<span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Courier;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;"><strong>S T O R Y T E L L E R</strong></span></span><hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/45/fd/83/45fd837de75c9249a1eafcd08bc314f0.jpg) </div><strong>Dramatis Personae:</strong>Alice, Alethea, Aurelia<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>As Pictured (All)<br/><br/><strong>Time:</strong><em>3:00 PM XST</em><br/><strong>Location:</strong><em></em>Triumvirat Villa, Echeveau<br/><strong>Tagging | Mentioning:</strong>Prospective Crystelia Coven Members |<br/><strong>Notes:</strong><br/><hr/>“Are you what you were, or are you what you will be?” The question is, once more, not one that expects an answer. Alethea does not linger near Mugi long enough to make this feel like a conversation. Rather, it’s simply a thought to keep her company; in the moment, or perhaps at night, when she’s busily trying to sort out the events of the day.<br/><br/>Stern, ice-blue eyes seem to be staring at Mugi from over Alethea’s shoulder. The sensation of being watched lasts for only a singular moment, however, before it passes.<br/><br/>As Alethea listens to each of the young women speak of their senses, she finds Mugi’s to be of personal interest, as it sounds similar to her own. “You’re sensing the flow of Mana.” The statement is pointed, and quickly delivered. It is, perhaps, the most sense the shaman will make today. “It’s everywhere in our world, unlike yours. You and I share this sense.” But she doesn't even acknowledge Mugi bringing up the ghost, deciding it will be addressed later, in a quieter time and space.<br/><br/>Alethea watches Fennu like a hawk eyeing a rabbit. They seem to focus and track the movement of the spider as well. For Alethea, it was less seeing the thing, and more sensing the magic vibrations; like ripples on a pond that had a stone thrown into it. “Ours.” She repeats the word, and makes a sort of vague gesture around them all.<br/><br/>“Magic.” The shaman answers Fennu’s question. That was how she got here. “Distracted, yes. You need to empty your mind.” A pause; she considers. Alethea was not supposed to be the one doing this, she’s never been good with the living. “And focus on your mystic sense. It is a part of the magic you are drawing upon; we all experience a heightening of senses, or development of new ones.” Her voice is slow, and careful in a way that clashes with her usual wispy, unfocused dialogue. This is because Alethea finds herself quoting the most charismatic of the triumvirate.<br/><br/>Other than this, the most Alethea can offer Fennu is a repetition of the earlier mantra, about controlling her breathing and focusing her mind.<br/><br/>“Gelegenheit.” Alethea gently corrects Alexis, not understanding the humor at work. She listens quietly to the girl speak about what she’s sensing, and while finding it curious, it’s not what the shaman focuses on. “What’s a promotion?”<br/><br/>Melody gets her time under Alethea’s gaze, which seems to be more focused on something around the green-haired lady, rather than Melody herself. When she brings up the tree, Alethea decides to offer some further explanation. “It’s a Mana Sapling. They grow around magical nexuses. They help regulate the flow of Mana. They grow all over.”<br/><br/>Alethea cedes the floor for a while, for Melody to conduct her introduction and guide the others through it. Maybe Alice would have started them off with that. Now she feels a little silly–but then, Aurelia was supposed to be making lunch, not explosions.<br/><br/>“I’m Alethea.” The shaman states, after the girls have finished introducing themselves. “A shaman from<acronym title="pronounced like “voost”">Wüst</acronym>. I deal with spirits–of the land and of people, those who can not or will not pass on, or those who have been driven mad by humanoid destruction.” A pause. “I don’t spend much time among the living.”<br/><div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cc/81/a6/cc81a6d443dbe9c5b1108daf08fecb6d.jpg)</div><br/>She reaches around to a sack on her back, and pulls free a tiny flute that looks like it was carved from a single, petrified finger. She blows on it, producing a sound that is inaudible to humans. However, its effect is quickly noticed as a creature appears from thin air.<br/><br/>A single kodama appears on Alethea’s shoulder, its bobbling head quietly looking at the prospective wicces. It wobbles, vibrates in a way that is either perfectly normal or totally unhealthy, and then jumps off the shaman’s shoulder. It seems to fade away from view before it can even hit the grass. “That’s Dama-chan. One of the oldest of my spirits. They like to follow me.”<br/><br/>Quite fortunately as the lover of the spirits proclaimed her disdain for the living, it seemed that the two other members of the Triumvirat had finished their quarrel. Both looked worn from it, but the redhead in the green dress seemed far less so. After all, she needed the energy as she seemed to be head-banging the last bits of soot out of her curly locks.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1d/81/5b/1d815b4e6f54762b80c9852229ac7298.jpg)</div>“Hopefully Alethea didn’t scare you all too much there. At least two of you look like you need to seriously chill out.” Aurelia said as she unofficially began to take over the lecture, her gaze briefly focusing on both Mugi and Fennu. “Thanks for making sure we actually get to know each other.” She added as she looked at Melody with a grin. “I don’t mean to toot my own horn, though I certainly love to, but they call me the Mind of a Thousand Solutions. You can just call me Aurelia though.” The spunky magicist introduced herself, seeming to clearly be the most lax of the bunch.<br/><br/>“And, to reiterate, I am Alice.” The soft-spoken blind woman chimes in. “A seer.” Her tone is quiet normally, but especially in comparison to Aurelia’s. "I apologize for the delay and the rough welcome. I'm sure you all have many questions, and I will do my best to answer them."<br/><br/>And then it was at this point that Alethea decides… “I’m done with people for today.” And just like that, she teleports herself away, leaving Alice looking slightly vexed.