He fights against the Riven forces, trying to protect his nation. Still, he knows this is a fruitless endeavour—they lack the might to compete against Riven. And, true to his prediction, they lose this war. Your comrades die for nothing, but perhaps it is a small mercy to die for your cause than to be left behind.
Riven takes over. What was your country is no more, held only together by its shambles. As Riven, as commanded by its king, goes on to conquer more, your country has been left in the dust. With no army left to fight for, you and Yuri fall into poverty. Life is difficult, as the two of you try to get by. Hunger claws at your bellies, and despair begins to creep in your mind.
The thought leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but ultimately, you resort to banditry. What other choice do you have, to keep your sister fed? You're not proud at all, using your skills to prey on those even more disadvantaged than you. Shame fills you every day, when you see the fear and contempt in people's eyes. This was never what you wanted to do with your life.
Yuri finds out, and finally, it's too much. You decide to do better, even if it means starting from the ground up again. With some luck, you manage to enlist in Riven's army, especially with a display of your skill. Those from your homeland might consider your act an betrayal—siding with the reason your home is gone—but you must do what it takes to survive, for you and Yuri both.
Gregor wakes up, in the army barracks.
It's been a week, so Ichiban should be back now. Gregor steps out to find him, heading into a hallway where a few of his fellow soldiers and other servants scurry round. A girl in pigtails is among them, as she gives Gregor a little wave.
[he wakes with a start-- quiet, not gasping or crying out, but with a jolt nonetheless. maybe that could've been called a nightmare, remembering it all over again, but...
it's a reminder too, he thinks, as he evens out his breathing. of what he doesn't want to do again. how he doesn't want to end up. what he needs to keep doing for her sake, if not his. if she ever looks at him again the way that she did when she found out how he'd been feeding them back then-- how is he going to live?
gregor dresses and heads out, but the girl with pigtails catches his attention with that wave. he can spare a minute to talk, giving her a wave back. we're gonna >inquire her.]
[The girl is happy to talk, but not too happy because she knows you're not rich, Gregor.
Soldier, Anise
A teenage girl, serving as a squire for Ichiban. She originally hails from a nation that's since been conquered by Riven, so she can relate to Gregor's situation, even if they're not from the same homeland. For some reason, she's out to marry into a rich family. Unfortunately for her, the prince and only child of Riven vanished a while back, meaning that he's no longer a viable option. She's looking for a wealthy noble in the army now, but King Riven's tendency to promote based on merits rather than origins makes it difficult—Ichiban isn't an option due to his commoner roots.
Hi, Anise. You know where I can find him? Got a delivery to make while he's here.
[look, even if she's not Too happy because of his status, that's fine. he's not sure how he'd feel about being pursued... he gets along with her well enough, though.]
[I will be a horribly OOC Ichiban, I'm sorry. But when Gregor enters, he will see a humble, if gaudy-looking military office. If Hawaiian was an aesthetic that existed here, you get the feeling that this office would be it.
Ichiban, looking as friendly and full of life as ever, waves him over.]
Ohhh, that's some good stuff. Hermann sure knows her wine. Well, no reason to wait...
[Ichiban reaches into his desk and rummages a bit. he takes out one glass, placing it on his desk, before he goes back to rummaging. Then, he frowns and slaps his forehead.]
... Aw, man. I forgot I lent my second glass to someone. You mind if I give this a try right now? You can have some after, if you don't mind sharin' the one cup.
[Ichiban coughs harder, as this time flecks of blood fly out of his mouth. It doesn't stop, either, until he clutches his throat, his eyes wide. And then, after a few moments, his eyes roll back and he collapses onto his desk.
No- hey, come on, no, no, you can't.... Ichiban...
[oh, fuck.
gregor isn't stupid. his mind is immediately racing-- something was wrong with it, and he never unsealed the bottle, but he's the one who was holding onto it after she gave it to him and who's gonna believe his word over someone like hermann, anyway, if she sacrifices him? how could-- everyone likes ichiban, she's helped gregor out, he trusted her, ichiban's dead, he's dead, what are they going to do?
god, what about yuri.
...he can call for help, but he thinks he knows how that's going to go unless hermann takes up for him. he can--
if he finishes the glass himself, will they think they were both killed? will that be enough for someone to take care of yuri, instead of casting her out for being unlucky enough to be his sister? or will it just be a murder, after which he took himself out? he doesn't--
he doesn't know what to do. what the right answer is. he checks ichiban's pulse, his hand trembling, and prays he somehow feels something there.]
[Well. He can try finishing the glass, if he so wishes (which is to say OOCly I can work with it). As he checks Ichiban's pulse, he finds nothing. Just one very, very still body.
In the time it takes him to do this, though, the noise from Ichiban's collapse has drawn attention. A soldier bursts into the room.]
Captain—!?
[He stares at, from his perspective, what looks to be Captain Ichiban collapsed at his desk with blood from his mouth, and someone who hasn't built up enough trust standing over his body.]
he can't. he just can't. maybe he'll live to regret knowing what comes of this, but trying to die with his captain-- he'd be running away and leaving it all on her shoulders, no matter what. gregor can't do that to her.]
Help-- we have to get help, he's-- what do we do.
[desperate-- help won't do anything, he knows. ichiban is gone. but he still doesn't know the answer.]
[Gregor goes along with the soldier peacefully, as he's led to the gaols for now. The soldier has his weapon pointed at Gregor the entire way, not willing to let him out of his sight until he's locked behind bars. Then, he leaves to alert someone else of the situation—
Swiftly and silently, Sinclair appears, incapacitating the soldier before doing the same with the prison guard. As he rummages through the guard's pocket for the keys, steps echo in the gaols, marking the presence of someone else coming down the stairs.
Hermann emerges, looking calmly at Sinclair.]
Good work, Sinclair. [Then, at Gregor.] And you as well of course, Gregor.
... I'm sorry, Gregor. I... I can't disobey her orders.
[Meanwhile, Hermann is completely unfazed.]
Yes, and you did your task well, apart from a deviation or so on that man's part. But I can't have you rotting in here—who knows what you'll tell them when interrogated, after all.
You were-- you were just using me this whole time, weren't you? To get to him. Carry this out without having to get your own hands dirty. You can't just get away with this, Hermann-
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
GREGOR
But even in his dream, he is dreaming.
Riven takes over. What was your country is no more, held only together by its shambles. As Riven, as commanded by its king, goes on to conquer more, your country has been left in the dust. With no army left to fight for, you and Yuri fall into poverty. Life is difficult, as the two of you try to get by. Hunger claws at your bellies, and despair begins to creep in your mind.
The thought leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but ultimately, you resort to banditry. What other choice do you have, to keep your sister fed? You're not proud at all, using your skills to prey on those even more disadvantaged than you. Shame fills you every day, when you see the fear and contempt in people's eyes. This was never what you wanted to do with your life.
Yuri finds out, and finally, it's too much. You decide to do better, even if it means starting from the ground up again. With some luck, you manage to enlist in Riven's army, especially with a display of your skill. Those from your homeland might consider your act an betrayal—siding with the reason your home is gone—but you must do what it takes to survive, for you and Yuri both.
Gregor wakes up, in the army barracks.
It's been a week, so Ichiban should be back now. Gregor steps out to find him, heading into a hallway where a few of his fellow soldiers and other servants scurry round. A girl in pigtails is among them, as she gives Gregor a little wave.
> Inquire anyone
> Move along]
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it's a reminder too, he thinks, as he evens out his breathing. of what he doesn't want to do again. how he doesn't want to end up. what he needs to keep doing for her sake, if not his. if she ever looks at him again the way that she did when she found out how he'd been feeding them back then-- how is he going to live?
gregor dresses and heads out, but the girl with pigtails catches his attention with that wave. he can spare a minute to talk, giving her a wave back. we're gonna >inquire her.]
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Soldier, Anise
Anise smiles.]
Hi, Gregor! Looking for the captain?
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[look, even if she's not Too happy because of his status, that's fine. he's not sure how he'd feel about being pursued... he gets along with her well enough, though.]
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[Do armies like these have offices for their captains? It's fine, they do now.]
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[anise gets a little wave as he heads off for ichiban's office, bringing the bottle hermann had given him along-- he pauses at the door, knocking.]
Captain, sir? It's Gregor.
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[I will be a horribly OOC Ichiban, I'm sorry. But when Gregor enters, he will see a humble, if gaudy-looking military office. If Hawaiian was an aesthetic that existed here, you get the feeling that this office would be it.
