March TDM/Event - Spring Nox

[undyingmods]

MARCH TDM - SPRING NOX

A NEW SEASON BEGINS

Welcome to the Undying Court's March Test Drive Meme! This post also functions as the March Event for existing characters, as well as the start of the Spring Season, led by the Red Court.

New novices who are in their second season or more may handwave or backdate the previous season's arrival prompts should they wish to, and should otherwise assume they've been here the whole time! Additionally, all TDM threads can be taken as in-game canon if desired. And remember that apps open April 3-7, with invites opening on March 28, and reserves not long after!

Note that this post will contain: violence, enthrallment, slavery, body horror and potentially sexual content. Spring has many surprises! This event also features a chance for characters to submit a free Cosmetic Physical Features Regain, as a reward for the Hanahaki prompt.

Feel free to brush up on the Premise, Vampire Powers, and head over to the FAQ/Game Info page if you have any questions!

• Keep in mind that this event will be occurring throughout the month of March and into April, so characters are free to forward-date as desired!
• For new characters please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name | Canon | Court | Youngblood/Novice | TDM
• For existing characters please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name | Court | Youngblood/Novice
• If you have any questions specific to the event, ask them in the Plotting Post Q&A section!
• Our new Locations page is live! Take a look if you've ever wondered what exactly lies in the castle.

Top-Level Directory:

Chat with NPC: Revar, Kashire, Claudia

New Characters/TDM:
All For The Game - Name - Black Court, Novice
Detroit: Become Human - Connor - Black Court, Novice
Durarara!! - Shizuo Heiwajima - Black Court, Youngblood
Game of Thrones - Daenerys Targaryen - Gold Court, Youngblood
Game of Thrones - Jon Snow - Black Court, Youngblood
Honkai Star Rail - Argenti - Red Court, Youngblood
The Locked Tomb - Harrowhark Nonagesimus - Silver Court, Youngblood
The Locked Tomb - Gideon Nav - Silver Court, Novice
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic - Princess Luna - Black Court, Novice
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid - Lucoa - Blue Court, Youngblood
Nevermore - Lenore - Blue Court, Novice
Original - Giselle du Sang - Blue Court, Youngblood
Original - Matt Jamison - Red Court, Novice
Original - Sharel Anathrime - Undecided Court, Novice
Return to Labyrinth - Sarah Williams - Red Court, Youngblood
Supernatural - Ava Wilson - Black Court, Novice

Current Characters:
Accelerator (Yuri) - Silver Court, Novice
Astarion - Red Court, Youngblood
Cal Kestis - Silver Court, Novice
Conrad Achenleck - Red Court, Youngblood
Eden Woods - Silver Court, Novice
Edgin Darvis - Blue Court, Youngblood
Harlock - Blue Court, Novice
Leonard "Bones" McCoy - Silver Court, Youngblood
Lockwood - Gold Court, Youngblood
Lydia - Red Court, Youngblood
Raphael - Red Court, Youngblood
Snow White - Silver Court, Novice
Trilla Suduri - Black Court, Novice
Xenk Yendar - Gold Court, Youngblood

SPRING ARRIVAL

New arrivals will be starting their first season in the Spring, and they're welcomed to the castle under the watchful eyes of the Red Court. Upon arrival, they will be shown to a room by humans whose eyes glow softly from within, with vacant smiles. Thralls. There, the human thralls will draw them a bath and bring them new clothes to wear to their first meeting. These are rich, expensive things made of high quality fabric. Whether it's a silk dress and a heavy velvet cowl, or a fine pants and a vest made from a brocade, the servants will provide whatever is requested of them. The new initiate's old clothes will be burned after, in a symbol of the life they are leaving behind. If they are hungry, they will be provided food. If they need anything at all, they need only ask their new servants.

Later that night, new novices are taken to a grand hall, with high arched ceilings and candles burning in chandeliers. There are figures painted overhead, beautiful and entwined. Some have their eyes are colored to match the courts, others are gracefully placed in their death, with blood dripping from necks and wrists.

