songerein | [open/dream recording] ⚔️ go to bed barok

Entry tags:

[open/dream recording] ⚔️ go to bed barok

Who: Barok van Zieks and you!
Which: Open log & dream recording (you can't make me make two posts)
Where: An ominous treehouse; shopping district; your dream lantern
What: Spooky dreamotion practice; shopping; nightmare
Warnings: drinking, injury. spoiler free prompts!

A

[Although the situation with Asogi has (somewhat) resolved, the young man has taught him a valuable lesson indeed regarding this world and the danger inherent in a place so affected by the thoughts and feelings of those who live in it—or can even change entirely based on some unknown force, if what he's heard about this last "dreamscape" is true. Plus, the fact that a bottle with a particular label appears as soon as he turns his thoughts to his usual vintage is a piece of evidence he can't deny.

When he feels adequately dulled to the usual hypervigilance and his disdain for how ridiculous magically summoning ghosts sounds, he steps out onto the deck of his chosen lodgings and turns his mind to the idea. What even brought that about? It was only a brief moment, although he'd been taken by surprise to the point that...]

What, then? Imagine I'm about to die?

[That sounds like a grand time. Still, what does he have to lose? A few hours of failed distractions or inadequate sleep at worst?

In the late hours of a few nights in a row, a treehouse perched particularly high among the branches has gathered an even sharper chill than Reverein's current autumn evenings, and the white frost spread along the trunk and walls makes the gathering shadows all the more obvious, blacked out even where the moonlight should illuminate.

The silhouette of the man leaning against the railing above is occasionally eclipsed by something much larger like a hooded figure in a robe, a momentary flash of something reflective held above it—but it only ever remains for seconds at a time before disappearing. Also of note is the occasion or two where—when no one is close enough to be hit—a bottle of wine is thrown to the ground with an echoing crash as if its contents have become offensive to the owner... and the resultant scattering of bats who've decided this dark tree would make for an excellent new home.

Sheesh, all it needs now is a thunderclap.]

[ooc: please feel free to hear his muttering and interrupt him or spin something else off the prompt!]

B

[Unbeknownst to Barok, his nightly efforts have led his semi-sentient tree to turn down the temperature to a particularly uncomfortable freezing, and thus he finds himself in need of... extra insulation. So he makes his way out to the markets, his high-collared cloak over a much more mundane jacket than usual, a little more prepared for trade this time:

His first stop includes Madame Blackbird's shop, where he deposits his torn, bloody clothing for either repair or replication—but she doesn't seem to be interested in the bottle of wine he's attempting to offer in exchange. Instead, she seems to be asking for the retrieval of something, and he shakes his head.]

I can't promise I'd be able to fulfill that request any time soon.

[His second is a bit less intentional, when he gets dragged into an eccentric hatter's after accepting the offer of tea, where he then gets drawn into a conversation about, among other things, the merits of a good top hat. When someone else gets brought into the conversation, whether by will or by force...]

A gentleman should hardly leave his home without a hat. [Should the newcomer be more feminine, however, he follows up:] ... and a lady would surely find use of one in this weather.

[And for the rest, he searches for any makers of the very essential blankets, or quilts, or really any large piece of cloth that might help stave off the cold. There's only so many of those he can carry without looking ridiculous and having a bit of trouble, though.

There are times he leans a bit heavily on his walking stick, or seems to take an especially long break to sit somewhere, his frozen scowl unable to fully hide his exhaustion.]

C dream recording;

[The dream begins in a mundane way: Lord van Zieks standing in the grand courtroom of the Old Bailey, a trial nearing its end. The pounding of the judge's gavel echoes through the room, the weight of his verdict the subject of chattering amongst the gallery. The prosecutor turns to leave, his job done—despite the fact that the defendant was declared not guilty. The accused is free, but only for now. Soon, after all, the Reaper's curse will fall upon them, as is the fate of all who try to escape the judgment of van Zieks. It's far from an uncommon occurrence.

But when the heavy doors close behind him and the muttering is muffled, he becomes aware that something is off. A gilded collar lies around his neck, its decorated edges sharp enough to cut his fingers when he tries to pull it off. He hisses with displeasure, gritting his teeth as he looks down at the scratches.]

