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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Nov 6, 2022 19:41:15 GMT -5
Cantio looks over his shoulder, frowning slightly when she mentions that the dirt’s nothing all that special; but it kind of is, isn’t it? She’s here; it’s proof that she’s pushed through all of the tough stuff. He plucks a tag absently off of Astrid’s new coat— she doesn’t need it— and breathes a slight sigh.
So much for a pep talk, huh? Suddenly, the curtain swings back; Cantio jumps, hand clasping over his chest when he feels his heart try to leap from his chest with fright. “ Oh— goodness,” he stifles, a polite smile on his face as he breathes a soft laugh. “ Well, of course I do— I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.” he answers; she seems excited, but then he hears her next words. “ Ah…” He laughs to cover the nervousness; Astrid is young, a bit too young for adventuring, he fears, but… “ I think you’re brave enough to do whatever you set your mind to, miss Astrid.” he answers with a warm smile. He follows after her as she departs from the curtain, looking like she rolled around in every available rack in the store— but she’s happy, and that’s what matters. He catches up to her, looking between Zarius and Veliky with a sheepish smile. “ I promised to take her to the inn for a bath, if that’s okay— and Miss Astrid, do you want your jacket? You left without it.” He offers to help her put it on, tail flicking as he looks between the other two adults. “ I already have a room at the inn, so it won’t be that much of an issue to drop by and use their baths... You're both welcome to tag along, of course.” He looks pointedly at Veliky, an unspoken plea for her to come — if only to assist Astrid in the women's bath.
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Nov 6, 2022 21:23:03 GMT -5
“A mercenary? Are you certain we are speaking of the same jumpy red tiefling?”
He found that hard to believe. From what he had seen in his past interactions with the bard, Cantio did not have the heart for that kind of dirty work. Even if he had impressed Veliky with whatever the water elemental situation was, the bard was just that, a bard. He was good at it and it seemed to make him happy. Then again, perhaps the red tiefling had hidden talents beyond music and drinking.
As Cantio and Astrid approach, he hands one of the bags over to Astrid. It wasn’t much, but it would give her a place to stash the basic necessities for travel.
Zarius nods in approval at Cantio’s offer of taking the dirty half-dwarf to the inn to get cleaned up. They should be able to get her a proper meal there as well. He flashes a smug smile at the bard in particular.
“As if you could get rid of me so easily.” He teases before stepping away from the shelves and crossing over to the counter.
On their way out with their purchases, he tosses a few extra coins to the clerk for the trouble and glances over his shoulder to the rest of the group.
“Off to the inn then.”
The tiefling steps past Veliky and Cantio on his way out. For just a brief moment as he passes them, the scent of smoke lingers in the air before he crosses through the building’s threshold out into the open street. It isn't unpleasant, but it is new since they both last ran into the brawler.
Once outside, he looks around the street for anyone who looks like they might be tailing the unusual group of colorful adventurers before heading for the inn Cantio has a room at.
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Post by Veliky on Nov 6, 2022 23:12:21 GMT -5
She raises the bucket above her and tips it over. Warm water cascades over the quarterling's head, turning her hair into a golden mop.
As is to be expected of an inn's baths in a backwater like Skypeak, these ones are little more than oversized, wooden troughs. Veliky's is barely filled more than a half-foot, as she'd drown otherwise. In fact, within the tub, she would need to stand on her tiptoes in order to peer outside.
But the hot water is soothing and the steam is intoxicating. A noble might complain endlessly, but, for any adventurer, this is paradise.
It isn't often that Veliky takes any leisure in cleanliness. Most of her baths are cold, brief and free. As well, her hair is almost always tied; she even sleeps without bothering to let it down, so the heavy feeling of it clinging to the sides of her head is unusual. She also has far more of it than one might assume, making her almost unrecognizable in this state.
Another oddity to be seen of her in this state - something Cantio and Zarius haven't yet seen, let alone Astrid - is a strange, white stone in her chest. Not affixed to any chain or string, it is embedded directly into her upper sternum and kept in place with metal bolts. The skin around it is heavily dermatitic, an ugly blotch on her complexion.
