ah, si je pouvais vivre dans l'eau

[majeste]

WHO: Furina & You!
WHERE: Labyrinth / Libra App.
WHEN: Eve of November 20th.
WHAT: The Spirit Realm spits out another person for wet France.
WARNINGS: None at the moment, will update if needed.

LABYRINTH.

[ it had been raining when furina finally placed her head on her pillow. not heavy, mind you, but just enough to make it difficult for her to fall asleep. to allow herself to relax into her bed, to put thoughts of waters rising from her head. truly she had no idea how long she had laid there, anxiety crawling through her limbs, but eventually - eventually - she drifted off to sleep.

a mistake, the most dreadful of mistakes, as the sound of rain seeps into her dreams.

she wakes with a start, a yell caught in her throat, jumping as mismatched eyes scan the room and quickly realize this isn't her apartment. no, no, no, this is her former room in the palais mermonia. panic claws its way up her throat, her mind racing as her feet move independently from the rest of her body.

why? why did she wake up in the palais? why is it so quiet? why isn't there anyone in the halls? her footsteps, slow at first, echo off the walls as she walks through the empty halls. water drips from the ceiling, seeps from the carpets underfoot, and furina's footsteps get faster, more frantic. ]

No, no, no!! It's ─ It can't be! It can't! [ she all but sprints through the palais mermonia, pushing open the large heavy doors and stumbles outside where she suddenly stops. fontaine isn't underwater, it looks as it did right after the waters receded. but where there were people she sees only trinkets; a badge here, a hairpin there, a teddy bear, a camera, and so on. as far as she can see there are only objects of life, of the people who had once been there.

furina walks towards the teddy bear and reaches down, fingers curling around the soggy form, and stands up straight holding the bear to her chest. ] This... this is a joke, right? Just a bad dream brought on by the rain. I'll... I'll wake up any minute now!! Yes, exactly, this is nothing but a bad dream. Wake up, Furina, wake up...

[ as her voice trails off she falls to her knees, shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs. ]

─

[ or maybe you've stumbled upon furina after she's found her way out of the labyrinth; which has decided the best place to deposit her is right next to a lake. thankfully she wasn't thrown directly into the lake, but it's close enough to have her scrambling away from it with a panicked yelp ─ utterly unaware of the phone beside her feet. ]

W─what was that?!

► APP, un: regina.

[ it is much later, and with some coaching from wriothesley, that furina even dares to investigate the app. which results in the video feed flicking on with an upside down shot of furina herself, she tilts her head, mismatched eyes widening with sheer delight. ]

─Oh!! Hehe, it is like a Kamera! But it's so much smaller! Wonderful! [ she claps excitedly, looking off screen at another before turning her attention towards the phone once again. she should introduce herself, right? the book did mention that others can see and communicate with her through this, didn't it? well, now that she has gotten it working it would be rude not to introduce herself.

she shifts slightly and clears her throat, putting on her best smile. ]

Hello, people of Kaisou! Stand up and rejoice, for Fontaine's most beloved star, Furina, has graced your lovely city with her presence! [ a laugh and her expression drops slightly, her voice taking on a more somber tone. ] Although I am still uncertain as to how exactly I ended up here, or for what reason I was brought, it is... a welcomed change of scenery.

So, um, one might need to get a proper lay of the land if I am to be here for some time. [ something in the back of her mind feels as though she might just be. ] Thus I implore you, my good fellows, to help me do just that!

[ she'd love some cake right about now. ]

Comments

[loupmorque]

[ he'll trust her to listen to him. He knows it's definitely overstepping to be handling the Hydro 'Archon' like this, but what other choice was there? He remembered his own Labyrinth clearly, how he'd been going and going and going in circles for hours, or at least what felt like hours--only to be found by someone calm and kind enough to lead him out.

Knowing what it was like to be on one side of that? It was easy to decide to play the other role. And get her the hell out. He runs through wet, empty streets and more piles of clothing, empty homes and once-noisy shops, until they reach the gate outside--to where there's a flickering portal. like a tear in space that seems unstable, flickering with energy, like its close to closing any minute now.

