She knew Faustina was going to love her anklet.
The fact that she'd stopped everything to let Harry clasp it around her ankle before putting a single finger on any glassware stated the fact louder than she ever could.
Gil had been so happy to see that.
Her eyes drift from her molten glass globe to Faustina as she dances around her workspace.
Dances.
And even more impressive was the fact she was completely silent.
She'd caught the lack of sound as the charms and ankle chain were moved, but the lack of even a whisper from the fabric of her dress as she moved between the different hissing stations was incredible.
At this point she wasn't even sure T would figure out there was a new addition to their wardrobe.
And what T didn't know…
She smiles at the contrasting looks on Faustina's face.
Dreamy and concentrating.
She liked being here with Faustina, the way she worked was soothing.
Her eyes narrow.
Soothing?
The flames in her hands die out as she focuses on the rhythmic pulse fluttering in her lungs and along her skin.
It was strange.
Cooling almost, as if the vibrations dancing across her being were formed from delicate raindrops tapping an invisible lullaby in her soul.
It was so subtle.
How long had it been there, playing softly in the background as they worked in silence?
How long had it been brushing against her, as much a part of this room as the beakers and herbs?
Her gaze bounces around the room seeking the source, but the only other occupant remains Faustina.
Could it really be-
Did Faustina possess magic?
Or was she mistaking the sensation?
She shakes her head.
Definitely a Yensid question.
She grins as she readjusts in her small nook, content with waiting.
Best not to bring up an uncertainty.
She huffs once she looks over the glass orb in her hand.
She'd let it get too thin in one area during her distraction.
She jumps at a sudden gasp before Faustina rushes past her to a table stacked with crumpled old notebooks.
"Good gasp I hope." She chuckles as she heats her hands up and begins to roll the glass between them.
"Mhmm." Faustina murmurs as her pencil flies down the page.
She snorts.
Must be a good thing if she was so caught up in her project she didn't know someone was talking to her.
She shakes her head before she stands, curious as to Faustina's sudden strike of inspiration.
Her jaw drops.
Father knew she could get swept up in her writing. It was something that often got her into trouble with others.
But this?
Faustina had tiny handwriting, not that she had trouble seeing it clearly, or even reading it-
But her tiny handwriting had already filled up a page and a half of the notebook laying flat on the table.
It looked like one of the recipes in Yensid's cookbooks, except Faustina was mixing things that looked like entire sentences within single words.
Scientific names.
She could almost hear Carlos voicing the only explanation she could think of.
Faustina was writing out a complex looking herbal concoction using the scientific names of the herbs.
She stares, unable to move beyond the route motion of rolling the glass into a compact ball in her hands.
A giggle leaves Faustina as she turns and skips over to where she'd stored her herbs and bounces from spot to spot plucking her ingredients into a large gathering bowl.
She tilts her head to the side as she sets the cooled marble of glass aside and picks up the notebook, jumping up to sit on the table with her back against the wall so she could keep out of Faustina's way.
She wanted to know.
But all she could understand were the small notes about the different properties the herbs had exhibited in the past.
Like the note about the time T claimed he felt jittery after taking her sleep potion, before she altered the way she infused something with something.
And Uma thought her notes were impossible to follow.
Faustina turns to where the book had been sitting after setting down the bowl and frowns. "Huh." She purses her lip before her eyes land on her, "oh," she blinks as a blush lights up her face.
"Is this something you've made before and just remembered how?" She asks now that Faustina was looking at her.
She smiles brightly, "new." She holds out her hand. "We have something to help us sleep," she takes a deep breath before she breathes out slowly, "but we don't have anything to keep us awake."
"Awake- Oh." She glances down before passing the notebook over, "that could be useful."
And beyond that, she could understand not wanting to sleep.
Wanting to avoid the night terrors and the things dreams liked to torment them with.
Faustina nods, "I think so." She puts the book down before she leans against the table, putting her weight on her arms. "I forgot how easy it is to share space with you."
"Thank you," she grins, "you are too. I like watching you work when I get stuck or have to start over again." She leans back against the wall before she takes the tiny ball of glass and holds it in front of her eye, "you're very soothing."
Faustina tilts her head curiously. "Soothing?" She laughs, "That's not what T would call it."
She shrugs, "it feels nice."
Faustina's smile softens, "It does." She looks around the lab with adoration before her eyes land back on her, "really, thank you, for putting so much work into this for me."
