Tifa & Sparkles (Darkhunter)

[Sparkles]

Rayn "hmm"ed as he flicked though the book with a disapproving expression. After what seemed like a long pause, he closed and replaced the book back to where he'd gotten it and turned toward Andraste. "I wanted to see where you worked." he said distractedly, glancing back at the shelf where he'd just put the book.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"O-oh," Andy replied nervously, offering him a smile despite herself. "Well, it's not much. There are much bigger shops elsewhere in town... I don't even know why we're open here at night."
She made a strange face that was a mix of annoyance and confusion, before she continued.
"There's a lot of really unique stuff in here though... I usually pick a shelf and read a book at random each night when i'm done tidying shelves."
She laughed softly at herself as she moved to a nearby shelf and began rearranging some of the books.

[Sparkles]

"Lots of unique incorrect stuff. This book, for instance-" he indicated 'ancient civilisations', "-has so many facts in it that are completely romanitsized. The author doesn't know the answer, so he makes it up. Then others read it and vouch for it, and history is changed." he let out a quiet huff of air as if that really got underneath his skin.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Andy didn't feel the need to get defensive for her bookshop, she knew after all the way a good story often took precedent over the real facts.
"Making accurate records of history is impossible... because we weren't there," she replied, not yet realising that he was claiming to be knowledgeable enough to declare the writer wrong. "Moreover, even if we were there, then we'd be recording our own version of what happened. Everyone sees differently, ask three people to record the same event, and not one person will recall it the same."
She'd just removed a book from the shelf and was scouting around for its proper position when it finally clicked.
"Are you some kind of historian then?" she asked.

[Sparkles]

Rayn let out a short unconfined laugh before he realigned himself "No. Nothing of the sort. Call me a vampire assassin who knows his history" he recalled what ash had told him 'tell her what she needs to know'...
He Sobered, "Who do you believe is more correct in their account of history... the victor, or the slain?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Andraste tried not to look too uncomfortable when he mentioned vampires. That THING she'd seen the night before was more than enough to convince her already open mind that such things were real, and lurking. His next question confused her though, was it idle chatter, or a test or some sort?
"Well... Both sides are biased. The victor records only their might triumphs and their benevolence in victory... While the loser writes only of the cruelty of their opponent and their innevitable return to dominance. If you want an accurate account you need to cross-reference both accounts, because biased or not, they both spawned from the same grain of truth."
She found herself nervously awaiting his reply, as if he were the tutor and she'd just stood before the entire class and presented what she thought was the correct answer.

[Sparkles]

Rayn surveyed Andraste with another quirk of his brow. 'Innevitable return to dominance?'... there was no return for him. He considered himself one of the damned. He didn't own his soul.. he was owned by a goddess who had no care for her creation but they slay for her. That didn't count as dominance, it was nothing but damnation.
"Not always. There are a lot of outside forces that mold history that are never witnessed, but have the largest impact upon the unrecorded outcome." he took hold of a book that was close by the other he had moved, and brought it in front of him. This one read 'The fall of the roman empire'. Rayn closed his eyes as unfathomable anguish swept through him. There would have been no fall if he hadn't been so weak...

[Tifa Lockhart]

Andraste was quick, her wit surprising for someone who'd not seen much of the world beyond her house and her workplace.
"You mean the Gods and Goddesses of the old religions, don't you?" she asked, her interest piqued now. "There are many, many stories of them meddling in the affairs of mortals. History just snubs those stories as fiction."

[Sparkles]

"The modern age snubs many truths as fiction" he said, opening his eyes up. His frown was barely there, "The ancient pantheons, anything non-human that goes boo in the night... such as our bloody friend last night." he has to give them credit for some things though... "Ignorance is bliss.. or so it's said" he placed that book back as well. "How are you so different?... did you learn this from your parents?" He referred to how open minded she seemed to be so far... so far..

[Tifa Lockhart]

Andraste flinched again when he mentioned what she'd seen the night before. She'd been trying so hard not to think about it... but that horrible face just wouldn't go away. When he inquired of her parents her expression became closely guarded.
"My father was a historian of some repute..." she offered, her tone tight and somewhat venomous. "My mother was a Priestess in a local wiccan coven."
She began tugging as her long sleeve, as if it were out of place - though it wasn't.
"Mother taught me the importance of accepting all things suggested as possible truths... while father taught me that everything I learned was possibly a lie. Finding a balance between the two was difficult..." her lips pursed and eyebrows lowered, she turned her head to cast the glare harmlessly against the bookshelf in front of her. "For a time."

[Sparkles]

Rayn studied her. Her emotions were mixed. There was love and devotion, yet there was also resentment and pain. She had not had the childhood he'd imagined for her. "Both are right... You should always consider each and every possibility, though until the end, there is no guarantee of truth." This triggered memories that he did not wish to dwell upon and emotions that he did not require her (or anyone) to see.
He ground his teeth before turning on his heel and abruptly leaving the shop; once again disappearing into the night.

The girl who was working with Andy came up behind her once Rayn had left. "I have three words - hot, quick tempered and perceptive...He doesn't really seem like the normal cliente"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Andy was surprised when he left so suddenly, and as she watched him go she couldn't help but feel sad that their conversation was over. She turned to her co-worker and rolled her eyes at her.
"I'll give you that he's rather nice to look at..." she admitted under her breath. "I wouldn't really call that a temper though... no yelling or screaming, no throwing things or hitting people."

[Sparkles]

At 1pm, Rayn waited outside the shop for Andraste so that he could walk her home. He leaned against the window with his back to the cash register.

"I wouldn't miss that height, tan or hair" Laura whispered under her breath to Andy, not knowing that Rayn could hear every syllable she spoke with perfect clarity. "Why's he back? Do you know him or something?" she spoke doubtfully as she glanced to where Andy was, giving her a quick once-over. The guy was hot and all, but he was freaking her out just a bit. Just his demeanor..

[Tifa Lockhart]

"He's... a distant relative actually," Andy replied, only missing the briefest of beats as she concocted her explanation. "He's staying with me for a few weeks."
She paused again as she scrambled for an explanation as to why he was dropping into her bookshop at 1am.
"He's brought up real proper, you know? Likes to be the gentleman and walk me home."
She hoped her nerves didn't show and call out her lie... so she focused as much attention as she could on filing the nights receipts.

[Sparkles]

Once he'd left the bookstore earlier, Rayn had had a run-in with two daimons out for a easy meal on some homeless down an alley not a great distance from the book store. The moment Rayn had appeared, one had retreated through a bolt-hole, though the other wasn't as easy persuaded to give up his food. Rayn hadn't had trouble dealing with the parasite, but he'd then had the issue of convincing the old homeless woman that nothing had happened. It proved harder to convince those who already knew what was out there that they were ignorant. Especially when the one they loved was laying dead and bleeding next to them. It was always much easier to wipe the minds of those who were all too happy to forget.
Daimons generally got on his nerves, but those that preyed on the helpless (even more helpless than the average human).. they got on his last nerve. Humans were weak, and to prey on them was cowardice and cruelty; neither of which Rayn could stand.

Once they were finished up, the girl walked out the store and, despite her earlier admission to Andy that Rayn freaked her out a little, siddled up beside him "Hey sexy. You wanna walk me home?"
Rayn's eyes narrowed and he glanced at the woman beside him. He wasn't feeling incredibly generous.
"C'mon, Andy'll be fine walking home by herself. She does it every other night. How about you come home with me?"