But that doesn't bother her; she's used to it by now. Instead, as she sits and soaks with her back against the edge of the basin, she stares at her right arm. It feels... different. She thought it'd give her a sense of renewed strength. In a sense, it did; her anxiety over the whole affair has largely subsided. But she can't help but feel as if she's lost something...
Splash
"Uhhh, Miss Veliky? Could ya help me wi' somethin'?"
Veliky sighs inaudibly. Maybe this'll be the last time.
She rises up. The water sloshes around her, but, due to its quantity, it would be more accurate to say that it 'slished.'
She stands at the edge of the basin and hops, to no avail. She hops again, but the thigh-high water is bogging her down. A third jump, and she finally manages to clamber onto the trough's rim and peer into the adjacent one, where Astrid bathes.
"Yes, Astrid?" she asks with a dejected tone. "Can I help you?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 8, 2022 21:41:56 GMT -5
After everything the group has already done for her in a short period, Astrid already hesitates to ask for more help. She's been feeling good and fully confident for the first time in weeks or months or maybe even years at this point. The time passed and passed and little changed. Being approached by random strangers who noticed her, saw her, helped her, and listened to her has her feeling good about herself. She maybe even feels some strange idealism for the future, and the things she can do even just looking less like a street rat. But in her years as a street rat, she's not been able to properly comb her hair, and Skypeak is a windy place. Her hair has gotten so tangled that the two pigtails have essentially become a single matted bushy rabbit tail instead. She's having trouble combing it out, and she thought that maybe Miss Veliky could help with it since she's a much more put together individual. There was no harm in asking, she thought.
So when Veliky sounds less than thrilled to be interacting with her again, Astrid falls quiet, a deep hurting she thought she moved past welling in her chest. She's heard that tone before, many times in the past, and she never thought much of it until it suddenly stings her right now in this moment.
"What now, Astrid?" a short woman with blond hair sighs. Her arms elbow deep in a basin of soapy water, her head now turns up to the ceiling. A messy braid falls down the back of the stout woman in tattered clothes. Behind her, Astrid with tiny nubs for horns stands on the arm of the ripped couch. Her grin is even more gap-toothed, missing multiple teeth, and she strikes a proud pose when the tired dwarven woman looks back at her.
"I did it, ma! I made me own hammer fer smithin'!" the tiny girl's voice proclaims. In her hand held aloft is a large stone haphazardly tied to a split stick. It's a primitive hammer at best -- certainly nothing that would hold up for smithing.
The dwarven woman suddenly looks very angry. "Astrid, I told ye te stay off the furniture! Go play outside if ye want te act like a damn animal."
"Um... no, nevermind, it's alright, I can do it," she says quietly. "Didn't mean ta bother ya..." It's odd to see her having nearly folded in upon herself against the opposite end of the tub. Her eyes stay low as she focuses on untangling what bits of her hair she can see by pulling it over her shoulder. The soap helps a little bit to ease the friction, and it's at least a good project to stay distracted from Veliky's harsh gaze.
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Nov 10, 2022 0:38:29 GMT -5
“You know, you didn’t really need to come all the way to the inn; I’m sure you have other places to be. You’re a busy man, and all that...” Cantio is definitely deflecting while he puts his hair back, ribbon held between his teeth as he tosses his head up, and gathers it back with both hands. “So many… things to do, I’m sure.”
It’s been a few moments since he took his mask off, but a creeping chill of anxiety settles in his stomach, nonetheless.
It’s not like Zarius is going to know his face, but… still….
He isn’t exactly the most honourable person out there; what if he uses this as some kind of blackmail against him? Does he even know anything about him? Does he know anything about his family?
… Could he find out, somehow?
Probably.
A chill runs down Cantio’s spine at the thought; he turns away from the changing room, towel wrapped securely around his waist before slipping out into the bathing room before Zarius can get too nosy about any little detail. It’s not much of an elegant retreat, more like a clear flee as he bumbles out the door, tail slapping against the wall when he turns the corner.
Ugh, he hopes Veliky is being nice to Astrid on the other side.
“Thank you for buying her a bag and all that, though… But I hope you don't intend to drag her into anything.” he bemoans from the other room.
The bathing room is quite empty; otherwise, he wouldn't be talking about this. It’s the middle of the day in Dragon’s Cradle, after all… not most people’s ideal time to bathe, but it is a time in which they are at the baths for Astrid’s sake, so he may as well use it to freshen up, himself. The tiefling perches on the rim of one of the baths, taking a moment to remove a dark-toned eye-shadow, and a golden eyeliner, from his face with a cloth— pointedly trying to ignore Zarius’ general presence.
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Nov 10, 2022 13:51:13 GMT -5
Zarius pulls his robes off over his head. He had followed Cantio into the men's bath house mostly because he had nothing better to do, but it would also be a good place to talk without Veliky glaring at him all the time.
“Oh yes, so many things. But I can make time, that is the benefit of setting my own schedules. Being a freelance musician, I am sure you can relate.” He muses.
Cantio was not very good at hiding his anxiety at being around the charcoal tiefling. It was certainly deserved. Zarius had not been particularly kind to the bard when they first met and he had hardly made any effort to make amends. Still, he had some fondness for the red tiefling even if it wasn't reciprocated. They had performed well at the ball and he respected someone who could get a job done despite any...unforeseen complications.
Luckily for the bard, he hadn't had much time or reason to look closely into his history. Part of the brawler considered just letting things remain that way as a courtesy. Though he couldn't deny that he was just a bit curious about the rising star who seemed to hide so much more than just their face behind that mask.
“My work is not suitable for children. Do not worry so much.”
Zarius follows after the red tiefling after folding his clothes and wrapping himself in a towel for modesty's sake. He glances at him as he removes his make up. The bard hardly needed it, but it was a choice he supposes. Slipping down into the water, he sits and takes a deep breath as the lukewarm water soaks his skin. It wasn't hot enough for his liking, but at least it wasn't freezing.
“Believe it or not, I have a vision for a brighter future. Fewer children like Miss Astrid on the streets would be a welcomed outcome of that goal. I am but one man though, so it is just a dream for the time being.” He rests his head back against the rim of the bath as he sinks deeper in the water.
“Sometimes the means justifies the ends. You should count yourself fortunate there are others willing to do what is necessary so you can keep your own hands clean.”
It wasn’t meant to be snide or to criticize Cantio’s aversion to crime. The reality was that they just had different roles in society, and that would not change. There would always be a need for musicians and those who bring joy just as much as there was a need for those work in the shadows.
The syndicates, at their root, were businesses providing services. If there was no demand for their work then maybe they wouldn’t exist. But that wasn’t how things were, and it was unlikely to change any time soon. The best they could do was ensure the crazies of the world never laid claim to positions of power. In a way, the lesser evils of the world protected against that grim future.
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Post by Veliky on Nov 11, 2022 16:42:47 GMT -5
Emotions. Who thought it was a good idea to leave the child with Veliky?
Looking down at Astrid with all the unspoken deadness of a babysitter making slave's pay as a side gig, Veliky wonders what her enpe would've done in a situation like this. The answer depends, largely, on timeframe, but if she works on the assumption that her mother is a person at the time of reference, she'd likely just sigh and start brushing the child's hair, regardless of protest. That should work, but Veliky would really prefer to not leave the tub. Fortunately, she has a solution for just that problem.
With a quiet sigh, she murmurs something inaudible and snaps her fingers before disappearing over the rim of the tub. At first, it seems that Astrid's been abandoned.
"Ahem."
But then, a perplexingly familiar presence is made apparent - in duplicate, too. Sitting on the edge of the basin, just beside Astrid, are two identical Velikies[1], bizarre implant and all. Neither of them look especially pleased with this predicament.
"Turn away, hold still," one of them curtly commands.
What ensues is a thorough treatment of Astrid's knotted tresses, provided unenthusiastically by the Veliklones. Tiny hands pick, comb and brush about Astrid's head. It would be overly generous to call their abilities 'skillful,' but they're more than diligent enough to see it through - as dedicated to the mission as Veliky herself.
