OPEN LOG

[absolute_npc]

Who: OPEN
What: Event-Location Log ; Seraphim Group just got themselves dropped back off. Offer them a hand?
Where: Library Archives Entrance
When: Now (Right after the Plane Shift)

Comments

[cinerous]

Temper, temper.

As far as Asch was concerned, these guys had led them a merry dance, set monsters loose on them, tossed them around a bit-- no, a lot, and basically toyed with them like cats with mice. And then claimed that they didn't have to explain anything? Asch was so very tempted to punch the bastard in the face for that.

But years of dealing with Van military training had drummed into him that losing control of his temper didn't usually get the results required - except where it came to the replica, because the replica was such an idiot that anything short of yelling at the top of one's lungs wouldn't get through to him - but anyway, anyway. Focus. Focus was important.

It did strike Asch as odd that the other would... first throw a hissy fit and then agree to talk to him, though. It suggested that he was actually trying to help, even if his response wasn't exactly the most useful one on the block. The whole problem was that they didn't know what questions to ask, wasn't it?

"Everything. Starting from why you brought us to the Sephirot-- Seraphim, and then tossed us into that other dimension. And what the heck we're supposed to do now that we're back."

[undeify]

Ugh.

This was where it got complicated. He'd explain it and hope to whatever deity was up there laughing at their little misfortune that they would understand everything he said. If not, this could easily revert from explaining simply about the foreigners to ... explaining everything.

Which was a whole lot of nothing and things Caim did not want to think about. They were things these people did not need to know, so all the more reason to keep it away.

"When Nuadoria suffered its destruction, this new formulation of the city presented itself with a series of planes. All the planes are connected at a place in Nuadoria called the Sefirah. When planes shift, the Seraphim control system seems to have the ability to shift the planes. Thus, by sending you to the Fire Seraphim, you were supposedly able to remove the Fire Plane from overlapping the physical plane."

There was a slight pause in his comments, only briefly searching to make sure he hadn't lost the other in the conversation. "I don't know why... or how you were in the Fire Seraphim and then transported to the Necropolis. That's not supposed to happen, and I intend to find out why. As for what to do now that you're back, don't you think you should be looking for a way home? That's what I would be doing."

[cinerous]

It actually made a great deal of sense to Asch, given the similarities of the system to Auldrant. The Seraphim control systems were likely similar to the Sephiroth trees, he thought, even if their exact function differed. The names were even similar...

It was almost comforting. For all that this place was so very different..

Sadly, the rest of the explanation, the bit that Asch was really wondering about, babbled off into the usual "I don't know", and he suppressed the urge to sigh.

"The way home is probably tied to all of this." Not that... there was anything waiting for him back home. But he didn't bother to mention it. Didn't bother to think it. The idiot replica had to go back, after all. The rest didn't really matter. He paused, wondering if he was about to do something terminally stupid. Cooperative efforts always ended in tears, in his experience. "How do you intend to find out? I'd like to help."

[undeify]

It was now that his voice trailed and was low; almost like he was unsure of even saying it to begin with. "...Lilith's data results currently suggest that the only stable way home for you is to release Minerva. That's why I was in the Necropolis to begin with."

The truth was, ever since the foreigners had ultimately helped save Erielle rather than kill her, he'd felt indebted to them. And while he'd said his thanks and didn't really express it, he felt that he owed them enough to personally put the effort into assisting them in a way home. The randomness of people coming to Nuadoria and leaving wasn't good enough.

When Asch said he wanted to help, Caim was initially silent following. It was rare to come across foreigners actually willing to do something other than complain, but he'd found that too many of them also willingly ran to Dai for him to really be able to trust them with anything. And Asch was under some bargain with Dai now, although Caim wasn't quite sure if it was something that would really affect him in any way should he let the other help.

Perhaps, then, to join in the against better judgment decision making of today, the Ice Magister finally glanced down towards Dalamar, who was peering up at him. "...Back when things were different, I spent much of my free time studying the ways the Seal and its surrounding elements were formulated and how they functioned. It's a matter of research and then trial and error by testing the theory." He peered back up over towards Asch, bringing a hand to rest gently on the big cat's head. "Still want to help?"

