Alivda

Raven watched the flame for a bit, listening to Icy's warning that there might be some thing else out there. It'd make sense, with how sudden the storm sprung up... especially if they were a ice attuned mage like Icy, and her intel was right. Raven couldn't comment on that though, as she spent most of her time in the hq working in her lab, so she wasn't sure as to the quality of her information network. However, her thoughts were broken when a shiver ran up her spine, caused by the strange magic that Harle used, rending the very air in two. Staring at it, she could feel the offness of it, the otherness... and yet, it didn't seem to be dangerous in the least, especially when all that came out on Harle's claws were a bottle, which went back in. She shook her head to clear it of the lingering feel of the magic in the air, and went back to watching the fire, her eyelids slowly drooping closed.

Raven gave back the glove, nodding. "Yep... As long as we're far enough apart, it shouldn't effect me." She said, noting Icy's comments on the storm. "In that case, I'm going to get some rest over here. Wasn't expecting all this equipment to be as heavy as it is..." She said, taking her pack off and heading a little closer to the fire, before curling up. Oddly though, she didn't face away from the fire, as most would, but towards it, her eyes half closed and watching the smallish flame dance and crackle. (blightfall is a technic pack that's kinda sci-fi ish. the plot is you are part of a mission to colonize a new planet, but when you get there, the planet is completely covered in taint. your job is to make the planet livable, and eventually remove the taint.)

Well, you'd think with me playing a magic researcher, i'd have a better grasp, but... nope, lol. I will say, that my theory has also been that most magic uses a spell formula, which is what allows magic to be taught and learned, as well as be a field of scientific research. However, that's not the only way to cast, and Raven her self can't make the spell forms, as with her horn cracked, her magic constantly fluctuates in power. Basically, if spell A requires 10 magic units, she'd almost never hit the 10 units on the head. So, she free forms the spells, brute forcing the magic to do what she wants rather then taking the easier way. Also, small thing you, @KaityKat, might not know, she's almost constantly leaking a small amount of magic units through the cracks in her horn.

Raven blinked, not expecting it to be handed over so easily. "Huh... So it's able to modify itself according to it's users mental commands, even if it is just to change out a part that can manually be changed out at any time... And yeah, that sounds a lot like how a unicorn's horn functions... at least for most. It'll probably take more equipment than I could carry... or at least, more precise equipment... I mean, I bet I could come up with a new foci to link it to a specific aether source, but right now... I don't think I can modify it without my lab. I'd probably end up either removing any enchantments on it... or worse. Especially since I'm not that skilled with enchantments, still a new field of study to me..." She said looking at it closely. She even pulled out a jeweler's loop, though enchanted to show the energies of magic objects. It was a skilled piece, not something that would be easily replicated or modified, though the foci seemed to be simpler in nature, as long as she could figure out how to create the enchantments that allowed it to link to the gauntlet. (Yep, I haven't played much with TC6, TC4 and down were my jam back in the day though. I even had a full enchanting room with brains in jars. Heck, I've made some progress in the modpack blightfall, though I'm not sure which version of TC it uses.)

Raven nodded, and went over to examine the gauntlet, pulling out a few tools from her bags. After staring at them for a bit, she frowned, and then bit her lip. "I'd love to be able to study that later, but I don't think it'll be much help to us right now... It seems to only draw aether when it's actively being used. That being said, I think if we had a way to store Aether in quantities bigger than a pony's, and if my horn wasn't cracked, we might be able to force it to draw from that, as I think it draws from the largest source first... or the easiest, as is the case with my horn. But, aside from your spheres, commander, I don't think we have a way to make a... battery. And I don't think it's a good idea to use the spheres... If they're drained of Aether..." She said, deep in thought. "But, if I can study it later, in my lab, I might be able to use some of the designs to solve my foci problem, with my artificial horns..." (iirc, the gauntlet doesn't actually store vis, right?)

