LavendaBrunette's blog

New BD2 stills in this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly!

2012-08-09T14:40:44Z

It's been a while since I've written a blog (almost a year, actually), so give me a break with how bad this will probably end up being. Sorry.

This week's issue of Entertainment Weekly features 5 new stills from Breaking Dawn - Part 2, along with interviews with Robert, Kristen, Taylor, Bill Condon, and Stephenie Meyer. To be honest, these stills really aren't anything we haven't already seen, but they're still pretty exciting. Maybe next time we can get some more new characters and some wolfpack in there?

Okay? Okay.

How do I end one of these things again? Ummm...yeah. That's it.

My review of Breaking Dawn - Part I.

2011-11-19T13:41:21Z

THIS BLOG CONTAINS SPOILERS OF BREAKING DAWN - PART I. IF YOU PLAN ON SEEING THE MOVIE AND DON'T WANT SPOILERS, DON'T READ THIS BLOG UNTIL AFTER YOU SEE THE MOVIE. GOT IT? GOOD.

I've been ridiciulously pumped to see Breaking Dawn - Part I ever since I saw Eclipse. But in all honesty, who hasn't been pumped? So when the day finally came that this glorious movie came out, I spent the entire day at school spazzing out (because I was going to see it at 7pm with a bunch of my friends right after school). You guys were probably all in the same situation as me, whether you were at school or at work, or just at home.

The movie began with the scene where a pissed off Jacob runs out of his house in the pouring rain, drops Edward and Bella's wedding invite, takes off his shirt and phases into a wolf. I was a bit disappointed with the fact that the movie started off that way; I was expecting to see Edward and Bella in the meadow since Bella was the one narrating.

Okay, now if I keep reviewing specific details I'll be writing this blog all day. So let me just start skimming through the movie.

Bella's dream about the immortal child was…off. There wasn't even an immortal child in the dream (but I guess that's because unlike in the book, Carlisle never told Bella about immortal children). But other than that, the dream was accurate; there was a pile of the dead bodies of Bella's loved ones in front of Edward and Bella and then Bella woke up. The end.

I loved the wedding scene. It was absolutely gorgeous. And by the way, I fangirled when we finally got to see Bella's wedding dress; everyone here knows that I love fashion and that dress was BEAUTIFUL. For anyone who's reading this who hasn't seen the movie yet: the dress doesn't disappoint.

The vows were a little short and Bella didn't even cry like in the book, but when Edward and Bella finally kissed as husband and wife I noticed something that I don't think anyone else noticed. As they kissed, I saw that out of nowhere all the pews were empty. My guess is that the empty pews is symbolic of the fact that while they kissed, Edward and Bella felt like they were the only people there. I liked that.

They also skipped through the reception waaaay too quickly. I was mad that we only saw about two seconds of Alice and Jasper's kickass dance, but oh well. This movie is about demon vampire babies, not vampire dancing.

Now on to my favorite people in the entire universe (I don't care that they don't really exist), the Denali coven! They changed Bella's introduction to the Denalis so much and I'm not sure if I liked it. Instead of Tanya, the first of the coven to come up to meet Bella were Carmen and Eleazar, with Tanya and Kate following behind them. I honestly thought it was so Carmen to just come up to a person she doesn't even know (Bella) and kiss her cheeks. Also, instead of Tanya, Carmen did most of the talking. I think Tanya and Kate had about one line, which annoyed me. Lastly, I'm not going to give away what happened with Irina; you'll just have to see for yourself. I felt so bad for her though. My poor baby. (Favorite line in that scene: "Hola." ~ Eleazar. His accent killed me.)

The wedding speeches were absolutely hilarious. Everyone in the theater was cheering and/or cracking up; especially when Renée got up there and started singing a lullaby to Bella while in tears.

Now; the honeymoon. I was SO happy that they used Llovera in the "almost water sex" scene. It worked so well and it even made me, the most unemotional person on the planet, tear up a bit. My friend sitting next to me was bawling so I had to hug her the entire time.

The sex scene wasn't even as bad as I thought it would be. It was mostly just close-ups of Bella and Edward's faces smooshing against each other. I think I saw a total of one thrust, so it wasn't even too awkward. Bill Condon definitely did a good job of keeping it PG-13.

I didn't think Edward reacted the right way when Bella found out she was pregnant with the demon child. Yes, I understand that he was in shock, but if I were him I would've been hyperventilating. And they didn't even show Bella's talk with Rosalie over the phone about keeping the baby; they didn't even have Edward protest to her keeping the baby (unless I missed something). They also skipped over the pregnancy almost entirely; we saw her on the way back from the honeymoon and then it just skipped to two weeks later when Jacob saw her for the first time.

I LOVED the scene with the wolves when they found out about Bella's pregnancy via Jacob's thoughts. It was super dramatic and the awesome background music only added to the badassery. And I really liked the fact that the wolves' thinking voices sounded different than their speaking voices. Their thinking voices were a bit deeper and had an echo behind them; Sam's voice was the coolest IMO.

The scenes with Jacob, Seth and Leah in their human forms were cheesy/boring, but that might be because I don't really care about the wolves all that much. Don't hate me.

Imagine a drumroll right about now. ………THE BIRTH SCENE. It was all kinds of sick, twisted and disgusting, but that's exactly how it was supposed to be. The way Bella's back cracked when she leaned over to catch the cup of blood was so disgusting and I loved it. (And Kristen Stewart's acting was amazing at this point.) But after the demon child was out, and Jacob ran outside and started crying because he thought Bella was dead, THAT was when the waterworks came. I was crying SO. HARD. And then when they came back to Edward giving Bella CPR and saying, "Please, baby. Please," I cried even harder. He looked so broken and it made me want to run into the movie and give him a hug.

As many of you know, I'm not a huge fan of the fact that Jacob imprinted on Renesmee (it's weird, it's cheesy and it's extremely creepy) but I thought the imprinting scene was beautiful. The flash forward of Renesmee when she's fully grown was so sweet and it was scary how similar the actress who played fully grown Renesmee looked to Mackenzie Foy. It had to be CGI; there is NO WAY the actress looked that close to Mackenzie. No. Way. I loved older Renesmee so much that I hope she makes an appearance in Breaking Dawn - Part II.

The Quileute vs. Cullen scene was amazing, but I'm glad that Jacob ran out in wolf form and ended the fight quickly. That's all I have to say on the scene; I don't want to give it away.

And finally, the end. The ending absolutely KILLED me. I wanted to throw my popcorn at the screen and say, "DAMN YOU, SUMMIT! DAMN YOU!" It ended with all of the Cullens (and Jacob) hearing Bella's heart stop beating. Then we saw a side-view of Bella's paler, gorgeous vampire face (and trust me, she was GORGEOUS). The camera zoomed in on her closed eyes, and then at the last second they opened and they were blood red. AND THEN IT ENDED RIGHT THERE. Everyone in the theater was pissed; this ending is worse than New Moon. And I don't mean worse as in the ending sucked, I mean worse as in they left us hanging. I can't wait a whole year to see VampBella! I need her NOW!

So yeah, credits, credits, let out a little squeal when I see the Denali coven actors' names in big letters on the screen, freak out when the bonus scene with the Volturi comes on, and leave. Overall the movie was amazing and you'll absolutely love it if you haven't seen it already. In fact, I'm seeing it again with a couple of my friends today.

Tell me what you think of my review in the comments, okay? :)

I think of the dumbest things to do when I'm bored.

2011-11-12T16:36:29Z

Yeah, so I'm bored. So out of nowhere I just decided to take a photo of each actor for each member of the Denali coven (except Garrett; I got bored again by the time I got to him) and make them all vampy-like. Thank goodness the three sisters already have moderately pale skin so I didn't have to make their skin any paler. Christian/Eleazar and Mia/Carmen, however, took me forever (but I was bored so I pulled through. LOL).

I made all of these while listening to Domino by Jessie J on repeat. It's a surprisingly good song to listen to while you're working for absolutely no reason. :)

New photos of Seth, Eleazar, Carlisle, etc. at the L.A. Twilight Convention!

