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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]

[She blinks at his question since it was kind of weird and no one had ever asked her that before.]

We didn't get along when we first met. [Iona shrugs lightly.] But it got better. A work in progress.

[The witch smiles as Oren gives some culinary advice to the poor students who need the survival cooking skills.]

I'm pretty happy with that.

[That was Iona; someone who found the work in progress, the present moment worth living for.]

[pragnanz]

Then there's nothing to worry about.

[ A slow shrug, a careful once-over. He watches her smile, and it confirms one thing: she's someone that'll probably continue doing so. ]

You lied. You've things to look forward to.

[infusion]

Hah! You're probably right!

Kind of like how I'm looking forward to taking you two to the beach after I'm done with class. ♥

[pragnanz]

[ Promptly: ]

You must be joking.

[infusion]

There's this amazing invention called sunblock lotion so if you're scared of crisping up...

[pragnanz]

Are you so desperate to see us with our clothes off?

1/2

[infusion]

[infusion]

[Iona grabs a nearby paintbrush, loads it up with some ultramarine blue and pokes Claude's cheek with it.]

Bloop.

[pragnanz]

[ Ah...

He feels for the streak on his cheek, smears it a little when his finger gets into contact with it...

...and almost, almost sighs. ]

A silence indicates a yes.

[ He reaches, smears the blue on his thumb on her nose. ]

[infusion]

[Is this it. Is this what it comes to??]

Why are you trying to make me sound like I'm some kind of pervert weirdo?? Weirdo.

[And another streak of blue on his opposite cheek. Well, even if she isn't a perv, she sure is childish.]

[pragnanz]

[ This is it, this is what his upbringing led to.

He comes dangerously close to snorting, but holds it in before he takes the same thumb that he used to paint her nose with. this time, he runs it along her cheek. ]

Maybe your classmates would benefit from knowing how you'd like to see me and Auguste without our clothes on.

[infusion]

Honey, if I wanted a guy to take his shirt off for me, I wouldn't have to be sneaky about it.

[Iona uses cadium yellow on Claude's forehead! Direct hit!]

[pragnanz]

[ And, ah—

—blink and you'd miss it, he exhales softly and twitches his lips up in a semblance, a semblance, of a real smile. ]

Bold words.

[infusion]

[Was that just her imagination? That brief sincerity that's gone way too fast catches her off guard somewhat and she looks at him bewildered maybe even transfixed--...]

"IONA!! Why are you using my palette as face paint!?"

Oh! Sorry, sorry, I got carried away!

[Iona hops off of her seat to appease the disgruntled classmate, but not before whispering to Claude.]

Um, Oren should clean that off for you! Sorry, I got bratty there on you.

[pragnanz]

[ He slips back into distant amiability again, but not before he adds one last streak of blue on her chin. ]

No need to apologize, it's what I wanted to see.

[infusion]

Oh, c'mon!!

[She's ruffled by the extra paint on her chin, but instead of looking so, she laughs before going over to Oren and her classmates. Negativity seems to shed fast with her...]

❇ ❇ ❇

[... The rays of the afternoon sun makes the ocean sparkle at the horizon line and the air is fresh and salty at the same time.

Iona had been insistent about going to the beach especially since she had been cooped in the art studio for several hours and it's not hard to see why she'd make this place her destination. She had used magic to teleport all of them to this quiet and surprisingly empty and peaceful part of the beach where they could enjoy the view unimpeded.

She's taken off her sandals, feet digging into the sand.]

Ah. Much better!

I doubt you guys get to go to a coastline much, do you?

[effet]

[ The salt and the wind are a refreshing break— it's not often that Gus moves away from Paris, and while the Seine delivers on glittering water and romantic sunsets, there's something unique about the ocean. Sprawling and infinite.

He throws his arms out, tilts his chin up to the light. Never has he wanted to photosynthesize more than he does at this precise moment. ]

—No, this is great! Thanks, Iona.

[ And his smile is as genuine as always, big and vibrant, as he kicks off his shoes and patters towards Iona, bare feet digging in sand. ]

Come on, come here!

[infusion]

[Iona walks over to Gus, her hair flying around her shoulders so she stops to tie it up. Oren is in the distance, keeping an eye out for the both of them.]

You're still a ball of energy even after all that's happened, huh? I feel like I'm barely keeping up with you.

[effet]

It's how you have to keep on going, you know? Besides, there's too much to see— I've forgotten how to blink!

[ He takes her hand abruptly, with no warning, and starts trotting the both of them over to the water. ]

Come on, over here!

[infusion]

Ah...! Hey, let's not go too far out to the water now...!

[But Iona allows Gus to pull her along. Strange, it's usually the other way around.]

[effet]

[ He doesn't stop when he gets to the edge, and keeps plowing through—

—and he eventually lets go of Iona's hand so he can flop backwards into the water.



He's staying down for a weirdly long amount of time... ]

[infusion]

... Gus?

[Iona kneels down, tilting her head at him.]

Having fun?

[effet]

[ And, well.

Like the Loch Ness monster, one hand shoots up from the water, fumbles blindly...

...and tries to pull Iona down. ]

[infusion]

[She yells out in surprise as she's grabbed, resisting, but getting pulled in all the same. After the water washes over her she gasps for breath, shaking her head.]

Oh my god! What was that for?!

[At least she's laughing! And clearly enjoying this, it's all in good fun.

It is a good thing she is a witch sometimes because she didn't bring a change of clothes for this. (Meanwhile, Oren is watching from a distance, thinking, ah, so the date continues.)]

[effet]

Hey, you're the one that suggested we go to th—

[ And he gets a mouthful of sea water, which he promptly starts gagging on. ]

—Aughhhhhh! My throat's burningggggg!