(8/26/01)
Oh, so you're a spy against the Kingdom of Aveh, you crossdress as its pirates for the entire purpose of ruining their public image, you're likely wanted for both of those facts... And what do you do about it? Apparently, Dirah is.. Shopping. Yes, shopping. Dressed in simple desert-style breeches and a sleeveless shirt that bears her middrift, and a cloak hung rather unevenly across her shoulders, such that it seems to drape more across one arm. Well, why not? This desert is -appallingly- warm, after all. And even now she's not terribly used to it. And so, silver hair let down to fall over her shoulders, she hums a quiet tune while she strolls down the street, stopping at every streetside vendor that happens to sell -anything- in regards to clothing or jewelry. She's a girl with a plan. And today that plan includes.. Fashion. Because, covert international spy or not, a girl's still got to look her best.
A fashion goddess? Out here, in the middle of this most wretched, humid desert town! Tognotti should be honored, should he not? Well, all sarcasm now aside, he wasn't exactly very engaged at the moment. His eyes were a bit heavy set, and he seemed to be dragging himself around almost lifelessly. Nonetheless, at the very least, his hair looked great. It was an interesting comparison to make, really... given that two people, both thinking they were fooling everyone around them by pretending to be something they're not, were about to meet? Even more so that they didn't know they were on the same side, and that their stolen personas would set them against each other? This was a rather dramatic situation. If not, of course, for Tognotti's utter bitterness and disinterest in his "job," at this moment.
And well you -should- be honored! This is Dirah we're talking about, after all. And as far as she's concerned, anyone should be just perfectly honored to be in her very presence. Not like she's noticed Tognotti. Is there a reason she -should-, after all? He's just a soldier on the streets of Dazil as far as it looks like, and one would be foolish to think that Dazil was ever at any shortage of Gebler. And Dirah does not look suspicious, does she? For she is only a simply beautiful woman, walking down the street in search of clothing. And if she happens to have the perfect hair shade and length of a specific other, and hold his sapphire blue eyes.. Then it is nothing worthy of notice. After all, its got to be coincidence, doesn't it? -Doesn't- it? Errr.. Right. Anyway, let the little Kislevi be contentedly ignorant of the irony that is aloft here, of her meeting an ally who might very well, if everyone sticks to their roles nicely, be considered her enemy here. But.. Its not like she's doing anything wrong, right? She's just stopped at a stall selling the -cutest- leather boots, gasping over just how -charming- a particular set is.
Tognotti continues to walk, sighing heavily as he stops to brush a bit of sand off the sleeve of his uniform. As he does, he spots a flash of pale hair in the corner of his eye. Normal hair? No! That's... SIGURD HAIR! Finally Tognotti had another chance! And this time, there was no liquor to stop hi- what? On closer examination... that was quite obviously not Sigurd, despite the facial resemblances. Unless Sigurd had taken to cross dressing and fawning over boots. Hey walked over, clearing his throat a bit, making the shift from his regular voice into the rather sharp, more sinister voice he used whenever he was pretending to be Gebler. It was all psychological trickery. If he changes his voice to sound sort of creepy, then he'll be considered a creepy Gebler. Then, in turn, people won't like Gebler as much. And, being a Shevvite, people not liking Gebler was -good- for Tognotti. And so, his voice, in its new sinister tone, cut out towards Dirah like a knife. "You there, milady with the boots. Might I speak to you for a moment?"
Hmm, Sigurd taking up crossdressing and fawning over boots. Do you suppose that would work to ruin his reputation, too? While its something that would probably end up lethal for poor Dirah, it -is- an amusing thought of what would have happened had Dirah shown up in Sigurd clothing, isn't it? Hmm. Perhaps we ought to let that thought die right there and then. And its truly a pity for Tognotti that Dirah is not the jumpy, fearful kind. Or that she's disposed to think anything kind of Gebler in the first place. And so she blinks, glancing over to him, those perfect blue eyes half narrowed in a sort of obvious annoyance at his interuption. Everyone just -has- to interupt her when she finds the best deals, don't they? Well, if someone else grabs those boots while she glances away, then Tognotti will be shortly -dead-. But for all the annoyance in her eyes, her tone is an attempted innocence. "I'm sorry, is something wrong?" Innocent words to a simply calm and undisturbed tone. She's a professional actress for a reason, after all.
