Dust to Dust: A W2B Spinoff

Angela stormed up to Ragnelle, throwing a dirty towel at her face. "Oi! What the flippin' hell, Princess? You'll be payin' for that, you twat! You bleedin' royals and your backhanded violence!" She ranted.

You just have to make my life difficult.

Sanfar made the mistake of taking a drink right before Ragnelle's outburst, causing her to promptly spit half of said drink down onto the table in a sputtering mess. The Dreadknight took a moment to compose herself before standing up and turning to her charge. "Right then, I think that's enough festivities for you tonight, Princess." She said with a grin, trying to find a way to salvage the situation with her charge. "Perhaps we should go outside for a walk? Away from the others?" She asked.

Sanfar did well to hide it, but the sheer flow of negative emotions from Ragnelle was actually making her excited. She needed to help the princess calm down and fast, otherwise she felt as if she would turn into her monstrous form any second now.

The young man in the back sighs. "Real good emotional control."

Holding his hand out toward the flaming chair, water from the man's canteen slowly levitates toward the burning furniture. However, upon seeing it put out, he manipulates the water back into his canteen.

edited 27th Nov '15 9:01:07 PM by ZenithBloodedge

It was at this time that a newcomer showed up at the bar. A massive figure was at the entrance, one so tall that its head could not be seen. Every inch of its frame bulged with muscle, such that it looked like it could tear its way out of the formal clothes it wore at any time. Its brawny arms opened the door with ease. If it so pleased, it could even rip the door off of its hinges and snap it in half. Indeed, the stranger looked like a figure of unparalleled power. Surely, this had to have been an incredible warrior of no little repute.

And then the figure bent down to reveal a woman's face, smiling adorably in all its shark toothed cuteness.

"Hello! Fun time at wedding?" The titan gave a little wave at the people in the bar, before she looked closer at what was going on. A beat passed as she took in everything, and then....

"Silly! Cooking fires need logs!" She laughed, lumbering over towards the smouldering chair. Oh, Fevrier. She really couldn't read the situation, could she?

"I'll just ignore them, like I always do—" Vlad started to say, before Elle spat out how she had… with Ahyad…

Figures. Just fucking figures. I'm working up my nerves to tell her how I feel, and this guy I barely even know has already become quite intimate with her. I can't believe it—

He was snapped out of his thoughts as the princess set her chair on fire. Damn it, I need to stop brooding.

“Elle, are you going to be alright?” Vlad asked, not wanting to press the whole Ahyad issue in the process of calming her down.

edited 28th Nov '15 7:28:06 AM by Aquatica1000

Wayne nodded at Arrluk, a little annoyed at the memories of the narwhal Faunus annoying him with cheap strikes when they learned combat together at Mantle.

As if I'd compare his strikes to Elle's. When Tempestas asked him how he was feeling, Wayne sighed contemplatively as he turned his attention to his human countryman.

"I was doing just fine until I saved the king's life this summer, walking through Remnant and continuing my research. Since then I've been here, preparing myself for this wedding. I've even met Princess Arturia herself. She is a fine woman to marry, but...I'm not sure if I'm worth her time."

And then Elle set a chair on fire, drawing Wayne's attention with the smell of smoke and the sound of strange words. The flames were put out quickly, but that simply meant he could now focus on the adventuring princess' words as he turned to look at her.

"So you're not...?" He felt that finishing that question would get him set ablaze in turn, so he let the second half of that sentence hang in the air like a vulture.

Arrluk sighed and flipped a catch on his gauntlet, angling it down to ensure nobody would get hurt. The small tool attached to it extended in an instant, a stylish cane slotted into the gauntlet by the head. Arrluk popped it off and kept it over his lap as he watched Ragnelle leave impassively.

"And here we see the drawback of an open invitation. One wonders if that knight's really her guard, or ours." He popped open a pocket on his belt and started fishing around in it. "I was going to give this to you at the wedding, but I think you might need it now." He retrieved a curved section of whalebone the length of Wayne's index finger, sharpened to a point and decorated with irregular geometric patterns, and set it in front of him. "With the witch around, any bit of protection counts, I would like to think. And again, if not as a mystical shield, then as an improvised weapon, just in case."

He swung an arm around to the guy who was a little late on putting out the fire. "Aren't you a fisherman as well? I think I recognize you from a few operations I've done over the years. Do you take stock in the Scrimshaw?"

