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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 12:54:48 GMT -6
"Look Bronson, I'm not very good at my job as a Guardian, and I don't know why you're so willing to help. But..." Xiaolian hesitated. She knew full well the fear most of the Ratatoskr had when faced with a Guardian, whether they were offering assistance or not. "But..." She continued unable to find the right words, the right way of saying it. There was no good way of putting it, and no way of putting exactly into words what was broken or wrong.
"Are you certain? I don't want to be treated as a curiosity or something to gawk over. I want my magic back." Xiaolian added. Something was broken, perhaps it was a block like Molly said and could be easily remedied.
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 12:59:51 GMT -6
"You're my partner." Molly pointed out. "Of course I'm willing to help. And it's the healers jobs. They'll think you're another Ratatoskr and it'll be okay." Molly promised easily. And she'd see to it also. "I can have Zander or Pwyll take us. Neither would mind. And both will keep quiet about it. They haven't breathed a word about finding a guardian to anyone." And they wouldn't either. They knew the value of secrets and this was a pretty big one. "We can figure out how to get your magic back." If she said back, that meant she had it at least once. Molly could work with that, even if it had been some time since the other had access to it.
"It won't hurt to get looked at, right?"
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 13:20:53 GMT -6
Xiaolian was silent, she had never admitted her mistakes to anyone, and instead tried to just move on with whatever the consequences were. After all, they were hers to endure and hers alone. As a novice she had been taught that she must learn to work on her own and never expect help. So many worlds had already fallen to the corruption, including their own, and for the sake of others they were to operate in secrecy. The Guardians feared what had happened to them would happen to others, and that there wouldn't be anyone left to tend to the tree or assist the Ratatoskr.
"But I've been a terrible partner to you.. and well everyone." She admitted. Xiaolian had been so consumed with the mistakes that had put her in Dallas, and putting everything back to rights that she hadn't taken time for anything else. "Oh gods.. that explains everything. Zhen was right... I did it wrong." She couldn't help but fret now, as it seemed her mistakes had only compounded with interest.
Molly was right though, the sooner things were resolved the better. "How soon do you think we could... see a healer?"
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 13:27:42 GMT -6
"There have been good times too." Molly said quietly. "And I don't know. But I can call Zander and he'll come and he'll probably know. The time dilation will make the timing of the appointment kind of weird, but it shouldn't be too bad. The dilation's pretty close right now anyway. Not exact, but close." Close enough that it worked out in their favor. They'd have to keep an eye on things, of course, but that could be done, and Molly had the equipment to do just that. She couldn't do much about the differences in the speed of time, but she could track it, at least.
This was pretty obviously important, so Molly was definitely going to place priority on it. Besides, she was barred from the tree right now, thanks to the council, and she hated it. How much worse was it for Xiaolian who was supposed to protect the tree.
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 13:40:26 GMT -6
Xiaolian wasn't sure what good times Molly was talking about, unless she meant their merciless betting on what sort of trouble the Warden's nephew would get into that week. It had mostly been a sucker's bet, and all it required was asking around a little bit with a few favors thrown in for good measure. Before everything went to hell in a hand basket, it had been largely even between the two.
"If you wouldn't mind.. I mean.. I know that there are things you'd rather be doing. Unfortunately until this gets fixed.. someone is going to be very much inconvenienced." Xiaolian was just glad that it wasn't the Warden, her boss. As much as she hated to admit it, money was a thing she needed to operate on this plane, and her job paid exceedingly well. Especially given her claim as a null, when all it was was basic Guardian purification sigils and rites.
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 13:47:41 GMT -6
About the only time she didn't want to be doing something else was when she was working on wards in some capacity. Still, she grabbed her pendant and sent a message to Zander, telling him to come soon, but it wasn't urgent. It wasn't either. This would wait a bit longer, if it needed to, and she knew that all too well. Molly didn't want to alarm her mentor either. It had been such a short time since she had last sent a request through the pendant to see him after all, even if her family hadn't actually been needed.
They had lucked out with the Coyote, as much as Molly didn't like to admit it. "Yeah. Zander should come by soon. He can put together an appointment for you. And hoprfully it'll be an easy fix." That would be nice, if things were easy, for once.
