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Tweak says, "Whatevs!"

Joanie Wicker | The Wicked Witch of the West (wickedwicker) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-06-22 15:18:00

Entry tags:

beauty, peter pan, plot: tempus, plot: xi, wendy, wicked witch

Who: Ella, Nick, and Joanie (and Tegan, too!)
What: Meeting Georgy Lvov
Where: A small town near the palace
When: Mach 20, 1917 (Day 3 for Group Xi)
Warnings: TBA, most likely just mild language.

After the previous day's horse catastrophe, Joanie was extremely hesitant about leaving the barn at all. Upon waking, she had strongly considered just turning all the hay into stylish furniture and camping out there until this whole thing went away. Of course, there were two major flaws in that plan. The first was that converting a barn into a modern-style apartment in one go would most likely fry her brain. The second was that ignoring this situation in the hopes that it would just go away would only work if it was indeed temporary. If they were stuck here for a long time, she'd surely starve to death.

She couldn't rely on the passing good graces of a tiger to keep herself fed, now, could she?

So she transformed her nice dress from the day before into more humble attire - a thick skirt and heavy blouse with a heavy jacket thrown over it - and set out into the nearest village in the hopes of finding something. What she was looking for she couldn't say, but it was almost a relief to be out and walking on her own. "What do you have in mind for today, child?" Well. Almost on her own.

"I'm not sure," she thought, dodging widely around a man carrying a large armload of wood. "But I can't just...sit around." The town was fairly busy, and luckily nobody seemed to notice the young woman that walked with uncertainty through their midst. People all around her were speaking a language she didn't understand, and she was perfectly content to keep her mouth shut so that they never learned just how ignorant she was.

The Witch sighed tersely in her head. "I've told you before. You need to practice."

It was hard for Joanie to keep the groan internal as she rolled her eyes to the sky. "I've gotten more practice than I can handle, okay? I have to take it slow."

"That's complacency, dear," she chided. "Talent will only carry you so far, and-"

"Okay!" she hissed internally, stiffening despite herself. "If I promise to find somewhere secluded to practice later tonight, will you leave me alone?"

The Witch didn't answer, which Joanie assumed was both a good and bad thing at the same time. But she'd take it for now. At times like this, you took every bone you were thrown, no matter how unpleasant it may be.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 03:09 pm UTC (link)

Ella had spent a rather uncomfortable night sharing a servant's room with Rosalie and Jane, and she was honestly thankful the process of members of the same sex sharing beds had gone out of fashion long before she was born. Beauty, in her mind, had informed her that she always shared a bed with her sisters, and Ella had ignored her completely.

She and Rosalie weren't close, thanks to lines drawn in the sand over Daniel's treatment half a year ago. The same went for Vlad, though Ella had found it easier to smudge the lines with him than she had with Rosalie (probably due to Helena's influence). And Jane, there would never be any love lost between Jane and herself; she knew that now.

As soon as the sun rose outside her window, she'd gotten dressed in the sensible clothing from the day before, found a thick coat and scarf in the servant's closet, and she'd set out for the village. People in the palace talked to her along the way, but she hadn't understood a thing they'd said, and she'd chastised Beauty for not being a Russian tale, which would have at least proved helpful.

The village was busy, but Ella stayed on the outskirts. She fit in, looked like she belonged in this place and this time, and no one suspected she didn't, so she took advantage of that fact and wandered. She hadn't seen Daniel or Helena yet, and she very much wanted to learn that they were well and safe.

We haven't discussed dinner tomorrow. She knew there was a formal dinner the next evening that she would be expected to attend, thanks to Rosalie's translations, and even she agreed Beauty would do a better job of dining with dignitaries than she could. I speak French, Beauty reminded her, as if that would result in her desired outcome.

She was so caught up in the subsequent argument about what Beauty could and couldn't do while in possible control of her body that she didn't see Joanie until she'd almost walked right into her back.

