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abraxasooc2021-07-18 11:55 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2021-07-18 11:55 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #2
TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to the second test drive meme for Abraxas! This meme is run a little bit differently than most in that you'll be asked to choose one of the two different arrival scenarios below for your character to take. If you have any questions about this mechanic or anything else related to the TDM, please take a look at the questions below or ask one of your own under the Questions header below. For general game questions please still use the FAQ.
Our previous TDM has some answers to relevant questions as well, and feel free to look at our Game History page! Anything on that page - including information about the Horizon and the Singularity - can be assumed to be told to newcomers after they arrive, whether they are prisoners or honored guests. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, please see our NPCs page.
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:
"Aha!"
Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"Oh, thank heavens," he sighs, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief.
Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem quite relieved at his jovial outburst, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.
"Please, come with me, you're an honored guest here," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle, "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."
One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.
Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (the newcomers who were summoned back in June may have a great deal of information to tell you), or you can wander around and meet the others.
There's also a dining hall stocked with a rotating 24/7 buffet in celebration of the new honored guests. Somehow, your very favorite food is part of the rotation (or at least an attempted recreation of it given the limited technology available to the Thorneans). The town surrounding the castle is all abuzz as well, with most shops and services willing to give free samples of their wares to the new arrivals.
You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).
Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and spending too much time with the prisoners will lead to some suspicion being cast upon you. If you ask anyone why the prisoners are being held there, you'll be told that they pose a potential threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world) and are awaiting trial.
"Drat," Ambrose says with a frown, "And here I thought we'd worked out all the kinks this time."
The High Mage looks up from his book, wide-eyed as he stumbles back. If you look behind you, you'll notice that in the time it took Ambrose to browse his book, the tarot card hanging behind you has reversed and is now hanging upside down. An apprentice runs to snatch it from the pillar and put it back with the rest of the deck.
The apprentices seem apprehensive, but Ambrose regains his composure and resists the urge to insult their newly summoned captive. Instead, he turns to the apprentices: "Get them clothed and we'll send them to await trial."
One of the apprentices drops a baggy, rough-feeling tunic, a pair of pants, and some worn sandals in your lap and glares down at you until you put them on (if you refuse, they'll tell you they can kick you back down that well if you don't want to cooperate).
Once you're fully clothed, another apprentice clamps some heavy iron shackles around your wrists and leads you on. The High Mage is far ahead of you already, muttering some long string of Thornean curses before he stands up straight and pauses, spinning to face you.
"One more thing," he says, holding one hand in the air and chanting something under his breath, "Can't have you getting too troublesome."
If you had powers, the slight connection you still had to them slips away completely and you're left with nothing as the four apprentices drag you towards the castle. Despite your prisoner status, they will answer your questions to the best of their ability.
Once you arrive at the castle you're brought to the dungeons and thrown into a locked cell. There are four people to a cell, and two sets of bunk beds with a thin and lumpy straw mattress. If you're over six feet tall, these beds are going to be awfully uncomfortable. You might as well meet your roommates. Once per day you're dragged out to an enclosed courtyard for one hour of recreation (with some crude weights, benches, and balls lying around but not much else), where you can meet the rest of the prisoners, but you can also talk to your immediate neighbors in the cells on either side and across the hallway. Just don't yell too much or the guards will snap at you to be quiet.
Everyone in the dungeon is fed one meal a day, and for a prison meal it's decent: a bit of meat, a bun, and a salad. It would seem that the Thornean chefs take too much pride in their craft to send bad food to the dungeons. The meals are all served in equal portions, though, so the smaller prisoners may be overfed and the larger ones may be getting hungry. Feel free to fight for food or share with your cellmates.
Crudely embroidered on the back of every prison tunic is the same image that was on your card and the name of the sign beneath it. A guard may explain a bit about the sign, and will be blunt and honest but not overly negative about it.
You may be blessed with a visit from one of the more welcomed newcomers, and they may sneak you some extra food or a small book to read or they may share some of the information they've gathered. The guards will even interfere if the honored guests are being overtly cruel to the prisoners from now on.
Questions
How many slots are open?
Currently, there are only four slots open for new players. We will process activity check before opening applications, so we will have a better idea of the exact count then. Existing players can apply for a second character withour restriction.
How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Whether your character is honored or imprisoned has nothing to do with their personal morality, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into either situation.
