[action]

[faterecanted]

[It's been a few days since Van arrived, under less than ideal circumstances. During that time, he felt it was probably wisest to remain incommunicado. The easiest way to assure the others from Auldrant that he was doing nothing threatening was to appear to be doing nothing threatening; and he wasn't... strictly speaking. For the most part, all he'd done was study Ms. Sage's guide -- no, memorized it. He'll have to thank her, if they ever meet. She provided him with so much valuable information; including a list of exploitable thugs.

Someone should really do something about that.

But as enlightening as Ms. Sage's writings are, man cannot live on words alone. The supplies he gathered after leaving Asch and Luke's building (...and later returning to it) were starting to run out. He wasn't particularly thrilled with the clothes he'd grabbed, either. He'd rather not wear his Oracle uniform all the time, and the rest were a bit... lacking. He'd like to think he was a striking, well-dressed man; and appearances were so important to a favorable first impression. He'd get to that later in the day. And then the library, perhaps. It was always an advantage to have more information. His first stop, though, was something he could no longer put off: the medical facilities in the battle dome. He'd have to hope he could find what he needed there.

Despite his long list of errands (and the vague concern that he'll run into people he knows and would rather not deal with yet), he'll be perfectly willing to exchange a few words with anyone else out and about. In fact, he'll make sure to at least make eye contact and give a polite nod to every person he sees. The charisma is turned up to 11 today.]

Dist: Something to discuss with you. CH#7. Tonight.

(TL;DR: Meet him in the library, the clothing shops, the battle dome, on the street... And fill this out if you would, plz)

Comments

[oda-hates-me.livejournal.com]

[Sanji has little need for the battle dome or the clothing shop, but he will pass Van on his way to work, in the streets. In most cases the chef wouldn't spare any man a glance, their luck for not being the sex Sanji fawns over. Today, however, his eyes do stray - just a flick, but if Van is paying attention, it'll be clear from the assessing look-over that this sharply dressed man knows of Van's newness despite his attire being something besides the New Feather garment.]

[faterecanted]

[Van is always paying attention. He gives Sanji a polite nod, not ruffled in the least by the attention.]

Excuse me? [It's far from rebuking in tone. It's as genial as if he's apologizing for bumping into him, in fact; although there is that certain inflection that marks a person who is important, and knows it well.]

[oda-hates-me.livejournal.com]

[Sanji responds frankly and with only minimal interest, though at least he's polite in his delivery and nods back. There's no reason to be an ass.]

You're new, I take it?

[fallenambitions]

[Van won't be alone in the clinic today. Alexei was here, but not particular to be tended to. He was tending to his own personal things today when Van arrives.

He takes a moment to look him over. New feather no doubt, but he looked like he seem to know what he was doing. He didn't look seriously injured either soo...]

Are you looking for something?

[faterecanted]

Yes. [After some thought, he'd already decided it would be to his advantage to not hide his condition. Some people were so unwilling to think poorly of an ill man...] Do you work here?

[falenandawn]

[The battledome? Freyjadour was there, too, having just left the simulation room, staff still in hand. He's considering if he should go another hour or not when he spots Van.

Huh, he hasn't seen him around before.] Hello.

[faterecanted]

[Van gives him a brief glance-over, sizing him up. Staff; possibly a caster? Those are decent support in a fight. It would be a mutually beneficial acquaintanceship.

And so he smiles.] These are training rooms, yes?

[ever-deceptive.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Yeager happens to be browsing in one of the clothing shops, going through suits and shirts. He's not all that fond of buying things off the rack--all of his outfits back home were custom-tailored--but he really needs some other stuff to change into and having it all made would take some time. When Van sees him and evidently nods to him, Yeager offers him a smile in return.

Hmm, interesting. Yeager's met a lot of friendly people in Luceti already, but this man has a certain air of authority about him as well. He decides to venture a greeting.]</sub>

Good afternoon, sir.

hey. they're crazy neighbors.

[faterecanted]

[Friendly is hardly an accurate assessment of Van Grants, but he is certainly doing his best to look it. He sizes Yeager up: polite, looking at suits, with that certain something Van associates with the ruthless and wealthy. Those are the kind that respect power. He can certainly provide.]

And to you. [And the shirt in his hand is returned with all the disdain a person used to expecting better can summon. Or at least expecting a proper fit.] It's ironic. The one time I don't need to be in uniform, there's nothing else.

placeholder, sorry ;;

[fourteen]

[ Xion is curled up at a table not far from the library entrance when Van enters. There are quite a lot of books scattered on the table's surface; if Van comes close enough to look, he'll see they're mostly medical texts, ranging from the scientific to the holistic to the magic.

Reflexively, she looks up at the sound of someone entering ... then stares for a moment, curious and unable to help herself. ]

placeholder for as long as you need

[faterecanted]

[...Is that girl staring at him?

No, that really shouldn't surprise Van. Even without being known as a leader in the Order, he's still a man with natural presence. Natural presence that he intentionally adds to with his hair, his grooming, his clothing choices... He spent a lot of time and effort making Van Grants a man that people paid attention to.

So that was still working. Good.

Among the books he's looking for in this pokey little excuse for a library are anything with information on miasma toxicosis. Which means he'll end up at her table sooner or later, as she's clearly pulled most of the medical texts off the shelves.

He glances at a chair across from her, and then back at her face.] May I?

Because I'm horrible, and Giles is kind of a pseudo-uncle to Luke.

[consultmybooks]

[Despite swearing he place off cold turkey after the recent malfunction, the Battle Dome is a large enough fixture in Luceti that Giles...well, it's not something he can easily ignore. And the list of changes that Molly provided certainly got his attention, much as he wishes they didn't.

And so it's as he's wandering by that Giles sees Van just exiting the Battle Dome. He frowns curiously, despite himself. Here was someone he didn't recognize, and that had been happening a lot, what with getting kidnapped right at the start of the cycle.

Oweing to his civic responsibility towards all New Feathers, Giles offers a hesitant greeting.]

...everything all right?

Nowhere near as horrible as me for apping him

[faterecanted]

The obvious aside?

[Van injects a gently disgruntled not into the statement, although in truth he really isn't. He considers this a valuable learning experience in the psychology of free will, and the having thereof. But one would be expected to be unhappy, having been ripped away from their home, and so unhappy is what he will be.]

[Action?]

[its-rose-damnit.livejournal.com]

[The message makes Dist's blood run cold, then boil red hot. Those idiots! If they hadn't given him away right from the beginning, he wouldn't have had to deal with the Commandant for at least some time. He could have planned something! Rrgh...now he wanted to speak in private. Perfect. Just...perfect.

Dist contemplates just ignoring the message and blowing Van off, but then again...he really should just get this over with. He no longer had any obligation to let Van order him around, after all. There was nothing to gain from cooperating with the Commandant here. Might as well see what he wants though, before he decides to refuse or not.

So the night finds Dist meandering up to the building. He doesn't know if he's late or early - no set time was specified - so he just leans against the wall of Building 7 and waits, discomfort and irritation visible in his posture and expression. He does not want to be here tonight. This just topped the cake of a glorious month.]

[Action]

[faterecanted]

[And the candle on top of the shit cake that is Dist's life is Van, appearing out of the shadows in Dists' peripheral vision, in all of his ruthless, omnicidal glory.]

Dist. [Aren't you just thrilled to see him?]

[mythmaker]

That's odd...

[Azusa had been looking for the clothing store. Naturally, for her, that means she's somehow found her way to the battle dome. Pouring through her journal, she looks up as Van enters. Polite eye contact is made, which means it's now the perfect opportunity for Azusa to ask him a question.]

Excuse me, are you busy?

[faterecanted]

[Yes. Yes he is; but he's not going to catch flies by snapping at them.

After a split second of deliberation, he flashes her his charming, confident "Master Van" grin.]

Not exceptionally so. [If he said 'not at all,' taking time to answer her wouldn't seem as gracious. If he said 'very,' she might change her mind about whatever this is. Time seemed most valuable when people gave it from limited amounts.] Something you need?

[pigtailed-loli.livejournal.com]

[Guess who made the bad, awful, terrible decision to poke around the clothing shops today? Yep, that's right, Anise is here and staring at you in horror.]

[Ion hadn't been lying. Van is here. Van is here.]

[And she doesn't have Tokunaga.]

[Shit.]

[faterecanted]

[Van is indeed there, breaking all laws of known reality by going calmly through the stacks and racks of clothing.

He knows she's there. However, he has decided on a firm policy of Not Starting Anything (Yet). So he does nothing except, after taking a moment to savor the tension, look up from the shirt he is considering (which is, for the record, a lovely shade of blue to complement his eyes).]

It's impolite to stare, Sergeant.

[seleniahymn]

[Guess who is also in the library when you arrive there, Van? It seems that even in this life she thinks she leads, Tear still has the habit of gathering information in the same way her brother does, especially now that she is well enough to go about on her own. There are, however some fairly fresh scars on the visible skin close to her neck.]

[faterecanted]

[Life has a sick sense of humor.

He isn't ready for this. He's never going to be ready for his own sister to not know his face. Yet... The fact that she's there, that she might have been hurt, draws him over like a magnet. Oh, Mystearica. This isn't what he wanted for you.

He can't help it. He has to. He intentionally bumps her with his shoulder on the way past. Just a little. Just enough to jostle her.

He'll let her set the tone for what happens next.]

[inabook]

[If Van is in need of assistance when he reaches the library, there's someone generally helpful-looking sitting behind the information desk... though she does seem to be absorbed in a book at the moment. If he approaches, however, she'll look up.]

[faterecanted]

[Van will eventually admit defeat and come back to the information desk. He has no clue how this library is laid out yet.]

Are all your medical texts on the same shelf?

[risingwinds.livejournal.com]

[Well, when Van wanders into the library, he might spot a spiky haired blonde walking around with an armful of books... quite literally. He's making his way towards a table when he spots Van and nearly drops everything.

Not every day you see a new face who's adult and has such distinguishing characteristics.

He doesn't mean to stare, really. Kid's just curious.]

[faterecanted]

[And this isn't the first time today Van's been openly stared at. He's starting to think the youths of Luceti may have a bit of a group staring problem.

So Van does what any person would do, confronted with the he's-not-countingth gawking onlooker of the day. He stares right back.

Hello, can he help you?]