(mostly open) oh this love would kill me

[entreats]

Who: Ange, Ruby, and you!
What: Ruby and Ange's wedding, and all their CR is invited!
When: Late October
Where: The rebuilt Clockhouse

Content Warnings: Semi-irresponsible weapon usage.




Sometime around the beginning of October invitations would have started to be sent out to the various people in Trench Ange and Ruby know - announcing the two girls' wedding at the end of the month.

When the day itself comes, people will find the location - the newly rebuilt Clockhouse, which some of the invitees may have helped rebuild in the first place - tastefully decorated. Some of the house's stranger features have been covered up by decorations in red and gold, mostly taking on the shapes of roses and butterflies all over the place.

Comments

[manyone]

Magic.

[ Beatrice says blithely. She waits for a moment, just to see how Anna reacts, then breaks into giggling. ]

Kihihihihi! Or did you mean the cat box?

[hauntedsavior]

[her stare goes level. right. golden witch. of course the answer is magic. and then beatrice says something else, and she sips at her drink to hide the sigh.]

I know about Schrödinger. So you're collapsing a waveform right here in front of all of us. And how's my sister taking to your little quantum experiment?

[manyone]

You mean Ange? If she's your sister than we're certainly sisters-in-law and we must get to know one another better.

[ Beatrice practically the purrs the words with unconstrained delight. ]

She seems to be taking it well enough. We had a little chat last month and I think we've come to something like understanding. I doubt she'll ever like me, but she accepts that I'm important to her brother.

[cuddlery]

[Scorpia immediately waves her claws around in denial.]

No, no, of course. You look like the opposite of that. Great. Incredible. Gorgeous!

[She's almost tempted to grab her shoulders, but she resists. She doesn't want to risk the dress getting marred by her pincers!]

You look like a beautiful butterfly baby koala who is ready to take on the world! [She takes a breath.] Y-you just looked a little... worried, that's all.

[hauntedsavior]

[anna carefully crosses an arm over her chest to support the elbow of the one holding her glass. she's not wearing gloves with her suit, yet her hands are still both solid black, and with the collar of her shirt open it might be easy to see the seam running across her neck, too. but she's focusing on taking in the whole everything of beatrice rather than calling attention to the robotic parts of her that would certainly disqualify the two of them from being sisters-in-law. (that's how it works, right?)]

You're lucky that you already made amends with Ange, or I'd be collapsing a waveform or two in your face right about now. There, that's something you can know about me. I'll throw hands over my sister's safety. And what would you do to keep her safe?

[manyone]

Many have tried. Few have succeeded. KihihiHIHI!

[ Well, some have tried. Beatrice arches a brow, still all smiles in the face of Anna's disapproval and her cool demeanor. She speaks, her voice growing in pitch and fervor. ]

I would rain misfortune and misery on anyone who threatens her. If she asks my aid, I will be at her side and all my power will be hers to command in a moment--I would burn all the world to ash on her behalf!

She is precious to me--precious to my dear and beloved Battler. That is all that matters now in this place, this Trench beyond my fragment and my game of Rokkenjima!

[ Her eyes are wild and her grin menacing and horrible for a brief moment. Inhuman. ]

That is what I would do for her!

[hauntedsavior]

[she grimaces like beatrice is going to give her tinnitus, and mutters out,] God, I wish you would stop doing that. [and then she listens to the hell of love that she would visit on anyone who would hurt ange, and the only displeasure in her expression is generalized towards everything else about beatrice.]

[there's fear, too. the fear seems natural; it helps her realize that the golden witch is either unstable or extremely confident, and there's no reason it can't be both. she stands there for a moment, just thinking of what to say.]

Does she want that from you? [it isn't a pointed question, and it's not trying to start a fight. no, it's because—damn it all, she recognizes herself in the frightening answer.] Because I've fucked up before. All I can give isn't everything she wants.

[chessboardturn]

[ Battler's been all over the place tonight, mostly trying to be a supportive brother and to enjoy the night. Seeing his little sister get married was surreal. Strange. Like he wasn't sure it would have really happened or not. But here, in this strange place, he's found a bit of happiness.

And some new family.

He's stepped out to take a breath when he notices Oscar and he detours to say hi. ]

Hey! Was wondering when we might be able to catch one another!

[manyone]

[ 'Unstable' and 'extremely confident' are both excellent descriptors of the Golden Witch. ]

Whether she wants it or not, she has it.

