2019-05-27: Atelier Mikaia

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<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

The Fereshte, as a sailing ship, isn't capable of really going inland given its relative size and the shallowness of the Moonflow; however, tales of the beauty of the swampland crossing and the lily flowers that bear the Pyreflies sounded particularly appealing -- and sooner or later, they would have to cross deeper regardless, and it is thus here today that Noeline and Riesenlied, along with their children, have toured...

As well as a message for Jacqueline from Mikaia.

'Miss Jay, I have to return the alchemy book you lent me. I'm finished with it. I want to show you what I've achieved... and I have a favour to ask too! --Mikaia'

Mikaia and Janey are currently playing by the riverbank wearing gumboots to keep them from getting too muddy; not far from the Waystation, Riesenlied is seated at her wheelchair, chuckling to herself. She's having a weak day today, wheezing a little in her breathing, but the sight of the beautiful river and her children playing does a lot to keep her spirits up...

And there's the company of her beloved too, as she squeezes her hand.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Even Noeline is struck speechless by the sight of the Moonflow. She might be a city person at heart, more at home around the hustle and bustle of humans and people and family, but Noeline can still appreciate a beautiful view when she sees one.

"... as much as Spira certainly has its problems, I am starting to feel a little jealous of it at times," she admits with a chuckle, not taking her eyes off of the horizon as she returns the squeeze of her beloved's hand. Their link, shared across their rings, is enough for her to quietly keep track of how difficult Riesenlied is finding things and enough to offer some degree of comfort.

The state of Riese's health is an ongoing concern, but she knows well enough to avoid spiralling down that path of thought, and instead lets herself snigger at the sight of the pair of children getting splattered with mud. "You're cleaning those clothes yourself," she calls with some relish.

In the distance, a shoopuf lumbers across the Moonflow. Noeline and Janey have both already demanded a ride at the sheer sight of it.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Receiving a message from Mikaia put a much-needed smile on Jacqueline's face. Fortunately, she didn't have any obligations today - she had been planning to take today to relax anyway, so she set out at once.

She crests a hill to see Mikaia and Janey playing and can't help but smile - they seem to be having a good time. It isn't long after that she spots Riesenlied and Noeline at the riverbank, watching their children.

"Hello! How's everyone doing today?" Jacqueline greets, offering everyone a wave as she approaches them. "I got your message, Mikaia!"

She was excited to see how much Mikaia had progressed since she last saw her display her abilities - and was curious about the favor she had mentioned.

She's dressed in her adventuring outfit today - these days, she couldn't be too sure when she'd need it.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied perks up very gently at the sight of the shoopuf; when Noeline and Janey both demanded rides, she acquiesces very quickly as she promises they'll go on a ride to the north bank before long. "Filgaia still has a lot of beauty I have not seen yet. You still promise to bring me to Aquvy, yes...?" she reassures with a smile.

Mikaia perks up from where she's about to go stomping through mud, before exclaiming, "Miss Jay!" Bobble, bobble; her little crow-like wings flutter up and down behind her.

"Jacqueline, did Mikaia...?" Riesenlied sounds surprised. "Well, it's always a pleasure to meet you again, it's been a while..."

"Let me get out of these boots and I'll hand the book back...!" Mikaia expresses, as Janey whines to go, "We're still tied! You can't cash out now, Micky!"

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Miss Barber, good morning," greets Noeline with an amused hum and a tilt of her head; if she's particularly surprised, she doesn't really show it, happy to go along with whatever might happen. "You're looking well, or at least much better than I expected after everything we've heard. It is a bit of a relief," she adds with a chuckle and a hum of air.

She lets a hand drift through Riesenlied's hair, humming softly. "That is true - not to mention a lot of beauty yet to come, I should hope. There will come a day when we can walk again through Adlehyde and Arctica's streets." A little cheesy of her, perhaps, but she seems pleased with herself as she fusses over her partner.

She leans slightly over Riesenlied's shoulders as she watches the children take it in turns to get stuck and struggle against each other, and she really can't help the fond and toothy grin on her face. Strife and Trouble are just nearby. You'd think she could send one of them over to help, but she has to admit she's finding it more amusing to see how the pair get out of this.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Mikaia calls out to her and Jacqueline sends another wave her way before looking toward Riesenlied.

