[Akira, bemused, stops before the now open window.]
Would you rather take the elevator?
[Sure, it would be a longer trip by broom, but Akira doesn't obey speed limits. He'd like to build up the anticipation a bit, you know? But he'll defer to Bruno's preference regardless.]
Don't be a spoilsport, Bruno. Let's have a little fun.
[A pretty ominous answer when Akira just revealed his intention to put Bruno to the test, but it's fine! Akira summons his fancy gun-shaped broom and takes to the air at reckless speeds. Bruno can follow at his own pace, of course, but Akira will probably beat him there.
Where they ultimately end up is a nice, peaceful lake.]
[ Bruno says with a sense of great resignation. Kids these days, why are they like this? But he'll carefully creep out the window and get his broom floating so he can sit on it. He'll magic his window shut again before taking off after Akira.
He does not go as fast.
He does at least try to keep him in sight, though. So he'll be about ten minutes behind when Akira finally lands at the lake. ]
Here? [ He asks as he hops off his broom. ] I mean, it's a nice lake. I think Yodarha comes here to fish sometimes.
[He'll kindly wait for Bruno while lying around in the lush grass, the gentle breeze swaying the leaves in the trees and rippling the lake's pristine surface. Maybe Akira changed his mind? Maybe all he wanted to do was take Bruno on a little vacation and preach the virtues of kicking back and relaxing every once in a while.
Wouldn't that be nice?
But that's not what Akira has in mind. He sits himself up with a yawn and hops back up onto his feet, greeting Bruno with a wave.]
It is, isn't it? And the babes of the lake are pretty hot too.
[ Sure would be nice just to take a nap in the grass but even Bruno would doubt that's what Akira has in mind. Although "babes of the lake" was not what he expected to come out of this nasty crime boy's mouth.
Bruno's in the midst of dismissing his broom when... ]
Huh? [ He turns to give Akira a blank look, trying to figure out what that's even supposed to mean. ] Wh... Akira, what babes?
[What babes, indeed? Akira's not surprised Bruno has yet to meet them. There are, after all, specific conditions under which they can be met. People as kind as Bruno and Yodarha wouldn't have met them on accident.
Akira, striding up to the lake's edge, conjures a ball of purple-black flames into his palm. He hurls it into the lake whereupon it sizzles and hisses, burning on the water's surface like an oilslick.]
What's your type, anyway? You like 'em curvy? Tall and skinny?
C'mon, Bruno. This is man talk. You don't need to keep secrets from me.
[Next Bruno will tell him he's a wizard in the classical sense: old with no bitches.
Anyway, he'll see the effect of Akira's fireball once the water's begin to shift and snuff out the flames. The water roils and churns before going still, eerily still, and from the water, several vaguely human-shaped beings borne of water appear.
They don't look happy. Akira points at them anyway.]
Akira, you do realize I was a prophet as a teen, too, right? I looked. I know it doesn't matter because I'm never getting anywhere with any woman at all.
[ Yes, yes he is a wizard in the classic sense, just not entirely by choice. More importantly, why are their women coming out of the lake?! Akira?!?!?! Bruno stops beside Akira and gives them a worried look. ]
Uhhhh, wh-why are there lake babes? They've never been here before? I. I think you made them angry?!
Really? Damn. Time to pitch for the other team, bro.
[Ah, but no time for that. The women of the lake look at Akira with clear vexation, but when their eyes turn to Bruno...? Their expressions soften, one of the three leading the others to approach Bruno at the edge of the lake.]
You there... man in green. What business do you have with us?
[ Akira???? What??? Oh god, but here come the lake women. He gives the one approaching a nervous look, then away again, then... elsewhere... anywhere else... why this? What is Akira even trying at here? In the end, he settles on keeping his gaze firmly at eye level. Yeah. That'll have to do. ]
Oh, we... we're just here to. Say hello? I'm sorry if we, uh, if we bothered you. Ma'am.
[The woman doesn't appreciate Bruno averting his gaze even for a moment, and so her cold, wet fingers take him by the chin to ensure he keeps his eyes on hers. They're... oddly familiar, those warm brown eyes, out of place on her translucent body.]
Oh? Just to say hello?
[The other two silently approach, one winding her arms around Bruno's and resting her temple on his shoulder while the other holds his hand in her own.]
That's a shame... I was hoping you would stay for a while. We've been awfully lonely, you know...
[ Bruno is surprised when his chin is yanked to ensure their eyes meet and for the life of him, he can't figure out why her eyes seem so familiar. That's... odd, and now he can't even pivot his head to give Akira a panicked look, something he increasingly wants to do as the other two get all up in his personal space.
Oh god. What is happening? What is happening?! ]
I, uh, w-well, that's. That's. I mean, I guess we could... s-stick around? For a little? If. If you're lonely.
