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Post by Kasen Rowe on Sept 22, 2012 23:55:56 GMT -5
Continued from With or Without You---------- The place was called "Alice's Restaurant" of all things. Whether it was based off of that classic story/song or not, Kasen didn't know, but it brought the tune to mind. "Open 'til 2am," Kasen read as he parked the car. He hissed as he burned his fingers on the ignition wires and thought again that he was definitely getting a new vehicle at the next opportunity.
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Post by Eve Vardell on Sept 23, 2012 18:28:30 GMT -5
The name of the restaurant seemed strangely familiar, but it took Eve a minute to figure out why her throat felt tight and choked up, looking at that sign. "Alice's Restaurant"... It had been a song on some old cassette of her Mom's; they used to play it when she was a kid during long car trips. "A long song for a long trip", her Dad had always joked before pushing it in, and then Eve (and later, Anna) had been subjected to what felt like half an hour of her Dad doing a bad country drawl along with the artist and her Mom joining in on the choruses.
Eve cleared her throat, wondering if she'd ever reach a point where she could remember those times fondly without the accompanying stab of guilt, as they made their way to the doors.
"So I hope they really do serve whatever you want here. I don't know about you but I've got a real craving for nutmeg coffee."
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Sept 23, 2012 19:46:19 GMT -5
Kasen made a face at Sarah. "Nutmeg coffee? Ugh, like that... that Trap place?" Kasen shook his head at her. "No thanks."
They were seated quickly and yet Kasen was somewhat surprised to see that they weren't the only ones there. Their waiter was a teenager, a gangly kid who looked like he'd much rather be out with his friends than serving food, distributed their menus half-heartedly and wandered off in a meandering fashion to get their drinks. Kasen barely had to look at the menu. Ever since the Roadhouse, he'd wanted a burger. And when his burger, fries, and a coke showed up before him, he was not let down. The burger was huge and hot off the grill. He allowed himself several savory mouthfuls before even thinking about talking about anything. Finally he looked to his companion, half eaten burger still in his hands.
"It's been a hell of a day," he replied, freeing one hand from his food to reach for his drink. "What's your next plan of attack?"
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Post by Eve Vardell on Sept 24, 2012 21:35:21 GMT -5
Eve took a gulp from her giant mug of coffee (no nutmeg included, thank you very much) and breathed out a long, thoughtful huff of air.
"I, um... honestly I haven't had a lot of time to think about. I mean, I flew back from France looking for that thing," gesturing vaguely toward his chest, where the amulet was hidden. "And since last night everything's really been too crazy to come up with a new plan besides, y'know, 'don't die!'" Suddenly remembering they weren't exactly alone, she glanced around the diner. Luckily, everyone else seemed to be sufficiently involved in their meals (or, in the case of their server, his cell phone) to be listening to a random girl's late night ramblings.
"Anyway," lowering her voice, just in case, "I guess it's just back to the drawing board. Looking for leads wherever I can, trying to stay a few steps ahead of..." Well, of Molly. Who hated her because of a betrayal. Because she'd trusted Eve and taken her in, and that trust had ended up hurting her. The new cell phone still sat in her sweater pocket, leaving her faintly queasy and sucking away any semblance of an appetite.
And even with all that floating around inside of her, even realizing that it would probably be best for both of them if they finished their meals and parted ways forever - after all, if she had no idea what Kasen was up to, she had nothing to report to that cult of his - she couldn't help poking at her late night pancakes and asking mildly, "What about you?"
And she couldn't actually decide if it was because she couldn't let go of the hope for a cure or because she really wanted to know.
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Sept 26, 2012 23:11:27 GMT -5
She seemed nervous. But then again she always seemed a little on edge. And considering that apparently her latest lead to her salvation was now hanging around his neck, he wasn't surprised.
"What about you?"
What about me?
Kasen took another bite out of his burger and considered... well, everything, chewing thoughtfully, but a slight frown on his face as he recalled his deal with the devil.
