Julen City positively buzzes with activity, the heart of a "small" megalopolis and overflowing with millions of people's lives and businesses. It's full of businessmen and lawyers and taxi drivers...and also has its share of misfits. The residents' many idiosyncrasies make it an ideal place for individuals who are genuinely different to blend in and give no indication that they're part of this modern world's second, magical, and largely unheard heartbeat.

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Julen Archive
Julen Archive II
Julen Archive III
Julen Archive IV
Julen Archive V
Julen Archive VI

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"The French have been looking for a reason to cut ties with us for a while. It isn't as if they offer that much to us anyway." Revilier peers about for his driver. Remembers he'd ridden with Alou to avoid attention.

Alou, of course, realized this too, and he and Truce were sitting in Alou's Aston Martin, waiting at the pick-up area. He's a spy, and thinks James Bond references are hilarious, after all.

That was a few minutes ago, though. Now, from just outside the terminal, Yin and REvilier might be able to see the burning shell of an Aston Martin sitting at the pick up area. Fire crews for the airport are already there dousing it with extinguishant, but no matter how much they pour onto it the fire refuses to die.

"Alou..." Yin, reverting so easily back to the self of four years ago, just drops her bag and lover's arm and sprints that way, ice crystallizing up and down her entire body for at least scant protection from the flames, pulling off her jacket. A burst of cold should shatter the window if heat hasn't already and, ignoring the screaming of abnormally head-susceptible skin, she grits her teeth and pulls the jacket over her head, just lunging through the flames to quickly cut seatbelts or anything and drag the spider out if--and she doubts he's not--he's here.

Revilier follows her, groaning inwardly. Great. Fuck. Fucking great. As quickly as he can figure out how, about the time he reaches the car, he tries to thicken the metal in the car so the flames won't reach the gas tank if they haven't already. His hands light up with gold and he reaches for Yin, to keep the ice dragon safe from the flames.

Alou isn't there, though. The sunroof is open, and Alou's jacket is lying on the back seat, but there's no sign of the spider.

She'd been burned...of course she had. Breathes out at the touch of Revilier's spell. "Alou...?!" No answer. Great. He must have gotten out. He's a resourceful guy, after all. She kicks back from the car to get away from it in a hurry, careful to not lose Revilier's arm as her own hand lights in told, and just wordlessly signals that they get the heck away by just running that way.

The general goes, he knows well enough to trust Yin's judgment. Honestly, he's surprised the car hasn't blown up yet.

He's even more surprised when the flames suddenly wink out, leaving a smoking hunk of Aston Martin lying on the concrete.

Yin, catching her breath and unhurt on the virtue of her lover's spell, narrows her eyes. "Well. That explains some things," she observes quietly. "Not a natural arsonist. I guess the new concern is why she came to Julen."

"Have I missed something?" Revilier gazes at the car, thoughtful.

"I don't think so. Just that the firebombing yesterday was one in a long string of arsons with the same MO, and that an ignitor is never found. The orange-haired girl is the arsonist." She looks around as she speaks. Alou...damnit, stop worrying me now.

"Let me make a few calls, then. Did you think to snap a picture of her with your phone?" Revilier looks at Yin for confirmation. "It shouldn't be too hard to track her down."

"I didn't," Yin admits. "I can give a very good description, though...and it's hard to miss orange and black hair, anyway." She wanders back over to retrieve her dropped bag. "Damnit, though...I wish I knew where Alou was. He's a resourceful guy, but I worry."

"Call him. If he doesn't pick up, I'll put out a search for him."

Yin smiles a bit at her...fiance. She loves him for him--closer to in spite of his position than because of it--but she has to admit, the power to get things done quickly can be nice. Dials Alou, and holds it to her ear.

It rings twice.

"She runs fast," a breathless Alou announces over the phone.

Yin breathes out. "Anything I can do?"

"How fast can you get some fireproof backup at Philadelphia Drive? She just ran into the train station."

Yin looks over to Revilier. It's his city, after all, on his watch, and god knows he takes that seriously. "She just ran into the train station at Philedelphia Drive."

Revilier speaks quickly into his phone. "Hear that? Good. Lock it down. She has orange hair and was wearing beige. Nonlethal force unless you absolutely have to. Yes."

