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Could we make something that's special to you? Or even just something you're familiar with. I'd like to hear any stories you'd be willing to tell about it.

[That's a surprising request, but it's a sweet one.]

I think I have something.

Then, I'll see you tomorrow. Bishop, right?

Yes! You will have to send me a message when you come, though-- we have a lock that I must deactivate from the inside.

I look forward to meeting you, Sorey.

Same here.

[And Sorey counts it as a personal triumph that he got all his being mopey and upset out while still on the Huntress. He wants to make a good impression on Mikleo's friend, especially since he's sure he can't tell him everything that happened. He doesn't even know how much he does know.

It doesn't matter. It- tonight isn't about getting answers. He was invited out for the purpose of being kind, and he should honor that.]

Belthazar? I'm almost at the Bishop's docking bay.

I'll be right there.

[Belthazar half runs, half teleports to the other side of the ship. He quickly undoes the lock on the door so that the shuttle can dock safely-- and then he stands back to wait.

He's probably not what Sorey is expecting. Belthazar is only two inches taller than Edna, and he is of a similar waifish build. Most of him is drowning beneath black robes though they've been tailored to hang a little more naturally. His hair falls to his shoulders and is unruly and dark as night, but he has pale skin that's never seen a sunburn, and two eyes that glow a radioactive shade of green.

He shifts his weight awkwardly and keeps his eyes down as he waits for Sorey to finish, clearly the fidgety type.]

Edited 2016-09-21 05:46 (UTC)

[Well, Sorey was kind of expecting an old wizard man by the way the letter sounded, but he's no stranger to odd-looking people. Even with that though, the glowing eyes are new.]

Belthazar? [Wow he's. So small.] Thanks for having me over. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long.

[Sorey's reaction isn't off-putting, at least. He isn't being screamed at for having creepy glowing eyes like a monster, nor is he mentioning the ears. The ears are always what people notice first.]

Hello, Sorey, [he says mildly.] I-it's nice to meet you properly.

[FUCK, he didn't mean to stutter. MOVING ON--]

You didn't. [He turns, then, to lead Sorey into the hallway toward the kitchen.]

Have you been on the Bishop before?

I haven't, actually. I've been to a few of the others, but not Bishop. Why do you have a lock on your shuttle bay doors? [bc just saying that may discourage visitors]

[Belthazar pauses. He's been around since the locks were put in place, aside from that month and a half, but...]

It isn't to be unfriendly. Hiro wanted to make a safe place just in case someone bad showed up from home. Thankfully, we've never had to use it.

[As they pass through the hallway, Belth turns his eyes upward. There are lights installed on the ceiling in addition to the normal ones.]

Most of what he's modified the ship with counts as abusing technology, though. [It sounds fond.] Like this, this is utterly pointless--

[He finds a panel outside the kitchen and presses a button. The lights dim and immediately go into RAVE MODE. This isn't an exaggeration. It's strobe. It's rainbow. It's rave. Belth only lets it go for a few seconds before shutting it off.]

Oh geez! [Sorey rubs at his eyes; he had not been expecting that, but if he had he would probably have been more appropriately impressed by it.] That was...really interesting! [Sorey speak for a GODDAMN HEADACHE] What's that function for? Hey, do it again, I didn't get to see much.

You would have to ask Hiro. There are alarm lights, which I understand, but rainbows?

[He shrugs helplessly, then motions for Sorey to follow him into the kitchen.

Things have already been laid out, as he'll soon realize. Measuring cups, bowls, ingredients, cooking dishes-- it's all laid impeccably, like a picture of a kitchen rather than a real one.]

I hope you are hungry, Sorey.

Oh yeah, I specifically skipped lunch. I wanted to make sure to savor this. [strIPS OFF GLOVES and rolls up sleeves!! he's ready to be ordered around like a measly line cook.] Okay, what should I do first?

We're going to make a casserole for our first dish. That should be simple enough, and you can save whatever we don't eat.

[He offers a bowl to Sorey. It's full of potatoes.]

Do you mind chopping these up for me? The cutting board is right over there. I'll sear the pork in the meantime.

Oh boy, wow, you're super prepared. [Takes that bowl, looking around at the assembled ingredients, impressed. Kind of like Edna and her iron-fisted kitchen rule; a place had everything and everything had its place] This is something you make a lot, huh?

I make a ridiculous amount of food. Allen and Sokka are like bottomless pits, you know. I usually make them dinner and send it over.

[Belth works quickly and efficiently to cut off any excess fat, then he salts and peppers the pork chops and tosses them into a pan. This is going a bit slower than he'd like, however, so he snaps his fingers and--

-- and suddenly it looks like Merlin's purse exploded in here. Everything Sorey isn't using is floating. Belth reaches out and summons a fire spell beneath the pan to sear the pork chops, then he works on pushing the cheese through a shredder and into a bowl. Much easier to do that when it's enchanted, mind you.]

Oh! [Well okay, he lives in the company of people who do things human society would call unnatural or witchcraft or creepy etc etc, but this is a whole lot of incredible happening all at once from one person.

Sorey wraps his arms around the bowl and scoots out of the way. He should probably start chopping these but he can't help but watch instead, fascinated.] How are you doing all of that?

It's a basic levitation spell applied to many small objects, which I enchanted beforehand. The main difficulty is in ensuring I don't forget they're there and run into them. [He talks like he's been doing this for a while, and maybe he has. He's studied rigorously since he was four years old.

He holds his breath as he chops some onions, not trusting himself to levitate a knife with company around. That done, he tosses them in another bowl, and then flips the pork chops with a floating spatula.]

Do you like to cook, Sorey?

I mean, I can do it...some of it. [wow would you look at all that...seraphim can do some amazing things but Sorey's never seen one do something like this. So he uses spells and the like, like Nightingale does? Only that looks like some fine control, must be why it requires setup. How does that work? Are spells crafted individually for their purpose or is it all in the intent?]

-oh right. [He's supposed to be cutting up these potatoes. Gonna just get on that, chop chop, and come dangerously close to getting his fingers because he keeps glancing up at all the levitating objects and trying to figure out how they know how to interact.] Just simple things, enough to keep myself fed. I don't really get too fancy with it. I also don't have really cool spells to help me out either, so I can be a little lazy when it comes to preparation.

That's not so bad. It's important to be able to take care of yourself... that's how I learned.

[He's happy to answer rapid-fire questions if Sorey gives them, but otherwise, the Shepherd will just have to figure that out on his own.]

The spells came after, believe me. You don't want a six year old trying to cook with fire.

I believe you. [said so seriously. this child has seen some shit, usually of his own making. he was a little bit of a well-meaning menace as a kid] When did you learn all these spells then?

I've been studying magic since I could read, but I didn't master the higher levels of arcane magic until I was ten. [Belthazar makes it sound like that was too long to wait.] And I didn't have the reagents for it until a few years ago...

[He sets the pork chops aside. Only now does he hesitate.]

The only thing I cannot do is chop onions without tears. There isn't a spell for that, and if I fly it too far away I lose control of the spell.

[He sucks in a breath and begins dicing up the onions anyway.]

[oh man when you were ten, you practically wasted your life away]

Oh- Belthazar, if you hate it so much, I don't mind doing it. [He's kind of an expert at crying at this rate!!]

[Belth looks up, a bit surprised.]

Oh, would you? [He can already feel the stinging settling in, but he's happy to set the knife down and move away.]

If there are still potatoes, I will do them.

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