Welcome to Gaia! ::

Potential recruit - Anti Raven.
In order to demonstrate your skills to the Senior members of the Shinigami clan all you need to do is respond to a roleplay situation. Once we are satisfied with what you have shown us, we shall end the roleplay here and give your our judgement. If you're accepted you'll be invited to the guild and allowed to post in the Main Thread.

This try-out thread is for the applicant and the Seniors only, unless we specifically request the assistance of other members.

Your scenario begins below:

It was a foggy morning in Durem. Early enough that only a few people were on the streets at all. It was almost silent and very peaceful. A slight chill in the air hinted of the autumn to come, but everyone knew that when the sun fully rose and burned off the fog, the day would be a pleasant one. There was a little movement however, on the steps of the Shinigami Library. The large stone steps lead up to the grand oaks doors, cracked ajar for the moment.

A tall man sat on the steps wearing a heavy jacket. Despite the fact it was only slightly cool he was well bundled up. He was hard to see in the fog that surrounded him, and it was clear he was making some of it himself as he lazily drew on a cigarette. His eyes caught the light for a moment, flashing scarlet in the gloom. Some people may recognise him as the head librarian. Some may recognise him as the Shinigami Master. Most people wouldn't recognise him at all and he likes it that way.

Behind him a young girl with short blonde hair carried a bucket full of soapy water and a sponge. There was a ladder set up nearby, near to the windows. She set the bucket down and looked up the ladder at the stained glass windows. With a look of determination she began to climb. The tall man turned his head and spoke to her softly.
"You don't have to do that. It's Jack's turn." He told her.
"But I want to daddy. They're dirty." She replied, looking back at him. He laughed and shook his head. He pushed himself up from the steps and moved over to steady the ladder for her.
"You certainly don't get this cleaning habit from me." He joked, cig between his lips and he held the ladder. She climbed up it easily and he passed up the bucket, watching her as she began to sponge down the vast window.

Guyy held the ladder firm with both hands. Despite the fact he knew a fall would not do the girl any serious damage, he was still very protective of her. Despite both hands being on the cool metal he puffed away at his cigarette in a practised way that suggested he was probably more than a casual smoker. His crimson eyes watched the little blonde as she sponged the windows carefully, making sure everything she could reach was as clean as it could be. Judging by the appearance of the windows they got this treatment fairly regularly. Ilia always insisted on it.

The silence was broken first by the girl humming cheerfully to herself. Were there any other children that actually enjoyed doing cleaning chores as much as she did? Guyy doubted it. It still amused him to watch her at work. She could be frighteningly efficient when she wanted to be. Even now he could see she was washing every pane of coloured glass in a specific pattern to make sure they were at their cleanest.

The second disruption to the silence was the sound of footsteps in the fog. Guyy was unsurprised. He had sensed the woman approaching before he had heard her. There were so few people around at this time of day that it was easy to pick out individuals, even through the cool of the fog that slightly muffled his heat senses. He inhaled slowly before blowing a thick cloud around his head. He spoke languidly, seeming in no hurry to reply.

"That she is, miss. So to speak." he turned his head, getting a look at the early morning visitor without letting go of the ladder. The little girl at the top glanced around as well, her hand slowing a little but not stopping on the glass. Her bright blue eyes caught the light and she smiled in a charming and friendly fashion as she curiously watched Guyy and the woman.
"The library will be officially open in ten minutes, though I can see no harm in allowing you in early. If that is what you are here for. Not often we get many patrons at this hour." Guyy tilted his head as he examined Kaida, finding nothing non-human about her that was obvious to his senses. "Otherwise if there is anything you need help with, just ask." he offered. He felt helpful this morning despite the cool weather.

Caught staring at the unfamiliar woman, Ilia found herself offered a little wave. She broke into a sweet and broad grin and enthusiastically waved back. The motion showered Guyy in a small hail of bubbles and water droplets. The tall, slender man raised a brow and looked up at the little blonde. She giggled and waved at him too. Despite the unwelcome spray he looked both resigned and amused with not a hint of upset. Bubbles settled on his raven-black hair for a moment before popping and fading. Not quite the dangerous image he usually radiated but he didn't seem too concerned. It was far too early in the morning to care about reputations, especially in front of someone he suspected had no idea who he was anyway.