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 03:19 pm UTC (link)

Though the weather was fairly decent for this cold-ass miserable hole in northern Europe - or was it Asia? - the snow on the ground had kept Joanie's mood fairly bleak. Combine that with her chronic exhaustion from doing more frequent and complex magic than she was used to with sleep deprivation and hunger, and she was a time bomb waiting to go off.

This normally would have been fine, as the people in the town seemed to not even notice that she existed. But she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and though no impact was made, she recoiled as if it had been. Whirling about in a quick turn, she faced the young woman that had committed the grievous offense of almost bumping into her on a crowded street. "Hey!" she snapped, cheeks flushing with irritation. "Watch where you're walking, okay?" A few nearby villagers paused at the unfamiliar tongue, trading odd looks and peering at her curiously.

"That was brilliant, dear. Would you like to cast a spell now and properly stigmatize yourself?"

Pushing the voice from her mind, she stared at the girl, eyes wide. "Sor-" She cut herself off, realizing that more English would only drill another nail into her coffin. So she merely made a noise of apology - it sounded like "uhhhnnnn-eh?" - while shrugging and wearing an apologetic expression. She then quickly turned, hoping to get the hell out of there.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 03:29 pm UTC (link)

Ella didn't recognize Joanie, but Beauty recognized her voice from the last full moon and its voice posts. Tell her the women in the building still do terrible jobs at selecting princes, Beauty coaxed. Ask her if she's been observing the rules.

Ella didn't, of course, but her tale was very happy to finally get to meet the witty woman from the forums. Ella was just happy to meet someone who spoke English.

"I think the word you were looking for was 'sorry," she said, smiling as she spoke, entertained by the way the word had been stretched and elongated to hide the fact that it was English. "And as you'd already said a full six words in English prior, it was hardly necessary."

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 03:35 pm UTC (link)

When the woman spoke English back, Joanie was caught between relief and further fear. She knew very little about 1917 Russia, but she knew that dirty people with tiny minds liked to label anything they didn't like as a "witch" and set it on fire. If a woman turned you down? She was a witch, burn her. If a horse fell down on the job? It was a witch, throw it on the fire. If a cup got a hole in it? It was a witch, better light it up.

So she paused for a moment, trying to decide if she should turn back to this woman or just walk away. Realizing that she'd look like an even bigger ass than she already did if she left, she turned back to her, expression sheepish. "Well, I was kind of hoping that these people would be too dumb to notice." She glanced around them, seeing the townfolk beginning to ignore them and move about their daily rituals. Clearly, they had better things to do. Heaving a sigh of relief, Joanie smoothed a hand over her hair.

"But, let's get the pink elephant out of the way. Bellum, right?" She stuck out her right hand. "I'm Joanie."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 03:49 pm UTC (link)

Oh, if Joanie didn't want to be branded a witch, Ella was precisely the person she didn't want to be seen with. Luckily, wrapped up in a scarf and coat like she was, it wasn't likely that anyone would recognize her as the forest witch from two nights previous (the one cavorting with the Mad Monk in the woods). Ella, luckily, knew none of this, so she shook Joanie's hand, and she nodded. "My tale likes you," she said, which should have solidified the fact that, yes, she was from the madhouse that was Bellum. "I'm Ella. I think you spoke to Beauty last month."

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 03:53 pm UTC (link)

It was beginning to occur to Joanie that their tales were a lot like dogs. Dog owners talked about who their dogs did and didn't like just the same way. Somewhat amused by this thought, Joanie gave the other woman a half-smile. "Oh yeah? I'm just all kinds of lucky lately," she remarked dryly, though her tone was good-humored. As the other woman gave her name, Joanie paused. Luther had mentioned Ella to her a few times, specifically concerning the torture incident. Now she couldn't think of anything else. Damnit.

"Oh right, Beauty," she said, trying to avoid the awkwardness that had consumed her. "I remember that." She smirked. "Are you as funny as she is?" she asked playfully, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 04:01 pm UTC (link)

"Absolutely not," Ella said honestly, with a warm smile. "I'm bossy, opinionated and impossible and sure to say something offensive in the first fifteen minutes of our acquaintance."

