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GLAUSHIRE - ROUGEMONT INN - LATE MORNING
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Louma slithers back into their room after visiting the baths, draped in a robe for propriety sake and carrying a damp towel, only used to dry her scales so she wouldn't be making a mess. She shakes the little bit of remaining clinging water from her feathers before getting too close to the big comfortable bed, sighing contentedly. "Much better. Those were impressive tubs, considering it was a full fresh bath just for us."
Maybelline giggles as Louma shakes off, the stoat is similarly robed in a white terrycloth garment which is just her size, provided by the hotel. "I did tell you the Rougemont makes a name for itself on its service... just... not its buffet. We can always eat out, but a little bit of extra luxury is something I'm never really used to."
Louma gives May a look, seeming to consider something for a few seconds before she replies. "Maybe not, we have to be ready for dinner with your parents, after all." She hides her smirk by turning toward the wardrobe, peeking into it to start picking out what to wear. Shortly after she does, the door to their room snaps shut, her tail having closed it.
Maybelline climbs up onto bed, "Mom, Dad, and Mae too. I'm sure they're excited to meet you. I've certainly talked about you enough in my letters. She watches Louma sort through the outfits she brought along. "I picked somewhere nice, but not too snooty, so don't think you've gotta dress up or anything."
Louma nods idly as she looks through her things. She hadn't brought all that much from Respite, but couldn't resist a few plain but nice dresses in Lynpool... And maybe two somewhat more ornate ones. "I know, sweets, but you know my casual things are well..." She pulls a cotton long shirt out as example, which she'd started just wearing to sleep in Lynpool for the cooler air. "I want to leave a good impression on your parents, dear. But of course I don't want to overdo it..."
Maybelline smiles, "I like the red one, with the gold, if that helps. Or is that one overdoing it?" She scoots off the bed towards the drawer with her own things, "I could wear the dark red dress I got, though I want something to go with the necklace you gave me... and I'm not very good at coordinating outfits. That's Mae's whole deal." She rolls her eyes a bit and laughs, "I'm sure she'll tell us our fasion is 'painfully out of date'." She affects an unflattering imitation of a Sarn noble for the latter bit.
Louma snickers at Maybelline's impression as she puts the shirt back, retrieving the dress May'd mentioned. "I would hope this isn't terribly out of date... I only just bought it." She shrugs her robe off her shoulders, holding the dress up to herself. It falls to just a couple inches above the floor at the front, with an elegant curve to the golden hem bringing it to rest on her tail without bunching up at the back. It had already been backless, perfect for her wings to sit through, though she had them modify the front to dive deeper, allowing more of her chest pouff to remain unsquished. "I guess if she's as good as you say, anything older than an hour is woefully outdated, hm?"
Maybelline turns her attention away from her drawer to watch Louma dress, blushing slightly with a big smile upon her face. "Eh, 'good' is a matter of opinion. But she knows her stuff I guess. But feel free to just pretend she's not even there. That's what I always do." She turns back to her own dress, an asymmetrical hem that only strapped over one shoulder, leaving the other bare, with a cinch around the waist and a modest sheath around her legs, concealing most of her legs. It was also modified, but primarily to cut the dress short so that it would fit May's stature. She squeaks a bit fitting into it, still unused to dresses. "Too much?"
Louma has only opened the hidden clasps to loosen the dress's fit a bit, slowing to watch May dress. She giggles, blushing a bit when May turns toward her, though her look turns a bit saucy. "Mmm... Maybe? Though with both of us dressed up, it wont matter so much. I do like the way it accents the curves you insist you don't have." She bends, brushing the fur on May's exposed shoulder down, her hand slipping over the dress and tracing down the stoat's side to her hip.
Maybelline blushes at Louma's touch. "Well, I don't! Not like other folks, at least." She turns to glance at herself in the mirror, giving a bit of a wiggle to shake her hips. "I guess the dress does kind of make me look a little hippier?"
Louma giggles, giving May a playful pat on her butt when she wiggles her hips before returning to figuring out her dress. "A little bit, yes. I still like to see you comfortable over anything else, though." She sighs, shaking her head at her own dress. "Having wings is terrible sometimes. There's more than a cultural reason I adore my scarf dresses." She coils her tail around, poking it through the dress to start carefully pulling it up her full scaly length.
