poly_chromatic | 001 || Action/Voice

Entry tags:

slayers - zelgadis greywars

001 || Action/Voice

[Beside the fountain, a statue has appeared. Or so one might assume, given the slate-grey stone of its skin, the sharp glint of wire topping its head as a fall of hair. Despite the illusion of its cape and cloak that billow in the winter breeze, the shimmer of light on the longsword dangling from one clenched fist, surely it can't be alive...]

[But watch from another angle and see that the tunic it wears is in tatters, exposing a lean torso of yet more stone, the features of a chiseled face framed by darker pebbles. The first sign of true life is seen in sluggish trails of blood that flow from his mouth and chest, their slow drips rhythmic against the ground.]

[The stone man sways in silence, eyes closed, and then he pitches forward into the fountain. A sharp crack sounds as his hip strikes the base, and then the only movement are the ribbons of red that flow from his wounds and get swept into the current.]

***
[Voice, some time later]

[A distinctly uncomfortable clearing of his throat, before a low, smoky voice addresses whoever might be listening. He is far from used to communicating through such means, but it might prove advantageous to not require face to face contact.]

How might a new... resident [or whatever a stranger calls himself] go about finding living accommodations and employment? I haven't seen much in the way of advertisement postings. [Wanted posters being, of course, his usual method of job seeking.]

((OOC: So sorry this took so long, I've been (really) sick! Any City dweller that can sense supernatural presence might be slightly pinged by him, but they probably won't be able to identify what exactly he is. For more specific info, feel free to ask!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He tenses markedly at her touch, and makes a gesture as if he would shrug her off is he could bring forth the energy. His skin has many qualities of a river-tumbled stone, hard and smooth and rough at the creases between pebbles, only warm as if imitating real flesh.] And who is holding us? [It's not beyond his experience for Demons to make an alternate dimension using astral magic, but a place like this isn't like one he's ever seen. Still, it merits consideration.]

[He lifts a hand to his forehead and makes note of the water-diluted blood that comes away on his fingertips. His hand glows as he runs it over himself, a simple healing spell to give him more energy so he can think clearly.]

[She barely notices and persists in this. He's in very bad shape, to her, and this isn't the time, though normally she'd be more concerned he didn't want her help and respect it a bit more. She does wonder at his skin, though - does he have more injuries? His question doesn't seem to improve her worries, either.] We don't really know. Some people say it's the deities, but they're not sure.

I'm not even sure who the deities are! I've not met them.

[Then, finally, she's more surprised and alert than concerned.] H-how are you doing that? What are you doing?

Deities... [Great. Dallying with them has never gotten him anywhere good -- not that it was usually him doing the lion's share of it.]

[Somehow, he just knows this relates back to Lina. It always does.]

[Her surprise is at first noted with only a grunt, being used to shock and disgust over his appearance. Only when it sinks in that it's his magic and not the rest of him she's alarmed by does he respond, grudgingly.] It's a healing spell.

Tell me about these deities. [Experience has taught him that the expectation of being answered like any normal person helps when dealing with commoners who have never seen magic let alone the likes of him. His tone is soft, however, as she's shown no threat thus far. That doesn't mean he's let go of his sword.]

[Her face nearly lights up. She's encountered quite a few amazing things since arriving, but they still take her by surprise and awe her.]

Spell! So you know magic? That's incredible! [And suddenly, he's a very capable person, in her eyes.]

[Then she looks a little less enthused, but that's because she feels she's a failure - not properly knowledgeable to deal with his questions.] I really don't know much else about them. Everyone hasn't even said much about them. They did appear on the network a short while ago, though! They were trying to help us with a zombie problem. So they at least care about us. [She, of course, didn't notice the part where they argued, and later retracted one of the suggestions because it just made things worse.]

[He glances at her, his discerning eyes looking her over as if answers might be written somewhere, and a bit befuddled by her nonchalant enthusiasm. 'Zombie problem' did not sound even vaguely appealing, and he's not sure that deities caring about them is necessarily a good thing. However, so long as she's giving out information...]

I know a lot of magic. If I knew more about what was happening, I might be able to reverse it. [And send himself back where he belongs. He words his reply to insinuate that he might help her as well, though he has no intention of promising any such thing. If she believes it, perhaps she'll provide more information. Not that she's been exactly tight-lipped thus far, but being more or less a mercenary taught him that every little bit helps.]

