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NESSETH'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON
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Nesseth reclines on a chair in the living room of his house, reading a book pulled from his rather meager collection in the bookcase set against the nearby wall. He yawns a bit as he flips a page, mostly as a result of a lack of activity for the past hour or so.
Doc Plume knocks on the door, having decided to close the office early and leaving a note on where to find them in case of emergency. As they wait, they take the opportunity to examine Nesseth's decor choices.
Nesseth looks up, not having expected any visitors at the moment. He marks his spot in his book, then sets it aside as he gets up and makes his way to the door. A moment passes as he straightens out his vest a bit, then he opens the door with a smile. "Yes?"
Doc Plume cocks their head and smiles at Nesseth. "This is a house call, Mr. Nesseth." They step inside and hug Ness gently, giggling. Their foot reaches out behind them and shuts the door.
Nesseth steps back and chuckles as Plume moves to hug him, giving them enough room to close the door. He leans forward a bit and wraps his arms around Plume, hugging them close. "Oh dear, you've some good timing, Plume. I might be feeling under the weather a bit."
Doc Plume laughs as their wings wrap around Ness gently. They move a hand up to his forehead and nods. "I think you've got a bit of a temperature... I should probably examine you more thoroughly." They lean in and kiss him softly.
Nesseth hums warmly into the kiss, then smiles as it breaks, chuckling softly. "Heh... I might be just about due for a full examination, too, now that I think about it."
Doc Plume laughs as they let Nesseth go and look around. "That might have to wait. I'm off duty right now." They move behind Nesseth and hug him again as they look around the house. "I like your place. It's bigger than I thought it would be, but I guess space isn't exactly at a premium here."
Nesseth hums and smiles over his shoulder as Plume moves around his back. His tail wiggles a bit, then moves aside so they can hug as closely as they want. "It's a nice spot to call home. Cozy, but... I could probably still furnish it a bit more if I feel the need to do so." He shrugs, "Of course, it's just me in here, so there's really no need for me to put more stuff in."
Doc Plume hugs Nesseth closer in their wings as one hand caresses his chest and the other reaches down to stroke the side of his tail. "I suppose so..." They rest their beak on his shoulder and sigh a bit. "I didn't come here just for fun, though."
Nesseth shivers pleasantly at the touch of Plume's hand against his tail, and he lifts a hand up to his chest to lightly grasp onto Plume's other hand. After a moment, he tilts his head. "Oh? Is there something on your mind, Plume?"
Doc Plume nods as they squeeze Ness's hand in their own. "Yeah. I think we should talk about us... like, we sort of did... a lot. And it's pretty clear that we can't get out of each other's heads right now..."
Nesseth hums softly, then nods towards the sofa. "Hmm... sounds like a bit of a serious talk. We should get comfortable on the couch, first..." He pauses and flashes a small smile, "Do you want me to get you something to drink, first?"
Doc Plume lets Nesseth go and smiles. "Whatever you're having will be fine." They make their way to the sofa and take a seat, their demeanour somewhere between their work focus mode and their fully relaxed mode. They cross their hands on their lap and settle their wings behind them carefully.
Nesseth nods and turns around to make his way to the kitchen. "I usually just drink water, but if you want, I'll see if I've got anything a bit more flavorful."
Doc Plume: If you like. I'm not too picky.
Nesseth nods again and disappears into the kitchen for a short spell. Several minutes pass before he comes back with a small tray bearing a pretty basic-looking teapot ready to pour, and a couple of teacups. He sets the tray down and smiles sheepishly. "I admit, I'm not quite as familiar with tea as you are, Plume. The stuff I've got is probably pretty, er... mundane."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Don't worry about it. The popular stuff is popular because it tastes good and is hard to mess up."
Nesseth chuckles and nods as he takes a moment to pour himself and Plume a cup of tea each. "Fair enough... any milk or sugar, then?"
Doc Plume nods. "A bit of both, sure." They watch Nesseth make tea with an unpracticed hand, trying to not giggle too much. Not because it's wrong or anything, but just because they find it cute.
Nesseth does his best to make the tea to Plume's tastes, then slides one of the cups over on a little saucer. "Okay, there we are." He prepares his own cup, then shifts around the table and takes a seat beside Plume, "So... you wanted to talk about us?"
Doc Plume nods as they take the teacup and saucer, not drinking it just yet. "Yes. Um, maybe you should say how you're feeling first?"
Nesseth tilts his head curiously. "How I'm feeling? Like... about us, or just generally...?"
Doc Plume nods. "About us, this... thing... with us." They look down, blushing a bit under their feathers.
Nesseth hums softly and settles into the sofa's cushions a bit as he takes a small sip of his tea. "Well... I've said it before, but I do enjoy what we have right now. I suppose I'm just still getting used to it all, because... well, we did move pretty fast together, didn't we?"
Doc Plume nods. "Right. What sort of history do you have with romance though?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "Before you? A short relationship that didn't work out back in Orela, and... heh, if you could call it anything intimate, a random peck on the cheek from Damina some weeks back."
Doc Plume nods. "Fair enough. I haven't had anything other than that one thing with my arranged fiance. We had a couple of dates, but nothing really serious. He was nice enough until..."
Nesseth makes a little sound of discontent. "Until he decided to show his true colors, anyway, yeah... Probably safe to say that we're both pretty well inexperienced, though."
Doc Plume nods, finally taking a sip of tea. "Right so... I like you. A lot. You're the first person who has every really known everything about me and liked me for who I am not who they thought I was. That means a lot to me. A lot a lot..."
Nesseth smiles over his cup of tea. "It's just who I am, Plume... I don't judge by the physical anywhere near as much as I do by what's in the heart and the mind."
Doc Plume nods. "I know... but that also makes me worry. I don't want to... like I need to have friends I can trust and if things didn't work out romantically..." They sigh.
