----------------------------------------------
BRUN AND FIORA'S HOME - AFTERNOON
----------------------------------------------
Brunilda is dozing on the ginormous bed she and Fiora share, which is really a room-sized mattress covered with at least a dozen big pillows. The pair has basically been spending quite some income in getting pillows for the bedroom. The elephant is is currently only wearing shorts and a shirt, having already spent most of her energy outdoors for the day.
Fiora finishes up her morning job, having gone an extra lap around the town in excitement as she tries to parse the idea in her head. Finally, she makes her way home, coming in loudly, the over-excited giraffe pushes open the door, "Brun! Brun! I'm going into trading!"
Brunilda blinks blearily: "...wasn't sleepin..." She gets up to sitting on the bed, looking towards the direction of her girlfriend and the noise (one and the same thing): "...whuh? You going where now?"
Fiora grins wide, spotting Brun on the bed and waving. "Trades! Or tradin'! Or um, I don't really know! But I'm going into it!" She grabs a towel in the kitchen and dampens it, wiping sweat off her brow after her excercise while she gives Brun time to get up out of bed.
Brunilda slowly gets up from the bed, giving the giraffe a curious look: "Trading? Like... merchant stuff? Since uh, when was that your calling?" The elephant looks genuinely rather confused, feeling like she missed a beat at some point while she definitely wasn't sleeping.
Fiora comes over once she's cooled off a little to give Brun a hug. "Uh, well it's not really my calling, but it's something, right!" She's clearly excited, definitely a change from the malaise the giraffe has been in for the last bit regarding getting a job or doing something beyond her bounty hunting career. "Was Gareth's idea! He's talking about settling down here too, wants to start a big trading business. And he wants me in on the ground floor, training the guards, maybe helping with armor and weapons. Partners, you know!"
Brunilda blinks slowly as she takes this all in, before finding her smile: "That... that sounds pretty great! Possibly risky, but what isn't down here?" She hugs Fiora again tightly: "I hope it starts smoothly, then."
Fiora giggles a little out of character, feeling a bit giddy with the ideas in her mind. She plants a kiss on Brun's head and nods. "Me too! He's searching for that Sammi girlfriend of his, then he plans to get his assets out of his accounts in Vamas, and start things up. He was a quartermaster for his old crew, and knows enough folks in and out of the business that making connections should be easy. My job will just be making sure the guards we hire on are ready for anything."
Brunilda smiles, holding Fiora close: "That sounds genuinely pretty great. It'll do you good to have something of a goal to work towards, right? Since bounties here are almost non-existant now."
Fiora nods. "I can hang up Grieve permanently, I suppose..." She smiles, rubbing a hand against Brun's back gently. "You know, you could join in too? I'm sure there'll be plenty to do, and you're awesome at anything you try."
Brunilda blushes: "H-hardly awesome. Just, uh... stubborn and good at reading?" She can't help but be a bit intrigued at the thought: "...what would you imagine me doing, though?"
Fiora slowly releases the hug, stepping back to shrug. "I mean, I don't know? There's gonna be plenty of paperwork, if you wanna do clerical stuff like you do for Louma. Or there's guard work, but I know you don't like that so much. The way Gareth talks, he wants to make this a fleet that'll challenge the Silver-Talons, and he'll probably need engineers for that... it's really a question of what do you want to do?"
Brunilda sighs, but then gives a small smile: "Well, be with you. But... probably something that uses my technological skills... no offense love, but I don't relish the idea of just being a dumb muscle if I can be more."
Fiora grins, "Hey now. I'm the dumb muscle in this relationship. You can be so mch more, Brun."
Brunilda giggles and gives Fiora a small punch on the shoulder: "You could be more too if you wanted to, but maybe ordering new recruits around is up your alley?"
Fiora rolls with the punch, laughing, "Heh. I won't be busting heads or causing as much collateral damage as I used to, but I think I at least have a little bit of authority in my stature, hm?"
Brunilda smiles: "You carry plenty of authority if you want to, l-love. And not just on me either."
