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[crystallinememories]

Hello! This is Raha's phone. Sorry that I couldn't answer, but leave me a message or text me.

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[thavnairian]

[Amal is feeling very much like this wasn't a mistake. We'll see how long this lasts.]

I had a feeling.

[The place is bustling because it's the weekend. Amal catches a glimpse of a group of possibly werewolf kids, a few people dressed eccentrically, and one lady with a pile of books in her arms exiting from the bookstore.]

Ah, here it is. [There's a friendly little jingle of the bell attached to the door as he holds the door open for Raha. Inside the place is slightly brighter, so that one can see the titles of books. There are the usual fiction, nonfiction, self help sections... and ones for disciplines (potions, spells, enchantments, glyphs), reference books on strange flora and fauna, and the list goes on.

The clerk today is a young girl dressed in black reading a book on human sacrifice. She barely pays her new customers any attention.

They could be here for a while.]

[crystallinememories]

[They are definitely going to ben here for a while.

Raha looks over the non-fiction books first, because while he doubts that he could actually use what he finds here for his research, it doesn't hurt to check (and who knows, it could give him some ideas). A majority of the time is spent looking over the spells and enchantments, a small pile building up- and if Amal is paying attention, he'll likely be able to tell that the majority are alined with Shadow oriented magic. Of course, Raha isn't ignoring him, by any means; though periodically distracted by something in the books he's scanning, he's happy to chat away with, explaining bits of history or rituals behind the things he's looking at.]

[thavnairian]

[Amal is happy to listen, as it so happens. Though he has a book about sword techniques, he's barely looking at it; he spends more of his time curled up on the floor nearby as Raha sifts through the books and talks about what he knows. Amal asks questions every once in a while about the specifics of a ritual, or what-ifs. He's got a curious mind too, even if he's not a scholar.

This was always his favorite part about spending time with G'raha Tia. But that was another time, another place, and he's starting from square one.]

A lot of these books deal with dark magic. Something about it interest you?

[crystallinememories]

[Periodically, Raha will join him on the floor, when he wants to look more thoroughly for a book. Now is one such moment, flipping through and looking at various enchantments.]

Oh, the shadow books you mean? Shadow's my affinity... I don't know how much you know about the magic here, but people who deal with the paranormal acquire an affinity for one of the six elements, which... mostly means it's a bit easier to work with spells and such of that element.

[He chuckles with a sheepish scratch to his cheek.] Shadow's not bad or anything, I promise. It's... mostly about shadow manipulation and stealth and such.

[thavnairian]

An affinity, huh...

[He has some theories about that, but decides not to mention them.]

I wouldn't dare assume that it meant something sinister. It's just an element present in the world like everything else. My world is much the same.

[He hums thoughtfully.]

You know... when I was younger, I tried to be stealthy myself. Didn't work out, for various reasons. [He grins fangishly and points to one of his tattoed cheeks.] Turns out being a redhead and a loudmouth is bad for staying secret.

I still know all the cool knife tricks, though. And I'm very good at climbing and jumping, if I do say so myself!

[crystallinememories]

[Raha relaxes a little and nods.] I just wanted to be sure. So many people assume dark and evil are the same thing, so they can get a bit upset about it.

I used to climb and jump on everything... not sure if I still could. But I certainly never learned knife tricks. You're going to have to show me sometime-- provided you promise you won't hurt yourself.

[thavnairian]

Every element exists in opposition to another one, and is balanced because of that relationship. Treating darkness like it's evil is simplistic and harmful. Of course, here, where you can't see the tangible effects of that... people wouldn't know any better. But some of us have seen a world where light was allowed to rule freely and prevented life from flourishing... and another where shadow caused the world to collapse in on itself, leaving a void. Neither is a good outcome.

[He rubs at the back of his head.]

I still have all my fingers, don't I? [He wiggles his hands, which have tattoos right up to the knuckles. This close, however, Raha might be able to tell that many of his tattoos sloppily cover or distract from lighter scars.] I had nothing better to do in taverns than learn stabberscotch while trying to get information. It was either that or start fights.

[crystallinememories]

Really? [He has just... so many questions, he's nearly bursting.] How does that happen? I suppose if most people in your world have magic, there's more chance for it to be manipulated...

[He smiles at the wave of the hands, but pauses at the sight of the tattoos and scars. He almost thoughtlessly grabs Amal's hands, looking pointedly at the scars before back at Amal with a thoroughly concerned expression.]

[thavnairian]

Aether is in everything. The rocks, the air, people, plants... Natural disasters can throw everything into flux, just as much as people using magic or technology irresponsibly. Sometimes the real reason isn't quite so simple, though. The world full of light and the one full of shadow were both caused by bad people making bad decisions.

[He isn't expecting Raha to grab his hands. Were it anyone else he'd yank them back, but Raha has long since become one of the few people he trusts enough to touch him without warning. He can guess what that look means, even if there are no words; he can feel his face heating up, pinkening all the way to the tips of his ears.]

I-it's not what it looks like. [A pause.] Well, it is, kind of, but I can explain—

[He takes a deep breath. After a moment, he pulls his right hand back (gently) so that he can adjust his unbuttoned vest, deftly undoing the buttons on the cotton shirt with just one hand so that Raha can see the curved lines tattooed over his heart in the shape of a sun.]

When I was fifteen, a Garlean soldier on leave and I got into it. He stabbed me just above my heart. A fraction of an ilm and I would've died then. So I got a tattoo like the sun, because every time I fall I rise again eventually. [He tugs his left sleeve up a little and traces his fingers over some more vein-like tribal stripes criss-crossing over the top of his arm.] Claw wounds, from my first fight against a tiger. [Next he points out a circular scar on his hip.] Gored by a gaja here. Shot here, and here... [Another more obvious sun tattoo on his other hip.]

At first I thought I could hide what I've been through, but after a while I decided to celebrate it. There's no shame in having your story written where people can see. And, honestly, people usually judge me before I even open my mouth—so I don't really care what they think about it all.

[He squeezes Raha's hands and smiles.]

The scars don't hurt anymore, so it's nothing to worry about.

[crystallinememories]

[To be fair, Raha wasn't really expecting Raha to grab his hands. Just, when he saw the scars just as Amal was trying to say he'd be fine... well. Too late for thinking about it now, he supposes.

He listens quietly as Amal points out his various scars, the myriad of ways that he got them and the tattoos with them. He still doesn't know much at all about Amal's life before here, but it seems when he'd mentioned 'adventuring' he'd done far, far more than just break some toys. It's not until Amal squeezes his hand that he realizes he's still holding it, and he immediately flusters, loosening said hold so the other can more easily pull away.]

Sorry, I-- I suppose that wasn't really any of my business. [But, still, when he looks up to meet Amal's gaze there's a soft smile.] ...I am quite glad that you've only got the scars to show for it and you're still here. That's certainly worth celebrating.

[thavnairian]

[Amal lets Raha's hand go. He misses it afterward, but doesn't dwell on that. They barely know each other. Even though Amal likes holding the hands of his companions now, it's baby steps.]

No, don't apologize. I know my appearance is fairly... unique. It's fine to have questions. [He meets Raha's gaze for a moment, then feels his face heating up again; his amber eyes shift somewhere else.] ... Thank you. I-I think so, too. It helps that being remarkably difficult to kill is one of my many talents. [Maybe at one point he would have questioned why he was still alive, but he has a little more to live for, now.]

I don't usually talk about my past, if I'm being honest. Maybe you're just easy to talk to.

[crystallinememories]

It seems like a very good talent to have.

[He's quiet for a moment, just the two of them sitting there surrounded by books. It feels strangely comfortable, especially for this being the first time they've really met. Raha smiles softly at him, a slight tint to his cheeks as well.]

I'm glad. I like listening and-- you're easy to talk to, too.

[thavnairian]

[His smile brightens. Did the room just brighten too? Hm.]

I've been told I'm an exceptional listener. A professional nodder, too.

[He nods, as if to prove his point. People tend to talk at him a lot.]

So... what got you interested in the supernatural in the first place? Most people don't have an inkling. I think it's easier to believe the lie than to admit the monsters in the dark might be real.

[crystallinememories]

[Raha chuckles, his own smile brightening too.]

Well, like I said, it tends to run in the family so it was never really kept secret from me- but when I was pretty young, I apparently ran into a three headed dog. [The laugh this time is a bit more sheepish.] I don't really recall how it went, only that apparently it did the opposite of put me off and I started reading everything in the house that I could find related to the spirit realm and all that.

[thavnairian]

[This is... not what he expected but it gets him to laugh.]

Ah, of course. You were a child and that was a dog. There are fewer things more tempting than something new to pet.

[He rubs his nose.]

