(9/29/01)
You know, one would really wonder why Dirah keeps coming back here. Every time she visits Dazil lately she runs into someone horribly unpleasant... Or something goes horribly wrong. And from the close call she had just the other day, in front of the very Fatima Prince of all people.. You'd think she'd be clever enough to stay on the Dark Ygg and hide. But no, no. Dirah has work to do. Dirah has things to shop for! And the latter is vastly more important, but the former is why she's here. So, cloak tightly pulled around her shoulders, long silver hair falling down her back, she tries to look quite as insignificant as any.. Nomadic sort of person might be in this city. And she hums a tune quietly to herself, hoping its something regional rather than Kislevi, regardless of how she can't recall where she heard it last. And she walks downt the street. Officially, looking for interesting things going on. Unofficially... What neat little trinkets are being sold today! All bless the Market Day.
Casske is strolling steadily down the main street of Dazil, cruising the shops, examining the many curious items being sold. He suddenly stops dead cold. In front of him is quite simply the nicest looking pair of boots he'd ever seen. Not to say Casske was a fashion zealot, of course, but they were damned nice boots. He looks down at his feet sadly, examining his worn out, dusty tennis shoes. How utterly degrading. He was a lieutenant, dammit! He deserved those boots! They were black, too, it'd match his pants! He digs into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. His jaw nearly hits the floor. "I have... 35 G!? That's -ALL-!?" Casske's life began to flash before his eyes. 35 G? He'd missed his last paycheck in the Asher death business. But he had 15 more days till payment. He couldn't live off 35 G! "Well," he muttered to himself, "I'm gonna starve with or without this 35 G, eventually. Just means I'll have to sell my gold fillings, I guess." He walks over to the booth. "How much for the boots, shopkeep?" The woman looked rather unpleasant, and smelled of vinegar. "40 G!" Casske grined a bit, scratching his head innocently. "Can I get a Gebler discount? I only got 35, but I am a civil servant!" "Gebler? ... ... ... 50 G!" Casske is stunned.
The boots in this market are terribly overpriced. Dirah was... Lucky? She got hers for free, which she happens to be cheerfully wearing today. Well.. They were well designed to work in the desert, so why not? Besides, one of these days, Tifa was likely to notice that Dirah actually got new boots. And then, how jealous she would be! And yet... Dirah is not quite if she would have rather not gotten them at all, for that terrible person she had to suffer the presence of to acquire them. And she wanders by the boot stalls at about this point, looking longingly at those set up--Ahh, but she has a new pair, why long for another? And yet... Its so tempting to just look. So she peeks around the unfortunate Gebler for a moment. Well, he couldn't mind that much, could he? Then again, taking her luck...
The hairs stand up on the back of Casske's neck. He could swear that somebody was standing very close to him. He tried to ignore it for a moment. "Look, I lied, okay? I'm not really a Gebler, I just killed a guy and stole his vest. See, I hate Gebler too! So can I please get those boots for 35 G?" The old woman sneered a bit. "Hah," she croaked, "murder betrays the will of god! Soldiers, come quick! This man killed somebody!" Casske rolled his eyes as almost instantaneously a group of GA-GS troops, led by a black haired man, surrounded him. He turned, smirking at the leader. "I'm really sorry, Rok, this crazy old woman is having some problems... I think she may need a little bit of rest, she's hallucinating." The man smiled. "Ah, no problem, Lieutenant." He waves the soldiers away, and drags the woman away from her booth. "Come now," he says with a mirthless chuckle, "you need some rest." He nods a bit to Dirah. "Lucky I'm busy, fashiongirl." He drags the old woman out of sight. Casske snatches the boots and leaves his 35 G on the counter, turning to see Dirah.
Dirah tenses a little at that face, that short comment, from one of the GA-GS... Snarling softly and grumbling a very unflattering comment about him before turning her gaze away and just waiting for the GA-GS to go off. And she backs away from the general mass of people collecting in the first place, really--Any collection of Gebler and soldiers and people.. Is unsettling. Even Dirah knows she only got out of yesterday's mess by pure luck--What would happen if someone got curious of her here? Especially when she doesn't need another pair of boots. She's more in the mood for jewelry... Or a vest.. Or maybe... She sighs. And blinks then, to suddenly realize that.. Someone is looking at her? Blushing more out of rather flustered irritation than anything else, she blinks back at Casske, before muttring a light, "Err, Sorry. Am I in your way? I'll move..." No need to annoy -more- Gebler. One of the bastards is more than enough, thank you.
Casske tilts his head a bit, staring at Dirah for a few moments. Initially, he was struck by her attractiveness... then by some manner of recognition. "You are..." he frowns, trying to remember. The hair, the height, the voice... "You were a contestant in my music competition, weren't you?" He smiles warmly. That was bound to be a pick up line he'd never get to use again. Unless he wanted to pick up Duran, maybe, but that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon. "I never got a chance to congratulate you. Your singing was wonderful that night." He flashes his warmest smile. This'll work, right? Who can resist Casske? Nobody! Except all those people who have. And the 3o different girlfriends who dumped him all in the same year.
Hmm... The first Gebler she meets here helps her sneak into a military-only singing competition, the second insults her fashion sense, and the third... Hits on her? Gebler obviously do not follow any definite pattern besides being simply, shortly, odd, odd people. And so, Dirah stares for a moment.. Before blinking, and offering a very small, rather awkward smile, "Er, um... Right. Yes. Yes I was." Come to think of it, Casske might really have a better chance of hitting on Duran. Dirah is automatically unimpresed with the Gebler status, after all.. Regardless of how she finds this entire meeting rather warily creepy in the first place. And if you were a spy who crossdressed as Sigurd for a living, you would be, too. But at least she's quick to register the praise! "Oh, thank you! That's so very nice of you to say..." And how very true, too! Cough. "You.. You were the one running it, right?"
Casske nods. "You probably don't recognize me. I had different hair then. Blond, spikey, much more volume..." Casske shakes his head a bit kneeling and removing his grubby old shoes, and slipping on his new boots. "So, how have you been? I never saw you in Dazil after that. Are you a professional singer, or amateur talent?" Casske rises, brushing himself off. He was really hopeful about this encounter. All the girls on Fort Jasper were somewhat militarily trained, and hence could put Casske in a whole world of pain that he didn't want to think about.
Really hopeful about this encounter? Well.. Um... Don't be. For you're hitting on a woman who dresses as a man for a living. Fun, fun! But with that fact cheerfully out of notice, Dirah can simply smile. For, well.. She likes praise. Because forget, you're not speaking to a sweet woman who is just flattered.. You're speaking to a narcicist who simply adores the attention. "Your face is familiar, though. My, its been such a long time since then!" Nostalgia? Well, it -was- the one fun event since she got here, "Oh, do you mean that? I always wanted to be a professional singer, but I never could get into the business.. I 'wasn't talented enough'. Do you believe that?" Dirah certainly doesn't! And she sounds offended at the notion, too. Modesty? Huh? "So no, no, that was just for fun, really. And.. I've not been in Dazil all that often. The.. crowds don't agree with me well." More like the soldiers. She meets all the annoying ones, somehow...
Casske shakes his head, grinning. "Nah, you could be a professional if you wanted to. Your voice is amazing. Blew me away... I probably couldn't compare. Then again, the competition got axed before I could do my piece. Damned Joseph... deconstructing the soundstage. "Security Hazard" my ass..." Casske mutters angrily, gazing at his new boots. Ohhhhh yeah. Casske ego was soaring high, now. Surely Dirah couldn't turn down a man as ruggedly handsome as himself, especially when paired with -such- stylish boots! And so, Casske continues his blind attempts to win Dirah's heart, unaware of her rather... 'interesting' profession.
Dirah has much more stylish boots. So, um, no points there, Gebler. But the fact that he's hitting on her is something that Dirah.. Either isn't quite noticing or oddly doesn't mind. For praising Dirah is rather like letting blood run through shark infested waters. She rises to the mention of it quicker than a trained animal, really. And she blushes, not out of honest embaressment, but more for the effect, "Oh, thank you! I thought I did a good job.. My friend was occationally sharp on a few notes, but who can complain? Its a pity that we didn't get to see who won, though..." Honstly. Dirah wanted a prize! "Is.. That what happened to it? What a pity.. It was such a nice competition, too." Yes, at some point during this conversation, she's bound to stop talking about herself and her own success at that competition and realize he's here... Right? Um.. Maybe.
Casske suddenly gets a great idea. "Ah, well, we evaluated the acts that had gone. Of yours, Rok Klassa and Kale's, and Duran's improv feature, you won, with Klassa and Kale in second." This wasn't true. No judging had taken place, and in all honesty, Casske much preferred the satire and amusing qualities of the other two songs to the lovely yet somewhat lost to him piece performed by Dirah. "So, I ought to give it to you! The prize is an assortment of items, including a small G jackpot." That's right, Casske had stowed that away! 5000... he'd just remove 200 or so... just enough for him to get by. "I'll need your address and phone number, though." Well, Casske sure slid -that- in suavely...
