[OPEN] everything is terrible

[alphinerd]

Who: Alphinaud and YOU!
What: Alphinaud is out and about exploring his new surroundings.
When: Some early September afternoon
Where: The village
Warnings: SPOILERS FOR STORMBLOOD and also for Aymeric's junk, you have been warned

[What little Alphinaud had seen of the castle certainly seemed... impressive might be a word for it, though that spoke a bit too much of appreciation for his liking. Intimidating might be the better word usage, considering that in the bell or two he'd spent walking around trying to adjust to that setting, he'd seen far more phalluses than he'd truly been prepared for, even with his limited knowledge of the place. He'd been shown to his quarters, had sorted through the wardrobe - mostly full of things he had no desire to put on his person - and after his brief look-about, he'd had enough of decidedly lewd things for the day.

Thus, he had headed out into the village, in hopes that there might be a bit less blatant pornography, and a few friendly faces besides. Hopefully not too friendly, of course, but anyone willing to talk about something that wasn't related to intercourse would be a godsend.

Of course, he wouldn't be so lucky with the blatant pornography. Not when the fountain in the square has a statue of the Mistress bathing, of all things, upon it. Which leaves him - quite literally - running into someone when he's unable to tear his eyes away.]

Oh! My apologies, I didn't--

Comments

[crimsonlight]

[Yenh reached her hand out to stop him from running into her, but missed, and thus the bump happens—but at least she's poised to awkwardly grab his shoulder. She stares him in hopeful disbelief, ears perking forward.]

Alphinaud?

[alphinerd]

[The voice isn't familiar, nor is the face, but the features sure are. A Miqo'te, here...? And one that knows his name, no less. Not completely out of the question, all things considered, so perhaps she has been somehow involved in their dealings with Ala Mhigo...?]

Ah, yes? I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going... Are you alright?

[crimsonlight]

[She bites her lip. Of course... just as with Aymeric and Estinien. She feels a too-familiar pang in her chest, but with practiced ease, she pushes it away. It's not a surprise. It's silly for it to hurt.]

[A smile sweeps across her face. At least, hopefully, she can convince him the same way she did with her other two Elezen friends.]

Yes, of course.

Tell me, who is the Warrior of Light? Name, race... gender...?

[alphinerd]

[An easy question, and Alphinaud's lips widen into a smile.]

Considering all we've been through, I should say that...

[But he let his words trail off, smile slipping in lieu of a confused frown. What... did the Warrior of Light look like? He should so easily be able to recall a face, a name, anything, and yet his mind is drawing a complete blank. It's not at all right - he can remember faces in startling detail.]

... I... cannot seem to remember.

[heiresy]

[There had been a flurry of movement in the moments leading up to the collision. A large, very fluffy, very squash-faced cat came bounding through the square. It ricocheted off the fountain, the statue, then across a canopy. A man, dressed in little, runs hot on the cat's chase.

Aymeric hadn't exactly been watching where he going. Shocked embarrassment courses through him as he slams into the body under his sight line. Was it a child? An animal? He catches the shoulders of whatever it is, turning his weight to shield them from hitting the ground. The sudden shift in position catches the side of his thong, pulling him fully out of it in a matter of milliseconds.

They land, Aymeric beneath him.] My apologies! I didn't see you down there ...Master Alphinaud?!

1/2

[alphinerd]

[The flurry of movement so suddenly leaves Alphinaud in a confused daze for a moment or two, and it doesn't even really register that he's fallen, let alone fallen on someone. But when he finally realizes that he's no longer upright and there is a soft-but-firm something beneath him that certainly isn't cobblestones, he looks down, and his eyes light up in recognition.]

Ser Aymeric! I--

2/2

[alphinerd]

[But his eyes move further down. And he realizes that Aymeric... Isn't exactly entirely covered. At all. In a very important place.

The tips of his ears flush red, about the same time his cheeks and neck follow suit, and he very quickly averts his eyes.]

Y-your--

[... that may have been a squeak.]

[heiresy]

[He knows his stupid garment well enough by now to know how finnicky it is. It would most certainly fall out of place again if he fixed it before standing. He gets up, lifting Alphinaud by his armpits to set his feet on the ground. He then unceremoniously tucks his cock back under the thin cloth. ...And pretends the best he can that none of that happened.]

Pray pardon my ... Unmannerly intrusion upon your person. My cat has decided to flee from the castle, and I need to get him back.

[He looks around, trying to spot him while also trying not to be rude here]

'Tis for his own good, though he hardly knows it.

When did you show up here?

[alphinerd]

[Though he's being hefted up, Alphinaud makes no complaint, too busy trying to shake off the flustered embarrassment to feel offended at all. As soon as his feet are flat on the ground again, he rubs his face, glancing away. Even if Aymeric is now covered, it doesn't change the fact that Aymeric is wearing very small underclothes and that, now that they are standing, Alphinaud may as well be eye level with that portion of his body, for all that it stood out.

He pointedly keeps his eyes angled up at Aymeric's face, forcing his train of thought on other business.]

Ah. You have a cat...? [He clears his throat.] Last night. I spent the night in the castle, and awoke this morning with the intent to apprentice. It certainly seems the better and more suitable of the options, though how much better is difficult to say...

[maledictus_semper]

Oh, I do beg your pardon!

[Ardyn felt the young man smack into him from behind. Was it too much to ask for a man to just go about his daily business without being knocked into by random strangers? Apparently not. Yet, this flighty young beast seemed rather terrified.]

Are you lost, my boy? You seem rather distracted.

[alphinerd]

[Horrified, moreso than terrified. Who would choose such a theme for decorating? It seems a bit much.]

