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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2013 17:14:54 GMT -6
Ciel wandered the third floor, meticulously searching the rooms to see what she could find. Just because the first and second floor were off limits due to incessant flooding, it didn't mean she would give up on her quest to bestow herself with more knowledge of the Baudeau Manor. It was starting to get on her nerves, after she began to recognize its stewing evil, lying in wait to bring about the doom of all the Nations present.
Although that was perhaps a bit too dramatic, the threat remained, slinking through the cracks of the decaying wood. She was paranoid, growing more and more so, now recognizing how dangerously sinister this place was. Any little thing crawling along the corridors could result in fatalities. It wouldn't take much to kill her, she was painfully aware. Despite being a Nation and having immortality, Ciel couldn't help but have a horrible feeling that didn't apply here.
She continued to scope out the floor, finally settling on another room that she hoped wouldn't be yet another bedroom. There were far too many in the Manor for her liking, and they held nothing of significance, nor any clues to what she was looking for. They were proving to be more of a waste of time than anything else. She had, however, found one thing she may consider useful -- a gun. It was similar to the one she held, although they could be differed from with relative ease, and she decided it wouldn't hurt to keep it on hand. It was off-putting she had found it all of a sudden, though, and she would be careful when it came to putting it into use.
Ciel opened the door, and was immediately given the impression that thankfully, this wasn't a bedroom. It seemed to be a parlor of some sort; there were sofas to lounge on, possessing a classic printing from what she estimated to be from around the 18th century. The room was adorned with a grand fireplace -- it was quite large, and very lovely. Ashes from centuries ago remained, as gray and bleak as ever. The entire place was elaborately beautiful despite being coated in dust, and she hadn't ever seen anything quite like it. She thought of Francis, and how much he would be able to appreciate the room, and tucked it away so she could maybe mention it to him later -- once she saw him again.
But there was an eerie aura emanating through the parlor, and Ciel glanced around uneasily. Having a wall all to itself, there hung a very large portrait of a faceless woman. It was strange in an unsettling way, and Ciel preferred not to look to long at it. Under further scrutiny, it appeared that there were no other works of art in the room besides the portrait -- which proceeded to only put Ciel more on edge. She gripped her flashlight tightly, and inhaled and exhaled calmly. She would be perfectly fine. Just look around this room a little more for some more examination, and then she could leave.
Nothing to worry about, not at all.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2013 18:18:36 GMT -6
If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. With water seeping into the floors and the ever-present growls of… something coming up from the depths, Lili made very careful plans to steer clear of anything even vaguely near the stairwells. The halls were safe enough for her, though dark and dreary.
The creak of an opening door, the light slam as it dives back into the bordering, followed by the faint click of the lock as it rests in place. Lili’s ears perked up wildly as all this took place, her eyes glanced upwards and down the hall towards the sound’s origins. Nearby was an active soul meandering through the halls, but were they alive? She’d never know if she didn’t go explore, though the fear that tugged at the back of her neck beckoned her back down the hall. Ignore the door, ignore the person who opened it. No, there is no guarantee it is safe, but you are safe out here.
Her inner monologue wasn’t convincing her otherwise. She exhaled deeply and turned on her heels towards the closed door, the first on her right. The footsteps on the other side of the door gave away the secrecy of the person on the other side. The way the shoes clicked against the flooring suggested that this was indeed a human, and Lili could breath normally with some degree of relief.
What she got when the opened the door, however, was a dark room with someone inside waving a flashlight. She removed her hat and held it in front of her chest, her basket dangling from her arm as she peeked at the light curiously. “Hello? Who are you?”
She took a step into the room and looked at the walls to either side. Clear, save the paintings and trinkets that hung from them. The room itself was rather… feminine. “What room is this? I’m trying to make sense of the building’s layout. I know the bottom floors are all flooded - it’s a miracle I woke up on this floor – but I haven’t quite made sense of this floor yet.”
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Natalya Arlovskaya
Monster Bait
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Каханне гэта востры нож. Love is a sharp knife. Cuts rather deep, doesn't it?
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Post by Belarus on Dec 11, 2013 14:29:45 GMT -6
Natalya regretted her costume choice. The dress wasn't too easy to move around in with the first two floors flooded. She had reached the comfort of the third floor and had managed to salvage the dress with the fact that she was wearing high heeled shoes and knew how to hold up the skirts. This wouldn't be the first time she would have worn a long dress in unfavorable conditions, given the state of her country when the Duchy ruled when going through the agricultural zones. And Natalya was the kind of girl that wouldn't mind a little bit of dirt— as long as she knew that she had the means to clean herself later. Unfortunately, she wasn't too keen on trying to take a shower here in the manor. The manor probably wouldn't appreciate a stranger bathing in its bathrooms anyways (and given that the toilets here were somewhat suspicious, she wasn't too keen on going to the bathroom here in the manor either), and so she would simply have to be thankful that the water didn't seem dirty and that it was only the hem that got the slightest bit soaked. Anymore soaked, and her speed would be greatly slowed.
She had rested herself in a bedroom, and kept the door open a crack. No more than fifteen minutes, and it wasn't even rest. You really couldn't get rest in the manor, anyways. She was no deep sleeper, and the fact that she felt an ominous presence about her, basically breathing down her neck at this point, she wasn't going to get rest for a while. After timing it out for fifteen minutes of safety, she left the room and closed the door behind her, deciding not to investigate the room. It wasn't like these bedrooms held anything, anyways. And perhaps it was the childish fear of the monster in the closet or under the bed, or the fear of the darkness... but she wasn't going to admit to that. She is a brave woman who admits to no fear and keeps to her calm. She's faced worse things than darkness, but the thought of being stuck there alone was a very real one, and she has been alone for quite a while.
She kept the thoughts of desiring companionship at bay. There was no use to yearn for something that wasn't immediately obtainable or in her control. If she had just a bit of control of this situation (and a flashlight), she would feel a bit more at ease.
She continued to walk and open doors with the greatest care. Most of the time, she came upon bedrooms similar to the one she boarded at. Not a soul inhabited any of them, but she felt the gravity in the air, heard every little rustle of the wind every little creak of the board, and was calculated in every step. She finally came upon a room that was dimly lit.
Reminds me of one of the parlors back in brother's palace.
She couldn't have a good feeling about the parlors of aristocracy, and this was no exception. However, finding a place she was familiar with only added to her ease. The painting on the back wall was unsettling, but the trinkets on the wall were familiar. This room was meant to be the epitome of feminine conformity, where women were expected to talk over tea and cakes and socialize. Sometimes, Natalya felt as if it were a way to keep women out of the affairs of men. Her time in the Russian Empire had been as such, when she was often was told to speak to any of the passing noblewomen with her sister. They would don their dresses and speak to women like Hungary and Belgium in parlors. What a waste of time that was, really.
The couches were tempting, and she sensed that this room wasn't going to feel as uneasy as trying to rest in the bedroom. She sat upon one of the lacquered couches, the skirts of her dress like a cloud, spread before her. She felt pale as a ghost with the dim light and the solitude of the room (or at least the apparent solitude). She didn't dare close her eyes or rest, for here was no rest for the wicked. She felt like a ghost, as if she were drifting away. As if she were Alice and had drunk from the bottle and was slowly, ever so slowly, shrinking and disappearing... Her eyes were glassy as she stared at the corner of the room, as if she was waiting for something to appear in that very spot.
But of course, in reality, nothing ever did materialize in the corner of the room. Rather, the door was opened yet again, to reveal a small woman that she had somewhat of an acquaintance of. The much more prosperous younger sister of the Frenchman. She never set a foot in the courts of Russia, certainly, but she was present at United Nations meetings. The Belarusian envied her for the way money seemed to be attracted to her, the way that the rich of the world congregated to her nation, and just how happy (and rich) her people were. But no matter. Natalya stayed ever so still, her gaze not leaving the corner. She would allow the Monegasque the first word.
“Hello? Who are you? What room is this? I’m trying to make sense of the building’s layout. I know the bottom floors are all flooded - it’s a miracle I woke up on this floor – but I haven’t quite made sense of this floor yet.” a voice said from the door. A familiar voice from yet another familiar European country that she was somewhat acquainted with from United Nations meetings. She often flanked her "older brother", that Swiss prude. It was enviable that she was absolutely adored by the man, one who was infamous for his unfriendliness and how closed off he was from the general populace. The Liechtensteiner attracted money as well.
Good fortune tended to be attracted to those two younger siblings. If only big brother were as lucky and as welcoming to advances. She said not a word, and wondered just how long they would stay. She secretly wished that they would say the first word, and keep her from slowly shrinking away with Alice, disappearing into the darkness...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 10:32:54 GMT -6
She thought she saw something. There was somebody – something else – in this room, but Ciel did not know what. It was hidden, cloaked in the shadows, using the dark to blend in to the black surroundings. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know – but she had to find out, or else she could be in a danger that could be avoided. Ciel drew her weapon; the gun she had found in the previous room – the other still being tucked away safely in her other coat pocket, and switched her flashlight to her left hand so she would have the best chance of accurately aiming and hitting her target. Her grip tightened unconsciously on her flashlight, as she carefully scanned the room for the prescence she sensed.
But before she could find what she was hesitantly searching for, the door swung open again and light flooded the parlor.
“Hello? Who are you? What room is this? I’m trying to make sense of the building’s layout. I know the bottom floors are all flooded - it’s a miracle I woke up on this floor – but I haven’t quite made sense of this floor yet.”
Without thinking too much, she whirled around and fired at the source before she could stop herself, the previous possible threat behind her forgotten – recognizing Lili's voice to late. Her time in the Manor had effectively wearied her, hideously eating away at her usual calm demeanor, leaving nothing but a paranoid defense system. The slightest hint of a threat set her off, a self-protection mechanism that had unwillingly been installed and loaded into her system; ready to be activated at anytime danger was evident.
