No, he's still going to make good. But, he can enjoy himself while he does it.
He doesn't have to stay in the shadows. He doesn't have to cower. He certainly doesn't have to feel guilty. And so he doesn't. He cuts ties with his brother and he does his own thing.
His own thing involves a ship crossing the Atlantic, something he could only dream of in his past life. He compels his way on board, takes an aristocrat's identity and has an endless parade of no-nothing, have nothing 3rd class boarders. And one engineer from down below. He delights in the revelry, takes in the novelty and decides to explore Europe.
He hears about a scintillating can-can club in Paris and he spends a few days there before it gets old. But, Europe is large, the possibilities are endless, and most points can be reached by train.
Which is where he runs into an old friend from the South. )
[Though she supposes it's easy for the rumors to confuse them. In a way, part of her is relieved to see Damon - perhaps she can garner his assistance in her task. Maybe he's heard some rumor that would help point her in the right direction.]
But she stopped responding to my letters. I'm worried that something may have happened.
( Damon has dealt with his fair share of a town council before, has made a mess of everything in his life, has sent his brother spiraling who knows where with his insatiable appetite. Scarlett always had an itchy trigger finger and a quick temper. He could see her running abreast of the wrong crowd. She was also never one to fade into the background. )
When Scarlett is dealing with more than she can handle, she ... disassociates.
[She remembers after Bonnie Blue died. Rhett raged, but Scarlett retreated into herself, telling herself stories that made the world better than it was. It's funny that the Civil War didn't break her the way losing her daughter did. It makes her dread what Scarlett has seen on these battle fields that's worse.]
I've never seen it as a vampire, though, so who knows what damage she could do in that state.
( He frowns, because as much as he dissociated from his brother, he didn't flip anything. He just lives on his anger. It's Stefan's fault he's like this and it's Stefan's fault he likes this.
Sage talked about it once, underneath her lessons - behind the predator, when it can be too much to handle. Sage saw it as weak, never cared for making that kind of decision, but weaker vampires did. Scarlett wasn't weak. )
[It's possible. Neither of them have used that particular trick before, but if Scarlett is in a bad enough place to disassociate, maybe she might have tried.]
She's never done it before but I suppose there's a first time for everything.
( He is not one of them. No, he wears his walking grudge on his sleeve. )
Would you like my assistance? You are in luck, I've come into an awful lot of time on my hands and I wish to put many miles between me and the ship I stepped off of.
[Her eyes glance back to the ship, because she understands enough to read between the lines of that statement. But she's also not one to judge. She's left her own carnage in her time.]
I would very much appreciate that. Thank you, Damon. I tried to get Rhett to come with me, but he's being stubborn.
[She nods and leads the way to the hotel. Originally her hotel room was for one, but she casually compels the nice person at the front desk that there's been some kind of mistake, and she actually needs a room for two. Once all of that is arranged, they make their way upstairs and once they're settled, she sits on the edge of the bed to talk about what she did know.]
Scarlett and Rhett got into a row about things that they can't change, and it was ... one of their worst, if I'm honest. So she decided she needed some space and joined the ANC. I think she just...wanted to be useful.
But in her letters ... this war is so much worse than the last. I could tell things were taking a toll and asked her to come home before things got worse, but she refused. My last letter from her was two months ago, and it came from this city, so I figured it was a good place to start.
How quickly do you think letters actually travel across the Atlantic? It takes a month for a letter to get from her to us in the first place.
[Thus another month for her to realize that Scarlett hasn't responded. A frustrating process, but unfortunately cell phones haven't been invented yet.]
It does. I was thinking of going to check there first, and if there are no leads, going to the ANC next.
( He's asking the questions he can ask. Sue him. Look, he likes Scarlett. And Sage loved Scarlett, so she has that going for her. They were the first vampires Sage taught him to embrace. )
Her bleeding heart cracked right open.
