5/22/2003

12:15 AM

Logfile from Sebastian.

 

Madison Avenue, off 67th Street

This part of NYC is notably less crowded, most especially Park Avenue, where the center mall adds a taste of greenery to the wide, two way street. Small trees, shrubs, and every season, a variety of flowers at every cross street grace the grassy strip that runs down the center of the road. The buildings all around are old-style, with stately edifaces and marbled detailing along the roofs of many of them, and a uniformed doorman in front of all of them.

Here is Madison Avenue, home to the haute couture of NYC: Nicole Miller, Armani, and Versace to name a few. Although not as packed as the fashion district, the crowds that gather here are a little more highbrow and have much more money to spend. West of Madison Avenue, you soon encounter Fifth Avenue, where residences of the elite who prefer a park view rise skyward. And of course, the park view is none other than Central Park, the largest patch of green in all of NYC.

Nicolette is here.

Obvious exits:

Park Ave <EA>   Central Park (WE)   Godiva Chocolatier   Subway Entrance

 

Nicolette

There's a certain catty quality to her knowing glance, jaded experience in the striking steel-blue eyes outlined by long dark lashes. They're upturned at the corners, emphasizing a touch of the exotic without needing any makeup to enhance those features. A golden touch to her natural complexion lends a certain tawniness to her overall look, made more so with the gentle curls of her Savannah-blonde hair, streaked with punkish highlights of red and more subtle lines of bleached ash. It sweeps back from her brow in a widow's peak, swirling in a loose natural tumble down to the nape of her neck and spreading out like a mane about her shoulders. Short and compactly built, muscular lines lurk beneath the soft roundness of her arms and legs, girlish figure hiding the strength and prowess contained within.

Despite being restricted to private school uniforms most of the time, Nikki has managed to adapt her outfit into something a touch more trendy, a little bit more scandalous than what's usually accepted. The white blouse with the school emblem on the front pocket is snug and molds to her figure, the sleeves rolled coyly over her elbows. Her red and yellow plaid skirt appears to have been adjusted slightly to reach only just above the knee, with white stockings that reach only just up over  the calves. The maryjane shoes are unusual as well, possessing a much thicker heel and not to mention the steel capping at both front and back ends.

Nicolette appears to be 16 years, 10 months, and 8 days old.

She is awake, but has been staring off into space for a minute.

 

It's just after school's out, not soon enough though for the gaggle of private school students that suddenly flood this particular end of Madison Avenue. Colorful uniforms can be seen on the children moving down the sidewalks and among them one particularly pretty blonde who waves to a few acquaintances before continuing on her way towards home. Or rather the host family she's staying with. Like any teenage girl though, she's going to do a little shopping before then, stopping in front of the Godiva chocolatier with a yearning expression.

 

Sebastian is loitering. He doesn't often loiter, but he is actually doing that now. Yes, it still took some memory provoking from Kieran (not to mention a long talk) to finally get the man out of the Malachai's. Now with his energy finally back to being somewhere close to what it was before and something else to occupy his thoughts, he curiously watches the students that leave from this particular school. He watches each one with a narrowed gaze, trying his best to recall features until one in particular seems to almost jump out at him. A sigh of thankfullness and he starts away from the doorway to approach the girl from behind. Standing just off to the side, he murmurs, "I know they say that you shouldn't take candy from a stranger... but seeing as I've already made your acquaintance, Nikki... would you allow me?"

 

Nikki whirls around, skirt flaring as she turns to face Sebastian, the look on her face wary and a tad frightened as she unconsciously takes a step back till her backpack thunks against the glass of the chocolate shop. "It is you again, monsieur!" Is it any wonder that she's a little nervous? The last she saw of the man, he'd started to glow and Kieran had told her to run. Upon exiting the building, there was debris raining down from the holes being blasted out of the walls of the penthouse above.

 

Sebastian looks down at her, benignly. "I am not about to devour you like you were thinking of doing to that chocolate in the shop. Can we talk? You... managed to catch me at a rather poor moment that evening." He continues to watch her, a weariness to his features that will probably remain for the weeks, if not months to come. "I won't try to drag you off anywhere -well, that is unless you say no." Hand extends, gesturing to the way she was walking. "I will escort you home."