Ella had come a long way since the attack, scars were just lightly visible on her throat and wrists at this point, and Beauty (who was annoyingly fearless) made her calmer by her very presence - it was the only reason Imperial Russia wasn't currently covered in vines and inappropriately smelling of roses.

"What say you we get out of the center of town and go somewhere we can talk properly. I don't dislike you yet, and that makes you a far better prospect than what I just left behind." It was said with a smile that was a little teasing and a little truthful. "Have you seen Ahab- I mean Luther?" she asked immediately after, after Beauty reminded her about Joanie's situation with Javert.

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 04:08 pm UTC (link)

As Ella laid out her worst traits, Joanie grinned. "That's good," she said, perfectly content to play this game. "Because I'm cranky, snarky, and incredibly likely to rip your head off because I don't like the color socks you're wearing." Her cheerful tone suggested that she honestly didn't think that any of these traits were bad things. Clearly, everybody else was in the wrong when they whined about it.

At the proposition, she nodded. "Well I am truly honored," she said, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder. "And I like that plan." Joanie didn't do crowds. She'd survive them if necessary, but she'd never enjoy them. They made her nervous, especially with the added "witch" factor.

They began towards the edge of the town, moving smoothly through the crowd. Joanie raised a brow at the name "Ahab." Luther really got the strangest nicknames. "Yeah," she said, nodding. "The night we all ended up here, he and I ran into each other." She bit her lower lip, trying to forget the sight of him holding that gun up, expression all serious and business. "We met up with a few others and found a barn to crash in." She paused. "Have you seen anybody named Russell or Micah, by any chance?"

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 04:17 pm UTC (link)

Ella shook her head. "No. I've seen Vlad, Jane, Rosalie and William," she said, adding with a smile, "and now you." She bit her lip, and she walked just into the edge of the forest, grateful for the cover of the trees. "Have you seen anyone named Helena or Daniel?" she asked, and she got the distinct impression that this was like being in some survivalist horror movie, where the characters went around trying to find each other for two hours, only to learn everyone they ever loved was dead. She didn't like the thought of that. Even survivalist novels were no better, really - those generally didn't even have the false happy ending Hollywood was so fond of.

What she knew of Joanie was limited, and mostly Beauty's knowledge, but she didn't think this woman was likely to be easily offended or need the fake, fairytale view of their situation. "We're completely and utterly screwed, aren't we?" she asked, glad to actually be able to say that after two nights of fake pleasantry and positivity. "It's like Heart of Darkness and really, that turned out terribly badly."

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 04:24 pm UTC (link)

The mention of Vlad made her tighten. Fuck. Dracula was in town. As if this couldn't get any worse. Her hesitation showed, though she did her best to cover it up as they entered the forest. As she asked about Helena and Daniel, Joanie shook her head numbly. "Sorry, I don't even know who they are." She shrugged somewhat, raking her fingers through her hair and sighing.

As she spoke up, Joanie looked over at her with an expression that was immediately irritated but quickly calmed into resignation. "I have no idea what Heart of Darkness is, but if everybody ends up fucked, then yeah. I'd have to agree with that comparison." She glanced about, realizing that she was lazy and didn't want to stand. And really, if they were all going to just die, what would it hurt if this Ella girl knew about her magic?

She stooped into the snow, whispering a string of words that turned a pile of it into a wooden stool. She repeated the action, creating a second and sitting down on it. She gestured from Ella to the stool. "I mean this is the third day we've been here. If we were ever getting back...wouldn't we be back already?"

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 04:31 pm UTC (link)

Ella watched the stool creation process with respect, and Beauty in her head was even more appreciative of the gesture (and the magic). Ella sat down on the stool Joanie had motioned to, and she returned the favor by looking up at the canopy of leaves and making it close in a little - giving them privacy and protecting them from the bitter cold. A touch of grass growing underfoot, through the snow, finished off the offering; it was very much a promise that Joanie's secret was safe with her, for obvious reasons.

