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DOC'S CLINIC - FRONT YARD - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Maybelline hobbles out with her crutch under her bad arm, settling herself down on a small bench outside just to enjoy the sun for a bit. She gets out a small snack she grabbed, a sweet bread Doc got her that she carried out and now sets down on her lap, grabbing it shakily with her bad hand as she tries to eat it.
Louma drifts lazily on the breeze as she patrols from the sky, definitely not avoiding reading reports or writing her own summary on the failed search effort. She tilts, spotting the clinic sign. She decides she's got plenty of reason to stop for a visit, between Brun and her own injury. She makes a dive, spreading her wings to halt her descent and glide into a graceful landing a few buildings up the street from the clinic.
Maybelline eats her sweet roll, not entirely happy with the situation that just keeping her arm raised is still causing her pain, but at least she can feel the pain now instead of the lifeless numb that usually accompanies ICEE burn. She glances along the street as she takes in the day. She spots the rather unusual snake-like figure heading towards the clinic, but doesn't otherwise react.
Louma slithers up the street, shaking her wings out before folding them at her back as she turns to approach the clinic, hardly recognizing that someone is sitting outside. Louma takes a moment to pat down a handful of dislodged feathers and adjust her fitted guard garb before she moves to knock on the door.
Maybelline waves, then raises an eyebrow. It's hardly new that someone fails to notice her. She sighs softly, then raises her voice. "Good morning. Or uh, afternoon. Doc's eatting lunch if you're looking for them. They'll open back up soon, unless it's an emergency I guess."
Louma pauses midway though the first swing, taking a look around and spotting May. She glances back at the door and shrugs. "Well, I suppose I'll wait for a bit then, hate to interrupt."
Maybelline shrugs, "I doubt they'd actually mind, but yeah, if you don't mind waiting." She takes the last bite of her sweet roll, reaching out her left hand to brace her right, keeping it from shaking as she licks off the honey residue.
Louma looks back to May, watching how she favors her right arm. She moves away from the door, taking a better look at the stoat. "You look like you've had a terrible accident, what happened, if I may ask?"
Maybelline shrugs, setting her arm down. "No big secret, that. Surprised you didn't hear. I'm the engineer who was trapped in the generator when it blew. ICEE burns all along my side here." She lifts her right hand and waves. The skin looks mostly healed other then the faint purple scars from the magic residue. It shakes mightly, causing May to frown at the lack of control.
Louma makes her way over to May's side, curling her tail to sit next to her. "Inside the generator. Brunilda didn't tell me that part. I do recall seeing you sleeping there when I visited with her. I guess Plume must be pretty good after all, if you're already out and about with that sort of injury."
Maybelline smiles, "Ah, you know Brun, then? Yeah. Was showing her my workspace when I started hearing something off. I slipped inside and was tracking the source of the sound when Brun noticed the leak up top. Magic containment cell was cracked. Already too late for me, so I just told Brun to run. Stupid elephant ran into the wreckage to pull me out."
Louma chuckles, giving May a sideways glance. "I only just met her the one time, but she seems like a courageous and selfless person. It will be a shame when she finally hangs up her armor and hands me her resignation." She smiles at the stoat, "Seems like she wants to be just like you."
Maybelline pffts, "Hopefully not just like me... but yeah, we've been spending a lot of time together, both stuck here for now. She's a quick study, reading through a lot of complicated engineering stuff and figuring it out faster then I did when I was in school. I owe her everything. She got me to Doc fast, and ICEE exposure was limited to twenty? Thirty minutes? Doc started leeching it out fast, and yeah, here I am. Almost a whole stoat again. Other then lack of muscle control on my right side. But that'll return with practice."
Louma nods, shifting her tail a bit to relieve the discomfort on her injury. "You've made an impact on Nesseth as well, from what I've heard. If they have faith in you, I'm looking forward to what you'll accomplish. Where did you study, Maybelline?"
Maybelline shifts a little uncomfortably at the praise, but doesn't deny it. "Sarn. Glaushire University. Apprenticed in the Policaster Mark VI Reactor."
Louma drops her stiff demeanor, turning toward May with an excited expression. "Oh! That's incredible, I wanted to go to Glaushire! What was it like? Were the professors as good as I'd heard?"
