Girls Night Out

[Flamebird]

Felicity Rhyolite stepped into the bar with a push of the door. Elves may had once had a lavish and stylish culture, but this inn was a far cry from it. The inn was well kept, clean and up to safety standards. Yet, it lacked the culture and architecture that was widely known in Raiaera. It was a standard inn. Tables and chairs, a ministral stage, all the works. Felicity held the door open for the little fae who was walking in by her. The fae's broken wings were a daunting sight. The butterfly like wings, so delicate and intricate, were torn and ripped. Felicity had not done this to her, yet felt guilty over a friend feeling the need to go that far. Yes, it was in self defense, but the wings were just painful to look at.

Of course, the shredded wings were why they were in this tavern in the first place. The need for a healer. Felicity's healing skills only went as far as humanlike biology. These wings were foreign and alien to her. She was unable to help. From a distant table, Felicity noticed a hand waving. Cheerful Celandine, the diplomat who had saved the day, was sitting at a table with teas and food. Felicity's mouth watered as she darted to the table. Oh, the food looked scrumptious!

"Meat? Cheese? Bread? Yes! Thank you, Celandine!"

Felicity sat down, the chair groaning beneath her. She waited for the invite to dig in at the edge of her seat. The only thing this lovely set up was missing was coffee. Coffee with an abysmal amount of creamer, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle. Oh well. Felicity would have to hope this tea stuff had caffeine. The sugar was promising as well.

As the fireplaces of the inn flickered and glowed, Felicity's chair moaned from Felicity's bulky muscle mass and weight. She was shorter and stout, though also trim and not that heavy. She pushed her long, messy orange hair behind her shoulders. Beneath her heavy and loose clothes, her arms were indeed muscular.

When Celandine gave her and Crystal the go ahead, Felicity piled her tiny plate with one of each in the wide array of meats, cheeses, and breads. As she devoured those, she poured tea into her cup and dumped enough sugar to make the ocean taste like unicorns. She stirred her tea, not so daintily, and finally lifted her sugar tea to her mouth and sipped.

"Hmm..."

Felicity placed the cup down and started dumping more sugar in.

As the sugar waterfalled into the cup, a dwarf rushed into the inn. With a huff, the dwarf with a detailed beard approached the table. He started looking at the fae's condition. As Felicity popped a piece of cheese into her mouth, stirring the sugar into her tea, she came to the conclusion that this was the eccentric doctor her friend Rehtul had referred to.

The dwarf motioned Crystal to their table and tossed his heavy leather bag up. He nodded to the table and cheerfully told the fae, "Over there, and we'll get you right as rain."

As Crystal and the doctor settled into the table, Felicity finally settled with her sugar tea and started drinking it.

[Sugarp1e1]

Crystal really liked this place. It was cozy. Or maybe it was just the sound of the fireplaces. Either way, stepping into the tavern helped her feel calm.

Felicity had darted from beside Crystal to the table where Celandine was awaiting them. From what Crystal could see, there seemed to have been an assortment of meat, cheese, and bread.

"Meat? Cheese? Bread? Yes! Thank you, Celandine!"

Well, that confirmed it.

"Somebody’s hungry."
"We are too, actually."
"Cheez for meez, pleez."
"I wanna try that bread and meat!"
"Isn’t our wings the more pressing issue?"

"I don't think our wings are gonna care if we eat something first, Forrest." Crystal said this aloud; nobody would hear anyway.

"You’re the one who can't live without them." Forrest bit back. "Don't forget that."

Crystal shook her head and sighed as she walked across the tavern to meet with the others. Upon being given permission to partake, Crystal took a toothpick and skewered one meat, one cheese, and one bread with it. No particular combination was intended; she and the others within her would deliberate for hours. She just picked and ate before any of them had a chance to object.

Crystal had noticed the tea set and was about to pour herself some. But she was soon distracted at how Felicity was preparing her cup.

"I see she likes tea with her sugar."
"That can't be good for her teeth."
"Hey, it's her body."
"Yeah, I like sugar too!"
"…I think the healer's here."

Turns out that, while they were staring at the sweet tooth infected redhead, a dwarf appeared at the table as well. And he was looking intently at Crystal’s torn wings.

"Over there, and we'll get you right as rain." he said.

Without saying another word, Crystal undid her Glamour, revealing her true self. The dwarf raised his brow a bit but was otherwise un-phased.

Crystal hopped onto the table and spread her wings open as far as she could. The wounds' scabs had reformed, but they were still fresh.

"Well, they're definitely broken." The dwarf cast his eyes between the two wings. "Can you fold them for me?"

