--- IC INBOX - KAISOU

[soulreleaser]

A MERE MORTAL PROPOSES MESSAGES TO ME, THE STORM DRAGON?! SPEAK AND I SHALL HEAR YOU!

username: TEMPESTDRAGON

✉ ☏ 📷

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action

[majeste]

[ it is by random chance that furina finds herself at rose's home returning some of the manga the other woman had lent her, it is also by random chance that wriothesley just so happens to be with her as she does so! the world likes to work in mysterious ways after all, and sometimes things line up just so that meetings such as these happen.

thus it is also by random chance that, once returning the last few volumes of sailor moon to the large collection of manga, that something catches her eye and stops her feet dead in place. orange marmalade? she simply intended to return what she had been reading and continue on with her day but now... ]

One moment, Wriothesley...

[ is she going to grab it from the shelf and read the blurb??? yes. leave her be. ]

[soulreleaser]

[ strange little pieces of happenstance! all paths cross eventually and tie together at the nexus of life, and it was only a matter of time before Veldora would be on his way home while Furina was puttering about

he's changed into his 'civilian' clothes, as the maid costume is work property--a long-sleeved button up shirt and a pair of cargo pants, oddly ordinary for someone who calls himself a dragon, and he breezes into the house like he owns the place--for while he does not own the place, he is welcomed here! as a tenant! residency!

so it's strange that there are two unfamiliar magical sources in the house--not terribly strange, Lady Rose entertains many friends and guests, and Veldora swears he knows one of the energies, but the other one is... divine. an angel, perhaps, if not a bespoke deity of somekind--odd, but not too strange for a man that comes from such a magical world.

what is odd is that the aura gets stronger the closer he gets to his room--and what's oddest of all is that there's a tiny woman standing in his room, pawing at his books, setting down a pair of volumes that'd Veldora had been searching for restlessly for a week now, and it's a flare of draconic temper that takes him--and puts his voice to the loudest decibel of an authoritative tone as he draws to the full breadth of his height behind her. ]

You must not be much of a god to busy yourself with petty thievery of another man's possessions! 'tis quite a level of audacity you comport yourself with! I should strike you down where you stand!

[ ... 'cause it doesn't matter that she's tiny. Milim is tiny and it's suicidal to disregard her. Veldora is a himbo, not an idiot. ]

[loupmorque]

[ he spent most of his time in kaisou reading these days, himself--though most of what HE read was the daily newspaper--magazines, and, sadly, Wikipedia. He hadn't yet picked up on things like Novels and Comics, as he's too sure he'll come across some topic in one that he doesn't understand and will spiral into another day spiraling down into Google. He loved Google. It was so useful. How did people not just use it all the time to do everything? Baffling.

Either way, he crosses his arms patiently as she goes over the piles of books, leaving the ones she'd returned to look at a different pile.
He'd have been content to wait for her to make her selections, honestly, but.

That's a voice he recognised. His doglike ears flicking up high on his head and swivelling backward to the--loud voice that was near-deafening.
It's like something odd being pinged on in his brain--the aggressive shout, the sudden feeling of being Loomed Over--
Wriothesley is between Veldora and Furina in an instant, ice blue eyes dilated with a strange look on his face as --

He computes what's going on here. Veldora--
Veldora lived here, as well? And --ah, he gets what's going on.

He raises his hand to try to get the huge man to stand down. ]

Noone needs to be striking anyone down here, Vel. She's not stealing anything, she came to return something she'd borrowed from a friend.

...From Rose.
Calm down, we can talk this out.

text | UN: Thorn | some point after Teresa shows up at the Vogue

[poisontippedcure]

Dora,

I'm sorry for the sudden notice, but something came up on my end. I won't be home for a few days.

Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.

If anything untoward happens in town, don't hesitate to protect yourself. Remember your safety is the most important thing, and we can repair any property damage later.

[voice]

[soulreleaser]

[ well, that's a worrying note to receive

and Veldora's going to immediately try to call Rose upon receiving it ]

voice!

[poisontippedcure]

[And she picks up! Surprisingly.]

[As much as she'd like to let it roll to voicemail, she understands that Veldora is probably worried. As someone who's been in his position before, she understands.]

I'm fine, there's no need to worry.

action | sometime after the prophecy post

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose is terrible at reading people, but even she has her moments. And one of those moments happened to be Veldora staying behind when Teresa was loose.]

[She knew it must have hurt. She felt bad about it. So, this time, she’s not going to hesitate to bring Veldora along.]

[Even though it’s nothing.]

[She’s worried over nothing.]

[At some point during the evening, there’s a knock at the door.]

Dora, are you in?

action

[soulreleaser]

[ it makes sense, you know? it's best to walk softly, carry a big stick, and keep your dragon-shaped entity of chaos in the back pocket for emergencies--but it's annoying to be left on the sidelines while your friends struggle, and by annoyed, it hurts.

but Veldora Tempest doesn't have such small feelings. he knows his place, his purposes, and the burdens he carries. he's fine, really! really. ]

Of course, Lady Rose!

