Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Moving On ((Razel)) « Thread Started on Jul 15, 2007, 9:12pm »
He sighed.
Was it wrong that he was still feeling under the weather about the whole thing? They had survived. He hadn't lost anyone. Tatiana had been injured, yes, but none of his friends had died. Even Charlotte had managed to survive (quite miraculously) and she she had even left afterwards, leaving him somewhat at ease in that sense.
Then why was he still feeling depressed over the whole thing? Maybe because he recognized what, in full, that attack meant for the future. The Death Eaters were going full steam now. Two schools in six months. Sure, Anima Eterna hadn't gone down, but there had still been heavy casualties. Heavy damages to the school. Who knew what would happen if the Death Eaters came back for more, better prepared?
He had been looking to Anima Eterna as a safe haven, and it seemed that was coming to an end. Hell, he was even graduated now. He froze mid step in realizing that again, arms clenching the book that he was holding just a bit tighter. That was right, he was now officially out of school. He didn't even really have a reason to be hanging around anymore.
Kind of a weird (uncomfortable) feeling. Though really, intellectually he hadn't been a student for a few years.
Really, he could have left already. But then what would happen? Wouldn't it be easier for the Order to attack once he was away from the school?
Screw it. He was going to bed. Too bad if it was only eight at night. He had no real desire to be awake at the moment, and he was heading in the direction of the Spirito dorms anyway (though he supposed technically he was no longer an Spirito- oh God). Wait. Second thought, maybe he would go find Renée first. He probably wouldn't be able to sleep while he was so mentally unsettled.
His insomnia was bad enough as it was. Oh, for the days when he could manage to get a good seven hours. Now it seemed that he was lucky to get five. Otherwise it was just tossing around or reading something. Then it was just restlessly over thinking things or getting woken up by slightly-too-close-to-home nightmares.
It was always better when he stayed with Ren, though. Going to see her seemed like a really good idea now...
"Hey Constantine," said a sultry voice, sending a chill up his spine. "Long time no talk."
"Not long enough," Dominic replied dully, trying to walk right past his ex-girlfriend. The shorter the confrontation the better. His eyes scouted the hallway, looking for witnesses. Sadly there were none to be seen. Shit. She grabbed him by the shoulder. Apparently she wanted to talk.
"So how does it feel to be a free man?" she said with mockingly friendly tone. He turned around to face her. He knew better than to leave his back exposed around Morgan Donnelly.
"What?"
"Graduated and all. Doesn't that mean you'll have to be heading out on your own?"
"We'll see." He was sick of talking to her like this. It was always the same damn thing. If she wasn't trying to do him bodily harm she was mocking him. He blinked at her. "Well, this was entertaining. I'll be going now."
She smirked, her her eyes held a much darker look. It was that blood lust he had become so familiar with. Damnit- why now? He sincerely hoped that she would contain herself, or else he may have been in the position for yet another attempt on his life
"Listen carefully, Dominic, and understand this. The moment you leave this school, nothing is going to stop me from giving you the punishment you deserve. No commands. No rules. I don't care what the big pigs say. You will be mine."
He stared at her cautiously for a few moments, weighing her words. She may have had a point about his lack of protection out there, but he wasn't going to let it show. He smirked right back at her.
"I could have sworn that me not being yours was exactly the problem here." Her eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment, before she suddenly began to look pleased once more, though now considerably more bitter.
"You know, I think I could live with getting into a bit of trouble." And with that she had drawn her wand. Jumping back, Dominic drew his wand as well.
"There's people around here, Morgan," he warned. "This won't be a secret like last time."
She seemed to realize that someone may come out, and yet she hadn't put away her wand. Damnit. That was right.
How could he have forgotten that along with being a psychopath, his ex also thrived on danger?
This just wasn't his day. Then again, they rarely were.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #1 on Jul 15, 2007, 10:46pm »
Something had come over Razel, and she didn't know how to define it. None of the sadness had really let up, and as could be expected, she still felt exceedingly depressed and heartsick. The seventeen-year-old hadn't been coming out of her common room much, but had taken to loafing around a bit in one of the back corners, either reading the book Mathias had gotten her, or staring listlessly through a window.
But beside all of that hurt, fresh determination was budding. Things would never be the same again, but Raz knew that sitting around idly wishing for the past wouldn't do any good. She was out for retribution, and she found that possibility in the Initiative.
Honestly? She was a little scared. Underground groups could get a little hardcore sometimes. And she didn't know what to expect, really. But they seemed like a stable lot, and their cause was one she believed in wholeheartedly, especially after all that the Death Eaters had taken from her.
When it came down to it, the Ministry wasn't strong enough to fight off the forces of evil. It had proven that time and time again; okay, maybe they were trying, but trying wasn't good enough anymore. The Initiative had strength enough to make a stand, even if it wasn't as swift as she would have liked.
So she was willing to serve them. For the cause and all of that. It seemed more constructive than crying all the time. Not that she didn't want to. Not that she was suddenly in the mood to stuff her face and throw a slumber party. But... well, maybe this would help her heal a little, too.
Bookmarking her place, Raz stood and stretched her legs, her joints feeling a little sore. It had been awhile since she had left the common room. Come to think of it, she hadn't see Dante, Rosetta, or Ana in a few days. How were they doing?