"Sef, goo enda rayeh? (So, are they real?)" Veliky's voice - the supposedly real Veliky's voice - emanates from somewhere in the cavernous tub she resides in, speaking in the melodic, yet rustic tongue of the halflings.
One of the Veliklicants pokes Astrid's horns, twice each.
"Ye." "Lauta sem demon aul naru." ("Yup." "Definitely some demon in there.") They converse in a mix of paradoxical tones: boredom stitched with intrigue, namely. At times, it's difficult to tell when one's voice ceases and another's begins.
The clones' handiwork is more rough at times than would be preferable and they certainly become frustrated when faced with particularly stubborn locks, but their general lack of physical strength makes even their most reckless tugs almost painless.
"I hate hair," one of them speaks up, now in Common, its voice intruding on Astrid's left periphery. "Tangles, knots, dirt, kienna lice: sometimes, it seems like hair's more demanding than business."
"Mm-hm." This voice does very much the same, from the right. "Would prefer wigs, but Veliky's scalp is more delicate than a baby's. When she wears them, it feels like her head's on fire."
The other continues in an increasingly pyrrhic battle against a particularly resilient splotch of dirt that's welded two separate clumps into one.
"Ah, kienna..." This word - goblinoid, not halfling - will not be translated. With a wrinkled brow and after a brief pause, she speaks in a calmer tone. "Same happens when she shaves. She tried once, when she was little. As if people needed more reason to laugh at the two-foot terror."
By the time she's finished her anecdote, the real Veliky's head has peeked over the edge again. Where there had been exasperation, there's now plain annoyance. "Do I bother to ask why you're expositing about my hair?"
"*Our* hair." The correction is, of course, directed at Veliky, but manages to blow into Astrid's right eardrum like a stray gust of wind. "And we're making a point."
"The point is-" There's strain in this one's tone. With the sound of tear, the two clumps are divided at last, with substantial collateral damage. "-that you're getting mad at us."
Realiky's jaw slacks at the explanation. She doesn't look surprised or confused, just unimpressed.
"Exactly," the right one adds. "Astrid, people being mad at you feels horrible. I know from experience. But I also know, from experience, that people getting mad at each-other is a fact of life. So, instead of trying to please people, it's better to just get used to it.
Having mostly completed her tasks, the Astrid on the left is now just lazily toying with Astrid's mostly-untangled hair. "Take us, for instance. We have to sit, naked, in open air and play salon while that lazrit maadpite over there sits in in a nice, warm tub."
Rightliky holds her hands straight and flat, as if silently telling Astrid's hair, "stay." Then, she uses Astrid's shoulder as an armrest. "Uh-huh. We are not fans of Miss Veliky right now."
The real Veliky just rolls her eyes and disappears, once more, into the tub.
Meanwhile, Veleftly kicks her feet in the water of Astrid's tub. "But we do it anyways, just like we expect our employees to do something, even if they don't want to do it. Don't listen to frustration: not someone else's, not your own."
Rightliky has gone from using Astrid as an armrest to reclining on her like she's the back of a chair. "Regardless of anyone's feelings, you got your hair done. That's profit."
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 13, 2022 3:38:48 GMT -5
This situation is strange from top to bottom. When she realizes Veliky is going to help her, Astrid perks up, the sudden wave of melancholy washing away as if it were never there. However, it's extremely confusing for there to now be two -no, three- Velikys in the room. Flabbergasted, she sits back with her hands in her lap and just lets them work. They speak in another language, but she doesn't quite recognize it. There are a few similarities to what she knows of dwarvish, but she's not exactly sure what Veliky is as far as heritage goes. She's incredibly small for an adult woman (Not that size has much meaning to Astrid.), so she seems to be of maybe gnomish heritage. Gnomes are great inventors, after all.