"The cult, the people I've been looking for, they were the ones summoning that thing Dean and Sam were chasing. The Erlking," he said, his voice low and tinted with something dark. It was something that was permanently etched into his voice, he was sure, and emerged whenever he spoke of the loathsome group. "That creature... it knew things. Or said it did. It told me where I could find them, Sarah. They've got some gathering going on soon and they'll all be there. And that's where I'm going."
Not that he had a plan for what to do when he got there...
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Post by Eve Vardell on Sept 29, 2012 11:31:04 GMT -5
Her stomach flopped and she lowered her fork back to her plate a little unsteadily. There was really no wiggle room then, huh? If Kasen had been left without a lead to go on, and planned on slinking off to some random corner of the country for the next few months, then that would hardly be worth reporting. She wouldn't have had to feel bad, feel like she was betraying him by talking... or betraying herself and her family, whom she'd sworn to find a cure and return to, by not taking the deal.
"You're going... wait, those guys had the power to summon that Hunt and you're just going to go walking into a gathering with them?" Maybe he could be dissuaded. Maybe she could make him see common sense. "Come on, just because you have the shield doesn't make you invincible. I mean at the very least you're gonna be facing a bunch of scary people, probably wielding ceremonial daggers with no qualms about stabbing anyone who feels like interfering with them. Wouldn't it make more sense to go and face, I don't know, one of them when he's off on his own somewhere?"
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Sept 29, 2012 19:06:39 GMT -5
Kasen's eyes chilled over just a little at the thought of finally facing the cult.
"I've waited a long time for this, Sarah," he said, his voice low so he wouldn't be heard over the music playing from the speakers. "My family is dead because they made-"
He cut himself off. He took a moment to swirl a french fry in a glob of ketchup with a sigh. "You're right. I know can't just waltz in there. I have a feeling I'd be dead before I lifted a hand to anyone. I don't have a plan yet, but I know I can't miss this opportunity. I could at the very least identify them and wait."
He paused. "Even if I didn't want to end this whole thing so soon, for my sake and the sake of everyone they've got under their thumb, I can't miss this opportunity. I kind of... made a deal with the Erlking." Kasen did not elaborate. "The Cult of Amazarak has to be dealt with."
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Post by Eve Vardell on Oct 20, 2012 9:36:04 GMT -5
"You made a..."
She put down her fork quickly before sheer nerves made her drop it. Half of her wanted to cover her ears with her hands and start singing loudly, the other half wanted to stand up and walk out right now. The more she learned, the more danger she was in. The more danger he was in. But she couldn't leave. Whichever side of this she decided to come down on, walking out now would be the worst call she could make.
Besides, if she'd been recruited to spy on Kasen, who knew who else had been too? This place seemed secure enough, but still...
"We probably shouldn't talk about this here," she muttered, eyes averted, still not sure what she was planning to do with all the secrets building up inside her. "Let's finish eating and talk more in the car."
And she was starving, and she had long ago learned not to waste food, so she picked her fork back up and forced herself to eat despite the sickly feeling rolling around in her stomach.
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Oct 25, 2012 20:20:03 GMT -5
Kasen lifted an eyebrow at the girl, but didn't argue. He didn't really think anyone here would care overly much about what they were talking about, but being careful was hardly a bad thing. Especially when what they had be nervous about included a people that could put you under a spell and make you do things against your will or summon a Wild Hunt. Not to mention the Hunters who might take things the wrong way and the other monsters and whatnot that existed in the world.
Kasen took a moment to wonder how it'd ever been possible for him to be ignorant of such things, then pushed all the supernatural nonsense from his mind and finished up his food. The burger and fries might have been horrible on any other night, but tonight, after such a very, very long day, the food was absolutely delectable. And a cool glass of coke followed by a small mug of coffee had him feeling both refreshed and awake.