Nesseth tilts his head a bit. "Of course... I kind of mentioned it, around the time we first... well, had some fun, that no matter what happens between us, I wouldn't break the trust you've put in me.
Doc Plume smiles. "I know. I just don't want to lose your friendship is all." They sigh. "It's probably a silly concern, but like, I think a lot of the other folks in town either only see me as the doctor or are a bit afraid of me."
Nesseth nods as he sets his cup down for a bit. "Well... you don't need to worry about losing my friendship, Plume, I promise that to you. Though... for the others in town, you've only just replaced Doc Hooktail a few weeks ago, so I'm sure folks will warm up over time, especially as you treat them." He grins a bit, "After all, check-ups are a pretty good time to chit-chat with the clients, as I kind of figured out from Hooktail, when he was still around here."
Doc Plume sips at their tea. "Right... so what do you want out of this?"
Nesseth shakes his head a little as he gazes at his tea cup for a moment. "I'm not sure... It happened fast enough that I'm kind of content to just... see where things lead, I guess." He tilts his head and looks up at Plume with curious eyes, "How about you, Plume? What might you be hoping for?"
Doc Plume cocks their head and gives an open-beaked smile to Nesseth. "About the same really. Maybe slow down a bit physically... I dunno. I like cuddling but I don't want to have our groins deciding things for us too much, you know?"
Nesseth chuckles and nods. "That's perfectly fair. I do like the cuddles, too... a lot, in fact." He gives a bit of a lopsided smile, "Though, considering how often we snuggle while completely naked, I hope you're fine with our bodies showing some excitement even if it doesn't go any further."
Doc Plume sets down their tea and leans over to kiss Ness's cheek. "Of course. So just do what feels right in the moment and don't be afraid to say no to each other, I guess?"
Nesseth nods and smiles warmly at the kiss. "That sounds about right to me, yeah. As fun as it might be, I can imagine there's going to be times where one of us just doesn't feel up to it."
Doc Plume rests their head on Ness's shoulder. "So are we... dating?"
Nesseth lightly rests his head against Plume's and gently slips an arm around their shoulders. "I'm not sure... we've not even really had a first date yet, have we?"
Doc Plume blushes. "I guess not. I would like it if we were dating, though."
Nesseth hums warmly. "Then... I suppose we could consider ourselves dating, then. I doubt there's anyone that would want to verify that we've lawfully had our first date or some such nonsense."
Doc Plume giggles as they snuggle in under Ness's arm and stretches their wing out behind Nesseth.
Nesseth shifts a little to give Plume's wing the space necessary to wrap behind him, then smiles as he snuggles up against their side. "Was there anything else on your mind that you wanted to ask?"
Doc Plume ponders as they nuzzle at Nesseth's cheek. "Nothing that we can't figure out later, I think. It just will be nice to be able to explain what we are to each other."
Nesseth chuckles quietly. "It's a little less confusion, to be sure."
Doc Plume leans up to nip gently at Ness's lower lip. "I'm all the confusion we need, I think."
Nesseth smirks a bit at the nibble and tilts his head to sneak a soft kiss before Plume pulls away. "Well, when you put it that way, I think I can handle your kind of confusion pretty well."
Doc Plume kisses back, blushing. "So uh, yeah... I guess we have most of it sorted. Just need to be better about having actual dates. And I should probably be willing to take more time away from the clinic..."
Nesseth smiles softly. "Well, we do still have that date set for the day at the waterfall. We just need to figure out what we should pack for food and drink." He hums and hugs Plume close, "As for the time... you're the town's doctor. I've no illusions I'm any more important than a patient in need of treatment. We can work around your schedule."
Doc Plume nods. "Sure... but there's been like two actual emergencies since I got here. I can just keep normal hours and then let the guard know where I can be found otherwise..."
Doc Plume cuddles in close against Nesseth and sighs happily. "I think I just worry too much."
Nesseth hums and nods. "That's fair, sure... and I guess you did close up a little early to come and visit me." He glances towards the front door, "And obviously no one's breaking down the door in a dire need for your skills."
Doc Plume giggles. "I mean, I have the bell for a reason. And I leave the window open when I'm away so that it can be heard all the way to the south gate."
Nesseth chuckles. "True, that bell is... surprisingly loud. But then, I guess that's a really good way to let people know to stand aside or get run over by the town doctor on their way to tend to an emergency."
Doc Plume laughs. "Thank goodness it has a volume setting for when I'm at home, otherwise whoever was in distress would have a deafened doctor to deal with." They wrap their other wing around Nesseth and lean more fully onto him, one hand rubbing his chest while the other caresses his side.
Nesseth shakes his head with a grin as he gets pushed back into the cushions just a bit, though he encourages Plume's movements by gently pulling them over onto him. His hands lightly rub against Plume's shoulders through their shirt as they get comfortable. "Yeah... a deafened doctor's never a good thing."
Doc Plume cuddles in close against Nesseth, their wings squeezing around him a little tighter as the two get closer. "What was that?" they ask in a playful tone. "I didn't quite hear you."
Nesseth leans his muzzle a bit closer to the side of Plume's head, next to one of their ears, and says in a lower, similarly playful voice. "I said, you're too dang cute to lose your hearing this early in life."
Doc Plume turns their head to push Nesseth away with their beak playfully. "No you didn't. But thank you. You're awfully cute too." They lean back a little and then kiss Nesseth gently.
Nesseth chuckles as Plume pushes him back a bit, then smiles at the compliment. Instead of responding with words, he leans in and gently presses into the kiss.
Doc Plume falls into the kiss with Nesseth, forgetting about their worries as the two just cuddle and spend time together for the rest of the afternoon.
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RESPITE FALLS - MAIN STREET - AFTERNOON
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Erika is walking about in the street, the tall dark okapi carrying her currently empty herb basket. Being a typical hot day, she's not wearing more than her chest wrap and loincloth, obviously not bothered in the least at the occasional glance she gets from folks newer to the town. If she is currently going anywhere, she's not showing much signs of it, stopping to talk with just about everyone she knows in the town... which is to say, nearly everyone. But she's having fun, so who's counting?
