"not here right now.
leave a message. will get back to you soon.
probably."
TEXT
CALL
VIDEO
NOTE: As of 12/2016, Rey has adopted the alias "Fiona Stransky" when working with the Guard. Something to keep in mind, as Rey maintains a low profile with her involvement in the group. Other than what is mentioned in the Guard records, there is no trace of a "Fiona" identified on the network.
[He'll just wait outside in his garden rather than in the shed, nervously pruning away at coilers while he waits for her to arrive. He'd rather not make a big deal out of this... even if it is a big deal to him.
[Considering their last encounter in that alternate reality of theirs, the prospect of whatever this meeting could be about makes Rey somewhat on edge. While she and Maketh have sorted things out between their feelings, the strange and ridiculous events that they had dragged Carlisle into is... surreal. How valid is any of their actions if it happens in what feels like a different life?
[Rey is quiet when she approaches the garden, hands in her pockets as she looks down at Carlisle.]
[Thankfully, Carlisle hears Rey coming and isn't startled. His mind has been occupied lately, his thoughts heavy. He cannot drown them in alcohol, so he busies himself to stifle them, to minimize their effects upon his conscience. He's only met with limited success in that regard, but he made a promise of sobriety to his partner, and he doesn't intend to break it.
Though some of his thoughts are not as weighty, they are complicated nonetheless, especially with this communion he has entered with Glacius. That's why he invited Rey here -- though Glacius and Carlisle have both defied the customs of their people with this pact, the clergyman would like to maintain some semblance of a proper courtship.
And doing things the proper way means a proper hunt, an activity at which, to absolutely no one's surprise, Carlisle is very poor.
He sets his plant aside, the pruning shears still in hand as he heads for the shed.]
Let us talk inside, if that's all right. It's nothing serious, I assure you. Well... serious for you. It is quite serious for me.
[He unlocks the door and opens it, stepping aside to allow Rey in.]
[Now that doesn't bode well. No matter what he says, Rey can't help her reservations about the gravity of why he called her out here when he could have just as easily told her over their phones. If it's privacy he's worried about, there are other ways...
[Oh well. She can't complain, seeing that Rey is hardly a fan of network communication anyway. Too many risks of their conversations being overheard, no matter how mundane and innocuous they might be.]
Ah. All right.
[Ladies first it is, then. She enters the shed, scrutinizing the place just to make sure nothing's off. Carlisle isn't the shrewd type -- even his sinister clone that tried to take his place was a failure at cunning. But you can never be too careful.]
[Nothing about the place seems off: the shed itself is fairly spacious on the inside, with one half dedicated to being a storage and work area, and the other a sitting room of sorts. The half closest to the door features a makeshift closet -- presumably for gardening tools -- and a work table that's currently host to a few plants waiting to be repotted. The ground gives way to a wooden floor past the table, making the other half of the building look far more like a home away from home. There's a small pallet bed, a coffee table, a couple of chairs, and even a shrine of sorts in the corner. Natural materials are everywhere, from the wood of the floor to the furs on the bed, to the very maw made of various rocks and bones on the shrine.
There's only one standout, something not nearly as natural as the rest of the room: on the coffee table is a piece of jagged metal, within which he's placed a few rocks he found particularly lovely. He's clearly using it as a decoration, but its unnatural hue does make it a bit of an anomaly in an otherwise organic room.
He directs her to the chairs, taking a seat in one himself after he closes the door. The clergyman debates inwardly with himself for only a second before just getting to the meat of the subject:]
[It starts off normal enough. On the surface, this could be nothing more than a house call. Carlisle's helped her ass after a few scrapes, so it's only fair for her to return the favor, right?
[His proposal gives her pause, though.]
What.
You mean, with you? ["Not 'for' you?" she means to imply.] What for?
[He clears his throat, wringing his fingers together.]
Well, there are certain rituals where I come from that require one to procure a gift for their, um, intended, and said gift needs to be made from materials gathered during a hunt performed by the party imparting the gift. And they need not go alone, though usually they do, especially people of my social standing, but as slaying wild beasts is not exactly my specialty, I thought that, ah. P- perhaps I could ask you, a skilled pyromancer and presumably soldier of some sort, for your assistance in this endeavor. I could- I would repay you in any way I could, of course.
[He uses a lot more words than necessary to describe the situation, but the details are appreciated nevertheless.
[Rey just sighs, supposing that she does make good on her word that she protect Carlisle when necessary. Just because she hasn't seen Shadow around doesn't make that concern any less valid.]
A hunt, huh? [She folds her arms. Strange practice.] And the only things you can really catch are out in the caves -- or the sharks in the lake.
[Both aren't exactly places that someone like Carlisle has any business venturing alone.]
You have any particular "beast" in mind, or will just any one do?
