Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
Spring was finally becoming more evident in Lorsette as snow gradually melted away, revealing the ground hidden beneath several layers of cold snow. There were few clouds in the azure coloured sky, a mere few dots failing to block the sun which pridefully stood, shining through the blue canvas. Sunlight leaked through the classroom, Laurent staring from the other side of a window, trapped indoors until he finished his duties as a TRS professor. Only a few more jobs required his attention, but the tall man longed for freedom from the confines of his classroom. The weather was favourable for working outside, the numerous jobs for spring cleaning weighing on Laurent's mind as he slowly proceeded to grade papers related to terror research. The topic related to fear eaters, a more simplistic introductory lesson for those joining the TRS opposed to the unexpected variables of the robotic animals; depending on weapon composition, there was an endless yielding of different combinations. Wordy documents were viewed on the large man's computer as he hunched over, carefully reading each word.
[break][break]
The right hand manned the mouse while the left arm patiently waited for typing, the damages caused centuries ago making the professor hesitant to overuse the limb. There were a mere few documents remaining, Laurent accomplishing a majority of his marking while his previous class reviewed the materials for an upcoming test. Fortunately, the final class had been a mature and pleasant group, resulting in the professor reading through a majority of the work. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back, stretching his arms up before scratching his bearded chin. There were instances where it felt as though he spent days hunched over staring at student papers, alas, these were the expectations of a professor. For a few moments, he leaned back against the backrest of his chair, hazel eyes flitting towards the black frame stationed on his desk. There were few items which decorated the desk of Professor Laurent Maythorn, most being limited to small units designed for organization. A small container which held the day's assignments, several headers indicating grade levels, a hand-in bin for completed assignments and a shelf-like structure containing binders with valuable information about the lessons. There was always a water bottle or occasionally a mug full of coffee; today it remained the former held in a silver canister.
[break][break]
However, the most notable item which a majority of his students were intrigued by was a single black picture frame stationed nearby the regular monitor. Contained in the black and white borders was a picture of a woman, beautiful and young with a broad smile across her face. Her perfect hourglass figure accompanied by wavy locks of dirty blonde hair which framed her gorgeous face. Awkwardly, her left arm jutted out while the other remained folded across her stomach, although, where left arm went was unknown to anybody capturing a mere glimpse. A majority believed perhaps he had a secret lover he abandoned in London, England prior to his departure, others thought she was a divorced wife he remained obsessed with. The closest answers were she was a deceased lover, however, they nonetheless were false. Under most circumstances, Laurent remained hushed about the identity of the woman in the photo, deciding to avoid reopening the painful scars which manifested that evening... The endless flames followed by allowing the influences of hell to make him sin.
[break][break]
The woman in the photo was his mother, Cera Maythorn, a woman willing to nurse the son of her ex-lover, Marcus Evans. There remained nobody aware of the fact the photo was folded over, hiding Marcus behind his mother. From the opinions his mother possessed over the man, Laurent never desired to meet his biological father, believing him to be an unfaithful liar for abandoning her. Single-handedly, Cera was expected to raise him, the assistance she gained from her parents a fortune. A long sigh escaped Laurent's lips as he adjusted his position, shoving old memories away in favour of completing his work. There would be plenty of time to ponder his misfortunes, but he wished to grade the digital assignments and request for his students to check over his comments before finishing and handing in their final copies. Gradually, the man settled, right hand smoothly highlighting a segment of incorrect information before creating a comment to correct the statement; he wanted to assure his students would have their facts straight. There was a slowness as Laurent's fingers tapped the keys, the professor becoming immersed in his work once again.
Vashti wasn't aware that her brother had taught her back when she was learning all about the Terrors. Not that respect would have been given easier had she known, more like the opposite. Though Laurent seemed to treat her just a tad bit different that he had the other students, she couldn't place her finger on the reason of why, but it had encouraged her to get sweet revenge on him. So she spent almost all of her freetime giving him pay back, including signing him up for the Valentine's blind date despite knowing that he wouldn't be pleased. Though she couldn't help but feel a tad bit curious on how that went, she wasn't about to pry into his life to find out. Class was still in session, so she would be forced to wait until it had come to an end before barging inside. Thankfully this would give her plenty of time strategize a plan on how she would go about entering.
It felt like forever before the class had come to an end, but she waited in the hall for all the students to exit before slipping inside of the room. "Greetings...." She answered, moving to lean against a desk that was stationed just in front of him. She never did address him appropriately when a student and she wasn't about to start right now. She couldn't help but glance towards the back of the photograph that held the strange woman on his desk. She hadn't been one of the people who attempted to pry for information prior. She then quickly pushed herself off of the desk to reach out for the photograph, picking it up before turning it around so that she could see the woman once more. "Can I meet her?" She asked suddenly, curious on how he would react to such a question. She had no reason to meet her, but surely she would come to realize who the woman was to Laurent after meeting her, right?
The endless clicking of his fingers across the keyboard filled Laurent's classroom as he proceeded to write comments correcting his students in hopes of allowing them to thoroughly understand terrors. Quietly, the teacher continued working intensely to complete grading the assignments, the professor promptly finishing another paper reading. The paper was saved into the student's folder under a different name, allowing the student to review it in the future. Afterwards, the fallen angel access a separate student folder, opening the document to review the next paper.
[break][break]
The final paper was written by an excelling student, which showed promise for being a simple and easier paper to quickly review before breaking for a late lunch. Words were read, the professor digesting the information the student typed into their own words. Carefully, the brown-haired man thoroughly read every word, making comments to correct any misinformation or correcting any spelling/grammar errors. Hastily, Laurent finished the final document, the large man finally straightened himself, stretching his arms up to unwind the muscles in his back. A glance was taken towards the clock, a small smile touching the fallen angel's face as he realized class was almost over.
[break][break]
Eventually, the bell rang, reverberating noise through the room and signalling the students to pack up their papers. Immediately, Laurent stood from his chair, the students slowly cleaning their papers, eyes fixating on their professor.
[break][break]
"Your assignments are due tomorrow," Laurent stated. "Please make sure to get your work done, if you have any questions, please stay after class or come early tomorrow."
[break][break]
There were a few nods as the students hastily packed their papers and items, expertly piling their books before moving to the door. The leader of the mass of students opened the door, each leaving in a line to head home. Briefly, Laurent watched before returning to his desk to double check if there was any more work he needed to accomplish, although, his focus was broken when suddenly he heard a familiar voice. A long sigh escaped the fallen angel's mouth as he realized who was entering the classroom after his classes.
[break][break]
Smoothly, Laurent turned in his office chair to face the long-haired brunette. He watched as she entered, the name Vashti Evans immediately being associated with the young woman who constantly caused him mayhem.
[break][break]
"Listen, if you plan to cause more mischief, you can turn and leave right now," Laurent responded coldly.
[break][break]
Evidently, the fallen angel did not appreciate the previous incidents, most specifically the blind date he was randomly entered into. Fixation was placed on Vashti, Laurent watching as she plucked the photo from his desk, which slightly bothered the professor. The photograph was among the few he had of his beloved mother, and the larger man always became concerned when people felt the need to touch the old photo. The question was met with a stern face, Laurent disliking the notion of Vashti requesting to meet his mother.
[break][break]
"No, you can't," he stated vaguely. "Now put that down!"
[break][break]
Thoughts associated with the death of his family were unwelcomed, Laurent oftentimes remaining hush on his past. There were plenty of students who pondered the photo alongside the metal encasing his damaged arm. The bolder students would directly inquire about the reason, but the fallen angel remained tight-lipped. After a few moments, the professor slowly rose from his chair, concerned Vashti would not put the picture frame down.
Vashti had ignored his warning, not one for leaving unless she felt like it and right now she wanted to see all of his reactions because he had started it by giving her the cold shoulder in the first place. Laurent held the face expression of being bothered, she was confused seeing as she was only looking at the woman. It wasn't like she had any motivation to bother him, just get attention was all. To her disappointment, he had told her no and further demanded that she put it down. "No." She answered, moving away from him with the photograph in her hand, once more staring at the photograph. Why is he so determined to keep a closed book on me and why can't I meet her? I think it would be fun and yet he had to ruin it by flat out telling me no like he always does. She thought to herself, holding the frame firmly in her grip.
