khaleesock (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
khaleesock) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bakerstreet2019-05-03 09:37 pm
khaleesock) wrote in bakerstreet2019-05-03 09:37 pm
Entry tags:
the rescue meme.
→ Post with your character’s name, canon, and any preferences in the subject line
→ Those tagging, go to RNG and roll for a number between one and ten.
→ Alternatively, just pick the choice you’re interested in most.
1. BAD DATE - You get a text, a phone call, or maybe you can just see the other person floundering on what clearly must be the worst date of their life. Time to step in and save the day.
2. PRISON - Maybe they've been wrongly convicted, or maybe you're an accomplice. Either way, it's jailbreak time. Maybe the guards will fall for the old 'wounded prisoner' technique.
3. TAKEN HOSTAGE - They're being held at gunpoint, either for money or for fun. Maybe you can talk down their captors — or maybe you are a captor, secretly working to help them.
4. UNWELL - Your body is damaged, your suffering taken its toll. You can't save yourself anymore. You're wounded, you're starving, maybe even dying. Someone, help!
5. YOURSELF - One bad choice after another, your self-destructive tendencies are going to get the best of you unless someone steps in to save the day.
6. BIG DAMN RESCUE - You're hovering over an active volcano, a pit of sharks, about to fall off a cliff. Whatever it is, you've only got precious seconds of life left.
7. LONELINESS - You've been secluded, locked away, and the emptiness is overwhelming. You need company, or you might just drown.
8. UNWANTED SOCIAL FUNCTION - A family reunion, your three o'clock board meeting, whatever it is, you desperately don't want to go. Hopefully your good buddy can come up with a distraction.
9. BAD ROMANCE - You're trapped in a relationship that's headed south. Maybe it's an arranged marriage, or maybe it's just someone who won't take no for an answer. You need a helping hand, maybe even a Prince(ss) Charming.
10. WILDCARD - Any kind of rescue will do! Spread your creative wings and go for it.
no subject
[ She has to resist the urge to open her arms a little, even though he's enough taller than her that she doesn't make a very effective shield. Oh well.
At least while she's facing the grumbling men, she puts on a bright, exaggeratedly friendly smile, though when she turns back to Edgar to urge him along, he can probably see the twitch at the corner of her eye. She keeps her voice mostly low, though perhaps not so low that someone nosey wouldn't be able to overhear: ]
What happened? I just turned around and you were gone! I was worried!
no subject
I thought-- [ ahem ] I-I thought I overheard something pertinent to the mission! It wouldn't do to dismiss a lead, would it?
Although in the end all I heard were praises being sung of mediocre storytelling...
no subject
[ But boy, you're kind of ridiculous. She'd laugh if she were a little less exasperated. At least he's more tractable than Andersen; she can just imagine the sort of fistfight she would have had to break up, never mind Andersen's apparent age. ]
Next time, at least say something if you're going to stop, even if it's just because you wanted to argue about--
[ And as if on cue: there's the sound of someone clearing his throat behind them, deliberately and obnoxiously loud, and more familiar to Edgar than Ritsuka: "What was that about mediocre storytelling?"
Some people just don't like to lose when it comes to arguing about fiction, it seems. ]
no subject
His immediate instinct is to rearrange himself so that Ritsuka is once again between him and the other man. He even squats down a little this time for all the good that it does, which apparently in his mind is enough for him to feel safe in running his mouth. ]
To be so protective over such trash, sir, I'm beginning to suspect you're the one who wrote it. Which would make sense, considering your arguments are just as nonsensical as what attempts to be a plot.
[ And we're back to very unhappy nerds. ]
no subject
Ritsuka gapes at him for a moment, then looks at the guy looming up behind them now. He definitely looks like someone that would be ready for a brawl. Aren't nerds supposed to be scrappy at best, scrawny at worst, and generally not... buff?
Oh well. ]
Uh, well, I don't know what you're arguing about, but I think me and my uncle really should--
[ "What he should do is expand his horizons! If he had the sense God gave a flea, he'd be able to understand the point of the story quite easily!"
