An appointment with heirtothearcane

[chiron_survivor]

Adia sits eagerly in the waiting room of Viatorus's office, a small notebook and pen in her hands. Surprised that the dreamwalker had agreed to meet with her so soon after Khan's invasion, she leapt at the chance anyway. The anti-violence was restored, after all, and Isidor surely wouldn't have let her brother return to the Nexus if any danger remained.

In a way, Adia, too, was restored, freed from a filthy settlement and returned to her spaceship. She is once again dressed semi-professionally, her hair clean, the mottled bruise on the left side of her face the only reminder of her close call on New Caprica. More importantly, her heart is filled with hope -- hope for her people's future, and hope for her own.

Absently doodling a tulip in the corner of her notebook, she glances up every so often at the office door in anticipation of it opening. She can't wait to talk to Viatorus about the possibility of a research lab in the Nexus, one that caters to both magic and science. Oh, and maybe she should mention Iphigenia's idea of building a shrine to their gods in the Nexus, too...

And her nightmares. She's supposed to ask about how to stop her nightmares.

Her excitement tempered by the unpleasant reminder, she scratches out the tulip while she waits. By the time Viatorus arrives, it's nothing but an angry blue blot.

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

In a multiverse of extroverts, it's nice to know that she isn't the only one who has to struggle sometimes to talk to others. But on the topic of dreams, she seems quite comfortable. It doesn't hurt that she has a friendly cat sitting in her lap, either. She laughs brightly at the description of his dream. "Oh, wow. That sounds like something I'd dream after eating too much candy. Why did you create it? Were you testing your limits?"

Sometimes an outside perspective is necessary to realize such things. "It does sound precious, if it's tied to your magic." She smiles encouragingly. "All the same, I'm glad that you're open to other points of view."

"It's okay, I know what you meant." She lifts her hand reassuringly, then giggles when Lyra headbutts it. "Sorry," she tells the cat before resuming her petting. She responds to her friend's explanation with an uncharacteristic eye roll, but it's not directed at him. "People are only into dating as a means to an end, a relationship or someone to fool around with. I can't imagine anyone dating for the sake of dating." She pauses and adds thoughtfully, "Maybe if they're very social and outgoing. Maybe then it's fun."

[heirtothearcane]

It's nice to see Adia enjoy his descriptions, odd as they may be. Seeing people pleased by his anecdotes is still a relatively novel thing for him. "It was a young boy's dream. His dreams were unsettled, trying to understand something in his life. I don't know what. All I know is that he didn't understand the things around him and that the reverse marshmallow world made him happy. It made him feel safe. Secure."

She gets a smile in return. "Me too. I would hate to miss hearing about the wonders of science."

"It sounds very difficult," Viatorus agrees. "I think I'd rather stay at home with Lyra and read a book..." A small smile appears again and he jokes softly, "Maybe it's just as well my marriage was arranged."

[chiron_survivor]

The dream makes more sense now, that it's meant for a small child. "Marshmallows are safe," Adia muses aloud. "And things going in reverse..." Her expression turns distant for a moment or two. Who wouldn't like to turn back time, to undo awful things that have happened? But Adia worries that she is projecting too much of her own neuroses onto a boy's dream, so she keeps that thought to herself, returning her focus to Viatorus and smiling kindly. "How wonderful, that you could help him feel safe. You have a real gift."

"Can I ask you something?" Adia scratches behind Lyra's ears in lieu of having a scarf to fidget with. "Were you not taught much science as a kid? Or, um... sorry, I don't want to assume anything about your education. But it'd be nice to know what your baseline knowledge is." She pauses before adding helpfully, "My magic knowledge is zero, by the way. Aside from what you've told me."

She knows that he means his words humorously, but something about the way he says them makes her frown a little in concern. "It's stressful," she agrees. "But I'm sure that if you wanted to, you would have found someone on your own. You're very kind and a good listener, and... and you shouldn't have to be an extravert to find someone to love. I mean, I managed to do it. You would have been able to, too."

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus ducks his head, bashful this time but happy for the compliment. "Thank you. It's my favourite thing to do, help people feel safe in their dreams. Especially children. I always try to show them they have more strength and control than they think, and they always make such wonderful dreams. Honest ones. Pure."

