[ she be out here just wandering near the outskirts of the forest. in her weird space suit get-up because this place still refuses to let them have nice new clothing, dang it.
she does actually have some biscuits with her because we might as well feed the deer while we're at it. and i mean that semi literally, she is actually trying to tempt over some woodland critters with shortbread cookies (no chocolate chips).
it's going about as well as you'd except a woman in a bright orange "space-suit" trying to win the trust of the forest with cookies would go. ]
(He sees her out by the forest trying to lure out some adorable woodland creatures. There's an adorable doe munching away at some brush and she doesn't really appear too interested in the cookies at the moment when she has this fresh LEAF.
He's a noble and he's gone on his fair share of hunts before, especially as an archer. He knows how to creep up on an animal without being heard... and the last thing he wants to do is catch Alex off guard and scare off the deer when she's been waiting so patiently! And yet, here he is, just creeeeeeeeeping quietly to her side and crouching down to watch.
The deer really isn't noticing them one bit and he goes out on a limb and clicks his tongue against his teeth which causes the deer to look up suddenly, very alert. Eyes zoom right towards the biscuits and it regards them both cautiously. )
[ claude's lucky she manages not to shriek out loud when he suddenly appears, seemingly out of thin air, next to her. she tenses up very hard, but just about manages to keep her balance and not topple over in the process. ]
...
Make some noise next time, please??
[ it's mouthed more than spoken, but she's aware that the deer has now sensed there is food to be be had and after crouching awkwardly here as long as she has, she really wants this to work out. ]
(He doesn't say anything but he cracks an apologetic smile. Sorry, sorry, he'll try next time.
But while they wait for another moment or two, the doe takes one wary step forward and then another. It's slow but progress! And finally, after what feels like forever, it comes close enough to sniff at the biscuit with a wet nose and... chomps. And chomps... and chomps.
It's decided it likes the biscuits!! And would probably stick around for another few.)
[ there's a very serious look on her face as the deer sniffs at the biscuit; a look that morphs into delight when the deer gently c h o m p s.
she's quick to dig around for another biscuit, holding it out on the flat of her palm so the deer can consume at its leisure. ]
I was worried it would just .... run away or something. It feels like the animals here are kinda unsure about us. [ fair, considering three people have died. ]
I think most animals are pretty unsure around people. I can't say I blame them. If you think about it, what reason do we really give them to like us?
(Humans hunt and eat them. They tear down their lands. Humans are menaces.)
I've always liked nature, though. And I like to think if you treat it with regard and respect, it'll understand you.
(A beat,)
Or maybe I just have an affinity for deer.
(He says while slowly holding out a hand to the deer. He doesn't have any food! But it doesnt stop it from burying its nose into his hand until it realizes and returning to monch on one more biscuit.)
Like other people? [ respect them, and be kind and people will like you more than if you're cruel to them. ]
There's something to be said for treating everything with respect. Or at least not being surprised if you treat something badly and it turns around and bites you.
[ alex chuckles as claude attempts to win the deer's affection but fails without the proper offering of snack for the snack gods. her free hand digs through her biscuit pack and hands him one. ]
People like to put stupid... hurdles, and gates in the way of stupid things and decide who gets to live well and who doesn't. So... maybe animals do have it better.
(Claude is also checking out the port! Really, he's kind of living for this whole location. It isn't the same as Derdriu by far (Derdriu is much nicer) but it's enough to remind him of a home he's missing.
Alex will probably sense him before anything else and what she'll feel from him is confidence-- just someone brimming with determination. What do you know? His whole character isn't just an act. He's pretty genuine on this front!! )
Yeah, Derdriu's a city on the water. That's where my house is. (And he can't help but hold his head a little higher at that. He's proud to be where he's from,) Some say it's one of the most beautiful places in Fodlan.
(Maybe it's Alex's own calming aura that has him humming to himself now. It's nice. Everything feels nice.)
Hmm... Derdriu is a port city. As the capital of the Alliance, it naturally has a lot of resources. The buildings are beautiful, the streets seem to float on the water, and the atmosphere is lively. It's a popular vacation spot and an active port so you can often meet people from all over Fodlan... and sometimes people from other places, too.
I remember the first time I saw it, I thought how lucky I was to call a place like that my home.
