garudas: (🗡️ 047)
benedikta harman. ([personal profile] garudas) wrote in [community profile] escordvi2023-12-03 11:20 am

open 🪶 the world owes me a debt, and i've come to collect.

Who: Benedikta Harman & you.
Status: Open.
Where: All around.
What: Oops, all MANTA stuff. And a not-date with Cid.
Warnings: FFXVI spoilers, foul language, suggestive content. The usual.



🗡️ i. bite-sized blessings

[Apparently, Benedikta's ears are looking quite delectable to one small, pink dragon today. This is why she hates Eltrut—half the time she comes here, no, a majority of the times she comes here, there is always something. A goose, a conning healer who sends her out to do his grocery shopping... Today, it is a small pink dragon that has bitten her ear and tries to do it again. She's attempted to swat it away, walk it off, but no matter how fast she moves, it follows her and nips at her, or finds joy in playing with her hair.

Fool her once, shame on her. Fool her twice—]


You little brat!

[—it's managed to grab at her hair, and it pulls, before swooping away from her grappling hands with a chirp, as if it thinks this is some sort of game!?

Someone please help this woman. Or this dragon. She has yet to hear all about how this thing is meant to be returned to Elah, so if you are looking for said pink dragon, here it is.]


🗡️ ii. a steamy winter heist

[It was the exorbitant prices that drew Benedikta to the job first. The black market was always open, and she was always willing. Call it doing someone else's dirty work, if it put a good sack of coin into her pocket, then who is she to complain? Besides, it's not as if stealing something off a ship in the dead of night was difficult—she's done it dozens of times before.

The fact that it was a special sort of tea was only a bonus, so of course she would pocket some for herself... Maybe a handful. Or maybe a whole crate if she could get away with it.

Now, that is the question, isn't it?]

a. getting to the ship. [Perhaps it is your lucky night and Benedikta is feeling somewhat charitable. Charitable enough that she is willing to use anyone she finds as a decoy while she sneaks in to steal the goods. Of course, she isn't about to say as much, as she stands on the docks and stares out to the merchant ship coming into the shore, its lights blinking against the darkening sky.

She has her pipe between her teeth as she almost always does before a job like this, letting the smoke swirl on her tongue before letting it billow outward.]


So, that there is the ship? [She scoffs.] She is certainly impressive.

[As large as a rich, black-market-selling merchant's ship should be. Which is why she's agreed to a "two-person" job.]

b. caught red-handed. [Or, maybe she wasn't feeling so charitable.

As if being caught matters all that much to her. She's in the middle of making off with a whole crate—and the last one, too; people have been busy—of these tea bags (there must be hundreds of them in here) when she hears footsteps coming. She hardly flinches, if at all, and stands there with it tucked haphazardly under her arm while she stares the other person down with a smile before she tosses her head back.

Yep. You saw right. A whole box.]


Sorry. As they say, the early bird and all. A shame you came all this way only to come out empty-handed, but try again another night.

[There may have been a threat underlining her voice somewhere.]



🗡️ iii. poke 'n prance

[Well, at the very least, being paired up with Benedikta for a challenge like this cannot get any better... or worse than this, depending on who you ask. Having a history of torturing others means that she knows exactly where to put the sword and how much pain it will inflict. After all, when fishing for information, it is best to poke and prod it out of someone, and you can't very well gain much from a dead person, now can you?

Which is why she walks up with her own sword in her hand with all the confidence and arrogance of a pretty peacock, her fingers caressing the sharp edge of her blade, from hilt all the way to its jagged tip.]


Now, pay close attention to where I stick you because we can only do this once. Perhaps twice, if you can withstand it.

[She smiles, so sweet and saccharine and sarcastic.]

So, consider this a valuable lesson.



🗡️ iv. coins of the crescent

[Well. What she thought would be a nice, peaceful ride out to this island to fetch some coins turned out to be... well, everything but. It had been fine for the most part, but as the island came into view through the fog, things had started to tip and tip and tip until everything went fucking tits up.

