agentlelog | ( log 01. 🔮 open / locked. )

Entry tags:

( log 01. 🔮 open / locked. )

Who: Zita and you.
When: Through February 12 and the rest of the month of February.
Where: The Queen's Residence and around the city.
What: Activities.
Warnings: None at the moment.

[ it'll be a busy time for zita. promises to keep. meetings to attend. people to meet, whether it's the first time or the third time this month. looking back, she's surprised by all the things she's going to do, but she strengthens her resolve to see all her things through.

if there's one thing she's proud of, it's her ability to keep her word.

that said... she does wonder what the days ahead will have in store for her as she begins to prepare for the day. will she make new friends? learn new things? reaffirm some thoughts she's had since her arrival? what will be in store for her and others in this brave new world they're in?

there's only one way to find out. ]

[ ooc; an all-month log! in the comments are top-levels that pertain to the events that will occur for zita during the month. i will note which are open and which are locked to specific players.

if you would like a your own locked top-level or want to plot something, feel free to hit up my hmd or my plurk over at prognostic! ]

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[ upon learning that someone else was interested in learning the ways of healing here, zita reached out to alice liddle in hopings of pooling resources and information together.

the conversation, she thinks, went well enough, certainly enough for the two of them to meet in person after they've discussed some matters. so after speaking with alice, having expressed her personal interest in learning more about the healing craft and the medicines of this world, zita managed to arrange a meeting for them.

she waits outside the entrance of the library. while exhausted from the practice drills, zita perks up upon seeing seeing alice and she makes sure to give a curtsy. ]

It's pleasure to finally meet you in person, Miss Alice. Thank you again for agreeing to this meeting.

Edited 2019-02-12 14:19 (UTC)

[ as she had made known some time ago, zita was planning to do a circuit of the queen's residence and the city, offering her healing services for those who needed it. ideally, she wanted to do this for a few days, in hopes of helping the stragglers who still needed aid from the fires.

waiting at the entrance of the queen's residence, zita tried to prepare herself for her activities. not only was the advice of caution swirling in zita's head, but the idea of being bombarded by all the magic and scents that permeated the city. it was one of the things she liked about the residence - the lack of psychic residue here, giving zita's magic sense some breathing room.

she snaps out of her reverie when she hears the approach of someone, so she turns- and she smiles, recognising the new face as the one she'll be going out with today. ]

Hello. Thank you again for accompanying me. [ she smiles at them, happy to see her partner for the day has arrived. ]

Are you ready to go? Or do you need some more time to prepare?

[ ooc; for those who spoke with zita on the network post and said they'll be. please feel free to handwave the conversation if you hadn't replied to it but want to choose this! ]

[ in the dining hall, zita can be found at one of the tables. it's a good thing that she's doing this in-between meals, because she's taken a good chunk of the space for herself- and for some black and gold cards that she's laying out on the surface, placing them in specific places with both purpose and confidence.

a quick inspection of the cards reveal that they're certainly not playing cards. they're illustrated with gorgeous if macabre images of skeletons and bones and skulls, with names that bear titles like 'the moon' and the 'sun', 'temperance' and 'the world'.

it's at this point that zita looks up and notices someone is observing her. she smiles, flustered now, as she begins to reach out and put the cards back on the deck next to her. ]

I'm sorry- I didn't mean to take up so much space. Please! Sit down if you want. [ but then she stops her cleaning up, considering something. ] Unless you're here to have your fortunes read.

Did you see my message?

Excuse me!

[ it's almost evening when zita runs up to the nearest person, trying to both wave their attention down and catch her breath when she catches up with them. athletic? she is most certainly not.

despite the hour, she's, oddly enough, dressed for an outing. complete with a cloak to give her both warmth and anonymity. she pulls the hood down, showing the apologetic look on her face as she speaks: ]

I'm sorry but- May I ask for a favour?

