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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Xochi makes herself comfortable at a table, her long tail coiled beneath her as she partakes in some tea and a plate of small, wafer-like cookies which she has never had before.
Vix strolls into the bar and notices a familiar snake at one of the tables. She orders a glass of milk and observes her from another table for the moment.
Enver walks into the bar looking relatively exhausted and sweat-soaked. His mood seems good, though, as he approaches the bar and quietly orders a bowl of stew and a mug of ale.
Xochi waves to the two familiar faces as the enter, lifting one of the cookies and setting it in her mouth. "Ah, the merchant! Vix! And the Entertainer, Enver! Greetings to you both tonight!"
Vix waves to the snake and meows. "Hiya, Xochi. Been well~?"
Enver looks over and waves a hand to Xochi, though he focuses on his meal for the moment, devouring it with ravenous hunger.
Xochi smiles, "Well enough, yes. It has been very quiet, peaceful. I much appreciate this."
Vix makes her way to Xochi's table, retrieving her milk from the bar along the way. "Yeah, I think you arrived after the explosion, right?"
Xochi nods, making a hand motion for Vix to join her. "I did. I was fully unaware there even was an explosion until some told me. My roommate, Kira, was lighting the lanterns at night. Her duties are much reduced of late."
Enver finishes his stew and bread in short order and then walks over to join Xochi's table with his ale in hand. "Mind if I join you?"
Xochi makes a similar motion to Enver, "Of course not, I always welcome friends." She motions towards the cat, "This is Vix, a merchant in the marketplace. Perhaps you have met? Vix, this is Enver."
Vix hums. "I've seen his face around, but we've never been introduced."
Enver cocks his head. "Can't say I recognize her, but there's lots of vendors..." He smiles at Vix and gives a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, miss."
Vix giggles. "My storefront isn't super big, but I usually have good stuff!"
Xochi takes another cookie. "Help yourselves. I had wanted to try these, but I'm afraid my sense of taste is not quite like that of others. You both would likely appreciate these more."
Enver takes a cookies and nibbles on it between sips of ale. "Much obliged, ma'am... today was a rough one, but the coins kept coming so I kept on juggling..."
Vix picks up one of the wafers and admires it for a moment. "Oooh, are these from that bakery? These kinds of snacks go well with hot drinks!"
Xochi nods. "I bought a package before coming here for my meal. That was filling enough, and I find them rather bland." She frowns. "My tastes do not work well with sweets, I am afraid, but this was still a new experience."
Vix nibbles the wafer and purrs. "How are the treats where you come from, Xoch'? Coffee-flavored?"
Enver just quietly munches on the wafers, never one to pass up free food.
Xochi frowns. "Where I am from..." She shakes her head, "I'm afraid I was never often given 'treats'. Meals were always prepared for me. A luxury, I suppose, but I had little say in the matter."
Enver frowns a bit. "Not sure I like the sound of that... I mean, having someone make food for you is good, but to not have a say, that's weird, right?"
Vix tilts her head. "Hmm, must have been nice. I basically grew up on cookies and scones and stuff."
Xochi shrugs at Enver, "I cannot say. The circumstances around my life are surely strange, but they were all I had ever known."
Vix hums. "Prepared meals...were you some kinda bigshot?"
Enver sips at his ale. "All I know is that I don't want anyone telling me what to eat. I mean, it's one thing when you're a kid, but like... for adults? Nah."
Xochi chuckles, reaching down to stir her tea with a small spoon. "I am no bigshot, no. I had no power, nor do I now. Seeking the freedom to do what I wish and try what I might is why I came to Respite, in fact."
Enver nods. "Same, actually... I was sold into some 'apprenticeship' I didn't want, so I hopped a different ship at the port..."
Nesseth comes wandering into the bar wearing his usual day-to-day clothing, since he's still under orders from Plume to relax. He smiles brightly upon seeing how active things are, and waves at the trio gathered around Xochi as he goes to snag himself a drink from the bar.
Vix smiles and waves at Nesseth. "Sheesh, runaways are so common around here. I'm part of that club, too~"
Enver blinks. "Oh?"
Xochi also waves to Nesseth before sipping her tea, "Is that what I am as well? A... run-away?" She chuckles to herself, "Surely not. I have never once run in my life."
Enver looks at Xochi. "Can snakes even run? They don't really walk..."
Xochi hisses, her tongue darting out a moment, as she simply smiles mysteriously, "Oh, we most certainly do not."
Enver ponders on this. "Slitheraway then? Something like that?"
