the absence of beauty {open}

[Raziela the Mute]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=width,450px,bTable][style=border: 3px solid #0f0f0f; height: 100px; width: 100px; float: left;margin: 0px 3px 3px -20px;][/style][style=border: 3px solid #0f0f0f; height: 100px; width: 100px; float: left;margin: 118px 3px 3px -109px;][/style][style=border: 3px solid #0f0f0f; height: 100px; width: 100px; float: left;margin:237px 3px 0px -109px;][/style][style=border-left: 15px solid #0f0f0f;height: auto;text-align: justify;padding: 3px 3px 10px 3px;font-size: 10px]Beauty was something that humanity had a tendency to chronicle and make an effort for said thing to become immortal. They used things like photographs, articles, recordings – and hoped that these things would be able to withstand the test of time. It was normal for a person to have the urge to share something that gave them joy when they first saw it or heard it, and subsequent times after. That was why recording of music were made, why pictures of certain destinations were taken and added to a book, why there were portraits of kings, queens, the beloved and the hated, in all their finery. They all wanted that beautiful place, person or piece to be remembered in the prime – at their most beautiful point in time. So, it serves as no surprise that there is a place where one can learn of these beautiful things. It is called a library. It is also no surprise that it happened to be one of the first places Raziela visited when she woke up and found herself in Alexandria. And that is exactly where Raziela had learned of a place called Baron. According to books she had read, it was a place of near inestimable beauty. It boasted a grand castle, cerulean river and landscape that, quite literally, could take one’s breath away. After spending hours looking at pictures, marveling at rambling descriptions in books by authors that had wanted to share their joy, listening to the sounds of the place, the music, the people – Raziela wanted to experience it for herself. Anticipation had welled up in the pit of her stomach, excitement at being able to for once since she had arrived in this strange place, be able to see something truly breathtaking. To have one good experience that would eclipse all the bad. So, strapping her sword securely to her side, she left out – on foot, for Baron. It had been lucky for her that on her way there, a kindly old man had taken pity on the pretty mute woman and offered her a ride. Raz had never been one that took kindly to being the subject of pity, but she swallowed that pill… After all, she really had no clue as to how far away Baron was from Alexandria (it was one of the few important things that she’d forgotten to look up). She had accepted the ride and had arrived at Baron only to receive the shock of her life. ________________ Now standing at the very entrance to Baron, Raziela’s lips parted in a silent gasp of disbelief. Confused, she turned around to the kind gentleman that had brought her here and just pointed. The old man must have correctly read the look on her face: dismay, confusion and a twinge of disgust, for he just patted her shoulder. “Sorry miss, if you were expecting a pretty place… I’m sorry to be the one to disappoint you. It’s been like this for a while now dearie. I must be on my way now.” He motioned to the vehicle that he’d brought her to this horrid place in. “I can understand it if you want a ride back to Alexandria, it’s quite depressing, to be greeted with the exact opposite of what you’d been looking forward to.” “No.” Raziela mouthed and offered the man a weak smile. She walked over and kissed the nice old man on the cheek. So far, he was one of the few people that seemed to understand her. He was so kind. Faintly, she wondered why more people couldn’t be like him, and if her grandfather had been something similar this man. She would have liked him if he had been. Still a little dazed, Raz waved goodbye to him and walked into Baron. It really was a far cry from what she had been anticipating. It seemed dingy, and dirty. It seemed to carry an air of hopelessness to her as well. In the distance, the castle that she had been so thrilled about in the pictures had been reduced to shadow of its former splendor. It was almost enough to make the white haired woman cry. It was the saddest thing in the world for her, when beauty was lost. ‘It will never be the same… Even if repaired, it will never be the same.’ she thought, walking along, glancing over to waters that had once been such a brilliant blue hue. Sighing heavily, she took a seat on a low stone fence and gazed up at the sky. It was getting darker, perhaps it would rain. It would be appropriate. ‘What happened here?’ Even though she didn’t know it, the question could be seen via the confusion in her eyes. Now, if only there was someone that could answer her and explain why there was an absence of beauty here in Baron.[/style][style=font-family:courier; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #b1b1b1; width: 450px;background-color: #0f0f0f; font-size: 15px;] TAGGED: OPEN NOTES: EEP! WORD COUNT: 812 TEMPLATE BY AEON OF OTE [/style]

[Larxene]

It might've been impossible to say that Larxene was being taken over by insanity. She was plenty of insane. Sadism, after all, is normally associated closely to being at least somewhat crazy. How so? Who in their right mind loves no, enjoys the mental torture that she could cause people plus the added physical pain along with it? Crazy people.

