Wizardly Exposition

Wizardly Exposition
Date of Scene:	09 January 2014
Location:	Traverse Town - District 2
Synopsis:	Angantyr Vespar has some long-standing questions to ask of the Sorcerers to follow up on information given to him in the past. And where better to start than the only one who's open for general consulting, Merlin?
Cast of Characters:	Angantyr Vespar, Zero-One (as Merlin)

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Zero-One has posed:
In Traverse Town, there is a lake. On that lake is a small island, reachable by jumping across floating stepping stones (be careful, sometimes they like to play tricks!). Upon that island is a small home, with a small chimney. Oftentimes it billows woodsmoke into the air. This is one of those times. Someone is home, at least.

Those who check can quickly determine that the location is the home of Merlin, reputedly a powerful sorceror, wise and knowledgable in the ways of the worlds.

Or perhaps a bloated old fool if you listen to his owl, Archimedes.

The truth, as it usually is, might be somewhere in between.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
There is a knocking on Merlin's door some day, maybe at this very second and minute...

It is a meeting that is needed to have occured for a while, but only now has Angantyr had the presence of mind to persue this...certain things recently have made him want to try and start down this road...perhaps it will go somewhere, perhaps not.

Who knows? For now, he knocks.

"Hello? Merlin?" he calls out.

Zero-One has posed:
Angantyr knocks.

And then there is a crash, a clatter, a ruckus! Boom! Bang! Smash! And Merlin yelling inside, "Confound and bebother it! Archimedes, what have I told you about leaving your books lying around!?"

The snarky owl wastes no time in replying, "Oh yes, I will be sure to clean those up with my /lack of hands/ right away."

Merlin grumbles some more, before the door flies open, the ruffled Merlin dripping some unknown liquid as he wrings out his beard. It smells like bubblegum. "Ah, and who do we have here?" He says, speculatively, squinting for a moment. "Ah, if it isn't Angantyr Vespar, the Keyblade Wielder." He steps aside, and gestures. "Come in, come in. Watch your step, there's a number of /books/ strewn on the floor and I haven't had the chance to tidy up." He shoots a glare across the room at the perched Archimedes, who is calmly turning a page in one with a claw without a care in the world.

The inside itself is quite stuffed with books, many of which are piled high. The large Vespar might find it a squeeze to get to the open space around the dining table without knocking anything over... And that's not considering the several short piles which appear to have already fallen over. The fireplace is lit, with more of that pink goop bubbling in a pot and making the entire place smell like... bubblegum.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr walks right in, looking around for a moment.

He said that the last time...when he cured the unit. Oh well.

"No problem, sorry for coming in unannounced..." He says, and looks towards Merlin.

"...I am looking for someone, and I think you can help me...for it just seems to make sense that...to find a wizard, you need to ask a wizard."

"I would ask how did you know...but wizard...also I haven't exactly been quite about my keyblade." he shrugs. "Also, the person who seemed to arbitrate my...keyblade dreams seemed to not have a high opinion of Wizards. Seemed to indicate you all had a hand in a...stopping more from finding new users."

"...But the person I am trying to find is a wizard named...Yen Sid."

Zero-One has posed:
Merlin waves. "Think nothing of it, my boy. Help yourself to any refreshments!" He gestures to a tea service on the table, full of piping hot tea. He totters back over to the cauldron and pokes at it, regarding the goop speculatively as Ang asks his questions. "If the one who gave you the Keyblade told you anything about the process and background, my boy, you might understand why those of us who know are quite cautious indeed. Some things, once given, cannot be undone."

"Like that stops you half the time." Archimedes snarks from the peanut gallery.

"That was a perfectly good choice and you know it!" Merlin retorts. He pauses when Ang brings up someone else. "Yen Sid, you say..." Merlin pauses. "... He is a powerful Sorcerer indeed, one with few equals... He even taught the King, you know." He thinks. "He is not one for casual visits. Very stern, that one. Why would you want to meet with him?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Because there is knowledge only he has, that I want. I want to know why you all did what you did...because right now I only have one side of the story."

Angantyr says. "There are other things I want to know, including the fate of a blue hair woman I met on my journy for the keyblade...as well as..."

"Knowledge of one called Xehonort." he says, sitting down and taking some tea. He takes only a scoop of sugar.

"I saw three figures fighting the man, but not enough to know what happened."

"And also...another vision I saw too. Something with a large graveyard."

Zero-One has posed:
Merlin nods, and reaches into the cauldron and pulls out a stringy bit of goop. "Hmm. Not quite yet." He lokos back to Ang. "Why we did what we did? That's an interesting phrase, my boy. I'd need to know what exactly we did before I could tell you why." He pauses. "As far as Yen Sid is concerned, he's closer than you might think."

"And yet he might as well be on the moon!" Archimedes exclaims, page-flipping.

Merlin sighs. "In a way, he's right. Yen Sid lives in a tower a short distance from Traverse Town. You can get there on a special train from the Train Station. The problem is seeing him."

"You'll need to convince old Glare-Eyes you're worth his time, he means." Archimedes explains. "Yen Sid knows everything about Keyblades and is a powerful sorcerer, but he doesn't suffer fools gladly, which is why /he's/ out here."

"Archimedes!" Merlin huffs. "There's no reason to go so far!"

"Someone has to keep you in line." The owl retorts smugly.

Merlin waves and looks back to Ang. "Sometimes I wonder why I keep him around... Anyway, besides that... A woman with blue hair you say? I remember meeting someone like that once. She didn't stay long, and I don't know what became of her." He pauses for a few moments, stroking his beard. "The name Xehanort is one full of dire portent, but I've never heard of it in my studies." He turns and pulls out a book from a shelf, bringing it to the table, and opening it. "A graveyard, you say... Something like this?" He opens it, revealing a picture of an endless cracked wasteland, studded with what looks like hundreds of ornate keyblades. "Is this what you saw?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr listens and thinks...there is things here, but also not here...but he did get his next clue.

