eloise grace.
dialogue ; #ab9b9d. – thought ; #b97794.
She can see the slight look of pain over Cassie's features as the girl pulls away from them both, and Eloise's eyes narrow slightly at her words, her reaction. Sure, the collision hadn't been gentle by any means, but it seemed to have put her into a sour mood already, or at least from what she can tell as she turns away, walks off. Wasn't she supposed to be the happy-go-lucky type, laidback and extroverted? Why was she acting all moody now? Jesus, girl, what's got your panties in a twist today? You seemed just fine earlier. Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest, whatever, not my problem.
Green hair and eyes are gone, and now all she's left with is pink hair and eyes. Lose one overactive extrovert, and they're immediately replaced, apparently. She's not even sure how to feel about that, but at least this little embarrassment might tone the other girl's active, talkative self down a bit, right?
A look over to the shorter girl, only to see that way too persistent smile stuck on her face. Never mind, to that toning down. Of course that wouldn't happen. "Well, I for one want to get some food and watch Ms. Evers story-telling. If you want, you could join me - who knows, maybe it’ll make this day a little less shit despite you being shoved into a dress?" The girl's laugh rings in her ears, and Eloise isn't sure if she's trying to laugh with her or at her at this point. A light scowl takes her features in a downward curve, and she lets out a huff at that. "Food was the plan anyway, so whatever, it works," comes out muttered. "At this point, the only thing that'll make this day less shit is me getting out of this thing." It's true, really. Getting out of this dress, going back home, it was all she could think of to improve her continuously dampening mood. But she can't, because her 4.0 is sitting on that stage, and she's not about to lose it after enduring these last couple years of hell. Once I graduate, I'll only have to play that damned instrument when I need to.
Shifting lightly in her spot, she glanced around the stands again, before Willow continues her talking, and dull brown eyes settle on her, eyebrow moving upwards slightly. "I know we aren’t really friends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t become them." Friends, huh? Was that what she was seeking out? Silence falls over Eloise for a moment as she thinks. Was it genuine, or just an idea of the moment thing? To her, Willow seemed fairly popular, comfortable with herself and her life, happy. Eloise, instead, was quite disliked by most of those within the campus and college, regarded as unpleasant, too easy to irritate, someone to very much avoid. Them becoming friends just...wouldn't make sense, would it? They were opposites in every which way.
Still, she doesn't have the energy to try and make a scene or get away from the girl, so she just shrugs. Willow could do as she wanted, but she better be prepared to be disappointed.
A sigh and closed eyes, she raises a hand as she opens her mouth to speak, but when she's letting in the light of the day again through her half shut eyelids, she finds that the magenta haired girl has already wandered off, talking to someone at a stand selling desserts. Alright, straight to it then I guess. Mutters her mind, and she shifts around to her bag, trying to find where she'd just shoved her little wallet this time, but she's not even fast enough before a funnel cake is held out in her direction like an offering. Blinking once, she stares at it, and then looks back to the other, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion.
"Eat it while it’s hot - don’t worry, I don’t think anyone will care."
Her hands stop digging into her small satchel at that, grey-brown eyes staring at the dessert as she tries to make sense of it, before dainty hands take hold of the item of food, fingers already getting coated in the powdered sugar layered on top. This was...oddly kind of her. Or maybe it should have been expected, with her personality. Shaking it a bit and letting the sugar flitter off like small flakes of snow, she takes her first small bite, the cake half melting over her tongue, and a small sigh of pleasure leaves her then. It was good, she'd say that; so maybe Willow did have good taste. It's a little mood boost.
"Sorry, I'll pay you for it once I've finished..." Is all she mutters, another small bite taking off a chunk of the dessert. "Thanks for grabbing one for me..."
The quiet settles for a moment as they both eat their fair food, and as sweet as it tastes, Eloise is sure it's unhealthy, but it's what she deserves for being put through this, so she enjoys every overloaded sugar bite. A little of the powdered sugar does end up on her dress in the end too, but she hardly cares; it half blends in with it anyway, the small specks of white in the black fabric mimicking the starry vibe it was probably trying to go for. More personality to it too, in her terms anyway, because rips and wear and tear, distressed looks were common in her wardrobe.
She does eventually finish it off, softly licking the remains of the sugar off her thumbs, and she's nearly about to turn towards the other girl, shove her hands in her own bag again to try and find that cash to give her, but suddenly a weight hits her, goes right through the spot her pendant sits over her chest, and she freezes up, tries to catch her breath. What...was that?
Gaze shifting over to Willow then, they show something akin to panic as the sensation sets in, and before she can reach out or ask for her help, she's sunk to her knees, dress billowing out around her into a black and white puddle on the grass. She can feel the stares of people around them, before the scene before her fades as if it were nothing more than a movie, and in rolls the next.
