Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Aug 23, 2010 7:49:58 GMT -5
Duo has never seen such a strange place all his life. It's not the demi-humans nor the anthromorphs that surprises him, it's the extreme sadness and hopelessness that is so apparent the moment one stepped inside the Corpora Slums. Sure poverty and inferior living conditions is what to be expected in a place named such as that, but the lad never imagined that a majority of the population in this district is so...miserable.
Duo didn't mind the usual shoulder-ramming of the locals here to 'greet' him, heck he expected his wallet to be stolen right after every 'accident'. Though, when he patted his back pocket, its still there... Can they suffer too much because of their lives that they even gave up on desire?
'...Without desire, there's no wish. And without wish....there's no hope.. So then, without hope, what is left of these poor beings...?'
Though Duo doesn't look like it, but he can be quite deep and thoughtful when something smacks him in the face...like the atmosphere he had unknowingly led himself to right now. He's wearing his small black travel cap on his head as he just stood there at the entrance of the pitiful-excuse-of-a-bar-like building...thing.
If it wasn't for the fact that Duo literally grew up in a place with the same atmosphere and smell, the young man would dash the hell away from this place. Though, Duo's not alone. There's a black bag strapped over his shoulder, thin and long, but weighted by something inside.
And that something was soon revealed to be a keyboard of his, approximately 5 years older than he himself is, but was constantly modified and fixed...again by Duo himself. It looks as worthless as this place is, but the lad's certain he's going to change that.
Launching himself on top of the bar table where they served their drinks, some of the locals turned their dim attention to the strange boy, but then slowly avert their eyes off somewhere else, miserably. Duo sat cross-legged, places the keyboard on his lap, plugs in a small yet functional amp to the keyboard...and do what he does best.
Restoring spirits.
Without warning, his fingers ran through the keys with ease, starting the tune rather melancholic before giving it a courageous set of notes, replaying that same melody he's been playing since a child, back then to remind the orphan boys back in his place that life is still worth living, no matter how awful it has treated them. He never played this song during his time in his old band, it reminded him of his past too much. But now, in his early 20s, his fingers pressed the keys with such remembrance, to remind the people here the very same thing he did with the orphan boys.
Hope is something irreplaceable...so loosing it would mean the death of one's glimmer in their eyes. Duo is not going to let these people dwell in their misfortune, as whatever that misfortune might be, there's a way to solve it. There always is. Duo always believes this.
Playing the melody by ear, Duo reminisced the miserable country he was born into, and how he and only he managed to escape. Something weighted him down all of a sudden...guilt. Why didn't he saved the others? He was so young before, so cowardly, so certain that he's going to die...so sure that he's too puny to change anything or help anyone.
Duo's braid followed how his head nodded with the rhythm, his black cap covering his eyes as he pulled his head down, immersed with the music along with the memories that trailed with each note. His eyes was closed most of the time, and during the few times his eyelids opened slightly, his focus is right towards the keys of his keyboard.
After he finished, he pulled his hand off the instrument as if its contagious, and catch his breath at how unknowingly tiring it somehow is. After a moment of blinking in confusion, he quickly recalled where he is at present, and lifts his head up to look over at the locals.
Indeed, they're staring at him, some with their mouths dangling. With his chest still continuously pumping in and out, Duo grinned slightly, at the faintest of glimmer suddenly appearing in his audience's eyes.
'I was wrong.. Hope isn't lost...it's merely...misplaced..'
And he's done a wonderful job in restoring at least a small speck of it.
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Jan 22, 2011 12:34:20 GMT -5
Kieru had walked off into Evnae to look for some food and water and such, leaving Drea out in a field nearby. The place was more industrialized so Drea wouldn't be able to comfortably walk through the towns here without potentially accidentally causing harm to something or someone. The first thing Kieru noticed was of course the dirty state of the place and the appearance of those all around her.
