[Open] Catch All for January (Some closed prompts)

[unyieldingmarch]

Who: Edelgard von Hresvelg and You!
When: Pre-Snatched Plot, some Post potentially
Where: Dorchacht and Aefenglom
What: A Catchall
Warnings: Possibly discussions of torture, war, and 3 Houses Spoiler Warnings.



Tarnished Reality

[Unsure of what to expect when she stepped through the teleporter, Edelgard had gone fully prepared for the worst, insisting on wearing her scarlet battle armor, with her axe strapped in a leather thong across her back. When she found the city nothing like what she had been told, she'd initially been puzzled, but as it became more apparent that she was not going to be troubled she found herself relaxing fractionally.

Her changes were making it more difficult to function during the day, so she'd come at dusk, well rested and ready to explore the city. Moving among the people, her outlander dress marking her as a Mirrorbound as surely as the unusual battleaxe she carried, the Emperor was quiet through most of her wanderings. The sounds of a scuffle up ahead of her current path drew her up short, though and she stopped and looked around a corner.]

It seems all is not well. [Mumbled, but audible enough for any nearby to hear.] Do you think we should aid the guard?


Bond Lessons

[It's strange seeing other Mirrorbound being pulled up onto the stage, but so far she has avoided being ensnared herself. Watching the goings on is interesting enough, though, but she's still a little uncomfortable with it. So, she slides through the fringes of the crowd towards another unmolested Mirrorbound.]

Eager, are they not?


Home

[Edelgard has made it a point to attempt to win over support from the aristocracy early on, including personally investigating the Mist that had settled in there. The few supporters she'd managed to charm haven't quite turned on her, but when she makes her way out of the district she can feel something building. Tensions are rising, a thing she is extremely familiar with, and that's going to potentially be a problem.

It's not until she leaves the district and makes her way towards the Haven, the cool and crisp night air making her more alert than she might otherwise be, that she senses something amiss.

Eyes narrowed, she pokes her head around the mouth of an alley to see two graffiti artists hard at work. With an exasparated sigh she turns to wave a passing Mirrorbound over.]

Look at this nonsense...


Wildcard

[If you want to plot something out, in Dorch, out of it, a quest, anything else? HMU at intercession and let's figure it out!]

Comments

For Towa

[unyieldingmarch]

[Tea times are a thing Edelgard is absurdly fond of, and who better to enjoy them with than someone that she values? She's grateful that Towa has agreed to have an evening tea instead of something at a more normal hour, given her increasingly nocturnal lifestyle. Not too late, but given the number of monsters that kept irregular hours in the city it wasn't hard to find all night tea shops, and it was only just after dinner anyway.

So, she'll be waiting for her friend just outside one of those shops, dressed as casually as she ever did (sweaters were a wonderful invention, as were slacks), and smiling brightly when the other approached.]

Good evening. I took the liberty of reserving us a table. Shall we?

[overworker]

[Towa was someone who kept some unusual hours for herself, getting up early and still often pushing herself until very late in the evening. So the invitation to an evening tea was just the thing she needed, and she was delighted to be able to do so with Edelgard.]

Thanks for taking care of everything Edelgard.

[Placing her hand on the inside of the other's arm, she allows her to lead the way to their table.]

It's so good to see you again. How've you been?

[unyieldingmarch]

[Edelgard took the arm, leading her friend inside, to the table she'd gotten put together.]

I've been well enough. As well as can be expected, all things considered.

[She shrugs.]

The weather has been hit or miss, and I did not enjoy the power losses last month, or the mistletoe. But otherwise, things are fine.

[overworker]

I know what you mean. I have a lot of friends who don't really enjoy the cold. We were actually stuck in our house through the snow storm last month too. It was pretty rough for a little while. It's a lot more than I'm used to back home at least.

[Snow is one thing, but last month was a lot of challenges all at once.]

I'm glad it didn't affect you too terribly.

Home

[prayerwheel]

[ Azura looks at the graffiti artists for a moment before huffing and banging the end of her lance against the nearest brick wall. It's a loud enough sound that causes them to look up, and...well, idk, do you want to run into these two in an alley at night? Azura's armed and Edelgard is...herself, even if she isn't swinging that axe around. Neither woman needs to say anything before the lil punks look at each other and start to book it out of there. ]

...honestly. "Go back to Dorchacht"?

[unyieldingmarch]

[It's about right. Edelgard isn't carrying Aymr right now, given the size and weight, alongside the sheer intimidation factor of an axe that moves of it's own accord, but she has started carrying a sword. It's better to be armed than not, has a more dignified air, and she has a more than passing familiarity with them.

Resting her hand upon the pommel, she watches the boys retreat...]

This is going to get worse before it gets better.

[prayerwheel]

[ There's a pause, and Azura's irritation fades out into something tired instead. ]

...do you think it will?

[ get better ]

home

[hallucinogem]

[Emerald has a different, more confrontational kind of swagger to her step as she walks over towards Edelgard. her mouth is a bit more of a snout, and her ears are budding out enough to push at her hair. her legs are bulkier, though she hasn't grown into them yet.]

This is home for those refugees. They're already home.

[she's getting so, so tired of dealing with Dorchacht. and maybe it's excess anger bleeding through the Bond, but she's ready to fight these assholes off if she has to.]

Are you planning on stopping them?

[unyieldingmarch]

Absolutely.

[Stopping injustice? Yes. Yes, she is going to do that. Stopping innocents being terrorized? Yes. Yes, she is going to do that, too.

It's fortunate that she's not got Aymr with her, but she has started carrying a sword thanks to all the tensions. A sword her hand now rests upon the pommel of.]

Would you like to join me?

[hallucinogem]

[Emerald reaches behind her back and pulls out her guns, then flips them around in her hands so she's gripping them by the barrels. the blades jut out, clean and quick, and she's effectively holding two thick-gripped knives at her sides now, not raising them as an active threat but simply letting the image get the job done for now.]

Like nothing else. [her weight shifts; her back straightens.] I'll follow your lead. And I can stop them if they try to run.

Home!

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose happened to be on a nighttime stroll when Edelgard stopped her. She wasn’t blind to the rising tension in the city, especially in the aftermath of the last few months.]

[Still, this is a little bit more than she expected. How long before it escalates to violence?]

Ridiculous.

[She frowns, before turning to Edelgard.]

You’d think they had no sense at all. Would you like to stop them?

[unyieldingmarch]

Yes.

[Edelgard's tone is flat, emphatic, and laced with steel.

This is...not great.

She's not mad enough to resort to violence or anything, and she isn't carrying Aymr right now, but there is still a sword strapped to her hip.]

Yes, they should not be terrorizing refugees.

[poisontippedcure]

Good.

[Rose usually knew well enough to keep to herself and not get involved. But the refugees had been kind, and her protective instincts are beginning to kick in. She’s beginning to feel the effects of her monster transformation, too, which makes for a terrible combination.]

[Rings of Fire begin to swirl around her. Instead of real fire, however, they’re a product of illusion magic. Cool to the touch and utterly harmless, but terrifying if you’re not expecting it.]

Let’s have some fun.

Bond Lessons

[kivatteru]

I would think so. [ Wataru is there! And thankfully he also managed to districate himself from the eager folk. ]

They seem to really consider Bonds extremely important. It's understandable, considering what they can do.

[unyieldingmarch]

[Ah good, a familiar face! Edelgard sidles closer, pitching her voice lower.]

Absolutely. I'm given to understand that they did not have such a thing in the city prior to the uprising. That...I believe, happened shortly before we arrived. So, they're feeling it out the same as we are.

[kivatteru]

I hope it ends up well for them. If I was in their shoes, I wouldn't be so overeager, though.

[ Says the guy who used to get frenzy at the idea of making paint out of fish bones. ]

This may sound a bit bold, Lady Edelgard, but... have you had luck with Bonds?

home

[ua_duibhne]

[There's no missing the tension running through the streets of Aefenglom on nights like these. Diarmuid has never been fearful of his safety here and he isn't now but there's a creeping sense of dread in the air that makes his movements more guarded, his smile uneasy.

And so it's not really a surprise to see some less direct forms of hostility too. Diarmuid stops at Edelgard's side, brow immediately creasing as one of the figures draws a crimson streak across the brickwork. He sighs.]

... nonsense is a far more sensitive word than I would have used, my lady.

[With a dull thud, he drops his satchel to the ground and cracks his knuckles. It's a slightly brutish gesture for a knight, yes, but this whole affair has him feeling more than a little wound up.]

Which of the two would you like?

[unyieldingmarch]

You have the right of it, sir. I do prefer to be charitable where I can, though.

[Edelgard's eyes flicker from the man to the troublemakers. She's got the sense that he knows his way around a fight, a warrior's instinct, and that helps.

Frowning slightly, she lowers her hand to the pommel of the short-sword she's begun to keep at her waist in place of the enormous axe she'd carried since she arrived.]

I should think you enough to handle the pair of them. I would prefer to frighten them into reconsidering their actions rather than actually hurt them. If you'd be willing to assist in that, I'd like to attempt it first.

[She gives the man another considering glance, and a firm nod.]

However the atmosphere is beginning to grow more and more strained of late. So if they do not back down, I will take the one on the left. The blonde man.

