Pascal

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Sorry for being a bit absent lately. I am going to post in the next two days hopefully! Things have been a bit crazy at work but tomorrow they should start to settle down.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Heads up, I am going to pass this round. Going back to work today after a big leave, so I'm suuuuper stressed out. Adrianna will have some thoughts as she tags along with the group, but she won't be interrupting things right now, anyway.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

I'd try to help, but with nothing said to Adrianna, I won't be contributing anything valuable to work with anyway. I've also got a big deadline coming up after mother's day, so I need to get that finished before I do too much writing.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Adrianna affirmed the young girl’s statement about her blessing. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amuné Ris.” Adrianna said. The young girl said that her mother was a healer, and Adrianna nodded again. She was pretty confident that the girl’s mother was not among their group, and didn’t have the fortitude to ask where the woman was. The answer wouldn’t likely only upset the child. Amuné said that she didn’t have good control of her magic, and there was no one to teach her. That ruled out some of the very common magic types, unless these other people were just incredibly shitty friends. It also meant she wasn’t likely a healer.

“Well being tired is pretty normal. You could be a lot worse off. Now you know what losing control and trying to use it feels like, so try to stick with a bit less next time, and work your way back up. Magic types are all different, but they all take dedication, concentration, and a little bit of imagination to master.” Adrianna had always liked kids, and she found that another…friendlier side of her came out when interacting with them. Her cheeks were already beginning to hurt from smiling at the kid, which was either a testament to how much she was grinning now, or how little she had been smiling lately.

Turning towards Lionel at the nudge, Adrianna tilted her head at the remark that he was supposed to train her. Clearly, it was just before she left, and though she still didn’t remember him, perhaps it was because he was shown her but never properly introduced. Would she have stayed if she had met him and knew that he was going to be teaching her some of the non-magical healing methods? Not likely. “I managed just fine, and I would venture to say that I overcame the lack of instruction from you.” She opened up the pouch where she kept all of her non-magic healing supplies, like herbs and bandages, and then stood up, leaving the kid with her water.

Ethan asked the Dimuran about healing, and Adrianna moved over towards them as she heard Ethan tried to convince him to be healed. The woman then called him an imbecilic—rather harsh for friends—and explained that she didn’t want to be healed because getting hurt was her own damn fault. Good on her.

“I respect that.” Adrianna chimed in, addressing the woman. She wasn’t going to criticize the woman’s choice of nicknames for her companion. That was their business, not hers. “Some people really abuse the whole idea of having someone around who can heal, acting reckless and taking for granted that a healer will always be around to pick up the pieces.” Her friend seemed content with the answer, leaving her to stand on an injured leg as he went over to check on the little one. Perhaps she could offer a walking stick, or something to help her manage despite the pain, rather than remove it.

“That being said, I do have quite a few non-magic healing supplies as well, if you would like it properly cleaned or wrapped, or learn how to do it yourself…” Adrianna trailed off. For all she knew, the woman already knew how to clean her own wounds, but the healer doubted it. She didn’t give much indication of that sort of knowledge, and would have likely just said she would take care of it later. This was more about stubbornness and arrogance than knowledge.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Entering the workshop, Adrianna considered just ducking out the back. The Dimura certainly wasn’t interested in being healed, and had hardly acknowledged her. Adrianna wouldn’t have really cared, except for the fact that the woman suggested she wanted to be healed later, as it if was Adrianna’s sacred duty to simply follow them around until she decided she wanted to be healed. Until then, she would continue to injure herself further, and make more work for Adrianna. What joy. The whole group was clearly preoccupied with other things, and Adrianna knew that there was a whole abode for the healers, should the group wish to venture there. The one she had healed addressed a child who was in the workshop, and Adrianna realized she recognized the girl from a short while earlier. She had been the one rushing through the halls when she left Taliya’s.