I hate to impose myself on someone like, but my arrangements with someone else fell to the wayside and I don't feel comfortable leaving the residence at this hour.

[ ooc; open to one person! ]

[Takame saw Zita rather easily, and rather than let her tire herself too much trying to catch up with him he met her halfway. He had passed by her several times within the Queen's Residence as well as her broadcast, though he made little note in person other than the unique aether that came off of her in waves. So though the cloak hid her face at first Takame at least knew she was no enemy.

He gives a slight shake of his head before responding.]

You need not apologize, madam. Nor are you imposing. How may I assist you?

[ she smiles in response, grateful at the assurance and the fact he was willing to meet her halfway. it's the little things that she (and her poor health) appreciated in, making her more certain that, yes, she could ask him for help.

when she regains enough breath to speak properly again, she explains to him what she needs help in: ] Would you be willing to accompany me out to the city for a bit?

[ she pauses, feeling a bit silly for this next part, though she pushes through because he deserves to know what exactly he's getting into. (if he agrees, she needs to remind herself.) ]

I have a meeting with a jeweller, but the person who was supposed to come with can't anymore. [ and, well, she doesn't feel comfortable enough to travel the city by herself just yet. especially at this hour. ]

[Zita didn't need to worry about him agreeing to it, the only reason he didn't immediately was because cutting her off would be rude. She didn't even need to explain herself really.

So without skipping a beat, he nodded as soon as she finished speaking. Probably a little too quickly.]

Of course. [Very to the point this one. From his few scouts of the city Takame did know it was probably a bad idea for her to go out alone, so she was right to seek out alternative company. Not that it would have changed his agreement either way.]

[It's almost reflexive when Alice returns the curtsy, a reaction born out of her upper class upbringing, even though she never cared much for that kind of formality. Her sister would be proud.

Alice shakes her head with a smile.]

Alice is fine. And I'm glad you invited me. New subjects are easier to tackle with help.

[She pats the bag she's carrying at her side.]

I brought those books I borrowed too. They've been a huge help.

Thank you so much. [ the relief is palpable on her end upon hearing his answer. the fact he answered so quick actually helps her. it seems she was ready to be turned down for some reason. not used to getting help from others or something else?

well, whatever the reason is, the nervousness from her quickly vanishes and is replaced with- something that isn't exactly calm, but something close to it. certainly helps her realise something very important: ] Ah- Where are my manners?

I'm Zita Harrington. You can call me 'Zita' if you want.

[ admittedly, she would like to be known as 'miss harrington' when around all these new faces, but they're all on the same boat if she could borrow teresia's phrase. trying to become more familiar everyone here is perhaps the best way to go about these circumstances. ]

[ zita is obviously impressed and touched by the return of the curtsy. everyone so far has politely acknowledged it, but having it returned was a pleasant touch. ]

There's a saying where I am- Everything is better with company.

[ not a very elegant phrase, admittedly, but perhaps it sounds better in nikolai's native russian. she'll need to ask him when they meet again in the carnival.

while she ponders over that very important conundrum, she turns to push open the doors of the library. it's done carefully, making sure to not disturb anyone who might be in there. ]

How has your studying been so far with the books? Did you find anything fascinating?

["Never turn someone in need down"... A trait very prominent in his family. Or what's left of it. One that he tried to practice even though in reality he was just glad to be given a task since the initial chaos of their arrival died down. Doing it for a sense of familiarity more than anything else. Though the relief she showed towards his agreement did inspire a good feeling.

Regardless, he bowed politely once she gave her name.]

A pleasure to meet you, Zita. My name is Takame. You will be safe with me, this I promise.

Thank you so much, Takame.

[ she's already made the arrangements and plans with the jeweller, having met them during the immediate aftermath of the rioting. all that needs to be done is give payment and have the jewel set.

so zita now pulls up her hood, readying herself for the chill of the approaching evening. then she returns his bow with a curtsy of her own. (and while it's silly to feel like this, she's rather happy that someone else is showing a similar set of manners from home. it's nice.) ]

I promise this trip of ours will be a quick. I would hate to take up your time more than needed.