"It's good to see you too, Riese, Noeline. And it has, hasn't it...? Sorry it's been so long, things have been a little, um..." She pauses, trying to find the right words. "...Busy."

That was probably the best way to put it. She had no intention of worrying anyone - but from the way she said it, they could probably tell there was a lot going on.

Noeline says she's looking well, and Jacqueline chuckles sheepishly in response.

"It hasn't always been easy..." She admits. She looks toward Mikaia and Janey, then, suppressing a laugh.

"Oh, it's okay if you're in the middle of something! I can wait." She says.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied smiles fondly towards Noeline to say, "I... am still scared to, but you're right. A day will come, I am sure."

Then to Jay: "That... that it has," Riesenlied admits. "I only barely caught up with you at Luca. It's nice to be able to talk at greater length..." she chuckles very faintly as she looks to Mikaia, also not wanting to take too much time from her daughter...

... even if said daughter is starting to scoot out of her boots and then balk out a whine to go, "No Janey don't you dare--"

  • splotch*

Mud drips from her wings as she puffs up real heavy as she complains, "That's it! Lord of Calamity or not, your days are numbered!"

Janey cackles-- but then her face falls as the mud-ball Mikaia's gathering suddenly enlarges. "W-wah, wait, Micky, you're not allowed to use Jay's alchemy-- help! Aieee!"

Riesenlied tilts her head and coughs gently. "Thank you for the resupply of medicines, Miss Jay... I was running low and panicking a little." She pumps up her hands gently as she says, "Noeline and I have been working on-- walking days, using them. It's done a lot to improve my mood."

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Exactly how many times have we warned you to look after yourself at this point, I wonder?" Noeline responds with a rather amused look on her face. Still, she doesn't chide any more than that; she knows well enough that they're all guilty of that sort of thing now and then.

Instead, she tilts her head in what might be a bit of a bow were she not already settled on Riesenlied's shoulders. "If we are doing anything right this moment, it is just convalescing. As Riese says, even in general, we are concentrating on recovery and recuperation rather than anything too strenuous - we have taken on the responsibility of the people of Azado, so we've avoided anything major. You are certainly not interrupting anything."

The look on her face as she glances across is the glum look of a parent who knows they're going to have to toss someone into the bath later, perhaps quite literally and bodily. "Play nice," she notes to both of them, though it's at times like these she takes care never to quantify what exactly 'nice' is. Besides, push come to shove, she's pretty sure that Mikaia's better in a fight if Janey's her opponent. Or at least, more willing to (literally, in this case) play dirty.

That thought draws a note of pride from her before she manages to shake herself out of it, and grin at both of the other women. "I think, on the whole, I would much rather be walking in Filgaia than in Spira. There is less-- noise there," she adds, thinking not of herself but the profusion of pyreflies and how they affect Riesenlied. "Still, we have some absolutely unique views to enjoy."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I've done my best, but...the situation is a little out of my hands, I'm afraid..." Jacqueline replies, massaging the back of her neck. But, she was sure the same went for them - they've all had their fair share of problems, of late.

She smiles, though, and nods as Noeline assures that she isn't interrupting anything.

"That's important, too. I'm sure they very much appreciate it." She replies, before looking back toward Riesenlied as she says it's nice to be able to talk.

"Yes, absolutely!" Jacqueline replies with a nod. She did miss her talks with the two of them, and was glad she had a chance to now.

She briefly glances over toward the side as Mikaia begins to retaliate. Jacqueline has to mask a chuckle. She's secretly proud...but she doesn't want to look like a bad influence!

"Walking days, hm? That sounds lovely...I'm glad I was able to help. And, speaking of..." Jacqueline pauses and takes a moment to unhook one of the bags from her person. "I was afraid you might be starting to run low again, so I went ahead and packed some more for you, if you need it."

She looks back toward Noeline.

"Spira /is/ lovely, but...I think I'd have to agree." She replies. "The food is nice, and so are the people, but, well..."