Can I try out both scenarios?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.
What happens if my character refuses to comply with Ambrose?
Prisoners will be dragged against their will. Honored guests will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and Ambrose and the apprentice mages will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, Ambrose will warn them once that he's willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight he will make good on that promise.
My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the castle, murdering the castle staff, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other staff would be thrown back in the well (which will mean drowning in the void, not returning home). Brawling with other PCs and causing minor damage is fine and will be greeted with a cranky attitude (if they are an honored guest) or a punishment like denial of food or temporary solitary confinement (if they are a prisoner), and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Thorneans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.
I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from the original TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes!
Is the power loss for the prisoners permanent?
No, although honored guests will regain their powers first due to the lack of interference from Ambrose, the prisoners will be able to regain theirs soon enough as well.
Can the prisoners talk about anything private, or will they be overheard at all times?
There are guards patrolling the dungeon, but they aren't always within earshot. Most of the attention is being focused on the new guests, so the prisoners will have some opportunities for privacy.
The first prisoners in June were just thrown in their cells without being told they are awaiting trial. Will they be told differently now that the new prisoners are here?
Yes, all prisoners new and old will be told that the Court has shown mercy on them and they will be given a fair trial sometime in August to determine their fate.
Whether or not that's actually true - and whether they believe it, even if it is - is another story, but they will all be informed.
Can my character leave the castle?
Honored guests can leave the castle itself, but cannot leave the surrounding town.
Can my character eventually side against Thorne if I choose to make them an honored guest/can they side with Thorne if I choose to imprison them?
For this TDM, it will be easier for welcomed characters to side with Thorne and for imprisoned characters to side with one of the other two factions, so we encourage you to take a look at the factions and see where you might want your character to go.
However, that is not set in stone and if you change your mind, characters in Scenario 1 will be able to betray Thorne, and characters in Scenario 2 can work themselves into Thorne's good graces.
How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will affect characters throughout August, but our August event will wrap up the honored guests vs. prisoners plotline, so your character won't be imprisoned for too long. This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.
Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in both scenarios can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.
Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the two scenarios on your application.
What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).
Our previous TDM has some answers to relevant questions as well, and feel free to look at our Game History page! Anything on that page - including information about the Horizon and the Singularity - can be assumed to be told to newcomers after they arrive, whether they are prisoners or honored guests. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, please see our NPCs page.
Arrival
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:
"Aha!"
Scenario One: Welcome to Thorne
Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"Oh, thank heavens," he sighs, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief.
Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem quite relieved at his jovial outburst, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.
"Please, come with me, you're an honored guest here," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle, "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."
One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.
Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (the newcomers who were summoned back in June may have a great deal of information to tell you), or you can wander around and meet the others.
There's also a dining hall stocked with a rotating 24/7 buffet in celebration of the new honored guests. Somehow, your very favorite food is part of the rotation (or at least an attempted recreation of it given the limited technology available to the Thorneans). The town surrounding the castle is all abuzz as well, with most shops and services willing to give free samples of their wares to the new arrivals.
You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).
Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and spending too much time with the prisoners will lead to some suspicion being cast upon you. If you ask anyone why the prisoners are being held there, you'll be told that they pose a potential threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world) and are awaiting trial.
Scenario Two: Imprisoned
"Drat," Ambrose says with a frown, "And here I thought we'd worked out all the kinks this time."
The High Mage looks up from his book, wide-eyed as he stumbles back. If you look behind you, you'll notice that in the time it took Ambrose to browse his book, the tarot card hanging behind you has reversed and is now hanging upside down. An apprentice runs to snatch it from the pillar and put it back with the rest of the deck.
The apprentices seem apprehensive, but Ambrose regains his composure and resists the urge to insult their newly summoned captive. Instead, he turns to the apprentices: "Get them clothed and we'll send them to await trial."
One of the apprentices drops a baggy, rough-feeling tunic, a pair of pants, and some worn sandals in your lap and glares down at you until you put them on (if you refuse, they'll tell you they can kick you back down that well if you don't want to cooperate).
Once you're fully clothed, another apprentice clamps some heavy iron shackles around your wrists and leads you on. The High Mage is far ahead of you already, muttering some long string of Thornean curses before he stands up straight and pauses, spinning to face you.
"One more thing," he says, holding one hand in the air and chanting something under his breath, "Can't have you getting too troublesome."
