she didn't initially believe him, she was quickly enough coming around to his side of things. Even if she didn't have the full background as he did, she knew enough to understand that he wasn't crazy. He found himself smiling a silly little smile, pleased with himself for having worked it out so quickly. He felt like his old self for the briefest while, a strange fluttering feeling inside of him.
"Not a theory. A fact. The details remain hidden obviously, but it's more or less impossible to deny that they must exist." At least for someone who had been through what they had, who had seen everything go to pieces.
His eyes settled on the building across from them, giving a shrug. "Gas leak? Explosion? They don't have to try terribly hard to cover it up. If someone finds a body that's been torn in half, what are they going to say? Monsters? No, they'll take any logical reason given to them. An explosion that did the damage. A gas leak to kill those with no marks. There's a million possible explanations, and they only need the slightest nudging to accept them."
As if sensing he was being talked about, the tiny ink black sugarglider scurried out of Lucien's pocket, climbing up the back of his jacket before settling on the shoulder closest to Kyoko--peering at her with pure black eyes.
KYOKO SHIOMI | MAY 24TH, 3PM |
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KYOKO SHIOMI
Civilian
LAPD OFFICER
When did a large, monstrous dog start following me?
Posts: 111
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 23 AUGUST 1985
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: LAPD OFFICER
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Post by KYOKO SHIOMI on Feb 21, 2014 20:27:19 GMT -8
Kyoko was still skeptical about things but, well, not seeing the news at all this past week disoriented her, as it would pretty much any person (so she drew the conclusion of). She was still quite confused about it, but maybe she was missing something, or was too dense. Kyoko would like to think herself willing for change, but she knew she had a bit of trouble believing in those killer rats, and integrating the fact that - wow - monsters exist! was kind of hard at this point in her lifetime.
"Ah, I wouldn't know, can't get involved with the investigation even if I wanted to... although I guess technically there is no investigation. It's pitiful, I don't even know the official cover story so I can't get my story straight." Lucien was right in the way that, yeah, people are apt to believe in the stupidest things compared to something as supernatural as monsters. Hell, Kyoko would've been one of those people if a monster's stupid tail hadn't lodged itself into her shoulder and given her this godforsaken injury.
"Huh?" She found herself staring into the eyes of the black... thing on his shoulder. "What's that?" That was weird, was it another monster or something? A little friend he picked up somewhere? "It's kind of cute." And tiny. And small. And not normal.
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