[Infirmary] Zeltiva Puppet Theatre (Satevis)

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Oy, 'ere we go!" Tock said with a grin, giving him a rough playful smack on the arm. "'Ow much trouble can 'ey really get inta wit' paint, aye? An', oy, we can do 'em one better, aye? Do up some benches an' stuff, an' let 'em paint 'ose, too. Won't even matter if'n 'ey make a mess o' 'em, an' I betcha 'ey'll done 'ave a right good time doin' 'er." She nodded, quite pleased with the idea. Her plans were done, and she wanted to start building. But she didn't have her materials yet. "Oy, Satey mate, I gotta run down 'an 'arass my Bossman inta givin' us some wood 'n stuff. Ya wanna come?" She tucked her drawings away in her pack, and stood up, balancing carefully on her good foot until she could hop over to her crutches and strap herself in. She was tired of the damn sore foot... but she DID enjoy riding her contraption around the city, especially with all the stares she got. "An' maybe grab a tucker while we's out," she said, piloting the crutches over to stand in front of him. Then she scratched her head and added, "Oy, nah, right, ya don't eat nothin' at night. Ahh... well, ya wanna come 'long anywho? Go soak up some o' ya Daddy's moonlight?" She still wasn't clear on exactly how that worked, but that was a project for another day. Maybe if she could get a group of Ethaefal, she could run an experiment. Keep some indoors out of direct moonlight, send the others outside, and see who ran out of energy first. Though she'd need a control group...

[Satevis]

"Good idea," he said with a smile as he watched the children. They would enjoy painting the benches, and he could already imagine them bragging to each other as the show started about who painted what and who had the best painting and how they did it all themselves. It would be the perfect thing to raise their spirits.

He looked up as Tock invited him to go harass her boss into giving them wood (knowing her, she meant exactly what she said). Satevis frowned, glancing down at his notes. He wouldn't be getting any more done tonight. Already he had started to doodle absently on the corner of his page. He wondered briefly if he wanted to go see Tock give her boss a hard time, and then realized with a surprise that a part of him actually did. It would be somewhat amusing. His Ethaefal form tended to be just a little more mischievous than his day form--probably an influence of one of his past lives. It wasn't surprising, considering the god he served was known for having ever-changing moods.

Besides, he couldn't let Tock wander the city at night alone. Even if Zeltiva was safer than some of the other places on Mizahar, she was still obviously injured. He would feel bad if anything happened and he wasn't there.

He nodded once, getting to his feet. "Sure," he said. "I don't have much to do tonight. And I can sit with you while you eat, if you like," he said. "I wouldn't mind the company." As nice as he was, Satevis had very few friends. He didn't go out of his way to seek friendships with people, so the friendships he had were usually those that had landed in his lap through circumstance. He wasn't sure if he could consider Tock a friend yet, but they had at the very least gone beyond acquaintances.

As they walked out of the infirmary, his eyes moved towards the building where the living quarters stood. Satevis wondered for a moment if he should stop to fetch his scimitar. He decided against it. He had gotten along fine without a weapon before, and if anything happened, he would have his Reimancy to fall back on. It would be unpleasant, but it would work as a manner of defense.

He fell in step beside her, following her out of the University.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Awright, let's go," Tock said, turning to leave. "Oy, 'old on a sec..." she muttered, turning back for a moment. She'd forgotten to grab her pack. It was down on the ground where she clearly wouldn't be able to bend down and reach it, not without climbing back down from the crutches she'd just strapped herself into. But before Satevis would have a chance (were he so inclined) to offer to get it for her, she had pulled something from the large leather holster on her right hip. She pulled out Grippy, her Automaton reaching tool. Made from polished aluminum, when she first pulled it out it was about eighteen inches long from handle to tip. The handle was wide enough that she could grip it with both hands if need be, and was perpendicular to the rest of the device. From the top and bottom of the handle, extensions of metal came outward in a triangle, connecting to the criss-crossed metal strips that made up the bulk of the arm. At the far end was a flat metal hand. At each end was a large gear, connected by a chain, with a spool by the handle that had the length of the chain coiled up on it. Aiming the device at her pack, she touched a certain point on the handle, giving it the command to extend. The criss-crossed metal strips flexed and shifted, forming a series of wide X's and unfolded to extend the arm. The chain uncoiled along with the extension, keeping the gears at either end connected and turning in unison to ensure smooth extension. Once it reached the pack, she slid her thumb across the back of the handle to rotate the hand on its pivot, lining it up with the strap on her pack. Then she flicked her thumb to snap the hand down over the strap, and retracted Grippy to pull the pack back to her. A few moments later she had Grippy back in his holster, and her pack strapped on her back, over the crutches' frame. "Ya ready?" she asked Satevis, completely casual. She then piloted her crutches to head outside and start crossing the city to Jacques' office.

