Wayfinding 4

Taiga goes... to Kairi's house. Of all places to find himself, this is where he wanted to be - to focus on his studies. Kairi, however... was no where to be found. Locked away. Trapped behind bars. In a literal cage. For a war that'd be waged for all of a day or so then... what? He didn't know. He could only hope it'd be freedom. Freedom.

That's why he wanted this power, wasn't it? That was the deep seated root of his desire, to be able to do what he wanted when he wanted to. To have the ultimate choice, the final say, after feeling trapped in his own cage for so long. There wasn't much he could do to save Kairi right now. But he sure as hell could save himself.

So he forces himself to focus. Making his way back into the study where the both of their efforts had been condensed into one place. Piles upon piles of research documents detailing their descent into the art of Wayfinding. There was so much to look over. So many tiny, inexorable steps he'd have to struggle through.

He grabs their most recent research notes!
(Taiga Rowan)

Taiga sets the book down before him, flipping open to his own beautifully crafted index. They had gotten quite precise about the way they constructed their notes, to the point that they began to resemble actual reference books rather than simple notes. Indexs. Glossaries. Tables of contents and all kinds of charts with diagrams.

So much of the information was already laid out for him. Now it was time to start piecing it all together one by one. Taiga had been treating Wayfinding like something that would simply... come to him one day. Without effort. Simply observe, and it will be - but no.

He had to chase it. To want it. To work harder than ever before if he wanted results. So even on days like this - when it would be so easy to nurse his wounds after being bested by Tototl - even when his mana circuits groaned and stung out in pain as he forced them to life. These were the days he had to train. These were the hours he had to sacrifice to study.

So he begins runeweaving. Drawing in the air, dancing lights forced out through the tip of his finger in spite of the pain. Tototl had ruined him for this short while. Completely flooded his circuits. But that? In Taiga's mind? Only made this training more precious.

If he made a mistake with his runes, glyphs, or rings, he was punished far harsher. Brought to exhaustion far faster than what would've happened when he was fresh. Some might call it torture. They'd be right, in many ways. But the pain only helped to drill the lessons into his mind.

Starting from the top. Memorizing rune after rune, slowly working his way down the list. All the building blocks placed aside - with no intent to put them together quite yet. He had to make sure this foundation was solid. Beautiful. Unbreakable.

No lack of effort would be found.
(Taiga Rowan)

!!!!LATER!!!!

Taiga slips in the door, shutting and locking it behind him! There's a long, awkward pause as he stands on the welcome mat, staring down the back of Niklaus's head. He looks... more or less fine by now. Not panting and ragged like earlier, but still just a bit... off. Worried, too.

Notably, he also keeps a hand tucked behind his back, hiding behind him.
(Taiga Rowan)

The Drakanite seems to be somewhere among the world of focus as he pushes various items into place inside of the household. The person that had been in this household before was a hot mess. They had no idea what they were doing when they set this place up, truly.

Though, as the door opens, he would twist around, looking toward Taiga.

And he more or less stares, only adding to the awkward silence there.
(Niklaus Rowan)

Taiga takes a short few steps forward, making sure to remain standing perfectly straightforward towards Niklaus. Sneaky boy. He pops the all important question, the one that lingered in his mind ever since Niklaus had stormed off!

"...Are you mad at me?"
(Taiga Rowan)

His lips press together in a bit of a harsh line as he moves his gaze toward a different direction.

"Mmh." His voice trails out as he brings his fingers along one of the tables that were settled there.

"Sort of."
(Niklaus Rowan)

** You spot
 Niklaus Rowan nearby! [Click to pursue] **
Taiga reveals his secret weapon. The coup de gras he had been saving behind his back. Taiga's arm swings around, and in his hand he holds...!!!

A bouquet. Not just any bouquet, of course, but rather - the bouquet. Not that Niklaus would be able to tell inspecting it, but this arrangement of flowers had existed all the way since Shizuko and Salvas decided to get together with one another. The flowers had been unnaturally preserved up to this point, refusing to wither, wilt or fade in the slightest.

The arrangement consisted of mostly reds and yellows, all of the petals perfectly bloomed and in their most prime, beautiful state. Roses, carnations, a peony tucked away in the middle. Offered right out for Niklaus to take.

He offers no retort. No quip. No smug, knowing grin. Just flowers.
(Taiga Rowan)

You drop Bouquet.

His fingers grind against the table before he turns to look at Taiga, and there's a bit of a pause as the flowers are held out toward him. Eyes drop down at the arrangement, and his lips part a tad bit.

That-- was... unfair.

Hands lift upwards, taking a hold of them in silence. Fingers move along the flowers in a tender way, and he bites against the inside of his cheek.

"I..."

He didn't really know what to say, bit the agitation had been bled from his features as he looked toward Taiga, disarmed again.
(Niklaus Rowan)

Niklaus Rowan picks up Bouquet.

Taiga beams, a smile creeping across his features as it's obvious Niklaus enjoys the flowers. Good. Good.

"...I really was training." He insists, in a softer, more... understanding tone. "...My... circuits have been fried lately." A hand raises, and he tries to show an example. The point of his finger flickers, a blue light emerging from it and sparking - only to almost instantly fade. It repeats this process a few times in a fraction of a second, before finally humming to life with a dull glow.

There's a wince, just barely perceptible on Taiga's face.

He takes to writing, his finger swishing through the air and the light trailing behind his path. Though the light often flickers and fades, his movements are undeniably smooth and refined. Dancing through the air in front of him, he writes out a few disconnected glyphs and runes - shapes completely unfamiliar to Niklaus, but now known to him.

It's a small little display of competency, only daring to show off the runes he knew he could write perfectly. But it's obvious progress. It doesn't last for long however, the light completely breaking apart just as he's about to move to the next rune.

His hand is clearly shaking, just a little. But he pockets it, trying to hide the fact from Niklaus.

"...See?"
(Taiga Rowan)