No, I only arrived a couple of years ago. I was raised... somewhere else for most of my life. I moved to help my grandfather.
(... And it looks like that might be it!! But actually, he continues, almost wistfully,)
Where I'm from, you can see the sea but you have to travel far. Where I stayed, it was mostly grasslands and dessert. If you rode for a day or so, you could come to the forests and mountains but you really had to travel to get to the sea.
(And in case she thinks he's complaining,)
It's still beautiful and I'd like to return some day.
[ given that you told me he is snooping i am assume he's straight up crouched somewhere... alex is just going to walk up behind him and stare at him. ]
But when all of this is going to be away in another week... well, it helps to stock up on a few valuables.
(And he's up on his feet like a normal person again, two bottles of some sort of bear in hand and setting them on the counter. Since he's behind the counter...)
I keep forgetting to take much out of these places, but I do still have the box I took from one of the other locations.
But yeah, I think one bottle is probably enough. I don't want to drink too much in this place--
[ oh. the bubble is fine. alex is absolutely not going to pop it when she lean back off the counter. enjoythememory (crude language warning) that (crude sexual language and violence warning) comeswithit. ]
(Ah, but this is a memory. He's seen enough by now to know what's happening.
Everything starts off normal enough and Claude is almost relieved. He has no idea why Alex is upset but at least this memory seems to be ordinary! Wow, nothing horrible here! But it quickly progresses and what's left is
He isn't sure what he's looking at at first but as it progresses, he feels himself becoming sick with anger. If he could, he'd jump in and fight those guys himself. He'd beat them all down, he thinks, and make sure never hurt anyone again. He's anxious when Alex strikes because he can see where things will go. She's not dressed for a fight. She can't take on all of those people on her own and as the memory fades just when a man appears to strike?
Claude is gripping the counter top, looking like he's about to leap into a fight himself. But there is no fight. They're still in the saloon and he relaxes some.
He still looks tense. He's still horribly troubled. And he looks at Alex and asks,)
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WEEK 1, tuesday
she does actually have some biscuits with her because we might as well feed the deer while we're at it. and i mean that semi literally, she is actually trying to tempt over some woodland critters with shortbread cookies (no chocolate chips).
it's going about as well as you'd except a woman in a bright orange "space-suit" trying to win the trust of the forest with cookies would go. ]
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He's a noble and he's gone on his fair share of hunts before, especially as an archer. He knows how to creep up on an animal without being heard... and the last thing he wants to do is catch Alex off guard and scare off the deer when she's been waiting so patiently! And yet, here he is, just creeeeeeeeeping quietly to her side and crouching down to watch.
The deer really isn't noticing them one bit and he goes out on a limb and clicks his tongue against his teeth which causes the deer to look up suddenly, very alert. Eyes zoom right towards the biscuits and it regards them both cautiously. )
Just wait.
(He speaks quietly to Alex,)
Let her come to you.
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...
Make some noise next time, please??
[ it's mouthed more than spoken, but she's aware that the deer has now sensed there is food to be be had and after crouching awkwardly here as long as she has, she really wants this to work out. ]
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But while they wait for another moment or two, the doe takes one wary step forward and then another. It's slow but progress! And finally, after what feels like forever, it comes close enough to sniff at the biscuit with a wet nose and... chomps. And chomps... and chomps.
It's decided it likes the biscuits!! And would probably stick around for another few.)
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she's quick to dig around for another biscuit, holding it out on the flat of her palm so the deer can consume at its leisure. ]
I was worried it would just .... run away or something. It feels like the animals here are kinda unsure about us. [ fair, considering three people have died. ]
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(Humans hunt and eat them. They tear down their lands. Humans are menaces.)
I've always liked nature, though. And I like to think if you treat it with regard and respect, it'll understand you.
(A beat,)
Or maybe I just have an affinity for deer.
(He says while slowly holding out a hand to the deer. He doesn't have any food! But it doesnt stop it from burying its nose into his hand until it realizes and returning to monch on one more biscuit.)
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There's something to be said for treating everything with respect. Or at least not being surprised if you treat something badly and it turns around and bites you.
[ alex chuckles as claude attempts to win the deer's affection but fails without the proper offering of snack for the snack gods. her free hand digs through her biscuit pack and hands him one. ]
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(He accepts the biscuit and
Takes a bite of it himself. Now she's feeding two deer.)