[ It's better than them deciding to tear them apart for the crime of bothering their lake, right? ]
[The women all coo in unison, overjoyed that Bruno has chosen to stay. Akira, standing silently at his side, simply watches on.]
Oh, happy day! To think the man of our dreams would come along and cure us of our loneliness... What luck.
[The woman with the familiar brown eyes lets go of Bruno's chin and takes his free hand, pulling him towards the lake. The other two follow suit. They pull gently, at first, but more insistently of Bruno tries to resist.]
That's... um. Okay, that's a really weird thing to.. to say... but... oh, er.
[ Bruno does, inf act, resist being pulled towards the lake, only he'll find himself quickly overpowered with it being three versus one. Slowly but surely they drag him, inch by inch, towards the lake. ]
W-wait, wait, can't we... can't we stay up here and just. Just talk?!
[ He darts a look over towards Akira, eyes wide with growing panic. Help? Help him?! ]
They're not here to talk, Bruno. They're after your soul.
[Akira jumps back and sends his dagger flying at the group, its sharp edge severing the hand from the brown-eyed siren. She hisses and shrieks, her cry that of a predatory beast, her disembodied hand losing its shape and pouring back into the lake.
In an instant, the mood shifts. Those three women reveal their true forms, rage narrowing their eyes, sharpened nails on the ends of their fingers. They drop their hold on Bruno at once and lunge after Akira who narrowly avoids getting caught in their snare with a well-timed backflip. By now, Bruno should know where this is going.]
Bruno!
[Akira sweeps out his arm and a selection of cards appears before Bruno. Sorry to force you into combat, buddy, but Akira saw no better way to get his point across.]
[ His soul? That isn't even worth anything! Much. At all. Well, maybe now that he's a wizard it is, but still! Bruno stumbles back from the lake shore, having already had one foot dragged into it when Akira struck, and fumbles badly enough that he lands backwards on his rear.
His gaze flies back to Akira and the sirens going after him after the initial wince from that, then over, to the cards presented. He doesn't know what the other two does, just... just the sword one. Only the sword one.
Panic is on the rise as he looks over at Akira again. Crud, crud, he... he has to help him? But?! ]
Akira! I... I said I don't want to kill anyone!
[ And since the sirens spoke actual words, that's even worse, isn't it? They're people, in a way. ]
[Akira anticipated that Bruno might hesitate. He worked that into his plans, you see, but attracting the ire of three sirens instead of one was the part Akira didn't plan out. He's holding his own just fine until he isn't, dodging as they swipe and claw at him until he stumbles backwards over an exposed root.
Think fast. He marks the siren with brown eyes, but— ah... they all have brown eyes now, don't they? And their figures are beginning to shift, their once uniform appearances changing into distinct forms, but these women aren't ones Akira recognizes.
As the sirens close in on Akira, the one he marked turns to Bruno, her brown eyes framed by round spectacles, hair a wild shock of brunette curls.]
[ Aha, that's why those eyes had looked so-- His heart feels as though it's jumped straight up to his throat as the sirens change shape. That one, she looks like... but she isn't. She isn't! Bruno's getting back to his feet as quickly as he can, a hand reaching for a card this time but stopping just short of picking it. It hovers.
He's uncertain still. ]
N... no, you. Stop. Stop it! None of you would try and attack someone like this! It isn't. That's not how we do things!
[That's odd... Akira knew the sirens could change shape, but Bruno knows this woman. Mirabel? He doesn't know a Mirabel. How it is that these creatures are able to assume the forms of people Bruno knows is nothing Akira has any time to think about, because as soon as he tries to right himself and get some distance from them, a sudden burst of wind knocks Akira back on his ass and nails him to the dirt and grit.
Another siren whirls on her heel, braided hair trailing behind her as she anxiously paces about while her wind keeps Akira prone on the ground. The skies above growl, thunder roaring in the distance, and stain a shade of ominous grey.]
You must've seen this in your vision! Your visions always end in disaster!
[ Bruno says quietly, perhaps so quietly it can't even be heard over the storm taking shape overhead. Whatever hesitation he had before has fled him and he snags a card, quick, and points it directly at the pacing siren with the braid. It hurts him to do it, since he knows who that one is trying to be as well.
He doesn't want to see who the third ends up being. ]
Mirabel would never say that to me.
[ He turns the card he's pointed at the braided siren over for all to see: swords. That's the card he's chosen and that means, that siren there? She's about to explode. ]
[Akira sees the card and his eyes widen, lips just barely agape. The sirens see the card and fly into a panic, the third stepping forward to say her piece... but will she get to? Her eyes are kind when aimed at Bruno, her manner motherly and sweet, but her pleas are lost to the explosion that follows.
Akira tears his eyes off Bruno's. It hurts, it has to hurt, but he can't linger on his pain now. They have to dispatch with these sirens first, and free from the binds of the braided siren's wind, Akira leaps back and arms himself with his gun. Next, he marks the siren with the warm cadence and short, silvering hair.]
Bruno! You've got this!
[Akira's teeth grit. His finger locks up on the trigger. Isn't this someone Bruno knows? Someone important to him? That hesitation gives the siren just enough time to turn from saintly and kind to ravenous and vicious, twisting around to take a swipe at Akira.]
[Akira wishes he could tell Bruno what the other cards do, but they only found out what the swords card did by using it. Narrowly dodging the siren's swipe, her long claws gouge holes in the leg of Akira's pants, streaks of red preceding ribbons of blood.]
It doesn't matter! Pick one!
[Akira manages to land a solid hit on the siren, his magic bullet piercing her left leg and knocking her off balance. That's a start, but there are two sirens fighting tooth and nail to take him down and Akira has his hands full simply trying to stay alive.]
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no subject
Would you rather take the elevator?
[Sure, it would be a longer trip by broom, but Akira doesn't obey speed limits. He'd like to build up the anticipation a bit, you know? But he'll defer to Bruno's preference regardless.]
no subject
[ But Akira, it's so far away... so far... regardless, he's calling his broom to himself. It's, uh, just a broom. A plain broom. That's it. ]
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[A pretty ominous answer when Akira just revealed his intention to put Bruno to the test, but it's fine! Akira summons his fancy gun-shaped broom and takes to the air at reckless speeds. Bruno can follow at his own pace, of course, but Akira will probably beat him there.
Where they ultimately end up is a nice, peaceful lake.]
no subject
Fun he says.
[ Bruno says with a sense of great resignation. Kids these days, why are they like this? But he'll carefully creep out the window and get his broom floating so he can sit on it. He'll magic his window shut again before taking off after Akira.
He does not go as fast.
He does at least try to keep him in sight, though. So he'll be about ten minutes behind when Akira finally lands at the lake. ]
Here? [ He asks as he hops off his broom. ] I mean, it's a nice lake. I think Yodarha comes here to fish sometimes.
no subject
Wouldn't that be nice?
But that's not what Akira has in mind. He sits himself up with a yawn and hops back up onto his feet, greeting Bruno with a wave.]
It is, isn't it? And the babes of the lake are pretty hot too.
[???]
no subject
Bruno's in the midst of dismissing his broom when... ]
Huh? [ He turns to give Akira a blank look, trying to figure out what that's even supposed to mean. ] Wh... Akira, what babes?
no subject
Akira, striding up to the lake's edge, conjures a ball of purple-black flames into his palm. He hurls it into the lake whereupon it sizzles and hisses, burning on the water's surface like an oilslick.]
What's your type, anyway? You like 'em curvy? Tall and skinny?
no subject
[ What? Huh? Bruno stumbles a few steps before hurrying to follow Akira to the lake's edge. ]
I. I don't have a type? Because it doesn't matter? Akira, what are you even doing?
no subject
[Next Bruno will tell him he's a wizard in the classical sense: old with no bitches.
Anyway, he'll see the effect of Akira's fireball once the water's begin to shift and snuff out the flames. The water roils and churns before going still, eerily still, and from the water, several vaguely human-shaped beings borne of water appear.
They don't look happy. Akira points at them anyway.]
See? Lake babes.
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Akira, you do realize I was a prophet as a teen, too, right? I looked. I know it doesn't matter because I'm never getting anywhere with any woman at all.
[ Yes, yes he is a wizard in the classic sense, just not entirely by choice. More importantly, why are their women coming out of the lake?! Akira?!?!?! Bruno stops beside Akira and gives them a worried look. ]
Uhhhh, wh-why are there lake babes? They've never been here before? I. I think you made them angry?!
no subject
[Ah, but no time for that. The women of the lake look at Akira with clear vexation, but when their eyes turn to Bruno...? Their expressions soften, one of the three leading the others to approach Bruno at the edge of the lake.]
You there... man in green. What business do you have with us?
no subject
[ Akira???? What??? Oh god, but here come the lake women. He gives the one approaching a nervous look, then away again, then... elsewhere... anywhere else... why this? What is Akira even trying at here? In the end, he settles on keeping his gaze firmly at eye level. Yeah. That'll have to do. ]
Oh, we... we're just here to. Say hello? I'm sorry if we, uh, if we bothered you. Ma'am.
no subject
Oh? Just to say hello?
[The other two silently approach, one winding her arms around Bruno's and resting her temple on his shoulder while the other holds his hand in her own.]
That's a shame... I was hoping you would stay for a while. We've been awfully lonely, you know...
no subject
Gh!
