Brazil: Slay the Dream

Jaegar sighed as he sat on the ship, holding his head as a headache started forming. He wasn't one for teleporting or whatever it was the Noah did. The ship soon docked and he wobbled off, gaining his bearings and entering the massive harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Around him sailors gathered, fishermen set off, and people hawked their goods.

"Overall annoying," he mumbled, looking around. He tensed at the sensation of Noah magic but calmed when it disappeared, starting his trek through the city with the Earl's words on his mind.

Jaegar watched as the Earl sat there helping Rhode with...school work. "Yes, I want you to go to Brazil, there's an innocence there I want you to retrieve <3," the Earl said. Jaegar huffed, wanting to get back to looking for White.

"Can't your Noah go and get it for you?" Jaegar asked.

"I have information you might find valuable," the Earl said, scribbling an answer down. "Also...I want you to infiltrate the Order. They've already most likely gathered information as well. So, Jaegar Redwood, I want you to go to Brazil, retrieve the innocence, and infiltrate the Exorcist team there. <3" Jaegar bowed.

"Yes, Earl."

"And here I am in this port," Jaegar mumbled, going to find an inn to rest at after his long voyage. People stared at him, but Jaegar ignored it.

Ruusu snuck up behind Jaegar and whispered into the man's ear "Guess who, lover..." before latching onto the man from behind. "Surprise! The Earl sent me to go with you, in case anything went wrong with your mission."

Jaegar jumped at the Noah's sudden appearance but gave a shaky smile. He still wasn't fully recovered from the voyage. "That's nice, Ruusu, but I must rest," Jaegar said, prodding Ruusu to get off of his back. "Unlike you Noah and your abilities with teleportation or whatever, I prefer to take the long ways."

Nodding, Ruusu got off of Jaegar's back and said in a sweet voice "By the by, I heard that there was a rare type of Innocence here in Brazil...something to do with being able to allow someone to copy a person's power." Ruusu gained a thoughtful look and said "Now that I think about it, the Innocence is already attached to an item...a mirror of somekind."

Picking up a mango, Ruusu said "But, I'm sure we can find it just in time before the Exorcists do..."

"Maybe," Jaegar said. "But, we can't beat them up too much...when we encounter the exorcists I'm going to have to hurt you some...I'm supposed to infiltrate the order headquarters on the Earl's command." Jaegar stopped to read a sign on one of the doors, looking inside the window to make sure it was a genuine inn. He entered, paid for a room, and started walking upstairs.

"Honestly, if he didn't have information I'd be on my way to the Order to get White back," Jaegar said. "It's his information that tells me about White...and how to break that damn Order..."

Rage seethed inside of him and Jaegar clenched his fists tightly, tiny trickles of blood seeping between his fingers.

"Oh, that's quite alright. But be warned; I won't be taking it easy on you. I don't get many chances to fight, so when I do fight, it's rather often against a solo exorcist or two." Sighing dramatically, Ruusu draped himself over Jaegar's lap and said "Still, I want some compensation for fighting against you..."

Chuckling at his own joke, Ruusu was busy calculating to himself. I wonder if he'll realize that it's all a joke...oh well. If he doesn't, I can always hang it over his head later. Still, he is an attractive man...What am I saying?! I still love Tionne!

Jaegar pulled his glasses out and placed them on, wiping the blood on his hands off on a handkerchief he pulled from his pant pocket. "I didn't expect you to," he said. "It is expected, you're a Noah." He gave a small smile at Ruusu's dramatic attitude, moving his hand to run his fingers through Ruusu's hair.

"But you demand compensation...huh? I think the last time someone pulled that on me was a woman I helped a while back before I met the Earl."

Ah, but whatever he chooses can't be that bad...No, I can't let myself get distracted so easily. I must save White.

Pretending to think, Ruusu said "Well, we could, oh I don't know, do this..." before brushing his lips against Jaegar's cheek. Getting up suddenly, the Noah said "But that is entirely up to you."

