picknicking

[dark_light]

There's something unutterably pleasant about landing in a bit of woods in the middle of Nowhere, Manitoba, removing a sandwich and an apple from her backpack and having a picnic before she's ready to move on. She could eat in midair, but it makes it too likely that she'll drop something and find it unrecoverable.

Path's on her knee, and her cloudpine is propped up against the tree next to her.

Comments

[prodigal_miser]

"I can set up permanent interplanar portals, on the caveat that I'm a little nervous to. I can break a portal entirely if I want, but I don't know of a way to monitor what goes through them without spending hours a day scrying. So, something nefarious from either side could get by, and I wouldn't know. Perhaps I could set up security to check, but uh... A large number of mages could rebel if I tried that, considering how the last time we had extraplanar relations went."

[dark_light]

"I'm sort of worried that you'll bring me over to visit, one or more of these people who antagonize you so will decide it is about time you were dead, and I will be stuck there."

[prodigal_miser]

"Ah. That's a pretty understandable concern. If it helps, they don't actually want me dead. If I die, then they have to deal with Zeviana if they want my bloodline to be salvaged at all, and if they didn't they would have had my mother killed when she was a child," he explains. "They seem to think I'm the easiest to deal with of my family."

[dark_light]

"Well, that helps, but not overwhelmingly much. Is there a way to hide the portal? Put it up in midair, nowhere anybody is liable to look; you can build a building under it later if everything goes well, but failing that, I'll be able to fly home?"

[prodigal_miser]

"Hmmm. Alright, I can do a hidden one, I don't want to trap you if something terrible happens. Now, the caveat with portals is that I need to physically go to where each side will be, and leave a sort of magical marker so I can tell the portal where to go."

He thinks about the logistics necessary. "I can place a marker here, teleport to my plane alone, wait for a little while for my magic to be ready for a portal, then let you know on a mirror and you can just come through then?"

[dark_light]

"Sure. You can mark a spot when I have both halves of my thingamajig and can find my portal hub site."

[prodigal_miser]

"That works," he says, smiling a little. "On another note - please don't invade my world? It's not worth it, I swear."

[dark_light]

"I'm not gonna invade your world. I'll let you ask the alethiometer about it if you like."

[prodigal_miser]

"That works. Please don't tell a soul that I made a portal when we get to New Kystle, though, even with alethiometer approval. That would end badly."

[dark_light]

"I'll leave that to your discretion. Unless you die and for some reason I wish to bring someone home with me."

[prodigal_miser]

Adarin looks faintly amused. "You seem very set with the idea that I will die horrifically when I get home. I suppose if I'm dead, it won't matter to me much what happens after. I'll leave that up to you."

[dark_light]

"I do not expect you to die! I just don't want to make promises that I don't plan to keep under all feasible contingencies."

[prodigal_miser]

"I can respect that. Thank you for being honest with me upfront."

[dark_light]

"Hey, you might check up on me with my brand new absolute truth telling device."

[prodigal_miser]

"Probably. It's a nice change to have someone that thinks of long-term consequences!"

[dark_light]

"I'm pretty honestly inclined in general, but yes, also long-term thinking."

[prodigal_miser]

Adarin grins. "Thank you. I understand you're probably not doing it for my benefit, but I should thank you, regardless."

[dark_light]

"I am reasonably interested in your benefit, here! For long-term-thinking reasons and also because I like you."

[prodigal_miser]

"Aw, thank you."

He teases,"It's because I made the thingamajigs, isn't it? Bet that's it."

[dark_light]

"You made the thingamajigs, and you are concerned about correct things in correct ways."

[prodigal_miser]

"I do try," says Adarin, brightly. "I'm glad you noticed!"

[dark_light]

"And you are snuggly, there's also that."

(Path fluffs fluffily against Vernaia.)

[prodigal_miser]

Okay, now there's embarrassed giggling. "I ah- have never been told that before! So that's a pleasant surprise."

(Vern nuzzles back, making a cute trilling noise.)

[dark_light]

"What, never? What a pity."

[prodigal_miser]

"Yes, I'd been missing out," he explains. "Though it probably helps that my magic talking bird is now here and can cuddle, too."

He will not stop calling her that. It amuses him.