The two Veliklones pull at her hair and tap on her horns. What's that about? Does she dare ask? She doesn't want to seem like an inconvenience for asking questions, especially with the additional Velikys complaining so much about hair, so she sits quietly and patiently while they untangle her matted ends. Their conversation is particularly hard to follow as well, and almost nonsensical at times with three of the same voice talking to one another with the only real indication of who's who being which direction the voice comes from. But the ultimate point being that it sucks for someone to be mad at you, and there's no use being upset about it... Astrid ruminates on it for a moment.
"I... wasn't tryna annoy ya..." she admits, almost cautiously. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked fer help. Ya've already done a lot fer me... I'm real appreciative, and I don't want folks ta be annoyed with me or mad at me even though it happens a lot..." While what she says is true, there's some certain aspect to it she can't exactly place. Lots of people have been annoyed or mad at her, and she wasn't affected by it. Maybe it's the situations where they've behaved in that way that she was able to brush off. This situation felt different, and she thinks it's because she's developed a sense of respect or adoration for Veliky. At its core, this is one of the first adults to give Astrid any kind of positive attention in who knows how many years. Maybe she was wrong to have gotten herself too attached in a short time. She idealized this relationship and made it into something that it's not. At the end of the day, Astrid's just some kid, and Veliky, Zarius, and Cantio are grown adults with lives and businesses to attend to. It wouldn't be the first time she was just an inconvenience to an adult she looked up to.
After a moment of quiet again, she continues, "I don't wanna overlook people's feelin's just cause it benefits me if they're not happy. Some stuff kinda sucks, and it's gotta be done, - ya know, like chores - but other stuff I think it's okay ta think about how it'll affect someone else. What's wrong with wantin' ta do stuff cause ya think it'll make someone else happy?" Her hands fidget with the washcloth in her hands, pulling at stray fibers and running her fingers along the edge. There's something unresolved about her want to please other people, but she doesn't have the self-awareness to notice or process it. "Ain't it profit ta feel good about yerself too?"
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Nov 20, 2022 12:36:55 GMT -5
“ I mean… I suppose.” Cantio bemuses, frowning while he looks at the remnants of his makeup on the cloth he’s been using. He pointedly keeps his attention away from Zarius, unable to hold the other man’s gaze without his mask. He takes a slow breath to keep up his courage. He sets the cloth on the edge of the bath, flicking his tail until it has submerged itself beneath the water behind him. “Your work wasn’t suitable for me, either.” he sighs, the emotion beginning to drain from his voice; to some degree, he really doesn’t believe that Zarius would drag the girl into… whatever shenanigans it is that he gets into, but… sometimes it’s hard to tell. Cantio moves to sink into the water while Zarius is speaking; it’s lukewarm as he submerges into it, but it’s not bad at all. The tiefling frowns somewhat as he sinks his back against the basin, and lounges quietly. He’s not sure what to make of Zarius’ statements. “It’s a nice dream,” he remarks quietly; he rests his head against the edge of the bath, looking up at the roof. Little Miss Astrid is a cheery young girl— the fact that someone would just… leave her on the streets like that? It breaks his heart. She’s far too young to fend for herself, and… for other kids just like her… They don’t deserve to have their childhood yanked from them, replaced by so many other worries and fears and dangers.
He never felt particularly wanted in his own house, but he was privileged enough to be allowed to stay under its safe roof. “ Maybe someone like you could make an actual difference for kids like her, then.” he muses idly— gods know that someone like him couldn’t. “ ... If that’s true.” He breathes a sigh, tucking a loose strand of crimson hair behind an ear as he readjusts his position. He pulls the cloth into the bath with him, dunking it beneath the water, and ringing it out again in the silence that follows. “ Anyways, you… did you have something you wanted to talk to me about?” He changes the subject while he wipes the wet cloth along his forearm. “ You sounded like there was… something, when we first met.”
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Nov 20, 2022 13:32:26 GMT -5
Zarius watches Cantio out of the corner of his eye.
“It is not a dream, it is a goal.” He corrects. Goals were achievable while dreams were fantasies.
The bard lacked ambition, that was fine. What was more concerning was his lack of initiative and confidence. That would drag the young tiefling down over time. Helplessness was not something easily overcome.