Crystal attempted to do as instructed, but as last time in that cobblestone courtyard, she winced in pain and her wings unfolded once more. Some of the scabs began to bleed again.

"How did this happen? Got into a fight?"

"Yeah."

"Did you win?"

"…No."

The dwarf snorted.

"No judgement. It's just that most fae know how to protect their wings; if they have them."

"I flinched." Crystal said, trying not to sound defensive.

"Don't then."

"Fuck you too!"
"Solga, stop it."
"What's this guy's deal?"
"Is this what…‘eccentric' means?"
"No, this is just brutal honesty."

"'Eccentric' means 'strange', Anemo." Crystal hoped to distract herself from the dwarf's words by conversing in her mind. "Most healers aren’t so…forward about something unrelated to their craft. So he certainly is strange."

The dwarf daubed something against Crystal's reopened wounds. The stinging sensation made her wings twitch.

"I said don’t flinch." The dwarf repeated. Crystal could hear his amusement.

She just rolled her eyes and sighed again. Hopefully, the healing will be over soon.

[Celandine]

A soft, particularly satisfied smile, crept over the young fauns lips as she was joined by her to new companions. She had been impressed at the speed at which she had been attended - it seemed her mother's money and influence at least were useful for something. Not that she particularly knew of any brothels, inns or safe places that flew under the Gilded Lily flag in Raiaera, but Celandine was sure that with a Lady in command of their land these high elves surely respected women enough anyway to not need the feminist movement.

Bringing her hooves up underneath her she snuggled into the depths of her large cosy jumper and cradled a cup of warm tea in her palms. Casually she watched as the dwarf doctor busied himself and she tried in effort to keep her eyes from widening at the pure beauty of those gorgeous, iridescent wings at their full spread.

Pretty, she thought, as she sipped her tea.

Felicity seemed to be enjoying the food. That was good - after the unfortunate ... episode that the flame-haired had been through during all the ice and violence, it was great to see her gorge herself. Celandine watched as the food rapidly disappeared. Huge chunks of crusty bread, hard cheese, even a corner of salted pork began to go from plate to mouth to stomach and she slightly frowned in fear that there wouldn't be enough for them all.

"You like ... Food?" she asked a little cautiously. Then quickly rectified herself, raising a hand. "No, no I don't mean - eat away, after the day we've had it's good to see you eat. I've just never seen ... Anyone except my father's massive horse eat so fast.

And he's a horse. Just be careful of hiccups."

Raising a hand she indicated for the barkeep to bring them another platter. Personally, she liked olives.

[Flamebird]

Felicity stared a bit apprehensively. Had she just been compared to a horse!? She gaped as the doctor continued to be work on Crystal.

"Hmm, give me a second, I believe I have the thing."

The doctor reached into his pack and pulled out a small paper bag. He unrolled it and revealed a plant that was very familiar to Felicity. The young botanist remembered a page in the book of an alchemy journal. The herbs grew in clusters and had a spiky, short shape with a unique cyan complexion. Felicity turned from her gaping and pointed, "Vigortro!"

The doctor looked over to Felicity with a surprised smile, "Ah! You recognize this rare herb?"

Felicity's training in being a medic was excitedly clamoring in her mind. Felicity nodded, "Yes! It's a rare herb, or weed, that uniquely grows in Raiaera. Elves once mass harvested it as a remedy to replace missing flesh and limbs. It rapidly allows for the regrowth of recently lost or decimated flesh and bone. It's so rare now! You have it?"

An inquisitive, thoughtful look crossed the dwarf's face. Felicity blinked, wondering what he was thinking. He turned to his pack and pulled out a bowl and pestle. He started creaming the herb into paste and nodded, "A quick fix. This stuff will allow her wings to mend in a matter of days."

He pulled out another two ingredients. He added it to the mortar with expertise. "Say, miss, can you identify these two?"

"Althelas, a go to miracle healer infused with magic." Felicity smirked, "And boswella, also known as frankincense, from the boswella tree. Used to treat inflammation and as a pain killer."

As he finished with the paste, he dipped his hands into the bowl and lifted his hand. Spreading the paste all across Crystal's wings, he nodded, "You look like the tough, adventurous sort. And you also know your herbs. Good. So, I was thinking..."

He finished spreading the healing remedy and started cleaning his hands. "Money is not the only form of payment to a medic. I am sure the botanist amongst you three understands this, but Vigortro is rare for a reason. Now, it only grows in areas afflicted by the undead still roaming these lands. I have just so happened to use the last of my stores on your fae friend here."