Once they were done and the check was paid, they headed back to the busted up car. He cast a sideways glance at his nervous companion. Considering that the car wasn't exactly secure, Kasen started up the car and took them out onto the road. It'd be nearly impossible for anyone for anyone to over hear them when they were moving. They weren't really going anywhere in particular, but despite his leisurely turns down side streets, he did have them going in the general direction he'd need to take to get to the Cult.
He didn't really feel like elaborating on his chat with the monster king, so he waited for the girl to speak first.
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Post by Eve Vardell on Oct 26, 2012 15:52:29 GMT -5
It turned out that the steaming mug of coffee wasn't even necessary to keep her fully awake and focused as they made their way back to the car. For future reference: feeling sleepy? Just get yourself involved in some crazy cult conspiracy bent on betraying the guy you're driving around with. That'll fray your nerves and keep you conscious like a charm.
She could feel every second ticking by as they started to drive, the weight of Kasen's patient but focused attention directed at her in the silent car. It built up against the back of her skull until she just needed to break it with something, and before she could decide what, words had started spilling out in a confused heap.
"It's been three and a half years, you know. Since I had a normal night's sleep. Since I figured what had happened to me, realized what I had to do to stop it, it's just been catching a few hours in the middle of the day when I can, waking up terrified if I ever oversleep five minutes past dusk because... because if I do that then what's to stop it from happening on a full moon night? What if I screw up just a little and wake up again with blood in my mouth and a... a half eaten heart in my hand?"
Her eyes drifted over to her fingers, white with pressure, pushing against the frigid window glass. That hand had torn open Molly's horses, had dug into her dad's own chest. She dropped it back to her lap in disgust.
"So, I don't know, maybe if I was braver or more realistic or just a better person I'd just stop running. Let Molly catch up to me and end it, and everyone would be a lot safer. But I don't, and I don't know if it's even hope at this point or just me being a selfish, stupid coward because I've tried everything. I mean... the Shield? You know, I flew halfway around the world for that thing and I wasn't even really surprised when it didn't work. Two years ago I got this stupid thing," and her voice, more or less monotone until that point, twisted into a snarl as she tugged her left sleeve up and ripped off the black wristband that lived there like an extension of her arm. The black symbol tattooed there glared up at her, shockingly dark against the pale skin of her wrist.
"And I've drunk potions that make me nauseous to even think about, and paid so-called shamans to do rituals and, you know what, once I even went on a freaking Navajo vision quest trying to 'release the wolf inside of me.'" She snorted, and it wasn't a happy sound. "And absolutely nothing has worked. For three and a half years every time something doesn't work I've forced myself to shrug it off and I've said 'ok, that's fine. The next one will do it, and then I'll be able to go home, go back to my family and just crawl into my bed and sleep.'"
She shook her head, pressing her lips together. Continuing to stare down at her arm because there was no way she'd be looking over at him.
"And it's just become this running refrain to my existence, you know? 'The next one will work. The next one will work. No matter how strange or unlikely, try it. The next one has to work.' Because if I give up, if I decide not to try it, what else do I have?
"And I've always thought of myself as a good person... as a victim. Like, I didn't choose this life. It's just something that happened to me, and I shouldn't have to die because of it. My life shouldn't be ruined because of it. But sometimes it's not worth it. Even if its real... if I do find a cure and I go home and live my life, it's just... it's not worth it if you've had to deal with the devil to do it."
And she was right, she knew she was, even if it went against all of her instincts. Because this wasn't like the shamans or the psychics she'd dealt with before. This was a cult. A real cult with actual, legitimate magical powers; she'd seen the result of it tonight. If they could summon up an ancient, godlike Huntsman and control him then why wouldn't they be able to free her of her curse? This one would work.
But she was a good person. And if she started her road back to humanity by getting one of the few people who had actually been decent to her killed... she might as well just turn herself in to Molly now, because she really would be the monster the woman thought she was. She took a breath. Let it out slowly.
"In the hospital, before you came, the Cult sent someone to see me. They told me they'd lift my curse if I spied on you for them, reported what your plans are. They know you're onto them."
