001 ♝ video ♝ open to both courts

[boutant]

[ While the small stack of books in front of her have certainly come from Caer Scima's library, Ariadne is in her room within the castle, seated on her bed. Asleep with its nose sticking out from her back, head resting on an open book, is a bandersnatch cub -- rather like a cat, it appears to have decided to 'help' her research. ]

If you could protect something -- say, a building -- from anything, what would you protect it from? I've thought of fire, high winds, earthquakes, mosquitoes, falling trees, and hail so far.

[ In the background, the door to her room appears to open slightly; with the wind, perhaps. ]

I'm an architecture student, back home, and there are a lot of possibilities here.

[ She looks like she's about to say more, but just then a glowing red imp leaps onto her head, screeching and yanking at her hair. The bandersnatch cub jerks awake and Ariadne screams, the locket flipped over so that all that's shown for a moment are the sheets on her bed. It's turned up again a moment later, falling onto the floor and on its side this time, followed by a loud thwack.

The imp falls to the ground, dazed; in the next moment, a thick, leather-bound book with a pawprint on its spine slams into it a second time before the bandersnatch cub races forward and grabs onto the imp's legs, shaking its little head and growling in a way that would be adorable if it weren't trying to maim something. ]

Oh, don't- [ before the locket is closed by the hand reaching for it, there's the sight of broken skin and blood -- sharp little imp teeth had found their mark. ]

Comments

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[digophelia]

Well, I'm sure that-

[ The imps are annoying. She doesn't mean to completely ignore Ariadne's words, but her eyes light up to see the cub lying there. Alice gasps. ]

A bandersnatch?!

video;

[boutant]

[ Oh. Hello Alice. ]

I think that's what he is, yes.

[ Just don't mind her trying to get the cub to stop pulling on the imp. It's not quite old enough to exist solely on solid food, but even if it were, she would really rather it not eat it on her bedroom floor. ]

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[digophelia]

[ Once more, Alice can take refuge in the fact something looks as exactly like she remembers it, unlike the knave of hearts. Her memory on Will is fuzzy. Alice starts to get excited when she sees it, a soft, sad smile drifting across her face. ]

That is a bandersnatch! A baby, no less! What is it doing here? The last time I saw of one was through the looking glass-

[ She stops herself right there, looking fondly at it through the locket, absolutely wistful. ]

The poor thing! Where on earth did you find it?

[bird_brain]

[He'll address the question in a minute but first:]

Did you kill it?

[boutant]

I'm... not sure, actually.

[ Though it certainly isn't reacting to little sort-of-bear teeth digging into its leg. ]

[bird_brain]

Perhaps it is time to make sure.

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[foreignflight]

[ Well, he was going to answer that question, but that sure was a thing that just happened. So first things first: ]

Are you okay?

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[boutant]

I don't think it got me too deeply.

[ She's not certain, and as she manages to get the cub to stop trying to lick at her injury, presses some cloth to it. ]

My scalp stings, though.

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[foreignflight]

I'll bet. It looked pretty nasty from here.

Do you know anyone who could check it out just in case?

Video;

[of_the_lake]

Invasion.

The sturdier the fortress and the better ground it falls on, the more likely it will be coveted. You shouldn't simply consider the design of the structure rather than what may prevent others from reaching it in the first place.

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[boutant]

I've been talking to someone about things I could do if someone were to come in that I didn't want, but I didn't think about the path there.

[ Hmm. ]

Any suggestions?

[seaside_cherry]

[Well isn't that distracting. Any ideas Chieri had about architectural structure and protection are immediately forgotten, and she snatches up the locket, about to break into a run when she realises she has no idea where to go.

Luckily, the girl seems to defend herself fairly well and the imp, while drawing blood, doesn't seem to be too big of a threat. One that needs to be dealt with for sure, but that shouldn't be too difficult to do so. It's only one little imp, after all. Hopefully there aren't any more lurking in her room. But, first things first;]

Are you okay?

[boutant]

[ Well, the thought is appreciated, at least. Ariadne is holding a cloth on her wrist at this point, though it doesn't look too deep. ]

It didn't take a chunk out, at least.

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[notavirtue]

[She wasn't the first one to be considering living outside the castle, but he saw little use in constructing another target for the enemy.]

As has already been said: invasion. Ensure your building is protected from all avenues, and not just ground forces. An air strike may be devastating, and remember the beasts that came up from underneath the castle. Do not protect just the building, but the area around it as well.

[Considering there were no ships or planes, though, air defenses were probably overlooked around here. Still, the Reapers had taught him to be prepared for an attack from anywhere, and from anyone. After a brief pause, his curiosity finally got the better of him.]

I have never seen a red imp before.

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[boutant]

I'm... honestly not sure how I could defend against someone from the air. I mean, we don't have anti-aircraft [ or aircraft to begin with ] and archers can only do so much.

[ And enclosing the whole place is hardly a solution. She rubs at her chin, thinking. ]

Do you have any suggestions?

[ As for the imp; ] Neither have I. And I've never had one be quite that vicious, either.

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[peeta_bread]

[The teenage boy looks shaken after seeing that.] You... you okay?

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[boutant]

Yeah. [ She thinks. ] It let go of my wrist after I hit it, so it didn't take a chunk out of my arm or anything.

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[huge_egomd]

[Ariadne won't be able to see much beyond House's face but it's pretty obvious he's semi-reclined on a bed, pillow doubled over and tucked behind his head. The wall behind him is bare.]

Hey, Toots. Looks like you're having fun.

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[boutant]

That's one word for it.

[ Bring her back a band-aid. ]

You look comfortable.

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[devotedqueen]

[That, that was rather startling]

Are you alright?

[Elincia looks deeply concerned but since this young woman didn't look like she resided in Caer Glaem, she can't exactly offer her services as a healer.]

To answer your question, are you including things beyond physical elements?

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[boutant]

Just, um, bleeding a little.

[ The rag she's holding on it is probably going to be a lost cause, but at least she's got pressure on the wound. ]

Yes, if I can.

[relieson]

Umm… ( other people have already asked if she's okay, so yuzuriha withholds. but she clearly wants to. )

Some people like to protect houses with spells and wards, to keep out evil spirits, right?

[boutant]

[ There's a quick smile, an attempt at being reassuring -- she's okay, she promises. Mostly. ]

I think so. I don't know any, though, or what kind of evil spirits might be around here.

[tensed]

giving you much trouble too?

permavideo because her wrist is bleeding gale how is she going to type

[boutant]

You could say that. I really wish they wouldn't go for the hair.