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OLDHAMMER SMITHY - MORNING
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Cavro is dragging his feet a bit today, the furnace having just roared to life minutes before, leaving the stone building somewhat cool inside despite the brilliant orange glow. He stands in front of the furnace mouth, his back soaking in the warmth as he uses his wavering shadow to rub his bed-head fur down. Seems he was a bit late and lackadaisical getting in today.
Nesseth peeks into the smithy from the front entrance, having been intending to stop by the past couple of days due to a small thing he'd been needing to get repaired. He knocks on the door as he steps in, noting the badger is standing in front of the forge, apparently trying to scrub the fur on his head for some reason. "Morning, Cavro. Are you alright, there?"
Cavro blinks, looking toward Nesseth with a nod. "Good good good morning Nesseth! Yes, I am, I I I just didn't have time to to to brush my fur. Woke up late." He blushes, though the lighting from the forge would hide it.
Nesseth chuckles a bit as he steps a bit further into the forge area. "Ah, bit of a slow start today, hm? I know the feeling... Nothing quite like a bit of warmth from the sun... or the forge, really, to get the blood flowing again, though."
Cavro chuckles in turn, nodding as he steps away from the forge toward his work bench, slipping his heavy gloves off. "Yes, the the the warmth might be a reason I I I woke up late."
Nesseth raises an eyebrow for a moment, then chuckles again as he nods. "Ohh, okay, I think I get it, now. Yeah, kind of hard to pull away from that kind of warmth in the morning."
Cavro grins, setting the gloves down. "Sorry if if if that was a bit crude... I I I do have you to thank, though. Twice, even, for for for the same thing."
Nesseth waves a hand with a smile. "Nah, I've heard worse while on the ocean, so don't worry about it." He tilts his head curiously, "But... what did I do to warrant a thank you?"
Cavro chuckles, bowing his head a bit. "Well you you you helped me realize my feelings for Erika... And you were were were out there, finding the cure." He looks back up to the lizard. "Sorry I I I haven't had time to say it before now. Anything you ever need, it it it's on the house."
Nesseth nods, smiling warmly. "I mean, in my defense, your feelings for Erika were pretty obvious after a while, Cavro. I just gave you the nudge to act on them, I guess." He shakes his head after a moment, grinning, "And I do appreciate the offer, because that's really generous of you, but I can't just use your services for free."
Cavro shakes his head, crossing his arms, though still grinning. "Alright, fine. But you'll be be be receiving a hefty discount!" He pauses for a moment, then glances toward the forge. "Oh, forgot the the the coke!" He jogs over, nabbing his gloves on the way and putting them on before hopping up and yanking on a lever. Fresh powdered coke dumps into the flames, which sputter for a moment before feeding on the potent fuel. The warmth quickly begins building in the smithy.
Nesseth laughs a bit and nods. "Well, alright, then. I can't argue with a discount, but you're still getting something for your services that way." He hums appreciatively as the warmth radiating from the forge starts to seep into his scales, warding off the morning chill, "Heh... you might be seeing more of me as things get colder around here, if the forge is going to be active through the winter."
Cavro nods, stepping back from the forge as the bellows engage, churning a steady flow of air into the chamber. "I I I wouldn't mind the company, hopefully it's a a a little warmer than last year though. I mean, it it it wasn't that cold, but well... Look where I spend most of of of my time."
Nesseth moves forward, closer to the warmth, but stays a safe distance back and out of Cavro's way. He grins a bit as he lets the heat play over him for the time being. "It wasn't too bad, but I'll take a warm day over a cold one any time. I'll likely be dropping in at random just for the heat."
Cavro laughs, starting to lay his tools out on the workbench. "You're more than welcome to, of course! Even though I I I might grumble a bit, it would be nice to to to see snow again."
Nesseth chuckles as he leans against an open spot on the smithy tables. "Last time I saw snow, I was up in Vamas. It's, uh... nice, but I just wanted to stay curled up in blankets all day."
Cavro looks to Nesseth, smiling with a bit of a twinkle in his eyes. "Oh? While you you you were still an active Explorer, right? I I I imagine you've seen a lot. I also imagine you you you were a bit grumpy working in the cold."
