I wouldn't want to keep it a secret from him anyways. But maybe I should've sent him a message too...
[And not only because keeping secrets from Kaz is next to impossible. Kaz was the first person Wylan told his biggest secret. He's not in the habit of keeping secrets from him.]
He definitely won't say it.
[Wylan grips Jesper's hand as they make the way to the apartment, happy to be lead and have a moment to observe the city that's so different from Ketterdam without worrying about getting lost.]
That's good. The magitek? It's really useful. Much better than letters.
I wouldn't worry about it. Kaz wouldn't hold it against you or anything.
[ They've got more going on than arguing over who gets in touch with Wylan first. What matters is that they're here, and that they get Wylan up to speed. The dream of the 90s is alive in Woodhurst, after all. ]
Yeah, it's like... connected to your thoughts and stuff, right? They can do a ton of stuff.
[ Like play music and videos... but they can have that adventure later. Jesper leads them up to a regular-looking brick building, up the steps and down the hall to their nice, 2-bedroom apartment that would be ludicrous for two college students to live in if it were any time before 1998. But whatever, he pulls out a key and unlocks the door, ushering them both in. ]
[missed, yes. and also there's nothing like curiosity to make kaz excited.]
In one piece, no less. Where'd we come up with a grisha that talented?
[it's no slight against nina, but he doubts they would've put her through the parem again, just for a cosmetic difference. (sorry wylan yes your face is purely cosmetic...)]
We had to meet with the Ravkans. I negotiated for it during our meeting.
[Because Kaz wouldn't negotiate it for him. And negotiate is probably not the correct term for asking awkwardly, but it got the same result. Wylan looks like himself again thanks to the best Tailor in the world.]
We wouldn't've gone to Ravka. The Ravkans probably sent a delegation. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the world gets wind about what's going on with the parem. To say nothing of their relations with Fjerda.
[ it's obvious kaz is thinking - scheming even - as he tries to put together the pieces. tries to be one step ahead, when he's already several steps behind wylan. what an odd and not at all welcome thought. ]
Congratulations on the negotiation. You'll be a real mercher, yet.
[Wylan starts nodding at Kaz' explanation. He's not surprised that Kaz can figure out what happened. It was his plan after all.]
Thanks.
[Wylan pauses for a moment, fiddling with the strap of his satchel. It's hard to know how much he should tell them.]
Are you sure you want me to tell you everything that happened? Wouldn't it be better to find out for yourself? [Wylan sure hopes they will. There's some news he'd rather not be the one to deliver.]
[Wylan doesn't have the heart to tell Jesper that not everything ended up okay, especially when Kaz tells him he doesn't want to know. He lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, full of relief. Wylan's not looking forward to them learning how things ended, but he's grateful he won't have to tell them today.]
Okay. I can still answer questions if you have them later.
[ Jesper may just ask on his own time. He can let Kaz live with the mystery, that's fine. ]
Anyway, Wylan, now that you're here we can catch you up on all the fun adventures you've missed. There's a couple of people on the team who are alright, but they're mostly a big flock of pigeons. It's embarrassing.
[As a former (or not so former, depending on who you ask) embarrassing merchling, Wylan has a feeling that his definition of who's worth talking to and who's embarrassing is different from Kaz and Jesper's, but he still values their opinion.]
Who are the non-embarrassing ones worth talking about?
[ These are people who won't kill even to save their lives, Wylan. They're losers! ]
Well, Giorno, to start. Kaz can probably tell you all about him. And Sonia, she actually lives next door, though I think she's been staying at the hospital trying to work on a cure. Kind of weird for a princess, but she's alright. Then there's Nami, she's a thief and she's great to have around. And then this one guy called Twisted Fate, I wouldn't mind getting old if I turned out like him.
[ He is pretty much Jesper as an adult but without a lot of the recklessness. Jesper has made great friends! He'll let Kaz fill Wylan in about the rest. ]
There are a couple others - Loki is a thief, but seems to enjoy chaos more than answers. Urahara is sharp, but too caught up in what should be than what is. We've worked with a girl named Peridot a few times, she can control metal. There's a healer girl, Olivia. Very naive, you'll like her. [sorry.....
he thinks for a moment to see if they've missed anyone but nah]
I could see Nami and Sonia joining up with us, eventually. If we needed more people for a team. Giorno has his own group.
[Wylan isn't about to argue that he's not naive, not with Kaz. The whole list is longer than Wylan was expecting. Jesper was right, Kaz seems to be socializing more here.]
That's more than enough people for our usual missions. [Wylan can't help but notice they haven't found a new demolitions expert. He's glad, unsure what his role would be if they'd already replaced him.]
[ See? It's good for him. Kaz recruiting people and actually socializing, albeit through the magitek. He's still the same old Kaz, though. Not that Jesper's complaining. ]
Just us. Kaz actually arrived about a week or so after I did.
[ Aw, they could never replace you, Wyaln. Jesper wouldn't allow it. ]
That was during the last mission, some place called Perdition's Rest. It reminded me a bit of Noyvi Zem, just with, y'know, mechanical horses and birds.
I, uh, listened to it. [When Wylan realized that the watch they'd given him could turn text to speech, he'd been surprised and extremely grateful. Not only would his secret be easier to keep, it gave him a freedom he didn't have back home.]
[ Ah yes, magical thought-translating magitek. There certainly are upsides to working with Alistair. ]
Doesn't sound like it. [ At least as far as Jesper's heard. ] Someone found out Zymandis could be behind it-- they're like a team that is none too friendly towards Alistair, so the infection could be some super advanced alien disease. It would explain why no one's found a cure yet.
