Dinner for two please

"Dear Xan,


It has been completely unfortunate that we have yet to sit down and enjoy a delightful dinner. I believe it has been too long since we've last spoken to one another. If you wouldn't mind, please join me for dinner in Drachma. I have reserved a table at Rossiya. It is a upper class restaurant that has wonderful wine and food. Please come dressed too impressed, which includes being warm. It can get a tad chilly at night, so just be prepared. I'll meet you outside at seven.


Sincerely,
Alena

XoXo"

With that, Vanity seals the envelope with a kiss and sticks it in the mail. It wouldn't be too much longer before she and her brother were reunited.

-------

The day was here, and her heart was racing with anxious nerves. It was about time the two had a nice dining away from anyone and everyone important. Brother to sister they were going to laugh, converse, and most importantly bond together. The beautiful homunculus steps out of the shower, wrapping the towel around her body. She quickly rubs the steam off the mirror and begins working on her face and hair. About an hour later, Alena scurries into her bedroom. She had bought a new dress that she was just dying to put on. The dress fit perfectly against her slim figure, showing off the slight curves that she was blessed with naturally. Her long locks were gracing the slides of her face and was extending way down her back. Vanity slid her feet into black stiletto heels that made her jump a few inches in height.

Slowly she descended the stairs, eyes stopping to drool from her elegant appearance when she passed them going down the stairs. The homonculus couldn't resist a sly grin, knowing that all eyes were on her. "Perfect" she thought to herself before heading out the doors and onto dinner.

(This is what she is wearing: http://www.zerochan.net/388417 )

"Dear Xan,


It has been completely unfortunate that we have yet to sit down and enjoy a delightful dinner. I believe it has been too long since we've last spoken to one another. If you wouldn't mind, please join me for dinner in Drachma. I have reserved a table at Rossiya. It is a upper class restaurant that has wonderful wine and food. Please come dressed to impressed, which includes being warm. It can get a tad chilly at night, so just be prepared. I'll meet you outside at seven.


Sincerely,
Alena

XoXo"

When Xanthus first received the letter, he almost dismissed it entirely, believing that somehow the sender of the letter, Alena, had been mistaken about knowing him. After all, he could not recall knowing anyone with that particular name, especially not a Drachman. Then he thought about it for a moment and decided that it would be quite rude of him to simply not go when he had been invited to an upper class restaurant in Drachma. If worst came to worst, then he could simply inform the person of their mistake in person. But then again...

"There is no other Xan present in Amestris, I checked at least twice." Xan spoke aloud to himself as he stood outside of the Rossiya waiting for his unknown host. He was gaining quite a few stares from others who were entering into the palace-like restaurant, mostly from women who were immediately winked at afterwards. The aforementioned women would then immediately walk inside, blushing bright red to Xan's amusement. The Homunculus had to smile; he knew why he was getting the stares. Of course, he was naturally attractive, something proven over time...time and time again. However, tonight he was wearing an outfit that only served to make him look...like a foreign prince.

A prince? How very arrogant of you. Pride snickered from within his shadow.

Xan simply chuckled and shrugged lightly in response.

"What can I say? I'm quickly learning what it means to be 'Pride the Arrogant'."

Suddenly, Xan turned his head, sensing the presence of someone who...seemed slightly familiar.

OOC: You know what I'm wearing.

The moment was perfect. Just as Alena turns the corner, wind stirred the trees that guided the sidewalk, causing flower petals to flutter to the earths crust. Her eyes raised slightly the moment she caught a glimpse of this foreign prince, with a devilish glare. He truly was something to stare at, and she wasn't alone. Women that passed the homunculus were starring just how she was. Her breath fills with air as she gasp out of shock. There hadn't been another homonculi quite as attractive as she, until now. Why was she just meeting him tonight, Vanity questions to herself.

Alena approaches the man instantly, with great elegance. Step by step she took, never breaking eye contact with him. Her gaze was direct and firm. She was lioness, going in for the kill and expecting to get what she wanted. Vanity knew this was pride, because she could smell his scent. He was just like the rest of them, there was a lingering to his essences that only a fellow homonculi would catch the odor.

"Well, well, what have we got here?" Alena smirks playfully as she stops about a foot away from her dinner date. "Xanthus, or should I say Pride..." She whispers under her breath so that only he would hear. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, after all family should know one another." Alena extends her and for him to kiss as she begins to curtseys for politeness.

