Jylat - Starting Over

[Yolanda Riona]

I'd already tucked away my hand as soon as Links reacted. I didn't know what I'd done. It made me uncomfortable. Maybe even a little scared. The feeling had been all too familiar though. It was something I had missed for weeks. I glanced over to Esmeralda. She hadn't even bat an eye, which only made me warier. I'd never felt so uninformed in my life.

"It's better than nothing. Shoot."

[Links Tyrell]

Links paused a moment, seemingly gathering his thoughts and working out the best way to explain this. "Well, lets start with the basics shall we? Your power is similar to my own, similar that is in its base element...wind. Personally I'm a jack of all trades now but wind was and always shall be my most powerful ability. My own skills developed over time, reaching a peak as I matured...following that I practised more and more, experimented and investigated. In the end I'm what you see today, my magical energy has grown so powerful that my own body requires them in order to survive. If for some reason I lost my skills I would no doubt die."

Links paused for a moment, feeling the light touch of fingers on his arm. Looking round, Alindel was looking at him with a cautious glance. "Do not fret my dear, that will not happen." Looking back at Jodie he continued, "Now my dear, you seem to be slightly different. Your power is more engrained...as if it didn't develop...its almost like it was just there! Tell me...have you ever found yourself out of breath? Tired for no reason? Easily exhausted by exercise or excitement? More so than would seem normal."

[Yolanda Riona]

I scratched my ears. Listening to his speech, I guess I had to give him credit. Self-teaching wasn't exactly a strong point of mine, especially with magical energy. I'd never really had the patience... or a good reason to follow through with it for that matter. So far, I had learned two new things. Like a drug, essentially, magic was an addiction; the second was something I'd only believe was a myth: being able to learn multiple elements.

I tucked this new knowledge away for now focused now on the questions he had asked. His theory was really what I wanted to hear the most. I could see Esmeralda listening carefully as well. I thought hard, combing my days at the orphanage, the time I'd spent with my foster parents, school...

My eyes snapped open. I didn't remember when I'd shut them, but I was now focusing on Links.

"When I was in track, I do remember my coach worrying a lot. Sometimes he'd kick me out of practice whenever I overexerted myself. But it seemed normal to me."

[Links Tyrell]

Links gave a nod, sitting back in his chair as he pondered the information. "Well, without any further information to go on...I think I might be able to explain what is wrong. I all comes down to direction." He sat forwards again, looking at Jodie with a slightly curious expression if you could call it that.

"Put simply you and I are the mirror image of the other. My magical powers sustain my body...your body sustains your magical powers. Without being able to see what is under the skin I say this cautiously but it does follow a reasonable trail.

"It seems your body runs a very fine line or existence. I would say that your magic sustains itself by feeding off your bodies own strength. A portion of the oxygen absorbed by your body being used to maintain your power...that would explain why you tired earlier than other and more often during track."

Links gave a slight nod to himself, pausing for a moment, "Now, that jolt you gave me a short while ago...even for the joys of youth that isn't normal...it is more powerful than I've come to accept. Something has caused your magic potential to increase...no doubt the exposure you suffered to those particles in Capitol.

"This increase means that your magic requires more of your bodies energy to sustain itself. I would suspect it has started to draw oxygen directly out of your cells...which may explain your weakened state."

Links gave a short sigh, "I'm sorry to say this my dear but I would suspect that if it continues to do so, then as the doctors have said, you will almost certainly die."

[Yolanda Riona]

Sustaining... Life... Oxygen... Draining...

All this information was making my head spin. I could understand it. It took me a few reiterations in my mind here and there, but I got the gist of it. But it was just so unfathomable. I'd always had assumed I was pretty normal. At least from the physical standpoint. About as weird as I got was the dyed hair. But for my body to seriously be structured for this? Didn't magic just harness out of what was it... mana? Thin air? All that jazz? It's what I'd always thought anyway.

"So, you're basically saying because I was exposed to those particles, my body, which usually is this air machine for my skill, has more or less malfunctioned? I mean that's cool and all if that's the truth of the matter. But how do I fix this? It's not like I can just pop myself and call it a day."

"Maybe it's just a matter of self-control."

I turned to Esmeralda. I hadn't realized how quiet she had been until now, so I almost didn't catch what she had to say.

