a necromancer and a priestess walk into a confessional

[fefellocaelum]

catch-all for the dipshittery for these two. god help them both.

Comments

[fefellocaelum]

(from here!)

[...Amaya has to admit; for as much as this courtship makes her chest feel hollow and empty--and she wonders what she would truly feel. Perhaps that warm, gentle mirth of amusement at how seriously he's taking this. Perhaps even a bit of affection. It's something she never felt even when she did feel happiness in small doses. It's...

Strange, but not unwelcome to play her part, at least.

At the end of it all, though, Zvei nearly makes Amaya sputter a bit, and a small touch of pink rises to her cheeks--this man's an embarrassment. He can't really possibly mean...]

...Pardon me, then. I am simply...not so used to being pursued.

[Amaya does her best to compose herself after.]

Might we...go somewhere quieter, to get to know one another, if that is the case? I am not opposed to seeing how you plan to go about this, but this is a touch...overwhelming, in front of others.

[necromants]

[She certainly does have some cute reactions! But Zvei keeps the teasing in his head where it belongs and instead nods with a smile at that.]

Of course, of course. My apologies for flustering you so.

[He sweeps into a bow and then offers her his arm - come on, let's go find somewhere quiet to get to know one another!]

[fefellocaelum]

[She'll take Zvei's arm with some gratitude, at least, as he thankfully spares her any further teasing. There isn't a specific path she follows, but she does try to go off to the side; away from prying eyes, mostly, and trying to ignore the increasing flush on her face.

This is happening. All of this is. It's almost dizzying, but there's still that hollow feeling despite it all. Amaya can at least recognize that this isn't unwelcome, but the familiar scent of sandalwood hits her nose and she finds herself drawing toward the confessional without thinking of the implications too deeply.

...Even as she opens the room and realizes it's quite. A bit smaller than the confessionals she was used to keeping. Quite a bit tighter, and for a brief moment she wonders if the two of them will actually fit inside, but...]

...I appreciate your willingness to apologize. It is simply a touch overwhelming in front of a crowd of others, but...

Would you be willing to tell me more about yourself?

[necromants]

[Ah, the confessional... oh, it's quite small isn't it. Hmm.]

But of course. Though first let us see if we can fit in here properly.

[We'll probably have to squeeze in tight, sitting close together, but Zvei has no problems with that if Amaya is unopposed! Once we're settled in...]

I am Zvei, of the guild Ruby Dawn. It is one of the largest guilds in Emirre and has quite a bit of influence in the surrounding countries, leading to interesting opportunities in my research. To put it simply, I research magical artifacts and study their usage within the world.

[He could go on and on (and on and on and on) about magicelite and the Aeli and all of that, but that's getting sidetracked and not exactly information about him.]

I'm also an amnesiac; I haven't been able to determine exactly what happened that cause me to lose my memories.

[He says it in the same light tone as everything else, though his expression is a touch more serious than it usually is.]

[fefellocaelum]

[Amaya is...well, if it were anyone else, she supposes she'd be opposed, but in the middle of hornytown, she'll take whatever bastion of familiarity she can get. If it means she's locked in a little tightly with an unfamiliar man, so be it.

Still, what Zvei tells her is fascinating. Not that much of her gaze can be made out in the scant light they have here, but Amaya's always had pretty good night vision; she watches Zvei talk with a surprising amount of interest, though it's more that she's staring right at him and barely blinking once. It's kind of. Eerie, maybe.

...But even so...]

Fascinating. [And that comes out surprisingly genuine, even if interest is yet another emotion the Dragon has taken from her.] It sounds as if your skills are indispensable to this Ruby Dawn. Knowledge of magic is no easy thing to obtain, my child, and your skills sound as if they are being put to good use.

[Even so, the latter bit gets a bit of a quirk in Amaya's brow.]

Amnesiac...strange indeed. And this guild, they took you in knowing that? You're certain they had no involvement.

[There's something slightly harder in Amaya's tone at that, but she waits for Zvei to clarify. She has a feeling he'll talk if he wants to, at least.]

[necromants]

[Considering he does the exact same thing to people, the staring doesn't bother him in the slightest. In fact, he's doing that to her as well! Ominous.]

I would be quite surprised if they had! No, their hold is in the eastern half of the world, and I found myself awakening in the western; in the rather mysterious country of Ize-Vti, where Ruby Dawn has no hold whatsoever. If they had something to do with my memory loss, I imagine I would have learned of it by now.

[It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility, and it is something to keep an eye on... but he's also been working with them for years at this point. If they knew anything about his amnesia, surely someone would have dangled it over his head at some point.]

But you're right - my skills are quite important to the guild, and the world as a whole. I've worked quite hard to ensure my knowledge is of value.

[Despite the cheerful words, there's no real pride in it. It is what it is, and what it is is valuable work. Zvei loves his research - but he loves it about as much as he loves anything else. Which is to say, not much at all, really. Love is a complicated emotion that he's not entirely sure he's capable of feeling at all.]

continues the meme thread here--

[fefellocaelum]

Ah-ah.

[Amaya tuts Zvei slightly, and though she can't smirk, there's a brief spark of something in those dead eyes of hers. Maybe it's genuine annoyance or maybe it's the closest thing to interest she can express, but...]

I can hardly judge you properly with that shirt on. I've gone through the trouble of disrobing, at least slightly; would it be too bold of me to ask for a return of the favor?

[necromants]

[That gets a laugh from Zvei; perhaps a normal person would find this slightly intimidating or embarrassing, but not him. Of course he wouldn't, as that would involve any sort of feelings of shame, which he clearly does not have.]

Of course, how silly of me~

[With that, he sheds his labcoat with an easy flick, leaving behind the short sleeved dark shirt. It noticeably doesn't have a back, a clasp up at the top keeping it on. Zvei reaches up to undo that, lifting the shirt up and over his head before dropping it onto his labcoat with a flourish.]

Ta-dah~! Like what you see, miss Amaya?

[Despite being a mage, he sure isn't built like it. Zvei is broad-shouldered, but wears a baggy labcoat which doesn't exactly show off his yaoiman dorito-like figure. Now it is on full display. He even winks again for good measure.]

1/2

[fefellocaelum]

[...

You know. The risk Amaya took was calculated.

But man. Is she bad at math.]

2/2

[fefellocaelum]

[There's no hiding the surprise on Amaya's face that Zvei isn't a stick given human form. There's a part of her that thought he might have a little definition, working for a guild and all, but this...

It's honestly a little startling, and while the rest of her face is quiet stony, there's a very massive tell that it's affecting her.

Amaya is pale as sin, and the flush that is on her face looks like it's practically eating her face alive. Well. It seems the Dragon has elected to let her keep her sense of shame and embarrassment, but Amaya doesn't look away for even a second at Zvei. If anything, her eyes are transfixed on him, with an empty underlying feeling she cannot quite identify. It's strange, and not in a way that Amaya has experienced. She's not sure she hates it as much as her leftover feelings are trying to convince her that she does.

...She should give him an answer eventually, shouldn't she, she's not sure how her current reaction is going to be taken--]

I...believe so, yes. [The uncertainty that paints her tone gets her to shake her head briefly. No, no, that isn't the proper way to respond.] You're a perfect 10. No notes.

[...Much more acceptable but now her face is burning even moreso, great!!!]

[necromants]

[Oh! Look at that, he managed to get a blush from her! Wow, honestly Zvei was not expecting that, and his expression reflects it for a moment in the nearly-blank stare before he's laughing and waving a hand.]

Oh my, a perfect ten? And here I thought you'd have some critique for me... Why, Miss Amaya, you're making me feel quite shy!

[...He is notably not blushing at all, actually.]

[fefellocaelum]

[Amaya's expression briefly slackens, into that blank staring and deeply flushed look that probably looks about the closest she can get to anything positive. Really, it's probably a sight to behold.

But Zvei's words and even his own blank expression seem to shock her out of it, and she finds herself shaking her head rapidly. Mostly to try and get ahold of herself, more than anything, but her expression is somewhat open with shock and a deep embarrassment settling in--maybe even some sense of shame for her shameless staring.]

