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 Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:18 pm
-- Edgar receives the Chariot cardMeepfur [halls (near library)]
Justice walked through the halls of the castle at a deliberately steady pace, forcing herself to a normal speed because she was torn between delay and hurry. As she went, she peeked into this room and that, searching.
Although the delivery of the invitation had been a surprise, and a mysterious one (with no Empress, whose doing had it been, if anyone's?), it was neither surprises nor mysteries that drove the guard from her room and the comfort of the rather uneventful routine that she'd fallen into.
It was the dreams, the ones she'd been trying to ignore for months. She didn't want to do this; she wanted to bury this thing at the bottom of that box and leave it there forever. Forget about it.
But she couldn't. Not any longer. Manda Edgar was actually in the library currently. Even though he didn't usually wander about in there, he'd been bored the other day and so had peeked in, staring at the multitudes of books inside. Hm ... maybe there would be something there on fighting or techniques or something? Seeing as he hadn't seen much of anyone about to actually -practice- with lately.
So today he'd come back to hunt around and see if he could find such books. Meepfur [hall -> library]
There, there. Finally. As Justice looked into the library, she found what - or, more appropriately, who - she'd been looking for. It was time to get this over with.
Looking decidedly less than pleased, and with a hard voice that was usually saved for someone who'd done something wrong, she spoke,
"Edgar." Manda Ed jumped just slightly, though he was quick to hide it and turned toward Justice with a slight bow. "Well, what brings you here, m'lady?" he asked, smiling. He hadn't failed to notice the look on her face, but that didn't mean that it was directed at him. And even if it was, he wasn't about to back down when he hadn't very well -done- anything. Meepfur Oh, but it didn't matter that Ed hadn't done anything. She was preoccuppied with someone else, someone long gone. Or who had been, until now.
Her nod at his courtesy was terse, but at least she hadn't ignored it entirely. As for a spoken greeting, though, Justice had none. She just took something out of her pocket - a long card, face down - and held it out to him.
"Here, take it." It was practically an order. Manda Ed blinked slightly, head tilting to the side as he reached a hand out toward the card. And as soon as his fingers closed over it, something he couldn't identify sort of ... pulsed from that card.
He went rigid for a moment, eyes wide, as change flowed over him. And even though it was strange in one way ... in another, it felt very ... familiar?
Then came the memories, mostly too fast for him to catch them, flitting through his head and then gone again. He could tell he wouldn't be able to recall most of them right away - it was too much like a movie on fast-forward. But at the same time, it was a movie he had the feeling he'd seen before but not for a very long time. Meepfur Justice had never seen it happen before. She'd been through it, but she hadn't seen it; she hadn't stuck around to watch it happen to Adrian. It was sickly fascinating in a way, something she couldn't take her eyes off of.
But more than just fascinating, it was disturbing. To see him again, when she'd hoped that maybe she never would. It twisted her insides, and she had to push back the anger and even the touch of fear that threatened.
It had been a stupid, false hope, to think that she could withold the card. It was beyond any power of hers to keep the Chariot locked in a mere wooden box. Manda And even with the memories flitting by as fast as they had ... he knew enough now to recognize her reaction. And he smirked slightly, flipping the card around in his fingers to look at the picture on it.
"Why thank you ever so much, Justice, dear," he purred. "I wonder. How long were you planning on holding onto this?" Meepfur Justice had to repress a shudder, physically force herself to stand and not recoil. She'd never really been fond of Edgar, never quite trusted him, but she'd prefer the Ed who had come to the castle than the one who stood before her now.
"You have it now," she returned with disdain, "What does it matter?" Manda Ed shrugged one shoulder slightly, tucking the card away somewhere. "I suppose it really doesn't." He tipped his head to the side, looking at her through green-tinted bangs. "I'm just curious. Don't you like me?" Though now he well-knew the answer to that one. Meepfur How often this kind of change hit a cardholder, she had no way of knowing - had she changed, and simply not realized it? Was this why Vin was crazy, because the Fool had been? It was a deeply unsettling train of thought.
"I don't think you even have to ask," she said icily. "But since you want to hear it: No, I don't like you." You're an arrogant pig, a self-serving murderer.
Now and before. Always. Maybe none of them had changed. Maybe they were all just the same, or on their way to becoming everything they'd been before. Maybe they couldn't escape it, just the way she couldn't escape this hatred. Manda "Mm ... very well, then," he replied, still smirking. Ed wasn't really even thinking about what he was doing here, simply reacting as instinct and memory guided him. He still remembered who he had been before the past few minutes, but it was somehow ... not really important anymore. "I suppose I should take my leave, as I I'll be needing to move my things now." Meepfur Justice executed a half-bow that was unmistakably mocking, stepping off to the side. "Don't let me keep you."
