dark scrying

[make_opportunity]

Maurabel ignores her classmates, by and large. She most especially ignores them when she is on the path that leads to the elemental barracks, because on those occasions they are more likely than usual to laugh at her.

She has considered their arguments, insofar as they have any, and they're nonsense, so now she ignores them. As best she can, anyway.

The amulet-minder knows her, too, and doesn't stop her on her way in to ask what element she wants the way he would anyone else. She'll take an amulet on the way out, probably. (Usually.)

She lets herself in and starts scanning the population. She saw two Shadows out flying on her way in, which means unless nobody else has one checked out, the selection's going to be pretty thin. She can use another element if she needs to, though. She doesn't need to do dark scrying specifically for this project - in fact, she could work entirely out of her personal affinities, if they wouldn't give her the time of day - dark scrying just interests her and she doesn't have enough of her own Shadow affinity to pull it off alone.

She counts Shadows, assessing how much time it's going to cost her to get the willing help of whichever feels like working "cheapest" today - and she sees an unfamiliar face.

A nearby Water leans in the new Shadow's direction. Maurabel stands back politely, hands clasped behind her, and lets her talk to him.

"That's the weird one I told you about," Water whispers to Shadow. "The one who makes it all - transactional, has all these fussy rules for herself."

When Water appears to be done talking to Shadow, Maurabel takes a couple of steps forward.

"Hello, Shadow," she says gently. "I'm Maurabel. Looks like you're new. I'll leave you alone if you want me to but I would like to talk to you. Do you prefer to just be called Shadow and told apart from the others with your university checkout number, or do you have a name you like?"

Comments

[make_opportunity]

She collects the amulet, she clears it, she leads the way to her dorm.

[just_a_shadow]

Shadow follows, as quietly as ever.

[make_opportunity]

And she lets the quiet sit, as usual.

It starts drizzling on their way there. She slows down a little, frowning up at the clouds, trying to flick the water away, and eventually shakes her head and gives up and returns to her usual pace.

[just_a_shadow]

Shadow unfolds his wings.

Being Shadow wings, they're invisible except for the shadows they cast, but Maurabel will probably notice the rain running off them as he holds one over her head.

[make_opportunity]

Awwwww.

Maurabel smiles, unexpectedly warmed.

"Thank you."

[just_a_shadow]

He smiles back.

[make_opportunity]

Presently they're at the dorm, and her room is where it usually is. "I have a box of objects I'm supposed to ward against three kinds of scrying, my choice, and then next week we check other students' work but I don't know which kinds I'll be assigned to check on, so I don't know if I'll be back for you then."

[just_a_shadow]

"Okay."

[make_opportunity]

Maurabel picks up her box of objects, peeps inside it to make sure the correct things are in it, and shuts it and sits down with it in her lap.

"Ready?"

[just_a_shadow]

He nods.

[make_opportunity]

Maurabel taps him and is slow and deliberate in outlining what she wants to conceal, and how (she wants the box warded against scrying, not eternally proof against the intrusion of light or something similarly irrelevant to the assignment). She doesn't want to have to start over.

Even worked meticulously like that, it doesn't take too long. Soon she's pretty sure she has it done.

"There. Now I want to scry it myself - or, better yet, fail to - instead of waiting for the peer review. Okay?"

[just_a_shadow]

"Okay," says Shadow.

[make_opportunity]

So she tries dark scrying - less disoriented by the wacky colors, this time - and attempts to look into her box.

Nope!

"Excellent."

[just_a_shadow]

Shadow smiles.

[make_opportunity]

"Thanks." She puts the box on her desk; she'll turn it in later. "Okay, that's all I have for today."

[just_a_shadow]

"Okay," says Shadow.

[make_opportunity]

"You have any plans for your chunk of time, or are you still waiting to think of something?" she inquires, getting up to lead him out.

[just_a_shadow]

"I still haven't thought of anything," he says. "And I haven't made any friends here to give it to."

[make_opportunity]

"Earth - the one I borrowed the other week, fifty-four - he's friendly. Although his best friend isn't, so that might be off-putting. One of the Shines is very sweet - twenty-one. Dust is nice, when she talks, although more often she daydreams, which might suit you. Let me know if I should stop recommending you friendly elementals."

[just_a_shadow]

"It's okay," he says, smiling.

[make_opportunity]

"Both of the Stones seem nice enough. One of the Ices - twenty-eight - is pleasant to me, but I'm not sure if that's just because she likes going to the library and doesn't have someone like Earth is to Lightning who'll split earned time with her... The newest of the three Glasses was the most recent acquisition before you and might not have made close friends yet either, but I can't vouch in much detail for her personality."

[just_a_shadow]

"I'm probably not going to make friends with any of them," says Shadow.

[make_opportunity]

"Do you want to say why?"

[just_a_shadow]

"I... had a friend. Before our owner sold me to the university. I miss him a lot," Shadow murmurs.

[make_opportunity]

"I'm sorry."