Date With a View
Log Info
- Title: Date With a View
- Emitter: Slixvah
- Place: Mountain Road
- Summary: Slixvah and Reithak have that picnic date they planned a while ago, and learn more about each other's past.
- Mountain Road, Noon
It's been a back and forth of the when, but finally schedules cleared up enough for a lunch outing. A picnic, to be precise. More precise is a picnic upon the height of Mountain Road.
Sort of.
Mountain road has several rocks that jut out along its cliff face, some more expansive than others. Only accessible through tenacity through climbing, a terrible fall, or magical means.
Or, if you're an egalrin, it's a simple hop off the road's safety fence and a twenty foot glide down with a large landing spot. Said spot is covered in grass with an errant tree jutting sideways out of the cliff face. A checkered marked cloth is thrown over a large part of the grass, along with a straw basket and rocks holding the cloth down. As is a rainbow clad egalrin woman, ribbons on her wings fluttering in the constant breeze as she kicks her feet off the edge of the jutting land. Terrible place to have vertigo. Thankfully for such folks, the fear of heights is practically nonexistent.
Slixvah is humming softly to herself, eyes half closed as she's got a closed journal in her lap.
GAME: Reithak rolls acrobatics: (4)+2: 6
A bit out of the way, and bird friendly? It was the perfect spot for a picnic, when you could simply glide out to it.
A rather large egalrin stands perched on one of the safety rails, singing a few notes of song to get Slixvah's attention, before flipping off the railing and gliding down to the area. Unfortunately, she did not account properly for the flip, and glides just short of the outcrop. The inquisitor manages to grab a tree on the way down, flopping over it and offering Slixvah a wave.
Slix perks up at hearing the notes, her craning her head backwards and giving a large wave of her wing. She watches the flip with glee, her clapping as Reithak glides on over. But the large bird misses!
"Ruroh.." Slix comments, her getting up to her feet. However. The other egalrin lands and flops over the sideways tree.
The witch snickers, ambling over and offering a hand to Reithak. "Gotta say, that sure is one entrance," she coos. "Half wondered if ya was gonna scuff it and glide alllll the way down, hopin' a thermal draft would shoot ya back up!"
"I do try when I can to make an entrance." Reithak chuckles as she takes the hand and pulls herself up, digging into the earth for a bit more stability as she climbs back up and rolls onto her back on solid ground. "Ynfortunately, most judges consider it a failure if you can't stick the landing. I thought about it, but I don't have big, grand wings like you do Slix, don't know the winds here well either. Wouldn't do to keep you waiting, would it?"
Slix grunts as she tries to help Reithak up, one of her wings wrapping around their hands to assist with surprising strength. Though, it makes sense, those wings were large. She chuckles as she gets Rei to solid grounds. "There's at least enough of an updraft ta get ya back to the road. It would just been fun ta watch ya," she teases, stepping back and sitting down on the blanket. "But thanks fo' comin', hon! I got some simple stuff ta eat, sandwhiches and fruits," she mentions, gesturing to the basket. "Some wineskins too! No cups though, because, well, I don't wanna have ta chase it all th' way down th' mountain! Worth it tho' fo' the view!"
Reithak sticks their tongue out at the witch before she gets back to her feet and promptly flops back down onto the blanket. "Might be fun, but I think I'm fun to watch up close too." Reithak teases back as she grabs her hat off the string it was on to put back on.
"Wouldn't dream of missing it!" The large egalin hums as she reaches into her pack. "I figured you were going to bring most of the food, so I got a few extras I thought you might like. Some candied fruits and cookies, things like that." Reithak notes as she takes a few parcels to add to the basket. "Now that I think about it, don't know if you have a fondness for sweets or not."
Slixvah giggles at that. "On that, we can agree!" She gets to pulling things out of the basket. Several wrapped sandwiches, fruits, two full wineskins. A simple fare, but it needn't be lavish. Her feathered brows rise at Reithak's contribution. "Oooh! Those sound prett' good! Thanks, shug!"
She scoots closer to Reithak, her back against the cliff face as she takes a little bit of Rei's candied fruits and a cookie. "I like them on occasion! But you won't find me scarfing down a ton of them in one go. You a sweets fiend?"
"Least I can do Slix, happy to contribute!" Reithak smiles with her eyes, reaching to take a sandwich, and casually pulling Slixvah the last bit of the way with her other arm and another laugh.
"What can I say? I like sweet things. Course, I try not to eat them too much, even if I could. Not good for exercising, you know?" She chuckles. "You are right, this view is worth it, easily."
