Complete Private Vintergard Clarification of a Series of Unfortunate Events

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Kyra had left the breakfast table a few hours ago, wandering the camp with the focus of completing a few vital tasks, and ensuring that she was as ready for the events of the coming days as she could be. She knew that being beyond the camp walls would be dangerous - to a degree. She wanted to ensure that she was ready for as much as she could be, to ensure that she wouldn't be caught off guard.

"Extra food supplies would be good...but then again so would extra medical supplies...never know when I'm going to need more mundane healing practices..."

Her journal in hand, she'd been wandering the camp, collecting the few items she didn't have yet, while also considering those that she might have forgotten or overlooked. The list in her book was extensive - some items crossed off, only to be written again later on down the list. She'd packed far more than she could likely carry, her pack in her tent looking like an overflowing hoarders storage spot. Still, she wasn't content.

"Will have to repack it later...consider what's truly essential. I'm sure someone else will focus on brining consumables - although I should probably check that before I just assume...but that would be the logical course..."

Her words dropped off as she spotted a collection of blonde passing by, something about the hair and glimpse of face familiar in her distracted mind. The individual has just reached a corner, starting to turn the corner itself when the connection clicked in Kyra's mind.

"Luthy! Luthien! Hey!"

Kyra chased after the individual, catching them around the corner as they seemed to spin in response to being called. Bounding up to the Elf girl, Kyra beamed a smile, her face a mixture of joy, and an almost dangerous glee.

"Oh have I been waiting to talk to you...you and I have a few things. To discuss. About this morning's event."

Her muscles were tense, the book in her hands held loosely, everything in her frame appearing like a vulpine ready to spring. Even her lips had pulled back slightly, a wicked grin on her face that bared her teeth, the tail behind her swaying slowly in an almost patient, waiting way.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

She'd just exited the mess tents a few moments before, having turned back to them shortly after parting ways with Yugam and offered herself as part of the cooking crew for the rest of the morning. Her heart was still beating rapidly, the memory of the golden mouse corpse she'd recently yeeted into her UI inventory still fresh on Luthien's mind. Maybe she could find a place to properly dispose of the little critter——

"Luthy! Luthien! Hey!"
"Huh—a-ah, Kyra...!"

A voice had called out her name and, without thinking twice, the elf had turned around to see who was looking for her—only to pale slightly when she spotted the purple vixen bounding in her direction. O-Oh, fuck me... ¡¿por qué ahora?! Right, Kyra, the beastfolk that Yugam had spat his coffee all over when Lúthien had thought it funny to mindsend the man his IRL name... but who knew, maybe the woman had already forgotten all about——

"Oh have I been waiting to talk to you...you and I have a few things. To discuss. About this morning's event."
Fuck...!

A nervous chuckle escaped the blonde as she took in the appearance of the vulpine, crimson eyes carefully noticing the tensed muscles on the beastfolk, and the wicked grin that made sure to display her rather sharp and pointy canines in the ranger's direction. She wasn't an expert in body language, much less that of foxes, but even Lúthien could tell that Kyra was up to something indeed.

"Y-Yeah, sure...! I have some t-time right now, whatcha wanted to talk about Kyra?"

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

For a few seconds, all that escaped Kyra was a soft growl, seemingly crawling up her throat and between clenched teeth that smiled in an almost menacing way. It stopped, only as she began speaking, the words tumbling out even as she stepped forward to whisper into Luthien's ear, so that no one else nearby could hear.

"I know what you did this morning...some sort of magical touch on Yugam...I didn't even know that you two were a couple, or that you knew each other from before the event or...well, Yugam doesn't say much...but if you harm that man, in any way whatsoever, you'll have to deal with me! And let me tell you this, I may look super small and not-so-deadly, but if you cross that poor man...you won't like what happens!"

She stepped back, the look on her face still less-than-friendly as she tried to convey her dangerous message - the appearance likely coming across like a cute little fox attempting to look angry, and just causing itself to look more adorable in a weird way.

