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GENERATOR BUILDING - MID-AFTERNOON
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Cavro plods along, a rope over each shoulder tied to the front of a borrowed fruit cart. The smithy only has one of it's own strong carts, which is stacked with shiny new sections of framework, and too heavy for the badger to move as such. Instead, his fruit cart is filled with crates of bolts, enough that the wheels had groaned when Cavro hopped into the cart to check the load. Thankfully, it has held out as they enter the
Cavro shadow of May's generator building, the badger huffing with the final steps.
Brunilda is pulling along the other cart, grunting slightly with the load but nothing she hasn't hauled around before. If her legs and back are complaining, she isn't. Getting the new generator is more important than her own comfort, right now.
Maybelline is standing at the entrance with her crutches, the wide double doors that lead into the generator building wide open. The faint smell of ozone is mostly gone as room airs out, but a distinct scent of cooked ham yet lingers. May's own expression is rather giddy, seeing the fruits of Cavro's labor piled high on the carts. "Hee! Just bring it straight in and we can start unloading!"
Cavro nods, not able to find the breath to speak just now. He grunts, giving the ropes that extra tug to get them through the threshold of the doors, making sure to move the cart far enough inside as to be out of Brunilda's way. He drops the straps with a sigh, grinning tiredly at May. "One... Down..."
Brunilda grunts again, but manages to get the card over the threshold and inside, letting out a relieved sigh as she lets it down for the last bit. She leans down a bit, hands on her knees, breathing harder than she believed she would by this point. "Two... down."
Maybelline looks over the haul, grinning wide. "You two are amazing! Two down... out of how many?"
Cavro looks over the two carts, thinking. "I think... Just just just... one more?" He takes a deep breath and stretches upward. "Should have moved the the the smithy next door before doing this. WOuld have been easier."
Brunilda lets out a laugh at Cavro's comment: "I dunno, might have been slightly heavier. Maybe." She leans a bit on the wall as she gathers herself.
Maybelline is already grabbing one of the smaller parts out of the first cart, examining it carefully. "Excellent... just one more eh?" She glances over at the second cart, building the pieces together in her head, "Sounds about right for phase one. Now, phase two... that's gonna take a lot more. But I can't imagine you'll do that all at once."
Cavro blushes a bit, rubbing his forearm. "No no, I I I wont make that mistake again. I made a promise."
Brunilda looks at Cavro, curious: "Mistake? How... how long does it normally take to make this sort of load in the forge?"
Cavro chuckles quietly, looking over the parts again. "Three days of normal work? I I I had the forge at full blast for um... 18 hours, I I I think? One of my crucibles even got so weak from it that it broke, wasted a a a few pounds of iron."
Brunilda hums: "...huh. That's pretty dedicated, I must admit. Impressive."
Maybelline is carefully unloading pieces that she can lift, and making sure to be careful not to unbalance anything in the carts. "I found him asleep at the door. Heh. I've been there." She grins wide as she pieces to bits together experimentally. "I mean... getting this thing together, I plan to pull a few all nighters myself."
Brunilda turns to Maybelline, considers for a moment, then nods: "If you are, then so am I."
Maybelline raises an eyebrow, setting the parts down, "Well... maybe. We'll see how this all goes. I don't want any of us pushing ourselves that hard, including you Cavro, though uh, sounds like you've already agreed not to do that again. And I mean..." She scratches the back of her head, "I have a date? I think...?"
Cavro grins, starting to unload with a crate of bolts. "I would offer to to to help, too, but there's a load of of of backorders that need to be worked on. I made a few dozen extras of these." He indicated the bolts and matching nuts. "In case any of the threads are bad or they shear."
Brunilda tilts her head: "A date? How did that happen in the middle of this?"
Maybelline peers up at the crate and grins, "Oh! Excellent! You can never have too many nuts and bolts! If we don't use them all, we can use them on the primary generator!" She pauses at Brunilda's question, "It... long story. I went for coffee last night, and well... heck I don't even know if it's anything real yet, so I'm not gonna jinx it."
Brunilda shrugs, smiling: "Fair enough. Reckon we can just get started instead, and you can tell me if anything comes out of it."
Cavro hauls another small crate to the edge of the cart. "Coffee at night?"
Maybelline sighs guiltily, "Well I stopped drinking the hard alcohol after getting an earful from Doc, and... err, Annika. Annika didn't really lecture me so much as make me feel bad about it."
Brunilda starts picking up some of the pieces from the cart, setting them down roughly where they'll be needed as far as she knows. "Probably a sound decision, that."
