Open Catch-alls for September

[ask_whydunit]

Who; Lord El-Melloi II and anyone!
What; Open catch-alls for September
Where; The Historium, The Magic Academy, and the Harbor District
When; All through September
Warnings; None but will update if something comes up.
Note; If you would like something specific or have an idea, you are welcome to throw it at me. I am also open to writing personalized starters if anyone wants one. I can match action brackets if that's preferred, this is just my default setting lol. I would love to get this guy some more CR. I can be reached at this journal or on discord @ WhimsicalSpook#8219


So this is the academy? - The Magic Academy - OTA

Lord El-Melloi II (or Waver Velvet to some) had finally made his way to the academy for a look around. He’d gathered up a lot of base materials needed for demonstrations and projects that he tended to use as introductions to magic. It sounded like there might at least a few people who were new to these things, and he wasn’t unused to that. Aside from the 'problem students' he attracted at the Clock Tower? His department tended to be where the new, younger mage families gravitated, given he didn’t view them the way that other old-fashioned departments did.

And, recalling one Flat Escardos, sometimes even the experienced student did silly things or forgot basic knowledge.

So the tall mage had a rather bulky bag hanging over his shoulder as he strode through the halls with purpose. Well… Weary purpose, he wasn’t suited for carrying heavy things long distance, really. So the trek to the Academy and through its halls was a bit taxing on the man.

His keen olive green eyes had begun to take in the building, looking around and vaguely wondering what the place had been like before the disaster… Supposedly this was an important fixture at one point in time, if the townsfolk and what those he’d met since arriving had said was to be believed. Right now, he could at least appreciate the work that had been done to start to clean the place up already and see the potential in it.

Waver supposed he could have asked Illyana to show him around, but he didn’t doubt he’d bump into her or someone else at some point. For now, he just wanted to wander and get a feel for the academy on his own, ducking his head into doorways to get a look at the various rooms as he searched for where the lecture halls might be. He hoped to find a room that was suitable for a few students with room to grow, and a place to store the supplies he’d gathered.

And just as he thought he would, eventually he opened a door and stumbled across a person who happened to be around. “Pardon my intrusion.” He commented politely in a lightly British accent, torn between closing the door again and actually making an attempt at being social. The latter winning out, if only because he should probably get to know the people who might be here regularly. “I was just getting a look around.” He added with a nod in greeting.


Lost Among The Shelves - The Historium - OTA

While Waver Velvet had grown and changed quite a bit over the course of nearly ten years… Some things would never change. He had a particular thirst for knowledge and the written word that often had to be ignored in favour of his recent responsibilities in life. Reserved for small lengths of time during quiet afternoons, post-lectures or evenings in after a case solved.

Here, however, the young Lord had very few responsibilities outside those he had begun to take upon himself. He was more of a free agent here than he had been used to more recently, but he was also in desperate need of a distraction from thoughts of the life he needed to get back to and what he’d left behind that needed his attention…

So the Historium was becoming a favoured haunt once he found his way to it. The tall shelves and haphazard organization were a challenge, but one he was more familiar with as he picked at books and tomes at random to slip on top of a pile in his arms. Today, he was wearing something less rumpled than the clothing he’d had when he arrived. A dark brown coat with an oxblood red scarf draped over the lapels and a black dress shirt and pants, with a grey cravat in place of a tie.

For someone with very low physical abilities and muscle, he was seen to gather rather impressive piles as he wandered. Ignoring the strain on his arms and the almost teetering height of them as he carried his selections back to set on an empty table he’d chosen. Comfortable to sit at and hunch over the pages, slender fingers tracing over the words as he devoured each book.

Then it was back for another wander, finding his next targets… One could ask if he had a particular area of interest, but really he seemed to be pulling from one thing to another rather quickly. Even sliding in some novels here and there, detective novels being his preference, and stories about knights or kings and their quests or battles following close behind.