"Also...I have some questions for you...for starters, when did you two start dating?"

She crossed her arms, resisting the urge to pull out her journal, shifting her weight so that her left hip was sticking out slightly. Behind her, her tail had begun to sway softly, the first sign that her menacing look was drifting away.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

Was that a... OMG did she just growl at m—eep!

The elf remained completely still as her ears caught the growl reverberating in Kyra's throat. The menacing smile on the vixen's lips not lost to Lúthien, her own elven lips holding a nervous smile of her own even as the ranger could feel very light beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Was Kyra that pissed just because of the mindsending incident this mornin——

"... ...I didn't even know that you two were a couple..."
"W-W-Wait... what?!"
"... but if you harm that man, in any way whatsoever, you'll have to deal with me..."

It was as if a missing piece of the puzzle had finally been provided and slotted into place, the real reason for the vixen's apparent exasperated behavior now clear for Lúthien to see. Her initial nervousness soon gave way to embarrassment, the ranger's face flushing brightly when Kyra continued her line of questioning.

"Also...I have some questions for you...for starters, when did you two start dating?"
"Ah, n-no... I m-mean, we're not technically d-dating...?"

She had been completely caught off-guard, blindsided by the purple fox's approach, as Lúthien stammered out a few words in response. The elf didn't need a mirror to know that her cheeks were probably beet red right now, she could feel the heat pooling under her skin as it continued to spread all the way to the tip of her elongated ears.

"W-We just met IRL over the s-summer... didn't know he played TS until t-this morning when he showed up at the m-mess."

Hands reached over to fiddle with the endpoints of her ponytail, the elf mentally cursing to herself right now about having tied her hair up high in the first place... she'd like nothing more than to hide her face right now in the golden strands.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The growl stopped abruptly, the entirely aggressive manner of Kyra's stance, of her expression, disappearing almost instantly as the girl stammered. Not technically dating...? How can you not...oh. Oohhh....oh no.

"Wait...you didn't know...ohmygods did you send him a message asking him if he was...his real...you didn't."

There were no questions. Everything had suddenly clicked into place all at once; the odd reaction of Yugam, the way he had seemed...almost confused. The weird woman he was with. Luthien's own actions and surprise. The way she had reacted when Kyra had been speaking to Yugam. Wait a second...

"Just who in the hells was that woman that Yugam was with? Is that man already cheating on you?!"

The growl had returned, growing in ferocity as a collection of images dashed through her mind. Almost absent-mindedly, her hand had begun to reach for her scythe, the tips of her left hand glazing softly along the haft as she twitched.

"That's it...I'm going to go give him a piece of my mind. This is no way to treat your girl...your frie...your...well, whatever you two are!"

She felt the hair on her tail standing straight out as she spoke, her anger prevelant in her face. The growling continued, accented by the spoken words as she tried to stop herself from vibrating.

"But first! You! How did you not know that he...you met during the sum...wait..."

Her eyes seemed to glaze over for a second, thoughts racing through her mind as she considered everything that had recently occurred. Faces suddenly appeared in front of her, connections that she hadn't made at the time.

"Fuck me right sideways..."

The words were a whisper as everything seemed to drop into place, her eyes still distant even as they glanced over at Luthien.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

The shift on the fox's demeanor was almost instantaneous, causing the elf to pause as a confused look gently took over her elven features. The ranger had been pretty sure that Kyra had been ready to pounce on her at any moment, so why was the vixen now suddenly shifting gears—

"... ohmygods did you send him a message asking him if he was...his real...you didn't."
"I-I... well... I d-didn't know whatelsetosay okay?!"

Oh gods, had that really been such a terrible decision? The elf had simply thought it would've been a funny hahah moment, but given Ari's reaction—and now Kyra's words—perhaps she'd really been quite off the mark with that thought. "Is that man already cheating on you?!" The next words that tumbled out of the healer's mouth certainly snapped Lúthien out of her own thoughts, watching as the growl was renewed in the vixen's throat with an increased ferocity that had the elf took a step backwards involuntarily.

