- Location
- Germany
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
- [X] Try to get her to stay at the castle.
3
[X] Don't tell Ilya about Arcueid at all.
1
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
- [X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
-- [X] Try to get Ilya to stay at the castle.
1
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
5
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
-[X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
1
- [X] Try to get her to stay at the castle.
3
[X] Don't tell Ilya about Arcueid at all.
1
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
- [X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
-- [X] Try to get Ilya to stay at the castle.
1
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
5
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
-[X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
1
- Location
- Thailand
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
- Location
- Earth
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
- [X] Try to get her to stay at the castle.
4
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
- [X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
-- [X] Try to get Ilya to stay at the castle.
1
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
7
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
-[X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
1
- [X] Try to get her to stay at the castle.
4
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
- [X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
-- [X] Try to get Ilya to stay at the castle.
1
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
7
[X] Talk to Deis about Arcueid.
-[X] Ask her for advice about the demand, then go talk to Ilya.
1
Ilya Undecided
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Go see Ilya and tell her about Arcueid's demand.
You have to tell Ilya about it. Whether she comes or not … you'd rather she didn't come, but you won't try to push her toward it. Hopefully she knows her state well enough to not do something foolish. Before that, however, you have to clean yourself up. You float away from anything important and burn away the dried blood and scraps that cling to your arms - you burn the dress away, too, because it's far beyond salvation, even if it were something worth saving. Your enchanted clothes are wearable, too; perhaps Ilya and Sella did something to speed up the restoration while they were experimenting, or it got boosted when you were having fun? Well, it doesn't matter very much. You get dressed and head for the courtyard. Ilya is leaning against Sella, eyes closed, so you hesitate, but the servant looks up and waves for you to come closer.
"Flan … is Deis alright?" One eye peeks out from a curtain of silvery hair, but she doesn't look like she was asleep. You nod and land quietly on the ground.
"Yeah, she's fine. Fixed up Ershin, too, so I guess nothing's really wrong. But … um, I called Arcueid to tell her about Tohno." She perks up a little, but her smile fades when she sees your expression. "She didn't seem that angry or upset, and I offered to bring her the girl's body for her family to take care of. She said to meet her in front of the temple at midnight, and she said to bring you." She nods and looks up at the sky, thinking about it.
"And you don't want me to go, I suppose?" You're pretty sure that you and Sella have similarly suffering expressions.
"… Ilya, you're hurt. I'll be there, yes, and so will Berserker, but without knowing more about any opponents we'll be facing … I mean, do you even know what Tohno did to you? So, considering your personal safety, yes, I think I would feel better if I knew you were resting and safe. On the other hand, Arcueid implied a threat when she said she wanted you to come, and even here I'm not sure you would be any safer than with both Berserker and me by your side. And … I trust you not to insist on going if it's really going to cost you. It's your decision, and I won't undercut you or try to make you change your mind." She smiles, relieved, and your own expression lightens.
"Thank you, Flan." She sighs and looks up at the sky. "I mean, yes, losing my arm and leg has some consequences beyond loss of mobility and affecting my health, but we're not sure just how serious it's going to be, especially given my circumstances anyway. As for going to see Arcueid … I don't know. Why do you think she wants to see me?" You shrug.
"I don't know. I mean, I guess she could want to see how badly you were hurt, because I did say that Tohno attacking you is why I killed her. But she didn't give a reason, so that's just a guess." Ilya frowns in thought for a moment.
"Excuse me. But Arcueid has seen all the principal combatants, at least well enough to identify you and Berserker as the most dangerous threats, correct? Then if she is confident enough in her own strength, this may be a ploy to gather the two of you in one place so she can defeat you quickly." Your eyes narrow and you shake your head.
"She'd have to be really confident - even if she's stronger than Berserker, comparisons of strength go out the window when you're talking about two-on-one. So she'd need to have a trump card that puts her overwhelmingly more powerful than either one of us, or she would have to defeat one of us before the other can engage."
"Or she's trying to get you to make me stay here so she can fight you alone and then come after me." You scowl at Ilya's point. And you don't know how tricky Arcueid really is, but since she said it wouldn't be fair if you left Ilya, then her wanting to fight makes sense. Ilya sighs tiredly. "Well, I suppose it's not worth worrying over right now. Um … Flan?" She meets your eyes before looking away embarrassedly, and you cock your head to the side. "Um, with Leys the way she is right now, Sella's a bit busy with taking care of us and making sure everything's ready, so, um … is - can you - I mean …." She trails off, flustered, and Sella puts a hand on her shoulder.