I've acquired some things for a group looking to find a cure, but it seems like there hasn't been any luck yet. Only frustration that the team as a whole isn't doing more.
[kaz shrugs]
There isn't much I can do, but you might be of assistance. Our neighbor Sonia is a good place to start if you wanted to look into it.
[Wylan's not as sure as Kaz seems that he'd be able to help out with a cure, but he's more than willing to see if they need his assistance. He's more suited to it than other missions he's been on and he's had success with those.]
I'll ask, but I'm not sure how much help I'd be either. They both use chemistry, but making medicine and making bombs are really different.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[And not only because keeping secrets from Kaz is next to impossible. Kaz was the first person Wylan told his biggest secret. He's not in the habit of keeping secrets from him.]
He definitely won't say it.
[Wylan grips Jesper's hand as they make the way to the apartment, happy to be lead and have a moment to observe the city that's so different from Ketterdam without worrying about getting lost.]
That's good. The magitek? It's really useful. Much better than letters.
no subject
[ They've got more going on than arguing over who gets in touch with Wylan first. What matters is that they're here, and that they get Wylan up to speed. The dream of the 90s is alive in Woodhurst, after all. ]
Yeah, it's like... connected to your thoughts and stuff, right? They can do a ton of stuff.
[ Like play music and videos... but they can have that adventure later. Jesper leads them up to a regular-looking brick building, up the steps and down the hall to their nice, 2-bedroom apartment that would be ludicrous for two college students to live in if it were any time before 1998. But whatever, he pulls out a key and unlocks the door, ushering them both in. ]
Hey, Kaz! Look who I found!
no subject
Nice of you to join us.
no subject
Hi, Kaz. Would you believe me if I said I've been busy back home?
no subject
[ Like, his actual face. Which Jesper still isn't totally clear on the details for, but he's pretty excited about it nonetheless. ]
no subject
In one piece, no less. Where'd we come up with a grisha that talented?
[it's no slight against nina, but he doubts they would've put her through the parem again, just for a cosmetic difference. (sorry wylan yes your face is purely cosmetic...)]
no subject
[Because Kaz wouldn't negotiate it for him. And negotiate is probably not the correct term for asking awkwardly, but it got the same result. Wylan looks like himself again thanks to the best Tailor in the world.]
no subject
[ Goodness, they sure have been busy, haven't they! ]
no subject
[ it's obvious kaz is thinking - scheming even - as he tries to put together the pieces. tries to be one step ahead, when he's already several steps behind wylan. what an odd and not at all welcome thought. ]
Congratulations on the negotiation. You'll be a real mercher, yet.
no subject
Thanks.
[Wylan pauses for a moment, fiddling with the strap of his satchel. It's hard to know how much he should tell them.]
Are you sure you want me to tell you everything that happened? Wouldn't it be better to find out for yourself? [Wylan sure hopes they will. There's some news he'd rather not be the one to deliver.]
no subject
[ Jesper turns to Kaz. Somehow this seems like something Kaz would have a strong opinion about. ]
no subject
I don't want to know. Could end up doing more harm than good.
no subject
Okay. I can still answer questions if you have them later.
no subject
[ Jesper may just ask on his own time. He can let Kaz live with the mystery, that's fine. ]
Anyway, Wylan, now that you're here we can catch you up on all the fun adventures you've missed. There's a couple of people on the team who are alright, but they're mostly a big flock of pigeons. It's embarrassing.
[ Yes now is the perfect time for GOSSIP. ]
no subject
There's a of couple people worth talking about, and the rest aren't - in other words.
no subject
Who are the non-embarrassing ones worth talking about?
no subject
Well, Giorno, to start. Kaz can probably tell you all about him. And Sonia, she actually lives next door, though I think she's been staying at the hospital trying to work on a cure. Kind of weird for a princess, but she's alright. Then there's Nami, she's a thief and she's great to have around. And then this one guy called Twisted Fate, I wouldn't mind getting old if I turned out like him.
[ He is pretty much Jesper as an adult but without a lot of the recklessness. Jesper has made great friends! He'll let Kaz fill Wylan in about the rest. ]
no subject
There are a couple others - Loki is a thief, but seems to enjoy chaos more than answers. Urahara is sharp, but too caught up in what should be than what is. We've worked with a girl named Peridot a few times, she can control metal. There's a healer girl, Olivia. Very naive, you'll like her. [sorry.....
he thinks for a moment to see if they've missed anyone but nah]
I could see Nami and Sonia joining up with us, eventually. If we needed more people for a team. Giorno has his own group.
no subject
That's more than enough people for our usual missions. [Wylan can't help but notice they haven't found a new demolitions expert. He's glad, unsure what his role would be if they'd already replaced him.]
No one else from home's here?
no subject
Just us. Kaz actually arrived about a week or so after I did.
[ Aw, they could never replace you, Wyaln. Jesper wouldn't allow it. ]
That was during the last mission, some place called Perdition's Rest. It reminded me a bit of Noyvi Zem, just with, y'know, mechanical horses and birds.
no subject
Have you read the dossier for this mission yet?
no subject
Has any progress been made in stopping the virus?
no subject
Doesn't sound like it. [ At least as far as Jesper's heard. ] Someone found out Zymandis could be behind it-- they're like a team that is none too friendly towards Alistair, so the infection could be some super advanced alien disease. It would explain why no one's found a cure yet.
no subject
[kaz shrugs]
There isn't much I can do, but you might be of assistance. Our neighbor Sonia is a good place to start if you wanted to look into it.
no subject
I'll ask, but I'm not sure how much help I'd be either. They both use chemistry, but making medicine and making bombs are really different.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)