Lord El-Melloi II - Waver Velvet (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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aterat2022-09-09 07:29 pm
ask_whydunit) wrote in aterat2022-09-09 07:29 pm
Open Catch-alls for September
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.”
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.”
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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.”
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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.
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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.
no subject
"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."
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He rather wondered if that was to say that she had magic of a sort herself or if her curiosity had simply been prompted by the fact that there was magic here. There seemed to be a little of both for arrivals in this place, though the fact that she said ‘different kinds’ at least made him feel a little more certain of the former. “Oh? In that case, I’ll consider something of that nature for my recommendations for you.” He added, thinking back on her request from moments ago. “Are there different kinds you’re thinking of specifically, or is it a general curiosity about what might be out there?” He asked, hoping to get a better idea of the young woman’s interest and what direction he should send her on her research.
He opened his mouth to agree on the subject of jealousy of such a collection of knowledge, but she asked him about his intent to finish the books he had been balancing in his arms and he paused. “I certainly do intend to? I can find a moment to rest once my curiosity has been satisfied.” Or when his body forced it, which tended to be the case when he fell asleep at his desk. Besides all that… There was a lot on his mind, between arriving in an unfamiliar world and the situation he’d been plucked out of. The familiarity of research and hiding away in books was a comfort and indulgence that he needed at the moment.
Ah, so she was one of the people who had actually touched a mirror… If he noticed the blush, he had the decency to not point it out and embarrass her further. Really, there was nothing to feel silly about, in his opinion. Looking to learn more about something that you had gotten caught up in was only good sense, in his opinion. One couldn’t make a plan for the future without putting in the effort to learn about something that might become a problem again. One of his lectures for new students actually involved mirrors, so it wasn’t an unfamiliar topic for him. “I should like to hear more about what you saw, in that case. I had wondered what might be on the other side when I learned of the situation, mirrors have long been windows into alternate universes… but given the incorrect appearance of my own reflection I decided against it.” His reflection would have made a goddamned mess, he was quite certain of that.
It was hard for him to remember, sometimes, that he had grown as tall as he had in the last few years. Around Mitsuru’s age, he had only been 5’1” and so he probably could stand to remember what it was like to need to keep up with someone of a significant height. But she was keeping up well enough, and luckily the table he was walking them back to wasn’t far away. Arriving, he nudged one pile to the side and sat the stack he’d collected this time down. Then awkwardly looked at a seat that had a few books in it and snagged those to add to the ‘finished pile’ to make room for Mitsuru. Arms free, though, he stretched slightly and took a seat himself with a gesture for her to sit as well.
So yes, the man had probably been camped at the historium for a while. “Do have a seat, if you like.”
no subject
"A general curiosity," she responded simply. For a moment she considered speaking about her own abilities and their rather strange nature. However, it was still something of a difficult thing for her to discuss though after so many years of secrecy. Perhaps it was be something she could discuss once she knew him better.
"I see. Well, I do hope you do not push yourself too hard. Knowledge is important but so is taking care of oneself." It was said in a manner almost like someone's parent chiding them. Old habits died quite hard. She had a great deal of respect for someone that wanted to dedicate themselves to learning, but there was a line to be drawn at some point. After all, you couldn't continue your studies if you exhausted yourself.
"I would be willing to tell you what I know. You may be rather disappointed in how little I know.' Hence the obsession with research. There had to be something more they could find out about that place, right? At least that was the hope she was holding on to. "Is that so? Do you have experience with mirrors as windows to alternate places though?" If so perhaps he knew something. That was quite exciting to think about! Though his final comment caused her to look down a bit awkwardly. "Ah. I must agree that it was rather foolish of me to touch the mirror." He had been smart to notice the difference and avoid it. She had not. It was rather embarrassing.
no subject
“It is a bit puzzling to me when there are those who don’t.” And really, he wasn’t fond of students who didn’t have a passion for learning. He was lucky his students tended towards being passionate about their studies, even if certain ones needed a little more attention than others. “Some do need particular attention, though, a new way of thinking to get them properly into it.” Her question gets a small nod, finally taking his seat opposite of her and shoving a stack slightly to the side to be able to focus on his current company a little better. “That is the hope. I was told about it when I arrived and I’ve offered my assistance and I believe there are a few other people getting involved.” And there was something interesting about helping to get the place going again. An academy of magic that wasn’t a pit of vipers? Sounded like a dream to the man, and he really wasn’t sure what he’d do around here otherwise.
“Seems a shame for such a place to be in the state that it is, and I was a professor at the Clock Tower I mentioned before I arrived here.” He continued, leaning back in his seat and brushing some of his hair back to get it out of his face. It was good to hear about her interest, though, and he nodded at her simple answer. Most of his students had specialized areas of magic, but a thirst for learning a little of everything. His department tended to deliver, with the twist on making it more accessible and how to apply it in a modern age. “I see, then I’ll keep my recommendations broad and if something catches your interest, I’ll offer something more focused at that time.” And he would take it seriously.
