052 [Voice/Action]

[mountain_sage]

[First, Saleh has a small, random inquiry.]

I have been curious of something as of late. Are there any citizens who have natural wings in their own world? Were your wings altered when you were brought into this world?

[Action]

[Since another New Feather Cycle is upon them, Saleh is once again attending to his duty in the forest. He visits the Welcome Center to pick up supplies, then carries them out to the New Feather stations. Once he replenishes the station, he'll tidy it up a bit, straighten out the sheets on the bed, and fold an extra blanket on top of it. When that's done, he'll pick up a sack with an extra blanket to take out into the forest in case he meets a freezing newcomer.]

Comments

Action

[relictusdeus]

[Shoulders hunched against the cold, Isaac forged onwards with his spear in hand, his high-heeled boots plunging through soft snow. His skin was studded with goosebumps; metal and leather alone, of course, did not provide good insulation, and he was wearing little more over his upper body than a black, waist-length cape with but one clasp at the neck to hold it shut. His dragon, Balaur, had been summoned to melt a path through larger mounds of snow with its fiery breath, and between commands, it huddled over his shoulder beneath his cloak for warmth, its breath hot on his skin.

Isaac simply hated chilly weather, but the fact of the matter was that he could not avail himself of his teleportational ability without first familiarizing himself with Luceti's geography, notable locations, and landmarks first.

All things would come together in time, he reminded himself.]

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[It wasn't long before Saleh spotted the figures ahead. Both Isaac and his dragon had an odd appearance that took Saleh off guard for a moment. He didn't speak at first, but he brought his sack forward from his shoulder, ready to offer it to the newcomer if needed. He stopped and watched the person as he walked.]

Hmm...?

[Action]

[relictusdeus]

[Feeling someone's gaze lingering on him, he paused and slanted a sharp, sidelong glance, his eyes glinting under his hood. The irises were a chilling, almost luminous white, starkly contrasting his dark pupils.]

What are you looking at? [He hissed, seeming every bit a wary, wild animal - and then sneered in amusement, his stare deliberately fixed and unblinking. The wind was fierce, but his pride was fiercer still; he resisted the urge to shiver as best he could, but it was only a matter of time before his body betrayed him, racked by little tremors.]

[Action]

[mountain_sage]

[The newcomer's eyes make Saleh wary as well, but his posture is unwavering.]

...Nothing. However, you look cold. I have a spare blanket, if you need it.

[Action]

[relictusdeus]

Nothing~?. [Isaac echoed, bursting into a gleeful laugh like a man on the brink of a nervous breakdown.] ...Is that right? [His smile tightened in an instant and some undefinable emotion flickered across his face, seemingly a warning that he was intending to do something violent on an impulse.

But instead, the devil forgemaster was taken off guard by Saleh's offer. He gazed back with a blank expression for a beat too long, standing still, his breath misting in the air.

Why would anyone- -

Damn it... what was he doing?

His lips peeled back, his eyes freezing over once more - and he fixed an ugly look on Saleh as if the fellow had offered him a bowl of poisoned broth to drink.

Trickery!]

I need not your pity nor your charity!! [He spat fiercely, throwing an arm out to the side as if to backhand someone behind him.]

[geniustheveil]

[She comes as Mercury to answer this one.]

Although I haven't seen it in my world, in a world very similar to mine, there are people capable of using wings at will.

[mountain_sage]

Have any of them arrived in Luceti?

[geniustheveil]

A long time ago. [Something about her tone suggests this is not particularly a line of thought she wishes to pursue.]

[mountain_sage]

Had their wings been altered when they were here?

[geniustheveil]

They had the wings everyone else here has. [Sort of. It's a bit hard to explain, when the wings aren't always a part of their form anyway.]

voice

[wannabolt]

My wings weren't messed with, but I still hate having an extra pair. It's just plain tacky.

voice

[mountain_sage]

So you kept your own wings? That's good to hear. Though I can imagine that having an extra pair would be difficult.

voice

[wannabolt]

Seriously. And who ever heard of a four-winged pegasus pony? They shoulda just left me with my real wings and called it a day.

voice

[mountain_sage]

I'm not certain if they gave us these wings on purpose. I believe it may be this world's natural shift.

[But the other comment pings him, sort of.]

...You're a pegasus?

[mistlegacy]

[Rydia's puttering about the Welcome Center, relieved that the snow has stopped falling for now. She hums to herself, emerging from the kitchen with some hot cider to settle down at one of the tables and look over her shopping list for the place.]

[mountain_sage]

[Saleh enters the Welcome Center, tired from all the walking. He's still carrying the sack with the blanket in it, so he walks across the room to stow it in one of the cabinets for the time being. He glances at Rydia as she works, debating whether to join her at the table, or call it a day and head home. So he'll stand for now, with a far-off look in his eyes.]

[mistlegacy]

[She glances up, after a moment.]

Saleh? Oh, come sit down! You look as though you could use the chance to relax and get warm. Do you want some cider?

[mountain_sage]

[He glances over at her as his chain of thought is interrupted.]

Rydia...yes, thank you.

[He goes to join her at the table.]

[voice]

[first_darkness]

Mine have remained as they were before.

[voice]

[mountain_sage]

Is that so?

[So the general consensus so far is that the natural wings are unaffected.]

I see. Thank you.

[voice]

[first_darkness]

Why does it matter to you?

[voice]

[mountain_sage]

There was someone in my world for whom I was searching. She has her own wings, so I was wondering if her wings would vanish if she winds up here.

[rashness]

[In the relative dimness of the woods, a bright blue flame and the great light it gives off probably extend for quite a distance. Right now, Rin Okumura is trying to train the way he told Shura he would. Sureh e got derailed and he can't draw the sword right now, but.

Three candles are in front of him. He's trying to light only two of them without lighting the middle. He only has maybe 30 candles so he can only make so many attempts. But he's just sitting there glaring at them. And every now and then, they light up with a bright blue fire. sometimes all three, sometimes he immolates a whole candle. But with a surprising frequency he manages to do his objective. Much more than at home]

[mountain_sage]

[The light does indeed make Saleh curious, and he carefully makes his way towards the source. This person looks quite busy, to Saleh watches silently, to avoid disturbing him.]

[rashness]

[Okay glaring at the candles. Focus... focus. Now he's int he clearing and thinks he's alone, his long fuzzy tail is out of his pants, currently curling idly around a branch from the tree he's leaning against as he stares at the candles on the ground.

And...

Awesome. Both lit, not the middle. Now he needs to try to put out the blue fire with his mind. That's harder]