and the air was full [April, catchall, OPEN]

[ruinsprofessor]

Characters: Raine Sage, OPEN
Date: April, various
Location: Healers' Guild, apartment, sky, other
Situation: a variety! This is definitely your stop for Raine at the Healers' Guild, for sure. Others tba.
Warnings/Rating: None currently; will update as that changes.


A | Healers' Guild | open

Raine, most days of the week, can be found at the Healers' Guild, though rarely at the front desk. Any of the multiple kedan who volunteer or heal here will be happy to point visitors toward Raine's office, however, especially if they have an appointment; even those not strictly looking for Raine will be pointed her way if they express they want to help around the Guild.

Raine can also occasionally be found in the halls, or simply passing through the main entryway, though she will appear somewhat distracted and may take a moment to focus on someone talking to her.

B | errands, out and about -- any sector OR outside Milyn's clinic | open

Basket in one hand, staff in the other, Raine isn't an uncommon sight in markets, or especially in the streets of the Water Sector. She walks quickly, like she's on a mission, but she can't help but turn her steps in Water toward Milyn's clinic.

She doesn't go in, but she stands across the street for a long time, a distantly troubled expression on her face.

C-1 | Hatal, Lorn Level | open

Raine's been spending some more time in Hatal, lately, but this-- this startles her. A group of Kin'nal are experimenting with something she recognizes-- a strange vehicle that looks somewhere between a motorcycle and a butterfly or dragon, and a small pack. "Excuse me," Raine says, hardly able to believe she's saying it. "I-- believe those are mine."

Anyone in the vicinity will shortly thereafter be witness to a peculiar sight, as Raine takes the pack and runs her hands over it. Yes, there are her initials, graven besides the silhouette of a wing. She manipulates it just so, and the entire vehicle vanishes into it, in a curious sliding of matter. Raine lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she tells the Kin'nal, who are more or less happy to let her take it, though she does insist on giving them some recompense.

She doesn't know what her rheaird is doing here, but it's a stroke of luck.

C-2 | skies over Keeliai | open to those with flight capabilities

Raine wastes no time in making sure it works as it should, and anyone in the sky or even looking up at the right time may catch sight of her. It works like a charm, and she handles it with the ease of practice as she skims over the city, mindful of the safe distance. She likes flying, a great deal more than she likes anything to do with swimming, and the rheaird is a small-impact piece of magitechnology, one that doesn't put an undue drain on her environment.

She indulges herself with a loop, when she thinks no one could possibly see.

D | apartment, Earth sector | Solomon

It's one of those days when Raine comes home after Solomon; she announces her return with a quiet "I'm home" from the door, and sets about putting her things away. Her jacket gets hung by the door, since things are warming and she really doesn't need it indoors, her staff leans next to it, and she idly orients on Solomon's mana -- his study, unsurprising -- and heads that way, turning the day over in her head as she does.

"Some days, I wonder about the wisdom of working in the Water sector," she says wryly, half to herself though it's aloud, and she leans in the doorway. Open, so he isn't involved in something he'd mind being interrupted. "How did your day go?"

[ooc: feel free to tag in to any one of these, or, if none suit, shoot me a pm or a pp at makaricrow and we can work something out! I'd love new CR as well as old.]

Comments

[purrns]

"Super villains," he nods seriously. "A lot of them. They always return to normal afterwards. It's like... being possessed? I guess? Not exactly, but close."

Enough to cause one heck of a mess. It's merciful, that the akuma victims don't remember anything afterwards. He knows more than a few of his classmates who would struggle with the consequences of what they did while under Papillion's thrall.

The thought of learning magic on his own had never occurred to him. Of course, that could interfere with the Miraculous, especially if he used it when transformed. It might not of course, but he knows that's a risk he'd best avoid if he can.

"Uh...I think it'd be best if I tried the non-magical kind, if that's alright. I know I'd have better luck with that. Baby steps, you know?"

