[ Not a bad first call, but this guy doesn't have any chips on him, still. He sounds like he knows what he's doing with how calm he is, so hopefully he does know how to wrangle his way out of debt.
The resort is kinder to wildcards, anyway. Weiss and the others certainly didn't experience any form of discrimination until they ended up getting checked in. Who knows if it'll be different if he's seen hanging around someone with a low rank, though...
She'll take responsibility if that does happen. ]
Why does it look like you just got married?
[ Balloons and... gifts and all. Some of these cards are even wishing him congratulations! And yes, he did tell her to get comfortable, so she's looking around now, and has approached the mountain of wrapped presents that are just sitting there. Unopened. ]
You should open these. Maybe there's something useful here.
[ A beat. She picks one of the cards up and reads it aloud: ]
"Ragna the Bloodedge... they finally put a ring on the Crimson Calamity! Congratulations on sealing the deal and saying "I do" instead of "Rawr!" May your wedded bliss be filled with epic combos, power-ups of love, and a happily ever after that throws down like a Level 10 Distortion Drive. Just remember, sharing your Danger Gauge might be the ultimate act of true love!" Heart emoji.
[ Yeah at least in this exchange her faith(?) in Ragna may be misguided. He's calm. Because he doesn't give a shit about no tab from these horny interlopers. But frankly, he'll cross that bridge when he gets to it. Weiss may think of taking responsibility if he gets in hot water for hanging around a lower rank like her, but...
He may know next to nothing about her? But she's just a person. And if the staff want to treat her like crap while he's around? They'll have to go through him. ]
APPARENTLY I did. [ Though he supposes he should clarify. ...even if he still doesn't know the how or why. ] I'm guessing this didn't happen to you when you woke up here. I wound up in bed with someone that flipped their lid on me. [ Though, looking back, whether this timeline meant Ereshkigal or Elphelt Ragna can't help but grimace a little. ] Can't say I blame them in hindsight.
[ He'll go get changed in the other room. Right now, he's just going to take off the excess layers like his jacket and vest, unbuttoning them as Weiss investigates the mountainous pile of unopened wedding favours and gifts. As he calls back, one foot into the other room but still in the general vicinity, as Weiss leans over to pick up one of the congratulatory cards, ]
Yeah, I'm not sure how trustworthy a pile of—
[ He gets cut off a beat later by: ]
[ "Ragna the Bloodedge... they finally put a ring on the Crimson Calamity!" ]
You reading that off that card?? [ Half a beat- ] The hell's a "Crimson Calamity"? It's "Grim Reaper"!
[ "Congratulations on sealing the deal and saying "I do" instead of "Rawr!" May your wedded bliss be filled with epic combos, power-ups of love, and a happily ever after that throws down like a Level 10 Distortion Drive." ]
WHY is there a level t—
[ "Just remember, sharing your Danger Gauge might be the ultimate act of true love!" ]
That doesn't make any sense. NONE of that made any sense!
[ Okay, is it bad that she understands why her friends like to tease her so much? It's like with each sentence she reads out, he's reacting so violently that it's getting to be really funny. She pauses in between sentences just to hear what he has to say, snickering to herself before continuing. By the end of it all, she punctuates it with "Heart emoji", and he still has something to say about that.
Finally, she turns to look at him, wherever he may be. She waves the card she's reading nonchalantly. ]
You can stop shouting and just relax your pretty little head, Ragna the Grim-reaping Crimson Calamity Bloodedge. There's a heart emoji, so I just read it out loud. How else would you read it?
[ She's ignoring everything else in favour of that. Yes. ]
[ It's exactly why Rachel likes to hear him bark so much. God, would Weiss and the rabbit get along? He's tried yelling out for her to get him out of here, but no dice. So...luckily for him? He's on his own for now. Nobody to judge him for circumstances out of his control.
As Weiss turns to look back at him, she'll find him still decent, having removed his pristine white jacket and vest and leaving himself with his dress shirt. Did he haphazardly throw them away on the bed in the room behind him? He was originally going to go change into a t-shirt (that reads, and I quote: "👁 ♥ ⊙⊙s", courtesy of the Great Tit souvenir shop!) ... and then Ragna remembered that the t-shirt read "👁 ♥ ⊙⊙s" in the first place so just untucking his dress shirt and coming back over to Weiss is fine for now. ]
God, shut up! [ At least Ragna's not yelling anymore so much as he's...grumbling. Kind of. He barks loud, but he really is just a big softy, huh? ] Either not at all or—
[ Sigh. ]
—never mind.
[ Weiss wins. Though, on this topic, perhaps more curious, ]
Mouthful of a name aside, [ That's completely wrong by the way please just call him Ragna... ] I've never heard anyone call me 'Crimson Calamity' before. Still... [ It's not inaccurate, unfortunately. Which is why: ] Just how much does this resort know about all of us if we're getting pulled from different worlds?
[ That should be as much of a warning as any that that wasn't cool. Weiss is somehow forgetting the fact that she was practically teasing him over his name— which, for someone who is so particular about it, should be a lot kinder.
Too bad his name is Ragna the Bloodedge, though. He's practically asking to be questioned about such a name. Not to mention, those other things.
Still, she's not completely put-off by it at this time. He's prickly, but every time she tells someone else to shut up, it's not like they completely mean it, anyway. Maybe he's the same. Not to mention, if she leaves now, she will miss out on good food, so... ]
They probably know everything about you. All your secrets, what you were doing last night... [ She shrugs her shoulders before handing him the card. He can keep it, heart emoji and all. She'll look at the other things and read through them too, though this time, keeping commentary to herself. ] But I don't think they care.
[ And he won't tell her again! Mostly because her hunch is right. It's a bark. And she's...honestly the first person that he's actually felt more relaxed around since he got here. She wasn't feeling him out to see if he was trying to get in her pants. And he was getting some sense of understanding about the relationship between different ranks. ]
Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
[ Picking up the card, Ragna gives it a once over, only discarding it on the couch beside him with a small "tch". ]
Have sex. [ It's okay, Weiss. You can say it. ] Build up a nice deck of cards.
[ Game 52... ]
And have ALL your dreams come true. [ He's not about to directly ask her if she's playing. Much as he tends to speak before he thinks, he's got enough common sense and respect for that much. ] I'm not buying it.
[ Good for you that you can say it to casually, Ragna. Good for you, truly. ]
The wish thing doesn't seem real, but I don't think there's anybody here who can actually confirm it. [ Because it sounds like nobody has even finished the game, collected all the cards. It seems as if people end up losing their more rational side and end up just being... soulless husks in this place.
Like those regulars at the casino who just play all day, party all night...
She takes a seat on the chaise lounge, right next to all the presents. ]
To be honest, I feel like a lot of the people here have already forgotten it. Or if they haven't, they aren't talking about it. Most people sound like they aren't interested in leaving any time soon.
[ Now having it so casually. ...or. At all. Before getting here... Now there's the catch. ]
Yeah, that sounds like bait. Or if you finish the game and get a wish, why would you wanna leave by the time you finish the deck?
[ As for Ragna? He's still very much of the camp of "get me the hell out of here", even if living a life of luxury with no one to hound him...doesn't seem to have any drawbacks? But he knows better. This isn't a gag reel. He's got enough common sense to see what Weiss sees. The guests that toil their time away at dealers tables, slot machines, grabbing anything and anyone with a bestial growl of desire if they so much as give them the bedroom eyes back. There's also the fact that there are far more pressing matters waiting back home. Was Weiss in the same boat?
What was she doing before she folded into a life of sin and debauchery?
While Weiss takes a seat on the chaise lounge, he finds a seat on the half-circled lounging sofas, closest to the chair she's popped herself down in.
For the time being, he just listens, chin in his hand as he leans forward in his seat. ]
Sounds to me like game or no game, most people don't have much of a choice. That's why I was... [ He studies her face, the angry delinquent she'd been teasing earlier gone for now. Oh right. He was doing some premature investigating before he found Weiss. Alright, Ragna. You haven't forgotten completely how to be a mature adult, have you? ] Listen, Weiss. Um...
[ She's already thanked him— even if it was for taking her order. ]
Thanks. [ ! ] For filling me in on this place a little more. Frankly, that's part of why I invited you up.
[ Weiss wouldn't mind talking about what little she knows here. She doubts it would paint a better picture of the situation, when it doesn't make much sense in her head even up to now. The more information, the better, though. And she hasn't given up on learning what she can in order to outsmart the system. It's just... she's also an active participant of the game, now.
She'll try and answer any questions he may have while they wait for their food. She isn't quite sure what to make of his company just yet, and with him thanking her now, seemingly sounding a bit softer and nicer throws her off, too. Now she doesn't really know what to make of him.
Acting all nice when he hasn't even had any of the food yet... ]
You don't have to change your tune. [ It's weird, she'd tell him, but she just knows that'd make him tell her to shut up again. 🤨 Rude??? ] But it's not a big deal.
Change my tune? [ What the? Not that he would tell anyone considering his reputation back home but, it's not like this side of him never existed! He's just— He didn't think—! ... How is this what gets Ragna all embarrassed? He blushes before sighing roughly. ] Hey, I was just trying to be transparent and shit—
[ ... Man. Try to be nice when there's no reason to go sticking your hand in peoples' faces to back off and he's...realizing that this part is also new territory to him still. ]
Oh, you've made your intentions very clear from the start.
[ He's not after anything related to the game, and he just got here. Weiss isn't particularly bothered by his transparency when she didn't think there was anything wrong there to begin with. ]
But... [ She crosses her legs, places her hands over one knee. ] If you think there's something to show gratitude for? I'll take one more crepe on another day. And next time, it won't just be butter and sugar.
[ She’s asking for another crepe again. If there’s a next time, and he becomes an “unlucky” wildcard that happens to check in after all… There’s something blue about all that; that he’s had his comfort zone just completely shattered in record time, and his very rationale put into question. There’s a whole world waiting for him back home, for good or ill, and he’s going to spend his time gambling and having sex in a haunted casino?
… Sigh.
With the right company, then: ]
That’ll make us even then, huh. [ Hm. She’s a bit of a brat, but… ] Deal.
[ ‘Knock, Knock, Knock.’ ]
Huh? [ Down the hallway at the front door. ] Damn, they work fast.
[ Even the knock startles her, surprises her because it feels like it was just a few minutes ago that he ordered. But she looks at her watch and a considerable amount of time has passed. Enough at least for an entire kitchen to work on all their orders at once and finish. ]
I guess they only want the best for the Crimson Calamity. [ She gestures towards the door with a nod. ] Off you go, then.
They won't give the food to me if I'm the one who takes it.
Ha. Ha. [ At least she's past getting told to shut up again. ...that's a new nickname now, isn't it. Ragna had intended to get up to open the door anyway, but when she mentions how they won't give the food to her if she's the one who answers, his expression sours. Just fleetingly because he remembers what she told him. ]
Right. [ A beat, and quieter as he starts to leave, ] Still pisses me off.
