Shape knocks on the door of Silver's manor, or at least what's probably Silver's manor. She did a bit of sleuthing, and then got confused by the website listings of dozens of homes, and then realized there was only a couple of good manors. And Shape already checked the first one, the old guy there was not pleased.
Shape's greeted by someone other than Silver once again, however, and so Shape sighs. "Hey. Does Silver live here? White hair, tall, pretty, and scary?" Shape's transformed this time to a more confident stature with flowing hair to the middle of her back. The dreams of Silver's opulence and manor tickled her. But, even so, the maid didn't quite have to look up to her face.
There's a subtle hint of warmth to the maid, or one might just imagine it with the colors she represents outside of her fairly standard maid outfit. Nina doesn't seem to embody the traits of such fiery nature though, standing quite still and eyeing Shape's current self up and down. "You've come to the right place. She isn't expecting anyone, though. Who's asking for her time?"
"Oh, it's Shape. I met her like a couple weeks ago and I went with her to the art festival in town at the time. She bought one art piece there. I tried messaging her yesterday but she didn't respond, so I was worried and thought I might stop by. Is it alright if I come in?" The orange colors of the maid are interesting, but Shape doesn't think much of it. She tries to look around the maid for a more proper glimpse of the interior.
"One moment please." The door closes on Shape, with little regard for her efforts to peek. It doesn't last long though, and this time, Shape is offered a slightly friendlier look. "Follow me. You may leave your shoes if you wish." A hand gestures to a suitable spot on their right, before Nina leads the way into a rather sizeable living room with Silver seated in the sofa.
"Nina, bring us some tea, will you? Something red with berries, maybe." Silver receives a small nod and then Shape is left alone with her.
"Hi, Shape. I saw you called yesterday."
Shape steps inside and places her shoes aside as offered, revealing the tip of her thigh high socks. She says to the maid, "Thank you for that. Nice to meet you." And, joining Silver on the side of the same couch, she nods and turns her attention to Silver. "I did. I had been a while since we talked and I was worried and also was thinking we could hang out again. How have you been since last time? Nina seems.. Nice."
"Apologies, it was a busy day. I have been... Managing, I suppose. A lot to think about. Magic, interior design, getting some staff going as you can see. She's dutiful, certainly, does an excellent and particular job." Silver rubs the back of her head, as it slightly embarrassed or uncomfortable. She doesn't elaborate. "Say, Shape, how much do you believe in coincidences, versus fate or similar things?"
"Ah, alright... Yeah, I suppose there would be a lot to think about, yeah. And, yeah, I suppose with this much money and such a huge place you'd need a whole team really." Shape crosses her legs and sandwiches her waist between a pillow on back on the couch and the armrest. "I've met different reasons to believe in column a and column b. As stands, though, I'm convinced I exist for a reason-- that people have an intended destiny, you know?"
Silver ponders this answer for a moment. "See, I ask for a very simple reason. People say lightning never strikes twice and such things, but... There's a good chance you'll see it in action anyhow while you're here, so I'll just let you know - Nina has magic as well. I honestly didn't want to believe it at first but she confided in me and I do have to take some measures to accommodate it."
While being mentioned, Nina returns with a tray including a teapot and a pair of cups, and a small bowl of sugar. She sets it down on the table, entirely not seeming to mind her being talked about on such a personal level in her presence. "Anything else, Miss? I was planning to go over the living room right now but I don't intend to disturb so I am free for the time being - Oh, you did ask me to arrange some of your folders into the cabinets. Apologies for forgetting." She trails off again, without even awaiting an answer.
"Lightning can definitely strike the same spot again. There was that one guy who was struck like eight times by lightning, and he didn't even die. But, uh, Nina's magic? That's sweet. What kind of measures, though? Because..." Shape smiles at Nina in her brief visitation of the girls once more. She pours herself tea from the teapot, ignoring the sugar and waiting for the tea to cool somewhat. She holds up the ornate little cup toward Nina walking away. "Well, that surely can't be how almost anybody would act by default. Couldn't you pay for good servants instead?"
Silver seems almost insulted by Shape's implications. "I'm not restraining her magically in that sense, no. It really just means making sure she can take her time off to - Let's just say she's bad at expending her excess energies. And I do pay her very well, thank you very much. I'm not a complete animal, and I do care about the well-being of people who can't handle taking the butt end of a terrible business deal. I just... Can't trust anyone uninformed anywhere near my various personal files and devices without the proper precautions, you know? If I go and tell my staff 'if you go anywhere near these mysterious business records I'll fire you on the spot' I'm inviting problems. She won't remember too much the finer details of her job here when outside of the house but won't mind that, she'll be compensated well above expectations and have a wonderful reference for future jobs."
