damned_institute | Day 35: Wicker Street

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Day 35: Wicker Street

[from here]

The sound of the dog lead Sheena to a building on the corner of the street. Seeing the name of it and the animals in the windows, she giggled, imagining how if Colette was here they'd never be able to get her to leave. The sweet angel would insist on staying until she held and played with every single puppy in the plac eand given them all names.

She'd only been gone a day and already Sheena was missing the simple things she'd come to accept traveling with her companions. She put her hand to the window, smiling softly (if a little lonely) at the puppy that noticed her and started wagging tis tail and licking the glass right where her hand was.

[Awaiting a chance to run into a sweet-toothed warlord!]

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"It has its moments," Rainier replied wryly. "Formal meetings can be something of a chore I admit." And the rules governing sex could be ah... somewhat difficult at times.

"I wouldn't say that it's so much about impressing people as helping the Blood govern themselves and the landens," he explained.

Sheena looked confused. "The Blood? What's that?"

It sounded like more fo a group than a thing. The name made her think maybe the protocols were a good thing because some people called The Blood brought to mind thoughts of the Desians.

She hoped Rainier wasn't one of them if they were evil people.

"The Blood are those creatures who are able to use Craft, spells and the like, in my world. We're the caretakers of the realms and those who aren't Blood," he explained. It probably didn't make much sense to someone who came from a completely different civilisation. Who knew if she even had Craft in her world.

"What about yourself, Sheena?" he asked with a smile. "It's a little overwhelming to find out that there are worlds beyond those I've heard of. I'm curious."

"Ah."

So the Blood are like elves. Sheena tilted her head a little, peering at Rainier in an attempt to see if he had pointed ears. Nope... not pointed. He looked pretty human to her. And despite the odd name, she guessed the Blood weren't evil - well, not anymore evil than humans generally were.

"Oh, it's weird being in a place that's not either of my worlds, but I adapt pretty quickly to the differences in technology levels having alreayd done it before. I guess since I was one of the first in a long time to cross the dimensional stream from Tethe'alla - my home world - to its sister world, Sylvarant, it makes sense that there'd be other worlds accessed through other means."

She scratched the back of her head. "I just don't know how transport was done without the right kind of machinery and mana to fuel it." She probably should explain mana.

"Oh! Mana's where magic in my world comes from. Only those with elven blood can cast spells, though humans have discovered ways to channel their own mana into advanced techniques."

"That does make sense when you already know of things like that, I suppose," Rainier agreed. "We have three different Realms, but they aren't separate worlds as such and travel between them is quite possible, although less frequent than it used to be." Terreille had seemed until recently a world that had no bearing on his own life, something little more than a story.

"So your people have Craft too?" he said with keen interest. "And how do they channel mana if they have no aptitude for it?"

He offered Sheena his arm. "Shall we walk? It seems a shame to only see a small part of the town while we're given some limited freedom."

Sheena was starting to like this whole etiquette protocol thing Rainier did. She smiled and took her arm.

"I'm not really good at explaining it, but think of mana as more like the lifeforce of the world - the essence of life. So it's everywhere around us and we all contain it inside us since we're alive and all," Sheena attempted to explain as they walked.

"Somehow, the elves have the gift that allows them to take the mana all around and shape it into magic may it be for healing, protection, destruction or in the very rare case for summoning. Humans, on the other hand, can only manipulate the mana within themselves."

Sheena was hoping she was making sense. "So, through will and training, they can augment their own abilities as well as create things like shockwaves, explosions, protective shields and sometimes even kinda steal the lifeforce from an unfortunate opponent."

Rainier listened attentively to Sheena as she explained how Craft worked in her world. It seemed very different to how the Blood worked, but at the same time, there were similarities there. People being able to manipulate only their own level of power was something he understood well.

"It sounds like it could be a very useful skill to learn if it's so versatile," he commented as they headed a little further down the street, pausing outside what looked to be a toyshop for a moment. "Is it common for humans to learn this?" he asked curiously. Blood used Craft like breathing a lot of the time, especially if they were Darker Jewelled, to siphon off the power they could channel.

Sheena shrugged. "People tend to find one method that works for them and develop other techniques off of that, so they generally kinda stay within a general area of effect since it's usually a weapon the mana is chaneled through."

Was it common? That was a very good question. "It's common in Mizuho, my village, because our young train from a very early age but my village is small. As for the worlds in general? Hmm... I wouldn't say its common, but I also wouldn't cal it a rare ability. It's just, unless someone's a soldier or a mercenary, there's little reason to focus enough to develop them."

She chuckled. "Sometimes it's int eh middle of a fight, when you're trying really hard to do something that you suddenly discover a new way to channel your mana."

"I can understand specialising," he said. "Some Witches in my world choose to train to become Black Widows, people who can heal minds and work with dreams and illusions. It takes many years of training to follow that path." And some people specialised in different kinds of Craft, although most Blood just used it as a natural part of their everyday lives.

"Then you must be very good at it, if you've trained for so long," he said with a smile. "And being forced is often a good way to find new and creative uses for things," he said with wry amusement.