Behind her blindfold, her gaze never once wavered. She wasn't about to take her eyes off of him, or turn her back on him. She couldn't trust that he had any honor that wasn't somehow backwards. Manda Without another look at her, Ed swept past and out of the library. Yes, he would move his things out of the room he'd been staying in and into his tower. It was still a bit strange to think of it like that, but he was getting used to it. It was no wonder he hadn't wanted to leave the castle ... he belonged here. Meepfur Justice didn't stop watching him until he was out of sight, and then she stared at the empty doorway for quite some time. Stewing, brooding, clenching her fist behind her back until her short nails dug into her palm.
She had the distinct feeling that she'd just broken the quiet that had settled over the castle.
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:19 pm
-- A meeting with The World ... and man-with-a-gunSyrynx CourtyardThe chill of evening prickled against the sheen of sweat that made Syr's skin gleam and p***k with goosebumps. hair was pulled up into a high pony tail, the ends sticking to the back of her neck and shoulders. She sat on the grass and gave a deep sigh and rubbed her neck absently.She didn't want togo tobed just yet, she was too amped up. Victory was taste she was familiar with, but as of late,she had been becoming moreandmoredaring inher escapades, as though death was of littleconsequence. at least it was different. Manda Having grown bored with chasing one or the other of his self-appointed servants around, Ed had actually left his Tower for the first time in the few days since he'd become the Chariot. He'd spent those days trying to piece things together from the past ... finding his predecessor's journal hadn't helped all that much, as it was mostly what seemed to him rather insane rambling about what the man had thought about the other residents of the castle. He intended to form his own opinions, thank you.
So when he spotted a figure sitting out in the courtyard, he turned his steps in that direction, curious as to who else was out right now. Syrynx Syr sighed andlooking around, spotted a familiar figure walking twards her. but in her heart she knew something was off. She very well remembered the blackened sand and the smell of gunpowered that it carried, the same sand that sprayed as though a door had opened and the wind had carried it into the empty chambers of a friend. And he walked different,gone was the familiar swagger, the pace of a man who had conquested and conqured in her eyes. She frowned and swallowed hard. This must have been what the magician had felt, a deepwell of dread and sadness at the return of a women he had thought dead. Manda Ah ... he remembered her ... vaguely at least. He had met her as simply "Ed" of course. But also before ... well, no matter. This wasn't the time to dwell on the past. Wondering idly if she would notice something different if he said nothing about it, he smiled as he came closer, waving a hand lazily. "Why hello there. I wondered who else was out here this late." Manda Well, that gave him a few hints, at least. Rose had tried to shove a pile of letters at him a couple of days ago, and he remembered now seeing her name on one of them ... not that he had had the inclination to go through them at the time. But for now, he could play this by ear.
"Oh come now ... don't be like that," he purred, moving closer, almost leaning over her. "I can hardly help it if was not truly ... here." He wasn't apologizing, no. Simply stating a fact. Nothing in his tone indicated apology, in fact it was more as if he was ... subtly mocking her for being angry with him. Syrynx She brushed him away and whirled to face him, eyes narrowed and cheeks ruddy with sudden real anger, "How dare you!" She growled angrily and raised her hands to press against his chest and shove as hard as she could. Fury was brimming up inside the petite woman, and her entire body seemed to be shaking with anger as she screamed,"How dare you! You don't even get it!" She advanced on him like a very very angry badger, and if he did not back up she was going to be marching into him, swinging all the while. She aimed a kick for his shin. Her hair had come loose from it's tie and she vented again, "You can't help it? It wasn't even you I was waiting for, You false charlatan, you faker. What did you intend hmm? Going to try and add another to your conquests. If you knew anything, you would know that you only touch me when you are helping me lace upmy armor, or saving my a** in the arena. But I don't need Shadows of something different, I can do those things myself now!" She was still taking swings at him. Manda Ed did back up, but only to keep from being run over. Once he got a couple of feet between them, he dropped automatically into an easy, balanced stance. Things that he'd never really learned in his previous "training" since coming here ... simply seemed to well up out of memories that were his and not his at the same time.
He didn't question it, though, simply taking the knowledge that was there and using it to block her strikes, quietly, calmly. An angry opponent was always easy to beat - though he also never tried to strike back at her. Syrynx After a few bouts of him calmly blocking her she wrinkled her nose in disgust and removed a boot and lobbed it at his head. The way she figured either he'd have to avoid the boot, or avoid her. Either way she kept swinging. He deserved it. The liar. Manda That did catch him by surprise, as it was a rather unconventional way of fighting ... and he ducked the boot, letting her get a hit in in the process. He stumbled back a bit , but stayed on his feet, eyes narrowing.