[He gave a small shake of his head.]

It's no trouble at all. I am no stranger to escorting people. It is part of my job. [All true statements, though how blankly they were stated may imply otherwise. In his own preparation from the cold, he wrapped the loose scarf he wore tighter around his neck to shield it and and his scales from the low temperatures. The cold didn't mesh well with them.]

Shall we, then? I won't be far behind.

[ Haein hasn't ventured too far into the city, and there's a lot he's still trying to get accustomed to. The deal he'd struck with Zita had come at an opportune moment, and it's time he delivers on his end.

He heads over to the entrance of the Queen's residence and spots her easily, then makes his way over. He returns her polite greeting with a small nod of his head, giving off the impression that he was probably raised by wolves and never learned proper manners. ]

No, I'm ready.

[ A bit sore from the early morning training, but that's what he gets for refusing to move out. ]

Let's get going.

[ mostly, leo is there to see if he couldn't sneak some snacks or ingredients to add to his jewel-powered toolbelt, in the case he ever needs to cook on the road again, but the cards provide a good enough distraction. he stalls, tries to peer at the images on the cards, and eventually when zita notices him, leo grins at her. ]

Hey, you're the tarot lady, right?

[ obviously, ha. ]

No, I mean, yeah, I did, but I didn't know you were doing this now. I mean, that looks cool. [ god, why is he always this awkward? what is human interaction, really. ]

[ smiling, zita nods and begins to walk out of the queen's residence and into roads that will lead to the city proper. there's more confidence in her movement, certain in the knowledge that someone else is with her while she ventures out to the city's darkening streets.

the lights of the city are a far cry from the ones found in the midnight carnival. fairy lights and a firebreather's spout of flames and flickering candles are what she's used to.

feeling a bit homesick now, she tries to distract herself by speaking to her traveling partner. it could prove to be a good distraction and it would be nice to get to know him better. ]

How have you been faring since your arrival here to the world? You weren't hurt on the first night, were you?

Why yes. I am the tarot lady.

[ she doesn't seem to mind. in fact- she looks surprised yet pleased by his words. it doesn’t seem like a lot of the strangers here have tarot cards in their world, so having someone recognise it is a nice change of pace.

deciding it's only polite to give him her full attention, zita pulls her hands away from her attempt to clean up her deck and she rests her hands on her lap while she speaks. ]

Thank you for your compliment; I believe you’re the first one to recognise my type of deck at all since my arrival.

[ she pauses, wondering how to word this next bit. ] I'm sorry- It seems you have me at a disadvantage. You already know of me but I don't know you.

[There's little noticeable change in Takame's demeanor as they exit to the city. At a glance one would simply assume the way he walked was with one hand in his pocket under a loose coat, but upon closer inspection would find his hand actually resting casually on the hilt of his half concealed sword.

Even in the calm Draega had found after the storm, the air that something sinister could happen upon them was thick in his mind. He rarely traveled unarmed, but the necessity felt stronger in this new realm than it did even in the most dubious parts of his home.

Though his greatest enemy save for himself was still small talk, as he was reminded when Zita addressed him. But he would engage either way, breaking somewhat awkwardly from a mindset of active patrol to one more fit for conversing.]

I've... been adjusting to the calm since our first night. I suffered no severe injury during the attacks, nor in evacuating residents despite these hunters' efforts. They were not very strong. [They were pushovers to him, really. But it wasn't really good to talk about this, was it? Realizing that he cleared his throat softly, deciding to redirect the subject instead.] Ah, but what of you? How have you fared since arriving?