He smiles at Yin. "Petrovic's back from vacation, it seems. Want to go too?"

Yin beams, smirking as she takes his arm. "I've been dealing with assorted politicians for a week and a half and havne't been able to hit anything. Of course I do."

Revilier thinks about this for a second. Speaks into his phone. "Send a car to the airport. Something fast." He looks at Yin. "This is going to be fun. It's been too long since we've been on a chase together."

"Oh yes," she purrs. "This kind of thing's so much more...straightforward. It's it's delicious."

Of course, as they speed off that way only a couple of minutes later, she doesn't appear to even have a raised pulse, fussing with a mirror. "Ugh. There's nothing like sleeping on a plane to ruin your hair."

"I know!" Revilier grins at her, and sticks his tongue out.

She laughs and, quick as a wink, two frozen fingers juuust sharp enough to hold on snag it. "Dragoon got your tongue," she grins back.

He thinks about this for a second.

And pokes her belly, just where he knows she's ticklish.

She squeaks, jumping a bit and losing her grip on the tongue. Mock-glares, before glancing out when the car slows. "We're here. Lucky lucky man," she snickers. Fixes her hair, and steps out of the car. Acting like silly teenagers in the middle of a hardcore criminal pursuit. This is why she loves him. Well, part of it.

And she tolerates it, which is a big part of why he loves her.

By the time they arrive, fire crews are already on hand. A thin haze of smoke rolls from the building, though nothing like the conference fire from Manila. A few standard officers are on hand, but a platoon of Revilier's elite lockdown units is handling the scene with gas grenades, stunguns and other less lethal measures.

"Ma'am. Sir." A police captain in a white hat greets them at the doors. "The woman is in tunnel four. It's undergoing repairs so there are no trains, but the lighting is no good. She's carrying a torch or some kind of lamp." He looks at Yin. "She's been shot twice with riot bags, once in the ribs and once in the gut. She's hurt bad, she won't get far."

Yin considers this quietly. She knows what she wants to do, but...bah. Damn this "honorary first lady" nonsense. It makes things complicated. "Let me go talk to her?" She actually glances to Revilier on this one, though she's really asking just as much of the operations people on site who know situation.

"She's still dangerous. She's got a flamethrower or something. We haven't been able to get close to her." The officer looks at Revilier, as well.

"We're a special case," he points out. "Let your people know we're coming." He smiles at Yin.

The officer nods. "Okay. Just follow the signs to tunnel four and turn right. Don't step on the tracks."

Yin nods. "Thank you." Breathes out as they walk that way...isn't holding Revilier's arm right now, but it's not a very defensible position. "I wonder what her deal is," she muses quietly. "A mercenary? A zealot? A mercenary for a zealot?"

"A psychopathic arsonist with a god complex?" Revilier grins at her. "Just guessing?" As the walk down the stairs, passing officers at intervals, Revilier works the fingers of both hands. He's not armed -- as if he needs to be. Still, he's got a pretty nasty feeling about this.

Especially when the light from a bright flare illuminates the platform at tunnel four.

Yin's brow creases, eyes narrowing against the light. Still, her step doesn't falter. "Miss Truce...?" she calls.

Revilier slows his step. Peers along the tunnel. In the distance, a small orange light can be seen bobbing into the tunnel; not too fast, though. Truce is gasping, barely pulling herself along after being shot by those bags; and jabbed by that idiot spy-der's needle. Whatever it was.

Yin doesn't run. Running footsteps have a nasty, provocative psychological effect...and she'll catch up anyway at her much quicker, less drugged pace. "Shall we?" Not waiting for an answer, she heads down the tunnel, herself.

"You know, the last fire elemental I had to deal with was Brandt," Yin half-grumbles. Smirks a bit. "So, I have to like Truce more."

Revilier glances at her for that. "Well, let's catch her, and then we can make decisions about her."

The make quick headway. Truce is slowing down, leaning on her staff to walk, leaning more heavily with each step. Her breath comes ragged. What was that stuff? It hurts to breathe. She can taste blood.

"Stay away," she hisses to Yin and Revilier, her breath labored. No, it's not just the drug; Truce is sure she has a broken rib.

"Why?" Yin stops once they're in easy sight, folding her arms. She tilts her head. "We're probably the least militant pair you're likely to find. This place is really well sealed off; the freeze unit's excellent. And you need a doctor."

