[Elise]

High heels tapping against cobblestone, Elise entered the quadrangle with a brown spotted cat trailing after her. She glanced around and saw people paying tribute to Xanth, people walking from one side to the other, and people stopping to chat. It was typical Elysian activity, though she could tell that everywhere in the area, people were subconsciously attentive to the statue at the center. Xanth Day was so near, and they all knew the goddess to be real.

Normally when she visited New Alexandria, Elise avoided walking through the quadrangle. Today however, she felt obligated to visit and at least pay respect to the goddess that had made this amazing place. She already had a trinket prepared for the visit, but she’d offer it later.

Spying a long bench sitting alongside a building, Elise walked over and set her bag on the ground. As she took a seat, Elise’s cat leapt onto the bench and promptly curled onto her lap. In the three years Elise has had Rusty, the cat had become affectionate of his owner, so much that he’d follow her when he could and was often vying for her attention. Of course, he was prone to wandering on his own at occasions, but at the end of the day he always seemed to know how to get back home.

Smiling fondly at the cat, Elise reached into her purse to pull out a bag of cat treats. She took one of the mouse-shaped treats and waved it in front of her cat. “Want one, Rusty?” When the cat didn’t respond, she poked the treat at the cat’s nose and squeaked in a light, baby-ish voice, “Eep eep! I’m a mouse treat and I want you to eat me!”

That was immature, but who would care?

→ Piper's Boutique — the-butterfly.de — Kristen Bell

[Ares]

Ares was wandering along New Alexandria with no real purpose. He was alone and he was lonely. He fixed his nice looking cloths. To be a urchin, he was very clean. He takes baths in small streams and rivers. He uses some plants to make himself smell good. Once he gets some gold, he will have to buy himself a place to stay. Ares scratched his head and yawned as he entered the Quadrangle.Damn! I forgot...Soon its going to be Xanth day! he though and he rubbed his forehead. He had brought nothing with him to offer the goddess's statue in the middle. God he was a idiot. Ares looked around the quadrangle at all the other people, talking and chatting about random stuff. Ares looked up into the sky and at the sun. Xanth had saved his life everyday with that protection she put over Elysia from those harmful UV rays. Ares would be nothing but a pile of dust right now if it wasn't for her. He hoped she would understand...He had very little to give her. Only men's cloths but he left those at his resting place. Ares looked at the ground...His 'resting place' was outside the city and near a small stream. There is soft bushes there and no one bothers to come out their anymore. Ares usually came into the city looking for blood...He didn't like doing it but he needed to do it to survive. He had to do it...It wasn't a choice. He looked around until he noticed an attractive young women sitting on a bench with a beautiful cat. Ares shrugged...He was bored. He could start a conversation with her. He put his hands in his pockets and strolled on over to where she was just in time to here her trying to coax the cat into eating.“Beautiful cat you have there. But you don't look half bad yourself though.” he said with a chuckle.“I am Ares Jahoon.” he said extending his hand. He wasn't going to tell her more then that. Most people had mixed feelings on Vampires. Everything was complicated in the universe now...Nothing was as simple as it use to be. Ares missed those days of just leisurely reading, or sword training. But those days were gone forever...Just like his parents.

[Elise]

The cat blinked at Elise as if it were reproaching her for treating him so childishly. Nevertheless, as she poked him again with the cat treat, he lunged for it. The cat tugged the food out of Elise’s hold, and she gladly relinquished it. She reached into the bag to retrieve another treat. Many would say that she spoiled her cat rotten with those cat treats, and it was true. But Rusty was a very calm and gentlemanly cat, and he deserved every piece of cat-treat that Elise gave him.

Part of the biscuit-mouse was still sticking out of Rusty’s mouth, so instead of waving another treat in front of him, she began to scratch his neck. As she did so, she noticed a stranger walking closer to her.

“Beautiful cat you have there. But you don’t look half bad yourself though. I am Ares Jahoon.”

He was a well dressed man with a seemingly friendly smile. Elise didn’t assess what sort of Elysian the man was…she’s met so many people she’s gotten past the fun and mystery of figuring what somebody was. She slightly raised an eyebrow. Was he trying to charm her? “Thanks,” she replied with a smile, “Rusty takes very good care of himself, so he’d thank you too if he could. Don’t praise him anymore though ‘cause he doesn’t need another boost for his ego.”