Not only did the crew start to howl and turn rabid, much like those stupid wolves she can hear in the distance, but so did the captain, and now the ship is wayward on the seas at the behest of the waves. Fortunately, she can use the winds to guide them true, but it will take a little more concentration than what she can afford as she drives her sword into the shoulder of one infected crew that lunges at her with what could only be thought of as a kitten's claws.

Don't worry, that won't kill him, but it will send him reeling to the ground wailing in pain, and she kicks him in the gut to quiet him.

Whoever might be standing near her, she will shout at them with no shortage of rage in her voice as she gives her sword a brandish, the blood spraying from her blade.]


Might anyone spare a moment to take care of them while I attempt to not crash this fucking ship!?

[Must she do everything!?]



🗡️ v. untitled goose bounty 2

[Well, this is certainly not what she was expecting to see when she arrived on Eltrut, or tried to. She'd heard sounds from above across the ship's deck first—the worried shouts of the crew and riftfarers alike. Benedikta had been enjoying the peaceful ride in her cabin aboard the Stormbringer, and had half a mind to ignore the noise and go right back to sleep...

...

Until she hears something else.

The loud, low, rumbling sound of a... honk?

Something visceral shatters through Benedikta's whole body then, forcing her to sit up when the flashbacks of those eight-headed geese attacked her not even a month ago. She rushes to her feet and then out the door, shoving people out of her way as she storms up to the deck where she beholds—]


You've got to be fucking kidding me.

[—an eight-headed(?) goose large enough that it could peck out Eltrut's eye.

Much, much larger than she recalls it being.

And she is pulled out of her reverie only by the sounds of magitech cannons being blasted off.]


I see it's come back for another taste.



🗡️ vi. wildcard

[None of these prompts work for you? Want to do something that isn't from the MANTA board? Feel free to hit up my plotting comment, or via plurk @ [plurk.com profile] crystariums! I'm also around on the game discord, and PM works, too! Also open to texts/bottled messages!]

ramuhs: (⚡ 172)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
[And now there's a more devious gleam as he starts to grab his gloves and put them on, pulling out a slip of paper from the inside of his suit jacket pocket before he stands.]

I have it covered. Just play along.

[And then a ring ring of that bell~]
ramuhs: (⚡ 165)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
[An amused glance when she gets his hat and plops his head, but he'll be holding her arm snug against his side as he looks at the waiter.]

Dinner was great, but time slipped past us and we're now running late for another engagement.

["Then the payment—"]

Just send the bill to this address.

[And he will just lightly smack the paper against the young man's chest, who is a bit startled and flustered by the sudden turn of events.

"But—"]


Appreciate the fine work, by the way. Hope the clean up won't be too hard. [Clap on the shoulder as he starts to tug Benedikta forward, signaling for her to walk, and with purpose.] We'll come again another time.

[And he'll give her one final signal—a small buzz of his levin as he circles his thumb against the palm of her hand, and old one to have her subtly use her wind. Hopefully with that and his words she'll get the hint.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 292)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 06:27 am (UTC)(link)
[Cid just laughs as her idea is more than what he expected, but also just exactly what they needed.]

A bill that won't be paid for or sought after for a while, so we'll have some time yet to enjoy their "perks." Such as that opera.

[And quickly down the hall they go towards the lift.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 254)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
[He can feel that growing tension from her, but it's of a kind he knows well. One that makes him look at her with some amusement and curiosity as he wonders what it is that's gotten her off.]

Hopefully no, but no point in giving them any reason to.

[A gleam in his eyes as he leans in close to her, that hand around her waist tightening for a moment before those doors open. There's just a moment for them to linger before they have to march out. Not too quick arouse suspicion, but not too slow to risk too much talk. Just enough to politely smile, give a few words of compliments, and out the door without any interference.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 304)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 07:34 am (UTC)(link)
[Everything is going smoothly, which of course Cid had no doubt it would. That doesn't mean he can't feel a bit smug about it, especially since he's aiming to impress Benedikta a little here. At the very least, look like he knows what he's doing. An outlaw he may have been for the past six years, but has she ever seen him acting like one? The man she so enjoys calling a "hero" or "right and just" acting anything but that?