When she asks about asking a question, he nods, only to then hum as he considers his response. "I was taught some... It's difficult to judge, because I don't know how much of science there is to learn in the first place... But if it's anything like magic, then not much. I understand the basics, and then anything that relates to magical practice. I know a little geography, because it's related to nature magic... And I know about the brain and the body, about how both react to sleep and dreams. That's the most science I've studied, because it's connected to my research."

"Oh..." He smiles and half laughs, dipping his head to hide his reddening cheeks. "Thank you, that's kind of you to say, b-but it's different." His lips flicker, widening his smile briefly. "You're intelligent and pretty. And I don't think your parents would scare people off like mine would."

[chiron_survivor]

"Children sometimes need that help the most, to feel safe." She knows that she shouldn't feel selfish about asking for Viatorus's help, but she hopes that she isn't taking time away from him that he could use to be helping children. She smiles wistfully. "I wish we had someone with your powers in our fleet. For the kids, more than anyone."

She relaxes a little, glad that he didn't take her question the wrong way. "You're farther along than some people I know," she says, once he's done answering. Even people who don't have his excuse of a sheltered upbringing. "You probably know more about the brain than I do, I only took an introduction to psychology course. Was there anything you found especially interesting?"

"But you're pretty, too," she replies in honest confusion before adding hastily, "Handsome, sorry." She blushes as well, but it's her own fault for trying to deflect a compliment with an awkward one of her own. Clearing her throat, she tries again. "What I mean is, you aren't any less nice-looking than I am. But, um... you may have a point about your parents. My dad was a lot like me and my mom was always so happy I was seeing someone that she usually welcomed them with open arms. What about your parents would have scared people off? Their magic?"

[heirtothearcane]

"I wish I could spend more time doing it, for everyone," he admits. "But I'm glad I can help some people, like you, o-or at least try to."

"The REM cycles were interesting. I don't think I really understood everything about the brain chemistry, but it's helped me learn how to refine my walking when I need to." Despite dreams being his specialty it feels a little misleading to be too confident in his own abilities when he understands the science so little. "Did learning some psychology help you?"

The points he made felt less like compliments and more like facts. Nice facts, but facts nonetheless. Somehow he didn't expect to have his comments turned back on him. He also clears his throat a little and straightens his tie to stop himself from fidgeting or feeling his cheeks burn brighter. "Um, well, um, partially. Their reputation too. And... well." Viatorus' eyes flicker away as he imagines any one of his friends meeting his parents personally. He pulls at his collar and then clasps his hands together. "My, um. My father is... um... He's... Some people call him 'der Drache'. It means 'the dragon'. He's... very... very formal. Stern. Powerful a-a-and knowledgeable too, of course, but... he's... ah, well, scary sometimes."

[chiron_survivor]

"There's only so much any one person can do. And you don't want to burn yourself out, either." She knows personally how the impulse to help others, to put their needs above your own, can get out of hand. "The fact that you're willing to help people in the Nexus is incredibly generous of you." Like herself, which he already pointed out. She briefly wishes that Viatorus could make her dream run backwards, too... but that wouldn't work, would it. Then she'd be following Caspar into the underworld. A world full of marshmallow people sounds awfully comforting, though.

"I wish I could help you there, but my knowledge of brain chemistry is limited to prion diseases which are... um, not pleasant." She frowns thoughtfully at his question, the lessons she learned her freshman year of college nearly a decade old. "I guess so... I liked learning about brain biology, and how neurons work." She shifts a little in her seat, mindful of the cat in her lap. "But I knew right away that I didn't want to make a career out of it. Human behavior is so... nebulous. Too many variables. I much prefer studying something specific and concrete."

Relieved as she is that he moves past her weird attempt at reassurance, she hopes that he doesn't think that she's only saying he looks nice to make him feel better. It hasn't been her experience for men to worry about such things. Although maybe with a father like the one he describes, self-confidence is that much harder to come by. "He does sound scary," she says sympathetically. "Was he like that with you? Formal?"

[heirtothearcane]

For a minute he's not sure what to say, but he eventually settles on, "Thank you." Again he hesitates before continuing. "It doesn't feel like much at all. Especially when bad things happen and I can't help. Perhaps... Perhaps one day I'll manage to give lots of people good dreams in one go. Not that it would do much, but..." It's all he's got.

