(no subject)

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver has been busy thinking.

The only change in his behaviour is that he's been slightly more distracted, mostly notably when he shows up to practice fighting in the morning. The only change in his routine has been to spend more time at the nearby farm Talking to Huxley, making sure he plays nice with the other horses. While he can spend a lot of time doing that, he can't legitimately spend all day doing so.

He happens to be strolling outside today near the farm, having finished patrolling the fields. An old Bible is held loosely in one hand, but he's not reading it. (He told himself he'd try to learn about this land's religion. But what can he do when he can't force himself to read past the first few verses?)

Right now he's intently watching a circling hawk. He holds a hand out to it, then makes it circle first in one direction, then the other.

Comments

[last-student.livejournal.com]

"Interesting - You control animals?" Jen Zi remarks as she wanders over.

No Death's Hand with her today, which is possibly a relief, given that he looms and is generally creepy at people.

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

"One of my Disciplines, yes," Oliver replies with a small smile.

"I trust the day finds you well, Lady Jen Zi?"

Other young women get 'miss', but they're not religious figures.

[last-student.livejournal.com]

"As well as any." Mildly. "And you?"

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver has lived his entire life with lies - polite ones have never phased him.

"Decently, though I recently acquired a horse that has given me some trouble. Quite a vicious little brute. I work as often as I can with him, though, and the family I stable him with are quite good with horses as well.

"How go the plans for the religious centre?"

[last-student.livejournal.com]

"The plans are drawn up, it is now simply a matter of raising it from the ground and then adding the finishing touches."

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver has seen Toph working on the airplane hangar and assumes this isn't terribly different.

"Ah, wonderful." He doesn't sound displeased about this - but neither does he sound excited.

"How big will it be? Where are you planning to set it?"

[last-student.livejournal.com]

"Fairly large, but not massive. A hall and the various small places of worship, that's all. I would like to raise a hill to set it on, a little way from the household, for seclusion and quiet."

[copyblob.livejournal.com]

Stage one of the not-particularly-well-formed plan -- data collection -- has gone without too many hitches. Now it's onto stage two!

Here, Oliver. Have what appears to be a Gabriel.

"Good morning! Good morning!"

There wasn't really any reason to repeat it, except that it sounds good.

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver lowers his hand and glances at Gabe. "Ah, hello." There's some friendliness to his tone - but the bare minimum, stopping just short at being impolite. Recent revelations have increased his reservation. (Because who doesn't like rhyme and alliteration together?)

"Gabriel, was it?"

[copyblob.livejournal.com]

Uh-oh. This could be tricky if they've already met.

Then again, isn't that what he was observing the real Gabe's mannerisms for?

"Yes!"

Beam.

...

What's your name, Oliver?

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver is a man who does not inspire beaming. He blinks once, then says, "Godsworn Oliver Wycliffe, young sir, at your service." Then he gives a short bow.

Yes, he feels angsty and horrible saying his title, but it's become habit by now and Oliver's trying not to attract attention to his INNER TORMENT.

[copyblob.livejournal.com]

Okay, bowing. The real Gabriel did not bow... although come to think of it, perhaps that was what he was attempting when he buried his face for an extended period of time in the couch cushion? It's not like Ditto is really up on human greetings.

So Oliver gets a rather careful bow in return. It is a bow which suggests that any rash movement could result in overbalancing.

"At your service! Also. ...You have three names," Ditto adds, with a hint of confusion. (And if he seems to be studying Oliver's face, that's because he is. Oliver, RUN AWAY NOW if you don't want to get turned into at a later date!)

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

ALAS! Oliver doesn't know enough about the situation to run away! WOE!

Gaberiel is getting eyed a bit longer than is polite as Oliver tries to figure out whether he's being mocked.

Evidently he decides on 'not', for he then says, "Godsworn is the title assigned to me by my religious order."

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

There is a book!

Books have interesting things in them! (Sometimes!)

Like pictures!

There is also a human. The question is, how to separate the book from the human?

There is a small yellow thing watching Oliver intently. And craftily. And possibly several other adverbs.

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

This book has God! God is better than pictures!

Oliver, still looking at the hawk. Giving Pikachu time to devise its Master Plan!

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

Pictures are superior, argues the soulless beast.

It also creeps up and noses at the book. This is clearly a flawless and highly intellectual plan, created by a mastermind!

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver's muscles tense as his head whips towards--

-- that little creature that he saw at the meeting. Unfortunately, his memories of the parts of the meeting that didn't involve him are rather blurred.

He relaxes. "Ah. Why hello there, little...."

What was its name?

[shockinglycute.livejournal.com]

!

Spotted!

It freezes, until it's clear that this human is not going to try to catch it.

"...Pikachu?"

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

"...Ah, yes, little Pikachu."

[2oldforthisspit.livejournal.com]

A shadow passes overhead. It's a rather large shadow.

Which quickly proves itself to a rather large dragon as Nhim spirals downwards to land not too far away. "Oliver!" she calls cheerfully as she heads over.

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

Oliver can't Control the hawk from flying away from that giant shadow, and doesn't bother to try.

His face brightens into the largest smile he's given in some time as he waves up at Nhim.

[2oldforthisspit.livejournal.com]

"Sky-watching?" she guesses as she stops a few feet away, craning her head upwards to peer at the sky. "I haven't seen any signs of storms, if that's what you're looking for."

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

"I was testing my Discipline on a hawk," Oliver replies, nodding in the direction the hawk flew off in. It's already beyond Oliver's meager long-distance vision.

"And quite glad of the interruption, I might add," he says cheerfully.

[2oldforthisspit.livejournal.com]

Nhim's jaws gape a bit in a smile. "Has it been that dull here? I'm afraid I don't have much of interest to report, aside from the fact that I've found good hunting lately."

[sworntoalostgod.livejournal.com]

"Somewhat," Oliver replies.

"Oh? Of what kind?"