yvondenka-blog

[yvondenka-blog]

shslorpheus‌:

Upon being called out of the blue, Orpheus snapped back to the present, blinking as he looked back to the source of this new disturbance. Once Yvon entered his sight, a mellow smile spread across his face. He shook his head gently as he turned his entire body to face him properly, with one hand still lingering on top of the table as he did so.

“Hello Mr. Bruckhard. You are not intruding anything, so please, rest assured.”

One could only wonder when he’d start complaining about back pains, as often as he was bowing to people left and right.

However, that thought was probably quickly forgotten, as the conversation steered towards an obvious topic - he wasn’t surprised in the least. After everything that happened, who wouldn’t be thinking about it?

His shoulders slouched just ever so slightly as he gave his answer:“I am as fine as the situation allows me to be, but thank you for asking. May I ask how you are faring?”

After that, the blonde hesitated for a bit, before the next words came out much more meek.

“… Actually, I ought to apologize to you. Not only for my poor conduct yesterday, but also for neglecting to check up on you when you were clearly feeling unwell. I was… worried, yet I haven’t approached you sooner. I wholeheartedly apologize for that, Mr. Bruckhard.”

Now that was a deep bow alright. Any more and you’re gonna get a lumbago at this rate.

With his permission, Yvon walks into the room, leaving the doorway behind. Now that he’s got a better vantage point, the research lab looks even more stunning - this would be any bookworm’s delight. At a better time, a person might be able to spend days there just reading through all the books Orpheus’s lab had to offer. He couldn’t help but marvel at it.

“Ah, that’s good. I must admit that I was rather worried about everyone after... well.”

He trails off, implying that he doesn’t really need to elaborate. Orpheus knows what he’s talking about, so that’s quite enough. Besides, bringing up what happened... it just brings back the feelings from yesterday.

Anyway, that’s something he has all the time in the world to think about. He attempts to push it from his mind and continue onwards with the conversation.

“I’m doing... as well as I’m able, I suppose. This is definitely the longest since I’ve arrived here that I’ve gone without having some kind of misfortune befall me, so knock wood that my streak of good luck continues.”

He raps his fist against Orpheus’s desk twice at that, as if it will seal the pact and increase his newfound good fortune. Hopefully it does, but he doesn’t know.

“Oh... well, don’t worry yourself about it. If anything, it’s me who should be apologizing...”

“I’ve been so consumed with my own problems that I’ve been neglecting my diplomatic duties as of late. Though people have told me that I should take a vacation and let Ambassador Regina handle my duties for a bit, I doubt this is what they meant...”

Fantasy and Reality | Orpheus | Chapter 5 | ATTN: Yvon

[yvondenka-blog]

Yvon had decided to explore the last few remaining labs alone - after all, their numbers were dwindling, and exploring in a group seemed to be pretty without merit. He also needed some time to think on the events of the previous trial - he certainly had a lot to consider, that was for sure. He figured that some new scenery would get the gears turning, so the new labs it was.

The Fantasy Novelist’s lab was actually the last he had decided to look at - with the others, he knew their occupants only tenuously, having talked to them once or not at all. Orpheus’s felt more personal, somehow. Yvon couldn’t quite explain exactly what he was thinking about it.

As he entered, he started - the research lab’s owner was already there, seeming rather listless. At least, as listless as someone like him could ever seem to be. Yvon remained in the doorway, his right hand circling its wooden frame so he wouldn’t look quite as awkward as he would have just standing there. 

“A-ah, Monsieur Edler! ...am I intruding?”

He took a few more tentative steps into the room, the heels of his dress shoes clacking against the floor. He couldn’t help but marvel at all the books that lined the walls of the lab - it wasn’t any more impressive than the bookstore, but it was still quite a lot of books.

“I hope you’re feeling alright, after...”

Yvon trails off. What more is there to say?

Fantasy and Reality | Orpheus | Chapter 5 | ATTN: Yvon

With new areas available to them, one would’ve expected from Orpheus to have investigated it right away.

However, today was a bit different.

By the time he set foot into his own laboratory - which he chose to visit last out of the four newly opened ones -, it was already evening. As his gaze slowly wandered through the entire room, he took a moment to simply… take it all in, before he would get to work. So they decided to go with such a look for his laboratory, huh? Well, he would have to give them credit, as it was certainly a place that he’d find pleasant to remain within.

From what he could gather, there were a lot of books that you wouldn’t have found in either the book store or the Internet Forum Moderator laboratory. In that sense, he would be able to read something that he may enjoy more…

Then again, when would he find the time to do relax, given the tight schedule their captors set upon them?

With a sigh, Orpheus continued with his inspection and by the time someone entered his lab, they would find him standing near the desk, with his hands lingering on top of said furniture, looking rather… unfocused? Troubled? Lost? It was hard to describe, but he was definitely not as aware of his surroundings as he should be.

“…”

Might as well call out to him, huh?

