"Fish is aware of the water cycle...All of the water is involved in the process, matter cannot be created or destroyed." The bird said in a world full of magic and spells. "Through random chance and probability it is likely the cloud has been that shape at least once before."

Fish still has not taken a seat, but their attention has at least turned upwards for however much that is worth. Del can tell from the way the bird stands they are ready to move at a moments notice, never willing to be caught off-guard. A practiced tension in the muscles that is likely a little unsettling for Del knowing the implications of it all.

They pull out their notbook and make a quick sketch of the cloud in question along with the notation 'Delusion?' 'Heat induced insanity?' In a very, very strange and unintended way Del had gotten Fish thinking just maybe not in the direction she had been hoping. It technically wasn't about work though, small victories.

"Oh, what kind of probability?" Del tilts her head slightly to look at Fish, smiling a little. She watches how tense they are, a very cagey little kenku ready to bolt or fight at a moment's notice. Had this child ever relaxed once in their whole life? Considering how very short their life had been so far... Del was worried the answer to that was no.

"But the same shape, with all the same little water drops as the last time and the time before? How would something like that be possible? There's so many little water drops, and so many clouds at any given time-- is it possible that there's never been that same collection of drops, and in that shape in the sky?" She asks Fish, watching their hands so they can talk through it. Again, she pats the cloak next to her. "Sit down so I can see your hands a bit better, I can't look at clouds and do that at the same time. Oh, what about that shape?" she points to a cloud that starts to morph, becoming like a bat with two heads and a scorpion tail... at least to Del's eyes. "I don't think those drops have been that shape before."

"Low, but not impossible. If this is the first instance of it then...on a long enough scale of time it is likely to happen again." They look to the spot Del patted, tilting their head. Why was she so insistent on this pause to working? Curious.

Fish does take a seat but only to sate their curiosity as to what the monk is up to. They would get to the bottom of whatever was going on here. Their little eyes look up to the sky, though this activity didn't seem to hold much interest. They were too literal a bird to see anything but a cloud. Fish stayed grounded in their version of reality.

"It's a Clebsch surface." Fish does not bother to explain what this actually is unless prompted. If asked, Del gets an incredibly dense explanation of a complex mathematical structure. Fish will do their best to draw one in the sand, but explain that it is a three dimensional object so it is hard to render in just two.

"A... oh, wow, that was an interesting series of signs. Cl--Cleb...?" she asks, looking at Fish curiously. Privately, she feels a little sense of victory; they had sat down and were now thoroughly explaining something extremely complicated and was mostly well over Del's head, but at least they had settled down. They had taken a cursory look at the sky, and had seemed confused by it, which... well, that was a concern for another time. This was progress, and more than enough.

Del lets Fish draw in the scrub as best as they can the formua and the... shape? Shape. That they were trying to relay to Del. Some of the math she can at least comprehend, but why this shape mattered specifically was a bit of a mystery. Then again, it mattered to Fish, and that was more than enough.

"Well, thats incredibly fascinating. And complicated." Del chuckles as she sits up. "I should have had my journal out so I could take notes. Where did you learn all of that?" she asks, tilting her head a little. Such a curious kenku.

She also brushes off her pant legs, satisified with the break, such as it was. "There. And we can get back to our patrol now after our nice rest. Good work, Fish."

"Fish stole lots of books. No one would teach Fish, so Fish taught Fish.....Fish is a better teacher for Fish than most." They look over the shape once more as Del stands. The aviankin bounces to a standing position as well.

"Fish has taken whatever Fish needed to survive. Knowledge included, Fish can make more money if Fish knows how to do more things, so Fish learns as many things as Fish can." They start to hop along the sand again, ready to get on the move. The sands are relatively still today....which is odd in its own way.

Whatever was happening at large probably had some of the more common monsters hiding away. Predators all scared of an even bigger predator. Hard to complain about easy money though, they should get decent enough pay for essentially nothing.

Del looks down at Fish with a wistful smile. "I would certainly agree with that. You are indeed a good teacher, Fish." She starts to walk with them again, along the verdant coast of the desert. "Learning how to do many things is a wonderful set of skills to have, of course. What if you didn't have to worry about money?" she shifts her gaze back to the path as they continue to walk.

