ED+EVE+SASCHA; oh shiet

[endofthetale]

Who: Edward, Evelyn & Sascha
When: Tuesday, 4/26
Where: Stonecaster.............
Before/After: After Sascha is dmailed by Annabelle.
Warnings: Swearing!?! idr



The house seemed fine enough. She'd accepted the Vairya's duties without complaint, but had calmly found herself trapped between petty theft and petty larceny. Without strict leveling, what was she supposed to do to gain any skill? There was something small in Edward that was uncurling. She felt it like a snake, like a curling tendril of smoke, like a silent, quiet growl, forever situated behind her teeth—she wanted to do something more than just be a Rogue, but she wanted to be a Rogue, and she wanted to hurt.

And so as she stepped inside the house, she smiled slighlty. Had Sascha lived under these conditions? She had placed his house in the Borderline, but... Was she unwell? She wasn't unwell.

Perhaps, in a way, she was adjusting.

Everyone was situated with a roommate, so Edward had been told, and she could care less who it was. Maybe she'd just ignore them. Maybe she'd... no, no, no. Edward couldn't. Could she?


That ride had been so quiet! So quiet, even if it was full of Evelyn's chatter because she considered a space quiet unless there was a proper conversation going on. Well, it was a half-conversation, not that she minded much-- okay, she minded a little, but her minding was perfectly understandable! After all, this girl sitting across from her on the bumpy caravan was going to be her new room mate (!), but she'd yet to say a word. At times, Evelyn thought she heard a sound or spied a twitch of her lips, but then nothing more came from either and so she had to accept that Edward's face was capable of illusion.

There was a mysterious man, the Holloway! A dramatic sounding name, Holloway. But The Holloway hadn't said a thing to them either.

In the grand scheme of things, neither Edward or The Holloway were enough to bring Evelyn's mood down. Upas had been so kind to offer her housing and a stipend. Perhaps she'd sleep in a bed for the first time in months? (Not true, she'd already slept in a bed at the small house the caravan had picked them up from, but this would be the first bed she'd sleep in for a house that she'd live in, and that was exciting enough to warrant its own attention.)

It was a charming house, made of stone and wood, with a small perimeter of ground overrun with early weed growth. It appeared as if the place had been lived in not too long ago. A month, perhaps? No longer than three weeks, Evelyn was sure of that. While Edward stalked into the place, worried and internally frazzled, Evelyn circled the outside of the property, pleased to find a garden patch in the back.

Eventually, as in a few minutes later, Evelyn entered the house from the front (because the back door was locked and she hadn't a key yet) and promptly inhaled a sharp, squeaky breath of delight. "There's a fireplace! Of stone!"


"Of stone?" Edward didn't feel comfortable around people. It wasn't that she didn't like them, she just didn't understand them. They spoke so much, and they wanted so much, of her, of their situations, but what were they really expecting? Of anyone? an emotion or an idea, a present or a detailed past? And what could she provide, with her stutter, her tiny body, her guitar slung around her back like a badge? A stone fireplace. What joy that would bring, except it wouldn't. In Zenderael, Edward had determined, the luxuries defined no one.

She pressed herself against the wall, bags and things finally being released from her hands. "Of stone." She repeated, but this time with a resignation. She had heard the last name Holloway. Perhaps it had been real. Upas. She knew what Upas meant.

She had helped develop it. What would it mean, then, that she'd agreed to Sascha's unit? That he would meet her? She smiled, a half smile, a corner smile. "Why'd you pick druid, anyway?"

On the caravan, the basics of pleasantries had been exchanged. Edward at least could tell Evelyn was of Earth.

"Hmm?" Evelyn spun around on her heel to face Edward, light-colored sundress, still the same dress she'd arrived in, stained but relatively intact. Her sandals had long since gone. "Oh!" She clapped her hands together. Edward was engaging! "It was suggested to me because I'd have a partner and I wasn't familiar with the game."

Eranthis, said partner the earthen, rocky turtle, was still milling about outside. Large, very large, he'd had to shrink down to ride on Evelyn's shoulder in the caravan, and he wasn't quite ready to shrink enough to fit through the door. That meant her possessions would have been out for Edward to see, though she hadn't much -- a guitar case, a tea set wrapped up in a polka dot cloth, and a can of loose leaf tea.