If any doubt had ever existed within the confines of his mind, it all left within the instant that the woman in the flowered dress was seen by Xanthus Icarus. He had been invited to this spot on purpose, to meet this awe-inspiring woman and to share the next few moments with her. The way that she was looking at him erased all thoughts of a mistake having been made and forced him to question how he could ever have thought such a thing.

A normal human might have found his mouth hanging open, but Xan was not a normal man. He kept his composure easily and took each moment in stride. Just as well, it could be considered a remarkable feat of will that Xanthus was able to keep his legendary cool when his true name was revealed. Upon the muttering of the word 'Pride,' had any last, lingering doubt existed, it would have been turned into so much diamond dust.

The Homunculus merely took the hand that was extended to him and gently brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly before releasing it. The entire movement was fluid and natural, with credit going to his time as a foreign dignitary to every country at one point or another.

"Lady Alena, it is a pleasure to meet you as well, as it is a shame that I have not met one who considers me to be family and who seems to know so much about me.

After the formal introductions were made, Xanthus neatly opened the door with a flourish and held it for Alena to enter.

"But come, we should speak of these things inside and away from the cold."

Alena listens and nods her head as his soft words glided through the air. This was going to be an interesting night a head of them, and hopefully one to change their lives forever. The two began to walk into the fine luxurious restaurant, and Vanity used this opportunity to link her arm through his, allowing him to take the lead. The host quickly scurries to the door and opens it for the guest, giving a warm and heart felled smile.

“The reservation should be under Alena.” She spoke with a demanding yet elegant tone of voice to the host.

“Ah, right this way please.” The host nodded with respect and led the couple down the narrow stairway to a private table in secluded room.

The walls were a sunset orange, with dark wooden trim along the bottom. A few mirrors hung around the room, to make the area seem larger than it really was. Candles were lit on the table and throughout various parts of the room. Two menus were placed at the tables, along with a bouquet of a dozen roses.

“Thank you, Sir.” Alena smiles as the host hurries to pull out her chair followed by the gentleman accompanying her.

“Your waiter will be with you shortly” He explained before exiting the room quietly.

“Well now, here we are Pride.” Alena looks up and smirks playfully at the other homunculus. “We’ve got ourselves a fancy little room to discuss whatever in the world we’d like to talk about.” With that, Alena slowly looks down at the menus and hands one to her partner for the evening.

Quickly, yet with a steady flow, Xanthus and Alena found themselves traversing the interior of the palace-like restaurant, soon arriving at their destination. It appeared to be a room set with tranquility in mind, or at least with a sense of serenity if tranquility was incorrect. However, Xan was inclined to believe that it was quite possibly a mixture of both if the ambiance established by the colors and candles had any affect at all.

Soon, the waiter had set both Homunculi down and handed them their menus, leaving the room quickly and quietly, almost as though he were but a shadow.

“Well now, here we are Pride.” Alena said to Pride with a playful look on her face. “We’ve got ourselves a fancy little room to discuss whatever in the world we’d like to talk about.”

Xanthus momentarily looked at the menu, perusing the many fine dishes that were on display. He eventually decided that he actually did not care what he ate and decided that he'd simply order whatever Alena ordered. With a small sigh, he placed the menu down and looked up at his hostess of the evening. He could definitely sense that something was off, and though the answer was in his mind, he did could not quite believe it. However...

"It's generally against my nature to go straight to questioning, but I find myself having to make an exception to my rule just this once. And so, I must ask: Why do you know my real name?"

The words 'real name' had Pride's characteristic metallic edge to them, as though another voice had spoken in conjunction with Xan's when they were uttered. Of course, this was probably because there in fact was another voice speaking; the spirit of Pride was rather curious as to who this woman was as well.

Her eyes scan over the menu for a couple of seconds, as she struggles internally with what to have for this decadent meal. There was so much to choose from, yet nothing seemed satisfying for her taste buds. Alena was always a picky eater, and took a while to decide on the things she would eat. Finally, her eyes land on the Moscow Strip. Which was a steak, cooked with the specialty Moscow sauce and fine vegetables on the side.

Just as Pride spoke, her eyes break from the tiny words on the menu to his eyes. The crimson stare was memorizing, sucking in her soul as she sat and listened to his question.

