[ When Eustace finds her in the halls of the Citadel, Gray looks quite a bit better than the last time he saw her. She's adjusted easily to the fashion of Achamoth, swathing herself in layers of grayscale with a large hood to match. Her pace as she makes her way through the hall is slow, bordering on aimless, her gaze low as she avoids the eyes of the servants attentively studding the way. But when she notices Eustace, her hood tips up, eyes lighting with recognition.
Though it's only been a few days, it feels like she's fully started a new life since she last saw the big-eared sir. She wouldn't have been surprised to never see him again -- though that would have been silly too, with how Aions are expected to work together. When he stops in front of her, she dips a small, hasty bow. ]
The effects of the potion have already passed. Thank you...
[ Her emotional feelings are a whole other matter, but she doubts he wants to hear about that. ]
[ Ah.....polite as always. Though it's relieving to see a spot of color back in her cheeks and her eyes looking more (a bit more) confident than when they'd first met. His shoulders drop a centimeter, the rest of his posture relaxing in kind. He brushes the question aside with a short answer, eyes never leaving her face. ]
It was fine.
[ Narrator voice: it was not fine.
But she doesn't need to know the details of his scuffle with one of the Pleroma just yet, not when she probably has a million other things on her mind as she adjusts to life in Achamoth. Speaking of which— ]
[ She catches the miniscule loosening of his shoulders and wonders if he was really that worried. If he was, she wonders further if that meant he wasn't completely sure that she would be alright in the end. Because the potion's effects are more unpredictable than he let on? Or because she seemed especially weak? Unconsciously, her mouth nudges into a tiny, wry smile. Already he reminds her of her first teacher, the big, stoic gravekeeper who taught her most of what she knows. Actually, this big-eared sir is much more emotive. It makes it easier for her to face him without using her hood as a shield. ]
All of the questions I've thought to ask. There's a lot I still don't know... so I thought maybe I should see if there's a library I can visit.
[ Some of the magi in the dorms she lived in had computers, but she was never able to take the leap from books to the internet. Maybe that's working in her favor now; she can't miss what she never knew. ]
Would you be able to point me in the direction of the nearest one? ... If you don't mind.
[ Sometimes it pays to be old-fashioned and to prefer books over new-fangled tech.
He could point her in the direction of the library, but given the size of the Citadel and his own task list for the day (which had included a trip to the library anyway), it seems more productive to just lead her there himself. ]
I can take you there.
[ Though it appears his manners are still somewhat lacking....he doesn't wait for agreement or acknowledgement before striding off, expecting that Gray will automatically follow behind. ]
You'll find plenty of information on the Regent [ 🙄 ] as well as the history of Achamoth but not much on the history of Aions, if that's what you're looking for.
[ Then again, maybe he'd just happened to pick all the wrong corners of the library to start his own search in. ]
[ Manners, who needs those... Weirdly, a complete lack of manners feels more comfortable to her than an overabundance of it. Maybe she's spent too much time bearing witness to the aggressive politics of the Clock Tower.
After a split second of surprise, she jogs to catch up with him, her much shorter stride quick by necessity but unlabored. It's generous of him to show her the way... or, maybe, he just has a lot of time to kill. ]
Nothing on the Aions... I wonder why?
[ She wasn't thinking of anything in particular she wanted to read about other than a nebulous "everything," but it sounds like the topics have already been narrowed down for her. She knows of the concept of censorship, of course, but she wonders if she should even speculate about that out loud. There are ears literally all around them, after all, and she gets the feeling that she shouldn't do or say anything that might throw her loyalty into doubt. ]
Since they treat us... the way they do, I thought there would be documentation. Or old stories, like in mythology.
[ Swapping out the complicated politics of one gloomy-ass HQ for another.....RIP Gray. Though there's only one acceptable political (and religious) view in Achamoth, so maybe it'll be a welcome break. ]
There might be, elsewhere.
[ If only the Regent would let them out of Achamoth....he's starting to get restless. There's only so much he can learn from within the walls of a city heavily steeped in fanatic cult worship. Already nonreligious by nature, Eustace has quickly found the city to be more than he can take most days. ]
But the city of Achamoth concerns itself primarily with the Regent, and us Aions are seen as simply extensions of their power.
