logs | —i play the heroine, i play to their sympathies.

( SOOYOUNG, CALLISTO, HIBIKI. )

[ you would expect the cold to ease, even if only a little, once you step through Rudbeckia's door and out of the cutting winds currently raging across the Shadowlands. that isn't what happens. standing in the dimly-lit foyer of the Borgia Manor, the chill that comes over you is of a different kind, but one that causes a shiver nonetheless. every noise you make seems too loud to your hearing; shadows flicker in the corners of each room; there is always, always the feeling of being watched, of sharp eyes following your every movement.

perhaps this is just an effect of the Shadowlands' distortion, or else the influence of whatever presence they've come here to investigate. maybe you're imagining things—Ruby doesn't seem to be at all bothered. ]

Ah, I'm not usually the one who greets guests... Welcome to the Borgia estate?

[ she had been reluctant to let her companion past the threshold, and it had taken some dithering before she finally opened the door for you. embarrassment, she'd claimed: after all, she's never had a friend visit her family home even when she was alive, and in the Netherworld, she's only Ruby, not Rudbeckia de Borgia. isn't it only natural that she would feel self-conscious? ]

My tethers are a little spread out, so I'll have to retrieve them all... Um, I'll take you to my room first. Please don't make fun of me when you see it.

[ ugh, she hates this. ]

Edited 2022-12-09 21:23 (UTC)

[Ruby's absolutely valid in her reluctance, because as soon as Sooyoung enters the foyer she immediately drifts away from her vicinity to start nosing around. She keeps her sticky fingers to herself, but does it bode well that she's immediately wandering... She at least doesn't rattle any doorknobs,]

-- Is it really that embarrassing?

[TO MAKE FUN OF RUBY ABOUT???? unfortunately she doesn't sound doubtful, only interested.]

[ yeah, she already had a feeling that Sooyoung would be a dangerous person to have in here. maybe she should have had her wait outside, but if there's something in here rifling through her tethers... still, in her head, Ruby is hurriedly attempting to map out the estate in order to take a path that avoids any rooms taken from her previous life. ]

Well, I just mean that since I'm the daughter of a wealthy family... It might make me look like a spoiled brat.

[ it's an assumption she's used to: Rudbeckia de Borgia, the envy of all the girls in Romagna. (█████, the envy of all the girls in Madrid.) she really does find it embarrassing, in a way that makes her want to cry, a sick feeling writhing in her gut like a living creature.

it just also happens to be a good excuse for her to keep a strict itinerary on this miserable tour. and speaking of which, she is pointedly heading for the grand staircase. ]

Like I said, I've never had guests before, so I'm nervous!

[Sooyoung has the nerve to look disappointed as she follows Ruby to the staircase, though she guesses that it makes sense for the other girl to be nervous about that -- and not about something especially embarrassing squirreled away somewhere among her rooms. Or maybe she DOES have something embarrassing... Sooyoung's on the look-out... for science.]

It's fine, I'm used to big houses. And I'd expect the Borgias to have a huge one.

[Even if Ruby's version of the Borgia family is different from the one Sooyoung's read about... speaking of,]

Are your tethers your family?

[SHE JUST OUTRIGHT ASKS I GUESS]

No, but one of them is something my eldest brother gifted me!

[ she had very nearly succumbed to the urge to throw it down the stairs, the first time she stepped inside this place.

it is very quickly dawning on Ruby that she needs to lie a lot during this next half hour, or however long it takes to resolve the problem. Sooyoung is hard to predict—sometimes it feels like she hardly has any interest in the details of Ruby's life or personality at all, and then she goes and asks some prying question so pointed she could break bedrock. there's nothing that can be done to change this place and the things inside it, so all that's left is to pretend they mean something else.

also, not to let Sooyoung wander. with that in mind, Ruby links their arms together, shivering and huddled close to seem as though she's just seeking warmth. ]

It's so cold even in here... —Oh, see, this is my family.