Eventually, the man was quite diminished by the surrounding piles, looking less like the tall, imposing professor that he was and more like the small, naïve young man he used to be. More Waver than El-Melloi II. It was going to be a pain to put everything back whenever he did decide to leave, but that wouldn’t be anytime soon. He wasn’t keen to return to the Red Building, and he was quite comfortable to enjoy this rare indulgence.


It’s run down. It looks like it’s going to collapse. It’s perfect. - Harbor District - OTA

Perhaps someone who went by a title such as he did should be wandering the noble district for a nice space to set up his mage workshop. Or even one of the nicer parts of the market… but that really wasn’t who he was. He was a temporary Lord meant to keep the seat warm for someone else once they were old enough to take their rightful place at the head of the El-Melloi family. It had just been slightly amusing, perhaps, for Reines to see the man who caused Kayneth so much trouble filling the role. Especially given he was a third generation third rate, to have him sitting at the table with the likes of the other Lords was somewhat hilarious.

He had refused to live at the family estate, between wanting to maintain some semblance of freedom and the idea of living in the same house that Kayneth once had, gave him indigestion. Plus… Being easy access for Reine’s teasing would probably age him faster. He had begun to care for his adoptive younger sister, but she still grated on his nerves at times.

Ruffling his feathers was her favourite sport, after all.

His preferences to avoid reminders of some places or people aside, there was something to be said for an uninviting space when you were more or less a social hermit by nature. Harry Dresden had warned him that the harbor district was dangerous, yes, but that also meant he wouldn’t be as likely to be pestered by locals for things that most tended to assume mages were good for. He could conduct magical experiments and research in peace, with only a bounded field to ward off the more brave and a dilapidated appearance to keep the faint of heart from approaching.

For those few anomalies in between...? Well, in exchange for peace and security he might consider mixing some compounds and potions for payment or assisting with some light magecraft if needed. As long as their request wasn't too much of a pain in his ass or above his skill level.

He had finally happened upon an old stonework building that might have been a small tavern at one time by the looks of the faded sign hanging on by one link and swinging faintly in the breeze coming in from the docks. The bricks were crumbling in places, and there was some stubborn plant life splitting the walls in other places as it fought to keep a hold. The windows were caked with dust and dirt, which unfortunately kept him from seeing the inside without going in… But even that was a selling feature. If he couldn’t see in, then no one else could. “Perfect…” He mumbled, nodding his head slightly as he moved to the door, tilting his head as he found the doorknob was stuck, rusted shut.

Well, that wasn’t too much of a problem. Breaking in would be easy enough with a little patience... He’d have to replace the doorknob, anyway. Then he frowned lightly. Glancing over his shoulder, he offered a tired sigh. “If you’re looking to rob me, you should know I have very little of value on me at the moment.”

Comments

Lost Among The Shelves

[bufus]

Mitsuru spend an inordinate amount of time in the Historium. Perhaps part of it was simply out of a desire to stick with what was familiar. Research was something she understood and it was something she was quite good at. The problem lately had become the simple fact that she wasn't quite certain what she was looking for. At this point, more than anything, she simply wanted something new to learn. What she needed was something to dive into and dedicate herself to.

At the moment she had several books tucked under arms including one about scrying with mirrors. After the adventures through that mirror world she'd found herself particularly curious about myths involving mirrors. Initially she had hoped that she could find some answers if she looked into it, but she'd grown more and more convinced that was not the correct path. At the very least it gave her something new to learn, which was appreciated in it's own right. One thing she hadn't expected was to find another here. It seemed rare for her to run into anyone else, let alone someone piling up books like this man was.

"Do you really intend to read all these?"

[ask_whydunit]

Sometimes when you’ve spent the better part of a day… Or two… reading, it was a bit jarring to happen upon another person. He had certainly not expected to see someone else or to be asked about his current selection. “Huh?” He blinked, looking a bit like an owl, as he tilted his head around the stack of books to look at the young woman in some surprise. She actually looked a little familiar… Had he saw her around the red building? Possibly, they were neighbors even if he didn’t realize it at the moment.

