#which I spose points to the fact that I wasn’t that invested—and I wasn’t

[faillen]

.

[gegenji]

Advent of an Amazing Aether-Administrating Apparatus!

RP Partner: @onehundredplumblossoms​ Date: 24 June 2020

Nenemo Nemo evaluates the Namazu, the exterior hull holding fast against the furious storm that rocked Gloam not long ago. The town is already starting to look more orderly, apart from the numerous windows under repair and waterlogged furniture in the street waiting to be broken down and replaced. For an independent community Gloam is relatively well off, due to the ceruleum, so it isn't damage they can't bounce back from. Continuous storms however, who could say. Nenemo Nemo: > For her part, Seseka seems satisfied that the submersible hasn't been severely compromised in any way, and only needs to send her mammets scurrying about the hull to check for anything out of the ordinary. Very little but cosmetic damage is found. She clutches a cigar between her fingers, running a hand through her shortened hair.

Chachanji Gegenji peered awkwardly into the warehouse, draped in an azure-hued rain slicker that was likely rather new - though perhaps not unwarranted given the weather he's had to deal with around Gloam in his past outings here. Seeing Seseka and her mammets inspecting the Namazu, he pushes his way in -  and into conversation with the older Lalafell - with awkward steps and equally awkward small-talk. "So... ah... h-how's th' Namazu lookin'? All th' gadgets still in one piece after th' storm?"

Nenemo Nemo: "Ah? Oh, yes yes, she's quite fine. Your construction was solid. Nothing but scratches so far. I can't perceive any damage to the propeller either." Nenemo Nemo puffs a small cloud of cigar smoke. Her recent infirmity doesn't seem to dissuade her any.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Tha's good!" he chirps, meandering in closer and looking over the vessel a little himself. "I did bring back s'more'a me tools in case any repairwork'r anythin' needs done, 'long wit all th' stuff on th' list Ms. Aya gave me." And Virara, but given Seseka's reaction to his wanting to bring her in the first place... he figured omitting that part was probably for the best right now.

Nenemo Nemo: "I don't have any use for you right now. If it so comes that Miss Foxheart has a need of another modification, however, your craftsmanship will no doubt be called upon again." Nenemo Nemo states with her low, somewhat raspy voice. She seems slightly unfocused. It might be the effect of her mammets. Judging from what was alluded to before, some 'part' of Seseka seemed invested in them all, especially the red one. It might be that she's in the midst of 'multitasking' even now.

Chachanji Gegenji: "'n I'll be 'ere ta do it if'n it's needed..." Chachan reassured, tapping lightly on the more armored chest-piece of his rain slicker. Protection against rain and zombie sahagin, from the looks of things. He watched the mammets go about their business in silence for a couple moments, a couple wary glances sent Seseka's way, before he spoke again. "Um... w-were ya able ta put t'gether those... um... thin's tha'd keep th' zombie fishmens away?"

Nenemo Nemo: "Yes. I've had my boys set them up about the beaches and shorelines of this island. With any luck they will be prevented from entering Gloam again. However, I would not expect that we would be able to continue producing such devices with reckless abandon. After all, I was only able to make a surplus of disruptors here because the island is privy to a large supply of surplus Imperial communicators and parts. What with the circumstances of their independence." Nenemo Nemo muses without looking at him.

Nenemo Nemo: "Should the cultured drone problem spread beyond the vicinty of Dagon and Hydra itself, I doubt even the Empire proper could produce enough disruptors to keep every shoreline of Eorzea free of them."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, hopef'lly we'll be able ta deal wit th' pro'lem at th' source once we're down there... Right?" Chachan offered, though the question at the end rather clearly belied his own uncertainty of that. He fidgeted a bit, scratched at his cheek. Another awkward little silence. "Um... s-so... given all th' parts 'n stuff 'ere... ah... c-could ya be able ta make another'a of a diff'rent gadget? I-if'n ya wanted ta, a'course."

Nenemo Nemo blinks, shutting her eyes momentarily and leaning back. Some tension seems to leave her body before her eyes flutter open again. Thus unoccupied, her concentration also broken, she turns to Chachanji. "I was wondering when you'd get around to asking me whatever it was you really wanted. No one comes to an old coot like me for anything but to make a request. Well, what is it?" Nenemo Nemo places her cigar in a round glass ash tray in front of her.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Th-tha's not true! I... I wanted ta make sure ya were akay, too," he stated, silently admitting he had a request. "I... jus' didn't know which would be th' easier ta bring up first... 'n both ended up bein' kinda... difficult." He rubs at the back of his neck. "S-still, since we're on th' topic of gadgets 'n makin' stuff... I-I figgered thi' would be th' best one ta... um... start wit?" He gives an awkward shrug and smile.

Nenemo Nemo rolls her eyes. "Get on with it. I'll try to help you as best I can. It's the least I can do for your superb service."

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-akay..." He nods before taking a deep breath. "Um... w-would ya be able ta make 'nother one'a those um... aether-pullin' gadgets tha' ya used ta help me back when we were testin' those potions'a yers? Y'know, me 'n th' folks from th' Roadhouse? Ya... um... saw what extra aether does ta me 'n... I-I dun want ta risk somethin' like tha' happenin' while we're down there. I mean... g-given th' bigger zombie fishmen we saw, I-I 'spose it COULD be handy? But... I can't really... control it well."

Nenemo Nemo presses her bronzed spectacles up with her pinkie. "Ah yes, your condition. I remember it well. But that wasn't a device for "clearing aether," so much as improvising via the effects of an existing trinket I simply had on hand. More study would be needed to understand the vagaries of your physiology, such that I have a grasp exactly of what your bodily transformation entails." Nenemo Nemo: "In particular, I find it curious that you are able to gain mass so easily, yet lose it all without any discarded matter. It is a strange characteristic." Nenemo Nemo seems to mean matter as in any solid substance in this case...

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah... w-well, I dun really understand it meself..." he admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck again. "Jus'... whenev'r I take in extra aether... tha' happens. I thought it'd jus' last until I actively used it up 'r it was taken outta me but... ah... some recent events have shown me tha' jus'... after enough time... I go back ta normal. Still... it's th' fact tha' it happens tha's th' pro'lem... 'n if'n somethin' caused it while we were down there..." He looks down at the warehouse floor. Chachanji Gegenji: "I... I could put ev'ryone in danger."

Nenemo Nemo: "If it concerns you so much, then don't go. Why must it be you who risks yourself for the safety of others?" Nenemo Nemo questions him, a clear, calm look in her eyes.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, fer one... I... thin' I hafta go 'cuz otherwise Ms. Ririco might not work wit us?" He scratched at his cheek. "I mean, ya were th' one tha' said tha'." A pause. "But... I... I want ta be able ta help, too. Ta try 'n make sure ev'ryone tha's goin' down there comes back safe. Ms. Aya, Ms. Portia, you, 'n those we're goin' down there ta find. I dun thin' I could stand it if'n I stayed behind... 'n I find out ya guys got hurt. Or worse. When I coulda been there. Done somethin'."

Nenemo Nemo: "That. That there. Worrying about things you can't help. That's what I mean when I ask this of you." Nenemo Nemo points at him with the stub of her sizzling cigar. Nenemo Nemo: "I think the little brat would probably assist us so long as you delivered on your promise. I don't expect that she will lie, as... fixated as she is. But even so, you talk about this like it's something only you can do. Why?" Nenemo Nemo doesn't seem hostile, more that she's genuinely curious.

Chachanji Gegenji: "'s... not tha' it's somethin' only I can do," he admits, quietly. "Honestly, wit Virara comin' along... she could prolly handle th' fishmen all by herself. But..." A longer pause. "I want ta help. I want ta be there fer me friends. I want ta be able ta tell th' captain tha' he's got friends... a family waitin' fer 'im back in Limsa. I want ta do me best ta protect ev'ryone, ta see ev'ryone come back safe." He turns and places a hand on the Namazu. "I dun doubt th' Namazu can get ev'ryone down-- Chachanji Gegenji: --there. 's what's waitin' down there, tha' unknown... it worries me."

Nenemo Nemo: ".... Hm." Nenemo Nemo seems unimpressed. However, she slips off her stool to the ground, brushing off her sooty coat, pausing momentarily to sneeze. Nenemo Nemo: "PSCH!..."

Chachanji Gegenji: "I mean... ev'n me condition could be useful if'n I could -control- it," he insists. "But... oh, ah, bless ya."

Nenemo Nemo: "Alright fine. I don't know why you're so particular about this. It seems to me that any number of people could do what you intend to do. You don't need to put yourself in such needless danger on their behalf. But if it's what you seek out, I suppose I could cobble something together."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Mebbe they could... 'n mebbe better than I ever could. But... I'd still want ta try. Ta be there if'n I can be, ta help if'n I can. Protect who I can." He scratches at his cheeks, which have reddened a bit in embarrassment. "I... want ta see ev'ryone safe, 'n be able ta do all I can ta make tha' happen."