Oh, sigh. Maybe it was selfish of her to be hiding out like this. But she knew how they'd look at her, especially Dante. And she really didn't want to talk about the attacks, let alone endure their sympathetic gazes. They couldn't help it, and she knew they loved her, but... she just didn't want to see that now.
However, she did need to walk about a bit, or her muscles would atrophy. So the brunette plodded a little uncertainly towards the door, feeling her stomach rumble a little in weak protest. Well, that was kind of unusual. She hadn't been hungry as of late. Perhaps this was a good sign, if only a small one.
Raz exited the common room and nearly turned the corner before hearing raised voices.
"Hey Constantine. Long time, no talk." Raz frowned a bit, remaining safely hidden as she shamelessly eavsdropped. The librarian? She knew the voice, obviously, with the number of times she had been there. Not exactly a pleasant woman... but what did she want with Dominic?
There was one guy she had underestimated in the complexity department. How foolish. But now, well, she didn't know what to think of him. Something told her he wasn't the bastard she always thought he was, but that didn't mean she trusted him a whole lot more than she had before.
Just didn't hate him so much, you know?
"The moment you leave this school, nothing is going to stop me from giving you the punishment you deserve. No commands. No rules. I don't care what the big pigs say. You will be mine."
Okay, now she was just confused. The librarian was out for Dominic's blood. What the hell?
"I could have sworn that me not being yours was exactly the problem here."
Oooh. Ewh. Raz wrinkled her nose at this implication. Dom and the fekking librarian? Merlin, he had a twisted taste in women. So she was some wrathful ex or some shit like that. Sounded like something that belonged on Muggle television.
And then it hit her. As if her memories were on playback mode, she recalled Dom's words the night of their last meeting. "This person is everything to you. Wouldn't you want to believe them, to trust them? It doesn't matter if they love you."
So... his universe... "It's changed since we met. I guess this is what happens to a person when their universe falls apart." Morgan Donnelley had been his universe. So what had gone wrong? She didn't seem pleased that they were no longer together, and if she meant everything to him... what was the problem?
Aside from the fact that she seemed ready to kill him, that is.
She poked her head out just long enough to see all wands up, and Donnelley seemed to be on the offensive. Razel sort of lost her head for a moment, because before she even knew what she was doing, she had emerged from behind the corner, wand drawn, aimed at the librarian.
The Ukrainian's brain caught up with her, and she immediately wondered what the hell she was doing. Suddenly, having that enlightening conversation with Dominic what seemed a life time ago meant it was okay to defend him? He, who had kicked her every time she was down?
Maybe seeing another side of him had made him seem more human. Maybe she just wanted to believe that he was an okay guy, despite everything. And maybe this woman kind of creeped her out anyway.
"I think that form of punishment is generally frowned upon," she stated, staring the other directly in the eyes with all the confidence in the world. "So why don't you lower your wand?"
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #2 on Jul 16, 2007, 12:03am »
Hah, of course the Ministry couldn't handle things. Even since his departure from the Order life, Dominic still believed that. Hell, he may have even been for something like the Initiative, if he hadn't been sick and tired of being used and abused by underground organizations looking to 'better' the world.
There was no way he was ever signing his soul over to something like that again. If he was going to change the world he was going to do it himself. As...improbably as that may have seemed. Though as it stood he had very little interest in trying to change things on the large scale. Frankly he was just fighting to survive. Right now all he was looking out for was himself and his very limited selection of loved ones.
Though, it would have been a shame to see Anima Eterna fall...it had indirectly done so much for him. But he was hardly willing to stick out his neck for it quite yet.
Right now he was just concerned with escaping this Morgan Donnelly encounter alive. He had restricted himself from so many things, yet he still found himself in danger. He hadn't left the building for weeks aside from those few trips with Renée. He didn't even go onto the grounds anymore. He had put himself under house arrest, even avoiding the library (his former sanctuary) and it he still found himself in danger.
Life was officially unfair.
"Morgan, I can easily draw attention here if I have to," Dominic hissed dangerously, keeping his wand aimed carefully. Morgan snarled in anticipation, eyebrows lifting in amusement.
"Oh? I'm not the only one trying to avoid suspicion, Dom."
He was prepared to duel right then and there.
But then Razel Ahern rushed in and he simply became very confused.
What was she doing? Why was she intervening? What the hell? Since when did Razel give a damn about what happened to him? All Dominic could do was gawk for a moment, before his mind sprung back to the action as well as what Morgan was doing. In this case she was sneering condescendingly at his fellow Spirito prefect (...except that he was no longer a prefect, damn.)
"Another one of your girlfriends, Dominic?" Morgan asked, quirking an eyebrow in his directly. His eyes widened in alarm before quickly narrowing.
"Hardly, Morgan," he said bitterly. She let out a laugh in response, eying Razel carefully, before sliding away her wand in an odd sort of disinterest. Smiling, she spontaneously grabbed Dominic by the shoulder, jerking him towards her and planting a kiss on his cheek. Shuddering in shock from that sudden movement, Dominic growled before aggressively pulling away.
"Stay the hell away from me!" he gasped, pointing his wand with more conviction. Morgan laughed again.
