Brunch and Spice

Log Info

• Title: Brunch and Spice
• Emitter: Slixvah
• Characters: Slixvah, Eztli
• Place: Lower Markets
• Time: August 17th, 2022
• Summary: Slix and Eztli catch some brunch and many alcoholic breakfast drinks. They catch up on how their respective interests are going, their developments, as well as spilling some tea. A bit of their past. A lot of tea. A little birdie once said that...

Lower Markets, Late Morning, outside a restaurant.

There's finally a break in the day, clear skies, no rain, the heat is bearable. And the lower markets is a-bustling.

One of the many restaurants that dot the streets harbors outdoor, patio seating. And one such table is already occupied. There's a rainbow ribboned egalrin woman, holding a mimosa in one hand and elucidating some trivial small talk with a raised finger. "And here I thought it'd never stop rainin'!" Slixvah snickers, downing half the drink in one go.

She shakes her head, the chuckle dying out. "Anywho, how ya been, Ez?"

Across from the egalrin sat a small white scaled makari, who was awkwardly sat on one side of her chair, resting an arm over the back of it.

"Yeah, nice isn't it? Not that I mind the rain, but I'd rather my meal didn't become soggy." She chuckles back. "Now, how have I been doing? I should be the the one asking you that, Slix, I think you've had a lot more developments of late compared to me! But, I'm good. Things have been pretty quiet around here, and that's a good thing, I'd say."

"That ain't eva fun," Slix tuts, stabbing a sausage with a fork and popping it into her mouth. The question makes her face fluff up for a beat as she thinks, but then her eyes crinkle in a smile, and she leans forward.

Her wings unfurl slightly. Thick flight feathers fill where once there was nothing, and their span had gained a couple of feet since then. "Weeeell," she hums warmly. "My wings came back in! If it ain't obvious. Ain't undergone no Rite of the Skies, but I had my first flight! Jay helped me wit' it!"

"Yeah, it is a bit obvious, isn't it." The small makari snorts between bites of sausage, egg and potatoes all skewered on the same fork. "I figured y0u had your first flight! Figuring since, I've seen you fly around, like twice? And always times when I couldn't even talk to you about them!"

The small makari looks more than a bit huffy, and she quiets herself on her own drink, a rather fruity looking slush of mango and alcohol. "So now I've got you here. What's it like! Do your wings feel different? What's the rite of the skies, and how was Jay helping you out with it?"

Slix giggles. "Sorry 'bout that, hon. Been a busy bird, yeah?" she apologizes, taking another sip of her orange juice concoction. The question makes her whistle happily. "Oh it's great! It's one heck of a workout though, but man, not havin' ta jump off somethin' ta get up high is wonderful."

Her wings rustle and roll, just like one would roll their shoulders. It's clear she wants to flare them out, but it'd knock into some patrons. Instead, one wing goes around the table to show it off to Eztli. "Yeah, they fill different. I think all that pain in my back was some growth spurts. Muscles and bones grownin' in. They feel heavier. But stronger."

Her gaze softens a bit. "Jay helped me wit' my First Flight. Usually that just... accidently happens. End up just gettin' wings strong enough one day. He just made sure I didn't squash m'face because /maaaan/ those wings are soooooore."

"Rite of the Skies... is different for a lot of folks. Different Aeries do it differently. Dunno how the one here does it, but in mine, ya had to fly high up to tha tip top of the Sky Curtains, find somethin' meaningful to ya and commune wit' da gods Cernan and Ceiwen. Or, Gilead and Dana, fo' the Trade tongue, and fly back down. Then there's a party!" she grins, but looks a tinge sad about it before quickly perking up. "I'll get it done eventually."

"That would make a lot of sense, wouldn't it? I didn't want to assume, but it looks like it was from your new wings growing in." Eztli laughs, reaching out to pat the egalrin on the wing. "Must be even more work now though, what with the feathers being even bigger and needing to make sure they'll keep you aloft."