"It would be a great help if you make dinner tonight, Lady Flandre." You stand up properly and curtsy.
"It would be my pleasure," you say with a smile. Ilya slumps against Sella, and you see her eyes start tearing up. She starts to wipe them away - with her right arm, before the waving stump comes to rest against her chest and she uses her left. Your own elation fades. "Is Leysritt well enough to eat? Does she have any likes or dislikes? Do you have anything you particularly want?" Ilya shakes her head quickly before looking up at Sella.
"… Leysritt will want to show that she is well. She will recover fully, eventually, but her movements will be stiff and uncoordinated for now." She doesn't continue, so you suppose if Leysritt has any preferences Sella doesn't know about them.
"Thank you. Then … you three, myself, Satsuki, and Tohsaka, for dinner. Anything else?" Ilya shakes her head and smiles at you.
"Thank you, Flan." You beam right back.
"It's not a problem at all, Ilya. Now, I am going to need my clones for this, but you should probably get some rest. It'll be a couple hours, anyway." Ilya nods and you help Sella pick her up, and your clone goes with them to open doors and keep things out of the way. You head back to the garage.
"So, how did it go? You're not running around, so I guess there was no open declaration of war." Deis lounges carelessly over Ershin.
"Mm. I'll be taking Tohno's body to her at midnight, and Ilya may come along." Deis raises an eyebrow.
"Is she well enough to move that far?" You shrug.
"She hasn't decided whether she wants to go; if she does, we'll work something out. But for now, um, are you going to be staying here or will you head into the castle?" Deis peers at you before shrugging.
"One place is as good as another; are you going to be busy?" You look away nervously.
"I'm going to be handling dinner tonight, so I'll need my clones. I mean, if you'll be lonely I can leave one." Deis sighs extravagantly and sits up.
"Ah, I see - other people get to enjoy your cooking! Well, Flan, when I get a body, you are going to make bite-sized delicacies and feed them to me while I stroke your hair, so you - oh, goodness, Flan, I'm joking. Really." You nod but Deis cuts you off before you can respond. "No, no! I'm not letting off the hook that easily. Now, your cooking is wonderful, and it's something I would consider finding an armless and legless body with no talent for magic just to experience. And when I tease you about how wonderful it is, it's because it is wonderful. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty or responsible for me - I'm an adult, I can feel sorry for myself quite well! So, you're going to cheer up so you can go make wonderful food for people who deserve your best efforts and Tohsaka." You can't help but smile.
"I understand, Deis, but … it's still sad, especially with you and Ershin alone in the garage like this." It's not even as nice as your room, either. She smiles and stretches, lying flat on top of Ershin.
"It's fine, it's fine. Hey, Flan, does this dress make me look fat? I've been thinking of going on a diet, but I need an expert's opinion." You cross your arms and try to glare, but her innocent expression makes it almost impossible to not smile, and you have to settle for turning away in a huff. Deis laughs as you walk out with your clones.
"Have a good night, Flandre!" You wave back to Ershin without turning around. Well, time to see what you have to work with ….
You sigh in satisfaction and look over the assembled meal. Green sauce, boiled potatoes, meatballs both open and in soup, pretzels, meat-and-vegetable stew, simple rolls that can be sliced to make sandwiches, and seasoned Hamburg steak in both bite-sized chunks and in small patties. You go through their wine selection as well, but short of actually opening everything and tasting them, you won't be able to tell what really fits, so you take a red and a white and resolve to ask Sella her opinion. Water is available as well, of course; you don't think there's anything you forgot ….
What do you do?
[ ] Business talk during dinner.
[ ] Idle chatter during dinner.
[ ] No conversation during dinner.
[ ] Other?
DM Note: You can insert specific subjects you want to talk about, of course. No conversation just means that Flan isn't going to pursue any discussions; she'll respond if necessary, she just won't push for anything in particular. Unless you want to insert something after dinner, I'll skip ahead to going to see Arcueid.
You have to tell Ilya about it. Whether she comes or not … you'd rather she didn't come, but you won't try to push her toward it. Hopefully she knows her state well enough to not do something foolish. Before that, however, you have to clean yourself up. You float away from anything important and burn away the dried blood and scraps that cling to your arms - you burn the dress away, too, because it's far beyond salvation, even if it were something worth saving. Your enchanted clothes are wearable, too; perhaps Ilya and Sella did something to speed up the restoration while they were experimenting, or it got boosted when you were having fun? Well, it doesn't matter very much. You get dressed and head for the courtyard. Ilya is leaning against Sella, eyes closed, so you hesitate, but the servant looks up and waves for you to come closer.