2011-11-05T12:44:45Z

This L.A. Twilight Convention is bringing me so much happiness, you don't even know. Jacob's motorcycle, the Denali sisters' dresses, the ~~unnecessarily massive~~ wedding cake, etc. on display, Tinsel Korey vs. Mia Maestro in karaoke, and new photos from the movie!

You can see all the ones I've found so far below. Yay!

Methinks I understand now!

2011-09-14T21:20:43Z

I've been wondering a lot recently why exactly Bill Condon decided to have Irina at Edward and Bella's wedding in Breaking Dawn: Part 1. I'm guessing that it's because we've never seen Irina's character onscreen before so Bill wanted to introduce Irina's character to the small, small fraction of the Saga's audience who have not read the books.

There's the rest of the Denalis (in the red circle-thingy, obviously), but no Irina.

Added by LavendaBrunette

Anywaaaay, when I watched the trailer yesterday (after I calmed my sh*t because the trailer was pure awesomesauce), I noticed that in all the parts where Irina was featured she looked extremely unhappy to be there. I guess she wanted to stay home in the movie version but the rest of her family dragged her out with them anyway. And then, at about 0:41, as Bella and Edward were leaving the Cullen house and getting rice thrown at them (I thought people don't do that anymore?), I noticed that Irina was not even there. As in, I saw the rest of the Denali coven, but no Irina. Mysterious...

So now I think I've kind of-sort of figured out how they're going to make the "Irina didn't show" plot of the book work in the movie. Irina will be there, of course, but she won't be happy and she'll be sort of on-edge. Something will happen (most likely during the reception) to set her off and make her pissed at the Cullens again. Maybe the Quileutes will make her mad, maybe seeing Bella alive will make her mad, IDK. But she'll get so angry that she'll leave the wedding early, thus giving her the motive to report the Cullens to the Volturi later on.

Unless she just isn't in that shot for no reason and I'm completely over-analyzing things.

What I'd like to see in the Breaking Dawn: Part 1 trailer.

2011-09-12T19:42:26Z

As most (if not, all) Twihards know, the official Breaking Dawn: Part 1 trailer is premiering tomorrow at 7pm EST on Yahoo! Movies. I'm extremely excited, and I'm sure all of you are too. So I decided to put together an extremely irrelevant, pointless list of what exactly I want to see in this trailer. If anyone agrees with me on this I'll be psyched.

Preggo Bella. I'm already positive that we'll be seeing some Bella in all her fat, pregnant glory in this trailer because we got to see a little baby-bump in the 19-second preview of the trailer that we got two days ago. But I want more! I want to see her stomach where that God-forsaken mutant spawn is eating Bella's insides. It sounds gross, yes, but you can't deny that you want to see it too.

More Cullens. In all of the trailers and trailer-previews so far, the only Cullens we've seen are Edward (duh), Carlisle and Esme. I want to see the rest of them!

The wedding. We've only seen little, tiny previews of the wedding (Bella walking down the aisle, holding onto Charlie's arm for dear life). I want to see more of the wedding and I also want to see some of the reception. Edward ripping off Bella's garter with just his teeth and tossing it in Mike Newton's face, maybe?

Denalis, Denalis and more Denalis. I need to get my succubus fix (that looks so wrong, but I don't care). I'd also like to hear one, a few, or all of them speak at some point during the trailer. I don't know… I'm just interested in how their voices sound, and whether or not they'll have accents (Tanya, Kate and Irina with Slovak accents and Carmen and Eleazar with Spanish accents).

The birth scene. I know that they probably want to keep that scene completely under-wraps, but a girl can dream, can't she? Maybe they could just show the moment Bella goes into labor for like, a millisecond…

The only reason I did not mention the Quileutes is because there's no doubt in my mind that they'll be widely featured in the trailer. What's a Twilight trailer without the Quileutes?

My opinions on the Breaking Dawn makeup, wigs, costumes, etc.

2011-09-11T19:51:28Z

Twilight

Added by I love twilight

So, in Twilight you did perfectly (except for Jasper, tbh). You got Edward's messy, bronze hair spot-on. You made Esme's hair caramel-colored and wavy. Alice actually looked like a pixie. Rosalie was drop-dead gorgeous. Emmett could have looked better, but he still looked awesome. Carlisle = HAWT. Jasper... umm, okay. The hair was a little odd but I lived with it.

New Moon

Added by Cullen girl 17

In New Moon, y'all did even better. In my opinion, Edward's hair was perfect (again), Rose looked even more gorgeous than before, etc. I was just disappointed that you made Alice's hair less pixie-like and you made Esme's hair straight. Isn't her hair supposed to be wavy?

Eclipse
Added by Alicecullenninjafreak
Eclipse is when it all started going downhill. Everyone looked "okay". My only specific ridicule is Esme's hair. Since when is it mentioned in the book that Esme's hair went from caramel to brunette?! SMH.

And now we get to Breaking Dawn. NO. JUST NO. Rosalie went back to being drop-dead gorgeous (thank God) and Jasper—oh my God, Jasper—looked SEXY. Never did I ever think that Jasper could look that sexy. Damn Alice, you lucky pixie. The rest of the Cullens, however... I am not happy.

Breaking Dawn

Added by LavendaBrunette

~~This post is a little late, I know, but I felt like I needed to vent about this.~~ First of all, what happened to my sexy vamp doctor? His hair. His luscious hair. It's RUINED. *cries in a corner* Why did you people suddenly feel the need to give Carlisle a totally new hairdo when the fans were already totally pleased with his hair!? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Esme's hair is still brunette. I want the caramel waves back. 'Nuff said.

How did Alice's hair suddenly get shorter? Where did the spiky hair go? I want that back! Again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Emmett looks... okay.

Edward looks odd. I don't think his hair is supposed to look like a toupee.

It looks like Bella is wearing a wig. But, Bella's hair has always looked like a mop to me so I guess it doesn't make much of a difference. And as a side note, why does Bella look even more awkward than usual in the BD promotional photos and in all of the trailers we've seen so far?

Added by AliceGrey16

As for the Quileutes... the've been surprisingly flawless since we first saw them in New Moon, and they're still flawless now. I don't understand why the Quileutes are suddenly looking better than the Cullens lately, though. Aren't the Cullens supposed to be the inhumanly sexy vamps?

Lastly, I'd like to comment on the newbies—the Denalis, of course! My only ridicule for those sexy mofos is Tanya's hair. The last time I checked, Tanya's strawberry-blonde curls were her most prominent and most important feature in Breaking Dawn; so important that Stephenie Meyer felt the need to mention them every two sentences. So why isn't her hair strawberry-blonde in Breaking Dawn?! Isn't her hair what distinguishes her from the other two original Denali sisters? You could have at least given MyAnna Buring a wig.

Esme, Irina, Kate and Tanya.

Added by LavendaBrunette

Tanya: Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. But as I said, her hair should be strawberry-blonde and it always will be strawberry-blonde in my mind.

Kate: D'aww, she's such a cutie. Her hair is just like SM described it—pale-blonde and straight as corn silk. I can already picture her with Garrett.

Irina: Why is she suddenly the most beautiful of the original Denali sisters? But she looks flawless so I can't complain. Too bad her pretty little head's going to be torn off in the next movie...

Carmen and Eleazar

Added by Skyeblue5565

Carmen: Now, out of the four Denali sisters (not just the three originals), SHE is the most beautiful. Even prettier than Irina IMO. I remember SM describing Tanya as the most beautiful of the four but for some reason, I guess the casting directors decided to give Carmen some love and make her the prettiest. Whatever, though. I'm glad the casting directors made Eleazar a happy man. ;)

Just look at him and tell me he isn't beautiful. *sheds a single tear of appreciation*

Added by LavendaBrunette

Eleazar: YES. YES. YES. YES. This guy is all kinds of beautiful. He looks odd with that pout on his face in the Entertainment Weekly preview shots that we got in May (kinda reminds me of the Ice Truck Killer—ew, just ew), but sans-pout (in the trailer) he is all kinds of handsome. I just wish that his hair was a little longer—I've seen photos of his actor with longer hair and he looks even better. Gaaaah, man-curls are adorable.