Kyprin Kane charges down the street after a four legged terror carrying a fat, dead, rat in his draconic jaws, romping as quickly as his scaley body could "GET BACK HERE you little DEMON!"
Erika looks up at the yell, blinking in surprise. She yelps as said four legged terror nearly runs at her, sidestepping with all the grace that a six-foot ungulate can - that is, barely scrambling away and just short of falling over.
Kyprin Kane pounds down the streets barefoot after Phosyx and just before the small dragon dives into a barrel, catches him. Phosyx spits, dropping the rat and sinking his teeth into Kyp's arm for a moment before going dramatically limp, as if dead. "You have NO idea where that's been" Kyprin scolds Phosyx and stuffing him onto his hip like velcro, he retreats back into the street, to address the lady they'd bustled past. "I'm so sorry Miss!! Are you alright? Did you break anything?" He spoke common well enough, but his mouthful of sharp teeth drawled some consonents
Erika blinks confusedly, but nods: "I'm... fine? Yeah, I'm okay. What... or... who is that? Or, uh, you I guess." She blinks, then shakes her head: "Or something. I forgot what I was asking."
Kyprin Kane pants, out of breath, and standing there, catches his breath before answering her questions, more or less in order, he seems unaware or uncaring of his sluggishly bleeding hand. "Fates praised! That's an ungrateful rockmite with a penchant for trouble! and i am his -err- his lifelong companion! Phosyx" he points, "Kyp."
Erika nods a bit dumbly, but then smiles: "Oh! I'm Erika!" She looks Kyprin over, growing a bit worried as she catches look of his hand, pointing at it: "Are you, uh, okay?"
Kyprin Kane looks down at his dully thudding hand and grimaces with a light laugh. "Well, it doesn't get infected if I let them bleed, I've found but it looks quite the sight!" Yanking a cloth of questionable cleanilness from his pocket, he wraps it around the new bite, right through the meat of his thumb, and around his wrist. "I -just- got the last ones off!" he flicks the dragon's nose with a fingertip. "the little savage is mad because i won't let him eat this..prize." the rat is shown to Erika hanging by its tail
Erika winces a bit at the sight and takes a step back: "...okay. If you say so, I guess? I mean, that looks pretty... yeah, oof."
Kyprin Kane chuckles softly, "it'll be alright! i've had worse, recently even." Indeed, there were scars on his arm where bites had been lanced, small cuts decorating among tooth holes. "I didn't mean to scare you. C-can I buy you a drink? I hate when he causes a fuss..." He patted the annoyed dragon on his hip to quell the next round of spitting draconic insults
Erika gives a shrug, though her expression is still more than a bit worried: "I... guess? I don't mind, at least."
Kyprin Kane chuckles softly, "don't worry, he eats books, and me, but thus far, he's been quite well behaved about not eating other people." Aaanndd the Doc but that was another matter! "I got myself turned around but there's a fine bar with wonderous prices about here..somewhere." he turns in a slow circle, trying to get his bearings
Erika blinks slowly: "Oh! You mean the Minnow." She points at a sidestreet not far from where they are: "It's right up there. We can go have a glass there if you want to."
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EARLY EVENING
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Bracvar mulls over a plate of greens and a tankard, pushing a small tomato around his plate out of boredom. Being basically locked up indoors for just one day has started taking it's toll on his mood, and he sits now at a corner table on his custom seat, legs splayed around him and leaning over the table on his free arm. The constant, if minor, throbbing pain of his left eye, hidden under a scrap of cloth as a makeshift eyepatch wasn't helping much. With so much time on his hands, he's been considering the events of the night before, the echoes of that kobold's accusations killing his appetite, even for ale. Bracvar slouches, dropping the fork to his plate and rubbing his left brow through the eyepatch, groaning quietly at a new wave of mild pain.
Brunilda trudges in, dressed in her light guard garb as always. The red-haired elephant is definitely not in a good mood as she orders a pint, her thoughts not having left her in peace for a second this week. She gulps down a third of her pint before even looking around.
Bracvar hears the door open, though he has to turn his whole body to see who's entered as the door is to his left. He spots the guard from the North Gate, though he can see just from her body language she's not particularly chipper today. Brac sighs to himself, working up a scratch of joy into his voice as he calls out across the bar; "Good afternoon, Brunilda!"
Brunilda notices Bracvar, then turns around still leaning on the bar: "Hello, Bracvar." Her tone is a bit troubled to say the least, but she's at least attempting to keep a neutral face.
Bracvar falters a moment, watching her turn back. His voice is considerably more subdued when he speaks up again. "One of those days, hm? Why not bring your chair over here and keep an old crab company, instead of drinking alone? Might take your mind off things."
Brunilda considers for a moment, then nods with the smallest of sighs under her breath: "Sure, why not." She makes her way to Bracvar's table, her movement fluid but her expression betrays a level of stress her body doesn't.
Bracvar gives the best smile he can as she approaches, turning himself back to the table with a bit of scraping and pulling his legs in so she has nothing to trip over. "I appreciate it, miss guard. Have you had something to eat? A gift, I insist."
Brunilda gives a small smile as she sits down: "Well... if you insist, I am not going to say 'no'."
Bracvar turns to flag the bartender down to "Bring over anything she would like, and another pile of those tomatoes for me, good sir." He turns back to the table, plucking the last tomato from his plate and quickly popping it under his beard.
Brunilda just quietly orders a hefty salad, then glances at Bracvar's eyepatch: "...did something happen?"
Maybelline pushes open the door to the bar quietly, poking her head inside before stepping in. She's actually nicely dressed tonight, her grimy overalls replaced with a decent quality forest-green tunic, a belt cinched around her waist. She takes a moment to collect herself before finding a seat near Brunilda.
