deercountry | april catch

Entry tags:

april catch - all

Who: viktor and others, open to all with some closed prompts
What: some late march/early april logs, including some tdm stuff. i'm happy to attach something else on if anyone's interest in doing something specific
When: late march through april
Where: various

content warning; terminal illness, arcane season 1 spoilers, likely game typical beast gore/body horror, potentially ableism mentioned, claustrophobic imagery

open prompts.

fishers of dreams - the lighthouse, early april (tdm)

a. while awake

[if you've been roped into this lighthouse business too you may enter to find a man already there. he seems vaguely disgruntled by the business, offers vague greetings but otherwise sticks to scribbling in his notebook. it looks like schematics and formulae, but anyone with an eye for either might notice they tend to trail off and start in odd bursts.

viktor will offer to cook when evening falls (or whatever seems to be the right mealtime in this place) so maybe that is a better time to strike up conversation. the smell coming from the kitchen is heavy on whatever spices the place stocks, promising pain to anyone who doesn't have the stomach for that sort of thing. worse if he finds the rotgut liquor tucked away, which he will pull out and offer despite smelling more like turpentine than anything edible.

these tricks of the eye though, flashes of people vaguely recognizable, he chalks it up more hallucinations. last month was mushrooms, so this? irritating, far more distracting, but it followed the pattern.

it isn't until later in all this he'll track whoever is with him down.] Did you see someone else come through? There, just up the stairs.

b. nightmare

[trying to reach the odd lighthouses is fruitless, the shadows converge and when the dark clears the area seems more closed in than before. it shouldn't be, he was just outside on the shore, yet now the dark sky seems to hang too low, lower still, suffocating.]

What now? This is another illusion of sorts, is it not? One this place is so fond of. [viktor sounds more irritated than anything, maybe defensive since the grip his has on his crutch is white-knuckle tight. in the distance seems to be a lighthouse, though the light is far and the area is so stifling, promising a tunnel that will close and snuff out the light entirely.

it's ridiculous of course, the walls are not that close, certainly not enough for this suffocating grip on the lungs and throat. there's no real explanation, less so when a few steps forward and the ground begins to dot with great metal cables, the distinct, sickly sweet smell of chemicals in the air. there are pools between them where the ocean should have been, this time shallow spills of what could be gasoline or something similar, slick rainbow puddles, oily and difficult to walk through without slipping or sinking.]

(ooc; for this one please, feel free to add your own character's nightmare in any flavor at any point!)

odds and ends - willful machine, early april

[viktor can be found around the vendors often enough, especially those specializing in scrap metal, tools or small machinery. for the most part he doesn't stick out, except for the fact often his massive omen often accompanies him, some sort of huge pink salamander/axolotl that he'll lean against or ask rather politely to help carry larger purchases.

he doesn't seem to notice or care about any attention, though the creature will blink curiously around. feel free to approach or find him haggling rather intently for such a stick of a man, accent thickening when it gets heated enough. maybe you want the same scrap? or are looking for something and he's standing nearby enough to notice a lost look and offers assistance?]

[one might also find him about by the sound of a nasty coughing fit. he stands with his back curled, a rag to his mouth as a makeshift handkerchief. it's a wet cough that shakes his entire frame, and when it's over his sniffs and clears his throat, straightening.

the cloth is stained in a pale color that catches the perpetual moonlight of april. paleblood, that he regards for a moment before folding the cloth in on itself with a small frown.]

closed prompts.

jinx - willful machine, late march

[viktor doesn't stay by the lamp exactly. he would usually but he hardly sees the point when this person he's meeting knows him by sight as far as he can tell. it leaves him feeling comfortable to wander within eyeshot mostly of the lantern, strolling down the canal docks to find a place to stand and watch the boats cut slowly through the water.

he likes it here, he thinks, in this district. the noise and foot traffic, the winding canals and dirty water, the boats bobbing to and fro - it wouldn't be a bad place to set up. a lab that will double as his home because he doesn't see the point in separating the two any longer, even if he can practically hear heimendinger's tutting about his work-life balance in his ear. it will be closer to the vendors, less of a hike to acquire what he'll need to start fresh. first a new brace for his leg and back, then some basic experiments into lunar energy to get a feel for it.

his lungs flare and burn, minor enough he manages to swallow it down without reaching for the rag in his pocket. he makes a note of the severity and timing, adds it to his growing mental list that seems to indicate his illness does indeed remain but is diminished. promising, if he's being optimistic, but at the moment he feels only a sense of irritation that now he doesn't know the timeline of his own life. one he might be shortening drastically with this ridiculous stunt.

