Small Aside at the Society

Log Info

• Title: Small Aside at the Society
• Emitter: Slixvah
• Characters: Slixvah, Crik, Schara
• Place: Arcanists' Society
• Time: October 14th, 2022
• Summary: Slix is having a chat with her familiar while Crik is totally not looking for new books without a library card. Schara is chatting with students to potentially get something enchanted. They all speak briefly before scattering. Slix returns, her appointment having been cancelled. Schara learns a bit of bird culture, Slix ask about the artificer's armor, which then an arm promptly fails. Slix leaves them to their own devices as she goes to try and chase down the person that cancelled on her.

Arcanists' Society, Late Morning

It's raining. Not the fun kind either. A downpour, cold and diagonal from the western blowing wind. Most magi find shelter underneath the walkways of the courtyard, though some are fancy and utilize some manner of arcane force to shield themselves from the smattering of nature.

One figure taking a rest on a bench is that of a rainbow ribboned egalrin woman. She's got her head in a white gloved hand, lightly swaying. A tiny bird, a thrush, on her knee is chirping up at her. The woman bobs her head slowly. ".... tha's a lot..."

Chirp chirp tweet.

"... I'm... not so sure, hon."

Chirp. Chirp.

"... what do you mean?"

Chirp chirp!

"... tha's... huh?"

Cold, chilly rain and ominous time. The perfect time for a murder.

Or at least particularly colorfully dressed figure, slowly making their way along the walkway. Occasionally hopping. Quite often occasionally. It was not easy to as easy to walk unnoticed - which probably explains why the egalrin rogue was garbed up in spattering of colors and banners. The corvid's tail bops up and down from underneath it all, pretty much the only dull color on him.

Tiny bird chirps are heard and there's a sudden wet 'thonk' as a book falls from under that colorful cloak. Pause, and Crik hefts his head up and around as if he was searching for something from above him.

There was a rather loud conversation nearby, between a large metal figure, sans cloak, and one of the many students at the society.

"Just end of the week, I'll have the gold for you then. It doesn't have to be a permanent enchantment, just long enough, you know?" The metal figure implores, before the student nods and runs off.

"Just gotta work, and that's the biggest if, isn't it? Suppose you get what you pay for." They say to themself in a low grumble, the mouthpiece of the metal head lighting up slightly. And then they can see two egalrin and a very small bird. "Damn, were there always so many bird people in Alexandria? I need to get out of the workshop more." They say to themself, loud enough to be overheard.

The eccentrically dressed woman gives a glare at the tiny bird. "... what do you mean by 'exposed to more'?" Slixvah mentions. "Ya already shovin' lots inta my skull."

Chirp chirp?

"... well, yeah, I wanna learn mo'. But like, baby doll, ya really openin' up th' valve now, ain'tcha?"

Ch- a book goes 'thunk'. A mage's worst nightmare. Slix pops her head up and scans around. Blink. Blink. "... uh. Is that you Crik? You... dropped your book," she points.

The loud conversation gets Slix to turn her head slightly in the direction of the metal figure. She observes for a moment before clearing her throat. "I think you probably found all the bird people in Alexandria, hon. The rest are prolly at the Aerie to the east." She waggles her fingers in hello while her other hand rubs her head.

Yes. The book. It is quickly scooped under the folds of the cloak with Crik's bared and bandaged foot. "Thank you." The corvid says and bows with his deep voice, ominously echoing through the rain - and look, no book on the ground anymore. Especially not one of those fancy gilded ones.

The larger metal figure makes him tilt his head sideways, blinking his eyes - before he makes few hops over. Eyes move up and down, then back up, before looking towards the small bird on Slixvah's knee. Then back at the other figure. "A talking piece of armor." He concludes. The banners wrapped around his wet form ripple momentarily.

"But the Aerie is in Alexandria border boundries, so no, I haven't met all the bird peo-egalrin, that's not possible. Unless there are only 3 in total, which would be even stranger." The talking suit of armor notes, before they prove capable of walking as well, right over to the two. "You are worried about valve pressure? What are you trying to do? Or is that little bird trying to get you to? That doesn't seem like a wise idea, personally.

Was that one of the books from the building? Maybe, but just because they looked like a big version of the little thieving birds, they decide not to think the worst of them yet. "There is someone underneath the armor, actually." They correct.

Slix gives the raven-folk a thumbs up before sitting more upright, a hand resting atop the tiny bird on her knee. She eyes Schara. "... methinks you're being pedantic, sugar," she coos. "I ain't seen any other egalri here 'cept Crik here and Integrity. But naw, I'm fine, lil' birdie here is jus' talkin' my head off. Jus' some stuff I ain't think 'bout and gotta sleep on is all."

