Check-In

Lily drums her fingers against polished wood and twirls a flower before her eyes, swiftly growing stultified by the monotony of these shifts. She had assumed the clinic would provide her an ideal hub copiously abuzz with recruits for her to monitor and interact with. But it was becoming apparent she might have better luck with fieldwork. The order and efficiency of the program was almost enough to impress her, this office only drawing in stray injuries or the most dire of patients. She at least found herself with plenty of time to cook up schemes for flushing out her newest sibling.

Despite her thrilling appearance more than a week ago, the girl had otherwise remained totally inactive and Lily was always quick to bore. Lily had been dazzled by Wyrm's recount of the events, stunned and delighted by her formidable display and meteoric progression. Lily could hardly wrangle her zeal to steer the girl's development or shake the pressure to snare her first. What concerned Lily the most was identifying what could have triggered the girl so profoundly to make such a conspicuous appearance? The first puzzle piece had dropped.

While she's mulling over this again, the door of the clinic swings open and she dons a sweet smile. Two recruits scoot inside, one supporting the weight of the other as she limps forward. The patient is easily recognizable. Eshana Chakrabarti is a conspicuous member of the prince's unit—often referred to by their peers as the "royal unit". Another member helps her inside, Karl Anker. Usually, Eshana would be considered quite tall, towering over most other women, but she is still dwarfed by Karl and he easily supports her weight. 

Eshana already holds the infatuation of many men and women within the compound, possessing honey skin, dark hair and amber eyes as well as a voluptuous figure. Though, whether this attraction is due to her beauty or her kaithur is never certain. Lurst's Aura allows her to easily toy with the affection and desire of those around her. This captivation is often the downfall of her opponents, drawing them into range for her elegant but vicious techniques. Lily had already treated a number of her worst victims, slit into ribbons and nearly bled dry. 

"Oh!" Lily chirps as they near the counter, "Whatever happened?"

"The price of beauty, I'm afraid!" Eshana declares and Lily blinks at Karl for an explanation.

"Rolled her ankle," Karl explains with a laugh, "We weren't even fighting, she was just walking around the plaza!" 

"I see," Lily hums, peeking over and spotting Eshana's heels which, while flashy, are excessively high, "Bring her around then!"

Lily steps to one of her stations, waiting for Karl to guide Eshana over. Once she's settled, Karl takes a seat in the lobby and Lily stoops down to examine her ankle.

"Mother would be so displeased with me," Eshana emphasizes, causing Lily to freeze and meet her eyes, "Being so clumsy."

"Really," Lily hums, inclining her head to the side, "Is she so harsh?"

"She can seem that way," Eshana answers deliberately, maintaining a casual tone despite the intensity of their gazes, "But she's always looking out for the family."

Lily's lips curve into a conspiratorial smile and Eshana is quick mirror it. They can hear Karl cracking his knuckles in the lobby and Lily goes back to examining Eshana's ankle, prodding it gently.

"I must say," Lily breathes, "These shoes are quite beautiful! How did you come by them?"

"I just happened to stumble upon them, really," Eshana explains, choosing her words precisely, "I had been looking for just the right pair for far too long and then, along the way to the capital actually, there they were! I had to be a bit aggressive to nab them but my," she releases a dreamy sigh, "What a find!"

"I can see that," Lily titters, "But you ought to be more careful! It would be such a waste if something were to ruin them. That's the cost of beauty, I suppose."

"Well, some people are just naturally beautiful," Eshana notes, gesturing to Lily, "Here you are, not a wink of makeup or the like, and you're doing quite well!"

"Well, I prefer a natural look," Lily looses a curt sigh, "My sister on the other hand dresses herself up so drastically I can't even recognize her. She joined the procession recently but I still haven't been able to find her!"

"Really?" Eshana questions, taking on a more serious expression, "You've not seen her at all?"

"My partner spotted her earlier this week," Lily answers with a tired sigh, another apple blossoming within her palms, "Made quite the fuss, actually. She got into a conspicuous scuffle and," she eyes the fruit as if it were the person of mention and Eshana blinks at her intense satisfaction, "She's growing up so fast! She's already much more... in touch with herself than I was at her age, a natural talent you might say. But..." she frowns and hands it off to Eshana, "It all happened too quickly for me to approach her and I haven't seen any sign of her since!"