Nesseth laughs and nods. "The cold doesn't agree with me. I'll work in it if I have to, but it makes my snout sore if I'm out in it too long. Everything else is bundled up, and I can't really use my crossbow all that well." He nods after a moment, "I guess I've seen a fair bit while traveling, though, yeah."
Cavro smiles, nodding a bit of encouragement. "What was your your your favorite place?"
Nesseth tilts his head, thinking for a few seconds. "There was this really nice little town a bit further inland from Policaster that was sitting atop some hills. It gave a really nice view of the land around it, and I remember this one little market stall there that sold some of the tastiest baked treats I've ever had."
Cavro sighs, listening intently to Nesseth and trying to imagine the place he's describing, his imagination perhaps falling a bit short on it. "Sounds wonderful, you're so lucky. He shuffles the tools a bit, looking down at his bench. "It's probably too too too late for me to think of travelling... And I I I'm deathly afraid of deep water..."
Nesseth tilts his head at Cavro, thinking. "Well, I don't know about it being too late to travel, really. You might be able to do that one day, if you get an apprentice or someone to help around the smithy while you're away." He gives the badger a bit of a weak smile, "As for the fear of water... I don't know if I'd be able to help with that, I'm afraid."
Cavro chuckles, scratching the back of his neck. "That's okay, you you you've done enough for me for a while! Speaking of helping eachother out, did did did you need something done?"
Nesseth nods after a moment and turns to dig through the pack he'd brought with him. "Oh! Right, actually yeah, there is. Uh... here." He pulls out a light chainmail shirt from the pack and holds it out, "I've been needing to get this mended for a bit. I just never really got around to it until now. Some of the links got bent when Garwin tackled me, some weeks back, and I don't know if they're repairable..."
Cavro steps over to Nesseth, picking the garment up, holding it to look at the links with the glow of the forge behind them. He hums as he turns away, wandering to a dim corner of the smithy where he drapes the armor over a manikin. "You you you certainly brought a bit of a challenge. Not hard to to to take links out and put new ones in, but getting it to hang right..." He drags the manikin over to the workbench, into the bright light from the forge.
Nesseth hums as he watches Cavro setting the armor up. "Well, if you need me to help out in some way, I'll do what you need me to. Thankfully, it's not a lot of links, but I know it won't be a fast fix, either."
Cavro nods, turning the manikin in the light until the damaged area is highlighted just right. "Not too much I I I can ask you to actively do, other than than than passing tools." He runs his palm over the chainmail, and then traces his fingertip along the lines of iron links, humming. "Seven broken, nine too bent to to to fix. The others are are are probably okay. This was... Garwin's doing, while you you you all were on Mean Peak?"
Nesseth nods. "Yeah, but I don't blame him since he was still under the effects of all that stuff that was going on at the time. Thankfully, I've not had to wear the gear since then, which is why it kind of slipped my mind until now."
Cavro chuckles, smiling at Nesseth. "I don't blame him, either. I I I needed to make a new set of travel armor for him and Victoria when they they they came back. I I I rarely had to fix Garwin's gear, so so so I knew that he must have been in some trouble to to to abandon his things. Pass that that that link splitter, please?" He indicates a pair of cutting pliers near Nesseth's left elbow.
Nesseth lifts his arm up a bit as he looks over to where Cavro's pointing, then nods as he picks up the pliers and passes it over. "Here you go. Yeah, by the time we found them, Garwin's gear was long gone. They'd been stuck out there for a little while, so it's... maybe a little unsurprising."
Cavro accepts the tool with a nod, deftly beginning to pop the bent links open without removing them completely. "Well really... Could anyone expect a a a full sized bear to fit in your travel armor?" After splitting the errant links, Cavro recounts them and trots around the workbench to his supply shelves.
Nesseth chuckles a bit as he watches Cavro working on the links. "Fair enough. It didn't help that we had to bring him back as a giant bear instead of his usual... er... bear-self. But more that I don't think his gear was anywhere near where we first found him. It looked like he'd been wandering around a bit, and Victoria was following him."