Ilia, though keeping an eye on the situation below, went back to her windows. She might have been high up but she could hear anything of interest that was said. Especially the question the woman raised about the Shinigami Clan. She paused deliberately in her work and looked down at Guyy as if waiting for some cue. Guyy himself stared at the woman who had spoked. He drew on his cigarette silently. His red eyes bored through her as if seeking out her soul, or as if he thought she was quite mad. It was hard to tell. The silence went on just long enough to potentially become uncomfortable. With a sudden motion he took the dog end from his lips and extinguished the remains.

"Not many humans come around here asking about that." He stated firmly. It was both a point of curiosity and a small hint that yes he knew of them and their nature. "Rumour has it that they operate from Durem of course. A mercenary group, some say. Others say they're no more than assassins and thugs. I even heard one young group of kids debating on whether they were supervillains or superheroes." Guyy stood up straighter, bracing the ladder with one foot and one hand for a while as he spoke with Kaida. He looked distinctly amused.

"Now for someone to come around asking for them would mean they have a very good reason to ask usually. Especially a young woman like yourself. They're reportedly a very dangerous group. The Durem Snakeman has been linked with them on occasion and we've all seen his exploits in the papers. He has a taste for young human women, clearly." He eyed her carefully, tilting his head a little and smiling. Perhaps there was just the briefest glimpse of fangs in that smile. Not that he had senseless murdered any women for a while, not since he'd settled down with his family anyway. "Not to mention Lady Death who will take lives for her own reasons. And the Ice Queen who will... well. It's not pretty, anyway." So maybe he exaggerated a little.

"So, what about the Shinigami Clan holds the interest of one like yourself, miss...?" He trailed off, clearly inviting Kaida to provide her name and reasons. He might be interested in scaring off the cowardly and weak for their own safety, but he was always curious about those with a solid interest in the clan. He'd found some excellent recruits that way.

"You don't read the papers?" For a moment Guyy's face was straight and grim as if suddenly his opinion of her had dropped dangerously. And yet just a second later he broke out into a bark of laughter. "Good for you, they're full of rubbish anyway most of the time. Rubbish and silly human interest stories. If you want real news, you go to the source. Or you make it." He declared cheerfully, nodding his head a little as he spoke. "Well I suppose if you don't keep up with the city gossip you're certainly not worried about what those monsters could do to you. Ignorance, as they say, is bliss. If, indeed you are ignorant." He smirked. He reached up as he spoke, taking the bucket from the young girl and moving to allow her to descend the ladder. It was only once she was back on the stone floor that he spoke again.

"Quite so. Where are my manners this morning?" The tall man bowed, his thick jacket betraying his slenderness for a moment. "I am Guyy Myurr, head librarian and owner of this library. This is my daughter, Ilia." He gestured to the little blonde who gave a tiny bow of her own.
"Nice to meet you!" She greeted politely. The bow revealed a hint of a mark on the girl's chest, but surely no one so young could possess a tattoo so prominently?
"Hn." The man sighed thoughtfully a moment after the greetings. He closed his eyes briefly as if thinking. "While I can see the desire to deal directly with those in the Clan, you can understand their need for confidentiality and privacy. Can't go letting any old person close to them. Anyone could be a danger in this day and age and they have a lot to protect." He spoke softly and with a smile. His long-fingered hand rested on his daughter's shoulder possessively. "Consider my position in this as a sort of screening agent, if it helps. I can tell you I am not only aware of the Clan but of how to get in contact with them."

He turned and gestured towards the door with a welcoming wave. The door was cracked open still, just showing the elegant flooring and a hint of the surprising and yet functional luxury within. Few libraries could afford such solid wood shelves, exquisite statues and carvings and remarkable technology on hand. And no other had the selection available that the Shinigami Library had. It was their biggest pride, books of all kinds and rarities lined their shelves.
"I would suggest, however, that it would not be particularly prudent to discuss such matters out here in the cold where anyone could eavesdrop. Come in, please. We have coffee and tea if you choose. I personally will be having a nice, hot coffee. With plenty of sugar."

Ilia looked up at him and smiled widely, slipping between the doors ahead of the pair of them. He knew she would already be heading for the coffee machines that were set up for free use beside the front reading and gathering area. She had become quite fascinated at the way it brewed and mixed the coffee with a simple touch of a button. For the past week or so if anyone wanted a drink she was first at the machine, pressing all the buttons she could reach. It had caused a little trouble.
"I would discount reading so quickly. You'll be surprised what you will find tucked in the pages of our books." Guyy turned to Kaida with a smirk. "Now, a name for a name would be fair, I believe?"

The laugh that broke from the woman amused him greatly. Especially considering that just a moment before he had been able to sense the increased pace of her heart and her deep breath. The girl was somewhat uncomfortable, clearly. But she was doing an excellent job of trying not to let it show too obviously. That was an encouraging sign. It was easy to be brave but a lot harder to show courage when it wasn't felt as much. With Ilia dashing towards the coffee machine Guyy took a moment to stretch his weary body.

He was tall. No, not quite. He was oddly long. It was as if he was not merely born to be tall but more as though he had a few extra vertebrae in his spine. Which he did, actually, but that was impossible to see while he had a shirt on. Much like the way the muscles connected somehow incorrectly under his taut skin, it was enough to draw attention when it was noticed but subtle enough he could hide such a unique physiology easily. To those not really looking he was merely a tall man. He was certainly over six feet tall anyway.
"Kaida, eh? Well it is a pleasure to meet you, miss Kaida." He said cheerfully if a bit lazily. It hadn't really been sunny enough for him to feel fully awake yet but he was getting there gradually. He might hit the sun lamp later and make up for it. It just wasn't the same though.

"Caffeine sensitive too? Pity. I don't know quite where I'd be without old Saint Caffeine in my system. Still in bed, I expect." He chuckled to himself as he led Kaida into the warm and lush surroundings of the library. He gently pulled the door shut behind him. Despite being overly large and very heavy oak the door did not thus but indeed clicked closed softly. It was very well made after all. "Perhaps we could find you something else. We do have a small kitchen available. Fruit juice perhaps, or something to eat?" he offered politely.

Ilia came walking up towards him very carefully, determined not to spill her carefully handled cup. She did appear to be concentrating hard on not walking too fast and causing it to splash.
"Careful there." Guyy murmured a little unnecessarily. She was already in front of him, offering the cup up.
"I put lots of sugar in, Daddy." she beamed proudly. He took the coffee with a gently thanks and fondly ruffled her hair. Though she was blonde and bright blue eyed, there were aspects of him in her face, particularly around the nose and chin it seemed as they shared a similarly straight and refined profile. It was considerably cuter on the girl though when combined with such large eyes and a pair of pink little pouty lips. The girl's mother had to be a beauty.
"This is Kaida, Ilia. Make a note of that for me could you?" Guyy asked the girl. Ilia nodded and hummed cheerfully but made no sign of reaching for anything to write on. All the same the male seemed satisfied with her response.

"So, about your interest in the clan..." He sipped at his coffee and went back to the subject at hand. "I am guessing you're not entirely unfamiliar with some less than savoury matters. Either that or you carry a sword for show. Perhaps you had heard the mercenary tale of them and were hoping to join ranks?" he guessed, hoping to gently coax her story out of her. "Or perhaps you have an old score to settle and are looking to either hire them?" He tilted his head and looked down at Kaida over the rim of his cup as he sipped, one hand inviting her to seat herself on one of the plush chairs if she wished.

As the tall man relaxed into a chair the little girl flopped clumsily on her belly over a nearby beanbag. She did look comfortable though, as she hummed and traces patterns on the floor with her fingers. Mostly, she was listening. Little by little she was building up a profile for Kaida on the system. Anyone interested in the Clan were usually worth the Clan keeping tabs on them, even if they didn't join. She could be sure that she would be recognised and remembered every time she returned to the library from now on. And yet despite the information gathered there was no outwards sign that the girl was doing anything important at all. She had picked up a few details as well as visual images of Kaida and already had her filed away in the library memory banks.

Guyy meanwhile drank his coffee happily, noting for a moment how Kaida seemed to tense when facing a direct question about her motives. His ears, of course, did not miss the little hungry rumble of her stomach and he suppressed a light chuckle in his drink. She did, however, eventually take a seat as well. He stretched out his long legs, looking utterly relaxed. truth he told he could be out of that chair and attacking in a heartbeat if he needed to. He just always hoped he didn't need to. Her reply caused his elegant brows to raise with even more curiosity than he had held about her. So, the closeness of the Clan had become something to discuss had it? He wasn't surprised. They really had formed such a tight-knit and very unorthodox family of sorts.