[yvondenka-blog]

Yvon wasn’t sure exactly why he found himself drawn to the castle replica - perhaps it was the fact that it was so out of place among the dirty train tracks that the subways ran on. The whole park seemed strange, really. What an odd thing to put in a train station... stores and the like he could understand, but a theme park? Well, if it was made for another student, he supposed that it made sense.

Despite the fact that he’d never even been to Disney World, he’d recognized the castle. How could he not? That thing was practically burnished onto the international psyche by now. And while it was a naive, fanciful recreation of what a castle was like, it still made Yvon miss home. So he’d been wandering its halls, taking note of any interesting details.

But he had expected to be alone, and his shoulders jerked when he heard Nezumi’s voice. He didn’t know her that well, but he’d at least heard her speak during the trials. Yvon whirled around on the balls of his feet, noting that Nezumi in her dark outfit and clip-on horns looked pretty out-of-place amongst all the rococo.

“A-ah, Mademoiselle Kuromaru... fancy meeting you here, hm?”

He folded his arms, trying to appear at ease - it didn’t appear that she was all that comfortable, so he may as well try to make her feel a little better. If he could help others in his own time of distress, that would be for the best.

“I suppose you know a lot more about this place than I do, given your expertise.”

A Royal Faux Pas || Nezumi || Chapter 3 || Attn: Yvon

This….was… supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! It was all here! The Cinderella paintings, the detailed dioramas, and maybe with an eagle eye could see if there were any remnants of the Mystery Castle Tour hiding behind the walls! Even if it was just a copy, the sight of it all made Nezumi’s heart swell with it’s familiarity and sense of belonging. She was pretty lucky, wasn’t she? To have a lab that was exactly like home…  But the actress has yet to enter  the grandest display of all! The throne room was just around the corner, and already her mind was abuzz with ideas of how it could be used with the entire class in mind. There could be a dance! Or they could try to see whose foot fit the glass slipper, or Nezumi could dress up as Cinderella herself and hold a meet-and-greet- …Or she can find herself skidding to a halt as she enters, as she realizes she’s not the first to make it to the center of the attraction.

“….Heeeey, Yvon-chan. How’s it goin’?”

Is there anything more awkward that encountering a prince in the middle of a recreated throne room after he’s learned that his bastard heritage has been broadcasted to the viewing public? …There’s probably not  a situation any more absurdly specific, at least.

[yvondenka-blog]

In spite of the current circumstances, Yvon couldn’t help but chuckle as Orpheus’s glasses flew right off of his face. It seemed rare to see him so unprofessional, but it’s not like he had thought anyone was nearby. People do act differently when they believe they are alone, he thought to himself as Orpheus fumbled around on the floor for his glasses.

Still, he’d managed to pick him out from the blur that was likely surrounding him. Yvon had no need for glasses, as his eyesight was just fine, but it would appear that Orpheus was blind as a bat without them. It’d be best for him to help out - after all, he wasn’t so cruel that he would just let Orpheus squirm around on the floor forever.

“Ah- let me get those for you, Monsieur Edler.”

Crouching down on the floor, he scooped up Orpheus’s glasses before handing them to him - and then did the same with his notebook and pen. Though the thought of taking advantage of his temporary blindness to scrounge through his notebook does briefly cross his mind, he quickly perishes the thought. That would be highly inappropriate.

Also, rude. But people would probably jump at the chance to pick the brains of an accomplished novelist.

Yvon rose back up to his full height and brushed the nonexistent dust off of his pants, making sure that he still looked shipshape even after his close encounter with the floor. Everything appeared fine. Then, he turned to Orpheus himself.

“By the way, I must thank you for organizing that meeting.”

“I’m not sure how... successful it was, exactly...”

“But we definitely needed it. Unfortunately, I was in no shape to do such a thing... thank you for doing it in my stead.”

Blurry Sights | Orpheus | Chapter 2 | ATTN: Yvon

Certainly, Orpheus hadn’t expected for the Illusionist’s research lab to look like a burlesque club - or at least, that’s what all the media he consumed told him how one would look like. After all, he never entered such an establishment in his entire life, so that was a new experience for him.

Once he got to the backstage area, it was more apparent that this place belonged to 🌠 - however, the amount of tools lying around here that could be used for more nefarious reasons left him worried. However, after a minute or two of thinking, he did come up with something to maybe change a few things into everyone’s favour and wondered whether this would be a good enough idea to execute or not.

As Orpheus jotted down some of his thoughts and observations about this place into his notebook, he turned around, ready to seek out anyone to consult on this idea of his - while not exactly paying enough attention to his surroundings.

This short moment of inattention would turn out to be a painful experience for him, as his feet got caught onto one of the ropes laying around. Flailing with his arms, he had no chance to catch his balance anymore before falling onto the cold, hard floor. Letting out a yelp, his notebook and pen slipped out of his hands as he made impact with the floor.

“Augh–!”

