[when asked to deliver supplies to thorne, wanda does little in the way of protesting or objecting; the news of their crops being razed have spread recently, and there are concerns over how they will manage over the winter. solvunn has more than enough to share, and as arrangements are being made for her to set off in her journey to the tertiary settlement—a two-weeks long trip—wanda makes sure to leave her business in order before she does so.
steve wanted to come along, something along the lines of adventure and why the hell not. wanda personally reached out to billy, her thoughts and emotions on the young man more tenuous than not, but finding a fractured loneliness in him—missing his husband and friends—makes her want to give him a space to feel welcome in. especially with how cruel she had been upon their first meeting, and, one could imagine, a mother will always be a mother, even if they are not directly related (family still is forever). the caravan loaded with the supplies is slow at first, as they shuffle down the path and away from the primary settlement, onto road that is less looked after, with grass and shrubbery growing over it, the open road ahead opening up to vast fields and a lot of nothing.
it doesn't take long to run into aloy, camping out further outside the settlement, and a look at their party has her taking pity on them. she'll join them—as it's not every day one gets to travel so far inland and toward the coast. needless to say, the first day of their journey is spent learning to properly ride a horse and getting used to it. they take turns, sitting inside the caravan, studying the map given to them to reach the nearest portal that should bring them closer to their destination; there are a few of them spread out in solvunn—it's just a matter of finding them.
they pause for meals, stop when the sun goes down to make camp (aloy a particularly welcome expert in that field). they go past shrines along the way, copses of trees, streams and rivers to freshen up in, for their horses to drink from. the more they travel the northern trail along the coast, the saltier the breeze smells, the cooler it is.
wanda looks at the map, then sets it down so she can see what stands before them: a patch of woodland, an outcropping of rock on its side and likely the coastline on the other. she's no expert—but if they decide to go around it, it might delay their arrival to the hydra gulf. the trail disappears inside its depths, the trees voluminous and thick; they might travel inside there for a day, at least. she walks back to the others, placing a hand over the nose of the horse entrusted to her—a dark bay male horse with a white star on his forehead and dark stockings. he flicks his ears at her touch, neighing as she draws her hand away.
they had taken a break to rest up while they decided what to do next. it was still early morning, the sun not too hot on their backs, yet.]
We'll go through. I doubt there's anything too dangerous in there.
[ Billy had immediately agreed when Wanda reached out to him, not only was he itching to do something useful but he also wanted to spend more time with her, get to know her better and hopefully move past the awkward feelings that were still lingering. He had also been grateful for the buffer that was Steve and Aloy.
While Wanda looked over the map, he took it upon himself to levitate up to see the lay of the land. The shortest way was indeed through, even if that seemed like it might be the most dangerous.
Billy looks over at her as he lands softly on the ground. ]
Famous last words. But you’re right, the shortest way is through. If we go around it will add on an extra day or two at the least.
[ He turned to their other two traveling companions. ]
[Where she'd been a bit suspicious of Wanda's ability to create matter out of thin air before, she's particularly thankful now that it means she has a proper bow and arrow for this excursion. She's seen enough supply runs gone south to know she wants to prevent disaster if at all possible, and though she's not entirely certain that's what will befall this group, she doesn't want to take the chance, if she can help it.
The good news is that it's mostly uneventful, to start. Aloy has never ridden a real horse--only mechanical approximations--so that takes some getting used to. She falls into the routine fairly quickly, however, thanks in part to her own experience with this very thing. More often than not she's taking point, or bringing up the rear, bow and arrow ready for a threat that, at this juncture, hasn't yet appeared.
She doesn't expect that they'll be lucky for long. "I doubt there's anything dangerous in there" are absolutely some famous last words, but she's confident enough in her own abilities.]
[ steve pretty much attaches himself onto wanda at the mention of a trip, at the concept of having something to do that he actually feels like he can help with. it's a supply run, they say - thorne, one of the other countries or whatever - needs food. steve's still working on understanding what it means to be in the center of all of this, the politics and history and opinions between these countries (or...were people calling them factions?) a little harder to wrap his head around.
but they're on a supply run. this, at least, he can handle - and wanda doesn't seem too intent on telling him no. billy he's met, too, though he picks up on a kind of tension between him and wanda that steve isn't entire sure of. the third teammate, a girl named aloy, joins them a little later and steve is thankful for it, if only because she seems to be the one who knows what she's doing, and steve makes a note to watch her, to pick up on what he can.
they've taken a small break, deciding their next direction, and steve is...he's doing his best. billy is definitely just. levitating in the air. but steve is getting a lot better at just keeping his eyes moving forward, and his attention turns to aloy, to wanda, to the mention of going through the woods. ]
What all should we be worried about in there, exactly?
