bad vibrations | aerick

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

Diana kept a stoic expression as she entered the Club, the music was loud, and it was a bit crowded, but nothing Diana couldn’t handle. At this point, crowds didn’t bother her as they used to, and she didn’t have a problem blending in in whatever way she needed to. Her hair had its familiar blonde streak in it, though it was much longer today with waves cascading down her back. It didn’t matter what features she changed about herself with her abilities. Her eyes never changed. Diana pushed through the crowd, men not watching where they were going as they watched the dancers, and she’d managed not to get any drinks spilled on her as they tended to just stop in place.

She approached the bar and took a seat, knowing who was working tonight. But while she waited for him to finish serving a boy that looked barely old enough to be in this place, she scoped around again, looking bored. It wasn’t that Diana came to the Club for fun, but she’d been in the area working and decided to stop by for a drink before heading back to their headquarters to continue some research. Plus, she was sure she wouldn’t be the first one to admit that while some came here for the show and the dancers, the bartender himself wasn’t so bad to look at as well. Finally, he managed to make his way over, and Diana gave a slight grin. ”Vodka please.” The past year and a half had taught her to control what she thought and felt, and the unintended side effect was a confidence she never had before—well, at least she knew her family would never think to look for her here.

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[Deleted]

Aerick was working again at Club Indigo, having taken a week off to relax and recoup from his latest mission from Elaine. He’d been helping her with her newest acquisition - a baby dragon - and she excused him from work for a week to heal the burns and scratches he’d sustained from the beast. He supposed that was the fortunate thing about his mistress owning Club Indigo - she’d approve and give extra time off as a reward. He hadn’t been able to see Clodagh in the week as he didn’t want to worry her; he would have to explain the burns and he could not reveal Elaine’s secret. In a way, being behind the busy bar kept his mind busy too. He didn’t have to think about how much he’d missed her, even though he couldn’t see her at night anyway.

Serving the kid in front of him - clearly a boy who had just turned eighteen and was excited to be in a club for adults - Aerick turned and spotted Diana Bainbridge sitting at the bar. She asked for vodka and he filled a glass full of vodka. “Shaken, stirred, rocks or no rocks?” he asked as he finished pouring.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

”On the rocks, please.” She replied simply. While it wasn’t a pleasant taste versus some of the more elaborate and fruity drinks she saw many patrons with, it would get the job done. Something about that taste and burn settled her and her mind after a long day. Plus, despite all the noise and chaos of the crowd, there was something peaceful about it. People existing without a care in the world or any idea of what might happen next. Living in the moment—as she could not. Aerick knew who she was, as did many of the Purifiers. Her appearance in the first place had created questions, but there was nothing like an unbreakable vow to ensure your loyalty. Still, only a few ever shared their names, even if she hardly saw the point in keeping hers private in their group.

”I haven’t seen you in a while.” Maybe it was his schedule, or maybe he had another job she didn’t happen to know about. Not that Diana made a habit of stopping in this particular club. Instead, she frequented the seedier pubs and places in this part of the world. Besides, she had orders to follow and work to do, and upcoming plans. It was about time she actually take a step back and see her family. Being away for so long was a cause for suspicion; otherwise, close family and appearances were everything to their cause.

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[Deleted]

Aerick offered Diana a half smile as he set her glass down in front of her. “Been busy with a few...side projects,” he told her cryptically. He had of course been busy with the task Elaine had set for him with the dragon egg, but since then he’d been doing what most would consider grunt work. He didn’t mind though, because Elaine had promised to help Clodagh lift her voodoo curse. He had been...worried about bringing it up to her of course; Elaine typically didn’t do many favors for people. But she had been exceptionally pleased with the egg, so he’d given it a shot, and to his surprise, she agreed. They hadn’t heard from this voodoo specialist yet - Elaine had only told him it would be a woman from America, and that she’d get in touch when the timing was right. It gnawed at him, but he wasn’t stupid enough to press Elaine. Not now at any rate. Elaine had seemed different the last time he’d seen her; the dragon had hatched and he could see that made her very happy. But there was a quiet fear in her, a paranoia maybe, that he couldn’t quite figure out. It made him nervous.