Balconies line the hall behind a forest of pillars, and vampires all watch as the group walk through (some more hungrily than others).

"Welcome to your first undying season, initiates." a fair-skinned vampire with full, crimson lips that match her crimson eyes steps forward. With dark brown curls, a plunging gown, and a broadsword strapped to her back, the woman commands the attention of everyone in attendance. Her hair falls halfway down her back, and holds herself with a surety and ease to her posture that proves her sword isn't simply for show. She stands at the center of a wide semi-circle of other vampires, "My name is Claudia. As the Red Court's acting voice for the Spring season, allow me to introduce you to the Houses that will be your new homes."

The vampire, Claudia, gives the newcomers an overview of all of the courts—Blue, Red, Gold, Silver, and Black—and then invites those already claimed by their Courts to join the vampires who will be their Makers.

Claudia offers the Foundlings who are left a sharp, knowing smile, and waves a hand, allowing them to be chosen. They are like the last sheep left at the auction, and the vampires who take them may not be the enthused about it. Nevertheless, Claudia waits until all have found a maker, nodding imperceptibly as the last are paired off.

Now that they are paired up it is expected—indeed, required—that the initiate drink from their maker. That is their Beginning. Only once they have truly begun can they can be considered novices.

"Makers, your responsibility to your novices begins today," she declares, a red-eyed apprentice appearing behind her. The apprentice -- for her eyes are too red to be a novice, is blond and pale, and dressed in reds to match her Maker. She's an unfamiliar face in the castle, even for those who have been here for some time. Whispers follow them as she and Claudia step away from the center of the room. Her apprentice, however, remains bound like a livewire, predatory in her gaze as it lands on the season's new novices. "Come along, Silvea," calls Claudia, and for a moment Silvea hesitates, though she follows as instructed. Bit of an odd duck, this one.

Back to top ↑

SPRING NOX

The Spring Nox consists of two events: an Arena and a Salon. The pageantry of the Nox springs up quickly, with Red Court banners unfurling throughout the castle and greenery put on display (the tame kind, one assumes).

Some may find the Arena most interesting. A complicated tournament requiring combatants to use an array of weapons, vampires from all over come to the castle to compete. Although of course the Red Court would argue the true spirit of the Arena is to show off the finesse and skill of the competitors, many vampires attend because of the thrill all the bloodshed brings. Some rounds, the blood in the air becomes so much it can be intoxicating. Good thing there are always thralls close at hand to drink from! Novices are, of course, off limits.

Normally, this tournament is held only amongst vampires. Even Youngbloods struggle against their mature counterparts, whose strength and speed are increased with their age. But this year, Claudia announces that one novice will be allowed to compete.

In order to choose that novice, Claudia and the Red Court are holding a novice tournament prior to the Arena. The prize? A permanent pass from the Red Court. This means that even should the winner never take another Red Court class again, they would have the Red Court's favor. In a world where failing means enthrallment, a guaranteed pass is far better than gold. Of course, no one expects the novice to actually win in the real arena events, but it'll be a very exciting way to lose spectacularly.

((Note: Students can sign up for the Novice Tournament here. The winner will be chosen via RNG once applications are processed. (In other words, new characters can sign up too!))

But not everyone is interested in bloodsport. Some may find themselves drawn, instead, to the Salon. This yearly event brings the most creative minds from all the lands to hold readings and discussions on art old and new. Some sessions are small, informal gatherings around one or two speakers. Others are large, reminiscent of the Silver Court's symposium sessions. There is guaranteed to be something for everyone, and anyone is welcome to reserve a space and hold a session, regardless of whether they are a vampire or not.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Red Court event without bloodwine and seduction, either. The Red Court maintains an expansive definition of art. It is not uncommon to find steamy poetry readings full of half-clothed vampires, pieces of art where the artist is a living (or unliving, as the case may be) subject, or interactive rooms with paint and other objects meant to be played with. Art is so often about the observer, after all.

