A Lullaby to Nightmares

Roosters crow. Tradewinds blow. Who is at the tavern in the morning? Haru. Haru is. There is no rhyming in the morning. One of the local taverns in Carmina is where the Artificer finds himself, haven taken to looking presentable after rolling down from the second floor to the first to get in the first meal of the day. A plate of breads and meats lay half eatten before him as well as a finished bowl of something. The Artificer is easy to pick out in the half-empty tavern, with the white hair. It is as close to an 'open office' location as makes sense for the nomadic sorts. "Should field if we establish a branch in Carmina now that it is officially the Realm of Uruk," he rumbles to himself, looking at a window and thinking of the days when the most pressing thing on his mind was if the market had sapphires in or freshly minted silver ingots.

Viviene had been sitting at one of the corner tables kicked back and asleep with several empty bottles of booze infront of her for several hours. It is a wonder that no one has tried to steal her gold. She eventually stirs awake though, shaking her head and yawning loudly as as she looks about, then to the bar blearily, she simply says "Water, please. Big glass." she recongizes Haru after and adjust herself and her hair a little to try and be more presentable, and bows to him. "Good morning, Haru - wait what time is it?"

"Six to Seven," Haru replies to Viviene. The blue eye looks at the window for where the light is. "Probably closer to Seven," he considers with a mental warmup of things like lightbreak and other shenanigans. The human turns to face Viv and all those bottles at the corner table. "Good morning. Had a particularly good time last night?" A motion to the previous table with one hand as his other snags a muffin off of his plate to gnaw on. It isn't menu crated food, but it isn't going to get five star reviews either.

Viviene looks out a window briefly and squints, rubs her eyes and then a large glass if water is set down infront of her and she chugs it. "Not quite, this merc has some vices, you could say, that they sometime need to indulge in to actually get some sleep." Viviene says, but she relaxes as she drinks her water, resting agaisnt the back of her chair when she looks thoughtful. "If I remember right, you do appraisals? Got a rare opportunity here, to appraise something beyond rare- infact, upon aquiring this piece, it immediately told me it was 'no-trade'."

No-trade Uniques? That sounds like a relic to Haru. There are many of them throughout the land but at the same time they are increasingly rare. "Sounds like whatever it is, you are stuck with it," he gives a short laugh. Not a full one. Its too early for full laughter. The Artificer taps the table and says, "put 'er in view and I'll take a look, free of charge." Normally he wouldn't go into the terms of coin for most of what he does, but it bears making clear what currency is being exchanged. In this case it is information. "Been keeping busy with the Hunter's Guild and odd escorts," he asks on the topic of vices and supporting them. "Im sure the Landers and the trade roads need plenty of them these days. A detachment led by Shiyang struck a line once. It wasn't pretty."

Viviene from within her Kimono, she pulls out a pendant that wraps around her neck. It is a pendant with multi-tiered rings, some slowly rotating the central rings similar to a gyroscope, it has a faint hum of a song-like noise to it. "Helps me figure out all sorts of strange things. Has another power that it calls 'overdrive' but I never used it." If Haru has seen a relic like this before, he might know it as a 'Decoder pendant'. "I just recently got back from helping Wake and others rescue some refugees the palace landers were hunting. You let me know if you ever need some muscle to help with that, yeah? I'm no stranger to war, and I could use the income."

The human is fairly young looking. Twenties, maybe. Yet he looks wizened when he runs a finger along the silver lining of his monocle like an old man putting his reading glasses on. The amethyst lens glows with a faint backlighting. Thin white circles form from the center, breaking as incomplete semicircles that begin to rotate around the center like clockwork. CyberHaru. "Wake often pays for that in goodwill, though she has the deep reserves otherwise. A great lady to know and to build a relationship with," Haru idly notes as he stares at the necklace and the Spriggan's chest. "We all have our own currency we are accumlating, right? Though I imagine goodwill and clout doesn't pay the tavern tab. I manage the War Ops for New World as of late, so if there is an Op that needs force, you'll be on the top of my chim list. Hmm."