If you had powers, the slight connection you still had to them slips away completely and you're left with nothing as the four apprentices drag you towards the castle. Despite your prisoner status, they will answer your questions to the best of their ability.
Once you arrive at the castle you're brought to the dungeons and thrown into a locked cell. There are four people to a cell, and two sets of bunk beds with a thin and lumpy straw mattress. If you're over six feet tall, these beds are going to be awfully uncomfortable. You might as well meet your roommates. Once per day you're dragged out to an enclosed courtyard for one hour of recreation (with some crude weights, benches, and balls lying around but not much else), where you can meet the rest of the prisoners, but you can also talk to your immediate neighbors in the cells on either side and across the hallway. Just don't yell too much or the guards will snap at you to be quiet.
Everyone in the dungeon is fed one meal a day, and for a prison meal it's decent: a bit of meat, a bun, and a salad. It would seem that the Thornean chefs take too much pride in their craft to send bad food to the dungeons. The meals are all served in equal portions, though, so the smaller prisoners may be overfed and the larger ones may be getting hungry. Feel free to fight for food or share with your cellmates.
Crudely embroidered on the back of every prison tunic is the same image that was on your card and the name of the sign beneath it. A guard may explain a bit about the sign, and will be blunt and honest but not overly negative about it.
You may be blessed with a visit from one of the more welcomed newcomers, and they may sneak you some extra food or a small book to read or they may share some of the information they've gathered. The guards will even interfere if the honored guests are being overtly cruel to the prisoners from now on.
How many slots are open?
Currently, there are only four slots open for new players. We will process activity check before opening applications, so we will have a better idea of the exact count then. Existing players can apply for a second character withour restriction.
How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Whether your character is honored or imprisoned has nothing to do with their personal morality, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into either situation.
Can I try out both scenarios?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.
What happens if my character refuses to comply with Ambrose?
Prisoners will be dragged against their will. Honored guests will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and Ambrose and the apprentice mages will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, Ambrose will warn them once that he's willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight he will make good on that promise.
My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the castle, murdering the castle staff, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other staff would be thrown back in the well (which will mean drowning in the void, not returning home). Brawling with other PCs and causing minor damage is fine and will be greeted with a cranky attitude (if they are an honored guest) or a punishment like denial of food or temporary solitary confinement (if they are a prisoner), and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Thorneans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.
I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from the original TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes!
Is the power loss for the prisoners permanent?
No, although honored guests will regain their powers first due to the lack of interference from Ambrose, the prisoners will be able to regain theirs soon enough as well.
Can the prisoners talk about anything private, or will they be overheard at all times?
There are guards patrolling the dungeon, but they aren't always within earshot. Most of the attention is being focused on the new guests, so the prisoners will have some opportunities for privacy.
The first prisoners in June were just thrown in their cells without being told they are awaiting trial. Will they be told differently now that the new prisoners are here?
Yes, all prisoners new and old will be told that the Court has shown mercy on them and they will be given a fair trial sometime in August to determine their fate.
Whether or not that's actually true - and whether they believe it, even if it is - is another story, but they will all be informed.
Can my character leave the castle?
Honored guests can leave the castle itself, but cannot leave the surrounding town.
Can my character eventually side against Thorne if I choose to make them an honored guest/can they side with Thorne if I choose to imprison them?
For this TDM, it will be easier for welcomed characters to side with Thorne and for imprisoned characters to side with one of the other two factions, so we encourage you to take a look at the factions and see where you might want your character to go.
However, that is not set in stone and if you change your mind, characters in Scenario 1 will be able to betray Thorne, and characters in Scenario 2 can work themselves into Thorne's good graces.
How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will affect characters throughout August, but our August event will wrap up the honored guests vs. prisoners plotline, so your character won't be imprisoned for too long. This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.
Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in both scenarios can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.
Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the two scenarios on your application.
What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).
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no subject
"And neither one of you couldn't have communicated with me? Or returned instead of leaving me for months on end without any indication of where you were, if you were safe, or indicating that you gave a fraction of a shit about how I was holding up in the aftermath of everything?" There was a breath drawn. A consideration of stopping.
"Fuck you, Belmont. You don't get to call me dramatic when you don't know what happened in your absence and didn't make an effort to show you cared. Not when you could have sent a message or used Sypha's magic to communicate, and not now because let's be frank, the only reason you're apologizing is because I'm here rather than far away."