“You know, you could make a difference too. I have seen bards change the minds of the masses with their words and music. Even if that is not something you aspire to do, you can still change individual lives in small ways.”
Though he doubts Cantio finds any comfort in anything Zarius says, he is genuine in this regard. The bard had the friendliness, the looks, the talent, everything necessary to be something so much more than a simple street performer. He wouldn’t push him though. If he didn’t have the drive then putting that pressure on him was counter-productive.
As the topic shifts to a different matter, he rests his head back on the rim of the bath and closes his eyes.
“Ah, yes. My brother is affianced and we are in need of someone to perform at the wedding. It will be a small, private event. You are the only professional bard I would trust with such an important task.”
He says it casually, but it is a fairly major thing to ask. The bard likely did not know of Zarius' familial ties or just how much it meant to be trusted to attend a personal milestone such as this. Zarius' family rarely let their guards down which meant that, despite their wealth and power, they didn't often get to just enjoy the more simple and common things in life without constantly glancing over their shoulders. A wedding was a big milestone for those expecting to get poisoned or arrested at any moment. It was a sign that they had finally acquired some sense of security. The celebration itself wouldn't be anything remarkable or grand, but its meaning was far more significant than anyone else could really understand.
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Post by Veliky on Dec 1, 2022 20:02:58 GMT -5
Veleftly kicks her feet in the gradually cooling water before lifting one up to stare at her toes. Perhaps she's pondering, or having some realization. No - she's just silently lamenting that Realiky hasn't commissioned some sort of nail clipper-bot. If she's going to make a perfect copy of herself and have that perfect copy go and task, the least she could do is make herself presentable, first.
It kicks down into the water with a faint splash.
"'Feeling' isn't always an indication of 'right.' Often times, the thing that *feels* right, the thing that *feels* rewarding, isn't actually the best option."
Rightliky lets out a long, tuckered yawn, stretching her arms obtrusively above Astrid's head as she does. Her lets them flop down, lackidaisically.
"Yup. Like just now: you were about to let your hair go completely uncared for - or, worse, try and fix it yourself - all because you were feeling a little sad after Veliky's rude comment. That wouldn't have been good for anyone, would it?"
"Veliky's guilty of it, too," comments Veleftly, who now lies on the rim of the tub. The replicants' collective energy is diminishing by the moment. "She made a snarky little response because she's *feeling* tired and grumpy. And guess what? It made you sad, and made the situation way more complicated than it needed to be. Working off of feeling doesn't get you anywhere good."
"...She's sorry, by the way. She'd never admit it, since she *feels* ashamed, but she is." Veliky - the real one - cringes in her tub. It certainly doesn't feel good to have her inner thoughts revealed by these unusually sassy copies. But they're right; it's probably best that they told her.
"And because of that *feeling,*" Rightliky continues, "she wasted mana to create us to do her job for her."
"What a qut."
...That was less necessary. Realiky stands to peer over again. There's a look on her face - not angry, but rather coldly severe.
"Are you two done?" she posits.
"Almost." Veleftly rolls its eyes. "The same works for other people's feelings. All the time, people get angry, sad or just annoyed about stuff that helps them. There was one time when Veliky broke her arm, so Zarius-"
"Do not tell that story." Realiky is as dire in tone as she is in expression.
"Fine. But, hypothetically, if you knew a *really* painful medical treatment that would save someone's life, you'd it even if they didn't want you to, right?"
"Of course you would," Rightliky answers, heedless of any response Astrid may've had. "Because if you didn't, and you just let that person die, you'd be a bad person."
"A villain."
"A failure."
"...So don't bother with feelings - not yours, not someone else's. They're naggy, little liars. Trust math and law; they tell the truth and nothing else."
In union, the replicants let out a harmonious, yet puny yawn.
"*Now* we're done."
Rather unexpectedly, they both roll off the side of the tub, onto the floor. There's some sound when they land, but it certainly doesn't sound like a body landing on stone, regardless of size. Whatever happened, they're both gone, leaving only Astrid and the real, corporeal Veliky, who looks at Astrid with an awkward hesitance that greatly contrasts her previous severity.
"Sorry. The clones aren't usually so talkative." Her eyes wander awkwardly, hunting for the right thing to say. "...Do you need help with anything else?"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 4, 2022 4:39:10 GMT -5
Sitting in the tub listening to the replicants babble on, Astrid just looks more puzzled than before. The befuddled expression suits her more than a hurt or hesitant one. After a moment, seeing Veliky looking at her over the edge, she just blinks a couple of times. "I... I think I need help understandin' what just happened," she says. There's the slight skip of a laugh held in within her voice. This Miss Veliky is certainly a strange individual. In all honesty, she seems to be at odds with herself. Being in that position doesn't seem fun for Astrid, so she ponders how she could prevent that from happening to herself. Maybe it's just something people have to deal with.
The half-dwarf focuses hard on scrubbing the dirt from her person. After a few moments of only the sound of splashing water and rough cloth on skin, she finally breaks the moment with a question. "What's so wrong with feelin' things?" Her query doesn't accuse or judge. The girl just wants to understand why Veliky seems to be so cold even to herself. "We don't hafta talk about it if ya don't wanna, I'm just curious... It was kinda a weird thin' ta say comparin' savin' someone's life ta worryin' about how either of ya feel about the situation." The example was weird, at least to her.
"I'd like ta think most people would choose to save someone's life if given the opportunity. If they're able." Her scrubbing picks up the pace on another stubborn dirt spot. "Bein' kind ta people is carin' about their feelin's. Yer tryna make their day better so maybe they can be even just a little bit happier." Astrid peeks over the tub at Veliky. "Offerin' advice is carin' about 'em too, ain't it?"
She sits back in the tub and pulls her foot up then starts dragging the washcloth back and forth between her toes like a two-person saw working a log. "I think it's hard fer people ta care about other people's feelin's 'cause it takes a lotta effort. Most people walked past me in the streets, but they probably took good care of their families 'cause that's all they were able ta give the effort to was makin' their family happy. I didn't hold it against them." She pauses her toe cleaning to reflect on why. "Guess I was just kinda jealous 'cause I didn't have that fer meself." At some point, she had a mother providing for her in some way, and her face grows a little sad thinking that maybe she was left here was because her mother didn't have the capacity to take care of her. Maybe she thought she'd be better off here. She chooses to think better of her mother until something proves she should think anything different, even if it hurts.
Astrid finishes her one foot and switches to the other. "But Mister Cantio stopped, and Mister Zarius bought me a snack, and ya bought me some clothes and yer givin' me life advice. I didn't ask fer none of that; ya all just offered it. That's bein' kind and carin' about feelin's." Finished with her feet, she lets her legs splash back into the tub, and she looks up at the ceiling. "Don't doin' stuff like that make ya feel good? Ain't that an important way ta feel?"
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Dec 4, 2022 23:03:28 GMT -5
There’s a small splash when Zarius corrects him; he offers a look over his shoulder, brows furrowed slightly. “ You just said it was an… oh, nevermind.” he sighs, shaking his head slightly as he leans his back against the side of the basin. He listens quietly as Zarius mentions something about him being able to make a difference, which is… He feels his shoulders slump, eyes narrowing slightly at a rolling trail of water dripping down his forearm. He thinks of his mother and his father, and of the many musicians he’s been in the presence of over the years— those are the people who could change the minds of the masses. He recalls far too many performances that moved the crowds at the Temple of the Sun. They had that kind of sway… he’d seen it happen first-hand; and he had been so in awe of it as a child. He'd wanted to be like that.
How far he's come from that...
He blinks, phasing back into the conversation without having responded; but a new wave of insecurity washes over the tiefling. He stifles a sigh, pulling his hair over his shoulder, and running his fingers through his hair while the topic shifts to something else— Zarius' brother, specifically.
“Oh— he’s getting married?” With his back still to Zarius, Cantio breathes a chuckle; his smile has long since faded, but his voice still sounds awfully chipper. “Congratulations to him!” He closes his eyes, taking a soft breath to gather himself together again.
