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seasonsgreetings2023-06-16 10:01 am
Test Drive Meme #3
Test Drive Meme #3
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcoming Committee that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
The center of Nightwake never sleeps and there's always something happening, but today there's a lot of excitement in the air all around the center and every district! Locals and those who want to help them (for 100 Moon Coins or a gift card of their choosing), are walking to everyone to offer colorful fliers along with free vending machine tokens. There's also colorful advertisement on billboards and posters everywhere around the city advertising all sorts of things like items, clothes, drinks and more.
Local businesses, stores and restaurants are also going pretty crazy with their celebrations of anyone walking in being their 50th, 100th or whatever customer of the day and the prize among other things are gift cards and more free vending machine tokens but they aren't even for that same shop or restaurant? They also offer people to spin all kinds of different prize wheels, spin roulettes, buying a certain amount of things from them, and taking part in eating and drinking competitions for a surprise prize. Someone even put these surprise prizes into the Gacha Restaurant's randomizer, so for a week, you can choose it as a total surprise there too. (The surprises can be even more vending machine tokens and silly things like cute keychains or a 5-in-1 avocado tool as some examples.)
You can't find any of these shops, restaurants and other places, that they are advertising, in the whole city. The locals, posters and billboards will tell you where you can find them. There's a new entrance in every district, where locals welcome everyone to the grand opening of the Underground Mall!
Some may even drop into a sudden hole in the ground on their way and fall (or slide) somewhere far away. Don't worry, there will be very soft and huge pillows for landing in your destination.
The Underground Mall's upper floors give the vibe of a joyous mall with several restaurants and shops you won't see on the surface. The mall is definitely a must visit place for those who appreciate different fashion and exciting food choices. The party from the surface continues down here with various sales around the area. A good day for shopping!
For those who like games, there's a futuristic VR Arcade for you! This Arcade focuses on games that are played with VR goggles on. Even your regular DDR machine will now take you to dance in different environments and feel like you're dancing for your life or for an actual audience.
There are all sorts of vending machines lined up in their own, huge corner. You can find the usual ones with all sorts of different snacks, food and drinks, but there are also some with cake, cookies, mayonnaise, cream, flowers, engagement rings and other less usual but normal things. Nothing here is randomized, unless you choose the random option from the machine, otherwise you get exactly what you want. So pick your favorites or try something new, that sounds more or less good! You can find a machine that turns moon coins on your phone into vending machine tokens (or you can pay straight with your phone).
And, yes, you can find vending machines full of snacks and drinks all around the area too.
Then there's also an area for ufo catchers with all kinds of prizes like pokemon plushies and lots of other plushies, items themed to different season, plushies and other items themed to any fauna and flora from all around Ellipsa, puzzles, food themed items etc etc.
Moving inside the mall is done by escalators and elevators, but there are also regular stairs for those who prefer them.
The fastest way of traveling from floor to floor in the mall is by quick teleport nodes. You choose a floor you want to go to from the list of choices, much like an elevator and then you're transported into that floor's node within seconds. Unfortunately, they're still working out on the bugs in the system, so you may end up in the wrong place - including places that aren't on the list of choices.
There's also a Poké Ball Vending Machine, so anyone who recognizes poké balls may have some idea what they could get here. The vending machine somehow has enough balls for everyone in Ellipsa but everyone can only buy one ball! The balls don't have names in them and no one can see through them, so even those, who know Pokémon will NOT know what they'll be getting from this vending machine as it is entirely randomized!
Are you ready to get your first Pokémon? What about being ready to see how you two get along? Everyone, who plays this vending machine, gets either a Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Eevee, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Rowlet, Litten, Poplio, Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble, Spirigatito, Fuecoco or Quaxly.
(And yes, ICly it is entirely randomized but OOCly you can decide which one you want your character to get... Of course you can rng the result too. More about Pokémon guidelines in the OOC Tips of this TDM.)
