Open - The Devils of Exhaustion

Usually, the days without work consisted entirely on the game that she devoted so much time to... But things seemed to be different, after she had returned to her abode in the insomniac city. Mainly within Niko's attitude. While previously she existed as an awkward spectator, an eternal bystander, yet with the new year, she took upon herself a new mindset. An unbreakable resolution that sparked a determination within her to be more than a noiseless observer.

This inspired a few new actions in the hermit. The most influential, perhaps, being the development of a steady sleep schedule. With an alarm clock reminiscent of a police siren, she harnessed this age-old strategy to pry open her weary eyes. After this initial establishment, then the proceeding transformations could much more smoothly be processed. For one, she began frequenting the gym. It was local place where membership was inexpensive enough, though it was a fair distance from her refuge. It made no difference to her, as she began jogging this distance, as well as her commute to work.

Speaking upon the topic of her work, Niko's previous workplace timidity had, in a mere handful of weeks, been replaced with competitive ferocity. No longer did she hesitate at the sight of an incoming customer to her work station. Instead, it was she who began forcing herself upon the initiative. Not because it was comfortable, no, but because these functions of interaction were dependent on mental muscles far underdeveloped within her conscious. With this fact recognized, it was only a matter of time and practice that she could refine and empower these feeble operations, just as her frail limbs would be strengthened through constant irritation and strain.

Of course, with this drastic change came cumbersome adaptation, and arduous as always, that process remained. Weighing upon her shoulders was the weight of a lifelong bashfulness. But she was adamant to improve, so she designated this opposing meekness as a primary enemy that she continuously battled against. Still, one of the most violent of her foes remained the desire for laziness. Like lust, it took advantage of a craving within her, attempting to sway her decision-making, to weaken her resolve.

With comforting hooks coated in sedative liquids, the little devils that disguised themselves as the dark circles beneath her eyes seemed to make constant resistance against her progress. As the alarm clock rang, as she stepped off the treadmill at the gym to drink from her water, as she sat upon a bench at work, they would leap up from their hiding spots, and dig their weapons into the curtains above. To conceal the light and bring rest, the little monsters were no doubt minions of some great, archfiend of Sloth. Yanking with all their might they would make attempts to bring her from consciousness into the bliss of sleep. But with the knuckle of her fists, she would make sure to wipe them away, but she was never quick enough to catch them. They always came back when the moments were right.

Finally, after passing by a small cafe daily on her way to the gym, Niko decided to stop and investigate. The compact establishment was one that had many customers frequenting it, so she assumed that it must be of at the very least decent quality. And so, she stepped forward, a long sleeve, grey polyester sweater protecting her from the mildly cold temperatures outside, and swung open the door. Swiftly, she ordered the most basic of beverages, paid, and exited. Taking a seat on at one of the outside tables, she sat, sipping from the unfamiliar fluids. Three unoccupied seats surrounded the table at each other side.

Black coffee... It was not a drink for the faint of heart, certainly, and the first sip had caused her to nearly spit it out. Certainly, nothing so inherently toxic could be beneficial, yet upon further inspection... This vile liquid seemed to be a convenient, and inexpensive form of defense against the devils of exhaustion. How convenient, it was!

 

Violet grew tired of standing for hours and posing and smiling at nothing other than her portraits all day. These things should make her happy: mother knows best after all. Wealth and decent popularity would make anyone happy, she told herself, and pushed through the miserable hours of modeling while keeping up a good reputation with others as fake as she. Terrasphere brought out the best in the pink-haired woman with a desire to one day become Comet in real-life. To stand up to her parents and branch out to see what the rest of the world could be like as an independent woman hardly seemed possible, but would be a fantasy brought out of her wildest dreams. Then the glimmer of a diamond ring rest on a thin, starved finger reminded brought the daydreamer back to Earth where she would continue to please the masses for praise in return. Praise both unwanted and cared little for because it had no depth and because she knew it either meant nothing or too much. Too much for those who didn't know her and wouldn't try to, at least. A long day of work left every ounce of Violet tired. Tired of herself, of her strict parents, of her life; she felt grateful for every bit of freetime the world provided to relieve built-up stress ready to burst within as much as the restrictions of life sent her limbs permanently shaking. Most days the trembling would leave but today the shaking persisted as much as she could carry out goals herself.

