paixaorpg | What dreams are these? [active]

Entry tags:

What dreams are these? [active]

Character(s): Zexion and Helen
Content: An illusionist and xenobiologist talk information
Setting: The library
Time: An hour after this thread

By this point, the simple act of disguising himself had almost become second nature, whenever he had a reason to step into the streets of Paixao. Fortunately, the persona of Ian was easy enough to step into. There wasn't even all that much work he had to put into it. A simple illusion of light brown hair pulled back into a rather sort ponytail was enough to hide his hair (though he had to pin his bangs up out of his face first) and the rest was a matter of switching the habitual coat of the Organization for something that fit in much better with the styles that the other visitors to the city wore.

Admittedly, it had a tendency make him look more like a slightly bookish college student or a fairly young professor, but he supposed he'd take that over being rather obviously the enemy as the more comfortable coat would no doubt mark him. True, it could also be possible that he was being far more cautious than need be, but better that than overly risky.

It took no more than a handful of moments to ensure that his disguise was suitably in place. From there, it was a simple matter of getting to the library. Not wishing to truly trust to the portals in a case like this - and not being too terribly far from the library in the first place - he went by foot, as many of the visitors to the domed city would have and even then he arrived early. But no matter. It was better early than late, or so he figured.

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It would take Helen a bit longer to reach the library, as she didn't have the ability to teleport, nor an exact idea of where she was going. Still, she left with enough time to make it there at the designated hour, and soon enough, she was pushing her way into the building. It had occurred to her far too late that she didn't know what he looked like or what his name was, yet she'd spoken to him twice. Perhaps she would recognize him by voice.

For the moment, however, she remained near the doorway, trying to see if anyone appeared to be looking for someone else, as she was.

Like Helen, Zexion had no real idea who he was supposed to be meeting. He had a voice, yes. But that was certainly not very much to go on. However, he had something of an advantage in having arrived earlier. Not to mention it was always easy to spot people who were trying to find something... or someone. Of course, he could have the wrong person entirely, but that was worth at least a moment's speech.

"Helen Magnus, I assume?" he asked quietly as he drew near enough to be heard properly.

The boy who appeared definitely did not fit the description of what she had expected, but Helen knew better than to let much of her surprise show on her face. She simply raised her eyebrows at him.

"Indeed. That would be me," she answered. "It occurs to me that I neglected to ask the name of the person I'm to meet."

Her eyes swept over him, taking in his clothes and mannerisms, anything that she could use to tell who he was and what type of person he was.

At the moment, there wasn't much of anything to be seen, apart from a slightly apologetic cast to his features at her final comment an a general ease with either the city or the library itself. Anything past that was hidden away carefully, with the ease of long practice. This persona was meant to be the easier one to get along with, if not necessarily the more outgoing of the two.

"My apologies. I ought to have mentioned it earlier. Call me Ian."

Like the vast majority of the finer details of this persona, it was in fact nothing even close to the truth, but the name fell off his lips with every bit of ease it might have had were it his name in truth. There were certain advantages to shading near enough to a name that you'd once had. Even if it did make older memories rise to the surface a bit more often.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ian."

Helen, in turn, wasn't giving away herself, either. The only thing that was readily available was how guarded she was. Still, she did smile at him, offering what she could as far as being polite and courteous.

"Shall we take a seat somewhere so I can ask you a few questions?"

"Of course," Zexion answered, allowing a polite smile to cross his face. "Would you prefer a place out here, or something inside?"

The fact that she was keeping herself just as carefully guarded as he was was certainly not something that he often saw from the people of the city, but it wasn't surprising. If anything it was almost familiar, given the predominant temperament among the rest of his fellows. Perhaps here was a challenge of the sort he'd been looking for.

He didn't mean to hold out much hope, though. It would only color the conversation to come with things that didn't need to be there.

"Perhaps inside," Helen answered with a gentle smile. "Shall we?"

"Certainly."

It would, after all, be significantly easier to make sure that idle passers-by didn't overhear the conversation inside than out in the streets of the city. Even if the general buzz of city life would offer a cover, that was nothing to say that passers-by might not pick up enough to make some semblance of what was being said, and even hidden as he was there were still the Keybearers to consider. Not all of them would find him a stranger, and his voice was relatively familiar.

"If you'll follow me?"

Her thoughts were on a similar line from his. Inside would provide fewer chances for distraction as well. It seemed the better choice and they could likely tuck themselves away in a corner that would be difficult to get to or overhear into.

"Absolutely."

She smiled at him and followed, allowing her gaze to take in the expanse of the library and how many people where here, and made a note to come here more often.

The library was rather impressive, Zexion had to admit. Perhaps not nearly so much so as some of the places he'd grown up with, but it wouldn't have been fair of him to compare even a city like this one to the grandeur of where he'd grown up. Besides, he'd spent too much time here to truly begrudge it the difference, and he led Helen to a relatively secluded part of the library with the ease of long familiarity.

"Will this do?"

"It's lovely," Helen answered with a smile, moving to take a seat. She was rather eager for this talk, having learned very little about this world. The realization that she'd been secluded and thus hadn't allowed herself to learn much about this place didn't sit well with her. She needed a way home and that meant getting answers.

"So, what can you tell me?" Her question was polite, interested in tone and yet not at all pushy. Whatever he wanted to tell her would be appreciated.

There was a moment of consideration before Zexion spoke. Even knowing what he'd offered there was a difference between what he could say and what he should say. There was only so much he could say without giving away too many of his secrets.

"This is a world where light and darkness are considered to be and treated as something much more than a measurement by which we see. The most common explanation is that these abstracts are guides by which the heart can be measured. You could perhaps consider them as 'good' and 'evil', if you like, although I've been led to believe that would be an oversimplification at best."

It did, however, offer something of an explanation as to why people were interested in exploring them, if not much of the reason why the experiments happened. That would be explained later, after he was certain that Helen was well on board with the idea of Light and Darkness. Admittedly, it wasn't anything particularly difficult to understand but he was certain that there would be questions on some detail or another all the same.

Helen nodded in response, taking in what Ian was saying. It echoed a lot of what someone else had told her as well, so she was a little more willing to accept it as fact. She did follow what he was saying, seemingly not bothered by the implications.

"My assumption is that it would be important to have these two forces in balance," she answered carefully, twisting what she'd been told so it would seem that she had come up with it. "Nothing is truly one or the other. Life is a combination of both. It's how the world works, particularly when humans are involved."

She studied him, trying to judge his reaction, while keeping her expression pleasant, neutral.

The lack of concern about the implications was a little surprising, but not enough so to show on Zexion's face. It wasn't his call to speak to what would or wouldn't be of concern to any of the visitors and he'd only offered information anyway. Not judgment or attempts to make anything more of her than she cared to present.

"I would assume so," Zexion answered with a easy shrug, as if to suggest that he didn't have quite all the answer about the situation. True, he'd certainly been around for a while but the number of people - of other people - who also knew something of the world tended to fluctuate. As such his answers would have naturally fluctuated similarly, had it not been for the fact that he knew more than enough about the nature of both light and darkness already. "I can't imagine that everyone would have a perfectly even mixture of the two, but relative balance seems like it would be the normal state of things. Naturally both extreme could pose a danger to one's well-being, in that case."

Helen Magnus had seen a lot in her life and she wasn't the type to judge anyone based on past deeds, not until she actually met them. After all, she'd known criminals turned good and good people turned criminals. Just because someone showed an aptitude for one over the other didn't mean they could never change. Her gut instincts were usually correct and she was rarely caught off-guard. She simply didn't like to allow her inner thoughts to show on her face when she was taking in new information in a sensitive situation like this.

"Of course. And I would imagine that balance would be different in each person."

She nodded in response, a clear indication that she was ready for more.

In that, at least, they were exactly alike. Zexion had long since trained himself to the passive neutrality that he'd always led to believe they had all been born to. Showing too much was weakness, and he looked weak enough already. If he could instead control what expressions crossed his face, he would at least have something of an advantage and how better to cement the effectiveness of his own natural abilities? No one would believe a schemer who could be read like an open book.

"It wouldn't surprise me. After all, few people are exactly alike physically. Why should the balance of light and darkness not follow likewise?"

There was a moment of silence before he continued on. To any normal person's perspective what they did was horrible in the extreme - surely no one could fault Ian for needing a moment to gather his thoughts.

"From what I've been able to gather - and you have to understand we don't know all that much - the experiments are run by the Organization themselves. They seem to be influencing the light and darkness in the hearts of those they take, although I can scarcely imagine why."

In some ways, it sounded exactly like something the Cabal would have done and that thought made her expression close just slightly. Helen hated the Cabal. She rarely truly hated anyone or anything, but for what they'd done to Ashley, she could easily say she did. Of course, that came with the caveat that she was disenchanted with the part of herself that had allowed Ashley to be captured by the Cabal, and if she were to be perfectly honest with herself, she was more upset with herself than the Cabal in that situation. She simply couldn't abide what they'd tried to do to her life's work.

"Perhaps they wish to see the effects or create something from it," she answered carefully. As helpful as this Ian was being, she didn't quite feel comfortable giving away all of her thoughts. She would need time to digest them all before she offered more. "Either way, I can't imagine these experiments are particularly pleasant for those involved."