"Did she get into any trouble?" Eshana questions, quick to chomp into the fruit.

"Yes," Lily huffs, "Security were keen on finding her but she managed to slip away. Makes things a bit more difficult..." she gives Eshana a hard look, "But we just need to be patient. Wait for another sighting or the like, keep our eyes open."

"Hmmm," Eshana hums as her ankle mends, "I'll tell you what, I'll keep an eye out for her too! What does she look like?"

"How kind of you!" Lily's answer is bubbly and both girls make their way back to the lobby, "She has white hair and is quite petite." Karl rises from his seat, smiling amiably to both girls and seeming pleased Eshana is on her feet again. He cracks open the door and Lily waves them off, "Feel free to drop by again, even if you're not hurt. It can be so dull in here!"

Boundaries

"Okay," Tia mumbles to herself, staring up at her intended bedroom, "Let's try this again!"

Tia trots up the stairs, thankful not to run into Andrea or Longwei. She wasn't sure she could tolerate another plastic interaction with him today. Ifani pauses as Tia slips inside, uncertain whether Tia would actually return, but her discomposure is brief and she offers Tia a faint nod and a hint of a smile. Despite this paltry greeting, Tia bubbles with excitement, ecstatic over the recognition. Not wishing to spoil the exchange, Tia shuffles to her half of the room wordlessly. Ifani is again in the midst of her nightly routine but falters as Tia begins to undress.

"What are you doing?" Ifani questions with blatant annoyance.

"Changing...?" Tia states haltingly, oblivious to the source of her discomfort.

Ifani's mouth drops open with a protest but she hesitates, huffing and turning back to her own task a bit stiffer than before. After disrobing Tia flumps into bed with great satisfaction, comforted by the embrace of an actual mattress and the warmth of an actual bedroom. She fades into slumber quickly.

Tia finds herself in the bowels of a withering gulch where a horizontal ladder of half rotten trees crisscrosses, stitching together the two precipitous slopes corralling her. The musty, earthen scent of moist wood and forest fog fills her lungs and is far from unwelcome to Tia. So far from vibrant forests or undulating mountains, it was an odor she had come to crave. She is quick to explore her surroundings.

Tia mounts these fallen titans, balancing herself atop mushy bark and enjoying the tickle of their frizzy mossy blankets between her toes. She leaps from trunk to trunk with fleeting lunges and breezy footsteps, testing her dexterity and delighting in the mist dusting her hair. She hadn't realized how much she missed this setting. Before Tia can reach the end of this ladder, something thuds onto the forest floor from the mountain above, just past the last trunk. Despite her usual curiosity, Tia is hesitant to examine it. She already senses something dreadful approaching.

While Tia's peek is tentative, her blood runs cold as her eyes rest on her own doppelganger spluttering on the edge of death. Her other self's eyes do not register Tia's presence, broken, bloodied and fading. Tia watches the life leave her eyes and as soon as this double dies, a door materializes just beyond her body. Tia is frozen, petrified by the corpse before her, yet the door creaks open on its own. A hollow crack sounds from within, like the snapping of long dried driftwood. There was something revolting about the sound Tia can't place.

This crack sounds again and again, the frequency increasing until these eerie ruptures begin to overlap and Tia's skin crawls with each instance. She finds herself locking up as fingers curl around the doorframe, their skin blackened and withered and their movements abrupt. Two hands grip the frame at first but are quickly followed by two, three, four more until the entire frame is lined by spastic digits. A silhouette waits beyond the door, its neck and torso jerking into unnatural angles. Tia realizes she hears the cracking and snapping of bones!

The figure's head swivels in her direction and Tia flinches, goosebumps washing over her body. His fingers tighten on the frame and the lower hands claw the earth before the door, necrotic arms dragging him forward. Tia breaks away to flee as fear springs through her body, scrambling over trunks as she buzzes with desperation and terror. As the entity emerges from the door he looses a shrill screech and Tia is forced to crouch and cover her ears, her body trembling and squirming from the utterly repugnant, bone-chilling shriek.