[cinerous]

"Who or what is Minerva?" Asch kept his voice low as well, conscious, perhaps, that this was a secret of some sort and there were opposing factions here. Enemies, as it were. Just how ancient was this war that they had dropped into?

"And what do you get out of sending us home?" After all, if it was one thing Asch didn't believe in, it was charity. Especially the charity of the fire magister. Caim seemed far more trustworthy, if less effective, but Asch wasn't willing to rule out the possibility that they were all fantastically in cahoots with each other and this was all an elaborate scam.

After all, Dai had been the one to bring them into the Seraphim, and Caim to bring them back...

Either way, damned if he was going to work with that snake of a fire magister.

He raised an eyebrow, folding his arms at Caim's description. "It doesn't sound like much a threat to me. You'll have to try harder to put me off."

[undeify]

"The entity that is sealed away in Sefirah," he replied, a small tilt to his head as if this was, supposedly, to be common knowledge. At least, he would have thought they'd have heard of this by now with all their poking about and half of the four Magisters wanting to break the seal and all.

"Nothing," Caim answered honestly to the second question. "But, this isn't your problem. There's nothing left here. This is between the four of us. We started it, we dug our graves, and we will rot here. You're in the way, if nothing else. Dai and Belin may have forsaken their ranks, but Ava and I are still Magisters and we are bound to protect those within the city. Which means, we can't simply do as we please. You all going home is better for everyone.

"That is, if we can get you home. If freeing Minerva really is the only way to get you home, it will be more of an issue than previously thought."

[cinerous]

Asch hadn't been here long enough to get straight answers out of anyone. Not that he spoke a lot to anyone. Except people who didn't know and probably didn't care about what was going on.

The news that these Magisters actually did something instead of sit around and poke fun at them was ... news indeed, as was the knowledge that these natives actually intended to protect the city and Asch let a brief flicker of surprise flash across his face.

If it was a lie, it at least sounded convincing. "Why is that? Is the entity hard to control? Or is it a matter of Nuadoria collapsing again if it's freed?"

He wondered, vaguely, if this Minerva was anything like Lorelei. And whether this planet perhaps had a Planet Storm, fonons, something that would unlock his fonic artes...? It was worth finding out, he figured. After all, he'd already died once.

[undeify]

If Caim let it go, that this person was from some other world and had been dropped into Nuadoria by some supernatural means, it was almost like he was talking to an actual Nuadorian. He had to admit, of all of the foreigners he'd met, Asch seemed to at least pretend to present himself as understanding of what was going on the most basic of levels when told. Perhaps his world was similar. Perhaps not.

Either way, Asch was doing it right, because for once Caim wasn't entirely put off to talking to one of them, anymore.

However, it was at those questions that Caim's eyes flickered across some of the others that were still scattered about besides the one he was speaking to. "Minerva," he said, he words cautious even as he assessed each person who had gone on that trip-now just who in that group did he want knowing and not knowing should they be listening?- "Is a long and complicated matter, one that is not to be discussed here. I will speak to you further about this one on one at a later time, should you still be interested."

He would, too, but this conversation had reached the borderlines of what the Ice Magister considered fair, free, and 'deserving' information. But, for now, time was ticking, and for the first time since this meeting had been engaged, the young Magister looked a bit uncomfortable with his stay being prolonged, rather than simply irritated or unamused. "...This place may not be the Fire Plane, anymore. But, it's still not all that safe. I need to go find my sister."

[riotinstereo]

Well, that had been about what he'd expected. Which was to say he had no idea what happened between the time he'd set foot in the library and when he found himself collapsed in front of it. Reno stood up, brushing off the dirt from his sleeves and casting a dismal look at the others scattered on the ground. He picked up the mag-rod by his feet and shook it as if testing to see if it was broken; it figured he'd get more use out of it than he'd planned. But they'd made it back in one piece, and somehow it looked like they'd even succeeded in their mission. That, at least, was a surprise.

The Turk was convinced that it was a setup from the beginning, but he still didn't know what the Magisters wanted out of them. He didn't buy that they couldn't have fixed the planes themselves; it was all an act. Gaining allies was one thing, but as powerful as they were, he didn't get what they could possibly need help with.

