Who: Lucinda and Sascha
When: Thursday, November 8, 2007. Early Afternoon.
Where: The Library
What: Parents can be scary, especially protective mothers.

Kelsey attempted to talk her out of it for days, but Lucinda wasn't hearing any of it. She made it known to her husband that she would come looking for Sascha at his place of work, which happened to be the library. Kelsey also worked there, and he tried as best as he could to ask Lucinda to step down and leave it alone. He said that Zach could take care of himself, and Lucinda agreed their son was more than capable of taking care of himself. What bothered her most of all would be an adult posing as Zach's friend, trying to get close to her son for ulterior motives. She didn't want an adult lying to her son like that and pulling wool over his eyes.

She came to the library after lunch and made her way to the front desk. The mother had no idea what Sascha looked like as she had never met him before, and so she knew she wouldn't recognize him. The best thing for her to do was to remain polite until she found him. Her hand rang the small bell on the desk, tapping it a few times, as her eyes looked for someone to appear. Finally, a man did show up. Lucinda took a deep breath and told herself to remain calm.

"Hello," she called out. "I'm looking for a Sascha Connolly. Would you be able to tell me if he is here or where I can find him?" Hopefully, it was a good introduction.

Who: Sascha and Dione
When: Wednesday, November 21, 2007- Late Morning
Where: The Wine Bar
What: Sometimes music is the best therapy

Sascha could feel the strings vibrating beneath his calloused fingertips as he strummed at his guitar. He wasn't familiar with musical notation or any of the more technical aspects of playing; if asked to read a sheet of music or take melodic dictation, he'd likely end up staring blankly into space or doodling randomly on the page. No, he was mainly self-taught, so everything he knew, he'd learned through trial and error. He was surprisingly skilled if you took that fact into account, and he'd picked up on an astonishing number of musical pieces simply playing by ear.

It was unusual for Sascha to be in the Wine Bar at this time of day- actually, it was rare for him to ever be in the Wine Bar given the fact that he didn't really drink alcohol anymore- but his library shift wasn't slated to begin until later in the afternoon, so he had time to spare. He'd gotten it on good authority that Dione liked to spend her time playing here most days, and he'd been in a bit of a mood for the last few weeks. There was always something about this time of year, right around Thanksgiving, when the melancholy really started to sink in; it was bad enough having to manage the cycles of grief that washed over him every September around the anniversary of his family's death, but holidays were always difficult. He wasn't even really in mourning anymore, but there was still that vague, lingering ache that just refused to go away.
( Sascha usually found his solace in writing, or reading, or- sometimes- in music )

He started at the beginning again, and as he played out the notes, he began to lightly sing along. The song resonated with him enough that by the last verse he was strumming almost desperately, eyes shut tight as he belted out the words.

When: Shortly after first arriving in Elysium
Where: The Library
What: Handsome librarians confuse Sydni

Sydni had not spoken to anyone in weeks. Well, anyone besides Molly, but the pup, while wonderful, was not much of a conversationalist. The first week in Elysium she had not actually left the cottage, and by then Molly was so wound up from only having the yard to play in, walking could not be avoided. Even during her walks, she never spoke to anyone. When anyone spoke to her, she jumped and moved away as if she were frightened. She was. She was very timid and the world going to Hell didn't make her feel any better. But the walks had helped. Seeing other people, she realize she was not totally alone. Slowly, she began to do odd things for her neighbors. Weed gardens, stack wood. Anything she could do without talking to anyone. Maybe no one noticed. But it helped to focus on something other than the final images of her family. They were no more gruesome than anyone else's, but the brunette internalized so much, that it was enough to make her mute.

Finally, she had grown restless. Maybe it was the wolf inside her, or maybe she was ready to cease mourning. She didn't really know what to do, so she meandered. She even made it into town, though she didn't speak to anyone, even still. Somehow, her feet knew where to take her. The library. Shocked almost, she stood in front of it, staring at the door for a few minutes, before she realized people were staring. Cheeks reddening, she hurried inside.

Once inside, it was like she had stepped into another world. She may have been there a few minutes, or a few hours. But, by the time she was done, she had a stack of books in her arms. Some books she should have read a long time ago (or so she thought): Plato's Republic and The Aeneid; some books she enjoyed: Les Miserables and The Lord of the Rings; even some scientific journals. Making her way to the circulation desk, she felt something akin to giddiness, maybe even contentedness.

Looking up, though, she felt her breath catch. Mircea?! she thought. The books fell from her hands with considerable noise, but she didn't move to pick them up. Echoing her thoughts, she managed a whispered exclamation, "Mircea!" She thought everyone she had known was... gone.

Who: Sascha and VARIOUS
What: Assorted drabbles (i.e., a history in 100 words)
Where: Various locations
When: Various points in Sascha's life
Notes and Warning: The first three drabbles were expressly requested by the lovely Maren as part of a holiday writing exchange, and I got so hooked on the challenge of the 100-word-limit that I couldn't stop. Includes some brief sexual content, but this is Sascha, so you were probably expecting it. XD More to follow.


