Revisit of a Certain Prison

It was the hours in which no one should've been awake, never mind creeping to and fro about the academy. At least, that went for the diurnal portion of the academy's inhabitants. With corridors lit by candlelight, sight was a rather limited factor. Not that the ruckarl paid any mind to it - he'd been rather accustomed to navigating these dimly lit passageways. Like he'd passed this route many times before.

Every so often, he'd glance around, aware that there could be others lingering around at this time of night. One could never be too safe nor certain in a place like this, after all.

Whilst he was trying to keep his presence unknown, the noise of claws against the floorboard or his rugged breathing could easily be heard in the silence, as well as the clicking and closing of doors as he entered the basement.

Reaching into a satchel he'd brought along, he took out a torch, clicking it on to light up the previously black dungeons. He'd presumed that there'd be very few people to visit a place such as this. He passed by each cell, stopping to sneer at the detention cell, before finally reaching the cell at the very end. He stopped, observing the scene. Was this not where, a year ago, the event with some mysterious man had taken place? It'd been a dull memory, but now he had returned here, it seemed as vivid as ever. The nails, the close confession, everything. A glance to the floor revealed a bloodstain - but whether it was of the strange man's or another violent tale in Lillegard's history, he could not tell.

From there, he approached the opposite end of the cell, looking up to where a torch hung on the wall. And with a single breath of fire, he set it alight, effectively lighting up the entire cell. Then he paused, wearing a distinct smirk on his face as he observed the dingy room, his eyes landing on a crate tucked away in the corner. A harsh chuckle escaped him as if a hilarious thought had crossed his mind. It would all be soon. Very soon.

Having not taken a single sip of alcohol today, Blake found it appropriate to make his way about the castle and get to know it a little better. Funny for as long as he was here he still had not been able to make his way and know every room and what made this place the way it was. None the less it was better to be late than never no? Grabbing a flash light earlier from his night stand he had hoped the batteries would last. Still thinking it was an inconvenience that electricity was limited here he had to make with what he had.

Having been wandering the halls and taking a look in a room from time to time, there were some he wished he had not entered. From occasional apologies to blushed faces Blake just continued to make his way to find something else. Coming finally down to a set of stairs Blake peered into the darkness trying to see if he could make any sight of anything, even something shiny, but that proved worthless. Taking his flashlight he pointed it down the stairs and spotted the bottom which seemed further than it should have been. Taking a breath in Blake made his way down the stairs carefully. With each step his heels clicked on the hard cold stone on the steps and echoed through the pathways. "Now how scary would it be to run in heels from a monster of Lillegard Castle?" He said chuckling to himself as he was reasuring that there was nothing close to a monster here. Well.......besides the dead corpses that Rein would drag around that is.... Gosh this place was weird.

Finally reaching the bottom of the steps the flashlight seemed to be on auto pilot as the light wandered the room. Seeing nothing but wall and a hall he just shrugged and made his way down the newly discovered hall. Something suddenly stopped Blake in his steps. A scent.....of aged liquor? Moving the light over Blake's heart dropped seeing the room with nothing but rows and rows of liquor. "Oh my gaw......." Peeking in and reading some of the labeled ones by the door, Blake reached out and pulled a bottle blowing the dust off of it. "I.....I will just use you for later. Yeah later...." Tucking the bottle under his arm Blake turned and his light caught something in the distance, actually a few things.

Walking closer he noticed that they were bars, cell bars. "Hmmmm...." Continuing in and hoping to not find Sloth from The Goonies he explored a bit. "I forgot that we had a prison down here.....eh well it is a castle what should I expect?" Looking down at the bottle under his arm a lick of his lips happened, but he restrained from opening the bottle. His distraction of booze though became his down fall as a small hole, enough for his heel, caught his shoe and caused him to stumble dropping the bottle along with his flashlight. The bottle shattered and both glass and liquid polluted the floor, while the flashlight clicked off. He wasn't sure if it was broken or the batteries were actually dead. "Well fu-......Now I can't see and I dropped my drink....." Pulling himself up to his hands and knees, Blake carefully used his hand trying to not cut himself while attempting to grab the flashlight. This seemed to be getting him no where sadly. A sigh escaped him as he tried to calm down a bit. He wasn't fond of dark prison cells as he spent too much of his own time in one back a year or two ago. Blake now calm once more returned to finding his light. "Damn boots......."

As the sudden shatter split through the air, Rendaz flinched, dropping the torch in the process. He froze, his eyes angling towards the cell door in alarm. What... was that? Nerves settling after a few tense moments, he retrieved the torch again, before pausing in contemplation. Was someone else here? At this time? Were they… following him? The first suspect that came to mind was Pai of course – that sly maths professor never could leave him be, and he seemed the type careless enough to bumble around knocking things over. Taking in a deep breath, he twisted around towards the crate, pulling a sheet over to obscure it. Afterwards, he turned towards the torch he’d lit with fire, lifting it and smothering it inside his jaw until it was extinguished. It was darkness yet again, except for the small, precious light from his flashlight.

With that, he turned for the exit, shutting the cell door behind him with a ‘clink’ and the rattle of keys, mentally preparing an excuse for his being here. Now to see out this dang blasted intruder.

What Rendaz found curious was that, whoever else was down here was obviously not trying to make their presence hidden. He could hear muttering and shuffling, as well as a few small chinks of broken glass. It took only a small venture until his torch flashed briefly over white hair. His initial reaction was surprise to find that it was not the maths professor, but Blake instead, fumbling around on the floor with the evidence of his slip-up scattered messily all around him. He’d barely known the offense professor; he’d encountered him perhaps once or twice, and neither of those circumstances had been particularly pleasant. Then, his eyes would narrow at his colleague in suspicion, wary of his intentions. Before he could object, a claw stepped in something wet, and he staggered backwards with a brief look of disgust on his face.