Ritsuka does not actually facepalm, but it's through sheer force of will. Don't engage, don't engage, don't--
He's totally going to engage. Isn't he. ]
no subject
A flea, is it? That would certainly explain the worldview you're approaching literature from. I daresay your own horizons haven't expanded far beyond this city's borders--unless we were to count a possible summer villa. People simply don't think the way this writing proposes without the naivete that comes with such an upbringing, and any author worth anything would have the decency to be self-aware of it even if their characters were not!
[ Can Assassins coat their own words in poison? Is that possible? If it is, it sounds like what Poe's trying to do here. It'd definitely be more effective than using a teenager as a shield against an angry, buff nerd.
Maybe he'll be sorry later, Master. But right now, well... ]
no subject
[ She's still mostly trying to be pleasant, though the words come out through clenched teeth. Without breaking eye contact with the stranger, she nudges back with an elbow, trying to get Edgar to budge at all. Even a little! Anything to get movement inertia on their side, instead of the fight that's spoiling. She's at least hoping she'll have better luck with him than the stranger, who definitely looks like he's about to throw a punch at any moment.
"A proper author does well to immerse himself in the mindset of his character! If he means to convey that full depth of emotion, to convey the struggle of someone trying to expand their world! You must start somewhere to make any sort of progress!"
Now is the time when Ritsuka drags a hand down her face. Where's Mash when she needs her? Someone who actually reads enough to have any idea of what they're talking about...
...on the other hand, maybe it's a good thing Mash isn't here. It'd be a three-way argument in no time. ]
no subject
Oh, right. They're here for something more important than entertaining this cretin with a thoughtful debate. Disengaging was his problem in the first place, how does he go about it now that this guy's been riled up again...?
He risks a glance away at Ritsuka--that's it! ]
N-now see here, you've upset my niece! I won't have someone like you ruining our day out together, understand?
no subject
[ In Ritsuka's opinion, she's not really the best actress, especially when it comes to faking any kind of sadness. It's easier for her to just shove through actual pain, regardless of any regrets that might be nipping at her heels, so to to have to make a show of it now is going to be... well, weird, at the very least.
But at Edgar's prompting, she covers her face with both hands and attempts a couple of fake sobs. At least it's not at the level of just saying something as obvious as boo hoo, but to her, at least, it doesn't sound convincing at all. Surely a couple of sniffles and hitched breaths aren't going to be enough to make a stranger think she's actually crying.
Right?
She does it again, this time letting herself choke on a bit of mortified laughter. And once she does that, she peeks through her fingers, just to see what sort of effect she's having. ]
no subject
"How dare you accuse me when your own lack of decency is what started this in the first place!"
The thing about arguing in public is that it tends to draw attention whether the participants want it to or not. Two guys yelling about books, and now a crying(?) girl in the mix has definitely been turning some heads, and now that his focus isn't on proving someone wrong, Edgar is very quickly realizing how many eyes are on them.
He's frozen to the spot. Frozen with a look of theatrical indignation on his face, but Ritsuka may be close enough to feel his hands shaking.
The people totally not watching and absolutely minding their own business start to murmur, points and looks of disapproval being aimed more at the Day Trip Ruiner than the uncle and niece. ]
no subject
I just! Wanted! To have a quiet afternoon!!
[ That's definitely more genuine. It's the sort of high-level exasperation that she usually keeps under wraps. ]
So we're gonna do our best to have one, thanks, and -- uh -- good day!
[ Not the best ending she could have come up with, but she flounces immediately after saying that. It's a pretty good one, if she says so herself, copied from many, many hours of people-watching in Chaldea.
And as she goes, she tries to bodily drag him along with her. They've attracted attention, but at least it's not a gathered crowd yet. They can probably make a getaway without being followed this time.