The circles stop for a moment. Haru takes his Wave Art focus out. At first it looks like a small orb, something you could palm in your hand. Not as big as a 'I read fortunes with it' crystal orb, but larger than a softball. "It is definately an Alv relic," he says as he works, the orb floating out of his hand and spliting into fourths as if the orb was just a pool of mercury to be redistributed. The stones pulse softly in Viviene's direction. "If you have a hangover, this isn't going to help. May want to close your eyes for a few seconds." Pulse Pulse. Pulse Pulse.

Pulse. The light show stops and the orb reforms. Haru tucks it back away into his navy jacket. "Appraisal lets me ready the object's 'flavor text' and hidden entries. It is good for lore, utility, and occasionally mystery. I'm getting a 'processing' bar on the later. Think of that as, heh, decryption of encrypted data time. The other parts I can go into now in detail or the just the functional highlights. Which would you prefer?"

Viviene doesn't close her eyes, preferring to observe, if anything, the potential of insight into the nature of her pendant has her intrigued and focused., she squints at the light but shows admirable discipline despite her discomfort. "Funny, as this thing basically lets me decrypt that sort of thing found within the world. Strange gylphs and the like I'd like all the details I can get. I like to know what im dealing with" Viviene stated then nods. "Wakes a guildmate, I help out guildmates. Its a pretty standard thing. Us Sleeping Knights stick together hm?" She does open a menu and send a friend request to Haru. "So you can contact me about a job, even if its a hunters guild job."

"We is the shared 'me' as they say," Haru says as he accepts the friend request. "So, the full version of this is that it was born from the corpse of one of the greatest Heroes of all time. It does not specify their name. When you wear that pendant it will aid you in decrypting things. Puzzles. Riddles. Its the phenomenom you mentioned. Scripture generally handles 'what does a word mean'. This is more Cryptography, getting the hidden or protected behind a logic control to be accessed. Old school hacking." The Artificer grabs his water and takes a sip before moving on. "You'll know when its activated when those multi-tiered rings move around. That means magic is flowing through the relic's circuit and granting the effect. It produces sound, which is pretty key to Alv lore, and symbols. That is what the Appraisal is taking some time to sift through and I wont understand that until hours to days later." Just how it works. "It will help you focus on truths. Now, Overdrive is particular. It will take a day to recharge but it effectively stops your perception of time. It isn't that time has stopped, per say, but rather your brain is clocking so fast that all other stimuli hits you in lower intervals. So, slowed time. You should consider training in it's use. Not only is that useful for solving key problems when time is a premium, but it also means adjusting your battle strategy to turn the tide. One hell of a find for an Adventurer or Merc."

Haru reclines back into the chair, "So why the focus on coin? Have some big expensive dream or is it a lifestyle thing?" A lot of what Haru comes off as is someone who 'comes from money'. The same value and notions of financial gain doesn't register the same way.

Viviene looks thoughtful for a moment, taking in the information, the overdrive has her mouth agape. "That sounds freakin dangerous." her better spoken composure fades some. " Our brains move at the pace it moves for a reason, Ay? I'm a bit afraid to mess with something like that, but training its use is.. also a good idea, damnit. Thats such a dangerously powerful ability. Do you know what power that is in the heat of battle? insane. Its like cheating.." Viviene mutters.

The tiny spriggan mutters to herself for a few moments before Haru's interest in why she wants coin comes up. " Oh, well, its kind of embarassin, but. " She opens her stat menu and turns it to face Haru, and its on the physical stats section. Most are near maxed, with strength being completely maxed. "Even with efficent use and good durability, I wear my gear out fast because my str stat outpaces my melee skill alot." she grumbles. "If only if what i Know on the other side mattered more."

Haru taps a finger on the table as he consider the long term effects of overclocking your brain. "Better to know what your personal limits are with it, in my opinion. And thats much the same as training any other tool. However it is very much worth checking in with Uta or someone versed in Pharma for a regular checkup. Mental symptoms do not easily manifest to the eyes." There is a sort of draw on that statement. A history there that weighs on him like a full backpack that even when fully composed can make its weight known. A change of topics.