"Flan … is Deis alright?" One eye peeks out from a curtain of silvery hair, but she doesn't look like she was asleep. You nod and land quietly on the ground.
"Yeah, she's fine. Fixed up Ershin, too, so I guess nothing's really wrong. But … um, I called Arcueid to tell her about Tohno." She perks up a little, but her smile fades when she sees your expression. "She didn't seem that angry or upset, and I offered to bring her the girl's body for her family to take care of. She said to meet her in front of the temple at midnight, and she said to bring you." She nods and looks up at the sky, thinking about it.
"And you don't want me to go, I suppose?" You're pretty sure that you and Sella have similarly suffering expressions.
"… Ilya, you're hurt. I'll be there, yes, and so will Berserker, but without knowing more about any opponents we'll be facing … I mean, do you even know what Tohno did to you? So, considering your personal safety, yes, I think I would feel better if I knew you were resting and safe. On the other hand, Arcueid implied a threat when she said she wanted you to come, and even here I'm not sure you would be any safer than with both Berserker and me by your side. And … I trust you not to insist on going if it's really going to cost you. It's your decision, and I won't undercut you or try to make you change your mind." She smiles, relieved, and your own expression lightens.
"Thank you, Flan." She sighs and looks up at the sky. "I mean, yes, losing my arm and leg has some consequences beyond loss of mobility and affecting my health, but we're not sure just how serious it's going to be, especially given my circumstances anyway. As for going to see Arcueid … I don't know. Why do you think she wants to see me?" You shrug.
"I don't know. I mean, I guess she could want to see how badly you were hurt, because I did say that Tohno attacking you is why I killed her. But she didn't give a reason, so that's just a guess." Ilya frowns in thought for a moment.
"Excuse me. But Arcueid has seen all the principal combatants, at least well enough to identify you and Berserker as the most dangerous threats, correct? Then if she is confident enough in her own strength, this may be a ploy to gather the two of you in one place so she can defeat you quickly." Your eyes narrow and you shake your head.
"She'd have to be really confident - even if she's stronger than Berserker, comparisons of strength go out the window when you're talking about two-on-one. So she'd need to have a trump card that puts her overwhelmingly more powerful than either one of us, or she would have to defeat one of us before the other can engage."
"Or she's trying to get you to make me stay here so she can fight you alone and then come after me." You scowl at Ilya's point. And you don't know how tricky Arcueid really is, but since she said it wouldn't be fair if you left Ilya, then her wanting to fight makes sense. Ilya sighs tiredly. "Well, I suppose it's not worth worrying over right now. Um … Flan?" She meets your eyes before looking away embarrassedly, and you cock your head to the side. "Um, with Leys the way she is right now, Sella's a bit busy with taking care of us and making sure everything's ready, so, um … is - can you - I mean …." She trails off, flustered, and Sella puts a hand on her shoulder.
"It would be a great help if you make dinner tonight, Lady Flandre." You stand up properly and curtsy.
"It would be my pleasure," you say with a smile. Ilya slumps against Sella, and you see her eyes start tearing up. She starts to wipe them away - with her right arm, before the waving stump comes to rest against her chest and she uses her left. Your own elation fades. "Is Leysritt well enough to eat? Does she have any likes or dislikes? Do you have anything you particularly want?" Ilya shakes her head quickly before looking up at Sella.
"… Leysritt will want to show that she is well. She will recover fully, eventually, but her movements will be stiff and uncoordinated for now." She doesn't continue, so you suppose if Leysritt has any preferences Sella doesn't know about them.
"Thank you. Then … you three, myself, Satsuki, and Tohsaka, for dinner. Anything else?" Ilya shakes her head and smiles at you.
"Thank you, Flan." You beam right back.
"It's not a problem at all, Ilya. Now, I am going to need my clones for this, but you should probably get some rest. It'll be a couple hours, anyway." Ilya nods and you help Sella pick her up, and your clone goes with them to open doors and keep things out of the way. You head back to the garage.
"So, how did it go? You're not running around, so I guess there was no open declaration of war." Deis lounges carelessly over Ershin.
"Mm. I'll be taking Tohno's body to her at midnight, and Ilya may come along." Deis raises an eyebrow.
"Is she well enough to move that far?" You shrug.
"She hasn't decided whether she wants to go; if she does, we'll work something out. But for now, um, are you going to be staying here or will you head into the castle?" Deis peers at you before shrugging.
