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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 12, 2018 6:22:25 GMT
The skies over Bellerouge that day were low and sullen, a uniform grey in hue with no signs of any breaks in the cloud cover. While the threat of rain was ever present in the forecast, nothing had fallen yet that day. Even out by the waterfront the water seemed to reflect the mood of the overhead sky. And it seemed to fit perfectly with the mood of the young man sitting out along one of the docks, his only company at that time the gulls flying overhead.
Manolo sat with his feet hanging over the pewter grey waters as the rumbled beneath him. Despite the low-hanging threat of weather, he remained seated where he was and ruminated on his feelings. That day he was wearing a deep red hoodie with black and gold trimming, his hands shoved into the pockets as he stared sullenly at he waves rolling just beneath his feet. Moving his arm, he suddenly winced in pain before slowly pulling his hands out of the hoodie. With gritted teeth he rolled up the sleeve of his left arm. From just below his fingers to his upper arm the olive-toned skin was wrapped in bandages.
Looking down at his hand, he slowly flexed his fingers only to tense as the limb let out a painful throb. He might have treated his injuries, but even three days later the burns were still open and causing him pain. Of course he knew he was lucky. He only had to contend with second degree burns scattered along his arm whereas he could have ended up caught by those two BPD officers that had been waiting for him during one of his nightly thefts. Even now he could be in a cell, awaiting a sentence while the news of who the Calavera Thief really was broke all across the newspapers of the city.
And despite his injuries, he should have been happy. He had not only managed to make an escape with the money he had stolen but shown up the corrupt, dirty police of Bellerouge in spectacular fashion. Yet he wasn't. No, all he felt was a deep-seated anger and a sense of melancholy that left him feeling empty.
Glowering, he continued to flex his hand in hopes that maybe the pain would distract him but it did little to that effect. And the worst part of it was he couldn't even tell why he felt this way. Perhaps it was because of the fight he had had with his family upon returning home that night?
His father and grandmother had been waiting for him and pounced as soon as he stole into the store, trying to remain silent. He hadn't even bothered trying to come up with some excuse or hide the money, they knew what he did but couldn't bring themselves to turn him over to the authorities. However, that didn't stop them from going at him hot and heavy and he returning it in equal doses. In the end it had dissolved into a yelling match as it always did and only ended when Manolo had taken off, sick of hearing how he was hurting his family down, foresakening his role as a curandero, turning away from what his mother had wanted for him....
While he thought that was part of it, he knew it wasn't the main cause for his current state. So what was it? Was it finding out that Yang belonged to the pig cop force, that she worked for the very institution that had led to Maria's death? They had only met that one time by chance and yet he had felt inclined to like the fiery young blonde. She'd seemed so spirited, rebellious and headstrong. She'd seemed like the kind of person that would never bow down to a corrupt authority, and yet he had seen her working for los grises.
At this thought, the pain in his arm seemed to flare up. Immediately, he clutched at his burned arm with his right hand, trying to fight down the hurt. Yang had done this to him and it served as just another reminder that you could never trust a cop, never.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 13, 2018 4:25:28 GMT
Yang glanced at the sky, wondering if her morning run would have to be cut short. She'd hoped she could exercise outside for a bit, but it looked like it was going to rain sooner than she thought. Maybe if she was fast, she could still get a mile or two in before she had to head back. Exercise was a good way for her to let out any pent-up feelings that were inside her, or brood over something that was on her mind, and she had plenty of both to deal with today. She felt like she was always on edge, waiting for some sign that the elusive skeleton thief would strike again. She knew he wasn't the most dangerous criminal in the world. Murder or child abuse were much worse crimes. And she knew some people stole because it was the only way they made a living. She wasn't sure if this guy was like that though. If he had petty reasons for targeting places loaded with money, he wasn't going to get any sympathy from her. She let out a breath as she ran faster, trying to burn up her restless energy. As she came to the end of the docks though, she realized she wasn't the only person out here. And it was someone that had been on her mind quite a bit.
She still wasn't sure if Manolo was really the thief or not. She had no real evidence yet, and their similar sounding voices could just be a result of the two of them having similar accents. Still, finding out could help the case. If he wasn't the thief, Yang could leave him be and focus on other parts of the case. If he was...well, she wasn't sure what she'd do yet. She hadn't thought that far ahead. But she wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. She approached him, wiping away some damp strands of hair that clung to her face. "Hey," she greeted, her voice slightly breathless.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 13, 2018 11:40:59 GMT
Normally Manolo would have been more aware of his surroundings and who might be present, but he was too focused on his own dark thoughts and the burning in his arm to hear the sound of footsteps approaching. It wasn't until the relative silence of the waterfront was broken by a voice that he fully came back to his senses.
