RP:I Belong To You

Part of the On Stranger Tides Arc

Part of the Dissonance Theory Arc

This is a Devout's Guild RP.

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Khitti wakes up to find a scantily-clad Viera in her apartment and the two spend the day together. Viera eventually introduces Khitti to her new apprentice "Moira".

The Apartment Above The Bakery, Cenril

Khitti || Sleep. It’s nice. Extremely nice. Especially when you’re in a king-size bed that you don’t have to share with anyone else. Khitti had not dreamt a thing at all (likely a side effect of Viera’s magic) but at least she was well rested when she finally woke up. She felt like a brand new Khat! Or a Brand-less Khat, depending on how you look at it. Expecting to be entirely alone in the apartment, Khitti went out to the kitchen to start coffee. She did not bother putting on pants. Why would you if you’re by yourself? She was wearing a shirt at least. One of those slightly too large button-up shirts she seemed to have a surplus of that she somehow found incredibly comfy despite all those damned buttons. Heat the water. Put the coffee in the pot. Let it steep for way too long. Voila! Delicious brain-starting juice. After mixing it with milk and sugar, she’d go to the dining room table and sit there. And stared at her coffee. Probably stared for too long. Okay, she might still be tired.

Brand || Viera felt like trash -- but, in a way, even that was refreshing. It had been so long since she’d had a body and needed to do things like sleep. Or eat. Ugh, she was hungry. Was that what that feeling was? She’d forgotten. She was laying on the couch wondering about it when Khitti stumbled by. Perfect! She illusioned her dress into something more appropriate for nightwear -- albeit a little risque -- and prepared for a fresh new day of gently antagonizing people. Starting with Khitti, of course. “Heya,” she said, from the kitchen doorway. “What are we doing for breakfast? You promised me you’d make something, remember?”

Khitti went to go sip her coffee. She needed this coffee a lot right now. But… Khitti did not get her coffee. The delicious drink graced her tongue for mere moments before it was spewed back out in a fine blueberry-scented mist immediately upon hearing Viera. Just… stay seated and she won’t realize you’re not wearing pants. It’s fine. Totally fine. Except it wasn’t because Viera wanted food. And the food, as well as the kitchen, was too far away for her to still stay seated and also make said food. And then… Khitti actually turned to look at her. Did it suddenly get hot in here or is it Viera? Wait, it’s both. Mostly because Khitti was blushing again. Viera had this effect on her. “I-I-I…” Poor Khitti could not form words. It’s fine. Sip your coffee. Don’t stare at her too much. Don’t be creepy. “Sorry. Uh… not… entirely… awake. Or something.” Good cover. Excellent. Yes. “Let me just…” And with her usual ‘bamf’, Khitti got up just enough to shadowstep into her bedroom. And promptly slammed the door. For privacy! You know. Not at all so she can briefly freak out while putting pants and other various needed clothing on. “Right. Yes. Food,” she said, eventually coming out of the room, entirely and completely composed. Nothing was wrong. Absolutely. She stared at the cupboards, opened one, shoved aside way too many empty whiskey bottles for one person, found the last unopened one, and started making banana whiskey pancakes. This was mainly so she could have a shot. Or two. It was going to be needed to deal with Viera in those clothes.

Brand || Viera smirked and went to go do something about her hair and makeup. Sure, she could have just magicked herself into perfect condition, but there was something about doing it authentically that she enjoyed. She’d just… have to conjure up a makeup palette and a hairbrush, and conjure up some money later so that she could buy herself real ones. No need to waste magic on what could be acquired organically.

Brand || When she was satisfied, she stepped out of the bathroom and made her way back to the kitchen. Khitti was probably almost done by now. She was certainly more dressed. Viera, on the other hand, had ‘forgotten’, or was perhaps so comfortable in her sleepwear that she didn’t feel the need to change just yet. No, she was definitely just doing it to fluster Khitti, but don’t let Khitti know that. Hell, she’d even reach from behind Khitti and give her a quick hug before flouncing into a seat. “So, I don’t know if you had plans today, but I need to go pick up some things if you’d like to come along.”