I agree. (With what she said about respecting other things,) Maybe that's why I like animals.
Unlike people, I don't think they really care about certain things like where you're from or how you were born.
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[ claude....
her biscuit!!! ]
People like to put stupid... hurdles, and gates in the way of stupid things and decide who gets to live well and who doesn't. So... maybe animals do have it better.
Or they're just more civil than we are.
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week 2, monday
isn't too much of an issue. she seems pretty calm. how nice! ]
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Alex will probably sense him before anything else and what she'll feel from him is confidence-- just someone brimming with determination. What do you know? His whole character isn't just an act. He's pretty genuine on this front!! )
Have you ever been to a place like this before?
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[ wow. ]
[ still, that confidence is infectious. she walks over to him, stopping to look out at the water. ]
Have you?
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(He's seen better!)
Yeah, Derdriu's a city on the water. That's where my house is. (And he can't help but hold his head a little higher at that. He's proud to be where he's from,) Some say it's one of the most beautiful places in Fodlan.
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Derdriu? [ hm. ] ... Describe it for me?
Ergastulum's just ... well. I don't know if it's landlocked or not, but there's no ocean, just city.
The breeze is nice. [ she... likes this a lot more than the space station, she's nod even going to pretend ]
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Hmm... Derdriu is a port city. As the capital of the Alliance, it naturally has a lot of resources. The buildings are beautiful, the streets seem to float on the water, and the atmosphere is lively. It's a popular vacation spot and an active port so you can often meet people from all over Fodlan... and sometimes people from other places, too.
I remember the first time I saw it, I thought how lucky I was to call a place like that my home.
(Implying he isn't actually from Derdriu.)
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and yeah, she's pickin' up what he's dropping. ]
You're not from there originally then? It must be nice to love the place you moved to as much as where you came from. Or more?
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(... And it looks like that might be it!! But actually, he continues, almost wistfully,)
Where I'm from, you can see the sea but you have to travel far. Where I stayed, it was mostly grasslands and dessert. If you rode for a day or so, you could come to the forests and mountains but you really had to travel to get to the sea.
(And in case she thinks he's complaining,)
It's still beautiful and I'd like to return some day.
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week 4, tuesday
... What're you doing, Claude?
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Hm? (He looks up from his collection of bottles all around him and--) Just checking out the local cuisine. Seeing what they have to offer.
(Especially?? The alcohol? Uh.)
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Liquid lunch?
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(He laughs,)
But when all of this is going to be away in another week... well, it helps to stock up on a few valuables.
(And he's up on his feet like a normal person again, two bottles of some sort of bear in hand and setting them on the counter. Since he's behind the counter...)
What can I get for you?
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[ she leans over the counter to get a better look at the offerings, and points at a bottle of wine opposite her. ]
Could you hand me that, please?
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Anyway, checking to see what she's pointing at and sliding it over towards her along with a glass!
Interestingly, he isn't opening either of his bottles! He's just tucking them away to the side as if to take away for later,)
Is that all?
(Also do not mind... the bubble that is floating near them I guess.)
cw: language referencing assault, violence
But yeah, I think one bottle is probably enough. I don't want to drink too much in this place--
[ oh. the bubble is fine. alex is absolutely not going to pop it when she lean back off the counter. enjoy the memory (crude language warning) that (crude sexual language and violence warning) comes with it. ]
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(Ah, but this is a memory. He's seen enough by now to know what's happening.
Everything starts off normal enough and Claude is almost relieved. He has no idea why Alex is upset but at least this memory seems to be ordinary! Wow, nothing horrible here! But it quickly progresses and what's left is
He isn't sure what he's looking at at first but as it progresses, he feels himself becoming sick with anger. If he could, he'd jump in and fight those guys himself. He'd beat them all down, he thinks, and make sure never hurt anyone again. He's anxious when Alex strikes because he can see where things will go. She's not dressed for a fight. She can't take on all of those people on her own and as the memory fades just when a man appears to strike?
Claude is gripping the counter top, looking like he's about to leap into a fight himself. But there is no fight. They're still in the saloon and he relaxes some.
He still looks tense. He's still horribly troubled. And he looks at Alex and asks,)
Were you alright?
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