INTRO LOG #2

[abraxasmods]

Intro Log #2

It has been two months now since the initial group of summonings first took place. Castle Thorne, or at least the part above ground, is buzzing with a vibrant air of hope following the 'success' at the Singularity. Eager smiles and excited chattering are to be found in nearly every corner of the castle and surrounding town. The honored guests may find grateful looks turned their way more often than not. A new and brighter day seems to be dawning on the kingdom.

In the dungeons it's a different story entirely. The mood is somber and uneasy. The prisoner taken for trial has yet to return, and no word has come regarding her or her fate. There has been no mention of any further trials as of yet and guards seem to have little patience for unruly behavior or even conversation. Some seem to not even look at or acknowledge the prisoners at all.

[ Feel free to continue threads from the TDM here or start your own! As cell and room assignments will be short-lived due to this month's event, you're free to assume whichever cellmates and roommates you like instead of officially signing up as long as there are ICly no more than four people in a cell or room at once. ]

Comments

Old Horizons

[not_caroline]

[Coraline's Hedge remains no less maneouvreable for Alcuin, even now that everyone's memories are back. But on one of his walks, he'll find the forest rearranging itself in... something of a different way.

Something about the air of it feels less... hostile, almost. It hasn't been aimed at Alcuin in some time but now even the suggestion of it is massively reduced. And daylight, too - which is very much new, when even during the middle of the day before there was nothing but grim grey light peering through the tiniest gaps between leaves.

Coraline doesn't immediately notice him, when his randomly generated path takes him through a clearing she's standing in: it's just her and a pair of dogs. Normal ones, this time, a pair of scraggly, well-fed wolfhounds that give her their full attention despite her usual silvery bark and green leaves.]

Re: Old Horizons

[cryptsleeper]

--Ah.

[Alucard knows not to bite the hand that feeds him. Or in this case, keeps most other people out. That was the agreement in place from the get go, when he was a stranger to himself trusting another stranger to simply not fuck him over. He had proven himself terrible at negotiating, but the Hedge was worth it all the same.

He takes a few moments to stand there awkwardly, still a dreary and depressed looking thing amid all the dark woods he's made for himself without any memory and decided not to change now that he recalls everything.]

Didn't expect neighbors today.

[not_caroline]

--Ah!

[His voice makes her turn around sharply, and the two dogs snarl automatically as her eyes widen at the sight of her visitor.]

...oh my godddd. [It's a loud groan, self-admonishing and exasperated in equal measure, and her dogs settle immediately as she buries her face in both hands.] Really, you?

[cryptsleeper]

I beg your pardon?

[Alucard knows that kind of groan. He's made it before as a younger man, and once or twice he's heard Sypha make a similar noise after too much bickering from him and the Belmont.]

[not_caroline]

[She runs her hands back over her face and into her hair, taking one of the long strands and using it to wrap the rest of her leaves up in a makeshift ponytail.]

I never gave you my name, before, did I?

[She sounds tired and annoyed - but nearly all of it's fuelled by embarrassment, as she looks back at Alucard.

This isn't the Hedge, or a dream, not really. So, she should be able to...

She closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath, focusing on her Glamour - and in a blink, that familiar punk-rock costume and ponytail is being worn on a familiar teenage human. Who opens her now-hazel eyes with a sheepish look.]

Hey, Alucard.

[cryptsleeper]

It wasn't as if--

[Alucard shuts himself up, watching the Glamour come into focus. The transition is fascinating in and of itself, but oh.

Now he gets it.

There's a faint pink to his cheeks, but Alucard keeps the mortified look on his face to a minimum. Instead, there's a forced, awkward noise that could be a laugh.]

Perhaps I should have figured it out based on the bartering.

[not_caroline]

[Coraline's own cheeks on her fresh, pale human skin are bright red.]

I mean, I can drop that now, I can just make this place safe for you to travel, a-and keep the Hedge where it is on your domain.

[Her dogs come up on either side of her. They still come up over her waist, marking just how short she is, but they really are just normal, boring dogs.]

There's nothing else in here now, so.

[cryptsleeper]

A deal is a deal.

[There's a soft shrug. Alucard doesn't mind the agreement, nor does he mind the Hedge.] Besides, I appreciate the novelty. I recognize none of the plants.

[His eyes go to the dogs, quiet and considering. Maybe he'll romp about with them in better days.]

Just us, I suppose.

[not_caroline]

I don't either, to be honest. Not like, properly. I didn't know shit about plants before I became this, but the goblin fruit's always exciting.

[And she gestures down at herself. The dogs relax again; one flops onto its belly, tail fwumping lazily from side to side, while the other sits on its haunches and yawns.]

It's better that it's just us. Hector might be disappointed, though, he was having fun studying the dogs.

[cryptsleeper]

Ah, is that what it's called?

[Alucard's eyes move back towards the hedge, easily picking out the strange shapes. It's nice, having his natural abilities back. Picking up everything in sharp colors and with crystal clarity.

