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ELIZABETH'S HOME - LATE AFTERNOON
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Annika paced nervously in the street that Elizabeth's home opens to, before finally she plucks up the courage to knock on the door. She hates 'confrontation', and she's already worried how this will go...
Elizabeth opens the door after some delay, yawning. She's dressed in a casual (for her) dress and her hair is still a mess - it's relatively obvious she just woke up. She blinks blearily at Annika, smiling a bit confusedly: "Oh. Hello?"
Annika: "Um...hi..uh..ah." She wiggles both of the tails behind her, stammering, before she swallows, and everything comes out as one unbroken string of words
Annika: "SoIwascleaningupatMrShaw'shouseandIbumpedagainsttheintrayandthisgemfelloffsoIwenttopickitupand thegemstucktomypawandthenIgrewanextratailandIthinkImighthavemagicpowersnowbecauseIwaswithXochiaand ImadeanillusionrealandshesaidthatIshouldtalktoyoubutIdidn'twanttobecauseIthoughtyou'dbemadbutshesaidIshouldsoIdid..." She takes a breath...
Elizabeth blinks several times. She raises her paw, pauses to lift to her mouth to yawn, then blinks again. "...come again?"
Annika: Instead of rambling for another solid minute, she throws up her left paw for her to see. That's a vaguely familiar gem embedded in there alright...
Elizabeth blinks at the gem, still somewhat trying to bring herself awake: "Is that... I think I've seen that over at our shared employer...?"
Annika nods "Yeah..I was cleaning up, and it got stuck there!"
Elizabeth takes Annika's hand and looks at the gem intently, see what she can divine... if anything.
Elizabeth glances at Annika's second tail, then blinks as a thought occurs to her: "The Shards of Ahri-... something or other. 'A way to power without the balance to wield it', one text said I think." She looks at Annika: "You have... for lack of a better word, gained magic powers."
Annika: The gem is a dark red, and she can see shadows swirling about in it. Interestingly, when she ever tries to use magic, the gem appears to be 'elusive'. Its properties changing, making it difficult to gain any direct insight to it. Annika pulls back a little, her other paw going to touch the gem "Um..yeah..I have..is..is that bad?"
Elizabeth gives a small shrug as she lets go of Annika's hand, frowing at having her own magic just slide off of Annika. "It's neither. Magical ability, power, is defined by what you use it for." She glances aside, then back to Annika: "However... from what I recall, this can get... unstable."
Annika: "That...that sounds bad..." She frowns back "What do you mean by unstable?"
Elizabeth goes a bit quieter: "Any magic that is gained by 'quick' means, can get... corrupting."
Annika: "Corrupting? Like..my fur would go all black, and I'd..um..." She bites her lip a little "Become a bad fox?" Which is like a bad dragon, but worse.
Elizabeth gives a soft chuckle, shaking her head as she leans on her doorframe: "Not quite. Magic tends to be more subtle than that. You might find yourself doing things that you normally wouldn't do. 'Wrong' things, for your own benefit. Using the magic for your own ends." She looks aside: "Of course, nothing is absolute, and no two magical artifacts-" she nods at the gem: "Behave exactly the same."
Annika: "So..can..can you take it out?"
Annika: "I don't want to be Wrong..."
Elizabeth gives the gem a cursory glance, then shakes her head: "My magic slides right off it. Whatever it is, it wards against attempts of removal by other magic sources. I think the only way you get it out is by delving into it yourself."
Annika rubs the gem "How.how would you do that?"
Elizabeth muses a bit, lifting a hand to her chin: "Again, it depends on the exact nature of it. Try to... commune with it. Find a quiet place, meditate, try to reach to it. It might... again, for lack of a better expression, answer. Not in actual words probably, I doubt there's anything alive or once-alive in there. But in a more 'vague feeling' kind of way."
Annika: "Oh..okay..that makes sense" She looks back to her, still worried "I'll...try that..then..what..um..ask it to leave?"
Elizabeth shakes her head slightly: "It might not be that easy. But I can't tell you what it wants, if it wants anything."
Annika: "Okay" She nods "I want to get rid of this magic, if it's going to cause me or Olly any trouble" She sighs again, rubbing the gem, a sort of nervous tic she's developed recently "The idea there's some sort of..thinky gem is..kinda scary.."
Elizabeth nods, idly straightening her dress: "It is... but ignoring it is only going to let things go worse, I fear."
Annika: "R..right..that makes sense" She swallows nervously "I don't want anyone else to be in danger, if I ask someone to be with me when I'm meditating..will it be dangerous for them?"
Elizabeth hums a bit: "Probably not... although I can't say for certain, usually these sort of things are very... inward-looking, if you will."
Annika nods "I..um..maybe I could ask May, if she's not busy.." She frowns, a twinge of jealousy there "Though she's busy a lot"
Elizabeth shrugs: "Do as you feel best. I'm sorry I can't help more."
Annika: "No! No! It's fine! You helped lots!" She coughs awkwardly "Ah..how..is your work going?" Awkwardly changing the subject when it seemed she was making Elizabeth 'feel bad'
Elizabeth blinks at the subject change, but lets it go: "It's fine. Nothing too earthshaking or odd has come across me lately."
Annika: "Oh! That's good..I suppose..um.." She stammers a bit "Your..house is nice.."
Elizabeth smiles a bit, stepping aside to let Annika in: "It is now, also thanks to you. If you want to have a look?"
Annika: "I would!" She steps inside, having a look about at what's changed
Narrator: The house is still obviously old, but it's less run-down and looks a lot less 'doomed to fall apart any moment now' than it did. Elizabeth has been slowly acquiring and fixing things as her pay has allowed it, and the place looks actually rather nice and comfy now. Far cry from any 'mansion', but months in a desert town does wonders to one's perception of what's 'enough'...
Elizabeth follows Annika inside, smiling: "It's my humble home now."
Annika: "This is really nice!" She takes some time to examine the furniture, as well as anything else that's new between when she was last here and now "It does feel really 'homey' now" She hmms "Oh! I know. There's this really nice lady in the marketplace that sells cushions. I should get some for here, as a thank you for the advice"
Elizabeth waves her hand: "You don't have to. I couldn't really do much at all."
Annika: "Oh, it's no bother! They're really cheap because I'm always buying them for my own home" She smiles a little embarrassed "I've got them kinda everywhere..they're just so soft!"
Elizabeth chuckles softly, sitting down on the newly-acquired couch: "Well, if you insist, I won't object further."
Annika: "I do..kinda.." She chuckles back "So..um.." She looks about, unsure what to say next. She's never good at keeping conversations going she finds....
Elizabeth looks at Annika, then smiles softly as she sees the rather familiar awkward on the young fox: "I won't keep you longer, if you have duties to tend to."
Annika: "Ah..um.." She greatfully takes the out "I uh..do..." She blushes "Thanks again, for all the help"
Elizabeth nods, sighing: "I hope it helps, then. Best of luck, Annika."
Annika: "Thanks" She nods, heading out into the streets again.
Elizabeth looks at the two-tailed fox go, then sighs somewhat deeper, silently shaking her head.