What—

[But it strikes him that he already knows what. A chain suddenly yanks him forward by that collar, and he trips over his own boots, landing harshly not on the polished floors of the courthouse, but a barren patch of dirt. A line of graves stands before him once he looks up, stretching out across the cemetery, numbered sixteen in total. No—seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty... Barok's gaze hardens into a glare as he raises himself on his hands, but when he mutters lowly to himself, his voice wavers.]

The world is a better place without them...

[He loses count—or simply gives up counting. When he looks down, he sees that his hands are caked in dried mud. Before him, there's a grave open and waiting for a corpse, and another headstone that he hadn't noticed—carved with his own name. So fixated on that sight and the dread that freezes him in place, he doesn't see the figure that looms behind and raises a weapon to strike him.

The blow is swift once it comes down, and the prosecutor crumples into the hole that he'd apparently dug himself, icy eyes still wide with shock. Above, the figure immediately begins to bury him, and he can do nothing—except wonder if this is the fate he's earned. The last sensation he has is of the warmth of his lifeblood seeping into the cold soil before his vision goes black...]

[ooc: Got something else you want? Let me know at

lumieresdedragon !]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Very spicy of you, Miss Mikotoba. Make sure Mr. Vigil doesn't catch wind of the conversation or who knows what kinds of rumors might spread...

But van Zieks doesn't argue, and in fact hands over the items in question once she's clearly offering to accept them, including the more mundane coat he's wearing once he's pulled it off. He takes the black coat off the wall, of course, and while it's a slightly slower process than usual, it's clearly a good fit once he's buttoned it properly. Suspiciously good, in fact. The thought makes him frown briefly, but he doesn't let it distract him as he considers the feel and warmth, straightening out the sleeves.

Did that woman just chuckle to herself across the room? Mysterious.]

... well?

[If they're going to commit to shopping together, Susato might as well provide the service of her opinion while she's at it.]

[ At the chuckle, Susato's eyes zero in on their host, as if she can't believe how rude that was. She narrows her eyes at her, feeling a warmth travel slowly down her arms and out to her fingertips--but just as soon as she felt it, it dissipates. She turns instead to van Zieks, who seemed to be waiting expectantly. ]

...Good.

[ She looks suspicious, though. With her barely-free hands, she does her best to smooth out the coat, as if to feel for any abnormalities. ]

Perfect, even. Do you like it...?

[Despite Susato's help thus far, van Zieks doesn't expect her to actually reach out and touch him, and there's a stiffening to his posture when she does, which is absolutely not a startle. How embarrassing it would be if it were.

He clears his throat. The coat is as well-fitting as it could be as far as he can tell, suitably warm, and with a subtle ornamentation that's almost like a compromise between his usual outdoor wear and his showy regalia.

... What's he going to do, just say "yes"? Pssh.]

It will do, I believe.

[And honestly, the faster he can get this sort of thing, the better. Why is his treehouse so damn drafty!]

[ If van Zieks is definitely not startled, neither is Susato when she gently pulls back. She had thought she hurt him or something, static electricity or some such (had the heat come back?), but--as it turns out!!--he's just being a big baby.

She puts down van Zieks' belongings momentarily and pulls the red coat off the wall. Despite offering it to him, she's holding the coat directly over herself, and taking a peek at it over her own skin. ]

And the red?

[ She tilts her head.

...

......And she slips it on before she can change her mind. It'll be a funny joke, she thinks. It'll be way too big on her; maybe she'll even get a smile out of van Zieks. But as soon as she puts it on, it is as if the coat changes size. ]

...!

[Just because you can't see his bandages doesn't mean his side isn't sore, Susato, god! That's the excuse he'd give, anyway. As it is, she remains silent about the issue, which is definitely preferable. No explanations needed, and they won't speak of it again.

Instead, he turns when she offers(?) the red coat which appears to be the same size as the one he's wearing, and her hesitation in actually handing it to him causes him to tilt his own head very slightly as if to question her intent... and perhaps her sanity. Surely she's not thinking of—but no, there she goes—

And then it fits??]

What in—

[Sorcery, this is. Just straight up magic. Not that that's entirely unexpected at this point, but that doesn't mean he's prepared for it.]

[ Listen, this isn't her fault, okay. Just saying. She didn't do this. She looks just as bewitched as van Zieks, tugging at her sleeves helplessly, watching them fall perfectly back into place.

Then she takes it off, and she sees it expand to some default size. ]

She must have enchanted it somehow.

