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Post by Japan on Dec 28, 2014 0:25:37 GMT -6
if i only could make a deal with God It felt like a dream. Kiku stared at the two before him, his precious allies, as though he was certain they would melt into the sticky darkness of the night. If he had been any other nation he would have hugged them both, taking in the feel of them and reassuring himself that they were real, solid… alive… But he was Honda Kiku, and even when the rest of his world seemed to be falling apart around him, he would behave appropriately. And so, rather than embracing his friends, rather than admitting how relieved he was to see them both, he drew comfort from their surroundings instead.
He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he felt the humid air cling to his lungs, making his chest ache under the weight of it. And yet, even the sulfurous smell of the swamp was still preferable to the musty scent of the library, tinged with the metallic smell of blood. Kiku knew all too well that the outdoors was no sanctuary, that the Manor’s clutches were just as strong out in the open, that those insidious whispers never quite left him, regardless of his physical location. But as the midnight breeze swept over him, he had to admit that it was a welcome change of scenery.
But it wasn’t just the sight of his dear friends, nor was it the ability to walk beyond the prison of bookshelves that had sparked a change in the island nation’s mood. His minded turned once again to the letter they had found. And for the first time, there was hope. It might have been a fragile web of a thing—they had all paid dearly for underestimating the manor’s trickery—but it was still more than Kiku had felt in… well, in what had felt like a lifetime. There was no guarantee that they would be successful in retrieving the flower, that the others would be able to bring their items… that these items would even provide the key for leaving this accursed property. But it was a goal, something concrete and tangible and Kiku desperately needed something to work towards. And judging from his teammates, they did too.
It was clear that the mansion had affected them both as well. Feliciano especially had changed drastically from the carefree boy who clung to Ludwig and begged for stories from Kiku until he fell asleep. Seeing his friend now pained him and Kiku found himself mourning the loss of that innocence. He never realized how much he’d grown to rely on Feliciano’s unending optimism until he was abruptly deprived of it. The change in Ludwig was far less obvious and he doubted many of the others could even see it. But Kiku, who had always felt that he had a lot in common with the blonde, could see the cracks in his psyche—though Lud did his best to hide them. He was struggling, just as the rest of them were struggling, and trying desperately to hold on to the being that he had been once. But could they (any of them) manage to escape while there was anything left of themselves worth salvaging?
Kiku tightened his grip on his katana, using its weight to ground his thoughts, lest they take a dark turn. He had to keep them safe. Neither of them had a real weapon and so it was his job to attack, to slash and tear through any obstacle to see them through this journey. The idea didn’t terrify him as much as he thought it should, but he refused to worry about what that meant for his soul. For now his only goal was to see the three of them through this unending night. He would pick up whatever pieces he had to afterwards.
He looked to the others, brown eyes meeting their gazes before sweeping around their surroundings. “We should move quickly,” he murmured softly, feeling a bit like a gazelle, alone and exposed as lions stalked, unseen in the periphery. Standing still was a death wish. “I am afraid that I am not as familiar with the manor as you both, so I leave the directions to you.” He just prayed his ignorance of the manor and his own fracturing mind wouldn’t be a fatal hindrance to them all…
word count: 722 notes: So it begins by worldie on iof
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Feliciano Vargas
Survivor
Bisexual.
Single.
19.
Played by Reed.
Offline.
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Post by Italia Veneziano on Jan 13, 2015 19:10:33 GMT -6
Had Feliciano felt up to it, he probably would've laughed once the others decided that he, Ludwig, and Kiku should go and search the graveyard for this "eternal flower" they'd been told about. The graveyard; where he'd died, been buried, forced to haunt, traumatized his older brother, nearly killed his best friend's older brother, found himself buried alive and had to dig himself out. He'd vowed never to go back into the courtyard, no matter the circumstances. Yet, here he went, standing silently at Kiku's left--as far away from Ludwig as he could manage--and trying very, very hard to look anywhere but the small collection of graves stretched out along the fenced garden. Funny how it seemed so much bigger...