And if that hadn’t been bad enough already, his glasses decided to suddenly grow wings and simply fly off as well! … Well, not literally, but they clattered against the ground a good metre or two away from him.

Orpheus groaned, holding his head with one of his gloved hands as he squeezed his eyes shut. Ouch, he wouldn’t be surprised if he got a little bump on his forehead because of this…

“<Oh, for the love of–>”

He mumbled quietly in german to himself, but cut himself off once he heard footsteps closing in on him. Opening his eyes, he blinked for a moment, before he squinted in front of him. As he picked himself up, his hands were hastily and aimlessly searching for his belongings.

“Ah, hello, if you would be so kind as to give me my glasses, I would very much appreciate it.”

[yvondenka-blog]

Yvon and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day || Yvon || Trial 1.3 || RE: Everything

…What in the world had just happened?

Yvon had taken a bit of a backseat when the hair had been brought up - it was not something that he had seen while investigating, so he thought that it might be better to leave that to the people who had actually seen it. But once the hair had come into play, everything…

Well, it had all gone to pieces is what it had done. Everything had started to unravel in a way that Yvon had never seen among even the most ruthless politicians, let alone high school students. Though he may have to change the rank of “high school students” in the list of most cutthroat people in his mind.

“I ask that you please calm yourselves, all of you. Ad hominem attacks are inappropriate, especially in such a dire situation.”

Yvon’s fists are clenched, and his expression is firm - that of a disappointed parent watching his child destroy an heirloom lamp with a stray baseball. 

“Need I remind you all that we are in a hostage situation? Consider the theory of relativism. Acts committed in less accepting times, as well as more dangerous circumstances, cannot be held to the same stigma as those same acts committed now. That aside, we are handling a murder case. I ask that you abandon your personal scrapes for the moment.”

He rubbed his temple with a hand after that. This whole thing was giving him a headache… were people so ruthless that they would use the death of a classmate to go after their other classmates in turn? Someone had just died. Yvon was more than used to playing mediator, but not for things like this.

In all this chaos, he had nearly forgotten the killer.

It was ZenZen, wasn’t it? The very man who had killed his mother. It seemed like it had happened so long ago, when in actuality it had only been a few days. And yet, somehow…

Yvon couldn’t bring himself to unload all of his anger on him. He had punched him already - that was quite enough. And what kind of a public figure would he be if he commanded that everyone else do something, then immediately went back on it for his own purposes? It was just shameful. 

“ZenZen-san, whatever your real name may be… You were failed by the very system that is keeping us in here. I could go on and say that the murder is a result of your own character, but I do not believe that to be the case.”

“Still, I cannot bring myself to find you blameless. You did kill my mother and unseat the peace of an entire democracy.”

“In the end, my one regret is that I was not able to bring you to justice myself.”

[yvondenka-blog]

Red Hot Chili Peppers || Yvon || Trial 1.2 || RE: Ikuko

“…Jalapeños?”

The peppers probably aren’t the most important part of the trial right now, but Yvon can’t help but voice his confusion. The investigation he had partaken in had gone fairly smoothly, without many real distractions or tomfoolery… with this and Ryuunosuke’s hat, what exactly had happened in the other groups?

He realizes something, and his face takes on a much more pleasant appearance.

“Ah, apologies. I’ve forgotten to introduce myself. I am Yvon Adelino Chevalier Bruckhard, of the imperial Bruckhard family… I serve the great nation of Dragvandille as the Super High School Level Ambassador. I’ll be at your service.”

Yvon gives a slight bow towards everyone else in the room, signifying a slight deferral despite his status. Then, it’s back to business for him.

“Trains, you say…? That’s interesting…”

“If the trains are involved in this case, then… did anyone find any blood on the trains? For you see, there was a blood trail near Monsieur Kishi’s body. I have reason to believe that it was dragged from somewhere judging by how it looks.”

[yvondenka-blog]

Ten times, he ran into my knife! || Yvon || Chapter 1 Trial

Yvon was determined to have the first word in this trial. If he could direct discussion, then he could ensure that things would go somewhat smoothly. He knew that the moment someone threw out a baseless accusation, everything would quickly go to hell, and then civilized discussion would be impossible. Conflicts such as that could easily disrupt a summit - it was something he knew all too well.

Casting his eyes downward to avoid the sight of Hideyoshi’s effigy, he pounds his fist on the podium once to redirect the other students’ attention. It’s not an aggressive motion, but it is a firm one, meant to command attention. 

“I think it would be to our benefit if we began with stating what we know to be true, rather than jumping to theories and speculation.”

A nice and simple start would be best. Yvon raises his gaze to face his fellow students, his expression surprisingly calm. For someone who had witnessed the death of his mother and of a colleague in the past few days, at least, it was as calm as was possible.

“Monsieur Kishi was stabbed with a blade of some kind, and the wound is fairly deep. My group and I, we found a multi-tool that could have created the wound, but it was clean of blood…”

“Would anyone else happen to have found anything that could serve as the murder weapon?”

