One x One Gears will turn (with No More Pretending)

[Riven]

May the story unfold!

 

[Riven]

The sun was shining rather bright this late morning in Arcadia, the capital city of The Steel Empire. The skies were clear, well, except for a few nice soft puffy clouds passing on by, no planes for once. A couple of birds, happily chirping and singing, and the sounds of excited people ranging from parents and elders to children, all happily excited for their departure. The Aurora, a brand new ship, straight off the line, ready to set sail for the next city a couple miles away. Haven was about a 6 hour trip, but the Aurora was built to last and sustain longer than a couple of hours. Leonard Scott was standing at the entrance to the Aurora as a security guard and an escort, a bright smile on his face as he watched children and adults of nobles all excited the same to board as he took and checked tickets and boarding passes for the groups of people, reading each and every name on the little stamped piece of paper. "Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Frey, please, enjoy the trip." "Mr. Delacourt, your corporation has been doing wonders for you, enjoy your trip, welcome to the Aurora."  "Adam Marx, nice to meet you sir, welcome to the Aurora." As the next family of aristocrats were passing through, Leonard caught his eye on a nice young woman next in line. He couldn't help but quite put a finger on how familiar she seemed, but eh, could be a sense of deja vu. With a simple smile on his face, he held out his hand, "Boarding pass please miss?"

 

[No More Pretending]

She handed him the pass with one slightly shaking hand. "Here you are," she said quietly, auburn eyes flickering over his face briefly. She moved her cane a bit as she fidgeted. She had just gotten a new prosthetic and it was a little stiff still. "How long will this trip take? I keep forgetting because I'm so nervous..."

 

[Riven]

"A trip to Haven would be about 6 hours ma'am", he replied as he took her boarding pass. Leonard looked down at the little piece of paper and read the name, instantly reminding him who she was. "Regina Black, it's nice to see you, how is your leg miss?", he said with a grin on his face. He gave her her boarding pass back as he stood to the side and allowed her through the security checkpoint, "I heard about what had happened on the older airship you were on, a shame. I hope this one doesn't ruin your feelings about flight either." He reached up and gave his cap's beak a tilt in her direction before turning back to the next oncoming groups of people, "The rafter above the stairs has the best view of the area around, Enjoy your trip on the Aurora."

 

[No More Pretending]

She gave a slow nod as he said her name. Her eyes were... tired. Truly, there was a certain sadness deep within them, but the corners of them wrinkled a bit as she gave him a smile. "My leg is..." she paused, giving the brass contraption a tap with her cane. "A work in progress. It shouldn't be too much of an issue, I hope." She let him speak again, then gave a slight curtsy in response to him tipping his cap. "I trust there is someone I can ask to assist me on my way up to the rafter..? I still have issues with stairs whenever I get a new prosthetic."

 

[Riven]

"I can take you there, we're about to lift off anyways, might as well take my place onboard", he said with a chuckle as he took the last few couple of people's boarding passes and then closed off the security checkpoint. He nodded in reply to her speaking of her leg being a work in progress, offering a shrug as he closed off the gate and turned back towards her, "Anything and everything is a work in progress my lady, it just needs time." Leonard then pulled out his small pocket watch, giving a satisfied "tsk tsk" before putting it back in his pocket. "Well Ms. Black, ready to move?", he asked with a soft smile as he stepped over to the stairs he spoke of with a bow, a hand behind his back as the other was out in front, offering itself to Regina in case she needed help.

 

[No More Pretending]

She smiled softly. "Thank you very much," she said, taking his hand as she walked with him."you can call me Regina, please. I prefer my first name being used."

 

[Riven]

"Sure thing Ms- Er I mean, Regina", he replied with a chuckle, obviously not used to the normal way of aristocrats speak to each other with first names. As she gave her hand to his, he took it and slowly walked her up the stairs, giving time for her to react. After a few minutes going step by step, they reached the rafter, a platform filled with rails and people, standing as they watched the Aurora began to lift off. Leonard walked her over to a specific rail on the side, giving a fantastic view of Arcadia. "It's quite beautiful isn't it?", he said as he looked over to her with a bright smile. "Attention crew! All hands on deck, prepare for lift off." 

"Whoops, got to go!", he said as he let go of her hand before walking away and fixing his cap, "Might want to hang on to the rails, Aurora is a little shaky." Leonard gave her a bit of a wave as he walked off, "I'll see you around, the name's Leonard, enjoy the flight!"

 

[No More Pretending]

She looked over the railing, all too aware of the warmth of his hand through her gloves. It was nice... She didn't want the warmth to leave. "It is very lovely." She watched him as he left, feeling lonely once again.

 

[Riven]

"Repeat! All hands brace! The Aurora is lifting off!", said the voice of the captain through the intercoms. Leonard held onto the beak of his cap as he reached onto a rail, holding it tightly in a fist as he felt the airship shudder and lift, the loud propellers winding up as they flew. After a couple of minutes, he let go of the rail, the intercom letting out another transmission, "Thank you for complying with safety standards riders, as of now and the 6 hour trip to Haven; the Aurora will be a safe trip, please, enjoy the ride." 


Leonard let out a soft chuckle as he listened and went to the side docks, standing over the rail as he made sure no one was around him. He pulled out a small walkie talkie, whispering into it, "Aurora is now on course, engage on my signal once the airship is 30 minutes away from Haven, until then, stay enroute, and await further instructions." And with that, he put away the walkie talkie back in his pocket, walking off back to the rafters to where Regina most likely was.

