#muse: iris n.oire

[serandipity]

Even Woof seemed perturbed by the sudden shift in the air. The negative runes were almost palpable in the air. Had this been Blanche she could not go anywhere near this place. She would have immediately felt sick given her own runic make up. But all things considered, maybe Blanche was the only one who could do something in the first place.

She had to swallow down the thoughts of doubt. They'd come this far. It was just burying a dead unico and purifying some runes. Even if she herself couldn't do it there were ways to restore rune density to an area.

But it became fairly obvious to Iris as soon as they caught glimpse of the body and the surrounding flora, and it explained why Raguna had been throwing all of his alchemical expertise in trying to devise a potion to fix it.

The land was crying out in pain. The runes here were.... corrupted... tainted... angry. It made Iris' stomach lurch as she felt ill just being in the area.

"The body hasn't decayed at all. That's... part of the problem. What rises from the earth should return to earth, and the problem is monsters like this are often pulled from the rift and don't belong here in the first place. It's upset the balance."

She stared at the corpse and the deep gashes on its body and how the horn had been broken off. The poor thing must have suffered greatly in its final moments.

To be ripped from your home and to suddenly be slain so cruelly... Iris feels her chest ache. The missing horn is also a cause for concern, but for now they should focus on burying the body.

"...Let's lay this little one to rest. A proper grave should appease the spirits. At least for now. We'll... have to find a way to deal with the tainted soil after." Iris reached out a hand towards the beast only for it to be zapped away. She flinched briefly, but was otherwise unharmed, "Here, I'll move it. You... shouldn't be touching something like this. It could hurt you because you're an Earthmate. We can deal with the soil and flora after this one returns to the earth."

"I don't doubt that you can fight!" Raguna assents with a wrinkle of his brow and small bemused laugh. "But I'm glad we didn't have to. If only everyone I've run into could be talked down like that. Of course... I've been through enough to know that isn't the case. Just. With you..."

A slight turn of Raguna's head as they strode north towards the forest of the frontier. His cheek bumps into her head, and she's unfortunately not privy to the smile he has. However safe she was now, it doesn't change what she had gone through before. The lies and the abuse. Used for her powers... as he had been used in Kardia.

Both of them had been manipulated and exploited. Raguna by the Sechs Empire, and Iris by Gelwein. Raguna wanted to help her find new purpose, and show that her presence does good- that's what was important, now. It's what added to the warmth in his chest. There was a lot that could be said on the matter. To try and assuage her guilt.

"I want you to have the choice, yourself. And maybe--"

Iris's grip tightens then, pulling his train of thought from matters of the mind to their surroundings proper. The malefic odor soon growing to be so pungent that even the Earthmate finds himself feeling queasy. It didn't take the unheard lamenting of spirits to know that since his prior visit the situation must have worsened.

Woof reacts as well, slowing their trot down to a slow padding pace and before stopping altogether. The growl that rumbles in its throat betrays the fraying of its own nerves, and it's unmoved by Raguna's attempts at soothing it. Ears flattened and tail low.

"No mistaking it. The body, which I'm guessing hasn't been moved, should be just beyond those trees just over there. We can go on ourselves from here, I don't want to stress Woof out if I don't have to." With a sigh Raguna pats the beast, dismounting before assisting Iris with the same care as when he'd helped her up. Those unrealized feelings would have to wait, their trouble now just beyond the thicket.

"Thanks for taking us this far, buddy." Raguna apologizes, removing the equipment from the monster and gearing himself up, the scabbard with his sword tied to his back and the other supplies slipped into his pack. Hopefully, they wouldn't need any of that. The rope and shovel to give the mythical beast a proper burial, and then...

Then what? Raguna was hardly sure. But even the small glimpses afforded through the gaps in the trunks and shrubbery looked dark with malevolent energy. "None of this is going to go away on its own, that's for sure. Are you ready, Iris?"

[serandipity]

Bear 🤝 Sera

Raguna should have been allowed two wives if he marries Iris

[serandipity]

I wanna explore more how being half a person would affect Noire and Blanche cause that seems fun.

Their memories and skills were basically split between the two of them, so there are certain memories Blanche has and certain memories Noire has, and it isn’t entirely uncommon for them to ask one another if they have any knowledge about something if it comes up.

It also does come up in arguments too if they disagree on something (which CAN happen. It’s rare but it does happen.)

RFF spoilers under the cut

While the game has them merge back into one at 10LP I rather like the idea of them each growing into their own full person! Congratulations. Mitosis. With Vampir’s.

