What goes bump in the night

"Scared? Try terrified," Samuel said, but he couldn't help but smile a bit as he regained his composure and stood up. At least he wasn't about to be devoured. "I definitely didn't expect to meet you out here like this." He hadn't quite noticed in his terror, but his black right glove had fallen off.


Adrian grinned a little as he noticed Haiku enter the water out of the corner of his eye. He admired a fellow training devotee. He would barely be able to live with himself if he'd taken the day off. He sped up his routine slightly, putting more force and enthusiasm behind his kicks, punches, sweeps, and various other moves.
 
Neimi laughed again. "I don't like sleeping indoors. It...irks me." She noticed that the glove had fallen off and picked it up. "You dropped this." She smiled triumphantly as she held it out to him.


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Haiku admired Adrian's training out of the corner of her eye for a moment before beginning to swim into the depths. She would dive down, forcing herself to keep her eyes open in order to scan the sea floor. If there was one major difference from the day before, she would find it and figure out why it was different. She surfaced, sneaking another look his direction before diving back down. It was respect for another's ability, nothing more.
 
As he floats down through the sky, eating a continental english breakfast, he peers over the edge of the ballon's platform, and spots haiku diving. "Good form", he thinks, as he takes another bite.
 
Samuel's expression changed in an instant from friendly and pleasant to scared and shocked. He snatched the glove away and retreated several steps as he hastily donned it. He breathed a sigh of relief, but then blinked once as he realized what he'd just done. "Ah...thank you...sorry about that." He was blushing again. "I can't believe I was so careless..." he muttered, again forgetting that people could hear him.


Adrian sighed and shook his head slowly as he saw Haiku break the water's surface and sneak a glance his way for the second time. He sat on the beach for a short breather as he waited until she surfaced a third time. When she glanced again, he gave another jovial wink. "Caught ya again, Haiku. I said before, there's no need to be so sneaky. If you have something to ask or say, I'm all ears!" He laughed cheerily.
 
Neimi looked at him, confusion and worry in her eyes. "Careless about what? You just lost your glove?" She looked at his hands, then back up to his eyes. Neimi cocked her head to the side, the confusion continuing to spread across her face.


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Haiku blushed slightly and came up to float on her back on the surface of the water. "No questions. Just checking out my opponent's moves before I fight him."
 
Samuel shifted his gaze around them. "Well...yes. My gloves are much, much more than a measly fashion statement, I assure you." He deliberated for a few seconds before finally letting out a slow sigh. "Alright. You deserve an explanation...you would have found out eventually anyway, seeing as we'll be working together apparently."


He sat at the base of a tree, and waited for her to sit opposite him. "The biggest reason for my being here is because of my...powers. My left hand can heal and mend wounds, essentially turning back the clock on almost any phyisical injury or harm. For example..." He took off his white left glove and gently placed it on her shoulder. She'd gotten a cut from a thorned plant that she hadn't taken notice of. the wound seemed to rewind, the scab receding back into her blood stream and the skin closing. This all happened in about three seconds. "There you go. The problem is any and all trauma I absorb is stored in my body as pain. A cut like that is nothing, but the more trauma I absorb, the more pain I'm in constantly until I...well, I'll show you."


He replaced his left glove and removed his right one, placing the newly uncovered hand on a nearby sapling. It slowly started to decay, eventually falling, brown and rotten, to the ground after almost a minute. He replaced his glove, sadness in his eyes. "The process is much faster if I concentrate on it or have a lot of trauma stored. The biggest problem with my power is that I cannot turn it off. These gloves are lined with lead, which is the only substance I know of that stops my powers completely. Even then, lead needs to be within a few inches of my hands."


He smiled sadly at her. "Sorry to bore you with the details of my curse, but at least now you know why I'm a bit...skittish. I don't know what I'd do with myself if someone else-" He stopped suddenly. "...Sorry...it's personal, and I'd rather not talk about it. Not right now." He stood slowly. "Anyway, that's the gist of it."


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Adrian laughed again. "I have no issue with that, but you have me at a minor disadvantage. I can't exactly observe you under the ocean blue, and as much as I'd love to join you, I think my injury rules that out a bit."
 