[Satevis]

Satevis had gone a few steps when Tock asked him to wait a moment. He turned back, about to help her with her pack, but she beat him to it. He watched, fascinated, as she pulled an aluminum contraption out of the holster she was wearing and used it to pick up her pack. It looked like an extendable arm, and it was almost certainly made with the same animation principles he had witnessed her use to make the crutches. He hadn't seen it before, which meant she had to have built it almost as soon as she left the infirmary.

"That's new," he commented as she came back, her pack strapped to her back. If Tock had been any other girl, he would have offered to carry her pack for her, but he had a feeling that Tock would probably call him an idiot for offering, if she wasn't outright insulted. "And...admittedly ingenious. Did you build that for a class?"

He followed her out into the streets of Zeltiva. It was nighttime, so they weren't as busy as they would have been in the day, but it was still early at night and traffic was high. He kept an eye on the people around him, but he was a lot more relaxed in the city than he had been before. Zeltiva was a lot safer than some of the other places in Mizahar. "It's a little late," he commented as he walked. "Is your employer still at work?"

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Aye," she said with a grin, patting the holstered Automaton. "'At 'ere's my 'essay' fer class." she laughed, feeling it was the best 'essay' she had ever 'written'. It was also infinitely useful. Between getting things off the top shelf, or reaching across the room to grab a tool without pausing in her work, it was an amazing thing to have with her. She never went anywhere without it now. Once they were outside, she looked up at the moon to try to estimate the time. She really needed to build herself a good timekeeping device. "'E'll probably still be 'ere," she said. "Ol' Jack works 'ard. Real go-getter, 'at boy is. An' if'n 'e ain't 'ere, I can go bug 'im at 'ome. Wouldn't be the first time..." she chuckled. When they got down to Jacques' office, the lights were still on. Minerva pounded on the door, and called out, "Oy! Bossman! Open up!" After a moment there was no immediate response. She knocked again, and still got nothing. Grumbling, she looked up at the building, and saw the lamp in Jacques' second floor office was lit. She pulled out Grippy and extended him upwards, tapping on the window. From above there was the sound of a chair falling over, and a shout. She flicked her thumb across the handle to make the metal hand flick in a waving motion, and a moment later the window opened, and Jacques peered down. "Miss Zipporah...?" Jacques said in a mixture of shock, confusion, and, when it came down to it, acceptance. He let out the sigh of a man who knew how stubborn his newest employee could be, and said, "Just a moment..." He closed the window, and a few moments later came downstairs and opened the door. "I trust this is important this time?" he asked, gesturing for her to enter. He barely glanced at her magic crutches, having seen them on the job site several times already. Though he clearly wasn't entirely comfortable around them. "I need wood," Tock said firmly, holstering Grippy and piloting her crutches inside. Jacques rubbed his face tiredly; it looked like he had already had a long day. He let both Tock and Satevis inside, giving the Ethaefal a welcoming nod, his eyes lingering on the horns for just a moment. With a sigh, Jacques said, "Miss Zipporah, I've told you, the scrap bins are yours to take what you need from. I don't see why..." "Nah, nah, nah," Tock said, waving her hand in front of her. "I need some big stuff, aye? Couple'a cords..." Jacques' eyes bulged slightly and he asked, "A couple of cords? Miss Zipporah, I'm a business man, not a charity--" "Oy, but she's FER charity, Bossman!" she said. "Fer the kids! Go on, tell 'im 'bout the kids!" she said to Satevis, smacking him on the arm.

[Satevis]

"Your...essay..." Satevis repeated, glancing from her to the automaton. He supposed in a way a practical project was better than an essay, especially for classes like animation or gadgeteering. Anyone could write an essay. With proper research, even he could describe the process of animating an automaton. But he certainly couldn't create one. He shook his head slightly. He had already figured out that Tock would do things in a way that made sense to her, whether or not it made sense to anyone else.

Satevis stood outside as she attempted to get her employer's attention, shifting uncomfortably and trying to not look too out of place. He knew what she was doing here, but with her using her automaton to knock on the window, he somehow felt like he was playing the accomplice to a crime. He was already involved though, and couldn't back down. This was the easiest place for them to get wood. Without wood, there would be no stage, and thus, no puppet show.

He nodded politely at her employer as he opened the door for them, an exasperated look on his face that Satevis was starting to know well. He glanced at the girl next to him, wondering if she didn't notice the effect she had on people or if she just didn't care. The Ethaefal said nothing for a few moments, giving Jacques a polite nod and standing back. He intended to let Tock do the talking, but apparently, that wasn't happening. He shot her a look as she smacked him on the arm and asked him to step up. When did I become your spokesperson?, his eyes seemed to say. But he sighed, stepping forward and facing Jacques. "I am called Satevis, son of Leth," he said. "Like...Minerva, I am also a student at the University. Thank you for seeing us so late at night" He extended his hand towards the man in greeting, and would shake his hand if he offered his in return.

