Nokamata: An Epiphany

[22:48] The darkness called out to her...
And its coo sounded so seductive to a now-exhausted Selena. In fact, she'd have it take her into its fathomless depths, where she would be swaddled in its vacant and chilled descent. As cruel and unbecoming as it'd feel in concept, it came across to her as comforting compared to the hell she was suffering in the moment.

--Thus, she gravitated in the rather opaque realm she found herself in...
Where exactly was she? Certainly she was no longer surrounded by the doctors in question - No, she had dipped into her subconscious.

… Or was she simply unconscious?
Her voice spoke aloud here, omnipresent:
"What is..."
If there was any question before, it was without a doubt now... She was not lying on the table anymore. At least, not that she perceived that much anyway.

"Damn... Was it really that bad?" She thought to herself.
"To think I was being that much of a pushover? I probably should've been on my toes. Now, I'm going to get taken out by a teenager negligence. How dumb I must look..." Disappointment took her whole, as she fell into this mentally drafted abyss.

Was this a means to an end?

"I should've been stronger, but I've only ever took to being passive in life." she admitted to herself.

"I let others guide me, when I should've guided myself. Always looked for a leader, when I should've led myself."


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In Reality
**********

Selena's physical body cringed; her hand, in particular, twitched, almost as though in response to Romulus. She still had a pulse. She was still breathing. In fact, there was enough to imply that she clearly wasn't dead, but she wasn't quite conscious anymore either.


**********
In Selena's Head
**********

The woman scolded herself, angry at her lack of accomplishments that led her here.
"Why didn't I use my head. There's so much I could accomplish, if only I just... Had more initiative. If I wasn't so goddamn...--"

An epiphany...

It was almost as though, as she fell through the abyss, an ember of light glimmered in the distance. She descended towards it, holding her arms out to embrace it. Was this... Newfound purpose?
Perhaps... Time would tell...


**********
In Reality
**********

Selena's eyes quivered, slowly pried open through waning strength and burning will. She was awake yet again...
Alive...
Almost as though this entire experience, and what had preceeded it was a wake-up call.

Though, she didn't quite have the strength to jump up to her feet... No, not yet.

She sighed, but held back the urge to moan in pain. She was still processing things.

(Selena Nokamata)
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[22:49] Blackjack would lay himself to the ground, thanking Kraus he hadn't just murdered the woman
(Blackjack)
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[23:09] "Are you okay, ma'am?" He asked putting his hand on woman's shoulder. "Dont... Don't try to walk just yet, let the wound heal, okay?" He laid the woman back down on the table.
"Here, drink this, you lost a lot of water." He said putting his trusty canteen to her lips. "Do you have a home? Any place we should get you to?" He was trying his best but... He never was an actual doctor. He barely knew how to act in such scenario. "What even happend?" He asked, glancing at her ripped leg.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[23:18] Home?
Now that she thought about it - "No." she answered.
She was homeless. It never really occurred to her though.

"I don't." She answered further.
Then, came the question.

"Some jerk..." She started, leaving a moment's pause to take some sips of water from Romulus' canteen. A sigh of relief, not so much from the pulsating pain, but from her thirst.
Then, continuity:
"He was sparring in a nearby ring in the dojo." she started up, "-didn't bother being careful or keeping their fight in their ring."

"I told them to be careful. They could hurt someone." she croaked out,
"Then, he stabbed me in the leg with his earth magic amidst his spar, said it was collateral and just... walked away." she explained.
She didn't notice it, but there was still the dried up blood that dripped all the way from the dojo entrance leading up to her current location- unless it was cleaned up.

There was another pause, her eyes now finding Romulus' own, before slowly drifting over to Blackjack... Or at least where he once stood before he fell over for the ground in relief of his efforts, then back.
It was... dragging on even... Without a word. Those silent eyes of hers almost seemed to seek out something in her helpers' eyes.

Curious?

