Chattering Monkeys

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Keanu was tempted to leave the temple once his mother left but wasn't entirely sure he should. But then, she only told him to stay because she worried about him. She worried entirely too much, in his humble opinion.

Walking across the marble bridge surrounded by water, he inhaled the sweet air and ran a finger through his brunette-like hair, his dark slender eyes gazing over the scenery lethargically. It was nice and spring-like out, and springs in Adajia were always rather pleasant, he found.

“Keanu, where are you going?”

He stopped and looked back at one of the temple keepers, dressed in a blue robe. She looked worried and was wringing her hands. He simply rolled his eyes, waving a hand at her.

“Tell ma I’ll be back later. I’m just going for a walk around and I should be back in an hour.”

“All right…” the woman relented easily.

Keanu had found himself in a lot of trouble a year and a half ago, guilty only by association. It had taken all his father’s, his mother’s, his grandfather’s, grandmother’s, aunt’s, and uncle’s higher standing in society to get him out of that hole. Now his mother watched over him like a hawk. Just because he knew someone…best not know anyone, he figured, now.

He thought he passed Mandy, or someone close to Mandy, and Gabrielle, and Troy, perhaps. But they didn’t question him so probably not. They were the watchdogs for his mother…

Deep in his thoughts, he didn’t realize that someone was right in front of him until he ran into them. With a grunt, he kept his balance and scowled a little. Looking up, he found a tall blond elf, long ears and all. He looked feminine…but then, most elves did.

“I’m sorry” apologized Keanu, about to keep on his way.

“…You….who’s your father?”

Keanu stopped and frowned, glaring lightly at the man questionably. Who was his father…? What kind of question was that from a stranger he ran into? Keanu shook his head, asking slowly.

“And who’s asking?”

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

"That depends, boy," a man called behind Keanu. He had a clear, powerful voice that echoed through the night air. It had a certain quality that made the man sound overly intellectual.

The man advanced on the boy, his black, sleek shoes clicked on the stone floor. The movements of his body were crisp and stiff. He stopped about a foot behind Keanu and crossed his arms.

"My colleagues and I," the elf gestured to the man in front of Keanu and several other figures loitering around the area, "are curious to know how much your life is worth."

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Keanu frowned lightly, straightening up. He knew enough to fight off one or two people but nine...not going to happen. He glanced around, cocking a brow at each of them before shaking his head.

"I don't really know what's going on...but as far as you all should be concerned, I am no one and my father is no one."

Shinta glanced at the leader before staring back at Keanu, questioning, "I think he's giving you a rather nice chance to answer his question..."

Keanu scoffed but lowered his head, muttering, "I'm Keanu Valentine...I guess I might be worth a lot but somehow I doubt it."

His mother was the water sage and his father descended from the wind sage's family so...

He really couldn't be worth that much, right?

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

The elf's eyes widen ever so slightly when he heard the name. It sounded familiar to him. He scanned his vast memory and quickly linked the name.

"Are you by chance related to Danian Rejezel?" He asked, but there was no need for an answer. He already knew he was correct. Yes, he had heard of this Keanu Valentine. The boy was valuable indeed.

"Boy, I'm afraid you will be coming with us. To make things absolutely clear, I will tell you know... if you try to run away, you will be killed. If you try to call for help, you will be killed. If you do not cooperate with us, you will be killed. Do you understand?"

The elf didn't bother waiting for a response. He made a crisp about face and began to walk away. He stopped not far away and lit up a cigarette. He took in a deep breath and let the smoke drift from his mouth.

The man exhaled the rest of the smoke and twirled the cigarette in his fingers, his arms crossed. He sniffed and said, "I like to think of myself as a gentlemen, and as a gentlemen, it is only appropriate to introduce myself. My name is Ehren Chevelle. My associate over there... the one preparing to chloroform you... his name is Shinta Terra. The rest, well, don't even bother with them. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Keanu Valentine."

The man took another puff from his cigarette and walked away.

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

In the few seconds Keanu had to think, the name rang a bell. He'd heard of this man, never in good context, but he just could not place him. Why did everyone dislike him so?

Shinta nodded swiftly at Ehren in understanding before walking over to the distracted boy, slipping a cloth over his mouth, holding his arms, soundless.