( He supposes there are worse traits to be amplified. )
I know she's prone to fits, but not the occasional disappearance. I'll help.
( It gives him something to focus on. He's only just shaken the self-loathing, but a tight focus keeps reoccurrence at bay. )
[And with that she squares her shoulders, and nods. Let's do this.
They do head to the Army Nurse Corps first, who are quick to tell them that they haven't seen Scarlett in weeks, but they do provide the information on the place where she's been staying and any mail she's received. They head to her apartment next - because of course she finagled herself an apartment rather than staying in the barracks - and there are clear signs of her deteriorating mental state ...
... and possibly one ripening body.
The name of her victim leads to some of Scarlett's regular feeding haunts which point her to some local vamps that might be able to help them out. The one they do make contact with also seems concerned, but for different reasons.
"It's been a few days, but ... last I saw her, she was attracting certain company I try to steer clear of."]
( Damon and Melanie follow Scarlett's trail. Damon disposes of the body she left behind, it's the least he can do. He's impressed she avoided the barracks. She always liked the finer things. But she didn't keep the apartment in a state he'd expect her to keep it in. It's confounding, really, but it gives him the focus he needs. )
( Damon comes from the 'New World,' ever the small town man turned military deserter. He was Mystic Falls high society, but not Paris'. It doesn't ring any bell (4), nor does he remember Sage or her compatriots mentioning them. To Damon, they're not a thing. But, he's not delusional to think that there isn't a world beyond Mystic Falls, Virginia.
Here he goes, expanding his world view and maybe rescuing a ... *friend. )
Pretensions aside, is Scarlett as besotted with them as they are to her?
They're one of those groups. My father maintained an idle fascination with a group in town. All politics and theatricality. Nice to know people celebrate the sentiment in other countries.
[Melanie doesn't know if their friend can promise that. She's willing to bet that Scarlett isn't going to be in good shape for a while, but Melanie's willing to wait it out.
It takes a few hours but their French friend returns with an address for the latest salon, and Melanie passes it to Damon.]
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everyonelives2023-03-16 09:07 pm
no subject
Wishing his brother an eternity of misery.
No, he's still going to make good. But, he can enjoy himself while he does it.
He doesn't have to stay in the shadows. He doesn't have to cower. He certainly doesn't have to feel guilty. And so he doesn't. He cuts ties with his brother and he does his own thing.
His own thing involves a ship crossing the Atlantic, something he could only dream of in his past life. He compels his way on board, takes an aristocrat's identity and has an endless parade of no-nothing, have nothing 3rd class boarders. And one engineer from down below. He delights in the revelry, takes in the novelty and decides to explore Europe.
He hears about a scintillating can-can club in Paris and he spends a few days there before it gets old. But, Europe is large, the possibilities are endless, and most points can be reached by train.
Which is where he runs into an old friend from the South. )
Melanie Hamilton. As I live.
( Maybe not breath. Hah. Get it? )
Last I heard, you joined the war effort.
no subject
[Though she supposes it's easy for the rumors to confuse them. In a way, part of her is relieved to see Damon - perhaps she can garner his assistance in her task. Maybe he's heard some rumor that would help point her in the right direction.]
But she stopped responding to my letters. I'm worried that something may have happened.
no subject
( Damon has dealt with his fair share of a town council before, has made a mess of everything in his life, has sent his brother spiraling who knows where with his insatiable appetite. Scarlett always had an itchy trigger finger and a quick temper. He could see her running abreast of the wrong crowd. She was also never one to fade into the background. )
no subject
[She remembers after Bonnie Blue died. Rhett raged, but Scarlett retreated into herself, telling herself stories that made the world better than it was. It's funny that the Civil War didn't break her the way losing her daughter did. It makes her dread what Scarlett has seen on these battle fields that's worse.]
