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

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

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..

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[ Ange tends to stick to her carefully picked spot in the middle of the maze - perhaps not wanting to encounter anyone who might stumble into this world, making sure to stay in the most hidden and secluded place. It might be why her dear furniture are working so hard to keep anyone too bothersome away from her in the first place.

But it's not like she doesn't want to see her own people. Very occasionally she wanders out from her own little hiding spot with the exact purpose of looking for Ruby or Break. Sure, she could just call them to her with the wave of a hand, but maybe she wants to see what they're doing, or if there's something she can do for them, make this world more comfortable in any way.

It's how the witch finds herself making her way over to Break's little corner - one that's not too hard to find, considering the roses. Ange doesn't even need her innate knowledge of this world she's created to be able to find it, a smile on her face as she glances between the man and the creature. ]

I could, if you wanted some. [ It's an almost playful offer, since of course she'd gladly provide that for Break if he wanted, but she can also imagine him wanting to make this on his own without it being something about this place she's created.

Hence why Ange doesn't make anything appear just yet, instead stepping further into the room, squatting down next to Baltus to pet the Omen, if he'll allow it in the middle of his zoomies.

It looks a little ridiculous, since Ange looks less like the young lady she is in her full on corrupted witch outfit, but Ange sure doesn't seem to mind. Would she let that stop her from loving on the people she cares for? Of course not. ]

Are you having fun? [ It's hard to tell whether she's asking Baltus or Break that, given that she's looking at the Omen.. Maybe she's asking both at the same time, considering their joint nature. ]

I am having fun.

[It's Baltus who answers first, dropping the pillow and wriggling gleefully as Ange approaches. Once she's knelt down, he politely holds himself as still as he can, but the wild swishing of his tail betrays how pleased he is to see her.

Normally, Baltus is far more on top of things than Break is, regarding his mental state. Now for the first time his bout of corruption has come in conjunction with adoration and happiness, rather than loneliness or rage. The omen can't be the voice of reason when Break's pleasure is so all-encompassing, drowning reason out entirely.

Break usually has reason to fight corruption. Not now.]

To worry about so little is a grand thing. There is more room in people's heads to love so many things.

Mm, that's how it is.

[Break appears much more reserved than Baltus as he sets the hat aside and slides from the table to approach his witch. But, the fact remains that even with his hands clasped behind him and standing politely at attention, he is still essentially waiting in line for affections here.]

There's been fewer and fewer reasons to be self-indulgent these past few months, you know? With half your people disappearing and the other half nearly getting eaten, it starts to feel like hopeless folly to make a pretty pie or some such. It's not so much fun unless it can make somebody smile properly.

[And there's the reason it was so easy for Ange to draw him into all this. That's a genuine sentiment. The sense of loneliness Break feels when he hasn't got anyone to do things for, whether because they aren't there at all or because they aren't in the mood, is so keen as to be debilitating at times. Even outside of his loved ones vanishing from Trench he's pined terribly for the chance to show Sharon a movie he knows she'd love or watch Reim experiencing a spicy cheeto. Sometimes he hasn't got the heart to watch movies alone, in the face of such things.]

[ Baltus' answer gets the witch - even though in this moment, she more just seems like the girl - to laugh in a very genuine way, moving even a little closer to properly run her hands through the sweet doggy fur, not even minding how close those teeth are to her right now.

She knows Baltus won't hurt her, because Break won't hurt her. Nothing will hurt her here in her own perfect little world. And with so much safety around - what's there left to fear? Why hold back her emotions when she's in the company of the two people she trusts more than anything else in the world?

Before she can give the Omen any reply though, her attention is instead drawn towards the man when Break speaks up. One of her hand still idly runs through the creature's fur, but she's looking at Break as he speaks, seemingly paying close attention to his words.

The reminder of what they suffered in Trench - the things they won't have to suffer again, Ange reminds herself - make her laughter pull back to a faint smile instead, but it's a smile all the same as she pulls herself back up to her feet. She steps over towards Break, holding out her hand, like she's wordlessly asking him for one of his own, out of reach while they're behind his back like that.

(And sure, technically she could command him, even if he could still terribly tease her about it all the same - but Ange isn't here to use her power as a witch that way. Not with these two.) ]

You're making me smile properly right now.

[ And he doesn't even have to make her a cake!

.. though cookies would be nice. Later, when she isn't bothering him in the middle of his hat-making. ]

And if there is anything you wish to indulge in here, you can let me know. I will give you anything. [ Anything, if it's to make Break happy. It just feels nice to be able to do so much more to accomplish that than she ever could in Trench, if not just due to the reasons he himself mentioned just now. ]

[Break's hand is in Ange's before she's even finished reaching for him. She doesn't really need to command him, when what she wants him to do is the thing he wants to be doing anyway. Baltus noodles happily between and around them in figure eights, his swishing tail whacking their legs in passing.]

I don't need much. I never really have. Mm, just a home, and people in it I can love enough to go to hell and back for.

[His honesty shouldn't surprise her. After all, he's all but admitted it to her already, when he let it slip that he was sad to think of her and the Remnant kids moving back into their own home again after the fire. It's how she knew Break needed to be taken in the first place, the second she heard about Alice's departure.]

Don't worry. I don't intend to let that be taken from me yet again.

[ There's something to be said for just how happy Ange feels, even in the middle of this extreme corruption. She can't recall a time where her heart has felt this warm - not for a while, anyway. Maybe the last time was the wedding, and before that..? She can't even recall.

But right now she doesn't feel anything but glad. Glad to be here and safe. Glad to be with the two people she treasures the most in any world. Glad that she can give them all they want too - because a home and people Break loves in it-- that's this place, right? It's all already here.

.. though there could be one extra thing, Ange realises now, smiling at Break, her hand lightly squeezing his own. ]

How about Qrow, then?

[ Sure, it's not like the man can't handle himself. He's a warrior, just like Ruby. .. but Ange knows that Trench can hurt those just as bad as any other person when it comes down to it. ]

Should I invite him here too?

[ It's not like she wants Break to feel like he's awkwardly third wheeling a couple all by himself, after all. ]

[Without letting go of her hand, Break shrugs carelessly.]

If it suits you, but don't expend the effort on my account when you're still resting. I'm certain that, sooner or later, he'll find his way to us regardless. We're all three of us precious to him, you know? He follows his precious people, just as I do.

[It does not even cross his mind to deny that Qrow is someone that he loves. By this point, probably everyone has figured that out anyway, save Qrow.]

Of course I miss him terribly, but there's plenty still to do while I wait for him to come to me.

[ Break is right. Ange should be resting, considering that creating this place in the first place took a lot out of her. And she is planning on expanding it, on drawing in more people important to her, even if she couldn't help herself and had to bring the two most important ones right off the bat. It's something she's a little restless about, like she's worrying the Pthumerians may get to the others if she can't bring them here soon enough, but..

Pushing herself certainly won't help either.

Maybe that's why Break is here. His role, as always, though a little twisted now. Looking out for Ange. ]

Are you sure?

[ It sounds surprisingly innocent for what Ange is right now. For what they are right now. But even if Ange may be a witch for the world, she's just herself with Break, unable to hide a note of disappointment or worry in her tone as she stares at him with her golden eyes. ]

You won't be sad until then? You know I'll have to be very cross with him if he makes you wait too long and makes you sad.

Our blood bond is intact. I'm able to feel him right now, so he can certainly feel me.

[This may be the first time Break has mentioned the bond so explicitly. Of course Ange has most always known they have one — Break doesn't bother to hide the handprint on his arm when he has his sleeves up in the kitchen, and Ange is not stupid. Qrow magically turning up to save them from themselves after the snake incident, without anyone having called for him directly, will have only confirmed it. But Break never really feels a need to bring it up. It's just there, solid and unspoken, much like their relationship as a whole.

Now, though, Break's red eye takes on a gleam of satisfied possessiveness. His smile is decidedly smug, the sort of grin he gets when he knows he's getting away with something.]

He has no reason to be concerned, for I'm happy here with you. But the second he catches me feeling poorly he'll be making his way to my side. He always does. Qrow is mine, you know.

[ There are many things here that Ange doesn't do as much as blink at. The mention of the bond, for one, since it has long been obvious to her. But not even the edge of posessiveness, any of the things Break says - nothing registers with her as something alarming, or even something she should stop to think about for more than a few moments.

Instead she just dips her head into a nod. ]

Well.. That's good. I would rather have him in here than out there, anyway.

[ Even if she can't see any reason for Break's mood dropping as long as he's here - but surely Qrow will come to look for his boyfriend-partner-whatever-the-heck-kind-of-term-these-old-men-are-using-nowadays soon enough. That's how love works, right? Besides, Ruby is here as well. ]

I know he can handle himself. But this place is the only spot that is protected from the Pthumerians. [ And even great warriors can't handle them. Not even huntsmen. ] I could keep him safe here.

And I can keep him happy. With your power aiding my own, I've finally become properly proficient at diverting accidents. Between the two of us, he'll be able to feel "normal" at last, as he's always wished.

[They are definitely not going to smother the poor man to death with their corrupted affections or anything. Their favorite bird definitely won't mind being caged for the rest of his life provided that he's given plenty of snacks and a few playmates who are good at weapons.]

[ There's a brief moment where the witch looks a little surprised. It's still muted, but there's a moment of it flashing on her face before it's gone. Sure, it's no surprise that Break would have wanted to help Qrow out with what more than anything, since it seems to be the thing that bothers the man the most.

But when Ange gave Break some of her power and tied him to herself, she didn't quite imagine just yet that the man could use his power for this, of all things.

It's a good kind of surprise though. A happy coincidence. A good thing. ]

It sounds like we've got a perfect welcome awaiting him then.

[ A place filled with the people he cares about the most, where he won't have to worry about his bad luck anymore - isn't that perfect? ]

I suppose I could invite the other people from Remnant too, in order to keep Ruby and Qrow even more happy.. [ The way her voice trails off implies that she's already going over the list in her mind, but..

.. well, that runs into an inevitable roadblock. Despite the fact that Ange's eyes are only glowing light now, she somehow still manages to give off the impression of an eyeroll. ]

Aside from that man.

[ No need to guess who that is, right. ]

Ah yes, Master Mannerless. You know, he's been downright awful to Qrow as well? My darling bird has more capacity for forgiveness in his little finger than most have in their whole bodies, and I hate that he's been treated so poorly that he can't help but use it. I've been thinking for some while that if it happened again, that man would be hearing from me.

[Break smiles and it's awful and wicked and very, very satisfied. He is beyond pleased to think of shutting this person out of the new world entirely. His affections for Qrow are strong enough that even now his lover's relationship with his mentor is something Break wouldn't seek to undermine without extreme reason -- in his right mind it's because Qrow is a grown man who can handle his own shit, and just now it's because the notion of making Qrow upset with him is devastating. But that man has been irritating Break for some time, and simply not letting him in at all is a magnificent way to solve the problem.

Cheerfully, he swings his and Ange's hands together, as though they are about to go skipping off down the hedge to visit the candy store.]

Qrow will miss him, but I'm certain he'll understand why that person can't come in. If he hasn't learned manners at his age he's never going to, and it's not as though there's much for him to do here anyway. The last thing this place needs is an academy.

[Ew, school.]

[ There's certainly things Ange can easily agree on. The mannerlessness, for one, considering what happened at the wedding and the way the man just decided to risk her safety with his vampirism still don't sit really well with her. And the sentiment about school being the worst too, definitely. Not that it'd matter much if the man would start his academy in Trench, since sooner or later this world will be isolated from it anyway, but the very idea of it is still enough to leave a vaguely gross aftertaste in her mouth.

But none of these things are surprising. No, what's surprising to Ange, even in this form, is-- ]

He's been awful to Qrow?

[ It sounds like it's news to her. From how she's seen the two interact, she thought that Qrow seemed really fond of Ozpin, and figured there had to be some reason for that, despite Ange not exactly being the latter's biggest fan.

So this new tidbit from Break doesn't fit into that image as neatly. ]

Qrow's life was built on that man's lies. When he was found out, he turned tail and hid himself away, rather than confront those he'd been manipulating.

[Break really isn't supposed to be spreading details about this. Qrow makes it a point to leave Ozpin's name out of things when he complains about the unwinnable war in Remnant, expressly to keep the judgement of strangers off of him and let Ozpin have a chance at making his own fresh impressions on people.

Fortunately, Ozpin has already failed miserably at managing that with Ange anyway, and Break does not actually need to give real details to thoroughly ruin any chance that she might ever respect him ever again. Lovely!]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's also the source of Miss Ruby's terrible case of chosen one disease. Someone had to plant those ideas in her head.

[ It's not like Ange hasn't heard a single thing about Ozpin. There's been bits and pieces here. Never anything - or much - from the man himself, but Ruby had mentioned him before. Even Oscar had, to some extent. It's never been enough to put together a full picture, but she does know a few things about the man.

.. never this much, though. And while it's concerning that he could have had a hand in what makes Qrow sometimes seem so miserable when he thinks no one is looking, it's even more concerning when Break goes on and mentions that last part.

It's very hard to not care an even more extreme amount about Ruby in the middle of her corruption, after all. And this puzzle piece-- it seems to fit in so perfectly with everything Ange knows about her wife. ]

.. I should ask Ruby. Because if that's true, I'll kill him the moment he steps even a single foot into this place.

[ Thankfully that won't happen though, since Ruby will already take care of him before anything else can happen - but, boy, does Ange ever mean this. ]

It's not fair for anyone to have put that much onto Ruby's shoulders. She's such an earnest and kind girl. [ --Says Ange about the girl who's gleefully locking people into rooms as they speak.. ] Of course someone as good as her would take it way too far and hurt herself with it if someone gave her that responsibility.

If you kill him, we'll have to deal with his corpse, though. Or whatever you leave behind of it.

[Break sounds faintly grossed out by this, and wrinkles his nose accordingly. The corpse business, not killing Ozpin. The way he sees things in his current mindset, if Ozpin doesn't want to get casually murdered over sticking his nose into a dimension he isn't welcome in, he ought not to have done the things that have made him unwelcome in the first place. He is not so smart if he has failed to think of that in advance!]

If you really wish him dead I can dust him; it will be much more tidy. Elsewise, let's just toss him out, and let him be bewildered. We have so many things to do in here that are much more pleasant than washing professor bits off the walls.

[ Ange huffs.

It's not a very pleasant huff. ]

Fine. If he does find his way in here and we would simply throw him out, I would have to try and adjust this space to keep him out specifically. [ Which she'd rather not do.. Since it involves thinking about Ozpin, and that's just about the last thing Ange wants to do after these new nuggets of information. It threatens to send her right down a murderous spiral.

Which, in this form, she doesn't necessarily consider a bad thing. But Break is right that it would cause a lot of mess. ]

I really do not want Ruby to see him. Not even for a moment. Especially not after what you have told me.

My understanding is that he tends to run rather than stick about to confront troublesome things. He may well only need to be tossed out the once and that'll be that, then.

[The worst part about all this is that it isn't only Qrow that Break has drawn this sort of conclusion from. He remembers Oscar complaining once about an October wherein half the household was killed and the one adult left made a pot of soup and then fucked off. Having put two and two together, well.]

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

a nice spot of tea

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cw: talk of...pieces of dead people...?

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