"Well, that is a very interesting reply. You are not the first to come here looking for a family. But most who come here are actually looking for a specific family or members of a specific family. But there are a lot of people who end up at the Clan because of a similar need to belong somewhere." Guyy smiled charmingly at the girl, trying to dispel her nerves a little. She really was very tense. He glanced to her sword, noting she seemed to be left handed. A good thing in a sword user, he had learned over the years.

"Yes, Durem can be quite a dangerous place after dark in some areas. It's wise to carry a weapon of some kind. Though, how do you mean that you have it to feel closer to yourself?" He asked, brow furrowing just lightly as he considered her words. A talisman of some kind? Whatever it was she didn't seem too happy at the moment.

"Ah. A brew of your own? That we can do. As mentioned, we do have kitchen facilities available. I don't see any harm in letting you use them. It seems you require a little breakfast anyway." He smirked kindly in reference to her rumbling belly. He drained his cup and set it aside on a small wooden table before slapping his hands on his thighs and leaning forwards in his seat. "Is there anything special you require? Particular ingredients perhaps?" He asked in a friendly and more energetic way now he'd had his coffee. Her answer would determine whether he took her to the small office kitchen in the recruitment centre, or whether he took the risk and took her downstairs to the exceptionally well stocked but hidden Clan kitchen.

((Sorry. Guyy's been a bit busy so I'll be taking over for a bit. ^-^))

Thoughts of how her sister died filtered the Ice Queen's mind as she walked back from the bakery she frequented. A couple of months back, it was this same sidewalk and this same routine that she had resulted in her being captured and tortured for information on the Shinigami Clan. Thankfully, her fae family managed to rescue her before her captors been able to extract any information or magic from her. She still shivered with horror whenever she thought about those weeks in captivity but she was getting better at handling them. She had the clan to protect and so, she couldn't let such things become an obstacle to her fighting capabilities. The second reason as to her recovery was the fact that in the shadows, her guardian (one Lord Caine) was keeping an eye on back (and her backside she added silently).

Aya Tienade, the aforementioned Ice Queen straightened her back and tensed her shoulders as she saw some early morning pedestrians approach her. Her pale face was schooled in to a perfect mask of impassivity. Her grip on the paper bag in front of her tightened slightly as she tried to nonchalantly examine the person she would be passing by. Violet eyes scanned the face of the two men before they moved to their bodies, trying to spot any signs of hidden weapons and some such. When they were nearer, she kept her gaze to the horizon in front of her to keep them from being suspicious. She felt her legs tense the moment they passed by each other...but that was all that happened. She still didn't relax, opting to err on the side of caution, but she smiled as she heard one of them exclaiming how cold it was. Aya didn't know as to whether that had been caused by her power or by the wet morning air.

No matter, she thought to herself as she pushed the doors to the library open with her back and nodded to someone in the shadows. She got the impression that someone was winking at her before she rolled her eyes and entered the library. When she did however, she had to stop and examine the person with the sword...who was very near to her Master!

She took a subtle deep breath, smelling the fresh and still warm bread in the paper bag in her arms, before she determinedly pushed down her instincts to attack the intruder who dared to get that close to the Master Shinigami with a weapon. Easy Aya, she quietly told herself as she got the cold around her that easily reacted to her anxiety under control. She repeated the mantra inside her head as she listened to their conversation and quietly stepped floor towards them to introduce herself. She forced her shoulders to relax and contorted the impassivity on her face to a small but warm smile. It was quite a contrast to the title Ice Queen.

"I believe we have guava and coconut in the office kitchen," she shook her head at Guyy, "I do not know who stocked those there," she said and smiled in an amused manner. The person who placed those two tropical ingredients there probably thought that no one would be able to get their stash. Touch luck. She turned her attention back to Kaida and nodded at her.