"Hm, that is most interesting, Wayne.", Tempestas said before his attention turned to Elle's little outburst. He quirked an eyebrow at the chair that was set ablaze and promptly extinguished, turning his head towards the princess.

"Forgive me, Elle, but I doubt we all need to hear of your...escapades.", he said, clearing his throat as he spoke.

The young man rubs his chin for a few seconds. Turning to Arrluk, he shrugs, saying "I believe I bought some before. I'm not sure."

edited 27th Nov '15 9:41:05 PM by ZenithBloodedge

"Well, they make great gifts, and, I repeat," He brought a hand back to gesture at Wayne, "excellent weapons. There are a lot of Grimm out there that mess with your head." Arrluk's trinkets shook lightly as he patted them. "It helps to have a higher power to appeal to sometimes, even if it's just the residual energies of a whale you speared when you were twelve. Wayne, are you getting married under a specific church? I mean, we all know it's a politicized wedding, but you know what I mean."

The young man puts down his drink. Looking at Arrluk, he says " You forget significant. It's not everyday that a woman from Vale and a man from Mantle are married. Especially when that woman is royalty."

edited 27th Nov '15 9:45:06 PM by ZenithBloodedge

"Yes, that will be enough." He nodded at Sanfar and shuffled himself off his chair, only reacting to Elle's outburst with a cocked eyebrow.

"Should we go both?" He asked the black knight, somewhat happy that a topic has found itself to avoid talking about... some awkward situations. It was bad enough that the entire Bird of Prey knew of Elle's.

Well, this just turned into a gigantic clusterfuck. Elle was now fighting back a giant migraine. Dustdamn, bad enough that she just spat out her biggest shame, but now there was a huge scene.

Now, how to fix this?

First, she grabbed Riko by the shoulders and manually hauled her up to her feet.

"None of that shit, I should be the one apologizing to you! I'm sorry I worried you."

Next, she intercepted Angela's thrown towel, catching it with her hands.

"I'm sorry! But, hey, it was put out, okay? Let's just call it quits!"

Finally, she sighed. "I'm fine. I don't need to leave. Just let me finish my fucking beer in peace."

"...well this is going swimmingly." He grunted in response, downing the rest of his water and putting the mug away. "I still think we should all tone down on ale, just so Her Majesty doesn't have a lousy public tomorrow."

Riko stood, meek in posture and held by the shoulders between Ragnelle's arms. "It is my fault," she said, quietly averting her eyes. "I should not have pressed you. I did not even heed teacher Shirobara's warnings."

She adjusted her collar and attempted a braver face.

"I am fine," she said. "I do not wish to concern you with my petty worries. You...you were the first to consider me a comrade and companion, so I..." Riko shook her head. "Nevermind."

She turned to the bartender and bowed low. "I apologize for any damages I am indirectly responsible for," she said. She stood. "Er—would you—a drink for the master, would you please?"

"I said I wasn't going to get drunk, Teacher. I'm not sone lightweight, give me some benefit of the doubt here." Ragnelle grumbled to Benedict.

But then, Riko broke free from her grasp and Elle watched her with a small frown.

Alright, now she was the one worried. Ri was usually the calm one that reined her in. Seeing her like this felt wrong.

"Hey..."

She clapped a hand on Ri's shoulder. She would have tried for a hug, but she was shit at that.

"Don't beat yourself up. You did nothing wrong."

She smiled.

"We're friends. And friends worry about each other, you know?"

Yeah. Friends. Elle never really had any while growing up, so she'll be damned before she let the ones she had now get upset.

"Just worried, is all." He grunted with a small smile, glancing briefly at Riko. It seemed like Elle might have more suitors than she'd suspected.

"...actually. Can I talk with you somewhere more private? If you can spare me a couple minutes, of course."

Tempestas 22

If Angela were to look at the bar, there would be a small stack of coins in compensation for the damaged furniture, one of which had a center of glowing Dust.

Over the commotion, Benkei scanned the denizens of the bar, lingering briefly over a couple of knights, on of whom the tall warrior might have recognized before seeing Ragnelle help a bowed Riko up off the floor.

There was a pang of envy in his chest. If only she'd been around during the growing years. The spirits only knew how difficult it had been during the flowering of Mordred's daughter.