Maybelline blinks at the sudden shift, "Oh uh, yeah, probably. I mean, I learned a ton, of course. Honestly, I was super lucky to go there."
Louma nods, grinning. "I'm glad to hear that, sometimes I wish that I'd gone to Sarn instead of coming to Respite, but I couldn't stay that close to home."
Maybelline chuckles dryly, "Well, you can't get much further away from anything then Respite is. I wish I could have stayed on Sarn too..." She sighs, "AMP made my whole education obsolete overnight. Every major city was switching, and I had no way to afford going back to school. Had to take any job I could find. Which was here, so here I am."
Louma composes herself properly again, clearing her throat. "Hm, I haven't had a chance to learn much about Magitech, it's all overwhelming to me. Picked up one of Brunilda's books, it almost gave me a headache to read the introduction."
Maybelline laughs, "You might have grabbed on of the ones by Kinkade, then. He's a genius, but he's no teacher. Those books are just all technical diagrams. Total nonsense if you don't actually know what you're looking for." She pauses, "So what do you do around town then? A guard like Brun, I'm guessing?"
Louma nods, leaning back. "That's somewhat reassuring. I am with the guard, yes." She bows slightly to May. "Captain Louma, at your service."
Elizabeth chuckles softly: "Seems I am not the only one leaving Sarn behind, then." The skunk lady is leaning on the fence, her arms folded under her chest.
Maybelline blinks, glancing over-towards the fence at the newcoming interrupting. "Um, hi? I guess? I didn't really do it on purpose..." She points a thumb over her shoulder, "Doc's eating lunch right now but if you need help they probably won't mind."
Louma turns to look for the new voice, slowly stiffening up again, though she doesn't speak up.
Elizabeth glances up, only now noticing the sign showing that this is indeed the clinic: "Oh. I didn't even notice." She looks back at the two: "Elizabeth Cath... actually, just Elizabeth. I apologize for eavesdropping."
Louma shakes her head slightly. "We're outside, we can't expect complete privacy, right?"
Maybelline shrugs. "Uh, yeah. Wasn't exactly talking about anything secret. I'm Maybelline, but just May is fine."
Elizabeth shrugs as she steps into the yard, smiling: "I seem to be here in Respite for good, so I figure I might as well get out of my manor as well, get to know folks."
Louma uncoils herself to greet Elizabeth properly, holding out a hand to shake. "Well it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Elizabeth. When did you arrive in our humble city?"
Elizabeth glances around briefly as she ponders what to answer, but then just goes with the truth: "I... I arrived on the last caravan, actually."
Elizabeth then shakes Louma's hand, smiling.
Maybelline shrugs. "I'd offer to shake but uh..." She raises her shakey hand. "It won't be the best."
Louma notes her hesitation, returning the smile.
Elizabeth lets go of Louma's hand, looking her over: "Don't see your type that often outside of South Orela."
Louma feels her tail twitch slightly. "My type? Mh, not many snakes like to leave Orela unless they have a good reason, and most return. The jungle has a strong place in our hearts. Where are you from in Sarn, if I may ask?
Elizabeth hesitates again, her expression darkening a bit: "Glaushire." Her hand twitches a bit and a bit of dark magic dances around her fingers, before she notices to stop it.
Maybelline raises an eyebrow, watching Elizabeth's fingers with a sudden renewed interest in the obvious noble who's been almost ignoring her. "Oh ho..."
Louma nods, oblivious to the display as she's turning to May. "Oh ho indeed, perhaps you two crossed paths at some point."
Elizabeth raises an eyebrow at Louma, then looks at May. "Hmm?"
Maybelline is suddenly grinning, "Oh, unlikely. She seems the sort to have frequented much different circles then I did. Which is to say, any circles at all. But hey, here in Respite, it's not like our pasts matter too much, right? Pleased to meet you, Elizabeth!" She holds out her good hand in an offer to shake.
Elizabeth blinks at the sudden forwardness, but flicks her wrist and dissipates the magic, then takes May's hand with a smile: "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, as well."