"Ah, never mind then. See you later, Dominic." She nodded to Razel. "Ahern." With that she was striding down the hallway with a gleeful bounce in her step as if nothing had happened.
Dominic was repulsed. Brushing almost violently against the spot on his cheek that Morgan had kissed him he dropped back against the wall, other hand pressed to his face and anxiously pulling at his hair. He couldn't stand being touched by her, let alone this peck on the face shit. It brought memories back up. He hated it.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #3 on Jul 16, 2007, 9:44pm »
What exactly did the Ministry do? They were the figureheads for an authority that virtually didn't exist. They kept low grade troublemakers in check, but were not equipped to handle the growing threat that the Heirs were becoming. They hadn't had any defenses for Voldemort in his time; why should now be different?
It was up to the wizarding community to save itself. Up to those who were willing to step up. Raz was, at this point, willing to give of herself to see that happen. The Death Eaters had destroyed half her world, and she wanted retribution. Maybe she didn't know what she was getting into; maybe she was playing the fool. But this seemed the best way to make a difference, so it was what she was going with.
Unlike Dominic, Raz was ready to stand for Anima Eterna. It had been everything to her these past two years. The Spirito was ready to do whatever necessary to defend it, and the Initiative could only help with that.
But it wouldn't be easy. The part that bothered her the most was that some of the villians were perched comfortably within the school. Was Monelli blind? Didn't she see it? Of course, she supposed these antagonists were different people in the face of authority.
Morgan Donnelly was looking like such a person. The thing that got Razel was that she was acting so completely reckless. Holding your wand to a student in the middle of a corridor, in broad daylight? Sure, a lot of people were cooped up in their dorms, too upset to come out, but the entire school wasn't in hiding. What did she think, she'd just beat him to a pulp and no one would know the difference? Just leave him in the corridor right there?
Really, she didn't know why she was doing what she was doing. She hadn't even had time to process her actions. And soon, it hadn't mattered anymore, because there she was, in the line of fire. If Morgan did decide to go up against them both (she was probably just that crazy), it was a possibility that she'd take Razel down just as she wanted to take her ex-boyfriend down. She had put herself in danger.
Raz rolled her eyes a bit at the woman's questioning, giving a look that just screamed 'I am not impressed with your lack of maturity, you twit.' But she didn't let the taunt get her; it wasn't even really meant for her.
The Spirito was a little tense to say the least, and didn't dare lower her wand until Morgan Donnelly was out of sight. When at last the woman was gone, she dropped her arm, gaze flickering over to the Constantine, who had sort of just slumped against the wall. The Spirito sort of mentally scratched her head, wondering what to say in a situation like this.
“Sooo… crazy psycho bitch ex-girlfriend?” she started, her tone not nearly as casual as the comment itself. She took a seat next to him there on the floor, leaning back almost leisurely against the wall herself. “How’d you end up with her, anyway? I mean, the librarian? Seriously.”
The conversation may have seemed a little light, but her eyes were serious; she was curious, wanted some answers. Donnelly wasn’t the average faculty member. There was something very wrong here, and Raz was going to find out what. The next venture was more daring still, though it came in as a soft, almost timid question.
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #4 on Jul 17, 2007, 12:15am »
Well supposedly they did something. It was just horribly inefficient, and for the most ineffective. A government fueled by fear was almost completely useless in a war. They would just blindly strike out in a panic, most likely hitting the wrong targets.
The Order went completely unnoticed, and that was part of what had fueled its members' drive to go on. The very fact that their organization existed was a testament to the fact that the Ministry need to be replaced. Dominic sincerely wondered whether the Order would actually have a better alternative, or whether it would just turn into more of the same.
Either way, it didn't matter. Good intentions or not, it wasn't worth the pain it caused.
Morgan was hardly going to be offended by Razel thinking she was immature. In that woman's mind it had never really mattered what other people said about her. Razel's idea of maturity was probably far from what Morgan would hall desirable anyway. Also, it was the simple fact of things that the librarian's feelings were never hurt. There wasn't a single person close enough to her to have that kind of leverage on her heart.
They were all lower, insignificant. Even with him all those year...he had never really been her 'lover', because he wasn't good enough to be loved by her. Just more tolerable and available than some people, supposedly. Now that she was single, she was probably having sex with other men with the same damn thought in mind.
So while she wasn't hurt by the breakup, she was enraged because he had 'inconvenienced' her. The truth was, he have turned her down. Now she apparently needed to torture him to death to make up for it.
Which wasn't that hard when all she needed to do to traumatize him was feign any manner of the way it had been while they were intimate. Damnit, how long was this going to bother him? Every time he thought about it, it was a whole new shame, a whole new hurt. He's been so stupid, so terribly stupid...
While ignoring that anyone was there, he had simple been clutching at his hair in utter frustration until Razel had started talking to him. He was annoyed and exasperated. He didn't really feel like talking to her right then.
"She wasn't a librarian when I met her," he spat, crossing his arms defensively as he gave her irritated look. However, the irritation quickly turned into a look of depression, slowly beginning to sink down the wall.
"You're really not the kind of person I wanted to overhear this sort of thing," he said in a dead tone, not looking at her.
