[ happy monday! Lucien is pacing the hallways, pointlessly, and in the process is spreading a really fun variety of emotions. Paranoia, like an animal pacing the bars of its cage, and an exhaustion so profound the freakin' walls are moving. Maybe someone should actually try sleeping in ... his room ... ? it's pretty obvious he didn't. ]
[ if it isn't his favorite--at present, the only--tiefling. nodd feels those pings of discomfort and sails forth breezily. his own aura is calm enough. ]
Lucien! I was looking for you.
[ he wasn't, and perhaps due to the odd psychic bond they're all sharing, lucien will know it. but he's happy to see him, regardless! ]
[ crossing his arms, apparently settling in for more people Being Friendly at him. at least there's emotion share on, so he doesn't seem to be really all that annoyed with it. ]
Nero. And I've no plans on doing this roommates situation - I've given him the bed and I'll sort myself out.
[ that does sour some of the cheery vibes, concern bubbling along the edges. he sees those under-eye bags and he KNOWS they aren't designer like his own. ]
[ is he grinning ... ? Does he already have the fangs in, or did he come with those naturally? Is he in a good mood, for once? so many questions, so little time. ]
The ones that spend a great deal of time discussing how their organs differ from regular humans, which let me be the one to break the disappointing news, isn't that much.
[ so, dry textbooks. ]
They were a good contract, if you could get one. But they're rare, and the Orders didn't hunt them much. Other undead are easier.
[ donning his respirator which turns completely transparent once settled in place. fortunately, he hears they can be removed in buildings. ]
By and large, I could take or leave the undead. It takes out the moral question of a fight--yes, they belong back in the ground--but they last so long. Bite your ankles. Smell like rot. Vampires, I assumed, at least had style.
Hell if I know. Most of the ones I ran into were spawn.
[ it's not like he was out finding Delilah Briarwood. Not in the wastes of Wildemount. ]
The undead were my speciality, least for a while. Seemed better, learning a flashy trick or two than to drink poisons for fun, or turn myself to a wolf.
[ does not mention the druid tiefling in his party who turns into a wolf and hunts the undead and seems into the combination. but you can know about it in flavor text. ]
Any of your tricks not get tamped out by the nanites? I wouldn't say no to a demonstration.
[ later that evening, but before curfew, he is outright on jonker hunt 20XX. lucien can be a dangerous and mysterious and insomnia-prone as he likes, but nodd is a nosy bitch. and there's a certain fondness.
where are you hiding? don't make him start calling out by name. ]
[ he's braved the outdoors today. he likes being off the ship, but isn't the biggest wintery hellscape fan. too many bad memories. but he already has an outfit prepared for this type of weather - a heavy coat, fur-lined and leather padded at the joints, and its clearly seen some wear and tear. at least it's not bloody at the moment, since there's finally laundry here. he's even got snowshoes, and not the ones from the surplus store. not as much as skis as spiked, for traversal.
he's poking around the bazaar, but is clearly not impressed by anything he's seeing. ]
[ pestering lucien is one of nodd's pastimes at this point. he sees a flash of purple, he slithers over. an appraising glance at the other's clothing.
nodd opted for a high-collared, navy peacoat, which he wears partially open like a real canadian guy used to cold temperatures. his hair has visibly grown to floor-length, although at present it is tied in a braid, tucked in his belt. he wears the portable skis (in boot mode) from scrap's. ]
Do you want my mittens? I wasn't wearing them anyway.
[ pulling his hands out of his pockets. he has gloves on, though they are fingerless. ]
I can handle the cold. Spent plenty of time in Eiselcross. Was only hoping that leaving that Plane for distant destinations might mean more choices. Maybe something tropical to experience before we get our skulls hammered in.
As you open your eyes, you see Lucien - your brother, not much older than you. A year or so older than your 10 summers.
