touchscreens | {first prayer} video

[The video starts with a close-up of a man's face. He blinks several times, and then breaks out into a wide grin.]

Ah! I believe it is recording now, yes? [He straightens to his full height, but since the terminals are set at a height equal to about his waist, the feed is filled with the image of his breastplate and robes.

He stops and makes a surprised sound, and he squats again so that it focuses on his face.] Goodness. Why did they place these machina at...? Ah, well. [He smiles brightly.]

Hello! I am Braska. I have two things I would like to address today.

The first is to offer my services to any who need it, free of charge. I am a skilled healer with years of experience, and I need not rely entirely on White Magic. I am also capable of using natural herbal remedies, though I need some time to accustom myself to what is available here in Saeng Seong. I have to admit, I am not skilled in the use of machina and other advanced techniques, but if anyone would be willing to teach me, I would love to learn!

Now, of course, I am sure there are those of you who are asking, "what's the catch?" If it would make you feel better, you may pay me, but I truly will not ask for anything from you in exchange. This is something I did for a living many years ago when I was a priest. I want nothing more than to help. Please, do believe me in this.

Now, my second topic! I would like to hear about the magic where you are from. I have been studying magic since I was young, so it is of a special interest of mine, you see! Or, if you are from a place without magic, as difficult as it is for me to imagine... How does your home operate without it? I am willing to explain these things about where I am from, if you are interested!

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Do you really believe in magic or are you making a joke? [She sounds genuinely curious - and serious - about that.]

I really do! Where I come from, it isn't even a question. Magic is all around us.

[Braska holds up a hand and calls a Blizzard crystal to form in his fingers. He picks ice because he knows that machina can easily create lightning and fire, but ice? With the weather as hot as it is? Look, it's already melting.

And all the while, Braska's soft smile never wavers, and his tone remains gentle.]

See?

[She utters a soft gasp, openly gaping at the display. Part of her automatically thinks it was just a trick, some kind of special effects, but outwardly she seems pretty captivated.]

Was that real? You did that? Can you do more?

Of course it is! And I can't tell if I'm glad for it or not. The cold is lovely in this heat, but my fingertips are starting to become numb... [He lets the Blizzard crystal drop to the floor and rubs his fingers on the inside of his sleeves.]

Oh, I can do a lot more than that. [Braska's eyes twinkle. What he's thinking of doing is a gamble; he may be able to hear the fayth's voices, but they're... faint. And he can't hear all of them. He would hate to try to call to them to put on a show and have it fail. For now, he brings his hands up and casts a Blizzara, this time keeping the large ice crystal floating between his hands.]

I could show you more in person, if you'd like.

[Marnie's obviously impressed, though she hesitates at his suggestion. What is that thing that people are always saying about not meeting up with strange people off the internet? But considering that they'd all already been kidnapped once, it seems like less of a risk than usual.]

Really? I'd...I'd like to see more. If you'll show me...

Would you like to meet me? I'm right in front of the welcoming center, in the plaza where we first arrived. What I'd like to show you is too big to demonstrate right here in front of the terminal.

[THINKS VERY HARD ABOUT THIS. Probably way too hard. She's an intense little thing.]

...okay. I'll come. If it's real, I want to see.

Very well! I will wait for you by the fountain.

[He won't have to wait very long before she shows up; a tiny blonde thing, skulking around nearby as though still somewhat hesitant to approach the man. Despite the heat, she's entirely covered up - a bulky, long-sleeved shirt and floor length skirt - but there doesn't seem to be anything else unusual about her...]

[Braska stands near six feet, but his presence isn't an intimidating one, especially with the strangeness of his robes and headdress. When he spots the girl he recognizes from the terminal, his smile widens and he waves her over with his free hand. In his other, he holds what seems to be a tall walking stick topped with a simple large blue crystal.]

[Well.

He certainly LOOKED like a wizard.

Marnie walks over slowly, staring Braska up and down with wide eyes. If her dad were here she'd never hear the end of this, wandering out on her own to meet a crazy guy who claimed he could do magic, but...well, her dad wasn't here, and frankly that display over the terminal had looked pretty neat. And if she wasn't willing to take risks for neat things when her dad wasn't there to stop her, what was even the point.]

Umm...hi.

{first prayer} video

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