(The reason why I gave the Denalis really in-depth "reviews" is because they're new. The Cullens have been around for three movies already and the Quileutes have been around for two.)

So yeah. Can I slap whoever allowed the Cullens to look like a disaster? That would make me happy.

How I would have written Breaking Dawn if I was Stephenie Meyer.

2011-09-05T17:02:17Z

According to me and many other Twihards, Breaking Dawn is kind of, sort of a flop book. It made the series into the laughingstock it is today, to be quite honest. The plot is unrealistic, fluffy, disappointing, confusing, etc. And of course, the main reason for this is because Stephenie Meyer decided to create Renesmee, or as she will be referred to by me from now on, Re-name-me. Seriously, what kind of name is Renesmee? I should slap Bella across the face for thinking of that ghastly name, and I should also slap anyone who explicitly accepted/liked that name *cough* RosalieandCharlie *cough*. I honestly don't know why I'm so excited for the movie when I dislike the book so much... oh wait, because of the minor characters, who happen to be much more interesting than the main characters in my opinion.

So, I've decided to show you all how I would have written Breaking Dawn if I were Stephenie Meyer. If only I was Stephenie Meyer... then I don't think anyone would be complaining.

In my version of Breaking Dawn, Re-name-me was never born. The events of the book up to Isle Esme are the same as Stephenie Meyer's version.

Bella and Edward have sex on Isle Esme, but instead, Edward loses control and begins feeding on Bella during the sex. He stops himself eventually (before he can kill her, ~~unfortunately~~) but the venom is already in Bella's system so she begins changing. Edward doesn't have the strength to suck out the venom in Bella's body so he allows her to change (I know, that's totally out of character for him, but I don't support Edward's "keeping Bella human keeps her safe" policy so I'm throwing it in the trash).

Meanwhile, back in Forks, Jacob imprints on Lizzie. He's all la-dee-da and happy and stuff, 'cause I'm just so tired of his bitching and whining over the fact that he lost Bella. TOO BAD, DOG. TOO BAD.

Edward and the new vampy-fied Bella return to Forks from their honeymoon. Bella still has her super-self control because she was prepared to eventually become a vampire (the only reason why I'm giving her the self control is because their plane ride home wouldn't go so well if Bella couldn't control herself). The Volturi find out about the Cullens' truce with the Quileute werewolves and Caius, thinking that the Quileutes are actual werewolves, decides that the entire Volturi, the guard and the wives will attack and destroy the Cullens due to this treaty. Alice has a vision about the Volturi planning to destroy the Cullens and the Cullens decide to gather witnesses to prove that the werewolves are not actual werewolves, but shape-shifters. Just like in the actual book, it takes a month for the Volturi to arrive. All the witnesses come (the Denalis, the Amazons, the Egyptians, the Romanians, the nomads, etc) and witness, but prepare for a fight (just in case). Eleazar identifies Bella as a shield, just like in the actual version of Breaking Dawn, but since Bella doesn't have Renesmee to motivate her while developing her shield, the shield does not develop as much.

The time comes for the Volturi confrontation, but instead of leaving peacefully after it is proven that the werewolves are actually shape-shifters, they decide to attack anyway. (Side notes: Alice and Jasper do NOT leave the Cullens in my imaginary version, so Nahuel and Huilen are not present during the battle. Also, Amun and Kebi leave the clearing before the fight.) The battle begins. Bella's shield is of no use since it is not developed well-enough - therefore, she mainly protects Edward and Jacob. All of the younger wolves of the wolf pack die (ex: Collin, Brady). Renata is killed by Bella, Demetri is killed by Edward. Benjamin and Zafrina continute to keep track of Bella. Tanya attempts to kill Caius but is prevented by Felix, who almost rips her head off. Emmett throws Felix off of Tanya and they get into their own brawl on the side.

Kate goes after Jane, but her senses are cut off by Alec. Garrett jumps in and attacks Alec, rescuing Kate. Before Jane can focus, Kate tortures Jane, giving her a taste of her own medicine. Stefan attacks Alec but Alec kills him. Zafrina eventually gets to Alec and Jane and kills the both of them ('cause she's just amazing like that).

Senna is killed by Santiago. Emmett kills Santiago seconds later. Rosalie and Heidi get into a catfight (I decided that since they're both exceptionally beautiful women, they should both fight each other eventually. This would please Emmett anyway).

Edward and Jacob go after Marcus, but since Marcus is in his depressed state, he does not fight back. Marcus is killed.

Carmen and Eleazar go after Chelsea and Afton. Eleazar easily kills Afton, but since Chelsea has a ton of experience with the Volturi (her being the oldest guard member), she proves to be more of an issue. Eleazar gets distracted by Felix and briefly loses sight of Carmen, who is busy fighting Chelsea. Chelsea eventually gets Carmen in a headlock but before she can rip her head off, Eleazar sees and goes flippin' bonkers (since he gives off a sort of "protective" vibe to me), killing Chelsea in seconds (with Carmen's last-minute help). Carmen also kills Corin. Aro sees Chelsea get killed and finally loses it, demanding everyone to stop fighting. He feels hopeless now that he's lost his most prized guard member and surrenders. The remainder of the Volturi guard leaves in peace.

Before I continue, let me just list the casualties of the battle in my imaginary version of Breaking Dawn:

The Cullens - None
The Denalis - None
The Amazons - Senna
The Egyptians - None
The Romanians - Stefan, Vladimir
The Irish - Maggie, Liam
Nomads - Charlotte, Peter, Randall, Mary
Jacob's Pack - Embry
Sam's Pack - Collin, Brady, 7 unnamed members
The Volturi - Marcus, Santiago, Demetri, Alec, Jane, Corin, Renata, 5 transitory guard members

Okay, now let me continue.

The end of my story is similar to the end of Stephenie Meyer's. I wish I had the heart to kill off a Cullen or a Denali or two but I just can't (by the way, Irina fought in the battle and is still alive). I already feel bad enough as it is for killing Siobhan's mate and Senna. Ugh, poor Siobhan, poor Amazons... *tear*

Anyway, all of the remaining witnesses eventually leave the Cullen household. Zafrina tells Bella that they will be very good friends and that they should visit the Amazon sometime, before Zafrina and Kachiri leave to mourn Senna's death. Siobhan leaves shortly after, not saying much to anyone (she's too distraught after losing Liam). Benjamin and Tia leave after, then the few nomads left. The only group left in the Cullen house are the Denalis and Garrett, who has joined them due to Kate. The two families decide to celebrate together for the next few days (yay! Nothing like a veggie vamp party). Kate had to reattach her leg after the fight so she needs to heal anyway.

The story ends with Edward and Bella in the cottage; the same as Stephenie's version. The end!

I wish I wasn't so lazy, or I might actually re-write Book 2 and Book 3 of Breaking Dawn like this on FanFiction.net or something. That would be awesome, wouldn't it?

Question...

2011-08-15T20:28:21Z

I haven't been a Twihard for as long as some of you people have. Sure, I was always a fan but I never really divulged myself into the whole Twilight Saga until recently. So for those of you who have been around for a while, I have a question.

Typically how many months/weeks/days before a movie in the Twilight Saga comes out is the official promotional photoshoot for the movie released?

If you're not sure what I mean, I mean the promotional photos they take of all the Cullens, Quileutes and other characters seperately. For example, this picture of Carlisle from the official Eclipse photoshoot:

Added by Cullen X

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Nine

2011-07-23T17:05:08Z

Chapter Nine - There's No Place Like Home. Trust Me, I Would Know

Kate's POV

In their absence, Carmen and Eleazar had made certain to make frequent calls to Tanya, Garrett and I, informing us of the happenings in Volterra, how their hunt for vampire recruits was coming along, etcetera, etcetera. But it was their last call that both alarmed and relieved us.

