[video forever] Lids down, I count sheep

[akapeanut]

[George...isn't exactly thrilled at the idea of being on tape just yet. She doesn't want to have to talk to Buckingham, should he decide to apologize or whatever-the-fuck he might decide to do. She just doesn't want to deal with it.

But, despite being dead as fuck, she still has some basic needs-- nonotthoseones --that need taking care of.]

There aren't enough bedrooms in this place.

Um.

[Awkward shifting.]

I don't take up much room. Can I room with someone?

Comments

[airshipswank]

[ WELL, TOO BAD, because both apologising and the fucking part of whatever-the-fuck are certainly on Buckingham's mind the moment he sees her transmission. ]

I owe you all... the room I can offer.

[ He gestures towards the empty room and equally empty bed behind him. Other occupants of either have yet to arrive. ]

[akapeanut]

[Jesus Christ.]

...Do you remember?

[airshipswank]

Remember... unpleasant events? Never longer than need be, which... I can only recommend.

[ Truthfully he is at more of a loss than he cares to admit. Guilt and regret are in his possession in so small an amount, they may as well be invisible.

How does one justify murder then, unintended or otherwise? Why, not at all, of course! Blood only clings to one's hand in plays, in real life it can be washed away. And witnesses can be disposed of.

...But what if witness and victim are one and the same person? It certainly is one of Wonderland's more unpleasant peculiarities. ]

==>private

[akapeanut]

[George bites her lip, then impulsively flips the video to private.]

If-- if you really want to know what was going on during that event-- my event. I mean, I can tell you. I just don't want people assuming the wrong shit about me and-- you know, doing that. Too many times.

[airshipswank]

[ In the fog's haze Buckingham thought everyone to be a monster and everything to be a threat. Those fears took root in fragments of memories he had barely spared a thought.

Georgia Lass underestimated the danger of her own event. He never expected there to be more than that, did he? But Santana's presence every time before one of them died always made him wonder... ]

Will you see me in person?

[ Lacking the experience to gauge how private such a private video conversation might truly be he decides he would rather limit the number of people listening to what he himself might reveal. ]

[akapeanut]

Yeah. Uh.

The kitchen?

[Private but, you know, someone might come in if he decides to attack her again. Better safe than sorry.]

[airshipswank]

The kitchen.

[ Buckingham hardly even realised this sex dungeon exotic abode had a kitchen. It certainly sounds like a far cry from the privacy he had hoped for, but with luck they might find it deserted, find the residents... otherwise occupied.

A small sigh to indicate the concession he is about to make. ]

Certainly, if you insist. I shall see you there.

[ And that is how the transmission ends, just before Buckingham embarks on his search for the kitchen. ]

[akapeanut]

[And then George looks up and Kelsey remembers the event is still on and realizes that plan is pointless. It's just as well-- there's really no way to direct anyone to one particular red-and-purple room with satin sheets on the bed when they're all red-and-purple rooms with satin sheets on the bed.

Luckily for them both, they happen upon each other in the halls rather quickly.]

...Hi.

[Maybe she should've grabbed a beaded lamp. For protection.]

[airshipswank]

[ It would have been around the next corner, no doubt. Or perhaps the one after that. Well. It would have been somewhere, unless they are expected to survive on champagne and edible underwear for days.

...They've had worse than that. ]

Miss Lass.

[ A nod instead and an almost solemn greeting in place of the sweeping bow, the kiss on the hand, the broad grin. He can't entirely help the wariness and this is business, no matter how convincingly the voices in his mind try to sell him the idea of pleasure. ]

You brought an explanation, I believe.

[akapeanut]

[She looks at him, frowns a little.]

You're-- uh, you're from France, right? In the 1800's or somewhere around there?

[She was estimating. She'd remembered where she heard his name before and, after a brief stint in the library, confirmed he was most likely that Duke.]

So you probably have some concept of grim reapers, right?

[airshipswank]

1625. England.

[ The former is merely a point to correct, though the latter constitutes a severe personal affront and because of it Buckingham very nearly does not dignify her third assumption with an answer. ]

What of him?

[akapeanut]

[She tries not to wince. Whoops. Not as if she threw that out there for no reason, though. Dumas and all.]

Well, in my world, anyway-- and for all we know, we come from the same world, I'm just saying --but, uh. Sometimes when people die they don't...move on right away. Instead they become what we call "reapers".

[She hesitates.]

I'm a reaper. I remove people's souls before they die.

[airshipswank]

[ Huh.

One year of Wonderland has conditioned Buckingham enough not to dismiss the notion as readily as anyone would under normal circumstances, but incredulity, at the very least, remains. ]

If that is true, then... legend has done a poor job of painting your picture.

video;

[eatsyourscience]

I've got room. If you want.

[video forever]

[akapeanut]

Um...

Are you sure you don't want privacy?

[With Yousuke?]

[eatsyourscience]

[.... :|]

I don't want you to have no where to go.

[akapeanut]

[She blushes.]

Are you...sure?

[eatsyourscience]

[A nod.]

If you're okay with it.

[akapeanut]

Um. Okay. Where are you?

[eatsyourscience]

Second floor.

==>action

[akapeanut]

Alright.

[She wanders onto the floor, hoping Souji will step into the hall to save her the awkwardness of knocking or peeking into any rooms.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Being the considerate Souji he is, Souji's standing near the stairs leading to the second floor, tapping at the keys on his comm device. When he sees her, he waves and tucks it into his pocket.]

What do you think of this place?

[akapeanut]

[George looks around, frowning.]

It's skeezy. Like-- I mean, even if there weren't those...random bloodstains. It's like a brothel.

[eatsyourscience]

I'm not sure what the blood is about.

[akapeanut]

Hopefully we won't find any dead prostitutes.