[ viren's eyebrows lift at the sight of the bow -- returns it with one of his own, which may as well have been just a half-inch of bending at the waist, hardly perceptible. for this mission, he had thought to bring his familiar weapon of choice: a long, elegantly crafted staff of white.

his claws drum against its head, apprising this individual. he doesn't recognize this 'sieg.' that is to say, he doesn't have a headcount of everyone in aefenglom, never has, but it does have him wondering: a newcomer, perhaps? ]

That depends.

[ he begins, in a forthright reply. ]

Are you a Monster, or a Witch?

[ that response gets a small tug of his mouth in a pleased smile. being paired with a fledgling monster could be burdensome, even if, allegedly, said monster could be hiding a fearsome (and thus, effective) nature with a glamour or two. ]

Better.

[ a tip of his head. ]

And... how practiced are you...?

[ viren sighs, apparently not bothering to hold back his visible displeasure upon hearing that. ]

—Then you at least, presumably, have a liking for it. That's a start.

[ he could be like his silly son! averse to using the gifts so graciously bestowed upon him by whatever higher beings of this worse. wasteful, and adament in refusing to realize what could be his full potential. ]

But, fine. Don't hold me back. [ accompanied by a tone that matches his bitter thoughts. viren moves past the witch. ] Let's begin at the Residential District.

[ as they embark on their journey (thankfully, the residential district shouldn't be terribly far), this is accompanied by the steady tp tp tp of viren's staff against the cobblestone. he's of a single-minded focus, as if wearing blinders to any outside forces.

until sieg's words reach his ears, that is: ]

Made for it—? [ he'd given sieg a sharp look. ] Explain.

[ there's a "please" there, somewhere. ]

[ viren must manage to keep his gaze attuned to the changing scenery. pleasant (and enlightening, as it turns out) as this small talk is, multitasking is a necessity. ]

[ the response receives a scrunching of his eyebrows. ]

Acting as a wellspring of magic differs from actively practicing it. [ he notes, dubiousness entering into his tone. his eyes narrow. ] Or did you do both?

[ a battery and a practitioner - makes for an effective combination, viren can envision. he wonders about its drawbacks; most individuals (elves) that practice magic have the ability to innately do so. being created for it seems like it would accompany a whole host of other implications. ]

Transforming...? Who? Into what?

[ oh. that does give viren pause, perhaps evident in the slight hitch in his stride, smoothing that over as he continues. he has to temper his more immediate temptation to recoil, even if he is in awe of that possibility. ]

A dragon.

[ his tail flicks, wings tightening in their fold upon his back. ]

Why? Are they, in your world, also among the most powerful of creatures?

[ ... viren nods at that, like the gesture alone should confirm it as true. ]

Yes... Their slayers do tend to be remembered, don't they? It's always regarded as a significant achievement, warranting cause for momentous celebration.

[ his lips twitch, as if it should threaten into the slightest of smiles, but ultimately his expression remains more ponderous. ]

And, despite all that, you should become a Witch... How fascinating.

... I already know we're of different worlds, but yes... They're regarded as much more "benevolent" in the East, as well. [ here, the smile does actually come to fruition; however, there's something unkind to it. ] Not quite as mythical, however.

And you wouldn't be alone in that uncertainty. It's ripe for speculation, being one of the many mysteries of this world — awaiting to be unraveled. I've heard others guess at it: should another from their world be brought here, what sort of Monster that individual might be made into.

[ he doesn't like it, actually, the lack of weight its evidently afforded. it's like guessing aimlessly, frivolously, at someone's horoscope. his tone says as much, in a condescending sort of way. ]

But I doubt they could articulate why that person just wouldn't be made into a Witch.

It's not pointless speculation.

[ viren interjects, the quickness of the response perhaps conveying that he's offended by some notion that he's engaging in meaningless theorizing! that would be just terrible. his tail swishes through the air.

no matter which way someone might look at it, though, it's certainly idealistic; he would prickle if that were pointed out: ]

If we were to understand the mechanism by which it's determined... We may be one step closer to controlling it.

[ that takeaway actually has viren visibly startling. the worse part about it, probably? it not an entirely illogical leap. the worst part is the questioning itself. ]

Nu-o— Of course not.

[ not that that would be... a bad thing. hm. ]

[ he blinks, goes over that statement again, amends, ]

But perhaps... being able to affect change, even if that does have to be after someone has already been made a Monster or Wish.

... Yes.

[ in a way, viren knows that wishing so dearly to be a witch is at slight odds with the drive to "accept" himself as a monster. he's had this thought countless times, this same conversation dozens of times. but accepting something doesn't necessarily mean they're happy with it -- certainly not viren: ]

Yes! Very much so. [ he huffs, smoke exhaling with the breath. ] And you -- I'm guessing, would never?

Hm.

[ a simple acknowledgement, almost a scoff. viren mulls over the young man (dragon) again. as he's already come to terms with -- he does seem a marvel. ]

Then do you think you would detest it, should you have been made into a Monster without the gift of flight? [ conjecture, again, but he does seem genuinely interested in hearing the answer. ]

How very open-minded of you...

[ remarked with a little raise of his eyebrows. ]

For example, I may not have experienced my life as an insect — but I already know I likely wouldn't prefer it.

... You realize that when we return to our worlds, you won't have any memory of this place?