Chapter 9
After a much-needed meal the group made their way back down to Cindy's garage, where she had been working dutifully with her grandfather to construct the airship. Making a brand-new airship from scratch was an endeavor that would normally have taken several months, but fortunately this was not the situation they found themselves in. Cindy's flying machine was primarily composed of Magitek hardware salvaged from a variety of Niflheim machines, integrated into a hull that was stitched together from a rather wide swathe of sources - cars, trucks, construction equipment, and whatever else could be found and dragged down into the subterranean garage.
Cid was a master of the craft and very talented with bodywork, and so despite the fact that the phrase 'hodge-podge' would be a technically accurate way to describe the emerging vessel's origins, it would be a disservice to describe it in such a manner. In fact, there was something strangely pleasant about the way the machine looked - and Cid assured them that "a good coat of paint is all she needs to ditch that scrappy look".
When Noctis presented the power core, Cindy could hardly believe her eyes and quickly excused herself to work on getting it installed into the craft while the others caught up on what was left to do.
Cid looked over the craft, nodding towards it as he watched Cindy climb inside. "I reckon it should take me and Cindy a couple more days to get this thing fit for flying, assuming it all works like we expect. Doesn't exactly mean you'll be ready to go though," he said, turning back towards them. "The storm and toxins around that Adamantoise will shred just about anything that flies too close, I've watched enough of them fool Imperials through my binoculars to know that. Of course, I don't reckon that fact's escaped you boys, has it?"
Noctis nodded. "Yeah, we remember. I wasn't sure what to do about it at first, but on our trip up to Formouth Velcia was able to block the storm with one of her spells. Think you'd be able to protect the airship like that, Vel?"
Velcia folded her hands in front of her. "It may be possible, but I believe we should try something else. As you saw on our trip with the Chocobo, I had to sustain the spell continuously and was unable to do much of anything else. As this is a passive spell meant to protect an area, I believe we would be better served crafting a magic lamp that can project the enchantments for us."
"Woah, a magic lamp?" Prompto interjected, balling his hands into fists excitedly. "Will it have a genie inside it?" he asked, quickly ducking back and away as Gladiolus raised a hand as if to smack him.
Velcia shook her head with a chuckle. "No, I do not believe so. I am not sure what a genie is… but the magic lamp is essentially like a candle that projects enchantments."
Gladiolus nodded enthusiastically. "That's great. If we had a repeat of that incident with the Invisible while we were in a toxic cloud…"
Velcia winced, shaking her head grimly. "Yes, that is precisely what made me think of this solution. It will probably take me a day or two to synthesize and brew the potions I'll need to fuel a lamp casting a spell of this intensity, but if the ship has a few days of work left then hopefully I will be able to do so without holding anybody up," Velcia said.
Cid rubbed his hand on his chin. "Magic lamps, huh? What d'ya need to do to build something like that?"
Velcia put a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure what I would use here, I will need to look and see what I can find. At home I either use bottles, or have clay jars made for me. It shouldn't require anything too complicated."
Cid pulled on the open edges of his jacket, a twinkle in his eye. "Tell you what, you gather what you need for your potions and when you're ready, come meet with me. Most of what's left on the airship is more Cindy's line of work anyway, and I reckon helping you put together them magic lamps'll be a better use of my time at this juncture."
Velcia couldn't help but smile at this sudden display of enthusiasm from the normally gruff old man. "Thank you, Cid."
Ignis waggled his finger thoughtfully, turning towards her. "Miss Velcia, what manner of supplies will you need for your potion synthesis?"
"Well, to brew them I will need some sort of a pot or a cauldron. As for the components themselves… While I do have a decent amount of potion ingredients in-hand, I fear not enough for what I will need to make. I will likely need to spend some time finding a way to gather additional supplies," she said.
Noctis bobbed his head. "Alright then, Ignis, you want to help Velcia gather what she needs for the potions, and the rest of us can help out with the airship?"
"Just the plan I'd thought to suggest myself," Ignis agreed. "Though I recommend we regroup and tackle these objectives in the morning."
"Works for me," Gladiolus said with a yawn.
Noctis glanced around among the group, then suddenly began to look around with some confusion. "Hey, where'd Prompto run off to?"
Cid laughed, jerking his head towards the airship. "Where do you think?"
"Heh. Well, make sure Cindy knows she can kick him out when he overstays his welcome," Noctis said, shaking his head.
"She knows. But, I gotta say, that boy's been learnin' to find ways to be useful. Might make a grease rat outta him yet," Cid said with a smirk. "But you all go get some rest, ain't a short trip here from Cotisse and I reckon yer all due for some shut-eye."
