genessia | [Video + Action]

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[Video + Action]

[Video - Early Evening]
[A man glanced around and took shaky, shallow breaths, with eyes as wide as saucers. Behind him was some part of the forest in Fayren but, even in the coming evening gloom, it was apparent something had happened.

The trees were scorched, but there was no fire. They were drenched, but they weren't next to any apparent water. And, on top of that, something had ripped through some of them and torn a few in half.

Bracken was unscathed even if he looked alarmed. He clung to his staff like he needed it to live, and otherwise had some plain looking but clean robes. The only notable thing would be the necklace tied to his belt, rather than placed around his neck.]

H-Help! A, A little girl is after m-me!

[His voice was tense and manic with fear.]

[Action - Fayren]
[Bracken wasn't particularly hiding. Anyone could stumble up on him if they wanted.

They wouldn't find any little girls anywhere. She didn't exist. The damage done to that piece of the forest, however, was very real, and was only around the area that Bracken was standing.

Rather than introducing himself, he had managed to find an area that looked most familiar to him and wandered there. And there was no reason to stop him - he was quiet and wasn't causing any trouble. But after meandering into the forest for a while, well, somehow this had come about...]

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Ah, Ted hadn't emphasized the right points. Usually it was the desure to recreate the people one missed that made the subarches. So long as the ones they wanted were in the location they selected, a copy of them could be created. But it was a soulless copy; ghastly to think of once you knew. But Bracken didn't sound all that enticed regardless, so maybe he'd successfully got him off the idea.

"Sorry, I don't think so. But there's no reason to fret; I'm sure you'll see them eventually. In the meantime, there's plenty of potential friends here. Goodness, the people I could introduce you to! Speaking of which, do you enjoy reading or literature?" He suggested it out of some hazy association he saw between sorcerers and books.

As nice as potential friends were, it was hard to hear that he wouldn't be seeing the friends he already had. He wasn't the best at socializing, and having a large group of people that he was part of had been nice. He doubted he could find that again. But he would see them eventually? He'd have to find out when and where, so he could make sure he went there.

"I-I like reading the notes Th-Thistle gives me." That counted, right? His smile held some sadness as he thought of home. "S-Sometimes, we get together, and... and someone reads a book out loud."

That was basically the extent of the reading he did. He asked, somewhat anxiously, "D-Do you think people... Do you... Do you think they'd, w-want to be my friend?"

Ted meant that in the mystical way, being the sort of hopeless optimist who believes things must eventually go right, and what would right be if it didn't mean reunion?

Ted laughed and slapped him on the back. "Certainly! I've made plenty, and I'm as hopeless as it comes when it comes to that. All you've got to do is make yourself available and avail opportunities. Like the one I'm about to give you right now. How would you like to come to my friend Levy's book meeting? I think listening to others read aloud will comprise the majority of it. Levy's one of the few mages I trust, I'm sure you have that and other things in common."

"B-But you're so nice."

Ted must have had a million friends, in his opinion. He didn't see how he could possibly be hopeless - undoubtedly everyone liked him.

It didn't hurt or anything, but he let out a little "ulp" sound when he was slapped on the back. But, listening to people read? They didn't have television where he was from, so it was something they'd done to fill in the entertainment gap, and he'd always liked it. He was a slow reader himself, but he had no problems listening to someone else, especially when they were great at dictating.

Being in a room of strangers would be different, sure, but if he didn't have to do too much he thought he could handle it. He nodded.

"W-Will you be there, too?"

"Heh, I'm glad you think so. Not all agree, especially when it comes to convictions." It was nice to be nice, but sometimes he had to be law-abiding or strict or faithful to his ideals and then...well, things got complicated. "And of course! Books are her all-consuming hobby, and it's always fun see her so involved, if nothing else."

"I-I'd... I'd like to go, then. And listen to one. W-Will it be a, a murder mystery?"

Those seemed popular among his group. And Thistle liked the horror novels, even though he seemed to scare so easily. Bracken had grown fond of the types of stories they picked. He never could seem to put all the pieces together before the end of the novel, and was always surprised by the ending, but it was fun.

He shuffled just a little closer to Ted. He hadn't been too deep in the forest, so they were pretty close to being out, now. He didn't really know where to go after that.