"Ahh yes, thats right. When we talked before you mentioned how you crunch through your tools like they are little more than reinforced tree branches. That would certainly put pressure on your day to day expenses, I imagine," Haru recalls with a vivid smile. "Depending on your personal style and aesthetic, a natural weapon may be another idea beyond mastercrafted or enchanted weaponry. Or, perhaps, a very dense material. With your strength I doubt wielding it would be difficult. Or a Hammer?" He looks upwards with his one visible blue eye. "Enchanting is a lot like solving puzzles, similar to that Crypto relic. Brain tends to wander that way. Great for utility. Not great for people. I only recently solved a particular problem of having my hands free with my Stones. Before that I was holding it in one hand. That might not seem like much but Wave Artes get pretty sensitive about somatic motion and monsters or duelists don't care much for that fragility."

Viviene groans "don't get me started on wave arts I have access to a bunch of them and they are such chore to use, though I do keep a few at the ready, they're annoying to use, let me tell you, people who manage them as well as some do in the heat of battle are made of something else. Then theres the duelists like Yuuki that move so fast they can clone themselves. How does being fast make clones?! Bah, this worlds too much for me at times." She rants, only to be offered another drink of water, which pauses her ranting, perhaps saving Haru from an earbending. "I dabble in weaponsmithing, which is why I'm not totally destitute." Viviene says after her drink. "Can do my own repairs, but that requires materials, and i have a bad mining skill. Besides, the kids at the orphanage could better use the funds than I can." Thus Vivi's dillema, needing more and more money to afford improved gear that will last. "Sort of just counting on finding a super rare drop weapon that has the unbreakable trait. preferably a sword. I can use other weapons but swords just feel right in my hands."

Haru counts off with his hand, "Replacing or repairing a near endless supply of trade tools. Donating to an Orphanage. Vices." The hand closes with a grin. "Sounds like a triple threat right there." The bit about mining is a little surprising to him, "With all of that strength I would imagine you would fit exceedingly well in mining. I ran into that same problem when I started. I didn't get deep into Adventuring until the war. A 'call to action' so to speak. Before that I spent my time crafting. As you can imagine my stats do not favor the whole 'action oriented' angle like strength. Pretty much dumped that, not that I don't find it amusing to try to use the physical attributes as much as the magical ones." He chuckles at a memory of him punching a fist. That fish had it coming.

"I am sure Gilgamesh and the newly minted Realm of Uruk will have plenty of use and coin towards mercenary work. Hunter's Guild, always. Though," he considers this for a moment. The blue eye looks at Viv. Thought. "Why not make your own weapon? You know you best. Sure, luck can land that perfect weapon in your lap, but I always find it easier to not let luck rule the future." A short laugh there. "Which, being an Enchanter can be rather funny. We make clones in other ways and are on the far spectrum. Love me some Wave Artes. Its all I use." Or even can use. "Plus my summons, of course. Little bundle of friends with drills for arms or flames for wings."

"I thought so too, but what usually results from me mining is 1: I shatter the tool in a single use, and 2: reduce the rock to rubble. I actually got kicked out of a mine once for destroying too much ore. I need to actually get proper training in mining if I want to make something of it." Viviene said, with a chuckle, but adds "Still, breaking the rocks was fun. But apparently there is a lot more to mining than just raw power, I recall that lander foreman saying something about knowing where to hit and how hard to hit."

"I want to make my own weapon, infact, all the broken weapons you saw last time -were- made by me, it is cheaper to make them than it is to buy one made, after all, but my smithing skill isn't the highest, and I still need to find the right materials. Something that feels right.. It'd be -real- cool to make a sword styled after my favorite videogame character, though."

She regards Haru for a short moment, then adds. "Stats aren't everything though. A lot of my success as a fighter loans to having real-world experience as a fighter and soldier. Practicing the very basics of fighting will go a long way, and I wouldn't mind instructing you sometime. I'll be teaching some of the kids at the orphanage in the future, as they're getting to about the age they might be ready to adventure."