He didn't want to get angry in turn and start hitting her back but ... this was just a bit unreasonable. "Perhaps you would like to tell me at some point just who you are waiting for then," he said dryly, having gone back to brushing her attacks off. Syrynx She continued, swinging with one arm as she shook her other boot off and flung it at him as hard as she could, "Don't be coy. You're not my friend, you're not my teacher and confidant. You aren't worthy to lick your predecessor's boots." She growled as she swung, tightening in her range. He had longer arms and a longer reach than her, but she'd risk injury to see him at a loss. "He is dead, The Chariot is dead, and you are some poor boy in a soldier's body. I saw and smelled the gun powder, and you can never be the man he was. Not if you fight for a thousand years, not if you try forever. You are just a secondary thought, a pale alternative to the flesh and the blood that coursed through him." She threw herself at him with a sudden lunge. Likely he'd do something to stall her, but she wasn't giving up on this. He wanted to see him hurting as much as she had hurt for months. Manda He was ready for the boot this time though, and ducked it smoothly, now moving in a sort of circle so she couldn't back him into a wall. He couldn't truly argue with what she was saying. Though he was the Chariot now, he was different from the previous one and he didn't intend to try to imitate the other in any shape, form, or fashion.
When she jumped at him, he stepped to the side, trying to grab onto her clothes and just help her own momentum along ... throw her, as it were. He didn't put any real force behind it though, only wanting her to stop going after him for a moment or two so they could possibly talk like civilized beings. Syrynx She skidded across the ground. Damn that hurt. She forced herself to her feet after closing her fingers around a handful of grass, dirt, and small rocks, namely the small sharp rocks that dug into her shirt and chest. She was smeared with grass and dirt but that didn't seem to phase her. After all, she had been thrown around the arena, had sand kicked in her teeth, monsters trying to eat her on a rather daily basis. She threw the clod of earth at him. Without her boots for any extra ammunition she growled. She would have killed for a sling and addequate round stones. Manda Ed was already ducking, weaving to one side, though - having expected that by this point. He'd figured out rather quickly that she wasn't one to give up easily. But if it was a fight she wanted ... he could give her one.
"Do you usually fight by throwing things? I thought at first that perhaps you wanted to hit me ... but maybe not?" he asked, a slight mocking tone in his voice as he waited for her to get up again, boucing lightly on the balls of his feet. Syrynx She growled and pushed her hair out of her face, leaving a streak of dirt on her cheek, "Hmm, I thought at first you must have thought this was foreplay because I didn't see you taking any swings, dearest." She puckers up and blew an obscene kiss at him mockingly. She rocked backwards, tapping her cheek with her fingers, one arm up in a fist, "Come on. You can do it. I'll take hit for hit with you." Manda Very well. If she wanted to fight, he could fight. So he did move toward her at that, smirking. But, as this was more or less a game to him, he didn't hit to really hurt her - at least not permanently.
Mostly, he went for short, powerful jabs, trying to keep her off balance, as if he was setting up for something more. Possibly to knock her down or even throw her again. Syrynx Syr was quick, that much was certain. On the defence, she was a much stronger person, and her petiteness was a blessing not a curse. She danced backwards and side to side, waiting until a moment arose that suited her needs. She weaved, shimmying in acrobatic contortions, not even bothering to block,simply avoided his strikes. He would wear down sooner or later, and she had forethought. He rage had cooled to a simmering bubbling disdain and she would see him humiliated one way or another. As it was,all she needed was to wait. Manda Ed figured that out quickly enough though, and changed his own strategy, not putting nearly so much power behind his own strikes. "Just why am I trying to hit you again?" he asked, mocking tone back in full. "I thought that you were the one angry at me."
He was just harrying her now, playing almost. Though he was bulkier, he was fast too, and he could keep her dodging all day if that's what she wanted. TheMadHatter He'd come out of his tower in search of food and after raiding the kicthen for an apple and some melted carmel he decided to go wandering around. It was nice and he could get some fresh air without the puppy trying to trip him.
He'd almost finished his apple when he heard something going on out in the courtyard. No one should be out and about, well considering how many lived here that he hadnt met it was possible, but still.
Stuffing the last of the apple in his mouth he headed out into the courtyard. He expected to see perhaps a little argument or someone running around being a dork. He didnt expect to see a woman he'd not seen before getting attacked by a man.
Pulling his revolver out of its holster he aimed it at the ground between their feet. At least if anything it would make the jackass back up while he could get over there.
The sound of the gun firing cracked though the air and the bullet struck right where he'd aimed. The ground chipping infront of the unknown man's feet. Syrynx She stoped dumbly at the sound, looking up to the sound's source and saw there a man she was unfamiliar with except in passing. She was certain she had met him many many months ago, but even then she could not be certain. She simply took a step backwards and watched the Chariot warily. Manda Edgar also stopped, backing up a step, head snapping around in the newcomer's direction. He also hadn't met the other, but he made no gesture to apologize for his actions, or to move farther away from Syr. After all. She had started this whole fight, and he hadn't really hurt her. Yet.