Looking at him now, he didn't seem inclined to give something away for charity. But then again, he did say he was a businessman. He wouldn't agree to the idea unless Satevis either bullied him into it or convinced him that it would be for the best. And since intimidation wasn't a route he was willing to go, he settled for the latter one.

"A lot of children have been sick or injured since the Djed Storm," he said, his tone polite. "The two of us were planning a puppet show, to raise their spirits somewhat. We need wood in order to build a stage for the show." He watched the man in front of him carefully, doing his best to gauge his reaction. Satevis counted to three in his mind, letting their request sink in for a moment.

"I know that these are difficult times for everyone," he said. "So I'd understand if you wouldn't have any wood to spare. However, it might turn out advantageous for you in the end. A lot of these children have families whose homes were also damaged by the storm.

"It's entirely possible that your generosity might make them more likely to seek out your business for repairs..." Satevis smiled warmly at the end of his statement, waiting to see what the man would do. The smile graced his Ethaefal features, making him look surprisingly charming. He didn't like the attention his Ethaefal form drew.

But that didn't mean he wasn't willing to use it when the situation called for it.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Jacques crossed his arms, looking from Satevis, to Tock, who was grinning wide. She already knew she had won. She was just waiting for her Bossman to catch up to that fact. When he still hesitated, Tock stepped her crutches forward and said, "Come on, Bossman! Imagine 'ow good it'll make ya look! I done 'eard ya already caught some eyes up top..." She actually didn't know the first thing about politics, nor even the name of the ruler of the city (being from Sunberth, where the only reason to know a ruler's name was to know who to curse when the next mob came around to pull them down). But she knew her boss knew politics, and their crew had been drawing some attention lately. "'Less I done gotta bring the sick kids down 'ere an' let 'em ask ya," she added. "'Ey already done got 'eir wee 'earts set on it..." Jacques frowned at her, and held up his hands to get her to stop. "All right, Miss Zipporah," he said. "All right. That's enough. I'd be glad to make the donation... for the children." He accentuated this last word to assert the fact that he wasn't doing it for Tock's own sake. "Though I'm quite sure that next time, we can discuss this during business hours?" he arched his eyebrows, giving her an expectant look. Tock shrugged and said, "Aye, it is business 'ours. Yer still 'ere, ain'tcha?" She grinned, bouncing up and down a bit in her crutches, the springs flexing with her shifting weight. "Oy, ya ain't gonna regret 'er, Bossman, I done promise 'at, I do!" Jacques nodded, and opened the door for them to leave. "I'm a man who doesn't believe in regrets," he told her, looking as though this negotiation had sapped what energy he had left after a long day. "For which you should be grateful, considering I made the decision to hire you..." His tone was tired, but amused, clearly just having some good-natured fun with her. Tock laughed as she piloted her crutches out of the room, pausing to smack Jacques on the chest. "Oy, Bossman," she said, "ya done knows 'at 'irin' me were the best thing what ever 'appened ta ya. I done got the boys ta finish up 'at dock job three days early, an' ya know it!" She was still laughing on her way out the door. "Good night, Miss Zipporah," Jacques said to her, shaking his head with a smile. He shook Satevis' hand on his way out and asked his name, then once Satevis answered, said, "I can only imagine how she got you involved in this, my good sir. Though I've learned Miss Zipporah is one who always insists on getting her way. Though honestly, I do prefer it when her energy is directed towards influencing my employees, rather than myself." Tock had been improving efficiency on her team a great deal since she joined up. She had no actual authority, and didn't have the rank among the crew to give orders to a single person. But somehow, she managed to make sure the job got done.

[Satevis]

Jacques still seemed unconvinced by Satevis's words, but Tock managed to convince him to give them the wood, for the children. Satevis stepped back and allowed her to take the reins. He couldn't help but feel a small amount of sympathy with the poor man. Satevis had only known Tock for about eleven days now, but he already knew from personal experience how hard it was to deny her. He was sure that the infirmary staff knew that by now as well. Unfortunately, ever since his little stint mediating between her and the medical staff, he had started to gain a reputation as the person the infirmary could ask to keep Tock in line. Not that anyone ever could keep her in line, of course. Mainly, he just stood there and soothed any nerves that might have been frayed by her presence. Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events... said a small voice in his mind as he stood there and listened to Tock work out the terms with Jacques. She builds things, and you stand there and look pretty. He chuckled slightly at the thought. In spite of himself, it was amusing. He nodded as Jacques spoke to him, shaking the man's hand on the way out. "She's the same way at the University," he said. "I've learned not to argue. Although, at the very least, I'll admit that it's never boring." He wished Jacques a polite 'good night', then followed Tock out the door, a small smile on his face as he caught up with her in the street. "He likes you," Satevis said once they were far enough away as to be out of earshot. "You can tell, although you drive him crazy." The Ethaefal looked around the streets of Zeltiva. It was still early enough at night that they were busy, although Tock's earlier suggestion of finding something to eat was met with one problem. The city had no restaurants to speak of. He frowned, deciding that Tock had probably already considered this, and if not, it didn't matter to him anyway. He didn't eat in this form. "Where are we heading next?" he asked her.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