Raven shook her head with relief as the glove's magic started to fade. When Harle turned on Icy though, she had to step in. "I don't think that the effects were that bad... I mean for them... Most unicorns don't have cracks or a broken horn, leading to their aether bleeding into the environment. I don't think this actually poses much risk, to others who aren't damaged like I am. It might be uncomfortable, and make them feel uneasy, but I think a light headache will be the worst of it for most... Me, and others like me though, those who have broken and damaged horns... Well, In my case, it was drawing aether from me, because I'm always bleeding a small amount of aether out of my horn. It seized on that, and drew from me like any other source of ambient aetheric energy. Not to mention, I'm sure if it was actually dangerous, Commander Storm would have warned you." She said, trying to calm down the griffon. It wouldn't do to have one of their small party angry and hateful towards the rest. Besides, maybe she could get a better look at the glove sometime... Might give her some help figuring out how to make artificial Aether channels...

Raven had at first went to lay by the fire that Icy had made, not shedding her coat. However, she soon winced, her head erupting in pain as Harle pulled out a glove and started to manipulate it. "I... I second that... Not to mention... the weather here is famously uncontrollable... It's one of the reasons Equestria doesn't have a lot of records as to what is up here..." She said, through clenched teeth, obviously in great pain. The cracks in her horn were lighting up with a crackling aura, though that aura was quickly being bled off to Harle's glove. She couldn't focus enough to begin casting a counter spell, let alone figure out how to stop Harle. Hopefully one of the other two could stop the glove, she thought, as she closed her eyes in pain...

Raven took a look at the airship that had carried them here departing, and couldn't help a gentle biting of her lip. She didn't feel like she really belonged here, but then again, she was the only one that Icy could trust that happened to be researching aetheric properties... as far as she knew... Her marefriend had an understandable but still bad habit of hiding things from her, but what was one to do when they were dating the commander of a semi-secret para-military organization? When the group started moving, she fell in line, following them while keeping an eye on them. She trusted Ice, and Ice trusted the others, it seemed, so she trusted them as well, but it didn't stop her from being curious about them. However, that curiosity fell by the wayside when she realized that the snow was starting to make it a little hard to see, meaning she needed to pay less attention to her companions, and more to the wilderness that surrounded them. Every so often, as they traveled, a shrill wind would blow through, cutting through the layers she was bundled up in, and making a shiver run down her back...

Raven nodded and took her place in the back, her pack resting uncomfortably on her sides as she did so. If she had to be honest, This was the first time she'd taken any of her equipment out of STAR's HQ, so she wasn't quite sure how durable any of it was, nor was she used to the weight of it. She did wonder slightly at Icy putting her in a rear guard position, as with the weight of her equipment and being bundled up like she was, she'd probably be the slowest of the group, and she figured that they'd want to move fairly quickly, as even if Icy could help with the cold winds, ice, and snow, it'd still effect them. Plus, there was also the fact that she'd not been in a real fight in... in a long time... She wasn't sure how well she'd do...

Raven stood with the others, a decently sized pack slung across her back. She had some supplies from her lab, just a few portable analytical tools. When she had heard during the briefing that they needed to seal a mountain without disrupting aether, she had leapt at the chance to come along, hoping that some of the readings would be useful to her research. She also had her armor in it's case, just in case she needed it, but she doubted that she would. That being said, she was sure she made quite the site, as she seemed to be the most bundled up out of the few of them that were going on this trip. "We have a job to do, I'm not going to back down. Besides, the readings I can get from the mountain may help with my research." She said, looking around for a bit. She actually didn't know much about the creatures of the north, as her family didn't make it that far north, but she was sure that with her magic, as well as the skills of the others, they'd be alright...

Raven smiled as she watched Icy talk to the performer, knowing that he'd probably end up at Icy's casino sometime soon, reminding her of how much Icy tried to help others. When she came back, her guesses were proven correct, and she smiled. "I don't blame you, he was quite nice. As for tonight... I'm actually quite tired, my training's been going good, but I've still gotta work up my stamina a bit... Why don't we go cuddle and call it an early night?" She said, before thinking. "We could order some wine and spend some time in a hot tub somewhere, I suppose, if you don't want to curl up in bed..." She offered, a slight smirk on her face as she guessed which one Icy would go for...

Raven listened to the song, snuggled up next to Icy. It was a nice popy song, very different from his other songs, but then, each song was different. This one spoke of impossibilities and had that air of a half-remembered dream, where things could morph and change. The magicked toys were a nice touch as well, acting as a great prop to go with the song, and she smiled. When Icy spoke about being her firefly, she leaned in further and gave a quick kiss, and couldn't help the slight yawn that came as Icy left their table, most likely to go see about getting The performer to play at her casino. She'd been all over the city, exploring it by hoof today as she was still waiting on her her things from Canterlot to arrive, and It was so much more exerscise than she'd ever had in Canterlot. She couldn't wait to get home, and snuggle in with Icy...

Hey, RainbowFoxxy, was just looking at your list on the first page. Wind Dancer is actually Icestorm's char, not mine. Btw, Great work, like always!

Raven smiled lovingly as she followed Icy back through the Command center, only a slight blush coloring her face as they crossed past the troops. To be honest, she could probably handle the teasing, and could even see a few who might be a problem in that regard, if their smirks were anything to go by... No, it was the others, the ones who's frowns hid other emotions that she was worried about... and to be honest, She could probably kick their flanks, especially once her armor arrived... As she stepped into the elevator, a thought emerged. "Hey, Icy... Do you know anything about enchanting armor?" She said, starting to get an idea of how to possibly begin to work on the focus...

Raven smiled, softly singing along with the song as she leaned into Icy, a warm feeling in her heart. This wasn't all that she had ever wanted in her life... but it was close. She could give up the rest of it, as long as she got to stay with Icy. The music did carry her back, made her think of the bullies and losing her parents, but also reminded her of how she cared for those who were downtrodden in Canterlot. She still had a good portion of her family's wealth... More than she would need... Maybe she could set up, become a patron of sorts for artists and performers who were looking to establish themselves here... She'd have to discuss it with Icy, she knew more about this than Raven ever would on her own... Once the song was over, She bit her lip, a little saddened by not being able to request a song, but that was okay. To be honest, the last song, while good, lacked that flair that came with knowing the subject of the song. Instead, she decided that she could use a little more food herself, and settled in to hear the last song on the musician's set list... and who knew? Perhaps he'd be able to perform a few encores... Maybe she could pull the old joke off and get him to play 'Free Bird'...

Raven smiled as Icy kissed her and leaned against her, her horn sparking just slightly, only really noticeable because of the dim lighting. She'd heard the owner of this casino's request, and agreed it was a good song, though she'd have chosen 'On Top of the World' by the same band, seeing as it was a more triumphant song. However, she didn't want to suggest the same band if she did suggest anything, and that was the owner, so... She'd wait, to the next song... Hopefully he'd be able to preform the song she wanted...

(whoops, kinda forgot it was my turn, sorry...) Raven grinned as Icy talked about heading back upstairs, a tingle running through her as she thought back to the night they'd spent together in the Crystal Empire. She headed towards the door, putting what she hoped was a nice sway in her steps as she did, although she knew she didn't have to put on much of a show for Icy. "Yeah... I... I just have one last question... Commander... What will your troops think if when we walk out I'm draped all over you?" She said, trying to come off as teasing, but it was clear from her voice that this was the first time she'd ever spoken like this...

Raven closed her eyes in preparation for the next song, trusting Icy to lean against her and keep her upright. She thought for a second on how things could seem out of place and then change, and couldn't hold back a small giggle. When she'd first joined STAR, she was simply looking for a place to utilize her parent's army like training, and instead, had ended up as a researcher, dating the head of the organization. She wouldn't change it for a second, though, as Icy made her heart swell, and just filled her heart in a way she'd never felt before. She could still remember how she'd been unable to really talk when she'd first seen how beautiful Icy was, and it was a memory she'd always treasure. As she listened to the musician, her memory drifted to her travels with her parents. She couldn't really remember the towns they'd been to, and she hadn't made a habit of traveling after her accident... She wasn't sure if she'd ever been to the place this song was about...

Raven smiled as the performer talked about his inspiration and Wind gave them all a little wave. It was cute, if nothing else, and Raven smiled as it made her think of how her and Icy were. However, she was a little confused when Icy ordered a hard cider, before realizing that this probably wouldn't be a really long show, so they'd stay for all of it, and that meant they needed something to sip on while they sat there. She ordered a non-alcoholic one for herself, smiling and gently holding Icy's hoof in her own, a hoof that followed hers up in the air when the performer asked about if there were any stranger's out there, though with a bit of hesitation. Raven couldn't help but think to herself that she was an out-of-towner, but at the same time... She now lived here, so... She may be a stranger in a strange land, but she'd make it her land, and embrace it... And she had the right pony next to her to lean on and help her.

