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[elisethetraveller]

[elisethetraveller]

Continued from; zaunrising

There was no smile on Silco’s face. If there was any expression, it was a somber, quiet one. An adult tired of the complaints of children, and yet one who was called upon once again to step between those who as far as he was concerned should know better. All the same, in his dark ruined eye there was a strange gleam. That fiery orb seeming a touch brighter than normal, or perhaps it only seemed that way due to his blue eye seeming colder. Another difference was Sevika’s presence, the strong woman who was Silco’s right hand standing behind him and to one side. Close enough to step up, and in if need be, but with no sign of intending to do so unprovoked. In this moment Sevika was not a threat, and seemed as composed as ever with her shimmer fueled arm at a standby. She was, however, a warning. For as friendly as Silco had been to the new foreign chem-baron, that could change if need be. “Are you finished?” Before The Table, before he had nearly died, before things had changed, Silco would have been more measured in his response. Now, however, he found his patience lowered. It was a dangerous thing, patience sliding away reminiscent of when he’d been a young man, but with the self-control and consideration of an older man with years of experience. There had been Silco, who worked with Vander and had crawled out of the mines. Silco, betrayed, and who had found power in the shadows that allowed him to pull Zaun upwards into something new. Zaun, the Enterprise, on the way to the Free Nation of Zaun. Now, however, there was a different Silco. Exactly who he was, and what he was capable of, was something many had yet to see. One thing however was for sure. He was still one of the primary powers in Zaun with Sevika still standing by his side. “If I was here to “rush along negotiations”, on her behalf, it would not be only myself and Sevika standing here.” Voice quiet, and controlled, this was clearly not the sociable Silco that had visited Elise more than once. This was the Eye of Zaun who be it through information, shimmer, strength, or any number of things ran far more than most thought he did. “No, I am here to ask a very simple question, Elise.” This new chem-baron had a weakness, but it was one Silco could respect. She cared for her people, or at least cared enough about what they could do for her, that it might as well be the same thing. Certainly, she cared more than most other chem-barons, and that created a kind of loyalty. Loyalty, which by its very nature, would go both ways. A weakness of a sort because it’d guarantee certain behaviors, but it was also a strength as it’d make it harder to turn her people against her. Sad, really, that Elise was what Silco had originally hoped the chem-barons would be, and she wasn’t even a Zaunite. Still, she also wasn’t a Piltie, and if a yordle could be a chem-baron… well why not? “How far are you willing to go, to get your people back?"

Most people would call Elise a trusting individual who wore her heart on her sleeve. She wasn't a politician or a liar. Most people would be wrong. One had to be a liar to look a parent with a dead child in the eyes and tell them everything would be okay. And she had seen far too many failing institutions to trust any of them. Perhaps that was why she walked into the room alone. Because while there was no reason to believe Silco was here for blood, the little voice in the back of her mind insisted otherwise, and she would be damned if someone else's blood was spilt over this. So Elise sat there with her empty, pleasant smile, eyes sharp and drifting from Silco to Sevika.

"Yes." Was that a rhetorical question? Most likely. Elise didn't care. The mage held no pretence that Silco didn't deal with his own garbage-can of issues every day, but as far as she was concerned, he was here to help, or he was in the way. And the thought he was here to help felt delusional. She was an outsider; she got it thrown in her face every time she tried to deal with this sensibly. Why would he choose to help an outsider?

Though Silco's arrival was a relief. No matter why he was here, it would shake things out of the frustrating stagnation. She didn't have the resources to go into the other territory and get her people, but her own territory was well-protected. The other chem-baron couldn't force their way to the valuable water. Despite all of Zaun's technology, this was a siege.

"What do you propose?" It was the first time Elise moved, and she could feel it in every muscle. Residual energy dispersed like an anxious breath escaping through gritted teeth. Leaning forward, her fingers drummed against the table.

