nero turner

[grigori]

Comments

[grigori]

Mmhm! It should only be you and the Watchers that can see it. We already know what groups you're in, so to speak, since it's kind of - [ they purse their lips, thinking. ]

Not the same bond as between you and your daemon, or me and mine, but we sort of have a feel for who's ours, so that kind of rules out the ones we don't. So it's not really that big of a secret for us. But it's supposed to be between you and everyone else.

[perfectdistance]

So we're connected too... [It's hard to read his take on this.] Do you guys get along okay? Sounds like you know why you're here and volunteered for whatever this is.

What're we supposed to be doing around here, anyway? ... If you'll turn into gold dust, you don't gotta answer.

[grigori]

A little, yeah. [ they seem a bit unsure about it, themself, so it's fine.

... they do laugh a little, though it's. very sheepish. ] I get along fine with everyone, but the Temporals and Celestials aren't necessarily supposed to talk that much to each other, so we've just been trading off working and trying to figure things out instead.

[ beat ] I, uh, wouldn't say that my fellow Temporals exactly get along great? Their personalities don't exactly match.

[ but! that's fine! ] It's... a little complicated? I can try to talk around it, and there's some things we can talk about private easier than we can in public. But it's to settle a conflict, mostly.

[perfectdistance]

I know a little about bein' stuck with people who don't get along. [long suffering. (It's been less than a decade, Nero.)] Can't talk to each other much? That because of the conflict thing?

Should I not be talkin' to the Celestials?

... What's the issue anyway?

[grigori]

I don't mind, really, since I'm used to mediating back home. And I like them both. [ but nero, please, ] Basically. Because of the conflict, it's a... conflict of interests? I like Suriel and Shamsiel though, they're both sweet, so hopefully we can just resolve it peacefully.

You can talk to them. Not, like, to be a double agent or anything, but more like I don't think it's right to forbid you from making choices. [ thinking of how to word it... ] They just -

[ oh, nope, however they were going to word that does in fact cause them to poof into dust, disrupting their daemon and causing it to caw and flap its wings. ]

[perfectdistance]

[Oh, he sees. This is a Central, they usually end up with the mediation jobs...]

Uh-

[He doesn't think he can help with this in anyway. So he just stands here awkwardly and waits.]

[grigori]

[ fuck around and find out?

but they do rematerialize properly, instead of a golden, shimmery dust cloud, and the raven lands. almost immediately, they shift forms into an otter, wrapping around their hood and neck, making squeaky otter noises as they pick at satariel's hood. ]

I'm fine, I'm fine Rodya, don't fuss - sorry about that, Mr. Turner. I guess it's, just, um, not seeing eye-to-eye? [ they're wincing as they say that, but they don't explode, so they relax immediately when they realize. ] ... damn if that's not really dumbing it down a lot.

[perfectdistance]

... Does that hurt when it happens?

[He's caused this twice now, and he's worried...]

That's real vague, but sounds like that's as much as you can really tell me for now.

[grigori]

It's a little uncomfortable? If I'm understanding it right, everything is made of Dust, down to you and me. So we're sort of just - poofing into Dust for a minute. It's just a lot to have happen at once, but it doesn't hurt necessarily.

[ they scratch the otter's ears, wings fluffing up under their cloak briefly. phew. ]

I can tell you, at least, that the Temporals agreed with a higher power to come and watch over all of you like this. We did it because we wanted to protect our loved ones and the worlds we came from.

[perfectdistance]

[Disce hiccups into her mole form for a moment before settling back into a snake. It's all fine.]

You were all under duress when you agreed to this deal? ... Are you still gonna get protection even if you don't "win"?

[Is it because of the moon? Is the moon fucking with more people?]

[grigori]

[ a nervous laugh from them, ah... ]

I wouldn't necessarily say duress... [ a little bit of hesitance, though they seem to be choosing their words again. ] Everyone had time to consider the offer, before they said yes. It wasn't something made lightly, but I think we were all willing to risk it anyways. Even if we don't get protection.

But even if it puts me in danger, if I can help someone, I'm going to. That's not something I would regret.