Cavro nods, having never been much for alcohol himself. "That's a a an admirable choice, May."
Maybelline glances away a bit uncomfortably, "I uh... had a bit of a problem with it back in college. And after college... and when I first got here."
Brunilda shrugs, looking aside: "...if it helps, I still drink. Probably too much."
Cavro unable to relate, just continues moving materials to the pile. "Uh... How long do do do you think it'll take to put this thing together?"
Maybelline coughs. "Real easy to do when no one cares about ya." She looks up between the two and smiles, perking up at Cavro's question, "Well, hard to say. I know build time should be about two to three days, but that assumes you have an experienced team. Right now, between Brun and I... maybe a week?"
Brunilda shrugs, giving a weak smile: "We'll do what we can, and that has to be enough, pretty much."
Cavro smiles at the pair. "I I I'm sure you two will get it done easy." He peeks into the smaller cart, grabbing the few loose parts that are left on it and delivering them to the stack."
Maybelline chuckles, "We're both pretty untested. I lack the strength, and Brun lacks the experience. But I'm confident we can make it work. Guess we've got a week to find out!"
Brunilda chuckles softly, idly picking up one of the pieces and looking at it: "If not, we have to make it a week and half. But we'll manage."
Cavro shrugs, turning to the larger cart. Most of the pieces in it being too much for one person to haul, the badger takes a seat on the edge of the cart while he waits for Brunilda to have a moment. "I don't think anyone will will will be upset either way, and even if they were, what would they do with with with miss guard hanging around?"
Brunilda looks at Cavro and shakes her head: "I think the question more is, what are their options? Respite isn't exactly swimming in options for power generation right now."
Maybelline laughs, "Suppose so. But I'm hoping it won't go that far." She grins, "And you're part of this team to, Cavro. We wouldn't be able to do any of it without you, so expect an invitation to the victory party."
Brunilda nods at Maybelline: "And that."
Cavro blushes slightly, chuckling. "Aw, I I I just fulfilled the order, that's nothing special. It's your design."
Maybelline: "My design. your hardwork to make it a reality. I'm just planning for a cake, Cavro, nothing big or crazy."
Brunilda shrugs: "We all do our best for this common good, I guess."
Cavro nods. "I can accept a a a slice of cake."
Maybelline grins, "Good! A nice big slice of moist cake, frosting, those sugary little confection letters saying 'Congratulations', buttercream frosting..." she blinks, "Err... right. Right. Thanks, is what I'm saying."
Brunilda giggles a bit: "A cake it is."
Cavro grins, standing back up in the cart. "Well then, let let let's not delay! Brun, a hand dragging the the the base out, please?" He puts his hands on one side of the heavy base section, aiming toward the back of the cart.
Brunilda nods and turns to help Cavro with the lifting.
Maybelline steps back with her crutches and eyes the base excitedly, "Oh! just set it right in the basin there, if you can." She points a crutch to the center of the room, where the previous generator was set into place.
Cavro hops down from the cart when the base is near the edge, taking up his grip again and sliding his end off and maneuvering towards it's destination. "Alright... Let's get it... Did... This get heavier...?"
Brunilda holds the base steady from the other side: "Nnot... really? You made it, you should know."
Maybelline glances at Cavro, "Is everything okay?"
Cavro grunts, peeking over his arm as they get over the spot, shaking slightly. "Yeah... Just a a a... Bit sore..." He chuckles despite the effort. "Slept funny."
Brunilda helps lower the base, with clearly less effort than Cavro: "Curious how that works, hmm?"
Maybelline chuckles, watching them lower the base down, "Well, that'll happen when you sleep on the floor. I speak from experience, much better to sleep in a bed."
Cavro sets his side of the base down, sighing as he plops backward onto his rear. "Thank you for the the the help, Brun, I don't know what I I I would have done without you today."
Brunilda smirks from around the base at Cavro: "Taken a lot longer to do this?"
Maybelline nods, "I don't know how I would have done it period without either of you." She ponders, "I might have petitioned the town for help? Which means I might have gotten guards assigned to help me. Which means I might have ended up with Brun anyways? Huh... weird train of thought."
Brunilda chuckles, shaking her head: "Yeah, though I don't think anyone besides Louma really knows why I'm not doing guard duty now."
Cavro chuckles, nodding. "That's pretty likely. I I I need a moment, if you two don't mind." He rubs an ache that's started in his left shoulder, wincing slightly.
Maybelline frowns at mention of Louma, growing thoughtful for a moment. "Err uh, yeah. A moment, that's uh... hmm. What?" She watches Cavro wince and frowns, "You sure you're alright? Maybe go talk to Doc?"