( Big V )


( First Word )


( Day in the Park )


( Annie’s Secret )

Who: OPEN TO ALL
When: Tuesday, October 23, 2007- Late evening
Where: The Tiki Hut and surrounding shoreline
What: Irei's first-ever birthday party!

Sascha had never been much of a party planner, so the fact that everything had gone off without a single hitch (even given the adverse weather conditions) seemed like a miracle in and of itself. Today was Irei's birthday, and since neither of them had ever had an actual party before, Sascha decided it was high time they made some changes to their usual birthday routine. They definitely had the resources for a large scale celebration here in Elysium, and that was exactly what Sascha was looking to give his best friend.

He'd had the presence of mind to post some flyers in strategic locations throughout Helicharis to let people know about the upcoming event, making sure to mention that no RSVPs or gifts were necessary (although they were always appreciated.) The weather had suddenly turned nasty less than a week before the party; fortunately for him, enough of the Tiki Hut and its adjoining dance floor was covered to ensure that no one in attendance would end up stranded in the rain.

The sun had already dipped below the sharp line of the horizon by the time Sascha and Irei made their way along the shoreline leading to the Tiki Hut. Irei wasn't privy to the exact details of the night's celebration, although he knew something was definitely up; Sascha rarely went out of his way to dress beyond comfortably shabby, and he sure as hell never did for the fun of it. It was one day out of the year when he could bear to make himself "presentable" by Irei's standards, though, and he'd had the tailor's help to outfit him in a flattering black and pinstripe ensemble with his hair pulled back into a tight little ponytail.

He pulled his cigarette away from his lips and grinned at his companion as the festivities came into view. It seemed he needn't have worried about the weather preventing people from seeing his flyers; the bar and dance floor areas were already at full capacity with a few familiar faces and many strangers, but everyone seemed to be having an entertaining time. A band had set up under one of the covered areas, and an extra canopy tent had been erected above the sandy overflow dance floor to shield the party-goers from the light mist outside. Sascha had even worked out an arrangement to have some food and employees from both the restaurant and cafe sent over to accomodate the sheer number of people present. Yes indeed, it looked like all of his work had paid off.

"Thought you could use a decent night out for once," he said with a smirk as he replaced the cigarette and motioned at the crowd of people. "Half of these bastards are just here for the alcohol, but I figured that's what you're usually here for, too." Sweeney had already begun to make friends with some of the servers in the buffet line, and Sascha gave Irei a firm pat on the back as he ushered him into the melee. "Happy birthday, by the way."


All posts here are welcome! Sub-threads, narratives, whatever you like- just have your characters show up, for cryin' out loud! XD

Who: Sascha, Sweeney and Summer (S-s-spectacular!)
When: Wednesday: October 10, 2007- Mid morning
Where: The bakery
What: A stormy day and a fateful introduction

Sascha had been caught in downpours plenty of times in his life, but as the frigid droplets pounded down onto his shoulders and bit numbingly into his skin, he couldn't help but curse himself (again) for not taking the damn day off to stay at home. He was due for his afternoon shift at the library in a handful of hours, and he'd spent the majority of the morning trying to wait out the rainstorm before realizing that it wasn't likely to let up in the forseeable future.

The carriages had all been gone once he'd reached the outpost nearest the bungalows- who was crazy enough to be outside in this weather, after all, let alone walk?- and he had been forced to sprint along the pathway leading to Helicharis with only an enthusiastically panting Sweeney at his side. His umbrella was basically useless against the torrents of water cascading down on him, and by the time he'd reached the outskirts of town and the vague outlines of the buildings had come into view through the sheets of rain, he was already soaked to the bone. Desperate to find a place where he could rest and possibly defrost his extremities a bit, he ducked into the nearest doorway.

The smell hit him first, followed quickly by the sensation of warmth. Sascha hadn't realized exactly where he'd been headed, but it only took a few moments for it to dawn on him that he'd stumbled into the bakery. His stomach picked up on the fact mere seconds later as it let out a formidable growl, the sound loud enough that Sweeney cocked her head curiously in response. Damn, it smelled good in here.

"Anybody here?" he called loudly, glancing over at the empty counter and wondering if the workers were busy back in the kitchen. Now that he thought of it, didn't Lucinda work at the bakery? Now that woman was something else, he had to admit. The memory of their playful first encounter brought a smile to his face, and as he caught his reflection in the glass showcasing various breads and other pastries, he raked a hand through his rain-slickened hair to make himself slightly more presentable. "Time for more hide and seek, Miss Lucinda? You know I'm always game."

Sweeney, meanwhile, had nosed her way over to the counter and was now eyeing a display plate of chocolate frosted cupcakes, her paws propped up on the surface as though she were waiting for a little assistance. Sascha was about to scold the mutt, but he was suddenly struck with a bout of childish giddiness at the sight of the scrumptious-looking desserts. Slowly he sank to his knees beside his canine companion and laid his chin on the counter, copying her stance with his hands splayed out against the countertop and giving a pathetic little whimper as he waited for someone to appear. "Service, please?"