Bracvar looks to her, swallowing his food before answering; "Hm... Just a minor event with a kobold called Sticks or something. Good news is, hopefully no permanent damage. Bad news is I missed the first caravan out earlier today."
Maybelline blinks, "Strix?"
Brunilda looks at Bracvar, then nods: "...oh. Strix." She gives a bit of a sigh, only then noticing the stoat: "Oh. Hello, Maybelline."
Bracvar turns to the new voice, nodding. "Yes, that's what Nesseth called him. Thank you miss."
Maybelline dips her head to the much larger elephant, "Oh uh, hi Brun." She glances at the crab and nods, "I'm a bit unsure about him. His work is better than you'd expect, I must say."
Brunilda raises an eyebrow at May's comment: "It is?"
Doc Plume walks into the bar dressed in a slightly nicer ensemble than usual with a pale lavender shirt, black trousers, and a purple velvet waistcoat and matching bowtie. They head to the bar for a mug of their usual seltzer before walking over to the one occupied table. "Evening all."
Bracvar grunts, his already limited joviality breaking for a moment. "I'm well aware of how effective his tools can be." He turns back to the table as his and Brunilda's food arrive, collecting himself as he munches a fresh tomato.
Maybelline nods, "Yeah! Well, some of it. I can't speak for all of it. His arm is... not like, masterwork or anything, but it's well built, lots of care put into it. And uh..." She notices Bracvar's eye, as well as the tone of his voice, "Oh... sorry."
Brunilda frowns a bit as she digs into her salad: "As long as I don't have to save him again from his own creations, I don't really care."
Doc Plume notices May finally and raises their mug to her before looking back to the crab. "How's the eye, Bracvar? Any improvement?"
Maybelline chuckles awkwardly and already feels a little socially dumb, but she manages to wave to Doc.
Bracvar looks down at May, finally seeing the source of the little voice. "Oh! Not your fault, apparently my own according to the... Strix." He just then notices Plume's voice, trying to turn toward them without causing chaos with his splayed legs. "Oh, didn't see you there, doctor! It's... Aching, and blurry, but a bit better, thank you!"
Brunilda nods at Plume, continuing her salad: "I mean... guess I sort of can... respect an inventor when I'm useless in that stuff myself, but... dangerous."
Doc Plume nods to Brun while continuing the conversation with Bracvar. "Please come see me tomorrow for a follow-up. I can at least give you some more willow bark."
Maybelline scratches at her head, "Yeah, I dunno... I thought he was just a screw up, but... there's quality there. Sometimes. A concerning obsession with explosions though..."
Bracvar nods at Plume, giving his best smile. "I'd appreciate it, that stuff worked wonders and was delicious to boot! Why don't you two get your refreshments and join us at the table?"
Brunilda nods at Maybelline, stopping to think mid-eating: "It's... curious. How does one even self-learn into that kind of thing?"
Doc Plume raises her mug. "Already do, thanks." They catch on to the conversation as the others talk. "Ah, Strix... he's not all bad, just odd. Definitely dangerous, though."
Bracvar: "A little, maybe."
Maybelline shrugs, "I started getting into engineering because I was always taking things apart and putting them back together. I guess it's like that, except... putting things back together differently?"
Brunilda hums a bit, nodding: "I guess... it's... fascinating." She then returns to her salad.
Bracvar lifts himself off his seat to turn back to the table, to avoid damaging the floor any more than he already has. "Certainly, it takes a good mind to understand that relationship between source, conduit and focus, and to tinker out the result you want. Apparently, a good mind and an organised mind are not synonymous."
Maybelline nods, "Definitely not. And a good engineer should be both! But... there's a bit of creativity and innovation there that I am... a little... I dunno..." She murmurs the last part to herself.
Brunilda gives Bracvar a bit of a look, then Maybelline in turn. She hums mostly to herself: "...I wonder..." She then shakes her head in an attempt to make the stray thought go away.
Doc Plume sips at their seltzer and watches the others quietly, not wanting to set anyone off by sharing Doc's good mood with this gloomy bunch.
Bracvar shrugs, mostly to himself as he picks up another tomato. "Well, I don't undersatand how it all works. It's just what I heard from a scholar back home. All I know, or care about is I toggle a few switches, and in an afternoon I've got an ice block." He pops the red fruit into his mouth. "And it doesn't try to kill me."
Maybelline nods, "Well, modern magiteck and engineering both pride themselves on reliability! It's not much use to anyone if there's a one in five chance flipping that toggle will blow off your hand, right?"
Doc Plume nods. "That would be unfortunate." They sip at their seltzer. "Whoever installed everything in the clinic knew what they were doing, at least."
Brunilda nods again, munching her salad: "Yeah... there is something to be said about reliab... relib... that thing. Hmm." She leans on her hand: "I wonder if I would have a good enough mind?"
Bracvar looks toward Brunilda. "I'm sure you could, if you put a bit of time into studying it. Someone might even have a book or two you could confiscate."
Maybelline nods. "I've got a few from Sarn, saved from my school days. I still haven't gotten about to check out the local library though. Uh, assuming there is a local library?"
Brunilda starts to nod, then winces a bit: "Uh... there is. Sort of. It's not very... impressive, though."
Doc Plume nods. "It's... a couple of shelves. Mostly out of date... at least for the reference section. They have a good selection of romance novels, though."
Bracvar cleans the last of his food off the plate, listening to the others.
Maybelline raises an eyebrow at Doc. "Romance novels?"
Brunilda likewise looks at Doc: "...Romance?"
Doc Plume nods, their cheeks flushing a bit under their feathers. They take a sip of seltzer to buy time. "Yeah... It's a... guilty pleasure... but I needed something to do when I wasn't studying for exams at med school, and I wasn't exactly the social type, so..."
Bracvar chuckles quietly.
Doc Plume shrugs. "They're brainless and they kept me out of the bars..."
Brunilda looks at her pint, shrugging a bit: "...guess that's a way to look at it."
