----------------------------------------------
MARKET STALLS - LATE EVENING
----------------------------------------------
Strix is about finished for the day, slowly packing away his stuff. It's getting dark, so he has activated his 'Glow-up bulbs', small floating lights that bob around him, lending the warm air of the town a certain chilly edge as they draw heat into themselves for power. At this exact moment, he's taking particular care to wrap his mostly repaired metal arm up, rather awkwardly considering the ramshackle nature of his stand-in arm.
Bracvar shuffles around at the back of his cart, scraping a crate of trinkets into the back, trade cargo bound for Bairnell's Foothold in the morning, after scraping the last of the fish scales and ice out onto the patch of dirt he's parked on. Upon pulling his torso out from under the cover, the marketplace seems to be lighter than it should be. Beating his hands over his apron to dislodge a few stray scales, he looks around and spots the curious sources of light across the way, obscured as they were by empty stalls.
Strix was quickly binding everything into a small bag, and tossing it over his shoulder. He grumbles about the weight, before heading out, moving past Bracvar's location, orbs of light bobbing around him to light his way. He glances to Bracvar or a moment as he spots him finishing up..but only really long enough to place him on the 'threat/not threat' scale. Apparently the answer was such that Strix gave him a nod, before continuing, his metal arm creaking.
Bracvar is fascinated by the lights, and at the same time more than a little wary of glowing orbs bobbing tantalizingly within reach. He hesitates, giving little more than a nod back in response to the little kobold. He can't bring himself to do more than that until one of the orb passes by his chest, and he feels the heat sucking aura. He sucks in a breath and eyes the glowing device for a moment before his curiosity kills his mild apprehension. "Ho there, friend! What's the rush? You're just going to dangle such fascinating toys in front of an old crab's eyes and walk away?"
Strix stops, and looks over to Bracvar "Not dangling! Lighting Strix's way! Darkstreets dangerous. Thieves! Murderers! Murderthieves!"
Bracvar grins, the smile hidden under his beard shining instead through his eyes, though the angle of the light cast upward may not make it as gentle of an expression. "Well now, I didn't know this little town had become so dangerous in the last few months! Quite frightening indeed!"
Strix: "All places are dangerous! Even the safe ones...especially the safe ones! Not afraid! Caution is not Cowardice!" That last bit sounds like a proverb he's reciting. "Big crab easy to stay safe! Strix not murderproof like you!"
Bracvar stares for a moment, then lets out a booming laugh. "Excellent! You're not wrong, only met two here that are taller than I, and only one that's probably stronger. Say, how about an exchange, then?"
Strix: "Exchange!" He narrows his eyes, suspiciously "What? What does Crab want?"
Bracvar: "For now? All I want is to know what makes these interesting little things tick!" Bracvar taps the side of one of the orbs to accent the 'tick' point. "In exchange, I'll carry that heavy looking bag for you, all the way back home!"
Strix: "Strix not give up secrets!" He takes a step back, and the orbs follow, swirling around him a little faster. "Strix keep bag of shinies! Might be thief!"
Bracvar turns his head, looking into the empty market as Strix shouts about thieves, though not a shadow stirs in the empty court. Looking back to the kobold, he scuttles forward, the lights sending his already heavy shadow towering up the wall behind him. "Now now, let's not get so hasty, friend! I meant to your home, not mine."
Strix: "You want to rob Strix's home too!?" The absolute horror! He backs up, as he sees the crab look around for witnesses for what is obviously an upcoming crime. Obviously. "Fiend! Crabthief! Shinytaker!" He bumps against the wall.
Strix is fumbling one hand into his bag...
Bracvar puts his hands up, though still approaching slowly, the tick-tack-tick-tack of his leg tips echoing against the wall. "Easy there little friend, if you keep up that noise, you're going to disturb people's sleep!"
Strix: "Murderthief!" He takes out what he was looking for! It's another orb, much like the rest, though this one has a lot more little buttons around the edge. He quickly manipulates it, before tossing it up in the air "Strix clever!" There's a small, subtle little pulse, as for a moment Strix drifts forward, the orbs around him following the same movement...then he turns around, and runs..and...
Bracvar flinches back from the movement, putting an arm instinctively across his face between him and Strix.
Strix: The temperature around Bracvar crashes down a good, 10 to 15 degrees as all the orbs suddenly convert all that heat into light, shining like beacons..just for a moment lighting up the area like day..before the orbs fell to the ground with clunks..and slowly rolling after Strix. The arm would help a lot from the blinding..but that was still a lot of light, coming in from a number different angles at Bracvar's face.