Instead he simply raised a brow in silent question, eyes going to the bit of chipped ground, then back up to the other man. TheMadHatter He walked over to the two, keeping his gun trained on the man, and stopped a few feet from them. "Mind explaning what's going on?"
He knew that technically the woman could have been the more dangerous but he had a feeling the problem here was the man. Call it old intuition comming back now that he wasnt constantly drunk. Syrynx She flipped her hair and shrugged flippantly, "He needed a polite reminder not to be a liar, and not to toy with the delicate feelings of women. " She collected her shoes, and slipped them on with soft grunts. She refused any other statements. Either the johnny come lately Chariot would say something or he wouldn't. Manda "I hardly think that was polite, my dear," he returned, almost completely ignoring the other man. He was there, but ... simply not important at the moment. "Though if it was, remind me to catch you when you're not in the mood to be polite. Because, really, I haven't even worked up a sweat yet." He smirked at her, almost as if inviting her to continue the fight - verbally if not physically. TheMadHatter He fired off a shot aimed beside the what he thought was strange and now decided was rude man's head. "I was talking to you and last time I checked it wasn't healthy to ignore someone with a gun, espically when it's pointed at you." Syrynx She stiffled a laugh, her lips pursed with hiding an outburst at an inappropriate thought which she mentioned quietly, "Good to see you finally know what to do with your guns outside their holsters." She didn't have time to analyse the remark, it just came to mind like old banter, and she watched the scene unfold. Manda Ed did jump at that, but turned calmly back toward the man, making an almost lazy motion toward Syr at the same time. "I think she already told you ... now why in the world would you not believe such a lovely lady." His tone was liberally laced with subtle sarcasm, and he apparently didn't care whether or not the other man had a gun. TheMadHatter He turned his head slightly at the woman's comment. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Well actually I do, just I have a feeling that would make more sense outside of a dirty joke if I was who you think I am."
He kept his gun leveled at Ed as he spoke and eventually turned back to him. "Because I didnt ask her. I asked you and I suggest you listen. Mr. 44 calibur says so." He was really starting to not like the man's attitude already. Syrynx Syr blinked and nodded, that was fine. Dirty joke or no, she would need to talk to this man after he was through, but for the moment, she was shutting the hell up. After all, he was the one with a gun. Manda "What, exactly, am I listening to? Would you like for me to simply repeat her claims?" he asked. "Because, honestly, I have a feeling you wouldn't believe me no matter what I say." A beat of silence. "You or Mr. 44 calibur." TheMadHatter "Techically since you've yet to answer my question and I have the gun. Yes that's what you should do." He smirked. "Though someone as idiotic as you wouldn't know that unless you were told. So how about you tell me what in God's name gave you the idea this was a good idea?" Syrynx Syr is left with the option of firmly sticking with her 'shut up and the silly men folk will ignore you' tactic. Manda Well, he couldn't very well point fingers and say 'she started it' even though she had so Ed simply shrugged. "All right then. I was being quite the b*****d and the lovely lady was attempting to beat some sense into me." That didn't at all cover why he'd been trying to attack her when the shots were fired, but that wasn't part of basically repeating Syr's claims so he just ... didn't mention it. TheMadHatter "Really? Cause it looked more like you were trying to beat some sense into her." He raised a brow as he kept his arms steady.
"Look. I don't know who you are and I really dont care. Drop the jackass attitude or get the ******** out of my sight." He was tired and he really didn't want to deal with whoever this was. Syrynx Syr stood silently, it wasn't like she was going to say, "Yeah, that was my bad, I told him that if he was so badass he could go ahead and hit me." She opted for glaring at the Chariot and plotting nastiness. Manda "And if I was, what business is it of yours, really? Do you see her actually injured? Is she bleeding?" he shot back, not backing down. "As for who I am, my name is Edgar, but if that doesn't mean anything to you, I also now hold the Chariot card." He raised a brow. "And you are?" TheMadHatter Wait. Did this guy think holding a card automatically got him privileges? That him being the Chariot was important? "Dosen't matter if she's hurt or not. The little part of my brain that tells me something is wrong or right tells me that trying, or threatning, to hurt a woman is wrong."
"And I believe I said I didnt give a s**t who you were. I wouldn't care if you were the pope." He tilted the gun slightly. "I'm the guy with the gun and I say you have sixty seconds to get out of my sight before I shoot you." Syrynx Syr just decided that she would count, for posterity's sake. Manda Oh for the love of ... Ed just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at this latest developement. For all that he liked to fight and he liked games ... he didn't intend to be killed today. And this man sounded rather serious. Strategic retreat seemed to be the order of business for the moment.
"Very well, then. I shall leave you two to commiserate the woes of the world," he said with a bow. Then he walked straight toward said man with the gun for about two seconds before turning and walking off in another direction.
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