The runt readily leans up against Reithak as she holds a cookie in one hand, eyes scouring the cityscape below. "Naw they ain't. Too much sweets hurts m'beak. 'sides, perfer ta have it every now and then ta make it worth havin'!" Chomp!
Now with a half a treat in hand, sky blue eyes turn upwards to look at Reithak. "Gotta say, th' Muse fits you." So she did figure it out.
"Must be hard having your beak hurting all the time." Reithak teases, tapping the witch on the beak to accentuate the point.
She tosses the half of a sandwich into the air, and snaps it up in one large bite. A pause to swallow. "Didn't realise you were that curious about my magic." The inquisitor muses. "What makes you say that it fits me?"
Slix's face feathers floof at that, her laughing and playfully pecking at the hand. "Flatterer," she snickers.
The runt watches the sandwhich all but vanish, her humming to herself contently as she nibbles on the last of the cookie. "What can I say? I'm interested in magic, hard not ta be in my position." Her eyes squint in a smile. "I mean, look at ya. Ya got a swagger and command of attention. If ya see somethin' ya like, ya all but throw ya'self at it and not waste ya time wit' all th' other things."
"Magic is real interesting, isn't it? I just don't have the time to really delve into it. Or, suppose I'd have the patience, but there's stuff I'd rather be doing." Reithak hums as she reaches for another half a sandwich.
"I'm trying to be someone people can look up to, in more than a physical sense." Reithak chuckles. "Can't say I want to be the center of attention though, I'd rather be helping other folks do their best, like you. If you're like this now, I want to see what you can do with even more help and support, y'know?"
Slixvah bobs her head. "Yeah. I get that. Takes a lot of time ta hone magic down ta a fine point. I spend a not insignificant amount of time studyin' what I can ta make sure I kno' what I'm doin'. Sides, I can't get muscles like tha' just liftin' books," she teases.
Her face softens. "Ya sweet," she intones, lulling her head against Reithak's side as she picks up a peach. "Can't have gotten where I am now without help, so I understa th' sentiment."
"I don't know much about the process witches go through, but I can't imagine it's particularly easy." The large egalrin nods, taking a few smaller bites of the sandwich. "I can't get feathers that strong swinging a sword around either, though. Maybe you just need some heavier reading?"
Reithak sighs and rests her free hand against the side of Slixvah's head. "I like helping people a lot. Took me an embarassing amount of years to realize I just wasn't happy solely living for myself."
"A little bit of arcane theory, a little bit of esoteric occultism, and a little bit of knowledge that most folks would cause massive migraines to comprehend," Slixvah answers in a lilting, joking manner. But her eyes bely her speaking true. She snorts. "Yea, heavier readin'. Do reps while I'm figurin' out matrix disparities."
She perks at the hand on her head. A few feathers on her wings animating on their own as they lightly wrap around the arm. "Awh. How long did it take ya fo' that understandin'? It took me 'bout a decade out and 'bout on my own ta figure me out."
"Eh, maybe not, then. If it's giving me migraines to read, prbably best not to be splittibg focus. I wouldn't want those tomes getting mixed up, after all." Reithak considers after a moment, shaking her head and finishing off the sandwich. One brow raises as the feathers wrap around her arm, but the inquisitor smiles and gently ruffles the Slixvah's face. "Bit under a decade really, went to a few different spots. Wasn't until I met a travelling priest that things really got put into perspective, so I don't really know if I can take all the credit anyways, though."
"Mmm... not really reading, but we'll just leave it at that for now," Slix hums, patting Reithak on the leg. She gets a bite in on the peach, but her face is soon after ruffled. Slix giggles, pushing her face against the hand. "Sometimes ya need an outsider perspective ta get things ta make sense. Where one person can't see anythin', another can see it all."
She pulls up her legs, closing her eyes and relaxing. "So where ya from, hon?" she inquires. "Any fancy Aerie?"
"Oh, alright. For now, not forever, I came out because I want to get to know you, you know?" Reithak huffs, sticking her tongue out again. "Sometimes we get stuck in our ways without even realising it."
Reithak takes one of the cookies which promptly vanishes, to be replaced immediately by another one in hand. "I'm not from anywhere special. One of the smaller mountains in the sky curtain, maybe a dozen families at most there. But it's nice. And what about you, Slix?" She asks, glancing down at the witch. "I don't want to interrupt you being happy and relaxed, so you don't need to tell me about your Aerie if you don't want to."
"It's a lot ta explain, and it ain't 'bout me or you," Slix snickers, reaching up and poking Rei's underbeak. "But ya right."
