[open post!]

[ravkanwitch]

Nina misses Ketterdam.

Make no mistake, she is Ravkan through and through; her pride for her country is one of her largest defining features (and she has many delightful defining features). But when she allows herself a moment to think, it is the hustle and bustle of Ketterdam that she misses. The ships in the harbor, the vendors hawking in the Barrel, the shops, the friends, the noise, the friends--

There’s always a weariness to the initial dance of friendship. Of her new acquaintances, only two are aware of her abilities and only one of them - Shen Qingqiu - even has an inkling of their full extent. Fortunately, that also means there’s room to grow…

She’s found hot chocolate and now she’s seated somewhere, sipping at it and reminiscing about Ketterdam, wondering what Inej and Jesper and Kaz and everyone must be doing right now.

Comments

[ravkanwitch]

"Absolutely," she says, gesturing as well. He seems distinguished, sharp - but a little weary. "What sort of world are you from?"

[rememberettersberg]

He sits. "Now there's a question. I suppose we all thought of our respective worlds as normal until we arrived here. Mine is... well, I exist somewhat on the fringes there too. I'm a police officer by trade, a detective, if that's familiar to you, and more secretly a wizard. If that's familiar to you."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina isn’t quite familiar with what the words “detective” and “police officer” entail - though officer makes her think of the Stadwatch, which always makes her slightly wary. But “wizard”, she does understand.

“Oh… I’ve heard the word wizard used in old stories. Does that mean you have certain abilities?”

[rememberettersberg]

"I'm a magical practitioner, yes." He shrugs. "Though my powers seem somewhat dampened around the mansion. I'm not sure how." He's silent for a moment, pondering the mysteries of their surroundings. "What's your world like, Nina?"

[ravkanwitch]

"It's..." she laughs a little, at the thought of having to describe her world in a few simple sentences (though she's given others the same puzzle as well, so it's only fair). "From what I know, my world is less advanced than others. At least, we don't have a lot of the - contraptions that others do. We do have the Small Sciences... magic, I suppose? Those that practice it, the Grisha, have been involved in some sort of war for as long as I can remember..."

[rememberettersberg]

"The Small Sciences, how interesting." Nightingale absently conjures a werelight, floating it around the room. He's missing having daily uses for his magic, though his work is so often dangerous and traumatic. "The magical protocol I learned is intrinsically linked to science too. Named for the prominent man of science who codified it." The light blinks out. "Peace seems rare, no matter what world anyone hails from. Is there widespread conflict?"

[ravkanwitch]

“It is all science, isn’t it? With Grisha, the Materialki can manipulate metal and other elements - but they can’t create something out of nothing. It’s all… learned. There are rules.” She frowns a little. “There was a civil war recently caused by someone known as The Darkling. Well, civil war and …massacre. He killed a lot of Grisha.”

[rememberettersberg]

Nightingale's outward expression barely changes, but he sounds unfathomably old and tired now. "I'm so sorry to hear that. There are always those who seek to misuse their power." He shakes his head a little, as though to clear it. "You speak of the Grisha from the outside? You're not a practioner yourself?"

[ravkanwitch]

“I’m… it’s complicated. Something happened and now I don’t fit,” she says, with a little frown.

[rememberettersberg]

"... That does sound complicated. Are you able to talk about it? It's fine if you'd rather not."

[ravkanwitch]

"I... yes," she says. Nina has been a little looser with her stories lately, a little less safe - but so far, no others seem to be from her world (which is a good thing). "There are multiple branches of the Small Sciences - magic - including those who can control the human body, elements, and also materials. I used to be a Heartrender and I was... able to control human blood."

"But I was in a difficult position and had to take... a substance that changed everything. I'm no longer a Heartrender. I control the opposite," she says. "I don't think I fit within the system anymore."

[rememberettersberg]

"The opposite... of human blood?" Nightingale asks slowly, brow furrowing. A pause to consider. "Heartrender. That's a very evocative title. Do people tend naturally towards certain branches?"

[ravkanwitch]

“It shows when you’re young, then you’re tested and whisked away to be taught and trained…” And now she shakes her head a little bit. “No, not human blood - the opposite of human life.”

[rememberettersberg]

"Death magic," he murmurs. "That sounds... terrifying to have been thrust upon you."

[ravkanwitch]

“I didn’t have much time to think about how terrifying it was,” Nina admits. “Not until coming here, where I have all the time in the world to just… think.”

[rememberettersberg]

Nightingale makes a noise that could almost pass for a laugh, hollow and knowing. "Indeed. I fear I am not throwing myself into the experience as heartily as everyone else."

[ravkanwitch]

"What have you been doing? You know, someone asked me what I did for fun at home and I couldn't answer... There's almost too much time here."

[rememberettersberg]

"At first I spent much of my time looking for a way out. Walking the outer limits, trying to map the rooms and gardens. The place changes whenever you turn your back for a moment though, it's no use. I've found some familiar practitioner's tomes in the library, but nothing applicable to the situation. I expect it's engineered to be that way. I... don't have a lot of experience with leisure time or fun either." He smiles a little, shrugging. "There's not even a television to watch the rugby on. Perhaps it is time to resort to mingling and watching personal dramas as they unfold."

[ravkanwitch]

“There is a lot of that here,” Nina laughs. “Personal drama. I suppose that’s what you get when you put a dozen and a handful people into a pressure cooker. That’s what the Barrel was like… where I lived for a while. Everyone was living on top of each other and it caused all sorts of chaos.”

[rememberettersberg]

"It sounds oddly pleasant," he admits. "I've lived a very solitary life as an adult, but I remember well that crammed in feeling of chaos from boarding school. The good old days."

[ravkanwitch]

"It was... definitely chaotic. But it felt like home. Again, not much time for thinking," she laughs. "Oh - I almost forgot to ask. Did you want any hot chocolate?"

[rememberettersberg]

Nightingale hesitates, on the verge of declining, but finds himself sinking back into his chair. "Who am I to deny myself a little self-indulgence?" he says.