Bracvar lets out a howl of agony, his eyes unable to dilate against the light, and his lids barely able to do any more to protect him. He clutches his face in pain, scuttling awkwardly in a backwards ark until he crashes through an empty stall, stumbling and rubbing his eyes furoiusly.
Strix has already run away! The distant footsteps can be dimly heard as he bids his escape. The little guy is fast when he's threatened!
Bracvar grinds his mandibles under a writhing beard, slamming a hardened fist into the splintered boards laying on his leg as his eyes throb and shimmer, sending the scraps careening against the nearest building. Closing one eye, and then the other, Brac quickly found he could still see out of the right, tested by the fleeting glance of a tail around a corner. Pounding heart sending signals to his legs, the heaping crustacean hauled himself from the wrecked stall and hollered; "Get back here and apologize, you little cretin!" as he tears off down the alley after Strix.
Strix: Strix wasn't gonna let up! He's got a murderthiefcrab on his tail! He doesn't want to be murdered, or thieved! "Strix is not sorry!" He's going to head for the mainest street he can find. The murderthiefcrab wouldn't dare walk out into the public and do his Strixcrimes! And besides, Strix is an upstanding citizen. He'd pay his taxes if he knew what those were! He's not afraid of officials!
Bracvar collides hard with the first wall, but his legs don't stop, their length and number lending considerable speed and balance to Bracvar. With one hand still clinging over his left eye, he looses another enraged howl, lowering his torso and pushing hard forward after Strix.
Nesseth drops down into the entrance of the alleyway from the rooftops nearby, having been on patrol when he saw the flash of light as well as that unearthly howl of pain. He hefts his crossbow, aiming it up and down the street and alley as best as he can, with the light of a shuttered lantern on his hip being his only significant source of illumination with which to aim. He calls out, crossbow at the ready. "Ho, there! Halt, both of you!"
Strix stops as he sees Nesseth "Good! Lizgard! Murderthief tried to murderthief Strix! Got away because Strix smart! Still trying to murderthief, take Strixshines!"
Bracvar catches up as Strix stops, reaching out his free hand for the kobold's back with the intent to pin him, failing to register a familiar voice through his rage.
Nesseth eyes Strix for a moment, then notices Bracvar barreling down the alley behind the smaller lizard. He hefts his bow, then fires a warning shot straight past Strix, burying it in the ground in front of Bracvar with an audible thunk in the dirt and cobble street. He scowls. "I said HALT. Next shot is NOT going to be a warning."
Strix: "Gack! Strixmurder! Strixmurder!"
Narrator: After Nesseth fires the first bolt, a subtle hum, characteristic of magitech, begins to fill the air as his crossbow automatically draws and reloads itself from a small attached magazine of bolts.
Bracvar hears the crossbow and bolt, finally catching the command as he stops short just beyond where the bolt landed, dropping his hand away from his bad eye as he makes out the voice, though Nesseth is little more than a greyish blob with a lantern light behind him. He doesn't speak, huffing from the chase.
Nesseth not-so-subtly trains his crossbow on both Strix and Bracvar, his guard instincts overriding any familiarity with the two at the moment. "You both have some explaining to do. You'd best start now. One at a time."
Strix: "Strix was attacked! So then Strix made a light so Strix could run away! Then murdercrab kept trying to crabmurder Strix!"
Strix: "He wanted to take Strix's shinies!" Which, by his tone, was a far worse crime "and TAKE STRIX'S SECRETS!"
Nesseth frowns a bit as he listens to Strix, then looks towards Bracvar, knowing the hulking crab, for all of his intimidating appearances, isn't exactly the sort to attack unprovoked. "Okay, Strix. And you, Bracvar? What's your side?"
Bracvar grinds his mandibles audibly, his tendrils churning as he tries to calm down, the accusations levied against him boiling the seawater out of his soul. After a minute of silence his shaking legs give out and his hips crash to the cobblestone. "Sure. I was stealing from this one, too." He almost growls. "The little bas... kobold was afraid of the dark, and hit me with some kind of light."
Strix: "See! He admits it!"
Bracvar hurumphs at Strix. "It's not the first time I've been accused is all, you little..."