It’s dark, but that’s not exactly a problem with your infernal heritage - everything is clear in shades of gray. You’ve been curled into your corner of the caravan, with Miss Queenie, a doll Elric had made from scraps of the last year’s costumes for you. You can hear your mother and father asleep in their bunk. Your father snores, especially when he’s been drinking. Sock Brother sits up where you last saw him, staring off into the space in front of him, mouth slack. He doesn’t seem to react to the two of you. At least, not yet. Your father's lute is leaned against the caravan wall between you all, a few of the costumes hung from wire across the roof.
Lucien looks impatient - he’s been getting taller, his horns starting to curl larger, and one of his eyes is halfway swollen shut - he’d stumbled earlier, hauling water up from the loch - but still burning with an insistent impatience. Like always. He’s wearing a small pack, bursting at the seams.
[ his heart beats rapid, hard against his ribs as he wakes up to that familiar-unfamiliar-somewhat-familiar voice. he had darkvision before the eudora (what eudora? gods, so hard to wake up sometimes); it takes him a second and then he's adjusted to the gray.
not so much to the setting besides, however. the memory takes hold, supplying a background for every question. he reaches up to feel for horn curling from his own scalp. a family of tieflings, are they?
a look to Sock Brother, whatever that means. part of nodd would rather continue not fully knowing.
then he peers at the child lucien. sees and knows that black-eye for the first time. his or dreda's or both of their stomaches twist. the words are whispered: ]
We're leaving.
[ it's not a question. he picks up miss queenie as he stands. ]
[ he does, in fact, feel horns curling from his head. he'd know his skin is a slightly pinker tone than lucien's, his horns are smaller - but that could just because he's younger - but the same dark, wavy hair and red eyes.
Sock Brother is the same as he has been - skin slightly too slack, hair falling in his face, eyes looking at nothing. He doesn't look like Elric anymore. When the puppet speaks, it doesn't sound like him. It is obedient, but only to given instructions. He, or it, doesn't seem to have a will of its own to do anything anymore. But your parents tell you to stop being afraid. Demand it, really. The witch had done her work and you would be grateful for it, that your brother was returned, if not entirely whole. ]
Good. Hurry up.
[ bossy as always. he'll grab aldreda's hand and head out - out of the caravan, out of the circle of the glade, into the Savilarwood. ]
[ bossy, sure, but can nodd just say so cute. nodd wants to put young lucien in his pocket, although perhaps after taking him to the medbay. not that he can do any of that, because it's many years ago and he is a tiefling child with a doll and a dull-eyed Sock Brother. there are no spaceships.
[ aldreda hasn't ventured here on her own. lucien was the one sent off to do work for the hag, a trade in kind. he'd done his best to shield her, though he hadn't been able to do as good a job as Elric had. He'd been bigger, better at managing his emotions, and Lucien has always been prone to impulse and anger. but this place isn't ... right. there's old stories, about it being cursed or corroded, but perhaps its just old. inhabited by the strange and wonderful and woeful. at night though, it's certainly not welcoming.
still, they aren't going far. he'll stop at a tree, just out of sight of the caravan and pushes nodd down to sit in the hollow of a tree. ]
Stay here. I'll be right back, alright Dreda?
[ almost gentle. but he's barely waiting before he dashes off again - back towards the caravan. you can stay here, in the dark and the silence and the creaking of the trees. or if you're quiet you could follow. ]
[ not a hag. nodd hasn't dealt with many on his own, but he's heard so many tales. it never works out. they offer the world and once they owe it to you, your hands are where your eyeballs were. but nodd wasn't here to give second-hand advice. simply two children who should have been protected by their parents, not in fear. ]
Don't...
[ he says, but maybe he didn't speak it out loud. his heart aches. perhaps aldreda stayed in the hollow, but nodd can't bear the idea.
[ what's up, it's ya boy, nodd nolastname. he leans against the hallway wall several feet away from the medbay door, so as not to intimidate anyone from entering. that's not what he wants. he wants--to be around. that's all. as can be seen by the fact he has not changed clothes (he wears a torn twerk shirt with blood and bite marks on it).
he sees lucien approach, legs first because that's about where he's looking, and lifts his gaze. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
W0 - MONDAY
no subject
Lucien! I was looking for you.
[ he wasn't, and perhaps due to the odd psychic bond they're all sharing, lucien will know it. but he's happy to see him, regardless! ]
no subject
That so? What for?
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Well, the first time we met you seemed to be having a time of it. I wanted to see how you were settling in. How's your roommate? Who's your roommate?
[ how's your kidnapping experience going? ]
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Nero. And I've no plans on doing this roommates situation - I've given him the bed and I'll sort myself out.
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[ that does sour some of the cheery vibes, concern bubbling along the edges. he sees those under-eye bags and he KNOWS they aren't designer like his own. ]
You do plan on sleeping.
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I don't plan on sleeping. It isn't necessary. [ ... ] And if it becomes necessary, then I'll find a place.
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I'm looking at you and I'm saying it's clearly necessary. Do you need a guard or something? Do you kick in your sleep?
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Aren't you an elf? What would you even know about sleeping?
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this fucker. ]Half-elf.
[ brows arch. ]
Being cranky isn't gonna change my opinion. You need a lie-down.
W1 - MONDAY
[ is he grinning ... ? Does he already have the fangs in, or did he come with those naturally? Is he in a good mood, for once? so many questions, so little time. ]
no subject
what's this? dear lucien, smiling? expressing... happiness? ]
I was just on my way down if you'd like to join me.
[ nodd's clothing has been changed and he carries a small bag of craisins for munching. ]
no subject
You familiar with the Vampyr?
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Not intimately.
[ that may change, who knows. he's not fussed about wearing the anti-bite balm. ]
Are you a fan?
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Vampires? No. Just read a lot of boring books on them. You'd think it'd be impossible to make a boring book about vampires.
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[ he begins walking again, nice and slow so lucien isn't spooked off. come along. ]
Let's assume I haven't read a single vampire book. I'm a clean slate.
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[ so, dry textbooks. ]
They were a good contract, if you could get one. But they're rare, and the Orders didn't hunt them much. Other undead are easier.
no subject
By and large, I could take or leave the undead. It takes out the moral question of a fight--yes, they belong back in the ground--but they last so long. Bite your ankles. Smell like rot. Vampires, I assumed, at least had style.
no subject
[ it's not like he was out finding Delilah Briarwood. Not in the wastes of Wildemount. ]
The undead were my speciality, least for a while. Seemed better, learning a flashy trick or two than to drink poisons for fun, or turn myself to a wolf.
no subject
Any of your tricks not get tamped out by the nanites? I wouldn't say no to a demonstration.
W1 - THURSDAY
where are you hiding? don't make him start calling out by name. ]
no subject
What?
no subject
That's what I'm asking you. What happened? Why were you locked in the galley?
[ jonker...... ]
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[ rodya gave a whole speech that of course explained it in great detail. ]
We weren't in the galley. It was some-- Illusion space. Don't know where we were.
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Maybe I wanted to hear it from you. Do you remember how you got there?
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[ which is actually one of the more disturbing parts. ]
I never even thought to question it. It was as if I believe I was someone else entirely, and had lived there all along.
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[ reminds him of--no. no, let's not think about that. that was a really bad time. ]
But you're yourself now? You're acting like yourself.
W2 - MONDAY
he's poking around the bazaar, but is clearly not impressed by anything he's seeing. ]
Could go anywhere. Could be somewhere warm.
no subject
nodd opted for a high-collared, navy peacoat, which he wears partially open like a real
canadianguy used to cold temperatures. his hair has visibly grown to floor-length, although at present it is tied in a braid, tucked in his belt. he wears the portable skis (in boot mode) from scrap's. ]Do you want my mittens? I wasn't wearing them anyway.
[ waves them lightly]
no subject
I can handle the cold. Spent plenty of time in Eiselcross. Was only hoping that leaving that Plane for distant destinations might mean more choices. Maybe something tropical to experience before we get our skulls hammered in.
no subject
If only our dear bosses were taking requests.