To rid of this problem, Violet headed out when she knew she could be alone. Not totally alone, for her parents kept track of her every move, and because her husband seemed to have hidden eyes all over, but "alone" enough to be at peace with herself. Relaxing among normal crowds comforted the extrovert far more than being with her so-called friends or sitting around inside. It just wasn't her style to not be somewhere doing something almost every second of the day. The possibilities excited her as much as the amounts of people that crowded New York's streets. Pride settled in her heart long ago for living in such a busy place yet not once had she been able to make a real friend. Perhaps pretending had become a go-to method for the pink-haired woman who often used acting as a form of socializing rather then genuine expressions and actions and speech. Every day provided a new chance to be herself, even if only for a few hours or minutes. Every day she wished for things to change but knew they wouldn't. That she couldn't change who Violet is and was meant to be; shaped by hands the molded her into a submissive creature of habit and compliance.

Today could be different, she reminded herself silently before heading into a nearby cafe. It was cute and made good, quick drinks for when a diet and staying stick thin mattered very little. More than enough money put down onto the counter, coffee in hand, Violet's memory picked up purple locks of hair that eventually pulled her outside. She couldn't help but feel intrigued by such a vivid color and felt grateful that there were seats open, so an encounter could be less awkward for the two women. By pulling up a chair she invited herself into the stranger's personal space. Deep inside Violet hoped that this was okay because at times her sociable attitude failed to comfort anyone. With a smile, she pulled pink hair behind her ear and attempted to make eye contact with the woman across the table. "You're okay if I sit here, right? Sitting alone is never fun, or at least I think so, and frankly I could use some company to keep me occupied. Thoughts can be too much sometimes yknow..." she took a sip of coffee before continuing. "Do you come here often? I haven't seen you before."

 

Mere instants before being approached, a subtle smirk existed upon Niko's face. She had achieved, at the very least temporarily, a weapon to face off against the devils of sleep. No longer did she feel the weight of their clawed feet beneath her eyes, permanently hiding, yet always ready to leap from their unseeable refuge, conducting the practice of their necessary sin.

Though her schedule and routine had been one of more social potential than before, she was still poorly versed in the etiquette of managing the approach of a stranger. Even the approach of a friend. With eyes wide, her subdued smirk vanished from her visage, glancing up towards the stranger who had come to the table at which she sat. Perhaps the surprise of this arrival was further extenuated by the fact that she had just recently taken a trip back to her home in Japan. Around her hometown, to approach a stranger was unheard of, and warranted suspicion. Things, of course, were very different in the states. Niko reminded herself of this hastily.

"Mmm," She nodded, "Yes, you may sit." Though, she assumed that whether she had approved of the seating or not, it would have occurred. This rather subtle, unimportant fact jabbed into her ribs, a cold reminder of the weakness she placed upon herself within bashfulness. Her initial instinct to turn her eyes away, or allow them to examine some far off object to keep them from linking with any other pupils, was met with opposition. In her consciousness, she harshly rattled herself once more. With this, she cautiously brought her eyes up to make an almost aggressive glare into the stranger's eyes, though she did not intend it this way at all.

"This is my first time here, actually." As the topic of her words drifted to a different topic, so did her eyes, able to temporarily leave their solemn, drafted duty, and meander away. "I often pass, but have not visited until now." Returning her eyes to the stranger, she took a sip from the paper cup that contained her drink. Gritting her teeth with a sharp breath in, she let out a quiet, displeased noise, more in discomfort of the taste, than the heat. "Oh, I'm Elea--Ehm, Niko, by the way." Passing her beverage to her opposite hand, she reached her right palm forward in the gesture of a handshake.

"Do you know of any... Good drinks here?" She had sort of unconsciously emphasized the word good, reflecting the idea that the drink in which she was already partaking in was not by any means 'good'.