The third part of the TDM is under this details cut as it has Content Warnings, including Cursed things, Organized Crime, Illegal Activities, Monster Forms/Body Horror, Attempted Murder, Experimenting on People
The Third Part of the TDM [ Click to Expand ]
The lowest levels of the mall are only accessible by random quick teleport nodes around the mall (if you know you know is the motto with these). You can run into them on accident (they're usually hidden, but with so much traffic, the hiding place becomes visible) and they sometimes immediately just teleport people without any warning. The arrival can be in various places. A random shady hallway, in the middle of the floor, in a shady establishment and so on.
Anything that seems shady can be found from these floors. Even the local diners here are very weird and likely have illegal things on the menu. Clothing stores sell all kinds of clothes fit for thieves and assassins and the amount of weapons shops here is twice the amount than on the surface. Rumor has it there are also people trying to summon the devil somewhere around here, but that's still just a rumor.
One of the teleport node locations can take you to the front of a cursed vending machine corner. At first they look like ordinary vending machines, but upon closer inspection one may notice they are anything but ordinary.
The food vending machines are full of different "eatable" bugs with half-hearted warnings that they may or may not be poisonous (they didn't really check before putting them in the packaging), Mystery Food boxes (includes some very suspicious foods that don't look edible, but are actually alright in taste? But may contain some side effects like growing mushrooms out of your hair if you eat the mushroom ones), ones that is labeled Energy Drinks but all of them look more like creepy potions (they provide energy but at the cost of poisoning someone for 24 hours) and hyper realistic cakes that look like various body parts (the cake part is intentionally written in small print).
Other vending machines have various shark eggs (hatching them will provide a magical shark with little hands and legs that invades the first watery surface it finds and bites whoever comes too close - it does not belong as a pet, but one may try to tame one), Mystery Boxes (with anything from highly cursed jewelry to books that suck your soul if written into) and Cheat Slips (it's said these slips will let you master a skill immediately, but all it does is cause one's powers to go berserk for 2 hours).
The lowest levels are also a place for a large Casino. While they do exist on the surface, this one is a little different.
The Casino (named just that, "The Casino") is divided into four different sections; All of them are dominated by an organized crime group. This is the only area of the underground they work together in peace and sometimes come to relax. They don't cause trouble for each other here, but they definitely can try to cause trouble for everyone who is visiting the place.
Losing in this Casino can mean being taken to the back rooms by whichever group's area you ended up losing in. They will offer to let you go if you can pay off your debt you made in the Casino, but they have other options of compensation.
Name: Diamonds
Game Area: Card Games (Poker, Black Jack, Craps)
Compensation: They will send characters on a criminal quest to either steal or sabotage something or even smuggle a (cursed) item into important places.
Name: Spades
Game Area: Roulette
Compensation: They will attempt to kill the character that lost in the quietness of the backrooms.
Name: Clubs
Game Area: Pool, Darts
Compensation: They will just make characters clean their casino area.
Name: Hearts
Game Area: Slot Games
Compensation: They will drag characters into experiments in a different facility.
You may also end up taken to the back rooms for getting caught cheating, although it may also end up in a congratulatory meeting for an impressive sleight of hand instead or an invitation to join one of the groups. How would you feel about a life of crime?
Those caught in Hearts Group's Experiments will be subjected to series of tests. Mostly they're to check the characters' physical condition before proceeding. Once the tests are concluded, the character will be given a medicine (either via shot or a pill). This medicine will not show any signs of working for a while and characters are let go afterwards.
The same medicine can, however, later be consumed by anyone else in various foods and drinks (free samples, some restaurants, even some grocery store items), even in the higher levels of the Mall. The experiments were the final test before distributing the medicine secretly to the public. So your character may accidentally end up getting the medicine in other ways.
What are the medicine? Monster Form activators. They will awaken a monster form inside a character that will trigger under one of the (player) selected conditions: strong emotional reaction, full moon, near death situation or bleeding.
