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Forum Name: Our Witches at War/Gallian Gothic
Topic ID: 104
#0, GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-06-20 at 03:41 PM
Preparations are stepping up for the next full moon, and everybody's getting in on the fun.

Act VII: "Le Départ"

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#1, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Zemyla on Nov-06-20 at 05:32 PM
In response to message #0
So this is the day after Freiburg, and just before Operation Hammer departs. If his wingmates knew about his double life, they'd mostly be jealous of how much rest he got.

#2, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-06-20 at 05:35 PM
In response to message #1
LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-20 AT 05:37 PM (EST)
 
>So this is the day after Freiburg, and just before Operation Hammer
>departs. If his wingmates knew about his double life, they'd mostly be
>jealous of how much rest he got.

It's the tail end of the same day as Act II—Operation Hammer actually left that night. (I mistyped in the scene at the end, they're in the wee hours of the 15th when they arrive back in June; that month's full moon was the night of the 14th–15th.)

You're probably right about the rest, though. :)

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#3, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Astynax on Nov-06-20 at 07:54 PM
In response to message #0
>Must be about time for dinner. I hear we're having chicken fricassée. It's going
>to be tough going back to RAF "cuisine" after a month of Scarlet Devil
>home cooking.
>

Between the food and her injury hobbling her, some of Lena's colleagues might wonder how she put on some extra weight over a 2 day pass.

>I probably don't want to think too hard about where the milk comes from.
>

Literally magic. If not its source, definitely its continued potability.

>"Won't people think that's kind of weird?"
>"Probably. So? What do you care what other people think?"
>Flandre laughed. "You sound like Sis."
>

It seems like both Scarlets are still taking on board the fact that G has just as much age as them so he's just not going to respond to things the way they expect even unusual mortals to.

Meanwhile the sequence this comes from was a bit of a ride, from horsie to the kissing game, Flandre is clearly still prone to somewhat random whimsy, even if she has a goal in mind.

>"It was a memorable evening all around," Gryphon agreed.
>

G may not be a god, but he might qualify as the patron saint of understatement.

>"Be right there!" Meiling replied. Then, looking down at Flandre's face, she
>said, "Sorry I don't have better advice for you, Flan-Flan. I'm not real good
>at that kind of thing either." She shrugged. "All I can do is be myself. It's >worked out OK so far."
>

Meiling shouldn't be quite so self-deprecating. She got right to the core item of proof Flandre likely needed, that Remilia is many things, but possessed of an amazing poker face is not one of them. That might not help Flandre actually make full sense of the circumstances, but she can at least trust that they exist and work from there.

All of this did lead me to the thought that G has some rather bipolar luck, and hoping for his sake that karma felt it owed him before he got this far since two adorable vampires is one hell of a jackpot to hit.

>"Ah, good, everyone's here," he said, placing the platter in the middle of the
>table. "Tonight, ladies, we will be enjoying one of the great icons of Liberion
>cuisine, the humble yet mighty cheeseburger—so named, of course, because it was
>invented by immigrants from the Karlslandic city of Cheeseburg."
>

And here we have proof in joke form that G is, in fact, a dad.

>"Hey, Meiling—you want to go look around Gallia for a couple weeks?" Flandre
>asked. "You can keep me from accidentally eating villagers or whatever it is
>Sis is afraid I'll do on my own."
>

I am trying to picture how a vampire could accidentally eat someone; the best I can come up with is bumping into them, knocking them down, then tripping and falling on them fangs first. Seems like it'd be part of a vampiric Benny Hill skit.

>"I have an automobile!" Gryphon said cheerfully.
>"No, you have a terrifying tin box on wheels," Remilia corrected him.
>

The Belv is clearly the Rodney Dangerfield of cars.

>"That works for me," said Gryphon. "I hope you don't mind if I invite my
>wingmates."
>

So how long until the 501st catches on to deeper shenanigans with G, given that he was somehow able to meet, woo, and now set a wedding date with Remilia all while seemingly only popping out once a full moon from their perspective?

>"Yay! A date!" cried Flandre, leaving her seat to hop into her sister's lap and
>hug her. Then, turning to Sakuya, she said, "We have to start planning my
>clothes! I need something nice and martial if I'm going to be
>sergeant-at-arms."
>Lena laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen a wedding that 'ad a
>sergeant-at-arms before."
>

A quick Googling turns up nothing, so if that has ever actually occurred it may not have been widely publicized. Though in the context of greater UF it might have, since plenty of militaristic cultures exist.

