sticksandbones | Time for a Break

Entry tags:

Time for a Break

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.

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She watches him for a long moment, wondering if the reminder will stick, and if it will be enough. She does also plan to discuss this with the town as a whole, more in-depth. Hopefully that will do.

"I have some ideas. They depend on my understanding the extent and limits of your abilities," she points out.

He tilts his head a little to her silent examination of him, wondering what's going on in her head. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't believe him, he hasn't exactly proven himself the reliable leader he was back home. Her comment makes him nod, moving to sit himself back, folding his arms over his chest.

"Fair enough. Do you want the short version, or a longer explanation? The longer explanation is very... very long."

His eyebrow arches a little both in a bit of a tease but also in a manner that suggests he wishes he was joking.

The smile she gives him now is wry.

"The long version, of course, if you'll let me get my notebook first. No doubt I'd spend just as long asking questions about the short version."

Of course. Yet, somehow, he's not surprised. His sigh is amused, however, and he gestures with his left hand for her to get her notebook then. Because oh, this is going to be a story.

"I'll be only a few minutes," she promises, standing and leaving her other book behind as if to hold her place. Strangely, she seems to walk rather quickly... who knew that was possible?

A few short minutes later she returns holding a notebook and pen, a small dragon wrapped around her neck playing with one of the crystals that dangle from her glasses.

She sits, opens the notebook to a fresh page, and raises her pen to start writing.

"Now then, shall we begin?"

She can't see the almost fond expression he gives her as she hurries - who would have thought it - to gather what she needs. Ah, the researcher. Harpocrates would have adored her.

He waits until she's returned and comfortable before nodding, his eyes on the little dragon first - that's very cute and not at all what he'd think of for a dragon nor Odile - before studying his hands thoughtfully.

"The short first," he starts, as it might make it a bit easier to than explain in detail. "I am able to house and call upon the various elements. From fire to light and shadow."

A little demonstration. He lifts his left hand, switches to Garuda as he does - Odile will feel a small gust of air around him, like a distant wind storm - and summons wind to his hand. It looks like a very tiny, vaguely green tinted tornado, a soft whispering rush of air, before he snuffs it. And if the petrification on his right arm, hidden under his clothes, creeps up closer to his elbow he makes no mention of it, or even shows it on his face.

"Long story is I was created to be a vessel for a God. To prepare my - ah - flesh for it, I am able to be blessed," rip them from their hosts and make them his own by devouring their essence, "by the elemental Eikons of my world. Wind, Earth, Ice, Water, Fire, Thunder, Light, and Shadow." He thoughtfully ponders his left hand, fingers curling in against themselves. "And though I do not know if it would be considered it here, Divinity. And as you may have noticed," as if she couldn't have seen it, "I am able to call upon the form of my own Eikon and manifest myself as him."

Edited 2025-01-29 22:54 (UTC)

It's for the best. She would probably be deeply offended by such a look.

She listens intently, raising an eyebrow at the little tornado. It's a very effective visual. She writes quickly, noting the elements and the word 'Eikon', written out by sound. Then she holds up a finger.

"A moment. Please explain the term Eikon." It clearly has some special meaning, and no doubt it's more specific than she can tell just from context.

"Eikon is what we call the manifestation of the elements in a God-like form. They need host mortals, those we call Dominants, before they can do so." Does it sound like Clive is quoting something someone told him? Because he may totally be quoting someone or something. It's almost a text book explanation.

"In a normal situation they rarely have a will of their own, they manifest on the will of their Dominants and are still under their control." Here he hesitates, fingers pressing together a little. "In... extreme situations, where the Dominant may be in fear of their lives, the Eikon may manifest on it's own and go out of control to protect themselves. They only regain themselves when the will of the Eikon and the will of the Dominant are once more in sync."

Which normally only happens when the Eikon is getting a smack down and is defeated.

"I see..."

She glances up from time to time while she writes, keeping an eye on his expression. The information is interesting, but it's important also to understand how he feels about it.

"Are they able to communicate at all?"

It's a way of life. And he hates it, because of what it ultimately was. All a plan for 'Mythos'. But his expression is mostly neutral throughout the entire thing, brow dipping when he speaks of losing control but otherwise he's ambivalent on it now.