Maybelline glances over at the bar, half tempted to order a drink, but kinda trying not to. "Well... I hear that at least. Bars and I never got along much."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Yeah... had a couple of bad turns with alcohol in those days, and never again..."
Bracvar shrugs. "If you want, the barkeep will bring you an us-sized drink, my treat... Maybelline, was it?" Bracvar indicates to his and Brunilda's tankards, probably around a litre and a half each, with a wry grin.
Brunilda lifts her pint, giving a soft chuckle: "Possibly not the best idea."
Maybelline blinks, "O-oh! I didn't even introduce myself! I'm uh, yes. Maybelline. Just call me May, please. And uh, 'us' sized? I usually just get a bottle and finish that off."
Bracvar chuckles along with Brunilda, and then nods into a small bow to the stoat, considering offering her his usual handshake, but not wanting to hurt her. "It's nice to meet you, May, I am Bracvar of the sea."
Doc Plume looks at the large tankards and the small stoat. "Considering you could practically bathe in that mug, I recommend against it, May."
Brunilda finishes her salad and her pint, nodding at the others as she gets up from her seat: "I believe I'll see all of you later. For now, I have a shift on the South gate in the morn' so I gotta head home."
Doc Plume waves their free hand. "Take care, Brunilda."
Maybelline frowns, but nods, "I uh, sort of want to... but... I shouldn't drink, I think. And good to meet you Bracvar." She sighs, then turns to wave to Brunilda. "Oh uh, good night!"
Bracvar nods to Brunilda, smiling, "Take care, Brunilda."
Brunilda gets around the table, considering adding something more to the conversation, but deciding against it and heading out. She gives Maybelline a curious look though before she goes. "Have a good night, all."
Maybelline nods, "And stop by my house anytime if you want to borrow one of my intro to engineering books!"
Brunilda smiles at Maybelline: "Perhaps I will." She then walks out, certainly in a better mood than coming in.
Doc Plume walks back over to the bar for a refill of their seltzer, their eyes lingering on the liquor bottles on the back shelf for a bit too long before they step back to the table with the others. "So... how have you been, May? Got the shield generator up and working yet?"
Bracvar perks up as Doc returns with an intriguing question. "Oho! You're the one who maintains that old tech around here? You were being modest before, that's some complicated stuff."
Maybelline slumps a bit at the question, "Hey, Doc. Mrph... no. I don't think it'll explode... I hope." She nods at Bracvar, "It's... nothing really. Just an old Mark IV. Keeping it running would be no problem if it weren't missing pieces and cracked."
Bracvar grins, leaning a bit closer over May. "Oh? So you need parts that can't be obtained on this continent, hmm?"
Maybelline nods. "Several. I've got a pretty long list."
Doc Plume nods. "We'll get them ordered, don't worry."
Bracvar chuckles quietly to himself. "Sure, you could do that."
Maybelline raises an eyebrow at Bracvar. "What? Do you know somewhere around here I can get a Capacitor for a Mark IV ICEE Generator?"
Doc Plume looks at Bracvar curiously. "What do you know?"
Bracvar shakes his head, looking from one to the other; "No, not around here of course. But say you send out that order letter, what's it take, a week and a half or more to get to Orela or longer to any other city port? Then they have to process it, find the parts, send it over by another ship. Or you may know an old crab that may know an old bear, an old bear with a heap of... Lightly used parts back in Ondonga."
Maybelline tilts her head. "Lightly used...? This isn't anything illegal is it?"
Doc Plume cedes this discussion to May and Brac for now.
Bracvar shakes his head, straightening up. "Absolutely not, May, I would never get involved in such activities! I don't know where he gets the parts, I've never thought to ask. Probably never will think to ask. But they're cheap, and they're like new."
Doc Plume ponders this for a moment. "Only if they're not leaving another town in a similar state to us..."
Nesseth peeks into the bar for a moment, looking particularly cleaned up in a different, much more pristine outfit than his usual post-patrol ensemble. His crossbow is gone, left back at home in anticipation of a nice evening date.
Doc Plume doesn't notice Nesseth at first, currently quite intrigued by the deal Bracvar is offering.
Nesseth notices the group by the table, including Plume, then smiles and quietly approaches the group as he listens to the murmur of conversation.
Bracvar waves a hand as if trying to swat away Plume's concern. "Come now, you don't trust a grizzly to be true and honest? He strips defective units for usable parts, that's all. Again, don't know where the units come from..."
Maybelline gives out a sharp laugh, "I don't know. That all sounds pretty shady to me... my Dad taught me to always dig past the surface of any deal. I don't know if we need a new capacitor that badly..."
Nesseth raises an eyebrow as he joins the group at the table. "Evening, everyone. What's this about sounding shady?"
Bracvar starts suddenly, drawing his legs up with a scrape. "For the love of! Nesseth, don't creep around like that!"
Doc Plume smiles as they notice Nesseth, sidling up against him and kissing his cheek surreptitiously. "Brac was just telling us about a contact who might have parts for the generator."
Nesseth smiles warmly and sneaks an arm around Plume's back, then looks at the others. "Hi there, Bracvar, and... May, I believe it was? Is something going on with the generator?"
Maybelline eeps at Nesseth's sudden voice, and Bracvar's sudden movement, shifting quickly to see Doc and Nesseth kiss before she settles back into her seat. "Oh. You... uh... hi. Don't think we met? I'm May, and it's going on just fine. Except for all the damage from neglect and missing pieces from... I have no idea. Yes."
Doc Plume looks between the two. "Oh, May, this is Nesseth. Nesseth, this is May. She and I are in making this town work together, though she inherited a worse position than I did..."
Bracvar laughs shakily, settling his legs down once again. "Yes, I was telling May about some contacts I have across the sea, and how much faster she could get the parts if I went to get them myself, rather than waiting for ships and... Manifests."