Khitti was indeed almost finished by time Viera got out of the bathroom, the banana-whiskey concoction getting poured over each plate of pancakes. She tensed up when Viera hugged her and just awkwardly stared at the pancakes until the blonde released her and went to sit. She probably smelled like whiskey too. Possibly. Maybe. It definitely wasn’t all coming from the pancakes. The plates were brought to the table and Khitti very clearly kept her eyes off Viera, who had -not- changed out of those clothes yet, “Sure. We can go out. I do have a favor to ask though. I… am hosting a Mage’s Guild meeting. You’ve probably heard already but some of the members have been labelled as war criminals. I likely would’ve been too if it’d not been for the fact that I don’t trust more than half of the people in that stupid tower and was hardly ever there. I’m just an outsider, as per usual with most things.” Apparently, her gut instinct had been right on this. “I was going to find an unaffiliated illusionist somewhere else, but… Would you be able to magic up the bakery a bit? Something that can be dormant until I need it. The cover story is supposed to be that there’s a big invite-only party going on and it needs music and to look like there’s actually more people in there than what there really will be. I can assure you, it won’t be as lively in there as what it’d seem on the outside. People are… tired… and unhappy.” Khitti frowned, finally digging into her pancakes. “It’s only temporary. The meeting is supposed to happen tomorrow. I would’ve asked sooner but there’s just been a lot going on.” Not that she could have -actually- asked sooner, for obvious reasons.

Brand || Viera blinked in surprise. She hadn’t actually talked about her magic yet. She supposed Khitti must have picked it up as part of the ‘best friends’ mind-warp package -- she hadn’t exactly been specific as to how well they knew each other. She wondered, for a moment, if there were other things that Khitti knew now. She understood her magic well, but even still there were occasional surprises. “Sure! Just let me know when you need it done.” She stabbed her fork into those delectable pancakes. She was hungry enough to want to shovel them down as fast as possible, but her sense of propriety wouldn’t allow for it. Alas, her bites would be small and ladylike. “I need to swing by the market for a few things. The Tranquility, too. I don’t believe you’ve had a chance to meet Moira yet; she’s my new apprentice. Just hired her on, the other day.”

Khitti blinked a few times in surprise too, if only because Viera agreed to it. It’s not like she was a part of the guild or had any real reason to actually help. And it was also certainly something that might take a decent bit of magic. “O-okay. Thanks!” Khitti smiled faintly at the blonde before she dug into her food again. Unlike Viera, she wasn’t very ladylike. She wasn’t exactly eating like a pig but… small bites were not Khitti’s thing. She also did not go so far as to lick her plate, but that whiskey-brown sugar sauce was so good, so she used her fork to scoop up as much as she could. Look, whiskey’s expensive, okay? “Yeah, sure. I’ll meet your apprentice. I should probably go feed Dominic’s chickens and the rest of the animals too anyway or I’ll get yelled at about it once he comes home.” Dominic was very dedicated to his pets, after all. With her food finished, Khitti got up and shoved the plate into the sink, intending on taking care of it… uh… eventually.

Brand || Viera took a bit longer, of course, but she was finished with her food soon enough. She followed Khitti’s lead and dumped her plate in the sink, then magicked herself something new to wear. It was as multilayered and elaborate as yesterday’s dress, but decidedly more cheery. The theme seemed to be ‘peaches and cream’, complete with little peach earrings to complete the look. Was Viera stealing Khitti’s old pet name with this look? Why, yes, yes she was. When it was done, she whirled around once to show the dress off to Khitti. She was -definitely- looking, after all, and Viera wouldn’t miss an opportunity to tease. “There. What do you think? Are we ready?”

Khitti went to tend to her hair and her own makeup--which was a braid and dark eyeliner and eyeshadow of course--and re-emerged to find Viera in a new dress, twirling about to show it off. “You look great!” she squeaked out, blushing again. That’s like… at least the 5th time now since Viera showed up. Quickly, she went off a checklist in her head: Boots? Yes. Keys? Yep. Brain? Not while Viera’s around. Okay, time to go. They’d make their way downstairs and Khitti locked up the shop, following along the path in the back of the building that met up with Arril Street. “After you,” Khitti said, letting Viera lead. She was the one buying things after all. Surely she knew where to go?

