She had started out the evening with a dilemma but after a talk with Luse, she was feeling like she had a plan. Luc needed wild magiks, and it wasn't something she could teach, she had to find another means to achieving those goals. Her connection to the Nexus and its pools of energy also contained a large sum of that very type of mana and occasionally she could tap into it, but was not a skill, but sort of an inherent thing she did. There wasn't any ritual or design to it, so she had spent that day after the talk with Fio, searching her thoughts for a means.

The dragonkin used those darn black powder weapons, and had even caused half a mountain to fall down on Luc and his daughter Cieara. Thus far the only weapon they had against that was Tasha. That simply, and she was aware of it. That didn't mean she was willing to be subjected to inspections and poking and prodding by other mages to discover her secrets.

In truth, she didn't know how to make it happen, it usually just did. On the other hand, even if she did actually know a trigger or a method to make it, she wasn't all that jazzed on the idea of teaching it either. It was a dangerous thing. Not only did it really mess with gunpowder and technology but also it could and often did warp normal magic. In the hands of the worst kind, it could unsettle the very balance of magic within the DeAuster's home realm. Arrogant of her perhaps, but she didn't want to go down into their written history as the cause of that very tenuous magical stability being perverted or destoryed either if that kind of knowledge was abused.

It had been the ebon haired elf that had made the suggestion. Oh, she was aware that he hadn't actually thought about it. It was one of those odd and random things he tended to say, but his proposition to bottle it, had sent a light bulb off in her head.

It was a reasonable answer. It would limit its availability and only be used by trusted hands then. The amounts that would leech into their world wouldn't be nearly as harmful either, and still could disrupt those weapons they now faced. It was she admitted to herself a rather brilliant remedy to that.

So there she was, dragging out a dusty old crate of used power stones from the Onyx House storage. Most ended up here if not simply tossed away to fall and be thought of as mere rocks on the ground. The dull, lifeless sheen held little beauty in its second-hand state, but they could be recharged. The question now, could she use one of the wild mana waves in the Never for the purpose? The only way for her to know is to try it.

The problem that she now faced was a daunting one. She had to track down one of those warping storms. That was pretty dangerous to start with, but toss in the deformed creatures that roamed those barren reaches along with the sand, heat, and Wild Elves and you have the makings of an insane adventure.

Luse had offered to go along for this and she was rather glad for that. She wasn't much of a camper really. She tended to find inns and places to rest out of the elements. She also wasn't much of a tracker of beasts, let alone avoid them. Vamps were never a problem, as her Ghosts helped there, but critters, creatures and other less then appealing things baffled her. The long eared assassin on the other hand, seemed to have a knack for sensing danger or spotting it before it got to close and in the Never, that was a bonus.

She struggled with the box but eventually managed to get it into the bag, making it easier to pick up and was soon heading out towards the barn where the bikes were stored. Next it would be a quick trip back to Gharnholme to pack up some changes of cloths, collect some food supplies, grab a sleeping bag and one of those new tents Luc had mentioned a while back. After that, she was going to get some sleep and then meet Luse.

She didn't let allow her self to think about what she was doing. Knowing only to well if she did, she would talk herself out of it. The Never wasn't a place for the faint of heart. The wild magiks there twisted the land and the creatures dwelling there into out right nightmares. It was perilous, unwelcoming and above all, unpredictable.

While in her way back through the portal gates to the DeAuster Stronghold, she kept reminding herself that she had stood up to one of her most fearsome enemies and had won, the Never wasn't near as scary. At least she hoped it wasn't. She could do this, and if lucky, this would work. She really did hope it would as she disliked guns nearly as much as she hated the thought of being some sort of magical lab rat.

She rechecked supplies, packing them neatly into the attached side care while she waited on Luse to arrive. When he finally did, she just stared at him in surprise. He looked like death warmed over and not even in a good way.

"Sheesh Luse! You look awful!" Tasha exclaimed, eyeing him with a curious tilt of her head and just blinked at him from behind the drift of bangs.

"Yeah whatever." Was the grumpy elf's reply and she snickered.

