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Origins of the La Crima Family

Scene details

Setting: Within the La Crima manor, Headmistress La Crima sent Ruidosa and Tranquila away to confide with Ivo and Reize upon the origins of the two girls.

Log

La Crima has called Ruidosa back to the manor, well. Not quite. She's called Reize and friends here via Ruidosa. Ruidosa immediately takes off Tranquia to go romp about the deeper parts of the manor and Ruidosa can rattle off her adventures to her. She'll be a while.

Which leaves the part alone with La Crima, who is pouring tea for the two guests as she smiles a little. "I apologize. It's better if Ruidosa and Tranquila isn't in the room for this discussion..." she says. The door's been locked. To prevent accidental intrusion.

"I hope my daughter has been of help on your adventures. She's been waiting a long time to get out and about." she says. She finishes the pouring of tea and sips her own cup a moment. Old tradition- the host sips first, to prove it's not poisoned. Not that Reize would know that. Ivo might. But it doesn't make sense for a vampire to do that since she'd like not be affected anyways.

Is this some kind of Ruidosa check-up?


 This is not something that Reize would had expected. He recalls visiting the manor to get some information regarding a few tidbits in Granse, but the reason this time is rather unique.
 He is currently in the manor, noticing that both Ruidosa and Tranquila are absent by design. He looks over at Ivo, who may be very pleased to be back at the manor. Nevertheless, Reize does take the cup of tea and the saucer, holding it up. "Thanks!" He cheerfily pipes before blowing and taking a sip.
  A thoughtful look, "Rui has been very helpful! She's very smart and has been taking notes on many of our encounters, especially when I don't have the time to do so." He muses, "We're on the verge of writing a book to pass to the people regarding Vaeltrandia's lost history."


 Ivo inhales the aroma of the cup of tea poured for him, sighing softly as he savors its fragrance as though it were a fleeting dream. This is, after all, a precious item: a cup poured for him personally by the Madam La Crima herself. His cloak, freshly laundered for the occasion, rustles as he shifts in his seat.
 He had initially been sitting ramrod straight, at attention in the presence of his idol. But the lady vampire's oblique comment about her daughters elicits a slight tilt of his head, and the young man's manner changes, relaxing somewhat. As much as Ivo would like to bombard her with flattery and elaborate pleas for her affection, it seems that she has a serious matter on her mind. He has at least enough self-restraint to save the playfulness for later.
 No, really. He does.
 "Though I yearn every day and night to be graced by your own wisdom and beauty on our adventures..."
 More or less.
 "...Ruidosa's presence has been essential."
 Ivo's smile is slight but sincere.
 "The knowledge contained within her tome has been vital, of course," he continues, "but all the more so has been her own powers of discernment and her steadfast loyalty. Even in perilous straits, I have never once doubted her."
 He hesitates for a moment.
 "Not that she has ever truly been in danger," he quickly adds. That's probably not a lie. Yeah. The encounters with Deathless Draaken and Thael were, you know, always going to turn out fine.

La Crima gives Ivo a bemused smile at the flattery. +1 Affection Point Gained. She does however, indeed, have a more serious matter at hand. "Good. I'm glad. All of it." she does eye Ivo though, maybe she knows about the battle with the Black Beast at least. She sips her tea and places the cup down. "Ruidosa and Tranquila are not my only daughters. They have a...much older sibling. Who is staying with.... her grandfather. Indefinitely. Named. Mandona. We had. A dis-agreement. I banished her to go live with her grandfather. In hindsight."

"I had a made a mistake." she says softly as she picks back up the teacup to hide her face a moment behind it. Shame perhaps? A little.

"Do you know how a vampire comes about when a human is stricken with it?" she asks. "It is like rebirth. The new vampire forgets it's past life. But the former traits come forward. It's why many of us are just named for those traits." she snorts a little.

"I wanted to be a mother. She needed one. But. Those traits came forth and she was. Cruel and commanding and we verbally clashed too many times."