“Don’t you usually find this place to be a bit high class for your tastes?” Aerick asked Diana with a small smirk. He liked the girl well enough; he didn’t know her story but he assumed she had her reasons for her loyalty to Elaine as they all did. If she wanted to tell him, she would, it was as simple as that. “I thought you liked the seedier, dirtier places. Not that this place can’t get seedy, especially around three in the morning. But the mistress would never forgive anyone who called this place a dump,” he added, taking a swig from the bottle of water he kept under the bar. He did sometimes drink with the patrons, particularly when they bought the drinks for him, but he wasn’t in dire need of something hard just yet.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

The main thing Diana had learned since meeting Elaine and joining the Purifiers was that the definition of loyalty varied from individual to individual. Her own was not voluntary, total obedience and the way Eliane preferred it. Aerick was but another participant in this silent game. Side projects. Diana didn’t need to ask further what that meant, not that she would be told details in any case. She took the glass and took a sip, letting the liquid enter her system. Once upon a time, she might have winced at the strong flavor or even the fumes, but as the Vow slowly numbed her and took away any sense of herself—well, it took away any aversion she had for alcohol before.

Diana looked at Aerick with only her eyes before looking back down at her glass again. ”Only when I’m working.” She corrected him. Diana hardly did business at this establishment, not that it wasn’t safe to do so, but her usual clients didn’t come in here for work and only for pleasure. Plus, it was still a club, and while the chances were low, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see Dustin or other Quidditch players here on their time off. It wasn’t worth the risk. It was enough that she was avoiding her family as it was. She didn’t need more questions she couldn’t answer. Still, she nodded in agreement. Anyone who wanted a slow and painful punishment just needed to say such things to Elaine and her face.

”You want a dump. You go to The Black Black Club.” Diana drank more of the vodka, shaking her head. A terrible place full of rich old men who gave themselves permission to harass the young waitresses or anyone they pleased. It wasn’t a place one merely walked into either, requiring an invitation and illegal portkey information and not one she was eager on visiting again. But she paused, wondering how to ask her next question in the company of so many. ”It’s been…quiet, hasn’t it?” The quiet had been unsettling. If only because Diana felt like she was always just waiting…waiting for orders.

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[Deleted]

Aerick refilled her glass when she set it down. “On the house,” he told her quietly, so that the loud patron nearby wouldn’t hear him and demand free drinks - which he certainly did not need. His face darkened at the mention of the Black Black Club. “You don’t have to tell me that place is horrible,” he growled. He had only gone in once to meet a contact Elaine had set him up with, and within five minutes he had wanted to curse the lot of the sleazy old men harassing the young women who worked there. He supposed the owners of the club had specifically hired the women to fit their clientele’s face, but that didn’t mean Aerick had to like it. His fingers curled into a fist before he was able to relax himself. “What in the world took you to that dumpster fire of a club,” he said, more of a statement than a question. He knew Diana wouldn’t answer him directly, and he didn’t expect her to. It was both a written and unwritten rule to never speak of one's dealings for the Purifiers, even with other members.

Aerick frowned, not angry with Diana’s next statement but in contemplation. “Rather has been, but she has been very busy with a...special project,” he told her finally, shrugging. Elaine had come into possession of a dragon egg that he knew was due to hatch shortly, if it had not hatched already. Elaine had been obsessed the past few months in getting her hands on a dragon, so it wasn’t surprising that she was devoting her time to her new pet. “I wouldn’t get too concerned yet. Once the special project is underway she’ll be more communicative,” he added.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

Diana had looked at herself in the mirror and had inspected her natural features. The way she was reminded of her sister and their shared features. It was painful to think that she’d lost count of how many days it had been since she’d spoken to them for more than a few minutes. There was this obligation to drop by every now and then act like she was still part of the large Bainbridge family, not that she occupied that shared room with Cara anymore. It was March and almost exactly three years since she’d taken that Vow. The girl that had tried to duel Elaine that day was gone, and the shell left behind filled with something else.

She often wondered other people’s reasons for joining Elaine. There were a few she had managed to learn and all very different. Some wanted power, some wanted protection, and some shared a vision, while others craved the chaos. She hadn’t learned Aerick’s reason yet, but she supposed that being on a first-name basis was enough for now. The closest thing to a friend. Aerick had a similar opinion of the Black Black Club. If she could avoid it, she didn’t go in there. Plus, she was quite aware of the illegal activities and didn’t approve of them in the slightest. Smuggling and contraband were one thing, even illegal gambling and fighting, but animals crossed a line for her. She gave a nod to thank him for the drink. She’d need it just to deal with the memory. ”Work.” It was the truth.