Nesseth nods at May. "We did once, actually, a couple of weeks ago. Though, it was a pretty active night in here at the time." He dips into a small bow, "I'm Nesseth, as Plume says, one of the town's hunters."
Doc Plume giggles. "Shame he can't hunt down a new capacitor for you..."
Nesseth hums a bit. "If it's just one capacitor that you need... you could even ask Vix, one of the local merchants, to see if she has one. She stocks all kinds of odds and ends. It might hold you over until Bracvar can get something a bit more long-lasting."
Maybelline considers. "Vix... that's the Town Greeter right? She runs a shop too?"
Nesseth tilts his head. "Town... greeter? I dunno about that, but she's a merchant, yes."
Doc Plume drapes a wing around Ness's back and shoulder.
Bracvar nods along, gripping Nesseth's shoulder in a friendly manner as he pushes himself up off his seat. "Yes, you've got the right idea, Nesseth! This Vix could help you too! But, I really should get some rest." He begins scuttling away after nodding to each May and Plume in turn. "Yes, yes lots of bed rest, doctors orders." He carries on, apparently forgetting that Plume is that doctor, heading for the stairs up to his rented room. "Goodnight, friends!"
Doc Plume blinks and waves. "Good night! Remember to come see me tomorrow!"
Maybelline feels awfully out of the loop, but shrugs, waving "Later, Doc! Uh, good to meet you Nesseth! You two have fun!"
Nesseth chuckles and waves as Bracvar departs. "You have a good night, Bracvar. See you again soon!"
Doc Plume blinks at May. "Uh.. we weren't going anywhere just yet... unless you were?"
Bracvar: "I will!" he shouts from the staircase, stumbling slightly in the dark as he reaches the top landing.
Maybelline blushes, shrinking down in the seat, "Ugh. Uh, I meant bye Bracvar."
Nesseth chuckles a little as he turns his attention back to the table. "No worries. We're probably heading out in a little bit, too, but not immediately."
Doc Plume sips at their seltzer. "And don't worry about the generator too much, May. The sandstorms don't usually come until late spring, right?"
Maybelline slumps her head down on the table, resting it here. "I'm just no good at this social stuff."
Maybelline blinks. "Sandstorms?"
Doc Plume blinks. "Isn't that what the shield is for? To keep out the storms?"
Nesseth nods. "Sandstorms up from the deserts to the south, yup. They're not too bad, usually." He glances at Plume, "They're also pretty useful for keeping out the occasional curious wild creature."
Maybelline nods, "Wild creatures, sure. I didn't know this place gets sandstorms? ...I don't really know what a sandstorm is even like."
Doc Plume shrugs. "Probably not fun. Causes a lot of eye and respiratory injuries from what I've seen in the case files... if you're caught out in one anyway."
Nesseth shrugs a bit. "Mostly just an annoyance. Low visibility, dry air, and grit gets everywhere."
Maybelline sighs, "Sounds awful. This town just keeps getting better." She rolls her eyes back a bit to look at Doc. "Blah... at least... I'm making uh... friends? Right?"
Doc Plume nods. "Yeah..." They reach over and give May a quick, gentle hug. "We're gonna be all right."
Nesseth hums. "It's not that bad. Most sandstorms pass in a few hours at worst." He smiles, "And friends do make things a lot more bearable!"
Maybelline flinches a little at the hug, but just slumps back into the table as Doc lets go quickly. "...mmhm. Uh... thanks."
Doc Plume looks at Nesseth. "We should probably go before it gets too late..."
Nesseth takes a moment to pull out his pocket watch to check the time, then nods. "Wow, yeah, it's a little later than I thought..."
Doc Plume drains their seltzer and smiles at May. "See you later, May. Have a good night..."
Maybelline smiles awkwardly at Doc and nods, "Oh uh, you too. For real this time."
Doc Plume puts a wing around Ness as the pair head out for the evening.
Maybelline watches the two leave and sighs, keeping her head on the table. She glances towards the bar, debating a drink, now that she's alone. Instead she just stares, not lifting her head from the table.
Strix has had a rough week, so it would be no surprise to see him walking inside. He's got his 'proper' arm back, but it still needs work , evidenced by just the occasional stiffness in the movement,and a few panels that don't color match the rest of the arm. He nods respectfully to May, before going to the bar and "Strix needs a light beer, and the highest proof vodka you have. Large glass of Vodka...and steak"
Maybelline blinks, then lifts her head up off the table, "Oh. Strix. Hi."
Strix: "May looks sad. May shouldn't try to be sad. Should try other things"
Maybelline narrows her eyes. "May isn't sad! May is..." She stops herself, "Why am I speaking like that. I'm not... maybe... okay. Maybe I'm a little sad..."
Strix: "Because Strix knows proper way of speakings. Strix understands that others can't quite grasp. Need to talk of eyes, and Mees. Strange. Have word for Strix, but use I? Lots of people are I, but only Strix is Strix!" That makes perfect since, Strix is sure. "Then. Why is the May sad?"
Maybelline glances around the bar, then sighs, "May is sad because... May is alone. May is far, far away from home... May failed her family... May misses her family... May wants to drink but hates how she feels about herself when she drinks... May... is a mess."
Strix: "Failure is a headthing. Self decides when failed. Why has May decided that May has failed?"
Maybelline closes her eyes, "...I went to school for a long time. I was top of my class, with a bright future, and ready to make my family proud! I would be the first of my family to actually get a degree and certification as an ICEE Engineer. Then, AMP Tech was developed. Overnight, all of my hopes were gone."
Strix: "Strix still not seeing the fail"
Maybelline: Because I'm here. I could have been the top engineer of Policaster, and instead... I'm in a two-bit frontier town trying to fix a junk generator. No one's going to know my name. My parents won't get to be proud of their daughter's accomplishments.