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 14:08:12 GMT -6
"That's fine, and hopefully it is." Xiaolian agreed, never saying what exactly she thought had caused the problem. She hoped that whoever this healer was, they were at least discrete. "I do appreciate this.. even if it is a bit of a inconvenience to everyone involved." She admitted. Asking for help sooner would have required knowing who to ask, and Zhen was not it. The man barely keep his mouth shut if his life depended on it, which was how he had ended up running a restaurant instead of doing actual work as a Guardian. While he could travel, and do other things often required of them, he chose not to. Zhen was more interested in gossip and rumors in the community than anything else, but that often worked to their advantage. He served as a look out more often than not, and ferried messages back and forth between groups.
"I know it's late... but are you hungry? My treat." Xiaolian offered, knowing that Zhen would likely still be up and could be convinced to at least throw together some left overs from earlier in the day. If they were lucky, he might even still have some dumplings left over from the dinner service and other treats if there had been a banquet.
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 15:31:25 GMT -6
"That sounds good. I could do with some food. It's been a long day." Way too long. dealing the Gods took both no time at all and entirely too long as far as she was concerned. Molly stretched and grinned. "Where are we going?" There would be no convincing the other it wasn't an inconvenience. It was definitely something unusual, but it wasn't an inconvenience. Besides, it would ultimately be helpful, as far as Molly was concerned. At least one of them should be able to reach the In Between on her own, in case they did have any other planar disturbances.
Molly definitely wished it was her, but she could be patient. The binding would come off eventually, and hopefully sooner rather than later.
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 16:00:30 GMT -6
"There's a place not too far from here. I know the owner, he'll likely be willing to take a few last minute customers." She answered easily. "We'll have to go the mundane way though. I'm spent and can't risk it." Xiaolian added. Two exhausting back to back days, without so much as a brief reprieve had left her realizing just how out of practice she was. It wasn't a matter necessarily of physical stamina, it was a matter of metaphysical fortitude; something she was severely lacking these days. Peace time had made her soft and weak, at least that's what others might have said if they actually bothered to speak to her at all. The Guardians were a shattered lot, often clannish and secretive by nature, their unfortunate history only serving to exacerbate it.
"We'll take my ride, I'm parked not to far off." She said motioning the other to follow her.
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 16:12:22 GMT -6
"Sounds good." Molly agreed and followed the other. "What kind of food is it?" What would they be eating this late at night. If there was something though, she had no doubt the other would find it. "And what did you do yesterday that left you so exhausted?" It had to be lingering from yesterday. Today had be relatively laidback magically at least. Emotionally was a whole 'nother landfill. Dealing with a gunman holding a clinic hostage was new and frankly very straining.
She was hungry though. Magic and stress alike left you hungry and she was certainly that.
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 19:24:22 GMT -6
"One of those hole in the wall some of everything places." Xiaolian shrugged. It wasn't quite true, but at the same time it wasn't altogether untrue. There were some more common and mundane items on the menu, of course they were next to the more uncommon dishes as well. Her brother, Zhen, liked to experiment and was generally willing to cook anything once, that was if he thought it looked good in the first place.
Leading Molly to a small silver sedan parked nearby, Xiaolian produced a key from one of the many pockets somewhere in her jacket and unlocked the car. "It's a long story... But the short of it is it was a class 5 storm, complete with fish and everything." She sighed tiredly before climbing into the driver's seat. The jingling had made a mess of everything, and it had been all that she and Zhen could do to keep it contained.
"There was some help from the jinhai, but... it was still exhausting." Xiaolian explained as she waited on Molly. A planar or veil storm was generally something handled by a group working in concert, but any others except for her brother, had had their hands full as well.
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 19:29:53 GMT -6
Molly got into the passenger side and winced. "A planar storm. The explains way too much. I don't blame you for being tired after that. Did the source of the storm get taken care of?" Permanently or otherwise. Molly preferred warding sources to hell and back more than anything else. "Dallas doesn't need to deal with that sort of magical trouble."
A planar storm that attracted those damned fish was rare. And for it to be a class 5 was worrying. No wonder her family complained about the travel yesterday. It would have been hell. Combine that with the solstice and there was no wonder everything was more chaotic than usual.