Cavro hums, drawing out a drawer full of rings that match the size of those in his chainmail, bringing a handful along back to the manikin. "I thought I I I heard a rumor of that. Seems the the the indomitable leopard has a a a bit of a soft spot for him, hm?" He pauses, looking over his shoulder, then to Nesseth. "D-don't tell her I I I said th-that, okay?"
Nesseth laughs a bit, nodding along. "Don't worry, I won't say a thing. Honestly, she cares a lot about her friends, but she just has an odd way of showing it. According to her, she just didn't want him doing something stupid."
Cavro grins nervously, laying the new links down on the table within reach as he turns toward the forge. "I I I haven't spoken to her many times... I'll take your word on on on her personality, though." He lays a long, thin rod of iron in the mouth of the forge. "They're doing alright though? No um... Problems after they they they turned back?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "Nope, nothing long-lasting, best as I can tell. Garwin still feels a bit guilty about the whole thing; poor guy still apologizes to me for the tackle sometimes no matter how many times I tell him it's okay. Victoria... hasn't changed much at all, really." He chuckles again.
Cavro nods, listening carefully out of concern for Erika, clearly relieved of some worry. He begins hooking the new rings in next to the broken ones, setting them in the same way before fully removing the damage. "That's good... I guess it was a a a pretty big hurdle for Doctor Plume to deal with, too, hmm?"
Nesseth nods a bit, sighing. "Yeah... it was a bit outside of Plume's expertise, but they did what they could for them. Thankfully, it worked out well in the end, and everyone recovered without trouble. Poor Plume was a bit stressed, though, I could tell."
Cavro smiles warmly, looking to Nesseth. "I'm sure you you you have been a great help to them, though." Using the cutting pliers, Cavro closes the four links he's inserted so far, carefully lining the ends of the hoops up.
Nesseth smiles a bit. "I did what I could to help them relax, yeah... Though when it came to actual medical things, I just stayed out of their way, since they know way more about that than I do."
Cavro chuckles, turning to the forge and pulling the iron rod from the fire, the end glowing brightly and drooping slightly. Picking up a narrow hammer in his other hand, the badger sets the iron against a ring for a few moments before striking them together, sealing the split point. "How have have have things been otherwise? If you don't mind telling me, that that that is!"
Nesseth smiles more warmly. "It's been good for a while, now. Things are somewhat quiet, but considering how busy things are during the day, that's not a bad thing at all. Outside of our jobs, it's nice to just relax a bit, you know?"
Cavro mirrors the smile, pausing after the last ring is sealed before he turns to set the cooling rod back into the fire. "Oh yes, you you you are certainly right about that. It's not that I I I have a lot of stress while working... But I never used to to to really relax outside of here before." He starts on closing the next set of rings with the cutters while the iron heats up again.
Nesseth nods. "Work's not very stressful if it's something you like doing a lot, and I can see how working a forge might even be a little relaxing with the right mindset." He smirks after a moment, however, "But I bet you find yourself being able to relax easier nowadays outside of the forge, hm?"
Cavro nods, then begins to blush under his fur, the scarred-thin fuzz around his snout not doing much to hide it. "A a a little bit... Yes." He grins sheepishly, trying to hide the happy embarrassment by fetching the iron again. "Although... Erika's transformation and the the the growing population, and the generator parts... I'm really glad to to to have had a helping hand." He glances around, noticing that Nora hadn't come in yet. "...Usually."
Nesseth chuckles as he catches sight of the blush on Cavro's snout for a moment before the badger turns away. "Yeah, your hands are pretty full at the moment, I imagine. Though, once things settle back down, especially with the generator, it'll hopefully get a little easier for you."
Cavro grins as his blush subsides, popping the rings permanently shut as he did before. "I hope so... Not that I I I haven't been enjoying the the the work. Especially the generator, in fact. Such a big challenge!" He glances toward a bevy of waiting clay molds near the closed large doors, huge parts prepared to be cast for the third stage.