Strix: "So. You are sad because instead of being another boring engineer learning from books, and using NotMay shinies, you are here, where you make lots of Mayplans, to keep whole town safe? Strix not understand this, but..Strix..trying!" He takes a good, long minute of silence, notsarcastically trying to understand it "...Strix can't. May very strange"
Maybelline stares at Strix waiting for the mockery, but when it doesn't come she laughs sadly, "May finds Strix very strange too. Not... in a bad way, just... different. I want to do my best here, but... I just wanted to make my family proud."
Strix: "Then make something May likes. If Mayrents are like May, then if May makes a thing May likes, then Mayrents will like it too. Make extra big Shiny! Like Strix's arm, or Strix's Elemental Engine. That one secret though. Not made yet" He gives a suspicious look around the room..but nobody was listening in,and May was a fellow engineer! She's never steal his ideas. Not like that guy before! He wanted to take ALL Strix's ideas! Awful! Strix tears his mind away from that "Then, when May is happy with their new shiny, show if off!"
Maybelline: Make... my own shiny? Like... what? What would May make to make May... me... happy? I've never really... made anything of my own before.
Strix: "Strix can't answer that! Make things! Watch them explode!" He waggles his arms about "Can't learn without doing. Strix explained that one last time, but May didn't do it. So May didn't learn! When May likes something even when it explodes, then May proper likes it! Strix will wait for first time Mayshiny explodes. Strix will know then" FORESHADOWING
Maybelline laughs again, "Sounds crazy..." She grows quiet and thinks. "But... I don't know... Maybe? Maybe I can give it a try."
Strix: "Great! Don't blow it up on purpose. Blow it up because trying new things!"
Maybelline: Well, that does make more sense, at least. I just need to get some inspiration, and try something new! Maybe that'll help May, er me, get out of this rut.
Strix: "Great! Strix will wait to see what May makes!" He takes the glass of vodka...and pours it into a flask "Strix needs this for new shiny. "Does May know where Strix could find.." He puts up a claw, and rummages in his pocket, taking out a small book 'Strix fluids to NotStrix fluids translation' "Silver. Nitrite"
Maybelline sits up a bit to put a hand on her chin, "Silver Nitrate? I don't think I have any. Doc might have some? I think it's got more medical properities then standard engineering uses."
Strix: "Ah! Yes! Doctor. They might have it. Could make some by self, but hard. Strix bad at alchemy. Keep making bad metals"
Strix grumbles "Orangey-yellow metals too soft for much of anything..."
Maybelline: I don't really know much about it myself, sorry to say. Maybe I need to learn... but I doubt there's many books about that kind of thing here in town.
Strix: "Then stop learning from books! There's no book about Strix" He pauses "There one book about Strix. In Guardhouse. Strix doesn't like that book"
Maybelline raises an eyebrow, "Err, right... Well... some people around here are a little... afraid of you. I was too, at first. And that Mr. Bracvar said his eye got injured because of you... I imagine that's why that book's there."
Strix: "Psh. He came to close, threatening" He waves a claw around "Tried to warn him off, he kept coming. Then just through light at him. Strix did nothing wrong. Was self defense. Can't wait until eaten to start defending"
Maybelline shrugs, "I don't know. I'd have run, I guess. I don't really like blood, and if I were threatened, I don't think I could fight."
Strix: "Strix ran too! Strix just made sure Strix had headstart!"
Maybelline gives Strix a smile, "That's not the worst policy, when trouble comes around."
Strix: "Exactly!" Strix nods, closing his flask once all the vodka in "Strix doesn't see the big deal"
Maybelline: Well... someone did get hurt.
Strix: "Getting hurt is best way to learn. Strix does it all the time"
Maybelline frowns, "Yes, but... to yourself, right? If someone else hurt you, unexpectedly, maybe it's not as good a lesson?"
Strix: "Didn't mean it as lesson, meant it as way to get away. Strix knows now that Crab didn't want to murderthief Strix, but Strix didn't know then"
Maybelline nods slowly. "Well... lesson for you too, then?"
Strix: "Maybe" He said "Strix will think on this"
Maybelline smiles before slipping out of her seat to stretch. "Mmm. Thanks for talking, Strix. You know... I'm still homesick, and still sad... but you've given me... you've given May things to think on too."
Strix: "Excellent! Strix is glad that Strix could help"
Maybelline reaches out a hand towards Strix. "If nothing else, Strix has given May a project. May just doesn't know what the project is yet."
Strix takes the hand, confused where this is going.
Maybelline shakes Strix's hand a little awkwardly. "Err... sorry. I'm not so good at this 'friendship' stuff..."
Strix follows the shake "Strix is fairly sure not that hard"
Maybelline laughs quietly, "Maybe not for some people... but I've never really... had friends."
Strix: "Strix never worried about that stuff, but if May cares, then Strix will keep friends. Then you'll have one! Less reason for May to be sad, which is good. SadMays aren't good"
Maybelline smiles, "Glad you think so. May... is doing her best."
Strix nods "Then I'm sure it will be fine!" He grins brightly "Now. Strix must go, find what Strix needs for his new shiny!" He gets up, and leaves, without too much goodbyes. The social norms are not a strong point for the lizard
Maybelline blinks as Strix leaves suddenly, having been building up to saying goodbye for the evening, she is mostly left with a raised eyebrow and a bit of confusion before she shrugs. "May was about to head home anyways. I mean, me. May. I. Ugh..." She shakes her head and heads towards the door, ideas running through her head.
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A BIT TO THE EAST OF RESPITE FALLS - AROUND MIDNIGHT
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Doc Plume walks hand-in-hand with Nesseth as the two slowly make their way back from their dinner at an outlying farmhouse near town. "That was a bit of luck, scoring that invitation."
Nesseth hums and nods, walking in pace with Plume as they slowly walk back towards town. He smiles as he adjusts his hand and gives Plume's a soft squeeze. "It was, definitely. I wasn't expecting a spread similar to the stuff you'd see in Odonga, but I guess they're a really well off family."
