Closed [Sanity Center] "Now You See Me." (Clyde)

[Tail]

"Common" - "Shiber" - "Fratava" - Thoughts

Timestamp: 45th of Summer
Location: Near the Sanity Center

It was difficult. Walking through the city of Alvadas with having to worry about being trampled on. It was a crazy thing to go out alone without standing or sitting on top of someone else's shoulder. Someone, who isn't like him, who's not a Pycon, nonetheless meeting another Pycon wouldn't be such a bad thing. Tail would practically prefer that more than anything , unless...

Unless he finds himself a suitable teacher to teach him magic. One that thinks more like he does, one that acts more responsible and reliable. One that isn't so... particulate. Sure, would that be asking a bit to much out of what he requires? Tail avoided someone stepping on him just in the nick of time, the Pycon cursed under his breath and wicking his pace. He contemplated; he was thinking that he should either continue on his two back feet, or hurry things up with all fours. Of course, going on all fours would be fast. But, he didn't want to cause a ruckus and be mistaken as a rodent.

Tail jumped over the curb, managing to discover a more calm area around him as he paused to breath and relax for a few moments. Tail enlightened himself with his surroundings. He wanted to know where he was, but he couldn't quite pin point his direction through the crowd of people wandering and walking to where they were hoping to head to.

Tail picked up on a few conversations... something about the Sanity Center. Of course. Why couldn't Tail think of that? Was that where he was? The Sanity Center? Perhaps... it would be helpful to know where he was. He only knew what city he was in, Alvadas. It was definitely designed to be confusing, and quite deceiving.

Tail sat, crossed legged. Breath in. Breath out. It was the least he can do since he wasn't quite tall and couldn't quite gather enough attention. People who walk past him probably assume he was some statue, maybe, and it was a figment of Ionus placement. Breath in.

What was Tail thinking, why did he ever decide to venture outside the city alone? It was madness, it was stressful. Really. Breath out. It was totally crazy. Tail kept his eyes opening. He sensed the strange Djed. The magic came to him, it was calling him out. It sounded like his name, he allowed it to conjure him. The Pycon sensed the magic enter him.

Colors mixed around him, strange hues of blues, greens, and other colors as well. Of course, he couldn't find anything. It took a few moments to realize that he wasn't looking for a particular aura. He fought the urge to continuing to allow the Djed flow through him. Eventually, it conceded, and Tail had a sensational of tiredness drain him. Once he looked around, he noticed an odd man. One who carried a fairly large staff at hand as he walked. His hair looked straight and fairly dark. Perhaps, he should go and investigate.

Tail started to move.

The Pycon carefully followed behind Clyde. Tail felt the odd magic around him. The Djed, it conjured through Tail slowly, without thought. The Pycon hadn't noticed, he was to focused on following this peculiar man. He recalled his mother telling him, it was wrong to snoop. Is this what he was doing?




.

[Clyde Sullins]

45 Summer 516

Clyde was, not surprisingly, lost.The more surprising aspect of it was that it hadn't happened more often. He seemed to almost have a knack of sorts for ending up where he wanted to go. Whether this was some innate skill he held, luck, or just the city being nice, he wasn't sure. But he'd not gotten lost much in the city.

Today however he was set on arriving at a particular place, and that seemed to have set off the city on one of its annoying streaks. He'd ran into at least three doors pretending to be walls, three walls pretending to be doors, and two spots of empty air that were in truth walls and only pretending to be air.

Seeing as he wanted to get to the bazaar for some shopping, this was rather annoying. He had headed to the Sanity Center in hopes of being told where it currently laid, or to ask if anyone had visited recently and could direct him to its current spot.

He was about to ask the third such person(the first hadn't known where it was, and the second was strangely stuck sounding like a duck quacking to the persons own considerable consternation- likely why they were there) when he felt a tingle upon his skin. It reverberated internally against Cha like a struck drum, the pitch echoing upward and into Clyde through his arm.

It was a tingle and sound he'd heard and felt with his non-sensing senses hundreds, perhaps even thousands of times. The touch of djed upon the air, of active magic.