Haru's answer to mining is an amusing, "For me if I need to mine I bring out Terra. Big four meter tall Earth Sprite with diamond drills. Not great for veins but good for clearing to and around. Often times I source my metals from the market, though. Accessory crafting is plenty profitable if I wanted to turn a coin." He doesn't, though. There is a different currency he is tracking. The man doesn't stay long on the topic, but the next one isn't much sunnier. "Always up for a spar, though you may want to make sure you are in the Duelist League as they release stipends for participants. Entertainment and training budget, I believe." A hand roams across the table to grab his mug of water. He drinks it slowly. "Kaydon is also a soldier. Have you met them? They finished up a weapon design recently and you might have a few good topics in common there."

As for a martial background, Haru leans back in his chair, "Stats are not everything but they are an important factor. My family before here gave me access to excellent self-defense training." After a certain incident. "Yet if we both gave a cross or a hook, even if we hit right on the jaw where it mattered, the difference is some twenty fold. Just the world we live in now." A hand waves to dismiss any ill tidings on the matter, "It also comes with magic and enchanting, so its a fair trade. If you are ever running drills give me a chim. If I am in the area I'll gladly join. Swinging a blade made of magic requires similar technique to a rapier, I've noticed. For magic it varies from javelin, archery, and rifle techniques. I am part of New World so in generally we think less of 'Old' Ways and more new. Its pretty exciting when you think about it that way. Pioneers of industry and technique started by building on the laws of their world. We have a serious leg up in seeing how we did things before and how similar things may or may not work here. Several of my Ranged Artes do not translate well into the somatics of any sport I've ever been in. Then again." A tap on the table. "Enchanting is one of the harder classes to master purely because it is indirect. Like those old fighting games with complex combos but no basic ones on some fighters."

Viviene laughs "Don't ask me about games, the only games I played before ETO was the Devil may cry games... the sword I mentioned? Yamato, a sword that can cut through space itself, so well it can be used to cut -portals- into existence." she said with an enthusiastic grin, but clearly that kind of weapon being created would be an incredible undertaking, and she knew it despite her excited grin. "Its why despite being here for nearly two years..I have trouble grasping some of this world." she said, rubbing a cheek. "This here, our reality now, and yet some of it just goes right over my head."

"I already put my application in for the duelist league. I plan to challenge everyone I can. I don't care about winning or losing. I just want to challenge myself. There is no better of living free than enjoying a climatic fight with another fella, its a way to communicate and learn about someone, and help each other improve in their skills, and yeah. Its adapting to this worlds 'way of thinking' that I'm having trouble with, but.. I'm actually working on a technique, a new sword arte, that might step me in the right direction of how things work, once I perfect it."

"Spoken like a true athlete," Haru says with a manufactured smile on the topic of bonding through the dance of combat. He is familiar with the idea. "It is my understanding that it is how people like Yuuki became so adept at dueling. Mikage, too, since the hold a tournament every year. The war has slowed that down some, but I had a duel with Uta here in Carmina not too long ago. We both go for the dramatic flair so it was as much morale and entertainment as it was honing ourselves." He shakes his head, "I spent over a year not engaging in that sort of thing after some time on the stage as a competive player that was nothing /but/ focus on those things." A tap on the table, "I could do without. I would rather build things, not break them. Brings out a side of me best left alone." A realization and a laugh, "Which now that I think of what I've been doing with the Crown stuff, is pretty hilarious. Still though, they are nasty things. And like the Phoenix, some things need be burned to ash before they can grow anew."

It is too easy for Haru to wander into some pontificated side topic. He smiles, "Good that you are. Always be learning, right? If you ever end up needing a hand with the Earth and Fire elements, or more abstractly Enchanting or Alchemy, give me a chim. And Terra rarely minds practicing the results. She is surprisingly nuturing for taking on a striking dummy role."