"Daniel is the Beast," she said, with a small shrug that said her interest in him was slightly self-explanatory. "Helena is Vlad's- no, she's Dracula's Mina Harker." She frowned. "You realize that it's completely wrong that I think you're more likely to know their tales than their names, but there it is."

"I admit that I'm not as worried about getting back as I am about the fact that we're likely to get ourselves killed here. We don't know the rules of this time period, and we don't speak the language. I met a doctor yesterday who claimed to know where I was from, which is equally worrisome."

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 04:39 pm UTC (link)

The display of plant magic made the Wicked Witch utter a sound of approval. "She's powerful, dear. You can learn from her." Joanie dismissed the thought, but smiled at the gesture. "That's really cool," she said, leaning down to pluck one blade of grass from the ground to observe it. She looked at it for a long moment, appraising it as if it were a fine jewel. Nonchalantly, she tucked the blade into her pocket, attention turning to the other woman.

"Oh." Shit, there was a Mina Harker in the building, wasn't there? The poor thing. How did she stand that creepy asshole? At Ella's comment, she shrugged. "I don't get out much," she said plainly.

Ella's concerns actually made a lot of sense. Running around under the cloak of darkness was fine for a spy movie or teenagers trying to party under their parents' noses, but they couldn't keep this up for long. Without an understanding of the customs or language, they'd get plucked out soon enough and burned as witches.

"You're obsessed with getting burned, aren't you?"

"The day you can say with straight face that getting torched alive and screaming doesn't scare you, let me know." The mention of a doctor made her frown. "You mean someone here? Like...a local?" Eyes widening, she tensed slightly. "What'd he say? Is he gonna out us?" Suddenly, she was starting to panic. What if somebody had seen Shere Khan? Or all her displays of magic? She hadn't been particularly careful the night they got there for reasons of brain freeze, but excuses wouldn't protect her.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 05:37 pm UTC (link)

Ella, who still didn't really see the power in her ability to grow things, laughed a little at the compliment. "It would be more useful to make stools out of thin air, or be able to check on people in their mirrors, or turn into a vampire," she said. "But I can make a tea that's out of this world."

When Joanie said she didn't get out much, Ella smiled fondly. "Me either, actually; it just seems that all of Bellum ends up at Daniel's door. That's how I know your Micah, for example. Ahab, Luther, I know from years ago."

She nodded at the question about the doctor. "He took me to the palace and got me a job as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, but he didn't say why, and he didn't tell me what he knew." She was about to continue on, explaining about the castle, when two villagers passed by talking animatedly and pointing into the woods and toward the stables. She was completely quiet until they were out of earshot, and then she looked at Joanie. That didn't sound good, Ella.

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 05:47 pm UTC (link)

The mention of making stools out of "thin air" made Joanie snort. She sure would like to do that. But she decided not to press the issue. Ella could know that she could do something, but she wasn't about to let the other woman in on all her secrets. The mention of watching people with mirrors, however, made her pause. "Wait. Somebody can do that?" she asked, raising a brow. That sounded like the setup for the creepiest porn ever.

She half-laughed as she suggested that the entire building ended up on the doorstep of this "Daniel" person. "Oh yeah? Well now I know where to hang out if I ever want to mix and mingle," she said with a laugh. When she mentioned Micah getting involved in that, she bit back the desire to say that Micah ends up everywhere, like herpes. Instead, she just nodded at the mention of Luther. "That's cool," she said lightly.

The description of the doctor made her nervous. After all, she had no idea who this guy was, and the way he was secretive? That had to spell out trouble. She was about to ask further questions when the villagers passed. She'd have given her right arm to understand what they were saying, and hunched nervously on the stool as they passed. Her hand slipped into her pocket, clasping around the knife she carried. When they didn't stop and left out of earshot, she looked to Ella with an ashen expression.