"Duh." Her gaze dips as heat rushes to her cheeks, "I uh, I wanted you to have more room. I know you worry about how little time you get to work on this stuff."
Faustina smiles as she pushes off the table and hugs her, "this does make everything so much easier." She kisses the top of her head before she steps back and looks at two tables already bubbling with concoctions.
"All of you take such amazing care of me." Faustina's eyes soften. "It's hard to put into words how much today has meant to me." She adds quietly as she drops her eyes to her skirt. "How much all of our time together has meant to me. It's a dream. One I'm terrified I'll wake up from."
She smiles sadly as she nods, "I still feel like that too sometimes. Afraid it's a dream or that it's about to be taken away again."
"I know," Faustina sighs, "your father is as predictable as the wind." She shakes her head, "but they- we'll-" she corrects herself, "make sure you're never taken for long." She smiles as she places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes, "Because family doesn't leave family."
Family doesn't leave family.
The family motto.
"I know that doesn't make your situation any easier," Faustina admits, "but everyone would do everything in their power to get you back home." She brushes her thumb over her shoulder, "where you belong."
Her heart squeezes in her chest.
Out of everyone who could make that claim, she knew deep down that Faustina and T were the only ones who had a chance of getting anywhere with her father.
As torn as she was-
As confused as the way T, Faustina, and her father acted with each other made her feel-
She believed Faustina. Believed that she and T really would go up against a god to help her.
And have the best chance of winning.
Which made her stomach twist uncomfortably even as it made her happy.
"I know," she smiles as she forces herself to sit up straighter, "it's what we'd all do for each other."
What they would all die trying to do for each other.
The words, though left unsaid, send a chill down her spine.
Faustina's nod ends with a sigh. "Even if we don't fully understand, or wish they wouldn't."
She tilts her head to the side, "I guess I'm not the only one who wishes the family would let me handle some things on my own?"
Faustina's lips twitch, "I'm not wishing it for me." She shakes her head before she settles her gaze on her. "You know what's coming."
Her stomach flips as she nods.
She did.
She didn't need the pictures in the spell books to understand the depths of what they were up against.
Didn't need the memories to feel the loss.
And that was just against one group of villains.
The ones who could use magic.
But, people didn't need magic to be monsters, it just made everything-
More?
More terrifying.
Easier for the person who could snap their fingers and make things happen.
Could magically enact their schemes and plots.
The other villains were just as capable, and just as eager to leave a mark.
Wasn't that the only constant that existed on the Isle?
Faustina nods as she offers her hand, "then you know how important it is to prepare them for it."
Heat gathers in the corner of her eyes as she nods again.
She knew it was important, but she was lost as to what she could do.
Get everyone off the Isle?
While that, in theory, seemed like the best way to save her family and everyone else she cared for-
The deal itself-
She takes a slow, deep breath.
She'd been so naive to think she could set her father free to free everyone else.
Faustina sighs as she sits next to her and pulls her to her side as they lay against the wall, "It was always going to come to this. One way or another, it just happened so much sooner than I anticipated." She admits with a deep exhale. "And with unexpected variables."
"I knew the truce wouldn't last, that the fighting would start again," she chuckles tonelessly, "magic was a surprise."
"Can't plan for everything." Faustina mutters with a haughty huff.
As if disgruntled by the audacity that the Isle dared to change without her approval.
Her lip twitches before the implications of the words settle.
Faustina had to have spent years on her intention for Uma to rise to power-
Maybe as long as she'd been writing even.
Parallel intentions. Different paths.
Because as long as she'd been working to get everyone off the Isle, Faustina had worked to better their positions on it.
Only to watch it everything she'd worked for burn to ash.
She shakes her head to rid it of the thoughts.
"Or connect things that happen randomly." She sighs as she rests her head against Faustina, "I'm not good at making plans. Things always go wrong."
Faustina frowns, "I don't think you're bad at it. I just think you might see it from too many perspectives."
That sounded a lot like what Gil said. She thought too much, or got stuck in her head too often.
"Maybe," she grimaces as she brings the small rolled glass to her eye again, "it doesn't help that I fixate on the things that need to be done." She tilts her head back to stare up into Faustina's shimmery green eyes, "which makes your newest idea seem even more amazing."
Faustina's eyes fill with mirth, "I'm sure you'll be the only one who agrees, so thank you."