[ Treat your guests with respect?? He might be rough around the edges, but he's already done a better job than this whole damn place has. Glancing back he just calls that he'll be back in a sec with their goods. And when he opens the door, untucked dress shirt and pants and all, he's greeted by a well-dressed waiter, all smiles and enthusiasm with an entire rolling cart of high quality goods, all kept pristine and warm with their golden-domed plate covers, the serving of iced coffee on the side as good as it'd be in any advertised window. ]
Looks like everything. Thanks. I'll take it from here—
[ "Oh, nonsense, Mr. Bloodedge! Please, allow me to cart your order in for you and I'll be on my way." ]
No no, that's— [ Aaand there they go! Rolling on in. Ragna may be an esteemed guest for the time being, but a Wildcard is still a Wildcard! There's some give and pull with how gung ho the staff can be for a man like him. And he just. Glares with a rough sigh. ] —fine.
[ And when the waiter does roll into the spacious main living hub of the Jack Suite, they suddenly begin to slow down upon spotting the white-haired Huntress, and their jovial expression just...drops. Whether he was already making himself comfortable with this lady or not, the fact still remains that this is a place for the illustrious. Not for...
"Do keep your hands to yourself unless Mr. Bloodedge—" ]
The butter and sugar crepe.
[ —gives her permission? Oh my. Mr. Bloodedge was so silent walking behind the waiter that they didn't even realize they were there already.
"Ah, yes?" ]
Which one is it? [ "O-Of course, right here! As you requested!" They remove the dinner plate to reveal an oh-so-fresh serving of crepes, beautifully folded with butter still freshly melting atop at a glacier pace. ] And the earl grey cream puffs?
[ Well those are in a smaller serving dish! Looking as delicate as ever! Ragna doesn't need to ask about the Iced coffee. It's in plain sight. Now with all those things settled? ]
These are for Weiss. [ A beat. ] Give them to her.
[ And judging by Ragna's tone, just towing the line of polite yet his lower cadence commanding, they'd better do it nicely as well. ... No no! Please! He insists. They went through the trouble of coming all the way in here; go for broke! Hesitating for but a moment before resigning themselves, as the waiter is prepared to offer both the main serving of crepes and the cream puffs as an aside, he hears from behind him, a fleck of smug but oh-so-tired. ]
Service with a smile.
[ Oh this smartass. But Weiss does indeed receive her order, entrusting them to her safely before finishing with the chilled ice coffee. They promptly take their leave right after this, making sure to close the door behind them until it's finally just the two of them alone again. ]
[ Just because Weiss told him that the staff won't give her the food didn't mean he had to do that! She was just fine waiting for the food and picking it up from the cart. But the staff had to just roll into the room... And now this.
It is admittedly a little awkward especially for someone who is used to have people serving her. She grins back as the plates are served on the coffee table by where she's seated, just as forced as what she's being given. Only when the staff leaves does the smile get wiped off Weiss face. ]
That wasn't necessary. [ But what's done is done, and she isn't particularly upset! Especially when what she says next is: ] I could have told them off on my own.
[ She does, finally reach for the coffee, though. It is something she needs at this point, for the caffeine to be part of her system already so that she can get going with her day. Everything will fall into place once she's finished her coffee. ]
Why should I let someone else tell me what to do with my hands? I'll put them on you whenever I want.
[ SNRK. Don't mind her, she's just teasing and gunning for a reaction, sipping very, very loudly with her straw with her own flavour of smugness reflecting in her gaze. ]
[ Oh, if the staff had kept their mouth shut and left the cart be upon rolling it in? Chances were this exchange would have been a lot shorter. But between seeing the way lower ranks get treated firsthand, watching the desensitized, mindless drones of guests clamouring for limited chocolates and damn-near trampling somebody over them, and that little reminder he followed in behind when they were prepared to tut tut Weiss for even thinking of touching his food... Yeah, no.
Ragna's not taking that crap. He threads a gloved hand through his spiky hair again, like it was a destresser when she tells him that what he did was unnecessary. He slowly paces back and forth in front of the cart. ]
Somehow I don't doubt that.
[ She's sassy enough for it. While Weiss contents herself in reaching for her coffee, he's got his back turned as he lifts the lid on the gourmet portions of crisp Peking duck when he hears her squeeze the trigger. Aaand,
"I'll put them on you whenever I want."
Bang.
He drops the lid back on top of the Peking duck, feeling himself bristle. Just. ]
Wha?!
[ A completely different kind of bristle this time. One that sees him whipping back around to face her aaand, ]
I... Uh...
[ You not even gonna hide that smoking gun? You little... /// ]
[ Oh dear. She almost jumps out of her seat with a reaction like that, but instead, she just tenses up, back straight, one hand gripping her coffee glass very tightly. And for a good few seconds, she's just staring at him with an innocent smile on her face. 'v' ]
Okay, I'm really starting to understand why people love teasing others so much.
[ Others being her, in this case, but she isn't going to tell him that. He'll have something to get back at her with if she did! She'll just enjoy this for now, snickering behind her hand. Ragna the Grim-Reaping Crimson Calamity Bloodedge, the Emoticon of Anguish, the Raging Scarlet Cringe Machine, has nothing to fear. Especially not a tiny little girl just chilling, having the time of her life, and getting caffeinated. ]
You can relax. I'm not going to do that. I just thought it would be funny to say.
[ Funny for her, anyway.
She'll save the rest of her coffee for later, since there is a warm crepe waiting to be eaten right now. That's what she'll focus her attentions to now. ]
[ For those good few seconds, it's like their expressions were polar opposites- like his '^' to her 'v'. Stunned silence wherein Ragna would have probably barked back by now if they hadn't found themselves strapped to an overt sex casino. And the worst part about all of this? Is that Ragna was all alone. He had to fend for himself and figure out how he was supposed to react to getting teased like this. Because he sure as hell wasn't used to it compared to getting called an idiot or pathetic or any interchangeable verb from the other.
