realmofstories | [Open] A poisonous feast

Ana nods once, entering into Naomi's home, placing her bag down and taking out a couple potion bottles.

"I have some potions to help with side-effects of the poison. I can also assist with antidote brewing. Just tell me where you need me."

[Ana takes the mushrooms and adds them to the cauldron before answering.]

Some. I am working with another to help brew the antidote together, but it's tricky. We also have our hands full trying to manage the side-effects people are feeling.

"I could use help with symptom management right now. As for brewing, how long can you hold your breath?"

If Ana planned on helping, she would have to see her process.

There's a bag in my room, inside are various bottles. I had been trying to come up with an antidote, but it looks like that will be put on hold. One is green, that one should help clear up any lingering effects of drowsiness and fatigue.

[A more general medicine than any sort of cure for a curse, but it had been better than nothing. He figured treating the symptoms would be better than nothing.]

Are you sure you can get them? I don't think I'm so big I can't at least drag the bag out here.

I can...

[ He pushes away from the door, makes it a few steps...and promptly crashes into the table. He's fine. He'll just. Sit inn the chair. ]

Ugh. Feels like I've been hit by a truck, still.

[!!!

Atem was quick to be at Seto’s side. He did suddenly feel too big for the room but so far, he didn’t knock anything over. He let out another breath at Seto, mostly to sigh but unaware of a certain healing property.]

Just... stay there.

[He walked off and managed to locate his satchel, he took the strap gently in his mouth and dragged it back into the living room. This time, he did manage to knock a few things over. Sorry, Seto.]

Here.

[ This time, he was aware enough to feel the hot breath washing over him...and the strangeness that followed, making his limbs feel lighter.

He looked a little stronger by the time Atem returned, and managed to find the bottle, uncork, and down it without spilling anything. That cleared away the last of his fatigue, and he buried his hand in Atem's mane, scritching gently. ]

Thank you...but. Hm.

Did you breathe on me when you found me?

Probably?

[He didn’t make a conscious effort of it. He leaned into the scritching, that low rumbling echoing from deep in his chest. A very deep purr.]

Are you about to tell me I have bad breath?

No, of course not. Should I be worried about what you've been eating?

[ He gives his lion another kiss between his eyes. ]

But when you breathed on me just now, I felt some of the malaise lift. And I vaguely recall the lion's breath having some healing property in the story...

You're the one who feeds me most of the time, Seto.

[His head tilted, his breathing on him did that? How very strange.]

The only gods I am familiar with the most are Egypt's, the Christian God is not one I really cared to study for as Yugi also didn't have the mind to. But even I don't believe I ever recalled something like that from what little I did try to update myself with. This is the same god that... er, evolved from Judaism, right?

[He really didn't know much of this, his dynasty was just before that religion really came around and any slaves in the area were not Jewish.]

Don't expect me to hunt for you now. We'll have to change you back before you get hungry.

[ Kaiba playfully flicks his nose. ]

Hmph. Well that's more of a Narnia aspect. The story is highly allegorical. From what I remember, Aslan was a king with godlike powers who saved all the fantasy creatures from an eternal winter. Breathing on them to unfreeze them was part of the deal.

[His face scrunched a little at the nose flick.]

I'm sure the food you cook will be just fine. If this Aslan figure really is god-like, I assume his diet wouldn't be so restrictive.

[Still, that was certainly impressive. Kings being almost godlike was not unheard of. It wasn't unlike the pharaohs of his time.]

Looks like I have some reading to do once this is all over. Still, I'm glad I was able to help you in some for now.

[Then, he felt an odd sensation as he tried to nuzzle Seto some more. It wasn't painful, but not unlike what he felt when he first awoke to find himself a lion. Within a few moments, Atem was back to being a human... and completely naked. Well, except the bracelets on his arm and a pair of lion ears on his head and a matching tail. He looked down at himself.]

Oh.

[ Honestly, Kaiba was feeling fine by now. He'd be content to get on his feet and start helping the rest of the sick, if not for the...distracting issue of his boyfriend suddenly changing back...

...and glorious was certainly the word to describe it. Seto was human, and he had eyes.

But he wasn't crass. Despite the blush on his cheeks and awkward sputter, he shifted to remove his red robe, draping it over Atem's shoulders. Seto's hands remained there, through the fabric. ]

Are you hurt?

You mean there's side-effects other than passing out?

[She'd been walking along the various stands, looking over what was being sold, but not really partaking. Still very much getting her feet under her in this place, which was strangely far easier to do than initially expected.

