tushanshu | 01

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01 | Video

Hello..?

[Have yourself a twelve year old girl testing the water on the shiny new thing and mumbling to herself a little as she does.]

...I hope I'm doing this right.

[Oh right. The people can hear her. Sarah takes a deep breath and gets to talking.]

I uh, gotta say, this is some real crazy stuff going on. I don't even know where to start makin' sense of any of it. The Kedan people, the ones that work here? I think they work here. Live here? I dunno. They explained a lot of stuff but I'm still trying to wrap my head around even being here.

[Sarah pauses. When she speaks again it's with a little less certainty.]

Do they ever make mistakes with who they bring here? I'm not sure I'm the monster fighting type.

[Not real ones anyway.]

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Yes, like magic. And yes, it is. I also happen to be the most proficient in it back where I come from, luckily for this turtle and its population.

[Oh good, an excuse to show off; his favourite! With a pointy-toothed grin, Naugus snaps his fingers, conjuring a levitating ball of flame in his palm. It swirls around his hand and soon breaks off into smaller licks of flame, which then solidify into chunks of stone. They continue to orbit his hand like a miniature solar system before he clicks his fingers again and they, in a puff of frost, all snap and shimmer into ice. Leaving them to rotate a bit longer, the mage finally ends the demonstration with a flex of his hand, the ice bits evaporating into steam near instantly.]

Just a small display, mind you. Parlour tricks, really. Just to reassure you that I'm hardly all smoke and mirrors in my claims.

[Staring. Staring forever. That is the coolest thing she has seen in the history of ever. Her mouth falls open in awe and when she speaks, there's no hiding she's both amazed and impressed.]

Whoa. That's... How did you learn to do that?

A great deal of study and forbidden knowledge, for the most part. Researching magicks is a bit of a passion of mine.

I pity your realm if this is the first you have ever seen any kind of spellwork! What a poor zone indeed if it is devoid of the arcane.

We sure don't have anything like that back home. I mean there's magicians and stuff, but it's all tricks. I don't think any of it is really real.

[Have yourself a small smile, Ixis.]

In any case, I'm glad we're on the same side.

Indeed, child! You have little to fear with one as magnificent as I, Ixis Naugus, defending this land.

[Quietly she repeats his name in a bid to commit it to memory.]

Thanks, Mr Naugus.

[Because manners are a thing she was raised with.]

This has all been a huge help.

Oh! I, er. Hhhhhh...

[He's actually taken aback for a moment! Being thanked and in such a sincere way? It catches him offguard! But he soon regains composure and dips his head in an improvised bow, smiling in a less toothy manner.]

The pleasure is mine, child.

[She smiles back, only to realize she hasn't actually introduced herself.]

Oh! My name's Sarah by the way. Guess I got caught up in the talkin' and forgot to say as much.

Hardly amiss, Ms. Sarah. You've found yourself in a trying situation, no doubt with a great deal on your mind. I was much the same when I was brought here.

[Probably a little more panicked violence in his case, but still! Naugus remembers that disorientation and confusion, feeling like you're always catching up with learning about this place and having to digest a lot of information in short time.]

Fear not; you will be safe here.

[She's glad to of met him, even if it's only through the network. Things may still be confusing and there's still so much to work out, but he's a stable point in the madness.

It's nice to know she's not alone. If they were face to face, he might even get hugged for saying what he just did.]

Thanks. I really mean that.

[There's one more question on her mind.]

Hey um, Mr Naugus? What sector are you living in?

Hrm? The Earth sector. Unit-...? A moment, if you will.

[He rummages around his terminal for a moment, looking for something. He hisses in annoyance when it doesn't turn up immediately and he has to duck down out of sight to look under and around the area. Whatever he's seeking likely fell and now he has to do an undignified little hunt for it. He soon pops back up with a scrap of paper in hand, though! Must have been what he was looking for, as he squints and reads off whatever's on it.]

Earth sector, unit...EA-2D. There we are. I have a preference for such a malleable element, you see.

[Sarah waits patiently, cringing and smiling and leaning to follow what he's doing without really realizing she's doing it.

When at last he appears, she takes a moment to write that down. Next she'll be digging out one of the pamphlets the Kedan gave her to find herself a map.]

That's not too far away!

[Kinda.]

I'm in the wood sector.

Well, there you have it! If you are ever in need, you know where to locate me. I suppose there are methods of contact with these infernal devices as well, but I confess a bit of a bias against technology. I use it only for lack of present alternatives.

[Mental note; gotta research more on magical terminal replacements.]

Who knows? Maybe in time, you could prove yourself worthy of being an apprentice of Ixian magic! You would not be the first I've taught.

Whoa... You really think I could learn?

[Welp. Now she's hooked on that idea. At the least it'll be a distraction from all the bad that's happened, and even if she can't use magic, just learning about it sounds fun enough.]

I'm not from where you're from. Is it possible?

I don't see why not. Your realm likely still has the elements, does it not? Fire, water, earth and air? That is the core of my teachings. My last apprentice became quite adept at air manipulation. Boy never seemed interested in applying himself further, but he tried. And I suppose that counts for something.

Barring that, I have other crafts that can be learned or granted. It might be good for one so defenseless to pick up.

...No offense. It's just that you are a very young Overlander.

[Again, she brightens at all that's being said. He's got her full attention.]

Yeah, the elements are all the same.

[The thought of not being so helpless on this crazy turtle is a huge comfort. Sarah holds up her hands and shakes her head.]

No, no I'm not offended or anything. It's cool. I mean, I'm only twelve and this ain't a situation I ever thought I'd be in.

[Neither is the one back home. Sarah pushes the thought from her mind.]

[Naugus tsks and his ears lay flat again, bugged once more by the reminder of kids being summoned here. Why! Why is that a thing. It's pointless and reckless. It HAS to be faulty spellcraft.]

Perhaps your arrival will help me determine why children and other non-combatants are drawn to this zone. But in due time. Rather, the time for adjustment is now. Welcome to Keeliai, Ms. Sarah.

[If she can help at all in any way, even if it's just in working things out, Sarah will be happy.]

Thanks Mr Naugus.

[And she smiles a little, genuinely happy to have a friend in him.]

I think I need to just... take my time with all this. Think about it a bit.

You're welcome, child. And yes, I spent a good while ruminating on our situation the first day. It will fall into place for you eventually, I'm sure.

[Someday she'll tell him more about what's happened to her. Today it's still too fresh. For now, she takes his words as a comfort.]

Yeah, it'll all work out. It's got to.

[She'll do whatever it takes to make it so.]

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01 | Video

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video; (this interaction is so cute weh)

video; (guh i know right? ;w;)

video; (i was not expecting this, but i accept it all the same.)

video; (you and me both C:)

video; (this feels like a set-up for a ghibli film.)

video; (HAH! I'd watch the heck out of it.)

video; (Makes me wish I could ape the style better to draw that.)

video; (I reckon give it a go anyway :3)

video; (see link in the last word for a half-assed 20 minute attempt.)

video; (SCREAM. I freaking love it!!)