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THE STREETS - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Annika is walking home, rubbing her somewhat bruised and aching body. She's filthy, covered in soot and grime, with her tail equally matted and dirty. She's pointing herself home, wanting nothing more than to be clean and rested again. Trying to find work is proving difficult, and the jobs that she is getting for herself are nasty, dirty (not to mention low paying). Still, they do, for the most part, pay the bills.
Vix has decided to set up her shop toward the outside of the square, to catch folks who might just be walking the adjacent street. She calls out to the passing fox. "Hey, Miss Fox! Care to buy some fine, found sundries?"
Annika: "Oh!" She's startled, and makes a little movement like she was going to dart away, before catching herself and forcing herself to settle "Um..I'm not really looking for anything right now..and.I really need to be getting back and cleaned up.." She does look at what's being sold. It's only polite after all.
Vix hums as she sneakily pushes the soap bars and fragrant flowers to the front of her shop blanket. The soaps looks slightly used. "Oh? But you look like a hard worker! Maybe you might like some of these?"
Annika leans forward "Well..I suppose I could do with some soap" She reaches out a moment for the soap, before stopping, pursing her lips "..You..called them..um..'found sundries'..what did you mean by that?" She's a very honest fox, and doesn't like what the implication might be!
Vix waves a paw over her entire stock, which is a disorderly mix of spare mechanical parts, tools, herbs, and even a couple of clothing accessories. "It's mostly just stuff that I find lying around. It's not stolen, and it's not trash!"
Annika is also, helpfully for Vix, rather naive, so she nods "Well..that's okay..I suppose" She considers the soap for a second time "What types of soap do you have?" She doesn't want to start picking them up and smelling them, for obvious reasons!
Vix doesn't seem to know the technical terms, but points to each soap bar and describes it. "This one smells like lavender, this one smells like honey, and these here all smell like apples!"
Annika: "Oh. I like the smell of lavender" She leans forward, towards where that was pointed, her grimey paws twitching a little "How much would it cost?"
Vix smiles. "5 coins. Best price anywhere!"
Annika: "Okay!..wait!" She remembers she's meant to haggle! "..uh..3 coins"
Vix winks. "Eh, good enough. Sold!"
Annika: "Oh!" She's good at this haggling thing! She pulls out a small coin purse, and pulls out 3 dirty coins, putting them down on the mat "Thanks a lot! I'm really in need of a clean right now"
Vix smiles as she takes the coins and hands Annika the soap. "Pleasure doin' business with ya. Come again soon!
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TOWN CLINIC - LATE AFTERNOON
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Doc Plume is finishing up their weekly inventory of supplies and compounding agents, checking off the last few pages of their paperwork.
Nesseth opens the front door of Plume's practice and knocks on the frame with his free hand. He looks around a bit as he enters, then smiles upon seeing that Plume isn't busy. "Afternoon, Doc. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Doc Plume sets down their papers and tucks the stub of pencil behind an eartuft. They turn and smile at Nesseth. "Nothing that can't wait. Just inventory." They walk over to behind their desk and puts on the gas under the kettle. "What brings you around? Not another sand gator, I hope."
Nesseth shakes his head with a laugh. "No, nothing of the sort this time. I just felt like popping by to see how you're doing now that you've been here for a bit. I guess the initial rush of people needing to see a doctor's finally tapered off?"
Doc Plume nods to Nesseth as they keep a watchful eye on the kettle. "Yeah, there are a few repeats, but nothing outside of what I expect. Widow Blackmane comes by most days about her back, but there's not really much I can do for her. She'd probably be better off not taking the extra steps to see me, honestly. I've told her as much, but I think she's just lonely. Good enough company, though. I could tell you all about her grandchildren if you like."
Nesseth hums and smiles. "Oh, Mrs. Blackmane? Yeah, she's a really nice old lady. I don't really see her all too often since I'm usually beyond the walls most days, and tend to get back just as the older folks are starting to go to sleep." He nods a bit, "Sure, I don't mind hearing a bit about her grandkids."
Doc Plume rolls her eyes just as the kettle boils. They stand and turn off the gas before pouring the water into a prepped teapot. "That was a rhetorical question. I have ordered her a cane that's about three inches longer, though. It should help her with some of the pain, not hunching so much." They move the teapot onto the desk as they time the steeping on their pocketwatch. "What have you been up to?"
Nesseth chuckles. "Ah, sorry, Doc. I kind of take things at face value sometimes." He shrugs a little, still smiling, "Not much, honestly. I did go for a bit of a hunt beyond the walls with Damina the other day, to gather up food to cook, but the day-to-day's been pretty mundane for the past few days otherwise."
