[log] a couple of setbacks later [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Royce Melborn, Alfie Solomons, Tifa Lockhart, Emily Kaldwin
Location: Building 50 (bonus Building 44)
Date: night of Day 142 (plus, bonus Day 144)
Summary: Reunion log!
Warnings: Will update as necessary!

A standard two-story house with an attic. The first floor has a kitchen, living room, and dining room, while the second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The entire house has been done up inside in Victorian style--it probably cost quite a lot of money, and no detail is spared. The color scheme is a bit dark, though, and it's difficult to see in here during the night. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY EIGHT, TRAVELLING EAST" and "ALPHONSE ELRIC, STEPH BROWN, MAMI TOMOE, FREYA CRESCENT, EDWARD ELRIC, DAY TWENTY-FOUR, TRAVELLING WEST" have been carved into the hallway wall. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, EDWARD ELRIC, GREED, DAY SEVENTY-FIVE, TRAVELLING SOUTH-WEST. DEAR FORMER RESIDENT, WE ARE FRIENDS, PLEASE DO NOT FEEL YOU NEED TO HIDE FROM US. CONTACT LELRIC." has been written on the wall. Written on the wall in blue ink is the following: "This is Building 80 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath is a pretty accurate map showing the house in relation to the south and west snow walls, the school and athletic shed, the funeral home, and buildings 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53, 57, 58, and 59. The snow wall is labeled "Snow wall." House 58 is labeled "Entrance to ice tunnels." The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The athletic shed is labeled "Shed". The funeral home is labeled "UNSAFE; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." House 34 is labeled "Medical assistance; hot, clean water. Contact Dr. Epps @claytonator".

Comments

[bywolves]

That's what I told the person who hired me. [ Royce says dryly. ] He insisted that he'd just wanted to borrow the book, and that I had to put it back. With Hadrian as my partner.

[empireofrats]

[She looks like she wants to giggle again. Tries her best not to giggle at Royce's misfortune.] But you put it back. You and Hadrian returned it. [She knew you were Good People.] It's because you can decide whether to be a good thief or a bad thief.

[Her pointing moves this time from Hadrian to Arista.] Who's this? And-- [She points toward Arista's hands.] Why does she have funny gloves?

[bywolves]

[ ... Well, that's not the reason, but Royce lets her think it is. He doesn't want to get into that story, anyway. It's a long one. Like a whole book. ]

Arista. [ He explains. ] They're not gloves. It's magic. The Art. She uses it.

[empireofrats]

Wow! You know someone who can use magic? [SUPER COOL. Arista would be, like, HER IDOL.] Like Corvo. I think he can use magic, too. He says he can't, but--

I've seen him disappear and reappear in another place. It was cool. He said I just blinked too long, but I didn't! I didn't blink at all.

Can Arista do that?

[bywolves]

No. [ At least he doesn't think she can... ] She can make people sneeze. Set things on fire. Move things without touching them.

I don't know the extent. Haven't asked. [ He's a little frightened of it. Magic is... unpredictable. ] She'd probably teach you.

[empireofrats]

That sounds fun. [Because, obviously intense and barely controllable Art is very fun for a ten year old girl. So much fun. All the fun.] People say that there's witches in Dunwall.

They've been visited by the Outsider, and they have magic powers, too.

People say it like it's a bad thing, but... Maybe it's not so bad to have magic powers. You can do a lot of things. And you can hurt the bad people.

[bywolves]

[ That last bit is telling. Royce can remember thinking the same thing when he was younger, when he learned what the Art was. Take control of something uncontrollable and hurt the people who have hurt you. Any other person might try to discourage Emily in that respect. ]

You can hurt the bad people. [ Royce is not that sort of person. ] But you might end up hurting yourself. Not worth the risk. With the Art, anyway. Don't know much about the Outsider.

[empireofrats]

Me either. [It's all heresay. She still doesn't know that much even after spending one or two times with him in the Void. He was mostly toying with her. Trying to see what she was like. Was she interesting? Could he mark her? Would she accept?]

I guess you're right, but... then the bad people would keep doing bad things. Corvo stopped them. I mean, the bad men who were trying to get the throne. [Her eyes lower back to Royce's paper.

