The Path to Nisan's Cathedral

This is a long, elegant bridge, spanning the distance over the lake of Nisan between the town and its secluded, and glorious Cathedral. To the <north> stands this beautiful creation- so tall and broad that it dwarfs the town easily, ornate and nearly shimmering in the bright sunlight. To the <south> stands the modest town of Nisan.

Contents:

Kaori

Gabriel has arrived.

Arms behind his head, Bart whistles patiently. It's been about a half an hour since Margie went in. Meetings have lasted longer, but Bart really, REALLY wants to know what's going on in there. It's not just curiosity, though that plays a part in it, too. "Did the ambassador from your...er...country-place tell you how long this was gonna be?" he asks offhand, starting to pace around the bridge a bit so his legs don't fall asleep.

You can tell she's not one for formalities. Sitting on the stone guard-rail and fiddling with... well, something, looking not too unlike a whetstone, her foot kicks back and forth in an almost bored manner. Yes, at her age, she can still act like a young'in. Pausing, Kaori's head shakes as she looks toward Bart. "I am unsure. However, I know for sure they'll likely last overnight and to the morning. If you'd rather, we could head back to town and wait there." she replies, nodding a bit, and sliding the stone into her pocket. Must be hard to dig out change, with those gloves.

A mixture of emotions covers the face of Gabriel Taisen, the young Priest of the Nisan Sect, as he nears the Cathedral at a hurried pace; the satchel at his side, containing most of his important belongings, clicks and clacks with the movement of things as he nears Bart and Kaori, his face that of worry (for the Holy Mother and her safety) but also that of calm (of being in his true home again, Nisan). He looks up from the stone path and sees the two, trying to analyze the woman on the fly... he walks up, "Captain Bartholomew..." he says in a comfortable, yet official tone, "Sorry I'm late... I was detained back in town."

All night? Grr. Bart needs to get IN there, somehow. Not that he wants to, but he'd be willing to wait out here all night. Well...actually, maybe not. Before starting to whistle again, he replies, "Nah, not just yet," he'll never be able to get in there from town. Think, Bart, think! Hey, it's Gabriel! Great! "Oh, that's no problem. We're not allowed in," a wary eye over at Kaori for a second. "Oh, well. Maybe 'we'll get in' eventually. Maybe if we 'wait long enough'...," it's not all -that- subtle, but he's giving Gabriel a hint that they need to think of a way in.

They must think she's a total rookie, or something? Cocking one eyebrow a bit, she opts instead to be diplomatic... "As you wish, sir." As yes, he states the obvious, their blockade of entrance, she settles one hand on her knee and shrugs. "Nor am I, sir." Would you like fries with your pound of bullshit? Kaori turns gaze toward Gabriel, bowing her head a bit in greeting, though... he looks familiar. Instead of speaking again, she bites her tongue and makes a tossing attempt to shrug it off. "I'm sure Mother Margurite and our ambassador would spend their night in the cathedral. They have much to talk about, and I am unsure of when they'll both actually surface from the proceedings..."

The young priest seems to find her familiar as well... but he cannot place from where. He also shakes it off for the time-being, opting for an equally diplomatic answer, "Please do not think me rude, miss, but I am her personal attendant... even in moments when Captain Bartholemew is not admitted, I usually am. She shares most of her feelings and knowledge with me as it stands, miss... delaying my entrance would only be a waste of BOTH of our time."

Ooo, fries would be delightful! Bart shakes his head, "Don't bother, Gabri. She's the ambassador's bodyguard or something, and she's not allowed in either. We're not gettin' in," not just yet. Hmmm...what about sneaking in from the back? It's probably one of the most predictable things they'd do, but it's worth a shot. They'd have to get around her...but how could they lose her? "Hey, Gabri. Why don't we go get something to eat. We can go eat somewhere out here, I can tell you all about stuff I used to do when I lived here," yes. Bart IS underestimating her, and terribly at that.

Her hands raise, the black fabric smoothing as her fingers spread in the classic 'don't kill the messenger' manner. "As he says, I'm not allowed in." Nodding her head a bit, Kaori has that glint in her eye as if she were about to catch people cheating at a card game... "Perhaps you could bring a sandwich back for me, eh?" she asks, offering a rather kind and friendly smile. Yes, this is the way of the Shevvites, for this plan-- be ridicilously polite. But... where? Where has she seen Gabriel before? It's nagging her in the back of her mind...

... Yeah, just like... a half-remembered dream? He shakes it off yet again, "Y-yes, miss. I would be happy to, assuming that there's not a lunch rush.. there's only one cafe in town, you know, and they tend to get busy at this time of day..." A polite smile... 'Yes, I can play too.' he thinks.

Bart nods, "Right! We'll bring you back somethin'," after they make sure Margie is alright, of course. "We'd better hurry, they might fill up soon, eh?" Yes. And they just might. But that wont matter at all to Bart. He winks at Gabri before starting down the bridge whistling. 'She doesen't suspect a thing. Damn, i'm so good!' nobody suspected Bart was intelligent when he slapped on a trenchcoat, grabbed a hat and called it a "disguise" either.

Kaori offers a smile and nod again, "Sourdough bread, if you can swing it? I'll pay you back when you return." I wonder if my gun is loaded? "The lunch rush is probably well past, too. You'd be down there and back and no time, I'd wager." I /do/ have my kodachi. She seems so pleasant, so calm... and no, she hasn't taken her 'medication' in three months, disproving the theory of it being happy pills...

