abraxaslogs | [ CATCH-ALL ] the fire's found a home in me

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[ CATCH-ALL ] the fire's found a home in me

Who: Ciri & various
When: throughout Sept through early Oct
Where: Cadens, Libertas, maybe Horizon
What: dealing with the mess of everything going on
Warnings: will add as needed

(( ooc: if you want to do any plotting with Ciri, hmu on plurk @ belleteyn or @ lenafish#3861

Ciri will be in Libertas/Cadens early Sept; on the supply run quest traveling to Solvunn and back mid to late Sept; and back in Cadens end of Sept to early Oct leading into the new event. ))

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[He follows the amber glow of a flickering fire, leading him to a white wolf, which in turn slips inside those doors slightly ajar. He supposes that is welcome enough, and so he follows, his gait steady.

Sephiroth crosses in through the doors, and there she is: Ciri seated at a table, drinking and already preparing to show him the exact spot on the map she had mentioned prior. His footsteps herald his entry before he says anything at all, though he doesn't wait to speak up to greet her.]

You've gotten started without me.

[Poring over a map? Drinking? Either or.]

[ She looks up at the footsteps. The wolf goes to curl up in front of the central fireplace, and the door closes on its own behind Sephiroth.

Ciri pulls another mug from the ether of the Horizon, sliding it to the side for him as an indication that he should sit beside her.

She taps the map. ]

It's riveting, I know. You must be very jealous.

[And he does sit next to her, settling before that generous mug; straight-backed at first, but it's easy for him to fall into something more comfortable in her presence, and Sephiroth leans forward just enough to press an elbow onto the surface of the table, minding the map.]

Very.

[Jealous, that is. He takes the mug but doesn't drink just yet, instead holding it aloft as his eyes rove away from Ciri and to the map.]

As though I don't have the road we're taking memorized. [Not that it takes much; the path is straightforward. He hovers a gloved finger over the road that they've taken westward, one that filters into the thick forest boundary between the Free Cities and Solvunn, indicating his meaning.]

[ There is the one major road, but they've left at different times, and if the ravine was indeed formed by the creature as Ciri assumes, then it's understandable if Sephiroth's caravan just missed it. Curious, though. ]

It was about... here

[ She wills a quill into existence, marking the map with a squiggly line across the road. Then, she summons an inkwell for the quill, and a holder, and sets it down. ]

There was some manner of beast, too large to see all of it. I saw... a single eye, far too large, all the way at the bottom of the deep crag in the path.

I don't think it was one of those sandworms. To my understanding, they don't have eyes.

[ She drinks, deeply, and afterwards raises her mug to Sephiroth with a smile. And she leans in a little, nudging his shoulder with hers where they sit. ]

It's nice to see you. I hope you and your party have encountered fewer obstacles.

[That little squiggly line drawn onto the map is focused on and committed straight into memory. It may be something they’ll have to deal with coming back, even if they happened to just miss it during their trek forward now. He needs to make certain to mention it to Rogers, he thinks, quietly noting this to himself.]

A single eye?

[It must have been massive, then, if that’s all Ciri could make out. He’s come across huge creatures more than once back on Gaia, but the alien nature of Abraxas means that he should not wield his confidence so haphazardly here, especially when he does not know the true shape or demeanor of the threat(?) in question.]

It didn’t cause you too much trouble, did it?

[As for her question, though, he turns to look at her again.]

Our caravan’s had a relatively peaceful journey so far. We crossed paths with a man in need of some healing, though. In all honesty, he was a little suspicious—probably a bandit who had ran into trouble and was playing the part of injured traveler so we’d help him.

[But— Well. They helped him anyway; the alternative was possibly leaving someone to die of blood loss or infection based on little more than suspicion alone. The idea settled unwell.]

We had to find a path to circumvent it, but besides the annoyance, nothing except time was lost. It didn't crawl out of its hole at any point. We shall see on the way back-- hopefully, no trouble.

But I figured I'd warn you, just in case.

