the wanderer. [ALEX]

Alexander gave a small sound as he made his way from the school. His body hurt in a number of places from the training that he had put his body through, but he was still awake and aware. He had once more avoided speaking with She Who Watches, but he wanted to. He wanted to know what she had planned next for him, if anything, but he wasn't really sure if there was anything furthers. Even still, he wanted to speak with her again, to see her. He knew that it was her power, and the draw that he had toward her was something that wasn't natural...but he couldn't stop it. It was an attraction that he didn't particularly like, but it suffused all of him, and he was certain that he wouldn't be able to last too much longer.

He had often went directly from the school to home, but he felt like today he needed to take a walk to clear his head. Going to the same path back and forth was trying on his time, his patience, and lately, his sanity. His mind was close to breaking, but he kept everything covered under his emotionless mask. No one would know what he was going through, at least not unless they could tell his subtle differences. Beyond his parents and Fudendrenk, he didn't feel that anyone would be able to tell. Even still, he doubted that anyone would even mention anything, given that his own cold demeanor was enough to put people off a bit.

He found himself at a park, and there was someone playing some music for...some reason. He glanced over to the woman as she continued to play, noting something about a Galactic Patrol. She looked familiar to him...but he couldn't quite put the name to the face. At least until she switched to her next song. It was something that even Alexander, in his infinite sheltering, that heard. His gaze flickered to her as she continued, and he wondered if she was aiming to get some serious money for her corporation or charity or whatever this 'Galactic Patrol' was. He watched with some interest as she played, and while this wasn't particularly his style of music, he could tell that she was skilled at what she did.

She had finished a few moments later, earning some applause and a few that didn't seem to care too much about the charity that she was supporting, but more about how they could get a signature from her. He frowned as he watched those people. If she needed to really spread the word about this organization or whatever it was for her, the people around her didn't seem to care, too wrapped up in their own lives, and their own needs. She finished, and it looked like she was beginning to pack things up. He didn't know if she planned to keep handling questions, but in the event that she was leaving, he felt that she should have at least one person asking about her charity.

He moved forward, and the Void that surrounded him made many people move out of his way of their own volition as many people, even that couldn't sense ki, could still sense something off about him. "Hey," he said simply as he approached her table. his hands were in the pockets of his jacket, and his expression was just as cold as impassive as ever. "What's this Galactic Patrol? Some sort of new musical group?" he asked, his gaze flickering from the sign back to the blue-skinned woman. She was famous, he knew, but he didn't let any of those emotions show, mostly because he wasn't particularly worried about that. Famous or not, she was just a person, and Alexander treated her as if she were anyone else. "Or is it something...else?" he asked.

--

((Heavy Weights PL: 14250 | Base PL: 57002))

Even though Alexander had not met this woman before, he had seen her on television, the more that he looked at her, the more that he remembered. The smile that she'd given him was genuine, or so it had seemed, but he also supposed it was a possible forgery upon her features. He didn't do too much with actors at any point and he wasn't certain how skilled many of them were. He would have liked to think that he would have the foresight to be able to tell whether or not they were being honest with him, but he found that he couldn't actually tell, with her. That intrigued him slightly but he didn't bother to let that become the sole thought consuming his mind.

Still, his green eyes met hers, and a look was passed between them before she finally answered his question. It wasn't a musical group. He hadn't really thought so, but he couldn't help but to think that he'd heard that phrase somewhere recently before- he just couldn't put a finger on where. It seemed to be quite familiar and seeing her held that same level of rudimentary recollection. They were thoughts which brought his memory to bear, but not enough for him to recall exactly what it was. That was, of course, until she dropped the name of Beryl Roarke. He knew that name from what Core had been speaking of, back at the lake with Samba. This was the name of Core's teacher, and now that he thought about it, he did recall also hearing them speak about a Galactic Patrol then, too. He hadn't paid it any mind then, but now he was hearing it again.

"Universal peace?" he inquired, mostly to keep the conversation flowing. He wasn't sure that he cared too much for that, as a world without conflict was a boring place indeed. He paused slightly, as he considered that thought. Was that something that he'd always felt? Or was this a recent development caused by She Who Watches, and her influences onto him? He didn't break her gaze, but instead intensified it. He wondered how much she knew, and if she knew enough about Beryl to get him into this Galactic Patrol. He merely wanted to fight against their leader, just to see his limits, but he was also somewhat mystified by his immediate dismissal of such a thing as peace.

"I suppose that's a lofty goal to shoot for. Taking donations here seems rather...small-time to something with a goal like that. No offense," he offered. "You're quite skilled at performing, and I admire the goal that you're shooting for," he spoke, before he reached down into his coat. He pulled out his wallet before taking out a handful of zeni before handing it to her. "Consider that my donation for your cause." His gaze flickered over to the information about the Galactic Patrol. "So given I'm interested, what does the Galactic Patrol...do, at the moment? I imagine it's mostly based on Earth?" he asked, wanting to get as much information as possible. He wanted to find out about Beryl...but he didn't feel that he should lead with that.

((To make it a legit donation, can I send it to Belle to donate to the GP's bank? Or just directly to Beryl?))

(( 1000z donation inc))

The woman's response was honest to the point of being almost a little too much so. She understood that Universal Peace was an unobtainable goal, at least, it was without going through the most hypocritical method: war. That was, amusingly enough, right in line with how Alexander would have viewed the solution. He had always believed that might effectively made right, and if there was no one else to stand against you, then you were invariably the correct one. He knew it wasn't a point of view that many would agree with, but that was why he kept that mostly to himself. He was still slowly working his way up the ladder ranking at his school. Once he reached the top, he had no idea what he'd do...but he was getting closer each day.

"I suppose if we dethrone those in power, it would make things easier for everyone," Alexander spoke, indicating that he was quite focused on the fact that there was almost certainly going to be combat in the path that they were thinking of taking. "Help in any form is often appreciated by those who cannot help themselves. But wouldn't that simply lead those who have no combat skill to depend upon the Galactic Patrol for protection, making them no more than a standing army?" he asked, curious. He wasn't trying to be rude, just realistic. That was how he tended to handle things, and that forwardness often got him a few dirty looks from others, but he didn't mind. You should never shirk away from what was on your mind, and always speak it honestly.

She continued then, with the indication that Beryl wished to construct a school. It was not only to train those who were part of the Galactic Patrol, but all of those who wished to learn. It was a valiant, and lofty goal as well, but one that Alexander agreed with, for the most part. "I can't imagine that everyone would take advantage of that. Many people prefer others to do their fighting for them instead of having to handle it themselves...but it is a step in the right direction. One having their own power to rely on...it might make them a little more self-sufficient, and not quite so willing to depend on others, such as the Galactic Patrol. Assuming that the school gets off the ground, that is."

The girl had given him genuine smiles then, leading him to believe that what she had done before had only been something out of politeness. This now, however, was something that she was offering him honestly, and he wondered for a moment if he should reciprocate with a smile of his own...but refrained. Instead, he chose to leave the rather empty expression on his features- it was what he was most comfortable with, after all. Trying to smile was something that he hadn't done in...years. Since Fudendrenk died, Alexander hadn't let humor or kindness touch his features. He had relented slightly around Core and Kay-El, but beyond that...

She explained their current situation, earning a nod from Alex. She then indicated for him to follow her, and he wondered curiously if that was something she often did with fans. Then again, he hadn't even pretended to be a fan of hers, so he wondered if she felt more comfortable simply for that fact. As a starlet, being treated as just another face in the crowd might be refreshing- he didn't know for sure. He'd never been treated as anything special- he had always simply been Alexander Voss. Right now he solely wanted to make a name for himself through his own strength, which had led him down the dark path which he now walked.

"I suppose I could start with my name as well," he spoke, hesitating to shake her hand. Not through any fault of her own, but simply because he didn't want his power to somehow infect her. "I am Alexander Voss," he returned, used to giving both his first and last name. "As for myself...I'm not sure where to begin. Or where to end," he murmured. "I'm a practitioner of the martial arts, or rather, I used to be," he continued. His style had lately simply lost its martial arts tendencies and simply relied on the power of Void. "I trained under master Fudendrenk for several years in my youth. He had taught me the capacity for ki, how to use it, manipulate it and ultimately fight with it."

"He died...just over two years, now. Since then I had been trying to increase my power, but to no avail...until I met an old man in the woods. He called himself Ayumu," he spoke, having the feeling that more than one person had met the strange old man. "The result of that night was...this," he spoke, letting the Void spring up around his arm. Like invisible flames, they wrapped around his right arm, licking the flesh, radiating off a power that was completely unnatural to this world. "Things have become...complicated, since then," he murmured, not sure how much detail to offer at this point.

Alexander could see her withdraw her hand and felt a little...odd, seeing that. He couldn't put a finger on what the emotion that was that swelled in his chest. Disappointment? Longing? He didn't dwell on it, however. He didn't know how the Void affected others- he couldn't really go around touching other people with his right hand when the side effects could be just about anything. At her words, however, he gave a small nod. "I can understand that. Justice is a powerful motivator. Those who have the power often abuse it- I can sympathize with your ideals." There was that saying that if power corrupts, than absolute power absolutely corrupts, or something along those lines. He wondered if there were any of the people that these...Galactic Patrol people were after were those types.

The possibility of such lit a strange fire in his stomach. It was much like the one that he had for meeting this Beryl, though it was somewhat...different; less certain and more apprehensive. He found it odd that he was having such difficulty in identifying his emotions as of late. Even though he rarely showed them, he still had a rather tight handle on the differing thoughts and feelings. The sudden juxtaposition of not having that control rattled him, but as always, he kept those emotions on the inside, everything hidden perfectly behind his mask of placidity.

Her words held a bit of idealism, hoping that the people they would teach or lead by example would follow in their footsteps- yet they were also touched by realism and a bit of cynicism. He supposed that such a combination of emotions impacted into those words was an appropriate response. One couldn't believe that their logic was completely infallible without falling to hubris, but by that same token, without any hope, you would never gather enough motivation to actually attempt to put your plan into action. "I think that with each person you and your organization inspires, it will make the next that much easier to fall into that way of thinking. Not everyone will, but enough that if a threat did occur, there would be sufficient militant strength to thwart it."

As she continued, he nodded. "You likely know that better than anyone else, as an actress and songstress. You can't force people to act a certain way- you have to make them think it's their own idea, first," he spoke. It was a bit underhanded to take that approach, but it was a correct one. He was no stranger to subtle manipulations, even at his young age, though most of that had been impressed upon him by watching his parents at their dinner parties. His father was a skilled speaker, and he had often heard his father's friends say that he could sell ice to an eskimo, if he wanted to. "When this school of yours is built, I will definitely come to see it," he said with a small nod. It was going to be a ticket to meet this Beryl individual, he was certain. Not only that, but such a place might be a nice place to train. It'd give him a break from the school, at any rate.

He'd noticed that she was leading him further inward, away from the sights and sounds of the crowds. He didn't comment on it as he wasn't certain what her motivations were. He doubted that she was going to try and assassinate him or anything of the sort, especially given that he'd just made a major donation to her cause and was being relatively conversational. She didn't seem to be particularly upset or put-off by the fact that he wasn't worshipping the ground that she walked on like he was certain that some of her fans did. Though he also wondered if perhaps she wasn't exactly fond of such, and that might also be refreshing to her. Either way, he felt that it wasn't exactly appropriate to ask either, considering that he didn't exactly know her very well. He wondered if those that were part of this Galactic Patrol with her had suffered any sort of reporter attacks at their closeness with the starlet...but again, not anything to ask.

She offered him the food that was out and available, and he gave slight shrug before picking up what appeared to be a dinner roll. Bread was a simple food and yet something that he did always rather enjoy. Oftentimes, it was his preferred food, over even such things as steak and lobster, which he knew drove his parents crazy. Still, he couldn't help but to bite into it as he waited, giving a small sound of approval as he chewed. "Compliments to the chef. Or the caterer, in this event I'm sure." The roll was rich and hearty, with just a bit of sweetness that pulled the whole thing together. He would have to ask her who this caterer was, afterward. He might have found a new place to eat, if nothing else.

"An understatement indeed," he spoke, moving to roll his sleeve back down to hide the marks on his arm. He felt oddly comfortable with her, which was unusual, given that he generally didn't open up about his particular...power to just anyone. Only those that had shown explicit interest did he educate in its ability, but Belle had not done or said much about it. Still, he supposed that he should relay that information to her if at all possible, given that she was acting as the recruiter for the Galactic Patrol at the moment. He didn't particularly know if entering into their ranks was something that he wanted to do...but he had no other goal at this point besides growing stronger. And having a group of others that he could consistently train with and spar against might be more beneficial to the mostly solitary lifestyle he'd led up until this point.