The young Lord isn’t unused to being chided for his bad habits. His apprentice was also notorious for trying to make him take care of himself. The number of times he woke up face down at his desk with a blanket draped over him was not small by any means. “I am aware, Gr-” He even started out of habit before he blinked and folded his arms a little uncomfortably. Sometimes you missed people more than you expected once they weren’t there. “I am aware, miss. I thank you for your concern, but I do have plenty of experience with late nights reading. When I need sleep, I’ll be sure to.” Because he’ll nod off on a sofa or at this very table.
He shook his head, “Nonsense, any information you can provide is still more than I know now. If this were to become a problem again, or become more complicated somehow, it would be good to know a little about it in advanced.” And it would help him to understand what precautions might need to be taken should that happen. Waver had to shake his head a little though at her question. “My experience with mirrors is largely going over theories in lectures, and for scrying to find people or things when a situation calls for it. My experience with alternate realities tends to be a little different.” He added with a vague gesture. Reality marbles, trains that ran between the mortal world and the underworld. He had a habit of getting caught up in terribly strange things.
“It might have been foolish, but I can assure you I’ve known people to do things more foolish still under more obvious circumstances than seeing an odd reflection in a mirror.” That… was actually meant to make her feel better about the situation, in his weird socially inept way.
no subject
"Allegedly this place was quite renowned for magic at one point. However, they pressed their luck too far and seemed to have caused quite a catastrophe for themselves." That seemed to be a disturbingly common occurrence for people to walk into. Occasionally she found herself wondering if that was simply the most likely outcome for people who dedicated themselves to discovery. They were doomed to eventually go too far and discover something beyond their scope of control. "I wish you the best in getting it back up and running." She tilted her head. "What did you teach?" she gave him a polite smile. "Thank you."
"Of course. I apologize if I overstepped," she added a bit sheepishly. It truly was not her place to chastise someone she barley knew for their habits. Yet, it was simply natural to her. It was what she had done back in SEES and she hardly saw that letting up in the future. While she wasn't entirely sure if she believed him, she had no reason to not take him at his word and let it go.
"Then I could tell you what I recall from it, if you wish." It still felt a bit pointless, though perhaps discussing it with someone else would make something stand out. "Ah, a wizard here mentioned scrying before. I have an ability that allows something similar." Kind of. It was not her specialty but it seemed to match what the wizard had said to some degree. Enough to make it seem comparable. "Have you ben to an alternate reality before this?" Her voice had an inflection of curiosity that was barely hidden by her aloof demeanor.
"I...see." That was the worst attempt to make her feel better she had ever encountered. Really, it sounded quite like how she might attempt to comfort someone. "As have I. It still does not change that I felt rather foolish for falling for it."
no subject
Waver nodded, having heard a similar description himself since arriving. He wasn’t entirely surprised by it… He’d known plenty of magi that caused catastrophes and utter messes by going a little too far for the sake of their own research and magecraft. Her question shakes him out of his contemplation, though, and he offers an answer. “I was the head of the Modern Magecraft Theories department, which is a fancy way of saying I taught a little of everything and how to better apply it in the modern age. While it’s important to consider the past and to pull from that knowledge and experience, the old ways can only get one so far as times change. I believe to avoid stagnation, it’s imperative to explore new avenues and potential innovations.” Not that any of the other lords understood that, considering it an amusing joke or an affront to their ways more than anything.
The man waved off the apology awkwardly. It wasn’t entirely necessary after all. As prickly as he could be, he knew it was clear that it had come from a place of good intentions. Instead, the man decided to focus on her offer of telling him more about that other place. “I would appreciate it if you shared your experience, then. Just so I have a little of an idea of what to expect should something come up.” He did not intend to touch the mirror, not at all… But there were always exceptions and reasons for doing things that you might not expect. If a situation where he needed to were to come up, he wanted to know more about it.
His brow rose lightly at the comment. “Have you?” An ability comparable to scrying could mean a few things, and Waver couldn’t help but find himself wondering about this rather strange young woman and what she could do. In favour of keeping the flow of that conversation going, he nods at her follow up question. “I have, in a few situations. Though I would say this is the furthest I’ve been from my own reality… Most notable would be a few brief visits to a reality marble. A contained world that can be accessed by it’s creator. It’s… Like materializing and projecting one’s inner world on reality while still remaining separate.” He could still imagine the one he’d been in… Could feel the heat of the sun beating down on the sand below from a clear blue sky… Dropping a hand, he continued. “The second would be more recently on a train that's existence is comparable to the underworld, built by vampires that runs parallel to the real world, inaccessible once it's started it's trip without invitation.”
