⚜️• нєαℓιиg ιѕи'т ℓιиєαя •⚜️ @idv-ask-the-empath - Tumblr Blog

She had sensed something was off about the manor… she could tell when the… things that watched the house, became alarmed and curious. Of course, this in turn, affected her own actions in spite of her recent tangle with mystery and the subsequent near death. She supposed though, this would be fine, wouldn’t it…? After all, if it was truly something worrisome… the least she could do was tell that scientist. Sure, he may not have exactly been supernatural the same way she, or the other hunters and survivors were, but he at least, could try to investigate, and if not… contact the Baron if required. She didn’t trust the higher powers of the manor… Hastur was unapproachable and silent in a way that made one think speaking was a death wish. And Yidrah was… well, Yidrah.

So naturally, she went to go and find that strange anomaly… the thing that made even the eyes of the manor jitter with anticipation and curiosity. She searched and searched, the almost ever shifting halls and paintings of the manor almost seeming to… guide her. As if the decision to look had been known amongst them, and they were indulging her curiosity for their… amusement…? Perhaps benefit was a better word. Finally, she happened upon the door, open and lettinf in a most… warm and soft light. How peculiar… she doesn’t recall the garden being here… or the door to the garden looking like this.

She passes through the open door and winces from just how… bright it was. The manor was often dim, save for the garden, so her eyes were a tad sensitive. As she stepped further through the flowers (which from the looks of them, may have been hydrangeas?) she had seen a figure. Something about him was familiar… but that couldn’t be him! He was far too well emotionally to ever be the callous, deer-headed hunter.

“Hello…?” She called out.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Upon hearing somebody emerge from the manor the gamekeeper couldn't help but to look up and-

Who was that? He hadn't seen anybody like her in the manor before... Granted, he didn't get to go to the manor overly often due to his position but, well, still... Was she a new employee? Or perhaps one of the Baron's invited guests? Either way, it'd be rude not to introduce himself.

So with a smile on his face- it was always nice to make a new friend- he stood up straight, a watering can in hand- the gardener's were sick, so he'd offered to help out a little bit when he had the time and so thus here he was, alone in the gardens except for this newbie- as he approached past all the different flowers, waving briefly with his free hand before letting it drop and stay by his side as he came to a stop just in front of her.

"Hi. Did you... need something? I'm just the gamekeeper here, Bane Perez... So you might not see me around much," and he may not be of much use when it came to matters within the manor, "but if there's anything you need help with at all, just let me know and I'll be glad to lend a hand."

He wasn't one for talking, always preferring to let others lead the conversation, but it was difficult to make friends with others if you didn't know how to speak up.

Just like the hunter by the same name, his voice was a little deep and gruff, if only a bit less rough. Contrary to the angry hunter though, his voice was more light-hearted. Even with the same height and body shape he seemed nicer, more soft around the edges and less towering... No limp hindered his movements and his skin was a healthy, living shade rather than the usual grey-purple that was to be seen from the hunter. Even with fabric and cloth covering almost every inch of his body any intimidation that could've brought was immediately destroyed by his friendly attitude.

@idv-ask-the-empath

“Oh… um… hello…” She says with mild shock. She tugged her hood further down and looked down as she frowned, surprised to have not only seen the face of the man (even if it was somewhat obscured by shadow) but to also… see him… uncharacteristically sociable. And friendly. And happy. And really, anything that wasn’t cranky, or angry, or even… melancholy. What sort of trick was this…? Perhaps it was her time in the manor, but… she felt more and more cynical the longer she stayed. And she felt guilty. Ashamed. She wanted to keep her optimism… it felt… better to have it. She felt stronger for it. She remembered her wife loving her for it… she put her hands together in front of her, her hand twisting the golden band around her ring finger. She would.., sort that out later. It was… surprising to have feelings strong enough to counteract someone else’s emotions. She was either feeling far worse about the situation than she thought was, or he wasn’t… as real as he seemed to be. But that was an unkind, and unfair assumption.

“No, no, I don’t need anything.” She says as she looked up towards his face, which managed to catch her off guard each time she looked. Even if the details were difficult, she could still… see just enough. “I apologize for practically waltzing into this lovely garden here… I suppose I am just… confused.” She answered with an audible mumble; with enough truth and puzzlement in it to sound convincing. She looked around the garden, which, bore a striking resemblance to the garden she knew in the manor. But the flowers here were different. Instead of her marigolds, there were hydrangeas. There was lavender growing between them, and there were roses, growing along chiseled marble columns that held up the terrace above the door. When she realized this may have been concerning to him, she smiles- which was easy to do considering the mood that eased her confusion and shock. “Ah, but please, do not worry about me… I am much better situated now.” She says as she looked around. “Would you like some help…?” She’d ask, partially out of what she thinks? Might be a genuine, metaphorical extension of her hand?- and the piece of her own emotions that made her inclined to investigate further… she wanted to figure out what exactly was going on.

Unfortunately, she was hardly clever enough to figure these sorts of things out. She’d need more clues to know. In the distance, she could hear children laughing, playing in another part of the garden. Children…? There were no other children here other than the little girl, and another younger lad whom she had seen but had yet to meet. How peculiar… though, as strange as it was, being in this garden, and hearing the laughter… it was making her feel bittersweet nostalgia. She looks towards the flowers more fondly and brushes her hand against the petals gently as though she were seeing an old friend. She wasn’t sure what was going on here… she wasn’t sure if this was even okay- her being there that is. But she found herself wanting to stay. She hadn’t felt or known relief in any real manner, in the manor until now. She constantly has to reign her thoughts in to focus- though she certainly doesn’t let that show on her expression. Whenever she did so, it seemed more like she was simply spacing out. Her eyes getting distant and lost as she focused on keeping her priorities in order.

“Oh, it’s fine! No need to apologise.” He was quick to accept the apology, not even taking a moment to think as he did so. Only to then pause at the rest of what she said.

Confused?? Was she alright?? She seemed a little... lost? Scared? Had he intimidated her? He sure hoped not... He heard that he could come off that way for some but he didn’t seem that bad, did he? He couldn’t quite be sure, but regardless he had begun to grow a little concerned and almost guilty, ready to speak up until she did so for him. Upon hearing her claim to be ‘better situated’ now, he calmed down. If she said she was alright then he’d trust her. She knew how she felt best, after all. “Sure, some company wouldn’t hurt.” It would be really nice, actually. As much as he loved his job and the cabin he lived in, it could come to be a little lonely sometimes. Sure, he had the hounds and he had Black Nose, but they weren’t always around- the former often stayed in the manor, the kids really enjoyed their company. The latter was growing and far too large for the cabin, not to mention that wild animals needed freedom- and as much as he enjoyed their special sort of company and support, it was just nice to be in the presence of other people who may actually be able to speak with him and respond properly with words rather than barks.

All the people in the manor were nice, too, which only made it better to work with them when he could. Friendly and polite, often smiling or having fun even as they went about working and cleaning. Even grumpy old Burke had a softer side, though he refused to admit it. The DeRoss family was kind to their employees too, and their children were a pure delight- he could hear them laughing from elsewhere in the garden even now, it was nice to know that they were having fun and enjoying the sun! Though hopefully they weren’t accidentally trampling all over the flowers... They should have somebody else watching over them, right? Even still... He’d just have to be careful and remain on-alert so that they didn’t go sneaking into the forest behind his back... Those poachers were pretty quick with their traps sometimes, placing them around even in the middle of the day! Even if their traps were rather awful though, at least the people placing them often were nicer than most- Burke- would think or claim! He just hoped his advice would begin to stick sooner or later... Well, at least they were nice! It just went to show both people within the manor and outside the manor were all pleasant people!

He was sure that she was just as nice... she certainly seemed pretty friendly so far! He looked forward to getting to know her and hopefully becoming good friends with her.

“I’ve already done most of the work but of course those,” he gestured vaguely to some of the nearby roses, “need some watering...” He began walking past her towards the manor’s wall where a tap and another watering can were situated. His needed a refill anyways... So, carefully he filled the two up with water before standing and handing one to her. “How about I take the yellow ones and you can do the white ones?” There seemed to be an even amount of each and once they were watered... well, they’d all be done!

She nodded in response to his words, his voice having dragged her from her thoughts. Perhaps keeping her hands busy would do better to keep her mind from becoming too idle and straying from her actual goal of investigation. She took the watering can, and carefully carried it towards the white roses, where she began to water them. She stuck out like a sore thumb in the area with the white roses. She had already been rather obvious, given the intensity and depth of the red on her cloak. But amongst the white roses, her cloak and silhouette was like blood on their petals. She watered them carefully, careful to avoid giving them too much water. She had tended to roses before… roses of different varieties, in fact. She recalled loving them quite fondly… funny. She never really thought of roses, despite them being one of her favorite flowers. Well. Used to. Despite her pleasant mood, she knew where her train of thought was going. She stops her mind from delving further into her memories. She doesn’t want to lose sight of anything. Besides… seeing as how even if things were pleasant enough, she didn’t want to be taken off guard by anything with malicious intent. Evil wasn’t an emotion, nor was most ill intent… so she’d have to guess. There was always rage, or a sorrow so deep it could cut through any good mood, no matter who she was with… and then there was the worst emotion of all. Obsession. The boiling point where even wonderful things such as love, turn horrid and rotten.

She had to keep herself open and aware enough to sense it… if she could, she’d have to leave. Immediately. No turning back. She seemed a little tense as she finished up her portion of watering the roses, and before long, she had set her watering can on the ground, careful to avoid ruining any flowers. She thinks of questions for him… questions she could ask that sounded inconspicuous but ultimately would clue her in on the nature of… all of this. She had to figure out if this was just some… strange alternate reality, or if this was again, a trick. And she’d have to be able to discern it through whatever this version of Bane was. But so far… things were just… pleasant. She couldn’t feel the curiosity of the watchers that the manor seemed to implement into every living space of the damned manor- save of course, for places that the Baron didn’t seem to care to look at. For reasons unknown, and for better or for worse.

“May I ask… what exactly do you do here, Mister Perez…?” She asks, polite and soft toned. “I know you said you are a “gamekeeper” but ah… I’m not familiar with the term. I come from a rather… I suppose, not so well off town. There’s a lack of proper education where I am from, and if there’s ever anyone in the forest… they are usually hunters or people who like to keep to themselves.” She explained so she didn’t sound like she was needling him about his job. She bent down to observe some of the roses, admiring how well kept they were. It seemed the gardeners loved their job here- at least well enough to take care of things with such care. There wasn’t a single dead branch in the rose bushes. Though, perhaps it was wrong to think that? For all she knew, the staff were abused, and perfection was kept out of fear. But… she glanced towards the man. He seemed alright- though that was under the assumption that all of this was real. She keeps the thought in the back of her head.

He too seemed to stand out amongst all the bright yellow of the roses he was carefully watering. His dark and more neutral coloured clothing being the main contributor, but his larger stature not helping much either. Despite that... He almost felt a sort of companionship seeing the little flowers. He knew little of flower language and all the symbolism, but... One of the gardener’s told him bits and pieces of it once, as they admired the budding seeds and growing stems. They’d said that the yellow rose was fitting for him, that they symbolized joy he always seemed to be full of and friendship that he always offered. He’d been flattered by the comparison and from then on had discovered a newfound fondness for the flower.

“Really? Ah, my apologies. And uh, you can call me Bane.” He’d always been one to willingly take blame for things, a trait that continued even after having becoming a hunter. Granted, he didn’t so readily admit to it unless to friends or other hunters who he believed he may have unintentionally screwed over with his mistake, but still. “A gamekeeper is, well...” He paused his watering for a moment to consider how to properly explain it. Taking into account what she’d said so that he could do so in a way which hopefully made sense to her. It may be best to start from the beginning... He only continued watering as he began to talk. “The baron owns this manor, but also the forest surrounding it, too. This means that alongside having maids and butlers who keep the manor in good condition he must have somebody keeping the forest in good condition. That is essentially the goal of the gamekeeper. Keeping track of what animals live within the forest, how many of what species and if there’s anything of threat to them. If one species is lacking more than it should or if there’s a possible threat to them or the forest as te whole, than it is my job to find a way to fix that. Likewise, if there is too much of a species... I can report to the Baron. As this is his land, the animals technically belong to him too and thus only he can decide who is allowed to hunt them... It is generally left to the gamekeeper to decide when they’re ready to be hunted, though. Some may ignore what they say and hunt regardless, or some people may be too busy to hunt in which case they may enlist the gamekeeper to cull the herd or send a hunting team in their stead...” He paused for a moment, thoughtful and eyebrows furrowing. “Some people like to think that it’s the gamekeeper’s job to raise the animals for slaughter, to merely protect the ‘game’, that is, the animals, so that they can later be hunted by whoever owns the land and whoever they invite to join them, if anybody at all. I suppose they aren’t wrong but... I like to think that we’re all just working together to achieve a simple balance of populations within the forest. Well, most of us...”

A soft sigh escaped him as his thoughts drifted towards the poachers which threatened the game. “Those who attempt to hunt or take animals from these lands without permission are known as ‘poachers’. Since they’re not allowed to take any game and yet attempt to do so anyways. I... suppose one could think of them as thieves, really. Often hunting without any regard to whether they’re allowed to or if they even should...” They were criminals. They were people. Feelings conflicted, annoyance stirring but being quietened quickly. Still, his grip on his watering can tightened. “Because of this, they are deemed a threat to the animals and thus, it is my job to dispose of them should I ever see them on the property. Of course, some innocents may simply wander onto the property too, but... We’ve put some signs up...” It seemed to be working, thankfully, with their being less tourists than before but still he found people wandering on nonetheless... “As for poachers, I make sure to patrol often when I can, dusk and dawn... Removing any traps they set and- uh, turning them in if I find them...”

That was what he was supposed to do, really, but... He never could find it within himself, even if he was seriously tempted to, at times... They were people, after all. People with their own lives and family and... Kindness grants the soul peace... It felt nicer to show them mercy, even if he felt anxious about being fired, but that had yet to happen, despite Burke knowing and despite... Sometimes it felt as though the Baron knew, yet he never did anything so... Whatever, it didn’t matter! He’d just have to convince the poachers to change their ways and then all would be well. It’d work eventually, he was sure. But would it? He just had to have a little faith in them... that was all. Some could argue he had far too much faith, that he was being naive and the poachers would never listen and he was a fool for thinking they would. The hunter by the same name and role had too little faith and trust in people, too quick to push people away and deem them dastardly, but this younger version seemed to have too much faith and trust, blindly trusting people to a fault. Just what could cause the leap from one end of the spectrum to the other? “The property is big, sure... but I can manage.” He’d done well enough so far, at least, and he was certain he could keep up the good work.

By the time he’d finished rambling he had done a decent chunk of the flowers. Ah, perhaps it would’ve been easier to simply say his job was to keep an eye on all the animal populations, report their numbers to the baron and take care of any threats without adding on all of those extra parts... Oh well, it wasn’t as though he could go back and change things and there had been no harm done... right? A hand came up to fidget with one of the leather straps on his outfit as he turned his head towards her just slightly. “Did you uh, get that? Sorry for the rambling, I could try and simplify it for you, if you want...?”

She nodded idly as she looked towards him with an understanding expression, a slight reserved smile crossing her expression. But… a part of her could no doubt sense something in him… her empathic abilities picking up even the slightest bit of troubled emotion within his psyche. How curious… for all the trust and faith he had in others… did he not have enough in himself? Or was he trying to deceive himself…? Was there a passing thought he had about the true nature of this place…? She can’t even tell if that distrust is hers… or his. It could easily be, either or. She wanted to test that theory… though she supposed theory sounded calculated and cold… perhaps it was. The man had so far, been earnest, enthusiastic even, and pleasant. There was no indication that he was lying, and she even felt the mild guilt he felt when he took the responsibility of an issue that hadn’t even been his fault. How she wished she could read intent or minds… emotions were good enough for simple things. Discerning if things were… alright, in situations where nuance didn’t need to be considered. Emotions weren’t even real truths… they were personal ones. Ones that people felt, and believed… beliefs that were thought to be justified by their own hearts. In other words… she’d never be able to spot a lie, or deception. For all she knew about a person’s heart, she’d never know enough.

And that thought alone, was beyond frustrating. Or, it would have been… that was the hard thing about being an empath. She was either filled with grief, or anger, or she was never allowed to process it at all… which made times where she thought about things that made her upset, all the worse for it. It was hard to cope with negative emotions when she was either half asleep, or fighting it off to act and be as functioning as she could. She’d never be able to process her grievances normally… not without it being painful for her, or without any outside assistance- whatever that may have been.

“No, please do not worry. I was able to follow along just fine.” She says with sincerity, her hands raised up as both a stopping, and almost… she supposed, a surrendering gesture. The intent though, was mostly to show him that he could calm himself, and that he wouldn’t have to worry about her comprehension skills. Though she pauses almost hesitantly, unsure of how he’d react to what she was about to ask. If this was the Gamekeeper she knew… he was likely to strike her where she stood, but the longer she stayed here with this… more human, Gamekeeper, she was hoping she could push the envelope a bit. Not in a way that would be suspicious, just… more so, in a manner that would allow it to be more interpretable. “Are you alright, though… Mister P- I mean… Bane…?” She says, soon following up with, “Sorry… I suppose it’s just… a force of habit…” She mumbled, audible enough to catch if he was paying attention. “I’m not too used to calling people by their names unless we’re close.” She’d clarify before walking over to the section where the roses were red. She looked right at home with them.

“Though, that is not to say that calling you by your name is necessarily bad either. I suppose it’s just different from what I am used to, is all.” She’d reassure him, thinking if he was as sincere as she believed him to be, he’d likely put the weight of that unto himself, and really, she’d rather avoid that… for both of their sakes. The conversation was already likely to turn a bit awkward, and she’d rather avoid him feeling like he messed up somehow. She would quite literally, feel the secondhand embarrassment wash through her, and that was never comfortable.

“Good.” He nodded, relieved that his rambling hadn’t been so incoherent after all... Maybe he could teach Burke a thing or two about that, haha! He appreciated the old man’s willingness to trust him with news about whatever machines he was inventing but honestly he didn’t understand a single thing that was being said about them... All the technical jargon just continued to fly over his head no matter how many times the old man tried to explain them! Maybe someday he’d begin to learn. As it was, though, that day didn’t seem like it’d be anytime soon.

He lifted the now-empty water can, looking at the dripping petals and wet soil and silently trying to determine whether he’d done well enough. ... Yeah, this seemed alright to him! He gave a satisfied nod to the thorny flowers and rose properly to his feet, both hands holding onto the watering can as he looked around the garden. There were small dirt paths winding and weaving between and around some of the different types and colours of flowers.

Before he could contemplate what to do next, though, he was startled by her question. Was he... alright? He blinked, confused. Taking a few moments to try and comprehend the question and confirm he had indeed heard that right. Unlike the other, older version of himself, though, he didn’t react negatively to it at all, instead going along the path of being more confused. Was there some sort of reason he shouldn’t be alright? Why’d she ask? But then she was off on another topic about names and he moved his focus to first address that before anything else, chuckling softly and waving a hand dismissively as though to wave off any worries she may have about it. “Don’t worry, I understand. I... suppose you may refer to me however you like, if that’s most comfortable for you!” It felt a little weird but he was sure that he could adjust.

“And as for your question, yes, I’m alright. Is there, uh, a reason you ask?” Had he done or said something to create a cause for concern? He hoped not. Really, everything was fine. He loved living in and working for the manor and despite the small issue also known as poachers, he was doing quite well and enjoying his time here! It was a nice sunny day, the sunlight warm and pleasant as it shone down upon them without being overly harsh. A few clouds also dotted the sky here and there but none threatened to rain. “But um, are you alright? Being so far from home and with all these new and different things...” It must be cause for a little bit of culture shock, at the very least. Hopefully she wasn’t too homesick though... Or perhaps there may be some other problem pestering her? Whatever the case may be, his earlier offer of help would always stand and he hoped that she would at least remember that.

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #adttp #adttp event #adttp + delara #we get ONE colored drawing bcus I was feeling good

Sensing his confusion probably would have been funny if not for the fact that she was also feeling confused, and in turn, beginning to doubt why she was doing any of this in the first place, which was already something she was struggling to keep a hold of. It was strange really… all these years, she’s lived with her empathic abilities, yet she still struggled to think with her head instead of her heart. She was so easily swayed, and so weak willed… though others who had loved her simply just said that she just had a good heart. It was one thing to feel someone’s emotions, and leave it at that. But to actively choose to ease pain, or to encourage joy, or to even see things from another perspective was said to be a good thing. Though, at the time (and even now) she had thought that anything would sound good if someone reframed it like that, especially because she knew herself… she was as selfless as she was selfish. Nowadays, there was rarely an act of kindness that wasn’t in part, to help herself… she glances at the man. He was someone who was sincere, and even happy… the manor was full of characters, but sincere was rare… even the trustworthy Coordinator had her own secrets. So… was it even fair to try and rip the whole place apart for answers?

She finds herself even further confounded that she could have this train of thought at all… though perhaps it was simply just because the emotions were easier to parse from hers. Her base mood was never joy or even optimism in a vague sense… it was apathy. Therefore, the emotion of joy was his. Confusion, was mutual, even if the reason behind them was different… parsing what belonged to who, was easier to sort out in moments like this. Moments where emotions weren’t so overbearing and suffocating that she thought it would snuff out her sense of self. Moments that were calm, and even somewhat positive to ease her mood and herself. This was easy… no complicated emotions… nothing mixed, or hidden beneath the surface- at least, as far as she could tell. Just simple, clean, easy emotions to put into identifiable boxes. There may have been a few bits of him that was reminiscent of the hunter she knew… somewhere buried deep within him, but… she doesn’t think it really matters now. The emotions that were prominent were more reflective of who he was now, than the emotions that had lingered deep inside.

“Oh… thank you…” She says in response to his agreement in letting her be more formal with him. And with his question, she realized perhaps she did step a bit too far… but it wasn’t as if it was something that she couldn’t just shrug off. Something she could make an excuse for. “Ah sorry if it was odd to ask… I was just wondering is all. It feels as though it would be hard to deal with poachers, and even have to be the one to maintain the balance of a forest… I suppose I’m just thinking of things from my own view though… I could never be confrontational in any manner.” She chuckles sheepishly before she moved on to address his question… something she sighed at with a solemn manner. “I am alright…” She’d say as she looked at him with a smile that was bittersweet in its nature.

“There’s nothing there worth yearning or missing anymore… not for me at least.”

She had sensed something was off about the manor… she could tell when the… things that watched the house, became alarmed and curious. Of course, this in turn, affected her own actions in spite of her recent tangle with mystery and the subsequent near death. She supposed though, this would be fine, wouldn’t it…? After all, if it was truly something worrisome… the least she could do was tell that scientist. Sure, he may not have exactly been supernatural the same way she, or the other hunters and survivors were, but he at least, could try to investigate, and if not… contact the Baron if required. She didn’t trust the higher powers of the manor… Hastur was unapproachable and silent in a way that made one think speaking was a death wish. And Yidrah was… well, Yidrah.

So naturally, she went to go and find that strange anomaly… the thing that made even the eyes of the manor jitter with anticipation and curiosity. She searched and searched, the almost ever shifting halls and paintings of the manor almost seeming to… guide her. As if the decision to look had been known amongst them, and they were indulging her curiosity for their… amusement…? Perhaps benefit was a better word. Finally, she happened upon the door, open and lettinf in a most… warm and soft light. How peculiar… she doesn’t recall the garden being here… or the door to the garden looking like this.

She passes through the open door and winces from just how… bright it was. The manor was often dim, save for the garden, so her eyes were a tad sensitive. As she stepped further through the flowers (which from the looks of them, may have been hydrangeas?) she had seen a figure. Something about him was familiar… but that couldn’t be him! He was far too well emotionally to ever be the callous, deer-headed hunter.

“Hello…?” She called out.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Upon hearing somebody emerge from the manor the gamekeeper couldn't help but to look up and-

Who was that? He hadn't seen anybody like her in the manor before... Granted, he didn't get to go to the manor overly often due to his position but, well, still... Was she a new employee? Or perhaps one of the Baron's invited guests? Either way, it'd be rude not to introduce himself.

So with a smile on his face- it was always nice to make a new friend- he stood up straight, a watering can in hand- the gardener's were sick, so he'd offered to help out a little bit when he had the time and so thus here he was, alone in the gardens except for this newbie- as he approached past all the different flowers, waving briefly with his free hand before letting it drop and stay by his side as he came to a stop just in front of her.

"Hi. Did you... need something? I'm just the gamekeeper here, Bane Perez... So you might not see me around much," and he may not be of much use when it came to matters within the manor, "but if there's anything you need help with at all, just let me know and I'll be glad to lend a hand."

He wasn't one for talking, always preferring to let others lead the conversation, but it was difficult to make friends with others if you didn't know how to speak up.

Just like the hunter by the same name, his voice was a little deep and gruff, if only a bit less rough. Contrary to the angry hunter though, his voice was more light-hearted. Even with the same height and body shape he seemed nicer, more soft around the edges and less towering... No limp hindered his movements and his skin was a healthy, living shade rather than the usual grey-purple that was to be seen from the hunter. Even with fabric and cloth covering almost every inch of his body any intimidation that could've brought was immediately destroyed by his friendly attitude.

@idv-ask-the-empath

“Oh… um… hello…” She says with mild shock. She tugged her hood further down and looked down as she frowned, surprised to have not only seen the face of the man (even if it was somewhat obscured by shadow) but to also… see him… uncharacteristically sociable. And friendly. And happy. And really, anything that wasn’t cranky, or angry, or even… melancholy. What sort of trick was this…? Perhaps it was her time in the manor, but… she felt more and more cynical the longer she stayed. And she felt guilty. Ashamed. She wanted to keep her optimism… it felt… better to have it. She felt stronger for it. She remembered her wife loving her for it… she put her hands together in front of her, her hand twisting the golden band around her ring finger. She would.., sort that out later. It was… surprising to have feelings strong enough to counteract someone else’s emotions. She was either feeling far worse about the situation than she thought was, or he wasn’t… as real as he seemed to be. But that was an unkind, and unfair assumption.

“No, no, I don’t need anything.” She says as she looked up towards his face, which managed to catch her off guard each time she looked. Even if the details were difficult, she could still… see just enough. “I apologize for practically waltzing into this lovely garden here… I suppose I am just… confused.” She answered with an audible mumble; with enough truth and puzzlement in it to sound convincing. She looked around the garden, which, bore a striking resemblance to the garden she knew in the manor. But the flowers here were different. Instead of her marigolds, there were hydrangeas. There was lavender growing between them, and there were roses, growing along chiseled marble columns that held up the terrace above the door. When she realized this may have been concerning to him, she smiles- which was easy to do considering the mood that eased her confusion and shock. “Ah, but please, do not worry about me… I am much better situated now.” She says as she looked around. “Would you like some help…?” She’d ask, partially out of what she thinks? Might be a genuine, metaphorical extension of her hand?- and the piece of her own emotions that made her inclined to investigate further… she wanted to figure out what exactly was going on.

Unfortunately, she was hardly clever enough to figure these sorts of things out. She’d need more clues to know. In the distance, she could hear children laughing, playing in another part of the garden. Children…? There were no other children here other than the little girl, and another younger lad whom she had seen but had yet to meet. How peculiar… though, as strange as it was, being in this garden, and hearing the laughter… it was making her feel bittersweet nostalgia. She looks towards the flowers more fondly and brushes her hand against the petals gently as though she were seeing an old friend. She wasn’t sure what was going on here… she wasn’t sure if this was even okay- her being there that is. But she found herself wanting to stay. She hadn’t felt or known relief in any real manner, in the manor until now. She constantly has to reign her thoughts in to focus- though she certainly doesn’t let that show on her expression. Whenever she did so, it seemed more like she was simply spacing out. Her eyes getting distant and lost as she focused on keeping her priorities in order.

“Oh, it’s fine! No need to apologise.” He was quick to accept the apology, not even taking a moment to think as he did so. Only to then pause at the rest of what she said.

Confused?? Was she alright?? She seemed a little... lost? Scared? Had he intimidated her? He sure hoped not... He heard that he could come off that way for some but he didn’t seem that bad, did he? He couldn’t quite be sure, but regardless he had begun to grow a little concerned and almost guilty, ready to speak up until she did so for him. Upon hearing her claim to be ‘better situated’ now, he calmed down. If she said she was alright then he’d trust her. She knew how she felt best, after all. “Sure, some company wouldn’t hurt.” It would be really nice, actually. As much as he loved his job and the cabin he lived in, it could come to be a little lonely sometimes. Sure, he had the hounds and he had Black Nose, but they weren’t always around- the former often stayed in the manor, the kids really enjoyed their company. The latter was growing and far too large for the cabin, not to mention that wild animals needed freedom- and as much as he enjoyed their special sort of company and support, it was just nice to be in the presence of other people who may actually be able to speak with him and respond properly with words rather than barks.

All the people in the manor were nice, too, which only made it better to work with them when he could. Friendly and polite, often smiling or having fun even as they went about working and cleaning. Even grumpy old Burke had a softer side, though he refused to admit it. The DeRoss family was kind to their employees too, and their children were a pure delight- he could hear them laughing from elsewhere in the garden even now, it was nice to know that they were having fun and enjoying the sun! Though hopefully they weren’t accidentally trampling all over the flowers... They should have somebody else watching over them, right? Even still... He’d just have to be careful and remain on-alert so that they didn’t go sneaking into the forest behind his back... Those poachers were pretty quick with their traps sometimes, placing them around even in the middle of the day! Even if their traps were rather awful though, at least the people placing them often were nicer than most- Burke- would think or claim! He just hoped his advice would begin to stick sooner or later... Well, at least they were nice! It just went to show both people within the manor and outside the manor were all pleasant people!

He was sure that she was just as nice... she certainly seemed pretty friendly so far! He looked forward to getting to know her and hopefully becoming good friends with her.

“I’ve already done most of the work but of course those,” he gestured vaguely to some of the nearby roses, “need some watering...” He began walking past her towards the manor’s wall where a tap and another watering can were situated. His needed a refill anyways... So, carefully he filled the two up with water before standing and handing one to her. “How about I take the yellow ones and you can do the white ones?” There seemed to be an even amount of each and once they were watered... well, they’d all be done!

She nodded in response to his words, his voice having dragged her from her thoughts. Perhaps keeping her hands busy would do better to keep her mind from becoming too idle and straying from her actual goal of investigation. She took the watering can, and carefully carried it towards the white roses, where she began to water them. She stuck out like a sore thumb in the area with the white roses. She had already been rather obvious, given the intensity and depth of the red on her cloak. But amongst the white roses, her cloak and silhouette was like blood on their petals. She watered them carefully, careful to avoid giving them too much water. She had tended to roses before… roses of different varieties, in fact. She recalled loving them quite fondly… funny. She never really thought of roses, despite them being one of her favorite flowers. Well. Used to. Despite her pleasant mood, she knew where her train of thought was going. She stops her mind from delving further into her memories. She doesn’t want to lose sight of anything. Besides… seeing as how even if things were pleasant enough, she didn’t want to be taken off guard by anything with malicious intent. Evil wasn’t an emotion, nor was most ill intent… so she’d have to guess. There was always rage, or a sorrow so deep it could cut through any good mood, no matter who she was with… and then there was the worst emotion of all. Obsession. The boiling point where even wonderful things such as love, turn horrid and rotten.

She had to keep herself open and aware enough to sense it… if she could, she’d have to leave. Immediately. No turning back. She seemed a little tense as she finished up her portion of watering the roses, and before long, she had set her watering can on the ground, careful to avoid ruining any flowers. She thinks of questions for him… questions she could ask that sounded inconspicuous but ultimately would clue her in on the nature of… all of this. She had to figure out if this was just some… strange alternate reality, or if this was again, a trick. And she’d have to be able to discern it through whatever this version of Bane was. But so far… things were just… pleasant. She couldn’t feel the curiosity of the watchers that the manor seemed to implement into every living space of the damned manor- save of course, for places that the Baron didn’t seem to care to look at. For reasons unknown, and for better or for worse.