Maybe that's why he hasn't reacted with violence. But he does crack first while she gives him that bright-eyed innocent look, glaring with exasperation dripping off his words. ]
Really? I'M your breakthrough on this?!
[ He should feel honoured! Or scared. Perhaps both. Though maybe later Ragna will reflect back on this day and the time he spent with Weiss and figure it out. Surface Ragna is embarrassed and blushing. Ragna deep down was watching her snicker behind her hand, cracking up and smiling and... Never mind. ]
You just thought it'd be funny to say. [ He's gonna take that plate of Peking duck now, already sliced into bite-sized pieces. Seeing as he ordered mainly Chinese food, his order came with chopsticks along with fine cutlery. Of which he decides to go with the former for now, since these are easy to pick up. Sitting down a space from Weiss on the couch, Ragna plucks a fresh, crispy piece. ] Tease a guy why dontcha...
[ He should definitely feel honoured, and not at all scared. It's very rare for Weiss' sense of humour (?) to shine like this, even if it is at his expense. Knowing how prickly she can be though, she'll back off if he actually does tell her to shut up or something equally as harsh.
He isn't, though, so she takes it as a sign that she can keep going. ]
So, what do you think? [ Now that he's had a bite of the food. Maybe one bite isn't enough to judge how good the food here is, but it could be, depending on his tastes. ] It's pretty good, right?
The taste doesn't differ depending on what rank you are, at least. It's just the service that does.
Oh but he is. ...there's something about her type that's the scariest of all. Granted, Ragna was...used to the kind of taunting and teasing that was more on the brutal side. So maybe this is why Weiss' sense of humour (?) isn't completely discarded by him. Even if he's being a tsundere rough around the edges about it all.
Don't mind him. This is a process. A lot of this place is. Not that he's completely folded and accepted the potential hand he's being dealt yet. Despite his potty mouth and attitude? Ragna...actually has surprisingly good table manners. So when Weiss asks him how the food is, he silently raises his finger as if signalling "one sec" so he can finish swallowing.
There! ]
Yeah, it's not bad. [ Not just "not bad", ] Hate to admit it, but it's up there with some of the Chinese restaurants in Orient Town.
[ Ragna'll keep peking away at the Peking, though he doesn't scarf them down either, rather savouring them! ]
[ She has no idea what a Chinese restaurant is, but she does know what Peking duck is. Don't ask someone whose name is literally White Snow in German and named her sword Myrtenaster—yet another German word—how that works. It just does. It's why she doesn't ask what "Chinese" is or where Orient Town is. Maybe she'll ask another time, when she's more curious about something, but she can pick up on the context at this time. ]
It's good. I was thinking of getting something hot earlier, but I'm glad I went for a cold coffee now.
[ It's very refreshing! But it really does feel like a trap because she can just keep sipping and sipping and sipping... ]
The crepes they make are good, too. [ Not sharing, though. And she makes that painfully obvious, because— ] You should try the cream puffs when you're done eating, too.
[ Between what he learned under the watchful eye of the Sister, his training from Master, and his experiences travelling between Hierarchical Cities, he's picked up a lot. If she ever asks, especially as it becomes more apparent how different everyone's worlds really were, she'd find him more inclined to share. At least, try to. ]
Never actually tried a cold brew before. [ Not that Ragna was some culinary connoisseur or barista expert, but if he had to take a wager, ] I imagine it's gotta feel more refreshing.
[ Not that hot coffee was bad in any way. ]
Haven't had a crepe either, come to think of it. [ Even if he knows what they are. He won't ask for hers, but he does blink in surprise as she offers to let him try one of the cream puffs. There's four of them, delectable for their size. As he settles into the privacy of his suite with company, Ragna starts to get a little more comfortable. ] Oh, thanks.
[ There's a few more slices of Peking on his plate, the tops bubbly from the skin getting that nice crackle for a crunch which preludes the duck meat. His gaze flits over to the cart of food, but more specifically, the extra couple pairs of chopsticks tucked away away in their folded napkins. There's also forks and spoons as an option but...
He looks back to Weiss with his plate in hand. ]
Wanna try? [ A beat. ] After you've had yours?
[ Because for now, he'll save it for later and put a cover back on it to keep it warm. Next up is the fried rice. He's working his way up to the spicy tofu. ]
It's a lot stronger and tastes like chocolate. [ Or it has a cocoa flavour to it. It's different, but doesn't necessarily replace hot coffee or anything. ] It's a good pick-me-up, that's for sure.
[ She'll just have the other another time. Depending on how the day goes, she might want another cup of coffee later on, anyway.
With her butter and sugar crepe being light and sweet, it's easy to just keep eating it. It doesn't take long for her to be almost done with it, and then she'll move on to the cream puffs and back to the coffee. Her orders are on the lighter side of things, but the offer to try the duck isn't unwelcome. In fact, she could use just that before dessert! ]
Sure. Save me a slice, then.
[ Considering how much he ordered, he can probably... go through all of it in one sitting. Weiss would rather not take too much of his food if he's that hungry. But now that she got what she came here for, she could honestly just up and leave afterwards, leaving him to his own devices. She wonders if there's anything else he needs after they eat, because it does feel weird to eat and run. He did say it's all on him, and while it's a very generous offer, she has a feeling he'd have a difficult time paying for things when the bill comes in. ]
What are you going to do after you eat? You were looking around earlier but just wanted to get changed, weren't you?
[ In hindsight...he could have gone for a cup himself. But, too late to call Room Service again without making it look like he was just harassing the staff. ...Which, to be frank, he's still not feeling beholden to the House and its 'denizens'.
