The horned woman waves Gale's concern off. "Eh, he didn't so much as lay a finger on me. But thanks for your concern, anyway."
"I don't believe I've made your acquaintance before." Her demeanour fluidly shifts from annoyed to charming, her frown turning upside-down and her body leaning forward, giving them a view of her corset-enhanced cleavage. "I'd remember meeting folks as distinctive as you."
"My name's Lavender, one of Calistria's darling girls." She purrs.
"I'm Gale, and this is my sibling, River," the sylph says with a warm smile. "These are our friends, Blaze and Crystal. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lavender."
Lavender straightens up and tilts her head at the others. "May I ask what the occasion is, then? Obviously, most out-of-town folk don't come down to the Tipsy Treant just for a drink."
"It's Crystal's birthday." River replies. "I've had a good run and the tables so we came out to get some food afterwards."
He leaves out the part about the casino burning down and going after a local mob boss - that's not the sort of thing to talk about with complete strangers, or calistrians.
Crystal watches the conversation with ill concealed amusement, and a certain level of wariness as Gale starts chatting to an obvious prostitute. The conversation seems innocent enough... for now. She continues to watch with narrowed eyes as she pushes her 'pudding' around her plate. She certainly is not feeling jealous, and even if she was it would perfectly reasonable.
"It's Crystal's birthday." River replies. "I've had a good run and the tables so we came out to get some food afterwards."
"Yeah, suppose the stew here is a guilty pleasure of mine. Name's Blaze. Nice meeting you, Miss Lavender. You look like someone who does good business here." Blaze grins and inclines his head in greeting, which coincidentally also allows him to give her figure a brief but appreciative look.
"Can't say the place is dull, either. Wish I'd gotten to threaten the guy with an eternal pignose, but my friend here can be pretty scary when she wants to be." He winks at Alorea, then pauses to scratch his chin. "Actually, why do you say that, Lavender? Does this place have some reputation we're not aware off?"
”Oh! Well, happy birthday to ya, darling.” Lavender says with a smile towards Crystal.
”The Treant isn’t anything unique around here. Just one of many dives frequented by those who make their living on the sea. Though I have to add, the stew here’s quite lovely.”
The horned woman gets a coquettish look in her eyes. ”Did anyone tell Ms. Crystal about the special on tonight?”
With his mind having mostly been on the gambling tournament and the reunion with his friends, Blaze has no clue what the fiery prostitute in front of them was talking about. "'Special'? Guess I must have missed something. What special?"
River suspects he knows where this is going, and watches with a smile.
"Oh, it's just a little something yours truly has on offer..." Lavender offers an enigmatic shrug and smirk.
"The barkeep here's a bit of an inconsiderate, stingy pill. Wouldn't even break out the good liquor if it were his own son's birthday. So, to make up for it..." She leans forward again. "...I like making my services available."
"Just a couple of silvers, and I can make Ms. Crystal's birthday that much better."
Crystal's eyes narrow at the woman. "Well thankyou, but that is not the kind of entertainment I was looking for." She says, looking across at Miss Lavender.
"A simple game of cards, a lot of alcohol and some presents would've done. Maybe even do what we used to do...." She mutters.
Gale quickly takes Crystal's arm to lead her away. "Maybe Blaze or River will take you up on your offer!" she calls over her shoulder to Lavender.
Once they are far enough away, the sylph giggles nervously. "Well, that was something, huh? I think she was just being nice. Why don't we get you another drink?"
Crystal allows herself to be dragged along by Gale. "Never been propositioned by someone like her in a hundred years! Why would she think I would want to....with her?" She adds, slightly befuddled. "Another drink is always a good plan Gale. Do you still like that spiced rum we used to share? Or maybe a little elven absinthe? It is a special occasion afterall..." She leans in and brushes some hair away from Gale's face as she awaits a response.
