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[ruinsprofessor]

--"Raine Sage. I can't reach the console right now. If it's an emergency, don't wait to get a hold of me, keep moving. I'm sure I'll hear about it soon. If not, leave a message and I'll contact you when I can."

Comments

audio; a few weeks after the Palace siege, after the housing shuffle

[denyamenti]

And here I thought being beholden to the dead was something unique. Turns out I'm not the only one here, am I?

[ Nope, no greeting, no preamble, no context, just that. ]

also audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine matches audio for audio. If she doesn't get the benefit of his body language and expressions, he doesn't get hers, either.]

I remember you. [A pause, then, carefully calm:] ...would you care to clarify exactly what you mean? I'm sure I could guess, but that seems a waste of time for both of us.

[There are a few possibilities that fit the phrase 'beholden to the dead.' None of them are things she's eager to bring up without being sure.]

text;

[peacefullywreathed]

[After this.]

Please keep an eye on Bakura for me. I don't believe it's wise for me to speak to him for a while.

text;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Atypically, Raine sticks to text as well, rather than keeping to video regardless as is her wont.]

What happened, that I'm the better choice at the moment?

[And an addition a few seconds later, as she thinks better of that, as well.]

Never mind. I'll do what I can, though if you have any advice I'd appreciate it.

Action

[redlightgreenlight]

With Bobby to guide her, Valdis had found Raine's address easily enough. She knocked twice and then waited for the someone to answer, trying to put everything together. She hadn't been sleeping, was barely eating and couldn't talk to anyone about what had happened, not even Wan. Yet she had been driven to Raine, because Raine was the only one capable of, and probably willing to, destroy her if needed.

permaction;

[ruinsprofessor]

The message had come circuitously, turtle to turtle at first, and Raine had been a little reluctant initially, but the children had been pretty sure it was important, and eventually she had acquiesced. She was expecting Valdis' visit, and answered the door soon after the knock, standing aside in tacit invitation. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked, skipping pleasantries and cutting straight to the chase.

Meeting

[redlightgreenlight]

I need to speak with you immediately. Meet me outside of Khatronma, on the cliffs overlooking the sea.

[ironwood]

Following the path of orange soil toward the sunlit clouds, come to the red embers lighting the sapphire tides. The violet ore feeds the roots of the viridian trees. Breathe deep to find the pause within your core, and meditate upon your needs in the appointed time and place so they may be real to you.

Audio | June 6th

[redlightgreenlight]

I..umm...might have a small problem on my hands...

audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Oh, that is not promising at all. No preamble, no context, just 'a problem.' ...Coming from Valdis. When Raine answers, it's with some trepidation.]

How urgent? Is someone hurt?

july 10th;

[denyamenti]

[ Following this conversation prompted by Genis' disappearance, Raine will one morning find a plain envelope in her house mailbox, addressed to her in Bakura's distinctive hand. Inside is a small round charm with an insignia on it, and a very short note:

"Keep it on you, just in case. It works by itself."

It's affixed with a Trap -- Call of the Earthbound, to be exact, and set to go off if Raine feels in danger or is attacked... not that he's included that particular instruction, but so it goes. ]

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine does not mention it, except an otherwise sourceless "thank you" the next time she sees him. The charm joins the moonstone she wears, which she is never without in any case, and Bakura may see it looped around one wrist when she reaches out or up.]

[If he'd been in the mood to submit to an interrogation, he'd have delivered it in person. She is going to get around to prodding for magical details eventually, but for now, it's enough that she trusts Bakura and he's looking out for her, in his way.]

July 14th; audio only

[denyamenti]

[ Late evening, after this happened; not so late as though he'd expect her to be asleep, but late enough that she'd likely be in for the night. ]

Could I ask a favour, seba-rekhet...?

video;

[ruinsprofessor]

[She's absent her jacket, but not particularly rumpled. The day's end, but not the end of the day.]

Of course. What do you need?

[Unqualified assent only because she knows him, knows he knows her in turn, and she trusts he won't ask anything she's not willing to give.]

July 22nd;

[denyamenti]

[ After Bakura reappears having being gone for six days, and after he wisely tested the waters via Solomon. ]

Seba-rekhet.

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine has a lot of emotions about that, despite the fact he's said only her name. Her hands hover over the keys; her gaze is distant, not really focused on Bakura. Finally, after a few minutes, a returned message that's text-only.]

Where shall I find you?

[in other words: in person, or not at all.]

early August; audio

[edgeoftheknife]

[Erskine hardly ever calls with just audio; he almost always uses video. That he's changing that now might mean something. He does sound tired, although that's hardly out of the ordinary.]

Raine. I....

Would you... be willing to talk, sometime?

video;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Everything about this call is unusual. Raine takes it in stride with little more than a tilt of her head, though.]

[It's odd -- she still doesn't quite know what to make of Erskine, doesn't quite trust him, but -- there's not a question that she'll try to help.]

Of course.

Is something wrong?

Late Sept - audio;

[denyamenti]

How late will you be at the Guild this evening, seba-rekhet?

audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

[?]

No later than usual, I'd anticipate.

[Like he doesn't know her schedule.]

Why?

radio; sept. 26

[insertdadjoke]

Uh.

[ Shit, he started talking before he meant to. How is he supposed to say this? This is... a whole lot. What just happened is taking him a dizzying moment to process now he's trying to say it aloud. ]

Are you free, Raine?