She trills her lips as she exhales, "I'd say don't worry, but we both know there's plenty of reasons for them to change their minds and nothing but time for them to adjust."
Faustina's smile turns mischievous, "Hence why I wasn't going to tell them until it mattered."
"Ah, got it," she gestures against her lips as if she were sewing, "my lips are sealed."
Faustina nods, "I still need to figure out how to manage it anyways, so it's not like it's lying."
"It's not like I understood anything I read anyway," she shrugs, "as far as I know, you're just making full use of all your space."
"This is one of the many reasons I love you," Faustina giggles as she squeezes her closer.
She wraps her arms around Faustina as she presses her face into the crook of the taller girl's shoulder, clinging to her for a long time.
It was nice to be understood on this level.
To have someone else who knew, guessed, and feared what was and would be happening soon.
To know that someone agreed that they had to do everything they could to protect the family.
The family and everyone they'd already started gathering to the ship.
Protect them from the dark magic lurking in the shadows they once felt safer in, and make sure they had everything they needed when a confrontation was unavoidable.
And that thought alone was the only reason she was able to finally pull away.
"Guess I should let you get back to work on your medicines while I figure out how to trap my fire in this," she taps the glass ball.
Faustina's eyes narrow as she studies the glass in her hands for a long moment. "Have-" She pauses, "Can you-" She presses a finger to her lip thoughtfully, "blow it like gum?"
Bubblegum?
She tilts her head as she stares at her hand, letting the ball roll around her palm as she runs her tongue over her teeth.
"I mean, I doubt it would taste good, am not sure how your abilities work- But if you could, it just seems like that might be an easier way to do it…"
"It's not far off from how I make tubes, or how I made Gil's flute," She admits, "same concept at least, except for the chewing part," she finishes with a grimace.
Faustina nods thoughtfully, "I wouldn't imagine chewing would be necessary if you could get it malleable enough to be stretched with your breath."
"T always wanted to see if I could breath fire." She chuckles as she slips from the table-top.
"I won't tell if you don't."
"He always manages to figure it out." she rolls her eyes before she looks back over her shoulder suspiciously, "or is that you?"
Faustina giggles, "depends." She slips off the table. "He's good in his own right about putting things together- That is, when it doesn't involve social interaction."
She grins, but knew better than to comment.
She had her own socially awkward issues to contend with.
"I'll give it a try and let you know if it works."
"Please do." Faustina smiles.
She turns back towards the corner where her bags of sand were waiting, but immediately turns back, "um, can we not tell Gil and Uma I put glass in my mouth?"
She could only imagine the lecture from Uma, and the looks Gil would give her.
And father forbid if the glass somehow actually managed to injure her.
"Or Harry." She quickly adds with a grimace at the thought of swallowing it accidentally, "I just don't see that going anywhere good."
Faustina covers her snort. "I'll take it to T's grave." She smiles, "and perhaps try melting it and then putting it in your mouth? Lest you crack one on your teeth."
She nods as she turns back to her work space, already rolling the glass between her blazing hands.
So she wasn't the only one thinking of what would freak Harry out.
Faustina nods, "please let me know if you figure it out, I would love to watch you make one."
"You'll be the fir- well, second to know."
Faustina smiles, "and with any luck, the only. Oh, well, except Yensid. Yensid will find it fascinating."
"Yensid is going to love spending time in here." She chuckles absently as the glass begins to move like mud in her hands.
"Introverts do love spending time in silence."
"Book Club two point oh."
Faustina's eyes brighten, "I always loved hearing about Book Club."
She smiles as she settles on the floor again, "It's one of my top three perfect T ideas."
"He has his moments." Faustina giggles as she turns to her table, "it's one of mine too."
"It connected my two favorite groups of people together, even if it wasn't all of us working together, it felt like it."
Faustina's smile turns wistful, "I thought it was a brilliant way for the groups to warm up to each other. Mal would die before she'd ever admit it, but she isn't excluded when it comes to being wrapped around Carlos's finger."
She smiles despite the blur in her vision.
She missed them so much.
Carlos's wide-eyed curiosity about the world.
Evie's love of making everyone feel and look their best.
Jay's protective streak and desire to make sure everyone could protect themselves.
And Mal-
She missed the small looks.
The moments where she saw who Mal really was.
The passion she had for the people she cared about.
The anger she felt at having to hide who she really was.