“Why do you know my real name?" He asked, and she knew it was coming. After all, only other homunculi called one another by their true names for the most part. She sat with both hands in her lap, patiently waiting the prime moment to answer his request.

“Well, wouldn’t you think that your own sister would know your true identity?” Alena winks quickly to Xanthus. She shifts slightly in her chair and reaches for the glass of water sitting on the table. Slowly, she sips a couple gulps of water, all the while keeping her eyes focused on him. “Aside from you and Envy, I’m the next oldest of our siblings now. Yet, we have not had the chance to meet one another.” Alena puts the glass of water back down onto the table and leans slightly over the table, whispering under her breath. “I was the last homunculus created by our beloved father, Vanity.” Her eyes glimmer from the reflection of the flames dancing underneath her eyelids.

Just as she finishes her sentence, the door opens and the waiter approaches.

“Good evening, I hope you two are doing well.” He gave a faint, innocent smile to the both of them. “Before I get your orders, can I start you off with a bottle of wine?”

“Well, Xanthus, what shall be drink?” Being the lady that she was, it was only polite to leave it for the man to decide on the drink for the evening.

Xanthus blinked once. Then again...and one last time he blinked as seconds that felt like minutes passed by at something similar to a crawl. Reaching for a glass of water, Xan takes a sip of water with deliberate slowness whilst he thought of a response to such an intriguing piece of information. Just as slowly as he picked it up, he set the glass back down and was about to respond when suddenly he heard the door open.

“Good evening, I hope you two are doing well.” The waiter said, giving a faint, innocent smile to the both of them. “Before I get your orders, can I start you off with a bottle of wine?”

Xanthus inwardly sighed and his eyes blinked to the menu before he absently waved the waiter off with his hand. "Bring us a bottle of your best and most aged wine; money is not an option. The waiter gave a little bow and walked out the door with a quick "Excellent choice sir." And just like that, Pride was left in the room with...

"Right, well I suppose that it goes without saying that some explanation might be required. Father created an eighth Homunculus?" And yet that answered a question from earlier before...that feeling that he had gotten from Alena; the feeling of familiarity that came only from one Homunculus meeting another...it had not seemed possible at first, but now it made sense. Vanity...

"Ah well, tonight just got a hell of lot more interesting."

Alena sat straight up in her chair, relaxing both hands in her lap as she listens to Pride attempt to figure this situation in the back of his mind. This was quite amusing, considering half the ‘older’ homunculus never knew that Father created one last before he died. Her eyes continue to glimmer in the candlelight illumination, as she waits to explain in further detail.

“You see, before Father was killed, he took the last of his strength and created me.” Her eyes narrow and she leans once more across the table slightly. “In all his vain and glory, he sealed the last of his characteristic inside of my soul and heart.” Vanity’s voice was tempting and seductive as she spoke to her sibling. Both eyes, covered with makeup, kept a firm glance on Xanthus.


"Ah well, tonight just got a hell of lot more interesting." Xan moaned and Vanity chuckled softly. It really did, and she knew this would continue to get interesting and complicated the more they got to know one another.


“Xan, I didn’t come here just for dinner you know…” Her voice begins to trail off just as the waiter enters back into the room with a nice bottle of red wine.

Xan smiled and chuckled for a moment, then laughed lightly when Vanity finished explaining her origins. He could not help himself for a few seconds; it was just a bit much for him to take in all at once. Right before the old man died, he created another Homunculus, this time removing his vain nature and his feelings of glory...his vainglory from himself and sealing it into this new creation? And so were the first and the last Homunculi created from Father's own being. Ah well, poetry could be made later. Tonight was, as Xan had said earlier, becoming very interesting.

“Xan, I didn’t come here just for dinner you know…” A single eyebrow did Pride raise and he was about to open his mouth to respond to that when the waiter entered into the room holding onto a bottle of wine that appeared quite expensive. He set it down in the middle of the table with a flourish and straightened himself, appearing highly professional. He then looked at Xanthus and asked 'Are you prepared to order your main course for the evening?' Pride immediately gestured towards Vanity and said that he would have whatever she decided upon. Then the waiter turned his gaze upon the female Homunculus and repeated his question.

OOC: Sorry about the lateness and the bad post. It's just not a good imagination day for me at the moment. :'( Plus I haven't had comp access for two days. I beg forgiveness!

BUMP