Viviene looks thoughtful, and nods. "I can handle air, fire, and earth decently, though my speciality is the arcane and dark arts, if you ever need help in that aspect, but just know my MP isn't the highest, so I'm limited when it comes to bigger works of magic." she said to Haru, and began to rise, stretching her arms. "I better start burning some morning oil and do my morning exercise, or I will be restless all day. Some habits never die." she said. "Maybe I'll try juggling boulders..." is muttered to herself thoughtfully, but she grins at Haru. "Send me a chim when you get results on that apprasial, I'm very curious about it. How is it from the remenants of a dead hero? Were they Alv? What did they do?" she said. "Just more mystries to answer..." she trails off, and quietly mutters to herself. "Can't forget your mission." then turns to leave. "Good seeing you, Haru. Once I'm in the league, let me know if you want a fight!" she'd prepare to depart.

    It's been a long time coming, but Klein's insistence is just the motivation Asuna needs to finallly take care of herself. She is reluctant to say just why she has put it off this long. But she will send the chims to set it up!

    She's waiting outside on the patio in front of her home in Mac Anu. She is looking a bit uncertain.

    "Relax, Asuna. Uta is a really important friend. She will understand."

    Honestly Klein and Uta are Asuna's two most important friends. The thought inspires an inventory of friendships and Asuna realizes she could really do well to add more people to that list. But that's for another time.

    She busies herself figdgeting with, of course, food. She's prepared snacks this evening with a hedge of having a whole meal she can put together promptly, if needed.

Klein may have been putting half-remembered information together when it comes to this plan, but at least he's finally pushing Asuna to take a step in the right direction. He's been noticing the lack of sleep for a while now, but with it not getting any better, it's time to make sure a cure is found. Uta is the perfect candidate for this as well, with her already being a good friend of Asuna's and having the tools they just need.

So while Asuna is being quite nervous, Klein is more relaxed and at ease. Honestly, he's more relaxed than he has been for the last week now, though he still kept glancing back towards the front door. "Honestly, i'm more sure of the fact Uta is going to chew us both out for not going to her sooner."

Klein had made sure that the table was set for three people, at least. He's no help in the kitchen, but he's not going to stop Asuna from finding a way to relax either.

"I should chew the both of you out for not coming to me sooner," Uta begins with a slight frown, as she approaches. "But first of all, Klein probably didn't know he could come to me, and second..." her slight frown breaks into the smallest of understanding smiles, "that would sort the exact opposite effect of encouraging people to reach out as soon as possible the next time something like that happens, would it?"

She bows to Klein and Asuna. "Thank you for reaching out and calling me over. You never have anything to fear from me." Unless Uta is in a strange mood testing experimental syringes on people. Which is a thing that happened. "I am a friend, and ready to help you."

    "Thank you for coming so quickly!"

    Asuna ignores the chewing out part. She is used to it, honestly. But more seriously, can Uta actually chew people out? It seems somewhat less likely than getting yelled at by the sun.

    She would rise, but she's already on her feet. "Um, please, sit down. Or, um. How does it work, exactly? Do I need to lay down? Or do we hold hands?" She looks from Uta to Klein. "I've never had a curse lifted before."

    She's nervous. Every time someone tells her she has nothing to fear she's only more concerned. But then again, she's a ronin. She's strong. She can handle this.

    It ends up with her having a determined expression. She can handle anything! It's not at all convincing to those who look carefully and know her fairly well, but it has worked many times in the past.

The scruffy redhaired samurai just points a finger at Uta, not even hiding his grin from her. "Exactly that! But the moment I saw what you did against those pirates, I knew you were the right person for the job." That point turns into a two finger wave, and he returns the bow. "And really, thanks again for coming. It means a lot."

Asuna does bring up an interesting point. After all, it's not like he seen this curse be lifted either. "I'm not sure either, but if I remember right, just being able to hear her should be it...right?" He looks to the expert singer, after all. Cursese were just nasty to deal with, and most curses you can't just swing your sword at and shatter it.

