candybox | Tales of Graces voicetest post

Tales of Graces voicetest post

HEY NERDS I'm horribly indecisive over which character(s) to play from this cute game, so call out a character out of these three in the subject line and let's thread! You can choose a prompt or I can come up with one. Cross-Tales/cross-canon CR is totally fine too. (As a note, I'm also still clearing out sidequest content beyond the main story/future arc, so apologies in advance if there's still gaps in my canon knowledge!)

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[There's some quiet time between everything, and Pascal is... well... Pascal. She's been idly tinkering with something or another for a while, driving her nuts really, enough to where she was even considering what she would normally consider horrible heresy - a bath. It was getting close to that time, but even then, it was still a bit too early for one. So, in order to get a cooler head, it meant eating bananas.

As Pascal rounded the corner back to where she was working with arms full of the fruit, there she spots the Group Dad, and--]

Oh, heya Malik! You want one?

[Malik's sitting nearby doing a little tinkering of his own, sharpening and maintaining his bladerang after it took something of a battering in the last fight. He has to keep it in perfect working condition, after all, otherwise it stops being a bladerang and becomes... a throwing blade that doesn't actually come back. Which might as well be the same thing as fighting with his bare hands for what little use it is.

To Pascal's question, he looks up.]

Hm, are you sure? I wouldn't want to come between a woman and her favourite food.

[It was strange to be the one that was busy and not the one that was waiting, but Cheria wasn't going to keep Asbel waiting too long... not that she missed him, or had planned this down to the last detail, because she hadn't. Still, tonight was going to be perfect, and she made absolutely sure by, y'know, offhandedly mentioning the place (Windor harbour) and the day (today) and the time (now) in her last three letters. She'd set off early, happy to wait, adjusting her favourite ribbon for those ten minutes and trying her best not to fuss over her hair.

Well, it would have been perfect, but Asbel wasn't here yet.

Alright, sure. He had twenty seconds until he was late, and by a whole minute. It wasn't his fault she had been pinning a lot of her enthusiasm and hopes on this evening, by, y'know, arriving thirty minutes early, but it's given Cheria enough time to start getting paranoid. What if he doesn't come? All she wanted was ice cream together! Maybe, a goodnight kiss?! (Let's not get ahead of yourself here, Cheria!) That's all!

She tries her best not to let the frown slide and to lean dejectedly against the wall but she kind of is.]

[It's snowing outside, and it's also dark. Most of the residents of Lhant returned to their homes hours ago, battering down the hatches for another chilled night; most of the lights are already out, the novelty long since worn off.

Sophie sits alone, knees tucked under herself as she rests her chin on the windowsill, eyes piercing into the gloom with the focus and intensity only a humanoid could have. What she's looking at is a mystery. Most of the lights in the town are out already, and the staff at the manor have retreated to their beds, knowing better than to deter a Sophie with an idea, or a will to stay up half the night, watching something from the windows, or waiting up for Asbel, or whatever it is she's doing. Someone did thoughtfully leave behind a blanket, though it has been ignored.

Maybe dad should take this one.]

[Asbel had stayed up late getting through his never-ending paperwork at what felt like a crawl. A very, very slow crawl, not helped by how cold the draughty manor often gets in winter. Which meant he'd stayed up much later than the rest of the manor, the last servant to bid him good night mentioning off handedly that Sophie is still awake, and that (hint hint) maybe someone should stop working for the night and check on her.

That someone being Asbel, of course, the servants knowing she'd be far more likely to listen to him than anyone.

So, suppressing a sleepy yawn, he abandons the office, soon finding Sophie gazing out of a window.]

Are you watching the snow?

[Asbel approaches, picking up the blanket she'd ignored and draping it over her shoulders.]

[Asbel's timekeeping might leave something to be desired compared to Cheria, but he'd finally got it through his head (well, with a little prompting from Sophie) that Cheria was really looking forward to this from the hints she'd dropped in her letters, and that he absolutely needed to come and spend time with her. He's nervous, but he wants to stop disappointing her, too, so he has to push down the butterflies in his stomach and head down to the harbour where they agreed to meet.

He's turning over and over in his head the best way to say hi to her or what to do or how to act, and truth be told, he... can't really think of anything. Maybe he should have given more thought to this instead of showing up and expecting to act like his usual self when things are -- different, now? This stuff is hard.

