First Meet Mission (ft. Aidan and Graveel)

[Corgi]

Scenario


Graveel and Aidan are sent on a recon mission to gain information about another group.


Time


A year ago


Location


Base


@BlueInPassing

 

[hosaki]

"I'm afraid the job isn't for me," was Aidan's insistent defense against the reconnaissance mission that he had been pegged with. Because he would much prefer to bash some heads in -- not that any of the higher ups were aware yet of his violent tendencies. In the face of the gang hierarchy, however, Aidan could only give in. Kicking up too much of a fuss would strain his relationships with the others, and then his father would have to have a word or two with him. Which would be… unpleasant. So Aidan lounged in the base, ready for a mission he didn't want and waiting for a partner he didn't need.


"Knowledge is power." Aidan considered the aphorism while he inspected the sleeve of his cheap jacket. His father would agree, and the boy himself would be inclined to follow. Yes, detailed layouts of the other districts could only benefit the White Tigers, but that didn't mean he had to be the one to go out and get them. That was a job for people who were more suited for such things, like Felicita. Just as he was pondering this, the person he was waiting for arrived. At the appearance of a girl clad in (ridiculously) high heels, Aidan immediately wiped off the bored look on his face and stood up to greet her.


"I'm looking forward to cooperating with you." He gave a welcoming smile and extended his hand for a handshake. "My name is Aidan Weiss. Shall we make today's mission a success?"


Graveel S. Sinclair. She looked bland, uninteresting, though every girl in White Tiger High looked to be bland, uninteresting to Aidan.

 

[Corgi]

Graveel was, to say the least, a very excitable person. She, as the world means, gets excited. This moment was no exception. The girl strutted into the room, tossing her blonde locks over her shoulder as she entered. Her eye immediately locked with the male, "Ooh~ He's pretty cute..." She thought, smirking as he got up to greet her, noticing he was still taller than her despite her wonderful shoes. 


"I'm looking forward to cooperating with you." She gasped at how polite and well-spoken he was, meeting his hand with hers and smiling at him as he introduced himself. "My name is Aidan Weiss. Shall we make today's mission a success?" Graveel laughed, obviously charmed by him, "Graveel S. Sinclair. And, of course!" In all honesty, She knew nothing about the mission or her partner. When they told her she'd be doing recon with someone, she immediately exploded into joy and everything faded into the background as she internally screamed. So when they were briefing her about what she was supposed to be doing and who she was doing the mission with, it didn't register. So to sum it up, Graveel was clueless.


"So..." She started, letting go of the handshake and popping her lips, looking around, "Do you know what we're doing?" Graveel has no idea how he would respond, as said before, she knew nothing about him. She didn't know his age, personality, backstory, nothing! Not even his chi, the most important thing to know when working with someone! She had already come to a conclusion that this recon mission was going to be a lot harder than she anticipated. 


@BlueInPassing

 

[hosaki]

Do you know what we're doing? Aidan's brow twitched at the question, the only flaw in his smiling mask. Wonderful. Of course he'd be paired with someone utterly incompetent. A Saturday afternoon after his fencing lesson, all he'd wanted was to unwind, and instead he was stuck with a partner with fluff for brains and no common sense whatsoever. The heels had already set off an alarm; they were trying to blend in with the South District residents, not strut down a fashion runway. "We're going to the South District to gather information on Black Cobra territory. The mission will last for a week or so, since we're aiming to identify any movement patterns of interest," he explained. Aidan tugged at the collar of his jacket (with extra force) to emphasize the need for a disguise. "I assume you are well-prepared for it?" he suggested gently, as if it wasn't clear that she wasn't.


This was a tactic that he'd picked up from his mother: a naive person would succumb to the guilt of not meeting expectations, while a more perceptive person would  still feel some level of discomfort. She frequently used it against him to trip him into compliance. A strange look misted over Aidan's expression, tinged with bitterness. "Well, the clothing won't matter much." He removed his jacket and offered it to her; even though the garment was a shoddy cover for her "Northern rich girl" outfit, Aidan looked forward to the negative attention that it would attract from the territorial Cobras. It wouldn't be his fault that they were attacked and their operation exposed, and he'd get a good fight out of it.


He smiled again. "Shall we go?"

 

[Corgi]

Graveel didn't see the crack in his mask, seeing as she was trying to look everywhere but him, but when he started talking, her head snapped back to him. "We're going to the South District to gather information on Black Cobra territory. The mission will last for a week or so, since we're aiming to identify any movement patterns of interest," Her mouth formed an 'o' and nodded slowly, thinking that his tug on his neck was because he was nervous or something,  "I assume you are well-prepared for it?" She laughed cockily and flipped her hair over her shoulder again, "Well-prepared? Pft, I was born ready! I was asking to see if you were ready!" She said, laughing some more, completely oblivious as to him hinting at her not-so-prepared outfit.