Gale smiles widely, her hand slipping around Crystal's waist. Old habits die hard. "You know what they say: 'absinthe makes the heart grow fonder!'" She giggles again and leads Crystal to the bar to order the drinks.
Lavender shrugs. "Oh well, I tried."
-------------------
The Treant's barkeep is a thin, reedy man with a narrow face and a mop of unkempt brown hair. Dark circles are under his eyes, making him look more like a skeleton than a man.
"Looking for another round, ladies? What'll you be having, then?" He asks, his voice high-pitched and warbly.
"Elven absinthe, if you please," says Gale, dropping several coins on the bar.
The barkeep's eyes widen a bit before he ducks underneath the bar, returning with a short, square flask made of tinted glass. He pops the cork on the flask and fetches a couple of small cups from behind him.
When he's finished pouring the drinks, he hands them off. The contents are clear... and very green.
"That'll be three gold from each of you."
"Oh, it's just a little something yours truly has on offer..." Lavender offers an enigmatic shrug and smirk.
After Crystal's dismissal of the woman, Blaze stays behind with River. He glances between his friend and Lavender, seemingly in doubt, but eventually sighs. "Can't today, I'm afraid. I do appreciate finding others resistant to my heat, however, as that's been... 'problematic' for such acts in the past. Though I'm sure being a Tiefling has more prevalent upsides in your line of work!"
Glancing to the bar where it seemed Crystal and Gale were having fun, a hint of a smile forms on his features. "Besides, someone has to take care of the ladies we're already with. Don't think I'd forgive myself if something bad were to happen to 'em while I was out 'having fun'. Maybe some other time?"
He looks at River to see if he/she agreed.
"Maybe another time then Lavender." River adds, giving her hand a brief squeeze. "Have a good night."
He tucks an arm into Blaze's as they make their way back across the common room. "When did you become such a gentleman? I remember an impulsive young ifrit who couldn't wait to bed people he wouldn't burn. Although we were all impulsive..."
Blaze's eyes glide down to their links arms. His hair briefly flared blue as he remembered bygone days, of walking/being dragged down the beach by River in his 'teenage' era, thirty or forty years ago. He'd never really liked that much water in one place, but he couldn't deny her anything either, which tended to lead to awkward compromises.
But... those days had their charm. Simpler times when wondering how the other would take what you said were your largest worries.
For now, he settled for huffing theatrically, and a flake of ash exits with his breath. "Hey, in my defense, there weren't that many people who wouldn't burn! Though..."
His eyes meet River's and he looks away awkwardly. "I... guess I just figured I was setting a poor example for all of you somewhere along the way. Suppose that's just an 'older brother thing', even if it doesn't make that much sense on our timescale. Also had a lot of time to think on the road. I'll tell you about it someday."
He suddenly stops. "Hey, wait a minute! What about you , miss gambling champion? What did I miss for you to suddenly be some kind of high roller in a seedy Casino, when I remember you being pretty timid? Heck, you went with all of us on a frontal assault of a crimelord's base without so much as a blink! That's pretty much the most impulsive thing out there!"
He suddenly stops. "Hey, wait a minute! What about you , miss gambling champion? What did I miss for you to suddenly be some kind of high roller in a seedy Casino, when I remember you being pretty timid? Heck, you went with all of us on a frontal assault of a crimelord's base without so much as a blink! That's pretty much the most impulsive thing out there!"
"Umm... who got us into said assault on a crime lords base?" River counters, apparently without concern at Blaze addressing him as the wrong gender. "And besides, nothing was going to go wrong for me last night. The stars were right, the tide was flowing, I was just lucky. It was perfect. Everything about it was perfect." He grins at Blaze, the slight hint of darker blue almost undetectable against his skin in the poor light.
Crystal hands over the gold begrudgingly, assuming it will be worth it for this.
She watches the barkeep pour out the absinthe over the sugar cubes eagerly before raising her glass to make a toast to Gale "To old friends." She declares before downing the glass and slamming it back down on the bar.
