The flickering lights caught his attention, and the prudent thing would have been to keep going, heading back to Heart Castle and locking himself in his rooms for the night. This week, after all, had begun with the embassy falling and had ended with Queen Rachel getting paralyzed in some kind of fight.
People had been whispering about The Magician, and if that wasn't enough to make someone think twice about following flickering lights, Alasdair didn't know what was.
Maybe he should have thought three times, he thought as he stepped cautiously into the copse, silent for a moment. And then he had no choice but to ask the obvious question. "What are you doing?"
Maybe he should have made Gustave Asarlai the serial killer.
Slowly, the air around Gustave was brightening into a column of light with little points of extra brightness coalescing around each of the Artifacts. His gaze, when he turns it on Alasdair is remote and something about it isn't entirely human.
"Finishing what should have been done months ago," he responds.
"Right," Alasdair said after a moment. "Of course, totally stupid question." He can't really do anything, he thinks. He's not helpless, certainly - every DeWitt learned some manner of defending themselves, and he and his sister Madeleine had both learned aikido - but he's not foolish enough to throw himself at The Magician, not alone.
"But if you'll forgive another completely stupid question, what are you going to do with a 'Minor Arcana' that now numbers at least hundreds more than it did when we left, mostly doesn't want to be there, and will likely be inclined to start another war if you try to keep them?"
Because even Alasdair - head in the clouds, dreamer, teacher - knew that this was an invitation for rebellion.
She's heard whispers, been told most of the picture by Jordan. And apart of it hurts. A large terrible part that's the utter romantic for others that allowed her to try to look at the story the Arcana told different. Tried to see too much with the emotion.
She's not seen Gustave since then, more ashamed than fearful. While the diplomatic excuse may be a lie, she's sure the emotions she saw that day were not. When she follows the light, she didn't except that the Magician would do the ritual so soon. She was going to dinner tonight with Nicholas to try and get his mind off the challenge if he needed it. She sent him a text that she might be a little late.
As she approaches the Magician, Sandy has a faint feeling she's going to be very late. "Why are you doing this, Mr. Asarlai?" And she truly sounds at a lost.
The column of light surrounding him is a bit brighter now than it was when Alasdair saw him and they spoke. It's not, quite, ready yet, though. And that does make him a rather captive audience since he can't step out of the circle without breaking it. But he can, at least, focus on the magic and speaking words at the same time.
Even if there's something a little inhuman in his gaze when he looks at Sandy. "You should go home, Lasandra."
Of course there's a frightened expression that crosses her face, how could one not. Her stomach feels heavy and her limbs try to instigate the fleeing instinct.
She fists her hands to the side, tightening so hard that her nails dig into skin as she bites back words she wants to say, it doesn't matter if I go home, you're going to take me away from it anyway. Those words won't solve anything. She knows he lives a long time, she knows that changes the nature of... everything about him and the Arcana.
But there's loss and she doesn't know if any of the Arcana knows that loss. "You're hurting. I know why you're still hurting and I think... you're trying to stop the pain."
A quiet breath, "And that pain has been around for... a very long time."
Gustave really wouldn't understand the taking home away argument anyway, he would say he's not taking anything, but adding to what is already here. Already there. But that nothing has to go.
"And does that mean you're here to assist me?"
Because if she was here to interfere or stop him...well...he wouldn't stand for that.
The news of flickering lights on the green had reached the King of Clubs quickly, and it wasn't long after Asarlai's ritual began that he appeared on the Green himself, completely silent and almost completely still as he watched The Magician from behind. By now, it was no secret what he'd planned and what he was so close to accomplishing.
Elisha slowly drew the gun he still always wore, and there was a faint click as he took the safety off.
"I've always been fascinated with this version of diplomacy," he says, pleasantly. "It reminds me of home."
[ooc: people can - and should! - threadjack. Elisha is going to attempt to talk him down, and if that doesn't work, will knock Gustave unconscious, but it'd be a lot more fun if other people participated. :)]
Katya steps out of trees nearly opposite Ilyusha. She nods greeting to him, her own firearm in hand. "I see your eyes and ears are efficient as well. It is very familiar. I am warmed over with nostalgia." She smiles--Katya always smiles--cooly at the Magician. "It perhaps is best we negotiate."
The flickering light is hard to miss as she's walking back from Diamond Castle to Hearts, taking the shortcut through Town, and subsequently coming near the Green. Blythe bites her lip when she approaches and sees that it's Asarlai again; all that he's done this past week, and her common sense tells her not to face him now. One hand goes to her hip, hovering over the hidden sheath there. It's not the only knife she has on her right now, thank goodness, but a few sharp knives are all the protection she's going to have if her attempt to speak him down fails.
