OPEN

[scythedance]

i.
[After the events of the maze, Astralin found it a bit difficult to relax. Everything was a bit too overwhelming, and even though he's recovered since then, he's been a bit restless. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any sort of hot springs or spa opened in Aldrip, and he wasn't about to visit the neighboring villages and towns to try and relax. So, as one does, he took it upon himself to use the remaining land that he had now to incorporate a hot springs on his land.

It's busy on the farm again with construction, and despite the citizens of Aldrip being much more... Wary of the chosen, he still managed to find a few of them that would still work with him on the construction. So, you'll find Astralin hovering over the construction with his arms crossed. His focus on some of the construction workers as they begin working on the hot spring. Ready to open it to the public once it was constructed.]

ii.
[After the construction, you'll find Astralin still outside. He isn't relaxing, but instead, honing his magical abilities. The maze has left a scar on him that certainly left him traumatized, and he feels like he needs to practice more to ensure he can keep the people he calls friends here, safe. It's the least that he can do for them, but even then, it seems like his powers didn't have any affect on the illusions when he did try and attack them.

He tries not to let that bother him though, and he focuses on summoning his icicles from thin air. Those icicles being hauled forward and toward their intended targets that he had set up. The whole farm filled with lingering frost that may or may not shift into Aldrip while he practices.]

Comments

[scythedance]

[Yeah, that's not a surprising answer. He figures that there's much more going on right now, and that she had her share of the maze before she found him. Although he's worried about her, he's not going to pry. That's the last thing that he wanted to do, and if she says that she's fine, then he'll have to trust her and take it to face value. He didn't want to be pushy, after all.

Though, what he's really surprised over is that she genuinely wants to learn how to use his magic. Astralin left blinking a few times, before he can't help but chuckle a bit. Not at all minding her forwardness, because it truly did remind of him of his child back home. The corner of his lips curving into a smile as he brushes some of his hair back and lifts his hand out to dispel the frost around them.]

I will. Although I am not sure if you can learn ice magic, I will try my best.

[A pause.]

I am not sure if I told you, but people in my world are born with the ability to use magic. So it was something that I was born with.

[entreats]

[ There's a slight pause. It's mostly Ange trying to determine if this is him trying to deter her - the words might imply as much, after all. But even though Ange can't exactly claim to know all that much about Astralin, she's pretty sure she's got a good idea of the other's general personality, at least.

And if she's right about that idea, it feels more like he's trying to make sure that she doesn't end up disappointed by getting her hopes up too high.

(Annoyingly considerate in a way she doesn't know how to deal with.) ]

That's fine. I'm not, but that just means I've already experienced the uphill struggle.

[ It's probably easier to learn magic when you're actually born with it, after all, than when you have to start from the ground up with something that's hard and unfamiliar, something that sometimes still feels like it's tearing you apart. ]

I'm not the type who gives up so easily, you know.

[scythedance]

[Correct. He didn't want her to get her hopes up, but hell, if she wanted to try and learn, he would teach her how. It's what he did back home, so there is no reason why she couldn't learn new magic, or at least her own. Which is why he can't help but chuckle softly for a moment, lips curving into a smile as he nods his head.]

Yes, but we can talk about that later. Why not come up to the farm completely and come see the animals before we talk about your magic? There are several magic elements that I have in my world, and perhaps you could learn them here.

[The frost has already cleared with the snap of his finger, and he feels much more relaxed and at ease now that Ange was here. The younger girl having a surprisingly relaxing personality to be around in his eyes. She was honest with her feelings, and he always appreciated that.]

Did you want a snack, or a cup of tea...?

[entreats]

.. tea is fine.

[ Even though Ange isn't really the type of person for this. Or rather, she just doesn't have a whole lot of life experience with any of this. The only social events she's ever had were the ones she was forced into by her aunt, and none of those were ever meant to make her comfortable.

It means she doesn't really know how to handle something as simple as just sitting down to have tea with someone, and it's tempting to reject the offer. She doesn't, though, Ange telling herself that it's since she has to stay on Astralin's good side to even get an attempt at learning his magic.

(When, in all actuality, it's much more that Astralin is so nice that she'd feel rude for turning down his offer so plainly.)