The dwarf finished wiping his hands clean, "I propose you pay me through harvesting some more Vigortro for my stores. Near this very town is a swamp infested with undead, but also with Vigortro at the edges of the water. Get me some clumps of those, and I will be satisfied. How does that sound?"

"Are you kidding? Oh yeah, I'm game!"

[Sugarp1e1]

Whatever solvent the dwarf put on Crystal's wings was completely painless. In fact, the pain seemed to stop almost immediately after he applied it. Whatever stung Crystal's wings before must’ve just been to stop the bleeding. She considered attempting to fold her wings again but decided not to; just because the pain stopped just mean the scabs won't break again.

As soon as Felicity agreed to bring the dwarf his preferred payment, Crystal hopped down from the table. The healing was over and it was time to pay the debt.

"Sounds good to me." Crystal answered, walking towards the dining table again. "Never fought undead before; sounds interesting."

"I think you should let your friends do the fighting, miss." The dwarf returned the bowl and pestle to his pack. "We wouldn’t want you getting even more damage."

"I can make icicles of any size." The winter faerie told him. "I'll fight at a distance if I have to."

The dwarf merely shook his head and turned to Felicity and Celandine.

"I suggest you two keep an eye on her. She's too impulsive for her own good."

"I've spent two centuries living in the snowy wilderness of Salvar and have been sleeping in the ruins littered around this land's Red Forest for…I don’t even remember how long." Crystal finally poured herself some tea, not bothering with any preparation to prevent inner conflicts. "I appreciate your concern but, really; I'll be okay."

"That hubris of yours is exactly why you're here, I'll bet."

Crystal huffed in frustration, her breath making itself visible. She sipped her tea to keep from responding.

"He's perceptive, I'll give him that."
"In all fairness, we were all at fault."
"Even the mortals."
"Especially the mortals."
"…We attacked first."

"I want to test my skills." Crystal mused. "After that last battle, I just want to…blow off steam, I guess."

"At least you're not a sore loser." Solga sniped.

"Says you."

Crystal wasn’t interested in getting lectured by the literal hothead. She just knew something within her wanted to stir up some trouble; and if those victims were already dead, what harm could it bring?

The barkeep had arrived at the table with the next platter. Crystal grabbed another toothpick and skewered some more foodstuffs as she turned to Celandine, awaiting her answer.

[Celandine]

The young princess' mouth fell open, glancing from Felicity to Crystal who all seemed too easy to embark on this dangerous mission. So fast had the redhead agreed to the doctor's proposal that Celandine was struck dumb. Partially in horror, else in shock she listened to them take on the responsibility without so much as a second thought to the location.

The Undead.

"Hang on!" She shook herself from the reverie. Of course she was impressed by Felicity's herbal knowledge - it hadn't been something she had expected from the fiery warrior - but her feelings were overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all.

"Hold on! But I have money!" She gestured to the table. To the platter, the emptying plates, the fancy tea and the barkeep now approaching them with a full platter once more. "I've already paid for - I can pay for anything else you might need! That doesn't mean we have to ... You know - do something dangerous!"

She stared at the two other young people. "You - look you might be warriors, but I'm a scholar! I can -" she paused as a thought struck her, looking right at the doctor.

"Is there maybe a library here?"

The dwarf with the beaded beard frowned a little, peering at her over his glasses. "Why yes. Yes. Small, but yes. And there are maps of the area where you might find the herb."

"Good," Celandine grunted, as she saw Felicity open her mouth. Quickly, she held up a hand. "Don't tell me 'it'll be fun' because I'm not sure walking into a death trap will be."

[Flamebird]

Felicity blinked, confused. Oh yeah, not all people were adrenaline junkies like her. Even more, the other potential action seeker in this trio was wounded. Obviously not an endless pain soaking machine like her either. Still, as this information came rolling in through Crystal's defiance and Celandine's reluctance, she smirked. She smirked. Her heart was only pounding more, and she only ached for the thrill of life flashing before her eyes more.

She leaned back in her seat, causing the back of the chair to creak loudly. "If Celandine could find the locations, I could easily just get everything done myself. I've fought meenlocks and survived torture. I can take it."

On Felicity's person indeed was a wide array of weapons. Two arming swords and a dagger on her belt, a katana and war bow slung over her back. A hidden switchblade was tucked beneath her black gambesson, where some girls tucked their wallets. Not to mention, the tactical gauntlets hanging on her belt as well, and the metal device hanging on her wrist like a bracelet. This, on top of her bulk and muscley muscles, made her a beast to behold.