“Morgan Donnelly was your universe, wasn’t she?”
Looking to her in surprise, Dominic grit his teeth, suddenly very anxious to be standing up again. Sprawling into a standing position, he turned a way from her, dismally staring at the floor.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #5 on Jul 18, 2007, 8:47pm »
Supposedly. They hadn't fucking saved Anima Eterna, had they? They were so ineffective that they couldn't even come to the aid of a school filled with children in time. And now people were dead. Was it entirely their fault? No. In the sense that they were less to blame than the DE's themselves. But Razel resented them for it. If the government had done something, if they had stepped in, if they had sent help before it was too late...
If, if, if.
It was easy to play 'what-if'. Razel had already done it a million times before. If she had been on the grounds with the Millers when the Death Eaters had swept in so unexpectedly, if she had been there to help defend the outer grounds. She knew that if she had been, she would probably be dead, too. But there was no way of knowing that for sure, and that made it all the more painful. One extra wand could have been the difference...
There really wasn't any use in playing out all the possible alternative scenarios. What happened had already happened, and there was no way to change that.
There was something about Morgan that truly seemed inhuman. She had thought the same of Dominic once, too, but it was different this time. Was she deeper than she seemed? Maybe she was just hurt deep down? Not that that gave her an excuse... but did she feel at all?
Perhaps it wasn't fair to judge her in such a manner; she hardly knew the woman. But Raz couldn't help it, and no longer cared much about fair. Since nothing really was. Anyway, being fully prepared to rip your ex apart by wand didn't exactly indicate a warm, loving person.
Or even anyone remotely normal.
Normal people needed others, even if they wouldn't admit it. Raz didn't believe that anyone was one hundred percent self-sufficient and independent. In any case, you could be independent and still lean on a few close friends for support now and again. Someone who didn't seem to need that at all, though... it was just odd.
There was an edge of exasperation and annoyance in the elder's tone, but Razel overlooked it. Eh, dealing with someone that nuts had to put someone on edge. Besides, she knew he wasn't much for being particularly pleasant, perhaps because he hadn't tried very much in the past. Or because he had a million reasons not to be.
The Ukrainian rolled her eyes at his comment, folding her knees against her chest. "Yeah, it's not like I was expecting even a small 'thank you' or anything like that. Because that would seem fairly ridiculous." Spirito sarcasm. Maybe not entirely appropriate, but it was what came out of the girl's mouth, anyway.
Defensive, much? Okay, that would be a 'yes'. Raz had to wonder what desirable qualities he had once seen in her. Bold as she was, even she recognized that that would not be the appropriate thing to ask.
"Okay, well, I guess you have two options. You can wait around for her to trap you in a deserted corridor, where she'll use complex spells to torture and/or kill you, or..." And she paused here, her gaze flickering to meet his, "...you can not be a sitting duck and do something about it."
Casually getting to her feet, the gears in her head began to turn, almost visibly. "I know which one I'd go with, but I guess I can't force you to choose correctly."
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2007, 8:59pm by Razel Ahern »
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #6 on Jul 19, 2007, 11:32am »
It was undoubtable that Razel wasn't the only one who had regrets, or questions of 'what if' floating through their minds after the attack. Dominic himself had been one of them. After it had all ended, and Tatiana had been taking to the hospital wing in critical condition, he had asked himself over and over: 'what if I had held the wall up just a bit longer?'
It could have saved her from that pain. Yet some part of him had to realize that there was only so much a person could do. If he had held the wall, it may have meant that he would die. Or maybe even Tatiana would have died if she had continued duelling. There were too many variables to make a call.
Far too many.
But speaking of too many options and too many variables, his situation with Morgan was one where there was very few. That meant that Razel's answer to the whole problem not only came as a shock, but an insult. But first he had needed to deal with her sarcasm. He groaned, looking away from her, puzzling how to response.
"Thanks, then," he replied, in a surprisingly earnest tone. He could have gone for the sarcasm, but it just wasn't worth it. Maybe she had a point, too. At least if he thanked her right then than any feeling of owing her a debt would leave sooner.
"Do something about it?" he repeated incredulously, but yet in the soft voice of confusion. He could wait around, or he could do something about it. What kind of bullshit suggestion was that? It made it sound like he hadn't been trying to do something about it!
"Do something about it?" he snapped again, turning on her. He was louder now, frustrated to the nth degree by the comment. "You have no idea! You have no bloody idea. You try duelling her. Yeah, you'll feel really proactive after a few weeks in the medical emergencies."
And if it wasn't duelling, then what was there? If he tried to get her some other way, all she would need was a word to the Order and they'd be all over his ass again. He was the exile here. She had the whole organization backing her. It would have been hard even if Morgan hadn't been totally psychotic and all that.
"Sorry to say, Ahern, but this kind of falls into the 'would if I could but I can't so I won't' category."
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #7 on Aug 1, 2007, 10:54pm »
Accepting blame, and the ability or inability to do so, was a funny thing. When people were truly at fault for something, when the blame rested concretely on them, they were reluctant to accept full responsibility. But when there were variables, when it wasn't necessarily anyone's fault at all, that was when people began to feel guilt. Perhaps it was because no one expected or wanted them to that made it all the more painful. If people point fingers, the accused are less inclined to feel bad.