Raven nodded and smiled. She understood how Icy felt, and knew she'd have days where she wouldn't be on time for something they scheduled. As they leaned into each other, She listened to the songs, both were very emotional, and she could easily see herself serenading Icy with them... Matter of fact, if the performer ever recorded them, she'd buy Icy a copy. If her reactions to the songs were any indicator, she really liked him. Maybe she could find a way to get his signature for now... that would be cool, and make a nice gift. She noticed their food had arrived, and began to eat, a soft smile on her face as the performance went on.

Raven smiled as she started to listen to the music. Whoever this pegasus was, his voice was quite lovely, and she started to get lost in the song, almost jumping a little as Icy sat next to her. "It's okay, you're a up and coming business mare, not to mention your... projects... I know just because we live together now doesn't mean we can be joined at the flank." She responded to Icy's apology, in a similar volume, though she couldn't keep from slightly giggling after her statement. She simply smiled and leaned her head against Icy, though when the waiter came back, she ordered a similar sandwich. As they waited for the food, she kept leaning into Icy, a happy smile on her face as she let her eyes close and the music wash over her. Soon, though, the first song was over and she straightened back up to applaud alongside Icy though at the volume one might at a play or an opera. "Yeah, that was great. Soothing, touching, but driving too... He definitely has talent..." She said, smiling back before taking the moment between songs to give Icy a kiss.

Raven grinned as she walked into the restaurant, unable to keep the joy down that she felt from spending yet more time with Icy. She'd been busy with something today, which left Raven to explore the town on her own while she was waiting on her supplies to arrive so she could start her research. In truth, she'd spent a lot of time with Icy, especially seeing as how they lived together now, but the joy swelling up every time she saw her hadn't diminished slightly. She wondered slightly why Icy had picked this place for dinner, before noticing a pegasus near the stage. If she wasn't mistaken, that was the performer they'd seen her first night here... Maybe Icy was trying to support a friend of a friend? It didn't really matter to her though, as she was shown a seat in the middle of the room, one with a small little reserved placard on it that the waiters took away. When the waiter came back, she ordered a soda to sip on while she waited for Icy to show up, not wanting to eat without her...

Raven smiled and nodded, reassured by Icy's words. "Well, it's more that because I don't use proper spell forms, it's really hard to teach other's how to cast my spells. It'd be like if I met someone who only spoke neighponese... We'd have trouble communicating, you know?" She said, leaning against Icy. "Well, it's getting pretty late... if we're going to be taking a small trip tomorrow, we might need to head to bed soon..." She winked at Icy, wondering if she'd get the hint.

Raven blinked, shaking her head to gather her thoughts. "Yes! It's just... It's so much to take in." She said, starting to smile, before quickly giving a hug and a passion filled kiss to Icy. After breaking off with a quick shudder and spark from her horn, she continued. "Um... Could... is there a storeroom nearby that we could turn into a library for the books. If... if this is supposed to be a lab, it might not be the best place to store those books. Wait... Wait I'd help with others too? I... I haven't really worked with others with spells... not since... Well... you know..." She trailed off, indicating her horn. She also didn't quite know how to articulate the uncertainty she was feeling about being able to describe her processes to others, when hers were so different.

Raven's smile froze slightly as the elevator came to a stop and opened into the main control room of the base. She hesitantly stepped out, following Icy, feeling a little awkward about it as she watched the others stop and salute Icy, or at least briefly snap to attention. She briefly wondered how many knew they were dating, a thought that brought a blush to her face that was quick to disappear when they made it to the hallway. When they got to the door... her door, she took note of it, noticing it already had a title on it. "Aether Specialist? I mean... I know a lot about non-spell form casting... but a Specialist, really?" She asked as they headed in, and she took stock of the size of the room. It had a few counters and cabinets lining the walls, but other than that it was wide open. "I... I'll do that..." She said slowly, a little speechless because of everything...