A snort leaves her. "I thought so too, but apparently theys ain't a golem! Colored me surprised the otha day!"

Crik's head snaps towards the metal not-golem, and he stares at them. Nope, not thieving. Too big beady eyes. The cloak ripples at the correction. "And shadows carry many eyes," He replies, "Many faces, yet all of ours lie." The corvid egalrin stares for a moment, before he lifts his head, beak open. Second later, there is a staccato of croaking noises - before the colorful figure lowers his beak again. "... the bird has many words to say." Crik says, staring at the trush.

Then that face snaps towards the walking armor. "Do you?"

Slixvah stands chuckles, slipping by. "I got an appointment ta get to," she intones, shoving the bird into a pocket. "I'll catch up later wit'ya'll. Byeeee."

Into the crowd she goes.

"It is not being pedantic, that's a small number of egalrin in one place is all."

The armored figure shrugs. "Yeah, the bird is talking to you? Are you a druid or something like that?"

no answer, Slix was gone. "Well, now I need to think about why they are talking to a little bird. Seems odd for an egalrin to have a bird as a pet, though."

"I'm not a liar." The armored figure adds with a shake of her head. "I don't know if I have... words to say, was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Crik ruffles his feathers and posture upwards, but then he tilts his head as Slixvah dashes off. A moment later, he bobs his head down. "No." The corvid answers, moving to look up and down the armored figure. Beak bops up and down, up until it focuses on the helmet. "Not yet."

Wings flap behind him, and then he too makes his quick get away, hopping away like a bird that was just disturbed.

It't not too long later that the beribboned egalrin returns, her rubbing her face. "'course they'd cancel on me," she grumbles. "Ta answer ya question, Schara, ain't a druid. Theys be talkin' ta me tho. Fiadh is a special kinda bird."

She smooths her crown feathers back and takes a seat back on the bench, her sighing. "So.. what up?"

The armored artificer from before was sitting on one of the benches that were in the area. The mouthpiece of the helmet was flipped open, and a straw stuck into the helmet that Schara was sipping on. turned to see Slixvah returning, and the water bottle was set down so they could refasten the helmet on. "Oh, I wasn't expecting you back. I figured you both were looking for excuses to leave, probably because of my rudeness, which I'd apologize for. Thinking on it, it's probably rude as hell to call someone a bird person." They reply. "So, sorry. What makes them a special bird? Obviously they can talk in some form, but that is more of an effect than a cause."

Slixvah shrugs, her ruffling her wings into a comfortable sitting position before she crosses her arms. "Yeah, likewise. I mean, I don't /like/ leavin' people hangin'. Plus, if ya bein' rude, I'd totes let you know with lots of sass," she giggles.

A beat. "Yeah that's a little rude," she hums. "Apology accepted."

Her eyes smile. "Weeeeell... where are we?" she asks, gesturing to the campus.

"Well, I am not aware of how you normally react to rudeness, given I've only met three egalrin in total, and two of them left quickly upon talking to me, as often seems to be the case when people want to leave." The artificer offers with a shrug that makes a few popping noises.

"Ah crap, I knew that wouldn't last long." Schara grumbles. "No matter. We are currently in the society for progressive arcanist's courtyard, are we not? As far as I know at least, so, you're, not sure. I don't know enough about egalrin to make any sort of educated guess. Especially given every single one I have met has been so radically different looking."

Slixvah chuffs. "Well. Let's make it only one that leaves," she snickers.

The bird tilts her head to the side. "I'm answering your question with a question, hon," she giggles. "I'm a mage! I got a magic bird! Look around!"

She gestures again, various magical creatures following their masters to different classes and ensembles. "So... why you up here?"

"Yes, that's better, knowing that I didn't scare everyone away, and that I get to meet an actual, living egalrin." Schara nods, sounding happy about the prospect. "I suppose that being a mage is the most common reason for being here, yes, so that would make sense. And a magic bird, ah! Like a familiar. That sounds nice." They conclude, laughing for a short moment before they look around at the prompting. "I am here because many students take on various jobs to help pay for their classes and certifications, and I needed some parts enchanted. Some parts of my armor just needed repairs, that's all."

Slixvah leans back against a wall behind her, one wing propping her up. "Welcome ta meeting an egalrin! We coo'. And we coo." A giggle. "Tho, I'm certainly a weird egarlin."

"Bingo! Familiar! Gold star!" She laughs, but turns he head to the side. "Ya armor need repairs? What happen?"

"You could have said nothing and I wouldn't have known the difference. Thank you for your honesty though, but you do not seem too much different from the other egalrin I have met. Though you are all, strange in your own ways, but everyone is somehow, so that makes it difficult." Schara laughs.

"Nothing happened, life happened. It's routine." The artificer answers. "It needs constant upkeep to some degree, and many parts are particularly hard wearing, requiring frequent repairs or replacements. So, keeping on top of things is key."