Finally, clearing his throat awkwardly to bypass his momentary confusion, he offered an answer. “Yes, I do. Hard to not take advantage of a place like this while the time allows. There are many titles I’ve never seen before, not even in the dustier sections of the Clock Tower Library in my world.” There was a particular comfort in research, and Waver had always been the sort to devour knowledge when something caught his interest. Even if some of his points of views had shifted with new experience in life, it was something he’d never really grown out of. It was all useful in its own way, even if he couldn’t fully utilize it the way some mages might. It helped with planning subjects for class and with casework alike.

It was not strange for him to pull several all nighters like this, or to fall asleep at his desk.

He squinted slightly, picking out the titles on the spines of her own selections with some interest. “It would seem you’re doing the same, though.”

[bufus]

Truth be told, Mitsuru had not taken note of any of her neighbors. Perhaps she should have put some sort of effort into looking into who might surround her, but it wasn't something that had occured to her. It had become more and more frequent for her to simply keep to herself. More often than not that obviously involved her visiting this place.

She stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose there is truth to that. This place truly does seem to have a seemingly endless supply of books. I have almost found myself at a loss of what to pick up next." She admitted with a small smile. "I do apologize if I surprised you though. I am not entirely used to running into others here." Not because others didn't come, but just because she seemed to have a talent for avoiding people. "Clock Tower library? That sounds like quite an interesting place." Unless it wasn't truly a clocktower, in which case it might be a tad bit disappointing.

She chuckled "I suppose so. Though a bit less than you. I have always found a comfort in learning." There was something very nice about being in a library.

[ask_whydunit]

“So you understand my conundrum, then.” He responded with a small, rare smile as he adjusted his hold on the books to avoid an accidental topple of the small tower.

At her apology, he shook his head a little in place of waving it off. “It’s fine. There was no harm done. I tend to get a bit distracted when I’m caught up in research.” She wasn’t used to running into others around here? Hm… That was a sad thought, but not surprising. Places like this were the haunt for particular kinds of people, and even if there might be a few in this world… It was easy to miss people in a library this large. “I see… I would hope people would utilize a place like this frequently, it’s conveniently place on top of the impressive selection.” Which was to say, she could probably expect to see him around frequently between the immense selection and not having arrived with any of his own books.

Interesting was certainly a word for it and complicated another. “The library is one of its better points, certainly. Especially if you’re looking for books on various kinds of magic. Though I believe the people who work there would be somewhat jealous of this place if they saw it.” It was slightly more than a clock tower, but at least Mitsuru would not be disappointed to find the main academic building actually was a small clock tower that resembled the city’s more famous Big Ben.

Now that it had been pointed out, he couldn’t really deny the pile he had was excessive. As was the collection he’d already gone through back at the table... “You do make a good point, but I figured it would save me the trip going back to grab the others as references to the main books.” He added with a slight awkward almost shrug. “Your looking into mirrors, though, I see. Is that concerning the mirror situation I heard happened just before my arrival?” He had covered the one in his apartment with a sheet. Hadn’t liked what he saw.

He started walking, if only because his arms were getting tired given he wasn’t particularly strong as people went. Waver was going to need to put them down in his space before he dropped them. “And I would agree, there is comfort to be found in knowledge for a few reasons.” That was part of why he was there now. The temptation of new or lost knowledge, and the comfort of something familiar that he was good at, instead of driving himself mad over the events he’d been pulled out of.

[bufus]

"I think I do," she returned his smile with a one of her own, though hers qualified more as a hint of a smile. "Perhaps if you have any suggestions on interesting topics you could let me know?" It might give her more direction on what to look towards for her next project.

"I see. I suppose I can understand that. I have been told before that I too often get a bit caught up in my studies." Actually, she was told that quiet often. Usually followed by complaints because the others didn't want to study at all. It was quite a frustrating circle to go through. "Sadly there seem to be few people with a healthy motivation for continuing their studies here." It seemed in most cases people were treating this place as some sort of vacation. Or perhaps that was a bit too judgmental of her. Not that she would recognize that unless it was pointed out. Being accidentally judgmental was something of a common thing for her.