Doc Plume laughs. "Yes, you were together in the bar that night. I don't blame you for not remembering, though." They put their watch back into their vest pocket before pouring the tea out and looking to Nesseth. "Milk? Sugar?"
Nesseth hums thoughtfully. "Just a touch of milk, I think, thank you." He scratches his head a bit, fiddling with one of the frills on his head for a moment, "And yeah, you're right, I kind of forgot in the bustle that's been going on outside of work. Nothing exciting, mind, just... busy."
Doc Plume pours a dollop of milk into both cups before passing one over to Nesseth. "Yeah, no worries. I ran into an interesting newcomer yesterday. Another reptilian..."
Nesseth dips his head in thanks as he accepts the cup, though he tilts his head as he straightens up again. "Another reptilian? Huh... the town's growing fast, isn't it? What were they like?"
Doc Plume cocks their head a little as they try to remember. "Hmm.. rather squat and wide with an odd fin. I remember more about his companion, though. A dreaful little beast that he claimed was a baby... dragon." The last word is whispered in hushed tones.
Nesseth nods along, listening until the last word drops from Plume's beak, at which point he blinks and frowns as he leans forward. "Wait... a dragon? Are you... you're sure about that, Doc?"
Doc Plume takes a sip of tea and nods. "Well, I don't know much about dragons, but its keeper seemed adamant of the point. It was only about yea big though." They set down their cup and hold their hands about two feet apart.
Nesseth hums as he takes a sip of tea, his brow furrowed in thought. "That big, hm...? If it's actually a dragon, and not just a non-sentient lizard, that thing must have only hatched not too long ago." He sighs, "Still, if it's really a dragon... that might cause some problems as it grows up."
Doc Plume tents their slender fingers together as they think. "Well, I left the pair of them at the Minnow last night. The little beast was behaving itself mostly, so I would be surprised if they weren't able to get a room there."
Nesseth idly sips at his tea. "Well, at least it was behaving... They're pretty willful creatures, though, so I hope they can handle it as it grows." He shakes his head, "I can't imagine the chaos if that dragon decides to get into mischief..."
Doc Plume sips their own tea again. "Quite... I think you should talk to him, though. He seemed a bit elated at the mention of more reptilians in town, so you might be a better bet to get him set straight than someone like Brunilda."
Nesseth nods again. "Well, in that case, I'll see if I can find them for a chat soon. I really hope they're a reasonable sort, though. This town's only just starting to find its footing as a permanent settlement..."
Doc Plume smiles. "That's good. His name was Kyprin or something like that..." They take another long sip of tea. "So how long have you been in Respite Falls for?"
Nesseth: "Kyprin, hm...?" He nods after a few moments, having committed the name to memory, and smiles, "I've been in Respite Falls for... a few years, now. It's been a little while since the last Explorers Guild expedition came out this way and left, so I'm here if they decide to mount another expedition further south in the future. But, if not, I'm happy to call this place home."
Doc Plume nods. "Fair enough. It's an interesting lot out here. Nice enough, but folks seem to keep to themselves a bit." They give a little sigh. "I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit lonely."
Nesseth nods in turn. "Yeah, the community is willing to help each other out a lot when needed, but it does feel like everyone's focused on getting their own things in order first. Close, but not as close as I know Embercoast to be." He smiles, "But if you're feeling lonely, I'm more than happy to keep company, Doc."
Doc Plume blushes just a touch at that last comment. "Oh, uh... I appreciate that... but yeah... I guess I had my observing surgeon to talk to all the time for the last couple of years, and then before that it was professors and other students..." They take a long sip of tea. "I guess this is my first time on my own, really..."
Nesseth nods again. "Yeah, the loneliness after leaving a place you called home for a while is pretty rough. I had a similar feeling when I first joined the Explorers Guild." He sighs a little, leaning against the wall a bit, "Everyone was so busy doing their jobs, no one really had time to chat with the newbie."
Doc Plume stands and picks up their tea, moving over closer to Nesseth. "That's rough. I had enough folks interested in me at school that I didn't have that much of a problem." They shrug a bit, but smile nonetheless. "It's still not the same when folks are just gawking at you, though."
Nesseth hums and smiles a bit. "Yeah, it's definitely a different sort of feel. I managed to make do after a few weeks, though, and got around to taking the initiative to chat up the others."