The Italian took a deep breath and tried not to tremble too badly, hand tightening its grip on his revolver. [Gun safety, Feliciano. Always leave the trigger finger resting upon the trigger guard. The trigger itself is only when you want to fire.] He didn't want to shoot anyone here. He didn't really want to shoot anything, unless he had to. His body was weak, sore, tired, and wouldn't handle the recoil of his weapon very well. However, there was no way he was going to pass the Smith&Wesson along to one of the others--Kiku had a weapon, and Ludwig... The brunette grimaced, not from anger but from guilt; dark, twisted, and settled deeply in his gut. He didn't know if the German had a weapon or not, but there was no way he was giving up his only means of defense to the other. Considering everything he's had to deal with, they'd be lucky if they could pry his gun from his hand at this point.
Even during the meeting, he'd had his gun out and ready, trembling fingers locked around the grip. Considering how many of these note-led horror games he'd been trapped in, Feliciano had approached the impromptu "meeting" with a shoot-first, ask questions never attitude. As guilty as he felt over the things he's done, as much as it'd hurt to get dragged into another game of murder, he's honestly fought too hard to live to just stop. He can't be the only one who's been forced to get his hands dirty.
...Right?
[Who gives a shit if they haven't? You're alive, and if your shitty brothers and the other nations hate you for that, they can go rot. You're the one who handles most of the work anyway. They should be thankful you're still around.]
Another grimace crossed Feliciano's face, and he rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He can feel a headache coming on. Absently, he could hear Kiku shifting at his right. "We should move quickly," the Japanese man stated, and the brunette had to keep from snorting. Of course they should keep moving. He knew what was lurking in the dark. The memory of thick, tentacle-like roots coiling around him, scraping away the flesh from his bones, made him shudder--hopefully the others didn't notice, or attributed it to the chilly air. He might've found a new set of clothes to replace the rags his previous outfit had become, but they weren't exactly thick; a simple pair of tweed pants and a thin button-up, stained with wine and dust. He could only be grateful there wasn't any blood on them."I am afraid I'm not as familiar with the manor as you both," Kiku continued, seemingly oblivious to the Italian's discomfort, "so I leave the directions to you."
Tired amber eyes glanced over at Ludwig's empty hands for a moment. "I've...been down here before, ve," he croaked, voice rough from disuse. "I don't know exactly where this grave is, but I should be able to find it. Only...occupied graves have flowers growing out of them." After taking in another, steadying breath, the Italian reluctantly stepped forward, looking anywhere but at the other two nations. "Be careful. The plants have minds of their own." He couldn't bring himself to further elaborate, and it took all the self-control he can muster to keep from touching the exposed scars, thankfully faint, trailing up his throat and over his face. Without another word, he heads for the gate, expecting the other two to keep up.
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Stands a Chance
Offline.
Jetzt ist es kalt in Berlin.
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Post by Germany on Jan 16, 2015 18:51:26 GMT -6
Even now, with two of his closest friends at his side, Ludwig didn’t trust this place. Of course Kiku and Feliciano behaved like themselves — or rather, they behaved like versions of themselves that had gone through a psychological war. Kiku’s polite anxiousness had been amplified and the Japanese man looked strained; Feli’s carefree attitude and cheerfulness had been reduced to jittery shreds and Ludwig’s sharp gaze caught that those careful artist’s hands of his hadn’t left his gun. They had been given a chance to escape, hadn’t they? To finally leave this awful place. All they had to do was find a flower in a graveyard, not an especially difficult task, and yet Ludwig could feel nothing but distrust and despair. This could easily be another of the manor’s tricks. He now understood how maliciously the place had been tormenting all of them, and he had barely blinked an eye when a chance to escape had been presented so politely in front of him. And everyone had assembled, for once without any fighting or petty arguments, but perhaps that too had just been a mirage. Maybe this is only a test, Ludwig mused, staring with dull eyes at the dark expanse of lawn that stretched out before their little party. It’s one more way for this place to try and get under my skin. The manor had mostly failed so far, and Ludwig didn’t intend to give the dark presence here the satisfaction of winning. Of course, he desperately wanted to have faith that the two men standing with him weren’t illusions. But until he got proof — real irrefutable proof — Ludwig kept his face as mask-like and stoic as he could manage, and he attempted to arrange the twisting thoughts in his head in a similar way. Find the grave, get the flower, and learn the truth. Kiku spoke up first: they should hurry, but he wasn’t too familiar with the place. Feli had been here before, of course — as a ghost, Ludwig recalled, feeling a little color drain from his face at the memory of how little use he’d been to his best friend when he’d needed it the most. The overwhelming dread in the atmosphere, the mental dizziness that came with trying to keep up with the awful new surprises, that had been nothing compared to the horror Ludwig had felt when he’d understood Feliciano had been killed and that there had been absolutely nothing he could do to help him. But he wouldn’t allow that to happen now, not this time— They might not be real.Surreptitiously, Ludwig glanced at Kiku and Feli, both of whom weren’t looking at him. There is that possibility.After an anxious warning, Feliciano walked quickly off, clearly uncomfortable in this place. The brunette hadn’t been meeting his eyes, Ludwig noticed. ”Feli, slow down,” he cautioned, and, with a meaningful glance at Kiku, he walked briskly off after the third man. ”We don’t want to get split up, not in a place like this.” Searching on their own might have sped the process up, but Ludwig had always been a pessimist and he had a suspicion that, ploy or not, the evil here had yet to finish toying with them.
