forgethertoo | [open post: thursday's eve]

[open post: thursday's eve]

When the predetermined day and time for the night hunt comes around, Aornis kits herself out quite reasonably, though she secretly loathes every second of it. Sensible, dark clothes and sensible black shoes with no heels. Flashlight. Notebook and pen. A few other useful and routine tools -- and an odd contraption that she's holding in her hands. The outside of it is a glass bottle that once held a beverage of some sort, washed and cleaned thoroughly. Since she didn't want to appear to be the sort to waste food, she's filled it with different colored plastic beads that she discovered in one of the lounges. The bottle is sealed, with the cap on, as she waits for Claudius and Lan Wangji.

Alternatively, if anyone would like to speak with her while she waits for them, they are also more than welcome to -- though we can't particularly guarantee a scintillating conversation, as she's still masquerading as Thursday Next.

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Aornis lets a look of mild dismay cross her face. That is, after all, how poor little Thursday Next would react. Her? As bait? She's the protagonist; nobody would dare suggest that. On the other hand, it is a legitimate facial expression. Everything she's said tonight has had more than a shade of truth to it. She is both dismayed and slightly thrilled by that suggestion.

Aornis thoroughly comprehends what Claudius is up to and why Lan Wangji, expression grim and foreboding, is present as well. She knew well before this evening, that he would be a formidable opponent — and perhaps that's exactly why she agreed to go on this Night Hunt. Boredom. A test to see how far she can take this whole act. If it all goes wrong, no harm no foul… She slips away and the memories are gone again.

"Oh," she says, furrowing her brow, as if she's never considered being bait in her charmed life. "Is that really necessary? I suppose— she probably does want her revenge against me."

"It's the best chance we have," Claudius says with the calm, reasonable intonation that legitimatizes his wildest schemes. "We only know one thing she wants, after all, and precious little to go on besides. And as loath as I am to put you in harm's way, you did come here prepared to put an end to her, didn't you?" He sighs, and there's some sincere regret in it. "Believe it or not, I did have some naive hope of speaking with her. But after what happened with Acheron ... you know what desperate times call for."

It doesn't particularly surprise Lan Wangji that she reacts with nothing more than muted alarm. He looks at her small frame, her guileless face anytime he catches a glimpse as she leads them. The stream has nearly run dry, but it doesn't matter; the path out of the woods is clear now, opening before them. "I would be nearby," he adds, calm, as if it's obvious. He is here to protect Claudius; of course he would be there to protect Thursday when Aornis appeared.

"Well, if it's the only way," Aornis says, with the continued reluctance of a poker player who is about to fold. "Is there anyone here who knows what she looks like and can identify her if she shows up?"

Claudius tilts his head, a glint in his eyes like a man calculating a potential capture on a chess board. "I suppose you only know her appearance from report, then?"

Lan Wangji could sheathe Bichen now, because they are on the open grounds again, the moons are bright, and the talisman continues to illuminate all three of them. He can see her features and Claudius', too; he feels a cold flare of impatience to be finished with games, to be done with it. But this is too dangerous for that, and Claudius knows what he's doing. He keeps his sword in his hand.

Aornis blinks once, then gazes about with a confused look. She spins around and looks at Claudius and Lan Wangji, startled for a second before she appears to recognizes them. "What? Where are we? Just a second ago I was explaining how the-- how the entropy manipulation detector worked."

After a moment, realization slowly begins to dawn on her expression.

Claudius wants to clap. Truly, he does. But clapping would signal an end to the play, an invitation for the actors to break character and make their bows, and he doesn't want to do that.

Instead he sighs heavily, and looks aside. He looks back at Lan Wangji and says, "Well, that explains that." It's a little irritable, a little unkind, his fingers twitching and twirling his pen as he appears to master his temper. It's not Thursday's fault. "I doubt she'll remember posing for the picture, or the last time she was here. This was a false lead."

Lan Wangji meets Claudius' eyes, but only for the fraction of a moment it might take for them to communicate a weary mutual understanding of what has happened. They will discuss the truth of this, whatever that entails, at more length later. "Mn." He slides Bichen into its scabbard and steps closer to Thursday, respectful of her space but solicitous in his own way. "You are as safe as possible with us. Allow us to escort you back to the house."

