∞ 98: Nightingale [voice/action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[A singing voice resounds from the journal, almost completely unrecognizable to those familiar with the usual timbre of the strategist. The melodramatic lyrics certainly don't help.]

This morn I woke anew, the moon a sight to see

Comments

[action]

[mydearapple]

[It's not hard to tell lately that something is amiss. The changes in the moon, the gradual appearance of masks around the village... Well, it is about that time, isn't it? Time for that holiday, time for yet another bizarre experiment.

Of course, "weird" is so normal here that it doesn't really change how Caesar goes about his day. Since it's raining, he hasn't let Kogoro out, but he knows where Albert would usually be right about now, so he heads out to the stables to see if he can do anything to help.

His approach is a bit different today, though. Caesar doesn't immediately make his presence known when he arrives at the stables, opting to wait outside in the rain instead. Albert was attentive, so there was a good chance he'd notice him anyway, but he decides to give it a shot despite that. After all, he's pretty sure he heard him singing earlier today.

...but nah. That's impossible, isn't it? Albert would never do something like that.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert has been surprisingly tolerant with the mask he found himself wearing. It brought with it a strange comfort, and the effects did not seem harmful.

...As long as he didn't speak, at least. Astrid was okay with that for now, patiently waiting for him while he brushed her coat and mane.]

[action]

[mydearapple]

[Caesar waits outside patiently... for a few minutes. Truthfully, he was still finding the whole thing a little hard to believe, because this is Albert. His brother just didn't do things like that. Maybe he'd just been hearing things. That was the case last year, after all, wasn't it?

It's a bit disappointing, but oh well. A few minutes later, Caesar enters the stable, lowering his hood and waving a hand at his brother.]

Hey.

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert doesn't raise his head immediately, continuing to tend to Astrid's mane for a few moments. Of course Caesar would come by -- he had made the stables part of some sort of routine, so he would come by. ...And if it was not Caesar, it would be Link. Of course he would not be left alone.

He finally looks at his brother, his face obscured by the Opera Mask.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[It's not quite raining, by the 26th, only a vague drizzling every now and again, but Raine has her umbrella with her anyway, as she surveys what's left of the garden to the side of the house. The newly planted snowdrop flowers, left to her by Ginko. The remainder of the vegetable harvest, and some of the last herbs.

She should probably get to work on that before everything freezes and dies.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert walks back towards the house, dressed in darker clothes than usual; he found himself drawn towards a long black coat while in the stores, somehow rationalizing that it would make it easier to become part of the shadows.

He did not try to understand the powers of the masks. Cataloging them would be enough at this point.

He pauses when he sees Raine working in the garden in this less-than-optimal weather, watching as she works.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[Raine finds one of the baskets for the vegetables, and goes about picking what's left. There's not much there, so it doesn't take too long. Something comforting and a little sad about that.

She finishes and rises again, washing some of the muddiness away with some water magic - and giving a sharp glance around. There's an odd feeling of being watched, though it could just be that awful moon - she briefly glances up toward it with a frown at how visible it is.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He slowly nears, his steps careful through the wet grass as he stays close to the porch -- as if it will lend him some sort of cover.]

The moon, so dark and obscene
Already I miss its pale gleam

[action/26th]

[falenandawn]

[Albert might run into Frey staring up at the moon at some point, not quite able to shake how disturbing it looked. He thankfully ditched the last mask he wore, and is no longer so touchy feely.]

[action/26th]

[chikaidestroyer]

[With the sun setting so much earlier in the steadily-growing-shorter days, Albert should not be surprised to find the lights throughout the village quietly activating. It's as he's looking in the direction of a light in the distance that he sees the prince looking up at the strange moon, and he approaches in his dark coat. Quietly.]

[action/26th]

[falenandawn]

[Freyjadour barely notices, preoccupied by the oddity that the moon has become. Or maybe it always was? No. It didn't look like that before, even if it seemed to be alarmingly getting closer he could tell that much.]

[action/26th]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert walks closer still, averting his attention to the moon as he stops just outside of the light.]

How ominous, this moon
Larger now, closer now

[imperial_uncle]

[Liu Bei is also out and wanders through the shops. He is kinda still amazed at all the different things this world has to offer.]

Earlier on the 26th, perhaps?

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert is out in the shops as well--particularly the clothing shop, drawn there by a strong desire to have something better for melding in with the shadows. He nods in greeting at the other man in the clothing store, though he does not speak because of his current ... singing problem.]

Sure!

[imperial_uncle]

Hello.

[Liu Bei bows in greeting.]

Are you searching for some warmer clothes as well?

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert blinks behind his mask at the bow, nodding again while still holding on to the coat he had procured. He frowns, trying to figure out how best to convey his current predicament.

After a moment, he taps on the white Opera Mask he is still wearing. Surely this other man has seen them around.]

[voice | filtered] On the 27th, you lucky duck. 8|

[its_troublesome]

[The closer that moon gets, the more Shikamaru doesn't like it. Especially with half of Luceti out of their damn minds.

He's not about to sit around twiddling his thumbs, though. No, he's waited long enough already, he thinks. It's been going on this long, and it'd be stupid to let it get worse. So sometime in the afternoon of the 27th, Shikamaru opens his journal.]

Oi. You there?

[voice | filtered] Luck has nothing to do with it...!

[chikaidestroyer]

[The response comes not too long later, though there's a rough, strained quality to Albert's voice. Singing like that for a few days did not do his vocal cords much good.]

Shikamaru. [Acknowledgment, of course.]

[voice | filtered] Okay, I guess the best term would be careful plotting. 8|a

[its_troublesome]

[Shikamaru notes that, but he's more pleased to see the absence of a mask than anything. Finally - a less troublesome conversation.]

We should talk. Where can I meet you?

[voice | filtered]

[chikaidestroyer]

Hn... [From the tone alone, Albert has a feeling he knows what this is about.] The tunnels will work.