[ There’s a lot of information there but at least he gets the gist of most of it, unlike some of the other explanations he’s heard today. Some of these worlds were very strange.
Then again, he’s pretty sure if he tried to explain Fodlan to some of them, they might have the same confused reaction. Hells, he was confused by Fodlan half the time.
Still, the prominent question that stood out after that… ]
[luckily, Olivine is relatively prepared for this conversation. Eiden may have heard the basics of what essence was before they'd met, but there's a lot he's taught the man. besides, the children always have some questions about it.
this doesn't stop his laugh from being a little sheepish (again), and he smiles at Sylvain.]
Essence is, basically speaking, the energy that all living things exhibit. It exists as an ebb and flow on Klein, and manifests most of the wonders of our world. The seasons and mysteries, even natural disasters are often linked to the fluctuation of essence in the surrounding area. It's a little more complex than that, of course, but I'll save you the lecture for now. [he laughs, ducking his head and picking up another piece of food to eat.]
Mm, for clan members, though—we accumulate essence from the surrounding area naturally, and need to find ways to expend it. I'm still not entirely sure if that will stay true here... but I also don't suspect it will be a problem if it does, for me.
Ah... ultimately, we die. Too much essence is just as bad as none. First, an individual will become flushed and struggle to focus. The longer it goes, the more difficult it becomes to do anything, and eventually, as the essence fluctuates, the internal organs fail.
[Olivine clears his throat, trying his damnedest not to let his thoughts drift back to the water territory. to dragging himself out of bed, to almost—]
Oh, no. The gemstones really are just the mark of our contract with the Grand Sorcerer. They represent... [a pause, his brows furrowing. what was it Rei had said? there's so much new information that even he struggles to recall it all at once.] They represent the power that we were lent in order to fulfill our duties.
Releasing essence can be done in many ways, thankfully. In most cases, adequate rest and relaxation will be enough.
[ He catches that moment of… unease? Fear? Something else? and it has him reaching for Olivine’s hand again, giving it a slight squeeze in apology. he knows that look, all too well. ]
In most cases…?
[ Was this something that needed to be worried about here? Because none of that sounded pleasant. ]
[it's appreciated, and Olivine doesn't shy away from it—he's not sure how to explain how appreciative he is, so he just places his other hand over it, smile warming again.]
Well, we have essence grass and other herbs that can be made into teas, to help regulate it. It doesn't affect just we clan members, though it's more commonly an issue with us.
As long as we're still lucid, Eiden—the Grand Sorcerer, that is—can easily regulate our essence, given our contract. [the tinge of pink is as telling as his words.] Any sort of intimacy will do, so long as it helps us to focus. If we're not, then... evidently, the best practice is to find where our essence is most strongly concentrated and give it any way out.
[and the way he rubs the side of his neck would be an awful lot less telling if Olivine wasn't usually fairly still outside of his gestures.]
[ His eyes follow that movement with a narrowed gaze for a moment, speculating on what that means. Seeing that Olivine is sincerely uncomfortable over this - whatever this is - has him deciding to drop the topic for the time being. If he needs to, he can always ask Eiden about it later, but he doesn’t want to make this day worse than it might already be for the other man.
So he just gives another light squeeze of his hand before finishing the last bite on his place and offering the last sip of wine to Olivine. He looked as if he might need it. ]
Well. At least you’ve landed yourself in a really good place for intimacy. Just in case. Want to get out of here and see what else there is to see in this place?
[he's too kind, really. Olivine is stubborn, but perhaps he doesn't realise just how deeply this is affecting him. the guilt is something he's used to carrying, after all, even if he's not as adept at carrying it gracefully as he might think or like.
the offered wine is—well, it's not really necessary, but he doesn't turn it down. all the better to get them through the last of the meal and drink, and honestly out of the stagnant air and... relative public-ness that he's just realised they are, technically, in. ... .... ........
at least most of what he said was already well-known or unimportant information. oof. taking the last sip of the wine with a modicum of grace, Olivine sets the glass down and squeezes Sylvain's hand in turn.]
I suppose I really have. And I've met no shortage of good people thus far. [Sylvain included, naturally! he finally pulls his hand free, shifting to push his seat back.] I would like that. Though, curiosity aside, I'm more interested in just spending some time with you.
[ Sylvain's gaze is bemused as he pushes to his feet and then holds out a hand to Olivine in invitation. Their tab is paid with one of his vouchers - and he'll ignore any objections to the contrary before tugging Olivine out of the restaurant and into the halls outside the casino. ]
So. Piercings, hmm? Have you decided what you might want yet?
[but he's still gonna say it like that, taking the proffered hand and joining Sylvain in standing. It's the first he's had a chance to really look over the taller man, and there really is just something so... breathtaking about him. They're similarly broad, too—not a significant surprise when the other had kind of implied being some kind of soldier.
Olivine doesn't protest too much when the other wants to pay, already just planning to pay him back another time for it (or, y'know, later tonight maybe); it's a relief to be out of the restaurant and into the halls.]
Mm, I haven't settled. [Olivine inhales a deep breath of the slightly fresher air, shaking his head.] I'm leaning toward the tongue though, unless something really catches our eye.
[ Sylvain lets mischief and humor brighten amber eyes as he casts Olivine a wink and tugs him down the hall in the direction of the shopping district. ]
Well, that will certainly add a fun and interesting aspect to certain activities in this place...
[There's just that soft noise as Sylvain tugs him along, a soft smile drawing over Olivine's face at just how he acts. Only a stumble or two will happen unless it's really intended, as Olivine catches up to each stride.]
It's not an unpleasant side effect, though I do hope my healing works properly. I'm not sure I'd want to wait too long before trying new things...
[ Sylvain holds up a hand for a moment, checking in on what he can feel of his magic, because he’s in an entirely different world now and he has no idea if the rules are the same here or not. Still, if he can use some of what he knows it might still be useful. ]
I can try and help, if yours isn’t working properly. Granted, I’m not sure what Faith magic I know will work correctly here either, but I can try?
It will be good to get an idea of what we can do here, at least. I didn't realise you also have healing abilities.
[He's not used to being around other healers at all, except maybe a few of the other priests... so forgive him if he's practically sparkling as they walk.]
Very very very basic. [ Sylvain lifts his hands with a laugh as Olivine turns and practically sparkles at him. ]
It’s not something I really trained in or studied, but I helped out in the healers’ tents after a battle or two and some of it was emergency triage on the battlefield. I basically know just enough to keep you alive until the actual healers show up. Which should still apply to a piercing, I suppose. I’ve just never had to test that before.
[ Most of what he knows had been from helping Mercedes or Annette when they were about to drop. Or when Felix got an unfortunate hole in him somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Or when he got one in himself. ]
Nonetheless, that sounds impressive. Learning to heal with magic is a long and arduous process, for us. I can't imagine just... picking it up. Medical care, certainly, but actual magic...? Even under your circumstances there, it speaks to your resourcefulness and acuity.
[fascinating. Olivine does duck his head just softly at the piercing comment, really trying not to be too excited for it. Between just... meeting sometime he finds so interesting and the prospect, it really is such a comically short walk (even if it's not, physically).]
I just have really smart friends who were patient enough to let me tag along when they needed an extra set of hands.
[ Sylvain just shrugs, dismissing the praise out of habit, because the tendency to downplay any of his better traits is so ingrained in him he often does it without even thinking. Not unless it had to do with the face he showed the world. And that kind of knowledge and cleverness? Never did him any favors.
But they reach the store and head inside, Sylvain leading the way to the department that held all the piercings and other body jewelry. He’d eyed a few of them himself with interest earlier, but wasn’t quite ready to be that adventurous just yet. Olivine, however…
Sylvain gestures to the displays in front of him with a sideways glance and a grin. ]
Alright, now I’m officially out of my element. Where would you like to start?
[Really, it's not the first he's heard someone downplay their abilities like this—but it still makes him want to reach up and punch Sylvain's cheek for it. He resists, thankfully.]
Your really smart friends aren't the ones who learned it, though. [He can't help but laugh in the face of it.] No matter how much you downplay it.
[but he's not scolding, the words soft and warm. Sylvain doesn't have to say the words for Olivine to be able to be impressed, after all.
When they reach the store, the displays of jewelry is certainly... eye-catching. His gaze wanders over it briefly, lips pursed in a soft o.]
Well... it'll need to be something a little thicker to avoid the risk of the tongue healing over it... [He murmurs it thoughtfully, fingers tracing over one covered section. ] I tend to gravitate toward blues and blue-greens, but I don't see anything yet. Does anything catch your eye?
[Is he curious what Sylvain thinks would look good on him? Maybe. Despite himself, Olivine has always had the desire to show off for the right partner.]
[ Actually his friends were the ones who studied and learned it - some of them dedicating years of their life to mastering the healing arts and their Faith skills. He, at best, just copied some of the basics he’d seen them do over and over again. But it seemed a silly point to argue, so he lets it drop, since they had all this to focus on now.
Olivine’s preference for color gets a chuckle from him, because that’s an amusing bit of irony, isn’t it? ]
Then let’s find you something suitable in some shade of blue, shall we?