"Thank you." She managed, after an extended stare.
"I don't know what would've happened... If I didn't stumble upon you two."
Her eyes finally broke from Romulus, staring back off into space.
Silent once more... Thinking maybe?
(Selena Nokamata)
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[23:28] The rat would pick himself up only to thank this woman for his understanding...a bit old to be just a mere "boy", but just boy enough to get away with endangering innocent people with on the spot medical treatment without proper training.

"I'm happy you're...alright..."
(Blackjack)
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[23:36] He frowned looking at the woman. "God... You poor thing." Aethern was homeless just... Yesterday? He then started to listen intently to her story and couldn't help but cringe at the mere retelling of a story.

"Such a jerk..." It was an understatement. There was just so, so much wrong with that. He shook his head, struggling to even find words fit to describe his feelings. Pity? Disgust towards the unspecified man? Romulus sighed, gazing into her eyes. "No need to thank me. Now... You need to rest. And it'd be good if you ate something."

He moved his gaze onto the ratkid that did as much good as bad. But at the end of the day did equal or even larger part of the job. "Kiddo, got a house? Hideout? She needs a bed." He said calmly, yet with a hint of exhaustion in his tone before wrapping the patient in his jacket and throwing her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[23:48] Blackjack says, "Bed...bed, bed, bed. No, I sleep in the sewers."
[23:50] {Item} You picked up Loose Jacket. Dropped by Romulus Aethern..
[23:50] Perhaps, this was for the best...
But the mind got to really pondering, really taking things in from a new perspective. Almost as though she had awoken for the first time, through a new lens. She let herself fall limp to Romulus' hold, being carted over his shoulders in a carry where she could look limply towards the world around them.

"Yeah." she answered, "... You're right. Maybe something small, nothing grand." she requested, easing up.
She was in direct contact with the man, swathed in their jacket to keep warm...

The warmth, was something new. In fact, being carried by someone like this, was something new. I think I made just enough for rent earlier... I can rent out a place with some of my coin." she managed to make out.
(Selena Nokamata)
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[00:05] "Right..." He nodded to the woman slumped over his shoulder, blissfully unaware of the things going through her mind. "There's barely anything to eat at my place..." He sighed, before letting out a huff. Yes, humans are heavy, but you can get used to it.

"Right, I think I saw an apartment for rent somewhere nearby." He took a step towards the stairs with patient on his back. Yeah, walking with someone definetely was something else. "Okay, tell me immedietaly if you feel anything wrong. Headaches, sudden heat, sudden coldness, numbness..." He listed out common symptoms, deep inside cursing lack of medical care system he dreamt off.


(Romulus Aethern)
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[00:07] Romulus Aethern asks, "Kiddo, you comin'?"
[00:07] Blackjack says, "I've..."
[00:07] Blackjack says, "had quite the day"
[00:07] Blackjack says, "already, you two be safe."
[00:07] Romulus Aethern says, "We all did. You too."
[00:07] Selena Nokamata exclaims, "Heheh, you too!"
[00:09] Romulus Aethern says, "Soo, here we are."
[00:10] Selena Nokamata says, ".... Maybe... A cane would work out."
[00:11] Romulus Aethern says, "Oh, sorry. Don't want me carrying you? Um, I guess I can try to find something but, your leg..."
[00:11] Selena Nokamata exclaims, "Oh no-no~!"
[00:11] Selena Nokamata says, "I didn't know if you were getting tired or not."
[00:11] Selena Nokamata says, "I don't mind not walking. Heheh."
[00:12] Selena Nokamata says, "Thanks again though."
[00:12] Romulus Aethern asks, "...is the pain going away?"
[00:13] Selena Nokamata says, "N- Not really, no. I'm just kinda powering through it."
[00:13] Romulus Aethern says, "Poor thing."
[00:18] The woman had been quiet for a bit, at least immediately after the rakuza-kid went on his merry way. She was really thinking to herself... or at least, it seemed as though that was the case.
She closed her eyes, almost as though drifting to sleep yet she kept answering Romulus' questions - clearly cognizant of the immediate scene at-play it seemed.

