Open Log

[the_archive]

Who: Jon Sims and YOU
Where: A few places in Thorne Castle
When: Before the Festival
What: Getting Acquaint (Let me know if you want to continue a TDM thread, and we can link it here and go on)
Warnings: N/A, will probably add.

Room 7

The first day, Jon just can't let himself just stop moving. He's already done everything he can to try to get the apprentices to give him more information, and they just keep assuring him that he'll know everything he needs to when he needs to. Which he interprets as; when they want him to. But they've also promised his powers will return, whether he wants them to or not, so there's that.

A bunk in a shared dorm doesn't shout 'honored guest' to him. He spends a few minutes stripping his bed, checking it minutely, and then making it again, using the activity of his hands to try to still his thoughts a little. To try not to worry about Martin. And the statement he can only hope he left entirely behind. When he's done that, he takes a moment, leaning on the bedpost to stare out the window beside it.

It's unsettlingly soothing, how little he can see from here.

Upstairs

Jon would have found the library even without it having been on that first rapid tour. He doesn't even intend to find himself there until he's there, looking down the rows of shelves. He prides himself on his research skills, but here he doesn't bother to look for something specific. Instead, he walks down one aisle at random, then another, keeping his hands folded behind his back until the distant, nagging feeling in the back of the head selects one volume, then another, then another.

He does check the flyleafs carefully, however.

In the study hall, he steers wide of those trying to learn to summon flames – Jon's not having anything to do with that, and the observant can guess why – one hand is already so scarred by burns that it doesn't move fluidly. And maybe that's why he's pulled to the young mage demonstrating a spell that heals small wounds.

Downstairs

He follows the dark stairs and rumors down with some anxiety, but it's no Panopticon down here. Only too-cramped cells, and conditions that would seem unrealistic in a movie. He eyes the guards, but doesn't like what he sees, and so keeps his distance as he moves along the cells. He's looking for someone in particular, but he won't find him. Instead, when the guards are out of earshot, he pauses.

“Do you know if there are more prisoners? Anywhere else?”

Comments

► UPSTAIRS

[arhivista]

It's no surprise, at least to Zelda, where it is that she's spending her time. The library here is familiar and comforting even if it's very different to her own, but a library provides stability and resources -- information, knowledge, and in a new world that's exactly what she needs.

Whilst there are many books that she passes, many things that she could look at Zelda keeps her hands free for the moment, wanting to find something in particular. She doesn't currently have her magic to do any of that quickly at the minute, nor even to read all of the texts she'd like, but Zelda wouldn't be a very good librarian if she couldn't work without magic.

Which is how she finds this man, her hand reaching for a book as his gets there first, having finally settled on something but-- oh. "No, you take it." She had a mental list of others she could get first.

[the_archive]

The volume, a thin and dusty book without an obvious title, has a relief of the castle they're currently in its leather cover. Jon already has a few others, tucked under one arm, and so while he takes a second to look at the one he's just picked up, he holds it out. The burn that wraps around his hand is obvious in the library's clear light.

"I'm just browsing."

[arhivista]

"For histories or something more specific?"

The book is taken with a small nod, a polite smile on her and since their interests had already overlapped once it makes her curious. As a librarian is.

"I've started trying to compile a list of thorough resources in certain topics."

[the_archive]

"Nothing specific, I'm just getting a feel for the place." His gesture could mean just the library, or Thorne as a whole. "Our hosts aren't exactly the source I could hope for."

[arhivista]

"They're forthcoming to a point." And Zelda could admit that it was a very small point, there was hesitance or reticence in wanting to talk to them even though they'd brought them here.

"I don't believe our being here is a mistake on their part but perhaps there is something else they're trying to cover?"

Or they're just cautious about the history of their land. But Zelda's not the most trusting.

[the_archive]

Nor is Jon.