[ there's an enormous painting hanging over the grand staircase that Ruby points at as they approach it. in the centre of the portrait is presumably the Pope, seated like a king, a woman dressed luxuriously and standing at his right side; stood to the left are two men who look to be in their twenties, the younger with a sword at his hip and a priest's stole draped over the shoulders of the older.

Rudbeckia is not in the painting. ]

[Sooyoung looks up at Ruby's prompting.

Her first thought is the size. Which, again, should probably be expected, but still. This isn't a shiny photograph from a studio -- it's a true, honest to god, painting. The style of it reminds her of Kaizenix -- portraits of royalty, and the inhabitants exhibit that air too. She looks from one face to the next, arms still linked with Ruby, expression duly impressed despite herself if also confused, because yes she's looking for Ruby and the fact that she isn't there doesn't escape her --

and then her eyes land on the man with the stole, and her expression twists into half-dismay, half-disbelief.]

-- Holy shit.

[She points with her non-linked hand at the man,]

That's your brother? That guy?!

[a bit dramatique, but entirely honest in that Sooyoung really took one look at Cesare and went 'YOO JOONGHYUK??????']

[ she only laughs brightly at the dramatics. ]

Yes, that's Cesare. It would have been hard to picture him, since he and I don't look very alike.

[ when she looks at the Borgias together like this, it really seems so obvious that Rudbeckia isn't one of them. it was common knowledge that she was illegitimate at best, and she's sure there were people in Romagna who suspected the whole truth, but... it goes to show what a useful political piece she was that she didn't suffer more from that. her father had been able to threaten her more than once with his benevolence and discretion regarding the matter.

that aside, it isn't hard to guess at what might have gotten such a strong reaction from Sooyoung, mostly because Ruby went through the same thing. she adds, sheepish: ] Actually, when I was under the influence of the cursed food at the Harvest Festival, I mistook Signor Joonghyuk for my brother... Isn't it a funny coincidence?

[ Seriously, what kind of torture is it for a man to have both the appearance of Cesare and the personality of my husband? ]

[Sooyoung's face snaps from disbelief to a grimace of sympathy. She can only imagine how well Joonghyuk handled that. Though maybe he was nicer to Ruby while she was hallucinating...? At least, as nice as he's able to be...]

That guy's got a little sister too, younger than you.

[there are funny coincidences, and there are Coincidences. She can almost see Dokja's annoying little comment underneath her novel, accusing her of plagiarism for similarities she couldn't control? She feels like he'd say the exact same here.]

Is yours obsessed with you too?

[Not that she can blame Joonghyuk for wanting to safeguard his only living relative in a world filled with apocalypse and evil, but since when was Sooyoung ever fair to him.]

[ It surprises her that Ruby's Door is so close to hers, quite literally only three or four away. They're practically neighbors, and yet Hibiki can't recall really seeing the other blonde coming and going whenever she does. It could be that they're on different schedules, but it's also possible that Ruby has been avoiding coming back.

The awkwardness of how she introduces the space certainly hints that there is some discomfort, and as Hibiki walks through the threshold, she bows her head gently. ]

Pardon the intrusion...

[ Some habits will never die. It's only the doorway technically, but Hibiki is stunned by the space. Taking a few steps, she suddenly stops before offering an awkward smile. ]

Should I take my shoes off first? I'm not sure what the rules are about this.

[ It's baby's first mansion, please forgive her for not knowing what to do. She doesn't want to track dirt into Ruby's room. ]

Edited 2022-12-10 21:18 (UTC)

[ Ruby's smile is gentle, and she links her arm with Hibiki's to lead her through the grand and spacious entrance hall towards an equally massive central staircase. it's for the sake of keeping warm as much as it is reassurance for Ruby's anxiety over having anybody else in here. ]

No, no, that isn't necessary. Is it a custom where you're from, Hibiki? [ even if that was ever the custom in either of her own households, she wouldn't give a shit about it here. ] I don't spend very much time here, so don't worry too much. It's scary to come out to the Shadowlands, and this doesn't really feel like home.