"One place is as good as another; are you going to be busy?" You look away nervously.
"I'm going to be handling dinner tonight, so I'll need my clones. I mean, if you'll be lonely I can leave one." Deis sighs extravagantly and sits up.
"Ah, I see - other people get to enjoy your cooking! Well, Flan, when I get a body, you are going to make bite-sized delicacies and feed them to me while I stroke your hair, so you - oh, goodness, Flan, I'm joking. Really." You nod but Deis cuts you off before you can respond. "No, no! I'm not letting off the hook that easily. Now, your cooking is wonderful, and it's something I would consider finding an armless and legless body with no talent for magic just to experience. And when I tease you about how wonderful it is, it's because it is wonderful. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty or responsible for me - I'm an adult, I can feel sorry for myself quite well! So, you're going to cheer up so you can go make wonderful food for people who deserve your best efforts and Tohsaka." You can't help but smile.
"I understand, Deis, but … it's still sad, especially with you and Ershin alone in the garage like this." It's not even as nice as your room, either. She smiles and stretches, lying flat on top of Ershin.
"It's fine, it's fine. Hey, Flan, does this dress make me look fat? I've been thinking of going on a diet, but I need an expert's opinion." You cross your arms and try to glare, but her innocent expression makes it almost impossible to not smile, and you have to settle for turning away in a huff. Deis laughs as you walk out with your clones.
"Have a good night, Flandre!" You wave back to Ershin without turning around. Well, time to see what you have to work with ….
You sigh in satisfaction and look over the assembled meal. Green sauce, boiled potatoes, meatballs both open and in soup, pretzels, meat-and-vegetable stew, simple rolls that can be sliced to make sandwiches, and seasoned Hamburg steak in both bite-sized chunks and in small patties. You go through their wine selection as well, but short of actually opening everything and tasting them, you won't be able to tell what really fits, so you take a red and a white and resolve to ask Sella her opinion. Water is available as well, of course; you don't think there's anything you forgot ….
What do you do?
[ ] Business talk during dinner.
[ ] Idle chatter during dinner.
[ ] No conversation during dinner.
[ ] Other?
DM Note: You can insert specific subjects you want to talk about, of course. No conversation just means that Flan isn't going to pursue any discussions; she'll respond if necessary, she just won't push for anything in particular. Unless you want to insert something after dinner, I'll skip ahead to going to see Arcueid.
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
- Location
- Bowling Green
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
False Xteeler
False smile :D
- Location
- Somewhere
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
5
[X] Business talk during dinner.
-[X] How are Ilya and Rin's magic projects going?
1
5
[X] Business talk during dinner.
-[X] How are Ilya and Rin's magic projects going?
1
- Location
- Thailand
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
6
[X] Business talk during dinner.
-[X] How are Ilya and Rin's magic projects going?
1
6
[X] Business talk during dinner.
-[X] How are Ilya and Rin's magic projects going?
1
Dinner and a Body in the Trunk
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Idle chatter during dinner.
One of your clones begins setting the table; Leysritt has a thicker glass mug instead of a normal water glass so she can lift it by the handle if necessary. Sella will sit by Leysritt in case she needs help, you'll be at Ilya's right to help her, and Tohsaka and Satsuki will be on the other side of the table. It's not optimal, and you won't be using the head or the foot of the table, but there isn't a staff and it's not a formal dinner. One clone goes to Tohsaka, the third to Sella, and you go straight to Satsuki.
"Oh! Flandre-sama! Um, did something happen? Everyone's so quiet." You nod and smile.
"Something did, yes; I'll explain later. For now, we're going to have dinner." Her face falls and she puts a book on the desk.
"Normal food doesn't really do anything for me, though," she mumbles, and you clear your throat and wait until she looks at you.
"There are two obvious signs of a cultured and civilized society - fine clothing and good food. You're going to be a civilized person, not a beast. You don't have to eat a lot, but you are going to participate, and you are going to be polite." She blinks and cocks her head at the intensity of your voice. "Leysritt and Ilya were both injured, and you will not stare at them, nor will you identify anything you think they're doing wrong. Do you understand?" Her red eyes widen and she nods jerkily. You nod and relax, smiling. "Thank you. Now, go on to the dining room and take your seat. I'll be right down." She nods again as you turn away to find Sella. You find her helping Leysritt out of her bed, and bow your head politely when they notice you.
"Is there something I can help you with, Lady Flandre?" You smile awkwardly.