“May I ask… what exactly do you do here, Mister Perez…?” She asks, polite and soft toned. “I know you said you are a “gamekeeper” but ah… I’m not familiar with the term. I come from a rather… I suppose, not so well off town. There’s a lack of proper education where I am from, and if there’s ever anyone in the forest… they are usually hunters or people who like to keep to themselves.” She explained so she didn’t sound like she was needling him about his job. She bent down to observe some of the roses, admiring how well kept they were. It seemed the gardeners loved their job here- at least well enough to take care of things with such care. There wasn’t a single dead branch in the rose bushes. Though, perhaps it was wrong to think that? For all she knew, the staff were abused, and perfection was kept out of fear. But… she glanced towards the man. He seemed alright- though that was under the assumption that all of this was real. She keeps the thought in the back of her head.

He too seemed to stand out amongst all the bright yellow of the roses he was carefully watering. His dark and more neutral coloured clothing being the main contributor, but his larger stature not helping much either. Despite that... He almost felt a sort of companionship seeing the little flowers. He knew little of flower language and all the symbolism, but... One of the gardener’s told him bits and pieces of it once, as they admired the budding seeds and growing stems. They’d said that the yellow rose was fitting for him, that they symbolized joy he always seemed to be full of and friendship that he always offered. He’d been flattered by the comparison and from then on had discovered a newfound fondness for the flower.

“Really? Ah, my apologies. And uh, you can call me Bane.” He’d always been one to willingly take blame for things, a trait that continued even after having becoming a hunter. Granted, he didn’t so readily admit to it unless to friends or other hunters who he believed he may have unintentionally screwed over with his mistake, but still. “A gamekeeper is, well...” He paused his watering for a moment to consider how to properly explain it. Taking into account what she’d said so that he could do so in a way which hopefully made sense to her. It may be best to start from the beginning... He only continued watering as he began to talk. “The baron owns this manor, but also the forest surrounding it, too. This means that alongside having maids and butlers who keep the manor in good condition he must have somebody keeping the forest in good condition. That is essentially the goal of the gamekeeper. Keeping track of what animals live within the forest, how many of what species and if there’s anything of threat to them. If one species is lacking more than it should or if there’s a possible threat to them or the forest as te whole, than it is my job to find a way to fix that. Likewise, if there is too much of a species... I can report to the Baron. As this is his land, the animals technically belong to him too and thus only he can decide who is allowed to hunt them... It is generally left to the gamekeeper to decide when they’re ready to be hunted, though. Some may ignore what they say and hunt regardless, or some people may be too busy to hunt in which case they may enlist the gamekeeper to cull the herd or send a hunting team in their stead...” He paused for a moment, thoughtful and eyebrows furrowing. “Some people like to think that it’s the gamekeeper’s job to raise the animals for slaughter, to merely protect the ‘game’, that is, the animals, so that they can later be hunted by whoever owns the land and whoever they invite to join them, if anybody at all. I suppose they aren’t wrong but... I like to think that we’re all just working together to achieve a simple balance of populations within the forest. Well, most of us...”

A soft sigh escaped him as his thoughts drifted towards the poachers which threatened the game. “Those who attempt to hunt or take animals from these lands without permission are known as ‘poachers’. Since they’re not allowed to take any game and yet attempt to do so anyways. I... suppose one could think of them as thieves, really. Often hunting without any regard to whether they’re allowed to or if they even should...” They were criminals. They were people. Feelings conflicted, annoyance stirring but being quietened quickly. Still, his grip on his watering can tightened. “Because of this, they are deemed a threat to the animals and thus, it is my job to dispose of them should I ever see them on the property. Of course, some innocents may simply wander onto the property too, but... We’ve put some signs up...” It seemed to be working, thankfully, with their being less tourists than before but still he found people wandering on nonetheless... “As for poachers, I make sure to patrol often when I can, dusk and dawn... Removing any traps they set and- uh, turning them in if I find them...”

That was what he was supposed to do, really, but... He never could find it within himself, even if he was seriously tempted to, at times... They were people, after all. People with their own lives and family and... Kindness grants the soul peace... It felt nicer to show them mercy, even if he felt anxious about being fired, but that had yet to happen, despite Burke knowing and despite... Sometimes it felt as though the Baron knew, yet he never did anything so... Whatever, it didn’t matter! He’d just have to convince the poachers to change their ways and then all would be well. It’d work eventually, he was sure. But would it? He just had to have a little faith in them... that was all. Some could argue he had far too much faith, that he was being naive and the poachers would never listen and he was a fool for thinking they would. The hunter by the same name and role had too little faith and trust in people, too quick to push people away and deem them dastardly, but this younger version seemed to have too much faith and trust, blindly trusting people to a fault. Just what could cause the leap from one end of the spectrum to the other? “The property is big, sure... but I can manage.” He’d done well enough so far, at least, and he was certain he could keep up the good work.

By the time he’d finished rambling he had done a decent chunk of the flowers. Ah, perhaps it would’ve been easier to simply say his job was to keep an eye on all the animal populations, report their numbers to the baron and take care of any threats without adding on all of those extra parts... Oh well, it wasn’t as though he could go back and change things and there had been no harm done... right? A hand came up to fidget with one of the leather straps on his outfit as he turned his head towards her just slightly. “Did you uh, get that? Sorry for the rambling, I could try and simplify it for you, if you want...?”

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She nodded idly as she looked towards him with an understanding expression, a slight reserved smile crossing her expression. But… a part of her could no doubt sense something in him… her empathic abilities picking up even the slightest bit of troubled emotion within his psyche. How curious… for all the trust and faith he had in others… did he not have enough in himself? Or was he trying to deceive himself…? Was there a passing thought he had about the true nature of this place…? She can’t even tell if that distrust is hers… or his. It could easily be, either or. She wanted to test that theory… though she supposed theory sounded calculated and cold… perhaps it was. The man had so far, been earnest, enthusiastic even, and pleasant. There was no indication that he was lying, and she even felt the mild guilt he felt when he took the responsibility of an issue that hadn’t even been his fault. How she wished she could read intent or minds… emotions were good enough for simple things. Discerning if things were… alright, in situations where nuance didn’t need to be considered. Emotions weren’t even real truths… they were personal ones. Ones that people felt, and believed… beliefs that were thought to be justified by their own hearts. In other words… she’d never be able to spot a lie, or deception. For all she knew about a person’s heart, she’d never know enough.

And that thought alone, was beyond frustrating. Or, it would have been… that was the hard thing about being an empath. She was either filled with grief, or anger, or she was never allowed to process it at all… which made times where she thought about things that made her upset, all the worse for it. It was hard to cope with negative emotions when she was either half asleep, or fighting it off to act and be as functioning as she could. She’d never be able to process her grievances normally… not without it being painful for her, or without any outside assistance- whatever that may have been.

“No, please do not worry. I was able to follow along just fine.” She says with sincerity, her hands raised up as both a stopping, and almost… she supposed, a surrendering gesture. The intent though, was mostly to show him that he could calm himself, and that he wouldn’t have to worry about her comprehension skills. Though she pauses almost hesitantly, unsure of how he’d react to what she was about to ask. If this was the Gamekeeper she knew… he was likely to strike her where she stood, but the longer she stayed here with this… more human, Gamekeeper, she was hoping she could push the envelope a bit. Not in a way that would be suspicious, just… more so, in a manner that would allow it to be more interpretable. “Are you alright, though… Mister P- I mean… Bane…?” She says, soon following up with, “Sorry… I suppose it’s just… a force of habit…” She mumbled, audible enough to catch if he was paying attention. “I’m not too used to calling people by their names unless we’re close.” She’d clarify before walking over to the section where the roses were red. She looked right at home with them.

“Though, that is not to say that calling you by your name is necessarily bad either. I suppose it’s just different from what I am used to, is all.” She’d reassure him, thinking if he was as sincere as she believed him to be, he’d likely put the weight of that unto himself, and really, she’d rather avoid that… for both of their sakes. The conversation was already likely to turn a bit awkward, and she’d rather avoid him feeling like he messed up somehow. She would quite literally, feel the secondhand embarrassment wash through her, and that was never comfortable.

She had sensed something was off about the manor… she could tell when the… things that watched the house, became alarmed and curious. Of course, this in turn, affected her own actions in spite of her recent tangle with mystery and the subsequent near death. She supposed though, this would be fine, wouldn’t it…? After all, if it was truly something worrisome… the least she could do was tell that scientist. Sure, he may not have exactly been supernatural the same way she, or the other hunters and survivors were, but he at least, could try to investigate, and if not… contact the Baron if required. She didn’t trust the higher powers of the manor… Hastur was unapproachable and silent in a way that made one think speaking was a death wish. And Yidrah was… well, Yidrah.

So naturally, she went to go and find that strange anomaly… the thing that made even the eyes of the manor jitter with anticipation and curiosity. She searched and searched, the almost ever shifting halls and paintings of the manor almost seeming to… guide her. As if the decision to look had been known amongst them, and they were indulging her curiosity for their… amusement…? Perhaps benefit was a better word. Finally, she happened upon the door, open and lettinf in a most… warm and soft light. How peculiar… she doesn’t recall the garden being here… or the door to the garden looking like this.

She passes through the open door and winces from just how… bright it was. The manor was often dim, save for the garden, so her eyes were a tad sensitive. As she stepped further through the flowers (which from the looks of them, may have been hydrangeas?) she had seen a figure. Something about him was familiar… but that couldn’t be him! He was far too well emotionally to ever be the callous, deer-headed hunter.

“Hello…?” She called out.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Upon hearing somebody emerge from the manor the gamekeeper couldn't help but to look up and-

Who was that? He hadn't seen anybody like her in the manor before... Granted, he didn't get to go to the manor overly often due to his position but, well, still... Was she a new employee? Or perhaps one of the Baron's invited guests? Either way, it'd be rude not to introduce himself.

So with a smile on his face- it was always nice to make a new friend- he stood up straight, a watering can in hand- the gardener's were sick, so he'd offered to help out a little bit when he had the time and so thus here he was, alone in the gardens except for this newbie- as he approached past all the different flowers, waving briefly with his free hand before letting it drop and stay by his side as he came to a stop just in front of her.

"Hi. Did you... need something? I'm just the gamekeeper here, Bane Perez... So you might not see me around much," and he may not be of much use when it came to matters within the manor, "but if there's anything you need help with at all, just let me know and I'll be glad to lend a hand."

He wasn't one for talking, always preferring to let others lead the conversation, but it was difficult to make friends with others if you didn't know how to speak up.

Just like the hunter by the same name, his voice was a little deep and gruff, if only a bit less rough. Contrary to the angry hunter though, his voice was more light-hearted. Even with the same height and body shape he seemed nicer, more soft around the edges and less towering... No limp hindered his movements and his skin was a healthy, living shade rather than the usual grey-purple that was to be seen from the hunter. Even with fabric and cloth covering almost every inch of his body any intimidation that could've brought was immediately destroyed by his friendly attitude.

@idv-ask-the-empath

“Oh… um… hello…” She says with mild shock. She tugged her hood further down and looked down as she frowned, surprised to have not only seen the face of the man (even if it was somewhat obscured by shadow) but to also… see him… uncharacteristically sociable. And friendly. And happy. And really, anything that wasn’t cranky, or angry, or even… melancholy. What sort of trick was this…? Perhaps it was her time in the manor, but… she felt more and more cynical the longer she stayed. And she felt guilty. Ashamed. She wanted to keep her optimism… it felt… better to have it. She felt stronger for it. She remembered her wife loving her for it… she put her hands together in front of her, her hand twisting the golden band around her ring finger. She would.., sort that out later. It was… surprising to have feelings strong enough to counteract someone else’s emotions. She was either feeling far worse about the situation than she thought was, or he wasn’t… as real as he seemed to be. But that was an unkind, and unfair assumption.

“No, no, I don’t need anything.” She says as she looked up towards his face, which managed to catch her off guard each time she looked. Even if the details were difficult, she could still… see just enough. “I apologize for practically waltzing into this lovely garden here… I suppose I am just… confused.” She answered with an audible mumble; with enough truth and puzzlement in it to sound convincing. She looked around the garden, which, bore a striking resemblance to the garden she knew in the manor. But the flowers here were different. Instead of her marigolds, there were hydrangeas. There was lavender growing between them, and there were roses, growing along chiseled marble columns that held up the terrace above the door. When she realized this may have been concerning to him, she smiles- which was easy to do considering the mood that eased her confusion and shock. “Ah, but please, do not worry about me… I am much better situated now.” She says as she looked around. “Would you like some help…?” She’d ask, partially out of what she thinks? Might be a genuine, metaphorical extension of her hand?- and the piece of her own emotions that made her inclined to investigate further… she wanted to figure out what exactly was going on.

Unfortunately, she was hardly clever enough to figure these sorts of things out. She’d need more clues to know. In the distance, she could hear children laughing, playing in another part of the garden. Children…? There were no other children here other than the little girl, and another younger lad whom she had seen but had yet to meet. How peculiar… though, as strange as it was, being in this garden, and hearing the laughter… it was making her feel bittersweet nostalgia. She looks towards the flowers more fondly and brushes her hand against the petals gently as though she were seeing an old friend. She wasn’t sure what was going on here… she wasn’t sure if this was even okay- her being there that is. But she found herself wanting to stay. She hadn’t felt or known relief in any real manner, in the manor until now. She constantly has to reign her thoughts in to focus- though she certainly doesn’t let that show on her expression. Whenever she did so, it seemed more like she was simply spacing out. Her eyes getting distant and lost as she focused on keeping her priorities in order.

“Oh, it’s fine! No need to apologise.” He was quick to accept the apology, not even taking a moment to think as he did so. Only to then pause at the rest of what she said.

Confused?? Was she alright?? She seemed a little... lost? Scared? Had he intimidated her? He sure hoped not... He heard that he could come off that way for some but he didn’t seem that bad, did he? He couldn’t quite be sure, but regardless he had begun to grow a little concerned and almost guilty, ready to speak up until she did so for him. Upon hearing her claim to be ‘better situated’ now, he calmed down. If she said she was alright then he’d trust her. She knew how she felt best, after all. “Sure, some company wouldn’t hurt.” It would be really nice, actually. As much as he loved his job and the cabin he lived in, it could come to be a little lonely sometimes. Sure, he had the hounds and he had Black Nose, but they weren’t always around- the former often stayed in the manor, the kids really enjoyed their company. The latter was growing and far too large for the cabin, not to mention that wild animals needed freedom- and as much as he enjoyed their special sort of company and support, it was just nice to be in the presence of other people who may actually be able to speak with him and respond properly with words rather than barks.

All the people in the manor were nice, too, which only made it better to work with them when he could. Friendly and polite, often smiling or having fun even as they went about working and cleaning. Even grumpy old Burke had a softer side, though he refused to admit it. The DeRoss family was kind to their employees too, and their children were a pure delight- he could hear them laughing from elsewhere in the garden even now, it was nice to know that they were having fun and enjoying the sun! Though hopefully they weren’t accidentally trampling all over the flowers... They should have somebody else watching over them, right? Even still... He’d just have to be careful and remain on-alert so that they didn’t go sneaking into the forest behind his back... Those poachers were pretty quick with their traps sometimes, placing them around even in the middle of the day! Even if their traps were rather awful though, at least the people placing them often were nicer than most- Burke- would think or claim! He just hoped his advice would begin to stick sooner or later... Well, at least they were nice! It just went to show both people within the manor and outside the manor were all pleasant people!

He was sure that she was just as nice... she certainly seemed pretty friendly so far! He looked forward to getting to know her and hopefully becoming good friends with her.

“I’ve already done most of the work but of course those,” he gestured vaguely to some of the nearby roses, “need some watering...” He began walking past her towards the manor’s wall where a tap and another watering can were situated. His needed a refill anyways... So, carefully he filled the two up with water before standing and handing one to her. “How about I take the yellow ones and you can do the white ones?” There seemed to be an even amount of each and once they were watered... well, they’d all be done!

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She nodded in response to his words, his voice having dragged her from her thoughts. Perhaps keeping her hands busy would do better to keep her mind from becoming too idle and straying from her actual goal of investigation. She took the watering can, and carefully carried it towards the white roses, where she began to water them. She stuck out like a sore thumb in the area with the white roses. She had already been rather obvious, given the intensity and depth of the red on her cloak. But amongst the white roses, her cloak and silhouette was like blood on their petals. She watered them carefully, careful to avoid giving them too much water. She had tended to roses before… roses of different varieties, in fact. She recalled loving them quite fondly… funny. She never really thought of roses, despite them being one of her favorite flowers. Well. Used to. Despite her pleasant mood, she knew where her train of thought was going. She stops her mind from delving further into her memories. She doesn’t want to lose sight of anything. Besides… seeing as how even if things were pleasant enough, she didn’t want to be taken off guard by anything with malicious intent. Evil wasn’t an emotion, nor was most ill intent… so she’d have to guess. There was always rage, or a sorrow so deep it could cut through any good mood, no matter who she was with… and then there was the worst emotion of all. Obsession. The boiling point where even wonderful things such as love, turn horrid and rotten.

She had to keep herself open and aware enough to sense it… if she could, she’d have to leave. Immediately. No turning back. She seemed a little tense as she finished up her portion of watering the roses, and before long, she had set her watering can on the ground, careful to avoid ruining any flowers. She thinks of questions for him… questions she could ask that sounded inconspicuous but ultimately would clue her in on the nature of… all of this. She had to figure out if this was just some… strange alternate reality, or if this was again, a trick. And she’d have to be able to discern it through whatever this version of Bane was. But so far… things were just… pleasant. She couldn’t feel the curiosity of the watchers that the manor seemed to implement into every living space of the damned manor- save of course, for places that the Baron didn’t seem to care to look at. For reasons unknown, and for better or for worse.

“May I ask… what exactly do you do here, Mister Perez…?” She asks, polite and soft toned. “I know you said you are a “gamekeeper” but ah… I’m not familiar with the term. I come from a rather… I suppose, not so well off town. There’s a lack of proper education where I am from, and if there’s ever anyone in the forest… they are usually hunters or people who like to keep to themselves.” She explained so she didn’t sound like she was needling him about his job. She bent down to observe some of the roses, admiring how well kept they were. It seemed the gardeners loved their job here- at least well enough to take care of things with such care. There wasn’t a single dead branch in the rose bushes. Though, perhaps it was wrong to think that? For all she knew, the staff were abused, and perfection was kept out of fear. But… she glanced towards the man. He seemed alright- though that was under the assumption that all of this was real. She keeps the thought in the back of her head.

She had sensed something was off about the manor… she could tell when the… things that watched the house, became alarmed and curious. Of course, this in turn, affected her own actions in spite of her recent tangle with mystery and the subsequent near death. She supposed though, this would be fine, wouldn’t it…? After all, if it was truly something worrisome… the least she could do was tell that scientist. Sure, he may not have exactly been supernatural the same way she, or the other hunters and survivors were, but he at least, could try to investigate, and if not… contact the Baron if required. She didn’t trust the higher powers of the manor… Hastur was unapproachable and silent in a way that made one think speaking was a death wish. And Yidrah was… well, Yidrah.

So naturally, she went to go and find that strange anomaly… the thing that made even the eyes of the manor jitter with anticipation and curiosity. She searched and searched, the almost ever shifting halls and paintings of the manor almost seeming to… guide her. As if the decision to look had been known amongst them, and they were indulging her curiosity for their… amusement…? Perhaps benefit was a better word. Finally, she happened upon the door, open and lettinf in a most… warm and soft light. How peculiar… she doesn’t recall the garden being here… or the door to the garden looking like this.

She passes through the open door and winces from just how… bright it was. The manor was often dim, save for the garden, so her eyes were a tad sensitive. As she stepped further through the flowers (which from the looks of them, may have been hydrangeas?) she had seen a figure. Something about him was familiar… but that couldn’t be him! He was far too well emotionally to ever be the callous, deer-headed hunter.

“Hello…?” She called out.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Upon hearing somebody emerge from the manor the gamekeeper couldn't help but to look up and-

Who was that? He hadn't seen anybody like her in the manor before... Granted, he didn't get to go to the manor overly often due to his position but, well, still... Was she a new employee? Or perhaps one of the Baron's invited guests? Either way, it'd be rude not to introduce himself.

So with a smile on his face- it was always nice to make a new friend- he stood up straight, a watering can in hand- the gardener's were sick, so he'd offered to help out a little bit when he had the time and so thus here he was, alone in the gardens except for this newbie- as he approached past all the different flowers, waving briefly with his free hand before letting it drop and stay by his side as he came to a stop just in front of her.

"Hi. Did you... need something? I'm just the gamekeeper here, Bane Perez... So you might not see me around much," and he may not be of much use when it came to matters within the manor, "but if there's anything you need help with at all, just let me know and I'll be glad to lend a hand."

He wasn't one for talking, always preferring to let others lead the conversation, but it was difficult to make friends with others if you didn't know how to speak up.

Just like the hunter by the same name, his voice was a little deep and gruff, if only a bit less rough. Contrary to the angry hunter though, his voice was more light-hearted. Even with the same height and body shape he seemed nicer, more soft around the edges and less towering... No limp hindered his movements and his skin was a healthy, living shade rather than the usual grey-purple that was to be seen from the hunter. Even with fabric and cloth covering almost every inch of his body any intimidation that could've brought was immediately destroyed by his friendly attitude.

@idv-ask-the-empath

#adttp #adttp + delara #adttp event #Delara whispers #idv oc #idv oc ask blog #idv askblog #idv ask the empath #idv empath

“Oh… um… hello…” She says with mild shock. She tugged her hood further down and looked down as she frowned, surprised to have not only seen the face of the man (even if it was somewhat obscured by shadow) but to also… see him… uncharacteristically sociable. And friendly. And happy. And really, anything that wasn’t cranky, or angry, or even… melancholy. What sort of trick was this…? Perhaps it was her time in the manor, but… she felt more and more cynical the longer she stayed. And she felt guilty. Ashamed. She wanted to keep her optimism… it felt… better to have it. She felt stronger for it. She remembered her wife loving her for it… she put her hands together in front of her, her hand twisting the golden band around her ring finger. She would.., sort that out later. It was… surprising to have feelings strong enough to counteract someone else’s emotions. She was either feeling far worse about the situation than she thought was, or he wasn’t… as real as he seemed to be. But that was an unkind, and unfair assumption.

“No, no, I don’t need anything.” She says as she looked up towards his face, which managed to catch her off guard each time she looked. Even if the details were difficult, she could still… see just enough. “I apologize for practically waltzing into this lovely garden here… I suppose I am just… confused.” She answered with an audible mumble; with enough truth and puzzlement in it to sound convincing. She looked around the garden, which, bore a striking resemblance to the garden she knew in the manor. But the flowers here were different. Instead of her marigolds, there were hydrangeas. There was lavender growing between them, and there were roses, growing along chiseled marble columns that held up the terrace above the door. When she realized this may have been concerning to him, she smiles- which was easy to do considering the mood that eased her confusion and shock. “Ah, but please, do not worry about me… I am much better situated now.” She says as she looked around. “Would you like some help…?” She’d ask, partially out of what she thinks? Might be a genuine, metaphorical extension of her hand?- and the piece of her own emotions that made her inclined to investigate further… she wanted to figure out what exactly was going on.

Unfortunately, she was hardly clever enough to figure these sorts of things out. She’d need more clues to know. In the distance, she could hear children laughing, playing in another part of the garden. Children…? There were no other children here other than the little girl, and another younger lad whom she had seen but had yet to meet. How peculiar… though, as strange as it was, being in this garden, and hearing the laughter… it was making her feel bittersweet nostalgia. She looks towards the flowers more fondly and brushes her hand against the petals gently as though she were seeing an old friend. She wasn’t sure what was going on here… she wasn’t sure if this was even okay- her being there that is. But she found herself wanting to stay. She hadn’t felt or known relief in any real manner, in the manor until now. She constantly has to reign her thoughts in to focus- though she certainly doesn’t let that show on her expression. Whenever she did so, it seemed more like she was simply spacing out. Her eyes getting distant and lost as she focused on keeping her priorities in order.

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale…” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

Well, this was certainly something, huh? His lips pressed into a firm line, humming softly. Somewhere private to discuss this… He didn’t like where this was going… Then again, he didn’t really like anything about this situation at all. Regardless, he gave an understanding nod and a chuckle, fingers tapping against his staff. “Of course! Those survivors can be a real pesky lot, can’t they? I’ll make sure nobody hears a word… Just follow after me!” With that said he turned around and began walking towards his lab. Rather than actually entering, though, he moved past it to instead stop before his supposed bedroom. It took a minute or two to actually find the keys, grumbling to himself as he searched before finally finding it with a grin, sticking it in and opening up carefully, holding it open for her before closing and locking it once again.

“Make yourself comfortable or whatever…”

The place seemed more like a guest room than anything, though. Dusty and cold, personal items non-existent. Even the bed, although unmade and messy, appeared as though it hadn’t been touched in weeks. It was mostly clean and organised but only due to disuse. That was what made it special, though. Why spy upon a room that isn’t even used? There were no hidden cameras or speakers, not even a single piece of technology for communication with the master of the house. Even the transceivers he usually held on him had been left behind when he’d left the lab earlier. He generally lived in his lab more often than not, having even been forced by Bane to set up a basic bed in there so he would have an alternative to simply sleeping at his desk. Now it seemed like it was his turn to try and repay the favour, whether the man liked it or not.

A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall just beside the chest of drawers. His brow was furrowed as his finger tapped against his staff, the metallic sound ringing and repetitive. Although the action and expression could be seen as impatience, those who knew him well enough could tell the concern it truly held. “Now… you wanna tell me what the fuck happened during that match? Bane keeps brushing it off and your letter was just as useless.” Of course, the gesture was… somewhat appreciated, a little suspicious (granted, he was always a little skeptical and suspicious of everybody in general, but the letter, cryptic and confusing as fuck, made him more suspicious than usual), but in the end rather useless considering he’d known something had happened the moment he had next caught sight of his friend, lumbering about with that self-destructive tension in his shoulders and unusually curt responses. Bonbon hadn’t a clue of what happened either… With the gamekeeper being so stubborn he had little choice other than to try and get whatever information he could out of Delara.

She… was a strange one. She always made sure to inform him when one of those brats messed with his machines and returned what she could, but always refused to tell him whose ass he needed to kick. A shame, but he’d be sure to find out someday. At the very least he’d been glad to have somebody in the manor who was at least somewhat helpful. Granted, it may be a ploy to get his trust or something, but at least he didn’t need to keep ordering new parts or digging through the mess of his lab so often. It was clear that she was more on the smart side, though, at least having the common sense to take this conversation elsewhere.

She wanted to sit, as she had a distinct feeling that she wouldn’t have been able to last the conversation without wanting to sit and take a breather. Yet, at the lack of any real options outside of the bed (which she felt would have been rude in spite of its obvious neglect), she remains standing, only just by the doorway, and leaning on the wall. With his shift in tone, from almost warm and welcoming, to cold and straightforward, it was somewhat jarring, even in spite of the fact that his emotions were guiding her idea of what tone the conversation was following. The disconnect… is uncomfortable. Too familiar. But she manages to shrug it off. At least it wasn’t sinister… yet. For all she knew, she could be his next science experiment if she didn’t provide a good enough answer, or if he felt as though she were only messing with him. She had remained quiet because of that. She wanted to live- or at least, some part of her wanted to. She didn’t care how she ended up really, but dying painfully wasn’t exactly on her agenda either… therefore, a little thought was required. She thinks for a moment about how to phrase her words without sounding absolutely mad in the head, yet she finds herself unable to… with a troubled expression and a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair- somewhat anxious in its manner.

“I would like to, but I wouldn’t know where to start, Mr. Lapadura…” She replied as she looked towards him. “All of this will sound insane… but given that we live amongst gods, I hope the suspension of disbelief will be easily held, and if not… at least, entertained.” She says before stopping her anxious movements, only to fidget with her ring as she looked down on instinct. She was never any good with eye contact. She could already feel people’s emotions to such an unnerving sensitivity, she didn’t think eye contact was required. “The Gamekeeper and I… we followed one of the cats that live in one of the game areas… what was it called again…? Eversleeping Town…?” She didn’t know exactly why, but even though she knew Bane’s actual name, she was never comfortable enough to say it. That’s how it was for a lot of the hunter’s… though for the others whom she called by name… perhaps it was just because certain titles just… didn’t sit well with her. She would never call the scientist ‘Mad Eyes’ even if that was his title. “We went out on to a lake… or what we thought, was a lake… curiously enough, we were able to stand on the water. The cat, Kotaro, showed us so… we continued to journey past the lake’s pagoda until we ended up walking into what felt like this… endless void. It was so hard to see past it, yet we never needed any light to see one another. It felt… unreal…” As she spoke, her expression got tighter, and the way she moved her ring around her finger became more neurotic.

For a moment she pauses as she remembered the dread of it all… the overwhelming terror and and sheer horror of it. The desperation that felt like it was clawing at her throat… the sobbing and the begging. She seemed to shake for a moment as she remembered, even rubbing the skin of her finger raw from how much she was turning the ring around it. The pain seems to drag her out of it, and in spite of her it stung with the ring sitting on sensitive flesh, she didn’t bother removing it. She mumbled a sorry apology, the words almost too quiet to hear as she she shook her head, as though doing so would clear her thoughts. “Eventually… we found this.. thing… I don’t know what it was, but it was… awful. The voices that came out… it sounded like it was suffering…” She says, trying to steel her nerves as she remembered. “What’s worse, is that I could hear the voices of… children… begging and sobbing to let them go… let them out… why would there be children here, of all places…? Let alone in such pain, and in such a twister form…” She rubbed her temples before pulling her hood down further- though it doesn’t do much since the fabric was already pulled down as far as it could go. “After that, the water, or floor or… whatever it was… it began to swallow us… we began sinking, so we had to run back… the Gamekeeper… he was still spiraling from all of it… I don’t know how or why, but he was feeling much worse about it than I… I think he even felt… guilt… but I can’t discern why…” She explained, not having realized she had made an observation that was a little… too on the nose and suspicious. Ah, well… what could she do…? She just wanted a chance to get it all off her chest. “Not that it’s my business… but it was certainly difficult… I swear, I could feel it from across the town…” She mumbled. It almost sounded more like a dig at the Gamekeeper, rather than it being more literal, yet… the lack of ill intent in her voice made it clear that it wasn’t intentionally rude. Though perhaps, that would only make things more confusing…

He remained silent for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he processed what he was just told. Of course, at first he was a little skeptical and doubtful but as it went on… Well, that was far too wild of a story to simply make up, now, wasn’t it? She was right about the deities, too, this whole manor had become a home ground for anything weird and supernatural. Ghosts, undead, people with magical abilities and those supposed ‘deities’… Really, just what had his manor come to? The final nail in the coffin though was her mention of children, causing him to freeze where he stood, knuckles turning white and metal scraping as he tightened his grip on his staff. Children, begging and sobbing to be let go… He grit his teeth together, stubbornly looking away and trying to push back the painful memory. Annoying… frustration surfaced quickly, annoyed that he had to be reminded of that damned day at all. As though to remind himself of where he was now, he ground his metal foot into the ground, looking down and watching the amber coloured metal move as he focused on her words. Her mention of his friend’s reaction instantly struck something within him, head turning instantly so that his gaze fell upon her.

Children and guilt, huh? A sigh escaped him, a hand moving away from his staff to instead pinch the bridge of his nose. “Of course it’s this shit…” He muttered under his breath. It was a little relieving to know it was just some of this, but that didn’t completely stop his concerns… Bane usually dealt with it all rather well. Granted, perhaps not as well as Bonbon tended to- but even then Bonbon wasn’t perfect, the trashed rooms he had to fix up was proof of it- but certainly much better than he himself usually tended to deal with this… The gamekeeper could always manage to talk with Bonbon, to reminisce with them on the past and lose himself in the nostalgia. He may have a few bad days here and there, quieter or grumpier than usual, but it was rare for him to spiral so badly like this, if even at all, most likely to happen on the day it all had happened… That… Creature… must have really gotten to him. Bane always seemed to recover, though. Wandering the woods for hours or days until he just showed up again covered in dirt and sticks or, on the rare occasion, blood. They’d often talk it through, after. Hanging around within his lab drinking and talking until they fell asleep… Bane would come back, it would just take some time. … Unless he sent Bonbon to retrieve the man early. That would just anger the man more though, he’d have to think it over more later…

For now? He narrowed his eyes at the woman, hand moving to hold his chin gently as he frowned, thinking. “Guilt, huh? What makes you say that?” It was far too specific. She’d been too precise with that deduction and it set him on-edge. A chuckle escaped him as he tapped his staff against the ground twice, grinning at her. “Shouldn’t that mask make it a little tricky to tell these things?” Hiding his face and muffling his mutters… Sometimes it even caused him and Bonbon a little bit of difficulty when understanding their friend. Yet she simply came to this conclusion while barely knowing him at all? It was certainly strange… at most he’d expect her to assume he’d simply been scared and nothing more. “So just how could you possibly come to that sort of conclusion, miss?” Did… it have something to do with her abilities? Was she just another one of those magical weirdos like that seer and priestess and all that? Perhaps he should’ve gone and asked Bonbon about her whole ‘empath’ title…

She rubbed her temples again at the sudden flare of his anger. God, were all of the hunters just naturally pissed off? She has to resist the urge to snap. Even after a day’s worth of rest, she was still feeling worse for wear. She knew she should have stayed in her room for a little longer… but even she couldn’t stand to stay in her room for too long. She takes a moment to take a deep breath as she felt his emotions shift, in unease and suspicion. That was… technically better, but still something she wouldn’t have liked to feel… well, she knew better than most that a beggar couldn’t be a chooser. She sighs at her misstep. She was usually so careful about these sorts of things. Though, perhaps a part of her just… didn’t care anymore. She was too exhausted to give much effort into keeping her abilities a secret at the moment. Besides… maybe it would encourage a lack of interactions where they shared a space. At least it would make speaking easier. She could drop a conversation if she wanted to, and she didn’t think the old man would care. Soon, she moved her gaze up to look at him with a mildly unnerved and cautious expression.