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Nov 6, 2012 0:47:35 GMT -5
The girl's story made him shiver. If his life after the cult had been hard, her's had been worse. Kasen listened sympathetically and thoughtfully as she continued. He thought at one point that she would conclude with something about giving up her quest, which he would of course have to convince her not to do. No one should ever give up hope in his eyes. But she did not end with giving up. In fact she did not end with anything Kasen would have anticipated. She ended with one of those conspiracy plot twists that just... They don't really... Not in real life.
"They told me they'd lift my curse if I spied on you for them, reported what your plans are. They know you're onto them."
His concerned expression dipped into a confused frown as his thoughts quickly began to swirl. He looked straight at Sarah, but her expression made it clear that this was not just a horrible joke and a dark, invisible hand reached out of his past and slowly began to crush him.
They know? How could they possibly know? What had he done? Had the Erlking given him up? Had Kasen given himself away somehow? How could he possibly have been so naive as to think that they wouldn't find him?
He vaguely recalled stopping the car and putting it into park before climbing out of the claustrophobic space. But the dark night of the rural backstreet felt no better.
Maybe they'd known all along. Maybe they'd never really let him go. It had all seemed so suspicious in the first place. One minute he was their's and the next he was inexplicably free? How ridiculous! No, the'd never let him go. That's why his arm was burning. The brand that had bound him to them still bound him!
Kasen pushed up his sleeve to stare at the mark, sure that it would be glowing a hot red...But it wasn't. The circle was just as it had been after it had been marred by his own hand. The circle was broken. It didn't control him. It couldn't. With this simple realization, he felt his tension relax, his thoughts settle. He was still unnerved, but now it was more from his reaction to Sarah's news than the news itself. He hadn't realized such fear lived in him. Hatred, yes. Anger, definitely. But choking, drowning fear? The feeling was gone now for the most part and had lasted only a few seconds, but it made him wonder what else he hadn't realized about himself.
Kasen had taken several paces away from the car as he'd fought down his growing apprehensions, but he found himself back there now, standing just outside. The driver side door was still open and the car was still running. He snorted at the idea of how he must have looked.
'So they know. So what? I'll just have to be more careful,' he thought. Hate had absorbed the initial panic now and that had been something he'd gotten used to controlling with careful and meticulous reason. He didn't get back in the car, but he looked to Sarah.
"Ok," he said, thinking back. "Considering you told me, I'm going to assume you didn't also tell them."
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Post by Eve Vardell on Nov 7, 2012 16:33:40 GMT -5
Eve slowly unbuckled her seat belt as she watched Kasen go through his silent meltdown. She had no idea what was going through his head. Had half a thought that she should be making a run back toward the main street while she had the chance, in case his rage at the cult boiled over onto her. Her hand twitched toward the door, but she didn't get out.
Running tended to make people chase you.
She barely let herself breath, and her lungs were burning when he finally decided to speak. She let out a quiet breath of relief.
"They summoned the Erlking, were kidnapping people. And what they did to you..." She trailed off. Licked her lips, shook her head faintly. "No reason to think she was even telling the truth, right?" She paused again and looked him over; his volatile reaction still had her on edge, but she forced herself to ask: "What are you gonna do?"
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Nov 7, 2012 22:34:16 GMT -5
Kasen leaned against the car, uncertain if he wanted to get back in. Irrationally he wanted to be angry with Sarah, as if she were one of them. As if merely speaking with his enemy had tainted her and made her one as well... But she'd warned him instead of keeping her encounter secret. They offered her freedom from her curse and she'd chosen the nobler road. He sighed, energy suddenly drained out of him. He wanted to just sit and sleep, find peace in unconsciousness... But sitting in the freezing slush probably wasn't the best thing to do. And the car was still on.
He slid back into the driver's seat, closing the door behind him. He looked at Sarah, but only briefly when he realized she was even more nervous than before. He sighed, shaking his head and looking out through the windshield, through the snow and the darkness, and out into the past.
"Did I tell you why I'm looking for this Cult? I can't remember anymore," he said quietly. "Five years ago life was going well for me. I had a decent job, friends... family. I was up for promotion. I was going to propose to my girlfriend of forever..." The thought of her brought a sad smile to his lips just for a moment. "It was all going good... until it wasn't. Turns out my little brother cared about power more than he cared about family. He joined that demon worshiping Cult and to prove himself to them -or maybe just because he wanted to- he used the magic he learned from them to take control of me."
He pulled up his sleeve to show the worried kid the circle of burned flesh on his arm. "You showed me yours, so I guess I'll show you mine," he replied, but the humor didn't quite make it to his voice. He leaned back against the seat again. "He controlled me through this, I think. Made me do things. Unspeakable things... Honestly I don't remember all of that time and most of what I do remember is just pieces and flashes, but a lot of what I do recall is... terrifying. Unforgivable. And it was the Cult that orchestrated those things. Snatching people and turning them into Puppets, summoning ghostly armies, spying, murder... These people have gotten away with so much."
He looked at Sarah, hazel eyes calm but serious. "I don't know if they could cure you or not, but I do know that they wouldn't. There's no gain it that for them. You should get out while you can. Before they mess you up too." He twisted the steering wheel idly and glared out into the night. "As for me... I've got to do something. Whether they know I'm around or not. I've got to-"
Kill them? Destroy them?
"-stop them. I'll think of something."
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Post by Eve Vardell on Nov 9, 2012 21:24:16 GMT -5
She shivered as she stared down at the mark on his arm. At least her own tattoo, as much as she hated it, had been imprinted on her by choice. His slashed circle, the symbol of his curse and imprisonment, reminded her more of the ragged white scar on her shoulder. Except Eve had never really had it in her to hate the person who had done this to her. It had destroyed her life, but it hadn't been the man's fault, any more than her own crimes (the wolf's crimes) had been hers. But the people who'd done this to Kasen... what his brother had done... that had been deliberate. Malicious.
He was right; people like that would never have saved her, even if they could. Even if it would've worked...
It would have worked...
...She didn't want any help they could've offered her.
She took a moment to push a strand of hair out of her eyes, carefully repositioning it so that it smoothed down evenly behind her ear. She needed to process. She needed to figure out where to go from here.
But after a long and drawn out silence, all she could come up with was, "Ok, then we'll think of something."
Not because Eve was brave or noble, or fancied herself some kind of hero. Just because... honestly, where else was she going to go?
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Nov 9, 2012 23:06:18 GMT -5
Kasen's head tipped to the side and he looked at the girl in the passenger seat. "We? You still want to be involved with this mess?" he questioned, surprised.
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Post by Eve Vardell on Nov 10, 2012 11:23:01 GMT -5
She shrugged faintly.
"Well, it's not like I can just step out, you know? They came to me, they expect me to report to them. They don't exactly seem like they'd be too friendly to people that don't listen to them. I mean, who knows, maybe they'll let me run, shrug it off. Maybe I'm not important enough to bother with. But I'll always be wondering if tomorrow's the day they'll decide to catch me and set an example. I already have enough living looking over my shoulder with Hunters like Molly."
Even if she did want to bolt, this wasn't just Kasen's problem anymore.
"Besides," She offered a smile that was more steady than she felt, finally flicking her gaze back toward him, "even if they're not willing to help me, this has got to be one of the biggest legitimate magical operations I've ever seen. Who knows, maybe I'll stumble across an amulet or something that'll actually work for me once we take them down."
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Post by Kasen Rowe on Nov 10, 2012 21:07:32 GMT -5
Kasen set his jaw and nodded stiffly. "I'm sorry you had to get involved with this. You've got your own stuff to deal with and now you've stumbled into mine as well," he replied. He hesitated a moment, then shifted the car into drive and started them rolling forward. "But they say two heads are better than one, right? An ex-Puppet and a wolf-girl. They won't stand a chance. Next stop: Riverton, Wyoming." -.-.-.-.-.-.-.- Continued in Daylight Fading
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