Vix chuckles. "I get the feeling that's a bit rude"
Xochi shrugs, "Ahh, perhaps. But it doesn't matter to me what is said, I suppose."
Enver sips at his ale. "Oh. I didn't mean to be rude, of course..." He shakes his head.
Vix sips her milk. "Anyways, it doesn't matter where we came from, now that we're here. It's a new life on the frontier, you know? Enjoy it~"
Xochi nods, "No insult was intended, and as such, none was taken." She smiles at Vix. "Yes, quite so."
Enver looks to Vix. "Yeah, I guess so. I get to make my own way now, at least, rather than crawling through pipes in Ondonga..."
Nesseth wanders over to the table with Vix and the others, a drink in hand. He smiles as he approaches, though his eyes linger a little on Xochi. "Mind if I join you folks?"
Vix pats the open space next to her. "Hey Ness, got room for ya here~"
Xochi motions to the last empty seat, "Of course, Nesseth. As I said earlier, friends are always welcome. It seems you already know Vix. This is Enver."
Enver nods to Nesseth. "You're a guard, right? Think I've seen you on patrol in the market."
Nesseth nods, still smiling as he pulls out the remaining seat and sits down. "Yeah, I know Vix, and good to meet you, Enver. I'm one of the guards, yeah. Just, uh... not one of the ones that does it as a career."
Xochi tilts her head, "Not as a career? What does this mean? It is... a hobby?"
Nesseth shrugs a little at Xochi's question. "It's something of a side job, I guess? I'm more of a hunter than a guard, so I just help them when they need it."
Enver nods some. "You've probably seen me juggling in the market, then..." He finishes off his ale and looks around at the group at the table, suddenly feeling very young among these older folks.
Vix grumbles. "The other guards think I'm suspicious! You need to convince them otherwise, Ness~"
Nesseth blinks at Enver, then smiles. "Oh, yeah, I think I've seen you around a few times, thanks to the groups that watch you. You're pretty skilled!" He pauses, then chuckles, "As for you, Vix... well, I try, but that first impression was something else, even if you were innocent."
Xochi chuckles. "I see. Hunting is very valuable, though I have never participated in such." She ponders a moment, sitting back to enjoy her tea.
Vix flails. "I was trying to return it! Eventually..."
Enver is a bit confused by the conversation between Nesseth and Vix, so he just munches on another wafer. "Hunting is cool. I'm no good at it myself, though. Would love to have some fresh meat every now and then..."
Xochi tilts her head at Vix. "A... misunderstanding, I assume?"
Nesseth hums and nods. "Yeah, hunting's very useful, and it helps that the mountains are teeming with wild creatures." He grins a little at Enver, "I do hunt more than what I personally need. If you want, I could set aside some cuts here and there for you. The extra usually just goes to the butcher's shop, anyway."
Vix slumps a bit. "Yeah, I got caught with a branded coin pouch after I moved here. I panicked a little..."
Enver blushes a bit. "I don't need any charity... but yeah, wouldn't say no..."
Xochi hums, still looking at Vix. "I see. I am sorry to hear such a misunderstanding occured."
Nesseth shrugs a little. "If you don't want it to be charity, you can pay a bit for it. I could give you a better price than what the butcher would give, I'm sure."
Vix chuckles. "It was actually Ness who arrested me. That's how we met back then."
Enver just nods a bit to Nesseth, dropping the subject for now.
Nesseth laughs a little upon hearing Vix's comment. "Arrested after leading me halfway around the town's rooftops trying to chase you down, too."
Xochi laughs along, "This is good I suppose? But still I am glad that none of my friendships here started with arrest."
Vix sticks out her tongue. "Now you know all my shortcuts!"
Xochi: "I had no idea you two had such history together."
Nesseth smiles cheekily. "Well, Vix and I started our friendship with an arrest, but at least we got a laugh out of it after the misunderstanding cleared up." He nods at Xochi, "We've known each other for a few years, now."
Enver gives a little sigh as he just listens to the conversation.
Vix tilts her head. "Something the matter, Enver?"
Enver looks down. "I just miss my friends from Sarn..."
Xochi frowns, "Ahh. This is a pain I am familiar with, yes. You left much behind to come here, yes? Maybe some you were not quite prepared to give up?"
Enver nods. "I was giving it up either way, though, so I'd rather be here and free at least..."
Vix sniffs. "I used to run with an old gang before coming here. They were like family..."
