Uno.

[ex_bugged686]

[You will find one Asch breathing heavily as he forces his way through the trees, muttering irritably when his sword belt gets snagged by a particularly vicious thorn bush. He's not in his usual uniform ignore the icon set. Rather, he's been dressed in a very expensive-looking outfit reminiscent of the royal military (it's just for show). And it looks as if a gaggle of maids have spent hours carefully pulling his hair back into a formal braid (well...that was hours ago). Now he just looks disheveled.]

[And he might be stuck.]

Dammit, Pere..! Who ever heard of planting a briar patch in someone's private garden?

[Yeah, he's definitely stuck.]

[[AU Spoilers: He's got a twin brother. Everything else is subject to change, I'm just trying to work out the differences in his behavior.]]

Comments

[prismshards]

[ There are many points to this encounter that baffle Luke. One, why anyone would cross through the woods instead of simply using the path to go around, as he had. Two, why Asch of all people had made such a poor choice. And three... Well, seeing his 'original' out of uniform and in disarray is enough to shock Luke into standing there with his mouth agape. ]

[ Gawking... gawking... ]

[ Oh yeah, maybe he should offer Asch a hand. Or maybe not if he's pissed off. Hnn, what to do... ]

[ex_bugged686]

[Luke won't have to make the decision on his own, because soon enough Asch notices him standing there. Asch grunts in annoyance, giving the belt another futile tug before he stops and turns to face Luke.]

[The scowl should be normal enough, although he seems to be showing some restraint.]

Tch. It's about time.

Since you're not doing anything useful, why don't you quit staring like an idiot and lend me a hand.

[prismshards]

Ah, sorry!

[ It's a relief, if something of a surprise, to have Asch asking for his help. The familiar condescending attitude eases most of Luke's worries so he has no reservations about tramping through the underbrush to where Asch is stuck, hacking away the more stubborn vegetation with his sword. ]

[ Once reaching Asch's side Luke pauses to check what a mess the other idiot had gotten himself into before starting with the largest and most vicious vines. ]

Wow, you really outdid yourself this time. --quit pulling on your clothes! You're going to ruin them that way.

[ex_bugged686]

And it'll be your fault. [Asch shoots Luke a pointed look, but he seems to have come to the same conclusion. He ceases struggling and actually stands perfectly still while Luke cuts the briars away. Explaining the state of his clothing to Natalia would be bad enough, but having to face Father's disappointment...]

[No, don't think about it.]

If you had stayed put like I told you, this wouldn't have happened! What were you even hoping to accomplish? Giving the servants a heart attack?

[prismshards]

[ Luke's face scrunches up at the accusation - he didn't cause this mess, but Asch is giving off the vibe he would blame any Luke that happened to be passing by. Though annoyed, he does his best to not tug on the branches until they've been trimmed to a manageable length. It's going to be hard enough to explain without having to worry over tearing a hole out in his frustration. ]

Of course not! I mean, I couldn't have anyway. What were you doing going through the woods dressed like this?

[ Servants? But Asch had said he'd never return to the manor. Maybe he'd chosen to live in another house? Or a different city entirely. ]

[ex_bugged686]

[That is exactly the vibe he's giving off, and exactly what he'd do. Asch stays put, though he hardly seems happy about it. If anything, he'd like to cuff Luke upside the head for his trouble.]

You couldn't have, and yet they've already got the entire staff searching the grounds for you. Ramdas will probably be sending out the knights soon.

[Asch's eyes narrow.] I didn't stop to change.

[With his belt free, Asch carefully unsheathes his practice sword (yes, a practice sword) and begins sawing away at the remaining vines.]

[prismshards]

[ Wide eyes peer up at Asch through the leaves and blink when Luke catches sight of the practice sword, unaware how obvious his shock is. The only reason he can come up with is Asch suffering an injury that impaired his ability to handle a regular weapon. ]

They won't have much luck... [ Yeah, he's not really listening. Even busy freeing the last bit of rich fabric, Luke is keeping an eye out for any sign of weakness in his original. As if Asch would allow himself to appear weak, especially in front of him. ]

I would have come back. [ Unless the 'Luke' Asch is accustomed to has a drastic difference in personality, there's no way he'd just up and leave. That much Luke is sure of. ]

You alright?

[fonicfraccion]

[This Luke will just be lounging on a tree branch, looking highly amused. That in itself is nothing alarming -- it's easy to imagine that he climbed up there. What's wrong is the tree branch itself; it's far too thin to support Anise, not to mention Luke sprawling out on it like he is.]

[After a moment of this excessive amusement, he finally called down to the errant original.]

You know, most individuals are intelligent enough to make use of the forest path.

[ex_bugged686]

[Had Asch been less preoccupied, he might have noticed. As it is, Luke's location barely even registers, other than the fact that he doesn't have to keep running around all over the place looking for him.]

[Asch grunts - it might be with the effort of dislodging the sword belt, or it could be the merest note of embarassment.]

And risk someone seeing both of us? [He casts a disapproving glance in the direction of the tree.] What are you doing up there anyway?

[fonicfraccion]

[Unfortunately, Asch, this isn't the dreck your looking for. Luke turned his head to look down at the other, revealing the g-clef shaped mask made of bone on the side of his face that had been away from Asch at first. A very not-Luke-like grin spread across his face, as he merely shrugged.]

Why, I'm just enjoying the view.

[ex_bugged686]

[Well that's new. There's a flash of shock - not something one would expect to see on Asch's face, before the scowl returns full force. Had the Corruption done this?! It's the only thing he knows of capable of anything even remotely like what he's now witnessing. But even if Luke isn't acting normal, at least he seems to be thinking logically. Maybe something can be done to cure it.]

Luke. [There's a warning, but Asch doesn't sound angry. Not exactly.] Tell me what happened.