>"Like I said, I'm up for it," Meiling said agreeably. "Been a while since I had
>a good walkabout."
>

Meiling, the Australian Dragon.

>"Fortunately, that's why m'lady's mother invented concentrated preserves."
>"Heh! Vampire trail rations," Gryphon remarked.
>

I'm beginning to wonder if there's anything in terms of practical utility Remilia the Elder didn't think of, and also how vampire society in general and Victor in particular got along without her well enough for her to be born in the first place.

>Flandre shrugged. "It's as good a theory as any." Then, with a dark snicker,
>she said, "You could always drain him yourself and see what happens."
>"That would be impolite," Remilia countered dryly
>

So how much blood is considered polite to take, from a willing source anyway?

>"Resign yourself to your fate, human," said Remilia, grinning down into his face.
>

When in doubt, pile on the theatrical bluster, because why mess with what works?

>"I didn't even know that was possible," Flandre observed wryly to Wolfgang.
>

It probably came as a surprise to all, since that sort of thing is customarily done after the game reaches its conclusion. It's a testament to the healing abilities involved that no one woke the next night with a stiff neck or other out of sorts body part, but that might just be me projecting my own advancing decrepitude a bit (I truly hate the fact that aging can lead to somehow sleeping incorrectly, I've been doing that literally since before I was born, how the hell did I manage to do it wrong?)

>In the bottom of the lowermost drawer of her dresser, under the spare bloomers
>and socks, she uncovered a small box, about the same size as the pack of spell
>cards she'd already tossed into the suitcase with her clothes and toiletries.
>It was a well-made little thing, all its corners meticulously dovetailed, with
>brass protectors on the corners, a cunning little bronze latch, and an
>intricately carved sigil on the top: something like the spade suit from a deck
>of playing cards, but stylized almost to the point of unrecognizability.
>

Seen enough fanart to guess what that might be. Someone in a later episode is going to have a bad day.

>"What is that?" Lena wondered. "Did you join the Barovian Navy or something?"
>

A Ravenloft reference, in vampire fiction!? It's more likely than you think.

>Silvery light gathered, shooting forward from the tips of the Striker's
>winglets to collect ahead of her, and just as she cleared the roofline and was
>almost directly above the group in the front yard, she vanished in a thunderous
>flash, the spots where the Striker's exhausts stacks had been leaving twin
>streaks of fire that hung in the air for a few moments before dissipating.
>

"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious shit."



-={(Astynax)}=-
"This Space For Rent."


#4, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Zemyla on Nov-06-20 at 09:04 PM
In response to message #3
>>Must be about time for dinner. I hear we're having chicken fricassée. It's going
>>to be tough going back to RAF "cuisine" after a month of Scarlet Devil
>>home cooking.
>>
>
>Between the food and her injury hobbling her, some of Lena's
>colleagues might wonder how she put on some extra weight over a 2 day
>pass.

I'm sure she has all the time she needs to burn it off.

>>"Be right there!" Meiling replied. Then, looking down at Flandre's face, she
>>said, "Sorry I don't have better advice for you, Flan-Flan. I'm not real good
>>at that kind of thing either." She shrugged. "All I can do is be myself. It's >worked out OK so far."
>>
>
>Meiling shouldn't be quite so self-deprecating. She got right to the
>core item of proof Flandre likely needed, that Remilia is many things,
>but possessed of an amazing poker face is not one of them. That might
>not help Flandre actually make full sense of the circumstances, but
>she can at least trust that they exist and work from there.

Flandre may know this, but there's a difference between that and knowing it. I know that my friends all love me and care about me, they've shown it over and over again, but there's a part of my brain which still fears it's all a lie. And, barring some radical new medication or surgery, that fear is going to lurk in my heart all my life.

>It's a
>testament to the healing abilities involved that no one woke the next
>night with a stiff neck or other out of sorts body part, but that
>might just be me projecting my own advancing decrepitude a bit (I
>truly hate the fact that aging can lead to somehow sleeping
>incorrectly, I've been doing that literally since before I was born,
>how the hell did I manage to do it wrong?)

As the kids say these days: I know that feel.

Also, I have to wonder if their departure is the end of GG 2. It has the same number of chapters, and looks like a good ending point.


#5, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Astynax on Nov-06-20 at 09:15 PM
In response to message #4
>I'm sure she has all the time she needs to burn it off.
>

ba dum tss
(It was this or a pic of Tommy Lee Jones' default facial expression.)

