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THE BOUQUET ESTATE - MIDDAY
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Tarbin spent a lot of the walk to the estate mulling over the conversation with doctor Plume, though he keeps up with any curious questions from Melia. They do keep on track as far as heading to their destination, though, and arrive only a few minutes late. not terrible for a lizard castaway without a watch of any kind. After greeting Jax at the gate, he and the elemental within approach Teis' lab, taking a breath as he reaches to knock.
Melia gives the slightest of inward sighs: [I know we've practiced, I know I can do this... but what if it doesn't work? What then, Tarbin?]
Nesseth perks up a bit from nearby, directing his attention away from the plant Teis had been growing. "Looks like Tarbin's here, Teis. Want me to just wait while you grab him?"
Teis also perks up, though quickly turns back to Nesseth with a twitch of her ears, reaching out her hands in the air infront of Nesseth to non-verbally convince him to stay. "Ah! No. Stay here. Um. Not that I don't trust you, but, well, um. Look, if you trip, Della would murder me. And I don't mean that metaphorically. I mean you'd be hauling her off to Bairnell's Foothold for a 3rd class ticket back to Sarn. Just... " She flexes her hands briefly, "Stay here... I'll go get Tarbin, yes?"
Tarbin raps his knuckles on the door, shaking his head slightly as he takes a step back to wait. "Ah... Well we hopefully only need to do enough to give Nesseth a glimpse... Miss Teis has had a chance to prepare him after all." His tail scales shift color as he siphons a little magic Melia's way, just in case. "Don't push yourself, though."
Melia gives a soft giggle: [Not sure I know how to not push myself, but noted. I'll just do what I can.]
Nesseth scratches his head a bit, but nods. "Uh... that's what I was asking, but... sure? I'll just wait right here."
Teis: "Oh." Teis hums to herself. "Well... Good!" She affirms, before headed off to the corner to get sight of Tarbin. "Hey! Tarbin!" She calls out, waving an arm dramatically. "We're all set, over here!"
Tarbin blinks, looking around to the shouting voice, returning the wave, though with a little less excitement. He spots Nesseth beyond the cat, smiling to himself as he turns and walks their way, responding to Melia. "We'll just do as practiced. This is important, though, so I can't say there's no pressure." When he gets close enough to the other pair, he nods to each. "Good morning! I hope you haven't been waiting too long..."
Melia gives a shiver of uncertainty around Tarbin's chest: [No pressure. At all. Good to know.]
Nesseth raises a hand in greeting, looking perhaps a bit odd with the mana lens on his face. "Morning, Tarbin. We've just been practicing with the goggles for a bit, so we've been occupied this entire time."
Tarbin chuckles, giving Nesseth a slight head tilt. "Oh, good. I was worried your vision was getting worse as mine got better."
Teis moves back over to Nesseth alongside Tarbin. "Mm. Yeah. It'd do no good if Nesseth wasn't able to decipher the readings. He should be prepared enough to at least verify Melia's existence. I figure we'll do exactly what we did last time, yes?" Teis turns to Tarbin.
Melia gives the mental equivalent of a shrug as her magic swirls around Tarbin's hands: [Good as anything, I guess. No clue what I'm doing, but I'll just do that.]
Tarbin nods to both questions, looking to Teis. "She says she's ready-" He looks down, turning his hands over in front of him. "-A little excited, if anything."
Teis nods, turning to Nesseth. "And you?"
Nesseth takes a moment to adjust the lens, then shrugs. "About as ready as I can be for... whatever you're planning."
Melia giggles: [All the plan that we have. Which relies on me. To not screw it up. Which I can do. Completely.] The elemental inside Tarbin might be just the teeniest-tiniest bit nervous.
Tarbin nods to the other lizard, taking a slow breath before speaking. "Calm down, Melia. You can do this. Take your time."
Teis nods to Nesseth now. "Okay, good. One last time before we start, as Melia can't sustain herself for very long. See the flow coming from Tarbin, then from me as we swap who is sustaining her. Then, from Melia herself... When I ask her to... One moment." Teis bends down, plucking one of the freshly grown flowers from the ground, handing it to Nesseth. "To grow this, in your own hand."
Tarbin nods along with Teis' explanation.
Melia nods too, in her own not-nodding way. [Okay. Okay. Let's do this.]
Nesseth takes hold of the flower and turns it around in his hand as he examines it with the lens for a moment, just getting a feel for what 'normal' looks like for the flower. He nods after a moment. "Right, let's see if that practice paid off, then."
Tarbin slows his breathing, his tails draping on the grass as the scales turn color, giving Melia a little boost for a little bit. Ribbons of the flow track through his tails, up into his chest, dissipating into Melia's general existence.
Teis looks between the two physical parties present, nodding again. "Alright... Melia, when you're ready."