[yvondenka-blog]

Oh, so that was it? It was an accident? A little hecko boingo? 

Yvon hadn’t even really wanted to be talked to, not right now. As no one had come forward after his original request, he’d just wanted to be left alone so he could mourn in peace. After all, there’d be no funeral, no naval procession. He wasn’t even sure if the people in his country knew that he was gone, let alone that their queen was gone. 

All that because of the fact that someone’s finger slipped? It was almost laughable. The royal family had taken so many precautions, trying to prevent any possible incidents from happening, and yet they had somehow missed the possibility of someone making a dumb little mistake on a dumb little knockoff tablet. Oopsy-daisy!

But in spite of all this, Yvon breathes in through his nose and steels himself. At a time like this, if his people do know, the country must be in turmoil. Best for him to not make a scandal out of himself.

“Well, I’m afraid I’m not very happy.”

Yvon clasps his hands together at his waist, trying to stop his fingers from twitching. 

“I’m a man of my word, and I’ll have to do what I said I was going to do. You understand that, right?”

It’s meant as a question, but he says it more like a matter-of-fact phrase. 

For a moment, he stands in silence, waiting for a reply. His heart is thumping so fast that it feels as though it’s going to burst, out of anger or sadness or of any of the myriad emotions he’s feeling. 

And just when he can’t take it anymore, Yvon lunges. With a pale, uncalloused hand that’s never seen a day of work in its life, he clocks Zenzen right in his stupid bear face. God, what kind of a person can’t even take off their costume to apologize for killing someone?

Probably the same kind of person who kills someone by accident, but...

Yvon cradles his throbbing fist in his other hand, suddenly awash with shame.

“.......”

“...Sorry. That was improper of me.”

All, All Apologies | ZenZen | Chapter 1 Motive | Closed @ Yvon

He didn’t know what to say. The only way to process the events of the last hour was to set his mind on a goal. Help people.

Of course, that ended up going in flames the moment he presented his choice. But he lived on a philosophy of not running away from your problems, and now he knew he couldn’t run away from this. Maybe if he didn’t get sent to jail after he was freed, that’d be nice, too.

After darting through the entire station multiple times, he saw something–someone in the lounge that looked like who he was looking for–

And immediately started to speak in a panicked babble.

I’m so sorry! I–I–my hand slipped, I meant to save her, but I–I thought, you might want to know, that she’s–I really didn’t–I didn’t mean to! But if you’re mad, that’s fine! You should be mad, but I didn’t want to…avoid this…

He trailed off, waiting to hear what he had to say.

[yvondenka-blog]

Franz Ferdinand is Dead || Yvon || RE: Ch1 Motive

He always saw the best in people, and that was his biggest flaw. 

As Yvon had watched the chaos unfold, he thought that things would turn out okay - really, there was no way for them to turn out completely fine. But he’d had hope that they would find some way to game this system. 

His eyes had frozen on the name of his loved one for a moment - they wouldn’t do that, would they? They couldn’t. But still, he exhaled. His finger moved to “NO” on his tablet as he made what he knew was the right decision. But no sooner had he done that, he’d looked up to see-

Ah. 

“…" 

Too bad, so sad. 

The thing he had always feared in the recesses of his mind had happened, and he had nothing to show for himself for it. Something tells him that no legion of bodyguards could have stopped this. The whole thing is much more insidious than a typical assassination attempt. 

And yet, he’s still frozen in place. There’s no burst of adrenaline, no mournful wail, nothing. Just a boy whose mother had had to teach him how to knot his tie in the absence of his father.

And now she was gone - the queen was dead. 

"How could… but I…”

His work had consumed him, and he’s seen her less and less over time. 

When was the last time he’d told her that he loved her? And now, she wasn’t around to hear it anymore.  But…

But this was no time to get weepy. Absolutely not.

Yvon wiped his tears on the sleeve of his jacket, feeling his fists tighten until his knuckles feel close to popping. Is there really nothing he can do?

Well, there might be one thing. 

“As ambassador, I’m invoking my extraterritorial rights.”

“Whoever you are, who killed her… come forward and I’ll promptly arrest you. You’ve made yourself an enemy of the state today.”

“Just…”

“It’ll be easier for the both of us if you come forward yourself. Please.”

It’s a foolish request, but the one he must make. In his heart, he believes that someone will come forward, and that this whole thing will be resolved the best it can - but in his mind, he knows they won’t.

[yvondenka-blog]

A Royal Pain || Yvon || RE: Prologue End

Yvon had seen a lot of strange sights in his life, more than he supposed any ordinary teenager would have seen. But this had proved itself to not be an ordinary situation, and his compatriots had proven themselves to be anything but. He had been aware of that when he was talking to his fellow students before, but he had never been more acutely aware of it than when he witnessed one of them tase another with her bare hand. 

…Yeah, that seemed more than a little unconventional. 