But instead of firing the bullet she thought it would, the gunshot resounded and a red flag with the words “BANG” were violently thursted out, and it fluttered for a moment before stilling.
Ciel stared, thoughts wildly coursing through her head, and dropped the gun to the floor. It was good to know that it wasn't real now, when she hadn't actually encountered something where she desperately required the use of a weapon – but at the same time, she had come so close to killing Lili. Fear took off like a wildfire through her body, her heart thudding loudly in her ears, adrenaline rising up hastily in her chest. She had almost just murdered another Nation, simply because she had been frightened and jumped the gun – literally.
It was more terrifying than she had ever thought it could be. She hadn't been one to participate in wars in the past, and had never herself had to sully her hands in other's blood directly, like so many of the others in the world – she was fortunate. But she had heard stories; gruesome and horrible and sad. Ciel didn't ever want to experience such a feeling like this. Especially when they were trapped here in this place, with no clues as to what would happen when they died. It was very possible they would never revive again.
”L...Lili,” she whispered, eyes wide at what she had almost done, ”God, Lili, I'm so sorry! I reacted without thinking...” Ciel trailed off, and swallowed, as her hands shook unsteadily. She was beginning to lose it, just like everyone else. Foolishly believing she could remain under control, unaffected by all of the Badeau Manor's tricks... It was a naive notion. No matter what Ciel had learned or how much knowledge she possessed, it was useless in the face of violence and paranoia. She could only be logical to a certain extent, and it was starting to become clear she had begun to overstep it the thin line. Never experiencing such terror personally until now was not helping her ability to reason.
But she couldn't afford to lose herself now. It would be alright. She had to just keep moving forward.
Stay composed.
”This room appears to be a ladies' parlor of some sort," Ciel said, responding to Lili's question. The gun still remained in its place on the ground where she had dropped it. Slowly, Ciel reached down to retrieve it. It was utterly useless, and she had nowhere to dispose of it; she would have to take care of that later. She paused, anxious. "...Are you alright?”
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2014 3:01:01 GMT -6
The woman who sat within the parlor’s vague light was familiar, but without a more confident light source, Lili would not be able to place name to face. Taking a tentative step further into the room, she froze when she saw the woman whirl around, the bright steel of her pistol’s barrel reflecting against the accompanying stream shooting forth from her flashlight. Lili’s only response was to shriek and throw her arms in front of her face, for all the good such meager protection would do against a bullet. She was surely dead even if the stood them stoic and erect!
Or… so she thought. What she heard next was not a gunshot. It was a click, consistent with the pulling of a trigger, but the consequence of that action was a light “Whoosh!” as a flag flopped out of the barrel and hung by a stick protruding from the opening. Bang. The woman was desperate and scared enough to shoot someone harmless without asking questions, so who would be cruel enough to give her a gun that didn’t work? Lili swallowed her fear and stepped slower. Eyes adjusting to the light were finally able to make out the features of a very familiar nation. Ah, Monaco! Another small nation in a sea of monsters, one with whom she could find much in common… hopefully. She knew Ciel well enough to allow her tense shoulders to fall comfortably loose, and Lili allowed herself to breath a relieved sigh.
“You almost shot me, Ciel.” She made the comment as light-hearted as she could, even with the potential near-death experience still fresh. Her heart pounded in her chest, causing her voice to waver ever so slightly as she spoke, betraying her latent fear. “Fortunately it was fake, right? That would not have ended well.”
”God, Lili, I'm so sorry! I reacted without thinking...”
“No, no—please. I am fine. No harm done, right?” She held her hands up. Not a trace of blood to be seen, no bruises on her face or arms. The Liechtensteinerin was perfectly healthy, but seeing the bags under Ciel’s eyes and the terror in with which she carried herself, Lili has the sinking suspicion she would not be like this long. She’d been on enough adventures to last a lifetime, but the reality of her predicament had not yet sunk in.
Lili watched Ciel reach for the gun and take it into her hands. She’d been around enough gun to know how dangerous they were—and useful. If Ciel felt a gun was needed to protect herself, what did that say about the Manor? Lili had yet to encounter anyone in the Manor who was particularly dangerous, but many of them did have a weapon of some kind, many of them firearms. She was slowly beginning to piece together that this was worse than she had initially feared.
Now standing in the middle of the room, Lili could take in the eerie interior entirely. The room was dominated by a single painting overlooking the furniture as if it were a monarch presiding over a kingdom.
"...Are you alright?”
Lili paused and turned back to Ciel. Her smile was somewhat weak. It was uncertain. In this case, what even was the right answer? “Of course--”
Another figure lurked in the shadows, watching! Taking a step backward she pressed her should into Monaco’s and stood side-by-side with her, raising a finger to point in the direction of their third component. “Who are you?”
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