Uncanny Sensations (for Rudy StJohn)

[splitseam]

Meditation? Eye of the storm? Rudy should've guessed when he found out the girl was an elf that she'd also be a crazy hippie chick. Nevertheless he listened to what she said with feigned interest, and when she finished he went quiet and closed his eyes.
He lolled his head back a fraction, as if trying to find the state of meditation she was talking about. He made a humming noise, but then his black eyes snapped back open and his head jumped back forward.

"Nope, I don't feel it." He told her. "Meditation. Nah. Tried medication too. That did nothing neither. Whaddaya gunna do, eh?"

He made a funny sort of movement, shifting repeatedly in the seat from one position to another as though he couldn't get comfortable, and eventually settled. Then he looked at Seyenna again.
"'f I get sick of people movin'," He began again without much warning, "I find th' best method is to just make 'em stop. Movin', that is."

With another glance at the passing mortals, he added,
"You got to prefer the elfish place though, don'tcha? I heard it's proper magical and all shiny and everythink. I'nt that better than this? Th' litter-y streets with th' oilly cars and busses and blocks of flats and offices?"
He'd never been anywhere remotely 'elfish'. He'd seen plenty of elves, in underground places where you got a mix of peoples, but he'd never been to the 'birthland' of the elves. Nuada would probably prefer to keep him at arm's length, he reflected slyly.

[seyennaathenial]

He closed his eyes, rested his head back, and she watched him carefully. To the human observer, it would seem as though he really were looking for peace, or maybe trying to find the state of meditation she had mentioned…but Ennya felt as though he were making fun of her, especially when he made a humming noise, and she blushed.

“It’s not for everyone.” She muttered. “You needn’t make fun of me.” Frowning softly.

"Nope, I don't feel it." He told her. "Meditation. Nah. Tried medication too. That did nothing neither. Whaddaya gunna do, eh?"

“Perhaps that question should be applied to you, as I already know what I am doing.” The lightest trace of a smirk could be seen on those features now. He made fun of her ways of doing things, perhaps she would do evil for evil and see if it got her anywhere!

"'f I get sick of people movin'," He wiggled to and fro, "I find th' best method is to just make 'em stop. Movin', that is."

“Violence…I get the sense that is your answer for everything. Am I incorrect?” She asked, eyes glittering like two marmalade colored gems in the day.

"You got to prefer the elfish place though, don'tcha? I heard it's proper magical and all shiny and everythink. I'nt that better than this? Th' litter-y streets with th' oilly cars and busses and blocks of flats and offices?"

“It is beautiful.” She murmured. “But very sad. I don’t like the sadness. I want to help but I don’t know how without hurting people, so I just stay away.” She murmured softly, honest with him for once.

[splitseam]

Ah, now they were having fun. He was mocking her and now she'd figured out how to poke fun at him. He started grinning again at her responses. Her comment,
'Violence…I get the sense that is your answer for everything. Am I incorrect?'.

What a brave move to make fun of Rudy StJohn, Rudy thought in third person, one that very few dare to make and fewer survive because of it. But
"I like you!" He yelped gleefully, smacking his hands on his knees.

It seemed like a childish act, as though he was excited about a new toy. Then he pointed a skeletal finger in Seyenna's direction.
"You're a hoot. A blast. A barrel of laffs. You know I was plannin' on killin' you after this conversation wuz over," He admitted in conversational tones, "But you're just too much fun for that!"

He seemed to ignore her comment about the elven kingdom, since he didn't understand it, and didn't want to get into what he considered to be 'deep' territory. He was too focused on the conversation at hand.
"You're brave," Rudy went on, counting on his fingers. "You're so wierd, and of course, you're a very, very good lier."
If he was wearing glasses he would have shifted so that he was peering over the top of them, but since he wasn't he just seemed to intensify his gaze.
"You can't be more than half-elf." He stated simply, his smile not only on his mouth but on his eyes.

[seyennaathenial]

Mocking. It was something that had happened in society after society, time after time, and place after place. In every domain imaginable. It was something as ancient as time, and certainly not as uniquely human than everyone would like to think. She knew he could kill her for it, probably would, but she couldn’t help it: it was the only way to deal with the problem.

"I like you!" He said as he smacked his knees, and she was taken back by the action, stepping away from him, brow raised.

“You...like me?” She said, confusion settling over her features. She had been expecting many things, but she had not been expecting this!

"You're a hoot. A blast. A barrel of laffs. You know I was plannin' on killin' you after this conversation wuz over," He said and she shifted uncomfortably, "But you're just too much fun for that!"

“Oh gee well thanks for that.” She muttered sarcastically.

"You're brave," Rudy told her. "You're so wierd, and of course, you're a very, very good lier."

“Liar?” She inquired with the gentle tip of her head, as though she couldn’t possibly know what he meant, even though she did.

"You can't be more than half-elf." He told her with a smile, and she mastered the look of offense that most pure bloods would carry had they been told that.

“That presumption is incorrect and very offensive. I told you of my kin in the Elven realm!” She said, eyes glittering as though in untold rage, although really, the entire thing sort of amused her.

[splitseam]

"Look at that!" Rudy exclaimed, peering at Seyenna's face. "You've even got th' wounded, offended look down!"

He leaned back in his seat.
"Y' might as well give it up, love." He told her. "Y' can't fool ol' Rudy. Just look at ya; sure, you've got elf blood. 'S in yer eyes, I can see it. But look at yer body,"
He inspected her in a way that others might only from afar, his eyes roaming up and down her form.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, there ain't nuthin' wrong with it. I approve."
He gave her a wink that was neither appealing or enticing, but, like everything else about him, repulsive.

"It's in th' way you stand, the way you move. You talk th' talk Miss, but yeh don't walk-the-walk.
It's nothin' anybody walkin' the streets would notice, but when you've been around elves and you've been around humans like Rudy has, you get to pick these things up."

He folded his arms in a gesture of something between pride and defiance and awaited her response to his accusation. He knew he was right, but was the girl going to keep bluffing?

[seyennaathenial]

"Look at that!" Rudy said and she arched a brow of indignation. "You've even got th' wounded, offended look down!"

In her very best, snooty tone, she gathered all of her strength and shot him a glare that would certainly make any human supporters cringe. She hated being an actress, hated playing this part but she couldn’t let anyone know! “That is quite enough.” She said, allowing elven vocals to show through on her tone now. “I think, sir, we should switch topics.”

"Y' might as well give it up, love." He told her. "Y' can't fool ol' Rudy. Just look at ya; sure, you've got elf blood. 'S in yer eyes, I can see it. But look at yer body,"
He inspected her in a way that made her cross her arms over herself protectively.

“I’d rather you not. It’s quite improper.” She murmured, but he continued.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, there ain't nuthin' wrong with it. I approve."
He winked and she growled slightly.

"It's in th' way you stand, the way you move. You talk th' talk Miss, but yeh don't walk-the-walk.
It's nothin' anybody walkin' the streets would notice, but when you've been around elves and you've been around humans like Rudy has, you get to pick these things up."

“And have you been around elves much then, sir?” She murmured again, throwing him off track hopefully. The more she was around him, the more she wanted to protect herself and her secret, and the only way to do that, unfortunately, was to get to know him.

[splitseam]

“And have you been around elves much then, sir?”
It was only a mumble, but Rudy could tell the conversation was truly making his new friend uncomfortable.
Looks like she can dish it out, he thought, but she can't take it.

Deciding to let off the subject for now and follow Seyenna's lead, he raised his arms up and laid his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose.
"A fair few." He replied nonchalantly. "I mix in varied circles, dun I? Only they tend ta get on my nerves after a while, elves, that is."
Although it seemed Seyenna prefered to maintain the ruse that she was wholly elf, Rudy wasn't bothered with such details.

"Think they prance a bit much, you know? They think a lot of 'emselves." He continued. "'Till recently, when I met one elf chap I'm quite fond of. Goes by th' name Nuada." He tilted his head playfully, his eyes not leaving hers. He was back to not blinking. "Don't suppose you've 'eard of 'im?" He asked, fully suspecting that she had. "Now there's a bloke with vision. Ask me, I think more elves should be like 'im."
He was trying to get under her skin again, curious at once response this would provoke.

