[03] || [Dark Times] || [Open]

[the_white_rider]

Characters: Gandalf and you
Setting: The Libraries, Floor Twelve, Meadow and Anywhere Else.
Format: Action for a start, but will follow.
Summary: Gandalf reappears two weeks after the Whale Accident ended (he had mysteriously disappeared a few days after the Whale Event started). He's going to linger mostly around the libraries and smoke his favorite brand of weed to relax, feel free to poke him or speak to him.
Warnings: None for now, will update if something comes up.


Floor Nineteen (Library)
[ Gandalf is roaming through the ruins of the Research Library, picking up some of the ruined books on the ground at times- Quickly looking through them before putting them down. He is clearly looking both saddened and bothered by the destruction that happened during the attack- And he had a front seat to witness it all.

It looks as though he's looking for something specific, maybe something he lost. Or maybe he's just looking for clues as to the true nature of what happened. ]


Floor Three (Library)
[ The White Wizard is not reading any book in this library. No, instead he is writing in a book, a quite large one at that. He started working on this book since his early days in the tower, in order to record all of his findings about the tower, in order to write out all of his theories.

This could come in handy in case he was to disappear from this tower, someday. It had happened once before, it could happen again. But at least, a trace of his discoveries and theories would be left behind. He had done well to hide the book and protect it with a few spells; the book had gone through the attack undamaged. He was about to hide it once more, but before doing so he needed to quickly add a few more of his thoughts, discoveries and theories.

Gandalf doesn't bother to hide as he does so. After all very few people frequent the library and even if someone was to see this- The book is written in a language that most people in the tower cannot read. Three people at most can, and he knows them. Yet, the title of the chapter he is currently writing, and only the title, can be clearly read in the common tongue: ]

"Of the Fëar and Hröar (Souls and Bodies)"


Floor Twelve
[ Very often Gandalf would come on the Twelfth Floor and quietly stared at the terrible scenery depicting the end of countless worlds. It was terrible, but it helped him focus and think, to ponder about the situation. To develop and research into theories.

This floor was certainly in a sorry state after what happened, but even so you will find Gandalf there, quietly staring at the scenery all while smoking some of his favorite pipe-weed. It helps to relax and focus, really.

If you're unlucky, you may happen to come when the smoke he exhales takes a whale shape. Irony also helps to focus. ]


Floor Twenty-Five (Meadow)
[ The meadow is clearly not in a good shape, and not the pleasant sight it usually is, not the comforting place it used to be for people wanting to forget would it be only for a minute the horrors of the tower.

Yet you will find Gandalf there at Nightfall, walking around and looking for a very particular kind of plant that, hopefully managed to avoid being crushed by the monsters, but there is not much hope. ]


Anywhere Else
[ You may find he White Wizard pretty much anywhere around the tower on that day, with his staff in hand. Be it a destroyed floor or one that managed to avoid destruction, Gandalf may be lurking around. He'll be moving a lot, but he'll stop to at least get a proper meal. ]

Comments

[moontothetide]

[In a lot of ways, there are few people more unlucky than Tara.

She's already found herself coming back to this floor again and again since her return to what they tell her was her own world. Especially because, well...she isn't sure she believes them.

But to suddenly come into this room of dying stars, and find herself confronted with the ghostly form of a whale...Tara freezes in place, staring up at it with her mouth agape, until it dissipates and she finds it in herself to look around again.]

[the_white_rider]

[ Fortunately Gandalf senses the presence nearby- And see that Tara is quite troubled at the sight of the smoke whale, for lack of a better word. Hence he quickens its dissipation and turns to look at her when she looks around. ]

My apologizes young lady.

[ His tone is soft and he smiles lightly to her, with a nod. ]

I didn't expect to see anyone around these parts.

[moontothetide]

H-Hi. [She offers a tremulous smile, before crossing the floor to join him. A fire burns under her feet as the newest recording plays on.] I-It's okay. I mean, um, I-I don't really see a lot of people here anyway.

...I-I guess it's easy. To, to understand why. N-Not like we need a reminder, is it? [She gestures at the room around them.]

