fate is a sleeping slave.

“…?” 

Though Bucciarati was still keeping up his usual demeanor, something about Abbacchio’s response seemed to bother him. Did something happen to someone else on the team? But if it was something serious, Bucciarati wouldn’t keep it from him. Most likely if something was wrong, it was a personal matter that wasn’t any of Abbacchio’s business. Better to ignore it and focus on the situation at hand. 

“I suppose you’re right,” he shrugs his shoulders, leaving it at that. “Not that the current situation is helping that. I swear, I can’t even begin to wrap my head around what’s going on here.” 

He does a quick cursory glance of the surrounding area, making sure there isn’t anyone who would listen in on the conversation. “This seems too elaborate to be a stand attack, right?” He mutters in a lowered voice. 

  bruno shuffles closer when abbacchio’s voice drops closer to a whisper, leaning in close enough to hear him perfectly. it almost feels natural to discuss the idea of this being a stand attack, one where they must keep a strategy secret in order to come out on top.

  this place, however... yeah, abbacchio’s correct. unless this power is far beyond that of even king crimson, bruno doubts someone’s stand could create a new world with so many different people. there would have to be an obvious falsehood somewhere, a weakness that they could exploit and escape to...

  ... where? where do the dead go?

  he backs up again, resting his head in his hand and letting out a sigh. this situation is entirely too complicated for him to continue dancing around the truth. bruno clears his throat and properly turns back to abbacchio, shoulders straight and lips a thin line.

   not quite Tokyo, not quite the Feudal Era, the city of Terra seems to be nestled in between for the girl almost. it had all the modern day necessities she grew up with (with some newer additions, it seemed) but had some of the charm she came to enjoy from travelling back in ancient Japan. minus the demons and the shikon jewel and all of that. the combination is what has a certain homesickness washing over her for a moment, steps halting as her gaze finds the ground. 

           was it weird to be missing two places you considered home at one? maybe. she hasn’t even been here that long but her heart is still yearning for home– for her mother, grandfather, and little brother. for sango, miroku, and shippo. for inuyasha. she missed the latter greatly and it’s hard not to let her mind drift to them in the moment of pause. 

   it’s a stranger’s voice that snaps her out of it– a good thing,she supposes. no use in spending the rest of her day wishing for home. it would do nothing for her in the end.

      “ In pairs?” he…did have a point. that warning was ever present in Kagome’s mind. a reminder to not let herself become too comfortable or at ease here. she still didn’t know what of her powers remained nor if they would even work on…whatever danger the woman had talked about. a minute longer and she’s nodding. “ You’re right. That would be a safer way to explore. I don’t mind– my name is Kagome, by the way. Kagome Higurashi. “

  it doesn’t matter how far from home he is. bruno has a duty to keep people within his reaches safe and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t carry through. passione no longer has a grip on him in this place (nor does the basic concept of death, apparently), so it’s not as if he has to watch every step he takes.

  ( no one is here to use a weakness against him. safety might be an illusion, but he’ll clutch it like a lifeline until he can find his footing. )

rumor says it was dangerous to be out after dark. natives of the land had begun to hurry their way home, closing shops and finishing their duties as the sun had barely started to even set. as it so righteously does, curiosity piqued despite the apparent consequences. as much as blake would have loved to find out just what made them so fearful, she herself had been ill equipped for the situation at hand. 

perhaps someday… but not now. not when all she had was her aura to protect her. 

though those around her may have begun to settle, she found herself standing at the mouth of the northern temple. perhaps now was not the time to try and familiar herself with the layout, even if it had been close to where she was to reside for the time being. decisions, decisions… 

@nellacerniere​

  for all these years of living a far less than luxurious life, bruno isn’t quite sure enough of his skills at the moment to risk staying outside after the sun sets for long. a known enemy is one thing, a second if they’re also a human and a bonus if they happen to be a stand-user. in this strange place, however, every strategy he could start to determine and routes to go are dust in the wind.

  thus, he keeps his wandering to only the areas close to his apartment for the time.

  “ i’m assuming you’re aware of the dangers that lurk in the dark, correct? ” bruno asks, intentionally ignoring a proper greeting to the other as he strides up near her. “ whether you’re of this world or were brought here... ”

  a pause and a small, polite smile.