Ah, there was something in that she didn't like. What it was precisely, Zexion couldn't say, and didn't mean to begin to guess at, but he'd noticed the way her expression had closed off ever so slightly. Still, for all that, it was very much a normal reaction. He wasn't so unthinking as to imagine people liked the experiments.

"It's certainly the most common explanation people offer for the experiments. I've even heard it said that the Organization is looking to better understand the people here, although I can't say I condone their methods. Not when it's so obvious that it's against people's wills." No, kidnapping in the streets was not the most subtle way to go about things, nor had it ever been the brightest idea. Too many people had noticed, back then and bein noticed meant causing public outcry. The latest arrangement was far better. Fewer people noticed what they were doing and so fewer people could complain before the deed had been done.

"Which would beg the question of why experiences rather than simply talking to us," Helen continued, studying Ian as she tossed this new information around in her head. It made sense, in a very twisted way. Experiment just like a mad scientist. No asking involved and far less to worry with. "But of course asking a question like that returns to the question of their motives and we'll be here all week if we want to discuss that."

She had her theories, ones that were changing every time Ian added something new, but she wasn't in the mood to explain them just yet.

"Does this Organization make any appearances? Is there anything else they're known to do here?"

"I'm afraid we might," Zexion answered with a somewhat apologetic shrug. "We might not be the first to make an attempt to theorize on their motives, but there's been nothing proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. We can hardly count on their participation in such an attempt either." Of course, that particular fact was one he'd hope would be fairly reasonable. Why should an organization that did as they did wish to lay out all their secrets, when practically the entire city was interested in seeing them defeated.

"Not often, as far as I know. They seem to prefer to work in the shadows."

Barring his own appearances, of course. But those were hardly the same as actually admitting to being of the Organization. They had to retain some contacts in the city itself.

Edited 2012-06-11 23:24 (UTC)

"Of course. That would be too simple." And Helen's life was never simple. This information was certainly helpful, though, more so than she would have expected from a person she'd just met. It made her wonder as to his motives, but she refrained from asking, preferring to take what was offered and turn it over for a while before she questioned absolutely everything.

Instead, she offered a small smile of gratitude. "Well, this has certainly given me a lot to think about."

She'd be right to question his motives. He was cutting far closer to the truth of the Organization than most might, in speaking to the heart of the matter like this, but in truth there was also the most unique sort of lies. He could tell the truth - in the guise of being one of the last few people who still remember the once-Resistance against the Organization - and in doing so, spread both trust and rumor evenhandedly. In essence, he had nothing much to lose, as long as he played carefully, and everything to gain.

Although the odds that this particular visitor would make a valuable pawn were slim at best. She was better suited as a ranking piece, and he'd need to play accordingly.

"I'm simply glad it could be of use," he answered with a shrug. "I can't do much with it on my own."

"Of course," she responded with a nod, still turning the information over in her head. Experiments, light and darkness. It was all so very Cabal. Dana Whitcombe would have had a field day with this and the thought of that woman anywhere near a project like this made Helen's jaw muscles tighten far enough to cause her pain. She didn't show it, though, preferring to focus on another question first.

"I assume you've come into contact with the Organization yourself, or you know someone who has?"

It was an innocent enough question, one that could yield all manner of answers. Helen was still studying Ian, trying to discern if she could read between the lines of what he was saying.

Innocent enough on the surface, yes. But it was the sort of innocent that had so many potential answers that it could easily be a carefully coded question about his own loyalty. Zexion didn't expect it was in this context, but it did mean he'd have to be careful about how he worded his answer. Not that he hadn't been already, of course, but better to be safe than not. Even a stranger could speak to the people who knew of either him or the Organization.

"The latter," he answered, after a moment of silence. "I don't seem to be interesting enough to them."

There was a slight shrug to match his words, as if to suggest that while he can't really complain there wasn't much he could do about the matter either. The choices were far from being even near his control and if looking small (for all that he didn't much care to be, sometimes) an unassuming was enough, he'd take it.

"They aren't the only ones from their world present, you see. They're simply the ones most spoken of."

"Perhaps that's for the best," Helen answered, still watching her companion, though her expression had relaxed a touch by now. She wasn't fully letting her guard down, but she was trying to seem more at ease, wondering if that would get different results from Ian.

"I would imagine that to be the case, though I have yet to meet anyone else from their world. Perhaps I'll look into that next."