The cat in question was still on her lap, so Elise remained seated as she reached t the man’s hand. “Ares is a fine name. Not very common though…” Elise adored mythology and she knew the name’s origins. She wondered how well the man suited his namesake. “My name is Elise Theiroe.”

→ Piper's Boutique — the-butterfly.de — Kristen Bell

[Ares]

“Thanks, Rusty takes very good care of himself, so he’d thank you too if he could. Don’t praise him anymore though ‘cause he doesn’t need another boost for his ego.”


Ares smiled at her with a nod. She must really care for the cat to almost consider it a human. Cats have ego? he asked himself. He never met one who did. He looked at her curiously and then took a seat beside her on the bench. She was well kept and was very beautiful in Ares expert opinion. Ares was always trying to charm young ladies. It was just something to do to past the time. He turned to face her once he got settled on the bench and turned his head sideways.“Really? I think he can take all the ego boost he can get! He's such an handsome cat.” Ares said with a smile and scratched the cats ears gently. He never had a pet, even before his parents death. He liked to keep to himself believe it or not and now he talks to almost everyone he meets...The people of this aren't all bad, just misunderstood. Thats Ares point of view anyway.

“Ares is a fine name. Not very common though…”

Ares shrugged. He knew his names origins. His name was the name of the Greek God of War and bloodshed. He really didn't know why his parents named him that. Ares was the nicest person in the world, as long as you don't try to push him around or cross him. “Eh...Its a name that doesn't fit me well. But what can you do? I have no problems with it, I just hope people don't see me as a maniac with a sword when they hear my name.” he said with a smile and a chuckle.“Do you study Greek mythology?” he asked her. Before his parents death, that was really all he read. He knows everything about Greek mythology and enjoys talking about it with others.

“My name is Elise Theiroe.”

“You have a beautiful name, Ms.Theiroe. Or is it Mrs.Theiroe?” he asked smoothly. He couldn't be sitting here with a married women...That would just be unseemly.

[Elise]

“Really? I think he can take all the ego boost he can get! He's such an handsome cat.”

As Ares settled down and turned to look at her, she noticed the startling contrast between his dark hair and bright blue eyes. He was very striking, Elise realized with a quick intake of breath. If he was trying to charm her with his words, he was succeeding. However, she’d appreciate him better if he were to direct his attention to her instead of Rusty. As the man leaned closer to scratch Rusty’s ears, Elise noticed faintly the smell of earth. He was very close to her, considering how recently they’d just met. But she could tell he was just being friendly.

The cat in her lap tilted his head eagerly to be scratched some more. The cat was always eager for attention and wasn’t shy of strangers. She looked him over, pretending as if she were sizing him up for a fight. She noticed the shield and sword at his side and wondered if he kept them in good condition. They looked so elaborate, and Elise itched to examine them closer...When she first came to Elysia, she'd dabbled in weaponry to learn how to protect herself.

She decided not to ask about the sword, for it seemed like a strange question to ask. Instead, Elise tilted her head and replied with a smile, “Don't worry, you don't look as intimidating as the real Ares. He was awful in the Trojan War, I don't think anybody could compare...” If the Iliad were a true story, then all the greek gods were pretty mean.

“Just Ms. Theiroe, please,” she replied with a gentle laugh. She couldn’t imagine herself being married yet, though her mother thought otherwise. Every time the other Theiroe woman called Elise, the conversation always turned to Elise’s love life. Elise had long given up explaining to her mother that she wanted to have many many adventures in the world before finally settling down.

Nevertheless, she looked askance at the man’s hands for a quick ring-check. She usually distanced herself from married men, lest she encounter a jealous wife. This man didn’t seem to be spoken for, so Elise didn’t hurry to leave. “Oh, I love reading them…myths and fairytales were my favorite bedtime stories when I was little,” she smiled, wondering if the man was interested in it too. The stories intrigued Elise up to college, where she’d even taken a class centered on mythology around the world. “It’s fascinating how some of those myths are real in Elysia…” she said as she glanced toward tje Xanth statue. The first time she’d seen a griffin, she thought she was hallucinating.

→ Piper's Boutique — the-butterfly.de — Kristen Bell

[Ares]

“Don't worry, you don't look as intimidating as the real Ares. He was awful in the Trojan War, I don't think anybody could compare...”