The Tranquility, Cenril Wharf

Brand || Viera hadn’t lurked inside Brand for long, but it was enough to pick up on a rough layout of Cenril. Certainly, she’d noted where the shops for makeup and fineries were located. She flit from aisle to aisle, store to store, picking up quite the abundance of things. Where did she get the money for all of this stuff? Well, she magicked it into being, of course. By the time the shopkeepers realized her coins were illusory, she would be long gone. And oh, there were such fine things to buy… almost too much to carry. By the time they arrived at the Tranquility, Khitti had been roped into helping Viera haul some of her stuff. They strode onto the ship and down to the decks below with nary a problem -- Viera had been up late ‘adjusting’ the crew to their new reality. Soon enough, they’d arrive at the captain’s quarters, and Viera would dump her armfuls of stuff on the bed. “Moira? Are you still in here? Come on out, darling. I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”

Brand || The body was moving. Brand didn’t acknowledge it as -his- body, for it certainly didn’t look the part, nor did it obey his commands. But it was moving nonetheless, and he was along for the ride. It staggered out of the bathroom. Brand caught a glance of it in the mirror on the way out -- a young woman he’d never seen before, but who could have been his long lost sister. Brand would have cringed, if it were possible. Instead, the body kept lumbering forward. It stopped before Viera and Khitti. It curtseyed. Brand wanted none of this. Instead, he felt the words on lips that were not his, and heard the voice far too soft and high to be his own. “Yes, ma’am… sorry, ma’am.”

Khitti could never understand how other women needed this much stuff. She had never been the overly feminine type--those dresses she wore were more for function than fashion! Always have to be ready to fight and all that. She couldn’t not have that mindset with the type of life she led. It had been a topic Khitti and Lydia had fought about often. Why do you need ten pairs of shoes? Why did their parents even -let- Lydia by ten pairs of shoes? They weren’t exactly rich and yet, their mother had doted on Lydia to the point of excessiveness and left Khitti, and her tomboyish ways, in the dust. Thankfully, her father had not been the type to care whether or not he had a son and so Khitti’s personality had suited him just fine. He’d taught her plenty of things. It was just… not things like proper ladylike manners and curtseying like this poor Moira was doing. Khitti even visibly cringed for her. “Hello,” she said, offering Viera’s apprentice a smile as she dropped her own hoard of stuff (which was still Viera’s, of course) on the bed. Khitti -had- managed to buy herself something: a case of several different types of whetstones for her swords and a new cuff bracelet to replace the one she didn’t even know she had. Unlike the one Brand had given her, this one was gold and was in the shape of a tentacle that wrapped around her wrist. She’d mentioned how her wrist suddenly felt bare--which was entirely strange on its own--and Viera had found this one, so of course Khitti bought it. “Where are you even going to put all of this at? That’s more makeup than I would’ve bought in five years,” Khitti said, side-eyeing the floor. It was honestly probably more than that. Khitti did not wear much at all, so it lasted quite awhile.

Brand || ‘Moira’ raised a hand and waved meekly. Dangling from ‘her’ wrist was the exact bracelet Khitti didn’t know she was missing. Viera didn’t recognize it, luckily, or else it would have been gone in a blink. “Moira,” said Viera, “this is Khitti. Khitti, Moira.” As if Brand didn’t already know full well who Khitti was. “Khitti is my best friend in the whole wide world, isn’t that something?” Viera laughed and squeezed Khitti in a hug again. Now she could tease both of the couple at once, and neither would be able to call her on it. Perfect.

Khitti || Oh look. That’s the -sixth- time that Viera got Khitti to blush. Brand would absolutely know what the look on her face meant. Yeah, she definitely had a thing for Viera. Sorry, Brand. This was not Khitti’s fault. Really, it’s sort of yours, but… Khitti can’t actually say that right now. It’s funny how Brand told that lie years ago, when Khitti had amnesia, about a sea witch being the one that stole her memories. Because now it has actually happened! Hahahahahaha. Haha. Ha. RIP. Maybe Brand’s clairvoyant or something. Maybe. “Yes. Friends. Just friends.” There’s a tiny little hint of bitterness in there, but it’s soon cut off by Viera’s hug. It was so tight Khitti had to try not to outright gasp for air and was immediately grateful for Viera’s kraken-like grip to go away when it did. Once again, Khitti had to composed herself, but finally got around to asking, “What sort of apprenticeship is it? Magic? Or uh…” She gestured vaguely at the ship itself. “If it’s magic I’ve got plenty of books for her to go through.” Clearly, Khitti’s bookworm ways had not been removed from her head like Brand had.

