( closed. ) catch-all

[uncourteous]

WHO: callisto... and people. 🧍‍♂️
WHAT: catch-all.
WHERE: seoul, busan, & everywhere in between!
WHEN: throughout the month (that's almost over)
WARNINGS: blood, gore, & anything else will be updated as i go!

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Comments

mds, sir zagreus.

[uncourteous]

[ despite his injuries from the battle, callisto hasn't done a lot beyond just shoddily covering himself up. he hops on the plane to touch back to seoul without much of peep to anyone, which likely could have been presumed to be out of character, but considering the aftermath and losing sight of the imugi, he presumes it's the last thing on anyone's minds. as far as he could tell with the sheer tensions building up— though, he can't say how much of it could be chalked up to the "rift poisoning," and how much of it could have been something else entirely. as far as he knows, everyone's eyes, minds, and spirits entirely enraptured on the idea of capturing the creature that managed to slip through their proverbial grasps. he can't exactly blame them, and he can't deny of also desiring proper vengeance for his wounds...

however, it's true that because everyone seems consumed by this, that it's easier for him to pretend that he's just as unaffected as the rest. when he lands in seoul, he figures the highest priority was getting to a good area to rest where he could properly address his wounds. it's in this process, that he ends up seeing a familiar figure.

while most may have ignored it and went straight to dressing their wounds, that's not a thought process callisto commits to. instead, he's clearly putting on some form of bravado, appearing as if he weren't injured, or tired after the battle. ] Ah, if it isn't my loyal servant.

[ not the servant roleplay even when he's injured. but, he also does seem to give zagreus' own body a brief sweep of his eyes, all the way down to his ... hot feet. ]

[emancipating]

[ it would be a cold day in tartarus if callisto ever addressed zagreus outside of their servant/master roleplay. he's always treated it as a sort of joke; a light-hearted way of coping, perhaps, in regard to their situation. this is what callisto knows, what he is comfortable with — the image of a stalwart ruler of his people, devoted to the advancement of his country. a ruler would not suffer the disgrace of showing weakness, this zagreus knows, especially not after having his quarry slip from his grasp.

and yet, here zagreus is, holding a medical kit when he finds callisto. ]

Full glad am I to see Your Highness hale and whole. Welcome back.

[ zagreus didn't leave the battle in seoul unscathed; while the suits mitigate the worst of the damage, he sports injuries all over. the cut on his cheek likely stands out the most, treated and covered now with a bandage, incongruous to his smile and lighter tone. pain is just an old friend he's always known. ]

If it pleases you, would you allow me the honor of dressing your wounds?

[uncourteous]

[ it's true that their interactions may have been the most familiar thing to him in such a foreign place. the palace may have been cold and devoid of warmth, but it was also everything he technically knew. in this way, despite feigning some degree of easement into this unfamiliar land— he could find actual solace in their fake roles. what does end up surprising him, however, is how comfortable the other man was at every single turn of this farce.

even callisto comprehends that there was no actual reason behind the mind going along with his whims, and yet here he was. attentive, and some could even label kind. this point only seems to be further perpetuated by his careful preparation of a medical kit?

even if callisto tears his eyes from it and acts as if he hasn't seen it. ]

Same to you, Sir Zagreus. It brings me much comfort to know you appear well.

[ does he, though? callisto's eyes seem to be fixed on the bandage on zagreus' cheek. ] These could hardly constitute as injuries. [ is he going to make this difficult, maybe... ]

gebura.

[uncourteous]

[ the lingering scars left by the prior mission can be found in multiple ways and in just as many forms on base. while seoul had clearly put a damper on the spirits of the outsiders, it seems even more amplified as of late. the sort of sorrow of losing your fellow men, or seeing them in an even worst state being treated as a prisoner of war... well, it's a fact he was both accustomed to, but could entirely understand how it affects the mind.