The truth is, Ragna can eat this all if he really wants to. But he was likely going to simply leave it for leftovers. The one time he goes against his "don't have enough money to pay" rule, and he actually feels good about it? Maybe he's more bad than he thought... Nah. Just sticking it to the resort. But he's not in the mood to harp on them right now. ]
Alright then.
[ Had Weiss simply decided to up and leave now that she got what she came here for, he did say that he got what he needed, too. Some details. Some pointers. In the grand scheme of things, it really amounted to so little... But he wasn't looking at any of that. If anything, Weiss being straight with him was a welcome change of pace.
Tch. "Welcome change of pace" in a world run on sex. The hell's all there to unpack in that thought? ]
Well, my sleuthing around the lower floors accomplished jack all, so... [ Forgive him. He's still a tad lost. ] I dunno. Maybe see what I can dig up checking out the casino?
[ It isn't like knowing what this place is would equip anyone for handling every day life here. Weiss is surprised, however, that no one seems to be hellbent on leaving this place, but she also hasn't socialised much to know what everyone else is thinking.
To her, most people seem to just be enjoying themselves. As for her... while she quickly changed her tune from not wanting to play to playing every now and then, she does still know that she needs to go back home. And she'll hold onto that thought for as long as she can. It's scary to think how it feels like everyone here is going to turn into mindless players who just party, gamble, and have sex every day...
She doesn't want to be one of them. ]
Yeah, earn yourself some chips, while you're at it, too.
[ She'll have to tag along and make sure he doesn't end up playing any of the weird games. Then again, there are some of those easy ones where you sniff someone's mouth or touch their knee. It didn't seem all that bad, and it was pretty easy money! And she'll do it all even though he didn't ask.
It's not like she has anything better to do. ]
Are you normally a lucky guy?
[ With her crepe done, she stands up to place the plate on the tray. And she'll serve herself a slice of the duck, wrapping it in lettuce and then adding the sauce. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ragna.
[ Not a bad first call, but this guy doesn't have any chips on him, still. He sounds like he knows what he's doing with how calm he is, so hopefully he does know how to wrangle his way out of debt.
The resort is kinder to wildcards, anyway. Weiss and the others certainly didn't experience any form of discrimination until they ended up getting checked in. Who knows if it'll be different if he's seen hanging around someone with a low rank, though...
She'll take responsibility if that does happen. ]
Why does it look like you just got married?
[ Balloons and... gifts and all. Some of these cards are even wishing him congratulations! And yes, he did tell her to get comfortable, so she's looking around now, and has approached the mountain of wrapped presents that are just sitting there. Unopened. ]
You should open these. Maybe there's something useful here.
[ A beat. She picks one of the cards up and reads it aloud: ]
"Ragna the Bloodedge... they finally put a ring on the Crimson Calamity! Congratulations on sealing the deal and saying "I do" instead of "Rawr!" May your wedded bliss be filled with epic combos, power-ups of love, and a happily ever after that throws down like a Level 10 Distortion Drive. Just remember, sharing your Danger Gauge might be the ultimate act of true love!" Heart emoji.
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He may know next to nothing about her? But she's just a person. And if the staff want to treat her like crap while he's around? They'll have to go through him. ]
APPARENTLY I did. [ Though he supposes he should clarify. ...even if he still doesn't know the how or why. ] I'm guessing this didn't happen to you when you woke up here. I wound up in bed with someone that flipped their lid on me. [ Though, looking back,
whether this timeline meant Ereshkigal or ElpheltRagna can't help but grimace a little. ] Can't say I blame them in hindsight.[ He'll go get changed in the other room. Right now, he's just going to take off the excess layers like his jacket and vest, unbuttoning them as Weiss investigates the mountainous pile of unopened wedding favours and gifts. As he calls back, one foot into the other room but still in the general vicinity, as Weiss leans over to pick up one of the congratulatory cards, ]
Yeah, I'm not sure how trustworthy a pile of—
[ He gets cut off a beat later by: ]
[ "Ragna the Bloodedge... they finally put a ring on the Crimson Calamity!" ]
You reading that off that card?? [ Half a beat- ] The hell's a "Crimson Calamity"? It's "Grim Reaper"!
[ "Congratulations on sealing the deal and saying "I do" instead of "Rawr!" May your wedded bliss be filled with epic combos, power-ups of love, and a happily ever after that throws down like a Level 10 Distortion Drive." ]
WHY is there a level t—
[ "Just remember, sharing your Danger Gauge might be the ultimate act of true love!" ]
That doesn't make any sense. NONE of that made any sense!
[ ... "Heart emoji." ]
[ ... ]
They actually write that out or is there a heart?
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Finally, she turns to look at him, wherever he may be. She waves the card she's reading nonchalantly. ]
You can stop shouting and just relax your pretty little head, Ragna the Grim-reaping Crimson Calamity Bloodedge. There's a heart emoji, so I just read it out loud. How else would you read it?
[ She's ignoring everything else in favour of that. Yes. ]
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As Weiss turns to look back at him, she'll find him still decent, having removed his pristine white jacket and vest and leaving himself with his dress shirt. Did he haphazardly throw them away on the bed in the room behind him? He was originally going to go change into a t-shirt (that reads, and I quote: "👁 ♥ ⊙⊙s", courtesy of the Great Tit souvenir shop!) ... and then Ragna remembered that the t-shirt read "👁 ♥ ⊙⊙s" in the first place so just untucking his dress shirt and coming back over to Weiss is fine for now. ]
God, shut up! [ At least Ragna's not yelling anymore so much as he's...grumbling. Kind of. He barks loud, but he really is just a big softy, huh? ] Either not at all or—
[ Sigh. ]
—never mind.