The casualties on the attack couldn't be blamed on the students and staff at Anima Eterna. In fact, they were to be commended for coming out as well as they did. But it didn't ease the guilt of knowing that innocent people had lost their lives, and maybe, maybe if things had been different...
Dominic, though, he had a chance to act. Maybe he didn’t see a way out; perhaps he had already resigned himself to a fate of avoiding the toxic librarian. It wasn’t like it was going to be easy, that much she understood. But the Ahern was confident that something could be done about her, and even as they conversed, a plan was forming in her mind.
A thanks? Well, that actually was unexpected. Sure, there had been the sarcasm, but that didn’t mean she expected anything to come of it. It wasn’t like she demanded that kind of thing in return for help, but it was just… well, no one like to be metaphorically kicked in the face after doing a good deed.
“You heard me,” she responded calmly; there was neither agitation nor mockery in her voice. In fact, there was more patience than anything else, really. Because being condescending wouldn’t really get her anywhere, and it would just give him more of an excuse to continue what he was doing… which was nothing.
“I don’t doubt she’s a competent witch,” the younger replied simply, though, to herself, she acknowledged that her words made her sound as though she didn’t. Though the statement came in an almost airy, brush-it-off sort of tone, she really didn’t doubt that dueling the librarian would be hell on earth. But her mind was working on other angles.
”Everyone has their secrets; everyone has something they’d rather keep to themselves. I’ll grant that she’s in a position of great power, but the greater the power, the greater the weaknesses. It’s only a matter of exposing them.” The brunette paused; she had taken up pacing a bit in thought, but she had slowed now, making direct eye contact with the ex-Spirito.
“You were a Spirito; you should know as well as anyone that sometimes, subtlety is the best solution. I’m not suggesting you all-out duel her. But even she has a weakness. Use it against her.”
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #8 on Aug 2, 2007, 3:03am »
He had tried to act, though. He had really and truly tried. He had finally gotten up the nerve to tell her off, and that had resulted in his near death. After that he had tried to play the system against her, but in the thick of it he was the one that always had to hide. He was the one with the secrets. He was the one with the weaknesses.
"I dated her for over three years," he said, voice now quiet again but carrying a certain dullness, the kind that came along with a loss of hope. Avoiding Razel's look, he leaned against the wall again, suddenly feeling very tired again. "I know about as much about her as anyone could ever hope to."
"The point that you're missing here is that for all intensive purposes, Morgan is not a human being." The words were bitter, but it was essentially the truth. He had learned it all too well. "She doesn't have shame, she doesn't feel hurt, she doesn't require secrecy, she feels no remorse...damn it, she hardly even recognizes pain as anything other than a disturbing source of ecstasy!"
"Worse yet, she knows how I think. And she's...she's..." His head was starting to hurt now, and while he knew perfectly well what that meant, he was reluctant to stop. One could only binge such feelings of anger and desperation for so long before they had to purge.
"The only thing holding her back is that if she goes too far th-" Ow, ow, ow! "She has to maintain a low profile, which is the only reason she hasn't killed me yet." He put his hand to his forehead, furrowing his brow in a vain attempt to fend of the intense migraine that was forming.
"The only way that she could really be fully stopped is if I somehow managed to kill her or if she got in trouble with-" Shit, ow! "With..." Wait.
If she got in trouble with the Order itself. Maybe that was just it. One of her greatest strengths was that she had the Order backing her. Maybe it was her greatest weakness as well.
He knew from years of dealing with her that she always liked to tip toe past the lines that the Order set for her when doing her business. Even though she was just as securely bound by the Oath as anyone else, she had never respected the Council's commands the way other people did. She had always done the bare minimum to stay in their favour, while living large the rest of the time.
"Wow," he said suddenly, sliding down the wall again with a dazed yet thoughtful expression on his face. Maybe if he figured out some way that he could lure Morgan into really screwing up? After all, she had almost done it right then and there.
Maybe the answer all along had been that he needed to make her lose control and really make a scene, once and for all.
Sadly, Razel probably had to hope of having followed the trail of discovery he had just wandered down.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #9 on Aug 2, 2007, 1:16pm »
Oh, she had been there time and time again. Always the one to hide, always the one to be covering her own ass. It was hard to dig up something on such a formidable opponent. She had always found herself matched against witches and wizards with at least a few years more experience, not to mention a touch more physical strength. So she knew it was hard to come up with something or make a strong stand in such a situation.
But no one was invulnerable. Some were better at keeping it a secret, as Donnelly clearly was. The way Dominic talked about her, she seemed almost immortal, for Merlin's sake. But as strong as she was, there had to be something. Anything. Even if she didn't seem it, she was human.
Ugh, three years? Three years? Razel kept her face impassive at this confession, but she couldn't help but wonder how someone could be cracked enough to stay with her as long as he did. It was a credit to his strength, but it said little for his sanity.
But she remembered there was a lot she didn't know or understand about him. So... maybe he had had his reasons. Whatever the hell they were.
"Good to know," she responded almost lightly. "Then if you keep thinking, you of all people should be able to come up with something," she added confidently. "Donnelly need not feel shame or pain. But she must hold some secrets. Anyone as messed up as her would. At the very least, something that would get her out of here."