[ Or so the texts seem to imply. The waters are murky on the subject, and all he's really learned is that the Regent had been the one to bring them all here. Which is suspicious as hell, but unlike some parties he's not about to start broadcasting his suspicions aloud for everyone to hear. ]
[ Achamoth really loves its Regent... A regent is usually a stand-in for a higher ruler, but the Regent seems to be center stage in reality. And if the books in the library are mostly about them, they've been around for some time in that capacity... Who is the Regent, really? Even a real name would do a lot to dispel the mystery surrounding them.
... Speaking of names, ]
By the way, what should I call you? I said so much about myself last time, but I realized I don't know much about you...
[ Just kidding, he will NOT vanish without a word this time, as is his wont every other time he's been asked for his name. That 25% feeling of responsibility really pulling its weight here.
He will, however, let the conversation lapse into silence as they walk down the hallway and turn a corner, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the air. Finally: ]
Eustace.
[ Eustace and Gray, proud members of the No Last Name club. Also, that appears to be it from him. Hm. ]
[ It wasn't the name she expected from him, but not everyone can be gloomy, monochromatically-fashioned girls named Gray. Actually, it feels like a remarkably normal name for a somewhat abnormal person. ]
Mr. Eustace... Um, what did you do before before you came here?
[ He asked her, so this is her right to ask as well!! ]
[ How does one explain being a trained hitman to a child without making it sound completely terrible? With a lot of effort maybe, but he doesn't have the verbal finesse to massage it out to begin with. Hmm. ]
I went on assignments given to me by my superiors. Not unlike what the Regent has us doing here.
[ That's....vague enough, right? Not technically a lie but not the full truth either. Maybe she'll be satisfied with that as an answer. ]
[ Ah. So that's why he seemed like such a professional retrieving her from the shrine. If he's used to oddjobs, he must have a pretty strong head for any situation. ]
And... what kinds of books do you like reading?
[ Since it sounds like he did a thorough job of going through the library... ]
[ The answer to this one is harder, not because he has to finesse any words into a reasonable sounding answer but because he genuinely doesn't know. Past his work assignments, training, the constant clean-ups of Zeta and Beatrix's messes, he'd never thought much about picking up a spare book here or there. All the reading he'd engaged in had been mission briefings or old histories regarding the Society, tucked away in some high-up shelf.
Their footsteps echo some more, uneven click clacks, as they pass servants scuttling through the halls and closed doors. ]
I don't really have a preference.
[ Is that a cheater's answer......? Or just a really boring man's answer. Doesn't matter, the next corner they turn will lead them to....the library! Conveniently placed and timed for all my RP needs. ]
This is it. There should be servants inside able to help you find what you need.
[ Since apparently his own visit is being interruped by a call from Ciel.... Ganba Gray, you're on your own now. ]
[ No preference? Is that actually possible?? Before Gray can grapple with the answer, Eustace is already on his way to abandoning her. She can't blame him. But before he can get too far, she blurts out a hasty: ]
Ah, thank you, Mr. Eustace!
[ He really is nice, if socially unwieldy. She knows the type a little too well. She watches him go before tip-toeing into the library for a hearty dose of Regent propaganda... ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2022-05-03 07:44 pm (UTC)Though it's only been a few days, it feels like she's fully started a new life since she last saw the big-eared sir. She wouldn't have been surprised to never see him again -- though that would have been silly too, with how Aions are expected to work together. When he stops in front of her, she dips a small, hasty bow. ]
The effects of the potion have already passed. Thank you...
[ Her emotional feelings are a whole other matter, but she doubts he wants to hear about that. ]
Um, how did things go after I left?
[ How went the Aion-hunting... ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-04 01:45 am (UTC)It was fine.
[ Narrator voice: it was not fine.