But as she gets closer, she can see two Faces already there - Elisha on her right and Katya on her left. And surely, with them, even if they do get hurt, it'll be less potent if there are three of them to get through. So she hurries towards the ring, not immediately taking out her weapon as the other two have done.
"At least tell us what you're going to do," she suggest dryly after Katya finishes speaking. "That's what happens in all the movies, yeah?"
can we get a diamond to show up opposite blythe? That'd be awesomestacks_the_deckSeptember 14 2012, 14:14:34 UTC
The click is not something the necessarily registers to Gustave as a potential danger. Though the fact it comes from behind him and accompanied with the King of Clubs' voice certainly does. He has no opportunity to respond, though, before the Queen of Spades and the newest Ace of Hearts arrive and make their presences known.
Since Blythe is the one to speak last, he replies to her first, the grove around them steadily growing brighter as time passes. "I have never made a habit of movies, Miss Merrick."
And then he focuses on Katya, "what is there to negotiate?"
RNG has an odd sense of humorjestincaseSeptember 14 2012, 13:25:22 UTC
Jubilee had climbed onto the branches to nap and think and think and nap some more. Butlery had disappeared. Joker was gone. She was feeling...lost, a sensation she doesn't remember.
The crunch of a stick wakens her and she watches with interest as the stranger lines the grove with something poury and sets pretties on the ground. Why would it do that? Pretties should be saved. Perhaps he doesn't want them? She loops her knees over the branch and swings off, hanging by her knees and eyeing him curiously whilst upside-down.
"What's it doing? Is it a game? Tell me, tell! I wonder, I do~"
[ooc: She can be either just in or out of the circle.]
"No game~? Is he certain? Is he sure?" Jubilee somersaults out of the tree, landing upright, toes the merest breadth away from his line of sand. She pays no mind to the arrival of Cards. This is interesting~
She begins to walk, heel-to-toe, around the circle's perimeter, arms held out for balance in pretendy tipping and tottering. "It looks like a game. See? You have bases! Can I play~?"
She pivots round to consider him with ancient eyes, head tilting thoughtfully to one side.
While she and Andrea aren't actually the cuddliest of cousins despite her generosity some time ago. They do talk. Listen to each other. Andrea is willing to share information she learns if asked. Like whispers she hears. Rumors told to her. Retellings of certain events at the Arcana Embassy when a story-telling happened.
It's what she uses when she sees the lights, gets nearer and sees. Sees what it is all about. It does not take a genius to guess his attempts. Something bad for the Deck in whole.
"Would the Star want you to do this?" She's standing near but not making any moves. Her arms are crossed. Eyes flat. Face giving nothing anyways besides, perhaps, some contempt. "No. Correction. Do you think the Arcana Astraia will be proud with what you're doing?"
Gustave's face twists up into something like immeasurable pain and hatred at those words, the light of power around him flickers and surges at the suddenness of the emotion flooding through him.
It's been one of those lifetimes. Right and wrong place and time constantly mixing and matching. He's not really sure he knows which this one is.
But he does know that flicker of light. His face is still green and purple because of it. And as much as he knows he's not in condition to be going up against it again, he also knows that one of the outlines in the flicker is recognizable, and probably not particularly prepared not to become a casualty of this conflict.
Still not clear if it's the right or wrong place or time, but he'll be bending his way over at a brisk jog.
"Maybe." She admits that much. It was a low blow. To bring her up in these times as she meant it to be. "I am serious and curious. Would she approve of this. All of this you've done to here?"
But Cadogan comes along before she can say her next words. I would like to think she'll be ashamed of you at this point. Saving her life in the process. Or ensuring his own death. Depends on what happens in these next few minutes. What is said and shown.
"Cadogan." She gestures to the Magician with one hand. Gets out her taser in the other hand. Not the best weapon but. Still a damn weapon on her. "You've met the Magician before. Clearly. He's putting on an impressive light show."
Comments 68
People had been whispering about The Magician, and if that wasn't enough to make someone think twice about following flickering lights, Alasdair didn't know what was.
Maybe he should have thought three times, he thought as he stepped cautiously into the copse, silent for a moment. And then he had no choice but to ask the obvious question. "What are you doing?"
Maybe he should have made Gustave Asarlai the serial killer.
Reply
"Finishing what should have been done months ago," he responds.
Are you going to try to stop him, Alasdair?
Reply
"But if you'll forgive another completely stupid question, what are you going to do with a 'Minor Arcana' that now numbers at least hundreds more than it did when we left, mostly doesn't want to be there, and will likely be inclined to start another war if you try to keep them?"