Of course, when Alice had spotted a familiar face she wasn't expecting to see him suddenly collapse. Had her hurrying along with Toto right at her heels, kneeling down as fingertips lightly pressed to where she at least knew pulse should be found-]

Mister Balsa, can you hear me? [A hand carefully pressed to his forehead, skin against skin, only having the barest ideas of what would be good to check.]

Luca?

[Being naked really didn't bother Atem, although he did at least look a little embarrassed because yeah, he wasn't planning on being naked in the middle of the room either.

He held the fabric close and nodded.]

I'm fine. A little disoriented to be on two feet again, but I much prefer it this way.

[He shoved his arms through the sleeves, to properly tie the robe shut.]

I'll get dressed and we can see what we can do for the others.

Right.

[ The pink on Seto's cheeks is stubbornly persistent. But he refuses to back down now...]

Though...there is one more thing, before we head out. Just to make sure the curse is fully lifted.

[ And he sweeps Atem into his arms, softly cups his cheek, and claims a kiss. Tender and gentle, he knows that this isn't quite the moment to push things. ]

That's better.

[ And he pulls back and lets Atem go, with a playful little smile. ]

[ Finally, someone knew where he was. It was the one thing Dojima didn't know- The Captain of the Guard wouldn't let Dojima follow Adachi to his house. ]

Thanks for the info. Stay safe.

[ Because Dojima certainly wasn't going to. ]

I'm keeping watching over the castle for now. I'll see you when you get here.

[ It isn't a question. Because he will. ]

Hmm... Well, I do believe it is quite rare for the genders not to match, though it occurs all the same. That makes our search quite troublesome indeed. There is no official archive of the aspects and their essences, now is there?

No, but we've had some new arrivals and essence changes. Perhaps we may need to ask our peers and check the journal entries for anyone with an evil queen essence...

[ No response.

He's breathing, and he has a pulse, but he feels a bit cooler to the touch than he should be.

The apple he had been eating rolled out of his hand as he fell. Toto should be able to smell the poison seeped into the fatal fruit. ]

Dojima had been collecting info on his own for a while now. Adachi had said he was 'the Fairest' Queen when they had met, and though Dojima suspected it was Snow White's Queen-- He had read fairy tales to Nanako, after all, even if he wasn't great with it-- but he had to be absolutely sure.

So he'd been to the library; taking out all the books he could to read about every queen he could. He wasn't going to put it to chance, not again. Queen of Hearts, the Red Queen, the White Queen, the Snow Queen, Queen of the Fairies, Queens of various Mythologies...

No, it definitely was Snow White--

And when the reports about poison started to come in; people eating fruit or vegetables at the feast and then getting sick or going into a coma, it was his worst fears come true.

He'd gotten samples and brought them to Naomi, as well as dusted for finger prints himself-- though most of the time that was fruitless, he had gotten a few good prints once or twice. He'd need Adachi's to compare, and of course, his superior didn't let him take them.

Regardless, it was easy to put together a method, and a motive... well, that was easy.

Adachi was bored after all, wasn't he?

He just needed to know where Adachi was-- and fortunately, Crane tipped Dojima off on his probable location.

Riding Llamrei, with Cavall running to his side, Dojima came to the castle, slowing to a halt a good distance away, and making sure they stayed put... though not tying Llamrei up; he might need to go after Adachi quickly.

Then it was a matter of scoping out the castle... forget Excalibur this time; he didn't want to get close to Adachi. So Rhongomyniad and Carnwennan were the order of the day... along with the new item he got since the last story they completed; a cloak that made him invisible. The front door was a no go, but while wearing the cloak, the door to the kitchen was easy to bust the lock open.

...There was a lot of cabbage in here, sheesh.

Quietly, carefully, Dojima started to explore the castle. Where was that asshole...? He would have to have a lab somewhere here to make all that poison so quickly...

Stopping in front of a mirror, Dojima pulled down the hood of his cloak for a moment, trying to get a good look at the room he was in. Maybe there was a secret way in?...

That does beg the question of whether the journals would identify this essence as "evil queen" or as something else. Perhaps this woman had a name or title in some versions of the story we may not be aware of.

[Even so, he's already pulling his own journal out of his bag to flip through it.]

[She doesn't head to town that often, but she did do her share of selling the extra she grew in her garden. Today is a shopping day though - the temperature was starting to go down and her snakes needed scarves.]

[But one of her snakes writhes and another hisses. Blinking, she turns her head and notices someone familiar off the side of the road.]

... Karkat? [She slides over to him, tilting her head.] Karkat... Kaaarkat? I don't think you should sleep here. [She gives him a small nudge with her tail.]

[Open] A poisonous feast

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Sender: Dojima | King Arthur

Sender: Crane (Tsuru no Ongaeshi) | Master Crane

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Closed to Eugene and Adachi

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B