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SARN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MAGITECHNOLOGY - MIDDAY
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Gareth is in the middle of dealing with the group of researchers that had put out the bounty on Strix some time back, having just handed over the bit of 'tech' that May cobbled together, and is now explaining what exactly happened... or at least, what exactly happened as far as the researchers know. "Aye, there were signs that the target was there recently, but left in a hurry. Their workshop was a mess, but I did find that bit o' tech lyin' about. I guess they dropped it when they took off." He shakes his head with a sigh, "As fer where they ran off to, I'm afraid I can't say. That kobold's good at coverin' their tracks..."
LaMure stands at the side of an ornate table, dressed in a servicable suit. He peers down his snout at the disc-shaped device witting on the table in front of him, adjusting his specs during his examination, the slender fox letting out a grating hum every few seconds. "They can be sneaky, yes yes. This does look like what was ah stolen. It's ah... functional? You know how it works?" He glances around the group before he turns his yellow eyes on Gareth, somehow still looking down his snout at him, despite the wolf being a head and a half taller. "And you... What? Ah want the whole bounty for just this?"
Gareth shrugs as he holds LaMure's gaze, clearly unphased by the attitude. "Eh... I'm willin' to take partial payment fer the job. Obviously, I didn't catch the thief, but yer stolen tech isn't stolen anymore, aye?" He points at the disc in question, "As fer knowin' how it works, the idiot dropped some o' their notes, too, so that's how I figured out it was the right thing. Don't worry about those gettin' into the wrong hands, by the way, because I burned them. Yer welcome to test it yerself to see if it works, though."
LaMure twitches his nose, giving Gareth a bit of a sour look. "The ah designs... Burned. Ah well then partial is all we can give. The ah bounty was what, again? Scott? Twenty? Ah we will pay seven." He nods twice as the aide he'd addressed scribbles it out on a piece of paper, which LaMure messily authorizes with his own signature and scrawled instructions. He doesn't bother to hand the note to Gareth, leaving it on the table and returning to poring over the device. "So ah... It works like ours? Hm. I think the kobold ah didn't follow the design. Ah, demonstrate?"
Gareth scoops up the note once LaMure redirects his attention to the device, then points at the table the device is on. "Sure. The table's a good enough demonstration anyway. Let's see... if I remember, ye have to attach the thing to the object like..." He leans in, still keeping his actions in full view of LaMure as he works on affixing the disc to the table.
LaMure watches with interest, that grating hum coming each time he nods at what Gareth does. The others follow suit in their own ways, every eye on the disc or Gareth's hands.
Gareth doesn't take very long at all to stick the disc to the table. Once it's firmly attached, he rests a hand on the top of the disc and waits a moment, obviously for effect. "And once it's like this... then ye just give the top a bit o' a twist, and..." He twists the upper part of the disc like May demonstrated, then waits for a moment as the device starts up.
Narrator: As the device activates, it begins to emit a loud, almost stuttering whine. The pitch steadily rises as the device warms up, accompanied by the smell of... something cooking? The whine in the air reaches its loudest after about two seconds, at which point Gareth effortlessly lifts the table up a few inches off the ground, leaving it suspended in place.
LaMure is as startled as the others by the noises the thing produces, giving them looks that silently ask 'is it supposed to do that?' All but one manage to hold back their surprise when Gareth actually raises the table and has it hovering. A stout mole clapping her hands twice before stopping and looking embarrassed after LaMure gives her a stern look. He turns to Gareth, beginning to usher the wolf away as best as the thin fox can. "Good good, this is ah... All fine, you can get your bounty from the ah reception."
Gareth raises an eyebrow at LaMure as the fox tries to usher him back out of the lab, but he doesn't really fight it as he goes to take his leave. "Oh, one last thing I should mention, by the way. The kobold's notes kept mentionin' '45', for some reason. Like... 45 seconds or somethin', from what I could read o' their scrawl. Not sure if it was a warnin' or what, though."
LaMure nods, though he doesn't looks as if he's taking the bounty hunters interpretation of magitech notes very seriously at this point. "45 right, we'll figure it out thank you." He doesn't even see the wolf all the way out of the room, shuffling quickly back to witness the device, which the group have turned off and are taking notes on how to start it up again.
Gareth eyes LaMure for a moment, then smirks to himself as he turns and makes his own way out of the lab. Once back out in the lobby, he makes his way over to the front counter, note in hand.
Narrator: A stately looking owl tends the counter, looking more dignified than the scholars Gareth had just left behind, though on closer inspection it's clear that he's almost stiff with boredom, the desk relatively clear and wide eyes unfocused on anything in particular. When Gareth approaches, it takes a few moments for his attention to snap to the wolf, blinking rather dumbly at him. After a few moments, he finally utters a drawn out "Yeees?"