Not quite the reason, but Adrien's used to lying his way around things by now. He doesn't like having to do it, but it's a necessary evil if he wants to keep his life as Adrien and that as Chat separate.

"It is. But we have two superheroes who always step in and save the day. Evil never wins."

[ruinsprofessor]

"Being possessed?" Raine inquires, curiously. "So, some external factor leads to people being transformed into something more powerful and intent on causing destruction? Do you have any idea what that is, and if there's a risk it could happen here?" 'Super villains' are not something she wants any part of in Keeliai, but it's possible they could handle it if something like that did happen there. She'd like to be prepared.

She nods to his question. "Yes, it's better to begin with the basics. I'll set your name down for the introductory first aid class; right now, it's twice weekly, in the early afternoon." That's simple enough. They'll know to expect him, and perhaps as he progresses he'll be willing to volunteer or work at the Guild.

More hands are always useful.

Raine's reminded, though, how young Adrien must be, with that last statement, and the certainty she hears in his voice. It speaks of a faith in the world that hasn't yet been damaged, though perhaps it's determination instead of naïveté. "That's a great weight to put on two people alone," she says, thoughtful, perhaps a little sympathetic.

[purrns]

"Yeah, it happened to my best friend," his smile fades a little at that, he knows Nino got into the vulnerable state to allow him to be akumatised because of his father...because he was trying to help HIM. "There's this...villain, I guess? He's never been seen anywhere, but he voiced himself at the Eiffel Tower when all of this started. I don't know how he does it, but he marks people and turns them into villains. Then our local heroes save the day and turn them back to normal."

He's always careful, how much he lets on as Adrien. He has to keep in mind how much an average Parisian would know, compared to someone battling Papillon on a regular basis. He doesn't want to avoid giving helpful information, though, so he quickly thinks up an alternative.

"I don't think there's any chance it can happen here. One of those superheroes is living somewhere on the turtle, though. I think in the metal district? He doesn't really talk to me a whole lot, but he might help you out with any questions on that."

His smile grows, nodding. This is good. It's the start of something better. Something he can really help people with.

"Thank you! I'll be there, absolutely!"

Ah...but that's quite a point. When they started out, things were rough. They screwed up their first mission so badly that almost all of Paris suffered for it. They nearly lost the war at the first battle. His smile fades...only slightly.

"I guess. But they always seem so... so effortless in dealing with it. Especially Ladybug. I'm sure she could handle anything."

[ruinsprofessor]

Raine herself has no information about how much the average Parisian would know, which tempers any possible suspicion. She only listens attentively to Adrien, nodding as she goes. "Yes, that might be helpful," she says at length. "I'd like to be as prepared as possible, even if nothing ever happens. Do you know anything beyond which district?"

And there's a brief pause, as something occurs to her. "If you two are from the same iteration of Earth, why wouldn't you speak to each other?" she asks, curious. It's possible, of course, that there's some personal reason why they wouldn't -- she's certainly seen enough of that among the people of some worlds -- but Adrien speaks very well of these heroes, not at all in keeping with someone holding some sort of grudge.

"Even heroes are only people," Raine cautions finally, but she's smiling a little, and her tone is kind, almost fond.

[purrns]

Talking about Chat is always like balancing on a tightrope. He has to work with what he, as Adrien, would know about a person who he has made sure shows little interest in Adrien himself. If he says too little, it looks like he's hiding something, too much and he's asking for scrutiny.

"His name is Chat Noir. He...uh dresses like a cat? It's weird," he taps his chin in thought. "His power seems to wreck stuff? Like he touches something and it disintegrates?"

He gives a shrug in response to her question. He knows whichever way he does it, he makes one side of his double life look like a jerk. There's no real way around it. At least he can handle it better as Chat. He has already built in that care-free attitude.

"He's always been pretty private. He has a secret identity to keep, and we haven't really interacted all that much back home, bar the couple times he's saved me. We never really sat down and got close," he offers her a smile. "I think he's worried if I get to know him here, I'll figure out who he is and take that knowledge home with me. Can't be too careful."