A particular highlight this year is of a traveling group of vampires, the Dragulettes, who use makeup and clothing to change their gender rather than using masks. Their outfits range from the silly to the sexual, and they will be performing a series of popular folk songs. They are well known for their humor between their songs and their critiques of the way that humans put so much stock on gender and its false dichotomies. Their show will be on the same stage NECK*SINK played on, and draws a very large crowd as vampires young and old laugh and cheer for the show.

A FLOWERING SICKNESS

The change of season brings more than just warmer weather, as last month's pollinating flowers have begun to bloom all across the castle! But it isn't just the grounds and the gardens that are sporting bright, beautiful flowers now that the snow has begun to recede. Sprouts and blooms appear almost overnight along the castle halls and walls, from the brightest to the darkest recesses of the castle, where flowers have no business growing at all. Where have they come from, and how are they blooming? The Red and Silver Courts have yet to find the cause, but the fact is the flowers are here -- and for now, they're here to stay.

But as the Spring Nox passes and the Spring celebrations continue, novices, youngbloods, even some mature vampires, begin to suffer from a strange, inexplicable cough, with seemingly no cure. As the days pass, those afflicted will begin to cough up petals tinged with blood. Later still, the affliction advances so that those infected begin coughing up entire flowers, with novices reporting trouble breathing, and youngbloods reporting discomfort in their chests -- beneath their lungs.

Those in the most advanced stages may find thorns sprouting forth from their bodies, with the truly severe cases becoming overrun with vines and blooms, as the victims become enclosed by plants from the inside out, and transformed into still, lifelike trees. While the rate and speed at which the affliction worsens seems to vary from person to person, the castle's walkways are soon littered with bloody petals and fretful thralls.

Fortunately for all, while the origin of the affliction remains unknown, the Silver Court finds the curse's name within their records: Hanahaki. This flower-blooming curse buries its roots in the hearts of those with unmet desires. Whether that desire is for love, attention, hatred, approval, or even food, any strong desire is enough to spark life into the pollen so many ingested the month prior, and for the curse to take root. Luckily, once that desire is met, the flowers will wither and die, vanishing without a trace.

And for those whose desires are never met? Well, fortunately for them, flowers only bloom for so long. Anyone who advances to the final stage of the curse will only be afflicted by it for ten days' time, after which the flowers will fade away, starved for lack of nutrients. During this time, those affected can be assisted by others, if they happen to know that person's desire is. Or you could try watering them, that might help? (It doesn't help.)

((As with last month's pollen event, this prompt is completely optional! Flowers can represent whatever players want, and can affect characters as much or as little as you wish. Unmet desires can be anything from a desire for love and companionship, to "wanting to get a good grade in class," being noticed by your senpai or maybe just having the world's best slice of cake. Have fun with it! Additionally, anyone who participates in this prompt, in any form, is eligible for a free Cosmetic Physical Feature Regain.))

Back to top ↑

NEW SEASON, STILL MURDER

Partway through the tournament, perhaps during a particularly exciting bout, whispers start to make their way through the halls. Not from Whisperfangs this time, but something much more sinister. A body, murmurs say, there's a body, others shriek. Spring Nox, it seems, is to be haunted just like Winter Sol.

Outside near one of the outdoor rings, Silvea lies as cold and bloodless as the night, a deep wound in her chest but, as with last time, no murder weapon in sight.

Kashire is here, though, another thing reminiscent of the last murder. "Don't just stand there staring!" He snaps, but what else is there to do, really? Try as anyone might to get to the bottom of things, it seems an apprentice was murdered. As a crowd begins to form, castle residents and visitors alike seem to crowd the members of the Council, probing for answers. Want to join your voice to the chorus? Good luck!

CLASS NOTES

Other notable happenings for the early winter season include:

• Tis the season for spring cleaning! With the castle overrun with blooms (bloody or otherwise) and flowers sprouting everywhere, you might make a thrall's day if you help clean up some of the mess around the castle. They won't thank you directly, but it's as good a time as any for the castle's residents to do their part and help keep the castle from becoming a gothic garden.


