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Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 5, 2017 at 4:36

Dominic was on his lunch break and for a change had brought food instead of buying it at the deli he frequented most days. Well, it was more like leftovers from two nights ago that included pork fried rice and fried chicken. Certainly couldn't let that go to waste. He decided to take his lunch and head to the park where he could do some people watching and be left alone. None of the guys at the shop breathing down his neck about anything work related for an hour. His small slice of heaven.

He parked one of the cars he'd borrowed from the shop and made his way over to an unoccupied bench. Pulling the containers out of his cooler, along with a bottle of Corona, he sighed in contentment. Just as he was about to take his first bite of food, a small black furball was yipping at his feet. "What the...?" 

A petite, young girl was suddenly in front of him and talking a mile a minute. It was certain he'd never seen anyone so bubbly in his life until now. He caught her name and returned the gesture, taking her small hand into his much larger one. "Dom," he replied with a smile. The Therian looked down at the small dog in front of him and picked up the leash to hand it over to Sapphire. "I'm fairly certain it had more to do with my lunch than me." He took his cooler off the bench so she could sit down. "What brings you two to the park today?"

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 5, 2017 at 6:02

Sapphire smiled as he shook her hand. She watched him pick up the leash and hand it to her which she gently took. "Yea I think so too." She said as she looked at Nala. Her eyes when back to Dom as she smiled, "I just wanted to get out of my house and get air plus Nala needed to go for a walk anyways." She said as she looked at him. "I work as a video game developer so I work mostly at home." Sapphire said softly as she bent down and patted Nala on the head. "What about you? What do you do?" She asked.

It was normal for Sapphire to talk to strangers that she just met only to see if she was able to great a friendship with the stranger. Sapphire moved some of her hair behind her as she smiled at him. "Um I should go, I am probably intruding on your lunch right now." She said nervously as she tried to walk off but Nala wouldnt move. Sapphire let out a sigh before standing there as she looked at him. "Well I guess I know that she is hungry." Sapphire joked as she scratched Nala behind the ears.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 5, 2017 at 23:27

Despite originally wanting to be left alone, Dominic nodded down to the seat next to him. "No, it's fine, really. Can't blame the dog for knowing when an interesting person is around for you to meet," he joked, reaching his hand up and rubbing the dog's head roughly. He was fairly certain the dog had never been pet the way he just was, since his eyes seemed to bulge from his head. Dominic chuckled and took a piece of his chicken and gave it to the pug.

"As for me," he started, lifting his lunch from his lap to show her his work pants and then his rough hands. "I'm a mechanic. I work at a shop off the road a few miles out of town. Small place. Nothing fancy. Just me and a few guys." He began to eat the piece of chicken he'd torn for his new dog companion. "I actually run the place for the owner. Cars sort of speak to me. It's my job and also a big hobby of mine." Dominic nodded towards the old truck across the road from where they were sitting. "That pile of sadness over there is actually a project I'm working on."

Wiping his hands on his dirty pants, he grabbed the Corona he'd brought with him and popped the top of it off with the bottle opener keychain he had on his key ring. "Video game developer, huh? You don't see many girls doing things like that, do you? I know the scene has been changing though." He recalled a girl he dated very briefly who was hardcore into video games. It wasn't really his thing and when she wanted to be staring at a screen, he wanted to be under a machine on wheels. "Gamer girls are certainly spunky. Strong willed and fiery." Smiling, he put the beer down and picked up the rice to continue his lunch. "What got you into gaming?"

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 6, 2017 at 0:17

Sapphire looked at him and sat down next to him. "Well being a Mechanic is good. " She said as he watched Dominic give Nala a piece of chicken, making her smile at the gesture. Her blue eyes looked at him and she smiled softly as she looked at the truck as he talked about it. "Well I bet that the truck will be in great hands." She commented as she looked back at him. When he spoke about her job, Sapphire rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "Yea you dont really see many girls doing things like me but now many girls are interested in doing it but I cant really see them following through with it. Like, they can go to college and stuff to get a degree for it but I think they would do something that is really different from their degree." Sapphire said.

"Yea some gamer girls are spunky, I must stay I do play the games I develop only to see if they are good enough for the public." She said as she looked at him. Sapphire smiled softly as she looked down at Nala. "My father owned the company before it was passed to me, I remember when he would let me test the games he made. But when he and my mother passed, the company was passed down to me to take it over. I must say that it is alot of hard work talking to the others who work for me, well with me, and talk about different ideas for games. Lately we havent found any inspiration to make a new game just yet." Sapphire spoke softly.