With faltering steps and unsteady legs, Tia continues her flight. A cascade of cracks and pops trails after her as he scuttles forward until there is an abrupt hush. Tia freezes, unwilling to glance behind and her body resists as she tries to force herself. Before she can muster the nerve, the entity tackles Tia to the forest floor, latching onto her back. Tia flails frantically as it clamps over her limbs, each hand tightening a death grip onto her and pinning her in place with unnatural strength while her own limbs become leaden. 

"Get off!!" Tia roars with a broken voice, totally locked into place.

The creature leans behind her head and she hears it cackle, its jaw popping and body crunching as it heaves out air. Another hand grips the back of her neck. Tia experiences that same profound terror from the shadow nightmare, more intense and more real than the waking world. That same resonance hums in her chest and vibrates her soul. Tia grates out a scream as they resonate but with a simple gesture, the entity renders her mute. This time a wrenching, stinging sensation cleaves into Tia, growing frigid and clammy as it settles into her chest. 

"Stop running away," Tia's whole body quivers violently as he whispers into her ear, "Make them afraid."

Tia gasps awake, shooting up in her alarm. She trembles, running fingers over the skin he had gripped. She gasps as she tries to breath deeply and rationalize her experience as a dream. She is further jostled and nearly leaps out of bed hearing the floorboards squeak beside her. Rubbing her eyes, she realizes this is Ifani, out of bed and pacing the room. With a hand over her pounding heart, Tia sucks in a shuttering breath and her eyes dart to the window. The sky is still dark, no hint of dawn lightening the sky.

"What are you doing...!" Tia breathes, finally beginning to calm herself.

Ifani doesn't acknowledge Tia in any way, continuing to pace and even mumbling to herself. Tia slumps back into bed, a groan escaping her lips before she turns back over, unable to sleep between the nightmare and Ifani's pacing. 

Morning arrives and Tia feels less than rested. Ifani is already up, deft fingers flowing as she guides her hair into place. Tia slumps forward as she lifts herself out of bed, loosing a haggard breath before shuffling to her belongings. She tosses clothes aside mindlessly as she digs around for her aerial uniform and one of her shirts lands on Ifani's side of the room. Ifani stiffens immediately and begins stimming, tugging at her hair and humming to herself. Tia glances to her, furrowing her brows at Ifani's shift in behavior, but sighs and continues getting herself ready. A moment later, Tia is dressed, grumbling a farewell to Ifani and departing. 

Tia returns just before sunset and finds Ifani in the midst of whetting one of her own blades. Tia offers an amicable smile but this is short lived. The garment she had tossed aside that morning is lain across her bed, horribly singed and practically unwearable. 

"What hap-" Tia pauses, studying the damage before narrowing her eyes onto Ifani in disbelief, "Did you do this?" 

"Keep your shit," Ifani frowns, speaking clearly and deliberately, "On your side."

"You could have just moved it," Tia accuses her in a shrill tone, "You didn't have to burn anything!" Ifani's frown worsens but she remains silent, not acknowledging Tia's statement. Tia's hands shake as she grips the ruined cloth.  "Fine," Tia grumbles, "Whatever!" She storms out, having planned to meet up with Al after changing.

Ifani's shoulders drop and she releases a sigh in Tia's absence, frowning at herself. Later in the evening, Tia bustles through the door, slinging her boots into the corner and collapsing into bed with a huff. Not an hour later Ifani is up and pacing the room again, counting to herself. Tia grumbles and moans, covering her head with her own pillow and struggling to sleep again. The next night, Tia only drops by to change her clothes, sleeping in the cave again.

"I need your help," Ifani states, sliding into her seat across from Albert with an expression of discontent. 

"With...?" Albert question, looking her over. 

"Tia," Ifani states and Albert sighs. 

"You need to be more specific," Albert insists, waiting through Ifani's frown for her to continue. 

"She keeps..." Ifani pauses, "I can't-" she groans, pausing and flapping her hand for a nearly a minute, mulling over her choice of words, "Being roommates isn't working!" Ifani states more clearly, "She's driving me crazy and I... I need help figuring it out," she seems to soften after another sigh, "I want this to work."

"Okay," Albert answers simply, smothering his proud smile, "But... you're going to need to tell me what specifically is 'driving you crazy' first."

"Tia!" Albert calls out to her as she's about to enter the mess hall. She blinks at first but this quickly gives over to a sunny smile.

"Hey!" Tia answers, seemingly charged with enthusiasm despite some awkwardness, "What's, um, what's up?"

