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[formidable]

Private AU/PSL RP, set anywhere from 1879 alternate history France to 21st century North America. A tale of two brothers and the witch and her golem who gets entangled in their lives. Urban fantasy, steampunk, magic, guns, and coffee collide. ➤ PART I ➢ "La Caravane".

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[infusion]

"Dear, I can hear you, you know. That's how this works! You'll need to catch up a bit faster if you want to blend in."

[Berna laughs as she crosses her legs and shakes her head, making her crystal earrings sway and glisten as they catch the light.]

"That one is really too much! I was assuming you told them about what being a witch or warlock meant for us?"

Eh, kind of. But yeah, this is Gus and the other one's Claude. They're from 1879. French.

[The grandmother nods approvingly.]

"I KNEW the charm wasn't out of nowhere. Now, aside from introducing us and letting me know that two men are staying at your place like a good grandchild..." [Berna scoffs jokingly with a roll of her eyes. WHO NEEDS TO BE PROPER GO GET 'EM GRANDDAUGHTER]

"Is there something else you would like of me? Some choice items to assist your new friends?"

Yes! You still have some smartphones and android tablets laying around at your place right? Maybe a laptop or two? You know, because you kept sending them to me and Solomon to try out?? [Iona looks at the brothers]

If you can't sleep, might as well play with something, right?

[effet]

[ !! Well, there's an instant perk, the prospect of maybe being able to take some of these interesting gizmos apart... Gus doesn't interrupt until that last bit, to which he responds with an emphatic: ]

Yes please! I'll pay for them later if you need me to?

[infusion]

[Berna waves her pipe casually.]

"Thankfully, I do have boxes of the stuff lying around. I'll send it right over, but only if they get some rest."

[She makes an accusatory point towards Gus and then at Claude.]

"They have the look of men who haven't afforded much of sleep in the last day or so."

[Iona sighs, but smiles. Her grandmother, despite being a crazy force of nature, was sharp eyed and in her own way cared for others.]

Thanks, Grandma. I'll handle things from here on out. Oh, and they'll also need some current clothes to blend in too. I think the ones you chose for Solomon should suffice! I mean, I'll make adjustments if necessary.

[Berna lazily snaps her fingers and a veritable THUD THUD THUD THUD can be heard in the hallway. Four boxes have appeared, two with tech toys and two with the requested clothing. Iona's grandmother leans back in her seat looking pleased with herself.]

"Done and done. Now, if that will be all, I suggest all of you get some rest."

[A beat.]

"BUT, if two is too much to handle dear, I'll gladly take one of them and handle them myself! Maybe the younger one who called me young and beautiful-..."

Nooooooooooope. Night Grandma, love you, bye.

[And Iona shuts the laptop closed before this conversation of manhandling can get worse!]

[pragnanz]

[ Well, that was. A whirlwind adventure. Not to mention the sudden appearance of boxes from seemingly thin air, but Claude's given up on trying to be surprised by it all: he could suddenly be defying gravity and sprouting wings and he'd just have to accept it as something within the realm of reason in 2015.

Gus is, of course, mildly freaking out— did you just do that, whoa— and Claude gives his brother some space to get up and poke around at the box of tech, while he starts removing his suit jacket and unbuttoning the front of his vest. ]

I can tell we have a lot to look forward to. New clothes, even— I'm surprised you know our sizes.

[infusion]

[Iona hops off of her stool seat to go over and open the boxes.]

Well, I can sort of guess, but I think I might have to make adjustments, like I said. My brother's got broader shoulders, but he's about the same height as Gus.

Ah, awesome, they're still brand new.

[She takes some nice button up shirts with varying sleeve sizes, jeans, etc. ; all still folded neatly in plastic or thin cardboard packaging.]

You might want to opt for some comfortable clothes. Summer is upon us and we're gonna have a heatwave soon.

[pragnanz]

[ Draping his jacket and now-undone vest over one arm, Claude opens the first two buttons of his dress shirt and looks over Iona's shoulder at all of these new clothes. The jeans are...unfamiliar, and he writes them off almost immediately. He also writes off the shirts that have colors on them, why isn't everything monochrome... ]

Comfort is all well and good, but dignity is something I'd like to maintain.

[ Not really, actually— he doesn't care, but he's just trying to give Iona a hard time. ]

[infusion]

[However, Iona seems to be taking what he said seriously because she's eying all the clothing pieces with a critical eye, holding them up next to each other, mixing and matching while muttering to herself.]

Mm. Right... If I'm taking care of you guys, I can't allow you be walking fashion disasters...

[pragnanz]

[ Somehow, this doesn't bode too well... he's been a human Barbie enough times in his life, thank you very much.

He reaches into the pile, takes out the most comfortable-looking button-up and slacks he can find. ]

This'll do. Thank you.

Auguste will probably sleep in his underclothes, don't mind him.

[oren]

[Iona looks a little surprised at Claude's reaction, but it IS his choice. Before she can reply, Oren reappears from the hallway.]

Rooms inspected. Passable. Spellcasting has improved.

[Iona puffs up her chest looking proud of herself, but...]

Bathrooms. You forgot them.

[FACE IN HANDS and a, "PLUMBING IS HARD TO MAKE UP."]

[pragnanz]

[ Man, all of this is so weird... Gus is too busy lying on his stomach on the couch, three plus-drivers in his hand and a phone already half-taken apart. When he gets like this, it's difficult for anyone to really pull him back into the realm of the living...

Wisely, Claude doesn't even try. ]

Miss Iona can commandeer the bathroom for now.

Are there any pieces of her underwear that we should be on the lookout for?

[infusion]

[OH MY FUCKING GOD.]

Leave my underwear out of this or I'll make sure a constant draft comes through your bedroom.

[pragnanz]

If you'd like for others to start questioning your standards for hospitality, by all means.

[ Claude...cease... ]

[infusion]

I would like to think that part of my standards is drawing a line when the person I'm housing starts using my underclothing against me.

[pragnanz]

Scathing. I'd say that your negligence is an example of you using your underwear against yourself. I believe that's what we call 'self-sabotage'.

1/2

[oren]

. . . .

It's late. No more flirting. Classes tomorrow.

[infusion]

[Iona sputters as she stands up running her hands through her hair.]

The hell kind of flirting was that?!

Ugh, and class is at 9 AM too...!

[pragnanz]

[ Claude doesn't even flinch: all he does is quirk his lips upward just a fraction as he watches Iona move through the room. ]

Ah, I'm being a nuisance again. Please, do go sleep.

[oren]

[The young witch grimaces at Claude, gives Gus a goodnight and stalks off to bed. Oren watches her go off and then makes his way to the couch, sitting near Gus, placing his hands on his knees.]

Tease everyone that way?

[pragnanz]

[ Claude takes his station against the wall, arms folded and still slightly inscrutable, if only because he has a feeling he should be more careful with his words around Oren. ]

If they give me an opening, yes.

[oren]

[He's probably got the right idea.]

She might actually retaliate. Doesn't like sitting back.

[pragnanz]

She already has, hasn't she? I'm surprised my nose is still intact, after all her abuse.

[ Deflection skills: expert. ]

[oren]

Cheeks are next. Be prepared.

[Sounds like someone's been through something similar.]

[pragnanz]

In that case, I'll be nothing but sugar to her. I'm rather attached to the shape of my face.

[oren]

[Oren closes his eyes for a second and then opens them again to glance at Gus, tinkering with the modern tech.

What he says next is somewhat...]

No one else is there?

[pragnanz]

[ ...Yes, color Claude lost. ]

In...?