Dormant Reflections

Log Info

• Title: Dormant Reflections
• Emitter: Patch
• Characters: Patch, Slixvah
• Place: Bardic College
• Time: November 8th, 2022
• Summary: Late evening simmerings of the quiet night lend aid to stewing experiences for both Patch and Slixvah. The former gazing upon the stars in their new accoutrements, while the latter is on a studying spree. Both showing after effects of injuries, Patch relays some new information about the weirdness of magic going on that the egalrin and herself have been inspecting. Rather, uncovered, not new. It should be kept under wraps. But both are certain this rabbit hole is something to dive into.

The Bardic College -- Late Evening (10:30)

The night is clear and cold, and the campus quiet. A few students linger as the dorms don't have a curfew, but the main buildings are locked, and passage is restricted until morning.

The courtyard is fair game, Patch laying on one of the benches as she watches what little of the stars she can see. The light of the college and city obscure most of the night sky, but her elven eyes can still make out some of the small twinkles. She might be hard to recognize, her hair missing, cropped short and wild. Her clothes new, a coat she picked up from Lady Sandiel worn to help ward from the cold. It seems her mood echoes the night, a sigh let loose as she ignores most all else, just being still and silent in the cold. The stirring of other students doing little to draw her attention. She holds something, folded leather, and some bells, but it's hard to tell what it might really be.

It's been a minute. But for long lived folk, is a minute just a couple of days? A week? Who knows? A lot can change in that time. And a lot can change in just a minute.

A blob blots out the stars from above, something in the sky obscuring their splendor. It corkscrews, growing larger, larger, larger-

A beribboned egalrin woman comes to a skidding halt, illuminated by one of the mana lamps on the courtyard grounds. Clad in a few more robes than normal to stave off the chill, she rubs at a crack forming on the side of her beak. Tip of a finger glowing a soft white hue, trying to coax it back to whole and hale. But that's just idle work as sky blues are darting about the campus. In search of... something. But coming up empty. She grinds her beak. Winces. Then doubles up on the magics as she turns to make flight once more-

Whatever search she was on is bookmarked and abandoned as she spies a familiar figure lounging on a bench. A half step towards them, and she's stymied. A beat of the heart to take in what is different and demeanor before she approaches with a firm gait.

She doesn't wait for an invitation, nor does she inquire about anything. Slixvah simply takes a seat next to the short-haired elf's head, gives a closed eye smile (if concerned) towards her, and pats her lap; offering a headrest.

Patch had heard some of that noise of landing, her ears twitching as she had tried to ignore it. It was a vain attempt, Slixvah's sudden presence too hard to ignore, and too welcome to be rude. "Hey." she says, taking that offered lap as pillow, having raised her head and kicked her legs to place herself there with a small grunt. The mana lamps cast shadows, causing her to squint up at the Egalrin to try and read her face. "What's wrong with you, Slix?" she asks confused, a bit worried.

"Is everything okay?" Patch asks, her short hair not mentioned, her focus on her friend. "Sorry, was kind of out of it. I got a lot on my mind."

Once Patch claims her pillow, a hand carefully cups the stained side of the elf's face as a thumb brushes out and across. Slix has a crack on her beak, and some of her feathers look like they've been snapped off in half. "Ya kno', I could ask tha' same thing 'bout'cha," she fires back in a giggle. "Jus' a lil' mission gon' sideways is all. Apparently, a lot of things break with you get flash froze!"

She looks down at dull emeralds, a brow raised in amusement. But she's worried. "Oh ho ho... you /know/ you can't say somethin' like that 'round me, hon. What's in that noggin'?"

"Oh." Patch says in quiet surprise, leaning in to that touch and caress. "I had a job go bad too." she admits. "Did you know a garden ooze farts, and has acid inside it?" trying to joke and raise her own spirits, but the bard's humor falling flat on her own ears. "I'm sorry it sucked, Slix. I guess we're both a bit off at times." she reasons with a shrug bumping the other woman's legs.

"We need to drop our research." Patch suddenly blurts, this being in answer to what's on her mind, and it seems to come with some emotional weight. "At least publicly. There's some stuff we have to talk about regarding it." she offers in explanation, her hands flopping and mussing at the folded hat in her hands. "I also need to apologize to my mother."