"Ah, books on magic would be quite intriguing. I have found myself a bit curious about different kinds lately." Her own magic came from her Persona and seemed quite different from most she'd read about. That had led her to wonder if there were any sorts of magic out there that were even remotely similar to her own. Her reluctance to speak about her Persona did make questioning others a bit difficult though. "I believe most who appreciate knowledge would be jealous of this place." Perhaps not the circumstances that allowed them to be in it though.

"Surely you couldn't finish all of these before having to return to your apartment for some sort of rest." Unless he was just ....sleeping here? Come to think on it though she wasn't certain if books would be put back up if they were left out. Perhaps it was safe to leave them.

His observation got small blush from her and then a quick nod. It felt a bit silly now that someone had noticed that she was even looking into it. Nothing of value was going to be found this way and yet she still hadn't been able to stop herself. "Ah, yes. Though I have yet to find anything that offers any sort of clues in regards to the nature of," she waved a free hand which resulted in her nearly dropping the books she held in the other. After a second of scrambling she tightened her grip. "That place. It was...a very strange event that I find myself personally invested in." In a weird way it felt similar to Tartarus. It wasn't that place, so it wasn't her responsible, and yet...well, she couldn't help herself. Often it felt easier to take responsibility for things. It meant she had some minute bit of control.

She walked along side of him, though her steps were decidedly shorter than his. "I am glad to hear at least one person agree."

Habour

[orangewayfinder]

Terra was wandering around as he often did. His thoughts were of Namine, wondering if she might come back or if she was even okay. He was working two jobs and racing chocobos so he had plenty to keep him busy. The busier he was, the less time he had to ponder over things such as his past mistakes. He was considering trying to learn to cook, but wasn't sure how that was going to go over.

So he wandered some more and kept to himself. No one bothered him and he didn't bother anyone. He was thinking about going to the tavern for dinner since they always cooked better than he did. and it wasn't like he didn't have the funds to purchase it. He just always wondered what it was like to be able to cook. Aqua had done all of that back home. And he missed her and Ven something fierce, and he hoped that they were alright in the darkness without him.

His boots eventually turned him in the direction of the harbour and he watched as some guy approached a building. There wasn't anything wrong there that he could tell, but as he passed by, Terra heard what the man said and so he stopped.

"I wasn't looking to bother you."

Habour

[ask_whydunit]

The words are met with a slight relaxation of the man’s shoulders, some of the masked anxiety over a confrontation leaving him. Not all of it, of course, people lied to make you let your guard down, after all... But he at least turned properly from the rusted doorknob to get a better look at the man whose approach he’d heard and gives him a casual once over, arms folded. “My apologies then, sir. I didn’t expect to see someone here, and I’d been warned that this area is particularly known for being a little more dangerous than other parts of the city.” But as he took in the sight of the other, the way Terra carried himself and his overall appearance, he decided the man didn’t have the look of a mugger. “I see now that I was mistaken, however.”

The question was, who was he and what kind of person was he? The young Lord could make some vague guesses, of course. Someone wandering out here so casually probably wasn’t too worried about an attack themselves… And something in the guy’s posture reminded him of certain people he’d met in the past.

[orangewayfinder]

"You know, I've heard that too about this place." Terra agreed. But honestly he wasn't looking to start a fight, this just happened to be where his feet had carried him tonight. And while the guy seemed to relax his stance and attitude, to the keyblade wielder he was just happy that the guy was okay. It was a rough place here in the harbour district, but nobody bothered Terra. And of course that didn't mean that was the same for everyone else.

"Are you new to this world too?" It didn't hurt to ask. This was just him being friendly and open, because there wasn't any reason to be either rude or cold. He was just making sure things were okay, the guy seemed like he was safe.