[ Weiss wins. Though, on this topic, perhaps more curious, ]
Mouthful of a name aside, [ That's completely wrong by the way please just call him Ragna... ] I've never heard anyone call me 'Crimson Calamity' before. Still... [ It's not inaccurate, unfortunately. Which is why: ] Just how much does this resort know about all of us if we're getting pulled from different worlds?
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[ That should be as much of a warning as any that that wasn't cool. Weiss is somehow forgetting the fact that she was practically teasing him over his name— which, for someone who is so particular about it, should be a lot kinder.
Too bad his name is Ragna the Bloodedge, though. He's practically asking to be questioned about such a name. Not to mention, those other things.
Still, she's not completely put-off by it at this time. He's prickly, but every time she tells someone else to shut up, it's not like they completely mean it, anyway. Maybe he's the same. Not to mention, if she leaves now, she will miss out on good food, so... ]
They probably know everything about you. All your secrets, what you were doing last night... [ She shrugs her shoulders before handing him the card. He can keep it, heart emoji and all. She'll look at the other things and read through them too, though this time, keeping commentary to herself. ] But I don't think they care.
They just want you to, well, you know.
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[ And he won't tell her again! Mostly because her hunch is right. It's a bark. And she's...honestly the first person that he's actually felt more relaxed around since he got here. She wasn't feeling him out to see if he was trying to get in her pants. And he was getting some sense of understanding about the relationship between different ranks. ]
Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
[ Picking up the card, Ragna gives it a once over, only discarding it on the couch beside him with a small "tch". ]
Have sex. [ It's okay, Weiss. You can say it. ] Build up a nice deck of cards.
[ Game 52... ]
And have ALL your dreams come true. [ He's not about to directly ask her if she's playing. Much as he tends to speak before he thinks, he's got enough common sense and respect for that much. ] I'm not buying it.
[ The whole wish. ]
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[ Good for you that you can say it to casually, Ragna. Good for you, truly. ]
The wish thing doesn't seem real, but I don't think there's anybody here who can actually confirm it. [ Because it sounds like nobody has even finished the game, collected all the cards. It seems as if people end up losing their more rational side and end up just being... soulless husks in this place.
Like those regulars at the casino who just play all day, party all night...
She takes a seat on the chaise lounge, right next to all the presents. ]
To be honest, I feel like a lot of the people here have already forgotten it. Or if they haven't, they aren't talking about it. Most people sound like they aren't interested in leaving any time soon.
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Yeah, that sounds like bait. Or if you finish the game and get a wish, why would you wanna leave by the time you finish the deck?
[ As for Ragna? He's still very much of the camp of "get me the hell out of here", even if living a life of luxury with no one to hound him...doesn't seem to have any drawbacks? But he knows better.
This isn't a gag reel.He's got enough common sense to see what Weiss sees. The guests that toil their time away at dealers tables, slot machines, grabbing anything and anyone with a bestial growl of desire if they so much as give them the bedroom eyes back. There's also the fact that there are far more pressing matters waiting back home. Was Weiss in the same boat?What was she doing before she folded into a life of sin and debauchery?
While Weiss takes a seat on the chaise lounge, he finds a seat on the half-circled lounging sofas, closest to the chair she's popped herself down in.
For the time being, he just listens, chin in his hand as he leans forward in his seat. ]
Sounds to me like game or no game, most people don't have much of a choice. That's why I was... [ He studies her face, the angry delinquent she'd been teasing earlier gone for now. Oh right. He was doing some premature investigating before he found Weiss. Alright, Ragna. You haven't forgotten completely how to be a mature adult, have you? ] Listen, Weiss. Um...
[ She's already thanked him— even if it was for taking her order. ]
Thanks. [ ! ] For filling me in on this place a little more. Frankly, that's part of why I invited you up.
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She'll try and answer any questions he may have while they wait for their food. She isn't quite sure what to make of his company just yet, and with him thanking her now, seemingly sounding a bit softer and nicer throws her off, too. Now she doesn't really know what to make of him.
Acting all nice when he hasn't even had any of the food yet... ]
You don't have to change your tune. [ It's weird, she'd tell him, but she just knows that'd make him tell her to shut up again. 🤨 Rude??? ] But it's not a big deal.
There isn't much that I know, to begin with.
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[ ... Man. Try to be nice when there's no reason to go sticking your hand in peoples' faces to back off and he's...realizing that this part is also new territory to him still. ]
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[ He's not after anything related to the game, and he just got here. Weiss isn't particularly bothered by his transparency when she didn't think there was anything wrong there to begin with. ]
But... [ She crosses her legs, places her hands over one knee. ] If you think there's something to show gratitude for? I'll take one more crepe on another day. And next time, it won't just be butter and sugar.
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[ But if he really wants to show his gratitude… ]
?
[ She’s asking for another crepe again. If there’s a next time, and he becomes an “unlucky” wildcard that happens to check in after all… There’s something blue about all that; that he’s had his comfort zone just completely shattered in record time, and his very rationale put into question. There’s a whole world waiting for him back home, for good or ill, and he’s going to spend his time gambling and having sex in a haunted casino?
… Sigh.
With the right company, then: ]
That’ll make us even then, huh. [ Hm. She’s a bit of a brat, but… ] Deal.
[ ‘Knock, Knock, Knock.’ ]
Huh? [ Down the hallway at the front door. ] Damn, they work fast.
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I guess they only want the best for the Crimson Calamity. [ She gestures towards the door with a nod. ] Off you go, then.
They won't give the food to me if I'm the one who takes it.
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Right. [ A beat, and quieter as he starts to leave, ] Still pisses me off.