"My name is Aya Tienade. The kitchen is this way. Please follow me," she said softly but still the slight accent to her tone could be heard. She smiled at Guyy warmly, silently promising him a supreme telling off later for letting someone with a weapon so close to him like that before she ruffled Ilia's hair fondly. She turned away from their guest, taking the risk of showing her back to a potential threat, and started walking towards the office kitchen. She trusted Guyy and Ilia to defend her should Kaida try anything.

The Lady Aya's footsteps were quick and quiet, evidence of years of stealth training. As they entered the small kitchen, she placed her bag of pastries down on the counter and waved her hand gracefully in to the air.

"Go ahead and make yourself at home," Aya said to Kaida as she retrieved a large plastic rack to hold her purchase and some tongs. With the skill of a person who has done the process a million times already, Aya carefully plucked out the bread inside and placed them in to the container, creating an elegant design with the types of bread she purchased. Her attention however, was on Kaida's movements. If she did anything untoward, Aya would be wielding her tongs like it was a knife. It didn't seem very threatening but Aya was quite creative. She could make a paperclip in to a weapon.

((Been on vacation; very little to no internet connection ^^;; I apologize.))

Kaida hesitated in responding to Guyy's invitation, in some sense in war with herself inside of her mind. After all, despite her best efforts, she still could not always fully control herself. Well, her other self, to be precise. It would be a long story to tell, indeed.

She, unlike Guyy, did not shiver when Aya approached. Right as she saw the woman, she immediately felt like she had already known Ayay for a very long time. She wouldn't have been able to explain it, but she knew that she had no reason to feel threatened unless she herself had ill intentions, and that was enough to put her at ease. Kaida quickly returned her attention to Aya's words, having somewhat drifted in her thoughts, and smiled weakly as the lady told her to follow. Of course, Kaida wouldn't try anything, but she truly marveled at the strange way the woman seemed to operate.

Following the woman into the kitchen, Kaida glanced at Ilia, seeing her fondness of the woman and making a note of it. She followed Guyy's gesture to the basket and picked out, without any digging around, a nice ripe guava and a coconut. Setting them onto the counter, Kaida then started looking for honey, cinnamon or other spices, and a source of water. Indeed, Kaida had made herself 'at home;' simply being in the kitchen made her more relaxed than any cigarette or cup of tea.

"No thanks; I don't much care for eggs," Kaida replied rather apologetically. She grabbed a pot and filled it with water, setting it on the stove and then putting the burner on. She would have to wait until it boiled, but first, she had to peel and slice the guava, dehusk the coconut, and stir up the other ingredients.

The story that she had wanted to tell Guyy came to mind. She stole a glance at Aya, thinking that perhaps it was not wise to spin the tale in her presence. Frowning slightly, she told herself that it was her hunches misfiring and busied herself by starting with the guava, taking great care with the knife that she picked out to not appear threatening. She could almost feel the weight of the woman's judgement on her. Kaida would have to tread the waters that she now entered carefully.

"Within the sword, I hide my true self," Kaida started the story as she sliced the guava into rough cube-like pieces and let them fall into the not-quite-boiling water. She picked up the coconut and by applying a small amount pressure at its side, judged its thickness. Then, with a decisive swing, halved it, spilling a small amount of coconut milk as she did so. Pouring the rest of the milk into a nearby bowl, Kaida then continued. "I simply am my own vessel, the sword is not tied to me in any way," she clarified with a slight sigh, as she set the empty husk aside, her eyes focused on the bowl of coconut milk. Without glancing up, she added in honey and then a pinch of cinnamon along with some other spices.

The water had started to boil, so she turned off the burner and then, fetching a ladle, fished out the cooked guava cubes and added it to the mixture from earlier. With that settled, she emptied the excess water from the pot into the sink. "Without a weapon, I simply cannot function as my normal self. When I wield it, it becomes me."As she talked, she returned the honey and the other spices' containers to their original spots as well as cleaning up the slight spill from the coconut and placing the knife in the sink with great care.

Kaida fished out a spoon and, taking a small taste of the mixture, looked towards Guyy and then focused her gaze upon Aya. "Would it be alright if I unsheathed my sword to show it to Guyy? It will help him understand what I mean." It was a simple request, but Kaida knew not how Aya would respond. She only hoped that the woman would not force her to draw it with her off-hand in order to minimize her threat. In all honesty, if the woman did, Kaida could not predict what would happen. She had never fathomed that unpredictability could be such a foe.