CHARACTERS: distinctive_guy and [OPEN] DATE: Sept 01 (Day 8, night) RATING: General, maybe a bit of violence SUMMARY: Eliot's working off some energy in the training hall, anyone want to join?
It isn't that Bellatrix felt she needed it, but a visit to the training hall at least sounded as though it would have the potential to serve as an outlet for her pent up aggression. It wouldn't do for her to get a reputation for hexing people or setting fire to things out of annoyance.
The offerings of the hall, however, she found to be distinctly lacking for her tastes. Obviously when it was labelled as a place for training, it was never meant to be for magical training. Would she be forced to resort to duelling Lucius and Draco for practise? She could only hope not.
Being the sort to let her bigotry allow her to leap to all sorts of generally incorrect conclusions about the worth of people without magical ability, one look at the man was all it took to convince Bellatrix that he would be unable to help her in her endeavours. But still, for a Muggle, he looked to be a capable sort. She decided ultimately that this one would be worth observing, if nothing else. Taking up a lean against the wall, she watched him go through his
( ... )
Eliot noticed he gained an audience at about the same time the lady walked in, but hearing the footsteps stop only at the doorway, he didn't try to encourage conversation until after he finished his current round with the the bag. It was a draw anyway, both of them were still standing.
He turned around to face her as he gave his opponent, the sandbag, a friendly slap on the back. When he realized she was a looker though, very lovely waves in that long onyx hair, he widened his grin and laid on his drawl a bit more. "Can I help ya with something, darlin'?"
Her dark gaze swept him up and down once more now that he was facing her. Unlike many of those she consorts with, she's not oblivious to when she's earned someone's attentions. "Perhaps."
She withdrew her wand, cocking her head to one side and peering toward the sandbag. "Bellatrix Lestrange. I had been hoping to find some place to practise my skills." A flick of her wrist and a point of the nearly thirteen inch length of walnut, and the chain bolted to the ceiling simply snapped, and the bag dropped from the ceiling with a heavy whump!
To Eliot's credit, he managed to not completely freak out by the little display and move out of the way before the bag fell on his leg or something similarly bad. When he turned back to the lady though, his cold glare was a lot more pronounced than his honeyed charm.
"You found the wrong guy. I'm not into that sorta thing." He eyed stick in her hand suspiciously. He wasn't worried yet, but he was more than wary at this point. Giving the fallen bag an emphatic kick, he carried on accusingly, "Not to mention, you just destroyed a perfectly good punchin' bag."
Muggles are so cute when they're upset. "Relax. I've no need to cast hexes or curses on you." She was well aware of her own skill in that department. It isn't as though Muggles know counter-curses or protection charms. There's no sport in it. For the time being.
"It's not destroyed," Bellatrix insisted. She pointed her wand again and spoke as if commanding the fallen bag. "Reparo!" The bag stood up again and reconnected with the chain of seemingly its own volition. "There, you see? Good as new. I was only demonstrating. I felt it only fair, being as how I was watching you."
As Eliot watched 100lbs of dead weight float up and reconnect to a chain that snapped in an equally mystifying effect, he decided he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Wasn't sure how he should be reacting to it either. But it was enough to allow some of his glare to tone down for a mellower version of annoyance to glitter in its stead.
"That's a handy ability," he allowed when he determined she wasn't here as a threat to him. "But I dunno what sort of practice facility you'd need for those skills."
She smiled, pleased with the compliment. Because having a handy ability, and having it acknowledged, is a compliment. Though that his distrust didn't fade entirely wasn't lost on her.
"I doubt I'll find anything that will suit my needs around this place." Bellatrix pursed her lips in annoyance, but she let it pass. "What is your name?" The wand was tucked away again inside of her sleeve.
Although it didn't make any sense to feel better, Eliot did when he saw the long wooden stick -wand- disappear into her sleeve. He relaxed enough to pull back a rueful grin, but not enough to turn his back on the lady no matter how much he wanted a drink to wet his drying throat.
"Eliot," he supplied, then berating himself for his reaction and held out his hand for a shake. "Should've introduced myself earlier, but your... skill caught me off guard. People don't do that where I came from."
Bellatrix only hesitated a moment before taking his outstretched hand to shake. "Oh, I'm sure they do, Eliot. We just don't let on. In this place, however... I haven't got any ministry to tell me I shouldn't be showing how I can be of use. Practising magic in secret around here seems rather silly."
She looked about the room again as if taken with a sudden curiosity about her surroundings. "How long have you been here? The island, I mean. Not this room."
Eliot arched his eyebrows skeptically but decided it was smarter to not verbally disagree with a woman who could snap sandbag chains without touching them, at least not until absolutely necessary. He released her hand from his larger one and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Came with the first group of'em," he chose to respond to the safer topic, "That'd be seven day cycles ago. I take it you came in with the second tide?"
Bellatrix nodded. "By my best estimates, I've been here at least three... cycles as you put it." Her posture shifted then, the air of superiority draining from her some and suddenly she seemed more vulnerable. "My magic has been of no use to me when it comes to finding a means of escape. I'm assuming you've had no better luck, but..."
Eyes downcast for a moment, Bella seemed to indulge in a moment of quiet despair. Then she looked up at Eliot again through a dark fan of lashes. "What do you know of these escape tokens?"