Curiosity nearly has him asking what prion diseases are, but a flash of sense suggest that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't want to know. Thankfully it doesn't take much to distract him from that thought. "That's understandable. I like working with people and the human mind... but I'm not as good when it's not in the dreamlands. In their dreams people are more... honest. Not everyone is when they're awake."

"Yes," Viatorus laughs nervously before he can help himself, his hands fidgeting again. "Yes, he's like that with everyone. Even his children. He, um, he taught Isidor and I a little on his area of study, but he's a busy man, and important. We don't speak much on anything other than study and business. I think he wants to treat everyone equally, no matter who they are."

[chiron_survivor]

"I know the feeling," she says with a soft, wry laugh. "After everything that's happened recently, I've tried very hard not to beat myself up over not being able to do more." Encounters with Cylon ex-boyfriends non-withstanding. "But is that possible, what you're describing? To give a lot of dreams at once?"

Adia is more than fine with not elaborating on the nature of mad cow disease and its human variants. His confession makes her smile at how well she can relate. "It's harder to help people when they aren't being honest," she agrees. "But the body doesn't lie. Maybe that's why I've grown comfortable with first aid."

His description of his father shouldn't surprise her, based on what he's said before about his parents, but it's still sad to hear, made even sadder by how accepting he sounds of it. She's known people with cold, distant fathers before, but never has it been presented so equitably. She wishes she could comfort him somehow, but she doesn't know where to start. "I'm sorry," she says finally, giving Lyra extra attention by way of compensation. "My dad wasn't anything like that... I wish you could have met him. He would have treated you a lot differently."

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus pulls a sympathetic smile, then takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling as he considers her question. "I'm sure it is. It's avoiding any unexpected side effects that's the problem. Everyone having the same dream would be easiest, but not as nice as one that's tailored to them. Then there's avoiding creating a psychic link, and only picking certain people, and making the dream secure, making sure no negativity influences the dream... Dreams are delicate things."

"That's true." A thought occurs to him and he smiles sheepishly. "I don't think I'd have a steady enough hands or nerve for it, personally. Although you must be good at that, dealing with small things like you do."

"It's all right," he's quick to say. If he were in her position he'd apologise too, but it's something he'd long since gotten used to. "Your dad sounds like he was a good father. He had a sense for it. Mine... Durants are good at studying, at working. I would have liked to meet your father too. He must have been a good man to raise a daughter like you."

[chiron_survivor]

"That's a lot of conditions," Adia murmurs. Although they all make sense, in a strange sort of way. Trying to give that many dreams at once is bound to be difficult, barely within in the grasp of a skilled mage. "I think it would be amazing, to accomplish something like that. Tell me more about the psychic link? Could two people share a dream that you've created?"

"Preparing slides and petri slides has given me a lot of practice," she says with a small smile. A smile that fades when she thinks about the other quality he's mentioned. Nerves. "It was scary at first, especially when I didn't know what to do yet. And it's so hard to see people in pain. But I... I've seen worse. And when you can help, it takes away a lot of the fear."

Adia blushes bashfully at the double compliment. "He was," she says finally, scratching gentle lines into Lyra's fur. It's her father who deserves the praise, not her. There's a lot she could say about her father, how warm and caring he was, how he always found a way to balance the demands of work and family, but that feels too much like bragging. "Has your father met Runa? Or, um, is he too busy for that?"

[heirtothearcane]

It shouldn't make him so glad or proud as it does to hear another academic sympathise with the difficulties of his area, but it feels like such a rare thing. Without noticing, he bounces on his seat a little. "Certainly. Psychic links depend on the people and the method of connection, of course, but it's not hard to get some kind of connection. Like, ah, empathetic links are quite common. Especially with empaths who make them naturally, instinctively. Dreams deal with the subconscious so it's much easier for psychic abilities to work with, like clairvoyancy or mediumship. So bringing two people together for a dream could potentially forge a strong psychic link between them."

Viatorus mirrors her smile when she confirms his suspicions, but he sobers again and nods as she continues. Then his smile returns. "That's wonderful, Adia. Not everyone faces what scares them. I'm glad you could do that, and it's helped other people too, not just you."