"Maybe! It's everything to do with books, really. A writer's workshop, a discussion of literature, a place to share one's creative aspirations...wouldn't be surprised if an ink manufacturer made an appearance. There's hardly any telling. But it's sure to have something for everyone. And even if it doesn't, the company will be pleasurable, I guarantee."

The medieval town was appearing over the horizon, with blacksmiths clanking and horses clopping about the cobblestone streets. It was an interesting feeling, like the swords and sorcery and...oh crap. That's right; the Hands of Decay. That anti-mage terrorist group. Bracken was in serious danger by being here. Ted swallowed his alarm and elected to head towards the central archway into Genessia City next.

"It's probably best you don't remain here anymore, for the time being, unless you've got a bodyguard or something. Genessia City is much safer and more to everyone's liking, besides. Have you found anywhere to stay yet?"

Writing... He hadn't really done that. Maybe he was a mage, but few would say he was a wizard with words, and that didn't change when it came to pen and paper.

"O-Oh... I'll try." That made him more nervous. Listening he could do. Creating was a whole different monster.

'Medieval' was close to his preferred setting. Not exactly, but much more so than modern day cities. He didn't have much of an idea of what each city looked like yet, but he thought Genessia was supposed to be a more modern place. He could handle that, but... His eyes lingered on the town.

"I-Isn't there an inn I can stay at, here?" he asked hopefully, a small smile on his face. Maybe Ted was trying to be helpful and take him somewhere with more modern conveniences, but even if it was old-timey he preferred the town.

"Haha, well really only attendance is necessary. I, for one, don't plan to contribute a single thing. I'm far more interested to see what others have to say and write. No doubt you could join me in that." He took a calming breath. He liked Bracken so far, but he seemed a bit on the nervous side. Introducing him to the idea of an ongoing terrorist threat that had people like him in their sights felt unnerving. Then again, honesty is the best policy.

"You could. There's just one thing that worries me. The Hands of Decay. They're an anti-mage terrorist group who've done some grisly things in the past. They've been driven underground, thankfully, and haven't made any recent appearances. Still a cause for concern, however." But if he insisted, he might know of one place.

"Say, I do know a guild that works tirelessly to protect mages. We could try them. Then again, they've been pretty outspoken against them for a good while now; that might mark them for a bullseye. The HoD's leaders did name themselves after the guildmasters..." Ted's an out-loud thinker. Hopefully some of this was helping Bracken decide.

The feeling was mutual. Bracken thought Ted was very pleasant, and was extremely thankful that he'd come to help him without any ridicule. His only issue, and he would never fault Ted for it or complain, was that he seemed to say quite a bit, and Bracken had trouble keeping up with all of the new information.

Things like anti-mage guilds were difficult for him to comprehend. What would be the point in something like that? It wouldn't have made any sense at all where he was from. It would be like hunting down librarians or plumbers.

So, his mind tried to find some reasoning behind something that seemed unreasonable, and he edged a little towards Ted to whisper to him. "W-Would they be mad at me because... because I blew up some trees? I-I didn't mean to..."

At least he had enough sense to try and keep him between himself and Ted if there were people who hated mages around. The guild sounded promising, though. "Are... Are the people in the g-guild nice?"

"Heh, no it's rather more fundamental than that. Not what you do, but who you are. They believe magic is an oppressive tool of elitism, or something to that effect. Yes, the guild is nice. Rough and rowdy, but they would care for you like a brother." Bracken would find universal company in the thought that Ted talked too much. Ted felt there was so much worth saying.

So long as Ted would be fine with him getting lost, he wouldn't mind. His favorite person in the world never stopped talking.

That just meant that Bracken had to put forth less effort trying to hold up his end of the conversation.

"B-But, I'm not better than anyone else..." That was pretty much the opposite of what he believed, and it was hard to imagine him being considered some sort of elite. Maybe they would learn better if someone showed them, but he'd have to find out more.

The guild, on the other hand, sounded really nice. "D-do you think I could... that I could meet them? I'm..." He paused, frowning. "I'm... I'm not very, good at meeting new people. B-But..."

He wanted to. He liked having other people around, even if he struggled to give a good impression.

"Certainly, if you like. As a matter of fact, I'll ring them up right now. Lucy & Natus; I've heard much about them. I'm sure they could lend you a hand. Lodging too, I think." While the device rang, he still kept talking. "Oh, and I'd say you meet new people just fine. I think our meeting went swimmingly, given the circumstances."

Moments later.

"Hello, Lucy? It's Ted. I've just found a young man in the woods who's taken a liking to Fayren, and needs a place to stay. Would you lend some assistance, please? We're in the city proper, near the town square." He gave Bracken a knowing, happy look. He was just leaving a message, but he was unreasonably confident they'd answer sooner than later.

Edited 2016-07-13 05:01 (UTC)

His racing heart couldn't be stopped. Excitement, nervousness... Little things like meeting someone new meant a lot to him. At least Ted seemed to think things went okay when they met. He wanted to leave a good impression so he didn't shame himself, and he didn't want embarrass Ted. While Ted left a message he stayed politely silent.

Digging into his left pocket, he pulled out the money he'd been given.

"I... I usually have a lot, b-but it's not here... But, I have this, that I could pay with." He showed him the small bit he'd been given upon entering. He had no sense of how much it was worth, and the fact that it was all he had was difficult to wrap his mind around. He was so used to having mountains of money that he didn't even have a use for.

Edited 2016-07-13 05:04 (UTC)

About ten or so minutes later, Lucy got the message Ted left her, which left her ... more than a little confused. Then it dawned on her - Ted didn't live in Fayren so he didn't know the establishments there - Lucy did, and did. It made sense he'd call, she supposed.

She meandered her way along the path before the boys had to wait TOO long (rather it was relatively quick from the time she received the message), calling ahead. "Ted?"

Oddly, Ted didn't look odd at all, medieval garb blending in perfectly amongst the charmingly quaint natives. Were it not for his necklace or his effulgent colors, he'd fit right in.

"Hah, something tells me she won't work you too hard for finances, if money vexes you. Do you have your heart set on this place? It has its charms, but also its dangers. I seem to recall a a few other places one might reside." Ted would take the intervening time to ramble about what he knew of Fayren's living spaces, and what he didn't know he was all to eager to fill in by accosting any passerby. The Dancing Donner, the closest thing to affordable housing, was full up, but the Oaken Gardens had room. And what luxurious rooms indeed! But luxury comes at a cost. Poo Bracken could barely afford a single month before he'd be dried almost completely.

"I've also got a half-finished house somewhere at the woods. Perhaps, if you're handy with construction, we might...ah, I see her now!" He waved and hailed Lucy, who wasn't quite as ravishingly blonde.

"Ah, no, I'm but an illusion of him cast by the devious and cunning sorcerer before you." He gestured to Bracken. "How are you? Rosy? How about roomy?"

[Though he had his own thoughts, he let Ted speak and tried not to interrupt. Ted was going out of his way to help him and the last thing he wanted to do was be rude. So he only spoke when asked a question or there seemed to be a space between sentences. To staying in Fayren, he answered briefly.]

It, It seems the most like home.

[A simple comfort, but when he didn't have his friends, his house, or anything else, he at least wanted to be around something that looked familiar. Though that didn't stop him from listening to Ted describe other places. Despite his necklace clearly having green and red emphasized, he just didn't feel like he belonged elsewhere.

And when Ted got around to talking about some sort of home in the woods, he did seem a little more eager to give input.]

I-I can help.

[He was used to gathering wood, materials, or doing other tedious tasks to help people.

But before they got to speak much more on it, another person was there. He instinctually fell a step behind Ted, looking to him for guidance, when Ted said something strange. As soon as he caught on to what he meant he was quick to furrow his brows, staring at Ted in confusion as he denied it.]

I-I don't have any illusion magic.

[Slightly wide-eyed, wondering how this misunderstanding happened, he glanced between the two. He didn't want her to think he was conjuring illusions!]

"Uh-huh.." Lucy's voice just oozed skepticism at that joke. Such as it was. Nevermind she could easily tell that was him in the flesh and not an illusion. But obviously, he didn't call her out here to make ridiculous claims, so she cocked her head to the side a little. "Roomy? That's usually applied to a building, not a person, you know." She was not a house, Ted! "But I've been find. Busy, more than Rosy, I'm afraid. But I had time enough to see what you needed out here -" and she glanced at Bracken also, "Hi, I'm Lucy," she offered a hand, along with a pleasant smile. Though the kid seemed to be timid, and missed that Ted was making joking comments, so she dropped her hand and glanced at Ted again. "So...I guess your friend is new here? You said you needed assistance, right?"

