House Log 003: Be Our Guest 2: Vampiric Boogaloo

[payingfordeliverance]

Who: Closed to Pandora House and some wandering RWBYs
What: Two casts alike in dignity are having vampire drama now
When: Somewhere in the midst of all this
Where: Pandora House, which still needs a cooler name

Content Warnings: Probably nothing as we are here for shenanigans, but will tag in subject lines as necessary


Ozpin gets kicked out of his own house for his recent descent into vampirism and one Qrow Branwen has the brilliant idea to bring him to his good buddy Xerxes Break's house for safekeeping. In theory, this is a solid idea. Despite the first impression given off by White Alice's decidedly weird and sometimes violent snow goon sculptures littering the grounds, this house is safe and cozy, and because Break is a Victorian, being abruptly called upon to provide hospitality is something that is simply written into his personality. There are separate rooms available for all three of their guests, and plenty of food around for the taking at all times. The new arrivals are taken in with about the same level of fuss and disruption as there might be if somebody saw a cute critter out in the yard and everybody had to pause and go look at it because critters are neat.

However, this house also has three chaotic darkbloods in it who are all feeling aggressively friendly at the moment, another vileblood who is also named Oz, and sometimes Ozpin's ex's beloved nephew is just there with likewise zero warning for ghost-harassing reasons. So, you know, have fun with that.

Comments

the nerds arrive

[bolstafir]

It's been a hell of a day. Starting with the house drama and getting stalked on the way here and having to get in a fight to escape, Qrow is relieved when he finally sees the building where his friend lives coming into view in the distance. In hindsight, he could've probably used a lamp or something, but that seemed kind of rude to do without even asking first.

Instead of calling the man on his Omni first, he just strolls on up to the door and knocks, calling inside -- "Hey, Xerxes, are you home?"

[payingfordeliverance]

A few long moments of silence. Then, in answer, not a voice, but the sound of paws scrambling against wood floors and a solid whump of something large skidding smack into the front door.

A deeply offended dog noise follows.

"To keep drafts out, you dolt! It's far too cold for you to smoke in and out," comes Break's voice next, and from the sound of things he's in a fine mood. "No, no, geez, don't chew on the knob, you know the house hates it --"

The door opens then and Baltus noodles his way out the instant he can fit, greeting Qrow with a happy swishing tail and ears perked up in horse mode. Break himself follows and here is mister "my friend who fights like a Huntsman" at last, sleeves rolled up and flours up to his elbows, wearing his favorite ruffly purple apron over the usual black. His general existence in this moment is a stark contrast to the day Qrow and the others have had.

"Mister Qrow, good morning! You're just in time for lunch."

He has no idea what time it actually is. Possibly the sun is going down at this point. This house doesn't have a schedule. Break cares when he needs to be at the bakery and that is about it.

[bolstafir]

Ah...if Qrow were both someone who is honestly in tune with his own emotions and not in entire denial about people's Omens representing their True Selves, he might have been flattered by Baltus running up eagerly to meet him as soon as he knocked on the door. Instead, he's just slightly flustered at the sounds of cheerful chaos behind the door as both omen and Sleeper make their way out. It sure sounds like he showed up in the middle of something too -- but thankfully Break does not appear fussed.

"Uh -- yeah, lunch sounds good."

He sounds distracted though, unlike times he has shown up to be fed in the past. He glances toward Ozpin out of the corner of his eye, feeling his anxiety kick up a little. He'd been confident on the way here that Break would do him this favor, and it's less that he's doubting it now as that he feels like this might be an unfortunate (ha) time to be dumping his own drama on Break, who appears to be in a particularly good mood.

"I uh, I need to. Ask a favor, though. It's important."

And he ... indicates the man who's come with him -- another white-haired man with small spectacles covering russet-brown eyes, dressed in green and carrying a cane.

"I'll explain inside?"

He managed to lose the woman who had been following them on the way here, but he doesn't feel entirely comfortable discussing it out here and giving her more time to find him again.

[clocktowers]

Ozpin has been hovering politely at the gate, as though there is any real likelihood Qrow's friend will turn them away. Qrow certainly doesn't seem to see one, and from Qrow Branwen that sort of stalwart optimism is very rare indeed. So he stands with his cane in hand, a tall and spindly shape in emerald green against the snow.

He's still within earshot, of course. He still hears the name Xerxes, puts a few discrete conversations together into one broader shape, and goes ah.

That is something of an explanation, actually.

When Qrow waves to him, he nods politely and moves up the drive to greet the dog and man. The cane clicks with every step, and he comes to a stop at Qrow's shoulder.

"We would both be very grateful for your assistance."

They'll do introductions somewhere warmer and further from prying eyes, he's sure.

[payingfordeliverance]

Break's first thought, honestly, is to wonder why it is the Nega-Break gets to be the tall one. This guy could give him the last couple inches he needs to be an even six feet and nobody would think him any shorter for it.

Rude.

Much more importantly, Qrow being too absorbed in something else to perk up at the word "lunch" is a glaring red flag, and once he's over that hump the grave tension in the atmosphere becomes obvious. Well. If whatever problem they're having is dire enough that they'd seek him out on purpose, Break's in on whatever it is. Qrow has become such a fixture in his life over the past few months that he's long past questioning such things.

"You need tea," he declares firmly after a couple of owlish blinks in Ozpin's direction, backing into the house and waving them in. "Come, come."

His omen trots a circle around them. At first glance it looks like the borzoi is being nosy about Ozpin, and he does point his long snoot in his direction in passing. But as everyone starts to move inside, Baltus positions himself between them and the rest of the world, calmly standing guard, ears still up and pivoting about. A reflection of Break's True Self, indeed. This entire sudden scenario is something he takes to mean that someone he cares about needs his back watched, and Baltus will be the last inside.

[bolstafir]

"Tea would be great."

That sounds better than lunch even, right now. On occasion, he reflects that he has had more tea in the past two years or so than he ever had in the thirty-nine some years previous; right now he just thinks it'd be nice to have something to settle his nerves.

He makes his way inside with Oz once Break invites them in, and only once the door is closed behind them does he seem to relax at all. Qrow settles down on one of the couches, arms resting on his knees, waiting for the others to sit down as well before speaking up again. Perhaps some introduction is in order before he launches right into the favor. He gestures to each of them in turn.

"So uh, Xerxes, this is Ozpin. Oz, this is Xerxes Break, the swordsman I mentioned before."

It remains to be seen whether Break dishes on the fact that he has also told him all about Ozpin and how they bonded over getting scooped up by mentor figures who made them better people by just insistently believing in them. Perhaps he will get away with his embarrassing softness, perhaps he shall not.

Hey. Hey New Oz

[velvet_teen]

The darker Alice is the grumpier one, she feels a bit like she is the only one with any brain frequently, despite arguably being the dumbest person in the entire house. Is nobody else really going to ask the obvious question here, really??

"Oz and Oz... are you brothers or what?"

She's lurking on the back of a chair which New Oz may or may not be sitting in and staring him down intently, which she has been at for the past ten minutes, trying to pick out any similarities whatsoever.

FINALLY REMEMBERING THIS STARTER HELLO

[clocktowers]

Oh no, this is adorable.

Oz turns around to blink at her, half-startled and half-bemused, his glasses crooked on his nose. He pushes them up and shuts the book in his hands to consider the question.

"Only in name, so far as I'm aware." He quirks a little smile. "Though from the little I've heard, there is a certain resemblance between our worlds... something to do with magic and monsters."

finally remembering to reply to the reply to the starter,

[velvet_teen]

"Do you do any extra magic, then? Show it to me!"

Look, philosophical questions about how similar and how different we are and thinking about stuff that you used to do is all very well but frankly she is interested in skipping ahead to the good part.

[clocktowers]

The little smile becomes a chuckle, and Oz settles in more comfortably to face her from this odd angle.

"May I ask what distinguishes extra magic from the magic you're accustomed to?"

[velvet_teen]

"Oh, most people can't do their own, they just contract with creatures that can and sometimes make their own creatures. It all comes down to Abyss stuff. I wanna see a real wizard trick that you do yourself."

She considers further acts of wizardry that she's familiar with and wags her finger at him, imperiously.

"And not the one where you pull the little flags out of your sleeves, I've seen it and I don't even think that's real magic."

Open!

[justoscar]

Following a little ways behind the Sad Old men was... an owl. Mottled with brown and white feathers, the little creature barely stood out against the snow and the wooded environment-- the fact that it was barely the size of a winter orange only added to this effect. Some time after their kind host, Xerxes Break, had worked with Qrow Branwen to get Ozpin safely settled within the mansion, the little owl swooped down towards the front stoop--

And landed as a young woman.

Ossi, with her own Paleblood senses on high alert already and amplifying her Aura connections with Ozpin, had decided to leave the Clockhouse as well. If Ozpin, someone with whom she shared part of her very soul, was banished from his own home for reasons that he couldn't control, then Ossi didn't feel it appropriate for her to stay either. She trusted Ruby, Ange, and Glitch. In general she trusted Willow, but the recent incidents were making her question the older witch's judgements.

This wasn't the first time she had dealt with someone who had taken measures that were disproportionate to the problems they were trying to compensate for. Her last attempt at talking someone down from the precipice had earned her a bullet and a long drop.

It was not an incident she dared to repeat.

Moving unevenly thanks to her prosthesis not fitting right because of whatever Trench had done to her, Ossi cracked the door open and peeked in. She had been in the house before, but it was still someone else's home.

It was rude to just enter without letting someone know first.

"Uh... hello? Uncle Break? Anyone?"

[payingfordeliverance]

Ah! This is very convenient for Break's beloved and darling noodle omen, who has been out patrolling the grounds in case of scary women with stakes. Break has insulated the house for the winter so well that there aren't any crevices Baltus can shadow himself in and out of as he pleases, and so at present, he needs to be let out like an actual dog. Break has been informed that this is unacceptable and an omen door will appear somewhere soon, motivated by the threat that the house will be chewed on some more otherwise. But for the moment, Baltus can trot back inside courtesy of Osca --

...Os...hm.

For the moment, Baltus can trot back inside courtesy of Owl Child.

"Boof," he says politely in passing, slithering beneath Owl Child's arm. He pauses to wait for her just inside the foyer, though. He assumes, rightly, that Owl Child is here for the same reasons that have Qrow in such a snit.

[justoscar]

'Owl Child' was indeed an excellent moniker-- and, if Ossi knew it, she wouldn't have minded being addressed as such at all. It was one of the few things still separating her from becoming the Wizard, and she intended to keep it.

"Huh?" She asked, looking down as Baltus brushed passed. Wherever the ghostly dog was, Break surely was nearby. To Ossi, the odd 'blessing' from the Omen was good enough to forge onward.

She hitched her bag up over her shoulder and followed.

"Are you gonna show me where they're at?" She asked of the dog, not expecting an answer. The noodle snoot's passage alone would eventually reveal it.

[payingfordeliverance]

I could, agrees Baltus. Shall I bring you to Xerxes first?

It's the same sort of telepathy Ossi is accustomed to using, but she's right not to expect it -- he only bothers to speak up when it suits him, content otherwise to come across as a dog doing dog things despite not being a dog at all. At the moment, however, Break's darkblood has him especially sociable, and Baltus is a reflection of his person as always.

The omen's "voice" is an echo of Break's, the exact same save for being without all the sing-song. That lack of a lilt makes it very different, but just close enough to be uncanny, much like everything else about Baltus.

[justoscar]

The unexpected response had Ossi stepping back a little with a small squeak of surprise. She was getting used to having communications just pop up in her awareness, but it was uncommon to have an Omen speak to her directly. Nonetheless, she found her curiosity piqued.

"...Yeah, if you could? It's not my first time here, but Uncle Break is kinda unpredictable. In a good way."

She surveyed the foyer, training her ears and her awareness on all of the sounds and various whims within the house that she could percieve.

"I don't even know where he would be around here."

Hey, hey- Come get y'all cookies

[wishforaneye]

The paler Alice was honestly simply floating down one of the hallways, legs tucked and a train of bat cats following after her. Batting at a stray strip of fabric off her dress as she drifted, another curled in her arms. Behind her, bobbing about, was a mix of tins that likely contained cookies or some other type of sweet, a horned beast skull, and a white rabbit plush with a light blue ribbon around it's neck.

Luckily there was also a red ribbon around her wrist, the golden bell jingling softly to make her presence much easier known given how quiet her movement tended to be when she forgot gravity was a thing.

Alice being Alice—

"Hello! Time for a bit of tea and snacks, care for something?"

This was normal.

[clocktowers]

So. Hm. This is probably normal.