a sigh and viktor goes back to watching the boats, trying to clear his head. he considers trying to message vi and ask her opinion of this but... no, he doubts he'll get anything. he's not sure if he disgusts her as a class traitor or amuses her in truth. better to just see for himself what he's gotten himself into like a fool.]

allen - willful machine, early april

[the 'grand tour' doesn't amount to much yet, the lab area just a large, empty space dotted with a few tables and a couple of desks, not even a chalkboard he's been keeping an eye out for or something that could do the same. one of the desks at least is littered with junk, at the moment tools and the starts of a knee brace, a table nearby with all the scrap he's managed to grab that could be useful in the future. one corner has a cot, maybe he'll clear out whatever other small rooms the place has later for a bedroom proper. maybe not.

viktor seems satisfied with it as he gestures around, and rio has commandeered one of the tables for her own to lie across.] A solid start, I think. I like this area, this eh... Willful Machine, that is.

[he'll never admit part of it is the boats. everyone's allowed a sort of childish interest, right? they're soothing, even if they lack the motors that fascinated him.] Have a seat, if you'd like. How have you been since the tombs?

wildcard.

[as i said, feel free to ask for anything else, including other tdm prompts, i am more interested in seeing the worlds built by others for the archway prompts so i didn't include any here. my plurk is

dichotomy or you can dm me here!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

.. me too.

[ There's no hesitation in saying that. After all, it's not like Chizuru's sword fighting skills are that good. If they were attacked by something particularly strong, they'd still be in a definite pickle here.. So she understands the feeling more than she might have suggested.

But her thoughts instead trail off towards what he mentioned. About him having had a hard time, because he can't fight. Chizuru imagines that learning how to fight in a conventional way with weapons might be hard for him too, given that illness he's got going on.. though it certainly wouldn't make it impossible. ]

You.. haven't gotten hurt in a fight yet, have you, mister Viktor? Has anything bad happened to you in this place..?

[ Not that Chizuru would call his current problem good, but it's something he took with him from back home, not something unique to this place that's been giving him trouble - though her mind is still chewing on that one too, even as she's sitting here with him. ]

No, I have been lucky when it comes to injury and similar dangers. [he's quick to assure. a few more deep breaths and he offers a little more on that, hesitant to admit.] Many people here have been incredibly kind in that regard. No flashy heroics, not expecting praise or payment in return. It's humbling, how many simply wish to help for the sake of it.

[he's never had an easy time accepting help for a variety of reasons- pride, people making assumptions about his abilities, the certainty that very little comes for free in the world and even kindness needs paying back more often than not. he still believes a lot of that but he can't deny things like this keep happening, chizuru stopping with no ulterior motive he can see. waiting because it was simply a help someone needed and she could offer.]

Have you been injured? [he's hoping her swordmanship can cover that, but... the obstacles of this place aren't trifling ones and often find ways to strike at terrible times, he's found.]

[ There's a breath of relief when he says that he was lucky enough to have been safe from injury. Especially since it wouldn't have been surprising to her to have known that he had gotten injured somehow already. It's just like Viktor said, after all - things are very dangerous here, and if you don't know how to protect yourself, that can be an awful combination of circumstances.

It's a nice feeling, knowing that other people are at least willing to step in to fill up that gap.

But before she can say anything about it being a relief, Viktor seems to have moved on to that question, and that makes Chizuru's expression drop a little - almost with guilt. ]

Yes.

[ Maybe it would be better to lie, in case it might worry him - whether about her or his own chances of staying injured. But Viktor has been so nice so far, and lying to him would feel horrible. ]

I've gotten injured a few times by now, especially after ending up in that jungle.. [ It had been hard to do pretty much anything against that wild raging gunman back there. ] But please don't worry. I'm entirely fine again by now. We've all just got to do our best to keep going, right..?

[to be fair viktor makes an effort not to openly grimace at that news- the jungle was terrible and he can easily see many ways that could go wrong. he bites back the urge to ask what exactly happened, since there's a good chance it isn't something she might want to talk about, just offering a soft sigh.]

Listen, if you ever have issues with corruption please come to me, yes? I have been studying it extensively and know several ways and several people who could help.

[he offers a crooked sort of smile for the topic shift, explains,] There's little I can do to help anyone with the physical dangers here, but that is a matter I can. We help where we can, no? Like you are now.

[a touch awkward, being even vaguely sentimental makes him feel a bit exposed but it very much would ease his mind to know chizuru realizes that's an option incase something happened.]

[ Her eyes widen at that news. ]

Really..? You mean that?

[ It's not even that this kindness is unexpected coming from Viktor. Chizuru doesn't have a single reason to assume he isn't nice, after all. But she seems surprised at this hand being extended towards her all the same. ]

Oh.. thank you! That would actually mean a lot to me.. I-I mean, thankfully I haven't had any trouble with that sort of thing yet, but I did think I had no idea what to do if it would happen to me.. [ She smiles sheepishly as she says that. ] Something about the idea of just.. suddenly changing like that seemed really scary.

[the reaction makes viktor huff in vague amusement, offer a crooked smile and a nod of understanding.]

I know, what I hate most about this place are these attacks on the mind and psyche, including how corruption often works. It's one of the reasons I've had a focus on it. [that and he doesn't love the idea of hunting beasts when some may be saved from their beasthood, if only they can figure out better and more powerful ways to do so. assuming it couldn't be done just wasn't going to fly.]

Allen Walker has some purification powers, and Miss Stone has a hound that can help drain corruption, if I am ever unavailable. I'd also recommend gathering some of the glowing orbs floating around, they seem to be able to keep it at bay and a small supply would be useful to have, no?

I'll try that then..!

[ There's absolutely zero hesitation in her answer to his recommendation. It's as if she already trusts him enough to believe that he's probably right when he says something like that - or maybe Chizuru just figures that it can't hurt.

But it's probably leaning a little more on the trust side here, since there's a near-sparkle in her eyes, like she's just that grateful that he told her this much.

But on the other hand.. something about this talk of corruption and preventing or healing it is making her think of something else. ]

But.. please forgive me if this is too presumptuous of a thing to ask. [ Of course Chizuru has to preface it with something overly polite like that. She can't help it, especially when it comes to delicate matters like this one. ] Is there anyone helping you with your problem..? Have you seen a doctor here for your condition?

[ Because she can imagine that maybe one might have helped him back home, but it's not exactly like he would show up here with his doctor instantly present too. ]

It's just.. it sounds very serious. [ Considering he was basically hacking up a lung only a few moments ago. ]

Just be careful of the butterflies. [right, please warn that. he nearly got himself in trouble with one of those.] Best not to look at them, I believe they cause a trance and mental drain.

[whew, hopefully that's warning enough. it's not all that bad if you know not to look at them, really, just a little chilling when your gaze grazes them. he'd never forgive himself if she headed out not knowing and something terrible happened to her, especially with how earnest she is.

that earnestness is why he doesn't bat an eye at the question, in fact he really can't blame her for asking. it's surprisingly easy to answer, though sharing anything too personal always makes him feel a touch awkward.]

I've tried Lumenwood with little success. Otherwise... [he sighs.] I know I should make a post perhaps, asking for help. I suppose I'm being stubborn, I don't enjoy the idea of putting my health out in public in such a way.

[he offers a one shouldered shrug and a wane quirk of the lips to her.] What did you call it... consumption? Has your world had success with that disease?

[ Be careful. Got it. Chizuru isn't one to ignore a warning - not without good reason, anyway, and there's no good reason to do so in this case. So instead she just nods, showing that she understands.

But then there's that question. One that makes her frown, making the answer pretty clear even before she tries to carefully voice it. ]

.. no. [ Unfortunately. She wishes she could bring better news. ] Where I come from.. that sort of disease completely weakens a person until they die. That's why they call it consumption..

[ The only thing she can hope is that what he's got is just barely different enough that things won't get that far for Viktor. He seems so sweet, and then to have to go out like that.. ]

B-But.. there is medicine for it. It won't cure the illness, but it at least should make the symptoms more manageable.. [ Chizuru's voice trails off, but of course - of course, with how much she longs to help all the people around her - she can't help but offer: ] I.. could see if I could recreate that medicine here for you and see if it helps at all..?

[ah, he expected as much. even if there was something he couldn't say these are the same illness. it likely wouldn't be helpful, but he won't pretend it wouldn't have been nice to hear this 'consumption' was figured out in her world.

he certainly doesn't expect her to say what she does next, glancing over with a touch of surprise.] I... would be very grateful if you could try.

[he really did need something to help with the fits, if only to try and ease them quicker or lower their likelihood if possible.] I would pay you back of course, in any way I could. Help find what you need as well.

[ She's glad that he uses that word. Try. After all, Chizuru may be the daughter of a doctor, and she may have helped her father in his clinic, but that doesn't mean that she's exactly a genius when it comes to that. She feels like she can do it, if she just looks for the right ingredients in this place, but it's not like she wants to guarantee that she'll be able to do it when it's about something this important.

All she can do is just promise she'll do her best - and she will.

But when Viktor gives that offer in return...

Well, Chizuru just smiles, a faint blush on her cheeks. Mostly since she feels a little awkward and shy asking this, but it does come from the bottom of her heart. ]

I think.. what I need the most in this place is just.. some friends. If that would be alright with you...

[ Look how shy she is over just asking him to be her friend.

She's doing her best. ]

[oh chizuru, talk about smacking him in his feelings with that.

he's spent a lot of his life alone one way or another, even here he had to sit back and realize just how few people he actually missed when being torn from his old life. three, that is a pitiful number. work is important but maybe people are right when they say a fulfilling life aside is just as important.

it makes him wonder if she was lonely before coming here or it's adjustment. it also makes him respect her because being vulnerable is terrifying, asking something so honestly isn't easy in a way most wouldn't give her enough credit for.

so it's easy to offer a more sincere smile than he usually does, a little crooked but hoping to at least offer a small sliver of that sincerity back.]

You wouldn't need to make me medicine to ask for that. I ah- I'd be quite happy to be your friend, Chizuru.

Really?!

[ Her shy smile immediately changes into an expression of surprise when he says that. Her eyes growing wider, staring directly at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. Even the volume of her voice is a little louder as she says that one word.

.. a moment later she seems to realise that she might have reacted with just a tad too much excited surprise, and it lets the blush on Chizuru's cheeks linger. ]

Oh.. u-um, I mean.. I'm really glad to hear that. You seem kind, so.. I'd really like to get to know you better and be your friend. [ And to help him - though she would have done that even without this, really. Especially when his condition is so serious. ]

[oh no, well that's endearing. honestly as a man who's lived a pretty lonely life for a great deal of it he can't help but sympathize with her a little there. the sometimes startling companionship of this place can be a lot.

so he chuckles, better than the wheeze of before.]

Ah, thank you. Well, tell me more about your life then. What do you do here on the day to day? [he can get behind the getting to know better, he's naturally curious anyway. the incense is starting to get low but he thinks he'll be able get walk without too much struggling soon, and this has been... well, a surprisingly fruitful coughing fit.

it made him a friend? he can say he did not expect that at all.]

Me? Oh, um..

[ Chizuru's voice trails off for a moment, the girl seeming to think before she continues. ]

I live together with miss Lys here.. I met her here on my first day, and she has been very kind to me, so we decided that it might be safer to stay here together rather than all by ourselves.. [ Especially since Chizuru is definitely not as good at protecting anything as she made it seem a few moments ago to try and reassure him. ] I work as a waitress, and.. um.. outside of work, I enjoy..

[ ...

That's a dreadful pause, huh. Good thing that they have a few more moments before he's up on his feet again.

But it's almost as if Chizuru is having trouble thinking of what else she should mention she enjoys. ]

.. I like cooking? Sometimes I bring meals to people I know in this place to surprise them..

[viktor feels a pang for that- not being able to immediately give some activities she enjoys. 'hobbies' are something he can't say he has a lot of experience with but given the state of things there's always something to repair or do, and that can be enjoyable.

didn't he just have a whole long talk with palamedes about hobbies and work/life balance? hm. funnily enough cooking was one of the things that came up.]

You are already far more self sufficient than many I know here then. You could probably get work giving cooking lessons if you ever needed to. [especially the shonen boys, oh my god. they needed help sometimes.]

I've been trying to teach my own roommate but I'm hardly much of a chef. I simply learned the power of slow cooking and spices early on. [also the surprise dishes is sweet, though he thinks he'd probably embarrass her if he pointed out as much.]

[ It's a good thing that she's still blushing a little in her awkwardness, because otherwise what he's saying sure would have done the trick to get her there all the same. Chizuru is incredibly easy to fluster, unable to take even the slightest compliment. ]

A-Ah, I wouldn't say that I have any right to teach others..!

[ .. even though he's totally right, and she's definitely good enough to be doing just that. But Chizuru has trouble with ever thinking that highly of herself. ]

I-I mean, if anything, it sounds like the two of us are on the same level when it comes to it, you know..? We just know what to do to get by, especially now we're so far away from our homes..

Are you sure? I do not believe it unless I see it. [he's trying not to be too amused- what! the fluster is endearing. it reminds him a little of jayce when he gets tongue tied about something, but unlike jayce he has no interest in picking on her for it.]

Maybe one day we can cook together and you can prove your point. [this is a thing friends do, right? he's woefully low on that sort of information really, but he enjoys it enough when teaching pal and it would be a good way to see if she's underestimating herself.] I don't have much of a kitchen to speak of, I'm afraid, but I'm sure we could get by.

I think our ideas of kitchens might a little different to start with.. [ Chizuru says, gently, trying to focus on the part of what he's saying that doesn't fluster her too much, naturally.

But she has at least discovered that there are some huge cultural differences in this place between what everyone is used to, so she's not going to assume his idea of a proper kitchen is the same as hers. ]

B-But.. I'd like that.

[ It might not be something Chizuru is used to, making friends and doing stuff with them. But now she's thinking of it, she finds that the idea is.. ]

It's.. warm. I mean.. just thinking of cooking together with a friend.. it makes me feel all warm inside. It's nice. [ She smiles at him, the fluster still there, but minimal at this point. ] So please invite me over sometime when you're feeling up for it.

[ She makes sure to put that in the most casual way possible, but her saying it is very intentional. After all, with Viktor's condition Chizuru can imagine there are times where he wouldn't exactly feel up to that sort of thing. ]

[huh, that's not a bad point about kitchens. viktor tilts his head like he's considering that, then offers a shrug.] That just makes it more interesting, in truth. And eh... I just used a bunsen burner and a single pan for several weeks.

[frankly cooking over a fire would have been better, but here we are. he has access to a real kitchen with a stove and oven and everything now, so at least chizuru won't need to put up with that.

her reaction though, it makes his tone soften despite himself when he says,] Excellent. Perhaps later this week, if you are free. I wanted to try making a stew I only vaguely remember from home, it may be a little trial and error.

[and in truth he simply doesn't care much about cooking unless it's with the intent to feed someone else, so this really is ideal.]

[ VIKTOR....

The only reason he's getting away with an admission like that is that Chizuru is just way too nice for this world. And too polite to openly judge people, even when they say stuff like that.

Instead she just nods, easily agreeing with that timeframe - making some time for it definitely shouldn't be a problem for her.

So she just gets up, holding out a hand to him in assistance. ]

Do you think you could walk again now..?

[ It does seem like he's been coughing less, at least, but Chizuru knows that these things aren't always visible or noticeable. ]

Don't worry, I can walk with you to your house.

[chizuru is too kind, he deserves to suffer for his unfortunate cooking choices. when she offers her hand he reaches to take it, using it and his crutch to get to his feet with a little sigh.

his chest aches but it no longer feels like he's going to curl in on himself any moment, just the vague exhaustion of a particularly annoying coughing fit.]

Thank you, I think it will be fine. The worst has passed. [he releases he hand to lean on his crutch, offers a nod.] The lab is closest, near the Willful Machine markets.

[which he'll start towards, a touch slower than usual despite the inclination to push. after a brief pause he says,] This group you joined were lucky to find you, I think. I find generosity is a rare trait.

[ The girl moves right along when he starts to walk - seemingly trying to match his pace, so she's pretty glad that he started walking first, so she wouldn't have walked insultingly fast or slow..

But she isn't thinking about that for long. When Viktor speaks up again, she instead blinks up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. ]

.. huh?

[ She sounds confused enough that it's almost as if she just heard him speak another language entirely. But no, Chizuru very much did hear the words, and she very much does understand him.

No, instead it's that compliments fluster her so much that she doesn't know how to deal. ]

T-That's--! [ She starts, basically sputtering as they walk. ] I don't think that's the case at all..! A lot of people are really a lot nicer than you might give them credit for once you get to know them! And I, um.. I'm really nothing all that special, I'm just trying my best..!

[ Apparently she's determined to use at least three different ways to downplay this, if not more. She's an expert. ]

[viktor tries not to smile too openly at that reaction, he expected something like it but watching her fluster over so simple a compliment is amusing- maybe a little sad.

he at least keeps his gaze ahead to afford some privacy to fluster in peace, humming along to that assessment before saying,] I'm afraid you will not change my mind on this. We are friends, yes? So it is my duty to eh... hm, how to say it. Point out your strengths?

[you signed up for this, chizuru. absolutely unfortunate decision, he'll now be nice to you regularly.]

W.. Well..!

[ As she sputters, it's pretty obvious that Chizuru wants to protest that statement, but at the same time is quickly realising that if she does, then that means she won't be able to point out Viktor's strengths in turn or compliment him - and that feels absolutely unacceptable to her.

Which means that the flustered protests quickly die down. Instead Chizuru starts fussing, her hands nervously dusting off her clothes as they walk, even though she definitely already got all the dirt off those when she stood up earlier. ]

I'm not.. um. [ She finally starts, only to awkwardly stop again for a moment. Whatever she's about to say, apparently it's difficult for her to admit. ] .. I've never had many friends before back home.

[ Zero friends for most of her life, in fact. ]

So I guess I'm still getting a little used to this..

april catch - all

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