No point in lying now… was there?

“Ah… as you know… I am the “empath”… I can influence other’s emotions… but I can also feel them as well… it’s rather… overwhelming, especially when half the people here are full of anger and spite.” She says with mild bitterness and a sense of exhaustion before taking another deep breath. She seemed surprised at her own tone before she looked down again, trying to regain some composure as she felt surely, that bitterness wasn’t her own. She was so used to just letting apathy wash over her, she nearly forgot she could feel other emotions by herself. Things like this made it hard to feel… human. Like a person. She wonders why she was even sent there as a survivor… wouldn’t she have been better off as a hunter…? Of course not. She couldn’t stand the thought of hurting someone else… bitterness or not. Anger and hatred, or not. She doesn’t think she could summon any primal bloodlust from herself.

After a moment of trying to calm herself, she doesn’t bother lifting her head up to meet his gaze. She thinks it’ll only make it harder to speak and keep herself together. Half of her conversations were like this anyways, unless she was speaking with a more light hearted person. She begins to speak again, more hesitant as though she isn’t sure if it was really worth trying to explain herself even further. She doesn’t think she’d be convincing enough, but she gives it a shot anyways.

“But don’t… worry about what I may do. I tend to keep things under control… I don’t like using my abilities on others… it’s a burden… carrying other people’s emotions so they don’t have to… and outside of that, and the idea of taking someone’s Will away is unsettling…” She pauses before continuing, unsure if she should voice the later half of her thoughts, before deciding that she may as well. It couldn’t get a worse reaction. “That is… unless something is unbearable… if someone else loses control, there’s a stronger chance that I may do the same… but even then it’s suffocating to deal with…” It’s more of a mumble that’s barely audible, but he could hear it if he cared enough to try and catch it. She was of course, vaguely referring to how she pacified the Gamekeeper’s grief and guilt, and left him with dull annoyance. At least then he’d have the will to keep going. She stops speaking after a bit, feeling as though she were just rambling about personal feelings that likely wouldn’t have mattered to him. But at least it’s off her chest.

She thinks she’d feel lighter, but she isn’t sure now. She was tired still, and she had emotions that were throwing her perception of herself into conflict.

Well, her abilities certainly didn’t make him happy. But… He took it surprisingly alright, the unease he had barely deepening as he pondered it over. Emotions… They were a fickle, troublesome thing. Humans could easily be manipulated using them- just another annoying flaw- but, well, emotions didn’t equate to thought. No matter how much she changed peoples emotions, she wouldn’t be able to directly change their opinions or anything. He’d always been a more logical person anyways… It wasn’t as though she could completely control his mind or anything so, well, what’s the harm? Of course, he’d make sure to be wary of it and to, if possible, find a way to properly counter it. He was no fool, after all. But to have such an ability in a place like this, though… He couldn’t help but to laugh, a near-manic cackle, fitting of the ‘mad scientist’ idea many may have of him, leaving his throat as amusement bubbled within him. Only once his bout of laughter began to die down did he speak up again. “Well shit, being here must really suck for you, huh?” Just what had the baron been thinking? Was the old bastard finding some sort of amusement in all of this? This must be like her own personal hell or something. On the bright side he supposed she at least had easier access to that barmaid’s alcohol… But still, he almost felt a little sorry for her. “Jeez, and surrounded by all those little brats too, aren’t you?” Little rats crawling all around his damn manor… “Well, I suppose should you ever want to live a little farther from them I could go ahead and fix up one of those damaged rooms…” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, still grinning faintly. The repair progress was rather slow but he’d have this manor back to it’s former glory before anybody even realised!

“And bah! Don’t worry yourself, I’m not that concerned over it!” Bane may like to call him paranoid, but he liked to consider himself to be prepared. Prepared in a calm, 10-steps-ahead-of-everybody-else sort of way. “I’m no fool. I would make sure to stop you before you can even try!” Arrogant, really, almost condescending. The old man had lived a long time, long enough to gain confidence in himself and his abilities. He’d seen and met a lot of people and by this point he’d certainly like to believe he was capable of picking up on who had ill intentions and who didn’t. Honestly though, what sort of head-of-security would he even be if he couldn’t even do that much?

“Really, I’d worry more for yourself, girlie.” He grimaced briefly as he looked her over. She seemed like she needed a few drinks. Unfortunately for her though he wasn’t keen on sharing any of his. She’d simply just have to pick something up from the barmaid. “You better not collapse on me, alright?” His tone had taken on a slight prickle of annoyance. “I won’t be carrying you to your room or anything and the hallways aren’t the best place to sleep.” He’d certainly learned that well enough himself, having done it once or twice when he drank too much or worked too hard… The back and neck pain it caused was even more unpleasant than when he’d fallen asleep hunched over his desk and ended up accidentally using one of his projects as a pillow. Besides, with all the damned people in this manor now, she may end up having a rude awakening should some idiot go tripping over her. Not that he was overly concerned as to what really happened to her and most survivors in general, but still.

“I don’t expect you or anyone to do anything of the sort… I will take care of myself.” She replied with a firm nod before pinching the bridge of her nose. That bout of amusement had certainly lightened her mood, but now she was focusing on sifting her own feelings from his, and trying to focus on the actual topic of the conversation. “But that aside, yes.. it is absolutely dreadful being near most people… people here are either angry, or hopelessly melancholy, and while I do my best to be understanding, there are some that feel beyond understanding… I definitely need to keep an eye on some of them so they don’t do anything foolish…” She adds, airing out her last grievance before finally shifting the topic back to the one that got her dragged there in the first place. “But that is enough about me… I don’t think you wanted to listen to me rant about my teammates…” She says, gesturing vaguely for emphasis. She shifted her eyes to look at him. “Is there anything else you wanted to know…? Because I wanted to ask if you… happened to know anything about what we saw. You were one of the first hunters here, so I thought maybe… maybe you knew something…” she seems hesitant… as though she isn’t sure if she should be asking at all.

She was just trying to piece things together in spite of the fact that she knew it wouldn’t have been a good idea. If anything, she just wanted closure for herself… it’s not as though she could somehow change any of this… so the least she could do is understand what was going on. Better than nothing, she thinks… then again, that’s what she’s thought before in other situations as well… and those had a tendency to end in tragedy or near-death experiences for her. She seemed like she was going to try and rescind the question judging by how she opened her mouth and looked up at him again before she shook her head and decided that she lay as well just stick with it… she already asked, there was no point in saying anything else. He’d probably tell her off in either case.

Right now however, she was just trying to keep herself awake. She kept her eyes on the floor as she did her best to keep her actions under control, as well as keep her mind on the right track. It kept… drifting. To the starless sky of the Eversleeping Town… the way the darkness swallowed them, yet everything remained perfectly lit… she recalled how it always seemed that the moon was… somehow there, and not there at the same time. How surreal looking at the sky felt… and then her mind would drift to the sounds… the wailing of that multi-eyed creature… the poor thing… so full of grief and betrayal. She wondered… what had happened to it…? And where was all of that grief coming from…? She wished she knew… she wished that shaman girl she had met on the road was there… an odd lady she was… so oddly at peace with fate, and yet… so unnerving… but she was positive at least. And knowledgeable… perhaps some day she’d meet her here? The manor seemed to attract odd people…

Anger and sadness seemed to breed within the manor, a force tainting and ruining everything within it mercilessly. Well, most things, at least. Bonbon was pretty happy with all the people in the manor and some of the survivors or hunters seemed to be adjusting arguably well with the whole situation. Regardless of their emotional state, though, they all seemed to have some loud personalities. “Yeah, not unless I had a few bottles of the good stuff and someplace nice to sit so I could complain about them with you.” Despite his limited experience in matches or hanging around the other people of the manor he had enough stories to tell about survivors and hunters alike. With a shake of his head he sighed, refocusing on the reason for this discussion in the first place.

“As for this whole situation and that monster… Well, I can’t say I know anything about it, unfortunately.” He had a vague idea or two but knew nothing for certain. Those voices and Bane’s reaction, it definitely had something to do with the incident and the baron, too. There was no way the man was oblivious to this all, but getting answers out of him could be difficult. “I may have been here a while,” longer than she thought, for a large chunk of his life, “but I’m a busy man. I don’t like people and I don’t find much need to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong. I just play my matches and build my machines.” He’d seen things, of course, how couldn’t he? The eyes that open in the darkness and the distortion of the walls, the whispers in his ear and the moving of the paintings were far too obvious to ignore. Some things were better left unknown, though, and if these things didn’t really do much then why did they matter so much? They’d only started once the baron returned and the baron, while suspicious and odd these days, was still his friend and business partner. “Even if I did notice anything, what’s it really matter if it doesn’t affect me?” So long as he could continue his precious work in peace it didn’t matter to him what the man was up to. Well, unless it affected Bane or Bonbon or something, he supposed…

The most important thing to know right now, though, was… “What are you planning on doing about all of this?” Her next course of action, what she planned and intended on doing. Whether they liked it or not her choices would likely affect them all. He and Bane were the two the baron could most properly communicate with and thus, the two he’d trust to take care of anything he perceived to be an issue. Which meant either Bane would be pushed even more- not ideal, the man would push himself beyond his limits, would work until his body gave up on him, what he needed was rest- or that he would be asked to do something- also not ideal, he had better things to do than somebody else’s dirty work. Either way, it wouldn’t be ideal. The thought made him uneasy, a mild concern about what may be to come swirling around him beneath a mild annoyance at all the trouble it’d cause. While he wouldn’t outright stop her should she decide to try and investigate he’d certainly try to dissuade her at least a little.

She could feel his unease and the concern… it was mixing in with her own, and overpowering any possible thoughts of trying to further her investigations. At least… at the moment. Then again, thinking about it properly now… it wasn’t as though she could actually do anything about it… her powers could in theory, be formidable sure, but they were hardly developed enough to influence anything like gods, or anyone mad enough to deal with gods or otherworldly horrors. Even if they were. She imagines the consequences of such a feat would be devastating unto her… who knows what could happen…? She could break under the pressure, or perhaps if she managed to get them angry… she tensed. She began fiddling with her ring, which was notably well taken care of as opposed to the dress she wore, or the worm edge of her red cloak. The slowly decaying state of her dress was considerably less noticeable, but it was clear enough near the hem of her skirt.

“… I think at worst, I may just get curious and investigate… or try to, at least… but I’m afraid I haven’t the right wits or strength to do so, so it’s not as though it is anything achievable for me…” She says as she thinks about her answer. “And between dying for knowing too much as I am now, or going mad for looking into the matter… I think I would much prefer death…” She says, deliberate and slow so she could think about if this is what she truly wanted… see, the ironic thing was, a lot of her choices were pragmatic in a way. It’s true, her actions themselves tended to be benevolent without prompting, simply for the sake of trying to maintain morality and because well… it felt good to do good. But when it came to choices… matters that dealt with her abilities, or even matters where her abilities could get involved… she had to choose the safest route. So, of course… she has to question if this is what she wants, when she realizes she’s feeling… conflicted, completely of her own accord. A clashing of emotions that didn’t belong to anyone else but her. She certainly had to keep an eye on herself if that was the case…

She couldn’t get invested in things that weren’t her business… especially since her investment in the games and her reason for being there had already lackluster at best. She was wandering… practically a ghost… and the only reason why she came to the manor in spite of its questionable nature, was entirely because she quite literally, had nothing left but an empty house with a cold bed. As a matter of fact, the only positive (if even that) reason she had for staying, was because of a promise she made with her wife… and she doesn’t want to break it. She would never be the type of person who broke a promise. She believed it was one of the few things about her that made her good…

“I assure you… you won’t need to concern yourself over what I may, or rather, may not do. I think for now… I’ll simply take up the baron’s offer and rest for the next few days… is this all, then…? Mister Lapadura?” She’d say, as polite as possible, though sounding strained, as though she couldn’t help but struggle to pick a proper tone. She really ought to get some rest…

He couldn’t help but to sigh quietly, relieved upon hearing her decision. Nodding, he loosened his grip on his staff just slightly, tension easing out of him as he leaned against the wall behind him. “Good, good… A wise decision, Miss Whispers…” A mirthless chuckle escaped him as he tapped his staff gently against the ground. Really though, despite the whole unpleasantness of this situation, it was exactly what he’d been hoping to hear! Wonderful news, really. Of course, that was assuming that she wasn’t lying or going to wind up changing her mind…

Regardless, it’d be for the best that he take her word for it for the time being, at least. “Some things are simply best left forgotten, after all. Especially when it comes to this manor… Disaster after disaster seems to continue unfolding here…” The Oletus manor incident, the DeRoss family invasion, the matches… A sigh escaped him. “With no way out, I’d just try to settle in and get comfortable here, you know? Make the best of it and all…” This place was his home, had been for many years. Ever since he got that contract… He wouldn’t ever leave this place. Didn’t have any place he could go even if he wanted to. Opportunities and choices just seemed to decrease with age… That was fine, though, he was happy here after all. Even with all the rats and the Baron’s confusing behavior and, well, everything. All he truly needed was the materials necessary for his inventions and perhaps some good alcohol and good company!

“Yes, though, I do believe that is all, Miss Whispers. You enjoy your rest now, alright? You really look like you need it right now!” A laugh escaped him at his statement, a grin stretching across his face. “Don’t think too hard on these things and all. Just relax and forget about all this, yeah?” He headed towards the door, hand resting on the lock for just a moment before he turned to look towards her once more, smiling still.

“If anybody asks… it sure was nice chatting about those useless and troublesome survivors, right?” A chuckle escaped him as he shook his head softly, tapping his staff against the floor. “You’re really going to need to tell me names in your next letters, though… Would save me the trouble of taking the time out of my busy schedule to find out which bastards think they’re sneaky enough to mess with my things!” He tsked, unlocking the door with a few clicks. Once he left he’d probably chase after those he’d suspected to have caused the most recent troubles within the manor and give them a good scare… It’d make their excuse believable and hopefully deter these brats from causing any more trouble or destruction for the next few days… “Now on you get, alright? Take care and all that shit… And don’t forget to call me if you need anything made or repaired, too…!” The door was wide open, the man holding it open so that she could leave first.

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #UWAAA THANK YOU 🥺<3 /p #Also skdjwjdj sjdjsj Delara lowkey unsure and doubtful of how nice Burke sorta is #but YEAH idk #maybe I WILL bring in shaman girl #just for funsies #she can see ghosts and spirits and she deals mostly with expelling bad spirits/demons #She has a very unsettling but not necessarily bad take on death #would love to see Burke and Bane’s reactions to shaman girl thh #she’d say something like ‘’you know it’s so strange! sometimes I can hear the cries of children in certain places. they’re calling for you’’#ALSO GHANK YOU… I love miss whispers 🥺#also she’s slowly becoming a bit more cynical in character but that’s a good thing I think ???#I didn’t want to make her too kind or too forgiving (even though that’s what she is too)#I feel like rping with you has made giving her more depth easier to explore #she’s emotional and kind and very soft hearted but she also does things mostly for herself too #she likes helping people but she also hates owing people and she hates having to do teamwork

She had nodded absentmindedly in response to his words, unsure if he meant them sincerely, or if he meant them more as… a warning. Perhaps, it was both? She could figure it wasn’t necessarily out of care for her, but rather, care for what her possible actions may entail… she supposed for now at least… she’d stay still. Who knows…? Maybe someone else will come along? Maybe they’ll stir the pot? No. She stops herself from thinking about it. That would be an unkind fate, for everyone involved. It was best not to wish these types of things at all, let alone even think about them in passing. It was dangerous… because at the end of the day, when this whole thing fell apart… what would happen then…? She’s fairly certain that the people here… most, if not all of them have long since passed from this world. Their life only being preserved in the manor… she’s not sure if any of them would be ready to go. She doesn’t think it would be fair to make some of them- especially the young ones- give up the chance to live their lives, even if it’s in such a grim, and awful place as the manor…

No… it was best not to hope for any sort of change. Not when things were as unstable, and enigmatic as they were now.

“Ah… my apologies, but as much as I am happy to help you, mister Lapadura, I’d rather avoid having to mend trust, or any distress that’s been caused… I think most already find me too troublesome to work with, especially since they’re completely unaware of my condition, and my abilities… it doesn’t help that I do tend to be a bit of a tattletale, as I’m not fond of the way survivors can be when they think no one is looking. I suppose, in short… I’d rather keep my company peaceful, if even a tenuous sort of peaceful. It’s too much work to maintain and nurture the little camaraderie I have… and, as you know… the emotional weight of it all, is exhausting.” She replied as she looked towards him with a tired but, nonetheless, sincere expression. Well, as sincere as she could get it. She still looked like she was about to topple over from the stress and exhaustion.

“But… that aside… thank you. I will be sure to let you know if there is anything that should be fixed or made. Take care, mister Lapadura.” She nodded at him as she walked forward, only glancing back at the man to speak once more. “Ah… and as I said before… please keep an eye on the Gamekeeper. I am sure you would do so without my asking, but… I do mean it… my abilities can be exhausting… but they are useful in sensing things that aren’t easy to spot or see with the naked eye… after all, emotion and intent is present in a lot of creatures. The garden in particular has been… ah… how should I put this…? There’s been rather… inquisitive eyes in the garden… and more in the forest…” She commented before taking her leave. If he wanted to say something, or continue speaking, he probably should have done it now. She seemed intent on getting her rest.

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale…” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

Well, this was certainly something, huh? His lips pressed into a firm line, humming softly. Somewhere private to discuss this… He didn’t like where this was going… Then again, he didn’t really like anything about this situation at all. Regardless, he gave an understanding nod and a chuckle, fingers tapping against his staff. “Of course! Those survivors can be a real pesky lot, can’t they? I’ll make sure nobody hears a word… Just follow after me!” With that said he turned around and began walking towards his lab. Rather than actually entering, though, he moved past it to instead stop before his supposed bedroom. It took a minute or two to actually find the keys, grumbling to himself as he searched before finally finding it with a grin, sticking it in and opening up carefully, holding it open for her before closing and locking it once again.

“Make yourself comfortable or whatever…”

The place seemed more like a guest room than anything, though. Dusty and cold, personal items non-existent. Even the bed, although unmade and messy, appeared as though it hadn’t been touched in weeks. It was mostly clean and organised but only due to disuse. That was what made it special, though. Why spy upon a room that isn’t even used? There were no hidden cameras or speakers, not even a single piece of technology for communication with the master of the house. Even the transceivers he usually held on him had been left behind when he’d left the lab earlier. He generally lived in his lab more often than not, having even been forced by Bane to set up a basic bed in there so he would have an alternative to simply sleeping at his desk. Now it seemed like it was his turn to try and repay the favour, whether the man liked it or not.

A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall just beside the chest of drawers. His brow was furrowed as his finger tapped against his staff, the metallic sound ringing and repetitive. Although the action and expression could be seen as impatience, those who knew him well enough could tell the concern it truly held. “Now… you wanna tell me what the fuck happened during that match? Bane keeps brushing it off and your letter was just as useless.” Of course, the gesture was… somewhat appreciated, a little suspicious (granted, he was always a little skeptical and suspicious of everybody in general, but the letter, cryptic and confusing as fuck, made him more suspicious than usual), but in the end rather useless considering he’d known something had happened the moment he had next caught sight of his friend, lumbering about with that self-destructive tension in his shoulders and unusually curt responses. Bonbon hadn’t a clue of what happened either… With the gamekeeper being so stubborn he had little choice other than to try and get whatever information he could out of Delara.

She… was a strange one. She always made sure to inform him when one of those brats messed with his machines and returned what she could, but always refused to tell him whose ass he needed to kick. A shame, but he’d be sure to find out someday. At the very least he’d been glad to have somebody in the manor who was at least somewhat helpful. Granted, it may be a ploy to get his trust or something, but at least he didn’t need to keep ordering new parts or digging through the mess of his lab so often. It was clear that she was more on the smart side, though, at least having the common sense to take this conversation elsewhere.

She wanted to sit, as she had a distinct feeling that she wouldn’t have been able to last the conversation without wanting to sit and take a breather. Yet, at the lack of any real options outside of the bed (which she felt would have been rude in spite of its obvious neglect), she remains standing, only just by the doorway, and leaning on the wall. With his shift in tone, from almost warm and welcoming, to cold and straightforward, it was somewhat jarring, even in spite of the fact that his emotions were guiding her idea of what tone the conversation was following. The disconnect… is uncomfortable. Too familiar. But she manages to shrug it off. At least it wasn’t sinister… yet. For all she knew, she could be his next science experiment if she didn’t provide a good enough answer, or if he felt as though she were only messing with him. She had remained quiet because of that. She wanted to live- or at least, some part of her wanted to. She didn’t care how she ended up really, but dying painfully wasn’t exactly on her agenda either… therefore, a little thought was required. She thinks for a moment about how to phrase her words without sounding absolutely mad in the head, yet she finds herself unable to… with a troubled expression and a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair- somewhat anxious in its manner.

“I would like to, but I wouldn’t know where to start, Mr. Lapadura…” She replied as she looked towards him. “All of this will sound insane… but given that we live amongst gods, I hope the suspension of disbelief will be easily held, and if not… at least, entertained.” She says before stopping her anxious movements, only to fidget with her ring as she looked down on instinct. She was never any good with eye contact. She could already feel people’s emotions to such an unnerving sensitivity, she didn’t think eye contact was required. “The Gamekeeper and I… we followed one of the cats that live in one of the game areas… what was it called again…? Eversleeping Town…?” She didn’t know exactly why, but even though she knew Bane’s actual name, she was never comfortable enough to say it. That’s how it was for a lot of the hunter’s… though for the others whom she called by name… perhaps it was just because certain titles just… didn’t sit well with her. She would never call the scientist ‘Mad Eyes’ even if that was his title. “We went out on to a lake… or what we thought, was a lake… curiously enough, we were able to stand on the water. The cat, Kotaro, showed us so… we continued to journey past the lake’s pagoda until we ended up walking into what felt like this… endless void. It was so hard to see past it, yet we never needed any light to see one another. It felt… unreal…” As she spoke, her expression got tighter, and the way she moved her ring around her finger became more neurotic.

For a moment she pauses as she remembered the dread of it all… the overwhelming terror and and sheer horror of it. The desperation that felt like it was clawing at her throat… the sobbing and the begging. She seemed to shake for a moment as she remembered, even rubbing the skin of her finger raw from how much she was turning the ring around it. The pain seems to drag her out of it, and in spite of her it stung with the ring sitting on sensitive flesh, she didn’t bother removing it. She mumbled a sorry apology, the words almost too quiet to hear as she she shook her head, as though doing so would clear her thoughts. “Eventually… we found this.. thing… I don’t know what it was, but it was… awful. The voices that came out… it sounded like it was suffering…” She says, trying to steel her nerves as she remembered. “What’s worse, is that I could hear the voices of… children… begging and sobbing to let them go… let them out… why would there be children here, of all places…? Let alone in such pain, and in such a twister form…” She rubbed her temples before pulling her hood down further- though it doesn’t do much since the fabric was already pulled down as far as it could go. “After that, the water, or floor or… whatever it was… it began to swallow us… we began sinking, so we had to run back… the Gamekeeper… he was still spiraling from all of it… I don’t know how or why, but he was feeling much worse about it than I… I think he even felt… guilt… but I can’t discern why…” She explained, not having realized she had made an observation that was a little… too on the nose and suspicious. Ah, well… what could she do…? She just wanted a chance to get it all off her chest. “Not that it’s my business… but it was certainly difficult… I swear, I could feel it from across the town…” She mumbled. It almost sounded more like a dig at the Gamekeeper, rather than it being more literal, yet… the lack of ill intent in her voice made it clear that it wasn’t intentionally rude. Though perhaps, that would only make things more confusing…

He remained silent for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he processed what he was just told. Of course, at first he was a little skeptical and doubtful but as it went on… Well, that was far too wild of a story to simply make up, now, wasn’t it? She was right about the deities, too, this whole manor had become a home ground for anything weird and supernatural. Ghosts, undead, people with magical abilities and those supposed ‘deities’… Really, just what had his manor come to? The final nail in the coffin though was her mention of children, causing him to freeze where he stood, knuckles turning white and metal scraping as he tightened his grip on his staff. Children, begging and sobbing to be let go… He grit his teeth together, stubbornly looking away and trying to push back the painful memory. Annoying… frustration surfaced quickly, annoyed that he had to be reminded of that damned day at all. As though to remind himself of where he was now, he ground his metal foot into the ground, looking down and watching the amber coloured metal move as he focused on her words. Her mention of his friend’s reaction instantly struck something within him, head turning instantly so that his gaze fell upon her.

Children and guilt, huh? A sigh escaped him, a hand moving away from his staff to instead pinch the bridge of his nose. “Of course it’s this shit…” He muttered under his breath. It was a little relieving to know it was just some of this, but that didn’t completely stop his concerns… Bane usually dealt with it all rather well. Granted, perhaps not as well as Bonbon tended to- but even then Bonbon wasn’t perfect, the trashed rooms he had to fix up was proof of it- but certainly much better than he himself usually tended to deal with this… The gamekeeper could always manage to talk with Bonbon, to reminisce with them on the past and lose himself in the nostalgia. He may have a few bad days here and there, quieter or grumpier than usual, but it was rare for him to spiral so badly like this, if even at all, most likely to happen on the day it all had happened… That… Creature… must have really gotten to him. Bane always seemed to recover, though. Wandering the woods for hours or days until he just showed up again covered in dirt and sticks or, on the rare occasion, blood. They’d often talk it through, after. Hanging around within his lab drinking and talking until they fell asleep… Bane would come back, it would just take some time. … Unless he sent Bonbon to retrieve the man early. That would just anger the man more though, he’d have to think it over more later…

For now? He narrowed his eyes at the woman, hand moving to hold his chin gently as he frowned, thinking. “Guilt, huh? What makes you say that?” It was far too specific. She’d been too precise with that deduction and it set him on-edge. A chuckle escaped him as he tapped his staff against the ground twice, grinning at her. “Shouldn’t that mask make it a little tricky to tell these things?” Hiding his face and muffling his mutters… Sometimes it even caused him and Bonbon a little bit of difficulty when understanding their friend. Yet she simply came to this conclusion while barely knowing him at all? It was certainly strange… at most he’d expect her to assume he’d simply been scared and nothing more. “So just how could you possibly come to that sort of conclusion, miss?” Did… it have something to do with her abilities? Was she just another one of those magical weirdos like that seer and priestess and all that? Perhaps he should’ve gone and asked Bonbon about her whole ‘empath’ title…

She rubbed her temples again at the sudden flare of his anger. God, were all of the hunters just naturally pissed off? She has to resist the urge to snap. Even after a day’s worth of rest, she was still feeling worse for wear. She knew she should have stayed in her room for a little longer… but even she couldn’t stand to stay in her room for too long. She takes a moment to take a deep breath as she felt his emotions shift, in unease and suspicion. That was… technically better, but still something she wouldn’t have liked to feel… well, she knew better than most that a beggar couldn’t be a chooser. She sighs at her misstep. She was usually so careful about these sorts of things. Though, perhaps a part of her just… didn’t care anymore. She was too exhausted to give much effort into keeping her abilities a secret at the moment. Besides… maybe it would encourage a lack of interactions where they shared a space. At least it would make speaking easier. She could drop a conversation if she wanted to, and she didn’t think the old man would care. Soon, she moved her gaze up to look at him with a mildly unnerved and cautious expression.

No point in lying now… was there?

“Ah… as you know… I am the “empath”… I can influence other’s emotions… but I can also feel them as well… it’s rather… overwhelming, especially when half the people here are full of anger and spite.” She says with mild bitterness and a sense of exhaustion before taking another deep breath. She seemed surprised at her own tone before she looked down again, trying to regain some composure as she felt surely, that bitterness wasn’t her own. She was so used to just letting apathy wash over her, she nearly forgot she could feel other emotions by herself. Things like this made it hard to feel… human. Like a person. She wonders why she was even sent there as a survivor… wouldn’t she have been better off as a hunter…? Of course not. She couldn’t stand the thought of hurting someone else… bitterness or not. Anger and hatred, or not. She doesn’t think she could summon any primal bloodlust from herself.

After a moment of trying to calm herself, she doesn’t bother lifting her head up to meet his gaze. She thinks it’ll only make it harder to speak and keep herself together. Half of her conversations were like this anyways, unless she was speaking with a more light hearted person. She begins to speak again, more hesitant as though she isn’t sure if it was really worth trying to explain herself even further. She doesn’t think she’d be convincing enough, but she gives it a shot anyways.

“But don’t… worry about what I may do. I tend to keep things under control… I don’t like using my abilities on others… it’s a burden… carrying other people’s emotions so they don’t have to… and outside of that, and the idea of taking someone’s Will away is unsettling…” She pauses before continuing, unsure if she should voice the later half of her thoughts, before deciding that she may as well. It couldn’t get a worse reaction. “That is… unless something is unbearable… if someone else loses control, there’s a stronger chance that I may do the same… but even then it’s suffocating to deal with…” It’s more of a mumble that’s barely audible, but he could hear it if he cared enough to try and catch it. She was of course, vaguely referring to how she pacified the Gamekeeper’s grief and guilt, and left him with dull annoyance. At least then he’d have the will to keep going. She stops speaking after a bit, feeling as though she were just rambling about personal feelings that likely wouldn’t have mattered to him. But at least it’s off her chest.

She thinks she’d feel lighter, but she isn’t sure now. She was tired still, and she had emotions that were throwing her perception of herself into conflict.

Well, her abilities certainly didn’t make him happy. But… He took it surprisingly alright, the unease he had barely deepening as he pondered it over. Emotions… They were a fickle, troublesome thing. Humans could easily be manipulated using them- just another annoying flaw- but, well, emotions didn’t equate to thought. No matter how much she changed peoples emotions, she wouldn’t be able to directly change their opinions or anything. He’d always been a more logical person anyways… It wasn’t as though she could completely control his mind or anything so, well, what’s the harm? Of course, he’d make sure to be wary of it and to, if possible, find a way to properly counter it. He was no fool, after all. But to have such an ability in a place like this, though… He couldn’t help but to laugh, a near-manic cackle, fitting of the ‘mad scientist’ idea many may have of him, leaving his throat as amusement bubbled within him. Only once his bout of laughter began to die down did he speak up again. “Well shit, being here must really suck for you, huh?” Just what had the baron been thinking? Was the old bastard finding some sort of amusement in all of this? This must be like her own personal hell or something. On the bright side he supposed she at least had easier access to that barmaid’s alcohol… But still, he almost felt a little sorry for her. “Jeez, and surrounded by all those little brats too, aren’t you?” Little rats crawling all around his damn manor… “Well, I suppose should you ever want to live a little farther from them I could go ahead and fix up one of those damaged rooms…” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, still grinning faintly. The repair progress was rather slow but he’d have this manor back to it’s former glory before anybody even realised!

“And bah! Don’t worry yourself, I’m not that concerned over it!” Bane may like to call him paranoid, but he liked to consider himself to be prepared. Prepared in a calm, 10-steps-ahead-of-everybody-else sort of way. “I’m no fool. I would make sure to stop you before you can even try!” Arrogant, really, almost condescending. The old man had lived a long time, long enough to gain confidence in himself and his abilities. He’d seen and met a lot of people and by this point he’d certainly like to believe he was capable of picking up on who had ill intentions and who didn’t. Honestly though, what sort of head-of-security would he even be if he couldn’t even do that much?

