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 Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:08 pm
"To the Silver World-" the priest starts to tell her, then picks up her notes of concern, and realizes how badly she could misinterpret what he is trying to say. "Or, since arriving in Gaia, we have found occasional portals to another world that claims to be the Silver World. It is not the same as our land of the dead, though," Kouyo quickly explains. "A few of the children have gone there to study, and returned to Gaia unharmed, but... we still have our suspicions about the place."
Kouyo sets the spoons on the table, and switches the steaming kettle, still full of water, to his other hand. "I was going to visit and try to learn what I can." He closes his eyes, a faint but genuine smile forming briefly upon the High Priest's lips. "My departure may be some ways off, but Miss will be able to find little Kouyo here before he leaves, and then likely again after he returns."
Then he glances at the lady, again offering her water for tea, and glances away as he projects a faint gentle concern of his own. "Does Miss have a place to stay here in Gaia?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:13 pm
Rika seems no longer worried but rather intrigued -- she prepares her teacup and pushes it forward for Kouyo to pour water into, and asks, "How does one access this place? I would like to study it as soon and as much as possible." She over towards a corner of the house, where a small pile of miscellaneous magical gear lies, arranged a bit more neatly now.
... But when he asks her that question, she turns her head back slowly to face him, a small smile flickering on her lips as if she is trying and failing to suppress it. "I'm staying with Setsushi," she replies, confidently.
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:39 pm
"By portals, I believe," Kouyo replies as he pours water for her tea, holding his translucent sleeves out of the way with his free hand as he does so. "I have never seen them, but Setsushi has, so you can ask him about it when he returns. Or, ah, if Jilan chooses to visit today, he may have some useful information for you as well. He has spent more time in the other place than any of the rest of us."
The High Priest pours his own tea, and then follows the young lady's gaze to the pile of pieces and equipment in the corner. And he lets go of his opposite sleeve to put the hand not occupied with the tea kettle gently to his chest. Kouyo returns the kettle to the stove once both cups have been filled, and does his best to keep his sudden anxiety under control, though his fingers continue to tremble slightly.
"Here with Setsushi," he repeats as he settles down in a chair across the table from the young lady, and tries to focus on the conversation at hand instead of on the pile of things in the corner of the house. "May I know Miss's name, then, if we are to be housemates?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:43 pm
Rika manages to put her smile away as she silently observes Kouyo's gesture, though she makes no comment. After a moment she looks away from him down at her cup, inhaling the homey aroma, her face still blank.
"Rika," she answers. "Setsushi and I are old friends." She says it with the slightest inflection on old, peering across at Kouyo unreadably. "I will be staying here until we are able to return."
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:08 pm
Kouyo gives off a momentary feeling of surprise, then acknowledges her introduction politely and sincerely. "Ah, Imperial Princess. Please forgive this little bird if he has offended. He is still not accustomed to conversing with ladies."
And he keeps his gaze fixed on the table as he sips his tea and considers her words. "Until we are able to return," he murmurs after a moment, his voice now shaking a bit like his hands. Then the High Priest asks, "Does the Imperial Princess mean to say we now have a method by which to return home?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:24 pm
Rika rolls her eyes slightly at 'Imperial Princess,' but neither comments nor gives off any particular feelings on the matter.
Instead, she answers his question, "I successfully used a method for traveling to this world voluntarily; presumably it can be used to travel in the opposite direction. I must repair and recharge my supplies, though," she says, gesturing towards the pile of things.
She pauses to take a sip of her tea, sighs, removes her monocle to rub her eyes yet again, and then replaces it. ... Suddenly, she asks, "How much did this house cost?"
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:45 pm
Kouyo does not look up when she gestures to the pile of stuff, but nods anyway. He now seems quite far from cheerful, but does his best to keep his troubled thoughts walled away from the Imperial Princess.
"I do not know how much it cost," the priest tells her. "Setsushi had purchased it already by the time I arrived here in Gaia. But I think he should remember."
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:50 pm
"Hmm," Rika replies.
She once again takes a sip of tea, staring down at the surface of the liquid for a moment, then scratches her face and looks up at Kouyo again. "You are an accomplished mage, right? Are you going to be busy in the period before you leave? ... And how long do you expect it will be until that time?"
She then seems to look past him, covering her mouth and chin with her hand as she contemplates some related issue.
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:22 pm
"I am busy for several hours most days, working in a bookstore not far from here," he tells her. "I must finish my task there before I can depart, and I think that may take me... perhaps another two weeks." Kouyo pauses for a moment to take a sip of his own tea, closing his eyes and trying to draw some comfort from the warmth in order to relax. The High Priest works to keep his voice and hands both steady, though, and smiles again as he continues: "I am not busy all the time, though."
And he thinks a little of his model car that he has yet to begin to construct, in order to keep his thoughts away from the darker places to which they had been straying.
He glances up at Rika briefly, then back down to the teacup in his own hands. "Does the Imperial Princess have something in mind for little Kouyo to do?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:34 pm
Rika's eyebrows rise a bit at the description of his work. "I was going to ask you to help me recharge the magical canisters," she explains, "but if you are already employed, I will not tax you any further.
"... Though it will take a while to finish..."
... She opens her mouth to say something else, then closes it and her eyes as well, now rubbing her brow and forehead hard with a hand. She remains silent for a time, then asks, "When will Setsushi be back?"
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:59 pm
The High Priest shakes his head. "I need to do more work with my magic, so I would be happy to help," he tells her. "All I have left to do at my current job is to sort and shelve a few hundred books." The priest laughs softly, and perhaps a bit nervously, and his gaze strays again to the pile of equipment in the corner.
... And he takes his teacup in both hands, curling his fingers tightly around it. "I would like to help if I can."
Kouyo falls silent as well, then, though by the look in his eyes, he is thinking about something or another that upsets him somewhat. He jumps slightly when Rika speaks again, as though he was not expecting it, then replies, "I am not fully sure, but I believe it should be sometime soon?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 8:02 pm
Rika's heavy walls raise a bit to send Kouyo a feeling of sincere thanks while she is busy downing the rest of her tea. She then rises with a sigh -- "I'll get up again when he's here. Right now I need to pee and sleep."
Elegant lady Rika thus slowly, almost laboriously, rises, then shuffles towards the bathroom, nearly tripping over her almost-untied outer robes as she does so.
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 8:18 pm
"Ah, alright," Kouyo replies, blinking once at her uh, honest choice of words. He reaches out for one of the stacks of books on the table, shifting each one slightly so that the stack is straight. "I will be on this side of the screen, or perhaps just outside, if you require anything."
As the Imperial Princess takes her leave, the High Priest stands and fixes the other stacks of books, then creeps over to examine the pile of parts in the corner of the house. And, unable to resist any longer, Kouyo starts to sort them carefully and quietly by shape and size.
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 8:25 pm
... ... ...
After a little bit of time, Rika re-emerges, yawning enormously as she steps into the main room. She glances over at Kouyo fiddling with her things -- and has no particular reaction, sending him a mumbly projection asking him to treat them gently but not implying any sort of disapproval of his behavior.
She then gradually melts her way towards Setsushi's bed, tossing off her outer robes, putting her monocle on top, and crawling under the single blanket, where she seems to instantly pass out.
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Imperial Princess Rika Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 8:39 pm
Though he is very intent and focused on his sorting, Kouyo projects a vague indication in reply that he heard the Imperial Princess, and that he will be careful....
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