"Thank you, Klein. You're too good." Uta mentions. "I am trying... this is probably not the 'healing through sheer music' the Alv could do, a technique I am eager to find out more out about. But hopefully it's a step in that direction." And then, with a serious nod as she navigates her menu, she continues, "Asuna, I am going to do something special today." She looks up. "I have been studying the Sirens, and how they can influence people's mental states." She flicks her menu open, and materialzies her staff: an exquisitely carved wooden masterpiece, two intertwined snakes which, at the top, coil around a red jewel, which looks like an actual-size, anatomically correct heart. "This focus gem is not just a sculpture. It is the actual crystallized heart of a Siren," she explains, with the professionality one would expect to see at a clinic, as she shows the item to Asuna; white glints briefly flash off it as Uta tilts the item towards Asuna and Klein, in case they want to take a closer look. "Thanks to its properties and heavy musical research around the maidensong isle, I can induce a trance like that of the Sirens, but in a perfectly safe and controlled environment. Without the victim murdering afterwards."

Still holding the staff, she looks up. "I will need to keep you entranced for a while, just to make sure that the Lullaby is absorbed properly. Then, after this phase, I will crank up the musical magic and put you under all the way." Silence. "I won't actually perform surgery, of course. I'll just make sure you'll enter a deep sleep to recover at least some of what you've lost of late. You might want to equip a pyjama or something like that, and either sit or lie down directly somewhere where you can eventually lie down and fall asleep on. If you don't have one suitable for being used in polite company, I've brought one along."

She remains silent for a moment to give the explanation time to sink in. "If you have questions, I will be glad to answer them. But before that, there are two important things to take care of. First, -I- have a question for you: since you'll be unconscious for a while..." Uta looks towards the table. "...can we help ourselves to the snacks while you're out?"

As she says this, she's already flicking through her inventory. "Oh, and second -- a very important aspect to take care of when performing medical procedures: paperwork. I'll need you to fill this out."

More inventory navigation, and Uta materializes a 'form', which is offered to Asuna. It turns out to be hand-written. It's a questionnaire with entries like:

    * Are you allergic to specific musical genres or chord progressions? [ ] yes [ ] no    If yes, which: ________

    * Have you undergone symphony in the last six months? [ ] yes [ ] no.

    * How many times per week do you:
        Shred hot guitar riffs ____
        Drop the bass ____
        Get down on the dance floor/get funky (please specify which) ____

    It finishes with the usual disclaimer, lines for date/place/signature, et cetera.

    Asuna's favorite part of spending time with Uta is that she's never entirely sure if her friend is being serious or not. Seeing her in this highly professional mode, though, is really kind of fun.

    "I am glad you explained that in such detail. I have limited experience with siren-based artes. Oh, and I have a place that will do quite well for this purpose."

    She leads the way inside, to her bed. It's got a very comfy look to it. Like the rest of her home, it is kept neat and tidy. She stands near it for a moment, then decides to switch into some night clothes. It's a relatively modest (compared to most armor in ETO!) camisole and a pair of shorts. Seeing her in the pale blue clothing may be a bit weird. She's always in white and red. Even her bedding is white and red.

    She will settle down there and turn her attention to the form. She looks thoguhtful. She marks herself as allergic to rap and country music, with particularly averse reactions to Shigin (but seriously, who can stand that stuff?!)

    She does not shred hot guitar riffs (but makes a note that she would like to receive the newsletter about learning opportunities), she drops the bass 1 or 2 times a week (and she is all about it, no treble), and she gets down on the dance floor rarely, but is trying to improve.

    With that important matter completed, she tries to get comfortable. But she can't. She's nervous. Even talking about food doesn't help much.

    "Oh, and yes, you can certainly eat. I have more in the kitchen. I was ready to cook a full meal, but... I'm stalling. Klein, can you um, stand here?"

    She indicates a place near the bed. Should he comply, Asuna will try to be super casual and take his hand. For reasons. Which she isn't going to explain. Because she's a strong ronin and an independent woman who doesn't need anyone. A strong ronin who is scared to sleep.

The staff that Uta holds up is a rather beautiful piece of work...that might be slightly marred by the fact that the gem at the top looks like a fossilized real heart. Now that was just creepy. Come on, weren't staffs supposed to go with the classic cartoon style heart when it comes to healing? Just goes he didn't get a good look at it beforehand. "From the sound of things, it's the cure first, then helping to make sure Asuna gets some proper sleep for once. It's been like this for months, so she absolutely needs it." He looks over at Asuna fondly and lets out a soft sigh. It seems like her living nightmare is going to come to an end soon!