Ares laughed and nodded. Ares was on the side of the trojans and went through the battle murdering the greeks left and right. He was pretty bad ass but he was blood thirsty and reckless, getting himself hurt and crying home to father. Zeus later decreed that no god will intervene in the Trojan war. Ares had read the illiad about five times, enjoying it more every time. He smiled at the girl as he thought she was expecting him of his looks. He looked at the cat who wanted more of his ear scratching and so he gave it to him a little bit longer and then he stopped and gave his full attention to the beautiful woman sitting beside him.“Yes he was...So was the other gods. I've read the Illiad about five times, and I learn something new every time I read it."” he said with a nod.“Are you getting jealous of the attention I'm giving the cat? I'll focus on you then, since...Well,"” he looked down at the cat and he put his hands over its ears and leaned over to her.“Since I think you are far more attractive then the cat, and a way better talker.” he said in a whispered tone. He smiled and let go of the cats ears and leaned back to where he was.

“Just Ms. Theiroe, please,”

Ares smiled, accidentally showing his teeth, and his fangs. He couldn't help it, he was pretty happy that no one has taken up this gorgeous young beauty. He closed his mouth quickly, and hoped that that little show of fangs wouldn't scare her away. He would never steal blood from an innocent without asking. He sometimes though steals it from people who have done others wrong. But with the recent happening a lot of people have started to resent vampires in society, ones who have done no wrong. He just hoped this one was different because they were having such a good conversation. He looked down on her fit and atheltic body...He almost had to shake his head from the images floating in his mind. Ares was a gentlemen, but he was still a man.“That is very good.” he said with a smile.

“Oh, I love reading them…myths and fairytales were my favorite bedtime stories when I was little, it’s fascinating how some of those myths are real in Elysia…”

Ares nodded. They had the same interests...That was good. His father never told him bed time stories because Ares never had any problems with going to sleep but Ares had read himself to sleep a number of times, reading old tall tales or myths and legends. He found it so interesting that some of those myths are true here in land. Dragons exist, gods exist, angels, demons, and vampires. All of them were myths brought to life by Xanth. He followed Elise's gaze to the statue of the goddess. She created all this...All of us.“It truly is. I read many myths and legends back...Back in my childhood. So...Do you have a boyfriend by chance? And if you do not, it would be my pleasure to take you out to eat.” he said with a smile.

Piper's Boutique · DaFont · TOMH · RedCarpet&Rebellion · David Gandy

[Elise]

“ Are you getting jealous of the attention I'm giving the cat? I'll focus on you then, since...”

He leaned close to her to whisper. Elise found herself speechless, her eyes widening with surprise. For a man who’d just met Elise, Ares was very forward with his words. And again, he was a very, very smooth talker. She hadn’t met such a good flirt since her college years. So he was pleased that she was single? That was good, since she was hoping he’d be too. Her eyes met his face as Ares’ smile grew, and that was when Elise noticed his fangs.

By instinct, she became wary, though her facial expression didn’t betray any changes. She might have tensed up a bit, but if she did, she quickly relaxed again. Although past experiences have taught her to be wary of vampires, Elise didn’t have any prejudices against them. Being a vampire wasn’t anybody’s fault. And anyway, her best friend, among other close friends, was a vampire. Regardless of her initial caution, she’d treat Ares like any other normal being.

“I read many myths and legends back...Back in my childhood.”

She detected an undertone to his words, but didn't ask about it. They'd just met and she wasn't about to pry. Instead, she merely nodded and continued staring at Xanth and the Elysians who were devoutly offering coins and baubles to her. As the two watched Xanth in silence, Elise thought of the debt she owed to Elysia and a handful of its inhabitants. There was nothing that she could possibly offer the goddess to amend her actions, but she’d try to think of something.

“ So...Do you have a boyfriend by chance? And if you do not, it would be my pleasure to take you out to eat.””

Her eyes lit up with mirth as she returned the smile. Does this guy invite every woman he’d just met for a meal together? Either way, she’d been waiting for him to ask. “I don’t have a boyfriend, so of course I’d appreciate a meal with you…” Now she leaned closer to Ares, a playful smirk on her face. “But only since I think you are far more attractive than any other guy I’ve ever met.” If he was going to flirt shamelessly with her, she’d do the same.

Leaning into the back of the bench, Elise brought her hand toward Rusty’s neck. She casually tapped her fingers over the cat’s fur as she continued grinning at Ares. “So what place are you thinking of? I’m not from around here, so I wouldn’t know.” Come to think of it, she wasn’t sure if Ares was from around here either.

→ Piper's Boutique — the-butterfly.de — Kristen Bell