tomorrow's calling `` open

[SOFIA MOSAIC]

raise your army, choose your steeple
don’t be shy, the satellites can look the other way

Knees on the floor and hands intertwined on the wooden pew in front of her, Sofia's head was bent with lids shut. Facing the altar, the few others within the church would assume the young girl was praying, the pure soul. Her expression was rather blank, trying to portray an image that she was far off. Her mind was speaking to god, praying for his forgiveness and good health for her sick brother. At least, that's what everyone else was meant to believe. After Kendall had been diagnosed with a mild case of strep throat, her parents rushed her off to pray for all of them. Only able to slip on a dark blue printed shirt and a white cotton vest over it, she ran out of the house and down the street. Briskly she had came to the church, where she was now... praying.

Personally, Sofia disliked the whole idea of being in the building. She knew it was all to keep herself hidden and blending within society, but praying to a god she didn't believe in? It didn't feel right at all, and a big waste of time. One of her lids opened slightly, brown eye glancing at a couple a few rows down, and than the reverend speaking silently to someone in the far back. Quickly she shut her eye again after giving the room a once over, knowing fully well that her parents would ask the reverend if she had truly came. Worst of all, if she had passed up 'praying' and instead went shopping for fruits that could actually improve her brother's health, they'd blame her if he didn't get better. It was a no win situation. Just a few more minutes, she assured herself. Then she could actually do something productive.

Hearing footsteps approach her she open her eyes and let a lovely white smile fit her features as the reverend took a sit on his knees next to her. “I'm sorry, Sofia, did I interrupt you?” Calmly she shook her head, even if inside she was rolling her eyes. “I just heard about your brother, and I wanted to tell you he'll be in my prayers. I'm also glad to see you here. You haven't made a visit here in a while, other than mass.” he whispered softly to her. The brown haired girl let her eyes fall to the ground, apologizing, “I'm sorry Reverend. Maybe my brother's sudden ailment is because of my loss of time speaking with the lord. Till he gets well, and more after, I will make my visits more customary.” The man obviously liked her answer as he smiled, gave her a polite nod, and went on his way. People always were satisfied when you accused a little bit on yourself. Definitely gave them less to argue about if you took all the blame.

Once he left she 'prayed' for fifteen more minutes, before getting up. Adjusting her printed shirt over her jeans, and the brown necklace that had moved while she was sitting, Sofia began to leave the church silently. If she passed anyone she knew, who happened to glance at her, she gave a smile and nod of acknowledgement. Upon leaving the main section of the building and heading into the red carpeted hall, she spotted the same reverend talking to a familiar government official. Quietly she stood there for a few moments, unnoticed, and listened to what they were sharing with each other. There was going to be tighter security. The pretty smile on her face fell, only reminded of her grandparents. Why trap innocent tourists that were just curious? Not everyone wanted to stay in this 'utopia' the rest of their lives. The hair on the back of her neck stood up once hearing them stop momentarily, catching her ease dropping.

Well, not exactly caught. As long as she played it off well. Silently she waved and mouthed 'good-bye' to the reverend before leaving the building, not wanting to be questioned of her motives. Hopefully he'd believe she was just waiting to say a short farewell. That could have been bad... Feeling a slight breeze once opening the door as she left the church, she walked down the steps, her wavy hair bouncing, until she got to a bench a few feet from the church. Releasing a held breath, a little too nervous before to exhale, she plopped down pushing some of her hair back. Glancing down at her silver painted nails, she wondered if she should head home. Thoughts of her brother though were too clouded to make her immediately get up and walk down the familiar path to her house.

More restrictions... it made her stomach twist.

wordcount: 780
muse: alright
tag: up for grabs

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[PATRICIO ALEMANIA]

still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
(CLICK)

Was Patricio going to church? Fuck no. Well, not for the usual reason. Unlike most of the people on the island, Patricio actually didn't have to go. Why? Because he kept those that could tell on him hushed by jamming his hips into their night after night-plus...blackmail was always a beautiful thing. So why was he walking by the church?

For a story of course. He was the infamous editor of The Prodigal Times, the most widely read newspaper on the island and the one the government hated the most. So Patricio wasn't exactly the most beloved in the eyes of the conservative...If only they knew what he looked like.