She walked on, managing to get a few things here and there then noticed a bar. She thought to herself why not and headed inside, taking a seat in a booth off to the side. She ordered herself a drink and one of their bar sandwiches. As she progressed in eating, she didn't notice when a strange guy with a long braid entered and started setting up a keyboard. The people around her, crowding her from vision, watched him strangely. They had never had any real music in this city and didn't even know what the keyboard was and, most, didn't even know what music was.
Kieru didn't notice anything strange until she head the music. She perked up a little in her seat and put the last remaining bit of her sandwich back on the plate and looked in the direction the music was coming from. Finding herself unable to see, Kieru stood up and squished her way through the group of people until she was able to see just between a couple people at the front.
This was when she saw the boy sitting there with a keyboard and playing his heart out. Kieru, without thinking, managed to get herself into the front and stood there watching the boy and listening. Even though all he was playing was a keyboard, she swore she could hear a whole orchestra behind that. She hadn't heard any music so beautiful, entrancing or uplifting as this in a long time. A small smile formed on her lips as he progressed through the song. She closed her eyes at one point for a few seconds to let the sounds flow into her mind more.
When the music stopped, Kieru was freed from her sort of trance and looked straight at the guy then at the people around her for their reactions. Many of the people were shocked, gaping at the boy with the braid as if he'd just shown them something almost godly. No one dared approach this man and bit by bit everyone went back to doing their own thing, a bit less depressed than before.
Kieru watched the boy a moment longer before approaching him. "Hey, that sounded really beautiful." She said to greet him, not quite sure what else she should say. "My name is Kieru."
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Jan 23, 2011 13:09:23 GMT -5
Duo breathed out a long breath, almost as if he's trying to cool down from something. He is obviously very pleased with his audience's reactions, that glitter in their eyes is enough of a sign that his message is delivered.
With a smile, the braided man is busy packing back his instruments, pulling back his amp from being attached to his keyboard and placing it inside his bag. While he was carefully sliding back his keyboard on the casing, a girl approached him, much to his surprise. Plus, she even complimented his play.
Duo was stunned silent, pausing what he's doing and just stared at this girl in front of him, until she uncovered her name. "Eheheh...thanks..Kieru. I'm...I was...honestly..really embarrassed to be playing that melody.. It's like revealing my soul to all these people..." he puts a hand behind his head, laughing lightly.
It's easy to see that once Duo smiled, his smile was eternally plastered on his face and seemed like it'll never leave. "But I'd do anything, to make these people retrieve back their hope." After he said that, he was immediately reminded of the boys back in the church he was living with before; how sad they are, how depressed they are, how immensely hopeless they are. They don't even believe they have the power to shape their own future.
Duo didn't even realized a tear leaking out from his eye...even with that smile he's beaming.
"So, are you a local here, Kieru?" he asked high-spiritedly, not even realizing the tear was rolling down his cheek.
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Jan 28, 2011 11:21:12 GMT -5
A small smile lifted slightly on Kieru's face and her changed self from a couple years ago would have been apparent to anyone who knew her back then. "I can understand that feeling." She responded. During her travels more recent and long before she would risk her own safety for the sake of others to bring their hope back. A few times she had to succumb to revealing something that would make her feel almost naked in front of them just to help them.
Kieru noticed the tear and her smile dropped as she did, not sure why it had been released but figured it was something in his past he may not want to talk about.
When she heard his question, she snapped out of a slight train of thought and a smaller smile than before made it's way across her face for pleasantry sake, still curious about his tear. "No, I am just passing through. I stopped here for a drink and a bite to eat."
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Jan 28, 2011 14:34:37 GMT -5
Duo's smile widens immensely when the girl responded that she understands what he's rambling about. "Hah, I'm glad," he nodded, zipping close his keyboard casing. His tear sort of hanged under his chin, threatening to drop at any moment.