"I can't just go in and get them. There are too many people for me to get them out safely." And while she could survive the gunfire, they wouldn't. "And I am not throwing fifty people at a problem when half of them won't return." There were plenty of people who wanted to volunteer, even after they had discussed the odds and chances. The loyalty was heartwarming. But it was also dangerous. Sooner or later, they would try to rush the territory despite her insistence not to. They weren't of the temperament to wait things out.

( @zaunrising )

[elisethetraveller]

Is there anyone in Elise's life that have inspired her? And if so, in what way?

Does Mortem count?

But anyway, perhaps a little typical, but Elise's mother is definitely someone who has inspired her, especially after she became an adult. She raised seven children almost alone after Elise's father died and got apprenticeships for her children, thus securing them a livelihood. It wasn't an easy life, and Elise has definitely romanticized her memories regarding her early life, but in her mind, many of her strengths originated with her mother.

[elisethetraveller]

TRUTH SERUM - MY MUSE HAS TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS TRUTHFULLY.

[[Preface the question with TRUTH]]

[elisethetraveller]

It should be pretty easy to tell what Man-Bat wants, at least... it would be if he could talk. Judging from the excited chitters he's making, the consensus is clear - if he receives bananas and other yummy fruits, Elise receives a bat-friend. A very big bat-friend.

Answer; Send "I receive , you receive "

Elise was...not unused to non-humans. But she was used to more...speaking. Blinking, the mage looked genuinely confused until her eyes widened.

"Oh! Of course." Stepping away from the chittering giant bat, she made the arguably bad decision of turning her back on him. However, it was all for a good cause as, after a bit of rummaging around, she returned with a cluster of bananas and a couple of peaches. "Here." The armful of fruits was offered up with a smile.

[elisethetraveller]

DEALING WITH TRAUMA : STARTERS

a collection of dialogue prompts for muses with heavy baggage. content warning for mentions of mental illness, ableist language, and victim-blaming. change & alter as needed.

“Don’t worry. I’m good at being alone. I’ve been alone for a long time.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“Look, everyone is just better off without me, okay?”

“It’s not a ‘trigger’! I don’t have ‘triggers’! There’s nothing wrong with me! I’m perfectly normal!”

“It was my fault. I should have known better.”

“As soon as you see what a mess I really am, you’ll leave. Just like everyone else.”

“It’s not a big deal. It wasn’t that bad.”

“There’s something wrong with me. There’s something wrong inside my head.”

“I’m not the easiest person to talk to, or be around. It’s… hard for other people to love me. I get that.”

“Why are you still here?! Why won’t you just leave?! Why won’t you just leave me like everyone else?!”

“That wasn’t a panic attack. I don’t have panic attacks.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with me, but… I don’t think this is normal.”

“I can’t stop remembering it. I can’t stop dreaming about it. I can’t even stop thinking about it.”

“PTSD? Oh, come on, give me a little credit! I’m tougher than that!”

“I don’t need to see a shrink! I’m not crazy!”

“I’m just so scared it’s going to happen again.”

“What’s wrong with me? Why didn’t they love me? Why wasn’t I good enough for them?”

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted them. I got what I deserved.”

“If you knew the kind of person I really am, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

“How can you even stand to be around me? How do you not hate me?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t know why I get like this. I just see [trigger], and I totally freeze up. I can’t help it.”

“I’m supposed to be stronger than this!”

[elisethetraveller]

Send "I receive ____, you receive ____" to offer a trade with my muse and see if they'll accept it or not

Fill the blanks with the items(?) for trade

[elisethetraveller]

send questions about the mun. instead of the mun, the muse will answer them.

[elisethetraveller]

Reblog  this  post  to  let  your  followers  know  you're  fine  with  being  tagged  in  random  starters.  Additionally,  reblog  this  post  if  you're  all  right  with  being  sent  old memes,  no  matter  how long ago you reblogged them.

[elisethetraveller]

When I reference Elise wearing a white cloak this is what I mean (though her’s have more embroidery)

[elisethetraveller]

💭

From; Send 💭 to hear what my muse is currently thinking

Rosemary, Lavender, Willow Bark, Tumeri–Chamomile, Peppermint, Fennel–Aloe, Licoric–

[elisethetraveller]

i suppose i love this life, in spite of my clenched fist.

