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RESPITE TRAINING GROUNDS - AFTERNOON
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Fiora finishes up her current lap, breathing heavy from the jog around the market place and back to the training grounds. It's a far cry from the jogs she took as a giraffe around the whole town, but it's enough to push this much smaller body to its max. She heads towards the water pump near the sparring grounds and fills her tiny canteen to take a long drink before she looks for a bit of shade.
Gareth happens to be wandering nearby, though his reason for being near the training grounds isn't for sparring or anything of the sort. Rather, he's searching for Fiora, and he figures if she's not at home, then she might be at or near one of her usual haunts.
Fiora relaxes a moment, sipping the water as she walks over towards a small bit of cover to get out of the sun. As Gareth wanders close, she glances up with a grin, "Yo! Gareth! Down here!"
Gareth looks around upon being called, and it takes him a moment to recognize Fiora, though he smiles and makes his way over to the same patch of shade when he does recognize her. "Afternoon, Fiora. Were ye gettin' a bit o' joggin' in fer the day?"
Fiora grins, "Yep! Trying to keep to the usual routine, even if this body is way less built for it. Wish I'd kept my leg muscles with this whole change thing. But I am way better at climbing, so that's a trade-off I guess."
Gareth nods as he goes to take a seat on the ground next to Fiora. "Good to hear yer keepin' active with all o' this stuff goin' on with ye and Brunilda." He chuckles, "One less thing fer me to fret about over the next month or so, at least."
Fiora takes a moment to stretch, getting into her cool-down routine. "We're managing pretty well, yeah. Erika is looking for a cure, but all that's over my head. Err, not a size pun." She tilts her head, "Next month or so, eh? You heading out?"
Gareth grins at the question. "Aye, plannin' to head out to Orela with Sammi fer a stretch. I got me hands on a good ship, so I think it might be time fer to me to start seekin' out anyone in need o' shippin' services and get contacts set up."
Fiora perks up, "Oh ho! So you're finally starting out on that venture, eh? Ah, crap. I can't even offer you security detail right now. Heh. I mean, you probably won't need it, but you know I worry how you fare without the Indestructable Fury behind you."
Gareth laughs and waves a hand. "Ahh, I wouldn't worry too much fer this first trip. We're not really carryin' anythin' o' particular importance out to Orela. Got some Saurian crafts, mechanical parts, and a few bundles o' letters. Not like we're transportin' magitech or anythin' yet." He smiles at Fiora, "Just do what ye can to work towards a fix, aye?"
Fiora chuckles, shifting back up to crack her neck, "You know it'll take more than a spooky magic basement to defeat me. I'll be looking down over you by the time you're back."
Gareth chuckles. "Good, I might come back with a recruit or two, dependin' on interest, so ye might have some work soon enough, lass. O' course, even if ye wind up still bein' a possum at that time, I'm sure ye'll give them plenty o' reason to never cross ye."
Fiora flashes her teeth, "These things are way sharper than before. Claws too, for climbing? Ha!" She settles back down, thinking a moment, "Speaking of recruits... you'll never guess who was looking for me the other day."
Gareth tilts his head. "Someone was lookin' fer ye? What, one o' our past marks or somethin' tryin' to get back at us?"
Fiora shakes her head, then points out west, "Sorta, but you're thinking from the wrong side. Remember that big Saur who kicked the shit out of me out at the Abyss? Well, she came calling."
Gareth seems a bit taken aback, and he frowns a bit as he looks over at Fiora. "The one ye dueled out west? I thought she went wanderin' out elsewhere in Aephix with a bunch o' the Saurs? What's she doin' here?"
Fiora shrugs, "Guess they've settled somewhere? Enough for her to come looking for me. Wants me to teach her smithing. So... guess I'll be doing a bit of that, eh? Just like Mom would've wanted."
Fiora: Kinda ironic, eh?
Gareth nods at that. "Aye, I'm surprised she even came this far out to meet ye face to face again, considerin', but at least she's not tryin' to start anythin', aye? Guess I'll see about grabbin' some smithin' tools fer ye while I'm at Orela. Once fer ye to use and spares fer whoever ye might be teachin'."
Fiora smirks, "If you think about it. I've got a deal with that blacksmith shop towards the north of town. I really need to try to talk to Cavro again though... you know, after the whole thing with Erika and him dating, and the uh, threats I made at him... maybe I'll be less threatening if I talk to him like this?"
Gareth chuckles. "Possibly, aye. Yer normally... what, somethin' like double his height? Ye might intimidate him less right now, which might help patch that stuff up." He shrugs with an easy smile, "But, aye, if ye need anythin' fer yer teachin', just let me know before I leave town."
Fiora nods, "Yeah, think so? Plus like, the armor and the axe and the threats to kill him... I wasn't serious, mind you. But yeah, I'll put together a list for ya. Orela... Gonna visit any more old flames? Gonna bring them back with you?"
Gareth shakes his head. "Nah, no more girlfriends, or anyone ye mistake fer a girlfriend. This trip is goin' to be nothin' but business."
Fiora snickers, "Alright, if you say so. I mean, if you're taking Sammi, you must be thinking pretty serious with her anyways, so probably no foolin' around with other girls while she's around."
Gareth sighs and rolls his eyes a bit. "Aye, lass, most likely, whoever comes back is buyin' passage on the ship and just wantin' transport fer whatever reason."
Fiora sighs as her laughter subsides, "Ahh, those poor lovesick kids. Go easy on 'em when you break their hearts."
Gareth shoots Fiora a smirk. "Ye know me, lass. I'm as gentle as can be fer most things. Probably fer the best Lianne took me eye when we first met, though. Imagine how dashin' I'd look with both eyes intact."
Fiora snorts, smirking back, "Probably for the best she didn't take your other eye with her this time."
Gareth laughs. "Hah, she'd have taken more than just me other eye if she actually had it out fer me this time around. O' course, it'd have been mutual if she was huntin' me." He shrugs, "It worked out fer the best, though."
Fiora nods, humming. "Yeah, probably. You got all your limbs, and all your senses still intact. Well... I'd make a joke that maybe you lost your mind, but you'd probably retort you lost that the day you asked to sign up with me on a hunt."
Gareth shakes his head after a moment of thought. "Nah... I think the day I lost me mind was around the point I decided to actually settle down here." He chuckles, "All this stuff we've been doin' as o' late... I doubt we even thought about it bein' at all possible before we came here. But, here we are, eh?"
Fiora chuckles, "That's for damn sure... I will say 'turned into a possom with the girlfriend you moved in with while your sister searches for a cure' was so low on the list it wasn't really on the list. There uh, there is no list, really."
Gareth chuckles again. "Ye've definitely had the majority o' odd things happenin' between the two o' us lately. Ironic, though, don't ye think?"
Fiora: "Oh yeah, absolutely. ...err... why's that?"
Gareth grins as he gently prods Fiora on the shoulder. "Come on, lass. I'm the one datin' the reality-bendin' bein' from below the waves, but our lives have been way more normal than yers has been."
Fiora pffts, "Oh yeah, that. I mean... you're not wrong. It's weird to wake up with a girlfriend every morning, and then walk across town to talk to my sister whenever I want... that, and overall, a lot less folks trying to kill us. You know, just on a day-by-day basis."
Gareth smirks. "Almost like our profession o' bounty huntin' was dangerous and never really let us stay in one place fer long, aye?"
Fiora nods, "Yeah, weird right? I'll have to put money down on whether more or less folks are trying to kill us as 'trade merchants'."
Gareth shrugs. "From what I remember o' me dad's instructions growin' up, a lot o' the "killin'" is from folks tryin' to outbid ye on contracts. Otherwise, just like before when we used to sail around: Just watchin' fer pirates and such."
Fiora laughs, "Ah, easy as that, eh? Well, I'll leave making the killings to you. In uh, that sense. The trade sense. You know what I mean."
Gareth flashes a grin. "I'm a wolf o' many talents, lass. Just need to dust off some o' me old skills, but I think we'll be just fine in the long run."
