[Flashback] Doctor Doctor, Please [Reaver]

[Whisper]

If there was any hesitation left in the red haired girl, it flew from her when he promised more secrets for her curious mind to have. It made her happy to know that he trusted her with his secrets, though she knew she would probably have to exchange some of her own. She didn't quite grasp that he would have plenty more with much more weight to them than hers, but she also didn't know that this game of questions would last for years between the two of them. "I promise I won't be afraid, Mr. Reaver..." She followed him inside quickly, eager wanting to see what curiosities were inside. The first thing she noticed was a different odor, but she didn't think twice about it because the circles drew her attention the most out of everything in the room. "I know how to read and write." she said and nodded to confirm her answer as well. Whisper was a bit curious about why he needed a number and she hesitated about saying one. When Reaver had said 'one-hundred' and that book flipped open by itself, everything in her instincts told her to jump, but her heart and mind rejected that notion outright and she quickly moved closer to the book. The second chance she got to tell the book what to do she didn't hesitate in the least. "Ninety-three!" She watched the pages come to life before her excited eyes. "That's awesome! How does it do that?"

[Reaver]

The raw excitement and energy in the girl brought a smile to Reaver's face once again, though not for terribly long, as holding it held no real purpose with the mask on. He was rather excited at how well she took to the secret of his, almost jumping on the thing. It seamed rather unlikely she would stop asking questions now, especially if Reaver 'returned' some shallow answers at this point. "Well, that's the secret, yes. Just knowing the secret can get you in trouble, so don't tell anyone, mother included. We don't want either of us in trouble, I'm sure. You asked, I'll answer. It's through a special kind of magic known as Animation. I'm sure you have plenty of questions. If you would like, I could even make something else move as well, provided it isn't bigger then you. All you need to do is ask." Reaver even went so far as to anticipate questions at this point. Would she then ask what animation was, or how it worked? Would she ask about the circles? Would she ask about the strange contents of the book, or the emptiness of the house. Would she ask something unexpected altogether? Questions are always welcome, even if he chose not to answer them.

[Whisper]

Her question was none of the above, actually, and it was a very simple question but yet still very hard to answer. It could've been asked with a single word, but she was a little more specific when she asked the question in particular because when asked simply it could have many answers. And she didn't ask about straight-forward things when she truly was curious about someone. Oh no, she didn't ask how did he do that or even how it worked, she asked her question that meant to learn something truly valuable even if she wouldn't quite use the information until she was old enough to understand his character through his answer. "Why do you know magic, Mr. Reaver?" It could be answered simply, but even in that answer, it would still tell about Reaver as a person. "And why do you use it?" she inquired and looked up to him, searching to see any indication that he would lie even though that was particularly hard with Reaver's mask. They were questions that might have been different for a child to ask, but her mother had always kept her in the dark about magic. She had peeked into a Shielding tome her mother had on her bookshelf of "acquired" items, but that was a short lived moment and none of it she truly understood. Magic was something foreign to her so, naturally, she was curious about it and the more her mother kept it from her, the more determined she was to learn about it. In essence, her mother influenced her awkward questions. Not unlike a child raised to believe there were no gods and they met a strong believer who were not like the believers their parents told them to be afraid of.

[Reaver]

Reaver was definitely drawn aback, the last questions he would have expected from a child. His eyes looked her over carefully... he tried to search for where this intuition came from. Questions like that were never simple, and often the reason people vanished around here. Was it wisdom beyond her years? ...or had she simply gotten a lucky strike. He thought of the conversation thus far, and recalled how her other questions had followed suit. He shouldn't underestimate this child, he'll need to play harder. He had a slight chuckle with his first answer. "Because I learned it. Sorry, I need some time to think on that one." He sat down, and looked to the circle. Thoughts of his life before were rare enough, let alone sketchy at best. Was it... his parents? He learned magic because... well, not for the reason he knew it now. What was it? Someone told him to? Was that it? "I think..." He went to a school, he knew that. That school was the end of him, or it felt that way at the time. Why was it so hard? It's never been important before. "I can't remember, it's been a very long time. I learned magic before the world was changed. It wasn't so dangerous before, people knew what it was. People knew a lot more then." He then gestured to the circles. "As far as the second question, I hope to improve the world, for people who have terrible physical health. I can do a book, why couldn't I do a heart? Maybe even an arm. I'll succeed, but I need lots of practice." He left off a bit, an important bit. But... it was a goal of his. He needed to be able to do that much before he could go so far as to accomplishing his true objective. How far along was that, he mused. Is it, halfway there? Several life-times of work is half-way there, ha. He smiled to himself, he had so much more work to do. He looked to the girl, her questions were very good, but how many good answers could she really have? As tempted as he was to ask some questions of his own, he held off. Time, all it takes is time. He would ask his questions, but not today. He lost enough ground today. Maybe if something critical came up, then. But for now, he'd take his time, resolving his own issues first. He always had time. "I hope that answer makes up for the first."

[Whisper]

Again, she wouldn't quite grasp the full meaning of his answers until years later, but she wrote his words to memory to keep them as long as she could. There was one thing she did understand though and that was that he was helping people with his magic and, to that little girl at that moment in time, past that she did not mind what he did. "You are a good man, Mr. Reaver. I think anyone that doesn't like you doesn't know you." she said as matter-of-factly as a twelve year old could sound. Of course, she did not know Reaver that well at all, but in her eyes, what she said was how she felt. He seemed like an honest man to her and on top of the fact he had not harmed her or was mean to her helped to. Whether or not that opinion changed in time was up for debate. She shot him a soft smile and her red hair shifted on her shoulders. Subconsciously, she made a goal to herself that they would become friends in time and she would learn about the curious man that was Reaver. Though, her curiosity was quelled for the most part today because she mainly was digesting the information and sorting it to ask more questions in the future. "And you are really weird, but weird people are fun." she added with her childish and blunt tone. OOCI... didn't know what to do further. xD Should we stop here or keep going for more detail? I just figured since it was their first extended conversation, not everything would be discussed... Up to you, my friend.

[Reaver]

"Well, that's nice of you to say. I don't think myself a good person, just a person trying to do some good. I find a clear difference in today's world." Reaver thought of how quickly she adapted to the strange information. Perhaps she wouldn't be all that afraid growing up... if only that didn't hurt her living here. Ah, well, she did say she would just become strong. I'll just have to see how it turns out. "It has been a pleasure playing with you, however..." He looked to the door. "Your mother might be worried sick, I can't have that seeing as I am a doctor and all." He walked over and opened the door, the frame of the house groaning a complaint as he did so. "We can always meet again, I've been here this long, after all. I could walk you home, or you could run away again. Your choice." The last comment was half a joke, he wondered how she would take it. "Be sure to tell your mother you'll be fine. I'm rather sure we'll meet again." I want my answers, after all. OOCMaybe I should try revising this post tomarrow, kinda feels 'bleh' to me.

[Verilian]

Whisper +2 Subterfuge +3 Interrogation +1 Observation +5 Socialization Lores: Curiosity of a Child, Hurting Oneself, Omitting the Truth, A Game of Ask and Tell, The Reason behind the Mask, Promising to keep a secret, Reaver's Age, The Rules of the Game, First taste of magic, Asking the Right questions, The reason Reaver uses Magic, Making a new Friend Reaver +1 Subterfuge +1 Drawing +1 Animation +1 Interrogation +1 Medicine +2 Manipulation +5 Socialization Lores: Giving a Patient false medicine, Letting a Patient Die, Animating a Book, A little visitor, Probing for Information, A Game of Ask and Tell, Trusting Whisper with a Secret, The Rules of the Game, Trying to Remember the Past, Making a New Friend You Question My Logic? : Any questions, send me a PM. Notes: A cute little thread. Good work guys!