[ Bruno is surprised when his chin is yanked to ensure their eyes meet and for the life of him, he can't figure out why her eyes seem so familiar. That's... odd, and now he can't even pivot his head to give Akira a panicked look, something he increasingly wants to do as the other two get all up in his personal space.
Oh god. What is happening? What is happening?! ]
I, uh, w-well, that's. That's. I mean, I guess we could... s-stick around? For a little? If. If you're lonely.
[ It's better than them deciding to tear them apart for the crime of bothering their lake, right? ]
no subject
Oh, happy day! To think the man of our dreams would come along and cure us of our loneliness... What luck.
[The woman with the familiar brown eyes lets go of Bruno's chin and takes his free hand, pulling him towards the lake. The other two follow suit. They pull gently, at first, but more insistently of Bruno tries to resist.]
Come with us, handsome man in green...
no subject
[ Bruno does, inf act, resist being pulled towards the lake, only he'll find himself quickly overpowered with it being three versus one. Slowly but surely they drag him, inch by inch, towards the lake. ]
W-wait, wait, can't we... can't we stay up here and just. Just talk?!
[ He darts a look over towards Akira, eyes wide with growing panic. Help? Help him?! ]
no subject
[Akira jumps back and sends his dagger flying at the group, its sharp edge severing the hand from the brown-eyed siren. She hisses and shrieks, her cry that of a predatory beast, her disembodied hand losing its shape and pouring back into the lake.
In an instant, the mood shifts. Those three women reveal their true forms, rage narrowing their eyes, sharpened nails on the ends of their fingers. They drop their hold on Bruno at once and lunge after Akira who narrowly avoids getting caught in their snare with a well-timed backflip. By now, Bruno should know where this is going.]
Bruno!
[Akira sweeps out his arm and a selection of cards appears before Bruno. Sorry to force you into combat, buddy, but Akira saw no better way to get his point across.]
no subject
His gaze flies back to Akira and the sirens going after him after the initial wince from that, then over, to the cards presented. He doesn't know what the other two does, just... just the sword one. Only the sword one.
Panic is on the rise as he looks over at Akira again. Crud, crud, he... he has to help him? But?! ]
Akira! I... I said I don't want to kill anyone!
[ And since the sirens spoke actual words, that's even worse, isn't it? They're people, in a way. ]
no subject
Think fast. He marks the siren with brown eyes, but— ah... they all have brown eyes now, don't they? And their figures are beginning to shift, their once uniform appearances changing into distinct forms, but these women aren't ones Akira recognizes.
As the sirens close in on Akira, the one he marked turns to Bruno, her brown eyes framed by round spectacles, hair a wild shock of brunette curls.]
Tio Bruno! Help me take this guy down!
no subject
[ Aha, that's why those eyes had looked so-- His heart feels as though it's jumped straight up to his throat as the sirens change shape. That one, she looks like... but she isn't. She isn't! Bruno's getting back to his feet as quickly as he can, a hand reaching for a card this time but stopping just short of picking it. It hovers.
He's uncertain still. ]
N... no, you. Stop. Stop it! None of you would try and attack someone like this! It isn't. That's not how we do things!
no subject
Another siren whirls on her heel, braided hair trailing behind her as she anxiously paces about while her wind keeps Akira prone on the ground. The skies above growl, thunder roaring in the distance, and stain a shade of ominous grey.]
You must've seen this in your vision! Your visions always end in disaster!
no subject
[ Bruno says quietly, perhaps so quietly it can't even be heard over the storm taking shape overhead. Whatever hesitation he had before has fled him and he snags a card, quick, and points it directly at the pacing siren with the braid. It hurts him to do it, since he knows who that one is trying to be as well.
He doesn't want to see who the third ends up being. ]
Mirabel would never say that to me.
[ He turns the card he's pointed at the braided siren over for all to see: swords. That's the card he's chosen and that means, that siren there? She's about to explode. ]
no subject
Akira tears his eyes off Bruno's. It hurts, it has to hurt, but he can't linger on his pain now. They have to dispatch with these sirens first, and free from the binds of the braided siren's wind, Akira leaps back and arms himself with his gun. Next, he marks the siren with the warm cadence and short, silvering hair.]
Bruno! You've got this!
[Akira's teeth grit. His finger locks up on the trigger. Isn't this someone Bruno knows? Someone important to him? That hesitation gives the siren just enough time to turn from saintly and kind to ravenous and vicious, twisting around to take a swipe at Akira.]
no subject
[ Bruno has no idea what the others do! They didn't bother testing further before Akira decided this was the right thing to do! Somehow! ]
The... the other two are pentacles and cups!
no subject
It doesn't matter! Pick one!
[Akira manages to land a solid hit on the siren, his magic bullet piercing her left leg and knocking her off balance. That's a start, but there are two sirens fighting tooth and nail to take him down and Akira has his hands full simply trying to stay alive.]
(no subject)