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PLUME'S OFFICE - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Nesseth walks in through the front door of the clinic, having just finished his patrol along the western wall not too long ago. He'd caught sight of Tarbin's naturally-grown hut just outside of the wall, but didn't see the Lizard at all during his patrol. He seems okay for the most part, except perhaps a little pensive as he steps over the threshold.
Doc Plume is over by the ingredient cabinet, tidying up after a couple of busy days tending for the folks from the latest caravan. They look over at the sound of the bell over the door and smiles at Nesseth. "Oh, hey there you."
Nesseth gives Plume a small smile as he shuts the door behind him and makes his way over, where he immediately gives them a warm hug. "Afternoon, dear. Just finished my patrol for the day."
Doc Plume nudges the bottle they're placing back on the shelf before turning to hug Nesseth warmly. "That's good. Just tidying up. Things got a bit disordered with all the caravan folk in the last couple of days. Nothing too serious, but that sandstorm still did a number on them."
Nesseth hums, nodding as he just takes a moment to nuzzle against Plume's neck feathers. "Yeah, that sandstorm was kind of nasty. I'm glad the caravan at least made it mostly intact." He lets out a quiet laugh, "I'm pretty glad it didn't hit the town. Doing much of anything in a sandstorm is horrible."
Doc Plume nods. "So I've heard. They don't happen up in Vamas, of course... though the winds up on the tundra can be bad sometimes."
Nesseth hums as he gives Plume another gentle squeeze and steps back. "Mmh, if sandstorms are bad, I bet blizzards could get even worse." He shrugs a little, "There's not much for us to worry about in Orela, except maybe tidal waves on the outer islands..."
Doc Plume finally lets Nesseth go and turns back to continue putting away the various pots and jars in the cabinet, trying to finish up the task so that their full attention can go to Nesseth. "I suppose, yes. Anything interesting on your patrol today?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "No, not really. Western wall's been quiet as of late, thankfully."
Doc Plume closes up the cabinet and reties the leather strap around the handles to hold it closed. They turn back and hug Nesseth again. "All right. You still feeling out of sorts from the thing with Tarbin?"
Nesseth hums and shrugs again. "Eh... I'm dealing with it. Though I'm starting to get more worried about Tarbin, now." He glances to the side for a moment, frowning, "I'm starting to think he's taking this a lot harder than me."
Doc Plume nods. "All right. I should examine him again, probably. I just haven't seen him in weeks." They sigh a bit and squeeze Nesseth more. "I wish I could do more to make you feel better."
Nesseth hums as he leans into the hug again. "Mmh, I'll be fine, I think. Mostly, I'm just wondering if you happen to know of any psychiatrists or something, for Tarbin to see."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "No, sorry, that's its own thing and the College of the Mind is very particular about being separate from medical doctors. If there's one anywhere nearby, it would be in Bairnell, but I don't specifically know of any." They sigh and hug Nesseth more.
Nesseth sighs a bit. "Well... if he has to go to Bairnell's Foothold, he'll have to go there." He shakes his head a bit, "I'm starting to think killing that elemental made him go a bit weird in the head."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "Maybe. I can send an inquiry to the doctors in Bairnell with the next caravan out to see if there's someone there." They reach up a hand to gently caress over the edge of Nesseth's neck frill.
Nesseth hums quietly, his frills slowly flexing a bit in response to Plume's touch. "I'd appreciate it, dear... Tarbin's convinced that the elemental's still alive, so the sooner we can get him there, the better."
Doc Plume looks into Nesseth's eyes. "I'll do my best to help him, you know that. But I'm still worried about YOU."
Nesseth blinks and tilts his head a bit. "Me? I'm fine, dear. Still a bit bothered, but I can at least make sure the other elemental is dealt with a bit less... you know."
Doc Plume breaks the hug and walks over to their desk to put on the kettle. "If you say so."
Nesseth watches Plume walking towards the kettle, then goes to lean against their desk, just to watch. "I'm guessing you don't believe me."
