Day 61: Sun Room (third shift)

[witchoftruth]

The moment dear Landel-san announced that it was time for lunch, Erika wasted no time and headed straight for the Sun Room's bulletin board to check if there was any response to her message left for her dear friend. Predictably, there was nothing for her on the board, and the detective scowled as she realized she might have to write him off as a loss. She had lost a good number of potential allies in this place, but losing this one was a bit of a blow, if only because he had useful things on him. On the other hand, if he was gone, and that ring was still here...

Perhaps it was not a great loss, then. Still, Erika was mildly annoyed as she wandered away from the board and back towards a nearby couch. She was spending a lot of time in the Sun Room lately, which seemed to be a bit of a waste as she could have spent in going around the Institute. On the other hand, she had a sandwich here that was waiting to be consumed and after spending a week with little access to "real food", Erika was more then happy to enjoy her time spent eating.

Still, at some point she was going to have to manage her time a little more effectively. There was no reason why she couldn't multitask, so Erika kept her gaze on the door of the Sun Room so she could watch people filter in on their way to other rooms. She wouldn't get everyone, no, but perhaps she would find someone useful that she could bother for the rest of the shift. A familiar face, or maybe someone new. She'd decide on that eventually.

[ hau Seishin ready for round 2. /killed ]

Comments

[doctor_voodoo]

The Bokor instantly recognized the suspicion coming off from Rita; it was a common skepticism he often encountered throughout his career as a shadowy enchanter. He was quite used to that sort of reaction by now, but it was rather odd to be getting that from a fellow magic user. Perhaps "businessmen" of his type were known to exist in her world? Either way, Facilier took the judgmental expressions in stride, his smile unrelenting against the girl's perked eyebrow.

"I see... I'd say we're on the same boat then..." Facilier said with a grim nod, taking note of the brief lapse of the usual sharpness in Rita's eyes. Seeing someone with such an unapproachable personality express a hint of vulnerability raised Facilier's spirit a little. It sounded as though she had no source of power at all, while Facilier still had his Shadow and an increasing supply of materials to craft with... She would be wise to not have him as an enemy.

"Ah yes, my friends from the Other Side! Y'all can call them spirits for sure," Facilier replied, clasping his hands together and intertwining his long fingers like braids. "I've befriended a family of them you see, and they've bestowed me with their powers and assistance," he explained, with a little white lie added into his words; he had become more indebted to the Loa than just plain became companions with them... But Rita didn't need to know that little detail.

"For example, when I need some serious enchantments done, that's when they come in. It's not something that comes cheap though, you gotta be sure to please them and stay on their good side. Don't take more from them than you can give back, if y'all get my drift..." he said with a hollow chuckle. For a second his eyes darkened, clouded by the unrelenting flashback of the angry Loa dragging him to his doom...

The terrible memory was quickly blinked away, and Facilier retained his shallow amiability. "Say I ask for an amulet endowed with a good chunk of the spirit's powers. I'd be wise to use it right and give it back to the spirits in one piece once I've gotten what I wanted," he said with a tone used to explain something naturally logical, "It's all routine business for my type of magic."

Now it was Facilier's turn to take a gander at Rita's magical background. "Say, you mentioned that magic is quite powerful and commonly used back in your home, am I right?" he asked with innocent curiosity displayed on his face, "If you can use magic as a weapon, y'all must have a pretty powerful source to tap into, if I'm not mistaken!"

[overlimit]

"That sounds stingy of them," Rita commented flatly when Facilier described the spirits of his world. Perhaps it was only fair for magic use to involve some sort of exchange, but for the spirits she knew, lending power was something so effortless that it would almost be like if humans expected compensation for breathing. Therefore: stingy.

Still, it was a point worth considering. Spirits and humans were on good terms at the moment, but if at some point the spirits decided to restrict access to their power... well, it would be a difficult situation, to say the least.

"A powerful source?" Rita shrugged. "You could say that. Up until recently, our magic came from aer, a substance found in the atmosphere and all over the world. But then we found out that aer-based magic has a disastrous effect on the environment, so I've been working on developing an alternative."

That alternative being Rita's greatest accomplishment. She couldn't quite keep her pride from showing in her expression, which betrayed a wide, self-assured grin. "I came up with a formula to convert aer into mana - something closer to matter, which humans can interact with more easily. This led to the creation of spirits - mana-based entities with power over the elements. I can borrow their power freely for my magic."

[doctor_voodoo]

Rita's "stingy" remark barely offended the Bokor. Instead, a sad hollow chuckle slowly came bubbling out of him. "Stingy" was but an understatement when it came to describing the Loa's contemptuous personalities and rigidly conditional services. Facilier could only shake his head with a small smile until his laughter died down.

"I suppose you could say that!" he replied, for once feeling glad that the aforementioned spirits didn't seem to be present to hear him. "Them spirits from the Other Side don't normally converse with us living folk on this Side of life," Facilier sagely explained, "Back in my world, it's all but a privilege to have outer-worldly folk even pay attention to you. You'd best respect them, even if they are rather stingy..."

Despite his little chuckle attack, Facilier was glad to move away from any topic regarding the Loa's unforgiving tempers. He listened to Rita, genuinely curious to learn about how the state of magic was for her world -- and was utterly flabbergasted by what he heard. He failed to keep the shock from emerging upon his face as his mind raced over Rita's words.

She... created spirits? And had full power over them as well?! If she was speaking the truth, she was far more free and powerful than Facilier could ever dream to be! Now Facilier realized that he would be most wise himself to not make her an enemy...! For all he knew, this young girl could be some sort of Deity...

The very concept of producing and manipulating such power with little consequence astounded Facilier so much, that the envious part of his personality was too overwhelmed to show its green shade right away. To think that magic could be gathered from the environment and used with such little constraint... The power of money seemed so much weaker in comparison. Mon Dieu...!

"Extraordinary!" he exclaimed, unfolding his hands to clap them together with excitement. "What I'd give to see this aer stuff of yours! I've never heard of it back in my home, but if it existed, I'm sure everyone would have been using it by now! No more need for steam, gas or electricity..."

Remembering to keep a professional stance, Facilier forced himself to calm down, but his eyes remained wide and greedy. "And the spirits you create... You truly can take power from them, without any price or trouble? Can you really control them?"

[overlimit]

Rita could tell Facilier was impressed, which made her already-enormous ego swell a little more. But really, who wouldn't be proud to be in Rita's shoes? She single-handedly (well, almost) revolutionized magic and magic technology! That was worth a few pats on the back.

But it looked like she did need to clarify a few points. "I wouldn't say I control them. It's sort of like... well, like how the sun gives off heat and light that we can use. It produces and emits those things just by existing. What we're developing now are techniques that harness the magical energy that these beings give off just by existing in our world." That was about the simplest explanation Rita could muster.