Down By The River

     The rain clouds still threaten above, giving the air a cool, perhaps even cold breeze. Out by the waters however is a figure moving with delicate movements. The woman's hoof feet carry her with ease with her dance steps, as her wings and tail help her retain her balance. In her lethe, demonic fingers she twirls an ivory staff around with her.

Her clothing also doesn't fit the weather, but it flows easily with her movements, even if a bit revealing in some ways of the woman's bodily proportions.

The storm threatens, mercifully warm though it may be. Drawn to the storm as though subjected to an unyielding gravitational pull, Robert is also here. His steps, deliberate and even, guide him towards the water's edge and Katherine's position, though his shuttered eyes suggest the use of alternative methods of navigation. Navigation he is likely not that good at, considering he fails to notice the woman. For the moment. Not that his approach is a stealthy one, for his rain dampened clothing flaps heavily in the stiff breeze, whipping around his form, and his booted feet crunch heavily on the lake-shore's gravel. Katherine may be graceful. He? Is not.

    Katherine doesn't take notice right away, but when she brings the staff around and brings the butt-end to rest on the ground, her glowing violet eyes look at the man coming her way. She does a gentle head tilt, a soft smile crosses her lips, before she speaks to him. "Are you lost or just enjoying stumbling about like a drunken sailor."

There is a tease in her voice as she leans easily on her staff. Her eyes staying locked onto him as her tail sways side to side. She is an exotic imp for sure and that mischievous smile never fades.

Static flares, the crunching of gravel underfoot comes to a sliding halt, and the air is suddenly filled with the potent scent of ozone. But other than that there is no hint of surprise. Robert's features are quite controlled as his eyes slide open, crinkling by a hair just around the edges as he surveys Katherine. The cool glint is decidedly analytical.

And then his expression warms, a lopsided and self-deprecating smile flickering over his lips. "You leave me with a rather unflattering choice, ma'am," he quips. "I've never known any man to admit to being lost, and I do my best to not come across as an incorrigable alcoholic."

     Katherine giggles softly and continues to lean on her staff. Her tail still moving side to side. "Mmmm. Then mayhaps choose your words carefully, handsome." She then goes to stand up fully, twirling her staff before it vanishes in blue fire. Then she makes her way over to him, "By whom may i be speaking to this lovely day?"

The smile tenses for a moment, and Robert's gaze flickers to the overhead clouds. "You do give me the impression of one who always opts for the third choice. The non-option," he opines. His gaze drops, scrutinizing Katherine more carefully now. "I go where the storm suggests. At least for now." Helpful, yet not. "Robert." He gives his name with a polite dip of his chin. "The name's Robert. Pleasure. And you are? I do apologize if I have interrupted you."

     "Oh, not at all. Dancing helps me clear my head. This war is horrible and what it is doing to our people... So, I," Katherine places her hand near her bossom. "Am trying to be sure I do nothing rash. After all, nothing good comes from haste." There is a sly grin that follows those words.

"I am Lady Magus, Katherine Tanzer. It is an honor to meet you Robert." She says bowing her own head in respect as a few strands of her hair shift from the movement. "So, tell me... What truely brings you out here?"

"I don't like lying. The costs are high. And the effort of lying properly is astronomical," Robert opines mildly. He lifts his hand, indicating the roiling clouds overhead with a single finger. "So I was being quite honest when I said I go where the storm suggests. I look to it for inspiration, though I will allow that doing so is likely abnormal." He pauses, evidently decides a bit more explanation would be polite. "I look to it for inspiration with air magic," he clarifies.

Still a bit awkward though, and he shifts in the silence that follows before he continues. "The war is a tragedy for all involved," he agrees, hands falling to his waist where they linger. Conceivably humor glints in his gaze. "And what would you be likely to do that is rash, Lady Magus Katherine Tanzer?"

    "Make those who harm the people of this land pay by magics." Katherine says plainly. "After all, we have wonderful gifts, granted to us by the goddesses. Yet so many waste them on tasks that do not help the people, but hinder them... or by forcing this world to slowly become like the nightmare."

This Robert can deal with, even as a sudden gust of wind sends his clothes flapping and ruffles his hair. His arms fold over his chest, tighten, gaze narrowing in interest. "The nightmare?" he queries, with arched eyebrows. "Explain?"

    The imp mms softly as she goes to snap here fingers. Dark flames merge around the rocks in the area as she pulls them together to create an arm chair. She sits down and crosses one leg over the other. Then with a move of her fingers she creates a chair for him. "Please, sit." She says with a smile. "For you see, the nightmare is where we our minds went to when we slept. The place of no magic, no power, only pain and suffering."

Katherine black nails tap the stone gently. "But many wish to bring that here, because they are blind to the reality that this world /is/ our home." Katherine tilts her head. "Though I do wonder what it is you believe in."

SpritesHero installs himself in his chair with a murmured 'thank you'. He leans back, closes his eyes, one leg folding over the other in a mirror of her own posture. Well, minus any seductiveness. He looks more like he's at a gentleman's club, minus the suit, tie, and newspaper. But he would appear to be comfortable enough.

"I won't insult you with an argument around the semantics of what 'home' means," he begins after a thoughtful pause. "And I assume that the world you refer to as The Nightmare is what I would refer to as the real world. If I understand correctly, then I will have to disagree with your thesis. The Nightmare you refer to is who we are. It is inescapable. Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee."

He pauses again, a frown etching at his features, those once-familiar words halting and uncertain, as though pulled from a dream. "We curse ourselves, we bless ourselves. We find our magic and our power, no matter what world we are in, no matter what rules it may play by. And pain and suffering are our cross to bear. Do you believe this world to be your Eden?"

    "This world, is my home. My reality." Katherine says gently in response after some thought to his words. "This is where I so belong and where I live." She closes her eyes as some sadness crosses her features. "But so many of you..."

The imp doesn't finish her thoughts, whatever was on her mind, she was holding back. "But in respect to you, as you have toward me. I shall not carry this conversation further. It would do us neither any good."

SpritesHero's lips purse, briefly, then relax. "Home is personal," he states at length, shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. "It is not for me to tell you what your home is, or is not. It is frankly not my business to question it. If you find you belong here, that is your choice. If you feel this is your reality, that too is your choice. My question is less about your choice and more about your perception."

He shifts in his chair, ever so slightly, and leans forward. "Do you genuinely find this to be your paradise? To be free of pain and suffering forever? If you would respect me, then I would ask that you not hold back in your answer."

"I am not even sure what it is you ask." Katherine says simply. "There is no other life than this. This world given to us by the goddesses. These lands we thrive upon. What else is there beyond this world, hm?" Katherine asks back.

"Ignoring the notion of a possible other world," Robert clarifies, "I am trying to understand your conception of this one. You characterize the nightmare as something where there was no power or magic, and there was only pain and suffering. Does it therefore follow that you find this world is one in which you have power and...well, obviously you have magic. But what happens when you encounter pain and suffering in it? In this world."

    Katherine chuckles before she just laughs. A grin crosses her lips as she goes to stand. "Oh my dear Robert, what do you think happens, hm? We feel pain, the real pain, but unlike many lives, they are not blessed like we are. We are near immortal to so many children born here." Katherine then snaps her finger and her chair crumbles apart. "It is this why I say so many take advantage and so many are blind by the nightmare... They forget what it is to live." Then she starts to walk away.

Katherine does pause and turns to face him. "So yes, this is... my Eden... my life...my world." Then she starts to walk away. "Till next time, handsome boy!"

SpritesHero is very careful to climb to his feet before his own chair crumbles. "Until we meet again," he returns. He, too, turns away, closing his eyes and resuming his storm-chasing.