Hazel eyes lit up a bit (as much as they had lit since the attack) as he mentioned the bit about keeping a low profile. Low profile from what? "Then someone's after her? She's avoiding someone or something," she concluded, feeling as though she was onto something. "Do you know what it is?"
Of course, the Spirito couldn't have known that whatever 'it' was, Dominic couldn't share it with her. As in, he was physically incapable, even if he wanted to.
Still, a look of understanding seemed to dawn on the other's face, and she could almost see the wheels turning. "Well?" If he had a thought, she was curious.
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #10 on Aug 2, 2007, 5:42pm »
If it had just been Morgan maybe he could have handled it. One and one, maybe...no. That was exactly what he couldn't take. If Morgan was working on her own then she could and would have killed him already in most likelihood. He had just realized that the Order was the only thing holding her back.
If she was free, like he was...then killing her in a duel really would be the only way to stop her. Which meant that if he was going to take her on, he had to do it while she still had that handicap, that need to avoid trouble despite her natural boisterousness.
But what could he do to use this? He would have to lure her into slipping up, making a scene, doing something that the Order couldn't ignore. The biggest taboo imaginable was betraying the oath of secrecy, and while it couldn't bed one with words, it could be with actions.
If he could draw her out in front of enough witnesses, then that could do it. Either the Order would remove her from public duty and keep her under closer watch, or she would get arrested. Though...what if that brought the Order down on him as well, perhaps gave them reason to end him once and for all?
Sometimes you had to take risks.
"Then someone's after her? She's avoiding someone or something. Do you know what it is?"
The young Constantine frowned, mumbled something under his brief before casting a glance up to his former peer, wondering what good it would do telling her anything. Even if she wasn't outwardly malicious, it isn't like she would be interested in helping him. His head throbbed viciously from the misplaced things he had already said. Yet...
"Let's just say we have something in common, and it has nothing to do with personality or our favourite types of pasta." That was as good as he could give her at the moment. They were both avoiding the Order, in their own special ways. She just had their favour. He had to find a way to take that away from her.
It was hard to explain his plan in its entirety since the Order was very much a focal point.
"I can use myself as bait to pull her out of incognito," he said in a quiet tone, realizing just how dangerous putting himself at that sort of risk would be. The truth was, if he tried and failed this he would probably die.
"But I don't see what good it would do you to know about it. She's none of your business."
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #11 on Aug 2, 2007, 9:27pm »
It was ironic, that sometimes, one's greatest strength was also one's greatest weakness. Razel didn't know it, but this was true for Morgan Donnelly. The librarian was backed by the Order, which Dom was running from. But at the same time, being a part of such a rigid organization also meant that she had to abide by their rules, even if only loosely. It was hurting her almost as much as it was helping her.
But Raz didn't know this, and it was difficult to formulate a solid plan when she didn't have all of the details. It wasn't like she didn't realize she was missing something; her senses were practically screaming that she didn't have all of the pieces to solve the puzzle.
The Ukrainian was a Spirito, though, wasn't she? What a shame to her house she would be if she was depending on all of that. Loopholes. Loopholes were always the way to go. Sure, the complete list of facts would have been useful, but she probably wasn't going to get them, so she'd have to find away around the gaps.
Raz couldn't exactly be called naive. Perhaps, when she had first arrived at Anima Eterna as a student of fifteen, but certainly not now. Still, was it foolish to be so confident that they could trip the librarian up? She would be a formidable opponent, especially if she was someone that Dominic Constantine himself had failed to take down during round one... and two and three.
Excellent. Risks. Yes, those were great. Razel found herself more ready to take risks ever since the attack. Losing everything like that had made her angry, angry enough to disregard safety and playing by the rules. Because that didn't really get you anywhere. She was tired of feeble attempts.
Had she been more bold as of late? Absolutely. There was nothing more bold than asking a declared nemesis open and direct questions, as she had done time and time again. Just now, in fact.
The brunette frowned a bit at his lack of details, but didn't press it. That could come later. Even she knew when to step back a bit. In any case, he was forming some sort of plan, and she liked it. It was dangerous, especially for him, but it was bold. And bold plans always worked the best, when executed with bravery.
Razel passed him a calculating look, determining how best to respond. And then, finally, after a brief silence, "I have my own motivations. I'd like to see Donnelly get hers. Whether or not you like me is of no consequence. I can help, and I think you know that."
Her gaze searched his, and she folded her arms carefully across her chest, considering him, awaiting his answer. He could hardly say no, especially when it had been her idea to make a stand, when she had inspired whatever brilliant plan he was working out.
It wasn't like she was out to screw him over. In all fairness, she could see why he might think that, though. But she had other motivations, even if she neither could nor wanted to articulate them. After the attack, she wanted revenge, wanted to strike back at people like Death Eaters, or people like Donnelly. And, in any case, it'd put a notch in the Initiative belt. Impress the superiors and all of that. This would be a step towards a better world, one bitch at a time.
As far as the personal part went, she wasn't sure how she stood with helping Dominic. A small part of her sort of wanted to. If this woman had been the motivation for all that he had done since she had known him... well, it wasn't like it justified everything he had done. But he had made her understand, that night in the tower, that seemed an age ago, made her understand how a person could commit awful crimes for someone that was everything to him.
