milliways_bar | (no subject)

Jewelry and such is not really Ray's thing, per se. It's more that... well... some people are easily distracted by shiny objects. Tell no one.

Ray pauses mid-stride as his walk through the Bar from the back door takes him past where the man sits. "Oooh," he says, a bit involuntarily.

*Raven looks up. It's not jewelry, it's magic. Shh.*

Hello. Would you care to sit?

Ray smiles a bit. "If it wouldn't be intruding," he says. "Sorry. I was admiring the workmanship. You have impressive skill."

It is no intrusion. I thank you for the compliment--I have been practicing, if such is the word, for a long time.

Would you care for refreshment?

There are those in the bar who would be turned down should they make such an offer, but Ray has no sense of the sort of caprice most of them represent here, and so he nods. "Thank you," he says, reaching for one of the pieces of fruit. "May I ask what it is you're working on?"

You may. It is potential--once I have finished it to my specifications, I can use it for many things.

I find it is better to have them prepared ahead of time, than to be caught without.

Do you know of such things?

Ray starts to open his mouth, but thinks better of it; it takes him a few minutes before he finally does speak.

"I've read about them, I think," he says. "If it's the kind of potential I think it is. I've studied such things, but practice? No."

Another pause.

"At least, not in the same way. Machines have a certain potential of their own, I think. Though... probably not so flexible as your own preparations."

You might be surprised. *He smiles*

What types of machines do you build, then?

One of these days Ray's explanations are going to get him killed. This may, perhaps, be such a day.

"Boxes to trap and carry spirits that cause problems for the living," he says. "Larger devices- rooms of their own right, really- to hold the dangerous ones in. And other devices, worn on the back for the most part, that spit streams of energy to chase ghosts and spirits with until we can trap them and get them out of the way. It's... often a problem, where I come from."

*Some other day may prove to be that day. This one, however, earns him a free pass. Milliways has rules, ones that Raven, at this time, at least, respects.*

Clever devices, indeed. Their creator must be clever as well. *Pause* What type of spirits?

"The restless dead, mostly," Ray says. "Those who died long ago but refuse to go on, and hang around making the lives of the living miserable. Demons, sometimes, though not very often. Spirits of things like disease or rage or destruction, who were never really born but who want the world of the living for their own anyway and'll do anything they see fit in order to get it."

He thinks for a minute, then decides that Cthulhu, Gozer and their ilk have already been described in that last.

"I have no quarrel with most of the spirit world," he says. "All I want, really, is to understand it better. I make my living helping to protect the city I live in from the spirits that'd see it destroyed or conquered."

You are a brave man, indeed. *Searching look* A good one, too, I think. I would like to see your machines sometime, if I could? It has been a long time.

"I don't know if it's brave, exactly," Ray admits. "Brave men generally don't feel like they're going to wet themselves before going into battle, I figure. I-"

And then he pauses; while he's pleased with the impromptu character assessment, there's something about that last sentence. The hair on the back of his neck prickles.

"Oh, no. Oh, please don't tell me I accidentally went up against you once and didn't know it, whoever you are..."

If you have, I have already forgotten. Such things do not live long in my memory. *He smiles*

I only meant that it has been long, indeed, since I have seen such intricate machinery. I would like to see how it works.

Ray exhales, though he's still a little wary. "Thank you," he says. "You have my apologies if I did. May I ask who I'm addressing, by the way? My name is Ray Stantz, and I don't believe I know you, although probably I should."

Then he nods. "I can show you some of it," he says. "I brought a trap with me from home, though I don't intend to use it here. And some of my other devices, too, though they're the small ones."

*Raven smiles* It is good to meet you, Ray Stantz. They call me Raven.

And brave men are the ones who wet themselves, and march into battle with soggy pants. They do what must be done.

Show me these devices, if you will?

Ray blinks a bit. "Lot of people out there using that name," he muses. "It's a good name, though. Pleased to meet you, Raven."

Ordinarily he would stick out a hand for the shaking, but it occurs to him that he has a better option. He reaches to his belt instead and removes a device, sliding it across the table for Raven to see. "This," he says, "is a psychokinetic energy meter- we call it a PKE meter, for short. I use it to measure the strength of spirits, or magic, or other such influences in an area. It's quite useful in a lot of ways, once you learn to read it properly."

You know another Raven? *He is curious*

Particularly useful for those who cannot see such energies themselves, I imagine. How does it harness such energies--metaphysical and mechanical or electrical energies are not quite the same thing.

"It's a popular name for young people to take who want to learn magic." Ray shrugs. "Whether they really understand what they're doing or not, I don't know. I doubt if most of them have ever seen a true raven, or if all they know are crows. They think it suits them, though. And there are some people who do know it properly, and respect the bird and what he stands for."

We'll ignore the football team in Baltimore for now.

"It is," Ray confirms. "I can't see them, despite trying. I built goggles that made it a little easier to see spirits, but until recently, that was all they could do. They've been improved since..." He smiles a bit. "Where the spirit or its influence crosses the planes into the realm of the physical, the molecules there begin ionizing- it affects them on a sub-quantum level, down among the most fundamental particles. The meter detects the characteristic changes in the quantum valences and translates that into a measure of the spirit's kind and strength. It's up to the wielder to figure out what to do next."

Not the energy, then, but the effect of energy on what surrounds it. One can see holes in space the same way.

*He smiles* I am glad to see, however, that I have not been forgotten. Some in your world apparently still seek me out. It is a comfort.

How difficult do you find it to figure out what to do next?

"Or an obstacle in a river too murky to see through, giving itself away by the way the currents above swirl around it," Ray confirms. "It works well enough for our purposes."

He then blinks. "Oh," he says. "That Raven? The one who took the form of a baby and stole the sun when it was locked in a chest? Wow. I'm honored, sir. Never thought I'd meet you, of all people. My city's... kind of a long way from anywhere that actual ravens live."

He considers the question. "That depends," he says at last. "If we're just investigating, it could be a very difficult thing to decide indeed. No sense acting when you don't know what you're looking at. If we're on a bust, there's usually something awful trying to eat our heads, or otherwise strike us down, so the decision has to be made quickly. There's not always time for proper thought when that happens, I'm afraid."

*Raven smiles* Yes, that Raven. Many places are far from where ravens live--few, if any, are far from where Raven could be.

Battle is ever like that, I think--instinct rules, and overkill is occasionally necessary, just to be safe.

You are still alive, and in possession of all your faculties, it seems. You must do good work.

"As I recall, Raven goes wherever he damn well pleases, so... if you ever come to New York City, or one of the birds does, I'll put out something extra for dinner."

He smiles a bit. "That, or I'm phenomenally lucky," he says. "I have, so I'm told, no survival instincts at all. But I do what I can."

We all must do as we can.

I will look for you, should I visit your world again. *He grins ruefully at himself.* If I can find it.

Also, should you ever need my aid, perhaps on a case, perhaps not, feel free to ask.

Ray smiles. "Thank you," he says. "I'll keep that in mind. I always liked your stories as a boy."

[OOC: I'd love to continue, but it's time to head home from work. Thank you for the RP, though!]

I am glad. I hope to speak with you again, perhaps about more of your machinery.

*He shifts to raven-shape, and heads for the rafters*

[ooc: Wrap works for me, I've got to head home soon, too. Welcome! It was a fun thread.]