"I bet that was a lot of fun. How's he been doing? I haven't seen him around late. You too still getting along alright?" She asks pointedly, taking a sip from her drink with a rather absurdly long straw it had been supplied with tucked into the corner of her mouth. "Sounds like a big deal. Is it an insular thing? Sounds like it'd be quite the party, and fun to join in on."

The wing is stronger than ever. Even now. A feather animates and pats Eztli back before returning back to the nest of other feathers. Slixvah retracts her wings, getting then snug in tight behind her. "Oh, you don't know the half of it girlie. I'm so flippin' hungry all the time now. Gotta keep the machine runnin'!" she snickers, picking up a bread roll and tearing into it.

The pointed question makes her face fluff up a touch, but she smooths it down. "We're good. Nothin' like, ya know," wink wink, "but we good. He's been busy with legalese. Was a ton of fun. We jumped off a cliff afterwards."

The egalrin bobs her head. "It's a really, really big deal. Like, a goal tha' almost all my folk strive ta have. Gettin' flight is like, recognition tha' Gilead and Dana are still lookin' out for us." She shrugs. "It's certainly bird culture stuff that we hold pretty dear, but it ain't unheard of fo' others ta come and watch. Some Khazad would sometimes watch back in my Aerie."

She sips on her mimosa, shooting Eztli a cheeky look. "Sooooooooo...?" she draws out. "Hooooooow's the plaaaan coming...?" The plan? Oh. The plan. /That/ plan.

"Is that so? Totally worth the grocery bills though, right?" Eztli chuckles. "Well, glad things are good between the two of you. Not surprised he's still busy, what's he got on the docket now?"

"And how did things go with Patch? You two have a nice dinner? Take her out for dessert?" She asks with a hint of pointedness and a slight grin.

"My plan? It's going well, least I hope so. Taking a bit longer than I expected, But Nemori's busy with working her new metal. I didn't ever stop to thing how many rings you've got in a shirt of mail, and they're even more complicated than normal steel." Eztli offers in explanation. "But, it gave me time for preparations. Makes me feel bad I rushed that tailor the way I did, though."

Slixvah scratches her beak in thought. "I think... he's working wit' makin' sure tha refugees don't get screwed ova'? I think. I wouldn't quote me on that. We don't talk much legal stuff when I'm 'round."

The question makes her face feathers floof up. "A-Ah. Yes, that went... well. Really well," she hums, picking at her plate, skewering more eggs and potatoes onto a fork. "She's sweet."

Her brows raise. "Oh? Well, that's good ta hear. Hopefully whoever that tailor is understands. But ya, there's a /ton/ ta metal workin'. I don't know a lot, but talkin' wit' dwarves for several years has told me it takes a loooong time ta figure out all the little details. Look at it this way, 'least ya won't get caught flat footed. But don' get ya'self anxious 'bout it."

"Eh? Why not? I mean, you're getting to know him, and it's clearly important to him. I get not wanting to go through everything, but I bet he'd be real happy to talk about it with someone. You know, I hope he's not too lonely. He does stop by the smithy an awful lot."

The small makari blinks, and grins anew. "Did anyone ever tell you you're the absolute cutest when you're embarassed, Slix?" Eztli snickers. "Glad it went well though, really. I was worried I messed things up for you, so it's a weight off my shoulders."

"I hope she does, I need to pick up that sun dress she was making and get it fitted. If it looks half as good as the mock-up, than with a little bit of luck, Nemori'll be knocked off her feet."

"Least, I hope so." Eztli sighs, stirring her drink idly for a moment. "I still don't know, might not be flat footed, but I might be over preparing for something it isn't, you know?"

Slixvah looks aside. "I mean, I ask him what's he up ta. And he says it's borin' legal stuff. I... think he is lonely," she murmurs. "But I really don't mind hangin' out wit' him."

She blinks before giggling, her smoothing her face feathers down. "Naw, ya didn't mess anything up. Patch said if she knew it was a date, she woulda said yes immediately." Then, a wink. "Thanks, cutie. For the compliment, and the hand."