Carmen had called Tanya as she and Eleazar were waiting for their flight home and asked her to fetch Garrett and I so we could hear of the recent events. She then elaborately described to us how the newborns had secretly broken into the castle and attacked the guard. Their attempt to slaughter the entire Volturi was futile, though (at which point I said, "I should have come. I would have had them screaming for their mothers after laying a mere hand on me," and everyone laughed).

Over the phone, Carmen constantly praised Eleazar for his fighting, claiming that she hadn't a clue that someone so gentle, kind and peaceful could possibly harbor that much in him. He would then reply saying things like, "I was only defending you, Carmen," "Do you truly doubt me that much, mi cariña?" and, "I could not possibly allow you to be destroyed at their hands. I need you, Carmen."

The many "I need yous" that he said to Carmen during this call did not cease to make Tanya and I grin. Though we had known him for over a century, his romantic ways always made us smile - we could only imagine how dazzled it made Carmen feel.

After the call ended, we waited eight hours for Carmen and Eleazar to return, the three of us watching films like Casablanca and The Exorcist (yes, an unusually wide range of film genres) to pass the time. Garrett and I made certain that we did not share too many romantic moments, for the sake of Tanya's sanity.

Finally, we heard the sounds that we were all waiting for; tires rolling and halting on the pavement of our driveway, footsteps approaching the house, and the front door opening. Tanya and I leapt off the couch and nearly tackled Carmen to the ground with the type of hug reserved for sisters and only sisters. Garrett stood, smirked and said, "I don't know how to explain them, Eleazar." The two men laughed as they watched us three.

"Carmen!" Tanya and I squealed in unison.

Carmen laughed so loudly that it nearly made the house shake and wrapped her warm, loving arms around us both. "I missed my sisters so dearly!"

We finally released her and set a similarly monstrous hug on Eleazar, who did not know quite how to respond.

Finally letting him go, I leaned into Garrett and said, "I am so thankful that the two of you are alright."

Garrett and Tanya nodded in agreement.

Carmen glanced up at Eleazar and sighed contently. "We cannot stay away from you three that long ever again."

-------------------------------------

Author's note: Thanks so much for reading my first fanfic, you guys! By the way, this is cheesy ending central, if you didn't notice already. ;) Please leave comments and critiques below. I could really use your advice for when I write more fanfics in the future.

Just so you know, I posted this entire story on FanFiction.net. Read it here and leave reviews (if you have an account).

Again, thank you!

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Eight

2011-07-22T15:10:53Z

Chapter Eight - Happy Endings

Aro's POV

Hearing the wild cheers coming from the library, I knew that the army had been defeated and none of my beloved guard members had been slaughtered with them. I smiled and stood, Renata frantically "attaching" herself to my cloak as she realized where I planned on going, in case any newborns had managed to survive.

I quickly stroked Renata's head and cooed, "There is nothing to fear, dear Renata."

She gazed up at me with love-filled eyes, nodding slowly and saying, "But I must stay close by you nevertheless, master."

"Of course," I replied, strolling down the hall toward the library doors. As I observed the doors, I noted that they were torn slightly off their hinges and briefly wondered how much damage had been done on the inside. Convincing myself that the damage - no matter how extensive - would be insignificant, I delicately opened the doors and saw a magnificent scene before me.

Everywhere, members of the guard were cheering and smiling. This was not typical among my guard. They tended to be very professional after winning a battle. But I assume that because this attack was completely unexpected, they were caught off guard and celebrating seemed like the appropriate thing to do.

I was already smiling at this scene, but something else that I saw made my smile widen and my eyes brighten. In the far right corner of the room, there was Eleazar, holding Carmen so tightly in his arms that it seemed as though she might burst, kissing her with the sort of passion that only comes around in situations as dire as this one. I realized then that my previous plans would be futile. Murdering Carmen in order to keep Eleazar would render Eleazar completely useless as a member of the guard, no matter how much I tried to make him useful.

I clapped twice and everyone snapped out of their celebration to stare at me. Even Eleazar slowly drew his lips back from Carmen's, but kept her in his tight embrace, to look at me.

"It seems quite appropriate to celebrate this, dear ones. Defeating an army which attacked without warning with no casualties on our side is a feat for merriment," my gaze passed over each member of the guard. "Perhaps now those who attempt to overthrow us in the future will look back on this moment and reconsider their thoughts.

"Now, I would like you all to please return to your usual posts with celebration in mind. I shall send someone to tidy the library." I directed my gaze toward Eleazar and Carmen. "Eleazar, Carmen, please come with me."

Eleazar reluctantly released Carmen, instead grabbing hold of her hand. Both followed Renata and I back to the throne room. I could practically feel the warmth radiating from Carmen's bright, joyus smile. As we entered the large, marble room, Marcus did something that I had not seen him do in thousands of years as his gaze fell on Carmen and Eleazar. He smiled.

The smile was slight; not much of a smile at all by the standards of a person not suffering from his type of extreme depression. But it was a smile. I acted as though I did not notice this as I turned to address Carmen and Eleazar, but the couple did nothing to hide their surprise.

Eleazar was gaping and his eyes were wide. Carmen had an expression full of bewilderment and wonder etched across her beautiful face. But only seconds later, Marcus' countenance returned to its norm (all that remained of his moment of happiness was his gleaming eyes) and Eleazar and Carmen were shaken from their reverie.

"Eleazar," I said. He blinked and gazed at me. "Myself and my brothers owe you a great debt for the aid that you gave us, and for the valiance you harbored during this battle. Grazie."

Eleazar nodded and smiled, wrapping his right arm around Carmen's small waist. "Prego."

I switched my eyes to Carmen's. "Carmen, my dear, this was quite unexpected of you." I chuckled. "Who knew that someone as small and delicate-looking as you could have so much might?"

She laughed softly. "I am not proud of how many innocent lives I took today."

I nodded solemnly and replied, "I understand."

Suddenly, Marcus spoke behind me. Eleazar's and Carmen's unnaturally golden eyes switched to his. Quietly, he croaked, "Carmen, would you come here please?"

Eleazar stared at him, confused, and released Carmen's hand. Slowly, Carmen approached Marcus' throne-like chair and smiled warmly. "Yes, Marcus?" she replied, acting as though his addressing her was completely normal.

Marcus smiled again as he gazed at her. This time I could not hide my surprise. My brother smiling twice in one day was completely unusual - it was as if he was under some sort of spell.

"I must say…," he said slowly, "you remind me so much of someone from my past…" Marcus sighed with a longing in his eyes.

Carmen caught on to whom he meant quickly and smiled, surprised by his ardor. "Oh…" she replied.

Eleazar was continuously blinking; he could not believe what he was hearing.

"Thank you for assisting us, Carmen," Marcus said softly, and his gaze turned to Eleazar. "You as well, Eleazar."

The couple nodded and Carmen stepped down, returning to Eleazar's side.

I finally spoke. "Yes, thank you again. I suppose you two must be on your way home."

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Seven

2011-07-21T19:15:11Z

Chapter Seven - Frantic

Eleazar's POV

The newborns had broken in without a single warning, and I could not help but wonder how no one saw this coming.

As I knew - as we all knew - the Volturi had overthrown the Romanian Coven by attacking their castle, destroying most of the vampires in their coven (leaving Stefan and Vladimir as the only survivors, perhaps as a warning to any other covens who had a desire to overthrow the Volturi), and then promptly burning down their castle. Since the Volturi is a large, gifted and mature coven, the only way to defeat them is with a group of especially strong vampires with two times the amount of people in the guard.

Sixty two newborns, that is.

The majority of the newborns who intruded and attacked were Egyptian, and others were of races that I did not have enough time to identify. As far as I saw, none of these newborns were Romanian. Perhaps the Romanians had been falsely accused of being involved in the creation of this army…

I soon knew the reason why no one had discovered this extremely large group of vampires before they attacked, because I was thrust into battle with one who could mask his scent and the scents of those around him in a bubble-like shield; similar to Bella's mental shield. Him being an inexperienced newborn though, I had killed him in a matter of two seconds. After five seconds, I had destroyed three more.