Gareth holds up the note LaMure scribbled out for him and sets it on the counter after a moment. "Got a payment to collect, here, fer the delivery o' some objects o' interest to the good folks in that lab over there."
Narrator: The owl looks at the note, blinking slowly as he reads through it and nods. "Oh, you're claiming that bounty, then? Dooo you have the poster? Oh, the pay is here." He looks up to Gareth. "Nevermind." He turns away from Gareth, beginning to step toward the safe. "Right. Seven hundred. Hm."
Gareth blinks, then frowns a bit as he leans rather casually against the counter. "Uh... hang on. Seven hundred? The posted full payment was twenty thousand. I know I said I was willin' to take partial payment, but not that sort o' partial."
Narrator: The owl slowly turns back to Gareth, blinking before looking down to the note, a taloned finger pointing to the sheet. "It says 'close bounty for Respite kobold. Pay hunter seven-zero-zero." He looks back up to Gareth. "I just do what the note says, and it is signed." He pauses as a breath rattles down the back of Gareth's neck, accompanied by a looming shadow. An arm reaches over his shoulder, slowly, dark brown scales covering the fingers that hold a tiny tiny pen. Or well the pen seems tiny, until it scrawls a normal sized number one on the page, between the seven and first zero. The hand retracts, and two steps are heard as it's owner moves back away from Gareth.
Gareth blinks as he catches sight of a large arm moving to write in a bit of something extra on the note, though the breath against his neck and the sheer size of the shadow behind him keeps him from turning just out of shock. After a moment, though, he rallies and gestures at the note, acting like nothing happened for the moment. "Ye might want to double check that, friend."
Narrator: The owl blinks his gaze away from whatever that was to Gareth, then the note. He nods quickly, turning and shuffling away from Gareth while his tail feathers quiver. He manages to open two safes and pulls together enough to pay Gareth out, even using a rather nice lockable case for half the earnings. he quickly files the note away into one of the safes, and promptly returns to his spot. He doesn't look as sleepy as before, though.
Gareth smiles and nods as the pay is deposited in front of him. Setting the free half of the payment on top of the lockable case, he takes a moment to make sure it's secure before he turns to greet the person that helped him just then. He lobs one last little jab at the receptionist as he moves. "Pleasure doin' business with ye, friend. I'll be sure to keep an eye out fer any other jobs yer colleagues might have in the future."
Piper hasn't moved far from Gareth at all, only taking a few steps back to watch the wolf conduct his business. She's not small. Not medium or large, either. A wolf and a half wide, and a head and a half taller, though her slouch right now puts her at eye level with him. The dark brown thick scales covering her disappear under a jacket that somehow looks both too tight and too loose on her, with a matching pair of slacks. The satchel at her side could probably hold most of Gareth's travel trunk. She nods once when he finally turns to her. "Ay."
Gareth is a little taken aback by the size of the reptile in front of him, but he locks eyes with her rather quickly. After a moment, he nods and flashes a little grin. "Thanks fer the help there. I should have figured they'd try and pull a fast one."
Piper grins. Don't look at the teeth. "Was dirty." She nods again, stepping toward Gareth. "You did job, get paid. Is how bounty works, right?" She doesn't speak slowly or seem slow on the uptake, but her voice has a rumble under each vowel that she's never been able to shake. "Owl said Rrrespite, didn't he?"
Gareth nods at the question. "Aye, the job was in Respite. And aye, ye'd figure these folks would know better than to not pay fairly." He shrugs, still grinning a bit, "But that's their problem."
Piper nods, standing a bit straighter and hiking her satchel up under her arm. "It is. Should go before they learn." There's a bit of commotion from the room Gareth had left earlier, Piper giving the door a glance before turning back to Gareth with a quizzical look.
Gareth casts a glance over his shoulder at the commotion then nods towards the front door, knowing exactly what just happened in the lab. "Probably best we head back out about now, aye."
Piper chuckles three deep notes, leading the way out the doors and trying to not sweep Gareth with her heavy tail on the way out. Once outside she stretches a bit, scales and the jacket both creaking in their ways. "I heard of you, Wrath. So you know." She casts a look over her shoulder at him and waits for him to catch her up. "Where is partner?"
Gareth makes his way out just behind Piper, deftly avoiding her tail as the two leave the building. He tilts his head a bit at the mention of his 'hunting' name. "Fury? She's still in Respite. Had some personal stuff to take care o' that she couldn't really leave fer somethin' as simple as a collection." He chuckles a bit after a moment, "And glad to know we're still buildin' a bit o' a name fer ourselves in this line o' work."
Piper nods at the recognition, stepping down a few stairs into the street as they talk, her tail thumping each behind her. "Good, still in Respite. Have questions, heard stories. Quiet place, isn't it? A bit out for bounties."