"Heheh, honestly. I owe you a lot." There was... A warm sensation ebbing from seemingly nowhere. Subtle, as though crawling from the deepest corners of the unknown, only to creep for Romulus. Though, it would not stalk nor haunt them, rather... Substitute for a lent jacket.

"Don't feel bad. You've done nothing wrong." she assured, smiling. She seemed to have been acting as though the pain was fading, and fast - yet she didn't say anything concerning the matter.
"Why don't we go for a drink, and get to know each other a bit. It seems only fair." she claimed, "You -did- help me, and I do have some coin for a decent meal."

An odd request... A reward? They had only just met.
Was it worth it?
Did anyone truly care?

(Selena Nokamata)
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[00:27] "Are... Are you sure? You should rest..." He said, unsure if he really should insist on getting her a bed. He let out a sigh as he realised he didn't have breakfast. Or a dinner. Or lunch...

"Fine. But no alcohol, who knows what did this kid gave you... And you're going to bed afterwards, okay?" He said, cringing inside in defeat. He Should work on being more assertive. "Why did I even moved from there?" He thought, feeling the woman on his back grow heavy.

"So, what exactly brought you to Osrana?" He asked as he started to walk back towards the marketplace.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[00:32] "I don't know." she admitted, "I just kinda wandered on in and--" They headed back towards the marketplace, where she was plopped down on a table. Not exactly where she had in mind.

"Yeah, I was simply wandering." she claimed. "I, uuh… Kinda thought we were headed for a more... Tavern setting. Food, drink and all... Would definitely be a decent climb from well..." she gave a broad, vague gesture,
"the wide-open..."

There was another pause. Admittedly, she had no idea where to find a tavern around here.
"... Are you an Osronan native? Or just passing through as well?" she fixed herself in her seat, not exactly intent on picking herself upright. The last thing she needed to do was put weight on her injured foot.
(Selena Nokamata)
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[00:35] He facepalmed hard, screaming at himself internally. "Oh, sorry. I was never really a common customer of the taverns..." He laugher nervously, picking her up and considering covering her eyes so she doesn't have to see her own blood.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[00:35] Romulus Aethern asks, "Right, Which way?"
[00:36] Selena Nokamata says, "Heheh... Good question. I have no idea."
[00:36] Selena Nokamata says, "Huh, looks like we're both rather oblivious then."
[00:36] Romulus Aethern says, "...Yeah. And I'm actually a native, even though I moved out recently."
[00:37] Romulus Aethern says, "Fuck, wrong way"
[00:39] Selena Nokamata says, "Heheheh."
[00:39] Romulus Aethern says, "I'm not an expert, but it feels like wrong way too..."
[00:39] Selena Nokamata says, "Hrmm..."
[00:39] Selena Nokamata says, "Damn, I wish I was a native. Would've explored this place a lot more."
[00:40] Selena Nokamata says, "Maybe you can ask a another native around here? Someone's bound to know."
[00:40] Romulus Aethern says, "It really did change when I moved out. I only know of one tavern with reasonable prices but it's out of town..."
[00:40] Selena Nokamata exclaims, "Well, if you're up for carrying me that far, I'll accommodate~!"
[00:41] Selena Nokamata says, "All meals and drinks on me."
[00:46] He'd chuckle, barely believing in the shere absurdity of this situation. Two strangers, medic and patient with little to no sense of direction, casually getting lunch after a field surgery.

"So... What will you take?" He asked, panting heavily after carrying the woman all the way to the miner's tavern and taking a seat near the only table around.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[00:58] The man seemed a bit winded from all the carrying, which urged Selena until she'd succumb:
"Oh, you poor thing~" she taunted, chuckling thereafter. She rested a hand on the man's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "You're pretty strong. You can carry lil' ole me." she claimed.

There was something about her touch...
As though, it had a subtle warming effect, as though the body were to be dipped into a sauna that'd slowly heat up for a soothing temperature. Except, that sensation did not stay localized to her touch, but trickled all over.

Was the room just a tad dimmer? Warmer, even.
There was a subtle scent in the room, growing a tad bit stronger. A miner's tavern could've been thought to smell of soot and ash, but roses greeted the nose in a blissful surprise.

Her touch loosened up for a light massage at the shoulder, as though to undo her 'damage' earlier. "I think I'll have theeee…" she dragged her voice onward, pulling her hand back to prod at her bottom lip.
"Nothing too grand as I said before: Stir fry, with pork please."

"... --and wine. Blood wine, if they have it. You?"
(Selena Nokamata)
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[01:32] Morden entered quietly, slitted hues peering around the small room. Seeing the shopkeeper was engaged with another customer he'd begrudgingly wait for now.
(Morden)
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[01:42] He'd chuckle shyly. There was something about how he got called 'poor thing'. That... Was unexpected. He then let out a short squeak, as he felt her sudden touch on his shoulder. Aethern immediately covered his mouth with the top of his hand and stared at the table in embarrassment. He had to use up inhuman amount of strenght to keep blood vessels on his cheeks from widening, as thoughts were rushing through his head.

Was it some sort of a spell? Touch shouldn't be so warm, maybe this room was getting hot, but god, it was barely spring. Romulus was trying his best to not melt under her hand slowly massaging his muscles, but... It really wasn't normal. They literally met each other today, or hell, maybe it was just him? It was normal right? Ugh, god, it really wasn't!

"Right..." Why was he like this? This was the only question he had in mind, when she let him go after telling him her order. He nodded with a small sigh, stood up and walked to the counter.

"But no wine, never mix alcohol with medicine, especially poison and painkillers..." He'd say with a serious, worried even expression. When he stopped facing the woman would let out the air he just realised he's been keeping in his lungs through this whole time and blushed like he never did in his entire life. He quickly shook his head, removing a bit of colour from his cheeks and regaining a slight bit of composure before repeating the order to the tavernkeep.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[01:52] "Awww~ Not even a -little- bit?" she whined. By now, Romulus had headed off to the tavernkeep, back turned towards her. Despite this, she spoke up to catch his ear.
"Besides, it'll loosen you up a little." she claimed, "You look a little tense."

Did he look tense? Or was she just messing with him. Was she catching on? Was this a game of cat and mouse, with Romulus realizing himself as prey. As time went onward, she seemed rather lax - almost as though she wasn't stabbed in the leg earlier that day.

"Fiiiiine…" she succumbed to his demand, "--but if you're not going to give me something like that, please take some for yourself then? You'd really make me feel guilty if you didn't." she tripped at him with those words, edging him on.
"A garden tea works just fine for me then."
(Selena Nokamata)
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[02:14] Aethern shook his head hearing a question about alcohol. "Tommorrow." He took another deep breath. Yes he /was/ tense. His morals were silently combating the urge to give up and submit to the cozy warm surrounding him.

"Right. It'll bee two stir fries and garden tea..." He said to the tavernkeeper and passed her the payment before nodding and returning to the table. The thought of getting an ice-cold bottle of ale passed his mind but... He really didn't feel safe drinking right here, right now.

"So... What is even your name, ma'am?" He'd ask, having deja vu from his dreams where his host encountered the lizard woman. And he had really mixed feeling about any of that. The heat of the room was starting to get ubearable, making Romulus adjust collar of his shirt.

He really did feel like a prey. While as exciting as it was, it also made him feel vulnerable. Vulnerable around the person he never, ever encountered before. He remembered the stories of young men disappearing in the woods...



(Romulus Aethern)
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[02:28] "Oh~?" she cooed to him, even chuckling at the question. "It's about time you asked for my name." she nudged herself over to face him in her seat. Sure, she still had a sore leg, but she was stretching it out of direct sight. If his head would turn to seek it out, her hand would reach out to guide his gaze back towards her eyes.