Nesseth nods at Enver. "Even if losing some things was necessary, it's still a bit rough. Hopefully you can settle in here over time, though."
Enver smiles. "Everyone here has been pretty nice so far, yeah..."
Xochi sighs, "Yes. New friends and new experiences. But you will never quite lose those regrets towards old friends." She shifts in place, pulling back from the table as she bows her head in thought.
Nesseth idly takes a sip of his drink, not really sure what to say at the moment as the group lapses into a reminiscing silence.
Enver gets up and walks to the bar returning with just a glass of water. "So where is everyone from?"
Xochi lifts her head, and reaches out to the water kettle to refill her tea. "I... am from the islands of southern Orela."
Nesseth nods. "I'm from Southern Orela as well. Different islands from Xochi, though."
Vix smiles. "I'm from a big city. I'll let you imagine which one, though~"
Enver sits down again. "I'm from a little town about half a day out from Policaster..."
Xochi smiles, "I was not raised in a city, so I cannot very well imagine. I hear of many such places from others, but have visited very little."
Nesseth chuckles. "I'm from a coastal town, myself. Not big, but not really tiny, either. It was nice, even if the harbor smelled like fish a lot."
Vix: So I'm the only one from a big city, huh? It's a lot different there than here.
Enver shrugs. "We spent a lot of time in Policaster, though... sometimes we wouldn't go home for weeks..."
Vix: Did you ever visit the slums? That's the real heart of the city~
Xochi hums, "I spent more time on a boat then in a city. Then came through Bairnell, and along the caravan here to Respite, but I'm afraid that is my only experiences in city."
Nesseth hums a little. "I've been to a couple of different cities while I was with the Explorers Guild, but we never stayed in them very long. They feel so much different compared to smaller settlements."
Enver looks to Vix. "Sometimes. We usually stayed in some not very nice boarding houses, so I guess that was there?"
Vix chuckles. "You know you're in the slums when your pockets get lighter~"
Xochi tilts her head at Vix, "Why is that? The slums are more shopping districts?"
Vix holds up Enver's coin pouch. "Not exactly~"
Nesseth shakes his head. "No, the slums tend to have more unsavory types. Folks that will try to steal from you, things like that. But at the same time, it's where you'll see more--" He pauses, shooting Vix a flat look.
Enver blinks at the sight of his coinpouch and reaches out to grab at it. "Hey! That's mine!"
Xochi blinks as well, "Ah? Oh..." She shifts a bit uncomfortably, uncertain what to say to such a display.
Vix lets Enver grab his coins back unimpeded. "Here you go~. No harm intended."
Nesseth sighs and shakes his head. "Anyway... yeah, city slums are also where you usually see more folks just trying to live their lives honestly, too."
Victoria slinks into the bar, the feral leopard in more jewerly than actual clothing obviously not caring much for the looks she gets. She jumps onto the bar, then argues for a moment with Barkeep before jumping back down with a grumble. She looks at the busy table curiously.
Enver takes the pouch back and tucks it back into his pocket, giving Vix a glower. "That wasn't funny..."
Vix lowers her ears, looking more apologetic. "Ah, sorry..."
Vix glances at Nesseth. "I shoulda stolen Ness's. He wouldn't mind~"
Victoria chuckles as she sits on the ground near the table: "He's easy enough to steal from, anyway."
Xochi tilts her head at the curious creature who has entered the bar. "Hello?"
Victoria glances at the snake: "Hey. New I guess."
Xochi blinks, "As are you?" She rises up slightly from her coils enough to bow, "I am Xochi."
Enver starts at the sight of the talking big cat and almost falls out of his chair. "Whoa!"
Nesseth blinks as he looks around towards the voice, then laughs in mock amusement upon seeing Victoria. "Ha ha, Victoria. Just because you were able to raid my pack that one time for snacks doesn't mean I'm that easy to steal from."
Victoria gives a toothy grin at Xochi: "Victoria. And no, I'm old. Well, in town. Not age." She blinks at Enver.
Vix smiles at the leopard. "I'm Vix. Glad to meet you~"
Xochi blinks, watching Enver's reaction in confusion, though she's certainly unsure of Victoria as well. "I... see? Well, I am very young in town, but not in age."
Enver relaxes just a touch after seeing the others react so calmly to Victoria. "I'm Enver... uh..."
Victoria glances at Vix: "Yeah, I remember you. Guess I look a bit different~." She looks up at the others at the table, frowns a bit and finds herself to a free seat before looking at Enver toothily: "Don't worry, you're too slinky to consider eating."
