"Error," MOTHER offers placidly, "subject origin not recognised. Recommendation: further research. Accessing Chamber of Heart data archives. Comprehensive analysis will require approximately 77 cycles."
"77 cycles?!" Magni yelps, turning his attention toward MOTHER now.
"The records here are extensive," Wrathion points out, "but that is certainly longer than I would have liked. We'll need to begin looking at other options." He hesitates, sliding a glance between Hermione and Magni. "The Kirin Tor, perhaps."
"Oh!" Magni says, with bright optimism that rather contradicts Wrathion's own unease. "That's an idea. I'm sure Kalecgos would help you!"
Seventy-seven cycles - what does that mean, seventy-seven years? There's a wave of panic, only a small wave, before the conversation continues without her and she is left standing there, still waiting for an answer on whether or not she can move.
Enough of that. "Okay, that's enough of that," she says out loud, and steps out of the analysing eyes of MOTHER to march up to Wrathion and Magni both.
"I'll thank you to both stop speaking about me like I'm an oddity when I'm right in the room, and you - " Rudely, she points at Wrathion, "you especially. You do realise that we're practically speaking another language? There are not enough stories in the world to quite make up for experiencing Azeroth firsthand, Wrathion, and you're just...tossing out names and I'm not following."
And he should know by now how angry it makes Hermione to not be the smartest in the room. So she crosses her arms, and doesn't stomp her feet by sheer strength of will, and chooses stubbornness instead. "I've adapted to waking up in a cage in Taravast so I am sure I can survive a deviation here. This literally is not the first time I have jumped across universes."
Wrathion pauses at her outburst, hesitates as he mentally re-corrects.
"The Kirin Tor are a council of magi, the most powerful magic users in Azeroth. They are technically allied with the Alliance, and thus Anduin, but remain neutral in its wars. Their leading group, known as the Council of Six, includes Kalecgos -- a blue dragon. Blue dragons specialise in the arcane, they are stewards of the domain of magic."
There's another pause as he backtracks through the conversation.
"The Chamber of Heart is the room we are standing in. It is a vault that can connect to several other facilities around Azeroth, and commune with the soul of Azeroth itself. Do you have any other questions?"
Did he hit everything? Hopefully she doesn't also want him to explain why Anduin punched him, because he'd really rather skim over that whole incident.
She pauses for a moment, then manages an imperious little sniff. "Yes, I'm satisfied now." Given that, she'll lower her arms and stop being so confrontational before one of the two other people(ish) in the room tear into her.
He does go by the Black Prince dragon, so she assumes there's some sort of etiquette she's trampling all over. She'll play nice. Adapt and surive!
On the other hand - "Wait, the Chamber lets you commune with the soul of Azeroth? How does that even mean, is it like a giant wand? You can channel Azeroth's - erm - powers through the Chamber or the communion? Or do you just send Azeroth's soul a little message to ask if she's doing alright or if she wants some coffee?"
This is exactly the kind of conversation she should be having, less than an hour from landing in a strange new world.
"We're deep in the earth here, lass. I can always hear Azeroth, when she wants so speak to me, but she's clearer in some places. Here, in this chamber, my connection to her is very strong. Although you're not wrong! It's very similar to the Hall of Communion."
He beams at her, and Wrathion hesitates before adding.
"A different location, under Sholazar. Equally deep within the earth. Magni is the Speaker of Azeroth, he's attuned to the world soul -- it is not an ability everyone here possesses."
Just to be clear, people are not in fact casually asking Azeroth if she wants some coffee.
I want some coffee she thinks resentfully, processing all the information coming her way. Not all of it new, of course, but it's a different experience to actually be in Azeroth rather than just listening to campfire stories of his world.
She meets Wrathion's gaze for a moment - strange, that in this world, in his world, those red eyes are not as unsettling as she found them back when they first met; maybe it has to do with the friendship forged along the way - the slightest flicker of uncertainty and hesitation crossing her face.
no subject
"77 cycles?!" Magni yelps, turning his attention toward MOTHER now.
"The records here are extensive," Wrathion points out, "but that is certainly longer than I would have liked. We'll need to begin looking at other options." He hesitates, sliding a glance between Hermione and Magni. "The Kirin Tor, perhaps."
"Oh!" Magni says, with bright optimism that rather contradicts Wrathion's own unease. "That's an idea. I'm sure Kalecgos would help you!"
no subject
Enough of that. "Okay, that's enough of that," she says out loud, and steps out of the analysing eyes of MOTHER to march up to Wrathion and Magni both.
"I'll thank you to both stop speaking about me like I'm an oddity when I'm right in the room, and you - " Rudely, she points at Wrathion, "you especially. You do realise that we're practically speaking another language? There are not enough stories in the world to quite make up for experiencing Azeroth firsthand, Wrathion, and you're just...tossing out names and I'm not following."
And he should know by now how angry it makes Hermione to not be the smartest in the room. So she crosses her arms, and doesn't stomp her feet by sheer strength of will, and chooses stubbornness instead. "I've adapted to waking up in a cage in Taravast so I am sure I can survive a deviation here. This literally is not the first time I have jumped across universes."
no subject
"The Kirin Tor are a council of magi, the most powerful magic users in Azeroth. They are technically allied with the Alliance, and thus Anduin, but remain neutral in its wars. Their leading group, known as the Council of Six, includes Kalecgos -- a blue dragon. Blue dragons specialise in the arcane, they are stewards of the domain of magic."
There's another pause as he backtracks through the conversation.
"The Chamber of Heart is the room we are standing in. It is a vault that can connect to several other facilities around Azeroth, and commune with the soul of Azeroth itself. Do you have any other questions?"
Did he hit everything? Hopefully she doesn't also want him to explain why Anduin punched him, because he'd really rather skim over that whole incident.
no subject
He does go by the Black Prince dragon, so she assumes there's some sort of etiquette she's trampling all over. She'll play nice. Adapt and surive!
On the other hand - "Wait, the Chamber lets you commune with the soul of Azeroth? How does that even mean, is it like a giant wand? You can channel Azeroth's - erm - powers through the Chamber or the communion? Or do you just send Azeroth's soul a little message to ask if she's doing alright or if she wants some coffee?"
This is exactly the kind of conversation she should be having, less than an hour from landing in a strange new world.
no subject
"We're deep in the earth here, lass. I can always hear Azeroth, when she wants so speak to me, but she's clearer in some places. Here, in this chamber, my connection to her is very strong. Although you're not wrong! It's very similar to the Hall of Communion."
He beams at her, and Wrathion hesitates before adding.
"A different location, under Sholazar. Equally deep within the earth. Magni is the Speaker of Azeroth, he's attuned to the world soul -- it is not an ability everyone here possesses."
Just to be clear, people are not in fact casually asking Azeroth if she wants some coffee.
no subject
She meets Wrathion's gaze for a moment - strange, that in this world, in his world, those red eyes are not as unsettling as she found them back when they first met; maybe it has to do with the friendship forged along the way - the slightest flicker of uncertainty and hesitation crossing her face.
Help.
"You tell me, then - what comes now?"