Revilier looks on, ready to help, but staying quiet for now. Yin knows what she's doing.

"I didn't mean to burn him," Truce answers back, gasping, leaning on her Sturmlich staff with both hands. "He said he was a spy. Said he knew who I was. I was scared. Stay back."

"I told him a conference hall I'd been in burned down. He's my friend and looked into it, because he looks out for me that way. He also thought that you were attractive and interesting, and made me promise to try to set you up with him if you turned out to not been an arsonist. Besides, if he wanted to get you into a dangerous or otherwise damning situation, he wouldn't have told you." Yin considers quietly. "I knew this before trying to help you at airport security, Truce. Do you know why I did?"

"Don't patronize me," Truce gasps, the world blurring around her. A jet of flame spurts from the tip of her staff, whooshing just past Yin and Revilier by pure happenstance. A second one arcs to the ground. "Stay back, I can't stop," she pleads, looking at Yin.

This, of course, gets the ice dragoon's attention, though she doesn't wince. Oo. Close. "It's because I knew you wouldn't take the plane down. It was way outside of your MO, you're not some random bloodthirsty psychopath. But seriously, you have blood on your lips. Unless you've been hit in the mouth...let us get you some medical attention, and we can see what happens after that."

Also...she needs to figure out why Sphyxian is growling. That concerns her.

Truce can't see. She can't breathe.

"Please, stay... back...!"

Vertigo overcomes her. She tries to lean on her staff, but it slips in the gravel on the tracks and she slides to the ground. An arc of red flame spits from the staff, wide and growing like a backdraft. Revilier tries to put a barrier between Yin and the fire, a shimmering sheet of steel, but isn't sure he's fast enough to protect her from all of it.

Truce's eyes close.

Wall to the side. Electrified tracks below. Yin just jerks her face aside, covering her eyes with an arm. It's only a small fireball that Revilier doesn't block, but she's an ice elemental vampire. It strikes and roars around her. She has to plant a foot. But when it's passed...she's fine. Her clothes are scorched, but Yin herself is untouched, right hand glowing a bloody red.

Yin cocks an eyebrow at it...wondering why she isn't ICU-worthy. Gazes at the red a moment. Blasted stupid genius sorcery, leaving before he could explain this thing....

She glances back to Revilier enough to smile a bit, she's alright, and looks to Truce, expression fading to calm seriousness again. "You're acting a lot like you're drugged, Truce. I'm assuming Alou did that, and I can guess with what. If I'm right, a full dose would put you out for nine to thirteen hours. If you're still standing it probably wasn't, so...three to five, maybe. There are no permanent ill effects, though, he's actually jabbed me with it to alleviate stubborness." Bastard.

"Sodium pentathol," she murmurs, trying to drag herself up. "Do what you have to."

Revilier looks on, perplexed at her, perplex at Yin being unharmed, perplexed that he's sporting a nice burn along his forearm.

"We'll take her back to the tower," the general says, almost solemnly. "Question her there."

Yin nods. Just walks back to Revilier and takes his arm gently, her hands glowing in gold while Truce finishes passing out for safety. 

The burn fades, of course, and the general hugs her. Truce goes out pretty quickly.

"Where is Alou?" revilier asks, as if just remembering the spider had been chasing Truce.

"I'm not sure..." She's worried, too. "She did mention "burning him..." Picks up her phone, and dials.

"Hiya Yin." Alou's voice sounds a little raspy, a little dry. "Get 'er?"

"Kind of. Your roofie did. Alou, you sound awful. Where are you?"

"Oh, I'm sitting in the back of an ambulance. Apparently third-degree burns warrant a trip to the burn ward."

Yin winces. "Yeah, they're getting picky about that these days. Which hospital are you heading to?"

"Mother Mercy, I think it's called. Europe's weird."

"Yes, yes it is. Okay, I'm going to join the lawyers chasing your ambulence as quickly as I can," yay Golden shininess, "so don't let them get too deep into the scrapey nastiness unless they think it's insanely pressing, right?" She knows all too well that a burn ward is just about the most painful experience available. She turns and walks cautiously over to Truce, nudging her with her foot to make sure she's out before carefully shifting the woman onto her shoulder and standing with her, checking her balance carefully.