"Got anything less expensive?" Crystal asks the barkeep before putting a few copper on the bar and turns her focus back to the sylph. "You know. I didn't know what to expect seeing you again tonight....you still look beautiful." She says, hiccuping a little. "Im really happy you came. Maybe....maybe this was meant to be. Fate pulled us back together." Clearly Crystal's thoughts are a little less than clear after her few drinks this evening.
"Umm... who got us into said assault on a crime lords base?" River counters, apparently without concern at Blaze addressing him as the wrong gender. "And besides, nothing was going to go wrong for me last night. The stars were right, the tide was flowing, I was just lucky. It was perfect. Everything about it was perfect."
"And here I thought it was my job as the token 'impulsive Ifrit' to do so?" Blaze grins back. "But I'll grant you that. Today had some... shall we say, really good and rather public moments?"
His hair goes back to blue and Sertse yelps up from his nestled position. Blaze only chuckles and pats the annoyed bird on the back. "Sorry boy. Can't control it."
Just as the bird huffs and the cooler orange glow returns, he locks eyes with River and swallows once. "You know how confusing that gender swap thing is that you and your brother have going on? It's enough to drive any straight guy insane..."
Just as the bird huffs and the cooler orange glow returns, he locks eyes with River and swallows once. "You know how confusing that gender swap thing is that you and your brother have going on? It's enough to drive any straight guy insane..."
"She's my sister at the moment..." River says, nodding towards Gale, Crystal and their dangerously green drinks. "And I know..." He lets out a sigh. "If it helps it drives straight girls insane too. I really thought they were going to get together for a while, then the change hit again. I keep thinking that one day it'll stop, that we'll just... I don't know... find the right shape or get some control over it, or something. But no, spring and autumn equinox, every time." He looks sad. "There's some upsides but... I feel like we miss out on so much more... we're probably going to end up together in some island in the middle of the ocean or something." He tries for a smile, but Blaze can see the glimmer in the corner of his deep blue eyes. "You'd come and visit right?"
"Got anything less expensive?" Crystal asks the barkeep before putting a few copper on the bar and turns her focus back to the sylph. "You know. I didn't know what to expect seeing you again tonight....you still look beautiful." She says, hiccuping a little. "Im really happy you came. Maybe....maybe this was meant to be. Fate pulled us back together." Clearly Crystal's thoughts are a little less than clear after her few drinks this evening.
Gale takes the absinthe like a champ, feeling a pleasant buzz settle over her mind. Her pale cheeks turn pink at Crystal’s compliments. ”Thank you. You are radiant as always.”
She hesitates before reaching out to lace her fingers with the oread’s. ”I always hoped we would be together. I know my brother’s and my...condition have made things difficult. But I am here, if you will have me...”
Crystal, much more carefree after her drinks this evening, squeezes Alorea's hand for a second before leaning in slowly and placing a tender kiss upon Alorea's lips.
"I certainly will tonight." She says suggestively, not really thinking through her thoughts. "How abouts we retire for the evening?"
"There's some upsides but... I feel like we miss out on so much more... we're probably going to end up together in some island in the middle of the ocean or something." He tries for a smile, but Blaze can see the glimmer in the corner of his deep blue eyes. "You'd come and visit right?"
"Hey now, don't cry. Think I'd ever let the two of suffer through some lonely existence? Hah! I tried that, and can't say I'd recommend it to anyone," Initially joking, he quickly sobers up. "And... you know I would right? I'd just... um, get better at magic and fly over there. Or teleport. I'd get it down eventually. Supposedly, there's magic that can solve any problem."
He gives River a one-armed hug just as Gale and Crystal start making out to the side, and he can't help but notice. "Huh. Maybe they'll end up together anyway? Though I hope the fallout is less bad this time if they don't. Think we should do something? Could just be the alcohol making them do things they wouldn't..." Blaze asks River, watching the proceedings with her.