"Um, do you know which of the wines are suitable complements to different foods? I don't know what the wines you have taste like, so I'm making a guess and hoping they match well enough, but if you know more, I'd appreciate your advice." Sella stares at you for a moment before looking back at Leysritt, then back to you.
"I am afraid I do not know, Lady Flandre," she says apologetically, and you nod quickly. It sounds like she isn't aware that you are supposed to complement meals with wine, which is very poor manners on the Einzberns' part.
"Then we'll see when we have a drink, won't we? Is Ilya up yet? I can carry her down if you want to stay with Leysritt."
"Please." Sella turns, surprised, and you look at Leysritt as well. Her quiet voice isn't as firm as it used to be, and simply speaking and turning her head to look at you makes her arm quiver, and when she tries to take a step she lands her foot awkwardly. Sella catches her before she can fall and holds her while she gets her feet under her properly.
"Focus, Leys. One thing at a time." She looks at you and you nod sympathetically. Nerve or brain damage from when Kishima threw her, perhaps? Those would take a lot longer to heal than simple muscle or bone damage. On the other hand, Deis said she started some sort of alchemical process, so maybe that was an attempt at healing that went wrong? You take your time walking to Ilya's room to give the servants time to reach the dining room; your clones remain on duty, making sure water glasses are filled and plates and utensils are in place.
"Ilya?" You knock on the door and wait for a moment.
"Flan? Come in!" You peek your head in to find her lying on her bed, Berserker crouched next to her. "It's alright, I just felt more comfortable with him here." She reaches over and pats the Servant's arm before he fades away. "Is everything okay? Sella's going to come get me after she's made sure Leys is going to be fine."
"Mm. I had something I wanted to ask her, so I went to them first, and then I offered to take you myself so she wouldn't have to worry. … Is Leysritt going to be okay?" You carefully slide her closer to you and lift her up.
"… She thought she wasn't going to survive, so she started doing something that would 'help' me. She'll be fine. She'll get better, like she used to be." She sounds almost in denial, as if she's hoping without any expectation of success. You lay your head against hers and glide through the halls to the dining room.
"Then she's going to be fine. Just let Sella take care of her until she's back to normal." She nods and presses into you until you reach the dining room. You make sure she's presentable - her sleeve is neatly pinned up, face is clean, hair brushed - and she sticks her tongue out as you adjust your hold on her to one that will more easily let you set her in the chair. To her credit, after one wide-eyed look Satsuki simply turns her head without making a big fuss. You set her down and make sure she's comfortable before your clones take the lids off the dishes on the table and open the wine. You help Ilya and Sella keeps an eye on Leysritt. Tohsaka seems interested in the different dishes, and Satsuki seems to enjoy the pretzels and rolls, the meat not so much.
"You know you're really making me look bad, right? Fine, I'm handling breakfast tomorrow." You grin at Tohsaka.
"Oh? A competition?" She laughs and shakes her head.
"No, but I have to do something or I'll feel indebted to you. So I need to get caught up before you get ahead of me." Ilya laughs quietly. "By the way, what is this? It's good." She spreads some of the green sauce on a potato and bites into it.
"Green sauce," you say. She rolls her eyes.
"Of course. Really, what's it called?" You sigh.
"Green sauce. Grüne Soße, if you want the original. We're a very practical people, Germans. We call things what they're called." She stares at you for a moment before snorting.
"Right, I suppose that was something I'm supposed to respond to?" You shrug.
"Well, what does 'rin' mean?" She opens her mouth before catching your expression and sighs extravagantly.
"Alright, alright. And even if I explained why that is, I suppose you'd find some way to turn that around, too?" You giggle triumphantly and open the wine.
Dinner passes easily. You keep a light conversation going with Tohsaka, asking her about some of the local places, and draw Satsuki into it with questions on travelling to other locations besides the city they were born in and the differences in climate and weather. Oddly enough, it's Satsuki who asks about the food and how you got to be so good at cooking. A noble has to know how to cook, of course, so she knows if she's being treated well, be it by her own servant, a restaurant, or a formal dinner party. You keep away from anything really important or emotional - this is dinner conversation, after all, not information-gathering.
Ilya only needed help a few times, to keep from overbalancing when reaching too far forward, but even with the easy-to-handle foods and the mug, Leysritt moves clumsily, taking several attempts to spear an item with her fork. She ends the meal intact, however, and even manages a glass of wine with Sella's help. Ilya and Tohsaka both have some, although Ilya seems apprehensive, and waits for you to have a drink before tasting her own.
"I think I'll go with you to see Arcueid, Flan." You sit on the deep chair and let her sit against you. "We'll take the car, I think, and put the body in the trunk." You frown.
