"Good evening, mortals." Apart from the silent rustle of her dress Ende approached the two diligent helping hands without a noise. She carried a cape over her arm and looked at the fabric box intently. "I think I found the right spot."
"Hello", Eternia greeted small-lipped. She was distrustful. The blonde hair of the girl, the pale skin... "Who are you?"
"My name is Kataryna Ende."
Tamara didn't like to tip-toe around a problem, so she asked: "Are you related to Elizabeth?"
"Indeed, that I am. We both are descendants of a very old vampire family." Kataryna informed her willingly.
Eternia gulped. She didn't like the thought of having even more vampires in the neighbourhood. But without orders from above there was nothing she could do about it. "So... err... then you work at the alchemy laboratory, too?"
"Oh, no, I don't mess around with such things. I study true magic. Alchemy and science are just fads, after all."
"What was that?! Fads?" Ra Muw, who had approached the group from the other side, almost let go of her tool box out of outrage. "Science is the most important thing ever!"
"Oh, please", Kataryna said with a wave of her hand. "What thing of importance have you ever invented? Especially you people who work with the messy steampunk items?"
"Flying machines, for example!"
"I can fly without a machine."
"Electric light!"
"Things were so much easier without it."
"Robot horses!"
"Were real horses not good enough for you?"
"Mining machines which dig out the gold that people like you love to turn into jewelery!"
"Countess Elizabeth can create gold in her laboratory."
Ra Muw lifted her arms. "See! You just said that alchemy is also nonsense! But for your gold you need at least one, science or alchemy!"
Kataryna rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well then. I don't actually require any gold, but if you insist then for peace sake I agree. Nothing could be farther from my mind than to upset you."
Eternia, who had listened in amusement, stepped in: "Right. Please get along, you have to travel together, after all."
Kataryna handed Eternia her hat and said: "Don't let me stop you."
"Who guarantees that this vampire won't drain me on the way?" Ra Muw asked anxiously after she also handed over her equipment.
"Scientists taste bad", Kataryna taunted with a wolfish grin. "Especially you dirty steampunkers. You smell."
"Since you smell like a whole perfume shop that shouldn't be a problem." Ra Muw countered.
"Ladies, honestly. Use your time in the box to discuss science, alchemy and magic." Eternia was unnerved.
Tamara added: "Ra Muw, since Charlotte and at least two ninjas in training are in the box you should be safe."
Kataryna twitched. "Charlotte? Do I really have to travel with her?"
"There's only eight of you Dals so one box is enough."
"He he he." Ra Muw grinned cheekily and was happy to see Charlotte turn even more pale.
"Vampires mean nothing but trouble!" Eternia complained while putting away everything.
"Well, at least the small one doesn't steal any men from you, does she?"
"Of course she does! Permanently, even - when she sucks one dry!"
"Hm", Tamara pondered for a moment. "Which reminds me of an interesting problem that I often thought about. We know Elizabeth for quite a while now and still I never heard that one of us was bitten or died."
"Perhaps she sucks the Barbies of the neighbourhood dry?" Eternia said promptly.
Tamara raised an eyebrow. "Hm, I don't know. I rather think the alchemist still has some secrets up her sleeve."
"Well, in that case we'll know soon." Eternia pricked herself on one of Ra Muws weird gadgets and thought that steampunk was only marginally better than vampires.
Moving - Edge and Pink-Chan <-- # --> Moving - Victorique and Fei