 

"You were the one who 'caught' me, as I recall it monsieur." Nicolette points out, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. They'll probably draw a bit of attention, these two. After all, here's a little teen in a school girl uniform being accosted by an older man. Uh huh. "I do not think it would be wise for you to follow me home, monsieur. My host family will not appreciate it I don't think." They would probably freak, but they are of course the sort of protective people that would take in an exchange student, a fact that is probably driving Nikki up the wall, pretending to be all mannerly and polite to them.

 

Sebastian looks down at the girl, a flicker of annoyance showing in his eyes. "And then you promptly ran away -which was probably one of the smartest things that I've seen you do in our brief acquaintance." He flickers a glance down the length of the walk for a moment before looking back to the teenager, "Your host family who holds a little pyro under their roof? I doubt they would like to learn about that. Please... I don't want to start threatening, I am in no mood for it. Just... walk with me. I think we need to discuss something."

 

Nikki raises her chin stubbornly, after all it comes with the territory of being a miko. Willfulness and willpower go hand in hand, though at least she is smart enough to run in the face of actual danger, it's getting her to recognize it that's the tricky part. "It does not matter if you tell them or not." She says quite calmly, as she'd probably just immolate them all and pretend to be just coming home. They'd probably find her another host family since they'll have all summer to do so. "I do not understand what you have to discuss with me. Why do you keep looking for me? I am not that special. You, monsieur are a lot more 'special' than I am." She eyes his outstretched hand but doesn't quite take it this time, but she does push away from the shop window as if inclined to start walking.

 

Sebastian arches an eyebrow at her but moves to walk along with her, and right at her side. "It doesn't matter? That sounds like a teenager who clearly has a very warm and familiar association with her... host family, you said?" He seems to frown slightly, growing silent for a moment before continuing, "You know... Nikki, I wish I knew the answer to that. Maybe you can be the one to tell me why I followed you into a burning building, had a discussion while that happened, and then took you home with me... only to look for you once again."

 

Nikki saunters down the sidewalk, arms tucked behind her, just under the backpack. "I have only been with them for a week, what warm feelings would I have? They are strangers and their daughter is a fat, spoiled snot who has the manners of an ill bred dog." She gives a toss of her hair as she looks up at Sebastian, "What is there for me to tell you? Do you not know? I seem to run into many very strange men lately. Even one who keeps walking into my dreams. He seems to know more about what is supposed to be going on than I." She means Sakamaku, but it was a dream she woke up from by the ill timing of her alarm clock.

 

"Sounds like a delightfully loving household. You have my sympathies," Sebastian replies, drolly. He flickers a glance down at her, "Walks in your dreams? I don't think that I have ever heard of that before... and what does he do in them? Or say exactly?" Maybe that'll be a clue as to why he seems drawn to this girl.

 

Nikki shrugs slightly, keeping her voice low, just audible over the sounds of the cars on the streets, punctuated by the honking of typical NYC avenues. "Oui, he.. appears in them, watches over my shoulder. He likes to see what's going on in my head. I find it tres disturbing. He seems to want to know more about me too, but he is.. stranger than you. Actually he looks a lot like you too, at first I thought it was you." She shrugs a bit, glancing at the tall man out of the corner of her eyes. "I was dreaming about.. this trip to Alsace I was on one summer, many years ago. Watched a farmer slaughter a pig. It disturbed me very much, though I have seen animals die before. I do not know exactly why it bothered me so."

 

Sebastian frowns just the faintest. Tall, blond, brooding men. Isn't it amazing how they just seem to stumble off of the gods' assembly line around here. So, his mind immediately makes the jump to a certain seishi. He murmurs under his breath, "I don't think that Dylan's powers reach quite to that..." He flickers the girl another glance, this time more curious, "A pig?" Connections are immediately made. "Do you recognize the name Homasubi, Nikki?"

 

"Dylan? Who is Dylan?" Nikki asks, confusion coloring her accented tone. "No, he said his name was Chiaki. I met him on the streets too, before he started visiting my sleep. Over in Chinatown." She halts though as the name is spoken. "Homasubi? ...It is familiar. Where did... Oh yes. My older brother, Alain. He was into Eastern Studies. I remember him reading some very old scrolls to me when I was younger. Before he died. I thought it a funny story, these asian mythology. I think I started to dream about it a lot, especially just before I took the scholarship here to America."