>Flandre may know this, but there's a difference between that and
>knowing it. I know that my friends all love me and care about
>me, they've shown it over and over again, but there's a part of my
>brain which still fears it's all a lie. And, barring some radical new
>medication or surgery, that fear is going to lurk in my heart all my
>life.
>

Hopefully having a mostly impartial observer confirm that 'no, if Remilia had an issue with things, you could totally tell, so you're cool on that front kiddo' can at least help Flandre with that portion of the situation.


-={(Astynax)}=-
"This Space For Rent."


#7, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-06-20 at 09:27 PM
In response to message #5
>Hopefully having a mostly impartial observer confirm that 'no, if
>Remilia had an issue with things, you could totally tell, so you're
>cool on that front kiddo' can at least help Flandre with that portion
>of the situation.

proto-spoiler: I have one more scene planned (actually, I wrote it already, but then moved it to Act VIII) that should put the matter to bed... as it were. There is a particular reason, beyond the (not insignificant) fact that it's just not in her nature to be jealous of Flandre, why Remilia has decided that the situation is fine by her. Flan doesn't know about it yet, but once it's explained to her, she should be able to get past most of her remaining anxiety on that score.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#8, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-06-20 at 09:29 PM
In response to message #4
LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-20 AT 09:30 PM (EST)
 
>Also, I have to wonder if their departure is the end of GG 2. It has
>the same number of chapters, and looks like a good ending point.

TTW has eight acts, and I've one more planned for NSM as well (which covers Remilia's business in Paris, among other things), although it may work best for it to come out after OWaW 21; still thinking that over.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#11, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by ImpulsiveAlexia on Nov-07-20 at 03:21 AM
In response to message #4
> I'm sure she has all the time she needs to burn it off.

Alternatively, they're just used to that kind of thing happening with her sometimes.

-IA.

("Hey Lena, nice tan. Don't recall you having it last night.")


#6, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-06-20 at 09:22 PM
In response to message #3
>It seems like both Scarlets are still taking on board the fact that G
>has just as much age as them so he's just not going to respond to
>things the way they expect even unusual mortals to.

To be fair, he is coming from somewhat outside their usual frame of reference.

>Meanwhile the sequence this comes from was a bit of a ride, from
>horsie to the kissing game, Flandre is clearly still prone to somewhat
>random whimsy, even if she has a goal in mind.

It's not quite as chaotic as it looks. She didn't actually go in there intending to play horsie, but she also wasn't expecting being back in the room to unsettle her as much as it did, so when it did, she decided the best way to knock that back was with some silliness.

That, and she missed playing horsie.

>Meiling shouldn't be quite so self-deprecating.

It's almost a reflex at this point.

>All of this did lead me to the thought that G has some rather bipolar
>luck, and hoping for his sake that karma felt it owed him before he
>got this far since two adorable vampires is one hell of a jackpot to
>hit.

Indeed, if he ever stops to think about it in that terms, he might start watching the skies for hte other shoe.

>>"Hey, Meiling—you want to go look around Gallia for a couple weeks?" Flandre
>>asked. "You can keep me from accidentally eating villagers or whatever it is
>>Sis is afraid I'll do on my own."
>
>I am trying to picture how a vampire could accidentally eat someone;
>the best I can come up with is bumping into them, knocking them down,
>then tripping and falling on them fangs first. Seems like it'd be part
>of a vampiric Benny Hill skit.

Well, accidentally in the "Oops! I did it again! (dojikko pose)" sense.

>So how long until the 501st catches on to deeper shenanigans with G,
>given that he was somehow able to meet, woo, and now set a wedding
>date with Remilia all while seemingly only popping out once a full
>moon from their perspective?

Trude already did, but had bigger fish to fry that day. :)

>>"Fortunately, that's why m'lady's mother invented concentrated preserves."
>>"Heh! Vampire trail rations," Gryphon remarked.
>
>I'm beginning to wonder if there's anything in terms of practical
>utility Remilia the Elder didn't think of, and also how vampire
>society in general and Victor in particular got along without her well
>enough for her to be born in the first place.

Put it this way: in the old days of Victor's monster hunting team, "canteen" was a job description rather than a piece of equipment.

>>Flandre shrugged. "It's as good a theory as any." Then, with a dark snicker,
>>she said, "You could always drain him yourself and see what happens."
>>"That would be impolite," Remilia countered dryly.
>
>So how much blood is considered polite to take, from a willing source
>anyway?

It's not an exact science, but generally you don't want to take so much it leaves them feeling worse than a bit woozy. Unconsciousness is right out.

