: Edward: April 2nd, 1915:
April brought along promises of hearts, broken promises, love, and friendships. I believe that all this was associated with my love, Katrina Sylvester. I had been fifteen years old when I had fallen in love with Katrina, or so I had believed. Katrina was a beautiful young lady, a mere one year younger than I at the time. And in the midst of the second of April, I had laid eyes on her in the midst of the beautiful park that stood near our neighborhood. The young woman and her friend had taken it upon themselves to take a stroll among the park in the center of the day to catch light of the day.
By the pond I sat, admiring the ducklings and the crystal blue water. Though the Great War was taking place off in the country, I could not find it in myself to hold it to heart once I had found such beauty so close to home. For I was a true poet at heart, a true musician, I could find beauty beneath nature or beneath the keys of a piano. Jealousy struck a cord as I noted her friend. The boy stood short beside Katrina, clothed in dirtied corduroy trousers and a loose-hanging oxford shirt, the two buttons at the top undone to expose the luminescent white collarbone of his. The boy was short, scrawny and especially childish-appearing as he hid his face behind a shapeless black hat. Just barely you could find a loose lock of blonde hair.
Of course the young lady prefers a blonde boy. They all do. I thought rather bitterly. The boy's hands were fit entirely into the front pockets of his trousers as he walked alongside Katrina. And soon I cared not much for the boy at all as my eyes had discovered Katrina's perfection. A mane of brunette locks flawlessly traveled their way down her back from the small up-do upon her head. Her entire body stood, gowned in a navy silk gown and yet still a little too revealing for my taste. If I was to be honest, I wanted her all to myself. I planned to court this young woman and to make her my bride.
"I tell you, honey," Katrina breathed in her bittersweet voice, gracing my ears. "This is absolutely perfect." Katrina admired to the day. I could only grin as I stood from my spot and jammed my hands in my trouser pockets, not unalike to the manner in which the boy had his own hands into his trousers. I made my way to the young woman and the mystery child. "Why, good evening, Katrina. I never expected you to be out today." I greeted Katrina specifically. Perhaps if I did not acknowledge the boy, he would leave, he would disown the idea of courting young Katrina. "Oh, why, young Mason, why on Earth would you never suspect that idea? It is a mighty fine day out. All should be out." Katrina protested coyly as she crossed her arms defiantly.
I raised a single eyebrow toward the young woman before allowing myself the proud grin of a love. "You are finely right, Miss Sylvester. I should never have assumed such a putrid idea." I acted, jokingly placing disgust in the 'putrid idea'. "I would have thought better of you, Mister Mason." Young Katrina claimed. I chuckled along to the playful banter before I noted rather begrudgingly that the annoying bugger of a boy was still firmly in place beside Katrina. Katrina followed my glare to the young boy before she felt the urge to introduce the lad. "Ah, Edward, I would like to introduce you to my fine cousin," Katrina announced as she reached her slim, frail arm outward and snatched the shapeless hat away from the silly child's head.
I watched in utter shock and horror as a merciless river of blonde curls bounded out of the hat's area and fell to the child's shoulders. And I recognized instantly that this was not a boy at all, this was a young woman. "This is my cousin, Elion," Katrina introduced. I could only gaze upon the young lady in shock and guilt. The young lady was rather petite and small, frail to the most fragile level. Her entire face appeared to be made of shimmering porcelain, the snowiest shade of white to be had. Her eyes sat, embedded in the porcelain frame, as a pair of foggy silver rings surrounding two endless black holes and framed by thick, long lashes of pure ebony. Finely arched eyebrows seemed penciled to the perfect touch above her eyes as a perfectly straight nose clammed the center between and below her eyes and lips that appeared to be in a permanent scowl crowned above her darted chin. And yet, though Elion was beautiful in her own genre, she was not as beautiful as Katrina in my eyes.
"Oh, I must apologize for future reference, Miss Elion. I must admit I had been fooled into believing you a boy and had been rather wildly jealous." I admitted, a playful hint disguising the truth of my words. A small smirk graced Elion's lips as she glanced between her cousin and me. Though she did not say a word, I could clearly imagine what she was thinking; he is bound to marry her, the perfect girl. I could practically feel the jealousy radiating off of Elion as her eyes locked onto her cousin. And yet…why had she disguised herself to such an act? Was this young woman ashamed to be just that, a woman? Or had this girl completely given up on appearances?