[serandipity]

🗯 noire for guna

Send 🗯️ for your muse to read a dirty thought my muse has about them

There was once a point where Raguna and I almost fought. I wonder what it would be like to really fight him? He's more muscular than he looks, but a sparring match would be an excuse to get up close and personal with him. He'd probably win, but he could pin me down, and kiss me and I could bite his ne--

Noire blinks, only to realize she's staring off into space and specifically at him just a little too long.

"Um, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. Anyway, what were you saying? I'm a little tired tonight. Sorry."

[serandipity]

There were several unwritten rules to being a vampir that Iris' tribe had abided by only past down through oral tradition. She too had received a stern warning from her mother when she was younger:

"Blood is the life essence that flows through all living things, and to take from that without regard for the other creature was to disrespect the spirits themselves and would make us no different than a demon. Understand that by drinking the blood of another person you are choosing to bind yourself to them by taking their life essence into yourself."

The memory lingered in her, even after she had split herself in two, and so she had resisted the urge to drink blood. She was not like full blooded vampir's who HAD to subsist off it. Substitutes mostly did the job-- tomato's, strawberries-- anything that could trick the brain into believing it to be blood. She could eat other things sans garlic but it rarely had any taste.

She told herself it was fine, all while ignoring a hunger that could never truly be satiated.

But Raguna... had made it increasingly difficult to ignore. Whether it was because he was an Earthmate, or because Blanche had already drank some of his blood, or... because she really liked him-- she couldn't say. It felt like the sensation of wanting to sink her fangs into his flesh lingered over every interaction.

The topic was something that they often danced around. Raguna knew blood was difficult and often warned her not to push herself, and Noire often tried to avoid the topic entirely. She tried not to get too close to him and tried to stand a distance away if she knew he was injured, all to keep herself from losing control.

However, the topic had come up naturally-- a sheepish comment from Raguna wrapped up in concern for her-- if she ever need blood she could bite him. It was practically an invitation, and maybe against her better judgement she decided to ask him outright if she could there and now.

And it wasn't... entirely surprising he agreed, but it was surprising to hear that he'd been waiting for her to ask. She could feel her cheeks warming at the sentiment. Had it truly been so obvious? Or maybe he could just get a sense because Blanche had already fed from him. It was embarrassing, but it doesn't stop her from wordlessly sinking into his lap.

In this moment she had nothing to worry about.

It didn't matter that she could hear the thrum of his heartbeat in his ribcage or the gentle beat of his pulse. None of it felt like she was being intrusive. He undid the buttons on his shirt and she suddenly felt the sense of how intimate this moment was.

For a moment she hesitated, lingering on the details of his face. They were really close-- bodies pressed together. She'd come this far though and to suddenly force him away was doing him a disservice. He was nervous. She could hear his heart beat pick up and discern the gentle flush on his cheeks.

Ah, he really... was... someone she cared about.

Gently, she leaned in bracing herself. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him, but there was no way to avoid pain with this-- at least not initially. Her teeth sink into his neck without issue and something warm seeps into her mouth.

And she can't deny that it tastes like iron at first, but then melts into something sweet with subtle hints of earthlike tones. She can literally taste the ancient magicks running through his veins now. Noire feels Raguna grab her hips, whether or not that's so she's steady or he's steady she doesn't know.

What she is viscerally aware of now is the thump of his heartbeat-- the pumping of his blood-- it's like every other noise has been drowned out. It's just Raguna now, and maybe that's all she wants in this moment. She's intimately aware of how their bodies are pressed together, and how easily this could go even further. How easily it would be to blur the line of where she stopped and he began.

But she had to stop at some point. He wasn't a limitless supply of blood-- even though just a moment ago she seemingly forgot that. Hastily she pulled away realizing he'd become rather pale. Suddenly all the external noise came crashing back into her senses and it was no longer just him and his his heart beat.

"I'm so sorry-- Oh! Are you alright?!" Noire stammered out, "Y...you should have told me to stop sooner! I didn't realize I was taking so much!"

subtle nsfw prompts :: open

send a word for a drabble thing that toes the line (unless?)

@serandipity sent: 「BITE 」 : for sender to bite the receiver ( include the location ) Noir @ Raguna on the neck. it's vampir time BAYBEEE

"Is it strange if I say I've been waiting for this? Gosh, because it sure feels weird to say." Raguna imagined the only thing worse than the flush on his face right now was how his heart was hammering and how that might be distracting Iris. "I mean, with Blanche, she..." Raguna pauses, frowns. In hindsight he can only imagine how Noire feels about that.

"It was different with her. Because that was all an accident." Just a scrape of the hand that she had licked. Awkward, surprising. And altogether different from now. "Which. I'm glad she did, because if it weren't for that you and I may have had to fight. But now.. if this is what you want. I wanted to have the first time be right. Well, better? For you. For us? Haha..."