• The new season means new classes! Youngbloods will begin teaching their new courses for the Spring season, and students get to enjoy a slightly harder curriculum as their vampiric abilities grow and develop. Don't worry if you make a fool of yourself and walk into the wrong classroom. It's the first day of class, no one has memorized all of their students' names yet.


• Petal baths have become a bit gauche, but there must be something that can be done with all these flowers, right? Students and faculty alike are encouraged to use flowers creatively, whether it be wearing them in your hair, or perhaps building creative flower arrangements to decorate their rooms and space. Morbid, considering the cursed origin of the petals, but nothing tickles vampires quite like the macabre.


• Rumors are abuzz after Lady Whisperfangs latest rag was particularly biting. Could the Lady's latest temper flareup be due to a lost love, or does she simply enjoy tormenting the castle's residents? Either way, anonymity remains on Whisperfangs' side, but will that always be the case...?

Back to top ↑

One more thing! We've added a Locations page, for all your location-based needs. As always, characters are free to talk to the NPCs as well: Revar & Kashire & Claudia. For any questions regarding this month's prompts, please comment in the Plotting Post. For general game questions, please check the FAQ/Game Info. In the meantime, remember to submit your Regains for this month's free reward, and keep an eye out for our AC Check-in next week, starting on March 25-31.

Thanks for joining us and we hope you're looking forward to what this new season has in store!

Comments

Shizuo Heiwajima | Durarara!! | Black Court | Youngblood | TDM

[bartenderizing]

(( TLDR is that Shizuo's been a youngblood for 30 years, originally in Gold Court. Middle of his 2nd season, he realized he didn't want to deal with the headache of leading people, but did have a knack for the court he's joined. Often sent to clean up or investigate issues. ))

New Season, Still Murder

[ He hadn't even been back for more than a full evening before people are screaming about bodies. For a moment he's shoving through people, but closer to the outdoor training rings, instead there's a mist that obscures people's visions as it passes through them, with a disembodied voice growling out. ]

Alright, go off already. This ain't some show. Hey!

[ While it may not be your character contributing the crowds, it's because someone tried getting closer that the tall blond materialized in between the crowds and body. In a fluid motion with it, a large zweihänder is pulled from his back and stabbed into the ground to block that one person. ]

Unless you're supposed to be here, scram or sit back and shut up!

[ While rather lanky in appearance, attitude makes up for quite a lot. (Or maybe it's the long coat and stabbing a huge sword into the ground.) It seems that he's acting the bodyguard. Or just ruining people's view of the council member's dead apprentice. Or, for those that know him, doing that and looking to see if anyone's come to admire their work. ]

Sports Scouting (Very early Spring)

[ There's a few areas where this is something that could easily be stumbled across. In fact, if you go around any fields that are open enough, as in with only a few trees and some lamp posts, or passing by one of the arenas that didn't recently have a corpse found in it, Shizuo would actually call out once noticing. ]

Hey you! C'mere for a moment.

[ Because once a few yards away, a head-sized ball will get casually tossed over. It may be a simple ball made with bladder, leather and filled with air... or it might be one that's filled with metal bearings inside and weighing 30lbs (or more?!) The lucky people will get something hand-sized and a decent throwing weight. It's not very many who would get this one, however. ]

See how far you can throw this thing. Pretend you're aiming for someone you don't like.

Roped into Responsibilities (Closed to Luna)

[ Well, here they were. One of the things he'd been told to take care of, as his maker had owed someone a favor in the Gold Court. Apparently there was a novice that was passing pretty much the rest of their classes, but was proving to be even more unsuitable for 'stewarding' than he was, but with enough 'attitude' that could be utilized for the Nameless Court.

Honestly, it all sounded like a pain in the ass. Which is why he'd spent part of the Spring Nox's welcoming ceremony outside with a clove cigarette, eventually agreeing but with the novice's original maker sending them off to meet him.

