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SKIES ABOVE AEPHIX - LATE MORNING
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Shirley hums as she helms the airship's wheel again, the vessel having held up wonderfully under the sudden return trip to Bairnell that they'd gone on after Leana realized she'd forgotten her things on the dock. As it stands, though, the slight setback in their travels was only a minor inconvenience, and Shirley's good cheer persisted well through the entire thing.
Leana slithers next to Shirley, blushing slightly still despite Bairnell being some distance behind them. "My apologies again for the rerouting... I did not intend to leave my things behind, but your ship piqued my curiosity so quickly..." The swan-snake is smile despite this, something about being up in the sky lifting her spirits.
Shirley chuckles and shakes her head a bit. "It's fine, Leana. I can't really say much about leaving belongings behind when I wound up here in Aephix without meaning to, and left everything in Vamas."
Leana raises an eyebrow: "You mentioned about an incident before, that this is not your first flight. Dare I ask how that earlier... attempt, went?"
Shirley sighs a bit. "It went really, really well! That is, right up until a freak blizzard blew in from the mountains and pushed my airship out to sea with me on it."
Leana winces: "Oof. I'm sorry. But at least you survived to attempt another day." She looks over the horizon for a second: "So... why Aephix?"
Shirley shrugs at the question. "It's where I washed ashore a few months ago. I had a broken arm up until recently, thanks to my airship breaking apart from the storm, and I didn't have anything with me at the time I first took it into the air at Westport, since it was meant to just be a test flight. I do miss Westport, but this place is really nice, too." She looks over at Leana, "How about you? Any particular reason you've decided to come here?"
Leana is quiet for a second as she considers, but then nods: "It's... strange, I guess. Just couple of weeks ago, I started having these... dreams. Thoughts, I should say. That I should head to Respite Falls despite not even knowing what it was before that." She breathes a puff of air at her rainbow-shaded crest of feathers: "That's when I got these too."
Shirley blinks, then looks over at Leana's wings. "...You... didn't have wings before?" She pauses, then shakes her head a bit, "Wait... you're a Snake, and... aren't Snakes with wings like that supposed to be super important?"
Leana blinks a couple of times, then gives a nervous laugh: "Err, not quite. Allow me to elaborate. While yes, actual coatls are held in high regard as they used to be royalty, I am no such being. I merely share a superficial resemblance, but am not related." She glances at the rainbow feathers at the end of her wingtips: "I was merely referring to the new coloring. My feathers used to be all black."
Shirley nods slowly, then perks up after a moment of understanding. "Oh, riiiiight, there were some hybrid Snakes, too. I remember someone in Respite was similar." She looks at Leana's wings again, "It's a nice patterning, but... you've no idea what might have caused the change, then?"
Leana shakes her head: "Not beyond some vague images. But my only clues point towards Respite Falls, and... well, the timing worked otherwise as well." She glances behind the ship, in the direction she vaguely imagines Sarn is: "...I was rather strongly suggested to leave Policaster behind too, recently."
Shirley hums curiously, but nods when Leana doesn't seem to know much about why she's going where she's going. "Some interesting timing, hm? Well, hopefully you find out why you're going to Respite Falls. It's a nice town, really, full of people that are from all over."
Leana smiles softly: "It does sound rather pleasant. While I am a big city girl, really... perhaps I can make do. Find... whatever it is that my destiny ends up being out here. I wish I knew more..." She lets out a soft sigh as she stares into the distance. After a moment or two in quiet, she continues: "How far from Respite are we?"
Shirley takes a moment to cross-reference her map. "Since we don't have to follow the trail, which usually takes about a week or so in one direction, we're... about here, I'd say." She waves Leana closer and points at a spot just shy of the halfway mark between Bairnell and Respite, "So... maybe another day and a half? If we get a tailwind, we can arrive come tomorrow morning, roughly."
Leana nods as she peruses the map: "Aephix is rather a big continent indeed... much to be tamed, if one was inclined to do that." She lets out a nervous laugh: "I have to wonder what a creative artist like moi would even do down here, but... I suppose I have to find out."
Shirley tilts her head. "You're an artist? I'm sure there's some call for it over there. A lot of folks are merchants and such, but they tend to only take care of the essentials." She smiles, "You could probably find some folks willing to pay for your works. What kind of art do you do?"
Leana shrugs: "Mostly I make my living by painting portraits. It takes finesse... and a regular set of clientele." She looks up: "I feel like I am on a fool's errand, leaving all that behind, but... well, here I am."
Shirley shrugs. "Well, you said you were urged to leave Policaster, right? If you didn't have this thing to try and do, where would you have gone next? Orela?"
Leana starts: "D-definitely not!" She gathers herself, coughing softly: "I mean, uh. No. Not Orela. It is not... not for me."
Shirley hums as she shifts the wheel just a bit to adjust the ship's heading. "Then it worked out well enough! Better to have something to try and do than wander blindly, right?" She grins after a moment, "Besides, I know there are a few folks that live in Respite who might be interested in your line of work."
Leana straightens her white dress, sighing deeply. She glances at Shirley: "You helped me despite me just sort of... dropping in. Even turned back for my baggage. It would be terrible manners of me to not trust you." Her smile wanes: "To put it bluntly, my family is in... less-than-savoury business. They wanted me to join. I declined. They made clear that declining was... not an option."
Shirley raises an eyebrow as she watches Leana for a moment, just to see if she's joking or not. When it's clear she's not, she shrugs. "Sort of on the run? I won't ask what sort of business your family is involved in, but I can say that if you're looking for a place to be far from them, Respite could do the job for you."
Leana smiles weakly: "Let's just say it's definitely not legal, and leave it at that. Nothing I want to be involved in." She gives a soft sigh: "And yes, Respite might be the place."
Shirley chuckles. "Then I won't pry more about that side of things. You'll enjoy it in Respite, though the heat might get to you a little with those black feathers."
Leana glances up at the sun above them: "Yes... that might become a mild problem yet. Guess I will see."
Shirley leans a bit to check the map again, but nods when she sees they're still on course. "Once we land at Respite, there are a bunch of places you can stay at until you figure out something more long-term. If you've the money, they're working on a lot of new construction, too, so you might be able to get something good for relatively cheap."
Leana smiles: "Well, I certainly do not have the ability to build for myself, so that may yet be a thing. I am really truly adrift right now... it is strange to be so again."
Shirley: "Really? What better time than now to explore a bit, in that case?" She tilts her head, "How long were you living in Policaster?"
Leana hums, lifting a hand to her beak: "Mm... I think I got good eight years over there in peace. Established myself quite well in the art circles, honestly. Which makes this sudden leave all the more crazy if I think about it."
Shirley hums thoughtfully. "Well... it's not as though you'll be completely cut off. Post regularly goes through Respite, though the travel times from here to other continents is still pretty long. You could probably stay in contact with the people you know back in Sarn."
Leana nods: "That is a good thought. Although I have to be careful in my correspondence."
Shirley nods. "Of course. If you're wanting to not be found, maybe too much contact is a bad thing."
Leana sighs: "I feel like my life has been upended in a week's time. It's pretty insane." She smiles: "But... life is an adventure, I believe."
Shirley hums in agreement. "It really is! it's all a matter of how you want your story to go, and working towards that."
Leana lets out a giggle despite the proverbial cloud above her head: "Once I figure out how to further my, er, career with all these new ramifications."
Shirley chuckles. "You'll figure something out, I'm sure. It'll be a little easier once you settle in, though."
Leana looks out to the distance: "I hope so." The two continue idly talking the day away as Respite Falls comes ever closer.