Nenemo Nemo: "It is a shame you cannot put that motivation forward towards your own personal goals. That aside, such a device would likely need to adhere to your body to properly channel aether into it, in the manner of a focus, attuned to your body's frequency much like that of a portable aethryte crystal. Not suitable for teleportation, but other wavelengths of energy can be funneled through it." Nenemo Nemo: "The problem is regulating that flow. I would have to study your body more carefully, but I suspect the issue is a cascading effect in which the body's massive conduciveness to aether pulls in greater and greater amounts until it can contain no more. It is a marvel you haven't exploded yet." Nenemo Nemo notes with disarmingly casual ease.

Chachanji Gegenji: "It -is- me personal goal, though. Ta see ev'ryone down there. Ta see them safely back. If'n th' captain's down there... if'n yer student's down in th' other one. I want ta see them back safely. Whether fer joyous reunion 'r..." A quiet pause. "... fer proper burial."

Nenemo Nemo: "Chachanji dear. You want these things, but not for yourself. You're only considering the needs of those around you. Believe me. I am an expert on selfishness. I have spent my life fleeing from my responsibilities, over and over again. I even faked my own death to get away from them."

Nenemo Nemo 's tone takes on a quiet, sullen tone. Nenemo Nemo: "Wanting to protect others is admirable. But you must value your own life as well. Only then can you weigh properly when and where you mean to sacrifice it." Nenemo Nemo: "A device like this could be considerably dangerous for you."

Chachanji Gegenji shakes his head. "I... do want these thin's fer meself, though," he admits. "'ve nearly lost me family ta the razin'a Doma. Me brother to a coma. A girl I onced loved 'cuz I was too afraid tha' I was more hindrance than help. I... I don't want ta lose anyone. Not if'n there's somethin' I can do about it."

Nenemo Nemo: "..."

Chachanji Gegenji: "I... want ta know I can protect people. Save people. Maybe not be a 'hero' but... at least try ta be somethin' close."

Nenemo Nemo sighs, narrowing her eyes. Nenemo Nemo: "But you're still talking about others. Have you ever considered what you'll be doing years from now? What of your trade? How do you want to advance it? Is it really just to save others' lives, and nothing else?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "But tha's the purpose of a crafter, ain't it? Ya make thin's fer others," he states. "Sure, some folks do it jus' fer profit but... there are those who make thin's 'cuz they want to see others usin' them. Ta see their lives bettered by it. Tha's what I want ta do wit me trade 'n... well... wit meself as well."

Nenemo Nemo shakes her head. "... What a waste. If nothing else, you might make a decent test subject. I can't teach those who aren't willing to learn." She doesn't seem terribly upset, however. Nenemo Nemo: "Fine, I'll make your little gadget. Don't blame me when you draw in so much aether you pop like a balloon."

Chachanji Gegenji gives an awkward chuckle. "S-speakin'a test subject... I... kinda was one a'fore, 'n I thought mebbe th' results'a tha' might help." He reaches into the bag at his side, pulling out a thin lockbox and - from that - he produces what looks like an Arcanist's codex. "There was... um... an alchemist tha' wanted ta try'n replicate what I do. Ta make super soldiers 'r somethin'. These are her notes. If'n they can help... 'n-n if'n ya need ta study me proper... tha's fine too."

Nenemo Nemo pulls the notes into her grasp rather hastily. "Give them here. What are their credentials?" Seseka questions, apparently forgetting her own are rather dubious, so long as she remains unrecognized and a fugitive from Sharlayan. "No, don't bother telling me. I'll discern them for myself. These could perhaps serve my purpose well without needing to do partial biopsy."

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah... sh-she is - or was - a member'a th' Alchemists' Guild?" he offers quickly when she all but snatches the tome from him. "'n-n she was able ta kinda-sorta replicate th' results wit 'er assistant so... I-I guess she figgered at least part'a it out?" He scratches at his cheek, though it pauses at 'biopsy.' He didn't really know what the word meant but... perhaps it was the rabbit that was his spirit animal... he had a feeling that it wasn't a very good word in regards to his own well-being.