That garners a snort. "I did not know, but I did know about the acid. Lemme guess... ya got front row seats?" she extrapolates, the caress sliding up to go through the wild short hair to give it a gentle ruffle. "Nature of da beast. But every mis-take is a new take for us to-"

The blurt cuts her off, her blinking and quirking her head to the side in a very bird-like way. "Whut," she reflexively says, sounding pretty close to a caw. Must be off her game too if she's sounding like that, just masking it.

The witch carefully considers the words, the fidgeting, the- her mother? That was out of no where. She takes a breath. One hand brushes Patch's hair. The other reaches over to hold a hand. And a wing covers them like a blanket.

"Talk." A simple instruction. Warm and full of concern. But firm enough to be a shove. There's a lot to unpack, and less is more.

"I was showing Mikilos the data, Slix." Patch starts, a hand rising to pat Slixvah's in an attempt at comfort. "Cryosanthia came in to the shop, and kind of looked at it and just....." a pain there, including a wince as she shifts uncomfortably in the woman's lap. "It's all been done before. It's all been known about. Apparently it's some secret that the city has been keeping. It's why they never made an announcement about the magus mound that was discovered. Months late we see a warning of magics going crazy now? Why?" she babbles, her frustration clear. "I know what's causing it all. Supposedly."

Slix closes her eyes and leans her head back as Patch elaborates, the patted hand turning over to hold the other's. Her brows quirk up at the name, the fingers threading through hair stopping for a beat before resuming.

All their work is for naught. People knew. The brushing continues, but its rote. A quick glance to the egalrin would show her cracked visage staring at nothing ahead. She's doing the thinking thing. Finally, she speaks: "Those that have seen too much attempt to shield the naive from the forces of reality. With you brushing up against big names, this shouldn't surprise me as much as it should. But alas, it has."

The hold tightens. She's staring off still. "And what might be causing it, Pattie?"

"A demon was summoned into the Sea of Mana. It 'ate' holes, and is the source of the drain and issues we see now. It has supposedly been 'stopped' but the damage is done." Patch says with a heavy sigh, a sudden movement as she pulls from Slixvah, sitting up and flicking her folded hat open. "Slixvah. Things will not be getting better for the city. There are more complications."

A sigh is the next thing from Patch's lips, ears twitching in frustration as she puts that joker's crown upon her head. "The catastrophe set loose may yet still be coming, and it is not just us in danger. Shards, mirrors of crystal to other realms. Shadows of adventurer's coming from them and found in our world." her tone dropping. "It's a lot, and that's not even the details. It's bad. The state of things is bad."

"I am only telling you because you deserve the truth. To know why we can't be blindly showing the signs of something that would cause panic. We've blundered into it all of it all because of some silly little job I couldn't keep to myself." Patch's tone a bit sad. "So, I'd like to ask we drop it publicly. Out of sight? I am going to fight all of this shit."

The blanketing wing furls back to release the elf as she sits upright quickly, Slix's gaze sliding slowly from the empty space towards Patch as she explains. Focus returns to glance down at the joker's hat. Confusion is evident for its presence, but she reaches up to gently bat one of the bells on it. "Makes sense," she intones in regards to the city getting complicated.

The egalrin folds her hands together, expression turned to a frown. "Yeesh... tha's... yeah. I agree wit'cha on that. 'bout goin' public wit' tha' info. I figured there was somethin' wit' other realms and what not, but like, didn't know it was so close."

Her gaze lifts back up to Patch, eyes harden. "Count a lil' birdie in there wit' ya, hon. My mojo and life's work is based on the Sea being screwy. You tell me where ta fly, and I'll ask how far."

"Thank you. I don't really know where to begin, but I figured until people think I can stand tall enough...." A half-smile forced as she suddenly hugs the bird, tucking and being careful of wing. "I will look through it all again, try and find secrets and things they missed."

"We can discuss details and things as you'd like. I just needed to know you were ready for it. Or wanted it." Patch suddenly admits, kissing Slixvah's beak with a quick peck. "I trust you, and Stjepan to a degree of no other. Stjepan and I had a heart to heart about the bullshit and hiding after Cryosanthia clued me in. He's said he's willing to help us, and relay information and ideas. It's a start."

"I hope Fidah knows I'm sorry. I... wait. You knew about the shards and other worlds?" Patch says, it finally dawning on her.

The pawing of the bell not going unnoticed, her grin still widening, giving the small 'crown' a shake. "You like?" she muses. "It's a statement. And reminder."

