Their scent was peculiar to Pippy, although their smell didn't give Pippy any bad vibes of sorts that make him wish to run away even if them looking at him like that made him uneasy.

Still, he tried to listen to their explanation about what a 'mice' is, but from the large one's description Pippy just looked with a blank face of pure confusion, his mouth slightly open from how puzzled he is, he felt more puzzled than before.

"S-Sorry b-but I j-just d-don't u-understand. B-But I-I'm not 'mouse'. I'm Pippy." he understood a little, from all he could understand was that these 'mouse' were teensy just like himself. Pippy looked with wonder when they scratched themselves in such an odd way, the teensy bat looked at his wing and petted down the fur on his face with it, causing his right ear to be flipped back when he does that, which Pippy is none the wiser.

"O-Oh! I-I was curious how you managed to make light like that." He uttered to them hastily when the question was asked, pointing at the huge golden, boulder that's besides the two of them.

"N-No I'm not hurt. Just m-maybe talk quietly can you do that? P-Please?" Pippy didn't want to mention to them that his ears hurt a little when they got a little loud for his standards, but surely that's OK right? Asking to be quiet won't get them upset with him right?

@Oliver

Oliver hesitated as he listened. Talk more quietly? He wasn't sure he could. He was very soft-spoken as it was, but-... He lowered his voice to a whisper, dropping to the ground.

"I'll--try? My name is Oliver. It's nice to meet you, Pippy. Why do you need me to whisper? Are you afraid of someone overhearing? And the light's my--magic. Mom says everyone has magic," he added, whispering as softly as he could.

He turned and lifted one taloned wing-paw to press it gently to the small glowing boulder. "When I use mine, things glow. I just want to help. The lights are out, so-..."

He looked around, and then lowered his head to the ground, sniffing around. He looked for the tiniest little pebble he could find, and this he carefully lifted in an upturned bird-dog palm, focusing intently.

He had intended to make it glow, and offer it to the tiny bat, but the magic didn't come. In fact, it--seemed to make the stone darker. How had he managed that?

Oliver stared at the little dark pebble, now a tragic void of light and color, and softly sighed, setting it down. "Okay that one--didn't go to plan, he whispered gently, "but I can try again if you want a light to carry? It has to be really small though."

{Table code credit to Madison, altered a bit!}

@Pippy

Pippy was a little surprised how well they managed to make their voice small it's perhaps smaller than her little voice, but she was glad they seemed to be okay with whispering and that she didn't offend them from asking that.

Oliver huh? That sounds like a lovely name, although she did not know how to answer their question on why Oliver needed to whisper. She didn't want to make them feel bad that when they got a little loud earlier, it hurt her ears just a bit, which Pippy is still unaware that one of her ears got flipped back.

"H-Hi there Oliver. A-And n-no that's not it, it's just- I-I don't know..." She didn't honestly know except for the fact that she wanted to avoid her ears getting hurt again. "O-Oh! I know Magick! I-I don't know what a 'mom' is though, s-sorry." Is that a Gembound name?

Oh! They can use Magick to make beautiful lights just appear from thin air just like Zeno can then! The idea that Oliver could be like Zeno helped her relax around them little more, especially since they do seem kind, after all, they said they wish to help with the caves being in scary darkness. She watches to see them make more pretty lights on the rocks, this time with a stone that actually would fit in her den. A-Are they planning to give it to her?

Sadly just like the times when her Magick refused to cooperate with her that one time it didn't become a pretty light it looked more like a vantablack stone instead. Exciting but from how Oliver looked it most likely not what they wanted to happen, she wanted to try and do it herself if it's Magick, she can do Magick too.

"It didn't work? Magick is confusing..." It is "O-Oh thank you, Oliver! I-I do need a light for my den, it's so dark in it, and it's so scary... But maybe I could try first?" it was a bad idea, she has only managed to grow two plants from her Magick, and she has no idea how to make Magick do what she wants, but she wants to try.

Putting the tip of her wings on the rock she tried to think of lights and picturing the Gem that is on her chest to hope that will work, and colour did start to come to the pebble in time. She did it! But, she only managed to bring the tone of it back with some weak aura around it, it wouldn't be helpful as light.