Lyra decides it's a good idea to find the closest bit of bare skin and start licking helpfully. Her antics give Viatorus something to smile at while they talk about his father. "He met her when our families met to go over the terms of our engagement. I don't think he really wanted to be there though." He laughs nervously. "Runa's family is a bit... cheerful for him, I think."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia never would have expected to relate so easily to a magic user, but his talk of academia reminds her so strongly of her own. It's not quite the scientific method, but there is an internal consistency to his research that she can follow well enough. His explanation of how psychic links are formed makes sense to her, despite it only being the stuff of fantasy on her world. So far as she knows, anyway. "Empath?" she echoes, unfamiliar with the term, before frowning thoughtfully. "Doesn't sound like a psychic link is something you'd want to happen accidentally... I can't think of anyone I'd want to be that closely connected to... not currently, anyway."

There's another bashful look in response to his praise, but this time it's accompanied by a small smile. She's learning to accept his compliments with grace, especially when he delivers them so kindly. "Thanks. It feels good to help others." She pauses a moment before adding wryly, "And it's still less scary than going to a party where I don't know anyone."

That patch of bare skin happens to be Adia's throat, previously covered by her floral scarf that is now safely tugged away. Adia giggles in surprise at the sensation of scratchy cat tongue. "Lyra!" she protests through another laugh, gently pushing her head away. She resumes her previous petting, if only to encourage the cat to settle on her lap and stop making trouble. "Oh, gosh. That sounds awkward." And kind of funny, too. It serves his dad right, to be besieged by a family that isn't afraid to show happiness. "That's nice to hear that her family is cheerful. Do you get along with them? It could be nice to have them for in-laws." Or a nightmare, if they're the type of cheerful that never leaves you alone.

[heirtothearcane]

"No, it's… it's not something you'd want to make carelessly," he agrees, the smile on his face almost a cringe at the idea of it. "Not unless you were able to control it extremely well." He takes a deep breath to move back into the comfortable area of explanations. "An empath is someone who tunes into another person's emotions on a psychic level. There are a lot of people who are empathic without knowing it. They're often dismissed as 'sensitive', but it can be very powerful and confusing. Everything varies, of course." He hesitates and then taps his chest once before fidgeting. "I'm an empath. A reasonably mediocre one, but I think it helps a lot with dreamwalking."

It's not often that it happens, but Viatorus laughs and only barely attempts to stop himself at her joke. His mouth pinches as he composes himself again and he straightens his straight tie. "I-It's only 'pretty scary' then."

"If it was I was too distracted to notice," he admits. He watches Lyra get distracted again and start headbutting Adia's hand as it tries to push her away. Eventually she flops back onto her side. "I haven't talked to them much. We only once, but they seem nice. Her mother passed away, but she has a lot of sisters, and her father, of course. They all seem very close. More like your family."

[chiron_survivor]

"Are you able to make one on purpose?" she asks out of general curiosity. A psychic link would be incredibly useful in some circumstances, now that she thinks about it. "I was friends with a psychic. She was more the type to have visions, but sometimes they were from the point of view of someone else. She knew what the Cylons were thinking, a couple of times..."

Oh, that is something she's heard of, just not by that specific term. She blinks a little at his admission, but otherwise doesn't seem surprised. "Just mediocre?" she says in a gently disbelieving voice. "I think it must help a lot... I know what it's like to be called sensitive, though. Not that I'm anywhere close to being psychic." No, if she were truly an empath, she wouldn't have been blindsided by Caspar's behavior.

Her expression brightens at his laughter. It's one thing that they don't have in common, as she rarely stifles hers, but she's grateful to know someone who also appreciates the terror of small talk with strangers. "Right," she agrees, with a small giggle of her own. She settles back in her seat when Lyra flops over, her expression sobering. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that about her mother. What's her father like? I'm sure they'll all like you very much once they've gotten to know you." How could possibly not like him??

[heirtothearcane]

"Oh yes. Especially if you have any skill in it." His eyebrows lift and his head tilts in curiosity. "Oh? That must have been very interesting. Could she control it very well? My cousin is our family Seer. He gets visions too, but it's hard for him to control them. It can be hard for people to have abilities like that."