So if he starts guiding her in the direction of the farm properly, she'll follow him, even if she seems a touch awkward - like she isn't entirely sure what to say or do. ]

You seem to do so much here. [ The girl finally settles on, the slight hint of awkwardness also creeping into her tone. ]

[scythedance]

[To be fair, it's hard to get on his bad side in general. It was always a calm and patient man, but it seems that Ange gets quite the smile from him when she agrees to have tea with him. Happy to know that they could just sit down and have a cup of tea, after the traumatic maze event. He owed it to her, after she certainly helped him, and he wouldn't forget that.]

To be honest, it is good to keep busy here... I will be driven mad if I focus on the possibility of not being able to leave and never seeing my loved ones again.

[There's almost a twitch in his voice, and he grits his teeth underneath a false smile. It's one of those rare moments where he drops his usual happy, and kind personality that he usually has. It seems like this is the one thing that makes him tick, but he tries not to show it for too long as he manages to sigh softly.]

What have you been doing to pass your days? I know you said you were trying to find a way out of this place...

[entreats]

[ His loved ones again, huh. He had mentioned something about them back in the maze as well. If this place would deem that the most fit to use against him, coupled with the very faint shift in his demeanour as he talks about them now..

.. well, it says a lot. Especially to a quite observant girl like Ange. Astralin must really miss the people he's left behind by getting dragged to this world, but at the same time he seems to be trying to downplay it.

Not because he wants to lie, she thinks. He doesn't seem like the type, unless she's massively misreading him.

It's probably instead that he doesn't want her to worry. Especially if she really does remind him of his kids.

Ange contemplates it for a moment or two, but then she slowly exhales as she answers his question. ]

Pretty much just that. Trying to investigate this place. Explore around town, and a little bit outside of it. [ Maybe it sounds a little sad, being so focused on one thing, and not even really sounding like she's having fun with it.. but Ange answers like this is the natural thing for her to do, still following him. ] I'm really not sure how much closer I'm getting to figuring out anything substantial, though. It doesn't feel like much lately.

[scythedance]

[It's one of his more sensitive triggers, as he's been here for quite some time and the only thing he has of them is a picture of them as well as his wedding rings. None the less, he tries not to disturb Ange with how he misses them, and his attention is quickly shifted elsewhere to try and keep distracted. A barely audible sigh escaping from his lip as he turns his head to look back at her.]

It is rather difficult to say... I must admit, I have not done much exploring, as I am not the kind to investigate as much as I should, but should you need my help, you can always come and find me and we can search what we can, together.

[It's just an idea, and he doesn't like the idea of Ange getting injured while she's investigating. Especially since her magic doesn't seem to work here, which makes him a little more anxious. Astralin absently playing with his hands, and slowly breathing out as they continue to walk toward the house.

Upon arrival, Ange will notice how large his house is. That, and there seems to be quite a bit of barn cats surrounding the house -- greeting both him and Ange with loud meows.]

I will feed them again, after our cup of tea and snack.

[entreats]

[ Ange does eye the cats. And though she doesn't move away from them if any of them get a little closer, she doesn't seem to be making any attempt to move near them to try and pet them either.

Instead her attention turns back to Astralin after regarding the cats for a moment, though her tone is a bit more of a mumble.

An audible mumble, though. ]

Sheesh, you really sound like a dad when you say stuff like that, you know..

[scythedance]

[Oh he heard that, and there's a soft laugh that escapes from him. His eyes softening at Ange as he opens the door and brings her inside of the house. The scent of multiple flowers quite strong in the living room, and in the house in general, but none the less, there's a calming feeling to it.]

Well, to be completely fair, I am a father. Of four, actually.

[Once they're inside, he shuts the door behind him and locks it. Happily guiding her toward the kitchen now, where he doesn't hesitate to reach for the kettle to place it on the stove. Astralin reaching for earl grey tea, since that tended to be the tea that everyone drank.]

I hope that earl grey tea will be to your liking.

[entreats]

It's fine. I'm not picky.

[ Though she does feel a little awkward just.. standing around there in his kitchen while he's busying himself with the tea, so Ange glances around for somewhere to sit in the kitchen, and then just takes a seat for a moment.

This is the trouble with these small talk situations. She just doesn't know how to act in these normal, low-stakes situations, leaving her just awkwardly sitting there as she watches him take care of the tea, mumbling audibly: ]

Also my dad has two kids and he doesn't talk like that.

[ To be fair, she also.. hasn't heard her dad talk in about twelve years, so.. Who knows how accurate that assessment is. ]