"May I ask just why exactly you had dressed as a male? It is rather confusing." I intruded rather freely. I had no opposition to intruding. "Oh, well, Elion is a bit fragile to the sun and is rather uncomfortable in women's clothing." Katrina explained freely. "Elion is rather smart as well yet I assure you, she is the perfect female specimen." Katrina playfully tacked. I could only grin at Katrina's happiness and play. To see her happy, cheerful even, was a daring gift that I had wished for since the moment I had laid eyes on her. And each day I had been given that gift, once more each day. Katrina was a rather cheerful person, a wonderful aura to be around.
"The girl is interested in science in fact." Katrina jokingly whispered to me. And yet each second I blushed at the closeness, at the feel of her breath on my cheek. And yet science? Though the only female scientist I had heard of was Marie Curie and even her my father had disapproved of rather finely. And though I believed that a female could invent as well as a male, the matter of the being was could a fourteen year old girl? "And, Elion, do you plan a future in science?" I questioned the young female. Elion raised a single eyebrow at me, mimicking my earlier action in hers however much more feminine. Without a word Elion snatched the hat from Katrina's hands and plopped it upon her head of curls. "Why, yes, Mister Mason. I believe I do. Not as a scientist yet as science itself." Elion answered, speaking for the first time.
Katrina and I watched in wonder as Elion clasped the brim of the hat between her thumb and center finger and gracefully slid the hand along the brim in a final sly farewell. "Oh, well, Elion knows her way around the world. She can make it on her own." Katrina giggled as she stood firmly by my side. I grinned down at the frail young woman who returned with a firm, wide smile. "Oh, but you will love Elion once you two get to know each other." Katrina exclaimed with exasperation. I frowned at this notion as I turned to watch the young woman walk away. You could still note Elion's figure in the distance yet she had clearly left her hair down. Many much be wondering what she was doing in male's clothing. "I have not the slightest hint whether that is true or not." I admitted to my fine friend and secretly beloved.
Katrina grinned ahead of us as she started forward to continue her stroll. For a moment I hesitated, not understanding whether I should follow or not, before Katrina paused mid-step and turned back. She seemed to sense my hesitation as she withdrew her hand from her side to offer to me. I could only grin like the love-sick fool I was as I accepted the hand and continued my stroll with Katrina. "Elion is very…special to me. She has been my dearest friend since birth and so I can only hope you two will get along." Katrina admitted, a perfect blush gracing her face. The color suited her finely as she continued on, the sun gracing her warm skin. I would have to get along with Elion as I wished for the best in my courting of Katrina Sylvester.
: Edward: April 5th, 1915 :
Three days of debate tossed me onto the front doorstep of Elion Sylvester. I raised my fist the door, my knuckles just barely scraping the door as it had no knocker, before the door was flung open. The sight that I was greeted with left a smile on my face and laughter spilling out of every part of me. I had never assumed that Elion would approach the door in such attire. And yet Elion stood before me, her entire form shrouded in a set of denim overalls, a white unbuttoned oxford shirt, and a fresh pair of workers' gloves and an odd device of magnification goggles placed on her head. Elion's mass of white-gold curls poured around her shoulders, the goggles acting as a headband to pull the hair from her forehead.
I attempted to smother my laughter and yet it was impossible so I waited for the function to die. Elion waited, annoyed and rather impatient, her hands firmly placed on her hips and her silver eyes burning with irritation. "May I help you, Mister Mason?" Elion questioned from her stance, her voice clouded with every ounce of annoyance that I had assumed. I killed my laughter to mere chuckles, answering between chuckles. "Yes," I said before clearing my throat, accidentally allowing another chuckle to escape me. "I was hoping to…" I trailed off, recognizing that I had no line, no rehearsed words. "Well, I haven't the slightest hint what I was meaning to do." I announced, promised of a blush at my incompetence.
Elion was sure to bite off my head at this one. And I was not disappointed.
"So, inform me this, Mister Mason; you come to my doorstep at the point of rather importance in an experiment of mine, interrupted said experiment, haven't the slightest clue as to what to say other than 'well, I have no plan'. Am I correct?"
I waited for Elion's speech to end, positive that this was worth the scolding as it did seem rather as she had said, all other than the 'experiment' part in which I hadn't the slightest hint as to whether that was true however it appeared so. "Yes, I do believe that is how things are." I retorted rather smartly. Yes, we have sarcasm in the twentieth century. "I do not believe that that is worth my time at all! I am losing precious youth standing here and talking to you, Mister Mason, and you have not the slightest plan or clue as to what you are to do other than annoy and persistently intrude on me!" Though Elion's voice remained at a low volume, the bite was rather harsh in her tone.
