Time for a Break

[alphacraft]

Who: Odile and OPEN
What: Just chillin
When: After Suri-fight
Where: The cafe and/or inn
Warnings: Will add if needed

The consequences of Enciodes' little mission have been far-reaching, it seems. Odile herself is satisfied that she's learned a great deal (though grumpy that some of it had to be learned at all) and relatively un-traumatized from the whole ordeal, but people around town are clearly not doing well. So while she normally keeps mostly to herself, this week she's decided to get out and about.

It's still bitterly cold, and she still wants to just sit somewhere warm and read a book, so the inn and the cafe will have to do for "out and about".

She makes herself comfortable, sipping occassionally from a cup of tea as she reads, but makes a point to look up whenever someone comes by or starts talking and nod, or raise her eyebrows, or otherwise signal that she is open to having company.

Comments

[aneikonic]

He seeks her out when he's back because... well. He frankly owes her. Not only did she intercept that stone bear coming for him while he was busy with an illusion - which must have seemed insulting if she couldn't see it like he could - but he promised to return to her side to aid her.

And he didn't. Wrapped up in the need to stop the Black God, and the idea of Joshua being injured, he completely forgot himself and the others. So he owes her, an apology and to check if she is all right, and much more.

He finds her in the cafe and approaches quietly, his expression pinched.

"Odile," his voice is soft, contrite. "May I speak with you?"

[alphacraft]

She considers him for a long moment, eyebrows raised but expression otherwise blank. She can guess from his tone and expression what he wants to talk about, and that he's going to be emotional. Not her favorite. But she's curious, and frankly, he looks like a sad puppy. She decides not to torture him for too long, and sets her book down.

"Of course."

She nods at the chair opposite hers.

[aneikonic]

She's not wrong, though he does promise to keep his emotions to the stoically apologetic side. When she nods to the chair he will take it, putting his hands on the table to give her a quick look over.

She looks mostly none the worse for wear. Which relieves a lot of tension he was carrying.

"You survived?"

He didn't see her in the Garden with the others that were coming back.

[alphacraft]

"I did," she confirms, setting her own clasped hands on the table in front of her like a teacher in a conference.

"A few broken bones, I think, some unpleasant gashes. Nothing that couldn't be healed." She got lucky, she knows, and she ran when she had the chance.

"You didn't," she adds somberly. "I'm sorry." She did see what happened to him, more or less, and it must be a terrible memory for him.

[aneikonic]

And that relieves most of the rest of the tension, and he exhales softly, raising his hand to rub it over his head a little. "I'm glad." And he is. Too many people died, and he's incredibly glad she made it out. Injured, but alive.

He grimaces a little to her apology and raises his hand in a half-hearted gesture. "Thank you. It was quick." Which is a blessing. Phoenix had a mission and he's rather grateful it was to kill and not torment. He sighs and lowers his hand, brow v'ing down.

"I owe you an apology. A... rather large one."

[alphacraft]

She watches him for another moment, appraising. An apology, is it? That's a pleasant surprise, but she wonders if he knows what exactly he did wrong. Hardly anyone in that fight seemed to understand the basic concepts of fighting as a team.

"Go on," she finally says.

[aneikonic]

Founder, where to start. He's silent for a moment as he tries to pick a starting point, then just fuck it's in his mind and goes right to the heart of it.

"I abandoned you. You took the ire of the beast that was meant for me, I promised to return to your side, and instead I became focused on attempting to end the fight."

He's been scolded before about going in alone, about thinking he needs to take the burden onto his shoulders alone, and he had thought he was beyond it. But in the heat of battle-

He sighs and shakes his head, "I am not used to fighting as a team."

[alphacraft]

That admission actually makes her lip quirk in the slightest of smiles, just for a second. She quickly smooths her expression again.

"Yes, that does seem to have been the case for quite a few people. Tell me, have you ever had to fight to protect a group of strangers? Anything that wasn't a matter of winning at all costs?"

[aneikonic]

"Yes... and no," he starts, rubbing his index and thumb together thoughtfully, thinking about the people he's protected. "Unfortunately back home, fighting to protect strangers is always a matter of winning at all costs. But they've never fought with me, often retreating to a safer area while I focus the monster on myself. The biggest group I've ever fought with has been four people. Myself and three others."

And even then lately it's been either two other's and a frost wolf, or just one other and the wolf. Ah, he misses Torgal.

[kingincognito]

Back before they'd set out for the temple, Clive had told Joshua of a woman with a very interesting magic system. He'd mentioned it because he knew that Joshua would be interested, and as always, Clive knew him all too well. The way he'd described it was strange, but all the more reason for him to talk to her, right?