Or she hopes, at any rate. ]
no subject
Meanwhile, Ritsuka is left dragging a floor lamp across cobblestone. Edgar isn't so far gone that he's forgotten how legs work, thank goodness, but the eyes still watching and voices still murmuring in their direction as they make their exit have turned them into slightly uncooperative jelly.
One step, two step, four, eight, and there's an abrupt sign of motion in Edgar squeezing Ritsuka's hand back like it's a lifeline. ]
no subject
But when he squeezes her hand, she finally does pause and then slow to a stop. They've at least reached a point where there are both less people around, and none of them were immediate witnesses to that outburst. ]
...Hey. You doing all right?
[ Her voice is more gentle now. She might still be exasperated, but she's back to being careful about it. The last thing she wants is to send him on another tizzy. ]
no subject
And after a few steadying breaths, ] Tha...thank you. Master. That was careless of me.
no subject
[ It's immediate, almost thoughtless, but she softens again, pulling back enough that she can turn to face him. ]
Still, you wouldn't be you if you didn't. So I'll forgive you.
[ A beat, then: ] But try and be careful in the future, okay? I seriously thought that guy was gonna take a swing at you.
no subject
[ There's a moment's thought, and he abruptly brings his head back up. ]
N-not to say I won't be careful going forward. I was told this mission was meant to be quiet. But I'll remain careful on other missions as well. It wouldn't do to inconvenience you with the same mistakes yet again, really, there are fools in every era and I shouldn't become one of them for the sake of an argument with some stranger I'll never even see... [ Annnd he keeps on going. ]
no subject
[ She gives him a few seconds to keep on with the apologize, and when he finally hits the point where she can't actually make out the distinct words anymore, she goes up onto her toes, lifts her hands--
And squishes his face. Gently. ]
I was worried about you, dummy. Not the mission.
no subject
But the tension doesn't last long. He doesn't exactly relax, but there's a noticeable drop in his shoulders as he sighs. ]
Again and again, you prove far too kind. All the more reason not to trouble you, really.
no subject
[ She squishes his face for a couple seconds longer, then lets her hands drop. There's the reluctant beginnings of a smile on her face. ]
You're okay? We were attracting kind of a crowd by the end.
[ Which had been partly her fault. At least it had worked. (Mostly.) ]
no subject
I-if it isn't any trouble, could we, ah, find somewhere more out of the public eye...to regroup?
no subject
[ Ritsuka reaches for his hand, pauses, then grabs at his sleeve instead, giving it a small tug. She'll lead him again if he's too shellshocked from his near-miss, but no more than he's willing to tolerate. ]
We're not actually in any rush. I would've lied about it if they asked, though.
no subject
[ Now let's see, somewhere quiet, out of the way, and preferably dark. Any public establishments like a store or restaurant are immediately out, and even a park is a little too open and vulnerable for him at the moment. A library could work under certain conditions, but there's no way to guarantee those and going through the trouble of finding one only for it to be filled with people would just be a waste of their time.
Quiet, out of the way, and dark. As he scans their surroundings, his eyes fall on the darkest spot close by: an alley. That fits the bill, sure, but would it be uncouth to just drag his Master into an alleyway...?
Unfortunately his legs haven't caught up with his train of thought yet, just hearing "safe dark spot" and already making a beeline. ]
no subject
[ It's fine, Ritsuka has followed much shadier characters into worse places. She does look around a bit warily as they head into the alley, but honestly, she's less tense than she could be. Even if they do end up getting jumped, Edgar would probably be enough.
Probably.
He's at least sturdier than Andersen, at least. She does pick up her pace enough to keep closer to him, just in case. ]
...You really like your dark places, don't you?
no subject
And maybe some of the rest of him. Maybe? Could be eyes yet to adjust, could be his cape against the bricks. ]
I am well-acquainted with the dark. [ Dramatic, but he's not wrong? ] It wouldn't be entirely correct to say it's a comfort, but it is...familiar?
no subject
Familiarity counts for a lot. It kind of fits your -- uh. Your look.
[ With the low bangs and the bags under his eyes and everything. ]
Feeling any better yet?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)