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Another One? {Eckhart}

Started by Celegwen, December 27, 2017, 07:03:39 AM

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Celegwen

As the door to her apartment was opened, Meri jumped slightly. She recognized Griselda, but the strange boy and cat didn't exactly make her comfortable. She whipped off her glove, making sure she was prepared if the boy went to make some kind of assault attempt.

She looked the scrawny boy up and down, furrowing her brows. I could probably take him without my magic, she thought to herself.

"Who are you?" Meri asked nervously from her couch.

*     *     *

Alderon glanced behind him with a smirk at Randal's nervousness. The elf looked Griselda in the eyes, as the only one who could remotely rival her size. He folded his arms and tilted his head to the right with the smirk still present.

"Griselda, we've spoken about this," he started. "People don't like it when you take their toys." He reached his arm out and knocked once on the closed door. "Zymeria?" He called. "Open the door."

"No way, Dr. Alderon," Meri's muffled voice said from inside, causing Alderon to groan in annoyance.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Doctor Alderon, no!" Randal cried timidly. "What if she hits you?"

Griselda gestured to the boy and nodded, a smirk plastered onto her face.

***
   
Eckhart flinched as the door shut behind him. He eyed the pale woman on the couch anxiously. "Shit, I wonder what her deal is..."

"She could you some vitamin D." a smaller voice in his head mused. "She could get sick like that."

"Um..." the healer started. "I'm Eckhart- ah, Hildegarde's brother..."

"Sweet Ansgar, I'm sure that will make a great fist impression."

Celegwen

Alderon's sarcastic expression disappeared, and he focused on the large woman. "In all seriousness," he started, "you're quite intelligent, Griselda, so I want you to use that beautiful brain right now.

"We both know how frequently Zymeria is visited by a certain woman. The younger Von Musel - let's face it - can hardly defend himself against words. Bella's another story, but never mind her. What would Hildegarde have to say when she finds out that you took her youthful looking brother out of my company and into the path of such a despicable human being?"

*     *     *

Meri leaned forward, gingerly extending her hand with her eyes on his cat. "Here, sweetie." Her voice was soft and gentle, probably a welcome change from Dr. Alderon's abrasive energy. "Hildegarde's brother?" Meri repeated. "Well, um, welcome to Zantaric."

Not the best welcoming committee, she thought.

"I see you survived Dr. Alderon with your sanity." She chuckled, gesturing to a sofa near her. "Would you like a drink? I have water, tea, or wine, though the wine isn't really that good."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Griselda glared at the doctor- talking about Chrys in front of Randal was something the Friends all generally agreed not to do. Already the boy had paled, gripping onto Alderon's shirt tightly. "Will Eckhart be okay?" he asked nervously.

Griselda gave the boy what she must has thought was a reassuring smile. She gestured towards Meri's door, making a show of taking the brass knuckle off of her right hand.

***

Belladonna recoiled as the woman outstretched her hand, ears flattened against the back of her head. "Goodness!" she meowed angrily as she jumped off the healer's shoulder. "Everybody wants to touch me today!"

Laughing nervously, Eckhart took a seat on the couch. "Ah, tea would be nice..." he said softly. He gave the woman an odd grimace. "Is... Is he always like that?"

Celegwen

Alderon clenched and unclenched his jaw, returning Griselda's glare. He knew that they usually avoided the topic of Chrys in front of the boy, but he was hoping that it would be enough to urge the woman into allowing him to take Eckhart back. Even so, he wouldn't press the issue with Randal already upset.

"He'll be fine," the elf said, looking at the child. He gestured to Griselda lazily. "As she indicated, Zymeria is fully capable of taking care of herself and Eckhart."

*     *     *

"Yeah, pretty much," Meri said with a smirk. She pulled her glove back onto her left hand, standing up and walking into the open kitchen. The sitting room and the kitchen could've been mistaken for the same room, other than change in style.

She poured them both a cup of peppermint tea, then returned to her seat. "He can be kind of rough around the edges, to be gentle, when you first meet him," she said, handing him the tea. "He says he doesn't like small talk, but I think he just doesn't know how to. Word of advice, don't tell him anything personal because his memory is a steel trap."