"I-I think I d-did it? But sorry to ask but could you try again please Oliver?" She felt a little guilty for trying to do it herself then needing to ask Oliver to try again.


@Oliver

Oliver watched, and smiled. The bat had immediately understood and even replicated his magic! That was impressive on its own.

"I can--try? Sure." He looked down and around, plucking up a different tiny pebble. He'd never had his magic fail before. Maybe it was just a case of the wrong rock? He'd sometimes lost focus, but never taken light out of something. That even scared him, a little.

He concentrated again, trying to push away the faint nervousness that he now felt, holding the tiny pebble gently.

"Like-... Like this--" The pebble flared up with the soft golden-white glow, and he held it gently out.

"It should be small enough for you to carry?"

{Table code credit to Madison, altered a bit!}

@Pippy

Oh, Oliver looked happy with him nonetheless, did he do good then even if he didn't manage to make a pretty lantern pebble to take back home? The thought made him smile at Oliver and let a lot of the unease he felt towards Oliver earlier vanish.

He nodded excitedly at Oliver when they said they would give that Spell another try, trusting Oliver's Magick prowess more than his own, still the way Oliver managed to pick up a pebble as small as that so gently without physically ruining it amazed Pippy. Perhaps they can be fully trusted; they seem nice and gentle towards one as small as Pippy after all.

Watching the Magick lesson that Oliver is demonstrating with attentive eyes and nods firmly as he thinks he gets it and Pippy's determined to ensure he learns it in time.

When he was offered the small glowing stone by Oliver, he looked with such awe to how pretty this and another factor. Is Oliver letting him have this? That was... So kind and sweet of them. Slowly and delicately he reached out with his wings to get a grip on it; the size was perfect he could carry this and fit it in his den comfortably, so he carefully took it.

But afterwards, he put it down on the ground and with such joy and gratitude for Oliver for being so sweet for a small Gembound such as himself he immediately glomped one of Oliver's hind legs with his wings, cuddling it tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Oliver-! It's perfect! You're the best!" They entirely were the best in Pippy's head, after all, they are just so sweet like Zeno and Equinox are. Oliver might be waiting a while until he decides to let go he has wanted to hug a kind Gembound for a while now.

@Oliver

Oliver smiled, as best he could, as warmth filled him. Pippy's gratitude and friendliness warmed him; not all were so kind, and he responded gently.

"Thank you. You're very welcome. You could--try it again, if you want? My mom always said--"

He paused, peering down as he realized that the tiny thing was clinging to one leg. He blinked, at this, but--it didn't seem to be doing any harm, so he just, after a moment's hesitation, continued.

"My mom always said to focus really hard, and take some deep breaths and clear your mind, but I think you did really good for your first try! That was your first try, right?"

He was careful, all along, to keep his voice at a quiet, gentle whisper--and now he leaned his nose down, trying to gently nudge Pippy's folded, flipped ear back into its correct place.

{Table code credit to Madison, altered a bit!}

@Pippy

Pippy still has yet to let go of Oliver's leg, the tiny bat was just, so grateful to Oliver; they are so sweet to her in allowing her to have this even though she hasn't done anything kind to them in her eyes.

Try it again herself? She could give it a try she supposes, even if she only needed that one for her den it would be nice to be able to light more rocks and make things less scary, hold on a minute though she's still not finished hugging Oliver, she'll stop soon though, maybe anyway who knows.

She looks up at Oliver when they spoke how to use Magick, mentioning 'mom' again, but with 'my' beforehand this time that makes it what a 'mom' is a lot more confusing but Pippy decides she'll ask Oliver later maybe. But for now Pippy nods a lot to understand how one does Magick, she was finally starting to understand a little of it, still 'clear your mind' completely sounds hard to do. Still, that wasn't her first try not really.

"I think I get it thank you, Oliver! And... No that was my fifth try, but only worked two times before in which I made two plants grow a bit..." That was the first time she managed a different Spell that wasn't making a plant grow.