"Drank yourself into the ground last night again eh?" Handing him his spell box for the bike, having taken the time to get it charged before even getting to the Manor.

Taking the cube he just looked at her with narrowed eyes. She wasn't sure it was due to the sunlight creeping into the old barn or he was just his usually less then happy self.

"Spent the evening with an old friend. NOT that it is any of your business." Luse replied with a curt response to her curious questions. She was also very aware by the very tone he wasn't going to elaborate and that just made her giggle quietly.

"Ah, old friend eh' Guy or Girl?" She never was any good with those subtle hints. Yes, she had caught it, but since when did that ever stop her" Pushing the hair from her face in a futile effort she moved towards her ride with a twinkling of silvery violet eyes sent to Luse over a shoulder.

He just growled at her and moved to mount up. The large black Hog a perfect choice for the old elf. "Let it alone Tash. My head is killing me and I don't feel like talking about it."

"Must be a girl then. Old girlfriend then?" A suddenly intent look now, as a sudden thought that it might be that ex-wife of his. That hag had made way to much trouble in the past and had gotten away with it all because she had a big chest too. Knowing that to be one of Luse's few weaknesses in regards to the fairer sex at any rate. At least that is what Tasha believed.

There was a long silent pause from Luse as he glowered at her, the scowl lining his already weathered features. "Something like that." It was all he said but it brought a beaming smile from the smaller elf.

"Ah, so did ya get lucky?" Thinking maybe he had a night of sheet dancing and that was why he hadn't slept like he should have. Only to blink at Luse's middle finger rising and then the sound of the powerful Harley revving up loudly and she realized he really wasn't in the mood to talk about it. Muttering then to her self. "Guess not."

In seconds Luse had taken off and she was following right behind him, tugging the dark shades down over her eyes to shield herself from the sun and the dust being kicked up by spinning wheels and wind.

Ahead the light spilled through the portal that had been activated at their approach and the colored fog inside it, swirled lazily. This was a part she never really liked, for the gateway could be disorienting. She had dumped her ride a few times upon passing through and reaching the other side. Bracing for it, her bike sailed in cleanly, coming to a jolting landing on the other side and she grumbled.

She managed not to lose control at least. Up a head Luse had taken it like a pro and she just frowned at his hunched back. Things that rattled her seldom even fazed him of course. She rolled up beside him when he came to a stop and glanced around to get her bearings. Ahead she could see the distance shadow of Bordertown. The city shimmered in the rising heat and glow of the early morning sun. Shimmering like a mirage and in many ways, it was. Yet that wasn't where she needed to go this time, though she was tempted. But first things first, and a glance over at Luse, unable to see his face behind the shades he wore, the bands wrapping around his eyes and effectively hiding much of the gloomy expression he usually had on. "This way."

She turned the bike and was soon moving off road, into the very stark realms of the Never Never. Using her guide, she sent him ahead to scope out any Wild Mana storms that might be rising and headed to the one place she knew. It was an hour out from the city but held a treasure trove of four leaf clovers and some rare herbs she used to collect and sell, ages back. It was one of the many Oasis's that dotted the area, but one of the larger ones. It was also in the opposing direction of where she knew the Wild Elves roamed.

She knew Luse wouldn't handle them very well. Their hostile ways would only antagonize the already angry elf, and out here, even his magiked gun might not work the way he liked. She wasn't sure about that of course, but here was found the rawest of mana energy. The place where the world and Elflands had collided and made the place dangerous, from warped creatures and plant life to unpredictable dust storms, tornados and earthquakes. The mana torrents were also nasty. It was said it could twist one into something hellish. She had seen a few dead bodies out here and from her spiritual advisor heard it had been something of that nature.

Soon enough, she slowed, rolling to a stop under a large gnarled tree. Nearby was the small lake that made it one of the few green places, planted in the middle of rocks, cliffs and sand. An endless supply of that fine grained dirt that got into everything.

"This it?" Luse asked, having cut the power on his Hog and was lighting up a smoke even before getting off it.

"Well, sorta. This is usually a reasonably safe spot. Figured we could set up camp here and then search for a storm nearby." She was pulling things from the side care and letting them fall to the clover littered ground. "Kaspi is already on the hunt for me. So just have to wait for him to alert us now."

