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DOC'S OFFICE - MORNING
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Rondelethia: Officially, Rondelethia was going in for a routine check-up, but her note requesting an appointment had specified 'physical, and emotional wellbeing', and the general vibe of the note was leaning in the general direction that the latter was the main concern. Her physical was indeed, generally fine. Perhaps a need to get outside more, or an improvement of her diet, but nothing beyond the standard complaints all doctors have about all their patients. However, once that part of the check-up was done, Rondelethia would be sitting, in somewhat awkward silence, to work out how to broach the topic of the other subject of this check-up..
Doc Plume finishes jotting down some notes from the examination. "All right, so everything seems in order physically, Ms. Bouquet. There were other matters you wished to discuss?" They free their tail from the loop on the back of their suspenders and take a seat opposite the rabbit, giving her an appraising look.
Rondelethia wiggles her thumbs together, awkwardly "It is advice, on how to handle a delicate point at home. My sister is under sleeping, and overworking herself, trying to juggle too much at once, and I don't know how to approach it" She stops, takes a breath, and focuses. If she can't be honest about her problems here..well, it'll never happen "But..no..that's not it" That reserved facade cracks just a little bit "The problem is, that I feel like I have to run our business all by myself, and I can't even ask her for help, because she'll just collapse into another emotional wreck, and make me feel like the bad person in all this..but..I don't want to push her. I can't not though. If she doesn't work, then we can't stay here. She just thinks money is something only rich people care about, because ever since she's been brought into the family, we've given her everything she ever needs or wants..and" She takes a breath, and that facade returns, with some enforced rationality "But..none of that is fair on her to think either, so I just need..some way to make it all ..just...well..work out"
Doc Plume ponders this, tapping the back end of their pen against their desk. "Interesting. Now, I'm no family counsellor, but I know something of what you're talking about. This sister of yours, she's the magitechnician you mentioned before, yes?"
Rondelethia: "Yeah" She nods softly "My parents adopted her when she was very young, and she's my best friend, and its all been fine until we've come out here, but.." She shrugs helplessly
Doc Plume jots down a few notes before continuing. "So she's a clever type then... If you show her the data, the finances, it should make sense to her. Put it in terms she'll understand. That's how I managed to get my own family to allow me to pursue medicine..."
Rondelethia: "I've tried that, but then she just..gets all depressed, and overworks herself to do the things she wants to do, along with..well, her job, and then everyone feels sympathy for her, because it's like I'm forcing her to work..but..I don't want to work if she doesn't want to do it, but if she doesn't do the work that actually makes money, we're going to have to pull out of here, and go home, and I'll be the one that has to explain that to Father, since it was my idea in the first place" She feels very trapped by her position and very alone, judging by her speaking to the only person in town that's professionally sworn to not talk about it.
Doc Plume sets down their quill and shakes their head. "I wish I had answers for you, but I don't. I can speak to Teis if you like, but it sounds like this is something the two of you need to sort out between yourselves." They stand up and walk over to their ingredient cabinet and start picking out a few dried herbs before combining them in a mortar and pestling them vigorously. "I'm making you a relaxing tea to at least help you sleep better. Maybe you'll find an answer after some deeper slumber."
Rondelethia: "Thank you" She nods gracefully, and awaits for the tea to be put together for her "Maybe sleep will provide some relief, at least it would be one less issue for me"
Doc Plume fetches a box out of the bottom of the cabinet, one that contains the non-medicinal ingredients, and adds in a few things to improve the flavor before pouring the mix into a cloth and bundling it up. "It's the best I can do by myself." They tie a piece of twine around the top of the bundle and then sets it in front of Della. "Well, beyond offering a friendly ear, at least."
Rondelethia: "Thank you" She nods again, before turning to leave "Is there anything else?"
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Nothing beyond a request that Teis come in for an examination."
Rondelethia: "Okay, I can ask her to come in for a routine check-up" She nods quietly
Doc Plume gives a small smile. "Take care, and remember to have a cup of the tea half an hour before bed."
Doc Plume sees Della out and returns to their desk, pondering the situation more as they fix a cup of tea.
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Louma slithers inside, glistening from the downpour beating across the town, her cotton shirt not exactly taking the drenching well. Still, despite wanting to get out of the rain as quickly as possible, she still respectfully pauses in the doorway and shakes her wings clear of as much rain as she can before slithering in. Unfortunately for the barkeep, she can't exactly use the mat to keep from leaving a damp trail, but instead she makes a beeline for the nearest table and coils up there, waiting on a menu. Her tail may seem more eyecatching than usual, though perhaps it's just the water droplets catching the light.
Brunilda walks in some minutes after Louma, looking a bit exhausted but generally in a good mood despite her drenched look. She loosens a strap or two from her tighter armor pieces and cracks her neck before looking around. She gives Louma a small wave before continuing to try and drain at least most of the obvious big pockets of water from her gear.
Louma has received a hot cider, sipping away at it idly when Brun walks in. The swan perks up a bit when she spots Brunilda, waving back to her with a cheery smile. "Good evening Brunilda! I hope the day finds you... mmh, perhaps not well, your pockets seem to already be wells enough."
Brunilda chuckles as she seems satisfied enough in her still-entirely-wet state of being, moving onto Louma's table as she waves for a pint: "Yep, I'm good. Had a good fight at the 'grounds."
Louma blinks, giving her a bit of a grin after a moment. "You wouldn't fight just anyone in this weather, I hope the match was well worth it."
Brunilda raises an eyebrow as she sits down: "Weather? The rain just makes things more interesting. Not to mention refreshing." She smirks slightly then, though: "But yes. I persuaded Garwin for a wrestle. Lot of fun." A closer look in the light reveals mud... a lot of mud, all around Brunilda's gear and skin.
Louma chuckles, nodding. "Ah, I suppose you're right. I haven't had an opportunity to spar in weather like this in quite a few years. Not really an option to risk a cold, for me. Haven't had a chance to spar with Garwin in almost as long, come to think of it... Who came out on top?"
Brunilda shrugs: "I'm not sure. We decided it was a tie after fourteen rounds." She frowns slightly, musing: "Part of me feels guilty for persuading Garwin to fight when he really doesn't want to, but he's one of us so it'd be wrong not to ask, you know?"
Louma nods after taking a draught from her drink. "Mhm, he's an excellent guard, in any case. I'm impressed you got so much out of him, he must have really enjoyed those matches." She pauses, giving a little smile. That much effort, you're both going to feel it in every bone tomorrow."
Brunilda chuckles, taking a sip of her pint: "Maybe. That's tomorrow me's problem."
Louma shrugs, taking an idle look around the tavern. "Just make sure you're in as early as usual, I'm going to need a bit of catching up on the past three days, thank you." She pauses turning back to Brun. "Oh... I just realized May and I left you with a double doubled workload!"
Brunilda looks at Louma with a bit of scrutiny for a moment: "That you did... warn me next time, will you?" She then smiles despite that tiny bit of resentment: "How did your trip go, anyway?"
Louma chuckles, shaking her head slightly. "Terribly sorry, my leaving was planned, her joining me was spur-of-the-moment." She leans forward a bit, elbows resting on the table top. "Oh it went very well, the weather was agreeable. Nothing came out of the woods to bother us. May didn't vomit. And it was her first camping trip, so that was an experience, too!"
Brunilda starts to laugh, then pauses: "...didn't vomit? What?"
Louma blushes slightly, nodding as she looks down at her cider. "Mhm, that was a concern I had."
Brunilda looks at Louma curiously, but then just as well decides she's very much not curious. "I'll take your word for it..."
Louma sighs slightly, giving Brun a blank look for a second before she sets her hand on her coils. "It was shedding day. Not something folks without scales have much experience with."
Brunilda nods slowly: "Y-yeah, you can count me in that. No clue." She takes a gulp of her drink.
Louma chuckles, moving on. "So what have you been up to other than working and beating up poor Garwin?"
Brunilda shrugs, leaning on the table: "Trying to not think about Fiora all the time, probably."
Louma gives Brun a bit of a look, sighing very faintly. "Your friendship with her is still going well enough, then, even after that incident?"
Brunilda looks aside, blushing slightly: "Um... f-friendship. I think it still is? I mean, it is. But uh..."
Louma blinks, then blinks again. She can't help it, despite her feelings about Fiora and what happened with those bounty hunters and her guard, Louma starts smiling warmly at Brun. "Yeah, that is certainly what someone who is just friends would say. I just hope she doesn't do anything that would see you putting her in handcuffs. Or maybe I shouldn't hope against that?"
Brunilda looks at Louma with a slightly confused expression: "She... she wouldn't? I think." She frowns for a second, thinking: "...not that I'm jealous of you and Maybelline, but how do make it look so easy, being like that?"
Louma giggles at Brun missing the joke, but pauses at Brun's question. "Easy being like what?"
Brunilda shrugs: "Being in a relationship. In love. Every step I take is a blunder in the darkness, and Fiora is so hard to read."
Brunilda blinks and pauses upon realizing she just said 'love', but also admits to herself she means that.
Louma smiles, though not quite catching the significance of Brun's self-admission. "You seem to forget that it didn't start smoothly, May and I started with me blundering drunkenly, May being clueless about it, and Damina bluntly pointing out my failed attempts at flirting. If she hadn't been willing to give me a chance for that first date, nothing would have happened. Sometimes you just have to trust and dive in."