T-That was not-- [Oh, her dignity has outright gone out a window and been left to die at this point.] ...You've worked very hard to maintain your body, and even the things that are oddities...they are a part of you, and add to it. They add to the way you look, and it is...

[...]

Do forgive me, if I did embarrass you. That was not my intention. You are, quite simply, appealing to the eye.

[The shame had to come from somewhere, after all!!!]

[necromants]

[The momentary confusion is gone now, instead replaced with a bright laugh as Zvei dips into a bow.]

Then you've my thanks, Miss Amaya! Truly, I could not be more pleased to have caught your eye so~

[Though she is right in that he's spent plenty of time maintaining this physique, so it is nice to be appreciated for his efforts. Odd, that he can even recognize it as something "nice", as that isn't usually a feeling he has. It's nice. A nice feeling, feeling nice. Hah.]

But you don't need to apologize~ I'm not the sort to be embarrassed, you know!

[Just look at him. Do you think this man knows the meaning of the word "embarrassment"? No.]

[fefellocaelum]

[Amaya hasn't pushed herself in a fight like this in a very long time. Perhaps it was stubbornness that pushed her so, but Amaya couldn't find it in herself to care too much about how hard she pushed herself. Though whether that was for their fight against that horrible beast or her fight against the Dragon's influence was anyone's guess.

The Dragon will always live within her. That was meant to be Amaya's eternal penance; the very power that she utilized to keep others safe was the power she had almost used to end the world once. It was a power she knew all too well, but the Dragon's regeneration capabilities usually kept Amaya in check to an extent. Even as she extended her energy again and again, as darkness enveloped her slow but sure as she kept sending blast after blast of dark energy at their target to keep Zvei safe in this fight, she didn't care about how reckless she was. It never usually became a problem, but their target was too strong. And eventually, something had to give.

Amaya just wasn't expecting it to almost be her hold on her body.

Amaya has always known that drawing upon the endless well of power the Dragon had could present problems. She could still feel it's tug in her mind, always; she had to fight it to keep it at bay, and it got worse as she got more injured. Amaya simply wasn't expecting the amount of changes that actually almost spelled her losing herself entirely; a gnarled horn sprouting from her head, her hands turning to claws and those incessant patches of scales upon her body were minor annoyances at worst, but what truly almost spelled her end was her vision going redder and redder. Her mind almost giving in against the influence of the Dragon, her own mind getting shut out as she almost lost control, but Amaya persisted and--

Bright, yellow eyes open in the place that Zvei has brought her, and Amaya wakes with a startled gasp.

She's in pain. She's in so much pain that she can't jerk up like she wishes to; for as much as the Dragon's regeneration has helped her before, it seems like it's lost to her for the moment and she feels every single wound that she's sustained very clearly today. Amaya groans a bit, looking at herself as she realizes the Dragon's influence isn't entirely gone from her yet; her hands, though still human, have a sharp talon-like quality to them even still, and those black patches of scales still persist on her skin.

But more importantly--]

Zvei...? Zvei, are you there?

[necromants]

[Fighting is a natural part of life, whether Zvei likes it or not. He doesn't, really; it's not that he's a pacifist or that he prefers peace, he simply doesn't get much enjoyment from fighting. It's about the same as everything else in his life - something that happens that may occasionally entertain him for about five seconds before becoming dreadfully droll. He prefers his research. He prefers healing the aftermath of fights, because the puzzle of stitching flesh back together and soothing wounds that should have spelled death is a far more interesting usage of his time than flinging spells.

But he isn't going to sit idly by and let others do the heavy lifting either; Zvei is capable of defending himself and others, which is precisely what he was doing. Shields to block excess damage from hurting Amaya, spells weaved in to bolster her attacks or try to provide an opening for her, and healing to try to keep her going for just a bit longer.

The latter proved to be far less effective than it should have been, and that was more interesting than the beast they faced.

Oh, sure, her powers are fascinating as well - it's the first time he's truly seen her go all-out like this, and watching her body twist and reform to fit the draconic power she holds is all sorts of incredible - but it's the fact that his own power barely did anything to help seal her wounds that really catches his attention. Not to brag, but Zvei is an exceptional healer; he put the majority of his focus in magic into that very field, solely because it was one most people don't go into and provided him a unique place on quite a few exploration teams, even before he was taken in by Ruby Dawn.

