ii | video

[onblackwings]

[ This lady's looking a little different, for anyone that's spoken with her before. Not any older, but there's a sort of crooked quality to her nose, like it'd been broken and healed some time ago. She's lounging in the Initiative apartments, looking like she's recently made friends with a superiority complex. ]

I want to speak to those of you who have seen a war before. Not the skirmishes that the Initiative sends us on here, but actual war.

And failing that, I'll take anyone that knows magic — and can teach it. That part is important. Don't waste my time if all you can do is cast it.

Comments

[whatsupcroc]

Fun music and also what I'm calling you at the moment. Ever heard any jazz?

[onblackwings]

What about me inspires you to think of — [ ugh ] Fun music?

[whatsupcroc]

You should listen to jazz sometime. I think you'll figure it out on your own!

( It's a bastardization of Jasmine no there is nothing to figure but -- )

Still asking your original questions, or should I be digging into the media library?

[onblackwings]

I'll pass. I'll leave music to the elves.

I am. Have you been in a war? [ she looks a little skeptical. ]

[whatsupcroc]

Yep. Two, now, if we count this one. Why're you asking?

[onblackwings]

Because I want to hear about them. Firsthand experience is preferred.

[whatsupcroc]

Kind of a broad topic, though! And firsthand in one war won't be the same for all. I've done more of the infiltration, guerrilla, surprise ambush type stuff than facing down straight lines of opponents, personally.

[onblackwings]

Mm. It's better than nothing. What's your weapon of choice?

[whatsupcroc]

The element of surprise, sharp teeth, and sharp claws.

( Her lips quirk up at the corners, for all she's giving an honest, serious answer. )

[onblackwings]

[ a pause, and she suddenly looks a little more interested ]

You're a shapechanger?

[ dang, she wouldn't have expected it from her ]

[whatsupcroc]

A certain kind of shapechanger, yes! What about you?

( Because it never hurts to ask, and adding numbers to the ranks of those who could be more than just themselves, physically speaking, is of personal interest and curiosity. )

[onblackwings]

[ there's a pause as she considers her answer. she'd love to brag about it, but in light of her conversation with the guy below... ]

That kind of spell is beyond my scope.

[ wow that's painful to have to say ]

[whatsupcroc]

( Pauses always mean something. But to care about what they mean, one must have a vested interest.

Her interest is not vested; it's haphazard and young, willful much like she is. )

You do magic!

[onblackwings]

Why else would I have been asking about magic if I wasn't already a mage?

[whatsupcroc]

Some people are insatiably curious about the things they don't have.

( Or they're also magic users pretending not to be. Eh! )

[onblackwings]

Pointless, unless you're planning on having it. [ and totally unrelated to that... ] How does your magic work?

[whatsupcroc]

It's not magic.

[onblackwings]

What is it?

[whatsupcroc]

Alien technology!

( She has an idea how singularly helpful that statement will be. (Not at all.) )

It's something developed by science, though how it works is so way beyond anything I understand, it basically feels like magic.

[onblackwings]

How do you use it?

[whatsupcroc]

Concentration, mostly.