Either way, that particular worry is cast aside when he sees her looking dejected. Oh no... Did something happen? He hurries over.]

Um... Cheria? Is everything okay?

[He blurts it out before he can think of anything better to say, and feels himself blushing a little already. So smooth.]

[There's a party of sorts at the palace this evening. Well, sort-of; tonight is the prelude for tomorrow's ball, because royals and foreign courts, who do as they please. All for show, all the time.

This evening is about mingling, and Estelle has been doing plenty of that. So much so that she's had about a hundred different conversations in the past hour, from tiny exchanges with doormen to intricate dances with the aristocracy. And though she should keep going, absolutely, every person should have a moment of her time, but honestly, she needs a breather.

Easier said than done. After bidding adieu to her latest conversation party, Estelle finally manages to claim a seat in the corner of the room where she might go unnoticed.] Phew. [She sighs, softly.] They sure are persistent...

[Richard seems to have had the same idea as Estelle, because he was lurking around a conveniently placed pillar hoping to get a breather for a few moments. He didn't care anything for empty flattery, or the diplomatic games he had to play in order to keep his country afloat, or his vague imitation of being a warm, welcoming figurehead of his kingdom. He knew half the dignitaries here would stab him in the back as soon as they were done shaking his hand, if they had half the chance, and he only wishes he could be away from them.

Simmering in such thoughts would be unsightly when he now has company, though, so when he sees Estelle sit nearby, Richard steps over and offers a practised smile.]

Indeed. It can be quite draining if you are unaccustomed to such engagements, Lady Estellise.

It's not quite true- [Caught! Estelle begins to slip back to peformer mode, though that first word is slow - perhaps a kindred soul, seeking refuge from the ongoing storm? - but any further attempt at... anything... dies in her throat with a stifled sound of surprise.] Your majesty! [Is she intruding on your lurking corner! She didn't mean to! Goodness, should she stand and bow?!

But as he's agreeing, perhaps she doesn't need to? Estelle fidgets, creasing her dress, as she decides what she wants to follow through on. Discussion, or not?] -no, I haven't attended that many. I've read about the intricacies a great deal, but a situation such as this, [she gestures to the two of them, with a half smile,] never arose.

[Look at her life. Look at her choices.

Cheria has no time for blushing, since her steady decline into despair is interrupted by Asbel's arrival. His late arrival. She looks up - she could say it was fine, he's here now, it doesn't matter, but-]

Yes! No! [Everything is not okay!!] Where have you been?!

[One second, dejected. The next, loud enough to scare a flock of birds. And attract the attention of everyone else on the dock, who cease their activities. Now she's wrongly accusing him and embarassed by the attention. Why does this always happen? Why can't she be straight with him?! Way to go, Cheria!]

I mean! Um! It's just... [mumble mumble] ...I've been here a while - [wait] n-not for ages! Just a while! [wait that was loud back to private conversation voice] And you weren't here, and I thought you'd forgotten...

[Asbel's expression falls. Then Cheria raising her voice, and people stopping to stare, makes him wince with embarrassment. An elderly woman nearby starts to complain that young men these days have no idea how to treat girls, and how dare he stand her up like that, and don't they have any shame?

Asbel's blushing as red as his hair at this point, rubbing the back of his neck nervously and looking back at Cheria. Telling her to calm down would just make things worse, so he's relieved when she quietens down a little.]

I-I'm really sorry I kept you waiting, but I promise I didn't forget.

[Augh, maybe he should have gotten her a gift or something to make up for it? Why is he so bad at this!]

And I'm here now, so um... [He swallows, and tries to clamp down on his nerves.] Thanks for waiting for me.

[Richard's smile softens a little at her nerves. He can tell she's speaking sincerely, and compared to the hollowness of courtly relations, it's something he can appreciate.]

Then I suppose now is as good an opportunity as any to practice. [Because if she doesn't, she'll only be taken advantage of -- but again, he won't voice such thoughts. Instead, he simply gestures to the chair next to her.] Is it all right if I join you? Although if you wish to be alone, I won't be offended.

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Tales of Graces voicetest post

hhhhhhow about Malik :D

ask and ye shall receive!

asberu not like she wants to see him or anything

WILDCARD no probably asbel

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suuuure she doesn't

richard?!

estelle?!!?!

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lies

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