[ there are various decorative furnishings that have been knocked over here, a broken statue or two, paintings torn from the walls as they make their way to the staircase; Rudbeckia's fingers tighten around Hibiki's arm, anxious, though the only sentiment she has to express at the sight of the destruction is: ]

Father would be furious if he saw the house in such a state...

[ Ruby says that she doesn't have to, but Hibiki still smirks sheepishly at her just the same. It's a force of habit, a way to show respect for the space and the person who lives in it, so while she keeps her boots on, there's still a note of reluctance. ]

It is, in part to keep from tracking dirt and germs in. But if you say I don't need to...

[ Going once, going twice... and if she doesn't hear any different, Hibiki will follow her inside with only a hint of hesitation. Instead, she focuses on what's around her, trying to find any evidence that this unwelcome house guest wasn't still here, waiting for a moment to strike. ]

Really? I mean, that makes sense, it's not exactly pleasant out here. I dunno, I feel a lot more at-home in my space out here, but I feel really out of place in Stygia lately.

[ After the business at the Gallows, it's taken a lot for her to not wash her hands of that place altogether. ]

Do you have a place in town then?

[ while callisto had developed relatively thick skin over the years and through his own trials and tribulations, he isn't ignorant to the strange sensation he gets in this place. it's an uncomfortable feeling he can't quite put a finger on. which is precisely why his features look genuinely contemplative; his hand rubbing his chin as if the act itself would have breathed some sort of reasoning to situation. to be honest, when he thinks of what her room is like and compares it to how she acts, oddly enough— some things do click.

her fearfulness beneath her practiced smile. no, perhaps, she's smiled enough where it really did feel that genuine. regardless, callisto doesn't doubt that most noble ladies needed to practice at least that much to survive in the cut-throat world of nobility. he presumed a certain princess was no stranger to that, but he decides to focus on ruby right now. ] How do you stay here? [ it's a quick question, and while others may have practiced some degree of caution, callisto decides it was easier to cut to the chase.

was this normal for her? was this strange even in her own perceptions? whatever it was, he wanted to know. ... but, at the same time, he isn't sure what much else he could do but destroy it (why does everything come back to this? webtoom mls). ]

[ although she hadn't yet allowed anyone else inside this place, Rudbeckia isn't oblivious to its effect. certainly her home—whichever home that might be—always felt this way to her, but even she knows this is far more extreme, all her fears superimposed on reality to create a nightmarish replica of the places she has lived. there isn't any way she could explain this that would make sense for "Ruby's" character, and so all she can do is pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary.

Callisto's question is incisive, but it's something she can interpret in the easiest way: literal. ]

Hmm? I don't, really. It's difficult to get here, and the Shadowlands are scary... [ as they cross the ostentatious castle foyer towards the grand staircase, Ruby tucks herself into Callisto's side, her fingers curling around his bicep with a nervous squeeze. ] Oh... There really is something in here, isn't there? Look at the state of things.

[ they're words that should come with some measure of distress, or at least sadness. Ruby's gaze passes over toppled plants and broken statues littering the foyer with dispassionate regard, her only anxiety focused on whatever lies further inside the castle. ]

[ real or not— exaggerated or not, he's not sure why he's letting it bother him. it's not like he always had a pleasant upbringing himself, but he didn't necessarily take pleasure in other people experiencing their own traumas. ... despite how he behaves nothing less of a feral beast on the surface. that said, when she once again side-steps his question (except, does she really?), he releases something of a defeated exhale. ] You... [ coming from him, it may have seemed threatening or could have been taken as him being in a foul mood at her response, but that's not quite it.

instead, he's more like... swallowing down the fact that she probably wasn't going to explain herself. at least not today or now in this moment. which, was fair, and he decides to simply glaze over it, if that is truly what she wants. it's a consideration he doesn't normally spare, but well, she did confess some manner of feeling him before, right? maybe that was enough reason for him to be softer on her (softer is actually debatable, but listen).

still, it's hard not to find it kind of frustrating. but, the way she comes to his side and holds his arm, well. his brows furrow slightly, before moving forward as he always does. ] Stay behind me. It looks like if it is around, it's further this way.

