driftfleet | [muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

I don't, but I've heard the name before.

[She's keeping an eye out above, but not doing much else yet.]

I know a bit about alchemy. I never took that elective in school, though. Transmutation might work, but could he really keep the wood's mana conductivity if he changes it?

Right, magic school. Is that a different one from Hermione or the same?

[Adalwolfe picks up a stick twirls it experimentally, more like a baton between his fingers than a staff considering the stick is short and quite thin.]

He did with mine, but I think the wood here might be even better for a base since it's used to housing mana. He can use his transmutation so it doesn't change the inherent properties of the material, just their form.

It's definitely not Ros- Hermione's.

[She starts saying a different name, before cutting herself off and shaking her head.]

It was just a normal school. I took some magic electives? But there was no giant castle or anything weird like that.

I guess so... The conductivity should be good with the wood, but I'm worried transmutation might change its aging. Old things house mana better, but if he transforms it into something new...

I'm pretty sure it'll work. If you're worried, you can have a look at mine.

[He offers over his staff. It's a long thing, only an inch or so shorter than his height so he has to wear it diagonally on his back so the bladed end of it doesn't drag on the end. The top is a dragon's head morphed from the wood, mouth open and lacking a crystal, which is Hawke's whole reason for being out here. The entire thing feels a bit cold to the touch, ice-attuned as it is. It's Hawke's natural elemental affinity even if it's considered more of a force mage than one of winter. You can't imbue a staff with force, just elements.]

Any normal school where I'm from doesn't offer magic electives.

[He chuckles, wondering what name she was going to use besides Hermione.]

[She takes the staff, looking it over. She then spins it around her hand, taking a stance, striking at the air with surprising force, touching it to the ground and flipping it up... Basically a short staff-fighting solo routine.]

... Well, it's not bad, but do you mind if I test out the important parts?

[... yeah, that apparently wasn't the important part.]

That's weird. Why not?

[Well no, the important part is actually casting spells with it.]

By all means. It takes mana quite well. Makes Winter spells more powerful, but it'll take anything really.

[He shrugs, giving up rooting around for now and leaning back against a smallish bolder with his arms crossed casually.]

Well, on my world magic is... regulated. Children who manifest it are taken to Circle towers whether they like it or not and any mage who escapes is branded an apostate and hunted. See, in Thedas, only some have magic, not all, which means most non-magical folk are terrified of people who can shoot lightning out their ar--- their fingers.

[He sounds somewhat bitter over it, but tries to keep his voice even anyway.]

Winter spells... I guess that means I should try Ice-

[She stops, though, recognition slowly flicking across her face.]

... Sorry, um... I know this is weird, but... You wouldn't happen to be acquainted with an elven woman who answers to "Daisy", would you?

[That was not a question he was expecting.]

You know Merrill?

[He laughs, a short and surprised bark of a noise.]

Was she here too at some point?

[Oh, shit.

Oh, ohhhh, oh shit.

Okay, this was also not a thing she was expecting at all, so she has to take a moment to steady herself. Deep breaths, don't freak out. (It's obvious from her expression, though, that she is definitely pretty alarmed.)]

Not here. She was my- my friend, in the last interdimensional shithole I was trapped in.

... So... I guess 'Merrill' must be her real name?

She's my friend too. A very good one, in fact, from home.

[His eyebrows knit, looking concerned at Nightingale's less than favorable reaction to this realization.]

What's wrong? Did something happen?

... Mine, too. We went through a lot together. She's someone I trust with my life.

[Well, she wasn't around as long as some other teammates, but their time together was no less impactful. Daisy made a lot of important contributions to their team, and helped keep things light and cheerful. ... Sometimes, too light and cheerful.]

No, it's... Well, yes, but... Ugh, sorry, I've got a mountain of questions to ask you if you're from her world. I knew a couple others from her world, too, back there, but whenever they were around, they were always just flirting with Daisy as hard as they could, so it made it hard to ask.

Who else? And Flirting with her? I'm sure she must have been pretty oblivious to that.

[He remembers his brother's silly little crush on Merrill, before he'd joined the Templar order. Any attempt he'd made had just been met with a blink of those big green eyes and an innocuous question that meant she just didn't get what he was trying to ask her. Granted, Carver was never terribly good at flirting, and Hawke had the sneaking suspicion that Merrill was actually doing it on purpose in order to let him off easy. He should have asked, but he never remembered to do so when they had their weekly visits.]