Melia starts focusing, slowly focusing her power and Flow to outside of Tarbin's being just like the two have practiced. Slowly, almost painfully slowly the elemental takes a form of an okapi-like, sort of vaguely bipedal cloud of green magic. There is a degree of blurryness to her being, but that is intentional on her part; turned out that if she does not force it so hard on the 'looking existant', she can actually keep the form without fainting. The magically-visible elemental has a huge shudder, after which she turns to look at Nesseth with a sheepish smile and a small wave. "Hi."
Nesseth watches the being form through the assistance of the lens, having expected to have to sort of 'trace' the outline of a non-visible entity with the goggles, at best, and certainly not a full manifestation. He pauses, a hand slowly raising, equal parts in disbelief and just... stunned. "Uh... h-hi..."
Tarbin grins at Melia's appearance, looking down at the ribbons of the Flow running to her, turning to look at Teis. "Take these, so he knows it's not me?"
Melia smiles at Nesseth, then glances over her shoulder at Tarbin: "A-are you sure it's a good idea? I mean, it's what we did last time..." She lets out a small sigh: "L-let's do this." She has no idea how much Nesseth or Teis even can understand of her, so she just nods at the two with a smile.
Teis: "In a moment, Tarbin. I'd like for Nesseth to be satisfied with what he sees first." Teis replies.
Nesseth glances at Teis after a moment. "Well, uh... obviously, something's manifesting right there..." He gestures at the spot Melia's standing at, "And I can see the connection through that to Tarbin, so..."
Teis: "Are you ready for the next step, then?" Teis prompts.
Melia huffs indignantly: "I'm not something! Or wait, I guess I am. Carry on."
Nesseth notices the attitude of the 'cloud' of magic, then nods at Teis. "Uh... sure, I'm ready."
Tarbin nods, lifting his tail which returns to it's normal blue hue, giving up his own draw on the Flow for the moment. With Melia manifesting herself outside of him, the lizard might go almost completely dark under the scrutiny of the lenses while not directing Nature's magic.
Teis takes in a deep breath, focusing herself to direct nature's will in Tarbin's stead, using her feet to do so, taking over sustaining Melia.
Melia feels the jolt of in change of energy, but does her best to keep steady even in her being overwhelmed once again. "Ooh wow. That feels dizzy." She turns to Nesseth and the flower in his hands: "We good to be proving I am me and not a figment of a ghost of a moth of a celebration past in Tarbin's head, yes?"
Teis: "Hello Melia." Teis smiles, now able to understand her thanks to the connection. "It's good to hear your voice again. Soon as Nesseth gives you the okay, you may go ahead."
Nesseth finds his attention being directed towards Tarbin as he sees the magic flowing through him suddenly just sort of... stop, or at least drastically reduce in strength. "Huh... er... right, sure." He shifts his attention back to the cloud of magic and nods as he holds the flower forward a bit, "Uh... here."
Melia smiles at Teis, giving her a small nod before turning back to Nesseth: "Right, so this probably feels weird or something... Tarbin certainly thinks my Flow tickles at times." She holds her hands forward, directing more of her direct Flow towards the singular flower, making it visibly bloom in Nesseth's hand.
Tarbin simply watches, nodding encouragingly to Nesseth.
Nesseth does feel a slight tingle from the flow of magic, but doesn't comment on it as he watches the flower blooming at an accelerated pace right in his palm. He watches, examining the flower, the flow of the magic to it from Melia, and Melia's connection to Teis. "...And just to make sure... you're not casting any spells right now, Teis?"
Teis: "None, Nesseth. There are only a handful of spells I can cast without a verbal component, none of which makes plants grow." Teis affirms. "If you need more, I can... Cut my flow to Melia completely. She'll only have a fleeting moment disconnected from either of us, but... She could make it grow a bit more before she's forced to retreat back into Tarbin."
Melia glances at Teis, then at Tarbin, then looks at Nesseth expectantly. Or as expectantly as a vaguely vague shape of green magic can, anyway.
Tarbin looks between Teis and Melia, a note of concern on his face, though he doesn't speak up. He's prepared to pick up on sustaining her rather than just having her 'black out' this time, if he can.
Nesseth hums, then shakes his head. "No, no, I think that's fine. I'm just making sure, is all. So... she's not dead, then?" He looks towards Melia's indistinct form and tilts his head curiously.
Melia shrugs: "Sure don't feel like dead, not that I'd know what that feels like."
Teis nods to Nesseth. "She's not dead. If... You wanted to talk to her, I might... be able to connect you to her. Or... More accurately, with Tarbin's help."
Tarbin blinks at Teis. "Ah, you can only hear her when connected? I suppose we've got a little more work to do there, Melia." He turns to Nesseth, offering his hand.
Nesseth furrows his brow in confusion, giving Teis a bit of a look. "...But... how? I don't have any magical prowess at all."
Melia looks at Tarbin a bit helplessly and shrugs. "No idea how to fix that." She turns towards Nesseth and Teis, stepping closer: "Humm... maybe if I touch you both?"