"Yeah, I'm bushed," Noctis agreed.
Velcia bowed softly. "Yes, I'd better go get some rest as well. Have a good night, please."
"Same t' you all," Cid replied with a wave good-bye.
As they walked back up the ramp, Ignis slowed to the back to walk beside Velcia, and when Noctis and Gladiolus had pulled ahead a ways he spoke up. "Miss Velcia, in respect to your recent issues with resting, I thought it prudent to let you know that you need not rush yourself tomorrow on my account. I will have many other things that I can work on to occupy my time, should you need extra rest."
"Thank you, Ignis," she said with a sigh, looking up at the darkening sky. "I do hope everything goes well tonight. I have some idea of how to craft the spell we talked about last night."
Ignis rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do let me know how it goes. May I presume that your conversation with Noct earlier pertained to this subject?"
"Yes, you may," Velcia chuckled. "We discussed a little bit more than that, but he did say he will pass my questions on to Lady Lunafreya as soon as someone named Umbra comes to visit."
"Ah, not 'someone', per se," Ignis told her. "Umbra is the Lady Lunafreya's messenger; he appears as a large, wolf-like dog. I am not entirely sure how, but he is able to travel freely where he pleases and helps the Lady deliver messages.
"That sounds incredible!" Velcia replied, trying to imagine what such a creature could look like. "Well, I will try to see if I can help the Star tonight with my magic and tomorrow I shall write a letter for Lady Lunafreya. I do hope that we will be able to find a way to help it."
Ignis stopped walking, and looked up towards the moon. "It is very peculiar to me that this Star did not appear until you arrived here on Eos. It sounds unlike any phenomenon I've heard of before."
Velcia let out a heavy sigh. "I've never heard of anything like it, either. Regardless… I must do my best to find a solution. I will let you know tomorrow if the new spell helps at all. Where shall we meet?"
"I imagine that tomorrow morning I will most likely be at Cindy's until lunch time. Come by there when you are ready," he told her.
She gave a small, thankful bow. "I will. Goodnight, Ignis."
"Ah, Miss Velcia, one last thing," he said as she turned; she stopped and looked back towards him curiously. "If your encounter with the Star tonight goes poorly, and you find you would like some company… I am available to assist as needed."
Velcia paused, a small smile slowly forming at the edge of her mouth. "Oh… thank you, Ignis. I will certainly keep that in mind."
He nodded. "Of course. I will see you in the morning, then."
Velcia waved one last goodbye, and walked back to her trailer. She was still worried about her next encounter with the Star, but hopeful nonetheless. No matter what happened, she thought, it was going to be an interesting night.
When Velcia awoke in the Station of Awakening she felt her adrenaline kick in full-force. She believed she knew what to expect this time, and was feeling more confident than usual thanks to her plan. She stood up and turned around in-place to get an understanding of her position this time. There was some Darkness bubbling around the edges of the platform as usual, but neither the Star or its dark form could be seen yet.
Velcia summoned Love's Inheritance to hand and, grasping the handle with both hands, she held it close to her chest. She focused on the spells she needed to combine, feeling for the magic energy in the Keyblade. As expected, the Keyblade seemed to be in-tune with her intentions intuitively, and with a sudden warm glow she found the spell preparing itself easily. Velcia paid careful attention as the unique energies of the spells wove together, guiding and augmenting the base elements as they did so until she felt certain that she had the new spell formed just as she thought it should be.
Opening her eyes, she pointed her key out and away from herself. A warm beam of light shot out from the Keyblade's tip, with smaller particles of green energies swirling around it and casting a shining, shimmering glow out across one of the lurking dark puddles. The Darkness hissed and evaporated, and much to Velcia's surprise the color in the platform in the targeted area began to glow more vibrantly than before, as if it had itself been healed.
She was closer and knelt down, running her hand across the glassy surface curiously. "Is the platform alive…? I suppose, if this is a representation of my heart… it would make some sense."
She turned around again, looking for the little Star to no avail. Velcia then looked up to the sky, seeing the faint outline of the other platform far in the distance. She looked at this for a moment, the tip of her tongue between her lips as she considered whether she should try to find the phantom staircase that led her to it; but decided against this. There was still too much about this other platform that she did not yet understand, and in her experience the Star did inevitably seem to find her here.
She sat down, cross-legged with her Keyblade resting across her lap, and closed her eyes. There was so much about this place that she did not understand, and now that she was in a position where she needed to wait here for a time she found these many questions began to fruitlessly burn in her mind.
After some time, a sound like raindrops could be heard slowly pattering around her. Velcia opened her eyes to see that once again Darkness was raining down across the platform, and knew that it was time. She stood up tall and created a shield around herself, watching the darkness and waiting.
As she anticipated, some of the goo began to clump together and take shape, bubbling up once more into the unsettling human-like form she'd seen the last two nights. Though she could not see it, she could unmistakably sense the heart of the Star inside.
"Little Star, I want to help you," she called out to the silent form. "I haven't known how on my previous visits, but now I have an idea. I know this might seem frightening, but please, stay strong."
The Star's dark form made no acknowledgement of her words, and once again began its painfully slow, deliberate, plodding trek towards her. Velcia clenched her teeth, hoping she was doing the right thing, and held her Keyblade out with both hands once more. The brilliant light and swirling magic of the Purge spell shot out and struck true on the dark form; and the Darkness ignited and began to burn furiously.
Velcia winced as the flames began to spurt, but the Heart inside felt as if it were growing stronger despite this and so she kept on. Beams of pure white light began to shoot out through cracks in the darkness, and before long the little Star was floating free in the air as the remainder of the dark sludge melted down and burned away on the ground.
The little Star grew brighter and brighter, stronger and stronger, puffs and plumes of smoke spraying out as more deeply ingrained Darkness was purged from the Star's heart. At last, the Star began to shine so brightly that it became blinding, and Velcia raised a hand to cover her eyes.
A deafening sound rang out through the Station, unlike anything she'd ever heard. It was like a deep echoing chime mixed with the great snap of shattering glass. She lowered her Keyblade and opened her eyes, the world around her seemingly fading away as she began to awaken back in her trailer. But, before the station fully disappeared from view, she could distinctly see two bright, shining Stars.
She blinked, trying to focus on them, but it was no use - all she could see now was the ceiling in her bedroom. She lay perfectly still as her senses normalized, and slowly tightened her fingers on the plush blankets underneath her.
Velcia sat up slowly, looking around the room with a sense of perplexed relief. She was not sure exactly what had happened or why there would now be two Stars, but she was overcome with a sense of serenity. She began to tremble once more, not with fear but excitement, and a very sleepy, goofy smile crept across her face.
"I think it worked!"
Velcia awoke the next morning feeling very chipper. The great sense of relief she'd found after her efforts in the Station had helped her to sleep much more soundly and, though she was still tired, she was feeling more well-rested than she had in days. There was a bit of pep in her step as she got up and out of bed, enjoying a renewed sense of optimism.
She found some paper and pens on a shelf and brought them to the dining table, sitting down eagerly to begin to pen her letter to Lunafreya. She wasn't sure when she'd get another opportunity to write it, and felt it best to start when the details were still very much fresh on her mind.
Though the spell she'd used on the little Star did seem to have had a positive effect, Velcia did not believe for a moment that the Darkness was going to be gone for good; and she was careful to remind herself that, until she had a chance to visit the other platform in the Station, she really couldn't say for sure whether she'd truly purged the Darkness at all.
The letter, which Noctis surely expected to be something brief, ended up a few pages long. Velcia didn't feel it proper to go into such intimate detail about her problems without at least introducing herself, and expressing an appreciation for the help, and then while she was at it thought she should ask how Lunafreya was faring in such troubling times. It wasn't until Velcia finally got to the end of her letter and went to fold the papers that the thought came to her that it was perhaps a bit excessive, but decided that if it were Noctis would let her know.
Once finished with the letter, Velcia began to prepare her battle dress for the day. She cleaned it carefully, noting pleasantly that the deep gouges and scuffs from the trip North seemed to be healing of their own accord, no doubt thanks to the enchantments imbued into it. Outfits made by the Good Fairies had an unbeatable longevity, to be sure. As Velcia began to prepare to wear it the thought crossed her mind that she was not likely to be traveling or battling this day as she would be spending the majority of her day making potions. Surely, today, she could afford to wear something else.
So she put away the battle dress, and rummaged quickly through her pack for her usual green robes. They went on comfortably, and she felt very much more at home.
Next, she retrieved an old wooden chest from her magic storage, this being the box she used to store her potion ingredients. It had been a while since she'd looked through it, and longer still since she'd stocked it, and so she spent some time reviewing the contents and familiarizing herself with both what she had and what she felt she needed.
Velcia looked over her list with a sigh, shaking her head. She wasn't sure where or if she would be able to find any of these things, but hoped that at the very least she might be able to find suitable substitutes and make do regardless.
Satisfied with her preparation for the time being, Velcia made her way over to Cindy's shop. The rolling gate they usually used was closed, but the loud sounds of fabrication and metalwork could be heard clearly from within. Velcia descended the ramp and found a smaller access door off to the side and away from the rolling gate and, finding it to be unlocked, she went in.