Time Is A Mother, Ocean Vuong // The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky // The Cow, Ariana Reines // Ask Polly, Heather Havrilesky // October, Mary Oliver // Dead Stars, Ada Limón // Night Walk, Franz Wright// Xenotransplantation, Sam Sax // Angels In America, Tony Kushner // Take Me With You, Andrea Gibson

for @shestrying

[elisethetraveller]

He looked as sincere as Elise imagined he could. Anything with teeth could bite, and anyone who survived as well as he did in Zaun's theatre of politics had to have teeth. And she supposed shimmer was just that. Though only an idiot would think of shimmer as teeth and a weapon that secured power. The way she saw it, it was a resource as vital as the water in her territory, if not more so. Polluted water could be cleansed, but shimmer was a chemical product. If chemical was the right word.

Even with most of it out of her blood, she could feel the buzzing where the vessels were smallest. It must have been there when she took it, too, but...drowned out by the rush of energy? Another dose might allow for a better understanding now that she knew what to expect, and she still had half a vial. Turning and twisting it between agile fingers, a glint of red shot across the glass. Another time, a different approach. Drinking it pure felt irresponsible. Not because of its addictiveness but because she could still feel something lurking at the edge of her senses, something the drug had surged towards. Sighing, the vial disappeared into a pocket.

"Well, consider my understanding expanded, if only a little." And hopefully, it would only expand further as she analysed the sample. "And I do appreciate the chance to learn. As you say, people often shy away and demonise the things they don't understand." Nails catching on the trim of her sleeve, she resisted the urge to scratch the scar along her neck. "People have talked to me about it, both positive and negative, but it is quite different to witness it first-hand." He didn't need to know about the studies she had done into reversing shimmer's damaging effects. If he didn't already know, that was. That could be what this was all about.

"I must admit the insistence on a distinction between art and science and magic continues to humour me. Though that might just be a marker of age." Despite the pollution, what hit her senses was the scent of cigarette smoke. It was curious how the leaders chose to pollute the air they breathed even more in a place where fresh air was a luxury. "You say it's an art, but is there a way to regulate for strength? It feels organic, so I suppose you source ingredients for it somewhere in Zaun? Is that where the variety in strength comes from? Or is it a matter of formula?" A lot of questions, perhaps, but Silco seemed in a mood to indulge them, so Elise would take what she could. And give back in kind with any questions he had.

"Maybe." The mage wouldn't exclude the possibility of using shimmer in her practice. Never say never, and all that. But there was only one person to get it from, and despite the fact they seemed on amiable terms, Elise was loathed to make her territory dependent on anyone else beyond what was required. So better to drop the subject for now.

"My system...My body is handling it well. It leaves a sort of tingle." Strangely, she could feel the rush more in the small system, the veins and arteries between the lungs and heart, despite the tingling in her muscles. "But some tea would be lovely." Was he genuinely concerned? Probably not, but Elise would take the tea. Silver eyes studied Silco as if trying to match her response to his. "How do people usually react to their first dose of shimmer? I imagine you must have seen that a few times by now." Surely, they were both learning something. Her about the nature of shimmer, him about blood magic, even if he hadn't realised it. Attention drifting, the presence of the little gem felt like a second anchor.

"It is strange, I guess. Blood magic leaves you with a better...awareness of your body. The muscles, the flow of oxygen, nutrients and bacteria in the blood. So I could feel the shimmer. Can still feel what is left of it." So, was shimmer magic, too? Perhaps. The distinction between magic and science truly wasn't as clear cut as Piltover's laws insisted. "It is hard to explain. I can't remember what it is like not having that awareness."