[ruinsprofessor]

[That's a little less put-together than she usually expects from Cain. Hm.]

I can be. Is something wrong?

text;

[lasergrenades]

Are you free sometime soon? Maybe when you're done at the Guild? I have a question to ask and it's probably better to do it in person.

[ruinsprofessor]

I can meet you, certainly. Is everything all right?

November 1st, 2015

[redlightgreenlight]

[She's running and it's evident by the strain in her voice.]

There's a monster on the Turtle...something other than the two you know of...Turtle's Head...

[Then there's a loud clatter, a low, pained swear and silence]

[ruinsprofessor]

[That sounds urgent. Raine does not answer. Rather, she heads immediately for the Turtle's Head, staff in hand, at a dead run.]

[lasergrenades]

[On November 4th, Raine will have an envelope slipped under her door at the Guild. It contains this:]

[ruinsprofessor]

[That's very sweet, though Raine is a little confused about the pumpkin.]

[A Solomon-dispensed explanation and discussion of relative fairy tales later, Raine confirms attendance.]

[redlightgreenlight]

On the 25th, a Kedan child will deliver an envelope to Raine’s office in the Healer’s Guild. Inside is an elegant sketch of herself and Solomon Wreath, holding hands and walking down the street toward their home. If she flips the picture over, she will find that there is writing on the back.
I felt it was time you had a proper picture of the both of you and since Tony hasn’t invented cameras yet, this was the best I could do. -Valdis

audio; early November

[lasergrenades]

[After this thread.]

Are you free for lunch or tea or something in the next couple of days? I think I might have had a fight with Bakura.

audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

[She didn't hear any explosions, and she's assuming no one was seriously hurt. Promising.]

All right. I can meet you at a café, or you're welcome to come over-- I'm free tomorrow, with no plans apart from errands.

Pepper, are you all right?

Package | Backdated to Christmas morning

[edgeoftheknife]

[Christmas morning there's a small, beautifully wrapped gift box waiting for Raine either just outside the door to her apartment or in her mailbox (whichever seems easier/more secure). Inside is a gold necklace of the Rod of Asclepius, along with a note that reads, simply:

Happy Holidays,

--Erskine]

radio; Jan. 17th

[insertdadjoke]

So, hey. Question for you.

[ruinsprofessor]

I'll certainly try to provide an answer. What is it?

February 9 or thereabouts

[edgeoftheknife]

[Sometime during the day when neither Raine nor Solomon is home, on a nicely conspicuous counter or table inside their apartment, appears a small, flat, expensive looking gift box, open to expose the deep green velvet inside and the object resting on top of the velvet.

It's a silver locket on a chain, with a claddagh on the front cover. No other note or explanation is forthcoming, and Erskine is a good enough sneak-thief to not leave any signs of forced entry.

Dead Men.]

[ruinsprofessor]

[Rather a lot of confusion ensues, as does an important discussion.]

[Raine will probably thank Erskine later, though perhaps not for the expected reason.]

audio --> action; early July

[peacefullywreathed]

[Solomon's voice comes over the radio clipped and urgent:]

I need you. My laboratory. Hurry.

[ruinsprofessor]

[Given the last time there was an emergency in his laboratory? Raine's hurrying.]

On my way.

[And she's out the door of her office at high speed, the only stop to grab her staff on the way. She knows the hallways by heart, long since, and it isn't long before she's shoving the door open and looking for Solomon.]

[Video]

[valyriandragon]

Professor Sage, I would like to speak to you at your earliest convenience. [She is calm, cool and collected. A certain Peter Bishop has aided her in finding this path.]

video;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Not someone she recognizes, but then she's been busy lately. Hm.]

Certainly. In this manner, or would you prefer to meet in person?

early January;

[denyamenti]

[ without preface, as always: ]

Whatever he was doing, it's quiet now.

[ruinsprofessor]

[She's given up expecting a preface by now, really.]

That's a relief.

Do you estimate that will last?

audio;

[lasergrenades]

[from here]

Oh Raaaaaaine, I found another redhead you should meet. He's from Aselia and he refuses to tell me his name. It's very rude.

audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Say what.]

[There are a few options. Raine is quiet for the space of a sharply indrawn breath as she tries to remember every redhead she's ever met who isn't Zelos.]

Be careful if his hair is crimson. If it's closer to auburn, however...

[Raine knows who of the available options she would like to see.]

If he carries a single longsword, has broad shoulders and a stoic demeanor, that may be Kratos. Does he appear human?

[Refusing to introduce himself is suspicious. Raine has to wonder.]

audio;

[consultantsdoctor]

I had a question for you. Do you if there's a way to get items from home somehow? Something specific. My friend mentioned that he got something from home during the last holiday but I thought there might be some other way.

audio;

[ruinsprofessor]

There doesn't seem to be a way to intentionally do so, no.

[And she has no small amount of research into the Dreaming. Raine sounds faintly regretful.]

That said, the things which I've found from my home are precisely the things which I would find most useful. Sets of healing gels, for instance.

If you are hoping for something of yours, my best advice would be to spend some time dwelling on your intent, and your emotional familiarity with the item. Check the markets, and places you wouldn't ordinarily look. Often an item is found by others, even if it does come through.

This is by no means a guarantee, but... it can't hurt, either.