Fiora blushes a little at the L-word, but grins nonetheless. "Love you too, Brun" She laughs a little, shaking her head, "Could you deal with me being your boss? Or I guess Gareth would be both our bosses. I know the two of you are a little iffy."
Brunilda winces and shrugs: "Y-yeah, it's... well. We got off the wrong foot back then, but he's... okay, if a bit rough? As long as he lets me do what needs to be done, I think we could manage?"
Fiora nods, "He's smart enough to know he can't really boss me around, so we can figure that out with him, if you want." She turns to walk towards their kitchen, getting herself a glass of water as she thinks. "Feels like all of us have been looking for what we want to do for awhile now. Should've known Gareth would have it all figured out before me."
Brunilda shrugs as she follows Fiora for a few steps: "Or me, really. All that big picture planning stuff was never quite my forte."
Fiora chuckles, offering Brun a glass as well. "Me either. You know my style. Smash first, ask questions never. Can't do that forever though... and I've been struggling to figure out what my life should be ever since I came to Respite. Would've been easy enough to ditch town, take my armor and axe and go back out to hunt..." She tilts her head back at the elephant. "But then I met you."
Brunilda chuckles as she takes the glass: "I'm easy to forget, but it seems that ability of mine did not work on you. But I'll be very happy if you find something for you too, and aren't here just for me, you know?"
Fiora nods. "As much as I love you, I'm too... I dunno. I need something to do, or I get antsy. It'll make me easier to live with, I'm sure."
Brunilda holds her hand onto Fiora's shoulder: "You are of that nature... you need something to do, to spend your energy on. And I'm just boring and can read a tech book for all afternoon." She smirks, not being entirely serious about her self-jab.
Fiora drinks her glass of water and chuckles. "I'll be happy if you can find something to help us that makes you happy too, though. I know you've struggled to find your nature here too."
Brunilda drinks her glass and sets it aside, leaning back on a wall with a sigh: "Suppose there's no denying it. I'm not a guard, and I'm not really an assistant at the generator either... finding something I could call my own, you know?"
Fiora nods, setting her glass down as well. "That's what I've been saying, Brun. You can do whatever you put your mind to. You think on what you want to do, and I'll be your back up. You can talk to Gareth, or I can, or we both can!"
Brunilda nods, humming: "...I suppose it would be high time I spoke with him in general. But especially if this is to go somewhere, we need to get along." She shrugs: "Need to know what's his exact vision is, at any rate, where might I fit in."
Fiora chuckles, "Worth a shot, eh? I know Gareth's got work to do first but... I don't know. I'm excited about this, Brun!"
Brunilda finds her smile. The excitement is pretty infectious: "Yeah.... yeah. Me too, I think. This could be the start of something pretty neat, yeah?"
Fiora nods, "The start of an Empire! Or at least, like, a risky venture that might pay off. It might not, but the risk is half the fun, right?"
Brunilda hesitates for a second, but then nods: "It'll make things interesting, at least." She steps closer to hug Fiora closely: "Do it together, too."
Fiora hugs Brunilda as tight as she can, a hug that she knows only Brunilda can take. "Hell ya! Together!"
Brunilda laughs softly at the hug: "Mm! Best chance of reaching for the stars is with someone as brave and crazy as you~."
Fiora laughs along, "And someone as strong and smart as you will help keep me on course, yeah?"
Brunilda squeezes tight for a moment more, before letting go enough to look into Fiora's eyes: "We're gotten kinda lucky, haven't we, when we found each other?"
Fiora smirks, "Lucky to find one another, but stubborn enough to work at staying together."
Brunilda laughs softly: "Plenty stubborn enough. Pretty sure that's a requirement working with either of us."
Fiora mmhmms, "Oh, most definitely. For me at least. I don't really think you're hard to hang out with. Just so long as you don't mind me snuggling up and taking a nap while you read."
Brunilda giggles softly, lifting her trunk to Fiora's cheek: "Never. I can't imagine what I read being all that exciting."
Fiora leans foward to kiss Brun again. "The snuggles are pretty great though."
Brunilda mm's into the kiss. Once they let go: "Mmwell I can't go denying that, now can I?"
Fiora grins, "I just finished my jog, uh, obviously I guess. Went a little longer than I intended. Wanna get something to eat and then maybe curl up for a good book?"