Ozpin has already been fed tea and cookies not an hour ago. This will not stop him in the least. He blinks, openly bemused, at the girl floating down the hallway; then rallies with a faint smile. Truly, this isn't so different from living amongst youth of his own world, all eager to display their unique and unusual talents. And there's something distinctly charming, if not a little unsettling, about the pride of winged cats.

"I would be delighted. If you've any favorites to share, I will trust your recommendation. I have always had quite the sweet tooth."

[wishforaneye]

Exceedingly normal, more so with the fact Alice happily carried on despite the disconnect from the Abyss; no one and nothing had given her reason to think otherwise, and her blood here seemed primed to allow that sheer influence of will and obliviousness to thrive when it came to her refusal to obey the laws of gravity.

She did at least touch down, catching one of the tins in hand as the bat cats gathered to plat with all of the ribbons of her skirt; honestly, she might have tied more around her waist loosely for them.

"There are some very buttery and sweet cookies, some coated in white chocolate for that extra sweet creaminess! I find it goes well with the more fruit leaning teas," Tin easily opened and- well, they looked delightful as far as she was concerned. "A few of them have raspberry with white chocolate swirled in, too! Try one or two, and if you like them you can have more."

[clocktowers]

The cookies look delightful as far as he's concerned, too. Ozpin nods, deeply approving.

"Oh, gladly." He retrieves two without hesitation or shame. It is a welcome distraction from his awareness of the girl herself: this close, he is struck by the deep sweet scent of blackberries. It would be terribly impolite to look at her as though she ranks among the cookies and tea, and that is really not how Ozpin would like to end this little vacation at the home of Qrow's dear friend.

He covers it with a bite of cookie. "These are excellent indeed. Thank you, Miss...?"

[wishforaneye]

"Alice," a tilt of her head, like a small curtsy-ish motion without the rest of her following through, given she held a tin of cookies; even if the skirts of her dress briefly floated up in the motion, fluttering back in to place. "My sister is also named Alice, but I think it's easy to tell us apart once you've met either of us."

That was underestimating a little bit, given stark personalities, but it would be a lie that even then to say they were not at all alike, too. Still, easy to pinpoint who she spoke of if he'd ran in to the darker of the two first.

"You're welcome to more of the tin as well- and tea, of course!"

[lludw]

There is a lot to adjust to in this house. Some of this is good: the variety of food, how soft the beds are, the heating. Some of this is...weird. The batcats, for one. The other Alice, who tends to use her powers to reject such common concerns as "walking," is another. At least the bell does give him a warning.

The offer is also, frankly, something to adjust to. The generosity of many of the people here still often catches him off guard. He is becoming fond of tea, though.

"Tea would be nice. Thank you."

If you act like somethings normal, eventually it may actually be.

[wishforaneye]

"Do you like a specific type? I've got something on the sweet and fruity side, but also black tea that's easier to adjust."

She says that with only one tea pot visible, but it was with a gesture that a teacup and saucer simply floated in to a hand she lifted up, neatly as if something had simply handed it to her. At least once addressed she let her feet meet the ground easily, standing a little straighter rather than the easily relaxed posture she took up when floating.

"Do you have one you're growing fond of? I can help make sure we've enough next time I go out, too." Alice was learning that she enjoyed helping like that around the house. Not once had she ever had to learn likes and dislikes -or cared to- of anyone other than her sister and Jack.

She enjoyed this.

[lludw]

He takes the appearance of the teacup and saucer in stride as well, though it takes a certain effort. But at least he isn't ignoring that strangeness and her frequent lack of gravity at once.

"I liked the..." what was the name again "earl grey." That one didn't have too many flavors, which made the central sharp yet earthy taste easy to enjoy.

"But won't you be having any?"

[wishforaneye]

"Earl grey- I'll make sure to remember that. Will you take the black for now?" They needed to restock a few of their tea collections anyway, after all. She never did mind picking anything up when she went out, most shops took what she had on her for trade after all.

Alice nodded with a hum- "Eventually! I want to make sure others who want to take tea have theirs first, and of course make sure that the House is content as well. Tea time is always better when a house, especially this House, is content. Makes sure every place you settle for tea is comfortable you know?" Of course she was speaking as if the house had a sentience of it's own.

Possibly only a matter of time given all the Darkblood and ghost activity- "Oh, we've also a few less sweet things to have with your tea if you're not much of a sweet tooth."