[He’s not visited the Nightlife District yet, though V is as intrigued as ever. The request to provide the ghost of a sorrowful courtesan some manner of solace and closure is an interesting one of paper — in person, it’s practically delightful. He swears he can hear wailing echoing down each passing alleyway, faraway and otherworldly. Rumors of guests being ousted from their rooms in local businesses, stumbling out as white as a sheet, are easy to believe amid this haunting, vaguely surreal locale.
It doesn’t help that it’s nighttime, of course, and the shadows cast by flickering lampposts and storefronts are long and dark. His and Declan’s own stretch like tendrils along the path as they make their way down the sidewalk.]
Now this is fun.
[It’s novel! Maybe they’ll see a real ghost.]
I’ve never gone ghost-hunting before. But I've read stories... tall, void-like shadow figures, looming ominously at a distance. Or approaching far too quickly. It's enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.
[ Here one can clearly see the differences in a pair of people from wildly, wildly different circumstances concerning the supernatural. Put V in Barovia for like half an hour and we’ll see if he’s still having the time of his life!
Declan frowns a bit. He’s had more than his fair share of experiences with ghosts, and none of them good. What’s happening here might skew a little comical, especially compared to what he’s seen in Barovia, but there’s still an anguished soul here. ]
I’ve seen ghosts, you know. Spoken to them. One of them even gifted me new lenses for my goggles. Typically, there’s not much entertainment to be found in their circumstances.
[Listen, when you're used to being a half-supernatural-ish thing that absolutely destroys almost every other supernatural thing you come across, quests like these feel less daunting, less morbid. He supposes the "sorrow" of this ghost may as well be real, and he should be more sensitive to that, but... the fact that it has been framed as a "quest" in the first place, amid the framework of a game, drains a bit of that seriousness from V's estimation.
He just grins, swinging his cane to and fro a little as they walk.]
Their circumstances may be very well dour, yes. But... we can have fun in our adventure of giving them the closure they need. I do wonder, what would mend the heart of a disconsolate spirit?
[ Declan still hasn't wrapped his head around the concept of a "game" like Duocaeli or what that really means for him when he comes to this world. For all he knows, he's just bopping between two alternate planes. ]
I suppose... [ Can they make it fun? Time will tell. At least this ghost is a fully grown adult and not a child. The child ghosts are always the most depressing. ]
Well, probably seeing their love again, right? Though I doubt either of us have the skills to make that happen.
[Well, V's experience with gaming is relatively limited to this world, but he can at least wrap his mind around the concept by way of hailing from a modern one. He considers the idea put forth by his friend.]
No, certainly not. But... perhaps an act of love? One that this courtesan might adopt as his own, representing his union with his long-ceased beau.
[Hmm, he's not sure if that's how ghost logic works, but it could be! The supernatural is strange; sometimes fickle, but sometimes clinging desperately to symbolism and ritual.]
Considering we lack a cleric or a paladin in our midst to help put them to rest the proper way… we may very well have to get creative.
[ He has yet to realize that enacting an act of love will take both him and V, and just what that will mean for him. It will catch up to him eventually, but for now, he’s trying to figure out what will work in terms of ghost logic. ]
[He suspects that Declan has not put two and two together yet, no. He also suspects his reaction might have something to do with reddening cheeks once he does, and maybe he should curtail his suggestion to accommodate that. Make it easier for the man.
Or... he... could not.
Spits out his "creative" idea, descending upon him in a wave of inspiration:]
[ HELP? Not for the first time Declan is so surprised he nearly trips over his own two feet and almost runs into something. Just as V predicted, he’s going red almost instantly. It’s a wonder he doesn’t glow like the lights at some of these… establishments. ]
[ V that is CRUCIAL INFORMATION THAT HE KIND OF NEEDS, because his brain is racing trying to figure out the logistics. If they get married in this world, does it carry over to the other one? ]
This is quite sudden!
[ Someone please help this man and his negative wisdom modifier. ]
[One date? What does that have to do with anything?