She hesitates, a little unsure how to conclude the sentence.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Maybe cutely, Riesenlied mistakes Noeline's comment for herself, which isn't a surprise given how much she and Jacqueline share traits and have had to promise themselves to be kind to their own selves. She smiles quietly and says, "... I understand how that feels. I still... haven't dealt with some of the things that seize me. It has its own challenges, like the Pyreflies, I agree. And as much as I like Spira... Filgaia is my beloved home."

But she's not going to dwell on the lows, not in a time like this, so she leans back and rests relaxedly against Noeline as she leans forward on her chair. "The Azadians have been a source of inspiration. When they saw just how much Kilika suffered, they all requested of us that they wish to help. They didn't want anyone to have to suffer the same fate, after all."

She does cup her mouth as Mikaia and Janey's mudfight escalates, and it's with a 'wheeeh...' that Janey resignedly heads to a little Water Sphere by the waystation and places her hand on it.

A 'sploosh' of water rinses the mud off of her, as she wags and dries herself much like a dog. Mikaia cackles and follows suit, cheekier for once as they scrub each other off.

But it's when Jacqueline mentions the medicine that Mikaia notices, and hurries over to her, still wet as a whistle!

Even as Riesenlied reaches over to wick her dry with a nearby towel (moms are always equipped with towels), she blurts out, "M-Miss Jay, that medicine... is it hard to make? Is it a, um, what do merchants call it... patent?"

It's rather clear what the favour she's asking now is...

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"Hmm," Noeline muses to herself as she digests Jacqueline's words. "Well-- I won't pry too hard, but in terms of 'things to worry about' versus 'things you've done', I dare say you're coming out on top overall," she comments to the alchemists, before softening slightly into an amused smile. "Still, do try not to worry too much. Things have a way of working out in the long run, I would like to think as of late."

"... Spira is Spira, and Filgaia is Filgaia, I suppose," she agrees thoughtfully. "I could not imagine Blitzball in the middle of Adlehyde, just as I could not imagine a Plant anywhere near Luca. In a way, that divergence might be the most interesting thing about the place - but also the reason I miss Filgaia as much as I do. I could use a couple of books that aren't about religion," she puffs, as if she doesn't have an entire library on board the Fereshte.

"Ah, that reminds me-- some of the Azadians were discussing staying with us," she adds towards Riese, her eyebrows high. "They appear to be quite inspired. I did at least ask them to wait until we can get back to their city, so that we can determine how many survivors there were."

Rather than help Mikaia with her towel, the differences in parenting styles become clear when she takes the towel from her shoulder to toss it over Janey's head, leaving her as a covered shape. "Really. I would have thought you'd know by now that the quiet ones are the most dangerous," she puffs with mischievousness.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline can't help but smile at Noeline's words.

"That means a lot to me, thank you. I'll try not to worry..." She replies, then looks toward Riesenlied.

The Pyreflies...Jacqueline could understand why they would be a problem for her. She was so much more in tune with that sort of thing than anyone she knew.

"They do have a lot of those, don't they? I imagine they find it important to document as much as they can...though I wouldn't mind seeing more of what kind of fiction they have to offer." Jacqueline comments, as Noeline mentions books.

Riesenlied brings up Kilika, and how the people of Azado requested to be able to help them.

"...That's really sweet. And after they've been through..." Jacqueline replies. It /was/ inspiring. She needed to be sure she did her part, too. "I'm glad to hear they've doing well! It kind of makes me wonder if there's anything I can do to help, too..."

It's around this time that Mikaia, still soaked, runs up to her. Jacqueline considers her question for a moment. It was pretty easy to guess what she was getting at.

"It is a little difficult, yes...and for that reason, I tend to keep the recipe close." She replies...and then smiles. "But...it /does/ sound like you've made a lot of progress in your studies. At this point...you might be able to handle it."

She could sympathise with Mikaia's desire to help her mother.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"Noeline's right," Riesenlied expresses gently. "Ever since we first met at Adlehyde... I've seen you grow leaps and bounds. Do not rush it... and-- well, as we've promised for a while -- be kind to ourselves, hmm?" she bashfully chuckles.