"Mister Mason, have you come to speak of Katrina or has Katrina sent you at all?" Elion persisted. Before a single word could exit my mouth, Elion had answered for me. "But of course! Katrina has insisted that you 'get along' with me and you have gone and decided to 'bond' with me." It was remarkable how spot on this girl was. "Why on this godforsaken planet should I 'bond' with you so you could place a shiny ring on my cousin's finger?" Elion exclaimed. I frowned at this as I turned to the girl. "Because, of course, you have been portrayed as her dearest friend and she wants us to 'bond'." I responded. Elion raised her left eyebrow in irritation and question. But I silently prayed for her approval. If Elion did not approve of me, I would never have the chance to marry Katrina. "Enter, Mister Mason." Elion commanded as she stepped aside, allowing me to enter through the wide door.
Begrudgingly I entered as I came to the conclusion I must in order to bond with this girl. Elion shut the door behind me before passing me by. Before I could stop her the girl had gone down a hallway to the left and had disappeared through a door. I passed all, not understanding my surroundings, before entering the room. The room itself was chaotic. Wooden walls bordered the entire room, each one pinned with sheets of paper with one elaborate equation after the other. Hardly a space on the wall could be seen behind the papers and elaborate equations. I could not make sense of one bit of it. A bed sat, settled in the corner of the crowded room, uncoordinated and cluttered with sheets and pillows. The comforters and pillows appeared to make a nest in the center of the bed, ruffled and cluttered. An ancient black stained chest sat at the foot of the bed, closed tautly and locked behind chains and a padlock.
The wooden floors remained cluttered with clothing of all sorts, papers and elaborate tools that I could not place in my mind. Elion stood before a workbench, completely cluttered with tools and scraps of all sorts. This explained Elion's attire however what exactly was she doing? A wardrobe sat at the edge of the bedroom, opposite of the bed, yet it remained closed, sealed and the only tidy bit of the room. I watched my steps carefully as I entered behind Elion. The delayed conclusion that I was in Elion's bedroom brought a wild blush to my face as I blushed. "Do not be shy, Mister Mason." Elion demanded as she reached up and pulled down her goggles onto what I assumed was her eyes. "Hold my hair back, Mister Mason." Elion was very demanding in her time.
Cautiously I reached forward and withdrew Elion's white-gold hair behind her head, holding it as gently as I could to not disturb or hurt her. "You are not making love, Mister Mason, no need to be so gentle. If you are too gentle, my hair will fall." Elion commented, causing a blush to rise to my face once more. This girl was very humiliating and aggravating. "Has anyone ever told you that you are indeed very blunt?" I questioned through grounded teeth. "But of course, Mister Mason." Elion answered rather absently as she drew a tool to a piece of what appeared to be brass or copper.
"Edward."
Elion paused in what she was doing only then. "What did you say, Mister Mason? I couldn't quite hear you." Elion questioned. I paused to take a deep breath. "I said for you to please call me Edward. Mister Mason is my father." I claimed rather boldly. Elion froze in her place yet my hands held her hair back. Elion's hair, white-tinged and golden to a crisp, was unexpectedly soft, not matching her demeanor at all. The girl appeared as a porcelain doll yet inside she was a fierce woman, one not willing to take any abuse from a human being or I expected even an animal. The girl, though only fourteen of age, seemed to be a rather proud woman, rather fond of herself and not willing to take any opposition from others.
"Very well, Edward. Then I must insist you call me 'Ellie'." Elion insisted as she continued on her task. I peered over Ellie's shoulder to attempt at guessing what she was doing. And yet even with seeing it, I could not understand what she was doing. "May I ask what exactly you are doing?" I requested curiously. "Yes, you may," Ellie answered yet said no more.
I chuckled as I reminded myself that this was only expected of the girl I've known only for a short while and already have known. "What exactly are you doing, Ellie?" I questioned. Elion's smirk could be seen fondly at the corner of her mouth nearest me before she held up what she had been welding, I assumed. "I am making a brace." Elion answered. I frowned at this. This only left me with more questions. "And what is this brace for?" I asked. Elion smirked as she lowered what had appeared to be a hollow cylinder with no walls and only slim limbs. "I am making a suit." Elion answered. And again I had more questions. "What is the suit for?" I questioned. "To be worn, of course." Elion chuckled with a playful shake of her head.