The tone of her response suggests his attempt at making her feel better wasn’t particularly successful, and he frowned lightly. He really did suck at this kind of thing… “Hm… I suppose it doesn’t.” He would feel pretty darn foolish himself, and he had on more than one occasion in his life. “But at least we can take some lessons from our experiences.”
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"That sounds like quite a fascinating class to attend. I regret there is nothing like that in my own world for me to look forward to when I enter University." What a shame she'd have to learn normal things while there were worlds that had such exciting things being taught. She let out a tiny sigh of disappointment at the thought.
She gave a sharp nod and then began to recite what she could recall: "It was always dark there, dark and oppressive. There was a creeping fog that always left a foreboding feeling in it's wake. Everything there seemed..." she looked thoughtful for a moment as she tried to think of something to describe it. "Diluted? From what I have learned from speaking to another it also seemed as though the world changed. Our descriptions of the location did not precisely match. Any residents I encountered were never the same. There were times where I thought I recognized someone and then other times where they looked completely foreign to me. I am afraid I am uncertain what caused the change, though I suspect it might have had something to do with me. Perhaps my thoughts influenced them?" She wasn't entirely certain there, but her tone did sound quite certain of all the rest. From the few experiments she had done with approaching different 'residents' of that place she had seemed to notice a pattern in them reacting slightly different depending on her. Whether that was due to what she was thinking about or how she was feeling or something else entirely was an unknown variable to her.
"As I said, it is not much."
At his question she simply gave a nod, though she offered no further explanation. There may be people here with impressive and varied abilities but there was still hesitation in her to explain her secrets. Perhaps she hadn't learned her lessons as well as she had thought. Or perhaps she had just slid back into old habits. Her eyes widened at his explanation though and she gave him a look that showed that she was quite impressed. "How fascinating. It truly puts into perspective how small my world has been." Which was a bit funny considering how much she'd thought she'd known. Compared to some others here it seemed even the otherworld of Tartarus and the Dark Hour were small. There was still so much for her to learn. "A train in the underworld built by vampires. How did you end up invited?" Why would he have accepted the invitation was the real question she wished to ask.
"Indeed. And lessons are always important. I will not make the same mistake again."
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“I would say it might not be as unlikely as you think, but given you’ve mentioned having some kind of ability yourself but haven’t heard of the Clock Tower or other schools like it… I suppose that would indicate we’re from similar but different worlds.” He offered a frown, slightly sympathetic. He could understand the disappointment, but he moved on with a thoughtful tone. “Well, while you’re here, you are welcome to sit in at the Academy once I’ve started classes. I can’t say how useful you’d find it, but you might find it interesting.” The man does not offer people to sit in on his classes often, since most people annoyed or exhausted him, depending on the day. But Mitsuru had given him the impression of a studious young woman who took education seriously, his preferred kind of student (as much as he grudgingly would admit, he cared about the less serious as well). And he was curious about her own abilities… As much as she wasn’t keen to speak on the topic given her vagueness, maybe in time that would change.
And then Waver was caught up in her explanation, committing the details to memory to go over himself later on. It was actually a little more than he expected, considering she said it wasn’t much. Tapping a finger on the table lightly, he turned a few things over in his head. “Diluted…” It called to mind something he’d been puzzling over recently, but it was a separate matter… “So dark, diluted, almost like a shadow of this world?” Less substantial, but still… Enough to be considered a place on its own. “Or perhaps a distorted reflection would be more apt, given how you got there.” He added absentmindedly, eyes narrowing slightly. The fact that it sounded like the people themselves were in a constant state of flux was odd. But her words get a thoughtful hum. Something about her idea doesn’t seem entirely strange. “Perhaps…? It doesn’t seem impossible that a world with a less solid state or image of itself might be easily influenced by the thoughts and feelings of those from more solid worlds with a firm existence by comparison.”
He shook his head a little as she finished. “More than I had to consider before you spoke on the subject, it might be worth comparing the experiences of others who went as well.” To see if there were similarities, something that added strength to one theory or poked holes in another.
But her question gets a slight rise of one brow, and he propped up his chin on a hand resting on the arm of the chair he sat in. She should have asked the question she wanted to, Waver would always point out that instead of ‘how,’ it was ‘why’ that mattered where situations involving mage society were concerned. “How would be that someone gave me the invitation and a reason to accept it, of course.” He could let the matter rest at that, but he was used to reminding Gray how important the ‘why’ was, and it’s easy to fall into a routine regardless of the difference in people at the moment. “Now, that tells you less than you were hoping, I’d expect. The ‘Why’ is what brings you closer to answers to a more satisfying answer.”
He would always encourage asking, even if there were things he might be a little more vague on the answers to depending on the subject. “The ‘why’ that I was wanted on that train is still somewhat clouded but I am starting to work that out… but the why I accepted an invitation to such a place is that whoever gave me the invite did so by stealing something important from me and replacing it with the invitation.” Thus luring him somewhere he would normally never go in the first place.
