kaisou | [diary entry four] i'm not going back to prison, for one

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beredvyn of nal

[diary entry four] i'm not going back to prison, for one

WHO: Veldora Tempest and you!
WHERE: Gemini and Rose Qeido's house
WHEN: Mid-June
WHAT: so like, what if your own personal Alcatraz showed up in your back yard and was full of monsters and rare ore? that would be weird, right?
WARNINGS: n/a. there are spiders in the cave if you want but like, i'm personally not gonna force a spider or snake experience on anyone.

[video posted on the Gemini network]; un: tempestdragon

[ on one hand, Veldora still isn't 100% on how cameras work.

on the other hand, at least you're getting a nice shot of his abs and chest because he doesn't usually wear a shirt; he fumbles with the phone, squinting at it as he tries to make sure it's doing the thing he wants it to do, part of his head cut off as he doesn't know what front-facing selfie mode is and he's doing his best, damn it. ]

Hello, friends! Something most interesting has occurred at my domicile this afternoon. [ it's time to go for walkies, chat--as he glances between the camera and where he's going, talking until he finally comes to a stop. ] So I've heard that, among the strange phenomena that this world is predisposed to, there's been more than a few occurrences of places from other worlds moving right on in like they own the place and what not.

[ it's not weird if immortal evil dragons fidget, is it? ] So to tell a story--once upon a time about 300 years ago or so, I ran afoul of a remarkable Hero of Legend who sealed me into a cave for--[ hm. awkward grimace, chat, we're feeling cringe tonight. ] Well, I suppose I was kind of a jerk and smashed her city up, but how was I supposed to know that cities were that troublesome to put together? I was just trying to--ahem! Ahum! Anyway, I was sealed in a cave which mean that my magicules had nowhere to go for a couple of centuries, and so the cave grew quite rich in magic ore and herbs and monsters and um!

Now that cave is here!

[ he proudly? awkwardly? turns his camera to point at a set of stone steps leading down to a tall, wide door set in a tall, gray-faced rock formation. very classique cave, if you will. ]

I briefly took a sojourn into the cave a little while ago and it is still replete with those resources, and while being down there for too long when I'm alone makes my teeth itch, Duke Wriothesley suggested that the ore and herbs might be of use to the people in the city... so. Yes. That!

A word of warning, though--I definitely saw a few of the monsters out of the periphery of my senses, so bring weapons and companions. Or come get me.

I don't... want to be alone in the cave, but I'm also happy to help anyone who might be interested in it. As long as you don't leave me there.

[ action ] at Rose Qeido's home

[ Veldora offered to host, even if it was in a startled ramble that was more feelings than thoughts--he's just a good knock at the door away if he's not hanging out in the backyard, reading his Sacred Texts and keeping an eye on the Sealed Cave like it might try to chase him down like some sort of weird dragon-seeking vacuum prison.

the day's too nice to spend huddled inside, after all. ]

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[Takame was already on the way to Rose's home as he's made several frequent visits this month. He's only just now stopped all but living there within the past week or so if we're being honest.

With a strange, monster filled cave appearing not far from her home, of course Takame would make his way there after Veldora's video to find him in the back yard as he's glancing at the cave between page flips.

That is the act of a man guarded, Takame knew. So he announced his presence at the edge of the yard before coming closer.]

Veldora?

[ it's been a weirdly tense time--between checking his phone in case someone has questions, pretending like he's making any headway on his weekly comics, and definitely not staring at the cave that's just. there. in the yard. it's no wonder that hearing his name makes him jump, again, whipping around to look to the source of the voice, smile managing to scrounge itself up from somewhere.

he gives a little wave--gloves and cape on where normally he'd just be bare chesting it, but the 'armor' gives him a bit of comfort. ]

Ah, sir Takame, good to see you! I believe Lady Rose is inside if you want to head on in.

[Which is why Takame stood at a distance. That jump just confirmed his need to do so. Still, he gave Veldora a bow in greeting.]