"I was there yesterday," she said quietly. "The stables. Sam and I got dragged there." She paused. "Why would they be talking about the stables? They're boring and full of horses."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 05:54 pm UTC (link)

Ella looked over her shoulder toward the woods. "We locked someone up in the woods and stole their clothing," she admitted, looking back at Joanie. "We're going to get killed," she finally said, decidedly. You should let me-

She groaned. "My tale thinks she'd do better in this time than I would. Does yours do that?" she asked, even as she looked back toward the stables Joanie had mentioned. "Did you do anything there?" she motioned to the stools. "Make stools? Use contractions? Bare your ankles? Anything?"

She was starting to imagine all the terrible, stupid things they might do to get themselves killed, which she hadn't really focused on until this moment, and she groaned. "Did you tell Ahab not to be such a policeman here?" Even more seriously. "Please tell me you took his gun away."

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 06:02 pm UTC (link)

Her eyes widened as Ella mentioned stealing clothing. "You what?" she asked, staring at her blankly. "Why the hell would you think that was a good idea?" she hissed, not realizing that everybody that wasn't her didn't have the convenient option of turning snow into warmth. As she mentioned getting killed, Joanie grit her jaw grimly. "Not gonna happen. We're all in this, right? Nobody's dying."

As she mentioned her tale, Joanie wrinkled her nose. "Mine mocks my pain and asks me why I'm not better at everything," she said bitterly.

"I do not, you're being-"

"Not now!"

At the question, she wanted to laugh at how ridiculous Ella's inquiries got - clearly they were for comic effect - but she sobered when she recalled that yes, she had done something. A lot of something. "I..." She cringed. "Might have completely changed the clothes Sam and I were wearing." She paused. "And I made us hats." Facepalming, she sighed. "I'm retarded," she groaned. She decided not to mention Shere Khan at the moment. That would get them nowhere fast.

When she asked about Luther, she cringed. Though they had clung to one another for warmth the night they arrived, they weren't exactly on good terms at the moment. Even when they were being friendly that night, there was a tension there that only two friends quietly feuding could create. "We, uh," she started awkwardly, unable to hide the fact that this was clearly not the best subject. "Didn't talk much," she said. "I was in shorts and a T-shirt, so I was freezing and not really...you know. Articulate. The second we got to the barn, I made everybody some warmer clothes and immediately passed out." She decided not to mention the fact that his gun now scared the shit out of her, and she wouldn't want to touch it with a ten foot pole.

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never_old
2010-06-22 07:13 pm UTC (link)

Nick had been chasing a Beast, ended up being hassled by soldiers, and dropped in to a town that he couldn't speak the language of. He spent most of his second day wandering around, trying to find food and somewhere to sleep. It hadn't gone well and needless to say, Nick looked like a wreck of a person. None of it helped that he was starting to feel the effects of not taking his medication in now going on three days.

Needless to say, Nick looked and felt like he was being ran over repeatedly. Peter, of course, was little help in stealing food, but other than that he just yelled.

Trudging through the town, Nick looked futilely around for any sign of anyone who looked like they could speak English. It's when he spotted Ella with another girl that he honestly ran over, practically scooping Ella up into a tight hug. "Ella!" he exclaimed, "I've never been so glad to see anyone before in my life." He let go of her before he turned and hugged the other girl, supposing by the equally lost look that she was another Bellum person. "I haven't seen anybody since I got hassled off palace grounds. So glad to see you guys."

He let go of the other girl, clearing his throat awkwardly and gave her a little hesitant smile. "Sorry," he apologized, "Caught up in the moment. I'm Nick."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 07:43 pm UTC (link)

Ella laughed when Nick grabbed her up in a hug, even though he looked a mess and smelled even worse. She was still utterly grateful to see him, and she pressed her cheek to his dirty hair. "You need a bath," she said, and honestly, so did she.

She watched Nicky accost Joanie, who she suspected didn't know him, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Nick, your Peter Pan is showing," she told him fondly, and she looked around to see how much attention they'd called to themselves. "Do we think we could find hot water anywhere?" she asked hopefully. She could sneak them into the palace, but she didn't think that was just the thing at present, and she wanted to get somewhere more isolated to talk to Joanie about her stupidity in the woods the previous night.