Neimi's eyes widened as she listened and gently placed a hand on Samuel's shoulder. "I understand. Don't worry about it. If you're not ready to talk about it, then that's fine."


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"Art of war dictates that I should keep my moves a secret in order to have the upper hand." Haiku moved closer to the shore, still floating. "Don't know if I should tell or show you."
 
Samuel finally looked her in the eye, pleasantly surprised. "Thanks for understanding...and listening...usually when people found out what I could do they decided I was a monster and decided I should die...hehehe!" He definitely was an odd one, laughing about something like that so casually. Of course, he'd just gotten used to it.


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"Fair point, but remember, you have one extra hand with which to have the upper hand in the first place! Hahaha!" He didn't even conciously realize it but he was now doing muay thai excersises.
 
"You think you're a monster?" Neimi raised an eyebrow. "I turn into a half-cat half-human monstrosity that rampages when the moon is full. I'm the monster here, not you."


-------------------


Haiku grunted and ended floating and stood up in the water, the water only coming up to her knees. "If my instincts are right about you, you're just as dangerous with one hand than with two." She crossed her arms and watched him. "I'm going to need to know every weakness in order to take advantage and beat such an opponent as you."
 
Samuel chuckled. "Ironically, you're the first person to treat me with any semblance of respect and humanity in quite a while. I'd rather get mauled by you than the people who would hunt me for hours." He was, of course, totally oblivious to any innuendo that he may have unintentionally used.


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"I like dogs more than cats, I'm not fond of sour food, my favorite color is red, and among all of the martial arts I practice, my weakest area are the throws and grapples of judo," He said as he transitioned from muay thai to taekwondo flawlessly in a combo. "I can't think of much else you can use against me besides the whole 'lacking left arm' thing."
 
Neimi froze and blushed. "....I'm not going to maul you." She looked away, attempting to regain her composure. "Though I guess I...appreciate the sentiment."


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"Hmmmmmm....." Haiku walked out of the water and stood five feet from him, observing the combo with interest. "You switch in between the arts flawlessly. Though, I'm more worried about your sword prowess than anything."
 
*SPLASH* "Well, i guess breakfast has come to an end" Lucky says, as he jumps out of the now sinking ballon and basket.
 
Samuel smiled, somewhat happy and actually relaxed for the first time in...a while. "Good to hear." He tilted his head, a bit humored and curious. "Why are you blushing? Did I say something wrong? If so, I apologize."


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"I guess in that respect we should be even knowledge-wise. I've yet to see you use your blades, but you've yet to see me use mine. However, I was wondering something...would you care to make a wager?" He grinned mischievously.
 
Swimming towards the coast, he sees to figures standing on the beach. as he approaches, he ponders, "I wonder who those people could be? I guess i'll find out" dragging himself onto shore, he stands up, and approaches the figures, as a large wave comes in, and knocks him foward into the two figures
 
"....you're oblivious it seems." Neimi chuckled. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it." Neimi sat down in the sand and sighed, taking in the sun's rays. "This place feels so much better than the forests in Germany. I can just curl up on the beach and sleep because it's that warm."


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"A wager?" Haiku looked at him nervously. "What...kind of wager?" It was then that Lucky hit her in the back, knocking her into Adrian.
 
Samuel, now thoroughly confused, shrugged it off as he yawned. "Indeed, a nap sounds nice. It looks like it's almost noon." He laid down in the sand in the shade of the tree, pillowing the back of his head in his hands. "Just, please, don't wake me up with a yowl. I'm not sure my heart could take another of those." He shuddered slightly, as he relaxed for a catnap (heh).


-------------------


Adrian caught Haiku gently. "Well, you're a new face," he said to the man who'd bumped into Haiku. "Who might you be? Are you a recruit like us?"
 
"Oh dear, I am quite sorry for any inconvenience my good sirs, i was mearly walking along the beach, after just dragging myself out of it, when a massive wave struck," he says, righting himself on the beach
 
Neimi smiled and flicked Samuel's nose with her tail. "Then I'll wake you up like that. Better?"