Keanu winced and struggled for a moment before things started getting fuzzy and distorted. He felt his eyes lull shut and his knees give out. The last thought he had before slipping into darkness was:

"This is so not good."

Shinta stared at him before giving Ehren a questioning look, "And now what...? It'll only be a matter of hours before the sage's come after us..."

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

"Elementary, my dear Watson," Ehren mocked. "Take him back to the house. The sages won't know we did it. There are no witnesses. Ah, well, maybe there is one."

The elf spotted a young woman walking her dog through the park. The woman saw him, too. She also saw the son of a sage slumped in a young man's arms. She screamed.

Ehren sighed in an exasperated tone. He raised two fingers and pointed at the woman. Immediately, two men, seemingly pedestrians, ran towards her, swords drawn. They ended the screaming. The dog barked fiercely as it stood next to the dead woman on the ground. The men ignored it and moved back to their original position.

Ehren signaled for two more men to come and take the body of the boy. They carried him off to a car that was just now pulling up near them. The leader waved his hand again, and all of the subordinants dissipated, leaving only Shinta and Ehren standing there.

"She will work towards our advantage," he dropped his cigarette and lit up another. "Her death will distract the authorities. They won't immediately notice the boy missing. How is that for a stroke of luck?"

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Shinta stared at the corpse of the dead woman and felt a minor twinge of guilt for someone who just happened to be there at a bad time. Glancing at Ehren with emotionless blue eyes, he sighed vaguely.

"If you say so, Ehren...I hope you know how much I hate these tactics."

He wasn't sure how he got involved in all this, really. He was passive...perhaps he was just good at doing what he was told. But this work...it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Shaking his head, he sighed again. Best not think about it, he realized. It was what Ehren wanted...

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

Ehren sighed. He never felt guilty about his work. Never. That was until he met Shinta. The younger elf always had a way to make Ehren hate himself... made him regret everything he's ever done. All of his other subordinates were simply lackeys that he would allow to die should it prove necessary. They meant nothing to him. They follow orders blindly for meager pay. Shinta was different, though. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind, and Ehren appreciated that.

The man turned away, too ashamed to look at Shinta. "You're too good to be doing this kind of work," Ehren sighed. He looked at the corpse of the woman. The dog had stopped barking. It was now licking its master's wounds in a vain attempt to heal them.

"I understand if you hate me. If you want to quit, you may do so."

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Shinta gave Ehren a gentle look, shaking his head solemnly. Leaving had never once came to mind, no matter how he felt about the work. He sighed sadly and ran a hand down his face, walking forward past Ehren.

"You could let me go so easily, Ehren?"

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

Ehren stepped forward, his shoes clicking on the stone floor. He wrapped his arms around Shinta's waist and rested his head the other elf's shoulder.

"I could never let you go. You're my better half."

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Shinta basked in his warmth for all of a second before softly pushing him away, staring at him rather soberly.

"Best not forget yourself in front of your men, Ehren..." he said, his voice calm.

Walking towards another car, he sent a small smile back over his shoulder at his companion before climbing in. He was teasing, he knew, but it would simply not do to see any weakness from the leader.

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

Ehren watched his lover go. He knew he couldn't show too much affection. His people might mistake it for weakness. He stood there for a moment thinking things over. The boy they took today is a key. He can help return a lost possession.

A few minutes passed. The wind was getting cold. He could hear the shouts of authority figures arriving, apparently drawn by the screaming.

"I want you to take care of the boy personally," He called to Shinta. "He should no be harmed. I don't trust the others to properly care for him."

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Shinta wanted to ask if it was necessary to involve the adolescent at all. While it worked in their favor that he had a criminal history, it just seemed like a waste to him. He didn't know the details of why he wasn't being kidnapped at all...and while he'd like to know, he hated questioning Ehren.

But for some reason, he got the strange feeling he would not like the reason...

"Very well" he agreed in the end, watching him.

He looked up as knights or someone started to run on the scene and he scowled, "Come on, Ehren. Don't get yourself caught."

Orpheus · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 250

"You go ahead. I feel like taking a walk," Ehren called back to Shinta. "I'll meet you back at HQ."