Maybelline giggles, "Maybe I just like that red one cause it's got easy access to your chest and back for hugs~." She hums, "But same for you. I'd rather know you feel comfortable, cause you look sexy to me no matter what you're wearing~." She takes a moment to stare, then coughs, "N-not that uh, 'sexy' is what we're going for tonight."
Louma laughs as she makes progress, jiggling the dress over the thickest point of her tail. It draws over her feathers with ease compared to that. She ruffles up her chest feathers before setting it in place, just holding it at the back to get a look for now. "You're right, sexy can be for when we get back to the room. I promise to be on my best behavior in that regard while we're around your family." She hums, turning to get a look at herself in the mirror. "On that, is there anything I should avoid in terms of conversation?"
Maybelline steps over to give Louma a hand, carefully helping her work the dress up her body, and definitely not just an excuse to lay hands on her. "Anything to avoid... well, pretty sure you could talk about anything with my Mom. Other than, you know..." She makes a few motions with her fingers, than coughs. "That's probably obvious. As for Dad... well, I did tell you a bit about his past, right?"
Louma hums, nodding. "Of course, that is an easy topic to keep away from. I think." She sets her hand on May's for a moment, smiling at her before turning to giver her access to the back clasps. "Do me up, sweets? I think there will be quite a lot to talk about anyhow, more than enough to step away from anything related too your uncle's ah... Ventures."
Maybelline starts to link the clasps together, sticking her tongue out slightly as she works. "Ah! There you go! Not too tight I hope!" She leans back to think, "Yeah... My Dad and my Uncle's relationship has always been complicated. And Dad doesn't talk much about his past before meeting Mom... he doesn't talk much at all honestly. If you get a headnod of approval, you're doing great."
Louma chuckles, gripping the top of her dress and giving her body a wiggle inside it, settling it properly. "Not too tight, no." She brushes her hand over a couple wrinkles that come back, shrugging. "Might even be able to avoid having it altered for a couple years." She turns and kisses May on the cheek. "I'll strive for two nods, in that case."
Maybelline gives Louma a peck in return. "Just remember, no matter what, you get all the nods from me, scoops." She steps back and gives Louma an exaggerated nod, then breaks into a laugh.
Louma laughs with May, sighing when they stop. "I am glad to hear it. I love you, May, and want nothing more than to live my life with you. Being accepted by your folks would be wonderful, but knowing that you can accept me without them... I could go on with just you."
Maybelline nods again, blushing. "That's the plan. There's only one person coming to dinner tonight who I'm walking home with, who I'm helping out of that dress tonight, and who I want to spend the rest of my life with as well, and that's rather obviously you, love~."
Louma smiles lovingly at May, bending to kiss her lover.
Maybelline leans up to kiss back, humming happily as she pours her passion into it. She leans back at last, grinning, "And if you bring up pudding, and Mom tells that story... well, I think if I threatened to punish you that'll only incentive it."
Louma comes away from the kiss blushing, a little light headed., hands on Maybelline's hips by the end of it. "Mmh~? The wha?" She blinks for a moment, letting her head clear. She switches to her teasingly sweet voice, batting eyelashes at May. "Oh. Well you do know how much I love discussing pudding, sweets~"
Maybelline puts a hand over her heart, giggling, "So cruel!" She shifts in, wrapping her hands around Louma to let them settle against her bare back. "Just so long as you promise not to judge me too harshly for any of Mom's stories about me."
Louma giggles, rubbing May's back with one hand. "Oh May, you know I wouldn't judge you. I might make a little fun, but I'll make up for that with interest~"
Maybelline practically purrs, leaning her chin forward against the pouf of fluff exposed by the dress, eyes up on Louma's, "Deal. And I'll hold you to that~."
Louma puts her (trimmed) talons to work, scratching gently through May's fur. "I know you will, darling~ Now perhaps we should cut this a little short, before we both wind up out of these dresses and needing another visit to the baths~?" She gently pecks May's forehead. "Not that I don't want to, but we'll wind up late for sure."
Maybelline sighs, releasing the hug slowly, "I hate when we have to be 'responsible', but you're right. But I want it on the record that I'd be willing. But I'd never heard the end of it in Mom's letters, I'm sure."
Louma scoffs, shaking her head. "I can't believe you, May! So irresponsible." She hadn't managed to leg go of the stoat, despite May releasing the hug, her fingers still gently massaging May's back while the other cups just under her tail.