Doc Plume keeps their focus on the kettle and preparing the tea. "I'm just worried about you. I've never seen you so... out of sorts before."
Nesseth shrugs again. "Yeah, well, I've never killed a person before."
Doc Plume cocks their head. "But you've killed plenty of animals, right?"
Nesseth nods. "For a reason, yes. Their meat, their skins, even their bones can be used."
Doc Plume nods. "Fair enough. But accidents happen..."
Nesseth chuckles a bit, humorlessly. "Obviously, I didn't mean for it to happen. Doesn't make it easier to accept."
Doc Plume nods. "Sure... and it wasn't easy for me when the patient I was helping operate on died. It's awful."
Nesseth hums quietly, not sure what else to say at the moment.
Doc Plume lets out a soft sigh before turning back to Nesseth, their eyes worried, though they too fail to find any words.
Nesseth shrugs after a moment. "Like I said, I'm dealing with it."
Doc Plume walks over and just hugs Nesseth close, still not saying anything, and wishing there was an instant fix for the situation.
Nesseth stays quiet and still for a few seconds, then wraps Plume in his arms, hugging them gently.
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MARKETPLACE - EARLY AFTERNOON
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Narrator: The Marketplace had many bustling stalls, but one stall had lain dormant for a while, it wasn't in a central location, it was just to the side, but it was a stall that was in a spot that was near to a lane that lead to one of the more popular cafes for the more technically minded of the citizens. Strix had picked his spot well, and was now returned back, having loaded up his table, and laid a sign labeled the 'Strix needs Money Sale'. The stall was divided into a few sections 'Boring Shinies' (For all the basic, but useful trinkets, like lights, and bells and such), 'Fun Shinies' (Toys) and a new section labeled 'Experimental Shinies'. This one had the caveat 'All have been Strix-tested, but use at selfs Risk' Each comes with a little release form, absolving Strix of all responsibility for damages!
Jennica is walking towards her own stall as she idly munches on the remains of her lunch sandwich. She notices Strix's stall, not having paid attention to it before - not that she pays terribly much attention to begin with as she focuses on her own projects even when not actively doing them. She pauses a few steps away from the stall, just looking at the various Shinies with interest as she attempts to figure out what they do without getting closer or (heaven forbid) drawing attention to herself.
Strix: Most of the Boring/Fun 'shinies' aren't that hard to work out. They light up, or get warmer, there's a little model trainset that seems to work on some sort of magnetism. (How do magnets even work?!) The Experimental stuff is a bit weirder. There's a floating disk (There's a warning that possession risks getting 'Sarned' whatever that means..), there's a health potion ("Returns the You to the healthiest you!") and some sort of machine that seems to fire energy between it? The whole thing occasionally sparks. Strix for his part, right now at least, pretends not to notice her looking..but he's bad at it, and keeps looking at her for a little bit too long...
Jennica blinks as she realizes she's being looked at and swallows. Emmeline keeps pushing her to be social. She mentally steels herself as she steps closer: "H-hi. You have, um, interesting things in here... you are also a crafter like me, I guess?" She instantly berates herself for asking, of course the kobold is a crafter that's like stupid-obvious from everything around.
Strix: "Yes! Strix makes shinies, and new shinies..and then.." Grumble "Sometimes has to sell shinies, so Strix can make more shinies..Strix not liking selling, or being out..Strix exposed. Could get Strixnapped"
Jennica holds her arm with her palm, frowning and nodding in understanding: "I-it's no fun, the selling part. Creation is fun, b-but I don't like the uh... other stuff."
Strix: "Nope! Strix would give out for free, but Strix needs food" He sighs, "Cow also makes Shinies?" Her perks up a little "Knows the sucky bits of selling, and needing food?"
Jennica gives a soft, if a bit nervous chuckle as she examines one of the toy orbs that seem to have it's own sense of trajectory and weight separate from what gravity would say: "Yeah... I make trinkets like this, harmless little stuff mostly." She bounces the ball from one hand to another... and fails, because the ball obeys some other rule invisible to her: "O-oh. Well, like this size, anyway." She picks up the ball and puts it back on the table, steadying it back. "Sorry."