 

With a soft expression, Violet accepted the stranger's hard stare once sliding into a sit across from the other. They seemed a bit socially awkward or maybe unused to being social at all. Whatever the case she would smile back. Not as a form of trying to gain acceptance, truly, but because she felt comfortable around the opposite. A more stiff form of a person who needed to loosen up: Violet saw her new companion this way, at least. Though she never got that same feeling of tension when speaking to strangers due to a life's worth of practice regarding perfect behavior and attitude and manners Violet's insecurity still managed to strike enough to make relaxing difficult. This "being herself" almost slipped from such weak, thin fingers that falling back on acting methods became a plan formed within her mind.

However, she escaped what slowly killed her upon the purple-haired woman stretching out a hand. Worries flooding the mind drew back, knowing they had no power once genuine confidence stepped forward. A real, simple, and friendly shake of the hand between the two women sent bolts of electric happiness through Violet's body. Yes... today could be something wonderful, she reminded herself with a shake of the head. Her lifted, formal posture turned into one lazily leaning back into the table's chair once the polite gesture of acceptance ended.

"Niko? That's unique. Is it short for anything?" she made decent yet comforting conversation in a soft, delighted tone. "You should definitely come here more often with me. It's quick and convenient... A nice getaway, yknow? I love it, and need more than enough time away from," Violet gulped before shrugging. She wouldn't delve into the negative aspects of her life at the moment. "I usually get plain coffee since the calories and all, but you should consider adding creamer and sugar if what you have isn't any good. There are always things like frappes which may as well be a dessert with coffee flavoring, if that sounds up your alley."

 

Her company spoke first in regard to her name. Before she could respond, a pack of socialites from the nearby college meandered through, with their loud jest and their casual clothing. With great caution, and even greater haste, she reared her gaze towards each of their faces, examining the set of countenances for any sense of familiarity. Thankfully, she did not see anything that she recognized, but considering her tenancy to avoid eye contact, facial features were not things she often remembered anyways. She remained with a sense of caution towards this group, as they approached the counter to order their own beverages.

That reminded her. During her time in school, while she was still practicing her English initially, a nickname had been formulated for her. Some boys and girls had taken to calling her Nicolas. Of course, not recognizing this name as something of a mockery, she had ignored the title, but as her experience in the foreign country grew, she recognized the statement as what it truly was. An unwarranted witticism that she had not given permission. As a shy individual, she let it go, not pursuing vengeance of any sort... But that didn't mean she was going to forget it anytime soon.

"Just Niko." She smiled, sipping from her coffee, cursing herself for the state of seemingly uncontrollable strain that interaction placed her into. "A nice getaway!" She repeated in agreement, before gritting her teeth against the taste of the vile fluid, a disobedient cough escaping her rigid posture. "Perhaps I should try another drink." She reached to the back of her head, giving a nervous chuckle. "You may have the rest of this, if you'd like it." It was plain coffee, unfiltered, and grotesque to those without tolerance to the flavor. "You said 'frappe'?" She tried her best to pronounce the word, this being her first time actually speaking it. Some word in English had begun to become natural to her. Some were easy the whole time, but many still struck her as strange. Frappe was one of these strange words.

 

Niko's rigidness when a group neared their table hadn't gone unnoticed. In fact, it was hard for Violet not to realize how oddly the other reacted to the sudden presences of strangers. Emerald eyes took everything before them in dutifully. She wasn't able to put anything together, or figure out why Niko seemed so cautious. They were absolute strangers. Nothing more, nothing less. Even the pink-haired woman herself happened to be merely an acquaintance making conversation without much awkwardness visibly bothering Niko in the moment. Perhaps they were made up of familiar faces. Or maybe Violet embarrassed her?

All at once her body tensed. If she dared to move there'd be that shameful, widespread tremor to counteract and take over her slip of a body. She hadn't thought of the purple-haired woman not wanting any sort of company in the first place. She hadn't thought of what the person sitting across from her thought. All these previously avoided worries brought Violet down from within her tired soul. Bony hands clenched to prevent emotion from escaping. Anxiety, self-doubt, fear; all professionally trapped while a confident demeanor resonated perfection and beauty on the outside.