Doc Plume nods. "Yeah, and the chef was visiting from Policaster... imagine if she hadn't scalded herself and come to the clinic..."
Doc Plume snugs a wing around Nesseth's far shoulder as the two walk together.
Nesseth chuckles and lightly snuggles against Plume's side as their wing wraps around his back. "We'd probably just be having a small meal together at the Minnow or something, instead of playing socialites."
Doc Plume leans over and kisses Nesseth's cheek. "It was a good excuse for an impromptu first date, anyway." Their hand squeezes Nesseth's. "And you do clean up pretty nice..."
Nesseth blushes a little at both the kiss and the compliment. "Thank you, Plume. I don't usually pull out these clothes, but I felt the occasion warranted it." He smiles and turns his head to better look at Plume as they walk, "And seeing you in that outfit, I'd say we looked really good together."
Doc Plume blushes a bit. "Thank you, but I do feel out of place, especially with no other gryphons or avians around... We're a lot more common up in Vamas, but here I feel like folks don't know how to read my face or something."
Nesseth leans in and lightly kisses Plume on the side of their beak. "I'll admit, I had trouble reading your expressions when we first met, but I think i caught on pretty fast just by talking with you. I'm sure folks will figure it out over time as they get to know you."
Doc Plume leans over and kisses back. "Thank you Ness..." They sigh a bit and squeeze his hand more. "I know it's silly to worry about this stuff. I have enough issues with my self-image already..."
Nesseth nods softly. "I know, but remember that you're here in Aephix now, not in Vamas. You're getting to live your life as you want, and to present yourself to others however you want others to see you."
Doc Plume rests their head on Ness's shoulder. "I know, it's just... hard, you know?" They turn a bit andd hug Nesseth fully. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Probably just read more romance novels..."
Nesseth wraps his arms around Plume as they turn to give him a full hug, and he lightly rests his head against the side of Plume's. "I'm sure, even if we hadn't met when we did, you'd have done fine. Probably would have found someone just as open about things, too, eventually."
Doc Plume laughs a bit as they nibble tenderly at the side of Nesseth's neck. "They wouldn't look as good on my arm though. We do make quite the pair..."
Nesseth smiles and laughs as well. "I guess not, when you put it that way. You've a better eye for it than me, I think, so I trust your judgement." He hums and looks into Plume's eyes, still smiling, "We do mesh pretty well, don't we?"
Doc Plume blinks as they look into Nesseth's eyes. "I suppose so... fur and feathers and scales... it's quite nice..."
Nesseth hums warmly. "Maybe a little unexpected, but then, appearances aren't everything." He untangles one arm from the hug and lightly pokes Plume on the chest, right above their heart, "A lot of what matters is here, to me. And I like what I've seen in there."
Doc Plume brinks a hand up to Nesseth's face and holds one of his eyes wide open with their fingers. "Hmm. I didn't know lizards had the ability to see through the body. Fascinating. It would be quite useful for a surgeon..." They burst out in a fit of giggles before leaning in to kiss Nesseth as they let go of his face
Nesseth raises an eyebrow as Plume holds his eyelid open to examine his eye. After a few seconds, he can't help but join in on the laughter, only to stop short as he meets the kiss and hugs Plume close. He grins as the kiss slowly breaks again. "You're a silly gryphon, Plume..."
Doc Plume giggles and rests their beak on Nesseth's shoulder. "I know. And you're a silly lizard. Seriously, though, having a way to look inside a body without cutting it open would revolutionize medicine..."
Nesseth nods and sighs as he continues to softly hug Plume. "I can imagine. You'd be able to see what's wrong without having to cut a person open to look around... It'd make things a lot easier for the doctors and the patients."
Doc Plume squeezes Nesseth and nibbles tenderly along one of his head frills. "Indeed... but I don't want to think about work right now..."
Nesseth's frill flexes a bit as the nibble makes him chuckle. "Fair enough... I'm sure you think about work more than enough while you're on duty during the day."
Doc Plume pulls away a bit as they resume walking. "Yeah. And when I'm off, and when I sleep..." They shake their head a bit. "I'm sure you've noticed that I don't really do things by halves..."
Nesseth nods as he continues to walk beside Plume. "Yeah, I caught on to that pretty quickly. Sometimes, I wonder how you manage to get enough sleep with all the work you usually put in at the clinic."
Doc Plume laughs. "I don't. That's the simple answer. I get more sleep the nights we're together, honestly."
Nesseth blinks, then frowns as he looks sideways at Plume with some concern. "You don't sleep enough?"
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Like five or six hours a night if I'm lucky..." They sigh and hugs Nesseth gently as the pair walk. "It's not like I'm getting no sleep, though."
Nesseth slips his arm around Plume's back again as they lean against him in a hug. "That's true, but... I mean, you're the doctor, so you'd know better than me, of course. But... isn't it kind of unhealthy to not get enough sleep?"
Doc Plume shakes their head. "It can be, but people are different. I don't necessarily feel any ill effects beyond a bit of tiredness. I'll try to sleep better, though, all right?"
Nesseth nods a bit. "Alright, then. You know yourself the best."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "It's just hard some days to realize that I'm not a student or apprentice anymore..."
Nesseth hums quietly. "Well, you aren't quite that far out of apprenticeship, right? I know a similar feeling at times, when I wake up on occasion thinking I need to report to the Explorers Guild for the usual weekly meetings. Kind of a force of habit..."
Doc Plume smiles and nuzzles Nesseth. "Yeah, fair enough. Folks don't seem to take me for a know-nothing though." They squeezes Nesseth's hand as the pair approach the east gate of the town.
Nesseth smiles at the nuzzle and tenderly squeezes Plume's hand in turn. "Good, because you aren't a know-nothing. You're an integral part of what keeps this town running smoothly."
Doc Plume doesn't know what to say in reply, so they just kiss Nesseth fully and deeply.
Nesseth is a little surprised by the sudden kiss, but hums softly as he presses into it after a moment.