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[h3][color=black]Location: Magnolia, Ending at Phoenix Wing Guildhall
Interactions: none[/color][/h3][/center]

Sleep did not come last night. He wanted it, he tried, but it ended up with Markovis staring up at the ceiling just watching the shadows shift with the moon's path across the sky. Trying to master his latest spell came to mind, but that wasn't exactly something he could work on in the late hours - both because he couldn't safely practice it in the house, and because he needed someone else to be the target. Neil would have been willing. Markovis didn't want to interrupt his friend's sleep just to get another spell under his belt. It didn't matter anyways. Since sleep would not come, he gave up in the early hours of the morning. He flipped on the lamp over his bed and started reading his latest book purchase. Penelope, a soft silver and black furred tabby cat, lay curled up against his hip. Soft purrs were the only thing to break the silence, quietly indicating her content state even as she slept. Much was the usual way he did anything in his room - with Penelope curled up on his lap or against him. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted it any other way.

When the sky began to brighten - as much as much as it could with the overcast outside - he had already finished the book and moved Penelope to his lap to just sit there cuddled up with her and gently petting her. That brightness was as much a cue for him that it was finally daytime as it was for Penelope that it was breakfast time. She stood, stretched, then headed for the kitchen while he did much the same. He always saw to getting her fed a bit of moist food mixed with dry first thing, quiet enough as to not wake Neil before he needed to. While the cat ate, the mage moved through the house to double check the plants and water any that needed it. Then it was time to set about his own food. Garden omelet, toast, and orange juice - enough for two. Making Neil breakfast was the least he could do considering how much his friend had stuck by him over all these years, no matter how much Markovis didn't see the point in it.

He knocked on Neil's door, and left the tray of breakfast on the table beside it. As he did most mornings. Routine was key. Take care of everyone else eating, then eat. Then it was off to shower and dress. Like most days, he chose dark slacks, a dark colored button up, and comfortable shoes to match. Some days, it included a tie and jacket, some days it was a polo. Most of the time, it was just a semi-formal outfit and he was content with it. A few scritches behind Penelope's ear as she sat on the table beside the door, and Markovis left with his messenger bag of things - a carefully packed glass, a bottle of bourbon, and a couple of books accompanied by a notebook and pen. 

In no time at all, he'd made it to the guildhall. Before they'd joined Phoenix Wing, he would have headed for plot of land Neil had since sold - a place to train safely without risk of hurting someone that didn't deserve it. Since joining, at least it was a place he could train if he wanted, or simply sit and read alone. He didn't even pay any attention to the group gathered not far into the guildhall; any other day...he still wouldn't pay a noisy group gathered in the middle of the guildhall any attention. Much less a bunch of people he didn't recognize with the chatterboxes, the pretty boy, and the upstart. 

The quiet mage headed straight for the usual table he sat at, in a corner away from prying eyes - back to the corner to keep the guildhall as a whole in view. Markovis took the bottle and cup from his bag, placing them on the table before removing the books and notebook from it as well. The bag strap rested over the back of the chair, and he took his seat. Remove the cap, pour his glass, replace the cap, chill the glass to desired temperature, then choose a book to start with - the same thing he did most days when he had no desire to go look at the job board. Today was one of those days he'd rather read and make notes of interest than go on a job.

[hr]

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[h3][color=FF1493]Location: Magnolia, Ending at Trinity's Shop
Interactions: [@CitrusArms][/color][/h3][/center]

The knock on his door woke him. It should have been his alarm, but it wasn't. Thankfully, Markovis had a routine. It helped Neil deal with those nights he fell asleep entirely too late because he was working out a formula. Unlike the neat and tidy room Markovis kept - and thankfully helped keep the house - Neil's room was scattered paperwork, notes taped to his walls, and (this morning, like many) a piece of paper stuck to the side of his head as he sat upright at his desk. "[color=FF1493]Morning![/color]" he yelped, then yawned. It was a full minute before he realized he had something stuck to his face, found when he went to scrub the sleep from it. What kept him up late this night? The same thing as most nights as of late. Working out that stupid formula. How was it eluding him still?

Tired eyes took a few minutes to focus on the scribbled notes on the page in his hand. [color=FF1493]Nope, this wasn't going to work either.[/color] He sighed and put the paper with the others he'd scribbled notes on last night. For the past few days, he'd considered combining a different ingredient with the base set, but when he actually went through with the test, it was - well...His gaze drifted to the scorched side of his room no longer designated as his testing area. He'd just bring someone in to get that fixed up. Maybe later he'd try a few other combinations; this time, he'd do it in the safety of the testing labs at his factory. For now, breakfast.

[center] - - - [/center]

Showered, dressed in jeans, his usual sweatshirt over a tee-shirt, and sneakers, and assured his hair wasn't a complete mess - Neil found himself leisurely walking rather than headed anywhere in particular. He had stopped in to check on his shop as he left the house - the entire reason he bought the building - but no one had stopped in for anything specialized. Crystal had it under control, as always. If she couldn't manage the store, he wouldn't have hired her after all. The factory ran by itself too, mass producing the formulas he saw no reason to regulate. Again, as it was intended. 

Once he realized he was headed in the direction of Trinity's shop, he started walking with a bit more purpose. In the past two years, most of the best potions he'd created were in attempts to make something to help her recover her power, after all. She was a great source of inspiration, just being around helped. Plus, they were friends and teammates. No reason to not check if the shop was open. 

When the door worked, he stepped right on in with a dazzling smile gracing his face. "[color=FF1493]Morning, Sunbeam. It still qualifies as morning, right?[/color]" He laughed softly as he closed the door and walked further into the shop. "[color=FF1493]Do you have appointments today, or are you free to go hang out at the guild?[/color]"