He already knew that they were increasing security. He had announced it last Sunday-but since the conservatives didn't read it much, he sometimes had to spread the word himself. Thankfully, those that were part of the resistance did that for him.

The twenty four year old took a drag from his cancer stick, a menthol to be exact, and blew the toxicating smoke into the air. Thankfully they didn't ban smoking-or a lot of people on the island would be going crazy. His hair was a bit disheveled, but it didn't look bad on him, his skin a sweet apricot, and his face had been cleared of all stuble last night. He wore a simple outfit: his black button up a little unbuttoned so his usual silver cross(how ironic?) hung around his neck on its rosary beads, a nice coat, and pants with clean cut shoes-the best money could buy.

The sin, known to only those who bothered reading the Satanic Bible as Lust, took another long drag. He could sense it-the other sin in the church. Ew. Church...

How he despised that place...So hypocritical.

He ran his tongue over his pearly whites and as the gal came out, he couldn't help but smirk. He was leaning against a lamp post,his one hand loosely in one of his pockets while the other, with the thick silver skull ring, held the cancer stick. He was going to die from it someday-but did he care? Not really.

"Ah...Pride," he didn't know any of the sins by their regular names. It wasn't necessary since he nly ever met with any of them one by one. Out of all of them, he seemed to be the one who knew who each of them were. Not by name, but by their trademark sin. It was like a brand-one they couldn't wash off.

His voice had come out smooth, the lustful hints hushed but only in the undertones. He looked, calm, cool, and collected, which was very much like him. He hadn't had a real chat with this one yet. She was fairly knew in his book. He knew the sins, of course, more than the virtues-the virtues were just a waste of time.

"What brings you to church on such a fine evening? Are your parents being a pain again?" he wasn't one to curse. It wasn't in his nature. At least, unless he was fucking someone and they were really that good-but that had yet to happen.

[SOFIA MOSAIC]

raise your army, choose your steeple
don’t be shy, the satellites can look the other way

Eyes left her nails and moved towards a man she hadn't noticed earlier, which shouldn't have been much of a surprise. All Sofia did was nod and greet people politely to stay on their good sides. Rarely their was anything genuine about her mannered actions, nor was she truly intrigued by the people. The face didn't immediately get a name, until he spoke her sin. At first she was still puzzled on who he was, but it finally clicked at not his figure but his tone. It was very distinct compared to the other church goers or citizens she ran into. It was like velvet, unique in it's nature. A half smile formed on her lips and she responded simply, “Lust.”

For a second her brown eyes left the man and drifted to the church's entrance. Miss two-face wouldn't want to lose her composure if someone had followed her out. The smiles, the easy laughter, it wasn't natural at all. Around the sins, she favored not hiding herself so much. Their visits allowed her body and mind to relax and take a breather. The whole charade was draining, even in her home she had to always act prim and proper. Unfortunately, she didn't have it as easy as Lust or the other sins. Her position didn't required her to be there and she could easily be expelled if they figured out that she was rebellious. Or worse, they could try to brainwash her because she was still young and so easy to push back into place. So they thought.

Once seeing no others that would bother to pay attention to them, the smile completely fell. His next comment only brought a sneer, no longer afraid to show her disgust. “Of course not, I came here out of my free will because I love kneeling on the cold floor, praying to the lord for forgiveness for my evil deeds.” she spoke, harsh sarcasm rolled in every word. One of her hands went through her long hair as she added truthfully, “I'm actually surprised I didn't fall asleep.” If she wasn't daydreaming or thinking, she'd probably be bored to tears in the building. She would do the whole physical look of praying, but she'd never actually pray. It was like talking to an imaginary friend, ridiculous. If the lord really cared about them, he wouldn't have allowed these men to trap them in this hell. No one could understand how much she wanted to escape...

“What about you? Advertising your newspaper?” she asked, tilting her head while one of her legs folded over the other. She knew little bits of information about the different sins, only because she desired to know everything. In her mind, it was important to be on top of the latest information. Something that rarely stuck though were names. This second she was throwing around what this man's name might be. Claudio, Demetrio, Florencio... None of them sounded right. Whatever, she was sure he'd share it. If not, she's was satisfied with calling him Lust. That was always easy to remember. “I haven't read your latest, but I'm sure it's as interesting as the others.” It wasn't a compliment, just simple fact. It always amused her how much the government and conservatives like her parents threw a fit over those little sheets of paper.