"I..." Albert draws out the word, "Wanted to talk to you about Ifani."

"Oh..." Tia peeps, her enthusiasm deflating, "What about her...?"

"Well, she told me you two were having some problems," Albert explains, Tia wincing, "And I'm sure you've noticed she isn't the best at talking about these things." 

"Problems?" Tia tries not to scoff, "I haven't slept through the night in that room once, Albert."

"Yeah..." Albert chuckles, Tia taken aback by his reaction, "That doesn't surprise me. Listen, can you walk with me for a minute?" Tia huffs but relents, walking the plaza with him, "If it's alright with you, I wanted to tell you a bit about Ifani," Tia nods in silent approval, despite her own reluctance, "I'm sure by now you've noticed that Ifani is a bit... different."

"I'm not really sure?" Tia answers with a shrug, earning considerable astonishment, and she gives a self depreciative laugh, "I'm not the best judge of what's normal."

"Hm," Albert hums and then smiles, "Maybe that's why she likes you!"

"She likes me," Tia scoffs, "Is that a joke?" 

"Let me try again," Albert continues, brushing off her rebuttal, "Ifani can be prickly, taciturn and harsh but," his face takes on a wistful expression, "That's because she's had to be. Ifani's been treated like there's something wrong with her her entire life!" Tia sucks in a breath and her eyes widen, "Nothing has been easy for her. And... yes, she can be a bit difficult to get close to but please believe me when I say she's the most honest and warm-hearted person you'll ever meet!"

"Albert," Tia answers a bit tentatively, "I would love to get to know Ifani but... she can't stand me!"

"You annoy her," Albert grants her that much, "But this is the first time I've seen her actually try to make things work with someone, besides me, in a long time. So..." he pauses their journey around the plaza, holding Tia's gaze, "If you're willing, I wanted to mediate these... roommate difficulties." 

"She..." Tia is hesitant to let herself hope, "Actually wants that? With me?"

"She probably hasn't even realized it herself," Albert chuckles, "But yeah, she wants to 'get to know' you too," Albert watches Tia's face light up, a gasp frozen in her chest, but before they can walk another step his face grows deathly serious, "But if you hurt her," Alert speaks with grim deliberation, "I will make you regret it." Tia's eyes widen at his unexpected shift at first but then mirrors his serious demeanor.

"I would never," Tia states clearly, "Intentionally hurt a friend." 

Albert's observation of Tia is precise, watching for any sign of deception or disingenuity, until he is totally satisfied and his expression softens. He gives a brief sigh, his lips finally curling into a smile.

"Okay!" Albert indicates, "Follow me then."

Ifani is waiting under Tia's favorite tree, ironically, looking to Albert as they arrive. Relief washes over her as Albert offers her a simple nod. They all settle under the tree, Ifani and Tia seeming unsure of how to begin. 

"I think," Albert starts instead, "The best way to go about this is to decide on some rules and boundaries."

"Boundaries?" Tia questions.

"Things you're uncomfortable with or cannot tolerate," Albert clarifies, "Ifani and I already discussed a few of hers. Is there anything you can think of right away?"

"The pacing," Tia blurts immediately, Ifani's scowl nearly as instant.

"What about the pacing?" Ifani grates.

"You do it in the middle of the night!" Tia complains with astonishment, "It keeps me awake."

"And you never wake me up?" Ifani complains with her own accusatory tone, "You come back late every night and slug everything around like a boar!"

"Because I'm tired," Tia emphasizes her point with an exhausted tone, "Tired because you keep waking me up!"

"Okay!" Albert interjects, silencing the both of them, "Tia, can you can be quieter when you return if Ifani stops keeping you up?"

Tia deflates but nods her agreement.

"I need to pace," Ifani insists, digging in her heels, and they all fall silent. Tia contemplates with a grim expression, nearly popping off the ground when she has an idea.

"Can you," Tia questions carefully, "Pace in the hallway?"

"I..." Ifani blinks, surprised by Tia's creativity, "Yes. That's fine."

"Great!" Albert breathes, "What else?"