Immediately he was back up on his feet, pulling the sleeve of his hoodie down to cover his injuries in one smooth movement. He had thought he recognized that voice and now he saw that he was right. It was Yang.
Instantly he could feel his pulse quickening in his veins at the sight of her and it took all of his willpower to not glower or sneer at the young woman. Despite the fact that he had been wearing the face of a skeleton when they last met, she had seemed to recognize something familiar in his voice. No point in acting hostile towards her and awakening her suspicions. After all, they had only met once before so there was no reason she should think he and the Calavera Thief were one in the same.
"Ola, senorita Yang."
Good, his voice sounded relaxed and unconcerned even if inside his feelings seethed like boiling water. He tried to take on an at ease posture but the pain in his arm made that easier said then done. Nonetheless, he felt like he pulled it off well.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 13, 2018 23:14:06 GMT
Manolo's greeting was cheerful enough. Yang could tell that much at least. He seemed perfectly comfortable over here and didn't seem all that surprised at her showing up. "Well you seem upbeat," she said as she took a seat beside him. "With weather like this, most people tend to feel a little depressed. Or drowsy." Rainy-looking days usually meant Yang drank an extra cup of coffee at the police department, especially if she had nothing but paperwork to get through. It was the least favorite part of every officer, but it was essential in keeping everyone's files up to date. Yang knew most people preferred assignments that were more on-the-go, and she was no exception. If she had the energy, she didn't like sitting around at a desk all day.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 15, 2018 7:30:50 GMT
Manolo only offered Yang a smile, aware that it was strained but that only someone who had known him a long time would be able to tell. It seemed as though she had just come across him by chance and now only wanted to chat and nothing more. He had learned, however, that appearances were often deceiving and watched her carefully as he stepped away from the edge of the dock.
"Quite the contrary. I've always found this kind of weather helps me think and the best kind of walks go with cloudy days. Fewer people out to distract you. And it seems like it hasn't stopped you from coming out today either."
The whole time Manolo had been speaking he'd walked down the dock until he'd reached the area where Yang stood and passed her slightly. Even when he wasn't dealing with a cop he avoided allowing himself to be cornered. |
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 16, 2018 1:20:59 GMT
Yang gave a shrug. "I needed some exercise. Work's been tough. Running around helps me feel a little less stressed." Working out had certainly been a good way of combating any negative feelings. A lot of people had recommended it after losing her arm, and especially after she'd gotten her prosthetic. And she had to admit, it did have its benefits. Besides, she had to be in tip top shape for her job. Sure, she had a kickboxing background and all, but she wasn't quite as good as some of the officers who'd been on the job for a while. Fighting in the ring was different from taking down a criminal, and she'd had to adjust her style. So far, her strength lay in dealing heavy blows and taking her opponent by surprise. But that strength could wear out fast if the fight was drawn out for a long time. She needed to fight smarter. She just hoped she could get it down someday.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 18, 2018 11:52:40 GMT
"Busy, huh? Guess a run is as good a way to relax as any."
Manolo continued to smile a friendly enough smile but kept his hands firmly lodged within the pockets of his hoodie. He always kept a spare spell on hand in case he ever found himself in more trouble then he could get out of on his own. Getting the spell in hand without Yang noticing anything should have been easy but unfortunately for him the small pouch was located in the pocket where his injured hand rested.
Still trying for a smile, he slowly wrapped his burned fist around the container but was unable to completely stop himself from wincing at the pain as one of the half-healed burns throbbed.
Trying to cover for this, he pulled his uninjured hand out of the hoodie and used it to brush away the black strands of hair blowing in his face. Normally he wore his longer hair back in a ponytail but he'd left it down today. Without missing a beat, he also asked Yang a question.
"Don't think you ever told me what it is you do?"
Even as the question left his lips, a part of him felt a rush of long-fanned hatred stir in his chest. The woman standing before him might seem like a friend, but she was just another cop.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 19, 2018 2:31:18 GMT
"That is what the experts say," Yang agreed. Although, if she was honest, hitting a punching bag for a long amount of time helped her unwind the most. Fighting in general tended to make her feel a bit better. Even back when she was on the streets, it was her favorite way of making money. Sure, the fighting rings were illegal, but she felt like she could take some pride in the fact that she'd earned it herself, without having to bribe or steal from anyone. And it helped her avoid selling her body in order to get cash. Of course, she didn't resent anyone who had to do that. Sometimes, that was the only option. But she hadn't wanted that for herself, and had been determined to avoid it. "I'm a cop," she replied. "Got accepted into the Others Unit not too long ago." She glanced up at the sky and gave a little laugh. "I actually used to not like them so much. Or cops in general. It's kind of ironic."
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 23, 2018 6:00:09 GMT
"Indeed, you never struck me as the cop type."
