Colin's posts

"Got it." Ash responded.

He then accepted the paper, and thought for a moment.

"Right." he said to himself.

'She's on medical leave from a hunt... was hurt bad... but it's been about 3 weeks... I think the worst of it now is that she has a small limp, and it hurts to fly for extended periods...' he thought, before taking out his cell and calling her.

"Hey." he said when she answered.

"I'm at the Unit in San Diego." he told her.

"Care to show up ASAP and throw a monkey wrench into your sister's plans?" he asked.

"...that's an understatement." Ash responded.

"She's the one that helped me escape in the first place, and tried to help Lindsay escape." he told her. "She's no longer the person she used to be." he said further.

"...if anything, she wants to leave everything about her past behind." he then sighed.

"Except her mother." he added.

"She never wants to forget Miss Syraene." he told her.

"...neither do I." he then said with a small smile.

Ash shook his head.

"Nothing special." he said.

"...they say the only thing that can truly remove a dark elf's mana is the dark elf that put it in there." he told her. "And that's not happening." he reasoned. "The next thing is another dark elf, but unless they're related in some way, that's not reliable." he went on.

"...but I just so happen to know of someone that fits the bill." he said further.

"I'm quite intimate with her sister, Ashleigh Encrae." he informed her.

"SHE'LL be able to do something, I know it."

Ash nodded in response.

"I understand." he said.

"...before I go... you say you can feel her chipping away at you." he then said.

She nodded as best she could.

"...so she has yet to actually seep into your subconscious and take root." he added.

Again, she nodded as best she could.

"That's all I needed to hear." Ash told her. "...and I'm sorry." he finished, before reapplying the gag, and then making his way to the door, knocking on it to be let out. When he was let out, he sighed and shook his head.

"Poor thing." he mumbled, looking at Ebony, who had been waiting.

"There's nothing I can do for her." he said.

"However, I believe I DO know of someone who WILL be able to help."

Ash was... speechless for a moment. This was the first time he'd ever heard of such a thing. Her unique abilities... at least, what he sensed in her arm... were legit preventing her from making deep connections with people.

She... she was the perfect victim for Vanessa. And he was just realising this now.

He tried to find the words to say to her, but when she looked at him with her eyes... and the small ring of crimson in them... he realised that conventional methods wouldn't work here.

"...." he was silent, before sighing heavily.

"I'm.... I'm sorry." he apologised. "I know it's imposing... and it seems hopeless, but... for now... just.. please try." he told her.

"If nothing else, we'll find a way to tear her mana out of you." he then said, anger in his tone, but she could tell it was anger directed at Vanessa... until she then saw an idea start to form, if his expression was anything to go by.

"...yes. That's exactly what we'll do." he said.

"Please. For anything. Think of something. Anything. Those you think may be close, try and use them as a shield, even a small one." he pleaded to her. "I think I know someone that legit can help you."

"...she's good at that." Ash responded.

"So good that... well... sometimes it feels like she'll never go away." he went on.

"But, listen." he then said. "Your own will is what will fight her off." he told her. "You need to think of the reasons you have to live for. You need to let them be your shield." he continued.

"Don't wish for death so soon." he went on.

"As long as you can fight, then she can never take you over." he told her further.

"Believe me, I know."

"........" Ash was silent as he took in the scene. The person there, the feeling of Vanessa's mana... it was heartbreaking to him. He looked into her eyes, before reaching down and undoing the gag, so she could speak.

But he was prepared to act if she tried something drastic.

"...let me guess." he said.

"You want to die." he commented.

"You want me to kill you right now, don't you?" he asked further, looking her over.

"...you want her voice to shut up."

Ash was silent as he followed her through the wing, to the back area. Once they got there, a pair of special guards allowed Ash entry... and he opened the door. Once he stepped inside, he saw Erica, strapped down to a table with strong, but comfortable, straps. They were made in such a way that she wouldn't be able to easily hurt herself by struggling, but it was still not pleasant to see.

"...." he was silent, before looking back at Ebony.

"Welp, here goes." he said, as the door was shut.

He then stepped closer towards her, and cleared his throat.

"Erica Windsor?" he asked, wondering if she was awake, and/or paying attention.

Ash just sighed again.

"...fair." was all he said. "Fair." he repeated.

"Well, whatever happens, happens, I guess." he shrugged. "To be honest, I've pretty much washed my hands of him. Now, Vanessa? I'd love to make her suffer, but her little abuse-toy? Meh. I don't care what happens to him." he admitted.

"And I guess it makes sense. Medwing, hospital, generally everyone is safe in one of those." he then mumbled.

"Anyway, I'll see what I can do for this Erica." he told her.

"If nothing else, maybe glean some way to help her, even if I can't do it, myself."

Ash nodded in response.

"That's fair." he said.

"Hopefully they can give answers that will satisfy you guys." he told her, before pausing.

"Well, I mean here, this place, in general." he clarified. "I get the feeling that NO answer will be good enough for you, or anyone else in there." he lamented with a shake of his head.

"Wouldn't blame you, either." he went on.

"Surprised he's even still alive, even here. From what I know, there's enough people here... many of which are... er, well... you..." he then mumbled. "That would try and off him right now."

Ash just sighed quietly.

"I can try." he said.

"I promise nothing, except that I will try." he told her.

"Having Vanessa in your head is... well... not something that is pleasant for anyone." he lamented, before thinking about something.

"...odd that Christopher and Ayla are here, though." he then said.

"I guess they were kicked out, maybe?" he guessed.

"...but that doesn't make sense for Ayla. Surely she would still have use for Vanessa to wring out further..."

"I admit, not so long ago, I would have lashed out at Christopher." Ash told her. "I mean, he was a big part of my torment as a child, and even bigger so for my brother." he went on.

"...but Lindsay's taught me to be calm and mindful when it comes to things like this." he went on.

"Lashing out in anger, at someone who is defenseless, is the act of a coward." he continued.

"And to do so would tear down everything I've built up for myself ever since I escaped."

Ash was silent as he absorbed all that she told him. He processed the information, the gears turning, before everything finally clicked into place... though it only took a few seconds to.

"...geez." he muttered.

"Is there nowhere that's untainted by Vanessa?" he asked. "Don't... don't answer that, pretty sure the answer is yes. Pretty sure that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, she's messed up everything, everywhere, at some point." he mumbled further.

"...sorry to hear that." he then told her. "Sucks you had that opportunity ripped away from you." he sighed.

"Though retaining the info and being allowed to keep it is a neat benefit." he then admitted.

"And also, I'm relatively NEW, okay? I haven't had a chance to properly know the history." he added at the end in a bit of protest.

Ash outright froze when she said that... so casually, at that. He looked at Ebony, and contemplated feigning ignorance and asking what she was talking about, but figured that was pointless. She knew what he was talking about, and there was a high chance she knew that HE knew what she was talking about. So acting stupid would only serve to waste time.

So just sighed, shook his head, shrugged his shoulders slightly.

"Ok. Firstly. Thank you for the heads up on Christopher and Ayla." he said, getting that out of the way.

"Secondly. HOW. The HELL. Do you know about all that?" he asked her.

"Seriously, you just rattled that off like it was something that every common Joe Shmoe should be aware of." he commented further. "How do you know of that?" he asked her.

"...and also yes, I do believe that's where I've heard the name." he then confirmed, before pausing again and thinking.

"Wait... Ebony..." he mumbled. "I swear I've heard THAT name in the... well... hm. I've heard your name before in a group that you are NOT a part of." he told her.