A New Life, an Ancient Profession

[misery_hates_company]

Who: Misery. Open.
Where: Capricorn District.
Summary: A place of nature should have SOME potential reagents.
Warnings: Misery.
A witch needed ingredients. The stores were well and good, but they obviously only catered to a specific type of shopper -- which is to say the modern types, the ones who wanted nothing but pre-packaged nonsense. Anyway, she hadn't the cash for that sort of thing, and she needed to find a way to start. Money, it seems, makes the world go round even if you want nothing to do with it.

Some quick research had revealed this area, perhaps the closest to nature one could find in a city like this. Perhaps at some point she could venture outside the city walls for a better chance of finding useful things... or creatures. This would have to suffice for now.

Of course, a strange world in strange circumstances meant ANYTHING could be of potential use, which is why she seems to be sampling a bit of everyhing. A touch of bark? A flower? A grass? She collects. It's rather an odd sight for those unused to the old magics. To be fair, of course, Misery is a bit out of touch with them herself. Years of only doing the magics asked of her can make someone a little rusty.

But she can learn. She CAN learn. What a wonderful feeling.

She seems almost happy, actually. This might change if anybody interrupts her, of course. Which, considering what she's doing right now, is almost an inevitability.

Comments

[odiousking]

Oersted twitches a little. Her ability to teleport didn't surprise him as much as how sharp she was.

"Strange that a witch would speak of manners."

He turns his head to look over at Misery behind him.

"Though neither of us really fit too well with this era."

[misery_hates_company]

"I should think the one in full plate armor is a little more out of place than little old me!" she says, cackling a bit. She floats around him a bit, assessing him. "Hmm. Can't say I remember you at the welcoming party. Then again, I wasn't really paying attention. I guess I shouldn't be surprised they need all the help they can get."

[odiousking]

His eyes narrow at her floating around him. Being examined like this is nothing less than condescending to him. But he doesn't mind the action. Oersted is hardly tense and his hand is still quite far from his blade. Despite his armor (or because of it?), the young man is at ease.

"I can always relieve myself of it. Though I am confident in no era is flying spontaneously socially acceptable."

Oersted smiles a little.

"So you and others are fellow 'heroes', I take it, called to help fight for a cause or the other?"

[misery_hates_company]

"I never was one for social niceties." She smirks.

She shrugs at his question. "I suppose that's the ostensible purpose. I don't mind throwing in a little here or there, but only so that I can keep living the way I want. These Anoli have already established themselves as destructive fools." She drifts lazily. "I don't care for labels like 'hero' or the like. That sort of thinking is for the naive."

[odiousking]

His brow raises a little. An interesting answer, but it's one that he has heard before. Misery's words strike Oersted as remarkably honest. And selfish.

"Being free forever to pursue your hobbies without anyone bothering you is a lifestyle that would even tempt kings. But such a lifestyle requires sacrifice. It's fortunate that the nature of your hobby lets you pay with the blood of others... in the name of defense."

[misery_hates_company]

She raises an eyebrow. "Well aren't you the life of the party." She looks away. "Perhaps it does require sacrifices. But if there must be blood, it is on my own hands, and no one else's. At least I am not shedding blood for the sake of another man's ambitions." She looks back at him. "But bloodshed should only be the last resort, hmm? No sense in getting one's hands dirty unnecessarily."

Curious. One would easily mistaken him for any given young, brash knight, but there's an air of darkness she can't put a finger on. A worrying one, in fact; the only person she can think of who had a similar air was the man who apparently now represents her psyche. Hmm.

[odiousking]

"That's right. If we must be selfish, then let it draw as little blood as possible."

Even now, the knight was still recovering after his trauma and rebirth in Lucretia. It was difficult to bring himself out of this mindset where he sees selfishness all around him.

"And if we must be selfish, it's better to be honest and true to one's self than hiding behind subservient 'orders'."

Interesting wording there, Oersted notes. "I know I'm not too exciting. Blame it on my upbringing. I'd like to figure this city out as quickly as possible, that's all."