[ YEAH!! She hears you laughing, darn it--why don't you come do that to her face?! ]

[Baffling. Van Zieks shakes his head as if to remove any residual surprise. He doesn't really understand why Susato seems a tad annoyed with the prospect... if anything, it's an improvement to the situation. Clothes that change to fit the wearer? Such a service would be more than useful.]

There's all sorts of that in this world, it seems. [He can only imagine what the Madame will ask for in return, but she certainly seems pleased. He doesn't like the thought of owing this woman...

... seeing the young lady put on the coat, however ridiculous the prospect, has made him think of something, though.]

Have you already prepared yourself for the colder months? [Should this be shopping for two.]

[ Annoyed? Maybe slightly tempted to take the coat apart by the seams to figure things out...? Perhaps. But seeing as how van Zieks needs to wear said coats, she calms herself, and... well, does not do that to either coat. ]

Not particularly... [ Yeah, she's not gonna make excuses. ] but if anything I try will magically fit me, I suppose it won't be difficult for me to simply choose something.

[If they're already here, they may as well. And if it makes Barok feel less like he's being coddled, even better...

He pulls off the coat he's hoping won't have to do something ridiculous in exchange for, replacing it on the wall for now so he can retrieve the items he's taken off.]

It's more convenient than the alternative.

[ Susato does the same, placing the red coat on the wall while retrieving van Zieks' belongings she had put down in its place. Something about the Madame's face still quite pisses her off, actually, but she'll maintain her cool. ]

So--

[ Time to talk business. Usually she would leave this part to Mr. Naruhodo, but she finds herself speaking up for herself more and more lately. All she needs is a starting price for both coats, right? What could she possibly ask?

Well. ]

Across town? Through the forest? Oh, surely not.

[ Deliver what now?? ]

[What are they, some kind of... frontier people? Neither of them are particularly suited to that sort of task, he feels. Ugh, the pains of living in some rundown countryside village...]

At the moment such requests are beyond reason.

[Van Zieks would really not like to go back into the wilderness just yet, and there's no way he's allowing Miss Mikotoba to go without him. ... but he really would prefer to not leave this shop not having paid his debt, so to speak.]

Perhaps I could offer a drink in exchange.

[~~if she takes that as a proposition he is going to regret everything~~]

[ He just so happens to have a wine bottle on him right now... Of course he does. Why not? He regularly drinks it in the middle of court proceedings, why not in a fairytale dreamland?

Susato tries not to act too surprised as she hangs back, but things clearly aren't going well. She doesn't want it.

She could play to fact that Barok is handcapped, but she can already tell that he would ruin it in approximately 5 seconds. No, clearly the solution is to make her want the damn bottle. ]

Excuse me. I just wanted to make sure you know that... for Lord van Zieks to offer wine from his peronal collection to trade with you truly is the highest honor he could bestow. Each grape used is hand-picked. Each bottle and hallowed chalice is lovingly hand-crafted from scratch by tradesmen with the highest skill. Why, each bottle alone is worth at least... [ HELLO and then she makes up some random absurd number because who cares. ...Well, normally she'd care about being Accurate^tm, but not now.

Right now she just wants to get out of there!! With some cute coats!! And after some back-and-forth, they get what they want, and it only cost (1) beautiful bottle of wine, a matching chalice, and Susato's slightly-sore throat.

You want to bargain? Yeah, she'll give you a bargain. Ha! ]

[If the floor is strangely polished under him, pay it no mind. He's definitely not pleased by the fact that Susato has recalled the particular aspects of his process and is playing it up a little. It's just more weird dream magic from the seamstress or something.

Susato handled his coat and should know well enough that there were certainly no bottles or chalices inside... and yet, van Zieks makes no attempts to contradict her when she extends the offer to two of his precious hallowed items to be delivered immediately. Once negotiations are finished at last, he raises his hand as if to place something on the nearby counter—and in a blink, suddenly the promised bottle of wine has appeared, thunking solidly on the wood. The process is the same for the chalice, both of them exactly as Susato might remember.

He's got a hammerspace full of the things, he's discovered, but nobody needs to know about that. It's really almost subconscious for him.

With payment given and coats retrieved, the exchange is thankfully over. Now let's get the hell outta dodge.]

[ So they have coats. Yeah!!