[ Treat your guests with respect?? He might be rough around the edges, but he's already done a better job than this whole damn place has. Glancing back he just calls that he'll be back in a sec with their goods. And when he opens the door, untucked dress shirt and pants and all, he's greeted by a well-dressed waiter, all smiles and enthusiasm with an entire rolling cart of high quality goods, all kept pristine and warm with their golden-domed plate covers, the serving of iced coffee on the side as good as it'd be in any advertised window. ]
Looks like everything. Thanks. I'll take it from here—
[ "Oh, nonsense, Mr. Bloodedge! Please, allow me to cart your order in for you and I'll be on my way." ]
No no, that's— [ Aaand there they go! Rolling on in. Ragna may be an esteemed guest for the time being, but a Wildcard is still a Wildcard! There's some give and pull with how gung ho the staff can be for a man like him. And he just. Glares with a rough sigh. ] —fine.
[ And when the waiter does roll into the spacious main living hub of the Jack Suite, they suddenly begin to slow down upon spotting the white-haired Huntress, and their jovial expression just...drops. Whether he was already making himself comfortable with this lady or not, the fact still remains that this is a place for the illustrious. Not for...
"Do keep your hands to yourself unless Mr. Bloodedge—" ]
The butter and sugar crepe.
[ —gives her permission? Oh my. Mr. Bloodedge was so silent walking behind the waiter that they didn't even realize they were there already.
"Ah, yes?" ]
Which one is it? [ "O-Of course, right here! As you requested!" They remove the dinner plate to reveal an oh-so-fresh serving of crepes, beautifully folded with butter still freshly melting atop at a glacier pace. ] And the earl grey cream puffs?
[ Well those are in a smaller serving dish! Looking as delicate as ever! Ragna doesn't need to ask about the Iced coffee. It's in plain sight. Now with all those things settled? ]
These are for Weiss. [ A beat. ] Give them to her.
[ And judging by Ragna's tone, just towing the line of polite yet his lower cadence commanding, they'd better do it nicely as well. ... No no! Please! He insists. They went through the trouble of coming all the way in here; go for broke! Hesitating for but a moment before resigning themselves, as the waiter is prepared to offer both the main serving of crepes and the cream puffs as an aside, he hears from behind him, a fleck of smug but oh-so-tired. ]
Service with a smile.
[ Oh this smartass. But Weiss does indeed receive her order, entrusting them to her safely before finishing with the chilled ice coffee. They promptly take their leave right after this, making sure to close the door behind them until it's finally just the two of them alone again. ]
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It is admittedly a little awkward especially for someone who is used to have people serving her. She grins back as the plates are served on the coffee table by where she's seated, just as forced as what she's being given. Only when the staff leaves does the smile get wiped off Weiss face. ]
That wasn't necessary. [ But what's done is done, and she isn't particularly upset! Especially when what she says next is: ] I could have told them off on my own.
[ She does, finally reach for the coffee, though. It is something she needs at this point, for the caffeine to be part of her system already so that she can get going with her day. Everything will fall into place once she's finished her coffee. ]
Why should I let someone else tell me what to do with my hands? I'll put them on you whenever I want.
[ SNRK. Don't mind her, she's just teasing and gunning for a reaction, sipping very, very loudly with her straw with her own flavour of smugness reflecting in her gaze. ]
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Ragna's not taking that crap. He threads a gloved hand through his spiky hair again, like it was a destresser when she tells him that what he did was unnecessary. He slowly paces back and forth in front of the cart. ]
Somehow I don't doubt that.
[ She's sassy enough for it. While Weiss contents herself in reaching for her coffee, he's got his back turned as he lifts the lid on the gourmet portions of crisp Peking duck when he hears her squeeze the trigger. Aaand,
"I'll put them on you whenever I want."
Bang.
He drops the lid back on top of the Peking duck, feeling himself bristle. Just. ]
Wha?!
[ A completely different kind of bristle this time. One that sees him whipping back around to face her aaand, ]
I... Uh...
[ You not even gonna hide that smoking gun? You little... /// ]
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Okay, I'm really starting to understand why people love teasing others so much.
[ Others being her, in this case, but she isn't going to tell him that. He'll have something to get back at her with if she did! She'll just enjoy this for now, snickering behind her hand. Ragna the Grim-Reaping Crimson Calamity Bloodedge, the Emoticon of Anguish, the Raging Scarlet Cringe Machine, has nothing to fear. Especially not a tiny little girl just chilling, having the time of her life, and getting caffeinated. ]
You can relax. I'm not going to do that. I just thought it would be funny to say.
[ Funny for her, anyway.
She'll save the rest of her coffee for later, since there is a warm crepe waiting to be eaten right now. That's what she'll focus her attentions to now. ]
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Maybe that's why he hasn't reacted with violence. But he does crack first while she gives him that bright-eyed innocent look, glaring with exasperation dripping off his words. ]
Really? I'M your breakthrough on this?!
[ He should feel honoured! Or scared. Perhaps both. Though maybe later Ragna will reflect back on this day and the time he spent with Weiss and figure it out. Surface Ragna is embarrassed and blushing. Ragna deep down was watching her snicker behind her hand, cracking up and smiling and... Never mind. ]
You just thought it'd be funny to say. [ He's gonna take that plate of Peking duck now, already sliced into bite-sized pieces. Seeing as he ordered mainly Chinese food, his order came with chopsticks along with fine cutlery. Of which he decides to go with the former for now, since these are easy to pick up. Sitting down a space from Weiss on the couch, Ragna plucks a fresh, crispy piece. ] Tease a guy why dontcha...