That much is true, truer than she possibly realises. He exhales, inclining his head.

"That's true. Behind those masks, they're someone. They must have...regular lives, just like everyone else, when they're not saving the city."

[ruinsprofessor]

Destruction, hm. Raine considers that a moment, noting that Adrien doesn't seem to have thought of the potential of something like that applied to living beings. Either that, or it simply isn't something that happens, and Chat Noir's abilities are limited to the inanimate, but she wouldn't care to bet on such a kind stricture.

"I'll see if I can find him," she says at length. "Although, as things are, that worry is relatively unfounded. It's been demonstrated that when we return to our home worlds, we don't keep our memories of our time here. As much as I'd like to change that, for now, his identity is likely safe." This, however, is not the person who would need to be told this. Raine shakes her head.

"One of my students was meant to save the world," she adds, something like an explanation. Contextualizing her feelings on the subject, even as she's agreeing with him. She's seen what it does to a person. "It's... a significant weight to bear."

[purrns]

The worst thing is, he has. He absolutely has. It's a thought that crossed his mind more than once, and it's been dismissed time and time again. He's seen what his powers do to inanimate objects, but to a living thing... it doesn't bear thinking about. He sometimes wonders if that's why he was chosen to wield the Black Cat's power. Because he wouldn't use it for ill.

...If he knew how close he came to using it on Ladybug, he'd be even less inclined to use his powers at all. Luckily for him, both Ladybug and Plagg have kept mum on the subject. Being controlled by an evil hate arrow doesn't really constitute being willing to use your powers for evil.

"I think he said he was living in the Fire District? I'm not sure where, though. I'm sure you'll find him, though. He's pretty hard to miss."

Unless he doesn't want to be found. Then he can make himself scare pretty damn fast. He nods in acknowledgement of her explanation, filing it away. Good. That's useful, should anyone from home show up. He'd still like to avoid letting them know who he really is, but if there are no ramifications back home...well. If he needs to, it's an option.

"It seems it. I couldn't imagine what it's like, having so many people relying on you to keep them safe."

[ruinsprofessor]

"All right. Thank you." Raine makes a mental note, intending to track Chat Noir down when she has some free time. Free time may be easier said than done, but she'll make something work.

She sighs at his last. "It's heavy," she says, which may be obvious. Occasionally stating the obvious is necessary. "And those who do not have a strong core might find themselves crushed by it. Colette was fortunate, to have the friends she does." Their journey, however, isn't strictly relevant to the conversation at hand, and Raine draws herself from recollection with a shake of her head. "At any rate, not having 'superpowers' doesn't mean you can't help, no matter how infinitesimal you may believe the contribution to be. Whether here, or in your Paris. If everyone does what they can, the weight becomes less."

[purrns]

And of course, Chat would be willing to talk to her. Adrien's a dab hand at making it seem like he's meeting someone he already knows for the first time. It's an important skill, when you're juggling two lives.

"Having friends helps a lot in most things," he'd not have been able to do it without Ladybug, that much is true. Still, he smiles at her comment, nodding. "Good! Because that's what I want. To do a little extra, help where I can. Even without superpowers."

[ruinsprofessor]

"It does," Raine agrees. It's something she herself has run into again and again, even while she's been here.

At his last she smiles in return. "Then, we'll make sure you have the skills to do so," she says, broadly approving. "Thank you for coming in. In future, if you find yourself at a loss, I'm happy to help as well."

Overall it's been a profitable exchange on both sides, and Raine's looking forward to the extra hands.

[purrns]

"Thanks, I really appreciate being given the opportunity to learn!"

And he really means that, full of earnest optimism. This is great, and even better, these are skills he can transfer as Chat. Think of the lives he could save, not only being a superhero but in the aftermath. He could make such a difference, and that means the world to him.