“Really, I’d worry more for yourself, girlie.” He grimaced briefly as he looked her over. She seemed like she needed a few drinks. Unfortunately for her though he wasn’t keen on sharing any of his. She’d simply just have to pick something up from the barmaid. “You better not collapse on me, alright?” His tone had taken on a slight prickle of annoyance. “I won’t be carrying you to your room or anything and the hallways aren’t the best place to sleep.” He’d certainly learned that well enough himself, having done it once or twice when he drank too much or worked too hard… The back and neck pain it caused was even more unpleasant than when he’d fallen asleep hunched over his desk and ended up accidentally using one of his projects as a pillow. Besides, with all the damned people in this manor now, she may end up having a rude awakening should some idiot go tripping over her. Not that he was overly concerned as to what really happened to her and most survivors in general, but still.

“I don’t expect you or anyone to do anything of the sort… I will take care of myself.” She replied with a firm nod before pinching the bridge of her nose. That bout of amusement had certainly lightened her mood, but now she was focusing on sifting her own feelings from his, and trying to focus on the actual topic of the conversation. “But that aside, yes.. it is absolutely dreadful being near most people… people here are either angry, or hopelessly melancholy, and while I do my best to be understanding, there are some that feel beyond understanding… I definitely need to keep an eye on some of them so they don’t do anything foolish…” She adds, airing out her last grievance before finally shifting the topic back to the one that got her dragged there in the first place. “But that is enough about me… I don’t think you wanted to listen to me rant about my teammates…” She says, gesturing vaguely for emphasis. She shifted her eyes to look at him. “Is there anything else you wanted to know…? Because I wanted to ask if you… happened to know anything about what we saw. You were one of the first hunters here, so I thought maybe… maybe you knew something…” she seems hesitant… as though she isn’t sure if she should be asking at all.

She was just trying to piece things together in spite of the fact that she knew it wouldn’t have been a good idea. If anything, she just wanted closure for herself… it’s not as though she could somehow change any of this… so the least she could do is understand what was going on. Better than nothing, she thinks… then again, that’s what she’s thought before in other situations as well… and those had a tendency to end in tragedy or near-death experiences for her. She seemed like she was going to try and rescind the question judging by how she opened her mouth and looked up at him again before she shook her head and decided that she lay as well just stick with it… she already asked, there was no point in saying anything else. He’d probably tell her off in either case.

Right now however, she was just trying to keep herself awake. She kept her eyes on the floor as she did her best to keep her actions under control, as well as keep her mind on the right track. It kept… drifting. To the starless sky of the Eversleeping Town… the way the darkness swallowed them, yet everything remained perfectly lit… she recalled how it always seemed that the moon was… somehow there, and not there at the same time. How surreal looking at the sky felt… and then her mind would drift to the sounds… the wailing of that multi-eyed creature… the poor thing… so full of grief and betrayal. She wondered… what had happened to it…? And where was all of that grief coming from…? She wished she knew… she wished that shaman girl she had met on the road was there… an odd lady she was… so oddly at peace with fate, and yet… so unnerving… but she was positive at least. And knowledgeable… perhaps some day she’d meet her here? The manor seemed to attract odd people…

Anger and sadness seemed to breed within the manor, a force tainting and ruining everything within it mercilessly. Well, most things, at least. Bonbon was pretty happy with all the people in the manor and some of the survivors or hunters seemed to be adjusting arguably well with the whole situation. Regardless of their emotional state, though, they all seemed to have some loud personalities. “Yeah, not unless I had a few bottles of the good stuff and someplace nice to sit so I could complain about them with you.” Despite his limited experience in matches or hanging around the other people of the manor he had enough stories to tell about survivors and hunters alike. With a shake of his head he sighed, refocusing on the reason for this discussion in the first place.

“As for this whole situation and that monster… Well, I can’t say I know anything about it, unfortunately.” He had a vague idea or two but knew nothing for certain. Those voices and Bane’s reaction, it definitely had something to do with the incident and the baron, too. There was no way the man was oblivious to this all, but getting answers out of him could be difficult. “I may have been here a while,” longer than she thought, for a large chunk of his life, “but I’m a busy man. I don’t like people and I don’t find much need to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong. I just play my matches and build my machines.” He’d seen things, of course, how couldn’t he? The eyes that open in the darkness and the distortion of the walls, the whispers in his ear and the moving of the paintings were far too obvious to ignore. Some things were better left unknown, though, and if these things didn’t really do much then why did they matter so much? They’d only started once the baron returned and the baron, while suspicious and odd these days, was still his friend and business partner. “Even if I did notice anything, what’s it really matter if it doesn’t affect me?” So long as he could continue his precious work in peace it didn’t matter to him what the man was up to. Well, unless it affected Bane or Bonbon or something, he supposed…

The most important thing to know right now, though, was… “What are you planning on doing about all of this?” Her next course of action, what she planned and intended on doing. Whether they liked it or not her choices would likely affect them all. He and Bane were the two the baron could most properly communicate with and thus, the two he’d trust to take care of anything he perceived to be an issue. Which meant either Bane would be pushed even more- not ideal, the man would push himself beyond his limits, would work until his body gave up on him, what he needed was rest- or that he would be asked to do something- also not ideal, he had better things to do than somebody else’s dirty work. Either way, it wouldn’t be ideal. The thought made him uneasy, a mild concern about what may be to come swirling around him beneath a mild annoyance at all the trouble it’d cause. While he wouldn’t outright stop her should she decide to try and investigate he’d certainly try to dissuade her at least a little.

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #IM SK SORRY THIS TOOK FORVER #J TRIES SO HARD TL DOFURE OUT WHAT ELSE TK WRIGE ABT #AHHHHHHH #I HOPE YOURE DOING WELL…

She could feel his unease and the concern… it was mixing in with her own, and overpowering any possible thoughts of trying to further her investigations. At least… at the moment. Then again, thinking about it properly now… it wasn’t as though she could actually do anything about it… her powers could in theory, be formidable sure, but they were hardly developed enough to influence anything like gods, or anyone mad enough to deal with gods or otherworldly horrors. Even if they were. She imagines the consequences of such a feat would be devastating unto her… who knows what could happen…? She could break under the pressure, or perhaps if she managed to get them angry… she tensed. She began fiddling with her ring, which was notably well taken care of as opposed to the dress she wore, or the worm edge of her red cloak. The slowly decaying state of her dress was considerably less noticeable, but it was clear enough near the hem of her skirt.

“… I think at worst, I may just get curious and investigate… or try to, at least… but I’m afraid I haven’t the right wits or strength to do so, so it’s not as though it is anything achievable for me…” She says as she thinks about her answer. “And between dying for knowing too much as I am now, or going mad for looking into the matter… I think I would much prefer death…” She says, deliberate and slow so she could think about if this is what she truly wanted… see, the ironic thing was, a lot of her choices were pragmatic in a way. It’s true, her actions themselves tended to be benevolent without prompting, simply for the sake of trying to maintain morality and because well… it felt good to do good. But when it came to choices… matters that dealt with her abilities, or even matters where her abilities could get involved… she had to choose the safest route. So, of course… she has to question if this is what she wants, when she realizes she’s feeling… conflicted, completely of her own accord. A clashing of emotions that didn’t belong to anyone else but her. She certainly had to keep an eye on herself if that was the case…

She couldn’t get invested in things that weren’t her business… especially since her investment in the games and her reason for being there had already lackluster at best. She was wandering… practically a ghost… and the only reason why she came to the manor in spite of its questionable nature, was entirely because she quite literally, had nothing left but an empty house with a cold bed. As a matter of fact, the only positive (if even that) reason she had for staying, was because of a promise she made with her wife… and she doesn’t want to break it. She would never be the type of person who broke a promise. She believed it was one of the few things about her that made her good…

“I assure you… you won’t need to concern yourself over what I may, or rather, may not do. I think for now… I’ll simply take up the baron’s offer and rest for the next few days… is this all, then…? Mister Lapadura?” She’d say, as polite as possible, though sounding strained, as though she couldn’t help but struggle to pick a proper tone. She really ought to get some rest…

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale…” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

Well, this was certainly something, huh? His lips pressed into a firm line, humming softly. Somewhere private to discuss this… He didn’t like where this was going… Then again, he didn’t really like anything about this situation at all. Regardless, he gave an understanding nod and a chuckle, fingers tapping against his staff. “Of course! Those survivors can be a real pesky lot, can’t they? I’ll make sure nobody hears a word… Just follow after me!” With that said he turned around and began walking towards his lab. Rather than actually entering, though, he moved past it to instead stop before his supposed bedroom. It took a minute or two to actually find the keys, grumbling to himself as he searched before finally finding it with a grin, sticking it in and opening up carefully, holding it open for her before closing and locking it once again.

“Make yourself comfortable or whatever…”

The place seemed more like a guest room than anything, though. Dusty and cold, personal items non-existent. Even the bed, although unmade and messy, appeared as though it hadn’t been touched in weeks. It was mostly clean and organised but only due to disuse. That was what made it special, though. Why spy upon a room that isn’t even used? There were no hidden cameras or speakers, not even a single piece of technology for communication with the master of the house. Even the transceivers he usually held on him had been left behind when he’d left the lab earlier. He generally lived in his lab more often than not, having even been forced by Bane to set up a basic bed in there so he would have an alternative to simply sleeping at his desk. Now it seemed like it was his turn to try and repay the favour, whether the man liked it or not.

A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall just beside the chest of drawers. His brow was furrowed as his finger tapped against his staff, the metallic sound ringing and repetitive. Although the action and expression could be seen as impatience, those who knew him well enough could tell the concern it truly held. “Now… you wanna tell me what the fuck happened during that match? Bane keeps brushing it off and your letter was just as useless.” Of course, the gesture was… somewhat appreciated, a little suspicious (granted, he was always a little skeptical and suspicious of everybody in general, but the letter, cryptic and confusing as fuck, made him more suspicious than usual), but in the end rather useless considering he’d known something had happened the moment he had next caught sight of his friend, lumbering about with that self-destructive tension in his shoulders and unusually curt responses. Bonbon hadn’t a clue of what happened either… With the gamekeeper being so stubborn he had little choice other than to try and get whatever information he could out of Delara.

She… was a strange one. She always made sure to inform him when one of those brats messed with his machines and returned what she could, but always refused to tell him whose ass he needed to kick. A shame, but he’d be sure to find out someday. At the very least he’d been glad to have somebody in the manor who was at least somewhat helpful. Granted, it may be a ploy to get his trust or something, but at least he didn’t need to keep ordering new parts or digging through the mess of his lab so often. It was clear that she was more on the smart side, though, at least having the common sense to take this conversation elsewhere.

She wanted to sit, as she had a distinct feeling that she wouldn’t have been able to last the conversation without wanting to sit and take a breather. Yet, at the lack of any real options outside of the bed (which she felt would have been rude in spite of its obvious neglect), she remains standing, only just by the doorway, and leaning on the wall. With his shift in tone, from almost warm and welcoming, to cold and straightforward, it was somewhat jarring, even in spite of the fact that his emotions were guiding her idea of what tone the conversation was following. The disconnect… is uncomfortable. Too familiar. But she manages to shrug it off. At least it wasn’t sinister… yet. For all she knew, she could be his next science experiment if she didn’t provide a good enough answer, or if he felt as though she were only messing with him. She had remained quiet because of that. She wanted to live- or at least, some part of her wanted to. She didn’t care how she ended up really, but dying painfully wasn’t exactly on her agenda either… therefore, a little thought was required. She thinks for a moment about how to phrase her words without sounding absolutely mad in the head, yet she finds herself unable to… with a troubled expression and a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair- somewhat anxious in its manner.

“I would like to, but I wouldn’t know where to start, Mr. Lapadura…” She replied as she looked towards him. “All of this will sound insane… but given that we live amongst gods, I hope the suspension of disbelief will be easily held, and if not… at least, entertained.” She says before stopping her anxious movements, only to fidget with her ring as she looked down on instinct. She was never any good with eye contact. She could already feel people’s emotions to such an unnerving sensitivity, she didn’t think eye contact was required. “The Gamekeeper and I… we followed one of the cats that live in one of the game areas… what was it called again…? Eversleeping Town…?” She didn’t know exactly why, but even though she knew Bane’s actual name, she was never comfortable enough to say it. That’s how it was for a lot of the hunter’s… though for the others whom she called by name… perhaps it was just because certain titles just… didn’t sit well with her. She would never call the scientist ‘Mad Eyes’ even if that was his title. “We went out on to a lake… or what we thought, was a lake… curiously enough, we were able to stand on the water. The cat, Kotaro, showed us so… we continued to journey past the lake’s pagoda until we ended up walking into what felt like this… endless void. It was so hard to see past it, yet we never needed any light to see one another. It felt… unreal…” As she spoke, her expression got tighter, and the way she moved her ring around her finger became more neurotic.

For a moment she pauses as she remembered the dread of it all… the overwhelming terror and and sheer horror of it. The desperation that felt like it was clawing at her throat… the sobbing and the begging. She seemed to shake for a moment as she remembered, even rubbing the skin of her finger raw from how much she was turning the ring around it. The pain seems to drag her out of it, and in spite of her it stung with the ring sitting on sensitive flesh, she didn’t bother removing it. She mumbled a sorry apology, the words almost too quiet to hear as she she shook her head, as though doing so would clear her thoughts. “Eventually… we found this.. thing… I don’t know what it was, but it was… awful. The voices that came out… it sounded like it was suffering…” She says, trying to steel her nerves as she remembered. “What’s worse, is that I could hear the voices of… children… begging and sobbing to let them go… let them out… why would there be children here, of all places…? Let alone in such pain, and in such a twister form…” She rubbed her temples before pulling her hood down further- though it doesn’t do much since the fabric was already pulled down as far as it could go. “After that, the water, or floor or… whatever it was… it began to swallow us… we began sinking, so we had to run back… the Gamekeeper… he was still spiraling from all of it… I don’t know how or why, but he was feeling much worse about it than I… I think he even felt… guilt… but I can’t discern why…” She explained, not having realized she had made an observation that was a little… too on the nose and suspicious. Ah, well… what could she do…? She just wanted a chance to get it all off her chest. “Not that it’s my business… but it was certainly difficult… I swear, I could feel it from across the town…” She mumbled. It almost sounded more like a dig at the Gamekeeper, rather than it being more literal, yet… the lack of ill intent in her voice made it clear that it wasn’t intentionally rude. Though perhaps, that would only make things more confusing…

He remained silent for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he processed what he was just told. Of course, at first he was a little skeptical and doubtful but as it went on… Well, that was far too wild of a story to simply make up, now, wasn’t it? She was right about the deities, too, this whole manor had become a home ground for anything weird and supernatural. Ghosts, undead, people with magical abilities and those supposed ‘deities’… Really, just what had his manor come to? The final nail in the coffin though was her mention of children, causing him to freeze where he stood, knuckles turning white and metal scraping as he tightened his grip on his staff. Children, begging and sobbing to be let go… He grit his teeth together, stubbornly looking away and trying to push back the painful memory. Annoying… frustration surfaced quickly, annoyed that he had to be reminded of that damned day at all. As though to remind himself of where he was now, he ground his metal foot into the ground, looking down and watching the amber coloured metal move as he focused on her words. Her mention of his friend’s reaction instantly struck something within him, head turning instantly so that his gaze fell upon her.

Children and guilt, huh? A sigh escaped him, a hand moving away from his staff to instead pinch the bridge of his nose. “Of course it’s this shit…” He muttered under his breath. It was a little relieving to know it was just some of this, but that didn’t completely stop his concerns… Bane usually dealt with it all rather well. Granted, perhaps not as well as Bonbon tended to- but even then Bonbon wasn’t perfect, the trashed rooms he had to fix up was proof of it- but certainly much better than he himself usually tended to deal with this… The gamekeeper could always manage to talk with Bonbon, to reminisce with them on the past and lose himself in the nostalgia. He may have a few bad days here and there, quieter or grumpier than usual, but it was rare for him to spiral so badly like this, if even at all, most likely to happen on the day it all had happened… That… Creature… must have really gotten to him. Bane always seemed to recover, though. Wandering the woods for hours or days until he just showed up again covered in dirt and sticks or, on the rare occasion, blood. They’d often talk it through, after. Hanging around within his lab drinking and talking until they fell asleep… Bane would come back, it would just take some time. … Unless he sent Bonbon to retrieve the man early. That would just anger the man more though, he’d have to think it over more later…

For now? He narrowed his eyes at the woman, hand moving to hold his chin gently as he frowned, thinking. “Guilt, huh? What makes you say that?” It was far too specific. She’d been too precise with that deduction and it set him on-edge. A chuckle escaped him as he tapped his staff against the ground twice, grinning at her. “Shouldn’t that mask make it a little tricky to tell these things?” Hiding his face and muffling his mutters… Sometimes it even caused him and Bonbon a little bit of difficulty when understanding their friend. Yet she simply came to this conclusion while barely knowing him at all? It was certainly strange… at most he’d expect her to assume he’d simply been scared and nothing more. “So just how could you possibly come to that sort of conclusion, miss?” Did… it have something to do with her abilities? Was she just another one of those magical weirdos like that seer and priestess and all that? Perhaps he should’ve gone and asked Bonbon about her whole ‘empath’ title…

She rubbed her temples again at the sudden flare of his anger. God, were all of the hunters just naturally pissed off? She has to resist the urge to snap. Even after a day’s worth of rest, she was still feeling worse for wear. She knew she should have stayed in her room for a little longer… but even she couldn’t stand to stay in her room for too long. She takes a moment to take a deep breath as she felt his emotions shift, in unease and suspicion. That was… technically better, but still something she wouldn’t have liked to feel… well, she knew better than most that a beggar couldn’t be a chooser. She sighs at her misstep. She was usually so careful about these sorts of things. Though, perhaps a part of her just… didn’t care anymore. She was too exhausted to give much effort into keeping her abilities a secret at the moment. Besides… maybe it would encourage a lack of interactions where they shared a space. At least it would make speaking easier. She could drop a conversation if she wanted to, and she didn’t think the old man would care. Soon, she moved her gaze up to look at him with a mildly unnerved and cautious expression.

No point in lying now… was there?

“Ah… as you know… I am the “empath”… I can influence other’s emotions… but I can also feel them as well… it’s rather… overwhelming, especially when half the people here are full of anger and spite.” She says with mild bitterness and a sense of exhaustion before taking another deep breath. She seemed surprised at her own tone before she looked down again, trying to regain some composure as she felt surely, that bitterness wasn’t her own. She was so used to just letting apathy wash over her, she nearly forgot she could feel other emotions by herself. Things like this made it hard to feel… human. Like a person. She wonders why she was even sent there as a survivor… wouldn’t she have been better off as a hunter…? Of course not. She couldn’t stand the thought of hurting someone else… bitterness or not. Anger and hatred, or not. She doesn’t think she could summon any primal bloodlust from herself.

After a moment of trying to calm herself, she doesn’t bother lifting her head up to meet his gaze. She thinks it’ll only make it harder to speak and keep herself together. Half of her conversations were like this anyways, unless she was speaking with a more light hearted person. She begins to speak again, more hesitant as though she isn’t sure if it was really worth trying to explain herself even further. She doesn’t think she’d be convincing enough, but she gives it a shot anyways.

“But don’t… worry about what I may do. I tend to keep things under control… I don’t like using my abilities on others… it’s a burden… carrying other people’s emotions so they don’t have to… and outside of that, and the idea of taking someone’s Will away is unsettling…” She pauses before continuing, unsure if she should voice the later half of her thoughts, before deciding that she may as well. It couldn’t get a worse reaction. “That is… unless something is unbearable… if someone else loses control, there’s a stronger chance that I may do the same… but even then it’s suffocating to deal with…” It’s more of a mumble that’s barely audible, but he could hear it if he cared enough to try and catch it. She was of course, vaguely referring to how she pacified the Gamekeeper’s grief and guilt, and left him with dull annoyance. At least then he’d have the will to keep going. She stops speaking after a bit, feeling as though she were just rambling about personal feelings that likely wouldn’t have mattered to him. But at least it’s off her chest.

She thinks she’d feel lighter, but she isn’t sure now. She was tired still, and she had emotions that were throwing her perception of herself into conflict.

Well, her abilities certainly didn’t make him happy. But… He took it surprisingly alright, the unease he had barely deepening as he pondered it over. Emotions… They were a fickle, troublesome thing. Humans could easily be manipulated using them- just another annoying flaw- but, well, emotions didn’t equate to thought. No matter how much she changed peoples emotions, she wouldn’t be able to directly change their opinions or anything. He’d always been a more logical person anyways… It wasn’t as though she could completely control his mind or anything so, well, what’s the harm? Of course, he’d make sure to be wary of it and to, if possible, find a way to properly counter it. He was no fool, after all. But to have such an ability in a place like this, though… He couldn’t help but to laugh, a near-manic cackle, fitting of the ‘mad scientist’ idea many may have of him, leaving his throat as amusement bubbled within him. Only once his bout of laughter began to die down did he speak up again. “Well shit, being here must really suck for you, huh?” Just what had the baron been thinking? Was the old bastard finding some sort of amusement in all of this? This must be like her own personal hell or something. On the bright side he supposed she at least had easier access to that barmaid’s alcohol… But still, he almost felt a little sorry for her. “Jeez, and surrounded by all those little brats too, aren’t you?” Little rats crawling all around his damn manor… “Well, I suppose should you ever want to live a little farther from them I could go ahead and fix up one of those damaged rooms…” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, still grinning faintly. The repair progress was rather slow but he’d have this manor back to it’s former glory before anybody even realised!

“And bah! Don’t worry yourself, I’m not that concerned over it!” Bane may like to call him paranoid, but he liked to consider himself to be prepared. Prepared in a calm, 10-steps-ahead-of-everybody-else sort of way. “I’m no fool. I would make sure to stop you before you can even try!” Arrogant, really, almost condescending. The old man had lived a long time, long enough to gain confidence in himself and his abilities. He’d seen and met a lot of people and by this point he’d certainly like to believe he was capable of picking up on who had ill intentions and who didn’t. Honestly though, what sort of head-of-security would he even be if he couldn’t even do that much?

“Really, I’d worry more for yourself, girlie.” He grimaced briefly as he looked her over. She seemed like she needed a few drinks. Unfortunately for her though he wasn’t keen on sharing any of his. She’d simply just have to pick something up from the barmaid. “You better not collapse on me, alright?” His tone had taken on a slight prickle of annoyance. “I won’t be carrying you to your room or anything and the hallways aren’t the best place to sleep.” He’d certainly learned that well enough himself, having done it once or twice when he drank too much or worked too hard… The back and neck pain it caused was even more unpleasant than when he’d fallen asleep hunched over his desk and ended up accidentally using one of his projects as a pillow. Besides, with all the damned people in this manor now, she may end up having a rude awakening should some idiot go tripping over her. Not that he was overly concerned as to what really happened to her and most survivors in general, but still.

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #fun fact! Delara once met a shaman who was like ‘’btw ur wife is still around you silly goose <3 she’s protecting you <3’’ and after that #Delara just freaked tf out #she doesn’t know if she was kidding but lmao #also the shaman is another oc I have <33 #she sees ghosts >:3

“I don’t expect you or anyone to do anything of the sort… I will take care of myself.” She replied with a firm nod before pinching the bridge of her nose. That bout of amusement had certainly lightened her mood, but now she was focusing on sifting her own feelings from his, and trying to focus on the actual topic of the conversation. “But that aside, yes.. it is absolutely dreadful being near most people… people here are either angry, or hopelessly melancholy, and while I do my best to be understanding, there are some that feel beyond understanding… I definitely need to keep an eye on some of them so they don’t do anything foolish…” She adds, airing out her last grievance before finally shifting the topic back to the one that got her dragged there in the first place. “But that is enough about me… I don’t think you wanted to listen to me rant about my teammates…” She says, gesturing vaguely for emphasis. She shifted her eyes to look at him. “Is there anything else you wanted to know…? Because I wanted to ask if you… happened to know anything about what we saw. You were one of the first hunters here, so I thought maybe… maybe you knew something…” she seems hesitant… as though she isn’t sure if she should be asking at all.

She was just trying to piece things together in spite of the fact that she knew it wouldn’t have been a good idea. If anything, she just wanted closure for herself… it’s not as though she could somehow change any of this… so the least she could do is understand what was going on. Better than nothing, she thinks… then again, that’s what she’s thought before in other situations as well… and those had a tendency to end in tragedy or near-death experiences for her. She seemed like she was going to try and rescind the question judging by how she opened her mouth and looked up at him again before she shook her head and decided that she lay as well just stick with it… she already asked, there was no point in saying anything else. He’d probably tell her off in either case.

Right now however, she was just trying to keep herself awake. She kept her eyes on the floor as she did her best to keep her actions under control, as well as keep her mind on the right track. It kept… drifting. To the starless sky of the Eversleeping Town… the way the darkness swallowed them, yet everything remained perfectly lit… she recalled how it always seemed that the moon was… somehow there, and not there at the same time. How surreal looking at the sky felt… and then her mind would drift to the sounds… the wailing of that multi-eyed creature… the poor thing… so full of grief and betrayal. She wondered… what had happened to it…? And where was all of that grief coming from…? She wished she knew… she wished that shaman girl she had met on the road was there… an odd lady she was… so oddly at peace with fate, and yet… so unnerving… but she was positive at least. And knowledgeable… perhaps some day she’d meet her here? The manor seemed to attract odd people…

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale…” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

Well, this was certainly something, huh? His lips pressed into a firm line, humming softly. Somewhere private to discuss this… He didn’t like where this was going… Then again, he didn’t really like anything about this situation at all. Regardless, he gave an understanding nod and a chuckle, fingers tapping against his staff. “Of course! Those survivors can be a real pesky lot, can’t they? I’ll make sure nobody hears a word… Just follow after me!” With that said he turned around and began walking towards his lab. Rather than actually entering, though, he moved past it to instead stop before his supposed bedroom. It took a minute or two to actually find the keys, grumbling to himself as he searched before finally finding it with a grin, sticking it in and opening up carefully, holding it open for her before closing and locking it once again.

“Make yourself comfortable or whatever…”

The place seemed more like a guest room than anything, though. Dusty and cold, personal items non-existent. Even the bed, although unmade and messy, appeared as though it hadn’t been touched in weeks. It was mostly clean and organised but only due to disuse. That was what made it special, though. Why spy upon a room that isn’t even used? There were no hidden cameras or speakers, not even a single piece of technology for communication with the master of the house. Even the transceivers he usually held on him had been left behind when he’d left the lab earlier. He generally lived in his lab more often than not, having even been forced by Bane to set up a basic bed in there so he would have an alternative to simply sleeping at his desk. Now it seemed like it was his turn to try and repay the favour, whether the man liked it or not.

A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall just beside the chest of drawers. His brow was furrowed as his finger tapped against his staff, the metallic sound ringing and repetitive. Although the action and expression could be seen as impatience, those who knew him well enough could tell the concern it truly held. “Now… you wanna tell me what the fuck happened during that match? Bane keeps brushing it off and your letter was just as useless.” Of course, the gesture was… somewhat appreciated, a little suspicious (granted, he was always a little skeptical and suspicious of everybody in general, but the letter, cryptic and confusing as fuck, made him more suspicious than usual), but in the end rather useless considering he’d known something had happened the moment he had next caught sight of his friend, lumbering about with that self-destructive tension in his shoulders and unusually curt responses. Bonbon hadn’t a clue of what happened either… With the gamekeeper being so stubborn he had little choice other than to try and get whatever information he could out of Delara.

She… was a strange one. She always made sure to inform him when one of those brats messed with his machines and returned what she could, but always refused to tell him whose ass he needed to kick. A shame, but he’d be sure to find out someday. At the very least he’d been glad to have somebody in the manor who was at least somewhat helpful. Granted, it may be a ploy to get his trust or something, but at least he didn’t need to keep ordering new parts or digging through the mess of his lab so often. It was clear that she was more on the smart side, though, at least having the common sense to take this conversation elsewhere.

She wanted to sit, as she had a distinct feeling that she wouldn’t have been able to last the conversation without wanting to sit and take a breather. Yet, at the lack of any real options outside of the bed (which she felt would have been rude in spite of its obvious neglect), she remains standing, only just by the doorway, and leaning on the wall. With his shift in tone, from almost warm and welcoming, to cold and straightforward, it was somewhat jarring, even in spite of the fact that his emotions were guiding her idea of what tone the conversation was following. The disconnect… is uncomfortable. Too familiar. But she manages to shrug it off. At least it wasn’t sinister… yet. For all she knew, she could be his next science experiment if she didn’t provide a good enough answer, or if he felt as though she were only messing with him. She had remained quiet because of that. She wanted to live- or at least, some part of her wanted to. She didn’t care how she ended up really, but dying painfully wasn’t exactly on her agenda either… therefore, a little thought was required. She thinks for a moment about how to phrase her words without sounding absolutely mad in the head, yet she finds herself unable to… with a troubled expression and a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair- somewhat anxious in its manner.

“I would like to, but I wouldn’t know where to start, Mr. Lapadura…” She replied as she looked towards him. “All of this will sound insane… but given that we live amongst gods, I hope the suspension of disbelief will be easily held, and if not… at least, entertained.” She says before stopping her anxious movements, only to fidget with her ring as she looked down on instinct. She was never any good with eye contact. She could already feel people’s emotions to such an unnerving sensitivity, she didn’t think eye contact was required. “The Gamekeeper and I… we followed one of the cats that live in one of the game areas… what was it called again…? Eversleeping Town…?” She didn’t know exactly why, but even though she knew Bane’s actual name, she was never comfortable enough to say it. That’s how it was for a lot of the hunter’s… though for the others whom she called by name… perhaps it was just because certain titles just… didn’t sit well with her. She would never call the scientist ‘Mad Eyes’ even if that was his title. “We went out on to a lake… or what we thought, was a lake… curiously enough, we were able to stand on the water. The cat, Kotaro, showed us so… we continued to journey past the lake’s pagoda until we ended up walking into what felt like this… endless void. It was so hard to see past it, yet we never needed any light to see one another. It felt… unreal…” As she spoke, her expression got tighter, and the way she moved her ring around her finger became more neurotic.

For a moment she pauses as she remembered the dread of it all… the overwhelming terror and and sheer horror of it. The desperation that felt like it was clawing at her throat… the sobbing and the begging. She seemed to shake for a moment as she remembered, even rubbing the skin of her finger raw from how much she was turning the ring around it. The pain seems to drag her out of it, and in spite of her it stung with the ring sitting on sensitive flesh, she didn’t bother removing it. She mumbled a sorry apology, the words almost too quiet to hear as she she shook her head, as though doing so would clear her thoughts. “Eventually… we found this.. thing… I don’t know what it was, but it was… awful. The voices that came out… it sounded like it was suffering…” She says, trying to steel her nerves as she remembered. “What’s worse, is that I could hear the voices of… children… begging and sobbing to let them go… let them out… why would there be children here, of all places…? Let alone in such pain, and in such a twister form…” She rubbed her temples before pulling her hood down further- though it doesn’t do much since the fabric was already pulled down as far as it could go. “After that, the water, or floor or… whatever it was… it began to swallow us… we began sinking, so we had to run back… the Gamekeeper… he was still spiraling from all of it… I don’t know how or why, but he was feeling much worse about it than I… I think he even felt… guilt… but I can’t discern why…” She explained, not having realized she had made an observation that was a little… too on the nose and suspicious. Ah, well… what could she do…? She just wanted a chance to get it all off her chest. “Not that it’s my business… but it was certainly difficult… I swear, I could feel it from across the town…” She mumbled. It almost sounded more like a dig at the Gamekeeper, rather than it being more literal, yet… the lack of ill intent in her voice made it clear that it wasn’t intentionally rude. Though perhaps, that would only make things more confusing…

He remained silent for a moment, eyebrows furrowed as he processed what he was just told. Of course, at first he was a little skeptical and doubtful but as it went on… Well, that was far too wild of a story to simply make up, now, wasn’t it? She was right about the deities, too, this whole manor had become a home ground for anything weird and supernatural. Ghosts, undead, people with magical abilities and those supposed ‘deities’… Really, just what had his manor come to? The final nail in the coffin though was her mention of children, causing him to freeze where he stood, knuckles turning white and metal scraping as he tightened his grip on his staff. Children, begging and sobbing to be let go… He grit his teeth together, stubbornly looking away and trying to push back the painful memory. Annoying… frustration surfaced quickly, annoyed that he had to be reminded of that damned day at all. As though to remind himself of where he was now, he ground his metal foot into the ground, looking down and watching the amber coloured metal move as he focused on her words. Her mention of his friend’s reaction instantly struck something within him, head turning instantly so that his gaze fell upon her.

Children and guilt, huh? A sigh escaped him, a hand moving away from his staff to instead pinch the bridge of his nose. “Of course it’s this shit…” He muttered under his breath. It was a little relieving to know it was just some of this, but that didn’t completely stop his concerns… Bane usually dealt with it all rather well. Granted, perhaps not as well as Bonbon tended to- but even then Bonbon wasn’t perfect, the trashed rooms he had to fix up was proof of it- but certainly much better than he himself usually tended to deal with this… The gamekeeper could always manage to talk with Bonbon, to reminisce with them on the past and lose himself in the nostalgia. He may have a few bad days here and there, quieter or grumpier than usual, but it was rare for him to spiral so badly like this, if even at all, most likely to happen on the day it all had happened… That… Creature… must have really gotten to him. Bane always seemed to recover, though. Wandering the woods for hours or days until he just showed up again covered in dirt and sticks or, on the rare occasion, blood. They’d often talk it through, after. Hanging around within his lab drinking and talking until they fell asleep… Bane would come back, it would just take some time. … Unless he sent Bonbon to retrieve the man early. That would just anger the man more though, he’d have to think it over more later…

For now? He narrowed his eyes at the woman, hand moving to hold his chin gently as he frowned, thinking. “Guilt, huh? What makes you say that?” It was far too specific. She’d been too precise with that deduction and it set him on-edge. A chuckle escaped him as he tapped his staff against the ground twice, grinning at her. “Shouldn’t that mask make it a little tricky to tell these things?” Hiding his face and muffling his mutters… Sometimes it even caused him and Bonbon a little bit of difficulty when understanding their friend. Yet she simply came to this conclusion while barely knowing him at all? It was certainly strange… at most he’d expect her to assume he’d simply been scared and nothing more. “So just how could you possibly come to that sort of conclusion, miss?” Did… it have something to do with her abilities? Was she just another one of those magical weirdos like that seer and priestess and all that? Perhaps he should’ve gone and asked Bonbon about her whole ‘empath’ title…

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #WHSHSJDJSJD PLEASEDE #also surprisingly nice of Burke to not tell though sjdjsjdjsj che #I imagine it’s mostly just so Bane doesn’t get pissed off or smthn tho #or like. afraid of her ajdjsjdjsjsj #that way matches won’t be too unbalanced if they know

She rubbed her temples again at the sudden flare of his anger. God, were all of the hunters just naturally pissed off? She has to resist the urge to snap. Even after a day’s worth of rest, she was still feeling worse for wear. She knew she should have stayed in her room for a little longer… but even she couldn’t stand to stay in her room for too long. She takes a moment to take a deep breath as she felt his emotions shift, in unease and suspicion. That was… technically better, but still something she wouldn’t have liked to feel… well, she knew better than most that a beggar couldn’t be a chooser. She sighs at her misstep. She was usually so careful about these sorts of things. Though, perhaps a part of her just… didn’t care anymore. She was too exhausted to give much effort into keeping her abilities a secret at the moment. Besides… maybe it would encourage a lack of interactions where they shared a space. At least it would make speaking easier. She could drop a conversation if she wanted to, and she didn’t think the old man would care. Soon, she moved her gaze up to look at him with a mildly unnerved and cautious expression.

No point in lying now… was there?

“Ah… as you know… I am the “empath”… I can influence other’s emotions… but I can also feel them as well… it’s rather… overwhelming, especially when half the people here are full of anger and spite.” She says with mild bitterness and a sense of exhaustion before taking another deep breath. She seemed surprised at her own tone before she looked down again, trying to regain some composure as she felt surely, that bitterness wasn’t her own. She was so used to just letting apathy wash over her, she nearly forgot she could feel other emotions by herself. Things like this made it hard to feel… human. Like a person. She wonders why she was even sent there as a survivor… wouldn’t she have been better off as a hunter…? Of course not. She couldn’t stand the thought of hurting someone else… bitterness or not. Anger and hatred, or not. She doesn’t think she could summon any primal bloodlust from herself.

After a moment of trying to calm herself, she doesn’t bother lifting her head up to meet his gaze. She thinks it’ll only make it harder to speak and keep herself together. Half of her conversations were like this anyways, unless she was speaking with a more light hearted person. She begins to speak again, more hesitant as though she isn’t sure if it was really worth trying to explain herself even further. She doesn’t think she’d be convincing enough, but she gives it a shot anyways.

“But don’t… worry about what I may do. I tend to keep things under control… I don’t like using my abilities on others… it’s a burden… carrying other people’s emotions so they don’t have to… and outside of that, and the idea of taking someone’s Will away is unsettling…” She pauses before continuing, unsure if she should voice the later half of her thoughts, before deciding that she may as well. It couldn’t get a worse reaction. “That is… unless something is unbearable… if someone else loses control, there’s a stronger chance that I may do the same… but even then it’s suffocating to deal with…” It’s more of a mumble that’s barely audible, but he could hear it if he cared enough to try and catch it. She was of course, vaguely referring to how she pacified the Gamekeeper’s grief and guilt, and left him with dull annoyance. At least then he’d have the will to keep going. She stops speaking after a bit, feeling as though she were just rambling about personal feelings that likely wouldn’t have mattered to him. But at least it’s off her chest.

She thinks she’d feel lighter, but she isn’t sure now. She was tired still, and she had emotions that were throwing her perception of herself into conflict.

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale...” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

Well, this was certainly something, huh? His lips pressed into a firm line, humming softly. Somewhere private to discuss this... He didn’t like where this was going... Then again, he didn’t really like anything about this situation at all. Regardless, he gave an understanding nod and a chuckle, fingers tapping against his staff. “Of course! Those survivors can be a real pesky lot, can’t they? I’ll make sure nobody hears a word... Just follow after me!” With that said he turned around and began walking towards his lab. Rather than actually entering, though, he moved past it to instead stop before his supposed bedroom. It took a minute or two to actually find the keys, grumbling to himself as he searched before finally finding it with a grin, sticking it in and opening up carefully, holding it open for her before closing and locking it once again.

“Make yourself comfortable or whatever...”

The place seemed more like a guest room than anything, though. Dusty and cold, personal items non-existent. Even the bed, although unmade and messy, appeared as though it hadn’t been touched in weeks. It was mostly clean and organised but only due to disuse. That was what made it special, though. Why spy upon a room that isn’t even used? There were no hidden cameras or speakers, not even a single piece of technology for communication with the master of the house. Even the transceivers he usually held on him had been left behind when he’d left the lab earlier. He generally lived in his lab more often than not, having even been forced by Bane to set up a basic bed in there so he would have an alternative to simply sleeping at his desk. Now it seemed like it was his turn to try and repay the favour, whether the man liked it or not.

A sigh escaped him as he leaned against the wall just beside the chest of drawers. His brow was furrowed as his finger tapped against his staff, the metallic sound ringing and repetitive. Although the action and expression could be seen as impatience, those who knew him well enough could tell the concern it truly held. “Now... you wanna tell me what the fuck happened during that match? Bane keeps brushing it off and your letter was just as useless.” Of course, the gesture was... somewhat appreciated, a little suspicious (granted, he was always a little skeptical and suspicious of everybody in general, but the letter, cryptic and confusing as fuck, made him more suspicious than usual), but in the end rather useless considering he’d known something had happened the moment he had next caught sight of his friend, lumbering about with that self-destructive tension in his shoulders and unusually curt responses. Bonbon hadn’t a clue of what happened either... With the gamekeeper being so stubborn he had little choice other than to try and get whatever information he could out of Delara.

She... was a strange one. She always made sure to inform him when one of those brats messed with his machines and returned what she could, but always refused to tell him whose ass he needed to kick. A shame, but he’d be sure to find out someday. At the very least he’d been glad to have somebody in the manor who was at least somewhat helpful. Granted, it may be a ploy to get his trust or something, but at least he didn’t need to keep ordering new parts or digging through the mess of his lab so often. It was clear that she was more on the smart side, though, at least having the common sense to take this conversation elsewhere.

#idv ask the empath #idv oc survivor #idv oc ask blog #idv oc #delara whispers #idv ask empath #idv askblog #I’m thinking of just having her tell Burke WHATS up with her lmao #I think she’d be like ‘’GOD PLEASE fix me and shut this shit OFF’’#‘’ it’s exhausting and it sucks and maybe I can go home’’#not exactly like that but it’ll feel like that ajdjwjdjwjdueu

She wanted to sit, as she had a distinct feeling that she wouldn’t have been able to last the conversation without wanting to sit and take a breather. Yet, at the lack of any real options outside of the bed (which she felt would have been rude in spite of its obvious neglect), she remains standing, only just by the doorway, and leaning on the wall. With his shift in tone, from almost warm and welcoming, to cold and straightforward, it was somewhat jarring, even in spite of the fact that his emotions were guiding her idea of what tone the conversation was following. The disconnect… is uncomfortable. Too familiar. But she manages to shrug it off. At least it wasn’t sinister… yet. For all she knew, she could be his next science experiment if she didn’t provide a good enough answer, or if he felt as though she were only messing with him. She had remained quiet because of that. She wanted to live- or at least, some part of her wanted to. She didn’t care how she ended up really, but dying painfully wasn’t exactly on her agenda either… therefore, a little thought was required. She thinks for a moment about how to phrase her words without sounding absolutely mad in the head, yet she finds herself unable to… with a troubled expression and a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair- somewhat anxious in its manner.

“I would like to, but I wouldn’t know where to start, Mr. Lapadura…” She replied as she looked towards him. “All of this will sound insane… but given that we live amongst gods, I hope the suspension of disbelief will be easily held, and if not… at least, entertained.” She says before stopping her anxious movements, only to fidget with her ring as she looked down on instinct. She was never any good with eye contact. She could already feel people’s emotions to such an unnerving sensitivity, she didn’t think eye contact was required. “The Gamekeeper and I… we followed one of the cats that live in one of the game areas… what was it called again…? Eversleeping Town…?” She didn’t know exactly why, but even though she knew Bane’s actual name, she was never comfortable enough to say it. That’s how it was for a lot of the hunter’s… though for the others whom she called by name… perhaps it was just because certain titles just… didn’t sit well with her. She would never call the scientist ‘Mad Eyes’ even if that was his title. “We went out on to a lake… or what we thought, was a lake… curiously enough, we were able to stand on the water. The cat, Kotaro, showed us so… we continued to journey past the lake’s pagoda until we ended up walking into what felt like this… endless void. It was so hard to see past it, yet we never needed any light to see one another. It felt… unreal…” As she spoke, her expression got tighter, and the way she moved her ring around her finger became more neurotic.

For a moment she pauses as she remembered the dread of it all… the overwhelming terror and and sheer horror of it. The desperation that felt like it was clawing at her throat… the sobbing and the begging. She seemed to shake for a moment as she remembered, even rubbing the skin of her finger raw from how much she was turning the ring around it. The pain seems to drag her out of it, and in spite of her it stung with the ring sitting on sensitive flesh, she didn’t bother removing it. She mumbled a sorry apology, the words almost too quiet to hear as she she shook her head, as though doing so would clear her thoughts. “Eventually… we found this.. thing… I don’t know what it was, but it was… awful. The voices that came out… it sounded like it was suffering…” She says, trying to steel her nerves as she remembered. “What’s worse, is that I could hear the voices of… children… begging and sobbing to let them go… let them out… why would there be children here, of all places…? Let alone in such pain, and in such a twister form…” She rubbed her temples before pulling her hood down further- though it doesn’t do much since the fabric was already pulled down as far as it could go. “After that, the water, or floor or… whatever it was… it began to swallow us… we began sinking, so we had to run back… the Gamekeeper… he was still spiraling from all of it… I don’t know how or why, but he was feeling much worse about it than I… I think he even felt… guilt… but I can’t discern why…” She explained, not having realized she had made an observation that was a little… too on the nose and suspicious. Ah, well… what could she do…? She just wanted a chance to get it all off her chest. “Not that it’s my business… but it was certainly difficult… I swear, I could feel it from across the town…” She mumbled. It almost sounded more like a dig at the Gamekeeper, rather than it being more literal, yet… the lack of ill intent in her voice made it clear that it wasn’t intentionally rude. Though perhaps, that would only make things more confusing…

There was something strange going on. That much, Burke knew well. Something had happened during Bane's last match and he was determined to find out what. Unfortunately though, his old friend had hidden himself away in the forest again. This left Burke with just one option... the only survivor in that match which Bonbon hadn't seen. Luckily for him, he managed to luck into finding her on one of his breaks. "Ah, just the woman I was looking for!" @ask-burke-lapadura

She seemed startled when he spoke to her. She hadn’t been paying attention, and she was only mindlessly wandering so she could get her mind off of… she inhaled sharply before exhaling somewhat shakily. She supposed she should have known it was someone else when she suddenly felt a burning curiosity amongst her ever deepening concern… she turns to the older man, her brows knit together in a way that made her expression come across as confused and almost troubled. She hadn’t meant any offense she just… didn’t expect anyone to actively seek her out. And especially after her last game, she could recall her teammates collectively agreeing to simply leave her be so she wouldn’t have to worry about overwhelming herself… even the baron had sent her a letter the very next day to take a few extra days of rest for herself, and that he had requested the hunters to avoid speaking or interacting with her so as to not induce any more “stress related hallucinations”.

Ever since she got the letter, she had been… very on edge. She knew well enough when someone was lying to her, regardless of whether they were in person or not. She knew what she saw and what she felt… she knew what the Gamekeeper felt too. It was all… a mess. So much of a mess that she knew the only way to keep things clean, was to deny it all. Even if she knew what was true. She had been in enough positions to know that the truth tended to worsen problems…

“Oh… are you… are you sure it is me you want at the moment…?” She asks, polite but cautious as was usual for her. What did he want from her anyways…? She wondered if he was here about the Gamekeeper… after all they were close. She would t have been surprised if the events had put the hunter off, and made him feel… a little troubled, to say the least. But if so, did the mad scientist have to speak to her like this…? Then again… perhaps he wanted to tell if she were lying or not. Writing was one thing, but being able to read one’s face was another… still. At the end of the day, she concluded that it had to be about his friend. He didn’t seem to be keen on interacting with other survivors, and she figured that the the only reason why he’d bother her specifically, was to talk about… what happened. She supposed she’d let him know… in all truth, she was worried about the hunter, not to mention she’d do anything to lift the crushing weight of what she had saw. What she had felt.

“My apologies if there has been any trouble… but I assure you… it has nothing to do with me…” She says with more caution, anxiously looking at the paintings on the wall, and the corners of the hallway where the shadows seemed to be unnervingly dark in spite of the lighting. “However, if you’d like to discuss the nature of these troubles, I may be able to point you in the right direction as to the cause…? I must ask though… if we are to do so, may we go somewhere more… secure…? I would hate for anyone to hear me being a tattletale...” The way she speaks is a bit more… deliberate, and vague enough to connect to any thought. She’s speaking casually and even meekly enough that it sounds almost earnest, yet there’s a level of control that she had with her tone and the pacing of her words, that showed that she knew exactly what he may have wanted to discuss. She just hoped he understood that she wished for more security if they were going to speak… now that she had seen what she had saw, followed by the baron’s letter… she wasn’t sure if privacy was real in the manor. After the incident, she wouldn’t have been surprised if it wasn’t… she glanced to a painting on the wall… was it always looking in their direction…?

@ask-burke-lapadura

#idv oc survivor #idv ask the empath #idv oc ask blog #delara whispers #idv oc

Duo matches always made her nervous. She typically never played in them for the sole fact that so much could happen at once. She hated feeling the distress of it all, not only from her powers but also herself. And as most duo matches tend to be, they were short a player, so she had went ahead and filled in. Who were the hunters for this round again…? It was… Bonbon and Bane, wasn’t it…?

This felt like it’d be a difficult match.

In search of a cipher, she wandered the Eversleeping Town- or at least, the recreation of it. She isn’t sure how “real” it is. Nothing at the manor felt real.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Now, Bane did not like to go friendly. It was something everybody was sure to have realised by now, with how mercilessly he went about his matches. Really, why would he go friendly in the first place? The Baron had assigned him this role and he refused to fail the man twice. He’d learned his lesson about kindness long ago… Of course, sometimes his friends would try to convince him to go easy on the survivors, or to just go friendly. If it was because they themselves weren’t feeling up to the match then of course he’d understand. He’d gladly just try to play well enough for the both of them to win while he let his friend rest. Convincing him to go friendly as well though…

It took a while, Bonbon relentlessly using every tactic they could in order to try and convince him. For a moment he was tempted to simply walk off to hunt the survivors himself! The robot was damn lucky he felt to be in a more agreeable mood… So it was with a sigh that he reluctantly gave in to the robot he knew wouldn’t have given up in their quest. Hey, he’d thought, at least he could spend some time with Bonbon, right?

Wrong, apparently. Rather than hide away within a corner of the map like Bane would prefer, Bonbon was insistent that it would be more fun interacting with survivors. He’d have to tell Burke to schedule another maintenance check because there must’ve been a few screws loose for Bonbon to think he was even remotely willing to interact with survivors in a more positive way… Still, the robot continued their attempts, beginning to push him forwards and forcing him to stumble along lest he fall over. Tch… who cared if the survivors were left unaware that they were going friendly this round? So what if they were to be tense and uneasy the whole time just waiting and expecting an attack? It wasn’t his damn fault and besides, if they didn’t know then they’d continue on to escape as quickly as possible and thus allowing him to leave as soon as possible!

Yet alas, the robot didn’t seem to care, simply making sure he walked through the surprisingly empty streets with him until eventually they found a survivor further down trying to decode one of the cypher machines. Instantly Bonbon ran after them as they bolted away, trying to show that they were friendly and calling for their attention as they did.

This just left Bane to wander on alone…. He’d just find some corner of the map to hide in, now that his pushy companion was gone. So onwards he went, wandering the streets in the search for somewhere nice to relax, gait more slowed than when hunting and hook still firmly attached to his belt. His head was tilted high, simply surveying his surroundings in a manner more suited for taking in the details rather than scrutinizing any and every shadow for a survivor. Silently he noted the details, forming a mental map within his mind as he went along.

Despite the current situation though, he hadn’t quite expected to see any more survivors, taking pause when he turned the corner and found none other than that ‘empath’ walking along. For a moment he froze, fingers twitching and barely resisting the instinctual urge to send out his hook. He was friendly, no hunting survivors… A quiet sigh escaped him as he tried to force the alarm bells in his head to silence and the tension to escape him. What was it friendly hunters were supposed to do? Spin…? … No way he was doing that. Huffing, he considered simply turning around and leaving while he could.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Kotaro lead them to the edge of the town, having reached a decorative iron gate that was painted red. There was a bridge that extended out into a lake of some sort, where lanterns floated and lead up to something akin to a pagoda of sorts. She watched as Kotaro made his way under the gate- though Delara found it curious that the gage refused to open when she pushed against it. There was no lock in sight- yet the metal had a seam that made it clear it was meant to be pushed open. Even when she leaned over to the other side to see the view of it, it hadn’t been welded shut or anything. Even more curious was the fact that as soon as even a part of her crossed over the iron gate, she felt a tugging sensation… like something was warning her to turn back. But who, or what was that…? And in what way was the warning meant…? Did it mean to threaten harm, or did it mean to protect her…? She doesn’t know if she wanted to know the answer… still… Kotaro was leading them. And she trusted Kotaro. So, she took off her cloak, and folded it carefully. Before she hung it on the gate, which was only a few feet tall. Her dress was already cumbersome, and she hadn’t wanted her cloak to tear… so she stepped up on some of the spaces in the decorative swirls of the metal, and then climbed over, finding that once she properly crossed, she didn’t feel anything but… cold on this side of the gate. It was icy on her end, and the fear, and the warning… it had disappeared the moment her feet landed, as though whatever was trying to warn her decided that she had gone too far… that it wasn’t worth the trouble if she was willing to cross into the unknown.

After curiously pressing her hands against the cold metal, she found that she could open the gate from her side which was… strange. But she couldn’t dwell on it any longer. Kotaro moved towards the pagoda, and despite how beautiful the scenery was, what with the soft warm glow of the lanterns on the water… it was unsettling in a way she couldn’t put her finger on. She grabbed her cloak, and carefully pulled it towards her before she donned it again, and began walking across the wooden bridge to the pagoda. Her mildly anxious expression widens when she realized why it was so… off. There was nothing beyond the pagoda. No other side of the lake, no land, no trees, not even the light of the lanterns. It didn’t even look like there was water beyond the last lantern. It was just… a black void. Endless and stretching. She watched as Kotaro looks at Delara, and then at Bane… before he leapt towards the water. On instinct, Delara gasps, reaching out to grab him, but she stumbles in her steps once she saw that Kotaro was standing on the water… and he seemed to be beckoning the two of them to follow suit. Delara, hesitantly tapped her shoe against the water, finding it to be… solid…? She stepped on to the water, noting that it did in fact, not fail her, and held her weight- if only rippling the waters and causing the nearby lanterns to bob slightly. She walked behind the cat, only sparing Bane a glance of mild unease before she followed Kotaro towards the abyss, where the lights of the lanterns couldn’t reach… which gave her pause. She picked up a lantern, and held it carefully in her hands… feeling childish in how it’s light comforted her. Even though she knew it wouldn’t have done any good at all, she carries it with her.

Time began to lose any sense of meaning the deeper Kotaro lead them. From behind, she could hear the crows and their ominous caws, as if trying to call them back- yet she notes that they wouldn’t, or rather… couldn’t pass beyond the pagoda. Delara anxiously bites her lip as she sighs, inhaling deep and slow while Kotaro leads them to… wherever it was he wanted to lead them to. Soon enough, the light of lanterns on the water disappear… and they had nothing but Delara’s lantern for light. It was strange though, that she could still see Kotaro, as though having a light source wouldn’t have actually mattered. It was strange how much it felt like they were just moving images on a black background. As they grew closer and closer to Koraro’s destination, Delara couldn’t help but become more curious and intrigued, as much as she was… anxious and afraid- which she also found rather strange… in a situation like this, she was more likely to be scared more than anything. There were always other people who were braver for her, so it evened her fear out. Not trusting herself to be even a bit courageous enough to bear curiosity, she finds herself unnerved by the possibility that something was lurking… close enough that she could feel it’s emotions. At some point, Kotaro stops and simply sits as he stared at the void. At first, she thinks they’ve stopped at a wall of sorts that somehow felt… deeper and darker than the abyss that surrounded them. But then the wall splits horizontally, and… an eye, opens. Large and almost fish-like. Almost as if on cue. Other eyes follow suit, and it’s only then does she understand the magnitude of… whatever it was. At first, she feels… on edge, but not so far into the belief that this creature would hurt her, or the gameskeeper, or even Kotaro. The pupils of the eyes look at Kotaro, almost dilating- like it was seeing an old friend that it missed and loved. For a moment, she lets her guard down… the moment soft and even… warm from what she could feel from… this creature. Kotaro even meows a greeting, purring with affection towards whatever this eldritch horror was. The undeniable bond they shared, and all the positive aspects of it made the whiplash of what happened next so… so much stronger. It begins to shriek as it finally registers the two of them… the horror setting inside Delara as voices fill the silence. Voices… so, many voices… but there were few voices that were more.. prominent. They weren’t familiar to her… but they’d definitely be more familiar to the hunter behind her… the voices of children, and a woman…

She felt like she was going to throw up.

The raw desperation… the pain she felt from the creature couldn’t be ignored. She could feel its rage, the feelings of betrayal… its… sorrow. And when it actually spoke…? It was so, quiet. Like a whisper in their heads. Yet it felt so sharp in their minds- it was giving Delara a headache. These feelings alone were too familiar- things she felt and seen in other people… people so young… it didn’t help that she could hear it… sobbing in spite of the lack of actual tears. All the while, Kotaro’s hair was standing on end- the poor cat likely didn’t even know this was going to happen at all… perhaps… it just wanted to help…?

“LET US GO.”

Is all the creature managed out before the world around them began shaking. Delara could feel her feet beginning to slowly sink, as if the water was no longer willing to hold their weight. They had to run. With not even a second to spare, she ran forward and picked up Kotaro before she began sprinting as hard as she could, feeling her feet beginning to sink ever further in the turbulent ground. She doesn’t know where she’s running, but she knows she’s turning back, and running in a straight line… hopefully the ground wouldn’t disorient them too much.

He couldn’t help but to hesitate, unsure. He was so sorely tempted to let that feeling tug him back, to listen to the alarm bells ringing in his head and let her make her own foolish decisions. But then he’d looked at Kotaro again, reminded himself that the cat wouldn’t do anything to betray them. Animals weren’t like that, after all. Besides… he’d have to make sure that this fool ended up making it out of the exit gates in the end. While the Baron was likely annoyed and disappointed about his decision of what to do with the match he’d likely be even more so if they ended up losing a survivor because they got too distracted wandering places they shouldn’t. So, adjusting his gloves just slightly, he made his way up and over with her, being careful on the way down. Despite the way articles of clothing covered him nearly head to toe he could still feel the cold, prickling his fingers and seeming to try and seep in through all his layers and armour. It was… bearable. He’d always been fond of the cold and had he ended up here after chasing around survivors all day he was sure he’d enjoy it even more.

Upon watching Kotaro take that leap he’d prepared to jump after him, to lift the cat from the undoubtedly freezing waters only to take pause as it registered that the cat hadn’t sunk. Standing… Standing on water… Just what was this? Was Kotaro… something else? An uneasy feeling settled within him at the thought only to stop, eyebrows furrowing as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and Delara was… standing on it too? Well, he supposed he’d certainly seen stranger… The hunters residing within the manor all had their oddities so this was nothing. He looked down at the water, hesitating for a moment as he contemplated joining them. Sure, those two were standing but would it handle his weight? Would it reject him for being a hunter? Well… there was only one way to find out… Taking a breath, he stepped forward and found that his feet remained on solid ground. Alright then… Looking up he took another step forward… and then another… and he was walking along following behind them. Seeing Delara pick up the lantern though, he couldn’t help but to scoff, rolling his eyes but making no comment on the pathetic display, instead choosing to continue on walking into… oh. The black abyss… It was uncomfortable, an anxious feeling… But also… calming? Walking on like he had in death. Or had he been falling, then? It was hard to remember, hard to tell. Had he even been doing anything at all? Was he even doing anything at all right now? What proof was there that they weren’t simply walking in place? What proof was there that he’d ever woken up from the dream of death and hadn’t just been continuing to walk on and fall this whole time?

He flinched at the thought, shaking his head and huffed, blinking rapidly as he tried to dispel it from his mind. Looking down he allowed his gaze to lock onto the cat that was leading them onwards and let it remain there. Then he stopped and looked up and Bane reluctantly let his gaze follow. An eye. Two eyes. This was not normal. Even with the dream witch, even with Hastur, this was not normal in any way. For some reason though… he couldn’t help but to fear it, anxiety squeezing his heart and tightening his chest, hands clenched into fists. He hated it, hated this feeling, hated the way it made him feel so weak. What was he even to do? What would this thing do? Would it attack? Kill? Or perhaps it may reveal a giant mouth to swallow them whole? He didn’t know and he didn’t want to know, wanting to turn around and flee. His feet were rooted to the ground, though, as though something were pinning him down. Was it this creature? This monster? Trapping him here after he’d made the foolish mistake of coming in the first place. Everything felt so long, seconds stretching into minutes as he simply stood there, mouth dry as he watched, anticipating an attack and trying so desperately to stand up tall and shield himself with his usual anger, to replace that horrid dread.

In the next moment though, he found himself wishing not just to run, but to scream. Voices. Voices. There were voices in his head, whispering and shouting into his ears, piercing his mind with a wicked blade. Familiar, they were familiar. So horribly familiar, taking a moment for him to place them but… The realisation hit like a sledgehammer, slamming him in the gut. His eyes widened and he couldn’t help but to stumble back, hands shaking. Why was he shaking? He shouldn’t be shaking he shouldn’t he couldn’t show any weakness he couldn’t! They knew it too, he was sure. Although he couldn’t discern any of the actual words being spoken and hissed and shrieked, he was sure they were all cursing him. They had to be, after all, it was all his fault, right? He was the gamekeeper, the one who protected and raised game, the one who was supposed to catch hunters and hand them over to jailers and policemen and yet he failed all of that because of his own weaknesses. He was soft and he was weak and they’d known and taken advantage of it and now everybody was gone because of that! Gone or dead from the invasion that had happened after his murder and it was all his fault. The manor’s staff killed or maimed or injured, Burke replacing his own foot after the irreparable damage that had been dealt to it… and it was all because of him! It hurt. The mask he wore suffocating and tight, the beartrap feeling heavy and sharp. He’d caused it all. The children’s kidnapping, the Baron’s journey, the death and injury of the staff, the damage to the manor and even his very own death. He hated it, hated himself. Why couldn’t he have been more competent? He hadn’t deserved any of the ‘second’ chances the baron had given him, any of the forgiveness. It was agonizing, a fire of hate and guilt eating up his entire body.

How strange… to stand here in an endless black abyss, two giant eyes staring down at him as ghosts scream into his ear and shake his very core, a cat stood just in front of him and a stranger situated just next to him. It truly was an absurd situation. He could’ve laughed at how ridiculous it all was, and perhaps he did. He couldn’t hear a single sound above all the screaming in his ear and buzzing in his brain. Was any of it even real? Were the voices a trick? Perhaps he was the trick here. A reanimated corpse… Was that seriously possible? Had he ever been revived at all? What if this was just an endless dream, conjured from his own mind? Haha, no, no… He’d never be anywhere near creative enough to make something such as this. If not a dream though, then what if this were all just some afterlife- what if they’d all died that day and it was all his fault for it all his fault for being such a kind-hearted failure, all his FUCKING fault-?! A place for those unlucky enough to be denied from both heaven, hell and every place in between? Or maybe simply a personal hell designed just for him? No, no, he hadn’t suffered here nearly enough for that to be the case… Before he could dwell on the possibilities any further, to fall back on the thought that they were all dead and it was all his fault, they’d been slaughtered just like the game he raised and it was because of HIM- That mix of voices spoke and the world around them shook and trembled.

For a moment he couldn’t move, rooted to the spot as the world threatened to crack apart around them. He was tempted to let it, to simply give in and accept whatever would happen afterwards. It would be a deserving fate, wouldn’t it? But yet… whether by instinct or something else he found himself stumbling backwards, before making a turn and running after the survivor and the cat which had lead him here. It burned. His lungs, his head, his neck, his leg… It was as though he’d forgotten how to walk, legs fumbling and nearly tripping as he moved them as quickly as he could. Hands shaking he couldn’t help but to reach for his hook, almost dropping it as he hurried to wrap the chains around his arm, holding onto the hook itself and holding on tight as he hurried forwards, looking up desperately but finding nowhere to launch it into, nothing to drag himself towards. His heart was in his throat, chest tight and throat feeling blocked. It was a nauseating experience but still he pushed through, breaths quick and heavy as he rushed forward. He needed to escape, to run and run and run and run to safety. When the dim light of the floating lanterns had finally reached him he almost stumbled to a stop, squinting against how bright they suddenly felt but- the gate, the gate was there he just needed to get over to escape he just-

His hook shot forwards, reaching the top of the fate and pulling him forward where he shakily reached the top, jumping to the bottom so that he could continue to get away only to yelp as his legs gave out beneath him, letting him collapse onto the ground instead. Fuck- huffing and puffing he attempted to push himself onto his feet, only to fall again with the shakiness of his arms. Damn it, why was he always so pathetic?! Away, away, he needed to get away. So away he tried to go, half crawling and half stumbling through the old paths of the town oh-so-slowly as he tried to find some space between or inside a building to hide away within while his thoughts continued to spiral, negative feelings within him whirling around like a storm. Any time his hands weren’t pushing him up from the ground or guiding him along they were gripping his mask tightly, just barely avoiding the urge to rip it off and take a breath of fresh air. Even if it felt like he were choking, suffocating, now was just not the time to allow himself such a freedom, not now, not here… never anywhere other than the safety of his room or Burke’s lab…

Delara hadn’t had the time to think about anything but ro keep moving forward. Her lungs were burning and her chest was tight from how hard she was pushing her body, and the crushing fear and despair she was feeling. She hadn’t even noticed that at some point, Bane had gotten ahead of them, and that she was left alone to stumble and sink into the abyss with Kotaro. She felt a sort of relief when she saw the lanterns ahead of them, glowing warmly as if to mark safety, but it was cold comfort to the emotions that were tossing her mind around, having kept her thoughts as turbulent as the water beneath her. She could feel her feet sinking further and further into the ice-cold water, and just before she could sink out of reach from the wooden bridge, she managed to toss Kotaro on to it, and grip on to the ledge. She pulled herself up, her heart racing in her chest as she scrambled to pull herself up, tears beading in her eyes as she fought the water and its unprecedented weight trying to drag her done. Despite how it soaked into her body like actual water, it felt… heavy. Like a sludge, trying to drag her down. She hadn’t even thought of trying to quell the monster, she could only think about running. This situation was… all too familiar. Too uncomfortably familiar. The crashing water. The way it dragged her down. The desperation and the fear, and the visceral terror of it all, pulsing through her.

