Tangled

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311 Lisa: Would a Watch Work?

LISA

"You've gotten fat. Elverly greets me, in that traditionally hateful way of hers.

Does the fact that I missed her toxic tongue mark me as abnormal? Probably. But I hug her anyway, smiling when her body doesn't tense, even as she grumbles at me for touching her without permission.

The rest of the night with Kellan was nothing but awkward silence. Being away from him is a blessing right now. I just keep thinking about how he smelled-yeah. No. Not thinking about that. "I'll ask next time. How have you been?"

Elverly's snort could mean anything really, but I choose to interpret it as I've missed you too.

Maybe I'm psychotic. Or delusional. But I'm pretty sure that's what she means.

"Their food is terrible," she mutters. "Not a cook among them."

"They are refugees from war," says the Grand Sage, sounding rather resigned. "It isn't as though they would gather the kitchen before escaping."

"Food is important, the old gnome woman snaps. "Eating well is an important part of recovery."

""Yes, yes."

Sage and Elverly bicker. Their dynamic reminds me of an old married couple, though I'd never dare say that out loud. Elverly might actually bite my head off if I did. "It's good to see you, Lisa," the Grand Sage says, turning to me

it'd be the safest place for me while Ava and Lucas are... you

always important to step away from new

the subject, I nod towards the papers scattered

working on? Looks like

up. "Indeed it is. I'm developing a communication

lean in, genuinely curious. "Like a magical

lack of supplies." We're refugees, after all. It's not like we have access to the latest tech or endless resources. "Plus," he continues, "it needs to be independent of magical

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Would a Watch

do you

face me fully. "Not everyone in our camp can utilize or

what that means. "Right.

smiles. "We gnomes have always been deaf to

"So, how does that work with werewolves? I mean, their whole shifting

that doesn't necessarily translate to an ability to manipulate other forms of magic. It's a bit like how some humans might have extraordinary physical abilities but no talent for, say, mathematics. They are unrelated. Now, let's get back to the communication device, shall

sketches. They're intricate, full of symbols I

again, tapping it against the paper. "The basic principle is to create a network of energy that can carry messages across distances. Think of it like your human radio waves, but powered by a different kind of energy."

way you might think. The device itself would be charged with magical energy, but using it wouldn't require any magical ability from

on."

me how familiar the gnome is with our human world and its inventions, but I suppose that's why he works on magical technology, trying

easy to come by in our current situation. And then there's the matter of testing and