A lot of strange things had just happened in only the last few minutes, and he couldn’t process them all in one go. A wheel spun in his brain, determining what he would become completely cogniscient of first, and landed on “a fellow student getting hurt”. That seemed to make sense.

“Ah- hey! Pardon me, are you-”

A phalanx of girls has rushed to her side no sooner than he’s managed to get the words out, and Yvon freezes in place. Everything else trickles into his psyche like sand in an hourglass. Robots, rules, a game of life and death with no escape… hold up, what was that last part? 

“…”

The killing part was troublesome enough, but Yvon was familiar with death. It was a natural part of military service, and he knew that he himself would not kill. The worry lingers in the back of his mind that someone will see him as an easy target, but he’s sure that his reputation and charisma will dissuade most people from doing that. Maybe.

But being trapped here with no feasible escape…? The potential of being part of a hostage situation had always followed Yvon, especially as his political work grew more hands-on. It would have been entirely too easy for someone to shove him in a van and refuse his release until Dragvandille’s government did what they wanted. And he was used to that possibility. 

This, though, did not seem like that. If anything, it was something far more nefarious. Something he would try to struggle against for as long as he could. 

He calls after the mysterious executioner and arbiter, even though they probably can’t hear them.

“You’ve brought the wrong person into your twisted little game. I can swear that my men are looking for me right now, and that they’ll put an end to all of this before you can lay a finger on anything. On my father’s grave, I swear it.”

He swears it… but really, he’s praying for it. Please, someone get him out of here.

[yvondenka-blog]

fxrmal‌:

“Ah, it’s always good hear things are alright with those we care about. I’m glad, for both her sake and yours!”

“As for what I do outside of my talent…hm.”

Atsuko clasps her hands together in thought. Well, what did a barista do in their free time, exactly? It was a bit embarrassing that she couldn’t think of anything right off the top of her head.

“Well…I suppose I enjoy spending time with my friends, though that is a bit of a cop-out answer, is it not? But it’s certainly true, nonetheless.”

“And, uhm…watching cozy movies, I suppose? The feel good sort of thing. Stories about people being selfless, and truly caring for one another…that’s the sort of thing that gives me just a little more faith in the people around me.”

“And of you? What sort of things do you enjoy in your free time, Bruckh– ah, forgive me, Yvon-san?”

“Aha... yes, I’ll send her your regards when I’m able to hear from her again.”

He listens placidly as Atsuko talks about her own simple self and her own simple interests. Something about her seems wise beyond her years, as though she’s been through far more than just unpleasant customers with overly specific coffee orders. That’s merely theory, though.

Certainly not 20 Questions material. He keeps the thought in mind.

“I’d say that isn’t a copout at all - it actually sounds rather pleasant. The movie thing, too.”

When was the last time he’d even seen a movie in theaters? 

“As for me? Well...”

He has to take a moment to think about that. What exactly is it that he does in his free time? More than that, when was the last time he even had a significant amount of free time? It’s a surprisingly tough question.

Yvon finds himself thinking back to his early days as an ambassador, and his time spent back at the palace.

“Well aside from typical things like studying and reading, I rather enjoy... fencing. I’ve been training in it since I was a young child.”

“I’m afraid I’m not quite Super High School Level at it, though - I doubt I’d qualify for any competitions.”

“After all, I’m still unable to beat my sparring partner after all these years...”

Enough of that, though. Yvon’s expression returns to normal, and he takes a bite of the pastry he took from behind the counter. Atsuko was right - it is pretty good. He doesn’t know if he’d pick it unprompted, but it’s still good.

“...Anyway, I think it’s your turn to ask a question.”

Sweets for the sweet || Yvon || Prologue || ATTN: Atsuko

[yvondenka-blog]

shslorpheus‌:

It appeared as if Yvon and Orpheus were on the same page when it came to the strange duo - they were certainly suspicious, but thus far, nothing seemed too sinister. On top of that, they had neither information nor evidence to support their worries and in the best case scenario, the both of them were simply too paranoid for their own good.

(In the worst case scenario, however–)

Internally shaking his head, Orpheus pushed these thoughts aside in favour of his conversation partner in front of him. After all, it would be rude to not pay attention to him if they were already engaged in a discussion.

“<I would be delighted if you would spare some of your time to read my books, but please, do not push yourself in any way. To each their own when it comes to their tastes, yes?>”

Given what Yvon had told him, it appeared as if he might favour non-fiction books over fictional ones. There was nothing wrong with that, of course - different people prefered different things. That was life and that variety made the world so interesting to begin with.

“<I would be surprised if there was a book store here, though I would most certainly appreciate it if it were. I do not know if they would have copies of my works there, but one can always look for them. It would be my pleasure to discuss my books with you - I am always open for other’s opinions about the topics I touch upon.>”

Yvon nodded in return - this whole conversation was helping to ease his worries. Sure, they still lingered in the back of his mind, but talking with Orpheus was helping to distract him. In a situation like this, good distractions would be the best that he could hope for until an actual solution or more information presented itself.