The form can be returned from by calming down and focusing on their sense of self, but there's a chance to go berserk, making this difficult. If characters go berserk, their powers will be a lot stronger, but they won't know who's a friend and who's a foe. Their form may also be a lot scarier than it normally is. They will likely only want to cause destruction around them or want to feed on humans.
| Monster | Description | Powers |
|---|---|---|
| Alraune | Plant monsters with a humanoid shape. They may have changes as simple as flowers growing in their hair or have complex body modifications such as roots for legs and long vines as hands. | Pollen with status effects like sleep/poison/paralysis, control over plants, poisonous kisses, etc |
| Gargoyle | Monstrous humanoid winged creatures with horns on their head and stony hides. | Super strength, tough skin, flight |
| Harpy | Human-bird hybrids. Anything part can be replaced with bird bodyparts, although the most common configuration is arms turned to wings and legs into talons. | Flight, sonic scream, hypnotizing voice, ability to whip up whirlwinds |
| Kelpie | Aquatic horses with a man made of seaweed and algae, covered in a sticky fur that makes it nearly impossible to get off if one is to ride them. Some may get a fish tail when underwater, although when out of water they have legs like any horse. | Water breathing, illusions |
| Lich | Undead humanoids, they may look skeletal or simply corpselike. | Raising the dead (into zombies/skeletons), necrotic touch |
| Manticore | Beastlike creatures with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion or dragon. They vary greatly, some sporting horns on their heads, or resembling a Chimera or Sphinx. | Super strength, flight if wings. |
| Minotaur | Animalistic monsters with the head of a bull and the body of a human, although some variations exist in which there are different animal heads. Some sport hooves and a tail in place of legs. | Super strength, overall size, super defense. |
| Taur | This refers to any number of creatures with a humanoid upper body and a lower body that resembles a non-anthropomorphic animal in the same sort of style as a centaur. This category includes things like Arachne and Naga, and other variations of such monsters. | Varies depending on animal the taur is based on |
| Werecreatures | Monstrous, bipedal animals, the transformation of which is often (but not always) triggered by the full moon. Common variants are wolves and bears, although they can be about any animal. The Pooka would be one of the variations in the werecreature category. | Depends on the animal the form is based on, but usually super strong/fast etc |
This effect can either be permanent or temporary, depending on how the players want it. Temporary can be up to just one transformation under the conditions or several.
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible.
- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well. New characters can add TDM (or "New" or anything else) on their subject line to indicate they're new!
- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.
- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.
- Remember to add Content Warnings wherever needed!
- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!
- Pokémon Guidelines:
• Anything mindblowing crazy that the pokedex has to offer for any of the evolutions doesn't carry over to Seasons. They're closer to anime variants where people can get flamethrower at their face and live (we still do not recommend getting a flamethrower at face)
• Pokémon gain experience points much slower, even if they battle one another.
• You may be able to find a vending machine with weird stones mixed in for stone evolutions. Strange.
• All start at level 5.
• More Pokémon may appear later in the game but for now it's just the ones mentioned.
• More on all the available Pokémon here!
- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open. The Underground Mall has been added to the locations page at the very end of it.
- Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures. You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary.
- Minor NPCs page has been updated with the criminal organizations.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
- Feel free to check and use out Questboard for additional prompts.
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He pauses at the look he gets from Sebek. Malleus actually turns his head to see if there was something else that Sebek might be looking at, but no.
Why.... is he afraid of him? Malleus' brows furrow in confusion. Unfortunately that doesn't make Malleus look any less angry.]
Why do you look at me like that?
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A shaky breath escapes him, as he forces himself to stay in place, and not... withdraw. Even if he looks like he wants to. ]
...
[ He doesn't know how to answer- should he pretend? Should he just act like he has no idea any of what he just experienced happened? He can still feel Malleus' angry flames on him and Silver, the darkness surrounding them and...
He opens his mouth to say something, but all he manages is what sounds like a sob, his eyes beginning to blur from tears. ]
Malleus-sama, I...
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Something Has Happened.
This is odd behavior, even for Sebek. Malleus is trying to understand, but he can't fathom what would lead to such a reaction.]
Sebek... I am not that angry with you. What has gotten into you?