 "Well, the clothing won't matter much." Graveel suddenly caught on and looked down at her clothes, "Isn't the South District the party district or something?" She asked thinking her outfit would work perfectly. She looked at the jacket, her cheeks reddening slightly at his obvious disagreement and put the jacket on hastily, it being a little too big for her. "Thanks." She said, stuffing her hands in the pockets.


"Shall we go?" At his words, she realized exactly how dangerous the mission was. She'd be gone for a week, being someone she wasn't. Sure, she was a spy of some sort, but she worked best as a distractor, not an actor. Her neck rose with goosebumps at the thought of what would happen if they found out she was a White Tiger before shrugging it off. "Sure! Let's go!" She said, trying to beam confidence as she strutted out. "Just as a quick refresher before we get too into spying," She said, glancing back at him, not exactly knowing where she was walking to, "what was your chi, again?" She asked, slowing down to walk next to him.


@BlueInPassing

 

[hosaki]

Oblivious, Aidan noted as his jaw clenched in frustration. It hadn’t even been five minutes yet and the incredible denseness of this girl was already grating on his nerves. Being surrounded by people who knew the score and the game they were playing, the company heir was unused to such... slowness in realizing social cues. That was as far as he could go without outright labeling her as stupid. “Isn’t the South District the party district or something?” Aidan held back the urge to snort in response. Of course, Black Cobras always party in pastel. He turned to retrieve his duffel bag from the couch. Away from the Graveel’s scrutiny, his expression darkened as he contemplated the notion of self-sabotaging their mission. If he simply went off into a rampage though...


“The car is waiting outside. My chauffeur will take us to the east border, and then we’ll transfer to public transport,” Aidan spoke as he followed after the girl. His voice remained disinterested and explanatory, though his feelings about their itinerary were a completely different story. The car was his sanctuary, where he could drop the act and regain his energy. Now he had to share the space with a near stranger? He was visibly annoyed at the thought. When a pair of blue eyes suddenly sought out his own, it was only years of experience that allowed Aidan to snap back into a gracious smile. “My chi? I freeze water,” he responded simply enough, but his gaze had taken on a predatory glint.


He’d made up his mind. He would have his fun one way or the other – White Tiger or not, Graveel S. Sinclair’s partner or not. The girl could take care of herself, so Aidan didn’t need follow in Chikage’s (frankly sickening) obsession over protecting all his “delicate little flowers” from harm. And South District was far out of his father’s reach. Knowing the man and his silly pride, he wouldn’t touch the “riffraff” of Shima City with a ten-foot pole. Aidan would be free from the investigators that shadowed him in his day-to-day life. Perhaps this visit will be a blessing in disguise. He smirked a little to himself.


“Please, after you.” They reach the awaiting vehicle and he opened the door with a small flourish. Once she was seated, he made sure to sit away from her as far as possible. Having to interact with another White Tiger on a summer weekend was bad enough, but having to do so in such an enclosed space was a hundred times worse. “I hear that you can conjure and manipulate water,” Aidan ventured in an attempt to take control of the conversation. Forcing himself to initiate the talking was much preferable to enduring any of the more frivolous topics that came about during a car ride. We’d make quite the pair. No, that was a bit suggestive and he didn’t want to go around encouraging any ideas. “Which is why I’ve been eager to make your acquaintance.” Much better. Polite, without raising any unnecessary expectations. “Will this be your first time leaving the North District?” A look of interest accompanied his question.

 

[Corgi]

“The car is waiting outside. My chauffeur will take us to the east border, and then we’ll transfer to public transport,” Graveel nodded. She was fine with getting into his chauffeur's car, seeing how he seemed like a decent guy, but it'd just be her and him in the back of a car, which made her uneasy. Her parents never liked her being alone in an enclosed space with a male, and seeing that was the only point of view she's had, she had latched onto that idea. So she was a bit nervous. 


“My chi? I freeze water,” That was something she had no clue how to feel about, which was quite uncommon for her. She loved the idea of them teaming up together, but at the same time, what if they didn't get along? He could practically cancel her attacks by freezing them before they even moved. She weighed the pros and cons as he walked her to the car. “Please, after you.” The comment almost passed by her head, but she gave a polite smile and got into the car, thanking him as she scooted as far away as possibly, glad that he gave her the space she needed to feel semi-comfortable.


“I hear you can conjure and manipulate water,” Graveel smiled widely, nodding. “You know it! My favorite thing to do is make bubbles!” She said, having a girlish giggle afterwards as she summoned the water, trapping the air inside of them and making them jump around for a bit before hearing his next comment. “Which is why I've been eager to make your acquaintance.” Her small smile turned into a grin, her face beaming with excitement, happy to see that he was excited as well. She immediately knew that they'd get along with only that comment. “My goodness, I'm flattered! I'm excited to get to know you, too.” 


What he asked next was an interesting question that she wasn't exactly sure how to answer. Yes, she had left the North District, but she didn't know if he wanted a simple answer or a detailed one, or maybe on in between. The question also reminded her about the fact that she didn't tell neither her brother nor her parents that she was going on a mission. Graveel shrugged it off, knowing her family was smart and could probably figure out where she was. “Yes, I have left the North District, but not to go to another District. More so to go to another country, but that's beside the point. How about you? Have you ever left the North District?” She knew it was bad etiquette to copy the question back to him, but she wasn't sure what he likes yet. Even though Graveel is empathetic, she can't read people like a magazine, it has to take her a bit to get to know them first, so she wasn't sure if he wants a new question or not. Then again, she could just be overthinking it like she always does.


@BlueInPassing

 

[hosaki]

While Graveel steadily grew more animated, Aidan felt his interest slipping away by the minute. Why was the girl so excited over mere bubbles? They were a pretty parlor trick at best, and utterly useless during combat. Well, she seems to have responded well to my standard 'Pleasure to meet you' comment. Little "victories" like that, if he could even call them that, were what made daily interactions bearable. Faking your entire personality for the rest of your existence was a Herculean task, and every businessman knew that big goals could only be achieved by breaking them down into subcomponents.


"Hm." The truth was that he had not seen any of the other districts, save for the Rose District. His parents had never felt the need to expose him to such environments. Was that something to be ashamed of? Aidan pondered for a bit before answering: "No, actually. Nor have I ever taken public transport, but there will always be first time for everything. I'm sure this will be a memorable experience." He feigned a warm smile, though the excitement in his eyes was genuine. The rest of Shima City was a world outside of boardrooms, classrooms, ballrooms, and the white room back at home -- a world unconstrained by the rules of the society he knew. Yes, maybe this mission won't be so bad after all.


"Sir, we've arrived." The chauffeur stopped the car and Aidan once again opened the door for Graveel.


"Since we're riding a bus to the South District, we'll need bus fare." He patted his pocket. All of this will take some getting used to, but it isn't a bad thing, he mentally repeated. Falling into a quick stride, he led her towards the direction of the nearest bus stop. Already, the scenery was changing to match the descriptions of the East District that Aidan had heard of. The buildings were less cluttered, less attention-seeking. He found himself admiring the small gardens that occasionally cropped up at the most sporadic of times. None of them had the typical clipped hedge look of the North District gardens. Instead, the sheer variety of plants made and their careful positioning made every garden look personalized, as if someone out there had designed them with love and care. Aidan felt goosebumps rise along the back of his neck at this uncharacteristically maudlin thought.


The desired bus stop came into view; the sight was enough to bring him back to earth. "Well, we're here." He whipped around with a strained smile.

 

[Corgi]

"No, actually. Nor have I ever taken public transport, but there will always be first time for everything. I'm sure this will be a memorable experience." Graveel nodded, laughing slightly, "Public transportation isn't that bad, really! The people on there are rather nice!" She mentioned, trying to comfort him with the idea of sharing a vehicle with a surplus of strangers. "At least we get to enjoy the experience of being in a new place, together." She added on, the nervousness she was feeling while getting in the car settling into comfort. She realized how stupid it was for her to believe he would try anything. He was a decent young man that seems gold of heart.


"Sir, we've arrived." Graveel smiled at the driver and explained a thank you, wanting to make sure he understood she appreciated his help and saying another thank you to Aidan who she took notice was being very considerate.  "Since we're riding a bus to the South District, we'll need bus fare." If there was one thing that Graveel never, ever let people do for her, would be to pay. Even on dates when others insisted constantly, she was too stubborn to let them pay, to the point where they got pissed off. "Oh no, no, no." She said, placing a hand on his arm to stop him. "You allowed me to get into your car and use your gas. I'm paying." She said, giving her tradition 'I'm being stubborn, just let me do this' smile. 


As Aidan led the way, she just stared at him, trying to see anything that might give away as to what he's like. She already knew that he dressed great, he acts well-mannered but other than him being nice, he hasn't let any of his personality show through. Graveel felt like there was something he may have been hiding, or keeping away. Of course, there was no sure way for her to know that, but she likes to think that he's more than just a gentleman. 


"Well, we're here." Graveel, eyes still staring at him, noticed his strained smile. Out of all of the cracks in his mask he's shown, this was the only one she had caught so far, which set her aback. As many know, she isn't the smartest. She was never the type to get straight A's in her classes or know her way around the streets, but the reason for all of that would be the face that she's extremely people smart. If she's paying attention, she can identify if someone's lying or not pretty easily. Of course, unless they have a chi that lies or they're just an excellent liar, she'd probably catch on quite quickly. In this moment, she was catching on quite quickly. But, Graveel passed it off as he was a bit nervous and didn't want to show, so she let is slide and didn't comment. "Wonderful! Now all we have to do is wait!"


While she stood there and silence fell between them, she realized she had no idea what they were supposed to be doing at the moment and glanced at him, turning towards him and smiling, "Do you know where or why we're about to ride a bus?" She asked, giving the act up about 'testing him to make sure he knew what he was doing'. She knew the man wasn't an idiot and could probably look directly through her lies, so there was no use in doing it anymore. 


@BlueInPassing