He smiled gently at the other man - grateful that the first person he had talked to was at least nice. In summits and the like, he hadn’t been quite so lucky with the people he was working with. 

“<It’s a long shot, but knowing Hope’s Peak, I’m sure they’ve at least provided us with proper commodities. I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted us to start our studying while here.>”

Further trying to push away his worries, he nods at Orpheus’s proposal. In fact, his eyes light up at that - though his work has brought him into the sphere of many well-known figures, he’s never been this close to one - let alone having had someone offer him a favor like this out of kindness rather than obligation.

Well, at least he hoped it was out of kindness. If it wasn’t, he supposed he’d be a little disappointed, but not by that much.

“<If you’d be willing to spare me the time, I’d love that. It’s no trouble at all, though - I’ll get nowhere by remaining in my comfort zone.>”

“<...Though I’m afraid I don’t have much of anything to offer in return, unless you’re planning to write about political intrigue and need advice on that.>”

A new tale begins | Orpheus | Prologue | RE: Game Start, ATTN: Yvon

[yvondenka-blog]

fxrmal‌:

“Ah, close but no cigar! The Super High-School Level Barista. Atsuko Ainara, at your service.”

Atsuko bows her head and curtsies slightly. A bit of an old school sort of thing, perhaps, but she thought it had its charm.

“…apologies, but I’m not the best at carrying out small talk, as it so seems. I’d make talk about the weather, but we can’t see the sky. And I don’t really know all that terribly much about you, so I can’t say anything along the lines of ‘how are the kids!’. Well, not like I think you have kids, so ‘how is the family’, then…?”

“So, perhaps, we could do something to help us know the other better? Twenty questions? Though I’m not sure if that helps people learn about the other…ah, well.”

She’s trying!

Oh, that makes more sense. Yvon feels like he remembers something about that in the class roster - he had pictured a Super High School Level Barista as more resembling a disgruntled retail employee, though. This came as a bit of a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. 

He gives a bit of a bow back in return. 

“It’s nice to meet you, then. I don’t think I’ve ever met a barista personally before.”

“Ah... erm, the family? My mother is quite well, last time I heard from her...”

She’s right, this is awkward. Yvon scratches the back of his neck - he supposes that she does have a point with that. At least she’s forward about it. Though he would expect a public service worker to be a bit more well-versed in small talk... but he’ll keep that judgment to himself.

“Twenty questions? Well, I don’t see why not. I suppose I’ll go first, then...?”

This is certainly new. Most of the time when he’s questioned people in the past, it’s been about their policies. He can handle something as simple as this, though. Probably.

“Mhmm, let’s see. What do you like to do outside of your talent?”

That seems safe enough.

Sweets for the sweet || Yvon || Prologue || ATTN: Atsuko

[yvondenka-blog]

shslorpheus‌:

“You are right in your assumptions, Mr. Bruckhard. Usually, we should have one here as well, but… Oh, I do not wish to be pessimistic, but something tells me that we may not have access to one right now. If only those two strangers wouldn’t have disappeared so quickly…”

But alas, it’s not like as if Orpheus had been hellbent on chasing after the strange duo without a care in the world. Furthermore, something in his gut told me that they might not have provided any useful answers anyway. Good lord, he wished he could understand Hope’s Peak eccentrics better…

(At least, he hoped that this was simply Hope’s Peak being odd and not something more… ominous.)

As Yvon switched to french with no hesitation, Orpheus followed suit - in an uncommon situation such as this, even the small things could provide much comfort.

“<You’re quite welcome. I do enjoy speaking in this tongue as well. Ah, but I do know what you mean - it is always refreshing to see other nationalities than the one that is most present in a place. It certainly mixes things up, does it not?>”

Though it could also get hectic if no one would be able to speak a common language - briefly, Orpheus wondered how many instances Yvon had to deal with that exact predicament. As an ambassador, he certainly came around, after all.

“<It is quite an honor to hear that my books are doing well in your country. I have to admit, it’s still sometimes a bit overwhelming how so many people know and love my books… Haha.>”

Orpheus let out a soft chuckle.

“<Well, my most known books would be the Memoirs of a Soul trilogy. To summarize it shortly and without any spoilers, it’s about a young girl named Chizu who finds herself in the afterlife after she died an early death on Earth. You could say that the afterlife is quite similar to our life here - yet it also differs greatly. Some of the topics I touch and delve into in this series are rebirth, reincarnation and a multitude of morals and philosophies. Of course, there are also fantasy elements found within it, such as monster-like creatures or other, fictional races.>”

Well, he could go on and on about it, but was it really the right time to do so? Orpheus doubted it.

“<I hope this was sufficient enough as an explanation?>”

“Well, yes... I do have my doubts about those two. As odd as Hope’s Peak is, I can’t imagine their reasons for sending two seemingly unrelated teenagers on a reconnaissance mission. Perhaps private education is stranger than I thought...”