She was about to ask Nicky who he'd seen, when a man cleared his throat from just a few feet away. Her face went pale white as he introduced himself (in English) as Georgy Lvov.

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 07:57 pm UTC (link)

After exiting the woods, Joanie had expected to move towards the stables to see what was happening. She had her hand at the ready to draw her knife at need be, and was perfectly on edge. As they broke out into the town again, she hadn't expected anything exciting to happen. Then a tall pile of limbs and messy hair leapt out of the crowd and attacked Ella.

Gasping, Joanie took a few short steps back, hand diving into her pocket. However, she could hear the joy in both their voices, relaxing at that. Another Bellum person. Thank God for that. However, thanking God was the last thing on her mind as the gangly boy pulled away from Ella to wrap her up in an enormous hug as well. She gagged, eyes wide as she stood stock still. After a moment, she awkwardly patted him on the back, relieved when he released her.

"It's fine," she said as he apologized, though she took a slight step back out of habit. "Good to meet you, Nick. I'm Joanie." At the mention of him being Peter Pan, she raised a brow. "We actually spoke on the forums during that...weird thing."

At Ella's suggestion, Joanie shrugged. "Don't know about that, but..." She trailed off, glancing nervously over her shoulder before leaning into her, voice low. "I can get us matches to start a fire." She pulled back, hands in her pockets as she prepared to embark on their water adventure when a throat clearing nearby caused her to turn.

Her palm clasped around the knife as she looked up at the man, bewildered. She wasn't sure what that meant, but the look on Ella's face wasn't reassuring. Glancing over her shoulder, she fiddled with the knife inside her pocket before looking back at him. "Nice to meet you. We're late, though, so we'll see you around, Mr. Lvov."

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never_old
2010-06-22 08:07 pm UTC (link)

Nick ducked his head bashfully at Ella's words, "I tried to sleep in a shed. I've been messed up." Tried was the keyword, he hadn't slept at all. He wasn't sure he knew how to sleep without a pill and his shakes had started the night before.

Grinning a little at Joanie, "Joanie, right. I remember you." Peter was crowing happily inside his head. SMART GIRL! SMARTER THAN NIBS! SHE'S A LOST BOY! If he didn't stop soon, Nick was going to lose his mind.

He was going to suggest finding somewhere to go when the man introduced himself. Nick put himself between the man and the girls, as if he could actually protect them. "Hi," his awkwardness did nothing to help with this 'big bad protector' thing. "Uhm, we're going now, Mr. Lvov."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 08:33 pm UTC (link)

Georgy took Joanie's dismissal in stride, and he chuckled at Nicky's. He was, he told them, a Dresden Prince, nothing to be feared, and in a low and conspiratorial whisper he informed them that he knew where they'd come from and why they were in the woods outside the Palace. Then with a regal motion to the townsfolk, who were in the process of brandishing pitchforks in the corner of the village, he told them that there was to be a witch hunt and a chase for a Beast. He lowered his voice again and told them he knew all about fairy tales, and he suggested they follow him. His people have turned violent, he explained, and he was trying to curb the violence. He can get them warm baths, and he needed their help.

Ella looked from Nicolas to Joanie. Nicolas looked worse for wear, like he needed medication (Ella remembered what he'd told her about his medical history), and she knew Joanie was scared under all that bravado. He mentioned the Beast, Beauty added, and Ella bit her lower lip a moment.

She wrapped a safe arm around Nicolas' shoulder and she nodded to Joanie. They should go; the alternative, villagers and pitchforks, was no alternative.

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 08:42 pm UTC (link)

Nick's protective gesture was almost sweet, and Joanie couldn't help wondering what was in this kid to inspire him to do such a thing. He looked worn out, so why would he put himself out there this way? However, when the man began to talk, Joanie found herself more and more rooted to the spot. "Don't let him frighten you, child!" the Witch barked in her mind. "You have nothing to fear from these common folk!"