"Why can't I meet her?" She asked, rather demandingly. She wanted to know why he felt a great need in keeping them apart from each other, unaware of the secret hidden in the photograph itself. Laurent had risen from his desk and she found herself moving away from him once more, but it was difficult because these damn desks were in her way.
The framed picture of Laurent’s beautiful mother, Cera Maythorn, was a treasure he rarely allowed anybody to touch. With every passing moment the brunette held his photo, the fallen angel found himself growing more irritated. There were few pictures the professor had of his beloved family, a good portion being torched in the flames which consumed their home years ago. A glare settled onto Laurent’s brow as he stared at Vashti, the woman who refused to listen to his command. The photograph was valuable to the bearded man, yet, she held the audacity to respond in this disrespectful manner. It became apparent to Laurent that Vashti had no intentions of releasing the picture despite his request. There were never thoughts taken towards the reason why the gifted woman would constantly bother him through her mischievous tricks and endless disrespect. Admittedly, Laurent failed to notice the difference in how he treated her, mostly because it occurred naturally. The notion of Vashti potentially being the daughter of his biological father was an upsetting idea, especially since he wanted to shove the man out of his life. Those hurt feelings from being abandoned by his Mr. Evans never dissipated since Laurent witnessed his mother’s struggle to support him and herself. While his grandparents had assisted the young mother, finding stabilization after the incident was hard.
[break][break]
Slowly, Laurent circled the desk with plans of retrieving the picture from his theoretical half-sister. His hand reached out to carefully try as pluck the picture frame from her hands, but naturally, the fallen angel was unable to determine how tightly she would hold it.
[break][break]
“Because she isn’t even here,” he stated, answering her question vaguely.
[break][break]
Reopening those wounds from centuries ago was something the large man wished to avoid, thus his answer was vague. There was simply no motivation to provide Vashti with the information she desired, especially considering how mischievously she acted. The bothersome nature the brunette woman displayed was obnoxious and irritating, thus Laurent refused to make he privy to the sensitive situation of his past. However, there were a limited amount of people who he would give such knowledge.
Vashti backed away, despite her efforts to try and keep distance between them, he had still managed to get his grip on the photograph. She struggled to keep her grip, listening when he said that she wasn't even here. "Why should that matter? I want to meet her." She answered but no sooner had she spoken had the frame fallen from her grip. Ahhhhhh I wanted to meet her, this is so frustrating.... She thought to herself, realizing the frame was in the process of falling onto the floor, she attempted to catch it but missed and it smacked the ground. Glass flung across the floor in all directions. She reached out to pick up the photograph for the sake of getting a closer look, taking notice that it had been folded she turned it to see a surprise.
The man in this photograph, she knew him. He was her father. She suddenly backed away with the photograph in her hand, feeling a great need for answers. "Why.... Why is my father in your photograph?" She held the photograph tighter to ensure that she wasn't about to lose it as she looked up at Laurent. "And who is she?" She started, slowly standing up from the ground to ensure distance remained between them. I don't understand. Is this the reason why he gave me the cold shoulder? She thought to herself, frowning, feeling like any answer given wasn't a good enough one. He had her father in his photograph and it had been folded over so that the man wouldn't be seen, she couldn't help but feel likely furious that it seemed that he had likely taken his action towards her for reason of her being related.
Answers were refused when Laurent reached for the edge of the picture frame, desiring his property to be returned to him. The photograph, a memory of his precious mother's happiness and life; she raised him excellently and single-handedly. The untimely death of his family resulted in him clinging to every picture he held of his family, even though he possessed more important pictures. This particular picture he kept on his desk to avoid any of those memorable moments potentially getting damaged through the reckless actions of students.
[break][break]
Fortunately, his planning was proper considering Vashti appeared keen on meddling with the picture on his desk, although, Laurent wanted to avoid it potentially being damaged. In this particular photo, there was a broad smile on his mother's face, and the damaged man wished to reserve any memories of his family smiling. Those happier times were the things he held on desperately to since they were among his favourite memories. Once he managed to get a grasp of his picture frame, the fallen angel attempted to tug the frame back towards him, but it shortly slipped from his grip.