Mm. And you as well. [He did like Veldora a lot. Which made him worried at how on edge he was right now and in the video.]

... Forgive me, but you seem... apprehensive. Are you alright? [He would see Rose in a moment, but.]

[ it's weird that Takame's lingering

if Veldora weren't scatterbrained and doing his damnedest not to make a little path in the back garden from pacing alone, he'd probably put more stock into why he'd do something so weird. ]

Oh, quite all right! Fit as a fiddle, as they say! The day's just been full of surprises!

[Yeah bud?

Well now Takame is looking at the cave as well. His tail twitched. Then he looked back to Veldora. He was not one to pry normally. Perhaps he wouldn't if this wasn't someone so very important to Rose.]

Are you certain? You keep looking at this cave.

[ yeah it's fine it's fine it's all Gucci my guy

it's very weird. Veldora is in danger of figuring out that Takame might be a touched worried for him. ]

Ah, yes, well. It's a bit strange to see something from 'home', as it were.

[More than a touch now considering Veldora is being very not Veldora-like right now.]

Does it... make you uncomfortable?

[ that's a sputter and a good old gyu-ha-ha for old time's sake as he stands up, hands on his hips, trying to look like his Big Size. ]

Uncomfortable? It's just a cave; what's uncomfortable about that? It's not like it can--can grow legs and manifest Legendary Heroes or anything.

[ ... even if Kaisou is lousy with Heroes. and sealing magic. and Veldora's not at his full strength. ]

[Takame's got the emotional capacity of a bowl of white rice and even he can tell that's bullshit. He walks until he's standing right next to Veldora, big as he tried to seem. Strange for Takame given the fact that before Veldora arrived no one else matched his substantial height as an Au Ra.]

... We'll not allow anything within in to make you feel this way. Should something emerge from it that threatens you, it will be disposed of. Should being alone near it make the feeling worse, we will be with you.

[Both Takame and Rose who he's certain would say the same. Or so he'd hope anyway.]

[ they are probably eye to eye, dragon to dragon, Veldora continuing to do his level best to look completely cool and calm and collected as Takame just says stuff and Veldora has to find it in him to guffaw again. ]

There's nothing in the cave that's a threat to me, I assure you! It's. Simply not a place I have terribly fond memories of, if that makes any sense.

[ of course it makes sense Veldora nobody wants to be imprisoned and left to die. ]

It's an irrational worry, really. It's not like there's a second Legendary Hero with a grudge and a sealing skill waiting to turn up and put me through my paces... even if I'm not as strong as I used to be...

Mm. It does.

[Kami knew if a castrum appeared again Takame wouldn't be sure he could hold the dread back.]

It is still a worry. It is still a discomfort. One that you should not have to feel. I cannot change what has happened to you. But I can assure it will not happen again.

[ we would take turns kicking Gaius van Baelsar's teeth in for you Takimmy it's okay

but you know who kind of deserved what he got hit with? and looks a little guilty about it as he considers the cave. ]

I cannot act as if I am wholly innocent or undeserving of my long confinement in the Sealed Cave. I would've been free in a few centuries, once the last of my strength was spent and the body I was in died, but the thought of ever being confined to just... sitting wait for centuries makes me ill at ease. But it's a foolish worry, isn't it? No one in Kaisou has need to seal me.

[ right? right??? ]

[Leave a turn for Takame he wants nothing more than to see that man lose all of his fucking teeth.

In terms of being deserving or not of the punishment, Takame didn't bat an eye. It's not as though Takame was without guilt and undeserving of some kind of incarceration himself. And even if Veldora was a threat to his world...]

You've only done good for the city so long as I've known you. There is no need to confine you or seal you ever again here. You treat Rose kindly and protect her. So regardless, I'll not see you sealed away again.

[A sort of long pause.]

... Though it is not a fear to be shaken overnight... forgive me, I do not mean to be, ah... insensitive.

