tosbox | not a reality refusal

not a reality refusal

Your name is [ Jesus Christ ] [ Rhoden Crosley ] [ Leliana Elinoa ] and you have been called upon by one of the princes of the shoreline kingdom, Scorage.

The question is, which one?

Up until now, your journey as a ragtag trio has been full of ups and downs. You have encountered fussy yet absent-minded wizards, shape-shifting hamsters, various ocean scents, adorable gay teen researchers, and enough Sahuagins to last you a lifetime. Sometimes, you're not sure how you ended up here; sometimes, it is difficult to really comprehend that happenstance could take you to such lengths and heights.

A somewhat familiar face had found you at the mess hall earlier. He regarded you with caution; the last time you spoke with him, you offered him a creature's skull. He's a warrior, but sometimes, there's shit you just shouldn't mess with.

He directed you, at the behest of his charge, to a room in the castle you've never seen before. It is a large room lined with shelves and filled with tables. Glittery knickknacks decorated the room, catching the light of candles scattered around. Two windows lined the back walls, but the curtains are drawn, allowing only slivers of the late-afternoon sunlight into the room. The dark blue velvet flutters occasionally with the wind.

Sitting at a table off to the side of the room is the younger of the two princes, Jeonghan. He is dressed in loose robes drawn around his waist. His person is decorated in jewelry that also catches the candlelight; you have a feeling they offer him protective wards in addition to visual flair.

When you enter the room, he lifts his head and smiles. First, his eyes find Joshua.

"Shua. Thank you for bringing them to me," he says, standing. Something in the room shifts and his eyes seem to sparkle. "You'll stay with us a while, won't you?"

Joshua sighs. "I don't suppose I have a choice in the matter, do I?" he replies.

Jeonghan laughs. Using both hands in a sweeping motion, he gestures at the table before him. "Come closer; I won't bite."

With some reluctance—this is your first time interacting with the prince one-on-one, after all—you approach the table. As you come closer, you see several teacups arranged in a line on the table.

"Now, I've called you in here today for a special task," Jeonghan says. "As a wizard, I'm always practicing my magic and discovering new things—for the good of the people, of course. And since we're in what some people might call a dire situation, I thought you could help me."

He looks down at the spread for a moment before lifting his head again. "I just need to test the properties of these teas. Don't worry—I promise the effects are not lethal."

Again, he gestures at the table with his hands and names each of the teas: earl grey, lady grey, daffodil, black, and mint. Beside the cups is a pot of sugar and a bottle of cream to adjust the tea to your taste.

Joshua looks at you. "Um," he says, "guests first?" The thinly concealed nervous quality in his voice is not exactly reassuring.

[ What will you do? ]

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[After Josh watches the group pick their tea, he approaches one of the remaining two. He eyes Jeonghan, who watches him with a dangerous glint in his eye.

Down the hatch it goes. At first, Josh doesn't feel anything strange. It tasted like he expected it to—bitter, with hints of citrus.]

You know, that wasn't that bad. Your experiments usually have me on the floor.

[His mouth twists. Wait—he hadn't meant to say that. His eyes dart around—although Jeonghan can be a pain in the ass, he doesn't want to give the guy a bad rap in front of these outsiders.]

I mean—not that I mind—wait—

[He covers his mouth and narrows his eyes at Jeonghan. Seems like he'd be better off shutting up for now.]

[A wide, wide smile stretches across Jeonghan's face. It only lasts for a second—mostly for the purposes of fucking with Josh—since he is aware he's in the company of outsiders.]

You don't mind being on the floor? You've picked the right profession, then.

[Rhoden eyes the young men around her with great suspicion. She glances down at the cups before her, bending over and wafting the scent of each to her face before picking one up and examining it. She's torn between the two thoughts; Not a moment alone since we've met and he just assumes we're going to follow his every request without question? versus Who am I to turn down something free?

She quietly observes Shua down his tea and inhales deeply before sipping a small amount from the cup in her hands. After stirring in a small bit of sugar, she finds a chair nearby and sips quietly, enjoying the smoothness and warmth of the tea. When she finishes and feels nothing, she doesn't know whether to be disappointed in Jeonghan's skill or thrilled to actually be alive.]

Edited 2018-03-08 03:59 (UTC)

[Jeonghan notes her evil eye and, from his peripheral vision, watches her take a seat. All the better that his guests be comfortable.]

I didn't take you for the herbal tea type of woman.

[Rho quirks a brow at him from behind her mug, finishing the last of her drink.]

WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

[She drops the mug and doesn't even register the sound of it shattering at her feet as she's frozen in shock. Her hands fly to cover her mouth, her eyes wide and panicked. She sounded considerably loud in the quiet room, especially for a woman of her size. She inhales deeply and tries again....]

JEONGHAN WHAT DID YOU-

[She cuts herself off again and she can feel the blood in her veins begin to heat, along with her cheeks and ears.]

WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY VOICE?!

[Jesus blinks, surprised at her outburst. She is not prone to decorum, but she isn't often angered by such harmless goading.]

[His eyes crinkle at the corners and his lips tighten. However, the blush stops him from laughing outright.]

Nothing's wrong with your voice per se...

[She stands up abruptly, flipping back the chair she was sitting in. She wants to go for JH's throat for a brief moment before thinking better of it. She groans and covers her mouth with her hands before speaking again, hoping to muffle her hollering, even just a bit.]

OKAY. SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME AND HOW LONG BEFORE IT ENDS?

I'm not sure if it would be more accurate to say the strength of your vocal chords is greater or if we're perceiving it to be louder...

[He allows himself a small smile.] It should only last for about two hours.