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Her eyes widened at his observation and then she gave a solid single nod. "Precisely! Like the shadow of a world..." How had she not thought of that on her own? Had she truly slipped that much in her observation skills since arriving here? A shadow of this world seemed so obvious, especially given her own experience with shadows and other worlds. "I think you are on to something there." Perhaps...something here had fractured and caused the mirrors then? "Could it be possible the portal that brings us here has caused some sort of warping that created this world?" That was the closest to sense she had come to making of the situation. "Something like Tartarus..." That last statement was muttered to herself as she stroked her chin thoughtfully. Tartarus had been created due to the ripples caused by the explosion at the research facility. If that could happen in her own world, then it seemed even more likely that a tear in a world could happen in a place as unstable as this.
"My..." she trailed off as she tried to think of how to describe Shinjiro. There was an awkward shift of her body before she continued on: "my teammate went in as well as a few others from a...different team." Hm. Their world was quite complicated, wasn't it? "I will tell them to speak to you." Not suggest. Just tell.
"I see." For a moment she was afraid that was all he would offer. While she was a curious person she was also a very polite person, which meant she would hesitate to push too much about someone's personal life. Thankfully, he did at least give a tiny explanation. "It sounds likely that it might be some sort of trap."
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“Between that and the constant state of flux this world itself is in… It does not seem impossible.” He mused after considering the theory she posed thoughtfully. He could see she was surprised by the observation, but she had continued to carry it in an interesting direction that proved she had a good head on her shoulders for these things. He liked to see it, even if the theory itself was a little unsettling. Between the business with the void cryst and that… Well, he had a bad feeling about the uncertainties of what could happen next. Her quieter comment gets a rather sharp glance. His attention was caught by that. Well… how could it not? “The dungeon of torment from Greek mythology?” Waver considered the idea briefly, but wondered if she was speaking of that or… “Or are you referring to something specific to your world sharing the name?”
It was not strange to hear the young woman say she’d ‘tell’ the others to speak to him over asking them to… He was used to young people who were used to telling people what to do, perhaps. Even telling him what to do… But it made him wonder what put her in that kind of mindset. It made her sound like a leader. That plus the awkwardness in her description of the others who had gone ‘teammate’ over friend seemed to suggest that it was likely. “I would appreciate that if your teammates are comfortable speaking on the subject. We should document what we can of these things as they happen to compare later as the situation evolves… Especially when records around here seem lacking in general.”
Waver inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the suggestion. “I would say a trap is a good way of describing it, though I believe there’s probably more to it than that.” He responded with a small frown. It wasn’t strange for there to be attempts on the life of one of the lords of the clock tower. Even Reines had experienced that before she decided to have him fill in for her until she was of age. He had as well since taking the position, at least once was proven intentional when he’d been cursed. Though part of him felt like he was being toyed with or tested more than anything as connections from one situation to another were made, there was more to it than a setup for an assassination attempt.
He couldn't do much more than puzzle over it, though, given he'd been pulled out of the thick of it to arrive here. Hence his... over-ambitious dive into research tonight. Something to distract him.
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"Only one is a teammate. The others are...well, it's a bit complicated but I suppose you could say they are simply others from my own world with access to similar abilities." That was...the easiest way to put it. "I'm certain they would be willing to speak about it at least some. One is quite personable to say the least." From what she'd seen of the young heiress she was quite willing to talk to just about anyone. In all honesty, she seemed a bit too eager to help in general.
"I think there are a few individuals here who have kept records of different things that have transpired. You may be able to request their information as well." Though she honestly wasn't entirely certain if they had continued to keep records or if they had stopped. It had been a while since she'd heard anyone speak on it.
"More to it than simply being a trap?" Even more curious. "It must be frustrating for you to be brought here away from that then."
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That said, if he noted Mitsuru’s hesitation in responding concerning Tartarus? He either hadn’t noticed, or his own curiosity on the subject was great enough that he simply put it aside for now in favor of being nosy. It was a problem at the end of the day. One that made him rather unpopular with other mages, since he could never quite help to ask or digging into subjects that might be better left to secrecy. “No need to apologize, but I would be interested in hearing more about it. It’s a curious name to use.” He responded with a vague explanation for his interest, at least.
“Ah, I see. I’ll keep that in mind when I reach out to them, then…” He responded to the correction, musing to himself over the detail. A different faction, perhaps? That was common in mage society. Perhaps it was something of a similar nature as well in other worlds for people with similar abilities. A similar power, but with a different way of doing things… It was good to hear that at least one of this other group would be open to sharing. Made him wonder about the others, though. “Thank you, miss. You’ve been most helpful this evening.” He added with a brief, appreciative smile.