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Will he have to pretend for certain? Malleus seems to be acting as he remembers him- powerful, authoritative and caring. Like he remembers...
It feels so difficult to breathe, and even though he tries, he can't stop the tears. He quickly raises a hand to his face, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his glove. ]
A... bad dream. I had a bad dream, Malleus-sama. F-forgive me.
[ His voice is still shaking as he tries to withhold his sobs. This is a test, isn't it... he has to know if Silver and that human are safe. ]
It felt... far too real.
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Perhaps before Reverie, he might have scoffed at such an explanation, gotten annoyed at a young man trained to be his kingsguard reduced to tears over the fancies of a sleeping mind, but it's hard to deny that dreams can have a profound affect on your waking self, he thinks as he goes to touch the bracelet that Vil had crafted for him.]
I see...
[Malleus is not the most nurturing, not very soft, not the sort to embrace people often, but he supposes some comfort is in order, so he reaches out to place a hand on Sebek's shoulder.]
Well, come along. You had said you were hungry, didn't you? I'll message Silver and have him put on a pot of tea, I'm sure we have something you'll find suitable at home.
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He keeps his head bowed, forcing himself to keep himself from shaking. This is Malleus Draconia, his king— the one who he'll stand beside and who he will protect until his end days. The one he's dreamed of serving since he was little...
Why did it have to turn out like this?
He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, bringing his arm to his chest in a gesture of respect. ]
Y-you are most gracious, Young Master, to consider one as unworthy as myself after such an embarrassing display!
[ Silver.. he has to play along until he can get to Silver. Make certain he hasn't succumbed to what Malleus was doing to them- and to awaken him so they can save Malleus from his own doing.
It's strange enough that Malleus doesn't seem to be reacting to what he said. Surely... surely he'd have responded with dismissal? And yet?
Ah... he's so confused. There was nothing in Grandfather and Lord Lilia's training that would prepare him for something like this. He swallows inwardly and stands upright at attention. Nose red and eyes red-rimmed, lashes still wet.
He shouldn't ask, he shouldn't, but he must. ]
My Liege, how long has Silver been with you?
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........
Since he was a baby???
[CONFUSED DRAGON NOISES.
Wait. He is probably talking about how long Silver was here in Ellipsa.]
Uhm. Well, we have all arrived in Ellipsa a few months ago, that is. Myself, Silver, and the others.
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Oh. He corrects himself, and then it's Sebek's turn to be confused. ]
M-Months...? But we were just— I just saw you and him... how could he have been here...? I'd wondered if this place was a bad dream, too...
[ Backtrack, backtrack quickly... don't talk about dreams... ]
Forgive me, Young Master. I seem to be very disoriented... I'm certain all will be fine as I adjust. A-and what of Lord Lilia? Is he here as well?
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[Malleus doesn't know that he is actually the least trustworthy person to reassure Sebek of that. He feels very confident that this will help!]
It's all well. Coming to this world is a disorienting experience, and time here seems to be different than the time at home. I do not know how that works, but I am sure that... no one has noticed my absence...
[Surely, SURELY. If someone had, Lilia would be here already. Surely he would. Malleus deflates.]
Lilia is not here. I have not seen him for some time now.
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As well as the fact that Malleus confirming that Lilia isn't here makes it even more likely that this place not being a dream is true.
He just has to find Silver. If he can find him and the prefect of Ramshackle, surely all will be clear... though what Malleus says makes him look surprised. ]
N-no, my Liege... as I said, you weren't missing at all back home. Why, to hear that you've been here months makes no sense to me when you and Lord Lilia were with us... I-If he's not here, then...! Shouldn't we look for him? N-Not that you wouldn't have thought of it, of course!
[ He's still working this out, okay. ]
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[Malleus places his hands on his hips, huffing. OF COURSE he already thought of it. Not that he would need to. Lilia always knows where he is, and so if Lilia were somewhere they could get to, he would have sought Malleus out.]
He will seek us out if he arrives. Until then, we must make our own way. We have to support ourselves financially, and make our homes. There is food and clothing and shelter to consider first.
