Patience is a virtue, they say.

Patience was a virtue Eddie didn't possess. Each day Issy spent behind bars was an eternity. She had been taught that Justice should be swift, and sure, like the twin blades Eddie wore just below her crimson sash. RhyDin justice, as far as Eddie was concerned, was neither. Supposedly there was a witness to the second brutal double murder, yet Eddie could find no trace of that witness - no evidence the person even existed. The whole thing reeked of a setup, yet still Issy sat in prison, and Eddie could do nothing directly to get her out.

So, as Trixie and Jewell worked the legal angle, Eddie decided to do what she did best - she would go undercover. If the local townsfolk feared Eddie the Scathachian warrior, perhaps they would find Eddie the girl more approachable. Most folks she encountered saw her face only in shadow. So, she dressed less like a warrior on patrol, and more like an 18-year-old girl. She chose her outfit carefully - black tights, black scooter with an emerald green stripe on either side, a green form-fitting, yet not too trashy, long sleeved top, and black fingerless glove, to be hip, and to hide the tattoos on her hands. She brushed her strawberry hair into a high perky ponytail, held in place with a green-and-black scrunchie. She even - gasp - wore shoes for this assignment, custom-made leather slippers so she could blend in, yet still be able to fight as she was accustomed. Her twin blades were concealed well by the scooter, and she also wore daggers on each wrist, and on each thigh. She may be undercover, but she would not be defenseless.

A quick glance in the mirror showed a young, fresh-faced, non threatening girl - the perfect disguise for a hardcore warrior maiden. She was ready to ferret out information on this witness, and hopefully get Issy out of jail for good. She ran her slim fingers through her bangs, ready to head out. Just before sheleft, she realized she had forgotten about her black velvet choker, the one she never took off - not even when she slept. The garnet set in it was too well known as a symbol of the Scathachian warrior, so with slightly shaking hands, Eddie slowly reached up and unhooked the choker, lovingly folded the velvet so the garnet was cushioned, and set it and her crimson sash on her dresser. She then jotted a brief note in case her Sisters should worry:

"Gone Dancing."

Eddie then slipped out her door, and left the Sanctuary to head into the West End night to see what she could find.

Eddie was getting nowhere fast, except frustrated, She had ong prided her self on being able to learn tidbits of information her Sisters couldn't, but this time, she wasn't able to discover anything not already known to them. The witness still eluded them all, and Issy remained in jail. Eddie showed the others a brave front, but she felt lost without Issy. Her keen, focused mind now was swimming in doubt. The decade of training she had undergone had not prepared her for this type of brutality, or this level of injustice. Her near unshakeable faith was being severely tested.

After a week of futile digging, Eddie allowed herself a break, so she went to the Inn to chill for a little while. The bottled water she usually drank wasn't cutting it, so she switched over to Issy's favorite - whiskey. She didn't drink it like her Elder - her only attempt at downing a shot had made her choke, but she did like the strong taste. Dark brown eyes caught her attention, and she looked over at someone new, a guy maybe 4-5 years older than her, and - he was smiling at her. Not leering - smiling. They started talking, and it was nice. He told her about a place where people went to fight, and when Eddie showed interest, they made arrangements to meet up there the next day for a little match. For the first time, Eddie felt like a regular teenage girl.

Just as they said goodbye, Trixie came in and heard them make plans. Trixie's initial concern (bordering on disapproval) softened when Eddie explained how nice it was to feel "normal" - well, as normal as a Judge could be. The evening ended with good natured ribbing by Trixie, and Eddie chasing her out of the Inn as she laughed - just like normal. Maybe, just maybe, their lives would be back to normal again.

Pulling himself from the wall once more, Brian smiled...It had been a long while since he and Eddie have been able to run amok, and the 'Little Red Beastie' made it that much more fun! Having already seen the note she had left, and already being knee deep in the WestEnd for the last few weeks, Brian figured it might be okay to take a wee break and hit the streets. Having just seen Icer in flight, and sending Kerri to cover another area, Brian caught sight of the fleet Edith, and bit of red in pursuit.

Soooooo, off we went into the 'caravan' of ass kicking they seemed to have somehow formed, as he followed what was easily two of the most dealy women to grace the WestEnd in some time. Using all the cover the trickery he had, Bri followed, and laughed inside. Even with all that was going on, he knew Eds and Jen would keep it in perspective, and in truth he couldn't wait to see where it lead, if just for a night.