"Wha... oh!" Right, there had been someone else with Ari then when he'd appeared in the mess, though upon going out to meet him Lúthien had found the hemomancer entirely by his lonesome. Between everything that had happened she had completely forgotten to ask Ar—Yugam about her.

"... I'm going to go give him a piece of my mind. This is no way to treat your girl..."
"N-No, it's fine...! Probably just another friend, or something..."

There was an unsettling feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach at the thoughts that Kyra was evoking into the blonde's mind, before Lúthien promptly forced them back into a corner of her mind. After all they weren't dating or anything like that, so whatever Ar—Yugam did—or whomever he saw—on his own free time was really not Lúthien's business...

"... How did you not know that he...you met during the sum...wait..."

"Y-Yeah, the summerfest back in June in New York city." Speaking of there had been someone faintly familiar to the blonde, though at the time she hadn't voiced out her suspicions... preferring to be cautious considering the vast amount of people present. "Actually... were you there too, Kyra?"

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The blank expression had remained, as Kyra's internal thoughts raced at a speed that some would find surprising for the outwardly oblivious girl. The sudden realisation, the connection of everything, the summerfest, similiarities. Kyra had wondered, although the memories were hazy...disconnected in some ways.

"Son of...Valeria? No. There's no way..."

The evidence was pointing otherwise, at least as far as Kyra could see. The name had been hissed, but there was no anger behind it, no venom. Simply a surprise, at the sudden realisation of everything that had once been unimportant.

"Oh that boy is going to get it...when I get my hands on him. How dare he hurt one of my friends. Playing at two women! The absurdity! Absolutely unbelieve...no, no entirely believable! MEN!"

The last word was shouted loud enough that a few nearby heads turned, and Kyra had to resist the urge to growl at them - the sound still resonating in her throat loud enough for Luthien to likely hear. Her entire body vibrated, the chain rattling from her scythe as she felt the fumes of anger resonating through her.

"You. Me. Yugam. Now. That boy. Has some explaining to do. And you missy. Never telling me. That you. UGH!"

The irony of her anger didn't quite reach Kyra, not in the current state. But the growl had lessened, if only slightly, as she began to realise that she was perhaps not being entirely fair to the blonde Elf. Still, the annoyance kept her furious appearance up enough that no one would be able to tell it was dwindling inside.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

"Son of...Valeria? No. There's no way..."
"Shhhhh!!! Don't just say my name out loud like that, Naom—Kyra!!!"

Well, that definitely answered one unspoken question at least... there was no way this purple vixen that looked very much like the Naomi that Ari and her had met back at the Mega Summerfest wasn''t that person—especially when she knew Lúthien's IRL name. Before the elf could catch up though Kyra was already switching gears, the fox going on a tirade of her own that increased in volume despite the blonde's best efforts to keep the beastfolk calm.

"Ahahaaah, sorry about that folks... nothing to see here~" A nervous chuckle was given as her crimson gaze swept through the near bystanders, trying to disperse their attention back to whatever they'd been doing, before the ranger turned to look back at the healer. "Kyra, please, there's no need to make a scene...!"

Gosh, what was this day developing into...?

@NAME

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The growling kept up even as Kyra fell silent, glancing around at the people watching them. She was making a scene, which was probably not the best thing that they could be doing. Need to take this elsewhere, before someone gets curious...

Grabbing onto Luthien's arm, she began walking away from the spot they had stopped in, heading in a random direction with the hope of ending up somewhere. The majority of her anger had already boiled away, leaving her a bit calmer and more level-headed - even if she was maintaining the growl of annoyance at this point.

"Come on...we're not done talking yet. But you're right...we shouldn't make a scene here..."

Her ears and nose twitched in response, knowing full well that she was the problem causing the scene. Not that it mattered at the moment, she still had a few bones to pick with Luthien - even if Kyra wasn't making a perfect role model herself in the exact moment.