She couldn’t even appreciate what little strength she had, that allowed her to pull herself up, and pick up Kotaro. She couldn’t even focus on the way her legs wobbled and shook and how she nearly lost her grip on the shaking animal in her arms. She couldn’t focus on how hot her face was with tears, and the way that even though she had a mouth, and a voice, she could not scream in spite of the fact that she wanted to. She doesn’t even notice that as soon as she crosses the gate, a piece of her cloak rips because she accidentally steps on it as she climbs. Her mind was clouded by fear and worry, and the only solace was the fact that she could feel the faint emotions of joy from her teammates… but she did not want to feel joy. She wanted quietness… apathy. If she felt happiness or warmth now, she think she’d feel sick… the whiplash of cosmic horror to light hearted fun was going to wreck her- maybe even change her perception of what should be considered fun or not. That was the trouble with her powers… if she wasn’t careful, she could alter her mind, and slowly become numb to certain things. If she began to associate joy with these sorts of situations, with this sort of… pain… she thinks she would turn out worse than- she shook her head as she held on to Kotaro, now sitting in the middle of the trolley tracks as she trembled. Her legs and arms and chest were aching with use. She hadn’t fought that hard for her life in such a long time…

She finds that she can’t calm herself down, in spite of her deep breaths. In spite of her grounding techniques, she finds herself spiraling further, and further, and further into the anxiety… into the sheer terror of what had just been. It clicks when she realizes that these weren’t her feelings- though they easily could have been… these were the Gamekeeper’s… she sat up and tiredly trudged around, trying to find him… if she got closer, she’d likely feel his emotions on the same level he was… but if this was how bad it was from far away.. how bad would it be up close..? She had to stop it, or else something worse may have happened. She could lose control… it could be a nightmare for anyone who came to find her. The fear and horror would only be amplified until it was one, awful feed back loop, where she received fear, forced it on to others, and in turn, felt it again, and again, and again… no. She couldn’t let that happen. The unpredictability of everyone’s actions in response was… too much. She found it a miracle that she could even think in this situation, but she’s thankful that she can. Thankful for the solace her teammates were providing her, even if it made her nauseated and confused.

She searched for him, glad that there was mercy in that his pace was easy to catch-up with. She found herself becoming easier and easier to emotionally crumble as she neared him, her body shaking as though the metaphorical weight of it all was extending to even the physical. Kotaro rubbed his head into her, as if to try and comfort her. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she breathed deeply, thankful for the chill of the night air and how it soothed her lungs- if only briefly. Her body felt heavy. Maybe it was the weight of the water that was soaking her dress, or maybe it was just that she was tied. His emotions were… suffocating. She wanted to run away as much ad he did, but in spite of it… she kept on. Her legs feeling heavier with reluctance as she stepped closer, and closer to him. Her resolve was crumbling with each lethargic step, but she had to resist losing her sense of control… and it wasn’t too long before she found him.

“Forgive me…” Is all she can really say with a strained voice, choked with held back tears and screams that desperately wanted to come out. She closed her eyes, and she almost… glows as she took in his emotions, shouldering the grief, the guilt… the anxiety and the loathing… she took it from him, and eased it. Granted him peace and tranquility that would at least, allow him to process what had happened… give him a breath. All while she fell to her knees, letting Kotaro go as she covered her face, body trembling beneath her red cloak. She was processing all of his pain and anxiety. She had managed to take up all of his emotions and replace them, but now she was feeling the brunt of his agony while he at least would feel calm. She was hiding in her cloak… instead of seeing bits of the past, now she was simply just… trembling. Face covered… meek and silent. The world around her felt so far away now… she’s not even sure what she’s feeling but she can’t even properly name her senses. Everything was just a background thought. It felt like the world around her was an impressionist painting- blurry, out of focus… vaguely shaped as something she knows but not something she was willing to parse out at the moment. The sensation she felt, with the tears rolling down her vacant expression- it didn’t even feel real. She had memories associated with these feelings… but because of how painful the emotions and memories were altogether, instead of reliving them, she simply just… disconnected. Her hands slowly fall from her face and into her lap… her eyes becoming far off and distant in appearance. She’s crying but she’s quiet and frozen. Her body was still glowing dimly with a sort of power- which was more evident given the shadows that her cloak cast, making it just a bit more noticeable. Feeling his instilled calmer state was slowly easing the painful emotions she took from him, but she’d need more time.

Despite his efforts, he couldn’t help but to eventually come to a stop, collapsing onto his knees and only his hands keeping him from faceplanting into the pavement. The suffocating feeling… Teeth grit together and trying not to choke he decided at the very least, even if he couldn’t do anything to the mask that hid his face, he could deal with the second worst thing. Moving uncomfortably he simply kneeled instead, hands reaching up. A metallic clank rung out as he almost threw the trap around his neck onto the ground ahead of him. It was empty in the middle, merely meant as more of a decorative piece, an accessory more than a tool. How the baron had ever convinced him to wear it he couldn’t quite recall… Regardless of that, though, it was off and his neck felt just a little more open than before, shoulders just a pinch lighter. Really though, that was all that mattered. Even if his breaths were still a little laboured and short, it was getting better than before and slowly it began to get better, like all his pain and wounds were just… fading away… wait what?

He blinked, startled by the sudden tranquility that had thrust itself upon him. There was no way that it was natural. Looking around he just barely caught sight of Delara, eyes narrowing for a moment at the strange air about her. Had… she done that? He wanted to yell, to shout, to retaliate somehow. To wrap himself in anger and wear it like a shield or perhaps even to run. But yet… His shoulders slumped, a sigh escaping him. This whole ordeal had just been so… tiring. He couldn’t even find it in himself to feel anxious about anything. Part of him wanted to sleep, to close his eyes and slumber, whether for eternity or just a few hours. Another just to patrol, to patrol the forest of the manor, to make sure nobody suspicious was lurking around. That wasn’t an option right now though, neither was visiting Burke… Perhaps he could call Bonbon and just talk to them? His transceiver remained in his belt’s pouch… His fingers twitched and he couldn’t help but to grimace. His arm felt heavy, hand felt heavy, his entire body just felt heavy. Like lead, or the stone Galatea carved, or just… like the corpse he knew himself to be, limbs dead and useless, barely moving an inch. Grunting, he allowed himself to fall onto his back, grimacing at the uncomfortable position. Damn this mask… But regardless, he simply just lay there, head moving to face the nearby wall so that he didn’t have to look up at the empty sky. He could’ve stayed there for minutes or hours, simply letting his body be consumed by the more passive feelings of calm, apathy or fatigue. The only thing he dared to do was to refuse the temptation to sleep or move, letting idle thoughts drift through his head.

When he got back he’d likely be called to meet the baron and have a discussion about the match today… Would the man mention anything of the creature in the beyond? Did he not know? Would he doubt it and call him delusional if he were to explain what happened after passing that gate? … Whatever the case he’d have to do well in the next few matches to make up for it. Regardless of that business though he’d also have to see Burke… Make sure the old man wasn’t working too hard. Since they went friendly that meant Bonbon hadn’t used any bombs, so Burke wouldn’t have to worry much about building them. Well, unless the two got into another fight but they seemed on good terms yesterday and for the past few months in general so he doubted that he’d have to worry about all of that. The old man would probably be in a good mood because of it, he always liked when there was less of that boring work to be done. At least one good thing came out of all of this. Maybe they could share some drinks and have a nice chat… Maybe Burke could ramble about his newest projects and how they were coming along and they could trade jabs at each other and Bonbon could pop in and join the conversation. He and Bonbon would exchange a comment vie sign language and Burke would complain about how they could just say it to his face instead… Or perhaps instead he could visit Luchino or Antonio, those two always tended to make for some pleasant company. No… maybe he’d simply spend some time relaxing within the forest or the gardens… Maybe some woodcarving? He’d started a new project in preparation for Burke’s ‘character day’, as a gift.

A sigh escaped him. Maybe this was something he should think about later, when he was actually back at the manor. For now? He managed to pull himself into a sitting position, moving his neck around for a moment to try and ease the discomfort it had felt from being in that awkward position. Then, idly, he glanced towards the strange survivor and that… cat? that remained by her side, seemingly trying to comfort her. … He wasn’t sure he’d be petting him any time soon.

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog #tw depersonalization #tw dissociation #tw existentialism #tw existential crisis #tw dereality #Haha oh boy. can’t wait for Delara to send Burke a letter like ‘’I am unsure if Bane has told you of the events that have transpired but…’’#LIKE SHE DOESNT TELL HIM EVERYTHING BCUS SHED SOUND CRAZY BIT LIKE #Zshes like ‘’Keep a more keen eye on him. please. I am afraid of the consequences of what we have done.’’#also 👁👁 what if later down the line #they accidentally set the family free somehow #haha oops

She’s not sure how much time it actually takes. She can’t count the seconds, and for a good while, she felt like her body wasn’t even hers. Like it was foreign, and she was only an outsider. It was fear of hers, really. That someday, she’d lose control of herself, and this was what it would almost be like, but that’s not quite the same… this was quiet. Protective. A numbing of a heart that was too big for its fragile body. Eventually -and she still doesn’t know when- she’s finally registering Kotaro’s fur, and the world around her becomes sharper. She’s aware of the ache in her eyes from the tears, and how wet her cheeks are. She finally even managed to loosen her control over Bane’s emotions, so that he could now resume exercising his emotional autonomy. She picks up Kotaro, quietly mumbling to him as she makes a weak attempt to smile- only for it to fall away as quickly as she tried. She wordlessly pets the cat as he purrs, her fingers touching his little head, and stroking the suspiciously well maintained coat of fur he had. She still looks a bit far off in the eye, but she was settling down. The warmth and softness of Kotaro was slowly settling her, grounding her to reality. She keeps trying to open her mouth, and force words to come out, but they seem to refuse to. They won’t fall out no matter how hard she pushed her vocal chords to just make a sound. Any sound.

But her body refuses to comply. At least, her mind was conscious enough to slowly release her influence over the Gamekeeper’s emotions. He’d feel no different from the calmness unless something managed to provoke another emotion. Then he’d know he was free from her will. It’s silent again as she properly comes to, and Kotaro trots up to Bane, gently head butting the rope of his head to the side of Bane’s as if in apology for the events. He then curls up beside his head, uncharacteristically quiet, save for a purr here or there. Delara tries to move herself, but finds it difficult to. She felt… tired. Like she was living molasses, and she hadn’t the strength to carry her own weight. She fears she may tip over if she tries to move. She fears her hands and legs may shake with weakness. She knew was already a rather sorry sight given her demeanor, but she’d try not to further that assumption- even if to some degree, it was true. To her at least.

“God…” Is all she can mutter as she rubbed at her eyes. She casts her vacant gaze towards the hunter who was presently laying on the floor. Once again, she was looking more like a corpse than a living being. The color drained from her face, leaving her paler than she already was. She seems to pause for a moment, taking a breath before she decided against speaking. She doesn’t know if there’s anything to say really. If he wanted to ask her a question or get angry, she wouldn’t have cared. She thinks if not now, then later, she should find her teammates… she knew at least Miss Behamfil would take care of her whilst in her state. Though then again… she didn’t want to worry anyone either. As she thought, she had looked away from Bane before she brought her eyes to him once again. She can only mumble a tired, “Sorry…” but to what she was apologizing about wasn’t specific. Though judging from her tone, and her expression, even in its hollowness… she managed to seem empathetic. It seemed she knew something deeper to him, but she wouldn’t say what. She knew this was likely to upset him… but he was better off angry than spiraling. And all the while.. the crows are watching with intrigue.

Duo matches always made her nervous. She typically never played in them for the sole fact that so much could happen at once. She hated feeling the distress of it all, not only from her powers but also herself. And as most duo matches tend to be, they were short a player, so she had went ahead and filled in. Who were the hunters for this round again…? It was… Bonbon and Bane, wasn’t it…?

This felt like it’d be a difficult match.

In search of a cipher, she wandered the Eversleeping Town- or at least, the recreation of it. She isn’t sure how “real” it is. Nothing at the manor felt real.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Now, Bane did not like to go friendly. It was something everybody was sure to have realised by now, with how mercilessly he went about his matches. Really, why would he go friendly in the first place? The Baron had assigned him this role and he refused to fail the man twice. He’d learned his lesson about kindness long ago… Of course, sometimes his friends would try to convince him to go easy on the survivors, or to just go friendly. If it was because they themselves weren’t feeling up to the match then of course he’d understand. He’d gladly just try to play well enough for the both of them to win while he let his friend rest. Convincing him to go friendly as well though…

It took a while, Bonbon relentlessly using every tactic they could in order to try and convince him. For a moment he was tempted to simply walk off to hunt the survivors himself! The robot was damn lucky he felt to be in a more agreeable mood… So it was with a sigh that he reluctantly gave in to the robot he knew wouldn’t have given up in their quest. Hey, he’d thought, at least he could spend some time with Bonbon, right?

Wrong, apparently. Rather than hide away within a corner of the map like Bane would prefer, Bonbon was insistent that it would be more fun interacting with survivors. He’d have to tell Burke to schedule another maintenance check because there must’ve been a few screws loose for Bonbon to think he was even remotely willing to interact with survivors in a more positive way… Still, the robot continued their attempts, beginning to push him forwards and forcing him to stumble along lest he fall over. Tch… who cared if the survivors were left unaware that they were going friendly this round? So what if they were to be tense and uneasy the whole time just waiting and expecting an attack? It wasn’t his damn fault and besides, if they didn’t know then they’d continue on to escape as quickly as possible and thus allowing him to leave as soon as possible!

Yet alas, the robot didn’t seem to care, simply making sure he walked through the surprisingly empty streets with him until eventually they found a survivor further down trying to decode one of the cypher machines. Instantly Bonbon ran after them as they bolted away, trying to show that they were friendly and calling for their attention as they did.

This just left Bane to wander on alone…. He’d just find some corner of the map to hide in, now that his pushy companion was gone. So onwards he went, wandering the streets in the search for somewhere nice to relax, gait more slowed than when hunting and hook still firmly attached to his belt. His head was tilted high, simply surveying his surroundings in a manner more suited for taking in the details rather than scrutinizing any and every shadow for a survivor. Silently he noted the details, forming a mental map within his mind as he went along.

Despite the current situation though, he hadn’t quite expected to see any more survivors, taking pause when he turned the corner and found none other than that ‘empath’ walking along. For a moment he froze, fingers twitching and barely resisting the instinctual urge to send out his hook. He was friendly, no hunting survivors… A quiet sigh escaped him as he tried to force the alarm bells in his head to silence and the tension to escape him. What was it friendly hunters were supposed to do? Spin…? … No way he was doing that. Huffing, he considered simply turning around and leaving while he could.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Kotaro lead them to the edge of the town, having reached a decorative iron gate that was painted red. There was a bridge that extended out into a lake of some sort, where lanterns floated and lead up to something akin to a pagoda of sorts. She watched as Kotaro made his way under the gate- though Delara found it curious that the gage refused to open when she pushed against it. There was no lock in sight- yet the metal had a seam that made it clear it was meant to be pushed open. Even when she leaned over to the other side to see the view of it, it hadn’t been welded shut or anything. Even more curious was the fact that as soon as even a part of her crossed over the iron gate, she felt a tugging sensation… like something was warning her to turn back. But who, or what was that…? And in what way was the warning meant…? Did it mean to threaten harm, or did it mean to protect her…? She doesn’t know if she wanted to know the answer… still… Kotaro was leading them. And she trusted Kotaro. So, she took off her cloak, and folded it carefully. Before she hung it on the gate, which was only a few feet tall. Her dress was already cumbersome, and she hadn’t wanted her cloak to tear… so she stepped up on some of the spaces in the decorative swirls of the metal, and then climbed over, finding that once she properly crossed, she didn’t feel anything but… cold on this side of the gate. It was icy on her end, and the fear, and the warning… it had disappeared the moment her feet landed, as though whatever was trying to warn her decided that she had gone too far… that it wasn’t worth the trouble if she was willing to cross into the unknown.

After curiously pressing her hands against the cold metal, she found that she could open the gate from her side which was… strange. But she couldn’t dwell on it any longer. Kotaro moved towards the pagoda, and despite how beautiful the scenery was, what with the soft warm glow of the lanterns on the water… it was unsettling in a way she couldn’t put her finger on. She grabbed her cloak, and carefully pulled it towards her before she donned it again, and began walking across the wooden bridge to the pagoda. Her mildly anxious expression widens when she realized why it was so… off. There was nothing beyond the pagoda. No other side of the lake, no land, no trees, not even the light of the lanterns. It didn’t even look like there was water beyond the last lantern. It was just… a black void. Endless and stretching. She watched as Kotaro looks at Delara, and then at Bane… before he leapt towards the water. On instinct, Delara gasps, reaching out to grab him, but she stumbles in her steps once she saw that Kotaro was standing on the water… and he seemed to be beckoning the two of them to follow suit. Delara, hesitantly tapped her shoe against the water, finding it to be… solid…? She stepped on to the water, noting that it did in fact, not fail her, and held her weight- if only rippling the waters and causing the nearby lanterns to bob slightly. She walked behind the cat, only sparing Bane a glance of mild unease before she followed Kotaro towards the abyss, where the lights of the lanterns couldn’t reach… which gave her pause. She picked up a lantern, and held it carefully in her hands… feeling childish in how it’s light comforted her. Even though she knew it wouldn’t have done any good at all, she carries it with her.

Time began to lose any sense of meaning the deeper Kotaro lead them. From behind, she could hear the crows and their ominous caws, as if trying to call them back- yet she notes that they wouldn’t, or rather… couldn’t pass beyond the pagoda. Delara anxiously bites her lip as she sighs, inhaling deep and slow while Kotaro leads them to… wherever it was he wanted to lead them to. Soon enough, the light of lanterns on the water disappear… and they had nothing but Delara’s lantern for light. It was strange though, that she could still see Kotaro, as though having a light source wouldn’t have actually mattered. It was strange how much it felt like they were just moving images on a black background. As they grew closer and closer to Koraro’s destination, Delara couldn’t help but become more curious and intrigued, as much as she was… anxious and afraid- which she also found rather strange… in a situation like this, she was more likely to be scared more than anything. There were always other people who were braver for her, so it evened her fear out. Not trusting herself to be even a bit courageous enough to bear curiosity, she finds herself unnerved by the possibility that something was lurking… close enough that she could feel it’s emotions. At some point, Kotaro stops and simply sits as he stared at the void. At first, she thinks they’ve stopped at a wall of sorts that somehow felt… deeper and darker than the abyss that surrounded them. But then the wall splits horizontally, and… an eye, opens. Large and almost fish-like. Almost as if on cue. Other eyes follow suit, and it’s only then does she understand the magnitude of… whatever it was. At first, she feels… on edge, but not so far into the belief that this creature would hurt her, or the gameskeeper, or even Kotaro. The pupils of the eyes look at Kotaro, almost dilating- like it was seeing an old friend that it missed and loved. For a moment, she lets her guard down… the moment soft and even… warm from what she could feel from… this creature. Kotaro even meows a greeting, purring with affection towards whatever this eldritch horror was. The undeniable bond they shared, and all the positive aspects of it made the whiplash of what happened next so… so much stronger. It begins to shriek as it finally registers the two of them… the horror setting inside Delara as voices fill the silence. Voices… so, many voices… but there were few voices that were more.. prominent. They weren’t familiar to her… but they’d definitely be more familiar to the hunter behind her… the voices of children, and a woman…

She felt like she was going to throw up.

The raw desperation… the pain she felt from the creature couldn’t be ignored. She could feel its rage, the feelings of betrayal… its… sorrow. And when it actually spoke…? It was so, quiet. Like a whisper in their heads. Yet it felt so sharp in their minds- it was giving Delara a headache. These feelings alone were too familiar- things she felt and seen in other people… people so young… it didn’t help that she could hear it… sobbing in spite of the lack of actual tears. All the while, Kotaro’s hair was standing on end- the poor cat likely didn’t even know this was going to happen at all… perhaps… it just wanted to help…?

“LET US GO.”

Is all the creature managed out before the world around them began shaking. Delara could feel her feet beginning to slowly sink, as if the water was no longer willing to hold their weight. They had to run. With not even a second to spare, she ran forward and picked up Kotaro before she began sprinting as hard as she could, feeling her feet beginning to sink ever further in the turbulent ground. She doesn’t know where she’s running, but she knows she’s turning back, and running in a straight line… hopefully the ground wouldn’t disorient them too much.

He couldn’t help but to hesitate, unsure. He was so sorely tempted to let that feeling tug him back, to listen to the alarm bells ringing in his head and let her make her own foolish decisions. But then he’d looked at Kotaro again, reminded himself that the cat wouldn’t do anything to betray them. Animals weren’t like that, after all. Besides… he’d have to make sure that this fool ended up making it out of the exit gates in the end. While the Baron was likely annoyed and disappointed about his decision of what to do with the match he’d likely be even more so if they ended up losing a survivor because they got too distracted wandering places they shouldn’t. So, adjusting his gloves just slightly, he made his way up and over with her, being careful on the way down. Despite the way articles of clothing covered him nearly head to toe he could still feel the cold, prickling his fingers and seeming to try and seep in through all his layers and armour. It was… bearable. He’d always been fond of the cold and had he ended up here after chasing around survivors all day he was sure he’d enjoy it even more.

Upon watching Kotaro take that leap he’d prepared to jump after him, to lift the cat from the undoubtedly freezing waters only to take pause as it registered that the cat hadn’t sunk. Standing… Standing on water… Just what was this? Was Kotaro… something else? An uneasy feeling settled within him at the thought only to stop, eyebrows furrowing as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and Delara was… standing on it too? Well, he supposed he’d certainly seen stranger… The hunters residing within the manor all had their oddities so this was nothing. He looked down at the water, hesitating for a moment as he contemplated joining them. Sure, those two were standing but would it handle his weight? Would it reject him for being a hunter? Well… there was only one way to find out… Taking a breath, he stepped forward and found that his feet remained on solid ground. Alright then… Looking up he took another step forward… and then another… and he was walking along following behind them. Seeing Delara pick up the lantern though, he couldn’t help but to scoff, rolling his eyes but making no comment on the pathetic display, instead choosing to continue on walking into… oh. The black abyss… It was uncomfortable, an anxious feeling… But also… calming? Walking on like he had in death. Or had he been falling, then? It was hard to remember, hard to tell. Had he even been doing anything at all? Was he even doing anything at all right now? What proof was there that they weren’t simply walking in place? What proof was there that he’d ever woken up from the dream of death and hadn’t just been continuing to walk on and fall this whole time?

He flinched at the thought, shaking his head and huffed, blinking rapidly as he tried to dispel it from his mind. Looking down he allowed his gaze to lock onto the cat that was leading them onwards and let it remain there. Then he stopped and looked up and Bane reluctantly let his gaze follow. An eye. Two eyes. This was not normal. Even with the dream witch, even with Hastur, this was not normal in any way. For some reason though… he couldn’t help but to fear it, anxiety squeezing his heart and tightening his chest, hands clenched into fists. He hated it, hated this feeling, hated the way it made him feel so weak. What was he even to do? What would this thing do? Would it attack? Kill? Or perhaps it may reveal a giant mouth to swallow them whole? He didn’t know and he didn’t want to know, wanting to turn around and flee. His feet were rooted to the ground, though, as though something were pinning him down. Was it this creature? This monster? Trapping him here after he’d made the foolish mistake of coming in the first place. Everything felt so long, seconds stretching into minutes as he simply stood there, mouth dry as he watched, anticipating an attack and trying so desperately to stand up tall and shield himself with his usual anger, to replace that horrid dread.

In the next moment though, he found himself wishing not just to run, but to scream. Voices. Voices. There were voices in his head, whispering and shouting into his ears, piercing his mind with a wicked blade. Familiar, they were familiar. So horribly familiar, taking a moment for him to place them but… The realisation hit like a sledgehammer, slamming him in the gut. His eyes widened and he couldn’t help but to stumble back, hands shaking. Why was he shaking? He shouldn’t be shaking he shouldn’t he couldn’t show any weakness he couldn’t! They knew it too, he was sure. Although he couldn’t discern any of the actual words being spoken and hissed and shrieked, he was sure they were all cursing him. They had to be, after all, it was all his fault, right? He was the gamekeeper, the one who protected and raised game, the one who was supposed to catch hunters and hand them over to jailers and policemen and yet he failed all of that because of his own weaknesses. He was soft and he was weak and they’d known and taken advantage of it and now everybody was gone because of that! Gone or dead from the invasion that had happened after his murder and it was all his fault. The manor’s staff killed or maimed or injured, Burke replacing his own foot after the irreparable damage that had been dealt to it… and it was all because of him! It hurt. The mask he wore suffocating and tight, the beartrap feeling heavy and sharp. He’d caused it all. The children’s kidnapping, the Baron’s journey, the death and injury of the staff, the damage to the manor and even his very own death. He hated it, hated himself. Why couldn’t he have been more competent? He hadn’t deserved any of the ‘second’ chances the baron had given him, any of the forgiveness. It was agonizing, a fire of hate and guilt eating up his entire body.

How strange… to stand here in an endless black abyss, two giant eyes staring down at him as ghosts scream into his ear and shake his very core, a cat stood just in front of him and a stranger situated just next to him. It truly was an absurd situation. He could’ve laughed at how ridiculous it all was, and perhaps he did. He couldn’t hear a single sound above all the screaming in his ear and buzzing in his brain. Was any of it even real? Were the voices a trick? Perhaps he was the trick here. A reanimated corpse… Was that seriously possible? Had he ever been revived at all? What if this was just an endless dream, conjured from his own mind? Haha, no, no… He’d never be anywhere near creative enough to make something such as this. If not a dream though, then what if this were all just some afterlife- what if they’d all died that day and it was all his fault for it all his fault for being such a kind-hearted failure, all his FUCKING fault-?! A place for those unlucky enough to be denied from both heaven, hell and every place in between? Or maybe simply a personal hell designed just for him? No, no, he hadn’t suffered here nearly enough for that to be the case… Before he could dwell on the possibilities any further, to fall back on the thought that they were all dead and it was all his fault, they’d been slaughtered just like the game he raised and it was because of HIM- That mix of voices spoke and the world around them shook and trembled.

For a moment he couldn’t move, rooted to the spot as the world threatened to crack apart around them. He was tempted to let it, to simply give in and accept whatever would happen afterwards. It would be a deserving fate, wouldn’t it? But yet… whether by instinct or something else he found himself stumbling backwards, before making a turn and running after the survivor and the cat which had lead him here. It burned. His lungs, his head, his neck, his leg… It was as though he’d forgotten how to walk, legs fumbling and nearly tripping as he moved them as quickly as he could. Hands shaking he couldn’t help but to reach for his hook, almost dropping it as he hurried to wrap the chains around his arm, holding onto the hook itself and holding on tight as he hurried forwards, looking up desperately but finding nowhere to launch it into, nothing to drag himself towards. His heart was in his throat, chest tight and throat feeling blocked. It was a nauseating experience but still he pushed through, breaths quick and heavy as he rushed forward. He needed to escape, to run and run and run and run to safety. When the dim light of the floating lanterns had finally reached him he almost stumbled to a stop, squinting against how bright they suddenly felt but- the gate, the gate was there he just needed to get over to escape he just-

His hook shot forwards, reaching the top of the fate and pulling him forward where he shakily reached the top, jumping to the bottom so that he could continue to get away only to yelp as his legs gave out beneath him, letting him collapse onto the ground instead. Fuck- huffing and puffing he attempted to push himself onto his feet, only to fall again with the shakiness of his arms. Damn it, why was he always so pathetic?! Away, away, he needed to get away. So away he tried to go, half crawling and half stumbling through the old paths of the town oh-so-slowly as he tried to find some space between or inside a building to hide away within while his thoughts continued to spiral, negative feelings within him whirling around like a storm. Any time his hands weren’t pushing him up from the ground or guiding him along they were gripping his mask tightly, just barely avoiding the urge to rip it off and take a breath of fresh air. Even if it felt like he were choking, suffocating, now was just not the time to allow himself such a freedom, not now, not here… never anywhere other than the safety of his room or Burke’s lab…

Delara hadn’t had the time to think about anything but ro keep moving forward. Her lungs were burning and her chest was tight from how hard she was pushing her body, and the crushing fear and despair she was feeling. She hadn’t even noticed that at some point, Bane had gotten ahead of them, and that she was left alone to stumble and sink into the abyss with Kotaro. She felt a sort of relief when she saw the lanterns ahead of them, glowing warmly as if to mark safety, but it was cold comfort to the emotions that were tossing her mind around, having kept her thoughts as turbulent as the water beneath her. She could feel her feet sinking further and further into the ice-cold water, and just before she could sink out of reach from the wooden bridge, she managed to toss Kotaro on to it, and grip on to the ledge. She pulled herself up, her heart racing in her chest as she scrambled to pull herself up, tears beading in her eyes as she fought the water and its unprecedented weight trying to drag her done. Despite how it soaked into her body like actual water, it felt… heavy. Like a sludge, trying to drag her down. She hadn’t even thought of trying to quell the monster, she could only think about running. This situation was… all too familiar. Too uncomfortably familiar. The crashing water. The way it dragged her down. The desperation and the fear, and the visceral terror of it all, pulsing through her.

She couldn’t even appreciate what little strength she had, that allowed her to pull herself up, and pick up Kotaro. She couldn’t even focus on the way her legs wobbled and shook and how she nearly lost her grip on the shaking animal in her arms. She couldn’t focus on how hot her face was with tears, and the way that even though she had a mouth, and a voice, she could not scream in spite of the fact that she wanted to. She doesn’t even notice that as soon as she crosses the gate, a piece of her cloak rips because she accidentally steps on it as she climbs. Her mind was clouded by fear and worry, and the only solace was the fact that she could feel the faint emotions of joy from her teammates… but she did not want to feel joy. She wanted quietness… apathy. If she felt happiness or warmth now, she think she’d feel sick… the whiplash of cosmic horror to light hearted fun was going to wreck her- maybe even change her perception of what should be considered fun or not. That was the trouble with her powers… if she wasn’t careful, she could alter her mind, and slowly become numb to certain things. If she began to associate joy with these sorts of situations, with this sort of… pain… she thinks she would turn out worse than- she shook her head as she held on to Kotaro, now sitting in the middle of the trolley tracks as she trembled. Her legs and arms and chest were aching with use. She hadn’t fought that hard for her life in such a long time…

She finds that she can’t calm herself down, in spite of her deep breaths. In spite of her grounding techniques, she finds herself spiraling further, and further, and further into the anxiety… into the sheer terror of what had just been. It clicks when she realizes that these weren’t her feelings- though they easily could have been… these were the Gamekeeper’s… she sat up and tiredly trudged around, trying to find him… if she got closer, she’d likely feel his emotions on the same level he was… but if this was how bad it was from far away.. how bad would it be up close..? She had to stop it, or else something worse may have happened. She could lose control… it could be a nightmare for anyone who came to find her. The fear and horror would only be amplified until it was one, awful feed back loop, where she received fear, forced it on to others, and in turn, felt it again, and again, and again… no. She couldn’t let that happen. The unpredictability of everyone’s actions in response was… too much. She found it a miracle that she could even think in this situation, but she’s thankful that she can. Thankful for the solace her teammates were providing her, even if it made her nauseated and confused.