[Links Tyrell]

Links gave a slow nod at both Jodie and Esma, briefly closing his eyes at the same time. "In essence yes you are both correct. Magic that runs rampant, whether it by choice or not, is a dangerous thing. Not just to the person involved but also to others around you. Of course practice can help to control ones powers but I do not believe that is all that is needed here...you have gone far beyond that point I believe."

Links laced his fingers, "If you want to pull through this you need to find a way to control yourself as Esmeralda says. I can try to help if you desire but I do believe this will be a trial and error process and mostly down to yourself. Perhaps if I knew more about what exactly happened to you I could say more but alas I do not."

"...But don't worry," cut in Alindel swiftly, her voice trying to sound hopefull and cut through the depression that was slowly filling the room. "Links hasn't met a magical problem yet he couldn't solve given some time. Right dear?"

"Unfortunetly, time is not on our side this time," finished Links.

[Yolanda Riona]

"Even if that's the case, it's a chance I'll take. I'm sick of waiting for the inevitable without a choice in the matter. Just to get this cleared out of the way though, I ain't exactly top notch pupil material. But I'll give it my all."

"That's good to know, Jodie, but before we get any further into this, I do believe you have an important issue to address elsewhere."

Dromar...

My ears drooped. I really hadn't intended to say what I'd said to him back then. The words just churned out like a spur of high pressure water finally breaching a dam. I didn't know how I'd go about facing him, but I knew that Essy wouldn't have it any other way either. I quietly hoped that his talk with Crosis would potentially make things easier between us, at the very least calming him down.

[Links Tyrell]

"Neither was I my dear Jodie, neither was I," For the first time Links showed a hint of emotion, the edges of his mouth curling upwards in a mild but definite smile. Next to him the smile Alindel had on her face dwarfed his, her tail adding to the expression by wagging back and forth behind her.

"Now don't push yourself too much Links, you know you don't have that youthful stamina any more," she warned through her grin. She seemed to know the response to the statement but it didn't stop her speaking.

Links just closed his eyes, his smile growing a little before returning to its usual size. "Don't worry, I will merely be watching and learning...and perhaps a little bit of demonstrating."

"Of course my dear," replied Alindel before looking back at the rather downcast Jodie and Esma, "Should we vacate for a little while you straighten things out? I wouldn't mind taking a look at your garden anyway, it's quite marvellous."

[Yolanda Riona]

"Oh, don't worry. I do believe it's Jodie who will be making her exit."

I wasn't going to argue as that familiar hiss tickled the end of her words with poison. Honestly, I didn't want Links and Alindel to be kicked out of the house anyway. Add guilt to the equation and I set myself to go, backing out from the table and scooting for the door. I glanced back at them one last time before making my temporary escape.

Outside, I waited for relief to wash over me, but it never came. I shouldn't have been surprised. Despite what tension I'd felt dealing with an aggravated Essy, the scenario had served as a good distraction from what I truly liked to avoid. And that was apologizing. How could someone really make up for things with a word? I felt sorry and when I said it, I meant it. But even still, it wouldn't change anything. How everything turned out. Even so, I pushed myself to go find Dromar. I had to.
___________________________

Esmeralda watched with seemingly faint interest as Jodie left before turning her attention back to Links and Alindel.

"Oh, she really isn't a terribly, hideously, stubborn kid of a granddaughter, usually. Although I must say she has her days and this happens to be one of them."

[Links Tyrell]

Alindel fidgeted slightly in her seat, casting a slightly unsure smile around the table. The feline always tended to be well spoken and badmouthing people was just not in her nature even if they deserved it. “…Well I mean she’s, that is…”

"Hush now Alindel," interrupted Links, "I know you hate to insult people but you have to admit that the girl is a little…how should I phrase this? Highly strung? Surely you could agree to that without offending?"

Links cast his glance towards Essy and gave her a courteous bow of his head to show he didn’t mean any offense either. As he raised his head he cast a short glance towards the door, absently scratching his ear a little as he did. "I hope that our arrival hasn’t caused too much upset, I would hate to create any bad relations. In a town the size of Jylat they tend to hang around much longer than one would want."

He paused for a moment, looking back at Essy, "One thing I am curious about, if I may ask? I think it’s safe to say that Jodie is not part of your immediate family, her being here is a little unusual, but of course I have no problem with unusual things. How did she come to be here?"