“Of course, the jury, always something to consider.” He understood the reference of course, and his voice was dry with that particular sense of humor, Silco had. However, he’d never been in the business of caring at all what “the jury”, or hardly anyone else, thought. That would require them to be his peers, or family. Family, certainly not, except for one. He was almost as selective with his peers as he was family. The chem-barons? Parasites. Most of Zaun? Children to be guided, and led. Children that had recently become teenagers perhaps, with their own unfortunately held opinions that Silco needed to learn how to deal with, but certainly not his peers. If there was a jury here, it was a private one. Silco, and Elise, both making their own small jury, judging the other. He preferred it that way. He was no Piltie giving speeches to crowds, or making a living off of lying through smiles in a boardroom. Besides, people were so often more at ease when things were private, and would give away so much more. “In return?”

Head tilting ever so slightly, Silco’s eyes focused purely onto Elise as she took the vial. “You will understand Zaun all the more, what more is needed?” If this outsider was going to stroll around as a leader, and have her own territory, Silco would have to ensure she understood Zaun as thoroughly as possible. It was that, or have her dragged down to the water and drowned. Some itch at the back of his mind didn’t like the idea of simply trusting blades, and a shallow grave. Not with a mage who healed. Why, he couldn’t say, but he was no fool to ignore his instincts. Best to leave some magic wielder down in the depths if need be. Let the fish have her. That, however, seemed like a waste. Particularly as he needed an ally of some small extent if he was to eventually start pulling Zaun into something a bit more coherent. If he was to one day remove the parasites feeding off of his Zaun, and to drag the Undercity into still greater heights. A healer, who could at least be trusted to stay neutral so long as her territory was left alone, was far from the worst option.

As Elise’s eyes closed, for a moment his own eyes shined with satisfaction. Did he believe one dose alone would drag her into needing it? No, but he thought that perhaps she’d become intrigued. Intrigued enough to test herself with it once more. To see how it could aid her, and her work. To push boundaries, and limits. Perhaps not though. Worse case scenario, she neither touched nor used or utilized it ever again. No real hardship for him, one lone vial of shimmer lost mattered not at all. Best case scenario however… what could come from a mage making use of shimmer in her practice, or from another person figuring out more ways to use shimmer? Shimmer, that only he could supply. A very low cost gamble, and one he was happy to make.

“Medicine, and other uses. Yes.” Dosage, method of delivery, person, and their tolerance level. Any number of factors could influence what that strain was used for. It was however a more stable strain, more reliable, and hence found use more often as medicine. The moment that marble with its swirling colors as though blood, and shimmer mixed together rolled towards him, Silco caught it smoothly between two fingers. A moment later it found its way into a pocket, and out came a cigarette that he lit. A treasure, a gem made of a mages blood and shimmer. Perhaps he’d ask Irisa’s opinion on it, or perhaps he’d simply take it to Singed. That was a decision for later.

A flicker of a smile, and a drag off of his cigarette before he nodded. “You are welcome.” Voice as smooth as ever, Silco was pleased that she was immediately asking questions in truth. Fear, and pulling away from the substance, would make things more difficult. Someone being interested in it however, gave any number of options. “In some cases it’s purity. Other times its strength, or differences in the formula. It’s always struck me to be just as much art, as science.” Which was perhaps why Singed had never managed to take Shimmer to the point he wanted. Why Singed still had yet to restore his daughter, not that Silco truly believed the man would ever be able to do so. He focused on the science, and had no real feel for the art. Which was what one would expect from an obsessed man, and made him all the easier for Silco to deal with. It did however create certain limitations, or so Silco was starting to believe.

“For all that some people demonize it, Shimmer is the same as any other medicine or chemical, really. Used the right way, it can do great good. Used the wrong way… well, anything can be dangerous.” It was mostly the truth, but Shimmer wasn’t quite the same as any other substance. There was something within it that was more than “just another chemical” even if Silco wasn’t going to admit that. “Perhaps there is a use for it within your own practice to be found.” He was entirely willing to sell it to her. Shimmer required ingredients only Singed had access to, after all, and without those ingredients it was impossible to replicate. People had tried over the years, and failed.