I could hear Felix and Santiago shouting out orders to certain guard members as they defeated newborns with little to no effort. No orders were given to me, as I was no longer a member of the guard. I could also hear the bloodcurdling screams of the newborns who crossed Jane's path being tortured.

Over all the chaos, one voice pierced the air as if it were completely silent.

"ELEAZAR!" cried Carmen.

I growled, ripping out the throat of another newborn who dared attack me. How could she come here and put herself in danger?

Before I knew it, Carmen had fought her way through the mob of vampires and found me, throwing a newborn off of my back with all her might and ripping his head directly off of the rest of his body. For a moment I found myself in complete shock. I had never seen Carmen so enraged in my entire time knowing her. But in the next second an older newborn had flung herself on top of Carmen, clasped her hands around Carmen's neck and was shrieking, "YOU KILLED MY MATE!" in Russian.

Carmen's first instinct was to frantically and sincerely apologize (in Russian), which would have made me laugh in a different situation, but not this time. A ferocious growl which would have terrified any human to death ripped through my throat and my vision was tainted in a deep crimson as I took the girl by the back of her shirt and tore her apart, limb from limb. This fury only seemed to help my fighting abilities, as I slaughtered more newborns than I could count in my rage. Carmen remained by my side, tearing out the throats of newborns left and right.

I sensed a bit of sadness in Carmen as she murdered these many newborns – after all, they were thrown into our world in a sort of whirlwind and barely had any clue how things operate for us, and many were completely defenseless against us. Carmen could barely stand hurting a fly; I could tell that her heart was breaking from destroying so many new lives. But she, like me, knew that it was our duty. Although we did not agree with everything the Volturi stood for, we knew that they were the key to the safety and stability of our world. Having the Egyptians or Romanians in power would not be “healthy” for our kind.

It seemed like more and more newborns were darting into the library – it felt as if someone was creating more as the battle continued. At one point I was in a melee against four at once. A female darted towards me and before her razor-sharp teeth could reach my neck, my hands were latched around hers. The familiar sound of screeching metal met my ears as I ripped her apart; the same went for two males and another female. And while distracted by this, I barely had enough time to keep a watchful eye on Carmen, which disturbed me far beyond anything else. What if she needed my help and I was too preoccupied with my own enemies to save her? I would not be able to live with myself if anything happened to her.

It took myself, the Volturi guard and Carmen merely five minutes to obliterate this army - they consisted of amateur fighters, and although they were strong, they made predictable mistakes that would always lead to their unfortunate death.

We had completely destroyed the library in this battle. Books were strewn all over the floor, torn pages everywhere, bookcases broken in half… Even so, the extensive damage was easily repairable by vampire standards.

As the last newborn was murdered and everyone came to the realization that there were zero casualties on our side, Felix, Santiago, Afton, Chelsea and Demetri broke out in hoots and cheers. Soon everyone else joined them in their celebration - surprisingly, even Jane. The cheers of joy and happiness reminded me so much of four years ago, when the Volturi had retreated from destroying the Cullens and their witnesses (myself included). That moment had been bittersweet for Carmen, Tanya, Kate and I, though, as we had lost our sister at the hands of Caius.

The red tint began to fade from my vision and the taste of rage left my tongue, and the first thing I could bring myself to do was pull my Carmen into my embrace and kiss her with such strong passion and ardor that it felt like the world around us could melt. I could hear Carmen murmuring incoherent, amorous words against my lips as I ran one hand through her hair and the other over her cheek; soft and warm under my fingers.

If there was anyone watching us, I did not notice.

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Six

2011-07-21T15:26:22Z

Chapter Six - Return

Carmen's POV

Three weeks had come and gone so quickly that it was difficult for even me to comprehend.

Eleazar had no luck finding especially gifted vampires who were willing to join the Volturi guard. Yes, we did find many vampires who harbored unique talents, but they refused to join us. Among the most special vampires we met was a Japanese female who could manipulate people to do her bidding - essentially, mind-control. But she refused, claiming that she could not trust people with so much power over our world. Perhaps it would have helped if Chelsea had come along with us…

Eleazar and I also considered this a brief vacation for us, even though we did not have much time to relax and focus on each other. We were constantly on the move, traveling from Spain to India, India to China, and back again. On one occasion, we even went all the way down to Greece. We never remained in one place more than eighteen hours, making it quite difficult to think of it as a holiday.

But finally, with two days remaining until the coming battle, Eleazar and I had arrived back in Volterra. With much thought before coming to this decision, Eleazar chose to inform Aro that he would attend the battle but would not fight. He did not want me to worry for his safety (but I still would, no matter how much he insisted that he would be fine).

The first familiar face that we saw in Volterra was that of Heidi, who was just leaving the castle to find a group of tourists for the guard to feed on. Eleazar and I shuddered at the mere thought of those poor, oblivious humans being led into such a cruel trap.

Eleazar opened the large, darkly-stained wooden doors of the castle and allowed me inside just before himself. Standing just inside was Afton.

"Eleazar!" Afton exclaimed, smiling at the both of us. "It is good that I found you here. You must attend a very quick meeting among the guard regarding the battle in two days, to get yourself caught up with our plans. If you'll come with me…"

Afton began making his way down the corridor. Eleazar hugged me tightly and gave me a quick peck on my cheek, telling me that he loved me before briskly following Afton's path.

I sighed, smiled and walked in the other direction, toward the guest quarters. I could hear Aro and Alec discussing something quietly in the throne room, but I was unable to make out what they were saying.

I reached for the door to my room, but not before my nose was flooded with sixty two new scents that I did not recognize and my ears were bombarded with the sounds of frantic murmurs. Just one second later, I heard an even more unpleasant sound.

The sound of vampires being torn to shreds.

My eyes widened and I subconsciously released the door handle. My mind was racing.

The newborns. Oh my, the newborns must have been sent by the Egyptians and the Romanians… it must be a surprise attack… I thought.

I could hear the sound of Felix and Santiago calling out orders to the rest of the guard, the cries of pain coming from the newborns being tortured by Jane, and what sounded like metal screeching as it was torn apart (but of course, that was not metal, that was the many bodies of vampires).

I was not certain which room the guard had met in, but that was the exact room that the newborns were attacking. That was the exact room that my husband was in.

By then, Renata had made her way to the throne room in order to protect her three masters. I assumed that Aro, Caius and Marcus would remain in the throne room - their guard knew how to defend itself. I, on the other hand, was racing like a madwoman to the room that was under attack.

These disturbing sounds were becoming louder and louder in my sensitive ears. They must be in the library, I thought.

Within a millisecond, the library doors were before me. My instincts took over and I nearly ripped the doors off of their hinges as I burst into the room and screamed at the top of my lungs, "ELEAZAR!"

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Five

2011-07-21T15:13:44Z

Chapter Five - The Final Decision

Aro's POV

I had sent Eleazar and Carmen out to search for gifted vampires to add to my "collection" two weeks ago, and I had begun to delve deep into my plans and organize everything into a well-developed mental timeline.

Eleazar and Carmen would return in one week, and I would send Eleazar off to a meeting with the rest of the guard in order to inform him of our battle plans - whether he wished to go into battle or not. As Carmen would not be permitted to join the guard in battle, she would also not be permitted to join Eleazar at this meeting. From there, I would visit Carmen in the guest quarters (which is quite far from where the meeting would be held) and make her death as quick as possible. I would hate to see the poor, innocent woman suffer too long.

Eleazar would later be informed of Carmen's death and in his deep sorrow, briefly forget his love for the rest of his family. Chelsea would then easily be able to strip away his ties to his beloved family and strengthen his ties to the Volturi, therefore ensuring that he remains where he belongs - in my guard. It would not matter if he became the apathetic, zombie-like person Marcus is today; I would give him plenty to do to distract him from his grief. He would be put to good use.

No one knew of my plans, just as no one had known of my plans to murder my beloved sister Didyme so long ago. This would go smoothly - I knew it in my heart.