I've never seen it as a vampire, though, so who knows what damage she could do in that state.
no subject
Sage talked about it once, underneath her lessons - behind the predator, when it can be too much to handle. Sage saw it as weak, never cared for making that kind of decision, but weaker vampires did. Scarlett wasn't weak. )
Do you think she turned her humanity off?
no subject
[It's possible. Neither of them have used that particular trick before, but if Scarlett is in a bad enough place to disassociate, maybe she might have tried.]
She's never done it before but I suppose there's a first time for everything.
no subject
( He is not one of them. No, he wears his walking grudge on his sleeve. )
Would you like my assistance? You are in luck, I've come into an awful lot of time on my hands and I wish to put many miles between me and the ship I stepped off of.
no subject
I would very much appreciate that. Thank you, Damon. I tried to get Rhett to come with me, but he's being stubborn.
no subject
( He slings his duffel back over his other shoulder as he gives a general look around. )
We should find somewhere else, then you can tell me everything you do know and we can start from there.
no subject
I made arrangements at a hotel not far from here. We can settle in and I'll catch you up.
[And if he needs to clean up, he can likely do that there as well.]
no subject
( He bows his head, letting her take the lead. )
no subject
Scarlett and Rhett got into a row about things that they can't change, and it was ... one of their worst, if I'm honest. So she decided she needed some space and joined the ANC. I think she just...wanted to be useful.
But in her letters ... this war is so much worse than the last. I could tell things were taking a toll and asked her to come home before things got worse, but she refused. My last letter from her was two months ago, and it came from this city, so I figured it was a good place to start.
no subject
Two months is an awfully long time. Did your letter include a return address?
no subject
[Thus another month for her to realize that Scarlett hasn't responded. A frustrating process, but unfortunately cell phones haven't been invented yet.]
It does. I was thinking of going to check there first, and if there are no leads, going to the ANC next.
no subject
Her bleeding heart cracked right open.
( He supposes there are worse traits to be amplified. )
I know she's prone to fits, but not the occasional disappearance. I'll help.
( It gives him something to focus on. He's only just shaken the self-loathing, but a tight focus keeps reoccurrence at bay. )
no subject
[And with that she squares her shoulders, and nods. Let's do this.
They do head to the Army Nurse Corps first, who are quick to tell them that they haven't seen Scarlett in weeks, but they do provide the information on the place where she's been staying and any mail she's received. They head to her apartment next - because of course she finagled herself an apartment rather than staying in the barracks - and there are clear signs of her deteriorating mental state ...
... and possibly one ripening body.
The name of her victim leads to some of Scarlett's regular feeding haunts which point her to some local vamps that might be able to help them out. The one they do make contact with also seems concerned, but for different reasons.
"It's been a few days, but ... last I saw her, she was attracting certain company I try to steer clear of."]
no subject
( Damon and Melanie follow Scarlett's trail. Damon disposes of the body she left behind, it's the least he can do. He's impressed she avoided the barracks. She always liked the finer things. But she didn't keep the apartment in a state he'd expect her to keep it in. It's confounding, really, but it gives him the focus he needs. )
no subject
That doesn't exactly strike Melanie as good. And she hasn't really heard of the Ivory Tower beyond jokes and rumors (13).]
I didn't think they were a real thing.
no subject
Here he goes, expanding his world view and maybe rescuing a ... *friend. )
Pretensions aside, is Scarlett as besotted with them as they are to her?
no subject
Melanie doesn't want to just take that without seeing Scarlett for herself, so:]
Do you know where we can find them?
[Their contact shrugs. "They have these salons. I'll see if I can find out where the next one is going to be."]
Thank you.
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( Damon went once and found it rather boring. )
no subject
Hence the salons.]
I don't particularly care one way or another so long as Scarlett is alright.
no subject
( That matters more. )
no subject
It takes a few hours but their French friend returns with an address for the latest salon, and Melanie passes it to Damon.]
It's not far from where Scarlett was staying.
no subject
How do they take to newcomers?
(no subject)