[Alucard has no idea what's going on, until he sniffs and--oh. That is actually clever, obscuring one's smell like that. It makes the vampire blink once in surprise, but the rest of it is just.
He can deal with night creature smells. Belmonts? That Alucard has some doubts about, and he's wary at just...having her take his hand and treating this as normal.]
Right, my study sample. I've been out here all winter observing them. And just as the season starts to change, just as I'm nearly done, he shows up and they all just wander to the castle. That's not a representative sample at all! I'm going to have to do this all again next year if I don't die.
[ This is the WORST. She peeks her head out of her cloak to confirm there's nothing around. ]
Oh, right. You're dying, aren't you? That's important. [ How to prioritise, starring weird Belmonts. ] Do you need blood? I don't mean to brag, but I'm all full of blood. And you're going to show me how to get through the castle, so it's only fair.
[ Did Alucard agree to do that? No, but it probably doesn't matter. ]
Because half of this is actually interesting, the whole talk of observing night creatures from a biological stand point, and the rest? The rest is enough to make him white knuckled. So he takes a moment to wrap his head around everything first and then:]
Did not agree to that, and frankly, I'm not sure of what's going on never mind what my body has decided to do.
[ Oh. He isn't convinced. Oh god. She's actually going to have to do her job and convince someone to do something. The Worst Day. ]
I- don't really know what's going on myself. I know that the castle is here. And that Dracula doesn't recruit night creatures for good reasons. And that it'll have moved on by the time I get word to my sisters, so this is something that I have to do. And I know that you're hurt, and that you wanted to get away from here, which I'm guessing means that Dracula hurt you. And I know that you've had about fifteen chances by now to attack me, and that doing so would help you recover. And- please don't do that, by the way, if it just didn't occur to you yet. It'd be a terrible idea. I have a sword.
[ She smiles as she withdraws her cloak. It's pretty obviously fake, but she's trying. ]
I know that I have to go into that castle, and I know that I'll probably die there. But I'll inconvenience Dracula slightly. And I know that my not-dying means at least enough to you to keep you from trying to attack me. And that you probably like inconveniencing Dracula slightly, if he attacked you. If you guide me, I'll be much more likely to survive. And I'll try to make sure you also survive. And I'll inconvenience him more than I would alone. Which sounds like a good deal for you, right?
It is a very rude thought, and for that much, Alucard chides himself. The rest though, the rest means he keeps staring at the Belmont and listening to what is frankly an insane plan. And a business proposition if he's heard it all right: guide the Belmont through the castle and make sure they both survive, and that'll be that.
She's not joking, so he doesn't ask that. Instead he asks:]
Do you truly believe that here, now, in this moment, you are equipped to remotely fight my father?
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no subject
He can deal with night creature smells. Belmonts? That Alucard has some doubts about, and he's wary at just...having her take his hand and treating this as normal.]
Your...
[He didn't hear that right, did he?]
Sorry, your study sample?
no subject
[ This is the WORST. She peeks her head out of her cloak to confirm there's nothing around. ]
Oh, right. You're dying, aren't you? That's important. [ How to prioritise, starring weird Belmonts. ] Do you need blood? I don't mean to brag, but I'm all full of blood. And you're going to show me how to get through the castle, so it's only fair.
[ Did Alucard agree to do that? No, but it probably doesn't matter. ]
no subject
Stares.
Because half of this is actually interesting, the whole talk of observing night creatures from a biological stand point, and the rest? The rest is enough to make him white knuckled. So he takes a moment to wrap his head around everything first and then:]
Did not agree to that, and frankly, I'm not sure of what's going on never mind what my body has decided to do.
no subject
I- don't really know what's going on myself. I know that the castle is here. And that Dracula doesn't recruit night creatures for good reasons. And that it'll have moved on by the time I get word to my sisters, so this is something that I have to do. And I know that you're hurt, and that you wanted to get away from here, which I'm guessing means that Dracula hurt you. And I know that you've had about fifteen chances by now to attack me, and that doing so would help you recover. And- please don't do that, by the way, if it just didn't occur to you yet. It'd be a terrible idea. I have a sword.
[ She smiles as she withdraws her cloak. It's pretty obviously fake, but she's trying. ]
I know that I have to go into that castle, and I know that I'll probably die there. But I'll inconvenience Dracula slightly. And I know that my not-dying means at least enough to you to keep you from trying to attack me. And that you probably like inconveniencing Dracula slightly, if he attacked you. If you guide me, I'll be much more likely to survive. And I'll try to make sure you also survive. And I'll inconvenience him more than I would alone. Which sounds like a good deal for you, right?
and like a genius I missed this tag!
It is a very rude thought, and for that much, Alucard chides himself. The rest though, the rest means he keeps staring at the Belmont and listening to what is frankly an insane plan. And a business proposition if he's heard it all right: guide the Belmont through the castle and make sure they both survive, and that'll be that.
She's not joking, so he doesn't ask that. Instead he asks:]
Do you truly believe that here, now, in this moment, you are equipped to remotely fight my father?