Hubert von Vestra (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bloodypath) wrote2019-10-03 11:06 am
bloodypath) wrote2019-10-03 11:06 am
[There’s a small package on Hubert’s doorstep. As soon as he unwraps the purple paper, he shall see a small bat doll made of felt.
“It reminded me of you” the attached note reads]
“It reminded me of you” the attached note reads]
[...Huh. This was unexpected. It's a useless trinket, and Hubert doesn't think much of it at first. But a few days later, something quietly nags in the back of his mind. The little felt doll reminded him of something.]
[It's with some chagrin that he finds himself knocking on the door to Marie's residence, dressed in warm clothes style in his usual grim black-and-dark-grey fashion.]
[It's with some chagrin that he finds himself knocking on the door to Marie's residence, dressed in warm clothes style in his usual grim black-and-dark-grey fashion.]
[It is not that Marie was expecting him here but she is always glad to have visitors, you see. So she rushes to open the door as soon as she hears the knocking]
Ah, welcome! It’s certainly been a while. Please, go inside. I will make tea!
Ah, welcome! It’s certainly been a while. Please, go inside. I will make tea!
[Hubert inclines his head—but only the bare minimum.] That's hardly necessary, but I'm grateful for your hospitality nonetheless. This will only take a moment.
Oh, are you in a hurry? I would not be stopping you then...
[Too bad, they have not talked in a while and won’t have time to catch up now as well!]
What is this that you wanted to do?
[Too bad, they have not talked in a while and won’t have time to catch up now as well!]
What is this that you wanted to do?
I admit I'm in no rush... If you insist on playing host, I suppose it would be rude of me to decline.
[Hubert's arms have been tucked neatly behind his back, not unlike how someone would stand at a formal occasion. Now, he extends one hand, a plain brown box fit neatly into his palm.]
The only reason I'm here is because I do loathe receiving unreciprocated gifts. Take it. [Most of the time. Details.]
[Hubert's arms have been tucked neatly behind his back, not unlike how someone would stand at a formal occasion. Now, he extends one hand, a plain brown box fit neatly into his palm.]
The only reason I'm here is because I do loathe receiving unreciprocated gifts. Take it. [Most of the time. Details.]
Oh, if that’s the case, I will make some tea later!
[Marie reaches for the box and picks it up from Hubert’s palm]
You did not have to get me anything in return. But I appreciate it a lot. Thank you!
[She smiles and slowly opens the present]
[Marie reaches for the box and picks it up from Hubert’s palm]
You did not have to get me anything in return. But I appreciate it a lot. Thank you!
[She smiles and slowly opens the present]
Don't thank me; it's the principal of it. I despite anything resembling a debt.
[It's earrings—simple and far from expensive, and the closest he could find in shape to the one that Marie had thrown at the fog-feral monster that one night. They are silver-plated, though.]
If you plan on going around throwing your accessories, it's best to use a material some Monsters are averse to.
[It's earrings—simple and far from expensive, and the closest he could find in shape to the one that Marie had thrown at the fog-feral monster that one night. They are silver-plated, though.]
If you plan on going around throwing your accessories, it's best to use a material some Monsters are averse to.
[Does he really feel indebted to someone just because of a holiday gift? That sounds sad...
But - Oh, these are quite lovely! Maybe she does own some more expensive jewelry but it does not matter in the slightest]
Thank you! I really appreciate the gesture.
[She will have to be careful around Scathach with them]
I hope I will not be throwing these at anyone anytime soon, though!
But - Oh, these are quite lovely! Maybe she does own some more expensive jewelry but it does not matter in the slightest]
Thank you! I really appreciate the gesture.
[She will have to be careful around Scathach with them]
I hope I will not be throwing these at anyone anytime soon, though!
[Either that, or he's just being melodramatic.]
[...and she kind of did help him get away from that Monster, that too. A little.]
I as well. I'm shocked it worked the first time—for your own sake, don't make a habit of it.
[...and she kind of did help him get away from that Monster, that too. A little.]
I as well. I'm shocked it worked the first time—for your own sake, don't make a habit of it.
If I am to be completely honest, I was quite surprised myself that it worked the way I intended it to! By all odds, neither of us should have survived that.
[She just says that, with a big smile on her face]
Aren’t we lucky?
[She just says that, with a big smile on her face]
Aren’t we lucky?
If you wish to call it that... then yes, lucky. [He sounds unconvinced.]
[Hubert takes a step back, and offers Marie a prim, formal bow, one hand on his chest and his other arm tucked behind his back.]
That was all. Now, if you excuse me...
[He's trying to make his escape while she's distracted from the idea of taking tea together.]
[Hubert takes a step back, and offers Marie a prim, formal bow, one hand on his chest and his other arm tucked behind his back.]
That was all. Now, if you excuse me...
[He's trying to make his escape while she's distracted from the idea of taking tea together.]
[Now, this attempt has not gone unnoticed by Marie]
Where are you going? Didn’t you say that you would stay over for tea? If you are in a hurry, this is of course fine, but weren’t we just talking about it?
[Do you want to disappoint her, Hubert?]
Where are you going? Didn’t you say that you would stay over for tea? If you are in a hurry, this is of course fine, but weren’t we just talking about it?
[Do you want to disappoint her, Hubert?]
[Ah, well. It was worth a shot. Hubert offers a dry, concessionary smile.]
Ah, I did say if you insisted—and so you have. Very well. [He honestly doesn't give a damn if she's disappointed, but he will conduct himself fittingly for someone who has (so far) proved to be an ally.] But do not expect me to be a lively conversationalist.
