tranquil__air (tranquil__air) wrote in tiberiusswann, @ 2010-06-16 16:03:00 |
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*Belle, walking between buildings cringes inwardly at the name and voice. Looking up she smiles overly sweetly.* Old man... What can I do for you?
"Nothing in particular." He gives her a sly little smile. "I would just like to know, will you be traveling this summer?"
"I may be. Why?" She asked running her fingers through her hair and reveling in the fact she was dressed in ripped jeans and fitted sweater today since she guessed he wouldn't like it.*
He looked at her outfit. The pup took too much pleasure in defying him, even now. "I would like to extend....and invitation. To you, your friend, and the infant you two have seemed to procure." Had they no shame? "Our villa in Venice will be open all summer. You are welcome to drop by for a few days should you happen to be passing through." He had a sweet, vindictive smile on his face.
Nox and I were planning on going to Italy for some of the summer, but we're not sure of our plans now. Thank you for the invitation. Such a shame we probably won't be able to take you up on it." Ha! Right! She didn't even bother to sound all that sincere.
"Oh, but I must insist" He said, the same vindictive smile on his face. There was a double timbre in his voice now. It was deep, hypnotic, authoritative. The creator's voice. The creator's command. He was not her master, but it still held sway.
Belle knew what he was doing and she bit her lip, wishing she could ignore it, but knowing she couldn't. "Then I suppose I will be visiting..." Annoying old man using dirty tricks on her!
"Splendid. I'm glad you're most agreeable." He said, wildly amused by it all. Let her dress as she pleased. She could not rise above her purpose. She was an elemental, and she had been created to serve. "We'll have a great time. Catching up on old times and reliving the past. I'm sure my grandson and his elemental will enjoy the company as well."
"I'm surprised you let Leo and Shawn take time to talk to people and enjoy the company" She may have to comply but it didn't mean she had to be nice.
"Leo does as he pleases." He made no mention about Shawn. "And I would advice you to remember your place in this world pup" He had to restrain himself from spitting out those words, her blatant defiance angering him.
A glimmer of happiness flickered through her eyes at the reaction. "I merely meant I though they would be busy" Soooo sweet.
"Leo is busy. He's recently acquired the fundamentals of creation. Although, I couldn't tell you what that elemental of his is up to." He had composed himself now, anger bottled and exterior cool.
"Hopefully having some fun and studying for finals I should think."
"He is the perfect creation. Much more refined than you." It had taken years of research and many failed attempts to create an elemental such as the one Leo possessed, after all. "Him studying is laughable. And serving his master is the only form of fun he needs or desires.
"I was like that once, but it makes for a terribly lonely existence if you lose that person...." She said softly, "not that I hope anything bad would happen to Leo" Now that part sounded genuine.
"That's not a problem now." Julius said heartlessly. "If Leo were to die." Heaven and hell forbid, some voice in the back of his mind shouted. "Shawn would as well. As you've already demonstrated, a servant is superfluous without someone to serve."
Belle laughed coldly. “You finally did it. A servant who has no use outside of his master. Is that all Shawn is?"
"That is all he was designed to be."
"Then you're design was flawed. There is more to Shawn than just Leo, even if he doesn't realise it"
"Arrogant pup!" The creator's voice. He was not giving her any commands, merely reminding her of the authority which he held above her. He imagined meeting God would do the same for him. "Have you really forgotten yourself so quickly because of a short bit of freedom? Leo's elemental is just as you are, only more refined. He will not get a chance to be defiant. He will expire when he is no longer needed."
She did cringe just slightly at him using that voice but was still not going to be meek. "I have been free longer than I was ever with him" She never said her creator's name to Julius. "And I am a person in my own right, as is Shawn. You're just too blind to see"
"Your own person?" Said the same, double timbre. "Is that why you cringe at this voice, at this authority? Is that why you buckle to it so easily?" The volume of his voice was decreasing slowly, but steadily. To a near but not quite whisper. "You will soon learn pup, that you and the other elemental are nothing more than objects. Peter and Leo may have taken pity on you and given you names. But do not think that makes you people." That same, sick smile was still on his face. Sweet, yet laced with iron.
It was clear he was getting to her. Her skin was burning up and her eyes were a bright red. "I have no idea how Leo turned out to be such a good master and person with you as his role model" .
He merely smiled at her obvious signs of anger. Such imperfection. "He merely hasn't had the skill set up till now. He will be a proper master soon. The lure of creation is powerful, and its power and knowledge are overwhelming." Soon, his grandson would have all the abilities which he was meant to. With a bit of knowledge and guidance and a good amount of experience, he would make a more powerful alchemist than Julius himself. He was so proud of his grandson. His legacy.
Belle saw no shame in her imperfections. "So you blame the power for making you an insufferable ass?"
"That is quite enough out of you." He said with the double timbre once again. "Power merely allows you to act on your true desires. Nothing more. It is within the deepest heart of every man to be selfish. Evolution has conditioned us as such." He was speaking at a normal volume now, at least.
Belle merely rolled her eyes
He gave her a sweet smile as he touched her cheek. A glow radiated from his hands for a few moments. It was a dark shadow of purple, black to the untrained eye; not the rich, vibrant, lively green that Leo had discovered he possessed. Belle's cheeks, her shoulder, parts of her hand. All cracked and crumbled for a second. Turned to ashes, their base elements, the components of a human body. And as soon as it had started, it had stopped. Her skin as flawless and lively as ever. "Memor vestri orsa" Julius said, continuing down the stairs and resuming his errands once again. Remember your beginnings.
She watched in thinly veiled horror as her body fell apart, having to touch it once he stopped, just to make sure she was whole again. Sitting on the steps she watched him walk away. Screaming under her breath in frustration. And this was the man she had been made to promise to visit. She hated him.