She cupped her cheek. "I'm glad I listened. If it weren't for Eranthis, I'd be dead by now!"


Eranthis? Really? Edward cocked her head over to Evelyn, and absorbed her with a new glance. Yes.

Yes, no, she did look familiar, didn't she? "Did you play with Rhys Elena?" Edward pulled from the wall, her hand subconsciously reaching for her own guitar case. "I-I admired his music, Eranthis' music." She paused. Bit her lip. "Y-you're that Evelyn?"


Evelyn's brows rose in tandem with the silent opening of her mouth. Then, "Yes," she said cheerfully, head canting to one side, hands pressed together and following. "I am tha-- Oh?" Her neck straightened. "I am That Evelyn, yes. I believe so. That Evelyn that played in the band?"


Edward smiled in a cautious, can't-believe-you-don't-recognize-me-way, even if she was exponentially dirtier and less fancily dressed than she'd ever be.

"I'm Sashaand."

It's okay, gurl, there were still twigs in Evelyn's hair.

"Sasha, Sashaand -- Sashaand!" she exclaimed, half in victory that she'd placed name with face, half in surprise that Sashaand was in Zenderael with her. "Oh my, it's been so long! Yes, I remember, yes, yes -- but when did you get here?"


Edward couldn't help but smile. A bit of reality, right? The smile didn't reach down into her eyes. Was it the sudden grip of real-world anxiety? The sudden lack of anonymity? Had she finally defeated herself? "A month, maybe. I'm not sure of the timing." Edward flicked her eyes to the left, her mouth pulling into a thin line. She wrung her hands once, then again, and finally just settled on doing it consistently. "I-I spent a lot of time in En-Enghelab. Y-you?"

And it was at that point Sascha finally deigned to drop in on the women. He'd been told to, after all, by the First, and if Annabelle had something to say, then the Seconds, now including Sascha, ha, ha, YES, ha, had something to do about it. He had taken the time to clean himself up—the shave job left a bit of five o'clock shadow, black hair combed but still curly and wild, shades polished, nice leather shirt. He'd done his best.

And they were so unappealingly unkempt. The longer he lived he couldn't help but grow more judgmental of both the fairer and the harder sex. Here, he had one who looked practically a man and the other who looked practically a firefly. He stepped through the interior of the home, knocked thrice on the door.

"I believe it was Edward and Evelyn, correct?" He slipped through the doorway, tried to smile.

"My name is Alexandr Holloway, but you may call me Sascha." He held out his hand for introduction. "We are happy to have you."

Edward could no longer hold color, hold thought, or make sound.

"February!" she said, because it was easier to remember the month than the amount of months she'd been there. "Oh, but this is such a convenient coincidence! I'm glad we've found each other. Familiar faces ought to stick together, mm?"

Sascha appeared then, and Evelyn turned around to face him, completely oblivious to Edward's reaction. "The Holloway!" She hopped forward, taking his hand and shaking it vigorously before releasing it. "Evelyn is me," she said, chipper as she placed her hand above her chest, then extended it in Edward's direction. "And she is Edward!"

-wasn't she going to be either the most useful or the most pathetic. He couldn't wait for Alex to meet her. The small thrill paired with Sascha appreciated being known as The Holloway brought a touch of a smile to his lips. Puns were something he could get behind.

"Evelyn, you are the Druid responsible for the Turtle?" A smile. "We will find him accommodations if he'd like."

The other one. She looked terrified, but hard, simultaneous. There was No chance. She'd be mad, he thought, and not the delightfully misbalanced way of Valentine, Reilanin, and dare he admit, Alex. No. Useless.

Step one, Annabelle, find useful Earthlings. THEN recruit them to help end humanity. Duh.

"And Edward, you'll not shake my hand?" He tested, carefully, cornering the weaker of the two. "I am one of your sponsors..."

Edward could not Hipster her mind, but she had always been able to automate her body. She forced her hand.

She felt him. Warm. His hand was warm. Alive. Fuck.

She'd made a killer.

Evelyn watched the exchange with bright eyes and a smile that was naturally maintained. Edward seemed skittish still. Was it the new house? The promise of a roof and a bed and access to water on a regular basis after a month of living in Enghelab? Because Evelyn didn't know Enghelab, only that she had been warned to stay away from it, and if that was where Edward had spent her month, well, her unkempt appearance and reluctance to engage was understandable.

"Eranthis is fine," she piped up when Edward and Sascha shook hands. "I think he'll like this place very much. Not the inside, of course, the outside, I think-- Is stone considered earth?"

"Eranthis." Interesting name. Sascha nodded. "Yes, Stone is considered Earth. This is a wonderful place for the beast." At that, he released the stunned Edward's hand, and moved towards the stairs. "Ladies, shall I show you your room?"

Edward calmly, and politely, mumbled, "I'll find the restroom."

With that, she was gone.

Sascha watched the fidgety woman slip into the bathroom. Yes, Earthlings, so potentially controllers. Hmm.

Even if she smiled on end, Evelyn was a potential bitch, too, a failure of an identity, and almost God, a demi-God, a something. Hmm... "Well then, Evelyn, I'm sure she'll catch up. Come with me."

If stone was earth, did that mean Evelyn could take apart the house?! Ooh, but she shouldn't try... Start on something smaller first.

She waved to the disappearing Edward, then turned to follow Sascha. "It's a small house, nigh impossible to get lost in. Unless it's magic? Do magic houses exist here?"

"Of course. A Mage's home is most undoubtedly magicked in some way." He though the heard a gnat. He swatted, of course, and found nothing.

"Though impossible to get lost in, it's a courtesy. I'm sorry I couldn't attend to your caravan."

"Oh, it's all right." The wood of the stairs was just shy of room temperature below her bare feet. "It's very kind of you to lend us a hand. Several hands. Whole limbs?" She was quite sure a house was worth more than hands.

The room was quaint. Just at the top of the stairs. Two, simple bunk-beds. Edward had already found one. Sascha eyed her yet again, then motioned into the room. "My limbs are at your disposal, but soon you will also be introduced to two other members who might spend a bit more time. Unfortunately, I've a lot to do in my position."

He then gave Evelyn a brisk nod. "Welcome. I appreciate your service." He then turned, and shut the door, avoiding all other contact with either women.

One batcase, one gnatcase.

Great taste, Annabelle.

She peered around Sascha's large frame into the room, then brightened and waved to Edward again.

"Two..." she trailed off, taking in the room. That would explain the second bunk bed, then! "When will we me--"

Oh, that was the door shutting behind her. Evelyn blinked at it, then opened it and called after Sascha's figure, "Thank you! Come again! We'll have tea for you!"

Then she turned to face Edward, leaving the door open. "You're very fast," said Evelyn, and if it was an inappropriate comment, she didn't seem to realize that. "Would you like the top or the bottom?"

Edward didn't know what else to say to that. She mumbled, "I'm a rogue," and thought to leave it at that, crawling up to the top bunk.

Sascha. He was warm and stuff. Oooooh maaaan. "T-top if you don't mind." She flicked her eyes down to the bubbly girl.

"Perfect," she replied, smiling. "I often roll around, so the bottom is a shorter fall." After a pause, she added, "Are you going to sleep?"

"Nightmares?" Edward tucked her knees to her chest, chin rested atop them.

"Oh no, few and far between, and thank goodness for that. But there's a need to move, it feels like, in many of my dreams. I suppose that manifests itself in my tossing and turning. Like a rolling pin." She extended her hands and mimicked flattening out imaginary dough with an imaginary rolling pin.

Edward popped her head over the edge of the bed to see what silly thing Evelyn must've been doing. Ha! She reminded her of Alison. She should see if Ali was in Zen, shouldn't she? But she somehow thought she was so different. Should she remain anonymous?

But she wasn't anymore. Hmm. "I'm a very stiff sleeper, so I'll be s-safe up here."

"Yes, it all works out quite nicely. Do you suppose you'll stay up there, then? Or would you like to explore the house with me?"

'Explore.' It wasn't a very large house, as Evelyn herself had commented on before. Four or five people could live comfortably in it, she supposed, if they were already accustomed to living with each other. And one with sleeping on the floor, or perhaps downstairs.

"Explore the house..." Would Sascha be around in it? Edward stared at the wall, curled up, breath hitching. All that bravado she remembered having had sailed from her. Yes, not a large house. Yes. Joining Upas to find Sascha. Good idea.

I wonder where Tristan is. He seemed nice enough.

"S-sure."