☿ // point zero

[fionnuisce]

Characters: Waver and open!
Format: I'll try to match.
Summary: Professor Charisma does some exploring. And science. Magic science. i have no self control so wow this got up quick
Warnings: None yet.

[dorm room 3-10]

[Sleep paralysis on its own was enough to put him on edge. Was this some kind of ill-conceived attack with magecraft? No, that wasn't likely--if it was and his would-be opponent had an ounce of sense in their heads, he'd be dead already. In the moments it took him to properly regain his senses, Waver ran through a list of hypothetical causes for this problem...each as unlikely as the last.]

[Finally, he was able to sit up and brush long, disheveled black hair from his face. Now that it occurred to him, Waver couldn't even remember having fallen asleep to begin with. Hadn't he only just been leaving a lecture hall in the Clock Tower? If he'd fainted, this didn't seem like any infirmary they had to his knowledge. As he considered the matter, Waver idly trailed a hand to the back of his own neck and froze. Though the collar's presence disturbed him, he could figure that out later. What caused him to halt in place wasn't the presence of something foreign, but the absence of something familiar.]

That's not possible. It's gone, how the hell can it possibly-- [He muttered under his breath for a second, double checking to be sure whatever it was (likely a necklace of some kind, from how he was acting) had actually gone missing.]

[One might find him shortly after that, rummaging through his trunk with some very determined sense of urgency.]

[floor eighty-one]

[Standing before the windows and looking skyward was one unfazed lecturer in a dark green suit, black hair tied in a long ponytail and sunglasses resting on top of his head. In his hands are a pen and small notebook, and every few minutes he pauses to take something down in chickenscratch handwriting.]

[floor twenty-five]

[Here, said ponytailed and sunglasses-wearing individual seems to be doing something a little strange. Namely, something with a case full of glass vials and liquids that might scream 'mad scientist'.]

[Or 'alchemist', if one knew better.]

[Whatever method he was using, Waver seemed to be analyzing a few specific flowers in the meadow, presumably to determine whether they were magical or supernatural in origin.]

[Judging by the frustrated look on his face? They're probably not.]

[floor three]

[A library; the natural habitat of clever people, especially this one in particular. He examined the shelves with a critical look, a small pile of books on the table nearby. Whatever he's actually looking for, it doesn't seem he's able to find it. He adjusted the sunglasses on his head as though doing so was some odd habit, scowling in faint aggravation.]

[anywhere else]

[Of course, anyone doing this much exploring is bound to run into monsters. Maybe he's on his own, or maybe he stopped to defend someone else. Whatever the case, he shifted into a fighting stance as though it were second nature and immediately moved to take down the enemy before him with swift, precise strikes.]

[When the monster had been taken down and the danger was momentarily avoided, Waver straightened up and did little more than dust off his dark green suit with a completely unfazed look.]

[Yeah. Totally a thing that happens every day, right?]

Comments

[fionnuisce]

"Sure it is. A lot of magi in my world deal in equivalence; you pay an equal price for what you receive. So how's it exactly fair that you offer this much help for nothing?"

[tohko_amano]

At that, Tohko smiled a little.

"A lot of magi, but not every magi, right? That means you don't have to deal in it either. And I didn't get nothing in return! I got the satisfaction of helping you out and meeting you. That's something."

[fionnuisce]

"No, but I'd rather subscribe to it in cases like this. However I suppose you're just going to insist. So I'm fighting a losing battle here."

[tohko_amano]

At that, Tohko sighed and scratched her head. Come to think of it..there was something Waver could help out with. And it didn't have anything to do with joining her makeshift fighting group.

"..Well, if you want to subscribe to it, even here, I guess there is something you could help me out with. I've recently lost my daggers helping out a few people fight monsters. If you could..could you help me make two new ones? If it's not too much trouble?"

[fionnuisce]

"I could probably do that." It didn't sound difficult, at least. "What were they made out of, just plain metal?"

[tohko_amano]

"Yup! They were made out of just normal metal. I'd appreciate it if you could help me out with this. I have a different weapon to use, but I'm not skilled with it yet. I was much more confident with 'Peter' and 'Wendy'."

..Yes, she named her daggers. Feel free to laugh at her for it.

[fionnuisce]

His Mystic Code is named 'Volumen Hydragyrum'. And that aside, 'Waver Velvet' of all people has no place laughing at any names ever.

"Cute. I could probably manage something, if you have any idea where to find materials. And if you don't mind something more or less patchwork."

[tohko_amano]

"I don't know how cute it is..but it does help me remember how important they are. And there's a workshop full of metals on the fifteenth floor. If you want, I could show you where it is..and I don't mind if it's patchwork! I'll be happy just as long as it holds together. Besides, I know you're pretty good at this. I saw you make a crystal horse once, if I remember correctly."

[fionnuisce]

"I guess I am used to working with metals, at the very least." Liquid mercury and solid metal weren't quite the same thing, though.

"I'll give it a try. Can't promise they'll be fantastic, but if nothing else I can make sure they don't fall to pieces."