"Ah, same here," Duo replied of her answer whether or not she's a local, but then his tear dropped right onto his keyboard casing. The braided man stared at it for a moment before dropping his smile. He darted his eyes towards Kieru, then dabbed his hand on his cheek to wipe the tear stain off, "Oh... wow.. Hahah. This is..embarrassing.. eheh..."
Perhaps playing that melody was too much for the lad to handle emotionally, that it even escapes his notice moments ago. Good thing that only one tear managed to escape, he won't know what to do if he suddenly went waterfalling in front of this girl.
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Mar 7, 2011 18:44:15 GMT -5
Kieru watched Duo as he finally noticed the tear and wiped it off a bit embarrassed. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about." She responded, trying to encourage him to not be embarrassed by tears despite all of her years of feeling that way towards them. It was another thing she still had not worked out yet.
Standing there, not sure what to say, Kieru decided to ask "Would you like to sit and eat with me?" out of politeness even though she was almost done.
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Mar 10, 2011 13:37:49 GMT -5
Duo wiped his hand one more time over his eyes to get every drop of tear off, clearly humiliated by it despite Kieru's words. Crying? In front of a girl? A stranger, to make it worst? Macho Law prohibited him to not feel embarrassed.
"How uncool.." he muttered to himself, slinging his keyboard in its casing over his shoulder to get ready to set out. That's when the girl suddenly invited him over to eat with her. Duo blinked, almost dumbly, to this black-haired woman.
He scrutinized her eyes, a habit of his when encountering someone who might just picked up his interest. "W-well... The whole reason I'm even here is to grab a snack, but.." He didn't want to trouble her much, if possibly at all. He was planning to get a snack to go, but then she invited. The irony of it all is when he wants a snack to go, a girl is nice enough to invite him. When he wants to join this other girl for dinner, she completely hates at him and wishes he's gone.
"Ahh...okay, fine. B-but I'm only having something light and quick, I really don't want to be a burden here, Kieru."
'Oh hey, sweet, I remember her name. ..Eh wait, have I told her my name? ....Oh right, not. STUPID.'
Duo mentally facepalmed, and then quickly added, "B-by the way, my name is Duo. Nice to meetcha."
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Jun 13, 2011 3:16:07 GMT -5
When he first started to speak, Kieru was beginning to expect that he would shoot down her offer but waited a moment since it seemed to her that he might be considering it. Kieru smiled slightly when he agreed. "That's alright. I'm actually pretty well into my meal myself. Also, since I'm the one who offered, it really isn't a burden." She finished, slightly amused by this guy which was not usual for her but one of the many new experiences she was getting used to in opening herself up more to the world.
"It's nice to meet you too, Duo." She said politely before gesturing to the table she was sitting it. "I'm sitting over here." She confirmed to him before beginning to walk back to her table, expecting him to follow and sat down. As she sat, she looked back towards him to make sure he had come with her.
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Jun 21, 2011 14:53:03 GMT -5
"A-ah...thank you.." Duo nodded at the girl politely. After playing that song, he doesn't feel like his usual bouncing-off-the-walls self at all, so this might be one of those rare times that the mechanic actually felt awkward around people.
'And she saw me CRYING too, for God's sake! GAH! Duo, why do you keep embarrassing yourself like this?!'
'Part of it is because you're a born idiot, and the other half is because you grow up to be a bigger idiot.'
'For the love of GOD, SOLO, SHUT UP!'
'Ha~ Too bad I don't believe in such a being you're loving, huh?'[/i][/color]
Duo's frown became even deeper that no one would thought possible to see in such a lively cheerful guy. It's a good thing Kieru already turned around to guide him through the crowd to get to her table, so all he could do is to follow her, and desperately trying to ignore the constant insult in his mind.
His face immediately transformed into it's bright happy state right at the second Kieru turned to check if he's following her. Duo doesn't let anybody, and that means ANYBODY, to see his inner self.
