Semi-charmed kind of life

Remi was working on the outside of his shop. When he'd established this place he'd been worried about the structure and proper ventilation, but now that he'd been here for a few weeks there were many other upgrades that needed seeing to: windows and doors that were improper fits at best, weird curves in the flooring, and shelves that didn't sit quite level. Given his new magical abilities the alchemist though that perhaps he could take care of them easily, but as he had no real training in magic and really didn't know the limits of what he could do at all, he was finding it rather slow going. Currently, he was working on the door. It didn't fit into the frame because both were quite warped. The door handle didn't latch securely due to this, and the alchemist couldn't figure out what to do short of just removing the entire thing and trying to shim it all back together again. Standing outside with his arms crossed and a contemplative look on his face, Remi mentally tried to work out a plan with varying degrees of success. remi Every now and then the things I lean on lose their meaning And I find myself careening in places where I should not let me go

He hadn’t really made the time to check out what was happening in the settlement since arriving in the new world. Perhaps it should have been one of the first things he did, considering it seemed to be the only place where any real civilized life happened, but he wasn’t always interested in partaking in such things. Today was different. Kalt strolled with his hands tucked in his pockets, an outfit that was remarkably casual for the assassin was worn along with a light energy that wasn’t usual for him. A small smirk pressed on his lips, observing the people who were out and about or trading or just plain living. What an interesting thing… Was that what normal life was? No looking over your shoulder for a mysterious threat? No constantly plotting for an inevitable tragedy? How unbelievably…boring. Crystal blue eyes landed on a young man who appeared to be working on a shop – or rather contemplating the work done or still to be done. Kalt quirked his brow and approached the young man, recognizing him as the man who could change into a hawk he had met when they first arrived here. ”Remi,” Kalt said to draw the man’s attention, flashing a crooked grin if he turned around. ”You look puzzled. Need a hand?” Remi kalt give into the night.

Lion and hawk though he might be, the alchemist was rarely overly aware of his surroundings. Often too lost in thought as he was now, he hardly heard Kalt approach until the assassin called out his name. ”Mmm?” Remi mumbled to himself, turning his head to see the man approaching. Flashing him a sunny smile, Remi tapped his fingers over his biceps and allowed his grin to go lopsided as he nodded in agreement. ”More than a hand, I think.” The alchemist chuckled, turning his gaze back to the door before him. Reaching out to turn the current door knob to demonstrate just how ineffective it was, the alchemist sighed slightly. ”I can do this-“ In his hand, a brand new knob and fixture appeared. With a sigh laced with amusement, Remi glanced back towards Kalt. “But there is the small matter of the current knob being all but fused to the wood. I am not sure there is a way of removing it that does not entail removing the door and replacing it as well.” When Remi had been ‘gifted’ this magic, truly he thought he’d be capable of anything. Quickly he was learning that creating something from nothing was perhaps not as all-powerful as he thought it to be. As evidence by the fact that he was currently being outwitted by a rotten and warped door. remi Every now and then the things I lean on lose their meaning And I find myself careening in places where I should not let me go

As Kalt approached, he quirked a brow, listening to Remi speak about his little predicament. He glanced at the knob in the alchemist’s hand, then to the one that he touched on the door. The assassin gave a lopsided frown, then smirked at the other man. ”Work smarter, my friend,” he said with a wink. He crouched down in front of the door, balancing easily on the balls of his feet and examined the door, seeing how to do the least amount of damage to it. His magic seemed to be on the fritz since coming through to this world. In Northwind and Northaven, he was a very powerful alterationist and a weaker mystic. When he came to this place, he seemed to only have access to his telekinesis. Now? Well, now he apparently lost his telekinesis in exchange for the transmutation aspect of his alteration. What was to come next, he had no idea! Kalt put his hand on the doorknob and the other on the wood around it, softening that area of the door. He moved the knob, wiggling it enough to get the knob loose enough to be taken out without damaging the door as a whole. Though the door itself could use some revamping. He looked up at Remi with a smirk. ”You wanna switch out the knobs? I can make the door a bit sturdier, if you want.” He lifted a brow once again to the alchemist. He had some time to kill and knew what he was doing, so why not be of some use for something good? kalt give into the night.