He glowered at Blake – did he look a little different…? – his jaw agape. “Just what the hell are you doing?!” he spat angrily. “Is- is this booze?” He paused, as if to process the scene for a moment more, a slow frown steadily forming on his face. “…By any chance are you dressed as a woman?”

Still finding it an issue in finding the flashlight Blake shook his head, but never stopped scuffling around on the ground. How could the flashlight really have gone so far? Blake could have sworn that the darn thing flew this way, well...yeah he hoped. A sudden sound of clicking, ones that did not match the ones of the glass on the ground, but more of something in rhythm. Looking behind him, Blake could barely make out where the sound was coming from as it echoed the room from every which way. Staying still for but a moment his question was answered when a glow came up above him and a voice broke the strange awkwardness of the room. Not even having to look up he realized who's voice was hovering over him.

Rendaz, a man or....well something, Blake was never fond of. Then of all things Blake found himself covered in the scent of alcohol and dressed in females clothes.....well worse in an actual females body. This was one of those points where Rein's silly little voice popped into his head and said enjoy the things and take advantage of being a female. Looking up at Rendaz and cringing a bit at the sight of him, Blake found himself standing before him. Looking up at him Blake just forced a smile. "Ah Rendaz was it?" He knew the mans name he just loved to play forgetful. Seemed that the times he did meet the man he was actually sober. What a waste.

Thought now wondering why Rendaz of all people was down here got to Blake's mind. No way he was exploring....he was here long enough to get the ins and outs of the place right? At some point the answers would come. Looking down at his clothes he just laughed a little. "Yeah you know dressing in women's clothing is so my thing......." Rolling his eyes and arms now crossed as he tapped his shoe. "Come now, are you lacking that much attention to realize more? Anyways long story short, my friend messed up and now i'm suffering. What the hell are YOU doing?"

Blake'd good mood seemed to have flown out of the window as the sight of the lizard came into his view, but a good thing about this was that his flashlight was now in view! A smile appeared on his face as he passed Rendaz by a few steps and grabbed the thing. Clicking it on and off he was relieved it was in still working condition. Turning it off for the time being though he saved its life as Rendaz supported more than enough light.

Turning back to see Rendaz, Blake forced that smile once more but it was more than obvious it did not mean well.

Peering at the other man, Rendaz just couldn’t get over how strange he looked. It was most definitely Blake, but he was unable to deduce whether his slender change in appearance was an actual difference or just a faulty memory, made only more puzzling by the lack of lighting. Letting out nothing more than a small, annoyed hum as he confirmed his name, he was too busy distracted by this new dilemma... that is, until he spoke again.

The thought that crossed his mind was the sort of thought that he wanted to dismiss as soon as he'd conceived it, just because it was so absurd, so unlikely, so ridiculous. But as the seconds passed, the lizard was coming to the slow, certain realisation that this thought might actually be the case. That this 'Blake', he knew, was somehow in a female body.

The noise he made was like a lump had been lodged in his throat and that he was choking and rasping unceremoniously to get it out. "Is this some kinda joke?!" he finally managed to splutter.

The revelation had certainly caught him off-guard, and it took him a few moments to gather himself to address Blake's latter question. "I suspected that..." as he trailed off without an answer, his eyes seemed to focus into a scowl at the man... woman.... thing. "And what position are you in to question my business? You work for me." The last words were almost spat in contempt.

Watching as the lizard man before him took nearly a millennium to understand the situation, Blake couldn't help but roll his eyes and chuckle in a bit of amusement. Still wondering why Rendaz was here he soon found that the answer would not come along so easily as Rendaz quickly tried to show his dominace in the employment ladder. It didn't matter to him who was head because if he wanted answers he was too hard headed to just give up so easily. Why did the lizard care for his knowledge on activities anyways? Was it not obvious that he was looking around and happened to stumble upon some liquor which would make him a happy man....woman.....

Looking at Rendaz Blake just smiled and crossed his arms across his chest. "Hey hey you were the one sulking around in what seems to be nothing but darkness. I happened to have some wine to enjoy myself, but now its all ruined. " It still made Blake laugh as he thought back on Rendaz's comment about his standing and gender. What could the man do though, it was true he had seen him in his original suit before and now it would truly confuse anyone.

Still with flashlight in hand, Blake held it tight as a cool draft came over his skin making him shiver slightly. Shaking it off in a jolt of movement his focus came back to Rendaz. "Don't worry about anything now Rendaz, you wont be seeing me like this for too much longer.....I hope......" The realization that he may never turn back only continued to haunt the man. He would find a way though at some point, that he was determined of.

Mind returning back on Rendaz's standing, "So why are you here again?"

Rendaz certainly showed no sympathy for ruining Blake's mini-celebration. He was too busy irritated by the man's little's smile and chuckle, the way he seemed shrug off Rendaz's presence like he weren't anything to take seriously. Oh, he was used to that treatment.

But a the discussion between the two professors didn't need to be an accusatory, biting argument. They could handle this maturely and respectfully, like adults... even if the other was as annoying as he was being.

"I am here right now because a bumbling drunkard wants to drown himself in a wine cellar, and is failing to do that without making a great ruckus."
The question, at least, had been vague enough.

Without leaving much of a pause, he stepped forward, red eyes flicking towards towards Blake's new figure. "You seem to have me mistaken. I'm not... 'worried'." His tone could've easily been interpreted as mockery, coupled with his constant sneer. "A change as dramatic as this doesn't just come about randomly. How did it happen? Did you perhaps realise that manhood was not at all suited for you?" His toothy smirk grew.