Maybelline giggles, not making much of an attempt to break free of Louma's embrace, "Me? You're the one who hasn't let go, love~."
Louma hums, looking down at May with a deep orange blush in her bill. "I know. Being forbidden from you while we're still hugging is insanely enticing. You would thing, with my job, I'd be better at resisting temptation, but I guess you are my ultimate weakness~" She gives May a gentle squeeze, very reluctantly letting go of her after another few moments.
Maybelline waits a moment on the floor of the hotel room after Louma puts her down. "It's a shame, really... I thought I remembered Glaushire better, but I've been gone for a year... it's really surprisingly how that time away makes you forget where places are, isn't it? I mean, why else would we be late, hm?~"
Louma grins at May, letting out a slightly wavering sigh. "When we get back here, you had best be prepared~" She bends and gives May a deeply passionate kiss, a warning of things to come.
Maybelline does her best to match the kiss, grinning wide as she gives a slight wiggle to her hips in the dress, "Oh~ I'm counting on it now~"
Louma straightens up, clearing her throat as she makes a show of calming down. A surface level effort. "Shall we leave this den of future debauchery before time catches up to us, sweets?" She offers her hand, smiling a bit dumbly at Maybelline.
Maybelline reaches up to take Louma's hand, still giggling as well, "I suppose we should, scoops~."
Louma giggles at May's giggles, nodding slightly. "No matter how badly I mess this up, I love you, May." She begins to lead them out the door. Granted, leaving now will make them quite early for meeting up with May's parents, but if they don't... Well there seems to be a big red curtain looming in the corner of this inn room.
Maybelline walks alongside the swek, squeezing her hand gently, "I love you too, Louma. In my mind, there's nothing for you to screw up." The two head out, definitely going to be early, but it's either that or be very late, and that curtain is certainly coming down later that night.
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - RHASK'S ROOM - LATE MORNING
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Rhask sits on one of just a pair of chairs around a little table in her room, looking perhaps just a little nervous about something as she waits for Piper's arrival. Continuing from their plans from the other night while at the feast marking the end of the festivities, she's volunteered to be Piper's subject for some scale painting today.
Piper knocks softly at Rhask's door, holding a case that looks small under her arm, dressed similarly to her vest and pants of the festival evening. She's smiling in anticipation, her tail swishing constantly in mild excitement.
Rhask smiles upon hearing the knock and stands up to answer the door. Her smile brightening when she opens it and sees Piper waiting. "Piper, there you are! Come in, please!" She steps back and gives the croc some space.
Piper ducks through the door, nodding to Rhask and being careful to not swipe anything with her tail after entering. "Morning Rhask. Sleep well?"
Rhask nods happily as she waits for Piper's tail to clear the threshold before shutting the door behind her. "After a dinner like that? Definitely!" She grins a bit as she makes her way over to the table again and pulls out the seat for Piper before taking a seat herself, "How about you?"
Piper eyes the chair warily, setting her paints case on the table and gingerly sitting down. "Well enough. Up late preparing paint. Took day off from the stall, ay?"
Rhask nods, only just now realizing that the chair might not be meant to handle someone of Piper's stature. "Mmhm! I don't have to be there every day of the week, so I decided to take a day off. Emmeline is working the stall today instead."
Piper nods, grinning. "Good. Takes time, after all." She reaches for the case, slipping the leather straps out of their buckles and flipping the top open, revealing the paint-stained felt underside and dozens of glass dishes that it had been keeping in place. They're not organized in any particular way, but the somewhat oily looking paints are vibrant even in the yellowish light of the room's lamps.
Rhask leans over to get a look at the paints. "Ohh, I've never really seen any paints up close before now. How long have you been doing this?" She glances up at Piper with an earnest smile, clearly interested in hearing more about such an unusual hobby.
Piper chuckles, lifting the wooden tray out of the case, glass paint holders tinkling as she sets it down, revealing her brushes and a couple rags, as well as a small box. The box is a brass frame with glass sides and bottom, a short chain and a switch on top. The chain has both a short hook and a curved spike attached to the last link. "Ah... Since little. Would dye father's fabrics. Making dye too thick sticks it to scales. Started painting arms at end of days for fun. Nobody told child Piper to stop."