He hesitates somewhat when he continues, offering him a… a performance at his wedding…? He blinks, looking over his shoulder at him briefly, before looking away again; why? They’ve met all of once, so… is some kind of a pity job? Some weird apology for dragging him into that mess? He narrows his eyes slightly, but smiles over his shoulder after a moment of consideration. “I’d be happy to play for your brother’s wedding, if that’s what you want— but, um… why me?” he breathes a laugh, turning away and sinking into the basin. “I honestly don’t even recall if you heard my performance back at… um… well, you know.”
He shrugs, reluctant to bring it up... just in case...
He really doesn't want to get on his bad side, after all.
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Dec 5, 2022 1:23:28 GMT -5
Zarius ignores the fact that he did indeed contradict himself. At least the bard was a good listener.
"As I said, you are the only professional bard I would trust with the task. You are not likely to go around boasting about the gig. You also know your way around an upper class crowd so it is not likely you will offend anyone in attendance."
He opens one eye and looks at the younger tiefling.
"I did indeed hear. It was a shame that the situation did not allow me to hear the full performance. The way you play is very...genuine."
It's the best word he could think of in the moment to describe Cantio's music. It was clear to him the bard loved to play and even in a situation he was not keen on, he still put everything into doing his best. Passion. Pure passion for the art in which he honed his skills in. Zarius could appreciate such dedication.
"There is no pressure to agree, I will not be blackmailing you this time. There is still a lot of time between now and when it is likely to take place. Keeping an event like this quiet means taking extra time and care. So you have plenty of time to think it over. I will reach out again closer to the date for your final decision."
There wasn't any point pushing Cantio into anything. He already did that once and maybe felt just a tiny bit guilty about it. Just a little though. Not enough to actually act on it of course. And he definitely would never admit it.
Regardless, the bard had nothing to worry about. Zarius wouldn't take it personally if he changed his mind about performing. He likely could find someone else suitable, it just would be preferable to be someone he had already worked with and knew how to...encourage.
At the end of the day, he was still an asshole even while trying to do right by his family and their important life milestones.
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Post by Veliky on Dec 11, 2022 2:07:49 GMT -5
With a groan, Veliky can be heard dropping back into the tub with a dual plop. By now, the water's grown rather unpleasantly cool, making another soak an unwelcome concept; instead, she crosses her arms and leans her back against the tub's wall.
"You wouldn't get it if I told you. Most adults don't. All I can say is that I can't remember a time when feelings have done anything good for me, and I have a pretty good memory. Good feelings beg for attention while bad feelings make you want to turn away; both are misleading, both get in the way of actual productivity."
She checks her fingernails. There's still some dirt underneath them, a souvenir of her egregious ascent up the Dragon Spine and which has resisted all cleaning efforts. Another time and some better soap, maybe.
"I can't speak for Zarius or Cantio, but I helped you because you're a kid. Helping kids - especially ones as unfortunate as you - is a legal duty. Did it feel good? Well..." The hesitation in her voice is palpable. She forgets about her nails and searches the water for something to say that doesn't make her sound stupid. "yeah, a little, but practicality is always more important than whim."
After a pause, she can be heard by the light sound of her lifting herself out of the water before her tiny feet stamp onto the hardwood floor, outside the tub.
"Alright. I don't know about you, but my water's getting cold. I'm going to dry myself off." A short pause, filled with uncertain consideration. "Let me know if you need any help."
Long, confused, awkward: it's a silence that follows. All that can be heard outside the trough is the impossibly soft sounds of Veliky drying her hair with a towel. The clearing steam reveals increasingly ugly details in the room, the follies of a cheap establishment and a likely-cheaper owner. There are dubious stains on the walls and a notable patch of mold on one of the rafters. For a bathhouse, it's less than clean. Of course, Astrid's hardly seen better and Veliky couldn't care less as long as it saves her a few coppers. They're both accustomed to squalid conditions. In fact, they have a surprising amount in common.
"You're a half-blood, right?" The sudden and slightly offensive question breaks the silence. Yet her tone is somehow softer than before. "You said that most people ignore you. Those that don't... do they tolerate you?"
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