[ sometimes the senior citizen's discount simply doesn't apply; especially if said senior citizen requires an ass-beating the size of a Legion.

there's a sort of... relief, to Veldora's face as Takame, in all of his blunt assuredness, just cuts through the faff and the worst of Veldora's lingering fears, firm and stern and calm in a way the Storm dragon rarely is. it's like finding a bus stop in the middle of a growing hailstorm--somewhere safe you can hunker down while the worst spins by. ]

No, no, I assure you, I'm not... offended.

Really, I think it's silly.

It's just a cave. It wasn't even the most painful death I'd undergone, it was... the most protracted. I had a lot of time alone to think and little else, waiting for all of my magic to drain away and be dispersed--but it's just a cave, now. There's no Legendary Hero that means to bind me, probably. Rimuru's not here to help me if something were to go amiss, but... surely others would help.

[ surely? there's the furrow in his brow, the grip on his book. the root of the problem, mayhaps. ]

[there is no age limit on people who require the ultima ass beating.

Takame will more often than not sugar coat hard truths but in this case there was no need to do so. The hard truth was that regardless of if Veldora deserved to be sealed, Takame would break him out.]

Mm, there will. More than just myself, though I will surely be beside whoever else would come to free you should you become trapped somewhere.

Oh hey it's that guy, Meredith remembered him from the whole animal island thing a few months back.

"I've heard of people's houses appearing here before, but you got a whole cave?"

"Indeed! I didn't venture too deeply into it, but it appears to be the cave itself, down to the lake and all of the things roaming about in it. I lived next to it while residing in Rimuru City, but to have it in my literal backyard is... a new collection of feelings, to be certain!"

He's making a face. It's a weird face. He's of like ten minds about this.

"From what you said, I can't even imagine."

It sounded like a plot from one of those fantasy stories she sometimes heard about.

"Is having it there a problem? Like, do you need people to come take care of the monsters or something?"

For as much as she disliked all this magical nonsense, she wouldn't turn down the chance to hit things right now.

You can take the Evil Dragon out of the isekai, but buddy, Truck-kun finds a way.

"Oh, no, there's no monsters inside of the cavern I cannot defeat. They were born of me, in a way--it's just. A little daunting, seeing someplace I have admittedly poor associations with right next to my house, looming there. Menacingly."

And here she thought being saddled with a tame griffin her past life owned was a hassle.

"... Yeah, that sounds like it would be." A beat. "You doing okay with all that?"

At least a griffon is basically a fun dog and not a couple centuries of bad, boring memories.

"Why wouldn't I be fine? It's just a cave. And I'm an immortal, so it's not like 300 years passed by at an agonizingly slow pace or anything like that."

She'd definitely take the griffin any day. Even if she was still unsure whether bringing it with to the island had been the right call.

"... Right."

There was a long pause as Meredith figured out how to respond. Both in what to say, and in terms of how to word it, given that she still wasn't as good with all the magi-babble as many people here.

"Would it help if someone like... Checked out the whole place to make sure there's no bad magic stuff left that could mess with you?"

She tried.

It would be nice to have a weird dog. Sometimes you need to take your weird dogs on roadtrips. Veldora probably counts as the weird dog, all things considered.

"Oh, I can handle that! I'm simply. Not inclined to do it on my own. Cave exploring is damp, musty business, and the stars need to be right for it, you know? Also I'd feel guilty if I left someone else to potentially deal with the beasts inside..."

Sometimes you just can't find a petsitter capable of handling a monstrosity combined of lion and eagle that will beg you for bacon. And thus the weird dog gets brought along for the trip.

"So more of a strength in numbers kinda thing?" She could tell that wasn't quite it, but this seemed the more tactful way to put it. "I have a friend I could ask if he wants to come along. It'd be like--what's it called--an adventuring party?"

Did she remember the term right?

[He's interested in the cave, certainly, but... Okay, he barely knows Veldora, but he's a little concerned about all of that!!

At some point, Shio shows up with a delivery from his restaurant in hand--nobody ordered anything, no, but this one's on him. When Veldora's looking up, Shio lifts a hand in greeting.]