“It’s too elaborate a setup to be simply that. Targeting Lords of the Clock Tower is not uncommon, and where some are concerned, it can easily be done without pulling them somewhere so out of the ordinary or strange. And certain… complications had been revealed before my arrival.” He wasn’t sure he could explain more than that, considering the subject of heroic spirits and the complicated system they followed… Or did not follow in this situation… So he nodded at the statement. It wasn’t something he could or would deny. “It’s very frustrating, for all the speculating I could do on the subject, it will do little good while here. Though I am sure that there are many of us frustrated with being brought here in the first place.”
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"Ah, of course. I would have no issues explain it, however it is a bit complicated of a subject. I would not want to burden you with a long explanation." Unless he really wanted it. If he did then well, she supposed she could certainly at least make an attempt to explain it. Even if the situation was rather personal and complicated. No matter how often she was told it wasn't her fault she still had a difficult time not holding herself at least somewhat responsible.
"I can't imagine I was really that helpful, but you are welcome all the same." She appreciated how polite he was about the subject but still couldn't quite see how she was particularly useful in any manner. Mostly it seemed like fairly generic things for her to tell someone, nothing too useful.
"I see. It sounds like you were brought at a very unfortunate time. When I first arrived here I had also been brought while in the midst of something that I still required quite a lot of answers still." It had been rather frustrating being stuck here without any way to get any of those answers. Though, having been through it all now...she wondered if it hadn't actually been a bit better not knowing. There was little point on lingering on a thought like that. "So, you are certainly not alone in finding the timing frustrating." The timing had been the only frustrating part about being brought here though. Beyond that she was...rather content with certain aspects of the place. Not that she would readily admit it.
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“The fact that the world has been remade several times before indicates to me a cycle. One that seems to have been interrupted.” That wasn’t exactly the point, but it was connected to his thought. “So if it’s a cycle, and the major catalyst is missing… One must wonder how this all worked before the experiment. Was the rate of things changing slower, or was the world more complete upon its recreations and were the changes different somehow when things were operating as they should be?” The abruptness of some changes, the fact that some things were meant to be here but thrown to another plane of existence during the explosion from the experiment like the Academy… It struck Waver as odd. He finally sat back again and shook his head. “That’s just my speculation based on what I’ve been told since arriving, though. I expect there’s too much we don’t know to draw more definitive conclusions.”
As Mitsuru warned him that her explanation might be a touch long, Waver offered one of his rare smiles and gestured at the absurd amount of books piled on the table. “You’ll find I don’t tend to think of complicated subjects and long explanations as a burden, miss. If you’re up for sharing, I would find it interesting to hear and learn about a subject like that.” He’s a professor, after all, long-winded lectures were the norm for him… It would be a change to be on the receiving end of one, after all these years. Waver never turned down a chance to learn something, after all. Not back then, and certainly not now.
At her response to his thanks, he hummed slightly. Her doubts were, in his opinion, silly. Even simple information or directing someone to those with more was useful. Due to the nature of simple information being simple, many people could write it off as something everyone simply knew. But he had only arrived recently, so having such things shared for him to store away for reference later was important.
“I suppose many would say we can only hope that our stay here won’t be long, though knowing how luck works when you need to be somewhere… We’re at the mercy of this place until sent back.” He mused, smile turning wry and a little sympathetic. There were.. only a few instances in which he would be content with being here. Specific people showing up would likely make him relax on the subject a little, but even if he had wondered about the odds of that happening…? The mage wasn’t holding his breath on that.
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"I see. If you are certain..." she hesitated and then folded her arms across her chest as if she were steeling herself. "Tartarus is the direct result of the mistakes of the Kirijo Group." There was nowhere better place she could think of to start the explanation than with that admission. Despite everything there was still substantial guilt tied up inside of her but she wouldn't hide from it. Nor would she hide from the responsibility she felt she had.
"My grandfather learned of the existence of another world where beings known as shadows exist. Upon realizing that shadows could manipulate time and space my grandfather sought to find a way to control them. It was an ambitious and noble goal at first, one built upon the pursuit of knowledge." At least that was what she tried to tell herself. That was what she had to believe. The alternative was thinking that her grandfather had been quite mad from the start.
"Unfortunately, the nature of shadows was much more complex than we could have imagined. The truth they uncovered was that of the Fall, where Nyx would descend upon our world and destroy all of humanity. I..." she trailed off for a minute as shadows of guilt, regret, and a deep sadness danced on her face. "I like to think perhaps that truth was too much for them." It was kinder to think that way. If she thought that way then it meant her grandfather had simply lost hope upon the discovery and resigned himself to simply bringing it about. That was a more pleasant thought than him being some megalomaniacal villain.