It wasn't a test, not really. Shizuo just got really bored of the speeches, long before he'd gained some experience as a Youngblood. It's not until someone, that still had a heartbeat, was approaching the gates. That's when he snuffed the butt of the cigarette out against the stone walls and slipped the rest into a metal tube. ]

So, you're the one on the verge of failing?

[lunar_princess]

[At least she had been given a chance to figure all of this out instead of being confined to the fate of a thrall instead. "It would be a shame to lose you entirely" her original Maker had told her, but also had explained that it was pretty clear that she wasn't fit to stay in Gold. And, well, Luna certainly did not disagree with him. The pompous feeling of the Court, the enthrallment, none of it really had sat right with her and it had been no secret that she was passing things like every weaponry class she could get her hands on and battle-related class with flying colors. As well as seeming far more keen on watching from the shadows and listening than being the center of attention.

It had been the reason she had quickly agreed with the assessment that she would be better for Black than anything else. And why she had quickly left the welcoming ceremony, clad in simple breeches and top secured with a simple belt along with her boots and long hair tied back in a loose and low ponytail.

Luckily it didn't take her long to find him, pausing in step and raising a brow. Ah, she hadn't seen this guy before...]

Only Gold. [Her response is quick and defensive despite herself.] I'm excelling in the other Courts.

[bartenderizing]

Don't be proud that the one court you're failing is the one you're in.

[ Honestly, he doesn't know if it's pride or not, but there's a point to be made here. Pocketing the metal rube into the long coat... somewhere in there, Shizuo actually stayed where he was. No circling around for an assessment or anything like that. Their makers had already set this up, so it wasn't as if he was going to actually turn her away. However, if they did things right, she should think that he could.

Which was a shitty and manipulative kind of thing to do, but it nipped any entitlement in the ass from what he's seen. ]

Especially if you were doing it on purpose. This is the absolute latest you can change, and it still puts your damn becoming at risk. It would've been better if you just asked to be moved early in your second, if you didn't like the steward and shine crap.

[ However, he also doesn't want to stay on this and berate her. Now she knew that at this point, surviving to the Becoming wasn't a guarantee. ]

What Black Court classes have you been in so far?

[lunar_princess]

[Oh. Well, that... she seems a little taken aback by his response to her words, brow furrowing but she doesn't actually respond for a moment or two. She didn't expect for him to make this easy, of course not, but the fact that he's being this blunt as well as not bothering to seeming intimidate her? It's different, welcomed, almost.

Did he really think she did it on purpose?]

I tried to tell my Maker that from the beginning, that I was not that, but was entirely ignored. I said it over and over but he seemed to insist on the fact that I was exactly like my sister and would be a natural in that Court. [She was honestly surprised he even had set all of this up and finally wanted to relinquish any kind of control. But it was probably because he didn't want to have a failure on his hands. What a surprise.]

Tracking and evasion, hypervigilance and intelligence, introductory shadowstepping, and wilderness survival thus far. I would have taken more if allowed to do such and hadn't taken the combat and weaponry classes there as they were meant to find what weapon suits you and I already have two weapons I'm entirely comfortable with and have combat experience.

[bartenderizing]

[ Well, he doesn't really need to do much with challenging if she'd taken Black Court classes. That would say enough on its own for him. That and he'd gotten back from a mission just before the last dawn came up. ]

Ah. Didn't tell you that you can petition for those things, huh?

[ Not that it's exactly the fastest way, but it was an option. She'd be getting better odds, at least. ]

Well, if it helps, I don't give a shit who your sister is. No one in our court will. If you didn't completely lose Gold Court's favor, I want you taking a class on political assessment or whatever the fuck they're gonna call it. Otherwise go with whatever you want in the other courts. If any of the others are doing specific hunting courses in Black for your season, you should take that too.

[lunar_princess]

No. He is a man that prefers to keep all information close to his chest unless it's necessary to tell. [Another reason she... did not care for the man in any way, shape, or form.

She's quiet as she listens to him again, shoulders relaxing from the defensive position she'd put herself into earlier. If she hasn't completely lost their favor... She hasn't, she just was going to fail being in their Court, she'd passed the classes, barely.]