[ it makes total sense to be scared of a cave that potentially has a bunch of monsters in it. some people would call it downright reasonable, really.

Veldora blinks at the stranger on the perimeter of his lawn, raising his hand in turn in a greeting as he lets his book shut with a gentle rustle of the pages. ]

Good afternoon! I don't need solar panels or a driveway, thank you!

[It's perfectly reasonable!!]

Ah-- no, I'm not here for either of those. I... saw the post about the cave on Gemini. We're strangers, yes, but I was wondering if you're doing alright.

[Especially considering the history with it...]

[ Adventurers were built different, and Concerned Citizens kept the world going round. ]

Oh, yes, I'm doing quite fine! It's a cave, so it's not going to go anywhere unless I've truly done something offensive to the natural order of things.

[ have you ever heard the soft squeak of thoughts sliding right off of someone's synapses? ]

Ah, but I forget my manners--I am Veldora Tempest, the Storm Dragon! And who might you be?

Shio Takahata-- I work at a noodle shop in the university district. It's good to meet you.

[Ah, speaking of the soba shop though--]

And that reminds me. [He lifts the bag he's holding with the food.]

There's meals here for both you and for Miss Rose--a friend of mine paid for the one for Miss Rose, and I covered the cost of yours, since it didn't seem fair to leave you out.

[If the Jamaican prison Edward had been kept in for months showed up out of nowhere right next to his home, he’d be a bit out of sorts too. Immediately:]

No one’s leaving you alone in a cave, Veldora. For one thing, Rose would raise some very loud objections.

For another, this specific cave is clearly turning your head around. I know you likely have many people already offering, but should you need company going down there, I’ll be happy to tag along. [Scratching idly at his beard.] Might put some of that ore to use for the Jackdaw, now that I think about it.

[ like, it's a building and what's it gonna do, go full Baba Yaga and run you down probably not. but you still don't wanna go anywhere near it, it just... it sucks. that's the answer. it sucks!

he seems mollified by the mention of Rose, breathing out a soft sigh and scratching at the side of his head. ]

There's plenty of ore to go around, and perhaps if more of my power returns to me, I can continue to cultivate it longterm... and I hope I'll never done anything worthy of being shut in a cave again. It's not easy to understand little mortal things, but I really am trying.

[Oh, Vel. Edward thinks of Veldora in the garden, how determined he'd been to get to Rose, because that's his friend.]

We won't let you get shut in a cave again. It ain't a matter of if you'll do anything worthy of it, because if that were true half of us would be in prison for our own sins. [Like Edward himself.]

For what it's worth, I think you're doing fairly well at picking up on such little nuances that we mortals take for granted.

[Oh. That sure is cave. Varian loves caves. Varian especially loves caves with ores in them. He covets the preciousness. He covets it so much. ]

I'd very much like to explore the cave system, please. That would be very handy for my work and research. I could probably use someone down there, though. I'm not completely helpless but I'm also not uh... stupid. Safety in numbers and everything.

[ He learned to be safer, everyone be proud and clap for him!! ]

Sorry that you got trapped in there for so long. That's pretty awful. I won't leave you alone down there, I promise. And I always keep my promises.

[ Always. He'd straight-up die before breaking one. ]

[ ores and monsters with Monster Hunter levels of parts available for crafting. and magic herbs, but you probably can't weld grass into a mecha.

... or can you...

Veldora tries to look plenty chipper at the interest, giving a resolute little nod. ]

Of course, of course. I'd rather the resources go to something beneficial, rather than simply sitting down there whilst attracting more monsters or whatever may wish to eat magic ore. Simply let me know when you'd like to come by--bring a friend if you'd like, of course. There is indeed safety in numbers, and more people to carry the heavy stuff all besides.

[ then again, he is horse sized as a dragon... ]

It... wasn't entirely undeserved, but neither was it easy to withstand. I'm gladdened to know that no one gets left behind, here.

[ If anyone could figure out how to weld grass to a mecha, it would be Varian.