"Further research led to the discovery of the herald of Nyx, Death itself. After this discovery they felt as though there was no denying destiny. They determined that death would be a deliverance for everyone." What a horribly embarrassing thing to admit of her own blood. That he would simply accept that as the future was horrid enough. Yet he had gone further still by encouraging it. He planed to help usher it along. It was disappointing to say the least. "They collected Shadows to combine them together to resurrect Death. In doing so Death would summon Nyx and our world would cease to be. One scientist disagreed with their plans and attempted to stop them. This caused a massive explosion destroying almost all of the lab. This destruction led to the creation of Tartarus. It grows out of the ground every night at the site of the former lab during the Dark Hour. The tower is massive, unpredictable, dark, and crawling with hostile shadows."
She paused again, this time to shake her head sadly. "I apologize, that was quite the lengthy explanation." Probably much more than he had bargained for.
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But that was something to think about at a later date. Instead, Waver fell silent in favour of listening to Mitsuru’s explanation about the ‘Tartarus’ she was referring to in her world. He didn’t interrupt, despite the fact that his mind was already forming a few random questions in response to various parts of her story. Though… Some of it was familiar for all that, it was also different. Scientists and mages, at times, were not too different in that they would push boundaries and go a little too far for the sake of some great discovery. It always started off as noble or ambitious… But it didn’t always end that way.
And often times (nearly every time) to his own knowledge, the weight and resolutions would fall to their heirs. Mitsuru’s tone and expression, as she explained, conveyed that well enough. It wasn’t as though Waver hadn’t learned to spot the signs in the last ten years of teaching, when someone’s guardians had pushed a little too far.
It was one of several things that genuinely angered him about society. Harming or putting too great a weight on those who were the future of their world for the sake of their own discovery or furthering the ‘family business’ as it were… Or leaving their messes behind for the young to pick up and either answer for the crimes of their parents or carry the guilt with them through life. Either in turn continuing down the dangerous path themselves or trying to do better in some way. “I see, so essentially it was the effects of an experiment that went beyond what was originally anticipated and triggered a potentially cataclysmic event…”
In hindsight, he was almost sorry for asking for the explanation… But he had, and it did given him a little more insight into the young woman before him. If he wasn’t used to dealing with mages who would be offended by suggesting their family or parents had been wrong to put something so heavy on them… He might have said more. Especially if they themselves were present, but instead Mitsuru was here to share the story. So, as tempting as it was at times, sometimes one had to hold their tongue. A lesson hard learned by him, honestly.
“Truth be told, I am not entirely unfamiliar with situations like this. While science and magic differ in a lot of ways, mages also tend towards pushing boundaries in the name of discovery, and… it’s not uncommon for something to get out of hand or go in a direction not anticipated.” If her grandfather had been a mage in his world, the association would have put a sealing designation on him immediately… Which either meant a preservation of him and his research… Or something more final for the crime of nearly ending the world.
His expression was neutral enough, but her apology gets a shake of his head. “You have no need to be sorry.” He responded, firm on the matter. For one, he had asked for the lengthy explanation. For another, this wasn’t her fault, even if he couldn’t come out and say that much against her family that he didn’t know. “I presume you and your team you mentioned have been dealing with this up until your arrival here, then? Seems like you’ve definitely been pulled out of a complicated situation yourself…” He added thoughtfully, wondering how such a situation was even monitored or handled from one moment to the next. Her mysterious ‘ability’ perhaps having something to do with it.
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How amusing it was to consider that as she gave her explanation for Tartarus. There would be something painfully ironic if this world held any such similarities to the experiments the Kirijo group had done. "In a way, yes." She looked down, clearly a bit ashamed to speak more, but she had come far enough to simply resign herself to the full truth. "After his discoveries my grandfather and his team eventually reached the conclusion that helping to bring about the Fall was the only logical solution. Death would be a release for us all. One scientist disagreed and made an attempt to stop them. His attempt caused the explosion and it was a chain reaction after that." She could hardly blame him for his actions though. After all he had managed to prevent the Fall, at least for a time. The real villains of the story were her own family and there was no way around that.
"I see. I suppose that is an unfortunate inevitability of those who dare to investigate things so much greater than themselves." Would people ever stop venturing into such territory? No. Even now there was a part of her that was interested in learning more about the other world and all that came with it. Perhaps that was just the destiny of human curiosity.
"Yes. We...were unfortunately mislead. That..." she swallowed. "It was quite disastrous." And even if they had prevented the Fall it had been at quite an extreme cost.