Moving aside to let Kalt work, the alchemist watched wondering what it was he would do. In Northaven Remi was as oblivious to the workings of magic as any commoner might be. The only real interaction he had with it came from Loren, and at the time he and the librarian were far too wrapped up in pretending not to have feelings for one another to get into the intricacies of the Launceleyn's abilities. Now with magic somehow buzzing at his finger tips and with Loren nowhere to be found, Remi was at an utter loss as to what options were available to him. Kalt however did not seem to have any of these limitations. "How did you-" The alchemist gaped, having no real knowledge that transmutation even existed. "Uhh. Yes." Remi mumbled stupidly, before picking up the knob he'd created and fitting it easily into the space Kalt had left. "I would not say no to a sturdier door." Remi added with a slightly amused and befuddled smile. He almost said harder wood, but knowing little about Kalt he curbed his remarks. He might have been coming out of his shell bit by bit, but even that seemed a little far. remi Trying to teach my common sense to not waver with my confidence

To call Kalt a show-off was a gross understatement. The assassin was quite the diva, enjoying the spotlight at all times, no matter what the situation. Why simply walk into a room when you have the option to blow the doors off their hinges with theme music, mystical smoke, and a badass entourage at your heels? Unfortunately for Kalt, the purpose of this job was specifically to keep the door on its hinges. Remi’s brief astonishment gave him a bit of an ego boost, though: he couldn’t deny that. As Remi started inserting the knob into the space. Kalt smirked at the alchemist’s smile. He had to admit that the man had a certain boyish charm to him, which gave Silver Wing a sense of ease in their interactions. He reminded Kalt of himself a little bit when he was a teenager, only likely a little less…well, beaten and oppressed under a manipulative mastermind. Who knew what Remi was dealing with, though? ”Happy to do it,” he hummed. The man touched his hands to the door, focusing on his magic. The last thing he needed was something going wrong with his oddly unpredictable powers. He felt the wood hardening against his hands and looked down at Remi where he fiddled with the knob. ”This good for you?” He asked with a grin. kalt give into the night.

Watching with surprise and delight, Remi reached out to rap against the door. Rather than bouncing about in the hinges as it just had, it received the reverberations solidly and remained where it was. Grabbing the newly-attached door knob, the alchemist gave it a twist, pulling and pushing it open and feeling the latch catch quite definitely inside of the jam. Turning towards Kalt, the alchemist offered him a sunny smile. "I cannot thank you enough. If I may...what sort of magic is that?" Tilting his head slightly, Remi couldn't help but feeling as though he was overstepping; the hangover of magic not being for commoners and all that, as if mere knowledge was banned from him as well. Opening the door fully, Remi gestured for Kalt to come in. "Please come in. I do not have much to offer as a way to pay you, but anything you find inside is yours." Entering, Kalt would find the shop a cozy mixture of clutter and half-finished projects in various states of assembly. Given Remi's new powers he found that testing the limits of his abilities left him exhausted, and so there were far more incomplete creations than he would have liked. Kalt would see a number of liquors that had been made, various things made out of gears that appeared to be mechanisms for movement, a collection of snow-moss and some gelatine, and a sword. Everything else was far too obscure to really be identifiable. remi Trying to teach my common sense to not waver with my confidence

