Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed]

Subject: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Thu Nov 07, 2013 12:14 am

Timeline: 17 Years Ago

It was a sunny day in Vale, and the streets were bursting with activity. Many people were helping set up for the Vale festival, while others arrived from foreign kingdoms in droves. One particular group was a family a Faunus. They were a poor family and only barely managed to scrape in enough lien to make the trip; the father had worked tirelessly so his little boy he could see the tournament. As they got off the boat, the mother smiled as the boy ran ahead.

"Look at all the people!" the boy exclaimed as he ran down the docks. "Is this what all cities are like?"

"Wait up, Matthias!" the father called out. "Don't stray too far!"

"I won't!" Matthias cried out over his shoulder. He stopped at a nearby food stand and began to look over the different fruits.

The mother watched on joyfully. "I haven't seen him this happy in a long time, Jonathan."

"Well, we don't exactly have the easiest life, Mazie." Jonathan replied. "Just wait until the tournament starts. We won't be able to keep him quiet." He chuckled softly at the thought.

Life was certainly rough for the Dāndús. They lived a life of fear and poverty back on their small farm. Grimm attacks were frequent in their rural village, and people vanished often. Villagers tried not to grow too close with one another, for they never knew who might be the next victim. On top of that, the cities in the surrounding area couldn't care less about the village. Its population was entirely Faunus, and many people distrusted them. Regardless, the Dāndús managed to scrape by, but not without their own losses.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Thu Nov 07, 2013 11:04 am

A man sits on a bench among the crowds, watching as the visitors come in. 'Quite the nice day. They festival truly is a wonderful time.' he smiled to himself, watching closer. as his eyes caught their gaze on a faunus couple. The light smile on his face slowly sank into an annoyed scowl. 'It really pisses me off...' he thought to himself as he slowly stood up.

A hood covered the man's head, shadowing over his face. He was tall and easily pushed through the crowd. Touching each of their shoulders, only the cheerful grin put on his face could be seen.

"Hello sir, madam." he says in a polite tone. "Please, allow me to be the first to welcome you to Vale, my friends." His eye darted over them both, observing his prey closely. "Tell me, is this your first visit?"

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:08 pm

Mazie jumped a little at the sudden approach of the strange man. She glanced over at Matthias, who was still busy at the food stand.

Jonathan switched his gaze from his son to the mysterious stranger. "Actually, my wife and I have visited before to see the tournament. It is our son's first time, however. Are you from here, Mister....?" Jonathan gave the man a questioning look.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Fri Nov 08, 2013 12:01 am

The man smiles and nods. "Indeed I am, sir. I was born and raised in this lovely city." He looks down and clears his throat to hide the disgusted look those words bring to his face. "A lovely boy you have there. I hope he enjoys his time here in Vale. Before long it will feel like his home.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:40 pm

Mazie seemed intimidated by the man's demeanor. At the mention of Matthias, she turns to look at her son with worried eyes.

Jonathan was surprised by the man's politeness; not many people were so kind to Faunus. "Oh, I'm sure our boy will enjoy the tournament. I used to love coming here with my parents to watch it as a kid. I'm just glad he's getting to see the world," he says while looking at Matthias with caring eyes and a warm smile. "Nice meeting you, stranger. Maybe we'll see you around some time." He took Mazie's hand and led her towards Matthias.

Matthias was at the food stand and had picked out a plump red apple. He gave the man some of the lein he had been given as allowance for the trip and turned to see his parents approaching. He took a bite out of his nutritious treat, the juice streaming down his chin. As he swallowed he offered some to his parents who both declined.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:13 pm

As the couple left the man's eyes narrowed. 'A happy couple, young family. A lot of love. A lot to be lost. Much pain to be caused.' He grinned as his mind raced, watching the boy closely. 'Best method of manipulation is the child. Danger of losing their son causes the father to be erratic, depression in the mother. The young one though, he will live. Nothing makes a better criminal than pain. Except hatred, of course.'

Quickly moving into the crowd, the man focuses on the family. His movements keep him out of their sight. One he sees them coming to a large crowd a smirk crosses his lips. "Perfect..."

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:32 pm

The Dāndú family made their way through the crowd. Jonathan led the way with Mazie in the rear.

"The restaurant is just up ahead. Stay close, Matthias," Jonathan calmly commanded.

"Jon, don't you think that man was a little...odd?" Mazie questioned with a worried look on her face.

