Application for Rorschach / Walter Kovacs (The Watchmen)

[sugarcube_nazi]

A slight figure in a trench coat and fedora stepped warily into the room. He looked around. Where one would expect to see a face, there was instead a white fabric with symmetrical black markings, which shifted slowly, creating different shapes that might resemble any number of things, depending on who you asked: now a pretty butterfly, now a dead

Comments

[serrulata]

"Of course it stinks of intellectualism," Kurama said from the doorway. It may be mentioned that the lingering smell of marijuana smoke probably still clung to him. "It's a school."

[sugarcube_nazi]

((Hee, that made me laugh.))

Rorschach turned to look this newcomer over. He sniffed, and then made a low, rumbling noise in this throat. "Hurm... What kind of school?"

[serrulata]

((I love to provide the lols. <3 ))

"Magic, if you believe in such a thing." He looked down (and down, Kurama was quite a bit taller than the 'new kid') at the applicant, a half-amused expression on his face. It wasn't hard to guess at the reason for the disapproving noise Rorschach had made. "Among a few other subjects."

[sugarcube_nazi]

"Magic," Rorschach repeated. "Meaning what. Occultism? Animism? Some flower-child drivel based on seeking enlightenment through drugs?"

[serrulata]

"I wouldn't know much about the drugs," Kurama smirked. After all, his specialty was plants. And some plants, if you so happened to set them on fire, produced certain effects.

He crossed his arms, reaching into one sleeve and pulling out his wand. He twirled it over his fingers a moment, glancing about the room before setting his eyes - and pointing the wand - at a lonely looking end table and turning it into a confused-looking vulture. It squaked and hopped around clumsily a moment, then flapped its wings and sailed right out the window.

"Though that could be considered a type of animism, giving life and sentience to an inanimate object. One of the many handy tricks you learn here."

[sugarcube_nazi]

Rorschach stared after the vulture in restrained amazement. If he hadn't seen Dr. Manhattan do comparable feats, he might have resisted believing it. He turned around and looked up at Kurama.

"Hurm," he said. A part of him suspected that this kind of power was, at its core, something evil. Witchcraft. But then again, the Doctor had used his power for good; his transformation could even be seen as the result of an act of god. Still, Rorschach had always resisted relying on help of that sort, was content to wear cloth and use what tools he found around him while the others found increasingly advanced armor and gadgets (the grappling gun Daniel had made him being an exception).

Still. "Could be handy." He nodded toward Karuma's wand. "Need that?"

[serrulata]

"For some things." Kurama stuck the wand back in its place, not bothering with sleight of hand or any other flourishes. "Some people learn wandless magic, others have different talents of the 'magical' variety. Does it interest you?"

[sugarcube_nazi]

Rorschach shrugged. "Fine without it. But if I'm here..." If it was as simple as Kurama made it look, he may as well acquire this new skill. It didn't have to make him one of them; he would play their game without embracing any ideas that may come with it. And his enemies here would undoubtedly be using this skill as well; he would have to be able to fight against it.

"How do I start?"

[serrulata]

"Research, attending classes... Most teachers, such as myself, will post class sign-ups in the great hall. It's easy enough to find, once you're sorted."

[sugarcube_nazi]

"Hurm." He looked Karuma over again, wondering what his being a teacher might mean, and what sort of a man he was. "What do you teach?"

[serrulata]

"Herbology," a sly little smile. "The study of magical and mundane plants. As well as guitar, on weekends, though I only have one student so far."

[sugarcube_nazi]

Rorschach grunted dismivvely. "Not interested in plants."

[serrulata]

Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly, but his smile didn't fade. "A shame. What are you interested in?"

[sugarcube_nazi]

"Be useful to learn combat tricks. Any new means of gathering intelligence. Avoiding detection."

[serrulata]

"You can learn that here," Kurama murmured. He could teach Rorschach a few tricks himself, if he felt so inclined. Though, seeing as Rorschach had no interest in plants...

He smiled, running his fingers through his hair - a seemingly casual gesture. "It isn't a very difficult road to learn the things available here, if you're motivated."

[sugarcube_nazi]

Rorschach gave a quick nod. "Mentioned being sorted... What does this mean?"