Oh. Does Declan think this is a... serious... request?
...That's funny. But that's also a little— Not embarrassing, precisely, but now V is trying to envision a reality where he would become so enraptured and smitten with a person that he would propose after one date, and it’s befuddling. The self-consciousness is looping back around from Declan to V, to eat its own tail.]
I— no. It wouldn’t be a legally binding. [help] We would just act out the important parts. Vows, rings, that sort of thing.
[ One can practically see the "buffering" circle spinning around Declan's head as he stares a V, trying to come out of his embarrassed panic and comprehend what V is saying all at once.
Not legally binding? So... not... real? ]
Oh!! Oh my gods, I just ran away with that one, didn't I?
[A laugh tumbles out of him, like something faintly wound up is being let loose in that same breath. This man...]
You did. Do you really think a man like me would seriously propose to someone out in the street, with no pomp or circumstance? I'd prefer to at least take the time to prepare a verse or two.
[ Well… he can’t argue with that. V does so love his theatrics, and a proposal of all things is pretty much required by law to be one of the most theatrical things ever. He very nearly laughs again, but it comes out in more of a startled sputter when V prods at him and asks that question.
Help. If this keeps up he’s going to join the ranks of the ghosts.
Swats the cane away!!! ]
O-only for the sake of the quest! Stop teasing me!
[Sorry not sorry. His laughs again, more jovially this time, and retracts his cane. Perhaps one day V really will be the death of him.]
But you're so charming when you're red like that.
[V please.
But he clicks his cane to the pavement again as though to sever that part of the conversation, moving on to the next step. What is the next step? Finding a place to perform a fake ceremony, of course.]
Now, then... We shouldn't do this out here. Let's make our love known in one of the local buildings to pretend at some kind of formality. What about... [Points with his cane.] ...that one?
[He's noodle goth boy so he jostles! But just a little.]
Candy has nothing to do with it! That just happens to be the closest place of interest, and you can't tell me you're not curious about what the decor could be like inside?
[Yes and yes. Sorry, Declan. But surely he could have chosen a much worse and more embarrassingly-themed building.]
Because you have no faith in my good intentions. [He's wounded. (Not really.)] Off we go, then. Come on.
[Time to visit the love motel! :)
The interior is not much better than the exterior -- mainly because it's candy-themed throughout, with all manner of colorful, oversized plastic candy pieces plastered on the walls here and there. V moves to the front counter, asking if they can use the space for a short while; he's told that he has to, at the very least, rent a room for the night.
[ Oh gods what is this. The candy shop was one thing but this just seems excessive. There aren't even any cool candy making demonstrations he can watch.
His ears are definitely pink through this whole exchange, and his gaze darts away from V to study an oversized lollipop on the wall. ]
[For definitely not the first time in their acquaintance, V starts to wonder if Declan will survive this. And yet he presses onwards, like the good friend that he is, turning back towards the man at the counter.]
Right. A room for the night, please.
[Fast forward a minute or two. They've got their card to their room, and it's just a couple of floors up—it’s not like this establishment is particularly sprawling—so they arrive without much delay. It’s just as sweets-themed down the corridors, by the way.]
From a candy-themed first date to a candy-themed bedroom. We move so fast. [He slides the card and the door unlocks. V pushes it open and steps in, flicking on a light switch.
And then… he just laughs. Oh boy. Look at their room.]
[ It’s very likely he will not. Hags and vampires and undead paladins have all tried their best, but in the end, it will be a fake marriage in a candy-themed love hotel room that does in Declan Steelsong.
Especially when V keeps making jokes like that about the whole situation!! RUDE. ]
Hells… [ muttered to himself more than anyone as they cross the threshold into their suite for the evening. (Or is “sweet” perhaps more accurate?) ]
I don't know. I'm sure... someone is into this kind of thing.
[How does this place remain in business, otherwise? Well, V saunters into the middle of the room, standing next to the bed. He's curious, of course, but his curiosity will only extend so far... He wants to examine the donut pillows present, but also, like. Where have these been. What has been done to them. Are they washed along with the sheets after every guest?