And someone who manipulated affection, even love, in such a cruel way deserved revenge tenfold.
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #12 on Aug 2, 2007, 11:04pm »
Was it possible that the death of her fiancé and some of her closest friends resulted in her becoming even more or a hero? It had to be, because unless her ears were deceiving him, Razel Ahern had just offered- no, insisted -to help him defeat Morgan.
Dominic wasn't naive either. He was naturally suspicious of any help that came from an unexpected source, and this girl was definitely unexpected. It was instinctive to assume that people wouldn't put themselves under this amount of risk for something that wasn't at least partially for their own designs if they had no previous attachment to the person they were helping.
If she was in on this, then she would easily have the ability to get him killed. All she would have to do is betray him at a pivotal part of the plan and he would be done for. If anything, before this she had only promised him revenge. Had the things he said in the tower honestly distorted her view of him that much?
It seemed unlikely. Why would that solitary pity party make her want to put herself on the line for him? Perhaps she simply wasn't messing with him. Maybe she found Morgan disgusting enough from this one encounter to just want to end her out of the principle of the thing.
A possibility, but Dominic couldn't make himself buy it. Not from her. Not yet.
He started with a smirk, which quickly gave way to a little snort and a little, derisive laugh. He wasn't afraid of showing that he was doubtful. Even if it wasn't a trust issue, it was one very simple question, one that she would probably be offended to hear but had to expect coming.
"Oh? And what could you do to help?" Of course she didn't know and couldn't know the whole plan, so that wasn't completely fair, but all the same. What good would it do him to include her? Just throwing another variable in there when he needed to find all the control he could? Didn't sound that great.
Maybe an extra had would make things easier, though, he told himself. If he was bait, then it would be good to have someone who wasn't playing that role pulling some strings, would it not? But arg, damnit! It was Razel Ahern! The one that he had thwarted several times over.
What good would she do? How could it be worth risking it?
"Risking your life for someone who I could have sworn you hated seems a little far fetched, don't you think?" Now he was just fishing. She was aware that he may not like her (which he wasn't sure that he did) and so he wanted to know what her feelings back at him were. If she was doing it out of the principle alone, then that was a slippery slope. What about when things got hard, which they just might? She'd have no reason to stand by him.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #13 on Aug 3, 2007, 12:39pm »
Razel didn't know that she could call it 'heroism', or that she had ever been a hero. Hadn't she fekked up a few too many times to hold that title? And if she was supposed to be some kind of hero, she was doing a pretty shitty job with it, all things considering.
There were a million reasons to take the librarian down, and Razel was invested in a fair few of them. Heroic, brave, or just stupid, she didn't know. Did it really matter? The only reasons motives were relavent now was because of trust issues.
As far as that went, Razel had no reason not to trust Dominic on this particular occasion. He wouldn't screw her over if they did indeed work together, because he had more motivation than anyone to want her gone. But she could also see why he would be skeptical of the hand she was offering.
Hadn't they despised each other for the past two years? Hadn't Razel spent a great deal of time wishing he'd get his? And now that he finally was, she was determined to help him out of it. At this point, it probably would have been best for Razel to stop trying to fathom her own thoughts.
But she couldn't do that. A large part of her kept wondering, What the hell am I doing? It was one thing to jump around a corner and defend him on the spot. But this? This was risking her life. You were always risking your life when dealing with someone this toxic.
Something in the tower really had greatly changed her opinion of him. Could she say she liked him at all? Not necessarily. She wasn't sure how she felt about him being particularly likeable, but he seemed more human. And Donnelly less so. She was sort of disgusted, seeing what she was doing to Dominic Constantine. And at the very least, it was the principle of the thing.
So he was going to be a little snot about it. She returned her own smirk, resisting the urge to be indignant. "For staters, whose idea was this whole thing? As I recall, you were the one that had given up. Whatever plan you have formulating now was inspired by yours truly.
"You and I both know how wonderfully intelligent you are. But like it or not, so am I. And I can guess that your librarian friend is, too. An extra head, an extra wand, a different perspective. Besides, given your relationship with her, if someone does strike back, she has every reason to suspect it's you, and none to think it's me. I'm just some Prefect who happened to stumble upon this particular scene once. If she even remembers that."
How much more would it take to convince him? She had hoped his stubbornness had waned a bit, too. Apparently that was too much to hope for.
"Perhaps. I understand your suspicions. But..." The Ukrainian's voice trailed off softly as she thought about how to phrase what she wanted him to know. "She's trouble, not just for you, but for anyone in the school she takes a disliking to. I'd rather see her exposed as unbalanced and homocidal than see you killed off, I guess. Lesser of two evils, if you will," she added with an amused sort of smirk, though her tone wasn't nearly as vindictive as it might have been a year ago.
And, to herself, she added that maybe there was some hope for him, that maybe she wasn't entirely the pile of nothing she thought he was when they first met. If that was true, he was worth saving.
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #14 on Aug 7, 2007, 9:19pm »
So her 'it was my idea' argument wasn't really doing it for him. Because, for one, the concept of 'fight back' wasn't overly original. Secondly...well, okay, so he hadn't had the required motivation to try until she had brought it up like it was simple task. That had made him reevaluate his analysis of the situation.