It was easier to understand Mal once you figured out her art style, or knew how to read the tiny faces she made.
Her gaze shifts to the ship anchored in the distance, her thoughts with the letters tucked safely away with her other prized possessions.
Jay and Prince Ben's letters.
No matter what happened-
No matter what they had to face-
They had friends waiting for them on the other side of the barrier. Friends that were working to get them out.
It was a lot of faith to have in words written on paper, but she was no stranger to placing her hope on the written word.
They just had to work hard to keep each other safe, survive the rising tide.
She had plans.
She had back up plans.
Good at plans or not, all she could do was try.
She smiles as she chops up a root.
Despite everything.
All the monstrosities.
All the pain.
Suffering.
She was smiling.
That was the type of power her family wielded.
Love.
Unabashed.
Unconditional.
Unyielding.
And powerful.
She had grown to love so many from a far through the years-
It was strange to think any of them would ever reciprocate.
That they'd ever meet to begin with.
She was sure she'd die before ever growing the nerve to leave the tower again.
But here she was, smiling.
Smiling while doing something she was passionate about, surrounded by people who loved her.
She blinks away the tears threatening to blur her vision.
Loved her.
Her.
It was like a dream come to life.
An answer to a long awaited prayer.
She'd never dared to so much as hope she'd be able to meet one of the people she admired-
But here she was.
Surrounded by almost all of them.
Known.
Accepted.
Loved.
She wasn't sure how it had happened.
Or why.
Or even when.
But it had.
In abundance.
She'd never understand what she'd done to deserve it-
She doubted she ever would.
She turns as another line appears in the book.
Satisfaction fills her when she reads it.
One might almost call his message penitent.
Good.
She'd made it a point to continue the daily updates, if only to taunt him with what he'd lost in his idiocy.
After all, one of them still had to communicate with the god of death, and the thought of T doing it?
No.
Uma would sooner eat her hat.
Harry would rather send it straight to the locker.
Gil would have ripped the thing in half a long time ago if he thought he could get away with it.
Deez didn't need the constant threat hanging over her head.
Beam would laugh as he walked away.
James she sure would look at her dumbly before he too would walk away.
And Yensid, though probably willing, had too many exhausting matters without adding an attention-seeking god to his pile.
And, though she would deny it to her death, she honestly found the Lord of Death entertaining.
And most unfortunately, quite easy to banter with.
However, his behavior had been nothing short of childish and cruel, and she refused to condone it.
If he wanted someone to entertain him, he could at least abide by her lines.
A lesson T had long since learned.
She frowns when a frustrated squeak interrupts her thoughts.
"My Star Gazer?" She asks, turning to find Deez pouting at a clear orb of glass about the size of her fist.
"It's working," Deez admits without pulling her glare away from her project, "you were right by the way, glass is gross, but I can't get it to stay even enough."
"So?" She furrows her brow, "I mean I haven't gotten to fully investigate, but from what my well survived? Your glass is near indestructible."
"It is?"
She nods, "It's one of the only things that made it through the storm. All the other glass shattered. There were chains in there, they dented the table."
"Oh," Deez frowns as she looks between her and the glass in her hand, "I never thought my stuff would be like that," she continues almost breathlessly, "I mean, Gil's brothers broke the Shrimpy statue I made him."
Heat burns her cheeks, "Sorry, I didn't remember-" She shakes her head. "Sorry that was rude. I'm not sure I ever said anything to anyone. Perhaps it was due to the barrier breaking."
"That was when I first noticed magical energy clinging to various items around the ship."
"Yensid," She greets with a smile.
"I didn't hear you come in." Deez grins as she jumps to her feet.
"You both were rather invested in your projects," Yensid explains as he also stands, "I thought it best to continue with my own as well."
"Oh, which problem are you working?" She asks as they all meet in the middle.
"Harry and Uma's displeasure at being unable to locate us during our previous mission." Yensid explains as he sets a small metal bangle on the table between them, "I've managed to enchant this so a name can be spoken and it will lead the wearer to that person's notebook."
Her eyes sweep over the metal band curiously.
It was such a simple thing.
A strip of metal.
No fancy details.
No jewels.
Just a plain, unassuming bracelet.
A bracelet that, with one word, could mean the difference in someone's safety.
One word.
One word and they'd be able to find a notebook.
Her lip twitches, but not the wearer.
Clever.
Cunning old man.
Still, it was one less thing for Uma and the others to worry about.
