28th of Vhalar 721
The process of becoming someone you weren't was an exhausting prospect. Ironically, one had to reconstruct their idiosyncrasies, their tics, and habits. One had to be more familiar with themself than who they were presenting as. Woe had the idea, a novel one, of impersonating Magpie. But truth be told, as well as he felt he knew himself, he knew just as little about the enigmatic mage that had torn through his life in Etzos like a typhoon, and then just as quickly left little but confusion in his wake. Besides the fact that he had been a Becomer, that much he knew, little else. He wished he'd asked him more about how he reckoned with the fluidity of his identity, shifting from one being to another, one body to another, and one gender to another. How he could possibly remember himself in the confusion of his totem collection? But then, Magpie was inaccessible at present, and would not return his letters. Sad.
Yet, woe wasn't bitter. As for the reasoning behind his disguise, he could only go on as someone he thought he knew. Who he could reasonably impersonate for the costume contest. Magpie was the only figure that came to mind, the one whose image lingered in his mind's eye, enough that he felt he could present a decent and convincing facsimile. So he did the thing that he supposed Magpie would do in his situation, living out of a hostel in a new city for the immediate period.
He went straight to the whorehouse.
Who knew, perhaps he'd even run into Emilia and get her opinion on his look? That was a sweet daydream, but only just that. He didn't imagine he would find her there, either.
His intentions in going to the Siren's Embrace weren't all one-sided, however. He'd questioned some folks who had strange cut marks on their wrists. There were more of them appearing every now and again. His mind went to the Crystal Blade, who used such restraints on his victims. Perhaps he'd started up again. In a short bout of questioning those people, he came to the conclusion that it wasn't a chance encounter with a rogue, but rather a bit of perversion engaged within a brothel.
Still, his curiosity was piqued, and he found himself drawn to that place, if only because it was his only current lead. Of course, having had his magic taken away in the Forging, Woe was without a method of perceiving ether, through the art of Attunement. Yet he could see well enough the looks on faces around him. The air was heavily perfumed to cover the stench of their sins. A mix of musk and earthy aromas to more easily blend in there. He smoothed back the light blonde hair on his head, mimicking a mannerism he'd seen done by Magpie a few times. The common room looked clean enough for him to settle down, and ask for a drink. "A bottle of Vithella, please."
The server who'd promptly approached the table looked at him, nodded. Scantly clad as most of the workers were in that place, she turned on her heel and scurried off to fetch the bottle. Woe's eyes didn't linger on her but scanned the room in as casual a manner he could manage. While waiting for the bottle and glass to arrive, he tried to search for the familiar face of that vigilante. The wait stretched into a few bits, yet Woe didn't grow restless but reclined back into the chair to which he was seated.
