August catch-all

[meadqueen]

Who: Randvi and/or Chloe and YOU
What: Various toplevels
When: Throughout August
Where: Milton and Lakeside

Content Warnings: Any TDM content warnings may apply.

Comments

Tea Time

[meadqueen]

One would think that Randvi would have learned from her extremely awkward mushroom experience, but the fact that these teas were prepared by a local shaman slips them past her guard. The birch bark tea is refreshing, but Randvi quickly finds herself becoming dizzy, and closes her eyes for a moment.

When Randvi opens her eyes, she's in an unfamiliar forest alone, and for some reason she's done up like a fucking grandmother. There's a bandage over her right eye, which is strange since it's fine, so she throws that away, then sets about undoing that matronly braid and replacing it with her preferred hairstyle. She does what she can with the clothing but it's all a bit loose for some reason, and in a style for old people.

Not that that's dealt with, time to figure out where she is. Randvi follows a set of footprints into a very strange-looking village, and walks up to the first person she sees.

"Who are you?"

[bigbaddy]

It seems that it's somehow Bigby's fate to run into Randvi right after she's drank or eaten something she shouldn't have, huh.

Though he doesn't even realize it's her at first. Sure, there's similarities, but she's definitely quite a bit younger, and the different hairstyle does a whole lot to change her appearance even further. Not to mention that they did have new people arriving rather recently, so maybe this is just one of them.

But the more Bigby stares at the other, the more he slowly starts to realize something. Which means that, rather than answering her question, he asks:

".. Randvi?"

He sounds baffled.

[meadqueen]

Of course he knows who she is, everyone knows Arne Jarl’s youngest daughter. She isn't quite used to that level of shock at the sight of her, though. These old lady clothes must really look bad.

“Are you one of Father’s raiders? I don't know how I got here.”

[bigbaddy]

One of father's--

Oh, god. It is Randvi, there's no way this isn't Randvi, but she doesn't remember. Did something in this place revert her to her younger self? Is this like the mushrooms?

Bigby can feel a headache coming up already.

"No," he says, slowly. Trying to figure out what to say and what not to say here. Randvi is usually pretty reasonable despite her rampant paranoia, so maybe he can just explain to her that she was turned younger and lost her memory?

.. maybe.

"This is going to sound strange, but you've got amnesia." Well, kind of. Does it count as amnesia if you were just reverted to a time before you ever had those memories in the first place?

[meadqueen]

Amnesia? It would explain why he seems so familiar with her, but she doesn't have a head injury.

“What, I was drinking? Is that how I met you?”

need Kostya to have to babysit a scary teenager...

[sputnik]

It's not as if there are ever that many supplies to be found at the general store Louis runs, but some things have been replenishing a bit around here, what with the wildlife returning and the slightly warmer weather setting in. People sometimes bring in goods from Lakeside; he's been able to actually make trades here and there for pretty decent items. It never hurts to pay a visit, in any case.

So that's where Konstantin's headed when he's approached by the girl. It's not too difficult to recognise her as Randvi, but it does take a moment, considering she's missing the walking stick and her hair is different from how he's ever seen it. Her face is different, too — not marred by those recent injuries, the bandage gone.

"Randvi? It's me, Konstantin." What the hell?

"You're healed of everything? How....?"

RIP buddy

[meadqueen]

Randvi is not shocked that a stranger might know her name, after all, she is very important. Maybe this man can help her find her way home.

What he says to her doesn't make a lot of sense, though. Randvi crosses her arms.

“What are you talking about, old man?”

DEEPLY wounding

[sputnik]

Old man

No one's ever called him that.... Except for Konstantin referring that way to himself, mostly teasing, and mostly so that he can then be inevitably reassured by the other person, "You're not old"... This is unpleasant...

This definitely isn't like Randvi, though. Konstantin stares at her, uncertain what to make of this. Something's clearly happened to her...

"You don't remember being injured? There was a bandage over your eye." The more he looks at her, the more he realises — she's different, looks visibly younger, but that's... impossible.

[readytosee]

"Oh! Randvi." Casper looks relieved, actually, clasping Randvi's shoulder in greeting with a warm smile. "Wonderful, I was looking for you. I wanted to assure you that --

-- oh, uh." Her question finally hits him and he blinks a few times to process it. "Sorry, it's Dr. Darling. Casper Darling? I worked with Dr. Heartman, you helped him with the talismans. We don't know each other overly well, but we have met. I promise."

[meadqueen]

Heart man? Darling?? “Those are not real names. I know nothing of talismans. How did I get here?”

[readytosee]

"Well that's the big question, isn't it? It's one of the things Heartman and I were researching. Do you not remember arriving? You've been here longer than I have, I think.

Why don't we -- " He reaches out to touch her arm lightly. "I came from the Hall. We can go back there, sit by the fire and get warm for a bit, hmm? No sense talking out in the snow like this."