'Oh, and you think putting up that fake mask is good enough to hide your internal suffering? Huh, stupid? Huh, stupid? Huh, stu--'
"SO! Kieru, what brings you here to these parts??" Duo popped in on the chair beside the young woman and instantly started a conversation, in order to distract himself. The lad didn't stop there though, he then quickly turned and ordered himself a boxed sandwich to go. After that, he turned back to Kieru with that usual smile, waiting intently for her to answer.
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Jun 21, 2011 16:06:53 GMT -5
Kieru looked at Duo as he asked her the question then quickly turned to the waiter to order. She raised an eyebrow at that then also turned to the waiter and requested the largest pail of water he could sell to her and six large slabs of raw beef packed into a box or bag. Although this only got her a strange look, the waiter said he would go in the back and request it since she would be paying.
When their orders were taken, Kieru looked back at Duo with a small smile. "I'm travelling with my dragon partner. We have to take breaks every now and then to rest and have some food and water. This just happened to be a place where we decided to stop. However, since the city is how it is, she could not come with me so she is waiting in a field on the outskirts of the town."
"What about yourself? Kieru asked in response, though she assumed he was probably just a fellow traveler.
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Jun 22, 2011 18:28:22 GMT -5
Duo's jaw dropped as he overheard her orders, and for a moment, scanned her body to detect if she's the eating-fanatic type. No, no, logic does not comprehend. He wanted to ask her, but that might seem rude, asking a lady like that, but thankfully, Kieru graced him with the answer without him asking anything.
"I see! A dragon~" He nodded in an intellectual manner, but that's before it sinks in his head. "..Eh wait, WHAT?" His left eye twitches a bit as he tries to see if he failed to caught her joke...but she seems completely serious. "So you're.. With a... ...WOW."
Duo was rendered speechless. And that doesn't happen often. So that thing he saw flying through the sky one night WAS a dragon, and to think his overactive mind playing Pokemon games finally starting to take a toll on him.
At her question, the mechanic snaps himself awake. "Huh? Who? What now? ..Oh, me?" Then, his easygoing aura returns with a flash of his smile. "Naah, I'm just traveling around, looking for metal spare parts and finding damsels in distress to save~" Sparkles clouded his imagination around his face as he stated that out...but then his mood killed it to make it any more ridiculous, and made him spit out the actual truth.
"..Ah, okay, honestly, I got lost, so... Eheh."
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Jul 18, 2011 5:32:43 GMT -5
Kieru smiled at his reaction. "Have you never seen a dragon before?" She asked him curiously, not intending to mock him or anything. "Drea is my partner and best friend."
Kieru found Duo's smile very easy to be around and it made her small smile feel a bit more genuine. She was slightly curious of why he needed spare metal parts and thought it was very chivalrous of him to be prepared to rescue someone in trouble but only continued to smile in response.
She gave out a small and brief chuckle at his confession of being lost. "If you need any help to not be lost anymore, Drea and I can help you try to find where you want to be." She offered with a small smile. It did feel somehow hard for her to open up to others but she did like being of help where she could.
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Jul 21, 2011 1:42:03 GMT -5
Duo mentally slapped himself for letting his face contorted to whatever it looked like right now, 'How uncool..' Though, he naturally flipped up to his normal happy-go-lucky mood right after that, "No! I mean, yes! I mean...I thought I've seen one, as in...a silhouette of one flying through, but I thought I was hallucinating, so I didn't really...believe them.." Well, until now.
The mechanic almost fell off his chair when Kieru admitted she's friends with a dragon. "Wha..?" His face probably embarrassed him more now, but he truly is surprised. "You mean you can understand them? ..A-are you a dragon tamer or something?"
Duo found himself scratching his hair, pleasantly surprised of this new fact. He stopped to focus at Kieru though when she offered help and thought for a moment. "Um...well, honestly Kieru, I'd like to roam around a bit to get my bearings, thank you for the offer. Though, I really do like to meet Drea, if you don't mind." To prove that he's not mad to believe Pokemon exists.
