Applause filled the hall once more as the hanfu clad woman made her way up the stage. Eremes cursed under his breath about his own forgetfulness. So that was why she was so familiar! Well, that was what he got for not even voting during the last election."Thank you for the warm welcome."The repairman paused in thought as Miss Mendel took the podium, her regal visage now squarely in front of all the people present. So all that time.. "As my husband, our Honorable Mayor Alex, wouldn't be available this week, we both decided that I attend this year's auction."Oh malaka. He's so fucking stupid. He was actually escorting that big of a wig through the hall?!"While he may not be here in body, he expresses his sound gratitude to the wonderful folk that made this year's A3 possible: to Mr. Marduk Basco for lending us this fine establishment, and to Mr. Perseus Nicolau for once again organizing this annual prestigious event."At the sound of their names being called, the two men stood from
A small glimpse...⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛"What an intriguing choice for a partner."Rin mused to herself as her young chaperone sped off to who knows where in the fairly large hall. What did she ever see in that young man? He was neither bright, nor even well-groomed. She will admit that he was fairly handsome though. He simply needed a bit more training to suit her standards."Here's your drink Miss." A passing server filled an empty glass in her table with what she assumed to be wine of some kind. Sparkling red liquid flowed out of the tilted bottle and onto the waiting glass. An unoccupied hand took the now filled glass off from the table, while giving a smile of acknowledgment to the server. "Thank you." Rin swirled the glass of wine in her hand. How polite of them.Nodding to the bowing server before he sped off to another table, the woman observed the room with curious eyes while discreetly sniffing the red liquid in her glass. "Red wine..." She whispered to herself. "A sweet grape-like
Athena struggled to keep herself awake as she stared blankly at the door, emerald eyes peeled as her paranoia locked her deep beneath her curled up blankets. They were going to come in through that door any second now. She just knew it..No use in running.What was the point? There's no use running.. Mother always got what she wanted.Four days was a lot of time you wasted just hiding.What else can she do then?! Surely there's surveillance now going on outside of this hotel! She won't even last a minute without screaming out her location for all of them to see!*Click!*The rattled novelist froze in her place as a small click came from the direction of her door. Her heart rang in her ears as she fought against her urge to scream. Was it her?! Was her life over?Or maybe you're just hallucinating, what with not eating since Sunday.Hunger was the least of her worries when Mother can come crashing in any second now. Ignoring her body's loud protests, Athena crawled over to the only thin
Time moves forward...⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛"Welcome to the first day of the Annual Autumn Auction!"Eremes fought the urge to yawn as he watched the event open with crossed arms as he leaned against the wooden walls of the backstage. He'd been awake since six AM for this malaka, helping the crew out on last-minute checks and fixes before day one formally opened. The repairman thought that with such a schedule, the doors would open by seven and they'd be done just before four in the afternoon. So lo and behold when one of the organizers shouted out that they were opening in three hours, he eyed the man incredulously.Were they serious?"Feel free to participate in one of the numerous stalls and stages to experience for yourself what Mollucan culture has to offer!"Yes. They were serious.Guests and participants streamed through the two double doors as the hall opened itself for the exceptionally busy day. Eremes eyed some foreigners flitting through the show floor as the rambunctious sounds of agg
"So, Mr. Patillo.." The vice-mayor of the city was anchoring herself to his arm.. "I've heard that you were the one in charge of refurbishing this very facility?" Was he sure he's not actually cursed or something?The head of maintenance struggled to keep his cool as they walked around the A3 floor, metaphorically sweating bullets at the absurdity of his situation. All the while, Miss Mendel clung onto him like an oyster on a rock as he tried to avoid the unapproving glares coming from what seemed to be everyone they ever come across. "Uhh.. Yes, I was." Eremes answered halfheartedly as his eyes wandered from the floor all the way to the wall, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with the people around them. "I uhh, did my best.""You did a marvelous job." The seemingly unashamed woman chuckled behind her fan as they passed another auction. "Do be more confident, Mr. Patillo." "Oh- Erm..." The unfocused repairman felt his throat seize up as he spotted a few men in black suits star