The gulp isn't from nerves, but a strange mix of anticipation and excitement. What was the bite of a vampir going to feel like? Would it actually hurt? Noire, having lived a more 'vegan' lifestyle had never this before, so she wasn't sure either.

After a nod of agreement, Raguna pops open the first few buttons of his shirt, opening the collar wider so that the neck may be more exposed. The vein shifts with the swallow, and the Earthmate looks to the vampir with a smile before gently tilting his head back.

"Go ahead. I trust you, Noire."

His heart felt like it was slamming in his chest. A concoction of emotions burning hotter from how close she was to him. Sitting in his lap, the last vestiges of her own apprehension slipping away as the object of her desire entreats her to act. For a moment Raguna wondered if she might not just kiss him instead with how those parted lips approached his own. Then they're pulled back, revealing the two sharp white canines.

And those would be going...

"Haaa.." A shuddering breath escapes him as her hands grip onto his shoulders, her face disappearing as she descends to the neck after one last look into his eyes. Raguna feels a precarious graze of those specialized teeth against his flesh, and so too does he feel her own breath washing over the spot. Hot, anticipation of her own.

Goosebumps and the raising of hairs, any instinct to run or resist quashed before it finds any purchase. His hands grip on her hips. The fabric of her dress furling in his fingers.

And then he feels the sting. Her fangs and lips closing into the jugular. Painful. But not as much as he may have thought. And the worst part was only for that first moment Whether that was because Iris was being careful, or maybe it was just the way that vampir were. Raguna didn't know. But he did know- despite the disconcerting sensation of his life being drawn out in no small trickle-

He kinda didn't mind this?

[serandipity]

It was probably fine. She wasn't a monster. The smell of his blood wouldn't suddenly make her turn completely feral. She could resist it the way one resisted the smell of food they shouldn't eat. It was annoying, but in most circumstances she was completely fine. Noire is unsure of why Blanche... had been so compelled, but Blanche had always been a lot less reserved than she was.

She also didn't have to try and make up for the fact that she had nearly plunged Whale Island into the ground, so maybe Noire felt a bit more paranoid than Blanche did.

"I've never ridden a horse, so I can't say I'll have a comparison," Noire remarked. Raguna mounted the wolf and then extended his hand to her. She swallowed before sheepishly taking his hand to help her on to the beast.

Woof seemed unbothered, but Iris did find the ride slightly uncomfortable. The worry she might slide off was there, but as she carefully wrapped her hands around Raguna's waste to steady herself, her mind becomes much more consumed with another worry: could he sense how nervous she was? Was she so obvious with her little crush that he would be able to tell? Their bodies were so close, maybe he could feel the thumping of her heartbeat.

And once again, the gentle draw of his blood was shoved to the forefront. She wants to bite him. Earthmate blood had the magic of ancient druids flowing through. It was an especially rare and powerful blood line, and one her race had been naturally drawn to at one point. They could communicate with spirits and runes, and the earthmates could channel them. It was a perfect match.

"Of course I trust you," Noire insisted feeling herself flush, "I am also capable of fighting. Between Blanche and I, I was the one that got most of the offensive abilities. If we had fought in the Snow Ruins I would have at least given you some trouble!" Noire never really reminded people that her and Blanche used to be the same person, but sometimes it did come up, and it felt strange to talk about the person she used to be.

Gently she rested her chin on his shoulder. Again, she felt the familiar ache on her tongue. She had perfect access to his neck right now, she could--

But the disgusting scent of rot and decay assailed her senses first. The spirits were angry, something was crying out in pain nearby. It made her skin crawl the closer they got to it. Anger, pain, rage, grief, sadness-- they all were practically screaming in a shrill cacophony all at once.

"It's this way isn't it? The spirits are perturbed...to put it mildly." Noire said feeling herself grip Raguna just slightly more tightly than before.

Most of the monsters that made their new home away from home on Raguna's farm were, in fact, friendly. If Tabatha were to be trusted (as well she should) this was the natural state of many monsters. After all, wouldn't you be scared and aggressive if you dropped into a strange new place? Well, Raguna isn't so sure of that. Given what so many of his day to day experiences were. He could at least be sure that they were helpful when farming and exploring!

Practicality! Just like the idea to have Woof carry them together. The oversized pooch is completely ignorant of how it's loyalty is being abused right now. Raguna fixing the harness and items to its middle whilst it relishes in the attention from Iris.

"Don't underestimate him, now. I know he's cute and friendly. But he's really strong too! Knocked a golem down with a single pounce." Which was only part of the spectacle. The other of which being how Brodik had nearly panicked after this ordeal. It's... what he got for challenging the farmer to a fight in the depths of the ruins. "...it won't be as gentle a ride as a horse, but you can trust him. Just hold onto me. And it'll be more than fine. Maybe you'll come to enjoy it?"

