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dgray_man2009-05-21 08:34 pm
iris-irin3.livejournal.com) wrote in dgray_man2009-05-21 08:34 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: A Peek into Cross Marian's Mind 9
Title: A Peek into Cross Marian's Mind
Characters: Cross Marian, Allen Walker
Alternate Link: on FF.net
Summary: The boy was such a stickler for etiquette that he knew Allen wouldn't retort back. He watched in intensifying glee as Allen was left fuming with no other outlet.
Please read and review :)
Previous chapters: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
9. Intentional/Deliberate
Constant traveling was like inhaling tobacco for Cross Marian, so usual that he did not realize the impact it has to his useless idiot apprentice. Being raised in a circus, Allen Walker was used to traveling around all year long. But Cross' term of "traveling life" has a slightly different meaning to it.
For Cross, it meant staying from one place to another, running away from town to town to evade the savage debtors who were out for his blood (and money). His temporary domains usually included the word "inn". Allen would bowed his head, obscured his vision of his master and whoever the owner of the place they were going to stay at.
Naturally they got a lot of attention from people where ever they went. General Cross Marian wore the exorcist coat uniform and the half mask with a red cross painted on its eye, and the natural color of his blazing rust colored hair. Then the little child trailing behind him, carrying most of the luggage, has a disturbing scar and the most unnatural color for a child's hair—snowy white hair. Allen had grown used to the attention they got all the time, and had stopped shielding his face from view.
For the half a year Cross had acclaimed Allen Walker as his apprentice, Cross had always stayed in an inn. Now that he noticed his useless idiot apprentice was unperturbed by his appearance or people's stares, he decided that he no longer needed to hold back on his lifestyle. He would march to his patrons and lovers' houses.
Which was why they were now heading toward the better part of the city where large houses stood proudly erect, reeking of wealth. Cross watched in silent mirth the way Allen's expression changed from confusion to horror—thinking Cross was going to stay in an extremely expensive hotel and the debts that would follow. Close enough, but not correct. He was going to one of his rich lovers' house and stay for free (plus get some financial aid). But he wasn't going to break the news now, let the darn boy have his self inflicted mental torture.
How long had he waited for this time? He wanted to reach there quickly. It had been too long since he was able to fully relax and had everything taken care for. His lover in this city was an influential rich woman; he would really enjoy this stay. No doubt about that—his last stay here had been more than satisfactory.
"Ma-master? Where are we going?" Allen asked, terrified of his future prospects. Cross smirked.
"To an old friend's place." That was not the truth, but not a complete lie either. He strode forward ahead and stopped in front of the ornate gate of a large white-walled mansion. His useless idiot apprentice stared at his back in apprehension. Ignoring his apprentice Cross rang the bell and said something to the person who answered. The gates were thrown open almost immediately as a fine dressed woman who appeared from the gate in a calm gait.
"Cross Marian!" she greeted and gave the man a warm embrace. "It's been too long indeed since I last saw you." She retreated her hands and folded them demurely in front of her—a display of elegance Allen was unfamiliar with.
"I seconded that." Cross replied politely with a reserved smile on his lips, the picture of the perfect gentleman. The woman gave a pleasant laugh and allowed Cross to come in. Allen had been behind Cross so when he moved to come in, the woman finally saw the boy. She replaced her surprise with a pleasant look almost immediately, practiced in the expertise of composure.
"Oh, who is that boy, if I may ask?"
Tch, he would rather just get inside and engage in more pleasant things than answering. Cross didn't even spare the boy a glance before giving a clipped answer of "He's my apprentice." and disappeared into the large mansion. The woman smiled politely at Allen before allowing him to come in too. Despite the woman's niceties, Allen knew that he wouldn't be enjoying his stay here—Cross would make sure of that. Repressing the urge to sigh Allen thanked the woman for her gesture and followed on his master's trek.
The next day Allen was sent out to the city to look for work as usual. Cross still has lots of debts and he didn't hesitate to remind his apprentice about it. Allen didn't thought twice about the people whispering when he made his way, he assumed that they were all talking about his unusual appearance. Until a scantly dressed women beckoned him to come close from in front of a conspicuous building with bright red letters painted on it.
Allen flushed when he realized who the women were and what the building stood for. He stood petrified on the middle of the street, confused—if he ignore the women it would be considered rude, but he was still an eleven year old boy for lord's sake, there was no way he would go to something like that place (thankfully Mana had given him appropriate knowledge about it, and he knew for fact that his master provided a bad example—he would rather die twice than be like that devil).
