2019-12-03: Icy Sielje
- Log: 2019-12-04 Icy Sielje
- Cast: Neriah Parringer, Jacqueline Barber, Noeline, Riesenlied, Marivel Armitage, Tio, Venetia Vuong
- Where: Sielje City
- Date: December 03, 2019
- Summary: Paths cross in Sielje City. Some are friendly. Some very much aren't.
===============================<* Sielje City *>================================ A strange stone structure in the center of the Freykragg Isle houses a teleporter that leads to an astonishing sight: a school, a very town in the sky, floating far, far above Sielje suspended farther than even the birds fly, held up presumably by the same magic studied there. Sielje, the namesake of the entire region, is said by the scholars to in truth be housed in a nearby dimension, close enough that it shares the same sky but distant enough to shield the atmosphere from the strange arcane energies that some of their work could call into being. Regardless, it cannot be reached by air; only by the teleporter. The Academy has many programs of study, from sciences to sorceries, but it is most famous for two: its Crest Sorcery program, and the premier Observatory, perhaps the greatest place to study the heavens and their movements in all Filgaia. Outside the grand old structure of the Academy, a small town has sprung up, supporting the school and those who work and study there both. It is snowy, but cozy, if one avoids looking down and keeps warm. The observatory is out in this town. Looking up and to the sky, however, shows not just sky, but strange colors in the distance, perhaps the proof of the scholars' claims. Whatever you do, though, don't fall off the walkways. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2d8U-CO9E
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
It's cold. It's snowy. And there are others visiting.
There is a sharp click of a heel against cobblestone. It's sharp enough that it actually echoes a little. And then, slowly, something heavy begins to descend around Riesenlied. It is a large fur cape, blue and gold with fluffy white fur around the edges. "That'll take care of you," says a woman's voice, familiarly low and throaty.
Where Neriah came from, it's hard to say, but she's only partially dressed for the weather. Her overrobe is still amaranth, but lacking outward religious symbols, lined with heavy white fur and with a deep hood she's pushed back to let her curls spill free. Her dress is a little too slinky for winter, though. The smile she wears is small, caring and edged with worry.
"For someone who grew up in a cold place, you're very temperature-sensitive, aren't you, Riesenlied," she says as she draws the cloak around the lady of Fereshte, blushing a little. "That's very Riese-like of you."
The good news is that Neriah doesn't seem to be under arms today, nor in the presence of anyone doing the same. But there's a raven perched on a building edge not far away, eyeing things over.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
For anyone interested in scholarly or sorcerous pursuits, Sielje City was nothing short of a paradise. For someone like Jacqueline, who's interested in both, she's positively entranced by the sights of this place. Sielje's advancements in Crest Sorcery were renowned the world over. She might have been home-schooled in the art, taught by her mother who was a talented Crest Sorceress in her own right, but Jacqueline had much about this place.
And now, she's finally here to see it for herself. So, forgive her if she seems to be wandering about in a bit of a starry-eyed daze.
Fortunately, she's bundled up for the area, in a thick coat with her shawl about her shoulders.
She's largely just enjoying the sights for now...but suddenly, she's shaken from her thoughts by the sound of a sneeze. She looks over and spots...Riesenlied? She blinks, a bit surprised.
Jacqueline hurries over, rummaging through her bags.
"Fancy meeting you here! It's nice to see you again. Here, this ought to help." Jacqueline says, offering Riesenlied a potion. It's one of her warming potions, with its pleasant cinnamon flavor and curative properties to help deal with colds.
It's only after she does this that she realises she isn't the only one who came to Riesenlied's aid.
"Neriah?" Jacqueline says, with a gasp of surprise. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline has never really been that worried by the cold, certainly not as much as Riesenlied. She spent much of her formative years traipsing around Elru as a Metal Demon scout, after all, and then later as a Crimson Noble. Still, she has made some concessions - a warm-looking and thick coat is covering her, buttoned up against the wind, and she's found herself a pair of similarly comfortable-looking gloves. Perhaps the idea will be to offer them to Riesenlied later, kyaaa...
She's stood by one of the railings next to Riesenlied's wheelchair, staring in abject wonder at the show of colours on the horizon. Ever since she arrived, her gaze has tracked in that direction every so often; she seems rapt by the view, but also a tiny bit annoyed by it for some reason, her brow furrowing as she huffs something to herself under her breath before she goes back to marvelling at it.
"... at least the room we booked has a fire available," she comments back to Riesenlied upon hearing the sneeze, a tender smile quietly playing at her lips. "And, bless you. Are you sure you're alright? We could always head for the Academy a little early--"
She cuts herself off at the sight of Neriah, her expression twitching for a moment as it tries to decide which way to take itself. Eventually, she settles for a rather stony kind of silence, the tension in her shoulders only relaxing when Jacqueline also makes her presence known. "... really. It feels like a bit of a shame to use a potion in this sort of weather when cocoa and blankets would be more appropriate, but I suppose it's better to hedge our bets," she chuckles.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There was a story, a rumour, about a wonderful place. A town far high up in the skies, with a large and resplendent academy inside of it; it's a story that reminds Riesenlied intimately of Vane, or rather Vane in its glory... and subsequently perhaps Neo-Vane as well. She wanted to see it. She's never been out here, and would not have known about it...
... save for one of her longtime pen pals, one such once-student of the academy who's now become a lecturer. It is here that she has come here today, to observe the wonders of the flying city and yet--
And yet--
"ah"
"ah"
"Achoo!"
Oh no, it's cold! It's snowy, and despite her being from Elru, Riesenlied has never been amazing at fighting off the cold. Her face has gotten a little red and her nose a bit ruddy as she sniffles, looking over the city from one of the plazas where she's seated next to a fountain on her wheelchair. Someone might be develping a cold.