Revilier watches this, not offering to help. He knows she wouldn't like that. He takes up truce's fallen staff, though, and begins walkin along the tracks.

"Yeah, I will. Take care, Yin, I'll see you soonish."

Revilier looks at Truce, hanging quietly on Yin's shoulders. "She looks like someone I knew when I lived in the islands," he notes.

Yin nods a bit as she follows along. "She's probably a native...though I don't need to tell you that. Though, in such, it kind of concerns me that she came here. Almost all of her hits have been in the Far East."

"Well," Revilier smiles at them, "we'll find out pretty soon. I hope she likes cold tables."

Yin blinks, quiet a minute...then giggles, actually blushing a little bit. "Well. I didn't mind." she grins at him sidelong. That's not true, of course, but certain parts of it had certainly been...nice, and led to still better things. One of which is on her left hand.

They walk without incident to the surface, where police crews immediately attempt to take Truce into custody, of course. This ends with Revilier reminding them that unemployed police officers aren't terribly effective, and soon enough the two of them are speeding off to Grace Tower... with Petrovic in the driver's seat.

Yin, meanwhile, finds a willing car and is soon off to towards the hospital at a quick clip...trying to withhold a sigh about she and Revilier's situational inability to just celebrate a monumentously happy occasion.

A few minutes later, she thanks the driver, gets directions in the hospital, and pulls as many strings as she can go get in to see Alou...which is much easier, nowadays, as the healing spell--or at least the fact that she has access to something of that effect--has been slightly public for awhile now.

"Alou," she greets as she heads that way, "you were just in here. I think you just have a thing for the pretty nurses." She's already reaching for his face as she speaks, to the doctor's dismay, rune writing across the back of her hand.

Alou, of course, has no such reservations. "It's fine, "he says to the doctor. "Step off already." The burns on his face and shoulder - pretty severe ones, in fact -- shrink down and heal over in just a short time under the power of Yin's spell.

"So that was fun," he notes. "I might have gotten her number had she not, you know, torched my car."

Yin nods. She's a bit short on breath but can feel that his injuries aren't completely healed yet, so keeps at it. "Yeah...she made it sound, in the short time between when we found her and your knock-out juice finished things off, like she simply panicked. At the same time, though, she knew what the drug was, and is methodical in what she does. Kind of mixed signals, there."

Removes her hand, and pokes his shoulder. "How does that feel?"

"Owfuck!" Alou blinks. "Not as bad as it should have. Sit down, sweet thing." He yawns softly. "I told her straight up that I was a spy. She asked me if I thought that made me more attractive. I said yes. She asked if I was telling the truth. I said yes. I asked her which part she meant. She said both. I said yes. Then she said to stay away from her if I was a spy. I asked why. She said none of my business. I asked her if she was planning on burning someone. So she torched my car, but not before I got a sleeve-dart in her."

"Give me a minute to finish. After I sit down, I'm not going to want to." Yin chuckles, and her hand lights in gold again. Still, her face is serious. "So she didn't deny the 'torch someone' part, huh? That's just a teensy bit inauspicious."

"I get the feeling she would've answered if she didn't feel threatened," Alou nods. "Okay. That's enough." It still hurts, but that's okay. Hurting is half the experience.

Yin breathes out. She doesn't need that much convincing, and sits beside him on the bed, drained from the lengthy casting. "Well, she's probably at the Tower by now. Hopefully she's not that good under interrogation, before it goes to anything unpleasant. Should still have a bit of a truth serum effect going from your needles, so that helps. I get the funny feeling Revilier wants to question her himself...you know how protective he can be, and she did essentially follow me back from Manila for all appearances."

"I'm not entirely convinced she didn't do it just for that reason. She's an odd one." Alou sits up a little bit. "Look, I'm okay. If you want to go see for yourself, feel free."

Yin smiles a bit, and nods. "In a minute. Vertigo will be fun until then." She snickers a little. "Ugh. It's always easier--though I guess less interesting--when the chick's easy to categorize."

"You're saying that to a man?" Alou smirks at her. "I don't know who she's working for. Some kind of intelligence agency is definitely my guess, though. She's too observant, too smart, and too damn good at acting stupid."