It's easy to meet a lot of people in the inn, and that's exactly where Joshua stumbles across Odile. It's a nice, comfy spot to talk, too. After watching from a distance for just a moment to ensure she isn't otherwise occupied, he finally approaches, placing his hand on his chest and bowing slightly at the waist.

"Lady Odile, I assume? I remember seeing you at the... skirmish."

It's the most polite way he can put it, and far better than 'massacre'.

"Do you have a moment to speak?"

[alphacraft]

She closes her book as he approaches. She'd noticed him watching her, and was starting to wonder if he was planning to talk to her at all when he finally made his move.

Her lip quirks at the word 'skirmish'. It sounds so quaint, but she must admit that her own words for it are rather unpleasant. Everything from 'massacre' to 'disaster'.

"I do," she nods. "Joshua, was it?"

[kingincognito]

Ah, good. He'd found the right person, then. Joshua smiles, nodding.

"Yes. Joshua Rosfield. You've spoken with my brother, Clive."

Since he's been given an invitation, Joshua takes a seat across from her, settling back and crossing one knee over the other with his hands resting clasped together over the top of them. Very polite, very refined.

Before leaping head first into what he is itching to talk about, though, he must cover the bases first. "How are you doing? Did you make it out all right?"

[alphacraft]

"Nice to meet you," she replies with a polite nod. He already knows her name.

"I'm doing well enough. I had some injuries, but nothing too serious." He, on the other hand... she saw what happened, so she doesn't ask about the fight. It's probably a sore spot still.

"How have you been managing since then?"

[kingincognito]

So many people saw what happened. Joshua just assumes that everyone did, at this point. He takes a breath inward, exhaling through his nose.

"I'm doing all right."

Now, at any rate. Now that Clive is back. The days between feel like a fever dream, if he's to be honest, but he isn't going to say that. He barely knows Odile, and he doesn't want to burden her.

"It's humbling, being beaten as we were... but we will learn from it, and we will not make the same mistakes again."

[alphacraft]

She studies him for a moment, wondering what exactly he learned and if it will really be enough. That isn't important right now, though. She needs to discuss the matter with the town as a whole, to make sure they never get into that sort of ridiculous mess ever again.

"...I should hope not," is what she finally says, then turns her attention to sip her tea. She hopes her tone is enough to close the topic there, because she doesn't have her notes at the moment to go over her future lecture.

[kingincognito]

Ah. Yes. That is a very clear sign. Joshua hesitates, looking at Odile for a moment, then glancing away. An awkward point of conversation, perhaps, and one that obviously doesn't need to continue.

Well, on to the next, then. He clears his throat, lacing his fingers together.

"Clive relayed to me that you have a very intriguing system of magic... I would be very interested in hearing about it, if you have the time."

[alphacraft]

"Is that right?" she asks, moving right along. She's always been a bit awkward. you get used to it after a while.

"I'd like to know more about yours as well. How much did Clive tell you?"

[goldenambition]

Odile and Will have probably seen each other in passing a few times by now, considering he's living in the Inn and hangs around there helping Tingyun. Today he plops near by with a MASSIVE text book and a mug of mulled juice, with the air of someone about to do some important but un-eager studying.

He gives her a friendly nod as he does, smiling.

"Hope ya don' mind some reading company!"

[alphacraft]

She raises her eyebrows at the book, rather impressed. He certainly doesn't seem like the academic type.

"Not at all. What are you reading?"

[goldenambition]

He lifts the tome for her to see, his ears drooping a bit as he slightly overdramaticly bemoans his fate.

"Advanced Pranic Techniques for Medical Application. Fifth Edition. Dryer then my usual fare for sure, but a bloke can only get by on practical experince for so far."

[alphacraft]

"Pranic Techniques? I'm not familiar with the term, but it's admirable of you to study medicine," she notes with approval. Field medicine is incredibly useful, but there's a notable lack of mundane doctors around here.

[goldenambition]

"The casual term is 'magic' but it basically means any manipulation of the element of life itself. So-"

He wiggles the book

"-great for healing. Though at this level you gotta know some practical doctoring to not fuck it right up."

[alphacraft]

"I can imagine." Even Craft healers can only do so much without specialization and the proper education.

She's about to leave him to it, but...

"You are taking notes, yes?" With a book that size she should hope he is, but one never knows.

[goldenambition]

"Oh! Yeah, yeah." He digs around in his bag to pull out a battered journal with a charcoal pencil.

"I ain' smart enough to keep all this in my head straight from readin' it. It'd fall right out of my ears, heh."

[alphacraft]

"Good." She cracks the tiniest bit of a smile, then lifts her own book as if to start reading again.

"Well, don't let me keep you, then."