It's like one after the other, burning into her mind, and while they invade every corner of her vision, it feels like that wall that always kept her from recalling her childhood breaks down. And it breaks down too fast, like a dam of water finally overflowing with that single push, that single drop of rain. Her head aches, burns, as she sees all of it, and her eyes sting soon too. The images, the voices, they're all familiar. Those halls, filled with paintings on the walls and furniture along the edges, a perfect rug down the center, bedrooms filled with beds and desks and books that look like they'd run her wallet dry before she even tried to pay for half of one, servants that bow their heads as she runs past, laughing along with someone- someone important that-
"Valken!" It's her own voice, but higher, younger, "Valken, slow down! Papa- Mama will get mad at us!"
The head of dark hair, the pale skin, wearing something so regal she'd say it looked like a fairy tale prince's. Just as he's about to turn his head, the scene shifts, and she's laying with a man and a woman, warm and kind. The man's hand is gently running through her hair, careful and soothing, and the woman is looking down at her, warm smile as she keeps hold of one of Eloise's far too small hands.
"Oh little Euphemia..." The woman whispers, softly pressing her lips to her forehead. "Isn't it time for our little princess to be brave enough in her own room? Mom and dad are only across the hall from you, and Valken is right beside you in the other. There's nothing to be afraid of, darling, they're just bad dreams."
The man's voice comes through next, just as kind, just as warm, "would you like Raulus to sleep at your bedside tonight? He'll keep you warm, Euphemia, and safe. No one would try and fight one of my wolves, you know that."
Again it fades, and flashing by are all the different memories that she had dug for her whole life, an abrupt unraveling that she can't even control, before finally it settles on the finale, and she finds herself in a different place that she hadn't seen through all of those, half collapsed on the floor with the pain of death and grief tearing at her, ripping down her mind, while the cries, fear, terror, fill the room. Again, there's that boy, and he's standing in front of her once more, but instead of playing, running, he has his feet planted over the ground, a glaive drawn at his side and pointed at someone in the darkened shadows of the room. "Stay there, Euphemia! I'll keep you safe, I won't let her hurt you!"
His voice makes her heart shatter, her chest tighten and her building tears finally pool over. Finally, he looks over, and she finds her own eyes locking with those brilliant, fierce blue ones, terrified but determined to protect...her. Euphemia, not Eloise. Euphemia. And that was Valken, the face and voice she'd so yearned to remember all these years, her...
Her brother.
The vision ends, and just like a movie it goes dark for a moment, silent, before a new scene rolls in. Reality, or was it? She stares blankly at the area around her, the ongoing fair and the people who either walk past her without a care, or nervously wonder if they should step in, make sure she's okay. How long had she been sitting here like this? How long had those visions lasted? What was...who was...who was she?
Taking in a trembling breath, she moved her arms around herself in some sort of self-comforting hug, trying to stabilize her emotions, trying to reground her wild mind, before looking to the girl that she had just been with, as if she might even know what had just happened, if she had even experienced the same thing Eloise...Euphemia? just had.
Green hair and eyes are gone, and now all she's left with is pink hair and eyes. Lose one overactive extrovert, and they're immediately replaced, apparently. She's not even sure how to feel about that, but at least this little embarrassment might tone the other girl's active, talkative self down a bit, right?
A look over to the shorter girl, only to see that way too persistent smile stuck on her face. Never mind, to that toning down. Of course that wouldn't happen. "Well, I for one want to get some food and watch Ms. Evers story-telling. If you want, you could join me - who knows, maybe it’ll make this day a little less shit despite you being shoved into a dress?" The girl's laugh rings in her ears, and Eloise isn't sure if she's trying to laugh with her or at her at this point. A light scowl takes her features in a downward curve, and she lets out a huff at that. "Food was the plan anyway, so whatever, it works," comes out muttered. "At this point, the only thing that'll make this day less shit is me getting out of this thing." It's true, really. Getting out of this dress, going back home, it was all she could think of to improve her continuously dampening mood. But she can't, because her 4.0 is sitting on that stage, and she's not about to lose it after enduring these last couple years of hell. Once I graduate, I'll only have to play that damned instrument when I need to.
Shifting lightly in her spot, she glanced around the stands again, before Willow continues her talking, and dull brown eyes settle on her, eyebrow moving upwards slightly. "I know we aren’t really friends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t become them." Friends, huh? Was that what she was seeking out? Silence falls over Eloise for a moment as she thinks. Was it genuine, or just an idea of the moment thing? To her, Willow seemed fairly popular, comfortable with herself and her life, happy. Eloise, instead, was quite disliked by most of those within the campus and college, regarded as unpleasant, too easy to irritate, someone to very much avoid. Them becoming friends just...wouldn't make sense, would it? They were opposites in every which way.
Still, she doesn't have the energy to try and make a scene or get away from the girl, so she just shrugs. Willow could do as she wanted, but she better be prepared to be disappointed.
A sigh and closed eyes, she raises a hand as she opens her mouth to speak, but when she's letting in the light of the day again through her half shut eyelids, she finds that the magenta haired girl has already wandered off, talking to someone at a stand selling desserts. Alright, straight to it then I guess. Mutters her mind, and she shifts around to her bag, trying to find where she'd just shoved her little wallet this time, but she's not even fast enough before a funnel cake is held out in her direction like an offering. Blinking once, she stares at it, and then looks back to the other, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion.
