Basin Assumptions

The Tornmawr river, afternoon.

The weather was a pleasant but warm heat, tempered by the breeze coming off of the river. Such weather draws all sorts to the river, in this case, a rather large egalrin. Reithak was sitting on the grass just past the shore, their jacket and vest doffed, and seemingly submerged in a large wooden tub that was beside them. The egalrin rested their arms on their knees, idly whistling a tuneless song to themselves while they waited.

Near one of the docks that jut out into the waters, people a hopping off a boat ride from further up the river, leaving it briefly crowded before there's a beat of empty space.

Then, a whoosh! Massive wings suddenly fill the space as a rust red and white, rainbow adorned egalrin sails in from up on high, landing with a dull >thud< on the woods. She pops up, throwing her hands up to the sky and yawning wiiiiide.

"Ma'am, you're blocking the entrance," a tried attendant shoos her away.

"Oh, shoot! My b!" she chirps, looking sheepish before hopping off the dock and ambling down to look for something to-

A familiar figure. Slixvah averts course and makes a few hops before unfurling her wings to glide the rest of the distance away. She stops on her knees, just a few feet away. "What'chu know good, Rei-Rei?" she coos warmly.

The large egalrin stopped their whistling as the wind and noise picked up again nearby, only to whistle again when they realized who was gliding down nearby. Reithak offered a thumbs up to the witch as they shifted where they were sitting. "Nice landing, Slix! Real slick, there." They greet happily. "I'd give ya a hug, but I still need to be a bit careful with my ribs." They add with a laugh, patting some of their chest feathers down that were flecked with a bit of dried blood. "Don't worry, they're healed up, just real sore and more than a bit itchy. Hope I'm finding you in better health!"

Slixvah grins. "Thanks! I try ta make a good entrance when I can." Though, her visage shifts to concern. "Oh, goodness! Are ya sure? I can give 'em a once ova just ta double check."

Her attention shifts over to the tub and the clothes therein. "I'm doin' aight. Reall' tired, so taking some days off from work fo' now. Guessin' ya cleanin' out ta clothes?"

Reithak says, “I'm fine, really. Thank's for the concern, but I'll be real fine. Got some divine magic from others and myself to patch it up just fine." The large egalrin laughs, reaching over to pat Slixvah on a shoulder. "Course, I wouldn't mind a once over from you, but it wouldn't really accomplish much."

"Only thing with lasting damage is my clothes, really, but they're fixable, or replaceable." Reithak sighs, gesturing to the large tub. "Left the blood a bit too long due to other pressing matters, but a little vinegar and some other things should get it right out later. If you need to rest, you're welcome to join me, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. What's got you so low on energy, Slix?" They wonder, tilting their head and watching the witch curiously.”

Slixvah sits down, crossing her legs. "Gotcha gotcha," she snickers. "As tempting as that is, I'd at least like ta keep /some/ professionalism when healin' folk. Even if they are adorable."

She tuts. "Shame. If they ain't fixed, lemme know, I can patch 'em up wit' some mojo laters." Another yawn leaves her beak, the runt of an egalrin laying back on the grass, wings haphazardly splayed out. "Buncha long shifts at work. Late nights studying. Later nights findin' parties. I work a bar and make coffee in two different places. I'm flyin' 'round all over th' place."

She looks up at Reithak, a brow quirked. "What uh, messed up ya, hon?" she asks.

"Me, adorable?" The large egalrin laughs. "Well, thanks, but I get it. Not a good idea to get the threads of work and play tangled too much, you're right on that."

Reithak looks over to where the witch was splayed out, turning their head to keep an eye on them. "Well, aren't you a busy thing Slix, no wonder you're exhausted, you're doing enough work for two or three people at that rate." They note. "Even parties are work when you're up to that much at any given time."

"What messed me up? well, I'm not sure entirely what it was. There's a lot of strange stuff in that felwood outside Alexandria, and I don't know if it was some sort of plant or animal or both, but it smacked me something fierce with one of it's vines. I don't think I've ever been hit that hard in my life, really."