Brand || “Magic,” Viera confirmed. “And faith.” And not being a terrible, awful no-good dick of a person. Viera wasn’t sure it was possible to get rid of -that- part of Brand, though. “Cire always welcomes more followers, and I’m happy to welcome a new priestess into the fold.” She looked ‘Moira’ up and down with seeming disapproval. “She’s got a long way to go before she can claim that title, though. Where did you get those rags? We do not honor our god by looking slovenly.” With a snap of Viera’s fingers, ‘Moira’ had her outfit changed entirely, from a plain and simple dress to something much more befitting of Viera’s style. Brand would have groaned, if he could -- this was just adding insult to injury, and Viera knew it.

Khitti lit up a bit at the mention of faith. While Khitti herself was not as devout as some, it -did- mean the prospect of a new recruit. On the inside right now, Khitti was like a fat raccoon rubbing its paws together greedily. “Got plenty of information on faith-based stuff too. Each deity’s got their own shrine at my guild’s headquarters. Maybe a sort of formal setting would be good for her too.” Oh, Brand. If Khitti knew it was you, she would not be doing this. She was rather respectful of other people’s beliefs--or lack thereof--and would never willing shove this off onto someone like him. But alas… Khitti’s doing it anyway. “It’s not as fancy as a full-on temple but… getting to the Realm of Chaos isn’t exactly easy, so it’s the next best thing.” Okay, it was easy to get there, now that Khitti knew the way, but there were some things she didn’t always tell Viera. She may have mentioned it to Brand in passing, but it really wasn’t something that likely would’ve stuck in that brain of his.

Brand || Everyone was talking about Moira like she wasn’t here. But, Brand supposed, she really wasn’t. As far as Brand could tell, there was no other soul or entity inhabiting this body. There -was- no ‘Moira’, and the things ‘Moira’ did were instead the result of some sort of... puppetry. Since Brand had no control, he could only assume that made Viera the puppetmaster. Of course.

Brand || “That’s wonderful, Khitti.” Viera’s voice broke Brand out of his thoughts. “I’ll be building a shrine here on the ship too, of course. Frankly, I’m not sure why I hadn’t done so already. But it’ll be good to have an alternative on land somewhere. And maybe Moira can make some new friends at your guild. As you can see, she’s awfully shy. I’d like to find a way to bring her out of her shell, although that is of course secondary to the other concerns.”

Khitti || “Oh, uh. Let’s let Moira decide on that, I guess,” Khitti eyed Viera’s apprentice, offering her a faint, apologetic smile. “I don’t want to push you into that if you’re not comfortable with it yet. I certainly don’t like being forced into social situations either without some time to prepare.” Like this one that she was currently in. It was hard to say no to Viera, unfortunately. “Weekends are usually less busy, so maybe that will be better… People are either out dealing with quests the guild gives out or… if you’re like the Delisha followers, you’re at the main temple in Larket, at one of their wild parties.” Khitti looked… a little bummed out at the thought of it. She’s probably the only one of Delisha’s people that hasn’t been able to attend yet. She’d been meaning to even have a concert there, but time just had not allowed for it. “I couldn’t actually tell you how those are though. Haven’t been to one,” she said with a shrug. “Is there anything specific you want to start on, magic-wise?” She looked from Moira to Viera and back again, rather unsure of how much of a leash Viera was keeping her on. Khitti was rather lenient with her own student, though considering how things have gone lately with Quintessa (ie: the Xalious and Druid’s trees getting attacked), maybe she should not have been so much. Though, really, she was no different than Khitti and Khitti damn well knew it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

Brand || The body that wasn’t Brand’s took a breath. “Yes, ma’am. Viera is going to start me off with some basic illusions.” Brand very much doubted that she was going to teach him -anything- that might help him escape her hold over him, though time would have to tell. Maybe Viera had some plan in mind that he couldn’t foresee, something beyond ‘make Brand as miserable as possible’.

Brand || As Brand pondered, Viera stepped over and put a hand on Moira’s shoulder. “We’ll start on that soon. But for right now, I need a breath of fresh air. Shall we, ladies?” Viera would lead the way out of the room and to the top deck of the ship. -Her- ship, now. She’d never particularly craved a ship of her own, but she couldn’t deny that it was nice to have. With the wind in her hair and so many people wrapped around her finger, she felt like the queen of everything.