ic The Iron Tongue of Midnight (IC)

[Gizmo]

As the young man in the long black coat, beaten fedora and concealing sunglasses strode purposefully through Lantern Hill, it looked at first as though he would walk right by the Parkhurst Hotel, ignoring just as everyone else did. Instead, however, it seemed he was only traveling further up the street to get a better lay of the land around the apparently decrepit building before returning to its entrance. Trevor Hunter was quite so susceptible to the subtle suggestion of apathy rolling off of the building as the average person and he had taken pains to make sure he was in the right place. Without further pause, he knocked three times on the door, solid and sure.

[Aoiroo]

There was no sound of footsteps but there was a shadow, Etain didn't hear the knock but was immediately notified by the ghosts. Really notified, almost drowned, she was a bit startled by the spectors sudden arrival in front of her as she drifted underwater but dove up to the surface to get a breath then redove so she could push the hair out of her face and slick it back as she stepped out of the pool. It was cold in the house outside of the heated waters, but she had a towel ready at the edge. She dried herself and the colorful one piece off for a minute before slipping on the base dress for the outfit she had worn today at the school. It was a few minutes before she got to the door and she did so drying her hair with the same towel. She lightly turned the nob after glancing through the hole and stepped back as the door swung open and slammed into the inside wall,

"At some point we may need to get that fixed."

She turned her attention to the taller boy in the dark clothing,

"Good evening,"

She looked him over for a few seconds,

"Trevor was it?"

[Gizmo]

Trevor's didn't even blink at the sudden and startling opening of the door, despite the wait between his knocking and Etain's arrival. He was well aware how long it could take to reach a given entrance on a large home. "Etain Maher," he intoned with a subtle inclination on his head, his gravely baritone making it difficult to tell whether that was an observation or a greeting. Between Eve's account and the Claremont Academy records he'd borrowed, the dark haired engineer had had a fairly good idea of what to expect of the young woman, and even if magic always unsettled his analytical nature he certainly didn't show any overt reaction to her or the hotel outwardly.

Taking a few beats longer than was likely strictly polite to fix her with an appraising look before he spoke again, Trevor finally continued, "Have a mutual acquaintance to discuss." A small gesture of his hand from the wrist asked permission to enter Parkhurst.

[Aoiroo]

"Eve, am I correct."

She didn't wait for an answer before turning around,

"Of course you may come in."

When Trevor cleared the doorway it swung shut just as fast shaking the frame a little before settling. She led him past the hallway to the first door to the immediate right and opened it normally leading to a large rec room. There was an entertainment center along with some basic if not a bit antique in style living room furniture lined up in front of it. Behind that there was a pool table set up. The walls had several different paintings, most of them however were impressionist landscapes and portraits provided by Rene De Saens which was evident by the signiture on each one.

Etain sat herself on the larger couch, and gestured for Trevor to find a seat as well. While he moved a spector of a women floated down from the ceiling,

"Ohh, is this the young man Joe spotted."

Etain smiled at the woman in the older maid outfit,

"It is indeed, he is an aquaintance of an aquaintance and he means no harm I can assure you."

The female phantom nodded and smiled as she looked over the young man in black then back at Etain,

"Would either of you like some tea?"

"That would be lovely, thank you Millie."

The spector smiled then floated past them through the furniture and into the far wall. Etain turned her attention from that back to Trevor,

"Local ghosts of the manor, all very nice people."

[Gizmo]

Trevor wasn't surprised to find the inside of the hotel in much better repair than its exterior appearance might have led him to believe. Etain's school documents had suggested a talent for illusory magics. That didn't make the jarring mental acrobatics of resolving the enforced discrepancy any less unpleasant, however, and the implications of such abilities naturally made him more wary of his surroundings and his hostess.

He grunted a flat affirmation as he followed the petite girl into the building, taking a seat on the edge of a high backed chair when she indicated that he should do so. Trevor's posture remained perfectly upright but with the fluidity of a trained athlete, while his oval sunglasses did little to dull the intensity of his gaze. "Coffee is you have it. Otherwise fine. Thank you, ma'am," he addressed the phantasm with considerably more cordiality than he'd displayed so far. Whatever else might be said about him, the stoic young man was evidently not inconsiderate of the help.