Brunilda looks at Cavro, slightly concerned: "You okay?"
Cavro looks from one to the other, nodding. "Mhm, I'll go after we we we finish up here, don't worry. Just a little sore is is all."
Brunilda steps over to pick up one of the remaining pieces on the bigger cart: "Well, we're almost done anyway."
Maybelline nods slowly, keeping her eye on Cavro. "Yeahhh... almost done, then Brun you should probably make sure he gets there. I can stay here and take inventory."
Cavro grunts as he gets up, dutifully trotting over to the cart, though making sure to take care as he takes the smaller parts. "You don't need to to to do that. I'll get there."
Brunilda nods at Cavro: "I believe you." She turns to Maybelline: "Besides, to take inventory proper you'll need someone around to move all these around where they need be for construction."
Cavro sets the frame piece down, quickly returning to the cart. "Hm... Louma is is is the snake lady with the the the wings, right? She asked me to to to make her a spear once, but she wasn't happy with how it it it turned out."
Maybelline frowns, and would cross her arms if she weren't holding onto her crutches. She eyes Cavro a moment, then sighs, "Well... as long as you get there." She glances away at mention of Louma again, "Y-yeah... the... swan-snake guard captain. That's her."
Brunilda shrugs: "My boss, incidentally, when not talking about this project."
Maybelline sighs, "And... maybe my date?"
Cavro nods, looking curiously at May. "Ah, she wasn't a a a captain when we met."
Brunilda blinks at May: "...your date? Huh."
Maybelline blushes slightly as Brun turns to look at her. "L-like I said... long story."
Cavro sets the last piece down, leaning against it. "Ah, I'm guessing you don't want to to to talk about it?"
Brunilda winks at Maybelline: "All I'll say is 'good luck'. You're going to need it I think." She pauses. "...don't tell Louma I said that."
Maybelline shrugs a bit, "Nah, I do, I just... it just... I don't even know if it's real yet." She smiles between the two. "I'll take all the luck I can get."
Cavro chuckles, standing up straight. "I I I don't know much either way, but I do know both carts are empty!"
Brunilda chuckles as well: "That they are. Don't worry about the big cart, I'll get it back to you later."
Maybelline sighs, looking up at all the parts arrayed on the floor, causing her smile to creep back onto her face. "Excellent. See, love is hard. Building a power generator is easy by comparsion."
Brunilda shrugs with a grin: "I have no experience with either, so I can't comment."
Cavro blushes, scratching his ear. "Yeah... Love is is is a bit of a tough one... And thank you again, Brun, I'll head straight to Plume's after I get the the the fruit cart back to the market."
Maybelline nods, "Just be sure you do, Cavro." She nods at Brun, "I'll hold the fort here for you and the third cart. Sorry I'm not much more help in this department."
Brunilda shrugs, smiling at Maybelline: "It is what it is. Neither of us can do this project alone."
Maybelline grins. "It's fun having a team though."
Cavro: "Mhm, all that's left is a a a few stray pipes, and all the conductor rods." He picks up the ropes to the fruit cart, slinging them over his shoulders, flinching. "Uhm... Do do do you think you can handle them alone, Brun?"
Brunilda nods at Cavro: "Yeah, I know where they are, don't worry about it. Take care of yourself, we'll handle this from here."
Maybelline shifts in her crutches to give Cavro a thumbs up. "Yup. We've got this. Make sure you're okay first."
Cavro nods, carefully pulling the smaller cart around to the doors. "Thank you. I I I'll see you later, then." He heads out through the doors, putting most of the pressure from the cart on his right shoulder as he goes. 'At least May's place is close to everything,' he thinks.
Brunilda waves at Cavro as he goes, then turns to Maybelline: "Should we get started, then? Figure if we have all that we need."
Maybelline: "Yep. Taking into account the piping and such missing from that third cart, but otherwise, we're good to start."
Brunilda smiles: "I don't know about you, but I'm honestly pretty excited to be finally here with the parts."
Maybelline grins wide, "Oh yeah, absolutely." She wiggles her fingers, "I'm itching to build. Haven't gotten to do this in awhile!"
Brunilda nods as she sits down on the floor in the middle of all the parts: "We should probably start from going over the lists. You had them near, yeah?"
Maybelline nods, hobbling over to her workbench, "Got it right here! You ready?"
Brunilda grins: "Ready as I'll ever be."
Maybelline begins reading off the parts, making check marks as Brun confirms their presence, or asks questions on what any given part is, as they work through the list verifying all the parts, and everything still missing for that third cart...