I didn't see my first tiger until I was ten years old, but I admit I still wanted to pet it. Thankfully I didn't try.

[crystallinememories]

I hadn't thought about it like that!

[That does make sense, even though he's fairly certain this dog was not friendly. He... likely wouldn't have cared.]

You mentioned tigers before too. Were they common where you grew up? I've only seen them in zoos and such.

[thavnairian]

[He nods.]

I grew up on the isle of Thavnair. It's fairly decent for an island, I think. Hot and wet, palm trees, white sandy beaches, gorgeous plants that can kill you... tigers, birds, monkeys, the occasional lizard the size of a small house, that sort of thing... Between the jungle in the east and the cliffs in the north, there's a bit of everything.

I've only been to the zoo here once. It was... kind of depressing to see them all caged up like that, but it's too dangerous to try to get close otherwise.

[crystallinememories]

That sounds beautiful... [He's pretty much only seen places like that in books, or on TV.] It's a shame there's nothing even close around here. Or that it's not that easy to take a trip...

[Ideally, back to Amal's world- he's sure being here is its own strain.]

It really is. But they certainly can't just roam around here...

[Though, he feels like they're starting to get looks from the clerk, since they're now just sitting and talking. Maybe he should actually buy some of these books.]

[thavnairian]

You never know. Maybe a portal will open up that goes right to my home. If that happens, I can show you everything.

[He's used to it by now, but he misses home terribly.

He catches the way the shopkeeper is looking at them.]

... Uh oh, I think we're starting to overstay our welcome. Are you ready to go, Raha?

Oh, ah, let me pay, since I know books down here tend to be expensive. [He moves to help pick up some of the books with ease... super strength makes him great for moving, as it turns out.]

[crystallinememories]

Yes, I'll just... [whoops, Amal beat him to it, though he's still got the book he was looking at in hand.] You really don't have to! If anything that's all the more reason for me to.

[Amal if you pay for his books he's going to... he's gonna... pay for your food later??]

[thavnairian]

[He laughs, soft and warm, clearly not put off by G'raha's protests.]

Perhaps, but you are a student. I've long since learned that everyone who goes to school here is as penniless as I was when I popped through that portal. Besides, my job pays well.

[He gives G'raha a sly wink.]

So it's my treat this time. ♥

[crystallinememories]

[Amal you're going to kill him. He can hear the heart, and he flusters, but he's not going to give up completely.]

Well, then, at the very least I should buy you food. I promise you I can afford that.

[but yeah grad stipends are shit lol. so fine, he'll let Amal pay for this, since he... senses he won't win.]

What do you do for work, anyway? [He asks as they're leaving, realizing he... hadn't asked before.]

[thavnairian]

If you like. But don't empty your wallet on my behalf!

[Amal can be surprisingly stubborn when it comes down to it. After he's paid for everything and slipped G'raha's new books into a couple of canvas bags, it's back to walking.]

Oh, me? I'm a dancer by profession. It translates surprisingly well here, though there are fewer weapons involved. I'll scare the guests, they said... [He rolls his eyes.] Thavnair was the birthplace of the discipline, and it's been passed down for generations as a way to protect that which we hold dear and purify the darkness from the hearts of the discontent. And also to entertain, of course. Naturally, I've developed some other skills adjacent to all of that—singing, playing instruments, telling stories, sleight of hand, how to tell if something is poisoned... whatever gets the job done.

[He'll carry the books if G'raha lets him, since they barely weigh anything to him.]

But here, all I have to do for coin is take a piece of clothing off every few minutes. Or sit and look interested while old men talk for hours. It's much easier than vanquishing dragons and the like.

[crystallinememories]

[He tries not to let him, but, well. Stubborn.

He laughs a little, though he's... not sure if Amal realizes he's a stripper?? He has a lot of adjacent questions to that, but also he's trying very, very hard not to picture it. (Which usually would not be a problem for him, but Amal is just too flirty and charming apparently.)]

I was going to say, I feel as though a number of those skills would be wasted here... [Though the 'telling if something is poisoned' one may actually be useful sometimes, unfortunately.] I would ask what kind of dance, but I, uh, know so little about the types here much less your world.

[thavnairian]

[He cannot and will not apologize for being who he is. Raha is cute and he would be remiss not to point it out at every opportunity.]

A few of them, yes. But I feel a little old-fashioned next to a lot of things here, I have to admit.

[He beams.]

I wouldn't mind giving you a demonstration sometime. With the weapons, obviously!