1/2
(And when he thinks about it... isn't it what Sebek truly just wanted? All of them- together and happy... including Silver, who could live together with Lilia... )
...
Or was that something Malleus created for him, as something Malleus wanted Sebek to dream of?
He's getting a headache thinking about it.
Either way, he's certain Malleus wouldn't go this far. So he has to give this some amount of seriousness- and believe that it is his reality.
( Lilia... would he be able to help Malleus at all, if he was here? He's not sure, but if he could... then Sebek has to make sure Malleus is cared for to the point of not suspecting anything being off.
He has to. )
He looks thoughtful, before saying- ]
I was told my effects would be in an apartment here. A-and I have a steed as well. I will endeavor to do whatever I must to procure money and anything you require, my Lord. You needn't worry at all!
[ Regardless of what's happening, he should still behave as what he's been raised for- as Malleus' kings guard. Now that he knows Silver is here, it's just a matter of time... ]
Please allow me to study the lay of the land, and I shall make up for my failing earlier and provide all that you need! Of course, you would have managed even in such dire circumstances especially with Silver by your side, but now that I have arrived, you shall want for nothing!
[ He can ground himself in some familiarity with his duty until he can get to the bottom of this! ]
no subject
... ah- should I procure a meal for you first, Young Master?
[ Manners! He can handle some hunger... how long has it been since he last ate, anyway? ]
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This land is very large, Sebek. It is not so easy to map as Sage's Island, but we can worry about that later. Let us be off, and get something to eat.
[He doesn't expect Sebek to have a lot as far as money right now, and that is fine! He can foot the bill. He normally would. Malleus may need to do more quests now, but he does have some help, and surely Sebek would join him.]
We can stop at a restaurant, and then go to your apartment. I will want to show you to the home I am sharing with Vil, Silver, and Kingscholar.
[He should........ talk to Vil about Sebek showing up and what they should do about it. Surely there is room for him, even if Silver and Sebek must have a bunk bed. Sebek does need someone to look after him, and no doubt he will have a fit if he is the one excluded.]
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To see Malleus like this truly does make it feel like whatever he dreamt about was just that- a dream. Surely Malleus wouldn't be so cruel- so heartless and selfish that he would put their entire school to sleep, that he would trap them in their dreams and hurt them for trying to wake up...
Surely...
No. No, he has to focus- he has to see this through and be certain.
He quickly stands at attention, then, listening to Malleus until-
Wait, what? ]
Young Master... did I hear that correctly? You're sharing a residence with Vil-senpai and Leona-senpai?! H-how are you managing...
[ He looks aghast at the thought- Vil may not be a problem, but he's likely to scold his Liege!! And Leona is Leona- he never speaks well of Malleus- how in the world are the three of them residing together at all?! ]
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Oh, you think I am so easy to perturb that I would be unable to share residence with my peers? Hmph! Of course, it is easy to live together with them. Vil Schoenheit is my betrothed, after all, and you will respect him thusly. Kingscholar is not so hard to get along with either, and he sleeps more often than not.
[Malleus flips his hair, punctuating those statements and then turning to begin to walk, expecting Sebek to follow along.]
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[ He heard wrong. He heard wrong get your ears checked Sebek there's no way Malleus said that, gosh these places have some bad sound quality, surely wherever Malleus is taking them will be better and he won't have to worry about... ]
Ah. Haha! Ahahaha...
[ Does that even sound like a laugh... he's so confused. ]
Young Master is truly benevolent to indulge such humans in your humour, especially the likes of Leona Kingscholar! For a prince of his own nation, he could hardly compare to your own grandeur! Though saying someone is your betrothed... why, that would cause an international incident as they'd say!
Vil-senpai isn't even royalty, after all! But surely he'd be convincing in a performance— why, he even used his skill at Sam's—
[ Someone stop him... ]
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I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you were saying.
[Malleus truly is kind and benevolent. So gracious, to give Sebek this one chance to not run his mouth. Like a saint, really.]