[seyennaathenial]

She had asked him if he had been around elves much, for she wanted to know exactly what he knew about her family or kin. He seemed entirely relaxed and that upset her more. How could he be so very calm, and she not be? It seemed the more she was around him, the more fascinated she was with him, (as well as slightly appalled,) and her meditative state unwound.

“Have you memorized their actions and their words?” She tipped her face up, allowing him to see the markings on her face that she usually hid with her hair. “Have you been with them so long that they accept you as one of their own? Somehow I doubt it.”

"A fair few." He told her. "I mix in varied circles, dun I? Only they tend ta get on my nerves after a while, elves, that is."

“And when they do, do you finish them off as you do others? Lovely.” She said bitterly.

"Think they prance a bit much, you know? They think a lot of 'emselves." He continued. "'Till recently, when I met one elf chap I'm quite fond of. Goes by th' name Nuada." He said and she stiffened just a bit. Why did that name keep coming up? "Don't suppose you've 'eard of 'im?" He asked, and she smiled forcefully.

“I might have heard the name mentioned a few times, but I have not had the…pleasure…of meeting him.” She spoke slowly, thinking about each syllable she said now, not so cold or bitter. She had to be careful around people who spoke of Nuada. That much she sensed.

"Now there's a bloke with vision. Ask me, I think more elves should be like 'im."

He said and she bit her lip, calming herself. Such a statement did bother her, but she didn’t let him know that.

“And what vision does he speak of?” She inquired, curiously. She had only heard rumors. Now perhaps she would find out if they were true.

[splitseam]

"Oh, yeh know..." Rudy said, waving a hand lazily in the air. "Humans build streets in sacred lands and that. Earth shud be looked after. As I understand it, Nuada wants to remove 'em from the equation."
On 'them' he gestured to the people nearest to them.
"'E's gunna start a war." He practically sang that last bit, though he didn't look joyful.

"It's not my idea of a good time, but he knows where 'e's goin' in life. Tha's what I mean by vision. He knows what he wants, and he's gunna go to the end o' the world ta get it."

He clapped his hands together loudly, apparently for no particular reason.
"Me on the other 'hand, I ain't got a Scooby Doo. I'm just wanderin', I suppose. But Nuada an' I 'ave an agreement, see. He meets someone interestin' that he doesn't want lurkin' around, messin' up his schemes and such, he tells me, and..."
well, she knew by now what came next.
"But don't make it sound like my life's all violence and murder." He said "I also like goin' on long walks, and architecture."

He may have been lying, or teasing her again. If he was it was very hard to tell as he kept his face perfectly serious.

[seyennaathenial]

"Oh, yeh know..." Rudy said. "Humans build streets in sacred lands and that. Earth shud be looked after. As I understand it, Nuada wants to remove 'em from the equation."

She tried to remain perfectly still and calm, though inside her head was aching and her mind was racing. “So the rumors are true then.” She said serenely, even as she felt chaotic inside. “How very interesting.”

"'E's gunna start a war." He said, and she nodded.

“I am aware of that as well. In fact I met a general of his, who was so impressed with my drawing skills he offered me a job.” She said softly. “But I’d rather stay out of the war. I don’t particularly care for them.” She said honestly now.

"It's not my idea of a good time, but he knows where 'e's goin' in life. Tha's what I mean by vision. He knows what he wants, and he's gunna go to the end o' the world ta get it."

“Or end the world as we know it for this vision.” She muttered thoughtfully.

"Me on the other 'hand, I ain't got a Scooby Doo. I'm just wanderin', I suppose. But Nuada an' I 'ave an agreement, see. He meets someone interestin' that he doesn't want lurkin' around, messin' up his schemes and such, he tells me, and..." Seyenna looked to him, knowing what came next and cringed a bit. "But don't make it sound like my life's all violence and murder." He said "I also like goin' on long walks, and architecture."