       ❝ o-oh, yes ! i’m not too sure it’s useful with anything though… ❞ she grins sheepishly at bruno, hands lacing before her as she breathes out a laugh. in a city of literal magic users, something as simple as an eye power ? didn’t seem too impressive… plus, in a fight ? oh, she’d be a liability for sure ! ❝ um… i think it’d mostly be good for information sharing… ❞ ayano seems to wilt upon realizing that really ? she’d have to stand back and be protected, but she perks up soon enough, head nodding. ❝ oh, but that means if i see something, i can tell you about it ! … w-well, not tell you, because my memory is actually really bad, but… ❞ she shakes her head, cutting off her ramblings with another shy giggle. ❝ i can show it to you, is what i mean. ❞ // @nellacerniere​ 

  “ there is nothing wrong with having a non-offensive power, ” bruno answers, one hand in his pocket while the other lingers at his side. there’s no such thing as a solo fight if you have people around you physically or in some other form. “ your ability is similar to one of my subordinate’s and, from all i have seen from him, it’s incredibly valuable. ”

*    starter :      @nellacerniere .

“  the truth is, humans make terrible pigs.  ”

  “ of course they do. human beings are human beings, after all. ”

  “ ... ”

It doesn’t easily show in his normally composed demeanor, but Abbacchio can see the small chinks in Bucciarati’s armor, shoulders tensed, jaw hard set. It’s understandable, considering the extraordinary circumstances of their situations, even considering their less than typical lifestyle. Especially for someone like Bucciarati, the complete loss of control must be completely jarring. 

However, he’s quick to throw that amiable smile on his face and relax his stance. Doubtless he’s still keeping some thoughts private, but it’s still nice to see a friendly face, and Abbacchio feels himself relax in kind. 

“Not really something you could help,” he answers with a shrug. “Besides, it was only a day. I’m not that attention-starved, Bucciarati.” 

“You wouldn’t have happened to seen anyone else from the group, would you? God forbid there’s a moment of peace and quiet.” 

  only a day...?

  if anything aside from the current situation will jar him, it’s that. perhaps it was only a day; his team wasn’t in charge of trish for long, but after the encounter with the boss... well, bruno isn’t sure how well he kept up in the end.

  ( the living dead don’t exactly hold themselves to normal time standards, do they? )

  “ truly? you could have fooled me, ” bruno responds, seizing the opportunity to try and clear the air with a light tease. still, the question makes him deflate more, hand up at his shoulder to mess with the attached zipper.

@nellacerniere

runeterra is hardly repressed in terms of technological advancements;   if anything,   they’re quite renowned for their multitudes of inventions that have heightened one’s standard of the living.   in certain aspects,   what they’ve achieved in piltover would astound the people here.   the concern,   however,   is that those developments typically fall under weaponry or warfare   —   things for daily consumption are far more simpler.

or are imbued with magic   !   that’s something she can understand.   this invention,   on the other hand   …   well   …

❛   —   touching it does nothing   …   ❜   her reflection taunts her,   lips pursed into a pout,   as the blackened screen does nothing but shimmer her slightly distorted expression.   it isn’t as if she can even use her powers against the object,   given that her restrictions have somehow been simplified to shield usage only.   there are worse things to have,   she supposes,   but that’s not such a safe thought when the only weapon they’ve equipped her with is   …   well,   a stick.

❛   oh,   excuse me   !   ❜   she approaches most likely the third person she can catch here;   the first two give little assistance,   quiet apologies mumbled before quickly rushing as far away as possible.   she figures inhabitants here would be more wary of the strangers,   and she can’t blame them,   really.   but surely this person,   donned in far stranger clothing,   would be an outsider   (   outworlder   ?   out-of-world-er   ?   …   out of something-er   ?   )   and would be able to help.   ❛   i’m sorry to bother,   but er   …   how do i work this thing   —   ?   ❜

  oh, it’s the cell phone they were handed.

  bruno squints at it, glancing to the owner before removing it from her hands to study it for himself. admittedly, he only investigated it briefly before stowing it away. old habits die hard and, consequently, he isn’t all too familiar with how more up-to-date and fashionable phones function. burners have been his way of life for years now and stopping the impulse to destroy the item immediately is rough.

  regardless, that isn’t a thought to express to a stranger. bruno tips the phone back and forth, examining the buttons before pressing on them. the screen lights up and, in his shock, he nearly drops the device before his nerves react in place of fear and grip it tighter. a breath before he holds it back out to lux, the ghost of a smile quirking one edge of his lips.

@nellacerniere​ - s.c.

▖ ‘I think all of our tables are busy, can you ask someone if it’s okay to sit?’ Well, that was… pretty unjapanese. Honestly, these little things were like the great cultural shock to her. She had no problem about it, being the extroverted introvert she was, forced interactions may be awkward but they were feasible. The bat hero strolled calmly, ‘scanning’ for a candidate, sooner than later, a relatively tall man wearing what appeared to be a suit was her choice. 