Turning his attention back to Etain, he leaned forward slightly, steepling his fingers before him. "So."

[Aoiroo]

The spector nodded that this was the case before she completely disappeared. Etain crossed her legs and looked at the dark haired boy. She had heard a bit from Eve about him, about his good tactical skills and a little bit about the relationship he had with Erin White. None of them really told her much about him now, he was very composed, if not wary. He reminded her of John a bit, though he seemed far more comfortable in his role as an observer,

"So, you are curious about me, or should I say about me and Eve."

She smiled at him her warm smile,

"I could not say I found this completely unexpected, though I must admit I thought one of her family members may of tried to do so before an immediate friend though that may be telling of how very close you two are. But before I get into that, would you indulge my curiosity as to what it is you have already found out about myself."

She kept her smile, she was curious. He probably did a bit of research to have found this place as out of the way as it was, or he talked to Morgan. Which was possible as well, though it meant that the other boy forgot to mention the way around the wards.

[Gizmo]

Trevor didn't comment on observation about family, though he did make a silent note that the curly haired young woman across from him was evidently capable of astute observation. "Read your school records," he responded to her direct request simply. If she didn't already know what was in those files, he wasn't going to tell her, nor did she need to know just how he'd gained access. Unlike some accomplished investigators and detectives, he rarely bothered to explain his methods. "Asked around." Etain's particular fashion sense had made it relatively simple to narrow down the places she frequented. At that point, he'd subtly inquired amongst the locals to learn of any odd going-ons or residents. He's collected quite a list, some of which he would actually have to look into more thoroughly later, but there had been one address absolutely no one had had anything to say about whatsoever.

Granted, he could have much more easily arrived at her dormitory at the Academy itself, but that had seemed somehow inappropriate. All told, this way had given him considerably greater insight into his hostess than he would have had otherwise. He'd also thought to catch her a little more by surprise, but he supposed that he calm demeanor in the face of an unexpected visitor was a point in her favour. For now, he was silent while he gave her the chance to react to his terse reply.

[Aoiroo]

She maintained her smile,

"Yes, the school does have open records on myself, as well as some observations about what I can do. Then again, I do stand out I suppose."

She was well aware of that, she often got comments on her clothing, usually they were positive. One time she wandered around the theatre district and people stopped and took pictures thinking she was in one of the local plays. It was rather amusing the whole thing,

"But really, what is printed and observed by others really gives a incomplete picture, so here you are."

She let that comment hanging in the air as Millie reappeared with a tray of both a plastic coffee pot and a ceramic tea kettle with matching cups along the tray along with some very nice silver spoons and cream and sugar. The spector set them on the table and Etain thanked her with a smile before she disappeared again. She poured herself some tea with the creme and sugar and let Trevor take care of his own drink. She only spoke again when she started stirring in the sugar,

"I would like to inform you, that while I do enjoy Eve's company, I cannot make any promises in regards to her. It is has nothing to do with Eve herself, it is simply that I am currently living in this city on very unusual circumstances that restrict me to an extent."

[Gizmo]

The brow that arched over Trevor's nearly opaque sunglasses suggested that he was more surprised than angry at what couldn't possibly have been what he wanted to hear. The black clad visitor was silent for several long moments as he considered Etain's unexpected but brutally honest statement from multiple angles. It was that honesty that prevented an immediate and potentially regrettable response; it wasn't phrased as an excuse but at the same time he found the matter-of-fact tone irksome given the subject. Finally, leaving the delivered coffee untouched in front of him, he simply demanded in a soft, even baritone, "Explain."

[Aoiroo]

She watched the eyebrows go up, and the tone in the voice. Meeting his gaze for the first time she lost the smile she usually held as she picked up the cup and took a testing sip before setting it down again.

"Well there are parts of this that I am not allowed to say, but I suppose it has a lot to do with the fact that I am a bit displaced,"

Reaching down she added another spoonful of sugar,

"I have informed Eve of this, though I do not think she fully understands. My current placement in this realm is something of a contractual one. This puts me in a position where I am not sure how long I will be residing here. As such, I cannot actually make promises that involve a definite time involvement. Like say a relationship."