Looking about, Clyde tried to detect any visible signs of magic, but didn't see anything. But then, with how Alvadas felt about magic he wasn't expecting a visible display...

His first instinct was to reach out to his own aura, his focus radiating outward from Cha to inspect his own djed. He quickly found no reverberation there, no sign that he was the target of some magic, that djed was being applied to him in some spell.

An external sense then.

Grabbing at his aura mentally, Clyde pulled it in, applying djed and focus in a particular manner to alter his own aura. He did the magical equivalent of sucking in his gut, willing his aura to pull in and press flat against him, becoming smooth and small. It was something he'd not tried before, suppressing his own aura almost to the point of making it non-existent, giving no information if it even could be seen at all. He didn't think it could be seen, but he wasn't fully sure.

Another reason for doing this was as a test. If someone could see that his aura couldn't be seen, it would clearly indicate they were a mage and able to sense such things. Which in and of itself was something he was searching out. Some cue or reaction might be enough to tip him off.

At the moment there weren't too many people within the Sanity Center, after a small group had just left a few moments before only five or six people besides Clyde were visible inside.

Pretending as if he was just letting out a sigh or closing his eyes as he waited, he shut his eyes and took a deep calming breath. As he exhaled he willed out several aura focus, strands reaching out and latching onto and encircling the auras of those in the room, all of them at once.

It was only a basic contact and grasping of their aura, but if they were actively using magic that would probably be enough to tip him off.

[Tail]

"Common" - "Shiber" - "Fratava" - Thoughts

Tail dexterously stepped within the Sanity Center just as the door was closing. He slowly bresthed in and out, as he did his best to conceal himself from this peculiar man that carried a staff around. He hasn't seen anyone with one before. So, who would this character be, and how will things go once he introduces himself, if he ever introduces himself. Tail could recall his mother, Daisy, explaining to him to "be careful when out and about. Anybody could pick you up and mistake you for something else." Than she'd always say, "though treat them with respect as the journey could lead you to a successful future." Or she might also say something like this, "Unless if your in danger, you have those quick legs to guide you to safety." Tail already missed home, but he knew his parents had traveled around Mizahar. Well, at least more than five cities of Mizahar. After all, how would they know so much about the world? Where would Tail have received that information?

After a few moments of light and slow breathing to calm his anxiety down. Tail, decided to sneak further into the shadows of the Sanity Center. He recalled his teacher back in Lhavit, Flick, telling him that more experienced Aurist could spot his aura and his use of magic. Though, all Tail could see through this man with a staff; all he could confirm to is that that staff was merely used for walking. That this man, this odd odd man, was using it to support himself. By the means of his appearance, he didn't look to dangerous. Though, Tail learned by hand that he shouldn't just trust the appearance of a man. It's a simple rule he usually goes by.

Tail continued to study the man, while placed half of his focus on his breathing and staying calm. The Pycon didn't trust this man. There was something edgy about the way he looked. His expression was nearly grim, but he appeared to be a content and relaxing man. Though Tail wasn't sure what the man was thinking or was supposed to be going. Tail had been here for this reason so far, he understands now that when one man goes to this place, he's usually looking for something.

What was he looking for? Was this man looking for something, somewhere or someone? What was his aim?

So mich questions came to mind, Tail grew unsure and perhaps even slightly more anxious about wanting to talk to this man. Though, he held back as it was uncanny for him to introduce himself instantly. Perhaps that man would mistake him as a statue, like most other citizens or visitors, like himself, in Alvadas would.

Well usually.

Once calmed. Tail inspected the man once more. Though, Tail was sitting on his rear, like a dog or a fox might be. He has the appearance of a fox on his hands so they look like paws, but he has working fingers when a human does. He crept closer. Once out of the shadows, he watched Clyde carefully, and still. His pupils would dilate and mobilize as Clyde walks around. Tail agreed for the Djed to sync within him. He could feel that strange spark of magic course through his nexus as he observed Clyde.

Since he was merely a Novice Aurist, Tail could only focus on one Aura at a time. So, he decided to listen in on Clyde's. He watched mostly, and he payed little attention to the aura around Clyde ad he was to engrossed with observing the steps of this strange man.

[Clyde Sullins]

In the background of his awareness Clyde could still feel the hum of djed, of someone else doing magic. However, he was having trouble figuring out where it was coming from.

Within a chime or so he'd briefly touched the aura of each person in the room, as there weren't too many and it didn't take him too long to detect the active use of djed about.

He was rather annoyed at his failure when with his mundane vision he noticed some motion out of his peripheral vision. He turned, attempting to make his motion look as if it was to inspect a person standing near that far wall, when in actuality he was focusing on the source of the motion. Reaching out of Cha he sent forth a tendril of awareness, grasping with his aura sight.

After a few moments grasping in the direction of the motion, guided by his more mundane sight, he managed to grasp onto a smaller aura.

At first he thought it was a rat or something that had gotten in, but he quickly noticed it had far too strong of an aura for a dumb animal.

Now that he had the source within his aura sight, Clyde was able to look about the room, not needing to keep a direct line of sight on it.

Within a few more moments of cursory examination he felt the clay of the beings flesh, noted its small size and odd appearance. He'd met the odd tiny clay beings of shape changers before on a few occasions, and new of them. Pycon. As he touched the edge of the aura, he felt the hum of djed. The active source of magic going on nearby was coming from the pycon.

At the moment the pycon however wasn't harassing him, wasn't inspecting him or his person/property's aura, and so he had no direct reason to confront him. For the moment he simply inspected his aura while he played at waiting, watching within his aura sight if he would do anything further.

Clyde preferred a more passive encounter to start with, until he was forced to show that he was aware.

[Tail]

"Common" - "Shiber" - "Fratava" - Thoughts

He could feel his eyes looking at him. Tail had a hunch that maybe something was wrong, but he was unsure whether or not to still trust this man with a staff. Clyde looked at him as Tail sat still. Tail did his best to not lay his own eyes on that odd man, but Tail couldn't hold back. He needed to inspect this man, he came closer. The Pycon titled his head suddenly, cocking it so it's at a certain angle, so he could see Clyde at an odd angle.

"I don't want you to come anywhere closer." He said sourly glaring at the man, righting his head to face Clyde straight on. His Djed use still active, Tails' senses were slowly kicking in, though if he were to ever read Clyde's aura, it's not as easy as it sounds.

He glared at the man as he carefully crept closer. Tail observed his movements, but had a slight feeling of what the man could be capable of, after all he is more five feet taller than he is. When he spoke, hr only made sure to have the man stay away at a decent distance.

"I'm not looking for trouble." He began. It was merely a warning, Tail understood that this man might be a mage, reading his aura as it changed. "I'm not one to hurt people." He started to walk slowly, cautiously as he stepped closer to Clyde. Tail took a few breaths and the Djed him slowly leaving his body. That feeling of magic soon to be empty. Though, he could call it if needed. "I'm Tail." He said in his usual deep voice. "If we're to become acquainted... I'd love to know who you are first." He paused. "I'll trust you as long as you trust me."



.

[Clyde Sullins]

While his mundane eyes scanned about the room, looking about normally and not focusing on the pycon, his aura sight honed in on the pycon.

While a lesser user would be obvious in such a task, telegraphing what they were doing and reading, his skill allowed a much subtler and less obvious inspection. He didn't even need to look to grasp the aura, so long as he had a general idea of the location. As such, he'd never directly stared at the pycon, or signaled his focus or attention in such a mundane manner. Clyde wasn't a master of stealth or subterfuge, though his attempt to not look directly at or focus on the pycon was perhaps an attempt at the second, but he didn't really need to be when he literally didn't have a need to look at the person or thing to see it. One of the advantages of his skill.

When he began to approach, Clyde did his best not to show his noticing, keeping his breathing slow and steady and uncaring. It was made easier by the fact that it was a pycon, and so in general easy to overlook or not notice by eyesight alone.

When he suddenly heard a voice speaking below him, one saying odd things, he didn't need to fake his mask of confusion. His face was covered in true confusion, though one from the words being said and not the sudden appearance of the clay man.

His words seemed odd and disjointed, and abrupt. It was more akin to as if the two of them had known each other for a long time, and were continuing on some prior conversation. However as they'd not met before, and Clyde had made no violent displays, it seemed very odd for the pycon to start off by acting like Clyde had just threatened to rip off his head and use his body as a coaster.

The glare, the words, his odd manner of approach, all set off a number of alarms in his head which had nothing to do with his magic.

Warning Clyde not to approach, saying he wasn't looking for trouble, looking angrily at Clyde as if he was a grandly threatening and dangerous person... Saying he didn't want to hurt anyone, which made it seem like he had plans to do just that since he brought it up unexpectedly.

All of it was quite odd, as compared to the small reference group of prior pycon he'd run into. Several had even been mages, ones he'd met in Syliras, and they had seemed normal enough. Well, besides Ball who was in a form of denial about his magic and its affects on him, and his use of said magic. But even he had been more or less calm and non-paranoid as compared to this pycon, and when he'd met Ball he'd been in the middle of fighting off a group of bandits.

This pycon on the other hand came across as paranoid and possibly insane. Not a good combination with the fact that Clyde felt the tingling of djed use from him.

Letting his face fade from one of confusion to annoyance and a bit of fear, Clyde took a step back, keeping his distance from the pycon as the pycon attempted to get closer, as if he might literally explode, which he supposed he might.

“I'm no one, and you can keep yourself to yourself. I don't need some crazy lump of clay messing up my day.”

“I try to avoid making the acquaintance of crazy people, so no, I'd not like that. Go try and threaten and scare some other person who is into that type of shyke.”

With that Clyde began to back away a few more steps, eyeing the door and preparing to rush out, now openly keeping his eyes on the pycon.

If the pycon was going to pretend like Clyde was a threat without knowing him at all, then Clyde was going to openly treat the pycon as he was acting. Like a crazy and dangerous person who might do anything, and who was openly threatening and acting irrational to a total stranger.

He wasn't sure if the pycon was doing as he did in some weird tactic to get the upper hand in their interaction, or actually was crazy, but either way Clyde was going to call his bluff or react appropriately, in the manner anyone would if a total stranger walked up and said as the pycon had.

[Tail]

"Common" - "Shiber" - "Fratava" - Thoughts

Tail was getting so confused, that he really didn't understand the humanistic behavior that this man was trying to express to the Pycon, was he fearful of Tail? Usually Tail doesn't tend to be intimidating, but staying in Alvadas for so long, well it's only been a season, but still, things have been driving him a little nuts lately. He needed a way out, if this man was leaving Alvadas anytime soon (he didn't appear to be), though Tail would take that chance.

He'll come back, for sure, but for noe he really needed a break, and that this break would aid his recover to return to sanity. That's why Tail had come here really, he recalled that the Sanity Center was really one of the only, the only building that doesn't move around and isn't really affected by the Illusions that Ionu casts upon the rest of the city. The Pycon tilted his head curiously, taking a deep breath, he didn't want to freak the human out, Tail was only, just only trying to protect his rights and what's wrong with that. He assumed, he assumed that that man with the staff would hurt him. The man didn't appear to be aggressive by any means, but calling Tail a crazy person, he didn't much appreciate the man with the staff.

"I-" He began, he shook his hands, protesting for Clyde to not leave the building, he saw him backing up and that warned Tail for him to stay away. "It's not what you think." Began Tail, looking for a way to keep talking to the man. "I just wanted to talk Mr." Tail began, he felt guilty by freaking the man out. "I didn't mean..." He added. "... To scare you in any way." He cleared his throat, he didn't want anything to ruin this chance of possibly leaving Alvadas.

"Would you be leaving Alvadas anytime soon, Mr?" He paused not wanting to move anymore closer to the man. "I really do apologize for all of that crazy talk." He could feel the Djed already slipping away from his nexus.

"I just need-" he took another deep breath. "A way out." He paused hoping that the man with the staff would understand. "Can you help? I'll take anything. It might seem desperate, but I'm willing to go anywhere. Just tell me-" He sighed. "Would you be leaving soon?" He asked in a mere kindness tone, he sat waiting for the man with the staff to reply.

"If we're to be acquainted, the name's Tail." The Pycon waited. It was now or never.