"Ish cold..." she whimpers, despite already having a thicker version of her capelet, a warmer Fereshte gown with a wool lining, a scarf, mittens and...
*wiggle wiggle*
Knitted horn-warmers!! Where'd they come from?!
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
It's cold. It's snowy. And there are others visiting.
There is a sharp click of a heel against cobblestone. It's sharp enough that it actually echoes a little. And then, slowly, something heavy begins to descend around Riesenlied. It is a large fur cape, blue and gold with fluffy white fur around the edges. "That'll take care of you," says a woman's voice, familiarly low and throaty.
Where Neriah came from, it's hard to say, but she's only partially dressed for the weather. Her overrobe is still amaranth, but lacking outward religious symbols, lined with heavy white fur and with a deep hood she's pushed back to let her curls spill free. Her dress is a little too slinky for winter, though. The smile she wears is small, caring and edged with worry.
"For someone who grew up in a cold place, you're very temperature-sensitive, aren't you, Riesenlied," she says as she draws the cloak around the lady of Fereshte, blushing a little. "That's very Riese-like of you."
The good news is that Neriah doesn't seem to be under arms today, nor in the presence of anyone doing the same. But there's a raven perched on a building edge not far away, eyeing things over.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
For anyone interested in scholarly or sorcerous pursuits, Sielje City was nothing short of a paradise. For someone like Jacqueline, who's interested in both, she's positively entranced by the sights of this place. Sielje's advancements in Crest Sorcery were renowned the world over. She might have been home-schooled in the art, taught by her mother who was a talented Crest Sorceress in her own right, but Jacqueline had much about this place.
And now, she's finally here to see it for herself. So, forgive her if she seems to be wandering about in a bit of a starry-eyed daze.
Fortunately, she's bundled up for the area, in a thick coat with her shawl about her shoulders.
She's largely just enjoying the sights for now...but suddenly, she's shaken from her thoughts by the sound of a sneeze. She looks over and spots...Riesenlied? She blinks, a bit surprised.
Jacqueline hurries over, rummaging through her bags.
"Fancy meeting you here! It's nice to see you again. Here, this ought to help." Jacqueline says, offering Riesenlied a potion. It's one of her warming potions, with its pleasant cinnamon flavor and curative properties to help deal with colds.
It's only after she does this that she realises she isn't the only one who came to Riesenlied's aid.
"Neriah?" Jacqueline says, with a gasp of surprise. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline has never really been that worried by the cold, certainly not as much as Riesenlied. She spent much of her formative years traipsing around Elru as a Metal Demon scout, after all, and then later as a Crimson Noble. Still, she has made some concessions - a warm-looking and thick coat is covering her, buttoned up against the wind, and she's found herself a pair of similarly comfortable-looking gloves. Perhaps the idea will be to offer them to Riesenlied later, kyaaa...
She's stood by one of the railings next to Riesenlied's wheelchair, staring in abject wonder at the show of colours on the horizon. Ever since she arrived, her gaze has tracked in that direction every so often; she seems rapt by the view, but also a tiny bit annoyed by it for some reason, her brow furrowing as she huffs something to herself under her breath before she goes back to marvelling at it.
"... at least the room we booked has a fire available," she comments back to Riesenlied upon hearing the sneeze, a tender smile quietly playing at her lips. "And, bless you. Are you sure you're alright? We could always head for the Academy a little early--"
She cuts herself off at the sight of Neriah, her expression twitching for a moment as it tries to decide which way to take itself. Eventually, she settles for a rather stony kind of silence, the tension in her shoulders only relaxing when Jacqueline also makes her presence known. "... really. It feels like a bit of a shame to use a potion in this sort of weather when cocoa and blankets would be more appropriate, but I suppose it's better to hedge our bets," she chuckles.
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<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel, in the background, sits down on a bench. This is mostly a sight gag as she doesn't speak up to anyone in particular just yet. Instead, she raises up what is notably an ice cream sundae and starts eating it here, even though it's freezing outside. Cursed undead demon smoke things!
After putting a spoonful in her mouth, she takes a moment to raise a hand and wave it towards the ah ah ahchooing Riesenlied.
She gathers up a spoonful of whipped cream.
<Pose Tracker> Tio has posed.
Tio was not entirely sure why she had come to Sjiele. Well, she had ideas. Master had spoken fondly of the place, and it was a good opportunity to see more of the world, which was being encouraged. And so she was here, and appropriately dressed despite her protestations that it was unnecessary. She's wearing a long thick winter coat, earmuffs (placed carefully to not interfere with her antenna, knitted gloves, and a nice scarf. This is almost certainly Eleanor's doing. Despite this, she has gotten no small number of strange looks what with the whole 'pale blue skin' thing,
But her attention is immediately grabbed by the woman in the wheelchair with, well, strange waggling horns. Tio starts to approach, to get a closer look (and probably stare somewhat rudely) before she see's who's coming over.
Tio doesn't have a lot of familiar faces outside of ARMS, but one of them is right there. Instead of staring at Riese, she's staring at Neriah. "You..."
She doesn't immediately drop into fighting stance, but she is suddenly a lot more on alert.
This means, unfortunately, that Jay and Noeline get kind of looked over, as does an ice cream eating crimson noble.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
VENETIA VUONG walks out from a door not far from where Marivel is. Venetia is bundled up against the chill, with a cloth coat and an unusually opaque mask made out of gray felt with a couple of dangling polished pieces of cats-eye threaded from the lower hem. "Armitage," she says as she walks past Marivel.
Venetia pauses three steps past Marivel.