She bobs her head and looks back towards Noeline, expressing, "Why don't we acquire several video spheres, instead of books? I see several plays and theatrical performances recorded in the shops in Luca sometime. It might be fun to display in the cargo hold."

Mikaia gets wicked clean as Janey gets a towel tossed at her with a playful 'ow!' and cackles. "Micky's been beside herself thinking about it... but, if you see the kinds of things she's made!"

The little crow beastgirl rummages very gently through a nearby knapsack that she's left at her mother's wheelchair -- and hands the very well-bookmarked (she would never dogear a book, let alone another's!) alchemist's book with both hands... as well as something Jacqueline would recognise is one of the last recipes, a little pyramid-shaped prism that magically refracts with the colours of the rainbow. In a pinch, it could be used in battle to amplify a Crest Sorcery spell.

"I'm not as confident about brewing potions like you, Miss Jay... I think I have more luck with objects, but if it's--" she looks shy for a moment as Riesenlied smiles at her.

"W-well, it's for mom... and if it's okay with you... I want to learn, Miss Jay!" she bows almost ninety degrees in front of Jacqueline.

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

"It is more the outlook of the world in general," Noeline puffs back at the alchemist. "And honestly, I have picked up some of their fiction. As far as I can tell thus far it is more pilgrimages, all the way down. Everyone is a bit too strung up on the idea of them - not that I can complain, I suppose. It is just a factor of the situation that Spira is in."

She's carefully light with her words, talking around the idea of Sin rather than naming the creature directly, and follows the topic quickly. "Still-- you're right," she nods to Riesenlied, and then brightens with a toothy sort of grin. "More than that, I should see if I can gather several of them for later use. The thought of recording some video for later is a very pleasant one, don't you think?" Part of her will always be a tourist, after all...

"I think we are alright for the moment, but thank you. Besides, you have your own caravan to look after as well, growing as it is," Noeline adds with a richer sort of smile. "Besides, I dare say the Azadians might be even more hardy than the Hyadeans, at this point. At the very least, they could match each other when it came to working on Kilika."

She's naturally curious and proud about Mikaia's ability to do alchemy, so she doesn't interrupt the beastgirl's presentation, reaching over to help dry Janey off. "On that front," she cuts in with a glance to Riese. "We would probably appreciate some pointers as to what you consider important for an alchemy workspace. We may not have a lot of room on the Fereshte at this point for a full workshop, but I'm sure we can make do somehow."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Y-you're right...I won't forget that. Thank you." Jacqueline says with a sheepish chuckle. It was nice, to hear it recounted how much she'd grown since they first met.

Noeline, however, gets a much more amused chuckle from Jacqueline.

"Ah, I see...maybe I'll pass on the fiction, then." She replies, then nods, as Noeline says they should be alright.

"As long as you're sure...but don't hesitate to reach out to me, if you need a hand. I'd be glad to help out, and I'm sure my Kinship would be, too."

Jacqueline sends a smile Janey's way as Mikaia approaches her, handing the book she had lent to her so long ago.

She takes a moment to flip through it idly, taking note of just how much Mikaia had gone through it. There was really a lot of care and consideration here...and then, there's the prism that Mikaia had handed her. Jacqueline takes it and raises it to her face, looking it over carefully.

She can see the way it refracts, and can feel the hints of power coming from it... Jacqueline smiles, nodding to herself.

"It really is quite impressive..." She says, looking toward Mikaia with a smile. "I'm proud of you - you've come so far...I think you're better at it now than I was at your age."

"Every alchemist has their own specialty, their own style - if you've found your own already, then that's good." Jacqueline replies. She's a little surprised when Mikaia bows, though.

"It might be a little difficult, but I'm sure you can do it. I'll teach you, Mikaia - and maybe a couple of others that might be helpful, too, afterward, if you think you're ready for them." She replies, then looks toward Noeline. Important for an alchemy workspace...hm.

"You'll want a lot of space, for one...and safe, temperature-controlled storage spaces for reagents. You'll also want devices to heat up or cool down your mixtures as necessary, and - hm, maybe it'd be easier if I just wrote up a list, or showed you mine sometime..." She replies consideringly.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied thinks of what Noeline comments about religion. She might have a slightly different view on it than Noeline herself, since she was much more religious. She could believe in the faith they place in the pilgrimage...

"I feel something familiar in their fervour. I was like that not even that long ago..." she mentions to Noeline. But on the suggestion of videos, Riesenlied nods to that, but smiles quietly as she says, "We should consider it, yes. Hyadean data crystals are very rare, after all. And I would like several fond memories of our time as family to look back on."

There is a more quiet moment, as Mikaia bashfully says, "If-- if you'd like, I'd like to gift the prism to you, Miss Jay. Like a... submission for a final exam, maybe?"

She bobs her head and starts listening on what Noeline is asking on for an alchemy workspace. "I've been working out of Auntie Cetiri's lab--"

Somewhere, Cetiri immediately wags her tail on being called auntie.

"--and I think the science lab does fit a lot of the requirements... but eventually, I do want to have my own workshop!" Mikaia sounds excited. Though, when Jacqueline says that she might be better than when she was her age, her cheeks go red as she stammers, "R-really, Miss Jay? I don't think so..."

"Hey, she's complimentin' you, Micky!" Janey grins. "You're a smart cookie, so take one sometime, huh?"

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline glances towards her partner with a soft and rueful smile; she tilts her head a little in recognition and mild apology, squeezing the other woman's hand in hers once more. "That is fair... I am sorry. I would, at the very least, encourage you to give anything a try once," she adds towards Jacqueline, and this part is said quite genuinely, and with a snicker. "Just because my own thoughts on it amount to those of a grumpy old aunt, it does not mean you will feel the same way."

"Hopefully they will work on Filgaia - but I would be eager to find out either way," she nods towards Riese, setting the thought aside for later. Recording something for the future... a bit sentimental, perhaps, but it feels important to think about. Just in case.

It's a thought for later, though, and for now she hums with pride, watching Mikaia fuss over her alchemy submission. "I suppose we can't easily find a Lord of Calamity for Janey to understudy, can we?" she wonders impishly. "Especially not when our own one keeps telling all the others to go away." Still, she's quick to ruffle Janey's hair a little, making sure the other girl isn't feeling any sort of left out.

"Hmm... perhaps that would be wise, to take a look," she admits towards Jacqueline once all is said and done. "Making the space on board the Fereshte might be a little trickier, but we can certainly figure out an interim solution and then look to add something onto the orphanage once we do finally get back towards Wayside."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Well, I might, if I find myself needing more reading material...I actually found a good amount of interesting works in an old ruin around here. Most of it is about fighting techniques, but..." Jacqueline replies to Noeline, though she pauses as Mikaia speaks up again.

She can't help but smile, as Mikaia so bashfully says she'd like to gift it to her.

"...I'll cherish it, then - and I'll put it to good use. I think you've passed this one with full marks." Jacqueline says, closing her hand gently around the prism. It was nice. That someone was following in her footsteps...this must be what being a teacher feels like, she thinks.

There's a nostalgic look on her face, though, as Mikaia says she wanted her own workshop.

"Nothing quite beats the sensation of having a workshop to call your own. I still remember my first one... I miss it, sometimes." She replies, and then smiles a little more gently as Mikaia stammers. That's a familiar look right there.

"Really." She affirms, with a nod. It had been a while since someone had had to tell /her/ to accept a compliment...she'd been doing better about it lately. "You got through this book much faster than I did, and I can tell by looking at this prism how much effort you're putting into it."

She sends a nod toward Noeline, then.

"You should come by the Carakin sometime, then. It should help you figure out how to get everything onto the Fereshte - I had to compact my set-up a bit to get everything to fit in." She says...then pauses. "Oh, um...considering Spira's opinion toward machina, we're currently keeping it stationary next to Rin's Travel Agency, on the Mi'ihen Highroad, to avoid unnecessary attention."

