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!))

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[At first, Tohru had thought he was a statue, then noticed the blood, which threw her into a slight panic. Then he fell right into the fountain, fortunately, before she could take her conniption to him.] Sir?

[She rushed over and tried to move him, get his mouth out of the water.] You could drown like that! Are you alright? Sir? [But he's heavy, and even just trying to pull his head out of the water and turn him over a little is taking a lot out of her, as his blood, led by the water, stains her socks and skin.]

[Fortunately, the touch is enough of a shock to get him moving, sputtering as he lifts his face out of the water.]

What in the... [He clutches at the side of the fountain with his free hand (the other still holding his sword) and apparently decides to abandon clever swears in favor of catching his breath.]

[She tries again when she doesn't get a response, but at least he's breathing.]

Are you all right? The blood.... Do you need any help?

[Oh. Wow. That is one hot voice.]

The Welcome Center has plenty of beds if you need a place to stay. Some jobs, too. Did you just get here?

[As if finally realizing he's not where he expected to be, Zelgadis looks around frantically. The Dark Lord, the battle, Lina and the others, where...?]

[His eyes finally settle on the girl who's trying to help him. In his shock, he seems like he can't decide whether to be scared or offended.] Where am I? What's happened? [He tries to push himself up, and fails, sloshing back into the water.] Dammit. [He starts to try again, a teeth-gritting effort, and finally manages to drag himself to more-or-less sit on the base of the fountain.]

Apparently. [He can't claim to know the exact timing, as the last he remembers is his vision going black as the life was squeezed out of him.]

There's a welcome center? [That combined with her complete lack of surprise...] I take it new arrivals are a somewhat regular occurrence.

[She remains concerned, and when he tries to get up, reaches out to help.] Please, let me help you.

[She even follows him to the base.] You're in a place they call the City. I don't know exactly where it is, though. And no one I've talked to knows how we get here. [Tohru remains downcast. He's in bad shape, and she has nothing but half answers and bad news for him.]

There's a Welcome Center and there are plenty of empty apartments. You can just move in and the City gives you a grace period without rent to get on your feet.

And there are always businesses looking for jobs, you just have to do a little foot work or check out the network.

Welcome to the City.

[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.]

[When he just appeared, Yin could tell he wasn't a statue. Unless the City was investing in statues that breathe. She was in the Welcome Center, to start, but had her observer spirit spying on Zelgadis from the fountain, where it normally was. It was, indeed, one of the best ways to find newcomers, before they found the network, or other people.]

[It was only when he collapsed into the water Yin left the Welcome Center and went to the pool, slowly, as always. Her leisurely pace might have sent the message she was out for a sight seeking walk, rather than approaching a bleeding man in a fountain.]

[Once there, she only reached over, hand going to his shoulder, to see if a touch would awaken him. It probably wasn't good he was bleeding, and breathing fountain water.]

Edited 2013-01-21 02:38 (UTC)

[Huh. That sounds almost too simple. He considers camping out instead as he hates the idea of being beholden, but he'll ask about that in a moment.]

Network. [He says it thoughtfully, never having heard the term before.] That would be the manner of communicating with this... thing?

[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?

[The touch springs him into movement, his battered body visibly struggling for it. His sword emerges first, taking a blind swing at whoever might be 'attacking' him, but there's plenty of warning for her to retract her hand before he strikes it.]

[His head lifts out of the water, a few coughs sound as he whirls around to look at her, eyes darting about in fear and suspicion.]

That would be it, yes.

It's a handy thing.

[She doesn't retract it, though, not being quick to begin with. Yin takes the blow without comment, or without much reaction at all. That isn't to say it doesn't hurt.]

[When he seems to be awake, and more alert, she does the job she's paid for, voice monotone.]

Welcome to the City. The Welcome Center is not far from here. [But the next bits have little to do with it.] There is a hospital, also, if you have need of it.

Hm. [Half a huff, because he can't quite decide what he thinks of it yet.]

I saw some woods nearby. Do people ever camp there instead of take one of those... rooms? [The word 'apartment' is foreign to him too, being used to inns, when they didn't slam the door in his face, that is.]

[He blinks owlishly, not quite able to focus on what she's saying. Welcome Center? What the hell mess has he landed in? Where's everyone else?]

I don't need a hospital. [He continues to bleed as he slumps against the fountain's base, not much caring that he looks half dead. Not to mention half drowned.] Who brought me here? I have to get back. [He gestures with his sword, which doubtless would be much more threatening if he didn't look like he could barely lift it.]

There are some who do, but with all the snow from the recent blizzard it may not be your most comfortable option.

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.]

[Even if he could, she still wouldn't be threatened. Yin just sticks by him.]

It is popular belief certain people referred to as the deities bring us, and keep us, here. It has yet to be confirmed. [She cares almost as much he looks half dead. And yet....]

Would you care for a guide? The Welcome Center has a first aid kit, if you feel that's more suitable.

[Fantastic. Usually a bit of cold won't deter someone with his endurance, but the thought of sleeping in an unknown place while being wet and half-frozen besides seems less than appealing.] Right.

Do people find jobs over this thing, too? [A silly hope, but he'll never get anywhere once people have seen him. Life has taught him that much.]

[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.]

Absolutely. A lot of places do.

But I always think it's easier to just stop in someplace. They're going to want to meet you before hiring anyway most of the time.

[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.]

[A barely audible sigh. He was afraid of that. But, nothing for it. He survived on his cunning back home in spite of his appearance, he'll do the same here.]

What sort of places are there? I've worked as a bodyguard in the past.

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