When Remi asked what kind of magic Kalt had, the assassin wiggled his fingers with a smirk. ”A magician never reveals his secrets,” he joked. ”I used to be an alterationist. A damn good one at that.” Okay, so maybe subtlety wasn’t his strong suit. ”I come here and my magic’s been all over the place. This is the transmutation piece of my alteration. When I first came, I had only my telekinesis, but that seems to be gone now. Who knows what will come next?” Kalt flashed a charming smile to the alchemist. He treasured his magic, that much was true. However, he didn’t base his entire life off of his magical abilities. He had proved that to his Master in Northwind when he took the Hawthorne contract and had to do it without his magic. Quickly, that thought was shoved from his mind, not wanting to have the hell Master put him and Ashe through at the front of his mind. In truth, if it was necessary, Silver Wing could go the rest of his life without using his magic...not that he would like it. As a former street rat thief, Kalt’s opportunistic side beamed at Remi’s offer of taking something from the shop for helping out. He walked inside with the young man, a content smile worn as he looked around the building. As a Type-A neat freak to the core, his mind was slightly unsettled by the clutter, but it did have a warm energy to it, which confused and relaxed his mind at once. New feeling... He didn’t like new feelings. ”This is all quite amazing,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the man, before looking back at most of the unfinished projects. Kalt had always enjoyed working with his hands, so tinkering and inventions came quite naturally to him. Fascination with others’ creations helped his own inspiration. ”Say, would you by any chance have something like a collapsible sword?” He asked him. He knew it would be an obscure question, but he had never been able to create one correctly in Northaven. Maybe the alchemist would be able to help with that. ”I’ve been on the hunt for something that could easily conceal a sword, but still allow the weapon to be powerful when used.” Likelihood of him having something was very low, but it couldn’t hurt to make the inquiry. Maybe they could even combine brain power and skill to cook something up. kalt give into the night.

The world of magic had always been so far removed from the alchemist that Kalt's bragging was still just as impressive. Not only did Remi never even think it a possibility that he'd ever come to possess abilities like he had now, but even though he had acquired them somehow, he still thought himself inferior to other magicians. Listening to how the man's magic had come and gone, Remi frowned slightly. "I only acquired this power as a result of meeting one of the gods of this place...I was a shapechanger in Northaven, so of course, no magic." Tilting his head with a kind smile, Remi shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps it is the work of the gods that your magic is changing?" Although the alchemist tried to sound hopeful, he was anything but. In his experience the gods were fickle and cruel creatures with little patience. If Kalt was in their sights, so much the worse for the man. Running a hand through his curls, Remi flashed Kalt an almost embarassed smile at the compliment. As a commoner he'd never even dreamed of owning something like this, and now that he had it, he constantly thought that he wasn't doing enough with the opportunity he'd been given. "Collapsible?" Remi murmured with a slight smile. "Now that you mention it..." Remi moved to one of the shelves and began moving odds and ends around. Eventually he pulled out what looked to be just a regular bracelet. "I have no use for such things myself..." The alchemist said with a small smile; his athletic but clearly not-combat trained body had probably told Kalt all he needed to know about where Remi's skills lay. "...but I had been working on something like that." As his hand slowly moved to grib an imaginary hilt, the bracelet extended and contorted to become a sword in his hand. "What is even better, is that it cuts through material easily. That is why I originally created it. Against flesh it works normally, but against sturdier materials such as—" The alchemist made a solid piece of wood appear in the air before them, and then sliced through it with absolute ease. "—it moves like butter. Only to a certain depth of course but.." Shrugging his shoulders he looked at Kalt with a smile. "If you think you'd find it useful..?" remi Trying to teach my common sense to not waver with my confidence