"I can't believe--" Aornis starts, then clamps her mouth shut with a weary expression as if yes, she can believe. She turns, to begin to follow Lan Wangji back to the house. "This has happened before. Many times. I've lost days, perhaps longer. She always seems to find me, wherever I am. I suppose the one question I have is... Why has she allowed the two of you to keep your knowledge and memories of her?"

There are many answers he could give — he could return to philosophizing, explain that people are pack animals, and for a moment he considers using his exact words over again. He could share a personal story, something from his political days, and speculate on the private horror of knowing how easily everyone could forget your name and go on as if you never existed, whether you willed it or not. Even an unrepentant villain, with no desire for validation from the crowd, would still want to be seen by someone. Especially if they’ve been taught that success is how many evil deeds you can hold over your siblings during family dinners.

He could play innocent and ask, like Poirot singling in on an off-handed, yet unnatural phrase why she thinks they’ve been allowed to keep anything. Whatever could she mean? They’ve lost plenty before this. Does she know something they don’t?

And then, of course, he could play the same move back at her. Lose the thread mid-sentence. Forget. Fold up the chess board, and put all the pieces back in the box, since clearly it’s time for a different game.

Instead, he takes a different tack altogether. “Thursday, Thursday,” he says with a sigh. “We have to trust each other. You don’t think we’re working with her, do you?”

In truth, as grateful as he is that his memories -- to the best of his knowledge, which is a chilling concession to consistently make -- have remained intact recently, Lan Wangji could very well ask the same question. They are all careful about speaking the name Aornis, but he doesn't know enough about the reach of her powers beyond the signal flare of her name. He was forced to admit that to SecUnit not so long ago.

If he was already weary of the game, this turn makes him wearier still, but he certainly won't stand in Claudius' way until and unless he believes the danger to him outweighs the usefulness of his various gambits. So he glances down at Thursday, and it is a glance of calculating interest, but because his face hasn't changed, it could as easily be one of mild offense at the notion of working with such an unrepentant villain.

There's something satisfying about setting up an intricate tower of cards and then knocking it down with a single flick of the finger as everyone else watches, helpless. A sense of destruction. The three of them are heading back towards the mansion now, as Aornis turns towards them with slightly widened eyes. "Surely, you're not after me for my supposed cheese violations."

Claudius delicately raises an eyebrow. "Cheese violations?"

Aornis gives him a look that could either mean If you don't know about them, I'm not going to tell you or You just said 'Cheese violations'. Take your pick. "Presumed ones," she says simply.¹ "Thank you both for the Night Hunt. Not-- that I recall much of it."

¹None of it was ever true; they just wanted to pin something on Thursday since Goliath Corp controlled SpecOps and Thursday had trapped one of Goliath's star employees, Jack Schitt, in The Raven. But that's not something Aornis necessarily knows.

"I can give you my notes. A gesture of good-will. Nothing said there will surprise you, I'm sure, although ..." Claudius smirks. "You could always say more about Mister Rochester."

This is ridiculous, but it is the kind of ridiculous that implies the danger has passed for the time being. Cheese violations and Mr. Rochester are frivolous distractions. Lan Wangji can set aside his tentative regret for having put his sword away. He does stick reasonably close to Thursday's side as they walk. She has just suffered a minor shock, ostensibly; he would make himself available to assist her in the event that she is feeling unsteady.

Aornis does raise an eyebrow at the name Mister Rochester. "I'm sure you could read about him yourself," she says, tone even. "--but thank you. The notes would be helpful."

"Of course. We're here to help another, aren't we?" asks Claudius, with extravagant goodwill.

Lan Wangji manages to feel simultaneous irritation and fondness, which -- admittedly -- is a well-worn combination for him. He could not have weathered this investigative event alone, nor would he have wanted to. Claudius was far better-equipped than he ever could have been to tease out information with a smile and some clever words. Still, he is glad to be nearing the mansion again and to be close to finished with this. "Thank you for the demonstration," he adds, referring mostly to the entropy detection device.

"Absolutely," Aornis says in response to both of them, easily. After a moment's hesitation, she also offers the entropy manipulation detection device to Lan Wangji with a hint of a friendly smile. "Good luck."

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[open post: thursday's eve]

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