(open) you're looking at me like you don't know who i am

[entreats]

Who: Ange, Ruby, Break, and anyone who knows any of them.
What: Corruption turned Ange into a true Umineko witch who decided the best way to keep the people she loves safe from this town is to drag them into a pocket dimension.
When: For a while in March.
Where: Ange and Ruby's house-turned-small-pocket-dimension.

Content Warnings: Potential violence if anyone acts particularly antagonistic. Potential talk of violence or gore. Other warnings will be added when things pop up.



Perhaps you have seen Ruby's odd network post and decided to check things out. Or maybe you're just wandering around Trench and notice that Ange and Ruby's house suddenly looks.. different.

The house has been completely overgrown by way oversized roses, big thorns growing out of all the stems, completely obscuring the structure that's supposed to be underneath it. If you get close enough to the cluster of roses, you may feel your connection to any of the three people inside suddenly pull you in. (Please note: only people who know either Ange, Ruby or Break will be able to enter the pocket dimension because of this!)

If you give in to the sensation, everything around you might go black, and when the light returns, you seem to find yourself in.. a hedge maze. A rather odd one, though. As you stumble through it, you may suddenly find yourself in random rooms, and then back out of them into the hedge maze once more. The Moss King's wild plants seem to have even invaded corners of this place, so you might want to watch out you avoid having those snap at you. Retracing your steps through the labyrinth feels impossible, like the way is changing up behind you with every step. Some rooms make perfect sense - like a neat and elaborate kitchen, or a library - and others seem to consist of nonsense with stairs leading upside down or to nowhere, or gravity not working in a specific room at all.

Flying throughout the entire maze are golden butterflies. They seem to fly with direction, and if you follow them, you might find them leading you to one of the people you were looking for..

Comments

[fromshadows]

[ It's scary to not know what the limits of her potential is. Back home, everybody who fought the Grimm went through the journey of figuring out their semblance, and that could be a little scary at times, not knowing what it was or how it worked or what could be done with it. Blake's Shadow had come to her fairly easily as a preteen, though it had taken a lot of experimentation to figure out its various uses.

Having to go through that journey all over again is a little exasperating. But scarier, this time, because the potential of Darkblood is so massive that she worries about misusing it. And she can't just fall back on her semblance this time. It's changed so much.

Months and months of practice sounds about right.

She watches with curious eyes as the rose flickers to life, and she takes it so carefully as its offered, cradling it gently in her hands. Break's solemn words hit something deep inside of her, some sore spot she hadn't even realized she had, and Blake bites the inside of her cheek as the back of her eyes burn, ears drooping, but her gratitude is genuine. ]

It's beautiful. Thank you. I'll... try to remember that.

[ But she didn't come here to explore her own issues, did she? So Blake swallows hard, shoving down her brief upset, and decides to tread lightly when she continues: ]

Did you see the video that Ruby made of this place? I was just on my way to find her. I'm... [ Blake trails off, choosing her words carefully. ] ...well, her mood seemed a little strange. Did you notice that too, or am I just seeing things?

[payingfordeliverance]

[Good manners, Break notes. And she's treating his impromptu offering so respectfully. He decides that he likes this one very much. He shall be nicer than usual and only mess with her a little, if the opportunity presents itself.]

I've not paid much attention to the network, I'm afraid, but of course I frequently cross paths with her here. She and I are in charge of watching over this place while Miss Ange is resting. [A pot wanders over to him, pouring a cup of tea for him of its own volition. Break snatches a wandering sugar bowl from the table and proceeds to spoon half of its contents into his tea, while the bowl waggles its little legs in the hopes of being set back down.] I imagine you're seeing a touch of awkwardness as she adjusts to her new role. Dear Ruby always does her best, but when you were raised in the woods by wild beasts and a half-tame crow, you're not going to nail down aristocratic manners overnight, you know?

[Clearly this is the only problem Ruby is having. Break gives the sugar bowl a fond pat as he sets it down, and it scurries off to hide amidst its porcelain brethren.]

[fromshadows]

[ In charge of watching over this place. It sounds so... well, Blake can't quite put her finger on it, but it's almost like they're living in a stage play, being assigned roles and their part to play. ]

Hey, you should give Yang some credit. [ Blake's response is light and amused. ] She practically raised Ruby herself. Although... yeah, Yang isn't exactly a good source of aristocratic manners either.

[ She takes another contemplative sip of her tea. ]

Are you... happy to play your role?