>>"Resign yourself to your fate, human," said Remilia, grinning down into his face.
>
>When in doubt, pile on the theatrical bluster, because why mess with
>what works?

Quite so. Plus, in this instance, she's deliberately quoting something she said to him on the second night, when attempting to bullrush past his indignation at being knowingly stranded in the time bubble without his prior consent.

>>"I didn't even know that was possible," Flandre observed wryly to Wolfgang.
>
>It probably came as a surprise to all, since that sort of thing is
>customarily done after the game reaches its conclusion.

It's true! Although in this case that's mitigated slightly by the fact that they both knew when they started that they wouldn't be playing the game all the way to the end.

>It's a
>testament to the healing abilities involved that no one woke the next
>night with a stiff neck or other out of sorts body part,

G does sometimes find that one of his arms has excused itself and left the room while he wasn't looking, he just doesn't kvetch about it. :)

>but that
>might just be me projecting my own advancing decrepitude a bit (I
>truly hate the fact that aging can lead to somehow sleeping
>incorrectly, I've been doing that literally since before I was born,
>how the hell did I manage to do it wrong?)

https://youtu.be/AfKFV1J7O4s

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#10, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Meridias on Nov-07-20 at 01:06 AM
In response to message #6
>Put it this way: in the old days of Victor's monster hunting team, "canteen" was a job description rather than a piece of equipment.

"You're not my friend, you're my bodyguard. Make it past 2 weeks, I MIGHT learn your name. Until then you're spare blood." - Alucard


#15, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by StClair on Nov-08-20 at 05:32 PM
In response to message #3
>>"What is that?" Lena wondered. "Did you join the Barovian Navy or something?"
>
>A Ravenloft reference, in vampire fiction!? It's more likely
>than you think.

Not sure it needs pointing out in this company, but like a certain droid, I will anyway: Barovia is a land-locked country. Not that this stopped "Admiral" Sir Sedrik Spinwitovich.


#9, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Peter Eng on Nov-06-20 at 11:54 PM
In response to message #0
"I probably don't want to think too hard about where the milk comes from."

My guess is pre-1750, if not older, via a really good preservation spell.

"It was bullshit,"

And now we know that Sakuya's cultural education proceeded apace after she vanished. (One of these days, Remilia will ask what happened, I'm sure. In the mean time, I get to practice patience.)

the carved Nordic knotwork border

Ah. No bets on what's in there; I never bet on a sure thing.

twin streaks of fire

88 mph? Maybe...

Peter Eng
--
Insert humorous comment here.


#12, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Croaker on Nov-07-20 at 08:49 PM
In response to message #0
> "I could probably play it on the trombone if you had one,
> but then I'd be tempted to turn it into a jazz solo, and
> I don't think the 1940s are ready for that," he added with a grin.

Probably preaching to the choir here, but Jazz is 20+ years old by this point. The 40's are more than ready for it. ;)


#13, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Gryphon on Nov-07-20 at 08:51 PM
In response to message #12
>> "I could probably play it on the trombone if you had one,
>> but then I'd be tempted to turn it into a jazz solo, and
>> I don't think the 1940s are ready for that," he added with a grin.
>
>Probably preaching to the choir here, but Jazz is 20+ years old by
>this point. The 40's are more than ready for it. ;)

Sure, but jazz trombone covers of (barely-)18th-century trumpet voluntaries? Ehhh... not so sure. That seems more like a '60s thing to me. :)

Although I suppose the Benny Goodman Orchestra did do "Bach Goes to Town"...

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


#14, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Croaker on Nov-07-20 at 09:48 PM
In response to message #13
>>> "I could probably play it on the trombone if you had one,
>>> but then I'd be tempted to turn it into a jazz solo, and
>>> I don't think the 1940s are ready for that," he added with a grin.
>>
>>Probably preaching to the choir here, but Jazz is 20+ years old by
>>this point. The 40's are more than ready for it. ;)
>
>Sure, but jazz trombone covers of (barely-)18th-century trumpet
>voluntaries? Ehhh... not so sure. That seems more like a '60s thing
>to me. :)
>
>Although I suppose the Benny Goodman Orchestra did do "Bach Goes to
>Town"...

It's been 400+ years for Ben, the concept of "jazz" has probably gone through a few mutations, too.


#16, RE: GG 2/VII: Le Départ
Posted by Peter Eng on Nov-20-20 at 00:14 AM
In response to message #0
"Gryphon, lacking a left-handed stringed anything to play,"

Note to Remilia: Look into fixing that.

Peter Eng
--
Insert humorous comment here.