His thoughts return to Monomi and Monokuma, and their oddly monochromatic color schemes. Something about this whole situation he doesn’t like at all, but he doesn’t have any proof of it being ill-intended or malevolent. It’s just a worry. Perhaps he’s being overly paranoid.

Orpheus explaining his novels was a welcome distraction from his worries, though, and Yvon found himself listening intently. It was a little beyond his understanding, but he was able to get the gist of it. He was more of a nonfiction person himself, but it did seem interesting. Far-fetched, of course, but interesting. 

“<That does sound fascinating. The afterlife resembling life while alive... that’s certainly an interesting interpretation. I’m afraid I haven’t touched fiction in quite a while, but perhaps I can catch up with it during my schooling.>”

He chuckles, before remembering the exact circumstances of the two of them being here. It’s definitely not a typical school experience like he was expecting - actually, it’s rather grim. It’s almost like something out of a novel in itself. A bunch of teenagers waking up in a strange station? It sounds like the perfect foundation for a mystery novel.

Yvon mulls over bringing that up to Orpheus before deciding against it. He doesn’t fully know what’s going on, after all, and likely wouldn’t be able to fully assess the situation without knowing all there is to know about it. 

“<Yes, that helps quite a lot... I believe I understand now.>”

“<Well... if there is some kind of bookstore down here, maybe your books would be available there? Then I could actually read them. I don’t suppose there’s any better person to discuss books with than the author himself.>”

A new tale begins | Orpheus | Prologue | RE: Game Start, ATTN: Yvon

[yvondenka-blog]

fxrmal‌:

It’s not as if she’s one to pry, necessarily. Enough time in customer service has taught her that simply standing there and hoping that someone will take notice of you and talk to you will only prove a fruitless endeavor in more cases than not, after all.

And yet…

That’s what she finds herself doing with Yvon ac Bruckhard. Isn’t that a bit hypocritical of her?

But, can you blame her for being interested? It’s not every day that one finds themself in a class with a member of royalty in it. And, sure, it’s not as if their class was anything short of extraordinary, as was the case with any class of Hope’s Peak Academy, but…

Something about royalty sure.

Was. Interesting. 

“Were you addressing me? I mean– Oh, of course you were, there’s no one here but me, after all. Not even any attendants, save for those Monomi-san and Monokuma-san characters…”

“And now I’m completely avoiding your question. Oh, dear. I really should get a handle on my character, now.”

“Well, then. I must say I’m more than fond of Russian pastries, myself. Zefir is quite a treat, and if you’re afraid of expanding your palette too far or if you want something that doesn’t overwhelm your taste buds too much, it’s a pretty good start! It’s actually quite good if you put it on top of cakes, both as decoration and as supplement for the flavor. And they aren’t too big nor filling, so you can get a whole plate of them or only eat one and make room for other confections!”

“In a bit of a different token, syrniki are really good as well. If we end up staying here overnight, I recommend trying them. They’re basically some sweet cheese pancakes, and though they’re fluffy they’re quite dense and filling as well, and serve as a good start to your day. And, oh, we have confections like bird’s milk cake, which is some mousse sandwiched between some light, fluffy layers of cake and drizzled with some just as light chocolate icing syrup, and chak-chak, which is really good for festivals since, well, it’s fried and easy to simply put in a bag and carry around and eat with your hands, as any good festival food is, and potato cakes, which receive it’s name only due to the fact that they look like potatoes, not due to any sort of actual flavor of potato in them, and–”

“…ara. I’ve gone off a bit, there. How embarrassing.”

“Please choose whichever sweet most suits your tastes, Bruckhard-san. …that’s who you are, correct? The Super High-School Level Ambassador, yes?”

...Wow, she went off. Yvon’s response to her sweets discussion is mostly just blinking and nodding from his end, punctuated by the occasional “Hmm,” and “Uh-huh”. He’s not at all disinterested, though - just a bit taken aback by the sheer breadth of her knowledge. Haha, bread-th and she’s talking about baked goods... haha... ha... hm.

“Aha... that I am. Please, though, you can call me Yvon if you prefer.”

Man, it’s exhausting just to reply after all of that. Yvon has to take a second to gather his thoughts before actually responding about the subject of pastries. Let’s see, she was talking about Russian desserts... carry the one and...

“Judging by how much you know. I’d be inclined to trust your judgment on the matter more than my own. Zefir, hm...? That does sound good... yes, Zefir it is.”

Since the SunCash appears to be an ordinary coffee place where one is meant to give money to a worker before they can get their food, the pastry case seems to open only from the back. Taking a napkin in hand, Yvon makes his way behind the counter. Sheepishly, he opens the display case from behind - he can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for what he supposes is stealing. 

Still, this is the only way to get food, right? In circumstances like these, it’s probably alright... he hopes.

Yvon leans on the counter, surveying the girl from the other side. It’s probably a different orientation from what Atsuko’s used to... he doesn’t quite know who she is, though. The list of talents he’s seen online flashes in his head, but...