[misery_hates_company]

"Indeed. And believe you me, in my long lifetime I have seen PLENTY of bloodshed in the name of others' petty power struggles."

She sets down, finally, seeing something in this man worth taking seriously. "It's a peculiar city, to be certain. Demons, terrorists. Figments of your imagination taken to life. Fascinating and interesting, in a way." She looks around. "Certainly an interesting place to be reborn anew and find your way, I should think." She smirks. "I look forward to the challenges, myself."

[odiousking]

"... I don't believe I've introduced myself. My name is Oersted, a knight of Lucretia."

Oersted takes few glances at the city walls around him.

"It's a name that I've retaken. You may be right when you say that this is a place meant to act as catalyst to people's rebirth. Although, a rebirth is not always positive."

[misery_hates_company]

"Lucretia. Can't say I'm familiar with the name. But in these circumstances, that's hardly to be unexpected."

She hums. "This is true, perhaps. Some people simply should not be reborn. On the other hand, those who are that are capable of rational thought should perhaps seize the opportunity to find a different path, don't you think?"

This one's definitely an odd one. She supposes she can relate. Either way, she wonders if this is someone to keep an eye on.

[odiousking]

"That would no doubt be ideal."

Oersted ponders on that topic a little. It would seem that even here, he's destined to follow the path of a Demon King. His case, after all, was handed off from Philemon to the Crawling Chaos, Nyarlathotep. The city was quick to recognize his fall from grace.

"Though whether a change would be allowed is still up for question. Whether those efforts will be recognized is a part of the struggle."

[misery_hates_company]

"Perhaps."

She mulls this over. His words had weight. A great amount of it, in fact. Misery may have a hard time respecting a lot of people, but her years of servitude have forced her to learn to weigh moods and words. This one was... unstable. Oh, he had the air of a gentleman, but gentlemen could just as easily drop off the precipice as anybody in dire circumstances.

Well, she doesn't usually do this. But.

"All right, then. How about we strike a bargain? You recognize my personal accomplishments as I obtain them. And in return, I'll recognize any attempts at betterment you might make. Believe me, this is not an exchange to be taken lightly -- I don't usually bother with this sort of emotional hogwash! But I'd be lying if I didn't say I felt a... shall we say, 'kinship' between you and me. A desire to move on from a terrible past. So. What say we find paths together, hmmm?"

She holds out a hand, and hopes she doesn't regret this.

[odiousking]

Oersted blinked. Just judging from the woman's appearance, she didn't seem quite like the type to make such an intimate "bargain". The two hardly met and already, they struck up what she would call a kinship. Refusing outright would hardly be becoming. More than that, Oersted still carried the words of old man Uranus.

"If there's just one person..." he whispers, smiling albeit awkwardly now.

[misery_hates_company]

She blinks. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

Well, he seems mildly less dour, at least. She guess this is supposed to be progress? Better than him looking depressed and potentially destructive, she supposes.

[odiousking]

He smiles then. Oersted gives his answer in the form of accepting the offered handshake. His grip isn't terribly firm, but it does have traces of conviction regardless.

"Though it seems we'll be privy to each others' activities. Still, an ally wouldn't hurt. Not in a place so full of surprises like this. I will accept your offer on one condition.

You haven't yet given me your name."

[misery_hates_company]

She shakes, and smirks. "I am the Witch, Misery. It was once a suitable name. Perhaps someday it will be less so."

[odiousking]

"An odd name, but I won't think of you any less of it. As long as we're being honest, in a former life, I took the name of Odio. Oersted is only my birth name."

Misery and Hatred. What a combination.

[misery_hates_company]

"Odio. Quite an... auspicious name to take. Then again, I'm one to talk." After all, she hadn't always been Misery...

She curtsies slightly. "Very well. Looks like we'll be looking out for each other, hmm? Let's hope this arrangement is as mutally beneficial as we hope."