After another hour, Albert has scribbled down a list both Tia and Ifani could agree on. Ifani primarily wanting Tia to respect her space and silence during her routines while Tia requests better communication of Ifani's boundaries and, above all, no burning Tia or her belongings. Sunset begins reaching over the plaza and their bellies are empty. Albert and Ifani rise, facing the mess hall, but Ifani pauses to turn to Tia.

"Well?" Ifani nearly barks and Tia blinks at her, confused, "Let's eat!"

Tia's eyes widen and her mouth hangs open. Albert grins at Ifani, before his eyes land on Tia as well. Tia beams brighter than the setting sun and she scrambles to her feet enthusiastically, the three of them departing together.

Favor for Favor

Annie's shoulder's raise and drop as she huffs, sliding through the door of her apartment and clicking it shut gratefully. Aside from her apprenticeships and classes, she had spent much of the day tinkering away in her workshop until the rest of the world was all but forgotten. She unclips her garish alabaster cloak and hangs it in place by the door quickly followed by her goggles and gloves. She kicks off her boots as well and unties her hair, combing out stubborn tangles with her fingers.

Annie shuffles forward into the dark room and runs her shin into the corner of some table almost immediately. Grumbling criticism for her own stupidity, Annie snaps her fingers and a bundle of flame comes to life. She cradles it in her palm while she searches out a home for it.

"'At's a neat trick," Euan sounds, causing Annie to jump and the fire in her hand to flicker.

Annie gestures with a waving motion and the flame splits into four smaller embers, spreading out around the room and lingering in place. She finds Euan is making himself comfortable in her armchair with his feet propped on the coffee table.

"Oh shit...!" Annie gasps with start followed by a harsh sigh, "Were you there the whole time??"

"Aye," Euan smirks, "Was enjoying th' show. Yer pretty clumsy!"

"Not all of us can see in the dark," Annie pouts but quickly finds herself smiling again, "I wasn't sure you'd show up!"

"An' I wasn't sure I had th' right place," Euan answers, his eyes glazing over the room, "All o' this yers?"

Annie's apartment has an open layout, no single room fully cut off from the rest. Besides the living room there is a study, workshop, alchemy station and even kitchen. Adjacent to her kitchen is a balcony with a number of plants set out to sun, transforming the space into a cozy nook. The state of the apartment itself could be described as eclectic at best or a disarranged jumble at worst. Even in her off time, Annie finds herself studying and experimenting on blending ancient forms or different schools of magic not quite as endorsed by her peers or instructors.

Stacks of obtuse or even occult books are strewn about, leaving gaps on her many bookshelves, and tools for implementing their contents lay nearby. Annie has her own system for sorting and navigating her belongings which few could follow but she is also generally messy by nature. All manner of clothing, papers, trinkets or general clutter are scattered throughout her rooms. The apartment itself is lavishly furnished and it's clear these rooms were designed for comfort above all else contrasting the practical rooms of ordinary recruits.

"Thankfully," Annie huffs, "It's all mine. It's about the only place I get any privacy..."

"'at why ye asked me here?" Euan chirps, giving her that crooked smile, "Fur something private?"

"Oh...!" Annie gasps, her face heating immediately. The little flames hovering about the room also flare briefly.

"Or did ye want t' get yer hands on another sample?" Euan jests.

"I mean, I wouldn't be opposed," Annie answers a bit timidly, eying Euan like a guilty pleasure, "B-but I actually had something else in mind!"

"I've got a few things in mind," Euan continues flirting, "Right here, over there, or maybe we'll make it to the bedroom, if ye can keep up..."

Euan wasn't sure what to expect of her invitation tonight, testing his luck to try and gauge her intentions. And while she seems receptive, her imagination clearly tickled by the scene he's painted, Annie is also visibly flustered so Euan decides to let off the pressure. 

"But first Am gonnae pester ye about those enchantments again," Euan suggests.

"Yes!" Annie pops, the shift sorely needed as she resists fanning her burning face and sordid imagination, "IIII~ actually had a proposition for you, depending on how many enchantments you needed."

"About..." Euan tallies briefly, "Five or six. Some kind o' shadow-sight gear fur ma unit-mates."

"That's perfect!" Annie chimes, surprising Euan who thought it quite the ask, "How's this then: for each piece you'll owe me a favor?"

"A favor?" Euan questions, popping a brow at the ambiguous offer, "Whit kind o' favor?"