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Post by Japan on Jan 21, 2015 11:15:01 GMT -6
if i only could make a deal with God Kiku felt the change in his friends far more acutely after that interaction. For as long as he had known the other two, Feliciano had always gone running to Ludwig. For comfort, for support, for friendship… there was a part of Kiku that marveled and maybe even envied the bond between them. But now? Now Feliciano placed as much distance as he could between himself and the blonde. Kiku was baffled. What could have happened between the two? How could such a strong friendship lay before him in such a pathetic state? He watched Ludwig go after the Italian, his heart heavy in his chest. He may have been envious of the two, but they had always included him, had always been there when otherwise there would have been nothing but loneliness.
He shook his head and ran to catch up to the two. No matter what had happened, he had to keep their alliance going. They had all been through too much together to let this hateful manor destroy them. He reached the gate to the cemetery and stood before them, his back pressed against the bars. His expression was determined as he looked at his two dear friends.
“I think we can agree that this is very suspicious. If we stand any chance at surviving this, we have to make a plan, agreed?” He nodded to them. “Feliciano and I both have weapons, and Ludwig can hold his own in a physical fight. But we must not allow ourselves to be separated. It’s far too easy to be flanked out in the open.” He looked around thoughtfully before putting a gentle hand on Feliciano’s shoulder, hoping the sensation might help calm the man. “Feliciano, please listen to me. If anything happens, I need you to run. You seem to have the best knowledge of the cemetery which means you have the best chance to complete our mission. If we cannot overcome an obstacle, you are to go back to the mansion and bring back up. Do you understand? This is not up for negotiation.” He looked to Ludwig next. The man had done a good job of hiding his emotions, his fear, but it was still there. Kiku rested a hand on the man’s arm as well.
“However, between the three of us, I believe that we can be successful on our own. Let’s keep our minds focused on the mission, on getting out. We can deal with anything else once we are free.” He prayed that he could keep himself together long enough to get the others out at least. It was clear that they both needed a reminder of the men they were before this ordeal and Kiku was going to do everything he could to help them, both physically and mentally. His brown eyes had grown hard, like stone, and he unsheathed his katana in a single fluid motion. “Let’s go. We must not keep the others waiting.” He turned to face the gate, opening it slowly. No time for fear.
There was work to do.
word count: 511 notes: Sorry if Kiku's being pushy... you can punish him later by worldie on iof
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Feliciano Vargas
Survivor
Bisexual.
Single.
19.
Played by Reed.
Offline.
