open/closed ][ I should not be left to my own devices

[bealufull]

Who: Kaz Brekker & open
When: March
Where: Cadens & Horizon
What: catch all for post event stress, open posts in comments
Warnings: violence, bar fights, the damage of such fights, gambling, likely excessive drinking, talk of body horror, vicious mockery including taunting others about weight and looks





𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥

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[bealufull]

A brow arches at that. He hadn't thought about that, thought he's heard of places that were a lot more advanced than his own world. "No guns, huh? Are their not wars and battle then? All done hand to hand? Magically?"

He's not sure what to think about that other, though he's curious. He can imagine just what he might be capable of in a world like that, especially if there's magic.

"Did you study it then? You can summon storms?" He thought of the Etherealki, the squallers and tidemakers and inferni that controlled an element. But what if one could control them all?

"I learned this long before I took made the Crow Club what it is. You don't serve long on the streets without a means of eating and hiding." He gives her a nod. "You have your fingers right, now tilt your hand like this."

He doesn't touch her, but moves his hand in that way to show her.

"It was a gambling den and I've got reasons not to want to pursue the same here. I have some ideas though of other entertainment means."

[theidlemaiden]

"Oh, no there are wars. I was taken from one just before I arrived here actually." Hilda's tone doesn't betray any particular despair or worry; in fact, it sounds resigned in her own sing-song way. Neutral as if it's simply a matter of fact that she had been fighting something only to be summoned at a rather inopportune time. "We fought with weapons like swords, axes, lances and magic."

Hilda gives a quick shake of her head before quickly clarifying. "I can't. But I know people that probably could summon equivalents of that sort of thing. Even then, it's for short bursts of time. When it comes to magic in Fodlan you really have to apply yourself, and it just takes so long to master," she says with a hint of a whine. That goes without saying of course. Learning anything takes time. Mastering something takes even longer. "I can do a little bit of magic - just enough to help me in a pinch if I need to." Her eyes turn away from her hand to look at him curiously. "Can you do any magic?"

Her brows furrow as she attempts to follow his instructions, tilting her hand just so. The first several tries has the coin clattering to the table but she continues on with a huff of frustration. She quickly dispels it with a quick grin. "Once a business man always a business man right? What other sorts of things?"

[bealufull]

"I wonder if there's any world out there that isn't at war, on the brink of one, or recovering. A place where people actually get along."

His tones betray that he doesn't believe that's possible, giving a shake of his head just thinking about it. There's no reason to believe that could be real. Not in any world.

"Do they have school for that training? Or military academies?" That was what it was in his world, but then what if they taught them without conscripting children into the Second Army? "Not until I came here," he admits, not seeing a reason to hide that. Besides, if he admits to some, then no one wonders what he might be hiding.

He waits and watches. She hasn't given up and isn't complaining about it, so he's willing to be patient.

"Always," he agrees with a curt nod. "You get used to a certain way of living. As for that..." He pauses, considering her before diving in to see the reaction. It was about time he started judging what interest there might be.

"Amongst those of us summoned here in this city there's gambling dens I've seen and plenty of places for a drink but people want more than that in their downtime. Entertainment. Arts. There's a whole city here that leans more that way but it's a distance away. Considering bringing a bit of that here. Acrobatics. Displays of magic from other worlds. Even maybe magic like this," he says, moving his hand and the coin he'd been holding spun like a top across the table. "On a grander scale, of course."

[theidlemaiden]

The question sounds rhetorical, or at least, that’s Hilda’s first thought. The wishful thinker in her, a younger version of herself that only ever had to worry about mercenaries gone rouge, misbehaving bandits, and the occasional (well, mostly frequent) Almyran attempt at invasion - wouldn’t have thought that all out war across Fodlan would have been possible. Unfortunately she’d had to learn how wrong she had been rather quickly. People would disagree, she thinks, pressing her lips together to stifle the words, but she still hoped that there was some solution out there that wouldn’t involve war.

“The Officer’s Academy is mostly built for royals and nobles to send their children to learn about warcraft and magic,” she explains as the coin clatters to the table again. There’s a pause as she picks it up, annoyance flashing across her face. “Some not of noble birth are sent there if they can find sponsors or pay the enrolment fee but otherwise I think they’d have to find some other way to practice and learn those things.” Her eyes flit to him, a smile in them, acknowledging his admittance to learning magic here. “Sort of like us learning magic on our own here.”