Nesseth follows Cavro's eyes towards the molds. "Oh, yeah, speaking of... how is that coming along? Every time I pass by the generator structure during the day, I can hear May hard at work getting the main thing set up."
Cavro sets the iron in the forge again, starting on closing the last set of open rings. "I think she she she is almost ready to charge the containment. Some mage lady named Elizabeth is is is going to help, if if if I recall."
Nesseth tilts his head. "Elizabeth...? Oh, yeah, I think I know who you're talking about. That saves May a lot of trouble having to get mages from Sarn over here to do the charging, I bet."
Cavro nods, but pauses for a moment. "Mages, as as as in more than one? Is that normal?" He clicks the last ring together, giving the rod a bit more time to heat back up as he examines the first sets for flaws.
Nesseth shrugs. "I'm afraid I don't really know. It might just take one to charge and the others to observe or something, since bureaucrats love their red tape."
Cavro laughs, shaking his head a bit. "And then when they get get get past the red tape, they want it done yesterday!" He pulls the hot iron from the forge again, the hammered end breaking off and falling to the stone floor, leaving a fresh surface to continue working from.
Nesseth chuckles. "Exactly. They delay it long enough so that they can complain that it wasn't done faster, but when it gets done fast, they complain about other things. It's a never-ending cycle, sometimes."
Cavro nods, giving Nesseth a bit of a sideways glance. "I know, the the the guard used to be really bad for it. If I can can can be a bit candid with you, your your your old quartermaster was a jerk." He pounds the iron into the last ring, the hardwood manikin underneath finally relenting as a flame springs to life, licking the chainmail for a few seconds before putting itself out. He nods at the manikin, grinning. "Ooh, that's good luck."
Nesseth shakes his head, smiling. "I think that was the thoughts of a fair few of the guards before the quartermaster got posted elsewhere, so don't worry about it. He blinks and tilts his head at Cavro's last statement, though. "That's good luck?"
Cavro nods a bit more, bending closer to the new links to examine them tugging the bottom of the armor before turning the manikin to face Nesseth. "A a a bit of superstition, perhaps. A flare only at at at the very last strike is supposed to be a a a blessing." The new links have the same partial scorch as the others, if just a bit shinier than their neighbors, but otherwise the rows of iron links are neatly settled together. The flame left the links unmarred, despite the triangular scorch on the wood.
Nesseth looks over the newly-mended chainmail with a smile, nodding at Cavro's handiwork. "Well, I won't say no to a little extra luck. You made fast work of it, Cavro, so thank you for that!" He smiles as he looks over at the badger, "How much do I owe you for the repair?"
Cavro grins, shrugging. "You wont let me say say say nothing, right? Sixteen links... Sixteen coin is fine."
Nesseth blinks, then laughs and nods as he pulls out his money pouch and starts counting out the coins. "Oh, you sneaky blacksmith... Well, payment is payment, I guess. At least it's money in your pocket for some good work." He counts out 16 coins, then passes them to Cavro, "Here you go!"
Cavro chuckles, slipping the chainmail from the manikin and quickly looking at how it hangs before handing it off to Nesseth. "Well your your your company was certainly worth more than the work, can't overcharge you too much."
Nesseth accepts the chainmail shirt and gives it a look over as well, then nods as he drapes it over his arm. "Well, I'm glad you aren't tired of my company already, because I'll definitely be stopping by to enjoy the warmth of the forge more often as it gets colder." He holds up the chainmail for a moment, the links clinking together a bit, "Not to mention for repairs and such whenever something happens."
Cavro nods, setting the iron and hammer aside on the forge mantle before pushing the manikin back to it's corner. "Any time, Nesseth, don't don't don't hesitate to visit." He looks about at the half-finished order for the library, his main target for the day. "Now, not that I want to shoo you out or or or anything..."
Nesseth nods. "It's alright, I know you've got a bunch of stuff on your plate. Have a good day, Cavro, and thanks for the quick repair!" He smiles happily as he turns to head out of the forge, waving his free hand as he goes, "And tell Erika I said hi, if you happen to see her today."