Louma smiles at May's happiness, relaxing somewhat. "Well, I suppose I should go tend to my business with the doctor, and visit with Brunilda, before someone makes me go back to my office."
Maybelline pulls back her hand after a moment, then nods to Louma, "Well, I've probably bought Doc enough time to finish eating, so yeah. And uh, give Brun a medal or something if you can, Captain. Especially if you've got a a medal for stubbornness in saving useless stoats. She'd get a kick out of that I bet."
Louma chuckles. "We don't have one that specific, but we can get one made in your likeness, if you don't mind. I'm sure she'd love it."
Elizabeth raises an eyebrow at the two, mildly confused: "...saving useless stoats?"
Maybelline pokes herself, "I mean me. And I'm not that useless. Well, I am right now, until my limbs heal. But yeah, do that, Captain. Give Brun something to write home about." She grins.
Louma shakes her head, "Maybelline can explain it better than I, enjoy your day miss Elizabeth C." Louma gives her a slight bow, slithering around the skunk and making her way back up to the clinic door, which she knocks at sharply.
Elizabeth looks at Louma with the tiniest bit of frown in her expression, before turning back to Maybelline. "I would offer to help heal, but my magic... doesn't bend that way too well."
Maybelline hums, grinning as she examines Elizabeth, "So I saw. Natural born, or self-taught?"
Elizabeth smiles a bit cryptically: "Yes."
Louma lets herself into the clinic after hearing a muffled call from inside, briefly pausing to wave at Maybelline before disappearing inside.
Maybelline smirks at Elizabeth, "Heh, okay fine. Level of control? Are you rated? Licensed? Do mages have licenses?" She shakes her head, "Whatever! Doesn't matter." Her ears twitch excitedly, "Are you capable of channeling into an ICEE containment cell?"
Elizabeth blinks several times at the barrage of questions, taken aback: "...I uh... what?"
Maybelline tilts her head. "Okay... right, new to town. You've maybe noticed the town is currently without baseline power, yes?"
Elizabeth nods slowly: "...I have, yes. It normally has that, right?"
Maybelline nods. "It does. Until about a week or two ago... two? I was unconcious for awhile. But anyways, yeah. ICEE breach, generator exploded."
Elizabeth winces: "That doesn't sound good."
Maybelline shakes her head. "It wasn't. It's not." She points at her injured side. "I was IN it when it blew, so, I'm sorta the expert."
Elizabeth winces again: "Oof."
Maybelline waves a hand dismissively, "Doesn't matter. What matters is... rebuilding. And for that, I need a couple things." She counts off her fingers. "The expertise. The parts. And magic to charge the whole thing. I have the first. The second is already being worked on... that just leaves the third."
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline thoughtfully: "...I have never tried to charge such a thing, but..." She frowns as something or other occurs to her, but then shakes her head. "I will have to think on it."
Maybelline shrugs, "Won't be ready for a long while anyways. I can make do for the auxilary generator for the time being. But once I get the real deal built..."
Elizabeth nods, thinking: "It is... a curious possibility, if I am understanding right, at least."
Maybelline shrugs. "I'm an engineer, no wizard or mage or whatever. All I know is 'magic goes in the box and stays there'."
Maybelline: "And if payment is an issue, I can earmark some of my funds to you for it too."
Elizabeth hums: "...I admit, you have made this old lady curious, if nothing else."
Maybelline sighs, "Well, good! Cause I need something eventually to restore the power. Been screwing it up up 'til now."
Elizabeth gives a lopsided smile: "...well, if you do not mind another with plenty of experience in screwing up, I can at least look into it."
Maybelline snorts, "Well at this point, they'll just blame me anyways, so that's fine. Worst that'll happen is that this time it will kill me."
Elizabeth raises an eyebrow: "I don't know what happened, but it can't be all that... bad..." She trails off, then sighs: "Or what do I know."
Maybelline sighs, "Nah, just me feeling bad for myself."
Elizabeth looks aside, musing: "As long as it doesn't get me driven out of another..." She blinks, looking back up as she finishes bit lamely: "...town."
Maybelline sighs, "They've not driven me out for blowing up their generator. Everyone's been pretty supportive, even. So you'll probably be fine."