But Dai wasn't standing there waiting to apologize for their trouble, (or if he was, Reno couldn't see him). Instead, his attention was drawn to another redhead talking to a a man dressed in black who seemed anxious to slip out of the group before the rest of them could start questioning him. Reno's hand tightened over his weapon as he watched. He was sure he wasn't one of the original group.

He started towards him almost suddenly when he recognized the voice. For someone who supposedly hated Dai, they weren't making much effort to hide that they were working together. Like hell he'd let him get away with that.

"Hey," he cut in, not really caring what conversation he was interrupting. His eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

[undeify]

To have hoped he would have gotten away with merely having to only talk to one of them was wishful thinking he supposed. He never liked crowds. And even having to talk to all these people on the Network was bothersome to him. The thought of talking to a group of them in person was beyond comprehensible. The fact that someone else approachable made that one person closer from being a thought to being reality made it all the worse. The Magister shifted back slightly, however, his eyes narrowing and chin tilting up just the slightest bit when he recognized and identified the other who had interrupted his conversation with Asch.

Oh, of all the people to...

"I was just leaving," he replied simply; he replied honestly, for he did indeed go to turn from the two of them, lifting his hand from Dalamar's head and flicking it up across his own ear and through his hair. Such an idle gesture, one of dismissal perhaps-or mild frustration-but in reality maybe it was something else for almost immediately after the small action there would be a crackling sound in front of Asch. The sound was sharp, like something twisting and breaking, reformulating itself together as something new altogether. Slowly out of the air, ice would start to form from water vapors being pulled from the air. They twisted around like rope, albeit in a sharp and rigid manner, turning and intertwining themselves into a knotted little container shaped object before the ice would crumble away like dust leaving a key hoving in midair in front of the young man. He said nothing, but he figured Asch was smart enough to take it and ask questions later.

Nevetheless, Caim made no hint he was changing his mind about leaving and he was already walking away, the animal trotting after.

[riotinstereo]

Reno was distracted by his little demonstration and nearly forgot to be insulted at his reply. It wasn't that impressive. He eyed the giant cat beside him for a moment and he shook his head. He might not get another opportunity and he'd just been waiting to meet this guy face to face.

"Hold on," he called out louder than he intended and scrambled to get in front of him. Once he was, he held his mag-rod in front of him to emphasize his point. "Stay a while."

Even with Reno standing in his way, Caim seemed reluctant to pay attention to him. His mistake. The Turk didn't know where he got off acting so superior, but bad things happened when you underestimate someone. "We did you a favor, so why don't you make it worth my while," he kept his gaze level, purposefully ignoring the animal by his side. "What were you doing down there? And where's your friend?"

[undeify]

Caim had never been one for immature gestures, but this called for every ounce of strength not to do a full out eye roll at the audacity this man had. Was he really standing in his way pointing that... thing at him?

...Threatening him, even?

Only for the sheer amount of balls, or stupidity (because, honestly, Caim was beginning to doubt just how much courage was necessary to stand up to someone who looked like he did), that was required did the younger man stop instead of plowing on forward. He even went as far as to halt the cat from doing anything, who's ears had flattened rather defensively with Reno pointing that stick at Caim and was starting to bare some teeth, fur ruffling.

"I was assessing the seal at Sefirah," he answered finally, staring right back at Reno, his gaze cold and lacking any hint of what was running through his mind. And even though the question had already been asked, and Caim had prepped his answer, it was inevitable that his chest would tighten, teeth clenching as he forced to remain neutral sounding. While he'd ask, he already had some idea who the other meant. "Do clarify."

[riotinstereo]

"Assessing, right. What the hell does that mean?" Reno didn't move. The rest of them should be backing him up, but at that point he wasn't sure what side they'd be on. He didn't care who had sympathy for the Magisters, they didn't know half as much as he did. He wouldn't stand down before he got his answers. "You know who I'm talking about. I'm supposed to believe it's a coincidence that you're here in his place?"

The Turk shot a quick glance at the cat and tightened his jaw. "I hope you both got what you wanted."

[undeify]

"It means looking at it and evaluating its current condition," you moron, he finished mentally. What the hell did Reno think this was?

That was all that was said before silence followed.

Because silence was all that could fall from Caim's mouth as he opened it again, trying to assemble something that made sense short of a fit of rage at that assumption. Nothing came and he closed his mouth, stewing there all the while wondering just how far he could throw this idiot without actually substantially injuring him.