She watches Eztli fidget for a bit before the egalrin reaches over to pat the makari on the shoulder. "There there. Ya might be overpreparin', prolly overthinkin' it. You and her got loads of time. It's jus' somethin' simple. Just enjoy ya'self, and it'll work out. If it don't, then it don't, and it's off ya plate."

She monches on a sausage, as if to accentuate her point.

"Call him out on it next time." Eztli huffs once, pointing a sausage laden fork at the egalrin. "That's what he says, maybe he just thinks you don't want to hear about it. Don't know until you try, maybe he wants to talk about it."

"I was worried I messed something up. Made her think you wouldn't be interested in a date, and then I was worried she might get the wrong idea, since you didn't want to fully commit to a relationship at the moment. So I'm just glad it went well, that's all." Eztli sighs as her shoulder was pat. "I probably am. It's hard not to."

Slixvah holds up her hands in mock surrender, along with a light hearted laugh. "Alright! Alright! I'll ask him next time I catch him. Honest. I like hanging out wit' him. I'll just have to try double hard ta corral his attention."

The bird lady pushes the last of her eggs and hash around in a circle with a fork. "We uh... came to a mutual understanding and agreement on that," she admits openly, finally taking a bite. "So no worries, hon. Appreciate 'cha."

Her eyes crinkle in a smile. "I kno' it's hard not ta. But it's important ta make sure ya focus on other things."

Another mimosa is passed off to the table, which Slix takes with a thankful nod. "Speaaaakin' of... I noticed while we were dealin' with that fey BS, ya magic is a lil' mo' spicy. How's that biz comin' along?"

"Well I'm just saying, sometimes people brush stuff off they'd actually really enjoy. People are weird like that sometimes." Eztli shrugs. "So you sorted that out too, that's good. Things are looking up for you huh? And not just cause you're real lucky."

"Yeah, that's why I'm trying to go out and do more stuff, like eat brunch with you Slix." The small makari snorts. " Yeah, a bit more spicy, that's why I kept missing those fairies all the time. It's just fire, that's the majority of what I can do, just a bit more fire than before I guess."

Eztli sipped again on her drink to pause. "I dunno. I was always planning on pursuing magic at a later date, and hindsight is real good.

"Wasn't expecting to get better at it so quickly, that's all."

Slix bobs her head in agreement. "Yeah. That's right true." Then, she rubs her neck. "I'd say so, yeah. They lookin' up. Glad ya recognize it's my own volition, and not just some fluke of the draw."

The egalrin laughs quietly along with Eztli. "I mean, I've seen your fire then, and now, and it's certainly quite a lot spicier."

The fortune teller tilts her head to the side slowly. "Stessful situations begets improvement. Training only goes so far until it's actually needed to be utilized. I remember ya told me ya always had a bit o' magic in ya. What were ya plannin' on doin' befo'?" She explicitly doesn't mention 'before Dragonier fell.'

"Course it is. I'm no witch or wizard, but I'm not dumb." Eztli huffs. "I've never noticed any magical inclination to hang out with you, or anything like that. It's more of a circumstantial thing."

"Same magic, different form, that's all. You can cover a wide area with fire, or you can focus it down, concentrate it in one area and send it farther before it dissipates. But it's still fire. Not exactly useful for not hurting people. Culix kinda brought that to my attention, the goblin lady who was with us. You should go out for drinks with her sometime." Eztli offers.

"Well I mean, yeah, I do. I mean, it's complicated. I can't do any of the small little cantrips I used to, but I can still do other ones. I don't know what I was planning on doing, I can't really remember. Something stupid probably." The small makari answers to not answer the question.

Slixvah sips on her drink. "Yeah, it is like that. Lotta my mojo is just stuff I know how ta do but amped up a bit." Though, she taps her beak with the glass. "... Culix. Huh. Aight, I'll have ta keep that in mind. I owe her a drink fo' gettin' that biz down slick."

She raises a feathered brow. There's a beat of silence as she looks at her nearing empty plate before making a simple observation. "Ya can't remember. Yet ya dish out every Dragonier honorific fo' th' lil' golden cutie," she hums simply, buffing her nails on her feathers while casting a quick glance to the makari. "Sounds like selective forgetfulness."

