[The toast is moved onto plates. Alucard brought eggs that will last for a day or two at most, so those get cooked next. (He went and bought the eggs, but he has been debating the wisdom of just keeping chickens.) Protein. They need that and badly.
He uses the only cast iron pan that's there, and the hearth heats it as he scrambles the half dozen eggs that are put into the pan.]
I blame the stone floor.
[It's fine.]
We'll take the rest of the day easy as well. No point in rushing ourselves.
[ He's at least present enough this morning to remember things that Alucard has made fun of him for in the past, so that's good. ]
Think I scared the little shit off last night when I was yelling. [ Really, it's a wonder he didn't scare off Alucard and Sypha last night as well. He gives it a moment while he tries to put his fingers to his lips (only two tries needed, that time) and then whistles. There's an answering yip and the distant scramble of tiny claws on the floor somewhere upstairs. ]
...Mmm, yeah, this one's on the interior decorator, I think.
[It's a thin joke. The smile that goes with it is fragile. But it is there, and in a few more moments there's three plates full of food being brought over to the table. The tiniest shred of normalcy for all three.]
Family lore doesn't mention a name for this dog, does it?
[They will not call it Dog. But the little thing is as welcome as can be whenever it darts into the kitchen.]
[ It's tempting to laugh at how frustrated Enid would be about an important family dog's name being lost to history. But considering the previous nightmare- perhaps not right now. ]
None that I know of.
[ He tears a crust from one of the slices of toast, dipping it in egg yolk and offering it to the dog when it rushes in excitedly, overshooting the three of them by a few feet and then scrambling back to take it ]
Servant's quarters and the rest of the rooms downstairs, today? Or upstairs?
Servant's quarters. Less dangers there, most likely.
[Alucard wants to take the day off entirely, but that's not going to happen. Head injury or no, they don't know how much time is left before whatever fools have decided to unleash an ancient evil on this side of Europe.
He eats quickly. Then gets to his feet, because there's one other chore to do before the work begins anew.]
I'm going to check on the horses.
[There's a few little bits of egg left on his plate. He places it down for the little thing, just in case Trevor's gifts aren't enough.]
[ And that's mostly true. The fresh air is probably useful, and the morning chill makes him feel more alert. May as well take advantage of it before the late summer heat arrives for the day. ]
[Alucard shoots Sypha a look. Keep an ear out. With that, he goes for the door.]
He likes you more than me anyway.
[Horses and Alucard were not always a great combination. They knew what he was better than most, and reacted accordingly.
There's silence from Alucard as he heads out to the stables. The things he saw, they're concerning. Upsetting for a number of reasons. But he will not prod unless Trevor permits it, and right now, getting a read on Trevor is far too hard.
Well. None of the horses are dead. Not sure if the one that belongs to this place needs to eat, but it's not done him any harm.
[ He grows more steady once he's walking more of a distance without having to stop or change direction. It's the turning that's the problem right now. ]
Sounds fair. Feed for Useless and- whatever Sypha called the other one. Hay for the one that lives here.
[ Trevor doesn't mind the smell of the stables, of course. It's a homeish smell, like to many dogs or baking bread or Alucard's hair, though somehow he doubts Alucard would appreciate his hair or cooking being compared to manure. Comforting. ]
You were right. About the 'not hitting your head, Belmont' thing. Shit sucks. Sorry about- [ And he just gestures uselessly. ] -getting shit all mixed up.
You saw the levels of what was available yesterday, right? When we get there, I want you to tell me if it's still at the same level you left it. I have a theory, but you need to prove it right or wrong.
[His hair is so much better than horse shit, Trevor Belmont.]
You can't control what an injury does to you, especially when it's something internal that none of us can actually see. Don't give it another thought.
[Alucard pauses, then looks back at Trevor, slightly mortified with word choice.]
I'm not actually sure how my own abilities would handle such an internal injury, come to think of it.
[Thank you, Trevor, and your fucking horrible sense of humor.
The stables are all but unavoidable now. Alucard heads in first, and unsurprisingly, the horses? Are not a fan of him being in here. There's a few unhappy noises (one might as well have just said Frau Blucher).]
[ It's jovial, but god. Confused and scared Trevor is bad enough, and they're lucky that any advantages he could muster over his two companions if he had become too spooked require him to be of relatively sound mind and body both. Alucard and Sypha are both capable of doing a lot more damage in such a state.
Useless is, naturally, the most wary of the horses. Trevor can deal with horses easily enough, though, because what are Belmonts if not glorified animal handlers? He directs its attention away from Alucard carefully, glad to have work that's not currently beyond him to occupy himself with. ]
We ought to be able to get a day's work out of me if I don't need to do anything too strenuous. Just don't get too upset if I walk into any walls. Bad eye's not playing nice with my head right now. Hard to tell how far away shit is.