[if someone told her that she'd actually spend her sleeping hours while traveling to ensure the safe delivery of supplies to thorne sitting in her horizon, listening to matt go on about the laws and regulations of the free cities—she would have turned her head at the idea. as it were, with the limited amount of time they can actually spend together, wanda figures that this is as good as it's going to get.
there's a thought about the idea that he's so focused in his studying of the material given to him that even while asleep and in the horizon, his restless mind pulls back to what he's learning.
at least, now, her horizon has finally settled into something concrete, all the growing of plants and trees and critters moving within it finally done. it's convenient for matt to just walk in through the door she's connected to his horizon, so maybe one day he'll get to walk through the forest—it's something she should do, too.
maybe.
wanda sits back on the couch, leaning against the armrest, trying to find something to latch onto between all the legal jargon and mundane bureaucratic to-dos.]
If you have all this paperwork because every city has different rules and regulations, why not just create one single paperwork that combines all the options?
[he does this as a job? well, he seems thrilled enough, pacing back and forth in the living room as he puts his thoughts into words, but it's a little too much for wanda.]
( he stops walking and shakes his head, putting his hands on his hips. )
Most cities are going to feel too protective over their rules and regulations to want to combine it with something else. It's not easy to make something universal because someone's always going to want to add something. They won't be able to agree on verbiage or punctuation. It's just...not worth it.
( and with the way these regions seemed to hate each other? it would be even worse. )
[wanda gets it, but thinks that all this bureaucratic stuff is unnecessary. people need help—one would think matt wouldn't have to go through all this tedious process of paperwork and queues and waiting for specific appointments to get stamps of approval on said paperwork.
[the news of the attack on libertas comes swiftly after—be it through an announcement from the council or the general state of the other summoned reporting on it. it is normal to feel nervous, even worried about the circumstances; the war had been an inevitably cloud hanging over the heads since they had first arrived, one of the very first things ever mentioned when contacting those in the other factions. an element that sam had touched upon in his speech when he invited most, if not all, of the summoned.
it is unsurprising that the free cities retaliate, but at least it doesn't result in loss of lives, as far as reports go. there is a weary stalemate between thorne and the free cities, and while solvunn is pulled unscathed from this whole situation, it is normal that there is tension in the air.
the expectation for the other shoe to drop.
wanda sends an invitation to anyone interested, to those who may be restless or just wanting in company. she will be found a ways away from the farm, where the surrounding forest opens into a clearing, where a structure stands. wanda sits there, legs crossed, hands placed at her knee; she's dressed casual today, in an attire so dissonant from solvunn, threads pulled forth through her magic—jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. she waits a moment, and then speaks up.]
Magic knows no master. It belongs to neither gods nor man.
[these are words, she knows, that could make things rather difficult for her to explain to the council of solvunn. still—]
At least that is how it works in my universe.
[she knows that while in abraxas, one can learn magic. she knows, too, that many of those who are here have never even considered magic a possibility or a resource at their fingertips. to unlock it might be a matter of believing, really, and have intent, but mostly believing.
as the shadows pull longer as the sun sinks closer to the horizon, wanda reaches forward with her hand, scarlet surrounding her hand, and casts an easy spell, bringing fire to the campfire in the middle of the structure.]
[ Recent events have frayed Eddie’s nerves, putting him right back where he was when he arrived: high-strung and anxious. Maybe it had something to do with being surrounded by fellow summoned who were very much not human, or maybe it was the vampires and werewolves, but for a brief moment, his fear and anxiety had really eased up a bit.
Now it’s back in full force, and he hates it. He hates being scared and hates himself for being so prepared to run away. Solvunn has been spared for the time being, but he wouldn’t exactly call it “safe”. It mostly feels like they’re all collectively holding their breath waiting for something to happen, and he can feel it.
He just feels sort of helpless. He can prepare provisions for Thorne all day long, but what is that going to do when (not if) the threat lurches closer to home? He isn’t any sort of physical fighter, he isn’t particularly brave, and he wouldn’t exactly rely on his wits either. It just kind of feels like the best option he has right now is to learn, and Wanda's invitation gives him an in. ]
Hey, uh--
[ He awkwardly raises his hand, conditioned by more years of school than he cares to admit to. He also just doesn’t want to totally interrupt her show of magic. ]
Quick question. How do you know it's gonna work the same for people from other universes? I mean, I do wanna learn, I just wanna know if my failure is gonna be coming from me or from...Indiana, you know?
[wanda is happy to see him raise his hand, even if it seems a little out of place, mostly because she wants there to be questions—something to guide her instructions with based on what those willing to learn want to know, or whatever caters to them best. she's certainly never tried this before, formally, but she wants to try.
and that's half the battle, as much as eddie deciding to be here to learn.]
Unless Indiana makes people completely inept at magic, I think you should be okay. [she offers him a small smile, finding amusement in that concern.] Don't set yourself up for failure, Eddie.
[wanda drops her hand back on her lap. there is always hope, even if it's in the shape of a gripe against the world, even if it's found in the darkest of places and allowed to grow under the conditions of mistaken convictions.]
You told me before you think all this supernatural stuff is cool. [—and that's something she can work with.] If you are open to the idea, [she nods] you will learn.