You think you really could reverse this? And send everyone else home?! [But of course, the first thought, for Tohru, isn't about herself at all, but everyone else she knows. She looks up at him, full of hope and trust.]

I wish I knew more.... All I know is lots of people get brought here. And they can't leave. No one knows a way out.

I don't know. I need more information, but anything's possible. [He tries to sound confident, because at least he can attempt not to look as befuddled as he is. Dignity, et cetera.] No one ever leaves, you say? [Another piece of not-great news, but he tells himself that doesn't necessarily mean a way home is impossible.]

[Tohru shakes her head, looking a little down for a moment.] No, they leave. But not by choice, or when they want to. They just vanish one day.

[It was the best understanding of how things operated she had. People searched and never found anything.]

[Ack, a sad girl! This is not one of those many things he takes so much in stride.] Uh... maybe it means they got sent back. [He focuses intently on his healing, as if looking at her sadness might cause it to be catching.]

Ah, yes. People say that's the case. But is this information helping you any?

[Yes, that was her biggest concern. Whether or not she was being useful to the person she had stumbled across. For Tohru, she was aware her knowledge of the City was fairly limited.]

[A sidelong glance at her.] It's not good news, but at least I know. [So, yes. Helping.]

[Part of him wants to ask why she's not afraid of him, but he rest is glad he can avoid the discussion entirely.]

Edited 2013-01-24 03:42 (UTC)

[After everything else, it's hard to be frightened of him. She does wonder what happened to him, but that seems a cruel question to ask someone.]

[She does smile, just a little, at his words.] I have enjoyed my stay here, but I know others aren't very fond of the situation.

Enjoyed? [Have as much of an incredulous glance as a not-terribly-expressive stone face will allow.] You enjoy being held against your will in a place where there are problems with -- ["zombies." Hmm.] some kind of monsters? [Yes, that seems a good enough approximation.]

[Her expression falls, a little, when he words things that way.] No, not so much that part.

But I've made new friends. And the curses aren't as bad as I thought they would be. There were some bad things that have happened, but there are still good things, too.

[Gods, it's another Amelia. At least this one's quieter and less -- violently enthusiastic.]

[He can't quite decide how discomfited he is. It takes him a long moment to come up with a reply.]

I guess that's one way to put it.

It's probably different for everyone. The curses affect everyone differently.

[She looks pensive, wondering if she's generalizing the curses too much, and not being considerate enough for the ones that suffer during them. A lot of people don't seem to like them, at all. It's just for Tohru...she has to focus on the better parts. There are other things - worries and concerns - which will swallow her whole, otherwise.]

Differently... [Pensive also, but for entirely different reasons.] It will probably make more sense eventually. [Assuming he's stuck here that long. Which he would rather not, but it's better to plan for the worst.]

[Tohru nods.] It's made more sense the longer I've been here.

But maybe someone else can explain it better than I could. There are a lot of nice people here willing to help out.

[Right. At the "Welcome Center." Which sounds more sketchy than welcoming, but that might be just the 'suddenly and inexplicably somewhere else' talking.]

I'll bear that in mind. But first I should finish healing up. [And get a new tunic, this one is ruined.]

Ah, am I in the way? [Why else would someone mention that? Could he not do the rest with her there? Of course! What if she was making him uncomfortable?]

If you don't need any other help, maybe I should just leave? [It's a sincere, albeit, confused offer.]

[...Damn, there goes his guilt reflex. He is sure there's someone to blame for his inability to blow this girl off.]

No, you're fine. I'd rather have some information than none. [He continues his healing spell, flushing just a bit. Stone skin can indeed blush, and it's really obvious.]

[And Tohru doesn't interpret it as a blush, either. She immediately looks alarmed at seeing the bright pink color against his darker tones.]

Ah! Do you have a fever? [She reaches out to feel his forehead.] Maybe we should have taken you inside and got you dried off. You might get sick!

[Unaccustomed to being touched so suddenly (at least not when it involved being punched from behind), Zelgadis instinctively jerks backwards with a sound of surprise and warning.]

[His arms pinwheel as his balance is upset and then -- ]

[SPLASH.]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry! [The opposite of what she wanted was for him to get soaked, all over again, especially when the weather was still so chilly.]

Please, let me help you up? [She extends a hand, hoping to get him out of the water.]

[He surfaces, sputtering, more embarrassed than worried about the chill.] I'm fine. My skin isn't -- I'm fine. [He crawls back up into the fountain ledge, trying to hide his blushing.]

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