Even if she didn't show it with her smug expression, his little paper did help her out a lot. Where else would she get the latest information without blowing her cover? She couldn't just walk into a governmental building or stand on windowsills ease dropping like some spy. Why should she get dirty? That's what people like Lust were for.

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[PATRICIO ALEMANIA]

still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
(CLICK)

"Glad to see you're back," of course he meant her personality. Like any other sin would say, her "other" half wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Patricio did have to keep his composture, of course, and had to keep up his own charade-which he despised as well. He had to seem to level headed most of the time...

No wait..He usually was anyways.

"Patricio," he held out his hand to shake her's since people were starting to walk by again. He gave her a soft and polite grin, though anyone looking into those deep blue eyes of his could see the lust and temptation hiding underneath the surface,"It is always an honor to meet such a devoted...Catholic."

He couldn't help but chuckle at the end.

Once noone was around, his mood and attitude didn't seem to change-only slightly. It was those slight changes that helped him every so often. They were like transitions and they made dealing with Conservatives and Nuetrals a whole lot easier,"Well, since I noticed you're always such a curious person," he gave her a small movement of his head to follow him. Obviously he had information to tell her-one that he had yet to publish in the paper last Sunday. This was good news-too-but it was on a much more...personal...level.

"You, as well as everyone else, know how resticting the laws of Melilla are," stating the obvious, purposely dancing around what he wanted to tell her-he was being a bit of a tease and oh was he enjoying it,"But, just like every single government, law, whatever you want to call it-there are loopholes..."

Patricio just so happened to have found one of those loopholes...A way to get off the island. He had found out one of the wealthiest men on the island, Elliot Montenegro, has been traveling on and off the island, back and forth, for well a little over a decade now. But there was another reason he was allowed to-other than his money...

This, he only planned on telling one sin and one sin alone, just because it was interesting to see how she would react. Being she was Pride-she probably wouldn't tell the other sins. As always-he had back up plans. He made sure to always be two steps ahead of everyone-that way he could use his little tail to cover up his tracks. He was cunning, which was very Patricio of him, and he was very well aware of it.

[SOFIA MOSAIC]

raise your army, choose your steeple
don’t be shy, the satellites can look the other way

Ah, Patricio, now she remembered. Watching the people pass by she got up and put on that perfect white smile while shaking his hand. “I'm Sofia. It is a pleasure to me you too, mister Patricio.” Her tone was totally changed, a concoction of a sweet nature and naiveness. No one ever questioned the innocent ones. The smile became more easy at his little note at the end of his sentence, and stayed their for a few extra seconds after the Christian group dispersed. Than, like always, it faded away. The girl wasn't exactly optimistic 24/7. It was odd by itself how her last smile lasted as long as it had.

His next few words caught her attention completely and she didn't hesitate to follow. Nonetheless, it somewhat disappointed her how easy she was to read. Sofia wasn't typically reserved person, but she hated when people knew her little weaknesses. It never felt right when other people knew something that could be used against her. Especially when her and Patricio weren't day-to-day buddies that went to school together. How old was this guy anyway? While she followed him to the side, she couldn't help but feel like a little kid following a stranger who was luring her with candy.

A frown etched on her lips when he began slow and gradual. She didn't like playing games and was very close to telling him coldly to get to the point. Mentioned before, she hated feeling uninformed. It was like being the one kid not invited to a party and missing out on all the good inside jokes. It made her feel like such a loser, and Pride didn't like that. She was better than that. When he finally spilled, her muscles tensed. She felt her eyes widen slightly, but she quickly woke herself up. Oh crap, she was easy to read. “Loopholes?” she repeated calmly, not wanting to get ahead of herself. The last thing she needed was to put up her hopes only to watch them be torn down.

“How far do they extend?” Her question was serious, and the tone pressed that he got to the deeper point. The better question, more selfish to herself, is what you had to do in order to join the loophole club. Not that she'd go off and do it, leaving on the next ship out of Melilla. Hah. If only it was that easy. You'd probably have to have government connections and their were other people she'd have to think about. Her brother, the other students.... The other emotions that forced her to care and forget her egotistic demands. It was occasionally hard to not think about only number one, as any sin was to any person. She always had to pinch herself whenever she noticed how arrogant she was being. All those years faking and pretending to be the teacher's pet would be as useful as garbage if she just 'ran a way'.