"Nothing nefarious!" Annie assures him, "Just little things. Like... helping me sneak out sometimes... introducing me to friends. Maybe showing me around the shadow plane?"

"Sneak out?" Euan echoes, his eyes drifting to her front door. She was hardly chained inside, "Whit for?"

This extracts a tired sigh from the little mage. She decides to make herself more comfortable in the living room, plopping down on the sofa.

"You may not have noticed," Annie explains, eking out frustration, "But I'm on a very short leash. I don't get to go anywhere without Lumi or security or some other mage right on my heels. They watch everything I do, everything I say, judge my every waking move! It all has to be appropriate or proper or according to schedule—that damn schedule!"

"Shite on a stick," Euan gripes, "Whit are ye, a princess?"

"Hardly. It's just..." Annie dismisses, shifting uncomfortably, "Different for mages. We're too valuable to the kingdom, especially those of us with the skill to enchant. There just aren't enough of us."

"So yer their wee songbird," Euan remarks, gazing at her quarters again and seeing it for what it is, "If yer not happy why sing for em at all?"

"I love magic," Annie answers, almost bittersweet, "I love what I do. Besides, things can get much worse for me if I don't play along. They have... something I can't leave behind."

"Alright, alright," Euan sounds, hands going up, "I won't press ye fur th' details. Yer not up fur running away wi' me," he jests, Annie nearly pouting, "Sneaking ye out fur a bit o' fun is easy enough. I ken a sweet deal when I see one!"

"You'll do it??" Annie gasps, delighted, and already her mind whirs with the bits and bobs of her newest project, "I'll need more samples from you to make the gear you want, one for each piece, and the gear you want enchanted."

"Do these take a long time to make?" Euan questions with concern. 

"Ahhah. Ordinarily... yes. But your working with the best!" Annie readily brags, "It should only take me a day or so to finish each item outside of my other duties. But..." she hesitates, "Samples don't hold for very long with the equipment I have here. So, realistically, I'll need you to come back several times to collect a sample for each one." 

Annie's face tightens, worried this may be too demanding or invasive. To her surprise, Euan is far from displeased.

"Yer asking me t' sneak in here every night?" Euan's voice deepens suggestively, an ardent grin igniting his face as he holds her eyes. Feeling emboldened, Euan rises from his perch and closes the distance between them. With her heart hammering away in her chest, Euan leans over Annie and places a hand on each side of the couch behind her. His breath is on her cheeks as he entreats her, his lips dropping into a sly smirk, "If 'at's what ye want, take yer sample. Or we don't have to stop there, I could give ye th' whole thing!"

"Ah...!" Annie gasps, flushing instantly.

She masks her burning face with her hands but Euan can still see the scarlet hue on her ears. Then her hesitation shifts, Annie's hands hovering just out of reach of him. Ginger curls peek from his collar and his smell fills her nose, eroding her self control. The flames occupying the corners of the room flare voraciously, flickering across Euan's face and causing Annie to gasp in sudden apprehension. 

It is with this wavering of light and Annie's gasp which triggers a trilling growl and yelping bark from the bedroom. A black form rises from her bed as Euan glances over, causing him to recoil back as it leaps towards them. It bounds down and through the apartment before dashing up Annie's body, wrapping itself over and clasping to her shoulder.

"Oh stop, you're clearly no guardian. We have a guest and you didn't even notice until now!" Annie chides her and scratches at her head, the creature leaning into the motion and seeming extremely satisfied, "You're so spoiled."

"Is 'at a... baby dragon?" Euan questions, eying the beast as he settles back into his seat, stifling his own disappointment.

The creature is an amalgamation of draconic and canine features, not much bigger than a puppy. It's scales are ultramarine while its fur is black, patches of its body covered by one or the other. Most of its body is draconic including its horns, neck, hands, wings and tail while its face, ears and torso are lupine. These features blend together surprisingly well but, as it was clearly still quite young, it's also rather cute.

"Sort of," Annie chuckles, "We're not really sure what she is. Found her myself before becoming a mage, back when I lived in the Chain," the creature eyes Euan while Annie is talking, "She follows me wherever I travel. They think she'll become my familiar when she gets older but-"

The creature leaps suddenly and lands on Euan's chest. Euan stiffens, freezing up while the creature leers into his eyes and sniffs him.