"What sort of things would you explore if you didn't have to worry about getting coin? And, why does coin matter so strongly to you? You're quite a capable thief, and skills are very important to have and I am amazed by how much you have learned; I think what you've done is wonderful and I'm not questioning. That said... you could simply take enough coin so you had enough to be comfortable. Why do you seek out new things to learn and do when you already have what you need at your dispoal to get enough money for what you need?" She lifts her brows as she looks back towards Fish. "So what drives you to learn all these skills, Fish? Its impressive, as I said, but if coin was your only goal, you could have that already, right?"

"Fish is a scientist....scientific progress is not made by standing still and being complacent. Fish needs to constantly be pushing the limits of what Fish knows and can do to make progess....Coin helps ensure that Fish has the supplies that Fish needs. Some things are easier to obtain if they are just bought. Plus Fish likes shiny things and most coins are shiny, Fish uses the dull and dirty ones to pay for things."

They look over the distance, their gaze and head flicking in that very specific bird like manner. A small twitch to the left then right to make sure the surroundings are clear as they make their way through the sands.

"It is the same reason Del still learns to fight isn't it? To keep improving? You can never know everything, but you can always learn something."

Del hums thoughtfully as she watches Fish's tiny hands, carefully minding their explanation-- and then laughing softly when they mention the bit about the coins. That was adorable. "Can't argue with that. Ahhh, you like the shiny ones, do you? Why didn't you say so?" Her finger taps against her bottom lip in thought. "I should have guessed, I suppose. If and when I get my smithy set up, I'll make sure to make you something extra shiny, yes?" She looks Fish over. "You already have plenty of weapons, though, at least it seems that way to my eye. Hmm."


When their words turn to the reason she continues to learn to fight, she shakes her head. "I was taught to fight as a way of relearning how to use my body. I lost the ability to walk for a few months after a fall. And, I suppose, to fight off things in the forest in the Crescent Isles. If I improve or get better, it isn't because I seek to be better; It comes from survival more than anything else, at least for me. I do agree, though." A serene smile is flashed to Fish; you can't know everything, but you can always learn something. "Those are certainly words to live by." Her head tilts this way and that for a moment. "I think it is smart to do expand your horizons the way that you do. What about... painting? Have you ever tried that?"

"Fish has what Fish needs." That would be the only response to the comment about the amount of weapons Fish had. Most of their equipment was well hidden enough the average person wouldn't see it, save for their hand crossbow which had a shoulder holster, but Del wasn't the average person.

They look up at Del, head tilted. "Why would Fish need to paint? Fish remembers everything Fish sees." Del would be the first to learn the secret to Fish's madness was a photographic memory. It helped when you weren't often given quill and parchment to work with. It also explained their uncanny ability to do sketch work.

For the moment, Fish was mostly concerned with why they didn't feel as annoyed by Del as they did when others tried to 'mentor' Fish. Morrigan's arrangement is more of just an ongoing bit at this point, neither of them take it seriously. Most others who have tried just seem to get frustrated that Fish is not much for hard rules. They could tell Del was trying to steer them, but she seemed much less resistant to Fish's -- at times obstinate -- refusal to veer from their own way of doing things.

"Oh, I know you're more than capable, Fish, believe me," Del chuckles. The incident in the desert wasn't far from her mind. Fish was an independant and forward thinking young soul, and they deserved to be as happy and healthy as could be mortally managed. Fish, it seemed to Del, had never known, and therefore, had no need of the childhood they had missed out on. To pretend that Fish was anything other than what they were-- a hypercompetent scientist and adventurer-- would be to diminish the only identity they had ever known. As someone who held memory as dear as she did, Del would not wish to patronize or infantalize Fish.

They did not know how to be a child; that was not their fault.

Why would Fish need to paint? Del supposed that was a fair question. "Well, why does anyone do anything? Because they want to get better at something, because they want to express themselves. Because they want to learn better hand-eye coordination,"[/i] that seemed a logical enough reason for a young bird like Fish, "Or... because it's, you know, fun. Science is fun, excersize is fun, relaxing is fun, reading is fun. You know. Things you enjoy just because you enjoy them, not to serve any purpose besides that." She looks at Fish while they walk, head tilted. "What do you do for fun?"