[so, maybe she should start with—]
People here have learned Abraxan magic. Lesser spells that you practice and can grow stronger in. Find your footing and learn more, too. [but] But you need to believe that you can.
Well, uh…it is Indiana, so knowing my luck? I’ll end up being able to manifest corn byproducts and nothing else.
[ He grins, making his joke a bit more obvious. Wanda’s reassurance is enough for him. After all, she should know what she’s talking about.
Eddie has already talked about this with Steve, albeit it was a relatively conversation. Eddie had compared magic to playing the guitar: anyone with the time and desire to learn can learn. It just comes more easily to others. It was never something he knew known for sure, though, so it’s good to have confirmation that he shouldn’t be affected—and Steve shouldn’t either. ]
Alright. Well, shit. You’ve already got way more faith in me than most teachers, so--
[ He hops up to his feet and immediately swoops into an overly dramatic bow--or it would be overly dramatic for anyone but Eddie. ]
I guess I’ve gotta make a real attempt now.
[ He was always going to make a real attempt. He just feels better about it now. ]
[ Clarke's wary, but she's seen things that look like magic turn out to have scientific explanations, if ones that she never would've imagined possible. Lexa's spirit had survived, after all, and Clarke refuses to believe that she's just ones and zeros without any spark that might've constituted a soul. But that doesn't mean it's magic. Just beyond her comprehension.
She's listening and taking notes, occasionally glancing around to see who else has gathered to learn from the woman. She pauses in her writing and her eyes widen at the appearance of a sudden flame, immediately looking around to see if there's anything on the ground she might have overlooked that would have been capable of conducting that amount of heat. ]
How did you do that? Explain it to me like I know literally nothing.
[ When it came to magic, that much is true, but Clarke's perceptive enough to know when people are using magic as a metaphor for the unexplained. ]
[wanda can see it clearly in the thoughts of the blond woman—the skepticism, the way science and reasoning entrenches onto her thoughts with every word of the mysticism that wanda offers. it's not unexpected, but she welcomes the fact that someone asks.
questions give her an idea of what exactly she needs to focus on to make this learning experience fruitful for those who have not, like her, been bestowed with magic before abraxas.]
My answer may not be satisfactory, but I simply — thought about it. I wanted to light the campfire, and I believed I could. And so, the campfire was lit. You have to stop thinking of obstacles, mental or physical; magic yields only if you are willing to believe that it is real.
[—of course, not everyone is the scarlet witch. not everyone has mastery over infinite possibilities as she does with her chaos magic. but wanda is trying to teach those here that they, too, can learn abraxan magic if they open themselves up to the impossible.]
[the barren, red wasteland of her domain is no more. it has shifted, turned green, vibrant yet monotonous in all the earthen tones. the entrance to her horizon will lead to a labyrinthine pathway of trees and grown vegetation; the sound of animals moving and scampering about in the foliage can be heard, but they are never actually seen.
except for a black bird—a raven—that perches on a nearby tree branch, observing whoever has walked in. after a while of aimless ambling about, it will start to lead the way—hopping from branch to branch, finding purchase on nearby stone structures, soaring down the path and waiting, until a bridge is reached. there and onward, the raven will tread its own path.
up the stairs, trees will open up to reveal a home, worn and weathered, but lived in. wanda will be at the porch, sitting down with a cup of tea, enjoying the chilly weather found up here above the forest. there's a kettle and an extra cup, as if she had been expecting visit.]
Tea?
[—she asks, because no one that is unwelcome here would have been guided properly by the raven to reach her home within her domain.]
[Horizon has become a point of fascination for Petra during her time here— her own domain has been transformed into an echo of her home back in Brigid, and she has found herself quite curious to see what other domains have taken shape here, beyond those of her friends from home.
She knows not where she has found herself when the raven begins to lead the way, but as it seems to move with intent, she cannot help but follow, taking in the scenery as she goes. The place itself is quite beautiful; different from the forests of Brigid in many ways, but still familiar, comforting.
When she comes to the home at the heart of it all, she finds a familiar face seated on the porch, and she gives a startled but genuine smile in response.]
I was not meaning to intrude— but it looks like you have been waiting for someone.
[wanda offers a tired smile in return when petra appears at the doorway of her porch, after the climb up the stairs. she had known she was coming, way before the raven that led her here; in fact, it perches on the table, and wanda sits up to offer it a slice of apple, conjured into her hand. happily, the raven takes it and steps onto the railing to eat it at its leisure.
in the same motion wanda scoots to the side of the bench, offering the spot to petra should she want it.]
No, no. You're not intruding. [as way of explanation for her waiting for someone.] I saw you walking in the forest when you first stepped in. I figured you might enjoy some tea with me.
[because petra's company she likes, familiarity in lived experiences, in shared friendships, the like.]
[It seems a silly question, the moment she utters it. Wanda could do all sorts of things with her magic; she was hardly limited to conjuring dresses. Her smile hitches wider, and she inclines her head towards the offered spot on the bench before sinking down onto it.]