Nenemo Nemo: "Drawing ambient aether into the body without proper training or a suitable focus is highly dangerous. It could potentially result in overaspecting, or aether poisoning, or the suffusion of your body with other aetheric maladies. Not to mention the surrounding environment could suffer a catastrophic loss of aether as a result, depending on how depleted it already is. I will have to account for this with the device. A tomestone might be capable of acting as a regulator." Nenemo Nemo: "Many allagan devices are designed to be able to efficiently self-regulate aetherflow such that they cannot exceed capacity, storing the aether away in containers until they can be safely disposed of. I could perhaps re-purpose such a circuit to your needs, and allow for an infusion. Transforming back will be trickier. And most likely, the device would restrict you to an infusion that doesn't exceed the healthy limits your aetherpool could sustain for a short duration." Nenemo Nemo: "In other words, you would only be able to grow so large. Has that dissuaded you enough?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, if'n it helps... 've had a lotta... practice wit it recently," he offers, a bit of a grimace crossing his features of memories that were obviously a little bittersweet. "So, hopef'lly tha' should help?" He paused as she continued, trying to follow along with her jargon as best as he could. To what success was debatable. "W-wait, so thi' wouldn't jus' be a device tha'd keep me from changin' ev'ry time I get too much aether, but let me activate it 'n control it?" Chachanji Gegenji's eyes grow wide with awe upon seeing you. Chachanji Gegenji had obviously not been dissuaded at all.

Nenemo Nemo: "Practice? How so?" Nenemo Nemo nods. Nenemo Nemo: "It would be an aetheric regulator, similar to that which keeps Allagan devices from overloading. The excess would be stored for use in giving you a safe, regulated infusion of aether, such that for a brief amount of time, you could perhaps grow in size." Nenemo Nemo: "After a certain amount of time, or when you have completed your use of it, the excess aether would be siphoned off of you and stored in a crystal, to be discarded or kept with you as needed."

Chachanji Gegenji: "I made friends wit some... well... they called 'emselves Pixies. They're like Sylphs but more... person-lookin'?" he explained. "'n they liked playin' pranks 'n stuff. 'n tha' included messin' wit me condition once they knew'a it. Tha' 'n... sometimes their pranks backfired 'n needed help dealin' wit th' mess. Which often tended ta be large, too. So... yeah... a lotta practice." A sigh, then a shake of the head. As if to dismiss the negative memories and focus more on the positives of the-- Chachanji Gegenji: --here-and-now. "I... thin' I get what yer sayin' 'n... tha'd be really impressive if'n it can do tha'. I... still ain't wholly comfortable -usin'- th' ability but... I can't lie tha' there's been times I thought it woulda be useful. Like durin' th' storm when th' larger zombie fishmen showed up." Chachanji Gegenji: "But... wit th' difficulty I have usin' it... 'n worryin' 'bout gettin' too big 'n causin' more pro'lems or fear... I hesitated, y'know?"

Nenemo Nemo tilts her head to the side Nenemo Nemo: "... Pixies? I know not of such an organism. Don't you mean sylphs?" Nenemo Nemo thinks to herself. "They sound like sylphs."

Chachanji Gegenji: "I mean, they looked a lot like Sylphs. They jus' called themselves Pixies." He shrugs.

Nenemo Nemo: "Are you sure they weren't just sylphs under a different name?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "'s possible, I jus' went 'long wit it ta try'n keep them happy. Upsettin' 'em jus' meant more pranks."

Nenemo Nemo 's mouth flattens into a thin line. "It would be useful to dissect one. Already deceased, of course. Then I could determine if any physiological differences exist. I believe the sylphs have more in common with seedkin than beastkin or spoken... which are really just beastkin who talk... This categorization really needs to be revised. If only I had been able to continue at the academy..." Nenemo Nemo mutters to herself.

Chachanji Gegenji gets a bit of a worried look, uncertain how the likes of Gria would take to offering up one of their own - deceased or not - for such practices. "W-well, anyroad, 'cuz'a them I spent a lot more time big then I had since... well... since gettin' th' ability ta begin wit. So I 'spose I have them ta thank fer all th' practice."

Nenemo Nemo: "Hm. It will be useful. You may have an inherent feel for how much your aetherpool is able to accommodate of foreign aether." Nenemo Nemo stretches her arms out at her sides. "Much like the limitations of holding one's breath, or straining your muscles to their limit.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Tha's... a neat way ta put it," the little smith admits.

Nenemo Nemo smiles and taps her fist against her chest. Nenemo Nemo: "Immaterial and material are my fields of study. The aetherpool, and by extension, one's anima, are waveforms, true, like an invisible aura of energy within ourselves, but they are as much 'you' as your flesh and blood. And I am quite familiar with manipulating that immaterial half of you." She glances at her mammets. Nenemo Nemo: "People speak of it as a spiritual energy, like a soul, but I believe one day body and 'spirit' will be as manipulable as one's clothing."

