[ OPEN ]

[daemonized]

Who: Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) & YOU!
When: Event things! All throughout October.
Where: All around.
Warning(s): None... yet. Will add if necessary.



i. market district;

[He wasn’t nearby when the explosion had shook the market district, though panic spreads quickly, and the aftermath of such an event is impossible to ignore. Even more so for Ardyn, being part of the royal guard — being delegated orders to provide aid and investigate, it is his own curiosities that truly drive him farther into the area to assist. Granted, his form of “assistance” might be lacking compared to those who are rushing to and fro, enveloped in a frantic need of wanting to help. Instead, it’s easier for him remain calm, more unaffected, eyes taking in the area with a sense of detachment that’s perhaps less than appropriate for the situation at hand. If you need to talk to him, he’s easy enough to spot in the crowd. More specifically, a few things that take place are:

A.) An elderly man, a vendor whose wares had been toppled over completely in the explosion, requires help retrieving his goods now strewn all about the street. Textiles and clothing of various colors, one of which seems to hang high up, caught on the corner of a rooftop of a nearby building. It billows, not unlike a flag flying in the breeze. Ardyn cranes his head up to look at it. Then he says, to the person closest to him:]

Be so kind as to retrieve that for me, will you? I’ve already my hands full.

[And so it seems he does, various unravelled yards of cloth hanging over his arm.

B.) There are, of course, looters. As to be expected, people who would take advantage of tragedy for their own benefit, and the ironic part is that Ardyn generally would not care. And yet there are a couple of young men who are being so bold as to do so right in front of him — only down the street, where they appear to be scrounging around another vendor’s (not currently present) property: an array of decorative items, small enough to be thrown into a bag and carried off nonchalantly. Covered in filigree and adorned with precious gems. Certainly possessing high enough market value to sell for a quick profit.

It’s easy enough for Ardyn to close the distance, of course. A flash of magic, sword in his hand, and suddenly he’s warped from where he was standing to directly in front of one of the men — blade pressed up against his throat. The other looter freezes in shock, mid-crouch, in the midst of picking up a shiny bauble to steal.

The smile Ardyn gives them is… amused, but a little disconcerting.]

At least wait until the cover of night like proper thieves.

[If the second man is slowly reaching for a dagger at his hip, there’s zero indication of Ardyn either noticing or caring. What do you do, passerby?]

ii. red light district;

[Now it’s time for an investigation proper, and who says that all manner of secrets and rumors do not eventually make their way to the red light district? This is where you can find Ardyn tonight, skulking through alleyways and hovering near the edges of crowds, sometimes asking around, sometimes not. He is, of course, dressed in plain clothes, a hundred times more subdued than his usual tastes. No guard uniform, no outfit from Eos to turn any heads. Only Ardyn, looking like a commoner, hair tied back. His only indulgence is a maroon scarf, hanging loosely around his neck.

He is absolutely drawn to the sight of individuals speaking in hushed whispers, for often times they are not being as discreet as they believe. This time, it’s two women, huddled in an darkened alleyway, and Ardyn eyes them from where he stands. He catches something about “Wyver”, but will have to draw closer to hear anything more.

Are you a fellow refugee wanting to unravel this mystery further? Join him in figuring out a creative way to move closer without drawing any unwanted attentions. The women do seem to be on the lookout for anyone snooping around. Alternately, he may speak to you first, muttering:]

Just how inconspicuous can you be?

iii. wildcard;

[Open for future threads, or any prompts that you’d prefer to play out if none of these work! I can be found at aurajen to plot further if you’d like!]

Comments

[originallutece]

[gotta level up to access more of his tragic backstory]

Ultimately, yes. Ultimately, Robert and I ensured that the pieces fell into place in such a way that she never even had the motivation to do such a thing in the first place.

[That's selling Elizabeth a bit short; she played a great hand in her own rescue. But that's not intended as an insult on Rosalind's part; time travel is confusing, and she's not going to explain that without the aid of a blackboard.

Oh, and DeWitt helped. A little. She supposes.]

Rather as if we'd interfered . . . oh, perhaps even before you became a healer at all, I think.

[daemonized]

[And for a man like Ardyn, the only question worth asking in response to that is:]

And why did you want to stop her at all?

[originallutece]

[Ah, and here it is: one of those rare moments when we becomes he and I. Rosalind looks just a touch uncomfortable at that, displeased by any division between her and her Robert.

Carefully, then:]

You don't think saving the world motivation enough?

[daemonized]

That depends. Did you really deem the world worth saving?

[Her, very specifically.]

[originallutece]

[She smiles, and it's not happy, exactly, but it's nice to talk to someone so clever. It's almost relieving, really, to be called out like that, because it means Ardyn is smart enough to catch the manipulation in her words.]

No. I would have been content to let it burn. But Robert was not.

[daemonized]

[Weaving words for the sake of misdirection and manipulation? She's speaking to someone who's been doing that for so many, many years. It isn't hard to pick at the words which stand out to him; it's almost second nature at this point.]

But you deferred to him anyway. Why is that?

[originallutece]

[Because he would have left her otherwise. Because he loves her so very much, but what she can ignore, his developed sense of morality cannot. Because he issued her an ultimatum of the one thing that truly terrified her, and she gave in not an hour after it was issued.]

You're clever, and I think it would be dull to give you all the answers. Why don't you give me your best guess?

[daemonized]

[The answer he would give already floats about in his head, but he was willing to give the her the benefit of the doubt.

After all, his reply makes it sound less than flattering.]