The women cooed louder for him to come. Deciding to follow his panicked state of mind, Allen fled. He ran and ran until he was out of breath and leant gasping against a lamp post. In a bout of shock spurred paranoia Allen whipped his head around and saw several women approaching him. Allen nearly fled again until he realized that they were not the same women from before—but of the same occupation. They all had the same eager expression on their face.
The remaining color (mainly red) on his face paled considerably.
What was wrong with this town? They couldn't possibly expect an eleven year old boy to be the source of income for those kinds of th-things... Could they? It's against the law!
But one thing Allen Walker had learned under General Cross Marian's apprenticeship was that rules were made to be broken.
Throwing his last resolve to stay well-mannered to the wind, Allen let out a terrified shriek and ran like his heels were on fire. "NOOOOOOOOO!!"
The worst part was that the same things happened again and again to him throughout the city—those women would come and he would run, with the addition of the scary burly men Allen had immediately classified as his master's creditors. The news of Cross Marian (client and debtor) returning along with a white haired boy had spread fast like bushfire. It was Allen alone versus the gossiping society.
He returned to the mansion late in the night, worn out, utterly exhausted and penniless. Allen was greeted by an expectant Cross in the front room. After he finished recounting the summed up story, Cross eyed him with clear disapproval and proceeded to preach and mocked him mercilessly. All of his apprentice's petty tries of explaining the situation were given the no-nonsense-shuddup-right-now-or-else, effectively shutting the boy up and forcing him to listen to the harangue.
When he finished his verbal assault on his useless idiot apprentice he took a deep breath. The boy was really a useless idiot apprentice, but he served to amuse him this time. Cross gave one last jeer after a dramatic pause in his harangue, "So, how do you feel to be chased around all day? Do you think they still miss me? Particularly the women..."
Allen's eyes snapped wide at Cross, aghast. "Y-you knew! But, how—?" The glint in his master's eyes clearly show that he was enjoying this immensely. Finally today's events fell in place together inside the young boy's mind.
"You sent me on purpose! Darn—"
Of course it was intentional, you dimwit. "Mind your manners, you're talking to your master." taunted Cross. The boy was such a stickler for etiquette that he knew Allen wouldn't retort back. He watched in intensifying glee as Allen was left fuming with no other outlet. Watching his enraged useless idiot apprentice, Cross' grin got wider if that was even possible.
Oh, the merry joy of having the controlling upper hand.
So, how was it? Critics and comments are welcomed.
Characters: Cross Marian, Allen Walker
Alternate Link: on FF.net
Summary: The boy was such a stickler for etiquette that he knew Allen wouldn't retort back. He watched in intensifying glee as Allen was left fuming with no other outlet.
Please read and review :)
Previous chapters: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
9. Intentional/Deliberate
Constant traveling was like inhaling tobacco for Cross Marian, so usual that he did not realize the impact it has to his useless idiot apprentice. Being raised in a circus, Allen Walker was used to traveling around all year long. But Cross' term of "traveling life" has a slightly different meaning to it.
For Cross, it meant staying from one place to another, running away from town to town to evade the savage debtors who were out for his blood (and money). His temporary domains usually included the word "inn". Allen would bowed his head, obscured his vision of his master and whoever the owner of the place they were going to stay at.
Naturally they got a lot of attention from people where ever they went. General Cross Marian wore the exorcist coat uniform and the half mask with a red cross painted on its eye, and the natural color of his blazing rust colored hair. Then the little child trailing behind him, carrying most of the luggage, has a disturbing scar and the most unnatural color for a child's hair—snowy white hair. Allen had grown used to the attention they got all the time, and had stopped shielding his face from view.
For the half a year Cross had acclaimed Allen Walker as his apprentice, Cross had always stayed in an inn. Now that he noticed his useless idiot apprentice was unperturbed by his appearance or people's stares, he decided that he no longer needed to hold back on his lifestyle. He would march to his patrons and lovers' houses.
Which was why they were now heading toward the better part of the city where large houses stood proudly erect, reeking of wealth. Cross watched in silent mirth the way Allen's expression changed from confusion to horror—thinking Cross was going to stay in an extremely expensive hotel and the debts that would follow. Close enough, but not correct. He was going to one of his rich lovers' house and stay for free (plus get some financial aid). But he wasn't going to break the news now, let the darn boy have his self inflicted mental torture.
How long had he waited for this time? He wanted to reach there quickly. It had been too long since he was able to fully relax and had everything taken care for. His lover in this city was an influential rich woman; he would really enjoy this stay. No doubt about that—his last stay here had been more than satisfactory.
"Ma-master? Where are we going?" Allen asked, terrified of his future prospects. Cross smirked.
