Coincidence and Happenstance (OOC Welcome)

[111]

Evangeline hustles through the crowds of the Ruby Road exchange, a folio of papers clutched under her arm. Her days had been busy of late, attempting to gain the support of the Rich and Royal of Ul'dah. Amazingly some of them were actualy sympathetic to her cause, when she ceased threatening to burn down their estates.

 

However one noble had proven remarkably elusive, Lord Taeros. Apparently though, for all his reclusiveness, he was quite influential among certain circles, and she was quite eager to court his favor. Evangeline had been given a tip, Lord Taeros enjoyed taking his lunches at the Airship Cafe. It was a longshot, but she needed all the allies she could find.

 

Reaching the Elevator, she frowns.

 

[align=center]OUT OF ORDER

By Order of Her Grace's Royal Elevator Service

This Elevator is not to be used[/align]

 

Evangeline sighs, the stairs were halfway across the city. With an annoyed huff, she pushes the cloth barriers aside, and knocks over the placard, pulling the door open with her hands and slipping inside. "Cursed Machines..." She grumbles, before mashing the button for the airship docks.

 

The Elevator sputters into life, rising shakily upwards, before stopping suddenly, its door squeaking open.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque stood at the end of the Hustings Strip at the elevator tapping her foot impatiently. She had read the sign, of course, and was chewing her lip at present while she tried to decide on what to do next. Her shift had ended and all she wanted was some a moment of peace, and perhaps to share a drink with her latest suitor in the lounge while they discussed business.

 

She was about to turn and make for the stairs at the opposite side of the Palace when the doors suddenly opened. "I guess they're done working on it?" she quietly thought to herself. Shrugging and deciding not to waste this moment she stepped into the lift and pressed the same button which was already alight, as if for emphasis. She did not even look up to see who was in the opposite corner before turning around and leaning against the wall of the cramped quarters.

 

Her eyes closed as the knot of her ponytail touched the paneling behind. The doors squeaked shut just as they had opened and the lift began to ascend once more. It had only risen a few fulms before the light flickered and the sound of grinding gears and the loss of power greeted them with an abrupt stop. The light itself dimmed to that of a candle.

 

Coatleque started suddenly and gripped the handrail along the wall before looking around rather panicked. "What... was that?"

[111]

Evangeline blinks, not believing her eyes. Of all the people to share an elevator with, it had to be that hussy. She stared daggers at the Highlander, before sighing and leaning against the wall. She'll survive a few minutes contact with someone so undesirable.

 

Suddenly the elevator grinds to a halt, the light inside flickering and dimming. "For all the twelve find holy..." She growls, before punching the wall. Making a frustrated noise, she turns to Crofte. "Lady Crofte, I believe you've broken the elevator."

 

"It is not designed for livestock."

[Coatleque]

Coatleque also blinked before she recognized the voice opposite herself. Her grip on the railing tightened as her gaze settled on the Elezen. "Miss Primrose..." Her expression turned instantly sour. "Perhaps if you had finished nursing your refugees this morning, said livestock would be a few ponze lighter."

 

She stepped over to the panel and mashed the button a few more times which elicited the expected response of nothing happening. Moving to the doors then she pressed her hands against them and tried sliding them apart which only resulted in the squeal of flesh sliding against metal.

 

Growing more aggravated as the situation began to sink into her mind she crossed her arms with a huff and stepped back to survey the doors, trying to ignore the woman to her side.

[111]

Evangeline frowns at Crofte's response, going silent for a moment moments. Finally she responds, "Well you're a bitch."

 

Sighing she slides down onto the floor, "Why did this have to happen today..." She looks up to Crofte, "Where were you going anyway? Not many poor and starving people to mock at the airship docks."

 

She frowns, "You know, I really wanted to like you."

[Coatleque]

Shaking her head in some measure of disbelief she sighed. "I was hoping to meet someone if you must know." She purposefully ignored the woman's comment on mocking the poor. Taking another step backwards she leaned her rear against the wall and crossed her feet while standing.

 

"You wanted to like me? You certainly have a strange way of approaching friendship." Her head tilted as she regarded the woman on the floor, particularly her folio.

 

"More propaganda I presume? On your way to plaster your lies all over the lounge? I suppose I should be thankful 'tis nae another cr̃ock of shite."

[111]

"Oh was that shit?" Evangeline grins, "I must have grabbed the wrong bucket. How clumsy of me."

 

She clutches her papers protectively to her chest, "It is in fact a business proposal. I have found it necessary to change my strategy." Giving Crofte an annoyed look, "Unlike royalists, I've found monetarists to be symapthetic to my cause."

 

"And I did wish to be your friend. I had my doubts, but many spoke of you in glowing terms." She sighs, "But in reality you're a heartless strumpet."

[Coatleque]

"I am not heartless!" she exclaimed. "You are the one who came into our city and promptly setup shop as if to save those who do not wish to be helped. I take no issue with those of you who chose to use their resources to help those in need, but the changes you propose cannot come about without blood - and lots of it. It is my job to avoid such senseless loss of life."

 

Coatleque began to pace at the other side of the enclosure. "What is taking them so long? Someone should have noticed the lift stuck by now." She was muttering to herself. In truth it had not been five minutes yet.

[111]

Evangeline rolls her eyes, "Fine. I'll give you that."

 

"When I first arrived I had an... inaccurate view of the situation here." She nods, "The people here do need help though, to say otherwise would be the act of a fool."

 

"Rest assured though, Lady Crofte, I shan't be leading any riotous mobs in the near future." She takes off her glasses, and begins polishing them with a cloth.

 

"I suggest you calm yourself, stress causes wrinkles. I would guard your looks well," Evangeline smirks, "It is not as if any would be attracted to your personality."

[Coatleque]

Her pacing stopped momentarily as she threw another cold scowl at Evangeline. "I am perfectly calm. If I wished your opinion I would have given it to you ahead of time." She was anything but calm at this point.

 

"I simply find current company to be rather unpleasant. Speaking of such, as if your persona was any less off-putting. At least the first words out of mine own mouth are not obscenities the likes of which wilt fresh vegetables and cause mothers to run screaming in the night."

 

She seemed to begin stringing her thoughts together now with hardly a breath in between. "I'll have you know there are many whom find me personable. I daresay desirable even, though I entertain few in that regards. What have you to show for?"

[111]

"Please Lady Crofte, my personality reaches the peak of womanly perfection." She nods, "I was never allowed to swear in Ishgard. Considered poor form for a lady. It's rather liberating though, once you start."

 

"Fuck, Bitch, Whore..." She sighs, "Where have they been all my life?"

 

Evangeline places her glasses back onto her face, "Perhaps I misspoke though" She clears her throat, "No one of any taste would be attracted to your personality." She looks away though, and there is a flicker of embarrassment on her face, "And I'll have you know I am incredibly successful in the field of love."

 

"Incredibly..." She says again, as if reassuring herself.

[Coatleque]

She stopped mid-pace once more to regard the woman with a gaping expression. "Excuse me? There is a man of impeccable taste currently interested in me. I would be with him now, in fact, if you hadn't broken the lift!" She pointed at the woman as if to cast off her irrational accusation in her direction.

 

"What were you doing here anyway? There are no poor to feed this high off the ground. I swear you are hounding my steps aren't you? I can'nae even make for the latrine without you being a step ahead of me lately!" By now her accusations were becoming hysterical.

[111]

Evangeline waves a hand, "I could care less about your men, Lady Crofte. I doubt you have time to describe them all."

 

"Though you are more unstable than I thought, if you seriously think I follow you. Though if I wished it, such a thing would be easy, you bathe infrequently enough that your stench floats behind you like a trail."

 

She gets up, "And would you calm down!" She gestures around them, "Who knows how securely this thing is stuck. Every shout and stride of yours could send us hurtling to our death."

 

The Elezen groans, "Why to the twelve curse me so?"

[Coatleque]

Coatleque slowly lowered her hand before crossing her arms again. She considered the woman's words before leaning back against the wall once more with a huff. More worried with the apparent safety of the lift at this point than anything else.

 

A long moment of silence passed before she began to fidget once more. It took great restraint on her part not to resume her pacing, but the fear of dislodging the lift was stronger than her unease. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves before speaking again.

 

"Perhaps, Miss Primrose, the Twelve curse you in the same measure as you curse others. Have you ever tried being amicable in your dealings?"

[111]

"I have." She says simply, "I'm quite happy to deal amicably with those who deserve it."

 

Leaning back, "I'm not sure you are. Why do you even do all this, I wonder sometimes"

 

"The armor, the position, the status? Do you enjoy sneering down at others with so much?" Evangeline laughs darkly, "You'd get far in Ishgard, if no one ever has told you."

 

"There are even higher towers to sneer off of."

[Coatleque]

"And there you go again. Must everything you say be laced with insults from the start? How do you expect us to hold a proper dialogue when you do your best to offend with every thought that escapes your mouth."

 

She could not help but to begin her pacing again. Placing one elbow in the opposing hand, her thumb also went to her mouth as she bit the tip of it.

 

"I do what I do because I must. I did not chose this path so much as it was thrust upon me, and when the Twelve give such a clear sign of their intentions only a fool would ignore it."

[111]

Evangeline grins, "Perhaps your path is not so clear... it seems the twelve are blocking your progress currently."

 

She stands, "Should we attempt to test their resolve?" Hopping into the air lightly, she lands with a slight thud, the elevator swaying. "Shall we see if they will continue to guide their champion?"

 

With a strange wild look on her face she hops again, "Since clearly they must watch of you. Not like the rest of us wretches, " she spits out.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque gripped the side rails as her eyes widened. "What are you doing? Are you daft? You said yourself the lift could be unstable!" She stared at Evangeline with bated breath, gauging her next move.

[111]

"And you said the twelve guided you." She jumps again, the lift shaking and swaying, "Let us see what is stronger. The twelve's guidance, or my spite of them."

 

"Did the twelve prevent the release of the primals?" *jump* "Did they ever stop the dravanian horde?" *jump* "Did they ever halt the garlean invasion?" *jump*

 

"WHAT DID THEY DO, LADY CROFTE?! BESIDES GIVE YOU A FUCKING SMUG SENSE OF SELF IMPORTANCE?"

[Coatleque]

"STOP DOING THAT!" She screamed as she dashed across the small space to try and pin the woman to the opposite wall by her shoulders. If she insisted on jumping, then Coatleque would insist on holding her in place.

[111]

Evangeline growls as she is rushed, and grabs the other woman in return, shaking her shoulders. 'WHAT IS IS CROFTE." She stares into her eyes, crazily, "WHY HAVE THE TWELVE GRACED YOU."

 

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THEY WATCH OVER YOU MORE THAN OTHERS!"

 

"WHAT GIVE YOU THE ARROGANCE TO CLAIM SUCH."

 

She almost spits out the words, shaking in rage.

[Coatleque]

"I NEVER MADE SUCH A CLAIM!" She spat back with equal rage, meeting the woman's crazed stare.

 

"STOP PUTTING WORDS INTO MY MOUTH!"

"STOP ... IT!"

[111]

"You said the twelve made their intentions clear to the MIGHTY LADY CROFTE."

 

"Pray, tell us how, as they shit on the rest of us, THEY SHOW YOU SUCH FAVOR."

 

Evangeline's face is red, and she shakes Crofte, "WHAT GIVES YOU SUCH CONFIDENCE."

 

Her voice cracks for a moment, "How are you so perfect... now even the twelve apparently pay witness."

[Coatleque]

Coatleque slowly released the woman and took a step back with a snort and a smirk. "My, my. I never expected such a high and noble woman of Ishgard to be so... poorly versed in things of a spiritual nature. Though with your tongue I should find it as no surprise really."

 

She merely shook her head at this. "It's called faith, Miss Primrose. I'd say you could do with some yourself."

[111]

Evangeline sighs and slides back down against the wall of elevator, "Faith or Foolishness, it doesn't matter."

 

"I am perfectly versed in spiritual manners, you wretch. I simply don't believe them. Else I would be living up among the clouds still, and now in this sandy shithole."

 

Sighing again, "What has ever happened, to give you such faith. Not everything you hear is true, especially if it comes from a preacher's mouth."