❝ Excuse me, can we share the table? ❞

  if peace of mind must come in the form of spending money instantly, so be it. bruno can recover the losses at a later point he’s sure. for the duration of his stay here, he may as well find proper work to throw himself into. considering all this while at a table awaiting food is... indescribable. he’ll find the word later.

  for now, bruno listens to the girl’s request and thinks.

  bruno doesn’t have the heart to reject her.

  so, the idea of living a normal life is rocking his world a bit. bruno has settled on the couch in the living room, knees apart and elbows leading to linked hands that bridge for his chin to rest upon. this world, this strange place he has suddenly found himself in is jarring, to say the least.

  living with another person only adds to the oddities. bruno is far too used to brief locations, existing for minutes at a time and only planning in advance for operations that required such thoughts. rooms come and go, details a blur in the how they’re set or the colors or the furniture.

  stability is unfamiliar and he doesn’t know how to handle it. 

  for now, however, the click of a door draws his attention.

  “ ... you must be my roommate, ” bruno greets, pulling himself up out of the seat. he studies her with a fast eye when he approaches, attention returning to her face when he’s close enough. “ it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. ”

@nellacerniere​

The walls of Terra towered into the sky, almost as if mocking anyone who would dare to try and measure it up. Or maybe it was just an inanimate stack of stones, and Abbacchio needed something to direct his distaste at. But it seemed just as unreachable as that damn princess from that recording. Acting so goddamn high and mighty and self important. Oh sure, so concerned for the citizen’s well-being, even the unwilling residents. But hides herself behind that castle with all of her guards. But that’s to be expected, he supposed. No matter where you went, politics are politics. 

Either way, Abbacchio was on his own again. So he guessed he would have to figure what to do with himself. Or if he would have the willpower to do anything besides wallow in his self pity. 

But the sight of a prim white suit catches his eye, crossing a nearby street. It couldn’t be… Could it? But it’s unmistakable, the sleek dark hair fixed up neatly into those clips, zippers adorning an already attention-grabbing outfit… It was definitely his superior, Bruno Bucciarati. 

A relief too overwhelming for his pride to admit crashes over him like a wave. Out of any familiar faces he could encounter, Bucciarati’s is the most dependable person to be stuck with in such a bizarre situation. Frankly, he’s the only man Abbacchio could completely rely on. So while he’d usually slink away from most others, this time he straightens up and walks briskly towards the other man. 

“Bucciarati,” He addresses him as soon as he’s an appropriate distance from him, not even bothering with any usual pleasantries. 

  for once, in so long, bruno finds himself at a complete and utter loss.

  his shoulders are tense upon hearing his name and the brisk turn on his heels ought to be a telltale sign that he isn’t nearly as composed as he could be. he... shouldn’t be too surprised that abbacchio is here; neither of them made it past their mission to ensure trish’s safety after all, but bruno feels it’s a bit too much of a blessing on his end.

  as a man who failed to save one of his men and dearest companions, the guilt weighs heavily upon his heart. 

  regardless, bruno forcibly steels himself and hopes abbacchio doesn’t ask questions. a small smile crosses his lips, one hand resting against his hip as he leans. he won’t press his problems onto the man, for he’s certain that there’s a mutual understanding with all that has gone on.

  “ abbacchio, ” he greets with a light tone in equal simplicity. “ ... it’s good to see you again. how have you been holding up? i’m sorry for leaving you alone for so long. ”

  bruno’s feeling a touch mocked at the moment. from the zippers splayed out on his new bed to the restrictions he’s found on sticky fingers, he isn’t exactly in a fine mood from the get-go.

  ( not that waking up with a beating heart and blood in his veins after days and some of having neither would put him in a decent mood, but bruno isn’t going to focus on that for the time being. )

  the weather is pleasant enough and there’s a charming familiarity about the city he strides through. it’s reminiscent of a stroll through napoli minus the attention that usually comes with wandering about. what a strange sensation, that of being an unknown person, but bruno won’t argue with peace.

  ... he probably shouldn’t lose himself in thought, however.

  “ ... excuse me, ” he says, clear and loud enough to draw attention to the one he’s speaking to. “ unless my memory is failing me, i believe i saw you in the crowd of newcomers. if what the woman who spoke to us isn’t lying and this place is dangerous... traveling in pairs would be for the best. ”

  a pause. bruno’s certain he could take care of anything that came at him, but could he say the same for this girl?

  hey there guys!!! i’m erika, she / her, and my twitter can be found here! i’m 22 and vento aureo broke my spine in half and then fed my heart to the abyss, so here i am! other interests include toilet bound hanako-kun, your turn to die, bang dream and plenty of others! let’s be friends!

  as for bruno bucciarati here...

your local gang parental figure who keeps picking up stray children (and depressed goths) off the street

promoted to the rank of capo, certifying his leadership role. he does not fuck around

not above being fake nice if he needs information out of someone before kicking their ass (ask giorno)

big boss said ‘omae wa mou, shindeiru’ and bruno told him to fuck off for 16 more episodes after a killing blow

dude was undead for half the runtime and he was still a complete badass i think we should respect him