Settling In

Boo!

*she had snuck behind him already when he walked in, stockinged feet on marble floor for stealth. Seeing all the supplies, she mentally smiled. Alyss was glad he went out of his way, sure...he was being extra nice today. Probably because of what happened before*

Laying the salt and pepper shaker on the counter, Skye just smiled. At least she was getting her sense of humor back.. "I'll leave you to your cooking now.. enjoy the supplies~" He moved back into the living room and sat in a couch, just thinking. "..am I truely justified in my actions..."

*she finished up the cooking, setting it on dusty plates which she found in the cupboard and swiftly washed in the sink which she was surprised ran warm water. It was something quick she threw together. Chicken was usually a poultry that she had seen at the tavern quite often and so she knew a few recipes, She set a plate in front of him, then took her own seat silently*

Skye smelled the dish that Alyss had worked on, loving it already. He hadn't had a homecooked meal in a very long time.. He dug in the moment she took her seat, starting with a small piece of chicket breast. His eyes instantly lit up.

"Alyss, this is.. fantastic!"

Yeah well...I learned some things when I was younger. Worked at a tavern and in the kitchen sometimes.

*she picked at the food, sometimes taking in a green pepper. Alyss liked green peppers...*

I'm guess you don't cook here often.

"No, hardly ever.. I rely on Tavern food for my normal diet, since as you already saw I have no skill in cooking.." He kept eating the dish Alyss prepared, not looking at her at all. He still wasn't sure how open she was to him just yet.

"So, Alyss.. How do you like it here..?"

It's horrible.

*she meant to say it...but she didn't. Alyss, though she didn't like it, made a promise and a bet with him. It was...natural to make things more optimistic: the castle was beautiful and looking out the window it wasn't even 1/3rd of the place. It looked like she would be living in luxary, seeing the bed and it's quality, the sheets and fabricsof the curtains even seemed thoroughly expensive. Yet she wasn't content..she wasn't willing to come here and that was how she felt, no buts or ifs. The only thing she could do was...*

Deal with it.

It's.....nice.

He sighed. "That's an untruth, and you know it.."

*Alyss neither looked up into his eyes or did she say another word. Biting into a strip of chicken, she chewed slowly*

Skye rises from his seat, walking over to Alyss. He offers her his hand.

"Come with me.. There's something in this tower that I need to show you."

Show?

*she narrowed her eyes to focus upon his face. He could be lying..."something in this tower", he says? But his face seemed sincere enough, therefore Alyss stood slowly, grabbing his wrist instead*

Where to?

He leads her on, up a staircase behind one of the bookshelves in the living room. It's very steep, spiraling upwards. "Hang on so you don't fall.."

*putting her other hand on the railing of the staircase, Alyss followed him up the spiral...it looked high...and she wasn't fond of heights. In fact, she used both hands, letting go of his wrist to grab onto the railing*

I'll be okay. Just keep going..

"Suit yourself.." He began walking up the staircase, slowly at first to make sure Alyss could keep up. He then started picking up the pace a bit, and the stairway slowly began to get less and less narrow, until they reached an elaborate doorway some 200 steps up. Skye opened it, revealing an observatory-esque room on a high point of the tower. From here the entire ocean was visible, including some tall buildings in the upcoming Chaos, and a vast majority of the Nightmare itself was visible as well. He signalled her to go right in..

*taking the railing of the observatory, she stared out of the tower in wonder. (( A WHOLE NEW WORLDDDDDDDD )). The sky was amazing, like a painter's perfection on canvas. It looked unreal: the houses of others; the large apartments to the east; the new neighbors of Chaos building; the ocean shone like a giant mirror, ripples and waves. Everything was right here. Welcoming the breeze, Alyss turned to him, another genuine smile*

I can't believe you have a place like this...it's sort of hard to believe.

He stands in the center of the observatory, looking at the various views as well, and noticed her smile, returning it himself. "Ah.. the Tower was built to be a place of splendor after all. But this view fits even better with this setting.."

He walked over to what seemed to be a stone jutting out from a wall n the right side of the observatory. It had a small slot in it. "Alyss, put Trenmesser in here."

*the naked dagger slung at her large belt; gripping gently, Alyss felt the unfamiliar hilt, the wrappings were not the smooth bamboo which used to be her old weapon. She would have to cope. Lifting it, she slid the blade into the slot with ease*

The stone lit in certain places, glowing yellow suddenly in a rune-like pattern. The elaborate design began spreading throughout the walls and large domed window, eventually overtaking the entire observatory with a massive, elaborate golden pattern of energy.

It began glowing even brighter, and suddenly the window turned opaque, completely filled with golden light, like a blank screen. First, an image of a large figure with snow white hair, in a similar style to Skye's, appeared from the northern end of the room, looking away. Next, a shorter man with cropped red hair stood beside him, also looking in an arbitrary direction. Finally an image of ZK himself appeared at another end of the room, in his familiar pose and facial expression. He seemed to look down at the Nightmare from this observatory with pride.

"These are all the people who have influenced my life in one fashion or another. No, they're not terribly numerous, but they were all the people I had labeled as ones with some sort of.. value to their existence. Everyone else I've encountered has been dispensable in my eyes." He then looked directly at Alyss, motioning for her to look at another blank spot on the curved window. "Seems it's time we added a new face to this sanctuary of mine..."

He walked over to the gold window, waving her on with him to follow.

*staring at the red haired man, Alyss cautiously allowed a hand to touch the image. Her hand went through...like a hologram with no specific origin. Just like Skye's ability....she left the dagger in the slot to pick up later and followed him to the golden window*

I suppose I get why you want to put a new face in here...

*she didn't say a name, even though she knew it was hers, Alyss looked downwards, lashes shielding blue eyes*

I'm not sure if..I understand it. What is "The One" actually? Some sort of....prophecy, vision? How do you even know one exists and how did you tell just by fighting me? Logically, anyone can be the One then, wouldn't you say?

*she settled next to him, pondering in her puzzlement. What a predicament.*

"A man in a large black trenchcoat comes to you in the middle of the night. No one else is around, and there is barely any light. You're certain that his intentions are ill, and that his target is you. What do you do, Alyss Frey?"

Easy.

*her headphones glowed at this point, as bright as one that overshadows a football field. It pierced the soft lights that were around them. Alyss smiled slyly*

I'll make light.

Just as expected.. an unexpected and clever response from her. "Others would simply cut to the chase and attack.." He shifted his weight slightly, unsure of exactly how to further explain. "Alyss, you have a cunning, clever and thoughtful mind on top of a durable and capable body. Those two combined are more than anyone else I've seen has."