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 Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:51 pm
"I could stay here if it's going to cause issues," Maia said. She didn't want people to make assumptions about Toby: he'd done nothing but be kind to her. "I'll get Seamus or something." She was putting on a brave face. He didn't seem particularly happy. Well. She supposed being wept on hadn't put him in the best mood: but what if this caused trouble? Would he lose his job? He seemed pretty important, but maybe she was biased because she liked him?
She took a step back towards her apartment.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 3:03 pm
Somehow, Maia's interaction made the hard facade slip somewhat. She had only stopped crying when he'd told her she could come with him, how could he leave her here to get worked up all over again? It'd be fine. Everything would be fine.
"No, come on. My kitchen's stocked, my walls aren't all white, the neighbors are two driveways away, come on." His smile now was honest and he held open an arm to invite Maia to come with him. Who would it hurt? Really. They were meant to help others, but there were rules, written and unspoken, that sort of dampened the ability. He was going to help Maia, ******** it. He had loathed the apartments too.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 3:41 pm
"I don't want you to get into trouble," Maia said. She followed him though, she didn't want to stay. "You're very nice, Toby," she observed. If only everyone was so kind, then she wouldn't have had to leave her beach.
"Do you think Lori will help me research magic enough to help Dari?" She asked. Dari had passed it off as a unrealistic wish, but she wanted to help the alien after all he'd done for her.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 4:23 am
"I won't," Toby replied with a little shake of his head. Well, he might, but it wasn't very likely at all. He ignored the compliment and just kept on smiling, walking with the selkie back out of the building and toward HQ proper.
Research magic? What? "What do you mean, 'help Dari'?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:47 am
"Well, with his wish. He's helped me so much and I want to help him in return and even if there's just a passing chance that he's truly interested and only said he wasn't to avoid teasing or save us the trouble of helping, I want to." She paused only to take a breath. "That's why I was so eager to learn to read. Well, that and a few other things, cooking and stuff."
"Do you think Lori will help?" Would the elf consider it a fantasy and disregard her idea?
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:50 am
His wish? Toby's face showed his confusion. He didn't remember Dari voicing any wishes really. He knew the guy pretty well and he could honestly say there was nothing he needed or wanted badly.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about," he admitted.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:56 am
Maia sighed. Toby had either forgotten what Dari had said the night before, or his brain hadn't considered it important enough to retain it. "Nothing," she said. "I'll ask Lori about it tomorrow."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:59 am
"No, what is it?" Toby asked. He wasn't going to just let it lie. Had Dari said something to her during their sleepover? During lessons? Come to think of it they'd spent a lot of time together without anyone else in the past couple of days.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:06 am
"Its nothing. I just thought I could help Dari find a talisman or something to allow him to disguise himself as a human. Then he wouldn't have to worry about not going out. Or putting on all that make up. He could go out during the day and no one would care."
"Where do you live?" she changed the question abruptly. "Not on base, I figure."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:14 am
"Oh..." Toby didn't sound all that excited. They had been trying for years to come up with a better method. The paint took a long time to apply and looked a bit inhuman, but the projector (which was a more recent invention) made him glow in dim lighting. As of yet, they didn't have contact with anything lucid, intelligent, and powerful enough to help on a more supernatural level. You could get two facets, but never all three. "Well that's... a very complicated endeavor. Not many people exist that can cast enchantments that complex."
Movies told everyone that magic was easy. You wave your hand and shiny light turns the princess into a frog. It wasn't really like that, though. It was draining. It had to be learned and practiced. It was rare. Lori had some in him, but his family had somewhat lost the traditional nature of magic over time. It just wasn't as necessary in today's world and it often caused more trouble than good. Toby knew a succubus that could make human men fall in love with her at a glance. He knew a witch with telekinesis. He himself was able to transform into a wolf-like creature with a couple of forms. Even Maia could pull on a coat and become a seal. He didn't know a single person, though, who could change the form of another being completely.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:22 am
"Anything worth it's going to be complicated," Maia said. "You said you didn't know if those sort of things existed still. Maybe they don't. But it's worth a try, isn't it? And if we do find something..."
He hadn't answered her second question. "Can I at least try?" she asked. "I'll go through everything. Fairies live a long time maybe there's someone out there who'd help."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:25 am
"They might not," Toby replied, "If they do, it's only in carefully-kept circles that don't want us anywhere near them. The entire research division has been working on finding a cloaking mechanism for years. Nothing. We're an international agency." He paused, knowing he was going to have to turn her down and unsure what was the kindest way to do it while her eyes were still red and swollen.
"You're not an agent, Maia. The only files you have access to were on that tablet the first day. We're on it. I promise."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:38 am
Maia was silent for a long time. Hm. She took Toby's words into consideration. "Mechanisms." She echoed, "Like the projector. And because you're an international agency, no one could possibly know better or find something you've missed. You're better equipped for things like that. And the agents I've met are brilliant. But there might be something you've walked past. You wouldn't have known about the Kelpie without me."
She shook her head at him. "They wouldn't be in your files if you haven't met them. I was thinking legends. Something. I don't know. It might be useless to try."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:40 am
Toby shrugged. "The drowning rates in your area weren't high enough to cause worry. I mean, they weren't high at all. There are probably a lot of people out there we just haven't found, who maybe don't want to be found."
Obviously she was stubborn. Obviously she wanted to help.
"Well, Research does a lot of study on legends. Most of our information on any species starts with myths and legends and we edit from there." They had been doing it since before he was born. If Maia wanted to read fairy tales, though, she could go for it. She wasn't hurting anyone. Let her have her fun.
They had made it to the car and he opened the door for her, smiling again.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:02 am
"He was starving. Maybe he wasn't very good at catching people." Maia couldn't imagine what starving was like, she'd always had an ocean full of fish. "I don't think a healthy one would've been so easily convinced." So research did look through myths; she'd talk to Lori during their break in classes.
Maia climbed into the car. Toby was smiling again, good. "Thank you for inviting me," She said again.
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