Instead of pointing, she reaches across and pushes her fingers gently over the doodle of Gwen. It's tender, like she's afraid she'll either insult Royce or smudge the work.] Is that the lady you're going to marry? Gwen?

[bywolves]

[ He's thinking about how to answer her regarding the bad men, but she distracts him with talk of Gwen. Royce glances at the paper, and then to Emily. ]

Yes. That's her. [ His voice is softer. ] I didn't do her justice.

[empireofrats]

I think she looks really pretty. [Emily draws her hand away and instead touches Corvo on her own paper.] You miss her, don't you? Like I miss Corvo.

Do you think they're looking for us? Mister Solomons says that maybe time doesn't pass there anymore, so it'll be like we never left.

[bywolves]

[ Royce settles back against the couch to watch Emily draw. ] I miss her more than anything. [ Is his quiet answer. ]

Does he, now. [ Royce isn't sure he can be that optimistic, but. ] If it isn't like that, I'm sure they're looking for us. Especially you.

[empireofrats]

[Emily understands.]

Maybe. I mean, I guess. Corvo probably is, if time kept going. He looked really scared when he found me in the Golden Cat, like I had died, but he said he was just glad I was safe.

I might have looked really scared, too. He had a scary mask, but even when I saw it was Corvo, I was scared because I thought he had died, too. That's what they told me. That he had died in prison.

[bywolves]

But he didn't. [ Royce kind of wants to meet this guy. ] And he came to get you. Dedicated bodyguard, isn't he.

[empireofrats]

Yes. [Strange, isn't it, Royce? A man who is the closest protector of the empress, and her who has a child with no father as an emperor.]

Mother chose him as Lord Protector when they were young.

[bywolves]

[ Yeah, he's pretty suspicious of that, and he knows enough about born out of wedlock children among the nobility that he's about eighty percent sure he knows what's going on. ]

And she loved him. [ Royce guesses. ] And he loved her.

[empireofrats]

[Slowly, Emily gives Royce a kind of strange look. A cross between forced confusion and surprise.

It's supposed to be a secret, but she's already told Alfie. They insisted that she never tell; it was just to quiet her questioning curiosity. Though that was in Dunwall where people could do awful things, where people did awful things.

And this isn't Dunwall, so does it matter who knows?

She looks back down and fiddles with the paper a bit beside where Corvo is drawn. Maybe she owes the explanation to Royce after he told her about Gwen when she asked.] Yes, I think so.

They said Corvo was my father. I'm not supposed to tell. But we're not in the Idles anymore, so... I think it's okay.

[bywolves]

[ That makes a lot of sense. Royce sincerely doubts that someone who was just a bodyguard for the queen and princess would try so hard to clear his name. Royce knows bodyguards, and all of them are less than squeaky clean. They would've just run, after escaping from prison.

But Corvo came back, to save Emily and prove he wasn't the killer. There's more connection there. ]

If he's your father he'll be looking extra hard for you. [ Royce remarks. ] Who told you not to tell?

not in the idles wth self

[empireofrats]

Mother. [She looks up.] She said I can't tell because Corvo isn't Emperor, so a lot of people would be angry. She said you should be able to love who you want, but sometimes, things don't work out that way. So she couldn't marry him. It had to be a secret.

Lots of people know anyway. I heard them talking sometimes. They would say they knew Corvo was my father because it was obvious.

You won't tell, right? Everyone. If I don't tell about Gwen.

[bywolves]

If you don't tell anybody about Gwen, I won't tell anybody about Corvo. [ Royce thinks that's an acceptable deal. He glances at her, and then offers a hand. Shake on it. ]

[empireofrats]

Okay. [She looks at Royce's offered hand for a moment, hesitant and skeptical. But then she takes it, so they can shake on it, and she smiles faintly.] I'll put your picture in my day book, and I won't tell anyone that she's Gwen.

[She offers Royce her own paper with her other hand. There ya go. Trade.]

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Shake! And - he takes the paper she hands him, and carefully folds it so he can put it in one of the pockets sewed into the inside of his shirt. He'll keep it. ] Deal.