I appreciate it after being constantly and consistently compared to her. [Was that a bit of a chip on her shoulder? Probably. At least Shizuo is getting her after she's come to terms with everything, for the most part.] Political assessment, easy enough of a class. Anything in the other courts. And hunting in Black, I will keep those in mind and should be easy enough to take and complete those I believe.

[Though now she's... not entirely sure where they go from here. She's heard tales of people changing Courts and Makers but not how it worked, exactly.]

[bartenderizing]

Yeah, some people can be shitty like that.

[ Sometimes it's on purpose, and in some cases, it turns out that the vampire genuinely forgets the things they should be telling their novice. Despite having had her go all the way to the gates, given that Luna wasn't actually part of the court just yet, he pushes off the wall to start heading back to the main castle. Shes' already agreed to the stuff he said she should take, and that's enough for him.

And yes, things are going to be that easy. Probably because the rest isn't going to be great. ]

C'mon then. You're going to want to rest right after, so we'll do this in your room. Did they at least tell you how this change over is going to go?

sportsball

[deadtective]

[it's not like Shizuo could know, but the small, delicate woman he's flagged down is only out here because she'd been looking for some new scenery to sketch. not exactly the greatest athletic prospect to ever grace the castle's grounds...although she certainly catches the ball he lobs over easily enough. at least we've got decent reaction times!

...that said, why the hell is something so relatively small so fucking heavy? Hazel looks down at the orb in her hands with open perplexment, brow furrowing even more deeply when the vampire makes his request. it feels like the kind of stupidity she'd try and goad other people into doing, which makes her immediately suspicious.]

You know that's just asking for people to try and hurl it at you, right?

[not that she's going to (probably), but she feels like she has to point out the obvious here. most people don't appreciate suddenly being responsible for thirty pounds of whatever in their hands.]

[bartenderizing]

[ Delicate was never meant to mean anything in the Castle. After all, he looked like a twig compared to some of the others here. ]

I'd hope they could throw it further than that.

[ Especially if they didn't want to face immediate regret. Instead he motions over to one of the trees that were growing away from the main tree line, probably providing nice shade for those who were around during the day. ]

Go on and try. You should be strong enough, by whatever season you're in, to at least get the ground near that tree.

[ ... Either that, or his expectations are a little skewed by time. ]

[deadtective]

[they could, but would they want to? the question goes unanswered, because even Hazel occasionally knows when to keep her smarmy comments to herself. the Black Court carries its reputation for a reason, after all, and she's not quite so far into her seasons that she feels confident provoking that kind of confrontation.

...not to say that she wasn't still disgustingly competitive. that couldn't be further from the truth, in all honesty. whether Shizuo's expectations had been warped by his years as a vampire or not didn't matter; he'd laid the challenge down and now Hazel was staring at the ball she was holding with a sharp gleam in her gaze. "at least" the ground by the tree, huh..?]

Kind of feel like I should be asking what the prize is first, but...

[but it's too late. she only cares about winning now.

Hazel enters the stance of someone who's definitely had experience with lobbing heavy objects at people who'd displeased her, attention honed in on a specific spot next to the tree. it's easy to think of someone she detests, someone whose face she'd absolutely love to see caved in by thirty pounds of ball bearings-

holy shit, look at that thing fly through the air. she might actually make it-!]

[bartenderizing]

[ See, sometimes a person just needs a bit of challenge and opportunity to work off some steam. It's great! Though her comment has him raising an eyebrow, and for no more reason than a bit of confusion. Something he shares once the ball gets lobbed into the air. ]

Who said anything about a prize?

[ The ball's going, going, and then falling hard until it smacks into the very trunk of the tree he'd pointed at. One could think of it as hitting the crotch of someone they didn't like, as opposed to the face, so it totally counts still. Either way he's nodding before pulling a clove cigarette out from some pocket in the long coat he was wearing, sticking it in the corner of his lips when fishing out some matches. ]

I'm scouting out good areas for one of the classes I'm gonna run. Which season did you just move up into?

