(Untitled)

[der_geliebte]

[You've got yet another Seimei here, folks. And the tension in the air is palpable.]

I wasn't aware they could do something of this nature...

Nisei. Come.

[A pause, as he sends that signal out at full blast. He grimaces and sends it again.]

Nisei.

...Tch. Soubi will probably pick that up.

Comments

A bit of a placeholder, because mun is out of the country

[infernal_rival]

yours enough to be unreasoningly pleased at your presence. The mild, neutral smile is a lie. It nearly always is, with Nisei. The way his whole self seems to be aligning with you, though, invisibly and inevitably, is perfectly geniune.>

You called?

:>

[der_geliebte]

[The response eases Seimei from mild panic into decent caution, and a bitter smile crossed his face.]

Hmm. Did you just finish your fight with Soubi?

[infernal_rival]

[Well, that puts Nisei on edge, immediately. Is there a right way to answer this? A trap he hasn't seen? This Seimei is probably new to the dressing room, because he doesn't seem entirely sure that Nisei would come to him. So he would be referring to the fight in Goura. If that's so - Nisei's response is carefully worded.]

... yes. Why is your brother opposing us, Seimei?

[der_geliebte]

Mm. Ritsuka was always gentle. I had you attack those close to him to test him.

[infernal_rival]

[That ... in no was addresses his question, but as you don't seem to be in one of your moods, he'll try a different angle.]

He declared his bond to Soubi. Is that - what were you hoping for?

[As far as he's concerned, those two getting close seems like trouble.

And 'gentle' is not a word Nisei would use to describe Ritsuka. But then, with you, Ritsuka has every reason to be as docile as a house pet. Even if you do insist he's human. Human? He'd ask you what being human meant, if it weren't such an empty question. But it probably doesn't mean anything.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei simply chuckled. In the sort of way that it indicated that yes, everything was going exactly as planned.]

[infernal_rival]

[For your fighter, your laughter is one of the most reassuring things in the world. The fact that you're content with the situation has told him everything he needs to know. And if you have further instructions, he won't have to ask you for them.]

This place seems to take people from our world and keep them for a while. You may have come here deliberately. I sort of found myself here. There's food, rooms, and other necessities ... but no way, that I've found, to get out of this building.

[He's not trying to worry you, but if you don't already, you need to know what the situation is.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei takes that information, and lets it mull over in his head. The smile on his face is a bit hard to decipher.]

Hmm, so we are where Septimal Moon is not.

...Hmmhmm.

[infernal_rival]

As far as I know, this isn't their doing. I've seen ex-students, but no one with authority. No one who would be looking for you.

[A pause.] You will find, though, that there's more than one of certain people. Most were brought here from different points in time.

[This seemed completely crazy to him when he first got here, but you're getting the calm, unassuming vibe that Nisei exudes when he's encountered something that he fully expects you will understand. Even though he doesn't.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei is giving you a suspicious stare, Nisei. But he says nothing of belief or disbelief.]

Do you suppose we've been caught in a spell?

[infernal_rival]

There's magic cleverly worked into the space itself, but it's too extensive to be a conventional spell. And very detailed. I found this in one of the empty rooms. [Out of one of his coat pockets, Nisei produces a black pocket flashlight, that he has been carrying everywhere. You can find the usage instructions written in tiny, raised Japanese script along one side. On the bottom, there's a little silver logo of an owl in flight. He doesn't give it to you - as you might not want to touch it - but he won't object to your taking it.]

Am I bothering you? [Your suspicion has not gone unnoticed. Unlike your last fighter, though he knows better than to try and guess what's displeasing you, when he doesn't just intuit it.]

[der_geliebte]

Mm, they say that the true 'mages' existed long before we had to bind ourselves to one another.

Of course, that may simply be another story.

[He chuckles, placing his hands in his pockets. No, he does not take what you offer him. At Nisei's question, Seimei simply chuckles.]

Do you think you are being bothersome, Nisei?

[infernal_rival]

They say. With no proof. [This Nisei's Seimei was scornful about all of that. Partly out of a sense that no legend could overshadow him.]

No. [Nisei is blunt and unafraid, on that count. If he did think so, he would have adjusted his behavior.] It's more that you seemed annoyed.

If I can ask, where were you, before you were brought here? [You seem ... understandably jumpy, but he wants to know when you're from. Clearly, after his fight with Soubi. But he doesn't know if that means "hours" or "years." He's a little more cautious because he recently met a Seimei who was from a completely different reality - one where Seimei claimed Soubi, and has no particular use for Nisei. He's not expecting anything like that from you, as he can feel you through the bond. But he's becoming aware that there may be other differences. And anyway, in a place with several Seimei, he wants a better mental sense of you.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei chuckles. He enjoys a good story. Especially legends - it gives him something to triumph over.]

Mm, I was going through Gora to find our target.

[infernal_rival]

[Interesting. You and he are mere days apart - the last thing Nisei remembers clearly is getting annoyed with the Zero boys and waiting (impatiently) to be exchanged for Kio.]

Well. If you want to be left alone, the upper floors tend to have fewer people. I'm sure we could find you a suitable room.

[The fact that you're interacting, at length, in a perfectly visible stretch of hallway is making him nervous, because people here can appear and disappear without warning, and the fact that he hasn't seen anyone from Seven Moons yet doesn't mean that you're reliably beyond their reach. If you'd rather get food or look around more, though, Nisei will follow your lead. Hell, if you decide to spend the next twelve hours meditating right here in the corridor, he'll watch your back. But he prefers to set things up so that no one catches sight of you unless you're intentionally showing yourself.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei leans back, scratching the back of his neck idly. Relaxed body language, at least.]

If this place is a threat, I have you to take care of any traps.