Because even Alasdair - head in the clouds, dreamer, teacher - knew that this was an invitation for rebellion.
Reply
This argument really isn't making sense to him just now.
"That's up to you, isn't it?"
Reply
She's not seen Gustave since then, more ashamed than fearful. While the diplomatic excuse may be a lie, she's sure the emotions she saw that day were not. When she follows the light, she didn't except that the Magician would do the ritual so soon. She was going to dinner tonight with Nicholas to try and get his mind off the challenge if he needed it. She sent him a text that she might be a little late.
As she approaches the Magician, Sandy has a faint feeling she's going to be very late. "Why are you doing this, Mr. Asarlai?" And she truly sounds at a lost.
Reply
Even if there's something a little inhuman in his gaze when he looks at Sandy. "You should go home, Lasandra."
Reply
She fists her hands to the side, tightening so hard that her nails dig into skin as she bites back words she wants to say, it doesn't matter if I go home, you're going to take me away from it anyway. Those words won't solve anything. She knows he lives a long time, she knows that changes the nature of... everything about him and the Arcana.
But there's loss and she doesn't know if any of the Arcana knows that loss. "You're hurting. I know why you're still hurting and I think... you're trying to stop the pain."
A quiet breath, "And that pain has been around for... a very long time."
Reply
"And does that mean you're here to assist me?"
Because if she was here to interfere or stop him...well...he wouldn't stand for that.
Reply
Elisha slowly drew the gun he still always wore, and there was a faint click as he took the safety off.
"I've always been fascinated with this version of diplomacy," he says, pleasantly. "It reminds me of home."
[ooc: people can - and should! - threadjack. Elisha is going to attempt to talk him down, and if that doesn't work, will knock Gustave unconscious, but it'd be a lot more fun if other people participated. :)]
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But as she gets closer, she can see two Faces already there - Elisha on her right and Katya on her left. And surely, with them, even if they do get hurt, it'll be less potent if there are three of them to get through. So she hurries towards the ring, not immediately taking out her weapon as the other two have done.
"At least tell us what you're going to do," she suggest dryly after Katya finishes speaking. "That's what happens in all the movies, yeah?"
Reply
Since Blythe is the one to speak last, he replies to her first, the grove around them steadily growing brighter as time passes. "I have never made a habit of movies, Miss Merrick."
And then he focuses on Katya, "what is there to negotiate?"
Reply
The crunch of a stick wakens her and she watches with interest as the stranger lines the grove with something poury and sets pretties on the ground. Why would it do that? Pretties should be saved. Perhaps he doesn't want them? She loops her knees over the branch and swings off, hanging by her knees and eyeing him curiously whilst upside-down.
"What's it doing? Is it a game? Tell me, tell! I wonder, I do~"
[ooc: She can be either just in or out of the circle.]
Reply
With the others he might be more remote. But there's a certain warmth for these shadows of the Fool.
Reply
She begins to walk, heel-to-toe, around the circle's perimeter, arms held out for balance in pretendy tipping and tottering. "It looks like a game. See? You have bases! Can I play~?"
She pivots round to consider him with ancient eyes, head tilting thoughtfully to one side.
"What is it if not a game?"
Reply
"What would you call it?"
For as long as she's staying there and not interfering, he has no cause to do anything other than speak.
Reply
It's what she uses when she sees the lights, gets nearer and sees. Sees what it is all about. It does not take a genius to guess his attempts. Something bad for the Deck in whole.
"Would the Star want you to do this?" She's standing near but not making any moves. Her arms are crossed. Eyes flat. Face giving nothing anyways besides, perhaps, some contempt. "No. Correction. Do you think the Arcana Astraia will be proud with what you're doing?"
Reply
"You have no cause to speak of her to me."
Reply
But he does know that flicker of light. His face is still green and purple because of it. And as much as he knows he's not in condition to be going up against it again, he also knows that one of the outlines in the flicker is recognizable, and probably not particularly prepared not to become a casualty of this conflict.
Still not clear if it's the right or wrong place or time, but he'll be bending his way over at a brisk jog.
Reply
But Cadogan comes along before she can say her next words. I would like to think she'll be ashamed of you at this point. Saving her life in the process. Or ensuring his own death. Depends on what happens in these next few minutes. What is said and shown.
"Cadogan." She gestures to the Magician with one hand. Gets out her taser in the other hand. Not the best weapon but. Still a damn weapon on her. "You've met the Magician before. Clearly. He's putting on an impressive light show."
Reply
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