Brunilda smirks: "Or a good snuggle~. Yes."
Fiora nods, "Oh, that might be what I meant, yeah." She laughs, pulling Brun into another hug.
Brunilda giggles as she hugs Fiora tightly. She's a very happy elephant, right now.
----------------------------------------------
THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
----------------------------------------------
Erika picks up am extremely fruity cocktail from the bar and sits down at a table. Plus side from delivering fruit to the bar herself, every now and then. The okapi looks tired, but happy, dressed in her usual next-to-nothings.
Gareth makes his way into the bar, having apparently managed to miss finding Maxime in his continued search through town. Maybe it's just bad luck, he's not sure, but at least it seems like she's still around town, even if he has yet to catch up to her. With the sun down for the day, though, he's opting to go and get something to eat and drink as he makes his way to the counter to place an order. Once that's placed, he turns a bit and leans against the bar, half-sitting on a stool as he takes a look around at the slightly busy establishment.
Erika nods and smiles at the wolf entering... then blinks as she gets the feeling that she should know who this is. For the moment she opts to take a sip of her drink and wrack her brain about this.
Gareth hums thoughtfully as he scans the room, only to blink, then smile at the okapi. He dips his head courteously... then tilts his head as a tickling feeling at the back of his mind says he should recognize her. It only lasts for a moment before it clicks, and he makes his way over to where Erika's sitting. "Evenin', lass. Ye look familiar... do ye happen to know a Fiora Wess, by any chance?"
Erika tilts her head: "Er, yeah, she's my Sister." She pauses, blinking: "...I'm gonna hazard a wild crazy guess, you're Gareth, then?"
Gareth chuckles and smiles. "Heh, then ye're Erika. I only hope Fiora's been kind in talkin' about me to ye." He nods and doffs his hat, "Aye, me name's Gareth, yer sister's bounty huntin' partner."
Erika tilts her head the other way and hums: "Well, you look shorter than I thought you would be."
Gareth laughs a bit. "Well, ye're about as tall as I figured, bein' Fiora's sister and all. Most anyone would be shorter, I think, except maybe Brunilda."
Erika chuckles: "Well, maybe. I'm not that tall... well, except for the bits where I am, in which case I am tall. Brunilda's all quiet though, she's hard to figure out."
Gareth shrugs a bit. "The girl just seems like she hasn't really fully figured out what she wants to do in life yet. She's nice, from what I hear from Fiora, though."
Erika frowns: "Sour. Seemed a bit freaked out when I saw her when I was all fours." She pauses, humming: "...not that that's all that rare, I think I scared a lot of people. Best I can say, don't head out to Mean Peak if you want to avoid getting all feral'd."
Emmeline walks into the bar after having closed up the market stall for the night. She sits down at the bar and orders herself a large mug of cider before looking around a bit.
Gareth nods. "I remember hearin' about that bit o' business when Fiora and I first arrived in town. I'll be sure to give Fiora a reminder so she doesn't go stompin' off that way tryin' to keep in shape."
Erika giggles: "It would be kind of like her to do that, wouldn't it." She waves at Emmeline with a smile before turning back to Gareth: "Fiora's like me in that regard... just kinda going and only afterwards looking where, you know?"
Emmeline lifts her newly arrived mug to Erika, and then to Gareth. "Good evening, you two."
Erika smiles at Emmeline, motioning her to join them: "Hey Emmeline! How's the market-eering doing today?"
Gareth looks around and waves cheerily at Emmeline as well. "Evenin', miss Emmeline. Ye're lookin' well today. Care to join us?" He looks over at Erika, a half-grin on his face, "And it must run in the family between the two o' ye, wanderin' off to do things when ye feel like it."
Emmeline joins the pair at their table with her cider and smiles. "Market is fine. Been selling a few more decorations lately. Folks want something to make the winter a bit less dreary, it seems. At least that's how I've been marketing them..."
Erika giggles: "People are funny, they want plants for decoration. Which is like, of course they're pretty, but they can be pretty AND useful, you know?"