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Four

2011-07-20T14:47:50Z

Chapter Four - This Seems Oddly Suspicious

Felix's POV

I could not help but follow Eleazar, Carmen and Demetri into the throne room. I (along with the rest of the guard) was extremely intrigued by the possible reason why Aro wanted Eleazar's assistance so desperately. After all, we had managed to remain powerful when Eleazar left the Volturi. There were other ways to find out what ability a vampire harbored without Eleazar's gift; ways which Aro demonstrated frequently. What could Aro possibly want that he did not already have?

Aro stood and smiled widely, his fingers pressed together, gleefully greeting Carmen and Eleazar. "Ah! Carmen, Eleazar! My brothers and I are so delighted to see you both under much calmer circumstances."

I assumed that he was referring to our "Renesmee issue" with the Cullens and their witnesses - witnesses which included Carmen, Eleazar and the rest of their family - four years ago.

Eleazar nodded, his face blank and emotionless. "It is a pleasure to see you as well, Aro." Carmen smiled and nodded in agreement as my master stepped down to the couple's level.

Although it had been nearly two centuries since Eleazar left the Volturi, due to Carmen's (and his own) displeasure with his involvement, I was still not used to hearing Eleazar call Aro by his actual name instead of "master".

"Now, Eleazar, may I see these thoughts which led to your decision of not aiding us with the Romanians and Egyptians' newborn army?" Aro asked politely, holding out his hand. "I do not judge you for refusing but I would like to contradict them."

Eleazar sighed, smiled with slight discomfort, and gave Aro his hand. My master's eyes closed as he absorbed Eleazar's every thought. This obtaining of information took just about a minute, and Eleazar could not help but glance from Carmen to Aro and back again until Aro opened his eyes and let go of his hand.

"I see…" Aro murmured knowingly. His milky, bloodred eyes switched to Carmen's optimistic gaze and a smile played at the corners of his lips. "Carmen, may I see your thoughts as well?"

Carmen nodded without hesitation and offered him her hand.

My eyes found themselves scanning the entire room, and Demetri's were doing the same. Caius was watching the scene intently, and Marcus' face had brightened up ever since Carmen and Eleazar entered the room. I observed that his demeanor would always become less apathetic whenever a couple would come into his presence. Perhaps couples, especially couples with romantic ties as strong as Eleazar's and Carmen's, reminded him of his own lost love and brought many happy memories back into his focus.

Aro's eyes opened a minute later and he addressed both Carmen and Eleazar at the same time. "I see why you both are so against assisting the Volturi. Eleazar, you feel that you are no longer required to service me and that you should not be obliged to. Carmen, you are strongly against Eleazar being involved in the destruction of your friends and strongly against having Eleazar thrust into another dangerous situation." Aro grinned. "Well, I have a compromise that will accord both of your desires," he stated.

Eleazar and Carmen exchanged a quick glance and reached for each other's hands, lacing their fingers together tightly.

"What is this compromise?" Eleazar asked, genuinely curious.

"Ah, well," Aro said slowly. "You shall not be required to participate in or even attend the battle if you choose not to. Also, we will spare your friends - Benjamin and Tia - as you and Carmen both feel that they do not approve of overthrowing the Volturi. I trust both of your judgments."

Caius scoffed. "How can you trust their judgments, brother? They are involved in the same diet as Carlisle. It must warp their opinions."

Carmen's eyes widened at this accusation and Eleazar growled, speaking through his teeth, his eyes directed at Caius. "That is untrue. The fact that we care for the lives of others makes no difference. Our sense of judgment is the same as always."

Carmen gently squeezed Eleazar's hand and breathed into his ear, "Cálmate, mi amor." Eleazar obeyed, closing his eyes and exhaling quietly.

Caius rolled his eyes and Aro turned to him, holding up his right hand. "Peace, brother."

Aro smiled, turning back to Eleazar, whose expression had returned to calm and collected. Eleazar said, "Hm… that does seem like a fair compromise. But I am interested in why you desire my assistance so desperately. You have obviously managed to remain powerful all these years without my gift."

"That is exactly what I was wondering…" I muttered under my breath. I knew that everyone in the room heard me, but no one took particular notice.

"Well, Eleazar," Aro reached over and patted his shoulder. "This is the most abundant group of newborns that we have ever dealt with. Our usual methods for identifying abilities would take much too long for this large of a group. It is much more simple to have someone who is able to identify gifts as a sixth sense with us."

"But that is only if I should decide to attend the battle with the guard," Eleazar stated plainly. "What if I decide not to? Then how will I be of use?"

"We are searching for gifted recruits for the guard. If we do not, then we shall be outnumbered. I was hoping to send you out looking for especially gifted vampires who are willing to aid us."

"How long do we have until we attack this army, Aro?" Eleazar asked.

"Three weeks," Aro replied. "You will be sent abroad for the majority of that time, ensuring the best possible chance of you finding gifted vampires for us. You will return two days before we attack so, if you choose to battle, you can be adequately caught up on our strategies - along with the new vampires you bring, if any."

Eleazar nodded and Carmen responded to Aro's request.

"Shall I be allowed to come along with my husband during his search?" Carmen asked.

Aro smiled. "Yes, my dear, but you may not come along for the battle. I am certain that Eleazar agrees when I say that we ought not put you, one with very much strength but little fighting experience, in danger."

Carmen sighed and nodded.

Aro glanced at me and snapped his fingers. "Felix, please escort Carmen and Eleazar to the guest quarters, where they shall be staying for the time being."

I nodded and quickly approached Eleazar and Carmen. "Yes, master."

As we approached the door, I nudged Eleazar and muttered, "This will be just like old times, eh?"

Eleazar laughed (with slight unease) in response, and Carmen smirked.

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Three

2011-07-19T20:21:31Z

Chapter Three - They Return

Eleazar's POV

It had been almost three days since Jane made her unpleasant, unwelcome visit to my home. Although it had been three days, her request still had me as confused and baffled as I was when she first presented it. How on Earth could Aro expect me to return to Volterra and do his bidding, like I had done two centuries ago? He was no longer my master. I still found myself questioning his actions as I continued my customary activities with my wife and the rest of my family. It was completely uncalled for.

Carmen, among others, had noticed my change in behavior and constantly made attempts to take my mind off of it. These endeavors worked over the short-term, but my endless questions and wonderings would return to hound me again later on. I find that I am the type of person who simply cannot rest until I find the answers to the questions that are pestering me.

Carmen and I could hear Tanya and Kate's footsteps and chatter downstairs, as they waited for Garrett's return from his hunt. Carmen gazed deep into my eyes and giggled - a sound that was sweet music to my ears.

"It seems that they never shut up," she said quietly with a grin.

I chuckled, combing my fingers slowly through her dark, silky brunette locks. "How long have we known them? I would think that you'd realize by now that they do not have the mental capacity to quiet down."

I heard a loud, annoyed, "Hey!" in response to my statement downstairs and laughed again.

Carmen smiled amorously, snaking her arms around the back of my neck and kissing me softly. She murmured against my lips, "Hush, mi amor. You are going to offend them."

I slowly drew my lips back from hers and shook my head. "They know when I am kidding, mi querida." I smiled and planted a kiss on the center of her forehead.

I pulled away when I heard Kate grunt angrily and immediately knew why when Demetri's scent wafted upstairs to mine and my wife's nostrils. Carmen's brow furrowed and she stated plainly, "Does Aro not know what 'no' means?"

I growled quietly and stood, Carmen mimicking my movements as I left our bedroom and descended the staircase where, at the end of the wide hallway, Tanya had opened the front door and Demetri was standing before her. Kate was standing close behind her and both sisters seemed just as disturbed as Carmen and I were.

As Carmen held onto my arm and we approached Demetri at the door, he spoke: "Eleazar, I apologize that we once again had to come and disrupt your time, but Aro requests that you come to Volterra immediately. You do not have to aid us in defeating the newborn army if you still choose not to; Aro would just like to see if he can possibly change your mind about assisting us. If he cannot, just like Jane could not, then you may leave." I could see sincerity in Demetri's eyes when he apologized for disturbing myself and my family's activities.

