001 ✽ action }

[alltherappigs]

[ Hey, this entrance-way isn't half bad. The architect is nice and is that real gold? Hmph.

Either way, there's a decently tall man standing on the steps, hands in his pockets, head tilted to the right, staring aimlessly at the Golden Entrance. ]

Man... what kind of dream is this? [ He lifts one hand to scratch his head. ]...And why is it

Comments

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[claim_my_place]

An eclipse.

[He's standing off to one side in the relative shadow.]

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[alltherappigs]

[He doesn't notice who it is at first, and is instead staring up at the dark sky with his hands in his pockets ]

Never thought I'd see one in person.

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[claim_my_place]

[Asch crosses his arms, sparing a glance at the sky. Who knows what that eclipse actually means, but it fails to impress him.]

I see you left your pets at home.

[A fact for which he's grateful, to be completely honest. He's convinced they live to get underfoot.]

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[alltherappigs]

[ His pets - oh well that makes sense, then. ]

Hm? What about my little cuties?

[ Casual turn to the shadows is a go! ]

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[claim_my_place]

[Asch hasn't budged from his spot. He's actually been stalking the Entranceway to see if any other Auldrantis would show up - well, besides Guy and now the Emperor.]

I said they're not here.

[Yes, he is Mr. Obvious.]

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[alltherappigs]

Heh. Well, I kind of figured.

[ Following the voice, following the voice, oh hey it looks like Luke - oh wait, nope. That's not Luke. ]

Hm?

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[claim_my_place]

[Well this is curious. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Peony doesn't even know who he is.]

[...And maybe he doesn't. It's a possibility Asch has taken for granted up until now.]

....

[Just watching and waiting.]

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[alltherappigs]

[ If you're not Luke, then you must be the one Jade mentioned, and he had heard about in passing - ]

Asch the Bloody. [ His lighthearted tone just drops. ]

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[claim_my_place]

Hm. Emperor Peony Upala Malkuth IX.

[Matter-of-factly. He knows exactly who this is.]

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[alltherappigs]

Oh good. Now that we've got formalities aside....

[ Crossing his arms informally and tilting his head, and a bit jokingly... ]

You sound pleased to see me.

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[claim_my_place]

[Asch snorts at that. Hard to tell if he's amused or not, though. And as for him being pleased, he knows very well that he doesn't sound it. He brushes the joke off - Asch doesn't do jokes.]

Hardly. Has anyone filled you in on the situation?

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[alltherappigs]

Not thoroughly, no.

[ All right. All jokes aside. Serious business time for now. Standing up straight and arms crossed. ]

Re: Action;

[claim_my_place]

[Okay. He can do this. After all, he's more familiar with the whole "multiple worlds and stuff that pulls people in" thing than anyone else from Auldrant is. And he can serious!face the whole conversation - as brief as it may be.]

Fine. What have they told you so far?

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[alltherappigs]

The music box brought me here and there's no known return.

[ Asch you're making this hard. HNNNG. But he's keeping his cool. ]

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[claim_my_place]

You're in Splendor City. It's divided into five separate districts. The natives keep to themselves. Everyone else comes and goes at the city's whims - or so they say.

[All said in a stiff tone. He sounds as if he's rehashing something he's had to explain a few times before.]

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[alltherappigs]

That doesn't really help me. [not like he was expecting, you know, for Asch to say anything too useful and all. ]