Not-Hardly Underland (Tag: Marmadue)

[Marmadue]

"Ah," Marmadue perked up slightly at the girl's words, turning over to look at her over his shoulder. He had perhaps been a bit lost in his thoughts, realizing that the situation Alice was in wasn't too far from his own, in a way. Of course, she might have very well found a quicker answer to her questions about the whereabouts of those she was looking for. At the very least, she was able to grab onto the hope in the situation. That was… Good. The Yuke hadn't even noticed how he had turned around to properly face her, his expressionless helmet directed in her direction as he stared in silence. He certainly was happy about that.

"…Y-Yes ah, it is," he came to the realization that he was staring and turned around to quickly make the bedrolls a bit more presentable,
"It is possible for us to just be early. And, ah… To be honest, I am not entirely sure what is behind this… Process of being sent here. I suppose there is the possibility that perhaps, ah, this is not going to be the only potential place where one might end up. Or ah, perhaps it is not only space to be concerned with, but perhaps time as well…"

Oh. He was starting to ramble a bit. Marmadue straightened his back and cleared his throat.
"That is ah, neither here nor there. To proceed with the questions, I am afraid I have not noticed a pattern when it comes to the placement of the new arrivals, but there are other shelters. More ah, of the larger, livable kind, for those who do not have anything else. Or those who ah, prefer a larger group to attach themselves to. It would be an idea to go take a look at them as well, miss. It is a common first step for many new arrivals, after all. If ah, you do not wish to wait here for a bit, first. Or ah, rest. I'm afraid the only thing to drink I can offer you is just ah, water, but…"

The Yuke glanced towards the counter, behind which he tended to store most of the items he had managed to salvage along with some handy, quick rations.
"…I suppose it could be ah, hot water…"

[Alice Kingsleigh]

“Hmm, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help much on that regard. I’ve used other… less conventional means to travel off-world in the past. Mainly through rabbit hole. I can’t say I would recommend it myself, though. It’s nowhere near as fun as it sounds.” Still, in her experience, traveling through rabbit hole did have its advantages. It always led to Underland, a place she’d grown to know and love through her most unorthodox visits. The place was filled with possibilities of adventure, and there were always loads of good friends, old and new, to meet and pass the time with. The process of getting there wasn’t that bad either. She may be freefalling for five minutes straight, but at least she was guaranteed to land safe and sound. One could hardly say the same thing about dark portals.

“But you may be onto something, mister Marmadue. It wouldn’t just be a matter of “where” but also of “when”. How would one’s “when” and “where” be determined? We would also need to look into the “why” of the matter…” That was quite a complex problem the pair were attempting to solve, possibly too complex for just the two of them. Nonetheless, Alice was intrigued. Perhaps it had something to do with the way time flowed in each world? One couldn’t possibly expect time to work equally in other worlds. And now that she thought about it, there had always been something “off” about her visits to Underland and elsewhere. It was almost as if time slowed down in her own world while she wasn’t there. It was strange.

Curious, yes, but also strange.

“Well, I should probably start looking for my crew soon,” she began, gauging her options out loud. Twilight Town appeared to be a relatively large town. Her people could’ve appeared in other places spread throughout the area. Perhaps they were hurt, or required her assistance to shake off a Heartless or two. This was a particularly time sensitive matter, and delaying any further could be morally questionable.

On the other hand, Marmadue hadn’t seen or heard of any other arrivals that day. He seemed to be a very knowledgeable member of the community, so it’d be wise to trust his judgment (at least for now). And what if her comrades’ “when” was a few hours from now, or perhaps even a couple of days afterward? Time would be better spent gathering information and getting to know the place. It didn’t seem like she was going anywhere for a while, after all.

Plus, this Marmadue character seemed to be kind-hearted enough to be a new friend in this new land.

“But I suppose I could stay a while longer… if you don’t mind, of course. I wouldn’t wish to intrude if you had other errands to run.”

Just as it’d happened moments before with the futon, Alice hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until her host offered some water. The girl nodded, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically at the offer, not really caring for the water’s temperature at the time. She’d silently wait for her drink, moving to lean against the counter in anticipation. It’d be hard not to drink the whole drink in a couple of gulps. It was just like when she was out in the sea; one counted their blessings and took solace in whatever comforts were available.

In this case, clean water was the comfort of the hour.

