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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 6, 2012 23:05:03 GMT -5
Artemis had been inadvertently dragged out of the Veil by Hanako, and was now walking up to a building he didn't recognize (of course, why would he?). He hadn't argued the entire trip, and was trying to focus on what he was trying to conjure up, though 'Nice way to let your guard down, Artemis; follow a complete stranger,' was running amuck in his way, and he couldn't concentrate too easily. For the first time in Artemis' life, there was a fog in his mind, blocking him from thinking straight. He'd need to , though there was no time to between now and meeting this person, thus he would be unprepared. And Artemis knew what happened to unprepared people.
"You are sure this is where we need to go?"
What kind of question was that?...
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Post by Hanako Orihara on Sept 7, 2012 4:52:56 GMT -5
Hanako's ears perked up at the question. "Am I sure? Of course I'm sure, Arty! I know exaaaactly where to find Iza-chan. Have some faith in your friend, okay?" She winks and continues dragging him along. Stopping at the entrance, she looks him over (in all honesty, just admiring the suit again) and nods. "Be reaaady, Arty. Iza-chan is really fun. I know you'll have some fun, too!" And with that, she bursts open the doors with a huge grin. "IIIIIIIIIIZA~CHAAAAAAAAAN!" She sing-songs loudly as she begins just strolling through.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 3:12:24 GMT -5
He smirked, everything settled firmly into place. The door crashed open, and he simply sat at his desk, feet up on the table, legs crossed at the ankles, looking for all the world like a bored teenager despite his current physical age, and yet also subtly managing to own the room and everything in it simultaneously.
"Well, well, well," he said, not bothering to sit up straight, "this is a pleasant surprise. Hana-chan, what little prize have you found me?" His smirk became a one-sided grin as he eyed his new guest up and down. "I have to apologize for Hana," he continued with only a veneer of sincerity, shrugging, palms upward. "She can hurry people a bit. You look winded - sit down, won't you, Mr. Fowl?" He gestured toward a chair.
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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 8, 2012 12:10:05 GMT -5
"Thank you," Artemis nodded, and took the seat gestured to.
It wasn't necessarily good manners to have your feet on the table, but with the way Hanako was, and the gentleman in front of him, the only thing out of place here was himself. Firstly, he was wearing a suit. Secondly, he didn't quite know either of the two others in the room, whereas, according to Izaya, they knew each other well enough.
"That is quite alright," he relieved himself. "I have grown quite used to her on the way here."
He looked at Hanako. The statement wasn't meant to be critical, but more toward an understanding.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 12:39:29 GMT -5
"I can tell," Izaya said, finally sitting up straight. Or rather, swinging his legs down, sending his torso up as a counterbalance to rest his chin on his hands and his elbows on his desk, and give Artemis an incredibly analytic, piercing glance. "So, what brings you here to my office? Besides my favorite sister dragging you along by the hand."
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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 8, 2012 12:48:10 GMT -5
Artemis met the glance, and was unmoved that Izaya had used such a look this early in their meet.
"Well, let's not just jump right into things, shall we? If you don't mind, I am quite thirsty. The champagne Hanako and I had earlier hadn't quite quenched my thirst. Let alone the coffee I left untouched."
Who was he kidding? The walk here had exhausted him... He was anything but fit for his age. He was lying right through his teeth, and no doubt Hanako could surely notice it.
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Post by Hanako Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 16:17:48 GMT -5
Hanako spinned once as she began skipping across he office to her brother's chair. "Hey, Iza-chan~ What's up?" And she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "This guy! Look at his suit! Isn't it really snaaaazzzy looking? Idn't it!?" She asked in a giggle.
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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 8, 2012 16:50:04 GMT -5
Artemis' eyes opened slightly, in a questionable look. He hadn't realized that Izaya had said that they were brother and sister. He really need to start paying attention now, as everything he'd done in his life was important, and this was no different.
He looked down at his suit. If he was to ever fit in here, he'd have to do something about his clothing. He enjoyed wearing suits, but that was mostly to show the worth of his family. Here was different. Nobody knew him here well enough to know who he was exactly, and what he was here for. If he didn't want to look suspicious, he'd really need to do something soon.
He looked back up to Hanako. "Do you love your brother," Artemis blurted out.
What the?! Where did that come from?!
Well... It was slightly understandable, though not to himself. He didn't really have anything to hold onto in his life, besides his very small family, but no brothers or sisters. But he never really thought about needing anybody.