Upon entering, Velcia found herself in a room of the garage she had not seen before. A great many machines and devices were strewn about the room in varying states. These were not complete vehicles, but larger components that were installed into them; and almost all of them were incomplete. Some of them had bins and carts around them with smaller parts piled haphazardly in them, and still others were surrounded by shelves of items that were much more carefully laid out. To someone familiar with such things, the room was clearly organized between components that were being built and those that were being disassembled or used as donors; but Velcia was not such a person and so to her the room seemed to be in an unintelligible state of chaos.
Cid saw Velcia enter, and came over to greet her. She'd been so distracted by the trove of machines around her that she'd entirely failed to notice him until he spoke up. "Morning, Velcia. You ready for our little project?"
Velcia perked up and turned towards him with some excitement.. "Good morning, Cid. I am certainly ready to get started, but if I may ask, what do you mean by 'project'?"
Cid spun a wrench around idly in his hand. "Well, I've just got a couple ideas floating around in my head after you mentioned making a magic lamp. First thing I wanted to do today was ask you to explain, or better yet show me, what exactly you do to make a thing like that."
"Oh, certainly. Is there a table that I may use?" Velcia asked, looking around the cluttered space.
"Yeah, got a space picked out and ready to go over here," he said, motioning her to follow him. "You said you needed some sort of setup to brew the potions, if I recall. Got a fairly large smeltin' vat set up over here. Maybe a bit overkill for brewin', but it oughta do what you need. And this here is yer work station."
Cid stopped and motioned towards a table in the corner near a large vat, which Velcia began to examine with great interest. The table was quite large and made with a metal frame, which was filled out with wooden planks. These were all different colors and conditions and some had splotches of paint or grease that cut off abruptly at the edges of the panels with no carryover to their neighbors; clearly these planks had been replaced as needed for quite some time.
Next, she turned her attention to the large iron vat. It hung on a pivot between two thick metal supports that held it above what appeared to be a very high-intensity burner, and on the side of the vat was a lever to pour the contents out. On the floor in front of the vat was a large basin with a drain at the bottom, which was currently stopped up. Velcia knew that this basin was positioned such that if she were to pour the contents out of the vat, it would all go directly into the basin.
Velcia nodded approvingly. "Yes, I believe I should be able to make everything I need in this space. Thank you, Cid."
"Don't mention it. If you need more table or any other containers let me know," Cid told her.
Velcia summoned her brewing chest into an empty space on the floor and opened it up, grabbing a few items from inside. On the table she set a small glass jar and a lid with a thick rope running through a perfectly-sized hole in the middle.
"This is really the most basic way I can make a magic lamp," Velcia explained. "I fill the jar with a basic potion, different types depending on what spell I want to use, and then I enchant this wick with a specially crafted spell," she said, filling the jar with a thick blue potion as she did. Velcia picked up the lid and held one end of the wick in each hand. "If I enchant this with, for example, a purification spell," her hands glowed softly, energy flowing through her fingers and saturating the rope. "Then, I attach the lid. Once the enchanted wick contacts the potion, the spell is powered and will be cast for the duration of the potion."
Saying so, she screwed the lid to the jar. The wick began to glow a gentle green, and magic particles began to swirl slowly out from the jar until they'd created a bubble around them, about six or so feet across. "Of course, this is a rather small magic lamp with a rather small amount of potion. For what we're wanting to do, I believe I'll need something substantially larger."
Cid nodded knowingly, a twinkle of excitement in his eye once more. "Right, I think I get the basics. You use yer potion as the fuel, the rope is a wick, and yer enchantment's the flame. D'ya have to use rope in specific for it?"
Velcia shook her head. "No, I don't. One of the differences between these spell lamps and a normal fire lamp is that the 'wick' is not consumed by the spell, it merely embodies the enchantment. The wick can be made of many different types of materials, and indeed it will be best to choose the material used based on what sort of spell it is that we are trying to cast."
Cid nodded along thoughtfully, hands to his chin. "Simple 'nuff, I think. Well, tell ya what, don't you worry yerself about making the magic lamps just yet. I got some ideas I'd like to try out, I'll be working on 'em over there,'' he paused, pointing to another workbench along the adjacent wall about halfway across the room. Then, he turned back towards her and motioned towards a set of tall, thin canisters a short distance from the vat. "For now, how about you make as much of that fuel potion as you can and fill up these canisters. They can hold more than they seem and'll be good for transportin'."
Velcia looked at the canisters, intrigued and amused. They were nearly as tall as she was, and she was very excited to begin working in such an interesting environment. "I'm so very curious to see what you plan to try. I believe I have enough ingredients with me to create one large batch of potion, so I will do that first and get an idea of how much more I will need to brew. After that, I suppose I will need to find a way to gather more ingredients."
"Sounds good to me. Let me know if I can do anythin' to help ya," Cid said, turning to go work on his idea.
Hands to her hips, Velcia began to inspect the workstation to prepare for her project. The vat had a water spout hanging from the wall above, so she opened the valve and began to fill it. The next thing to catch her attention was a large, red button on the side of one of the vat's support towers. This button was labeled 'IGNITION' and featured a graphic of a large flame, with a triangle-shaped stripe of caution tape around it. Velcia pressed this and nearly jumped out of her sandals, startled by the great coughing 'fwoosh!' as the mighty fire burst to life underneath the cauldron.
She watched this for a moment with some trepidation, until the fire calmed down and she found herself assured that it would not be a danger to her. Once the vat was filled to her satisfaction, she closed the water valve and left it to boil.
Next, she began to prepare her potion ingredients. She held each one carefully, closing her eyes and inspecting it thoroughly with her magical senses. For many of these, she would hold them firmly between the palms of her hands and infuse them with additional magic energies; some fortifying the potency of elements already within and for others she introduced new aspects. Once she was satisfied with their elemental composition, she would toss them into the boiling pot.
Near the end of this process, the rolling gate in the next room began to open and a chorus of excited chatter began to fill the space. Prompto and Gladiolus could be heard joking, and Velcia presumed Noctis and Ignis were probably present as well; but she needed to keep to task and finish adding the rest of the ingredients.
Once the final components to the potion had been added, she grabbed a large metal paddle and began to stir the concoction slowly. The various components began to dissolve, and she nodded with satisfaction.
"Ah, Miss Velcia, good to see you here," Ignis greeted as he entered the room. "Getting an early start on your brewing?"
"Good morning, Ignis!" Velcia greeted, smiling over her shoulder. "I'm making one batch for now, yes. I will need to go find more ingredients later, if I am to brew any more than this."
Ignis came up beside the large vat and peered inside, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I do hope that you'll be able to find what you need. Many basic resources in Leide are increasing in scarcity."
Velcia's head bobbed slowly. "Yes, I suspected it may be hard to find the ideal ingredients. I am hopeful that I can find things that are at least well enough to make do, and enhance them as needed."
She watched as the final solid remnants swirled around in the boiling water, stepped back, and summoned her Keyblade. One hand gripping the handle, the other gently grabbing the tip of the blade, she held it out lengthwise over the vat. The Keyblade began to glow brightly, and particles of energy swirled across the blade. The luminous mist became thicker and thicker, until it began to form into drop-like pearls of light and plop softly into the brew below. As they did, the glow of the potion-in-progress began to take a deep blue hue.
Ignis observed this process with a silent fascination, saying nothing so as not to disturb her concentration.
At last, Velcia stowed her Keyblade and peered into the vat once more with a satisfied hum. She grabbed the paddle, gave the concoction one last good stir to test the consistency, and stepped back away from it. "That's all for now," she said as she wiped the back of her hand along her brow. "It needs to brew for a while longer to thicken it. Since we don't plan to drink this potion, we can make it much more potent than usual."
"In cooking, we call that a reduction," Ignis said with a chuckle. "How long will this take?"
She looked down to the veritable inferno underneath the vat. "Likely much less time than I'm accustomed to," she said with an amused grin.
"It is quite interesting to see how you've prepared your potion. In the past, I'd had the thought of learning to brew potions on my own to help make our group more self-sufficient, but it is difficult to discern the proper ingredients for the job," Ignis told her, hand on his chin.
"I understand," Velcia told him. "I was fortunate to have my Papa teach me everything I needed to know. It surprises me that there were no potion-makers on Eos who were willing to teach you, given your service to the Crown."
Ignis cracked an amused smirk. "It may surprise you more, then, to learn that on Eos there is no such thing as a potion-maker; at least not in the traditional sense." Velcia tilted her head to the side curiously, and he continued. "You no doubt remember seeing us using potions. Truth be told, these 'potions' we use are little more than energy drinks and soft drinks that have been enchanted by Noctis himself."
Velcia crossed her arms, looking at him skeptically. "Are… are you serious?"
"Indeed," Ignis said, nodding his head with great amusement. "It is a skill beyond my understanding, but Noct is able to infuse both drinks and foods with magic energies. The exact energies and effects are entirely unknown to us until we try it at least once, but they are remarkably consistent. I would wager that you may be able to understand the mechanics of the process better than I."
