but when the dusk descends (march catchall, open + closed)

[fromshadows]

Who: Blake (descendsfromshadows) + various
What: Some event stuff, some non-event stuff!
When: March
Where: Gaze, the Clockhouse, Turning Goat + various

Content Warnings: Minor violence, gambling + will add others as necessary



(OOC: Some open starters below, closed starters will be posted in the comments. Event plotting post is here, or hit me up at cosmonautdelta!)



▒▒▒ 𝐢. 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 [𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞]

[ It had been late afternoon by the time that Blake had gotten to the Clockhouse for the first time, and she'd barely had the time to appreciate it, let alone actually meet anybody that lived there. Late afternoon or not, she'd fallen asleep the moment she'd slumped down onto the couch, the long, hard sleep of someone who's just... well, falling into a void, briefly being a squid, washing up on shore, and having to adjust to finding herself into an entirely new world. It's a lot to get used to.

She'd dreamed in frantic snippets. Golden fire falling into darkness, and silver fire fading. Liferopes burned away. A raven's feathers in her hair, and black blood in her veins.

When she wakes, bleary and rumpled, the light coming in through the windows suggests that it's some time in the morning, but it's hard to be sure. Thankfully her Huntress uniform is (sort of) comfortable enough to sleep in, but she till feels out of sorts, absent of the routine she'd settled into again in Atlas. And though she casts a longing glance toward the kitchen, she's not sure she feels comfortable enough to just rummage around in search of tea. She knows that Qrow and Oscar, at least, would tell her that she's allowed, but there are people that she doesn't know that live here, too, and she doesn't want to presume.

So she winds up in the library.

As half-empty as it is, libraries have always been Blake's place of refuge. How was she supposed to resist? Curling up in a chair with her legs tucked under her, Blake idly thumbs through the book she's picked out, but her gaze is wandering between it and the view outside, past the verandah, onto the vast lawn and grey skies beyond. The weather looks like it's going to turn foul, and Blake's never been more glad to have somewhere she can shelter.

A soft sound catches her attention, and one feline ear flicks toward the doorway before her head turns. ]

I hope it's okay that I'm in here. And that I slept on the couch. [ Blake ducks her head, sheepish. ] For what it's worth, it's a very comfortable couch.

▒▒▒ 𝐢𝐢. 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 [𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥]

[ To say that Goat Turning isn't Blake's usual place is... understating it.

It's loud. People are yelling in excitement, in frustration, in congratulations. In such a packed place, the scents of food are almost overwhelming, and it's uncomfortably warm. But Blake's determined to explore this city, and that includes checking out the big events that are happening (much to her current chagrin). She'd been handed some chips, and after watching some games, had been bemused to find out that poker was the same here as it is in her world.

She'd tried a couple, keeping her commemorative coin tucked carefully in her pocket, and had come out slightly up. Blake's never been into gambling, but she'll grudgingly admit that she has a pretty good poker face, and it had served her well. She's not sure if she'll attempt any more tonight -- but it's open for two weeks, so she'll have plenty of opportunities to come back if she likes.

For now, Blake stands off to the side, and she watches, avid golden-yellow gaze roving over the crowd, feline ears swiveling every which way to catch the noise and snippets of conversation. There's a silent dread in her blood, and she doesn't know if she can put a name to it.

Someone comes to stand next to her, a new free drink in their hand -- the same one that Blake picked, something red and fruity and sour. And for a while, typical wallflower that she is, Blake doesn't say anything, until eventually she says wryly: ]

Should we be concerned that this place printed coins with our faces on them? Seems a little creepy.

[ Especially since she's been here for all of a few days, and hasn't come close to this area of the city before. How did they know? ]

Comments

iii. for neopolitan

[fromshadows]

[ Blake had spent a long few hours hacking away at the roots trying to smother the Clockhouse; every time it seemed like she'd made some headway, the roots had piled back on, like they just knew. But, eventually, there's a lull, and the roots seem to stay retreated for a moment, and Blake knows it's likely temporary, but she'll take the break.

She ends up on the street of Gaze, walking down cobbled streets and watching others battle the same fight, using whatever weapons they could get their hands on to push the plants back. She hears half a conversation, a young guy frantically telling his neighbor that he'd seen a huge one, ma'am, just absolutely enormous, big enough to eat someone!, and it somehow doesn't surprise her. She just keeps her ears and eyes sharp, pushing down the anxious sense that something is very, very wrong.

Gaze is almost beautiful, in a strange, haunted way. Dark streets and gnarled trees stark against the grey skies. Blake's almost enjoying herself as she walks, until she catches a glimpse of pink and brown, a person she's about five feet away from passing on the pavement.

Time feels like it shudders to a standstill. All Blake can see is Yang falling, all she can hear is her own panicked cries. Her gaze fixes on Neopolitan in the same way that a cat stares at its most hated and feared prey, ears pinned back. ]

Neopolitan.

[ Her voice is hushed, hoarse, fingers twitching as they yearn to reach for Gambol Shroud where it lays against her back. Ruby had told her that they had a truce. Blake's not sure that matters to her in this moment. ]

I heard you were here. How did you make it here, but Yang didn't?

[threelayers]

[Neo froze when she heard that hoarse, emotion laden voice. Oh, she knew that voice well enough, even if Blake had been the one member of team RWBY she'd spent the least amount of time around in the nightmare. That voice made her wince and she took a step back reflexively, turning to face the taller faunus.

Oh, hi Blake, you're back are you? And then came the question, and that question definitely told her one thing. Blake didn't remember the nightmare anymore than Penny did. Shit. She swallowed and held one finger up, reaching down for the small omni at her side to try and type something out. She didn't grab for Hush, but it wouldn't be hard to if she got pressed. Of course, who knew how Blake would interpret that reaction. If she managed to get it out, her thumb tapped quickly while she looked over at the other girl with a very uncomfortable look on her face, like she wasn't sure how to handle this situation. The words appeared via a small holo display over the omni as she typed. ]

She was here, for a while.
What's the last thing you remember?

[Like she had to fucking ask. she just 'knew' what it had to be.]

[fromshadows]

[ She was here, for a while.

It's been explained to her how this place works, at least somewhat. So Blake knows, now, that people can turn up and then return to their worlds with no memory of what happened here, and that they can even do this multiple times, in any order. She wants to find it a comfort that Yang was here once before, but it just leaves her feeling even more hollow. That Yang could have been from any time. The Yang she knows could still be dead. Even if that Yang had been the one that had fallen-- there's no guarantee that she's okay now.

Blake only barely makes herself be patient and read what Neo types, gaze darting over the holo display. And she only barely makes herself be civil enough to answer. ]

The portals out of Atlas. The bridges between spaces. You and Cinder, you were attacking us, and the civilians that were just trying to get to safety. You knocked Yang off the bridge.

[ And even though it's been a couple of days for Blake since then, her fury still feels fresh, quivering through her bones. ]

And then Cinder made you fall-- but you're here, just a few streets away from Qrow. [ It's not hard to put two and two together: Neopolitan was clearing out roots away from an apartment building, it's probably hers. ] You're here, and she's not.

[threelayers]

[She nodded the moment that the portals was mentioned. Yes, she knew exactly what time that was. Part of her had a suspicion they survived that fall, but she didn't know for sure. her last memories were of screaming silently, transforming constantly as she and Ruby plummeted into the darkness, trying to choke Ruby to death.

Fuck, she reached up with one hand and scratched at the back of her head, not quite able to make eye contact as her thumb moved with the skill of someone who memorized where the keystrokes were.]

And you hate me.
It's not like I would blame you for hating me.
It's how I'd feel if I were you.

I can't fix this, Blake.
I'm sorry.

[She could have said "Sorry. I missed. I was aiming for her sister," but was that really anything that even remotely sounded better?]

[fromshadows]

[ It's only been a few days since she fell, but Blake has imagined how this moment would go ever since Ruby told her that Neopolitan was here. She'd imagined Neopolitan's smirk, a careless shrug, indifferent justifications, a big smug fuck you. But what she's getting is... entirely different.

Neopolitan's body language seems to curl in on itself, and as her words start springing up on the holo, Blake reads them in disbelief. She's sympathizing with Blake. She's not making excuses. She can't even look at Blake. And Blake's immediate reaction is rejection. Neopolitan's a master of illusion, after all, and this has to be a trick. This is a mockery. Neopolitan can't care, she has to be putting on this obscene little show just for her own cruel amusement, like a predator toying with its prey.

(Somewhere deep inside, Blake's not sure she believes that. There's a tiny hint of doubt, of belief that Neopolitan might just be being genuine. But her anger is burning that away.)

And then the words I'm sorry flash up, and Blake sees red.

There's so many things she could say. She could call Neopolitan a monster. She could scoff and say she doesn't believe her. She could scream that she'd tried to kill two of the most important people in Blake's life. But, normally so quick to eloquent words, Blake's tongue tied. She can't conjure up anything.

The only thing she can do is let her hands do what they've been wanting to do ever since she saw Neopolitan: to bring Gambol Shroud forward, sword in one hand, cleaver sheath in the other, a wordless snarl on her lips as she springs forward. ]

[threelayers]

[This... was exactly how she should have expected things to go. Like she'd said, she really didn't blame Blake. After all, she'd spent years of her life just wanting to murder two people for taking the one person she cared about away from her. Of course she 'got' why Blake would react this way. The only difference from the old days was actual remorse.

But there was time for that later. When she saw the faunus lunging at her, blade at the ready, Neo darted back with alarming speed, one hand jamming her omni into her pocket. She'd fought one-handed and sent messages before, but that was against incompetent oafs. Blake was anything but incompetent. Her other hand whipped Hush out and brought it up, holding it in a defensive position while she tried to get some distance, to bat the blade away.

A shimmer, a flicker of light, and between the blink of an eye one Neopolitan was now two! Her little illusionary trick had gotten the strangest update since coming here, as the both of them tried to pull back, to keep distance while the plants around them bristled in agitation at the disturbance.]

[fromshadows]

[ Despite having been on opposite sides of the war for some time, Blake's only fought Neopolitan very briefly -- but in that time, she'd learned just about everything she needed to. Neopolitan's an incredibly skilled fighter, one of the best she's ever come up against. She has a fluid way of moving unlike anybody Blake has seen before, an efficiency of motion that Blake would call beautiful if she cared to pay compliments to the enemy. The only thing she's unsure about is the extent of Neopolitan's semblance.

But as she batters at Hush with her blades, thoughts of strategy aren't exactly at the forefront of her mind. Her sword lands first, then her cleaver, over and over again, wordless cries of agonized fury between the sounds of striking. Blake leaps back only for the briefest moment to push her shadow out behind her, propelling her forward with greater force and speed, suspended in the air for a long moment as she brings both blades down, rattling the umbrella. But still, it doesn't give.

As Neopolitan splits into two, it only gives Blake the slightest of pauses. ]

Just fight me! You had no problem doing it before!

[ Whatever the reason is for Neopolitan doing nothing but defending, Blake doesn't care. She flips Gambol into its gun form and pulls the trigger, aiming for the first copy of Neopolitan, while darting under the Hush of the second one, cleaver aimed for the illusionist's knees. ]

[threelayers]

[Blake was right. It wasn't like Neo had ever had trouble in the past doing just that, and even on the defense there was plenty of that economy of motion. She twirled and shifted her umbrella like it was an extension of her arm, one that changed and morphed if the handle was at the front to hook or the tip there to jab... or in this case punch. And, despite the fact that she was using illusions, there'd always been that weird way in which those illusions didn't break just because they took a blow, so long as they were ready for it. While she batted back at the first set of attacks, it all held as if it really were her. But which one was her?

A little thing had changed in coming here. Darkblood. Even Neo didn't know the answer to the question of 'which is the real me' when she was like that. She was constantly back and forth between them. At first? It had been almost nauseating and vertigo inducing. She'd gotten used to it, but it definitely made it hard to pick out a target because they always seemed to move with the exact same ease.

One of the Neo's gave a quick shake of the head to the question. No, she wasn't going to fight her, but that seemed lost as the gun flipped out, forcing the Neopolitan being shot at to somersault and cartwheel just to get some distance. At the last second, the umbrella shot open, acting like a shield while the real target had to vault over Blake's head, her hand tapping at the shoulder as she tried to stick a steady landing. She was avoiding serious injury, but Neo was completely on the defensive, all as the sounds of rustling leaves were getting more agitated and any Trenchies in the area shuttered their doors, not wanting any part in this.]

High Stakes

[strikefirster]

[Johnny wouldn't exactly call himself a gambling man, but he had been to enough casinos in his life to at least enjoy the experience. Especially when he could drown himself in liquor while he was there.

...Thankfully he hasn't managed to get completely smashed yet. So he gives a little shrug when Blake speaks up.]

Man. You must be new here if you're getting freaked out about shit like that. I'll take a coin any day over getting fucking branded or tortured, or whatever other weird shit this shitshow can throw out.

[fromshadows]

[ Embarrassment has Blake's gaze darting down, her ears flattening, hunching in on herself a little. She's used to feeling like she doesn't belong, like she doesn't quite fit in -- but at least in bigoted places like Atlas, she knew where she stood, even if it was on the lowest rung of society's consideration. Here, as a newcomer amongst so many veterans of this strange place, Blake's not sure where she stands at all, and she feels like she keeps saying the wrong things in the worst kind of way.

Still. He's not being rude about it, or getting offended about Blake's ignorance. That's a relief. ]

I... didn't realize those were options.

[ So it's not just weird asphyxiation and being made to talk about your feelings with strangers and dying and coming back to life. Branding and torture? Great. Blake's tone takes on a wry cast. ]

You're right. Having my face on a coin is actually charming compared to those. I just wonder if its presence is going to curse us later.

[fromshadows]

[ If Blake were thinking rationally, she might have been worried about conserving her ammunition -- after all, it's unlikely that they make bullets to Gambol's specifications here, and even if they do, she doesn't exactly have any money -- but that's not even a whisper in the back of her mind. She unloads the clip, firing rapidly, hoping to score even a few hits to chip away at Neopolitan's aura.

One of her opponents flips over her, the other using her umbrella as a shield. Gambol clicks. Out of ammo. She'd already used too much before she fell. Blake pushes a shadow clone out in front of her, darting back, gaining some distance, and lands in a crouch on the sidewalk with her breath heaving in her lungs from the anger coursing through her.

Neopolitan's refusal to fight is just making it worse. ]

What, am I not worth your time? [ Blake snaps. ] I'm not buying this act.

[ She pushes off, heels scraping against concrete. Manifests a shadow clone to her side with the intent of grabbing it and spinning like a wind-up throw, but the moment she touches her shadow, it dissipates like smoke on water, leaving Blake stumbling, taking off guard -- but recovering soon enough, too single-minded for that to slow her down, though worry twists sour in her gut nonetheless. She leaps forward toward one of the Neopolitans, and pushes out a shadow at the last moment, sending her darting off to Neopolitan's side, Gambol launched toward her in an effort to tangle around Hush's handle with her ribbon. The other Neopolitan gets a renewed attack with her cleaver, learning how to slip around her defenses. The rustling plants get paid no consideration whatsoever. ]

[threelayers]

[Pink flickers of light were the first indication that those bullets were definitely doing something. Neo put her aura into the combat umbrella to enable it to shield herself more effectively. But, just like bullets weren't inexhaustible, neither was Aura. As they flickered and Blake came lunging back in, Neo was still recovering somewhat.

The whip of the ribbon got a grip on the umbrella for just long enough that it held the arm fast. Neo tried to turn aside from the blow, but the cleaver bit in hard, causing the girl in Blake's grip to shatter like so much glittering glass. In that moment they both knew which was the 'real' Neo, while the girl vaulted in, trying to whap with her weapon, quick staccato strikes aimed specifically at Gambol and Blake's hands, to attempt to disarm her if possible. Was Neo finally taking this seriously?

It might have been just a little too late to do that, though. The rustling was getting worse, though maybe that was the wind? While Neo pushed at Blake, attempting to disarm her and drive her back near an alleyway, something else in that alleyway opened the tines and pads of its oversized frame, reacting to the touch of their feet to vines o the ground. Unseen in the shadows, it waited. Just a little closer...]

[fromshadows]

[ Shattering Neo's illusion is a success, but Blake doesn't pause to celebrate. Hush, like she always knew it would, finally comes for her, forcing Blake to flip back to avoid the quick strikes. She blocks with Gambol, evades, Neopolitan striking her clones a few times. There's something wrong with her Semblance, it's so much weaker, but she doesn't have time to think about that and all she can do is hope that it doesn't give out on her--

One hit manages to get through her defenses, hitting like a surgical strike right where her forearm is tensed with her grip, and Gambol goes skittering across the ground.

Roots rustle and curl around the blade, threatening to envelop it.

Panic and fury has Blake's heartbeat skipping. Something surges in her blood.

Blindly, she pushes Hush away-- her fingernails are suddenly sharp, scraping sparks along the umbrella's canopy-- and darts after her weapon, but the plants on the ground have other ideas. The pink, brown and white blur out of the corner of her eye vanishes, but it's not Neopolitan that's moving; it's Blake, with a vine around her ankle, yelping in protest as she's toppled to the ground and hauled toward the alleyway. ]

⸻for ruby

[fromshadows]

⸻inside the portal home of total normality

[ Blake has only met Ange once, and really, she has no idea what her and Ruby's relationship is like. But she's pretty certain that it's unusual for someone to repeatedly and only refer to their wife with their full title and name, and not just... my wife Ange, or something.

And that had been one of the lesser clues that something was wrong.

Blake's found her way to the portal by way of getting directions to where Ruby and Ange live, and though Gambol isn't in her hand as she steps through, she's on high alert nonetheless. The garden she finds herself in is like something out of a book, a riot of color and bloom, the kind of lush green that reminds Blake of Menagerie's wilderness. Cautious, silent, not disturbing so much as a golden butterfly, Blake moves, avoiding the occasional hungry plant as she goes.

She winds up in the lobby, standing beneath the portrait that Ruby had shown off in the video. And despite her suspicion that something's not right here, Blake has to smile fondly at the portrait. Ruby's dressed up, and she looks happy, and that's at least one bright spot in this strange city.

Blake turns, calling cautiously: ]

Ruby? Are you here?

[threelayers]

[When Blake darted for her weapon, Neopolitan's eyes followed her, suddenly widening just in time to see the Vine taking hold of her leg. No! She didn't need that! Racing forward, she tried to stab at the tendril that was grabbing for the huntress with Hush. The process got a good stab in, which wriggled and started to release Blake, just in time for more of them to come whippingout.

They lashed out, one of them going for Neopolitan's wrist and the other for her waist while she was occupied trying to yank Blake free of the one. Another of them, uninjured, took over for its partner and went for Blake's other leg while Neo's umbrella was yanked out of her hand, toppling just out of reach, just like Gambol had been. The vines pulled fiercely, and in the shadows both girls could see a giant venus flytrap's pads opening, spreading, the tendrils coming from the base of them as the tines widened all around it. The plant was pulling, waiting to trap them both against those sticky walls. One wall apiece would do, and perhaps the plant could be forgiven for being just a little greedy. After all, what could they do if they were both trapped in there?]

[onekindsoul]

[A faint laugh echoes through the halls of the lobby. And when Blake turns Ruby can be found entering the hall from another entrance. ...Except her feet aren't actually touch the ground, she's just floating through the air with the new magic she's powered by.

Her demeanor is about the same as it was in the video. Cheerful not exactly in the typical Ruby Rose fashion. There's something ingenuine about, but what she's really feeling is a mystery.

Either way she gives Blake a playful wave.]

Hey there, Blake. Of course, I'm here.

How do you like our new home?

[fromshadows]

[ And here, Blake manages to think, is when she really should have paid attention to the rumors she overhead while walking here. She'd heard a snippet of conversation, a man panicking about massive carnivorous plants that were going to eat everybody, and Blake hadn't immediately started planning for the danger. That's her mistake.