She searched for him, glad that there was mercy in that his pace was easy to catch-up with. She found herself becoming easier and easier to emotionally crumble as she neared him, her body shaking as though the metaphorical weight of it all was extending to even the physical. Kotaro rubbed his head into her, as if to try and comfort her. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she breathed deeply, thankful for the chill of the night air and how it soothed her lungs- if only briefly. Her body felt heavy. Maybe it was the weight of the water that was soaking her dress, or maybe it was just that she was tied. His emotions were… suffocating. She wanted to run away as much ad he did, but in spite of it… she kept on. Her legs feeling heavier with reluctance as she stepped closer, and closer to him. Her resolve was crumbling with each lethargic step, but she had to resist losing her sense of control… and it wasn’t too long before she found him.

“Forgive me…” Is all she can really say with a strained voice, choked with held back tears and screams that desperately wanted to come out. She closed her eyes, and she almost… glows as she took in his emotions, shouldering the grief, the guilt… the anxiety and the loathing… she took it from him, and eased it. Granted him peace and tranquility that would at least, allow him to process what had happened… give him a breath. All while she fell to her knees, letting Kotaro go as she covered her face, body trembling beneath her red cloak. She was processing all of his pain and anxiety. She had managed to take up all of his emotions and replace them, but now she was feeling the brunt of his agony while he at least would feel calm. She was hiding in her cloak… instead of seeing bits of the past, now she was simply just… trembling. Face covered… meek and silent. The world around her felt so far away now… she’s not even sure what she’s feeling but she can’t even properly name her senses. Everything was just a background thought. It felt like the world around her was an impressionist painting- blurry, out of focus… vaguely shaped as something she knows but not something she was willing to parse out at the moment. The sensation she felt, with the tears rolling down her vacant expression- it didn’t even feel real. She had memories associated with these feelings… but because of how painful the emotions and memories were altogether, instead of reliving them, she simply just… disconnected. Her hands slowly fall from her face and into her lap… her eyes becoming far off and distant in appearance. She’s crying but she’s quiet and frozen. Her body was still glowing dimly with a sort of power- which was more evident given the shadows that her cloak cast, making it just a bit more noticeable. Feeling his instilled calmer state was slowly easing the painful emotions she took from him, but she’d need more time.

Duo matches always made her nervous. She typically never played in them for the sole fact that so much could happen at once. She hated feeling the distress of it all, not only from her powers but also herself. And as most duo matches tend to be, they were short a player, so she had went ahead and filled in. Who were the hunters for this round again…? It was… Bonbon and Bane, wasn’t it…?

This felt like it’d be a difficult match.

In search of a cipher, she wandered the Eversleeping Town- or at least, the recreation of it. She isn’t sure how “real” it is. Nothing at the manor felt real.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Now, Bane did not like to go friendly. It was something everybody was sure to have realised by now, with how mercilessly he went about his matches. Really, why would he go friendly in the first place? The Baron had assigned him this role and he refused to fail the man twice. He’d learned his lesson about kindness long ago… Of course, sometimes his friends would try to convince him to go easy on the survivors, or to just go friendly. If it was because they themselves weren’t feeling up to the match then of course he’d understand. He’d gladly just try to play well enough for the both of them to win while he let his friend rest. Convincing him to go friendly as well though…

It took a while, Bonbon relentlessly using every tactic they could in order to try and convince him. For a moment he was tempted to simply walk off to hunt the survivors himself! The robot was damn lucky he felt to be in a more agreeable mood… So it was with a sigh that he reluctantly gave in to the robot he knew wouldn’t have given up in their quest. Hey, he’d thought, at least he could spend some time with Bonbon, right?

Wrong, apparently. Rather than hide away within a corner of the map like Bane would prefer, Bonbon was insistent that it would be more fun interacting with survivors. He’d have to tell Burke to schedule another maintenance check because there must’ve been a few screws loose for Bonbon to think he was even remotely willing to interact with survivors in a more positive way… Still, the robot continued their attempts, beginning to push him forwards and forcing him to stumble along lest he fall over. Tch… who cared if the survivors were left unaware that they were going friendly this round? So what if they were to be tense and uneasy the whole time just waiting and expecting an attack? It wasn’t his damn fault and besides, if they didn’t know then they’d continue on to escape as quickly as possible and thus allowing him to leave as soon as possible!

Yet alas, the robot didn’t seem to care, simply making sure he walked through the surprisingly empty streets with him until eventually they found a survivor further down trying to decode one of the cypher machines. Instantly Bonbon ran after them as they bolted away, trying to show that they were friendly and calling for their attention as they did.

This just left Bane to wander on alone…. He’d just find some corner of the map to hide in, now that his pushy companion was gone. So onwards he went, wandering the streets in the search for somewhere nice to relax, gait more slowed than when hunting and hook still firmly attached to his belt. His head was tilted high, simply surveying his surroundings in a manner more suited for taking in the details rather than scrutinizing any and every shadow for a survivor. Silently he noted the details, forming a mental map within his mind as he went along.

Despite the current situation though, he hadn’t quite expected to see any more survivors, taking pause when he turned the corner and found none other than that ‘empath’ walking along. For a moment he froze, fingers twitching and barely resisting the instinctual urge to send out his hook. He was friendly, no hunting survivors… A quiet sigh escaped him as he tried to force the alarm bells in his head to silence and the tension to escape him. What was it friendly hunters were supposed to do? Spin…? … No way he was doing that. Huffing, he considered simply turning around and leaving while he could.

@idv-ask-the-empath

#idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii the Baron made a deal with a bunch of gods to keep the souls of his family and the residents of the manor alive #and existent so he wouldn’t have to lose them and be alone without them #in exchange for entertainment that would be satisfying for them #that’s the idea more or less anyways idk maybe it’s different #we can hash out lore later </3 #anyways this creature is an amalgamation of a lot of things #ask to tag #also usually the amalgam is asleep #it only wakes up when other ppl or things are around #usually though it wakes up sees Kotaro and bcus Kotaro is a cat it’s sorta like #’’It’s a cat ??? it can’t do shit ???’’#but bcus Delara and Bane are like. PEOPLE it expects more of them #also my theory rn is that each map takes place in a separate sort of dimension or world that’s recreating a specific event or experience #from a hunter’s life #usually this means that the hunter is advantaged because they KNOW the map but it’s also a really bad reminder of their past #anyways outside of these dimensions are where the ‘’spectators’’ are #gods or ancient beings or w/e that watch and keep these dimensions stable #the baron’s family and co are sorta in a body that resembles these ancient beings but they don’t have any powers #they just exist outside of time and space to preserve them #coincidentally the ancient beings exist there as well #also though #the amalgam of the family can only interact with just like. the edge of the maps because of how weak they tend to be #in terms of stability bcus no one is supposed to go there. which means that there’s no point in paying attention to it #no one is expected to be there and the bare minimum here is that there’s like. a floor lmao.

Kotaro lead them to the edge of the town, having reached a decorative iron gate that was painted red. There was a bridge that extended out into a lake of some sort, where lanterns floated and lead up to something akin to a pagoda of sorts. She watched as Kotaro made his way under the gate- though Delara found it curious that the gage refused to open when she pushed against it. There was no lock in sight- yet the metal had a seam that made it clear it was meant to be pushed open. Even when she leaned over to the other side to see the view of it, it hadn’t been welded shut or anything. Even more curious was the fact that as soon as even a part of her crossed over the iron gate, she felt a tugging sensation… like something was warning her to turn back. But who, or what was that…? And in what way was the warning meant…? Did it mean to threaten harm, or did it mean to protect her…? She doesn’t know if she wanted to know the answer… still… Kotaro was leading them. And she trusted Kotaro. So, she took off her cloak, and folded it carefully. Before she hung it on the gate, which was only a few feet tall. Her dress was already cumbersome, and she hadn’t wanted her cloak to tear… so she stepped up on some of the spaces in the decorative swirls of the metal, and then climbed over, finding that once she properly crossed, she didn’t feel anything but… cold on this side of the gate. It was icy on her end, and the fear, and the warning… it had disappeared the moment her feet landed, as though whatever was trying to warn her decided that she had gone too far… that it wasn’t worth the trouble if she was willing to cross into the unknown.

After curiously pressing her hands against the cold metal, she found that she could open the gate from her side which was… strange. But she couldn’t dwell on it any longer. Kotaro moved towards the pagoda, and despite how beautiful the scenery was, what with the soft warm glow of the lanterns on the water… it was unsettling in a way she couldn’t put her finger on. She grabbed her cloak, and carefully pulled it towards her before she donned it again, and began walking across the wooden bridge to the pagoda. Her mildly anxious expression widens when she realized why it was so… off. There was nothing beyond the pagoda. No other side of the lake, no land, no trees, not even the light of the lanterns. It didn’t even look like there was water beyond the last lantern. It was just… a black void. Endless and stretching. She watched as Kotaro looks at Delara, and then at Bane… before he leapt towards the water. On instinct, Delara gasps, reaching out to grab him, but she stumbles in her steps once she saw that Kotaro was standing on the water… and he seemed to be beckoning the two of them to follow suit. Delara, hesitantly tapped her shoe against the water, finding it to be… solid…? She stepped on to the water, noting that it did in fact, not fail her, and held her weight- if only rippling the waters and causing the nearby lanterns to bob slightly. She walked behind the cat, only sparing Bane a glance of mild unease before she followed Kotaro towards the abyss, where the lights of the lanterns couldn’t reach… which gave her pause. She picked up a lantern, and held it carefully in her hands… feeling childish in how it’s light comforted her. Even though she knew it wouldn’t have done any good at all, she carries it with her.

Time began to lose any sense of meaning the deeper Kotaro lead them. From behind, she could hear the crows and their ominous caws, as if trying to call them back- yet she notes that they wouldn’t, or rather… couldn’t pass beyond the pagoda. Delara anxiously bites her lip as she sighs, inhaling deep and slow while Kotaro leads them to… wherever it was he wanted to lead them to. Soon enough, the light of lanterns on the water disappear… and they had nothing but Delara’s lantern for light. It was strange though, that she could still see Kotaro, as though having a light source wouldn’t have actually mattered. It was strange how much it felt like they were just moving images on a black background. As they grew closer and closer to Koraro’s destination, Delara couldn’t help but become more curious and intrigued, as much as she was… anxious and afraid- which she also found rather strange… in a situation like this, she was more likely to be scared more than anything. There were always other people who were braver for her, so it evened her fear out. Not trusting herself to be even a bit courageous enough to bear curiosity, she finds herself unnerved by the possibility that something was lurking… close enough that she could feel it’s emotions. At some point, Kotaro stops and simply sits as he stared at the void. At first, she thinks they’ve stopped at a wall of sorts that somehow felt… deeper and darker than the abyss that surrounded them. But then the wall splits horizontally, and… an eye, opens. Large and almost fish-like. Almost as if on cue. Other eyes follow suit, and it’s only then does she understand the magnitude of… whatever it was. At first, she feels… on edge, but not so far into the belief that this creature would hurt her, or the gameskeeper, or even Kotaro. The pupils of the eyes look at Kotaro, almost dilating- like it was seeing an old friend that it missed and loved. For a moment, she lets her guard down… the moment soft and even… warm from what she could feel from… this creature. Kotaro even meows a greeting, purring with affection towards whatever this eldritch horror was. The undeniable bond they shared, and all the positive aspects of it made the whiplash of what happened next so… so much stronger. It begins to shriek as it finally registers the two of them… the horror setting inside Delara as voices fill the silence. Voices... so, many voices… but there were few voices that were more.. prominent. They weren’t familiar to her… but they’d definitely be more familiar to the hunter behind her… the voices of children, and a woman…

She felt like she was going to throw up.

The raw desperation… the pain she felt from the creature couldn’t be ignored. She could feel its rage, the feelings of betrayal… its… sorrow. And when it actually spoke…? It was so, quiet. Like a whisper in their heads. Yet it felt so sharp in their minds- it was giving Delara a headache. These feelings alone were too familiar- things she felt and seen in other people… people so young… it didn’t help that she could hear it… sobbing in spite of the lack of actual tears. All the while, Kotaro’s hair was standing on end- the poor cat likely didn’t even know this was going to happen at all… perhaps… it just wanted to help…?

“LET US GO.”

Is all the creature managed out before the world around them began shaking. Delara could feel her feet beginning to slowly sink, as if the water was no longer willing to hold their weight. They had to run. With not even a second to spare, she ran forward and picked up Kotaro before she began sprinting as hard as she could, feeling her feet beginning to sink ever further in the turbulent ground. She doesn’t know where she’s running, but she knows she’s turning back, and running in a straight line… hopefully the ground wouldn’t disorient them too much.

Duo matches always made her nervous. She typically never played in them for the sole fact that so much could happen at once. She hated feeling the distress of it all, not only from her powers but also herself. And as most duo matches tend to be, they were short a player, so she had went ahead and filled in. Who were the hunters for this round again…? It was… Bonbon and Bane, wasn’t it…?

This felt like it’d be a difficult match.

In search of a cipher, she wandered the Eversleeping Town- or at least, the recreation of it. She isn’t sure how “real” it is. Nothing at the manor felt real.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Now, Bane did not like to go friendly. It was something everybody was sure to have realised by now, with how mercilessly he went about his matches. Really, why would he go friendly in the first place? The Baron had assigned him this role and he refused to fail the man twice. He'd learned his lesson about kindness long ago... Of course, sometimes his friends would try to convince him to go easy on the survivors, or to just go friendly. If it was because they themselves weren't feeling up to the match then of course he'd understand. He'd gladly just try to play well enough for the both of them to win while he let his friend rest. Convincing him to go friendly as well though...

It took a while, Bonbon relentlessly using every tactic they could in order to try and convince him. For a moment he was tempted to simply walk off to hunt the survivors himself! The robot was damn lucky he felt to be in a more agreeable mood... So it was with a sigh that he reluctantly gave in to the robot he knew wouldn't have given up in their quest. Hey, he'd thought, at least he could spend some time with Bonbon, right?

Wrong, apparently. Rather than hide away within a corner of the map like Bane would prefer, Bonbon was insistent that it would be more fun interacting with survivors. He'd have to tell Burke to schedule another maintenance check because there must've been a few screws loose for Bonbon to think he was even remotely willing to interact with survivors in a more positive way... Still, the robot continued their attempts, beginning to push him forwards and forcing him to stumble along lest he fall over. Tch... who cared if the survivors were left unaware that they were going friendly this round? So what if they were to be tense and uneasy the whole time just waiting and expecting an attack? It wasn't his damn fault and besides, if they didn't know then they'd continue on to escape as quickly as possible and thus allowing him to leave as soon as possible!

Yet alas, the robot didn't seem to care, simply making sure he walked through the surprisingly empty streets with him until eventually they found a survivor further down trying to decode one of the cypher machines. Instantly Bonbon ran after them as they bolted away, trying to show that they were friendly and calling for their attention as they did.

This just left Bane to wander on alone.... He'd just find some corner of the map to hide in, now that his pushy companion was gone. So onwards he went, wandering the streets in the search for somewhere nice to relax, gait more slowed than when hunting and hook still firmly attached to his belt. His head was tilted high, simply surveying his surroundings in a manner more suited for taking in the details rather than scrutinizing any and every shadow for a survivor. Silently he noted the details, forming a mental map within his mind as he went along.

Despite the current situation though, he hadn't quite expected to see any more survivors, taking pause when he turned the corner and found none other than that 'empath' walking along. For a moment he froze, fingers twitching and barely resisting the instinctual urge to send out his hook. He was friendly, no hunting survivors... A quiet sigh escaped him as he tried to force the alarm bells in his head to silence and the tension to escape him. What was it friendly hunters were supposed to do? Spin...? ... No way he was doing that. Huffing, he considered simply turning around and leaving while he could.

@idv-ask-the-empath

She could feel the lingering reluctance he felt… the reservation he had of even sparing her the glance. She had felt it a bit ago, as he neared her but she hadn’t bothered to do much more than roam because of what she had sens. She could hear the crows up above, curiously eyeing her, as though they were trying to parse if she was ‘inactive’, and if so… punish her for it. Well, perhaps punish was a strong word… they were only doing a job after all, and it was, at worst, annoying to have them repeat their calls. One of them flies down, seeming to search for a place to perch, to which Delara took the hint and offered her arm. Naturally, the talons dug into her skin which made her wince and hiss out in pain, but she could ask for a syringe later. The crow caws at her, curious in nature as it looked to its brethren roaming the sky, before aiming its sight directly at the deer-headed hunter. It… seemed to be waiting for him to make a move. Delara follows its gaze towards him, to which she gives a polite, if not, terse acknowledging nod.

She wasn’t sure if she should have approached him, but she thinks she maybe should…? Perhaps it might let go of her arm, and instead choose to make its temporary home on Bane instead. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the birds either- they were quite interesting creatures, and could be friendly given enough time. But… this one had its talons piercing her skin, which was all too prone to getting injuries. Petting the bird’s head with her finger, the crow would nestle into it before she resolved to walk over to Bane, slow and careful so as to not disturb the peace of her feathery companion. If it decided to perch on him, perhaps she’d go visit the cat that was said to wander around the time, or perhaps she’d visit the pagoda surrounded by the water lanterns… whichever came first, honestly- and of course, provided that she could even get over the fence.

She doesn’t really bother with a greeting- she thinks that for him, her nod was enough. Besides, she’s fairly certain he wouldn’t have even acknowledged it anyways. She stops a comfortable distance away from him as she lifted her arm up, the crow’s feathers ruffling somewhat as it sensed the movement. It spread its wings, and flew up to land on the antlers of the hunter’s mask, nuzzling its beak into his head. Though after it left, one of the crows roaming the skies lands on her forearm, another settling on her shoulder before she could even move her arm back down. She winced as she felt their talons digging into her again, soon letting out a soft sigh as she reluctantly let them settle on her. She looks up at him, her face more clear now that she was letting the light actually reach her face. She flinched as she felt another weight on the other shoulder, figuring that it was another crow. It seemed that they all looked at Delara before turning their gazes to Bane, the movement…. unnaturally unison and even uniform. It was strange how they acted. Some moments, they seemed as natural as any wild crow, but occasionally, their movements would sync up, as though something had taken them over.

Delara hardly seems to notice though. She’s just… looking at Bane, as if asking for help, all while the birds perched on her eye him… waiting for his movement. Or anything really, so they could discern what was happening.

Finding the beady red gaze of the crows locked upon him he couldn’t help but to feel guilty, as though his actions were being judged. Perhaps they were, really. The baron had always held a fondness towards birds, sometimes finding himself sat with Bane on the manor’s porch as they listened to the early morning birdcalls. Then after everything... There had always been something... odd, about him, once he’d returned. These crows located within every match were always rather suspicious, yet he’d usually found them to be a more pleasant sight, an ally waiting to out a survivor for their foolishness. Now it felt like they were waiting to out him for his foolishness. The thought of attacking was tempting, the idea of simply resuming his role comforting and familiar. Then the image of Bonbon sprouted into his mind, their eyes lit up in both a literal and metaphorical manner as they cheered at his reluctant agreement.

A sigh escaped him. Damn it all. Reluctantly he walked forward to meet her, trying carefully to keep the perched crow steady. Once close enough he met the eyes of the other birds, feeling their piercing gaze run through him. Chest tight, he reached a hand up to gently stroke one of the crows on the head, the other clenched into a fist by his side. “There’s better places to perch...” He muttered, gently poking the feathered creature’s chest.

Then, he took a moment to step back, reaching into the little pouch attached to his belt, grabbing a small, clear bag from within it, filled with bird seed. Opening it up, he grabbed a small pinch, turning away from Delara to scatter onto the pavement, doing so about three times more before sealing it and returning it to where it’d been stored. He’d always had a tendency to feed the birds after matches, bringing seed as often as he could in order to do so. It was like an expression of gratitude, thanking them for their hard work and telling them to rest easy. As though to further express just what he was doing, he unwound the chains of his hook from where they’d been wrapped around his arm, instead looping them through his belt.

Turning his head back towards the small creatures he found himself faced with a loud, indignant caw. He couldn’t help but to flinch just slightly, startled by the sound. They seemed dissatisfied with his decision and he couldn’t help but to feel that he’d made the wrong choice, hands clenched into fists by his side. He’d let him down. Shame pooled within as he felt his mask shift from the crow perched there giving a light peck before suddenly it’s weight was gone. Although he had gone against the rules, had disobeyed and failed his new job- he hadn’t changed at all, had he? hadn’t learnt a single thing, just a useless, pathetic brute with a warm heart too big for his own good. Too soft for the job, as always. Couldn’t even encase his heart in ice and make what he knew to be the right choice, even after having died being taught the lesson the last time- there was nothing they could do. It was the Baron he’d have to watch out for, the man who’d no doubt request a calm chat after the match... Just a simple scolding or lecture, a disappointed sigh, that cold gaze, perhaps some worried words... It was surprising he didn’t get worse- didn’t he deserve it? he ought to know better already- yet still just the simple slap of the wrist caused him enough guilt and shame to work extra hard in his next matches to try and make up for it

Well, he shook his head slightly, there was no going back now, he thought with a sigh, he’d simply have to live with his decision. Refusing to look the survivor in the face he walked around her, avoiding the scattered birdseed and squawking birds as he went onward and past her.

The moment she felt his emotions shift to guilt, her breath hitched just ever so slightly. She hadn’t expected… guilt. The shame… what did he feel so guilty for…? The feelings surfaced as soon as he had hooked the chains through his belt loops, and a crow seemingly… responded. Did it have to do with the game…? The watchful eyes that kept order…? She was having trouble thinking straight. Guilt often brought back less kinder memories. Much like the rain, or the sea, it had a way of washing away her resolve as though it were mere sediment of what it typically was. She rarely ever let herself remember… after all, she already felt the “incident” was her responsibility… even if realistically, it wasn’t. Even if she knew it couldn’t have been her fault… but it was hard to feel like that, when she was the only one still left… when even now, she was protected, and taken care of in spite of how… demanding her condition could be. She’s thankful, as much as she felt indebted. She felt as though she owed the Baron. Was that his intention…? Perhaps. She couldn’t have known. Either way… the thought was still… guilt inducing. She felt her stomach churn with unease, and her chest tightening.

As he walked past her, she turns around so she could follow him with her gaze, not having noticed that the black-feathered birds were now on the ground, pecking at the seeds he had scattered. She opened her mouth, only to close it, as if hesitating, trying to think carefully about how she should approach the situation. What would he prefer…? What would be the easiest way for him to just relax (or feel anything else) so she didn’t have to feel his guilt, even if she was halfway across the town…? She can’t really place an answer. She was already reluctant to be interacting with him- it was natural with just evict everyone, but now she was feeling even stronger about it… yet the guilt she felt from him could not be ignored. The worst part of it all, was that she couldn’t figure out if she truly felt like that- though she supposed it wouldn’t have mattered. She has a feeling anything she says wouldn’t be received well- that’s just how it seemed to go for him and strangers.

“If it is easier to hate us, and be angry… then do so.” She comments, her voice still soft, and sounding out of use. It seemed as though she had been asleep for a long time and had only recently woken up- though given her more alert expression that was clearly not the case. She only glanced towards the crows who were busy pecking the ground with their beaks, occasionally stopping in unison to stare at them before resuming. It was an assumption she had made… that his remorse was stemming from those keen-eyed creatures, meant to watch them. “There is nothing a syringe cannot fix here….” She adds, more thoughtfully before she turned her curious, observing gaze elsewhere. She had been keeping an eye out for the adorable black and white cat that had even said to loiter around the town- presumably for fun. She nor anyone hadn’t the faintest idea as to why it was there, or where it came from, but most of them could discern unanimously that the cat was adorable. Apparently however, he already had a name, and would only answer by ‘Kotaro’. If he edecided go strike her now, or turn away with nothing but silent anger, she wouldn’t have held it against him. She’d be relieved if anything.

His eyebrows furrowed at her words, coming to a stop to turn and simply stare- or rather, glare at her for a moment. Annoyance began to bloom forth from within him. What was she on about? Did she think that he didn’t hate them already? That he didn’t try to cloak himself with anger as a shield and deterrent to keep these annoyances from bothering him? Tch, did she need some sort of sense to be knocked into her? Perhaps one strike wouldn’t be so bad... It certainly was a tempting idea. Not to mention her thoughtful comment was true, she wouldn’t be significantly injured, not for long... No, no... he huffed, walking on. He promised he wouldn’t hurt the survivors, wouldn’t even strike them once, so he wouldn’t... Despite however much he wished to. Instead, he grumbled out a begrudging. “Why don’t you go do one of those cyphers so we can all get out of here?” No doubt that those other pathetic fools were all just messing around with Bonbon or something...

He hated being in this situation, hated that he was wishing for the survivors to complete their business with those stupid machines. Damn it... Why’d it have to be him? If Bonbon wished to go friendly so bad, why couldn’t they do it with somebody more willing? Switch him out for somebody else... Like Robbie, the kid always more excited to simply hang out with the survivors that they were supposed to hunt... He’d always gone friendly more often than all of the other hunters. But yet, Bonbon had insisted it was too late to swap him out last second and they wanted and now here he was. A sigh escaped him. There was nothing left for him but to stew with anger and regret... Try to bury the guilt and shame beneath it, even if he knew it was still there, forming a pit in his stomach that he was steadfast in trying to ignore and fill with other feelings of annoyance.

It’d be best he hurry along and find a nice corner of the map where he’d simply wait and try not to think too hard about things. A shame he hadn’t anything to pass the time with, though... He’d be stuck in his own thoughts for the time. Well, unless one of those pesky survivors came to disturb him. Or that cat... Kotaro... Really, he could probably just go seek out that cat right now, couldn’t he? Ah, no, the ‘empath’ was still right there and he couldn’t simply let her watch him look around and go soft for a cute little animal... He’d already gone soft enough with her, he didn’t need to reveal any more damned weakness. Besides, there was no telling that he wouldn’t simply find another survivor while looking... Yeah, it was simply for the best that he find somewhere he’s unlikely to be seen or messed with. Perhaps... If he hid inside somewhere? While he could hide in a corner of the map it was possible the tram could spot him and if Bonbon were on it then they’d likely just get off and go drag him to interact with these stupid survivors... Where does he go, though? Urgh, never mind, it doesn’t matter, wherever he went, he’d be sure it’s somewhere away from here. Away from this annoyance and away from all this surveillance and judgement of the crows... He only hoped that they wouldn’t try to follow him- both her and the beady eyed birds... The occasional stares they sent into his back was uncomfortable enough...

She does follow him, even though she knew he wouldn’t have liked it- which was something she just… knew about him. That’s just the way he was, and well, what else was she going to do…? Sure, there was guilt pressed beneath his annoyance and anger, but at least it was some sort of buffer. She wouldn’t have to feel it as strongly, which was good enough for her. Besides, a friendly match in a duo hunters game meant that sure, survivors were in abundance, but they were having fun, and they were relaxing- which even from her spot, could be felt- which did help ease the tension she felt. She couldn’t bring herself to care about leaving, especially if staying meant she could be outside without having to worry that she’d bump into someone while they were in a particularly foul mood… but of course, she’s not exactly a people person either. She’s certain she’d get embarrassed, or anxious all on her own, or she’d end up only passively participating, and feel even more awkward because of it. At least with the Gamekeeper, moody and unapproachable as he was, didn’t expect much from her. She didn’t have to really worry about saying the wrong things, because it seemed it’d get the same result anyways. It was predictable, and it was safe, even if by a very loose and thin thread.

She looks around as they walk, her eyes seemingly searching for the aforementioned cipher- though the reality being much more simple. She was just keeping an eye out for the cat. From what she’s heard and seen, it’s either been hunting rather well, or someone has been taking care of it and taking it home back to the manor. Though she wouldn’t know who has been doing it, and it didn’t seem too plausible that the town was particularly good for hunting. There was no one there. No food but the grass to eat, and most of the animals that ate the grass wouldn’t have been worth the trouble of a cat. It was difficult to keep her mind on track without thinking some negative thought. His irritation was rubbing off on her, so she was trying to focus on other things, even reach for the stronger emotions that would typically be out of range. The survivors collective fun and ease could be felt if she strained hard enough. She’s taking slow and deep breaths to steady her heart, and to make sure her body at least, didn’t reflect the effect of feeling his emotions.

“I don’t particularly care about leaving at the moment… everyone is scattered and busy, and won’t bother me, or each other, which means I don’t have to keep people in line either.” She replies, nonchalant and quiet. She simply shrugs, because really, there was no other reason outside of the few she was about to list. “Besides… even if I do all the ciphers, and open the gates myself, most of them would rather stay and play around anyways. A friendly game is a nice change of pace for most of them… they’ll savor it as much as they can.” She says as she looked around carefully, the idea that she was looking for a cipher was completely thrown out the window with consideration to her words. By this point, she doesn’t really mind if he snaps at her for talking or following him, and she knew well enough her reasons wouldn’t matter too much to him. Still… a part of her can’r help but feel the need to explain herself, even if she also figured he wouldn’t have trusted her word either. Perhaps it was just the feeling of his anger getting the better of her…? Or perhaps his own defensiveness was rubbing off on her. Whatever the reason was, she doesn’t think about it too much. She looks out towards the buildings, her eyes looking for signs of the cat. She spots the familiar black and white of the cat’s fur as it rounds a corner, which Delara followed in pursuit. Whether he stayed or went with her wasn’t something she minded too much. It wasn’t as though she couldn’t find him again.

There were a few crows in the sky, circling or sweeping across the town as though they were patrolling. She heard one of their calls, and noted that for the moment, they were ignoring the two of them- perhaps by pure virtue of their shared presence…? If that was the case, it was good enough for her. She hoped if they stayed together for just long enough, the crows would leave them both be for a bit.

Oh and just great she was following him... He resisted a sigh and once again shoved down the thought of striking her to see if she’d still try to walk along in his footsteps... Well, he supposed... At least if she were to be with him then Bonbon would leave him alone. If it were to come down to being forced to spend time with her or being forced to play nice with the other survivors, he’d most certainly choose to deal with just the one. Even if she was a little confusing and odd.

He couldn’t help but to huff. “Of course you don’t...” Was he seriously the only one here who wished to leave the match right now? How frustrating...Though from what else she said... Nobody would bother her... Is the true reason he was sticking to him because he’d simply scare off anybody else who wished to approach? It’d make sense... Not to mention that the thought was a little relieving. Even if his rough exterior and icy act may not affect her much- or perhaps she was just good at hiding it? ...a hopeful thought but he’d still need to keep his guard up- then at least it managed to work on others. Intimidating and unapproachable was exactly what he wished for people to see him as. If he was seen this way, then that also meant... “I could just chase them to the gates... or carry them.” A near petulant mutter of thoughtful frustration, quiet enough that it was questionable on if he was thinking aloud or actually responding to the problem posed of the other survivors lack of intention to leave even if all of the hard work was done for them. So what if the survivors didn’t wish to leave? It mattered little to him. This wasn’t just some playground where they were all meant to get along and be happy. Really, just because Bonbon may be willing to humour them for a little while, doesn’t mean they were the ones in charge of things... They could just relax back at the manor, couldn’t they? What made them so eager to hang out with hunter’s in the first place? Oh... They were probably hoping to land themselves in their favour, weren’t they? Tch, of course... The very thought caused him to dislike those damned survivors more than he already did.

A quiet sigh escaped him as he lifted his head. Bonbon would be fine, he was sure... They may seem it, but they weren’t that naïve to fall for such tricks, they were likely just toying with them. Nothing to worry about. Idly, he surveyed their surroundings, taking in the details. It was clearly made with care, every piece carefully put together... This wasn’t a real town, was it? Was it a replica, just another oddity that came to be after the baron had returned after all that time? Or was it built by hand, Burke continuing on as an architect to bring them the land they fought on throughout day and- on the rare occasion for those unfortunate enough to earn it- night? As he’d been pondering the thought and making a mental note to ask the old man about it later, he’d noticed that brief flash of fur. Kotaro. Quickly he’d refocused his attention completely to instead fall upon the direction the cat had gone and- survivor running! Delara following after it. Whether the movement had startled him enough to prevent him from even trying to resist the urge to go hang out with the cat, or whether the sight of a survivor fleeing away from him had caused him to forget about playing nice and instead fall upon the instinctive urge to chase, he couldn’t tell. Regardless of what the cause was, he found himself following along, hand briefly reaching for his hook only to pause and fall away just a moment later so that he would continue pursuit empty-handed. He remained just a little behind and to the side of her, tearing his gaze away from her to instead find it falling upon the furry little animal they were following. Kotaro... cute and small and chubby and friendly. He couldn’t help but to feel fond of the sight of the little cat. The urge to call him to him and kneel down so that he could pet him when he approached was tempting but managed to be dismissed.