[ a straight face. ]
You know... it'd be hard to hammer yours. The horns and all.
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... Right.
[ running a hand over a horn, like he's considering the protective capabilities. ]
no subject
[ if given half a chance, will grasp lucien's shoulder and give it a firm shake. ]
Let's find you something fun to use that voucher on.
W3 - MONDAY
“Aldreda. Dreda. Get up.”
As you open your eyes, you see Lucien - your brother, not much older than you. A year or so older than your 10 summers.
It’s dark, but that’s not exactly a problem with your infernal heritage - everything is clear in shades of gray. You’ve been curled into your corner of the caravan, with Miss Queenie, a doll Elric had made from scraps of the last year’s costumes for you. You can hear your mother and father asleep in their bunk. Your father snores, especially when he’s been drinking. Sock Brother sits up where you last saw him, staring off into the space in front of him, mouth slack. He doesn’t seem to react to the two of you. At least, not yet. Your father's lute is leaned against the caravan wall between you all, a few of the costumes hung from wire across the roof.
Lucien looks impatient - he’s been getting taller, his horns starting to curl larger, and one of his eyes is halfway swollen shut - he’d stumbled earlier, hauling water up from the loch - but still burning with an insistent impatience. Like always. He’s wearing a small pack, bursting at the seams.
“Come on already.” ]
no subject
not so much to the setting besides, however. the memory takes hold, supplying a background for every question. he reaches up to feel for horn curling from his own scalp. a family of tieflings, are they?
a look to Sock Brother, whatever that means. part of nodd would rather continue not fully knowing.
then he peers at the child lucien. sees and knows that black-eye for the first time. his or dreda's or both of their stomaches twist. the words are whispered: ]
We're leaving.
[ it's not a question. he picks up miss queenie as he stands. ]
no subject
Sock Brother is the same as he has been - skin slightly too slack, hair falling in his face, eyes looking at nothing. He doesn't look like Elric anymore. When the puppet speaks, it doesn't sound like him. It is obedient, but only to given instructions. He, or it, doesn't seem to have a will of its own to do anything anymore. But your parents tell you to stop being afraid. Demand it, really. The witch had done her work and you would be grateful for it, that your brother was returned, if not entirely whole. ]
Good. Hurry up.
[ bossy as always. he'll grab aldreda's hand and head out - out of the caravan, out of the circle of the glade, into the Savilarwood. ]
no subject
he holds lucien's hand tightly.
nodd doesn't know these woods. does aldreda? ]
Where are we going?
no subject
still, they aren't going far. he'll stop at a tree, just out of sight of the caravan and pushes nodd down to sit in the hollow of a tree. ]
Stay here. I'll be right back, alright Dreda?
[ almost gentle. but he's barely waiting before he dashes off again - back towards the caravan. you can stay here, in the dark and the silence and the creaking of the trees. or if you're quiet you could follow. ]
no subject
Don't...
[ he says, but maybe he didn't speak it out loud. his heart aches. perhaps aldreda stayed in the hollow, but nodd can't bear the idea.
he follows, cautious, quiet footsteps. ]
week 4; saturday, post-trial
he sees lucien approach, legs first because that's about where he's looking, and lifts his gaze. ]
Hey.
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Do you want a change of clothes?
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[ lifts up the collar of the shirt to give it an interior sniff. ]
At least I'm dry now. How are--
[ sees that hand shaking. continues-- ]
--you?
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[ a joke ............ he goes to lean against the wall. ]
If you want to go change, I'll keep watch in the meantime.
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[ and it's not very nice to question it, but nodd isn't sure lucien needs to be alone or needs someone to insist otherwise. ]
It's not very fun, I won't lie. You think they'll call you in or need you for something, eventually, but they don't.
[ he would love that new shirt...... ]
Shouldn't take me more than fifteen minutes.
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Hurry up then.
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Thanks.
[ and he's off.
returns in thirteen, jogging, wearing a simple gray sweater. fuzzy. and also with a bottle and cups. ]
Hm?
[ holds them up. small shake. interested? ]