The past couple of days had been a bit unusual. With her new haircut, courtesy of Cordelia, Cassandra had found herself drawing a bit of unwanted attention. She wasn't quite sure what emotion to attach to the attention. Shock, probably. Perhaps attraction too. She wasn't vain, but she knew what she looked like. Especially now. Sane. It wasn't a look she was terribly used to sporting
( ... )
Saleris hadn't seen the employee asking for directions, but he had seen the demon leaving bleeding. Well, that certainly wasn't boring. Saleris continued along his chosen path, the sandals on his feet making little thwacking sounds on the slats of the walkway, and in under a minute he found himself on the same portion as Cassandra. "Pumpkin seed?" he asked, holding out the bag and shaking it a bit.
Cassandra glanced up at the stranger. Immediately, the first thought that occurred to her was that she was looking at one of the Gray Women. Only, the voice she heard was decidedly masculine. In fact, instinct prepared her for a fight, but she saw now that the words 'pumpkin seed' referred not to something crude, but to an actual bag of pumpkin seeds. That didn't make the offer any less bizarre, but it certainly put an unexpected twist in. A less dirty twist.
"No, thank you," she said. Her voice was firm, neither polite nor rude. She didn't know this person and wasn't too keen to give anything away until she had a better understanding of him. And to that end, she opened up her inner eye, trying to get a better read on his aura.
Saleris was rather unexceptional magically. He had the slightest hint of Witchcraft about him, but it was more the faint afterimage of green than any real colour surrounding him. He had no idea how to use it - just because the wind sounded marginally louder to him than to total mundanes, that didn't mean he knew what to do with the extra volume.
There was something about his aura, though. A shimmer, a waver, an energy that was lacking from most people in the world. His life had been so immersed in the legend and lore of the Gate to the Worlds Beyond that it had seeped into his very soul. He had the Magic of the Tale, and while it would never be fully his, it was something few could claim to have a part in
( ... )
Soosie wasn't the type who adjusted well to change. New things were scary and she just wasn't strong enough to deal with them. That was all.
So yes, she had some place to stay and people had done their best to calm her enough and explain what had happened and where she was and how she'd never be able to go home. But she was by no means at peace with any of this. She was no prepared for her entire life to uproot. And this didn't even begin to address the fact that she had no outlet at all.
No music.
She was freaking out. She needed some direction, and fast.
But this guy-- his sign said he knew stuff. Maybe he'd...tell her what she needed to do.
"Um. Sir?" Soosie approached the man carefully, doing her best to not get in anyone's way as she did. "Um. Is-- is that true?" She pointed at his sign, hands only shaking a little bit.
"Yes. Well... as true as anything can be in an existence where there are no absolutes and therefore reality maintains itself with no truths and no falsehoods by design, just states of being." She looked terribly nervous. "And in such a reality I might suggest you exist in a state of sitting down before you fall over." He patted the wooden slats of the walkway next to him. "I'm relatively harmless."
Soosie stared at his hand, clearly not comforted by his words. "I'm not worried about you," she muttered, wringing her hands a few more times before she finally conceded that there was no point in standing there when she was all wobbly.
Sitting delicately a few feet to his right, she pulled her legs into her chest and peeked at him over her knees. "So it's mostly true, huh? That's good. Real good. Good good."
She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, conscious of her babbling. Taking a moment to breathe, she tried to think of what it was exactly that she wanted to ask. She didn't really have anything specific. Maybe she shouldn't have bothered him.
Finally, she removed her hand and, quietly, asked, "So you...give advice? Like...a psychic or something?" She'd never believed anything like that back home, but she'd also never seen an elf tend bar back home. The rules were different here.
Occasionally Shamans would receive visions, but they knew where they came from, and treated them with the appropriate portion of skepticism. Because of this, the word had a bit of a complicated translation as the tree attempted, as always, to convey the intention of the phrasing. "I could give advice, but I assure you it is not my intention to trick or... scam anyone. I am a Shaman." he tilted his head to the side and presented one very pointed ear. "And an elf, which puts me in a rather unique position of existential understanding."
A beat, a natural pause, and Mel returned himself to his comfortable sprawl. "Are they common in your world? These... purveyors of false futures that prey on the feeble minded and gullible?"
Touya had noticed there seemed to be a bit of activity today from a few people as he hung out on the steps near his home. He was just people watching really, at least until he caught sight of what seemed to be a very busy man. Ever the curious cat, he saw no reason not to trail after and see what the man was up to...so he did just that.
It took less than the length of one building for Royal to know he was being followed. Even on the crowded walkway, even with dozens of pairs of footsteps behind him at any given moment. Not surprising, really. A general did not stay in command and, more importantly, control for as long as he had by being sloppy.
A highly shined store window gave him a look at Touya, and he instantly recognized the boy as one of the Worldwalkers. Not one he'd met personally, but naturally that would be changing soon. At the next small apothecary he passed Royal ducked in, but he was back on the walkway before Touya even had a chance to wonder if he should follow him or not. Another few feet brought them to a busy intersection where Royal paused. While pretending to watch the foot-traffic pass he listened for the low thumping of the boy's tail on the planks, then turned quickly and threw a small waxed cloth bag at him. It was a high, easy arc, but still meant to test reflexes, and possibly reward quick ones.
Touya reacted completely without thinking about it, catching the bag easily and looking it over. He didn't open it yet though, instead turning a look that was equal parts bewilderment, curiosity, and new respect on Royal. He was pretty surprised that he had noticed him following behind.