Eliot studied the woman briefly and read into her vulnerability as an honest emotion, which, in turn, allowed him to be a little more honest himself. "I haven't seen any," he admitted, but not outright dismissing their existence.
"If they're around, they're scarce and high in demand." Because Bellatrix looked so pitiful for a moment, Eliot found himself adding gently, "Anyone who'd have any wouldn't be too forthcomin' about them either."
Eliot's reassurances caused Bella to smile faintly. "It's not just for me, you see," she explains, voice finding some strength again. "My nephew, Draco, he's been trapped here as well. Longer than I have. His father arrived here just before I did, so it isn't as though he is alone, but my sister... She must be worried just sick about the both of them."
Wide eyed, she leaned close to Eliot, as if to really drive home her sincerity. Though Bellatrix's particular brand of wide-eyed sincerity tends to resemble mania. "I have to find a way to send them both home."
Except Eliot had seen too many desperate people in his life to fear its cause. Especially not when the reason raised such sympathetic pangs with his own situation. "There'd be a way," he reassured softly, hating himself for not promising anything because he wasn't sure he could deliver either.
He lifted the corners of his lips a bit and tried to look sympathetic. It wasn't that hard if he waylaid the magic and remember she was a depressed woman. "Why don't ya let me clean up here and we can take a walk outside?"
"I hope you're right," Bellatrix murmured, finally lifting her head and straightening up to her full height again after a deep, calming breath. One side of her mouth tugged upward in a small smirk at his offer. "Fresh air does sound like a good idea. Thank you, Eliot."
Eliot returned an easy smile and walked across the small training area to where he left his stuff. He didn't bring much, a towel, a water bottle, a change of clothes and some gear. He threw first over his shoulder and took a long drink from the second.
"Bella -may I call you that?- I'm gonna take a quick shower and be right out. Can you give me ten minutes? I don't think you'll get much fresh air from me before then." He had been working out for a while before she dropped by.
The offerings of the hall, however, she found to be distinctly lacking for her tastes. Obviously when it was labelled as a place for training, it was never meant to be for magical training. Would she be forced to resort to duelling Lucius and Draco for practise? She could only hope not.
Being the sort to let her bigotry allow her to leap to all sorts of generally incorrect conclusions about the worth of people without magical ability, one look at the man was all it took to convince Bellatrix that he would be unable to help her in her endeavours. But still, for a Muggle, he looked to be a capable sort. She decided ultimately that this one would be worth observing, if nothing else. Taking up a lean against the wall, she watched him go through his ( ... )
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He turned around to face her as he gave his opponent, the sandbag, a friendly slap on the back. When he realized she was a looker though, very lovely waves in that long onyx hair, he widened his grin and laid on his drawl a bit more. "Can I help ya with something, darlin'?"
Reply
She withdrew her wand, cocking her head to one side and peering toward the sandbag. "Bellatrix Lestrange. I had been hoping to find some place to practise my skills." A flick of her wrist and a point of the nearly thirteen inch length of walnut, and the chain bolted to the ceiling simply snapped, and the bag dropped from the ceiling with a heavy whump!
"It appears I've found you instead."
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"You found the wrong guy. I'm not into that sorta thing." He eyed stick in her hand suspiciously. He wasn't worried yet, but he was more than wary at this point. Giving the fallen bag an emphatic kick, he carried on accusingly, "Not to mention, you just destroyed a perfectly good punchin' bag."
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"It's not destroyed," Bellatrix insisted. She pointed her wand again and spoke as if commanding the fallen bag. "Reparo!" The bag stood up again and reconnected with the chain of seemingly its own volition. "There, you see? Good as new. I was only demonstrating. I felt it only fair, being as how I was watching you."
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"That's a handy ability," he allowed when he determined she wasn't here as a threat to him. "But I dunno what sort of practice facility you'd need for those skills."
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"I doubt I'll find anything that will suit my needs around this place." Bellatrix pursed her lips in annoyance, but she let it pass. "What is your name?" The wand was tucked away again inside of her sleeve.
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"Eliot," he supplied, then berating himself for his reaction and held out his hand for a shake. "Should've introduced myself earlier, but your... skill caught me off guard. People don't do that where I came from."
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She looked about the room again as if taken with a sudden curiosity about her surroundings. "How long have you been here? The island, I mean. Not this room."
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"Came with the first group of'em," he chose to respond to the safer topic, "That'd be seven day cycles ago. I take it you came in with the second tide?"
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Eyes downcast for a moment, Bella seemed to indulge in a moment of quiet despair. Then she looked up at Eliot again through a dark fan of lashes. "What do you know of these escape tokens?"
Reply
"If they're around, they're scarce and high in demand." Because Bellatrix looked so pitiful for a moment, Eliot found himself adding gently, "Anyone who'd have any wouldn't be too forthcomin' about them either."
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Wide eyed, she leaned close to Eliot, as if to really drive home her sincerity. Though Bellatrix's particular brand of wide-eyed sincerity tends to resemble mania. "I have to find a way to send them both home."
Reply
He lifted the corners of his lips a bit and tried to look sympathetic. It wasn't that hard if he waylaid the magic and remember she was a depressed woman. "Why don't ya let me clean up here and we can take a walk outside?"
Reply
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"Bella -may I call you that?- I'm gonna take a quick shower and be right out. Can you give me ten minutes? I don't think you'll get much fresh air from me before then." He had been working out for a while before she dropped by.
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