[ he's sitting on his floor with his manga in piles as he sorts things this way and that--to do it by series, or by genre, or alphabetical?? by color? ]

[poisontippedcure]

[Good news! Veldora doesn’t need to worry about small feelings. Rose is happy to take the pocket nuke with her.]

Would you like to go out this evening? I’m staying at a friend’s and he invited you to join.

[Walkies!!!]

Action | May 3rd

[poisontippedcure]

[When Fugo's message hits the network, Rose knows exactly what it means.]

[And she knows that Veldora does not. So, she does what any responsible friend/landlady/cosplay partner would do, and she sets out to find Veldora. She's sure that others will cover the particulars, will say what to expect.]

[But there's a pit in her stomach, and it won't go away until she warns him.]

Dora, are you here?

[soulreleaser]

[ and for just long enough to be uncomfortable, there's silence in the house as Veldora doesn't answer back

Veldora's not in his room, nor is he raiding the kitchen--and Rose can live with that unease until she looks outside, because I need my little revenges and as a Big Lizard, who doesn't want to lay outside on the grass and read a volume of their comics without a care in the world? ]

[poisontippedcure]

[She shouldn't be panicking.]

[She shouldn't be panicking.]

[Veldora is a strong independent dragon, and he's able to defend himself.]

[But so was Takame.]

[Rose rushes through the house, until she looks outside and sees Veldora lazing in the sun. Typical Dora-chan.]

[She breathes a sigh of relief.]

There you are. You worried me.

action | night of the d&d fight

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose has a new respect for Veldora.]

[She knew he didn't want to be left behind, but she didn't fully understand why until she was stuck in her house while he was out fighting Douman. She knew better than to ask to go, there's no way that they'd let her out of the house for that.]

[But still. She's worried about her friend, and she needs to know that there's some sort of justice in the world and the stupid clown has died the stupidest death imaginable.]

[So when Veldora opens the door, Rose doesn't waste any time running to greet him. Please don't be missing any arms. We don't want a repeat of last year. Please.]

You're back.

[soulreleaser]

[ he's noticed a trend in the sacred texts.

the older volumes--the ones that Rimuru had enjoyed in his boyhood--had a tendency to have its battles be sprawling, protracted things where the hero and the villain spend time battling through second winds and new techniques as if the fate of the world should be a spectacle.

newer volumes--the ones Veldora himself finds in this modern world--tend to make battles quick, gritty things; the violence is on a new scale and the consequences lean towards real and lasting. Veldora's battle tonight had felt like it'd lasted for hours, and yet it'd been one--and in that one hour, things had been so terribly violent and bloody and bruising. the party had been successful, but they'd dragged themselves from Ashiya Douman's tomb with an exhaustion settling in their bones, bearing the marks of the depth of their work.

Veldora's arm is wrapped and probably needs a sling--Yasuho's healing had kickstarted the mending in a splendid way, and Veldora's own healing factor was buzzing away, but he was still tired down to his bones, burns fading and cape in need of mending.

yet when he sees Rose, he still musters a smile--soft and kind, warmth in his eyes. ]

The heroes return triumphant, my Lady.

The Bellman rests in whatever hell will have him.

[poisontippedcure]

[Though Rose grew up reading stories, the ones she did very rarely had grand battles. They were stories of love and adventure, occasionally some fighting, but nothing like you’d see in what she needs now.]

[Not that she needs to read now to understand it. The last few years of her life have been marked by fighting.]

[Which is why it hurts when she sees people she cares about caught up in it. She’s grateful Veldora went to fight Douman. Rose wouldn’t admit it, not with how absolutely hinged both Takame and Veldora were when she went missing, but Douman is still haunting her nightmares. Every time she closes her eyes, she can hear those stupid bells.]

[She’s not actually sure this will stop the nightmares, but it should help. She just wishes that the price wasn’t a broken arm for Veldora.]

You did well. Thank you.

[That’s the right response, right? She’s not sure what to say when someone comes to report the results of a battle.]

[She does, however, ruffle his hair, and give him a smile.]

Truly, thank you.

action | some point after the boss battle | don't perceive me

[poisontippedcure]

[It has been...so going after Rose was rescued from her dungeon.]

[Much like an actual cat (which she is not, thank you very much), Rose tries to hide her pain. It was bad enough to have everyone see her shadow, to experience her labyrinth. They don't need to know that she's struggling to recover as well.]

[But, there's only so much you can do, especially on little sleep. For the last several nights, Rose has tried everything she can think of to rest, but it doesn't work. Whenever she closes her eyes she hears the bells. Whenever she actually manages to pass out, she dreams that she's trapped with her shadow again, only this time there's no one there to save her.]

[So, at one point in the late night/early morning, Veldora will get a knock on his door. Rose isn't sure what the solution actually is, but at least being with another person might help.]

Veldora? You wouldn't happen to be awake, would you?