"I am sure my being here is a mistake." Because he can feel his connection to the Eye re-opening by the hour, and no one would have brought that baggage into their world on purpose. "They cast a wide net. I hope they caught what they were looking for, I would just wish they'd be open about what it is."

[arhivista]

"I suppose it depends on whether it was solely the mage's job to bring us here or if there were others involved."

Though considering that they seemed to be guests in this castle it likely was more than the mage. Unless he had something over the others.

"And how many people know those reasons."

[the_archive]

"I would hope that the man capable of dragging beings across dimensions is the peak of the power structure here." But since when has anything been that obvious?

[arhivista]

"There are multiple mages here. He could be working for someone, he could have acted alone. Questions that we don't have answers for. Yet."

Because everything was a yet to Zelda. Where there was knowledge there was the ability to find it.

"He may also not be the most powerful mage here."

[the_archive]

He rubs a temple with the corner of one of the books he's still holding. Yes, definitely a yet.

"I'm Jon, by the way. Jonathan Sims."

[arhivista]

"Zelda."

With a nod that seemed to embody a curtsy all on its own.

"There's also caution to be had with these books. We may find histories but likely anything more recent, anything relating to what we truly wish to know would either not be written or would be held elsewhere."

Based on what the Library did anyway.

[the_archive]

He looks at the book in his hand again (and again, compulsively checks the flyleaf). "I'm not looking for anything recent yet. I don't think. These are... a history of the castle, I think, a collection of political essays I think were probably originally distributed as propaganda, and... I think this one's a bestiary. Not sure yet."

[arhivista]

"Then perhaps we can share the information that we read."

And since they'd already been reaching for the same book there was already that common link.

"I'd like to know more about the history of this world, the people in it, not simply the castle where we are but everywhere."

[the_archive]

He frowns absently a moment, flicking through the one he called a bestiary - he's not sure it's that, actually - and then looks back at her, recalled from his distraction.

"No, that's a good idea. I'm - I will be much more useful as a researcher in a few days, if I've understood right. Right now, I'm only following hunches."

[arhivista]

She smiles slightly. In a few days she also will be. Magic.

"No doubt the more time we spend here the more time we'll know and the more theories that we'll have."

Totally pretending that the better research is just because of human things and not magic.

"And more people may speak to us."

[the_archive]

"I'm half-expecting something at the festival coming up. An announcement, maybe."

[arhivista]

"That's a reasonable assumption."

And though Zelda hadn't yet thought too much ahead, mind focused on the research, it did make sense. They were throwing a festival, why not give them all the information at the same time.

"Though something public could easily still hide information."

[the_archive]

"But whatever spin they try to sell us, in front of their own people, would be very informative."

[arhivista]

"That's true."

It would be interesting to know, whether they lied solely to them, whether they lied to their people as well or whether there was an element of truth in it.

"It would be nice as well to be able to speak to them again, now that we're all here. Though they may not let that be possible."

[the_archive]

"If they're honest about our powers returning," Jon says a little slowly, still making the decision to share. "I'll know for certain in a few days, if I'm being lied to."

[arhivista]

"We all will." Those that had any powers anyway. And she isn't surprised at hearing that he has a power even if she doesn't ask further -- she assumes magic, she always assumes magic.

"Though that lie could come from one person rather than all in charge. There are more internal politics that we're unaware of than simply what we're told."

[the_archive]

"Odds are I'll have a good bead on that, as well." He looks more resigned than anticipatory, however. "It's what I can do, know things."

[arhivista]

"Magically?"

Or through other supernatural means, though magic is her default go-to given her world and what she can do.

"A world like this, a world with magic is one that I'm familiar with. Though there are many such worlds that exist."

[the_archive]

"I don't appreciate calling it magic, but I suppose it has enough in common. I have... a connection, in another... place, but not another world. It takes knowledge through me, and gives it back."

[arhivista]

"What would you call it?"

In curiosity but also to know what he'd prefer. Magic is hers but what is this thing of his?