"To an old friend's place." That was not the truth, but not a complete lie either. He strode forward ahead and stopped in front of the ornate gate of a large white-walled mansion. His useless idiot apprentice stared at his back in apprehension. Ignoring his apprentice Cross rang the bell and said something to the person who answered. The gates were thrown open almost immediately as a fine dressed woman who appeared from the gate in a calm gait.
"Cross Marian!" she greeted and gave the man a warm embrace. "It's been too long indeed since I last saw you." She retreated her hands and folded them demurely in front of her—a display of elegance Allen was unfamiliar with.
"I seconded that." Cross replied politely with a reserved smile on his lips, the picture of the perfect gentleman. The woman gave a pleasant laugh and allowed Cross to come in. Allen had been behind Cross so when he moved to come in, the woman finally saw the boy. She replaced her surprise with a pleasant look almost immediately, practiced in the expertise of composure.
"Oh, who is that boy, if I may ask?"
Tch, he would rather just get inside and engage in more pleasant things than answering. Cross didn't even spare the boy a glance before giving a clipped answer of "He's my apprentice." and disappeared into the large mansion. The woman smiled politely at Allen before allowing him to come in too. Despite the woman's niceties, Allen knew that he wouldn't be enjoying his stay here—Cross would make sure of that. Repressing the urge to sigh Allen thanked the woman for her gesture and followed on his master's trek.
The next day Allen was sent out to the city to look for work as usual. Cross still has lots of debts and he didn't hesitate to remind his apprentice about it. Allen didn't thought twice about the people whispering when he made his way, he assumed that they were all talking about his unusual appearance. Until a scantly dressed women beckoned him to come close from in front of a conspicuous building with bright red letters painted on it.
Allen flushed when he realized who the women were and what the building stood for. He stood petrified on the middle of the street, confused—if he ignore the women it would be considered rude, but he was still an eleven year old boy for lord's sake, there was no way he would go to something like that place (thankfully Mana had given him appropriate knowledge about it, and he knew for fact that his master provided a bad example—he would rather die twice than be like that devil).
The women cooed louder for him to come. Deciding to follow his panicked state of mind, Allen fled. He ran and ran until he was out of breath and leant gasping against a lamp post. In a bout of shock spurred paranoia Allen whipped his head around and saw several women approaching him. Allen nearly fled again until he realized that they were not the same women from before—but of the same occupation. They all had the same eager expression on their face.
The remaining color (mainly red) on his face paled considerably.
What was wrong with this town? They couldn't possibly expect an eleven year old boy to be the source of income for those kinds of th-things... Could they? It's against the law!
But one thing Allen Walker had learned under General Cross Marian's apprenticeship was that rules were made to be broken.
Throwing his last resolve to stay well-mannered to the wind, Allen let out a terrified shriek and ran like his heels were on fire. "NOOOOOOOOO!!"
The worst part was that the same things happened again and again to him throughout the city—those women would come and he would run, with the addition of the scary burly men Allen had immediately classified as his master's creditors. The news of Cross Marian (client and debtor) returning along with a white haired boy had spread fast like bushfire. It was Allen alone versus the gossiping society.
He returned to the mansion late in the night, worn out, utterly exhausted and penniless. Allen was greeted by an expectant Cross in the front room. After he finished recounting the summed up story, Cross eyed him with clear disapproval and proceeded to preach and mocked him mercilessly. All of his apprentice's petty tries of explaining the situation were given the no-nonsense-shuddup-right-now-or-else, effectively shutting the boy up and forcing him to listen to the harangue.
When he finished his verbal assault on his useless idiot apprentice he took a deep breath. The boy was really a useless idiot apprentice, but he served to amuse him this time. Cross gave one last jeer after a dramatic pause in his harangue, "So, how do you feel to be chased around all day? Do you think they still miss me? Particularly the women..."
Allen's eyes snapped wide at Cross, aghast. "Y-you knew! But, how—?" The glint in his master's eyes clearly show that he was enjoying this immensely. Finally today's events fell in place together inside the young boy's mind.
"You sent me on purpose! Darn—"
Of course it was intentional, you dimwit. "Mind your manners, you're talking to your master." taunted Cross. The boy was such a stickler for etiquette that he knew Allen wouldn't retort back. He watched in intensifying glee as Allen was left fuming with no other outlet. Watching his enraged useless idiot apprentice, Cross' grin got wider if that was even possible.
Oh, the merry joy of having the controlling upper hand.
So, how was it? Critics and comments are welcomed.
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no subject
And I can't imagine Cross being completely nice to Allen during their journey together. Allen's shocked expression when Cross hugged him seemed to justify that for me.