A single glance acknowledge the stuck arm. The response was a deep imitation of Trevor's, with no joy in the repetition of Trevor's old favorite phrase.
"I don't care."
no subject
Slumping back down against the bars, his arm sliding what little space it could move with him, sitting awkwardly on the dusty floor, the blood slowly draining back into his chest from his arm, causing it to go numb and uncomfortable. Maybe he deserved it? But then, no, something wasn't adding up. "Just how long were we away for, Alucard?" His dark brow furrowing as he tried to recall the time that had passed. To his recollection it had only been a few days at most, the moon hadn't even moved much from its position in the sky.
Shifting again, growing impatient with his bloody stuck arm, Trevor pressed his heels against the bars and started to pull and yank at his arm in frustration. The noise gaining some attention from the patroling guards who decided not to get involved, after all, the Belmont had caused a commotion when they first imprisoned him, they had no interest in having another scuffle with him.
no subject
The response was muted. There was so much more to let out, but Alucard could tell that the more he spoke, the more he risked letting the shame overtake his anger. He didn't want that to happen, and--
--he cringed, watching Trevor's arm struggle, at least what he could see of it. All the more reason to look away. In spite of everything, his instinct was to help.
"You lose time in a space like that."
no subject
The words coming out sounding strained as he battled with his trapped limb. Practically on his back now, feet pushing the clanking and rattling bars, other hand tugging and yanking at his elbow.
"As I recall it, we were gone for a handful of days. Not months. Seems time really ran away with you, Alucard." Sighing deeply, breathing heavily, as he stopped fighting the cell bars and instead tried turning around so it was more comfortable to lean against the wall.
It was a little unsettling. Not knowing if so much time had in fact passed for the blonde, or if they had simply drunk themselves into a stupor and lost track of it?
no subject
Stop. He brain tried to argue, but no. Alucard understood where this was going, and he may as well burn the bridge utterly. After a sobering breath, his words were calmer. More matter of fact.
"People came in your absence and used hospitality against me. It's why the castle moved, and why my father acted as he did."
That should be it. Left alone, or else a renewal of the centuries old game of cat and mouse. Either option is better than the horrid ember that wanted the other two back so desperately.
no subject
Trevor would have been happy to stay behind and slowly sort through the Belmont Hold, maybe helped with repairs on the Castle but the Speaker wanted him to assist her. Was he wrong to have gone? Alucard never put up a fight to stop them from leaving... It's just not fair to blame whatever this was, on the Belmont.
"You let people in?" Taking a moment to digest that little fact. Tempted to blurt something out about how stupid that was, how he should have known better to do something like that so soon after everything that had happened with his Father. But, for once, Trevor thought better of it and remained silent.
After a long moment, Trevor moved around again, growing uncomfortable as his arm was completely numb now. Standing, holding onto the bars with his free hand, face pressed between them, trying to look across and get a glimpse at the other. "Regardless of all that, I'm not about to let you just give up and rot away in here."
no subject
Alucard was unable to keep the thought from bubbling up, even though it was hardly the point. Trevor hadn't tried to turn them around. And fuck him, he would have approved of reaching out to other vampire hunters, wouldn't he? Ensuring the Belmont legacy through spiritual family, even if there were no direct descendants.
There was no response. Alucard's eyes were closed, as if the action might will everything away. He wasn't about to let Trevor know that he had his own plans once the opportunity for escape arose, or their nature. That sometimes his father's impulse towards impalement and dramatics as a leave me alone and don't fuck with me had their place, and that was now.
But from the outside, if Trevor managed a glimpse, it would just look like a very sad man in sad clothes trying to get away from something that truly hurt.
no subject
Again, he had no idea how much Alucard actually wanted them around! Sure, he told them they didn't have to leave but Sypha wanted to find her caravan, it wasn't like the Castle was going anywhere anytime soon, what, on account of her breaking it and all. And no actually. Trevor would have been cautious of other Vampire Hunters! He would have assumed Alucard would have been too. Just how lonely had he grown in their absence?
Seem's about right. Trevor would expect Alucard to hopefully have something up his sleeve to get free, only he would have liked to have been considered in these plans to escape! After all, he was ready to burst the blonde out of his cell as soon as he was able! Good job the bars of the cells went all the way to the ceiling then isn't it? As the guars might not have taken kindly to a litter of spiked bodies surrounding the pissy Dhampir's cell.