Ah yes, Elaine and her special projects. Now and then, Diana would learn about a new one or about an old one. Even if she was just a simple minion in so many ways, she was probably the safest person Elaine could tell a secret to. Even if Diana opened her mouth, she’d be dead before her sentence was finished. Diana shrugged. ”You get used to it.” Her focus was usually dead ahead until she needed you for something, and there was hardly ever a warning. ”Actually—I do have a question for you.” She placed her glass back on the bar. It wasn’t empty yet. ”I have to meet a colleague at The Ivory Room. What can you tell me about the place?” So far, people didn’t give the same reaction as the Black Black Club—but on the surface, it seemed like a good old-fashioned place to drink, dance, and gamble. But, if she was asked to go there, she wondered what happened in the backrooms or basements. Actually, what she did know was that Asher Burke was involved in running the business, but while most business information was public, she wasn’t sure that anyone cared to check. But his involvement was the hint she needed to know that something else was going on there. Just the thought of his name pushed her to finish her drink.

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[Deleted]

Aerick flipped his dish towel over his shoulder and leaned forward. Diana was meeting a colleague at the Ivory Room, owned by one Asher Burke, a fellow Purifier. Similar to Club Indigo, it was respectable enough on the outside, and the main floor. Downstairs though…that was a different story. Dueling, smuggled goods - it was a dark wizards paradise. Even though Diana worked for Elaine, he didn’t really see her as a dark witch. She never seemed fully comfortable with herself, and Asher Burke wasn’t the type of wizard to mess with.

“Depends on where you’re meeting them,” he began. He didn’t know the full scope of illegal activities down in the basement, but he knew enough to know it wasn’t quite Diana’s scene. “Upstairs its your standard casino club, but downstairs I’ve heard rumors of an illegal dueling club and some black market items for sale. Just rumors though,” he finished. “Why are you meeting them there? Have they suggested meeting on the floor or in a private room?” he asked. If he got a sense of where in The Ivory Room they were meeting, he could help her more.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

Just the thought of Burke made her stomach churn. All she could ever see were those eyes staring into her soul as he forced himself into her mind and pushed her to put up any defense. It had been awful physically and emotionally—the only emotion she could manage for that man was pure hatred. But at least the colleagues she happened to see at the safe house treated him with some kind of reverence, or maybe it was just fear. ”Downstairs.” She responded with a lack of energy in her words. Sometimes, this work wore on her, and it took a lot of energy to smile and push through.

Aerick and a few others she had met were some of the few who didn’t appear pure evil. He was a nice enough guy, even though he was on this side of the law and following someone with such evil intent. But, she was sure he had his reasons just as she did. ”They didn’t mention anything about dueling…probably smuggled in something for me to work on.” It wouldn’t have been the first time. Sometimes she received items that felt brand new and bought in Diagon Alley and older trinkets from the black market in Knockturn Alley. And the rare occasion it was an illegal item altogether, but Diana was summoned for her specialty work. At least she was well compensated for it. Diana slouched a bit in her seat as she shook her head slightly with a scoff. ”Its probably one of his friends. And an excuse for him to check up on me.” Her words were bitter this time. Burke had a habit of popping up as some kind of harrowing reminder that her will was not her own, as if living with the Vow wasn’t enough.

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[Deleted]

Aerick could tell that Diana was just uncomfortable with the idea of Asher Burke; she didn’t need to vocalize it. Spending years as a bartender gave him a bit of intuition when it came to reading people, and the way Diana was sitting, her facial expression, and her one word answer was all he needed to know that what she’d be doing was illegal, and that Burke was likely sent by Elaine to watch over her. Aerick had no idea why Diana followed Elaine from the start, but he knew that, like him, she had her reasons. And they were her own; he didn’t need to know the logic behind it. “Just…take care of yourself Diana. Downstairs can get a little seedy, so if you have a defensive spell you’ve been wanting to refresh yourself on, before is the time to do that,” he advised. He wasn’t about to offer to go with her; they didn’t know each other that well, and he really didn’t want to know Asher Burke’s real business. He could sleep at night not knowing what that man was really doing.