[ask_whydunit]

Well, if Terra had heard it too… That definitely backed up what Harry had told him. It seemed that there was at least some truth to the danger, though he counted himself lucky that Terra wasn’t the sort. He was not prepared for confrontations in the least, and his apprentice was the one more combat ready in a pinch. He just had false bravado and talked a big game most of the time, or defaulted to simple tricks with magecraft the rest. “Seems a shame that it’s spoken of that frequently. There must be some truth to it then.”

Still, this was the most convenient place for him to set up his workshop… Undesirable, and not far from running water. The best place would have probably been the sewers, but he had bad experiences with sewers… He was not a fan of the mages he’d met who took up residence in them.

Since Terra did seem to be honest with him, he resumed looking for something to break the door knob. A rock… Or a brick… He didn’t have any of his chemical compounds that could eat through anything at the moment, just those that could detect traces of mana. So the simple method it was.

That said, he also wasn’t exactly going to be rude. His younger self might’ve been, though. Actually, his younger self would have probably gotten scared enough to yell at the guy. “I am, actually. Arrived a few days ago, and just getting a better idea of the city and a place I can set myself up given it sounds like people tend to be stuck here a while.” He responded and explained vaguely, as he picked up a brick and tested its durability on the cobblestone at his feet. “Are you also new to his place, then?”

Academy

[akindofmagic]

England had taken the advice he'd received to heart. It had been quite the humbling experience to realize that he needed something to do before he drove himself crazy. He'd even checked out the chocobo ranch because he'd never seen such a creature before and had spent somewhere around an hour learning a great deal about them from one of the chocobo farm hands.

He was used to being needed and called on or doing important things and while that almost seemed fun to have free time on his hands, in the end it wore him down. Cooking was of no help either because it didn't bring him any joy. So Arthur had gone out and wandered the woods. And that was when he heard of the Academy. Since he too had magic and he always had wondered what it would be like to be an actual teacher, he practically jumped on the opportunity.

His classes started in a few days, so England was at the Academy, feeling excited at the prospect of teaching. He had so many ideas and the first thing he'd done was straighten up the classroom. Far be it from him to teach in a dirty environment. So as he was finishing up, he heard his door open.

Green eyes blinked almost disbelievingly at the accent, but he made no comment about it for the moment. He smiled and nodded at the stranger. "By all means, please do come in."

Academy

[ask_whydunit]

The young Lord hadn’t expected to run into someone with a similar accent to his own. It made him wonder if he was from the same world or one that was at least similar. Regardless of that, however? If the man was a mage, it meant that he got particular practiced manners from Waver until he got a better idea of the man’s personality. You didn’t risk disrespecting people who were probably more powerful than you, not unless you wanted to be cursed or worse. Illyana had received a similar respect, though she had also quickly provoked a particularly less formal sarcasm from him with her teasing soon after the meeting.

“Thank you.” He offered with a nod before entering the classroom properly, shifting the heavy, bulky bag on his shoulder as he got a look around. It seemed he was at least in the right part of the building for classrooms, if the appearance of this space were anything to go by. “Are you one of the other teachers I’ve heard about, then?” The man at least seemed like he might be, given the attention he had clearly put in to organizing and tidying up the space.

[akindofmagic]

Arthur was really happy to hear the accent and had questions but those could come later. Right now if this man was indeed one of the other teachers, it would be best to get along with him. As long as they didn't have irritating presences such as America had, it would work well.

And this would give him something to do and pass on should he find himself having gone home unexpectedly one day. He himself would never have children to pass on the knowledge that he had gained and America never displayed any talent for the art nor had Sealand. But this was a chance to dare to put passion and talent into something he'd never given himself permission to dream about.

The blonde head shook. "I am not sure if they've gotten around to putting my name out there as I just got accepted yesterday. But in either case, I'm Arthur Kirkland, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

[ask_whydunit]

Waver at least tended to be easier to get along with as long as you didn’t get on his last nerve, which was at least slightly harder than it had been in his younger years. His fits tended to be reserved for behind closed doors, or a pile of too many things tipping the scales. Otherwise, he tended towards fairly quiet when at work and serious about his job with the odd gripe about the occasional foolishness of his students. The only person who proved they might be able to provoke his dramatic, prickly side so far had been Illyana herself, and he still had offered to take a position here at the school.