Rhask finds her eyes drawn to each object in the case as Piper extracts them from their spot. Her eyes linger curiously upon the box, wonder and curiosity evident in her eyes. "Sounds like your family really encouraged your creativity! It's definitely bloomed into a wonderful skill now." Her curiosity gets the better of her and she gestures at the box, "What is that for? The paints, brushes and rags are familiar, but...?"
Piper hums, pausing at that. "Mother did. Father tried. Couldn't do delicate work by late teens. They're patient though. I'll show." She pulls the box out by it's chain, holding the pike and looking toward the ceiling. She easily shoves the point into the plaster, turning it and clicking the switch. The mana crystal inside starts glowing behind frosted glass, casting a much whiter light over top of them, allowing them to see the true colors of her paints. "Almost same as sun. Little pricey. Worth every coin."
Rhask blinks as her eyes adjust to the sudden brightness that permeates the room, a slight sting in her eyes making her avert her gaze for a few seconds. "Ahh... a light box of some sort? I can see that being essential to get the right mix of colors." She giggles as a thought flashes through her mind, "I used to help mix dyes for clothesmaking out behind my home in Vamas, next to a nice fire. The snow was more than enough to show the proper colors for dyes during most parts of the day."
Piper chuckles her three notes, nodding. "Firelight is tricky. Oh. Sorry, should have warned." She moves to sit again, but instead pushes the chair away and kneels beside the table and picks up a brush The tip is delicate, but the handle was clearly made to be easy for her to handle it properly. "Color preference?"
Rhask smiles and shrugs as she simply holds her arms out to either side, waiting for instruction from Piper. "No real preference, Piper. I'll trust in your eye for designing! Just tell me what you need me to do."
Piper hums, nodding and taking gentle hold of Rhask's right wrist, peering at her scale patterns for a few moments. "Will work on instinct, then." She grins, turning the arm before her over as she seems to follow a line and get ideas. She pushes Rhask's sleeve up until it's too bunched to move further, humming.
Rhask smiles as she settles into her seat, letting her left arm drop down again. She blinks after a few seconds, however, as she realizes her outfit's a bit on the bulky side, and definitely not giving Piper much space to work with. "Oh, uh... did... did you need me to remove my coat? I could, if you need more space."
Piper nods, releasing Rhask. "Ay. Not hot, anyhow? In your own room, after all. Mid summer." She chuckles, turning to ponder over colors while Rhask does her thing.
Rhask hums and turns, shaking her bunched up sleeve back into place before taking a few seconds to remove both the coat's shawl and the coat proper. Underneath, she's wearing a simple, light shirt that's clearly meant more to stop any chafing of her scales than anything else. She sets her coat aside and smiles again, now looking a bit more svelte than her coat gave any indication of. "I just keep it on out of habit. Reminds me of home... and it insulates pretty nicely against heat, too!"
Piper blinks, tilting her head a bit. "Hm. Beautiful silhouette, coat hides your figure." She shrugs after a moment, reaching for Rhask's right arm again, and following her scales much further up, pushing the sleeve out of the way again. She seems somewhat entranced by the time she gets near Rhask's shoulder, grunting when the cloth stops giving way again. "Shirt too, ay? Please?"
Rhask smiles sheepishly at the compliment. "Ah... thank you, Piper. I tend to prefer keeping my coat on, but I do try to keep healthy at least." She extends her arm again for Piper, only to chuckle a little as the fabric tickles her scales. She blinks at the question, though, and tilts her head as her smile slips a bit. "My... shirt, too? Sure, but... how much are you going to paint?"
Piper hums, letting go of Rhask's arm, nodding firmly. "All. Such lines. A beautiful pattern, you'll see." She nods again, turning and pulling a handful of colors from the tray, the beginnings of Rhask's potential already weaving images in her head.
Rhask hums and nods after a moment. "Sure, then... one second." She once more rolls down the sleeve back into place before straightening up and taking a few seconds to pull her shirt off. Under the shirt is a bra very similar to the swimsuit top she was wearing back at the bathhouse, but clearly meant more for general wear than anything involving water. She sets her shirt aside as well and looks back at Piper. "How's this?"
Piper looks back to Rhask, tilting her head a little and narrowing her eyes. "Er... Ay. Should work." She holds her hand out, not just grabbing Rhask's arm this time. "No fidgeting, ay? Paints might be cold."