"It sounds similar to how I enhance the ingredients for my potions," Velcia mused, hand on her chin as she thought. "Many plants and even some animal products carry magic energies or are very receptive to having it infused within them. If Noctis' power attempts to infuse a very wide range of magic, then any given ingredient could become charged with whatever magic it is receptive to and produce the effects in that fashion."
"As I thought," Ignis said proudly. "Whatever the case, we have experimented with it a bit in an attempt to learn to produce specific effects; but we have not had the time to really learn anything well enough to make it worth our while. The drinks that we are able to purchase are both easy to find and far more effective than anything we have been able to make ourselves."
"If you ever do decide to take it up again, I would be quite happy to help you get started. I am not familiar with what sorts of plants and animals you have available here, but as I familiarize myself with them I will see if I can help make some sort of a guide for you," Velcia said, an eagerness betraying her otherwise hidden excitement.
Ignis bowed softly. "I do appreciate the sentiments, but I am afraid that I truly do not currently have the time to study a new discipline. That said… if you are able to make a guide on the subject, I would quite gladly keep it for such a time as I am able to make use of it."
Velcia smiled warmly. "Certainly. It is common practice for me to document my ingredients, anyway, so I will be sure to make duplicates of any notes I take regarding the plants and materials I find here on Eos."
"Much obliged," Ignis said, returning her smile. "I presume, given your rather meticulous approach, that this line of work is something you rather specialize in, and not just a recreational interest?"
"It is, or… rather, I suppose it was, yes," Velcia said, a bittersweet note to her voice. "My parents ran a potion shop back home on Olympus, and until I began to travel with Hinata and Sam that was my line of work as well. My Papa taught me all manner of clever tricks to help make them more effective, and our shop always did well for itself."
"Fascinating," Ignis said, peering into the pot as Velcia did.
Velcia nodded to herself, and shut off the flames below. "It's been quite some time since I was able to really devote a lot of time to it. I've still made potions since I started my travels, but I cannot remember the last time I spent an afternoon making such large batches as this…'' she sighed wistfully. "I must admit that I have missed it terribly."
Ignis stepped back, and eyed the canisters nearby. "Well, I am glad you have the opportunity to do so now. How many more batches do you think you'll need to produce today?"
Velcia put her hand to her chin thoughtfully. "It's hard to say for sure. I suppose it will depend on how the magic lamps turn out, and how we craft the spells to keep the ship safe. If I were to try to fill all of Cid's canisters, I believe I would need perhaps five or six more. Depending on how my resource gathering goes, I suspect I will be working on these until tomorrow night at least."
Cid had noticed the flames were doused and came over to take a look. "First batch done then, huh?"
"Yes, I believe so," Velcia said with an affirmative nod. "I may make some adjustments to the next batches if needed, depending on how the lamp works."
Cid walked over to one of the tall canisters and patted his hand against it. "Well, I think we ought to let it cool down before we put it into this canister. I've got a pump that'll do the hard work there, so if you need to go gather more stuff yer free to do so." He paused, looked over to his work table, and swung his hand slowly in a beckoning motion. "Well, hold up, come over here first."
Saying so, he walked back towards his project station and the two followed along. Velcia saw all sorts of mechanical parts and contraptions strewn about the table, but as she watched Cid cleared a space in the center and laid out about a half-dozen different sorts of materials.
"I think I can work with any of these sorts of materials for holding the enchantment in the lamp, just thought I should let you choose which one will work best," Cid told her.
"I see. Please, give me a moment to inspect them," Velcia said, receiving an very understanding nod in return. She reached down towards the different scraps of materials, laying her palm flat over the top of each item momentarily. She went through the line-up three times, then pointed to two of the materials. "These two seem to be the most easily saturated with the kinds of energies needed for the spells I plan to use."
Cid brushed aside the other materials with very little regard for their destination, and centered the remaining two candidates. "A'right then, tell me more about these two. What sort of differences are we looking at?"
Velcia picked up the first piece with both hands, holding the ends of it with her fingertips. "Magic energy moves through this material at a steady, even pace. It would certainly be a fine choice for long durations. The other one is quite… reactive. That material will produce a much more powerful effect, and likely burn through the potion reserves much more quickly as well."
"That's just what I wanted to know," Cid said, taking the two materials and setting them by themselves on a shelf above the table. "I think that's it for now. You going to head off and find more potion ingredients?"
Velcia bowed her head slightly. "Yes, if that is alright."
"Fine by me. I'll get that potion out of the vat and into the canister once it's cooled, and see if I can get a prototype lamp put together for you by time you get back," Cid said.
"Thank you, Cid," Velcia said, then turned to Ignis. "Will you be accompanying me?"
