Office Hours - We Could Be

[shieldof]

[Faith's door remains closed, the brass "PRIVATE" plaque silent and unyielding. Trying to force the door yields no results, but- she said you could contact her here, so just go ahead and knock. Worst case scenario, you're no worse off than before, right?]

((OOC: Please tag your top-levels with the appropriate week and day.))

Comments

[checkwhat]

[Interesting...an automatic door maybe? He takes a few careful steps into the office, doing his best to avoid bumping into the furniture. The fact she knows about Caine but didn't seem familiar with Bubble or his particular situation is curious to him. He makes a mental note to jot that down.]

Being in the dark helps me think more clearly. [His expressive eyes are covered but the tone of his voice is warm and a little amused at his own impromptu accommodation.] I thought it'd be a good middle-ground so I could speak with you without getting off-topic...even if I do look like I should be holding out a bucket and saying "trick or treat".

[He doesn't not look like a sheet ghost. Surely this is not foreshadowing of any kind.]

[shieldof]

...I see. One moment.

[She rises from her desk, moving around the office to the sconces on the walls. The light dims into shadow, and she sits back down.]

Is this better?

[checkwhat]

[He pauses and slowly unshrouds himself from under the blanket, blinking a few times to adjust.]

-Yes, that's perfect actually. [His lower eyelids scrunch in a smile.] That's very kind of you, Miss Dinara, thank you.

[shieldof]

It would hardly do if you're unable to think clearly.

[Now that his vision is less obscured, he might be able to note that Faith's eyes have a slight catlike gleam to them in the low light.]

I- ...it's unlikely I can dim the entire manor permanently, but with some time I may be able to enchant a small darkness spell for your person-

[checkwhat]

[He does spy that little gleam and it piques his curiosity. He might ask her about it later but for now he's adding it to his mental notes, soon to be physical notes.]

I wouldn't say no but don't put yourself out over it. I'm sure you have much more pressing things to study than whipping something up for me. [He takes a seat across from her desk, briefly looking around the room. The materials everywhere, the wall full of books, the sense of controlled chaos- it all stirs a sense of nostalgia he hasn't felt in a long time.] Being bad with memories...it's something I've dealt with for a long time. I'm used to it.

Truth be told, I'm a little surprised you weren't aware. [But then again neither if Caine.]

[shieldof]

I was aware of your- ah, rather unique existence.

[Did she understand it?]

[Anyway-]

But, you said you wished to talk?

[checkwhat]

[Unique certainly is a word for it.]

I have some questions about our predicament but I was hoping to get to know you better too.

[shieldof]

Oh- certainly.

[She reaches down into a desk drawer- rummaging for a moment, producing two mismatched ceramic cups, and a metal bottle from which she pours two cups of what smells like coffee. She slides one across the desk to Kinger.]

Um- perhaps begin with your questions?

[checkwhat]

Oh! Thank you so much.

[Kinger delicately picks up his cup and inhales deeply, taking in the smell of real, non-digital coffee. Do the cups have any kind of design on them?]

I should get the pressing one out of the way, I suppose- do you know if everyone else is still trapped at the circus?

[shieldof]

[This one has little stars painted around the circumfirence! Faith's has a simple geometric pattern running around it, they don't look to have been made by the same hand.]

I- cannot say with absolute certainty, but as you're the only one here, I believe so. I can attempt to look in on them and find out, but it will be difficult, and will take time if it's possible at all.

[checkwhat]

[How cute! What's that book quote- "insist on your cup of stars, once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again"? The cups must be at least a little special to her if she keeps them in her room.]

I appreciate the offer but I'd be surprised if they were anywhere else. [He brings the cup of stars to where his mouth should be and sips slowly. How long has it been since he tasted something real? A year, a decade, more? Time in the circus is a mystery, days counted in adventures he only mostly remembers.] I just hope Ragatha doesn't worry much...or blame herself.

[He sets down the cup and keeps his hands around it, soaking in the warmth of the drink.]

Now maybe something a little easier to answer- [He glances at the books on the wall, eyes kindly squinting at the corners.] Are all of those books yours?

[shieldof]

They are! I've gathered them over my time here- at the very least none have come claiming prior ownership.

[checkwhat]

It's always nice to see someone so young with an appetite for reading. [He'd never say it but he's questioned if Jax has ever touched a book in his life.] How long have you been here collecting them?

[shieldof]

Hm- my entire life, it feels like. I admit I'm uncertain of the actual time.

[Her eyes scan over the shelves.]

There is- not much of the world left, beyond the walls of this house. Letting its knowledge molder in abandonment always seemed a shame, I suppose.

[checkwhat]

[Lacking a sense of the passage of time is something he can relate to but boy howdy, what a bad time to take a sip of coffee.

He sputters, quickly bringing a hand to his face as he coughs.]

I'm- [cough cough] -sorry, what was that about the world outside?

[shieldof]

Very little remains of it. Those of us here and my god are very likely the last remaining alive here.

[She takes a solemn sip of her own coffee, briefly waving a hand to prestidigitate away the splatters from Kinger's coughing fit.]

A great calamity struck this world. I don't know the exact nature of it, nor when exactly it happened.

[checkwhat]

[Ack- he nods in thanks, clearing his throat.]

A great calamity... [And if they're the only ones alive. How biblical. It's starting to make sense why Faith is so devoted.]

Miss Dinara, how long were you alone in this world with just your god before they brought us here?

[shieldof]

As long as I can remember.

[The actual length of time involved- isn't important, probably.]

That concerns you?

[checkwhat]

["How far back can you remember?" sits at the tip of his tongue but it's not the response that comes out.]

Why wouldn't it? [He looks at her across the desk, his eyes softening with concern.] You might already know this but I understand what it's like, being the only person in an empty world.

[Technically having a "god" for company doesn't fill the void of human companionship.]

[shieldof]

[She gives him a moment of careful consideration.]

...I see. I've never known anything else, so I imagine your context is- quite different than mine. I'm sorry.

[checkwhat]

Look at us, two very different but highly specific contexts. [As long as nothing bad happens, maybe meeting new people could be good for her like meeting Ragatha was for him.]

If you ever want to talk about it, all you have to do is turn off the lights. I'm all eyes- whoops, I mean ears.

[shieldof]

That's a very kind offer, thank you.

[It's- maybe a little noncommittal, in terms of whether or not she thinks she'll need to accept, but it does seem genuine enough.]

If- may I ask, once you're all able to leave. Would you return to your circus? Or elsewhere.

[checkwhat]

I'd expect back to the circus, unless we can find a way to help get everyone else out and back in their real bodies. [He picks up his coffee again and just holds the starry cup in his hands.]

I couldn't abandon them like that, not after everything they've gone through. [That he feels at fault for.] Besides, I've been in the circus so long I'm not sure if there is anything out there for me.

[And Queenie...how could he leave her?]

[shieldof]

It was possible to bring you here. Pulling them to another world may also be possible.

[Maybe. Eventually. With enough power and planning-]

I don't wish to give false hope on anything- and given your own circumstances I couldn't begin to say if they could be returned to their original forms, but-

[checkwhat]

[Kinger's learned the hard way to hold onto hope but keep it tempered. If he can exist outside the circus, even if it isn't in his original body, they could too.]

That's...you really think it's a possibility? If it is, Gangle and Zooble might be more complicated than Pomni, Ragatha and Jax, but- if you think you could help them, I wouldn't be able to thank you enough.