accordancy | ❦ 01

[though it very much seems otherwise, he knows that it can't actually be a dream because of how immediately and distinctly not right he feels upon finding himself in this decadent little room. Doing his best to remain calm, he pokes around, finding an exceedingly strange book with his name on it, peeking through drawers and listening for sounds. Eventually, his search leads him out into hall of faceless doorways, down some stairs, and into a sprawling lobby. Just wandering, hypersensitive and quiet, until he hopefully walks into something that makes some sense. Just stay calm...

He finally stops when he reaches a window, staring--a little shellshocked--at nothing but fog. ...And there he stays for some time, silent in deeply unsettled thought.

Finally, he suddenly remembers the book in his hands. It gives him something to fiddle with, fidgeting with the little clockwork gears until something finally clicks into place and the thing falls suddenly open]

...That seems a bit much.

[and the book helpfully jots down his words for him]

--Oh.

[there is no way this could be a good sign]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Let's see...

Where do you come from?

The mountains of Westbreach.

Were you born in the city, or the countryside?

Countryside.

Mmm. Any siblings?

A few.

[that's actually precisely the sort of answer he was expecting. It makes that smile of his twitch a little bit]

If you had to spend many years in one place, would you rather it be... [hmm, let him think for a moment] deep in the forest, high on a mountaintop, along some distant beach, in a bustling city, or... let's say, in a desert?

The mountaintop.

I see.

[and then, at this question, his smile sharpens just a bit]

And what are your thoughts on fate, my dear?

Fate is a complicated subject. Though I believe it is something that can dangerous to ignore.

[narrowing his eyes a little, picking apart her answer]

...How old are you?

Have you not been taught it is rude to ask a woman her age? Old enough.

Mhmm...

[he could maybe just guess now, since she's answered 'correctly' to every question so far, but... nothing has answered any of the things that confuse him. So...]

What is your most precious possession. If there was one object that you would never let someone take away from you, what would it be?

A dagger.

[ahaha... prepared to be surprised, then--]

Does it happen to be a jeweled one?

...Yes.

[this is both encouraging and infuriating, and it shows in the frustrated twist of his smirk.]

...I suppose I could ask if you enjoy flying, but that might be a little too straightforward for the spirit of this game, hmm?

Quite. But while I am still being honest, you would be correct if you asked such a question.

[that confirmation causes his smirk to crack into something more like an agitated sneer, edging a little closer as if he might be able to smell the answer on her]

Then that leaves only the question of why can't I sense you...

I could ask you the same.

[...hmm. Not what he expected.

He frowns and shifts back a little, giving her a little space]

What do you mean?

You're... Different. An anomaly. Only your scent bares some semblance of familiarity.

[his mouth presses flat in thought for a moment. Mentally warring over what would and would not be smart to say. But, for all the surreality of this situation, he's finding his perturbed curiosity winning out over everything else.

Finally, he loops a finger under the decorative chain around his neck, and fishes out the pendant that hangs from it-- a gem shaped like an inverted teardrop, glimmering strangely in the indoor light]

You have something like this, yes?

No, I'm afraid I don't. What is it?

[the thing practically lives with energy. It invisibly crackles with it, sticking eagerly to her own when she comes in contact with it.

He doesn't let her inspect it for long however, pulling it away and dropping it back into his shirt as soon as she shows no signs of recognition.

...This doesn't make any sense. Of all things, this should be one thing that she's familiar with, and the fact that she isn't sets him even more on edge.

It's his turn to be wary, now]

Hmm. ...Maybe this guessing game is not one that I can win after all.