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THE UNRESTING EXPANSE - MIDDAY
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Nesseth steps out from the command tent ahead of the rest of the guard captains, a brief meeting covering the previous night's battle, including injuries, losses and other similar matters. He sighs a bit as he steps aside and runs a hand over his face, and looks up at the clear blue sky, the storm of the previous night having passed during the earlier parts of the morning. His frills flex a bit as he stands there, seeming just happy to be able to feel the warmth of a new day.
Xochi approaches Nesseth with a tired look of her own upon her face, having just met with Usid and worked through the preliminary negotiations. Things seem promising at least, though the things he wants in return are high. "Nesseth... ahh, it is good to see you."
Nesseth looks around as Xochi approaches, and gives her a warm smile and a wave. "Hey there, Xochi. Good to see you, too. I hope you're holding up okay after last night?"
Xochi sighs, nodding her head. "Well enough... the attack never reached the tents, fortunately. I am sorry it came to this..."
Nesseth nods in turn and gestures towards the tent, where a couple of straggling captains are still departing. "At least we knew about it... the captains went over the numbers not too long ago, and it could have gone way worse had we not known, and if that raptor, Usid, joined with the fliers." He tilts his head curiously, "How went your talks with him?"
Xochi gives a faint chuckles, "They go well enough. He has... strong desires. If he is telling the truth, at least, he seems to simply want guarantee of his people's safety. His 'clan', that is. Not all the... 'Saur', merely his warriors and those who ride with him. He wants land, and promises of equality for them from Respite. In exchange, he offers aid in whatever fighting will occur to take the Abyss, and that his clan will not raise weapons against Respite. Most curiously... he does not extend this protection to himself. He seems to assume we shall seek retribution against him. Perhaps understandably. But I believe he is taking all the sins of his people's actions upon himself."
Nesseth lifts an eyebrow at the news, only to hum as he crosses his arms and spends a few seconds thinking. "Well... he won't have any issues of equality around Respite. If his clan doesn't cause problems, there won't be any issues." He taps a finger against his arm for a few moments, "...And land, hm? That'd be difficult to negotiate, since we're just guards, not the leaders of the town. How much is he asking for?"
Xochi glances back towards the tent where Usid remains, still under guard. "I cannot say. Enough for his 'clan'. He says they are hunters, and that they, his clan, wants peace. Not him... he said he does not know peace." She frowns. "It is almost sad..."
Nesseth hums as he looks over towards the tent as well. "Hmm... well, that'd probably have to be some kind of negotiation with leadership once they come to Respite. You've been in town for a while, so you know that it can be pretty peaceful most of the time." He looks back over at Xochi, "Maybe this is the chance for him to learn what peace is? Besides... assuming he's not thrown into jail for the rest of his life, he might work as a guard, or a trainer, or something...?"
Xochi nods, "I told him he can always find a way in peace. I am not sure he believed me. But, for now at least, he is committed to our aid. He seems rather indebted to Captain Louma, somehow, but that certainly does not seem to be how Louma described her interactions with him, assuming this is the same 'Usid'."
Nesseth nods. "Well, if he's committed to the cause, that'll help his own endeavors out when we all head back to Respite." He rubs his chin for a moment, "I still don't know what Louma told him, exactly, but it seems to be working. The rest of it will have to be decided once we're back in town, though. He won't face judgment for anything until then, whatever it might be."
Xochi: "Yes... that shall likely be best. His people are camped out beyond the ridge, and have instructions to aid us upon our arrival. I believe he expected us to kill him, if not immediately..." She shakes her head. "He is vicious, make no mistake. But he is no zealot, like those you fought last night."
Nesseth hums quietly. "Gareth, that bounty hunter, said as much to the captains after he'd dropped Usid off at your tent. A warrior, born and raised, and always stuck on the bottom rung of the ladder." He sighs again and shrugs, "Still, the fact that he's his clan's leader, and is clever enough to do all this for them, well... maybe that says something about hidden depths? I don't know... he'll likely still have to answer for the caravan attacks, at least."
Xochi nods. "Yes, in whatever way that shall present itself... I advise against seeking vengeance, as you well know, Nesseth. But that does not mean letting the guilty go without due recompense. Thus the question of 'punishment' becomes difficult."
Nesseth nods. "There are ways for him to pay his due for everything against Respite without killing him. Imprisonment, of course, but also things like community service and such." He furrows his brow as he looks aside a bit with a frown, but that expression only lasts for a second or two, though he remains looking aside, "A big part of me still wants him to pay for the lives he and his clan took without provocation, but it's not my job to mete out punishment outside of what the laws dictate."