Nesseth blinks, raising an eyebrow at the admission, though he gestures for Strix to not aggravate the crab with more comments. "...You're saying you were stealing, Bracvar...? Or are you just being facetious?"
Strix: "said wanted to know how Strix makes Strixshinies! Ideathief! -The- -worst- -kind- -of- -thief-!"
Bracvar tilts his head at Nesseth's question, trying to not let Strix's words get to him. "Of course not, Nesseth!" He goes back to rubbing his worse eye, grunting at the sting.
Nesseth blinks and slowly lowers his crossbow as a few facts click into place in his mind, and he subsequently lifts a hand to rub his face as he groans softly. "By the gods... right, I understand, now. At least, I think I do... Strix... Bracvar was probably just curious. I'm pretty sure if anyone wanted to steal ideas, inventions and the like, they wouldn't ask nicely..."
Strix: "Strix knows that ideathieves are tricky! Always on lookout!" He grumps "Then wanted to take Strix's bag! Strix has to be careful!"
Nesseth tilts his head a bit as he glances between Strix and Bracvar with an air of forced patience. "Okay, then. Bracvar?"
Bracvar shakily gathers his knees toward his body, bracing two tips against the nearby wall to help him get up from the ground. His heart was still racing from the short pursuit, the whole system not really up to action. "All I wanted was to know if you can make things go any colder, little fiend." Bracvar looked toward Nesseth, nodding.
Strix: "Then should have asked! And not rushed down Strix!" He hmphs "Strix is not biglizard. Strix not want bigcrab near Strix!" He's..sorta accepting he'd misread the situition, but is also totally not apologizing. He still feels he's in the right.
Nesseth hums a bit as he thinks, taking a moment to unload his crossbow and stow it back around his shoulder. He watches Bracvar for a moment as he fusses with one of his eyes. "Right, so... Strix, not everyone's out to steal from you, alright? You'd best hope there's no permanent damage to Bracvar's eyes from... whatever caused that flash of light, but otherwise, you're free to go. Maybe you two can talk a little more calmly later." He turns his attention to the crab, "As for you, Bracvar... I'm gonna take you to the doctor's office. Plume will want to take a look at your eyes."
Bracvar grunts, giving up on getting an apology from the kobold. He considers the dark alley to return, but decides against it, instead pushing his knees straight until his hips are over five feet off the ground, carefully stepping over Strix and lowering himself back down as he comes even with Nesseth. "I won't cause the kobold any more trouble, caravan leaves in the morning." He turns to the guard, a cold stare and clacking hidden mandibles failing to hide his maintained anger. "He'd best apologize next time, though, friend."
Strix: "Strix can't wait until after to find out! Strix has to act before!" He takes this chance to storm off, still very annoyed by this whole affair.
Nesseth sighs a bit and subtly shakes his head as he listens to Strix storming off into the night. He then nods and gestures for Bracvar to follow him down the street. "I'll talk to him the next chance I get, Bracvar. Just, uh... he's a bit... well, not all there, I suppose. Might be better to just leave him be."
Bracvar clenches his eyes shut against the dancing spots, covering the left again as he turns to follow the guard. He grumbles quiet protests to being called a thief, but is otherwise quietly trying to calm down and focus on walking straight. As the office comes into view, his heart has stopped racing and the clacking subsides. With a sigh, he addresses Nesseth; "You didn't meet me at the gate this time, old boy."
Nesseth smiles a bit bashfully as he leads the way to the office's front door and knocks, knowing Plume is awake. "Well, I would have, but I was admittedly a little distracted this evening. I trust your trip from the port went smoothly, though?"
Bracvar chuckles lightly, "It did, so well that we arrived four days ago. The caravan leaves in the morning. I though I was the one that was supposed to forget caravan times?" He lets out a stronger laugh as his mood begins to improve, though the sting in his eyes keeps him a little more sober.
Nesseth chuckles. "Ahh, right. Well, either way, I suppose I've been rather distracted for the past week, anyway, not just tonight. But yeah, Doc should be awake still. How's your eye now?"
Bracvar lowers his hand and tries looking toward a lit up window, grimacing before covering it again. "Would prefer it to fall out, honestly."
Doc Plume opens the door, still dressed in their work clothes. They smile at seeing Nesseth, but then frown as they notice the large crab. "Ah... yes, hello, please come in..."
Nesseth grimaces at the statement. "That bad, huh? Well, hopefully it's just temporary..." He smiles at Plume as they answer the door, "Hey there. Got someone that needs their eyes checked out..."
