singillatim | August catch-all

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?"

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.

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.”

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....?"

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?”

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.

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.

“Oh.” It makes sense that he might think she’d been wounded if he saw that. “I took tea with a woman out there in the forest, and she put that bandage on me. I'm not sure why.”

It hadn't really even done anything, since she'd taken it off right away.

“I don't remember how I got here. You dress oddly. Are you from the Reindeer Clan?”

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?"

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.”

What in the world... A woman put it on her? He knows for a fact that Randvi's had that bandage on for a good while. ...Does she mean Svetlana? Has she forgotten the doctor, too?

"Ah — no, I'm from Russia." This is wild; she truly doesn't recognise him... but it's important he keep his calm about things until he understands what's happened. Get the facts.

"I apologise for the confusion." He smiles. "I've heard of you, but I think I mixed up my facts. How old are you, again....?"

Randvi sighs and crosses her arms. Common people really can be useless sometimes. “I’m nineteen. What does that have to do with anything?”

Oh god.

She's clearly younger, but... nineteen??

This is absolutely not the Randvi he knows. What happened...? He knows that another version of that woman here appeared, the one who was killed by the Darkwalker several months ago. Could this be like that...?

"Just trying to re-orient myself," Konstantin smiles fakely again, hoping she accepts such an answer without too much question... "You said you don't know where you are... What's the last thing you do remember?"

“Before the forest? I was at the docks. Today - or that day, at least - is when the merchants sail in, and I wanted to buy an arm ring.”

The jewelry merchant who has come by for the past few months typically brings his beautiful daughter with him.

No docks around here, no merchants, and with the girl having no knowledge of this place — she's as green here as any new Interloper.

(What does this mean for the other Randvi? Is she... gone? Dead? There's a dull ache of alarm under Konstantin's sternum, but he swallows that aside for now.)

"I see. You must be very confused what you're doing here... but everything is all right. This town is called Milton. Perhaps I can help you find your way around, while you're here."

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?

“Milton.” What an odd name. “Is there a mill here?”

The man’s distress completely passes her by. “I'm in a strange place. You know me, but I don't know you. What happened? Are we still in Norway?”

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?”

"Not that I know of, though there's much of this place I've yet to discover, myself." Konstantin casts a glance towards the "heart" of town — if it can even be called that. Despite the increasing number of Interlopers, it's still incredibly empty.

"This isn't Norway, no. It's Canada. Everyone here was brought in from their own worlds — including you." Beat. How does he explain that he knows her already? Thinking of the Randvi he's familiar with, he can't imagine being anything other than truthful with her, even if carefully, here. There's no need to talk about the Darkwalker or any related issues, just yet.

"....I've met you already. Another version, I suppose. An older one. I met her when I first arrived here."

“Canada-?” That does not sound like a real place, at least not one she knows of, but he keeps talking and she gets distracted from it. She may not even be in her own realm anymore.

“You met an older version of me?” It sounds crazy, but he did know her name. “How old? What was she like?”

Maybe she can figure out if that's the truth or not.

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.

"I think she's in her late 20's, maybe early 30's." It's difficult to put an age to Randvi, who is from such a different time, and carries herself with a maturity that made him assume she was older than she probably actually is. After spending some time around the woman, he began thinking she must be younger — these days, he finds himself filled with the need to keep an eye on her.

"She's... very smart. Wise, and fair. I think the people here certainly know they can rely on her."

She'd be a good leader for many reasons.

"And she's kind. When I first met her here, I was injured, and she helped me find safety. It might have been easier for her to survive if she hadn't, but she stayed with me."

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?"

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.”

“Thirty? Gods, that's ancient.” It's hard to even imagine herself that old. “Wait, is that why I was dressed like a grandmother out there? These are hers?”

The idea makes her so angry that she could scream, but she sighs instead.

“I suppose that means that he won't free me after all.”

August catch-all

Tea Time

no subject

no subject

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

RIP buddy

Tea Time

DEEPLY wounding

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

lalo's joining in for this one!!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject