Chaper 14: The Blessed

[Jack O. Trades]

With a quiet laugh he placed a hand up to his lips shaking his head slowly "My, that did sound rather....questionable didn't it." With a loud sigh he shrugged once apologetically "I'm a mediator for the companies. When a deal needs to be made and they wish to avoid a violent end, someone like me is called. But I'm really just a Jack of all trades" Eyes flicking down to the table he picked up a glass and sniffed once at it his gaze turning back to the woman "Hmm, forgive my assumptions but you do not seem too comfortable in situations like this" To show what 'this' was he waved the hand with a glass in it motioning at the party goers and the mansion itself.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya blushes and her cheks grow hot at his touch. She moves away and smiles up at him. "Please don't do this. You know you don't want to. I'd really like to stay young and full of goodness and innocent and pure until I meet the right one." She wasn't sure if he would let her go. She just hoped his morals, if he had any, were in the right place.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"No, I am not comfortable here. It didn't help that I lost my invitation so the guards gave me a hard time...I was brought in and made a fool of..until my brother said that I could indeed attend..as his guest." I explain. I think about what he has said and am distracted by the glass..waving at the guests. I worry that it will tip over and stain the carpet.

I would like to ask about the scars, but that would be rude. Maybe if he does things on behalf of these companies....he could get caught up in violence himself. Yes, it must be a very dangerous job. He has probably seen a lot.

"Must be a dangerous job." I comment. From the corner of my eye, I catch another stranger (Jose)..but I try to focus on this one conversation.

"Do you like parties like this?"

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"That mirror gets so dirty." Keitoleinen states, now distracted by the dark mirror. "No, you should go back to the concert. You do have to perform. I only want a favor from you. I want you to tidy up my room. You have about 15 minutes. I want you to start with the mirror. Just find a piece of cloth or something and wipe it down a little. It looks dusty. Clean my room, and when you are done, fall at my feet and tell me how you are afraid of me. That you fear me and hope that you have cleaned well enough to gain my mercy. And..if you make a good show of this, I will let you go."

He steps away from her and unchains the black gargoyle. It rushes at her, with giant, gnashing, black teeth. It makes a growling noise and nips at her legs. "Get to work! Get to work!" He says with a laugh.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya looks at him and looks frightened to death. She screams so loudly it would shatter glass, she knew that all over the mansion it could be heard. She backed away from the gargoyle toward the mirror and gasped as she looked into its huge red eyes. This was worse than an acid trip. She screamed again hoping someone would hear her. "Help! Someone please! HELP!" She screamed.

[Jack O. Trades]

ooc: This was done at Anya's urging. blame her completely

Placing the glass down onto the table he flexed his hands keeping his eyes locked on the delightful person before him. Laughing he grinned broadly cupping his own chin in his hand "No not often do I go to gatherings like this. Tend to want to leave with a bang" Tilting his head to the right he blinked several times. She looked rather fidgety to him. As his tongue lapped out absently licking his lips once more he immediately caught on.

With a soft smile he chuckled speaking softly "Ya look nervous....is it the scars?" Waving a hand across his face he motioned to the lines along his cheeks. Without his face paint the scars were not as noticeable et it still caught the attention he knew "Lemme guess, you wanna know how I got em?" The smile changed from an amused grin to an almost fond smile "I don't mind, get it often enough....." At the sound of a scream his right eye twitched barely his gaze flicking off to the stairs for a split second only to focus back onto the woman.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen covers his ears and wonders if anyone downstairs heard that. He frowns. He could just send the dog on her to eat her and silence that scream, but then there would be no entertainment. He has to think carefully about this.

"Agh! Just stop screaming! This is all just a joke. I do it on all my mansion tours. Now, go back to the concert, since I think they will miss you. Gee though, you need to learn how to take a joke." He says, laughing. He pulls the gargoyle away and chains it up.

"oh, you can take some chocolates for later if you like." Keitoleinen says, and offers her the whole tray. He puts the tray in her hands and opens the door for her.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

I hear the scream as well, which makes me jump back. "I was a little curious...but I wouldn't want to be rude.." I say, taking another step back. I wonder what he meant by he likes to leave these things with a bang. That doesn't sound very right at all. He looks agitated now. I think I somehow offended him. I stand tall then and don't fidget. "I've gone and offended you maybe?" I ask him. "I didn't mean to be afraid or too curious. But...when I see something like that...I have to wonder. Since it is ..not a spot where I have seen them before. It...gives you a nice big smile though. I like...happy people." I say, trying to make something positive about this.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya shakily stood up and grabbed the tray and threw it in his face. "What the fuck! What kind of sick joke is that?! Sicking a vicious animal on someone you barely know but only tried to get in their pants! You are sick and need help!" She shakily ran out of the room and toward the stairs, but stopped and sat down and covered her face to try to recollect herself. She started crying instead.