"Hah, I'm glad you said so. I hate most all illusions." He showed the smallest frown. "Aww, you've spoiled it. I wanted to do that introduction where I tell your names to each other. Now I only get half. Ah, well. Lucy, this is Bracken, a fellow magician who's seems to have his heart set on this fifth of the world. I thought you might show him the neighborhood, as you know more of it than I." He turned towards Bracken. "She'll be coming to the book meeting too, I think, if you need another incentive. A writer herself." Just another friendly reminder.

"H-Hello."

Timid wasn't likely a strong enough word, but it would do for him. He wasn't the fastest, so while he would have shaken her hand, she dropped it before he had a chance to make a move. Which was fine. He was able to stay more behind Ted that way, using the fact that he was a bit more familiar with him as some comfort.

He wasn't a big talker, but he very much followed what they were saying to the best of his ability. Ted did seem to try and make that hard with how much he talked, but it didn't make him too anxious since Ted had been very nice.

He nodded at Ted, and it might have shown on his faces that he was nodding before he was processing all of the information, with a somewhat blank look. But he did catch up, and looked towards this new person anxiously.

"Is... Is there a place to s-store things and stay, stay at, sometimes?"

Perhaps he had a different idea of what he needed than other people would, but he still had a lot to learn about this world and the changes it would have on his everyday necessities.

She's a little puzzled why he was asking -her- for assistance, and not people he actually knew better, but ..there was a lot weird about the way he was acting. One more thing wasn't going to make much of a difference. "Sure, I can show him around." Having been living in Fayren for almost over a year and some change, she knew it pretty well by now, she'd say. Though Ted commenting about her going to the book meeting made her bristle slightly.

"I never said I was going to that meeting." She pointed out, "I said I would think about it." Though the 'I'll think about it' was just to get Ted off her case about it really. She had no intention of going.

Glancing back to Bracken, she looked thoughtful, "Well, you can get a room at one of the Inns. THe prices are pretty reasonable."

The more Ted thought about it, the more the phrase "I'll think about it" seemed to mean little more than nothing. It'd be strange if she didn't think about it, and were wholly ignorant. He really hoped she had some pressing business to attend to in its stead. Well, he still held out hope.

"Mm" was the only noise he made for a bit, just to show he was still present. As for why he suggested Lucy? The stories Levy told him of Fairy Tail made it seem like a fun and not entirely amoral clubhouse of mages, which sounded about perfect for Bracken. That Lucy implied they were full up was another disappointment.

At any rate, now felt like a good time not to overstay his welcome, and leave Lucy to the rest of the welcoming. "You're in good hands now, Bracken. You're welcome to call me for any reason, or no reason at all, really. Let me know should you need anything. 'Till then, I bid you two good afternoon."

Off Ted goes. Now that he thought about it, could Lucy have been the scary blonde girl chasing the nervous mage? That would be funny.

Edited 2016-07-16 18:03 (UTC)

Bracken didn't make a move but he watched after Ted as the other man left. He'd become reasonably comfortable with him. His gaze lingered far longer than necessary before he turned back with a furrowed brow, looking at the tip of his staff touching the ground.

When he finally moved his gaze up his head was still bowed slightly, "T-Ted is really nice..."

He wasn't sure what else to say. Conversation wasn't his strength, and she seemed a bit harsher than Ted.

"You'd know better than I would, I think. I don't really know him all that well." Lucy remarked thoughtfully. "So, why don't I show you to where the Inn is? You can get a map there, and even a bite to eat if you're hungry. The innkeep is pretty understanding with the issue that comes with people not native to this world. If you aren't able to get work, you could probably work off the cost of your room." She turned briskly, to lead the way down the path, her pace slow so he could keep up.

If there was one thing that Bracken was good at, it was following. He trotted after her, expertly staying just a little behind to follow her lead. It was like it did it every day of his life. Because he pretty much did.

"R-Really? That sounds nice..."

He didn't mind doing chores or something to pay for himself, and he didn't need much more than a place to sit sometimes. In time he would discover that he also needed food and sleep, but for now he worried little about those things. "I think... I think you would like him. H-He seems really nice and... And strong. And, he knows a lot."

He had a pretty good impression of Ted thus far. After all, he'd come to help him when he was scared, and hadn't even made fun of him. He had no reason to doubt his integrity.

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He's not a boy; he's a MAYUN

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