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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]

I could fuss, but I've had a few strange and wild Fridays every now and then. [Iona's been getting the full college experience after all!]

Probably nothing on the level of what goes on in there though... Unless you count having to save a friend from being abducted by supernatural forces in Las Vegas as pretty out there.

[YEAH, IT KIND OF IS]

[pragnanz]

[ He stares at her blankly, because he only understands approximately 50% of what she just said. ]

I'll take your word for it.

[ he could try to sound more impressed... ]

1/2

[infusion]

[Oops, awkward pause there and for a moment, she looks confused, but than realizes...]

Oooh, yeah. Las Vegas doesn't exist yet.

[oren]

Also known as, "Sin City."

[Helpful interjection by your local golem. Iona's eyes light up with an idea, but Oren's already prepared.]

Not taking them there.

[pragnanz]

Every city is 'Sin City', if you know the right place to look.

[ He says so definitively, matter-of-factly, before turning on his heels. ]

—Do try not to be a further bad influence on Auguste.

[infusion]

[She's about to correct him (because seriously, Las Vegas), but Oren passes a look along to her, one that carries more weight than words and Iona quietly concedes.

Oren's told her how Berna sees a little of herself in Iona and it's times like these where it shows; the element of trouble excited the both of them and turning it around to make it theirs was something that they both enjoyed in their own way. But it wasn't a good thing when all's said and done.

Her golem stops every once and a while, glancing around. While she's not afraid of leaving him behind, it does make one wonder...]

Oren?

"Making sure there's no one searching around."

Well, we should be fine on that front, right...?

[pragnanz]

[ That seems to remind Claude of the communicator that he's muted, and he reaches inside his jacket pocket to check its status. ]

Ah, no. There are some people who've linked me to our little incident.

[ aka seen him trailing Iona and Gus, thus opening the way for questioning. ]

But there should be very little incident if you stay invisible. Yes?

[infusion]

For the most part.

[There's a pause from Iona, but she decides to go on and ask anyways.]

Do people keep trying to buy you off, even before we showed up?

[pragnanz]

Constantly. Logically speaking, I should be the one most likely to turn tail.

[ His tone is flippant, as light as his footsteps taking him down the street. ]

Does that surprise you?

[infusion]

... I think so.

[She puts her hands behind her back, tilting her head quizzically at Claude.]

But it's not confusing.

[pragnanz]

Mm. But this is likely one place your nose should stay out of— hasn't Oren warned you enough?

[ Read: 'do you really want to know about all of this messy business'.

The topic has him slightly more aware of the people around him, not that anyone can tell that he's around— glimpses of dark jackets or impatient feet that tap a little too loudly against cobblestone. ]

1/2

[infusion]

[She wants to retort again, wants to say something about how they already know so much about her, a witch who was supposed to keep herself and the nature of magickind a secret, so it's not like anything they tell her will be--...]

[infusion]

[... Again, Oren's sideways glance with his piercing eyes and the silent language between them reigns her in again. But she does manage...]

Well, guess how much I actually listen to him.

[... To get a jab in at Oren's expense, but hey. He's used to it.]

[pragnanz]

[ Claude isn't exactly the right person to ask to be forthright, but he does understand the hypocrisy of keeping something a secret that remains mostly public knowledge, so after a raise of a brow and a beat of silence, he concedes. ]

Not often, I imagine. [ first things first, take that Oren!! ] But to provide some clarity: me being Auguste's half-brother— not full— puts me in a position where people assume that I would fold, under the right circumstances.

They aren't exactly foolish for thinking so. Many people would.

[infusion]

[While Gus may have already told her, hearing it from Claude puts the situation in a somewhat different light, at least when it came to his personal feelings about his life in general. Iona can't extrapolate much, but things kind of made more sense with that context.]

... Hm.

No wonder why you're so annoying.

[She says while still giving him a genuine, if small, smile.]

[pragnanz]

[ His surprise only lasts for a moment: he breaks into something that echoes her smile, even if that's also brief. ]

When everyone around you is annoying, it becomes a goal to see how much more annoying you can get, in turn.

[infusion]

Since I'm a witch, I think I make quite the annoyance. I've been told as much!

[iona that's nothing to be proud of...]

[pragnanz]

Well.

You are annoying.

[ CLAUDE?! WHAT KIND OF THING IS THIS TO SAY... ]

[infusion]

You're not supposed to agree!!

[Partly joking, partly serious on her part here.]

[pragnanz]

[ Chuckling now... ]

I couldn't possibly lie to you, Miss Iona. It's one of my many virtues.

[ LIAR?! ]

[infusion]

Yeah, cause if you lie to me, I'll steal your nose for real.

[what a pair of babbies]

[pragnanz]

Your obsession of noses borders on excessive. I've a couch for you to lie on, if you feel like confessing your darker psychological workings.

[ Nerd. He turns a corner, pretends not to see that shady-looking guy definitely standing a couple houses away from his apartment. ]

[infusion]

Aren't you a surgeon? You'd be the last guy I'd go to for a psyche check.

[Shaking her head, Iona notices Oren who's steely gaze lands on the man who's standing not too far away from them.]

Looks like someone's been working overtime.

[pragnanz]

Not just him.

[ A wave of the hand, to another similarly-sketchy man lingering in another alley, and another one who thinks that hiding behind a newspaper is the best way to look Completely Discreet. ]

A chance for me to show you how popular I am, I suppose.

[infusion]

Hmmm. Well, we've been walking in plain sight for this long so we're still fine. But someone's gonna notice a door opening by itself...

[aka Claude, there's another entrance, right]