Nesseth blinks and looks around, realizing that no one else probably knows about Victoria yet. "Oh, uh... Xochi, Vix, Enver, this is Victoria. She's one of the town guards. Er... she ran into some problems on a patrol not too long ago, and got stuck in that form."
Xochi frowns, "This is like Erika then, yes? The spirit and the mind in combat, and the body changed as a result?"
Vix scratches her chin. "Victoria...Oooh, it's you!" She tilts her head. "Are you...contagious?"
Victoria gives Vix a bit of a look: "No. Or... probably not, anyway." She nods at Xochi: "Yeah, like Erika I guess."
Enver cocks his head. "Oh, so she's not normally... like that?"
Xochi 's tongue darts out for a moment. "Erika is not contagious, so it is unlikely Victoria is as well. It is just... a strange predicament, yes."
Victoria raises an eyebrow at Enver: "Like what, mmm?"
Enver blinks. "Well... like a feral animal..."
Victoria leans a bit closer to Enver: "Feral? I'm not feral."
Xochi stirs her tea, watching Victoria thoughtfully. "It is a curse. If there is anything you require, Ms Victoria, please feel free to ask of me anything. It is the least I can do to ease the concerns of those afflicted."
Vix leans on the table a bit. "A curse? I wonder how you catch it..."
Enver frowns. "Curses are real? I thought magic just like, powered generators and moved stuff around?"
Victoria leans away from Enver back to (mostly) her own seat. She looks about the table: "Pfew. Curse or no curse. I'm fine."
Xochi folds her hands in front of her. "The gods may cast curses upon those who displease them, or those who amuse them. It is hard to say."
Nesseth shakes his head, smiling a little. "Well, thankfully, it's not a divine curse or anything, Xochi. It was due to more mundane reasons, which means it should... hopefully, at least, be a little easier to undo."
Xochi glances at Nesseth curiously, then nods. "Hopefully... yes."
Enver frowns a bit. "Well I hope they cure it..."
Victoria leans on the table with her forepaws: "Mm, gotta get Garwin back in shape."
Nesseth nods. "Yup, Garwin's the one that's probably the worst off right now."
Xochi closes her eyes. "Hmm."
Xochi: "I do hope it is not..." She shakes her head and sighs, "No. Nevermind."
Enver looks at Xochi. "Hope it's not what?"
Victoria looks at Xochi curiously.
Nesseth tilts his head and gives Xochi a curious look. "Hmm? What's up, Xochi?"
Xochi frowns, then looks towards Enver. "I am being... silly. That is all. Such a thing is magical, as you said, Nesseth. It is not divine. It is not caused because of anyone."
Victoria frowns: "Well I sure hope not, or they're in for a beating."
Enver sips his water and thinks. "Can you beat up a god?"
Xochi 's frown deepens. "No. But one can destroy the object of the god's displeasure."
Vix laughs. "I'd pay to see that!"
Victoria rolls her shoulders in an approximation of a shrug: "Worth a try."
Nesseth rubs a finger along one of his head frills, thinking. "Probably for the best that this isn't divine, then... we don't have to worry about anyone getting destroyed."
Enver shakes his head. "I don't want to displease anybody here." He looks up. "You hear that?" he calls a bit louder.
Victoria looks at Enver curiously: "Huh. You're an interesting one."
Xochi glances at Enver in surprise, "I would very much doubt you have done anything to earn their ire, Enver. You would be best to not invoke it, however."
Enver shakes his head. "Running away from enough already... would rather be able to stick around here..."
Nesseth smiles a bit wryly. "Sometimes, it's better to let the higher ups ignore you, yup."
Xochi nods, "I would like the same... but I would not wish others to fall to harm due to my presence."
Vix finishes off the last of her milk and stands up. "I sell good luck charms if you're that worried about it. But for now, I must go~"
Victoria idly licks her paw for a second: "Things happen as they do. Why care?"
Xochi nods to Vix, "Be well, Vix." She glances at Victoria and frowns, "...because... I am an old snake, sometimes set in my beliefs. Forgive me."
Nesseth smiles and waves at Vix as she gets up. "Have a good night, Vix! See you some time later on?"
Vix winks at Nesseth. "See you when you least expect it, Ness~"
Victoria nods at Xochi: "Fair enough. Not my thing tho." She jumps down from her seat: "Since Barkeep won't sell me anything to drink, I might as well head home."
Enver gets up and looks to the door. "I should go get my tent set up before it gets too dark. Good night all..."
