The Past is Catching Up [ Backdated Some + Today ]

[peacockherald]

[ Backdated to April 13-14 ]

[ Vanyel was aware it was a trick of the Castle, but at times he would find himself pausing when he caught sight of himself in mirrors, when he saw the shadow looming behind him, and his breath would quicken, his heart beat painfully. Things he had thought he'd come to accept were suddenly pulsing inside his mind, whispering wicked things, things he could not run from with them burned onto his very skin. 

His lips were crusted with ice crystals, as were his hands, though the ice on his hands was tinted pink from the stains of blood. Around his throat were scrawled, in deep and jagged black ink, the words to a spell he had not heard or thought of in a long time, but how could he forget them? How could he forget them falling from Tylendel's lips, the spell that would seal the fate of the moments to come? His shadow loomed behind him, disproportionate to himself - taller, broader, a thick set man - a man who's shadow he knew well. 

He went out to try tend to the animals, but they panicked at the stench emanating from his chest. Only Yfandes seemed able to stand him, and while that was comforting, it hurt that he could not work with animals he loved so. And since that was out of the question, he often found himself in the library, looking through books, anything to keep his mind off things. At least, with hands iced, he had no worry of tripping blood everywhere...]

[ Today - Water Guns Ahoy! ]

[ It felt so good to be clean! To be free of those reminders of his past and the things that had happened. He was still wet when he ran out to Yfandes, leaping onto her without waiting for saddle or bridle - both of which were more for his comfort that necessity. Grinning, he gripped her with his thighs and she dashed off, Vanyel gripping the water gun against his thigh as one hand fisted into her silken mane. He was heading for the town, though he kept an eye out for anyone on the way who had not yet been showered by an elephant or learned of the way to get their stains washed from them.

And he did so enjoy helping people. It was what he did. ]

[ooc: So Vanyel is riding around on Yfandes like a loan ranger, and he'll squirt anyone who asks for it and spread the good news, if you haven't yet run into an elephant! ]

Comments

Action!

[losemycherry]

[Yamada wanders nearby, attracted by the noise. Before she finds the source of the commotion, the poor girl steps on a puddle and slips, landing on her butt.]

HEEEEEY!! Where the crap did all this water come from?!!

Re: Action!

[peacockherald]

_{[ Vanyel pulled up, getting her flopping in the water with a smile. ]}

The water cleanses us of the stains!

Re: Action!

[losemycherry]

Really?!

[The soaked Yamada looks down at her reflection, touching her face on reflex. A moment later, her expression lights up, and she begins to roll around in the puddle, splashing water on herself in ecstasy.]

YESSSSS, it's over! FINALLY!!

Re: Action!

[peacockherald]

_{[ He laughs, watching her. ]}

I think that is the reaction of most people right about now.

[losemycherry]

[A frown. Yamada stands up, shivering slightly from her drenched clothes.

But there's still one place I haven't checked yet. You mind turning around for a bit?

[peacockherald]

Ah... ah yes of course.

_{[ Yfandes turns so that her rump and Vanyel's back are to Yamada, and Vanyel makes a sound, smacking Yfande's neck for some comment she made in his head. ]}

[losemycherry]

...

[Yamada squats down to inspect her taint for the taint, again using the puddle for its reflection. A few moments pass, and the girl lets out an agonized cry.]

IT'S STILL BAD DOWN THERE!! I mean yeah, the taint's gone, but it's still so hideous!!

Backdated - Barn?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Before Vanyel leaves the barn, he might be able to spot Duke hiding up in the loft. He'd missed getting all of his hair or his coat over the edge, so it makes spotting him easier.

Duke's rather unhappy and green-looking under the sort of ashen people look when they've died, trying to get the blood off his hands and arm. It seems like one side of him is a lot more bloody than the other. There's a weak green light that flickers from his chest from time to time, and orange sized spots of pale blue that ripple out and fade, only to appear elsewhere. ]

Barn it is

[peacockherald]

<sub>[ Vanyel was heading out when he saw it - the tell tale hair and the coat, things he would recognize at a distance - any distance really. He licked his lips and hissed as his tongue slid across sharpened ice.

He drew it back into his mouth and coughed. ]</sub>

Duke?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke starts a little at the voice, reaching for the edge. Oops he's a little drippy- ]

... Vanyel?

[ He doesn't sound like he's sure how he should feel about someone noticing where he was. ]

[peacockherald]

Yes, it's me. I know I do not look it...

_{[ He remained down on the floor, looking up. ]}

[radiantwingedone]

[ Sorry Van, Duke is just going to give a slightly bitter noise. ]

Know what you look, at least.