Slixvah nods once, a cheeky smile in her eyes. "If you want me ta check ya over in an unprofessional manner, let's have dinner first, then we can talk," she casually invites.

A sigh escapes her. "Yeah. It is work. Half of what I do is schmooze, stay on the up and up, and all that biz."

That gets her attention, Slixvah sitting up and looking at Reithak with a more serious expression. "Tha's some rough biz right there. You uh, good after that? I had a friend that had a bad trip doing stuff there. Stuff with hallucinations and th' like."

The large egalrin blinks, and smooths down a cheek for a moment before laughing. "Just dinner? No matinee in the theater district or workshop together?" Reithak asks with one raised brow. "Well, you get what you want or need out of the party, that's what's important, isn't it?"

The large egalrin nods once. "Yeah, that place is weird, even the plants are nasty. I think I was lucky, the brambles and thorns only scratched up my feathers and didn't actually pierce any skin, but it seemed to affect Aelwyn and Jacob pretty bad, poor things. Aelwyn roughed me up something fierce with that tail of his, but I don't hold it against him. I should check up on him, when I get the chance."

Slixvah perks. "Matinee? Workshop? Sure! Those sound like great ideas," she hums warmly. "Jus' prefer ta spend a lil' time together 'fore we start bein' too cheeky, ya kno'? But yeah, get what I need outta it. Scuttlebutt, and lots of it."

She leans back, wings shifting to press down and support her weight as she crosses her arms. A look of empathy, sadness crosses her eyes. "Dang. Yeah, me and Ael chatted a bit 'bout it. I'm glad tha's all tha' happened to ya, he's got a mean whip wit' tha' thing. I checked on him, he's... doin' his best, he won' admit it, but it wouldn' hur' ta have someone there double check on th' guy."

"Well, that's what I mean, Slix. It would be better to get to do more with you, after all." Reithak chuckles, "Well, you let me know when you're rested up and got some free time, okay?"

The large egalrin leaned over to pat Slixvah on a shoulder again, but they ended up wincing and sitting back down. "Yeah, he wasn't too pleased with everything, even if he did his best not to show it." They agree sadly. "I should make him something to cheer him up, maybe surprise him with something, he was asking me about working with some red silk, after all."

Slix hums warmly, reaching up to cover the hand on her shoulder. "Ye ye, totally. Gimmie a few days, and I'll drop ya a message in some form or fashion."

A sigh escapes her, coupled with a worried look from the wince. "He loves red. And bold clothing, if ya can't tell." A beat to look the large egalrin over. "If ya got pains, try goin' to th' TarRaCe. They's got a bathhouse, can soak in hot waters."

"Well, alright then, that's settled!" Reithak replies happily. "No rush though, Slix. Get yourself settled and rested, I'd rather see you healthy and happy beyond anything else."

"Hey, I'll be alright too, I promise. Might as well both be at our bests, you know?" The large egalrin chuckles, scooting a bit closer so she can hug Slixvah around the side. "I might need another bath though, you're probably right. As long as they don't mind a bit of dried blood in the baths and me looking like a half drowned chicken, it'd probably go a good way to curing what ails me. I saw that place passing by the district a few times, so I should take a look!"

Slixvah shoots a thumbs up as plans are somewhat solidified, a grin in her eyes. "Likewise, hon."

The runt gently leans into the side hug, her humming quietly to herself as a wing unfurls to carefully wrap around Reithak. "They's got some showers ya go in before ya soak in the baths. Trust me, loads of adventuring folk use the place to cleanse off the nasty stuff. Me included." But at that, she grins. "Girl, I always look like a half drowned chicken while I'm there, bu' its totes worth it!"

"You're right though, Aelwyn certainly has a bold sense of fashion. He almost has as many ribbons as you!" The egalrin laughs, leaning into the wing with a happy sigh. "I'm not sure what to make him yet, he already wears so little. Maybe a new loincloth, or something else? I don't want it to be anything that would get in the way of the dancing, after all. Considerations to make and things like that."

