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RESPITE MARKETPLACE - EARLY EVENING
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Bracvar scuttles back from his stall, which he had been leaving empty since a certain curious bovid had visited misfortune on his poor generator. He simply did not want to spare the ice for display, and as he'd though, Teis's donation had slowed the thaw of his original pile, but only for most of a day. Now the crab opens the hide covering on his cart, stretching up and looking over his stock, shaking his head at the meager pile. With a sigh, he shifts a small crate over and begins filling it with the last two dozen morsels.
Emmeline walks toward the marketplace with Jennica in tow, having to keep an arm across the back of her friend's shoulders to keep her from bolting with nearly each step. "It's going to be fine. He's a nice crab. You'll apologize and help him fix it and by the next time he's in town, he won't even remember you broke it."
Jennica gives Emmeline a glance: "...he didn't s-seem all that nice..." Her tail twitches nervously as they approach the cart, the desire to run back to their apartment and not come out for any reason definitely rising. Emmeline is here though, so that means everything's going to be fine. Right?
Bracvar lifts one fish that had been unnoticed at the edge of the pile, leading it to become slimy and less than pleasant to the nose. "Urgh... Yeh would've fetched 'least fifteen, friend. Sorry yer fate is so poor." He chuckles to himself, setting the off fish on top of the pile, nodding once he confirms there are no more left outside the crate. He lifts the crate and turns, lowering himself back to normal scuttling height, though the crab pauses when he spots Emmeline and Jennica. "Oh." He puts on as cheery a voice as he can while holding a few hundred gold of wasted stock. "Evenin' ladies!"
Emmeline gives a friendly curstey to the crab. "Evening, Bracvar. Jennica here has come to talk with you about what happened." She nudges Jennica forward, whispering an encouraging "Go on." into her ear on the way.
Jennica winces and shrinks at Bracvar's greeting, then again at Emmeline's nudge. She whispers: "Do I have to? Y-you can just talk for me..." Even with that, she steps forward and offers Bracvar a timid smile: "Uh. H-hi."
Bracvar nods to Emmeline, turning expectantly to Jennica. His expression barely shifts on looking to the smaller cow, though it softens rather than showing any residual anger. "Mh, yes. Unfortunate, teh say the least." He lets out a low sigh, shrugging. "Emmeline says yeh might be able teh help in fixin' it?"
Jennica blinks and wrings her wrist nervously: "Y-yeah, um... she said that?" She gives Emmeline an indecipherable look, then turns to Bracvar, nodding again: "...m-maybe I could if I saw the, uh, generator again?"
Emmeline stands a little behind and to the side of her friend. Close enough to be a reassuring presence, but not so close as to loom over her.
Bracvar opts to not make a joke about her breaking it further, the poor gal already seems nervous enough. "Yeah, yeh can do that. Go ahead, I just have to deliver these teh their final rest, so ta speak." He nods his head toward the cart before giving Emmeline a glance, then scuttles off toward the back alley behind his cart. A magitech light at the entrance to the alley flickers on as the dark of night continues creeping in.
Jennica winces at Bracvar's comment, but steps closer to the cart, her fear slowly giving way to curiosity. Could she actually fix her blunder? The generator seemed simple enough, she would just have to... and then maybe... depending which parts are still salvageable, she could... As she climbs into the cart to study the generator again, she's already zoning in on the subject a fair a bit.
Bracvar steps around an offshoot of the alley, knocking at the second door up the way. A grumpy looking weasel opens the door a crack, recoiling a bit as the smell of the top fish hits him, then recoiling again when he spots the crab that is toting it. After a few hushed words, the door opens enough for Brac to shove the crate inside before turning to scuttle back toward his cart.
Emmeline leans against Bracvar's stand as she watches Jennica getting into the problem, a smile crossing her face. "You've got this, Jenn." she murmurs to herself.
Jennica steps next to the somewhat-shattered generator and starts piecing up the bits in her mind, completely ignoring the outside world now. "If I could... yes, and then..." She mutters softly. After a few moments more she sighs slowly, having arrived to a conclusion she doesn't entirely like. "...b-but the crystal is toast. We need to get a new one..."
Bracvar looks pleased with himself as he returns. He slows his scuttling as he approaches the cart and it's occupant again, not wanting to startle Jennica, glancing over the edge at her as she works before passing to stand to the side with Emmeline. "A new crystal, mh?" He looks to Emmeline, "That's not cheap. Not in Respite, anyways."
Emmeline shakes her head. "It's not, no. Big ones anyway. The little ones Jenn uses are relatively cheap. I keep telling her she should make something with a bigger crystal, but she's nervous about 'wasting that much money'." She looks to the crab, "But look at what she's doing. I told you she'd be able to figure it out."
Jennica pieces back together what she can, using her crafting magic to mend some of the pieces and few more with just the tools from her belt, but the main power source of thing is completely toast no matter what she does. She stares at the at least more intact generator and sighs, resting her hands on her knees. After a moment, she calls outside: "T-that's as far as I can... without a crystal. I'm s-sorry."
Emmeline walks over to the cart and looks over at what Jenn has done. "So it just needs the crystal and what, a new glass?"
Bracvar smiles as he turns back to watch Jennica, nodding. "Aye. I am glad yer willing teh fix yer mistakes, lots would jus' hand over some money or refer their erm... Victim teh someone else." He scuttles up to the cart, looking over what Jennica has managed with a light hum.
Jennica is kneeling next to the remains of the generator: "It's... it should be otherwise fine, y-yeah." She looks at Bracvar, giving a weak smile: "S-sorry I c-can't do more."
Bracvar gives Jennica a nod, shrugging. "Yeh've done what yeh can." He's still not particularly happy with the end result, though he's not as concerned about the crystal. "I lost some fish, but I erm... Marked up what I did sell and made up most of the difference." He gives Emmeline another glance, chuckling quietly. "If'n I find the replacements and bring yeh the bill, we call it even post-assembly?"
Emmeline looks to Bracvar and Jenn and then nods. "Of course. I might need to pay in installments, if that's all right, but it's not going to put us out of business."
Jennica listens to the two talk, nodding to herself. Maybe she did something right? She gives Emmeline a thankful smile that also says 'I'm so sorry about this'. She turns back to the generator remains, making sure she's done all she can. She's reasonably sure the thing will work after a properly installed power crystal...
Emmeline smiles back at Jennica. "Good work, Jenn." She looks to Bracvar. "Can we buy you dinner at the Minnow? I think we owe you for the trouble we've put you through."
Bracvar shrugs. "I know some fine, respectable folks that c'n part with parts fer a pittance. Just not on Aephix." He turns back to Jennica, looking between her an the presumably repaired generator. "Aye. Yeh've done right. I get some int'restin' bits and bobs on occasion yeh might like. Just agree not teh visit my cart alone like that again, and yeh can have a peek." He looks to Emmeline, nodding. "Aye, sounds good teh me!"
Jennica looks at Bracvar, and nods with a blush: "O-oh. Okay." She gets up, having done most she can without additional parts. She climbs down from the cart and gives Bracvar another apologetic smile.
Emmeline gives Jenn a hand down from the cart before giving the smaller cow a hug. "See? I told you it'd turn out OK." She looks to Bracvar. "My purse will appreciate the discount, thank you." She releases the hug and laughs a bit. "So, shall we?"
Bracvar nods, turning to his cart to pull the covering back over it, despite the lack of product to protect. "Aye, go on ahead, I'll join yeh in a few minutes!"
Jennica hugs Emmeline, clearly relieved. She then looks at Bracvar: "I'm uh... s-sorry again. I-I'll fix this, I promise."
Bracvar nods to her as he stretches up to retrieve the edge of the tarpauline. "I know yeh will. Thank you."
Emmeline nods to the crab and then starts walking toward the inn. "Come on, Jenn. I need a drink."
Jennica blinks, then follows Emmeline: "O-oh. Y-yeah." She's definitely more relaxed although still somewhat nervous... well, slightly more so than she normally is nervous, anyway. She gives Bracvar and the cart one more glance, mentally reassuring herself.
Bracvar nods to the two as they head off, finishing securing the cover. The crab scuttles back up the alleys to the door he'd visited before, setting the slightly spiny back of his forearm against the painted wood and dragging it roughly across. He doesn't wait for the weasel, though he knows there will be nobody checking the noise anyhow, before scuttling back out and to the Minnow. A pleasant evening of conversation and warm meals follows the meeting of merchants.
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Brunilda is sitting at a table, staring into her pint as her thoughts roil inside her head without any conclusion forthcoming. The elephant has been rather more quiet than usual in Guard duty, and she has avoided sparring grounds too. All in all, plenty distracted and not sure what to do.
Louma slithers into the Minnow, shaking a bit of the misty rain from her wings and making a point to pass by the fireplace slowly to soak up some extra heat. She tracks a generally awkward path to the bar all in all, hailing the barkeep down for a tankard of cider before she turns and waves to Brunilda.
Brunilda only rather belatedly even notices someone moving in the periphery of her vision. She looks up and gives Louma a half-hearted wave and equally non-convincing smile, before turning to sigh back at her pint.
Louma tilts her head a bit, accepting her cider and slowly approaching her friend's table. "Good evening Brunilda. Do you mind if I join you?"
Brunilda waves her hand: "Go ahead." She sighs again, staring into the middle distance as she absently takes a sip of her drink.
Louma hums, coiling up at the short response and taking a sip of her cider. She lets out a satisfied sigh, nodding to herself. "I suppose you weren't at the sparring grounds because of the spitting rain, hmm? I usually spot you there on the way out from the barracks."
Brunilda glances at Louma: "...y-yeah, something like that." She sighs: "I guess I'll have all the time to spar anyway, soon enough."
Louma blinks, looking to Brun. "Hmm? Why do you say that?"
Brunilda lets out a bit of a grunt: "Fiora."
Louma hums again, looking to her cider before she takes a short sip. "I suppose that means things are not going as well as you'd hoped? What's happened?"
Brunilda stares into her pint: "She says she loves me, but doesn't want to be physical... more so than we already are, anyway. She says she's not passionate, but puts everything into it when we spar. I don't know if I'm a friend or lover or just nothing at all."
Louma nods slowly, urning her ankard in her hands as she thinks. "She said it like that? That she loves you? Does she... Know anything of passion other than fighting?" Louma looks to Brun again, shrugging.
Brunilda slightly shakes her head: "Do I? I have feelings, yet every time I act on them I end up being the fool."
Louma nods. "Mmmh... You would know that better than I. We've only been friends for a few months, after all, and a lot of that time has been work related. So either in the office, where strong emotions are generally banned, or at the training grounds, where I do admit you seem very energetic."
Brunilda sighs, nodding as she muses on this: "Y-yeah, sorry for bringing this on you. But, yeah, that's why I figure I'll have the time. No-" she chokes a bit: "-love to distract me." She's really attempting to keep herself together but is definitely failing.
Louma reaches out and gently lays her hand on Brun's forearm. "Easy Brunilda, it's alright." She sighs lightly, trying not to show how Brun's mood is affecting her as well, dredging up some old memories. In fact, the way Brun worded it is nearly identical to her own grieving four years back. "I know how you're feeling. I'm here for you, if you need a shoulder."
Brunilda gives Louma a small smile: "Thank you... I'm just... I don't know. Is love always this hard?"
Louma returns Bruns smile, though finds it faltering at her question. "Not always. Sometimes. It's nothing you'd be able to know before trying, unfortunately." She looks down at her cider.
Brunilda looks at Louma for a moment, before nodding: "...I love her, but I don't know... can I do it if it means she won't want to actually... be in bed with me? It sounds so strange."
Louma hums, withdrawing her hand to lift her cider again, shrugging. "I suppose that depends on you, doesn't it? Is sex something you want, or could you pass on it for the relationship? On the other side, is it possible she'll want it later on? You've only known her a few months, after all."
Brunilda considers this, staring into her pint: "I guess... she did sound very certain though. I wish I could be as certain about... well, anything. Sometimes I get so tired of not being sure of anything, you know?"
Louma chuckles lightly, nodding. "I can certainly understand how that would feel. I can't handle being unsure of something for more than a few hours." She takes another sip of her cider, mulling for a few moments before she continues. "I would like you to resolve things with Fiora, Brunilda. I would like to see you happy, and I don't think you will be able to get there without finding the end to this chapter."
Brunilda looks at Louma somewhat quizzically: "W-well, yeah, but... how? I'm afraid to do anything more forward, Louma."
Louma considers her cider very carefully for a few moments. She can't say what she really wants to say, it's too blunt and unkind to Brun's feelings, so she simply offers a shrug. "I don't know, honestly. It's different for every pair. You can't just stop caring about someone, I know that. Believe me, I know. But I can tell you this uncertainty is only going to hurt you in the long run."
Brunilda nods slowly, leaning on her hands: "Guess that's the best I'm going to get, though. Fiora's impossible to decipher, or I'm just emotionally too dumb to see what she means or wants."
Louma looks to Brun, humming. "Can you remember exactly what she said? What you two did? Maybe I can give some insight on that better than I can on your emotions."
Brunilda sighs: "She mentioned she's never wanted to do it with anyone, but if it's what I want... we're better off parting ways." She lifts her hands on her forehead as she leans on the table: "I feel like the biggest idiot for wishing more, for being forward with her."
Louma nods slowly, sighing. "Some people are just simply not interested in sex. If it that important to you, enough that you think it's going to hurt the relationship as a whole, then you might be right."
Brunilda groans: "But I don't know if it is. I've never had sex!" She then blushes after her yelling, looks around the bar and groans against the table once more.
Louma is startled, looking around the bar as well before setting her tankard down. "Well. I see. Ah..."
Brunilda sighs as she closes her eyes, leaning her forehead on her palms: "...I'm a disaster..."
Louma shakes her head with a light smile, touching Brun's forearm again. "Not even close. You're trying, and haven't driven Fiora away yet. You just have a hard decision to make."
Brunilda opens her eyes enough to glance at Louma disbelievingly, but then just sighs and leans back up. "I don't know what I'm going to do."
Louma draws her hand back again, relaxing on her coil and offering a warm smile. "You'll figure it out, or stumble on someone with the right advice. I'm sorry I can't be that person, apparently."
Brunilda gives a dry laugh: "You've had it so easy on that front. Maybelline is head over heels for you."
Louma blushes, smiling as she thinks about Maybelline, though her smile fades slightly. "May is a brilliant spark of fortune, I'm lucky to have her love. I spent four long years alone, after Carter left." She looks into her cider, letting out a low sigh.
Brunilda just nods and waves for another pint for herself. "Y-yeah..." She is quiet again for long moment until her drink arrives. "...I n-need to figure this out. Somehow."
Louma finishes off her cider, fetching payment for the barkeep before he arrives with Brun's refill. "You do, yes. In your own time."
Brunilda sighs, glancing at Louma: "Sorry. I know you have more important things to worry about."
Louma moves the short distance around the table as her tail unwinds, leaning over and giving Brun a light hug. "The happiness of my friends... And guards... Is among the most important things I have to worry about. Even when it's not something I can help with."
Brunilda nods at the hug though doesn't really feel like returning it: "...thank you. I'll... I don't know. Do something." She pauses, frowning: "...though I don't even know where Fiora went."
Louma grins, chuckling quietly after she pulls back from the hug. "Might have to put out a bounty. 'Giraffe known as Fiora wanted for Stealing Heart.' " She giggles to herself, shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, I shouldn't joke right now."
Brunilda gives a small smile, though her heart definitely isn't in it. "It's... i-it's okay. I guess." She takes a pull from her pint, not really feeling like being sober or thinking right now.
Louma nods to Brun, patting her shoulder gently. "You'll get there, Brun. One way or another." She starts turning toward the door, giving Brun one more warm smile. "Have a good evening, Brunilda."
Brunilda smiles absently at her Captain: "Be seeing you, Louma." She then returns to her drink, the conversation roiling in her head but no solution forthcoming just yet.
Louma heads out from the Minnow, straight for home to hug a certain stoat to eliminate certain dredged memories and emotions. And possibly to discuss Brun's predicament with May, as well.