That could be hopeful thinking. Planting ideas for the future. So on. So forth. That hope is only visible in Raguna's gaze for a moment, when it lingers on Iris in between fixing straps and getting the last pack ready.

A few pats on the back, and Woof understood the task at hand. Raguna swings a leg over, and the silver wolf looks expectantly at Iris. Excited, even. As excited as the Earthmate? Not quite. Woof's just much more apt to show it!

"You can trust me, too. I won't let you get hurt, Iris." Not after everything else she had been through. Raguna extends a hand, to help the vampire up and over onto the small space afforded on the saddle behind him. It would be a snug fit. "We'll be there in no time."

[serandipity]

Iris looked down sheepishly. It was odd to sometimes admit the difference between them in physicality. It always reminded her that her tribe had always been just a little more than human, but not in a palatable way like elves were in some areas.

"It's... the scent. My sense of smell is just a bit better than yours," She finally sheepishly corrected, "Different medicinal grasses have different subtle scents that I can pick up. Even if burned."

Her gaze returned back to the pot. It still stunk.

"Not at all," Noire shook her head. Raguna was an Earthmate and an intrepid farmer. Of course he would have a vested interest in working in the soil, "May I ask what the reason is?"

This batch might have to be tossed, but it could be possible to get the effects he wanted, just not the way he was going about it.

"Perhaps I can be of some help. If not me, then I'm sure the spirits would be willing to lend me an answer."

Noire hadn't given a 'yes' or 'no' reply to the question, but given the methodical way in which she dissected the remains of his pot told him everything he needed to. Or at the very least, enough. For a moment he's stricken with awe. At first while staring at the pot but by the end of it the Earthmate found it difficult to pull his eyes away from the vampire herself.

"...wow. You could tell that much just from looking at the ashes in the cauldron? That's really impressive!" Said with minimal awareness that his mishap was the reasoning for it to happen, not to mention the danger he inadvertently almost thrust upon himself. A hand goes to the back of his neck as he looks back to the pot.

"But here's the thing... it's not exactly formula C I'm trying to make! Though I did start with that as like... the base?" Head tilts to the side, brown locks sliding over his cheek. "See, the medicinal herbs and other grasses I used were because I was trying to make a compound that... well. Healed the earth? Something that was both a formula and a neutralizer."

After speaking, there's a moment of pause, and a nervous chuckle from the intrepid farmer.

"Aha. Saying it out loud, it kind of sounds like a silly idea- doesn't it? I do have a reason for trying!"

[serandipity]

She watches him take a whiff of himself and finds herself smiling lightly at the action. It wasn't subtle and Iris can immediately pick out what he's concerned about. She doesn't have the heart to tell him that he does smell-- but in a pleasant way. Although, she knows better than to tell him the scent of his blood would overpower any type of scent he would have from working in the farms. Earthmates had a particular scent to them that was reminiscent of the magicks of old. It was familiar. Comforting even.

However the moment was quickly pushed aside for the more pressing matter at hand. A dead unico was a pressing matter indeed. A monster dying on the land was never good, but unico's were particularly powerful creatures.

"Was it killed by something or do you think it just passed away? Unico's are particularly long lived creatures and to slay one in such a matter..." Iris frowned, "...That would earn someone a particularly nasty curse. The land might be a simple manifestation of that. The spirits would be perturbed as well."

Iris stared down at the pot, "You'll need something a bit stronger that neutralizer and formula C. The land itself might need a purification ritual. A dead unico is a bad omen. Is the body still there? The first thing we would need to do is give it a proper burial. The poor creature."

Iris took the pot and dumped the charred remains into the trash. She had an idea but would need to see the area before she made a determination of what could be done.

"I have a few ideas, though, but I need to inspect the body first."

Don't mind Raguna taking a small whiff of his sleeve in the midst of this innocuous conversation. He thinks he's being subtle about it, but he isn't great at 'subtlety'. But her comment begs the question... does he smell?? Hopefully not enough to be a nuisance to who was a favored guest around his home.

She was investigating the pot. It's fine. He's impressed, really.

"Right! So, I was hiking through the northern woods the other week and Woof-" Raguna's faithful silver wolf companion. "-picked up something. When we investigated there was a... dead unico." Even recalling the sight wasn't easy. Expression furrows and the farmer turns north to where said woods waited beyond the walls of his home.

"That's not even the scariest part, Iris! There's this whole area around the body that was barren. No plants, just dried up cracked dirt. My magic didn't work. And the runeys weren't anywhere to be seen. So." Raguna turns woefully down tinto the similarly dismal contents of the pot.

"I'm trying to find another way. If you have any advice, Iris, I'd really appreciate that. I've never seen anything like it. Kind of worried it'll spread..."