[ua_duibhne]

[In spite of himself, Diarmuid smiles. Not only does she hold herself like a lady but she talks like a commander and he's always responded well to a little military influence. He nods and turns his attention back to the vandals, that stray curl of his bouncing.]

... ah, a much better plan. [The smile grows a little sheepish.] You've clearly more patience for them than I do. I'll follow your lead.

[They should act quickly, though; he doubts that either of the men will be sticking around much longer than they have to and any sign of opposition is sure to send them scurrying back under whatever rock they crawled out of.]

[bloodypath]

They must learn to keep order for themselves. [His tone's neutral; it's more an observation than objection to her question.] From what I understand they only know guerrilla warfare, and either receiving or doling brutal punishment, depending where they stood before.

[Hubert's learned quickly to stay near Edelgard and other Mirrorbound for the time being in Dorchach. In the short time of exploring on his own, he's been mistaken for one of Morgana's supporters; apparently, his dour bearing and grim sense of fashion fit quite well with the old regime's aesthetics. He's tacked one of the triple stars to his lapel since—and an embroidered flower, on the off-chance it helps lessen the suspicion directed his way.]

[unyieldingmarch]

[Edelgard almost wants to ask about the flower, but thinks better of it, for the moment.]

Yes, I suppose that is true, though in this case it appears the guard are outnumbered. They seem to have stretched a little thin, which...is an unfortunate tactical error.

[And not wise on their part.]

I'm inclined to agree with you, though, I'd like to stay near and stop them if blood starts being shed. There opponents do support the old regime, after all.

[bloodypath]

Resources are rarely plentiful in the wake of a revolution. [Ahaha... ha... being a bureaucrat is suffering sometimes.]

[And really, Hubert would delight in a demonstration of how to quell this scuffle, but a sinister Witch stalking in to intervene, nonviolently or not, stars-marked or not, wouldn't help the overall tension.]

Very well. Shall we supervise them?

[He keeps his arms tucked neatly behind his back, trying for once to not be intimidating. Hubert doubts his success.]

[betweenduskanddawn]

"Edelgard!" Corrin's voice cut through the crowd as El was walking through the city market, and a moment later Corrin herself slipped between a pair of shoppers and reached out to catch her bonded by the arm lightly, just to make sure she didn't miss her. She had a bright smile on her face, red eyes sparkling, and her grip on the other woman's arm tightened happily.

"Sorry for shouting, you're hard to catch up to!" Her lips curled into a grin as she spoke. She'd sensed the woman was nearby, but that was different from knowing precisely where she was, and after a morning spent talking about her bond with several members of this city, she really had wanted to actually see her.

"Isn't this city fascinating?" She said before the other could get any words in. For Corrin, going through the teleporter was as interesting as coming through the mirror had been. It was like finding yet another new world to see. And even though the city had clearly been through some terrible things, they were recovering, and recovering well, as far as she could tell.

It was the sort of positive ending to a story she couldn't help but like.

"I wanted to go exploring more but people kept asking me all these questions," she rolled her eyes. "I don't mind answering but sitting still for that long..." She trailed off with a shake of her head. And even as she spoke, she was already starting to tug Edelgard along through the crowd.

[unyieldingmarch]

Edelgard had felt Corrin coming, of course. She knew exactly where her bonded was, and she also knew that her friend somewhat enjoyed the chase, as it were. Playfully, she laughed, curling her arm inward to tug the other close. It had done wonders for her mood, despite being where they were, feeling Corrin's delight seeping through the bond. She was just so insatiably curious...and the intense feelings that seemed to roil around in her when she spoke about her bond with the residents elicited the same feelings in her that they had to Corrin.

"Fascinating, yes."

Edelgard couldn't disagree there, though her enjoyment of it was somewhat soiled by the understanding that six months ago, she would have been collared and chained here. That manages to keep out of the bond, because there are some aspects that are genuinely interesting. Curiousity about the rise of the economy of a once isolated place, the burgeoning interest in Bonding and it's effects, and the strange feeling of being looked at with respect by locals without having had to do anything all overshadowed that particular dark spot for the Emperor.

"Where do you want to go, Corrin?" she asks, not fighting the tug. She'll follow, for once.

[betweenduskanddawn]

"Mm..." Corrin didn't have a real set plan, exactly, she was just too much in motion to stop moving. So she had to think about it, her head turning back and forth to consider what was in front of her before an errant thought clicked into place.

"Oh!" She grinned. "I wanted to see the wall here. I know someone said they're doing something to it because of...everything that happened here, but I figured they won't mind if we look at it right? Maybe we can go up on top and see outside the city?"

If they didn't want her to, she'd probably still find a way to do it, but it was better to ask!