The coin makes it over two knuckles before it falls again and this time a small little whine flutters from her lips as she flattens it against the table to stop it from clattering for a moment. Separating her annoyance at the coin and Kaz’s business venture is easy though and an obvious spark of interest appearing in her body language. “I think that would be amazing! Actually - have you met Alucard? He’s the one doing all the renovations on the Old Public Hall right now. It’s a little more suited for things like theatre and operas, but I think you two might be able to collaborate together on bringing more of that to Cadens.”

[bealufull]

"So the rich stay rich. Yeah, I'm aware of people doing things like that back home as well," he mutters, rolling his eyes, watching he hands more than her face though as she attempts to make the coin roll like it's meant to. He thinks though of his thoughts on magic of late and what it means as he takes a breath and reaches out for her hand.

He tenses and, if she lets him, uses a gloved hand to steady her own and adjust her fingers a certain way. It's such an simple gesture but there's already a cold sweat on his skin just in making the gesture, hidden by his jacket, and a bit of a wide eyed wildness to his look as he raises his gaze.

He considers that though, giving a shake of his head. "I haven't met them, no, but I'll work on making an introduction and seeing what might be worked out. I know a couple of people that are splendid performers, if they're interested and then I'll go from there. I'm used to working in entertainment, but I keep being reminded a new start here isn't a bad thing."

[theidlemaiden]

A bit of a nervous giggle that comes out more like a grimace settles on her face at the statement. It's no secret to those back home the family she comes from; if her hair isn't enough of a tell, the last name is a dead giveaway. Being in Abraxas means that no one else knows or cares, but she's still acutely aware about the privilege she comes from. She reaches for something to say but then sees Kaz stretch out his hand, effectively stopping any thought from forming.

There's no hesitation on Hilda's part however. She allows him take her hand and lets her fingers become malleable. The coin, with his help, actually makes it across her knuckles. A triumphant smile breaks across her features but something hitches in it when she meets Kaz's wide-eyed gaze. Had she done something wrong? She folds the hesitation underneath her excitement at being able to accomplish the thing she had set out to do once before withdrawing her hand all while keeping a steady eye on him.

"Tell him that I sent you along! Not that he's prickly or anything, but it's always nice knowing that you both know someone else, right?" She also makes a mental note to let Alucard know that Kaz might come calling. What Kaz says about fresh starts begs the next question though. "Does that mean you've thought about other things you'd do here that you wouldn't do at home?"

[bealufull]

It is such a small thing but it feels like a major triumph for him. He's rarely had moments where contact were out of kindness, or with a tenderness, that didn't involve those he was close to. The kind that comes with a fight and punches thrown is something else entirely.

Even as she withdraws her hand, he gives a nod that is as much for himself as for her. It softens his expression as well. "I think you'll pick it up well if you keep practicing," he says, again a kindness to his words he's not used to but like so much, it's trying things out and seeing what comes of them.

"I will tell him that, and I appreciate your help."

If he's finally going to act instead of moping without actual moping, having introductions and names to start with is a good thing. Though that questions gives him pause as does so many talks about their lives before and what they've lost here. For most its people. Not so much for Kaz.

"Some of what I did before doesn't feel right here. Starting over again though without the same reputation I've had though has been interesting."

Harder. He knows he means harder but he's not admitting that. Especially when those you care about remind you that you can be anyone else, and you're not sure you want to be.

"I never thought about starting over without everything but then I suppose most haven't."

[theidlemaiden]

"Ugh, practice," she says it with an eye roll, but delight from having accomplished it once still bubbling over take the form of a grin. "To be honest, I don't know how much of that I'll be doing. It's a little too much like school."

Except it isn't. As truthful as that statement is, Hilda is already moving her hand in an attempt to try again. Perhaps it's because it's a mostly mindless thing that doesn't take that much effort on her part. Or maybe she's encouraged by the kindness and soft quality that nudged into his otherwise intense features.

She tries to add up what little she knows about Kaz. A gambling club on its own doesn't imply wrong doing, but it could very well bring about a less than ideal reputation if someone looked down on that sort of thing. Maybe that's what he means. Hilda lets out a brief little noise of agreement. "I definitely haven't." Or rather, she has. But any time she's entertained the thought of anything else than what she's convinced herself she is, she's smothered it.

This isn't about her though. An encouraging smile flutters to her lips, "But I think starting somewhere doesn't hurt. And if you don't like it, you have the freedom to do something else here. I'm sure they don't call this the Free Cities for nothing."