i see the hazy sense unfold [ OPEN ]

[succored]

Who: Sora and new acquaintances!
When: Throughout
Where: Around the city, the Coven library.
What: Deliveries for Precogstichin', searching for mysterious animals in the city, and studying.
Warnings: Probably nothing, but will edit if anything comes up.

delivery for—
[ Fortunately, growing up and constantly traveling around a semi-claustrophobia-inducing city means Sora has a decent sense of direction and a good memory for buildings. But to use that memory, he has to learn first.

So he might be knocking on a few wrong doors. ]

Hi. Corset delivery.

in the library—
[ Having a practice only once a week isn't too often, but it does mean Sora has an actual schedule to follow that isn't intermittent shifts at a convenience store. He's trying to study as much as he can outside of class to make sure that he, and by extension Tora, are safe and prepared for whatever other weird stuff this world is going to throw at them.

And that means reading.

After some searching for words he can actually comprehend, Sora finds some books he thinks he can handle and carries them to a table. After only a few practices, he's struggling and visibly so. Magic isn't something he'd ever believed in.

Later, when he goes to return them to their places in the shelf, he's still looking down at the words when he rounds a corner and nearly walks into someone. ]

Oh. Sorry. [ He's just holding a stack almost up to his nose. ]

in the courtyard—
[ Sora's trouble with magic is manifesting in a more noticeable way, later in the Coven courtyard. He wants to protect himself with a barrier in theory. But what actually happens is the small amount of the magic in the barrier being redirected and shoving Sora back.

He falls on his butt with a quiet yelp. Embarrassing, but definitely not the most embarrassing thing that's happened to him. He starts getting up and dusting himself off. ]

Comments

courtyard.

[niespodzianka]

[ You're a Witch.

Well, great. Geralt's first dry thought is no deeper than wondering why some people have the power to make words audibly capitalized. (Hey, maybe it's fucking magic.) But for all his cranky dislike of the situation, he's also very curious; a natural trait and one ground in deep from his years of what boils down to supernatural detective work. So here he is. Scoping the joint out, bit by bit. ]

Not a bad start.

[ He's quiet when he moves. Not on purpose. Hopefully he doesn't give this guy another stumble. ]

[succored]

[ The sudden comment does make Sora's arm jerk up in an aborted defense, not that it would have been very useful if he went through with the motion anyway. At least he stays standing. ]

How long have you been there?

[ Sora also doesn't ask this in an accusing way. He's just a little concerned. ]

[niespodzianka]

Not long.

[ Geralt looks more like an old-fashioned native than a green mirrorbound abductee; his lightweight armor is too well-worn to be something recently acquired to fit in. But he doesn't seem familiar with this place. Gold eyes flick over the young man, considering. His expression is difficult to read. ]

Shield spell?

[succored]

[ All the apparel means the man fits in with what Sora thinks of this place. It's like a fantasy movie that he's part of. It's a weird, unbelievable situation to be in, but he doesn't want to be pulling down anyone around him with his panicking or ineptitude. Even if this man's new too, he seems more put together, and Sora is honest in hopes that eventually he'll be put together too. ]

It was supposed to be. [ After a second he detaches his gaze from the cobblestones he fell on to look at him while he talks. ] They said practicing would help. I still don't really get it. Are you a Witch?

[niespodzianka]

[ He shrugs, baldric and the two swords over his shoulder moving fluidly with him, barely a sound of leather on metal. ] Guess I am, now.

[ Geralt doesn't sound enthusiastic. ]

I knew a bit of magic at home, though.

in the library

[foursakes]

[ it wasn’t unusual for monsters to be reading up and studying— some things, she’s found, both could do. strengthening one’s mind from invaders, for one, was a universal practice, and four was here to pose even further: she has around four (haha) books in her arms, only one of them about natural barriers of the mind: seven layers. the rest are charm books, enchantments, transmutations.

she was just a witch, studying diligently as any during her free time. someone doesn’t see her trying to reach for a book on one of the higher shelves, she’s too tiny. the perpetrator bumps into her successfully, and everything in her hand drops with a yelp.

looking quickly at the apologetic man, her startled expression melts, and she ducks her head, almost sheepishly. ]

Oh— oh, I’m sorry. [ shaking her head, shaking her head. ] I was in your way, wasn’t I . . .

[ she goes to pick up the book farthest from them. ]

[succored]

No, I just didn't see you.

[ Thus the great book disaster of... whatever year this is. Sora bends down to pick up the other books, gathering them too quickly to keep in mind that some of them aren't his. ]

Sorry.

[foursakes]

I suppose I am pretty small. [ she says, softly as she fetched another, now closer to him. with most of the books in hand, she holds her’s out to gently take it from him. ] Thank you, stranger— and you are carrying a fair many books yourself, aren’t you?

[succored]

[ He takes inventory of the books he has to figure out which ones are unfamiliar to return to her, and he's a little distracted as he replies. ]

Yeah... I'm trying to learn. About magic. [ Long pause. ] Because I'm supposed to have it now.

[ SIGH. ]

You too, right?

library

[atouts]

[ Childermass has to raise an arm quickly to block the stack of books that comes around the corner at him, though it does stop just short of actually hitting him. That's... startling. More startling is that the stack of books talks— wait, no. There's a person holding all of those. He sees it now, a few seconds of bemused staring later. ]

What in the world are you even looking up that takes that many books? [ No acknowledgment of the apology. Nothing happened, therefore he doesn't find it necessary. ] Surely you can't get through all of them in one day.