“Yes, I don’t know that I’ve seen a list of names at all yet, either. Somehow, I think we’ll be left to introduce ourselves.” Which was a minor annoyance. He did like to actually know who he’d be dealing with. But at least he’d met someone by chance, and first impressions here were better than most he’d had back in his world. “Lord El-Melloi II, it’s a nice to meet you Mr. Kirkland.” Waver returned the introduction out of habit. There is no evident self-importance in his tone at the title… Just a name given. Truth be told, the man hated it. He found it both grating on his nerves and heavy… but it had been about 7 years since he’d gone by his own name, with no one but Melvin using it, and it was a habit more than anything now.

“I’m also just recently signed on to teach as well. Today is my first time seeing the Academy.” He added, glancing around the space thoughtfully. “I don’t suppose you know if there are any other open classrooms nearby for someone to set up?” It seemed worth asking, especially since Arthur seemed to have found himself a place he might have seen others before he decided on this room.

It’s run down. It looks like it’s going to collapse. It’s perfect. - Harbor District

[blindpuppet]

Enis was standing a few yards away from the door, her back pressed against the building wall as if her presence was a casual fixture. She had little hideouts tucked all over the harbor district and while the room in this particular building had been vacant for a few weeks, she'd been curious to see someone attempting to enter.

Her eyebrow rose at the man's assertion, curious and surprised at his assumption. In response a cool feminine voice replied. "You wouldn't have seen me if I was looking to rob you." She also doubted that anyone wandering around this area would have something that she'd want.

"I'm just a curious passerby." It wasn't usual for someone to be breaking into these old buildings.

[ask_whydunit]

Waver’s luck tended to run in a particular direction, and that direction very firmly was southward. So it was rather easy for him to expect a random mugging in the middle of the part of a city known for it. Especially when he’d been going out of his way to avoid people, because that was how the universe just worked sometimes. So it was more surprising to hear otherwise, really.

At her words, he turned properly to get a look at the woman who’d apparently been simply passing by.

Her rather confident response didn’t exactly fill the magus with a feeling of security. It was nice to know she didn’t intend to rob him, of course… But the fact that she was confident he wouldn’t see her coming if she had intended to was a little unsettling. “Your comment suggests that you either have experience with creeping up on someone to rob them or something else. How lucky of me to have run into you on some kind of day off or break.” He responded, tone a little dry as he intended to sound a little less awkward about the interaction than he felt at the moment.

And a curious passerby was curious in itself in a place like this… “Odd place to be a passerby, though. To my knowledge, this isn’t exactly a popular part of the city.” He added, gesturing at their rather dismal looking surroundings.

Pot meet kettle, Waver. It’s just as weird that you’re here.

[blindpuppet]

Her lips quirked into a smirk while a pair of vibrant blue eyes shimmered with uncontrollable laughter. Maybe it was the influence of those around her but she found his dry reply absolutely hilarious. "You make it sound like you're often lucky." She hadn't really meant to give him a hard time but she wasn't talented at interacting with people or picking up on social cues.

She really was just curious.

"I like walking around here so if you're moving in you might see me a lot." She pointed at the door with an easy expression. "Do you want help opening that?" It was weird that he was wandering around the harbor but its towards the bottom of the list of 'weird' shit.

[ask_whydunit]

Waver’s face shifts to something between embarrassed and ruffled at that expression on her face. It’s near enough to one he’s seen quite often in his day-to-day life. Certain people in his life just found an excess of mirth in making him feel awkward. Though at least there was something a little less purposeful on this woman’s part…

He thinks…

His own social skills aren’t much better, though, and it’s obvious as he huffs out an annoyed breath at her expression and the question. “On days that end in ‘Y’ mostly.” He responded in the same tone as before, with just a hint of dramatic honesty there.

