*Someone is stood on the dorm balcony, seemingly staring at Ren*
@the-justice-mage
*Ren pauses what she's doing, and looks at them before waving.*
...Hello! Do you need something?
*They don't react to the wave* "Sorry, was I staring again?"
Uh... Yeah, I think so. It's okay, though, I didn't mind. Who're you?
"I'm Lex, you?"
Renegade Sol! But please, call me Ren. I'm an iron mage!
Are you new, as well? Or have I just not seen you around?
"I'm new as well, arrived a couple days ago with my roommate. I'm Lex, I don't know what magic yet."
Oh, nice, you have a roommate, too! What's their name?
That's okay, it took me a couple of days to get my magic. There's no rush, you'll get it eventually.
It's very nice to meet you, Lex.
"His name is Koa. The only spell I got is telling me something"
Telling you something...? Like, it gives you something you want to know, or its informing you right now?
Sorry, I'm not bothering you, am I?
*She laughs at her own enthusiasm warmly.*
*They smile slightly* "Okay, let's play a game. 2 truths and a lie"
Oh, sure. Do you want to go first, or me?
*She's a little surprised by the changed subject, but not opposed.*
"You" *They nod, a little grin*
Okay! Um... I guess... I had a favorite cat back home, her name was Satie. Uh, I've never met my roommate. Aaaand... My dragon- his name's Tail- is very clingy.
*The last one's a lie, she knows. Tail couldn't care less about existtence.*
"Last one" *They say without thinking*
*She's surprised.*
That was quick, but yeah, you're right. How'd you figure that out?
"My magic told me. Truth seeking"
*Ren's eyes widen.* Woah, really? That's so cool!
"Mhm, thank you"
Of course! Wow, knowing whenever someone’s lying… That’s so useful! Isn’t it? Nobody can fool you!
"Yea, true"
Mhm… So, what kind of things do you like to do?
"Hangout with Koa"
Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. …Have any hobbies?
"Reading"
Ooo, reading is nice. What kinds of books do you like.
Wait, aren’t you blind…?
*They chuckle* "I am blind, but Koa reads to me"
Makes sense. That’s nice of him.
Do you have a favorite book?
”Greek mythology”
Ooo, that’s interesting. Mythologies are pretty cool, my hometown had one of our own, too.
Anything else you like doing?
"Wandering around, even though I can't see"
Fair enough. Do you usually go with somebody, or do you just know your way around, now?
"I know my way around the dorm. Further no"
Do you use something to guide you, then?
"My memory"
Fair, fair.
…Uh, want to hang out in my dorm? We are just. Kind of. Standing in the hallway, hardly feels polite to you to not at least offer.
"Sure, why not"
Okay! Follow me. I’m over here, though it’s just my name on the sign by the door, my roommate took theirs off- I think they’re shy- and I have most of the first level to myself. They set up in the second floor, and they keep all their stuff up there. Or most of it. I don’t know.
*She chatters rather aimlessly so that Lex has an easy time following her voice.*
And here we are! Oh, shoot, I completely forgot to… *Ren holds the door open for Lex, the dorm opening into a cozy lower level sectioned off from her bedroom. She picks up a book from a desk and starts paging through it.*
"What does it look like?"
Oh-! Right, um. It’s very green. Green’s one of my favorite colors, so I used a lot of bamboo. There’s green walls, a light blue carpet, yellow bamboo furniture… blue couch cushions, a black brick hearth. Um, a yellow bamboo wall between this room, the ladder, and the bedroom. And the ceiling’s white.
Oh, I haven’t described myself- Um, I’m light-skinned, I have glasses, and I have short blonde hair. Freckles, a lot of freckles… And tattoos! I love my tattoos… Stars under my eyes and these patterns on my arms, a flower and a hex circle. And I’m wearing heart earrings.
*She touches her tattoos and earrings as she talks about them.*
"Thank you Ren" *They smile in slightly the wrong direction*
Mhm! No problem!
*She takes half a step to the side, so that Lex is actually facing her.*
Give me two seconds, there’s this book that my roommate and I leave each other messages in. I forgot to check it this morning- aha!
“We’re out of bread. You really need to work on a more balanced diet.” Hey, rude, I don’t see you buying anything else either. “Met some people. 72’s an-” language- “doesn’t know when to quit. Also, this place is a-” language- “maze. Your dragon nearly got out but I caught him.” Okay, great.
*There’s a brief sound of a quill scratching as Ren tells her roommate off for swearing, and then closes the book.*
"Not the nicest I see?"
I think they’re chill, they just don’t get along with people. And they happen to disagree with my choice of groceries at the moment.
…In their defense, I’ve been living mostly off bread since I got here. So they’re probably right.
"Can you not cook? No judgement, I can't either"
I can cook a little! Just… Anything much more complicated than pancakes and I might set something in fire. Or melt something that definitely isn’t supposed to melt.