The crowd exploded."Raise two-fifty mil!""NUMBER 25 RAISED TO ONE TWO FIFTY! DO I HEAR ONE POINT FIVE? ONE POINT FIVE?"Across the room, the repairman saw a tall man raise his numbered sign, responding to the announcer's call. Was he not gonna say anything? Or-"33 RAISED TO ONE POINT FIVE!-"Eremes could barely think before the announcer chanted out the added value for the auction. What just-"Two bil!""TWO BIL FROM THE-""Two point five here!""TWO POINT FIVE-""Two seventy-five!""TWO SEVENTY-FIVE! FROM THE DASHING GENT AT THE FRONT!"The head of maintenance could barely contain his whiplash as he tried desperately to follow the volley of bids flying out of the people around him. What was even happening?! The last he heard was-"Two eighty!""Two point nine!""TWO POINT NINE! TWO POINT NINE! DO I HERE A THREE!-"Huh? Wasn't the price just at two seventy-five a moment ago? How fast can the price go up? At this rate they might not even be able to bid! Though Miss Mendel did plan on
Nobody can stop the flow of time, even if the world may revolve around their whims. No matter how hard they may try, time moves forward...⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛It's been two days, two days since her door to the outside world had been locked. During that time, Athena laid relatively motionless, only getting up to eat the occasional instant ramen when the hunger was too much to bear. How unhealthy.And did she care? Nope.What would Mother think when she sees you?The novelist tossed and turned between her sheets. No doubt Mother would think disapprovingly, just like she always did.What about dad?Her father was a spineless coward; turning a blind eye whenever Mother 'disciplined' her every other night. He's essentially Mother's bitch. No. He's no father to her.How cold.What else was there to think? It's not like he ever defended her at any point in her life. He's still your father.Alexander's the mayor, first and foremost, a lackey second, and a husband third. Nowhere was he near being a fat
"I'm quite surprised, you clean up nicely, Mr. Patillo." "I'm surprised myself, Miss Mendel." Eremes hooked the tight of his collar as his contractee companion for the night admired his current appearance. "And thank you for the suit.""It's the least I could do for someone that's caught my eye~." A teasing tone escaped from the older woman's lips, a tone that sent foreboding shivers through the unwilling companion's spine. "It wouldn't do for a companion of mine to not be at their best."*Ding*The elevator chimed as it opened its doors to an unlikely pairing of humble repairman and honorable vice-mayor."Shall we?"Nodding to her pseudo command, the red-suited Eremes let his equally red hanfu clad benefactor onto the waiting elevator first, the older lady's gait as regal and commanding as it could be before boarding the elevator himself. The steel metal doors closed as their vertical carriage awaited input."Whe-""Rooftop, please." Lady Mendel chirped, but from his perspective, it
Extra I: No MotiveWracked with fear, I stood still,Gazing endlessly into the void.Eyes dull and uninterested,Contemplating what I will.I fear my own mind, question my sanity.Am I insane or merely delusional?You may know, but I never will.I'll never escape my vanity.Staring down the precipice of darkness,Swarmed by thoughts of ending it all.I fought valiantly for what seemed like an eternity,Clinging to whatever shred of reason for happiness.Dangling on the edge of my limit,My conviction
A vision from the distant past, an intrepid detective and her unlikely partner...A tale of crime and wits, Project Name: Noire⬛⬛⬛A beige coated woman walked the dimly lit concrete ports of the city, a flashlight in hand as brown eyes scanned her surroundings. The damp docks of Riverside surely stank with seawater, but it was where she was based, and thus she had to live with it."Heeeyy~ Found anything, Liz?~" A young woman in a white coat waved at her from the other side of the pier, her childish tone hiding what was undoubtedly the most intelligent mind she had ever come across. "I want to have some fun already~"Sadistic brat.With the same annoyed expression she sported ever since her reluctant return to active duty, the detective waved back at the black-haired woman. With her flashlight, Liz motioned the youngest coroner to ever work in this city to her location, her lips parting as if she still had the ability to speak."Okaaayyy~ Be right there in a sec!~"Sighing to herself,
Time moves forward. And while this tale slowly comes to an end, their story continues to unfold behind the scenes...⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛It's been a month and a half since that fateful day. A month and a half since that unassuming maintenance guy saved her from her own demise. Ever since then, Aletheia has begun to acclimatize once more to a rather, lavish lifestyle than the year and a half that she spent on the run.Not only have you acclimatized, you've already excelled~Oh shut up. She can still live off of instant ramen and chump change just fine should the need arise.Says the girl that now spends over a thousand drachma a day on food alone~The novelist chuckled to herself at the thought as she saved another word document on her laptop. Well, she was quite a hefty spender back then no? You blew a whole talent for every arcade session. You're more than a hefty spender~Come now.. Well, she did do that back in the day huh.You're clearly cut out for a lavish lifestyle~She stifled a yawn as