At the comment about Trevor's eye, there's only a moment's pause. Alucard's fussing with the hay, trying to figure out the best way to move it without having the damn stuff cling to his coat. (This is the real reason he deserves princeling.)
I'll try not to. And not to steer you out of instinct.
[To which statement Alucard is confirming the truth is, who is to say. But there's a heavy sigh out of him in the next moment.]
That does confirm my theory though, for whatever good or ill that brings us from here on out. This place is most likely stuck on a single day, and all supplies and the like restock themselves over the course of the evening.
That'd be convenient if we could actually make use of any of this. But-
[ A single, repeating day. ]
Once we've got our bearings and know what we're actually looking for, it might be worth watching for any changes throughout the day.
[ Alucard did make specific mention of most of the medicines being used up. That had been- maybe a little later than mid-afternoon? His memory of yesterday is a little foggy. If any of the bottles are full in the morning and empty in the evening, they can use Mathias' notes on Sara's treatment to figure out what day this is.
But not until they know if that's information relevant to what they're doing here. If not, it's torturing Alucard for no reason. ]
[It is a good thought. Alucard goes still, contemplating. His father's logic, he has to apply it here. It's harder to reach through and determine the meaning at the moment, it's such a version of the man that he has never met.
No.
He knows what this is.
One last day before everything went to shit.
It fit. Dramatic. Important. That tiniest bit of sentimentality that was always something his mother brought out.]
We'll do it once I'm on my feet again properly. Ought to start at midnight, to be thorough, and I'd like at least one night's sleep that isn't under some weird magic shit before I try to stay awake all night.
[ See? He's actually taking into account the fact that he needs to rest! Are you proud, doctor dhamphir? ]
[In any other situation he'd be sobbing from joy.]
We'll bring mattresses in from the servant's quarters that way it's more comfortable than a load of blankets and the floor.
[But now Trevor's mentioned the matter of dreams, and Alucard pauses, unsure of how to proceed here. They...they really ought to talk about it. But Trevor's finally in a decent mood and that means ruining it would be cruel.
So Alucard just shakes his head, a soft noise escaping his throat.]
I think we have to convince Sypha to find a way to build walls between dreams if we need to use those spells.
Oh. Shit. I'm- [ The dream wasn't particularly noteworthy to him so much as the waking up unable to move. But he's used to being inside his own head. Alucard and Sypha aren't. ]
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He uses the only cast iron pan that's there, and the hearth heats it as he scrambles the half dozen eggs that are put into the pan.]
I blame the stone floor.
[It's fine.]
We'll take the rest of the day easy as well. No point in rushing ourselves.
[He pauses, then...]
Where has the dog gone?
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[ He's at least present enough this morning to remember things that Alucard has made fun of him for in the past, so that's good. ]
Think I scared the little shit off last night when I was yelling. [ Really, it's a wonder he didn't scare off Alucard and Sypha last night as well. He gives it a moment while he tries to put his fingers to his lips (only two tries needed, that time) and then whistles. There's an answering yip and the distant scramble of tiny claws on the floor somewhere upstairs. ]
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[It's a thin joke. The smile that goes with it is fragile. But it is there, and in a few more moments there's three plates full of food being brought over to the table. The tiniest shred of normalcy for all three.]
Family lore doesn't mention a name for this dog, does it?
[They will not call it Dog. But the little thing is as welcome as can be whenever it darts into the kitchen.]
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None that I know of.
[ He tears a crust from one of the slices of toast, dipping it in egg yolk and offering it to the dog when it rushes in excitedly, overshooting the three of them by a few feet and then scrambling back to take it ]
Servant's quarters and the rest of the rooms downstairs, today? Or upstairs?
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[Alucard wants to take the day off entirely, but that's not going to happen. Head injury or no, they don't know how much time is left before whatever fools have decided to unleash an ancient evil on this side of Europe.
He eats quickly. Then gets to his feet, because there's one other chore to do before the work begins anew.]
I'm going to check on the horses.
[There's a few little bits of egg left on his plate. He places it down for the little thing, just in case Trevor's gifts aren't enough.]
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[ And that's mostly true. The fresh air is probably useful, and the morning chill makes him feel more alert. May as well take advantage of it before the late summer heat arrives for the day. ]
And I do like Useless.
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He likes you more than me anyway.
[Horses and Alucard were not always a great combination. They knew what he was better than most, and reacted accordingly.
There's silence from Alucard as he heads out to the stables. The things he saw, they're concerning. Upsetting for a number of reasons. But he will not prod unless Trevor permits it, and right now, getting a read on Trevor is far too hard.
That scares him most of all.]