*She giggles.*
”I will burn myself” *They wave a hand infront of their face*
Oh, yeah, true, that does make sense… It’s okay! I can learn to cook for the both of us!
Or, y’know, go up in flames trying. *Ren grins, joking.*
”And Koa! He need to eat too”
Of course!
Is Koa blind, too?
"No, he's deaf"
Oh. Okay. Wow, the world really has it out for you both, huh?
"Yea, we got each other atleast"
Mhm. Must be hard to communicate, though.
”We use morse code”
Wow, really? That’s so cool!
"It is"
So I guess it could be harder for you. Still, I bet it has to be a bit tough for you.
…Do you ever miss doing things that other people can? Who can see?
"Yes, I can't see my dragon and I miss seeing the night sky"
Aww… I’m sorry for you.
Maybe… I don’t know, maybe I could make a picture of the night sky that, like, is textured. So you could feel it?
I don’t know if I’m good enough at painting to do that, though…
"It's okay, don't worry"
Okay. I'll figure it out sometime, though, just for you! Even if it looks awful.
*She giggles.*
"Okay!"
...So, anything you want to hang out and do?
"Read?"
Sure! Want to go to the library?
"Sounds good"
Okay, let’s go!
*Ren takes Lex’s hand and leads her along with a spring in her step.*
*They follow, smiling*
Right here! You said you like mythology, right? Hm, wonder where those stories are....
*She leads them into the library.*
"I don't know, I would think in a book"
*She laughs loudly.*
Okay, that's fair, haha. Do you know what part of the library those're in?
”No, I don’t even know what the library looks like”
Right... I guess we just wander around, then!
“Yep” *They put a red blindfold on*
Where to start… Over here, I think. *She takes Lex by the hand and pulls them along.*
Why’re you wearing a blindfold?
"I prefer it in more public spaces"
Oh, okay. Fair enough.
*She looks over a few book, occasionally pulling one down.*
...Any story in particular you want to read?
"Nope!"
Okay, then, lottery choice...
This one?
*She grabs a book at random, paging through it to find a random story.*
...Oh, this is cool. Egyptian mythology. Want to hear some?
"Sure!" *Lex grins*
Okay!
"Long ago, Egypt was ruled by Osiris, a wise and beloved king. He taught people how to farm, make laws, and live peacefully. His queen, Isis, was renowned for her intelligence and powerful magic. Together, they brought prosperity to the land.
But Osiris's brother, Set, was jealous. Set was the ruler of storms, deserts, and chaos, and he envied the king's throne. From this jealousy was born a dark plan.
Set commissioned an ornate chest, built to fit Osiris's exact measurements. At a great feast, he announced that whoever fit the chest perfectly could keep it as a gift. Many guests tried, but only Osiris fit. The moment he lay inside, Set and his followers slammed the lid shut, sealed it with nails and molten lead, and cast it into the Nile.
The chest drifted far down the river before lodging within the trunk of a great tree along the band. The tree grew around it, rising to an enormous size, before it was eventually cut down and made into a magnificent pillar in the palace of a distant land's king.
Heartbroken, Isis searched tirelessly for her husband. After many hardships, she found the palace and the pillar, recovered the chest, and brought Osiris's body back to Egypt. Before she could complete the rites needed to restore him, though, Set discovered his failure. In a rage, he cut Osiris into pieces and scattered the parts across the desert.
Once again, Isis began her search. With the help of her sister, Nephthys, and the god with a jackal's head, Anubis, she gathered every piece she could find. Anubis wrapped the king's body in linen and performed the first mummification, while Isis used her magic to briefly restore his life.
During that brief reunion, Isis conceived a son: Horus, the god with a falcon's head.
Osiris, however, could no longer remain among the living. Instead, he became ruler of the underworld, judging the souls of the dead. His death was his transformation, and Egyptians hailed him as the lord of resurrection and eternal life.
Isis hid with the infant Horus in the marshes of the Nile Delta, protecting him from Set. She healed him from venomous bites, taught him wisdom, and raised him until he was strong enough to challenge his uncle.
When Horus reached adulthood, he claimed his inheritance. The gods convened a series of contests- battles of strength, wit, and endurance- to determine who should rule Egypt. In one of these, Horus lost an eye, while Set suffered grievous injuries. The eye of Horus was later restored, becoming a symbol of healing, protection, and wholeness.
At last, the gods judged that Horus was the rightful king. Set was cast out and stripped of his claim, though not killed. Instead, he continued to serve a necessary role, using his immense strength to defend the sun god's boat from the great serpent Apep each night as it journeyed through the underworld.
Thus, Horus ruled Egypt, Osiris reigned over the dead, Isis remained one of the greatest of the gods, and Set embodied the dangerous but necessary forces of chaos that existed alongside order." Ancient Egyptians saw this story not simply as a tale of good defeating evil, but as an explanation of why death, kingship, and the balance between order and chaos are all essential parts of the world."
...Cool story.
"It's amazing" *Lex is grinning ear to ear*