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - MID-MORNING
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Brunilda walks into the bar, looking more than a bit distressed and worried. Wanting to find certain giraffe... and sort of hoping she could still postpone seeing her. By the time Brunilda returned to the alley, Fiora had vanished and Brunilda could not find her, leading to a flood of questions the elephant could not answer. This led to a restless night and a distracted morning. Whatever happens... she has to find out.
Fiora yawns as she tiredly walks down into the bar commons in her jogging attire. She's moving a bit slowly, without much intent to jog today thanks to her aching ribs. Still stiff from the fight the day before, and right now she needs something to drink, and a plate of something greasy. She's still a little foggy, and walking up to Brun, she stops just short of the elephant and freezes up, suddenly really unsure what to say.
Brunilda freezes as well as Fiora steps in front of her, swallowing. "H-hi." Her voice is weak, tentative.
Fiora stops, blinking away the sleepiness for a moment as she stares at Brun. "Uh, hi?"
Brunilda swallows, trying to stop that bit of a blush creeping to her face as THIS is the time her mind reminds what she did to Fiora in the Minnow once. "I uh... couldn't find you."
Fiora blinks a moment, trying to figure out what Brun means. "Oh! Uh... clinic. Then bed. Got up at some point for a beer. I didn't think you'd want to look."
Brunilda blinks, then shifts her position: "I..." She looks aside, cursing under her breath for a moment: "...had all thoughts to you, a-and now I'm just... augh."
Fiora shifts her head a bit to examine Brun, "You uh... need a beer or a..." She sighs, shaking her head. "Look... Brun... I uh... I'm sorry. About... well, a bunch of crap really. But most of yesterday."
Brunilda glances at Fiora: "...yeah, me too. Could we... should we talk it over, at least?" She motions towards the bar.
Fiora glances over at the bar and nods. "Yeah, probably. I gotta try to at least."
Brunilda nods, then without more than a small relieved sigh, steps to the bar and gets herself a drink, sitting down at the usual table. There has to be some way of making sense of all these feelings, she muses to herself.
Fiora opts for a coffee, needing as much caffeine as she can get right now, then joins Brun at her table, crossing her arms, unsure how to state what she needs to state either. "Mrph. Never been one to uh, talk about this kind of stuff with folks, you know? Or much at all. I'm a do-er. Sitting still makes me... I don't know. Itch. Now I'm trying to build something in Respite to be a place to sit still. I just suck at it."
Brunilda nods, sighing: "Yeah, I'm... I suppose first time out here alone. I have no idea what I'm doing, but..." She trails off, chewing on the thought for a moment: "...when I hit you, when I realized I hurt you... I think I got hurt myself."
Fiora sighs. "Ugh. Sorry. I was trying to... I don't actually know what I was trying to do I guess. I've worked with Gareth so long he's practically family. For awhile, he was the only person I could trust. I couldn't betray him. But I couldn't hit you either. I got you into that whole mess, afterall. Figured... take your anger out on me, you know? I deserved it, afterall."
Brunilda sighs as well, shaking her head slightly: "Perhaps. But I didn't really want to, not after a moment... hit you, either." She looks aside, frowning: "Doesn't matter now, which of us was right. Gareth's probably halfway across the continent with Strix, anyway."
Fiora manages to laugh at least, "If he was, I wouldn't be so pissed about this whole situation! Cause if he was gone, then at least I could say what I did was in the right." She snorts, glancing away from Brun. "But nope. I just jumped right into things without thinking. Just like always. But I can't just skip town like usual this time."
Brunilda blinks, then blinks again, looking at Fiora in surprise: "Huh? He's not? But he made me back away at gunpoint to escape..."
Fiora rolls her eyes. "Yeah, that sounds like a thing he'd do." She glances around for any roving eyes or ears around the bar before she continues, "And then he interrogated Strix and let him go. Gareth thinks we got lied to, a bounty in bad faith. I don't know what the little lizard said, but it convinced Gareth."
Brunilda looks at Fiora disbelievingly for a moment, then shakes her head: "...I could have told you that Strix was innocent. Quirky, but largely harmless, that kobold." She frowns: "So we fought for no reason in the end."