"It is supposed to rain tonight." Sella walks in and stands next to the chair. "It may already be raining lightly in Fuyuki." Your eyes narrow suspiciously - did Arcueid plan it this way, or is it 'coincidence?' And how badly will she be affected by the rain?
"So we'd better leave soon, so we'll be there in time." You look at the clock - almost half-past ten. And Sella will likely travel more cautiously with Ilya the way she is. You sigh.
"Alright, alright. So, hat and coat for you, and I have my parasol, so we'll be fine, yes?" You take out one of your larger parasols - as long as you don't have to fight, and it doesn't get too windy, there shouldn't be any problems.
True to Sella's prediction, raindrops show themselves on the windshield before you reach the temple, and when you carefully slip out of the car to meet Arcueid, you have to use the parasol to keep from getting rained on. Sella gets out with her own parasol and moves toward the trunk, but you keep Ilya in the car as Arcueid approaches.
"Oh, you did both come! Hehe, I wasn't sure you would. I guess that arrangement wasn't necessary, but that's fine."
"Arrangement?" You frown as Ilya asks the question.
"Yup. Made a little deal with someone in case you didn't show up, but you did. Now, she said you were hurt ...." Arcueid doesn't seem to mind the rain, but she frowns as Ilya shows the stump of her leg and arm. "Huh." Sella takes the bag containing Tohno's body and carries it to Arcueid. The vampire raises an eyebrow but takes it and checks inside. "Well. Now, I've got a bit of a problem with you, still. I tried calling Shiki earlier, but he seems to have had a fit and collapsed, and he's still out of it. So I'm not too sure about what to do with you. He's not going to like this when he finds out, and you're really responsible this time, so it's kind of a problem. Of course, I don't want to take you to him, and I don't think you'd want to anyway, so you've got a choice - I can take this up the stairs and we can go back to our normal routine of you not doing anything, or I can make you promise that you won't do anything to go against our little deal while I take this back to Shiki's home." She seems unaffected by your glare and simply smiles predatorily, eyes glinting oddly.
What do you do?
[ ] Make the promise and have her take the body back personally.
- [ ] Return to the castle.
[ ] Have her take the body up to the temple.
- [ ] Return to the castle.
[ ] Other?
DM Note: Today has been ... very today. :/
One of your clones begins setting the table; Leysritt has a thicker glass mug instead of a normal water glass so she can lift it by the handle if necessary. Sella will sit by Leysritt in case she needs help, you'll be at Ilya's right to help her, and Tohsaka and Satsuki will be on the other side of the table. It's not optimal, and you won't be using the head or the foot of the table, but there isn't a staff and it's not a formal dinner. One clone goes to Tohsaka, the third to Sella, and you go straight to Satsuki.
"Oh! Flandre-sama! Um, did something happen? Everyone's so quiet." You nod and smile.
"Something did, yes; I'll explain later. For now, we're going to have dinner." Her face falls and she puts a book on the desk.
"Normal food doesn't really do anything for me, though," she mumbles, and you clear your throat and wait until she looks at you.
"There are two obvious signs of a cultured and civilized society - fine clothing and good food. You're going to be a civilized person, not a beast. You don't have to eat a lot, but you are going to participate, and you are going to be polite." She blinks and cocks her head at the intensity of your voice. "Leysritt and Ilya were both injured, and you will not stare at them, nor will you identify anything you think they're doing wrong. Do you understand?" Her red eyes widen and she nods jerkily. You nod and relax, smiling. "Thank you. Now, go on to the dining room and take your seat. I'll be right down." She nods again as you turn away to find Sella. You find her helping Leysritt out of her bed, and bow your head politely when they notice you.
"Is there something I can help you with, Lady Flandre?" You smile awkwardly.
"Um, do you know which of the wines are suitable complements to different foods? I don't know what the wines you have taste like, so I'm making a guess and hoping they match well enough, but if you know more, I'd appreciate your advice." Sella stares at you for a moment before looking back at Leysritt, then back to you.
"I am afraid I do not know, Lady Flandre," she says apologetically, and you nod quickly. It sounds like she isn't aware that you are supposed to complement meals with wine, which is very poor manners on the Einzberns' part.
"Then we'll see when we have a drink, won't we? Is Ilya up yet? I can carry her down if you want to stay with Leysritt."
"Please." Sella turns, surprised, and you look at Leysritt as well. Her quiet voice isn't as firm as it used to be, and simply speaking and turning her head to look at you makes her arm quiver, and when she tries to take a step she lands her foot awkwardly. Sella catches her before she can fall and holds her while she gets her feet under her properly.