She finishes her fruit, her unraveling a sandwich. She blinks, her brows raising. "Sky Curtains? Eyy. I was in an Aerie there was well. Tho'... Aerie kinda got hit by a landslide, so people moved inta th' mountains wit' th' Khzad. Some are comin' here." Her expression dips slightly before picking back up. "It's alright. Jus'... bit of a complicated mess. I'm sure ya vaguely aware of what the winds be sayin'. M'family's big. Got a ton of siblings, thirteen ta be exact. All of 'em are bigger than me," she chuckles. "Aerie had... maybe fifty families. Dunno now."
"Hey, now." Reithak laughs as she's poked. "I like learning about you, you're a real interesting lady. I like learning about what makes you tick."
Reithak tilts her head slightly, and lets out a small sigh. "Aw, c'mere." She chuckles, scooping the witch into a hug. wing and all. "I try to keep a listen to what things are saying. Sometimes things are complicated, but you're a clever one Slix, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"If they come here, then I'd be happy to meet them, if you need." She adds with a slight smile to her eyes. "After all, hanging out with the daughter of a speaker might help, y'know?"
Slixvah readily returns the hug. "Thanks," she intones, both to the compliment, and the reassurance. "Jus' gotta see what's up when the fam gets to the Aerie here."
She sighs, closing her eyes as she rests agains Reithak. "Yeah. That could help." A beat. Slix stills. Wait. Back that up. She sits upright in the winged hug, her looking at the large egalrin with clear eyes. "You're... the daughter of a Speaker?" she repeats, makign sure she heard that right. "... I guess tha' makes sense on how ya knew 'bout me befo' gettin' here. I jus'... hrm."
The runt just falls against feathers with a slight sigh. Another beat. "... so wha's tha' like, bein' a daughta of a hella prestious role?" she inquires.
"Want me to poke my beak in there before you? Get a feel for what's going on before you meet em again?" Reithak offers, before looking down to see Slixvah, her eyes showing a bit of mirth. "Nah, that had nothing to do with it. I just like to keep a listen to goings on, that's all."
"Hey, hey. Don't want ya treating me any different, okay?" Reithak answers, giving Slixvah another hug. "You know, I wish I could tell you. I was raised by who I believe is my aunt, but she's just as much my real mother as she was, her family mine. Just, maybe a bit odd to have a speaker around for dinner on the regular, get you some nice gifts, I guess?"
Slixvah shakes her head. "Naw, I gotta do it m'self. Fam's comin' in, gotta meet 'em 'fore they get there, 'long with a bunch of other families. Maybe ya can help wit' the others comin' in? I dunno how many other's are still injured from th' landslide."
"But I get that. I'm a little gossip gal as well," she squints cheerfully. Before she's getting hugged again with a shake of a head. "Naw, I ain't. I mean, how can I, when ya know what I do and didn' treat me diff, yeah?"
"Hrm. I see. I figured it'd be a lot mo' expectations of ya."
Reithak tilts her head, and nods. "Of course! If there still might be injured, then I'll be there, and help out in any way I can. Should stop by the markets and get some healing salves, prepare some things if they lost their belongings in the landslide." She answers quickly, and firmly.
"I get that, you're fun to talk to, and you like talking." The large egalrin laughs, pausing to finish off the second cookie, and reaching for one of the wineskins. "Well, it's a bit of a weird case. They're supposed to find a new speaker when she, well, dies, you know? So no one really expects much of me, if they even know." Reithak sighs. "We were isolated for some time from what I heard, lot of bad stuff. She said there was no sense in letting an Aerie die out because of tradition."
"That'd be right kind of ya ta do, hon," Slixvah intones. "I'm sure those in Khazad Duin we had dealin's wit' gave 'em as much as they could fo' th' trip."
The runt giggles, her finishing the last of the morsel in her hand as she too reaches for the other wineskin. It's nothing fancy, mainly just some wet red wine she scooped up from the TarRaCe. "Glad ya like ta hear my squawkin'." She thumbs the wineskin open, brows furrowed slightly. "Die out? Did like, they almost not find a Speaker befo' she came along?"
"I'm glad we're able to get along with the khazad well enough now for them to help us. It's, inspiring, really, and I hope we can keep making good on that now." Reithak hums, clearly happy at the thought. "A lot to do to make a good impression you know? But I'm sure between the two of us, everyone else, opinions will be changing, right?"
She pauses to pop open the wineskin, and take a short sip. "When you sound like you do, fun as you are to talk to? I could listen to you talk for hours and not get bored. But, nah, they weren't worried about a new speaker at the time. worried about the aerie, real bad. A blight came through, killed a lot of people, and no one new was coming in. Least, that's what I got out of the stories, really."