 

[No More Pretending]

Regina was leaning against the rail, tawny hair blowing in the breeze as her auburn eyes analyzed the clouds for anything to distract herself from the shaking of the Aurora. She was starting to feel the panic bubble up in her stomach whenever she felt shaking. Her eyes slipped closed as she listened to the constant hum.

 

[Riven]

"What's with you looking so glum", said Leonard as he walked over to Regina, a grin on his face and his arms crossed across his chest as he leaned on his back on the rail. The Aurora was now flying off, the air dock slowly getting farther and farther away as the airship made way for its destination. Arcadia was now getting farther and farther away as the floating city was shown, up close a city of buildings and cities, but when farther away, reveals propellers and engines underneath the majestic creation. Leonard kept his eyes to the side as he watched them get farther and farther away from Arcadia, "A miracle of science it really is."

 

[No More Pretending]

She jumped when she heard him. "I'm... apprehensive. I just don't feel good about this trip at all." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Turbulence gives me a heart attack... It's impressive, but..." she trailed off. The very sound of the engines made her panic.

 

[Riven]

When he heard about her bad feeling about the trip, that raises a bit of a red flag. "Really? Why's that?", he wondered and said aloud to her, hoping she wasn't aware of what was merely to come. He watched her cross her arms as she looked away, clearly something bothering her. "I meant it when I asked if you were okay", Leonard said softly as he returned his gaze to the rail, "I saw what happened on the news, The Luxembourg was a disaster.."

 

[No More Pretending]

"It scared me stiff, sir. Truly..." she said. "I hear the noise of the engines and I just.... I see everything all over again. Everyone portrays it as a huge attack, but it would have happened that day regardless. That's what I'm most scared of, I guess. Everything being just right, and then blowing up in my face without warning."

 

[Riven]

He nodded understanding, letting out a bit of a relaxed sigh she wasn't talking about what he was thinking. Leonard gave her his best smile, trying to cheer her up as he stood beside her, "Come on now, I promise, the Aurora is a safe ship. I inspected it myself ya'know!" He had a thought in the back of his mind, Ms. Black had been in a worse situation. She's been through hell and back already, he had to keep a mental note in his mind to make sure she's in a safe spot when the coup begins.

 

[No More Pretending]

She sighed softly. "I'm such a ridiculous woman... Thank you so much for listening, sir." Her auburn eyes moved to focus directly on his; piercing and mesmerizing. "I shouldn't be so nervous... but I feel like something awful is about to happen."

 

[Riven]

"Oh it's nothing ma'am!", he replied with his smile, his eyes widening a bit as he realized what he said, *whoops.* "I mean, Regina", he said as he scratched the back of his head, "Call me Leonard, it's a first name basis now anyways." As he listened, she mentioned something about having a bad feeling, and that's a bit too much of a coincidence, his fingers twiddled a bit as he thought up a few solutions, sure he could just knock her out and put her somewhere, but that would go against the plans, he'll come up with something, but in the meantime. "Bad feeling? Nonsense! We'll be alright, on me!", he exclaimed as he returned her gaze with his own, "To pass the time a bit, how bout some questions, like what're you on the way to Haven for?"

 

[No More Pretending]

She glanced out into the azure expanse of the sky, visibly cringing when he asked the reason for the trip. "My father is sending me to meet the man I'm betrothed to." 

 

[Riven]

"Oh really? Lucky man", he replied with a bit of a laugh, "Not in love with him I'm guessing?" Leonard shared in looking out the side, the blue and clear sky, and then, the clouds, simple white clouds with no sign of a bottom. "Your last name sounds familiar Regina", he says aloud accidentally through his thoughts. He crossed his arms as he laid himself over the rail, watching lazily.

 

[No More Pretending]

She sighed. "The man is 15 years my senior and I don't have any say in whether or not he is the one I've got to lay with the rest of my life." She glanced back over at him as he spoke about her name being familiar. "I'm not surprised. My family is in a lot of different industries. My father's biggest business is ship-building. Our company made the engines on this ship." She gestured at herself with her thumb. "I'm an artist, as well," she sounded proud.

 

[Riven]

"Yeah that doesn't sound about right", he replied with a perked eyebrow, "15 years? Yeesh." His eye perked another eyebrow as she mentioned about her family branches in different industries, with the part being her father's business is in ship building, "No kidding, your father made these engines." He kept his lips firm as he held his tongue from the second part he was going to say, perhaps a bit too early and harsh if it comes out as of now. Leonard grew a smirk as he felt from her lips the sound of pride, looking at her with a chuckle, "Oh are ya? Humor me." He pulled out his pocket watch and took a look. "2 hours, huh, going by faster than I thought, perfect", he thought to himself as he placed the bronze watch back in his pocket and returned himself to reality to listen to her.

 

[No More Pretending]

Regina smiled a bit. "My pieces are stored somewhere in the vessel. Want to come find them with me?" She held out her hand.

 

[Riven]

"Sure!" He exclaimed with a grin as he took his hand into hers, nice lady, it's a shame what has happened happened to her. Perhaps this can be held until the event, I'll get her away from the openings and possible threats. Leonard chuckled as he let her lead him to where they were, "Let's go on a little scavenger hunt for the Art Pieces."

 

[No More Pretending]

She laughed, walking with him. "Yes!" She chirped. Leonard had really distracted her from her anxieties. She was thankful for the respite from her life's issues. While they walked, she examined him, trying to decide on what they could talk about and wishing desperately that she knew of an interesting topic to converse on so the silence would be broken. The silence in which she could hear the humming of the vessel and remember that she wasn't just walking on a street in Arcadia. God, she was going to miss that city... "Are there any scenic places in Haven?"