"A little more than mediocre, maybe, but only because I use it so much," he concedes. "If you were on my world I'm sure you would have been an empath. You have the heart for it, a-and you'd be a good one, I think." He pauses and his smile flickers. "But being an empath isn't always good. It's easier to be overloaded."

"Thank you." Now it's his turn to take the compliments, though he's a little more awkward in accepting it. "He's nice. Calm. Cheerful. I think he's been doted on by his daughters a bit."

[chiron_survivor]

"It was the same for my friend," Adia replies, surprised by the similarity. "She could call on her powers to see things, but sometimes there would be side effects... one of the times she helped me, she accidentally levitated a coffee table." She smiles, but there is a sadness in it. It has been a long time since she's seen her friend April. "She was a vampire, too, but I don't think that was related to her powers. What's your cousin like? I think you mentioned him to me once before."

It's not much of a success, to get him to admit that he's "a little more than mediocre" instead of "reasonably mediocre", but she'll take it. "You think so?" It's oddly flattering, although it sounds like being an empath comes with a price, not one she'd like to pay. She looks at him sympathetically, wishing that he didn't have to pay it, either. "I'm sorry if that happens to you... if that happened to you at all with my emotions. Is it ever overwhelming in the Nexus? Some of the people there have... um, strong personalities."

Now that she knows that he's an empath, she wonders if it's possible to project her hope for him a little harder, so that he knows she's being sincere. Seriously, how could anyone not like him? "That's sweet, that they care about him. How many daughters does he have?" She nearly suggests that Runa's father could become like a surrogate father for him, but that's an in-law dynamic she's only seen in the movies. Having no personal experience, she's reluctant to say anything. "Is he outgoing, too?"

[heirtothearcane]

"A vampire?" He blinks at Adia. For someone whose anxieties he can so easily relate to she has experienced a lot more in life than he thought. "I wonder if that affected her abilities at all…" At her question he nods. "I think I did. He's really very nice, but he gets confused sometimes. His visions mean that sometimes he's experiencing a different place and time to the rest of us, and he doesn't know where or when he really is." Remembering some of his cousin's more harmless antics brings a fond smile to his face. "His wife has quite the job taking care of him."

"You've got the patience and understanding to go with it," he says with a nod. "It's all right. You didn't overwhelm me. It's not the same when it's one person's most heartfelt emotions. It doesn't feel… bad. It's, hm… engaging. Strong personalities are a bit of a problem, but I meet as many calm people as strong. The Nexus is worth the risk. Crowds are difficult. If everyone is feeling bad, scared or angry or sad… That's the most overwhelming. I'm not good at focusing, at putting barriers up. There are empaths who can do that."

The pressures of making sure Runa and his family are all happy makes for a special kind of pressure. He's so focused on not disappointing everyone that his future in-laws liking him hasn't quite managed to be a worry yet. Otherwise he might be more appreciative of Adia's efforts. "He has five daughters. Runa's the youngest. I really only met him briefly. He could be? I'll find out soon, I'm sure."

[chiron_survivor]

"I met her in the Nexus," Adia explains, lest he think that her universe has vampires. Would a vampire even be able to travel through space? "Or... a Nexus, anyway. She was a nice vampire, though. Very kind to me. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding..." She matches his fond smile, both at the nostalgia of her own memory and the fact that there is at least one other member of his family who is nice to him. "That sounds rough. How often does he have visions? What are they about, usually?"

Well, she can't argue with either of those things. She still doubts she'd want to be an actual empath. She has a difficult time not being overwhelmed by her own emotions, she'd likely drown in someone else's. "Oh, I'm glad," she says, relieved. "Please let me know if it's ever a problem... that's a shame about crowds, though." Once again, she gently shifts Lyra in her lap so she can lean forward worriedly. "You weren't here when Khan attacked, right? That was intense, even for me."

It's probably for the best that it isn't on his radar. He has enough to worry about -- an arranged marriage is starting to not sound any less stressful than throwing yourself into the dating scene. "Wow, five daughters... I guess the older ones are all married by now? Are they all mages? The dad, too?"