It had its flaws.
But it was perfect for any endeavors T needed to stash the notebook to keep the others safe- And low be it for her to call out the mage.
The others would be happy, after all it was certainly more than they'd ever had before.
"Captain is sure to be pleased," she smiles as she turns to Yensid.
He nods, "Quite." He looks between the two of them curiously. "May I enquire as to what you two are working on?"
Deez grins as she holds a clear globe of glass up, "Faustina suggested I try blowing glass bubbles like it's gum."
"I see," His eyes sparkle with amusement, "and how are you finding the new method?" He asks as he takes the orb and examines it carefully.
"It works great now that I know I don't need to worry about thin spots. I was about to try putting my fire in and sealing it."
She turns to Deez curiously.
Could her fire burn independent of her?
She knew T had been trying to get her to throw it for years-
Had she managed to separate it without telling them?
Once more her lip twitches.
Like she had with her ability to flame without causing harm.
Or was this just her simply trying something on a whim?
Either way, she was excited to see if it would work.
She'd always had an affinity for fire, after all It has solved so many complications in the past and plainly? It was just pretty.
But Deez's flames were by far the most beautiful.
"I am excited to see if this works the way I theorize it will." Yensid smiles as he passes the globe back before he turns to her, "and I see you are using your new lab to its full capacity. Though I do not recognize some of the draughts you've mixed."
"I've been struck by inspiration." She pauses.
Inspiration.
A spark ignites like a flickering flame.
There was something-
Oh!
Her eyes bounce from Deez, to Hades notebook, and Yensid several times in quick succession.
Muse touched.
That's what the god has said.
She shakes her head.
No need to concern Deez with uncertainty. Not without Yensid's insight at least.
"I have so many ideas I want to bring to fruition, but I know better than to start several at once. So, I'm experimenting with the first and seeing where it goes. The rest is the drought and ointment."
Yensid nods thoughtfully, one hand stroking his beard before his eyes drop to Deez, who was already glaring at the globe in her hand and not paying attention to them, "I have noticed a certain amount of additional inspiration strikes those in a certain demi goddess's presence."
Ah.
Of course he already had suspicions on the matter.
"How is your experiment coming along?" He inquires with a small smile.
She turns towards the table where the start of her new project was brewing before she turns back, "Shouldn't be long until I can answer that. I did have a base to start from, so I'm excited to see if I'm in the vicinity of where I want to be."
"Might I inquire as to what you are hoping to accomplish?" Yensid asks as he eyes the table where her experiment was starting to bubble.
"A revitalization drought."
"Ah," Yensid nods, "not an easy task, but one I'm sure you will excel in surmounting."
She smiles, "I appreciate your confidence in my skills, hopefully it will not be unfounded."
"It will not be," he quickly assures her, "I can already see your magical abilities influencing your concoctions."
She sighs as she pinches the bridge of her nose, "You're still on that?"
"Indeed." Yensid chuckles, "I assure you, my concussion has fully healed and I am no longer under any influences that may adversely affect my judgment."
Deez looks between them, "I knew it!"
"Not you too." She sighs as she places a hand on her hip.
The ludicrousy.
"You're the one that has musical magic," Deez shrugs.
She lifts an eyebrow, "musical magic?"
"Well yeah," Deez's brow furrows, "like earlier it was kind of like a lullaby and rain."
"Interesting." She frowns as she looks around the room her eyes lingering on her herbs. "But are we sure it has nothing to do with the fact all of these have magical properties?"
"My dear, I would be offended by your implication that I am unable to differentiate between natural herbal magics and the magical influences of an untrained healer," Yensid shakes his head, "but I understand this concept is very unpleasant for you."
"It was a very large rock." She crosses her arms before she shakes her head. "But, since you're you're so certain-" She shrugs. "I-" She pauses.
How?
"-must be doing something." She concedes with a frown. "Especially if Deez feels something as well."
A sudden clinking echoes strangely in the room before Deez curses softly and runs off as if chasing something.
Her brow furrows in confusion before it clicks.
She must have lost the glass.
"Good news," Deez grins as she snatches something from the ground and holds it up in a flaming palm, "you were right. It doesn't break."
Her smile slips from her face as her gaze returns to Yensid.
Damn it.
She hated being wrong. At least when it was out loud.
She'd been mistaken plenty of times. Hundreds, if not thousands of times- But she'd come to find she loathed it even more this way-
Where people could learn of her failures.