She lifted an arm and tucked her hand behind her neck, "That way, Celandine and Crystal are safe and I can take care of the payments."

Then, the excuses. The excuses to risk her life with reckless abandon because she wanted to. "This herb is going to help the doctor far more than money. These herbs can save lives, and who else can harvest them? I could recognize Vigortro from across a large field. I've had, like, four years of training in alchemy and botany and stuff. I can do this."

A slight twitching, the bulging of nerves in her wrist. She clenched the fist on the table, yearning. After spending so long reading or having a mental breakdown, she needed physical activity. She needed adventure. She needed violence...

Self destruction? Spiraling? She never learned from it. She was going to do this, in company or alone.

[Sugarp1e1]

Crystal noticed Felicity wasn't devouring the food like a voracious beast this time and ceased the opportunity. She continued to skewer the various breads, meats and cheeses and eating the makeshift kabobs.

"You can stay here if you want." Crystal told Celandine. "It's ultimately your own decision how you wish to help; if you're not proficient in combat, there's not much you can do to help on the field anyway."

She turned to look at Felicity and took note of all the close-range weapons she had on her person. Sure, there was a bow too, but that was just one long-range weapon.

"To be honest, I'm more concerned about you. My schedule is wide open and I've had enough books for one day. I want to help, but I don’t think I can if you're going to…whatever happened back there. You didn’t look too good."

Crystal had a feeling her ice had something to do with it. Felicity was definitely present but she kind of…disappeared when the icicles burst from the ground.

"So you're just gonna take what the doctor said and wipe your ass with it, I guess."
"I'm sure it'll be okay…"
"You sure you don’t wanna try more of this food?"
"Come on! We can take on a bunch of zombies!"
"That's besides the point, Anemo."

Crystal sipped some more of her tea. In spite of the voices, she was already imagining all the ways she could kill these undead with a bubbling anticipation.

[Celandine]

Crystal had made a very good point. Unfortunately Felicity was prone to acting in direct response to her emotions - brutally, suddenly and unthinkingly. It had taken Celandine's calmness and affirmative words to gently console the girl when the ice had first come and enable Felicity to choose to go out to watch the battle between mages. Nibbling her lip Celandine thought about the idea of the firey warrior and the fae weirdo with likely the many voices in her head out by themselves, in the woods and the wilds of Raiaera. Certainly able to look after themselves individually but together ...

Oh dear.

Shaking her head quickly she placed down her tea, nudging it away from her. "I love you too very much, and I mean this in the best of ways, but I'm sorry to say that ... I'm concerned for both of your mental wellnesses."

Slightly, she cringed, thinking of how that might sound but she knew it had to be said. That these words, these concerns, were true and that the two other girls' individual traumas would only just undelightfully and possibly violently clash, be they sent an adventure together. The young scholar felt a sudden overwhelming sense of obligation and responsibility, which ground her teeth together and set the eyes forwards on a path.

"We should rest for an evening at least," she declared, speaking as if she were the spokesperson of the group and had the most confidence. Certainly the most serenity. Raising her chin a little and grabbing a chicken leg she looked from one to the other. "I'm not letting either of you go alone. I'm smart, I just need a library for a few hours to know the layout if the land, and some stabby knitting needles. You," she nodded to Crystal, "need to rest up. How does that sound?"

[Flamebird]

Love? What was this baloney?

Love was rare in this cold world, and it took fighting tooth and nail to earn it. Felicity felt compassion on a very wide scale, but her love had been ignored and rejected so many times. Or the people she loved simply had the audacity to die. She currently felt true love for only a small handful of people, and even then she was battling a plethora of insecurities through it. For Celandine to so casually say she loved...

Was she just a naive child? Like Felicity used to be?

Felicity shook her head. Celandine would only be this innocent for so long, and she was not going to be the one to tear that energy and optimism away from her. Felicity was still childish herself in many ways, and she was scared of completely losing her heart. She sighed and focused her attention on Crystal.

"I'm fine." Felicity told Crystal in response to her concerns, "All I need is some hard blooded adrenaline to get me back in the game. It always helps. I've been like this for years now, I'm fine."

Said the girl with circles under her eyes as a permanent facial feature.

Felicity leaned back, lifting her sugar tea to her lips and sipping it, "But sure, you two plan stuff and rest up. Crystal obviously needs it."

She already knew how she was going to pass the time. Train, exercise, and write a letter home. Then exercise again and train some more. Maybe eat in between. She refused to even admit that she had a meltdown when she first met these two. In her mind, she was past that. And the further away she got from it, the better.