The egalrin is suddenly embraced, and its something she's no stranger to; wrapping up the bard with arms and a wing for a warm hold. "Ya already can stand tall, hon," she coos, booping Patch on the nose. "Ya found this much, and that's a heck of a lot mo' than most people."

The kiss is returned with a bump of the head against Patch's, though half broken feathers floof up regardless. "'course I want it. And I'm ready. The mojo I do is some bonified weird shit. 'course I'm interested."

Now those bits get a laugh out of her. "It looks cute. But uh, what statement is it remindin' ya of?"

"Though uh," she wobbles a hand. "I do but I don't. Ya see Pattie, some of tha stuff I kno' from Fiadh is like..." She slowly exhales. "... it's like... understanding and accepting some fundamentals of reality so much so that you can twist it. The Tapestry ain't like... flat. It curls, swirls, swooshes, folds back on itself, has infinite layers. Ya don't gaze upon that without acceptin' or realizin' there might be other shtuff out there."

"I just didn't expect it to be 'mirrors' of ourselves. If there was another me, I had hoped... she might not be marked." Patch says oddly in response to Slixvah, laughing at the 'kiss'. "I guess they do teach that 'anything' is possible through the hymn, but that's just weird." she muses. Her thoughts can be random.

"The crown? It's... that sometimes we're all a fool, doing foolish things. A fool doesn't often stand before a curtain, performing in the isles, and streets. You see, the real show is hidden for those who have 'payment' or clout." Patch's head swaying gently as she talks. "I thought myself a true performer and voice, Slix. Really I was a fool without a crown. For now, as I graduate to the stage it must be worn in penance."

A smile is then cast up to Slixvah, Patch shrugging. "Gods, so many names to sort. My board in the dorm.... I need a bigger room." this realization causing a frown and pout of lip and ear. "Honestly. No wonder Stjepan drinks."

"Then the other you wouldn't be Patch, now would it?" Slix easily and briskly says as if it were a statement of fact, her giving a warm smile in the eyes.

But a feathered brow raises slowly at the explanation. It didn't seem to particularly sate the curious bird's question. "The only foolish thing I've seen you do is when you and I fool around in your really-needs-to-be-bigger-dorm," she snorts, but slips past all the showy talk. A couple dots reconnect as she asks, "This related ta ya needin' ta talk to ya ma?"

"Yeah. I told you she was 'mad' once. I had... hinted and danced around the reality of it." Patch admits with a shrug, looking away from Slixvah with a sigh. "She was an academic or Silvermoon. She went touting this kind of stuff when I was little. She was laughed at and barred, our family disfavored." her words coming with a nibble of her own lip.

"She went /really/ crazy, Slix. She raised me in isolation, and insisted I learned everything as fast, and perfect as I could." Patch admits, shifting as her arms slip from around the Egalrin, and rest before her with hands in her lap. "She pushed really hard, and got mad at every failure. She tried to find me marriage partners, or to make pacts and deal to find favor. She thought my birthmarks made me... unwanted. It was her. No one wanted her."

"Thing is, now that I realize she wasn't 'all' crazy once. I feel bad for her." Patch looking up to Slixvah again after her words, forcing a smile.

Slix runs a hand up and down Patch's arm to soothe them as best she can, her eyes closing as she just listens. One taloned foot taps idly against the air, continuing as Patch pulls away.

The bard stops, and Slix opens an eye to look down at Patch past her cracked beak. "You are strong to endure such a thing, hon," she intones. "But... I can understand ya mom to an extent. When ya got undeniable proof that things aren't the way they seem, goin' against tha' status quo, one can go crazy from the ostracization."

Her gaze flits away briefly before returning. "I know that feel."

"It still does not excuse tha way she treated ya, tho. But perhaps some... understandin' 'bout her intentions makes mo' sense now." A glance up. A little giggle, and a feather from around the side snakes around and bats at one of the bells. "Perhaps a little fool, then. But, still, there might be somethin' ya mom might be able ta help us piece together wit' this. Maybe."

"I don't know where she is, Slixvah. Dad died." Patch says bluntly, and a sigh comes with a bit of waver and shake. "The last thing he ever gave me was the hurdy-gurdy, and she tried to take it from me." her eyes welling, a hand rising to help her fight a tear. "I runaway, and she just.... left. I tried to find her, but the people I knew said the house burned, and she's just 'gone'."