Now that that's over, she finds herself oddly nervous and jittery as they walk out, probably because she knows her companion well enough by now to know he's not happy. (When is he ever, though?) She's still carrying his stuff though, so that's something.

With a sigh, she bows her head to him once they're a far enough distance away from the shop. ]

...My apologies. Perhaps it was not my place, but... that is a very neat trick you just performed.

[Barok's mood had more to do with the unsettling bird woman than Susato, at least, even if he was a bit annoyed at her interruption at first. It turns out, however, that she can be remarkably persuasive, and given that she used that skill in his favor, he can't be displeased with her.

... he doesn't really like the conjuring he can pull of being called a "trick", though. Even if that might be what it is. Hmph.]

Perhaps not the most practical of... dream magic [ugh], but it nevertheless has its uses.

[As they've just demonstrated.]

[ Susato offers a small smile. She never knew he could do something like that, but somehow it isn't too big of a surprise. The adrenaline finally wearing off, her hands seem to stop shaking. ]

I had a feeling there would be something. [ Something up his sleeve, but fine, she'll chill with the magic references, since he seems to find it so disagreeable. ] You respectable lawyer types always find something when your back is against the wall, don't you?

...But I won't put you in that position again. [ She promises. Honest. ]

[The idea that he had his back against the wall in the first place is enough for him to narrow his eyes. As if he wasn't completely in control of the situation...!]

Resourcefulness is a quality any sensible person would cultivate, regardless of their profession.

[At her reassurance—well, Susato is many things, he's learned, but...]

We shall see if you're a lady of your word. [(x) Doubt. But he doesn't sound too displeased; he just has to be ready for the next time as well.

He glances down at the coats, one of which she's apparently chosen for herself. Maybe she's acquired a preference for more masculine clothing, after her moment of disguise?] ...Or perhaps a gentleman of your word?

[ rjfklsjdl THAT WAS ONE TIME, DAD!! Susato had forgotten that she told him about that, and a slight embarrassed blush to her cheeks appears. She'd probably be waving her arms if they weren't full. ]

N-No! No, "Ryutaro" is... permanently retired. [ Then, she catches his gaze fall upon her red coat. Oh... ] ...I just wanted to match with you, obviously.

[ ...She recovers quickly, doesn't she? ]

[Was it though??? With her tenacity, he could absolutely see it being a thing that could happen again—but if she insists, then...

...

what]

... why?

[There is no comprehension in his gaze or tone at all—even less than he understood her desire to ferry his shopping about town. Why would she want to "match with him"??]

[ Oh, he... actually wanted an answer. Of course he does. It's Lord van Zieks, after all. She... She wasn't just kidding or anything, no. ]

To see that bewildered look you're giving me right now... perhaps?

[ Like. Is that a good enough reason on the van Zieks scale of......reasons...? ]

[So he's being made fun of. No, of course, he should have expected as much. Harrumph...]

If you have no plan to answer my questions truthfully, I'd prefer you say nothing at all.

[His response is defensive, but the usual cutting edge to his voice is dulled. He's just embarrassed.]

[ In a lingering instant, the smile disappears from her face, replaced by something more serious. A pang of guilt twisted gently in her stomach, like maybe she'd went too far, but she stood with whatever confidence she could muster. ]

But I am being truthful. I merely spoke in jest... I have no good answer.

[ She could have just said that--? ]

It is the first time I've ever purchased something different for myself to wear, even in my year in London. I don't know what other reasons people may think about, other than, "it looks just like yours," or, "this looks warm."

[ In other words: preferences?? How does one choose those? ]

[She could have just said that—

... to have one's appearance decided by others, hm. He really only began to think of such choices once he went to university, and even then he'd tried so hard to emulate his brother. And after... well, that feels a little too personal to get into at this point.

His remark, as a result, is simply a half-muttered:]

I cannot imagine how you survived the winter.

Heh. [ She can't tell if she was actually meant to hear that, or whether or not he expected an answer. The truth was, Iris helped her in that department, but even she couldn't completely convince her to defy tradition. Just enough to keep her warm.

...She could really use more girlfriends her age. With that merely a passing thought in her mind, she decides to shift her focus back to the task at hand. ]

Blankets next, was it?

... Yes.

[Yeah, speaking of surviving the winter.]

Let us find a less... particular vendor.

[Normal shopping from this point, please! Or as normal as they can get in a dream world...]

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