Any Random Stuff to do with The Race to Save Element Kind

Haya and Haye

Laughter and chatter filled the barn and a warm fire blazed on one end, leaving Wash in the cold at the other end. He rubbed his hands together in an attempt to generate at least a little warmth but he shivered and drew his limbs closer to himself to keep them from going numb - he would have approached the fire, but the cell and iron bars he was behind made it a little difficult. He placed one hand on a bar and felt the chill seep through the glove before stiffly standing and looking through his prison at the joyful watchmen.

"...Hello? You all by the fire...?"

They glanced over, failing to hold back sniggers. One chuckled before crossing his arms over his pale yellow shirt. His cocky smirk irritated Wash just a bit.

"What do /you/ want? Chances are you can't have it," he sneered, flicking his blonde hair out if his face with a toss of his head.

Wash's gaze fell to the floor, his faint frown seemingly permanently set. He took in a breath.

"Any chance I could have some of that...? You know, I've never had tyraset before..."

One of the women looked surprised, "Never had it? Lord, we have this every day! Might as well give it to the poor sod, Holen," she muttered.

"Fine." The blonde twitched and snatched a piece off that woman's plate - she frowned slightly, but shrugged it off- and tossed it halfheartedly in Wash's direction. A puff of dust went up when it hit the ground. Wash knew it was out of his reach.

"Would you mind handing it to me? I really can't quite reach it from here..."

Holen scoffed and sat back down. "Get it yourself, beggar. If you want it, make an effort."

The woman he had taken the tyraset from just rolled her eyes and stood, making her way in front of Wash's cell. She picked up the tyraset and brushed off all the dust she could, then offered it forward. Wash smiled faintly in gratitude and took it from her, then began to quietly chew it.

Holen chuckled again. "Danya, I swear that you're getting soft. Aren't you supposed to be deadly?"

Danya sighed. "You're acting like it's some kind if hardship to be a decent person."

"You're spoiling the prisoner for fuck's sake."

"I would hardly call giving him a piece of tyraset spoiling him. Especially since he hasn't eaten in almost two days- what did Haya Oleander say we should do with him again?"

Holen scowled. "Make sure he's taken care of."

"Exactly. How can we be taking care of him if we haven't even fed the poor bugger yet?"

"Whatever."

"You know Holen, you really are such a-"

The door connecting to the main building creaked open and all heads turned towards it, but Wash couldn't see who had entered. A stern female voice echoed from the doorway.

"Tell me which cell he's in and exactly what you've given him to live on, Holen."

The man almost looked frightened for a moment, then gestured a few cells down. "He's down there. He's had water and tyraset."

Danya shot him a glare.

The woman that just entered then appeared in front of Wash's cell and he glanced up, instantly recognizing just about everything about her.

"Haya Oleander."

Her frown didn't change. "Haye Wash."

His gaze fell to the floor again. "You shouldn't call me that anymore."

"What, because you're pathetic? I already know that much, but that doesn't mean I strip title from you. What I want to know is why the hell none of your members have tried to come and get you yet- have they no loyalty for you? That's even more pathetic."

Wash flinched at her words. "They had the utmost of respect for me, and more loyalty to me than your members have to you."

"Well then where are they? You'd think by now at least /one/ of them would slip past our defense."

"Oh, many more than that would have."

"Goddamnit, just tell me up front!"

"The dead and buried can't climb walls."

Oleander fell silent for a moment. "The... dead and buried?"

"You were standing on my niece's grave when you came to claim me. She was the last one I buried." His voice was forced stable but still shook just a little.

"There are none left." He looked up into her eyes that seemed to bore into his head. "So you shouldn't call me an Haye. I don't have a home or members anymore."

Oleander took a breath, deep in thought, and turned away from the cell so his defeated image wouldn't affect her decision. She knew it would anyway, but she pretended she had no bias.

After about five minutes of silence on all fronts, she turned to face him once again. "You said you had no home?" She asked, her voice ever so slightly softer.

Wash nodded. 'What is she planning? No one will miss me, so she might as well kill me now. There's no reason she'd keep me around. I'm of no use to-'

She opened the lock on the cell door and threw it open, backing up a few paces and folding her arms over her chest.

"Go."

"What?"

"You can go."

"I have nowhere to go to. I'll only be killed."

"Not in the mess hall you won't."

"...What?"

"You aren't going to die in the damn mess hall. Just go up there- you know where it is, you've seen it before."

"...Thank you... But... Would you mind telling me why this change has come about?"

"You have no home and no family, just like everyone else who started here. You're no different to the rest of us anymore."

"So you're saying...-?"

"Welcome to Carynstae Mahda. Now go eat properly- I know Holen didn't feed you." She turned away to avoid his glance, waving him off with her other hand.

Wash smiled just a little. "Thank you, Haya Oleander."

"Don't you dare get sappy with me or I'll lose all my respect for you."

He chuckled quietly, beginning to walk towards the mess hall. "Of course."