Tognotti frowns softly, pacing over closer to her. "I'm not exactly sure at this point, miss." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small notepad and a pen. "Now then... I'll need to have your name and some form of identification. If you have no identification, I'll have to drag you off to the Headquarters. Given the fact that you seeemed so utterly enamored with those boots, I'd guess you'll probably want to be done with this quickly. After all," Tognotti smirks wickedly, "those -are- a very popular sort." Internally, Tognotti really doesn't enjoy this altogether too much... actually, iut's a toss up. He enjoys being able to act like something he isn't, since what he is is so... well, pointless. But he doesn't like having to, in the process, detour or screw up the needs and ambitions of other people, be those needs freedom and liberty, of a pair of boots.
Ryoji had been wandering down the streets of Dazil, he hadn't been here in awhile now, ever since he went back to Shevat for awhile, and received his mission from Queen Zephyr to go to Bledavik, but he figured he'd stop in here at Dazil, check out the Lucky Avenue Bar, see if Karen and the other sortof regulars still hung out there. But what was this? Coming down the street, he spotted two people, that he vaguely recognized, though one better than the other...
Well.. This is less than good. -Exceptionally- less than good. Dirah knew, after all, that the Gebler were after the mock-Yggdrasil'ites... But she had not the faintest clue that someone would come up to her, entirely out of costume, and dare to drag her in. If she was to be found out as who she was... Of all things, don't -choke-, Dirah! Just smile and look as calm as ever, even while you panic inside, "May I ask on what charges, darling? I don't have the faintest clue why you would want to threaten someone like -me- like that.." Such an angelic smile she wears. See? Isn't she just the sweetest, most innocent thing on the planet? So you want to leave her alone, right? "If I'm somehow being a bother, all you have to do is tell me. This isn't very.. necessary, is it?" Especially since Dirah would never, -ever- live it down, were she captured by a random Gebler in the street when she was on a fashion spree. How -utterly- anticlimatic it would be, were she to avoid all capture by the Ygg only to fall like this! But.. Dirah has no intention of this. "But, still. My name's Di."
Tognotti nods, ignoring her innocent declarations. "Di...? Would that be your full name? I also need your last name. And as I said, identification would be helpful." Tognotti really didn't want to go through with this... given the fact that he didn't like being mean to people, this would be difficult. Also given the fact that Tognotti wasn't a commanding person, wasn't sure how to phrase "You look like Sigurd," and ahd always had a damnable time of ignoring the wishes of attractive women... well, he wasn't quite dying to deal with this girl any longer than was neccesary. His eyes fluttered to the side for a moment, detecting Ryoji. 'Oh, damn it.' he thinks. 'Don't blow my cover, pleeeease...'
Ryoji stops for a minute to take a good hard look at the Gebler guy, "Well, I'll be damned, is that Tog?" he says under his breath, followed by a little laugh. He continues walking again, slowly towards the two, 'Hmm, I remember him telling me he was going undercover as a Gebler troop, I'll just play it cool, see what he's up to. And that girl looks...familiar...'
"Well! Those are very personal things to ask for unless you have a reason, isn't it?" Dirah is getting more than a little annoyed at this. The least he could do was answer her question, right? After all, as far as she knows, there's no law against looking like Sigurd in this town--Which, mind you, she's assured she looks nothing -like- right now. Sigurd would -be- so lucky to be as gorgeous as her. And when she looks every inch a female, she'd certainly hope no one would be suspecting her for Sigurd -or- for the mimic -of- Sigurd. Why suspect a woman, when everyone has every reason to suspect only men? And so she sighs, trying to keep the annoyance from it, while she clasps her hands behind her back and tries, for all the world, to remain sounding calm and cheerful, "Not to doubt your judgement, soldier. But.. Honestly, don't I have a -right- to know what I did wrong?" And that smile only draws more malicious, "If you just wanted to talk to me, you could have just said so, after all."
Tognotti 's eyebrows tilt a bit, his expression faltering. "Ah, that is quite not the case, miss... how shall I put this? I am very interested in the whereabouts of one Sigurd Harcourt." Tognotti decides to just trail off there to see if he detects any certian reaction from this woman. He internally bashes himself at her last comment. He'd left himself a bit open on that one, hadn't he...? And being chided about his social ineptitudes was something he definately -didn't- need her help on. He eyes dart to Ryoji. Nothing he can do about that... just better hope he remembers Tog's false name and whatnot, if he wants to talk.
Ryoji walks up to the two, but seeing that Tog seems to be doing something right now, he'll just wait, 'Don't wanna blow his cover or anything, after all, looks like he's doing some Gebler-ish type stuff,' So Ryoji walks over to the wall of a nearby building, leans against it, and merely idles, just waiting.