"Well, it's sounding even better now, I should make that a priority when I can. For sure it's worth it, I just don't want to go scaring off any patrons, that's all." The egalrin hums. "Maybe you should join me, so I don't feel so out of place?"

Slix snorts. "Yeah. A fair number of 'em fo' sho'. Loincloth should work well, he swaps those out a decent bit," she suggests.

A hand waves the concern away as the wing seemingly pats Reithak on the shoulder. "Girl, ya ain't gonna scare off any patrons, trust me. Loads of people from all walks of life: Makari, me, Nars and Jotun end up there in them baths." Both brows quirk up high. "Well sure," she readily accepts. "Make sure ya get some swim wear. And I will warn ya, I look /really/ muted without all thi' shtuff," she gestures to her colors.

"Well, that's a good idea then! I'll make something for him and find him later, make sure he's doing okay." Reithak nods. "It's the least I can do with how much everyone helped me back there."

"All sorts of people in this city, aren't there?" The egalrin muses. "And still so many people to meet and learn from. Maybe that's a good spot to meet some new people in that case."

Reithak looks at the small witch, and chuckles again. "Well, clothes and accessories only accentuate how pretty you are to begin with, Slix." They point out. "I'm sure I could pick you out in a crowd if you're worried I wouldn't recognize you."

"Sure can learn a lo' fro' all th' people here. I sure did," Slix adds, rubbing her beak.

Her face feathers floof at that. "Ah, no, ain't worried 'bout tha'. Thankies tho'. Jus' a lil' jelly tha' th' boys get th' pretty colors ya kno'?" she mildly huffs.

"Always something new to learn, people to meet, it's a good way to live your life." Reithak hums. "Seems like you had good teachers here, that's for certain."

"Well, you're right in that regard." The large egalrin laughs. "You should see my brothers, might as well be as bright red as one of those ribbons on Aelwyn. But that's alright, I'm happy being myself. I just like dying some feathers here and there to break things up. If you wanted, I could do that for you some time?"

"Life, Rei-Rei, is one of the greatest teachers," Slix chirps wistfully. "And, well, sneaking into University lectures," she snickers.

She rolls her eyes. "Tell me 'bout it. Got loads of siblings. Even the dullest of them boys has th' mos' vivid green. But uh..." she taps the side of her beak. "Hmm. Maybe. But I li' changing up th' colors so much- eh, well, if I don' li' it, I can always magic it away. Sure, why not!"

Her gaze shifts over to the clothes, her bringing up her hands and cracking her knuckles. "Want me ta help wit' them clothes? Can try and get the worst stains out."

"Maybe I'll sit in on some lectures then! Though I hope I don't need to sneak into them. And if I do well, might be hard with how I can't really hide behind anyone." Reithak laughs. "Sure, as long as you think you'll like it. It may be easy for you to get rid of, but that doesn't mean it's easy to put it all on."

The inquisitor looks to the wash basin, and back to Slixvah. "You know what? Sure, if it isn't too much trouble. I know some magic users have a real knack for cleaning, and it'd save me a lot of time. If it's no trouble for you, that is."

Sixvah wobbles a hand, snickering. "We'll, ya'd be fine. I cause problems sometimes." She hums lightly. "And tha's why I'll consider it heavily, 'cause I don't want ya ta waste th' effort on it."

She gives one brief, careful squeeze with a wing before pulling away and getting up to her haunches. "Righty, let's see here..." she hums, waggling her fingers and peering into the washbasin. "Awh. Yeah. Lez git this cleaned up. Still gonna need ta soak ta get soft again and all tha'. Right! Let's get started."

A few simple incantations make a handful of shimmers and glitz sparkle out of the basin, the clothing seeming cleaner already. But the magic is... far too simple for what an occultist should be doing. It must be fake. Or... substituted?

"Ya kno' what? What color ya want it?" Maybe....

-End Scene-