[fonicfraccion]

[Luke tilted his head thoughtfully. Oh, to troll or not to troll... On one hand, telling his master about it later would certainly be fun. On the other hand, the winged Asch was sure to find out, and he would be mad now.]

[...well, madder at him than he was already.]

[...let's just face it, no matter what he does, that Asch is going to be mad at him. Trolling it is!]

Isn't it obvious, Asch?

[He stood up on his too thin tree branch... before taking a dramatic step off. He didn't fall, of course; instead he decreased the reiatsu pushing him up until he was hovering just over Asch's head.]

...I died.

[ex_bugged686]

[Now might be a good time for Asch to finish disentangling himself, but those words, despite the manner in which they were said, do have an effect on him. Not to mention Luke's "attempt" to plummet to his doom. Asch takes a decisive step forward before practically being yanked off his feet by a vine still wrapped around his boot. He hastily kicks it loose, only to find that Luke is hovering there in front of him.]

[Something flickers over his face. Pain? Anger? An emotion without a name.]

Like hell am I going to believe that!!

[Denial.]

[lady_of_daath]

[The young woman blinked and turned to look into the woods from where she was sitting, she heard the irritated voice practically growl and there was only one person she knew that could possibly sound that angry over something so minuscule. Looking, she couldn't help but giggle softly at the sight of Asch being stuck on a large thorn bush. If only she had a camera for moments like these.]

My, my~ Aren't you a beautiful flower♥ Do you need help being picked?

[ex_bugged686]

[How humiliating. As if this day couldn't get any worse, now he's got strange women laughing at him. So much for stealth.]

[So much for "leaving the masses with a favorable impression". Asch grumbles something under his breath, something that sounds suspiciously like a curse (or three), before he clears his throat and resumes trying to free his uniform without ripping large strips out of the material.]

...No.

[Bitterly, and without the slightest trace of gratitude.] No, thank you.

[lady_of_daath]

[No gratitude at all? That means she has to help! If only because of the welling generosity she has flowing from the bottom of her heart!

Picking up her heavy skirts, Anise carefully made her way over to his side to help. That and hopefully she didn't get caught as well.]

You shouldn't force it, the fabric is made out of fine materials. You have to pick it gently.

[As if setting a good example, she gently started prying the thorns out of his coat, trying to be careful about not pricking herself as well.]

[ex_bugged686]

What are you-- [Dammit, he just said he didn't want any help from you! Being assisted by a woman is just pathetic, not to mention his tutors have gone through great pains to try to raise him better than this.]

[Keyword: Try.]

[But it's not like he can just shove her away and yell at her to leave. Asch manages to look uncomfortable, but no easy solution has yet presented itself. Instead he grimaces and turns his attention to freeing the other end of his jacket. The sooner the better. ("Gently" isn't in his vocabulary.)] Oh.

...I can do the rest on my own. Your help isn't necessary.

[lady_of_daath]

You can tell me that once you're actually able to walk away.

[Ok...these thorns were annoying and way more prickly that what she was use to. She frowned as her fingers kept on getting poked, wishing for now of all days to have worn gloves over her fingers. It couldn't be helped though, not now at least. She just had to be careful not to bleed on him.]

So what's the occasion Asch?

[He had yet to really address her or call her by name...Which wasn't odd at all but still, some recognition would be nice.]

[ex_bugged686]

There's nothing wrong with either of my legs. [Asch worries at another stem of thorns, having fairly good luck, seeing as he at least has his hands covered. He's just gotten himself tangled up. That's it. And really, if he ditched the coat, he could probably leave easily enough. And look, woman, he's halfway free already.]

[At that last comment, Asch glances over at her momentarily, a troubled frown playing on his face. No one's supposed to be calling him that.]

Who gave you that name?

[bugging]

Asch!

[Well, where did he go? He'd just seen him, infact they'd just gotten finishing being done-up by the maids. Hence Luke is running along until he hears the familiar voice screaming in frustration.]

Oh! There you are~ ...!!

[That thorn bush must clearly die, if anyone else saw his twin like that it would be bad. Or, he could step over like an idiot and try helping him get out of it without slicing things.]

...How...How did you get caught?

[ex_bugged686]

[Asch is clearly running short on patience by this point. He makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a hiss as he glares over at his sibling.]

How?! By trying to track down some idiot who thought it'd be a good idea to go off on his own, that's how!

[Meaning you.]

[bugging]

...Oh.

[Luke shrugged after a moment and scratched the back of his head.] Sorry, I was just looking around...

Here, let me help since it's my fault. [Plus it wouldn't do if Asch stuck his fingers. It'd be fine since it was his fault anyway this happened.]

[ex_bugged686]

[Asch fights back the urge to roll his eyes. Really?]

[Whatever. At least Luke's been located. Now if he can just fight his way out of the bushes without completely ruining a dress uniform that's easily worth enough to feed a quarter of the city.]

Then you won't mind explaining that to Ramdas.

[He doesn't say no, but Asch is already busy trying to free the edge of his coat.]

[bugging]

No... I'm sorry...

[Luke finally helps Asch pick the edge of his coat loose, gasping as he felt a thorn go in his thumb, It's not bad though so he ignores it and finally pulls the rest of the thorns away. Seems like he was always making Asch's life difficult no matter what he did.]

There, now your coat's okay.

[ex_bugged686]

[The apology doesn't do much to alleviate Asch's bad humor. He's been noticing it more and more lately - that Luke's just accepting his "role" without putting up a fight - and to Asch it's an annoyance. He mutters something that sounds suspiciously like "dreck" as he straightens himself out. The coat's mostly unharmed. Nothing, he imagines, that a needle and thread couldn't fix.]

Go clean that off before it gets infected. [He indicates Luke's finger.]