[break][break]
Time seemed to slow as the professor's brown eyes widened, watching as his treasured photo started falling towards the unforgiving tiles of the classroom floor. Inevitably, it smacked into the ground, the sound of shattering glass echoing through the room as pieces flung in every direction. Before he could reach down to pluck the photograph from the wreckage, Vashti was already in the process of grabbing and examining it. The folded edge drifted out slightly, no longer secured by the frame's stiff back and edges.
[break][break]
Briefly, there was a glimpse of his biological father, Laurent already disliking the small instance where he was forced to witness the face of the man who abandoned his mother. There was a tightness in the large man's chest as the huntress examined the picture, promptly noticing the folded side. The photo was turned, the brown-haired woman stepping back as her hands clenched the image tighter; Laurent flinched in response, especially when the inquiry was asked. A soft sigh escaped the professor's lips, his eyes flitting to focus on the tiled floor and fragments of glass.
[break][break]
"... How about I explain it over lunch?" Laurent inquired hesitantly. "It would be easier and a little bit more comfortable."
[break][break]
Lightening the blow was necessary, especially considering Laurent was unaware of the kind of incident he entered. Furthermore, the professor found it difficult to focus on his diction due to his lack of a proper lunch today. Procrastination played another role in the entire situation, the professor remaining uncertain on how he would answer any questions Vashti had; he kept his secret under his hat for a long time.
Vashti had attempted to catch the frame but had barely missed it when it had hit the floor. In the middle of picking the photograph up she had come to realize the big secret that he held against her and to make matters worse he hadn't answered her question, instead had suggested lunch instead. At first she had backed away but was quick to regain her footing. "As long as you plan on explaining it." She answered him back, still refusing to give up the photograph. "Then after we can get a replacement frame." She knew she was the reason for why his frame was broken and she'd be damned if she wasn't the one paying to replace it. In case there was the slightest chance of him wanting to change his mind, she held the photograph against her chest as she moved passed him and out the door. She'd keep a reasonable pace, knowing fully well that she would be too fast if she used enhanced speed on him.
This woman, she is in the photograph with my father. Is she, is she a woman that he had known long before marrying my mother? And why does he have this photograph, who are the to each other? She thought to herself, feeling uneasy with the thought of Laurent knowing her father. Seeing as asking questions would be a waste of time, since he hadn't bothered answering any already, she remained quiet on the walk there. As soon as the cafe came into view, she had slowed down, planning on reaching out to open the door for Laurent because she so happened to get there first. "How do you know my father?" She asked, unable to contain her questions any longer. It felt like that was the most important question of them all, the sooner she knew their relation, the sooner she could move on with life.
Endless worries entered Laurent's mind, even when Vashti agreed to discuss the issue over lunch. The procrastination was successful, but the fallen angel was uncertain of how everything would proceed. There was plenty of information which the female brunette would become privy to, the sensitive details of his misfortune making it difficult to formulate an idea for where he could possibly begin. There was a slow nod when the girl stated how she wanted their afternoon to proceed, lunch for providing answers and then hunting down a new picture frame.
[break][break]
There were regrets in keeping that particular photo on his desk, especially while Vashti was in his class. Unfortunately, the professor never pondered the notion of the frame potentially being broken and the secret being discovered. Evidently, the huntress was unaware of her father's affair, which meant she was unaware they were half-siblings. Slowly, Laurent moved to exit the classroom, pausing to allow Vashti out before closing and locking the door. While the damaged picture frame remained on the ground, the fallen angel decided he would deal with the mess later.
[break][break]
Once they left the TRS headquarters, Vashti began setting a specific pace, which resulted in the fallen angel flinching as he quickly followed her. Each step carried them closer to the destination where they would be consuming their lunch, although, Laurent's anxieties increased as they moved closer. When the cafe hastily arrived into view, a soft sigh escaped the professor's lips as he prepared for the inevitable explanation. The door was swung open by Vashti, the woman allowing Laurent to enter the establishment first, which he obeyed.
