Post by Shale Evans on Aug 4, 2017 15:44:55 GMT -8
Vayle stared at the wall in front of her like it was the most important thing she'd ever seen in her life. Every part of her being wanted her to jump out of this place - it was a government-run institution filled with officers and civilians who paid a good amount of attention. Taking in a breath, she prayed to god that her earlier check-up was right - everyone knew the name "Vayle Cameo", but no one knew the face that went along with it, after all. She should have been fine, especially with her change of clothes. Sitting here in a black gi, though, next to a bunch of people who would call her 'murderer' if they knew the first thing about her...
Vayle took a breath. She needed to calm down: This wasn't A max security prison or something. This was a government office. It existed for drivers licences and ID's, not finding the top ten most wanted. No one was looking for her. She was fine.
None of those thoughts took away from the sweat dripping down her brow, or the unyielding ice in her stomach. She glanced around the room again, reminding herself of every door, every window. If she really needed to, she could probably blow open a hole in one of them with ki, but it was simple force of habit to make sure she knew where people could come and go freely. Where she could speed off if she needed to.
Vayle realized a few seconds later that she'd been so nervous she stopped breathing for a moment, and corrected that with one, deep breath inwards in one big, audible gulp of air. A few people waiting in seats next to Vayle looked over with irritation.
"...Screw off." She finally blurted, and the waiting civilians quickly turned their attention back to their feet. Causing trouble might mean losing your queue in line, which wasn't a problem for Vayle given she'd already filed everything for her I.D. Now, she just had to wait for the results to come back...
A moment later, she heard the same quiet, female voice she signed the test with come up to her. "Miss? Can I speak to you for a second... You forgot something odd with your test..."
Vayle froze, looking up to the woman with wide eyes. What the hell was she talking about? Did she need to run? Was it already too late to do so? Shale was already halfway into planning an escape route when the woman's inquisitive look changed to a smile. "Oh, I didn't mean to startle you, it's just... you did the form perfectly, except that you actually forgot to give us a name. I understand how tired this place can make you, though."
It took all of Vayle's self-control not to breathe out a long, exaggerated "phew" at the statement. "Name. Yeah. Name. I got one o' those. Just... give me a moment, and I'll come fill out the form."
The blonde receptionist, not much older than Vayle from her looks, to her surprise, scratched the back of her head in embarassment. "Oh, I... didn't mean to scare ya so bad. Just a joke, was all... You should've seen your face, though! I didn't expect you to be that shy is all."
Vayle managed a nervous smile, before she took the form. "Yes! Shy! Very shy!" She blurted out, realizing even as she said it that if this woman wasn't a random clerk, she'd be pretty screwed. Way to act like the most suspicious person possible.
Nevermind that. Focus. Form. Name... Vayle closed her eyes for a moment. She was an idiot. She came here without a name. She couldn't use Vayle. That name wasn't alright anymore. And her creativity was a little parched. Something about "Losing everyone she cared about"...
Vayle took a deep breath, holding back tears. What was she even going to do after this.
"What would Shale do..." Vayle muttered.
"Shale? That's a nice name!" the receptionist stated cheerily, to Vayle's surprise, and her eyes widened.
The thought started as a little spark, but it quickly caught fire. The man who'd taught her how to fight, who'd raised her like her own daughter... even if she'd repaid that with harsh words and insults, some of the time...
And he'd repaid that with his life. It was the one thought that had kept Vayle going.
Fine then...
They'd move forward, together.
"Thanks. Name's Shale. Shale Evans. Pleased to meet'cha!"
Vayle took a breath. She needed to calm down: This wasn't A max security prison or something. This was a government office. It existed for drivers licences and ID's, not finding the top ten most wanted. No one was looking for her. She was fine.
None of those thoughts took away from the sweat dripping down her brow, or the unyielding ice in her stomach. She glanced around the room again, reminding herself of every door, every window. If she really needed to, she could probably blow open a hole in one of them with ki, but it was simple force of habit to make sure she knew where people could come and go freely. Where she could speed off if she needed to.
Vayle realized a few seconds later that she'd been so nervous she stopped breathing for a moment, and corrected that with one, deep breath inwards in one big, audible gulp of air. A few people waiting in seats next to Vayle looked over with irritation.
"...Screw off." She finally blurted, and the waiting civilians quickly turned their attention back to their feet. Causing trouble might mean losing your queue in line, which wasn't a problem for Vayle given she'd already filed everything for her I.D. Now, she just had to wait for the results to come back...
A moment later, she heard the same quiet, female voice she signed the test with come up to her. "Miss? Can I speak to you for a second... You forgot something odd with your test..."
Vayle froze, looking up to the woman with wide eyes. What the hell was she talking about? Did she need to run? Was it already too late to do so? Shale was already halfway into planning an escape route when the woman's inquisitive look changed to a smile. "Oh, I didn't mean to startle you, it's just... you did the form perfectly, except that you actually forgot to give us a name. I understand how tired this place can make you, though."
It took all of Vayle's self-control not to breathe out a long, exaggerated "phew" at the statement. "Name. Yeah. Name. I got one o' those. Just... give me a moment, and I'll come fill out the form."
The blonde receptionist, not much older than Vayle from her looks, to her surprise, scratched the back of her head in embarassment. "Oh, I... didn't mean to scare ya so bad. Just a joke, was all... You should've seen your face, though! I didn't expect you to be that shy is all."
Vayle managed a nervous smile, before she took the form. "Yes! Shy! Very shy!" She blurted out, realizing even as she said it that if this woman wasn't a random clerk, she'd be pretty screwed. Way to act like the most suspicious person possible.
Nevermind that. Focus. Form. Name... Vayle closed her eyes for a moment. She was an idiot. She came here without a name. She couldn't use Vayle. That name wasn't alright anymore. And her creativity was a little parched. Something about "Losing everyone she cared about"...
Vayle took a deep breath, holding back tears. What was she even going to do after this.
"What would Shale do..." Vayle muttered.
"Shale? That's a nice name!" the receptionist stated cheerily, to Vayle's surprise, and her eyes widened.
The thought started as a little spark, but it quickly caught fire. The man who'd taught her how to fight, who'd raised her like her own daughter... even if she'd repaid that with harsh words and insults, some of the time...
And he'd repaid that with his life. It was the one thought that had kept Vayle going.
Fine then...
They'd move forward, together.
"Thanks. Name's Shale. Shale Evans. Pleased to meet'cha!"