She turns her head. Her eyes are extra wide as she looks at Marivel. She raises one hand, currently in a purple button-up glove, and points at Marivel vaguely - then at her ice cream - then her fingers just kind of go limp. "Well," she says, "if you're happy." Her head then turns towards other people, and she says, sliding her hands straight into her coat pockets, "Good afternoon." To Riesenlied, she asks, "Were you able to get through the teleporter alright?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The aurora is indeed quite beautiful. One could say that if you stare deep enough into it, you can step into the Snowman Galaxy and meet a round Snowman Friend...
...ah, if only...
"I--I'll be... ah-- achoo-- fine, though the room does sound nice..." Riesenlied murmurs, just as soon as she feels something warm come over her. She blinks a few times, and then looks up with some surprise when she sees Neriah there.
"Oh!" She looks back to Noeline, then Neriah. She kinda has a look to her that reads 'play nice', though it might be directed to both. She gives Noeline's hand a quiet squeeze.
"Mmm, true..." she admits as Neriah points out she's sensitive to temperature despite growing up in a cold region. "The Fereshte were very good at moving around the cold, so I suppose they taught me to avoid the worst..."
Jacqueline arrives on the scene, though, making her light up. The christmas-themed horns wiggle up and down again. "Jacqueline! It's so nice to see you-- ooh," she accepts the potion and takes a swig from it.
Aah, warm...
"Hehe... this one is tasty. I will have to buy some off you later."
She spots Marivel eating an ice cream, who waves at her. She waves behind, feeling maybe a bit nervous. Marivel did say if anything happened she'd have to face her, after all.
Tio approaches as well, and-- she notices her looking at Neriah, as she senses the woman's alertness. "Ah, hello...?" She looks nervous at a possible confrontation!
But Venetia arrives, and makes her turn her head quietly as she smiles at her. The mask is quite fascinating....! Is she a fellow member of the Academy?
"Oh! Um, I had some trouble fitting my wheelchair, but some teleporter attendants helped me out, thank you."
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"What can I say?" Neriah shrugs across Riese at Jay, flipping one hand in the air. "I have a sixth sense for when a precious cupcake needs special attention."
For just a moment, she makes eye contact with Noeline. The Impetus lowers her lashes just slightly across her eyes and flashes a tiny smile.
The look Riese catches her does, at least, forestall her from seetting anyone on fire. She flicks her curls back and smiles easily. "Ah, Riese... leave it to you to learn such wonderful things from the people around you. You're a pretty special one, huh? You even reached out to me when almost no one else would. I won't forget that."
But another cupcake presents herself. Neriah tilts her head at the sight of Tio, then exhales and straightens up, setting one hand at the arch of her hip. "Well, well. So you've managed to recover nicely from your Part-time job. I hope Tiny Sass-a-Lot and her friends are treating you well."
She's noticed Marivel there. Her gaze darts towards the backgroundpire, then to Tio once again. "For what it's worth, I am sorry thing went sour between us. If you'd like to come home, of course, I kept your room. I even have a nice hat waiting for you."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"Better safe than sorry, right? It'll at least last you until you can get back to your room, anyway, and then you two can just cozy up all warm." Jacqueline replies with a smile toward Noeline, and then a nod toward Riese.
"I'm glad you like it! I thought it'd be just the thing for weather like this." She says brightly.
And then, she spots Marivel...eating ice cream?? Jacqueline blinks. ...Well, if she's anything like Lunata the cold doesn't bother her, so she supposes that makes sense. Still worth a double-take, though. But then, there's someone else who catches her eye - she doesn't recognize Tio, but she recognizes the alert way she's looking at Neriah. Jacqueline looks between the two of them, wondering what their connection is. And then, Venetia emerges from a nearby store. Not one to ignore a greeting, Jacqueline replies with a wave.
"Good afternoon, Miss Vuong!" She replies. She looks once more between Neriah and Tio.
"...I take it you two know each other?" She asks, carefully.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel wiggles her fingers in greeting to Venetia, smiling in her direction. She says, not laughs, "heh heh heh.... Vivi. Good to see you." She doesn't stop her from moving on to chat up Riesenlied, in fact she doesn't move at all until Neriah makes her offer to Tio.
"Ah ah ahhh," She approaches. "If you try to grasp too much sand t'will definitely spill out 'twixt your fingers."
Her gaze flickers to Jay but she doesn't comment. Instead she spoons another glob of ice cream into her mouth.
"Does it not impress you, Riesenlied? What humans have managed to create here? Be mindful of the edges, you can fall off and it'd be something of an adventure to collect you. Indeed, you are now--all of you--dimensional travelers. Congratulations! You have stepped outside of your reality to one adjacent, much like the stepper boxes in the stories."
She grins, fangly. "I imagine you may find the observatory breathtaking. As in t'will take your breath away."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline does not have any fancy Crimson Noble connection, as much as she'd like to sometimes pretend otherwise. So when she spots Marivel it's thanks to a combination of her observant nature, a little in the way of cheating with the empathic link she shares with Riesenlied, and the experience to know that the Crimson Noble enjoys turning up whenever she's least expected.
She catches Neriah's glance for a moment, wondering if their trip to Sjiele is about to get very messy between everyone present. The thing that anchors her is the glance that her partner offers her, two steps removed from a miniature Mom Riese lecture - and she chuckles softly under her breath as she tilts her head ever so slightly and squeezes the other Hyadean's hand in return, a mixture of assurance and concern in her touch.
That's what nudges her to step forwards. She doesn't rest a hand directly on Tio's shoulder, because she can tell that something's up and that might be a very dangerous idea - but she keeps her voice level and quiet. "... it's alright. Whatever else might be a problem, this isn't a place to fight over it," she advises the smaller girl.