[ She listens to Sephiroth's story about the bandit and shakes her head. ]

Sounds like the most mild-mannered bandit I've heard of. He want money?

[Hopefully, no trouble for either of them. A giant creature lurking in a ravine does not bode well for anyone given to caution, but Sephiroth can wish for a peaceful return journey and pretend it isn't overblown optimism.

At her question, it's his turn to shake his head.]

No. He never asked for anything other than healing, and then went on his way. In the end, there was no harm in aiding him. We're still making good time.

Mm. Maybe he really did need help. Probably appreciated it.

[ Even though it seems odd he was alone, but then again, the road is a commonly traveled one, as far as she knows. Major trade route and all. Probably nothing to worry about, especially if it caused no further incident. ]

We are a bit delayed, but hopefully not by much. Should be able to make up for it. One thing military folk know how to do is manage time punctually. Few wasted minutes even during breaks.

Are you traveling with anyone you know?

[ She means the soldiers, if any are from his regiment. Though if there are other Summoned, she doesn't know about them either, and watches him with mild curiosity. ]

[Military folk do know how to manage time. Every second wasted is frowned upon, and this was no different back on Gaia. Sephiroth is a punctual man in many things; such a habit has been hammered into him from such a young age, after all.]

I don't know many of the soldiers assigned to this convoy. But there's another Summoned with me. A Steve Rogers. [He watches her face for recognition.] Do you know him?

Oh. [ Recognition does in fact cross her face, and apparently a positive one at that, and Ciri nods. ] Yes, he is from Sam's world.

[ Surely Sephiroth has at least heard of Sam, even if he isn't personally familiar; Sam likes to stick his nose in everyone's business all the time. But he did set up a good deal for new Summoned at Mag's Inn. ]

Seems a decent enough fellow. I don't know him well.

[And recognition at Sam's name flickers across his face, too. But who in the Free Cities doesn't know about Sam?]

He is. [A decent fellow. A bit of a pause, and a pull from his tankard, then-] He's like me.

[In what way? Sephiroth likely doesn't mean personality, so he's probably drawing the parallel of a military background.]

Handsome and tall?

[ She leans an elbow on the table, peering up at him with a smirk. ]

I suppose. If you go for that type.

[Flattery usually slides right off of his shoulders. But with Ciri, it earns her a look of equal amusement.]

You're more discerning, are you?

Or less discerning.

[ She teases, smirk widening. ]

[Wow. Sephiroth actually scoffs out a laugh.]

You do know how to make a man feel very special.

That's what you deserve, after that dopey line at the Lunar Pond.

[ Ciri gives him a little kick under the table, entirely to tease, and not at all hard. ]

What was it? "I wouldn't not want to"?

Classic.

[Oh... Embarrassment, part two. He's looking at his tankard now, inspecting the drink within. How interesting.]

You caught me off guard. I don't-

[Glances back up at her.]

It's not like anyone ever taught me how to... reply to a- [Another awkward pause.] -proposition.

[help]

A proposition!

[ She gasps in mock affront. ]

Seriously?

[ That does make her feel quite self-conscious, but she's a little better at hiding it than he is, apparently. Ciri takes another drink too, peering at him through her lashes over the rim in a way that is half-hiding her blush, and half intentionally flirty. ]

You know... when we're both back in the city... we should meet up. Take a night off. You can come over. Grab some food, steal Jaskier's wine.

[ After all, Julie had promised to get Geralt and Jaskier to clear out. Ciri knows all she has to do is tell her when. ]

[Even her faux offense makes him a little more self-conscious, too. Should he have called it something else? Probably.

He catches her glance, and while Sephiroth is not prone to blushing, how he tosses his look aside again is telling.]

Food and stolen wine. I'd enjoy that.

[A long night of no obligations and spending that time with Ciri alone. His imagination does wander, but he keeps it tamped down, somehow.]

Let's plan on it.

[ Ciri beams, excited. ]

It's a date.

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[ CATCH-ALL ] the fire's found a home in me

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