Jaegar touched his cheek gingerly, a soft frown on his face. "Entirely up to me, huh?" he said. "I'll tell you when I know. Right now, I just want to sleep." Jaegar moved to lie down, thinking of his childhood. Sleep came quickly due to fatigue, but his dreams were anything but peaceful.

"Jaegar, today's your birthday!" White said happily, bouncing onto the blond boy. Jaegar gave a laugh, hugging the tiny girl back.

"Yeah, it is!" he said. "What're you so excited about though?" White frowned, looking sad.

"I forgot to get you a gift."

"That's nothing, I don't mind," he said. White looked thoughtful for a moment before she brightened.

"I got it then!" she said before leaning forward. Her lips brushed gently against his cheek, Jaegar's eyes widening. When she pulled back, the entire world seemed to have disappeared, just them, and the thundering noise of his heart.

Ruusu slapped his forehead, walking over to a mirror and sighed. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Face it, Rose, you're falling for him. But why? I still love Tionne...don't I?" Walking over to a chair, the Noah felt the surge of adrenaline that came with the need to alter something.

Picking up a comb, Ruusu altered the atoms to make a small plastic spider that could actually move on its own. "There, that outta hold me for a while."

The next morning Jaegar woke up feeling better than he did before. He went over to grab his vest, placing it on as he walked out of the inn. "Time to hunt," he mumbled. "A mirror...and the ability to copy innocence...sounds tricky. What do I have to do, look at every mirror in the damn place?"

He looked around for Ruusu, determining the Noah either sleeping or somewhere else looking. He made his way outside to the heat, cursing the Brazilian weather.

Ruusu had woken before Jaegar and stopped into a shop that proclaimed that it sold antiques, and decided that possibly, the mirror was there.

"Ah, welcome to my store! How can I help you?" the shopkeeper asked in Portugese. Thanking...well, whoever was up there, that he had decided to listen to Tyki and take Portugese lessons, Ruusu smiled genially and said in fluent Portugese "Yes, I'm looking for a mirror. And it's not any regular mirror, either; rather, it's a mirror that seems to be a little...odd." Shaking his head, the storekeeper said "Sorry, sir; nothing like that here."

Several stores and unsuccessful attempts later, Jaegar was sitting at a small time cafe resting. His vest lay over the back of his chair an his shirt was halfway unbuttoned, Clarimonde showing. The tattoo curved in the shape of a rather cartoonish heart around his sternum.

"No mirrors...no interesting mirrors," he moaned. "And the locals act like they've never seen an American before sometimes..."

He took a drink from his water, debating what to do next. His fingers drummed on the table and he slid his eyes shut, thinking of possible locations.

It could be possible somebody else grabbed it before we came...

Plopping down into the chair across from Jaegar, Ruusu said flirtatiously "Hey lover! So, how'd it go?" Not waiting for a response, he continued. "I had about zero luck finding that damn mirror! I mean, how hard is it to find a mirror that acts weird?!"

"Apparently pretty damn hard," Jaegar groused, leaning forward on the table. "I'm thinking maybe a person of the richer class might have gotten a hold of it. If that's the case we're screwed...it may be better to have an exorcist team do all the work for us..." He fanned himself with one of the napkins, wiping away some sweat trickling down his cheek and neck.

"I suggest looking through another part of town, though. Can't give up on shops just yet."

Getting up, Ruusu slinked over to sit in Jaegar's lap and said "Oh, do we have to leave just yet?" with a pout that made him look, in his mind, twice as adorable. "I mean, you still didn't tell me whether or not you liked my idea of compensation...am I to take it that I'm not good enough for you?"

Mentally, Ruusu was snickering. Oh, this is just priceless! I can't believe that Lulubell's collection of romance novels would come in handy! Note to self: buy her a whole bookcase of romantic books! Pausing in his gloating spree, Ruusu thought But why am I still continuing this game? I mean, it's just a game to me...right? I mean, I should've told him why I did what I did by now!

