eswareinmal | Level 4: Two Books [RD 16]

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Level 4: Two Books [RD 16]

[[Bakura's in the library of the Hero's Headquarters, looking a touch befuddled.]]

Does anyone know where these books came from? [[Holds up a pair of old looking books, neither of them labeled. One of them has a simple lock on it.]]

I can't find a key for this one, and this... [[he sets down the locked book to open the unlocked one, opening it to a page that has the day written on top of it, followed by smaller writing that's hard to read from the orb]]

It looks like a journal of sort... but this is today's date. And it has what was posted on the news board written in it.

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Sorry. People tell me I'm not very good at fun lately. It's the war.

[She lifted her arm and activated her omni-tool.]

I can't promise anything, but I'll see if there's anything on it.

Not that I'm sure I can do this on my own.

It's all right, [[assures softly]]

What do you need? I can try and help, maybe?

Well. I'm not sure. Following the trail to the monastery is all I've actually managed to do with this.

[She offered him a faint smile.]

But I thought it would be safer to check before we just broke the lock.

[[nods]] A good idea, un.

[[Closing his eyes a moment he concentrates, pulling up his own magic. A soft cool glow builds up around him before condensing around his hand. Opening his eyes, he turns his hand upright, offering the hovering glowing ball to her with a smile]] Here. It should help power it, right?

I have worked with some of the most advanced Prothean technology we've discovered in thousands of years, and I can tell you honestly I have no idea how anything around here functions.

[Something of a sheepish smile.]

I can't even figure out how to record a video on my omni-tool since they changed it.

[She held her arm out towards the books, twisting it back and forth.]

Where would I put it?

[She's willing to play along with the magic...thing...but it's pretty foreign to her and her way of thinking, still.]

It should work if you just take it in. I can guide it. [[smiles before reaching out and gently lowering the ball into the tool. It should be enough to super charge it for a short time.]]

[Liara nodded, watching his just drop it in. With a shrug, she rapidly keyed in the commands (at least the interface wasn't changed too much during her arrival) as she walked up to the table with the books. She moved her hand over them slowly, tapping at the interface a couple of times while she worked. And muttered to herself.]

I can't believe I'm actually looking for magic on books.

In a place like this, it only makes sense. [[assures with a warm smile.]]

I'm a scientist, it makes me feel like a fool.

[Still, there's a little smile.]

The lock's normal. Or I think it is. The books...are...showing the same thing? I would guess that it is either the same spell, or a similar spell, or maybe it's just the same kind of magic...I'm not sure how this all works yet.

[Just wait until she finally figures out scrying; then she'll be happy with magic.]

Just try and think of magic like science's somewhat insane younger sibling? There are still rules to it, just a different set of them.

[[and he peers are the books, puzzling]]

Maybe they both write themselves? Since I don't think anyone would be writing down the gossip board here.

It's been said more than once that sufficiently advanced technology is, to those without it, indistinguishable from magic. A great many pre-spaceflight cultures would think anyone, like myself, coming from another star, to be divine.

[There's a momentary pause here; she just reminded herself that one of the most important deities of her own people was, in truth, an alien.]

That doesn't make it fact.

[Letting the tool disappear, the tapped the unlocked book.]

We need something to write with. And that hammer.

Edited 2012-08-23 19:13 (UTC)

I'll go get one! And there's a quill pen on the desk. I got fresh ink for it yesterday so it should be good!

[[And with that he ducks out of the room]]

Now let me where where did I put....

[[He'll return with a small hammer in a few minutes.]]

Thank you.

[She took the open book over to inkwell, and opened it to the latest page with writing in it. Careful with the ink, she crosses out the bit about the weather with a single solid line through the middle, and adds a note right below it: The weather was lovely. Satisfied, for the moment, she waits for Bakura's return. She smiles, and indicates the open page, with the new corrections.]

After this, I'll go and see if the board has been altered, or if this spell only works in one direction.

Heeeh, that's a good idea! Though can you imagine the war of words you could get into if it does work both ways? [[he laughs as he holds out the hammer]]

I wonder how long it would take them to realize we're changing it?

[Oh, possibilities. But that's for later; now, her attention turns to the other book.]

Well. I suppose we can simply break it now.

[She can do subtle, but hasn't been in the mood lately. At least, not publicly.]

Would you like the honour?

There'd be no way to tell who was doing it if it was though this [[points out with an impish smile]]

[[He pauses, debating a moment]] OK! [[He almost on reflex casts a small protection spell before carefully taking aim with the hammer.]] There! [[he exclaims as he smashes down.

The lock flattens and bends under the pressure with no sparks or display of defiance. What were you expecting?]]

Until they get a good look at my handwriting, at least. Unless that changes, during the transfer. Something else to consider.

[She smiles a little as he bashes the lock. In her experience, many males enjoyed breaking things once in a while; so did the young. Also, Krogans and Shepard, but they were less relevant. She was glad her judgement proved reliable.]

Well, that certainly did not hold up nearly as well as I'd feared it might.

I doubt any of the locals would be able to do that. Unless you write them letters often? [[smiles as he very carefully and gently removes the broken lock]] Looks like a diary lock almost. [[smiles as he peers at it]] I wonder if this is real gold, it bends really easily...

I like to plan ahead.

[She tips her head to the side, studying the book while he fiddles with it.]

Appears to be. Possibly a basic alloy, but I doubt the people around here are capable of more advanced techniques...and if it's a magical book, gold seems rather appropriate, don't you think?

[She taps her chin and glances at him.]

Shall we open it?

[[nods]] It seems to be most associated with it, of all metals. [[there's a touch of a wry smile there as he thinks of the Items just a moment before he nods again.]] Sure!

[[With a careful motion, he flips open the cover to the first page and blinks.]]

[Liara studies the page, and frowns.]

Who was the first one to arrive in the Kingdom? Who has been here the longest?

[She leans in, a little bit.]

Is it chronological, like the other?

[[blinks]] I think... I think it was Ben, Fakir and I... on that day. [[he nods at the book, looking just a touch unnerved. Something...]]

The other one has the current day first... this.... [[he turns a page]] The 20th? [[he blinks again before flipping back and checking to make sure pages aren't stuck together]] It skipped a few days...

Did it? And it doesn't seem like the nonsense that's filling up the other, does it? The next page?

[She's interested in what it says, but establishing what that actually is might also be kind of important, after all.]

Let us look through the dates. Perhaps a patter will emerge. Every three days? Or something else? What happened the first few days you were here, if you recall?

Mmm.. [[ponder ponder]] Aaa! [[His eyes go wide and he puts his fist in his open palm.]] That town! The one that everyone had vanished from, only it hadn't actually existed to start with!

'...saw a town that wasn't there.' Hmm.

[She reaches down and carefully turns to the third page]

The 5th, following month, I assume. The town disappeared about then, unless I'm missing my guess.

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Remind me what she'll be doing with that again?

Scanning for magic; trying, at least. It took Loki and Cho to make it work, last time...

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I'll leave results up to you? She did scan both; not used to it, so how effective can vary.

Both books are magic, both in the same way. The lock is mundane

o7

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Now I'm tempted to have to go both ways... :D

That would be awesome, admit it~

It would! And since writing in the book is being done on the day change pages...

...it would, in theory, always be 'updated' anyway?

Yep! I just made a post in OoC about it if that helps!

\o/

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