*     *     *

A figure hid nearby, watching them as Eckhart was taken from his room. The girl quickly snuck into it with eager eyes. She looked around, examining her friend's new digs and grinning. She waltzed over to the nearest window, pulling her lipstick out. Leaning forward with her right leg lifted and toe pointed, she wrote on the window:

Hello, my darling Eckhart! =)

Then, walked out of the apartment, careful to avoid any eyes.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Randal looked at Alderon, then at Griselda, and finally at the floor. "Um... Doctor Alderon?" he said softly. "Can... We do something else?" The boy looked at the man, clearly uncomfortable. "Like, checkers maybe? I don't want to be here anymore..."

***

Eckhart nodded. "Noted." He took the teacup, glancing out the window briefly. "I... Really don't like him. Hilda said I would though, so maybe I'm missing something? I dunno..."

The boy took a sip of his tea, then flinched as he burnt his tongue. "Sweet Ansgar, why did I do that?" Grimacing, he looked at the woman. "So, ah... What's your name?"

***

Terrence poked his head into Room 108, squinting. Eckhart hadn't been in Alderon's room, and from the looks of things he wasn't here either. "Hello?" he called softly, stepping inside. He looked around, swallowing nervously. The room was a mess, as if there's been some kind of fight. Taking another few steps, he noticed something that was, in all honesty, rather worrying.

A message had been scribbled onto the window- from the inside. Terrence's eyes widened. "My darling?" he thought nervously, poking the "E" in Eckhart. "What is this, wax?"

The boy hurriedly left the apartment, walking back to Hildegarde's room. "She's gonna want to see this..."

Celegwen

Alderon frowned, not upset but understandingly. He nodded at the child with a briefly forced smile. "Of course, Randal," the elf said. "I believe we've overstayed our welcome, anyway."

He looked at Griselda with a slight sigh and gave her a single nod. The admission of defeat didn't need to be vocalized, nor would Alderon ever actually speak it, so his silent acceptance was familiar to anyone who ever beat him - as few as there may have been.

Turning on his heel, he motioned for Randal to follow, as he started back to his apartment.

*     *     *

Meri smirked when Eckhart burned his tongue. "It's still kinda hot," she said. "My name's Zymeria, but I prefer Meri."

She blew on the tea lightly, tucking her feet underneath her on the sofa. "Honestly, I don't think anyone actually likes him, other than Randal. Taza might also, but I don't know." She paused, trying to think of how to explain Dr. Alderon to someone. "I guess... He's a genius: genius usually comes with a spot of insanity. It takes some time to get used to him, but I think he's a decent enough person when you do. Basically, he can do anything when it comes to medical stuff. I don't know how he does it, but I've heard he was even able to fix a broken bone in just a few days with someone's fat."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"With somebody's fat?" Eckhart said, eyes wide. "Shit, maybe I should read his journals..."

Belladonna jumped onto the couch, sitting down next to Eckhart. "Yeah but does he have a magic book?" she meowed. "I bet not."

Eckhart paused, then nodded. "Yeah..." he mumbled. Shaking his head, he looked at Meri. "Ah, it's good to meet you." The boy smiled, trying to distract himself from his newfound feeling of inadequacy. "So, um, what do you do here? For my sister, I mean..."

Celegwen

I can't exactly tell him I babysit a pedophile, Meri thought to herself.

"I'm actually a midwife," she said with a sweet smile. "I was recruited because Taza and Randal thought Hildegarde would think I had a useful power. I won't go into detail, but basically, I can kill a soul." She wiggles her gloved fingers. "This is made with life magic, a gift my brother made for me, which kind of makes my magic ineffective when it's on."

Meri took a drink of the tea, pursing her lips slightly. It was a tad too minty for her taste, but it would do.

"Wait," she said, looking at the boy with wide eyes. "His journals? Did...did he actually offer to let you read them?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Yeah-huh..." The boy said absentmindedly, staring at the woman's glove intently. "Um... So, how did your brother make it? Is it infused? I didn't know you could do that with life magic..."

"Eckhart, don't pester her with questions." Belladonna meowed, clearly exasperated. "You sound like that little kid, it's annoying."