That's good to hear. [ she's glad he wasn't hurt too terribly during the rioting. though she tried to treat everyone she came across, she knew that she did not see or meet everyone who had been hurt from the events. it's a relief to hear that one more was able to get out of it unharmed.

when asked about how she's been adapting to the city, zita needs to give it some thought because... it's a complicated answer and she wants to choose her words carefully. thank goodness the turn they need to make here gives her more time to think on her reply. ]

I was surprised by the first night. [ an understatement but an honest statement. ] After that, I've been doing my best to get by. Mostly trying to figure out how to earn a living for myself.

[ the greeting he gives is the sort of greeting she's used to back at the carnival. the lone wolves and the quiet souls of the carnival were likely to give that sort of reply, if they felt like giving a reply at all. (hmm... now that she thinks about it, haein reminds her a lot of some individuals back at the carnival.)

nodding at his answer, she begins towards the exit of the queen's residence after she checks her supplies one last time.

now time for, perhaps, the most difficult aspect of this activity for the two of them: idle chat. with how the streets are quiet and the present vendors sleepy and the chatter in the air being more of a lull than a wave - something needs to be done to fill the silence between the two. ]

How have you been since we last spoke? [ she can't help but think of her fortune telling session with him. ] Adjusting to life in the city and the residence well enough?

Few could have expected what we were faced with upon arriving, but you do not seem fit for fighting. [He simply stated a fact based on just how winded she was trying to catch up with him earlier but he paused, not just in speaking but he hesitated in his step as well. The sudden concern as to whether he sounded rude caused him to hastily shuffle through words he'd heard elsewhere for a better thing to say.] I mean no offense, of course. We... need not all be warriors to provide for the realm.

[Ever did he fumble in his tries though, his flat tone leaving more ambiguity than anything. But it was true that he meant no offense and his words were genuine. He knew many who were thinkers rather than fighters. He admired those sorts, being only good for the latter.]

Wait, seriously?

[ his surprise is to the fact that no one else has recognized the cards — but someone must have, he thinks. there are others from similar worlds than he is... but maybe the similarities aren't down to the details, then.

and then he grimaces, rubbing his neck. ]

Right, sorry. Uh, I'm Leo. Leo Valdez. And you — I'm guessing your name isn't actually tarot lady. You probably said so in the video thing, but...

[ He falls into step beside her as they exit the residence and make their way into the streets. The fact that it's quiet and not bustling with too many people allows for a sense of ease to come over Haein, and while he would have been fine spending the entire outing in silence, he doesn't mind the questions.

This is... what? The fourth time they've spoken and the third time they've met face to face? They don't know much about each other, but Zita's becoming something of a familiar presence for Haein. ]

Still getting used to it.

[ It's taking longer than he'd like, but there's progress being made. ]

Things are a lot worse here than I imagined.

Zita. I go by Zita Harrington these days.

[ not a lie. in fact, she's telling the truth - she likes to go by zita harrington and she hopes to keep using it for a long time. it's one of the few names she's genuinely fond of.

she does her best to give a friendly smile, shaking her head to show she didn't mind the 'i forgot your name.' bit that isn't said. ]

It's fine. I was talking about a lot of subjects in the video. It's understandable that that could have gotten lost in the shuffle.

So- Do you have an opinion on tarot readings, Leo? I swear I'm serious when I say you're the first one to recognise them from the ones who spoke to me about it.

[ there's the faintest raise of his brows, as he focuses on I go by, meaning she's used some other name previously... but hey, who's he to ask her probing and possibly invasive questions about her identity?

so he just grins. ]

Well, I'll make sure to remember it from now on, Zita.

[ his grin turns into something more contemplative at her question. ]

I'm gonna be honest, if you'd asked me a year ago I would've said they're 100% pretty and 100% guess-work. But... I mean, I've seen stranger things turn out to be true. Like, if prophesies are true, then fortune telling probably is, too.

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( log 01. 🔮 open / locked. )

locked top-level. / for alice, playing-hearts.

open top-level.

open top-level.

open top-level.

hope this is ok! let me know if not

it's totally cool!

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