It didn't make sense. Her being magical.
But if she'd been able to discern the state of Deez's glass by pure deduction-
Then, concussion or no, she highly doubted Yensid, a centuries old mage, would have a theory that was unfounded.
Ugh.
She hated crow.
Deez walks to her side before she rolls the globe across the table.
It was then that she noticed the flames weren't dancing on the demi god's skin, but were swirling like a blue storm inside the orb.
"Oh!" She smiles brightly, "you did it!"
"Right," Deez grins up at her, "more good news, it stayed."
"That's incredible," she offers, "and look, now you can admire your fire the way we do."
Yensid smiles as he holds a hand over the small globe, testing for heat before he picks it up, "well done, my Dear. How does it feel?"
Deez rolls her lips together before she shrugs, "I stopped feeling it once I sealed the glass."
She tilts her head slightly.
She hadn't even considered that.
If Deez would feel different if part of her flame was cut off from her.
Her brow furrows.
Hadn't considered if it would hurt her.
Or drain her.
How fascinating.
She shakes her head as she tucks the knowledge away.
Something to mention to T later.
If anyone could find out if something was exhausting or harmful to Deez, it was T.
"Are you tired? Drained in any capacity?"
Deez shakes her head, "or at least not more now than before."
Yensid nods as he rolls the flame orb in his hands, "this works wonderfully with my own magic."
She chuckles.
Of course it would.
She didn't know much about magic or anything of the sort-
But she knew Deez.
And had the base understanding that magic was all about intention-
So why wouldn't her magic be compatible with the Sorcerers?
She blinks as an idea hits her and she turns to the herbs and gathers two more ingredients for the tonic.
And if anyone's magic could mesh wonderfully with another's, it would be her.
Calm.
Pensive.
Add that to her altruistic nature and they'd probably find themselves hard-pressed to find someone who her magic didn't meld with.
Her eyes narrow as something creeps over her.
There was something there.
Something she couldn't quite put a finger on.
Just a sudden chill of dread.
"Still," Yensid eyes Deez, "I would recommend erring on the side of your safety as we move forward with this project."
"I'll be careful," Deez immediately promises, "now that I know the glass doesn't have to be perfect that part is easier. And it really doesn't take that much fire."
She shakes her head as she returns to the table to start preparing the newly acquired herbs.
Deez.
She could just hear the encroaching lecture.
"Alright then." Yensid smiles as he pats her back, "but if you start to feel off even in the slightest, I expect you to say something."
Her hand hovers over the knife before she pauses and drops the succulent leaf into her mortar.
She chuckles, "did you just turn her into another one of your projects?"
Yensid turns to her innocently, "me?"
Deez chuckles, "we are trying to see how far my 'energy' goes."
"Careful who you say that near." She teases as she works the plant into a paste.
"So true." Deez rolls her eyes, "we don't have time for lectures right now."
She snorts, "I was referring to T."
"Has he ever stopped trying to test that?" Deez groans before she stomps her foot and huffs, "Light up underwater while trying to overcome a fear." Her voice trails off into a muttered grumble.
She drops her eyes, lest she meet Yensid's and they both lose their composure.
She doubted their laughter would be much of a balm to Deez's exasperation.
"I'll get to work on just the glass for now, we need like twenty, right?"
"Twenty would be a good start," Yensid nods, "but I believe we'd all feel better if everyone could detect magic."
Her brow furrows.
That would mean creating near one hundred-
"I agree," she adds, "but wouldn't it be easier on her if she just made larger ones to replace lights on the ship?"
Yensid frowns as he tilts his head thoughtfully, "that could work, I would simply alter the alert portion of my enchantment to make the warning a visual cue rather than temperature."
"Oh, I could do that here too, like one in every cave that's easy to see."
"That would certainly save a lot of resources." She agrees as she places the dish to the side.
Deez rushes to her corner, clearly eager to begin.
"Oh!" She turns to Deez, "maybe you can make Uma a necklace or something out of them? For when she dives. I know she has amazing underwater sight, but her dark vision isn't as good as yours."
"That's a great idea." Deez nods as she buries her hands into her mound of sand before white flames tease her hair into the air.
She smiles as she turns back to the other herb and studies it for a moment.
She hadn't worked with it as much as some of the others, but-
She shrugs as she puts the flat end of her blade to it before she works out the sap.