Victoria gives Enver a feral grin: "What's wrong with the dark?"
Xochi dips her head towards Enver and Victoria, "Fare well to both of you as well."
Nesseth chuckles and nods as Vix departs. "I'll try to not get too surprised when you show up, then." He gives Enver and Victoria both a friendly wave as well, "Then have a good night, you two."
Enver looks to Victoria. "Nothing at else save that I cant see in it like you do..."
Victoria winks at Enver before nodding towards the table: "Be seeing you, I guess. Perhaps even in the daylight." She slinks out the door and vanishes into the night.
Xochi lets out a long breath as the others leave. She glances at Nesseth and smiles, reaching out to take her tea once again.
Enver gives a little shiver at that, but heads out nonetheless.
Nesseth gives Xochi a bit of a smile as well before taking a sip of his own drink. Once the others are gone, he gives her another curious look. "So, uh... How come you thought someone else would get hurt just because you're here, Xochi?"
Xochi blinks, "I did not say because of me! Only because of... someone." She sighs, "It is only... a foolish thought. We talked about it before, if you recall. What must the ancestors think of me, hm? The gods as well? Giving up on my duties to retire in such anonimity. Would they be so displeased as to punish others? Perhaps that is vanity to think so..."
Nesseth rubs his neck a bit. "Well... you did say 'because of your presence', so..." He thinks for a few moments, then hums, "...And, right, I remember that, now. But, I mean... you're doing what you want to do with your life, now, right? The ancestors will just have to understand your choices."
Xochi nods quietly. "I... did not mean to say such. But... I am, yes. I shall trust what you say, to the cause of these transformations. It worries me, that I am making the wrong choices, and that as a result... others will suffer."
Nesseth hums, but shakes his head. "Well, I can say you don't have to worry about Victoria and Garwin's troubles, in that regard. They've been stuck out in the mountains for a bit even before you arrived her. I'm pretty sure the gods wouldn't be able to curse someone that lives somewhere else from you."
Xochi chuckles, "I would not discount them so easily, Nesseth... but perhaps you are right."
Nesseth 's eyes glance towards a spot just behind Xochi for a short moment, but even he doesn't really seem to notice his eyes wandering. "At the very least, just in this matter, maybe."
Xochi chuckles, "Perhaps so, yes. This, Respite, is your world more then mine."
Nesseth chuckles. "Hardly. It's your home as much as mine, as much as everyone else's, I'd say."
Xochi nods, "I merely mean you are more familiar with how things work. Truly work. I have... old books and legends."
Nesseth hums softly. "Books and legends are good, too. You learn a lot about stuff you wouldn't otherwise through books, and legends have to start from some kind of truth..."
Xochi: "Yes, perhaps. I am well read, but feel I still know so little. Slums and cities, magics and curses. All of it..."
Nesseth nods. "Just the same, I'm not aware at all about what goes on in higher level things in cities, like management and things like that. I might be better traveled in a sense, but we're both learning as we go."
Xochi chuckles, "That is strangely comforting to me."
Nesseth smiles. "I guess it might be a matter of perspective."
Xochi nods, "Perhaps so, yes. I am still enjoying this change of perspective, despite those worries."
Nesseth: "That's the same feeling I got when I first set out with the Guild some years ago. It's a good sort of change."
Xochi: "It is. And evenings like this, meeting friends, new and old..." She sighs, thinking back on old friends.
Nesseth hums, nodding softly as he takes another sip of his drink. He lets a few seconds pass before he looks at Xochi again. "Speaking of... how are things with you and your friend? The one that stopped by Respite a couple of months back?"
Xochi nods slowly. "Aktzin... yes... he has departed. I had hoped he would stay, but..." She glances down at the floor. "I hope we yet remain friends, but for now he has left to find his own path, as I left to find mine."
Nesseth nods again. "I hope you two are able to maintain that friendship, then."
Xochi smiles sadly, "As am I... someday, perhaps."
Nesseth smiles in turn. "Paths have a funny thing about crossing when you least expect them to."
Xochi sets down her empty tea cup and nods, "Then I shall stop expecting and continue living... it is all I can do, I think." She slowly unwinds herself, "Tonight, my path takes me to the wall to stargaze before I retire for the evening. Thank you, Nesseth. Have a good night."
Nesseth raises his glass in a salute. "Have a good night, Xochi. I'll see you around."
Xochi bows to Nesseth as she leaves the table, "Yes, I am sure you shall, friend." With that, she heads out into the night.