Aerick frowned when Diana said Burke would be checking up on her. That was odd; she had shown that she was freakishly loyal to Elaine in the past, so why would Asher need to check in on her. “Does Burke have something on you?” he asked, before rephrasing. “Is there a reason why Burke needs to check in on you.” That was a little better, but it was a little prying. He didn’t know if it would open Diana up or completely shut her down, but it was a risk he had to take.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

The confidence that Diana had walked in with was slowly fading. Anything remotely related to Elaine or Burke had that effect. So many people had been involved in breaking her spirit, with them being the biggest perpetrators. Then again, Diana hadn’t met many people that particularly liked them. Burke was an arrogant and pompous man who thought too highly of himself. At least that little fact kept Diana from completely gaslighting herself about her current circumstances. Aerick told her to watch herself, and she nodded, not wanting to meet his eyes at that moment. Whatever reason he had for joining the Purifiers was beyond Diana, and at least it hadn’t completely taken away his humanity.

She looked back up at him with a weak smile. ”Thanks. I’ll be alright. I never have to linger, thankfully.” In a way, the Vow made her untouchable by some, Burke’s anger sometimes flared, but it was clear Elaine had instructed him not to harm her. Break her mind, force her to learn occlumency—but do not harm her. But then the real question came, and Diana’s smile quickly faded, and she looked away again. ”No.” But Elaine did and yet admitting that would end everything for her. ”He’s just—well, you know how he is.” One of the ultimate loyalists to Elaine, the Purifiers that did know him, would know that. With that she finished the rest of her drink, flinching at the alcohol's strength. 

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[Deleted]

Aerick could tell that Diana was uncomfortable with whatever the task Elaine had set for her was. He knew well enough that Elaine was very careful about who knew what information, so he still didn’t ask what the mission was. Knowing his mistress, she probably promised to hurt or kill Diana’s family if she told anyone else about it. So he decided to partake in a little smack talk when it came to Asher. “Asher thinks he's tough…well you know,” he started, a half smile playing on his lips. “He’s got the Pureblood name, and he’s got the approval from the Mistress, so he thinks he’s untouchable.” Aerick got out the whiskey Diana was drinking and poured themselves both a full glass. He then picked it up and downed it without a wince. “But know this. Nobody is untouchable. Not even Asher Burke.”

He smiled, trying to ease the tension that had been growing in the room. “When do you have to be there?” he asked her, trying to gauge how much more alcohol he should serve her. It wouldn’t suit anyone’s best interest for Diana to show up drunk, but in Aericks’ experience, a little liquid luck didn’t hurt.

diana eoina bainbridge

[diana eoina bainbridge]

don't forget that this is a choice

pick your poison, live with remorse

March 2026
@aerick

Unbreakable Vows were very clear. If Diana even thought too much about violating the terms and spilling her secrets, she felt some invisible noose tighten around her neck. Not to mention the threat to her family. As long as she was alive, there was a chance she could protect them. It was a painful existence. The distance she created between herself and her large family left her feeling cold and empty. Especially the distance from her twin. It felt unnatural, and that guilt was perhaps the greatest. However, the vow did nothing to stop her from speaking ill of Asher Burke.

She shook her head lightly and let out an even lighter scoff. ”And he’s in the Ministry.” It was no secret he led the Department of Mysteries. Still, Aerick’s words were comforting, though surprising. Many she met kept their opinions to themselves or came out in snide remarks rather than so bluntly. ”Not a fan?” Diana didn’t know his story or why he was here and wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Sometimes Diana felt like the more she knew, the deeper she was sucked into this mess; maybe one day, she would be too far gone. But at least there was hope that maybe that was true—Burke could fall just as any of them could.

Diana paused a moment before also drinking her entire glass, her face reacting slightly to the strong liquid as it burned all the way into her stomach. But with such a cold existence, any kind of pain reminded her she was still alive. ”Not until tomorrow.” Diana’s last job had gotten her a few more coins than usual, allowing her a small break from her busy life of breaking magical law and misusing her knowledge of charms and transfiguration.

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