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RESPITE CLINIC - MORNING
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Tarbin find himself considerably more content and energetic after his first foray out of the clinic. This morning, he's spent most of the time since breakfast hobbling in loops around the front of the clinic porch, still very much stuck to his crutches, but using the small number of steps for either a seat or challenge depending on his pain. He's also in the habit of nudging the scant plants in Plume's small yard with his magic, hobbling again toward the four foot tall thistle he's been favoring for most of the hour.
Elizabeth walks by the Clinic, pausing to look at the lizard curiously. She doesn't say anything yet, although her presence isn't exactly subtle.
Tarbin doesn't look toward Elizabeth, though he vaguely recognizes that someone has stopped just to his side, his mind is mostly on his new routine. A moment later he's leaning on his crutches at the thorny plant and the person-height-and-shaped blur hasn't moved on. He'd tried greeting a number of other residents over the past couple days, and contentedly does so again. "Good morning, is it?"
Elizabeth blinks from her half-reverie: "Oh. Yes, I suppose it is."
Tarbin nods, smiling and looking toward her voice. "Warm. Little dry. Your day is well?" He leans against the short fence with his hip, freeing his left arm from the crutch.
Elizabeth considers the odd lizard, then nods as she steps a bit forward: "So far, at least." She stifles a yawn: "Morning has barely started, after all."
Tarbin misses the nod, though he feels Elizabeth's connection to Nature a little stronger as she steps closer. He grins, scratching his still-crutched arm as he replies. "That is true. Still, must make most of all time, hmm? Early sun and dew is good, refreshing. Plants know, they like it."
Elizabeth gives a soft chuckle: "Plants possibly. Old skunk ladies less so."
Tarbin blinks, chuckling in turn. "I know not, thank you." He taps his temple next to his eye. "Couldn't see you." His eyes do not look clouded as they would from a natural blindness, simply unfocused as he stares in Elizabeth's general direction.
Elizabeth blinks, now actually looking into Tarbin's eyes. "Oh. You're blind... or near so, anyway."
Tarbin nods, his smile slipping a bit. "Sorry if it is... Hmm... Dis... tracting? Is the word for it?"
Elizabeth tilts her head, leaning a bit on the fence: "I imagine that would be... but no, it's not. Just a touch unexpected, perhaps." She smiles slightly: "It is a shame you can not properly see me, then."
Tarbin smiles, turning a bit more toward Elizabeth. "Hmm? That is depend on what one says 'properly' mean. Eyes are not the only way this lizard can see."
Elizabeth looks at Tarbin, then thinks of something. "Is that so?" She lifts her hand and dances a handful of runes on it before looking back at Tarbin curiously: "What else can you see?"
Tarbin sees the runes as the flicker into existence, clear as fire in the night, their light startling him. His unused crutch falls to lean against the fence as he takes a slight step back. He perceives the lines of magic connecting the runes to her hand, though it fades to nothing outside of his 'range'. "[Magic to hurt, and too close to some I knew.]" He realizes he's speaking his own language as he settles down, his free hand leaning his weight on the fence.
Elizabeth looks at Tarbin's reaction, slightly taken aback: "...so you can see it. Interesting."
Tarbin huffs, settling down as he nods slowly. "Of course, who could not see it that close? You have magic that is not kind with Nature..." He pauses, looking toward the thistle at his side, resting the back of his hand against a cluster of leaves.
Elizabeth considers this: "...that is probably one of the nicer descriptions I've heard. But no, my magic is not 'kind', I admit that much."
Tarbin sighs, nodding. "Is wrong... No, mirror. I have not learned the word, maybe." The scales in contact with the plant shift hue to orange, and the plant seems to respond to his touch as budding leaves and flowers unfold. The normally violet petals a fiery orange instead.
Elizabeth looks at the plant, considering: "Life magic. Making things flourish. 'Good' magic, as some say." She looks at her own hand, still some purple runes dancing along it: "What is darkness but the mirror of light?"
Tarbin finds his chuckle again as he turns toward Elizabeth, the growth slowing to a halt and most of the petals returning to their true color as he breaks contact with the plant. "What is light, with nothing to shine?" He looks toward his palm. "But not all consider any magic 'good'."