Oh, don't think about that.
He just prods at one with his cane.]
'Sweet moans, dovelike sighs, Chase not slumber from thy eyes, Sweet moans, sweeter smiles, All the dovelike moans beguiles.'
[Ugh, no. Not even poetry will save this place.]
...Close the door behind you. Not that it matters much. [These walls seem paper-thin, too.]
Well, firstly… I think we need to drum up some wedding vows. The most romantic kind, an endearment of true love.
And secondly, we might need rings. Thankfully… [He holds up a hand, wiggles his fingers where several rings adorn them. Just goth things.] I have more than enough for the two of us. Want to borrow one?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clockworksoul) wrote2023-04-30 08:50 pm
quest time, fake marriage version.
[He’s not visited the Nightlife District yet, though V is as intrigued as ever. The request to provide the ghost of a sorrowful courtesan some manner of solace and closure is an interesting one of paper — in person, it’s practically delightful. He swears he can hear wailing echoing down each passing alleyway, faraway and otherworldly. Rumors of guests being ousted from their rooms in local businesses, stumbling out as white as a sheet, are easy to believe amid this haunting, vaguely surreal locale.
It doesn’t help that it’s nighttime, of course, and the shadows cast by flickering lampposts and storefronts are long and dark. His and Declan’s own stretch like tendrils along the path as they make their way down the sidewalk.]
Now this is fun.
[It’s novel! Maybe they’ll see a real ghost.]
I’ve never gone ghost-hunting before. But I've read stories... tall, void-like shadow figures, looming ominously at a distance. Or approaching far too quickly. It's enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.
no subject
[ Here one can clearly see the differences in a pair of people from wildly, wildly different circumstances concerning the supernatural. Put V in Barovia for like half an hour and we’ll see if he’s still having the time of his life!
Declan frowns a bit. He’s had more than his fair share of experiences with ghosts, and none of them good. What’s happening here might skew a little comical, especially compared to what he’s seen in Barovia, but there’s still an anguished soul here. ]
I’ve seen ghosts, you know. Spoken to them. One of them even gifted me new lenses for my goggles. Typically, there’s not much entertainment to be found in their circumstances.
no subject
He just grins, swinging his cane to and fro a little as they walk.]
Their circumstances may be very well dour, yes. But... we can have fun in our adventure of giving them the closure they need. I do wonder, what would mend the heart of a disconsolate spirit?
no subject
I suppose... [ Can they make it fun? Time will tell. At least this ghost is a fully grown adult and not a child. The child ghosts are always the most depressing. ]
Well, probably seeing their love again, right? Though I doubt either of us have the skills to make that happen.
no subject
No, certainly not. But... perhaps an act of love? One that this courtesan might adopt as his own, representing his union with his long-ceased beau.
[Hmm, he's not sure if that's how ghost logic works, but it could be! The supernatural is strange; sometimes fickle, but sometimes clinging desperately to symbolism and ritual.]
no subject
[ He has yet to realize that enacting an act of love will take both him and V, and just what that will mean for him. It will catch up to him eventually, but for now, he’s trying to figure out what will work in terms of ghost logic. ]
no subject
Or... he... could not.
Spits out his "creative" idea, descending upon him in a wave of inspiration:]
Let's get married.
no subject
E-excuse me?
no subject
I said… let’s get married.
[Unhelpfully. Then more helpfully:]
What better show of love and commitment is there? A union of two souls… bound in holy matrimony. Don’t you think it’s a good idea?
[Obviously he’s neglecting to mention the part where it would be a fake marriage or course.]
no subject
This is quite sudden!
[ Someone please help this man and his negative wisdom modifier. ]
W-we’ve only been on the one date-!
no subject
Oh. Does Declan think this is a... serious... request?
...That's funny. But that's also a little— Not embarrassing, precisely, but now V is trying to envision a reality where he would become so enraptured and smitten with a person that he would propose after one date, and it’s befuddling. The self-consciousness is looping back around from Declan to V, to eat its own tail.]