He takes a long, deep breath, feeling the exhaustion of carrying the other this long, this far, starting to ache in his joints. Just a little furthur. With another burst of energy, he tears away from the nightmare of an Empty, Forlorn Fontaine--

And out into a starry night in November. Cold, quiet, and with a clear, beautiful sky.

It's only then that he puts Furina down, hands on his knees as he does his best to catch his breath. ]

...There we are.
You can open yer eyes now, highness. Or whatever title it is you prefer, gimme a second. Catching my lungs up to speed.

[majeste]

[ the first thing she notes is how cold it is, a different kind of cold than she is used to certainly, and the soft crunch of snow under his heavy foot. she almost protests when he puts her down, fingers still locked in the fabric of his vest before she forces herself to pull away, immediately shivering. ]

Just... Furina will do nicely. Or Miss Furina if you are so determined to assign me a title.

[ dusting herself off she hugs her arms close to herself, the cold quick to sink into her bones. her brow furrows as she looks at him, watching as he does his best to catch his breath. not once in her five hundred years as the hydro archon did she ever get a good glimpse at him. after he was consigned to the fortress it was only ever neuvillette who dealt with him, not her, and it occurs to her now that she... doesn't exactly know how to interact with him. ]

When you've caught your breath, Duke Wriothesley, perhaps we should find somewhere warm to rest?

[loupmorque]

Alright, alright. We'll do it your way, then, Furina. [ he's a clever man, he can tell when someone is being serious, at least. It's... weird, to call her plainly by name. But if that's what she wants? he doesn't see the reason to go against it. Even if it feels strange.

He gives his hands a rub together for a moment. Looking down at the powdery white snow under their feet with a considerable frown on his face. ]

Yeah. This is... a different cold than what I'm used to. We won't last long out here.

[ he's at least better dressed for it--with his vest and full-legged boots, but. He. Stares at Furina, quietly... before taking his coat off his shoulders, and he plops it down over her. She needs it more than he does. ]

We seem to be in the middle of a field. There's a city just in that direction. Or at least buildings. Maybe we can find some shelter and figure things out. Or at the very least, get warm.

Come on.

[ ...he'll start walking, then. pause.

Turn to look at her.

And offer her a hand. ]

[majeste]

H-Hey! [ the protest does very little as he drapes his coat over her shoulders, his body warmth still lingers and sinks into her almost immediately. with a huff she pulls it further around herself, her gaze traveling over his now-exposed form. is this truly the man who has resided over the fortress for so long? the rumors did not do him justice.

there is a smell on the coat; iron and sea water and tea. it almost makes her want to curl deeper into his coat. ]

You're right, we need to find somewhere to recollect ourselves and plan our next move. You have a Fortress to return to, after all! [ what does she have? an apartment? the troupe? ] A-any longer out here and we are sure to freeze right where we stand.

[ she starts to move after him, only to stop as he does, her eyes wide as wriothesley turns to look at her. a demand sits on the edge of her tongue, some sort of sharp comment to try and stop him from looking at her the way he currently is. only for it to die once he offers her his hand.

it is a simple gesture. it should be a simple gesture. and yet it feels like so much more. she hesitates for a moment before stepping forward and taking his hand in her own. ]

[loupmorque]

[ there's a certain air about the man; for certain--broad-shouldered and almost regal; his outfit grazing the line of something like a uniform. But the tie was far too loose and the sleeves too short--scars peeking out from underneath wrapped black ace bandages and silver ringed gloves.

His expression isn't really what someone would call friendly, but it's at least warm. ]

I'd hate to be away from home sweet fortress for too long. Same goes for you. [ his last memories of home had him away from the Main Event in the Opera Epiclese--so he doesn't. Actually know she's not the Hydro Archon, sorry, Furina.

He grips her hand with a hold that isn't too tight; and yet it's still firm. Gentle, but steady as he begins to walk towards the city proper. Even if he can find some sort of Cafe--just to sit in while they figure out what's going on...

It'll be enough for him.

Furina, sinking into his coat, might find a certain little phone device and booklet hiding inside one of the inner pockets that Wriothesley hadn't clocked onto.

Her own tucked away in the folds of her own coat, as well. ]