kingdomcomes | [OPEN] everything is terrible

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--

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Aymeric recalls only to the time of- of Shinryu's creation. And Estinien... [How to say this... she knows Alphinaud is not a fragile boy, but her heart still goes out to him.]

He does not remember even the first slaying of Nidhogg.

[Aymeric at least remembers up to a relatively recent point. But the news of Estinien's memory brings a particular shock. At least he had not been brought here from the midst of Nidhogg's possession, but still...]

... right, then. I shall remain cautious in what I say, so as not to cause confusion.

[But his expression has regardless turned a bit sullen.]

[Noticing (if only because she was watching for the crest to fall), she sweeps in with the only thing she knows how to do in this situation: pave over bad feelings with ~~a distraction~~ good news.]

Chin up, Alphinaud! There's hope still that he'll remember all of what we'd been through. Truth be told, I hadn't a clue about the liberation of Doma or Ala Mhigo... yet it seems I experienced it without leaving either Eorzea or this place. And that was, er, some moons ago.

[Realizing how convoluted this all is, she barks out a laugh.] Gods, but I'm glad you're here. I don't have the head for keeping this nonsense sorted, and Ser Aymeric is preoccupied with assisting Estinien in his, ah, troubles.

[And maybe a quarter of the remaining half of Aymeric's time is drinking and occasionally tumbling her, but she is about 95% sure that Alphinaud would have a meltdown if he ever found out about that.]

[Alphinaud pauses at that, blinking as he tries to process the thought. Not only could they be brought in from different periods of time, but they could also be jumped to a different period... all while remembering this place?]

That is... very strange, indeed. I cannot imagine the magicks needed to accomplish a feat such as that. But I have some idea of who might be capable of such.

[As he speaks, his eyes flick to the silhouette of the castle in the distance, frowning in thought. If the Mistress is truly behind this...

But ah, Yenh is changing the subject. And he would comment on keeping things sorted, but the second part of her sentence catches his attention moreso.]

Troubles? Has something happened to Estinien?

[Yenh stares up at the Mistress' castle, and then realizes that was the absolutely wrong thing to bring up.]

Oh- [She glances back down, her brain working fast to avoid telling Alphinaud the exact nature of the curse. Or, at least, how Aymeric is helping him with it.] He's fine, he- was cursed by the Mistress, you see.

[This is a very serious matter, of course, and Alphinaud is personally invested in those involved. So he isn't going to take it lightly.]

Cursed!? With what, exactly?

[Naturally he would. There is only one real recourse: careful concealment.]

He is gradually succumbing to transformation magicks that turn him into a smaller version of Nidhogg. In body only! His mind remains the same.

Aymeric has been assisting him with keeping the curse at bay, as the method is... well, Estinien would only entrust the task to Aymeric, I'm afraid.

I... Why would she do something so--

[The sheer amount of anger that he feels is almost overwhelming. They had worked so hard to free Estinien from Nidhigg's grasp, so hard, and even if it isn't truly Nidhogg's possession, it may as well be. No one deserves such horrible physical transformation.]

What did he do? What would deserve such a consequence?

[Yenh sighs slowly through her nose. She'd had more time to handle it, and now it was a matter of course. But it was no surprise that it angered Alphinaud, so. They had been there, together, prying those blasted eyes from Estinien's possessed body...]

[Swallowing hard at the memory, she continues.]

He defied and threatened her.

[On one hand, Alphinaud feels the sudden compulsion to yell in frustration at the taller Elezen for doing something so incredibly foolish when such a sensitive approach needs to be taken here... But on the other hand, he knows full well that Estinien is nothing even close to sensitive. The actions that caused him to be cursed were inherently Estinien, and he isn't even sure that his own presence at the time would have given him cause to rethink his words before speaking.

But none of it stops him from clenching his fist.]

We must needs find a means of escaping this place, before aught else offends her.

Aye.

[Yenh clasps a leather-gloved hand on his shoulder. When it comes to matters that concern Estinien, she feels outrage for her friend and ally's mistreatment, yet she knows those feelings can't compare to the brotherly love shared between the two elezen. Calmed from her anxious rambling over dangerous territory, she gives him her warmest smile.]

You can count on my support, of course.

[Just feeling a friendly gesture like that is enough to make him relax a little, shoulders slumping under the sheer emotional exhaustion that comes after such a burst of anger. He lifts one hand to rub the bridge of his nose, but when it falls, a slight smile is left in its wake.]

Thank you, Yenh. Though I may not remember you specifically, I still remember that you have ever had my back, and full glad am I for your support and friendship. Would that I could pay you back in some way for all that you have done...

[Offering him a shake of her head in response, she gives the shoulder a friendly squeeze before removing her hand. Not sentimental enough to give voice to precisely how happy she is to have him, but just sentimental enough to know she feels those things, she waves a hand dismissively.]

There is no need! We are friends, are we not? —though I suppose that is a rather more difficult question to answer when the particulars escape you. [A frown reaches her lips before her whole expression brightens again.]

Regardless! It would be best if- [And at that moment, an older, wavy-haired woman sweeps in and grabs Yenh by the arm. The woman pulls the Warrior of Light away, shouting "What are you doing, lollygagging about? If I catch you flirting instead of working one more time, I'll have you back to rinsing out animal anuses!".]

[Yenh begins to disappear into the crowd as she lets herself get hauled around like a naughty child, rather than standing her ground like one would expect of a super-soldier of her caliber.]

Ah-! Look for Aymeric and Estinien! I shall come find you later!

[The sudden appearance of an older lady is startling enough, but the fact that Yenh is being dragged off by her is even more so. Alphinaud is struck speechless, seeing the Warrior of Light just hauled off like a troublesome child by a complete stranger something that he never thought he would see in his wildest dreams.

But, Yenh seems to know the woman, and doesn't seem too upset at all about being dragged away. Alphinaud isn't going to prepare for a rescue attempt. As she's pulled away, he lifts a hand in a very bewildered farewell.

What other surprises did this place have in store...?]

[OPEN] everything is terrible

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