#idealflames

Ramuda giggled as he picked up the flashlight and the spirit box. This all seemed incredibly silly, he’d realized -- but he was excited to go and try to ‘hunt’ ghosts in his costume. He wasn’t sure what effects the candies would have on him but he did like the vibe this little devil outfit gave off.

Eyes flicked between the flashlight and the man to his left. It was better to go in teams, right?

          taking a breath, she does her best to relax even the slightest, tugging him along to a small blanket she had prepared beforehand for the two. ❝ Over here, Percival. I even asked for some special desserts, ❞ she speaks, noting the various french pastries sprawled out, maybe more in the hopes it might help ease her racing heart. letting go of his hand, she plops herself down well enough, glancing up at some of the comets passing through. just like you rehearsed at home, jeanne, she thinks momentarily before finally speaking.

          ❝ ... it’s beautiful, isn’t it? Even back home in Paris, things like this weren’t a common sight... ❞ she recalls, trying to remember if there was anything similar to such a thing. ❝ Percival, what do you think about us---? ❞ a pause, realizing the fumble of words, far beyond what she had meant to say.  ❝ !!?! Wait! I-I meant this! This!! Yes, that is exactly what I was trying to say. What I mean to say is what do you think about this!? ❞ great, so much for all that practice.

Yawning, Threo buries her axe in the trunk of a tree before clambering up to its branches. Her tummy is full and there’s not a single concern in her head, so this looks like an excellent time for a nice nap. After she wakes up, she can eat more food and do it all again.

This island isn’t so bad, she thinks as she nestles herself in the crook of a branch. Sure, she’s not as strong, but there’s lots of yummy food and nice people here, and if there’s some people who aren’t nice she can just destroy them. As a gentle breeze caresses Threo’s face, she thinks that maybe this island will be alright for a little bit, and slips into sleep.

Two minutes later, the branch snaps, sending the girl plummeting back down to the ground. Groaning, she pulls twigs and leaves her her hair before turning her ire on the tree. “Hey! C’mon, why’d you do something like that? I wasn’t hurting you, was I? I’ll just find somewhere else to go...”

Threo retrieves her axe from the tree with a huff, but as soon as she pulls the weapon free, a cracking sound can be heard as the tree topples over. Threo stands there, wide-eyed, tool in hand, before laughing. “Oops! Guess it was a really weak tree after all! My bad!”

                                                 this was not her parents, rather...

                    it would be a shame, finding out. after all                     your hard work? but if you tell me that                     name of yours, i can grant your wish...

          frozen, the voice of a lord mimicked so well, which freezes her blood so deeply none would think her to be the renown hellfire witch. fingers clasp around her gauntlet, keeping herself standing as she listens to the temptation. no, even now she’s far too aware of what this is---a threat, veiled subtly under the sweet seduction of a wish to make it not happen. how much of her life has been dictated by such things? coerced into a role that receives relentless hatred for sins she has never committed, cornering her every which way she turns.

          ❝ ? Don’t... do that. ❞ there is no elaboration of if she means outing her secret or using his voice like that. ❝ I--- ❞

So, she might not have been flying a kite by definition, but she was having an awful amount of fun guiding water through the air in the form of a bird. She even had it holding a piece of string! For effect! But alas, she’d a little too enthusiastic and her watery creation had collided with another kite and brought it crashing down in a watery mess. Surfing on a small cascade she came right over.

“Oh no, I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

That raised voice is accompanied by the sudden weight of a bird atop the stranger’s head, beak quickly picking at red strands with interest while little feet tangle themselves up with hops.

The sound of quickly crunching snow precedes its sudden removal, coupled with angry coos and the briefest flapping of wings as the animal’s caretaker rushes to capture and contain his pet between two broad hands.

“I’m terribly sorry!“

“This little Engel has been making ein nuisance of himself all day.“ Ludwig’s sentence is punctuated by yet more cooing and feathered struggles. “You cannot go bothering strangers, mein Leibling.“

the snow was deeper than anticipated. 

what she had previously believed to be a rather generous, but more importantly still a navigatable layer of snow, had quickly shown its true colors and proven itself to be a formidable foe. when she had deigned it right to dive right in to the snow to begin having some fun, she had been surprised to find that it reached her waist, effectively trapping her entire lower body within. a mistake, but not something she could take back. thankfully, a familiar face showing up at the opportune moment brought with it the budding hope of freedom. 

‘ percival, hello! nice weather, huh? ’ 

     “O-oh, I’m so sorry, I-- hold on--” She scrambles to take off her mask, nearly snagging her glasses in the process. After a huff of fresh air, she continues. “I’m so sorry for staring, it’s just... do I know you from somewhere? You seem so familiar...”