Yet still, come on, totally wasn't her 'idea'. She just provoked him was all.
Denial aside, maybe she had a point. Morgan was a threat to the school no matter what she was doing. After all, her job was to remain there till an opportune moment when she could aid the Order to tale control of things, to keep things going their way. That wasn't Anima Eterna friendly, really. All he had to do was think about the things that he was supposed to have done there himself and multiply them. Morgan was definitely worse than he was.
Lesser of two evils indeed. Morgan made him look like the model citizen. Which was part of the problem with her, because he honestly didn't think she had any boundaries. It was like she hadn't been born with a conscious. He had never seen her feel remorse over anything she had done, which was a hard thing for even the most sinister of criminals.
Razel's second point was more substantial. It was true, that with her on his side he would have an anonymous party, someone that Morgan wouldn't be expecting retaliation from. As for not remembering her, that wasn't so certain. The Donnelly had probably already labelled Razel as a potential challenge, and she wasn't likely to forget the incident any time soon.
But an incident like that generally wasn't worth continued action of Morgan's part.
"Hm," he said rather loudly, making it clear that he was mulling over her words. "Okay. See. If you really want in on this, then you have got to recognize that there is a good chance you might die or get hurt while doing so. And I won't feel sorry for you at all if you get your ass kicked over this. Understood?"
"She is smart but the two of us are undoubtably smarter. She relies on instinct. We're going to have to use mostly intellect and dumb luck to do this. Unfortunately I'm very unlucky. How about you?" Oh, he hopes she wasn't unlucky as well. Then they were doomed.
And I would give you anything to feel something else.
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,667 Location: Forgetting Who I Am
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #15 on Aug 25, 2007, 5:09pm »
Eh, the 'it was my idea' argument was really more of a preface. Come on, she was a Spirito, the best of the best. A debater, a fighter. There was no way Dominic Constantine was walking away with this without the two of them at least having some sort of accord. She was determined to make him see why he had to allow her to participate.
The tiniest of smirks began to touch the corners of her mouth as a small silence settled between them. He was mulling it over. He had to be. And soon, he would see how right she was. Raz realized it was a good thing he actually was not an Estremo, but a Spirito. You couldn't always talk sense into an Estremo. But a Spirito was different. They had to see reason.
Razel didn't really have the bigger picture, which was that Donnelly was attempting to aid in the downfall of the whole school. All she really knew was that the librarian was a loose cannon, and there was no telling what she would do next. She was a danger to the school and its inhabitants.
Remorse was a human emotion. People who didn't feel it... it made Raz think they weren't human. She was pretty sure that was the way of things with Kajetan Sabelli; the only remorse she had ever seen him show regarded his little sister, Rosetta. And that was it.
And now her grin widened, and she nodded, folding her arms across her chest rather confidently, perhaps more confidently than she done anything since the attack. "There's a good chance of agony or death in most anything that's worth while. I get it, and I got it way back when we started the conversation.
"I guess we're good on intellect. Unfortunately, considering the course of the past two years, I can't really claim much luck."
Joined: Jan 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 941 Location: Your Thoughts
Re: Moving On ((Razel)) « Reply #16 on Sept 12, 2007, 8:34pm »
Rather confident, wasn't she? Bloody hell. None of this situation made any sense. It seemed like no matter how many times his and Razel's relationship changed (or more so, her opinion of him changed) it still managed to go in some new and bizarre direction.
Sure, he was mulling it over. It didn't help to be completely closed minded. Yet, working with her to defeat Morgan still didn't seem like the most trust worthy or realistic idea. Dominic tried rather hard to not be a dead-set pessimist, but he avoided idealism like the plague as well. Getting his hopes up usually just meant that he was disappointed later.
Oh, and if she thought that all Spirito had to see reason in a situation, she obviously hadn't tried to talk sense into either Renée nor Catalina when they were set on something. Both of those women were nigh unstoppable when they decided on something.
Really, he was the most passive of his social circle, which was a strange thing indeed.
Dominic had a more personable relationship with her cousin- yet another thing that made this union strange -and he wouldn't have ever compared him with Morgan. Sure, he was fairly selfish and aggressive and all that, but even just his relationship with his sister was enough to separate the two. Razel probably just didn't associate with people that only cared about mankind very selectively.
In truth, the Constantine was the same way. He cared about his loved ones (and, secondly, himself) and anyone who interfered with that could go straight to hell. Everyone for their own, as they said. It was part of the reason Razel wanting to help him out of the blue came off as so unbelievable to him.
"Hm," he replied to her comment about luck. "Well, in that case." He stood. "I'll think about it. I hardly have a substantial plan of action at the moment. When I do I might decide to tell you about it." Yes, he was still being non-committal. It was partially just to be annoying. "If you come up with something, you can track me down."
"Anyway, there isn't much to talk about right now. I guess I'll see you later." And with that, he turned away to depart. No point in dealing with her any longer than was necessary. She had gotten what she wanted out of the conversation, so hopefully it would be enough to sate her for the moment.
Dominic Constantine and Razel Ahern teaming up. Who would have thunk it?
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