Doc Plume finishes their tea and sets the cup on the corner of their desk. "That's good..." They look down a bit. "I would imagine that you also get some attention from women when you're out and about... I mean, you're pretty handsome..."
Nesseth chuckles in embarrassment, his cheeks blushing just a touch. "Well, thank you, Doc. I... honestly don't really notice most of the time. During patrols, I'm usually too focused to take note of folks around town, and off-duty, I..." He laughs a bit and shrugs as a memory from earlier in the week comes to mind, "I guess I'm just a bit oblivious, mostly, unless the advance is pretty blatant..."
Doc Plume looks up for a moment as their ear tufts flatten down closer to the head in some amount of embarrassment. "Oh well, I mean, if that's not something you're interested in, I understand..."
Nesseth shrugs a bit. "Well, to be fair, I am interested, but I'm just horrible at reading cues." He laughs and grins down at his cup of tea in a bit of a self-depreciating manner, "Like... I could get kissed outright and I'd be spending the next week wondering if it was serious or if they were just messing with me."
Doc Plume walks over to Nesseth. "Well, I'm not really the type to do that sort of thing without asking permission..." They reach up a hand and cup Nesseth's cheek in it, the smooth pointed tips of their claws gently pressing into his scales. Doc blinks their hazel-blue eyes as their cheeks flush again. The fight through a hitch in their throat before meeting Nesseth's gaze with their own and speaking quietly, "I would very much like to kiss you right now, Nesseth..."
Nesseth blinks as Plume's hand cups his cheek and then blinks again, this time in surprise, at their request. He stammers just a touch as he responds, clearly more than a little confused. "U-um... You want to kiss... me? I, uh... s-sure. Yeah, we could."
Doc Plume gives a chirping little giggle as they lean in, "Only if you want to kiss me too." They open their beak and close their eyes, clearly nervous and not that experienced.
Nesseth softly clears his throat, then leans in a bit, only to pause. He hesitates for a few moments, trying to figure out how the heck he's supposed to make a kiss work with someone that has a beak instead of lips, but mentally shrugs and does what he figures counts as a 'proper' kiss.
Doc Plume is careful, knowing that dealing with a beak is awkward, but tries to make up for it with their tongue, letting the dark muscle caress and greet Nesseth's lips gently, if a bit hesitantly. They press in closer to Nesseth, their slender body pressed up against the lizard as they open their eyes and gaze shyly at him.
Nesseth carefully holds his cup of tea off to the side as he reflexively slips an arm around Plume and gives them a soft hug. He hums quietly into the kiss, rather liking it now that he has an idea, then smiles awkwardly as it breaks. "I hope that was a good attempt at a kiss..."
Doc Plume pulls their head back as the kiss breaks, their cheeks flushed and their breath labored. They smile at Nesseth and don't pull away, instead hugging him close but not too tight as their heart races. They go to rest their head on his shoulder, but the pencil that was tucked up behind their eartuft takes this opportunity to escape and clatter down to the floor.
Nesseth chuckles a bit as he gives Plume a firmer hug, though he tilts his head a bit to look at what clattered down onto the floor just to make sure it wasn't anything fragile or important. His brain, meanwhile, is currently trying to grind back into gear, just as it did during earlier incidents. "Well... I'll take that as a 'yes', then."
Doc Plume similarly follows the noise, but looks back to Nesseth as soon as they figure out that it was just the pencil. They giggle a bit and nudge the lizard's cheek with the tip of their beak. "It was nice, yeah... but you're only the second person I've ever kissed like that... so not too much of an expert..."
Nesseth can't help but grin a bit. "I'm glad to know I didn't make it absolutely horrible, at least. I'm also not much more experienced than you, so..." He chuckles again after a short pause, "Like... you're probably the third person I've gotten to kiss, though you're the first who has a beak."
Doc Plume takes a deep breath and untangles themself from Nesseth's embrace, but only to go lock the door to the clinic and flip the sign on it from IN to OUT. Doc then returns to Nesseth and smiles. "Well, thanks, I think... um... would you want to... I dunno, I mean, how does it even work out here? Like, is there formal courtship?"
Nesseth releases Plume from his hug, then lightly leans against the wall again. "Uh... formal courtship? I'm not sure, myself... As far as I know, my kind doesn't really have any sort of courtship behavior. I mean, casual dating and such is pretty common among everyone, so... I guess that counts as 'courtship'? Erm... maybe?"
Doc Plume laughs. "Right sorry, just... I dunno... It's all so different from what I grew up with. I mean..." They shrug and smile. "I guess I'm trying to ask you out on a date, then?"