Who: Sascha (and Sweeney), Irei, Zosimus
Where: The Sascha/Irei home and outside
When: Day, Sunday, October 7, 2007
What: Zosimus is going to attempt to teach Irei to shoot arrows and, maybe, learn something in return!

Saturday night had been a hard one to fall asleep to. Just knowing that when he woke up he'd be off to see his favorite people made Zosimus far too excited to sleep. Well, at first anyway. After a while he grew exhausted from being so excited and passed out in to a child-like slumber. He dreamed but, upon waking, couldn't remember what about. It didn't bother the boy, he was romping around the compound since the moment his eyes opened when the sun came streaming through the tree tops. Several of his fell centaurs found it humorous and quite nice to see their little foal filled with so much energy. Zosimus sprang to his hooves in an almost comical fashion. "What's for breakfast?" he asked while running over to a few who had settled around a fire with dishes and food on them. He sat and ate, trying to be as polite as he could, before thanking the cooks and fleeing back to his bed.

For a moment he whined to himself because he couldn't find his map. He checked everywhere but the last place he had put it--inside his quiver. Looking inside, Zosimus grinned when he saw it curled up among the dull arrows he'd made himself. Everything in order, he strapped the leather over one shoulder and under the opposing arm before wiggling to get it comfortable. Okay. He had to pause in his rush to make sure he had everything before shouting his goodbyes. The centaurs watched him leave, some shaking their heads and others chuckling. The boy liked to think there was an odd array of personalities he lived with.

Ten minutes later, after galloping around trees and across the backyards of the bungalows, Zosimus came up upon the house he was looking for. A grin plastered to his face, smattering of freckles high on his cheeks, the brunette charged the building. Since meeting the men, and dog, as well as other persons, Sims had become quite a forward boy. He was not nearly as shy as he had been that first day upon meeting Sascha, that was for sure.

"Sascha!" he called from the base of the steps. "Irei! Sweeney-wolf!" Zosimus's hooves made circular shapes in the sand as he shuffled around, unable to remain still.

Who: Duncan, Sascha, any 'library regulars.'
Where: Elysium Library
When: June 2007
What: Duncan's first day!

The lanky auburn haired young man with the lopsided smile and earth-colored clothing looked unassuming enough. The confidence in his slacker-swagger drained only a little when he saw just how large the library was. Books, everywhere! Glorious tomes of pointless and possibly purposeful information! All at his disposal! His eyes danced from shelf to shelf, soaking it all in, as he weaved in and out of piles on the floor that needed to be shelved. He moved with a careful ease, not having to look down in order to avoid tripping to his doom.

( 'Wow,' he muttered, speaking to himself -- a not so unusual thing for the djinn. 'This is pretty neat.' )

Who: Emily and Sascha
Where: by the Elven Palace
When: early evening, Tuesday, September 18, 2007
What: Dancing!

( Dance, magic dance! )

Who: Sascha and Annie, his (soon-to-be) wife
Where: Sascha's old Manhattan apartment
When: October 1998
What: Annie has an important question for Sascha.
Note: Originally conceived as a series of brief but important "snapshots" of Sascha's life before Elysium, each of these memories will now be posted in separate installments (I decided to take a cue from Zach and Adrienne here since apparently I'm too long-winded to write short posts :). Also, bear in mind that these snapshots follow no particular linear/chronological order. Enjoy!



The tape in the VCR had reached its end a good ten minutes prior, and the soft hiss of static emanating from the old television set was beginning to grate on Sascha’s nerves. Annie had insisted on having an impromptu movie night at his apartment, which was really nothing out of the ordinary considering that nearly every night the two of them spent in his apartment started out as a movie night.

Every so often they’d find an old classic or some independent, philosophical film that managed to hold their interest for longer than 30 minutes. More often than not, Sascha ended up focusing most of his attention on the alluring curve of Annie’s neck or the sudden hitch in her breath as his fingers wandered beneath the material of her blouse. Tonight was a prime example; by the time the credits were rolling, he and Annie were lying in a contented tangle of limbs on the floor, naked and sweaty under a light afghan throw Sascha had retrieved from the back of the couch.

It was nights like these that had resulted in their current predicament.

Sascha pressed a tender kiss to the top of Annie’s head, slowly stroking his fingers through the long blonde strands that trailed over her shoulders and tickled at his bare chest. He could feel the soft flutter of her eyelashes against the side of his neck, and he had to restrain himself from laughing at the tickling sensation so as not to wake her.

He shifted slightly beside her, lifting one hand to carefully push aside the material of the blanket tucked around her form before pressing his fingers gently against the slight swell of her stomach. She was a little over three months along in her pregnancy, and her baby bulge was growing more evident under her shirts every day.

When she’d first broken the news to him during the Fourth of July picnic they’d attended with a group of Annie’s dormmates, he’d been too stunned to form an adequate reply. He thought they’d both been fairly careful about using protection, although he had to admit there had been one or two encounters…

( Part of the problem, for Sascha anyway, was that he felt too young to be a father. )