[ Still light, still cautiously avoiding over-probing, Blake sounds genuinely interested and curious there. She feels like a detective in one of her books back home -- though she'd never been much into the murder mystery genre, she's read a few -- trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. ]

[payingfordeliverance]

Oh, yes, very much! You see, I'm the sort of person who, if I'm to keep going, needs a reason.

[The answer comes swiftly and without hesitation.]

In my own world, I was a servant of the Rainsworth family, and they treated me as one of their own. In this one, I arrived with a bunch of the kids I was watching over as they engaged in their world-saving. Taking care of them has been my "reason" here. But, they've almost all returned to the sea one by one, and I've not seen hide nor hair of a Rainsworth in all this time. Things were really starting to feel pretty pointless, you know?

Mm, but -- Miss Ange and I have become very close in our time here, thanks to some shared pains and a great many feelings in common. She and I are family now as much as I was ever family to my Rainsworths. Because of that, although nobody can ever replace anybody else, to be chosen to come and look after her here -- to be given a new reason -- feels a great deal like coming home.

[It's unlike Break to natter so openly like this. Not a bit of it is a secret. He just doesn't usually drop so much so easily onto people he just met five minutes ago. That's the corruption at play. But if Blake watches closely, she'll catch some glimpses of the man underneath. His expression settles into something undeniably tender as he speaks. The strange glow to his eye dims somewhat, revealing a proper red the same shade as Qrow's. His movements become less frenetic, giving him less of of the feel of a bird with a french fry and turning him into something graceful and elegant.

He's entrenched in this place too deeply for the corruption to be lifted so easily, and he'll be back to his Mad Hattering in short order. But in the end, Break will be the first of the three to return to his senses. Grief causes the corruption in him, and the love of those he cares for is what soothes it.]

[fromshadows]

[ Blake cocks her head, catching on to the gradual change of Break's demeanor. It's subtle, but clear enough if you're already watching closely for any clues of what's happening.

Unfortunately, everything Break is saying just makes this whole thing so much more complicated. Blake had come in here with the idea that Ruby was acting wrong, and needed to be woken up, and she stands by that -- but here Break is telling her that he needs a purpose and that finding his current reason feels like home, and how is Blake supposed to judge that? How is Blake supposed to find fault in that?

She knows a thing or two about needing a reason. She's always needed one, ever since she was old enough to hold a protest sign. But she hadn't always found the right reason. When the White Fang lost their way, so did Blake for a while.

Break and Ruby and Ange have lost their way too. ]

I'm glad that you found a reason. This place really is lovely.

[ Blake's voice is gentle; unfortunately, she knows there's no chance she's going to get Break to see the prison that this place is. They've only just met. That job would be better done by Qrow. So Blake is left playing along for the moment. ]

I should probably get going. I need to talk with Ruby about something, and from the looks of this place, I might get lost a few times before I find her. [ Blake's smile is small, but genuine. She drinks the last of her tea, and gives the teacup a little pat to say thank you. ] I'm glad we met, Mr. Break, even if the circumstances are a little unusual.

[payingfordeliverance]

Aww.

[He pretends to groan, but there's no real remorse in it. Break loves his people fiercely and is pleased to have a new one to play with. But, he's also an independent creature, and just as pleased to get back to his own affairs. Since Blake is a companion of Ruby's, no doubt she'll be around for some time, and Break will see her again later.]

Then, Miss Blake, follow the butterflies. They're a sign of Miss Ange's magic. Because Miss Ruby and I carry that magic within ourselves, the butterflies like to follow us.

[Helpfully, he conjures one, letting it burst into glittery life just above the palm of his hand. It wings itself past Blake, on its way to the entrance of Break's little tea party. He can't necessarily sense Ruby and where she is within the maze, but the butterfly will be drawn to other things like itself. If Break sends it away from himself, it will certainly lead Blake to something.

And as long as she doesn't intend to cause trouble in this place, whatever that something is will have no reason to hurt her. So.]

[fromshadows]

[ Blake's read a lot of fairytales, and she can't help but compare Break to the various trickster figures in Remnant's stories. Tricksters with curious, eclectic tastes, surrounded by impossibilities and broken reality, armed with mischevious, enigmatic smiles.

Break has been a lot more helpful than trickster figures usually are, though, and Blake's certain that his intentions are good. Less of a morally grey chaotic creature, then, and more of a playful spirit.

The butterfly flutters past her, and Blake watches it's path for a moment. She stands, about to follow it, before she glances back at Break one last time. ]

Thank you. I hope...

[ She hopes he finds his way out of this place. She hopes he'll be okay. She hopes he can help Ruby and Ange. ]

I hope we can have tea again sometime.

[ And with that, Blake takes her leave, determined to find out what's going on here. ]