15unknowns | [round 4] ~WEB COMMUNICATIONS~

What did you mean by "hundreds of years"? What have you, or what has your Lady done to us?

[If a low hissed whisper can also sound hollow and disconsolate, it does here and now.]

[He hears it. There's a chuff of air that could almost seem to pass through the cobwebs if it weren't very clear that these only transmit sound.]

She created you. At least, what you are now. [He sounds very proud of that on her behalf.]

Don't worry, Fast. You won't actually live that fucking long.

Telling someone they'll lose a game isn't very sporting of you.

[Sarcasm: the last refuge of the damned.]

"What we are now" wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the lack of proper sunlight, would it? Or the live food?

Oi, I'm just sayin' a century's a long time! [but judging by his snickers the dig was still intended.]

Nah, though - well, eh, you're half right. But a lot of this is just the old bat's taste. He's a bloodsucker, that ain't like you and me. Old monsters like that weren't created by Our Lady. Never bothered to ask how he came to follow her.

[Hopefully the sound of Eric catching himself against the wall doesn't come through the web. He didn't strike it, at least. There are so many questions, and he's reached the one whose willingness to answer is as a coin-flip.

It's easy to let himself ramble a bit while his head stops spinning.]

She must be astonishingly powerful to draw in one of that kind and keep him an obedient subordinate, especially if she's... mm. Two-and-a-half languages and I can't find a word for what I mean, "newer" sounds as though she was created and "younger" is too... mundane?

But - wait, you said "like you and me". You were human once, too?

[Franciscus is searching for whichever steward he can find first.] The rules say no harm should come to the animals in this mansion. That does include the ones from our worlds, right? They're only here because of you, after all. [He's holding Hydrangea in Land forme in his arms while he talks. Is he ever going to let his hedgehog child go any time today? Signs point to no.]

Uh... I guess? Not that it matters. I was born for Big Sis. I don't give a SHIT about normal humans.

And I get what you're saying, but it's whatever. Her kind lives long too. But obviously she's awesome.... powerful... and fuckin' hot! That's why we follow her. [He may rightfully assume that the younger steward is in fact the only one with that last particular reason for following her.] She's a commander and a matron... and she knows exactly how to pull people's strings.

Hmm.

[The elderly Steward is who he finds, and he regards the creature with a small tilt.

A clawed hand emerges, to allow the pokeymans to sniff it.]

It does, at present.

[Hydrangea does lean forward to sniff a bit. Does it smell human?]

Alright. Starvation is considered harm, right? So in that case, that should mean you will feed Hydrangea regularly.

Someone who creates life would have to be all of those things, wouldn't she?

[This is either going to blow up in his face or keep the brat talking and he doesn't know which. Might as well just go all in, just in case it doesn't work.]

But I'm not sure I understand. If you're solely hers, and not a normal human, are we who were brought here the same as you now?

The differences are strictly individual. Maybe it's just cause you're from different worlds. You're clinging to some shitty memories, instead of accepting your lives here... I was born in this world. Don't really remember what it was like before, it was a long fucking time ago.

It's that we weren't born here, I think, we grew up clinging to memories to tell us who we were. If you didn't, you're lucky. When you put it that way... just leave John out of any plans you have to ruin my reputation now that I'm gone, and... I have no reason to go back, he never wants to see me again and I've got no one waiting for me there.

[He's pleased to hear this.]

Heh. Well then! Maybe I can do you one better........ if I feel like it. I think you'll fit in just fine.

Just... just keep it in mind. Thank you.

[He doesn't walk away, but leans back against the wall, and slides slowly down.

What kind of devil's bargain has he just gotten himself offered?]

[He has nowhere to go from here. That keeps drumming itself into Eric's skull. He has nowhere to go from here, he can't go home and he's closed all doors to elsewhere, now.

For some reason the others have not yet descended upon him as they ought to have done the instant everyone was freed. For some reason, he's being allowed to live. It is worse, really. Even if his teacher isn't here, he can't go home, not with innocents' blood on his hands.

So yes, he's curled up with his back to a wall, his arms wrapped around his legs, his face hidden against his knees. (If he can't see Alucard he isn't there.) Yes, he's wallowing in disgust at himself and hating every single beat of his heart. Yes, there's a spiderweb nearby, but he's not talking.]

[Unfortunately, the spiders are watchful. A familiar, rough voice comes out from the cobwebs]

Oi! Pick yourself up already. I told you I'd do you one better, didn't I? Why are you listening to those fucking idiots? You said you'd stay here. You've done plenty to gain our Lady's favor. I'm gonna be pissed if you were lying to me about all that.

There's nowhere else I can stay.

[His voice is muffled, but audible enough.

Just muffled. Not tearful. At all. He is a grown man, after all. Manslaughter resulting in the death of the dreams he'd let himself have isn't something to cry about. You only get that sort of chance when it's your fiancee dead.]

Good.

[It's definitely cruel that he sees Eric's despair as an advantage, but it's pleasing to the lady, which is all that matters.]

You know what? I think eventually you're gonna look back on this and be happy you protected him. Madness ain't so bad - Hell! Even if what you saw wasn't real, it was what you needed to see to get what you wanted. You can do all kinds of shit if you just ride out your craziness where it takes you.

For example. You actually wanted to protect someone here, didn't you? Ain't nothing saying that can't still be possible.

Don't talk in riddles. Please. My head hurts, I can't make any sense of it. How would it still be possible, killing again?

If some asshole goes after the one person you want to protect, why the fuck not? You're not bound by the rules of the game anymore! Advantages!

Who is it, anyway? You can tell me, hehehe.

[He is fully aware that he's going to sound like a sullen little boy when he says this, but does it anyway - ]

Promise you won't laugh, or let him go after the person I name.

Tch. Easiest promise to make, you think I'd give that old bastard the pleasure?

[Eric's predisposition against the other steward adds years to his life span.]

Thank you. I - it's two of them, for very different reasons, but. Krone. I would have given it to her, I think, if I'd been allowed. If I'd had to make a decision right then. Her or Jun. God, he'd hate me even more.

[And having said that out loud makes it real enough that he somehow manages to curl up just a bit tighter.]

A woman and a kid, eh? Well, I did promise not to laugh, but shit. What the hell are you, some kind of wannabe father figure?

[he seems amused by the choices for other reasons though.]

I can't help the Launcher brat, he got no respect for Big Sis and acts like he has a goddamn death wish constantly to boot, so he'd be way too much effort. He's got enough fucking babysitters as it is. But Obtuse? I get it. It ain't no fun sticking around if your lady friends can't make it, huh?

I have a rather awful track record at keeping them alive so far.

[This is said, bitter and tear-damp, to the backs of his knees. But Eric does uncurl then, and leans his head back against the wall.]

He does have something of an honor guard, now. But I can't shake the things that happened at the first trial out of my head, I want her to be safe. If it means sending her from here without me, if she has to forget she ever met me or some stupid fairytale thing like that... so long as she lives a long life as vibrant as she is, I'll be happy.

[there is a mutter from the beyond cobwebs that almost sounds like "tell me about it"]

Oi! Don't get ahead of yourself, asshole! What if she wants to side with Big Sis too, huh?!

But shit, if it's like that, as long as neither of you betray us, I can make sure she doesn't wind up a suspect. Ain't a big loss for me. She even helped you get away with it, if you really think about it.

She did... my God, you're right. She did.

[He sighs. Deeply. It's not quite relief, but it might sound like that over the spider-wireless.]

[The Steward hears that deep sigh. Sounds like a soft spot to poke at. His voice sounds sly and conspiratorial.]

Think it was on purpose?

[It is the easiest most tender place to dig in a hook, your Stewardliness... but aren't hearts always?]

I'm beginning to think so. Even with what she said after - even then, she said she believed in me. Or had believed in me. It's something, at least.

[So not long after the Younger Steward screams to everyone about the fan, Thanatos will go and put it back. He's going to just try and avoid being seen by anyone else and use the tunnel again.

He's hoping he can just drop in, put the fan back where he found it and run out of there without any issue. Of course he's probably not going to be that lucky.]

[The golem has been stalking in and out of the room to check the halls for lockpickers, but it seems the rat snuck in from the back entrance after all. Once the secret panel opens, it turns around and raises its saw menacingly. The younger steward's voice comes at him from somewhere in the room.]

Well well, if it ain't the dirty old man! I hope you brought something for me. If not... WHACK!

[He is not calling him wack. Maybe in a few centuries, but for now 'whack' could mean anything from pushing him down the stairs or chopping off his arm. (Dirty old man is a lighter insult than it could have been, maybe his chances aren't that bad.)]

[Thanatos will go ahead and pull out the fan. It's still folded and in the same condition it was when it was taken.]

I believe this was what you wanted back?

Good. And lucky that it's still in good shape... Now will you put it back where you found it?

[He's not going to take it with the golem's hand, it has big rocky sausage fingers.]

[Well he's going to give the golem a nice wide berth and walk over towards the dresser and lay the fan down. It's not quite precisely in the same spot, but close enough.]

Will that suffice or do you plan to make this thing split my head open some more?

[round 4] ~WEB COMMUNICATIONS~

late in the day, Tues.

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Wednesday after regains

cw because this steward is kind of a pig

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