Her claws-- she'll have to think about how she got those later-- scrabble against the cobblestone as she's dragged. She doesn't miss Neopolitan's attempt to free her, and anger wars with reluctant gratitude even as the other girl's weapon is batted out of her hands. Blake struggles, but it doesn't do anything, the tendrils too strong as they unerringly drag them both toward the shadowed form of a giant venus fly trap.

The world inverts as Blake is hefted up off the ground, and with a yowl of frustration, Blake is dropped in. She manages to catch one of the sharp spikes at its lip, leaving her hanging, her heels just barely scraping the bottom. And as Neopolitan is dropped in beside her, the walls press in close, and Blake finds she can't move, stuck fast.

At least there's still airflow. But Blake promptly sags, all the fight taken out of her for a moment, ears flattening, looking downright despondent. ]

...This is disgusting.

[fromshadows]

[ Blake's eyes widen, gaze darting down to where Ruby's feet definitely aren't touching the floor. That's... not one of Ruby's abilities, nor was the scythe of pure energy that she'd displayed in her video, either.

Ruby had said that Ange had created everything here, and had called her a witch. The only magic Blake's ever seen has been from the Maidens, and as far as she can tell, that's purely elemental. If this Golden Land, as Ruby had called it, has really been made entirely by Ange... that's magic on a level that Blake's only ever read about in fiction. ]

It's beautiful. [ Despite her misgivings, Blake is honest. ] When I was little, I used to dream about having garden tea parties like that. I'm a little jealous.

[ Though she's smiling, she can't quite conceal the worried droop of her ears. Because she's seen Ruby cheerful, and stressed, and even angry, she's seen every shade of her happiness, and... something's wrong. It's like she's reading from a script. ]

I'd love a tour, if that's okay. I get the feeling there's a lot to see.

[threelayers]

[The 'good news' was definitely that a venus flytrap usually left enough gaps with its spiked 'teeth' that it was possible for air to get into the chamber. Of course, considering what it intended to do with two large and very-much captured 'flies' over the next several hours? Well, that was probably not much of a consolation for the girls right now. Of course, the fact that it would take probably a few hours for the tines to clench shut properly and hermetically seal them in was far better news. For now, it was sticky, disgusting and maybe the tiniest bit tingly. They had time.

Neo made a face as the pads slid closed, her hands barely grabbing onto one of those teeth right next to where Blake had grabbed. Of course, at her height, she was dangling completely, and tried to twist herself, pressing her knees to the same side, leveraging her legs up to try and push them against the pad closing in on them. It had her squashed there uncomfortably but maybe she could get some leverage? The pad nearly had her pressed, with a cheek up against it. Ugh, this really was disgusting.

She looked over at the girl next to her and gave her a sharp look, her free hand nudging Blake in the ribs. Hey! She wasn't giving up, and she damned well didn't want Blake giving up right now!

...admittedly she wasn't exactly sure HOW to get out of this just yet.]

1

[frogfear]

[Willow's time is split during the day mostly between the Archives, and the Ritual Gig. It's late when she comes home and her night is spent primarily in her room, even after she falls asleep and takes on the form of the wolf. It's easy to miss Blake's arrival.

She rises late in the morning after a quiet night, and fixes herself a cup of tea before pushing open the door to the library. Normally, she would expect to find Ozpin inside, so it comes as a surprise to find the dark-haired young woman with cat ears instead.

She can't help startling a little, nearly spilling the tea before recovering.]

Oh! Uh, oh, yeah, of course. Totally fine. Sorry, I didn't realize we had company.

[She offers a friendly smile.]

I'm Willow.

[fromshadows]

[ It's a bizarre relief that the person that comes through the door is just a regular looking human. Blake's starting to expect the worse, like some horrible creature with too many eyes and teeth might be the thing she meets next. But no, just an ordinary, friendly woman, who's apparently more startled by Blake than Blake is of her. Thank the Brothers she hadn't spilled her tea; Blake would have really felt bad then.

Whoever Willow is, Qrow hadn't mentioned her. But she can hardly fault him for it. She'd been mere hours from being a squid and had been disoriented and anxious, he probably hadn't wanted to bombard her with too much information. There are, it seems, a few people that live in the Clockhouse that Blake doesn't know -- but what she does know is that she can trust them.