But when Benedict asked if his master would consent to a private meeting, Benkei turned the full force of his dark blue eyes upon him. Then giving him a terse nod. Benedict Remington could be trusted.

edited 28th Nov '15 7:19:03 AM by KR_Vandal

Arrluk paused and eyed the other Huntsman for a moment, then extended his hand. "My name is Arrluk. It's nice to meet you." He hoped that would be enough; this man was a Human, and of course if he wasn't perfectly accommodating and assimilated there'd be hell to pay. Wayne, he could get away with his ire since the man was bound by a code of conduct, but the humans from wilder parts of Remnant were both closer and further from him; they shared solidarity in background in class, but could also get away with so much more than him. After Ragnelle's outburst, which she got away with, including her bodyguard paying for it, the precedence was set for violence. That, or Arrluk was reading too much into everything for lack of other things to engage him.

Riko was unused to physical gestures of intimacy, but seemed to brighten up when Ragnelle held her shoulder again.

"You are far too lenient with me," she said. "And your companionship has done more for me than anything else. It was, unfortunately, lonely being a Nishiki. Thank you, Elle."

She returned Ragnelle's smile. Riko's smiles were remarkably genuine for someone who had been taught to smile artificially.

"And I can vouch for your alcohol tolerance," she said, and she glanced to Benkei, "—as can teacher Shirobara."

edited 28th Nov '15 7:45:45 AM by opnerf

Common sharks were drawn by the scent of blood. But this one, unfortunately enough, was drawn by scenes of kindness. Unaware of her transgression, the titan gave a big, sharp toothed smile as she lumbered over.

"Oh, nice person! Elle, your name is? Must be Ragnelle, princess of the kingdom! And Riko, must be friend of Ragnelle! Fevrier is pleased to meet you!"

Sharks didn't have much in the way of etiquette. Fevrier, in particular, wasn't quite a stickler for manners. Of course, what she did have was a lot of friendliness. Just by seeing her demeanour, everybody watching knew what was going to happen next.

"Riko is cheered up by Elle, but Fevrier will help. Many years of happiness for you two!"

Sharks could be very fast in bursts. In the blink of an eye, one could snatch up its prey in its jaws. Fev was only different in the sense that she hugged instead of bit. With each person in each arm, Fevrier mashed both princess and bodyguard against her chest as she tried to hug the sadness out of them.

Sanfar visibly relaxed as she listened to her charge and watched how she reacted to the situation. She couldn't help but smile as she comforted Riko. The black armored knight chided herself for how she had reacted, and so suddenly too. "Alright, if you wish, Ragnelle, I still think a walk would do some good." She said with a nod.

She was coming down off her high, it had been a mistake to leave her semblance activated, she should have expected this from her charge, really. Even so, she didn't want to chance anything.

And then the shark girl snatched both Ragnelle and Riko up in the most vicious hug she had ever seen.

Sanfar fought the urge to laugh and failed, a snort of laughter coming from the dark skinned woman as she watched.

Tempestas 22

Already on his guard in the crowded common room, the tall man's senses were seeking out potential threats to his master's being. Combining the sudden approach and extroverted manner of the newcomer, Fevrier, Benkei was already on edge.

When she picked up both his master and Riko and smooshed them into a hug... Enough was enough.

With eye-blurring speed, as Sanfar laughed, Benkei snatched both the smaller girls out of her grasp and replaced Ragnelle on her seat. Before he stood to bar Fevrier's way in case of a second attempt, his huge fingers gently smoothed any creases on the clothes of his charge and his junior.

The alacrity of his movements carried shades of the warrior Benkei must've been when he'd ridden across the plains of Vacuo so many years ago.

edited 28th Nov '15 7:42:09 AM by KR_Vandal

The young man extended his hand and shook Arrluk's. "I'm Kraken. Nice to meet you too." Reclining in his seat, he asked "Anyway, where are you from?"

"Mantle, but only barely." Arrluk replied. "A village out on the border glaciers, too small to merit attention from the Grimm, or from lawmen and tax collectors. I left to make sure we still weren't a threat, and in that wandering I met Wayne." He tilted his head. "It's a long story, perfect to tell at the reception. Do you know Wayne yourself? I've seen you in that passive way Huntsmen catch glances of each other but I admit I have no actual idea of who you are."