"I would be happy to offer my assistance in the hunt, though I will need to be back by noon to prepare lunch." Ignis said, adjusting his glasses. "I'll go let Noct and the others know we're heading out."
"That is fine with me. I would like to grab a few things from my potion chest before I go, so I will meet you outside?"
"I will meet you at the ramp, when you are ready," Ignis nodded.
The two bid farewell to Cid. Velcia, excited for the journey, skipped over towards the wooden box of supplies she'd left near the worktable and pulled out her old leather backpack. She'd had it since she was very young, and though she had done her best to take care of it over the years it was nonetheless worn and weathered with age. She smiled as she slung it across her back, and headed outside.
Ignis was waiting for her just outside the garage door, and she ran up beside him and the two began to head out. The odd contrast between the worn leather backpack and Velcia's soft green robes stood out as quite unusual to Ignis, who looked at it for a moment with some curiosity but said nothing of it. "Do you have anywhere in mind to begin our search?"
Velcia nodded surely. "Yes. I noticed a great many different types of plants and materials that seemed useful when we were following Noodle through the forest. I believe that would be the best place to start."
"Agreed," Ignis said with a quick nod of his head. "The cover of the trees should keep us safe from the notice of any Imperial patrols as well."
The walk was short, and when they reached the edge of the field Velcia grabbed the weathered straps of the backpack and sighed happily. "I've always loved going hunting for spell components. When I was young my Papa and I would go every weekend, when the shop was closed, " she told Ignis. "I always feel so connected to nature when I do, and inspecting the energies that are in each plant makes me feel like I really understand them. The plants that I've seen here all look different from the ones back home, but I am sure we can find what we need if we look hard enough."
The two made their way to the edge of the forest, and Velcia looked around at the smaller plants that sat lower to the ground. There were indeed many here that caught her eye, but they were sparse in both variety and quantity. With Ignis close behind, she ventured further into the woodland.
As they made their way deeper into the shadows of the mighty trees, the undergrowth began to thicken and flourish. Velcia kept her eyes open for a spot that seemed to have a great many plants of interest close at hand, and once she found it she sat down on a mossy rock. She deliberately harvested one type of plant after another, holding them between her hands with closed eyes as she learned of their magical properties.
Ignis hadn't yet known of any way to be of direct assistance and, not wanting to distract her, busied himself by keeping a vigilant watch over their surroundings so as to be sure that nothing unfriendly would attempt to sneak up on them. However, the forest seemed just as quiet and peaceful today as it did the day they followed Noodle all the way to the Chocobo's Lake.
"Ah, I believe these will do quite nicely," Velcia said, setting a set of plants out onto a nearby stump.
The spectacled man turned towards her, pausing for a moment at the sight of the orange-haired woman carefully arranging the vibrant flowers and leaves under the warm, beam-like rays of sunshine that broke through the canopy. There was something serene and magical about the sight, and he couldn't help but feel that the scene seemed to be just right. She turned to look at him and smiled, motioning towards the plants. "Would you mind helping me to look for more of these?"
He came over and knelt down beside the stump, inspecting them. "Not at all. These all appear to be quite plentiful in the area around us - how many do you require?"
Velcia took off her backpack and set it beside them, opening the top wide. "As many as we can fit in here, though we should try to keep them in equal amounts. I'm afraid there are a few more types of components that I still need to find… I will let you know what they are once I learn for myself."
"Of course," Ignis said, standing back up. "Despite the unfamiliar environment, I daresay you seem right at home here."
"Thank you," Velcia said with a small bow. "As I said, my father and I used to spend quite a bit of time searching the wilds for what we needed."
"Pardon my ignorance, but were the correct plants so scarce on your world that you wouldn't simply harvest or grow the same type each time?" Ignis asked curiously.
Velcia shook her head. "Not ignorant at all. While we did sometimes grow particularly rare plants for ourselves, we found that those grown in nature tended to be more potent. In addition, well, we were both always quite curious and eager to learn new things. Searching for new ingredients or components was quite fun for us…" she trailed off, a bittersweet smile coming to her face. "And, I suppose… we simply loved having that time together, just to ourselves… In a way, it… it also felt like we were spending time with mother, as well."
Ignis paused and looked over at her, then spoke softly. "I am sorry to have broached a sensitive topic."
"Do not be," Velcia said, doing her best to smile once more. "The memories are happy ones, really."
"Of course," Ignis replied. He turned, and began work collecting several of the plants Velcia had identified. His eyes were scanning near the roots of one of the trees when his eyes grew wide. "Aha!" He exclaimed, reaching down and gently rooting through the soil near the base of the tree. He proceeded to pull out several small wild truffles, storing them away in a bag of his own. "I have just the recipe in mind for these," he said, patting the bag closed. Another set caught his eye, and these too he quickly rooted up.