“Who might you be, then? Judging by your knowledge of desserts, I’d assume maybe a baker or patissier...”

Well, he tried.

Sweets for the sweet || Yvon || Prologue || ATTN: Atsuko

[yvondenka-blog]

Sweets for the sweet || Yvon || Prologue || ATTN: Atsuko

Though he knows he has to remain alert in a situation like this, Yvon can’t resist the siren song of food. The morning’s breakfast seems like a million years past, and considering that it had been rather unappetizing airplane food, his stomach had been growling ever since he woke up. Though he tried to brush off the feeling several times, he eventually could no longer resist the temptation. Hungwy…

And so it was that he now finds himself in the station’s food court. Though he’d taken a cursory glance at the piano (how strange that there would be one in such a place), he remained focused on the task at hand - actually finding food. He wasn’t sure exactly how he ended up at SunCash of all places, in front of a display case of pastries, but it’s not like he was complaining. The food looked good, at least.

Normally, he had no trouble making decisions about things - being decisive was a key part of being an ambassador, after all. You couldn’t afford to be wishy-washy in politics. But something about the pastry display stumped him. It all looked so good… could he possibly pick only one?

He’s not sure how much time passes, but Yvon soon becomes aware of a presence behind him. He turns to face the specter, only to find that it’s not an eerie ghost at all - but a girl his age. Not one he can immediately pick out from the class roster he studied on the plane, though. These measures call for impersonal small talk.

“Why, hello. If I may ask, which one of these would you pick?”

“I’m partial to éclairs myself, but I’m not sure if I’m quite in the mood for them now. It seems I’m at an impasse…”

[yvondenka-blog]

shslorpheus‌:

Patiently waiting for Yvon to check his phone, Orpheus took this opportunity to scrutinize him a bit more whilst pocketing his own phone away. Although he had seen him often enough on the news, it was still different to see someone in person. It was strange, in a sense - why did a person appear slightly different when they were standing right in front of you, as opposed to how they appear on television?

Whilst secretly filing this new inquiry as something that must be researched later on, he nodded solemnly as the taller man announced the results of his endeavours - they were the same as his. Not unexpected, but still slightly disappointing nonetheless.

(And quite frankly, Orpheus couldn’t help but light up a little when he heard some french amidst all the japanese that he heard around him.)

“It is unfortunate indeed, but I’m afraid that we have no choice but to accept this inconvenience. Let us simply hope that there is another means to contact the outside - maybe they have an emergency phone somewhere?”

Granted, he didn’t actually think that they’d be able to find such a thing, but it was still a possibility that should be explored before being pronounced as impossible.

At least he didn’t make a fool of himself for mistaking Yvon as someone else. The sheer thought of embarrassing himself so much was almost enough to tint his cheeks with a faint red, but alas, this border hasn’t been crossed as of now.

However, his smile did get wider when the other seemed to have recognized him as well. With a nod, he replied:”Indeed, you are correct, Mr. Bruckhard. I’m honored that you have heard of my books.”

Even though he wouldn’t be surprised if Yvon hadn’t actually read them. Given how busy an ambassador must be, there was probably barely any time to read books, nevermind something as grande as trilogies. Still, it was nice for someone to have even heard of his works.

“Also, if you would like, we can also speak in french. I happen to hail from switzerland, so french is one of my mother tongues.”

Now I have actual sprites so Yvon can express emotions. Cool!

Yvon nodded at that, hoping that Orpheus is right. Subway stations do have payphones sometimes, don’t they? That would be a good solution, but he’s not sure he really has any coins on him that he could use to pay the call fee. Perhaps if they do find a phone, he could squeeze enough money out of the class to call the embassy. They’d help him for sure!

...That seemed more like wishful thinking than anything, though. Something told him that calling home wouldn’t be a possibility. Not in a disaster zone, at least. Though this was an oddly convenient place for them to be in that case. Yvon’s head was beginning to hurt at all this - he’d have to think more on it later, while he wasn’t trying to have conversations with other people.

“I would hope so. Is there not some way for the stationmaster to contact the train conductors? I’m afraid I’m unacquainted with Japanese bullet trains, but I’m fairly certain that is how other stations operate.”

Really, he’s hypothesizing, but it seems likely. Besides, what kind of train station wouldn’t have some means for contacting people in case of an emergency? He could only hope some kindhearted conductor would stumble upon this place and decide to take them all to school. That would be the ideal, but it was an unrealistic one.

His face lights up at Orpheus’s admission that he does know French, though - it’s a language he’s much more used to speaking. In a situation like this, he’d rather not have to worry about tripping over his words while trying to say something important. So he adjusts accordingly.

“<Ah, that helps quite a bit. I was under the impression that the majority of the class would be Japanese, so this is a surprise.>”

He smiles, looking quite a bit calmer than he was before. 

“<I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with your books, but they sell well back home. What do you write about...?>”

A new tale begins | Orpheus | Prologue | RE: Game Start, ATTN: Yvon