[Marmadue]

Marmadue tilted his head slightly at the mention of… Rabbit hole travel. Transportation. To other worlds. He opened his mouth, drawing in just enough breath that it might have even been audible enough to notice, but… He then closed it without saying a word. He… Wasn't entirely sure what to even say to that. True, the Yuke wasn't exactly knowledgeable in rabbit holes, much less being able to ever fit into one, but he was quite certain that they often did not come with such properties. Or at least, he thought he was quite sure. Now… He wasn't even very sure, himself…

But at least Alice seemed to agree with his proposed ideas! Perhaps they weren't as farfetched for others as he had initially thought – but they didn't have that much information in the first place. Many strange ideas could be brought forth without them having any evidence to completely rule them out, after all! Marmadue nodded a few times. It definitely wasn't just about him wanting to find a reason to keep hoping for the best! Oh, but if only they just knew more about everything!

"Ah. Yes," the Yuke hummed when the girl mentioned how she should be looking for her crew – a number one priority for many. Perhaps offering her a place to rest wasn't the best idea right now, not many would be able to stay put. However… It did seem like she had some interest in the water at least. Luckily for her, it wasn't like she only had to choose one of the two! Resting also had a way that could help her!

"Ah, no no. If ah, we can expect more refugees, it would only make sense for me to stay here, where I can be found. In case ah, someone does need my aid. Staying put could lead someone dear to you to us," Marmadue started as he walked towards the counter, going around it to get behind where he stored the necessary items,
"And, ah, if not, there are other places for us to go to," he continued with a nod, bending over to grab a cup from underneath the countertop. It probably came as no surprise that it seemed rather old and more like some kind of metallic, banged up mug one might have liked when camping instead of fine china – after all, everything delicate was probably long broken. It was clean, at least.

The Yuke grabbed a pitcher of water he used to fill the cup, placing it on the counter for Alice. There was still one more thing to do, however…
"Ah, I should fetch you something to sit on," he realized, placing the pitcher down as well before he took a few steps back into the room proper. The chairs had a habit of wandering around, what with there being so many guests coming and going, but they never strayed too far. Marmadue grabbed two of the mismatching wooden stools with a quiet oof and carried them to the counter where he placed them on the floor.

[Alice Kingsleigh]

Alice nodded her head in agreement. Marmadue’s reasoning seemed sound, after all. If she was to assume he was one of, if not the only trained healer in town, it’d be best for him to stay somewhere centric, where people could easily find him. The girl was now certain that choosing to stay there had been the right thing to do. The Yuke seemed to be the kind of person that’d drop anything and everything to help someone in need. He probably would’ve even joined her if she’d chosen to search the other shelters right then.

But that would’ve been very selfish of her… or at least Alice thought so.

“In that case, please do make use of me while I indulge in your hospitality. I’m afraid my hands-on experience with medical procedures is rather limited, but I can provide some first-aid assistance if needed.” Basic medical training had been a must before the captain was allowed to venture into the seas. She picked up a few tricks along the way, tricks that proved to be useful during her journeys to China and beyond. Now it seemed like they’d come in handy once again. Perhaps looking into getting some more medical training would be a good idea, given the apparent state of the worlds.

Alice would again break into a smile upon receiving her drink, not really minding the container’s conditions. She’d had plenty of tea parties to last her for a life time. A small thank you was muttered before she proceeded to gulp down the liquid. It was warm yet refreshing, and it was gone way too soon for her liking. She had to suppress the urge to look inside just to make sure she’d drank every drop. Regardless, asking for more didn’t seem right. The girl didn’t know if water supplies were limited in this world; she’d prefer if others made use of it instead if that were the case.

“That’s very kind of you,” she’d add before dragging the nearest stool closer to her and taking a seat. The soreness on her back and the pain on her neck were immediately made noticeable again. Her ordeal had left her needing some rest to recover her strength, but that would have to wait a little longer. At least until she’d made herself a bit useful.

It was then that she noticed she’d been talking about herself all evening. How incredibly rude of her!

“Oh! I must apologize, Mister Marmadue. I’m afraid I haven’t let you talk about yourself at all in our short time together. Please, let me hear more about yourself. Have you been in this Twilight Town for long? Or… how did you end up becoming a healer?”

Her eyes brightened as the ideas raced through her mind.

“Oh! Do you have any interesting tales to tell? I love hearing new stories, especially if they’re adventurous. Those are always exciting.”