Ah, y-yes, I... My apologies. I am still gaining my bearings here, and I was not exactly expecting to see a... statue such as this.

[maledictus_semper]

That's quite alright. Quite a daunting place this, isn't it? I know it took me a while to get used to the Mistress and her land of lewdness.

[He offered the young boy a warm smile and noticed just how young he was. What was he? Eighteen? If that. How young did the Mistress want her playthings?]

Ardyn Izunia.

[He held his hand out to shake.]

[alphinerd]

I'm afraid I may never get used to this sort of thing. If so, it will take quite a long time.

[The man seems kind, though, and he offers a smile in return. And his hand, too, once a handshake is offered. His grip is firm, but not strong.]

Alphinaud Leveilleur. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[dravanicide]

[Had Alphinaud been looking where he was going, then he might not have ran right into Estinien's backside. That is to say his ass. His bare ass. Because the guards are blessed with little more than a thong to cover their unmentionables.

At first, he lets out a gruff sound of annoyance, but the sound of Alphinaud's voice does cause concern, as Estinien whips around to face him--nigh smacking him with a part of his anatomy that's unfortunately at chin level with Alphinaud. The flimsy thong is likely better suited for a maiden, than a man, yet Estinien suffers it.]

Alphinaud...

[There's a flash of concern in his voice as he stares on at his faux-brother. That he would be brought here... was the Mistress punishing him further?]

You are untouched?

[alphinerd]

[That. That certainly is an ass. For a moment, that's all that takes precedence, and Alphinaud stumbles back a step. Which, thankfully, gets him well out of the way of the unfortunate near run-in with an even more unfortunate part of anatomy.]

I-I'm-- [But his eyes are moving up as he speaks, and the surprise hits him for a moment, killing his apology as it lay on his lips.] ... Estinien?

[He hasn't seen the dragoon since... well, since long before their departure to Gyr Abania. He shakes his head to clear it, which then serves double duty as a response to Estinien's question.]

No, I'm alright...

[dravanicide]

Aye.

[A confirmation, but it does not sound excited. He abhors being here, and even more that Alphinaud is here.]

We must needs hide you, ere the Mistress digs in her claws...

[In the next instance, Estinien is reaching out to grab Alphinaud, with the aim to carry him underarm, as he attempts to find somewhere safe to deposit the boy.

Perhaps Yenh's...]

[alphinerd]

[Unfortunately, Alphinaud has not the size nor the strength to fight it, so in one swift moment he finds himself rather unceremoniously hefted up under Estinien's arm as if he were a sack of flour.]

Wh-- Estinien, put me down!

[The struggle is not much of one, for aforementioned reasons.]

1/2

[ignisvulpes]

[The man Alphinaud has bumped into is around 6'5'', and while his slender physique (and unassuming apprentice robes) keep him from looking genuinely intimidating, the fact is that he's looking down on him pretty harshly.]

Watch where you're going, guy! Haven't you ever seen...

[... That is, until he has a good look at Alphinaud's face and stature, and then glances at the fountain, at then back at him.]

[ignisvulpes]

[Which is when he grins in genuine amusement and puts an arm around his shoulders.]

Hey. Hey, little guy. You new here?

[alphinerd]

[Alphinaud is not new to others being much, much taller than him. His own race, after all, grows to be much the same height. He does recognize those robes from ones he'd seen in his own wardrobe, however, and it immediately lets him know that this is another apprentice.

But he absolutely isn't prepared to be taken by the shoulder, as if they were long-time friends. It startles him for just a moment, but his eyes are narrowing and his defenses are immediately going up.]

I beg your pardon, but I don't believe we've met.

[ignisvulpes]

[He laughs. Check this kid out - never talks to strangers, he bets, just like mommy and daddy always told him.

Kaph takes his arm back, but that grin doesn't leave his face - nor does he step back.]

Well, obviously. That's why I'm asking. Aren't you a little young for the Mistress?

[icebrand]

Yet you did. ( Ysayle's voice is as cold as ice even while addressing someone familiar. Try to not take it personally, kiddo.

Or do take it personally. It'll hardly phase her. She cares little for his seemingly fractured sensibilities as she stands there tall (though not as tall as other notable Elezen), giving him the time needed to sort himself out. If that means untangling limbs from her clothing, then so be it. His pride already took a hit in running into her, she won't damage it further by aiding him. )

[alphinerd]

[It takes a second for Alphinaud to right himself, but in that second, his mind hones in on the fact that this voice... sounds very familiar. A cold feeling settles in his gut, and as he looks up, the blood drains from his face.]

... Ysayle?

[It can't be. But she... Back at Azys Lla, he had seen her--]

[icebrand]

( TBH TBH )

... ( The silence lingers far longer than intended as she looks him over to determine what was troubling him. In the end, she settles for the crude assumption of a young boy being surrounded by nudity and moves to cross her arms over her chest, completely unimpressed. )

Are you unwell? ( Yes, because he is the one who looks like death, not her. )

[alphinerd]

[The disapproval is completely lost on him, at least for the moment. Right now, Alphinaud is more concerned with the how and why of someone seemingly coming back from the dead. He'd thought he'd seen her, when he and the Warrior of Light had freed Estinien, but at the time it had been naught but a trick of his eyes... or so he thought.]

I... N-no, I am fine, thank you.

[He brushes himself off, taking the moment of motion to settle his breath - Yenh had mentioned Aymeric and Estinien being from different points of time, so it was likely the case with Ysayle, as well. Not that she's returned from the dead, but that she simply hasn't died in the first place.]