[Rho sighs loudly. She unties a small piece of cloth from around her waist and reluctantly holds it to her face.]

LUCKY ENOUGH FOR YOU, I DON'T FEEL LIKE GIVING MYSELF OR MY TEAMMATES TINNITUS TODAY.

[She ties the cloth around the back of her head, giving herself a proper mask. She kicks the chair on her way past it as she heads for one of the windows in the back, crossing her arms over her now exposed midriff and hoping that a slight breeze will cool her temper.]

[With a sigh to match Rhoden's theatrics, Jeonghan steps over and picks up the chair. Josh looks over at him, ready to go into defensive mode should the situation call for it, but Jeonghan waves him off.

Moving with caution, Jeonghan approaches her.]

If you're unhappy with the results of this tea, you can try the remaining one and see if it will dispel the effects of the daffodil tea.

[She looks at him for a moment, a small hint of sadness in her eyes she tries to read him. She rolls her eyes and pulls her sketchbook and a pencil from a small compartment on her hip and begins to scribble before jutting it in the young prince's direction.]

you're not sure it will work though, are you?

[Underneath, a small "sorry" has been scratched out.]

Edited 2018-03-08 05:03 (UTC)

[His eyes drop to the notebook, slightly wide. Interesting that this girl has been taught to read and write.

When he looks up again, he offers her a disarming smile.]

I think odds are good.

[She eyes him, cocking her head to the side and taking the book back, scribbling in it quickly as she walks towards the table where the last mug is sitting untouched. She lifts the cup and offers it to him atop her book as if serving it to him on a silver platter. On the page, it reads: "you first."]

[Jesus approaches the table and peers down at the neat row of teacups with a complete lack of apprehension. After all, an agent of chaos should not oppose his own participation therein. After being briefly distracted by the glimmer of artefacts in the room, he returns his attention to the profferred teas, and sips the one redolent of mint.]

Edited 2018-03-08 03:30 (UTC)

[Wanna fuck with Jeonghan? Reply here for one-on-one interactions with Jeonghan.]

[The tea does not discernibly affect Jesus, and he decides to engage the wizard in conversation. As he opens his mouth to speak, something compels him to soften his usual bluntness. It does not seem counter to his will, but rather feels like an agreeable change even as he succumbs to this compulsion.]

Apothecary, would you elaborate the purpose of this experiment?

[Jeonghan studies Jesus with a slight smile. He'd heard some things about the man, and, of course, the thing that really stuck with him had been the whole cannibalism thing. It would have been more fun for this man in particular to pick a different tea—but there was only so much Jeonghan could control from this position.]

When you work in politics while also having the abilities that I do, sometimes you need to ensure you have the upper hand. Like I said, it's for the good of the people.

Unless you meant something else.

[Suffused with a feeling of graciousness, Jesus finds this prevarication intriguing rather than irritating.]

Is there an immediate purpose? Will these be employed in the battles that are likely to occur?

Battles? Oh, no. These are not quite so violent. But that doesn't mean they can't be tweaked.

[He feels a twinge of unease.]

But isn't it immoral to tamper with people like this?

[Rhoden looks over to JC and chuckles a bit.]

SINCE WHEN DO YOU CARE ABOUT MORALS, STRETCH?

[Jesus frowns in disapproval. He had not expected this provocation.]

Surely, His Highness has a greater degree of moral responsibility due to his position.

It's not to be used on innocents. In the political field, when you're playing the game, anything's fair. People know what they're getting into.

[Baffled by this nonchalance, his frustration grows, though he reins it in with deliberate effort.]

Disagreement is one thing, but aren't you violating their autonomy by altering their will? Can any ends justify such means?

[Jeonghan didn't call these guys in for a philosophy discussion. He waves a hand.]

Sometimes it can be a matter of life or death. If you start at a level like this, before things get physical, you can prevent a lot of damage.

[Disturbed, Jesus grows increasingly wary of keeping such morally bankrupt company. His own dubious history somehow slipped his memory as through a sieve.]

[Jeonghan narrows his eyes just slightly at Jesus.]

You tried the mint tea, right? How do you feel?

[JC's personality should have been flipped. The current moral questioning has Jeonghan wondering what JC must be like normally.]

[Wanna fuck with Josh? Reply here for one-on-one interactions with Josh.

He will also be the last to pick a tea unless one of you decide to fuck with him first.]

[Swivels his head towards Joshua.]

And will you partake?

[It's a little eerie, being on the receiving end of a stare from a man over a foot taller than you.]

Yeah. Even if I hadn't already been here when he got you guys to agree to this, I probably would have been called over anyway. Perks of the job, I guess.

Do you serve him?

I'm his personal guard.

[Not his lackey. But that might depend on who you're asking.]

[Jesus considers his next words with uncharacteristic carefulness. On some level, he is aware of the deviation in his behaviour, but these actions feel just as reflexively natural as his usual ones.]

Do you enjoy that role?

[He nods, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.]

Yeah. I mean, Jeonghan can be a handful, but I love him, so I don't mind at all.

[His eyes widen. Dammit, he shouldn't have said anything. But would it have been more damning not to speak at all?

Jeonghan looks over at him and gives him a cheeky grin.]

Edited 2018-03-08 04:43 (UTC)

[His eyes widen, but he keeps his thoughts to himself.]

[With a stiff posture, Josh takes a couple steps away from JC and towards Jeonghan.]

If you don't have any other concerns...

[He lets his voice trail off. No point in digging this grave any deeper.]

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not a reality refusal

EARL GREY

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LADY GREY

DAFFODIL

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deception roll 8. feel free to contest this with insight.

insight was 13

BLACK

MINT

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JEONGHAN

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JOSHUA

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