Arms crossed over her chest as she waited for him to go on, a little impatiently. He better not just stop right there. She was smaller than him, probably less powerful, but she wouldn't allow him to walk a way without hearing more. Patricio would be dumber than she thought if he'd assume she'd just hang there.

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[PATRICIO ALEMANIA]

still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
(CLICK)

Patricio smirked,"All you have to do is befriend a young woman..." he glanced over at her,"That's if you want to leave in a week or so. She would be able to get you off because she has connections..."

He continued walking, smiling at people when they passed, easily knowing when to stop the conversation or hush down his voice. Practice makes perfect,"The other way is fairly simple though it might take you a little longer because of your age. Me, I could probably leave in a little less than a year."

Patricio knew Sofia was young-how young, he did not know. Highschool, he would guess, since she still lived with her parents,"The legal age to start traveling abroad for business purposes in twenty-five," he paused for a moment before continueing,"But if you had an illness...or had a family member with an illness that needed to see someone on the Mainland..." She obviously had to see where he was going with this,"You can get a Green-card to take the boat ride on over."

There was one problem with all the situations. Patricio, surprisngly, wasn't a seflish person. For this reason he did not easily just leave the island, because he was already friends with the woman he had mentioned before,"The only problem is that they only let out maybe ten people a year...Unless, of course, you do it illegally...Which is always more fun," so no letting out the people by the masses. Everything had to be calculated by timing.

If she didn't believe him, she could simply ask tell him she didn't-because she didn't have to. And though he was a sin, lying was not his forte unless he was trying to lure people in. He wasn't trying to lure Sofia into some trap-he was telling her facts.

[SOFIA MOSAIC]

raise your army, choose your steeple
don’t be shy, the satellites can look the other way

No innocent person passing the pair by could possibly imagine how much her sin was devouring this. It was perfect. Every single word that left Patricio's lips was just egging it further and further. Exclaim how sick Kendall was and use her persuasion skills to convince her parents that he was too ill to be taken care of here. In the scam get the little 'green card', giving her a free trip off the island. She could go any where she wanted than, no chains or restrictions pulling her down. The world she had been born into would forever disappear and she'd live happily ever after. She wouldn't have to think about Melilla, ever pretend that she thought god existed, it was the ultimate plan. Her selfish wants clung to it, wanting desperately to give in. To play along in it's little game and get her guilty desire.

She stopped only a second, for once not glancing to see if anyone was passing by. “Damn it,” she muttered to herself, before getting back into stride. To her luck, no one had been around to catch her. Her little statement was her full answer to the possibility of leaving. “I'd love that chance, even illegally. You don't know how tempting all your saying is but... I can't.” The last words she struggled to say. She hated how her decision wasn't fully on a specific side. Taking a deep breath she easily relaxed her features again, letting her eyes for a few seconds drop to the ground. Either she had to wait seven years, get deathly sick, or do what she knew was the right thing... Rebel against the government so anyone could leave.

When her eyes returned back to Patricio, they were the same mixture beforehand. Sweet to any stranger, but dark beneath it all. “I've already told myself I'll leave with everyone, or I don't leave at all.” Those words were a lot easier to say this time around, knowing it was the truth. She didn't want to sound like a martyr, but since she was a child she promised herself that. All the friends she made, her grandparents, even her blind parents. They all deserved the freedom to leave, the freedom to do anything. Maybe she was still young and foolish, maybe she was just too stupid to take the deal that was pretty much handed on a silver plater. But... wasn't this what a sin was suppose to do? While virtues caged them in, the sins were suppose to open doors?

“Sometimes I hate my morals.” she said with a sigh, letting the smile return for a second. She seriously had to push everything he said into the back of her mind. Deep, deep, deep in the back of her mind. Otherwise she might completely flip her present opinion because her selfish side finally won. “Anything else I could use later on? You don't understand how kids are so hard to persuade. Their stuck like paste to their parents ideals.” Her last sentences were spoken bitterly, obviously irritated. Sometimes it was aggravating how some teenagers were so driven conservatives. The younger they were, the stronger their beliefs. The best time to mold a mind is when it was young, giving parents nearly thirteen years before Sofia meets them. Undoing all that learning, all those force beliefs, all those things their lives were suppose to revolve around was difficult. Not many would budge.