"Focus, Leys. One thing at a time." She looks at you and you nod sympathetically. Nerve or brain damage from when Kishima threw her, perhaps? Those would take a lot longer to heal than simple muscle or bone damage. On the other hand, Deis said she started some sort of alchemical process, so maybe that was an attempt at healing that went wrong? You take your time walking to Ilya's room to give the servants time to reach the dining room; your clones remain on duty, making sure water glasses are filled and plates and utensils are in place.
"Ilya?" You knock on the door and wait for a moment.
"Flan? Come in!" You peek your head in to find her lying on her bed, Berserker crouched next to her. "It's alright, I just felt more comfortable with him here." She reaches over and pats the Servant's arm before he fades away. "Is everything okay? Sella's going to come get me after she's made sure Leys is going to be fine."
"Mm. I had something I wanted to ask her, so I went to them first, and then I offered to take you myself so she wouldn't have to worry. … Is Leysritt going to be okay?" You carefully slide her closer to you and lift her up.
"… She thought she wasn't going to survive, so she started doing something that would 'help' me. She'll be fine. She'll get better, like she used to be." She sounds almost in denial, as if she's hoping without any expectation of success. You lay your head against hers and glide through the halls to the dining room.
"Then she's going to be fine. Just let Sella take care of her until she's back to normal." She nods and presses into you until you reach the dining room. You make sure she's presentable - her sleeve is neatly pinned up, face is clean, hair brushed - and she sticks her tongue out as you adjust your hold on her to one that will more easily let you set her in the chair. To her credit, after one wide-eyed look Satsuki simply turns her head without making a big fuss. You set her down and make sure she's comfortable before your clones take the lids off the dishes on the table and open the wine. You help Ilya and Sella keeps an eye on Leysritt. Tohsaka seems interested in the different dishes, and Satsuki seems to enjoy the pretzels and rolls, the meat not so much.
"You know you're really making me look bad, right? Fine, I'm handling breakfast tomorrow." You grin at Tohsaka.
"Oh? A competition?" She laughs and shakes her head.
"No, but I have to do something or I'll feel indebted to you. So I need to get caught up before you get ahead of me." Ilya laughs quietly. "By the way, what is this? It's good." She spreads some of the green sauce on a potato and bites into it.
"Green sauce," you say. She rolls her eyes.
"Of course. Really, what's it called?" You sigh.
"Green sauce. Grüne Soße, if you want the original. We're a very practical people, Germans. We call things what they're called." She stares at you for a moment before snorting.
"Right, I suppose that was something I'm supposed to respond to?" You shrug.
"Well, what does 'rin' mean?" She opens her mouth before catching your expression and sighs extravagantly.
"Alright, alright. And even if I explained why that is, I suppose you'd find some way to turn that around, too?" You giggle triumphantly and open the wine.
Dinner passes easily. You keep a light conversation going with Tohsaka, asking her about some of the local places, and draw Satsuki into it with questions on travelling to other locations besides the city they were born in and the differences in climate and weather. Oddly enough, it's Satsuki who asks about the food and how you got to be so good at cooking. A noble has to know how to cook, of course, so she knows if she's being treated well, be it by her own servant, a restaurant, or a formal dinner party. You keep away from anything really important or emotional - this is dinner conversation, after all, not information-gathering.
Ilya only needed help a few times, to keep from overbalancing when reaching too far forward, but even with the easy-to-handle foods and the mug, Leysritt moves clumsily, taking several attempts to spear an item with her fork. She ends the meal intact, however, and even manages a glass of wine with Sella's help. Ilya and Tohsaka both have some, although Ilya seems apprehensive, and waits for you to have a drink before tasting her own.
"I think I'll go with you to see Arcueid, Flan." You sit on the deep chair and let her sit against you. "We'll take the car, I think, and put the body in the trunk." You frown.
"It is supposed to rain tonight." Sella walks in and stands next to the chair. "It may already be raining lightly in Fuyuki." Your eyes narrow suspiciously - did Arcueid plan it this way, or is it 'coincidence?' And how badly will she be affected by the rain?
"So we'd better leave soon, so we'll be there in time." You look at the clock - almost half-past ten. And Sella will likely travel more cautiously with Ilya the way she is. You sigh.
"Alright, alright. So, hat and coat for you, and I have my parasol, so we'll be fine, yes?" You take out one of your larger parasols - as long as you don't have to fight, and it doesn't get too windy, there shouldn't be any problems.