[deadtective]

There's always a prize.

[said matter-of-factly, even as she's watching the ball's trajectory. if she continues to talk about a less esoteric reward than love of the game then surely she can manifest a little treat for herself, right?

sure, dear.

nearly all of that 'draw god vibes to yourself' bullshit is wiped from her head the second that the ball thumps right into the tree. ha! just about reach the ground in front of it, her ass! that's what everyone gets for setting such low standards. for a second Hazel even forgets that Shizuo's there, giving herself a satisfied grin and a tiny fistpump before the vampire's words pull her more firmly back into reality.]

Hm? [ah, right. she hadn't actually been aiming at imaginary enemies for the love of the game, after all. stay focused!] Oh, I'll be in my second season now. Didn't know teachers could go head-hunting for students.

[bartenderizing]

[ Unless the treat she wanted was 'classes', there really weren't any to be had. Not as far as Shizuo could tell. ]

Nah. I mean, there's probably some that are, but that's not what's going on here.

[ While it'd be very easy to retrieve the ball through other means, being the type to take things casual, the blond teacher strolled over to the medicine ball, meanwhile pulling out a clove cigarette to light up. ]

If even you can throw it this far, that means the safer version of this class could handle second seasons without any trouble. Probably not everyone in the first season, though. So I won't have to scale down my plans.

sports

[wolframite]

What do you want? [That's said with as much grump as he can muster before automatically reaching out to catch the ball. If he were a novice, he might have been more than just bruised and battered around the arms and belly, honestly. A fortunate thing that he's always been sturdy, and becoming a vampire enhanced that.

So when he catches the ball-- what in the fuck, why is it so heavy?!-- his knees don't buckle, though he does grunt.]

Oof-- [Then Norton shakes himself and straightens up. He's quite physically-inclined for a Blue Court youngblood.

He has to give the other vampire a dead-eyed stare though.]

What do I get out of doing that?

[bartenderizing]

[ While not great at names, Shizuo could at least remember enough that this was one of Ash's, and- While able to remember enough about hearing about a court change, he'd been at the castle for less than a full season before leaving for another mission, so which court escaped him. ]

I'll let you participate as a guest? I've got another overseas shipment coming in too, if you want in on that order.

[ Usually it's just for more clove cigarettes, but no one really looked twice if more was added. ]

Think it'll be too heavy for second seasons to handle?

[wolframite]

Any novice would find this thing too heavy to handle. [Norton tosses the ball with both hands, testing its weight, then snorting.

Yeah, it's a good thing Norton is sturdy.]

At least make apprentice the minimum.

[bartenderizing]

I lifted and moved things like this before I was even a novice.

[ Yes, because it was physical labor and moving inventory around, not down into a ball to throw at people. ]

Maybe I'll just make it a hazard for them to avoid, and if they can throw it around that's just considered an advantage they have... There's not enough apprentices this season for what I've got planned.

[ He just wants to make sports happen. ]

[wolframite]

[Norton tosses the ball back, and with more force than it was sent to him. Bit peeved, he is, because being an old fart really messes with your brain, doesn't it? He's seen one of the ways it does in Xenk, and now this one.

He remembers this one, even if he doesn't know his name. Black Court.

Then again, the Black Court has always been full of the strangest sods he's ever seen.]

Make it an obstacle course then, not a sports game they can use to dent someone's head in!

[Someone else wouldn't have given a damn-- but Norton? He has a reputation he wants to build up, and that means getting all the brats he's taught into their fourth years. Especially when he himself has a brat, and would find all of these games a good lark.]

[bartenderizing]

[ It's definitely not a coincidence that he and Xenk have been turned for the same length of time. Though getting the ball thrown back, he lets it hit his chest while gently catching it, not acting like it hurt or anything. Just like 'cool, ball back then.' ]

These aren't for that... I've got different balls for them to focus on using. Here-

[ He'll go over a bit to where there's a couple others, dropping the medicine ball and lobbing over a different one. This one weighed almost nothing, despite being the same size, and could probably bounce off the walls and stone floors pretty nicely. Actual medieval dodge ball.... ]

The others cost a bit to make, but I've got a couple dozen getting put together of the one you've got now. Thing is, my court needs classes for team building and skirmishes, so this seemed like the best way.