[Gizmo]

Trevor made a small sound in the back of his throat to indicate comprehension as Etain elaborated on the uncertain nature of her continued presence. Like his own visit to Earth-XX, dimensional travel tended to come with a bungee-like return trip as an individual's natural state reasserted itself and sent them back to their native plane. Whether or not that was specifically what was happening in the illusionist's case, the general principle seemed to still apply. "Displaced from somewhere you wish to return to or or not?" he asked with the same even calm.

[Aoiroo]

She let out a silent breath as she picked up the cup again and took another sip. Looking at the boy who seemed seemed to have some comprehension of the situation without much elaboration she spoke again, the smile not returning,

"Well that is something I am not entirely certain of."

She set down the cup and looked at him,

"What I am certain of is that travel between is very, restricted. If not for the very unusual circumstance of my original stay in the first place, I doubt it would be likely I would be allowed to stay as long as I have. The simple truth is that it is not my choice to make."

Keeping her steady gaze she thought back to Demetrius for an instant before she occupied herself back to her tea.

[Gizmo]

Trevor raised a single hand in a polite gesture of forestallment as his hostess continued. "Hypothetically," he persisted, the steady calm of his tone making it more difficult to perceive the new undercurrent of understanding patience. Slightly more subtle was the steely quality just below that which suggested he was unlikely to go anywhere until he received a more definitive answer. "If it was your choice. Here or there." It was perhaps unfair to put Etain on the spot in such a manner, but he was attempting to make it as simple a question as possible, setting aside for a moment issues of consequence or difficulty.

[Aoiroo]

Etain thought about it for a second while she continued to sip down her tea. The cup was halfway empty by the time she put it down to speak, and she looked at Trevor a little bit to the side,

"It is something I have considered hypothetically and if I did have a choice, I would not want to have to choose."

She pushed a strand of hair back from her face,

"This realm is very, welcoming, I suppose. Even though it has features which are less then friendly to my continued occupance, the people themselves usually prove nothing less then incredibly kind. However, the other realm, it is my home. I cannot help but miss it, miss the people who raised me and the friends I made there as well."

[Gizmo]

"Hnn. Indecisive." Trevor's voice was a evenly modulated as ever, but that intoned word was notably weighted with disapproval. In retrospect it was clear that either choice would have been better received than choosing not to choose, but Etain's unapologetic honesty at least mitigated any rebuke. "Come to decision, let me know," he continued, finally reaching forward to pick up the cup of coffee in front of him and straightening from his inclined posture. It was difficult to tell with his stilted mannerism, but it sounded like an offer of assistance as much as anything. "Meanwhile... You need to speak to Eve. Make her understand, if she doesn't." Not much typically got by the petite acrobat, but this was obviously different.

[Aoiroo]

"Yes, I am very indecisive, but I am only seventeen."

She took another sip,

"Me missing my home, wanting to be able to visit my home even if I am fond of this realm as well, it cannot be that unnatural."

It did not sound unnatural, she had heard of several other displaced children who were placed at Claremont and were unable to find their way back to their own dimension. Though as with most of them, there was a good reason why she couldn't return home and why travel there was limited in the first place.

"Yes, I will have too, it is a difficult subject, but I will try to make her understand that I cannot be sure for now. I never let a false word escape my lips so I will let you know that I do care for Eve, and that I do not wish to hurt her but I cannot promise that such a thing will not happen, even if it is not intentional."

[Gizmo]

Trevor made a short, derisive sound into his coffee cup that indicated he was dismissing age as an acceptable excuse out of hand. "Not unnatural. Difficult position," he agreed flatly as he lowered the cup again. "Can't feasibly do both, however. Letting others dictate the outcome for you is unacceptable. Difficult or not, deciding sooner gives more time to ensure preferred outcome." On one hand, it was a coolly rational way of looking at the situation, but there was a definite emotional component to his insistence that if the situation was out of the girl's control, she needed to take that control back.

[Aoiroo]

She set down her cup and examined the boy for a second, she leaned forward putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands. He seemed to have a rather good grasp of his emotions, she had a very difficult time reading him. Most teenagers weren't like that, especially her friends, even John was very poor at hiding how he was feeling. It was strange, but not the strangest thing about this whole thing,

"Well, that is a good observation, if not for the simple fact that the decision itself is literately one that is something that cannot be decided by myself."

She let out a sigh, she had yet to really tell anybody this,

"Travel to this world is restricted if not impossible without a heavy price. My price was my actual ability to choose whether I am to remain in this realm."

[Gizmo]

At that both of Trevor's eyebrows rose above the top of his oval shaped sunglasses, before he tipped the brim of his fedora back slightly from his eyes to regard the illusionist more frankly, loosing a few locks of dark bangs. He was silent for a judicious beat, and then another, finally speaking, "Assume you had a good reason to agree to that. Otherwise... not very smart." If up until now he had been observably reserving judgement, it was clear now that he was trying very hard not to assume the worst at this latest piece of information. Presumably Etain must have had the most dire of motivations for willingly placing herself in such an unenviable position, but the young man had some difficulty imaging what situation would necessitate said bargain. He paused once more, giving the girl the opportunity to either explain herself or shift the discussion, as she liked.

[Aoiroo]

"Well yes, the situation was a bit complicated,"

She poured herself some more tea as she had emptied the cup and began the ritual of adding cream and sugar all over again,

"I was, an escort, for a traveler to our realm."

She stirred the tea a bit,

"I counterpaid a contract so he may return to his home, and that payment was that he would have to grant me permission to return. However, in his current state, he cannot."

[Gizmo]

Trevor rumbled briefly in a baritone sound of understanding touched by approval. "Mhn. Protecting another, then. Fair enough." That did put things into much clear perspective; leaping atop the proverbial grenade certainly made little sense bereft of context. The matter-of-fact manner in which Etain related the situation recommended her to him in particular. It young illusionist had neither become defensive nor expectant of praise, but rather rankly conveyed the particulars of an unfortunate situation of which she'd attempted to make the best. "Coma?" he hazarded with regard to her indisposed escortee.

[Aoiroo]

She watched his expression and was a little relieved that there was no condensention in his voice. He was clearly close to Eve so she didn't want to disappoint him terribly even if she herself did not know him very well. Though her eyebrows went up when he guessed she set down the cup,

"I don't know how common this is, or if that was just a guess in the dark, but yes he is in fact in one. This really is the cause of the uncertianty. There are two conditions to my returning, one being him granting promission to do so, the other being well, death. Which, while he currently stable, it is hard to say whether he may stay so and for how long."

[Gizmo]

"Educated guess," Trevor clarified with a subtle gesture of his shoulders that could be extrapolated as a shrug. "Your phrasing - 'current state' - suggested coma, death, possibly brain damage. Latter two would have been more clearly permanent, removed uncertainty, so." From his use of nearly complete sentences, it seemed he was slowly warming to the eccentrically dressed girl, though it was admittedly difficult to really tell. The dark haired young man considered the new information for a few moments before further inquiring, "If... 'permission' was given, returning here would be difficult?"

[Aoiroo]

"The doctors suspect brain damage, the arrival was less then opportune in placement and he loss a lot of blood because of it."

She looked at her tea and stirring it absently,

"That is very likely."

She let out a breath before glancing up and meeting the dark glasses reflection back at her,

"It is not a choice I would be able to make lightly. I may have to pay a price, I am not exactly sure what it would be the second time around and it could be literately anything as it would not be something I choose."

[Gizmo]

Trevor's lips set in thin line at that, brow furrowing slightly in the shadow of his fedora's brim. "Suspicious," he noted aloud as he considered the emerging details of Etain's case. "Party who dictated terms of trip also dictated point of arrival? Unlikely to be an accident." It sounded very much like whichever force or being was behind these inane rules was not playing fair whatsoever and that as much as anything else about the petite illusionist's story got Trevor's hackles up - though naturally he showed little outward sign of it.