TEST DRIVE MEME

[fairyfoes]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping to EACHDRAIDH? Why not give the setting a test run here! OPTIONAL SCENARIOS 01. ARRIVING IN THE DRABWURLD. The Seelie and Unseelie courts welcome you with mirthful revelry and hearty food. After you have been briefed on your purpose here, you will find an endless feast and a night filled with entertainment to placate your concerns. Mingle with new arrivals, sneak down the castle halls and make sure your eyes are always on your glass; fairies and imps have no bias when it comes to tricks! 02. THE STATION. Looking for a little slice of home? The Station gives you all that and more. Take advantage of the wifi, have a cup of fairy-brewed coffee (the one they didn't spit in) or sit back and relax on the patio. You can even move your things into one of the available rooms! 03. WILDCARD. Your own scenario! Explore the Drabwurld or simply take advantage of your Locket!

Comments

Kougyoku Ren | Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

[redsea]

3. wildcard - pool of souls

[ A merry bunch, the naiads seemed. The dryads, too. Their beauty made them easy on the eyes but difficult to approach, but surely the women playing in the waters wouldn't mind a new friend, right? Kougyoku told herself that if she could not befriend a human, she might as well give these otherworldly creatures a shot. You could almost call her desperate.

Well, given how she can't even talk to anyone period, she already is.

Kougyoku lifts the skirt of her robes and quickly makes her way to the ladies to catch their attention. She looks so hopeful. ]

H... Hello! Do you mind if I— [ By the time Kougyoku reaches the edge of the pool, all the naiads and dryads vanish, startled by her sudden appearance. Her smile, once bright as the sunlight reflected on the water, falters quickly. ]

Oh. Oh... [ Oh no. Her lip quivers, and here come the tears. ] All I wanted was somebody to talk to...

[windowpain]

[ She's not crying alone. Some seriously unmanly sniffling is coming from behind a large rock situated next to the pool. ]

[redsea]

[ When she hears a voice that isn't hers, of course it tempts her to peer behind the rock and take a look. Loneliness is a powerful thing.

And curiosity, of course. ]

Hello...?

[ Ah. Well, she certainly wasn't expecting a grown man there. She's unsure if she should approach. ]

[windowpain]

[ She'll find a man sitting with his back to the stone, hugging his knees and weeping into them. But at the sound of her voice, his head lifts, and a single eye looks up at her, fringed with white lashes, red-rimmed, and still brimming with tears. The other eye isn't visible, hidden beneath bandages.

He gazes at her, after a moment seeming to notice her tear-spotted face. He turns his head from her, forcefully, and his body tenses, as if he were going to run away. But after an apparent internal struggle, he turns back and chokes out the words: ]

Y-yes, my lady?

[redsea]

[ It's a strange sight, seeing a grown man cry. Hakuryuu cried, but this man was at least five years older! Yet what she calls to attention first is neither his bandaged eye nor his tears. ]

Are you... [ Kougyoku raises her hand tentatively, as if to place it on his shoulder, but decides against it. She was never one for physical contact. ] Are you alone, too? In this world, I mean.

[ She settles for sitting next to him, with her legs folded under her thighs and his profile facing her. ]

[windowpain]

[ "Are you alone - too?"

Despair has eaten away at him, all these weeks at the Rainsworth estate, and the few days here in this strange land. Here, at least, no one will notice if he's gone. No more of Lady Shelly's fond entreaties and teasing, indefatigable in the task of trying to cheer him. No more of her child, her little daughter, staring at him with wide eyes and unexpectedly giving him nosegays (making him weep again, when she'd gone out of hearing).

He will do himself and the world a favor, he'd just decided, when...

"Don't leave me, Kevin," rings in his ears, a small girl's plaintive cry. ]

You are on your own.

We must..... must find you a proper protector.

[redsea]

[ Whatever he's been through, she has no clue, but when he decides something on his own, she clasps her hands together and brings them close to her chest as she leans in. ]

Oh, no, I don't need someone to protect me. [ Was it the crying? She rubs her eyes until she's sure they're dry. Besides, by the way things look, it seems that he's the one who needs protecting. ] I can do that on my own... for the most part. [ She's aware that she's strong, but survival in the wilderness is another matter.

Kougyoku isn't sure if he'd oblige, so she hesitates before she makes this request. ]

But I would... appreciate, the company. If you'd be so kind. I cannot find my attendants anywhere, and the way to Caer Glaem is rather far.

[windowpain]

[ His misery is greater than his shame, so his brimming tears roll down his cheek unimpeded. He doesn't bother to brush them away. ]

Company...

[ Lady Emily always insisted she didn't need a bodyguard, and chafed at being followed everywhere; until she did need him, and he failed her. She was six.

He rises to his feet, mechanically, like someone in a trance. In a hollow voice: ]

I can only take you as far as the gates of that city.

[redsea]

[ She smiles and follows the suit, almost jumping to her feet. ]

I appreciate it all the same! Um, thank you.

[ Kougyoku laughs to lighten the mood, but it dies off awkwardly. She's never seen anyone cry like this before. Perhaps there was just a deeper reason to his tears she didn't understand just yet. She's in no place to pry, but... Taking the mint-colored strip of cloth that drapes around her arms, she folds it and dabs at his cheeks. ]

Please do not cry. It's no way to act in front of a lady.

