paixaorpg | A Wizard's Welcome [Open]

Entry tags:

A Wizard's Welcome [Open]

Character(s): Merlin [open but can just be a narrative]
Content: The wizard Merlin arrives a little earlier than he had intended
Setting: Joutenheim
Time: Week 2, afternoon
Warnings: none

This was certainly not where Merlin had anticipated arriving when he had left Radiant Garden on vacation. No, certainly not, he had been planning to go to that world that had Bermuda, the sea and the sun and no mess. Apparently the universe had other plans for the wizard though. With a magical poof the wizard changed out of his vacation clothes and back into his blue robes and hat and looked up at the large gate that encompassed his vision, two great giants with their clubs crossed at the top was the focus of the gate and a small line was extending towards him from it. This was all very familiar and caused Merlin to wonder if this wasn't the place he was supposed to come to later rather than sooner. Maybe, he was remembering the vision wrong...after all he had been off on his predictions before.

"Hmph, well, at least I was packed for travel," he grumbled, hefting his carpet bag and stalking towards the entrance. After all, no point in waiting outside when he knew his services were likely required inside. Merlin quickly gathered up the brochure's giving information about this place, Paixao apparently, and tucked them away for later reading. When he turned again he was greeted by a gentlemen who asked for his name. The wizard stood a little straighter, "Merlin. I am Merlin." He sounded it out so that the person would understand quite clearly, after all, he'd had some problems in the past with someone's pronunciation.

An electronic device was offered to him and he accepted it a little begrudgingly. He immediately began to look it over, examining the surface and all the various buttons on it. "My, this is certainly a strange little contraption. It appears to be similar to some of the stuff Cid fiddles with." Merlin was never very agreeable with technology, in his opinion it made things too eay and people relied on it far too much...like magic. He tucked this away with the brochures, "Now, lad, can you direct me to the nearest living quarters...I would like to have a room before night fall if you would be so kind."

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Genie hadn’t been flying anywhere in particular, nor for any particular reason. What had started as a walk for a little fresh air had ended the moment he remembered he was contained within a giant dome, which was a funny thought, actually. He didn’t feel nearly as ‘trapped’ as a lot of the people had spoken with had gone on to believe. Then again, this was an incredibly livable space, something realistic compared to a tiny lamp. Not that he had to worry about that these days.

Aimlessly approaching one of the cities gates, he began to observe the statues surrounding it. One thing no one could complain about was Paixao’s artwork; it was beautiful regardless how you looked at it.

“Ho, ho, ho~!” he laughed in a heavy French accent, rubbing a long, curly moustache that had appeared on his face. “Ce magnifique! Such craftsmanship, il est beau. Je l'aime! A wonderful medium for a wonderful piece!”

Moving to the next statue, he continued to rub his moustache. However, on the way, something happened to catch his eye. Something – or rather, someone he had not been expecting to see. Doubtful of his eyes, he quickly flew behind a statue closer to the blue robed man, peeking out from behind it.

Why, it couldn’t possibly be the Great Merlin, could it? He had heard him mention the name to the gate guard, but it was very likely a coincidence... Or was it?

“Do thy old ears deceive me?” he spoke up, wobbling toward the wizard in the form of an elderly man. He stopped before him, clutched his walking cane tightly and rubbed his own beard -thugh it was nowhere as long as the Merlin’s. Avoiding suspicion, the only blue that remained in his appearance was his eyes. “Did you say that your name was Merlin? The very same Merlin to advise the Great King Arthur?”

Merlin felt like he was being watched but there was so many people and he did know that his own name was rather famous in quite a few worlds, especially to those interested in the magical arts. Of course, then he heard a voice and turned to find a strange old man wobbling toward him. Merlin adjusted his spectacles and then smiled, "Yes, that is indeed my name and my ward was named Arthur." There was a knowing twinkle in Merlin's eyes, he had a feeling he knew who this was but he didn't want to ruin the fun, "And who, might I ask, would you be?"

Genie caught the twinkle in Merlin’s eyes and smiled further. So, it truly was Merlin! Oh, the excitement! The djinni felt as though he would burst at any moment. However, with must restraint, he maintained his character and ultimately his disguise. Even so, though, he was sure his own eyes gave away more than he intended them to, but carried on none the less.

A soft chuckle escaped before he finally answered the wizard. “Oh, just an old wanderer, nothing more, my friend. But I would love to show you to an appropriate homestead, if you would be so kind as to give me the pleasure.”

He chuckled, this character was quite amusing, even if it turned out it wasn't who he thought it was (though he was fairly certain it was). "Oh I'm sure," he winked, knowingly and then hefted up his carpet bag, "So, you wouldn't mind showing another old timer to a place with room and board? Wonderful, wonderful."

He was ready to set off but he paused mid-step, "Ah, but how can I thank you if I don't have a name."

Hobbling forward a few steps, he returned the wink to the wizard. However, he quickly found that he was not being followed. He came to a firm halt and quietly listened to Merlin’s second request regarding his name. Frowning, his grip on his cane grew tight, and his teeth grit. He couldn’t do this much longer... No, he simply couldn’t! He began to sweat.