[tohko_amano]

Maybe not, but Tohko really didn't care about the difference.

"Don't worry! I'm sure they'll be fine! Just follow me. The fifteenth floor isn't too far from here, so I can take you there."

And with that, Tohko started walking out of the library, looking back to see if Waver was following her.

[fionnuisce]

He followed behind her without a second thought, seeming oddly casual about the matter at large. He hid it well, but there was a definite sense of anxiety and conclusion building in his mind at the situation overall.

[tohko_amano]

Ah, so he was following her. Good. As they walked up the stairs, Tohko sighed and scratched her head.

"..I know you deal in eqivalence, but if you ever need my help with anything, let me know, alright? I'm a simple book girl, but I'll try and help.

And..you should be wary of some of the residents here. Ganondorf is a cruel person who just wants to take over this place and rule with an iron fist. He almost turned me into stone, so be careful with him.

Sephiroth may seem nice, but he has a huge god complex, and is annoyed that he wasn't able to destroy his world and remake it as he saw fit. He's a pretty horrible person.

And finally..he's not a horrible person, but be wary of Wilhelm, alright? He was a chessmaster of his universe. Don't accept any deals from him unless you know exactly what you're getting into."

[fionnuisce]

"Look, as long as we're able to help each other out whenever possible, I won't really hold too strictly to it." he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"...Wait, Sephiroth? That little kid?"

[tohko_amano]

"Well, that's good! I'm glad to hear it!" Tohko was the type to give lots and take little. Sometimes.

"Oh, there are two Sephiroths here. The little kid version is fine. He's strong, but his ideals are pretty noble. He's not a bad person. It's the older version that you'll want to watch out for."

[fionnuisce]

"I can't believe I can say that makes more sense, but it does."

Sigh.

"I'll keep an eye out."

[tohko_amano]

"I'm sorry..I know it must be pretty weird, but I'm glad you'll keep an eye out for him."

And with that, Tohko would finally walk into the fifteenth floor. There were a few tables here and there, and plenty of materials-cloth, metal..almost anything a person could nee dot make something with.

"..Come to think of it, I need to make something for a friend here anyway."

[fionnuisce]

"Yeah? What's that?"

Waver proceeded to look around the workshop, quietly rummaging through the materials thoughtfully.

Don't worry about it! It happens!

[tohko_amano]

As she spoke, Tohko gathered up some purple cloth, and any cotton stuffing she could find.

"A squirrel doll, for a friend. I'm terrible at making costumes, but this shouldn't be hard. I've made a cat before.."

[fionnuisce]

"Sounds cute." he remarked a little absentmindedly, starting to gather a couple different collections of metal. Waver paused for a second; he could use an assistant with this, but it wouldn't be right to bother Tohko. On the other hand, showing his proverbial hand around other people was something he didn't particularly like doing.

"...Hey. Can you keep a secret?"

[tohko_amano]

At that, Tohko nodded and put her materials down on a table. Knowing Waver, this had to be serious. But..she could handle it. If she was part of the plot to get Dax's data, then she could help Waver.

"Of course. I'm good at keeping secrets."

[fionnuisce]

She didn't really seem dishonest, so he accepted that with a slight nod and took a small glass vial out of his coat pocket.

"Alright. If you don't mind, don't tell anybody about this. Least of all Diarmuid or the other Waver around here."

He opened the vial, pouring out what looked like liquid mercury onto the floor while muttering under his breath in what sounded like Latin. The mercury shifted and formed itself into a specific shape; the mostly featureless form of what certainly looked like a girl in a maid uniform. It (she?) seemed to smooth out her dress before assisting Waver in gathering various materials.

[tohko_amano]

Tohko nodded at his statement to show that she wouldn't tell them before watching him make his mercury maid. At that, she smiled and happily spoke.

"Don't worry..I won't tell them about your helper..but why do you want to keep it secret? And..doesn't mercury make you go insane if you're around it too much?"

[fionnuisce]

"It's usually poisonous, you're right. Someone else developed this as a weapon and--you know, the short version is 'it's fine because magic'."

Waver sighed, setting a few different selections of metal on the nearest table as she picked up a few other things; material for a handle, by the look of it.

"It's a Mystic Code called 'Volumen Hydragyrum'. The person I inherited it from is someone both Diarmuid and my other self have every reason to hate; besides, there's a lot about me they don't know and I'm not sure how to explain."

[tohko_amano]

At that, Tohko nodded and smiled, her materials forgotten for the moment.

"Well, while I would like to hear the long version, it's good that it won't hurt you. And I would tell you to explain it carefully to them..but, to be fair, I really don't know much about Diarmuid's background in the War. Do what you think would be best. I'll keep my mouth shut for you, so don't worry."

[fionnuisce]

"Thanks." He actually smiled at her words; maybe he'd grown a little too trusting of some people, but Waver couldn't really imagine Tohko a threat in any sense of the word. "I'll probably just keep quiet about it for a while until I can work out the least startling way to tell them. Or at least tell Lancer."