It certainly didn't put Zexion more at ease in turn. He knew far too well that such things could easily be ploys to gain sympathy. Not that he had much to give, really, but Helen could hardly now that and the ground between them was too unsure to trust much of anything at all. But he was not Ian, and Ian would never have thought in such carefully guarded steps. So although it want against every instinct he had, he let himself adopt a more relaxed posture in turn.

"I could offer their names, if you'd like?"

Helen hadn't been expecting that offer and her look of mild surprise would say as much. She soon turned it into a curious one and nodded once. "If it's not too much to ask, that would make my job quite a bit easier." Not that she would automatically assume these names would give her the answers she would need, but they would be a step closer towards her goal. At the very least, if they weren't related at all, she could ask them what they knew.

Of course it would. The question was whether or not those same people would look to find him in turn. But there was nothing for it now. He knew the names of most of the relevant people, and it would look more than a little strange to offer and then immediately rescind the offer. Especially when the offer itself seemed to be more than Helen had been expecting - he'd caught that brief look of surprise, regardless of what it had swiftly become.

"I can't say whether or not they'll still be here, of course. But the best people to speak to would be either Sora or Riku."

Helen committed those names to her memory, making a note to ask for them as soon as she could. She wasn't going to pass up an opportunity like this. Still, as far as Ian was concerned, he'd been quite helpful to her and it wouldn't do for her to be impolite. So she smiled and gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you. This has been most informative. I daresay I will have quite a lot to look into now. It may well keep me busy while I'm here and I do so hate to be idle."

She was dropping tidbits about herself, mostly because she wanted to give him a little information for his trouble, but also because she was still uncertain if he was being truthful. Couldn't hurt to test him even at the tail end of their talk.

"If there's nothing else of note that we ought to discuss...?"

Leaving it open-ended for him to decide.

He was being quite truthful, under the circumstances. Admittedly, everything he'd been offering was skewed to be more appropriate for the man he was currently pretending to be, but it had been the truth. If he was going to be offering things that a suitable line of questioning could turn up om the message boards, he wasn't going to risk a lie being proven false. Especially when he did know so much of the earlier days of the city. It always had been difficult to lie convincingly enough to be 'wrong' about about something.

"You're quite welcome, and I certainly hope you manage to find what you happen to looking for. It's enough to keep anyone busy for a while."

The comment that she hated to be idle was met with a slight smile and a polite nod. He certainly wasn't going to directly comment on it, but he understood the feeling well enough. Idleness wasn't something he'd ever been able to tolerate, either in himself or in others, and it was almost gratifying to find others who felt similarly.

"I certainly can't think of anything else."

Helen nodded, giving Ian a smile at that. "I do hope it will do so for me. Perhaps we may meet again someday in the future, and you may be the one asking questions that time."

Not that she expected to have much information for someone who had been here so much longer than she had, but it was an offer. It was about all she could offer.

"If there's anything I can do for you, please, don't hesitate to ask."

With that, she offered him her hand to shake, a way to seal the talk as a business arrangement, and if he had nothing else to add, she would take her leave. He had given her quite a lot to think about, indeed.

Now that would certainly be a change. It wasn't very often that Zexion had questions to ask. Not entirely beyond reason, no. "Perhaps," he answered with a nod. "There might well be things I haven't been able to turn up on my own." Not always for lack of trying, mind. The Keybearers were a closely guarded lot, and he didn't dare draw too close to Sora out of the concern that Riku might be able to sniff out what he was, if not precisely who.

And that, in turn, made even her small offer far more interesting. It might not have appeared to be much, but that would only make it easier to bargain for should it prove necessary.

"Either way, I'll be sure to keep your offer in mind."

The offer of a hand, meanwhile, was met with a moment of hesitation that very clearly said that he didn't often initiate physical contact. Still, a deal was a deal and he wasn't about to let it go unsealed. Even if it meant doing things he didn't usually do.

Helen just nodded firmly. She could understand and respect that, even though she was one to ask a thousand questions normally. Receiving the hand shake was slightly surprising, but she made sure her grip was firm, and yet gentle. She didn't want to scare him off too badly.

"All right. And I'll be certain to keep you in mind in case I ever have any other questions that need answering."

If he had nothing else to add, though, she was going to take her leave. It was past time for her to get back to turn over the information he'd given her.

"I shouldn't be too hard to find, should you need me again."

He had every reason to remain in the city, after all, and Ian certainly didn't have anything pressing on his time. Not after the demise - so to speak - of the Resistance, and the sentiments that had gone with it. For now, there was only the various information that filtered down from various places and if that in turn could be of use than so be it. He wouldn't complain about that.

There was nothing else of interest he had to add, though. He'd offered all that he'd claimed to have and it was better to hold at least some information against future questions.

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What dreams are these? [active]

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