Bracvar sees the doctor, his gaze holding on them for a moment before he glances to Nesseth and back. "Evening doctor! Sorry to inconvenience you so late!" He falls back to allow Nesseth through the door first, scuttling through as carefully as possible, his rear left leg roughly grazing the frame.
Doc Plume helps guide their large patient inside and frowns. "What happened to your eyes, sir?"
Nesseth ducks through the doorway quickly, though he takes a moment to rest a hand on Plume's shoulder as he steps over the threshold. He steps aside to let Bracvar enter as well. "That flash was part of a little... disagreement Strix and Bracvar had, and Bracvar's eyes aren't exactly suited for sudden, bright flashes."
Bracvar clacks his mandibles together a few times at the mention of the kobold, as he squints his uncovered eye against the light inside the building. He can't help himself, looking at Plume again, then blurting to Nesseth; "Where's old Hooktail?"
Doc Plume looks at the crustacean's eyes and frowns. "Unfortunate... My knowledge of your anatomy isn't great, sir, but I'll do my best. As for Hooktail, he moved on some months ago. Went deeper into Aephix with an expedition from what I was told." They retreive their reflector and a magnifying glass from their desk as they take a closer look at the eyes. "Do you have any pain? If so is it in the eye itself or further back in your head?"
Nesseth nods. "As Plume says, Hooktail left some months back on an expedition deeper into the continent. Plume is their replacement, and I think the town's in good hands with them."
Bracvar uncovers his left eye for the doctor, lowering his hips to the floor so they don't have to stretch up to his head. "Just stings when I look at lights, doc. Everything in the left eye is a blur and spots. So you're taking up permanent residence then? No offense, of course, but Hooktail knew my kind pretty well." He glances past Plume with a joking glint at Nesseth. "He cured my hair loss problem real quick."
Doc Plume laughs a bit. "Fair enough. I'm Doctor Plume, and I'll do the best I can for you. Luckily eyes don't vary too much. You'll just need to keep the eye covered for a few days and stay out of bright light for a week. I have some eye-patches, but I'm not sure if they'd fit you..."
Nesseth laughs and shakes his head a bit. "Doc Hooktail definitely did a number on you while he was still around, huh, Bracvar?"
Bracvar chuckles a little nervously; "A decade and some of... Experimental learning. Wait... A few days, did you say?"
Doc Plume nods. "Yes. With the makeup of your eyes, any exposure to direct sunlight until you have time to heal could lead to permanent damage and possible permanent vision loss." They note the name. "I promise you that I'll read Hooktail's file on you before you leave town again, Mr. Bracvar."
Nesseth nods with a slight smile. "It was a pretty strong flash, all told. Though your bellowing was also pretty impressive. Probably gave a good third of the town a good start."
Bracvar shakes his head lightly, the motion causing a bit of pain that he ignores. "H-hold on now..." His mandibles begin chattering; "Are you saying that little kobold..." His tendrils begin to churn; "PERMANENTLY?" Bracvar clenches his hands over his front knees, the chitin creaking under his grip while he calms down as Nesseth jokes. "Alright, sure, what's one more caravan, hm Ness?" He tries to laugh, sounding dry.
Doc Plume walks back to the icebox and prepares a cold compress, wrapping it in a damp cloth before handing it to Bracvar. "Hold this over the eye until the pain gets better." They also give him a strip of willow bark. "And chew this, but don't swallow." They look up to Nesseth with a frown. "Strix did this?"
Nesseth nods at both Bracvar and Plume. "Yes, and yes. Better to just follow the doctor's orders if it'll help you recover, and yes, Strix was the cause." He looks towards Bracvar in particular and shrugs, "Besides, you aren't pressed for time right now, because you've already delivered your load of fish, right? I might be able to accompany your caravan back to the port, if it lines up nicely."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Yes, no caravans for at least a week. Far too much sun." They sigh and ponder. "I wonder if we can find a sun hat that will fit him."
Bracvar takes the medical aides, doing as Plume ordered without question. He may be in a bit of a state, but knew better than to question a professional's commands. He nods to Nesseth, giving the best smile he can manage. "You're not wrong, friend!" He pats the front of his apron, the last couple days' take jingling happily in the hidden pouch.
Nesseth grins and nods as he hears the jingling coins in Bracvar's apron. "Glad to hear it." He then tilts his head at Plume, thinking, "We could probably ask around the marketplace... or I could ask Brunilda if she has a hat she's willing to loan out for a bit."