Brunilda winces at that notion: "Well... that I certainly have done. Twice." She lifts a hand to her chest, roughly where she gave Fiora a memory neither will easily forget.
Louma tilts her head slightly, grinning. "You'd know if you hit the bottom. You hit her, but she hasn't left. Maybe she respects why. Maybe she likes your strength. Maybe you should ask her."
Brunilda muses: "Well, she certainly doesn't dislike my strength..."
Louma nods. "You'll figure it out, Brun. There's no schematic or drill for love."
Brunilda frowns, looking at her pint: "Well there should be."
Louma laughs, shaking her head. "If there were, it wouldn't be so exciting!"
Brunilda raises an eyebrow at her friend and commander: "Are you sure?"
Louma drops her jovial grin for the sauciest look, with a tone in her voice to match. "Ab-so-lutely~"
Brunilda shakes her head and gives a soft chuckle: "Maybe. It'd still help to know what you're doing."
Louma breaks her look, giggling again. "We skipped through a lot of the early nerves... Probably because both of us had been lonely for a long time. It also helped that we made sure to reassure each other that however the other felt, whatever we needed, we would be there for each other." She sighs with a bit of a smile, leaning on the table. "Do you want nothing more than to help Fiora through anything?"
Brunilda thinks for a moment, then shrugs: "I'm not sure she needs my help, but I certainly want to be there if she does."
Louma nods, shrugging as she picks her hot cider up again. "That's a good start."
Brunilda takes a gulp of her beer, going quiet for a bit. "...I'm not sure what we want, honestly. What I want."
Louma takes a few moments to savor her drink, thinking on Brun's words. "Hm. Honestly, I don't always know, either. All I know is whatever happens, I want to be at May's side when it does. That is enough for me."
Brunilda shrugs with a smile: "I've heard worse plans of action."
Louma sets her drink down, smiling at it and nodding before looking back up to Brun. "You are worth a lot, Brun, truly. You've proven that to me in the short time I've known you. I hope Fiora will be able to see that."
Brunilda blinks, blushing slightly: "...worth a lot? Are you sure you're talking to the right girl?"
Louma nods. "I have the files to prove it."
Brunilda nods slowly, not sure she agrees but never been one to try and deny obvious evidence either. "Uh... fair. I guess."
Louma shrugs, finishing her cider off. "Whatever you and her decide, I'll be around to talk with, if you need it."
Brunilda smiles: "Thank you. I... I might yet take you on that." She shrugs: "Or not. We'll see."
Louma nods, setting her empty mug aside and offering Brun a warm smile. "Any time, really. I'll tell you it's more fun if you've figured it out on your own, even if by accident."
Brunilda gives Louma a lopsided smile: "I'll have to take your word for it, then."
Maybelline steps in out of the rain as well, completely soaked and looking more than a little miserable. She sighs as she tries her best to dry herself off before walking over to the table where Louma and Brun are. "I finished the check, generator is all fine. Thanks for watching it, Brun!" She gently runs a hand along the back of Louma's tail. "Ready for home whenever you are, dear."
Brunilda looks up, smiling at Maybelline: "Oh, hey. And that's great to hear, I'd feel bad if I messed up anything."
Maybelline chuckles, "I knew you wouldn't. Unless we'd screwed up something way bigger in the first place."
Louma chuckles, nodding to Brun before noticeably perking up as she watches May approaching. She shudders a bit from the stoat's touch, still not used to how sensitive her freshly-aired scales are. "Almost, May~" She looks back to Brun, grinning. "You were born to succeed, even if you don't feel it, Brunilda."
Brunilda looks at the two and slowly nods: "Y-yeah... I'll find my way."
Louma uncoils, slithering the short distance to Brun's side and setting a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "Have a good night, Brunilda. I'll see you in the morning." She lets out a dry chuckle; "I look forward to going over reports."
Maybelline nods, "Just look how far you've come since I first met you. You've got this, Brun." She gives a thumbs up before pausing... "Whatever 'this' is."
Brunilda gives the odd couple a smile, before nodding: "Yeah. You two take care."
Louma nods, turning to May. "Shall we?"
Maybelline nods back to Louma. "Yeah, let's."
Louma heads for the door with a final wave to Brun, using her tail to prop it open as she heads outside at May's pace. She stretches a wing out as a makeshift umbrella once outside, heading back to their home for someplace drier to sleep than their last few nights together.
Brunilda looks at the two, a small pang of jealousy hitting... but only for a moment as her mind wanders to certain giraffe, even if her course with her isn't exactly clear yet.