Who would enjoy picking out the little things to elongate the said hurt? Crazy people. Who would be heartless enough to do this, still enjoy it, and hold no emotional backfire (i.e feel bad afterwards) no matter who it was? Larxene. The nobody was all sorts of crazy. However...she was losing it. She could feel it. Her sanity was slowly waning...perhaps it was this newfound...feelings?

No. She swore at times, she could hear a heart beat. 'Great. Demyx rubbed off me.' was what she continued to tell herself. But...as the days drew on, she just decided she was going nuts. When she tried to take it out, she found that she was too delighted with what she did. Satisfaction was what she used to get; pure estacy was now what she felt.

Larxene would never admit it, but it was scaring her. Right now, staring at the ruins of Baron, she could only feel immense pleasure (no, that's not right; she can't 'feel'.) from the scene. Imagining the deaths of those people as they were overran. 'Sorry I wasn't here. I would've...caused a greater scene~' A giggle left her throat that she hardly recognized.

Her eyes shot down to the ground as she continued to walk through the town. Then she saw her. 'Someone just came out of the---' Larxene wouldn't allow herself to think the thought again. Lingerie? Seriously? Cold amusement was clear in her eyes as the robed figure wandered towards her. What a confused creature she was...the sick sadistic nature was begging to come out.

'I'm tired of this shit.' She didn't want this anymore. Whatever was happening to her, she wanted it gone. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Larxene cooed, her voice the same honey-coated venom that it was. But she knew it was a mask that she had to preserve - a shell over her shell...it was quite a predicament.

Oh well. Larxene's smile graced her lips as she stopped near the mute.

[Auric]

Mute Mysteries
Murky matters

You know, there's a great deal of questions you can ask yourself when it comes to the world around you. Most of it is so you can live and learn, get smarter and come to appreciate or hate your surroundings but... other times? You need to ask the questions because the mystery might be dangerous. Some people look to the mysteries of the world -- the multitude of unknown things and fear it as if it was in their nature. And just like that they cling to anything they might know... and most of the time that was anything they identified as a god. I guess that's how they like to live their life... but if you knew me? You'd know I didn't like living a life of complacency.

---

Auric was here because among his impossibly long list, Baron demanded a visit. He'd heard stories of how this place was once a beautiful city state; clear, pristine waters with clean spotless streets where they grey walls were free of dirt and could almost be mistaken for ivory in the light of day. It wasn't the only city that had suffered from such a sad state. But what caught his attention wasn't the initial ruin that might have gripped it, but the persistent ill effects that continued to plague its streets. The people were still loyal despite the somber feeling in the air which did much to mar its air of natural beauty. The social air about it screamed of sad stories and broken dreams, the despair was thick in the atmosphere and through it all it was difficult to acknowledge that people even lived here.

But beyond it all, Auric could see something different. Beauty was a bright red rose in the middle of a harsh desert and here in this city he could see the tiny ray of hope in the darkness. Despite the people's tired look, they still hung around... loyal to their king and queen, wanting an improvement to their lifestyle and waiting patiently like this was but a test. He needn't bother lifting their hearts here... after all, when the bandits came to raid this city en mass, they were successfully repelled. The people here were ready to fight for their lives and that counted for more than many might know. The Hero for Hire had come by foot. The shuttle of his airship having dropped him some distance away from the city gates, he was still trying to get a read on the void that hung over the castle's tallest spires.

But when his eyes finally cast down it was to the familiar sight of a blond woman in black robes and the new arrival of another scantily clad warrior. Her attire barely more than lingerie. On the other hand he was wearing a beige cloak with a hood that obscured the majority of his facial features. The pair in front of him held his attention... one because he recognized her for the sadistic nobody she was and the other because of her rather colorful expression which denoted her confusion. If only others were so outwardly transparent. "I agree. She's certainly a stark contrast in a city of somber and grey." he breathed, stepping forth as he stood between them. He tapped his chin as he looked between the two thinking to himself about recent events. This place wasn't even dragged into the recent war. "Hard to believe the people here fought off a bandit raid."