Sapphire looked at him and smiled softly, "Well what got you into mechanics?" She asked as she smiled. Her blue eyes noticed that Nala laid down infront of him as she kept looked up at him, causing Sapphire to giggle alittle. She bent down and scratched Nala's ears as she smiled. Her mind started to think back when her parents were alive, 'I wonder if they would be proud of me if they were alive?' She thought to herself as her smile slowly grew smaller.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 7, 2017 at 3:52

As Dominic listened to her, it became clear to him how different their upbringing and lives had been. She was pretty much surrounded by a world of technology while he was brought up in the woods of Washington where you were lucky to get a good signal on any electronic. Even when he went to school where kids would have the newest cell phones or if he would go to a friend's house after school where they would have the latest video game system, he just wasn't the type to ever really get into it. He loved nothing more than being outside and that hadn't changed in three decades.

"I got into mechanics because of my brother actually," Dominic answered as he put down the box of rice and gave another small piece of chicken to her dog. "My brother was sorta the rebel of the family. My dad wanted him to help us out more on the farm, but he couldn't help but be a rebellious teenager. He would sneak out of the house a lot to meet up with his friends or take my dad's truck to pick up a girl." He smiled remembering better times. "One day, the idiot brought home a broken down bike he bought off of someone for way too much money. My dad was pretty furious, but after my mom talked him down like she always did, there was nothing else to do but get the damn thing working again." Dom's smile faded when the memories started to make him hollow and he quickly drank from his beer.

After downing about half the beer, he gave a large sigh as he pushed the past away. "So, your father actually passed the company on to you? That's a big responsibility."

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 7, 2017 at 17:26

"Yea it was, but I even decided to take it over after he and my mother passed." She said as she looked at him. "Your brother, did he fix up the bike and you watched him  or did he let you help him fix it up?" Sapphire asked as she really didnt want to go back to the subject with her parents. "I wish I had a brother." She said softly as she sighed, her eyes turning to Nala as she ate the rice. "I was a only child so when you live in Italy, the neighborhood kids became like siblings to you." Sapphire said softly as she turned and looked at him. "Do you have any other siblings?" She asked as she looked at him. 

Sapphire's mind started to think about when her parents were alive and then the accident flashed into her brain as she then shivered abit. Hoping that Dom didnt notice her shiver, Sapphire smiled and scratched behind Nala's ears as she ate. "Siblings must be a blast to hang out with?" She asked as she looked at him. 

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 9, 2017 at 1:37

When Sapphire spoke of her parents passing, he felt a pit in his stomach momentarily as he related to that same situation very well. Seemed they had that morbid thing in common at least. He gave a sigh as she asked more about his family, but didn't hold it against her for not knowing his tough history. It was just the polite thing to do, after all.

"He began teaching me how to fix the bike and then my dad had to jump in to do the fatherly thing and show us how we were doing it all wrong." Dominic leaned back against the bench they were sitting on and took a drink from his beer. He slouched a little lower and looked up slightly at the sky as he went back into his memories. "He wasn't wrong, actually; my father. We were doing it all wrong and he showed us how to properly fix every inch of that bike. In the end, he fell in love with fixing the machines as much as we did. Most of the things he fixed were the equipment around the farm that would break down. He even started riding the bikes we fixed up too. Soon after we started working on cars."

Dominic raised an eyebrow when he saw her suddenly tremble, but stayed quiet. He finished the rest of the beer and set the bottle down into the cooler. "I do have a younger sister. We don't talk much..." In fact, he hadn't spoken to his sister in years. He leaned forward onto his legs as he continued. "Siblings aren't all they're cracked up to be. People grow and change. Sometimes they even grow apart," he said, matter-of-factly. Dominic instinctively wanted to reach for the beer that wasn't there as he normally did when he began talking about his past. Sadly, there was nothing there he could use to drink away his problems. His gaze fell to the pup. "So... how did you find this little girl?"

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 10, 2017 at 22:56

Sapphire listened to him and nodded as she smiled softly as he talked about his brother and father fixing bikes and things. When he talked about his sister, Sapphire tilted her head alittle. She was going to ask why but didnt want to intrude on that part of his life.  She continued to listen as he talked about siblings. When he asked about Nala, Sapphire smiled and looked down at her. "I got her when she was a puppy and it cost a lot to get her but the cost didnt matter to me, I just wanted to have a dog since I had a dog back when my parents were alive." Sapphire said as she looked at him.