"Lady Mendel, I propose one more bid."Hoho~ What does he have up his sleeve to be this bold?~Aletheia's eyes widened as Eremes began his opening gambit, his left hand holding his smartphone as he stared at Mother dead in the eye. What was he planning?"An interesting proposal Mr. Patillo." Mother humored, her tone clearly not taking his offer seriously. "While we both know that you have nothing in terms of bargaining power, I'll humor you, just this once." A dangerous game, he's playing, no?Far too dangerous for her liking. Sweat trickled down her lightly make-upped cheek as Mother leaned closer to the repairman, both hands clasped under her chin as a sickly sweet smile masked the malice hidden underneath. The novelist's hands trembled in her lap as she hoped to god that Eremes knew what he was doing."Okay.." The man in front of them began as he fiddled with the phone in his hand. "I have here, a recording of everything that happened here on this rooftop that Wednesday night." Wh
Time moves forward...⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛"Where do you think you're going, Patillo?!" A deep booming voice shouted at him as he buttoned up his brown rented suit. "I've already told you-""I need to go to the rooftop now, Boss." Eremes ground out, his one hand already on the elevator panel as his boss refused to let him go. "After that, I'll be out of your hair forever.""You no longer have the authority to even board this elevator, Patillo!" Basco shouted as his one hand stopped the elevator door from closing. "I want you out of my hotel, right now!"Unemployment was the least of his worries as he took another glance at his wristwatch. Damn it, he needed to be on that rooftop by eight or he'll miss his last chance to get Athena back! "C'mon, boss!" Eremes pleaded, trying to avoid things getting a tad too physical. "Just this once-""One last chance, Patillo." The burly man spat, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Leave the premises, before I throw you out myself."Taking another glance at hi
"Athena?"Peeking behind her disheveled hair, the hunched-up daughter struggled to hide her surprise as a familiar voice called out to her old name. Hopeless eyes feasted as the comforting familiarity of the repairman's visage eased the threatening abyss inside her. Eremes? What was he still doing here?Don't get your hopes up."Take us to the ground floor, Mr. Patillo." Mother stated still in front of her, anger audibly bubbling beneath the faux politeness. "I do expect that you won't fail even that.""Yes ma'am."The elevator lurched, before slowly beginning its descent back down towards the cold unforgiving ground. Aletheia merely kept to herself, hoping that if she made herself small enough, Mother wouldn't notice her presence. Useless."H-Hey-""Don't you dare talk to me, Mr. Patillo." The frightened child recoiled at her mother's tone, learned instincts taking over rationality as the older woman berated his once companion. "You had but a single order, and yet you chose to disob
"I bid a lifetime of servitude!" Eremes bravely announced as he intrepidly stood up from his seat. His back already in a cold sweat as he felt the cold stares from around the offended crowd, not to mention the murderous intent coming directly from his chaperone. Boy did he really shit the bed now. But seeing her in such a sad state.."Athena!"If it wasn't for her tilting her head upward, he might not have recognized her behind her hair. What was she doing on stage? With a different name no less? "I don't know what's going on-" Did Athena lie to him? Why hide her identity? Was this what she meant about not going back? Why then? Why lie?"But I'll get you out of there!"Steeling his resolve, the intrepid repairman shouted out his bold declaration. Explanations can come later. Right now, he needed to find a way to get to her. She clearly needed help, like during the time he first saw the novelist that fateful night. What was this feeling, a sense of protectiveness? Maybe it's because
"I shall now begin the first trade.""Ugghhh..."The novelist woke up to the amplified sounds of a monotone announcement, groaning at the dull pain of a rising headache. Emerald eyes slowly blinked open, showing its owner a starless night sky. Where was she? How did she get here?Took your sweet time girly."Coming from my own sources, a complete detailed report on the 2015 projected 4th Quarter earnings of the Honn Maritime Company."Droning out the loud sounds behind her, the discombobulated author tried to get into a seated position, at least to get her bearings before assessing the situation she found herself in. Shaking off the last bits of sleep-induced grogginess, she willed her hands and-"Khhh!" A brief flash of pain shot up from her wrists and ankles. Huh? That was odd. "Ten billion from Alexandria. Do I hear-."Do try to remember girly~A voice echoed in her mind to try and remember. But what? And why couldn't she move her arms and feet? A dull throb beat rhythmically in h
"I'm quite surprised, you clean up nicely, Mr. Patillo." "I'm surprised myself, Miss Mendel." Eremes hooked the tight of his collar as his contractee companion for the night admired his current appearance. "And thank you for the suit.""It's the least I could do for someone that's caught my eye~." A teasing tone escaped from the older woman's lips, a tone that sent foreboding shivers through the unwilling companion's spine. "It wouldn't do for a companion of mine to not be at their best."*Ding*The elevator chimed as it opened its doors to an unlikely pairing of humble repairman and honorable vice-mayor."Shall we?"Nodding to her pseudo command, the red-suited Eremes let his equally red hanfu clad benefactor onto the waiting elevator first, the older lady's gait as regal and commanding as it could be before boarding the elevator himself. The steel metal doors closed as their vertical carriage awaited input."Whe-""Rooftop, please." Lady Mendel chirped, but from his perspective, it