[ Cronch goes the bite. ]
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[ He should definitely feel honoured, and not at all scared. It's very rare for Weiss' sense of humour (?) to shine like this, even if it is at his expense. Knowing how prickly she can be though, she'll back off if he actually does tell her to shut up or something equally as harsh.
He isn't, though, so she takes it as a sign that she can keep going. ]
So, what do you think? [ Now that he's had a bite of the food. Maybe one bite isn't enough to judge how good the food here is, but it could be, depending on his tastes. ] It's pretty good, right?
The taste doesn't differ depending on what rank you are, at least. It's just the service that does.
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[ A little sarcasm to garnish her plate of sass.
Oh but he is. ...there's something about her type that's the scariest of all. Granted, Ragna was...used to the kind of taunting and teasing that was more on the brutal side. So maybe this is why Weiss' sense of humour (?) isn't completely discarded by him. Even if he's
being a tsundererough around the edges about it all.Don't mind him. This is a process. A lot of this place is. Not that he's completely folded and accepted the potential hand he's being dealt yet. Despite his potty mouth and attitude? Ragna...actually has surprisingly good table manners. So when Weiss asks him how the food is, he silently raises his finger as if signalling "one sec" so he can finish swallowing.
There! ]
Yeah, it's not bad. [ Not just "not bad", ] Hate to admit it, but it's up there with some of the Chinese restaurants in Orient Town.
[ Ragna'll keep peking away at the Peking, though he doesn't scarf them down either, rather savouring them! ]
How's your coffee?
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It's good. I was thinking of getting something hot earlier, but I'm glad I went for a cold coffee now.
[ It's very refreshing! But it really does feel like a trap because she can just keep sipping and sipping and sipping... ]
The crepes they make are good, too. [ Not sharing, though. And she makes that painfully obvious, because— ] You should try the cream puffs when you're done eating, too.
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Never actually tried a cold brew before. [ Not that Ragna was some culinary connoisseur or barista expert, but if he had to take a wager, ] I imagine it's gotta feel more refreshing.
[ Not that hot coffee was bad in any way. ]
Haven't had a crepe either, come to think of it. [ Even if he knows what they are. He won't ask for hers, but he does blink in surprise as she offers to let him try one of the cream puffs. There's four of them, delectable for their size. As he settles into the privacy of his suite with company, Ragna starts to get a little more comfortable. ] Oh, thanks.
[ There's a few more slices of Peking on his plate, the tops bubbly from the skin getting that nice crackle for a crunch which preludes the duck meat. His gaze flits over to the cart of food, but more specifically, the extra couple pairs of chopsticks tucked away away in their folded napkins. There's also forks and spoons as an option but...
He looks back to Weiss with his plate in hand. ]
Wanna try? [ A beat. ] After you've had yours?
[ Because for now, he'll save it for later and put a cover back on it to keep it warm. Next up is the fried rice. He's working his way up to the spicy tofu. ]
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[ She'll just have the other another time. Depending on how the day goes, she might want another cup of coffee later on, anyway.
With her butter and sugar crepe being light and sweet, it's easy to just keep eating it. It doesn't take long for her to be almost done with it, and then she'll move on to the cream puffs and back to the coffee. Her orders are on the lighter side of things, but the offer to try the duck isn't unwelcome. In fact, she could use just that before dessert! ]
Sure. Save me a slice, then.
[ Considering how much he ordered, he can probably... go through all of it in one sitting. Weiss would rather not take too much of his food if he's that hungry. But now that she got what she came here for, she could honestly just up and leave afterwards, leaving him to his own devices. She wonders if there's anything else he needs after they eat, because it does feel weird to eat and run. He did say it's all on him, and while it's a very generous offer, she has a feeling he'd have a difficult time paying for things when the bill comes in. ]
What are you going to do after you eat? You were looking around earlier but just wanted to get changed, weren't you?
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[ In hindsight...he could have gone for a cup himself. But, too late to call Room Service again without making it look like he was just harassing the staff. ...Which, to be frank, he's still not feeling beholden to the House and its 'denizens'.
The truth is, Ragna can eat this all if he really wants to. But he was likely going to simply leave it for leftovers. The one time he goes against his "don't have enough money to pay" rule, and he actually feels good about it? Maybe he's more bad than he thought... Nah. Just sticking it to the resort. But he's not in the mood to harp on them right now. ]
Alright then.
[ Had Weiss simply decided to up and leave now that she got what she came here for, he did say that he got what he needed, too. Some details. Some pointers. In the grand scheme of things, it really amounted to so little... But he wasn't looking at any of that. If anything, Weiss being straight with him was a welcome change of pace.
Tch. "Welcome change of pace" in a world run on sex. The hell's all there to unpack in that thought? ]
Well, my sleuthing around the lower floors accomplished jack all, so... [ Forgive him. He's still a tad lost. ] I dunno. Maybe see what I can dig up checking out the casino?
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To her, most people seem to just be enjoying themselves. As for her... while she quickly changed her tune from not wanting to play to playing every now and then, she does still know that she needs to go back home. And she'll hold onto that thought for as long as she can. It's scary to think how it feels like everyone here is going to turn into mindless players who just party, gamble, and have sex every day...
She doesn't want to be one of them. ]
Yeah, earn yourself some chips, while you're at it, too.
[ She'll have to tag along and make sure he doesn't end up playing any of the weird games. Then again, there are some of those easy ones where you sniff someone's mouth or touch their knee. It didn't seem all that bad, and it was pretty easy money! And she'll do it all even though he didn't ask.
It's not like she has anything better to do. ]
Are you normally a lucky guy?
[ With her crepe done, she stands up to place the plate on the tray. And she'll serve herself a slice of the duck, wrapping it in lettuce and then adding the sauce. ]
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