Dirah stares. Blankly. Before she breaks into just a brilliance of a grin, "You're joking!" He is! But Dirah doesn't know that. "Oh, how wonderful! I knew that I won! Oh, there were some nice ones that followed, but honestly, we had such a lovely piece, and we took so long to piece it together as it was..." Hey, her piece was parody in its own way, after all. Not like.. Anyone actually got any of the referances that were mentioned in it, but still. "And.. And..." What? She pauses a little at that, and blinks, her little self-praising rant coming to a very short close as she notes a very soft, "Address and phone number?" Oh. My. Goodness. She's.. Being hit on, isn't she? And yet.. She wants her prize! She does! And yet... She sighs, more than a little distraught looking all of a suddenly, "I... Um.... I'm afraid I don't have one. Either of them.."
Silent resignation and a complete loss of internal happiness go hand in hand with that bit of information. "...oh. Well, err..." He suddenly actually thinks for a moment, beyond simply wondering how he could've screwed up his chances with such a beautiful lady. "You don't have an adress...? Are you homeless?" Casske actually said this a bit sincerely... he knew Joseph wasn't that kind to homeless people, and he felt a bit concerned. But then he notices the change in Dirah's manner... she looked distinctly startled, much different than when he'd been praising her. Then again, that was true for most women he knew. Still... Casske cursed himself. She must be onto him.
Oh, well.. Wether Dirah's onto him or not, she's honestly more disturbed that she can't get her prize. For.. Well, she has an address. But its in Kislev. What is she supposed to say? 'Hi! Find me on the mock Yggdrasil!' Um... No. And so, she frowns, looking rather sad, as she shakes her head shortly, "I... Well, somewhat, yes. Me and my group.. We don't really stay in any place too long.." That's true. And she sounds like a nomad that way. Good for her! "But.. but its all right..." Some pitiful hope dawns into those eyes then, as she blinks up at him with a faint, faint, smile, "Is there.. Any other way I can collect the prize? Please? It would be ever so nice..."
Casske thinks to himself. "You're a nomad, huh? Well... hey, are you related to a man named Harcou- nah, nevermind, not important..." Casske is becoming a bit chaffed. If she didn't want him to hit on her, she could at least say so and give him that respect! All she was talking about was her damned prize! "...well, do you ever travel to the Nisan area? There is a large floating fort near there called Jasper. If you were to go there and tell the guards Liuetenant Klassa wanted to see you, they'd let you in, and I could give you the prize."
This is.. Because Dirah is a narcisist. What? You expected something else? She wants what she deserves. And should she get hit on in the process.. Well... Eh. But she actually does back down on that for a moment, if just to beam at that prospect, "Honestly? That's so nice of you! I'll see if that can be done, then..." Nisan? Bleh. Talk about a far off place. And Tifa would never agree to go there, especially without good reason.. A pity. But Dirah will keep it in mind nonetheless. And she does look more than a little annoyed at that mentioning of Harcourt--Its a good, good thing he cut off that question, as she just abruptly shakes her head. And then chuckles and moves on, "Anyway, I'm being rude, aren't I? Its very nice to see you, Lieutenant Klassa. I'm Di."
Casske nods. "That's a quite elegant name. Fitting your you. As you said, I'm Klassa... no relation the Ether Weapon Klassa who works in GA-GS. Rok, his name is. Actually, my real name is Rackl Sonan... but don't tell anyone. My dad is a Kislev Officer. He's not well liked." Casske chuckles softly. "I'm more than aware you're not in Gebler, so my letting you in the competition should give you some insight... I may work for Gebler, but I'm not exactly the most patriotic fellow out there... I noted you seemed to register a bit of distaste at finding out I was a Gebler, but if it helps, I'm pretty half-assed about it."
Well, if there's a way to make Dirah look awkward, it was.. A lot of those lines there. And yet, while she looks a bit unnerved, muttering a few notes of, "I didn't mean to sound rude... I just.. Haven't had the honor of meeting many nice Gebler..." Besides being on the other side. And so, besides that short little excuse.. Her eyes widen at the mention of Kislev. Oh, what? Stop that! Dirah, that's -suspicious-! "That's odd.. That sounds almost familiar, somehow." A pause. Dirah... "Oh! But I'm sure its not. That's perfectly fine. Just between you and me, I've nothing against those of Kislev, as odd as it sounds in a place like this." Sweet, innocent smile. Please, don't suspect her of anything, really. And yet.. She trails off, her smile fading just a little, "You.. You knew I wasn't really in Gebler?" And they went to such pains to fake those papers, too!
Casske nods. "Sorry, it was kinda obvious. A girl as attractive as you wouldn't have an easy time in Desert area Gebler. You'd probably be placed in GA-GS, and the patrol soldiers are notorious for... er, sahll we say, unvalorous deeds. The Colonel here is a nice guy, though. I spent most of my time here staying around him instead of the lower level soldiers." Casske detects that odd look when he mentioned Kislev. "Familiar? It might be... have you ever been to Kislev?"