Silver sighs. She knows what Shape is getting at, though, and there's just the tiniest itch scratching at her usual confidence in that it's a completely fine course of action to take.
Shape catches the edge on Silver's voice partway through her explanation, and she bows her head and sips her still very warm tea. She says, "Sorry, uh. I guess I just didn't have very much context. I think that makes sense, yeah. Especially if she's paid well and looks back on this positively herself and with her employer, there's not much too wrong or anything, in theory. I just, well, I guess.. Is Nina this sweet usually? Or is it sort of like job enhancement magic happening?" Shape fidgets, actually, and places the tea back on the tray. She whips her hair back again. "--That's probably fine either way... Also, yeah, not sure what her excess energy thing is, but power to her I suppose. Maybe I'll chat with her sometime, if she's on break later... Oh, uh, changing the subject maybe, I was thinking maybe we could watch a movie? I haven't seen a movie in ages. You probably have a very nice setup."
Silver enjoys some tea as well, listening to Shape ramble. Her concerns and comments feel very conflicted, but there's not much to be done about it. "She's a very well-organized and dutiful lady. I didn't have to influence much at all... A movie, you say? I do enjoy those on occasion. What manner of do you like? I like things that are easy to simply put on and take in." She's already started prying at her TV setup, to browse for content.
"Like are those subwoofers, right? Those lower speakers I mean." Shape feels more assured by her comment about Nina's behavior, and part of her knows that it might be inflated by her desire to hang out. On that note, Shape scoots a bit closer to Silver's side while she's browsing, within an outstretched arm's reach. "Yeah. I think I like comedy, action, probably weird movies too. Romance ones I guess can sometimes be a bit cheesy too much." Shape reads the descriptions of several movies they pass by on the streaming service, often being cut off in the first few words or sentence.
"I have to admit, often I just ask the internet what manner of Movies I should have seen already. It tends to work just fine... Oh, Revving through Time. I've seen that one. I heard it has sequels, actually. Have you seen those? I think they're good enough standalone titles that we can watch the second one, if you like."
"Oh, actually, I only saw the first one too like.. Uh, a long time ago." Shape closes her eyes and giggles. "That's a classic. Let's see the second one of them, yeah... Does the TV have that as an option, that movie?" She sips from her tea again, this time it's at the perfect temperature.
"I did get a subscription service with an extensive backwards log for the purpose of not having to sign up to too many more. It's not cheap, but. You know me." She pushes some buttons and does manage to navigate to the selected movie, quickly scanning the page for information. Weird time travel, science based magic-like happenstances. The idea of emulating magic through science has always fascinated her just a bit, it seems a good way to expand capabilities in a reliable way.
"Should I just start it, or is there anything we should do first?"
"We can just start... I guess a blanket would be cozy though. Not that it's cold, I just like blankets. In fact it could also be colder, if that's alright." She shrugs. Shape didn't think much of the time travel gimmick, on the other hand. She's seen just about every magic and science, and time travel hasn't been one of them. It's an anomaly of fiction, and a funny one.
Doctor Brock convincing the protagonist and some chick to go to the future on short notice got a laugh out of Shape. She then says, "Sure. Can't believe that time machine can be powered on soda." And when the car arrives in the future later, Shape hums, "They really tried to get the future right, didn't they...? They just arrived in our last decade! Weird to think I'm living beyond the future."
Silver takes a perceived downtime to move over to a cabinet and pull out a neatly folded blanket. With this much storage space and presumably excess blankets it's reasonable to have some at hand always. She sits back down, draping it over the two of them. "Time travel is a most odd means of finding new knowledge. And ruining it in the process, probably. These movies are pretty finicky about their timeline stuff, if I remember? So that's fun. I wonder how our future will look like? What manner of technologies will be around then." Silver muses at the idea of hover boards and such having been supposed to exist years ago.
Shape washes over with a sort of fuzziness when Silver ends up sharing the requested blanket with her. She smiles between Silver and the television, and she's bundled inside the blanket from hands, shoulders, to legs. "Yeah, I agree it just seems like a pretty bad way of learning about the past or maybe even the future since you're actively going to change it in the process. But whatever. I guess... Glad we didn't get rid of classic American diners in the future, haha just kidding... Those were always so nice." She sighs. "Not sure what the future holds in general. I just hope I can do my part and give a hand."
There's a slight silence, and then Silver carefully seeks out Shape's hand. "Give a hand, you say... Oh, a sports almanac? I can see this going terribly." Silver seems a tad captivated in thought at the movie, but the two of them are interrupted by small knock on the wall.