[Rey sounds just as thrilled. She doesn't do well, fighting alongside others, even those who have experience. But with someone who's just as hopeless at combat as he is with social graces? Disastrous.]
If you say so. Haven't been in the tunnels for a while, but it probably won't take long for something to show up.
[There's an awkward pause after a quiet sigh, as though this venture is already weighing on him before it's even begun. He clears his throat again seconds later.]
I am, ah. Required to properly compensate for the services of a mercenary when it comes to this. I suppose you know what skills I have to offer -- healing, tea, minor enchanting. I'm afraid I'm not terribly versed in what, er... would be considered valuable to someone who is partially a construct, given my inexperience with t- technology. [And outright fear of it.] I suppose if nothing else, I will be indebted to you.
[Compensation? Mercenary? Rey blinks before she focuses on the contents of what he's saying.]
Is that necessary? Don't really want anything, and I also don't care for you to have any more of that "debt" shit hanging over your head.
[Seriously. She'd seen how much it fucked with Carlisle with Shadow. She doesn't want to contribute to that any more than she already did when he first got here, thinking she was some other woman from a spaceship.
[Weird times indeed, and regardless of how it affected him with Shadow -- and still affects him, which he will never admit aloud to anyone -- he seems insistent about this.]
It isn't as though I'd be making amends to you as I was before, Miss Rey. This- this would be a simple barter, rather. Paying for your services.
So long as the exchange is fair and doesn't leave you feeling inclined to do more afterwards...
[Leave it to Rey be annoyed about getting too much in return of services.]
What do you have in mind? [It isn't like she's just going to look through Carlisle's stuff and take whatever looks useful, even if he might have come to expect that from certain individuals.]
[Carlisle hasn't put much thought into how he'd pay for this, aside from 'well, should you ever be mauled by someone or shot by a shirtless maniac again, my healing skills are yours.' He weaves his fingers together, his brow knitting as his eyes settle onto the table before him... and onto the metal decoration that sits there.]
Are you a smith of any sort, by chance? I have seen you in armor before.
You mean the Exurosuit? No, it was... It was designed for me. Didn't make it though. Just fix it up sometimes -- routine maintenance.
[Whatever it is he's thinking, it's probably a better trade-off than his own healing talents. And not just because she knows for a fact that he'd do that on-call anyway.]
Ah. I just— I had a passing thought that perhaps this might be of some use to you.
[He picks up the metal plate on the table, sliding the rocks off of it.]
I know it isn't exactly armor, but it's a stronger steel than I am accustomed to. It isn't... exactly valuable, I suppose, but if you could find a use for it, it'd be better off than it is here.
I found it a while back. Before I had my garden proper, I'd set out to do some digging when the false gods so demanded it of us. I just wanted the tools and soil really, but I found that while planting some flowers. An odd thing to be buried, but I was curious, and so I took it with me.
[She takes a moment to look at it. Despite all the knowledge she has crammed into her head, her past selves aren't quite specialists in every field... nice as that would be.]
Well, am no metallurgist, but it might be useful. Can't tell if it came from a weapon or armor... or one of those Null.
[audio]
Um. Sure. Will be right over.
[audio] → [action]
[He'll just wait outside in his garden rather than in the shed, nervously pruning away at coilers while he waits for her to arrive. He'd rather not make a big deal out of this... even if it is a big deal to him.
no subject
[Rey is quiet when she approaches the garden, hands in her pockets as she looks down at Carlisle.]
What do you need?
no subject
Though some of his thoughts are not as weighty, they are complicated nonetheless, especially with this communion he has entered with Glacius. That's why he invited Rey here -- though Glacius and Carlisle have both defied the customs of their people with this pact, the clergyman would like to maintain some semblance of a proper courtship.
And doing things the proper way means a proper hunt, an activity at which, to absolutely no one's surprise, Carlisle is very poor.
He sets his plant aside, the pruning shears still in hand as he heads for the shed.]
Let us talk inside, if that's all right. It's nothing serious, I assure you. Well... serious for you. It is quite serious for me.
[He unlocks the door and opens it, stepping aside to allow Rey in.]
no subject
[Oh well. She can't complain, seeing that Rey is hardly a fan of network communication anyway. Too many risks of their conversations being overheard, no matter how mundane and innocuous they might be.]
Ah. All right.
[Ladies first it is, then. She enters the shed, scrutinizing the place just to make sure nothing's off. Carlisle isn't the shrewd type -- even his sinister clone that tried to take his place was a failure at cunning. But you can never be too careful.]
no subject
There's only one standout, something not nearly as natural as the rest of the room: on the coffee table is a piece of jagged metal, within which he's placed a few rocks he found particularly lovely. He's clearly using it as a decoration, but its unnatural hue does make it a bit of an anomaly in an otherwise organic room.