He's ready to set something alight, he truly is.

At the mention of Hector, Alucard's face faintly sours. He's sniffed some bad milk with the way his nose wrinkles.]

Oh, doubtlessly. Give a necromancer a weird dog and he's set for a week.

[not_caroline]

[Coraline visibly raises an eyebrow at that face.]

I thought you two at least liked each other, given how often he took you out of the cell.

[cryptsleeper]

Hector's...[yeah, he knows that saying complicated is going to demand an explanation, so he doesn't try.

Instead, Alucard folds his arms across his chest, heaving a soft sigh.] Hector has a sense of loyalty to my late father. I've disagreed with some of his decisions made with regard to my father in the past.

I also happen to like baths, so you can understand at least a portion of the complexity.

[not_caroline]

[She doesn't try very hard to hide the cheeky little smile on her face.]

I mean, I don't really blame you. I got out of the dungeon as soon as I could, I'm not gonna make fun of you for needing some, like. Alone time.

[Except she totally is, she just thinks she's being lowkey about it. She likes teasing her prissy ex-roommate too much to give that up.]

[cryptsleeper]

Hm, that feels like a lie.

[Coraline, he is not subtle. The people he associates with are not subtle. You are also not subtle, and like can sense like.]

Or at least, most of it does. The Hedge remains, so I assume you're not entirely full of it.

[not_caroline]

[She tilts her head in a good-natured shrug.]

A deal's a deal. I'm not gonna renege on it if you don't, and it's got punishments built in if one of us doesn't completely obey the terms. [She bites her lip gently as she refuses to make eye contact.] Which is mostly good for you, since I won't be calling on my end of it anymore.

[cryptsleeper]

[The lack of eye contact means that she gets to miss Alucard's look of quiet surprise. Mostly that means his eyes get a little wider, and he then tilts his head exactly like a canine.]

Too odd knowing that it's me under the wolf coat?

[not_caroline]

Kind of? Um. There are people who can do that too, back in my world, other Changelings. So, it's a bit weird actually, like. Yeah, knowing the person under the fur.

[She'd enjoyed the brief period of thinking it was just a particularly pretty wolf. It was far less humiliating. Still, at least she didn't actually put her face in his belly or she'd never live it down.]

[cryptsleeper]

Sorry to have ruined the illusion, but I imagine your two companions won't mind. More attention for them.

[Look, if she had done so, Alucard would have never told a soul. Such as it is, they're here. He's not changing, but now he wants to just for the reaction of it.]

[not_caroline]

[The dogs both look at Alucard, and Coraline turns to pat the nearest on the head, ruffling its ears fondly.]

Okay, so full disclosure? I have no idea where these guys came from. They were here when I woke up earlier and I can't make them go away. [She pauses for a moment, before she looks back at Alucard.] Not that I want to, they're good dogs Brent, but it's just weird. The hunting dogs went away just fine.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alas, Alucard cannot appreciate memes. What he can do is extend a hand out towards the dogs to sniff, if they happen to be so inclined.]

That is weird, given how this place is supposed to work. But there are also bigger problems than mystery dogs.

[They're Very Good Dogs at any rate. Good Dogs who will get skritches behind the ears if they'll allow it.]

[not_caroline]

[One of the dogs is lying down, but its tail wags when Alucard approaches; the other trots forward eagerly and shoves its head into his hand for pats without bothering to sniff him. The sight of it makes Coraline grin.]

Right. Like what we're supposed to do with this place. There was a whole meeting about it like yesterday, with a bunch of the people who never went to jail.

[cryptsleeper]

[Oh, well hello to you too there buddy. Alucard is careful with his ear rubs, long fingers working expertly. It is one of the perks of sometimes being dog shaped - you know all the best spots.]

Was the entire affair annoyingly condescending?

[not_caroline]

[The question gets a spiteful little giggle out of her.]

God, you have no idea. The two guys running it, Jaskier and Kyle or something, were trying so hard to make it all seem like they're totally neutral and it was all just some big brainstorming session. Except like half the people there openly hate Ambrose so mostly it ended up being a lot of talk about what to do about that. I recorded a few people talking, actually, if you wanna hear it later.

[cryptsleeper]

[Never let it be said that Alucard cannot multitask. As much joy as petting a dog can bring, his face still manages to sour at the description offered, all wrinkled nose and lips drawn into a thin line of total disapproval at the idea of any of this.]

That sounds like a dreadful way to spend an evening. [Both the attendance in the first place and the idea of listening to any of it. The dhampir shakes his head.]

Did anything actually useful come of it, or was it just an exercise in complaining about Ambrose?

[not_caroline]

[She gives a loud groan as she lets herself tip back - but a tree-stump, smooth with age, is there to catch her when she flops bodily back to sit down.]

It wasn't even that. They were trying so hard to be, like. Non-political. No-one actually gave a shit, though, mostly it was just people bitching and getting personally offended when we did talk about using this place to, like. Actually make a stand.