Jaegar stifled a laugh at Ruusu's words. "Oh, you're good enough for me, I'm just not interested right now," he said. "Maybe later." He stood up, holding Ruusu bridal style.

"But if we're talking about innocent compensation then how about I just carry you like this to our next destination?"

What am I doing? He's a Noah. A NOAH. I still don't trust them but something about this guy...is different.

Looking down with a blush, the Noah flipped over Jaegar's shoulders and said "T-that is quite alright! I can walk just fine!" Laughing nervously, he didn't see the pole until...CLAANG!!!-he walked right into it. "Hitto! Se todella sattuu! Kuka tuo napa aivan keskellä katua?!" Ruusu cursed in his native tongue.

Looking up at the snickering Jaegar, he said "Oh, you are so gonna pay for laughing!" before launching himself at the man and started tickling him all over.

Jaegar, having no ticklish spot whatsoever, swung Ruusu over his shoulder. "That's enough, Ruusu," Jaegar said. "Now, come on, let's go find another shop." Jaegar would admit, it had been a long while since he had ever felt like this. What with constantly searching, shunning human contact...it was...

Nice.

"Hey, you Neanderthal, put me down this instant!" Ruusu yelled out, trying to wiggle his way out. "Oh, never mind. Just be sure that you don't drop me." After a few minutes, he realized that he actually enjoyed being carried, and instantly felt glad that he came along with Jaegar.

"Hey, I think there's a shop not ten feet away from here that sells mirrors!" he cried, seeing a sign that told just as Ruusu said.

Jaegar entered, the shopkeeper looking up. "An American tourist?" she said in perfect English, startling Jaegar. "Welcome, there anything in particular you're looking for?" Jaegar nodded, placing Ruusu down gently.

"Yes, I'm looking for a mirror...uhm...rather strange at that....It looks kind of like..." Jaegar struggled for words, but the shopkeeper stopped him.

"Hold on, I think I may have something," she said, before walking around the counter to look for something. She came back with a hand mirror, ornate in design with multiple vines climbing around the handle and stylized clouds and feathers framing the glass. Staring into it, Jaegar felt shaken.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"Oh, darling! It's exactly like the one Muffy has! We simply must get it. How much will it be, dearie?" Ruusu exclaimed, playing the air-headed boyfriend. At Jaegar's surprised look, he smiled and said to him telepathically Play along, or you're in for it... "Oh, for you two, I'll sell it for twenty-five American dollars." the woman said, giving a knowing smile.

"Dearie, how does thirty sound, and you keep the change?" Ruusu said, pulling out a wallet and handing her the money. "Okay. You know, you two are the first people to actually take an interest in that mirror without being creeped out by it." Ruusu, snuggling up to Jaegar, said "Oh, me and Derrick here are quite fond of rather strange things. It's how we met, you see. We were both trying to buy an old clock, when we both made the same bid and we ended up being together ever since!"

"That's right," Jaegar said, wondering how the hell Ruusu came up with "Derrick" of all things but going with the flow. The shopkeeper gave a sheepish grin and handed him the mirror as he gave her the thirty.

"You American tourists, so funny," she said. They exited quickly, Jaegar looking at the mirror with a rather awed look.

"This must be it....or I'm going to kill someone," he said.

Ruusu nodded, and said "If that ain't it, at least I can give it to Lulubell as a present." When Jaegar just looked at him funny, he said with a shrug "I borrowed a few books from her, and I got the names Muffy and Derrick from one of them.'' Remembering, Ruusu turned around and said in a serious tone "By the way, why did you look so shaken in the store? You just looked at the mirror and looked as if you were looking at an old friend from long ago..."

"You said the mirror copies innocence, right?" Jaegar said. "I have an innocence, something that's a part of me, my body. Staring into the mirror...it felt as if everything was being ripped out of me...my memories, my sense of being...it's like if it wanted to the mirror could make a copy of me."

What Jaegar wouldn't say was he saw Clarimonde in the mirror as well. A devilish woman with her nails sliding across his neck in the mirror wondering why he was with the Earl. Why he was not with order, with Champion.