[break][break]
There were numerous people inside the cafe, a majority of the tables being taken by individuals arriving to enjoy their lunch break. Despite the crowding, a table was discovered quickly, Laurent settling himself and patiently waiting for Vashti to begin the torrent of questions. The first question made the fallen angel require a deep breath and an extensive exhale, a pause ensuing briefly.
[break][break]
"Because... your father is my biological father," Laurent explained.
[break][break]
There were measures taken to try and soften the blow, the fallen angel getting the feeling he would receive backlash for never informing Vashti about the truth. The situation was not favourable to the professor, especially considering he would be forced to answer all of the female brunette's question.
Lunch time arrived and Nolan's stomach was near empty, and in dire need of some food. He skipped breakfast... but in all honesty, that was partly because he slept in kind of late. He tried getting up earlier to reverse the late night-owl routine he was starting to get himself stuck in but today he had only a little luck with it. He slept past the alarm he set and only woke up when he did because of the loud barking of a dog outside his apartment window... probably some person walking their dog downtown. [break][break]
He bathed, got dressed, and researched some good legitimate Hexing books that he could look into while out. Nolan would have benefited from a teacher but his own insecurities and fears of being found out as a Fallen prevented him from pursuing that. So, instead, he was left to self-teaching and whatever advice or assistance either of his roommates could offer him. After hitting road bump after road bump practicing on his own, seeing only flashes and glimpse of visions regarding the precise whereabouts of his brother, Nolan wanted to be proactive. There was only so much patience he had left in him after the years a part.[break][break]
He started looking for a genuine Hexing manual from a real magic shop, and found a place that looked like it could have what he needed, albeit the street's location looked a little shady. But, hey, it wasn't like he hadn't been through his fair share of daring encounters. Nolan learned quite a lot of street smarts, ways to survive, and how to deal with trouble if it went coming after him. He wasn't worried about anything. Thus, the teen briskly brushed back his hair with his hands to style it in the casual way he liked, and slipped on his shoes before heading out the door by the early afternoon.[break][break]
Nolan couldn't ignore the gurgling emptiness of his stomach however and decided to first grab a quick meal at the cafe. Pushing through the door, he found himself in a rather cute and quaint looking place with wooden tables... and a lot of people. Nolan's eyes somewhat blinked wide in surprise when seeing that nearly every seat was already taken by someone else. "Damn..." He murmured to himself, stepping inside and glancing around. A sigh left him. "Guess this is what I get for coming in here during lunch hour..." He hadn't ate here enough to figure out what the busiest hours of the day were but he could easily tell that clearly, this was one of them. [break][break]
Nolan decidedly waited off towards the side of the entrance, watching for a seat to open or for a waiter to assist him. A few minutes passed before a waiter came strolling by with a handful of menus and offered to help him a find a table, one luckily opening up. He sat at a table right next to one where an older looking man with a beard and a girl with long brown hair were sitting at, and smiled brightly at the waitress. "--Oh, thanks, but I already know what I'm going to order," He responded to her, "I'll have a traditional cheeseburger, cooked medium-rare with no Mayo. A chocolate shake... aaaand... let's go with some curly fries-- extra crispy!" [break][break]
"You've got quite the apatite," The waiter laughed and Nolan's smile remained with a shrug. "Haha well, with teenaged boys, we could probably eat a whole horse and still be hungry," He joked with her and the waiter laughed more, nodding as she told him, "You just described my son. Your food will be comin' up soon, hun," "Thank you," With that, she was off to help the table next to him, and Nolan leaned back in his chair slightly as he tried to get comfortable.
[attr="class","onlytimeright"]
[attr="class","onlytimeimg"]
[attr="class","onlytimelyric1"]sure as the sun will cross the sky
[attr="class","onlytimelyric2"]THE LIE IS OVER
[attr="class","onlytimeline"]
[attr="class","onlytimenotes"]
notes: Thank you for waiting!! Nolan's read to jump in <3 outfit:here
Vashti was pleased when Laurent went into the cafe, following after him she asked her question, to which he answered. She couldn't help but feel surprised at the answer even though she had a feeling in the back of her mind that it was a possible reason all along. She took a seat across from him as she thought of her next question, trying to form it in her head as to avoid it coming out impolite when asking it. "And that is why you gave me the cold shoulder?" She was under the belief he chose to act that way to her on purpose, to her, he wasn't nearly as bad to the other students. The table right next to them was open and Nolan had taken a seat. It was hard to focus on her conversation when they were having one of their own and frankly the comment about teenaged boys was amusing to her.