She found her gaze lingering on the kid, but that shifted abruptly when Ethan gestured to her, and Lionel pat her on the back. The man then continued to speak, and his words battled Adrianna. Back in town? job? Hadn’t they just talked about how she didn’t work for Taliya? It wasn’t her job to heal everyone just as much as it wasn’t a wood magi’s job to grow trees. Adrianna liked to help others, but she hated being treated like she was only as useful as her magic. Most magi she knew didn’t refer to others in that way, and Adrianna found herself wondering if perhaps Lionel had no magic at all.

“I uh…guess?” Adrianna said, puzzled by every passing moment this guy lingered around her. Fortunately, he busied himself inspecting the Machina next, and Adrianna watched him get quite close to the machine, and then a man who seemed in charge suggested he back away a bit. Adrianna had seen her fair share of Machina, having lived in one of the larger cities growing up, but she never saw one with the mechanisms that this one had. It looked to be a child, like a companion or ‘nanny,’ but was definitely set up for combat. Perhaps a bodyguard to a wealthy child? Her gaze shifted back over to Amune…wondering if she had some kind of status.

As the man in charge talked with her companions about Cecil, she realized what was bothering her so much about the kid. She had been using a lot of magic lately, and as she began to waver on her feet, Adrianna stepped out from behind the others and steadied her. “It’s okay, kid.” Adrianna guided her to a spot to sit, and then pulled her own water skin out of her bag. “Here, drink a bit of water…Did you get in a fight, too? Using that much magic in such a short time is going to wear you out.” Adrianna was trying to be friendly, but the look on Amune’s face was nearly that of pure horror. Had…she been trying to keep her magic a secret? In Mutebo? Adrianna clamped her mouth shut. She had spent the last few years on the road trying to hide her magic, of course it would frighten a child for her to just “out” the young girl like that.

Adrianna knelt down in front of the girl, meeting her at eye level. “Sorry for upsetting you by speaking so abruptly. I’m Adrian. I have luminous magic, and I’m a healer. I can tell when people are hurt and need to be healed, and I can also see…some of the exhaustion they feel when they’ve used a lot of magic.” Like two of the people she walked in with. “What’s your name?” Perhaps being honest with the kid would help her be a little less afraid. And if it backfired, there was always the door.

In her periphery, Adrianna noticed the guy she healed going up and talking to the Machina, but she didn’t turn her attention from the kid completely. She got the impression that something was…wrong between the two, but as they seemed to know each other well, she wasn’t going to judge. After all, she cut off all of her hair and walked around pretending to be a boy—how could she judge the strange things other people did to feel safe?

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Adrianna was not a fish to be baited. He went on about being a fisherman, or having a family, but she was already focused on the injured person. She couldn’t really care less what Lionel did, as long as it wasn’t running to the Church to announce what she had been up to and where she was. Then again, that was another reason she kept on the move. Even if Lionel said something about her being in Mutebo, Adrianna would be gone before anyone came looking. She honestly didn’t think anyone cared enough about her to go seeking her out. No one would harbor such a large vendetta against her. It wasn’t like she set fire to one of the Church buildings when she left. At the same time, she knew that it was more a matter of principle. The Church didn’t think kindly of people leaving, it made the whole foundation seem weak.

With permission given to heal the injured man, Adrianna promptly rubbed her hands together for a few moments before her hands began to glow. She pulled his arm with one hand to make sure that she healed it in the right place, using her magic to feel the area with her other hand. It would feel uncomfortable for a few moments, but she was pretty good at sending just enough energy to keep the pain at bay until most of the injuries were healed. Hunters had short tempers, and the faster she was at what she did, the better.

Lionel’s interruption about her magic nearly broke her concentration. It wasn’t the fact that it was someone talking, it was the fact that it was Lionel—he was already seeming to grate on her nerves. It was also the fact that he had said he recognized her from the Church, and he had magic. If he wasn’t a healer…had he been a hunter? She finished the healing promptly, but her thoughts were temporarily halted as she saw him pull out a cloth. “I can take care of that.” She offered, knowing that his cloth wasn’t going to do a whole lot. “Or if you prefer, I have actual medical supplies.” She was fully stocked, since she had been planning to depart, and though she hadn’t made the offer to the Mura male, she figured there was a reason that Lionel immediately went for the basic non-magic form of assistance for the Dimura. Perhaps he knew her and that she would not consent to magic. Perhaps she should have offered the same of the man—though he didn’t seem to take any issue with the healing she had done.