[heirtothearcane]

"I've never met a vampire before. It's nice to know that some of them are nice, and not all scary." It's an honest sentiment. What he's heard of vampires hasn't been particularly good, but the way Adia smiles it's clear they weren't reflective of her friend. "Some days he can have lots of small visions in a day, or none for months. I don't think it's regular for him. I think they're mostly about family. That's where he's put his focus. People come to him to scry about the future or the past, but that's not often. He always says that people are too fond of shooting the messenger."

"I wasn't. Isidor insisted I went home." The thought of it makes him quiet. "I'm glad she did. It all sounded... so terrible." He looks down, palm rubbing his knee. "You were there then? Did you... Did you... stay long?"

"They're all mages, and all married, yes." There's a hint of surprise in his tone. Whether she meant to guess so correctly or not is hard to tell. He can't help but wonder if she's getting a very clear understanding of the kind of world he lives in. "Only people from strong magical bloodlines are considered for marriage. It's, um, all a way to add to the bloodline rather than 'diluting' it."

[chiron_survivor]

"Are there vampires on your Earth?" She hopes it isn't absurd for her to ask. On a world where magic is real and gods talk to humans, it's hard for her to predict what is outlandish and what is commonplace. "We had scary stories of them, but I... you know, I try not to judge anyone in the Nexus based on their physical nature. If I did, I doubt I'd have any friends." She certainly never would have befriended any robots.

"That sounds inconvenient, that his visions are so unpredictable. Does he know when one's coming on?" The description reminds her of seizures, curiously enough, and she almost asks if his cousin also had them as a child, but she thinks better of it. That's not her business. But it does make her wonder if there's any sort of hereditary connection between the two. "That's unfortunate, that people react that way. My friend's visions weren't the most reassuring, but I appreciated them anyway."

"Good," she says immediately. "Good for her." She relaxes immediately at the news, leaning back again and rewarding Lyra's patience with a good head scratch. "It was pretty bad, yeah. Khan tore up nearly half the Industrial District looking for Jim..." She trails off without going into detail, not wanting to give him any disturbing images. "And I was there... for a while, actually. I was using my first aid training to help the injured, but I wasn't anywhere near the fighting."

Adia had not forgotten their earlier conversation of magic and bloodlines. It again reminds her of royalty, although she can't help but frown a little as she considers the converse of his statement. "What about people with weak magic? What do they do?"

[heirtothearcane]

"Yes. I-I think so. I mean, I've never actually seen one, or talked to one. But I've heard about them." He's quiet, nodding in agreement with her while she talks. "I try to as well. I'm… I'm not sure I'm very good at it, but I do try." He hesitates, wondering briefly whether to continue or not. "Sometimes… Sometimes when I'm finding it difficult I like to think that everyone has similar dreams. That no matter what they are or what they look like, a person still dreams of home and family, of fears and embarrassment… It makes people more normal when I think of that."

"If he can then he's never told us. There are times we're in the middle of a conversation and he'll start talking about something completely different, or calling me by the wrong name." To Viatorus it has always been described exclusively as a magical or divine affliction. Associating it with physical maladies never even crossed his mind. "Was she careful about who she shared her visions with? I suppose as a vampire she could always take care of herself if it brought her any trouble."

Viatorus' shoulders shake as a shiver runs down his spine. He swallows hard and takes a deep breath. "I should visit him. I should visit all my friends. Everything's been so chaotic… I…" He glances at Adia and sighs, shoulders lifting guiltily. "I don't know what to do out there. All I can do is be glad that people like you are around to help."

"Whatever they like," he answers with a blink. It takes him a minute to realise where the confusion might be. "It's my family that only considers people with strong magic for marriage. Well, not just my family, but mainly mine. Some mages live like normal people in normal families. They're able to marry whoever they like."

[chiron_survivor]

As much as she'd like to reassure him that he's good at not judging others, she can't really know. She's human, after all, about as harmless as they come. She's more sure of it, though, when he explains himself. "That's a wonderful sentiment," she says, smiling appreciatively. "I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I meet someone very different from myself."

