Private Conversations

[dominioned]

The confessional before you is ornate and well maintained, ebony colored wood embellished with the visage of two angels. A jet black curtain separates the confessional from the rest of the Church, offering a surprising degree of privacy to any eavesdroppers nearby. Unlike the rest of Krakow, the inside is dimly lit by a small light bulb securely attached to the ceiling which emits a faint red light. While the atmosphere isn't exactly cozy, it is private.

A smooth voice calls out to you once you've sat down, familiar enough to identify the speaker despite the partition between you.

"Welcome welcome. I take it something is on your mind?"

We're in a museum now, Harry.

Comments

FOURTH WEEK

[dominioned]

tuesday morning

[pr159]

[ Well, he notably did not come in any earlier this week despite losing three pills, at least. ]

Good morning.

[dominioned]

Good morning, I almost expected you to come visit me earlier. [ rip those pills. ]

[pr159]

[ rest in puddles ]

Are you disappointed? I wasn't going to ask for a replacement for something I lost as a result of my own miscalculation.

[dominioned]

I wouldn't say that. Surprised, but not in a bad way.

[pr159]

Is it that surprising? I think you were already aware that I'm a proponent of personal responsibility.

[ Not that he doesn't still blame other people for his misery, but, you know. ]

[dominioned]

Of course. But given the current circumstances, I would not find it surprising for you to deviate from your norms. Others certainly have. [ Maybe it's gossip time. ]

[bawcock]

[ As promised, Erik's post-break-in life is spent getting his ducks in a row! And after an hour he heads off to the greenhouse. For this outing, he actually bothers with a poncho. Neat!

A poncho he leaves at the greenhouse door. Less neat! ]

Now let's see. If I were a crafty, criminally-minded priest, where would I be?

[dominioned]

[ From deeper inside the greenhouse, a familiar voice calls out.]

Follow the roses. [ Guess we're doing the magical projection in here as well. Welcome to the formerly locked, soon to be locked again greenhouse. The air in here is warm and balmy, the kind that's the bane of any frizzy hair in existence. The flowers and various plants seem to love the weather however, many colorful (and poisonous) species on display. Following the colorful roses will lead to Rembrandt tending to a particularly vibrant bush of all white roses. ]

I'm no longer a priest you know, that profession was one of my more fleeting ones.

[bawcock]

[ u m



ok, this sure is happening now

He follows the roses with mild trepidation, suddenly wondering if Rembrandt completely misunderstood and thought this was a date. At least this isn't, like, a path of rose petals??? Though, a path with roses is barely better. He is partially relieved when he sees that, apparently, Rembrandt happens (?) to be tending to them.

Please do not turn around and give him roses, Rembrandt. ] I did know the ex- part, but the other bit is news to me. You never mentioned having any other professions.

[dominioned]

[ Remrandt turns around and offers him a rose, congratulations Erik has won the Bachelor! You thought this was a murdergame but its actually a reality tv show.

Actually no. All that happens is Rembrandt turns to face him with his customary smile. ]

Of course. I'm not what many would call young, so I've had more than several professions.

[bawcock]

[ Slaps the rose right out of his hand!!

Wait, nevermind, that doesn't happen either! What does happen is he is once again marginally relieved to find himself rose-free. This is probably safe...? ]

Really? I'd never guess it from looking at you. [ Uh, maybe? How old does Rembrandt look anyway? Eh, whatever. ] I think you know what's coming next though. What else have you tried? Personally, I'd put my money on gardener. That, or you just like pruning roses.

[dominioned]

[ def safe, trust. ]

Why thank you, I consider it one of my many talents. [ He looks to be in his late twenties, younger thirties! Def not an old man by looks at least. ]

Let's see: teacher, scholar, detective, circus performer, singer, cook...the list goes on, so I shant bore you. But no, I've never been employed as a gardener, though I have experience in the trade as you can see.

[p_q]

[It's certainly a time for Ulquiorra to be out and about -- though here, that works just about anytime, considering all Hollows are most at home in the night and with minimal signs of life roaming about; this week in particular, though, he moves both more stiffly and more deliberately through shadow, watching those moving through this strange mortal plane with flat eyes.