"You almost seem to disagree," Violet giggled. It sounded horrendous to her own perked ears. It sounded nearly robotic to those who truly knew her. It sounded real to those who didn't. "I will take that if you don't mind," she grasped the black coffee that Niko amused her with. The reaction lightened a darkened mood. Released tension from the atmosphere most likely only Violet noticed due to overthinking their interactions. "Let me get you that something special? It can be frap or frappuccino too, it doesn't matter," with a flip of the hair she got up to her full height, and headed inside once more. Price wouldn't be an issue. She had all the money in the world to spend on a few simple drinks. Especially if they would impress her new friend. A part of her assumed the other would leave as she was distracted. Violet sucked in a deep breath. So afraid that the return trip would fuel the day's disappointment.

She'd come back to the table all the same. Sit down whether or not there would be another person to accompany her. Freezing cup in hand topped with whipped cream - very tempting and ever so mocking - Violet kept a subtle promise. Hopefully, Niko wouldn't be as disappointed this time around. All of her "friends" enjoyed a frappe in the morning. Though really Niko happened to be quite a unique girl in her eyes. Special. A keeper. "You're the only person I know who has trouble pronouncing that word. It's kinda cute."

 

Handing the cup of vile fluid to her company, Niko felt as though she was handing the pink haired woman a cask of poison, rather than a container of valuable substance. Part of her felt guilty, even though there was not really a reason to be. To hand someone something so horrible... At least it fought the devils.

In Terrasphere, she reflected a fiery blaze. She was instinctual, and survived by the heat of inferno, incinerating opposition. Cool guys didn't look at explosions, but she did. The boom was her pet, her power, her pride. She was quick and sharp, and kept to herself, but was not afraid to speak. In the real world this fearless recklessness unfortunately did not carry over very well. Be it social of physical conflict, Niko tended towards the side of caution. She was full of fear, so much that it was a part of her identity. A degrading, enfeebling part of her identity.

As the other separated herself from the seat at the table, Niko tapped her fingers from her right hand against the arm rest of her metal chair. Her neck and shoulders leaned forward. She picked a place on a stone brick, at least twenty feet from the nearest person. A safe distance. One far enough that a passer by might not catch her eye, or perceive that she was in some way staring towards them. Instead, into empty space, she focused herself.

The quietness of her mind, when staring into that miscellaneous brick, as her brain lulled into a dullness, was peaceful. The music that played from the hip cafe establishment was drowned and muffled in her ears, background sounds to her empty conscious. This mental serenity was a result of the lack of sleep, of course. But, whether she knew it or not, in a few weeks, this peace would not exist for her. No, things would be much worse, after Titanius.

Her head shifted, as the dazed peripheral caught sight of the one she waited for. She opened her mouth to speak, as @Comet returned to their table, she stopped, eyes caught upon the beverage. Her jaw had moved, and lips had parted, but no words came out, as she reached for the chilled container. Then, she heard the comment about her being cute.

Certainly, it wasn't a compliment she despised. Compliments were much welcome! It was just that she had not really the most experience accepting such statements. In a general sense, she was avoided by people. With good reason too, she had some strange mannerisms. A fish in the wrong pond, perhaps, she swam in a way that the others did not, with scales of a different color and eyes of a sharpness. Fins of foreign shaping.

"T-Thank you." She stuttered, with pink cheeks, stuffing the straw up to her lips so that she would not need to speak again. At least for a moment. As she lowered the cup away from her face, straw leaving her grasp, she pursed her lips, examining the taste of the substance she had just ingested. It was... Sweet? And cold, but cold in a good way, not like cold french fries. It was very good! The aftertaste lingered for longer than she had presumed, and was pleasantly surprising to the female.

"H-how much was it? I can cover it, whatever it was. You don't need to buy it for me, I-I have money." A cultural instinct kicked in, and she could not accept a free gift, of course not. Was she not humble? Was she not successful? Certainly, she was humble, but... Success was a different matter.