Lionel was arguing, albeit jovially, with the men guiding them, as he wrapped the Dimura’s wound. It would do until she could be healed, but Adrianna didn’t understand what was stopping them from doing so immediately. As the group seemed keen to move on, Adrianna was nearly going to excuse herself when Lionel volun-told her to go to the compound with them to help continue to fix them up. Adrianna opened her mouth to respond, but the male Mura she had just healed requested to see someone else first. He seemed to seek permission from the guide as well as from the Dimura companion, and Adrianna waited for them to reach some sort of accord. Clearly her opinion wasn’t needed here.

The Dimura spoke, and Adrianna got the distinct impression that she was more of an authority than the male, used to getting her way. “Ookkkay then.” Adrianna said slowly. She was tempted to reply that she didn’t give a damn about healing the woman. It wasn’t like she walked around looking for people who needed to be heal—Oh. Well, perhaps the Dimura had a point. For all they knew, she did simply walk around looking for people to heal, and Lionel hadn’t helped. The Dimura tried to walk on her injured foot, and Adrianna just sighed, shifting her bag as she began to follow the group. The woman was only going to make more work for Adrianna by walking on her leg like that. She didn’t really have anything better to do for the moment than follow this strange pair as they went to gather two of their friends. Though, they certainly weren't heading to the medbay.

Wait, did they say ‘fixed’? As they made their way towards the Machina repair building, Adrianna silently confirmed that they were, in fact, talking about a Machina. They went inside, and it became quickly obvious that ‘Cecil’ was no ordinary Machina.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Adrianna tilted her head as Lionel said he wasn’t looking for Kurt. Hadn’t he…just asked about the man? Was he really someone who remembered her face from years ago and yet couldn’t remember the question he had asked moments before? She opened her mouth to protest and ask him about it, but Lionel continued to talk. He explained the he wasn’t going to out her. Adrianna gave a small sigh of relief. Granted, she had been planning on leaving anyway, but there was no point in burning bridges here when she didn’t have to. Ideally, Adrianna might like to return to Mutebo one day. She might even want to help with their fighting more. She just…didn’t want to do that now. Adrianna had grown up doing exactly what others expected of her. She had followed their rules, obeyed their commands, and when she found out she was different, she still found a way to be what they wanted.

Hearing Lionel repeat her answer for leaving, only vaguer, was less than satisfying. While she might have been a little vague, he knew her, so she hadn’t felt it necessary to go into more detail. He already knew that she didn’t know who he was, though, so the fact that he gave such a brief and nondescript answer annoyed her a bit. On the other hand, Adrianna was pretty confident that Lionel was quite familiar with annoying people. It seemed to just be his natural state. So how come you don’t remember him? Adrianna was pretty sure he was a healer, though that was prompted mostly by him saying earlier that she was like him. He could have just meant a Church defector, in which case he might not have really left for the same reasons as her at all. He might have been a hunter. Adrianna didn’t…really imagine that he could do such things, but perhaps he was just very good with a ruse? And perhaps you are simply way too paranoid?

Lionel hopped up and sat on a crate, and Adrianna shifted the bag on her shoulder. She could tell that he was going to say something else, and since he was capable of annoying her into stopping and listening, Adrianna figured it was easier to simply stand here and wait. She wasn’t really in a rush. If she wanted, she could even wait until another day. No one was kicking her out, but the weather was nice and she was feeling the itch to move. No point in forming too close of ties with anyone. As her thoughts drifted to what she planned to do next, Lionel asked what she was planning. Once again, she began to answer him, but Lionel continued to ramble, and so she waited until he was really done before she spoke. “I’ve spent the last few years traveling around, picking up different skills, and I plan to do the same. Nothing against Taliya and crew, it just doesn’t feel…right for me right now.” She didn’t want to say how eerily church-like it felt, since Lionel had just admitted that he was here now, helping out Taliya’s people. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed, or perhaps that had been his very reason for joining them. In any case, it wasn’t her place to criticize, not after the choices she had made in her life.