... they are after all, only human.

or, that should be the case. but, it seems like they didn't only steal the foods and other conveniences of the village, but also all their nastier little traits as well. just by the temperament of those who were thirsty, it normally wasn't too difficult to discern who could have been nursing a symptom or two of vampirism... he has to wonder how these ideas aren't just cultivated in the fiction young ladies of the empire may enjoy. regardless, he does make his rounds in visiting those around him.

gebura being no exception. actually, what's the opposite of this... ]

My lady, are you not planning on gracing me with your presence?

[ time to take a page from everyone else's book and just appear in front of her door. ]

[bemist]

[ Could you all stop doing that, actually? Gebura's even more reluctant to deal with people until she can handle this new problem, and she can already tell Nosferatu would be thrilled to know she was dealing with it, less thrilled to know she was fighting it.

So the message just makes her sigh, exasperated. ]

not really, no

[uncourteous]

[ if her door knob is rattling, or the sound of a knock on her door is made evidently louder, it's not her imagination. callisto wasn't the sort who readily took no for an answer. sorry gebura. ]

How heartless. I dragged my legs all the way here.

[ he says as if he wouldn't have done it regardless. still, he feels like his mind would be a lot more settled to know she was okay. not that he had any real doubts, but weren't there times where feelings weren't entirely logical? besides, if she needed assistance, it isn't like he was opposed to offering his hand. ]

[bemist]

[ And there he goes.

Unseen for now, one eye twitches, and there's no response for a good few minutes before the door slides open. Gebura looks a little more tired than usual when she stares out at Callisto, but what else is new when everyone else is also some level of exhausted? ]

You could just save yourself some time by checking first.

[uncourteous]

Why check when it's clear that you haven't gone out? [ or so he claims, but is it obvious? it is true that most people who showed signs of this new ailment did seem to avoid going out. likely out of necessity...

as for how? he doesn't actually know much of the details, and hence. ]

So, how have you been faring? I felt like I would not get a satisfactory response through written language, and so I have arrived in person. [ while his tone isn't too different than the usual, a mixture of his own awful sense of humor and touch of what could be seen as over-familiarity. ]

[bemist]

[ She very much does not have the patience level to deal with him right now, so she gives him a very long and unimpressed stare. If he thought he was getting a satisfactory response verbally, boy do I hate to disappoint him, but--! ]

I'm fine.

[ She's always this grumpy!! ]

[uncourteous]

"Fine." Are those all the words you have for me?

[ he asks, pretending to be offended. in reality, he is used to her behavior by now. ] But, it's a relief to see you haven't been overtaken by anything strange. Those are the same tired eyes I'm used to seeing. [ they may not be exactly tired, but gebura did have a certain way of holding herself.

but, he gibes a cant of his head, as if to ask if she's not going to let him in? ]

[bemist]

Overtaken...

[ a snort.

She doesn't invite him in, not verbally, though she turns away from the door. ]

Bitten or not, it's not like I'm weak-willed enough to let that change me. Aren't you underestimating me?

vash.

[uncourteous]

[ the concept of teleportation isn't anything new theoretically. however, it was relatively rare and normally reserved for the select few who could afford the magicians and other such costs associated with it. akin to the mechanism in which he uses to teleport back to the palace, they're just as easily transported to another country. he seems to look around their surroundings thoughtfully.

the supplies they came with feels insufficient considering they don't know for how long this farce would take, but he also isn't one to kick up a complaint about something so trite. instead, he complains about something else. ... except, is that much more substantial? ]

The air is not as chilly as it was in Neo Tokyo. [ a vague observation. ]

Our present state of dress suddenly makes more sense. [ not that he was prone to cold anyway as long as he wore his cape imbued with magic, but in light of blending in, he's wearing something a bit more casual. ] More importantly, are you certain you are skilled at this?

[ being a bodyguard? though, callisto doesn't quite think he needs one and it shows in how lacking in any type of nerves he is. all the more when he wraps his fingers around vash's shoulder. feeling more like a threat than it was anything else.

but, in spite of his words, venturing across these lands was eye-opening in a sense. a bit different than the traveling he did when while at war. for once, he enters a land without the thought of destroying it. ]

[photosympathies]

( He can smell the heat, is the thing. It hits him the very second they step through the portal, blindsiding him for a half a second long enough to miss exactly what Callisto is saying. Because even though the city is not a part of No Man's Land it looks like it could be, and the faraway blur of the air is enough of a familiar sight that for a short, sharp second Vash's throat feels too tight, too restrictive? )

Hm? ( Ah, the noise sounds weird. He clears his throat, swivelling to look at Callisto with his hand still digging into Vash's shoulder. He's sure it's meant to signify something, but Vash is strong, so. It's hardly a bother. ) Oh! Sure. I've done it before. The desert's a big place and sometimes people need help getting across. Especially people who haven't done it before. They're usually afraid of bandits, roaming gangs, so they hire people to deliver them to the next city over. I've done that. And nobody's ever died on my watch! You'll be safe with me.

( A bright smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, his energy a little flatter than it had been at the Gala. He's just glad to be doing something, had jumped at the chance to get off base when asked. Clapping his hands together he peers at Callisto from behind the orange of his glasses. ) Okay, your highness - that's right, right? - what do you want to do first? Subterfuge or gathering?

[uncourteous]

[ per usual, it doesn't seem like vash reacts to the firmness behind his touch, or the potential implication it carries. normally, callisto would be the sort of person where every single piece of miscommunication would hit him particularly hard, and yet in this case, it doesn't. despite this just being the second time they're within one another's proximity just like this... he feels like it's wholly expected of the other man.

but, that doesn't stop a slight quirk of his own brow, before taking in vash's words. his own grip naturally loosening ever so slightly, just giving him a light tug as if to make sure he was following him step for step. ] Even if someone had died, there would be no one left to vouch for them...

[ because picking out statements like that is easy work for the crown prince. but, that said, he does notice the lack of usual enthusiasm, even if he may not say it. ] That's correct. Is "subterfuge" your specialty? For some reason, I do not picture you as a man of deceit.

[photosympathies]

( He at least goes with the tug, falling into step with his new charge-slash-friend easily. ) Well, I guess. I'll just have to prove it to you then.

( Because he understands suspicious bastards and he has a feeling Callisto is a Suspicious Bastard ( affectionate ). So it's no skin off Vash's nose to be a little more sincere, a little kinder when they talk. He'll work him around. ) Oh, uh. I mean if it needs it? Sometimes you have to find out things without people knowing why, right? And as long as nobody gets hurt I'm sure it's fine. ( There's something fallible about that - because people could get hurt from lies. People probably have. But Vash always thinks the better of the rest of the world. That or he doesn't look too closely at the problems he might cause. ) I'm all for being sneaky if we need to though! Do you have a plan?

[uncourteous]

[ realistically, callisto isn't blind to the idea that vash didn't actually owe him anything. didn't necessarily need to prove himself when he holds no actual title over him in these lands. perhaps, this is all the more amplified by the fact that vash is the one going along with his whims, and the not the other way around.

that might be what tickles him about the idea that vash seems set on making good on his words, regardless. there's probably a life lesson wedged in there somewhere, but callisto doesn't delve into it for once. ] Sometimes I do wonder just what's in that head of yours. "Nobody gets hurt," is it? [ he repeats this in a way one would re-recite a funny joke. it's not a joke, though. ... and he knows they both are aware of that fact.

maybe it's good vash is here, and that callisto is just in the mood to humor his his pacificism. ]

Then let's see what there is at the market. [ for starters— ] We can follow one of the people of interest around, see where it is that they manufacture their medications, and steal it right from under them?

[ it seemed more effective than hunting the worm parts themselves, didn't it? besides, it also cut the hunters off from their source. two birds with one stone. ... the question is— are they sneaky enough? well, they're about to find out. ]

[photosympathies]

( It's a good idea, Vash busy reconciling the deceit by reminding himself that this is LILITH's bidding. It's not as if they have a choice. He's done his best to stand by his peace and love mantra, even when things have been hard. Besides, it's not like people selling Kaiju parts are the most upstanding of citizens and he's dealt with gangs like this before. Even if he does feel a little leery about taking away from people making medicine. Maybe they're abusing the system though, charging more than it's worth. He'll have to keep an eye out, get the lay of the land, figure out exactly what the game plan is. One would hope LILITH was the better option, but -.

Well, he has his doubts.

So instead he refocuses on Callisto, endlessly curious about the man. ) Have you ever done anything like this before? Followed people, I mean? You sort of don't strike me as the kind of guy who's done a lot of sneaking. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. You have an aura. ( He needs to stop trying to fix things. ) Also we probably need a story. Do you think you could fake an ailment? Then when we ask around it's more believable. Fake cough for me?

[uncourteous]

[ opposite to vash's considerations of the people or the moral dilemmas involved in deceiving a group of individuals— callisto doesn't spare a single thought on that. rather, he considers it as much a task to complete as one would in filing paperwork. in the same vein, however, if there is one area of his focus...

it's definitely on the logistics of getting in. all the more ramped up in difficulty knowing they couldn't simply barge their way in, blade and other weaponry in tow. so vash's question does end up being a welcome one. ] No. [ ... ] At least not like this. In war, you do any number of things. If I could recall each one, we would be here all night. [ which probably means he isn't going to be good at it. at least they've now established that.


faking an ailment. there's definitely some irony in it, if just because he recalls how the duke's daughter used "lead poisoning" and the common flu as a way of denying his invitations for so long. and so, with great gusto (or not) he turns to vash and with a completely serious face. ]

I'm ill. [ that's it.

it sounds more like a command than someone who is actually sick. but, surely if one is demanding enough, they could be allowed anywhere. ]

gebura.

[uncourteous]

[ considering all that's transpired in the previous months, it only made sense that people became a little more invested in the happenings within neo tokyo. even in the midst of war, he's always known people to cling onto whatever fractions of normalcy they could. while he would argue he was far beyond that, it doesn't stop him from venturing out, or ... apparently in getting his hand on some pocky.

whether they met by chance in the city, or happened to encounter one another on base, callisto does hold a small bag of various flavors. it was harder to encounter a store that didn't have them in stock, and so he found himself naturally intrigued. intrigued enough in fact that he seems to hold a box out. ]

While I was out today, I came across a rather peculiar holiday. Were you aware there was a day just to celebrate a box of sticks? It looks like humans are capable of devolving after all. [ as usual, his jokes never hit... ]

[bemist]

Food-specific days were pretty common in my District.

[ Gebura casts him a glance, a few steps from heading back to her room. He'd just follow her though, wouldn't he? She might as well endure it. ]

But this isn't one I know.

[ Why sticks? ]

[uncourteous]

Really? When I return to the empire, this may be something I should look into.

[ as she likely expects at this point, callisto follows along in step. ]

They come in various popular flavors. [ opening the box carefully, he draws out a singular stick, pinching it gingerly between his fingers. he holds it up to her as one might a lab specimen... ] There is even a competition people partake in on behalf of these little things.

[bemist]

A competition. To what, fight with it? It looks like it'd snap immediately.

[ First ramune marbles, now this. Japan really seems to love its food-and-drink entertainment, doesn't it, and she stares somewhat dubiously at the stick. ]

[uncourteous]

With your lips, apparently.

[ with zero context he does realize how ridiculous it seems. ]

People place the stick between themselves and it is a battle to see who is able to claim more of it without actually making contact. [ ... ] You'd think they would make their intentions less obvious.

[bemist]

So are you eating it or attempting to challenge me?

[ Because that does sound incredibly idiotic. ]

[uncourteous]

[ ...

he remains silent for a second, looking at her with a sideway glance, before giving a smile. ] Aren't you the one who would normally challenge me? [ he hadn't forgotten that time at the beach, for example.

or any other time in which he's crossed her. ]