"Okay look...I'm not mad, just disappointed. Ohgodsnowait that sounds like my mother. I'm...how long have you two been dating? And who is the woman that Yugam was with this morning? And why didn't you tell me you played Terrasphere? And...okay there's a lot of questions here, but most importantly. Yugam."

She stared at Luthien even as she walked, not letting the girl out of her sights for a single second. She was going to get some answers here, no matter what.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

"Come on...we're not done talking yet."
"W-We aren't——whoa!!!"

Before the blonde realized it Kyra already had a hand on her arm like a vice grip, the smaller woman beginning to lead the elf away from the spot they had currently been standing at and somewhere deeper into Camp Hope IV... though where exactly seemed to be up in the air as the purple fox kept going this way and that, no clear location seemingly chosen yet.

"Okay look...I'm not mad, just disappointed."
"P-Perdón...?"
"Ohgodsnowait that sounds like my mother."

At this point saying the elf was confused felt like a huge understatement, having almost tripped on her own two feet when Kyra began dragging her away before finally finding her own stride. "Kyra, like I said... we aren't d-dating." The statement wasn't a lie, though Lúthien still found the words left an unwanted taste in her mouth even as her lips settled into a flat line.

"Look, I don't know who the woman with him was... by the time I met up with Yu later she wasn't anywhere near him, so maybe it was just someone else he knew that was also around the camp?"

After all Lúthien herself hadn't expected to see Jester when the wagons had arrived to bring them into Camp Hope IV, or come across Kyra and Zelrius when she had decided to go grab some breakfast that dawn. Hell, she certainly hadn't expected to see Ari playing this game, so perhaps the woman that had been with him was just another knot in the string off odd coincidences for the day?

"And why didn't you tell me you played Terrasphere?"
"Well I wasn't just going to blurt that out there in the summerfest, Kyra..."

"Besides you never mentioned it in-game either," How was she supposed to know that some people would think it a smart and wise decision to mold their avatar in an illegal game to look exactly like their IRL selves? "... for all I knew maybe you'd found a picture of the girl online and decided to make your avatar look like her?"

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The emotions were washing away, leaving Kyra feeling slightly foolish. Her eyes shot downwards as she mumbled a reply that barely made up for the actions she'd taken.

"Err...yeah I mean I guess...I guess I could've...well, yeah you wouldn't want to just announce it...especially not at like the whole summer fest thing...yeah...but still! I mean...a message...and well.."

She stopped speaking for a moment, sighing heavily as she tried to arrange her thoughts and emotions. For a moment, she wondered what exactly she was doing. Shaking off the doubt, she turned to stare at Luthien, eyeing the girl with a serious look on her face.

"Okay yeah. I could've said...said who I was. But - in my defence. You don't really look much like your avatar. So how was I supposed to know that you were...you...And also there's..."

She paused again, this time a look of embarrassment coming across her face before she spoke, her voice hesitant.

"...there's kind of this thing, where in real life...I don't really remember Terrasphere very well. It's like...a half-forgotten dream, sorta thing...it's not like I blank out and forget everything but...some things...some details...they don't transition out, so to speak."

A quick shake of her head before the frustrated look returned, accompanied by the low growl.

"That's not the point though...you and Yugam are. And don't give me that bullshit that you're 'not technically dating'. I saw you two at the fest. If you aren't dating then I'm not a vulpine. In Terrasphere. And the fact that he's casually hanging out with other vixen all willynilly without a care in the world and you're defending him. Nope! Not okay! You and I, we're going to have some words with him about his side piece, and let him know that that is not okay. Now we just need to find the little asshat."

She turned, sniffing the air slightly as she did, hoping to catch his scent.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

"Y-Yeah well, you never mentioned the Summerfest ever in-game... so I wasn't really sure that had actually been you you there..." The arm that Kyra wasn't pulling on was raised, Lúthien's hand rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly as both girls mumbled responses. "S-Sorry... I guess you do have a point... my avatar isn't too similar to my IRL self, so I should've sent you a message or something."

