Finding Purpose

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel wandered restlessly through the corridors. He’d done as much preliminary scouting as he could, though he had to admit that the variances in gravity in specific parts of the station were unsettling

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[birdhousesoul]

What he might find inside ... well, one of the things he will find inside is a familiar blond mage, even more the worse for wear than the last time they'd met some years ago, but recognizably the same old Anders. He's currently at a table in the corner trying to teach the rules of Wicked Grace to two hippies. The only people Anders will ever beat consistently at cards are people who don't know anything about how to play, and once they get the hang of it, they'll surely outstrip him.

He's laughing, and the laughter will be audible. "Andraste's knickerweasels, talk about beginner's luck," he's saying, to one of the hippies.

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel freezes in the act of purchasing a mug of--well, he doesn't quite know what it is, certainly not ale--when he hears a familiar voice.

That's not possible, not here...

He turns around and sees a man sitting at a table, playing a game of cards. He's older, certainly, and more worn-looking, but he's definitely a man known to Nathaniel: Anders.

Perhaps this is the Fade after all. He grabs his mug and approaches the table. "Anders?" He looks down at his old friend, surprise clearly written on his face.

[birdhousesoul]

((damned if I can find any icons or anything I like much with the black coat in it. For reference, if it ever comes up, Anders in Entanglement has undergone his Act 3 goth-ification. This won't be the first dramatic fashion change Nathaniel's seen from him, though, as the infamous Tevinter mage robes of Awakenings are nowhere to be seen in DA2, so in this before-Act-3 window where our Deep Roads expedition is taking place, Anders would've been in his Darktown refugee wear with the greenish coat and the greyish feathers and all. The haircut and lack of earring are, of course, the same as on the Deep Roads expedition. Oh, Amaranthine-era Anders, so much more apt to make an effort...)

Anders hears the voice before he sees the man, and he feels the voice before he hears the voice, that Howe-ian rumble that prickles the hair along Anders' arms and at the back of his neck like a cat's.

"Maker, can it be? Nathaniel Howe." He looks up into his friend's face. The years have changed them both, but Nathaniel far less. There's

[noble_nate]

((Try Dragon Age Icons. Check the Legacy ones for some Anders angst))

He follows Anders to the more private table, still a bit shocked at seeing someone from his home here of all places. It hadn't been too terribly long since they'd last seen each other, but the changes in the other man were definitely noticeable.

He reaches forward and plucks the sticky piece of paper from the back of the mage's coat, staring at it curiously. He's more interested in the sticky substance on the paper that appears to be able to attache it to things than he is in the actual words on it.

He takes a seat and stares at Anders, completely at a loss as to what to say.

[birdhousesoul]

((ooh, thanks much. Ordinarily I just Do Not Bother with icons like at all, but it's good to have one with the proper Revolutionary Black Coat of Doom))

Anders has brought along his own mug from the hippie table and is curling his fingers around it without making a move toward his mouth. Steam rises, and the faint scent of black tea, barely discernible though that may be in the general ambience of the Bucket.

Catching sight of the yellow paper in Nathaniel's hands as the other man settles into the seat opposite, the mage snorts. "Let me guess, is it Ask me about mages again? They mean it affectionately, they really do, and I haven't got the heart to spoil their fun, especially since I don't at all mind being asked about mages. Still, I could've done without the one that commented on - never mind what it commented on." He leans back in his rickety chair to take a long look at Nathaniel, take in all that Nathaniel-ness at once. "I can't believe it's you sitting here. When did you get here? You know where you are, I hope?"

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel thinks about his question. "I think I know where I am, though I'm having difficulty believing it all." He takes a sip of his drink and grimaces. This was worse than the ale in the Hanged Man. "I've only been here a few days, I've been trying to familiarize myself with everything."

Which is proving to be near impossible, given how many things there are here that are unfamiliar. "You're the first person here that I recognize--I honestly didn't expect to find anyone here that I know."

[birdhousesoul]

"Nor did I, when I found myself here. Woke up in a thing I'm told they call a pod, though at the time I would've sworn it was a sarcophagus or some such." Warden nightmares have made their mark. "The first thing I did was fight my way free of it. Second thing was to cast a Cone of Cold right out at nothing and no one. Fortunately, around then, one of my housemates came along - well, they're my housemates now, at the time I'd no idea who they were - and they told me what was what, more or less. I'm still not fully accustomed to the notion we're floating in the Void; not sure I ever will be, to be honest, but I'm trying." He sips his tea, reflective. "You're doing better than I did, if you've only been here a few days. It took me a few days even to leave my bed. I'd ... drained all my mana," he admits, uncertain how much Nathaniel knows or what Nathaniel thinks, as far as the situation in Kirkwall had gone. "So there was a bit of recovery time needed. When I finally did get out and about, I ran into Hawke, of all people.

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel knew virtually nothing about what had happened in Kirkwall. He'd left almost immediately after the expedition into the Deep Roads and made his way back towards Amaranthine with what was left of his scouting party. He had heard murmurings from people they'd run into on their journey: some sort of uprising involving mages and Templars, but they'd been moving too swiftly for any real news to have a chance to catch up with them.

It was during the trip back home that he'd been...taken, or whatever he was supposed to call it, and brought here.

"Hawke is here, too?" Nathaniel asks in surprise. He remembered the woman well--she was a rogue like him, and he'd greatly admired her skill during the short time they had fought together.

[birdhousesoul]

Anders nods, once. "I'm that lucky." It's not a good kind of luck he has.

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel raises an eyebrow, surprised by Anders' response. He had thought that Anders and Hawke...

"You're not happy that she's here?"

[birdhousesoul]

"I'm happy she's here. I'd be happy if Oghren were here. I'm happy to know that there's a former Antivan Crow here, though I haven't seen him myself here, and had only met him the once before: Zevran, the name is." There isn't any reason Nathaniel would know Zevran, but it isn't outside the realm of possibility, Anders supposes; the assassin seemed to get around, if Isabela's reaction was any indication.

"It's just complicated, that's all." That's the best he can do by way of articulating it. "There were things I did in Kirkwall that she doesn't agree with. Wish I'd seen more of you there," he changes the subject, or tries to. "But I suppose the Wardens ordered you back to Vigil's Keep posthaste."

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel smirks. "They did order me back, but I didn't make it. I went to sleep in camp one night and when I awoke, I was here." He frowns a little, wondering if he'll ever make it back home. He quickly shoves the thought aside--thoughts like that can be dangerous and distracting. Instead he focuses on the name that Anders mentioned.

"Zevran. That name sounds familiar," Nathaniel thinks for a moment. "Didn't he travel with the Warden-Commander during the Blight?"

[birdhousesoul]

"You may well be right. Seems like half of Thedas traveled with the Warden-Commander at one time or another during the Blight, doesn't it? Amell has a way of collecting people. Here, Anders, have a scarf I found in the rubbish out back, we're best of friends now!" But he chuckles in fond memory of those presents, and those days.

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel laughs. "I quite liked that she gave everyone gifts, actually--it showed she actually cared about those under her command. I actually still have the set of lockpicks that she gave me."

[birdhousesoul]

"I'd wager you've probably still got the sextant too, haven't you?" He has to smile. Just like Nathaniel, to keep things of sentimental value. Just like Anders, to lose them. "I couldn't hold onto anything. Sold the earring, left Ser Pounce-a-lot with Namaya in Amaranthine."

[noble_nate]

Nathaniel's surprised to hear about the cat (whose name he refuses to say). "You gave him away? I thought the two of you were inseparable."