"So I said never again..." she says, just, casually telling the tale as she sips her tea.


 The young explorer glances towards Ivo, letting him chime in about Ruidosa's contributions to the team. He brightens considerably at Ivo's way of words. It's something that he lacks. After all, he is often reliant on Ivo to dissuade any impending conflict through his art of diplomacy.
 As La Crima becomes more serious as she explains a few things.
 First, it is the fact that Ruidosa and Tranquila are not her only daughters. Another sibling is noted and was banished to stay with her grandfather. There is a bit of a frown. "I see..."
 The inquiry regarding vampirism is where Reize is confused, "...That is actually one tale that I have not heard much about." He blinks, "...Oh.. so that means Ruidosa and Tranquila both had a past life as a human."
 He takes a moment to sip his tea, now that it's cooled. He frowns, "...I'm sorry to hear that." He looks out past the door, "... Is that why you wanted Rui to travel with us?"


 Ivo listens quietly, endeavoring keep his features still. He did not expect the Lady La Crima to share such vulnerability with her daughter's escorts. Taking a sip of his tea, he considers how best to respond without overstepping his bounds.
 "Your daughter's conduct in our company," he murmurs, "speaks very well of your guidance as her mother."
 Briefly, various memories of Ruidosa yelling at and threatening Ivo flash before his eyes. He blinks as though to bat them away.
 "...Is there a particular reason," he eventually asks, following his younger friend, "why you wished to inform us of this now?"
 Is Mandona going to join the party too? Are there going to be two vampire girls berating and inflicting curses on him? Ivo isn't sure he could take it.
 Well, wait. Does Mandona resemble her mother?
 In a spare moment, the young man leans over toward Reize. "We should come up with your name in advance," he suggests, "since you won't remember it after Ruidosa turns you. May I suggest 'Ingenuo'?"

La Crima just smiles and shakes her head. "You've been with my daughter a while. and I wish for you to know these things." she says. She continues on and looks back towards the door. Her daughters are still off in the manor. Maybe off in the graveyard in the first floor of the catacombs cavorting about and making a mess of things.

She doesn't answer Reize directly. Though. Instead she continues. "One day. I was in the market...." she seems to squint her eyes. "I forget. Exactly." she says. "But I was conducting business in personage, of some sort, and I was leaving when this young woman kicks me in the shin and she says...."

'Hey Lady, Give us money!'.

La Crima just smiles and shakes her head. "You've been with my daughter a while. and I wish for you to know these things." she says. She continues on and looks back towards the door. Her daughters are still off in the manor. Maybe off in the graveyard in the first floor of the catacombs cavorting about and making a mess of things.

She doesn't answer Reize directly. Though. Instead she continues. "One day. I was in the market...." she seems to squint her eyes. "I forget. Exactly." she says. "But I was conducting business in personage, of some sort, and I was leaving when this young woman kicks me in the shin and she says...."

'Hey Lady, Give us money!'.

"Now. I didn't enjoy the kick to the shin, but I looked down and there was this girl, looking ready to fight, with a smaller girl behind her. They didn't..look related, but it was clear they we're living on the streets. I shoo'ed them off. Vagabonds are common you see."

"So the girl did it again. She kicked me in the shin and asked if I was deaf! So."

"You see, after four shin kicks later I stopped, because I was bemused. I asked the two girls if they we're hungry. They of course, we're. So I took them to a nearby inn, we're the special of the night was lake crab. So. They ate. and ate like they'd never seen food in their life."

"I finally asked them their names, the quieter one was named Sara, and the louder one was named Maria. They said they'd been without a home for a while."

"I offered them.. a small job. a place to live. I needed people to run back and forth to the city often you see." she sips the tea.

"But I kept my distance. Beyond that."


  Upon Ivo leaning in, he raises an eyebrow at his older friend's recommendation. "...Wh---wh..." He furrows his eyebrows at Ivo, "O-oi! R-Rui wouldn't turn me!" He whispers back.