[ Beatrice says, clearly not really caring if Ange wants it. Because Beatrice has given her power over to Ange Ushiromiya-Rose and she shall have it. ]

[hauntedsavior]

[she nods, a quiet agreement that things aren't that simple. if that's what she's getting from this, at least. it's hard to tell. she's known beatrice for only a handful of minutes and, despite everything that ange has told her, truly does believe that beatrice has made some kind of amends here. to be talking about ange like this, and to be married to the brother who ange loves more than anything.]

Then it sounds like she'd be in good hands between the two of us. Even if she weren't getting married to someone whose scythe is also a gun. Name's Anna. [short A. german.] Anna Amarande. Silver witch, minus the witch. I've known Ange for just about a year, but her happiness is one of the most important things in my life.

[chessboardturn]

...y-yeah.

[ Making her cry right nwo would be the worst. So he is doing his level best to keep the tears from flowing. But it's still really hard, because... well. He just loves her so much and getting a chance to see her happy is overwhelming in the extreme. Especially after everything that's happened. ]

So am I.

[ He reaches out to take her hands, if she'll let her. ]

I... am so happy I am getting a chance to see you like this. To see you so happy, Ange. Even if... even if we have to go our separate ways again in the future, I will always remember today and the way you look and how happy you are. Because you deserve every moment of it.

[chessboardturn]

[ Of course he has to give a speech.

What kind of older brother would he be if he didn't? ]

I've only known Ruby a short time, but I'm sure that she's going to make Ange very happy - and even if I wasn't sure, I don't think I'd be able to take Ange out of it! Uh - for those of you who don't know, I'm Battler. I'm her older brother, even if I may not exactly look like it. But my sister is very dear to me. More dear than almost anyone else in the world. And... I haven't always been able to be there to make her happy or to look out for her, but she's managed to get this far. She's built herself a place of her own here.

[ He's not gonna tear up. He swears. ]

And I want to wish her and her new wife all the best. I know you guys are going to go far. You're going to shine bright. You're going to build a future.

[ He pauses. ]

I love you, Ange.

Battler Ushiromiya | ota

[chessboardturn]

[ He may or may not have been crying during the ceremony.

Don't @ him.

But the after party is where he cuts a little loose and has some fun. The tie has been loosened and he can be found enjoying a bite of snacks or mingling with the rest of the crowd, maybe swapping a few stories about what Ange was like as a little girl. Or maybe just talking her up, although it's not like anyone who's here probably needs to hear it.

He can also be found trying to squeeze into the photobooth or chucking axes at targets, with varying degrees of success. And towards the end of everything, he's probably sprawled on a couch in the quiet corner taking a load off and just enjoying a bit of peace.

Life is good. ]

[payingfordeliverance]

[Break considers the matter, and what he knows about how Beatrice came to be in the first place. And, after a bit of thought himself, he makes an educated guess.]

...back then, the purpose of the Endless Golden Witch was retribution. However, if the story is to continue on after that sort of vengeance, then -- the whole point is to bring about a situation with no more hurt in it, right...?

[He does frame it as a question. Break really can't be sure what Beatrice is truly thinking. He's still learning about her, still sorting out which bits of his own experiences she matches with.]

[payingfordeliverance]

Oh dear, that sounds like a trap. It's okay if you can't really get any distance throwing things in that gown, you know? The only petit fours I swiped were looking a little sideways anyhow.

[But even as he jokes, Break moves to her side without hesitation, obedient. His aim today will be to keep things jovial when he's around her, a very silly lighthouse in her hurricane of nerves. Oz may have been completely surprised to discover this, but Break is sensitive to the atmosphere around him, and will go out of his way not to ruin it if it means the people around him are having good fun.

The various meanings behind the day aren't lost on him, though. For someone like Ange, the situation can't possibly be reduced to "marrying the girl she loves". Today is about stepping forward in so many ways, and once he's within reach, Break reaches out his hands for her to hold if she wants them.]

[entreats]

[ Thankfully Ange isn't weirded out by it anyway. If anything - she could probably use a little bit of company, before she starts absolutely losing her mind with jitters before the ceremony starts.

So she sure isn't complaining. ]

Yeah? [ She instead echoes back - though as a response to the other thing Michael says. It's a bit of an embarrassed question, considering that Ange looks kind of flustered as the word leaves her mouth. ] I keep worrying that I look kind of ridiculous.