[ She's too shy to look him in the eye as she says this. She wouldn't have done this to begin with. If it was anyone else, she'd have made a caustic remark about it. But, he accepted her company. ]

slides in like a homie

[kingship]

[ She isn't talking to herself for long. Nevermind how Sinbad so "conveniently" found her here. Such a pretty princess shouldn't be crying over a bunch of dryads. They're just playing hard to get ... you'll have to keep trying, Kougyoku!!! ]

Ah well. I'm sure they'll come around.

lord have mercy

[redsea]

[ What do you think she's been doing for the past eighteen years of her miserable rich girl life... Alerted by Sinbad's presence, she turns toward the direction of his voice and does little to hide the color on her cheeks. ]

Oh, King Sinbad! [ She stumbles from the torque of her spin. A little too excited there, princess. ] I mean, King Sinbad. What a surprise to see you here.

[ Wait, she forgot to wipe her tears. Let her do that for a second. ]

Have you come to drink from the pool as well? I mean, that is what I was doing before you arrived, of course.

[kingship]

[ Sorry he was busy being king those eighteen years, he can't hear you over his epicness.

He sees the stumble but chuckles it off as if everything that is occurring in this scene is completely natural. ] Is it? It's interesting, that's for sure.

[ While she does that, he steps closer to her and the pool. ]

No, I just thought I heard a familiar voice. But I don't want to interrupt—

[ your drinking...yeah. ]

[redsea]

[ Doesn't that just mean he's old... ]

Oh, no! [ She steps back and puts her hands behind her back, shyly. ] You weren't interrupting anything. I was only resting for a while. Yes, that's it. Caer Glaem is not too far. I know I have to pass by the woods of Eithne... It's dreadful, but the journey will be easier once I get to Cothromach, I think. Oh! Are you on your way to Caer Glaem, too?

[ She assumes they're on the same side... why ]

[kingship]

[ No???? Wow, leave the old jokes to the rude people. ]

Ah, good then! [ He will refrain from teasing about that obvious lie. ] How did you wander so far from there in the first place?

[ Why? Because Kougyoku is adorable and naive :( ] No, I'm just exploring, myself.

[redsea]

Oh, I-I see. [ Kougyoku dips her head to hide her disappointment. She was hoping that he would escort her. Anyway, she shouldn't dream too big about Sinbad. She remembers the last time that happened. ]

Well, because of my efforts in the war, [ She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. ] I was granted a royal boon by the court! Although... it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. [ Then, she giggles. ] Would you like to see?

[kingship]

[ He may not escort you to the happy sunshine castle, but he'll still hang out with you for a bit. That's still good right? Of course it is he's Sinbad. ]

Is that so? [ Once she giggles, he grins, propping his leg up and his arms atop his knee. ] Of course!

casually peeks in...

[bigthings]

[Unlike certain siblings who shall not be named, Kouha is great at making friends! It's just a pity he tends to make friends with the weirdest and creepiest people possible.

Case in point: the world's ugliest banshee is already hovering around him like a lovesick puppy as he comes across Kougyoku. He glances at her face, then into the pool.]

What, did one of them try to bite ya or somethin'? [Translation: does he need to get his yandere face on and cut someone. Because he will totally do it.]

1/2

[redsea]

[ At least Kouha's presence eases the pain. He's not a friend—friends are different from family—but. He will do.

Kougyoku snivels and rubs her eyes. She doesn't want anyone to fuss over her feeble attempts at friendmaking. ]

No, it's nothing like that—

oh boy oh boy

[redsea]

[ When Kougyoku looks up, her scream rivals that of the banshee in front of her. Oh, and how. As soon as she lays her eyes on the unsightly creature, she draws her hairpin and transforms it into a sword. What was that about yandere faces? ]

Get back, brother! There's a monster right behind you!

1/2

[bigthings]

What?!

[YANDERE SIBLINGS TIME LET'S GO. Kouha instantly whirls around, drawing his own sword, eyes searching for whatever's trying to threaten them--]

[bigthings]

[...and then he turns back to Kougyoku with a confused look while the banshee drifts closer to him apprehensively.]

What are ya talking about? There's nothin' there!

[redsea]

[ Ohhhh my god, this banshee. Girl, you are so lucky Kouha's the nicest guy. Kougyoku still thinks she is out to eat his brains, though. Cue the angry stomping. ]

Ooh, it's there, it's there! Just—hold still! I'll deal with it swiftly. [ She raises her sword and water begins to swirl around it as she shouts, ] Vainel—!

[ Now's the perfect chance to dodge. Or throw Kougyoku off her groove. If left alone, more than one person will be getting wet here... ]

[bigthings]

What the--hey!

[Who needs to dodge when you have a giant sword you can hide behind? Kouha enlarges Nyou Rentou instantly, using it as a barrier for both him and the banshee against the inevitable waterworks.]

Watch where you're aiming that thing, Kougyoku! D'you know how long it took me to find a decent outfit in this dump?!

[redsea]

[ Just two ridiculous siblings with two ridiculously huge swords here, nothing to see! She would apologize, but there are more pressing matters at hand like ugly ghosts following unsuspecting family. She stomps her foot on the ground. ]

But brother! There's a, a, a banshee! Right there! There! [ She points at the spirit behind him. ]

—No! Don't look. Haven't heard the stories? They say if your eyes meet hers, you'll...! [ She can't even say it. Don't die on her, Kouha. ]

[bigthings]

[He glances behind him and FINALLY THE LIGHT DAWNS.]

What, her? Nah, don't worry about her, she's fine. [Kouha reaches over and pats the banshee on the head.] I found her drifting alone wailing about something or the other, and she looked interesting so I figured why not get to know her better? She's cute, ain't she? [she really isn't]