Because love is an awful, powerful emotion that controls us more than we control it. But do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[originallutece]

[No, that's it precisely. Or, well . . . yes and no. She had acted out of selfishness, and that selfishness was born of love. She hadn't done it to please Robert, but to ensure he stayed at her side.]

I did not defer to him. He gave me a choice, and I decided keeping him at my side was worth the tediousness of attempting a long and somewhat impossible task.

You speak with some authority, Mr. Izunia. Is that an analysis based on experience?

[daemonized]

But the choice may as well have been decided before the words were even uttered. In that way, it is not so much deference as it is...

[Mm. What's the word.]

Inevitability.

[At her question, he has to scoff.]

I'm more than two thousand years old, Madam Lutece. My authority over the various modes of human emotion runs the gamut.

[originallutece]

That's an answer, but not to the question I asked.

[Also: stop scoffing at her.]

Specifics, Mr. Izunia.

[daemonized]

[He'll scoff as he pleases! And once again, Rosalind refuses to let him sidestep the question with his non-answer, something he's not always used to.]

You're asking me if I've ever felt love?

[Can he just skip this question please???? Also what are specifics?]

A very long time ago, I suppose.

[originallutece]

[He's incredulous, which might suggest her question is so obvious as to not need an answer, except he's still not answering it. Rosalind isn't smiling yet (she's only just successfully semi-dodged her own question, after all), but she's starting to enjoy herself again now that the tables are turning.]

No recent ones, hm? And what was this distant lover like?

[daemonized]

[Who said anything about distant lovers?, he thinks. She assumes that he meant love in a very specific way, but Ardyn had once also felt love for his family, love for his people -- so much that he would've sacrificed his own spirit for their sakes. Just as moving, just as painful when it's twisted into something shaped like betrayal and misunderstanding.]

You're making assumptions. Lovers or otherwise, that was not the type of love that motivated me to do what I did.

[But this conversation has detailed into a strange territory, and Ardyn isn't sure he wants to entertain it for much longer.]

But none of that matters now.

[originallutece]

[They went from Robert to Ardyn's loves, clearly she's talking about romantic love. Family and country are all very well and good, but-- and this is the important part-- they're never loves she's felt, so they barely come to mind.]

I don't know about that. I'd quite like to hear about it.

[Somewhat because she's curious, mostly because it seems to be throwing him off.]

[daemonized]

[They're opposite in that, then. Country and family were very important to him, and romantic love was a tricky, vacillating thing, when other expectations had been set upon him -- he is... was a romantic at heart, but lovers came and went. His duty to his people was always first and foremost in those days.

And in the years beyond that other life, love was a ghost of a thing, in all forms. Twisted into a caricature of itself; its own sort of daemon, which nestles in his chest.]

That may be, but maybe I would rather not speak on it.

[Stubbornness met with stubbornness.]

[originallutece]

I'll remember this the next time you want to learn something about me, shall I? It's a quid-pro-quo relationship we have, Ardyn, and I shan't give something up unless you do.

[daemonized]

Pick a different subject, Rosalind— [Since they’re using first names, now? He teases her a bit with the use of hers.] —and I shall gladly speak honestly of it. Is that compromise enough for you?

[originallutece]

[maybe post a list of your triggers next time alan lucas calcium

But ugh, fine, she'll find out more about his sordid loves (for person and country both) later. For now . . . what subject does she want to hear that she might not mind telling him in return?

(And for the record: it's one thing for her to use his first name, unintentionally slipped out thanks to their time on the station, but it's quite another for him to use hers).]

You never did explain what that black matter was on the station.

[Probably that topic won't fly either, but one has to try.]

[daemonized]

[alan lucas calcium….i hate u

(Also for the record, it is the second time she’s used his first name. She did just use it right now, after all! He’s owed a chance to use hers at least once.)]

That? Another facet of my power.

[Hilariously, this topic does fly more than the subject of triggering love.]

One that does not run in the family.

[originallutece]

Another side-effect from that disease?

[Probably. She glances around. Their little walk has taken them a good distance from the market, but they're still in a relatively crowded area. But mm, if she could bring them somewhere a little more remote-- Nightingale had shown off his powers near the forest. Surely Ardyn can as well.

If he will is another matter entirely.]

What can you do with it?

[daemonized]

[Sometimes it still feels odd, being able to speak about his abilities so openly. For a multitude of reasons, and for many, many years, he had to keep them under lock and key to himself on Eos — both those of his family line, and those born of the Starscourge. It feels freeing, and yet it’s a constant reminder that things will never be as they once were.

Regardless, he answers honestly enough. It seems he isn’t adverse to speaking of his abilities in a descriptive manner. It’s when she begins to pry about the circumstances surrounding them (or his past in general), does Ardyn become vague and frustrating.]

Indeed. I can use its energy as an attack, as you saw. I can also infuse it temporarily into my weapons, to strengthen them. To make certain that their cuts are particularly painful.

[originallutece]

[Of course it does. Why wouldn't it. That's precisely how diseases work.]

You said it was dangerous I got in front of you. How badly would I have been injured if you'd struck?

[daemonized]

[Especially diseases that practically turn you into a daemon and make you the living embodiment of the Starscourge itself. Then again, maybe that last bit was more destiny's fault. His very existence skewed to play a part that the gods dictated for him.]

That depends. Just how resilient to injury and pain are you compared to a normal person?

[originallutece]

. . . well. Time was nothing could touch me unless I wished for it to.

[But that's clearly not the case here, and she frowns.]

Truth be told, I'm not certain what limits they've imposed upon me. But let's assume a certain amount of resiliency.