But she doesn't need to know the details of his scuffle with one of the Pleroma just yet, not when she probably has a million other things on her mind as she adjusts to life in Achamoth. Speaking of which— ]
Have you gotten all your questions answered?
no subject
Date: 2022-05-04 06:19 am (UTC)All of the questions I've thought to ask. There's a lot I still don't know... so I thought maybe I should see if there's a library I can visit.
[ Some of the magi in the dorms she lived in had computers, but she was never able to take the leap from books to the internet. Maybe that's working in her favor now; she can't miss what she never knew. ]
Would you be able to point me in the direction of the nearest one? ... If you don't mind.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-04 11:41 am (UTC)He could point her in the direction of the library, but given the size of the Citadel and his own task list for the day (which had included a trip to the library anyway), it seems more productive to just lead her there himself. ]
I can take you there.
[ Though it appears his manners are still somewhat lacking....he doesn't wait for agreement or acknowledgement before striding off, expecting that Gray will automatically follow behind. ]
You'll find plenty of information on the Regent [ 🙄 ] as well as the history of Achamoth but not much on the history of Aions, if that's what you're looking for.
[ Then again, maybe he'd just happened to pick all the wrong corners of the library to start his own search in. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-05 05:24 am (UTC)After a split second of surprise, she jogs to catch up with him, her much shorter stride quick by necessity but unlabored. It's generous of him to show her the way... or, maybe, he just has a lot of time to kill. ]
Nothing on the Aions... I wonder why?
[ She wasn't thinking of anything in particular she wanted to read about other than a nebulous "everything," but it sounds like the topics have already been narrowed down for her. She knows of the concept of censorship, of course, but she wonders if she should even speculate about that out loud. There are ears literally all around them, after all, and she gets the feeling that she shouldn't do or say anything that might throw her loyalty into doubt. ]
Since they treat us... the way they do, I thought there would be documentation. Or old stories, like in mythology.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-05 03:19 pm (UTC)There might be, elsewhere.
[ If only the Regent would let them out of Achamoth....he's starting to get restless. There's only so much he can learn from within the walls of a city heavily steeped in fanatic cult worship. Already nonreligious by nature, Eustace has quickly found the city to be more than he can take most days. ]
But the city of Achamoth concerns itself primarily with the Regent, and us Aions are seen as simply extensions of their power.
[ Or so the texts seem to imply. The waters are murky on the subject, and all he's really learned is that the Regent had been the one to bring them all here. Which is suspicious as hell, but unlike some parties he's not about to start broadcasting his suspicions aloud for everyone to hear. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-07 04:41 am (UTC)... Speaking of names, ]
By the way, what should I call you? I said so much about myself last time, but I realized I don't know much about you...
no subject
Date: 2022-05-07 02:44 pm (UTC)He will, however, let the conversation lapse into silence as they walk down the hallway and turn a corner, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the air. Finally: ]
Eustace.
[ Eustace and Gray, proud members of the No Last Name club. Also, that appears to be it from him. Hm. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-09 05:29 pm (UTC)Mr. Eustace... Um, what did you do before before you came here?
[ He asked her, so this is her right to ask as well!! ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-09 06:56 pm (UTC)I went on assignments given to me by my superiors. Not unlike what the Regent has us doing here.
[ That's....vague enough, right? Not technically a lie but not the full truth either. Maybe she'll be satisfied with that as an answer. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-10 05:15 am (UTC)And... what kinds of books do you like reading?
[ Since it sounds like he did a thorough job of going through the library... ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-10 07:45 pm (UTC)Their footsteps echo some more, uneven click clacks, as they pass servants scuttling through the halls and closed doors. ]
I don't really have a preference.
[ Is that a cheater's answer......? Or just a really boring man's answer. Doesn't matter, the next corner they turn will lead them to....the library! Conveniently placed and timed for all my RP needs. ]
This is it. There should be servants inside able to help you find what you need.
[ Since apparently his own visit is being interruped by a call from Ciel.... Ganba Gray, you're on your own now. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-05-12 01:52 pm (UTC)Ah, thank you, Mr. Eustace!
[ He really is nice, if socially unwieldy. She knows the type a little too well. She watches him go before tip-toeing into the library for a hearty dose of Regent propaganda... ]