Strix: "No! No! Fine! Shinies are meant to be used. Saw a bouncy ball. Tried to make bouncier ball..but now ball seems to be bouncy against itself. So falls weird. Strix not entirely sure how that works. Needs to sit down and think about it. Strix also trying alchemy. Strix made potion powering for hand recently..and now" He wiggles the small rose coloured potion "Strix trying to make potion of healthiness. Makes into healthy version of self. Strix try it, solve Strix's cold..but Strix not fully sure fully work yet. That's why form"
Jennica nods, finding herself smiling at the familiar process of 'I am not entirely certain how I made that': "Y-yeah. It can be hard to... kinda remember what you did in that s-spur of the moment, right? Focus on doing and forget making notes..." She looks at the potion: "A healthiness potion? I'm not familiar with alchemy m-myself, but... sounds interesting."
Strix: "Well. Shinies are just about putting science into bits of metal, so potions are just about putting science into water. Strix pretty sure it all works the same in the end" He nods to himself "Strix know how potion works. Potion reads ..uh..like..body blueprints for healthy body, then makes self into that blueprint. Strix think it could be tweaked to make younger version..but Strix not sure how to make that last leap. Problems. Don't want to aim young, and miss. Very hard to undo."
Jennica nods in understanding: "Y-yeah, might want to avoid that... way easy to get that wrong, probably." She stares at the potion: "...I've been having bit of sniffles lately, something coming from the desert... Emmeline says it's fine I don't spend as much time at the stall as I should, but I don't want to disappoint her again..." She pauses for a few seconds, then digs up her small coin purse: "...h-how much would you want for the potion?"
Strix thinks about it "Uh..Well. Strix like knowing other inventors out there, and want them to be healthy. So..2 Silver? Strix think that's good. Enough to buy large sandwich, with extra cheese..and chicken!" He nods "That's good value" He motions to the form "Need to sign form. Legal reasons. Strix not want to get in trouble again. Gave heat orb to badger. Badger not listen to safety note. Strix got in trouble when fire happened and Badger burned his pants down"
Jennica frowns: "Pants on fire is not good. I promise not to cause trouble for you." She skims over the text way faster than her best friend would, then signs it and digs up the silver required. If she's having any doubts, they are silenced in the back of her mind and hogtied because keeping Emmeline happy is more important.
Strix: "Good! Good! Strix interested in how ..uh..Strix not sure of name" He nods his head and gestures "Strix is Strix. Who is Cow?"
Jennica blinks dumbly for a second: "O-oh! I'm Jennica, o-or just Jen for friends. Nice to meet another inventor."
Strix: "Yes. It is! Jennica is smart, Strix thinks. Will find out Jennica's new inventions soon, but can't leave stall yet. Need more foodgold"
Jennica nods with a smile as she takes the potion and stuffs it into her bag, a collection of chaos in itself, what with the various vials of probably-not-flammable things and half-completed magical and pseudo-magical trinkets in there. "Y-yeah, I should also get back... but I will be seeing you again, I hope."
Strix: "Yes! Strix will! Strix will be around more..unless Strix gets Strixnapped. Then Strix wont"
Jennica blinks: "Strixnapped... you mean kidnapped? Who would do that?"
Strix: "Strix made floating disks. Then Sarnpeeps tried to do a Strixnap"
Jennica nods slowly, not really getting it but feeling sympathetic regardless: "O-oh. That's not nice. Hope it doesn't happen again?"
Strix: "Strix also hopes it doesn't happen!"
Jennica smiles and gives Strix a small nod: "Y-yeah." She pauses, hesitating for the moment: "B-but yeah. Thank you and I guess we will see." She points towards the other side of the marketplace: "I'm over there most days."
Strix checks over and nods "Yes! Good location. Strix approves. Will come over some time"
Jennica gives Strix a wave as she turns towards her stall, feeling good about finding a fellow crafter and a potion that will help her to keep up in this wet season.