When Oliver nudged her ear to flip it back, she still had no idea that there was something off about her ear; she couldn't help but giggle a little it tickled a bit. With Oliver doing that though she started to realise that there was something off about her ear now and shook her head a little till it was back to the way it was. With their face being close Pippy rubbed her small head against theirs. She's almost done cuddling Oliver she'll give another try on Magick soon don't worry.

@Oliver

Oliver peered down, listening, then flicked an ear in consideration. But something else that Pippy said quite interested him, and he tilted his head.

"You can--grow plants?" he whispered. He'd thought that Gembound could only do one kind of magic, but--... Maybe he could learn this, too?

Maybe he could help people in--other ways, not just making lights! Still peering, and careful to keep his voice quiet, he murmured further.

"Could you--show me, maybe? Maybe I can learn how, too. I like to help people and things and lots of people eat plants, plus plants die and--maybe it'd be nice?"

He gazed at Pippy hopefully, pale blue eyes wide.

{Table code credit to Madison, altered a bit!}

@Pippy

Pippy finally decided he has cuddled Oliver long enough and eventually released his grip on their leg, they are now free from Pippy's hug, but he might attempt to hug them again, so be alert. He looks up to Oliver when asked if he can grow plants, which in response Pippy gleefully nodded like he was so proud of this fact even if many Gembound can probably do it too.

"O-Oh yes! I sure can Oliver." He hasn't used it much ever since that one time in Cetus, so perhaps he shouldn't be so confident but it did in fact work even if during that event those two times it worked where essentially half the attempts at Magick that did anything.

Pippy was surprised at the question asked by Oliver; they want to learn how to do it from Pippy himself? He was unsure since he doesn't think he's too good at it, but they were so sweet to Pippy and from the sounds of from what they said there they are just a kind one in general. And Pippy himself wants to do kind things too; Pippy even feels terrible that Oliver is such a sweetheart to the tiny bat hough Pippy has done nothing to deserve their kindness, all Pippy has done for them is get scared and ask them things. With a stunned and overjoyed look at this request, it looked almost like he had stars in his eyes he nodded in agreement; he'll do it!

"O-OK I will Oliver! Right well, hmm," Looking around he moves over to where he some patch of mud that's perhaps just a few inches away which Pippy crawls over to looking back at Oliver he motions with his wing to say 'come here'. Solid rock probably won't help a plant grow to rise aboveground, he found some and crawled over to it.

"OK... I remember thinking of just Magick and focusing on my Gem?" It was hard to explain what he meant there; it was more like he only paid attention to his Gem and ignored every other part of his tiny form. He tries to do this with loosening the weight he has on the rest of his body except for his chest where his stained glass Gem is, he also took Oliver's advice and took a few deep breaths and looking down at this path of mud.

Let's see if it works.

Pippy's Gem begun to shine with such splendour, a sunbeam painting of light of violets, turquoise and bronze mixed came from his shining Gem, which shone onto the mud. Pippy had to admit that with this darkness made that shine from his Gem look so pretty and stand out. The spot on the dirt that was getting shone on from Pippy's Gem a tiny green sapling instantly started to rise from that place the ground. However unlike the previous times where they just grew to be a little smaller than Pippy it went further than that, the stem of it became so tall that Pippy wondered if he caused a vine to grow, well it seemed like a vine to him anyway. The light of his Gem faded away soon, and Pippy looked back happily to Oliver to see if they saw him do it.

@Oliver

Oliver watched intently, and his pale blue eyes widened a great deal as the little bat focused its magic. It seemed that he was to focus on his gem? Oliver had never heard of this, before, and he peered down at the shimmering green stone embedded just over one taloned digit, like a ring.

The bat--so absolutely small--clearly had good magical ability, despite its size. In only a few seconds a green sprout had come from nothing, and grown, and Oliver stared in awe.

He smiled gently, and quizzically, and leaned down to inspect and to sniff the plant, gently. At last he spoke--his voice still a careful murmuring whisper--turning to Pippy as he did so.

"So-... Focus on my gem? I never thought of that. Thank you. You're very good at it. It's amazing. It will help, maybe, I think. Do you --want any more glowing rocks? Before I go? I'm trying to make lights for everyone, since the lights have all gone out. Some people can't see well," he explained.

{Table code credit to Madison, altered a bit!}

@Pippy