So she genuinely just liked walking around here? Huh… Well, that was vaguely interesting to consider, given what he’d been told about the area. “I might be, might not be either. Depends on a few things.” He responded with a vague shrug of his shoulders, considering how to best break in to the building. Maybe bust the doorknob or something… He was being vague on purpose, of course. So far, this looked like the best place he could find to set himself up. It was far enough away from the main flow of traffic in the area that it should be quiet enough, even if it seemed like the area wasn’t quite as abandoned as he thought.

The follow-up questions get a glance over his shoulder again, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the woman. Did it look like he was having that much trouble with a door? Yes, yes it did. Which was both embarrassing and slightly annoying to think she could make the suggestion so easily. “Ah… Kind offer to make. I was going to go and get something to deal with it… but what were you thinking?” He responded carefully. It wasn’t that he doubted she could do it, so much as he wasn’t sure what to make of the offer of help.

The Academy

[harrythelizard]

After a certain conversation it was brought to Harry's attention he really should get a good look around at the Academy. Besides, he'd also been challenged by Illyana to set up wards around the place in case some of her new students wanted to test their wings on a tome that was best left closed. Most of the Academy's protections had worn away over time or were completely obliterated by whatever happened in the basement so he had his work cut out for him.

In was in a state of examining an outer wall that Melloi found him, senses extended to get a feel for the boundaries and finding them painfully wanting.

He most certainly did not jump whenever the Second spoke, either, because he was a full-fledged wizard, so help him, and he was not easy to spook. Just ignore that faint gathering of power as he turned around. It was not a reflex action to attack whoever was coming for him.

"Oh, hey, the Second! Fancy running into you here."

[ask_whydunit]

The professor had wondered if he might run into Harry here at some point, given their conversation a little while back. What he hadn’t expected was the rather… Alarmed reaction from the wizard when he happened upon him. “Huh…?” His eyes widened slightly in alarm as he definitely sensed the power that was flaring up around the other man, causing him to take a step back and to mentally activate his lacking magic circuits on instinct. He certainly wasn’t in the mood for testing his luck with defending or redirecting some kind of magical attack at the moment, but he was damn used to trying, given how often he was attacked without being prepared for it himself.

Then Harry seemed to have recognized him, and the lord’s posture relaxed slightly with some relief, expression returning to something vaguely neutral if a little exhausted from the walk and the sudden startle. “A surprise indeed, Harry.” He responded, slight emphasis on the word surprise there as he adjusted his hold on the bag of supplies he had over his shoulder. “Between our conversation and one with the woman trying to reopen the place, I thought it was about time I saw it for myself.”

His eyes rose to look at the walls himself again. It definitely looked the part of a school… But he would agree with Harry on the subject of wards if the topic came up. There wasn’t much there compared to what he was used to feeling in place at the Clock Tower. “Didn’t mean to interrupt, though.” Translation: sorry for giving you a fright, sir.

[harrythelizard]

"Hey, don't worry about it." He willed the energy he'd collected into a more reasonable order, breathing evenly in order to calm himself. That was what he got for letting his senses fun rampant for too long. Seeing and feeling too much of your surroundings made you jumpy, but the other guy didn't need to know he'd laid himself bare that way. It was a rookie mistake and one he shouldn't have let happen.

"The place isn't much to look at yet, but maybe that'll change." Illyana seemed bent on that being the case, and Harry was going to do his part to make that a reality. "So, what do you think of the place so far?"

[ask_whydunit]

“Alright, then.” He responded, not entirely sure given the reaction… But Harry had described himself as someone who had trouble thrown his way often, as someone who could relate to that… It didn’t seem entirely strange. Just a little unsettling to nearly be on the receiving end of said startlement. He at least relaxed a little once the energy around the man seemed to have calmed some. Deactivating his circuits mentally and letting his shoulders loosen up slightly.

“I certainly hope so, seems a shame to me to leave a place like this to ruin.” He responded thoughtfully. If there was one thing the lord held rather high, it was a place like this. Especially one that might stand a chance at not turning into a damn pit of vipers. “Haven’t seen much, so far. But what I have seen shows promise… It’s an impressive space, if an utter mess. Would have liked to have seen it before the whole incident.” He responded with a glance at the outer walls. “Needs a lot of work though, and some wards.” He added with a light frown, not as many as the clock tower at least. Magic wasn’t a secret here, so not needing to set up a field to disguise the place would probably save time.