Velcia couldn't help but giggle at the sight of Ignis holding one of the truffles quite close to his face, inspecting it closely and nodding to himself in approval. He glanced over at her for a moment. "Something wrong?"
"Not at all," Velcia replied. "I just find it so fun that, even though our passions are so different, they still seem to have quite a bit in common."
Ignis raised an eyebrow, and he looked at her somewhat more deliberately now. "Passions?"
"I'm sorry, I meant with my potion-making and your passion for cooking," she clarified.
Ignis' face scrunched up momentarily, as if caught quite off guard, but he recovered and replied in a somewhat lower voice. "Truth be told, Miss Velcia, I have very little passion for the act of cooking itself."
"No! Surely you must?" Velcia gasped.
"It's true. I initially invested myself in learning to cook solely for the sake of being better able to serve my King. It wasn't until much later, after making a meal for Prompto, that I came to find any joy in it. That was more a satisfaction in having brought happiness to people through my cooking, rather than enjoying the cooking process itself," Ignis explained.
"But you seem so…" she trailed off, still somewhat stunned in disbelief.
"Enthusiastic? Yes indeed. I've learned to greatly enjoy sharing my food with others and have, after much practice, come to take great pride in my work. I always look forward to sharing and serving," Ignis told her.
Velcia shook her head slowly. "I would never have suspected!"
Ignis cracked a smile. "Well, it is not something I tend to discuss. Mum's the word, as they say. As long as I can serve my King to the utmost of my abilities, I am satisfied with my endeavors."
"I see…!" Velcia said, quite thrown-off by this revelation. She stared into the distance for a moment, coming to terms with this, then looked back to see that Ignis had already nearly filled her backpack. She startled back to attention. "Oh, my! I've become so caught up in our conversation that I forgot to find the other ingredients we needed!"
"My apologies," Ignis said with a chuckle.
Face slightly blushed, Velcia looked around the forest once more. A short distance away she found a patch of various plants she had not yet had a chance to inspect, and she made her way over to sit amongst them. "So, if I may ask, how did you come into service for Noctis and his family?"
Ignis paused his work momentarily, adjusting his glasses. "Ah, my family, House Scientia, has long served the Kings of Lucis as advisors and, to some extent, caretakers. It is a role I was born into more than chosen for."
"Scientia?" Velcia asked, looking up at him. "That's quite a regal sounding name. So you are Ignis Scientia, then?"
Ignis took a deep, playful bow. "At your service, Miss…"
Velcia chuckled. "Anthes, Velcia Anthes."
"Ah, Miss Anthes then," Ignis said.
"Oh, no, well… yes, that is correct, but it feels so formal. The only people who call me 'Miss Anthes' are usually customers from out of town!" Velcia said with a blush.
"'Miss Velcia' it is, then," Ignis said with a short nod.
Velcia shook her head with some amusement, and after a moment held up a couple more unique plants she'd found. "I believe some of these will be the last of what I will need. They aren't ideal as-is, but I believe I can enchant them to add what's missing."
Ignis nodded and began looking around for these now as well. "Is enchanting potion ingredients this way the standard practice in Olympus?"
Velcia shook her head. "No, it is not. I believe there are a few other potion-makers who do, but not anywhere near the level my family does. My Papa always told me that was what made Anthes Potions so special, and, well… our store has long been the most popular," she said with a practiced restraint.
"Well then, we are doubly honored to have your expertise with potions on our side," Ignis said with a playful bow.
Velcia waved him off, and took a couple good handfuls of the new plants she'd needed. After she and Ignis put the last of their harvest into the backpack, it was positively teeming with plants and quite difficult to close. Once she managed to lock the latch, Velcia looped one of the pack's straps over her arm and slung it onto her back. "I believe that's all I need, for now," she told Ignis. "Is there anything else you would like to look for while we are here?"
Ignis paused and looked up, trying to make out the position of the sun through the forest canopy, "I believe it is time to head back now, I must begin preparing for lunch. I'll be cooking for Cid and Cindy, as well, and do not want to keep them waiting."
"That sounds like a good plan, to me," Velcia said with a nod. "I would be happy to help with lunch."
"Much obliged," Ignis said, and the two began making their way out of the forest.
Velcia smiled, feeling the weight of the sack on her back and smelling the blend of earthy, succulent odors of the plants they'd gathered. Much like potion-making, this too was something she'd long missed, and she couldn't help but feel a great sense of contentment with how the journey had gone.