She forgets to mention that it's currently disguised as a chocobo hatching shack. This may result in some slight disappointment if they do ever swing by.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"It's all right. I just thought... well," Riesenlied squeezes Noeline's hand again. "It's a moment of self-reflection for me." She bobs her head one way as her horns wiggle gently as Mikaia nearly tears up as Jacqueline accepts the prism.

There's a big, wide smile as she pumps her hands and says, "Thank you, Miss Jay!"

Janey snorts with an easy smile as she surfaces out of the towel and says, "I already told the one I met what's up! I don't think that lion guy's much of someone to look up to, the way he treated you all!"

Mikaia nods in turn and says, "I will!" as Jacqueline offers them a visit to the Carakin. "Mmm... hmm. My own atelier..." she expresses, looking real excited.

"... a what? An eaterie? Micky, I thought you wanted to be an alchemist, not a cook!" Janey comments.

"Atelier! It's going to be wonderful, okay?" Mikaia grumps, like this is something she's planned for a while now.

"Ah..." Riesenlied interjects as she listens to Jacqueline's comment on machina. "Fortunately, we have not been harrangued too much about the Fereshte, but we have not had it fly either. But the Carakin... yes."

That said, if Riesenlied ever found out it was disguised as a chocobo hatching shack, she'd probably melt down in a completely different way...

<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.

Noeline hasn't gone digging as of late in Spira; it feels distinctly more dangerous somehow, doing so in this unknown land, and she's not particularly willing to leave Riesenlied alone for too long at a time given the way the horned Hyadean needs more assistance and support as of late. Still, her eyebrows raise at the talk of reclaimed books, her curiosity still intact and still riding high as ever.

"I'm actually a little surprised. Many of the Crusaders looked too young and rough-hewn to have ever really established anything like fighting techniques, and the Yevonites-- did not exactly seem the sort," she muses to herself. Even if it's relatively recent history, she's still just as able to get caught up in theorizing about it.

She levels a pleased smile in Mikaia's direction, and just like that she's playing along with Mikaia's grump, a hand at her chest. "Hmph," she turns her head away with a flick of her hair. "Imagine thinking an atelier is something so mundane," she teases, then breaks into a warm chuckle as she glances towards Janey. "Think of it like-- an artist's studio, or a mechanic's workshop, or a chef's kitchen, but for alchemy. I'd been thinking we should expand the orphanage a little, in any case."

She considers that, then frowns in thought at the plight of the poor Carakin. "... perhaps, when we visit, we could bring some supplies your way. Perhaps we could even load the caravan on board and take you somewhere down the coastline, where you'll be free to start driving once more-- though to be honest, I am a little worried about how heavy that would be."

She's edging towards planning and worrying, something she promised she wouldn't do today for Riesenlied's sake - so she huffs, and breaks into an amused smile. "But, either way, I dare say it would do no harm to say hello. We have not spent that much time near the Highroad when we could resupply Kilika and Luca instead, but I suspect we will have to head north at some point."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"This was an older ruin, not far from Kilika, actually...it seemed to be dedicated to the monk, Gusong, and the techniques he had devised and taught. It seems like it only re-opened just recently..." Jacqueline explains. Likely through Sin's activity, but she doesn't bring the creature up here.

But... Oh no, Mikaia's nearly tearing up out of happiness. Jacqueline has to fight to avoid doing the same.

"You're welcome! I'm glad...it feels nice, to have been able to help you find your way onto the path of alchemy..." Jacqueline replies, clasping her hands together.

She can't help but chuckle good-naturedly as Mikaia looks excited at the thought of her own atelier. That was familiar, too. She looks away toward Riesenlied, though, and lets out a relieved sigh.

"Really? That's good to hear...I'll admit, I was a little concerned about it." She replies. Noeline offers some assistance, though, and Jacqueline shakes her head.

"It's okay, we're fine for now! There are other people who could use the supplies more." Jacqueline replies.

"We travel in a wagon, at least for now...it's kind of nostalgic, really." She says with a chuckle. "...But with a chocobo, instead of a horse. Come to think of it, I should've brought her with me to introduce you all..."

She smiles, though, as Noeline decides it wouldn't hurt to say hello.

"That would be nice! You're always welcome, all of you." She says.