"I don't know, feels kinda pointless to say you'd get along with her. You'd get along with just about anyone." Eztli shrugs.

The small makari sips the last of her drink, and a bit longer to confirm there was nothing left. Eztli sighed and set the glass down. "Of course I did. There aren't many gold dragons left after what happened." She huffs. "And when you're expected to go learn from them some day, then you're going to have to know how to deal with them. And you know, they were the leaders of all the major goings on there, too."

"It was just general studies at one of the colleges in Dragonier, that's all, the sort of thing most did around my age." Eztli sighs. "Because I really wasn't expecting everything to turn to shit in a matter of days, so I figured I had more time to figure things out, you know?"

Slix taps the side of her beak and winks, "Ding ding ding, ya absolutely right!"

A little chuckle. "I have ta admit, I needed ta pick my beak off the floor after seein' them. It was... certainly a good sign ta see such a cutie." A glance to Ez. "I kno'. They ran practically everythin' there."

Her drink swirls some in its cup. "Ya took some classes ta know some minor mojo." Sky blues level on the makari. "No one was expectin' that." A pause, then a shrug. "Ya ain't gotta tell me everythin'. Not obligated ta. Just kno' I remember a lot of minor details."

"It was something to see them, yeah. And then they were just gone, without another word, or any explanation, or news or _something_." Eztli sighs. "But that's not important, what's important is that they're okay, and I can't expect much of a child really."

"I didn't want to stay in rune too long. Place was falling apart, much as they hated to admit it." The small makari grumbles. Their whole governing body collapsed when Animus died, and they really have no clue what to do to replace it."

"I'm surprised the wights are showing up here, I would have assumed they'd go there first really. Maybe they'll just follow me around wherever I go."

Slixvah taps her beak, eyes up to the sky as she ponders. "... a child? No. That can't be a mere child. It nearly blinded Magpie with their aura when she cast her senses out for magic," she surmises. "I know a decent bit about dragons, and that lil' golden sparkle ain't just a child. Hence why I was content ta just watch and snack."

A little tut. "Yeah. Probably tossed me out due to tha chaos. My kind of flow made 'em scared, I suppose."

The fortunamancer stares at Eztli for a moment. She wipes her fork off on a napkin, reaches over, and bops her on the snout with the flat of it. "Stop thinkin' that, Ez," she huffs. "There's a lotta reasons why they'd come here than Rune. Alexandria's got one of tha strongest epicenters of faith, their antithesis. A spearhead strike here would knock out competition for other places and affords this place less time ta prepare."

"Well, I didn't think it was really a child." The small makari huffs. "Just, hoped, you know? Since that would at least make how it was acting a bit more excusable."

"Mm, maybe, they were just kind of dealing with witches just starting to be a thing I suppose. Weird they'd shove one out rather than getting to know them better, but they're kind of not in the most sensible of states at the moment, hence my leaving."

"Yeah, of course." Eztli sighs when her face is booped. "Not that they really need to worry about that. I bet you Alexandria would be preparing just as little anyways with some more time."

Slixvah shrugs. "Or, they like me and just enjoy the little things. Like fish! Did you see that thing just vanish in a blink of an eye?!" she giggles.

A small sigh as she swirls the last of her third? mimosa. "Yeah. Magic was reaaaaally fussy, so theys tryin' ta stick ta what they know than wantin' ta know what they didn't 'til they had stability. Oh well. Their loss."

Her empty plate is pushed to the side. "They preppin'. It's all ova. The amount of folks I've been havin' ta tend to has been steadily going up and up and up..."

She shakes her head. "Anywho. That ain't here nor there. I'm just glad we're here, yeah?"

"I guess, you might be right." Eztli shrugs. "Not like everyone in Dragonier is their business, or still is. If they're from there, they probably want nothing to do with the place, or what happened, too. Can't blame them."

"They're only preparing now because they have to. But that's semantics, I mean, they didn't have a plan in place for when this or something similar happened. I'm not surprised the amount of injured is going up even more."