“I... I can’t hold it in any longer.” The man choked.

Suddenly in place of the elderly man there was an explosion of blue smoke. What looked like fireworks erupt and sparkles scattered while a familiar blue figure emerged. The genie rose high into the air, stretching his arms out while giving an excited cry.

“Whooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Merlin, you old crackerjack, you!” he shouted, swooping down to greet his old friend. “What gave it away? It was the eyes, wasn’t it? I had a feeling they said too much, but... Would you look at these robes? No matter how many I send you I only ever see you in this one. Not that I’m complaining, blues a sharp colour, especially on you.”

Stopping to gasp for a breath, Genie slapped his hand against his cheek in realization. “I’m sorry, where are my manors? It’s been years! Tell me, how are things? How are you?

Merlin had a feeling this would happen, the Genie just wasn't someone who could hide how he was feeling for very long. He was always very expressive, which is always made him so amusing. Genie was someone Merlin trusted because of that, his honesty was rare.

The old wizard waved his hand to clear the air of the blue smoke, "Well, yes, and I've always been rather good at guessing such things." His tone was very matter of fact, though there was still that disguised amusement in his voice. Merlin looked down at his robes and chuckled, "Yes, but these robes are rather comfortable and they are well suited for me, don't you agree. If I went changing what they looked like now I might confuse quite a few people. Ah, but when was the last time I got robes from you, Genie?"

"How about we walk and I can tell you as we go. You did volunteer to show me a place to stay after all," Merlin suggested, already starting to walk and knowing that Genie would follow him. It was nice to be greeted by him, there were worse folks to be greeted by, after all. "That aside, things are going fairly well. I had been planning on going on vacation before ending up here...apparently my prediction on that arrival was slightly off."

Genie nodded knowingly with Merlin; there was no denying he was a clever man. Under that tall, pointed, cap sat knowledge that one could only dream of obtaining. Of course, wither or not Merlin used that knowledge appropriately was another matter. Though, in many cases Genie was one to talk. None the less, the djinni respected the wizard and all he had and would achieve.

Sharing the usual smile, he joined Merlin by his side as he walked. “You know I do.” He replied, regarding the man’s choice of wardrobe. “Unfortunately I hadn’t the chance to go shopping during the course of the ten thousand years, twenty two hours, and fifty three seconds I had to spend stuck in the lamp aaaaall alooooone.” Genie paused to blow his nose at the thought, and then continued. “Of course that’s doesn’t include screen time or vacation time, but I did happen to pick you up a ‘Merlin the Musical’ T-Shirt. –wonderful show, by the way. Not quite you, but it received five Tony nominations, believe it or not.”

“Anyway! I had just been in the middle of my own vacation before I arrived here as well. What are the odds for us both to find ourselves mistakenly here, hmm?”

Merlin stopped walking, blinking, "My...it certainly hasn't been that long, surely." He frowned thoughtfully, he was always horrible with time, sometimes he couldn't even remember what century he was in. He really did travel though time too much if he got even that confused.

He made a disgruntled sound, his mustache twitching slightly, "Well, never mind that." He picked up the pace again, for an old man Merlin certainly could walk fast. "Five Tonys? Really, impressive. Well, I suppose there have been worse interpretations and versions of myself, they can't ALL get it right, now, can they?"

The old man thought about that for a moment, looking up as if he could see the numbers in his head, he chuckled, "Quite, a big number I imagine. I could probably give you a proper number if I thought about it long enough but then we'd be here for awhile."

“Oh, it surely has.” He replied confidently. “Not that I keep that close a record of these things or anything. That was just a rough estimate; I could be a century or a few seconds off.” A shrug was given at this as Genie continued on. He knew Merlin would not be far behind him, especially at the pace he could keep. He also knew that he was right when it came down to the exact second he had been trapped in his lamp before Aladdin had freed him, but he wasn’t about to argue. “Either way, it’s definitely been some time.”

Grinning ear to ear, the djinni nodded in agreement with the wizard. “Nobody’s perfect, and the equation is better left unsolved. Besides, I still have to show you around the city! And what better way to do so than with your very own brand new set of golf clubs? We can play around the city! After all, I still need to get even with you after our last tournament. We just got to get you settled in and with the rest of your gifts – fair warning, I might have gone a little overboard shopping.”

“So, Merv!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly. “Down to business, shall we? Let’s check those real estate listings for you! Did you already have in mind? What’s our price range? Any particular area’s close to schools or daycares for the kids?”

Summoning a clipboard and pencil, Genie listened attentively.

Genie jumped from one subject to the next rather flawlessly and Merlin wasn't going to stop him (that would be quite impossible after all). "Yes, I'd prefer to drop off my things before we go on any golfing trips, thank you," Merlin said, holding up his carpet bag as indication.