Rhask hums and readily extends her arm again, still pretty well comfortable, since they're in the privacy of her room at the moment. "I'll try to sit still. I might be a little ticklish around here, though, just... you know, in case you paint that far." She gestures at a spot just below her armpit, to a stretch of scales just above the fabric of her bra.
Piper nods, dipping the brush tip into the rather oily looking paint and starting at Rhask's wrist. "Try not to tickle. Much." She dives straight into the work, taking a single-color approach, only using a glossy red to paint individual scales for now. As she moves up Rhask's arm, only a vague hint of pattern seems to be in mind, the croc only half-completing some shapes at most. It takes about fifteen minutes just to take the red paint to a random assortment of scales all the way to Rhask's shoulder.
Rhask manages to stay quite still indeed as Piper traces a vague hint of a line of colors up her arm. If there's one good thing about her scales, it's that they at least stop her from feeling the brush tip beyond just the vaguest of sensations. She stays quiet as Piper works, just curiously watching.
Piper nods once she's reached the shoulder, standing up and moving to the other side of the table. "When did you start knitting?" She doesn't want Rhask to get bored as she starts mirroring the colors up her left arm. It takes less time, only being slowed a bit when Piper runs up against slight differences in her scale layout.
Rhask carefully sets her right arm down to rest as Piper moves positions. "When I was... about five years old, I think? I didn't do much more than make tangles back then, though, but my mom taught me a lot once she figured out I wasn't just making a mess."
Piper thinks about the things she saw among Rhask's goods, chuckling quietly. "Hard to think. You just making tangles." She reaches her shoulder, shifting behind Rhask and examining the scales across the lizard's neck, quickly deciding on a pattern to connect the arm work.
Rhask tilts her head forward a bit, letting the light from the box better shine on her scales as Piper moves around behind her. "All I saw my parents doing was just clicking two needles together and clothes would just... come out in really pretty patterns. I tried mimicking them at first, but..." She trails off, giggling a little at the memory.
Piper grins, nodding. "Know the feeling. Worked hard then, ay? Parents must be proud." She hums, tugging the top of Rhask's bra back a bit and peering down it. "Hm. Remove this. So much more with red."
Rhask grins happily. "They were happy I took to knitting so quickly, yeah. When the day comes that I go back home, I'll have so many ideas for clothing!" She seems quite happy with that thought, right up until she feels the back of her bra get tugged a bit, causing her to immediately tense up. "A-ah! M-my... my bra? I-is it... is it getting in the way that much for your painting?"
Piper hums, nodding. She traces a circle with her fingertip in the middle of Rhask's back. "Core here. Important. No need to be embarrassed, not ogling. If that bad can maybe finish without." She sounds disappointed by the end of her statement, but starts reconsidering what to continue with.
Rhask hesitates, but the disappointment in Piper's voice is enough to make her consider it. "I, uh... w-well... I know you're not going to stare or anything, but... w-well..." She shifts a bit, looking over her shoulder at Piper, clearly nervous now, "J-just... don't tell anyone, okay? I came all the way over here because... uh..." She trails off, then sighs, "L-let me just... show you, then..."
Piper tilts her head curiously, perking up a bit when it seems like Rhask might be willing to go along with things. "Gossip is not my thing." She defends, giving Rhask room. The paint on her arms should be dry enough not to smear easily.
Rhask sighs again and stands up so she can more easily reach the clasps interwoven on the back of the bra, keeping it all in place. It doesn't take her more than a couple of seconds before she removes it and tosses it to her bed, all the while being exceptionally careful to not smear any of the paints already on her scales. She stands there for a moment, her back facing Piper as she seems to wrestle with some nerves, then turns to face her properly.
Rhask takes a few moments upon turning to slowly unfold a pair of small and slightly frail-looking arms from over her chest, the bra having cleverly concealed them while they were crossed and held close. The fingers flex as well before she folds the second set of hands over each other against her abdomen. She looks off to the side, nervous at having to show off what her village would have called a deformity.
Piper picked up on what seemed odd to her since getting behind Rhask, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She'd been looking at the scale pattern of a second set of 'shoulder' muscles and bones. Suddenly the unique pattern made full sense to her as she takes in the unique feature of four arms. She hums to herself, a little stunned at first, glancing up at Rhask's expression. "Ah. Interesting. Explains patterns. She leans a bit closer, though not uncomfortably close, before nodding a moment later. "I can work with this."
Rhask glances towards Piper again as she speaks, then lets out a little breath she didn't realize she was holding. "It's, uh... not normal, where I'm from. I'm not sure if it is anywhere else, but I decided to go traveling to avoid any trouble back home, and... maybe to find others that might have similar... deformities." She pauses, distaste at the word clear on her face, before she shakes her head and goes to take a seat again, "Well... you've got my entire upper body to work with, now, Piper. Let your creativity flow."
Piper nods, looking to the arms and moving to continue her work down Rhask's back. She pauses, scanning the scales and humming. She moves to Rhask's right again, setting her hand out and nodding down towards her arms. "Ay. Arm please."
Rhask holds out her arm again for Piper, slowly relaxing again when it becomes clear that Piper doesn't see anything weird about her second set of arms. "Here you go, Piper."
Piper tilts her head, chuckling a bit. "Other arm, please. Not excluding. They're part of you. Part of the art."
Rhask blinks, tilting her head at Piper. "My... oh, you mean..." She shifts a little in her seat, offering the croc her smaller right arm, though with a bit more hesitation, "Uh... here..."
Piper is gentle in holding Rhask's arm, but doesn't treat it any differently than her primary right, getting to work finding and highlighting the patterns she wants to accent in red. "Understandable. Makes you... Strange. Unique. Know the feeling."
Rhask gives Piper a curious look at her last statement. While she continues to paint the scales, Rhask keeps herself admirably still, even with the nerves from having someone else handling her formerly-concealed arm. "You... do?"
Piper grins, nodding. It doesn't take her as long to finish her initial work on the smaller arm, moving over to Rhask's left to mirror her work again. "Ay. Met many crocs?" She straightens up, thumping her chest and speaking with faux pride. "Largest female in centuries. Still growing. Crocs always growing. Twenty-six, larger than males twice my age." She leans forward, returning to her painting on Rhask's lower left arm. "Hard to be taken seriously, all I'm known for."
Rhask frowns a bit and slowly shakes her head, "Can't say I have... I've met maybe one or two at most when I was traveling through Orela..." She gives Piper a curious look, "But... being bigger than most... I would figure they'd take you more seriously..."
Piper lets out a slight laugh, shaking her head. "Not how I'd like. Only strongest males want to suitor. Only work as a bruiser easy to find. Being intimidating to kin is... Unpleasant." She scoots around to Rhask's back, keeping her eyes focused on her work, starting to complete her initial art and combine the new lines from Rhask's hidden arms with the first.
Rhask hums quietly, just sitting in place as Piper moves around now. "That's... really unfortunate... You've got so much more about you than just your muscles, big as they are. You've got an eye for detail that'd probably put a lot of actual clothiers to shame, for one."
Piper blushes under her scales, smiling from behind Rhask. "Thank you." She puts a hand on Rhask's shoulder, sighing. "Your choice to hide them, but no shame. Part of who you are." She moves to Rhask's right side again after a few moments, keeping her composure, while cleaning the brush and selecting a rich umber as her second color, smiling at Rhask and reaching up. "Arm please."
Rhask smiles softly as Piper's hand rests on her shoulder, then more brightly as she moves over to the right. She extends her arm again for Piper to continue her work with the new color. "I'll... have to see. I might just have to keep them covered anyway since my clothes are meant for people with, uh... you know..." She gestures at her flat (as is typical of a reptile) chest, "I'd have to modify all my clothes for them if I ever decided to not hide them."
Piper chuckles, getting straight into painting. The umber isn't used heavily, seeming to only highlight the edges of certain red shapes and parts of connecting lines, taking far less time and giving more context to her vision. "Admit, was curious. Thought Vamese lizards might have some mammal ancestry. Made sense in head, would help in cold."
Rhask watches with interest as the new color starts to reveal more of the patterns in Piper's mind. She giggles a little, but remains still. "Oh, no, not as far as I know. Maybe way, way back, but lizards from my town don't have breasts if they aren't hybrids."
Piper nods, finishing with Rhask's upper arm and moving to start with the umber on her lower right arm again. "Just natural adapting. Would visit Vamas in summer with mother. South Vamas. Even then, cool for me. Didn't travel far from that port. Ah..." She hesitates, pausing her painting. "Forgotten the name."
Rhask takes a few moments to admire the paint on her main arm as Piper starts work on her smaller arm. She hums thoughtfully as she looks up. "Hmm... if it was the main port town... it might have been Westport? Despite the name, it's pretty far to the south, too."