Elizabeth looks up, sighing: "Oh don't I know it. Some consider magic an abomination, even if it's 'good'. Take someone like me who's magic is... perhaps even more against what most consider 'natural'..." She shakes her head: "Things do not always end up so pretty."
Tarbin tries to maintain his smile, but it's a lost struggle. "Some care not, only what our connection can give them. Yours is... Dark, but not bad. The one who touched their power to me..." He again taps his temple.
Elizabeth looks at Tarbin curiously: "...dare I ask?"
Tarbin shrugs, looking toward her again. "If you would care to know. Is not a... Hmm, friendly subject?"
Elizabeth shrugs in turn, leaning against the porch: "It's always a bit relative what's 'friendly'. But I admit you've made me curious."
Tarbin chuckles once, humorlessly. "My country is in difficult time. They demand I grow crops, and I do to help. They demand I heal workers, and I do. Grow food for people, heal people, is what I do before. Nature wanted it. Then they want me to only heal fighters, ignore crops, ignore people. I do, but is not enough. They have much magitech, but not enough mages. Want me to fill crystals. I refuse, Nature does not want it, is an insult to the gift. A... twisting."
Elizabeth blinks, nodding in understanding: "I can certainly see that... bending magic against its' desires... it never ends well." She sits down on the porch, now genuinely curious at another magic user's tale.
Tarbin nods, leaning against the fence. "You know well, it is true. They are not happy, of course. I go back to heal fighters, but I do not trust, and they know. Fighter I heal attacks me." He looks pointedly to her. "They curse me while I am asleep, and send me on a ship. Not sure what they want to send me for, but I try to escape, but they stop me. Beat me and bind under deck." He starts to grin.
Elizabeth looks at Tarbin, taking in his being: "...something happened. Something outside their control."
Tarbin chuckles. "Nature saved me. Sea pushed ship into shallows, crush it to splinters. I am found by someone from Respite." His eyes take on a darker expression briefly. "Nature takes others back to it's soil." He sighs as if a weight has been lifted from his chest, finding a weak smile for Elizabeth. "Respite is much better to this lizard than Yuretti."
Elizabeth smiles a bit as she looks at Tarbin: "...it's also been rather good for this old skunk, I must admit."
Tarbin nods, shifting his weight slightly. "It has, as have you. I am better, talking." He tilts his head slightly. "You may as well, maybe."
Elizabeth gives a small shrug: "Perhaps. I do not yet know what to make of my life here, but it's hard to deny it's been... smoother than expected."
Tarbin chuckles lightly. "The same for me. What brought you to Respite, if I may ask for a story in return?"
Elizabeth hesitates for a second, looking down. "I... I angered some wrong folks. Way past the point of negotiation. Had to leave for my own safety, Sarn wasn't a place I was welcome in any more."
Tarbin nods sadly, "Do you miss home?"
Elizabeth blinks at the question, pausing to think: "...hmm. Do I? I'm not sure." She sighs: "Certainly there are things I miss, people I did not have a chance to say goodbye to, but... do I miss living in Glaushire? I thought I did, but..." she trails off, not certain if she has any solid answers.
Tarbin smiles slightly; "Is not easy, I think. I miss home, but know Respite is better. Is what Nature sent me toward. Your feeling was Respite, as well, perhaps magic turned you this way for purpose."
Elizabeth looks at Tarbin, then gives a wry chuckle: "Well, maybe some of it. Could have done without some harsh curse words, though."
Tarbin laughs a low, dry rasp, nodding as he replies. "Of course, leaving in a way that is kind is better." He sighs, shaking his head slightly. "Just hope I can pay back kindness of town."
Elizabeth looks at the street, idly nodding: "Maybe... it's what I want to do too. I do not know, really."
Tarbin gives what he feels is an encouraging smile. "I think both of us have new chance." The two continue their friendly conversation, steering towards the less troublesome side of their common topic, managing to keep things relatively lighthearted until Tarbin is eventually beckoned inside for food and medicine.