Slixvah snorts. "I'm sure talkin' wit me fo' a lil' bit, ya gonna find I'm pretty weird. Not just from otha egalrin, but just people in general."

She makes a long 'aaaaah'. "I getcha. I know a guy who uses armor like that. Always workin' on it. Robert is his name. Swell guy!" A look over, down and up. "... so. What's it do? Aside from make ya suck water down likes its the hottest part of tha day?"

"Robert? Never met them, I know most of the people with artifice powered armor, since most of them stop by the artificer's hall. Or that's what I would say, if I stopped to talk to most of them." The artificer chuckles weakly. "Doubt it, I'm not a good gauge for weird stuff, being so strange myself, I may not even notice it."

"What does it do? Well, what doesn't it do? A whole lot actually, but I'm trying to say it's good, so, yeah." Schara laughs. "It lets me lift things, and it's still armor, not to mention being able to change my voice like it does, and, there are a few other things it can do, but I'm not going to scare anyone in the middle of just a normal day showing that."

"I'll be tha judge of weird." Slixvah hums, eyeing the armor. "Yeah, but like, what does it /do/?" she inquires again. "I've seen that stuff in action. Seen a man punch a hole in things, seen someone else blow some stuff up."

She smooths her feathers down. "Ya don't have ta demonstrate. But uh, sugar, ya in a place full of mages. We deal with volatile stuff all tha time."

"It lets me lift things. Is that not cool enough? Ah, guess not, anyone can do that, huh? Doubt I could punch through a wall, to be honest." Schara asks with another shrug, though this time, it's accompanied by a small hiss of steam, and the left shoulder remains shrugged.

"Oh gods damn it all, I knew that actuator was going to give out soon." The artificer grumbles, using their still working hand and catching it on the edge of one of bits of chest plating, flipping out a large pair of pliers near the wrist, that she uses to twist a few things in the limp arm. There's another puff of steam from the armored arm, before it just, thunks to the bench completely.

"Well, can't demonstrate if I wanted to now, anyways. But that there limb has a thunderbelcher built into it, that's the big blocky thing underneath. And something else of my own invention, that interfaces directly with it, and, well, I really don't know what I was thinking. But if I ever had need to fry something dangerous, it'd probably do the trick." They explain while dragging the arm into their lap with the various hooks.

Slixvah snickers. "Well that's a given, lifting stuff is cool! I ain't good at lifting thing unless I cheat a bit."

The release of steam gets the bird woman to sit up in surprise, her leaning back some to give safety space. "Oh. Goodness. Uh. Does that happen often? That is a lot of movin' stuff ta keep together all at once...." She leans in, listening to them explain. Her brows raise. "... it has a Belcher built in? Daaaaamn. Nice!"

She looks to the rain. "Well uh, do you need a hand wit' gettin' back ta the hall? I can give ya wing cova?"

"Eh, it's not the end of the world. But it does happen often, only option is to replace the parts, or get better ones, but that'll get fixed when it gets fixed. My time spent repairing them is worth a lot less than the price of some of those things." Schara offers with a shake of their head. They pick up the arm and wave it around a few times. "I have a hand right here. Why are you offering to bring me back?" They ask, turning their helmet to focus on the egalrin. "You're asking a lot of questions about what it can do, why would you want to bring it back there?"

Slixvah gives a slow nod. "Goootcha."

Then, she's being given question after question. A probe into their intentions. She raises her hands in defense, casting aside the potentially problematic worries with a simple, "I dunno, figured ya can get it fixed fast at the Artificer's Hall is all."

She stands, putting her hands on her back to give them a streeeetch. "Anywho, hon, I gotsta chase down tha guy that canceled my appointment. Pleasure that talk witcha'. Run inta ya later?"

"Yeah, I can fix it, if I have my tools. Maybe, assuming the parts aren't too worn out to be of no use." Schara offers, pulling the arm further into their lap somewhat defensively. "If they cancelled their appointment, doesn't that mean they're busy? I guess if they have time, they can make time for you if you find them, but I don't know. Don't have many appointments."

"I suppose it was nice to talk with you, yes." The artificer nods, looking at the egalrin, and tilting their head. "Please don't run into me later. This metal is very hard, and you'd likely end up knocked over or hurt."

Slixvah gives a smiling grin in her eyes. "Oh ho ho, Schara, you see. This place loves giving me the short straw. I /know/ they did it on purpose. So /I'm/ gonna get my appointment back. They're around here somewhere, I just know it."

She just laughs. "Ya know what I mean! Any who~ toodaloo metal boo~!" she waggles her fingers, twirling on the spot as ribbons trail behind her. The egalrin melds into the crowd.

-End Scene-