Fish did have enough tendencies and small glimpses to remind people that they are still so young, but it was true that they did not miss the childhood they were never told they could have. In some respects this might have been better, Fish's strange tendencies were allowed to flourish though unguided and unfettered, they had complete freedom. Of course they were also virtually forced down a life of crime, so you win some, you lose some.

"Fish does not need art to express themselves....Fish also doesn't do things for fun. Fun does not earn Fish coin and Fish wants to earn coin." Fish did often have fun doing their work though....is that what Del was getting at? Actually, now that Fish thinks about it, what is Del getting at? She asks an awful lot of questions, she might be a cop. Izzy told Fish that cops always ask a lot of questions.

As Fish quietly thinks this, they just narrow their eyes up at Del.

"But have you tried it? Plenty of people earn money doing art, too, by the way. " Del does not quite understand why Fish is glowering up at her dubiously, but she does understand they are suspicious of her. She chuckles and disg into her satchel for a moment, before pulling something out and offering it out to Fish. It resembles the little toy she had slipped into Fish's bag at the end of their first mission, but this one was, instead, a puzzle box. It sits in her open hand, her eyes offering Fish a gentle, careful smile.

"Some things can just be, Fish. The clouds, the sand, the energy in our bodies, and the fact that there are people that care about you, not because of what you can do, but because you're worth caring about just as you are. Things that are fun can just be too. Because, if I can tell you a secret-- people usually earn coin so they can do and pay for fun things. Even old people like me like to have fun. I think getting to spend time with you is pretty fun, for instance."

Del gives Fish another smile, depositing the little toy in their hand. "Come on, we should finish up our patrol and report back. The area seems pretty safe, all things considered."

Fish swipes the box almost as soon as it is offered to them. They do like puzzles. Really anything to keep their hands busy, the bird took too quite quickly. Fish is already set on working out the answer to this box, but they are listening.

They do pause and look up at Del with a tilted head as she mentions what has essentially been just a walk was fun for her.....The walk with Fish specifically was fun. No one ever talked to Fish much or spent much time with the bird, so this was a new category to reach with someone. Fish was curious about this.

So much of their life to this point had really been solitary and devoid of what most would call friendship. Up until now everyone had essentially been a mark or an asset, that's the only way Fish categorized people....They hadn't really thought about how much things have changed realized. Morrigan was just a resource, but now Fish essentially lives with them. Kvasir just provides Fish with food and herbal supplies without asking for Fish to reciprocate with a favor of any kind. Kamille was just a lady Fish extorted once on a job, now Fish would occassionally stop by to leave gifts or maybe try "tea." They still weren't sold on tea, but Kamille seemed to like it.

Fish just offers a quiet nod and follows after. Their hands are too busy with the puzzle box to speak.

Del returns Fish's quiet nod-- their hands were busy and that was fine. Smiling a little to herself, Del and Fish continue the rest of their patrol, moving with confident purpose through along the coast of Zeinav, back up and circling back to head towards the city proper once more.

By the time they approach the city walls, it's near sundown. Del lets her head fall to one side to look down at Fish, smiling faintly. Their nimble hands would have been able to suss out there were no fewer than five possible solutions for the puzzle, each transforming the box into a new shape. "Nearly done, then. Should I accompany you home once we get our coin? Only if you'd like, of course," she adds; she would not impose on Fish's independence, no matter how much she felt a desire to ensure their safe passage. But ever since that first meeting in the desert, beneath the sands, when Fish had ducked behind her legs to avoid the eye of the dragon who lurked in the pit, she had felt a protective pull towards the young Kenku. It was important to keep them safe-- her time at Shade's Valley had only served to amplify that.

Fish ponders the question a moment. Del still could potentially be a cop so it might not be wise to give her their address.....Though maybe catching an errant glitter bomb from Morrigan might be enough to deter her from coming around again. Decisions, decisions.

Also given Del's seeming concern for Fish's well-being, seeing that they lived in a wagon in the back of someone's yard might just be more talks waiting to happen. It would be worse if Del could identify that most of the plants around Fish's little shack were poisonous in nature.

Instead of making a decision, Fish just starts to hop off, hands preocupied with the puzzle box. They are curious to see if Del will just follow to watch after them or let them go.