… Were her eyes... Glowing? Even if slight, almost as though the light bounced off of them at just the right angle... At just the right brightness to keep it from reflecting the source off her pupils.
She leaned a bit closer to him, enough so that he could smell a hint of... citrus? It was fruity, whatever it was.

"Selena." she answered him, "You should really ease up. I promise you, I don't bite that hard." She smiled, chortling through her breath. "I've recently joined up with a group called 'The Giants'. We're supposed to be 'Witch and Demon hunters' but recently things have really been hard to pull off, to be honest."

"So, that's kind've what led me to passing through Osrona." she started, though her eyes didn't stray from Romulus' for a second, almost as though trying to find an answer in them. Was there something behind the window into his soul worth finding? Was she intent on seeking it?
A sigh from her seemingly wrought forth what could be best described as a cooling breeze rolling over Romulus' skin, as though to pivot from the warmth the room was oddly taking upon.

"It doesn't pay much but, thankfully I could find an odd job here and there." she admitted, "--but that said, I never quite got your name."
(Selena Nokamata)
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[03:00] He sighed, putting a match between his teeth. "Yeah. I should've asked earlier, same goes for y-" He didn't even get to finish his sentence as he felt her warm fingers guide his head to meet her eyes. Her beautiful, hypnotizing eyes. He mildly panicked inside feeling the resistance slowly leaving him while he still didn't feel quite safe. He could smell her perfume, feel her breath on his skin...

He was slowly losing composure, colors began appearing on his face. His attention was solely focused on her voice, letting her words pour into his head. He suddenly snapped felt a tiny prick on the inner side of his lower lip. A splinter, like a god from the machine snapped him out of the psychedelic trance.

"I never heard of your organisation." He said, struggling to remain focused on the match, the only thing keeping his consciousness in the world of mortals. The somewhat hard, woody texture, tiny splinters quickly softening when touched by his tongue, the faint smell of sulfur in the sea of roses...

Her suddenly cold breath, grounded him in the mortal realm. An act of mercy? "I am Romulus. A founder of the empire that never was nad a big dreamer." He introduced himself with a smile. "Currently an artificer and an independent adventurer." Insane and boring enough? But... Did he really wanted to be left alone?
(Romulus Aethern)
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[03:15] The woman's eyes broke from his eyes to glaze over the man, almost as though trying to decipher a difficult puzzle. Surely, the brief pause he made was not for naught earlier... Was it?
"It'd be understandable if you hadn't." she claimed, "I hadn't really heard of it before either, until I traveled south." The name of the southern city eluded her for the moment - not that it particularly mattered in this case.

Alas, the tavernkeep approached their table with the bowls of stir fry and a single cup of garden tea.
"Awww~ Not even some wine for yourself?" she went on, "Chivalrous to the end? Or are you just trying to save a coin or two." She smiled, but did not chuckle. "Regardless, I-... Wait, you didn't pay with your own coin, did you?" she asked, visibly concerned for the moment.

"Oh, no-no-no, I was going to cover it." she assured, "In fact, I'lljust cover the tip, if anything."
Her eyes digressed for her bowl, and with a quick yoink of her utensils she got to chowing down.
While she ate, her eyes occasionally passed over towards Romulus, as though curious as to when he'd start eating for himself.

That glow in her eye, never quite left...
Almost as though that strange light source never lost its mark... As though it constantly managed to shine against her eyes...
Almost as though they followed their every sifting glance.
Yet, in their watch, the seasonings seemed to be spiked with flavor, amplified even. The smell just seemed to jump out of the bowl, and catch at the onlooker, as though calling out to them.

Certainly, it may've smelled good, and even tasted good... But did it not feel a tad bit... What was it.
It was almost as though certain sensations were being dramatized, from taste... Scent of perfume... Even Selena's voice seemed to come across as slightly higher andmore breath like.