 

Sebastian waves a hand vaguely to the side to dismiss the Dylan comments. "Nobody of importance. As for this... Chiaki, I have never heard of him." But there is still a touch of disquiet in his voice as he considers this. Again, he listens to her quietly as they continue down the sidewalk, frowning just the slightest, "Plenty of funny stories in the mythology, but the gods are nothing to laugh at. They deserve more respect than that, especially Homasubi." Yes, pious oni showing through. "So, what are in your dreams, besides this Chiaki... and the killing of that pig that disturbed you so?"

 

Nikki walks slowly as if reluctant to get home all that quickly, probably receiving several curses and annoyed glares from people in business suits and tight schedules circling around them on the sidewalk, but she takes no notice of them. "When you say the gods, I take it you do not mean like the one they worship at the Cathedral d'Notre Dame? I have always believed that there are things in this world that could not be explained by that which is accepted by most people. I meant funny, not as in haha, but in that they were strange and intriguing. Pardon, my English is not perfect." She goes distant for a moment, as if trying to recall the dream more clearly, though like most dreams they can often be elusive to the waking mind. "I am not sure, why I found it so disturbing. I wanted..to save the pig. I do not know why. But then in the dream, Alain appeared and told me that I could stop it from happening, if I would follow him here." Nicolette looks up at Sebastian again and sighs softly. "You look a lot like Alain. I imagine he might have grown up to look as you do, if he had lived."

 

Sebastian shortens his strides considerably to keep pace with her, which is still almost awkward with those long legs of his. "Your English is fine, it is my own understanding which differed from yours. And no.. not that God." He draws in a breath while he ponders the girl's words "That you could stop the death of the pig? Save him?... Your brother, Alain. You have mentioned him more than once since we began to talk. How did he die... might I ask?"

 

If Sebastian was expecting some melodrama of fate and circumstance that introduced Nikki to this world, well then he's only half right. It's drama, but hardly all that significant, but it did bring the girl down a circle of life that made her even less inclined to be charitable to the human race on a whole. "Alain? He was struck by a drunken cab driver. Killed my mother too, they were walking home from the Language institute where she worked. Very sad, but there was nothing I could do about it." 'Cept that mysterious death of the driver some years later where the cab he was driving again took fire with him trapped inside. Coincidence? Nah. "But oui, he told me I could do something to save the pig, but first I would have to come here. I don't know why...this place looks nothing like Alsace!"

 

"Did it happen very long ago? Or is this a more recent tragedy in your life?" Sebastian asks softly. "Pity that you lost them then. Did you become something of a parentless orphan then? Where is your father?" He seems to sigh softly, nodding his head in something that might actually be understanding, "No... this is not rural France. Far from it. I might have your answers for you, Nikki. I /might/." But there is still caution in his tone, caution provoked by recent events.

 

Nikki doesn't seem bothered by the questioning, having all but settled comfortably with Sebastian at her side. "It was many years ago. I was not quite in my teens yet when they died, but no I am not an orphan. My papa is still in Paris, trying to still become an artist, to sell his paintings. They are rubbish I think, well maybe not that bad, but if he would only stay sober, then maybe he might actually make something worth selling." She shakes her head in disgust. "I could not stay in that place any longer, we could not even state in the flat that we lived in when mama was still alive. There are no good memories there, I could not wait to leave. I just did not know where to go, till this scholarship program came to be." She gazes up at the oni and tilts her head slightly to study him. "What answers do you have for moi?"

 

Sebastian stops in place, reaching a hand out to try to touch the girl's elbow to get her to halt as well. He watches her for a long moment, gaze scathing over her form before resting upon her eyes, trying to find answers in her as well. As much as he would jump at the chance to have another of Homasubi's here, to take care of again or even rely on him because he got so used to that, there is still reluctance in his weary features. "It is not exactly a secret to the ones that are relevant that I belong to the pig god, Homasubi. The question is... do you belong to him as well? I am not sure whether to believe that or not."

 

Nikki gives a slight shiver at the touch of his hand on her elbow as she does stop. A part of her wonders why she is not running away, her instincts telling her that this should not be, that this could only lead to bad things. There is something within her though, that is saying different, as she gazes up at the oni time and time again, each moment only etching the vision of him into her mind. "Pig god? That does not sound... very formidable. Say 'boar' instead and it is a much finer thing I would imagine." she says rather softly, her eyes slightly distant as mind goes elsewhere briefly. "Do I belong to him too? How can I tell, monsieur? All I know is that I feel a presence in my dreams, not Chiaki, not Alain, but I feel someone watching over me...and it is not a bad thing."

 

She actually provokes a wry smile from the man, Sebastian's head inclining just the slightest in acceptance. "There is much stigma attached to simply the word 'pig'. True. A fiery boar he is. But pig or boar, there is still respect in those words. There will always be." His lips form a fine line before he continues. "I do not know. Maybe I should take you down to the temple and throw you before his likeness and we can see if he will show us himself. Or I should simply try to trust in the signs that could almost be construed as convenient... seeing as you enter my life at the very same time as others leave it." Anger begins to imbue his voice before the takes a long breath, and another for good measure.

 

The girl ignores the passing of those around them, a curious spectacle they must make out on the sidewalk, though Madison Avenue is a popular enough place for tourists as well as casual strollers with all the cafes and shops lining the street. "Temple? What temple is this?" Then in seeing the anger on the man's face this time, her reaction is more curious and a touch concerned, a foreign enough emotion for the little psychopath, or perhaps is it because this time there is no Kieran to warn her off? Never the less, with her steel-blue eyes pinned to his, she raises a hand to gingerly touch his cheek. "So angry, monsieur. Who was she? I only saw but for a moment before I was told to run. It is clear though, that this someone meant a great deal to you."

 

"A temple for the yin gods," Sebastian responds simply, but there is still quite a bit of caution there. "A temple that cannot be so easily reached by simply calling for a taxi to take you there. We might have to do that..." He doesn't shy at the touch, but nor does he simply suffer it. No, instead he will look back to her trying to keep his features cold. But it is all still far, far too fresh and there is a flicker to his eyes, "She was just like me. But she was taken away by someone that I trusted, who I took in." His frown deepens, expression closing off. The man reaches into a pocket to pull a card from it, one of his business cards but with his personal number upon it, and hold it between two fingers, offering it to the girl. "I want you to take this. It has where I can be reached."

 

Nikki lets her hand drop away, reaching for the card instead. Peering down at it, she smiles faintly. "Sebastian. Ah, yes. That is your name? The other man, the model. He called you Bastian instead. It sounds so much better that way though, Monsieur Bastian." Course with her accent, it all but rolls off the tongue like her own name. "And do you wish for me to call you sometime then? I do not think it would be good for you to call me, I do not think my hosts would appreciate calls from strange men for their charge." She huffs softly. "They are so inconvenient. But I have no choice till I finish school and hope for a scholarship to a University here. Else I go back to France."

 

"Yes. Sebastian... or Bastian. Whatever you will. Call me and I will take you there. Maybe it will be so easy as all that, simply taking you to the temple to be sure. Onisenshi... miko." Sebastian draws in a long breath and then adds, "Use the cell phone number on there, the home phone no longer works." Considering his home from before isn't exactly in working order either. "You now know my full name, could I have yours?"

 

Nikki hesitates for just a moment as she slips the card into her backpack, which is currently doubling as a purse as well. "Onisenshi?" She translates the Japanese without a blink. "Demon warrior? Hnn.. how quaint. Miko though, priestess? That's the same word Chiaki used." She murmurs as she pulls the pack back up, "My name? Ah.. yes.  I am Nicolette DeLeone." Raising her wrist, takes a glance at the cheap Powerpuff girls watch and sighs. "I have to get going, Monsieur Bastian. I will call you.. later."

 

Sebastian frowns thoughtfully at the girl once more, "Watch what you say and do in your dreams more carefully, Nikki. Or at least try to to the best of your ability. The idea of strange men entering them... I don't like it." But he draws back a step, nodding in farewell to her, "Thank you for talking to me. I have no doubt we will be talking again soon." And with that, he heads back in the direction that they originally came. Hopefully with a certain pair snogging on some park bench in some park, his abrupt absence won't be noted too much. ;)