"What is the purpose of this suit, then?" I corrected myself. Elion nodded her approval. "The suit will enhance strength and agility to an extraordinary degree. A serum will match the suit to heighten the senses though I have not decided on whether it is to be permanent or to be temporary. At the state the serum is now, it would be permanent and would preserve a body for centuries at the very least as it builds a wall about the cells of a body that causes aging." Ellie answered. My shock caused me to lose my hold on Elion's hair. The surprise of Elion's hair falling into her face had elicited a scream from Elion. Though the scream was from having moved her tool to her shoulder and having set fire to the strap of overalls that was placed upon her right shoulder.
A series of profanities left my mouth as Elion's mouth gawked open at the sight of her shoulder on fire. "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Elion cried out as the fire burnt down to her shoulder. I was shocked to find that none of her hair had caught the dangerous heat. Without thinking a moment more, I had swept my arms beneath Elion's knees and swept her into my arms. As the girl was very short and very light, this was of no issue. "Where is the bathroom?" I questioned Elion in my rush. "Second door on the left!" Elion cried out amidst her pained cries. Now Katrina would never love me for I have set her cousin and dearest friend on fire.
The instant that I recognized the bathtub I placed Elion in the porcelain dish as quickly as possible. "Take off your top and overalls," I demanded as I turned the faucet knob. The rush of water splashed against Elion's legs and for the moment I prayed that my solution to the fire would not cause this girl hypothermia. In a flash of fingers and limbs Elion had the snap of her overalls undone and was briskly pulling the flamed clothing off. Her oxford shirt was of no use anymore as it now held a charred black wound in the shoulder where it had entirely burned through. Elion escaped the tub's frozen climate quickly as she leapt from the tub and stood.
Another blush rose as I recognized quickly that Elion was wearing nothing more than the scarce oxford shirt and a flimsy pair of bloomers. Elion's goggles now dangled uselessly at the base of Elion's neck between the open flaps of her shirt. A blistering burn mark now marred the entire right edge of Elion's shoulder. "Elion, I apologize a trillion times over! I never meant to let go of your hair!" I exclaimed instantly as I rushed forward. Elion turned her eyes to her shoulder. The entire shoulder had been marred a putrid purple with raised wounds already around the shoulder.
"Come with me; I will have my father drive us to the hospital." I rushed as I hurried Elion out of the room.
:::
"I was not toying with a tool, Uncle!" Elion's voice grazed the outer halls of the hospital room where Katrina, Mrs. Sylvester, my parents and I stood. Elion's parents had not been able to attend to the hospital so Katrina's parents had come. This had not proved very wise.
"I have told you many times, Elion! You are not to fool with tools! Especially heated tools! You cannot wield one like a scientist as you so think you do!" Mr. Sylvester claimed from within the room. Katrina and I flinched at these words. Not only had Mr. Sylvester insulted Elion but had implied that she was a child. This had never gone over well with teenagers. "Miss Sylvester, please remain still; I must cool the wound before I can sew it up." Dr. Cullen's calm voice eased all tensions.
The man seemed to have a way with his words as well as using his looks to his use. To say the least, the man was very manipulative and odd in appearances though my mother and father had already fallen madly into trust with this man. "Dr. Cullen, please, will you explain to this child that tools are very dangerous and not meant for children." Mr. Sylvester hissed. Though it was not much to anyone's shock, my parents and I each flinched as we heard a loud slap resonance from within the hospital room.
"He had it coming to him." Katrina sighed with resignation. "Miss Sylvester, I warned you not to use your right hand. It will be very tender for a few weeks at the very least." Dr. Cullen attentively spoke. I chuckled as I noticed he did not disapprove.
"Yes, well, it should not be. I have work to do despite what my uncle says." Elion's voice hissed. Her likeliness to a snake then struck me. "It will take me years at the very least to perfect the brace much less the serum! I cannot just folly around and remain in bed." Elion protested. I frowned at this as I turned to Katrina. I was shocked to find a grin gracing Katrina's perfect face. "Elion has always been very, very opinionated. She will not settle down at the very least to go to bed and she will head back to work the second that she returns home. Although she will have a ribbon this time." Katrina giggled. I grinned down at my beloved endearingly before guilt struck once more.
"What on Earth were you doing there anyways, son?" My father persisted. I frowned at my father before a sigh escaped me. "I went to get to know Ellie. I wanted to see if she was as cold as I had first met her." I joked. My father chuckled as my mother frowned at me. "Now, son, even if it is a joke, you must not say such things about a lady." My mother scolded. I frowned with a settled sigh as I recognized this as true. "Yes, well, in my defense she was dressed in boy's clothing."