Xochi puts her hand upon Nesseth's shoulder and smiles, "I understand. But you are better than that, Nesseth. You and I both know where that cycle of vengeance leads."
Nesseth nods and turns his head back to look at Xochi again. A few moments pass, and a small smile appears on his face, too. "Yeah... that we do. We do what we can to keep that cycle from continuing, wherever it might pop up." He raises a hand and gently pats Xochi's hand, "...If you want, I could let you in on a little secret of mine, regarding that."
Xochi raises an eyebrow, then slowly smiles, "Oh? A secret of yours, hm? I am intrigued. What is it?"
Nesseth lets out a little chuckle. "Heh... well... it's mainly about why I'm happy sticking to being Louma's lieutenant, and only filling in as a captain when she's out." He pauses, thinking how best to phrase it, then gives Xochi a wry little smile, "I just don't trust myself to wield the power of a captain properly outside of emergencies... and not even fully during emergencies."
Xochi 's expression softens, "I think you have done quite well! I thought Captain Louma believed so as well? Do you fear you will make ill choices?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "No, more that I just don't trust myself to not let my personal thoughts guide actions. Like... if I was a full captain, what would stop me from getting revenge against Usid in the heat of the moment, before all this? I don't have the frame of mind a Captain requires to stay rational all the time."
Xochi hums, nodding, "Ahh, I understand. Though, I think you are a good person, Nesseth, though it is, of course, ultimately your decision. You do what you must, and perhaps it speaks highly of you that you choose not to embrace such a path."
Nesseth chuckles a bit. "Maybe I'm selling myself short, but... at least, I don't think I'll be going for a promotion any time soon. Maybe I'll feel more confident about it in the future, who knows?" He smiles a bit at Xochi again, "But that's why I've been entirely hands-off with Usid since he arrived. Last thing I want to do is cause problems to folks just wanting peace."
Xochi lifts her hand off of Nesseth's shoulder and nods. "You are yet quite young, yes. I am sure that given time, Captain Louma will help you towards whatever future you wish within Respite." She puts her hand to her chest and rasps out a giggle, "I am quite certain she has no plans for your career, my friend!"
Nesseth laughs and grins. "If Louma had plans to go back down to being a lieutenant, I wouldn't blame her. Captains have stressful jobs, even if they're more confident about themselves."
Xochi giggles again, "I should inform the others of Usid's desires... I imagine we will be picking up camp soon after a final decision is reached?"
Nesseth nods. "Yeah, the captains will probably reconvene later today to decide. Honestly, though... it'll likely just be a formality, and Usid and his clan will be able to join us for the trip to the Abyss. A bigger force, plus one of their own leaders allying with us is a big boost towards a peaceful wrap, I think."
Xochi bows her head, "He said... had Captain Louma accompanied us, he expected her to be leading these peace talks. Another Coatl, perhaps, would have made some difference... I will... I will be proposing revealing myself to them as well, Nesseth. And after that..." She shrugs, though it's clear she's a bit nervous about the proposal, if only because she's kept herself hidden for so long now.
Nesseth nods. "So you didn't reveal your wings to Usid, then? Fair enough. Once we arrive at the Abyss, I'll see if I can be present for your talks with whoever is leading that place, in addition to the guards that are assigned for that day. I get the sense they'll be less likely to stage an attack when they know some of their own are on our side."
Xochi takes a deep breath to recenter herself. "Dyvrisse, he said. 'The Keeper'. I think we shall at the very least have a chance to talk. I only hope we can take advantage of it." She smiles. "When next you see me, Nesseth, perhaps it shall be the true me."
Nesseth chuckles. "I'm sure I'll see you during the march that way, at least, unless you're intending to hide out of sight from me until then for dramatic effect." He grins a bit and nods, "I'm... honestly curious to see what your wings look like, Xochi. So... would it be bad if I said I'm looking forward to seeing the true you?"
Xochi would blush if she could, chuckling, "Perhaps a bit of flattery, but not bad. Doctor Plume would be quite happy with me if I stopped binding my wings, I know this much."
Nesseth nods a bit. "If Plume says it's a good idea, then it's probably best to do that. Unless you want to tell them about it yourself when we get back, I could tell them for you."
Xochi hmphs. "I have done everything she has instructed." She sighs. "She only recommends... ah, but we shall see. I will meet with the captains now, and... we shall see. Thank you once again, Nesseth."
Nesseth nods and gives Xochi a little salute. "I hope your meeting goes well, then, Xochi. And... seriously, thank you very much for helping push forward for peace. Things might be going a bit differently on this trip if not for your help with Usid, and this... Dyvrisse."
Xochi: "It is my... not pleasure but... responsibility. If I can do these things, and I do not... then the bloodshed is as much on my hands as it is upon our aggressors."
Nesseth nods in understanding. "...You know... with a stance like that, you'd fit right in with the guards. We're not all about physically dealing with troublemakers, after all." He smiles, "Anyway... I should get out of your way, Xochi, so you can go and make your report. I'll see you around some time afterwards."
Xochi smirks, "Oh, but I am so enjoying my retirement. Such as it is... I shall see you again soon, Nesseth." She bows gracefully, then uncoils herself to slip around Nesseth and into the Captain's tent to give her report.
Nesseth chuckles again as Xochi enters the tent, and he gives himself a little stretch as he starts to make his way back towards his own tent, now feeling quite hopeful that things might end sooner and with less bloodshed than he'd initially suspected there might be.
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RESPITE MARKETPLACE - AFTERNOON
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Elizabeth is wandering about the still relatively quiet marketplace, not really looking for anything, just slowly walking about as her thoughts wander in circles. Did she do the right thing, telling about her past to Teis? She supposes the inquisitive cat would have asked sooner or later, and it did feel wrong to some degree to not say anything... then it all just sort of came out...
Elizabeth hums, not making any headway towards a solution... as is becoming routine to her, these last few days. She looks about the marketplace without actually looking at anything or anyone.
Sammi was a happy Sammi, she had pretty new clothes, the weather was lovely and..oh? She reaches down in the corner of the alley, and pulls into nowhere and pulls out nothing "What's this then?" She considers the little bit of nothing she had "You're like a lost little bit of icing..but..." She squints "Where's the cake..." She wanders around, holding the magic in her hands, trying to find where it is, slowly zeroing in on Elizabeth's position. She's fairly hard to miss, so..what does one do when an eldritch being, wrapped in dark magic approaches you?
Elizabeth doesn't notice Sammi at first, until she is just a few steps away. She turns to glance at her, blinking: "...hello?"
Sammi: "Oh!" She looks up, and smiles to the owner of the magic, holding the wreath of magic around her hand, pointing it forward "This needs to go to you! I'm sure of it!"
Elizabeth blinks at the nothing... or not-nothing, in Sammi's hand. She blinks: "This, um... what this?" She has an inkling about the answer, but she's not sure if she wants to be even remotely right.
Sammi: "It's yours! I found it outside there, and it's totally yours, it's got the same vibe, and everything. Want it back? I think it's lonely, or something. Certainly it's sad at not getting used..."
Elizabeth pauses, then holds out her hand without thinking. Whatever 'it' is, it's subtly calling to her: "It... sad? And same vibe as... me?" She's confused and hesitating, but not exactly pulling her hand back either.
Sammi: "Something like that!" She nods again "Okay, you need to make like...an actually proactive consent for me to pass it over" She ponders, before muttering to the glow "No, No, she still totally wants you. It's fine, really"
Elizabeth blinks several times, definitely not sure about this but from somewhere through her funk, her curiosity peeks up, pushes its' way to the forefront and wins the short wrestling match for her emotions. She opens her palm towards the glow, willing it to... return? To her. "We-ell..."
Sammi: There's another pause, as Sammi extends her hand "Ah..I..uh, you have to verbalize it?" She seems a bit confused by the whole affair "This is kinda weird for me, okay?"
Elizabeth blinks: "That makes two of us." She however looks at the 'glow' she's not quite actually seeing, more like... feeling that she should feel it but doesn't? "Please, um... come back to me?"
Sammi: Sammi releases her fingers, and the magic flows back, from Sammi's hand, into Elizabeth..it's the smallest fraction of what had been lost, but..it was hers. The exact impact of it getting filtered through an Eldritch Horror is left as an exercise to the reader.
Elizabeth starts a bit at the jolt of definitely familiar magic, her fur rising up for a moment. "Eyuh. Wow." She looks at her hand and squints, feeling just the slightest tingle of the magic that once so easily danced inbetween her claws. "That..." She looks at Sammi, trying to find words: "How did...?"
Sammi: "How did I...." Sammi isn't good at picking up intent at the best of times, especially when the other person is so uncertain themselves!
Elizabeth pauses, then looks at her hand again. "My... my magic. Where uh... where did you find it?"
Sammi: "Kinda..down an alleyway? Or not, sorta there, but kinda..everywhere? And uh.." She stops herself "It was lost, and I found it! That's the main thing"
Elizabeth nods slowly, parsing the thought. "So my magic... it might not be... all gone, after all. Huh."
Sammi: "Uhhh....well, nothing is ever really gone"
Elizabeth: "Sure felt like it..." She stares at her hand for a moment more, before turning back to Sammi with a smile: "...Thank you. I do not think we have met before, though?"
Sammi: "Oh! RIght! I'm Sammi!" She sticks her hand out "Please to meet you!"
Elizabeth takes Sammi's hand after just a second's hesitation, smiling: "Elizabeth Catherine. I believe in this case, the pleasure is all mine."
Sammi: "Well, I like helping people, so I had pleasure too!" She nods "So really, we pleasured each other"
Elizabeth blinks at the choice of words, but only for a second: "...yes. Suppose we did."
Sammi: "Anyway! How did you lose the magic?"
Elizabeth frowns, looking aside: "I uh... stupid mistake or two. Kind of blew all over..." She looks around them, humming: "...the town, I suppose?"
Sammi: "Huh! So, it's all squidling around places? That's why it was so lonely! It wanted to be back!" She ponders "Well, hopefully it'll be happier now! Though..uh..not to be rude or anything, but..was the magic for doing any acts of evil?"
Sammi: "No judgement here! Just want to know"
Elizabeth tilts her head: "Well, if you look at it like that... I believe it was. I was always trained on the darker shades of aether, if you will."
Sammi: "Yeah! That's it! Well, uh..try not to do any evils? I like this place, and if you evilled all over it, I'd feel guilty"
Elizabeth blinks, then blinks again for good measure: "I will... keep that in mind. Not that I currently really... can, um, 'evil', anyway."
Sammi: "Hey! You're not doing evil because you choose not to! There were at least three puppies that didn't get kicked on the way here. You don't need magic to do evil!"
Elizabeth: "...I suppose you have a point."
Sammi: "Exactly! Magic gets made evil by how is used! It's like how bad people are bad because they were brought up bad!" She pauses "Okay, also if someone gets hit with evilling magic, but that usually wears off"
Elizabeth looks aside: "Usually, yes." She clears her throat: "I mean, yes. Bad people are bad because... what you said."
Sammi: "I think there's some people that are just sorta evil anyway? I dunno. Certainly some peoples totes don't need nearly as much excuse to be jerks, or take two scoops when they're only meant to take one" She blinks, tilts her head, and squints "Hey! Wait! You're doing that mortal thing where they look super awkward when you accidentially say something super meaningful!"
Elizabeth pauses, skunk-in-headlights style for a second: "Uh... I am? My apologies, did not mean to."
Sammi: "Yeah! You totally are..is all this talk about evil..hey! Wait!"
Sammi: "Are you evil?" She sniffs "No..No wait"
Sammi: "Are you like..ex-evil?"
Sammi: "Is that even a thing?"
Elizabeth stares at Sammi, Confusion and Fear fighting for dominance inside her head, the two having shoved Curiosity aside. "...maybe? I mean, a thing. And me." She pauses, not having really had it put in words like that: "...am I?"
Sammi: "Why do you think I know?"
Elizabeth shakes her head: "No, it was just... me musing. Sorry. Nevermind."
Sammi: "Okay, quick test..." She reaches into her bag..and pulls out..a small puppy, and places it on the ground in front of Elizabeth. It has the most absurdly sad eyes of a puppy ever.
Elizabeth is not sure if she can blink much more again before her eyelids start hurting. She looks a moment at the puppy, a frown starting to form... before she leans down to pat it while keeping her eyes on Sammi. If this is a trap, it's the weirdest trap in the history of ever.
Sammi: "Okay, you didn't kick the puppy, or try to sacrifice it to a dark God, and instead you tried to comfort it"
Sammi: "That's a point towards ..good?"
Sammi: "Anyway" She picks up the puppy, and "Uh..do you want to keep it? It'll be fine otherwise. It'll just go back in the bag, and it'll be fine"
Elizabeth pauses, then before she can really think about it twice, snatches the small dog in need of comfort and love from Sammi's hands. Only after doing so she turns back to Sammi: "Um... yes. I think I will um... provide." She looks at the puppy, giving it a warm smile.
Sammi: "Alright then! Ah, just..be good to it, and feed it, and give it affection and stuff"
Elizabeth nods absently, mostly giving her attention to the puppy now. "Yes." Somewhere in the back of her mind she's wondering what just happened, but that thought is stuffed back into the closet along with Curiosity, for now.
Sammi: "But..uh..also..ah..Good to meet you anyway?" She feels a little tired now, she's been pulling a lot of stuff out lately, and it's starting to be a bit of a drain "I think we're about at the bit where we say bye, and part ways?"
Elizabeth looks at Sammi, and nods with a smile: "If you say so. It was nice to meet you, Sammi."