And Uta is asking the important questions! He almost forgot about the food, but there was absolutely no need for it to go to waste.

Klein absolutely turns his head aside as Asuna changes into her nighttime clothes. Even with ETO instantly changing clothing like that, it's rude to be looking while a lady changes. Not that it didn't look good on Asuna, but that's besides the point. As for the form Uta has Asuna fill out? He feels like there could be a few exceptions, but he honestly agrees with all three of those 'alergic reactions'.

With only a slight hesitation, Klein sits on the edge of the bed and smiles softly as he takes Asuna's hand and squeezes it tightly once. He softens his grip, but doesn't make any move to let it go in the sligtest. "I, uh, might not be leaving this spot for a while, Uta. If you do get something to snack on, could you get me a plate as well?" Sure, he didn't promise anything here, but he's still going to keep a previous one.

Uta also politely turns her head away when the patient changes, and so on. When practicing her medical profession, she's got all the motions and little attentions down pat, as if they were second nature. Which they probably are by now -- probably the main circumstance where Uta's Etiquette skill is in plain sight for everyone to see.

One might also have noticed another important detail: Uta hesitates, a bit conflicted.

"In normal circumstances," Uta begins, professionally tactful, "I should tell you to leave the room, Klein, or at least stand at a safe distance. Behind an acoustically insulated window." Inhale. "I will -try- to focus the Arte on Asuna, but the procedure is a bit hard to control at this close a range. You might end up entranced yourself. Possibly asleep. Deeply deeply so."

Glance at Klein. Glance at Asuna. Inhale. "But we're friends and we're doing this informally. Risk is low." Back at looking straight at Klein. "If you tell me you have no extra allergies, and promise to fill out a form yourself when you wake up..." Sideways glance. She's not -saying- that Klein can stay, but... it's obvious that Klein can stay if he accepts that he might be join Asuna in this wonderful trip through Slumberland in case things go pear-shaped.

    Asuna nods along with all of this, but she's so distracted. Nervous. Restless. Afraid of falling asleep and having a nightmare. Klein has probably heard her cry out in fear at night. Don't ask how.

    Wait, did she say Klein might fall asleep, too? Well, it's a low risk. Uta is a professional. Surely nothing can go wrong.

    "I.. I am ready," she finally says. Her voice sounds rather like that of a child, trying to sound brave. And failing. Oh so totally failing. And blushing a bit.

Uta is the medical professional here, and it clearly shows. But he can feel it in his grip the nervousness Asuna still has, even if she's putting forward a brave face. And honestly, if that was the side effect for standing too close for treatment? It's perfectly fine with him! He remembers just how crazy some medicine commercials got, with so many smiling people while listing the possible ways a skin cream can kill you. "I promise, and I even give you one extra. I promise not to get mad if you doodle on my face if I end up asleep."

With his other hand, Klein gives Uta a thumbs up, urging her to continue.

Uta simply nods. She inhales, and, she begins singing, softly. The crystal resonates, and tendrils of light and magic dance on the staff.

Someone with the right training would immediately be able to tell that Uta's performance is... far far below what she's actually capable of as a Sage of Song; to the others, in a case of 'ignorance is bliss', it's just a beautiful melody, vocalized by a beautiful voice. It lulls one into the kind of cozy torpor where one's self is slowly lost, and one finds oneself floating into some sort of state of vagueness; emotions and feelings -almost- in focus, at the edge of a consciousness which begins diluting. But, what is important in this context, the ability to move, talk, react... seems just gone. It just... doesn't happen. 'Held Spellbound', as they say.

Being based on a technique by the Sirens, the usual way it works is that target's attention is drawn towards the singer, filling the "victim"'s conceptual field of vision with the figure of the caster and blocking out anything else, but this time, maybe because of Uta not wanting attention on herself or perhaps because of the imperfect technique... the target mind's isn't held in as tight a clasp, and not necessarily (and probably even not at all) on Uta. It's more likely left free to drift, possibly lulled in.. maybe happy, maybe bittersweet... general feelings and impressions of memories, more than sharp, clear-cut feelings and memories. Or perhaps -- Asuna might (or might not) even be gripped by the Fears brought about by her Curse -- in which case they'd slowly be dissipated as the soothing song works it magic.

