The House on the Hill
Interactions: Leon/Edict (
@AtomicEmperor)
"You certainly scared us, my sweet Sister... Mother will be thrilled to know you've come home."
Alizée was overcome, staring at a human who, for one, was taller than her, and radiant, with his own apparition within him.
He spoke like he knew her. But how? It was different than how Brit spoke to her. More familiar. And who was
Mother.
It didn't occur to Alizée that she could understand yet another language until she spoke.
“Qui es-tu…? Et qui est Mère… ? (Who are you…? And who is Mother…?)”The words came off her tongue. French. A language in her reflexes, like the ancient language of the Void.
Curious.The man turned, and Alizée watched him look at the strange, white-haired doll again, with piercing blue eyes.
"Layla? Aren't we being rude? To not welcome our Sister with open arms? Come here."
Layla sat there self-consciously with her glass of milk, eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected this. For Leon to call upon her.
But she had to remember her loyalties, and her family, who promised her the world, and then some. She, of course, had never seen Leon like
this, not which she could remember. It made her feel… uneasy.
Regardless, she set her glass of milk aside, and made to move off her stool. Before she saw a flash of a gun, and a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"U-uh... I wouldn't..."
Layla's heart skipped a beat, actually looking at Edict, dragging her eyes away from the gun. Despite the darkness settled in her chest, she couldn't, and wouldn't blame Edict for his intervention. He was her friend, just like Britney. Just like Jea-jie. It still caused alarm bells to ring in her head, like she had to stand a little taller, straighten her back a little more.
She swallowed nervously, before shaking her head.
“It'll be fine, Mr. Devola. Trust me.”Then she eased off the stool, shooting Edict as reassuring of a face as she could, gently shrugging off his hand. Before she knew it, her feet had walked on their own accord, and she was in front of two impossibly tall beings.
Beings being the key word as neither appeared human in that moment. She took her position beside Leon, and looked up at Alizée.
A breath.
“Welcome, Sister. The Temple and Her Grace have missed you. I'm Layla. Your… well, the retainer of your legacy.” Layla said in a slow, even tone.
Alizée, who had stood from the floor, and now floated in spot, gazed down at Layla with a curious look. Quickly, however, that curiosity turned to suspicion, and outrage.
“The scent of Vul, of the Void Heart is most potent on you. Why?”Layla grimaced, waving her hands in a placating manner.
“I can explain. Just don't get mad, okay?”Alizée stared silently, waiting. Layla took that as her cue to continue. She reached forward, and grasped one of Alizée’s gnarled hands. Her tone was soft.
“After Alizée Aliteri passed away, the Void Heart sought a new host. That host… was me.”“However…” Layla's gaze glanced at Jack, darkening for a moment, before returning to Alizée.
“Some people didn't like the Void Heart being out and about.”Layla's face grew pained, seeing Void in her own mind. Feeling that ache of absence.
“Alizée… I don't know how to tell you this, but… Void is sealed.”There was a beat of silence before there was a sharp seethe, and several of Alizée's chains punched through the floor, splintering the wood. Alizée's hand clenched around Layla's porcelain hands, her eyes burning with fury.
“Where is he?!” Her distorted voice hissed.
“Where have they sealed him?”Layla gave a small yelp, but didn't back away. She stood there as resolutely as she could, her own fury and hurt burning in her chest.
“The Temple! The Temple has him. Listen, I'm just as mad as you. But if you stick with me, we'll both see him again. Okay?!”Alizée wasn't satisfied, her grip on Layla tightening.
“You're asking me to wait? When my entire existence is for the Void Heart?!”Layla growled back.
“Yes! What do you think I've been doing? Listen, the Temple has agreed to return what's been lost, but I have to prove Void won't go on a rampage, or corrupt my mind, like he did to you in your previous life. I'm here fixing your sins, Alizée. You just have to let me do my job. This is technically your fault we have to wait!”Alizée blinked, before she growled in disbelief. Slowly, her grip on Layla weakened, and her hand came free. Layla braced herself as Alizée came closer to her, but was wholly unprepared for what came next.
The tall, intimidating voidling leaned in and wrapped her hands around Layla in a hug.
“I'm trusting you.” Alizée said in a low tone, her head resting against the side of Layla's head.
Before she leaned back, and looked over at Leon.
“Perhaps… I should meet this Mother you speak of…”Luna watched the entire interaction with half-lidded eyes, though not many would notice she had been white-knuckling the edge of the counter the entire time. Surely, the worst of this meeting was behind them, now.
Luna shook her head, before taking one of the bottles of alcohol, cracked it open, and drank straight from it.