Do you have any other sort of weapon here? [ all he has is a rusty dagger he pilfered off a body in the gallows. ]

[ she doesn't protest at all the command to stay behind him, not even as a token courtesy. it's pointless to pretend to be brave; she isn't the heroine in any situation, and those gestures won't touch anyone. no matter how hard she tries to present herself as kind, she knows nothing can disguise the selfish and cowardly heart of her. ]

No, I'm afraid not. [ there wouldn't be anything in this place that she could defend herself with. that was something she immediately understood when she first explored it after waking in the Shadowlands: it will only ever contain things that can hurt her. ] Maybe I can find a fire poker, at least...

[ hanging over the stairs and along the walls of the hallway, they pass several paintings, some askew or knocked down. the same four faces appear throughout them, at various stages in their lives, posed individually or together: an older man and woman, and two young men, one with a relaxed air and the other more severe. there's no sign of Rudbeckia herself in any of these paintings.

as they pass a portrait of the dark-haired man, Ruby glances at it, then shivers—shudders?—and presses herself even more to Callisto's side. ]

I-I'll look around. Let's just make it to my room first. Hopefully, I'll be able to light us a fire and we can warm up, too. [ she grasps for more words to fill space so that she can keep him from making any more pointed comments: ] Did it get particularly cold where you were from, Don Callisto?

Edited 2022-12-15 12:28 (UTC)

[ there's comfort in the fact that she doesn't argue. if just explicitly due to their present circumstances. still, his eyes dart around both in curiosity and in the idea of trying to focus in on any hint of suspicious movement. but, he's not sure what is stranger, the atmosphere of the mansion itself, or the details it provided.

as they walk onwards, he sees the photos and if they are in her home, he can only presume they were family. ... and if judging by her reaction towards them, he could gather that they may have not been all too close. to be honest, it's not a sentiment he couldn't comprehends. no, all the same, from the innocent and naive child he had been to the jaded man he had been now, maybe, within his own assumptions, he feels an odd kinship between them.

but, perhaps beneath that, there was another emotion settling at the pit of his stomach.

at her words, he gives a firm nod. ] Well, since I am here, it is my duty to escort the lady. [ he says this in an easygoing tone despite everything, doing his best to entertain her questions, while also attempting to figure out what he could draw from her. ] I was out at war often, and so I wouldn't consider myself unfamiliar with the cold. There were times where we had to huddle together just for warmth. It makes one wonder what merit they saw in sending us there at all. [ but, well.. in all actuality, he figured someone had to. as the man who become emperor, it never crossed his mind to live any other way.

that said: ] What of you?

[ it's surreal that Callisto reminds her so much of Iske, and that she is here, walking with him arm in arm, trusting him to protect her. her husband had carried her in his arms on more than one occasion, but not once could Rudbeckia ever stand beside him like this; and even if he would kill any monster that appeared before Rudbeckia, she never felt that he would be doing so for her sake. she's not such a fool as to believe Callisto regards her as anything other than a nuisance, but... something feels different.

maybe it's just because he isn't someone who is predestined to kill her. ]

Me? Romagna is a very warm place, so I'm used to mild winters. It doesn't ever snow there.

[ she says that—and yet, the next window they pass no longer looks out into a sunlit garden. instead, it frames a field of grass on the edge of a dark forest, all of it blanketed in layers of the still-falling snow. Ruby's steps falter, just briefly. ]

... Ah... [ the air is too tense here for her to laugh, but she ducks her head, sheepish. ] But my family sent me to the North recently, and it seems like the castle where I stayed left an impression on me. It was very cold there, so that's why I'm hoping that there might be fireplaces here too.

[ while every other door has been shut, the one she pulls him towards at last is slightly ajar. ] Here, this one is my bedroom.

[ ... ugh. wait. should she act shy, even in this situation? ]

—i play the heroine, i play to their sympathies.

—SHADOWLANDS.

nyehehehe

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

crawls in late with starbucks...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject