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RESPITE STREETS - MIDDAY
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Tarbin has been wandering for hours through the town, carefully plodding along and making sure to keep track of his turns to give himself a mental map of Respite, seeing as the lizard now plans on making a home here. Still, he has a feeling that he may have wandered a bit too much, leaning on his cane slightly as he plods to a stop. The lizard turns on the spot, looking from blurry shape to blurry shape, shaking his head slightly.
Narrator: A recent addition to Respite, the young, pristine, fluffy short white cat known as Teis roams her new surroundings. Plenty to explode-I mean explore, even in a smaller town like this. Her curiosity fuels her. Sadly, her sister has insisted on setting a good first impression amongst the entire town, so Teis has been forced to go out in a very prim and proper dress, instead of her lab equipment or something more casual. She's hit up a few locations in town - And judging from the bag with her, it seems to have mostly been food places. She carries a modest amount of fruits, snacks and pastries by the time she bumps into the Lizard, her eyes immediately drawn to Tarbin's twin tails, then to the rest of Tarbin's rather weary-looking form. "Hey. Hey Mister." The young cat, her head only coming up to the top of Tarbin's cane, greets Tarbin.
Tarbin turns, looking for the voice he hears, his gaze dropping to Teis with a nod. "Ah hello little one, am I in your way?" He looks toward the buildings, thinking he may be standing in front of a walkway. When he looks back toward Teis, it's as if he's looking at a spot just past her, his eyes not quite settling on the cat.
Teis: "No, no, you're not in the way." Teis assures with a nod of her own. "I'm just new to Respite. If it isn't any trouble, actually, I'd like to chat?" Teis tilts her head in hope. She notes Tarbin's odd gaze, though doesn't bring attention to it. She has a hunch that it'd be rude to.
Tarbin hums, nodding after a moment as he smiles. "Of course, is good to meet more folks. I am new as well, in a way, but this place has been very welcoming to me. I might be terrible for giving directions though, I am sorry."
Teis smiles. "Wonderful. And that's okay, I won't ask for directions. I really do just want to talk." Teis re-assures. "May I ask your name, mister?" Teis questions.
Tarbin chuckles, shrugging. He does hope that some day he will be at least as useful as a map to the others around Respite. "Yes, if I may know yours as well. I am Tarbin."
Teis: "Teis." She offers, "Tarbin. Forgive my bluntness. Maybe you get this a lot. But your two tails. I've only read about them in books. But you! You're a first hand source! I, I mean if it isn't too personal to ask, of course!" Teis backpedals slightly. She does sound legitimately excited, though.
Tarbin blinks. A lot of good that does him. He chuckles again after a moment, looking toward his tails as they sweep on the ground to rest beside him. "Ah, you mean to ask if I have magic, yes? In a way, it seems people here say I do."
Teis: "Ah! Yes! My textbooks said that they were important in, well I guess, your culture's past. Only the chosen few born with them were even allowed to practice magic, and they did so with even greater ability than their single-tailed brethren!" Teis swoons over the history. She's into it, evidently.
Tarbin smiles, though his expression seems to have slipped a little. Teis' blatant enthusiasm serves to burn that shadow away though as he grins when she finishes. "History written isn't always so close to truth, but that sounds more or less correct. A split tail is a sign of born connection to some power. For me..." He pauses, looking towards his tails as they seek out a scraggly weed struggling it's way up through the cobblestones. His blue-ish scales shift to orange where they touch the plant, and within a few seconds it begins to grow and thrive, slowing to a stop after he draws his tail away from it.
Teis tilts her head quizzically at first, following Tarbin's gaze to his tail, then following the tail. Then, when the shimmering occurs and the plant grows, Teis' expression returns to one of wonder. "Oooooh." She voices in awe, though her demeanour suddenly shifts. "Ack! Muffins! I wish I brought my goggles!" She grabs her ears with both of her hands, that food-filled bag of hers swung up into the air during the brief outburst.
Teis removes her hands from her ears. "Tarbin! Could you do that again?"
Tarbin tilts his head slightly at her outburst, his look of slight worry shifting to curiosity. "Er... I could, yes... What is 'gawgles' though? I am sorry, Common is not my language."
