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Prime brings Aya to Tayane, when he has enough mana for the trip and she's reviewed her old notes about the things she'll need to know. They split up once in town - she speaks a few sentences of Esevi so he'll be able to communicate, and she heads to the market office alone so it doesn't look like he's trying to steal her.
She goes barefoot, blank-heeled.
No time has passed. The fellow behind the counter recognizes her. "What are you doing back here?"
"I claim Aelare's blessing," says Aya firmly. "I want my papers updated."
"Your cart fell into a magic?" surmises the clerk.
"Yes, and I'm -" She lifts her foot to show off her clean heel.
This makes it much easier for the security guard manning the door to knock her over and get her hands and feet in shackles.
They pat her down; they take her necklace, they take the mirror Prime gave her in case she ran into any trouble, they take her holy water and hit her when she tries to speak to Prime or Perinixu for help and she doesn't get any words out. They haul her into a side room.
"AELARE'S BLESSING," exclaims Aya. "Look at my -"
"Wrong province, as of last week," says the clerk. "In Tharlo the gods aren't allowed to steal any recoverable property anymore. Were there any other survivors from the accident?"
Aya stares at him.
He slaps her hard across the face and repeats his question.
Aya murmurs, "No, sir."
-------
She doesn't look like she's pushing a century of age.
No time has passed.
She has - she still has? - her grace, when she's made to shuffle into a different holding pen. But the magic could have done that.
Magics can do anything.
No time has passed.
Magics can do anything. A magic could give her minor augmented abilities. It would be trivially easy to find a new outfit and a necklace and little bottles of water inside one.
Magics have been known to alter memory. They won't give her her belongings back to check to see if the water and the mirror really connect to people on the other ends.
And no time has passed.
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namesthesky
darkest_evening
"Thank you for that. What's the nearest non-slavery country, and are there provinces that accept Aelare's blessing between there and here?"
namesthesky
"Tsopix. We border the provinces of Viore and Oyin, either of which would be on the way, but last time I checked the entire country accepted Aelare's blessing, so obviously my information's out of date."
darkest_evening
"Well, then anyone that would like to stay in the country but be free can ask on the way to Tsopix. Any issues with that, anyone?"
namesthesky
"Any," says Aya. "If you're missing family you need us to fetch or -"
"My baby," squeaks a woman not much older than Aya's apparent age.
"Okay. Where's your baby?"
"W-with her father. He named her free."
"...Oh. That's going to be a lot harder. But tell us who the father is and we'll - look into it."
"My baby," squeaks a woman not much older than Aya's apparent age.
"Okay. Where's your baby?"
"W-with her father. He named her free."
"...Oh. That's going to be a lot harder. But tell us who the father is and we'll - look into it."
darkest_evening
"We will," promises Prime gently. "First, though, I think I need to get you and everyone else here somewhere safe. I'll go find the keys."
He flies off to go do that. Is there an issue with, say, the police?
He flies off to go do that. Is there an issue with, say, the police?
The office has a large CLOSED sign up in the door, but there are no police immediately evident.
darkest_evening
Oh good. He doesn't have to kill people. So that's nice. Sort of. Not really. He somewhat wants to kill people, or at least break things, but the after effects of doing so are so messy. So he won't.
The owner's still inside. So he knocks.
The owner's still inside. So he knocks.
The owner shakes his head vigorously and then draws the blinds so Adarin can no longer see inside.
darkest_evening
Well then.
Is the door locked? The door is locked. How annoying.
Prime rolls his eyes, has a brief debate over if he really cares about the safety of the door, and then neatly slices the lock's offending non-entry bolt with a shield. The door opens, and in he goes.
Is the door locked? The door is locked. How annoying.
Prime rolls his eyes, has a brief debate over if he really cares about the safety of the door, and then neatly slices the lock's offending non-entry bolt with a shield. The door opens, and in he goes.
"Augh!" exclaims the owner. "Get out of here! Closed, we're closed!"
darkest_evening
"I'm retrieving stolen property," says Prime dryly. "And also the keys."
"Get out! We're closed! Security -"
Security is a fellow with a club and a whip who comes in from the back door and attempts to loom at Prime. "The boss said out," says Security.
Security is a fellow with a club and a whip who comes in from the back door and attempts to loom at Prime. "The boss said out," says Security.
darkest_evening
Security gets a look that accurately communicates the phrase, 'Are you stupid'?
"The whip is an interesting touch," he observes. "But I'm afraid I'm out of my 'experimental' phase. Alas."
"You're trespassing," says Security, drawing the club. Apparently the whip isn't for throwing out people like Prime. "Get out of the boss's office."
The boss has scurried out the back door.
The boss has scurried out the back door.
darkest_evening
"Certainly. As soon as I retrieve everything that needs retrieving."
He is not intimidated in the slightest by Security or his club. He's faced down Lynn, his sister, and the apocalypse. A club? Ooo, scary.
He is not intimidated in the slightest by Security or his club. He's faced down Lynn, his sister, and the apocalypse. A club? Ooo, scary.
"If you dropped something you'll have to come back for it when we're open," says Security implacably, and he shoves Adarin in the chest with the club towards the door.
darkest_evening
Prime is now annoyed.
"I don't recommend shoving me again," he says, almost pleasantly, and he slices the club in half lengthwise with a shield. "Now shoo."
"I don't recommend shoving me again," he says, almost pleasantly, and he slices the club in half lengthwise with a shield. "Now shoo."
The guard is alarmed by the abrupt loss of half his club.
He doesn't shoo, he just sort of stands there.
He doesn't shoo, he just sort of stands there.
darkest_evening
"Shoo," he growls, and gone is any trace of pleasantry. It is an order. Punctuated by Prime floating a foot off the ground.
The guard attempts to tackle him.
darkest_evening
Sigh. He tried.
Dodging involves flying to the ceiling, looking down on the guard with an expression that says, 'Really'? and then hitting him with his staff. On the head. Hard.
Dodging involves flying to the ceiling, looking down on the guard with an expression that says, 'Really'? and then hitting him with his staff. On the head. Hard.
The guard is not literally knocked unconscious, but he does stagger.
darkest_evening
"Go away, please," sighs Prime. "Killing you would make an annoying mess."
Stagger, stagger, roar, attempt at grabbing.
darkest_evening
Dodge. It's easy, he's all stumbly and Prime is flying.
Why is it so much more annoying to leave someone alive than to not kill them? It's like the universe is punishing morality. Ugh.
Prime's go to solution: hit it again.
Why is it so much more annoying to leave someone alive than to not kill them? It's like the universe is punishing morality. Ugh.
Prime's go to solution: hit it again.