Fiora doesn't look back at Brun for some time, keeping her eyes on the floor of the bar. "More or less... a real shit job. Happens, from time to time. Lot of work for nothing... lot of hard feelings for nothing. I... sorry."
Brunilda takes a sip of her drink, thinking for a moment. She then looks at Fiora with a slightly softer gaze: "...how are you holding up? I didn't hurt you too much, did I?"
Fiora looks back up and grins sheepishly, "Heh, I'm Fury the Indestructible!" She thumps a fist against her chest and winces, then chuckles through a bit of a weeze as she catches her breath. "Heh... you cracked a rib. I've had worse though."
Brunilda sighs, nodding. "That for me 'doing the right thing'. I thought I was..."
Fiora continues to laugh, coughing a bit before she reins it in. "You were. Moreso then me, at least. I... shouldn't have asked you to come." She shakes her head, "Not because of what happened. That's on me. I just... should've listened to myself. I... wanted you to... join us, I guess. I know you had a crush on me. I... still don't know what I'm thinking. But you're fun enough to hang out with and spar with."
Fiora slumps down a little, "I know hunting with Gareth made us feel like family. Thought... if you and I went on some hunts together..." She leaves the last logical jump hanging.
Brunilda is quiet as Fiora talks, looking at her curiously. Then: "...I had a crush... now, I don't know." She considers: "If I had not stopped fighting you as I did, what would you have done?"
Fiora sighs. "Bought Gareth time. I... couldn't fight back. The things you said about it all hit too close to home, and it was all my fault already that you were there." She lets out a nervous chuckle, "Though uh, between you and me, one more hit like that first one and I'd have been on the ground."
Brunilda frowns, leaning her cheek on one arm: "Fat lot of good fighting well does if I do it... like that. For wrong reasons. Although I didn't know at the time... augh." She sighs, then considers quietly for another moment. "...what made you want to act on this bounty? You sound like you weren't sure either."
Fiora raises an eyebrow, "Eh? I don't know. Kobold Thieves are a dime a dozen in almost any port city, especially in Orela. No one really misses them whenever you smoke them out to recover something actually valuable that they stumble into. So for all of that... The bounty seemed too big."
Brunilda frowns, sighing slightly: "I suppose I don't really know, don't have your experience." She lowers her hand to the table: "It's not for me."
Fiora nods. "Yeah... yeah, I figured. I think I knew that even when I was asking you."
Brunilda looks at Fiora: "You asked anyway. You... wanted me there. Why?"
Fiora looks at Brun, "Like I said... that kind of action, the adreneline, it's what gets my blood flowing. I thought... maybe you'd enjoy it. Maybe it'd help us grow closer, as friends, or... whatever. I don't know."
Brunilda nods, then looks aside: "Well... I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy fighting, sparring, the like. But..." She looks back up: "I want to do it for the right reasons. To better myself, or to protect those in need of protecting."
Fiora grips her coffee cup, thinking hard. "Me too... once. Still. I dunno. I became a bounty hunter to stop folks that others refused to stop. I joined the guard first, cause I thought that was the answer, but the Westport garrison I joined was getting kickbacks from this asshole smuggler who was basically running the docks like his own little kingdom." She clenches her fist. "If I couldn't get justice through the guards... I went and got it myself. Been trying to take all the right jobs ever since... but that's... harder than it seems."
Brunilda nods, her expression dropping slightly: "There's never really... one right answer, is there?" She looks up: "I mean, look at me, not like I have any clue what I'm doing with my life. At least you know what you want to be doing."
Fiora pffts, "What gave you that idea? I'm just rushing ahead, and whenever I get in over my head, I just move on. Leave the mess I made behind me, and hope the asshole I captured or killed was doing more harm then I did." She sighs. "It's really easy to just pretend it's all black and white, but it's not. And now, I got nowhere else to go. So... I'm trying to make a life outside of that hunt here. And I've screwed it up at every step, Brun."
Brunilda shrugs: "Well, you've certainly made an impression on me, if nothing else." She considers: "Nowhere else to go? I thought you were considering leaving any day now?"