Teis: "Oh. Uuuh. An apparatus that is conducive in the perception, ascertainment, scrutinization, and chronicling of the arcane, magical or otherwise phenomena." Use less complicated words, Teis, not more.
Tarbin just soft of stares in Teis' general direction, his tails twitching slightly after a pause. "I will assume you know what you are talking about, I unfortunately do not. But if it is important to you, I am happy to help. Forgive me for not understanding."
Teis: "They're - Yes. Important. For learning." Teis nods. "And thank you, Tarbin. This means a lot to me, so I appreciate it. I know it isn't much but. . ." Teis pauses, growing a bit quiet. I have assorted snacks for lunch? If you want something? Maybe? No?" Teis hesitantly suggests, as if expecting to be scolded for even daring to offer. She's just trying to be nice.
Tarbin chuckles quietly, shrugging. "You know more than expected, I think. I am perhaps a bit lost and about to ask how too get back to my temporary home. Er... In short, yes, I would be happy to accept lunch." He taps the cane as if punctuating his thought. "Lead the way, Teis."
Teis phews. No scolding today. "Wait. You're lost? Wait." Oh. That's why Tarbin brought up directions earlier. "Wouldn't I just make you more lost if you followed me back to my lab?" Teis questions.
Tarbin: "I do not think I could be more lost than I already am. In both, I am asking for directions, but following you I am at least helpful." And fed. He hadn't really given as much thought to the fact he hadn't eaten since early morning until Teis had brought it up.
Teis thinks about this for a moment before nodding. "Makes sense! Follow me, then!" Teis enthusiastically leads the way, back to her and her Sister's recently completed small, gated estate on the edge of Respite. While not overly opulent compared to where they used to live in the big city, it was certainly overkill for a place like Respite. In the middle of the grounds, by itself, lies Teis' lab.
Teis: It is intentionally as far away from the rest of the estate and Respite. Something about 'damage control'. Once outside the lab, Teis excuses herself inside briefly to grab her magitech goggles - A cacophony of assorted lenses, varying in shapes, sizes and functions. A mechanical and magical monstrosity. "Here. These are my goggles. But we should eat first. I'm certainly hungry myself. I'm just, uh, planning on sitting under the tree just over there." Teis points nearby. "Do you want a chair?"
Tarbin follows along behind Teis as best he can, silently thankful that her bright fur and dress make for a significantly unique blur to track. Of course, he would be impressed with the grounds and buildings if... Well. Instead, Tarbin mostly keeps his eyes on Teis and her assumedly impressive device, nodding to her question. "I do not want to be a bother, of course, but my leg is still healing. A chair would be most helpful, thank you." He looks about, seeing the tree she motions toward and beginning to half-hobble in that direction.
Teis nods. Chair. Chair, chair chair. . .Chair. . .Just grab Della's chair from the lab! She won't mind, right? No, surely not. . . Teis disappears back into the lab once more, returning with Della's chair, placing it down next to the tree for Tarbin. "Sorry it's a bit small. Sis and I, well, we're small. But hopefully it'll do?" Teis hopefully asks, simply sitting on the ground herself. Delicately, she places her goggles on the ground as well, followed by the bag of food. "Please. Help yourself." Teis insists.
Tarbin grins, patting the chair to get an idea of it's size before he delicately settles down on it. He leans his cane against the tree before reaching into the bag and retrieving a couple of the smaller apples she'd bought, raising them with a nod as he thanks her. "Many thanks, Teis. This seems like a nice homestead, though I apologize that I cannot give you any compliments on it." He takes a bite from the apple, finding it relatively dry and tart, though not against his taste.
Teis herself begins to dig in. She turns out to be a bit of a voracious eater, evidently. Despite her speed, she's purring, so she must be enjoying the food, right? She clears her mouth fully whenever she needs to speak. She seems uneasy when the homestead is brought up, as if she doesn't know how to handle the subject. "Oh. Um. Yeah, that's quite alright, Tarbin. I. . .Promise I didn't take you here just to. . .You know. . ." Teis trails off. ". . .It wasn't my intention to show off." She mutters apologetically. The purring stops.
Tarbin finishes his apple to the core, nodding as she speaks. "I do not mean anything bad by it, there is no shame to be had for living well... If you do well by others. I simply can not see anything well enough to comment." He seems unfazed by this fact at this point, though he has no interest in getting too used to being essentially blind. While his gaze is unfocused on Teis, his eyes don't appear damaged in any normal way.
Teis: "Oh? Oh!" Teis bounces back. "Oh I see! I mean, I understand! Sorry! I mean, I had a suspicion, just thought it'd be rude to ask, you know?" Teis nervously chuckles. She digs back into more food, resuming her purring again. She hopes that any mention of the estate remains unspoken. She lives here, sure. Maybe she even likes it. But she respects that she's lucky.
Tarbin chuckles, finding her attitude endearing. "I have found many do not care to mention it, is of little concern to me. Well, that is not quite right, I would like to seek a cure, but lack the money to pay someone to help, and my most recent prospect had an... Issue when they decided to charge the town generator alone." The second apple in his hand creaks slightly as he grips it in his attempt to keep his voice even against the still-fresh frustration.
Teis: "Oh." Teis saddens again, the purring quietening, though not ceasing completely this time. There was a delay in their schedule to move very recently. something about the town generator. Related? "Do. . .You know what it is? I mean, maybe I'm reading into it too deeply, but your choice of word, 'cure', implies that surgery. . .Well, isn't of use?" Teis questions.
Tarbin pauses, looking at his hand and sighing slightly. "I would not want to hurt your mood, I am sorry. It is a curse, that is all. The doctor already had their look and asked their questions." He smiles after a few moments, shrugging. "Is not a problem for you, of course, I will find help some day. What did you need from me?" He takes a bite of the second apple, still holding the first core in his other hand.
Teis: "No. It's just. I want to help. But the money here isn't mine to control. . ." Teis admits. "And my expertise is in the arcane and alchemical arts, not optometry. . ." She sighs. She shakes her head, bouncing back. "Oh. I uh. I'd really like it if you could do that thing you did back in the street again. This time while I'm watching through my goggles."
Tarbin nods, getting the idea of what she's after. "I can do that, yes, just let me know when you are ready. Anything you want in particular?"
Teis: "No, nothing in particular." Teis finishes up her current food, making sure to pick up after herself and deposit her trash into another bag. Then, she dons her goggles, fiddling with the various lenses and staring intently at Tarbin. "Ready!" She announces.
Tarbin chuckles from her enthusiasm again, grinning as he takes a bite from the second apple. "Alright, let's see..." He glances down at the grass, 'seeing' much more than Teis might realize as Nature's nearby flow is rather obvious to him in a sixth sense sort of way. He leans over to his right, holding both apples remains in his left hand as he pokes a clawed finger into the grass, scales shifting to orange again. While there's nothing particularly different about Tarbin's own magic, the ambient magic around his hand becomes denser, pulled from the soil and directed through him into an unremarkable plant among the grass. Soon, a taller stalk has sprouted, the young thistle unfurling leaves before buds appear, which bloom into oddly yellow petals. He pulls away from the plant, nodding to it as if in thanks as he straightens up again. The yellow of the petals shifts to it's more natural white, though some stragglers remain the tainted color while the ambient natural magic settles again.
Teis' hands sit carefully on her lenses. She adjusts them with an expert's precision, quickly finding an optimal set of settings in the first two seconds of Tarbin's magic, or rather, borrowing of magic, in order to witness the event in a detail she isn't capable of without them. "Ooooh. . ." Teis coos to herself. "Hm. Very interesting. I'd love to study you, I mean, what you just did, some more, Tarbin."
Tarbin hesitates at her wording, tilting his head slightly when he turns back to her. "I would be happy to demonstrate more if it would help you, though I should be finding my way back to the Thirsty Minnow at some point." He lifts his third apple, taking a bite of the fresh flesh as he idly rolls his fourth apple. They look strangely familiar, and his previous cores have mysteriously vanished.
Teis doesn't seem to notice the cores mysteriously disappearing, nor questions where the third or fourth apples came from despite Tarbin not having reached back into the bag. "It would, yes. I would be a poor scientist to make a conclusion with only one observation!" Teis laughs. "I should go get my notepad." With that, Teis stands up, disappearing into her lab yet again. She returns with pencil and paper.
Tarbin enjoys his apples while she's gone, finding himself more than full enough by the time she gets back. With a polite nod, Tarbin and Teis continue their discussion and demonstrations into the afternoon, leaving a small garden patch next to the tree on either side of Tarbin's seat by the time they've wrapped.
Teis: All the while, Teis is scribbling away and directing Tarbin to use his gift of nature in various ways. Eventually, Teis believes that she has observed and recorded enough. She thanks Tarbin for his time, even offering to help guide him back to the Thirsty Minnow. . .Despite having no idea where it is herself. At the very least, they'll have each other's company while lost in the town.
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RESPITE FALLS - NORTHERN OVERLOOK - EVENING
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Maybelline sits upon Louma's tail, leaning against her after a good meal with good company, before the swan-snake flew the two of them just outside the city to an overlook, giving a beautiful view of the city as the sun has set, and the moon illuminating it all in addition to the powered streetlamps, sighs happily, looking up at the moon as she clings to Louma a little. "Beautiful night. So different from the nights back home."
Louma sighs, more than content to simply be spending her free time with Maybelline. She looks up toward the sky on May's prompting, humming to herself for a moment. "You're right, it certainly is. But any beautiful night is only made so much better with you by my side~" She pauses, giggling as she looks back to May. "Or on it."
Maybelline blushes, turning to stare up at Louma. "F-flatter... I mean, even if I feel the same," She smiles. "Which I absolutely do."
Louma smiles warmly at May. "I can't imagine being anywhere else right now, though I suppose you're feeling a little nostalgic for home? That's not the first time you're mentioned it tonight."
Maybelline hums, nodding. "Guess so... still doesn't feel like I've been in Respite all that long. I guess it... sorta hit me hard tonight. It's Devil's Night tonight."
Louma pauses, giving May a bit of a look, though she giggles a bit at the same time. "Devil's Night? I don't think I've heard of that."
Maybelline chuckles, "Probably just a thing in Sarn? I didn't hear anything about Respite celebrating it. Stories in Sarn said tonight is the night that devils come up to torment the living. But mostly, it was just a time for folks to dress up in costumes. It was fun! Especially as a kid."
Louma nods, understanding fairly easily. "That sounds a bit familiar... Well, the costumes and celebrating spirits parts anyhow. Come to think of it, I suppose we haven't had a Shy Moon recently, as far as I know anyways." She's talking of course about a lunar eclipse. "A night when the moon should be full, but darkens for some time. There's usually some feasting and dancing, and elaborate costumes, all to tempt the moon to stop being shy and come back to us."
Maybelline giggles, "That sounds like fun. When I was at the university, any holiday was just an excuse to drink." She glances down, a bit embarrassed. "Now I just miss the stuff with my family. It's still weird... being so very far from them. I haven't even been gone a year."
Louma nods, sighing quietly as she considers the stoat. "I'm honestly glad we've both cut back on that... Only a once in a lifetime chance that something so wonderful would result from too much alcohol." She gently strokes May's back, "Perhaps once you've got the generator completed, we could... Take a trip to see them?"
Maybelline blinks. "I hadn't even thought about that. I mean, of course we could! I'm sure my parents would love to meet you! I mean, they don't even know about you! I should really write them a letter about that, but I don't even know if they got my last letter!" Her face drops, "Ugh... my last letter."
Louma chuckles quietly with Maybelline's enthusiasm, though she stops when May finishes. "Hm? Was there something wrong with your last letter?"
Maybelline shakes her head, "Only that it was me feeling all sorry for myself. Talking down the whole town, saying how miserable I was." She sighs. "I sent it before the generator explosion. Things have gotten pretty busy since then." She smiles up at Louma, "And things have gotten so much better for me, of course."
Louma smiles in return, bending to kiss the wonderful mechanic. "You should probably send a follow-up letter, before they get too worried. With that sort of letter, then nothing, they might just show up on your doorstep next week!"
Maybelline leans upwards to kiss back, "And I don't even live on that doorstep anymore! Which would buy us a little time, I suppose. But ah, you're right. I need to take time to pen them another letter."