OOCTotally awesome sig/ava set! Satey is smokin'! "'Course 'e likes me," Tock said simply. "Everybody likes me." She said it without a trace of smugness or pride. It was simply something she thought was true. She turned her crutches down a side street, heading in the direction of home. "Come on back ta my place," she said. "It's too dang early ta stop workin' yet, an' I done got 'nough wood at home what I can start on the puppets. An' I got a wee bit o' food at 'ome still." She was a bit tight on funds at the moment, so finding a tavern that would provide a meal wasn't a very good option. Better to eat at home. She led the way through the streets until she reached her small, simple home. Simple on the outside, at the very least. Once she opened the door and piloted her way inside, Satevis would see... well, likely exactly what he expected to see. One side of the small cottage had a chalk circle etched onto the floor for Animation, and most of the rest of the floor was covered in scattered sawdust and dropped screws. Every inch of available wall space was covered in pinned up drawings and blueprints, ranging from etches of tools with legs, to humanoid shapes filled with gears, to an Automaton wolf. Her table was still covered with her hydraulics homework, a mess of glass vials, beakers, and tubes, with hand pumps and external gear pumps that could control water flow. She slipped off her pack and dropped it carelessly in the corner. Then she unhooked herself from her crutches, putting a hand on Satevis' shoulder for balance as she maneuvered herself into her chair. Having no other available seating she gestured him to the messy bed and said, "'Ave a seat, mate." If he sat, he would notice a lump under the covers next to him. It moved, rustling the covers. Tock didn't notice, as she was already grabbing some wood and pulling out her drawings to start carving up the puppets. The rustling continued, and a moment later, from under the covers came Bitey, Tock's pet wooden spider. Its body was six inches wide, and the legs on each side six inches long, giving it a total body width of a foot and a half. It crouched on the bed as if ready to pounce, its fangs, two sharp blades two inches long, gleaming in the lamp light. When Tock glanced over and saw Bitey, she casually said, "Don't mind 'im. 'E's a sweat'eart..."

[Satevis]

OOCThanks I'm happy with how it turned out. Now...Satevis meets Bitey. This'll be fun. Satevis nodded as he followed Tock through the streets. A part of him argued against it, though. It was the 81st day of Spring. Term would be ending in a scant ten days time, and he should be in the library revising for finals, not running all over Zeltiva with an insane gadgeteer of a girl. However...he didn't actually need to do anything tonight, and the Ethaefal realized that although he had been in Zeltiva for the majority of the season, he had made very few friendships. Most of his days were spent in study, his nights spent working with Professor Cyril in the newly built Astronomy Tower. Besides, he needed to make sure that Tock got home alright. That in mind, he followed her to her house without complaint. Her house was...well, if he actually thought about it, it was actually how he expected it would be. It looked more like the inside of an animator's workshop than a home, but it did have a feel that was distinctly...well, distinctly Tock-like, for lack of a better word. He walked carefully, watching his step and making sure not to break anything. The Ethaefal paused to examine the blueprints on the way in, his eyes passing over the automaton wolf for a moment. He wondered whether Tock was already building that one. He unconsciously placed a hand on her elbow to steady her as she gripped his shoulder for balance, the motion almost automatic, especially considering his attention was still fixed on the blueprints. "What do you prop yourself up on when I'm not here?" he teased in spite of himself. He waited until she was seated before taking a step away, sitting on the bed like she offered. Satevis frowned. Was it just his imagination, or was there a lump on the bed...? And was that lump...moving? "Benachag!" Satevis exclaimed sharply as what looked like a large spider crawled out from under the covers. The Ethaefal's hand moved before he even thought about it, a cloud of silvery Res pouring out from his fingertips. The Res hovered in the air as Tock told him that it was okay, and he slowly exhaled. realizing now that the spider was just an automaton. He took a slow breath, relaxing. He lowered his hand, letting the cloud of Res hover in his palm, a silvery glow reflecting off of it. Res often glowed and looked somewhat ethereal. Satevis's, to the surprise of no one, often resembled moonlight. He was relaxed now, but there was no taking the word back. Although it had been said in Shiber, Tock would probably recognize the tone he had used--it was a familiar tone shared across cultures and languages. Satevis--straight-laced, polite, proper Satevis--had used a curse word. OOCBenachag is a Shiber word that means 'son of a locust'. The Common translation is probably more along the lines of the other son of a ___ phrase. XD