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But the man hummed a little about her musing. “That does sound like a potential possibility, especially as we can’t be sure about the validity of what the locals say.” But the professor couldn’t help but wonder about the possibility that the truth was being stated. “On the other end, if we can believe them… We have at least a rough idea that there are people here who existed before the last… I think I’ll call it a ‘reset’ for ease? According to what I was told by one Harry Dresden, the Academy itself was thrown in the incident into another reality entirely before it rejoined this world here.” He folded his hands in front of him, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, and fingers knitting lightly. “So I find myself wondering if there are other places waiting on this other plane to rejoin the world, and if their reappearance doesn’t make the people here more complete.” He’s not sure if they could say one way or the other, though, it again seemed just as likely people could be lying…
But people either being made anew or called from the last reset while only operating off the information they need and gaining knowledge when they needed it… He hummed thoughtfully. “There’s a ritual in my world, one to call people from the past to the here and now. That said, they only retain memories that are necessary due to how much power it would take to bring the most complete version of themselves back. Calling upon them more than once will result in them only retaining basics of what they need. The lives they lived, and knowledge of how the world they’ve been called to works, rather than prior experiences with being called upon.” Sighing lightly, he shrugged and unfolded his hands. “So they may be regaining information as necessary rather than all at once to save on effort and power… But the people here don’t feel like that kind of being to me, so even if it’s similar it’s not entirely the same… But I find it hard to not wonder if it’s slightly similar in some way.”
Waver was sure the decision had made sense to her grandfather at the time, as… insane and unstable as it was to believe that such a thing was truly the answer. But sometimes certain truths, certain realizations, made one susceptible to snapping and making rash decisions because it felt like there was no other option. Lucky for them, there was at least one scientist that had questioned and tried to put an end to it, even if it sounded like it still hadn’t ended things without further issue. “I’m afraid it is. Magic or science, humans are always driven to reach depths beyond their reach… Not always a bad thing, mind you, but sometimes the risks are greater than the reward.” But people stilled tried anyway, and ignored the consequence, unfortunately. Or… slipped enough to embrace them.
Her obvious shame over the hand her family had in it though is still nagging at him, he really does hate when the old leave those who come after them to pick up the pieces and bear the burden alone. He’s not really good at comfort, and far better at admonishing people like her grandfather for their idiocy… But he realizes he has to say something. “It takes a particular strength to pick up the pieces when a mess is left in your lap. When one can’t change the past, we can only do our best to correct the present to preserve the future.” He finally uttered, still unable to call it anything but a mess that had been dumped on Mitsuru. “So disastrous or not… Your world was lucky for you and your team.”
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She did however find what he had to say very interesting. "I would be interested to know how such a ritual works." But it seemed like quite a lot to question at the moment. Besides, she supposed the details of it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things. Mitsuru was simply the type to enjoy learning. "It does seem likely it might be such a thing, or at the very least a similar concept."
"Mm. And in this case the risks were indeed far greater than the reward." Deep down she couldn't help but wonder if anything they had learned had been worth it in the slightest. Nothing the Kirijo Group had discovered could really be used for the benefit of ..well, anything as sad as that was to think on. It seemed as though it had only brought pain and suffering to everyone involved.
"Ah," Mitsuru frowned at the compliment. That was not something she felt she deserved praise for. Not just because it was her duty, but because they had not been fully successful. "Our leader was the one to truly stop the events my grandfather put into motion." She had simply...brought them all together. She looked down at her feet and wrapped her arms around herself. "And he paid for it with his life." Another layer of guilt to be added. "Thank you, though."
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The interest in his tone was evident as he continued on the subject of alternate planes. “That is my current thought on the subject… The cycle of the world destroying and remaking itself with this void cryst, could mean that certain things are meant to be here regardless of the reset… If it has the ability to move things to alternate planes even temporarily, it could be part of the cycle. But we don’t know enough about the cryst and how or why it does what it does at this point to say so definitively.” But if it was… The odd rate that things appeared here could be a delayed and slightly stuttered version of what was meant to happen, not quite working properly because of the void crysts destruction that caused the old world’s end and this one’s beginning. “I have also heard about death, about this world being… different… I should see if I can have a word to find out more about this other location, though.”
It took him a moment to consider her interest in the subject. On the one hand, it wasn’t hard to explain, nor was it exactly a secret. On the other hand, if she wanted more details, it could turn into a longer story that he didn’t tell a lot of people. Even Reines could only speculate over it based on snippets he’d shared and rumors. In the end, it seemed unfair to say nothing, considering what she’d shared. “I don’t mind telling you how it works, but I should warn you in return that it might take a little while.” And while he had a feeling he already knew the answer? Waver would leave that in her hands, because she had given him the opportunity. He would do the same in return.
The mage felt his frown deepening considerably, though, as Mitsuru continued. So not only had she been let to clean up her grandfather’s mess… She’d lost someone in the process. Someone important if the way she seemed to draw in on herself was anything to go by… When she spoke of her team, he had presumed she was the leader herself, but it seemed like that wasn’t the case either… “Then I’m also sorry for your loss. It’s… never easy to lose someone close to you. Especially under circumstances that were put upon you all by others.” Worse if she carried the guilt of that on top of everything else. Carrying the burden of another person’s life on your hands was not an easy thing. He knew that well enough (even if he would not admit it wasn’t his fault either) that carrying the burden of another life was particularly difficult regardless of how you felt about them.