"That sudden, then," she murmurs, her brow creased in thought. If she didn't know that his cousin was a Seer, she'd assume it was some sort of delirium. Good thing he has others looking out for him. "I'm not sure, actually. I know that she was very generous with her ability in the Nexus." Laughing a little, she adds, "Yeah, she could definitely take care of herself. She had super strength and speed, and was a skilled fighter... she was beautiful, too, and so kind. Sometimes I wished that I could be more like her... minus the blood-drinking, of course."

Hearing the guilt in his voice, she places a reassuring hand on his arm. "I stayed because I've been through something like that before," she explains. "But I spent just as much time helping other people to portals or shelter. I'm glad you weren't there. No one should have to witness something like that if they can help it." Lyra complains a little at being neglected, so Adia withdraws her hand and resumes petting her. "You know Jim, too?" if she holds Jim at fault at all for bringing Khan’s wrath to the Nexus, she doesn’t show it. "I have to admit, I'm incredibly jealous of the amount of research he's doing on his ship. It sounds light years ahead of mine."

"Oh." She blushes a little at her initial assumption, that only certain people could get married as a way of "culling the herd" of weak magic users. His answer sounds far less draconian. "Well, that's... good for them, I guess. Does that noticeably dilute the magical ability of future generations?"

[heirtothearcane]

Whether or not it actually ever helps Adia, V feels a knock of pride that she would consider his perspective in future. It brings a bright, if flickering, smile to his face and he dips his head in acknowledgement. "I hope it helps."

"The Nexus does allow people to be more generous," he says, both agreeing and thoughtful at once. As Adia lists off all the wonderful things about her friend, he briefly wonders how close they were. Seers do have a tendency to get close to people, though, when they can see and know such personal things. Not unlike himself. Viatorus smiles gently. "I've said that about Isidor before. N-Not the blood drinking part, but the rest. That's when I get told that the world needs people like me, like you, too. Oraskis always says it would be terrible if everyone was the same."

The reassuring contact surprises him, but he's quick to try for a smile to make sure she knows he doesn't mind it. It's kind of her to try and console him, but there's something there in the pit of his stomach, the tip of his tongue. The subject has changed onto Jim before he can properly put whatever it is into words. "I don't know him well, but I know him... Maybe he can show you some of the things in his world some day? Or would you think that's cheating, to see things from a more advanced world?"

"I've been told it does, but I don't really pay attention to that." He lifts his shoulders and smiles apologetically. "I don't usually take part in those conversations if I can help it. Isidor would have to, sometimes, but I avoid them. I'm more interested in the people and what sort of things they do than how powerful they are... But anyone who comes to my family's parties are busy trying to justify being there." He thinks for a minute. "I've heard of unexpectedly powerful mages whose heritage is barely traceable, so I suppose you don't need pure magical blood to be powerfully magical."

[chiron_survivor]

She smiles back, happy to see such a bright smile on his face, if only for a moment. "You've given me a lot to think about when it comes to dreams, applying them in ways I hadn't considered... somehow I don't think microscopic organisms are nearly as universal, although I'd be surprised to meet someone who didn't have bacteria on them somewhere."

Considering that she was a bridesmaid for her friend, they must have been fairly close. But as a shy, insecure newcomer to the Nexus, there might have been a natural imbalance to that friendship. She'd likely say the same thing about Isidor, if given a chance. "My mom used to say that it takes all kinds," she comments, in thoughtful agreement with his words. "We all have value, as people."

There's a slight pause before she replies. She can tell that something is eating away at him, but she doesn't want to pry. If it's more guilt at not being there to help, she could only tell him again how glad she was that he wasn't there. Rather than resent his innocence from war and violent destruction, she wants to preserve it. He didn't have the childhood that she had, so let him have the adulthood that she cannot. It's a fair trade, in her mind. "I only met him once," she replies, moving along, "But from the way he described his ship, I'd love a tour." She shrugs a little at the question. "No... I mean, it's... it's a little like reading a science fiction novel, you know? I can see the advanced technology, but I can't reverse engineer it." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "And honestly, if there was something I could use, I'd jump at the chance. Our fleet needs all the help it can get."

Adia listens to his explanation with growing unease as it dawns on her that her question might be considered inappropriate in certain social circles. She blushes, embarrassed that her scientific curiosity got the best of her. "Sorry, I... I was, um, just thinking about genes again... your attitude is much better."