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Post by Circe on Sept 6, 2020 19:54:45 GMT -6
"No, unfortunately... Putting an end to it would very much cause more problems than it would solve." Xiaolian wasn't sure she wanted to have to go through that again, but the alternative was to eliminate Tyrus and his sire, the Warden. "It damn near broke the protective seals, because the source didn't want to listen." That was putting it mildly even. She seriously hoped that Tyrus was enjoying whatever complications he had, she was in no mood to fix them yet; no matter how much she had come to regret using such harsh measures.
"The biggest problem was it was twined. I haven't ever seen anything like that, even during other times." No one needed to have that much magic, much less someone as arrogant as the mage was. The Warden however, seemed to be eager to relinquish it, and hadn't even put up a fight when Xiaolian had offered help. That had surprised her, because she had heard how she had stubborn and difficult she could be. Her posting in Dallas was only a nicety in memory of her father, and very little else.
"If I were to permanently put it to rights, then I would have several big players calling for blood." She explained, pulling into a small, dingy shopping center. It looked like it had seen better days, but there were still few places that held on tightly to their claims to do business there.
In front of them sat a sign primarily in what appeared to be chinese, with english underneath. It read, "Eggy Roll Heaven", likely a play on words or poking fun at one thing or another. "Come on, let's go eat. We can talk more inside, it's safe."
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Post by demikara on Sept 6, 2020 20:00:27 GMT -6
"Lets not have that. A twinned source though...no wonder you were gone all day." That would be enough to exhaust anyone and that was before classifying it as a Class 5. She followed Xiaolian into the restaurant. "Do I need to put up privacy wards?" The question was said quietly, so no one else would hear. It would be the work of a second to put some up. But if this was an Unseen restaurant then it would probably be better. Still not 100% safe, but safer, at least, to discuss these matters.
The place looked interesting at least. Eggy Roll Heaven. Not the standard name for a chinese place to have, so it probably served interesting combinations of food, or non-standard chinese food at least.
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Post by Circe on Sept 8, 2020 18:55:26 GMT -6
Xiaolian offered a shrug as she pulled open the door to the restaurant, "If it makes you feel better." She really didn't see a need, it was late and more than likely would only be just the two of them. But if it made Molly feel better about everything, she wasn't going to argue too loudly about it.
"We're closed. Come back tommorrow!" A voice shouted angrily from the back of the restaurant, having heard the door chime as the two entered. Clearly whoever they were, were not terribly keen on having new customers this late. It seemed that the front of house staff had already long vacated their positions in favor of sitting and talking at a few small tables in the corner as they filled condiment jars and rolled silverware.
"It's just me! I brought a friend." Xiaolian shouted, intent on being heard back towards the kitchen. She had suspected that after yesterday, Zhen would be a bit on the grumpy side, but not trying to toss her out immediately. Muchless with a guest in tow. "Look, I promise it's not the guy from last time." She added, hoping that that would at least put him somewhat at ease. O'Hara had offered them quite the giggle at his struggle to use the tiny tea cups and chopsticks, as well as his reluctance to ask for a fork; but somehow Xiaolian didn't think Molly would provide her brother with such entertainment.
"Friend? It better not be that mage from yesterday." A man complained as he walked towards the pair. He shared the same slight build and coloring as Xiaolian, if not a bit taller. "Your friend yesterday nearly had me for lunch! Not to mention those damn jingling!" He continued, sounding whiny and miserable about something. The conversation between the two continued for a few moments in that strange rapid language that was a mix of highs and lows, occasionally a name flitted between the pair only to be lost in the fray again. They were of course talking about Tyrus, and rather rudely at that. Neither had been terribly impressed with his efforts to try to help or his reluctance to accept outside help.
"Gods no. Besides... she thinks he's an idiot too." Xiaolian replied, trying to placate the other. She wasn't succeeding terribly well either, yesterday had very clearly burned a lot of good will between the two.
Zhen looked at Molly with suspicion before turning back to his sister. "You know last time I trusted you I ended up chased by jīnglíng across someone's ranch." He said crossing his arms over the stained and greasy apron he wore over top a graphic tshirt, with yet another weird half english half something else slogan across its front. Xiaolian didn't even know where he found the things, but seemed to take great delight in wearing them for everything.
"Look, Zhen.. this is Molly Bronson. She's the wardbreaker I work with. She's safe.. she's you know... a well.. Liúlàng zhě." She hestitated, uncertain of the correct term. The disconnect between the Guardians and the Ratatoskr had been going on for some time, and both readily blamed the other for any problems they encountered. "
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