"With all due respect, I argue that there is no limit. All boys are like that, even the ones that haven't been a teenager for a long while." She answered, a smug grin on her face. Though Laurent was with her right now and that comment was directed right at him, she was almost positive that Fritz would act the same exact way if he chose to eat. Now that she managed to get her attention back onto Laurent, she would resume where they left off. "Is the woman in this photograph your mother?" She asked, finding there were so many possible answers regarding this woman. She already had a brother, she was hoping that would be enough of the surprises. But then again, it would be better to have the answer than not and if he expected a new frame with his photograph back, it would be in his best interest to answer her questions.
Light poured through the window beside their table as Laurent awkwardly awaited prosecution from the hands of his half-sister, Vashti. The shattering of the frame revealed a long-standing secret about his genes and not he was expected to hand over answers without a single deception to his words. While the fallen angel was never a dishonest person, he preferred keeping family matters and his personal history a secret from the scrutinizing eyes of the world around him. Unfortunately, another individual being involved in these matters meant reveals were probable, although, his choice of location was not necessarily favourable.
[break][break]
Admittedly, the professor was hoping people would be more fixated on their own conversation as opposed to the pair talking about an old photograph. As he provided information, the large man remained hunched over the table, arms settled on the cold, smooth surface. He wished the picture had been left in the safety of his house, a place where his half-sister would never gain the opportunity to glance over it and notice the father they shared. A cold shoulder was mentioned, Laurent glancing at Vashti, thoughts churning until they produced the evidence to back up her words.
[break][break]
Those impolite actions had become mere accidents manifested from his hatred of his biological father. The man completely abandoned his mother, never even bothering to assist financially with her difficult situation. Positive emotions and Mr. Evans would never fit together, they were simply two pieces from a different puzzle. Each was radically different in opinion and morals which resulted in disparaging emotions being aimed at the other party. Loathing, it clouded his judgements of Vashti and made it nearly impossible for Laurent to provide fair treatment; all he could think about was that horrible man.
[break][break]
"Yes... it would be..." A soft sigh escaped his lips. "I'm really sorry about that..."
[break][break]
An apologetic tone graced Laurent's words, the professor evidently feeling bad for the actions he did against Vashti; she deserved a fair chance similar to all students. The conversation at the neighbouring table was only half-listened to by the professor who merely shrugged when Vashti stated it was befitting of boys to possess large appetites. Disputing the claim would be impossible considering the large man oftentimes held a big appetite. After a few moments, a separate waitress arrived to take Laurent and Vashti's order.
[break][break]
"I will get a BLT with a side of fries, and just water for a drink please," Laurent stated.
[break][break]
The sound of a pen writing across the small notebook the young girl held was noticed, her gaze promptly turning to Vashti as she intended to get her order also. After receiving an order or being informed she had no intention of eating, the waitress left, quickly heading to the back. There was something about the manner which she stepped which suggested she could potentially be a new employee. Once the waitress retreated into the kitchen to provide the order, Vashti's following inquiry came which was answered with a simple nod.
Vashti listened when Laurent answered her question before apologizing for it. It was difficult for her to decide on if she would forgive him or not. As much as she desired to accomplish such a task, things had gone on so long she was having a hard time truly believing it. Of course she didn't want anymore tension between Laurent and her, not if she could help it anyway. Thoughts churned as she debated on what she could say back to him. On the one hand she desired the will to forgive him, on the other she knew there would be a chance of questioning it later even though she wanted to be completely serious about it. "So from now on you'll treat me differently?" She asked, curious on his answer, secretly believing it to become possibly easier if he were to treat her like a sister and not the daughter of that bastard of a man.
