mementosola | welp.

welp.

[So. An appointed time, an appropriately neutral place and reasonably private place, decided and agreed on by both parties. Hisoka (and presumably Retsu somewhere in tow) arrived a little bit early, partially so they could try and watch Betrayal come in, but also because Hisoka is incredibly nervous. Seems like the idea this could possibly be her dad actually finally sunk in.

For once, she's actually dressed in something a little less like a country girl, although she's still pretty much completely covered. But, as it is, the efforts been made, and now she's just stirring the whipped cream melted in her hot chocolate into pretty patterns.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Enter Betrayal. It's not really something you see, at first. Sure, a man who has aged like fine wine and is in such good shape, dressed formally yet ostentatiously is plenty visible. But there's something to his presence felt. A bit of a sudden irritation, the way you subconsciously sit up in your seat to see what's going on. The light of day feels imperceptibly colder, more feeble. Nothing that couldn't logically be explained away by a master of blood magic, but still nothing approaching a good tiding.

For his part, Betrayal looks in, sees her -- and it is clear he sees her, for a good long moment -- and then steps back out, apparently needing a moment to compose himself. Ignore the laughter, Hisoka, it's not at you.]

[It's strange. Something about his magic--and he'd know immediately--well. It doesn't bounce off her, or plain doesn't work, it just...seems to bend a little. A little less harmful. A little less irritating. It's as though whatever unconscious instinct that protects her counters what he does. Like she was tailor-made to be an antidote. There's no question who's daughter she is, even if she wasn't practically a living ghost.

Y'know. Except for a couple really obvious differences.

So she's just. Gonna sit here. And be incredibly confused. Don't mind her.]

[He will head back in after a moment. And let's take a moment to appreciate the amazing thaumatechnological engineering behind Lidan for a moment; he'll take a seat across from her, and it should be clear from some few small shared characteristics there's no way he isn't her father, but they could easily pass for brother and sister. He will chuckle though, and it's strange: that insulation that protects her feels like a noise wall when her powers would touch him.]

At last, I have an answer for why they never attempted a breeding program for either of us. What good are my powers if they wouldn't work on subordinates? What if Beiwe's anxieties about her appearance bred true?

[Even deprived of the supernatural pull his voice has a quality like to it like oiled and waxed leather, his every movement, even something so gauche as leaning his cheek to knuckles and smiling, seems a thousand times rehearsed and yet completely natural. Lidan was meant, once upon a time, to be an anti-army weapon.]

Hello, dear. You can certainly imagine how surreal this is for me; I imagine it's no better for you.

[She's easy to read, even without his powers--the revelation is still a bit much for a girl who never knew either of her parents. And to him, especially, it's obvious--while the quiet pull of natural talent pushes and nudges and everyone near her, her personality is what it is because of a quiet, peaceful life, and the optimism, the kindness, it is genuine. A picture of a future all three of them were denied.]

I...no. No, it really isn't...[It takes a moment. Nearby she can hear Myoh's mocking greeting to Retsu and let's be real, she knows exactly how he'd react down to which muscles are tensing. But she breathes, exhaling out something that still clangs against Lidan's defenses--something that might calm the nerves of everyone else here.

She doesn't even know she's doing it.]

All the cliche questions someone would ask at a time like this don't really apply, do they? It's obvious you never knew I existed...that was probably deliberate on someone's part. [She shrugs, a little.] That crosses the half-dozen follow-up questions right off the list. I guess I'm mostly just...curious, about you. About m...about Beiwe.

[He closes his eyes while they talk. It's not really clear if this is meant to be a man reminiscing about someone he hasn't seen in half a lifetime, or if this is simply just the behavior of a monster pretending to be a father for a second.]

You're her spitting image, save for two things. First, you have my eyes. Not in color, but in hardness. Even a life safe out in the country, by the smell of your blood, could take that away from you. And second, Saimi was beautiful, but she was rather... lacking, in terms of female endowments, and that Eiriol wasn't drove her mad. I dare say she used a touch of her magic on you; tried to erase me, tried to fix that... she did good work.

...'Hisoka'. Her secret. [She says it pretty evenly, and fiddles with her cup, idly.]

Eiriol...I suppose that's Brigit? We heard about her escape, even in Rainhallow.

[Well that's certainly the name of a town that might not even be big enough to put on the official maps.] I suppose she'd be as twisted as you two are. You'd have to have been...All three of you were stolen, right?

[He's not wrong about her--there's something in her eyes that flashes. Sheltered and sweet, but she's never been stupid. She knows what kind of person the old king was. Besides, this is kind of obvious.]

Yes, Eiriol was Brigit, though she'd kill you where you stood if you called her that anywhere she could hear you. She wanted a clean break from it, more than even your mother did, and she got her wish, too. I would tell you to leave her alone, but you couldn't find her. Not unless she had something to say to you.