"Quite the downgrade, huh?" she asked of him, pausing from her chow. "What made you want to settle?" Her voice lowered, and her body scooted slightly closer...
When did she scoot closer? Her stool certainly didn't seem to make a sound. This time, she was touching him -- Her arm against his, while wearing his jacket.
(Selena Nokamata)
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03:42] He'd lift his eyebrow before looking down the bowl of fried rice with vegetables and meat and picking up spoon, glancing at his new companion every few seconds. He did his absolute best to ignore the oddly pleasant aromas and flavors surrounding him. "I wouldn't consider myself chivalrous..."

He shook his head. He was starting to feel calm. Relaxed even. Not quite safe yet, something definetely was in the air. "Well... I never settled down. I quite literally did the opposite. Left my family home yesterday and recieved a house as a gift..." He smiled remembering the kindness of the princess, ignoring the slowly distorting reality around him. "I have my destiny and I'm sure as hell not settling down until I do my part, I won't my father's visions go to waste." He'd take a deep breath, thinking about his host's life. /His/ life...

Aethern jerked awake from his daydream as he felt the woman's warmth brush against him. He felt heart thumping in his chest, time slow down whenever he glanced into her cat-like eyes. But how did he not heard her? A cold chill ran down his spine, yet he still lacked will to just leave.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[03:56] The man jerked at her touch... She something... "Is something wrong?" she asked, visibly concerned. She reflexively moved away from him; it was growing obvious that perhaps this wasn't quite going the way she'd hoped.
"I- uh..." She sighed, this was actually going quite poorly even.
"Sorry." It looked as though this was already the beginning of the end.

She eased further away from him to give the man space. The warmth of the room seemed to slowly die off, and the shimmer in her eyes dwindle until they'd become the typical dull they've always been. In fact, a lot of the details around them seemed to fade. From the smell of roses, and even the perfume clung to her body -- fading entirely away, replaced with the rather dull smells associated with the kitchen.

Whatever was awry was certainly put to a halt. It seemed implied her apology was concerning her-- "I kind've got in your space. Wasn't exactly expecting, well..." There was a hint of hurt on her tone, not quite used to rejection.

A pause before, "Anyway..." she desperately attempted to save this, from the awkward decline it seemed destined to suffer, "Well, at least you have your own place and a stable job. It's one helluva start!" she was grasping at metaphorical straws, and soon turning her attention to the rest of her stir fry.

"Certainly better than me."
(Selena Nokamata)
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[04:20] "No, I just got... lost in thought." He said with a sincere smile. "It's okay, really. And by the way it's really nice to finally find someone you can actually-" He got cut off by the apology. The room grew cold and dull, just like strange woman's eye as she moved away from him. He suddenly felt... Regret? No, he definetely wanted her to slow down but...

"Expecting what?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and putting the bowl down. And looking at her with concern. "Look, you're fine it's just..." Yeah, that was one the things harder than, making your dreams reality - being honest about your feelings. Especially if they are mixed and complicated.

"I... I'm not better. I achieved next to nothing by myself so far. I always needed help - be it a man from your dreams through who's eyes you've seen different worlds or just a nice princess happy to find a new tenant if it means less monsters around. I don't have a job, nor any sort of a party. I'm alone. I..." He took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't have anyone to tell them about how I feel. Just... Thank you."

He'd gently give her a pat on the back. In his eyes she didn't really deserve to be sad. Aethern leaned back in his chest and looked at the ceiling. "So, what did you not expect?" He asked with a faint smirk on his face.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[04:39] Alas, she had managed to finish her stir fry... and early! Which left just the tea -- certainly, the pallet would have to be cleaned. Yet, despite the clashing flavors for the brief period, she seemed unphased by it, as though tricking herself into enjoying the tea immediately after the stir fry.

Romulus' question came to her as she sipped her tea... Yet she did not irk nor stir, in fact, she didn't even seem bothered enough to remove the tea from her lips, sipping away until the majority of it was drowned away.
"It's not wine, but it's alright." she commented on the tea to herself.

A pause...

