Finders Keepers

[all_too_familiar]

Sometimes witches have powers before they turn. But this is rare, uncommon.

More often, a potential witch displays almost nothing out of the ordinary at all. Just, say, a little more skill with people, a little more natural charisma. An extra dose of something that could almost be called luck, if one were paying attention and on the lookout for witches.

There is one such maybe-potential, right over there. He's not from around here, but he is fluent in Italian and French and German and he professes that English is his first language and laughs when people call him a liar because of his perfect accent. He might not be the most powerful, but a polyglot witch could be useful for something. And who knows, maybe there's more to it.

Maybe someone would care to find out.

Comments

[honey_twining]

Edward sighs.

[poll_the_stars]

"Does turning affect personality very much?" she asks, because if she is gambling a lot on acting like herself she would like to make sure she'll be herself. "Blair is mostly unchanged, but I imagine he's not the rule."

[honey_twining]

"No, the opposite. We don't change in personality at all, except for things like rationalizations about our diets. It's not as - disastrous for adults, but it's still a noticeable stagnation."

[poll_the_stars]

Oh goodie, I get to keep my temper and mouth forever and ever...

But no, seriously, that's really useful. If - potentially stagnating for herself in the future, but she's okay personality-wise right now. ... She thinks.

Well. She doesn't spit fire, so. Victory, she guesses.

"Okay. Glad to hear it."

[all_too_familiar]

"'Mostly unchanged'?" asks a Blair that is attempting to keep the peace and sort of having trouble coming up with ways to do that. Edward, she's really quite competent, if that helps?

[poll_the_stars]

"You're a bit more low-key," she informs him. "Not exactly calmer. More self assured. You were before but now you're." She waves a hand. "More so."

Also a bit more murderous, she notes but doesn't say. It's not that she thought that killing people was impossible for him, just that he's got it more available as an option now. And has used it. Which is a little creepy, but she's rolling with it.

[honey_twining]

"I'm not so sure it's an advantage."

For example, Edward gets to be a depressive lump forever.

"There are sometimes noticeable changes upon mating, but that's the only time."

[poll_the_stars]

She meant more for herself, because it means she will care a lot about morality, but okay, fair.

She nods.




Yvette is kind of bemused that the Cullens think becoming a vampire is a huge mistake. She double checks to make sure she hasn't missed any important information, find she hasn't, and then is politely confused about why they think she's making a huge mistake.

But since they seem to just be thinking along different wavelengths and have stopped talking about things of value, she moves on from this and on to planning. What experiments are planned, do they have an experiment plan, what is involved with aforementioned experiment plan? Do they have recommendations for comfortable newborn vampire locations besides 'lots of wilderness and no people'? She is not naturally inclined to live in America, but acknowledges that it's the smart option because the Cullens are present. She agreed to experiments, and it would be highly impractical to get her across the ocean while she's in the middle of turning. So location recommendations would be appreciated.

[alicornucopia]

The Cullens are willing to look after her but their current house is a little close to town. She could go to Denali, if she prefers, or Esme and Edward (who do not have day jobs to hold down - well, Edward has actually been taking classes, but he can skip them) can bring her somewhere in the middle of nowhere to look after her while she adjusts.

[all_too_familiar]

Blair thinks that while she'd definitely like to visit Denali, it should not be the first port of call. He actually prefers, say, Australia and a lot of time over Denali, though he doesn't mention this out loud.

[poll_the_stars]

Yvette peers at him confusedly in lieu of asking why.

[all_too_familiar]

"... Kate's a sweetheart, but I think that if you at all acted like a newborn around her, she would shut you down with her witch power. Which would end badly."

He's not exactly sure how it would end badly, but he's quite sure it would end badly for someone involved, and likely multiple someones.

[poll_the_stars]

Wince.

"... Yeah, let's not."

Is there a middle of nowhere that is in the middle of enough nowhere that she doesn't potentially monopolize Edward and Esme's time? She would not like to monopolize their time.

[alicornucopia]

She could find an uninhabited island and count on not having a lapse of judgment bad enough that she actually swims away from it. Or she could just borrow one of them and have Blair be her other minder, but it is a good idea to have two if possible.

[poll_the_stars]

While she's willing to admit that her major sin is in fact pride, she's not actually self destructive enough to not want the Cullens as potential minders at all. An uninhabited island near enough to Rochester to be a relatively fast travel time seems the best bet. Luckily, they have the great lakes nearby, and those have islands in them. Does stashing her on one sound agreeable?

[alicornucopia]

They won't say boo about it. Assuming she's still set on turning.

[poll_the_stars]

Yep. She's thinking practicalities, now. But she does admit she might change her mind, and if they think of any additional arguments they're free to present them to her.



She and Carlisle work out an experiment plan. Blair is sent to find a suitable island that is far away from humans and has appropriately sized animals, and does so. Yvette notes that she'll go through a lot of clothes while she's a newborn, and gets two suitcases and fills them with suitable, cheap, and expendable clothes. Instead of staying at the Cullen's house, she has a hotel room - she is of the opinion that there's really nothing stopping her from blowing most of her savings now, and she would really rather not impose more than she already is by existing and wanting to become sparkly but non-murderous.

Preparation is neat and orderly and thorough, though Yvette frets a bit over not having planned enough. But then she's out of things she can prepare for on this side of the three days of agony.

And then - well. She's ready for experimental surgery, and subsequent turning.

[alicornucopia]

So Carlisle dopes her up heavily, extracts some organs -

- and gently, carefully, with infinite control, bites.

Because if he doesn't do it Blair might kill her trying.

[all_too_familiar]

(Blair's first idea was actually 'use a needle,' but the needles of the 20th century are not up to vampire venom standards. So, Carlisle gets to do it.)

[poll_the_stars]

Well, maybe the drugs are helping, because Yvette doesn't start screaming.

(Externally.)

[honey_twining]

So Edward (who is very fast and will be able to chase her down and deflect her tactics the most easily, if she's very newborny) and Blair can bring her to the island.

Edward sees no reason Blair needs to know about the contents of his sister's head just yet.

[poll_the_stars]

His sister fucking does!

She attempts to compose an eloquent argument for why, doesn't manage it with the pain, and instead goes with Because he deserves to know and I need a distraction!

[honey_twining]

Well, if she says so.

"The painkillers aren't working. Just immobilizing her. She wants to be distracted."

[all_too_familiar]

Blair has read novels, since becoming a vampire, and can thus recite them all by memory. He picks one that he liked and begins reciting, stonefaced.

[poll_the_stars]

Yvette thanks Edward for this. Next time: do not willingly withhold information from her brother. Bad idea.

The reading helps. A little. As much as anything could help. She attempts to pay attention to the plots of the novels she's being read and add commentary. This seems to be soothing.