"Sounds good." A flick of ash and he watched her. At least she thought he was, since he still had on the sunglasses.

She was unrolling the small tent she had gotten from Luc's. Missing the small card that fell but once it spread out, a shadow fell across it with Luse holding it. "What is this thing?" He was looking at it.

"Got me. Where ya get that?" Rising up, she dusted the sand from her knees and looked over at him curiously while fingers brushed angel fine hair from her face.

"Fell out of that tent of yours. Says "Fastil", what ever the hell that means." He muttered then jumped back as the tent sprung to life, rising up and setting itself into place. "Crow!"

Tasha was also staring at it, then walked over and snatched the card from Luse's hand and looked at it. In moments she was giggling. "Ooh cool! It makes itself. That's handy. Leave it to Luc to find something like this. Hear he got it in a Slaver City tho."

It looked big enough for both of them at least and she spun about to grab her bedroll and darted a look at Luse as he walked around it obviously suspicious of it. His distrust of magic an old flaw in his otherwise cool nature.

"You will be glad for it Luse. If we end up staying the night, it gets damn cold around here when the sun goes down." She stated with a quick bobbing of her head and then a grin. "Plenty of room too and ya ain't gotta worry I will jump ya either."

She just got a cold glower at that, over the edge of the shades. "Funny."

Pushing her way inside, she stopped again and just gaped. Well, Luc would be getting a big hug for this. The inside was bigger then the out and there was actual beds and bless the Chaos Lord, it even had a wonderful camp heater. "Whoo! Come in here Luse!"

"This isn't right." The dark haired elf muttered once he got a look at the surprise.

"Looks good to me." Another impish grin shot over at Luse and she was dropping her stuff down next to her bed.

He just muttered, eyes still narrowed while he walked around inspecting everything as if he fully expected it to be a potential threat to his personal safety.

Leaving Luse to his grumbles, she was soon hauling out the box of spent mana stones and the flat metallic panel she had borrowed from the Onyx Manor. It would be a charger plate, when she found a good storm to tap. At least that was the plan. Fiddling a bit with the wires she soon had it ready and just placed it back on the seat of the side car, with the crate on top and the exposed ends tucked in with the nestling rocks it held.

She was soon setting up a place to make a fire. Digging the usual pit and planting a ring of rocks around it so none of the dry grass would catch afire. It was not only good for making meals, but also for keeping the random wandering beastie away once the sun went down.

From deep in one of her bags she pulled out an icy bottle of her usual soda and an equally frosty bottle of beer that was handed to Luse as he reappeared. "I ain't much of a cook, just so ya know. Got some canned stuff tho that won't kill us." She glanced up at him and smiled sweetly. "Of course your welcome to do the cooking if your worried." Her tone almost hopeful as while she could cook well enough to not poison anyone, especially herself, it wasn't one of her most favorite things in the world to do.

His gaze moved to the stacks of Speghettie-O's and just grumbled more. "I am hoping we are not here long enough to need to do much cooking. I am sure that will suit." He folded down on the ground and lit up another smoke.

"Actually, Kaspie says there is some activity, so we might see something by sunset. Just have to wait." She took a pull from her bottle and just sank back, back against a tree and brushing at the coating of sand on her jeans.

"Good." He also took a healthy draw from the cold bottle and looked at it, then at her. "How did you do that?"

A wicked grin following that question of his and she shrugged, with laughter threatening to spill from her soon. "Magic!"

He just looked at her stonily for a moment then tipped the bottle once again. "Some magic obviously has value."

"Actually, I used one of my many holding bags. Loaded it up with ice and just stashed coke and beer in it. I would have gotten your usual but figured out here, you may not want to be all drunk." Air flew from her, sending bangs fluttering about her elfin face and gazed at him. "Thanks for coming with me Grumpy. I really mean that too. Ain't a fun place here and alone well, ain't really safe either. Buddy system is best."

"I couldn't let you go alone. Your dad and Belial would be hunting for my ears if I did." He did however manage a grin back at her.