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Post by Italia Veneziano on Jan 21, 2015 15:44:54 GMT -6
The Italian had barely taken three steps before Ludwig or Kiku responded. "Feli, slow down," Ludwig called after him, and Feliciano tensed at the familiar nickname, that familiar tone. He couldn't help but bite back a grimace, thankful that he had his back to the others so they couldn't see his expression. They could already tell he wasn't his usual self, a fact he wasn't trying to hide. However, it rankled a bit to be treated like he didn't know what he was doing. Pausing just before the cemetery gate, he turned back to scowl at the German; only for a moment. Catching sight of the blonde, looking worried and stern and so oblivious to what Feliciano has done, he couldn't keep his gaze on the other. Instead, amber eyes stared resolutely at the ground, ignoring it as Ludwig caught up. He remembered Gilbert giving him a similar look, telling him not to worry, because Gilbert would take care of him. The reminder had guilt welling up in his throat, and he turned away before the emotion could spread across his face. Ludwig didn't need to know; who knows what would happen when he found out..? "We c-can't move slow, ve," Feliciano began, voice catching on that lump in his throat. As he spoke, he reached out to grab the gate. "We might--"Kiku decided to cut him off, intercepting his hand and pushing it away from the gate as the Japanese man sandwiched himself between Feliciano and the gate. Immediately, Feliciano recoiled a step, startled by the shorter brunette's silent appearance. How had he not heard Kiku's footsteps? [ Stop focusing on the German and pay attention!] He was chastized, and the Italian bit his lip. He was tired, and frustrated, and just wanted to get out of here. They had to get their task done as soon as possible. Yet, the other two insisted on cutting him off, trying to slow them down. They had to keep moving, why weren't they listening to his warnings? "We have to make a plan," Kiku was saying, and Feliciano rolled his eyes, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Get in, get the flower, get the hell out--that sounds like a good plan to him. If they run into...into it, Feliciano refused to let his mind dwell on it, then those with weapons fight it off until they can run. The one without... should go. While he has a chance. When a warm hand settled on his shoulder, the Italian fought back a shiver, body tensing up further. "Feliciano, please listen to me," The older nation implored, and he stubbornly stared over Kiku's shoulder and into the fog. Apparently that didn't bother him, because the other continued nonetheless. "If anything happens, I need you to run."Amber eyes darted to Kiku's in a sharp glare, gritting his teeth to keep himself from commentating. Considering the fact that he did know the graveyard best, seconded only by another ghost or Gilbert, shouldn't he be telling the others what to do? The one with the most information could make the best decisions, after all. He was happy to shrug Kiku's hand off, shuffling a step away. He tightened his grip on his revolver as the other took his sweet time entering the graveyard, callously pushing his way to the front once Kiku's sword was out of the way. "We have to move fast, ve," he snapped, not looking at either of them. "Stand still too long and it'll catch you." Feliciano studiously ignored the chill of their new surroundings, glancing over worn stone with a dispassionate gaze, stepping past all without a a flower without even stopping to glance at the name. His own open grave was lurking somewhere in the large expanse, hidden in the fog... "Keep an eye on him, Kiku. This isn't something you can fight with your bare hands."
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Stands a Chance
Offline.
Jetzt ist es kalt in Berlin.
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Post by Germany on Mar 17, 2015 14:40:00 GMT -6
They hadn’t gone far when his best friend spun around, wearing a scowl as hard as the iron gates behind him, and it was only his own years of practice that kept Ludwig’s stoic mask from slipping. Although Feliciano glanced away a moment later, he couldn’t stop feeling rattled: he’d seen quite a few of the Italian’s many faces over the years, but never one that came slipping so close to utter disdain. When Kiku splayed himself against the gate and confronted the both of them, Ludwig felt inwardly glad: normally, it would be him giving the orders, but while he felt a little ashamed that he hadn’t been able to assume his regular role as the leader of an operation, he would have done an abysmal job had Kiku and Feli turned to him for guidance now. But still, it seemed strange… although Kiku did his best to set a plan in motion (and Ludwig could see the clear determination in the other man’s dark eyes), he and Feliciano seemed to be communicating on different frequencies. The brunette even drew away from Kiku’s hand, something Ludwig had found at least superficially comforting. Looking between the two of them, it didn’t take the German long to realize that clearly, Feliciano was withholding some kind of information from them and, as the smaller man darted away from the gate and into the rows and rows of headstones, Ludwig heard his warnings through the fog. ”We have to move fast, ve.”Wordlessly, Ludwig caught Kiku’s eye to show that he’d understood the other man’s instructions before turning to follow after Feliciano. He’d been frightened of graveyards as a child but now, they represented loss. Even his intense dislike of the Manor hadn’t been able to overcome that, and as his eyes slid over the weather-worn names etched into the stones, he hoped at least these inhabitants of this terrible place were at peace. ”Stand still too long, and it’ll catch you.”Kicking his way as quietly as he could through the overgrown grass, Ludwig hesitated for a moment, frowning. He had just a moment to hear Feli’s warning about not being able to fight something bare-handed, but that wasn’t what had caught his curiosity here. ”Feli,” he called out in a low voice, ”what will catch us if we don’t move fast enough? If something’s going to chase us, we should at least know what it looks like, so we can be on guard.” More so than the three of them were right now, anyways. But that was one of the fundamental rules of warfare: know thy enemy. And like it or not, Ludwig had to concede that this entire time, the Manor had been waging war on all of them.
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