"It's quite a contraption," she adds smoothly towards the person who might be a researcher or a lecturer. "I wasn't really able to tell the difference last time I was here, but I think at this point I can call myself a very discerning user of teleporters. You receive full marks for not flinging us between worlds randomly, which makes it the best ride I think I've ever had," she grouses quietly.
<Pose Tracker> Tio has posed.
Good news, no fight is breaking out. It doesn't stop Tio feeling uneasy, but at least she won't have to defend herself. The automaton still watches Neriah, but she seeems honestly confused. "...Why would I need a hat?" Wait, never mind, that is not the important bit. "My home is where Master is."
Still, Jay asks if Tio and Neriah know each other. "Yes," comes Tio's matter of fact response. She's not really elaborating, in part because it's difficult to explain.
Noeline moves up to Tio and she blinks, then nods. "Understood." She looks to Marivel, who also seems content not to start something. The tiny automaton relaxes.
And then she turns back to Riese, to ask the question she was going to ask. "Excuse me. May I ask what purpose making your antennae move fills?" She's clearly talking about Riese's horns.
And then there's another pause, as Marivel talks about the observatory. "I do not have breath to take away. Would that be a problem?" I mean, no point going if it's going to have no effect, right?
Finally, she looks to Venetia, who is kind of hard to ignore, and finally realises she should be introducing herself. "...My apologies for my rudeness. I am Tio."
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
Venetia is a member of academe, but does not fit in with the rest of Sielje. Nobody else here has had a mask like hers, probably. (There are doubtless some people with balaclavas etc.)
Her attention rakes towards Neriah. Her eyebrows lift beneath the mask, a slight motion. Neriah is addressing Tio, which is fair enough. "You have drinks?" she asks Jay, more genially. "I think I remember trying your concoctions during one of our journeys." Or did she just hear about them?
"I'm Venetia Vuong," she then says to Noeline, offering one gloved hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm from a competing school and I'm here to spy on the competition." She grins as she says it, as if to say: I'm kidding!
she is not entirely kidding
"Eh?" she says then to Tio. "No apology needed. This isn't my town. It's good to meet you, Tio."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks to Neriah as she mentions how she reached out, and she quietly lowers her head with a smile to say, "I was happy to do it. ... I want to say it should not be that special. I was in a similar place too... I feel almost all of us probably have felt that way before."
Jacqueline mentions how it's better to be safe than sorry -- there's a nod as she sets the potion aside after taking the dose, a sign that she's learning about not overdoing it!
Marivel approaches with her usual splendour, talking about Sielje.
"I hope I do not roll off, then..." Riesenlied muses. "But... yes. I learnt of this wonderful academy from someone who was a student long ago. I think she is retired now..." as she holds up a battered letter into view. "But I never quite understood back then. Another dimension... it is not something I can imagine on my own. But we have experienced such wonders in just the last two years, like going to another world."
Noeline's hand-squeeze is rather affirming, in turn. She is still concerned about Tio, not quite understanding the relationship between her and Neriah, but Noeline approaches the automaton, and she nods supportively in turn. "Yes... if we can help in any way."
Venetia introduces herself, and then she smiles and says, "My name is Riesenlied. It is nice to meet you!" She says she's from a competing school. "Ohh... what school are you from, Miss Vuong?"
But Tio asks her what purpose making her antennae move has -- a question that makes the horns perk up in curiosity. "Eh?"
A pause. "Hmm. ... hmmm."
...
*wiggle*
...
*wiggle wiggle*
...
"I... I do not know, actually?"
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
Neriah bows her head and closes her eyes. "In many ways I wish I'd met you much sooner, Riese. My life might've been different. You made me feel like I had value at a time when I felt like I was just a sad girl with ho hope."
But questions arise, and she blinks. "Mm? Oh yes. T-Blue and I are the best of friends," Neriah explains to Jay, gesturing casually at Tio. "Coworkers, even. Riven apart by cruel fate, sadly. But I never forget my friends, and I'm always happy to reunite."
When Marivel comes strolling up, the dark-haired woman clicks her tongue chidingly. "Yes, but if we're going to have a platitude fight, let me add that if you don't grab anything, you never get anything left over. Besides-" And here she bats her lashes. "-I'm allowed, 'cause I'm pretty good."
Tio's answer is more matter-of-fact than Neriah's is. Brushing her curls back with the edge of a thumb, Neriah shrugs at the Tio unit with a whimsical sort of smile. "It's not a matter of need, is it? It's a matter of want. And hats can be quite cute."
Noeline's words are met with a slow shrug. "I'm hardly here to fight anyone. But...."
She gives Tio a look again, holding one hand up. "...if that's the case, then I'm pretty sure I'm Master."
She holds a hand out to Tio, smiling sweetly.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"It really is impressive... I've always wanted to visit Sielje, and, well... now I'm here!" Jacqueline says cheerily, as Marivel comments on where they are. "I do want to visit the observatory sometime... It's not like I won't be back, but I don't want to miss it."
Noeline moves to defuse the situation, which Jacqueline appreciates. She looks toward Tio, then, as she introduces herself.
"Ah, I'm Jacqueline Barber. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She replies, offering Tio a smile. She looks toward Venetia, then.
"I do! And yes, I believe you might have. Would you like one too? It's just the thing for warm weather." Jacqueline says. She draws out another one of those warming potions, offering it to Venetia.
Tio confirms that she knows Neriah, but doesn't offer further explanation. Jacqueline nods - she won't pry. Neriah has an explanation of her own to give, at least.
"Hmm..." She replies with a frown, taking a moment to assess how Tio feels about this. Not knowing the full story, it's hard to know how to respond. "...Well, that happens, I suppose..."
And then, there's a question. What is the purpose of Riesenlied's horns?