"I have had her for about a year now and I couldnt be any happier." She said as she scratched Nala behind the ears. "Plus it was alittle lonely at my house, so I thought a dog would be great to have. I am planning on getting another dog but havent decided what kind yet. Either another Pug or a much bigger dog like a German Shepard." Sapphire said as she looked at him. "Do you have any pets?" She asked as she smiled softly.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 12, 2017 at 16:40

He wasn't sure why, but it suddenly occurred to him that he really did miss having an animal in the house. The last one he had was when the family was still all together, many years ago in Washington. They had a husky, naturally, and he was the most fiercely loyal dog Dominic had ever seen. Any time a family member would go out in the woods, the dog needed to go alongside. When things began falling apart, their companion stayed with his father till the end of his life before shortly passing some days after. 

His gaze looked down at the pug. "No, I don't," he answered simply as he rubbed the dog's head. "But your very cute girl here has just given me some inspiration in getting one. I miss having a dog around and I think I'd like to rescue one again." Dominic decided then and there he would be heading to the pound after work to find himself a new friend. "As for your second dog, definitely go with a bigger one," he said with a telling expression of his bias. "I think the two of them would make a comical, but good pair for you, Sapphire."

Just then, it had dawned on Dominic he had recognized her name from somewhere. The question he was about to ask her would seem weird and out of place if she was human, but he knew by her scent she wasn't. The curiosity was now taking over and he knew he'd have to ask. "Are you part of the Guard?"

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 13, 2017 at 2:59

Sapphire listened to him and nodded as she smiled softly. "Well I am glad that Nala gave you inspiration to get a pup." She said as she smiled softly. "A rescue? That would be a great idea, I have heard that rescues are the best to have." Sapphire said as she smiled and looked at him. "Really? Yea that would be comical." Sapphire said as she giggled softly as she imagined Nala playing with a bigger dog. Her blue eyes looked at the small pup and smiled before she looked at Dominic with a small smile. "Hmm I think I might get a bigger dog, maybe a german shepard?" She asked as she smiled softly. 

Her eyes looked at him as a smile softly came up on her lips. "Yes I am part of the Guard, Are you?" She asked as she did wonder why he would ask that, maybe he was apart of the Guard also or maybe he just wanted to know what she is. Sapphire kept her eyes on him as she waited for an answer, hoping that he wasnt someone that would try to harm her or the Guard.

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Dominic Howlett ~Mod~ on September 14, 2017 at 23:53

Dominic nodded knowingly when she confirmed she did work with the Guard. "Well, I was recently on the Isle of Sky and had skimmed through the names of people who were still actively serving for them. I sort of remembered passing over your name because it is very unique. But, not in a bad way," he quickly added with a smile. 

He looked at her in a whole new light. Dominic hadn't met many of the Guard before since most of his missions were solo. Not that he minded. He was still very much of a loner as he had been for most of his life. It was hard opening up to try and let others know a piece of your history, even if they were like coworkers. 

"Can I ask you a personal question?" He leaned back against the bench seat and slouched down a bit to be more comfortable. "Why did you join the Guard?"

Ailward GuardPermalink Reply by ✓ Sapphire Rizzoli on September 16, 2017 at 2:08

Sapphire smiled and giggled. "Its ok, My name is really unique and very original." She said as she smiled at him. "Well its nice to meet someone else from the Guard." Sapphire said as she looked at him and smiled. "I never really looked at the list of people in the guard since I am still trying to organize my new house." Sapphire said as she let out a chuckle as she looked at him. 

Normally Sapphire wouldnt be this open but she was glad that she might have a friend in the Guard besides being coworkers in the Guard. Her blue eyes looked at him before she looked the the sky and sighed softly as she listened to him. Sapphire closed her eyes and smiled as she sat up and looked at him.

"Sure" She said as she listened for his question. "Oh wow, why I join the Guard? Well I join the Guard because I noticed through my life that there wasnt much peace and balance with the world and in Evermore. I am not a person that likes violence but if it helps keep peace and balance through the factions here then that is what I want to do. Plus being what species I am is rare since there are only a few of my species in the community." She said as she looked at him.

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