Kalt listened as Remi explained the acquisition of his magic, and…did he say he met a god? Kalt had never been one for religion. Northwind and Northaven hadn’t had worshipped deities per se, certainly not ones that the assassin devoted his faith to. His admiration was saved for beings who he saw, who he knew without a doubt existed and earned his admiration. The last person who he saw remotely as such a thing had been his Master, but that was finished. So, Remi was a hybrid. No shapechanger cuff, but Kalt already found out about that little change when he met Dodge after coming through to this world. When Remi mentioned Kalt’s changing magic being the work of the gods, the man simply forced a small smile and nodded politely. If any god wanted to fuck with his magic, the least they could do was show their face to him, rather than playing puppeteer. The thought put him on edge, but he tried to shove it down. It was successfully put – mostly – from his mind, when the alchemist seemed to have an idea come to him. Kalt watched him attentively, as he pulled a black bracelet from one of the cluttered shelves. Remi put on the bracelet and demonstrated how it worked, as Kalt’s eyes followed the bracelet’s smooth transition into a black sword that fit neatly into the other man’s hand. When Remi described the sword’s capabilities, a slow smile pulled at the assassin’s lips. A piece of wood materialized before them, and before Kalt had a chance to marvel at the magical ability, the wood was cut…well, like butter. There was a burning desire and intrigue in the assassin’s eyes at everything he just saw, but his lips pressed together tightly, a shine in his gaze as he looked at Remi from the sword. ”Oh, that’s even better than perfect,” he said with a smile to mirror Remi’s. ”May I?” He asked, gesturing to the sword. If Remi handed it over, Kalt would mimic the alchemist’s motions and feel the sword in his hand with an eagerly racing heart. Yes, this was very good. He looked to Remi with a raised brow. ”Would you mind telling me about the god who gave you the magic? I’ve never seen that kind of power…” Not to mention that apparently the gods here seem to interact with the mortals. He thought he should have some kind of idea of what kind of beings were watching. kalt give into the night.

As Kalt asked to see the creation himself, Remi of course nodded obligingly. A sword was perhaps far too much compensation for assistance with a door lock, but what use did someone like Remi have with a weapon such as this? With any weapon really? Watching with a content smile as the blade appeared easily in the assassin's hand, Remi's sunny expression disappeared at the mention of Ludo. Exhaling slightly and running a hand over his eyes, Remi took a moment to consider before answering Kalt's questions. "His name is Ludo." Remi began simply with a rather clouded expression. "He...tricked me into following him deep into the woods one night." As he spoke, Remi clenched and unclenched his jaw several times, breaking eye contact to look around the shelves and fiddle with various things. "He called me an abandoned now, which I take it is this world's name for magic-users. I...I do not think they like them..ahh, us very much." Glancing towards Kalt, Remi shrugged slightly "Another of the gods noticed immediately that I had been changed—even though I didn't use magic in their presence—and spoke of it as if it were a bad thing." Perhaps he was reading too much into it—Remi of course couldn't know the minds of the divine—but it had certainly seemed that way. Glancing up again, Remi's smile resurfaced and he nodded his head towards the blade. "It is yours if you think you will find it useful." remi Trying to teach my common sense to not waver with my confidence

Kalt was rather interested with the talk of the deity. Ludo. He committed the name to memory, along with the term abandoned. Fascinating... Kalt felt the term fit him quite well in a morbid way, but his dark humor didn’t let him suffer the anguish he could have lived without it. And was that... Remi mentioned that there had been an interaction with another god, but the man’s discomfort having to do with the topic made Kalt hesitate to push for more information. When the alchemist’s sunny disposition returned at the change of subject, the assassin took the hint and moved on. He could have easily spoken for a while more on the subject of gods and magic, regardless of how it affected the other person. Hells, he had tortured people for less information, but he didn’t want to put Remi off any more than he absolutely needed to. And he hadn’t had any reason to do so, despite his curiosity. Maybe he needed to look into this topic a bit more. Kalt adjusted his grip naturally on the blade, then released it, allowing it to disappear into the black bracelet around his wrist. ”Quite useful,” he confirmed with a smile. ”Thank you, really. If you ever need anything, a favor or advice or whatever it may be,” he smirked at the man and nodded, ”just feel free to ask. I’m usually around.” kalt give into the night.

Remi returned the smile warmly with a gentle nod. "I will indeed do that. And please, if you are ever in need of anything else, do not hesitate to ask." Glancing around at shelves which were already becoming quite full of random things he'd picked up and started to toy with, Remi meant what he said. If he wasn't careful he'd likely get a reputation for being a hoarder. Or worse, he might just bury himself in his shop and never be seen from again. "Well, I will not keep you any longer. I do appreciate your assistance. Having a door that closes properly is apparently more of a luxury than I had thought." So saying Remi began to move back behind the counter to fiddle with ... well, something that just looked like a tangle of string. ~FIN remi Every now and then the things I lean on lose their meaning And I find myself careening in places where I should not let me go