"Bubbles!" Annie scolds, shuffling to her feet to grab her.

Before Annie can reach them, Bubbles licks Euan's face in one long motion before circling and settling on his lap. Annie and Euan gape at her in astonishment until Annie chirps with laughter. 

"She like this wi' everyone?" Euan question, regarding Bubbles' delighted eyes.

"No, not at all," Annie marvels, "Usually she's fussy and churlish," Annie leers into Bubbles' eyes, her own gaining a faint gleam, "Ahhhh, okay," she breathes light laughter into her words, Euan raising an eyebrow, "She says you 'smell like home'."

"'She says'?" Euan squints and Annie draws in a breath.

"Uhhh," Annie hesitates and her voice goes up a pitch, "Just a bit of beastmastery." 

"Yer an enchantress..." Euan questions carefully, "And a beastmaster?"

"I," Annie draws out the word, "Am a woman of many skills. For now let's focus on enchantment?" Euan observes her, tightened by discomfort and anxiety, and decides to let it go.

"Alright," Euan rolls the word out, scratching Bubbles' chin as Annie uncoils in relief, "Did ye call her 'Bubbles'?" Euan questions with his own amusement. This earns him a swift and heated blush from Annie.

"I-I was really young when I named her!" Annie's face burns even hotter as Euan cackles. 

"Weel," Euan continues, scratching Bubbles behind her ear, "Why don't we get started?"

"Yes, please," Annie breathes, grateful for the diversion. Surprising Euan, she plucks the sample from before from her pockets.

"So how's that," Euan questions, pointing to the spool, "Help ma unit-mate see in th' dark?"

"First," Annie explains readily, "I'm going to stitch this thread into the gloves. With the right patterns, and a bit of my own energy, the right effect will be instilled into the fabric. Normally I might throw in a glyph but..." she huffs as if disappointed, "Its probably better I keep this enchantment simple. I don't know your unit-mate's tolerance or strategy."

"Well I only got th' first bit," Euan chortles, "Yer just gunnae sow th' magic thread into th' gloves?'

"Yeah," Annie titters cheerily, "That's the short of it."

"Mind if I hang around then?" Euan asks, recapturing her attention, "Ye got a comfortable place an'," he pauses to smirk at her, "I like seeing yer face."

"Oh, uh..." Annie feels her breath catch and face heat, trying not to freeze up again, "Th-that's fine," she answers and manages a smile, her eyes drifting to her beast companion, "I think that'd make Bubbles' night!"

Bound

Plucky, mild notes ring as gently as the breeze brushing through the plaza, a welcome sound to Tia and Ifani after a long day of practice. Albert's tune is slow but soothing and both girls appreciate it silently, lounging beneath Tia's favored tree and staring aimlessly as they listen. The notes aren't particularly loud, produced from a simple lap harp which was among a number of smaller instruments Albert keeps in his oversized satchel. Despite the pleasant afternoon, Tia's mind still lingers on their intruder and his effect on her. She sighs, making up her mind.

"Albert," Tia questions and he hums in response while keeping his eyes on the chords, "Do you know anything about... memory loss?"

"You need to be more specific," Albert answers, Ifani simultaneously imitating him and his tone.

All eyes jump to Ifani, grinning at him and seeming pleased with herself. Albert pauses his melody and tries to leer at her but finds himself unable to stifle his smile. He continues plucking away at his instrument.

"It was really small at first," Tia explains, her face scrunching, "I felt like I was forgetting something important and my head felt fuzzy if I tried too hard to remember, so I let it go. But it got worse when I saw him."

"Him... who...?" Albert asks, tilting his head.

"That creep you chased down?" Ifani questions, garnering surprise from Albert as he glances between them. Tia nods, pressing her lips together. 

"When I saw his face, I remembered... talking to him I think?" Tia shrugs, uncertain what it is she saw, "But it made me feel really terrible and I think there's a lot more I can't remember."

Albert sets his instrument aside and Tia watches the ivory markings of his form slide down to frame his face, even locks of his hair taking a pearly gleam as he runs what he knows through his mind. 

"It sounds like you've had a memory, or memories, bound," Albert explains as the marks fade away.

"Bound?" Tia echoes, still quite unfamiliar with magic terminology.