[Marmadue]

Marmadue breathed out as he was relieved of the weight of the little chairs – certainly sturdily built, those two! That seemed to be the state of many of the items that still were in one piece on Twilight Town: built to last. Unfortunately that often made them quite heavy, despite their size! Straightening his back and looking at Alice once again, it seemed like she had managed to drink all of her water in such a short time. My, she must have been parched! For as energetic and curious as she seemed to be, it was easy to forget what she had just been through. Many often were in a much worse state mentally and physically, but even if the girl was putting on a brave face… Well, surely she couldn't have been in perfect state. Resting for a bit did seem like it had been the superior option.

As Alice sat down, the Yuke pushed the other stool in a better position so he could prepare a spot for himself to sit on when it was time. Before he could ask if she perhaps wanted more water or something to drink, the girl suddenly apologized. Marmadue tilted his head. Even if Alice hadn't been talking about herself, he doubted he would have been really talking about himself that much, either. It wasn't like she had taken something by talking! If anything, it was probably good if she was allowed to open up as much as she wanted.
"Hm. Oh. Ah, please, do not let me stop you from talking about whatever it is you would like to talk about, miss," he tried to reassure the girl, but she had asked some questions… She was most likely going to be disappointed however.

"I'm afraid I am ah, very much the opposite of a person who would have such exciting tales. I ah, prefer to stay out of danger, you see," Marmadue scratched the back of his helmet, backing up so he could sit on the wooden stool. It certainly was a good thing the little thing was sturdy! Even though the Yuke lacked mass, he was still quite a tall creature and thus heavy!
"I ah… I wouldn't say I have been here for that long. Er, the lack of a day and night cycle does make it rather difficult to gauge the passage of time, let's see," the Yuke started to muse, rubbing the part of his helmet where his chin might have been, his eyes closed in thought and head nodding from side to side slightly.

…Honestly, he didn't even know what kind of terms they should be using…

"…Perhaps a season or two should have passed, if those er, happened here. That is how long. Oh, I ah, have been here, I mean, and have been a healer. I ah, never did train to become one, nor was it a title I held in my ah… Previous life, but us Yukes are a tribe of magic. It is quite the basic part of the curriculum for us. Restorative magics just always were something I was good at, you see, so… It ended up being my part here."

"Ah! I completely forgot. Would you ah, care for another round of refreshments? Something more nourishing?"

[Alice Kingsleigh]

“Oh, is that so?” Alice tilted her head, eyes incredulously studying the Yuke’s mannerisms. For a moment she wondered if he was simply toying around with the subject. The girl’s bright mind played well with her rather colorful personality traits, but people’s subtle quips and sarcastic remarks often eluded her unless blatantly pointed out. It was a bit frustrating to say the least, but her time with The Wonder’s crew had helped heighten her awareness on that end. In this case, however, being unable to see her friend’s facial expressions casted ambiguity on her amateur analysis. Should she just… ask?

Worst case scenario: she’d receive a second dubious statement to decipher.

“Well, if your truth is truly the truth, I find myself obligated to suggest… no, demand you include some adventures in your everyday routine. It may seem a bit dangerous, and sometimes it may be so, but… the worlds are just so grand and vast and big. Why wouldn’t anyone want to see what else is out there? All the magical, impossibly possibles… I simply cannot picture just how many of them are left to be uncovered.”

The girl was clearly passionate about the subject, her eyes wide and her voice hasty as she rambled on. The thought of someone as interesting to her as Marmadue living a dull life akin to that of the likes of Hamish and Lady Ascot… good grief, it was certainly unthinkable! A ridiculous idea, and not the kind she enjoyed pondering on during the mornings.

But the Yuke would then proceed to share some details regarding his past life. The life he lived before the Heartless arrived and presumably swallowed his world in darkness. Alice felt her curiosity itch at the possibility of hearing more about it, but she could also see how it would be a sensitive subject for him. The loss of one’s homeworld wasn’t a fact easily accepted by most; the captain herself had yet to truly start processing the ramifications of her personal tragedy.

There was no time to dwell in it. Not until she found her crew safe and sound.

“More water would be lovely, if it’s not too much of a burden,” she requested, encouraged by Marmadue’s hospitality. Still, a mental note to evaluate the town’s water supply conditions was made.

“So, you’re familiar with a large variety of magics? That… that is truly amazing, mister Marmadue! Your tribe sounds like quite the wonderful company. I would be pleased and honored to make their acquaintance someday.” Alice rested a hand over her chest, a gesture extending her honest sentiment. She wondered if all of the Yukes were as soft spoken as her present reference. It was quite endearing, in her opinion. A group filled with magically talented and humble individuals? It sounded just… perfect.