I— no. It wouldn’t be a legally binding. [help] We would just act out the important parts. Vows, rings, that sort of thing.
no subject
Not legally binding? So... not... real? ]
Oh!! Oh my gods, I just ran away with that one, didn't I?
no subject
You did. Do you really think a man like me would seriously propose to someone out in the street, with no pomp or circumstance? I'd prefer to at least take the time to prepare a verse or two.
[Pokes him in the chest with his cane.]
Were you going to say yes, though? [lol]
no subject
Help. If this keeps up he’s going to join the ranks of the ghosts.
Swats the cane away!!! ]
O-only for the sake of the quest! Stop teasing me!
no subject
But you're so charming when you're red like that.
[V please.
But he clicks his cane to the pavement again as though to sever that part of the conversation, moving on to the next step. What is the next step? Finding a place to perform a fake ceremony, of course.]
Now, then... We shouldn't do this out here. Let's make our love known in one of the local buildings to pretend at some kind of formality. What about... [Points with his cane.] ...that one?
oh my god that image
[ HELP HIM. He gives his friend a light smack on one shoulder. Please stop calling him things like charming, he cannot handle it.
Anyway, he turns his gaze to follow the motion of V's cane and... ]
Seriously? Do you have a particular fondness for candy that I'm not aware of?
here to make things as awkward as possible
Candy has nothing to do with it! That just happens to be the closest place of interest, and you can't tell me you're not curious about what the decor could be like inside?
If you have a better idea, I'm all ears.
bless you
[ V probably thinks it's FUNNY. Because he's a BUTT. Declan simply heaves a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. ]
No, I don't have a bloody better idea. [ Grumpy. ] Let's get this over with, shall we?
no subject
Because you have no faith in my good intentions. [He's wounded. (Not really.)] Off we go, then. Come on.
[Time to visit the love motel! :)
The interior is not much better than the exterior -- mainly because it's candy-themed throughout, with all manner of colorful, oversized plastic candy pieces plastered on the walls here and there. V moves to the front counter, asking if they can use the space for a short while; he's told that he has to, at the very least, rent a room for the night.
Well, then.
V turns to Declan.]
Hm. No objections to renting a room?
no subject
His ears are definitely pink through this whole exchange, and his gaze darts away from V to study an oversized lollipop on the wall. ]
I don't see what choice we have.
no subject
Right. A room for the night, please.
[Fast forward a minute or two. They've got their card to their room, and it's just a couple of floors up—it’s not like this establishment is particularly sprawling—so they arrive without much delay. It’s just as sweets-themed down the corridors, by the way.]
From a candy-themed first date to a candy-themed bedroom. We move so fast. [He slides the card and the door unlocks. V pushes it open and steps in, flicking on a light switch.
And then… he just laughs. Oh boy. Look at their room.]
O-oh. I see.
no subject
Especially when V keeps making jokes like that about the whole situation!! RUDE. ]
Hells… [ muttered to himself more than anyone as they cross the threshold into their suite for the evening. (Or is “sweet” perhaps more accurate?) ]
Absolutely zero points for atmosphere.
no subject
[How does this place remain in business, otherwise? Well, V saunters into the middle of the room, standing next to the bed. He's curious, of course, but his curiosity will only extend so far... He wants to examine the donut pillows present, but also, like. Where have these been. What has been done to them. Are they washed along with the sheets after every guest?
Oh, don't think about that.
He just prods at one with his cane.]
'Sweet moans, dovelike sighs,
Chase not slumber from thy eyes,
Sweet moans, sweeter smiles,
All the dovelike moans beguiles.'
[Ugh, no. Not even poetry will save this place.]
...Close the door behind you. Not that it matters much. [These walls seem paper-thin, too.]
no subject
So, then. Have you put any thought into how we're supposed to do this?
no subject
And secondly, we might need rings. Thankfully… [He holds up a hand, wiggles his fingers where several rings adorn them. Just goth things.] I have more than enough for the two of us. Want to borrow one?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)