He directs her to the chairs, taking a seat in one himself after he closes the door. The clergyman debates inwardly with himself for only a second before just getting to the meat of the subject:]
I need you to go on a hunt with me, Miss Rey.
no subject
[His proposal gives her pause, though.]
What.
You mean, with you? ["Not 'for' you?" she means to imply.] What for?
no subject
[He clears his throat, wringing his fingers together.]
Well, there are certain rituals where I come from that require one to procure a gift for their, um, intended, and said gift needs to be made from materials gathered during a hunt performed by the party imparting the gift. And they need not go alone, though usually they do, especially people of my social standing, but as slaying wild beasts is not exactly my specialty, I thought that, ah. P- perhaps I could ask you, a skilled pyromancer and presumably soldier of some sort, for your assistance in this endeavor. I could- I would repay you in any way I could, of course.
no subject
[Rey just sighs, supposing that she does make good on her word that she protect Carlisle when necessary. Just because she hasn't seen Shadow around doesn't make that concern any less valid.]
A hunt, huh? [She folds her arms. Strange practice.] And the only things you can really catch are out in the caves -- or the sharks in the lake.
[Both aren't exactly places that someone like Carlisle has any business venturing alone.]
You have any particular "beast" in mind, or will just any one do?
no subject
It needs to be an appropriate challenge -- for both of us, given you are a far more skilled warrior than I am.
[He's more of a worrier than a warrior.]
no subject
[She knows this well enough just from her ventures into the caves on her own, in addition to Sato.]
What sort of gift do you have in mind?
no subject
[Or decide on the way. Or between now and their hunt. It's a work in progress.]
no subject
Otherwise there might be some things in the tunnels that you could make do with.
[Pause.]
Does this mean you have to come along?
no subject
[And he doesn't sound happy about that at all.]
I suppose I would prefer the tunnels, if I have a choice in this matter. We don't have to go far into them. Just... far enough.
no subject
[Rey sounds just as thrilled. She doesn't do well, fighting alongside others, even those who have experience. But with someone who's just as hopeless at combat as he is with social graces? Disastrous.]
If you say so. Haven't been in the tunnels for a while, but it probably won't take long for something to show up.
no subject
[There's an awkward pause after a quiet sigh, as though this venture is already weighing on him before it's even begun. He clears his throat again seconds later.]
I am, ah. Required to properly compensate for the services of a mercenary when it comes to this. I suppose you know what skills I have to offer -- healing, tea, minor enchanting. I'm afraid I'm not terribly versed in what, er... would be considered valuable to someone who is partially a construct, given my inexperience with t- technology. [And outright fear of it.] I suppose if nothing else, I will be indebted to you.
no subject
Is that necessary? Don't really want anything, and I also don't care for you to have any more of that "debt" shit hanging over your head.
[Seriously. She'd seen how much it fucked with Carlisle with Shadow. She doesn't want to contribute to that any more than she already did when he first got here, thinking she was some other woman from a spaceship.
[Weird times.]
no subject
It isn't as though I'd be making amends to you as I was before, Miss Rey. This- this would be a simple barter, rather. Paying for your services.
no subject
So long as the exchange is fair and doesn't leave you feeling inclined to do more afterwards...
[Leave it to Rey be annoyed about getting too much in return of services.]
What do you have in mind? [It isn't like she's just going to look through Carlisle's stuff and take whatever looks useful, even if he might have come to expect that from certain individuals.]
no subject
[Carlisle hasn't put much thought into how he'd pay for this, aside from 'well, should you ever be mauled by someone or shot by a shirtless maniac again, my healing skills are yours.' He weaves his fingers together, his brow knitting as his eyes settle onto the table before him... and onto the metal decoration that sits there.]
Are you a smith of any sort, by chance? I have seen you in armor before.
no subject
[Oh.]
You mean the Exurosuit? No, it was... It was designed for me. Didn't make it though. Just fix it up sometimes -- routine maintenance.
[Whatever it is he's thinking, it's probably a better trade-off than his own healing talents. And not just because she knows for a fact that he'd do that on-call anyway.]
no subject
[He picks up the metal plate on the table, sliding the rocks off of it.]
I know it isn't exactly armor, but it's a stronger steel than I am accustomed to. It isn't... exactly valuable, I suppose, but if you could find a use for it, it'd be better off than it is here.
[Also, it's an eyesore in his cabin.]
no subject
Huh. Where did you get this?
no subject
no subject
[She takes a moment to look at it. Despite all the knowledge she has crammed into her head, her past selves aren't quite specialists in every field... nice as that would be.]
Well, am no metallurgist, but it might be useful. Can't tell if it came from a weapon or armor... or one of those Null.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)