I sighed with frustration and briskly responded to his request. "Bien, bien. I shall come along. Aro must be extremely desperate in order to send two members of the guard to fetch me." I smirked.

Tanya's jaw hung open. "But Eleazar, you do not have to succumb to Aro's needs any longer. You, of all people, should understand that."

"I feel that he will not leave us be unless I do his bidding, just this once," I replied. My eyes shifted to Demetri's intent gaze. Demetri and I used to be very good friends before I left the Volturi, and I assumed that he still considered us friends by the understanding expression on his countenance.

"Thank you, Eleazar," Demetri said with a smile. "I assume that you would like to bring Carmen along with you?"

I turned my gaze back to Carmen's intent eyes and she nodded.

"Sí," I responded.

Releasing my hand from Carmen's arm, she and I said our goodbyes to Tanya and Kate, and we asked that they extend our farewell to Garrett when he returned from his hunt. Just before we left, Carmen said, "Tanya, Kate, we shall call you when we arrive in Italy."

Tanya and Kate waved and, being their flirtatious selves, blew kisses at me as we left our home with Demetri in the lead.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Our arrival in Volterra was swift. Somehow, spending the entire plane ride with Carmen secure in my arms, chattering away about what plans Aro could possibly have, made the time fly by as if it were nothing at all. She and I did not ask Demetri any questions, because from what I saw, he knew just about as much as we did.

The sky was overcast as the plane touched down in Volterra, meaning that Carmen and I would not have to wear the long, dark cloaks that Demetri had supplied for us, should the weather decide to go against our favor.

As Demetri led Carmen and I to the Volturi castle, we took many winding backroads and darted through multiple forests, avoiding humans at all costs, in case the sun should decide to reveal itself and shine its rays on us three. I would not have protested seeing Carmen in the sunlight, though - her beauty was unmatched in the shade, and only heightened in the sun, with her skin gleaming as if there were millions of small, pristine diamonds embedded in her.

I almost completely lost myself in my fantasies until Carmen whispered into my ear, "Eleazar, we are here."

I shook my head slightly and gazed up at the large, looming castle that I used to call home so long ago. I had not been there in slightly over fifty years and it had not changed in the slightest. It never ceased to amaze me how the Volturi had taken residence here for over three thousand years and the many humans living in such close proximity to them barely even gave them a second glance. Demetri opened the front doors and allowed my mate and I inside, where many familiar faces greeted us.

At the edge of the long corridor stood Felix, Renata, Chelsea, Jane and Alec. The twins, as usual, were holding hands as the group of five turned their heads to see us. Renata and Chelsea smiled and waved, and Felix approached us both with a large grin spread evenly across his lips.

"Wow, I have not seen you two here in some time," he said.

"It is very nice to see you, Felix," Carmen and I responded in unison. We were so accustomed to saying things at the exact same time and finishing each other's sentences that we barely noticed it anymore. Felix laughed.

"Carmen, you look lovely - as always." Felix winked and Carmen laughed lightly in response.

"Gracias," Carmen replied in her angelic soprano of a voice.

Felix nodded. "Aro is eager to see you both."

I sighed. "Of course. We shall be on our way, then."

Felix stepped out of our path and Demetri smiled before leading us towards the large, wooden doors which led directly into the throne room, where Aro, Caius and Marcus stayed. I heard Carmen swallow nervously as the doors opened and I squeezed her hand; my way of reassuring her that everything would be fine.

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter Two

2011-07-19T15:31:44Z

Author's note: A few people seemed confused by the first chapter of this fanfic, so maybe I should clarify. First of all, this story has nothing to do with the main characters of the Twilight Saga - the Cullens and the Quileutes. It only has to do with the Denalis (mostly Eleazar and Carmen) and the Volturi. Also, this story takes place 3-4 years after the events of Breaking Dawn.

Thanks so much for the lovely comments to the first chapter and now I present... chapter two!

Chapter Two - Plans

Aro's POV

I glanced up from what preoccupied my gaze as the large doors at the end of the throne room creaked open and my one of my most prized guard members strode inside - my dear Jane - with anger burning in her eyes. I noted right away that she did not have the person whom I had asked her to bring with her; Eleazar.

"Darling Jane, whatever is the matter?" I asked as I stood to greet her. Marcus gazed at me in his usual zombie-like manner and Caius glared angrily at Jane. He had wanted Eleazar to return just as much as I had.

"Master, oh master, I am so sorry." Jane was ashamed in herself as she spoke softly. "I do not mean to disappoint you."

I smiled. "You have not disappointed me, dear one."

She grinned and gave me her hand. My eyes snapped shut and within seconds, I knew all. I knew everything that had occurred while Jane visited the Denali Coven - or "family," as they much prefer to be called - and asked for Eleazar's (and even Kate's) aid upon my request. He had refused out of respect for his friends, family and no doubt his mate, above all.

My eyelids fluttered open and I released young Jane's small, porcelain-like hand. "Ahh," I sighed.

"Master, I made so many attempts to convince him to return—,"

"I know, my darling," I replied, my calm smile unwavering. "But you do understand that Eleazar is crucial to my plan… and it seems that his main obstacle keeping him from his return is of course, Carmen."

Jane hissed at the sound of her name.

I, and the rest of the guard (with the exception of Jane), had always liked Carmen greatly. The beautiful, eloquently graceful Spanish woman would visit the castle often while Eleazar still served the Volturi, and she had a bright, happy personality that would lift everyone's mood in a heartbeat. It was no wonder to me that her name means "song" in Latin. Every word she spoke, no matter what she was speaking, sounded strangely like a song. It was also no mystery why Eleazar fell so deeply in love with her - even willing to give up his high rank in the Volturi guard for her. She reminded me so much of my lost sister, Didyme… and it broke my heart to know that history must repeat itself. Luckily, no one but myself knew that history would repeat itself.

"Perhaps we should send someone to request that Eleazar and Carmen personally come to Volterra…" I turned in one swift movement and spoke to Caius and Marcus. "Brothers, whom shall we send?"

Marcus did not respond; he merely sighed in his usual bored fashion and waited for Caius to answer. I felt horrible for my brother but keeping him here and never allowing him to know that I had slain Didyme was vital to the survival of the Volturi.

"Demetri," Caius finally stated. "If they make an attempt to run, he shall easily find them."

I nodded and turned back to Jane. "Dear one, please tell Demetri of his mission and send him on his way."

Jane nodded with lover-like adoration in her eyes. "Yes, master."

The Pursuit of Acquisition - Chapter One

2011-07-18T23:20:25Z

Chapter One - Request

Carmen's POV

"Oh Tanya, you are so unattractive with that jealous pout on your face," Kate said, giggling. "Garrett and I are not skilled in keeping our feelings private. We are new at this."

Garrett chuckled, tilting his head slowly to the side and nuzzling his face against Kate's neck. Tanya, Eleazar and I could hear the sound of Garrett's lips sliding slowly over Kate's granite-like, smooth skin. Kate squealed, acting as if she could not be bothered with such a display of romance with other people in the room. The three of us - Eleazar, Tanya and I - could see past the façade. Eleazar and I laughed lightheartedly in unison, while Tanya glanced away.

"Garrett!" Kate scolded, lightly slapping his shoulder. He snapped out of his reverie and a most gorgeous smile spread across his thin lips.

"I apologize, sweetheart. You know I don't have nearly as much control as Eleazar and Carmen." Tanya scowled at this comment.

I switched my bright, topaz eyes to hers and smiled. "Tanya, they are quite new to this." I patted her shoulder lightly as a comforting gesture.

She grunted, "They ought to get a room if they are having such a difficult time gaining control."

My eyes widened slightly and I sighed. My silent heart had always gone out to my dear sister - her life had been filled with sorrow, with the occasional bright moment in between. Losing her own mother to justice, and then later losing her sister to the same people whom she had watched slay her mother and her mother's illegal creation, was quite scarring; and it had certainly scarred Tanya. Perhaps it had scarred her most of all, leaving a hollow in her heart that could never be filled.