Louma: "Are there any holidays coming up, since we've missed the window for Devil's Night, that you'd like to attend?" She leans back after the kiss, looking to the moon again as she relaxes.
Maybelline looks away from Louma, up to the moon as well. "A few... there's a celebration on the day of the longest night, where friends and family all feast together and exchange gifts. I... maybe was already planning to get you something. Suppose that's unfair if I did that without telling you beforehand."
Louma chuckles, nodding. "Winter solstice? Orela has a similar tradition, actually. I was going to ask about that eventually, when my mind didn't completely blank on looking at you~. I suppose that gives me my answer, though."
Maybelline giggles, "I'm not that good to look at." She looks back at Louma and just trails off, admiring her love. "Though... I guess I can see what you mean." She reaches over to hug an arm around Louma's waist. "I should ask you about Orelan holidays too, so we can do our best to plan for them as well."
Louma blushes, looking to May and blushing a bit more. She sets her hand on May's side, humming. "There are quite a few celebrations, actually. Snakes in particular are still very observant of traditions that offer to the stars and moon. Every full moon brings another celebration, and the last full moon of the season is a big event, like celebrating a bountiful harvest, or the end of the stormy season. They're not Imaginatively named."
Maybelline nods thoughtfully, "Folks in Sarn don't look to the stars or moon for much. There's a pretty big observatory in the western mountains, but that's more for study. I've seen some of the star charts they make, fascinating stuff but a little outside of my studies." She blinks, "Err... all that is to say... I'd love to learn more. Not just from a scientific standing, I mean."
Louma hums, shrugging slightly. "I can certainly teach you all you'd like to know, sweets, but you know I don't lean as much toward the traditions of home as some. I may not have all the nuances down any more." She gently rubs May's side, thinking for a moment. "Of course, we can just create our own traditions. Those I'd be very happy to be part of~"
Maybelline leans against Louma, nuzzling against her side as Louma caresses her. "Same. I'm thinking about Devil's Night not because the holiday mattered... but because I have good memories of being with my family." Her eyes tear up a little, the stoat's sappy side bleeding through again, "I'd be very happy to make new traditions... new memories, with you."
Louma gives May a light hug, draping her wings around the two as a cool evening wind starts to pick up, the last hints of sunlight beginning to fade. "I look forward to it, too, my love. You can be my moon~"
Maybelline blushes, the red in her cheeks getting quite a bit more noticible as her fur has been growing whiter in the autumn months. She reaches back around and hugs Louma. "And then does that make you my stars?"
Louma can't help herself, putting on a pout and hurt voice. "I hope not, that would mean I'm dead!" She giggles shortly after, hugging May tighter, her face close to the stoat's.
Maybelline frowns, though it softens when Louma comes in closer to her, "I don't want that then! I just want you to know you're beautiful and special and unique. And I can't call you the Moon cause you already said it about me!"
Louma blushes brightly at the compliment, her heart shouldn't be skipping after so much time but it still does, defiantly. "Oh May, I'll be your stars, who cares what the others say it means." She kisses May with more passion than before.
Maybelline kisses back just as eagerly and passionately, pulling back only to take a breath, "Love, I only say it because... if I were an astronomer, I'd want to draw up charts of the position and movement of your celestial bodies~." She giggles, blushing, then begins to kiss anew.
Louma giggles, shaking her head. "Oh come on, -mmph!" Louma is blushing brightly, enthralled with May and her kisses at the moment.
Maybelline giggles when she pulls back once again. "Too much?"
Louma huffs on the kiss ending, giving May a stern look that completely fails from her giddy smile. "You're too much, but I'm up to the challenge of handling you~"
Maybelline smiles wide, "You're in luck! Cause I do like being handled by you~. I hope I don't give you too much trouble though. I don't want to add to your stress, afterall."
Louma kisses May's cheek, "Darling, you evaporate every bit of stress in me when you're around~"
Maybelline squeezes her arms around Louma, and rests her head against Louma. "Then I'm glad to be around whenever you want, Love."
Louma strokes May's back as she hugs her, humming as she tries to cool down a bit. "Thank you. I love you, May, I want to be there for you whenever you need me, as well."
Maybelline hums along, closing her eyes and enjoying the embrace. "I love you too. Thank you. Thank you."