"You seem intent on your elixir my dear," Yensid's voice catcher her attention, "I'd like to take this to our Captain before she returns to the ship with the swimming group, would you mind keeping an eye on our girl until I return?"
Her eyes narrow.
Mind? Not at all.
Remember?
She bites her lip as she looks around the room before she finds what she's searching for by the table where her ointment was brewing.
"Of course." She nods as she walks over and picks up the small ball and turns it until the dial hit's five. "This should work." She places the little timer in the alcove above the table she was currently working at.
Yensid chuckles, "Thank you."
"I said I was only doing the glass right now." Deez reminds them.
She turns to her in amusement, "right now."
Deez opens her mouth, but before she can voice an argument her eyes narrow and she sighs, "fair."
"Excellent." Yensid nods, "I will return shortly."
"Mhmm." She nods as she turns back to her task.
She felt much better with this bracelet around her wrist.
If anything happened to her family or the others under her command, all she had to do was trace their notebook.
It was barely on her wrist and she could already breathe a bit easier.
One layer of the new safety measures done.
It wasn't enough, but it was a start.
And a start she greatly appreciated.
"You get the group started, I've got to drop something off with Faustina."
Harry frowns as he looks up at her, begging with his eyes.
"No way Pretty Boy," she shakes her head, "she's working anyways, how much ignoring can your ego really take?"
"Aye," Harry grumbles as he looks back to the small group surrounding the pool, "that be bein' more fair than I be ah likin'."
She chuckles as she pats his back, "bet it is."
Harry's face scrunches before he sighs, "get ah goin', I be havin' number one duties ta be performin'." He chuckles as he claps his hands together once, "welcome ta swimmin' like ah pirate." He announces as he walks to the edge of the pool.
She shakes her head, amused despite herself by Harry's verbal instruction as she makes her way to Deez and Faustina.
She was still in awe of her Baby Girl's orb.
There was just something entrancing about it.
It had taken her well over a minute to pry her eyes off of it.
If Yensid had already enchanted it, she wouldn't have given it back.
Deez.
She smiles.
Her brilliantly talented Baby Girl riveled her Sweet Boy's talents when it came to crafting, and the orb, though simple, was no exception.
Infact-
Her smile widens.
-every member she'd dragged kicking and screaming into their family was brimming with talent.
"Deez, Faustina," she greets as the bitter smell of herbs wafts over her.
She frowns when the sound of bubbling, clinking, and a soft mhmm is her only response.
Why was it always the quiet ones?
She sighs before her eyes settle on Deez who was putting-
"Deez!" She shouts in concern, "spit that out!" She races to her side.
"Uma?" Deez says around her mouthful of molten glass, her eyes wide in surprise.
Her eyes widen in horror, "Baby Girl-"
She blinks as Deez blows a thick bubble, as if the melted glass were nothing more than gum.
"I'm making the orbs," she explains once the globe is in her hands.
"In your mouth!?" She demands in exasperation.
"It's faster."
She stares at her little cousin incredulously, "and?"
"Annnnd that was the last one I needed to make," Deez grins, "so you don't have to worry?"
She jumps near a foot in the air when a loud pitched ringing suddenly blares.
"Mhmm."
"Is that thing important?"
"She checked on me every time one of them went off."
Her eyes narrow as she looks between Deez, the timer, and an unfazed Faustina who was staring intently at a glass full of something a thick, gross brown color.
The only movement on that side of the cave was the slight swirling of the glass over a row of smaller bottles.
"Uh huh." She crosses her arms, "did she see you were putting glass in your mouth?"
"I uh-" Deez tilts her head, "I don't think I was doing that when she turned around. But hey," She holds the empty glass up, "now you can watch me fire in the them."
She sighs.
It was already done.
And as terrifying as it had been-
Clearly Deez wasn't hurt.
So it was fine.
Her shoulders drop as she takes a deep breath, "alright, let's see it then."
Blue flames spring up in her hand before they flow into a small hole in the glass and swirl in the center of the orb like a current of water forming a whirlpool.
Deez grins as she rubs her thumb over the hole, trapping the flames inside.
"Baby Girl, that was mesmerizing," she whispers in awe.
"Thanks." Deez sets the orb aside before her brow furrows, "are we starting school work again?" She asks as she points to the workbook forgotten at her side.
"Oh, no. Faustina asked me if I minded getting it for her. She wanted to show Gil what a lion looks like."
