I dream of gardens in the desert sand

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

WHO: false_oracle, innerflow, closed
LOCATION: Agrabah; just out in the desert.
TIME: Around noonish on Saturday, the 24th of September.
WHAT: Magus has gone to Agrabah; Mercury is there. Line-facing will ensue.
RATING: Ah, PG-13? Possible R, but I doubt it.


For a number of reasons, and not just because he wanted to find a place for himself and Schala to start a new life, Magus had been learning about the other worlds around and visiting them. And while he had found that he could teleport to other worlds, it would leave him drained for a while. As such, he had been taking such explorations at a slow pace.

His current exploration was Agrabah. He has intended to arrive in the city of the land, but he had never been there before and pinpointing his teleportation from this distance was a fool's game. Which is what landed him in the middle of the desert.

Of course, for all of his magic and all of his power, it was still draining on his power to teleport like this. It took him a moment to gather himself after arrival, which gave time for several Crimson Jazzes to appear, hopeful to pray on the dark heart of the weakened mage.

Comments

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"Hmph." He started walking again, going deeper into the cave. "A mage that cannot sense magic. That should be as basic as learning to walk."

He continued on, stopping when the cavern opened and the floor dropped away. In the light from his fireball, he could see a torch high up in the cave. He shot the ball of fire at it and found another.

He lit each one that appeared in the light before looking down. They had come to the treasure vault deep under the cave. Mounds of gold and treasure chests abounded. The light seemed all the brighter as it shone off of the gold.

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

She felt ashamed, when he put it that way, but she made the effort to defend herself. "It must be different between our worlds. No one in mine has that sort of ability, exactly. We can sense our enemy's presence, or figure out illusions, or something like that; but sensing magic already used, I've never heard of except in books."

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"Then you should learn," he said.

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

"IF it's something that can be taught... Would you be willing to help me? I could repay you in some way, if we agreed on a price." She wouldn't ask it for nothing, after all.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He looked at her, that same cold, scrutinizing look.

"Very well."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. We can discuss details after we finish here." She had the odd, back of her mind sensation that this wasn't a place to simply linger in.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He had no real interest in the treasure. Gold was not munny; munny was the form of money in this place.

"Have you seen enough, then?"

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

[The treasure was beautiful; but she wouldn't feel right taking it away without a word anyway.]

I suppose. If this cave was built simply to hold this, it may not be any deeper.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He nods. That was a logical argument.

"Then let us return to the surface."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

A brief nod. "Do you mean to teleport us again?" Mercury eyed Magus uncertainly.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He gave her a sour look. He would have to, since she could not fly.

"I can. To that end, I could take us to town from here."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

She stepped closer, trying not to see that look, or feel put down by it.

"Then let's go back to town. There's no sense crossing the desert again, for this distance."

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He gathered up his cloak and wrapped it around them both, sending them back to the town. He stepped away from her once they reappeared and pulled his cowl up. It was far brighter here, after their time in the cave.

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

Mercury blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light. She stepped away from Magus. Now that they were back, she had to wonder all over again: How had he known to call her Ami?

"If you came to consider the city as a place to live, there are notable parts you should see." She kept the conversation light.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"It is very warm here," he said. He doubted his sister would like the heat. "But I would still know what the notable parts are."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

"There's the palace, of course. The bazaar for food and necessities, and shopping. Baths, to get rid of the dust especially after traveling." What else...?

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"Hmph." He has no real desire to go shopping, nor to go to a public bath. "Tell me of the palace."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

"I haven't seen a lot of it, but it's very beautiful. It's Middle Eastern in style; almost Persian. It has tiled courtyards and pools and gardens that are just wonderful. A lot of effort must go into keeping them."

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He stares at her during her descriptions. Middle Eastern? Persian? What are these things?

Not that he's going to admit this.

"Show me."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

"It's along the main streets. This way." Mercury headed towards the palace - one of the key landmarks of the city, of course. It's tall domes stood out against the sky before they even went very far. "It's just ahead."

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

He walks along. It is too hot and too dry. He hopes that Schala will not want to live in this place.

He looks up at the palace as they approach. It is... gaudy, to his mind, and his face, although hidden by the cowl, likely shows it.

"The domes, I take it."

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "It's hard to believe. It's like a treasure chest suddenly in the middle of the sand."

A flush threatened as she realized how much it made her sound like her head was entirely in the clouds.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"A treasure chest full of brass trinkets," he said, unimpressed by the domes.

[innerflow.livejournal.com]

Magus, clearly, was far more prosaic. It made her all the more embarrassed for getting carried away with herself.

"It doesn't seem to suit you," she ventured cautiously; he certainly didn't seem impressed or pleased by the surroundings. Perhaps a different world would be better after all.

[false-oracle.livejournal.com]

"No, it does not." Of course, he was the only one who thought the Rainbow Shell was drab.

"I will show Schala Disney Castle instead of this place as you..." he pauses and smirks at her. It's coldly amused and a bit dark. "I mean, Ami suggested."