"Yeah. It might explain why she looks like she does, too. She looks like a floozy. You'd never glance twice. Her in a business suit, you'd look twice."

"Well, I might glance twice." Alou coughs. "But don't worry. If I know your psychotic man-toy, we'll know everything about her in a little while. You know firsthand how persuasive he can be in a room."

Her cheeks color a bit...but of course, this can be attributed to other rooms. As far as she knows, Menayen's kept the juicy details of she and Revilier's first meeting a secret. "Very much so. He's an incredibly intimidating man when he wants to be." She smiles and slips off the bed, careful to make sure she has her balance. She does. "You need a lift somewhere?"

"With you in the room, I always have a lift." Alou coughs. "C'mon. Soon you'll be Mrs. Omeaux. I can't hit on married women, so I need to get it out of my system."

Yin smirks, though her eyes warm genuinely at this. Mrs. Omeaux. "I'll bet you lunch that Kaz still can."

Alou thinks about this. "Kaz could hit on a potted plant, Yin."

She shrugs. "Maybe I must wanted a free lunch." She snickers. "So are you jumping into the car with me, or heading off your own way?"

"I'll come with you. I think I still have a chance with Truce anyway." Alou smiles a little. Gets up, winks at the doctor. "I'll need to get my clothes, of course."

"They probably cut off your shirt, didn't they? There's a store right next to the tower, we can grab one there. I really need to stop raiding Revilier's closet for you guys." She picks up what's there, and tosses them--sans the shoes, she's not completely evil--to the spy-der.

"Yeah. Clear out, woman." Alou flings the gown off without waiting, and begins to pull his pants back on. He's a spy, in tremendous shape, and all the various restorative surgeries worked out well. He's almost too perfect a specimen now, and largely because of that.

Yin isn't looking...though, even with her back turned, she whistles. Of course.

"Good god," the doctor grumbles, almost in admiration. Yup. Restorative surgery good. "You ought to put a warning label on that thing."

"Alright Yin, all dressed. Let's go. Woman." Alou strides past her, shirtless yet, and pretends to ignore her.

Yin snickers. Yes, Alou looks great shirtless, and occasionally she slips and flirts back jokingly. A lifetime of practice is hard to break. She follows along, amused, and soon they're heading off to the tower. Yin, of course, is looking out the window as they approach...looking for press.

Please no. Please no. Please no.

Alou opens his door a crack. Bulbs are already flashing. He shuts it.

"Fuck. Any ideas?" Alou glances at her. "It'd look pretty bad if I got out with you. You know they'd spin it into a scandal story. The press are asstards that way."

"Yeah." Yin sighs. Reluctantly...very reluctantly...takes off her beautiful engagement ring and just holds it. Not until a bit later, after she's talked to Revilier about it. "You get the shirt thing taken care of. I'll get out here. I need to deal with these guys sometime. I'll save the sneaking in for when I'm feeling less able to deal with it. See you soon." She takes a few moments to put on her game face--a bland, in control, very small smile--pulls her hat's brim low, and just steps out of the car, heading for the door without looking at any of these people.

Alou smiles. Is she kidding?

"Hey Kaz," he speaks into his phone. "Still got that distraction?"

Flashes are going off like mad. A few brave reporters push to the front of the crowd, shoving microphones and tape recorders in her face.

"Yinxirziji Iejir, is it true that you've accepted General Omeaux's proposal..."

"What are the political ramifications of this..."

"Are you pregnant...."

"What financial gain do you see for yourself in all this..."

And so on. And on and on.

And on, and on, and on, it's essentially the same answer: "public statements will be made later. ...Questions will be answered en masse..." and so on, repetitively. Still, Yin's feathers stay unruffled, and she just presses for the door at a reasonable pace, stepping around people who try to get between her and safety.

There are lots of them. Lots and lots.

Until a ten-foot spider robot marauds through the parking lot, leaping over press vehicles and barreling towards the crowd of reporters. It literally has the word "Distraction" blazing across its LED screen. Menayen hopes Yin remembers their conversation about cover.

Most of the news crews look that way, some despite the shouting of their editors.

Yin....cracks up. She's just...laughing. He's so getting a hug for that later. She hurries the last few steps to the door, and breathes out when she gets inside Grace Tower. "Ugh..."

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