it's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

[allconsumed]

Who: Velvet Crowe & Waver Velvet (aka The Victim)
Where: Floor 6, Room 1 of the apartment building
When: Day 178-ish
Open/Closed: Closed

[The kitchenette doesn't offer much counter space, but it shouldn't be an issue; Velvet has cooked with much worse conditions to contend with. She has most of the dry ingredients out and ready, along with the butter, which has been softening outside of the fridge. The oven is in the process of preheating, and Velvet has a nice shiny pan for them to use. It's all arranged rather neatly.

There's nothing left to prepare, so Velvet folds her arms and waits for The Victim to arrive. It ought to be an entertaining, and perhaps messy, afternoon.]

Comments

[allconsumed]

[Actually, yeah. Both.]

If you've been as careful and meticulous the whole time as you are right now cutting that chocolate, then I wouldn't worry. Except we might be at this until midnight.

[teratias]

If you want me to go faster, then just say so. [But okay. He's going faster. Happy?!]

[allconsumed]

[Nope, never.]

I doubt you want to be here longer than necessary.

[teratias]

...It did occur to me that you have to wait until a cake cools down in order to frost it, and that takes a while....

[He's here for the long haul!]

[allconsumed]

Fair enough.

[She drums her fingers on the counter.]

… Did that job work out? How do you like shelving books?

[teratias]

I...yeah, actually. It's been pretty great, I'm still doing it. How did your...thingy go?

[allconsumed]

Security work? It hasn't lead to much so far. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to fall asleep on my feet.

[teratias]

That....that's good though, isn't it? No one's trying to do anything stupid, I mean.

[allconsumed]

I can't complain too much.

It's not like I find it relaxing, though. This city is off-putting.

[teratias]

Well, yeah. I think everyone's agreed the city's weird, and no one's put a finger on why yet.

[He puffs his cheeks out, like that will deliver the answer.]

I hate that we never get told what the hell we're supposed to do in places like this.

[allconsumed]

That's part of it, but I don't care much about helping the Qri.

[She drums her fingers on the counter again, more intensely this time.]

The residents are so straight-laced. It just feels wrong, like an unnatural peace.

[teratias]

I can't figure out what Qri's game really is. The whole thing seems too straight forward, you know?

[And honestly Waver's been happy to leave that alone and focus on himself.]

Y'know, maybe that's part of it. Being an unnatural place.

[allconsumed]

Maybe. If she needs magic to continue existing, that might just be how it is.

Still, a place like this doesn't seem worthwhile as far as magic is concerned.

[teratias]

But how do we know that's not some kind of a lie designed to get us to help? That's what my worry iss.

...I think it is. If magic didn't occur naturally, they wouldn't have to ban it, now would they?

[allconsumed]

I said "might."

[She shrugs, accepting his logic.]

Not that I get how the process works, but if the magic is being suppressed, then what's the potential advantage?

[teratias]

Not having to deal with magic users running around and trying to take political type power?

[allconsumed]

For a bunch of cowards, that would check out. You'd think they could use magic to make the people's lives easier instead of being so damn paranoid.

[teratias]

...I mean, as a magic user? I know mages back home never would do such a thing. Make people's lives better with magecraft, I mean.

[allconsumed]

Oh? And why's that?

[There's a touch of malice in her voice.]

[teratias]

Because almost all magi are stupid, selfish jackasses and magecraft is something meant to be kept secret from everyone else.

[There's a hint of annoyance in Waver's voice, directed at the mage world at large. He huffs and folds his arms over his chest, as if that will fix all of the problems with magi.]

[allconsumed]

[Interesting. That shouldn't surprise her.]

If it bothers you, then once you get back, do something about it. Complaining won't accomplish a damn thing.

[teratias]

I was trying before I left, you know! [He grumbles, continuing.]

It isn't that easy, you know. Especially when everyone else is fine with how stuff is.

[allconsumed]

I believe you.

If you're refusing to back down even when everything is stacked against you, then at least you're made of the right stuff for someone who could make a difference. Just don't be stupid and think you can do it all yourself.

[Yep, now he's getting an angry pep talk.]

[teratias]

Yeah well, finding people to help is the problem. Everyone else benefits and--

...so wait, do you guys have jerk mages that don't do anything too?

[allconsumed]

It should be worth the effort. Track down some other weirdos you can get along with.

[She pauses to consider how to approach his question.]

… We had some jerks. They wanted to control everyone, to turn us into emotionless husks devoted only to reason. Had – because I killed the ones mattered.