By the time he’d come to realise he had just missed a chance to ditch his annoying companion it was already too late to do so, the window of opportunity now shut. Shit. How foolish of him... Well, he uh, at least he’d get to have Kotaro keeping him company as well.

She would have laughed at how he followed her- mostly because she had the closest idea to what his train of thinking was. Sure, she felt the practically murderous intent, but the emotion of regret when he realized what he had been doing and where he was going... it was amusing enough that it makes her crack a smile- even if his emotions almost made her falter in her steps the first time she processed it. It was true, it caught her off guard. She felt his intent and because she had let her guard down, she almost let it get the better of her… she ended up clenching her fists, digging her nails into her skin until the pain of which grounded her and reminded her that she shouldn’t have done anything foolish or brash. Though, she supposed that was what she got for finding even mild humor in this situation. As she pursued the cat, her cloak flew behind her with the movement- which made her running look much more dramatic than it actually was or should have been, considering she was only trying to say hello to the cat. With a soft smile, she excitedly makes her way to the cat, who hops on to the boxed base of a lamp post. She cups a hand to her mouth in an attempt to make her voice just a little louder for the cat to hear.

“Kotaro…!” She called out gently with a soft and endeared voice. The cat perks up at its name being called and watches as Delara approached it. It meows a greeting as she sat down on top of the base alongside the cat, where she would run her fingers through its soft fur. She pet his head, to which the cat would purr quietly, leaning into the warmth of her hand as she continued. She stops soon enough though as the cat moves to bump it’s head against her arm in an affectionate manner before it hopped off the lamp post base, and approached Bane. It sat down, looking at him with a face that almost resembled a content smile, it’s tail swaying slightly as it meowed another greeting towards Bane. Kotaro had recognized him, and from the few times they had time to interact, Kotaro was rather fond of the hunter. All the while, Delara watched with curiosity to see his reaction, especially as the cat moved to rub against his shoe, as if greeting him further before sitting in front of him once again, almost as if waiting for him and the expected head pats that came with their encounters.

Now of course, Delara had already assumed that acts of kindness, or any show of softness was something he’d rather not hav anyone intruding on. She could respect that well enough, so she turns away slightly, shifting her gaze to her cloak, pulling up the red fabric and pretending to inspect the edge- which now that she did get a better look at it, was… beginning to wear. She’d need to get it fixed soon… she hated having to fix it, but she didn’t like not having it either. She wished she could have kept the original fabric, with how pretty and patterned the threaded patterns were. But the only things that remained of the original cloak were her good and the shawl. The rest, at some point… had to be replaced. She still kept the original in her closet, stowed in a wicker basket that used to hold other things instead of bittersweet memories. Hm… she may ask for sewing supplies. Though- she was never the greatest at it either. She had gotten pricked too many times with the needle, so her… Aileen would fix it for her and remark about how clumsy she waszzz with good nature of course. She smiles to herself, soft and nostalgic- even melancholy as she stared absentmindedly at the red velvet of her cloak. As if she had realized what she was doing, she shook her head and cleared her thoughts. Best not to get wrapped up in sentimentality…

Though she supposed that’s why she very much liked the animals here. Sometimes they were a little tough, but they were otherwise pleasant enough company. They’d become centers of fond attention, which helped Delara’s mood, and if they happened to be alone, then she didn’t have to worry too much about feeling emotions that weren’t hers. Animals were harder to feel for- not because they didn’t have emotions, but there was just… something about them that made it difficult. Still, it was a blessing amidst the other downfalls of her abilities. If she really wanted to, she could try, but she’d rather just give them their privacy. After all, trust and empathy from an animal had to be built differently from a person. She thinks anyways… she isn’t too sure about it. She’s never had too many friends… nevertheless people she trusted…

She was calling for the cat? He couldn’t help but to feel on edge at the thought, shoulders tense as he watched Kotaro come bounding over to her. It was a little relieving to see the animal simply act so calm. He seemed to trust her... Animals often seemed to have good judgement, cats and dogs in particular. ... Well, at the very least it meant that she likely hadn’t done anything wrong to him in the past. So content he was, to simply watch the two interact- although admittedly his attention did drift to focus primarily upon the cute little cat, a warm piece of joy glowing in his chest to see how happy he was. He may be more of a dog person, but that was only due to the hounds that had belonged to the manor before... everything. They’d always been so energetic and cheerful, tails wagging and sniffing at him eagerly, one or two attempting to bite him when he’d been out with Black Nose earlier... Kotaro was like the opposite, simply remaining calm and content as he showed affection, as quiet as the dogs were loud.

Then Kotaro came trotting up to him, sitting by his feet. He was about to move, to kneel so that he could properly pet the creature but instead he took pause, freezing up. He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. Not in front of her, not when he’d already gone ahead and been weak enough to give in to playing nice. Even if it hurt, guilt tightening his chest as he stared down at the hopeful little cat he couldn’t... He couldn’t... He... As the feeling of her curious gaze disappeared it felt significantly harder to refuse the urge and- oh damn it all... Why not? Sighing quietly he took a moment to carefully kneel down before him, hand reaching up to pat the fuzzy little animal on the head as he always did. The fur was so soft and fluffy... unusual for animals that lived outdoors. His fingers could practically sink into it, all skin exposed being covered up with ease as he ran his hands through the fur, gently stroking and petting the little animal. It was such a stark contrast to the short and coarse fur that he was used to. Really, the thought of removing his glovers so that he could properly feel it with all his hand was tempting but easily dismissed. Maybe some other time... For now? This was more than enough for his heart to melt. Scratching gently behind the ear or under the chin, rubbing the head a little when it was butted against the palm of his hand... It was a pleasant experience for both him and the cat alike. Really, he was tempted to adopt the cat straight up. The manor had plenty of space... he’d just have to hope the cat wouldn’t wander too much, it wouldn’t do for him to enter the restricted areas and get hurt or for one of the survivors or maybe even some of the hunters to encounter him... Simply restraining an animal to nothing more than a single room though was cruel, these creatures needed plenty more space to explore. Perhaps he’d have no choice but to leave the little animal here... He seemed to be doing well enough, so it had to be safe enough.

The cat’s purr filled his hearing as he continued to pet it. It was such a nice, pleasant sound, like that of birdsong but in a way which tugged on his heart much more, warming it gently. He could simply listen to this forever... Maybe he should ask Burke to record it? Oh he’d never live it down... but in the end, wouldn’t it be worth it? Yes, the answer was yes it was most definitely yes there was no way that it couldn’t be yes. So busy with petting the little animal was he that he’d basically forgotten about the survivor sitting nearby, simply content to carry on the way he was. Petting the animal, always making sure to try and turn so that he could reach him when he tried to walk around him... Really, he could honestly do this for the rest of the match if something didn’t stop him. Feeling the warmth of Kotaro under his fingers, the soft fur and the purring... It filled him with an unusual joy and peace that few would ever get to see from him.

He wished that he’d been prepared enough to bring some food for the little fellow but ever since he’d been told about the match he’d had to deal with Bonbon’s pestering for a friendly one... A soft sigh escaped him as he scratched under the animal’s chin once again. “You’re too cute...” He grumbled under his breath, voice quiet as he spoke to the cat. The animal just blinked, smiling up at him innocently. Kotaro... Just who had named him? Was it the baron? Oh... perhaps Michiko? Either way, somebody had saw fit to actually name the little animal. Somebody far more creative than himself, too... “I’ll bring some fish next time. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Upon hearing a meow in response he couldn’t help but to chuckle quietly, giving another pat on the head. “Yeah, thought so...”

#OKAY SHORT BUT I HOPE THIS IS INTERESTING ENOUGH #ANYWAYS UHHHH #tw dereality #dereality tw #dereality #like I know this is a piece of fiction but #I don’t want to end up triggering anyone who reads this because it has themes of it #and it’s not a thought I wanna put in anyone’s head #okay anyways #Time for some L O R E #Kotaro is going to show them what the edge of the maps look like #the true edge where they aren’t ever allowed to cross #Man lmaooo what does Kotaro know ??#IM REALLY EXCITED FOR WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN EVEN THOUGB ITS REALLY SIMPLE?#I JUST WANNA SEE BANE’S REACTION #also if hunter Delara was here I think she’d just straight up let people know what she does and can do #just so they can know ahead of time #she’s setting up her boundaries immediately #’’If you’re in a Gould mood do not approach me. I will NOT hold back.’’#but it depends though #if someone comes to her in a good mood but they progressively get upset or sad she’s more willing to help them through their emotions #like this is just a job for her #she doesn’t hate anyone #she just kinda goes here now #idv askblog #idv oc #delara whispers #identity v oc #idv #idv oc ask blog

Delara’s attention was taken away from the sorry state of her cloak, and back to the hunter, whom she heard speak about bringing the cat some food. It’s just a momentary glance- just a few seconds to look really, but it does make her smile a little- if only because she could feel the warmth and the joy of his emotions. Sometimes, it was hard to remember that hunters were… people. She could only recall hunters being filled with bitterness, or sorrow combined with such murderous rage, they felt almost… otherworldly. That wasn’t even to mention those that were here for… fun, and not because of any sort of business they had with a survivor here. She doesn’t bother trying to bother him, or talking to him. She preoccupied herself with watching the sky, absentmindedly kicking her legs up against the box whilst she waited. Soon enough, after Kotaro rubbed up against Bane’s shoe one more time, he then slowly walked up to Delara, where he’d hop up on to the box before curling up next to her; purring contently as she stroked his fur. Looking at the sky now… she noticed that it was starless. Only the moon was out, but even looking at it… it didn’t feel real either- though it was convincing enough at first glance… thinking about it, why was it always night whenever they went there, no matter what time of day it was..? And why did it always snow in one of the factory areas... how was it possible that all of this still managed to feel… fake… despite… everything in it feeling so real…? She looks down at Kotaro… was he ‘fake’ too…? She looks back up to the sky, as she stops petting Kotaro, her hand settling with her other one in her lap.

“Have you ever noticed that it’s always night time here…? And that there are never stars in the sky here either… even if you go to the darker parts of the town where the lamp lights don’t reach…?” She asks quietly, though she doesn’t really expect him to answer, or really engage in the question. Unease starts to bubble beneath her pleasant feelings, and her expression almost… seems to tighten at the thought. Thinking about it all… it made her head spin. Nothing about this was quite right… was it…? “Do you ever wonder how he did it…? The Baron I mean… inviting even gods to play even though they’re.. well… gods…? Even setting up places for us that feel.. timeless..? Like the world here doesn’t continue after we leave…” Not everyone was from the same time period… some of them, like Lucky were… too oddly dressed to be anyone from their time. The world they were currently living in felt like they were in some kind of… liminal space… like the moment between the tick and the tock of the seconds, or the pause before a breath or a word. As if sensing her unnerved feelings, and her discomfort, Kotaro bumps his head against her arm, and meows. The cat purrs softly as he felt Delara’s hand scratch the back of his ear in a satisfying way. “But you’re real aren’t you Kotaro..?” She says with fondness and warmth, the cat meowing in response, as if to confirm that yes, he was real. From how she spoke to the cat, it almost seemed like she was actually speaking to him rather than to Bane, but she wasn’t going to clarify who she was talking to. He could think her crazy if he wished to.

She chuckles a little as the cat nuzzled against her once more, leaning into her touch as her fingers felt the soft, thick fur. After she had calmed down some, Kotaro gives her one last affectionate bump into her hand before he meowed at her, and then looked to Bane, as if he wanted them to follow him… he hopped down from the lamppost base and trotted a bit away- still in viewing distance. He looks back at them to see if they were following him. “Curious… where do you want us to go…?” She asked- mostly to herself more than anything. She slid off of her spot, and followed the cat, walking at the same leisurely pace of the cat. She wasn’t sure if the Gamekeeper was going to follow, but she noticed that a few crows had landed, and were… staring now. Inquisitive and too keen for comfort… what was he going to show them…? She wondered… where would they go from there…?

Duo matches always made her nervous. She typically never played in them for the sole fact that so much could happen at once. She hated feeling the distress of it all, not only from her powers but also herself. And as most duo matches tend to be, they were short a player, so she had went ahead and filled in. Who were the hunters for this round again…? It was… Bonbon and Bane, wasn’t it…?

This felt like it’d be a difficult match.

In search of a cipher, she wandered the Eversleeping Town- or at least, the recreation of it. She isn’t sure how “real” it is. Nothing at the manor felt real.

@idv-ask-the-empath

Now, Bane did not like to go friendly. It was something everybody was sure to have realised by now, with how mercilessly he went about his matches. Really, why would he go friendly in the first place? The Baron had assigned him this role and he refused to fail the man twice. He'd learned his lesson about kindness long ago... Of course, sometimes his friends would try to convince him to go easy on the survivors, or to just go friendly. If it was because they themselves weren't feeling up to the match then of course he'd understand. He'd gladly just try to play well enough for the both of them to win while he let his friend rest. Convincing him to go friendly as well though...

It took a while, Bonbon relentlessly using every tactic they could in order to try and convince him. For a moment he was tempted to simply walk off to hunt the survivors himself! The robot was damn lucky he felt to be in a more agreeable mood... So it was with a sigh that he reluctantly gave in to the robot he knew wouldn't have given up in their quest. Hey, he'd thought, at least he could spend some time with Bonbon, right?

Wrong, apparently. Rather than hide away within a corner of the map like Bane would prefer, Bonbon was insistent that it would be more fun interacting with survivors. He'd have to tell Burke to schedule another maintenance check because there must've been a few screws loose for Bonbon to think he was even remotely willing to interact with survivors in a more positive way... Still, the robot continued their attempts, beginning to push him forwards and forcing him to stumble along lest he fall over. Tch... who cared if the survivors were left unaware that they were going friendly this round? So what if they were to be tense and uneasy the whole time just waiting and expecting an attack? It wasn't his damn fault and besides, if they didn't know then they'd continue on to escape as quickly as possible and thus allowing him to leave as soon as possible!

Yet alas, the robot didn't seem to care, simply making sure he walked through the surprisingly empty streets with him until eventually they found a survivor further down trying to decode one of the cypher machines. Instantly Bonbon ran after them as they bolted away, trying to show that they were friendly and calling for their attention as they did.

This just left Bane to wander on alone.... He'd just find some corner of the map to hide in, now that his pushy companion was gone. So onwards he went, wandering the streets in the search for somewhere nice to relax, gait more slowed than when hunting and hook still firmly attached to his belt. His head was tilted high, simply surveying his surroundings in a manner more suited for taking in the details rather than scrutinizing any and every shadow for a survivor. Silently he noted the details, forming a mental map within his mind as he went along.

Despite the current situation though, he hadn't quite expected to see any more survivors, taking pause when he turned the corner and found none other than that 'empath' walking along. For a moment he froze, fingers twitching and barely resisting the instinctual urge to send out his hook. He was friendly, no hunting survivors... A quiet sigh escaped him as he tried to force the alarm bells in his head to silence and the tension to escape him. What was it friendly hunters were supposed to do? Spin...? ... No way he was doing that. Huffing, he considered simply turning around and leaving while he could.

@idv-ask-the-empath

She could feel the lingering reluctance he felt… the reservation he had of even sparing her the glance. She had felt it a bit ago, as he neared her but she hadn’t bothered to do much more than roam because of what she had sens. She could hear the crows up above, curiously eyeing her, as though they were trying to parse if she was ‘inactive’, and if so… punish her for it. Well, perhaps punish was a strong word… they were only doing a job after all, and it was, at worst, annoying to have them repeat their calls. One of them flies down, seeming to search for a place to perch, to which Delara took the hint and offered her arm. Naturally, the talons dug into her skin which made her wince and hiss out in pain, but she could ask for a syringe later. The crow caws at her, curious in nature as it looked to its brethren roaming the sky, before aiming its sight directly at the deer-headed hunter. It… seemed to be waiting for him to make a move. Delara follows its gaze towards him, to which she gives a polite, if not, terse acknowledging nod.

She wasn’t sure if she should have approached him, but she thinks she maybe should…? Perhaps it might let go of her arm, and instead choose to make its temporary home on Bane instead. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the birds either- they were quite interesting creatures, and could be friendly given enough time. But… this one had its talons piercing her skin, which was all too prone to getting injuries. Petting the bird’s head with her finger, the crow would nestle into it before she resolved to walk over to Bane, slow and careful so as to not disturb the peace of her feathery companion. If it decided to perch on him, perhaps she’d go visit the cat that was said to wander around the time, or perhaps she’d visit the pagoda surrounded by the water lanterns… whichever came first, honestly- and of course, provided that she could even get over the fence.

She doesn’t really bother with a greeting- she thinks that for him, her nod was enough. Besides, she’s fairly certain he wouldn’t have even acknowledged it anyways. She stops a comfortable distance away from him as she lifted her arm up, the crow’s feathers ruffling somewhat as it sensed the movement. It spread its wings, and flew up to land on the antlers of the hunter’s mask, nuzzling its beak into his head. Though after it left, one of the crows roaming the skies lands on her forearm, another settling on her shoulder before she could even move her arm back down. She winced as she felt their talons digging into her again, soon letting out a soft sigh as she reluctantly let them settle on her. She looks up at him, her face more clear now that she was letting the light actually reach her face. She flinched as she felt another weight on the other shoulder, figuring that it was another crow. It seemed that they all looked at Delara before turning their gazes to Bane, the movement…. unnaturally unison and even uniform. It was strange how they acted. Some moments, they seemed as natural as any wild crow, but occasionally, their movements would sync up, as though something had taken them over.

Delara hardly seems to notice though. She’s just… looking at Bane, as if asking for help, all while the birds perched on her eye him… waiting for his movement. Or anything really, so they could discern what was happening.

Finding the beady red gaze of the crows locked upon him he couldn’t help but to feel guilty, as though his actions were being judged. Perhaps they were, really. The baron had always held a fondness towards birds, sometimes finding himself sat with Bane on the manor’s porch as they listened to the early morning birdcalls. Then after everything... There had always been something... odd, about him, once he’d returned. These crows located within every match were always rather suspicious, yet he’d usually found them to be a more pleasant sight, an ally waiting to out a survivor for their foolishness. Now it felt like they were waiting to out him for his foolishness. The thought of attacking was tempting, the idea of simply resuming his role comforting and familiar. Then the image of Bonbon sprouted into his mind, their eyes lit up in both a literal and metaphorical manner as they cheered at his reluctant agreement.

A sigh escaped him. Damn it all. Reluctantly he walked forward to meet her, trying carefully to keep the perched crow steady. Once close enough he met the eyes of the other birds, feeling their piercing gaze run through him. Chest tight, he reached a hand up to gently stroke one of the crows on the head, the other clenched into a fist by his side. “There’s better places to perch...” He muttered, gently poking the feathered creature’s chest.

Then, he took a moment to step back, reaching into the little pouch attached to his belt, grabbing a small, clear bag from within it, filled with bird seed. Opening it up, he grabbed a small pinch, turning away from Delara to scatter onto the pavement, doing so about three times more before sealing it and returning it to where it’d been stored. He’d always had a tendency to feed the birds after matches, bringing seed as often as he could in order to do so. It was like an expression of gratitude, thanking them for their hard work and telling them to rest easy. As though to further express just what he was doing, he unwound the chains of his hook from where they’d been wrapped around his arm, instead looping them through his belt.

Turning his head back towards the small creatures he found himself faced with a loud, indignant caw. He couldn’t help but to flinch just slightly, startled by the sound. They seemed dissatisfied with his decision and he couldn’t help but to feel that he’d made the wrong choice, hands clenched into fists by his side. He’d let him down. Shame pooled within as he felt his mask shift from the crow perched there giving a light peck before suddenly it’s weight was gone. Although he had gone against the rules, had disobeyed and failed his new job- he hadn’t changed at all, had he? hadn’t learnt a single thing, just a useless, pathetic brute with a warm heart too big for his own good. Too soft for the job, as always. Couldn’t even encase his heart in ice and make what he knew to be the right choice, even after having died being taught the lesson the last time- there was nothing they could do. It was the Baron he’d have to watch out for, the man who’d no doubt request a calm chat after the match... Just a simple scolding or lecture, a disappointed sigh, that cold gaze, perhaps some worried words... It was surprising he didn’t get worse- didn’t he deserve it? he ought to know better already- yet still just the simple slap of the wrist caused him enough guilt and shame to work extra hard in his next matches to try and make up for it

Well, he shook his head slightly, there was no going back now, he thought with a sigh, he’d simply have to live with his decision. Refusing to look the survivor in the face he walked around her, avoiding the scattered birdseed and squawking birds as he went onward and past her.

The moment she felt his emotions shift to guilt, her breath hitched just ever so slightly. She hadn’t expected… guilt. The shame… what did he feel so guilty for…? The feelings surfaced as soon as he had hooked the chains through his belt loops, and a crow seemingly… responded. Did it have to do with the game…? The watchful eyes that kept order…? She was having trouble thinking straight. Guilt often brought back less kinder memories. Much like the rain, or the sea, it had a way of washing away her resolve as though it were mere sediment of what it typically was. She rarely ever let herself remember… after all, she already felt the “incident” was her responsibility… even if realistically, it wasn’t. Even if she knew it couldn’t have been her fault… but it was hard to feel like that, when she was the only one still left… when even now, she was protected, and taken care of in spite of how… demanding her condition could be. She’s thankful, as much as she felt indebted. She felt as though she owed the Baron. Was that his intention…? Perhaps. She couldn’t have known. Either way… the thought was still… guilt inducing. She felt her stomach churn with unease, and her chest tightening.

As he walked past her, she turns around so she could follow him with her gaze, not having noticed that the black-feathered birds were now on the ground, pecking at the seeds he had scattered. She opened her mouth, only to close it, as if hesitating, trying to think carefully about how she should approach the situation. What would he prefer…? What would be the easiest way for him to just relax (or feel anything else) so she didn’t have to feel his guilt, even if she was halfway across the town…? She can’t really place an answer. She was already reluctant to be interacting with him- it was natural with just evict everyone, but now she was feeling even stronger about it… yet the guilt she felt from him could not be ignored. The worst part of it all, was that she couldn’t figure out if she truly felt like that- though she supposed it wouldn’t have mattered. She has a feeling anything she says wouldn’t be received well- that’s just how it seemed to go for him and strangers.

“If it is easier to hate us, and be angry… then do so.” She comments, her voice still soft, and sounding out of use. It seemed as though she had been asleep for a long time and had only recently woken up- though given her more alert expression that was clearly not the case. She only glanced towards the crows who were busy pecking the ground with their beaks, occasionally stopping in unison to stare at them before resuming. It was an assumption she had made… that his remorse was stemming from those keen-eyed creatures, meant to watch them. “There is nothing a syringe cannot fix here….” She adds, more thoughtfully before she turned her curious, observing gaze elsewhere. She had been keeping an eye out for the adorable black and white cat that had even said to loiter around the town- presumably for fun. She nor anyone hadn’t the faintest idea as to why it was there, or where it came from, but most of them could discern unanimously that the cat was adorable. Apparently however, he already had a name, and would only answer by ‘Kotaro’. If he edecided go strike her now, or turn away with nothing but silent anger, she wouldn’t have held it against him. She’d be relieved if anything.

His eyebrows furrowed at her words, coming to a stop to turn and simply stare- or rather, glare at her for a moment. Annoyance began to bloom forth from within him. What was she on about? Did she think that he didn’t hate them already? That he didn’t try to cloak himself with anger as a shield and deterrent to keep these annoyances from bothering him? Tch, did she need some sort of sense to be knocked into her? Perhaps one strike wouldn’t be so bad... It certainly was a tempting idea. Not to mention her thoughtful comment was true, she wouldn’t be significantly injured, not for long... No, no... he huffed, walking on. He promised he wouldn’t hurt the survivors, wouldn’t even strike them once, so he wouldn’t... Despite however much he wished to. Instead, he grumbled out a begrudging. “Why don’t you go do one of those cyphers so we can all get out of here?” No doubt that those other pathetic fools were all just messing around with Bonbon or something...

He hated being in this situation, hated that he was wishing for the survivors to complete their business with those stupid machines. Damn it... Why’d it have to be him? If Bonbon wished to go friendly so bad, why couldn’t they do it with somebody more willing? Switch him out for somebody else... Like Robbie, the kid always more excited to simply hang out with the survivors that they were supposed to hunt... He’d always gone friendly more often than all of the other hunters. But yet, Bonbon had insisted it was too late to swap him out last second and they wanted and now here he was. A sigh escaped him. There was nothing left for him but to stew with anger and regret... Try to bury the guilt and shame beneath it, even if he knew it was still there, forming a pit in his stomach that he was steadfast in trying to ignore and fill with other feelings of annoyance.

It’d be best he hurry along and find a nice corner of the map where he’d simply wait and try not to think too hard about things. A shame he hadn’t anything to pass the time with, though... He’d be stuck in his own thoughts for the time. Well, unless one of those pesky survivors came to disturb him. Or that cat... Kotaro... Really, he could probably just go seek out that cat right now, couldn’t he? Ah, no, the ‘empath’ was still right there and he couldn’t simply let her watch him look around and go soft for a cute little animal... He’d already gone soft enough with her, he didn’t need to reveal any more damned weakness. Besides, there was no telling that he wouldn’t simply find another survivor while looking... Yeah, it was simply for the best that he find somewhere he’s unlikely to be seen or messed with. Perhaps... If he hid inside somewhere? While he could hide in a corner of the map it was possible the tram could spot him and if Bonbon were on it then they’d likely just get off and go drag him to interact with these stupid survivors... Where does he go, though? Urgh, never mind, it doesn’t matter, wherever he went, he’d be sure it’s somewhere away from here. Away from this annoyance and away from all this surveillance and judgement of the crows... He only hoped that they wouldn’t try to follow him- both her and the beady eyed birds... The occasional stares they sent into his back was uncomfortable enough...

She does follow him, even though she knew he wouldn’t have liked it- which was something she just… knew about him. That’s just the way he was, and well, what else was she going to do…? Sure, there was guilt pressed beneath his annoyance and anger, but at least it was some sort of buffer. She wouldn’t have to feel it as strongly, which was good enough for her. Besides, a friendly match in a duo hunters game meant that sure, survivors were in abundance, but they were having fun, and they were relaxing- which even from her spot, could be felt- which did help ease the tension she felt. She couldn’t bring herself to care about leaving, especially if staying meant she could be outside without having to worry that she’d bump into someone while they were in a particularly foul mood… but of course, she’s not exactly a people person either. She’s certain she’d get embarrassed, or anxious all on her own, or she’d end up only passively participating, and feel even more awkward because of it. At least with the Gamekeeper, moody and unapproachable as he was, didn’t expect much from her. She didn’t have to really worry about saying the wrong things, because it seemed it’d get the same result anyways. It was predictable, and it was safe, even if by a very loose and thin thread.

She looks around as they walk, her eyes seemingly searching for the aforementioned cipher- though the reality being much more simple. She was just keeping an eye out for the cat. From what she’s heard and seen, it’s either been hunting rather well, or someone has been taking care of it and taking it home back to the manor. Though she wouldn’t know who has been doing it, and it didn’t seem too plausible that the town was particularly good for hunting. There was no one there. No food but the grass to eat, and most of the animals that ate the grass wouldn’t have been worth the trouble of a cat. It was difficult to keep her mind on track without thinking some negative thought. His irritation was rubbing off on her, so she was trying to focus on other things, even reach for the stronger emotions that would typically be out of range. The survivors collective fun and ease could be felt if she strained hard enough. She’s taking slow and deep breaths to steady her heart, and to make sure her body at least, didn’t reflect the effect of feeling his emotions.

“I don’t particularly care about leaving at the moment… everyone is scattered and busy, and won’t bother me, or each other, which means I don’t have to keep people in line either.” She replies, nonchalant and quiet. She simply shrugs, because really, there was no other reason outside of the few she was about to list. “Besides… even if I do all the ciphers, and open the gates myself, most of them would rather stay and play around anyways. A friendly game is a nice change of pace for most of them… they’ll savor it as much as they can.” She says as she looked around carefully, the idea that she was looking for a cipher was completely thrown out the window with consideration to her words. By this point, she doesn’t really mind if he snaps at her for talking or following him, and she knew well enough her reasons wouldn’t matter too much to him. Still… a part of her can’r help but feel the need to explain herself, even if she also figured he wouldn’t have trusted her word either. Perhaps it was just the feeling of his anger getting the better of her…? Or perhaps his own defensiveness was rubbing off on her. Whatever the reason was, she doesn’t think about it too much. She looks out towards the buildings, her eyes looking for signs of the cat. She spots the familiar black and white of the cat’s fur as it rounds a corner, which Delara followed in pursuit. Whether he stayed or went with her wasn’t something she minded too much. It wasn’t as though she couldn’t find him again.

There were a few crows in the sky, circling or sweeping across the town as though they were patrolling. She heard one of their calls, and noted that for the moment, they were ignoring the two of them- perhaps by pure virtue of their shared presence…? If that was the case, it was good enough for her. She hoped if they stayed together for just long enough, the crows would leave them both be for a bit.

Oh and just great she was following him... He resisted a sigh and once again shoved down the thought of striking her to see if she’d still try to walk along in his footsteps... Well, he supposed... At least if she were to be with him then Bonbon would leave him alone. If it were to come down to being forced to spend time with her or being forced to play nice with the other survivors, he’d most certainly choose to deal with just the one. Even if she was a little confusing and odd.

He couldn’t help but to huff. “Of course you don’t...” Was he seriously the only one here who wished to leave the match right now? How frustrating...Though from what else she said... Nobody would bother her... Is the true reason he was sticking to him because he’d simply scare off anybody else who wished to approach? It’d make sense... Not to mention that the thought was a little relieving. Even if his rough exterior and icy act may not affect her much- or perhaps she was just good at hiding it? ...a hopeful thought but he’d still need to keep his guard up- then at least it managed to work on others. Intimidating and unapproachable was exactly what he wished for people to see him as. If he was seen this way, then that also meant... “I could just chase them to the gates... or carry them.” A near petulant mutter of thoughtful frustration, quiet enough that it was questionable on if he was thinking aloud or actually responding to the problem posed of the other survivors lack of intention to leave even if all of the hard work was done for them. So what if the survivors didn’t wish to leave? It mattered little to him. This wasn’t just some playground where they were all meant to get along and be happy. Really, just because Bonbon may be willing to humour them for a little while, doesn’t mean they were the ones in charge of things... They could just relax back at the manor, couldn’t they? What made them so eager to hang out with hunter’s in the first place? Oh... They were probably hoping to land themselves in their favour, weren’t they? Tch, of course... The very thought caused him to dislike those damned survivors more than he already did.

A quiet sigh escaped him as he lifted his head. Bonbon would be fine, he was sure... They may seem it, but they weren’t that naïve to fall for such tricks, they were likely just toying with them. Nothing to worry about. Idly, he surveyed their surroundings, taking in the details. It was clearly made with care, every piece carefully put together... This wasn’t a real town, was it? Was it a replica, just another oddity that came to be after the baron had returned after all that time? Or was it built by hand, Burke continuing on as an architect to bring them the land they fought on throughout day and- on the rare occasion for those unfortunate enough to earn it- night? As he’d been pondering the thought and making a mental note to ask the old man about it later, he’d noticed that brief flash of fur. Kotaro. Quickly he’d refocused his attention completely to instead fall upon the direction the cat had gone and- survivor running! Delara following after it. Whether the movement had startled him enough to prevent him from even trying to resist the urge to go hang out with the cat, or whether the sight of a survivor fleeing away from him had caused him to forget about playing nice and instead fall upon the instinctive urge to chase, he couldn’t tell. Regardless of what the cause was, he found himself following along, hand briefly reaching for his hook only to pause and fall away just a moment later so that he would continue pursuit empty-handed. He remained just a little behind and to the side of her, tearing his gaze away from her to instead find it falling upon the furry little animal they were following. Kotaro... cute and small and chubby and friendly. He couldn’t help but to feel fond of the sight of the little cat. The urge to call him to him and kneel down so that he could pet him when he approached was tempting but managed to be dismissed.

By the time he’d come to realise he had just missed a chance to ditch his annoying companion it was already too late to do so, the window of opportunity now shut. Shit. How foolish of him... Well, he uh, at least he’d get to have Kotaro keeping him company as well.