Harbor District

[stealerofhearts]

The Harbor district was a secluded place, filled with ne'er do wells, and other hermits who wanted seclusion over socialization. Ren and his friends fit that bill to a degree, and Ren preferred the place more than the others. It wasn't that he didn't like people so much as he enjoyed being able to drop the mask like he did around his friend. There was adventure here, thrills, danger -- it was everything he enjoyed.

He often made a meandering trek to their hideout, keeping to the roofs as he made his way back to the harbor district, then going far afield of the place before making his way to the ground, changing from his Thief costume to normal clothing, then walking back to the area before going through the secret entrance.

He had a hand in his pocket, the other holding a coat over his shoulder as he made his way down the street, sidestepping an unidentifiable mound of something on the walk and brushing near enough to the gentleman who'd been inspecting the door to an abandoned old tavern.

"No threat of that." His marks were usually bigger. "Do...you need a hand?"

[ask_whydunit]

Waver admittedly hadn’t expected to see a teenager when he got the sense that someone was behind him.

And yet, that was exactly what he saw as he turned to face the young man properly. He couldn’t have been much older than his students, really. Which made the original concern he’d felt when he heard steps draw to a stop behind him all the more absurd. Not that young people weren’t capable of those things or more, most of his students could end him with very little effort if they so desired… More that the assumption that a one would naturally have that intent was sad, and if he had been out to steal, then that was probably out of necessity. Especially when, in the very next breath, the young man offered him help. “Ah… My mistake, then.”

That said, it was hard to not wonder what the teen was doing in this part of the city, which was why he studied Ren for a moment with a slight narrowing of his eyes. Not judging so much as the expression of a concerned adult. One that knew that asking a stupid question like ‘what are you doing around here?’ would get a stupid vague answer. So instead, he focused on the offer, which might give him a better idea of who he was dealing with. “You any good with rusted doors?”

[stealerofhearts]

It wasn't an expression Ren was wholly unfamiliar with, he'd made a number of friends older than he was and they were always worried about the choices he made in life. Many of them looked concerned when they'd told him they'd figured out he was a Phantom Thief, but he wasn't entirely used to seeing it on the face of an adult he'd never met before.

That said, just being in the harbor district meant he didn't need to worry too much about pretending he was innocent. You just didn't find that sort around here, and if you did, they'd were usually completely broke and picked clean by pickpockets.

He threw the jacket he was carrying over a stack of crates stacked nearby and came closer, nodding. "I might have something." And he did, in his bag, have a crowbar, a small one, used to, well, pry open stuck doors among other things. He set the satchel down and started to rummage through it.

"Exploring, huh?"

[ask_whydunit]

Honestly, it would have been weirder to the man if Ren had put on the innocent act here, and would have made him slightly suspicious. Even Flat hadn’t managed to pull the wool over his eyes with magecraft when trying to fool him when they met. Waver was particularly observant, even for a mage. It was a trait that came in handy and got him into trouble in equal measures, of course.

“Yeah?” He leaned against the door, abandoning his attempt at forcing it himself and folding his arms with a raised brow as the teen started to rummage through his bag. “You carry around a took kit or something?” He would be surprised to find that was partially true whenever Ren found his crowbar.

For now, he considered the question thoughtfully, deciding there wasn’t much point in lying on the topic. “Something like that.” He responded with a glance at some of the junk still lying around. “I’ve been looking for a place to set up, and this part of the city seems to have no shortage of unused spaces.” This one seemed a decent size and distance from the district’s actual businesses. He had a feeling if he could get a look around inside that it would be good enough for what he had in mind.

That said, he took the opportunity to turn the question around after having volunteered an answer himself. “What about you? Are you ‘just exploring,’ or are you usually around here lending a helpful hand to strangers?”