Though that Mickey knew him...that was a also a thing he put back into his notes for later.

"Keeping people from Keyblades, in such a time that they are needed...I am not sure what else you did, but the man I talked to seemed to have a grudge. Maybe it was over the keyblades, maybe it was something personal. All I got was his side and I was not given answers to questions...just a lot more questions."

Shaking his head at Archimedes comment, he doesn't respond...out of respect, or the fact he still needs Merlin...well...

"Yes. She..." he pauses, "She's between worlds. The darkness...a beach, a horrible place to be, she didn't even remember her name she was there so long. I've been there once, by accident myself. Even as connected to darkness as I am...I do not want to return for long." He admits. That place is hell, as far as he is concerned.

He pauses, "Yes...that. I saw two versions of that...but the first one I saw...I saw a strange crystal, a brilliant light was inside, but the heartless were closing in. The keyblades seemed fresher...like the battle just happened, as opposed to the second time I saw it where it looked like much time passed...like it does there."

Zero-One has posed:
"Every answer is a gateway to more questions." Merlin says, smiling.

"Especially from a confusing old goat like him!" Archimedes comments.

Merlin eyerolls, and shakes his head, and then sighs. "Poor girl. I can't imagine what she's been through." He looks back up to Angantyr, and begins making himself a cup of tea with a flick of a hand. The pots move and pour themselves, while a spoon flips cubes of sugar into the hot brew. He sips the cup, speculatively, as Ang explains. "I see. That, my boy, is the aftermath. The result of what happens when too many Keyblades are given out, when some rise above their station and seek out things that were not theirs to take."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr pauses...

He thinks about this for a moment...

"Was it the strange heart shaped moon I saw in the sky?" He asks.

Zero-One has posed:
"It was." Merlin nods. "That moon is called Kingdom Hearts. It is the source of all Hearts, and where all Hearts return when people pass on from the worlds."

Even Archimedes looks somber and snarkless at this. It must be Serious Business time.

"It's supposed to be the job of the Keyblade Wielders to protect that place." Merlin says. "That is one reason why Yen Sid has been so reluctant to tell people of the Keyblade and how to use them."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr is quiet after a time, thinking on this.

"I see..." He says, slowly. Angantyr used to be very impatient, very forward, lately he's become more patient and reflective. There was something he saw during his trials that made him this way, but he has yet to tell anyone, but save the cloest to him.

"Yes, I am aware of the power of the keyblade, it is not just a simple weapon that is good at killing heartless. That I am aware of...it's power over hearts themselves is..." a pause, "Scarry."

"I can't imagine what would happen here, with that power. I can understand then, why people are protective of it.."

Angantyr just is quite for a bit. Why did he see all of this then? There was more at work here, and he's not sure what is going on...or who strings are working.

"Well, I am here now. So is another, and the little boy too. If we're not armed properly with knowledge...how long do you think it will be before someone falls under the influence of the Shadow Lords?" he shakes his head, "Knowledge might be powerful, but Ignorance can be just as powerful of a tool, in the wrong hands."

Zero-One has posed:
"Quite frightning indeed. You make a fair argument, Vespar, and one I've made many times to Yen Sid. But he keeps his own counsel." Merlin shakes his head and drinks some more tea, before he sniffs. A faint burning smell coms through the air as he looks over his shoulder. "Oh dear!" He suddenly leaps to his feet, rushing to the pot and pulling the cauldron away from the fire, where the goop was bubbling over into the firepit below. He waves at it and stirs a bit, pulling out a sticky glob of... something pink that seems to adhere to the wooden spoon like glue. "Um..." He pauses, and then turns, offering the stick swathed with goop to Ang. "Would you like some... taffy?" He pauses, and then he shakes his head. "If you want to debate with Yen Sid, be my guest, sir Vespar... But be warned, Yen Sid is not a man to be trifled with. Treat him with respect, and he will return it in kind in time. He is harsh, but ultimately fair."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr shrugs.

He takes some taffy. Why not?

He nods after a bit, "Bubblegum." he nods. Not bad.

"Well, to be fair. I survived training under Garland, I am sure I can handle Yen Sid, with all due respect to the man. I am sure I have a higher survival rate trying to talk to him, as opposed to Garland...and Garland liked me at the time."

"Anyway...thank you. You've been a big help. I guess the next step is on me..." he says, with a shake of his head. "I keep racking up all these favors, it seems." he says with a half smile.

Zero-One has posed:
"I think in the end you'll more than repay anything you might believe you owe, Sir Vespar." Merlin says with a wink. "Keep the spoon." He gestures, then, towards the door. "I'm happy to be of service, lad. Don't worry, not all of us sorcerers are crotchety hermits."

"He's just crotchety." Archimedes confirms. "I can't help it when you make it so easy, Merlin."

"One of these days, Archimedes..." Merlin says in an ominous tone, but the owl gives it no mind. "Bah! Safe travels to you regardless, Vespar. And be careful. Some things don't go quietly. And while I wish otherwise, not all help offered unasked is in good faith."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr shakes his head, laughing a little...it was always amusing at least.

"Perhaps." he finally says, and he right now wants to make good on that. Many things can happen, and that future could still come to pass...he only hopes it does not.

"I would say I am always careful, but we both know that is a lie. But I will try, thank you." Angantyr finishes the tear and steps out. A special train, huh? Well...