Dirah merely blushes, shaking her head faintly, "It's that obvious...? Ah, its true, though.. I doubt I'd do well in a group like Gebler. I.. could guess the sort of things they're notorious for, really." And the Gebler don't seem to have a seperate branch for women, either. Not like Dirah was all poised and ready to join, mind you. "I just.. I really, -really- wanted to enter. I hope.. that isn't a problem?" She can hope so. She can -really- hope so. After all.. This man seems so much nicer than the other Gebler she met! Which is, honestly, a blessing. Were she to have to face Tognotti again, she'd likely never come to Dazil again. And yet, watch her -pale-. Wide eyed, that look, as she very desperately shakes her head, "Oh, no, goodness no! Of course not! Why.. why would I have ever been in Kislev? It was just another thought entirely, I swear."
Casske shakes his head a bit. "I've been trained very well to read body language and vocal tremors and eye movements that show when somebody is lying, and you most certianly are. I really don't care if you've been to Kislev. I don't care if you're Kislevi, for that matter, cause I'm Kislevi, and I don't like being a hypocrite. All I really care about is that you tell me the truth. I can understand your defensive mechanisms as a young woman around Gebler in Dazil, but I don't even work in Dazil. You don't need to try and hide things from me. Obviously, if I cared about your background, I wouldn't have let you enter the contest."
Dirah doesn't betray her home country -that- easily, Casske. And yet, she does seem to calm down, if just to remember to breathe, rather distinctly make a mental note to STOP PANICKING, and to consider what he just said. And she is quiet for a very long moment with the most of this, before she notes, her voice almost grim, held a great deal more quietly, "Well.. If you're sure its not a problem... All right, yes. I've been to Kislev once or twice..." And she makes a very good note to keep her voice even. You were trained to study that? Well. Dirah is trained an actress and a spy. And she knows what to cover up when she remembers to calm down and do her job -right-. And so, she can sound perfectly natural at this... She.. Just startled as to not be caught a traitor for visiting the enemy country! That's all! "And the name sounded somewhat familiar. But all those Kislevi names.. They're very easy to get mixed, what with how so many sound alike. So... So I'm sure I'm mistaken. Its really nothing much.
Casske chuckles. "Well, your voice and body language checks out, but your eyes are moving in sync with how somebody covering something up would. The only people who break this mold statistically are people from Kislev. So either you're lying and are from Kislev, or you're telling the truth and are from Kislev. That's utterly perplexing." He breaks into a broad grin, so to show he isn't mad or accusing. He's just teasing her, really. She could be a pure-bred Solarian for all he cared, but she was nothing more than a human, in his eyes.
Tricky little twerp, isn't he? Either that or cocky in the extreme. For Dirah merely smiles then, almost a brightly mocking gesture, as she notes, just as mocking in the politeness of that quiet tone, "You'd get more girls, you know, if you spent less time staring." For who is he to watch her like a hawk and measure whether she's telling the truth or not? In this time when Kislevi will be the main target for those of the Dark Yggdrasil... She's not about to admit a thing. So she can smile her way through it, and shake her head, "Its really not important at all, then, is it? If you don't mind, I don't mind. We can all be odd and perplexing and neither of us will care. Deal?" Cute, that. For Dirah would rather not pick a fight or start troubles. No, let's agree to do nothing of this, right? No reason to confess as a spy, no reason to lie through her teeth. Can we leave it at that?
Casske nods. "Very well, you win. Slick mention of the girls, I see. I guess I've lost what little subtlty I've had, lately..." Casske isn't really embarrased, though. Surely a girl as attractive as this Di lady would have lots of admirers. Why should he be embarrased? Cause he was hitting on a transvestite? Well, he sure as hell doesn't know that.
Well.. We can't really help our jobs, can we? Its not like Dirah wanted to dress as a man for a living. But.. Eh. You go where the money comes from. Or, in this case, you go towards the job that gives you the most prestige. And Dirah just smiles, more a smirk than anything else. For if he can play all these guessing the truth games, she can be just as annoying, "No, no.. Not really. You're just not the only one who can catch a few things." Admirers? Sigh. Dirah wouldn't mind having flocks of admirers.. And she really ought to, for all her startling good looks. But, well, Fate is Cruel. Fate is very, very cruel. "And yet.. It really was a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant. Honestly. You're really the first civil Gebler I've met so far." And that's sad, but true. Oh well. Can't win them all. "But I fear I have to meet someone. Do take care, though..." And that's that? That... is that. Short and simple. Well, there go any hopes that might have lingered that Dirah was interested in him.
Casske nods, a sad glint in his eye. "Well, looks like I've been shot down. Nonetheless, try to come by Jasper. I'll give you that winning package..." Even though Casske is in poverty and didn't like her song the best? What a saint! So, with that, he waves, taking a few steps to test out his new boots, then turning to leave.