Come, would you look at this bracelet my beloved had made for me? It is lovely, and connects me to him always. Why, with just a whisper of magic, I can make my own and his glow in tandem. I would dare anyone to question the validity of my relationship.
[Really, Malleus is an angel to be so patient and forgiving.]
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He can barely process what Malleus is saying for a bit, until he mentions something like a *relationship* with his *beloved* and—
( Is this... something Malleus wants in his dreams? To live with Leona and Vil?! Those two of all people?! )
( Agh! He can't get into trouble now- he could barely take Malleus' magic before... even Silver and him combined couldn't stand up to him... he can't say anything until he's reunited with Silver! )
He's so scared. ]
I-Is... Is that so...
[ He has to clench his fists together so he won't tremble himself into the ground. ]
F-Forgive me, Young Master... I... I seem to be more disoriented than I believed...
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This is still so much fear for Sebek. Malleus pauses, furrowing his brow in thought.]
Sebek... Are you afraid of me?
[He should be respectful, and Sebek is usually good about that, snapping into shape when Malleus expresses his distaste with his actions, but Sebek is shaking! That's. That seems like more than usual.]
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He has to try. What kind of a knight is he if he breaks under pressure?
How does he cover for this... he thinks of Lilia, of Silver- of his parents and siblings...
No, he has to try and keep it together. ]
It's just... the nightmare I had... it showed me horrible things, Young Master. About you. I couldn't protect you in it...
Even if... it wasn't real, I didn't like seeing it. Forgive me for my insolence. A bad dream it may have been, but to have the thought of failing you... any anger you aim at me is deserved.
[ While it's not proclaimed with the boisterousness he usually maintains, there's enough truth in his words that he manages to deliver it with the necessary gravitas.
He couldn't bring Malleus back in it- it's better than saying Malleus hurt him and Silver out of selfish reasons. ]
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It was beginning to feel more and more like Sebek had experienced something similar, maybe even met a different him, and something had happened between them.
Malleus stops then, turning back to face Sebek.
He stands there quietly for a bit, awkward. It's tough to know what he should do- his arms lift for a moment and he's not sure if he wants to pat Sebek's head or hold his arms or... what? It's a slow and awkward thing, but Malleus does eventually embrace Sebek, gently. In case he wants to pull away, he supposes.]
It is alright. I understand...
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Yet, before he can stop himself, he shakily brings his hands up to clutch the back of Malleus' outfit, and tip his head so his tears won't fall on him and stain his Liege's clothes wet—
But it's enough to make him sob like a child against him. ]
I'm sorry, Young Master... I'm sorry...
[ He's so pathetic... but this way he can hopefully keep Malleus from asking too much about what he experienced.
He wants to believe the king he so desperately respects would only behave that way in a true nightmare, after all... ]
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The boy clearly needs it, the way he clings to him and sobs. Malleus pats his back a little, trying to soothe him.]
There there... a dream may be a frightening thing, but you will wake from it eventually.
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And perhaps it also confirms to him subconsciously, that this Malleus... is either getting much better at creating the dreams he wants them to have-
Or he genuinely is himself, and they're awake in this new world they've been brought to. The thought gives him mild hope that he could be saved- that perhaps...
Perhaps, they'll get him back?
He wouldn't be telling him he'll wake up if he wasn't himself, and not the overblotted being he's become, would he?!
He swallows heavily, nodding against him as he tries to compose himself again, and he draws an arm back to move across his eyes as he stays close- not wanting to pull away from his embrace just yet but also not wanting to burden him with himself. He sobs a bit, before making sure his nose isn't running and face looks presentable— he's facing his Liege after all. ]
Your kindness... truly knows no bounds, Young Master. Of course— eventually, all dreams must end with an awakening... I cannot allow a nightmare to plague my waking world! Please— allow me some time to adjust, and I shall be ever at your command!!
[ Just let him find Silver.. let him know for sure. ]
Forgive my pathetic display... it. It was a lot to endure, but as your knight, I shall train myself to do better! You have my word!
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