She had made a comment about what Nolan had said, mostly hinting towards Laurent only to nice him shrug. Oh how she wanted more than a reaction then this, she had decided the best course of action would be to keep trying. She waited until it was her turn to order, "I'd also like a water with soup and salad." As soon as orders were taken, she handed her menu back before leaning against the seat, finding this relaxing. She then asked him if that was his mother, noticing his nod she chose to drop the subject for now. "Sooo how'd you come across TRS HQ?" She asked, only curious on his reason for joining. Her's was a little bit more complicated, such as a Fritz making her feel belittled just because he was a hunter and she was a police officer as it stood right now she was both.
Despite the friendly environment of the diner, the atmosphere felt similar to an interrogation. Laurent had promised to answer Vashti's questions, therefore he prepared to give honest answers. After the promises he gave, it was expectation. There was still guilt lingering in Laurent because of the manner he treated Vashti throughout her time as a student in his classroom. It motivated the necessity to give completely honest answers. The long-haired woman was not their father, but rather, the product of him and his wife.
[break][break]
Undoubtedly, Laurent still held hatred for the man who recklessly impregnated and abandoned his mother. Being a single parent was difficult, and his mother struggled through making a happy life for him. Naturally, after witnessing these events, he held disdain for his father's actions. He could have provided her support, at least assisted in the financial department for raising a child. Those were Laurent's opinions on the situation after watching his mother work hard to provide him with an suitable education and living space.
[break][break]
A question reached the bearded man's ears. He paused after hearing Vashti ask about being treated differently. Part of him still noticed the resemblance to their father, but she was entirely her own person. From the beginning, Vashti should have been treated similarly to every student and he failed in that regard.
[break][break]
"I shouldn't have treated you differently to begin with," Laurent explained. "It was wrong of me. When your father left my mother to fend for herself... I was angry. She struggled through being a single parent and those memories got the better of me."
[break][break]
Quietly, Laurent listened to Vashti order her food. The sounds pen writing across paper reaching his ears again as the waitress jotted down the order. Once the waitress retreated to the kitchen to give their demands, the conversation would begin again. The following question was met with a soft sigh.
[break][break]
"I did some things I regretted... So I went back to school, trained to become a professor in terror studies before moving to Lorsette. I wanted a new start," Laurent explained quietly.
[break][break]
There was a subtle tone of pain captured in his softly spoken words. The memories of the abhorrent fire and his horrendous actions surfacing in his mind. He should have never allowed anger to grasp him tightly, to motivate the actions he committed. The criminal offence he committed was a regret, thus he decided to leave it behind and devote his life to helping others.
Vashti listened to Laurent speak, she nodded her head slowly as she listened to him. It didn't exactly answer her question but at the same time she knew only time would tell on how things would play out from here on out. Orders had been taken before she had asked him how he had come across TRS. She listened to his answer, crossing to not pry for more information, to her it sounded like a touchy subject and prior to meeting Fritz, she held plenty of her own regrets as well. "I see." She answered as she waited for their drinks to be brought back. "I have regrets in my past too." She answered, not really ready to mention the past, just wanted him to know that he wasn't alone on the matter either. "Of course joining TRS was based on my friend, making it sound like he did more then me. He is eating those words, now I'm sure." She answered, a smug grin forming on her face at the thought of Fritz and how he likely wished he could find a way to make her quit a job because as it stood right now she currently had two, which meant plenty of nights of lacking in sleep.
Do not use drama to get attention in the chat. Nobody appreciates it.
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No advertising, we have a perfectly fine board for that.
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Please try and keep swearing to a minimum in the chat.
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All chat usernames should be PG-13 and not break the ProBoards ToS or site rules.
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A Chatango account is not required, but it is encouraged.
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Please avoid spamming the chat; accidents are understandable.
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You may use the in-character chat prior to acceptance.
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Be respectful to anybody who enters the chat, including guest, fellow members and staff.
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Guests may speak in chat at anytime to ask questions or get a taste of our community~!
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credits
The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
Special thanks for the members of TDOM who make suggestions to help make this site better. Even though we can not accept all suggestions, we immensely appreciate it. Thus, we give credit to any additions that you thought of and were later implimented by the staff, because we are glad you give us these excellent ideas.