He nodded at her words. "I think I would also be interested in meeting your boss. Beryl, right?" he asked, giving a small sound of thought, as if he didn't already have the man's name at the forefront of his mind since Core had spoken of him back at the lake. "As for the Patrol, I think I am. I need to find new ways to test my limits, my strength. If the Patrol plans to go head-to-head with some strong foes, then I will be most excited to be right there on the front lines." He paused at the mention of his parents. "I...don't think my parents will mind what I do. I haven't spoken with them about anything recently. I'm more a tenant in their home than a son, lately. But if it requires paperwork, I'm certain I can get them to agree," he said, with a small roll of his shoulders.

"What do I need to do in order to join this...Galactic Patrol, then?" he asked, moving to roll his shoulder, a dull throb building in his right arm as it often did after awhile without utilizing the Void. "Or does it require a meeting with Beryl Roarke?" he inquired, curious on what to expect going forward. "I suppose I might be seeing this School of yours sooner than I had anticipated," he said, his lips quirking into the smallest semblance of a smirk.

The frown did not go unnoticed by Alexander, but he made no move to comment on it. That was how he had found to be the best way to influence others, to bring them to your decisions, was to make them think that it was their own idea. They were far more invested in something they believed to be their own thoughts, than they were something that had been forced upon them, or even suggested to them. Still, it wasn't any of his business how they had wanted to run their business, or school or organization, or whatever it was- that was beyond his level of involvement right now. Perhaps if he did grow with them and have a better handle on what he could and could not do, then he might suggest such, but at the moment, he kept his mouth shut.

"You were part of the recovery on Namek? Interesting," he spoke, mulling that over. He had heard /of/ it, but part of the problem with being in posh society in Satan City is you tended to alienate youself away from things happening on other worlds. Alexander, in fact, found that he had no idea what was going on in other worlds most of the time. He wondered if he was alone in that, as he had a great difficulty even caring about worlds other than Earth. "No one may have convinced you that it was your idea, and it may have genuinely been," Alex said with a small nod. "Those types of people, people like you, will be the best for your Galactic Patrol," he spoke, not really attempting to smooth over anything, but just speaking frankly. "People that you don't need to convince, that want to do this already without any pushing."

Alexander's gaze flickered over to the crew that worked on the set, the proverbial 'roadies' handling the band's equipment and other things. He was not blind to their gazes on himself and Belle and he wondered if any of them had any particular misgivings about letting a stranger so close to her. Were he an assassin, he could easily dispatch the woman if he needed to, but he had absolutely no plans or reasons to do that. That or perhaps there were hints of jealousy, but Alex couldn't be sure. She was a songstress and actress both, but as far as he was concerned, she was another fighter, someone to help stem the tide of darkness. His gaze flickered to his own hand for a moment, curious if he was part of that darkness, or something borne of it to combat it. Only time would tell.

His gaze returned to her and she seemed to be lost in thought about something. Likely him, as he was the current upset in her life at the moment. He knew that he wasn't like most, but he'd never been that way. As soon as he realized that power was what controlled things, his entire fancy-free outlook as a child had fallen, leaving only the man who remained. He'd been this way since he was very young, and only Fudendrenk had been able to pierce through his glowering in order to connect with the young man. His parents still treated him distantly as he had no interest in their fortune or their business, which made him wonder if they wouldn't create a new heir soon to handle things of the estate whenever his parents did pass. He wanted no part of it.

At her words, Alex gave a small nod, attempting not to appear too eager to meet Beryl. The thought of fighting someone so strong was still bringing adrenaline to his veins, but he did his best not to let that appear on the surface. He was trying to convince himself a little now that he was doing this to help people, as part of the Galactic Patrol. He wasn't doing this for his own personal reasons to fight against Beryl or to see the strongest that the universe had to offer, although that was exactly what it was. He didn't want to unleash that line of thought, and let it consume him, as he was certain that it would. Instead, he merely kept his gaze on the paper in front of him. His hand flickered over the page, filling out what information he could. There wasn't a lot of information asked, and he wondered just how much of a background check they did, here.

As he finsihed, the man glanced at Belle, giving the woman a small nod. "I'd offer to help, but I feel I would mostly just get in the way. Next time, then," he spoke, moving to extend out his left hand for a shake. He wanted to make it clear that the prior incident was solely based on the fact that his right arm was...unusual, and he didn't know what problems it could cause, and that his left was more than allowed for handshakes and the like. Whether or not she accepted, he'd give her a nod. "See you around," he offered, before returning his hands to the pockets of his jacket and making his way outside, his feet carrying him home, of all places. Perhaps all the thoughts of his upbringing had made him homesick...

((Thread Exit. PL w/ Heavy Weights, thank you please))