He gives River a one-armed hug just as Gale and Crystal start making out to the side, and he can't help but notice. "Huh. Maybe they'll end up together anyway? Though I hope the fallout is less bad this time if they don't. Think we should do something? Could just be the alcohol making them do things they wouldn't..." Blaze asks River, watching the proceedings with her.
"Let's just follow them and give them space." River replies, returning the hug. "If they both want it tonight then I'm sure as heck not getting in their way!"
As they walk through the dark (for humans) streets, River squeezes Blaze a little tighter. "Thank you Blaze." He doesn't elaborate but the moment is full of significance none-the-less.
When Crystal and Gale straight into Crystal's room Blaze and River linger awkwardly in the corridor for a few moments. "Well... goodnight." River says eventually, turning to Blaze and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "You can have the furthest room. It'll be quieter for your preparations in the morning."
Alorea closes her eyes and returns the kiss with pleasure. A static spark gives Crystal a small shock!
”Nysene...” she says softly. She nods and lets the oread lead her back to their room in the Gold Goblin. Once they are alone, she kisses Crystal again, pressing her slender body against the monk’s.
As they walk through the dark (for humans) streets, River squeezes Blaze a little tighter. "Thank you Blaze." He doesn't elaborate but the moment is full of significance none-the-less.
"Hm? For what?" When there is no response, he shrugs but holds River a bit closer. "You too."
When Crystal and Gale straight into Crystal's room Blaze and River linger awkwardly in the corridor for a few moments. "Well... goodnight." River says eventually, turning to Blaze and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "You can have the furthest room. It'll be quieter for your preparations in the morning."
"Right. That works. Night." Blaze seems slightly dazed. Then he looks him/her in the eye and begins to lean in... only to stop. "I... don't want to hurt you. It's just... I have trouble doing this when you're a guy. And there's my Vision too. I'm sorry."
He gives her a final hug and retreats. "Sleep well, River."
Back in his room, he quickly locks the door and leans back against the frame. "Sertse, go to your post. I need a long, LONG and cold shower."
Crystal relishes the kiss from Alorea before pushing Alorea passionately back to the bed as she begins to undress herself. "You sure you want to do this?" Crystal asks, her hand pausing at her buttons on her trousers, as she goes to undo them.
Gale simply nods. A strong breeze picks up around her, rustling the bedsheets and blowing the loose robes off of her body. She crawls across the bed and presses her lips against Crystal’s belly as she helps to unbutton the woman’s trousers.
Crystal's eyes open wider and her breath quickens as she remembers just how stunning Alorea was and hastily begins to remove her trousers, allowing them to drop on the floor before stepping out of them.
She allows Alorea to undo each button on her shirt before allowing it to slide off her shoulders revealing her extensive geometric tattoos complementing embedded crystalline gems that cover her torso, wrapping around from her side and spiralling down and around her right thigh.
She steps forwards onto the bed next to Alorea, pulling her close, not flinching at the static shock she receives as she does so. She runs her fingertips gently, tracing the sylphs swirling blue patterns that run down the length of her arm.
Gale runs her hands down Crystal's back, marveling at the change between warm skin and cold gemstones. "By the Wind and the Waves, I missed you." Her hands slide around Crystal's chest as she cups her breasts and leans forward to kiss her neck.
Crystal tilts her head to one side as Alorea places kisses down her neck and closes her eyes before running her hand up the other woman's arm and along her collarbone, before tracing her fingertip slowly between Alorea's breasts.
"I don't think we've ever done this before." She whispers, almost inaudibly. "You were always, you know, the other you. I'm used to that..I just don't know..." Crystal says, her voice trailing off as if unsure of herself all of a sudden. This is incredibly unusual for Crystal who is usually quite a forceful personality and always sure of herself. At least she always tries to make other people believe so.
Perhaps its the alcohol, perhaps its the new situation, perhaps its the old memories, but suddenly the woman is feeling vulnerable and is showing it.