After glancing between the bag and man once, twice...then slowly approached him. "Did you want this back?"
Royal laughed and shook his head, meeting Touya halfway as the boy approached him. "No. That's for you." He reached down and used two fingers to open the drawstring top of the bag and pull out one of the smooth amber coloured lumps from inside. "Honey, lemon, and lavender, boiled down and crystalized and cast smooth. I believe they were originally intended to sooth a scratchy throat, but I've known many children in my time to fake a cough for a bag of these." Not goblin children, but then they didn't really get sick the way the elder races did. Royal put the drop in his own mouth, because nothing reassured someone about food like watching the person doing the offering eat. "Try one."
Well then. Jak wasn't the best for keeping up with things, and had taken to wandering the streets on occasion to hear gossip. Needless to say; he was still quite far behind and was also avoiding Daxter after the revelation of his new abilities came about.
Jak certainly didn't want his friend poking around in his head. Chance might have been with him apparently, as he spotted a sign that stuck out to him more than anything, especially in his memory. Just as before, he cut across the street, and stopped infront of the other man. "Nice to see you again."
Mel nodded and inclined his head. "Likewise." Ordinarily he would have had something to say about 'nice' being a mere perception and not an actual state of being. For that matter, he could wax for quite a while about 'see' if he wanted to. It was a nice afternoon, though, and he was feeling a bit shaky on an existential level, so he just tipped his head back and looked up at the sun. "What has been distracting you?"
Tails was present at the metalworker, having asked to apprentice there shortly after Jhelbor became the neutral city. It was a skill he had felt would be useful in the long run. Besides, he was a kid who liked to work with both his brain and his hands. He understood and was picking up the trade pretty well, but felt that he would be working here for awhile yet before he was okay to work on his own.
He looked up from watching his teacher work when Niko walked in. "Good afternoon," he said politely.. "Is there something we can help you with?"
Niko was surprised to see Tails there. Surprised enough that it showed on his face. "Wha-- No. No, um... wait... Who are you?" Clearly he'd been on autopilot and a talking fox had somewhat gummed up the works.
It'd been awhile since he'd seen a reaction that that. It was kind of funny actually, but Tails only smiled cheerfully. "I'm Tails, one of the worldwalkers, and I'm apprenticing here. Who are you?" Introductions usually helped ease the awkwardness.
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"No, thank you," she said. Her voice was firm, neither polite nor rude. She didn't know this person and wasn't too keen to give anything away until she had a better understanding of him. And to that end, she opened up her inner eye, trying to get a better read on his aura.
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There was something about his aura, though. A shimmer, a waver, an energy that was lacking from most people in the world. His life had been so immersed in the legend and lore of the Gate to the Worlds Beyond that it had seeped into his very soul. He had the Magic of the Tale, and while it would never be fully his, it was something few could claim to have a part in ( ... )
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So yes, she had some place to stay and people had done their best to calm her enough and explain what had happened and where she was and how she'd never be able to go home. But she was by no means at peace with any of this. She was no prepared for her entire life to uproot. And this didn't even begin to address the fact that she had no outlet at all.
No music.
She was freaking out. She needed some direction, and fast.
But this guy-- his sign said he knew stuff. Maybe he'd...tell her what she needed to do.
"Um. Sir?" Soosie approached the man carefully, doing her best to not get in anyone's way as she did. "Um. Is-- is that true?" She pointed at his sign, hands only shaking a little bit.
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Sitting delicately a few feet to his right, she pulled her legs into her chest and peeked at him over her knees. "So it's mostly true, huh? That's good. Real good. Good good."
She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, conscious of her babbling. Taking a moment to breathe, she tried to think of what it was exactly that she wanted to ask. She didn't really have anything specific. Maybe she shouldn't have bothered him.
Finally, she removed her hand and, quietly, asked, "So you...give advice? Like...a psychic or something?" She'd never believed anything like that back home, but she'd also never seen an elf tend bar back home. The rules were different here.
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Occasionally Shamans would receive visions, but they knew where they came from, and treated them with the appropriate portion of skepticism. Because of this, the word had a bit of a complicated translation as the tree attempted, as always, to convey the intention of the phrasing. "I could give advice, but I assure you it is not my intention to trick or... scam anyone. I am a Shaman." he tilted his head to the side and presented one very pointed ear. "And an elf, which puts me in a rather unique position of existential understanding."
A beat, a natural pause, and Mel returned himself to his comfortable sprawl. "Are they common in your world? These... purveyors of false futures that prey on the feeble minded and gullible?"
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A highly shined store window gave him a look at Touya, and he instantly recognized the boy as one of the Worldwalkers. Not one he'd met personally, but naturally that would be changing soon. At the next small apothecary he passed Royal ducked in, but he was back on the walkway before Touya even had a chance to wonder if he should follow him or not. Another few feet brought them to a busy intersection where Royal paused. While pretending to watch the foot-traffic pass he listened for the low thumping of the boy's tail on the planks, then turned quickly and threw a small waxed cloth bag at him. It was a high, easy arc, but still meant to test reflexes, and possibly reward quick ones.
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After glancing between the bag and man once, twice...then slowly approached him. "Did you want this back?"
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Jak certainly didn't want his friend poking around in his head. Chance might have been with him apparently, as he spotted a sign that stuck out to him more than anything, especially in his memory. Just as before, he cut across the street, and stopped infront of the other man. "Nice to see you again."
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He looked up from watching his teacher work when Niko walked in. "Good afternoon," he said politely.. "Is there something we can help you with?"
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