Keeping a bartender happy – especially one as intriguing as Edy – was always high in Jigano’s priorities, and he was glad to see her smiling. He grinned back and sketched a little half-bow from his stool, managing the move with practiced grace. ”My stock in trade, after all,” he replied, pleased at her compliment. ”So kind of you to notice!” He would have offered a wink as well, but didn’t want to push his luck too far just yet. Impertinence mixed liberally with courtesy seemed the tightrope to balance on with her, and too much of one or the other might lose her good opinion of him, but it was a challenge he relished.
He had already begun to formulate a witty response to Edy’s own stab at wordplay when the fire kindled in her palm and Jigano found himself blinking in surprise. ”Well, well…” he murmured, appreciative and curious though not particularly frightened once his initial startlement passed. ”You’re just full of useful tricks, aren’t you?” He gave a little shake of his head to find his rhythm again, grin turning rueful. ”Bitey, you say? That’s an, ah, unusual hobby for a gourd. Hopefully your fearsome fruit tastes better for the fight in bringing it down?” Or perhaps it was better not to try and eat something that had been magicked – or cursed – by an unknown power. Who knew what other alterations might have been made to them? It might be awkward to start sprouting vines and leaves at inopportune times!
”And gods are… very much present though not, ah, personally invested in individual mortals. Usually, at least,” he added with a momentary tightening of his expression. It was smoothed away almost immediately however, his charm returning with a lopsided smile. ”Where I’m from, some magic-users are born with a connection to the arcane and others are… blessed with a connection to divine power if a specific god takes an interest in their prayers.” From his tone that ‘blessing’ wasn’t always a good one, or without cost. ”Most healing magic comes from the gods, while most destructive magic comes from ourselves. I’m sure there’s a moral in there somewhere, but we’ve as many gods of evil and chaos as of law and order – and no few that fall somewhere in between.” Slender shoulders lifted in a liquid shrug as he toyed with his empty glass absently. ”I take it you don’t usually have the dubious pleasure of such an active religion in these parts? Or are you not from around here?”
He had already begun to formulate a witty response to Edy’s own stab at wordplay when the fire kindled in her palm and Jigano found himself blinking in surprise. ”Well, well…” he murmured, appreciative and curious though not particularly frightened once his initial startlement passed. ”You’re just full of useful tricks, aren’t you?” He gave a little shake of his head to find his rhythm again, grin turning rueful. ”Bitey, you say? That’s an, ah, unusual hobby for a gourd. Hopefully your fearsome fruit tastes better for the fight in bringing it down?” Or perhaps it was better not to try and eat something that had been magicked – or cursed – by an unknown power. Who knew what other alterations might have been made to them? It might be awkward to start sprouting vines and leaves at inopportune times!
”And gods are… very much present though not, ah, personally invested in individual mortals. Usually, at least,” he added with a momentary tightening of his expression. It was smoothed away almost immediately however, his charm returning with a lopsided smile. ”Where I’m from, some magic-users are born with a connection to the arcane and others are… blessed with a connection to divine power if a specific god takes an interest in their prayers.” From his tone that ‘blessing’ wasn’t always a good one, or without cost. ”Most healing magic comes from the gods, while most destructive magic comes from ourselves. I’m sure there’s a moral in there somewhere, but we’ve as many gods of evil and chaos as of law and order – and no few that fall somewhere in between.” Slender shoulders lifted in a liquid shrug as he toyed with his empty glass absently. ”I take it you don’t usually have the dubious pleasure of such an active religion in these parts? Or are you not from around here?”