Jacqueline pauses for a moment.
"...I think they respond to her mood." She considers, and smiles. "But the only thing I know for sure is...that it's pretty cute."
She says this with a decisive nod.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel does not start something just yet. She probably COULD. One of the unfortunate aspects of ARMS is that it's THE MAN and they have authority to operate here but the flipside of that is that her duty is to protect Sielje not start a fight for personal reasons in its square.
But there's certain an inherent tension whenever Neriah and Marivel happen to be in the same general location.
"Ah Tio, I was being metaphorical, so having no breath is not a problem. Still, tis an experience that explanation does not justice for."
She pauses to look to Riesenlied. She was wondering about those horns too, you know! Unfortunately... this mystery... not even Riesenlied knows the truth.
Marivel is low on morale!
"Ah, I always forget you are already an experienced world traveler, Noeline. And as Riesenlied points out... you actually visited Lunar well before I did. I am restraining my jealousy. Still... I suppose I am just excited to have people here visiting." She winks. "And not to worry, if you wish to be teleported randomly I know just the girl for the job."
Neriah is trying to use KEYWORDS to lure Tio into working for her. "Neriah, you already made your choice. You chose the claw." She tilts her head. "She is family to Kamui which means she is family to me. If she wishes to join you at a later time, I will respect her wishes, but she has just awoken and is still learning about 'choice'. She will be allowed the time she needs."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline risks a snort of air at Tio's question. Her grin is wide and wry enough that little fangs, similar to Marivel's, show amongst her teeth as she watches Riesenlied work through her confusion in regards to the question. "... you can ask her that as many times as you like, but... honestly, I'm not sure she's ever noticed it herself up until now," she makes a show of lamenting, with one hand on her hip. "I was wondering when to break it to her."
Venetia's declaration might have had the opposite effect, because as the Hyadean accepts the offered greeting her ears prick up, her imagination sufficiently piqued. "Does that happen particularly often?" she wonders to herself, rubbing at her chin in thought. "More than that, what sort of secrets would there be to spy upon, and take back home? --well, I suppose Symbology is still very much a living science, after all."
Having Marivel with them is honestly something of a relief, though Noeline wouldn't readily admit it out loud with this many people around them. "She's not about to roll off. I'd catch her long before that happened," she grumbles to the vampire, folding her arms. "And honestly, the luster of dimension-hopping has worn off just a little, after everything. But I will certainly admit the view is first-rate. ... I'm a little annoyed I completely missed it the first time I came here," she admits, a little embarrassed.
Her look towards the alchemist is quietly amused. Some instinct tells her that Tio probably doesn't need to worry about being warmed up - her sheer lack of presence stirs old memories of the Photosphere and the other scouts there - but that same experience suggests that having people fuss over her will probably work out in the long run. "She's bundled up enough that she's practically a ball, Miss Barber," she points out with a chuckle.
What she doesn't do is respond to Neriah, and instead her hand tightens around Riesenlied's just a little as tension runs through her thoughts. The situation is all too familiar -
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
What she doesn't do is respond to Neriah, and instead her hand tightens around Riesenlied's just a little as tension runs through her thoughts. The situation is all too familiar - and the memories that they match to are not ones she's eager to recall.
<Pose Tracker> Tio has posed.
"I see." Tio does not look disappointed by that revelation, but as if on cue, her own antennae blink several different colours. She notes away faces and names so she can remember in the future. The comment about the observatory clarified, Tio nods. "Understood. I shall view the observatory."
But when Neriah tries to assert herself, Tio takes several steps backwards and away. "You are not!" An unusual amount of emotion bursts from Tio, keeping her distance from Neriah. Something deep inside her feels the need to get away. When Marivel steps in, Tio watches her intently. The crimson nobles's words seem reassuring to her. She tilts her head again, at the comments of choice. It's true, she doesn't really understand it. "Marivel..."
But some part of Tio feels wrong. If she hadn't been found by Kamui and the others, would she just be serving Neriah instead? It's a thought that sits ill with her. She doesn't want Neriah to be her master. Is that a choice?
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"The School of Mineralogy," Venetia tells Riesenlied. "Void 41, Guild Galad - come by sometime. I imagine you'll find it easier to get to than this one!" She seems merry. turning her attention to Jay, she says, "I would love one, what do I owe you -"
She opens it and drinks it as Neriah brings up that she is Master and Tio responds with impact and force.
Venetia finishes the drink, but is doing so visibly more slowly. Her eyes turn from Tio, over Marivel, back to Neriah.
"I'm going to introduce myself into the conversation," Venetia says, "if that's alright with everyone." She does not seem to actually care about this because she immediately asks Neriah - perhaps because she is the figure she knows least about, however implicitly - "Are you her old teacher or something like that? I'm reading a great deal of tension, though it could just be gas; I hate coming out up here, being so terribly exposed."
She also walks a half-step away from Jay for no directly obvious reason.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied certainly felt like, for a long period of her life, she was a sad girl with no hope. When the Fereshte exiled her; when her father rejected her following her desire to build a village for the Tainted. "I can only have hoped to be there sooner..."
"Ah..." she looks as Neriah calls herself Master and Tio disagrees, and she looks at the source of conflict inside of the girl, and the way Marivel explains how she is young and has not had enough time to decide for herself.
She's quietly reminded -- as Noeline herself is feeling -- of the time she had her free will robbed from her, by Alhazred. "Mm--" she starts, looking a bit more nervous.
She rallies, as Noeline holds her hand tighter.
"Well, the closest thing to an explanation I have might be that I am a Tainted Hyadean," she does offer to Tio and Marivel. "My body suffers from degeneration and other issues, so I imagine what might have been rigid horns on one Hyadean..."