[ It takes a little bit of hunting to find the kind of piercings they need, but the store really does have a selection of everything and anything imaginable. They’re both browsing through the options when a glint of blue - although it was truly more teal in shade - catches his eye. It’s a deceptively simple stud, but there are faint ridges on the surface, soft enough not to irritate but enough to give it some texture.
He taps the glass above it to dra Olivine’s attention. ]
[It would have been a silly thing, yes—mostly because Olivine hadn't been diminishing that, but simply bringing up the fact that his friends literally couldn't just force his body to apply the principles as needed... well, in any case, there really is just... so much to focus on.
He does glance at Sylvain when he chuckles, wondering what was funny about what he'd said, but he doesn't ask.]
It doesn't have to be, either. That's just what gems I usually gravitated to when I wanted to make something for myself.
[He's not protesting at all, just giving a caveat for the... probably unlikely chance that they'll find nothing at all.
Very unlikely, it turns out, though they have to go through a truly dizzying array of pieces in all sorts of shapes and sizes to find them. Olivine is, as usual, not hard to read—even if these aren't perfect, the utter curiosity and fascination on his face is plain. And then Sylvain taps the glass and draws his attention over, gaze falling on the soft teal in its cute little stud.]
... you have a good eye for this.
[Olivine almost laughs—of course he may have just caught to the first hint of blue, but even so, it's a pretty exquisite choice. (Can they afford it?? Well... probably, at the very least between them.) Little ridges are only just visible around the edges, and he has to wonder if Sylvain even noticed them before. Not unlikely, he decides, given his earlier comment about it being a little extra fun in some situations.]
I like it. I think I can afford it, too...
[He really doesn't intend to have Sylvain pay for this, of all things.]
They seemed pretty accommodating earlier when I was looking for clothes. I think they know that all of us that showed up today had to find things we’d need.
[ A piercing might not qualify for that, technically, but it certainly fit in with the rest of the rules of their so-called game. ]
There's hope, then... though I don't know if they'll think these essential.
[then again, they are wildcards and a little loss for some bigger gains later might just be enough. his gaze drifts to the cases again, exhaling a soft hum.]
Nothing permanent, but I did get some ideas for later. I think I'll probably take these— [they tap one of the nearby cases, containing a pair of simple, silver nipple studs.] just to keep those from closing on me.
[not that he would mind re-piercing them (or having them re-pierced), but it seems pointless when they went all this way to specifically choose something new.]
Sounds like a good idea. Did you want to try for a new piercing too, or come back another day to try that?
[ He’s already glancing around to wave down a nearby sales person so they can get the silver studs out at least, intent on making sure Olivine has what he needs. Whatever that ends up being. ]
We may as well try. The worst they can do is say no, isn't it? Besides, you're the one who brought the thought to mind, so...
[so, he implies, he would like to do that. not that they couldn't do it later, but not even asking feels like giving up. he can admit it's... weird, if a little refreshing, not to have to convince people to take money from him, though.]
[ Welcome to the real world, Olivine, it sorta sucks. Says the person who’s never had money problems in his life either, if for wildly different reasons.
Still, Sylvain just winks at him. ] Then let’s see what we can get away with then, shall we?
[ Which just prompts him to turn on the charm, and maybe more than a little flirtatious bartering. It helps that the salesgirl is eyeing Olivine with stars in her eyes from the start, so talking her into doing them a favor (and also maybe getting her hands on him, however briefly) seems to be very convincing.
It costs two of their clothing vouchers, but they manage to get a deal for the pair of nipple studs and a tongue piercing with the pretty blue stud they’d seen in the display.
Sylvain doesn’t look all that repentant over any of it, either, as he gives Olivine a playful shove towards the back room so the girl can give him his new piercing. ]
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Then again, he’s pretty sure if he tried to explain Fodlan to some of them, they might have the same confused reaction. Hells, he was confused by Fodlan half the time.
Still, the prominent question that stood out after that… ]
…Essence?
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this doesn't stop his laugh from being a little sheepish (again), and he smiles at Sylvain.]
Essence is, basically speaking, the energy that all living things exhibit. It exists as an ebb and flow on Klein, and manifests most of the wonders of our world. The seasons and mysteries, even natural disasters are often linked to the fluctuation of essence in the surrounding area. It's a little more complex than that, of course, but I'll save you the lecture for now. [he laughs, ducking his head and picking up another piece of food to eat.]
Mm, for clan members, though—we accumulate essence from the surrounding area naturally, and need to find ways to expend it. I'm still not entirely sure if that will stay true here... but I also don't suspect it will be a problem if it does, for me.
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[ He looks intrigued by this, questioning between bites of food as they make a dent in the meal before him. ]
Do you expend it through the gemstone? Is that what it’s for?
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[Olivine clears his throat, trying his damnedest not to let his thoughts drift back to the water territory. to dragging himself out of bed, to almost—]
Oh, no. The gemstones really are just the mark of our contract with the Grand Sorcerer. They represent... [a pause, his brows furrowing. what was it Rei had said? there's so much new information that even he struggles to recall it all at once.] They represent the power that we were lent in order to fulfill our duties.
Releasing essence can be done in many ways, thankfully. In most cases, adequate rest and relaxation will be enough.
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In most cases…?
[ Was this something that needed to be worried about here? Because none of that sounded pleasant. ]
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Well, we have essence grass and other herbs that can be made into teas, to help regulate it. It doesn't affect just we clan members, though it's more commonly an issue with us.
As long as we're still lucid, Eiden—the Grand Sorcerer, that is—can easily regulate our essence, given our contract. [the tinge of pink is as telling as his words.] Any sort of intimacy will do, so long as it helps us to focus. If we're not, then... evidently, the best practice is to find where our essence is most strongly concentrated and give it any way out.
[and the way he rubs the side of his neck would be an awful lot less telling if Olivine wasn't usually fairly still outside of his gestures.]
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So he just gives another light squeeze of his hand before finishing the last bite on his place and offering the last sip of wine to Olivine. He looked as if he might need it. ]
Well. At least you’ve landed yourself in a really good place for intimacy. Just in case. Want to get out of here and see what else there is to see in this place?
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the offered wine is—well, it's not really necessary, but he doesn't turn it down. all the better to get them through the last of the meal and drink, and honestly out of the stagnant air and... relative public-ness that he's just realised they are, technically, in. ... .... ........
at least most of what he said was already well-known or unimportant information. oof. taking the last sip of the wine with a modicum of grace, Olivine sets the glass down and squeezes Sylvain's hand in turn.]
I suppose I really have. And I've met no shortage of good people thus far. [Sylvain included, naturally! he finally pulls his hand free, shifting to push his seat back.] I would like that. Though, curiosity aside, I'm more interested in just spending some time with you.
[gross. what a soft boy, a goober.]
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[ Sylvain's gaze is bemused as he pushes to his feet and then holds out a hand to Olivine in invitation. Their tab is paid with one of his vouchers - and he'll ignore any objections to the contrary before tugging Olivine out of the restaurant and into the halls outside the casino. ]
So. Piercings, hmm? Have you decided what you might want yet?
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[but he's still gonna say it like that, taking the proffered hand and joining Sylvain in standing. It's the first he's had a chance to really look over the taller man, and there really is just something so... breathtaking about him. They're similarly broad, too—not a significant surprise when the other had kind of implied being some kind of soldier.
Olivine doesn't protest too much when the other wants to pay, already just planning to pay him back another time for it (or, y'know, later tonight maybe); it's a relief to be out of the restaurant and into the halls.]
Mm, I haven't settled. [Olivine inhales a deep breath of the slightly fresher air, shaking his head.] I'm leaning toward the tongue though, unless something really catches our eye.
[something in their price range, of course.]
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Well, that will certainly add a fun and interesting aspect to certain activities in this place...
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[There's just that soft noise as Sylvain tugs him along, a soft smile drawing over Olivine's face at just how he acts. Only a stumble or two will happen unless it's really intended, as Olivine catches up to each stride.]
It's not an unpleasant side effect, though I do hope my healing works properly. I'm not sure I'd want to wait too long before trying new things...
[or old things made new by the addition.]
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I can try and help, if yours isn’t working properly. Granted, I’m not sure what Faith magic I know will work correctly here either, but I can try?
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[He's not used to being around other healers at all, except maybe a few of the other priests... so forgive him if he's practically sparkling as they walk.]
Would you tell me a little more about it, later?
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It’s not something I really trained in or studied, but I helped out in the healers’ tents after a battle or two and some of it was emergency triage on the battlefield. I basically know just enough to keep you alive until the actual healers show up. Which should still apply to a piercing, I suppose. I’ve just never had to test that before.
[ Most of what he knows had been from helping Mercedes or Annette when they were about to drop. Or when Felix got an unfortunate hole in him somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Or when he got one in himself. ]
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[fascinating. Olivine does duck his head just softly at the piercing comment, really trying not to be too excited for it. Between just... meeting sometime he finds so interesting and the prospect, it really is such a comically short walk (even if it's not, physically).]
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[ Sylvain just shrugs, dismissing the praise out of habit, because the tendency to downplay any of his better traits is so ingrained in him he often does it without even thinking. Not unless it had to do with the face he showed the world. And that kind of knowledge and cleverness? Never did him any favors.
But they reach the store and head inside, Sylvain leading the way to the department that held all the piercings and other body jewelry. He’d eyed a few of them himself with interest earlier, but wasn’t quite ready to be that adventurous just yet. Olivine, however…
Sylvain gestures to the displays in front of him with a sideways glance and a grin. ]
Alright, now I’m officially out of my element. Where would you like to start?
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Your really smart friends aren't the ones who learned it, though. [He can't help but laugh in the face of it.] No matter how much you downplay it.
[but he's not scolding, the words soft and warm. Sylvain doesn't have to say the words for Olivine to be able to be impressed, after all.
When they reach the store, the displays of jewelry is certainly... eye-catching. His gaze wanders over it briefly, lips pursed in a soft o.]
Well... it'll need to be something a little thicker to avoid the risk of the tongue healing over it... [He murmurs it thoughtfully, fingers tracing over one covered section. ] I tend to gravitate toward blues and blue-greens, but I don't see anything yet. Does anything catch your eye?
[Is he curious what Sylvain thinks would look good on him? Maybe. Despite himself, Olivine has always had the desire to show off for the right partner.]
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Olivine’s preference for color gets a chuckle from him, because that’s an amusing bit of irony, isn’t it? ]
Then let’s find you something suitable in some shade of blue, shall we?
[ It takes a little bit of hunting to find the kind of piercings they need, but the store really does have a selection of everything and anything imaginable. They’re both browsing through the options when a glint of blue - although it was truly more teal in shade - catches his eye. It’s a deceptively simple stud, but there are faint ridges on the surface, soft enough not to irritate but enough to give it some texture.
He taps the glass above it to dra Olivine’s attention. ]
What about this one?
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He does glance at Sylvain when he chuckles, wondering what was funny about what he'd said, but he doesn't ask.]
It doesn't have to be, either. That's just what gems I usually gravitated to when I wanted to make something for myself.
[He's not protesting at all, just giving a caveat for the... probably unlikely chance that they'll find nothing at all.
Very unlikely, it turns out, though they have to go through a truly dizzying array of pieces in all sorts of shapes and sizes to find them. Olivine is, as usual, not hard to read—even if these aren't perfect, the utter curiosity and fascination on his face is plain. And then Sylvain taps the glass and draws his attention over, gaze falling on the soft teal in its cute little stud.]
... you have a good eye for this.
[Olivine almost laughs—of course he may have just caught to the first hint of blue, but even so, it's a pretty exquisite choice. (Can they afford it?? Well... probably, at the very least between them.) Little ridges are only just visible around the edges, and he has to wonder if Sylvain even noticed them before. Not unlikely, he decides, given his earlier comment about it being a little extra fun in some situations.]
I like it. I think I can afford it, too...
[He really doesn't intend to have Sylvain pay for this, of all things.]
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[ A piercing might not qualify for that, technically, but it certainly fit in with the rest of the rules of their so-called game. ]
Were there any others you saw that you liked?
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[then again, they are wildcards and a little loss for some bigger gains later might just be enough. his gaze drifts to the cases again, exhaling a soft hum.]
Nothing permanent, but I did get some ideas for later. I think I'll probably take these— [they tap one of the nearby cases, containing a pair of simple, silver nipple studs.] just to keep those from closing on me.
[not that he would mind re-piercing them (or having them re-pierced), but it seems pointless when they went all this way to specifically choose something new.]
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[ He’s already glancing around to wave down a nearby sales person so they can get the silver studs out at least, intent on making sure Olivine has what he needs. Whatever that ends up being. ]
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[so, he implies, he would like to do that. not that they couldn't do it later, but not even asking feels like giving up. he can admit it's... weird, if a little refreshing, not to have to convince people to take money from him, though.]
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Still, Sylvain just winks at him. ] Then let’s see what we can get away with then, shall we?
[ Which just prompts him to turn on the charm, and maybe more than a little flirtatious bartering. It helps that the salesgirl is eyeing Olivine with stars in her eyes from the start, so talking her into doing them a favor (and also maybe getting her hands on him, however briefly) seems to be very convincing.
It costs two of their clothing vouchers, but they manage to get a deal for the pair of nipple studs and a tongue piercing with the pretty blue stud they’d seen in the display.
Sylvain doesn’t look all that repentant over any of it, either, as he gives Olivine a playful shove towards the back room so the girl can give him his new piercing. ]
Good luck!
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