Nesseth laughs with Plume. "Fair enough. Different cultures and all that, yeah..." He smiles, "A date sounds like it could be fun. Though... there aren't a whole lot of options other than... hm... Watching the stars... eating a meal together... or... uh... Huh. Yeah, not much..."
Doc Plume blushes and laughs. "Sure, I mean... just... you know..." They look down at the floor. "There's always the waterfall, too..."
Nesseth hums and nods. "That's true, we could always hang out together at the waterfall. It's a really nice spot."
Doc Plume pours themself another cup of tea as their mind races. "So when would you want to..."
Nesseth hums thoughtfully. "When might you have a day free next? I can see about adjusting my own schedule a little for it, since I know it's much more important that the town's doctor have a consistent schedule."
Doc Plume ponders. "Sundays would work best... so maybe in a week?" They blush a bit. "Or just after work some day..."
Nesseth smiles. "Sunday would work, if we want to make a day of it at the waterfall. Though, the falls are also really nice in the afternoon, too..." He dips his head, "I'll defer to your preference in this case, as both options sound really nice."
Doc Plume laughs. "Let's say next sunday then. That way there's less chance I've been up to my elbows in viscera before then..." They smile a bit shyly. "Uh... I guess I should let you go now unless we want something else to happen today..." Their tail swishes behind them, showing a mix of their excitement and nerves.
Nesseth shrugs a bit, taking a moment to sip the rest of his tea down now that he remembered he's still holding the cup. Once the cup's drained, he smiles. "Well, I don't have anything else to do for the afternoon, really. I get the sense you've got some ideas in mind, though, from the way you locked up the office a little early."
Doc Plume finally picks up the pencil off the floor and sets it on their desk. "Not that early. Uh... but if you want to stay, I can show you my apartment I guess? And we could get to know each other better. I really don't know much about you other than your name and job..." They pad their way over to a nondescript door in the corner and unlocks it, opening it to reveal a staircase leading up.
Nesseth nods as he moves over to the desk and sets his empty tea cup down beside Plume's one. "Sure, if you don't mind me being nosy like that. I know that some folks prefer their personal sanctuaries stay private, but it's a pretty good opportunity for us to chat more."
Doc Plume shakes their head and waits by the stairway. "I don't mind at all, Nesseth..." They look down, their tail twitching excitedly. "Uh, after you..." they say once they look up at Nesseth again.
Nesseth smiles warmly at Plume and makes his way through the door and starts up the stairs. "Thank you, Do-- er... Plume."
Doc Plume says nothing, but the glint in their eyes is the only answer an observer would need to understand their feelings at the moment. They turn a valve near the door which snuffs all the gas lamps around the clinic before shutting the door, latching it, and following Nesseth up the stairs.
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STRIX'S ALLEYWAY - LATE EVENING
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Narrator: The alleyway was clean! After all the ice defrosted, the resulting flow of water cleared everything out, and with all of the experiments, nobody was using it as a shortcut anymore. Strix had made a new machine..or rather, it was his old machine, just reconfigured. This one has two large coils of wire emerging from the top, and a single long, thin rod of highly polished metal extending out, high! Past the levels of the rooftops around. Strix rubs his claws together, great pleased with what he's made.
Narrator: The sound of footsteps approach, and wouldn't you know it, it's Damina, making no attempt to hide her presence whatsoever. She just happens to pass by the alleyway where Strix is doing their thing, taking note, then walking off. But then she comes back and looks closer.
Strix cackles to himself gently, either not noticing Damina, or not acknowledging her presence..at least not directly. There's a distinct chance that Strix is hamming it up for the audience. He's nearly done in either case, welding on some final wires to the machine, before retreating behind a 'shield' made out of wastewood, hammered together. He's got some sort of control switch in his hand, which he's not turning yet. He looks to Damina, and very, very slowly, starting moving his hand to the switch.
Damina: "Well, well, well. Fancy machinery you got. Care telling me what it's all about?"
Strix has his hand on the switch now. He's not stopping!
Strix is waiting jusst a moment more, looking to Damina, slowwwly turning the switch.
Damina lowers her hat over her face in anticipation.
Strix would have preferred that she actually get somewhere behind cover, but he's never gonna be one to insist on safety precautions! He flicks the switch, and gets behind cover fully, only peeking out to see what's happening. The machine starting humming, sparks of electricity running over it. The ground..still a little damp from the previous evenings debacle with the ice machine crackles, with soft bits of electricity running over that too, tingling the feet of anyone standing in the alley (unless you'd put down an insulator like Strix had had where he's hiding). Those charges are all slowwwly building...