Floor 3

[keeps_count]

[Legolas limped into the library, leg still sore and healing and smiled at the sight of the white wizard. For all the worry that he and Haldir had suffered, wondering where Gandalf had disappeared to, he felt no upset regarding it. Gandalf had always come and gone and there had to be somewhere in the tower that they hadn't been able to search for him.]

It is good to see you well, mellonamin. Haldir and I sought you out but haven't seen you until now. We worried.

[the_white_rider]

[ Gandalf smiled when Gandalf entered the library and addressed him. ]

Legolas, friend. It's been a long time. I am sorry for disappearing, but there was something I needed to finish before I returned.

[ Unfortunately, Gandalf also catches a glimpse of how he moved his leg- There is a little worry in his voice, but it appears it's nothing too bad for the Elvish prince to sustain. ]

It is good to see you well as well, but what happened to your leg?

[keeps_count]

I understand and I'll ask for no explanation. If it's something we are meant to know, it will come to light in time.

[Legolas finds a seat nearby and lets himself fall into it so he can rest his leg. Haldir will probably berate him later for walking on it too much...]

After the whale released all the monsters into the tower, I had to help fight them off. One of them broke it.

[Floor 12]

[hachitaro]

[Normally Taro skips right past this floor, but the smell of smoke makes him pause.]

[He heads in, staring at the smoke whale, before grinning.]

That's pretty awesome.

[the_white_rider]

[ Gandalf turns when he hears a man's voice commenting on the Smoke Whale-- ]

Oh, this?

[ He smiles and laughs lightly before causing the "smoke whale" to dissipate, with the smoke slowly taking then the shape of an eagle before totally dissipating. ]

A cheap wizard trick. One can wish it would have been that easy to cast the real one into oblivion.

[hachitaro]

Yeah, I get what you mean.

[... He does have to ask, though -]

Is that actual smoke, or just the illusion of some?

Floor 3

[quarkylass]

[ Jade attempts to read over his shoulder, and fails -- whatever language this book is in, it certainly isn't anything she's encountered before. So she decides to just ask some questions instead. ]

Souls? Like human ones?

[the_white_rider]

[ Alas, Quenya is a language probably only known by the Elves in the tower. Maybe by Gimli as well. Gandalf looks up to the girl when she speaks, nods slowly as an answer and smiles lightly. ]

Yes, exactly like human ones.

[ He pauses before adding-- ]

For that matter, like that of every sentient being who happens to live in this tower I believe. Be they humans, elvish, trolls, hylians or divinities- And so on.

[quarkylass]

[ She grins. ]

I guess I just never knew there were so many different people who lived in the tower! Trolls come from my world, but all of the other ones...maybe I just haven't been paying attention. I probably should!

Floor Twelve

[thereisnopie]

[Normally Gamzee might have passed up this area, or regarded it as just another part of this new made up world meant to draw him in, but he can't help but stop now. The reason for this is Gandalf - mostly the fact that Gandalf is an old man. Gamzee hasn't seen many old men, especially old human men, and none that look like this one. So he can't help but stare a bit longer than he should, arms crossed in the long sleeves of his straight jacket.]

[the_white_rider]

[ Truth to be told, even in the tower there were not a lot of old men, you could probably count them on one hand.

Gandalf catches on that stare after a moment and slightly turns his head to face Gamzee. ]

Hm?

[ Gandalf doesn't look annoyed, angry or anything, just a bit curious. ]

Can I help you with anything, young man?

[thereisnopie]

[Oh right, he's still standing there. Whoops.]

Uh.

[He has no reason to be there. He should just wander off again. There's nothing here that isn't just another creation of his captors.

But.

The man has a comforting presence about him, so he doesn't feel any need to hesitate in taking a couple steps further inside.]

Just gettin' my explore on, you dig? Taking in all there's at to be seeing.

Floor 25

[pauldrons]

[Zack's had little reason to stay still these days, but catching sight of Gandalf on his way down to the lower floors makes him stop. It's rare that many people would be down here at this hour, most already back in the relative safety some areas can provide, so it's definitely strange to see someone just...wandering around the meadow. Especially with all the stairs to go back down or up to reach said relative safety.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Zack steps off the stairs and into the meadow itself, making just enough noise to be heard so no startling happens.]