Teis: "Sadly so Tarbin." Teis replies to Tarbin. "And, no, Melia... I don't think touching will be enough. But... " Teis pauses, facing Tarbin and Nesseth. "I... Have a theory. Tarbin is... Much stronger with Nature's Magic than I, as I'm sure you're aware. If... Tarbin is able to sustain Melia through you... Bit of a shower thought, but the idea only just occurred to me. Who knows if it'll work?"
Nesseth looks over at Tarbin. "Uh... so... what, Tarbin, do you get any of this? I really don't..."
Tarbin nods to Teis and then Nesseth , stepping forward and setting his hand on Nesseth's forearm, the same arm that he's holding the flower with. His scales shift in color as he tasks Nature's power to creep from the ground up through Nesseth. "I think I have a general idea. This might tingle a little bit."
Melia looks between them all, then slowly nods. She looks at Nesseth resolutely: "Uh, hi. Again. Can uh... can you understand me?"
Teis: Meanwhile, Teis keeps her connection with Melia on standby, both so she can remain in the conversation, as well as be a back-up incase Tarbin isn't able to channel Nature's will through another person.
Nesseth hums, his expression shifting from neutral to one of... confusion and a mix of a lot of other expressions just from the sensations he's feeling in his arm. The feeling of magic flowing through his limb is... alien, to put it lightly, and he's not sure how to process it. He does, at least, manage to nod at the cloud of magic. "Um... y-yeah, I can understand you, now. So, uh... if you're real, er... s-sorry about whole thing in the garden, with the rushed magic severing and all that..."
Melia smiles warmly, nodding: "It is... alright. I mean, not ideal, but at least I'm still here and no one's wanting me gone. Hopefully."
Nesseth 's hand flexes involuntarily from the weird sensations coursing through the limb, but he opts to just ignore the feeling for the time being. "Well, no... honestly, I'm... glad you're still around. Maybe we can actually help you like we were intending to, now."
Melia shrugs: "Y-yeah, maybe. Though I don't know what that means..."
Tarbin nods, glancing at Melia with a smile. "That's right. A second chance of sorts..."
Nesseth smiles a bit uncertainly. "Well... finding you a good place to live comfortably, and... you know, not have to worry about any trouble, like we were discussing before."
Melia smiles: "Y-yeah... guess I'd like that..." She glances about the yard they're in, then at Tarbin: "...something like that."
Tarbin grins, squeezing Nesseth's arm briefly. "Yes, brother. With your help, we can."
Nesseth hums, nodding as he glances towards Tarbin with a rather easy smile. "Then... I guess we can pick up from where we left off, hm? Hopefully we can make some good progress, now."
Melia swirls in place slightly, grinning: "I like that... w-wherever that goes. Don't know."
Tarbin nods, releasing his grip on Nesseth's arm, allowing the Flow to recede again. He looks to Melia, then Teis. "We'll work on finding the magical solution... But we'll need your expertise to find a good place outside of town. Somewhere safe for Melia to sew her magic freely." He hesitates for a moment. "But not too far away."
Nesseth nods as the sensations in his arm fade. He transfers the flower to his free hand so he can flex his fingers and arm to assert the 'normal' feelings again. "That shouldn't be too hard... There's still a lot of good land around the town that hasn't been claimed yet."
Teis lets out a sigh of relief. Nesseth is convinced and things sound good between all involved. "It was nice talking to you again, Melia, as brief as it's been. Maybe next time it won't be so... Work isn't the word but it's what I've got. Uh, work focused." Teis smiles.
Melia shifts closer to Tarbin, feeling her time being 'visible' at end: "O-oh, yeah. We can do this. We can do th-" And with that she's flowing back to Tarbin, her form vanishing: [-is. Damnit.]
Teis: With Melia having faded, Teis cuts her connection to the flow as well. "So... Uh. Nesseth." Teis prompts.
Nesseth blinks as Melia fades away, then looks between Tarbin and Teis. "...Huh. What happened?"
Teis: "Can I have my mana lenses back?" Teis sheepishly questions.
Nesseth blinks, then nods as he goes to (carefully) remove the lens and hand it back to Teis. "Oh, right. Thanks for letting me use those, Teis."
Melia sighs inside Tarbin: [Tell them I'm still fine. Just can't do that for long.]
Teis equally carefully retrieves the lenses, packing them back into their case hanging around her neck. "Welcome, Nesseth. I hope that this experience has satisfied you. I mean, it sounded that way."
Nesseth hums and nods. "I think so. It's... nice, knowing that folks weren't just going insane or something." He looks sheepishly over at Tarbin, an awkward smile on his face, "And, uh... I think I owe you an apology for earlier, Tarbin."
Tarbin nods to Melia's question, grinning at Nesseth. "I told you I wasn't crazy. To be honest... I thought I was crazy when she first spoke up, too. She's alright, just tired." He sighs. "We have much work to do."