... is a point of cuteness that's totally brought on her by her player!!
"I do not think you need to be jealous, Marivel," she offers. "You have seen so much more that I would still like to learn from, if you would allow us." She looks up to Noeline. "We still have yet to visit your domain, after all, hm?"
Noeline mentions secrets, and she doesn't know, but... "My penpal mentioned something about a magic object that would let us temporarily use a Crest Graph spell. She said it might help my health. A Crest Cap, she called it?"
Venetia introduces herself as being from the School of Mineraology, in Guild Galad. "Guild Galad... I have never visited. I have just heard of how--" A pause. "It is a city built of... dragon fossils." There's an unconscious shudder there. That one is still going to probably be stressful for her.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"Listen," Neriah chides Marivel with a waggle of her right-hand fingers, "I think you know full well that I'm not talking about the Claw right now. You knew the Impetus before I was the Impetus. That means you probably know that I'm well within my rights to invite Tio to come home."
When Venetia asserts herself, Neriah brushes a curl back with the edge of her thumb. "You might say that I'm her previous boss."
There's nothing humorous about her cadence or carriage here. The look in Neriah's eyes is steady and serious, her gaze focused on Tio as if waiting for the little robot-girl to obey.
What burts out of Tio is no joking matter. Neriah narrows he eyes slightly and begins to draw herself up. For just a moment, there's a suggestion of something absolutely awful looming over the little gathering.
Then Neriah smiles a cheery little smile and cups a hand to her cheek. "Well, then! I hope you take real good care of your new friends, and I'm sorry it turned out this way."
With a sigh, she steps back, though her smile lingers. "I understand how confusing things must be right now. Maybe another time, when you're feeling a little better about things, we'll talk, T-Blue. Until then, don't let Short and Sassy here treat you bad!" She indicates Marivel with a little jerk of her head.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"No charge - think of it as a free sample." Jacqueline replies to Venetia pleasantly.
"Yes, indeed." Jacqueline replies with a chuckle, as Noeline points out Riesenlied's present situation.
And, as it turns out, she doesn't really have to look all that close to see how Tio feels about Neriah's words. That outburst of emotion, different from what she had experienced up to this point... She steps, just slightly, to put herself between Tio and Neriah, though not enough to block their view of each other.
"...I think you're making her uncomfortable." She suggests. Her expression is a bit more serious before, though it lightens back up just a bit as she looks toward Riesenlied.
"Oh, a Crest Cap! Yes, they can been infused with a Crest Spell much like a Crest Graph can, with the exception that anyone can use them... If you happen to have one on hand, I have the skills necessary to combine them, unless you had someone else in mind for it." She says.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel Armitage does not prevent Venetia from throwing in her two cents. "Of course, feel free." She even steps back a bit so she has an easier time interjecting. She does not step TOO far back, though, because frankly Marivel can feel that 'suggestion' and is bracing to react to when 'suggestion' becomes reality.
But it doesn't. Tension in Marivel visibly (mostly) fades away and she says, "Well Neriah, I am not Tio's 'Master' either, so I have little say as to where she stays or goes." But Neriah points out she's well within her rights to invite Tio to come home. "Invite, yes. Manipulate, no, but if you are willing to grant Tio time then I have no qualms I wish to settle at this point in time with you."
Now more relaxed, she looks to Venetia and explains, "Neriah is a descendent of a Valmar general. She is presently absorbing pieces of Valmar, likely intent on becoming a god when all is said and done. I am tense because agents of Valmar did terrible damage to my daughter, Kamui, during the war."
She smiles faintly at Noeline's words. "Don't get world weary too quickly... You have so much more life to live." Despite the smile, her tone is hardly joking. "You have nothing to be embarrassed by."
Riesenlied further explains the nature of the Tainted. She nods a bit and adds, "Ahh...is that so..." Maybe she shouldn't treat a serious condition as adorable. "You can come by whenever you'd like, Riesenlied. It's a bit hazardous to get there, and the Castle isn't entirely...'safe'...but you are welcome to come and I will let you rest in my domain whenever yo'd like."
Tio is being particularly emphatic here about Neriah not being her master. And she says, "You are welcome too, Tio. I imagine Kamui could show you the way."
But ... she almost... No, Marivel thinks, the past is the past. Focus on the present.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline can't quite help the way she gives Tio a bit of presence to hide behind. Her mind's still on older things, dangerous moments, and missing people - so as much as she stays connected to Riesenlied by their joined hand, she can also give the automaton a little bit of cover along with Marivel. ... speaking of which, the vampire's speech makes her eyebrows raise. Noeline doesn't exactly know who or what 'Kamui' is, but it suddenly makes a lot more sense for her to have been chilling (ha-ha) on a nearby bench with an ice cream.
"Not to be dismissive of you... but it is a terribly long answer," she points out towards Venetia, and then proceeds to clamp her mouth shut and stare as Marivel answers it more or less in full anyway. "We are dealing with some rather large lifespans," she adds kind of lamely, feeling a bit like a Crimson Noble Understudy right now.
She also looks quietly aghast as Marivel points out her mansion is a total Ruin, and that's only the entryway. For a moment she looks towards Riesenlied, her eyebrows raised - then puffs out a long breath, sinking into a rather wry smile towards her partner, then a nod towards Marivel. "Not so much world-weary as still catching my breath from Spira, I think. Last time I came here, the skies weren't lit like this that day, so I moved on rather quickly. That'll teach me some patience, perhaps," she teases herself lightly.
And then adds to the Crimson Noble, a little arch because she can't help herself: "... you could at least clean up for guests."