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NESSETH'S HOSUE - AFTERNOON
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Doc Plume walks up to the door of Nesseth's house with a bit of a spring in their step. They're not dressed in their work attire, but rather a more comfortable shirt and pair of trousers more suited for an afternoon out and about. They carry a well-laden picnic basket in the crook of their arm, which they set down in order to knock on the door.
Nesseth answers the door after a few seconds. "Yes? Oh, hi, Plume!" He smiles upon seeing who's at the door, and moves forward to give his partner a warm hug.
Doc Plume hugs their beau just as warmly, and maybe a bit tighter than usual. "Hi there, Nesseth." They kiss his cheek before stepping back and hefting up the picnic basket. "We're going out to the waterfall. Grab whatever you need." The statement, although carrying a slightly playful tone, is definitely not just a request.
Nesseth blinks as he steps back from the hug, then looks down at the picnic basket. He grins a moment later and dashes back into the house to put on some of his usual travel clothing, and returns within a couple of minutes. "You've got some free time now that May and Brun are out of the clinic, huh?"
Doc Plume laughs a bit, their cheeks flushing beneath their feathers. "A bit. Moreso just spare energy and a desire to spread my wings again, as it were." They watch Nesseth's hurried preparations as they wait, admiring how lithely he moves, as always.
Nesseth smiles as he steps out of the doorway and shuts the door behind him, taking a moment to lock it. "It's a nice surprise... An afternoon out in the sun should feel really nice, considering."
Doc Plume nods. "Yeah. I mean, I love my work, but it's nice to have some time for just us again, or to be able to go more than a bit away from the clinic..." They start walking toward the north gate with Nesseth, their vulpine feet padding comfortably over the compacted dirt of the roadway.
Nesseth strides alongside Plume, his own feet comfortably ensconced in his boots. Footwraps usually work around town for him, but longer walks require some foot protection for him. "Yeah, just having the opportunity to take some time away from all of it for at least a little while. We just have to make the most of it while we have the opportunity."
Doc Plume nods. "Yeah. I guess I just have to hope that someone who can help me comes to town eventually, but with how it's been growing even since I got here, I figure that'll happen sooner than later." They walk apace with Nesseth, stretching a wing around his back and far shoulder as the pair end up both holding the picnic basket between them.
Nesseth sidles closer to Plume's side as their wing wraps around him. He smiles at them after a moment. "Yeah, having a nurse on staff will definitely make things a little easier for you, especially with regards to stress." He leans to the side and sneaks a soft kiss as the two pass through the northern gate, "Hopefully it happens sooner, rather than later, though."
Doc Plume meets the kiss with their beak and kisses back. "Mmm. I filed a request to the administrator, but with how long it took for them to replace Hooktail, I can't imagine it'll be soon." They roll their shoulders as the pair pass beyond the gate. There's nothing too different with being outside the town, but for Plume it feels freeing being here for the first time in too long.
Nesseth shrugs a little as he takes a moment to scan around, just out of reflex. "Yeah... but then, I guess it's a little hard finding anyone with a medical background that prefers frontier towns over the comfort of the big cities." He pauses, smirking a bit at Plume, "Shows what those other folks know, right? You've had a wonderful time of it here, so far."
Doc Plume laughs and blushes. "Yeah, well, there have been unexpected benefits..." They lean over and kiss Nesseth again. "But even if we hadn't met, I'd still be much happier here than in Vamas..."
Nesseth blushes a little beneath his scales, but looks like he's just smiling a little bashfully. "Life's full of surprises sometimes, isn't it?"
Doc Plume laughs. "It is..." They set down the basket and hug Nesseth close.
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THE WATERFALL - A WHILE LATER
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Doc Plume leans back on the grass after finishing the simple meal that was brought along. They smile fondly at Nesseth. "I really needed that..."
Nesseth hums warmly as he reclines on the grass next to Plume, feeling quite content from the meal. He turns his head and smiles at Plume in turn. "That was a good meal, with good company. Nothing much can beat that."
Doc Plume smiles back as they reach out to take Nesseth's hand in theirs and squeezes gently. "Not much anyway..." They sigh happily before turning to look up at the clear sky. "I know I can get caught up in my work, but I don't want you to ever doubt how much I care about you."
Nesseth gently squeezes Plume's hand with a soft smile. "I didn't have a doubt in my mind, Plume. I know you get caught up in your work, but it's also a line of work that needs your full attention."