[He opens his eyes again, almost languidly, and while there's a new hard edge to his voice it is still almost a purr.]

And let me set the record clear. While none of us deserved what happened or what became of us, perhaps least of all your poor mother, you are still talking about monsters, and I want you to understand that when doing so, there are degrees by which all monsters have traded away their humanity. You're smart, and far more vicious than you would ever believe yourself capable of, but I would advise you to consider treading carefully if you wish to at all.

[She is quiet, while he speaks, and for a little while after. It seems like she's very carefully considering how to say the things she wants to say.]

...My apologies. I don't mean to be rude--no, not even to monsters. Perhaps especially not to monsters. But, please don't misunderstand. I'm not looking for parents--I never had any, never wanted for people who raised me, and I don't want or need any now. That's got nothing to do with what you are. I want to be clear on that.

[She holds his gaze, without fear--it's the kind of fearlessness that has little to do with not believing he can kill her, because she knows he can (and that he can keep doing so until it actually sticks), but because she doesn't think that being afraid of monsters really does any good, and so she's just put that aside, long ago. And then she sighs.]

I do, however, want to understand a little of what you are, because what world that is came very unceremoniously crashing into mine. I can't ask the other two...so that leaves you as the person who'd know best, why people would want to use a child you didn't know about as collateral to find you.

[He actually laughs, nearly soundlessly, almost a chuff. You'd think he was in pain or something. Maybe he's just lived too long. But he leans in and kisses her forehead.]

If I had any doubts you were really my daughter, nobody else would have the nerve. As to why they want you... you're a powerful bargaining chip. An inadvertent superweapon. You might have, in theory, had powers to negate mine -- not unheard of. And even if not, you've some of my gift, and well. I can't completely resist similar powers. You could be molded into a very effective weapon, if I didn't make a move to save you.

...What?

[Okay hold up she is very confused by everything that just happened? Especially what he's implying???]

I...what powers?

[Oh Hisoka. Come on, you're smart. You can figure that one out.]

You can heal like your mother. You seem to lack my inherent magical talent, but you mean to tell me you never once thought that it was strange that every single person you ever interacted with was predisposed to helping you? That your pet dog out there is enduring letting a wanted true shifter and one of the most wanted men in the three kingdoms walk out of here because.... what? You asked him very, very nicely a few times? Maybe sat in his lap one of those times you asked?

[He laughs, again, leaning back in his chair and leaning on his arm.]

I suppose I shouldn't be too unfair. It's like asking someone to notice their nose on their face, when our minds do everything to edit that out of our vision.

Don't call him that. [She didn't really get visibly upset until he mentioned Retsu--first really angry at what he calls him (and she looks terrifyingly like Lidan when she's angry)--and then really, really upset at the idea of what she's done. What she hissed through her teeth was immediate, and instinctual, and really, is it so surprising?

How well would he have taken if, if someone had said anything about Myoh?

It takes her a minute to wrestle everything under control. She's shaken and furious. But she's not trying to start a fight.]

...He's letting you walk out of here because he knows the same thing I do--the fastest way to deal with these--I can't actually believe for a second they're only slavers--is to ask you. And since asking is all we can actually do, it's why I'm the one sitting here talking to you, and not him.

Ahh, see? You're grasping at it. You've only got to try to really put it forward and I'm sure you'll get it to really work.

[He sighs.]

But, to return to business, you are both right. They are not just slavers. Think about it like this. The king is the most powerful man in the kingdom. Beyond that, your boy's boss, or archduke... it's hard to say. But there's people not happy with that, in this kingdom of demons, that a mortal man would command so much power. You need to get that old man to stop chasing ghosts and perhaps, consider who he hasn't quite outlived yet, that would do anything to undermine him.

In the meantime, I'll be glad to kill a few slavers for you, but think about who would want me, or someone like me, as an ace in their sleeve for that fight? Because it won't stop until then.

...[She doesn't know politics well enough to have guesses, but Myoh dropped her cup behind them, and started swearing because ow.]

Is...is she okay.

[Focus, Hisoka, do not get distracted and immediately try to heal someone--

who are we kidding. Hisokas are still Hisokas. She's already up out of her chair to make sure of it. If this means she's now basically standing right next to him, she definitely didn't notice.]

Well, even if we don't know where they are, it should be easy to find out. [A beat.] We could start with those two guys in back who are being really bad about masking their eavesdropping.

[Crash, clatter, thud. Wow, look at those people trying very hard to leave in a pointedly nonchalant way.]

Oh, they won't know anything, but it's as good a note to leave on as any. You, have fun figuring out the mystery. I'll be in touch... I heard you have my talent for cooking.

[She gets another kiss on the forehead and a hair ruffle.]

Oh, and do avoid getting pregnant by your friend there. I fear your powers as they are would give you a full-blooded lycanthrope.

WHAT.

[Oh Lidan. You know that warning isn't going to save either of them.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

welp.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject