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RESPITE FALLS - ENTRANCE TO STRIX'S ALLEYWAY - MIDDAY
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Shirley mutters quietly to herself as she walks through a stretch of buildings, having been pointed that way by a nice cow-lady, though strangely one with a kobold tail, while she was inquiring about where she might find the town's more prominent inventors and engineers. "An alleyway off from the marketplace... an odd spot for a workshop, I suppose. But then I guess I did used to tinker in my own kitchen before setting up my actual workspace..." She hums quietly to herself as she slowly walks down the alley, looking all over for signs of where this inventor might be.
Strix would be quite happy to be called "Prominent" (and reflect that she would have hated the attention previously), but right now she's in the alleyway, and instead of working, she's moving stuff about, into the building it connects too. She'd never actually used it before, since it could fall down! Or trap him inside! Or be used as a trap! There's not nearly enough ways to escape... but... well, it's also warmer, drier and a lot of other stuff. It's gonna take some time to get everything neat in an indoor setting, and there's sure gonna be a lot left outside work wise (Her miniature forge is not an indoor tool for example). For now... redecorations!
Shirley spots the giant pile of stuff arrayed outside of one of the buildings. For the shortest of moments, she thinks she just found some kind of junk storage spot right up until she notices the working forge. She brightens a bit and eagerly walks forward, the jumble of objects now resolving into the controlled mess of an active inventor's workshop. She waves to try and catch the feline's attention as she draws closer. "Good day, there!"
Strix turns around on her heel quickly. She's not a walking bag of nerves..but still, doesn't like being surprised. The little flicker of emotion is brushed off, as she's gonna be brave! "Oh! Hey there! I'm just moving all my stuff about. Doing a bit of redecorating, see?" She gestures "I just got the rent on this building. It used to be a forge, so it's kind of perfect for my uses. How can I help?" Exactly what you might expect to be around an inventor, a clear piece of high technology!
Shirley blinks as she gets closer, now taking notice of how... tech-y the feline seems to be as a whole. She does, however, continue to smile as she comes to a stop a little ways out from the perimeter of Strix's workshop, since she knows the feeling of her workshop being her space (and that of her assistant, but well...). "Oh, nothing at the moment. I'm an inventor, recently arrived in town from Vamas, and I heard tell of a few folks who are particularly well-known around here for their skill and knowledge. I was just hoping to get to know folks a bit, maybe exchange ideas." She gestures at the stuff all around the alley, "And if you need help, I'd be happy to help as I can with my one good arm."
Strix: "Oh! So, that's why you got directed here" She bobbles her head as she picks up a small crate of magelights, carrying them inside "I do some of that myself, and I don't really mind talking shop. What sort of stuff do you specialize in? For myself, I suppose you'd call it..uh..technomancy? Magic and tech, going together" She giggles "I'd say that it's obvious from seeing me, but that's actually unrelated" She flicks her tail, that limb betraying her emotions a lot more than anything else now "I think I'm okay, but... what's wrong with your other arm..ah, I will boast a bit and say that I'm pretty good at prosthetics"
Shirley hums a bit at the mention of magic and tech, but continues on nonetheless, opportunity knocks, and she's not going to leave at this point just because she doesn't like working with magitech herself. "I specialize in steamtech and the applications it can be used for, as well as some that probably weren't known before I tried. As for my arm... well, it's just a broken arm from my, ah... accidental arrival here in Aephix. Thankfully, it's still functional, so I've no need for a prosthetic yet!" She smiles, then tilts her head, "Though... you mean you're appearance wasn't intentional?"
Strix: "Accident! Used to be a kobold, now..uh..not so much! Still working things out, and how all this whole 'mammal' and 'machine' stuff works. It's weird" She chuckles "I keep getting magnets stuck to me, for example"
Shirley tilts her head to the side as she focuses on Strix's general appearance, noting that, were it not for how organically bendy her limbs and tail a look, she'd indeed look like she's metal-coated. She doesn't realize she's starting to crouch down a bit to get a closer look, until she feels a jolt from her bad arm as she tries to lean it against her knees. She jumps back up at the sudden pain. "Ah! S-sorry, there. Curious, though... I would almost think you're fully a machine, if I didn't see you moving around so fluidly. My eye says you're entirely metal, but my eye also says you're not."
Strix: "Oh, right, I've done some tests, and I think it's a composite. It's metal that's been treated with magic to act like organics, there's also some ceramics, as well as some other rubbery type stuff. It's all the way through too. It's all very clever. If I could replicate it..well, that would be cool, but I don't think I can. It even self repairs!" She claps her paws together, and smiles "I think that maybe working on other stuff for now is better, I think it's sort of cool that I'm something so techy I can't work it out. Makes me feel special"
Shirley nods along. "Certainly not like anything I've ever seen, either, I can assure you." She thinks a bit as the gears in her head start to turn, though where the thought will lead, even she doesn't know yet, "A composite of materials that self repairs... and is flexible enough to mimic actual organic tissue... Some kind of potential there, but I'm not sure how exactly. But who knows? Maybe it's one of those things we just need to think on while doing other stuff, eh?"
Strix: "Loads of stuff to think on. I need to make a few inventions for friends, and those come first" She takes up another box, this one of weird springy things, carry it over her head inside "What about you? You got any cool projects?"
Shirley nods happily as she looks around a bit to see what she can do to help move things for Strix, though a lot of the objects seem a bit too touchy for her to try carrying one-handed. "One of my projects is the reason I ended up here, believe it or not. I was testing out a prototype airship, completely designed by myself and my assistant, when a great bloody blizzard blew down from the...
Shirley ...mountains near Westport and threw me out to sea." She sighs a bit and shakes her head as she remembers the debris that washed up with her, "Probably safe to say my airship is down on the ocean floor by this point, though."
Strix: "Ooh..I wish I could say I could help, and maybe I could but the ocean makes it tricky" She ponders "There's some aquatic sorts around the town though, they could help, and if they could help, maybe there's a way it could be winched up? Either way, probably don't want Sarn to find out. They don't other people doing airship stuff!"
Shirley laughs a bit and shakes her head. "I think I've given up on trying to retrieve it. I hit the water hard enough that I'd be surprised if it's even worth the cost of salvaging." She cocks her head to the side at the mention of Sarn, "Oh... are they working on airships, too?"
Strix: "Oh, they've made them and everything. I accidentally invented something that works the same as their engines once and they weren't happy..and I think Sarn sorta thinks that Respite is part of their territory?"
Shirley frowns a little and raises an eyebrow. "They... huh. Odd, and probably not right if they don't have a territory claim or... whatever it's called. I guess I'm okay, though, since Sarn's the center of magitech, and I doubt they care about steamtech."
Strix: "Dunno! I think that claims are all about what you can enforce, and they were able to get my float drive back, soo" She shrugs "Doesn't really matter, since I could make more, but it was still annoying. Did nothing for my nerves, and I used to be a nervous wreck at the best of times"
Shirley nods. "I can imagine, having an institute like that breathing down your neck. Makes me glad I'm a freelancer out of Vamas a bit more, I think. Though... I'm surprised they came this far just to hassle you."
Strix: "They thought I'd stolen it, because nobody could ever imagine a kobold could be that smart" She sighs "I..feel bad for saying this, but..I just..don't want to go back to fighting that fight, and needing to prove myself" She rubs her arm "Still..I feel like I'm letting people down by thinking that"
Shirley crosses her arms, only to wince as another jolt shoots through her injured arm, and she immediately uncrosses them again. "You're an inventor like me, though. Our whole job is about coming up with ideas and then making them work even if they're outlandish." She shrugs a bit as she sets her good hand on her hip, "And I guess those folks are just going to have to understand you'd rather not...
Shirley ...deal with that song and dance again, if you don't want to."
Strix: "Right..I still feel like I should be looking to go back? That's the done thing right, that not wanting it means there's something wrong with me, or something..."
Shirley makes a bit of a non-committal sound in her throat as she shrugs again. "I mean... do they know what you want more than you do? I'm not a fan of being nervous or scared, myself, though some folks call me stubborn or hotheaded instead. Even when I got... I guess technically shipwrecked here, first thing I did was curse my luck, then go and find a road into town." She takes a moment to scratch at one of the bald spots where some new feathers are starting to grow in on, "I figure I could have done that, or just curled up and stayed in the bay until something ate me."
Strix: "Well, May is worried that I've changed..That I'm not the same person that I was before, and I know I'm different, but" She rubs her arm "I can justify it, but I know that I could justify it either way. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it? Because even if she's right, I'm still me, and then going back would mean that this me would be lost" She shakes her head, before chuckling "Yeah, I suppose that's it. I gotta believe I'm the same person, because the alternatives are just making things worse"
Shirley tilts her head curiously. "Well, I mean... if your friend is worried about appearances and whatnot... as long as you're the same up here." She taps the side of her head, "I don't see what's to worry about."
Strix: "Well, I think that's her worry, that I'm not. I know I'm speaking a bit different, and I'm less scared, but.." She sighs "I like being more calm all the time, and I feel actually being able to use proper grammar is well..it's a side effect that's a little unexpected, but..I don't think it's that big a worry" She shakes her head, trying to push out the thoughts "I just want to just..put it behind me. I feel like I'm me, I remember everything before, and high I thought back then, and..how people were, and..it's just..I don't really feel like "Me" depends on what shape I am"
Shirley hums and nods. "You might look different and sound different, but... it's not like this change really rattled your head any. If this way feels more comfortable for you, well... you're an adult, so that's your choice, right?"
Strix: "Pretty much, yeah" She ponders "So..uh..weird question. With looking and sounding different. Do you think I strike you as a 'Strix'?"
Shirley makes a curious sound. "Mh? Thinking of changing up your name?" She shrugs a bit, "I met you as 'Strix', but then, I've only heard of you here and there from the last few days, so... it won't necessarily stick with me if you do decide to change." She tilts her head a bit, thinking for a moment, "Though I'm betting folks who knew you for longer will take a bit more to adjust to it."
Strix: "Oh yeah, that's why I'm asking you, since you're sort of a clean slate. Everyone else would just know me as Strix for so long" She ponders "I'm not sure, I just feel like there's some bad memories attached to it, but then it's still a name I've used for a long time.."
Strix makes conflicted catgirl noises.
Shirley hums, rubbing the underside of her beak in thought. "Well, the name doesn't necessarily make the memories, but if you think you'd want to take this whole thing as a fresh start... a changed name may help?"
Strix: "Maybe. I'll..talk with my friends. See what they think. I don't want to spring this on them"
Shirley nods and smiles. "Wouldn't be a bad idea at all to get some thoughts, if you're not fully sure. I'm afraid I can't help much in the way of opinions, but I think you should do what you want to if it makes things feel more... 'right', I suppose."
Strix: "I can be fine no matter what, but" She shrugs "It just..yeah, I want to try and start over, in a way"
Shirley hums in agreement. "Nothing wrong with that! I remember hearing from a couple of the guards that Respite is the place for second chances, so... maybe this is yours?"
Strix: "Second Second chance maybe"
Strix chuckles "Thanks for the talk"
Shirley nods happily. "Happy to help a fellow inventor if needed! And speaking of help, well... anything in particular that you need me to help carry into the building?"
Strix: "Uh..could you help me with the plasma generator?" She points to a long tube "That thing is a bit awkward, and I don't want to drag it"
Shirley looks over at the tube in question, then nods as she goes to pick it up. "Sure thing! It'll be nice to feel like I'm back in my workshop again, moving stuff around."
Strix: "Great!" She takes the other end up, and starts moving it in
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RESPITE FALLS CLINIC - AFTERNOON
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Vix lets herself into the clinic through the front door and glances around. "Plume? Pluuuume?" She strides past the front desk without noticing anything out of the ordinary.
Nesseth rests on the desk, knowing that Plume's somewhere in the ward... he thinks, or else out of the clinic at the moment on an errand. He was sleeping earlier, so he has no idea. He watches Vix as she strides right on by.
Vix strides back through the front room and checks the other side of the clinic. "Hmm...if Nesseth is really back, he has to be here somewhere, right?"
Nesseth blinks, then decides to speak up when he hears Vix mention him. "Uh... yeah, I'm right here, Vix. On Plume's desk."
Vix spins around and scans the room again, before settling on the large desk lizard. "Oh! Hehe, nice prank. Borrowed one of those remote speakers from the market, eh?"
Nesseth shakes his head and flares his frills open so Vix can see the markings. "Nope. It's me. Erika and I kind of ran into some, uh... issues while out at Mean Peak." He nods towards the ward for a moment, "Plume's working on the cure, so we should be back to normal in a few days or so."
Vix blinks, then moves closer and prods Nesseth's frills with a paw. "Wait, uh...what? Really? How...?"
Nesseth 's frills wiggle a bit. "Remember how Erika got changed into a feral okapi some time back? Same deal this time..."
Vix continues to pike at Nesseth with both paws. "Whoa..."
Nesseth lets Vix just poke and prod his frills and face as she wants for the moment. "H-having fun...?"
Vix giggles, realizing something (and still poking). "Heh...you're just sitting here naked?"
Nesseth wiggles a little. "Pretty much? Not like I've got clothing fit for a regular lizard..."
Vix blinks, suddenly getting a silly idea. "You'd look cute in tiny clothes...Maybe I can ask Rhask~"
Nesseth tilts his head. "Rhask? That Lizard lady from Vamas? You... do know I'm going to be back to normal in just a few days... right?"
Vix: Aww...I mean, yay, but I wanted to see you in a tiny hat!
Nesseth shrugs. "I mean... if she can work fast, and you don't mind paying something for a one-off thing... I'm not going to stop you, dear."
Vix thinks for a moment, then grabs a blank sheet of paper from Plume's desk and begins folding it. "I could do that...oooooor..."
Nesseth hums curiously as he watches Vix start to fold some paper. "Making a paper hat? Huh... good idea. You get to see me wearing something silly."
Vix presents a pointed paper hat and sets it on Nesseth's head. "Ta-daa! Now you're not naked!"
Nesseth blinks and tilts his head a little as he tries to get a look at the hat on his head. "I mean, you're not wrong. I'm wearing something now, yeah."
Vix giggles. "You look absolutely handsome~"
Nesseth chuckles a bit. "Well, thank you, Vix. I didn't think a paper hat would be all I needed to look good~"
Vix paws at Nesseth's torso. "Hmmm...I do miss that toned figure, though..."
Nesseth wiggles a little at the poke on his side. "I'm a bog-standard lizard right now, though I'm guessing those muffins I ate the other day didn't help any." He smiles, "At least I'll get that toned figure back once I change back, hm?"
Vix hums. "If you don't, I can help you get some exercise~"
Nesseth laughs. "You know once I get back to normal, it's also back to normal on a lot of other things, too~"
Vix winks. "Well, for now...you are a very convenient snuggle size..."
Nesseth smiles again. "I'm like three feet long and pretty lightweight, so... instead of you snuggling on me, I could snuggle on you!"
Vix scoops Nesseth up and drapes him over her shoulder. "Hehe...this is my only chance to feel taller than you~"
Nesseth lets himself get draped over Vix's shoulder, then wraps himself and his long tail securely around her arm. "Best have fun while you can, dear. There's no guarantee I'll end up like this again in the future, after all."
Vix giggles as she brings Nesseth into a vacant room for cuddly relaxation. ""Oh wow, you're really light!"
Nesseth chuckles. "It's really what made it comfortable for Erika to walk all the way back with me on her back the entire time. Any heavier, and it would have been too uncomfortable."
Vix flops onto the bed and lets Nesseth rest on top of her. "Hehe...time to catch up a little~"
Nesseth uncoils from Vix's arm and flops atop her once she's settled. "Just like always, your fur's really comfy~"
Vix hums. "My winter coat's coming in, so I'm extra cozy~"
Nesseth yawns a little as he wiggles a bit and gets comfortable. "Could... probably fall asleep like this really easily, too."
Vix gently scratches Nesseth's chin as he rests on her...natural pillows. "Make yourself comfortable~"
Nesseth hums warmly as he lifts his head up for the chin scratches. "Already plenty comfortable right here, I think~"
Vix smiles and purrs. "Missed you~"
Nesseth lets his head rest a bit more on Vix's hand as she continues to scratch his chin. "Missed you too, Vix~"