They've already been vetted by Qrow, Ruby, Ozpin and Oscar, after all. ]

Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Blake. I'm a friend of Ruby, and Qrow said I could stay here for a bit while I catch my breath.

[ Her tone is solemn, as is typical, but there's a tiny hint of offered warmth there. Reserved and tentative, but there nonetheless. ]

Don't worry, I'm good at being unobtrusive. You'll barely notice me. [ And then, because she just can't help herself: ] Could I... is that tea available to guests, too?

[onekindsoul]

[There is a part of Ruby that is aware of the droop in Blake's ears, and that seeing all of this magic might be a little overwhelming. But she refuses to acknowledge it. She wouldn't want to cause a disturbance and ruin the perfect mood her wife had set in this little pocket dimension. So instead she floats up into a sitting position and smiles brightly.]

She really outdid herself making this- So I can't say I blame you. There's no reason to feel jealous though. We can still have our little tear party if you'd like.

We can do that before or after the tour if you'd like?

[fromshadows]

[ She's actually already had a tea party with Break, complete with little tea cups scurrying around their feet, but she decides not to mention this to Ruby. If having tea with her gives Blake more time to figure out what's going on here, then she's happy to have tea twice. ]

How about after?

[ That way, she can ask Ruby questions about anything she saw on the tour. She's already got questions now, but she'll save them.

She turns, half-angled toward the door, ready for whenever Ruby wants to lead the way. For now, she'll allow herself one question. ]

So Ange is a witch? I didn't realize; she never said anything when I met her. [ But it's not like Blake can blame her. Blake doesn't do her introductions by saying my name is Blake, I'm a Faunus, and I can create shadow clones of myself. ] She must be very powerful.

[fromshadows]

[ Neopolitan's poke to her side isn't exactly welcomed, but Blake gets the message. Don't give up. Blake would insist that she's allowed a brief moment to sulk; they're stuck inside a giant plant that's trying to slowly digest them. More accurately, she's stuck inside a giant plant that's trying to eat her, and her nemesis is right next to her, and Blake's kind of wondering if there's a way she can get out and leave Neopolitan here.

No. This isn't how she wants Neopolitan to die.

Blake takes a breath, and firms her resolve. ]

Okay. If this plant is anything like the ones we have back home, we're not immediately in danger. We're just stuck. If we're stuck for a few hours, then we might be in danger.

[ Blake twists her head, looking around. There's not much to see other than Neopolitan, and the sight of her own arm clinging onto the spike, the claws on her hand digging into her palm. Exactly how and why she has claws, she's not sure. ]

Neither of us have our weapons. My semblance won't help, neither will yours. Is there... anything you can do with your blood powers?

[threelayers]

[Ngh, she really didn't like it one bit, so she wasn't in a sulking mood. It was sticky and disgusting and the air smelled far too sweet. Still, as soon as Blake spoke up, Neo seemed to calm a little bit and nodded once to confirm that she'd heard her, and that was probably right. As long as this chamber didn't fill with fluid they should be safe. That was usually a sign things were coming to an end, but that would be hours, especially if they struggled, and she intended to struggle.

Hmmmph. Gambol would be useful right about now. Cut through this thing. Probably better than... were those claws? No, she could think about that later. Hmmm. Her semblance wasn't exactly great against plantlife, but it did give her a though. Her blood powers had changed it, just a little, and the whole 'copy' she created was physically there. Maybe she could try something.

One hand held up a finger and she started to focus. When she did, there were pink scale-like shards forming around her, as if she were setting a new illusion. But, as they neared the top, there was a shimmer, a shake, and the whole thing rushed right past Blake to form into Neo on the other side of her, holding onto tines above her head there, positioned exactly like the first. She grunted and pressed with both sets of legs before shrugging?

Hey, was this what Blake wanted? To be surrounded by her nemesis, slowly digesting in a plant? On the plus side, she wasn't shattering, so it was two sets of legs to push if they tried to pry the pads open. Had the plant counted on there being three in there?]