"These common folk have numbers and fire," she replied nervously, gulping as Georgy mentioned a witch hunt. "Oh God," she thought with fear, doing her best to mask the panic that was creeping up inside her. "I should've been more careful. I should've thought things through." She paused. "Are they after the others?" Clearly they knew of the Beast, but what of Shere Khan? She had to find Sam and warn him. But right now, she was stuck, staring at Georgy and exercising all her restraint to not run.

She and Ella exchanged a brief glance that Joanie didn't like at all. "Don't concede!" the Witch shrieked. "You're better than this, dear! You're stronger than them!"

Joanie's gaze darted around the village, then back to Georgy, and she did her best to put on a confidant face. "Okay. What do you want from us?" "I'm not the only one here. Nobody is dying on this trip, damnit."

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never_old
2010-06-22 09:16 pm UTC (link)

Nick was, admittedly, more terrified of the potential and showed it. He wanted to keep people safe, still standing tall between Georgy and the girls. You look stupid, Peter helpfully told him.

Georgy, though, was giving them an option that Nick thought sounded very good. Plus, the villagers scared him half to death already. He really didn't want to die here. It was probably a terrible idea.

"...All right," he conceded when Ella wrapped a safe arm around him. If the girls went with this, then he could handle it too. "If they're okay with it, then I'm okay with it."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 09:30 pm UTC (link)

Georgy, who had servants waiting just past the forest, led them into the clearing and to two waiting cars. They were black and sharp, and Ella could tell they were expensive even before she got close to them. Driving away worried her, and she looked at Joanie questioningly. She felt responsible for Nick, like he was hers to protect, and she didn't know if that was because he worked for her or just because he felt so young to her.

In the end, they didn't have much of a choice. There were two drivers along with Georgy's servants, and they were all ushering them toward the cars. "No one will hurt you," Georgy promised them and "you want to help your friends, do you not?"

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wickedwicker
2010-06-22 09:55 pm UTC (link)

Being lead around by the nose didn't sit well with Joanie. The further they walked, the more anxious she became. She thought of Luther and Sam, Oliver and Rosalie and Tegan. Were they alright? What of the Beast, would the townspeople hurt him even though he couldn't help what he was? It wasn't right, damnit, and it ate at her. They needed to warn the others, not sit around with some prince waiting to do something. If only they were given the heads-up, they could take care of themselves!

As they reached the cars, Joanie felt her stomach drop. "This is how Law and Order episodes start," she whimpered internally, crossing an arm across her body to squeeze herself. Her nerves showed all over her face no matter how she tried to hide it, and she shifted from foot to foot anxiously as the servants began to press them towards the vehicles.

Georgy's promises did little to assure her, and she realized that all three of them wouldn't be riding in the same car. The servants pushed Ella and Nick towards one car, shuttling her to the other. Georgy climbed into the car with the others, leaving Joanie with the servants.

The ride was fairly short yet windy and difficult to follow. Joanie stared out the window the entire time, trying to see where they were going but getting jumbled up quickly. For the last leg of the journey, she leaned against the side of the car, staring blankly at the trees moving past and trying to ignore the growing fear inside her.

"You're being foolish," the Witch chided. "So many times you've demonstrated your power and you still doubt it. They can't touch you."

It took everything in her to not scream. "It doesn't fucking MATTER if I can make cool hats out of hay or boots out of snow! If this guy kills us, there's NOTHING I can do. I can't make a Taser from memory, I can't contact Luther, I can't do ANYTHING."

The Witch was silent for a few moments before speaking up. "If they kill you, dear, it's because you let them."

Her words hung in her head, haunting her as the cars stopped outside a secluded, beautiful country home. The servants opened the door, leading her out to meet Ella and Nick. Georgy accompanied them, escorting the three inside. It was even larger inside than it appeared outside, and Joanie was momentarily taken aback by its decadent decor. Georgy lead them into the parlor where he informed them that they would each be given a private bedroom for the night before completing their assignment the next day. He then sent a servant to escort them upstairs to the warm bath, as promised.

As they climbed the stairs, Joanie kept her hand firmly in her pocket, wrapped around the knife. She didn't trust this. She didn't trust it at all.