Unfortunately, as much as Caim did well sometimes with his maturity act, there were times he couldn't hold it. Those times were few and very specific, but they were usually either when dealing with Dai or being accused of things like this involving Dai.

So he snapped. Only a little, but it was enough. "Are you mad? I do believe I'm here because you all dropped your sorry asses into the Necropolis while I was there. Belin and I were coming back at some point, would you rather us having just left you there with that child? I'm sure it would have thoroughly enjoyed your company.

"If he's not here to greet his 'new friends'," the Ice Magister continued, disdain in his voice and a very raw emotion burning in his eyes-although what that emotion was exactly was a bit harder to tell- "he must be preoccupied with another 'friend' he's made that's taken some priority. That's all I could possibly think of that would prevent him from being here like he promised-something equally important. Oh, but don't fret too much. He hasn't forgotten about the rest of you, I'm sure. He's greedy like that." A pause. "Don't you get how he works, yet? He's rather transparent these days, I would think, to someone not particularly blinded and smothered by a side of him you've never seen."

A frustrated sigh, then, and he shifted, waving the cat down completely. Dalamar reluctantly would lower into a sitting position and stop with the little fit, although his ears would still remain flattened and he would continue to glare over at Reno, most likely hoping that just maybe the other would leave with enough staring. "And what is it, pray tell, that I wanted?"

[riotinstereo]

"That's not what I was asking," Reno started, already irritated that he wasn't getting any useful information out of him. "Seal for what?"

As Caim continued, he could see him losing his pretense of being civil. It didn't take much to get him to drop the act, and Reno found some satisfaction that he was starting to take him seriously. "Wait," he bit out and jerked the mag-rod to the side as if he was getting more anxious to use it the longer he spoke. "First of all, we didn't decide anything. We ended up right where your partner led us."

He wasn't going to entertain the idea that Caim had nothing to do with what happened. It didn't matter how much involvement he had, in the end everything always came back to the Magisters. Reno knew more than anyone what they were capable of, and he for one wasn't going to forget that any time soon. They wanted to be intimidating, which was why he'd shown up with that beast by his side, but he knew that was because he couldn't face all of them. If the rest needed more proof, he'd gather it up until they all turned against them. Hadn't that been why he wanted to come in the first place? "And I'm sure you know exactly where he is."

At his question, the Turk's frustration started to take over his rationality. If Caim honestly thought that he could feign innocence after everything he'd seen, he must have forgotten who he was dealing with. "You're asking me?" Reno thought back for a moment at Tseng's suspicions. Whatever it was, he was certain it didn't have much to do with their welfare. "As far as I can tell, it's just a game to you."

Even as he was talking, Reno started to come up with his own theories that seemed to make perfect sense now that he was staring down at one of them. He wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish, but if nothing else, he'd feel better having finally been able to tell him exactly what impression he'd made on him. "You just keep us alive so you can make your bets and use us whenever you get a little too rough and need someone to clean up your mess."

[undeify]

"You touch me with that stick," Caim warned, not unaware of the way the other way swinging it, "and I'll show you just what kind of mess I can make."

This was ridiculous, but Caim was assuming that Reno just wasn't feeling particularly threatened any more once he could put a face to one of the 'puppeteers'. Not only that, but Caim was well aware he wasn't particularly intimidating. Cold and not very approachable, but that was only if you were interested in making friends. Reno was most certainly not interested in making friends.

But, that didn't mean the Turk shouldn't have been intimidated. He wouldn't take this from the other. Oh, no he would not. "The Seal for Minerva." Why was he repeating himself? "And no, I don't know where he is. I'm not his keeper." This was one thing that did truly bother him. A lot of things rolled off his back, but the association factor really did not sit well with him. For someone who'd spent so long now trying to be everything that person wasn't and nothing that person was, he was finding it more and more difficult to really know if he was succeeding or not. Doubt, maybe, that perhaps he was afterall just the same as the very thing he hated. But that was a small and little feeling buried deep somewhere in his core, hidden away out of sight. For now? It was just denial that made him angry with the constant accusation of being associated with the Fire Magister.

"Why, do you want to see him?" His eyes narrowed. "Or did you just want to make a point."