http://freewolfmoon.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] freewolfmoon.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] witchesreign2011-07-31 07:42 pm

2 ☣ settling in

[1: the training center; last night]
[In the middle of the training center there is a ghost. Only not really. Ghosts generally don't fight T-rexaurs or wield really huge swords.

After almost two weeks, on and off, of watching the adventures of others in the training center and occasionally taking on a few Grats, Fenris has decided to see just what its more monstrous inhabitants can really do. Curiosity may be his stated intent, but of course his motivation is as always as much to release some of his fury at the world he's been thrown into at a controlled burn as anything else. Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly counting on this...rather remarkable dragon-like thing. He's not completely outmatched, but it's a giant dinosaur, and all he has is his natural strength and his armor. He could probably use a little help.

He's trying not to look like he needs it, though. He fights ruthlessly and intensely, with perfectly controlled, powerful swings of the sword and low, flat-voiced oaths muttered in some foreign tongue. And then there's the matter of his ghostliness. He seems insubstantial despite the obvious power of his blows, shimmering nearly white and moving fleetly, ethereally through the undergrowth.]


[1: the library; this morning]
[The work given to him over his time here has been easy enough, and the compensation fair. Collect and sort trays and utensils in the cafeteria. Wash Garden's official vehicles (all right, so he's not entirely convinced those filthy metal things aren't some kind of armored monsters, but aside from that). Spend a night making sure monsters don't escape the training center. That sort of thing. Today's job: "More librarians than usual have the day off. Pick up the slack for them and put the books back into place."

Fenris was supposed to get this done early in the morning, before the library officially opened. It's now 0915 and he's still standing in front of one shelf, holding a stack of books and debating internally whether he could get away with sorting them by color and calling it a day. It's one thing to tell Hawke that he can't read, you see; it's quite another to admit it to the people in charge of Garden.

On the plus side, he's feeling too awkward to be properly filled with rage right now.]

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-10 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
[ The fact that he doesn't seem to realize what her magic even is begins to calm her a little. If he doesn't know it's the power of the angels, he can't know what its cost is, right? She smiles brightly and gestures to the two glowing, translucent pink wings behind her. ]

No, it's angel magic. Like my wings, see?

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-10 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
[ She tilts her head at that. Shapeshifting? Apostates? ]

You don't have angels where you're from?

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-10 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ She shakes her head, and without realizing it a sort of reserved serenity falls over her. This is Colette the Chosen of Mana. ]

No, dragons are a kind of monster. Angels are the servants of the Goddess Martel. They serve her and protect her, and watch over her while she's sleeping.

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-10 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Colette has nothing if not boundless patience and an immunity to jerkitude. And it's an understandable worry: after all, there are mages among the Desians, and the Desians are trying to destroy the world Martel created. ]

Mages are different. They're elves...or half-elves. Martel created the angels to help her take care of the world.

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-10 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Um...I...I think so. [ She hurries to reassure him. ] But that's okay! Our worlds must just be really different.

[ It's becoming clear enough that Fenris doesn't like magic for some reason. She fidgets with her hands, trying to come up with a way to explain it. It's painful to think someone might dislike her just because she uses magic. ...Maybe that's how it is for half-elves. ]

At the beginning of the world, the Goddess Martel created all different kinds of beings: angels, elves, dwarves, summon spirits, and humans. Angels are the closest to Martel, and they help her care for the world. Summon spirits are beings of mana and exist as a part of nature. Dwarves live long lives and are great craftsmen. Elves are mortal, but live longest of all the races, and because they can sense mana, they can use magic. Humans live short lives and can't sense mana, so they can't use magic. But sometimes elves and humans have children--those are half-elves--and they can use magic like elves.

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-11 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ From the way he talks, she wonders... No, she's wondered since she met him and noticed his ears, the unusual color of his hair. ]

Um, I hope it's not rude of me to ask this, but...are you not human, Fenris?

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-11 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She claps her hands together and smiles. Her elation at that is probably puzzling. ]

I was right! I thought you might be, since you look so much like the professor and Genis, and you talk as if you're not human.

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-12 07:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Fenris stop using terms that are confusing ]

Tastes? [ sob you jerk she can't taste anything ] Well, Genis is one of the best cooks I know, so of course I love his food. Though Professor Sage's cooking is kind of scary...

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-12 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Professor Sage is the schoolteacher for my hometown, and she's one of the smartest, wisest people I know. But she's more of a healer than a mage.

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-12 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, no, healing artes aren't magic. At least, I don't think so. Only elves and half-elves can use magic, but even humans can heal with Goddess Martel's holy blessing.

[ She clenches her hands at her chest and a distressed tone creeps into her voice. ]

Don't talk about her like that! The professor is a wonderful person and the best teacher anyone could have!
Edited 2011-08-12 20:18 (UTC)

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-12 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Immediately she looks contrite and ducks her head. ]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you.

No, I can't heal or use magic, just angel spells.
Edited 2011-08-12 20:54 (UTC)

[identity profile] wingsofvirtue.livejournal.com 2011-08-12 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but...returning anger with anger only creates more unhappiness.

[ She shakes her head. ] It doesn't bother me that you think that way. Not everyone believes, and that's okay. But it's important to me, so I do.

[ That question hits so very close to home, though. Too close. After a moment, Colette very carefully folds her hands together and smiles. In truth she has little choice in her destiny; she has no illusions about that. The world is imperfect, painful, full of sorrows and suffering, and the Chosen must die to keep the world from perishing.

Sometimes she would think, "This isn't fair," or, "I hate this," but then she'd remember the cool breeze, the warm sun, Professor Sage's gentle guidance, Genis's laughter, Lloyd's bright smile.

She's okay with it, and that much is her choice. ]


With my whole heart.