People who could use magic to effect dreams and create illusions sounded really creepy to Sheena and she shivered at the thought. She liked her dreams being her own, thank you very much. Rainier's compliment, though, brought another light blush to her cheeks.

"Thanks..." She cleared her throat and smiled. "I'm a guardian fighter, so I channel my mana through special cards aside from knowing the other ninja arts." She scratched her cheek nervously. "I also have a little elven blood in me, but I can't cast any magic like the elves can. That blood allows me to form pacts with certain elemental spirits, so... I'm a summoner."

There was something satisfying in seeing a lady blush with pleasure at a compliment, even if Rainier's interest was more in seeing her happy than anything else.

"Ninja?" he asked, not having heard the word before and curious about what it meant. It sounded like some kind of fighting art, but he couldn't be sure. ""It sounds like you have some very useful skills," he said genuinely and then frowned in thought. "What materials do you need for the cards? I know my use of Craft is limited here, as is that of the people from my world."

"Shadow warriors that focus on speed and stealth more than brute strength," Sheena clarified. "Hand to hand combat is the basis for all the ninja arts. And... I can't tell you much more than that. Village secrets and all."

"I was able to make some cards last night using the paper from the journal but they didn't work so well. If I could get my hands on some sturdier paper or, if I'm lucky, wood and something to carve the appropriate symbols with, I'd be better off." Especially since the cards she'd made last night had all the writing horribly smudged this morning, rendering them useless."

"You have friends here?"

He laughed softly at that, giving her an understanding look. "That's alright then. I won't push. It's just not a word I've heard before." It sounded like an interesting school of fighting though, rather different to the Eyrien style which he'd been taught by Lucivar.

He tapped his lips thoughtfully with a finger. "If I see anything that would work, I'll be sure to let you know," he said. "I'd hate to see you go unarmed because of lack of materials. And yes, there are people from my world here," he said with a wry smile. "Admittedly, one of them doesn't remember me and the other is possibly a little angry with me at the moment."

"That'd be awesome if you found something. Thanks!" Sheena hugged Rainier's arm excitedly, accidentally smooshing her chest into it which made her get all self-conscious and she looked away at the nearest shop. Toys and... candy. Pretty high-scale.

"At least they're something familiar," Sheena said about Rainier's friends. "There's three from my worlds here. One is a relatively new friend that I'm still not too comfortable, the other is an enemy that apparently my friend and I are allying with and the other is a philandering man-whore that knows me far better than anyone should that goes out of his way to piss me off and make me want to chase him all over the place just so I can knock that damn smirk off his face..."

Realizing her mouth was running on its own again and how passioante she'd gotten into bashing Zelos, Sheena laughed nervously and then changed the subject.

"Look - candy," she said, pointing to the shop.

Not that Rainier seemed to notice, he just smiled warmly at Sheena, glad that she liked the idea. "I'll keep an eye out for sure," he said.

"I think I recognise the type," Rainier replied dryly when she mentioned the third person from her world. "I've met a few people like that where I'm from." It was inevitable that you'd get people who would take advantage of their position withing whatever Court they served in after all.

He followed her gaze and peered in through the window at the array of sweet inside, including, he was pleased to say, a few large bars of that most precious item, chocolate fudge. Now there was an idea. "Do you like chocolate fudge, Sheena?" he asked innocently. If females worked here anything like they did at home, then getting some of it could be a big help. And Daemon had said that people often showed up without warning. What if one of the Coven appeared?

Did she like chocolate? Chocolate was one of those delicacies that only the rich could afford. Which meant, Sheena only ever had the chance to have some when had forgiven Zelos for his most recent flirting and she was at his manor. He had some stashed away ion the kitchen to give to all his damn 'hunnies'. Since she only qualified as one of those when Zelos got lonely, the bastard, she usually just grabbed a piece when he wasn't looking.

A big smile washed across her face. "Mhmm! it's a rare thing where I'm from. It's expensive so only the rich can afford it," she replied.

Yes, it seemed like chocolate was appreciated everywhere, from the smile that appeared on Sheena's face at the mention of it. "I have an idea," he said with a grin. "How good are you at acting?" If this town thought that they were poor ill mental patients who needed to have good care taken of them, then why not play it up a little?

"If say, a young lady were upset at her and her brother having been sent away from their loving family to help them recover from some cruel affliction, but her loving mother had always given her something to cheer her up at home, chocolate fudge, perhaps..."

Her smile turned sly. She saw where this was heading and had no qualms about helping. The worst these people could do was say no.

Suddenly she looked very anxious. "But... but... brother, if we can't send Colette some fudge, what are we going to do? With only the dog to play with while mother works, she must be so lonely..."

Heh. Perfect.

Rainier flashed her a broad grin of appreciation for a moment before adopting a suitably concerned expression and sliding his arm around Sheena's shoulder in a brotherly way.

"I know, Sheena," he said. "But I'm sure they'll come and visit. They said there were visitors, didn't they? But we can at least go and look?"

He pushed open the door and guided the woman inside the toy shop.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/449632.html?view=36511840#t36511840)]

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Day 35: Wicker Street

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