  When La Crima continues with the tale instead of answering him directly, Reize does turn his attention to her, listening in. He listens to the encounter, a girl who kept kicking the lady on the shins. The boy closes his eyes, clutching his pendant. That sounds like Ruidosa.

  There is a smile that grows as Lady La Crima notes her benevolence, "That's very kind of you, Madame." His smile softens.
 


 Ivo stifles his grin by raising his teacup to his lips as Reize whispers an irate response. But moments later he begins coughing quietly, choking on his tea as the Lady La Crima describes her charming first meeting with their faithful party member.
 "Ahem, excuse me," he manages, covering his mouth so as to not interrupt the beauty's tale and, more importantly, hide the upward twitching of his lips. Indeed, just as La Crima says, one's winning personality remains the same after the transition from human to vampire.
 But really, funny as Ruidosa's backstory is to him, Ivo has no desire to make sport of La Crima's story. After all, the context for her adoption of the two is the desire not to make whatever mistake she sees herself as making with Mandona.
 Even so...
 Reaching up to wipe his lips and thereby obscuring the movement of his mouth, Ivo again whispers to Reize. "Chief, these facts of vampire reproduction are fascinating. You should ask her if there are any other ways new vampires can be born, besides the turning of humans. Such knowledge might prove relevant to you."
 You never know.

La Crima watches with a bemused expression as she answers Reize. "I was inspired by her courage to kick me repeatedly until she got what she wanted for them both. It was heartwarming." she says with a short smile.

She sighs and takes a short break, and says. "They grew a year older, and we're... mostly behaved. But I had to travel back to see my father, I would be gone for a long while. What I didn't expect, was for the girls to latch onto my legs. And beg me not to go." she says bluntly.

"It.. was unexpected. It was...upsetting..."

"Not... it made me angry. But it was... I didn't want a repeat of .. my first daughter. But I decided I would try again. So."

"It put them both in front of a mirror and I told them to write things down in a journal and ponder their reflections. Mainly. Because they wouldn't have one, if they wanted to become my daughters. I made this go on for a month. Daily."

"So the day came I believe they've had enough to write. So the choice was..."

"Well it was not so kind. I lit a fire in the fireplace in this very room. I pointed to them and said that, 'If they we're to be my kin, they we're to throw the books they've written for a month into the fire and come into the side room. Or they would leave the books, and then leave the manor forever." she says with a terse breath.

"I waited, but both eventually came into the room and---"

"I'll spare the grisly details. the embracing is unpleasant. One woke up...like Mandona... but agreeable. I named her Ruidosa. The other was quiet as she was in life, so I named her Tranquila."

"So, they've been with me since. My grandfather took a liking to Ruidosa. Which is why I've kept her sequestered away." she says curtly.

"Until I believed it's time for her to explore, as I once did. Which is why I sent for the Vanguards." she says bluntly.


  Reize blinks as Ivo whispers to him the other aspect of vampire reproduction. His face reddens considerably before he stammers, "T-th-that won't be necessary...!" He whispers back with a hiss. He furrows his eyebrow, his antenna hair twitching rapidly in annoyance.

 ...Though, maybe it is worth knowing in the future.

 As La Crima shares the time of the year with the girls, the boy does crack a grin at the older woman's remark of Ruidosa, or Maria's, bravery to provide for her and her sister. Though, he starts to frown, "So... Ruidosa and Tranquila needed to reflect on their life... and decide if they still wish to remain part of it."

  Though the grisly details of the transformation were skimped, Reize does take note that the two girls were indeed both Ruidosa and Tranquila. He blinks, "...Grandfather?" He runs a hand over to the back of his head, "...I.. I take it that he is not the most pleasant person?"

  Oh, there was something about that. "...That's right. Professor Reynald was the one who specifically reached out to me about this request when I first joined!"
 