[soulreleaser]

[ at first, he attributed it to running on adrenaline and his own Force of Will--but as the days creep onward, Veldora comes to the conclusion that, no, no, he really doesn't need to sleep anymore.

sleeping is an interesting way to pass time, of course; but Veldora Tempest, like all True Dragons, was an astral being. sleep was a suggestion, not a necessity. part of him laments its lack--it was another little thing that he'd never known himself to want until it'd been dangled out of his reach, but he would settle in time.

especially when there are more interesting things afoot. Veldora glances up from where he'd been reading one of his books by low light, so as not to disturb the other occupant of the house, shifting to sit up as he calls out. quietly, all things considered for his usual volume. ]

I'm awake, Lady Rose. Is aught amiss?

post unyielding confrontation, action

[poisontippedcure]

[It has been a harrowing day. Rose makes it to the entrance by her own power, but that’s where it ends.]

[By the time she gets back to the Fortress of Meropide, all of her strength has left her body. Her legs feel like jelly.]

[Veldora will be getting a message in short order, via their new preferred means of communication.]

Back. Safe. Need ride home.

[soulreleaser]

[ he's been resting since the confrontation with the Knightly Maiden and her great mechanical beast. returning to (most of) his true side had been... unexpectedly tiring. so he'd stepped off field as graciously as he ever did anything, deciding to wait in Meropide.

to keep guardian over his tired friends, to sit by the doorway in case he was needed.

he'd brought a copy of A Punch Man to share with Wriothesley while they'd tried not to spend hours staring at the floor of his office, staring down, waiting, wondering; eventually, he'd managed to close his eyes and pretend at sleep--

and then Rose's voice rings through his head like a clarion bell and he stands up, setting the book down on the corner of Wriothesley's desk for his pleasure later, quitting the Duke's couch to powerwalk down to portal, to his friend. ]

Be right down!

[ he says with a jaunty little jingle, resisting the urge to hop down from the stairwell to be closer to Rose that much quicker. ]

voice; un: captainkenway

[jackdawvision]

Veldora, mate, I promised a fellow I'd go looking in your cave to see if I could scrounge up any ore he could use. It's your cave and Rose's backyard, would the two of you mind terribly if I came around? I'll be cautious.

[Shocker, he knows how to be cautious.]

They're for saving a man's life, if you needed any details.

voice; un: tempestdragon

[soulreleaser]

[ the captain comes in cautious??? ]

My friend, I'd have no troubles with you perusing the cave for even a lesser cause, let alone one that might come to another's aid! Just make sure you go prepared to fight monsters--or let me know when you wish to descend into the cavern, and I'll come with you as a guiding, guarding force!

action | before therapy train

[poisontippedcure]

[Sometimes, there is no tea.]

[When there is no tea, Rose does just as Zulius has taught her. She scrolls back. And back and back and back and back, until she finds something juicy.]

[And find it she does. A peculiar thread in the Meropide group chat. Who's that sign for? Surely not her.]

[Rose doesn't even bother to read the threads under it before she finds Veldora, phone in hand. A shame, really.]

[She shows the phone off like it's checkmate, except they're both playing checkers and she's been secretly eating the pieces when he wasn't looking.]

Honey, if you needed help, you know you could've asked me.

action | after the therapy train leaves

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose is exhausted.]

[She knew, by the end of the month, that she'd be off the train. She'd like to pretend that it was under her own power, even if it wasn't. Eorzea has a lot, but it doesn't have people who are ready for therapy.]

[It was bad enough to miss her name day, but Valentine's Day too?]

[Exhausted, she brings herself through the door.]

Veldora, are you here? I'm home.

[soulreleaser]

[ it's been hard.

like, Veldora's used to being a very solitary creature--being a literal force of destruction that explodes most creatures just by existing sort of pushes you into that lifestyle, and all that besides, he's a dragon grown. he can exist on his own and pursue his own hobbies; he has friends and things to do and powers to train himself in the usage of, and Rose has had her own tasks and obligations and interests. she doesn't have to be by his side constantly or anything

but

it does feel lonelier when she isn't.

the house has been particularly quiet without her.

so hearing her voice through the quiet is enough to have him rocketing up and clearing distance like a puppy who's just heard little Timmy come through the door--slamming himself into a wall to stop his momentum as he stands across from her at the door, breathing out a heavy sigh of relief. ]

Oh, Miss Rose...

[ he uses the momentum reset to slide into a strong powerwalk instead, arms out for her. ]

[ APRIL 1ST ]

[anyprice]

[ sometime between the hours of 1am and 3am, A small blue and red squirrel somehow finds itself in your home.

It's in as quickly as it's out, and behind it leaves a pile of about 57 different coloured rubber ducks, as well as a small two-pack of beautiful looking japanese sweets. They look like art, really. When eating them, they're flavoured Chai and Cranberry. Some flavours are just better than others. Underneath the gifts is a note in big, loopy handwriting. ]

Thanks for being a Pal, and helping out a guy in his time of need. Sampo Koski never forgets his friends, nor does he forget to say thank you! So, THANK YOU! This is just a small token of my adoring affection and unending appreciation. I'll see you around!

[ it's signed with a signature that's so exaggerated you can really only make out the word 'Sam'. ]