“Magic isn’t that common back in England. Most people are frightened of even speaking of such matters. I can’t say I don’t understand why… magic really is a wonderful thing, but it can also be a means of destruction. Trying to learn more about it would surely put some concerns to ease, but… alas, it’s so easy to shun something one doesn’t truly understand.”

“I, well…” she uttered, briefly hesitating before going any further. The girl knew her status was best kept a secret… at least until she could find Sora, Aerith or one of her fellow princesses. Then again, Alice didn’t believe Marmadue meant her any harm, and he was experienced with the arcane. She could think of no finer mentor (was she getting too ahead of herself now?) in her immediate circumstances. “I know a little bit of magic. Or at least I think I do. It's only manifested when I've needed it most though… so I can’t say I’m able to control it.”

Kingsleigh sighed, her head lowering to look at the open palm resting on her lap. If she’d only been more in control, then maybe…

[Marmadue]

Marmadue tilted his head slightly, almost in response to the girl's own similar movement, though his was more because of the way she kept looking at him. There… Definitely was something behind those eyes, her gaze rather relentless in the way it seemed to examine his very being. Whatever it was, she soon opened her mouth – and her eyes just seemed to light up. Wanderlust was burning deep within them as she tried to spur the Yuke to feel even a tiny sliver of what she was. He couldn't say it was working, exactly…

"Er, ah, it is not that I ah, am not interested in learning, I just much prefer… Doing that in a safe way, miss," Marmadue replied, though perhaps he was sounding a bit more… Sheepish, now. In a way, it almost felt like he was being lectured after he did something bad. Perhaps he shouldn't have felt that way, especially when he most likely was older than this young lady, but… It was a feeling that was difficult to shake.

Clearing his throat, the Yuke reached for the pitcher when Alice requested for another cup of water. As he started to pour some in, he occasionally glanced towards the girl as he listened. Magic seemed to be of interest to Alice, quick to praise the magical creature for his aptitude and expressing her desire to see even more Yukes in the future. A sentiment both of them shared, certainly. Marmadue couldn't help but rub the back of his neck bashfully as he set the jug of water down. Oh dear, he might have blushed at that rate.

"Ah," he did let out a quiet sound that sounded quite understanding when Alice mentioned how people in her world weren't very keen on magic. In such a company, it was quite difficult to hone one's talents indeed! What a waste, a real tragedy!
"Many are indeed quite afraid of the unknown – especially if it is a power one happens to lack. Some wish for that they cannot control to vanish from existence," the Yuke mused, bringing his hand to his chin as he nodded a few times. A sentiment he had heard of many times, even in his own world. Those Lilties…

For a moment it even seemed like Marmadue had gotten lost in his own thoughts, but when he noticed the girl's expression… Well, there clearly was something that was bothering her. Her magic. He wondered if she had ever even had any encouraging words when it came to her talents, though it certainly seemed like she hadn't received any training at least.
"…Ah, well, your deduction of your magical abilities sounds apt, ah. In the way that you certainly should have the ability, if you are able to use it in some cases. Not everyone is born with great understanding or control over their powers – that is, ah, er, very few are that way, I would say. Especially if your environment hasn't allowed you to nurture it…"

Oh. He was rambling now, wasn't he?
"Ah. I apologize, miss. Please, continue."

[Alice Kingsleigh]

Alice fell silent for a few moments. She tried her best to conceal her true feelings for the sake of civility, but her efforts were ultimately futile. Hints of disappointment, albeit faint, were scattered all over her face. She was unpleased by her host’s reply, clearly not grasping the reasoning behind the Yuke’s standpoint. And how could she, when the only thing she could possibly associate it with was the English people’s general indifference to innovation? Over two decades of living under such conformist patterns had worn her patience thin on that regard.

Perhaps Marmadue wasn’t the kindred spirit she’d initially found him to be.

The girl put a stop to such negative thoughts. What if she was just being a bit too hard on him? He clearly wasn’t as orthodox-minded as Lady Ascot, not he shared her not-so-subtle air of pretentiousness. It would be wrong of Alice to just assume her new friend’s concerns were born from similar opinions and values. Father had once told her every mind was unique, shaped by one’s personal experiences and knowledge acquired through them Who knew what kind of things Marmadue had gone through back at his homeworld? She silently chastised herself for being so quick to pass judgement on him.

“I… suppose there must be an appeal in that. Academics and theoretical researchers back in England often adopt similar viewpoints, and they do good work for the scientific community. I just… I can’t really see myself living like that. Still, I... I see how I could've come off as aggresive before. I'm sorry.”

She offered an apologetic look and a half-smile before deciding to drop the subject… for now, at least.

Moving on to the subject of magic, Alice listened intently, taking small sips from her refilled drink. Marmadue’s general willingness to share his viewpoint was greatly appreciated by the captain. She didn’t how long had it been since she’d had the chance to talk to someone with actual knowledge in the field. That was probably one of the few silver linings she was subconsciously forcing herself to cling to despite her current situation.

“How would one gain greater understanding, or control?” Kingsleigh asked, her tone vaguely absentminded as she attempted to find an answer to her own query by herself. Her eyes remained glued to her hand, closing it before opening it once again in an almost rhythmic fashion. She knew there was this light within her, this magic. Arcane interests aside, the thought of leaving the potential untapped and untrained left her with a pang of guilt. Her inaction would be greatly irresponsible of her. She could help others lacking such talents through it. The girl had done so before, many years ago… though now she stood on her own, Cinderella and the others unable to help her pull her weight.

On the other hand, harnessing her elemental affinities would possibly expose her to those as ill-intended as Maleficent had been. Alice didn’t know how many people knew of the existence of the Princesses of Heart and their identities. She was certainly more capable of defending herself now, of course, but the demons from her past had failed to leave her completely.

Still, it was her choice. She would just have to assume the risk… and take certain precautions to deflect unnecessary attention.

“I know I can help people with it. I just… don’t really know how, or where to start.”

[Marmadue]

It was difficult to not notice the disappointed look in the girl's eyes when the Yuke had turned down her suggestion – or demand, as she had worded it – of going on an adventure. Perhaps, to Alice, such a lifestyle was very important. They all did seem to be coming from different worlds with such different customs… Maybe such refusal was considered to be bad taste? Before Marmadue had the chance to apologize, the girl proved to be faster and did the same thing. Scratching the back of his head in slight confusion, this little conversation had gone a bit differently than it usually had…
"Ah… There is ah, no need to apologize, miss…"

At least magic was a topic they both were interested in and could talk about without accidentally upsetting one of the parties. Alice clearly had a lot of unanswered questions – though it almost was like the question she voiced wasn't aimed at him but rather the girl herself, her eyes fixated on her hand. Marmadue glanced down as well before his gaze returned to her face.
"Ah," he breathed out. Her question wasn't really a foreign one, to him. Certainly he rarely had been the one to ask for magical guidance, as he wasn't a teacher of that field or anything… But in Twilight Town, where many lacked magical expertise… Well, it had become a bit more common.

"Well, my answer might be a bit too obvious, miss, but it is what it is. That would be ah, training, of course. One not very accustomed to magic might find it difficult to start when compared to say, swinging a blade, as you are perfectly capable of moving your arms without much thought. But there was a time when you had to learn such movements from scratch as well," the Yuke spoke, though he paused for a moment before continuing,
"That is, ah, made with the assumption that you weren't born with the ability to move around as you do now. I am not too familiar with your species and the stages of your growth, I am afraid…"

"…Er, magic and its use could be seen as ah, training your mental ah, muscles to work as you wish them to. A lot of that comes from here," Marmadue tapped his helmet,
"But ah, perhaps it would be easier to start conceptualizing such if you thought of what you already know about your powers and ah, perhaps a realization of new facts follow. If you ah, wish to share with me your findings, I can try to help you gain understanding."

[Alice Kingsleigh]

Alice deemed the idea of training a sound one. If it was, as Marmadue had described, akin to learning how to fight with a blade, practicing would be the only way she’d be able to get better at channeling her light. But the question of ‘how’ remained unanswered: how exactly did someone go about honing their magical skills, even so when they lacked information and good understanding about them? She’d never heard of these ‘mental muscles’ the Yuke spoke of, much less knew if she even had them. The girl had trained “her mind” in the past, sure… at least according to Father. Books, boundless questioning and a daily dose of active imagining had taken care of that. This, however, seemed to be a different sort of “mind training”, and a much more disciplined one at that.

The subject itself was quite confusing; she felt lost at times when she failed to fully grasp the concepts involved. Nonetheless, it was thought provoking. It was new, it was strange, and it was exciting. That, she found enjoyable.

“Well,” she began, struggling to find the right words to express her thoughts without revealing more than she wanted. That was another interesting dilemma: how much information was too much? How many details was she allowed to share with others? Being limited by others’ standards and expectations often ruffled her feathers, but this time she was the one setting the boundaries for herself. Talk about irony. It was a curious situation, one she honestly felt somewhat conflicted about. Still, she was the one calling the shots. The true architect of her own path.

Not someone to be captured and tormented by others.

“There’s… there’s this light inside me. It’s been there for some time, since I was just a girl. Maybe it’s always been there. I… I can’t really tell.” Alice spoke in a quiet voice, her gaze following her hand as her arm rose and extended in front of her. It was almost as if she was getting herself ready to push against an invisible force of some kind. “A few years ago, when I fell down a rabbit hole for the first time, others like me taught me how to use it to repel the darkness. To hold it back. It worked back then, when we all did it together, but… when I tried to save my home, it wasn’t nearly as strong.”

She wasn’t nearly as strong.

“I was still able to face the darkness, and keep The Wonder and its crew safe for a while. The light manifested in a different way, though. Before, I could feel it flowing through me, expanding farther and farther… like a wave crashing into the shore. And now… now I can actually see it.”

Alice fully opened her hand, palm facing forward. She’d never tried to summon light under normal circumstances, and she wondered if she actually knew how. Were the adrenaline and emotional distress she’d felt during the assault on The Wonder the key to her abilities?

No, that didn’t seem right. It didn’t feel right. Maybe she just needed to focus a little bit more on-

Warmth.

As she pictured the orb of light materializing before her palm, a bright spark took its place in the physical world instead. Startled, Alice pulled her arm back. The harsh reflex nearly knocked her off the wooden stool.

[Marmadue]

If Marmadue noticed the girl having been lost somewhere along the way, he certainly didn't show it as he continued talking and explaining the idea of the concept in simple terms. Well, simple to him, at least. Alice didn't voice any questions about his terms at least, so all he could do was to assume that she understood! Now all that remained was trying to take a more personal look at the young woman's magical dilemma, trying to figure out her abilities and how she could learn how to use them. Of course, that obviously required Alice to actually tell him something about them – not something the Yuke was waiting with bated breath, honestly. It had almost sounded like she hadn't had anyone to really share her thoughts with, so having to suddenly do so must not have been easy. She seemed a little hesitant, but Marmadue stayed quiet. He didn't try to urge her to continue – but he wasn't telling her shut up, either.

He nodded as the girl talked of this light inside her – of course, he couldn't say his situation was exactly the same, but he knew enough of magic and had heard even more from other sources to be able to paint a picture he could understand. Her ability certainly sounded like a magical one, and what more: she had even been able to use it on command. The Yuke stroked the smooth metallic surface of his helmet as he listened, interested and clearly taking this all seriously. Alice voice was so… Weak, compared to how she had sounded earlier. His eyes flicked at her extended arm.

Marmadue hadn't expected the bright flash to occur when it did. No one had said anything about a demonstration – and if anything, the girl seemed to think like she didn't quite have the power under her control! But there it was, a spark of pure light that caused even the Yuke to jerk back on his stool, both from surprise and, well, he honestly had no idea what could have followed after such a magical outburst. Alice seemed to have lost her balance as well, though she had managed to catch it before she fell off.

It seemed like she hadn't quite expected that, either.

"…Ah," Marmadue finally broke the silence, saying something. Well, honestly, all he did was make a sound rather than say something, but he quickly amended that.
"That is, ah, something. A, ah, start. That is to say, you certainly are… Further along than many who lack formal magical training, miss. Er, it is always easier to picture something happening when it… Actually has happened. Calling forth magic when one hasn't the slightest clue of how it should be done or how it should feel is ah… Definitely a difficult situation…"

"But, but this. You ah, seem to be able to call it forth, miss? I am not asking you to try again, but… Do you perhaps think that if you did, you could repeat your previous action?"

[Alice Kingsleigh]

Marmadue’s analysis quickly helped her snap out of her confusion. It made sense, after all. If she’d harnessed the light within in the past, it was only logical to assume she had the potential to do so now and in the future. Then again, recreating those circumstances in order to trigger her abilities again didn’t seem like a sound course of action. Alice would need to find another way, another path to channel such energies. The idea of working these “mental muscles” the Yuke had brought up earlier grew more attractive by the minute.

"Ah… I… I’m not sure how I did it, to be honest. But… I suppose I could try again."

Alice rose from her seat, turning sideways as she extended her hand once again. She anxiously bit her bottom lip. The girl didn’t want to hurt Marmadue by accident… or damage his home if something went wrong in her attempted demonstration. She ultimately did not know what her light could or could not do. It took care of the Heartless alright, that much she knew. But was it harmful to other people? Would it destroy structures and objects it came into contact with? If so, how could she, as its user, keep this from happening?

She slightly drew her arm back in hesitation, her eyes averted.

"How did you do it?" Alice asked, her voice quiet and a tad unsure. "Back when you were first learning… how did you make it work?" Was picturing the image in her head enough? Was meditating, like those monks in Orient did, involved in some way? Was sheer willpower enough?

Alas, she did not know. The girl could only hope there was a book or handwritten recipe for such things. That way it wouldn’t be so unnecessarily complicated.

[Marmadue]

Marmadue gave the girl a small nod, letting her do as she saw best. His gaze followed her as she stood up and took a position, her hand extended as if she tried to do what she had done just a moment ago. He didn't want to urge her to continue however, letting her take all the time she needed to get ready – even if that didn't go anywhere. Indeed, after a moment Alice stopped, her hand pulling back. The Yuke tilted his head, unsure if it was because she didn't get it to work or if she was hesitating, for one reason or another. She was quite interested in knowing how he had learned to wield magic, at least.

"Ah. Us Yukes are ah, very much creatures of magic. Just like how I pushed myself to walk on these legs before I can even remember, magic was very much the same. Hardly what I would call ah, actual spells with proper effects, but magic nonetheless. A very natural talent, for us," he started, having to explain that his experiences of his magical beginnings were going to be very different to hers or just missing from his memory altogether, having been much too young. But getting somewhere with that magic, that did take training. Their starting points might be different, but perhaps there was something in his experience that could aid her.

"…It is all in the mind. Once the magic within you is truly a part of you, there is no thinking, just doing," Marmadue allowed his hand to pass the other, his fingers gently brushing against his feathers. The hand took on it a gentle, bright glow, giving some more light in the dimly lit room. Holding it up, he let the magic disappear just as it had appeared, trickling into the surrounding air like it was never there in the first place.
"No different from just willing your hand to move, miss. It is important for you to know that it is nothing truly complicated, even if it might feel that way when you haven't quite figured it out yet. A creature who only focuses on what is physical misses the side of them that is not. I am unsure if everyone does have a magical side to them, but you, you certainly do."

The Yuke allowed his feet to properly land on the floor – where they already were, thanks to the rather low stool and his long legs, but now he braced them to carry his weight. He stood up, towering over the smaller woman.
"One thing you must keep in mind is that you can, miss. You have done it. You can do it, and you will do it again. It is all in the mind, after all," Marmadue stroked the bottom of his helmet, taking a few steps around Alice. He wasn't circling her as much as pacing absentmindedly.
"But you must find the way to control those parts of you that you perhaps never knew existed. Everyone has their ah, methods to connect with their nonphysical sides, I am certain, but mental visualization and symbolization are rather common ways. Someone might feel their magic to be like water and imagine a stream pass through them to get the magic to ah, flow, so to speak," he looked at the girl over his shoulder,
"Or you could focus on what you have felt as you have used your magic. Not so much the ah, emotional side, as that can be difficult to control and would limit you, if you needed to be in a certain state to use it. But how it felt, in you, so you can start figuring out how it should be when you make it appear. The magic, where it came from, how it felt, where did it go? Did any such feelings appear?"

[Alice Kingsleigh]

It is all in the mind…

Alice repeated the phrase in her head. One, two, three times. The words took new and deeper meaning as she watched Marmadue shift. It was mesmerizing, to say the least. The bright warmth emanating from the Yuke’s hand appeared to be simple enough, but it was nothing short of amazing to her. It beckoned her to approach, to reach out and get closer to its source. For a moment, she thought of herself as a moth drawn to the crackling blaze on the hearth. She could definitely get hurt if she got too close… but would she mind, really? Father used to say pain was an essential part of sentient life. Without it, the average learning process was to be inevitably hindered.

Then the light was gone, effortlessly extinguished.

The captain’s gaze flickered to the golden helmet and lingered. She couldn’t help wondering if all Yukes were as gifted as him, taxonomic magical affinities considered. If Father was correct on his assessment, did this mean Marmadue had suffered to develop his abilities? Perhaps this was why he seemed so reluctant to put himself in dangerous scenarios. Alice sincerely hoped this wasn’t the case. She deemed the Yuke too kind-hearted to be deserving of any sort of pain.

Her mind travelled back to his species as a whole. Picturing a group of gentle, featherly magical creatures put a smile on her face. Alice indulged in imagining herself as one of them, starting with a beautiful plumage of violets and reds. Mother would probably still argue that she should wear a dress, but the princess wondered if Yukes even acknowledged their existence. After all, those wretched things often turned out to be terribly uncomfortable past an hour or so. Perhaps a pair of bright, comfortable pants with a padded jacket to match would be better. Ah, and of course she’d have to wear a helmet. A rainbow-hued helmet. A little bit of magic ought to do the trick for that, right?

Magic.

Reminding herself she was still in the middle of an impromptu tutoring session, Alice stored her multi-colored feather fantasies away for the time being.

"A stream, hm…" she mumbled, turning back to look at her hand. Perhaps the light inside her… perhaps she could think of it as a dam. A tall, rugged dam, stone walls safeguarding and separating the brightness from the rest of her being. And maybe, just maybe… this damn was connected to a series of pathways: some lengthy and plain looking, others shorter but offering interesting detours on the way. Each would lead to a different place… a different town, or village. And every single one of this places used light in different ways, with different results.

The issue could then possibly lie in controlling the flow of the light, from the moment it left the dam until it arrived at the village that needed it then.

"…Yes. Of course! Alright, I think I understand a little bit better now," Alice smiled at Marmadue. She extended her hand once again, gently closing her eyes. She pictured the light network in her mind. The source of it all glowed even brighter for a moment, almost as if it anticipated movement. But… how was she supposed to know where to send the light? In this depiction of hers, the captain failed to find any sort of map or clear guideline to that end.

'Where it came from, how it felt, where did it go?'

The dam, her heart… that was the starting point. The fount of her very own light. And the town, her hand… that had been the outlet until now. But how had she felt as she channeled the energies through her body?

There had been fear, adrenaline, tenacity, hope… but those were all circumstantial, weren’t they?

Alice’s thoughts once again pictured the enticing fireplace, pulling her in as the flames danced and held her with…

Warmth.

The light felt warm.

Warmth was the current, the brightness’s escort as it traveled through the passageways. Alice pictured the flow of light being led down one of the roads, slowly trickling down as it made its way away from its stone walls. The tingling on her palm grew stronger and stronger as the seconds went by. It burned, though she didn’t find it painful nor unpleasant. The sensation was familiar enough. This time, however, she didn’t let herself flinch at it.

The girl didn’t even dare open her eyes as a dim glow started covering her hand.

[Marmadue]

Marmadue's eyes stayed on the girl, watching her think about what he said – probably. Hopefully. This wasn't something he really had done, trying to teach someone about magic. A possible thing to do, but… That didn't make him qualified. Such doubts were something he had to keep to himself for now, Alice didn't need that kind of complications on top of everything. What he had said was true, so if she could use those to her advantage, perhaps she would get somewhere. If not… Well, then his qualifications could be called into question…

The Yuke didn't say anything, staying quiet and just observing. Alice looked at her hand for a moment, claiming that she understood more now. He of course wanted that to be a genuine feeling or even a breakthrough of some sort, but right now Marmadue didn't know what it was. He gave the girl a small nod and motioned with his hand for her to try, if she wished to. Seemed like she was getting right into it, extending her hand and focusing on her inward self. Not wanting to be too invasive or distracting, the Yuke took a few very careful steps backwards to give Alice enough room to get familiar with her magic. He couldn't help but feel a bit anxious about the whole thing, anticipating if there would be visible results. Was that how teachers felt towards their students?

Marmadue tried to keep his breathing steady, not holding it in in case Alice's focus allowed her to pick up on such outside cues. That certainly would have been distracting! Time. That was what she needed. Peace and quiet. Not the easiest thing to do – but why did Alice have to be the only one practicing something? Silence. The Yuke's gaze found itself on the girl every now and then, not trying to linger there for too long in an attempt to not disturb her.

And then, he saw it.

A soft light, starting faint… And seeming to stay faint for a while, but it was something Alice was producing consciously! A sharp gasp tried to escape Marmadue's mouth, though he did his best to try to keep it in. No distractions! No disturbing! She was getting there. He sat back down on the stool, watching intently.