“How do you feel, though? Are you handing it well? Perhaps we should have some tea brought in, or something else?” Voice offering nothing except for friendly concern, it seemed sincere enough. Not that Silco was truly concerned, but he could play the role as well as the next person and better than most.

[elisethetraveller]

"💭"

From; Send 💭 to hear what my muse is currently thinking

That's close b– Why can't they bother to avoid the wat– Ah, yes I definitely wanted to be soaked, fuckin–Horses, this is why I prefer horses... Need to find somewhere warm to get dr– Oh that cough isn't good–1, 2, 3, 4– No, not good, drying can wait.

[elisethetraveller]

Questions/Comments to be sent anonymously!

(though off anon is fine too!)

“Is there someone you hold dear?”

“Don’t you feel any guilt?”

“You’re actually afraid to be alone, aren’t you?”

“There must be something you fear.”

“Do you have a home?”

“Is there someone you like?”

“Are you really expecting a positive outcome out of this?”

“Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Aren’t you happy?”

“Who do you despise?” 

“How do you sleep at night?”

“How do you manage to keep going despite everything?”

“What do you think of kindness?”

“What do you think of hatred?”

“Why do you fight?”

“Why do you live?”

“How much blood have you spilled?”

“How much death have you seen?”

“Don’t you think your actions are reckless?”

“Don’t you know how much good you’ve done for others?”

“Can’t you tell they love you?”

“Can’t you see he/she would die for you?”

“Can’t you see that they hate you?”

“Can’t you tell the truth for once?”

“You’re not tainted.”

“You’re not alone.”

“You’re awful.”

“You don’t think of anyone but yourself.”

“You’re an emotionless robot.”

“You’re just a lap dog.”

“It’s not over.”

“He/she needs you.”

“Stop lying.”

“Stop fighting.”

“Stop pushing others away.”

“You’re cruel.”

“You’re far too kind. Too kind for your own good.”

“You depend on him/her too often.”

“You’re overprotective, it’s stifling.”

“You’re too impulsive, it’s reckless.”

“You’re too careless, it’s a liability.”

“He/she is bringing you down.”

“You’re too timid, it’s easy to see you as a target.”

“You need to listen.”

“You need to speak up more often.”

“You’re weak.”

“You’re strong. Stronger than you’ll ever know.”

“You’re too proud.”

“Quit blaming others for your mistakes.”

“You won’t always be around to save him/her.”

“One day, he/she won’t need you anymore.”

“You can’t cheat death.”

“You can’t hide forever.”

“They’ll find out the truth eventually.”

“That person is only holding you back.”

“They’re too good for you.”

“You’ll be rewarded for your efforts if you keep trying.”

“It will get better.”

“You look lonely.”

“You look bitter.”

“You look tired.”

“You’re hiding a painful burden.”

“You’re perfect.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“You will always be worthless.”

“Your hands are too dirty, too tainted to be clean.”

“You’re lost in this world. Wandering without a purpose.”

“You’ll rise above them all.” 

“You’ll find your place in this world.”

“Eventually, someone will knock you off your pedestal.”

[elisethetraveller]

Two truths and a lie? Roman almost grinned; it seemed like a fun game, plus it would serve as an example as to how observant Elise could be which had it's uses. "Enucleation is my favourite torture method, I'm allergic to cats and I love pineapple on pizza. Which one of those statements is the lie?"

From; One lie and two truths

Enucleation. Such a fancy word for a rather gruesome act. The skin along her back prickled, old scars disturbed by the notion of more flesh being removed.

“Isn’t that quite the trio, hm…” Head tilting silver eyes locked with Roman’s as she considered her options. “Cat allergy often devolves into general fur allergy, or sensitivity, I think Rocco and Dante will be sad if that happens. As for the other two… Pineapples are a tad prickly for my taste but I do know they are a bit of a taboo when put on pizza. And enucleation…is what it is.”

Head tilting the other way she sighed. “I think I will go with pineapple pizza being the lie.“

[elisethetraveller]

Send me two truths and a lie about your muse, and I’ll guess which is which!