Just as he finished that, his order earlier came, the packaged lunch. That brings out an idea, "I can help carrying some of the meat for you!" His tone of voice sounded a little bit excited than normal when he said that, probably because Duo genuinely enjoys helping others, it's almost like his happy drug.
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Kieru
Immigrant
The memories of old and those to come remind me daily who I've become.
Posts: 39
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Post by Kieru on Aug 10, 2011 11:52:01 GMT -5
Kieru was amused by his dragon tamer question and smiled at him. "I am a dragon rider. I received the egg after proving to the Weyr leader that I could accept the honour. Drea was given to me as an egg and the bond was formed. Over time, she hatched from the egg and I helped to raise her while she helped me with my personal issue of being able to open up to others." Her eyes slowly moved down towards the table as she spoke, resting on the area directly in front of her with her smile faltering. After a moment, she forced her head back up to look at Duo again with that small smile. "She is my best friend and partner. We've been travelling since she developed her skill in flying."
"I see..' Kieru said with her slight smile in response in him denying her offer. "I'm sure Drea would be happy to meet you as well." When he offered to help carry the meat, her smile lifted again slightly at his personality. "Thank you, that would be fine as long as you don't mind." Kieru could manage carrying Drea's order on her own, but in her journey to open up to others she had to sometimes accept another person's offer to help her.
A few waiters arrived shortly after Duo's sandwich was delivered and placed next to the table a large sealed bucket of water and the slabs of meat she ordered wrapped up and placed in a box with a hole on either side for hands to slip through and carry it. The third waiter dropped placed their bills on the table then they all departed. Kieru smiled at her order then pulled out her wallet and looked at the bill as she pulled out the money. She started thinking that maybe she should just have Drea hunt her food from now on instead as it wasn't that easy getting enough money while travelling to supply enough food for a massive dragon.
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Duo
Citizen
Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside.
Posts: 268
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Post by Duo on Aug 19, 2011 19:27:43 GMT -5
Duo was all wide-eyed at the beginning of her tale since she was first honored to have a dragon egg, it certainly sounded like something Duo would love to read in a book. Thing is this girl actually experienced it!
One could certainly see the glow in Duo's face as he stared at Kieru in awe, his eyes twinkling and gleaming. "That...is SO cool.." He wanted to clap his hands as she ended her tale with both her and the dragon being beneficial to each other, but then his inner voice, Solo, had once again killed his spirit.
'Huh, kinda pitiful that she kinda intentionally revealed her personal issue like that so easily, don'tcha think? I mean, what's so personal with telling a useless person like you for? Oh, oh! And notice how her eyes were casts down? HEH, man, she must be really pathetic before-- OW!!'
Duo had stomped his own foot. He had found a way to temporary shut up Solo is for him to hurt himself...usually, he'd punch himself in the face, but with Kieru here, he can't possibly do that in front of her. "That's amazing, Kieru. Really! I believe you're lucky to even grow with a magnificent creature.."
At the girl's countenance of letting Duo carrying some of her supplies, the braided man internally jumped to be given a chance in meeting a dragon. It's clearly apparent from his expression too, of how wide his smile is. "YAAAY~!!!" Of course, with Duo being Duo, certain childish traits of his are hard to conceal.
After paying for his packed sandwich, Duo simply put his food inside his messenger bag, and then stood up from his seat to adjust the weight of his other bag with his keyboard inside. After he's comfortable, Duo suggested if they could carry the box together, with Duo slipping his hand inside one of the holes and Kieru to do the same on the other.
So the off they went, out of the bar and into the dirtied path of the slums. He lets her lead the way, and while they're walking together like that with the box in between them, the braided man decided to start a random conversation. "Hey, Kieru, I'm just wondering.. Do you have to buy food for your dragon every time? Or just occasionally? Because...well, y'know, I thought dragons hunt."
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