Well this was awkward, still maybe this way everything else would just become water under the bridge and the girls could go back to their usual conversations—"W-Wait... what do you mean you don't remember?" One eyebrow raised curiously as crimson eyes focused on Kyra, the blonde tilting her head to one side slightly as she spoke.

Unfortunately Kyra was quick to switch things back around, the elf groaning slightly as the vixen returned to her new favorite topic once more: Yugam.

"W-We're not, really...! I mean sure, we vibed really well and it was super fun to spend the summerfest with him..." A light rosy hue showed on her elven cheeks as they walked, the beastfolk sniffing the air as she probably tried to find Yugam's scent or something. "... but!!! I mean it Kyra, we're not dating... I didn't think it'd work, since I'm in Michigan and he's all the way over in Pennsylvania."

Thankfully the purple fox hadn't stumbled upon them earlier in the day as Yugam and her shared a talk and some kisses by the wagons... Lúthien was pretty sure she'd have a tougher time convincing Kyra that the pair weren't actually an official thing otherwise.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Kyra's eyes squinted as the other girl spoke, her expression one of searching, and a clear lack of belief in what Luthien was saying. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes gazing at Luthien as she seemed to consider what to say.

"Mmmmhmmmm...right. Totally. Not a thing. Not at all a thing. No way possible."

She suddenly straightened, her expression turning with a wicked smile, the tail behind her suddenly wagging excitedly.

"You and I are going to go find him, and see what he has to say about this whole arrangement. And have him explain exactly who the other woman was. He's not getting off that easy."

She started walking again, making it all of three steps before she stopped and turned towards Luthien again, jabbing a finger at the girl. The grin was gone, a serious look left in its place.

"And you missy...lying is bad. To others, or yourself. There's something there, and I'm going to make sure he isn't totally screwing it up. We're going to make him beg for your forgiveness."

A quick flick of the tail, and Kyra was moving again, glad that she had managed to turn the subject away from her own odd conundrum, and back onto the important piece - Yugam treating Luthien like a throwaway doll. Obviously.

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

This was not how Lúthien had envisioned the talk with Kyra going, and as the purple vixen chided her the elf couldn't help but pout ever so slightly. There were quite a few things that definitely struck a chord when Kyra verbally manifested the topics, things Lúthien had certainly been ignoring (or at the very least suppressing) as she rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"E-Exactly, not possible Kyra... everyone knows long distance relationships never work."

However it didn't look like the fox would take no for an answer, her tail suddenly wagging excitedly behind the older woman as she mentioned finding Yugam right now to figure out quite a few things: starting with the woman that had accompanied him briefly at the mess tent, among other things that Kyra was more than ready to dive into.

Things that Lúthien herself currently didn't know if she wanted answers to.

"And you missy...lying is bad. To others, or yourself..."

There was a look of surprise on Lúthien's face, the words of Kyra faintly reminding her of things her Nana used to say. The elf knew she was an open book, her poker face was practically non-existent except for very limited moments in Valeria's lifetime. She was the type to wear her heart on her sleeve, and the blonde had long since made peace with that fact and everything that came with it.

A sigh left her lips before she looked at the purple fox, giving Kyra a soft smile before the elf spoke up. "... thanks, Kyra. I'll keep that thought in mind."

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Her pace slowed as the other girl thanked her, causing a sudden warmth to spread across her cheeks. The tail behind her began to sway faster, giving away the pleased feelings that Kyra was trying to hide. For a moment, she bounced along the path in silence, her thoughts keeping her from responding.

"You're...welcome. Now come on, we need to go sort some things out, and get things all cleared away. And maybe smack him around a bit - that's my job, by the way. The one who fixes, gets to break. Or something along those lines."

She shot a grin back at Luthien, hoping that her joke got through to the other. She had no immediate intent to cause any harm to Yugam - assuming that he could wiggle his way out of her interrogation without issue. That, however, would remain to be seen.