Fiora smirks up at Gareth, "Honestly? I have no doubts in my mind about that. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can make here."
Gareth chuckles. "Time will tell, lass. As long as we can get our feet in the door on trade in and out o' Aephix, we can at least carve out somethin' comfortable. The better deals we get and the more reliable our security, the more comfortable we'll be."
Fiora nods, "Well, our security will be the most reliable, once I'm up and, well, Up again. So no worries there. I already pride myself on the fact that we've never lost a shipment."
Gareth can't help but smile at that. "I like that attitude, Fiora. Startin' our record off strong already. I'm sure between ye and Brunilda, the recruits that work on guardin' our ships will be o' top quality."
Fiora nods, "Don't know how interested Brun is working security details, but I've no doubt on her quality."
Gareth hums and nods. "Aye, she said as much the last time I talked to her. She prefers workin' on magitech, but until I get some tech on the vessels we own, well... not much work there to be done. Before that, though, she could help ye train up folks fer guardin' shipments, and other stuff."
Fiora grins, "Well just keep that in mind. I'm sure she won't mind spending more time with me in the meantime."
Gareth smirks. "That's the plan, lass. I wasn't plannin' on makin' ye two spent time away from each other. Not that I even think it'd be possible to do that in the first place."
Fiora: "Heh, fair enough. I'm sure Brun will thank you for that much..." She pauses a moment, then shrugs, "And me too. Thanks for the forethought, Gareth."
Gareth dips his head with a smile. "One thing I know fer sure is that ye need to be happy if ye want to do yer best work. That was one o' the main challenges o' bein' a quartermaster on a pirate ship, really, makin' sure the swabbies are taken care enough to be happy without breakin' the bank."
Fiora smirks, "A lot different from being a bounty hunter, eh? Where the only worry is your own food on the table and how sharp you keep your axe. I'll have to keep that in mind."
Gareth nods. "Almost like managin' a company, really. Only difference is that if ye manage bein' a quartermaster poorly, well... overboard ye go, if yer lucky."
Fiora hehs, "I'll keep that in mind too... Maybe I can throw you overboard from the business too?"
Gareth smirks a bit. "I'm sure if ye threw me overboard, it'd be fer a good reason, since ye'd have to stop travelin' by rail to do so."
Fiora: "Yeah, but that might make ME in charge of the company, and I really don't want that. That'd just end up with me being thrown right after you."
Gareth laughs. "Only if I don't survive bein' thrown overboard, lass. O' course, if I don't survive, then I must've done something really bad to make ye want to kill me."
Fiora shrugs, "I don't know how tall you plan on making your office here in Respite. Guess if it's a first story window, you've not got much to worry about."
Gareth looks around a bit. "Eh... depends on where we have the office. Might make it a second floor window, but there aren't many things higher than that around town." He pauses, then adds, "Unless ye drag me to one o' the manors and toss me out o' one of their upper balconies, anyway."
Fiora hums, considering. "Maybe. Maybe we'll need to get like, a fountain or a reflecting pool outside the window too."
Gareth smirks. "Glass doors, maybe a chandelier in the room for the best effect, just like that one time, aye?"
Fiora pffts, "Oh damn... maybe we skip the chandelier? Unless you're just asking for me recreate that... I'm pretty sure I can still pull that off."
Gareth laughs again. "I was just suggestin' it, since ye always got a look on yer face whenever there was a chandelier anywhere on the premises."
Fiora hums, "Well, I mean, they're just so tempting..."
Gareth chuckles. "Maybe once we start makin' some good money on this venture, aye? We can always make our office look nicer over time."
Fiora smirks, "Well, I'll probably leave that up to you as well. Though I might have some suggestions for the uniforms and armory."
Gareth tilts his head. "Oh? Well, feel free to tell me those, then. The sooner we get details squared away, the smoother things go when those details come up."
Fiora begins to describe some of the materials and weapons she's imagining. She's got two lists, one a bit extravagent, and the other rather sensible in how she would best equip the caravan guards, and how she intends to train them, something she's clearly started thinking about already in preparation for Gareth's business venture.