[ If anything, he's a little offended to see one man hogging up so much reading material over here. ]

[succored]

[ Yeah, he definitely hasn't read all of these books. The best he's gotten out of any of the books is a full chapter, maybe two. ]

I'm not looking things up, I'm trying to figure things out. [ Which... isn't happening but he's putting them back anyway. ] Do you need one of them?

[atouts]

That means the same thing. [ Childermass points out, though he also takes a step back and to the side to give Sora room to pass if need be. ] You're trying to figure things out by looking them up. A little too broadly, by the look of it...

[ He will point at one book in particular in the stack. Something along the lines of an introduction to defensive magic or the like. ]

That one, I believe. The one on basic defensive spells.

[succored]

I'm trying to read. [ But his attempts to defend himself are just quibbles at best, and he won't protest any further. Instead he follows the pointing of the stranger and starts trying to wiggle one book out of the stack.

It's the wrong one, because he can't see that well and the spines are facing away from him. ]

This one?

library

[chosenside]

[Ever since he's been given the run down of this world, Theseus has been spending a good portion of his time reading and trying to adapt to the magic of this world. It's been a rough start and he knows that the road is going to be long for him, but he's nothing if not tenacious. Even if reading all these books is giving him flashbacks to Hogwarts and studying for his exams, it's definitely a necessity. He refuses to be unpracticed and uncertain here.

So, the Auror has a couple of books in his own hands when he barely stops himself from colliding into Sora.]

Oh, hello again. [Theseus can't help but smile slightly at the large pile of books in his arms.] Would you like some help?

[succored]

I'm okay with these.

[ He assumes Theseus is talking about putting them back, because he really needs help understanding their contents. ]

Unless you wanted one of them.

[chosenside]

[Theseus can't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Sora's certainly... enthusiastic about learning, but he wonders how much he's really taking in. Studying magic can certainly can be difficult and it's doubly true if he's unaccustomed to it.]

Pardon me for prying, but how are you coming along with your reading?

[There's at least some similarities between the magic here and the magic at home for him. He just needs to get a feel for it.]

[succored]

[ Sora hesitates, looking away. The books are pretty heavy (despite what he'd said) and he shifts his grip for a few seconds. ]

I don't really get it. [ The writing suggests that much of magic should be instinctual, but it isn't at all for Sora. ] Magic isn't real. Not to me.

courtyard;

[auftauen]

[The minor crackle of the magic barrier draws her attention. Crymaria hadn't wanted to linger here, not when she has practicing of her own to do. The hot, tempting energy to cast during the new moon was bad enough: Gun-shy, now, she's hesitant to be around too much spellcasting.

What Sora experiences seems so much like some of the rebounds from unstable energy she dealt with after the snowstorm. Crymaria's own attempts at barriers had taken cast and cast again to feel reliable, though they'd never dumped her on the ground like that.

He's already back on his feet by the time she can walk over, but she still crosses the courtyard to make sure he isn't injured.]

You didn't hurt yourself with that stunt, did you?

[succored]

[ Sora is none the worse for wear physically, and mostly able to shrug off the awkwardness. ]

No. I was just trying... [ The simple spell he'd looked up. Er. ]

The practice wasn't really helpful because I don't know anything yet.

[auftauen]

[He looks fine. It's almost a relief to know that the magic's backfire wasn't enough to cause more harm than that, especially given the sparks and shocks she saw during the new moon. No one else will be hurt by his messing around, either.

Her expression is wry, but there's little happiness in it.]

Whatever else we can say about them, at least some Witches here are willing to teach us here.

You've just arrived, then I guess. I wouldn't worry about being unable to do too much at first. What were you attempting?

[succored]

[ It's true. The Witches seem unusually generous in that aspect, and Sora remains uncertain about their real motivations—but if this is what they're offering, he's going to take it. ]

Yeah. I was trying to learn the barrier spells... I don't know what else is here.

delivery; sorry for the delay!

[neutralally]

[He is definitely at the wrong door. A fact that probably is made apparently clear to him when a tall, broad-shouldered man answers the door, a cigarette hanging loosely between his lips.

Worick eyes the younger man for a moment, looking from the box and then slowly up to Sora's face. A wicked grin begins to stretch across his face.]

I appreciate the offer, but it's not really my thing. [His eye twinkles with amusement.] It would probably look better on you.

[succored]

[ Sora didn't have many expectations—perhaps it was a gift?—but he freezes on the stoop at being eyed. ]

...ah.

[ Well, he's not going to respond to that. Instead he consults the delivery tag again before turning it around for inspection. ]

Isn't this the address?

[neutralally]

[Having his comment ignored only seems to amuse him more, judging by his expression. It had only been a joke anyways, but the lack of response only makes him want to keep trying.

Still, it would be rude not to let the guy do his job. He gives the tag a glance over.]

Nah. I think you want the room down the hall. Four doors down on the left. [He leans in just a little closer, as if wanting to share a secret.]

I'd be careful though. I've heard she can get a little handsy with the delivery boys.

[It's impossible to tell if he's bullshitting or not.]

[succored]

[ Four doors down? He must have misread the numbers. They were pretty... distressed. He takes a moment to squint at them before really registering it.

He also leans slightly away from the stranger the closer he comes. ]

Okay, I'll remember that. [ He turns his distrustful look towards his non-customer. ] You really didn't order this?