True to Sella's prediction, raindrops show themselves on the windshield before you reach the temple, and when you carefully slip out of the car to meet Arcueid, you have to use the parasol to keep from getting rained on. Sella gets out with her own parasol and moves toward the trunk, but you keep Ilya in the car as Arcueid approaches.
"Oh, you did both come! Hehe, I wasn't sure you would. I guess that arrangement wasn't necessary, but that's fine."
"Arrangement?" You frown as Ilya asks the question.
"Yup. Made a little deal with someone in case you didn't show up, but you did. Now, she said you were hurt ...." Arcueid doesn't seem to mind the rain, but she frowns as Ilya shows the stump of her leg and arm. "Huh." Sella takes the bag containing Tohno's body and carries it to Arcueid. The vampire raises an eyebrow but takes it and checks inside. "Well. Now, I've got a bit of a problem with you, still. I tried calling Shiki earlier, but he seems to have had a fit and collapsed, and he's still out of it. So I'm not too sure about what to do with you. He's not going to like this when he finds out, and you're really responsible this time, so it's kind of a problem. Of course, I don't want to take you to him, and I don't think you'd want to anyway, so you've got a choice - I can take this up the stairs and we can go back to our normal routine of you not doing anything, or I can make you promise that you won't do anything to go against our little deal while I take this back to Shiki's home." She seems unaffected by your glare and simply smiles predatorily, eyes glinting oddly.
What do you do?
[ ] Make the promise and have her take the body back personally.
- [ ] Return to the castle.
[ ] Have her take the body up to the temple.
- [ ] Return to the castle.
[ ] Other?
DM Note: Today has been ... very today. :/
- Location
- A Place Miserably Bereft of Cats
Not sure I can quite understand the distinction here. Is Arcueid basically saying that she'd like to return the body personally but can't because we might cause trouble? If so, promising and having her return the body personally and then maintaining that promise would probably help her maybe see us in a less terrible light.
On the other hand, the Shadow is almost definitely bound to show up in force soon, and I'm not sure we can NOT take the fight to Fuyuki if the worst happens.
That said, we can just pick up the team and bail, if we're left with no other options.
[X] Make the promise and have her take the body back personally.
- [X] Return to the castle.
On the other hand, the Shadow is almost definitely bound to show up in force soon, and I'm not sure we can NOT take the fight to Fuyuki if the worst happens.
That said, we can just pick up the team and bail, if we're left with no other options.
[X] Make the promise and have her take the body back personally.
- [X] Return to the castle.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Wasn't Akiha feeding him lifeforce to prevent... Evil alternate personality shenanigans or something?
Can Flandre really do nothing against Arcuied? Is she that far out of Flandres level that she can just order her around like she was nothing?
Ooooh, right. Akiha was sharing half her life with him! And that was because SHIKI went nuts and greatly... injured Shiki? Killed Shiki? Kinda forgot.
...Oh dear, we really want to bug out soon if Arcueid finds out about THAT part.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Both options maintain the status quo of Flan not doing anything in Fuyuki and the temple. Promising to not do anything will have Arc go back to Misaki to talk things over with Shiki and deliver Akiha's body; not making the promise means that Arcueid is going to stay in Fuyuki and keep an eye on Flan while the Japanese deal with Akiha's body.
The distinction comes into play when you look at how the characters view the situation - how will Arcueid react to Flan's promise, or her refusal to make the promise and keeping Arcueid in the city? Does the way events are unfolding seem like it's going to influence her attitude in any way?
By way of example, if Flan doesn't make the promise, Arcueid is probably going to be unhappy because it means she can't see Shiki for a bit longer, but for all that she's somewhat ditzy, she's not stupid, and she certainly realizes that Flan doesn't want her breathing down her neck ... so why would she insist on Arcueid staying there instead of getting her out of the city and letting her have some breathing room (regardless of whether or not she does anything)? On the other hand, if Flan makes the promise, is Arcueid going to think that she really means it or is just saying it to get her out of Flan's hair? And when she does get back, if anything has happened, how will she know if Flan is involved or not unless someone tells her?
Still, Arcueid probably isn't that broken up about it overall. Nevermind how it happened, Ciel and Akiha are gone and were without much doubt her largest irritants. Satsuki is also no longer going to stick around Shiki. There's still Hisui and Kohaku, but I doubt she had issues as big with them.
Of course, if Shiki end up dying because we killed Akiha, she's probably going to be pissed.
Of course, if Shiki end up dying because we killed Akiha, she's probably going to be pissed.