Analysing The First Guest - Initial Entry (Work Thread / Morning?)

Mina stared at the book pages in front of her, standing with a firm and rigid posture against one of the walls to the velvet room as she analysed the contents regarding her latest, and also first, guest. The first interesting point was his physicality. Nothing exceptional, but nothing particularly terrible that she could consider a failing worth viewing as fallible. There was a slight bit of chub on him, but she couldn’t currently foresee that being too much of a problem. At least, at first guesses. Concentrating on that little fact, Mina slammed the book shut with sudden force, before opening it again once more. Indeed, there was only a mildly slim possibility that his weight would cause him an unfavourable problem, although she couldn’t help but believe that it would be better for his overall future to lose a bit. Perhaps next time they met, she could suggest to him some form of exercise in order to work off whatever it was that he was eating to make himself like that. Terrorist activity alone wasn’t going to improve his health after all. Generally, aside from the fact that he was nearly as tall as herself, he was unremarkable, but not too terrible in terms of the physical aptitude.

Next.

Flipping the page back to the start, then going forward one page, Mina stared at the details of Cecil’s other self with a somewhat interested hum. Ankou, the guardians of the graveyard. Compared to the light external personality of its wielder, it would appear this persona was one with a grim background indeed. Of course, it was thusly ironic how the first glance appearance of both her guest and his persona were differing to their true nature. The true Cecil was not bubbly after all, but morose and self loathing. The true Ankou, while a dead spirit, was actually honourable and full of resolution. Enough energy to guard a grave from the great beyond before being allowed to pass on. She couldn’t help but theorise on what the potential of such a grim out looking persona would be.

She placed her right hand over the tome while holding it in her left, the pages open horizontally. Her right palm drifted to the description of the persona’s history, before rising. With her hand, a visual image of his persona came with it, allowing her a visual representation to aid her in her analysis. A scythe as its main form of attack, with weathered clothing, and even more weathered skin. Covering the image with her hand, Mina flicked her right arm to the side, before pulling it back over the tome and opening her palm, this time facing upwards. Now, where once the persona was, was a single Tarot card, floating just millimetres from the palm of her hand.

“The Death Arcana… Thought as much.” The Velvet Attendant muttered beneath her breath, before crushing the card in her hand and letting it fade away into blue sparkles. As she did so, she glanced over to her master, the long nosed Igor, before resuming with her duty. Right. Back to Ankou.

Reading through the details of her guests potential, Mina found herself shaking her head ever so slowly, as if a disapproving mother. So much wasted potential here… She traced her finger along the persona’s description, before tapping the page multiple times. Unlike previous acts, where she was doing some odd act to draw power from the book, this seemed to just be a personal quirk of hers as she continued to read through, continuously shaking her head through it all. Tsk Tsk Cecil Erinforth. She could tell with just a glance, but further reading confirmed it. He was plagued with so many doubts and insecurities, and it showed in the strength of his heart, in his persona. There was potential, but so much of it was untapped. Unrealised. And it was not something she could go out of her way to fix. No. Any bonds the boy made… They would be required to be his safety. She was merely a bystander and an aid. If this boy’s fate was to die, then that would be a shame, but not her truest concern. After all, he was a smart boy, she could tell that much. At their next meeting she’d be sure to inform him of the… Dangers that would come if he wasn’t careful.

But, that was for their next meeting. Firstly, she had to prepare for such a meeting, getting as much of her own research done as possible. Now she moved her finger from the page, waving it in the air as if a conductor. “Right… Let’s see… So, you truly are a maestro of the Death Arcana aren’t you? To think you would enact a pathway that follows the true definition of the Doom representation of this arcana… Yet, there’s so much more you need to focus on poor child… No matter. As your attendant, I will do my best to aid you.”

At her own monologue, the Velvet Attendant allowed herself a slight chuckle before shaking her head, and slamming the book closed with a singular hand, before drawing her golden cutlass. Even in the dim lighting of the Velvet Room, the blade seemed to hold an unnatural glimmer, holding the blade outstretched to the side before bringing it before her and simply staring at her reflection on the blades surface. All those bits of information riddled in the book that she’d gone over, and it still wasn’t the entirety of it. After all, from her meeting with the boy, he was a lot more alert, open, and active as a participant, seeming to have no questions beyond the initial ones that she could conclude were to do with a negative encounter with another attendant. She could always ask for details regarding this, posing it to Igor… However, there was no guarantee that this would be useful or just a waste of time. Besides, her role was not to look to the past. Indeed, her speciality lied in the opposite, and so focusing on such a thing would potentially be detrimental. The guest himself could do this as needed.

Now to prepare for the next meeting.

3600 VC gained