voice | rabbit 4

[redprayer]

[Sometime after breakfast on the fourth day of Rabbit, a voice message plays over the network.]

Hello. My apologies if I am interrupting anyone in the midst of something important. Some of you may already know me, but for those who do not, my name is Rezo, and I have a favor to ask of you.

In my own world I devoted much of my time to researching magic and since being recruited by the train I have heard a few things about the abilities that some of you have. While it seems magic, or some concept thereof, is quite common among the various worlds, the way it works and the extent of what a person can do varies considerably.

I confess I have found myself rather curious about all this. Thus, if any of you are willing to speak with me about your own abilities and the magic systems that you have experience with, I would appreciate it if you would contact me. I will be staying near the ICP in the standard coach for much of today, if you would prefer to speak in person.

Of course, I understand that some of you may wonder what is in this for you. Worry not. I have rewards prepared for anyone who is willing to indulge my curiosity, and I shall compensate you accordingly.

[[ooc: since lore dumping and technical talk isn't necessarily everyone's jam feel free to do some handwaving if you think your character would respond to Rezo's request but you don't feel up to going into/making up a bunch of weird details.

and if you're wondering what the reward will be, it's a sticker.]]

Comments

[redprayer]

Hm. [That sounds alarming!]

I see. [Exactly what kind of powers are nearby Moon’s Refuge doesn’t seem important, so he’ll leave that aside.] Are the leylines visible in the land?

And the tainted young woman you spoke of, do you know what became of her?

[invigorates]

They are not. Lunari and some more powerful mages are capable of feeling the magical energies through the land, but they are otherwise invisible and undetectable save for those powerful convergences.

Her name is Rosemary and she currently resides in Garsalia, training with a powerful Occultist to better control her natural abiltiies. She is a lucky one.

[redprayer]

It seems so. Her condition sounds as if it could be hazardous without proper management. Or at least, inconvenient.

[At any rate, Rezo is pleased to hear she didn’t wind up as the central character in a horror story.]

So you have some sensitivity towards magical energies, then? Besides leylines in the earth, is there anything else you can pick up on?

[invigorates]

Mm. ( A soft hum of agreement. Maybe she'll spare him the details of young Rosemary's life prior to being found and properly trained. )

I can sense powerful magics in a small area around me, but I cannot discern specifics much of the time. Just that there is magic about, resonating with the energy within me.

[redprayer]

[That sounds a little too limited to be of much help, unfortunately, considering how easily Shabranigdu escaped notice while he was dormant. At least this means Lioriley probably doesn’t have to be involved?]

Have you noticed much on board the train?

[invigorates]

( bitch you better involve her. )

Quite a bit, but I presumed most of what I felt to be the other magic users aboard. It all feels a bit...odd, if I am honest. Due to the difference in all of our magics.

[redprayer]

[What is she gonna do, PACIFIST Ruby Eye Shabranigdu to death???]

Odd? Can you explain how so?

[invigorates]

( evil beings possessing her friends do not qualify for pacifism. )

'Tis difficult to explain, but they are... different than the magic I am used to. The vibrations I feel are less intense, and do not resonate in my soul like the arcane elements from home may.

[redprayer]

[Rezo makes a thoughtful noise.]

Perhaps the energies aren’t entirely compatible with your body. [Which sounds alarming, but…] However, it doesn’t sound as if it causes you any problems?

[invigorates]

It can be a little unpleasant at times, but it does not hinder me in the slightest. Just a background buzz of sorts...if that makes sense?

[redprayer]

Yes. I am relieved to hear it does not cause significant distress. [It would be unfortunate if she had to deal with that on top of the recent... Well. You know.

...

He has an urge to ask how she's doing but that is probably not a conversation they should have over a public network, let alone while Zelgadis is probably listening in.

So enjoy the awkward pause, Lioriley.]

[invigorates]

( Lioriley waits for another question, but when none come after a few seconds, she clears her throat. )

Is that all you wished to know? I can leave you to question others I am sure are waiting.

[redprayer]

I... suppose that really covers it. [He can probably think of more questions about her magic specifically but he's now covered the two things he's looking for- people who can detect magical disturbances, and people who have a lot of sheer firepower.

He's seen Lioriley fight before, sort of, and she doesn't exactly have firepower at her disposal. But remembering their little skirmish against the flora and fauna of Ciyesia does bring a certain folktale to mind.]

Actually... Lioriley... [She is probably not going to like this, huh.] I know that you have a distaste for combat, but have you ever had to use your abilities in such a manner? Besides against monkeys.

[invigorates]

( It was her turn to pause then; the silence heavy and longer perhaps than she intended. Lioriley wasn't sure what to say - or whether she wanted to say it where everyone could hear. )

I have. Many times. Why?

[redprayer]

…I am unsure of the extent of your limitations.

[Both in terms of raw offensive power, and in terms of how much harm she is willing to inflict if necessary. Lioriley is fairly different from the sorceress who dealt with Rezo-Shabranigdu before.

Then again, for all her violent prodigy status, nobody involved had expected Lina to have an ace up her sleeve either. Rezo just doesn’t want to put his faith into a miracle coming to him twice; hence why he’s going ahead and trying to find if there’s the seed of one planted somewhere within the Voidtrecker Express.]