But the battle is over now, and he's done the best he can for her with his magic; it isn't truly enough and those injuries are going to have to heal the old fashioned way, but she's still alive, and that has to count for something.

Zvei took her back to one of the medical bays - specifically a private room sequestered away in the far side of the building where very few people tend to tread. After all, it's a large building, and there's plenty of space in the front for the injured. Better to keep Amaya away from prying eyes while she's in this state, after all.

He returns from gathering a few more supplies and inclines his head a bit in greeting since his hands are too full for the usual gesture.]

Good to see you awake, miss Amaya! I would ask if you're in any pain, but I already know you are.

[Thanks, Zvei. Anyway, he sets the bandages and antiseptics down and takes a seat nearby, gesturing for her to lie back.]

I haven't fully treated your wounds yet. Try not to make it any worse, will you?

[fefellocaelum]

[Amaya lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she hears his voice, some sort of sound escaping her in the process; not quite a chuckle or any sort of assent, but...]

...Good to see your bedside manner remains atrocious.

[It doesn't quite sound sarcastic, though it is quite blank; it's about the closest to fond that Amaya gets, and she allows herself to sink back into the medical bed for a moment while she rubs at her eyes.]

It's quite unbearable, yes. You will not have to worry about me moving too much; the idea of moving at all feels like anathema to me, so...please, do not worry overmuch for me. [...] What of you? Are you quite alright? I didn't...

[hurt you, did I?

The words catch in her throat a bit, her gaze darting. Amaya fought damn well to make sure that didn't happen, at least. But even now, she questions it. She doesn't even know if the Dragon would have been able to puppet her after she had been incapacitated...

(It wouldn't. But it's still a real fear of Amaya's.)]

[necromants]

I don't know what you're talking about!

[He says this, and then immediately takes her arm without warning to get started. Which also means there's no warning for the stinging antiseptic he liberally applies to her injuries before setting about bandaging them. So yeah. The healer's bedside manner absolutely sucks, but if you know anything about Zvei, that likely isn't surprising in the slightest.

Of course, Amaya's asked him a question and a half, and he should answer them before she starts getting the wrong idea.]

Oh, don't worry about me. Even if you had hurt me - you didn't, by the way! - I would have been capable of healing it. I know my body better than anyone else, after all. Short of completely using up all my power, there's very little I truly have any reason to be afraid of.

[He states it as a matter of fact rather than bolstering his own ego. He's damn good at healing and he recognizes it, but he doesn't really have the capacity to be proud of it.]

You were very focused on protecting me. It would have been quite the long and boring battle without you to assist me!

[fefellocaelum]

[Amaya winces a bit at the antiseptic; oh, that absolutely hurts more than a bit, but Amaya's eyes slide closed as she gets used to the pain. It's not all bad, at least. It feels like a penance, after all. She deserves this and she can take this bit of punishment. It doesn't help that the scales start to fall off with the antiseptic, leaving raw patches of skin underneath, but...]

One of us doesn't have natural regeneration. Of course I'm going to endeavor to protect you. [Amaya's eyes open again, her head turning slightly to stare at Zvei with those same dead eyes as usual.] ...I am glad to see that I did my job well, then. Barely a scratch on you, as it should be.

[She is in so much pain right now, but she at least sounds as glad as she can be about that much.]

I wasn't expecting our target to be so durable...either that, or we finally found something that held a resistance to the darkness. A shame it couldn't put up nearly as much of a fight as anything else, but...

[...]

I...truly did not expect to almost lose myself like that. You've my apologies for that, if little else.

[Her life has always belonged to her people, and annoying as he is, Zvei is one of them now. For better, or for worse.]

[necromants]

[Truly fascinating... Maybe she'll even let him keep the scales to study them further! But for now he'll simply sweep them aside without a word, fingers running along the raw patches of skin to test it. Hmm, best to bandage that too, since it seems his healing isn't doing much here either...]

Kind and gracious as always. I would offer to show you I'm unharmed, but I am a bit busy, and I'm sure you can take me at my word on that!