I would be feeling honored to do so. Your home here... it is beautiful. The forest always feels most like home to me, too.
[ She's never been one to follow directions given to her just like that, and turns out this domain isn't any different. Claire's not quite sure how she even ended up here, what path she took to stumble into all of this. She's here now, though, and she hates it
But does she, though?
Claire's not exactly the type for hiking, for wandering aimlessly. And yet she finds herself torn - halfway lost to frustration and anger at the winding paths, halfway feeling like she can breathe in ways she can't at Mag's - or at the Roadhouse. There's a sense of solitude here she doesn't have outside.
And perhaps the thick forest reminds her of the Bad Place. Perhaps it brings back the phantom sensation of Kaia's hand in hers. Perhaps there's a part of Claire that's drawn to that kind of bittersweet pain. So when the raven seems intent to lead her somewhere... Claire shrugs a shoulder. Mutters: ]
Screw you, Nevermore.
[ And turns the opposite way. Takes a shaky breath and proceeds to get lost on purpose, in the forest as much as the shambles of her heart. ]
[being told off has the raven squawk in obvious annoyance, flying off and away—probably to complain to the owner of the domain how he's been insulted. other ravens follow claire from a distance, and wanda is quite aware of her presence, even before nevermore comes looking for her.
drinking from her cup of tea, she sees all that takes place below in the forest, but the blond girl wandering about aimlessly gives her pause; enough for wanda to interrupt her tea time, wrap herself up in a coat and slip her feet into boots, and descend the stairs down towards the forest—a forest she hasn't exactly explored herself. nevermore (it is his name now) perches from branch to branch, as if guiding her way, as if wanting to witness the scolding the scarlet witch will give to this petulant child that dares not follow his guidance.
that, however, is hardly wanda's intent.
past the bridge, up broken stairs of stone, and carefully stepping between protruding roots, it comes to wanda's realization that she has not really wandered this significantly into her forest, many of these grown plants and flowers new to her, the babbling brook that falls down to the side entirely out of her awareness.
nevermore offers another cry, further up, and wanda sees it, the blond girl, crossing said brook.]
What do you think you'll find over there?
[—but her voice is calm, kind, genuinely curious, as wanda follows along, stopping at a prudent distance as to not startle her, for wanda feels something bruised and pained in the young girl's heart.]
The forest's grown so much on its own, I don't really know what is past the main path.
[ Claire stills for a moment, glances towards the woman whose domain she's wandered into. Bright blue eyes briefly flickering up and down her form, as if assessing a threat out of pure habit. Defensiveness in the ways her chin juts up and out, in the ways her shoulders curl inwards all the same. Making herself small in the same breath as she tries to make herself look challenging. ]
I don't know.
[ Elsewhere, she'd never admit that. Would play off her wanderings as having a specific purpose. But in this strange place, that feels too transparently like a lie.
And Claire's just a human, except in the ways she's not. Perhaps someone like the Scarlet Witch can feel that, even if Claire's unaware. The way something sings in her blood, makes it human but not quite, but perhaps a little more, but strange either way. Just some 20 something year old in all the ways that should matter, except in all the ways in which something in her is different - a potential vessel for an angel by bloodline, and the first and only human in her world whose blood was not just tainted by lycanthropy in the past, but survived being cured of it. There's something about Claire that's not quite just human in the ways she should be. But it's also faint, like a mote of potential more so than something actively different about her. ]
[goro is difficult to ignore, particularly when he enters her domain. wanda knows that he is not the type to bear in with communication through the mental connection the summoned have, and yet she is still surprised to see him walking about her creation of tangled trees and roots, stubbornly ignoring any guidance provided by the group of ravens that have come about to look at him in curiosity.
as he continues to make his way further and further away from the path, wanda decides she should make an appearance—]
Lost?
[her voice comes from behind goro, abruptly, and she walks up to meet his stride, staring down at the broken slabs of statues scattered about. she glances them for a moment more before turning back to goro; if he is not going to follow the ravens, at least he'll follow her.
[Michael is good at following directions. It's a talent that serves him well in his current task, but that's not why he agreed to help. It's not because cares all too much about the suffering over in Thorne or the Free Cities, either. Neither faction is home to anyone he particularly cares about, so far as he's aware, and warring amongst each other seems an inevitable part of human existence.
What motivates him is the fact that he might one day need to know how to brew a healing potion or an herbal remedy. Abraxas has stripped him of his power before, and while Michael knows that such things exist, that's about the extent of his knowledge. Adam had had an inclination towards healing, but a pre-med student is far from a medical professional. What Michael still holds of his memories on the subject are all lectures and textbooks—all theory, and very little of practical value.
So he finds himself in a room in one of the buildings at the primary settlement, supplied with a simple set of instructions and all the materials they reference. He hasn't had many visitors outside of one or two check-ins from locals to make sure he wasn't running low on supplies or fouling the mix. Michael hadn't felt compelled to make conversation with any of them.