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".......sirs.........." Haiku stood up to her full height and stood off against the man. "Do I look like a "sir" to you?" She was still reeling from the fact that she had been pushed into Adrian. Physical closeness to any person was not exactly her strong suit. But right now, she was going to focus on the nimcompoop that had just called her sir.
 
Samuel's eyes were closed as he smiled gently. "Better." Soon, he drifted off to sleep...


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Adrian chuckled, and patted her shoulder cheerily. "Calm down, Haiku. He probably just didn't see us clearly." He looked quizzically at the young man. "Well? Who exactly ARE you, sir?"
 
"His name is Lucky."


The voice rang out from behind Haiku and Adrian. A quick glance revealed Shepard, wearing the same trenchcoat and hat as yesterday despite the sun.


"He is a member of this team now, much as the both of you. Due to unusual circumstances he was not brought in with the other recruits."


Shepard turned his hard eyes directly at Haiku now


"Gather up everyone on the beach here and pack up for a day's trip. We're getting on a plane to Versailles, France within the hour."


Shepard's coat billowed slightly as he turned around and started to head back toward headquarters. Within a few minutes he was inside and standing in a dark room. He banged his cane on the ground once.


"Geist."
 
Vojta closed his field notebook, slid down off of the roof he was sitting on, and sighed. 'Hardly even a moments rest since we get here, and already we're off.' He thought to himself. 'Almost like our missions back in Russia all over again.' He cracked a weak, nostalgia filled smile. 'I'm glad that no one decided to bother me after last night. Even after trying to get my fear under control, I was still terrified the whole time.' He sighed again. 'It's no wonder I didn't sleep at all. Though a morning of writing has certainly helped calm me down,' he thought, looking down at the multiple pages full of notes, mostly observations about the other recruits here. "Heh, if we are going to France, I think I'll bring my umbrella, just in case of inclement weather." He chuckled as he walked back towards his room.
 
Adrian's eyebrows rose. "Versailles, huh? I haven't been there since...well, I've never been to France." He laughed. "This should be interesting! It seems we'll have to discuss this later, Haiku. I'll get Vojta. I'm sure he's in our room maintaining his guns or something. Oh, and a pleasure to meet you, Lucky. I'm Adrian. I'm sure we'll have more time to get aquainted later." He waved goodbye for now and jogged to the complex, headed to the second floor. He met Vojta as they both approached their room. "Vojta, we've got a job to do," he said.
 
"So I heard." Vojta said, stepping through the doorway. "Versailles, France. Shepard made no attempt to quiet himself, and from the roof I was watching everyone on, it was easier to hear him than to not, " he said while chuckling to himself. "I haven't been to the western Euro area, but from what I hear, we may be in for some bad weather," he stated, picking up his umbrella in the process. "And you said that this thing is silly to carry with me everywhere." He smiled smugly.
 
"Right." Haiku's demeanor switched to one of no nonsense and all business. "The rest of you, Neimanassa, Samuel, and Lucky, go get your gear. Pack light. And Lucky, stay away from the gun cases when I load them into the plane." She marched off, going to grab what little she needed and stow everything aboard the plane.


---------------


Neimi flicked Samuel's nose with her tail. "Wake up. Shepard was just here saying that we're going on a mission to Versailles, France. We're supposed to pack light and be ready to go soon."
 
"Well, I used to, but now that I know you've got vampire blood, it suddenly makes a whole lot more sense." He blinked as he realized something, and smiled widely. "Hey, I wonder if my new bandolier will be on the plane? It's been modified to make it easier on me to wield and reload my revolver one-handed. I can't wait to test it out - and my new and improved Kinjal!" He packed his things and eagerly sat off toward the hangar bay (after Vojta got his things as well).


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Samuel opened his left eye to peek out. "France, huh? I wonder what our mission is...he'll probably tell us on the plane." He stood up, stretched, and set off toward his room. "See you in the hangar," he said to Neimi as he left. He reached his room, packed what little he needed, and went to the hangar.
 
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