Riesenlied's comment makes her eyebrows raise all over again, obvious curiosity on her face as she looks to the resident expert. "Ah. Is the pen a tool you use to draw the actual seals themselves, then, or...?" she earnestly asks, this being one subject she knows little about. Jay's answer suggests she's on the wrong path, though.
<Pose Tracker> Tio has posed.
"She is-" Tio's response when Venetia asks for questions is quickly cut off when Neriah starts to arc up. Tio's whole body seems to tense. But then nothing happens. She was expecting something terrible. People move between her and Neriah. Even though she's never met most of them. It's surprising, perhaps. It takes a few moments for Tio to relax again after Neriah does. "...T-Blue?" Once again, she gets hooked up on a little detail. She looks to Noeline and Jay, and gives a nod. "Thank you."
But as Marivel explains who Neriah is, she listens again. The comments about Kamui again worries something deep inside her. She was controlled by a part of Valmar herself. Did she do horrible things to Kamui? If only there was anything she could remember.
She doesn't respond to Neriah any further.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"Well, not - OF," Venetia answers Riesenlied, as if slightly thrown by the turn of question. She looks at Neriah then as she explains things. She purses her lips. From behind the cloth mask she stares.
Some tiny sliver in the back of Venetia's mind - the opening that lets her command the Crests, perhaps - wavers just a bit. Even as she speaks. It's a little quiver of an uncertainty, like a tiny caraway seed stuck in the back of your throat. She watches, and she looks at Mari"Short and Sassy" vel.
Somehow she doesn't quite laugh.
Bringing up the cap makes her smile. It takes a little effort, but only a little. "You know," she remarks to Jay, "we've had great luck working with actual blasting-cap type designs - of course, in the Stygian school we tend to use a lot more metal than I know is typically the case for main-stream Crest sorcery."
Then she looks at Marivel, who tells her that the woman who was just there is a descendant of an ancient general who seeks to absorb shards of her god.
Venetia blinks twice, reaches up, slides her mask up to her forehead, rubs under her eyes, pinches the bridge of her nose, tugs it down, and asks Marivel, "I'm sorry? Is this one of those ambitions like growing up to become a Gear?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied would never think of Noeline as an Understudy! Harrumph. But those are her private thoughts, buoyed rather petulantly through the empathic link of their rings. "That is right. I do not think you have anything to be ashamed of, Noeline. And I would love to visit, Marivel," she smiles at Marivel quietly. "I know it is important to Noeline, and perhaps for me as well. And I am sure my chevalier can protect me."
U-uwaaa!
Jacqueline lights up and talks about the Crest Cap, though. "Oh...! Wow, leave it to you to be a master at the Crest Graph art, Jacqueline," she beams brightly. "I don't have it on hand..." She looks to the letter again. "She said she would lend me one, so perhaps I would ask you when I have it on hand."
She pauses and lowers her head. "It would be nice, I think... to be able to borrow upon the Ley without having to channel it. Or at least, that is how I feel. But... Miss Vuong, do you also use a variant of Crest Graphs, then?" She sounds curious about what 'Stygian' school might mean.
Ley Channeling has never been... safe for her, after all.
Marivel explains to Venetia that Neriah is a descendant of a Valmar general, which... was a detail she didn't quite know about, actually. She knew, of course, of her connections to past figures, but...
"Your daughter...?" she risks eeling herself. "I see..."
But at the least it seems like Neriah is at least willing to let Tio explore her own feelings and boundaries. That is enough in her book...
...
And speaking of Kamui--
"What would happen if my head flew off the railing, mui?" asks Kamui's Head inbetween several woolly coated children passing it around. "Perhaps I can see the tears of time, mui...!"
Kamui's Body begins to sweat profusely at this idea. Like you can see the emoticon flying off the stump of her neck.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
Neriah lowers her eyelids a little, exhaling when Jay steps in. She closes her eyes for a moment.
"You know, Jay," she says with a soft smile, "this is what's so great about you. You know how to support your friends without being nasty or cruel. That's what makes you so special." When she opens her eyes again, she clasps a hand over her heart and sighs wistfully. "I envy your friends."
With a small toss of her head, she brushes her hand up and over her cheek, her curls spilling across her shoulders. For now she lets Marivel explain things, though she does clear her throat slightly. "Don't spin me too hard now. Filgaia just needs a bit of spring cleaning and I'm here to deliver. That's the long and short of it."
Eyes settling on Tio a moment, she shakes her head, her smile small and sad, before she glances over at Marivel again. "...We'll have our little tussle another day, Marivel. Whatever happened in the past, this is today. Arius made stupid mistakes. I won't. But... that's not for today to decide, is it?"
Eyes tracking back towards Venetia, she gives the woman a pensive look, curling her fingers against her chin and moueing her lips. Then she clicks her tongue as if to chide her for her assumption.
"I was going to say something very snarky, but I'm letting you off the hook because your mask is actually really attractive on you."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Marivel provides some new information Jacqueline didn't know - Neriah was absorbing pieces of Valmar...? She frowns a little, briefly glancing over toward Neriah herself before looking back toward Tio, offering her an smile in response.
Venetia gets a glance, too.
"Yes, I tend to stick primarily to the typical paper..." She admits. She knew of stone Crest Graphs too, but those were usually the domain of richer folk. "I imagine metal would make for a sturdier Crest Graph, though..."
She looks toward Riesenlied, then, offering her a smile.
"Of course! Any time - I'll probably be here for a while yet, though you may end up needing to pry me away from the library..." She says, punctuating it with a sheepish chuckle.
And then, Neriah sends her a compliment.
"...I do my best, anyway. I don't know if I always succeed." She replies, shaking her head.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"No," Marivel tells Venetia. "Growing up to become a gear doesn't disturb the neighborhood." She looks to Neriah as she claims she is not going to make Arius's mistakes. Marivel admits, "Can't argue with that."