Ah, I did say if you insisted—and so you have. Very well. [He honestly doesn't give a damn if she's disappointed, but he will conduct himself fittingly for someone who has (so far) proved to be an ally.] But do not expect me to be a lively conversationalist.
[This attitude might have scared away some people and maybe that is what Hubert has been hoping for, but Marie just smiles and retreats inside the house to start preparing tea]
That’s fine! You are a bit like someone I know in this regard.
[And she gestures to him to follow her]
That’s fine! You are a bit like someone I know in this regard.
[And she gestures to him to follow her]
[And follow he does, his normal walking pace slower than his long legs suggest.]
Is that so? That's not something I hear often.
Is that so? That's not something I hear often.
He is one of my Bonded, a musician.
[Both of her Bonded were musicians, though]
He used to have... quite the reputation. Unrelated to music, but this was because of a misunderstanding.
[Both of her Bonded were musicians, though]
He used to have... quite the reputation. Unrelated to music, but this was because of a misunderstanding.
I understand that you've accepted my request. Very prompt of you.
However, I couldn't help but find something familiar. You were among the recently captured weren't you?
However, I couldn't help but find something familiar. You were among the recently captured weren't you?
Perhaps. I'll see for myself. It will not require you to go into your experiences.
[An address comes along.]
Wait at the door. Give me at least an hour.
[Someone's got to quickly design a test to see if someone's healthy enough to donate.]
[An address comes along.]
Wait at the door. Give me at least an hour.
[Someone's got to quickly design a test to see if someone's healthy enough to donate.]
[The door to the fancy house opens hardly beats later to a tall man dressed warmly in dark colors. He eyes Ven and his scars impassively for a few seconds before stepping outside and closing the door behind him.]
Ventus, I presume. Follow me.
[And he walks off without any further preamble, leading him around to the side of the house and the locked door of a cellar. Hubert pauses in the process of unlocking it.]
Will the location cause any issue for you?
[Cold as Hubert seems, not unaware of the emotional effects of trauma.]
Ventus, I presume. Follow me.
[And he walks off without any further preamble, leading him around to the side of the house and the locked door of a cellar. Hubert pauses in the process of unlocking it.]
Will the location cause any issue for you?
[Cold as Hubert seems, not unaware of the emotional effects of trauma.]
[ven nods, peering up at hubert curiously.] Um, yeah! That's me.
[he follows after him, looking around the house still with that same curiosity until they get to the cellar door. he shows some hesitation seeing what it was, where it was.
underground.
after a moment he shakes his head and offers hubert a smile.]
No, I'll be okay!
[he follows after him, looking around the house still with that same curiosity until they get to the cellar door. he shows some hesitation seeing what it was, where it was.
underground.
after a moment he shakes his head and offers hubert a smile.]
No, I'll be okay!
[There's that stone-faced, observant look of Hubert's again. He's seen that pause before, many times, in someone close to him. But ultimately, it's Ventus' call to make, and his fault for not standing his ground otherwise.]
[So Hubert curtly nods, turning back to open the cellar.]
Very well. I don't expect this to take long.
[It's cold outside, and cold down here where the winter sun couldn't warm it. Hubert lights little floating fires as he descends the steps, lighting up what had once been a wine vault and repurposed into an alchemical lab. The place is absurdly neat and spotless, and while cleaned to the best of Hubert's ability, a Turnskin's nose would pick up on the lingering bitter odors of potion components, from medicinal herbs to chemical compounds to metallic elements. There's also a faint lingering scent of blood, though there isn't a spot of it to be seen in the cellar.]
[Hubert walks over to a bench with empty metal vials and larger empty clay jars. One of the jars is larger than all the others, and sealed; little glowing runes run around it in a circle under the lid. The tall mage gestures to a stool.]
Before we begin, I'd like to see if you're fit enough for this, all considered.
[And he's still impassively watching closely—studying, almost—searching for any sign that Ven is in fact, not okay.]
[So Hubert curtly nods, turning back to open the cellar.]
Very well. I don't expect this to take long.
[It's cold outside, and cold down here where the winter sun couldn't warm it. Hubert lights little floating fires as he descends the steps, lighting up what had once been a wine vault and repurposed into an alchemical lab. The place is absurdly neat and spotless, and while cleaned to the best of Hubert's ability, a Turnskin's nose would pick up on the lingering bitter odors of potion components, from medicinal herbs to chemical compounds to metallic elements. There's also a faint lingering scent of blood, though there isn't a spot of it to be seen in the cellar.]
[Hubert walks over to a bench with empty metal vials and larger empty clay jars. One of the jars is larger than all the others, and sealed; little glowing runes run around it in a circle under the lid. The tall mage gestures to a stool.]
Before we begin, I'd like to see if you're fit enough for this, all considered.
[And he's still impassively watching closely—studying, almost—searching for any sign that Ven is in fact, not okay.]
[the mixture of new scents has ven wrinkling his nose at first, unable to place a lot of the smells except for a few. some of them he could place from being around kairi whenever she practiced her potion making and others he knew from plenty of experience.
blood stood out the most.
ven walks over slowly, head turning as he peers around the lab with an uneasy curiosity.]
Huh? Oh- because... of what happened to me?
[he takes the offered seat, tail curling behind him under the stool.]
So what's gonna happen?
blood stood out the most.
ven walks over slowly, head turning as he peers around the lab with an uneasy curiosity.]
Huh? Oh- because... of what happened to me?
[he takes the offered seat, tail curling behind him under the stool.]
So what's gonna happen?
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