I'll answer what I can, if you'd like. It's probably important to know though that there are apparently many different versions of Thedas. I can't imagine Merrill being much different, but some details might be from my world to hers if they're not the same.

No, she was, um. Pretty receptive, when it was those two. A woman named Hawke, and a pirate whose name I never really caught? I didn't get along well with her team.

[Surely the prospect of a lady named Hawke isn't weird.]

... I think I remember that, actually. Lio- I mean, Hawke, and her, were from slightly different timelines or something. I guess... The most important question, then, if you're from her world and know her that well, is...

What the fuck is your world like that makes her think a life-or-death game is a good time to start discussing the properties of lube?!

[THIS HAS BEEN BOTHERING HER FOREVER.]

Ah. Another Hawke. I have a lot of brothers and sisters from other versions of Thedas, it seems. Weird how it always seems to be us, the Hero of Ferelden, and the Inquisitor that are different.

[He shakes his head.]

And the pirate would be Isabela, most likely. She's a rough sort so I'm not surprised you didn't get on with her very well. She's not a bad person though, and I know she fancied Merrill a bit before she left...

[He stops talking to let Nightingale finish and bursts out laughing at her question. That was definitely not what he was expecting.]

Ohhh Maker's balls, that's hilarious.

[He clutches his stomach, trying to stop laughing long enough to answer. Finally he manages, wiping a tear from his eye.]

Ahh... well, the amount of time we spent with people trying to kill us from all sides, you sort of just have to make time alongside that for silly conversation.

It would be a lot more hilarious if it wasn't another member of that "Isabela"'s team! Or in the middle of that game, and- Will someone please teach her what good timing is?!

[No. No one will ever teach Daisy that.]

... I don't know those other two names you mentioned, though.

She'll never learn that, I'm sorry to say. Though not too sorry, it sort of brightens the mood her talking about whatever crosses her mind as it does so.

[He grins, and waves away her not knowing the Hero and the Inquisitor.]

Just people of note from my worlds, it's not important here.

[She groans, slumping over, and dropping her face into her hands. Why is her life so hard?

... But after a moment, she sighs, and straightens up again, voice quiet, but face still in her hands.]

... Is she doing well there?

We split up a few years back, but from what I hear she's helping elves in the city where I met her. She used to send letters, sometimes. She'd stick dried flowers in them.

[He still has some, safely stowed away in the same pouch where he keeps his potions.]

... That sounds like her. I'm glad.

But... "used to"?

[The concern is obvious in her voice.]

Well she can't very well send me letters here in the fleet, can she?

[He wishes. He misses those so much.]

[She laughs a little, relieved. She is glad that's what he meant.]

I don't know. If anyone could figure out a way, through magic or just being too nice for the Atroma to deny, I bet it's her.

Hah, can you imagine? If there was television in Thedas I'm sure she'd watch this. She likes watching people be themselves. She would people watch in the Alienage or in the Hanged Man when we'd meet for Wicked Grace. Somehow, she's shrewd and sanguine at the same time.

[She groans again, before addressing the air.]

Daisy, if you're watching this somehow, either find a way to get us out of here, or at least find a way to get us some privacy, please. It is really hard to get a mood going with Opal with the fear of being watched.

[SIGHS.]

If she can see this, that should get her attention, and she'll be here soon.

[That little diatribe pulls another round of guffaws from Adalwolfe, who bends over double laughing until Nightingale is done.]

Ahh, yes, Daisy to the rescue with her ball of twine to bring us all home. Perfect.

[He smiles, laughter still pulling at the corners of his mouth.]

I know what you mean about getting in the mood, though. We make do but it's still such a weird thought knowing that however many viewers are going to see your ass and there's nothing you can do about it.

[He is perhaps not as upset about that as he could be, but then again Adalwolfe doesn't have as much shame as most people.]

[Nightingale kind of understands, she has literally zero body shame.

On the other hand, she has a lot of shame about showing feelings, and a romantic mood is about as full of feelings as you can get.]

Look, she was near-constantly walking in on us back at the castle, no matter where we were. Along with the rest of our teams. If anything's going to get her here, it's the chance to make my life even more unintentionally awkward.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject