WHO: Presto and Tauriel WHAT: Presto and Tauriel talk about the events of the Coma Crisis WHEN: A few days after the Crisis began WHERE: Out and about near the woods WARNINGS: None STATUS: Closed and Complete
Presto was worried. So much oddness was happening and even though he had never had dreams of other places before, he felt like he was dreaming of a weird nightmare now. His life through a twisted lens. He had accidentally woken up Erin one night when she stayed over with the vision/nightmare/thing, and he was feeling with how many people had left and gone into comas that something bad was coming.
He just had no idea what.
The feeling made him feel extra nervous, and he was sitting near the woods, letting himself absorb sunlight, only barely watching the world around him. He appeared utterly relaxed, but all of his magical senses were on alert, his mind racing, and his body, while appearing relaxed, tensed even so.
*** Tauriel wasn’t a seer and didn’t have prophetic dreams or visions but she could feel there was something going on. Even without people falling into comas seemingly at random there was an unease around, something out of balance or at least it felt so to her.
When she came across her most recent friend she feared for a moment that he too had fallen foul of the recent illness but as she came closer she realised it was not the case. “Master Presto?” she said softly, her steps having made little to no sound, “Are you unwell?”
***
Presto turned, startled, then smiled. “Tauriel! Are you alright?” He moved to her and hugged her, not thinking, really. His languaged segued into Elvish without hesitation. “Is your home and your love safe?”
He searched her for possible wounds and nodded. She seemed okay. Her words finally have come to him and he flushed. “Just worried, really. So much weird and bad happening and it has my mind wandering wildly.”
***
Tauriel was somewhat taken aback by the enthusiastic greeting but smiled nonetheless, especially when he spoke in her native tongue. “Both are fine, thank you for your concern” she replied patting his hand reassuringly.
“There is certainly an air of something around” she agreed, “Even I can feel it, a sense of foreboding if you will”
***
Presto nodded, smiling at her. “Good. I’m glad. This current climate has me jumping at shadows a bit.” He shook his head, then listened to her, worried she could feel it too.
“I’m hoping things don’t get worse, but I’ve got no faith in that, not at all.” He flickered a finger and smiled as a brilliant blue glow shimmered into a popping sound, and a small bag appeared and dropped into his hand and he offered it to her. “More candies for you and yours. I’ve been saving them.”
***
Tauriel nodded, “It is understandable while things feel so unsettled” she told him, not wanting him to feel bad about worrying.
“Hopefully it will not be something we cannot handle, the people here pull together when needed this much I have seen” And it was something which impressed her, even the elves could learn from this. She gave him a bright smile, “You are too kind. Thank you, on behalf of myself and Kili” Tauriel truly did appreciate the gesture, he was a sweet kind young man and she was glad to have made such a friend.
***
Presto rubbed his chin. “I just wish I didn’t do quite so much of it.” He chuckled. “I feel torn, like I should be doing something, and yet, I have no experience. I know nothing about visions, or transportations, or comas. I feel helpless, like I am just tossed in the tide of a storm on the sea.”
He hated that feeling and he sighed as he nodded to her.
“”I hope so too.”
He blushed a little. “You are both welcome. Ever since our last talk, I’ve been working on it, to make more of it, you know? And so far, it seems to be better than my old examples, so… I hope you both enjoy it.” He nodded again.
“How have you been? What have you been up to since we last talked?”
***
“Perhaps writing down what you see will help, I imagine there are a number of people here who experience visions and maybe together what you are seeing or feeling will make more sense” Tauriel suggested.
“I am certain that we will, you are most generous” she told him with a smile, “I have been well thank you. I am enjoying teaching others, it is most rewarding. And I am assisting Kili in writing about the world we come from, I believe others will find it an entertaining story”
***
“Writing it down… that is a good idea. Yeah!” he grinned and instinctively hugged her. He was a very touchy -feely kind of guy, and she had just totally inspired him “That is perfect.” And he nodded. “Also, the total ah, sharing it thing, too. Yes.” He paced away then back to her, thinking.
“I just like making my friends happy. “ he ducked his chin, blushing, and then nodded as he shifted to listening about her. “I would be very interested in learning about your world. Very interested indeed.” He grinned.
More pacing, and gesticulating. “The elves I knew in the Reams didn’t really talk about their ancient homeland. Just that they had come to the Realms during a long flight from some ancient evil. Sometimes, since when we talked last, I have wondered if they came from your world.”
***
Tauriel laughed then, she was slowly getting used to how tactile Presto was and it wasn’t unwelcome it was just very different to the behaviour of elves.
“Well as one of your friends I can tell you that you succeed” she told him before giving a bright smile, “Then you shall be the first to read it”
She couldn’t deny that hearing about the elves he encountered and the language he had learnt from them intrigued her, “It would be difficult to find out for sure I think, but not an impossibility”
***
“Good. That’s all I ever want.” He smiled truly joyfully at her. Presto loved to make people smile, and laugh. And just relax, really. It was a change from the Realm and it made him feel so much better about life.
“Yeah? Alright!” he bounced, grinning at her, feeling his sense of foreboding push away, lessen. She had that effect on him, a little like how Erin did it.
“I definitely would love to learn more about your people’s past, your culture. They saved my life, they helped us save them, and they saved the life of a friend. I can’t help but want to know them, and here, I want to know more about you. The thinnest possibility that I can do both at once? Is awesome”
***
Presto had a very kind soul and Tauriel knew he was someone who had a very open and loving heart. You couldn’t help smile in his presence and be lifted simply by his own happy nature.
“I would love to tell you as much as I can, an appreciative audience is always one to be cherished” she told him, “And as you say if it is perhaps elves of middle earth which you knew it would be wonderful”
***
Presto smiled to her. He remembered something his mother had told him long ago; 'In times of crisis, seek those who will comfort you, but not lead you to lies.' Tauriel was that kind of person. He nodded to her as he spoke.
“Thank you. Having you do that is awesome. You are a good friend, and a good person.” He felt lucky to know her. He felt lucky to have a life like this here in Madison, and was all too aware that at some point he would probably be sent home. And he feared that.
But for now, life was good, and he was glad of it.