[Joseph "Jose" Ponce]

The scream made Jose nearly trip trying to find Isvara.

Jesus screaming? What are they waiting as soon as I appear before they make their sacrifices to Father Manala? Wait do they make sacrifices? Shit, I don't know what Manalists do, if I'm ever asked that I'm fucked. No wait the scream, I need to figure out that scream. Fuck the stupid religion I need to know about the scream.

Jose briefly looked around at eveyrone else to see what their reactions were, people briefly glanced said someting and went about their business. Jose was both puzzled and disgusted. Concern over the scream was nil. How heartless could some of these people be.

Jose tried to determine the place of the scream and stood debating whether to find Isvara and hope it was just some silly woman or a party game or find the source of the scream and see if the person who made it was alright.

Jose debated and decided he would go find the source of the scream and see what happened. Isvara knew how to take care of himself, he could leave him alone. Jose then took off to the mansion running towards the source of the scream. He came to the stairs and found a woman sobbing

"Excuse was that your scream? Are you alright? Please tell me so I can help."

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"I think I am going to write that Roofie Stover company about their product." Keitoleinen says quietly to himself. He sighs and looks at the gargoyle dog. He laughs a little, but silences it. He looks at the mirror and laughs again. "I should have just..." He shakes his head.

"I'm hungry." He decides randomly. He leaves his room and makes his way outside for more food. He supposes that some members of the party would become upset with him for giving her a scare...and perhaps for some bad intentions. But, he will just defend himself saying that it is the way of the Blessed.

[Jack O. Trades]

A deep rooted sorrow seemed to wash over his face at her words "No offense at all my dear" Raising a hand his gloved fingers trailed over one of them seemingly absently "It was an arms deal. Doing a favor for one of my old friends" Sighing quietly his eyes half closed as if he lost himself in thought "He and I grew up together, the competitor wouldn't sell out the design but my friends people would produce it." Lifting his head he lapped at his lips once looking to the woman once more

"Apparently that wasn't good enough for my old buddy. Seems he was looking to get everything out of it. So he took a knife and did this..." With another wave of his hand he motioned to his mouth once more "...to me" Placing a hand to his chest he let out another sigh and a shrug "But, it came with the territory so stay positive" Raising the hand from his chest his fingers brushed away a few strands of hair as his head turns towards the sound of tears. Music to his ears. "After all, whats more beautiful in this dark world" Turning his head back he gave a broad and joyous grin "Then a nice big smile?"

[Anya Louteius]

Anya looked up at the person and nodded. "I'm sorry. I was so scared....he is such a sick man! Are all the blessed this way?" She cried more and curled her knees up to her chin. He would pay for this....she would make sure of it. She saw the man with the purple suit again and stared. Something about him....

She looked at Jose and then tried to be happy. "You should leave before he tries it to you as well. You may not be as lucky as I was though." She looked at her knees and continued to cry.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

I think about what he has said about the scars and the incident, and the beauty of a smile. I notice a crying woman talking to that man I noticed earlier. This is such a strange party. Animals being slaughtered, a fight, crying, strange meats, and eccentric rich people. I rub my arm.
There is a dream like quality to everything...that everything here is strange and disjointed.

"I won't waste much more of your time talking. It seems you live an interesting life. Mine is not very interesting at all. But..I think...I have a purpose...somewhere.." I say quietly. "It has something to do...with these dreams I have... "

"...it has something to do with pain." I say more specifically. "I am drawn to it."

I feel compelled to say strange things and I am not sure why.

[Joseph "Jose" Ponce]

Jose visibly frowned it would be not at all right for him to leave her there. He couldn't just leave her so suddenly and quickly. He put out of his mind his search for Isvara and focused on the now sobbing woman.

"No no, I'm not going until you stop crying. I can't allow anyone in here to suffer without trying to help them at least a little."

Jose outstretched his hand to help her up. and smiled a at her. Perhaps he would normally have not talked to this person but in a situation like this regardless of who he would be obligated to come forth and help the. This woman was distressed, he couldn't allow it.

"Please allow me to help you. Threat or not I'm not gonna sit back and watch you cry. Just trust me a little be please, I want to help you."