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 Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:46 pm
"Oh - I - I'm sorry, sir," Ellandra breathed, trying to distract herself from how annoyed she was at Misha right now. "I don't - I don't know of a project, you see, but I - I know one of the - the employees, th-there. . . he - he arranged this, I'm - I'm sure. . . and, p-perhaps I could - could t-tell you w-what I do know f-from that. . ."
Wonderful. She must seem like a complete psychopath. Ellandra found her face flaring tomato-red and she ducked her head, biting her lip yet again.
"I - I'm so - so so s-sorry, s-sir. . . p-please. . . . please, I - I'm s-sorry. . ." Somehow, her fingers found their way to her hair and began to nervously wrap themselves around various strands, curling and uncurling as shefought down the rising urge to melt into the ground or to flee for being so horrible as to scare someone!
'Oh please, please don't think I'm a monster or something. . . . . please. . . '
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:08 pm
This act of submission settled Elias immensely, though he couldn't drop his hands, which twisted and wrung at one another in an uncomfortable and sweaty tango. Now he felt somewhat ashamed, bringing this delicate creature so near her breaking point when she knew something of this matter all along. My, she was so unlike his Mother, apologetic and gentle as she was. His options were much clearer now. He could return to his home and await instruction from his real contact, or he could go off with this woman and hear what she had learned. He was sure she wasn't the criminal here - and if she knew very well who had brought him here, then she could tell him whether or not this Biotics place really existed.
'Progress...' urged his swooning mind, the evening heat making his temples pulse. Elias did not do well in the heat. "Well...if you do know something, I...I'd like to hear it." Elias dabbed away at his near-sopping brow, feeling utterly disgusting beneath the sun. It hadn't dawned on him yet that he hadn't even learned the woman's name.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:17 pm
Ellandra relaxed a little when the man - Elias, she supposed, though they hadn't been properly introduced, didn't run away, or become angry with her, or any such thing.
"W-well, I c-can't tell you m-much.... just that it's - it's d-d-different. . . and - and my friend works there. H-he's........ rather, um, u-unusual l-looking...... y-you're recognize h-him i-if you saw him....." Her eyes widened when she saw how uncomfortable her fellow victim-of-a-bunny's-prank was, and she stepped forward - tiny steps, anxious steps.
"O-oh.... I - I'm s s-sorry.... you - you sh-should get out o-of this h-heat..... I'm t-terribly s-sorry, I - I sh-should h-have noticed sooner! Is - is there a-any way I can help?"
Shame caused her face to flush again, and once more she ducked her head, although this time her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:26 pm
Those tears did not go unnoticed as her eyes slipped out of view. Elias, cheeks flushed from more than the sun, took a subtle step back at her approach. Still wary, yet uncomfortably compassionate, he extended a hand toward his companion. "N-no, I just need water. Oor perhaps shade." As long as she didn't touch him he was fine. He'd faint from heat or suffer a nasty bit of sunburn, but having a stranger touch him...
This didn't matter - none of his situation mattered. He needed to know who was behind this. Perhaps if he took a seat she would find it easier to speak. "Ahh -- Where can we sit? Out of the sun? I'll be fine."
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:36 pm
Ellandra cast a look around, and found a suitable-looking table under the shade of an umbrella. "Th-there's a - a place you can go," she said quietly. "I - I......... you don't have to - to stay and speak w-with me, th-though."
Because it was obvious he didn't want to - no surprise, really, she wasn't the best person to converse with, and was far from being interesting. Besides, aside from guessing that it was Misha who had arranged this meeting, she really didn't know anything of use to him. So perhaps it was best to end this encounter early, for his sake.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:41 pm
Leaving sounded like a plausible solution to his predicament. He could disappear, hidden from prying eyes and nubile pranksters, to a cool cup of floral tea and ever present silence. But why? She still knew something, she just wasn't telling. This friend of hers - what interest did this friend take in him and why? He simply had to know, he'd break through the heat if he must.
"N-no, there's still so much to be said." He mumbled, silly from the heat as he wandered toward the shaded spot, stranger by his side. "Who is this friend?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 4:48 pm
Ellandra followed quietly. "I..." There wasn't much she could say that wouldn't give away secrets that weren't hers. She paused to rethink her statement, and cast her eyes to the ground.