"Then there should be no problems..." a soft, happy smile, 'She won't give me an inch, will she? Well, I'm with the Prince... he knows every way into this cathedral... right?' "Coffee?"

Considering a moment, Kaori nods. "Please. Black." That's right-- black, nasty, and best drank thirty-two ounces at a time. "Hope the walk is uneventful." Who /are/ you? Fingertips trapsing the red metal plates that so oddly frequent her gloves, she seems to be giving them a favorable rub, thumb massaging her palm. She gets cramped wearing them so often... it'd be nice to take the blasted things off and let her hands soak in water for awhile...

He nods, smiling. "Not at all...." He opens his eyes, looking at her gloves... and they strike him as being exceedingly familiar... an image of burned, warped hands comes to his mind... He squints at her gloves, '... was she burned...? Why am I even thinking about this...?' he ponders.

Bart looks to the left, then to the right, then blinks. Turning around, he sees that Gabriel's still there, and he's gotten halfway across the bridge. "Ah, Gabriel!" he calls, "Are you gonna come on? Unless you want me to bring you something back, too?" Hey...a distraction might be a good idea...then again, Gabriel wants to know if Margie's okay too...er...doesen't he? He wishes he could've worked this out before it came to this. Plans are so much easier when they're...well...planned.

Eyes drifting shut, Kaori seems to be having a thoughtful moment. The robes are familiar... but then again, everyone wears those sorts of clothing in this nation. The hair, the face... where? Where has she seen him before? "You... better hurry," she speaks in her thick accent, "... you don't want the shop to close up while you're waiting, do you?"

That accent! His eyes shoot open, 'I know I've heard that before!' he thinks... "You're not from around here..." he says, rather impulsively... "... REALLY not from around here... aren't you?"

Bart sweatdrops, "Uh, Gabri. Of course she's not from around here, she's a bodyguard from another country no one supposedly knows about," Bart's not familiar enough with the Shevite accent to really identify it that well. "And she's probably waiting for her lunch. You know, like I am too?" maybe Bart should try and read between the lines a bit, but he doesen't see anything Gabriel would be getting at.

Kaori can only really break a little bit of a grin, at that. "Well, of course I'm not." Bart's sure hitting the nail on the head, isn't she? "It's alright, you can take your time." Go. Now. The further away they are, the easier her job is. As for them attempting to sneak in, well... it wouldn't end too well, for either. If they subdued her? Well, she'd definately give them some injuries to brag about to their grandchildren. Closing her jacket a bit, she zips it to the collar-- a snug article of clothing, it is. Of course, she won't be turning around, lest the sheath of her kodachi stick out like a sore thumb.

"No, I mean REALLY far away.... As in several thousand feet in the air." Okay, I'm not sure where I'm going with this... just roll with it and pray that this "memory" is accurate...

Bart tilts his head. "Eh?! What are you talkin' about, Gabri?" Bart really wants to go see- wait a minute. Several thousand feet in the air? "...Uh, Gabri...what do you mean?" the gears in his head are turning a little bit.

This, children, is how we spell 'shit'. Looking closely, one could most likely see her fingers twitch as again, she offers an apologetic shrug. "Sir, I'm afraid I cannot discuss it with you." Standing a little, her hands dip into the pockets of her jacket, balled in fists. Shit. SHIT. Why did they even allow these three this far up into town? Still looking friendly, still looking kind and optimistic, Kaori nods her head toward the town in the distance, flipping her braid over her shoulder. "Please. I am hungry. If it'd make you more comfortable, I can accompany you both to town."

Gabriel narrows his eyes. "You're avoiding the subject. I DO remember you... It..." Don't mention the Dream... you'll sound like a lunatic, ".. It was in a really obscure place, but I DO remember you. You talked about a city in the sky... And I remember that accent as clear as day-- and your hands! Something to do with.. fire... I can't remember much..."

Bart tilts his head. Ok. That's it. Bart needs to do something before Gabriel gets them in trouble. Her reaction wasn't entirely unexpected, he knows something's up...but if this lady thinks they're getting too close to guessing right, they're gonna have to put up with a lot more than Bart wants to. "I'm sorry-!" Bart cuts in, attempting to grab Gabriel by the shoulder to pull him back. "I think we're going to get lunch now. Aren't we, Gabri?! Yes. We are, aren't we?" if Gabriel allows him to, Bart will continue to pull him back, starting across the bridge.

Click. No. It ... /couldn't/ be... that sort of thing is impossible. It was a /DREAM/. Though, her hands twitch rather visibly again as her mouth draws into a tight line... "Don't talk about something you know nothing about." she half-mutters, the kindness in her tone gone. A rather appropriate response, Bart! Kaori settles on the guard-rail again, her eyes slowly drifting closed and her head tilted forward. That does it... she's never going back to sleep. Ever. Again.

"Hey! Let me go!" He begins to fight Bart's grip, "You can't ignore it... Schevenhein! Yes! Kaori! Don't you remember me? I told you my story... about my duality and all that... you told me about your hands, and how you... worked for a country in the sky... But it wasn't Solaris... it was someone else... And I'm SORRY if this gets me in trouble," he throws a glance back at Bart, "But I can't ignore the truth-- and neither should you..."

Gabriel frowns intensely at the young woman. "... You DO know what I'm talking about... and I'll have to talk to you about it further... later." He turns, rather angrily, and walks toward the town. "Come, Captain... we mustn't keep Miss Schevenhein's coffee waiting..."