The elf left before Shinta could talk back. He didn't feel like arguing. A walk on such a nice night would help him clear his head. It could help him scheme. He walked away from the body and away from Shinta. The knights were closer now. He could hear them.

He walked down the stone path. He spotted two knights running toward him. Ehren was certain his eyes were keener than theirs, so they probably hadn't seen him yet. He stepped off the path and behind a tree. He leaned his back into the tree and relaxed a moment. After a while, the knights passed by.

Ehren took a puff of his cigarette and moved on.

Dark · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 261

Shinta opened his mouth, a question resting on the tip of his tongue before promptly closing it. No questioning Ehren, he reminded himself. He knew what he was doing...but still, Shinta worried and the knights were already on their way.

But with a resigned sigh, he climbed into the car and crossed his arms before signaling the driver to go. If Ehren got caught, it would be his fault...but then, Shinta knew he'd be the first to go after and rescue him.

The ride into the deep interiors of their headquarters seemed double as long without Ehren to keep him company. Arriving, he quickly climbed out and watched the lackeys carry the boy towards the nearly hidden building. One of them stopped and looked around, fearful.

"Where is Ehren?"

"It is not your place to question such things. If he was in trouble, you'd know" Shinta said evenly, walking past the man.

Silenced, they continued into the headquarters and Keanu was promptly handcuffed to a chair, still unconscious. Shinta sat at a chair across from him and looked him over.

He was Asian, perhaps...his skin tone was very bronzey though, dark coppery long hair, bangs covering eyes he'd assume were dark. He was dressed like a dark street thug. Strange child.

He slowly opened his eyes after a while before glowering angrily.

"You have a lot of freakin' nerve, whoever the hell you are..."

Shinta gave him a smile he hoped was unreadable before chuckling, “I’m sorry it came to this, Keanu…”

“Sorry enough to…let me go?” he asked slowly and rather sarcastically.

“Unfortunately, no” Shinta smirked.

Keanu sighed and Shinta stood, shoving his hand in the pockets of his leather bomber. Shinta sighed himself and leaned over the table, staring at the boy.

“I really knew why I have to ask you all this, but…well, y’know. How are you related to Danian Rejezel…?”

Keanu cocked a brow and smirked suddenly, “How many questions are you going to ask?”

“Pardon?” Shinta questioned, surprised by this question.

“How many questions are you gonna ask me? Just so I have an idea of how long this will take.”

Shinta chuckled huskily, “That’s the last thing you need to worry about, Keanu.”

“Huh…I’ll answer all your questions in full. Just tell me how many there’ll be.”

Shinta slammed his hands down on the table suddenly though Keanu didn’t even flinch, glowering at him.

“You’re stalling!”

“Then answer my question so we can get on with it.”

“15.”

“Damn, I have shorter tests.”

“Then you’ll just have to work a little harder.”

Shinta stood, walking around, “Now answer the question. How are you related to Danian Rejezel?”

“He’s my uncle” replied Keanu calmly.

“How so?”

Keanu raised an eyebrow, “He’s my father’s sister’s husband.”

“What is Danian’s occupation?”

“He’s a knight for King Valyan’s table.”

“I see…”

Shinta stopped a moment and turned away from Keanu, contemplating before asking gently, scared of the answer, “Tell me, Keanu…did this Danian used to work for an organization against the king?”

“…I can’t say on that one.”

“Are you lying?” Shinta growled.

“No, I really can’t say because I don’t know. I know my grandfather had some problems with him back in the day…”

“Okay…did Danian have a sister?”

Keanu, for the first time, seemed surprised. Slowly he stared at his lap before swallowing hard.

“My…uh, Danian’s sister was married to my dad…before my mom.”

“Divorce…?”

“She was murdered.”

Shinta stared, stunned, before he felt him stomach twirl with a sickening lurch. Gulping slowly, he fixed his cool façade and smiled pleasantly.

“Thank you…let’s just end this here.”

“Huh…easier than I thought.”

“…Actually…Keanu, did your father and Danian’s sister…have children?”

Keanu frowned and for the first time didn’t seem to want to answer. But after a while, he murmured.

“My step-brother, Troy, and step-sister, Chante…”

“…I see.”

Shinta felt sick as he left the boy in the room, going to wait for Ehren’s return. He wasn’t sure why he had a bad feeling about this…