AUDIENCE FOR: Yuri Leclerc

[guestservices]

Comments

[guestservices]

What kind of fucked up person would do that.

[ they scoff, a little, but come to join him. they're still wearing their gloves, as a note, but they peer over his shoulder to look at the polish choices. ]

[ashenvaliant]

I wonder. Maybe we’ll find out.

[ or maybe they’ll surprise him! ]

There’s a huge selection. I’m surprised, actually.

[guestservices]

[ they grumble a little about that, but don't say anything else. ]

What kind of joint do you think we're running here, huh? It's high class. Course there are a lot!

[ashenvaliant]

[ he's not wrong though. ]

Isn't the saying normally quality over quantity? Pulling off both is impressive. [ he'll pull out a purple toned polish that looks something like this and hold it up for approval. ]

[guestservices]

[ this gets an immediate nod. ]

Perfect.

[ashenvaliant]

[ alrighty then. ]

Hand then, if you would.

[ but it's memshare week, and i am here to dump memshares on everyone including mods. i say like i don't run at npcs to drop presh mems every game. there's a burst of thoroughly anger inducing stardust, and aquila gets to see a little of yuri. how he thinks, and how he feels. (7:23 - 9:21). ]

[guestservices]

[ oh!

aquila is taking off their left glove when the stardust hits, and so they pause when it fades away, blinking a bit behind their veil.

... but then, as it finishes, there's a smile in their voice. ]

Softie.

[ wow ]

[ashenvaliant]

[ he just flicks leftover stardust at them. ]

[guestservices]

[ they laugh - amused, and shake their head. ]

Who was she?

[ashenvaliant]

The woman? That would be the Professor. My teacher at the academy.

[guestservices]

[ amused, still, but it sounds fond. ]

Someone important to you, looks like.

[ashenvaliant]

I have enough respect for her, yes. Or this version of her at least.

[guestservices]

[ they snort a little. ]

It's alright, Yuri, you don't have to be that defensive, I'm not suggesting you're marrying her or anything.

[ashenvaliant]

… Hardly.

[ … ]

It’s not defensive as much as it is reconciling some things. I still have respect for her as my teacher but… [ he shrugs ]

[guestservices]

...but things went south?

[ashenvaliant]

[ he’s taking aquila’s left hand at this point. ya boy has nails to paint. ]

How much have you spoken to the others from Fodlan?

[guestservices]

[ he may do that, though yuri will notice they keep their left hand very flat. ]

Hmm. Not much. You're the most social of 'em, at least for us. [ a beat. ] Or maybe the most nosy.

[ashenvaliant]

[ sir your handsie. ]

I could stop bothering you but then where would you be without my charm and wit to get you through the day?

[ it’s said almost flippantly as he puts down a base coat and lets it dry. thank you sweet iris for teaching him the most important of skills. ]

All our worlds differ slightly. While it’s not my place to tell you about Claude, Dimitri’s, Sylvain or Flayn’s Fodlan, suffice to say there are some things I’ve learned she did when on a different side that I find unsettling.

[guestservices]

[ their handsie! don't worry about it. ]

Nah, I like it when you bother me, pretty bird. Like to think we're friends.

[ they match tone for tone there, flippant and cheerful. ]

But that's - interesting. All this weird different timeline shit people keep running into, huh?

[ashenvaliant]

[ worries about it. he’s tapping the edge of the first painted nail to see if it’s dried before beginning to apply the deep purple shade. ]

You’re very easy to hand out your friendship. But I can’t say you’re wrong either.

[ he pauses a moment. ]

… Mm, it sounds like it. In one world, she taught a different class and eventually killed someone who I… suppose I have a level of respect for, although don’t spread it around. From what I can tell, there was no need to. They were no direct threat to her or her Emperor’s plans.

[guestservices]

[ this is fine. they watch from behind the veil, laughing a little at first - they don't explain why, though. per the second bit, aquila tilts their head, thoughtful. ]

... I see. So, senseless violence. [ hah. ] We've been through this before, pretty bird. Feel like I'm getting a good sense of who you are.

[ as they're saying this, there's a faint twinkle, though, and for becks, a tweat - the shower of silver stardust returns.

you have had trouble throughout your life resisting a temptation. you allow yourself two particular vices, both of which come with consequences. but this vice is your survival - good or bad or otherwise, you need it like a drowning man needs air. you have to have it. your chance is coming, and who knows how long you'll be trapped here? it has already been weeks, and you're playing the game with a handicap.

you can't have that.

truthfully, you've known from the start that this was going to end this way. there was no other story where you did the unselfish thing; where you listened to advice, where you took their offer, their kindness, where you put yourself into their capable hands, because your closely guarded self is so vulnerable, and you can't allow anyone else to solve it for you when the solution is right there. you couldn't resist at home. you can't resist here. the ability to have a taste of normalcy is just one night away.

you choose carefully. a target that needs to be eliminated. it's nothing personal; you have something you need, and you'll strike the target down with precision to ensure that it becomes yours. you've always been a planner. you've started the seeds of your trap days in advance.

when the night comes, you take an unfamiliar weapon. the world around you is pitch black and quiet - but you're used to that, aren't you? but maybe just the feeling of anticipation that makes everything seem faint. you take a deep breath, and focus on the wind, on the way the air moves through the vents, through the hallways. on the slightly sterile smell of this place you've grown used to. turn left there. turn right there. there's a jut in the hallway right here. keep up appearances. keep moving. there's something else, too - something just unnatural. just this side of iron tinged. you stand in that little room with the weapon in your hand.

and when the doors open, you feel the wind and you know your target is in front of you. you are unhesitating as you dash forward. you are skilled, and even if your target is just as ferocious, you will survive this. you will survive this. you will survive this.

(what's a promise made to three, four people, when you're used to carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? where does your fate lead you?

not to your deathbed, here. not to your capture. you'll pull this off. you'll get away with it, you'll do what you've been asked, no matter how heavy the burden, no matter how difficult the task.

you'll survive.

you always do. )

...when the memory ends, aquila seems almost frozen, stunned for a moment - their easy mannerisms have vanished. ]

[ashenvaliant]

I can't judge over harshly for someone causing unneeded death. Goddess knows I've done my fair share from time to time, but it hits different when it's from someone you... I don't know. Expect better from? Wiser decisions, at least.

[ a tweat!

it's not what he was expecting -- realistically that the staff should be as wrapped up in this mess shouldn't come as a surprise to him. he'd already been told they aren't free from the effects of this place even working as staff, so why would the memory sharing be any different?

he's quiet when the memory ends. the tenseness that's fallen over aquila not going unnoticed. ]

[guestservices]

[ well. they're tense for a moment, but...

... they relax when there's no initial reaction, and they snort. ]

Wiser decisions, yeah.

[ashenvaliant]

[ hmm. ]

... Sometimes wise isn't always possible though. But I feel in her case, it was.

[guestservices]

So, not enough to totally dispel your opinion of her, then?