He can sense when someone worth talking to stands in the doorway.]
Wanda. [He pauses, one hand with a finger on a line midway down the page of instructions and the other on a bundle of herbs, and looks up.] Come to check on my work?
[This is probably not what she'd had in mind when she'd asked him about hobbies, but it's productive and it's keeping him busy. That checks all of the important boxes for Michael.]
[when she had heard from one of the older teens that michael, of all people, was busy working on putting together provisions that will be later carted off, wanda thought to herself necessary to check up on the situation. it's not because she doubts he would do a good job of it, but—
but maybe he's found something worth his time, and which would keep his boredom at bay? it can't be easy for an archangel with larger designations for life.]
I'm not here to police you.
[but she is curious, and needed just an excuse to come and see him at work. taking the basket of herbs and ingredients from the teen she had bumped into, she gave him an easy out to have some time for himself before his next chore.
wanda sets the round, wicker basket on the table beside michael's workspace, pulling from it cluster of dried frog legs, setting them down neatly beside his dwindling stash. opposite that, she can see the contrast of the bundled herbs and finished potions on the other end of the table.]
—but I was curious. [enough to relieve the individual from bringing more ingredients from their job. the smile she offers is tiny, as she deposits a jar of honey near the frog legs, continuing with pulling out the rest of the ingredients. she glances over, and motions at the herbs on the side.] Would you like me to help you label and wrap them up?
[It has not been easy for Michael to fill the space that calls him to a higher purpose for some ten years now. Solvunn has more building blocks for him to work with than the Cage did, but it's still a struggle for someone not entirely accustomed to deciding his own direction in life.
They've not spoken of it directly, but Wanda has the feel of someone familiar with struggling with voids bigger than themselves.]
If you don't, who will?
[He'd been provided with instructions, sure, but the locals still treat the Summoned with such veneration that he's not sure they'd correct him if he were about to make a mistake. Thus far he hasn't rendered the room uninhabitable or brought about any of the other nasty consequences he'd been warned of, so he supposes he must be doing well enough on his own.]
Since you're offering. [Michael is not the type to request assistance, but he trusts she's smart enough to know that even if his words don't reflect it, his mild good humor is equivalent to being grateful for both the help and the company.
He starts to make room for her, setting a second station at the table for Wanda to work. He picks up the goldenseal, chamomile, and other herbs he knows by name but not by purpose and sets them in compact piles on her side, pulling over another chair with a flick of grace.]
Though you do realize the sooner we finish, the sooner we have to find something else to fill our time.
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—QUEST [ aloy · billy · steve ]
steve wanted to come along, something along the lines of adventure and why the hell not. wanda personally reached out to billy, her thoughts and emotions on the young man more tenuous than not, but finding a fractured loneliness in him—missing his husband and friends—makes her want to give him a space to feel welcome in. especially with how cruel she had been upon their first meeting, and, one could imagine, a mother will always be a mother, even if they are not directly related (family still is forever). the caravan loaded with the supplies is slow at first, as they shuffle down the path and away from the primary settlement, onto road that is less looked after, with grass and shrubbery growing over it, the open road ahead opening up to vast fields and a lot of nothing.
it doesn't take long to run into aloy, camping out further outside the settlement, and a look at their party has her taking pity on them. she'll join them—as it's not every day one gets to travel so far inland and toward the coast. needless to say, the first day of their journey is spent learning to properly ride a horse and getting used to it. they take turns, sitting inside the caravan, studying the map given to them to reach the nearest portal that should bring them closer to their destination; there are a few of them spread out in solvunn—it's just a matter of finding them.
they pause for meals, stop when the sun goes down to make camp (aloy a particularly welcome expert in that field). they go past shrines along the way, copses of trees, streams and rivers to freshen up in, for their horses to drink from. the more they travel the northern trail along the coast, the saltier the breeze smells, the cooler it is.
wanda looks at the map, then sets it down so she can see what stands before them: a patch of woodland, an outcropping of rock on its side and likely the coastline on the other. she's no expert—but if they decide to go around it, it might delay their arrival to the hydra gulf. the trail disappears inside its depths, the trees voluminous and thick; they might travel inside there for a day, at least. she walks back to the others, placing a hand over the nose of the horse entrusted to her—a dark bay male horse with a white star on his forehead and dark stockings. he flicks his ears at her touch, neighing as she draws her hand away.
they had taken a break to rest up while they decided what to do next. it was still early morning, the sun not too hot on their backs, yet.]
We'll go through. I doubt there's anything too dangerous in there.
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While Wanda looked over the map, he took it upon himself to levitate up to see the lay of the land. The shortest way was indeed through, even if that seemed like it might be the most dangerous.
Billy looks over at her as he lands softly on the ground. ]
Famous last words. But you’re right, the shortest way is through. If we go around it will add on an extra day or two at the least.
[ He turned to their other two traveling companions. ]
What do you guys think?
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The good news is that it's mostly uneventful, to start. Aloy has never ridden a real horse--only mechanical approximations--so that takes some getting used to. She falls into the routine fairly quickly, however, thanks in part to her own experience with this very thing. More often than not she's taking point, or bringing up the rear, bow and arrow ready for a threat that, at this juncture, hasn't yet appeared.
She doesn't expect that they'll be lucky for long. "I doubt there's anything dangerous in there" are absolutely some famous last words, but she's confident enough in her own abilities.]
I can get us through. Just watch where you step.
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but they're on a supply run. this, at least, he can handle - and wanda doesn't seem too intent on telling him no. billy he's met, too, though he picks up on a kind of tension between him and wanda that steve isn't entire sure of. the third teammate, a girl named aloy, joins them a little later and steve is thankful for it, if only because she seems to be the one who knows what she's doing, and steve makes a note to watch her, to pick up on what he can.
they've taken a small break, deciding their next direction, and steve is...he's doing his best. billy is definitely just. levitating in the air. but steve is getting a lot better at just keeping his eyes moving forward, and his attention turns to aloy, to wanda, to the mention of going through the woods. ]
What all should we be worried about in there, exactly?
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lmao steve...when u r scared but want a cute pet
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—HORIZON [ stephen · matt ]
there's a thought about the idea that he's so focused in his studying of the material given to him that even while asleep and in the horizon, his restless mind pulls back to what he's learning.
at least, now, her horizon has finally settled into something concrete, all the growing of plants and trees and critters moving within it finally done. it's convenient for matt to just walk in through the door she's connected to his horizon, so maybe one day he'll get to walk through the forest—it's something she should do, too.
maybe.
wanda sits back on the couch, leaning against the armrest, trying to find something to latch onto between all the legal jargon and mundane bureaucratic to-dos.]
If you have all this paperwork because every city has different rules and regulations, why not just create one single paperwork that combines all the options?
[he does this as a job? well, he seems thrilled enough, pacing back and forth in the living room as he puts his thoughts into words, but it's a little too much for wanda.]
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( he stops walking and shakes his head, putting his hands on his hips. )
Most cities are going to feel too protective over their rules and regulations to want to combine it with something else. It's not easy to make something universal because someone's always going to want to add something. They won't be able to agree on verbiage or punctuation. It's just...not worth it.
( and with the way these regions seemed to hate each other? it would be even worse. )
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she narrows her eyes a bit.]
And you enjoy all this work?
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( matt rubs at the back of his neck and then shrugs. )
I went to school for it and I know it's a lot of legalese and all but I like helping people when I can, where I can.
( and he can't really be daredevil and help in this instance. )
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—SOLVUNN [ OTA · magic lessons ]
it is unsurprising that the free cities retaliate, but at least it doesn't result in loss of lives, as far as reports go. there is a weary stalemate between thorne and the free cities, and while solvunn is pulled unscathed from this whole situation, it is normal that there is tension in the air.
the expectation for the other shoe to drop.
wanda sends an invitation to anyone interested, to those who may be restless or just wanting in company. she will be found a ways away from the farm, where the surrounding forest opens into a clearing, where a structure stands. wanda sits there, legs crossed, hands placed at her knee; she's dressed casual today, in an attire so dissonant from solvunn, threads pulled forth through her magic—jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. she waits a moment, and then speaks up.]
Magic knows no master. It belongs to neither gods nor man.
[these are words, she knows, that could make things rather difficult for her to explain to the council of solvunn. still—]
At least that is how it works in my universe.
[she knows that while in abraxas, one can learn magic. she knows, too, that many of those who are here have never even considered magic a possibility or a resource at their fingertips. to unlock it might be a matter of believing, really, and have intent, but mostly believing.
as the shadows pull longer as the sun sinks closer to the horizon, wanda reaches forward with her hand, scarlet surrounding her hand, and casts an easy spell, bringing fire to the campfire in the middle of the structure.]
I can share what I know.
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Now it’s back in full force, and he hates it. He hates being scared and hates himself for being so prepared to run away. Solvunn has been spared for the time being, but he wouldn’t exactly call it “safe”. It mostly feels like they’re all collectively holding their breath waiting for something to happen, and he can feel it.
He just feels sort of helpless. He can prepare provisions for Thorne all day long, but what is that going to do when (not if) the threat lurches closer to home? He isn’t any sort of physical fighter, he isn’t particularly brave, and he wouldn’t exactly rely on his wits either. It just kind of feels like the best option he has right now is to learn, and Wanda's invitation gives him an in. ]
Hey, uh--
[ He awkwardly raises his hand, conditioned by more years of school than he cares to admit to. He also just doesn’t want to totally interrupt her show of magic. ]
Quick question. How do you know it's gonna work the same for people from other universes? I mean, I do wanna learn, I just wanna know if my failure is gonna be coming from me or from...Indiana, you know?
[ Indiana is getting the blame either way. ]
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and that's half the battle, as much as eddie deciding to be here to learn.]
Unless Indiana makes people completely inept at magic, I think you should be okay. [she offers him a small smile, finding amusement in that concern.] Don't set yourself up for failure, Eddie.