Gareth chuckles. "Dreary? The nights are cold enough that it feels almost like Vamas, just without all the snow. The skies are really clear at night, too, which ye almost never see elsewhere."
Emmeline sips her drink. "Well, less daylight and all that, at least. And the cold nights. I've made and sold a couple dozen nice hearth-toppers, since folks are doing more around them."
Erika shrugs: "Suppose that works. I don't get it, but no one's asked me to really get it either."
Gareth hums. "Needs change as the seasons turn, aye." He looks over at Erika, "Also, speakin' o plants... considerin' how cold it gets sometimes, I'm surprised yer garden's still so lush. I figured the chill would get to things."
Erika hums, looking up: "Well... most of the plants I have are from around Aephix, you know? Nothing that wouldn't last a bit of a lower temps if need be."
Emmeline nods a bit. "Desert plants are really hardy."
Gareth nods. "Makes sense, aye. They wouldn't grow any if they couldn't handle the weather."
Erika shrugs and leans back: "Making them survive is sorta my thing, for all the help they need." She glances aside: "...certain elementals invading my garden nonwithstanding."
Gareth raises an eyebrow. "Elementals? Ye been havin' magic troubles o' some sort?" He hums thoughtfully, "Surprised Fiora didn't tell me anythin' about that."
Emmeline laughs. "That's still probably easier than getting them to dry out and look nice without rotting or moldering..."
Erika nods, taking a sip of her cocktail: "Had a whole mess of trouble with a nature elemental partially borne out of, well, me... she's not really trouble anymore, except she keeps coming in to 'encourage' my plants and making them grow all powerful and fast. Like, too fast."
Emmeline cocks her head. "Ah, so that's what happened... I just heard about the 'mini-jungle'."
Gareth hums a bit, then shrugs again. "I must've missed it, I think... Heard about some troubles with the garden from Fiora, but never really heard much else since I think it got fixed not long after I got back from Sarn."
Erika smiles: "Well, in a messy nutshell... got sorta magically displaced, the elemental thought it was me - and looked like me, that was freaky - our friends did a helping ritual, though they killed the elemental, but she got instead like... bonded to Tarbin - I feel so bad for him - and eventually grew onto her own." She gives a lopsided smile: "Melia's nice, but she doesn't really 'get' a lot of stuff. Kinda coo-coo in the head, you know?"
Emmeline just listens, not having heard more than muddled rumors about what happened. "Ah, interesting..."
Gareth is about as lost as Emmeline on the details, since he only really heard it second-hand from Fiora. "Sounds like a mess alright... Not surprised the elemental thinks different from us. It, er... she's not really havin' to worry about a lot o' things we have to, ye know?"
Erika sticks her tongue out: "She only eats to taste-test, or... 'feel' my plants... I don't get it. But I don't think she needs to eat?"
Emmeline nods along, though she's never met an elemental as far as she knows.
Gareth shrugs again. "No idea, lass. Never met one meself, far as I know."
Erika leans back: "They're confusing. There's another one at the Forge too, but I haven't met that one face to face." She frowns: "I should really check on Cavro."
Gareth leans a bit against the table. "Two elementals...? This town's stranger than I would have guessed... I don't think I've ever been to a town with as many odd things happenin' as Respite."
Emmeline frowns a bit. "Ah, Cavro is that badger smith, right?"
Erika smiles and nods: "Cavro's my friend, yup. And uh yeah... strange stuff. I hear all kinds of stories going about town."
Emmeline nods. "Well, all sorts of strange folks even in the market, but strange in the good way usually."
Gareth hums, nodding along. "Well, maybe 'strange' is an unfair way to phrase it, more... maybe interestin'."
Erika sticks her tongue out: "Both. Let's go with both."
Emmeline sips her cider. "Both is good, yes."
Gareth chuckles and nods. "Then we'll just call it both, aye."
Erika shakes her head and gets up to get a second cocktail: "So anyway, what's new with you two?"
Emmeline watches Erika walk to the bar as she ponders. "Not too much, really... business is picking up, like I said. Jennica is selling a lot of trinkets to the saurs from the new village..." She continues on about various market news for a bit until the conversation shifts to another topic.