"Someone with a Binding kaithur," Albert specifies, "A kind of mental magic, bound these memories deep within your mind, cutting off your access to them."

"Someone can do that...?" Tia gasps in disbelief. 

"It's a nasty trick," Ifani cuts in with a scowl, "Most mental magic is," her eyes move back to Albert, catching his pout and snorting, "Yours is different! You don't mess with other people's heads."

"Then how do I..." Tia glances to Albert with a confounded and disconcerted expression, "How do I get them back?"

"Well," Albert sighs, "Usually you need the caster to release the effect or at least someone with the same ability. But," he gives her a serious look, "You don't know what what kind of binding it is."

"What kind?" Tia questions, a growing feeling of alarm knotting her stomach.

"Which aspect," Albert clarifies, "Certain emotions and memories are tied to different mental aspects. I have a binding manifestation but it works differently than most others—I can only bind my own memories with Kanilwyr's ability. You need a caster of the same aspect as the one who bound you to release it."

"How many mental aspects are there?" Tia asks in a higher tone, quickly seeing her options drying up.

"Thirteen," Albert answers hesitantly.

"Oh..." Tia squeaks, her gaze dropping as she considers this seemingly insurmountable task, "Well, can I force myself to remember?"

"I wouldn't suggest it," Albert answers with a grimace, "I don't know what kind of damage that might cause."

"Albert's right," Ifani adds, "You looked half-dead just from seeing his face!" 

Tia deflates, closing her eyes and her shoulders drooping. Ifani and Albert glance to each other at this reaction. Albert can see Ifani's determination already, her eyes resting on Tia again touched by concern but also by a hint of something else. Albert dons the gentlest of smiles, loosing a huff before speaking again. 

"Give me a bit of time to look into it," Albert states with confidence, Tia's wide eyes eyes flitting to him, "There's likely another way to work around it."

"What?" Tia gasps, rushing to deny him, "Y-you don't have to do that! Answering my questions is already enough."

"What are you talking about?" Ifani scowls at her, "Some bastard cut off your memories and you just want to drop it?"

"I mean, no," Tia answers, tripping over her words and furrowing her brows, "I just- I mean you two have helped me enough already!" she twists her hands together in her lap, feeling ingratiated, "It's-It's my problem, you have no reason to-"

"Tia," Albert interrupts gently, Tia meeting his eyes, "We want to help. That's what friends do."

Tia's eyes well up instantly and as she looks to Ifani too, she finds the same concern and certainty.

"Okay," Tia responds with almost a gasp and gives them both a grateful smile, practically leaking exuberance, "Thank you!"

"So..." Albert looks to Ifani, "What's this about Tia chasing someone down?"

"Some asshole broke into our room," Ifani complains readily.

"What?" Albert gapes.

Tia listens only faintly, wondering what she could do to thank them. Just sitting here with them so casually felt like more than she could ask for.

"And then Tia shoots out the window after him like a total badass!" Tia laughs at her description, "Swooping after him across the compound," she gestures with her hands and then looks to Tia, "If you're half that agile in a fight, our unit might just work out!"

"Well, she really does have the ideal build," Albert slides right into his explanation, "For merlin features! These falcons specialize in hunting other birds," Tia still finds herself trying to figure out a way to thank them as he rambles, "Skilled in tail-chasing and even harassing larger raptors! Her father was too large for those kinds of tactics, taking more after-"

"Oh!" Tia exclaims suddenly, Albert falling silent as they both look to her, "My dad, that's right!" 

"You're dad...?" Albert questions, both teens at a loss.

"Y-you're both helping me out so much," Tia tries to explain, "So as a thank you... um. We all have tomorrow off before we leave the valley and I've heard everyone talking about visiting their families. I-I don't know what your plans are but..."

"But...?" Albert echoes. 

"But," Tia continues with a measure of uncertainty, "If you want, you're both more than welcome to drop by the manor?" Tia offers looking between them, "Ifani can meet my dad before we leave, if she still wants to," Albert's brows shoot up and Tia wonders if she's overextended herself, "Unless that's too weird?"

Ifani springs up and paces rapidly, flapping both hands before her face. Tia sucks in a breath and looks to Albert with an apology readied. Yet Albert is grinning. After a few more paces, Ifani turns back to them and her excited expression surpasses even Tia's exuberance a few minutes earlier!