"As to the whole distance thing...and yes, I heard that. Fox ears. They're good at hearing, and not just good for pets...don't let it dissuade you. Just because it's harder, doesn't mean it never works out. If you want it, truly want it...anything is possible. Doesn't matter how far away it may be - physically or otherwise. You just need to want it enough..."

She eyed Luthien for a moment, her gaze trying to pierce the girl as her grin disappeared. She couldn't stress enough the fact that she wanted to impart one single piece of information towards her; try.

Another flick of the tail, and Kyra was moving again, her entire posture changing as she reached over and grabbed Luthien's arm again, before pulling her along as she skipped further into the camp.

"Come on...we're not going to get to hit him from here. Or solve things. Solve things is probably what we're going for. But if he's cheating on you I'm going to rip him apart. Physically, emotionally, and in any other way that I can."

@Luthien​

 

[Luthien]

She could see the change in the beastfolk's tail as they walked, the sudden rapid swaying it had adopted right after Lúthien's words a clear giveaway. It was adorable really, and the blond couldn't help but smile softly... before she was reminded by the woman's words that Kyra wasn't one to let a thought go after she'd sunk her teeth into it.

"C'mon Kyra, maybe we shouldn't for now... after all, don't we have to meet up with the rest of our party and decide when we're heading out?"

A light chuckle left her as she caught the joke by the healer, shaking her head softly before her shoulders shrugged in response. The most she could try and do was perhaps get Kyra off Yugam's trail for the time being... but if the vixen did find him Lúthien was pretty sure she wasn't about to step in and interfere.

"A-Ah, r-right... forgot I'm not the only one with sharp ears."

A faint blush crept onto her elven cheeks as Kyra confirmed having heard the blonde's musings, her hand rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly as Lúthien listened to the advice imparted by the older woman. It was logically sound advice, something the girl knew deep inside, but even if it was a possibility it wasn't a sure guarantee... not to mention that this was one which needed both of them to be on the same page, and the girl honestly had no idea when Yugam truly stood in all of this.

"I'll—"

Voice Mail

Coming through! Woops, sorry!

Oh god, where did it go... Huh?! Is this still recording, oh, right! Please, please, please, unless you have anything else to do right now... Wah!

(Loud crashing noises.)

Sorry, I'll help you fix that later! An astral projection, or something! Help! I need to find it, and its owner! Follow the road!

Before Lúthien could voice out her thoughts a voicemail had suddenly interrupted through her UI, the voice of the pinkette elf heard on the other side of the line as she requested her party's assistance with... looking for an astral projection? There was a confused look on Lúthien's face as she stopped walking, turning to look at Kyra then.

"You get Rael's voicemail just now? How do you even find an astral projection...?"

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The girl was putting up some disagreements, verbally. But Kyra could see the apprehension in her body, could feel it in her touch, could hear it in the way she spoke - the hesitations in the arguments themselves. Everything spoke to the fact that the girl was at least listening to what Kyra was saying.


She had just been considering following up, making sure the girl knew that Kyra was on her side in all of this - and that she really was trying to do right by the other, when a message interrupted their conversation. Luthien's look changed, suddenly, but before Kyra could ask, the girl mentioned a voicemail.

"A voice...astral...what?"

Kyra returned a blank look, trying to figure out what the other was saying, and coming up with absolutely nothing that made any sort of sense. Clearly there was some sort of magic at play, but...

"We should find Rael...see what's going on here. Sorry, your whole Yugam situation may have to wait a moment...until we figure out what sort of chaos Rael's brought up herself."

She blinked, before beaming a smile at the other girl, a look of amusement on her face.

"It's probably nothing...but let's just check, to be safe. Then we can laugh about it all, and head off to find Yu-ee-boy."

Kyra spun, heading off in the direction of where she'd seen Rael earlier in the day, still curious about what the message had meant. What could she be doing? Is it something related to Astor? She better not be taking any serious risks...

@Luthien​