Dirah's eyes widen at that. "Ohhh, I see." Well, that's.. An odd situation then, isn't it? Dirah is so entirely relieved on one hand, since he's not dragging her in for being suspected of being the Sigurd lookalike. But on the other hand, this complicates things. "Why didn't you just say so? I'm terribly sorry. But I really don't have any way in the least of getting ahold of Sigurd, nor finding where he currently is." And its true, too. As much as her group attempted to keep tabs on the location and goings about of the Yggdrasil, they are occationally -very- hard to keep track of. And so she merely chuckles, running a hand through her hair, "Just because I'm a nomad doesn't mean I know where every other one in the world is, after all." Not like she -is- a nomad, but one really must stick to character. "So I'm afraid I simply can't help you. Will that be it, then? I really do have things to do, after all." Like buying those boots! Before she edges very, -very- quickly out of Dazil.
Tognotti shakes his head slightly. "Miss, please... you did not allow me to finish. I'm not confronting you because I think you know his whereabouts. I was asking because of the resemblance you bear him. Your hair and eye colors are nearly identical. I initially suspected you might be some manner of relation to him. This is why I asked for your full name, which you still seem to evade giving me." Tognotti scribbles the name "Di" on his notepad, suspecting that might be all he'd get out of the girl. Glancing to the side, he shoots Ryoji a look of recognition, quickly turning back to Dirah. "I am sorry if this has created an inconvenience in what is most surely a devastatingly important shopping spree, but being a soldier does not allow me such indulgences, and means I must also often interrupt the indulgences of others." His words simply drip with the sarcasm of a man intelligent enough to take a moral highground, but young enough to be arrogant and believe that a constant air of negativity was somehow imperative in life.
Ryoji catches Tog's glance, and lets a slight smile pass his face, but getting back to that girl, 'I know I recognize her from somewhere...' It was suddenly all coming back to him, 'That musical thing they had goin' on awhile back, I was there for the first twenty minutes or so, she must have been that chick with that outrageous outfit.' This thought causes him to snicker a bit.
You are darn well -right- this is a devestatingly important shopping spree! For Dirah hasn't picked up something new to wear in nearly a month. Do you realize how much of a -crime- this is? Denying her one rare shopping spree when she's been cooped up in the JNK Yggdrasil for ages is like denying any other person the right to breathe. And so, please don't be upset if she -does- finally look a bit obivously annoyed, and she crosses her arms irritably, looking more than a bit disgusted, "-Related- to him?" The very thought was appalling! Even with eyes and hair and skin tone all styled to match the role, she was.. Well, she was -Dirah-! Kislevi Fashion Goddess, superior actress, public relations manager extraordinare. And Sigurd is some ugly old man. "Look, I realize you're only doing your job, but surely even you can tell that I couldn't be related to him. There's a lot of people with the same hair and eye color as you, too, I bet. And even if I was, is relation enough to arrest someone here?" Dazil just keeps seeming more and more barbaric the longer she's here. Ugh! How annoying! "But if that's all the information you need, I promise you my last name is -certainly- not Harcourt."
Tognotti shrugs, his voice still biting and rude. "Actually, I'm foreign. See this fair skin? I'm very seldom mistaken for other people, especially among fashion crazed, impertinent lambs." Well. That sure was blunt, wasn't it? But, seeing that she wasn't going to tell him anything... and keeping in mind that his Solarian alter-ego would -never- tolerate somebody's body language being so overtly annoyed at him... well, besides, Ryoji looked like he was in deep thought over there, might as well spat with this lady for a little while longer.
Ryoji simply leans there against the wall, eyeing Dirah, with a bit of a smile on his face, he perks up suddenly when he hears Tog's voice get an annoyed tone, 'Wonder what that's all about?'
Should Dirah care? Well, guess what? I'm foreign, too! ...HOW she wishes she could use that as an exucse! Ah, but no, let's mind our manners here and try not to give away who Dirah is just to avoid one stupid Gebler. Especially since, um, saying that she was Kislevi would get her captured -faster-. Right. So let's just resume -trying- to put a damper on that temper, even though Dirah looks more irritated by the moment, "No need to be jealous of someone with a fashion sense, soldier." Goodness knows that -he- could use a little work. But one does not suggest makeovers to soldiers that are threatening you. Even Dirah doesn't go that far. "But don't you think that its a bit shortsighted to assume that all nomads look alike? I'd be glad to mistake someone from wherever you come from for you, if you want a demonstration. But.." She uncrosses her arms then, if just to brush her hair back over a shoulder, putting her other hand on her hip in just as irritated a gesture, "I'm -not- related to Sigurd, I don't know where he is, so what reason on earth do you have to threaten me? Maybe you should try asking a -pirate-."
Tognotti frowns even harder now, his voice rising a bit in volume. "Let it be known how easy it would be for me to -make- you a pirate. Not hard at all." He smirks evilly, his voice returning to normal. "Perhaps, perhaps, if you manage to cease effusively defending yourself, I might let you go right now. If not... I might be forced to take those boots you were so eager to buy and dispose of them in a rather simple and unreversable manner."
Ryoji hearing the obvious agitation in Tog's voice, he can tell that tension is building, so he finally decides to make his way over to see what exactly it is that's going on here. Ryoji walks up beside Tog, "Hey," He says with a little wink, he was at a sortof loss for words, and that wink probably wasn't the best thing to do, so he just rubs the back of his head with a nervous little laugh.
Irritation.. building.. Must not shoot Gebler officier in the middle of the street... Oh, wait, that would require a gun, wouldn't it? Whoops. Dirah gets caught in the absolute worst situations, doesn't she? Gritting her teeth a little, she considers this. And her words are yet a little dark, "I'm sorry if I'm seeming overly defencive, but I imagine you would be too, were you to be threatened for no reason." And leave the boots out of this! They didn't do anything to you! ...Or, er, something like that. But Dirah certainly would be peeved if the cutest thing she's seen in Dazil today was to be taken away simply because some soldier felt like being a jerk. Although she's beginning to realize slowly... -Very- slowly... That perhaps getting out of Dazil without being arrested is more important. And so she gives a heavy sigh, and drops her hands, -trying- to get her temper under control. Trying. "Look. I'm sorry to be disrespectful, soldier. Truly. But when I don't know what you want of me, and I obviously can't answer what questions you have, you certainly must realize that this is a difficult situation for me."
Tognotti nods, waving dismissively. "Very well. You may go. But keep in mind that if I find you in Dazil again, you have better have some means of identification, understand?" He glances at Ryoji, nodding a bit. "One moment, sir." Tognotti walks over to the area behind Dirah, where the boots are on display. He picks them up, observing them for a moment before throwing them to ground at her feet. The vendor tries to protest, but at Tognotti's icy glare, he backs down. He turns back to Dirah. "Take your boots and run along, now. Be grateful that I am in such a wholly benevolent mood. You need not waste any money on them." He glares at the vendor again, before he can speak, then walks back towards Ryoji, turning, fixing his eyes on Dirah to see her next move. "Hi. Long day," he mutters to Ryoji.
Ryoji looks at Tog with a very confused look, and then begins to laugh uncontrollably, "Long day? I guess so eh? I liked the part at the end with the boots though." he says in a sarcastic manner "But uh, *ahem*, so who was that girl anyways? And what have you been up to lately?"
Well, what a decision this is. Take someone's mockery or forsake fashion? Ah, the difficulties of such a decision! And so Dirah's ego and her vanity wage a mighty war within her while she simply -stares- at the thrown boots. However, vanity shortly deals a low blow to Egocentricity, with the reminder of how Tifa got a pretty new vest the other day, and Dirah simply could -not- take having Tifa being able to flaunt something new and be unchallenged. And so, with a small snarl, she snatches up the boots, and turns her back to Tognotti swiftly. "I'll keep that in mind, then." Short, that. Yes. Must remember to run over this town with the JNK Yggdrasil at some point. Sigh. Well. She storms off at that, hoping to simply get out of this town as swiftly as possible. Inconsiderate jerk. Dirah -knew- there was a reason she disliked Gebler.
Tognotti shrugs a bit. "Just some girl. A bit disagreeable. But, then again, I wasn't exactly prince charming myself... at least she got her boots. I'm sure she'll be able to sleep off any displeasures..." After all, Tognotti, while a good actor, always like to give his social victims at least one thing to brighten the mood a little. Honestly, he wasn't acting about his dislike of the boots; he thought they were overpriced. So, he did the girl a favor for putting up with him. Perfectly logical, ne? Besides... whoever said Gebler were consistent?
Ryoji laughs a bit, "She looked nice, familiar too, I think she was part of the opening act for that musical competition they had a while back here in Dazil, were you there?"
Tognotti nods. "I recall seeing her there. She was wearing a particularly catching outfit, was she not?" Tognotti smirks a bit, faintly recalling her presence. Well, all that fawning over those boots made more sense now. He was glad he'd given them to her. "A very good singer, though, as I recall..."