View source for 1275/The Scientist, the Witch and the Tome...

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/03/26
|Location=Uminari City - Juuban Avenue - North
|Synopsis=Riventon comes across Shiniko spreading some of her curses around. They talk, and eventually come to an agreement.
|Cast of Characters=151,47
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sun has been down for half an hour when the magic happens. Not too far from the Hisakata residence, the Shadow Witch Shiniko has come across a group of troublemaking young men who were harassing a girl her age. So, she decided to teach them a lesson.<br /><br />First, shadows started to envelop the alley they were in. Blanking out the stars and moon while obscuring the street lights, creating a degree of darkness many modern city dwellers are not used to. Second, shadowy claws formed out of the ground and the walls, entrapping the men.<br /><br />Shiniko giggles, a high-pitched childlike giggle. There's something wrong with the giggle, "Tsk, tsk little boys. If you want to play with girls, you can play with me instead~"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riventon is, once again, out looking obstensibly for the Compendium. But he's mostly out doing the Eclipse equivilent of patrolling - looking for interesting sights and magical signatures.<br /><br />Interesting is certainly the right word for what he finds on this little trip, ending up resting on the edge of a rooftop overlooking Shiniko as she moves in on the two men. It probably won't be too long before the two men pass out and chalk up everything to a nightmare, but for the time being, Riventon is patient and willing to just observe the goings-on.<br /><br />That being said, having a presence as strong as Riventon's arrive and watch you will probably send the hairs up on Shiniko's neck, as he's not doing anything to disguise the dark presence, the fell pressure his energies put off.

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>If Shiniko notices, she doesn't let it show, not right away. The book she's holding has its pages flip from a sudden and unexpected wind, she takes a glance at that, reading the warning it gives. 'This entity is powerful and likely dangerous, keep your guard up.' She rolls her eyes at it, not even bothering to write a response to it.<br /><br />Instead, she does more magic, thin shadowy tendrils forming in the air, forming twice a character best read as calamity or misfortune. These characters are a powerful magic, and they land on the hands of thse two men, where they settle and after a little while vanish.<br /><br />There's a subtle connection forming to Shiniko, a connection that upon closer inspection, seems to have similar ones come to her from all directions. A very small, barely noticeable amount of magic flows to her through each one. Individually, it's barely anything. As a whole, it's a notable amount of power.<br /><br />As the thus cursed men collapse, Shiniko turns around to look at Riventon, giggling like that once again. "You feel strong and scary~" She comments, finally giving him a good look over, "Are you going to do anything interesting?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riventon just watches down at her, taking it all in. So is his device - recording, registering, calculating. He looks down at her from his perch and shrugs a bit. "Depends. Right now I'm just observing. We don't have to make this a fight. I have no care for the two you just removed. But you're interesting."<br /><br />"Haven't seen you around, but I can feel the strength you're drawing on. It's unique. And while I'm not looking for the book in your hands, it has me curious too. Do you mind talking? I'm sure we can fight too, but I'm not sure that's going to get us anywhere important. Seems like a bit of a waste."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Why thank you~" Shiniko drops the shadows she's collected, once more allowing the lights of the city and the sky shine at full force. She starts climbing the walls with her shadow-infused hair, the magic making it as easy as walking horizontally, until she claims a spot on a roof.<br /><br />"I haven't seen you around either~" She giggles, and looks down at her book, which has listed nothing new. So, without its guidance of questionable merit, she follows her own path. "I am Shadow Witch Shiniko, and who would you be?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Riventon." he says, calmly. "So tell me... do you work for anyone, or is this a... hobby?" he asks, slipping off the roof - and into the Dusk Zone in mid fall, escaping out behind her as though he had just walked through a door in reality.<br /><br />"How long have you been here, in Tokyo?" he questions, further, but he takes no offensive stance. "You seem less.... devoid of purpose, of meaning, than many I see out here alone and do not recognize."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I work for myself" Shiniko answers, and it's true, and follows it up with, "At times, I work with Witchhunter Professional Services, because we have an agreement." That much is true, too. She then, with a smile adds on, "How about you, do you work for anyone~?"<br /><br />She notices the dusk zone teleport, and Shadows collect around her, around the roof, leaving little and less light to see with. Her own shape remains only vaguely visible, little more than a silhouette that matches her magical signature.<br /><br />Then, behind Riventon, there's a copy of that shape, of that signature, and the darkness falls, and the 'original' her melts along with the shadows. Shiniko giggles. "I have been in Tokyo for a good while, it takes time to build up this many curses, you know~?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"OH! You work for WPS, then." he says, amusedly. "We have a working agreement, yeah." he says, not wanting to give away information he doesn't have to. "I haven't heard about you, though. But Miss White usually picks good people."<br /><br />He looks her over. "So, what's your specialty, Shiniko-san?" he says, even after she's ported out. "An illusionist? Shadow manipulation?"<br /><br />Then he looks her over. "Strange we haven't run into each other yet. Must be handling different... problems."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"With." Shiniko corrects gently, making it clear that she doesn't consider WPS to be her employer. "You do know you ask a lot of questions and offer rather little in the way of answers, do you, Riventon-san?" She giggles again, and rests inside her hair.<br /><br />"So once you answer some of mine I'll be willing to answer some of yours again, keeps it fair~" Shiniko seems to be under no illusion that fair is something Riventon is interested in. "I can sense you're powerful, it's..." She takes a moment to consider Riventon, and comes to the conclusion that just in he doesn't know Miss White's predicament, she's not going to change that, "... a familiar kind of power, in a way~"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riventon smiles again. It is a creepy thing, unlike Shiniko's - closer to a slasher smile than a little girl's. "Well, my curiosity sometimes gets the better of me." he admits. "I was so curious because I do feel a bit of a kinship with whatever power you're so casually throwing around at random civilians." he says, and then leans back a bit.<br /><br />"What questions do you seek answers to?" he muses. "I might be able to answer them. Or at least direct you in such a way maybe you can find them yourself."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Curiousity, as they say, killed the cat~" Shiniko's giggles are unsettling in their own way, and this is just another example. "As for that power, think of it like an investment. I need to make sure they stay still while I place my curse."<br /><br />"Well let's begin with the obvious one, then~" She closes up her book, which is an unusual occurence, "Tell me, what is this power I feel coming from you. It's more than mine, and mine needed a lot of time and work to set up~"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"That's only a problem if you're a cat." Riventon says, bemusedly creating an orb of negative in his energy, crushing it in his hands, letting it drip out onto the ground where it reforms into a black Yomua cat which meows before dashing off into the city.<br /><br />"I sort of... grew into it. Born with this power, you know. Then worked hard on making it as strong as it could be." he says, smiling. "So you draw your power from curses, then?"

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Misfortune curses, they sap the good fortune of the people I put them on, and then use that energy to maintain themselves. The surplus energy is sent to me." Shiniko explains the basic operation of her curses, and why she places them. "It does nothing to them that cannot be attributed to random chance~"<br /><br />Riventon's explanation of the source of his power makes her curious. "Interesting~" She leans forward a little, studying Riventon a little closer, gleaming red eyes open quite wide. "Tell me more?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riveton looks her over and nods. "Well, that's very... sneaky." he says, but it's in an appreciative way. "An interesting style of power for sure." he says, tilting his head a bit. "But I assume you're using that power to channel for your own energies - rather than just spreading a little misfortune around."<br /><br />"Well, there's not much to tell. I've got the same spirits in me that that cat does. I was born with this strength. This power. I was destined to be what I am now. There's no external source of power." he says, patting his chest. "I was born for greatness."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"All the little bits add up to a lot. It takes work, but then, everything worth doing does, doesn't it~" Shiniko giggles, and then half the roof darkens up in shadowy fire, the flickering shadows radiating cold around them. Cold enough for the steam emitted by a nearby kitchen exhaust to condense into liquid and then freeze into tiny ice crystals before hitting the ground.<br /><br />"A lot of power to be born with. It may not be an external source like mine." She agrees with that, smiling faintly as she adds the counter, "But it apparently wasn't earned either. I worked for mine, can you say the same~?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Well, science is a lot like that." Riventon says. "A lot of little peices that add up to a big solution." he says, smiling. "That's a lot of what I do... gather peices, so I can make a bigger solution."<br /><br />And then his smile fades out. "Just because I was born with some degree of power doesn't mean I was born with this much power. Don't make assumptions. They can be dangerous." he says, his tone turning hostile. "I work for the strength I have. My birthright was only the foundation I have built my strength upon."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Easy, easy. I was just joking, no offense meant." Shinoko's fires die down to emphasize the lack of intent to hurt, though it will take a little before the area gets to be warm again. A few minutes at the very least. "I guess I can't claim all of my power as my own work either, I had some help getting started. I guess everyone does. So, how did you work for your strength, then~?"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riventon nods. "I do research. I understand the power I wield, and how best to apply it. There's a difference between swinging a hammer, and using a hammer and chisel." he says with a smile. "That's how I have the strength I have. Pure. True. With knowledge, I can change the outcome of an otherwise equal battle."<br /><br />"And how did you get started?"

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Interesting~" Shiniko answers, and it seems like she genuinely does believe that to be interesting. "Can you tell me more about how to fashion a chisel to aid my hammer?" As a gesture of goodwill, she even answers his other question, flipping open her book. "I grew up in an environment that provided a basic degree of magical knowledge, and then I found the Umbral Tome, which contains the knowledge I've been using to hone my talents and gather more raw power."

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I could..." Riventon begins. "But not for free. Doesn't do me any good to improve someone for nothing." he adds, but not in a hostile manner. "Since you were so clear of working with WPS, but not for them... well, then that brings into question if I could perhaps exchange my knowledge for some of your work." Riventon continues. "Unless you're looking for stable employment, which I could also provide."<br /><br />Riventon looks at the Tome. "That book is interesting, too. It'd be a good peice for study, so that's another way you could help me."

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Knowledge in exchange for time and effort, a reasonable trade." Shiniko smirks, she looks excited by the prospect of that. "If initial jobs work out well, we can see about stable employment afterwards. Does that sound good to you~?"<br /><br />She looks at the tome, closing it up again. "Maybe some day, though; I hope you'll forgive me for wanting to ensure I have something left to bargain with at a later date~"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Riventon nods, and produces from within a pocket in his barrier-lab-coat a black card. There's just a stylized gold eclipse symbol on one side, and a number in gold on the other. The phone number seems to be in a different style than a 'normal' number. "You can call that from any phone in Japan and get to me. Don't worry that it seems too long - it'll work. As long as you've got that card with you, anyways." he says with a smile.<br /><br />"We'll schedule some lab time and I'll find some work I could use an extra set of hands for." he says, but he's also looking at the tome. At least for today, he keeps his hands off it.

:'''{{#var:151|Shadow Witch Shiniko| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Now that's a fancy magic~" One of the Shadowy hands that extend from Shiniko's hair takes the card and holds it in front of her face, she's looking at it analytically. Examining it for elements of the magic she assumes are used to make that trick work. "And that sounds like an excellent suggestion." She doesn't make any other comment about Riventon's examination of the tome. "I'll call you soon~"

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Indeed, I look forward to getting that call." Riventon says before turning. "I still have some work to do tonight, so it'd be best if you called tomorrow." he comments as he walks down the alley, but it's not long before he takes flight and returns to the sky, to look for an entirely different sort of magical book...
}}