You need not go into detail, if you are uncomfortable.

[-So he probably shouldn’t go and say things like that. Damn it.]

[invigorates]

That is dependent on the situation.

( she sighed; considered; eventually replied with: )

I would prefer such a conversation be more private, if you do not mind.

[redprayer]

I don’t mind, although…

[He’s sort of with his grandson at the moment except he’s trying not to be open about the fact they’re connected in any particular way, whether by blood or by a mutual interest, and said grandson WILL be lurking on every conversation Rezo is planning on having today? So it won't be super private?]

…I am not alone at the moment, and I expect I will not be for some time. But perhaps we could speak at some point tonight?

[If Zelgadis asks he can probably just give a rough idea of whether or not Lioriley might have any god-killing spells available.]

[invigorates]

( She was briefly tempted to ask who it was that had joined him, but seeing as it was mostly irrelevant save for her desire to speak of anything potentially incriminating in private, she did not say anything.

Hopefully Zelgadis wouldn't be suspicious of her need to not babble of her more dangerous magics aloud. )

Tonight, or whenever you are free. I will likely be in the library.

timeskip + action time

[redprayer]

[Sometime after dinner Rezo decides it’s late enough in the day that instead of returning to the standard coach to wait for people, it’s about time to look for Lioriley instead.

Honestly, if Lioriley hadn’t already told him she would be in the library, he probably would have looked there first. She’s one of the people who remain as constant a fixture as the shelves and chairs.

When he arrives, Lioriley will probably spot him first. Not just because she has the advantage of actually being sighted- and Rezo is 6’3” of eye-catching red robes- but because the gentle chiming of his staff stands out in the relative quiet of the library.

He moves away from the doorway and tilts his head, trying to catch her scent or the sound of her voice.]

Switching to prose to save myself the agony

[invigorates]

It was indeed the chime of his staff that caught her attention first. Lioriley kept her head turned downward - and were anyone else in the library, it would seem as if she were diligently reading. They would also notice she hadn't turned a page in a solid half hour. Alas, no one was around to witness it.

"Rezo." She said only once she lifted her head, her tone perhaps not as chipper as it usually would be when greeting him. "Over here, my friend." A gentle tap against the wooden top of the desk, indicating where she had taken up her studies that day. She usually stayed in the same general area.

[redprayer]

Despite her tone being less chipper than usual, there’s still a moment where Rezo visibly brightens upon hearing her voice. It fades as he makes his way over to her table, replaced by his usual placid smile.

“Good evening, Lioriley,” he says. He nearly asks her ‘have you been well,’ except that he knows the answer is unlikely to be a yes, except for politeness’s sake.

He opts instead for asking, “Have you been staying out of trouble?”

[invigorates]

"Trouble?" She asked, a faint lilt in her voice hinting to mild - albeit mostly playful, under the assumption he was teasing - offense. "I am not well known for causing trouble, last I recall. So I might like to think I have maintained such a status."

Rezo on the other hand... "I noticed you had a bit of a... disagreement with another passenger during your inquiry." Might as well nip that in the bud. "I should hope you are not the troublemaker."

[redprayer]

“Really? Didn’t you warn me before that you were a troublesome woman?” The placid smile shifts, briefly, into a teasing grin. Alas, reality prevents him from potentially tormenting the poor woman further.

“Ah. I am sorry you had to hear that.” Rezo considers his next words carefully. “...I would say that I am trying not to be a troublemaker, but that is not necessarily something I have succeeded at. But please, do not concern yourself with the matter."

[invigorates]

"Troublesome does not a habitual troublemaker make - though I suppose you have a point." She hadn't been causing any issues aboard the train though. Really - she hadn't been doing much of anything since Osiga save for studying, tending to people in the medbay, and crying.

Lioriley propped an elbow on the desk, cheek in her palm as she listened to him speak. "I did see your apology so I am going to assume no truly ill intent. Wash did make it sound... Distasteful, however." Telling her not to concern herself with it would only worry her more, but for now she let the matter drop. Nothing more to be said anyway.

"You had more questions for me, I believe."

[redprayer]

“It’s an unfortunate situation but I believe everything necessary has been said by all involved.”

Rezo feels almost… sheepish, oddly, when she mentions his apology. If he has any regrets about observing Washington instead of helping him, it’s purely that the man now bears enough of a grudge to try and block Rezo’s efforts to find a way to deal with Shabranigdu in a Lina-less environment. And they’re in a small community where Rezo doesn’t have a saintly reputation to rely on, so that grudge is more of a problem than he’d normally consider it.

So the true motivations for that apology were twofold; first, to try and deflate Washington’s ire by refusing to escalate the situation; and secondly, to make Washington look worse, and therefore less reliable, by comparison.

In other words, petty manipulation, not motivated by genuine remorse in the slightest. But Lioriley seems to have taken it at face value.

Strange how having someone assume the best of you can be equally uncomfortable as having someone assume the worst.

But they’re not here to discuss Rezo’s little interpersonal conflict. They’re here to discuss Lioriley’s magic, as she mentioned.

“Well…” he says.

Ask her a damn question.

“Are you sure you’re alright with discussing this?”

There's a flicker of visible surprise on his face after he asks the question; even Rezo is somewhat taken aback by his reluctance to properly pursue this.