Chachanji Gegenji: "'s still 'me', huh...?" he echoes quietly to himself, a soft smile drifting across his features. The phrase reminding him of a more pleasant collection of memories. "Chagenji is Chagenji," he murmurs quietly with a chuckle before looking back up at Seseka. Seemingly having missed the last part about the goals of body and spirit manipulation in the process. He awkwardly tries to cover that fact, though. "W-well, seems like I was right tha' ya'd be th' best person ta ask fer help on thi'."

Nenemo Nemo: "Of course I am. I am a professor of aetherochemistry, and far more versed in these matters than any of my tedious peers. Aside from perhaps Loloki. But nevermind that ruin-diving, dust-encrusted scarab." Nenemo Nemo recounts her peer with a faint tone of amusement.

Chachanji Gegenji: "... Loloki?" he echoes, the name seeming... vaguely familiar. Perhaps he had encountered her once? "W-well, if'n thi' gadget will be able ta do all th' thin's I thin' yer sayin' it can... 's ev'n more than what I was hopin' fer."

Nenemo Nemo: "I will need to do some limited testing on you, but I expect I should be able to succeed. In return, I only ask you work hard procuring any materials I require for the construction of a device. Oh, and out of curiosity, how did you manage a solution to the matter of well, your clothes?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, ah... tha's a bit of a group effort, act'lly," Chachan admitted. "I know a tailor who's partner changes size - though not ta th' degree I do - 'n made special cloth ta accommodate 'er. Tha' plus th' runic leatherworkin' I learned from th' Nu Mou 'n... well, 've managed ta make at least some outfits tha' scale wit me ta some degree. I hafta wear them fer a bit, a'course. 'Soulbindin'' I thin' was th' term fer it."

Nenemo Nemo: "Hmm... Nu Mou? You've been to some strange places. I've not heard of these people either. A leatherworking cooperative?" Nenemo Nemo: "I will have to draw upon your knowledge to make certain my methods of adapting the device to fit you properly aren't inconsistent with theirs."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Cooperative's prolly a good word," Chachan stated with a chuckle. "They 'pparently REALLY liked bein' able ta help others. 'course, they were SUPER strict 'bout the rules of th' exchange. Like... if they asked fer three frog legs fer their work, they wanted EXACTLY three. No more, no less. Got... kinda scary 'bout it, honestly..." A brief shiver. "A-anyroad, yer helpin' me out a lot wit all thi', so I'll help ya wit as much of it as I can."

Nenemo Nemo: "Yes, yes that's fine. I will get to work immediately with the immediate research needed to plan the specifications of this regulator, so for the time being, shoo!" Nenemo Nemo ushers Chachanji off hastily, clearly more obsessed with the idea of putting together the device now than anything else she was previously working on. Hopefully she won't be TOO distracted from her work maintaining the submersible until it is used again.

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah... w-wait, there was th' other reason tha' I came too... th-th' one tha' wasn't jus' lookin' fer a favor!" he interjected quickly as he's being Lalafellhandled out towards the door. "I-I mean it tha' I want ta see all'a ya akay! 'n-n I saw Mr. Alec say somethin' ta ya tha' seemed ta freak ya out! S-so... um..." A pause at the door, since she had managed to jostle him all the way there. "I-if'n yer in trouble, 'r... 'r jus' need an ear ta bend. Lemme know, akay?"

Nenemo Nemo grins toothily. "Don't you worry about it dear. Worst comes to worst, I'll just put him to sleep with one of my lectures!" Nenemo Nemo: "But thank you."

Chachanji Gegenji pouts, but relents. "I-if'n ya say so. Jus'... wanted ta put tha' offer out there, is all. We're all in thi' t'gether, right?"

Nenemo Nemo: "Of COURSE we are. Don't sweat the details, Chachanji darling. It's just a bit of old people chattering about, that's all. I won't divulge the secrets of my research to him so easily."

Chachanji Gegenji nods before heading out the door. "Akay. Jus' know yer one'a th' ones I want ta keep safe too, Ms. Seseka." He adjusted his bag. "A-anyroad, I should get these spices ta Ms. Aya. Let me know if'n ya need me!"

Nenemo Nemo: "Go already! I have to get to work on your device! Don't make me boot you out the door!"

Chachanji Gegenji: "'m goin', 'm goin'!"

Nenemo Nemo shooes him away, all but booting him bodily from the warehouse.