--And then, realization; Romulus was talking -to her-.
"Ah? I, uh-..." Of course, she was following. She certainly didn't speak as though she was, but had Romulus passed her even a slight glance, he'd find that grin from ear to ear facing away from her. Perhaps, he'd only catch the indention in herdimples from the side of her face.

She killed the facial expression, "Hmm... It's nothing." she assured.
She reached for the table with both hands to push herself upright, reaching for her left side to reveal a walking cane.

… Where was a walking cane, all of this time?
If she had one, couldn't she had simply walked her self this far? Why have Romulus bother carrying her?

She switched it from her left to her right, to better accommodate her injury.

"Anyway, I should really get going. I should be able to afford a night's rent in Osrona." she claimed, yawning, "--but I honestly have to thank you, greatly. I'd probably not be all that great off, if left on my own." She buried her free hand into a pouch laced to her waist, plucking a few coins out to leave on the table as a tip.

"Hopefully, we'll meet again, yes?" she asked, scooting away from the stool with her -cane-? in tow, nudging it back to its original place, before supporting her own weight out the door.
So many tricks to be had with her... Enigmatic, to the very end.
"Of course we will." she assured with a wink and smile.

"Hopefully, the leg's better off by then." - the last words she'd say before departing
(Selena Nokamata)
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[04:56] The man watched the walking puzzle pull out the a cane. Why was carrying her or how did it happen wasn't all that important. "We live in a world where things that happen, just happen." Sir Gregory told him before passing him the weapon Aethern was wearing on his back.

Romulus smiled at the enigmatic woman walking towards the door. "No problem, anyone would've done the same. Stay safe, Selena. Stay safe." A strange warmth was enveloping him, this whole encounter was quite the absurd, but at the end of the day he felt like he wasn't alone in this world. "Let's just hope I won't have to suture your wounds again." He smiled, nodding at the presumed illusionist. "Thank you." He said, watching dissappear behind the wooden doors.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[04:58] Romulus Aethern exclaims, "Wait, my jacket!"
[04:58] Selena Nokamata asks, "Oh? It wasn't a gift to remember you by~?"
[04:58] Romulus Aethern says, "..."

[04:58] Romulus Aethern says, "I-I guess you can keep it"
[04:58] Selena hands the jacket over.
(Selena Nokamata)
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[04:58] Selena Nokamata exclaims, "It's alright!"
[04:58] Romulus Aethern says, "Are you sure? Don't want you to get cold"
[04:58] Selena Nokamata exclaims, "I'll be fiiiine!"
[04:58] Selena Nokamata says, "Anywho... I'll be off."
[04:59] "Whatever you say, ma'am." He said taking the jacket with a faint smile on his face.
(Romulus Aethern)
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[05:04] Selena face warped into a devious grin, spanning from ear to ear as her back turned for Romulus. Not a peep further, until she'd vacate the immediate premises. Such a vile urge tugged at her, clutched at her core, seeking naught but liberation in the form of her relinquished laughter. She couldn't help it. Alas, progress... Success.
That idea -- the epiphany; it was actually something worthwhile.
--or at least, this was a sampling taste of it. It felt like the potential for something worthwhile.

"I didn't think it'd be that easy," she admitted to herself. "I didn't think drawing anyone along would be so easy." she went on further. "Illusion Magic... "

"Is it not truly Reality, even if false?" she theorized, "As far as everyone else is concerned, it might as well be. It could be whatever I want... So if I choose something that wouldn't have been so far fetched..." The walking cane she used soon took upon an alabaster gleam, elongating for a more cylindrical shape. The pure white shattered apart, to materialize a standard magus staff lined with runic inscriptions down its length.

"Something... Believable." she continued, the faint scent of citrus perfume entirely withered.

"I could have people see it. Crave it. Twist them around my fingers..." she claimed, hissing through her teeth.

"I'm done wanting. From now on, I'm taking what I want... --and I want a spot in the limelight."
She had come to grasp the beginnings of illusionism, but the question soon came to pass with this encounter. Just where did the limitations of illusionism end?
(Selena Nokamata)
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