Eckhart's cheeks flushed red. "Ahaha, I'm sorry!" he laughed nervously. "It's just, I'm a healer... This kind of stuff is really fascinating, y'know?"

Celegwen

Meri nodded briefly. "It's fine," she said quickly, not wanting Eckhart to feel like questions were unwelcome. "A healer, huh? My brother would love to meet to meet you."

She smiled lightly, trying to think of when she last saw Abri. I have to see if he can meet me again soon, she thought fondly.

"I don't really know how he made it, but I think it's some kind of binding magic or something. I specialize in death magic, and he specializes in life magic. We don't exactly understand each other's talents." The girl took off her glove and extended it to Eckhart. "You can take a look, if you want."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Eckhart took the glove, a small smile on his face. The cloth felt unusually warm in his hands, as it was alive. "Whoa..." he said. "This is awesome..." The boy handed the glove back to Meri. "Does your brother work for Hilda too? I'd love to-"

Eckhart was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door. Flinching, he shrunk into the couch. "Sweet Ansgar, why won't he leave?" he groaned.

"Miss Meri?" an unsettlingly sweet, singsong voice called from outside. "Are you home? I found a lovely new recipe for oatmeal cookies, you simply must try them."

Celegwen

The girl's eyes snapped to the door at the sound of the familiar voice. She jumped up, spilling her tea slightly. "Okay, listen to me, Eckhart," Meri said, suddenly serious. She took the glove back and slipped it on again, putting the tea down. "This is one of the Friends I was hoping you wouldn't have to meet your first day here."

She looked at the door. "One second, Chrys!" The girl called.

"Her name is Chrys," she said to Eckhart in a hushed voice. "Do not accept anything she gives you. Do not take anything she says as genuine. And do not, for the love of Ansgar, do not leave my presence with her."

Meri nodded at Eckhart, then approached the door, opening it to the woman who made her skin crawl. "Chrys," she said with a friendly smile, "please, come in."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Waiting patiently outside the door, Chrysanthemum Lynnette admired the tray of oatmeal rasin cookies she held in her arms. Baking turned out to be a fun little hobby, and the smell of the sweets she made permeated the halls of the third floor. It was... Homely, a quality the apartment building sorely lacked.

Finally, Meri opened the door. Returning the woman's smile, she stepped inside to see a boy, late teens at most, sitting on the couch. His posture stiffened as Chrys approached, eyes widening in apparent fear. The midwife smiled. "Hello dear." she said sweetly. "And who might you be?"

"E-Eckhart..." the boy squeaked nervously. "Um... Don't mind me please..."

Chrys looked at Eckhart thoughtfully. "Ah, yes." she said, a kind smile on her lips. "So you're the one everybody's been fussing over." The woman handed the boy a cookie from her tray. "You'll be safe here." 

Turning to Meri, Chrys gestured to the tray. "Please try one, they're an absolute delight!"

Celegwen

Before Chrys turned after giving Eckhart a cookie, Meri motioned for him to stick it in the couch cushions. She smiled again when Chrys turned to her. Meri took one of the cookies and smelled it. "It smells wonderful," she said, taking a bite and pretending to love it.

It wasn't that the cookies were bad, but Meri just hated accepting anything from the woman.

She gestured to Eckhart briefly. "Eckhart and I were just discussing Dr. Alderon," the girl said, taking her original seat. She was fully aware that Chrys knew how much Alderon despised her. "Eckhart was saying how he would like to spend more time with the doctor." Meri shot Eckhart a look that told him to go along with it.

Anything to keep her away from him before she tries, Meri thought. Just can't make it too obvious.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Chrys, Eckhart decided, was wrong. It was the eyes- her sclera were visible above her irises. "That's never a good sign." he thought, wrapping his arms around his knees defensively. "Minister Veros and Wasp had eyes like that too..."

"Eckhart, I don't like this..." Belladonna mewled quietly. "Bitch smells like turpentine..."

Chrys's attention had focused back on Eckhart. "Is that so?" she said, he smile lowering a bit. "He's a very..."

"Zymeria!" A shrill voice cut Chrys off before she finish, and a short, grey skinned woman stormed through the still open door. Her hair nearly touched the floor, and Eckhart briefly found himself wondering how long it took to braid. "Zymeria, did you take my new sponge brush? It's not in my room, I just know somebody stole it!" 

"Hello Porcelina." Chrys said sweetly. "It's nice to see you out of your room for a change."

"Huh?" Porcelina looked up, squinting. "Oh. Die, pedo."

The tray of cookies fell to the floor with a clatter as Chrys recoiled, though Porcelina didn't seem to pay her much mind. "What?" Eckhart thought, mind spinning. "What did she just call her?" Blinking, the boy noticed that the miniature woman was now staring at him.

"Wait, are you new?" Porcelina asked, sounding unnecessarily angry. "Did you take them?"

Eckhart glanced at Chrys- who was hastily picking up her cookies and leaving- then looked pleadingly at Meri. "Hey!" Porcelina snapped. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

The healer shrunk back, hugging his knees tightly. "Um..."

Celegwen

Meri laughed, biting her lip slightly. She enjoyed Porcelina's company, as rare and...loud...as it was.

"Uh, Porcelina," Meri started, "this is Eckhart, Lady Hildegarde's brother. He's been with me and Dr. Alderon since he's gotten here, so he couldn't have taken your brush." She let out a relieved breath, as Chrys left the apartment. "What's a sponge brush, anyway?"

Meri went to take another drink then stopped herself. "Would you like a cup? Peppermint tea."

*     *     *

Alderon pulled out his checker board, setting it down on the table. "What color do you want to be? Black, or..." He stopped, hearing a shrill voice call Zymeria's name. A slight smirk crossed his lips, and he gestured for Randal to wait for a minute. The elf stood, disappearing into his bedroom.

He was greeted by a white-haired elf woman lounging on his bed with her ankles crossed. "No- How many times do I have to say no shoes on my bed!"

"Come on," she said. "You don't like your girls with heels on?"

"That isn't who I am."

"Sorry," she said, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily. "I meant guys."

"Sel!" He said firmly. "You have to leave.

She scoffed. "But I like it here!"

He pursed his lips together, glaring at his sister. "You can come back another time, but as you can see, I have company and I'm leaving again."

"Fine, whatever. I'll be gone when you get back."

Alderon nodded once, approaching Randal again with a short sigh. "Randal, how would you like to see Eckhart again? Griselda won't mind, I promise." He knew that Chrys would never willingly stay anywhere near Porcelina, as Porcelina hated that creature probably as much as Alderon did. "Come along. It'll be fun."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Porcelina lifted an eyebrow. "Really?" she said flatly. "So you're the one everybody's been fussing over?" The woman made a small *tch*, as if disappointed. "Well, I suppose can see why..."

Eckhart blinked in shock as Belladonna laughed. "Hahaha! I like her!" the cat purred. "She's a hoot!"

Porcelina turned to Meri, pigtails bouncing behind her. "And for your information, it's a rectangular sponge on a stick." She crossed her arms. "What did you think a sponge brush was?"

***

Randal held up the checkerboard, careful not to let the pieces slide off. "Can we bring our game?" he said, eyes hopeful. "Maybe if we do, he'll like us more! Do you think he plays?"

Celegwen

Meri pursed her lips at the small woman. "Yes, right," she said. "I'm clearly not the artistic one in my family!" She tucked one leg underneath her, shifting slightly to lean on the arm of the sofa. "Maybe you just misplaced it."

*     *     *

Alderon smirked at Randal with a nod. "Of course you can bring the game," he said to the child's bright gaze.

Starting out the door, he shot a quick glance towards his bedroom, then locked the door behind them. I wonder what Porcelina lost this time, he thought to himself as they walked.

"And Randal, I'm sure Eckhart liked you just fine. Don't try to make people like you because you'll waste your life away. Anyone who doesn't like you doesn't deserve you!"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"No, you aren't." Porcelina replied flatly. "Your Feng Sui isn't even right. I mean, look at where you put the couch!" The grey-skinned woman gestured to where Eckhart was sitting. "Talk about bad vibes."

"Um..." Eckhart said apprehensively. "What's fung schway?"

***

Randal blushed as he followed the doctor down the hall. "Do you really mean that Dr. Alderon?" he asked. "Because Taza says people liking me is important for business..."

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