It's a very personal experience, different for everyone.

And as for Klein... as said, Uta's attempt is not the most precise this time. The technique is mainly focused on Asuna, so, how much of, and to what degree the effects are also affect Klein, it's hard to say. It's a lottery. He could undergo pretty much the same experience as Asuna (minus the curse), seem fine at the start but slowly slip into it, or be hit by it all at once.

Some time after Asuna has been lulled into a sense of coziness and prevented any action, once she's sure that her friend has been properly de-cursed, Uta will focus on slowly leading Asuna into the promised comfort of the arms of Morpheus -- and if Klein ends up piling up on that load, well, let's hope Morpheus hasn't skipped leg day; he's got quite some weight to carry around now.Ã

    To Asuna, this song is simply the most beautiful thing she's ever heard. She will say so, but not until later. Her initial reaction is a touch of resistance. She's afraid. But the song moves past that level of control and she is ensnared.

    She is not drawn to the singer, though. Her attention instead drifts to something else. Something warm. She squeezes Klein's hand. At least, she thinks does, anyway. It feels nice.

    The Flash sighs quietly, and then a few visions from the nightmares move past her. They don't scare her for long, though. She ends up turning away from them and letting those bad things slip away.

    Her mother's constant disapproval. Thoughts of being a failure. A thousand variations of her not being who she is 'supposed to be'. They drain away bit by bit.

    Asuna ends up rolling onto her side. Before sleep can take her, that is. She drifts and her focus locks into a happy place. She's snuggled up against Klein, as he sits on the bed. She may or may not be using his lap as a pillow at this point.

    Whatever happens, the curse is broken, and a deep, dreamless sleep is waiting. Asuna is drawn into it comfortably.

As Uta sings her siren's song, it echoes in his head and older memories are recalled in his head, both sweet and sad. A dramatic duel in black and white. Hanging out with a group of friends he hasn't seen in years. An argument broken because of one terrible joke. And then there's one memory that's much more recent and yet just as wonderful as it was the first time. Honestly, it was like he was experiencing it all over again...?

Yawning softly and shaking his head free from the siren's 'net', he realizes that last one wasn't exactly the same, yet just as nice. Fondly and gently, Klein carefully strokes a hand through Asuna's hair as he gazes down at her head resting on his lap. Seeing her face finally at rest and at ease lifts a burden that he didn't realize was weighing him down so much, and he only adjusts himself slightly to make himself more comfortable.

Then Klein looks up and realizes that Uta didn't just magically vanish while singing. His cheeks flush a deep red just as vivid as his headband, and he stammers for a few moments in shock. "Hey-I...well...um...we can explain?" He glances downwards towards Asuna, then back up, and he just lets out a happy sigh. "Later though?"

As the last echoes of the last note of the lullaby fades away, Uta smiles at Asuna. No matter how long she's been practicing medicine in this world (shy of two years and a half by now), and no matter how sure she is that this is all for a good cause, she still can't help feeling a nagging tug of guilt at putting a friend through a procedure originally used by monsters to mess with people's heads and render their them helpless. But seeing how peaceful Asuna seems now makes the weight of responsibility at least sweeter.

"I will glad to hear explanation," is what Uta says, turning to Klein. With the same quiet, level tone of voice she's kept for the whole treatment. Professionally affable.

But what she actually thinks is, "...Explain what? Have I missed something?" Uta is pretty sure she's missed nothing about the -procedure-. Given her attention span issues, she had to actively focus her whole being on the procedure -- and even then, she barely managed it due to the unexpected Bedside Variable. No, it has to be something unrelated. Probably unimportant. And if it is important, hey, Klein will explain later, right? She's really curious about what this is going to be about.

"Perhaps while we eat something," she offers to Klein, as she approaches Asuna, and after selecting the medical inspection option in her menu, touches her friend's hand with a finger. "Once I'm sure she's all fine, you can treat me to an interesting story during snack time."