"Really, Genie, you know I'm not exactly picky about where I'm staying. A small place will do...perhaps a location that isn't so crowded," Merlin listed, thinking over the places he had lived in over the years: a hut in the middle of the woods, a crumbling tower, a hut in a hidden part of town, and even a small cottage in a much more populated area. His favorite might have been the last one though, not really for the population but because it was rather cozy and housed some people he actually cared to associate with.

He rather hoped Leon and the others were doing alright.

"Hm, right, where was I..."

Keeping his journal held firmly behind his clipboard, the djinni scrolled through a series of notes he had published regarding the city. During his many strolls he had begun to keep a private record of the sights and sounds he encountered, more or less for a purpose such as this. Having never seen nor heard of a place such as Paixao before, he also found it fairly useful during study and research. True, his oil lamp had never burned the brightest, but that never seemed to faze him. He could never resist a good mystery.

He examined his pencil for a moment before licking the lead and scribbling something vigorously onto his clipboard. In doing so, he also closed journal and reminded Merlin calmly of their conversation. “Describing a suitable homestead that could be small and cozy, but better left uncluttered.” Genie looked up from his work as he continued. “It looked to me, however, as though you had something else on your mind. Pardon me asking, but is something wrong?”

Merlin folded his hands behind his back as he waited for Genie to compile a suitable list. It didn't take long and Merlin nodded at the djinni's assessment of their conversation. "Oh, nothing wrong, per say, just a little curious as to what...other old friends could have 'happened' upon this place as well," he said. He looked at Genie and wondered if he would know.

That was a good question on Merlin’s part. He wasn’t sure whether or not he could produce an equally as good answer at first, but after some invested thought he found the answer had been in front of him the entire time. Taking his electronic journal off his clipboard, he showed it to the wizard and explained the workings of the tiny device.

“You could always check over the journals. The gate guard should have given you one, that’s where everyone in the city gets theirs. They’re handy little devices used for communication here. If there is another acquaintance of yours here, you may be able to get a hold of them through it. That’s how I found Carpet! Though I haven’t heard from him in some time...”

His gaze sank, and for one of the rare times, Genie felt as blue as he looked. He was worried about his friend, and felt incredibly guilty after leaving him. Hypnotized or not, there was no excuse for abandoning him like that. He could only hope the rug was okay, especially after recent events. The city wasn’t as safe as it appeared. If something had happened to his friend... Well, to put it one way, there were some wishes even he could not grant.

Catching how depressing he must have sounded, never mind looked, the djinni suddenly smiled. He was supposed to be helping Merlin, not moping! “I’m sure someone else you know is here though! If not, there’s always that two thousand, forty six hundred, and seventy two percent chance or more if I forgot to square something. As for housing, there are a few areas’ that came up may be of your interest.” Tapping his pencil against his clipboard, he continued. “Villas Salons has a series of small houses and apartments for rent while Promena- Promoda? Promenade! Promenade Terrace is an average-sized neighbourhood with average sized houses. If you open the map on your journal using the button located here~ you can find them around oh-eight and ‘H’ nine.”

Merlin pulled out the little device. He held it in one hand examining it, while his other hand was at his beard, stroking it in thought, "Oh, oh yes I see. My what a curious little device." Merlin looked up at Genie, "Carpet? How is---," he trailed off when he noticed Genie looking blue, well, in the metaphorical sense. It was a rare sight to see the loud and outgoing being so down. Merlin figured it had something to do with Carpet since there was really no other cause that Merlin could think of.

The wizard put a hand on his shoulder, "There, there, friend. Carpet was always very resourceful, I'm sure he's fine," he paused and then added, "I'll even help you keep an eye out for him if you'd like."

That problem resolved, Merlin listened to the Genie's housing list. They both sounded fairly acceptable to the wizard's needs. "Hmm, well," he tapped his journal to bring up the map the Genie had indicated, "I believe Villas Salons will do and it doesn't appear to be too far from hear. Shall we head in that direction then?"

Genie appreciated the wizard’s words. He knew he was right, as Merlin usually was, and needed the reminder. Yes, Carpet could easily handle himself. He was quick and clever, far too clever as far as Genie was concerned. There was not a game he had won once against the rug yet, and that was a little demeaning. Chess, Checkers, Battleship, Tennis, Volleyball, Pictionary, Monopoly, he won them all and more. And to challenge him at charades? Why, he would never dare. Ah, this set his mind at ease. His wit would surely help him out of any situation, if not to avoid one all together. He was worried over nothing.

“Thanks, Merv!” he replied, slapping the wizard on the back with perhaps a little too much force than he’d intended. “I appreciate it. If you ever need a favour or anything, as usual, I’m your genie. Now, I do believe Villas Salons is that way. I’d be more than happy to lead the way. Step lively now~!”

Leading the way, Genie carried much of the conversation during their journey. He shared many stories from his trip so far, but left room for Merlin to share details regarding of his recent adventures. He also had many questions for the wizard, some concerning geography, others spells and incanted items. He didn't expect Merlin to answer them all, but simply shed some light on the subject.

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A Wizard's Welcome [Open]

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