Elizabeth is quiet for a brief moment, then looks at Maybelline quizzically: "...so what are you worrying about, then?"
Maybelline blinks, "Bwah? Me? Worrying? I... nothing...?"
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline dubiously: "So what was all that talk about the town blaming you, then?"
Maybelline frowns, falling silent for a long moment. "They're putting a lot of faith in me. I don't know... so far not done much but disappoint them."
Elizabeth leans the fence, smiling wryly: "The thing about hitting rock bottom though? The only way forward is up." She rolls her eyes: "Granted, not a piece of advice I'm the best at following myself, but anyway."
Maybelline snorts. "Guess so. I think I can do this, and I need to try. Just... worried what'll happen when I fail. The folks here won't support me for just doing my best all the time."
Elizabeth looks at Maybelline: "So how many towns and societies have you been driven out of, yet?" There is a tinge of pain-from-experience in her voice.
Maybelline tilts her head. "Well... none, I guess."
Elizabeth nods with a sigh: "Take it from someone who... might have that experience. Keep your eyes open, but don't worry about it too much."
Maybelline wrinkles her snout for a moment in thought. "Huh... yeah. Maybe good advice." She scratches the back of her head awkwardly, "I mean. this is my first job out of college. I know it's dumb and all, it's just... pressure."
Elizabeth nods, smiling a bit: "Do what you can, hope for the best, fear for the worst."
Maybelline nods back. "And I like the folks in this town... I want to do right by them. Guess I'm just better at the fear than the hope, eh? Still... you here, maybe a way to recharge the generator when it's built, kinda seeing things falling into place... guess that does give me some hope."
Elizabeth lifts her hand, idly spinning some arcane runes around it: "Sounds like you already know what you are doing."
Maybelline laughs once, "As much as any of us know what we're doing."
Elizabeth gives a wry smile as she looks at the stoat: "Isn't that the beauty of it? Knowing that the other creature probably has no better idea of what's going on that you do."
Maybelline chuckles, "Yeah... small comfort that is, but I guess it makes sense."
Elizabeth smiles, flicking away the runes: "It is what it is."
Maybelline nods. "Heh. Yeah, guess so." She smiles at Elizabeth. "Thanks... for all of that."
Elizabeth shrugs: "Having found the rock bottom myself, the least I can do is... help."
Maybelline lifts a finger, frowning, "Okay... your name again, or else I'll forget it. I'm terrible with names."
Elizabeth gives a small nod: "Elizabeth. And you are... Maybelline, correct?"
Maybelline nods. "Maybelline Frecklemeyer. But just May is fine, yeah."
Elizabeth steps aside to dust her dress a bit: "Anyway... I think I best be going. I hope your recovery goes well, May."
Maybelline smiles, "Hope you uh, find... whatever it is you want for yourself here in Respite! Good to meet you!"
Elizabeth starts walking, smiling at May: "We shall meet again, I am sure."
Maybelline grins, "Counting on it!"
Elizabeth waves at the stoat with a smile as she rounds the corner. Her smile wanes as she is out of sight, as this town seems to offer more opportunities than she thought at first...
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RESPITE FALLS BATHHOUSE - AFTERNOON
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Doc Plume lowers themself into the curtained off private tub, letting out a happy sigh as they sink into the hot, steamy water. "Mmm.. we really should do this more often..."
Nesseth sighs as he sinks a little into the tub, the warmth helping to melt away the aches of the day. "Yeah, nothing really beats a hot soak after a day out and about."
Doc Plume leans over and kisses Nesseth on the cheek. "Indeed. I'm all for seeing the sights, but you could have told me that we were going to be going half way up the mountain..."
Nesseth smiles sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I kinda forget that not everyone's as accustomed to long hikes as I am..." He chuckles, "Still, you have to admit the view was beautiful, right?"
Doc Plume laughs. "It was, yes... but when I've been cooped up in my office for a couple of weeks tending to May and Brun, I'm kind of a bit out of practice with even long walks..."
Nesseth slips an arm around Plume and gives them a soft hug. "Yeah, I should have thought about that a bit... But I guess now that May and Brun are on the way towards recovery, we could maybe start back up on some things like that again."