Doc Plume nods. "A hood will work otherwise..." They look at Bracvar. "You can see all right out of the other eye though?"
Bracvar continues chewing the bark, shifting the compress slightly. "It's alright, I don't mind holding back for the time being, doctor's orders after all." He was properly afraid of hurting his vision, truth be told, considering his entire livelihood depended on seeing things underwater. He sighed, turning to Nesseth; "It's too bad, I couldn't save any for you. Caught some incredible silver eyed musken. Deep orange meat, with the most incredible pearled fat. Sold so fast my head was spinning." He chuckled lightly. "If you do accompany me back, you should come out to sea this time."
Doc Plume snaps their beak in appreciation at the sound of that fish. "That sounds amazing..."
Nesseth chuckles and nods. "Maybe I will. I'll have to give it a bit of thought, though; gotta see if my schedule allows for a couple of days out on the sea again." He sighs a little, though he smirks a bit at Plume when he hears their comment, "I just hope I still have my sea legs after the past five years on land."
Bracvar nods, smiling at Plume. "I'll be sure to save you some next time, as a token of my appreciation, as well as these." Bracvar pulls a small stack of coins from the pouch, holding them out to the doctor.
Doc Plume takes the coins and nods gratefully to Bracvar. "This will go to supplies. Thank you." They step back to give Bracvar some space. "Come see me again in a few days, please."
Nesseth nods in appreciation. "Sounds like a plan, Bracvar. I should be able to let you know if I can make the trip back to Bairnell's Foothold before you're set to head out."
Bracvar nods again, pulling his knees in and pushing up off the floor. He grins at Nesseth, though it only shows in one uncovered eye. "Excellent, Nesseth, I look forward to it." He starts scuttling toward the door, pushing it open before turning back to Plume. "Thank you for all your help, and sorry again for the trouble." Looking toward Nesseth, "For both of you. Goodnight." With a bow he ducks out of the building, careful to not scuff the door frame this time. Moments before the door swings all the way closed, it returns halfway open as he peeks inside again. "One last question..."
Doc Plume looks at Bracvar as he opens the door again. "Yes?"
Nesseth waves farewell to Bracvar, only to blink and tilt his head as the crab peeks back into the office.
Bracvar grins, chuckling. "Well, if I were to spend my days of recovery somewhere comfortable like the Minnow... Would ale hamper the healing process or...?"
Doc Plume shakes their head. "No, just make sure you get some good food in you. A good mix of meat and vegetables and such."
Nesseth snorts in amusement, having failed at stifling his laugh. "Well, there you go, Bracvar. Drinks are still free game for you."
Bracvar nods, grinning widely against the aches, "Excellent! Then I'll see three of you in a few days, Nesseth!" He lets out a hearty gale of laughter as he leaves proper this time, aimed straight for where the Minnow should be among the shadows.
Doc Plume closes the door behind Bracvar and looks at Nesseth. "Unfortunate... but the eye wasn't physically damaged, at least."
Nesseth laughs as Bracvar departs, then sighs as he moves further into the office, nodding at Plume's comment. "That's a good thing. I'd hate to see him get permanently injured over some stupid misunderstanding." He runs a hand over his face, "I'm probably going to have to talk to Strix soon. His distrust of others is going to get someone - aside from him, anyway - seriously hurt one day..."
Doc Plume nods. "As lowkey as this town is, it still has its characters..." They walk over to one of the cabinets and looks through a large ream of files until they find one marked "Bracvar". They set it on their desk to read in the morning before returning to lean against Nesseth a bit. "I guess you need to get back on patrol, right?"
Nesseth slips an arm around Plume's waist and hugs them against his side. "If you're awake for a little while longer, my patrol's almost done. I just need to make one more round through the main lanes before I can wrap it up for the next shift."
Doc Plume nods. "No appointments tomorrow, so I'll just wait up for you." They blush a touch as they hug back, running a hand over Ness's lower back.
Nesseth hums warmly as he nuzzles against Plume's neck a bit, then smiles and gives them a soft kiss on their beak. "I'll try to make the patrol quick, then." He gives Plume a soft squeeze, then pulls away from the hug, "I'll see you in a little bit, Plume."
Doc Plume squeezes back and nods. "Be safe out there." They open the door for Nesseth and then locks it behind him as they walk upstairs to wait for his patrol to end.