It frequently made her sick that she could have turned out like one of these mindless drones. Her grandparents might be the reason she was born in Melilla – the actual problem – but at least they made up for it by giving her some sense.

[PATRICIO ALEMANIA]

still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
(CLICK)

"Oh the pain of being human..." Patricio stated, the seduction lacing his voice,"Patience..." he answered her question,"That is all you'll ever need. They won't have a mind of their own until at least junior high. So until then, cross your fingers, have some patience, and pray that we can get a revolution started before we all go mad," he turned the corner, into a darkened alley.

To anyone else, it looked like a simple alley. But there was a door, all the way at the end and out of sight, that lead to a tunnel. How practical that it wasn't far from the church. Patricio had it all rigged. If they found the tunnel, the government would blame the church, the church and state would be divided, and therefore, a little more fuel to the fire. That is-if they found it. Honestly, finding it was a good and bad thing. Bad because Patricio would be arrested since it lead to the building where the paper was printed and published, good because it would point fingers to the famous Melilla Church.

"We have to convicne those loose virtues," Patricio had easily moved so he was in front of her, as if he would pin her to the brick wall. He gently traced her jaw line,"To join us...because not all of them are happy....And I'm sure we could easily manipulate them..." his hand went down to her collarbone, but didn't go any farther,"Through the art of persuasion."

He pulled away to start walking towards the door,"Do you have a job, Sofia?" he asked as he stopped in front of the door. He wasn't going to go any further-not yet at least. He had a few things he had to teach this young sin. A lot more...

So she could fully understand the extent of the situation at hand.

[SOFIA MOSAIC]

raise your army, choose your steeple
don’t be shy, the satellites can look the other way

Patience. What a terrible virtue. She probably needed it to have stayed sane all these years and melt her way into the social hierarchy. Patience to stand the idiots, the parents, and the kid's that always smiled. She had to just bare it and try not to tear her beautiful hair out while watching each day pass. The only thing she hated about patience was the simple fact that it took forever. If you were just so patient to let people cut you in line, you wouldn't get anywhere. In terms, Sofia only had a certain degree of the virtue Patricio spoke of. It wouldn't be long though before it expired and the teenager wouldn't take it anymore. Like the man had so easily stated, she'd go insane...

When they turned into a dark alley she frowned with dislike. This felt very cliché. Two sinful people in a smelly alley, away from the light of society, and plotting the conservatives demise. All they needed was rain and it to be pitch black night to make the scene picture perfect. Glancing at the door her brow raised, never acknowledging it's presence before this meeting. Her territory was the Academy. She didn't scold herself for not being aware of other trap doors within the rest of the Melilla. If she should be mad at anyone for not knowing about these tiny secrets it was the people that hadn't made her aware of them.

Brown eyes left the door when she realized the positioning of her and Patricio. As he spoke again and touched her cheek, she smirked while taking in what he said. She hadn't expected anything less from a man also known as Lust. Only a moron would had thought the man would have kept his hands in his pockets, not daring to invade her personal space. Also she somewhat enjoyed the attention, like anyone full of pride would. Being focused upon only caused her big ego to grow. She continued to try and concentrate on what he was saying as he let his hand trail down to her collarbone, holding back a shiver.

She had thought a few virtues were a little tipsy about their positions in the revolution, but join them? That sounded a little too confident. As well, she wasn't sure if she could trust any ex-virtue. Even the two she knew that wandered close by in the Academy she had always felt uneasy around. Letting anyone come on their side only would make it easy to have traitors mix into the rebellion, which could potentially tear it down. She could easily persuade, but was it truly in their best interest?

“My academics have always been my prime interest.” she replied sarcastically. Overall, that was a big fat 'no'. Her parents who were glued to her every movement wouldn't allow her to have a job of any kind. Of course, she had done a few on the side, to get a little money for certain things that her parents weren't aware of. It wasn't like she was inexperienced nor beyond going behind the pairs backs. She had lost that kind of closeness with them long ago. “You have something in mind?” She asked curiously, her bitter tone towards the focus on school swiftly softening.

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