"I used a family friend to send my application to the bardic college. I knew enough to get in, and here I still sit." she says, motioning around the campus with a small gesture of hand. Palm up. "Apparently not knowing where I was did her in. She left Silvermoon. Some say she's dead."

"And don't go saying things like that." Patch poking the bird, the tears seeming to cease. "I know your family and situation isn't the best, but I don't think they could ever ostracise you. I'd hope not at least." Patch's grinning turning a bit wry. "The fooling joke was pretty good. You do make the best 'fooling' partner." she finally admits with a short giggle. "I was trying to be serious, but you and levity. It works. It does."

Slix blinks at that bit of news, her turning slightly to face Patch as the bard elaborates. As much as she wishes to smother the elf in affection as per her usual methodology, she refrains to keep the air open. "Goodness..." she sighs. "That's... certainly a loose thread there. If I kno' one thing, from a long lived folk to anotha, when people go poof, sometimes they unpoof waaaay later. Sorry ya had ta deal wit' that right mess..."

The poke is met with a quiet giggle, her reaching up to brush off wet cheeks with a thumb. "My fam accepted it. The aerie didn't. Sorta kinda just left so they wouldn't get tha ostracizin'."

There's a playful wink. "Thanks. I try. Both with the foolin' around and jokin'. Its aight ta be sad. Or serious. But sometimes a sprinkle of levity takes the sting off. And I'ma healer. Levity can be medicine for the soul."

She looks wistful. Then breaks into a giggle, twittering laughter. "Sounds like somethin' my ma would say."

"So. Now you know the tale of Siofra Galakir. The bard whom marches forward, having nothing to go back to." Patch says in a quiet tone, suddenly leaning into the egalrin woman with another hug, burying her face in some of the rust and white feathers. Muffled talking ensues, inaudible from the fluff of feather. "Fank oos."

"Your ma sounds like a smart lady." Patch says, finally pulling her face from Slixvah's fluff. "Maybe the rest of the bunch be sitting like us knife-ears, and judging you from on high, but to old are often mistaken, and eventually have to make way for the new."

"As well as the tale of Patch, the bard whom marches forward, sewn together from all that has become, and what will be from what lays ahead," Slix coos readily, pulling the elf into the fluff. "Youuuuu~ are very welcome, dear!"

There's a soft laugh, her looking down to the ground as she recalls. "Yeh. Ma's got the brains of the fam, I'd say. But uh, yeah. They're like that. We got Elders tha' only really come 'round like, once a generation. Old views are good ta have, egalrin don't exactly, ah, have the best history, ya kno'? Mauraders and tha like. So its good ta have that rememberance of what we once was ta make sure we don't become what we ain't no mo'. But... then ya get situations like me..."

A shrug. "Betta ta leave before things get in a tizzy."

"Well, lots of the races were violent. The 'younger children' only get a pass because they're so plentiful, and everywhere. Too many to lay the blame on them all." Patch says with a laugh. "The Egalrin can be slow and cautious that's for sure, but they aren't hiding. Or, were hiding." she reasons. "The Llyranesi just like to judge others, feigning importance and position. Civility and structure out of chaos of the fey woods. Stupid." a laugh and shake of her head.

"You and I are alike, but different. Walking a path away from family, and trying to find purpose in a world that's falling apart. Ea is a mess. You told me that once, and that you wanted to mend it. I didn't realize we were slapping bandages on a missing limb." Patch snorts, shaking her head, and just leaning in to the other woman. "How does this all tie in to the death of Animus?" she suddenly asks of herself, and Slixvah. "Definitely going to need a bigger room."

Slix bobs her head along, tilting it back to look at up at the stars. "Yeh. Complex is thy history of all the peoples. Making sense out of madness. Or ripping apart order for flexibility. Man is never content. As it shan't not want be."

There's a giggle, and Slix pulls Patch in. "Yep. Slappin' bandages where need be. But, like my ma said, takes a pebble ta make a landslide. I believe tha' the right bandage in tha' right place can save everything."

Now that gets a snort out of her. "Hell, ya gonna need a damn buildin' fo' tha' one. And at the rate the guild's payin'? Sure as heck can afford that."

She hums. "And that there is the crux of my entire methods. How does Animus goin' poof make me work? Alas. That will take time. Research. Coffee. And interior decoration of a new room."

She shoots a wink.

-End Scene-