Despite trying his best to conceal his true feelings, Manolo couldn't stop the small amount of dark anger that bled into his voice. He managed to keep the grin on his lips, but something dark seemed to flash across his warm brown gaze and his burns gave out a painful throb as if his rage were a wildfire trying to burn its way out of him.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 24, 2018 0:43:52 GMT
"You could say that a lot about the people on the Others Unit," Yang said. "I think a lot of us never thought we'd end up there. But we did." She glanced up at the sky. "I wanted to be one a lot when I was a kid. Then some...stuff happened, and I got disillusioned with them. Then I went through that whole thing with Thrax and getting this." She held up her prosthetic arm. "But I figured if I could use what I've been through to help people, then why not, you know? And maybe I could fix some things that were broken with the system." Yang wanted to make sure that nothing like what happened to her parents occurred again. Or Jane and Omar for that matter. Cops had really screwed things up with them for a while. Yang felt like maybe she could prevent tragedies like that from happening again. Manolo seemed to grimace in pain though, and that caught her attention. "You okay?" she asked.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 25, 2018 4:55:58 GMT
"Some things you can't fix. Some wrongs can't be undone."
Despite knowing better, something about the way Yang spoke of the police seemed to drive the words out of him. A small voice in Manolo's mind warned him to stop talking, to just make an excuse and get away from Yang before he said or did something to make her suspicious.
However, he seemed to be filling with a reckless anger as he stood and listened to Yang try to defend the police, actually defend them! She spoke as if the police were good, just people she knew. She admitted to having resented them once before being fooled by their lies. She even became one! Yet the worst of all was how she believed, how Yang truly believed something as evil and corrupted as the police force could be changed and that past wrongs could be fixed!
His grip on his arm turned vice-like as rage pulsed through his entire body, his fingers sinking into his arm up to the knuckles. In that moment he wanted nothing more then to make the police pay, to make they all pay for what they had done to him and those he loved!
When Yang spoke, a startled look on her face, he jerked away from her like she was something vile, speaking low and harsh between his clenched teeth as he looked through a red mist at the woman.
"Don't touch me!"
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 26, 2018 0:39:47 GMT
Something seemed to change as the conversation went on. Manolo's tone strayed away from the casual tone it'd had before, and was slowly getting darker. When Yang asked if he was okay, his words came spitting out like a stinger. She flinched back, confused as to what had happened. "Manolo, what's..." Her voice trailed off. She finally noticed Manolo's hand clutching his arm. Her mind went back, to the last few seconds of her and Pitch's fight against the skeleton thief. He'd gotten away, but not before she'd managed to burn his arm. Pitch had had a theory that the skeleton look had just been glamour, a disguise to hide the guy's true identity. Yang's guard went up, although the fire inside her stayed low, for the moment. She didn't want to start shooting fireballs just yet. "Manolo, what happened to your arm?" she asked, her voice quiet, yet firm.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 26, 2018 10:51:36 GMT
Manolo didn't notice when Yang flinched away from him or the expression on her face. His arm was hurting him badly by that point but it was nothing compared to the feelings boiling up inside him in that instant. So much distrust, so much anger, and beneath all that a hurt and grief he had cared in silence for too long.
By that point he could barely see Yang or his surroundings beyond the memories of all the wrongs done to the people he loved so much. And when he saw Yang looking at him, saw her mouth moving with a guarded expression on her face, it took him a moment to make sense of her words. His arm, she wanted to know about his arm....
Even in his current state of barely suppressed rage, the question made him realize how dangerous his current situation might be. And it sent a small sliver of ice down his spine, just enough so that he could speak with some control.
"I hurt it helping my family in the shop."
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 27, 2018 0:45:07 GMT
Yang's eyes narrowed. That was bullshit and she knew it. "Did you really?" she asked. "Or was it more from something like this?" Her fire finally flared up as a small flame appeared in her left hand. Getting violent wasn't always the best answer to everything, she knew that. But if threatening could get a few answers out of Manolo, then she didn't mind. She almost wished she had Pitch with her. He could get people to talk with just one look, or by summoning his Nightmares alone. She just had to hope she looked intimidating enough on her own. She wasn't going to throw out handcuffs or anything. She just wanted to understand Manolo's motives behind all this.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 28, 2018 6:10:53 GMT
Even before she spoke, Manolo could see in Yang's eyes that she didn't believe him. And when she followed up her statement by producing a handful of flames, he knew he was in deep shit. Somehow she'd managed to put two and two together and now the young guitarist and thief found himself with an injured arm standing in front of the very cop who had burned him.
His grip tightened further around the potion in his pocket but still he didn't use it. Not yet. Instead, a sneer spread across his face as he spoke showing no fear but only anger.
"Why? Cops in the business of burning people alive now instead of just shooting them unprovoked? And here I was starting to let myself like you."
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