Not unlike a snake, or other reptile, for all that his Resurrección should be anything but. It's mundane(?) business that brings him to Rembrandt's doorstep at this point, though, the faintest jingle of keys in his pocket.

Were he a more community-minded person, or at least a more this-community-minded person, Ulquiorra would have been a bit more diligent about unlocking the city for general accessibility. But for now:]

It still isn't much of a church. [sure, insulting the grounds go] For you, I have an idle question.

[Well, this is after his meeting with the Lady, which presumably Rembrandt knows about by now. He's not at pains to beat around the bush, like, ever.]

[dominioned]

Because of decorum, or company? [ He may or he may not. Their relationship is a complicated thing. ]

Go ahead.

[p_q]

The lack of company.

[He's still a little disdainful of the fact that the church is just empty, even of blue-eyed shadows -- those would have been more useful company than the not-so-priest haunting its halls. That being said, Ulquiorra walking a church, much less multiple times, is still quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things to happen here.

A pause, and then he extracts a hand from his pocket with the ring of keys, a zillion of them just hanging out there.]

Quite an interesting item to find laying about the city, like many others. [he's patiently watching Rembrandt's reaction, or lack thereof] Your cleaning duties seem to be far more capricious than one would expect.

[Granted, that was already well in evidence with the... Hollow community service vs. trial vore deal........ but y'know. It bears repeating.]

[dominioned]

[ There's no need to scrutinize his expression because it's quite blatant, his lips twisting into a pleased grin. And we'll say Ulquiorra grabbed him on the rare occasion he's walking around the Church other than (maybe) sitting in the confessional all day. ]

Hoh, I had wondered if anyone would return these to me.

[p_q]

[You gotta get up and walk around and stretch!! And then maybe scuttle about like an eldritch abomination in the office!!! Otherwise you'd get hemorrhoids and not even Hollows love the body horror that is hemorrhoids.

There's something exasperated as he looks between Rembrandt's happy expression and. Just. The key hoard.]

Am I returning these to you? I don't see what need you'd have of them.

[It's so rhetorical. Nevertheless, he keeps his hold on the keys and his eyes on Rembrandt, perhaps a little curious.]

[dominioned]

You can. Or you may keep them, but they are largely worthless now that you have unlocked the kitchen. The remainder of them go to various places: gym lockers, keys on the bridge, and so on.

You didn't really think it was the citizens of the town who left keys for you in gameboards and Tyrannosaurus Rex replicas, did you? [ He both looks and sounds very smug. ]

late thursday afternoon

[reanbeans]

[ Rean had wondered where the other had gone a day ago, so here he was. He had presumed it meant the 'jig' had been up, but...

Erik had came out alright.

So, what had happened? Therefore their conversation this time may take on a different tone. ]

Rembrandt? I'd like it if we could speak for a moment.

[dominioned]

Good afternoon, Rean. [ Well he's here as always. ]

It's rather late for a visit, so I assume this must be pressing.

[reanbeans]

Yes, it is.

I'd heard you had caught Erik, but...you didn't do anything to him as far as I can tell. Why?

[ He was curious to hear what answer the other might give. ]

[dominioned]

Oh, that. [ His smile can be heard. ]

Several reasons, and I don't mind providing you one. The breach of the castle was hardly due to myfailure, so while I did have to escort him out, there was no reason to make further moves. Far be it from me to correct the Lady's hubris, when it's not specifically in my job description.

[reanbeans]

[ Okay that was a little amusing, and sure Rean didn't doubt this guy would be akin to an Ouroboros member.

But also...Rembrandt wasn't the lady. So even if he had his own goals and Rean doubted he could trust him... ]

That's certainly true.

...But, thank you for doing that, Rembrandt. I know that, given your role in this, it's complicated and I'm not about to assume you're doing it out of the goodness in your heart... I really do appreciate it. If the Lady had seen Erik then, it'd have been over in a heartbeat.

[dominioned]

[ He chuckles lightly. ]

I won't leave you wondering: it was for the sake of my own curiosity, and to that end I don't intend on telling her about the intrusion. The lady and I have our own arrangement, and while that comes first, that doesn't mean our desires line up perfectly.