[perfectdistance]

[He looks down for a moment]

's just my lot in life... [Everywhere he looks he ends up with self-sacrificial types. North. East. Even in another world.] Sounds like you know yourself.

... Are we gonna be able to get home, after all of this is through?

[grigori]

[ a wan smile. ]

I don't know about that, but I like to see things through. [ they won't question why he's saying that, since it seems personal, and instead just nods. ]

So, I'll make sure that you can go home, Mr. Turner. You and everyone else. The Watchers are meant to help you, so that's what I'm going to do.

[perfectdistance]

[Nero's weakness: caring about people.]

If you're helping us, then who's helpin' you guys out?

[grigori]

Would you be willing to? We can rely on each other, if you'd like.

[perfectdistance]

We're on the same team. Only makes sense.

Even if there's not much I can do right now.

[grigori]

Even just being friendly can do wonders for some people, you know.

[ optimism! friendship! lifting your spirits! ]

And, anyways, we can learn more about each other and see how best we can help.

[perfectdistance]

[Is that you, Chloe? how did he find the genki immediately. Help.]

I guess so... [Faust is nice, he just has to be around people for long enough. And Oz is doing better now that he has kids? Wait, is that even the same thing.]

How about... is there a way to get my magic back here?

[grigori]

There is! [ oh, thank god, a question that they can answer readily. ] We can't get it all back at once, but we can work to help you get it back in parts, if you want to try.

We might not be able to do it right now, which isn't great, but. [ they bring both arms up abruptly, flexing them, although in the process both of their wings and arms become immediately visible. both sides look like this. their daemon croaks, startled. ] We'll work hard so that we can tap into what we need to, to get it back!

[perfectdistance]

[Huh, kinda feathery...]

Yeah, I'd want to try. Feels real weird not having it.

[He's been a wizard for 600 years... he hasn't even made a promise.]

Just let me know what I gotta do.

[grigori]

[ "rodya," now a raven again, pecks at satariel to simmer down. they oblige and fix their cloak as they do. ]

The moment I find out, you'll be the first to know. [ a smile! but it goea lopsided, and they fold their hands again, palm-to-palm. ] If you don't mind my asking, what sort of magic do you do? I know some magic... people? We call them magicians, where I'm from, and I've seen them do some amazing things. I just never learned how to use it, myself. I didn't think I could.

... I guess I can now, though.

[perfectdistance]

[For a moment Disce's a mole, before going back to her snake form.]

Delicate magic's pretty vague... Basically controlling lots of little things at the same time. I can also double the amount of something. Just the basic stuff, to be honest. [Unless Bradley's around, but he's not, so we're pretending he's not real.]

Magicians... We call them Wizards where I'm from. Is it somethin' your born with where you're from, or is it somethin' people can learn?

[grigori]

That sounds pretty useful to me, personally. I'd use it everyday - make my work a little easier.

[ haha... a brief, distance moment, before they refocus with nero's question. ]

Oh, some people are born with greater potential for it. Others - [ they blow a noisy raspberry ] - so they don't even ever have a spark. But if you have a spark, you can learn.

[perfectdistance]

It was good whenever I needed extra ingredients... Just had to be careful, since East ain't real fond of wizards.

Huh... [If you had a spark of magic, you might get killed and eaten to a wizard just a little stronger than you, but he doesn't really want to talk about wizard stone vore to this genki on day 1 of knowing each other.]

Does that mean you got a spark now?

[grigori]

[ they frown at that. ] Well, that's stupid. Magic can be abused, but for the most part, it's helpful, and you can say that about anything and anyone.

[ at least they're not super genki, but they think about that question before holding up a hand to signal hang on and looks around where they're standing. after a second, they hold their hands out on either side of them, palm down, before sweeping them in and up.

what plant life has tried to prosper in the cracks of cigazze's cobblestone grows very abruptly and vibrantly, until there's a patch of wildflowers and tall grass up to their waists. they jazzhands. ]

Tada! The magician from home told me I had a spark, but since becoming a Watcher, I can do green magic.