Doc Plume nods as they spread their wings out in the water a bit. "Yeah..." They just float for a few moments before looking over at Nesseth. "What happened between snakes and lizards? Geopolitics was never my strong suit..."
Nesseth tilts his head at the question, a small frown touching his lips. "Between Snakes and Lizards? I'm guessing you mean major events?" He sighs a little and leans back a bit, sliding a little deeper into the water as he shifts his gaze up towards the ceiling, "A war between our two races that ended about 60 years ago."
Doc Plume nods. "Sure, Louma told me that much. But what was it about? Land? Gold?"
Nesseth shrugs and shakes his head. "Disagreements over piracy, from what I remember. It kind of escalated into conquest when neither side wanted to give ground back then during political talks..."
Doc Plume nods. "All right... so it ended before you were born, but you still give snakes grief?" They frown a bit and just look up at the ceiling. "Louma made it sound like it was personal..."
Nesseth frowns deeper in turn. "Of course I give them grief. Do you know how many aunts and uncles I lost in that war, Plume? Hell, do you know how many aunts and uncles I lost when the Snakes invaded our islands and butchered villages?"
Doc Plume shakes their head and sighs. "Yes, but it's still not your fight to have. I mean, you sound like you want the war to continue..."
Nesseth sighs again. "IfI would have signed up for the military back home if I was that bloodthirsty. Besides, there wouldn't be a war to continue anyway, not after the counterattack that ended the war." He lifts a hand up and scratches at his muzzle for a moment, "I just... thanks to that war, there are folks I'll never meet or get the chance to talk to."
Doc Plume moves closer to Nesseth and hugs him gently. "I'm sorry, but... I mean, how does it ever end if the anger lasts forever?"
Nesseth scoffs a bit. "And if we just forgive them for wiping out a good half of my generation's grandparents, aunts and uncles?"
Doc Plume just goes quiet for a while before speaking softly. "Just... forget I said anything..."
Nesseth leans his head back and just shuts his eyes for the moment as he soaks in the water...
Doc Plume leans very gently against Nesseth as they try to figure out how to get out of this situation without causing friction between the pair. "I just... I only asked because I met Louma and then another snake... it seemed like it might matter now..."
Nesseth keeps his eyes shut as he responds. "Louma and I settled our differences a long time ago. Now, we just tease each other." He pauses, "As for that other Snake, I don't trust her yet."
Doc Plume gives up on attempts to cuddle as they just float freely in the tub. "The other one, Xochi... she was very curious about my wings for some reason..."
Nesseth hums quietly. "Wings? Curious, how so?"
Doc Plume shrugs. "Just asking questions about caring for them... I dunno. Seemed odd. Maybe she's just a fetishist or something..."
Nesseth lets out a quiet laugh. "Heh... maybe. The only winged Snakes I know of are the former King and Prince of the Snakes. They were both killed during the war."
Doc Plume spreads their wings to float better. "Ah, they did mention veneration... so probably related to that." They look over at Nesseth. "I didn't intend to make you angry by bringing this up. I'm sorry if I touched a nerve."
Nesseth cracks his eyes open and shakes his head as he looks over at Plume. "It's fine. There's a lot of animosity there, for both sides."
Doc Plume maneuvers themself close enough to kiss Nesseth gently on the lips. "Right... I just... I came here to try to get away from that sort of nonsense, you know?"
Nesseth hums into the kiss and nods. "Yeah, I know, and in a way I guess I did as well."
Doc Plume looks Nesseth in the eyes. "But whatever happens, my clinic isn't the place to hash out any issues between you and the snakes, all right? I need you to respect that."
Nesseth looks a little surprised at the statement. "Of course. If I've any gripes, and they're there to seek treatment, the treatment comes first, and I'll hold my tongue."
Doc Plume hugs Nesseth gently. "I just needed to hear you say it, is all."
Nesseth gives Plume a soft hug. "Alright... I'm not so bitter as to keep them from getting needed treatment, at least."
Doc Plume stays cuddled up with Nesseth for a bit before letting go to just enjoy the warm bath for a while more. Soon enough, they bring up some inane topic, moving the conversation away from snakes and wars and grudges.