[ Even if it's just because she's worrying about everything right now. Worry overdrive. ]

[onekindsoul]

[Ruby gives a little groan with each poke. And one hand weakly reaches up to try and bat it away. It... Doesn't quite have the usual sort of Ruby energy to it.]

Unnngh... Just give more minutes?

[Ruby. This isn't like buying time to avoid going to school.]

She'd never kill me... It's all talk but she's a big softy.

That video is everything in the world.

[onekindsoul]

[Ruby had heard the dull thumping of the excited spinnings. But Ruby was far too out of it to actually notice something was up when they suddenly came to a stop. Her head lulled toward her shoulder which just happened to be directly over where Baltus' head poked out from under the chair.

So she gets a full blast of omen barking from underneath her and the sudden surge of energy causes Ruby's mismatched eyes to fly open as she let out a surprised scream.

And then she starts to teeter over and take the chair down with her. Better make a quick escape, Baltus.]

[onekindsoul]

This is a me thing. But I'm pretty sure like everyone in my family or on my island would absolutely love it.

[Because Patch was definitely Remnant Florida and the rest of the world probably knew it. Ruby was doing her absolute best to actually stay on her feet during this event, because she was not letting her blood sour event for everyone or anyone. Especially Ange.]

You should give it a try. It's a blast.

[entreats]

[ Honestly, Ange is even less bothered knowing that the stray axe came from Anna. She kind of figured it was Ruby going hogwild and wanting to throw three axes at once - there's no way that isn't going to happen before the end of the party - but she minds it just as little when Anna was the one doing it.

Especially when it gives them a moment to just sit here with the two of them, over where it's a little more quiet and Ange can calmly talk without getting all embarrassed after all. ]

Nice speech. [ She first replies, tucking a strand of red hair away behind her ear.

There's maybe a tad of fluster about Ange as she says it, but the smile on her face is incredibly genuine. ]

Though I really didn't expect you to say all that nice and sappy stuff in front of everyone like that.

[manyone]

Ange has no shortage of protectors who would burn down the world for her here, I'm finding out. It's good. She was a lonely girl growing up and having people around here who care for her is good for her. Less likely to run off and sell her soul to a Witch in exchange for a chance to see her brother, for one thing.

[ A chuckle. Agreeing to work for Bernkastel? Chump move there, Ange. Even though Beato technically works for Lambdadelta. ]

She is a forceful girl and I'm not surprised she made an impression on you. She and her brother are both like that.

[eudaimonikos]

That doesn't mean you do look ridiculous. You just aren't used to dressing this formally. Happens anytime you try a new style.

[At least, he seems to see it a lot.]

You look great.

[manyone]

I wanted to take them all to the Golden Land.

[ Beatrice voice is soft. Here, here in her heart is the piece of Sayo that desperately wanted to be loved, to be happy, to be safe. To be surrounded by those who should have been a kind and loving family. ]

A place with no wants or sins or suffering. A paradise. I can't do that here, of course, but...

[ She trails off again, her expression distant and thoughtful. ]

No more hurt, no more suffering. Only peace and kindness. Only... love.

[ She sighs and leans back into her seat, slumping in an unladylike manner. ]

This is no Golden Land, but if I can cause a little bit of happiness now that the tale of the Golden Witch is told, why shouldn't I?

[hauntedsavior]

—Sorry, she did what?

[she looks over the rim of her glass at beatrice. that sounds so unlike ange, and yet, it wouldn't surprise anna in the slightest. there's a little shock, but it's mostly amusement, maybe because she still isn't sure what to make of beatrice and if she's being fed a bunch of lies right now.]

I have to assume that's more quantum BS. 'Cause I think she probably would've told me that part of the story at some point.

[hauntedsavior]

Oh, please. There's a time and place for me to be quiet and reserved and stoic and all that crap, and it's not at your wedding.

[that much, she hopes, shouldn't be a surprise coming from her mouth. she's practically beaming with pride at her little sister right now, and she's worried it's going to start shining from her very core.]

I wasn't trying to embarrass you, promise. I just think that everyone here deserves to know how much you mean to me. And how much I'm trying to live by what you've taught me and all of that... you know, the gay stuff. [she rushes through the end of the sentence to get to the part that she's really excited about.] Dude, you're married. Oh my god.