Gareth hums as he strides along at Piper's pace, taking roughly a step and a half to every one of hers. "Questions, hm? I'll try and answer what I can, if I can." He nods again, "Aye, the town's pretty quiet fer a frontier town. I think that bounty was the first to ever show up, accordin' to one o' the captains."
Piper hums. "Might be true." She leads the way through the street, not slowing for any poor soul that might try to be in her way, not that many seem to stray into their path. "A ripe job. First to pick, get established in the town. You did well enough, you and Fury. Best result of all the hunters." She shrugs, smiling at him. "Only result."
Gareth shrugs with a modest smile. "Honestly, got lucky. We were already in town before the bounty poster showed up. I bet the target knew the bounty was coming, though, judging by how fast they vanished."
Piper nods slowly, grunting a bit. "Kobolds are clever, more than some would say. A lot of competition for mark, for frontier town. Twenty-thousand, hm? Seems too good." She looks forward, steering them towards a less crowded street. "Meet other hunters? Discuss splitting pay, maybe? A jaguar, or a vulture perhaps?"
Gareth shakes his head. "Really good price fer somethin' as simple as snaggin' a thief, so I'm not surprised there was a lot o' competition. Can't say I ran into any other bounty hunters other than a Crocodile from Orela, though."
Piper nods, not surprised, though she slows her pace a bit. "Little guy? Dark scales? Lots of scars?"
Gareth takes a moment to think. "Well... dependin' on yer definition o' "little"... but aye, darker scales, a good few scars."
Piper chuckles those three notes again as she stops walking. "James was runt. Big brother indeed." Her smile fades as she shakes her head, looking toward Gareth. There's very few people anywhere around them in the quiet residential street that she'd steered them into. Not a dark alley, that would be too narrow for the croc to move around. "So what do you know. About that."
Gareth nods, only to give Piper a curious look after a moment, his expression going a bit sympathetic as he holds her look. "James was yer big brother, hm?" He sighs and shakes his head as he shifts the weight of the case to one arm, his free hand propped against his waist, "Wish I could say I had the answers. I got to talk with him fer a bit at the Respite bathhouse a couple o' hours before they found his body. And before ye get the wrong idea, the last we saw each other, he'd been yellin' at some o' the bathhouse workers fer poor locker security while I was on me way out."
Piper squints at him, that gaze wavering after a few moments. "Yes. The report was clear on that, no suspect. Just a dead bounty hunter." She grunts. "A little strange, still. Find it hard to accept. If I want an answer, will get it myself." She nods again, turning partway away from Gareth before turning back. "Piper Hatnay."
Gareth hums and holds out his free hand for a quick shake. "Gareth Gwynn. It's a damned shame, what happened to yer brother, Piper. If yer intendin' to head to Respite to figure things out, I'm headin' back that way meself, aside from a quick stop in Orela fer some personal business. Yer welcome to tag along if ye like."
Piper perks up a bit, taking his hand in a quick shake, dwarfing it a bit, though her grip is controlled. "I see. I might take that offer. Could use guidance. Sarn has no answers for me, after all." She grins again, leaning a bit closer. "You wouldn't skip on word, would you?"
Gareth snorts in amusement. "Even if ye weren't capable o' snappin' me in half with yer bare hands, I wouldn't skip out on ye. I came here fer this bit o' business and a little sightseein' with a couple o'... friends o' mine. But after a day or two, we'll be headin' out to Orela - specifically Snake territory - fer a couple o' days. After that, we'll be headin' back to Aephix."
Piper blushes under her scales at the assertion of her strength... Not exactly denying it. "Will be strange returning home so soon after leaving. Chance for family to know plan, though. Alright. Am staying at inn called Fog Bell, near docks. Will see you there. Ale on you tonight hm?"
Gareth dips his head in a nod. "Aye, I'll meet ye at the Fog Bell this evenin', then. Drinks are on me, sure." He grins a bit as he hefts the case and pouch, "Least I could do after ye helped deal with those idiot researchers. Thanks again fer that, by the way."
Piper shrugs with that short chuckle. "They refused to share information. Greedy, shortsighted. Paying you is smarter revenge than slaughter." She shifts the satchel under her arm, shrugging once more. "Probably."
Gareth laughs. "Probably. Either way, their loss, though I doubt they learned their lesson. We'll see, I guess." He smiles and gives Piper a bit of a salute, "Anyway, I'll let ye get on with the rest o' yer day, Piper. See ye this evenin'."
Piper nods, throwing a proper Orelan military salute to Gareth automatically, her 7'+ height more apparent at that straightened stance. "Good day for you, Gareth. Take care!" She slouches to her comfortable posture again, turning and heading roughly toward the docks, only a few more stops to make for the day. She's not sure the ex-pirate turned bounty hunter wouldn't leave her hanging, but that's not her concern at the moment.
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RESPITE FALLS BATHHOUSE - EARLY EVENING
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Doc Plume sinks into the water with a relieved little caw. They smile over at Nesseth, happy to finally have an evening off at the same time as their lover.
Nesseth sighs as he sinks into the water beside Plume, the heat helping to relax his muscles after a long day. At the same time, just being able to spend a bit of time with Plume seems to help some lingering stress melt away bit by bit, too. After spending a moment with his eyes shut and his head angled back, just enjoying the soothing heat, he looks over at Plume and smiles warmly.
Doc Plume leans against Nesseth, resting their head on his shoulder as one of their taloned hands gently caresses over his chest. "This... is exactly what I needed. I feel like we've been doing nothing but working lately."
Nesseth tilts his head and lightly rests it against Plume's, an arm lightly cradling around their shoulders. "It's been pretty busy for both of us these past couple of months, hasn't it? That ongoing investigation, hunting, training on my end... and that weird spat of illnesses and injuries you've been having to tend to." He smiles and gently kisses Plume on their head, "I'll take whatever time I can get, like this..."
Doc Plume chirps quietly at the kiss and rubs their beak tenderly against Nesseth's collarbone. "Yeah... I still don't know what to make of the whole Erika and Cavro situation. At least they didn't come back with any sort of illness or enchantment that I could detect. Just a few cuts and bruises. I have enough on my plate with that mystery infection that's been spreading through the outlying farms."
Nesseth hums, low and quiet as he gives Plume a gentle squeeze. "Still no luck on getting an assistant nurse, hm? Having help around the clinic would take a load off of your shoulders, even if they're not making diagnoses or anything like that..."
Doc Plume slides a wing behind Nesseth's back and hugs around his front, resting their beak on the opposite shoulder now. "Well, Tarbin could help, but he's still not better yet. Really, though, it's the stress more than anything. The normal rhythms of the town seem off lately, can't really let my guard down."
Nesseth slides his other arm around Plume and lets out another, deeper sigh into their soft, downy feathers. "Yeah, all the things that have been happening as of late seem to be throwing everyone for a loop... It'll be nice once things settle down again, and hopefully it happens soon."
Doc Plume nods in agreement, cuddling in closer to Nesseth. They lean up and steal a kiss, trying to let the warmth of the bath drain the worries out of their head. "So do we have any idea of what those things that replaced Erika and Cavro are?"
Nesseth hums softly at the kiss, only to shake his head after a moment's thought. "Not precisely, yet... I thought they were doppelgangers at first, since... you know, they took on Erika and Cavro's appearances, while the real ones ended up out in the forest without knowing how. But Tarbin's got me thinking that they're... I don't know... elementals or something."
Doc Plume frowns, shaking their head. "Nothing I can do about elementals. Pretty much nothing medically normal about them from what I know, though I only took the introductory magical biology course when I was studying. I haven't seen anything about them in the digests in a while."
Nesseth shrugs a bit, his own knowledge in general being a bit shorter than that of Plume's. "I can't say I know much about them aside from superstition, myself, as well as whatever Tarbin's told me already. Considering how Erika's garden's grown kind of wild in the past... however long the two have been missing, and how that being at the forge can handle white-hot metal bare-handed... I'd rather not test them in any way that would make them upset..."
Doc Plume ponders on this as they sink lower into the bath, resting their head on Nesseth's chest. "I'll leave magic to the mages and the technicians." They rub a hand over the lizard's side. "I wonder if the two things are connected? These replacements and the sickness? I haven't heard of anyone else acting oddly, though..."
Nesseth lightly scratches his fingers through Plume's back fur as he considers that angle. "Hmm... maybe? I don't know what all grows in Erika's garden, especially right now. Might be something new growing in there that's kicking up allergies and such? I doubt Cavro's forge running hot is a problem."
Doc Plume sighs happily at the scratches, their wings bases flexing in response. "It's probably just a coincidence, though. The sicknesses seem completely mundane. I'm likely just overthinking this."
Nesseth chuckles quietly. "Maybe, but once we figure out this thing with Erika and Cavro, we can see if Erika's garden has anything new growing in it that might be causing some of this stuff." He pauses long enough to sneak a soft kiss, "But hopefully it's just a coincidence."
Doc Plume kisses back, looking tenderly into Nesseth's eyes. "Fingers crossed." They move their other hand onto Nesseth's other side and squeeze him softly. "I think for now, I'd prefer to just brush up on my anatomy studies..."
Nesseth lightly nuzzles against Plume's feathers, smiling a bit more at their gentle touch. "Well, you know I'm always a willing helper for any studies you want to do, dear..."
Doc Plume nibbles teasingly at the base of Nesseth's frill. After a few moments, they sit up a bit and grab a sponge and bar of soap from the side of the tub. "Well, step one is to make sure the subject is clean..."