“I’m not sure, really. I plan to head out of town, probably today, though I’m not really in a rush.” Apart from you knowing who I am and being completely untrustworthy—possibly. “If anyone else is heading out, I might join ‘em, you know, safety in numbers. But I don’t really have a direction in mind. Just going to see where the wind takes me. And you…are you going to stay here, help Taliya until…” Adrianna trailed off. That was the problem, really. With such fighting between the Church and the magi, and the Church still utilizing those with magic to carry out their dirty work, Adrianna didn’t know what the end would even look like. It was the Church’s hope that it ended when the mages against them were dead. And those who had helped them were…what? They certainly didn’t fit into the Church’s vision for the future. Would the loyalists be eradicated last for not fitting into the worldview? Or would the Church simply squash all future magi and let the current generation die off? Adrianna was a little cynical when it came to the church. She believed that they would continue to let loyal magi serve them, but tighten the reigns until the magic was nearly snuffed out. Why would they eradicate healers, for example, when loyal healers gave them near immortality?

Before Adrianna was able to come up with a proper way to end that question, she saw Lionel’s gaze wander back towards the main streets. She turned as well, and saw a quartet entering Mutebo once more. She thought she recognized at least one of the two in the front from being around Taliya, but her attention quickly shifted towards the pair in the back, who looked quite hurt. The man was cradling an arm, and looked like he was barely able to keep up with the ones walking in front. The woman had mostly bruises and bumps. Neither of them were on their death bed, but Adrianna could sense that it wasn’t just physical injuries. They hadn’t been jumped and robbed of their possessions, they had been fighting with their magic, and they were both quite drained.

It was rather easy for her to pick up on the signature of magic exhaustion. She had seen it from the hunters, at least the ones who had to really work to dispatch their targets. They came back injured physically, but their aura of magic was also dim or flickered about rather than maintaining consistency. She never talked about this observation with others, and the one or two times she mentioned someone being worn out in such a manner, she was reminded that of course they were worn out, they had been defending the Church against dangerous people who wanted to tear down its very foundation. Doing such holy work was tiring.

“Excuse me.” Adrianna couldn’t just ignore them, though. Whether or not they were fighting the Church directly, Adrianna didn’t like to see any one hurt and worn down in such a manner. They clearly weren’t prisoners, so she doubted they were enemies of Taliya. Though it certainly wouldn’t have been the first time she had healed Hunters, if they were. Not to mention the fact that it was rather dangerous, if there were to be an attack on Mutebo, for people to be in such a state. They wouldn’t be able to defend the city at all, and Adrianna much preferred for everyone to be in their best condition, physically and magically. Working in Taliya’s medical bay would have worn her down in days with such a disposition.

She turned and approached the group, though immediately heard Lionel’s feet hit the ground lightly behind her as he walked over to them as well. Good. Adrianna walked right past the men chatting in front and moved up alongside the boy with the hurt arm. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help but notice that you look a bit roughed up…” She gestured to his arm but didn’t touch it. “May I help?” Her hand hovering near the arm began to glow a light golden color, the mark of her Luminous magic. She glanced to the woman who accompanied him as well, she was most certainly not Mura, but Adrianna hadn’t ignored her initially for that reason. The quite short Dimura was simply in better condition…and perhaps Adrianna would learn if Lionel really was a healer.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Adrianna blinked in confusion as some man appeared and blocked her path, apparently having watched the display. He mentioned something about not being alone, and she tilted her head. She couldn’t recall this man at all, and looked him up and down to try to place him. His voice certainly sounded like a man who had gone through puberty, but with his long blonde hair and bangs, Adrianna could have easily mistaken him for a woman. He was a bit taller than her, but similar in frame.

Before she had time to ask what he meant by not being alone, he mentioned her name and former affiliation. Her eyes widened for a moment before she recovered and adopted a more neutral expression. “I’m sorry. I think you have mistaken me for someone else.” She said. Adrianna stepped to the side to leave—all the more reason to get out of this town soon, really. Of course, his words about not being alone took on a bit more value now. Was he also a healer? Or had he also been with the church. She generally thought she had a pretty good memory when it came to people. Then again, this was quite a few years ago, and if he hadn’t hit puberty then, perhaps he looked…even more feminine? It was quite perplexing.

Lionel's smile lingered as he stepped in front of Adrianna, cutting off her path again before she could move away. "That disguise is pretty neat! Doesn't help with someone who knows you though!" he reiterated with a wink. As the crowd continued to move around them he leaned in closer, lowering his voice as his smile finally receded, "Why'd you leave? Not that I'm blaming you, but why? What did it?"

Adrianna had completely ignored his second question about finding the wood magi. She should have known, in a place like Mutebo, that there wasn’t any active threat or malice, but she had been hiding herself for so long that she didn’t know any other way. Lionel cut off her path again, and Adrianna glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention. No one seemed to give the pair a second look, which was fortunate. Lionel seemed to enjoy recognizing her and commenting rather bluntly about her choices. Adrianna was much less amused, and openly glared at the man. She hated being out of the know on things.

Clearly, he knew her, and she to contend with not remembering him in the slightest. “I’d rather not speak…out here.” Adrianna said. She gestured off of the main thoroughfare, and walked until she found a place that was very quiet. “The exaggerated wink, by the way, not very subtle. And if you are looking for Kurt, he is probably eating, or rooting.” Adrianna couldn’t help but grin at her own joke, a nice reprieve from the stress of dealing with this individual.

“I don’t remember where we met in the slightest, but I would appreciate it if you kept that to yourself. People here know me as Adrian. It is…easier.” She wanted to say that it would help if she ran across some of the Church’s hunters, but since this guy recognized her with ease, she wondered if she was getting too old to pull it off. “And I left…because I didn’t like the idea of constantly fixing people just so they could go out and hurt more people like us. Even the hunters knew how fucked up it all was. I hated seeing them eventually turn to the drink to soothe themselves, and I didn’t want to turn into that.” She grew quiet. Adrianna didn’t enjoy letting her guard down; it had been a long time since she let anyone in. “What about you?”

Most people who paid more attention to her assumed she was a younger boy, probably in the same way Lionel no doubt got mistaken for a younger lass if he spent too much time in a tavern after midnight. Those who thought he was just a lad rarely treated him as if he had any valuable life wisdom, and it was strange, in a way, to be treated more in kind with her age. Then again, perhaps this was how Lionel treated everyone. He certainly seemed to be an odd duck.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Kurt, as usual, took a more extravagant approach to showing off his magic. If Adrianna ever could not tell them apart by appearance, she knew she would be able to by the way they showed their magic. Kurt stretched, and wiggled his fingers for a few moments, humming a tune before he bent hit knees and crouched down to the ground. Taking a deep breath, Kurt felt through the ground to the nearest tree routes, and drew them towards himself. The roots burst from the ground around him, and began curling and intertwining in the air.

His humming ceased as he had to concentrate on the magic to get the roots to form the way he wanted. It began as a large bundle, and it froze for a few moments, looking like a large egg, before the inner roots began to writhe and wiggle. The outer roots began to crack open in chunks, and then a long arm of roots seemed to claw its way out of the egg. The roots formed a figure, which quickly became apparent as a dragon. The dragon seemed to grow, its root wings spreading out and seeming to flap. The dragon grew, and opened its mouth. The root teeth were barred as the figure froze, and a rather sweat-drenched Kurt stood, albeit a bit shakily.

Clapping from behind Adrianna drew her attention, and she saw that Kurt’s display had garnered quite a few people. He bowed rather extravagantly, though it caused him to wobble a bit on his feet.

“That was fantastic, Burt.” Angelo called out.

“No, wait! I’m Kurt!” He protested. Suddenly, the fact that he had changed his hair part was working against him, and he turned bright red as Burt laughed.

“That’s what you get for trying to trick people.” Burt said, shaking his head.

“Well, I think it is clear from the applause that I won.” Kurt said, still breathing heavily.

“Best two out of three?” Burt asked.

“No way! I won!”

Adrianna stood up, and walked over to both of their sculptures. “In other words, Kurt would pass out if he had to go another round. Go get some water.” He told the one. Most of the people had wandered off, and Kurt nodded to one of the women, walking off with her towards food. That left Burt with Adrianna as the rest of the crowd dispersed.

“How does he do it?” He asked, more to himself than to Adrianna.

“Hmm?” She asked.

“Like, how does he always wander off with a different woman? I mean…we are identical.” Burt complained.

Adrianna shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I think he is immature and impractical. What if his magic was actually needed for something today? He’s completely worn out.”

“What would we be needed for? When does anyone really need wood magic?” Bert asked.

“I don’t know…restoring the balance of nature after a woodland fire?” She posed. Bert sighed, giving a small shrug before heading off. Adrianna stayed there for another minute or so, looking over the results of the magic that had been cast. Kurt was annoying, but his dragon was pretty stunning.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

“Hey, Adrian, come settle this argument for us.” Burt (?) waved Adrianna over to a bench where he was sitting with his twin brother, Kurt. Both men looked very similar, but Burt liked to wear his hair with his part on the left, and Kurt liked to wear his part on the right. There were a few other differences between the twin Ydra, but neither man liked to point them out. They had been pranksters as long as she had been here, but she was pretty sure the men were born enjoying playing tricks on those around them. Kurt, at least, seemed like the kind of guy who made tree roots pop up when playing tag with other children so they fell. They were probably actually near her age, but they saw themselves as older. Fortunately, they had no illusions of being more mature than the healer.

Adrianna did a double take at the twins, however, when she saw that both of them had parted their hair on the left this time. “Kurt…?” She looked at the one who had called her over, thinking that she had initially gotten the men wrong.

“No, I’m Burt.” He began.

“No he isn’t. That is Kurt. You got it right Adrian. He copied my hair today to try to mess with people.” Burt said.

“He’s lying.” The other one said.

“Is this what you called me over here to settle?” Adrianna asked.

“Yes.”
“No.”

“Yea, well, he’s right. No. There is something else.”
“Well I am pretty sure you are Burt, and you are Kurt.” Adrianna said, pointing to each.

“How did you know?” Kurt asks, a bit annoyed that the younger fellow got it so easily.

“You had a smug grin on your face, which made me think that you were the one being deceptive, and thus not Burt.” Adrianna explained. “Plus you are a little heavier than your brother.” She teased.

“HEY!” Kurt looked mildly offended, and Burt laughed raucously, playfully punching the other man.

Adrianna rolled her eyes and shifted her pack. “Now, what is it you guys really want?” She asked.

“We were hoping you would judge us in a little contest.” Burt began. Though a lot of moving her head back and forth between the twins, Adrianna learned that they were trying to compare their spell-casting, and wanted to know which of their feats was more impressive. Adrianna put down her bag, taking a seat on the bench as the two men moved to the grassy area, standing a few feet apart from each other. The criteria she was judging them on were speed, intensity, and flair—their choice, not hers.

In truth, she found the whole thing more than a little silly, but it was their choice. If they wanted to spend their time casting magic merely to outdo the other in the comfort of Mutebo, then that was their prerogative. Burt cast first, and made some vines grow out of the ground, and intertwine with each other in a rather intricate design. He then used his magic to bring some flowers up the length of the vines, and had them slowly come to bloom. It was actually rather pretty, and Adrianna could see Bert using such a thing to court a woman someday.

Then, it was Kurt’s turn.