Tea Time

[desperate_times_right]

Chloe would normally have told you that she's too smart to drink something that she doesn't know what it is, but right now she can't, because she can't not tell the truth.

After an extremely awkward experience with the old witch by her fire, Chloe tries her best to hurry home before anyone can see her, or worse, try and talk to her.

[questioningmermaids]

Unfortunately, every once in a while March will remember he's a pretty good detective.

The blonde spies her moving home and gives her a half-wave, noting almost immediately that she's going at quite a clip. He doesn't know her too well, but enough that she doesn't seem like the kind of girl to walk at such a hurried pace unless there's a good reason. It's not like she's being chased by a wolf or anything...

And yeah, sue him. He's curious. He's never going to stop being curious. Physically impossible for a guy like him, which is why he mozies on over and catches her just before she's about to slam the door.

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

[desperate_times_right]

Christ. Just the guy she doesn't want to see, and at her house, of all places! Why are all these men constantly coming to her house!

Chloe hops from foot to foot, clearly antsy.

“I live here.”

[questioningmermaids]

"Congratulations," March says in a tone that definitely says he does not care. Not when there's something interesting going on. And he doesn't have a smoke to--

--shit, that's right! He absolutely has a pack of cigarettes courtesy of some scrounging. On its' last legs, but March reaches into his breast pocket, crooking his eyebrows, and fishes one out of the very crumpled pack.

"And what's with the two-step shuffle you're doing to get here?"

lalo's joining in for this one!!

[notarat]

Under any other circumstances Billy would have known to leave Chloe alone when she's hurrying like that. She's definitely more social than he is, after all, and if she wanted to be involved in a conversation right now, she would just intitiate it.

Instead everything about her in this moment screams that she doesn't want to be part of a social situation. And yet-- Unfortunately she will have to be.

You see, Billy can tolerate talking to Lalo. To a certain extent. The moment the other man - standing there right next to him - starts talking about male bonding there are all sorts of alarm bells going on in Billy's head. And if there's anyone in this frozen town that can distract Lalo, it's the woman trying to hurry past them.

"Miss Frazer!" He calls out. To Billy's credit, he manages to not sound as panicked as he feels on the inside - and he's not approaching her to stop her just yet.

Mostly because he figures Lalo will.

[salamanca]

Lalo lights up at the sight of Chloe. He stands straight up, eyes wide and shining. "Miss Chloe!" he says, sprinting after her. Is she trying to run away? Oh, Lalo doesn't think so. He springs after her, catching up with her in no time whatsoever. He loops one hand behind her shoulders, guiding her gently towards him and Billy.

"Now, where we you getting off to? I was just telling Billy, he needs male bonding time! Don't you think so?"

[desperate_times_right]

Why. Why now? Why these two, some of the people she wants to be truthful around the least? Why male bonding?

“I don't see what you two hanging out has to do with me. I just want to go home before I say anything weird.”

[solitarysoul]

Sadly for Chole, Levi sees her on her rush home. And he notices the rush, so he worries. "Chole?" He calls out, adjusting his path so that he's heading towards her. "Everything okay?"

[desperate_times_right]

“No!” Chloe says, because she has to. “Did you see that woman out in the forest, serving tea to people? She did something to me.”

[solitarysoul]

"Oh...her. Y-yeah, I saw her a few days ago. You look fine, though." All he knows it can do is turn you into a kid.

late august?

[wingbound]

It's some time after Sansa Lyanna moves in with Randvi and Levi hears about it that he shows up at her door. If he looks like he feels terribly out of place that's probably because it's true. He's not even sure if he should be doing this, but he used to see the girl around the Community Hall all the time and now she's not there, so he wants to at least double check the information and make sure she's safe.

It's a different redhead opening the door, however, and he just stares at her for a few moments, clearly caught offguard, before holding out a recently killed rabbit toward her. Take it, please.

[meadqueen]

Randvi knows this man, but seeing him at her home unexpectedly throws her off guard, somehow. People have been helping her out since her injury, and this man had given her extra food before, so perhaps she shouldn't be so surprised.

She takes the rabbit, bemused.

“Thank you? I'll get Lyanna to dress it when she gets back.”

[wingbound]

He seems to perk up slightly at the mention of Lyanna. As usual, his expression doesn't change much but something in his eyes goes from apprehensive to hopeful.

"So she does live here?" he clarifies, glancing past Randvi into the house and then back at her. She's definitely lived here longer than that, so-- "With you."

[meadqueen]

“Yes. She offered to help me with some of the household tasks in exchange for a place to stay outside the hall.” Randvi wonders whether this is someone Lyanna wants to see, but then he had been kind to her, hadn't he? “Our home worlds are similar. I think the familiarity is comforting to both of us.”