Nina is back, seeming some manner of uncomfortable, maybe even aching. There's a distinct warmth to her even at some distance. "Miss, I didn't wish to interrupt but I do need to take a break." It's not a question, and she's slowly headed for the back door to the secluded back yard.
"I told you, Nina, if you must then you must. You really shouldn't push it just to avoid disturbing me and my company." She waves the maid away and then rewinds the last minute of the movie.
Shape says before Nina can really turn around, although she left anyway, "I didn't think you were disturbing us. It's fine, we're talking over the movie anyway." She sighs and takes up Silver's hand, accepting the silent offer. "I can actually sense Nina's magic pretty well from how strong it is around us. It's like… Solar or fire? Huh..." She bites her lip and glances back at where Nina left to. She wonders what Nina's urgency in her break was—the struggle in her tone almost lost to the noise of the movie. "Actually, is it alright if I talk to Nina while she's on break for a second? I'd love another magical acquaintance. And all."
Silver takes Shape's hand a bit more firmly. "I would recommend not doing that now - You could have a chat later but a break really isn't a good time to disturb her." Silver pauses the movie and indicates to the glass door. Vague flashes of light and the sound of fire can be heard now that the movie isn't overriding it. "She's got a very fiery spirit, but only in the magical sense. Her stoic, organized and mild-mannered nature means it cooks up inside her, building pressure. If she doesn't take the time to expend it on occasion, it can cause pains and irritability. I let her tend to it, she said that if it goes for too long she can have less voluntary outbursts of fire and anger. I feel a bit sorry for her, but she takes it very well. And I do what I can to help." She keeps holding tightly onto Shape's hand, and resumes the movie.
Her eyes widen between Silver's narration and the distant fireworks. She says, careful to not interrupt the film, "Oh. I'm with you on that-- I feel sorry for her too. Her magic seems less than desired from the sounds of it? But who knows, maybe she has her moments. Or maybe she'd do well with a bit of adventuring? I used to do some of that more. I think that might be a good way for a powerful fire person like her to unwind to... Greater effect." She finds herself less engaged by the glass door, and takes to staring at the movie again. She sits even just a bit closer to Silver so that their hands can rest on the couch cushion. "I couldn't imagine having involuntary powers."
The movie continues passing, to mixed interest from Silver. It's definitely what you would loosely expect from time travel mainstream fiction, but it's enjoyable enough. "She wouldn't be a maid if she cared to do actual things with her powers. It's her choice to simply tolerate the effects, and I will respect that." She sighs. "I don't understand it either, though. You know me; I use my powers to a large extent and would certainly try to find some beneficial applications with other powers too. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like if I was much, much more powerful. The possibilities would be endless... Almost too endless, you know? But it's a bit exciting to imagine."
She blinks at the television, witnessing the chaos of the future home for the protagonist and an old man scheming to steal the time machine. "Yeah. I guess that's true. She could have just been adventuring already if she wanted to, or something... And yeah, I guess with you tend to be more focused on using your magic and yeah I saw you eyeing those rune stones certainly. I think I used to be more like you, I think I mentioned that a while ago, where I was more eager to push the envelope with magic, but I don't know. I'm content with my abilities... If it's any solace from your daydreaming, I think you're very powerful already. Even exceeding just having powerful magic, wealth, and that other kind of power that wealth brings." She smiles. "At least I'm always on your side of the field."
Silver sighs gently. She does sometimes itch for more, but Shape is right. She is, all things considered, incredibly potent. Most powers wouldn't be able to get her to where she stands, so cleanly and so subtly. Maybe something like time traveling and obtaining an almanac would be more potent, but that sounds almost too easy... Okay, the movie is proving exactly that point for her as she thinks of it. "God, what a mess one single book can make. Time travel is such amazing stuff. It's probably for the better we don't have much access to it though."
Nina quietly returns, looking a bit disheveled but at least her discomfort has quieted and she's back to her stoic and resolved nature. "I'll tidy myself up quickly, and I'll be back to the files after." She vanishes out the door and heads upstairs.
"Yeah, if time travel was real and it was even a quarter as dangerous as it is in these films, there's no way I'm getting involved. And more accurately, I'd try to prevent others tampering with it too. I don't think the butterfly effect or logical paradoxes would help even evil people trying to get an advantage using time travel, after all." She gazes over to Silver's eyes, and she says, "Unrelated but-- did you like my look? You never really mentioned."
Shape calls out to Nina, and her voice tapers off, "You're really cool by the way... I like your stuff."
"Oh yes, you look wonderful today, dear. Shapeshifting can only get you so far without a good taste to match and you certainly have that going for you too." Silver doesn't pay Nina much mind at all, but then ponders something. "Seeing as you're meeting her in my house... I'm not sure how well she'll remember you outside. Should I make you an exception for that? If not, you should be aware that she might just not recognize you and think it awkward if you try to act familiar."
"Aww. I was almost a bit worried you'd be intimidated by the stature, but I knew better than that. Glad you think my taste is good." Shape lifts her end of the blanket to readjust things, and in the end she is brushing Silver's side with her own. It's something to be criticized certainly, but Shape couldn't resist the chance at some closeness. She says, "I'd like to be remembered by Nina, of course. I'd hate to fulfill that awkward exchange otherwise. She just seems really cute and friendly."
It's a curious development of things, but Silver doesn't object after some thought and allows some slight lean in return. Might as well be a bit cozier. Dramatic things are happening in the movie, and she falls a bit quiet just paying attention to all the complicated details. "They certainly put a lot of attention to detail into this movie, didn't they?"
Shape closes her eyes for a moment, just appreciating Silver not being mortified. She sees that the protagonist managed to wind up in the time and place of the first movie of the franchise, fighting for his right to continue existing from a future-cognizant young version of that other old person... Quite the struggle. "Yeah. I think movies in this time were pretty amazing about that. It was maybe more obvious when a movie was poorly written back then, they put so much love into the better ones."
Silver almost winces ever so slightly when the almanac is burned. In the movie, with the characters it makes sense, but... It's a potent object. It almost feels like a waste, against her better judgement. "Well, I do suppose that resolves things - Oh, or not. What an opportune time for lightning to happen." She seems quite amused by this entirely random outcome of events.
"Bruh," Shape says, before entering a fit of laughter. "The time machine just goes away? Rip Matthew I guess. Doomed to be bros with his teenage father." The movie, though, presents the protagonist a letter from a confused postal worker, an envelope written nearly two-hundred years ago about returning from the 1950s to the present time… "Yeah this is a bit confusing. Some circular-logic shit for sure. But that was fun, it's over?" The credits are rolling, somewhat to her dismay. She leans on Silver comfortably. "I'm not moving. Anyway I liked the early future stuff. The diner and the hover boards. That was a cool part of the movie. What'd you like?"
"I liked the part with the Arcade Machine. Such a silly detail of the future, to have kids displeased by the use of physical effort in a video game. It's curious that we're years past that and still need to actually put in effort for games. Don't worry, you can stay here for some more time if you like." She places an arm around Shape, having let go of her hand some time during the movie.
She has a hard time shaking off the obvious grin and a hint of pink cheeks. She says, "It's just been a long time since someone held me. I really haven't even tried in so long. And then there was that day in the cafe. I just really was inspired by you. Then Vera kinda ruined it. But it worked out." She closes her eyes again. "Sorry if that's too much information. I agree that the arcade machine scene was cute and funny. Using hands is like a baby toy..."
"Aw, I'd almost suspect you're falling for me a bit. You're quite pleasant too, surely. I... have grown accustomed to being fallen for a lot. My habit of finding new people and occupying my time with them, being fairly good looking and having money means that I draw interest almost too easily. So I don't even think about it that much." Her mind again falls to having messed with Vera. Shape is right; things did work out probably because she chose to do so, without some closer privacy maybe the two wouldn't have moved on further.
"Falling for you would be very silly. I've not known you long enough, perhaps. And perhaps you're very out of my league with this mansion and wealth stuff, and with ambitions. But then again so am I from you in my own ways, like having decades of magical context. Probably wanting different stuff. And you certainly have met so many people before. Many excellent." She hums, and she nuzzles the shoulder. "Thank you for finding me so pleasant."
"I do suppose some of them have been quite excellent. Almost a shame I rarely ever get to meet any as well as I have with you." Her hand rubs up and down Shape's side slowly. "The movie's over though... What now, hmm? We could just sit like this for a while but not truly forever."
Shape nods gently, and she says in the softest tone yet, "Give me just a bit." Her body entirely relaxes in the course of a couple minutes. And she's not responding with soft murmurs to Silver's words anymore: she's managed to fall asleep. Movies and friendly rubs tend to have that effect on her.
Silver is, admittedly, wholly unprepared for this development. Apparently, they'll be sitting like this for longer than she anticipated. Shape had awoken before her, in Shape's bed, so Silver as no idea how deep the sleep is and if she'll have a chance to slink away eventually.
It's comfortable for now though. She sighs.