 "So the Lady La Crima is impressed by courage..."
 Ivo is rubbing his chin, distracted.
 "In that case, I..."
 But her story is resuming. With a little effort, the errant aristocrat restrains himself and listens again. It is difficult for a child to understand the weight of a sacrifice. He can understand why the lady vampire did what she did.
 "It seems," he remarks, "that your method succeeded. For while Ruidosa relishes exploring the world at last, I have not seen the slightest hint of regret or resentment from her regarding the path she has chosen."
 Ivo smiles.
 "To have the honor of assisting you and yours," he continues, placing a hand upon his breast, "assures me that our adventures have meaning and value."
 He glances between the Lady La Crima and Reize a couple times, thinking carefully, weighing his words. Unlike Reize here.
 "You have mentioned that your grandfather treasures Ruidosa," he says slowly, "and that Mandona has gone to live with him. Are the... sisters acquainted? Is Mandona, like Ruidosa, a human turned?"
 Most of these questions would serve as useful context for any possible future encounters with the rest of the family. But the last one is Ivo doing his best to be discreet. Could it be that all of the Lady La Crima's daughters are adopted? In which case...
 Well, you know, Ivo has some scholarly interest in these matters.

La Crima nods at Reize. "I wanted to prevent another ... Mandona." she says as she frowns. "My father. Is... old fashioned and. Dangerous. Unpleasant is an understatement." she says with a frown. She looks to Ivo and gives a bemused smile. "Yes. Adopted. But. With less. Personal investment." she frowns.

"Mandona doesn't like her siblings very much. But they haven't interacted much." she says as she looks at the bottom of her teacup, seeing the top of the ceiling rather than her reflection.

"I would ask you never call them by their .... former names." she says. "It isn't ... dangerous... but..." she says. "It's like being momentarily being hit by a pang of sad nostalgia and mixed up dreaming and undue stress. It's a secret I expect you to keep." she says.

"But yes. All my daughters are... embraced. Adopted. I myself, am embraced." she says.

She gently leans forward at Ivo. "If you're trying to figure out...vampire copulation..." she whispers. "I will be frank. Vampire and Vampire cannot make more. We need humans...one way or another." she asides, leaning back.

"My apologies for. Dumping this all upon you. But I believed it was important for you to know, considering how long you've traveled with her already." she says. She eyes the door again and looks back to the group. "So thank you for listening."


  "Oh.." The expression 'old fashioned' is somewhat lost on Reize, but he is getting the idea that it is not a good thing, considering La Crima's follow-up words. Dangerous. Even moreso is the fact taht Mandona does not like her siblings much, despite the lack of interaction.

  The one thing that Reize notes is that La Crima makes a personal request to never call them by their former names. He slowly gives a nod. "...Understood. That will remain a secret." He brightens, looking outward.

  As Reize finishes his cup of tea, he sets it down and steps out of the seat to stretch, giving La Crima and Ivo a chance to privately chat. He glances back at La Crima, "Thank you for sharing." He brightens, "I promsie that I'll take care of Rui."
 


 "We're grateful for your trust," is Ivo's earnest reply. "These secrets are safe with us." He and Ruidosa may have their differences, so to speak, but he has no desire to inflict any sort of unpleasantness upon her.
 Even if reading her notes is very funny.
 "Fortunately," he continues, turning his smile on Reize, eyes beginning to glimmer a little with mirth, "Reize has brought no end of joy to Ruidosa. Why, just recently, our adventures brought her into the company of an adorable pet. One quite taken with Reize, I might add."
 It'll take him all the way to the underworld.
 "So you needn't--"
 The young man is cut off as the Lady La Crima leans in, a tremor visibly passing up Ivo's spine to make his tousled dark hair momentarily stand on end, freezing as though spellbound by a predator's gaze.
 "One way... or another...?"
 Desperately, Ivo downs the rest of his tea.
 "F-Fascinating."
 Ah, the tea is warm. That doesn't cool him down at all.