Regardless, the teenager looks pretty excited that Vel is agreeing to this madness. ]

Wow, yeah- that'd be a total waste of something we could genuinely use, especially with how crazy this city is lately. [He and Blade have been working hard on weapons ready for whatever the Order has in store for them, after all. And then there's the yokai- that's a threat they can't forget. ] But yeah, I'm sure I could get someone to come with.

I can understand that. Penance for uh... mistakes made. But no, at least we don't have to worry about this so much here.

Yeah, people get real fuckin' sensitive about getting their cities trashed. They really don't like it. Couple centuries sounds fuckin' excessive. How'd you get out?

[There's a long pause as Husk considers. Comes to a conclusion and sighs. ]

Try not to get your stupid ass hurt running fuckin' tours down there all the damn time. There's a lotta weirdos in Kaisou who'll wanna lookie loo. Don't get yourself into a fight you can't win. Or run yourself ragged down there or some dumbass shit.

[ Sir Dad isn't saying things because he cares, of course. Obviously. Because he doesn't care. Obviously. ]

Oh, well, the intention was likely to leave me until I died so that I could be reborn somewhere else--but my dear friend Rimuru was a slime with a most fascinating skillset. He swallowed both myself and my prison whole and spent two years analyzing the magics that were keeping me bound until he could break the binds and grant me a body of my own once more.

[ hello, Husk. are you ready for anime RPG logic?

sir Dad ;w; you really do care like!! two percent!! the heart soars and sings--look at the look on his widdle face. that's a happy dragon. then it's a pensive dragon as his braincell spins on the wheel and starts making itself tired again. ]

The monsters shouldn't be anything the people of Kaisou can't handle--the adventurers of my world were nowhere near as powerful as most of Kaisou's tamer denizens, and I of course have power to lend.

... and maybe if I go down there often enough, some of the bad associations will wear off. Our city used the cave as a place of cultivation, back home. Granted, I never felt it necessary to visit once I was free, since the world was vastly more interesting and appealing, but...

Edited 2024-06-20 15:40 (UTC)

[Husk remmebers some weird fucking shit form his past afterlife. Hell was fucking weird. It was consistently extremely fucking weird.

But it wasn't sentient slime eats a prison with a dragon in to figure out how to give that dragon his own body and free him from the magical prison weird. Not even Hell was that weird. Husk kind of just stares for a moment as he slowly tries to compute All That. He decides he frankly does not have the requisite fucks to give to even attempt this, and heaves out a tired sigh. ]

...You know what? Sure. Why fuckin' not? Congrats on your slime friend and the body they gave you?

[Oh no. Not the face. Don't do the face. Husk grimaces, shifting uncomfortably, trying to pretend he can't see it. ]

Oh yeah. I've seen the idiots here fight just about fuckin' anything. They'd probably be fine.

[ And yet he worries. And this is also worrisome. He drums his claws on the table, frowning. ]

So like... exposure therapy? I mean... shit, might work. Just don't do that alone, you never know if some fucked up memory might trip you up and screw you over when you're in a real dangerous place.

[ Y'know. Like having a full-on panic attack because some asshole put magical chains on you in the middle of a fight and that just happened to trigger your memories of being bound by similar magical chains by a somehow worse asshole. ]

...Just make sure you got backup, is all.

Edited 2024-06-21 18:46 (UTC)

You want it, y'know...cleared out? Of th' monsters an' whatnot, I mean.

[Rose might not be the smartest when it comes to emotions, but she's smart enough to know when Veldora is trying to pretend to not be bothered by something. She doesn't like seeing her roommate that out of sorts; she prefers it when he's stupid and cheerful, not secretly moping.]

[So, when he's outside, she approaches. She can't really blame him for being afraid of the cave, but maybe if they go to together, it'll be nothing to worry about. Not that he's afraid, of course. He wouldn't admit that.]

Veldora, would you like to explore the cave?

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[diary entry four] i'm not going back to prison, for one

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