“Oh really? Well there’s a surprise, if you don’t mind me saying.” She countered him verbally now. “I’d always pinned you as the cold blooded murdering type. Lovely to know you have a soft side.” She said, biting her lip, trying not to laugh now.

[splitseam]

Rudy himself didn't seem to care for the same restrain that Seyenna did, and laughed out loud again. But was he laughing at his own lie, or at her reaction to his truth?

It remained unknown, as he turned the conversation back around again.
"Alright, so Nuada's makin' a mess. I'm over there 'long side 'im. And where are you standin' in all this?" He asked her "Ya don't like wars, so I'd say you'd be against him, would ya?"

He glared at her for her answer. It was hard to say if he was just curious for his opinion, or if he was planning on taking out some potential opposition to his employer.

On a side-thought, Rudy wondered if he would be any good in a war. He weighed up the pros and cons: get to kill -pro- have to use guns -con- get to kill -pro- have to take orders -con...
He chuckled at his own thoughts, which was strange to witness because he seemed to be laughing at nothing.

[seyennaathenial]

He was laughing, and whether it was at her, her restrain or her ideas, she didn’t care. Either way, she hated being laughed at. She let him know by glaring frostily and adding, “And what amuses you, Rudy?” She was also frankly a bit unnerved by his maniacal laughter, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.

"Alright, so Nuada's makin' a mess. I'm over there 'long side 'im. And where are you standin' in all this?" He asked her "Ya don't like wars, so I'd say you'd be against him, would ya?"

He glared at her in return, and she thought about this for a moment, carefully hiding her emotions if she did so. On the one hand, her mother had been human, so she shouldn’t stand by and let them die. On the other hand, she still had great anger in her at her mother for dying. Perhaps the memory of her mother would go away if all the humans…

No, she thought to herself. You can’t think like that! She took a deep breath, shocked at what had actually registered in her brain, even if it was in there for less than a second. Answering him now, she made her decision. “I am as I said I am. Neither for or against him. He is of course the Elven prince, however, and so if he were to ask me to go something, as a citizen of that realm I would most likely obey out of respect.” Her words were carefully thought out and calculated, so that she stated a thought, but didn't get herself into a sticky situation.

[splitseam]

It was hard to judge what Seyenna was thinking. She was pretty good at covering up her expressions, and Rudy had never placed any real value in learning about human emotions and how to diagnose them. So instead he simply waited for her to give an answer.

When she did, he was quite impressed.
"Not bad." He complimented. "Coverin' both sides; you're not supportin' 'im, but you're not an enemy. Smart." However it was another part of what she said that he found to be more interesting.

"A citizen of that realm, are ya?" He narrowed his gaze like a knife. "Not a citizen of this one?" He seemed truly intrigued as to just who this individual thought she was. All this digging was fun, well, it was for now, but it was unknown how much longer the conversation would amuse him for.

He wondered if they were still opperating on the fact that Seyenna said she was a pureblood elf and Rudy was adamant she wasn't. That confused the conversation slightly, but Rudy decided that he liked girls that lied.

[seyennaathenial]

She was trying to cover her tracks, but she sensed it did very little good with him. He commented, "Not bad." At her words, adding. "Coverin' both sides; you're not supportin' 'im, but you're not an enemy. Smart."

“It’s also the truth.” She said with a gentle shrug. “And the truth is very easy to tell. Lying is more complicated. You must always keep your stories straight, and always need a bigger lie to do so, until things get so complicated you break down. It’s why I hardly ever do it.” She told him simply. Today however had been an exception – most of their conversation had been protected lies.

"A citizen of that realm, are ya?" He narrowed his gaze at her but she held firm. She would not give in on this lie. She would NOT. "Not a citizen of this one?"

“I suppose that depends.” She told him more honestly. “I am a well known artist in this realm, but I tend to go by a male name, because back when I was young, it was impossible for women to be acclaimed artists. I prefer the Elven realm however because I feel they don’t have that stereotype when it comes to art.” She explained. It was the truth, in a way. Just not the whole truth.