Damina grunts. "Hope you absolutely know what you're doing."
Strix: "Of course" Strix grumbles to himself, as the charge builds up further. He doesn't seem to be having fun anymore for some reason. The base machine has a huge charge built up in it now, and there's a large piece of metal going waaaay up into the sky. All that charge has to equalize in some way, and with the machine standing over damp ground..well, Strix knows how this is gonna go. He's counting on it, in fact! But..he doesn't mind blowing himself up, pushing himself to the utter limits to explore what he can do..but when someone else is just..standing there? There's a soft glow, above the machine in the clouds as Strix gets up, holding a piece of wire, before wrapping one end around his metal arm, and tossing the other, to hook around the top end of the machine. He gives a -very- dirty look to Damina, before turning around, dashing directly away from her.
Damina: "What's the problem? Should I just go or what?"
Narrator: Strix doesn't explain things! It's just not his way! Instead, he demonstrates. The machine was designed as a lightning rod, and now the lighting was coming, a stroke of lighting bolts down, and instead of entering the machine and..doing whatever it was meant to do there (Or, more likely, just explode), it redirects down the wire, lifting Strix out of it with a blast of electricity. He gets knocked off his feet, sent tumbling down the alley further. Damina still gets a mild shock through her feet, conducted through the damp ground she was standing on.
Narrator: Strix is left laying on the ground a few dozen meters away from Damina, smoking gently.
Damina, somehow, is not affected in the slightest by this. Sure, it singes some of her fur, but other than that...? She just looks at Strix's smoking body. It's almost funny except that probably hurt a lot, and Damina actually doesn't laugh at other people's misfortune.
Strix can't really reply or respond, due to being quite clearly knocked out.
Damina: "Need a hand up?"
Strix doesn't respond. The smoking is stopping at least.
Damina shrugs. "Welp, I ain't gonna let you sit there like a dead animal. Let's get you some help." She approaches Strix, but, after looking at the situation that led to this, attempts to turn off the machine before touching him.
Narrator: The machine is already 'off', as far as she can tell, the lightning strike frying enough of the components of it (even with most of it diverted via Strix), that its rendered nonfunctional. At least for now. Strix, should she choose to pick him up, is pretty light, and taped to the top of his arm, is directions from here, to the doctor's
Damina notices the directions which actually get her to laugh. Something about what it implies just seems so ridiculous. Either way, she detaches the wires from Strix's arm (if they weren't already) and starts hauling his ass to the clinic.
Damina: "Admittedly, you are pretty crazy, but hey, there's something to admire in that."
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - DUSK
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Narrator: After that brief altercation with Strix, Damina is back on her original course. To head to the bar to celebrate getting a new house! And why the hell not, she's earned a little fun!
Brunilda is sitting at the 'big creature table' once more, reading a book and occasionally sipping at a pint. Every now and then she picks up a small piece of paper and sticks it inbetween a page as she comes across a passage she can't understand, but it's clear she has been going about it a while regardless.
Damina comes barreling on through with all the subtlety of a pillow thrown really fast. She reaches the counter and considers what she wants, before ordering some form of alcoholic beverage.
Brunilda blinks and looks up from her reading: "Oh?"
Narrator: It's pretty interesting to see Damina acting so overtly happy, but hey, it's a welcome change from her almost stoic demeanor normally.
Brunilda gives a small wave to the cat she's seen about a few times but hasn't really spoken to.
Damina then starts sloooooowly downing it in one long continuous take.
Brunilda raises a curious eyebrow at the small cat chugging a drink so quickly, but then continues her reading. Nothing she hasn't seen at a Guard Bar a thousand times, except perhaps the small size.
Damina is now just sitting there and looking at who happens to be at the bar now.
Brunilda feels being looked at and looks back up at the sober-ish cat: "Can I help you?"
Damina: "Ah, well, hello! How are you?"
Brunilda shrugs, shifting in her seat: "Not that bad I guess. Bored, mostly."
Damina smiles. "Well, just finally bought a house here. Thought I'd celebrate."
Brunilda smiles a bit, lifting her pint: "Reason enough to celebrate, certainly."
Damina is a happy cat!
Brunilda chuckles softly, musing: "I haven't really looked at it myself yet, though suppose I should if I intend to lodge here for longer than the current Guard thing..." She frowns a bit, something bothering her in what she just said, but doesn't continue.