A knight's boredom [Open]

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Mrs. Yagami Signum feels restless. After the mission to get the map (which she hadn't really helped that much on, now that she's thought about it) and filling out the paperwork to join the Magic Department, she hadn't done anything she'd felt was productive. Exercising in the Sensoriums and taking care of Hayate's and the Reinforces' "shopping" (such as existed on this ship) was all well and good, but there was work to be done here and she felt she wasn't doing it when she could be.

However, barring an actual opportunity for action, there's only two ways Signum can work out this feeling of restlessness. Exercising more in the Sensoriums (which she'd done already today, up to her tolerance for the illusionary setting), or meditating.

Sitting atop the Jedi Temple, which was both conveniently high and conveniently in tune with the ambient magic on the ship, Signum folds her legs under her, sits, and contemplates on nothingness, clearing her mind of the distraction and frustration of daily life on the city ship...

((That's your cue to bother her))

Comments

[for-magic.livejournal.com]

Bothering ensued.

In this instance, it came in the form of a bellow of pain, followed by a draconic figure that shot up from the side of the Jedi Temple, wings outstretched, then rotated oddly to thud down in a less-than-graceful landing. "Damn it!" the dragon said (sounding quite suspiciously like a certain wizard who Signum had once found creating a beer river), as he turned his head to look at a nasty-looking scrape on one wingtip.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Signum can't really do much but stare levelly for several seconds. That had come rather out of nowhere.

"I'm interested to know what you were attempting this time," she observes to the dragon/wizard/person.

[for-magic.livejournal.com]

"I took off from my lab, but I misjudged the wingspan of this form," he said, flexing the damaged wing. A hiss of pain signaled that the action, well, hurt. "I'm still getting used to it."

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I never really saw the appeal of winged flight, myself," Signum admits. "Though I suppose it's an energy-saver, in the long run. At least that form looks impressive, right?"

If she's not concentrating, no point in being a terrible person to her legs. She stands and stretches out a bit.

[for-magic.livejournal.com]

"Have you ever tried it?" Aibghalien asked curiously. "I was of your opinion, but this is substantially different and terribly elegant. There's something almost euphoric about the way wind races over the membranes and scales... Not that that's the reason I adopted the form, but it's certainly a pleasant benefit."

He folded his wings carefully, looking over himself. "It IS impressive. It feels amazing. Powerful."

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I'm what you might call overspecialized," Signum says. "I don't know any transformation magic, and I'm a bit old to start learning. I was trained as part of a team, you see, and support magic was someone else's specialty."

Still, she continues an impressed inspection of him, now that he's not crashing. "I have always admired dragons, I admit. They're graceful creatures, and usually much less talkative than humans."

[for-magic.livejournal.com]

"Too old to start learning?" Aibghalien repeated. The very concept was baffling if not pure anathema.

"You should meet Celena," he said, though he didn't hesitate to pose in his best light to look impressive. "She's actually a dragon. This form I've assumed is one of her species."

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"Old dog, new tricks. You know the saying, I'm sure," Signum guesses. I mean, even Vita could remember that one. Even if she usually saved it to use on Signum herself.

"I may have seen her around. You look a bit different from the dragons from my neck of the multiverse, but no less regal."

[for-magic.livejournal.com]

"I'm familiar with it, but I reject it!" the dragon said. "Ceasing to learn is ceasing to exist, and the more you learn the more there IS to learn!"

It's encouraging ranting, at least, not insulting. Learn some new tricks!

"She's beautiful in any form," Aibghalien added. "If I look good, it's only a reflection on her."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

[Say, is it alright for me to bother Signum about this plot (http://community.livejournal.com/trans_pilgrims/538145.html)?]

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

((She's only vaguely aware of it and not much of a research magician, but you can always ask and we'll see what she can do!))

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

[Might as well!]

Zouichi has managed to wander up to the Jedi Temple as well in his search for a staff member. When he spots Signum meditating, he walks up, considering for a moment before tapping her on the shoulder.

On the screen of his Omnicomm is a written message:
Sorry to disturb you, but are you a member of the staff here?

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

Signum was at least aware of his approach, but is still a little startled to have someone come up to her like that.

...Then again, if he couldn't talk, that's forgivable. "I joined recently," she says. "Can you hear me, or do I need to write this down?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

I can hear you just fine, he answers, tapping rapidly at the portable device.

I was hoping to consult someone about some unusual magical effects I've been experiencing lately, although I understand the problem is not simply limited to myself. However, if you feel that my questions are best deferred to someone else...

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I might know something, if you're willing to describe them," Signum says. "I'm more a fighter than a student of magic, but it could be something I've seen before."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He nods. Several times now, I have been in the middle of a conversation when something extremely odd will happen, always accompanied by me saying something in a language I do not understand. I've incapacitated two different people, albeit temporarily, and at one point, I managed to phase through one of the ship's corridors.

It does not appear to happen when I don't speak aloud. And no one has been hurt yet, although I can't begin to guess whether things will remain that way.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I see."

Signum thinks for a moment. It's not really anything she's ever heard of, but...

"Do you think you might have magical potential? This sort of thing could happen if a strong mage had no training or way to focus it."

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

Gravity is relative. So is GLaDOS's aim.

The wall of the temple next to Signum opened up and spat out Ben faster than anything could interrupt that means you Signum and for a moment there was a yell as he plummeted to the ground.

Seconds after that, a red alien swooped up and landed, panting heavily. "Holy cow, that crazy AI nearly killed me!" exclaimed Jetray.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"Er...that boy who just fell out of the Temple..." Signum begins, a little worried. She'd definitely heard a different voice yelling, but fortunately she hadn't heard an impact.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"It's fine," replied Jetray as he wiped his forehead and then touched the green hourglass on his chest. In a flash of light, Ben stood there with a grin. "Sorry if I scared you miss, I had no idea that was going to happen."

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"No problem..."

The good thing about being a mage is that writing strange occurrences off as magic is both a natural and a constructive impulse. Signum assumes the boy has some kind of Device that let him do that and doesn't ask any further questions.

"So where did you get thrown from so violently?" Signum asks, standing up.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"I was finishing up a maze, and took one of those flying leaps. The next thing I know I'm plummeting 50 stories." Ben said, shrugging as if it was a common thing for him to fall to his doom it was. Fortunately I'm quick on the draw."

"Oh I'm Ben," he added as an afterthought.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"Signum," she says in return, nodding politely.

"Why were you in a maze?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"GlaDOS grabbed me," explained Ben. "The scuttlebutt amidst the crew says that GlaDOS grabs people in order to test them, to make sure that their soul or avia as it was called, doesn't fall out of us. Apparently Bleed travel is pretty strenuous. It's also the reason why no one's allowed to have kids too."

Ben shrugged. "I've seen a lot of stuff, and I'm not quick to judge at any rate. If it keeps us from becoming shells of ourselves shuffling around all zombie-like I'll take it. More people have got to trust a few things at face value in my opinion. Too many cynics."

"So yeah, if a female voice suddenly states in a sort of distorted voice that you're going to run mazes with promise of cake? Don't believe the last part -- the cake is a lie. I'm gonna get some later." added Ben with a smirk.

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

"I see..." Signum says. "I'll keep that in mind."

"If you don't mind my saying, though, I have to wonder what kind of experimentation determines whether one has a soul. I won't pretend not to be a cynic, but I think this is a practical question."