"Oh, I think he's in the forge with Yensid."
"I'm sure they could both use a break." She eyes Deez suspiciously, "in fact you could all probably take a break. When was the last time you ate?"
Deez frowns as she looks at her pile of empty orbs, "it couldn't have been that long ago, and I'm so close to being done." She sighs, "and we can't take care of the books until this is done."
"Once this is done you will be taking a break," she crosses her arms, "we'll talk about the library after that."
Deez's pale blue eyes turn on her, and for a moment she's caught off guard by the pain in them.
She blinks in surprise, but when she looks again Deez is staring at her hands.
"Aye aye."
"Good." She nods as she rests a hand on Deez's head, letting her soft hair slip between her fingers, "I ain't sayin' ya can't, jus' sayin' ya need ta take a break first." She sighs as she slowly pulls her hand away.
One of these days one of their pouts was going to be the end of her.
She jumps at another loud buzzing.
"How are you-" Faustina's eyes widen when she looks up, "oh," she breathes out as her cheeks turn red.
"I'm fine." Deez quickly assures her, "and the first round of glass is done."
"That was fast," Faustina blinks. "I thought it was going to take you much longer."
"I don't have the flames in them yet, so not completely finished," Deez shrugs as she picks up the next empty orb.
"But when you have finished you will take a break," she adds before she holds up the workbook and turns to Faustina, "I brought it."
Faustina's eyes swing to her as her face lights up, "Thank you Captain!" She bounces over to her and collects the book to pull it to her chest.
She blinks.
That was rather loud.
Especially for her Beauty Girl.
Her brow furrows as she eyes Faustina curiously.
Usually the other girl was slow in her movements and soft in her speech-
But right now?
She narrows her eyes as Faustina bounces in place.
She looks down when she hears a noise, but Deez only blinks up at her innocently as she pushes her flames into another orb.
"I'll take a break, I promise."
Her eyes narrow slightly, but she brushes it off, "too right ya will."
She turns back to find Faustina over at another station, fiddling with another beaker of what looked like the green and dark speckled ointment she made.
Was she just that happy to have so much room?
Was it the anklet?
Or was it something else?
Fumes?
"Oh!" Faustina places down the beaker before she flies across the room and starts writing something down.
"Are you okay?" She asks as she walks over.
What could have her Beauty Girl so excited?
"Of course," Faustina looks up with a dazzling smile.
She blinks in surprise.
She truly hadn't expected an answer until she'd finished writing.
Faustina tilts her head as she studies her, "is something wrong, Captain?"
"You uh," She leans against the table beside her, "ya seem a little off."
"Oh?" She asks curiously as she flips a page in her notebook, "how," she asks with her pen poised over the page.
"Louder than usual, not that I'm complainin'," she teases.
Faustina nods as she writes it down.
Oh.
She was taking notes.
Why would she need to take notes?
"What did you do?"
"I'm experimenting with some new tonics." Faustina giggles, "and I thought it better for me to try it, than T."
"Why are you experimenting on yourself?"
One was chewing on glass.
The other experimenting on herself.
Was this what happened when these two were left alone?
Faustina tilts her head, "who else would I experiment on?"
She holds a finger up, "okay, why are you experimenting, with new shit, with no one here to watch you."
Faustina pauses, "Deez is here?"
And watching Faustina just about as well as Faustina was watching her.
She crosses her arms over her chest.
"I'm getting Gil. You guys are dangerous to yourselves when left alone."
"But productive." Faustina adds.
She sighs.
"You're also jittery." She continues.
Might as well give her something useful.
Faustina nods as she adds the note. "Thank you." She pauses, "Oh, and thank you for the idea. It never occurred to me to ask one of you to help me take notes when one of us tried something."
She closes her eyes as she takes a deep breath. "Maybe next time tell the person who's going to help before you down something new?"
"I'll do my best to keep it in mind, Captain." Faustina smiles.
She nods firmly. "Good."
She didn't want to leave, especially not after finding that out.
Part of her knew there was nothing she could do about this right now. It was something T and Faustina had done for who knew how long.
She could just feel the T logic.
It's never been a problem before.
But she still had work to do back on the ship before she could even think about taking a break.
"Both of you need to take a break when you get to a stopping place," She orders sternly.
"Aye, Captain." Faustina nods.
"Promise!"
It was the best she was going to get.