New Season, Still Murder...

[youwouldntdownloada]

[Do you know how hard it is to maintain your pokerface when someone slams a sword in the ground? Very. It wasn't in front of her, sure, but half of making sure you look like you're in control is not being affected by these things and that is hard.

And for that matter, Yasuho's trying to memorize as many details as she can see of the crime, jotting them in her wax slate. Just don't say anything, don't say anything...

...

Well she still can't help but look more nervous the more she looks at the crime scene. She's going to be an apprentice next season- During Gold's season. It's a chilling thought. It's hardly like she'd be roped into becoming a target, but with how inexperienced and mousey this one was already, something isn't right.]

[bartenderizing]

[ For a bit, Shizuo was looking amongst the faces to see if any were enjoying their work. Unlikely, except while some just backed off warily, they made the person carving notes into a tablet even more obvious. After a few more seconds, he side-stepped to block the view between this novice and the body, clearing his throat after settling in the new position. ]

Did someone say you could write about this?

[ He'll hold out his hand, expecting either the tablet or a permission slip. ]

[youwouldntdownloada]

[Heck-

No, this is fine. Breathe in, Yasuho, it's fine.

Upsides, she's more scared of being murdered than she is of the Black Court Vampire in front of her. So holding posture and composure, she instead closes the tablet and keeps grip on it.]

These aren't for gossip rags to print, [she starts with first, tone even.] They're for safety. I don't recall anyone saying we couldn't take note of what we see here in order to find better means to protect ourselves.

Or do you think those of us who are novices should pretend nothing is wrong?

[Even if Shizuo does snatch it- she won't fight him that hard, she likes her hands unbroken after all- barely any notes are on the body itself; beyond what little there was to see of the wound and identity, the focus is on location. Theories of timing, so on.

'Alone? Familiar, or surprised?'

...and so on so on, but the over all theme of the notes is 'things to figure out good self defense counters' rather than anything juicy.

...that said she will be unable to keep from pursing her lips and frowning if indeed he takes the tablet. She'll hardly Forget what she's jotted down, but it's a handy little thing.]

[bartenderizing]

[ He's not going to just go and grab it. That's like bullying a toddler, or something. He'll just keep a firm expression that makes it clear that he's not asking. Luckily, this was someone from the Black Court that could be... Well, he's not always patient. ]

This isn't exactly about something you can safeguard against right now. I'll tell you why you should hand it over, but only after you do.

[ Maybe he came from a completely different time, in having to be aware of how things could work. ]

Think of it as a free lesson.

[youwouldntdownloada]

[Alright, color her curious, but-

As she hands it over, she will be very wary. Sure they're replacable, but she got used to this one, and she finally got the wax to be just the right color!!!]

...It's erasable, [she adds. Which he probably knew, mind, but she would after all like the thing returned.

Please don't ruin her definitely thorough but handwaved notes sir.]

[bartenderizing]

[ See, he's not looking to pocket it or anything, but will read over the notes. And instead of erasing anything just yet, he'll just start crossing out things that wouldn't help. ]

As a novice, you're not actually going to know if a vampire compels you into doing things on their behalf. They can even make you forget when you hand these things over. Which is why it's better to make sure someone more established looks over what you're doing when you suddenly do this while at a murder scene.

[ There's a pattern to what he crosses out. It's stuff that won't help when being put up against an established vampire- not even an apprentice, because then Silvea would have signs of having tried to fight her attacker off. Also, if erased, that's just more space to put notes and everything back in. ]

You could even be forced into writing one thing, but remembering what you wrote as being different, with everything either lining up with that new memory, or this being erased, like you just said it could be.

[ It's held out for Yasuho to take back again. ]