[wanda drops her hand back on her lap. there is always hope, even if it's in the shape of a gripe against the world, even if it's found in the darkest of places and allowed to grow under the conditions of mistaken convictions.]
You told me before you think all this supernatural stuff is cool. [—and that's something she can work with.] If you are open to the idea, [she nods] you will learn.
[so, maybe she should start with—]
People here have learned Abraxan magic. Lesser spells that you practice and can grow stronger in. Find your footing and learn more, too. [but] But you need to believe that you can.
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[ He grins, making his joke a bit more obvious. Wanda’s reassurance is enough for him. After all, she should know what she’s talking about.
Eddie has already talked about this with Steve, albeit it was a relatively conversation. Eddie had compared magic to playing the guitar: anyone with the time and desire to learn can learn. It just comes more easily to others. It was never something he knew known for sure, though, so it’s good to have confirmation that he shouldn’t be affected—and Steve shouldn’t either. ]
Alright. Well, shit. You’ve already got way more faith in me than most teachers, so--
[ He hops up to his feet and immediately swoops into an overly dramatic bow--or it would be overly dramatic for anyone but Eddie. ]
I guess I’ve gotta make a real attempt now.
[ He was always going to make a real attempt. He just feels better about it now. ]
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She's listening and taking notes, occasionally glancing around to see who else has gathered to learn from the woman. She pauses in her writing and her eyes widen at the appearance of a sudden flame, immediately looking around to see if there's anything on the ground she might have overlooked that would have been capable of conducting that amount of heat. ]
How did you do that? Explain it to me like I know literally nothing.
[ When it came to magic, that much is true, but Clarke's perceptive enough to know when people are using magic as a metaphor for the unexplained. ]
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questions give her an idea of what exactly she needs to focus on to make this learning experience fruitful for those who have not, like her, been bestowed with magic before abraxas.]
My answer may not be satisfactory, but I simply — thought about it. I wanted to light the campfire, and I believed I could. And so, the campfire was lit. You have to stop thinking of obstacles, mental or physical; magic yields only if you are willing to believe that it is real.
[—of course, not everyone is the scarlet witch. not everyone has mastery over infinite possibilities as she does with her chaos magic. but wanda is trying to teach those here that they, too, can learn abraxan magic if they open themselves up to the impossible.]
Does magic exist in your world?
—HORIZON [ OTA ]
except for a black bird—a raven—that perches on a nearby tree branch, observing whoever has walked in. after a while of aimless ambling about, it will start to lead the way—hopping from branch to branch, finding purchase on nearby stone structures, soaring down the path and waiting, until a bridge is reached. there and onward, the raven will tread its own path.
up the stairs, trees will open up to reveal a home, worn and weathered, but lived in. wanda will be at the porch, sitting down with a cup of tea, enjoying the chilly weather found up here above the forest. there's a kettle and an extra cup, as if she had been expecting visit.]
Tea?
[—she asks, because no one that is unwelcome here would have been guided properly by the raven to reach her home within her domain.]
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She knows not where she has found herself when the raven begins to lead the way, but as it seems to move with intent, she cannot help but follow, taking in the scenery as she goes. The place itself is quite beautiful; different from the forests of Brigid in many ways, but still familiar, comforting.
When she comes to the home at the heart of it all, she finds a familiar face seated on the porch, and she gives a startled but genuine smile in response.]
I was not meaning to intrude— but it looks like you have been waiting for someone.
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in the same motion wanda scoots to the side of the bench, offering the spot to petra should she want it.]
No, no. You're not intruding. [as way of explanation for her waiting for someone.] I saw you walking in the forest when you first stepped in. I figured you might enjoy some tea with me.
[because petra's company she likes, familiarity in lived experiences, in shared friendships, the like.]
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[It seems a silly question, the moment she utters it. Wanda could do all sorts of things with her magic; she was hardly limited to conjuring dresses. Her smile hitches wider, and she inclines her head towards the offered spot on the bench before sinking down onto it.]
I would be feeling honored to do so. Your home here... it is beautiful. The forest always feels most like home to me, too.
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feel free to ignore this if it's too old, life has been insane
Forest
But does she, though?
Claire's not exactly the type for hiking, for wandering aimlessly. And yet she finds herself torn - halfway lost to frustration and anger at the winding paths, halfway feeling like she can breathe in ways she can't at Mag's - or at the Roadhouse. There's a sense of solitude here she doesn't have outside.
And perhaps the thick forest reminds her of the Bad Place. Perhaps it brings back the phantom sensation of Kaia's hand in hers. Perhaps there's a part of Claire that's drawn to that kind of bittersweet pain. So when the raven seems intent to lead her somewhere... Claire shrugs a shoulder. Mutters: ]
Screw you, Nevermore.