[ ... Okay that was mean of him. He could hear that Vanyel sounded a bit off, and over the scent of blood he can't seem to get rid of, there is another that smells... off. ]

[peacockherald]

<sub>[ He cursed himself, remembering that Duke could not see. Sometimes he forgot...

And that other smell would be rotting flesh and puss. Not a pleasant one. ]</sub>

Are you all right?

Sometime shortly after the Chimera meeting, you pick the location~

[legacydeck]

[When Felix had bolted, Clow had not been terribly surprised, given all that was happening. When the other two redheads followed him in quick succession - well, it was clear enough that the one who'd been lurking in the corner was the brother that Felix had mentioned on the journals, at least, so someone was looking out for him. Someone who wouldn't have to risk explaining the death-magic written on him, which he doubted Felix was in the mood to be understanding about.

Things had somewhat broken up after that - he'd taken a moment to steal a page from Howl, and with a moment of concentration, turned his whole shirt black. The marks still had a different sort of sheen to them, but they were a least a little better hidden.

He realized a bit belatedly that he'd lost track of Vanyel, and given what little he'd picked up of Vanyel's past, he had the sense it was probably not wise to leave the younger man to himself right now. Finding people when they weren't actively using magic was always a little tricky, but he knew the feel of Vanyel's magic, even passive, well enough to follow it to where ever he was right now.]

o7

[peacockherald]

<sub>[ Vanyel had fled to the barn, on instinct. He needed to be near Yfandes - her presence in his mind was not enough. That the other animals in the barn balked at his presence, the scent of him, just made him wince and want to hid even more. Yfandes was already out of her stall and ready to meet him at the front of the barn. He slid his arms around her and hid his face against her neck and the sweet smell of her mane, the mare, gently laying her head across his back in the horse approximation of a hug.

She looked up when she senses Clow coming, ears pricked towards him, glad someone else had come. Vanyel needed human comfort as much as he needed her comfort, and someone he was intimate with was perfect. She nudged Vanyel gently and for a minute he was stiff against her, then slowly turned to look at him, shaking some.

His face was pale, even ashen, his lips coated in ice and around his throat the harshly inked in words to a spell. ]</sub>

Clow... why did you come...?

_{[ His lips cracked as he spoke, the ice reforming instantly over exposed pink lips. ]}

[legacydeck]

[Clow gives Yfandes a polite bow of his head in silent greeting, then turns to Vanyel. The smile on his face is a little wry, a little sad - not his usual full-force cheer]

I thought you might like company. And it seemed like Felix had enough people fussing over him.

[peacockherald]

_{[ He made a sound, shrugging his shoulders, trying to hide his hands, coated in ice tinted pink from blood. ]}

I just... couldn't be in the room.

[legacydeck]

[Clow makes himself a little more comfortable, so he's not looming over Vanyel]

I was leaving black smudges on all the furniture, so...

[He shrugs, carefully nonchalant]

[peacockherald]

Black smudges?

<sub>[ He could not help the question, but suddenly looked ashamed and sorry, hanging his head a bit, hiding his face behind the curtain of black streaked with silver.

Yfandes touched his icy hand with her muzzle, offering comfort. ]</sub>

It is not my place, I'm sorry.

[princelyspirit]

[...there is a man. A man riding around on horseback with a watergun, like some sort of - well, she was going to say "knight in shining armor", but knights don't really use waterguns, do they? Utena takes her hand out of her pocket, a hand stained with false scratches and cuts and dirt, and shields her eyes from the sun as she takes a better look at him. Is she seeing this right?]

[peacockherald]

<sub>[ Yes, you are. He is a man in a white uniform on a sparkling white horse with a squirt gun. You do not even know, Utena. Normally he would keep his white uniform tucked away, but today was special.

The horse's hooves chimed as she cantered, and then drew up to a trot, and walk, snorting merrily as they drew up beside Utena. ]</sub>

Have you heard the good news?

[princelyspirit]

[Oh dear god he really does look like a fairy tale character. Utena stares at him blankly before offering a sheepish grin]

No, I can't say I have. Let me guess, Christmas came early?

[In other words, no. Definitely no.]

[peacockherald]

_{[ He laughed, but shook his head. ]}

The... the marks that appeared on us. They can be washed away.

[princelyspirit]

Wait, what?!

[Her eyes widen in disbelief. This- this is amazing! But how in the world did they...

...theeen her eyes narrow in on the watergun. That can't be it. It can't be]

Wait, you're not telling me that that's how you got the stains off, are you?

[peacockherald]

_{[ He held up the gun and pressed the trigger, water squirting out in a sparkling arch. ]}

It is... oddly appropriate. We use water to clean ourselves at the end of a day, so why not use it to wash away these things?