"His - his name's M-Misha. . . . and he's - r-rather unique. . . . I b-believe he s-set this up . . . . for some reason only he knows. . ." She was growing more concerned for her fellow victim as she saw how badly he was handling the heat, and she bit her lip.
"R-really, perhaps you should go rest. . . Y-you d-don't l-look w-well. . ."
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:37 pm
The urge to understand was too great to succumb to his weakness - and yes, it did make him quite excitable. Elias made his way to a shaded seat, removing a pad and pencil from a damp pocket, though he did not necessarily sit until the woman with information found a place to rest. He had to make sure she would stay, if only for a moment. "N-now -" he continued, pressing the pencil forward, skin already losing it's rosy tint. "This Mmmischa is it? Is he in charge?" If only he knew...
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:57 pm
Ellandra shook her head a little as she took a hesitant seat - casting a surreptitious look around for bunny-eared people as she did so. "N-no, he's . . . m-more of a - a . .. " What was the word she was thinking of.. . . .hrm...... not delivery boy, but close....... his bag....... his interest with documents... oh! " I - I think he's their m-messenger. . ." Yes, that was it, she wasn't treading on his secrets that way.
Then she smiled a little, rather weakly. "He's very fast . . . probably because of his job . . . I'm sure he could t-tell you. . . . m-much more than I can . . ." Really, it wasn't her place to tell this man anything! These weren't even her own secrets! If he wanted to know, why didn't he just go down to that shop and ask the workers there? She could tell that he had a vague idea of it or he wouldn't be asking anything at all!
"P-please. . . any more than that I - I really can't t-tell you. . . . what m-more I do know isn't my - my p-place to tell, and e-even that isn't - isn't much, s-sir. . ."
She glanced around again for Misha, though even if he was there she doubted she'd see him. Alright, first thing tomorrow she was heading down to that store herself, not to shop but to talk to the wannabe-matchmaker - because unless he was playing some sort of cruel prank on her that had to be what he'd been planning.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:16 pm
Obviously surprised, Elias lowered his pad. That was good of her, wasn't it? She was trustworthy, whoever she was. There was hope yet for the locals and at least this meeting hadn't been a total loss. Yes, it would have been lovely if he hadn't stepped out into the sun to meet with a false contact, but he had learned a bit more without risking trouble at a shop that may be rigged as well. Everything he could wring from this woman was already in his hands - Mischa, a quick messenger and there was a shop.
He was sure the address was attached in his letter, but could he really show up unannounced? There was time to worry later, for now the sun and it's offending rays were churning his stomach and his counterpart seemed eager to be off. "Well...thank-you for your aid. This was not all in vain." He mumbled, holding the pad in sun slicked hands.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:38 pm
Ellandra nodded, biting her lip.
"I - I'm sorry I couldn't - couldn't b-be of more help," she said softly, smiling a little at the strange man. "You - you look like you should g-go home and r-rest."
He did, too, sorely so. And she probably should as well, it was rather uncomfortable out here today, she supposed idly. Biting her lip again, she rose to her feet and dusted off her skirt. "It w-was g-good to meet you, s-sir," she said, not looking him in the eye, while trying to keep her face from doing its usual transformation-to-a-tomato - and failing.
She needed to go home soon, if just to get a certain paper out of her desk drawer. . .
Misha would be getting a visitor soon.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:06 pm
"I'm nnnot a sir -- Elias." What prompted this release was uncertain, but there was little to be afraid of now - this young lady wore her character on her sleeve.
He was too far gone from this muggy weather, aching inside for a soothing carafe of poppy tea and the familiar ticking of a thousand gears in a hundred flower clocks. Wanting nothing more than to return home and await his next official notice, the man prepared himself. The white kerchief made a valiant return, still damp from previous ministrations. But what of this girl? An average man would offer to repay the woman for her troubles but dear Elias lacked a common touch.
Without so much as offering her his hand, Elias stood from his shady position, nearly stumbling beneath the light. "I...I am sorry if I troubled you." And with that he stepped into the crowd, and while he didn't realize it know, his brain would be whirring once it returned to cool, forgiving darkness.
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