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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EARLY EVENING
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Elizabeth is sitting at a table, staring out past her glass of wine. Her life's certainly taken a turn as of late, but... it's also been so calm since. Aside from some twitches caused by black beetles, her life in Respite has almost... stabilized? It is kind of hard to believe, if she is honest to herself. Like someone should have tried to come after her, or something.
Maybelline steps into the bar, still dressed in her work uniform, ordering her usual coffee before settling down at a table and pulling out some paper. She begins sketching out some notes before she looks around the bar, eyes falling on Elizabeth in time. "Oh! OH! It's you!"
Elizabeth blinks from her slight reverie, looking up. She jolts slightly, her mind running to multiple possible wrong conclusions before she actually focuses on who is calling for her: "O-oh? Oh. H-hello." A lady does not look easily startled, but she certainly is. Slightly.
Maybelline tilts her head, "Err, sorry... didn't mean to bother you! You're... I wanna say... Beatrice? Bern... Berny? Bernadetta? It's me! Maybelline!We met like... once."
Elizabeth blinks, then finally gathers herself and gives a nod: "Elizabeth Catherine. And... yes, I think I remember you. You are the town engineer, yes?"
Maybelline nods, "Beth! That's what I was thinking, yeah. Elizabeth! Sorry about that." She taps the papers in front of her, "Been meaning to seek you out soon."
Elizabeth takes a sip of her wine in an attempt to look casually disinterested like a lady should, but only somewhat succeeds as she raises an eyebrow: "Oh? Seeking little old me? What for?"
Maybelline wiggles the fingers on her free hand in a vague imitation of 'casting a spell', "Magic! That is to say uh, well we talked about it before, the potential that you would be able to power up the generator. Which is to say, construction is beginning on the second generator but it's all just a lot of metal boxes if it's not got the power core up and running."
Elizabeth nods, lowering her glass back down. She slightly leans her hands on the table: "Ah yes. I recall that." She pauses: "But... before we go on, do you know what you are asking of me?"
Maybelline shakes her head, "I... don't? I mean, I do, but I'm certified with the Sarn Engineering Guild. The Mage's Guilds that have powered ICEE generators have always kept the process a trade secret, which I guess the Engineering Guild is okay with. I've never gotten to witness a full recharge, let alone uh, starting from scratch like this."
Elizabeth nods slowly: "It's... actually, even I don't know exactly what the process is, but what I do know is what it does to the caster doing the charging."
Maybelline shifts in her seat to turn towards Elizabeth fully, her notes forgotten for the moment, "And I'm guessing it's... more severe then I'd been led to believe?"
Elizabeth lifts her hand and lets her runes dance around her claws for a second: "I would probably lose this for at least a week, if not more." She looks aside: "I have... never done it, though."
Maybelline grows silent, tapping her hand across the back of her chair as she thinks. "The temporary generator is pulling from the natural magic of this area. It's enough to keep the lights on and water flowing... but not much else." She hums, considering. "I wouldn't ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with, of course. I haven't sent anything off yet but, a letter to Sarn through official channels and a sanctioned mage will be en route... eventually."
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline curiously: "Hmm..." She is quiet for a moment, considering.
Maybelline sighs, turning back to her notes. "I guess the AMP generators only require an initial charge, but I don't know how they do that... I've designed a hybrid ICEE and AMP containment cell, but..." She shrugs.
Elizabeth looks at the young stoat appraisingly: "I must admit, you have made me curious. And if I am honest, I am looking for something to do."
Maybelline hops off her seat, grasping one of the notes. She walks over to Elizabeth's table and climbs onto one of the chairs, standing on it as she puts the paper down. "This is what I designed. Magic goes in, and in a usual ICEE design, it just bounces around. But with this, it should flow in one direction, less chaoticly, less dangerously." She traces her finger around the wide tube-like structure she's drawn.
Elizabeth looks at the papers, now clearly interested: "Hmm. I don't know that much about of the mechanical side, but I think I can figure out how to channel my magic for the 'magic goes in' bit."
Maybelline smiles, "Well, I don't really get any of the magical side either, so 'magic goes in' is about as technical as I can get."
Elizabeth looks over the paper some more: "It's... well, as far as I understand, it takes a rather extreme amount of concentration." She turns to Maybelline: "Are you certain this is needed? That if I help here, it's for a reason and not just an engineer's whim?"
Maybelline frowns, "It's for the town's power source... I wouldn't be asking if I could do it any other way, I promise you."
Elizabeth nods, turning to look at the design: "This seems competent. I... I am going to trust you, then." She nods, as though affirming her decision to herself as well: "Very well. Tell me where you need me, and I will try my best."
Maybelline grins, "Alright! Then, I'll green light the containment cell to be built first, once Cavro can work again, Brun and I can build this segment, then I'll find you. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?"
Elizabeth hums a bit: "Well... I can't tell for sure yet before I see in practice what I need to do, but... magical insulation in the room around probably is something to look at. This is experimental, correct? We don't know what might happen."
Maybelline waves her hand a bit shakily, "Only sorta experimental. But fortunately the Generator building is already insulated in case of um... explosion."
Elizabeth raises an eyebrow: "...we are not expecting one, though?"
Maybelline chuckles, "One is enough, yes."
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline curiously: "...is that why you were somewhat, er, 'banged up' a while back?"
Maybelline nods, "When I came to town, the first generator was in... rough shape. I didn't realize how bad until the magic breached the containment cell." She pats her side, still standing on the chair. "Got ICEE burn scars here as a result. But once burnt... I'm not going to let that happen again."
Elizabeth nods, growing thoughtful: "I can certainly appreciate not wanting to repeat a mistake like that."
Maybelline: "Yeah, hence the design changes... and more importantly, I'm not going to walk out on this and leave it in the state the last engineer did."
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline: "Well, for... for what it's worth, I do not intend to leave Respite either. If I get in this, I will be around." She gives what might be the tiniest hints of a smile.
Maybelline chuckles, "Louma says this town sorta has that effect on folks..."
Elizabeth shrugs slightly: "Perhaps. I... I might have my own reasons, but nevermind about those." She takes a sip of her wine: "Point is, Respite is my home now."
Maybelline sits down in the seat, "Mine too. Heh. Definitely never thought I'd say that a few months ago."
Elizabeth nods, looking at her glass: "I don't know what I was thinking, really. Too busy getting away to pay attention where I ended up."
Maybelline shrugs, "I didn't have much choice, I guess. I took the only job I could with my qualifications, ending up being here. I cursed it out as being the middle of nowhere. The end of my life, I figured."
Elizabeth hums: "I can see that... interesting how life sometimes works out."
Maybelline nods, "Yeah, guess so. I mean, this isn't going to be easy, not in the building, or in the magic. But I think it's worth it."
Elizabeth gives a wry smile: "Most things in life worth doing, are worth doing the hard way."
Maybelline chuckles, "Sounds like something my parents would say." She grins. "Life keeps proving them right."
Elizabeth winks: "I haven't entirely spent my life doing nothing. Only most of it."
Maybelline shrugs, "I haven't spent any of my life doing nothing. Maybe someday. But not anytime soon."
Elizabeth smiles: "Perhaps."
Maybelline leans back in her chair, arms outstretched, "Got a whole lot of life to live first."
Elizabeth nods, waving the Barkeep for another glass of wine: "Your story to get here must be full of incidents. Mind entertaining an old fool for a bit?"
Maybelline chuckles, "Full of incidents? I'm fresh out of Sarn Central University and right onto a boat, basically. But I can tell the story as best I can I suppose..." She starts into a rather mundane story about her trip to Respite Falls.