Sasha had always tugged at my mind, and I suspected that she tugged at the mind of my husband as well. Sasha had lived long before mine or Eleazar's time. Sure, Tanya, Kate and Irina (before she suffered the same fate as Sasha) had tried their hardest to give us an appropriate description of her, but they had never reached even half way describing her before the sisters would break down in dry, mournful sobs and be rendered unable to even speak her name for the next month or two.

While the sisters had their connection to the Volturi, Eleazar and I had ours - in fact, Eleazar had been the third highest-ranking guard to the Volturi before we met and fell in love. Eleazar had always harbored a deep passion for keeping the secret our kind safe and sound from humankind, but destroying the many who were willing to break this one, simple law had its toll. By the time we met, the guilt - along with the guilt of murdering innocent humans, merely for a meal - had his stomach doing endless somersaults and his mind strained with indecision. But finding me helped him discover his life's true meaning - finding peace and serenity. After spending six months living with him while he simultaneously served Aro's great purpose, he had finally made his choice. Leaving the Volturi to begin a new life with me was crucial. This settlement was what eventually led us to the Denali sisters, who changed our lives so very much (for the better).

I had delved so far into my memories that a new scent lingering in my nostrils was the only thing that pulled me back into reality. I blinked twice and glanced up at Eleazar, whose face had contorted itself into a rigid, confused glare.

"Jane," Kate hissed.

Tanya's eyes widened, turning to stare at Eleazar. After all, since Eleazar had known Jane for almost a century, he was the only one who could have a possible explanation for this surprise visit. I could practically hear the wheels in mi amor's mind turning, trying to think up Jane's reason for making an appearance here.

"I do not understand…" Eleazar muttered under his breath. "We have committed no crime, and the Volturi does not just send members of the guard to check up on covens. Visiting the innocent is a complete waste of time."

"Perhaps Aro wants something from us," I whispered. Eleazar took my hand and squeezed it, rising from the sofa, easily pulling me up with him.

He gazed down at me for less than a second and we both maneuvered swiftly towards the door. Approaching the door, I reached out, turned the handle and swung it open, only to see a small, smiling Jane gazing brightly up at Eleazar. The young, porcelain doll-like girl paid me no mind at all.

"Ah, Eleazar!" Jane exclaimed, her gleaming smile an obvious façade of annoyance. I figured that Jane did not like Eleazar as much as she used to since he had left the Volturi. She considered anyone who had the nerve to willingly leave such prestigious ranks unworthy of her attention. "Just the person I was hoping to see."

Her deep crimson eyes shifted to me for a moment. Myself being the reason why Eleazar left the Volturi guard in the first place, she did not like me at all. And my maternal, kind and compassionate personality did not help the matter. I smiled softly in return of her glare. She scowled slightly and turned back to Eleazar.

Eleazar responded with a polite smile. "What brings you here, Jane?"

"You do." Jane lowered her hood from her face, revealing a tightly-pinned bob of blonde locks in the center of the backside of her head. She invited herself inside our home, and no one stopped her from doing so. All she had to do was utter one, small word and the person who stood in her way would fall to the ground, writhing in sheer agony.

Eleazar and I blinked, baffled by this statement. I could feel the intent, nervous glares of my family piercing my back.

"Perhaps I should clarify," Jane stated plainly. "Aro has gotten word of a newborn army being created by the Romanian Coven and the Egyptian Coven, in an attempt to overthrow the rightful reign of the Volturi and rule together in our place. Considering the fact that this is six people creating this army instead of one, and that Amun has a knack for training newborns to do his bidding," she nearly spat after speaking Amun's name, "this shall be the most powerful and largest assemblage of newborns that the Volturi has ever faced. Therefore, we are desperately searching for gifted vampires to add to our ranks and help protect the Volturi. Of course, we will need you to help us achieve this."

Eleazar almost began to respond to this, an expression of severe displeasure on his countenance, but Jane continued.

"Also, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in battle - I assume that by now, you know why." By now, Jane's smile had almost become a sneer. I could not see the expression on my own face after this lecture, but I knew that I was not happy.

Eleazar's lips curled back slightly and he spoke with a flare of irritation on his tongue. "But Jane, I left the Volturi almost two centuries ago. Aro cannot simply have you drop in and expect my services."

"He was merely hoping that you would help us for the time being. That is least you could do after Aro so kindly allowed you to leave…" Jane growled at me. I assumed that Eleazar could feel her gift just about ready to lash out and make me its next victim, because his stance became defensive and he gently pushed me slightly behind him. I could hear Tanya and Garrett gasp in the living room. Kate was speechless.

Jane glanced into the living room. "Will… Kate please join us here?"

Kate's upper lip curled to bear her teeth. "I shall not assist the Volturi. Nothing shall change my mind. Besides, Aro already has you, Jane. Your ability is similar enough to mine, is it not?"

Jane shrugged and returned her complete focus back to my husband, after having completely regained her sense of composure. "My dear Eleazar, please disregard the opinions and feelings of your wife and your family while making your decision. This is about you and only you - no one else." Jane's gaze touched on each member of my family, myself included. "If they choose not to accept your choice, they ought not be considered your family, and one ought not be considered your soulmate."

Eleazar's mouth opened, ready to contradict this allegation, but Jane again interrupted him. "You do not have much time to make this choice. I shall give you three days. Perhaps you ought to return to Italy with me, should you chose to aid us…" Jane mused.

Eleazar's eyes closed and he sighed, stress etching across his inhumanly handsome features. I said, "Perhaps Jane is right. This is your decision, mi querido, not ours."

He gazed down at me and spoke, strained. "Carmen, your decision is my decision."

Sometimes I wished that Eleazar did not depend on my judgments so much. I wanted so much for Eleazar to be his own man and to make his own choices, but he - being the loving husband that he is - always takes my opinion into account.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Listen to your mate." She seemed almost disgusted by the fact that she agreed with me.

Eleazar swallowed quietly and finally spoke, completely erasing all distress from his face and tone of voice. "I apologize, but I shall not help. Benjamin and Tia are mine and my family's good friends - I would not like to be part of the reason that they are slaughtered."

Jane nearly cried out by this. Instead, she smiled and nodded. "I see. I shall inform Aro of this unfortunate decision promptly. Good day, Eleazar. Tanya, Kate, Garrett, Carmen."

Us five nodded and with one quick swoop, Jane was out the door.

I (finally) have an idea for a fanfic!

2011-07-18T20:03:09Z

If you've been around my profile, you know that I'm a huge fan of fanfics and the Denali Coven. So I finally have ideas for two fanfics having to do with them.

If you don't know what a fanfic is, it's a story written by fans of a story about characters in that story. I know, it sounds like Inception, but it makes sense if you think about it. Anyway, I'll start writing these two fanfics (when I get time) if some people comment at let me know if the plots sound interesting.

My first plot idea would be pairing Tanya, the leader of the Denalis, with Fred, a former member of the Seattle newborn army. If you didn't know already, Fred escaped the army just before they attacked and lost to the Cullens. So I figured that he would eventually make his way up to Alaska and meet a very lonely Tanya (since she's now the only member of her family without a mate). He would be interested in Tanya because she so easily ignores his gift (physical repulsion) to meet him. Her attraction eventually turns into… maybe I shouldn't give it away.

My second plot idea is… interesting. I recently bought and read the Official Guide, and I found out that the true reason why Aro so easily allowed Eleazar to leave the Volturi with Carmen was because he wanted to preserve Eleazar's gift (ability identification) for possible later use. I was thinking that maybe sometime in the future, Aro would call upon Eleazar to assist him in stopping a newborn army that the Romanian Coven and Egyptian Coven created together to finally overthrow the Volturi. Eleazar would refuse because he is strongly against harming his family's friends from the Egyptian Coven, Benjamin and Tia. Aro, being the power-hungry person he is, would feel that this is his excuse to finally get Eleazar back in his ranks and would stop at nothing to get him back, including making an attempt to kill the only person in his way of obtaining Eleazar… Carmen. *dun dun DUNNN*

So, what do you think of these? If no one likes them I won't waste my time writing them, so COMMENT!