Ichiban, looking as friendly and full of life as ever, waves him over.]
Whadya need, my man?
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[setting the bottle carefully on his desk...
he has guarded this damn thing with his life because it's probably worth more than anything he owns if it's nice wine.]
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[Ichiban reaches into his desk and rummages a bit. he takes out one glass, placing it on his desk, before he goes back to rummaging. Then, he frowns and slaps his forehead.]
... Aw, man. I forgot I lent my second glass to someone. You mind if I give this a try right now? You can have some after, if you don't mind sharin' the one cup.
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[jan you're scaring me im so afraid right now but gregor has NO reason to be. go for it mr ichiban.]
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Ichiban pours a drink, before taking a sip.]
How's Yuri doin' these days?
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[why would i not be scared jan.]
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She's always sounded like a sweet girl from what you've told me, so that ain't a surprise.
[
Anyway, he starts coughing.]
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[gregor hurries to his side when he starts coughing, concerned.]
You good? Went down wrong...?
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[Ichiban coughs harder, as this time flecks of blood fly out of his mouth. It doesn't stop, either, until he clutches his throat, his eyes wide. And then, after a few moments, his eyes roll back and he collapses onto his desk.
He is not moving.]
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[oh, fuck.
gregor isn't stupid. his mind is immediately racing-- something was wrong with it, and he never unsealed the bottle, but he's the one who was holding onto it after she gave it to him and who's gonna believe his word over someone like hermann, anyway, if she sacrifices him? how could-- everyone likes ichiban, she's helped gregor out, he trusted her, ichiban's dead, he's dead, what are they going to do?
god, what about yuri.
...he can call for help, but he thinks he knows how that's going to go unless hermann takes up for him. he can--
if he finishes the glass himself, will they think they were both killed? will that be enough for someone to take care of yuri, instead of casting her out for being unlucky enough to be his sister? or will it just be a murder, after which he took himself out? he doesn't--
he doesn't know what to do. what the right answer is. he checks ichiban's pulse, his hand trembling, and prays he somehow feels something there.]
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In the time it takes him to do this, though, the noise from Ichiban's collapse has drawn attention. A soldier bursts into the room.]
Captain—!?
[He stares at, from his perspective, what looks to be Captain Ichiban collapsed at his desk with blood from his mouth, and someone who hasn't built up enough trust standing over his body.]
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he can't. he just can't. maybe he'll live to regret knowing what comes of this, but trying to die with his captain-- he'd be running away and leaving it all on her shoulders, no matter what. gregor can't do that to her.]
Help-- we have to get help, he's-- what do we do.
[desperate-- help won't do anything, he knows. ichiban is gone. but he still doesn't know the answer.]
Hermann, where's the Vice-Captain--
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[The soldier takes out his weapon and points it in Gregor's direction, because it looks an awful lot like Gregor here killed Ichiban.]
You're—you're under arrest for treason!
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[he wouldn't do this. he never wanted this, none of it.
gregor remains still, as demanded. he doesn't feel like he can move yet anyway. after the initial panic--
he feels a little numb, still looking at ichiban's body.]
I'll go with you, all right, I don't-- I don't want any more trouble than we've already got.
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Swiftly and silently, Sinclair appears, incapacitating the soldier before doing the same with the prison guard. As he rummages through the guard's pocket for the keys, steps echo in the gaols, marking the presence of someone else coming down the stairs.
Hermann emerges, looking calmly at Sinclair.]
Good work, Sinclair. [Then, at Gregor.] And you as well of course, Gregor.
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[ah. that's a little better-- he no longer feels that numbness, after that. the anger does a good job of replacing it.
turning to sinclair-]
Sinclair, you can't-- don't tell me you knew.
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... I'm sorry, Gregor. I... I can't disobey her orders.
[Meanwhile, Hermann is completely unfazed.]
Yes, and you did your task well, apart from a deviation or so on that man's part. But I can't have you rotting in here—who knows what you'll tell them when interrogated, after all.
So, Gregor, you're coming with me.
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[furious, now.]
You were-- you were just using me this whole time, weren't you? To get to him. Carry this out without having to get your own hands dirty. You can't just get away with this, Hermann-
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I think the... visitors I sent to your sister should be arriving right about now.
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