Yuu took the seat Tai offered and marveled at the view again. Down below she could see that tall drink of water Kyle Evans again. He was standing at his table, as were all his table mates. An even taller man walked away from the table looking agitated. Hmm, Yuu thought and then settled into her seat.
As the food was brought, she heartily dug in, making sure not to get any on her dress. Looking over at Tai she noticed he seemed quite as ease, twirling a coin in between his fingers. It glittered against the overheard chandelier lights.
'Aren't you going to eat?'
More Snarkiness From Above
Tai turned with Yuu and headed to the bar, noting that there seemed to be some sort of agitation between several parties. That wasn't really unexpected at a function like this, however, so he paid no mind to it. Tipping the bartender, they once more ascended the stairs to the balcony. No one really seemed to be paying attention to the seating arrangements, and although the tables on the floor were filling quickly, the table set off in the shadows a bit where they'd been when they first arrived was still empty.
Tai ignored his target completely; the man still sat at the table with the lady in the obnoxious dress. He steered Yuu instead to the empty table. A passing waiter brought them drinks and a tray of artfully arranged appetizers. From where they sat, they could see just about everything below them as they snacked.
"A bit of a private dinner... nice, after the mayor's drive-by," Tai said with a short grin.
Stretching his long, tux-clad legs out in front of him, he settled down to watch the proceedings from above, particularly the people milling about looking upset. He produced a coin from his pocket and idly flipped it over his knuckles, sipping his drink while he tuned into the conversation at the next table with half his attention.
Yuu
18 years ago
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
Tai made the coin vanish as he nodded at Yuu. "I'm sorry. I've forgotten my cross-cultural manners."
Selecting one of the little crab appetizers, he considered it thoughtfully. "In Japan it's customary to serve every course at once, and eat from each dish a bit at a time."
The appetizer was quite good. He chose another one, was this something with asparagus? No, it was cucumber perhaps... and scrutinized it carefully.
"Amazing that someone's life achievement might be wrapped up in this little tidbit of food, isn't it?" He gave Yuu his best snobby French laugh and bit into it. "I never understood that myself, even though culinary art is tradition in Japan as well. I suppose I prefer bigger things. After all, we're only going to eat this in the end. This mansion, and this ballroom, even, will still be here for years."
Selecting one of the little crab appetizers, he considered it thoughtfully. "In Japan it's customary to serve every course at once, and eat from each dish a bit at a time."
The appetizer was quite good. He chose another one, was this something with asparagus? No, it was cucumber perhaps... and scrutinized it carefully.
"Amazing that someone's life achievement might be wrapped up in this little tidbit of food, isn't it?" He gave Yuu his best snobby French laugh and bit into it. "I never understood that myself, even though culinary art is tradition in Japan as well. I suppose I prefer bigger things. After all, we're only going to eat this in the end. This mansion, and this ballroom, even, will still be here for years."
The Voice
18 years ago
The sudden blast originating from the corner of the room you entered and knocks everyone off their feet. Bits of wood, metal, and slivers of glass pelt the floor around the guests. An inferno has risen up in the corner. The only safe exit is the garden doors, and the entire room seems to be headed there at once.
The big bang.
The big bang.
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
Later, Tai would both curse and thank their decision to sit on the secluded balcony. But in a split second of confusion and ear-ringing noise, all he could do was try to remember how to breathe as something ripped through the balcony. An explosion?
The table next to theirs was flung up and over. It crashed into Tai's chair, but Tai was fortuitously no longer in it, as a body slamed into him at that moment, sending him careening over his own table. In a shower of flames, glass, and silverware Tai crashed into the railing of the balcony, which gave way under his weight.
It was sheer reflex that allowed him to fling up his hand and grab onto one of the rails, and sheer luck that the rail was still embedded in the balcony itself. The body that had crashed into him continued down to the ballroom floor below, to lie still among the licking flames. Tai didn't bother looking down.
With a massive effort he hauled himself back up to the balcony... what was left of it. Most of it was gone, save for a small area that was mainly where their table and one other had been.
Tai flattened himself down as far as he could for stability, and assessed his surroundings.
The table next to theirs was flung up and over. It crashed into Tai's chair, but Tai was fortuitously no longer in it, as a body slamed into him at that moment, sending him careening over his own table. In a shower of flames, glass, and silverware Tai crashed into the railing of the balcony, which gave way under his weight.
It was sheer reflex that allowed him to fling up his hand and grab onto one of the rails, and sheer luck that the rail was still embedded in the balcony itself. The body that had crashed into him continued down to the ballroom floor below, to lie still among the licking flames. Tai didn't bother looking down.
With a massive effort he hauled himself back up to the balcony... what was left of it. Most of it was gone, save for a small area that was mainly where their table and one other had been.
Tai flattened himself down as far as he could for stability, and assessed his surroundings.
Yuu
18 years ago
Had Yuu known that the balcony, much less the event, was going to be blown to bits, she would've worn underwear.
The force of the blast knocked her completely out of her chair and he hit the railing which had just weakened and broken a second before she hit it. The pain was like a blinding white light or that could've been whatever hit her head, she wasn't sure, but she knew something in her was broken. Oh yeah, back to the railing...it was tearing away from the balcony and Yuu lay crumbled on the floor with nothing to hold on to.
'Tai..,' she mumbled weakly, trying to reach out when suddenly she felt her equilibrium shift. No, that was the balcony pulling away from the wall it was attached to. Yuu was slipping. Digging her nails into hardwood so hard, a fingernail popped off and pain ripped up her hand to her throbbing head. She fought the urge to throw up as she dimly made out Tai not far from her.
'No.' She mumbled as she felt herself slip several inches towards the edge of the balcony. 'Not like this.'
The force of the blast knocked her completely out of her chair and he hit the railing which had just weakened and broken a second before she hit it. The pain was like a blinding white light or that could've been whatever hit her head, she wasn't sure, but she knew something in her was broken. Oh yeah, back to the railing...it was tearing away from the balcony and Yuu lay crumbled on the floor with nothing to hold on to.
'Tai..,' she mumbled weakly, trying to reach out when suddenly she felt her equilibrium shift. No, that was the balcony pulling away from the wall it was attached to. Yuu was slipping. Digging her nails into hardwood so hard, a fingernail popped off and pain ripped up her hand to her throbbing head. She fought the urge to throw up as she dimly made out Tai not far from her.
'No.' She mumbled as she felt herself slip several inches towards the edge of the balcony. 'Not like this.'
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
Tai spread himself out, arms and legs splayed, belly and chest to the balcony floor. The toppled table was between him and Yuu; he could barely see her, and the noise was deafening. Even so he could have sworn he heard her voice drift across it, calling his name. He looked down below; they had very little time to get out before the entire balcony collapsed into what was a rapidly-growing inferno underneath them.
They?
Since when did that factor in? Cold panic that had very little to do with their situation hit Tai like a brick of ice. Well, shit. Now he had to think of getting her out... he liked her! How could this night possibly get any more annoying?
That happened to be the worst question to ask, as something stirred near his left elbow. He turned to see his target, CEO Nakayama, had managed to somehow stay atop the balcony as well. The man was flattened to the ground, like Tai, but he was staring at something.
Tai followed the man's glance and realized that the arm of his tux had torn away, revealing the very obvious tattoos beneath. Perhaps Yuu hadn't realized the full significance of the markings when she'd seen them, but this man needed only a glimpse to know what Tai was, and assume his purpose. As one, they looked at each other. The balcony shuddered.
Nakayama lunged forward and hurled himself at Tai. Tai, without hesitation, rolled and booted the man in the side as he did, sending him flying toward the edge of the balcony and over. Tai growled and hurried forward; Nakayama grabbed onto the railing, dangling over the flames as Tai had been a few moments ago.
It was Tai's turn to lunge. He sprang forward, trying not to collapse the balcony, and grabbed Nakayama's hands. Pinching the pressure point underneath the web of the thumb and forefinger, he managed to get one of the man's hands free. Then, as he was going for the second hand, the balcony lurched again.
The table rolled off to the side and down, over Tai's leg but not causing any injury more than what would probably be a good bruise the next day. It did, however, completely reveal a dazed and frightened-looking Yuu, who was slowly slipping over the side of the balcony as well.
"Damnit. Hold on, Yuu."
One hand working to keep Nakayama from climbing back onto the balcony, Tai strained as he reached the other over to anchor Yuu.
"Grab my hand."
He'd worry about what to do after that, as he hooked his toes into the crack forming where the balcony was pulling away from the wall.
They?
Since when did that factor in? Cold panic that had very little to do with their situation hit Tai like a brick of ice. Well, shit. Now he had to think of getting her out... he liked her! How could this night possibly get any more annoying?
That happened to be the worst question to ask, as something stirred near his left elbow. He turned to see his target, CEO Nakayama, had managed to somehow stay atop the balcony as well. The man was flattened to the ground, like Tai, but he was staring at something.
Tai followed the man's glance and realized that the arm of his tux had torn away, revealing the very obvious tattoos beneath. Perhaps Yuu hadn't realized the full significance of the markings when she'd seen them, but this man needed only a glimpse to know what Tai was, and assume his purpose. As one, they looked at each other. The balcony shuddered.
Nakayama lunged forward and hurled himself at Tai. Tai, without hesitation, rolled and booted the man in the side as he did, sending him flying toward the edge of the balcony and over. Tai growled and hurried forward; Nakayama grabbed onto the railing, dangling over the flames as Tai had been a few moments ago.
It was Tai's turn to lunge. He sprang forward, trying not to collapse the balcony, and grabbed Nakayama's hands. Pinching the pressure point underneath the web of the thumb and forefinger, he managed to get one of the man's hands free. Then, as he was going for the second hand, the balcony lurched again.
The table rolled off to the side and down, over Tai's leg but not causing any injury more than what would probably be a good bruise the next day. It did, however, completely reveal a dazed and frightened-looking Yuu, who was slowly slipping over the side of the balcony as well.
"Damnit. Hold on, Yuu."
One hand working to keep Nakayama from climbing back onto the balcony, Tai strained as he reached the other over to anchor Yuu.
"Grab my hand."
He'd worry about what to do after that, as he hooked his toes into the crack forming where the balcony was pulling away from the wall.
Yuu
18 years ago
Yuu reached out and did her best to lunge across the distance between her and Tai. She wasn't about to play the scared girl part and cry. Fuck this and fuck that. Reaching out she grabbed onto Tai, wincing at the pain radiating all over her body.
She saw the man dangling and looked up at Tai. 'We need to help him, can you grab him?' The balcony cracked even more beneath her feet and she asked herself, could they help themselves?
'Tai what are we going to do?'
She saw the man dangling and looked up at Tai. 'We need to help him, can you grab him?' The balcony cracked even more beneath her feet and she asked herself, could they help themselves?
'Tai what are we going to do?'
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
Stuck as he was in his unenviable position, Tai found a moment to goggle at Yuu. He was anchoring both her and Nakayama with his fucking toes, one hand holding onto each, and she wanted him to grab the man?
"With what, Yuu? I know it's large, but it's not a third arm!"
He strained a bit as the balcony wobbled again, trying not to lose Yuu and trying to lose Nakayama, who had managed somehow to quite painfully dig his nails into Tai's flesh.
"Can you hold onto my neck?" That wasn't going to be pleasant, but if she could somehow climb onto him, perhaps he could use both hands. Nakayama had remained ferociously silent the whole time, but now the man's lips moved.
"Yakuza."
It was faint and hoarse and the word was difficult to make out. The smoke rising was taking its toll on them all.
The balcony pulled away from the wall a bit more and Tai's foot slipped. They all lurched toward the flames. He dug in again, calves straining.
"With what, Yuu? I know it's large, but it's not a third arm!"
He strained a bit as the balcony wobbled again, trying not to lose Yuu and trying to lose Nakayama, who had managed somehow to quite painfully dig his nails into Tai's flesh.
"Can you hold onto my neck?" That wasn't going to be pleasant, but if she could somehow climb onto him, perhaps he could use both hands. Nakayama had remained ferociously silent the whole time, but now the man's lips moved.
"Yakuza."
It was faint and hoarse and the word was difficult to make out. The smoke rising was taking its toll on them all.
The balcony pulled away from the wall a bit more and Tai's foot slipped. They all lurched toward the flames. He dug in again, calves straining.
Yuu
18 years ago
Asshole, Yuu thought at Tai's comment but she still smiled, despite the situation.
Climbing up onto Tai she wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a strangled cry as her ribs objected to the action. She about fainted from the pain but hung onto Tai with every ounce of strength she had.
Then a hoarse voice rose up and her damaged ear drums almost prevented her from hearing it, but her mind couldn't place what he said. She shook her head gently trying to clear her mind from the pain creeping up her chest and into her neck.
'Alright, let's fucking do this.'
Climbing up onto Tai she wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a strangled cry as her ribs objected to the action. She about fainted from the pain but hung onto Tai with every ounce of strength she had.
Then a hoarse voice rose up and her damaged ear drums almost prevented her from hearing it, but her mind couldn't place what he said. She shook her head gently trying to clear her mind from the pain creeping up her chest and into her neck.
'Alright, let's fucking do this.'
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
Tai's battle with Nakayama waged while Yuu clambered onto his back. Under any other circumstances it would have been a riot; as it was, he couldn't believe the man had held on this long. He had a grip like a vice, both hands now on Tai's. The moment Yuu freed his hand, Tai grabbed Nakayama's wrist, putting on enough of a show that hopefully Yuu would be fooled.
They were running out of time, though. He gave a very subtle twist, driving his thumb into the spot where the senstive tendons in the wrist brushed the skin surface, and was rewarded when Nakayama's hand released him. The man shouted, but even Tai couldn't make out what he screamed...
...seeing as how he was on his way down into the flames and all.
"Damn," Tai swore. And again, "Damn." Now he'd have to finish the job and they had precious little time if they were to get out alive.
The man's body landed on a fractured chair leg, solving that minor problem. Apparently something fortuitous was to come of this night after all. Imagine that.
Turning his attention back to Yuu and the rapidly falling balcony, Tai looked for an opening in the flames. They had no choice but to go through them, but Tai couldn't tell how wide they were. If they plunged into them they might not get out. Then again, weighed against the odds of certain death of they stayed where they were, that might not be such a bad thing.
Tai reached across to the fallen table and yanked the table cloth over.
"Cover yourself," he shouted over the roar of the fire... or was that the roaring in his ears from the blast? God only knew what the hell kind of flammable shit she had in her hair.
They were running out of time, though. He gave a very subtle twist, driving his thumb into the spot where the senstive tendons in the wrist brushed the skin surface, and was rewarded when Nakayama's hand released him. The man shouted, but even Tai couldn't make out what he screamed...
...seeing as how he was on his way down into the flames and all.
"Damn," Tai swore. And again, "Damn." Now he'd have to finish the job and they had precious little time if they were to get out alive.
The man's body landed on a fractured chair leg, solving that minor problem. Apparently something fortuitous was to come of this night after all. Imagine that.
Turning his attention back to Yuu and the rapidly falling balcony, Tai looked for an opening in the flames. They had no choice but to go through them, but Tai couldn't tell how wide they were. If they plunged into them they might not get out. Then again, weighed against the odds of certain death of they stayed where they were, that might not be such a bad thing.
Tai reached across to the fallen table and yanked the table cloth over.
"Cover yourself," he shouted over the roar of the fire... or was that the roaring in his ears from the blast? God only knew what the hell kind of flammable shit she had in her hair.
Ichiro Taiji
18 years ago
The balcony began to slide toward the floor faster. Tai hoped Yuu had managed to cover up sufficiently. As the balcony's center of gravity shifted he did his best to move with it, unhooking his feet as it rocked back toward the wall.
After a few more tremors, the remaining supports gave out and Tai, able to regain his feet, shifted Yuu into his arms. The balcony crashed downwards.
"Hold your breath," he instructed into Yuu's ear. She was hanging onto him with everything she had, but he didn't suppose he could blame her and she seemed more irritated than afraid.
As the balcony neared the end of its journey, Tai reflected that rarely did human flesh make an adequate springboard... but desperate times called for desperate measures. That combined with his reluctance to make absolutely certain a job was finished compelled him to use Nakayama's chest as a stepping-stone as he leaped from the balcony and plunged headfirst into the flames, trying to shelter Yuu's face... for several reasons.
Their moment of truth was, out of sheer luck, simply a moment. Even as Tai feared his clothing would burn right off and he'd be incinerated to a crisp right there, they passed through what was just a narrow wall of incredibly hot flame. There were very few people left in the room, and those who were didn't look like they'd be going anywhere soon.
Tai plunged toward the exit, bearing Yuu along with him.
((ooc: Tai and Yuu out))
After a few more tremors, the remaining supports gave out and Tai, able to regain his feet, shifted Yuu into his arms. The balcony crashed downwards.
"Hold your breath," he instructed into Yuu's ear. She was hanging onto him with everything she had, but he didn't suppose he could blame her and she seemed more irritated than afraid.
As the balcony neared the end of its journey, Tai reflected that rarely did human flesh make an adequate springboard... but desperate times called for desperate measures. That combined with his reluctance to make absolutely certain a job was finished compelled him to use Nakayama's chest as a stepping-stone as he leaped from the balcony and plunged headfirst into the flames, trying to shelter Yuu's face... for several reasons.
Their moment of truth was, out of sheer luck, simply a moment. Even as Tai feared his clothing would burn right off and he'd be incinerated to a crisp right there, they passed through what was just a narrow wall of incredibly hot flame. There were very few people left in the room, and those who were didn't look like they'd be going anywhere soon.
Tai plunged toward the exit, bearing Yuu along with him.
((ooc: Tai and Yuu out))