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Post by Hanako Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 18:10:55 GMT -5
Hanako blinks twice in response to the question. She looks down to Izaya, and studies his face a moment before looking back to Artemis. "Well, yeah, Arty. He's my big brother! Why wouldn't I love him? He's super fun and reaaally nice to me!" Half of her wanted to question where that came from. But the other half, the one that took action, was the one that decided to rub her cheek on Izaya's to emphasize her love for her brother. "He's my wittle bitty Iza-chaaan, yesh he is!" She teases, some of the frills of her skirt vanishing as two tails appear and wag excitedly.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 21:40:40 GMT -5
He pet her hair, giving her a fond glance from the corner of his eye as he smiled a possessive smile. "She's such a good little girl, isn't she?" he asked. "Oh so loyal to her brother, to the point of leaving our family and coming here. Those scars are the mark of another sister's displeasure, can't people be so cruel?" He chuckled. "To those who are different, to those who are.... special." The hand that wasn't scritching Hana behind the ears (ears which had changed from human to furred and long, laid back against his hand) like a favorite pet gestured to accentuate his words. "Isn't that right, Mr. Fowl... Mr. Artemis Fowl... What is it that brings you to come here? To question love and understanding in my humble little office, belonging to a humble little info broker by the name of Izaya Orihara.... something must have brought you here." His eyes flashed red as he turned his head, catching the light in an unexpected way, allowing Hana to nuzzle him from a new angle, a sound suspiciously like a purr escaping her throat. "Perhaps you're searching for the unusual... the strange, the..... special. That's why most people come to this town.... and when they seek answers.... they inevitably find me...."
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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 8, 2012 22:22:01 GMT -5
Realization struck Artemis hard.
Hanako now had a tail... And non-humanly ears... And Izaya had referred to him by his first name... They were in an office in a city he'd never been to before... And he was sitting in the office with two people acting strange, very strange...
Artemis could sense bad situations when they occurred, and this was no doubt one of them. He slightly jumped up from his seat. He couldn't keep the dumbfounded look off his face.
"Yo--you," he looked at Hanako. "You're not hu--man?... And you," he turned to Izaya. "Ho--how did you know m-my name?"
He didn't give it a second thought. He no doubt found what he came for, though Hanako had never even brought up that she was...different. And how could Izaya already know his name? Artemis was anything but a fool. He needed to make a run for it. But where would he go? What would he do?
Adrenaline had started kicking in in his body, and he started to feebly shake, as if he had just grown old.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 22:42:31 GMT -5
Izaya laughed heartily. "So typical," he murmured, still petting his sister like a dog. "Show a human something strange and their reaction is to bolt... even if strange was what they were looking for in the first place...."
He let go of his sister, folded that arm languidly across his desk and gestured down at Artemis' seat. "Please, take a seat, Artemis... I promise, my sister and I mean you no harm. I learned your name from.... less than legitimate sources, but methods which could be employed by any normal man with the right skills. Deduction was simple, really.... and before you ask the question which is on your mind, no, I'm not reading it; simply your body language and posture." He folded his other arm down across his desk, leaned forward, grinning, that predatory red glint in his eye again, and it was, for sure, not merely the light this time. "Really, you humans are all so predictable once one learns the cues to look for." His grin widened.
"That's the thing about this city, Artemis Fowl," he said, walking around his desk, allowing the shadows trailing him to separate, to show a shadow of what his human form should look like, a multitude of shadowy tails thrashing across the floor and walls, elongated by the light. "People come here searching for her secrets, for answers, for the strange and bizarre and.... special..."
He took another step forward, and the shadow on the floor morphed to something altogether inhuman.
".......and they never realize, even once, that they should be careful what they wish for."
The light flickered; a shadow overtook Izaya. His visage flickered, became the alias he'd used with Namine, Hanako, Shizuo, a copy of Artemis himself..... then the light came back on, and he was Izaya once again.
"They might.... just get the answers, the wishes, they've been looking for...."
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Post by Orion Fowl on Sept 8, 2012 23:21:36 GMT -5
Artemis felt as if he would go into a panic attack. It was unlike him to do such a thing, but under the circumstances, it was a possibility.
There were so many things to comprehend. And yet, for some reason, Artemis couldn't process any of it. He felt confused, befuddled, lost.
"Show a human something strange and their reaction is to bolt..." Artemis took the statement as an insult. He'd never backed down from anything before. But he couldn't keep his mind together enough to focus straight. He... He.....
Artemis reached for his chair, and slowly decended into it. He was being 'typical'. And even for him, it wasn't normal.
A moment of thought later, and Artemis was on the ground. He had slid out of his chair. His mind had shut down over too much stress (which was also new for him). He resembled a poor child, lying down, scared of something, yet there was little to nothing he was afraid of.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 23:28:06 GMT -5
Izaya sighed.
"I'd thought he was a little stronger than this," he mourned quietly. "Ah, well. Hana-chan, you need to be more careful next time..."
He kneeled next to Artemis. "Hello? Are you still conscious down there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
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Post by Hanako Orihara on Sept 8, 2012 23:33:42 GMT -5
Hanako stops purring and giggles. "Sorry, Iza-chan!" Her ears perk up and tails continue to wag. She was having so much fun right now! She skips over to Artemis and stares at him curiously. She cared not that the history of her burns and personal history were just given to the boy. It didn't change anything, clearly. "You might have to give him mouth-to-mouth, Iza-chan!'
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