Doc Plume nods a bit. "I've just heard too many stories about doctors getting distant with their partners because of work..." They turn and nuzzle at Nesseth's neck tenderly.
Nesseth chuckles quietly and shifts a bit closer to Plume. "Trust me... if it ever hits a point that it starts becoming a problem, I'll speak up about it. But I'm not so selfish to put my own desires above you making sure everyone is healthy."
Doc Plume rolls themself and Nesseth to the side as the pair cuddle up. "I love you, Nesseth. I don't want to do anything to risk losing you..."
Nesseth wraps an arm around Plume as he rolls. "If there's any trouble brewing, you can trust that I'll say something before it gets bad, okay? As long as we both put in the effort to talk, we'll be fine."
Doc Plume just looks up into Nesseth's eyes, the look of relief and adoration there giving all the answer he might want to his statement. Plume leans up and kisses Nesseth tenderly. "Love you," they whisper softly.
Nesseth hums softly as he leans into the kiss, then smiles as it breaks. "Love you too, Plume."
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MARKET SQUARE - LATE EVENING
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Vix is packing up her wares and sweeping crumbs from her market stall counter, making sure everything is accounted for as she wraps up for the day.
Narrator: It was the end of the day, when all the reputable customers were heading home and those that wished to be perhaps a bit more clandestine did their business, as such was this evening, when Vix would be aware of a final customer. 'Standing' in front of the counter was a being that was tall..perhaps 6ft tall, covered in something that appeared to be a collection of scraps of cloth held loosely together, on their face was a plain white mask, shrouded inside a similarly scrappy hood. The face was adorned with a simple painted face..abet one that still moved its eyes and mouth to speak and emote. Vix couldn't get a good grasp on the details of their body, or head..though she would likely be familiar enough with this sorta thing to know that trying to stare harder probably wouldn't help...there was illusion afoot "Trader, I have wizh to deal with you" their voice was scratchy, like thousands of skuttling little claws on a chalkboard.
Vix blinks up at the tall, shrouded figure and pauses in putting away a folded handkerchief. "Mya...? Whaddya want? I've got a little of everything, y'know."
Enxame: "I don't believe you hav what I zeek, but you are exellente at finding what a client needz, yez?" They extend long fingers hand with far too much flexibility from their ratty sleeve, and expand them out, a flickering illusion appearing. It was of a silvery orb, with simple lines carved shallowly into it, and a small number of buttons inlayed in it "I believe it iz ztill in the zity. It is technology, though lozt by itz maker. I am willing to pay zignificant coin if it is retreived for me" A finger extends from his other sleeve "I wizh it to be acquired without anything that would attract guardz eyez, dezcretion is my watchword" A chuckle, like a long scratch down that same chalkboard "I truzt you underztand the importance of zuch a thing"
Vix 's eyes glow in the light as she recognizes the familiar transaction. "Mmm...yes...Is this thing dangerous?"
Enxame: "It drainz, and capturez magical energy. Unless you require magic to live, it iz quite zafe. Perhapz it could have made rezent eventz zafer" There's a brief turn of the mask towards where the generator would be, IF WE HAD ONE. "I can pay zome money now, az you would need to acquire thiz item, I truzt you to follow through" There's a rustle of cloth, some scuttling sounds, and a bag of gold would be on the table, with some pretty obvious illusions going on to hide exactly what had happened. It was a pretty classic 'flex'. Enxame would not be so crass as to threaten Vix, but that was the standard polite way of indicating that trying to steal from him would at least possibly be more trouble that its worth "I can match thiz, upon acquizition of the device, provided, of courze, dizcretion is maintained" The gold wasn't 'instantly rich' amounts, but it was a decent chunk of cash all the same.
Vix pokes at the coins and holds one up to the light, checking for further illusions. "Hmm...That's not a bad deal. How's the timeframe? Preferred delivery method?"
Enxame: "Zimply acquire it, and leave it below the counter when you do, I Zhall come to pick it up then. I am patient. It iz more important zat you acquire it without incident, then I get it quickly..though obviously, the zooner, the better"
Vix considers for another moment, then holds out her paw. "Alright then. I accept."
Narrator: There was a moment, before a 'hand' extends, and a scratchy feeling as the hand shakes for a moment. There was waaaay too much movement in the hand than would be comfortable, and it was all fingers, there was no palm there..and while Vix was processing that, the little tatters and scraps of cloth drops to the ground, into the dark of the street, and he was gone..with only the vaguest sense of movement over the ground to indicate where they may have gone.
Vix stares at her paw for a second, then shivers. "Nothin' special...just a client. Yep..."