"I don't know if I'm glad to be here. Probably, I guess." She shrugs again. "Least the people are nice."

Slixvah nods along, perhaps a bit woozily as she's had a fair number of the drinks at this point. "Yeah. Thankfully I learned a few tricks ta help ease that prob."

Her eyes soften. "Well /I/ for one am glad ya here," she chirps warmly.

"Doesn't hurt to learn something new, does it?" Eztli nods. "It's good you're able to do more to help people. That's why I need to you know, learn how to more than just burn things."

"It was good to meet you, Slixvah. And Robert and Jay and Nemori, and a lot of other people." The small makari sighs, looking down into her empty glass. "Things are just different now. I've got a tail, for one thing. But I guess what I mean is, if I just compare things to my old life, I won't be able to appreciate things as they are now, you know?"

Slix hums, holding up two hands. "Weal and woe. Heal and harm. Burn and freeze. It's good ta know the flip side of whatever you're workin' with."

Her eyes crinkle in a smile. "Things are different. It's alright ta remember how things used ta be. It makes you who you are. But I think here, you'll be able to ta come to terms with everything that used ta be. So ya can focus on what is to be."

She looks to her empty drink, then thuds her forehead with it. "Ugh, I sound like Fiadh."

"I'm not sure if that's particularly confusing, or it's just the drinks making it moreso." Eztli chuckles weakly. "Well, Fiadh's cute, so there are worse things to be I guess. So that's not bad. But how things used to be is complicated, too. I mean, what makes me who I am? That's something that I really shouldn't be thinking about in the middle of brunch."

The small-makari sighs, and thuds her head into the table. "I mean, I guess I do still think Nemori is cute, so it's not like my tastes have changed entirely I guess. But that just makes me worry about fitting in with people in Mictlan when I go over there."

Slixvah quietly laughs, shaking her head. "Yeah, this ain't a brunch topic fo' sho."

She tilts her head to the side, watching Eztli plonk down onto the table. A little sigh escapes her, and she rises to her feet. "I think a lotta people got way more ta worry 'bout than you hookin' up wit' a mul, if I'm bein' right, brutally honest honey." She steps around, looping an arm across Eztli's shoulder. "C'mon. Let's get up and goin'. We're buzzed, and a lil public intoxication stroll through tha gardens sounds right pretty, yeah?"

"Well, yeah, but it's at least a bit of a worry for me." Eztli huffs. "Especially if I ever wanted to go to Mictlan with her, you know. I still like things over there, too."

"A walk through the gardens does sound nice at least." She manages to reply after pulling her head off of the table. "Might as well while the warmth holds up, yeah?"

"Long as we don't make too much of a commotion, but people might already be confused by an egalrin and sith-makar walking around. But that's none of their business, anyways, is it?"

Slixvah pats Eztli's back. "Scuttle butt told me a mul was up there some months ago ta help out with stuff. So who knows? Worst that'll happen is that they turn ya around."

"Anywho," she snickers. "If they confused, then they stay confused. In fact, I'd be willin' ta confuse 'em more. I wonder how hard it is ta walk 'round like a makari? I got that mojo prepped...~!" Slixvah singsongs.

"You say that like you didn't just say that the worst that they can do is shun me." The small makari huffs once, before she leaves the table.

"Sure, why not, looked like you were having fun with that magic last time." Eztli chuckles. "It's probably easier for you, you're already used to egalrin feet. Just remember you're a tripping hazard to anyone walking close enough beside or behind you, and you'll be fine."

Slixvah sighs in exasperation. "Oh my gods, girl, it'll be fine..!" she rolls her eyes, reaching over to ruffle Eztli's nonexistent hair. So it's more of a pat. "You're overthinking it!"

Her eyes crinkle in a smile. "Oh trust me. I made sure I didn't walk far. That tail is hard to manage! And besides, I smack everyone with my wings anyways."

She turns, gently smacking Eztli with a wing. "Let's be off!" she declares, pointing to the sky as she marches off down the road.

-End Scene-