That question makes him shake his head. "Not in the way you'd think. I can only draw upon my experience with Ifrit, though, as I can't manifest the Eikons I've absorbed in full form as I am not their Dominant. Before I fully accepted him, Ifrit would contest my will with his own, but there were no thoughts there. They are merely means to an end."

Now his frown deepens at that.

"Perhaps not in words," she concedes, "but it clearly has some manner of consciousness. If it's capable of understanding danger, then it may be capable of understanding other things as well." It's just a thought, but it could lead to something useful. If nothing else, these Eikons do behave like living things.

"It does," he agrees, "but not of it's own. The "God"," oh yes you can tell there are quotes around that, "that made us designed them. They are parts of his will, portions of his power. I'm not sure I'm explaining this right."

Listen, Clive isn't the scholar here. He's the sword, the one that goes out and beats things hard enough they stay down.

"You might get a better explanation asking Joshua. He dedicated a good portion of his life investigating them. All I can offer is that to think of them as separate beings with their own desires and wants is wrong. I am Ifrit, so much as Ifrit is me."

She's about to ask more, but stops herself. Curious as she may be, she's better off discussing it first with someone who understands the mechanics. She's got the pertinent details already.

"You mentioned..." She counts. "Eight Eikons. I've seen Ifrit. What about the others?"

"Nine, as though Fire is Fire, there are two aspects to it. I am one side, Ifrit, Eikon of Destruction. My brother is the other. Phoenix, the Eikon of Healing and Rebirth."

Fondness in his voice for a brief moment, before he focuses to name the others.

"Shiva, the Eikon of Ice. Titan, the Eikon of Earth. Ramuh, the Eikon of Thunder. Leviathan, the Eikon of Water. Garuda, the Eikon of Wind. Bahamut, the Eikon of Light. And Odin, the Eikon of Shadow."

It takes a little longer for her to write all those names out by sound. If he's watching, he'll find that she's writing in a language he can't read (fantasy Japanese).

"Alright," she says finally. "Do their appearances and physical capabilities differ significantly? I imagine the magic they're capable of does."

He'll wait, studying the writing as he does. It doesn't look like anything he's seen, but he doubts she'd be able to read his own. Still... this looks like a bunch of lines. And not in the words way, like pictures way. Interesting.

"You'd be right. I don't know how much it's based on the Dominant, mind you. Shiva, for example, looked remarkable similar to her Dominant. But Bahamut is a Dragon, while his Dominant is human. As for their magic, they each have similar skills. Shielding of some sort, attacks. Phoenix is the only one who can heal others, though."

"I see... And you're able to use all of these except for Phoenix? Do you know what they all look like when you use them?"

"I am able to use some of the Phoenix's powers due to my brother blessing me with them."

Actually, he pauses to that, thoughtful. What's the difference other than the fact he hasn't ripped the Eikon away? He supposes the healing, before Joshua gifted the Phoenix to him at the end, he couldn't do that. Nor the shielding, or any of the other protective things the Phoenix can do. Hm.

"They manifest various portions of themselves onto me. Garuda's claws over my hands or feet, Titan's fists over mine, Shiva's... little cape and crown."

Shiva, he loves your Dominant but why that.

She does an excellent job of keeping a straight face, only lightly raising an eyebrow in response to the cape and crown. She would very much like to see that.

"Then is Ifrit the only one that changes you entirely?"

It's all right, he shakes his head with an amused look and half shrug to the eyebrow raise. Don't ask him. He'll demonstrate later if she so desires.

"Right. Only the Dominants of the Eikons can fully shift into their Eikons. We call it Priming. Though I can house them, I'm not their Dominant. To be a Dominant their aether has to be drenched in that particular element."

She pauses.

"...'Drenched'?" That sounds... weird.

That makes him huff a little laugh. "Saturated, might be a better word?"

Her expression is unchanged. That doesn't really sound much better.

"...How does that happen?" she asks dryly after another moment.

Well, she did ask for the long explanation. Problem is, he's quickly reaching the end of his knowledge of the entire subject. He rubs his neck a little.

"There were large crystal structures that pulled Aether up from the earth. It was prolonged exposure to these throughout the generations that would alter someone's own aether enough that they resonated with an element. Eight crystals for the eight elements."

Thank the Founder for Vivians history lessons.

She does make a note of that, though it's off to the side. It probably isn't important for combat.

"A hereditary matter, I see... Curious, but I suppose we can return to the matter at hand.

"Tell me more about Priming."

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