Granted he's by no means as nefarious as true brigands, his little "dine and dash" fairly tame all things considered. But certainly not something she's likely used to seeing, not with how he once held a commanding position with discipline. Yet here he is, doing just that, and it's something that he is accustomed to. While always wanting to pay his fair share to those who can't afford to lost their profits, when the needs call for it, well... This would be one of those "exceptions" he allows.

So he does wonder what she thinks...but any of those thoughts are blown away when he's suddenly pulled to the side, back slamming into the wall as her lips take him as if she means to devour him right then and there. It's surprising for sure, and for a moment he can only stand there wide-eyed in surprise, stunned. But that moment is brief, and his arms encircle her as he returns it in kind, pushing her back with as much vigor and force. Regardless of her reasons, that tension and want between them had been growing for quite some time. He was ready to wait a little while longer, but who is he to refuse such eagerness?

Eventually they part for air, their breaths a faint steam as he looks down at her with a smirk and slightly arched brow.]


Now where did that come from?

[He is also very not much minding the looks they're receiving.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 013)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
Hmmm...

[Just a low hum as he eyes her. Looks at how the dim lighting sharpens her curves, that gleam in her eyes, her lipstick smudged and smeared as much as his.

He leans in then, his lips brushing against hers.]


No... You do it.

[A low voice before its his turn to take her lips, roughly kissing her as he pulls her back in. His tongue will swipe over her lips, tasting the lipstick as he licks it off before he pushes between her lips for an even more heated, hungry kiss.

Perhaps this should be done elsewhere, but... To hell with it.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 293)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 09:12 am (UTC)(link)
[This was a terrible mistake. Of course it would be Benedikta that makes him lose all reason and patience, to spark those desires and want that normally had remained tamed. Would be Benedikta to make him behave so different than normal. Yet, he doesn't really mind it. No, it only just makes him smile a little darkly as he stares at her, his own unsated hunger and want clear as hers, and he'll swipe a thumb over his own lips in a careless effort to try and rub off whatever may remain.]

No... Though now I'm considering changing plans.

[He lets her pull him, falling step beside her before he pulls her arm to him so that they're once again looped together, hands still entwined as they walk towards the carriage stop.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 302)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[An exaggerated sigh.]

I suppose. But just to that carriage stop over there. Bit of a walk so thought this would be better.

[As he makes plans to make her regret that decision—

Curious as he is himself about the opera and wanting to let Benedikta experience something new, something he himself hasn't really done himself, either, it's not something so important to him so he wouldn't actually mind skipping to the real highlight of the night...

But fine, he'll be patient.

And so he leads her to the carriage stop where people come and go and a few empty ones stand waiting on reserve. And it will be one of these that he goes to, greeting the coachman and showing the reservation slip.

It's an open carriage with the roof completely pulled down at the moment, and once the door is open Cid will hold his hand out to help her step up like a proper escort.]


After you, my dear.

[A cheeky smile as he looks at her.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 031)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[There's just an arch of the brow before he quietly chuckles and hops on after her.]

And here I am trying to spoil you a little.
ramuhs: (⚡ 042)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[A amused smile as he leans just a little closer towards her, mostly so she can hear him better over the flattering wheels and hooves over the road as they travel.]

Not when I planned for the whole night.
ramuhs: (⚡ 252)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[And he will not try and stop her, actually liking how she takes the initiative. So his hand will firmly rest against her shoulder, pulling her in closer under the guise of "keeping her warm" as the other reaches over...]

Still one more thing.

[...And takes her hand.]
ramuhs: (⚡ 254)

[personal profile] ramuhs 2023-12-16 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's all to keep her warm—]

I can tell you that it's the last one and not so extravagant.

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