[His word is not trustworthy, but at the very least he stands to gain nothing by remaining injured so like. In a roundabout way, maybe this much is trustworthy.

His mismatched eyes flick up to catch hers for a moment at the pause before Zvei resumes his work with the bandages.]

You don't need to apologize to me. Nothing happened, after all. Though I will admit I'm quite curious... I've never seen you change like this.

[His fingers of one hand slide down her arm to those sharp talon-like claws. Zvei's voice doesn't change at all, but there's an intensity in his gaze as he studies her fingers before pulling away to resume his work. Such traits are hardly unfamiliar - deimori like him manifest all sorts of odd traits that could be considered "bestial" or "draconic", so he finds the whole thing captivating rather than off-putting or confusing.]

[fefellocaelum]

[The weather in this place has always been a touch mercurial; Amaya isn't surprised, but Ellipsa's winter district in particular gets hit with some of the worst of it. She's not truly one for preferences, but at the very least the lightning storms of the summer were something that could startle her; booming thunder that practically resounds throughout a house, wind and hail that create sounds that are unnerving but almost calming in nature...

But despite being easier to bear, Amaya isn't a big fan of the winter. Sure, she can heal from any sort of scrape or fall she takes from the ice or clearing icicles off of the Chapel and any homes that need it, but Amaya's never been fond of the cold. All it does is cause inconveniences. Ice, sleet, rock salt trailing throughout buildings and making Amaya want to grab a mop and bucket to clean it herself--truthfully, Zvei is the only reason she doesn't actually do so, because he's at least willing to stop her when she's getting too into her own head.

He's been getting better at that, lately.

Zvei is an unusual friend that she had met during her arrival here, and strange as it is, rooming with him wasn't an unpleasant experience. Sure, Amaya spent most of her time in the chapel, her own addition to it rather odd but at least seeing it far more utilized; Amaya grows vegetables that she brings across all of the apartments in the winter district, leaving them in baskets for anyone who needs them. It at least initially resulted in her meeting interesting people; a strange blue hedgehog that likes to talk to her from time to time. A strange dark magus who she doesn't entirely trust (and the feeling is QUITE mutual), but they've at least had each other's backs in battle. But Zvei was her roommate in these apartments to start before they moved elsewhere, Amaya surprised that he would still want her to live with him when he had enough money to go on his own. Most of what Amaya did was charity work outside of monster slaying and it's...

It's an unintended boon, and one that confuses Amaya. But she doesn't hate it. She's deeply annoyed by him most of the time, of course, but it's preferable to the gnawing void that would otherwise persist in her, in this relatively peaceful place. So she takes it, and the rumors that swirl about them in stride.

She wouldn't trade him for the world, but that's a scary feeling she's never going to acknowledge.

Still, Amaya wakes up from their shared bedroom today...cold, actually. The wind is absolutely howling outside, and Amaya initially thinks it's much later at night than it actually is. Mostly, namely, because she can't see the time at all.

It seems like the power has gone out. And that's what sees Amaya startle out of bed, cursing the long but thin nightgown she's got on as it's barely enough to keep herself warm at all--she's shivering. Curse their usual lack of blankets, ugh...]

Zvei? Are you here...?

[Is he in bed still, or has he gone to another room? Well, either way, Amaya is going to leave their bed messy for once if he isn't there to venture out and find him. The dark in the house is making it hard to see too, and her sun magic is pretty much cut off due to, you guessed it, a lack of sunlight. Where is he?]

[necromants]

[Ellipsa - and other worlds in general - are simply fascinating. It seems like no matter how much Zvei learns about this world, or any other, there's always so much more for him to study. Such an insurmountable amount of knowledge might be daunting to some, but to Zvei it's a challenge he recklessly flings himself into whole-heartedly.

After all, it is ultimately in service to his goal. Someday he'll find something that will be a suitable lead to chase down for a way to reclaim his memories. He can bide his time until then - and learning about everything else far beyond his own knowledge can only be a boon.

So that's what he does here in Ellipsa, mostly; he studies, he reads, and he talks to others and asks to hear their stories and experiences and everything they can tell him about their worlds. He wouldn't go so far as to say he's made friends, but there are some people that tolerate him decently well, and that's good enough.