Fiora shrugs back, "On a hunt, maybe. Gareth is always looking for new jobs. But... I need someplace to call 'home'. I used to have Westport... not anymore though." She sighs, sadly. "Not anymore."
Brunilda lowers her expression and voice slightly: "...dare I ask?"
Fiora closes her eyes a moment, clearly conflicted. "My... Mom. My Mom died."
Brunilda winces: "S-sorry."
Fiora shakes her head, "Don't be. Not like you did it. No one did."
Brunilda nods quietly, thinking of her own Mom, presumably still alive back in Ondonga. They would have sent her a message if something happened. Right?
Brunilda then just looks at Fiora: "So... what happens now?"
Fiora blinks, then laughs. "Heh. Hell if I know, Brun."
Brunilda gives a wry smile: "Well... at least in that and in terms of blows, we're pretty even." She takes a sip of her near-forgotten beer, frowns at it and puts it back down.
Fiora slowly smiles back. "Yeah. Guess so. If you're fine with that, I am too."
Brunilda nods slowly: "Yeah... I think I am." She reaches her hand over the table, offering it for Fiora: "We fought over... nothing. It did hurt, but... f-friends?"
Fiora lifts her arm up to clasp Brun's. "...Friends. Yeah. Thanks."
Brunilda sighs, glancing aside: "It's not like I have anywhere to go, and... it's a bit small town to avoid each other." She gives Fiora a small, hopeful smile.
Fiora chuckles, "Yeah. We're too big to not notice each other."
Brunilda nods: "I think I once said something about... not having to look down. Or was it you that said that?"
Fiora chuckles, "Was definitely one of us."
Brunilda grasps Fiora's hand for a moment, then lets go. She hesitates for a moment, some part of her wanting to keep that hope for maybe more alive, but she quickly pushes it aside. "When you feel better, we better spar... with perhaps less vitriol in our hearts."
Fiora chuckles, "You'll be first on my dance card, Brun."
Brunilda smiles, then shakes her head slightly: "It's crazy, isn't it? We fight seriously, and the way to fix things is to... spar. Are we that nuts?"
Fiora grins slowly, "I for one, have never claimed to be all that sane. So yeah, probably. It's something we both enjoy, so why wouldn't we want to do it together. It's just no fun when the uh... the serious crap gets in the way, I guess."
Brunilda shrugs, still smiling: "I guess you're right. And ever since to coming this town, trying to find my place... sanity has certainly been in low supply at points."
Fiora chuckles, "That's not just Respite... but you've got a point. I don't have anything even close to all of my shit together, but I'll tell you one secret of life I've learned. Everyone is insane in their own little way."
Brunilda shakes her head slightly: "I'm not sure I believe that, lots of folk seem to have their puzzle together a lot better than us."
Fiora laughs, "Better then us? Maybe. But ask around. I'll bet even the most confident folks have their own fears and worries. The ones who say they're fine are lying."
Brunilda gives a small smile once more: "Maybe, then. I can't really tell, I get so lost in my own thoughts so much." She pauses, glancing at Fiora: "Maybe I could use an occasional slap in the face, then."
Fiora chuckles, giving Brun a lazy salute. "I can do my best. I sure as hell need them too sometimes."
Brunilda chuckles: "Call it a deal, then? While we figure out what the heck we're doing, we call each other out on the stupidest things if we can?"
Fiora grins, "You've got your work cut out for you. But... deal."
Brunilda cracks her neck as she starts to get up: "So do you."
Fiora grins, "Fair enough."
Brunilda gets up and offers her hand to Fiora once more: "Looking forward to sparring with you."
Fiora grasps Brun's hand again, squeezing a bit with a grin. "Looking foward to it as well."
Brunilda chuckles, gives Fiora a nod, then turns to go away. "Looking forward to seeing you otherwise as well. Take care, beautif-" She blinks, glances at Fiora and hastens her steps out.
Fiora tilts her head, watching Brun go a moment, then turns back to the table with a laugh, picking up her coffee and taking a sip.