She doesn't say that she can defend her friends without being nasty or cruel but she doesn't comment on the spring cleaning line either. That's plenty ominous in of itself, quite frankly, and anything Marivel could add wouldn't exactly make it more so.
She nods to Riesenlied. "That's right. In fact, you can see her right over there--"
She points but...
A pair of beastmen named Mr. and Mrs. Eelington step into the way.
"Oh excuse me," Mrs. Eelington says, "Don't mind us, just passing through."
"Isn't the sky beautiful?" Mr. Eelington adds. "Oh my, oh my."
"Well if I knew in advance when you were coming, perhaps I could... but part of the joy is the adventure, no? Thrills, dangers, a little bit of silliness, and a great deal of mystery?" She nods a little and adds, "Well, I certainly won't insist on you to move quickly. We are lucky to have a bit of downtime, now. Soon enough there will be a surfeit of adventure, no doubt."
<Pose Tracker> Tio has posed.
"The parts of Valmar are a real and present threat." Tio states, being able to speak perhaps too well on the subject. What it was like as the Claw is fuzzy and vague, but the aftermath of the battle was pretty obvious. And Neriah's right there, not disputing that she's looking for them.
She does, however, manage to turn where Marivel points, in the moments around the Eelington's walking through shot. "..."
She doesn't have anything she can contribute on the talk of crests, all her magic comes from that weird egg shaped thing she carries around. "If you are in pain, I could attempt to help. I have some healing magics."
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"Yes," Venetia says, but before she can amplify further on the Stygian school, she is being complemented.
She speaks with immediate ease, a hand going to her hip: "Of course," she tells Neriah. "If we went around barefaced, society would collapse at the sight of our beauty. Still, we do what we can; it's more of a burden, really."
(The sensitive may tell that Venetia has become deeply, if inwardly, concerned at the fact that this 'absorb parts of a dead god' scheme seems to be getting taken implicitly as workable, especially by Marivel, who is like three billion years old, or something like that, Venetia thinks.)
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"Of course," Noeline hums towards Tio, lightly snorting under her breath. It helps take her out of her thoughts, as does the sudden mental projection of one of Riesenlied's pouts as Noeline realizes she'd let a couple of her worries slip through the cracks. Chuckling to herself, she shakes her head. "We're-- somewhat big on making sure people can make their own decisions, I suppose."
Her hand raises to touch her forehead as Venetia cuts to the more obvious questions; she sighs, not really sure where to begin with that half of everything, and takes the easier option of leaving it up to Marivel instead. "I had thought that metal would-- perhaps not suppress the effect, but not carry it as cleanly. Unless you mean you're using the metal as part of the effect, I suppose," she wonders, imagining-- well, she can only picture something like a bomb, stuffed with Crest Graphs.
With a warmer smile, Noeline nods back to Riesenlied, her hands clasped with hers. "Of course I would protect you. Honestly," she adds with a wry grin. "Knowing Marivel, 'great danger' might just mean the things she's left in the pantry for years. Still..." She's curious, of course she is. It's rolling off her in waves. But at the same time, there's a debt of respect she'd like to go pay as well.
Her gaze again flicks to Neriah, but she presses her lips together, swallowing whatever she was going to say. Her gaze is hard - but there's a sort of sympathy there to some degree, as well. "I'm sure we'll come find you - though it will be after we warm up from dinner, at least," she grumbles, because even she's starting to feel the bite of their altitude. "They could at least have picked a warmer dimension to shift towards."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It is not as if Riesenlied is not concerned by Neriah's plans. A spring cleaning of Filgaia... she doesn't need to reach far to have seen that before, of course, given her father's own ambitions and Mother's own. But to know that she was absorbing a part of Valmar...
She can't help but be reminded of when Mother wanted to use and devour her.
She smiles just a bit more sadly to Neriah. "... I will not give up," she echoes Jay's and her own sentiment from last time. "I know we can find a better way. For you, for the world." Perhaps it's her own way of acknowledging Neriah's newfound independence, as a person, where she felt she had none before while also disagreeing with it.
It sounds very dramatic and heartfelt, up until Marivel points out where Kamui is--
And the Eelingtons appear! And if that weren't enough, the Eel Clause urges her to be distracted as she lets out an 'achoo!' again and sniffles louder.
"O-okay, Jacqueline, I will find you at the library when-- hachoo!"
She sneezes louder, and that nose of hers is getting redder. She's taken up a little Christmas-coloured hankie to rub her nose with.
"Anff we will-- achoo --visit too..."
Oh dear. It might be time to tuck a Cucco Queen in. Though come to think of it... with her horns all festive too...
Riesen with your nose so bright
Won't you lead Sielje tonight...
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
For the moment, Neriah seems to have tapped her supply of ominousness. She settles for cupping a hand to her cheek and smiling cryptically as she gives Venetia a quick once-over.
She does not, in fact, dispite that she's looking for the Parts. "Oh yes, Valmar's quite real," she assures with a bat of lashes. "I didn't believe it at first, either. But now you know!" With a huff, she concedes, "Not that Marivel wouldn't have explained it all anyway."
She tosses her curls dramatically and flashes Venetia a neat smile, eyes twinkling playfully. "Ah, but now you're going to make me curious. Are you a performer? I love performers...."
But Riesenlied has something sad to say. Tilting her head back, Neriah blinks at the Hyadean quickly, then blushes softly and clears her throat as a sudden wave of embarrassment sweeps over her.
"Y-you're so nice, Riese!" she huffs as she turns with a huff and a ripple of cloak. "Gosh...." Her voice quiets as she begins to move off a ways.
"...Please don't get yourself in trouble," she murmurs, too soft to hear.