01 ☂ Video

[restinglichface]

[For someone from a place of slightly more primitive technology, Lup seems to get a handle on her handheld device quickly enough, the elf framing her face perfectly in the screen, mouth curled to the side in a sharp grin. She looks totally in her element, confident and poised despite knowing nothing of this place or of the people who run it.

The one thing she does know is she needs out of here. Pronto.

For those unfortunate residents of Wonderland who know Taako, they may mistake this woman for him considering they share the same identical faces and long, elven ears. Her voice is a little different, naturally, but hey, elves get sick sometimes too, right?]

Now, I don't want to crush your game, but I'm gonna need the name of the nerd who runs this place, because I'm a busy woman who has exactly zero time for this bullshit. I can't fault you for wanting some of the good, ol' Lup brand to sparkle up this place, but it just isn't going to work.

It's not me, it's deffo all you.

And hey-- [She holds up free hand in front of the camera, which certainly looks to be on fire.] If you don't want to come out and face me yourself, I'll just start burning it down. I have a feeling that garden out front is gonna make for a pretty choice blaze. And I've got spell slots to burn, baby.

Your move. [And okay, that ending is slightly marred by the fact she struggles to figure out how to disconnect the call, but still!]

Comments

[determinedest]

It's a saber. Made of light.

[VERY HELPFUL, YES?]


[But they do hold up the little metallic cylinder to indicate it in earnest, the round, sleek shine of its casing and the buttons it entails.]

...

I don't want to turn it on.

[restinglichface]

[Whatever it is, Lup wants it. Like, yesterday.]

Sooo, what you're saying is you aren't going to use it, right? Cause that sure seems like a huge waste.

[determinedest]

I don't like to FIGHT.

[The word gets an odd emphasis. Not a shout - why should they? Would they? - but it's certainly its own Word. Almost a proper noun.]

[And their term is undeniably firm.]

[restinglichface]

[The emphasis is not lost on Lup, who reacts with a raised brow at the absolute firmness of the kid's tone.

There's some kind of story there, that's for goddamn certain.]

Hey, not asking you to go out on a murder spree, kid, just saying you should give it a proper look over. Nothing more dangerous than a weapon you don't understand. [This would usually be punctuated with Lup proclaiming that she was a fucking weapon, check out these guns, but y'know, she's gotten better at reading rooms.]

[determinedest]

I'd rather find who it belongs to.

[It belongs to someone who probably knows how to use it. Meaning it's not safe in their hands - not that it would have been safe in their hands, even if they did know how to use it. That isn't their concern.]

They'd understand it.

[restinglichface]

[Seems like a total waste, but the elf shrugs her shoulders. It isn't her business. She doesn't know these people. They can make their own mistakes, she's just going to work on getting her brother back.]

Whatever you say, kid. Good luck finding the owner or whoever. Hopefully they don't put it to too much use.

[determinedest]

Me too.

[It's not much of a vote of confidence. It's not much of a vote of anything. But it's better than insisting they hand it over.]

Before that...we were in, um, a place with a lot of giants and things. A big, old hall with a lot of food. But there were things trying to get inside, too.

[restinglichface]

[Lup's had a rough day. Sorry, kid. Next time they talk, her enthusiasm may be closer to her usual levels.

Still, the elf listens to what Frisk has to say and nods along at each point, taking her own mental notes. It fits in along with what she's heard so far, different events that came from different worlds. Hm]

What kind of things? Did you see 'em? [She's guessing it wasn't something nice, but she could be pleasantly surprised.]

[determinedest]

I don't know what they were. [They hdan't known a lot of people who could name the things personally, and they refuse to call them "monsters" on principle.]

Trolls, maybe? Some of them looked like they were made of ice.

[restinglichface]

[Ice trolls. Doesn't sound like a problem for Lup. Throw out a few fireballs and some shitty ice puns (Ice to meet you? Time to chill out? She'll workshop it later.) and boom. Problem solved.]

Alright, I think I got a better feeling for this place now. Watch out for events and all that.

[determinedest]

You too.

[They don't feel like their Wonderland 101 information was exactly sufficient, but...it'd be pretty rude to try and keep her when she isn't interested in putting up with them for much longer, ha ha. So, it's okay.]

[It's okay.]

[restinglichface]

And hey, kid-- [Lup could probably use a lot more info, but that will come later when she actually realizes how stuck she is here. For now, she's still under the impression she can kick down a door and walk home. Later though, she may hit the kid up again. For now though--]

If one of these, uh, event things comes around and you get in any trouble, hit me up. Y'all won't let me burn this place to the ground, but I've got other magic up my sleeve I can use. Just sayin'.

[smooth]

[determinedest]

I'll be okay.

[They lift one relatively sticklike arm and pump it, flexing nonexistent biceps as they square their shoulders to the best of their ability.]

I'm tough.

[restinglichface]

[oh, fuck you kid. you are too fucking cute. lup hates it.]

Hey, better call the vet cause those puppies are sick!

[determinedest]

[That works. It lifts the edges of their mouth and pinches the corners of their eyes, squeezing those flat features into something undeniably pleased.]

Yeah, [they add, emphatic.] Wonderland better watch out.

[restinglichface]

[it's rude to be so cute, yknow]

Maybe I'll be calling you for help one of these days.

[determinedest]

Good. 'Cause you always can.

[Call for help, and someone will come. If they can. They add in a stage whisper, an almost confidential undertone complete with a hand upraised to dramatically shield the lower half of their face from the empty side of the room:] I have a shield.

[restinglichface]

[Lup lowers her voice, just to play along, though there's a definite touch of real interest in her tone. Shields have never been her thing, but Lucretia had always been able to make them work. Until...well, that's messy, no need to get into that.]

What kinda shield? You've got my attention.

[determinedest]

This kind.

[They withdraw the metal bar from their pocket, where they always keep it now. It's not so remarkable, at first, but with the gentle depression of some button on the length of it, a round disc of energy blazes to life in a corona of gold.]

[Shepard gave it to them.]

[restinglichface]

That's pretty choice, hun. [Space mom is best mom, apparently.]

It'll probs keep you safe from a lot of the shit that goes on here.

[determinedest]

Sometimes.

[They shut it off almost at once. It never pays to drain the power without much point to it. You can never know when something might creep up on you.]

Do you have anything to keep you safe?

[restinglichface]

Hella magic. [to prove her point, Lup summons fire back to her palm, just so the kid doesn't think to start worrying about her or anything.]

I'll be fine. Done this dance a million times before.

[determinedest]

[She can do magic.]

[The effect on them is immediate and - confusing. A small intake of breath that isn't startled so much as it is elated, crinkling the edges of their mouth, lifting those heavy lids to allow for a shine of dark maroon for a flicker of a moment.]

[And simultaneously, a flinch that wavers their shoulders and has them cringing back. As though struck. As though afraid.]
[And above all - envy.]
[It was one thing to see her holding it to start with. It's another to see her summon it. Like a Boss Monster.]

You're not human.

[restinglichface]

[It's a real rollercoaster of emotions playing along the kid's face, through their body language. Lup's fire stays burning in her hand, but the woman tips her head, watching Frisk curiously. Even through all of the different worlds she's encountered over the last century, has Lup ever got a reaction as peculiar as this one? She doesn't seem to recall it.

Then comes a question so obvious it startles Lup into a bark of a laugh.] Natch. I'm an elf. Didn't the gorgeous ears give it away? [She's happy to turn her head a little, to show off the length of them over the feed.]

[determinedest]

[An elf. Like from Dipper's game. They really do...]

[Well. Of course they exist. They would. It's Wonderland, and just about anything is possible.]

Sorry. The fire, it just - reminded me of someone. [Someone still here. Several someones, in fact. All of whom are distinctly nonhuman and distinctly complicated, particularly in regards to the innocuous child sitting here, trying to smile wider than they have it in them.]