[Orb] GHB 17, Late Morning

[shadow_sage]

I would like very much to speak with anyone the locals have called 'prince' or 'princess.' I have a proposition for you.

Bakura, do you know anything about what has been happening to the refugees? The people being forced out of villages and homes by the thorns? Where are they going, what are they doing?

Does anyone run any kind of a business, by chance? I seem to recall a bakery, and a smithy, though the latter isn't running, the last I heard.

I know I'm going to regret asking, but is there anyone in the city familiar with complex spells? Magics. Whichever. Specifically, would it be possible to link two locations, separated by a large distance? And is anyone capable of this?

And what does anyone know about a disembodied, female voice?

[A moment of silence, then a heavy sigh.]

Also, if there is someone who is familiar with the use of a sword, I'd like to speak with you about the basics. I would rather not make a fool out of myself.

Oh, and Shin, perhaps we could speak later.

Comments

[yumemi_no_ou]

That last part doesn't surprise me...

[[Pardon him a moment as he... attempts... to just-- get his damned lower half to move already so he can sit up. Ug.]]

So what did he want? Or should I just figure out how to rewind this thing and watch it myself?

[shadow_sage]

I'm not sure the conversation came out of desire or need. It was helpful, but only superficially. For now. There's so much there, I'll have to wade through everything, and hopefully speak with anyone else who was awake at the time, as well.

[She sighs.]

Look, this can wait. I was actually thinking it would be easier to speak tonight, anyway. You don't have to get up right now.

[yumemi_no_ou]

I'm already up... [[winces again before his shoulders relax and he gives a relieved sigh. Finally]]

So just sort of crazy ramblings in the middle of the night? [[his tone is a little dry]] Sounds like someone I know...

[shadow_sage]

To be fair, left to my own devices, I seem to prefer spending the time inside of nightmares.

[But there is a little smile. Maybe.]

I think something probably triggered this. Otherwise, why wait for so long to say anything? But that trigger may have been entirely personal...a rat on the floor or something.

Whoever it was has been around for a while. Speaking of cycles. I don't know what to make of it, honestly, but...well. We are supposed to be working for 'Order,' but the voice laid as much blame on our employer as on our enemy. No surprise to me, but still shocking to hear anyone here say such things.

[yumemi_no_ou]

That's easily fixed. [[and a smile in return. Though he blinks as she continues.]]

...and you're sure it was a local? [[a pause]] Though it would make sense that the only local apart from the hivemind was a crazy...

[shadow_sage]

If not a local, then someone who has been here much longer than we have, or at least believes that he has been.

And you did say there was at least one you couldn't reach.

[yumemi_no_ou]

You think that might have been him? Mr. Black Box?

[shadow_sage]

It think it is a possibility, but it's not exactly easy finding anyone through the orbs. Nothing like a proper communications network.

[She sighs.]

Especially without my omni-tool.

It may be, it may not be. But either way, it was not one of the common people we see daily.

[yumemi_no_ou]

Talking too much sense for that? [[a faint smile]] I guess it could make sense that someone like that would be the one I can't reach... though...

[[he frowns slightly]] ...are you sure it was a person?

[shadow_sage]

I am not sure I'd call it sense.

Well, it's possible it wasn't, but given the general use of advanced technology around here, I'm inclined to say it wasn't that, and if it was something else, well. Humans don't live more than a century, I believe. So I do doubt whoever it was is human, or entirely so. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a person. After all, I'm over 100 years old, myself.

But if it wasn't a human speaking through the orbs, what other options are there here? I'm not clear on the nature of dragons, and there are supposed to be at least a couple. The guardian of the sword was simply a voice...an easy enough trick, but it implies that she was not, at the very least, part of the Kingdom we've seen.

However, to this point, only people have been able to use the orbs, those brought from other worlds. So if it was a local, then he had some way to use an orb, and access to one. Do we know what happens to the orbs of those who vanish? Or where they come from in the first place? I doubt it. Would the King? Probably plead ignorance either way.

Could this have anything to do with the tower in the forest? It was clearly the target of the fire, but if so, why was it still mostly intact? Did something get taken despite the safeguards? I couldn't even look at the books...I don't suppose there is a way to look at something that really exists through a dream? No, that would be ridiculous.

[You better cut in now, Shin, or she'll keep going...]

[yumemi_no_ou]

[[well this isn't familiar or anything.]]

So it's entirely possible whatever the heck drags us here brought in some sort of astral creature or something like that that only just figured out how to talk to people or something like that. Which would explain the black box...

[shadow_sage]

[She considers this, then shakes her head.]

No.

'Falling again.' 'Locked in.' 'Tower.' 'Walls fall again.'

Cycles. The date, that it's the 137th year since the walls fell? It said that's wrong, because they've fallen again. This voice at least acted as though it had been involved before, for some time. I don't think it's part of...part of this cycle. Us. The heroes. It doesn't fit.

[yumemi_no_ou]

So maybe a native astral being...?

[shadow_sage]

[She thinks about it again.]

It is possible. But I'd have thought there was cloth over the orb on the other end. Filtered light, not enough to show shapes, really, but that was my impression.

Why would an astral being cover a material orb?

[yumemi_no_ou]

Shin shrugged. "Not wanting people to see it was astral? I don't know, not all of them show up. I know most people can't see me when I'm astral..."

[shadow_sage]

This is just speculation, anyway. I'm just guessing.

[She sighs.]

It does mean I don't think we can really trust these orbs, though. Not completely.

[yumemi_no_ou]

Can't trust anything completely, if you think about it. Just a matter of what you want to trust more. [[points out in a totally reasonable tone]]

[shadow_sage]

[She laughs.]

Very true. But if you hear anyone else who speaks or acts like a local on them, would you let me know?

[yumemi_no_ou]

Yeah, sure.

[shadow_sage]

Thank you.