Oh, Trevor managed to catch a look at him alright. Frowning and sighing as he strained to see, on account of how pressed into that gloomy corner Alucard was. Feeling at the ground until he found a small pebble, handing it to his stuck arm and with a terrible swing, managed to ping the pebble so it bounced off Alucard's back. "Oi, asshole. Don't go all silent and pissy on me now. C'mon. We need to work together."
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Silence continued to be the response. In his own head, Alucard clawed for a return to the Horizon, to a space where he could be alone and have even a fraction of his natural abilities back. To be anywhere, anywhere but here, swinging wildly between the desire to finally let everything break down versus let a more feral side of himself out and claw and bite until the Belmont finally understood that he was not a welcome presence in the dhampir's life.
The pebble smacked against him.
Feral it was.
The snarl that followed was not human. Couldn't be. The fury in it was certainly not, nor was the way he pounced upon Trevor's stuck arm. He shoved at it, not caring if it broke or drew blood. Anything to get it away and incapable of bothering him further.
"We don't need to do anything, Belmont. You're the same as you ever were. On your own."
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" Aah-! Fuck!" Gasping out as his arm was pounced on like live bait. The sheer force of Alucard's lunge and shove was in fact enough to crack the bone a little, as it pushed against the cold iron bar. A fracture, he's used to them by now, has fought on them before only, it hurts more knowing it was Alucard who caused it.
Using the momentum of that push, to pull and yank his wounded arm free from the bars and away from the feral Dhampir, hurt in his piercing blue eyes but an annoyed frown on his brow. "That fuck was that for!?" He called out, holding his injured arm close to his chest, a little blood starting to seep into the fabric of his shirt.
There was a mild panic that bubbled up inside of him. Rejection wasn't nice. It reminded him of when he was first excommunicated. Tail between his legs, Trevor shuffled back away from the bars, remaining silent, just breathing heavily from the shock of it all, just as the guards came to release them for their hour's exercise. Bad timing...
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It got the arm unstuck. Mission accomplished as far as Alucard was concerned, he's done what needed to get the Belmont to leave him alone in silence. He didn't care about the fact the bone was broken, and Trevor's question went ignored.
Not even the appearance of the guards seemed to phase him. One looked from the bleeding Belmont to the dhampir with blood splattered on his face, put two and two together, and made a simple call: the dhampir's outside time was revoked for the next two days. The newcomer needed to at least get his stupid arm bandaged, and Trevor was ushered out to the limited hour of daylight while someone was brought in.
The next two days saw Alucard absolutely silent. He stayed in his corner or appeared to sleep on his bed, ensuring he was always facing the wall. Blocking out the world, trying to tamp down all the emotions that had been wrangled in the past two months when he was mostly alone, and he could at least accept that so long as he never saw the other two again, he'd be fine.
Not that he ever was fine, but the illusion was nice. Now it was gone, and it was all about to come home to roost the afternoon the dhampir regained his outside privileges.
It was only ever going to be awkward. Still, he tried, moving himself as far away into a corner of the yard as possible. If he didn't try to blend with others, then at least Alucard could claim he wasn't truly avoiding the Belmont.
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It was frustrating, being moved cells like that, and the next day Trevor looked for the other in the yard. All to no avail. It was depression. To know only one person in this shit hole and have that person try their hardest to avoid you. He didn't know Alucard had been kept inside for the next few days, he thought he'd declined to leave. It bore a pain in his chest that Trevor didn't really care for. It was his own stupidity really, thinking he could befriend a creature. No matter how human he looked, Alucard was still very much, his father's son.
The Belmont had almost given up o, accepting he was alone here as well as he had been back home, back before he met the Dhampir and the Speaker. It was a pretty shitty feeling, to be honest, but he carried it all the same. Until that is, he saw a flash of otherworldly blonde locks, flowing ever so slightly in the breeze from a corner of the yard. His heart skipped a beat, his broken arm throbbed in remembrance and Trevor swallowed it all down, as he made his way towards them. Remaining silent, he took to sit beside him, leaving enough space between them so that their shadows mixed and blended together.
He didn't say a fucking word. Just sat there like a dumb dog that couldn't get into his thick skull that it wasn't wanted.
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(At least Geralt was honest.)
With the inevitable approach out of the way, Alucard remained quiet. Eyes ahead, although the temptation to close them was great. They'd be out of the sunlight quickly enough, and being forced in the dark for two days made even Alucard ache for the light.
But there was still impossible quiet. Awkward, but Alucard saw no reason to break it. He could even ignore the faint guilt over breaking Trevor's arm in the infinite silence.
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It dawned on him that perhaps the reason he was being such a bitch towards Trevor was for the simple fact that it was Trevor. Shunned by the Church, the people, and now The Sleeping Soldier. Typical.
Sitting for a long while, the silence, deafening. Trevor sighed slightly before shifting to get up. Trying not to grunt as he put weight on that broken arm of his. Setting the hand of his healthy arm lightly against Alucard's shoulder, letting it remain there for a long moment. "Goodbye, Alucard." He'd say sorry, only he didn't truly know what he'd be apologizing for. If he'd just talked to the Belmont like an adult, instead of sulking and wallowing in his own sorrow and anger, maybe Trevor would have known how to respond?
Still, he didn't leave right away. No. He simply let his hand fall away from Alucard's shoulder, closing his eyes and tipping his face up towards the sun, enjoying the sensation of light and air on his skin while he could, knowing they would soon be shut back up in their cells.
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The anchor dragged him further down into memories that had barely been locked away. It showed on his face, shifting through sheer terror, fury, then something more decidedly shattered. Unprocessed trauma that he refused to engage with because right now it was just easier to shove it away. He had been doing fine until this place dragged him here.
He has been doing fine up until the Belmont showed up.
That should be it though. The burnt bridge, as much closure on at least that part of his life that Alucard could get. Silence settled, but the texture of Alucard's had shifted.
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It hurt. It actually hurt to see Alucard so broken and shattered.
Trevor's chest shook with fear, with sorrow and guilt, yet he didn't quite understand why? Surely the simple act of leaving with Sypha hadn't broken the Dhampir's heart? No. There must be more to it. Watching as his friend's face seemed to have changed, Alucard was somewhere inside there, Trevor just needed to pull him to the surface. Somehow.
Even if it means another broken bone, even if it meant bleeding and being wounded, Trevor couldn't leave his friend here like this to suffer. So, in a stupid move on the Belmont's part, he moved back in close, wrapping his arms around the pale mess of a man, just holding him, wordless and without regard for his own safety. His grip was loose, no threat, just warmth, an apology in physical form.
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He wasn't in the courtyard. He was in his bed. He was still trying to be diplomatic, reassuring, and yet the sword was there, he was defending himself he was--
--shaking and managing a single, whispered request. "Please let go."
Even Trevor's light grip was too much.
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The whispered words echoed in his ears, and slowly Trevor pulled away, yet he remained close. Worry knotting a line in the middle of his brow as his eyes scanned the other's face. Alucard didn't owe him a god damned thing, but the Belmont liked to think that they were close enough he could be trusted. Was that just foolishness? Was he thinking too much of their friendship? Probably.
"I don't want us to fight. Like it or not, we're all we've got here."
Still watching, scrutinizing every fleck of light that hit the Dhampir's eyes, every slight move his body made as he sat there looking distressed and uneasy. "I dunno what I've done or whatever's spooked you so much but we need to shake it off and focus on the here and now, Alucard."
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The most he managed was a shake of his head no.
"It isn't so easy to shake. I need space."
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"Fine. Just... I'm not going anywhere so don't push me away."
The Belmont spat the words out like a scorned lover. The audacity of him, he draws a line in the sand by saying goodbye, only to go back on his own words out of something akin to guilt and responsibility. Still, he couldn't exactly just leave, just like that, with no explanation, no reason.
Okay, so if space was needed, space would be given. Only... Belmont style.
"Look. I'm not that good at the whole comforting and looking after shit. I'm not as poetic and meaningful sounding as you. But I'm here for you."
i think we can end here
Only now though, the dhampir thought bitterly, a part of him registering that it was genuinely unkind. The rest of the dhampir still didn't care though. He had hoped that good bye was the end, that he could dash any hope he had for the three of them away.
But the Belmont hadn't fucked off, and that added a whole new unwanted level of complication. What was to be done about it would be determined in the near future.