Slixvah bobs her head, her rubbing her neck. "I uh... we had a bit of a hard time gettin' deals wit' 'em fo' a while. I was prett' bad at it until got my magic. Then it all sorta clicked. So, hopin' what I did then is helpin' now. But yeah. Tha's wha' I'm tryin' ta do- make better opinions."
The runt sips as well, but pauses as her face feathers floof up. "... want me ta recite a book then? I'll do goofy voices," she teases, elbowing Reithak in the side before her face turns lightly dour. "Ah. My goodness. I see why ya Aerie was isolated; ta keep th' blight from spreadin'. Yeesh."
"They have every right to be mad at us, I know. Can't hide behind that being in the past, gotta show people times have changed." Reithak nods solemnly. "I bet you do a good job at that though, what with the ray of sunshine after the storm you are."
"You know, I'd like that. I bet you'd be a great storyteller, Slix." Reithak answers with another ruffle of the fluffed up feathers. "Yeah, I don't blame people for avoiding us, but it was hard. Mom decided that if she needed to break a few traditions to make sure that the aerie survived, so be it. But, Slix? I trust you, so please, keep that between us, alright? I think it was for the best, but I really don't want to push that."
Slixvah bobs her head. "Yeah. Ya speak true." But she looks off to the city, her face promptly floofing up once more. "ReiRei..." she softly hums. "You are one sweet gal, shug."
And then her face is ruffled. She giggles. "I'd like ta think so! I can lay down some mean rhymes when the feelin's right. Guess ya Muse likes ta give me a tickle now and then," the runt enthuses. But she just coyly squints her eyes. "Keep what between us?" She sticks her tongue out.
"I'm just speaking what I see, Slix." The large egalrin chuckles quietly, holding the witch close and watching the landscape with her. "Glad you think so, means a lot coming from you. I'm glad you can trust me a bit more, now."
"The muse can give inspiration, but it's up to you to hone what you do. Inspiration is nothing if you don't have the skills to back it up, after all." The large egalrin hums. "Thanks, Slix, I appreciate it."
Slixvah nestles in, her knocking back more wine as she watches the city go about its bustle, people, carts, beasts of burden and machines all like a small colony of ants below. "And I can say th' same 'bout cha'."
She taps a finger against Rei's wing, the runt clearly musing something in her mind. Her beak opens-
"Inspiration. Dedication. A number of things I take in consideration."
"Information. Dictation. A just cause and a heady imagination."
"Revelation. Salvation. The deeds I decree have a heavy base in jubilation.
"Vacation. Location. Need a pretty gal ta take a mind off isolation."
"Education. Temptation. Perhaps another time we can write an invitation?"
She grins, cracks her neck, and takes a long drink. "... that last line was me asking if you wanna do this again."
Reithak flaps her wing a few times in tempo with the taps, and the large egalrin tilts her head, before their expression fills with mirth as she listens to the limerick. Unable to clap, the inquisitor settles for ruffling Slixvah's feathers again and raising the wineskin she was holding, following it up with a swift drink. "Come up with that on the spot? That was real good. If I had any small part in that inspiration, I'm real happy I was able to provide it."
The inquisitor taps her beak with one claw, before sighing happily. "Exaltation. Elucidation. I would be more than happy to go out with you again Slixvah. And given the fact that you're asking, I'm assuming you'd like to as well?"
Slixvah beams at the praise and ruffling, a snickering fit leaving her. "Ye, happens. Ya did have a part in it. Somethin' 'bout tha' beak-feel of tha' word, inspiration, jus' clicked fo' me."
She takes another deep pull of the wine, her eventually emptying it out as she tosses it into the now empty picnic basket. "Oh absolutely," she grins. "Maybe we can find somethin' ta do next time 'round. Maybe go glidin'? I 'unno."
She stretches out, her large wings unfurling and looping around Reithak as her body laxes. The drink is hitting the small one for certain. "Well, you know what they say 'bout drinkin' and flyin'. Oh no... guess I'm gonna have to stay here for a little while..." she teases, sticking her tongue out.
"We'll figure something out, if inspiration hits you again, or me, you'll be the first to know." Reithak hums happily, stretching out for a moment only to find herself wrapped up by the wings.
"Aw, what a shame." The large egalrin chuckles. "I'll have to stay snuggled up to a cute egalrin like you to make sure she isn't flying off in a daze. Well, I try not to shirk away from my duties, so don't worry, I'll make sure of that."
-End Scene-