Piper nods, returning to her work. "Sounds right, ay. Done here." She makes her way around to Rhask's other side again, dutifully getting to the work there. "Was nice, despite cold. People didn't stare much. Maybe not knowing Croc social norms. Bought delicious fish each time, too."
Rhask chuckles as she adjusts a little to let Piper work on her left side. "Westport's a nice place. Maybe a bit too humid so close to the ocean, though. It's a port town, so I'm not surprised you didn't get too many looks, and that the fish was tasty."
Piper chuckles her three notes, a little slow to respond as she brings herself back from the edge of deep focus. "Humid agrees. Glad to return home sometime. Respite is so dry."
Rhask hums softly, nodding. "I like the dry conditions. At night, it feels exactly like northern Vamas, just without the snow." She shakes her head a little, "I don't mind a little humidity, as long as there's a good breeze accompanying it."
Piper grins, nodding along. The two discuss various light topics as Piper works away at the vision that Rhask has given her, soon finished with the umber and moving on to a dark brown, then a strikingly reflective yellow that she avoided using on flex points, since it's surface easily dulls from stretching. She steps back, scrutinizing her own work a few hours after they'd started. The result is a number of circles and
Piper winding ribbon-like shapes on Rhask's arms, leading to a large figure eight on her back, surrounded by rings. The mosaic of warm colors hint at embers on her white scales, trailing in wind that follows the dark brown lines. "Hmm."
Rhask holds herself still as Piper works, the conversation doing plenty to keep her occupied. Once Piper steps back and looks over her work, she stays still, letting the croc examine her handiwork. "Hmm?"
Piper shrugs. "Hmm. Satisfied... Mostly. Could be picky for a day and some." She glances around, spotting the mirror. "Should be dry. Come see. Hope you like..."
Rhask nods and stands up with a smile. "If you want to spend more time going over these, we could. I don't have anywhere special to be, other than just working on orders and the like." She makes her way over to the mirror, eager to see the results. "But... let's see what you've done!"
Piper steps back, giving Rhask plenty of space in front of the mirror. She's not showing her nervousness much other than the tip of her tail twitching this way and that. Raising a hand and scratching her chin, wh shakes her head a little. "Don't know what to add. Add too much, can become noise."
Rhask holds her arms out a bit, almost like a dancer, as she turns this way and that in front of the mirror, admiring the delicate detailing tracing along her scales. She answers as she continues taking in the details with an appreciative smile. "Then maybe it's done? I can fuss over a piece of clothing, but too much fussing will just ruin the fabric." She looks over at Piper, still smiling brightly, "It's beautiful! Thank you, Piper!"
Piper smiles toothily at Rhask, nodding enthusiastically. "I'm glad! But thank you. For patience and understanding. And trust." She chuckles quietly, considering something she probably should have mentioned from the start. "Paint wears off in a few days, week at most. Waterproof. Good soap can remove. Alcohol, too. Or shedding, of course."
Rhask hums and nods as she continues to admire the paints a bit. "Oh? Good to know they won't wash off easily. I'd hate to accidentally ruin the designs early." She giggles a bit, "Shedding won't be a problem. I just shed my old scales a week or so ago, so that gives me a couple of months or so."
Piper starts packing her tools away after cleaning the brush thoroughly, stacking the paints away in their tray and cinching the lid shut. "Was fun. Happy you're happy, of course."
Rhask smiles as she dips into a short bow, her secondary hands folding over each other on her abdomen as she does so. "If you want to do this again, I'm happy to be a canvas for you in the future!" She takes a few moments to look her arms over again, "It'd be a shame to cover up my arms... I might try to do away with my outer coat for a little while."
Piper grins, nodding. "Ay, will keep in mind. Probably think of more for you." She bows slight, starting toward the door and pausing at it. "Honored for compliment, thank you. Step out of sight of door? Know I fill frame, but maybe someone in halls."
Rhask nods at that, humming quietly. "Mmh... you're right, let me just..." She scurries to the side of the room, to pick up her bra, shirt and coat, "Okay, thank you for stopping by! I'll see you around town!"
Piper smiles, bowing her head slightly. "See you. Take care, Rhask." She swings the door open, stepping through ad pulling it shut without wasting much time. The croc returns to her room to set her gear away with a smile that wont quit, quite happy with the way the two had spent the last few hours.