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[ He grows more steady once he's walking more of a distance without having to stop or change direction. It's the turning that's the problem right now. ]
Might be a waste of food, though.
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[If this is eternal summer, or if this house has always been in a single day. Never moving. Always refreshing itself.
The smell of stables hit before they come into view. Alucard wrinkles his nose, but keeps moving.]
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[ Trevor doesn't mind the smell of the stables, of course. It's a homeish smell, like to many dogs or baking bread or Alucard's hair, though somehow he doubts Alucard would appreciate his hair or cooking being compared to manure. Comforting. ]
You were right. About the 'not hitting your head, Belmont' thing. Shit sucks. Sorry about- [ And he just gestures uselessly. ] -getting shit all mixed up.
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[His hair is so much better than horse shit, Trevor Belmont.]
You can't control what an injury does to you, especially when it's something internal that none of us can actually see. Don't give it another thought.
[Alucard pauses, then looks back at Trevor, slightly mortified with word choice.]
That could have been said better.
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It's fucking scary. Don't recommend it.
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[Thank you, Trevor, and your fucking horrible sense of humor.
The stables are all but unavoidable now. Alucard heads in first, and unsurprisingly, the horses? Are not a fan of him being in here. There's a few unhappy noises (one might as well have just said Frau Blucher).]
After you, apparently.
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[ It's jovial, but god. Confused and scared Trevor is bad enough, and they're lucky that any advantages he could muster over his two companions if he had become too spooked require him to be of relatively sound mind and body both. Alucard and Sypha are both capable of doing a lot more damage in such a state.
Useless is, naturally, the most wary of the horses. Trevor can deal with horses easily enough, though, because what are Belmonts if not glorified animal handlers? He directs its attention away from Alucard carefully, glad to have work that's not currently beyond him to occupy himself with. ]
We ought to be able to get a day's work out of me if I don't need to do anything too strenuous. Just don't get too upset if I walk into any walls. Bad eye's not playing nice with my head right now. Hard to tell how far away shit is.
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[Two hour lunch. Mandatory, vampire doctor's orders.
At the comment about Trevor's eye, there's only a moment's pause. Alucard's fussing with the hay, trying to figure out the best way to move it without having the damn stuff cling to his coat. (This is the real reason he deserves princeling.)
I'll try not to. And not to steer you out of instinct.
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[ He looks over the hay, remembering Alucard's request. ]
Looks about the same as yesterday, for what my recollection of yesterday is worth.
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[To which statement Alucard is confirming the truth is, who is to say. But there's a heavy sigh out of him in the next moment.]
That does confirm my theory though, for whatever good or ill that brings us from here on out. This place is most likely stuck on a single day, and all supplies and the like restock themselves over the course of the evening.
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[ A single, repeating day. ]
Once we've got our bearings and know what we're actually looking for, it might be worth watching for any changes throughout the day.
[ Alucard did make specific mention of most of the medicines being used up. That had been- maybe a little later than mid-afternoon? His memory of yesterday is a little foggy. If any of the bottles are full in the morning and empty in the evening, they can use Mathias' notes on Sara's treatment to figure out what day this is.
But not until they know if that's information relevant to what they're doing here. If not, it's torturing Alucard for no reason. ]
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[It is a good thought. Alucard goes still, contemplating. His father's logic, he has to apply it here. It's harder to reach through and determine the meaning at the moment, it's such a version of the man that he has never met.
No.
He knows what this is.
One last day before everything went to shit.
It fit. Dramatic. Important. That tiniest bit of sentimentality that was always something his mother brought out.]
That's worth doing. Good idea.
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[ See? He's actually taking into account the fact that he needs to rest! Are you proud, doctor dhamphir? ]
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We'll bring mattresses in from the servant's quarters that way it's more comfortable than a load of blankets and the floor.
[But now Trevor's mentioned the matter of dreams, and Alucard pauses, unsure of how to proceed here. They...they really ought to talk about it. But Trevor's finally in a decent mood and that means ruining it would be cruel.
So Alucard just shakes his head, a soft noise escaping his throat.]
I think we have to convince Sypha to find a way to build walls between dreams if we need to use those spells.
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[ Oh. ]
Oh. Shit. I'm- [ The dream wasn't particularly noteworthy to him so much as the waking up unable to move. But he's used to being inside his own head. Alucard and Sypha aren't. ]
Shit. I'm sorry.
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[That's Trevor's get out of jail free card. Take it, you stupid possum of a man.]
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[ That's. Probably the least convincing Trevor's ever sounded. And he's sounded pretty not convincing in his life. It's worse than I don't care. ]
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They're going to have to do this, aren't they?
Alucard walks over, aware that he is goddamn covered in hay and will not live this down for some time, and puts his hand in Trevor's.
Same game. New venue.]
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