[ And turns the opposite way. Takes a shaky breath and proceeds to get lost on purpose, in the forest as much as the shambles of her heart. ]
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drinking from her cup of tea, she sees all that takes place below in the forest, but the blond girl wandering about aimlessly gives her pause; enough for wanda to interrupt her tea time, wrap herself up in a coat and slip her feet into boots, and descend the stairs down towards the forest—a forest she hasn't exactly explored herself. nevermore (it is his name now) perches from branch to branch, as if guiding her way, as if wanting to witness the scolding the scarlet witch will give to this petulant child that dares not follow his guidance.
that, however, is hardly wanda's intent.
past the bridge, up broken stairs of stone, and carefully stepping between protruding roots, it comes to wanda's realization that she has not really wandered this significantly into her forest, many of these grown plants and flowers new to her, the babbling brook that falls down to the side entirely out of her awareness.
nevermore offers another cry, further up, and wanda sees it, the blond girl, crossing said brook.]
What do you think you'll find over there?
[—but her voice is calm, kind, genuinely curious, as wanda follows along, stopping at a prudent distance as to not startle her, for wanda feels something bruised and pained in the young girl's heart.]
The forest's grown so much on its own, I don't really know what is past the main path.
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I don't know.
[ Elsewhere, she'd never admit that. Would play off her wanderings as having a specific purpose. But in this strange place, that feels too transparently like a lie.
And Claire's just a human, except in the ways she's not. Perhaps someone like the Scarlet Witch can feel that, even if Claire's unaware. The way something sings in her blood, makes it human but not quite, but perhaps a little more, but strange either way. Just some 20 something year old in all the ways that should matter, except in all the ways in which something in her is different - a potential vessel for an angel by bloodline, and the first and only human in her world whose blood was not just tainted by lycanthropy in the past, but survived being cured of it. There's something about Claire that's not quite just human in the ways she should be. But it's also faint, like a mote of potential more so than something actively different about her. ]
Isn't that the point?
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—HORIZON [ goro ]
as he continues to make his way further and further away from the path, wanda decides she should make an appearance—]
Lost?
[her voice comes from behind goro, abruptly, and she walks up to meet his stride, staring down at the broken slabs of statues scattered about. she glances them for a moment more before turning back to goro; if he is not going to follow the ravens, at least he'll follow her.
up a set of stone steps she goes.]
To what do I owe this visit?
Backdated provisions prep
What motivates him is the fact that he might one day need to know how to brew a healing potion or an herbal remedy. Abraxas has stripped him of his power before, and while Michael knows that such things exist, that's about the extent of his knowledge. Adam had had an inclination towards healing, but a pre-med student is far from a medical professional. What Michael still holds of his memories on the subject are all lectures and textbooks—all theory, and very little of practical value.
So he finds himself in a room in one of the buildings at the primary settlement, supplied with a simple set of instructions and all the materials they reference. He hasn't had many visitors outside of one or two check-ins from locals to make sure he wasn't running low on supplies or fouling the mix. Michael hadn't felt compelled to make conversation with any of them.
He can sense when someone worth talking to stands in the doorway.]
Wanda. [He pauses, one hand with a finger on a line midway down the page of instructions and the other on a bundle of herbs, and looks up.] Come to check on my work?
[This is probably not what she'd had in mind when she'd asked him about hobbies, but it's productive and it's keeping him busy. That checks all of the important boxes for Michael.]
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but maybe he's found something worth his time, and which would keep his boredom at bay? it can't be easy for an archangel with larger designations for life.]
I'm not here to police you.
[but she is curious, and needed just an excuse to come and see him at work. taking the basket of herbs and ingredients from the teen she had bumped into, she gave him an easy out to have some time for himself before his next chore.
wanda sets the round, wicker basket on the table beside michael's workspace, pulling from it cluster of dried frog legs, setting them down neatly beside his dwindling stash. opposite that, she can see the contrast of the bundled herbs and finished potions on the other end of the table.]
—but I was curious. [enough to relieve the individual from bringing more ingredients from their job. the smile she offers is tiny, as she deposits a jar of honey near the frog legs, continuing with pulling out the rest of the ingredients. she glances over, and motions at the herbs on the side.] Would you like me to help you label and wrap them up?
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They've not spoken of it directly, but Wanda has the feel of someone familiar with struggling with voids bigger than themselves.]
If you don't, who will?
[He'd been provided with instructions, sure, but the locals still treat the Summoned with such veneration that he's not sure they'd correct him if he were about to make a mistake. Thus far he hasn't rendered the room uninhabitable or brought about any of the other nasty consequences he'd been warned of, so he supposes he must be doing well enough on his own.]
Since you're offering. [Michael is not the type to request assistance, but he trusts she's smart enough to know that even if his words don't reflect it, his mild good humor is equivalent to being grateful for both the help and the company.
He starts to make room for her, setting a second station at the table for Wanda to work. He picks up the goldenseal, chamomile, and other herbs he knows by name but not by purpose and sets them in compact piles on her side, pulling over another chair with a flick of grace.]
Though you do realize the sooner we finish, the sooner we have to find something else to fill our time.
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