"Eat it while it’s hot - don’t worry, I don’t think anyone will care."
Her hands stop digging into her small satchel at that, grey-brown eyes staring at the dessert as she tries to make sense of it, before dainty hands take hold of the item of food, fingers already getting coated in the powdered sugar layered on top. This was...oddly kind of her. Or maybe it should have been expected, with her personality. Shaking it a bit and letting the sugar flitter off like small flakes of snow, she takes her first small bite, the cake half melting over her tongue, and a small sigh of pleasure leaves her then. It was good, she'd say that; so maybe Willow did have good taste. It's a little mood boost.
"Sorry, I'll pay you for it once I've finished..." Is all she mutters, another small bite taking off a chunk of the dessert. "Thanks for grabbing one for me..."
The quiet settles for a moment as they both eat their fair food, and as sweet as it tastes, Eloise is sure it's unhealthy, but it's what she deserves for being put through this, so she enjoys every overloaded sugar bite. A little of the powdered sugar does end up on her dress in the end too, but she hardly cares; it half blends in with it anyway, the small specks of white in the black fabric mimicking the starry vibe it was probably trying to go for. More personality to it too, in her terms anyway, because rips and wear and tear, distressed looks were common in her wardrobe.
She does eventually finish it off, softly licking the remains of the sugar off her thumbs, and she's nearly about to turn towards the other girl, shove her hands in her own bag again to try and find that cash to give her, but suddenly a weight hits her, goes right through the spot her pendant sits over her chest, and she freezes up, tries to catch her breath. What...was that?
Gaze shifting over to Willow then, they show something akin to panic as the sensation sets in, and before she can reach out or ask for her help, she's sunk to her knees, dress billowing out around her into a black and white puddle on the grass. She can feel the stares of people around them, before the scene before her fades as if it were nothing more than a movie, and in rolls the next.
It's like one after the other, burning into her mind, and while they invade every corner of her vision, it feels like that wall that always kept her from recalling her childhood breaks down. And it breaks down too fast, like a dam of water finally overflowing with that single push, that single drop of rain. Her head aches, burns, as she sees all of it, and her eyes sting soon too. The images, the voices, they're all familiar. Those halls, filled with paintings on the walls and furniture along the edges, a perfect rug down the center, bedrooms filled with beds and desks and books that look like they'd run her wallet dry before she even tried to pay for half of one, servants that bow their heads as she runs past, laughing along with someone- someone important that-
"Valken!" It's her own voice, but higher, younger, "Valken, slow down! Papa- Mama will get mad at us!"
The head of dark hair, the pale skin, wearing something so regal she'd say it looked like a fairy tale prince's. Just as he's about to turn his head, the scene shifts, and she's laying with a man and a woman, warm and kind. The man's hand is gently running through her hair, careful and soothing, and the woman is looking down at her, warm smile as she keeps hold of one of Eloise's far too small hands.
"Oh little Euphemia..." The woman whispers, softly pressing her lips to her forehead. "Isn't it time for our little princess to be brave enough in her own room? Mom and dad are only across the hall from you, and Valken is right beside you in the other. There's nothing to be afraid of, darling, they're just bad dreams."
The man's voice comes through next, just as kind, just as warm, "would you like Raulus to sleep at your bedside tonight? He'll keep you warm, Euphemia, and safe. No one would try and fight one of my wolves, you know that."
Again it fades, and flashing by are all the different memories that she had dug for her whole life, an abrupt unraveling that she can't even control, before finally it settles on the finale, and she finds herself in a different place that she hadn't seen through all of those, half collapsed on the floor with the pain of death and grief tearing at her, ripping down her mind, while the cries, fear, terror, fill the room. Again, there's that boy, and he's standing in front of her once more, but instead of playing, running, he has his feet planted over the ground, a glaive drawn at his side and pointed at someone in the darkened shadows of the room. "Stay there, Euphemia! I'll keep you safe, I won't let her hurt you!"
His voice makes her heart shatter, her chest tighten and her building tears finally pool over. Finally, he looks over, and she finds her own eyes locking with those brilliant, fierce blue ones, terrified but determined to protect...her. Euphemia, not Eloise. Euphemia. And that was Valken, the face and voice she'd so yearned to remember all these years, her...
Her brother.
The vision ends, and just like a movie it goes dark for a moment, silent, before a new scene rolls in. Reality, or was it? She stares blankly at the area around her, the ongoing fair and the people who either walk past her without a care, or nervously wonder if they should step in, make sure she's okay. How long had she been sitting here like this? How long had those visions lasted? What was...who was...who was she?
Taking in a trembling breath, she moved her arms around herself in some sort of self-comforting hug, trying to stabilize her emotions, trying to reground her wild mind, before looking to the girl that she had just been with, as if she might even know what had just happened, if she had even experienced the same thing Eloise...Euphemia? just had.