”Shhh...” Gale says, pressing a finger to Crystal’s lips. ”Just relax. Let me take care of you.”
The sylph gently guides the oread onto her back. She trails kisses down her chest, her breasts, her belly, slowly working her way down between her thighs. Then she begins to use her tongue in a most pleasurable manner...
Nysene lies back on the bed softly and inhales with surprise as Alorea begins.
The evening flies by as both Alorea and Nysene devote their full attentions to each other. Alorea showing Nysene many a new trick. Its unclear how much time passes, but Crystal doesn't regret it one bit.
Unused to sharing a bed, Crystal finds it hard to sleep and when she is sure that Alorea is safely dreaming, she slides off her bed, collects her clothes from where they were left and slowly sneaks from the room and returns to her own bed.
It doesn't take long for her to fall asleep when she is alone and she sleeps deeply for many hours, exhausted from both the day's and night's activities.
The night passes in a blur...
------------------------
The next morning, the party wakes to the sound of rapid *BANGBANGBANGing* and the sawing of wood. It appears repairs to the casino's bathrooms and roof are already underway.
Larur and Saul are down on the casino floor, supervising a team of six dwarves as they take measurements, remove old, burned wood and construct new walls in their place.
Alorea slowly returns to consciousness in the morning. She rolls over to drape an arm over Nysene, but she is disappointed when she touches only empty sheets beside her. She sits up in bed with a sigh, invisible winds tousling her hair.
She takes stock of her gear. Everything seems to be in order, so she dresses and heads downstairs for some breakfast, waiting for the rest of her friends to join her.
Alorea finds her brother, with his hearty constitution, already up.
"Hey sis. Good night?" He asks, passing a mug of clear water to wash away the alcohol from the night before.
Gale sips the water. "Yes. I hope it will be a good morning, too. Have you seen Crystal yet?"
"I didn't look, in case I saw more than I wanted to!" River replies with a smile. "Was it good? I just hope you two aren't going to end up disappointed again - but I think you were always a guy weren't you? So this might be progress..."
Gale blushes and tries to avoid looking at her sibling's grin. "I don't know yet. I don't want to jinx anything."
"'Morning you two," Blaze's voice cuts in, just as he sets himself down at the breakfast table. He throws a tentative look at Alorea and smirks. "So, no fallout yet? Congratulations! And now we're all colleagues too. Was a pretty eventful first day at work, no?"
"If 'work' involves me up this much gold every day I'll be a happy water genie!" River replies with a grin. "Sadly I figure my daily earnings are about to go down, not up..." He makes a mournful face. "Still at least I have Ghoulette." He fakes a dreamy sigh and far away look, hoping for a laugh or two.
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. Or die in fright." Blaze's smirk turns to a half-smile. "We could always go to some other gambling hall if you miss the other side, Riv. Just don't get us thrown out too quickly, would you? 'least not before my Vision earns me enough for the next spell."
He throws the water elementalkin a conspiritual wink.
Fortunately, Crystal is a heavy sleeper and at first the banging does not wake her, especially when having had a drink or two. She rises slowly this morning, groggy-eyed with a heavy head and groans regularly at each bang as she bends to wash and dress. After this long process, she eventually heads downstairs to face the music.
"Morning." She states simply as she flops onto a chair and pulls a pastry from the middle of the table. "Have we ordered proper food yet?"
"Define 'proper' food, Crys. We have a chef for the nights, but he tends in come in somewhere mid-afternoon to begin his prep work. Disadvantage of a nighttime job." Blaze explains, taking a sup from his tea. "Think we might be on our own, but I wouldn't be against making you all something myself. Gotta eat too, you know. Could whip up some fruity pancakes, or some sandwitches. And maybe Alorea here can fix you some hot coffee?"
He throws Gale a teasing grin and lazily gets up to head to the kitchen.
”Sure. I can make coffee. You want some coffee?” Gale says quickly and, she hopes, not too eagerly. She gives Crystal a questioning look.