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"I do wish I had been able to find out more about the cryst. It truly is a shame we could not speak to the head of the Academy themselves." Again, it was a dark thought to have, they should be grateful they had anyone to speak to. "I appreciate the little information the sole survivor has given us but...she seems to know so very little." So many of her answers to Mitsuru had simply been that she didn't know. In all honesty it had been a rather frustrating conversation. "Good luck speaking with the young woman who died. Her name is...Illyana I believe. She seems about as forthcoming as the survivor of the academy." Actually, from what Mitsuru had observed that woman seemed less forthcoming. Mostly because it seemed as though she got a certain degree of enjoyment when it came to being vague and ominous. It also seemed she had disturbingly little interest in finding things out about this place, despite the fact that she obviously held considerable power. Power that could be quite useful. She couldn't imagine a conversation with her being too productive.
"We have nothing but time in this place." It was a matter of fact way of saying she wanted an explanation. "But if you would rather save it for another time I can certainly understand. I would not want to take all your time here." Even if she did sort of wish to take all of his time. He seemed quite fascinating and as if he'd experienced quite a lot in his life. Experience was something to be valued and learned from. Besides that he was quite an interesting man to speak with. Not only was he open to telling her things but he also seemed to treat her as something of an equal. Most adults would be loathe to do so.
She squeezed herself a little tighter before admitting quietly: "We lost many people. One of my companions here," the one she had mentioned much earlier in their conversation in regards to why some may be a bit okay with the situation, "he was killed back home. My father was murdered as well. Then, in the end, our leader sacrificed himself to seal away the entity we were fighting against. Those were not the only losses either." Though her tone held a certain amount of forced indifference as she spoke. They were the deaths she felt the most responsible for after all and those stuck with you the most. Not that she didn't feel strong remorse over the deaths of Strega, she most certainly did. But that one was a bit more complicated and a bit more personal. For the most part she simply chose to not speak on that and keep it tucked away as far in the back of her mind as she could.
"I was...I organized our group. I brought us together, my family funded us, and I gave most calls outside of direct battle. Our leader however made combat calls. He possessed a unique ability that made him far more qualified than I." So, perhaps with that added bit of information he could understand why she felt personally responsible for how things had gone.
"I apologize. I didn't mean to make things so depressing."
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Waver hummed a little, fingers drumming lightly on the arm of the chair. “It would be nice for the opportunity, but it also depends on how forthcoming they might be with information about their research… If the sole survivor of the incident doesn’t know much, there is a chance that the head might not be particularly eager to share…” That, of course, was based upon Waver’s experience with powerful mage families trying to keep their secrets and doing very stupid things (in his opinion) to keep things in their own control. “I would’ve liked to have had the chance to see the actual research materials and documentation for analysis… But according to someone I spoke to, nothing survived the reset as far as they’ve found.”
Illyana… Waver let out a small sigh at that, “Having met the woman, you're probably right… But I do see her at the academy, should the opportunity arise, I’ll see what I can learn.” Which would in all likelihood be nothing if Illyana didn’t want to talk about it, but it would be useful information to know nonetheless… He wasn’t keen on testing it out or experiencing it for himself either way, though.
A wry smile crossed his face at the statement, “You’re not wrong about that, certainly. We do have the time.” And he wasn’t going anywhere, now was he? Not back to the Rail Zeppelin anytime soon, or his space in the red building. He was camped here for a reason, and it just gave him an excuse to hang around in a comfort zone for a little longer.
And damned if he didn’t have it in him to say a flat out not to her as she continued to explain. There was a particular bubbling feeling of anger in him, one that would have likely exploded more easily in his younger years... It was one that sprang up when he was reminded of what Svin’s parents had done to him for the sake of the family magecraft, or Gray for what her entire village had been trying to do to her… The list went on from there, and now he couldn’t help but feel this added to the bunch for all that he had only just met the young woman. But the reception of such thoughts and opinions wasn’t always good, and he’d rather piss off the people responsible than their victims. “Then I believe I should have the time for at least explaining that much if you're interested… But first...” He straightened slightly, shaking his head at the apology. “If you were to try to paint any of that in a positive, cheerful light, I’d frankly be rather concerned. So no apology is necessary. It seems to me that you did what you could with an impossible situation that was thrust upon you and your group by circumstances caused others.” And it was obvious for a variety of reasons why she felt so responsible, but the blame was due on those who’d caused it… Not on the cleanup crew, as much as others might pressure one to think as such.
Again, he could be a bit hypocritical when it came to the blame game... But the young should not grow up to be him, in his opinion.
His response said, he gently pushed a pile of books out of the way to clear the table slightly… It didn’t do much considering the mess, but it was obstructing the space between them slightly. “Now… I presume that if our worlds share similarities, that you’ve heard of the Holy Grail, yes?”
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