One of those is his roommate, Amaya. Either one of them could have left their shared roomming arrangements by now, but they simply haven't. It's convenient; a sure-fire way to ensure he has enough of that touch energy simply by spending time with her. He doesn't have to go out of his way for it, and even though it is getting easier, he's still a little prickly about physical contact with most people.

It's fine with Amaya, though. After all, he's quite used to her. The feeling seems to be mutual, given that she hasn't ditched him yet.

But such thoughts are far from his mind today, as he's in the living room, peering through a slit in the blinds to watch the storm coming down outside.]

Ah, you're awake! Good morning, miss Amaya.

[It is not a very good morning.]

Going outside is strictly not possible right now, as the storm's quite fierce. Is your phone working? Mine isn't.

[Which is... maybe something he should be more worried about than he actually is, but this is Zvei. It'd be weird if he was openly worried, right?]

[fefellocaelum]

Ah--

[It's a soft sound that escapes Amaya when she catches sight of Zvei, inwardly a little relieved--or at least, that's what she assumes the empty feeling pervading her is. It's not unwelcome when the weather is this bad, though; Amaya will go to join him, taking out some stupid fuzzy slippers to at least deal with some of the chill. (For once, one of Sonic's silly gifts is actually a boon...)]

...Good morning, Zvei. Goodness. I had heard that we were going to be getting snowfall, but nothing to this extent.

[Still, Amaya shakes her head at the question.]

Not at all; I had intended to check what the time was, but my device will not turn on at all. I had thought I had put enough "charge" into it, but...

[Well, this is quite the conundrum. Amaya looks to Zvei, though, keeping her arms close and around herself but trying not to shiver. The world outside is blanketed with snow, and it almost looks like they should be measuring in feet rather than inches--the cause of their lack of power is clear too, ice hanging precariously off of several of the power lines...]

Winter continues to be a season of inconvenience, it seems... [Amaya looks to Zvei, her look dull but brows knitting in tell tale concern.] ...Are you faring alright? I know not how you take to cold.

[necromants]

You'd think they could have predicted it'd be this bad...

[Maybe this is an event, though. Sometimes shit happens and you've just gotta deal with it. Anyway!]

A shame, but hopefully we'll get power and service back soon enough. I imagine the people in charge of such things will be panicking!

[As for her concern, Zvei inclines his head a bit.]

As far as I'm aware, deimori handle the cold about the same as most humans. In other words, I should be just fine as long as I stay inside, though...

[His mismatched eyes dart from the window over to her, a wry smile on his face.]

Let's grab the blankets from the bed for you, hmm? No sense shivering when we've ways to keep warm.

[For the time being, at least.]

[fefellocaelum]

...Good to see you still have some mirth about you.

[She knows how he does it. They at least know they're both fucked up emotionally, but Amaya nods her head at the explanation. Good to know Deimori don't run colder than humans, at least, but...

Amaya pauses at the suggestion, the smallest...pout, that is almost certainly a pout in her expression, but Amaya nods her head.]

That...may be most prudent, yes; I can remake the bed later. I should have thought to go and procure some candles in the event of something like this...my apologies.

[Come on, let's go then--it shouldn't take too long to at least to grab them, and Amaya is absolutely going to wrap herself in some of them because she is so! Cold!!! Ugh. Just ignore that she's still absolutely shivering a bit underneath the blankets, but it's at least good enough for now. She's going to curl up into herself on the couch, don't mind her.]

...Are you sure you do not need more of them? I do fear my dislike of the cold made me a touch hasty...

[necromants]

[Teehee, how cute... Zvei grins at Amaya as she heads back to grab the blankets, then moves to join her on the couch. An Amaya burrito...]

Nonsense, I didn't think to get any either. Granted, I hadn't realized the power could go out like this...

[Oh well... Anyway!]

You could always invite me into your blanket fort to share warmth, you know~

[He says it as teasing, because he knows it'll get a reaction out of her - not because he truly wants it. Sure, it would be nice and warm, but it'd also be very close and that's... fine, but still a little weird for him. So! Being a pain in the ass it is!!]