"Not really. He actually seemed quite pleasant," Jonathan replied pragmatically. "What seemed off about him?"

Mazie was surprised by Jonathan's lack of concern. "A man in a hood approaches us, a Faunus couple, and takes interest in who we are and where we are from? Most people don't even acknowledge our presence, and this man seemed to want a family history. And he asked about our son!"

Matthias picked up on his parents' conversation as he finished his apple. "Who are y'all talking about?"

"No one important. Right, Mazie?" Jonathan answered.

Mazie gave no reply but instead let out a heavy sigh.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:01 pm

The man finds a rope that holds a banner above the crowd, chucking. "This will do." he says to himself as his hand slips out of the sleeve of his robe, grasping a knife. Figuring out the right time to do it, he swings the knife and cuts the rope. The banner falls into the crowd. As confusion ensues the man hurries into the crowd.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:31 pm

Jonathan has little time to react as a banner falls into the crowd. People began to scatter, separating Matthias from his parents. Jonathan futilely attempts to push his way forward through the crowd. "Matt.....Move, I need to get to my son! Matthias stay put!" Mazie begins to panic at the realization that Matthias is gone.

"Mom! Dad!" Matthias was throwing a fit as he attempted to reunite with his parents. A panicking stranger knocks Matthias to the ground as he passes, and Matthias attempts to shield himself from the now stampeding crowd.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Sun Nov 10, 2013 11:05 pm

People seem to part for the tall man as he moves through the crowd. Grabbing the child's hand, he is easily able to pull him along. "Call for your parents, child." he says coldly, throwing the boy over his shoulder.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:25 pm

Matthias goes hysterical as a strange man hoists him up onto his shoulder. "DAD! MOM! HELP!" He is writhing and squirming for fear of his life. "LET ME GO!" He clamps his fangs down on the man's shoulder as hard as his 6-year-old jaw would allow.

Mazie hears her son's cry for help and scans the crowd. Within seconds, she spots him struggling on the shoulder of a hooded man. "Matthias! Jonathan do something!" She clutches Jonathan's arm, her face is a mess of emotion as tears rush over her face.

Overcome by fear for his son and concern for his wife, Jonathan takes action. "Wait here," he commands Mazie. He begins forcing his way through the crowd, his eyes fixated on his child. "Somebody stop that man!" he shouts, his voice wavering from his intense rage.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:27 am

Enigma chuckles as the boy bites against the armor under his cloak. "Good boy. Just like that." A grin spreads across his face as he slips into an apartment building, quickly working his way up the stairs.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Wed Nov 13, 2013 7:46 pm

Matthias winced as his teeth met cold metal. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he screamed as he began to cry. "STOP!"

Mazie's heart tore as she listened to her son's cries. "Not my son...please no...." she muttered as she collapsed to the ground, an emotional mess. "I can't lose another one so young....."

Jonathan only grew angrier as he listened to his son cry out. He shoved people out of his way as he saw the kidnapper enter an apartment building. "Someone call the police!" He approached the building quickly, shouldering the door open only to hear that the two were already making their way upstairs. "Quit running, coward!" he shouted as he followed them up.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Fri Nov 15, 2013 5:16 pm

Chuckling darkly, the man ascends to a room higher in the building, walking into it. "Who said I was running, faunus? I was simply finding a more private place for us to talk." Turning to the door with the child in his hand, holding his jaw closed with the knife at his throat, the man waits. "We are not animals. We can be civilized." he smirks.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:33 pm

Outside, a stranger had finally called the authorities after hearing the Dāndús' frantic cries for help. The cops were on their way and would arrive shortly.

Jonathan's blood was boiling. "Civilized men don't kidnap children!" he shouted as he continued up the stairs. He followed the man's path into the room. As he entered, he screeched to a halt at the sight of his son being held hostage. "Whoa there, pal. Don't do anything drastic. What is it you want? Money?" he questioned disarmingly, careful to keep a non-threatening disposition for the sake of his son.

Subject: Re: Alone [17 Years Ago][Closed] Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:52 pm

Chuckling a bit, Enigma gives a cold grin. "I know you have no money worth offering. Besides, that is now what I am after. You and your wife will show up in the west most part of Forever Fall. If you come when anyone else the child dies." Without another word, he points his arm out an open window. Three wire cables shoot out onto the next building and sending him out the window with the child, launching onto the next building roof and walking away.

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» The first job. [Closed]
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