Hey. Everything okay?

[the_white_rider]

[ Thankfully, would danger be to arise Gandalf was one more than capable to fight off whatever would get in his way. He picks a plant on the ground but sighs when he sees it is not the good one.

As he hears Zack's voice voice though, he turns to face him. ]

Zack.

[ He smiles and nods, before putting back the plant on the ground. ]

Yes yes, I am simply looking for something. [He pauses before explaining quickly-] A friend of mine briefly came to the tower, months ago. He disappeared, but he left us a present. Plants with unique healing properties.

I cultivated the plant and hide it on a few floors of the tower, in case of need. With what destruction befell us though, I have little hope to find it I'm afraid.

[pauldrons]

[Thankfully, that is true, but Zack has yet to become aware of that fact. Someday, perhaps he'll learn. Today, however, he simply tilts his head and casts a look at the ground beneath them. A plant, huh? That's...like looking for a needle in a haystack in all these plants. Gandalf's probably going to be here a while.]

I could give you a hand finding it. What's it look like?

Floor 19

[capax_infiniti]

[It seems that the White Wizard is not alone in his sorrow over the destruction of the research library. In another section Xehanort can be found engaging in similar actions, picking up the books, running his hands over the intact parts as though being able to read them through the cover, as though comforting an old friend. Each one he picks up he attempts to set back upright on what remains of the ruined shelves, although it's a fruitless endeavour indeed.]

[the_white_rider]

[ That's an unexpected sight, to say the least. Admittedly Gandalf had never spoke with the Keyblade Master before, but from what he had seen of him, he didn't take him for the kind to "mourn", for lack of a better word, the destruction of such a place.

At least they have this in common. When after a while his steps takes him closer to Xehanort's location, the White Wizard picks one of these books and places it on a ruined shelves, much like Xehanort did.

Can't hurt to give him a hand for a good cause. For a very brief time. ]

Restoring this library to its former glory will be a hard task, I'm afraid.

[capax_infiniti]

[He sweeps his hands to the sides for a moment, an almost bitter look of resignation on his face before he begins to recite...]

There died a myriad,
And of the best, among them,
For an old bitch gone in the teeth,
For a botched civilization,

Charm, smiling at the good mouth,
Quick eyes gone under earth's lid,

For two gross of broken statues,
For a few thousand battered books.

[His tone and diction return to normal and he slowly retrieves another book, flipping the torn pages delicately.]

A shame. The volumes here were quite informative, the work of sweat and tears. The loss of such a place is a true tragedy.

12th Floor

[notontheflowers]

[Reno's a frequenter of the twelfth floor as well, and he's not bothered by the shape of the smoke. He settles beside Gandalf on a bit of nearby rubble.

He's quiet, looking over the destruction and simply gives the older man a nod. If Gandalf wants to talk that's cool, the same as simple silent companionship.]

[the_white_rider]

[ Gandalf remains quite for a while as well, acknowledging Reno's presence with a nod in return. Reno once fought a similar threat to what was displayed here, this may be even worse for him to stare at this. ]

...

[ He breaks the silence after a moment. ]

People tend to avoid this room, be it for bad or good reasons. May I ask, what draws you here?

Floor 11? He likes to hang out here, despite what happened... <_<

[warriorscribe]

*Even with the flowers torn from the ceiling, ragged stems remaining, it was hard to destroy a room that was mostly water to begin with. Enoch stands with his hand cupped under a waterfall, watching the water spill over his palm.

He isn't quite sure what hunch he was acting on when he turned at the sound of someone passing by on the stairs, but he spots Gandalf over his shoulder all the same. The one who had the theory about the phantoms. He addresses him without moving from where he stands, watching him from over his shoulder.*

Ah...excuse me. Gandalf, wasn't it?

pfff, sure

[the_white_rider]

[ Gandalf turns and nods when he is addressed- ]

Enoch, right?

[ he walks to Enoch slowly. Gandalf had heard bits and rumors about Enoch's recklessness. About the extent to which he took Gandalf's theories. Maybe next time Gandalf shouldn't share his thoeires in such an open public

Yet he stops close to Enoch and looks at him calmly. ]

Is there something you wish to ask me?