Curious Coeurlian RP Repository

[Synechiae]

The sky was overcast with just the slightest chill in the air- a chance of rain, which admittedly seemed more likely than not given Gridanian weather.

A gentle knock sounds against the door to the Blossom and Blade.||

[Langston]

Langston, coincidentally, was already headed outside for a task. In his hands was a basket full of fish, fish that were already dead, but fish that were still going to meet a knife in due time. The knock took him by surprise at first, but they only motivated him to more more hastily. Balancing the basket in one hand, he undid the lock to the door and opened it slowly. His vision was greeted by a pair of legs. He followed them up slowly, perhaps more slowly than one should, before stopping at the gray face of a gray woman topped with bright white hair. “Good day.” said Langston. “May I help you?”

[Synechiae]

Syne was adorned in her short white dress as usual, though thankfully black leggings prevented an already-awkward encounter from being even more so. She bowed her head politely towards Langston, arms drawn behind her back as she asked politely enough,

“Hi. Is Miss Orchard around by any chance?”

A sea of spices might waft into the lalafell's nostrils right about then. Pungent and aromatic. The smell of a warm cooked dish.

[Langston]

“She is not.” he answered. Well, it seemed he wouldn't be having to feed this stranger, anyway. “Shall I take a message for you?”

[Synechiae]

“Ah.” The duskwight drew her arms from her back, revealing a basket which appeared to be where the aromatic scents were coming from.

“I wanted to apologize about before..” Syne swayed from side to side momentarily, looking up at the sky before back at Langston.

“To be honest, she probably doesn't remember. It's been a while..but I learned to make this new dish and thought it might be a nice gift. For her and her family.”

She tilted her head.

“..You are family right?”

[Langston]

“Certainly. She's my wife.” His eyes darted around Syne's head, taking note of the worsening skies. Perhaps it'd be simply better to just take it all inside, anyway. “Sadly, she won't be able to eat it fresh and warm. But, we'll do our best to hold out in case she returns. Please, come in.”

[Synechiae]

“Thank you kindly.” Was the girl's polite reply, acknowledging the basket of fish he balanced as she slipped through the doorway.

“Had you been planning to cook those?”

[Langston]

“These fish aren't edible.” explained Langston. He led the girl upstairs, offering her a seat at one of the many tables that normally held the patrons of the Blossom and Blade. Langston himself went to the kitchen. Though he was barely visible, the thumping of a knife on a cutting board kept his presence apparent.

“My brother desires this fish's natural oils for the creation of some sort of ink.” He shakes his head. “I think he's lying. When I think of aetherial inks, I think of powdered metals and more viscous liquids. Certainly not fish oil. But, my brother is a businessman first and foremost. At the very least, he's willing to pay handsomely for my work.”

[Synechiae]

Syne set the basket on the table before taking her seat, looking around as Langston busied himself nearby.

“I wouldn't think of fish for ink either.” She agreed, nodding to no one in particular before adding,

“But I've found that all sorts of things have more uses than we expect them to have. I have a couple teachers who have been showing me how to forge weapons. I've learned much about different types of metals that aren't necessarily the strongest but better at other things. Wiring or bolts…decorations. More conductive to aether or some certain element. Maybe fish oil produces something really special too, in its own way.”

[Langston]

“It's hard to say.” The thunk of a knife on wood. “I'm no expert.” Thunk. “That would be my brother.” Thunk. “My honest guess…” Thunk. “…Is that my father needs the oil.” Thunk. “All I can say is, it's fine. I'm getting paid for my troubles.” Thunk.

“What's your name?”

[Synechiae]

“Synechiae, but Syne works too if you prefer.” The duskwight answered as she rested her hands against her lap and listened to the thunks of metal against wood and the soft pattering of rain above.

“What's yours?”

[Langston]

A final thunk capped his actions. Langston collected the chopped up fish and put them in a sealed container, leaving them to rest for the time being. A rushing of water came through his sink and he ran his hands through it. Not the most thorough wash, but at least his hands were freed of the grime and stench of fish. He retired his apron upon a hangar before exiting the kitchen, looking at the Duskwight directly now.

“I'm Langston Clevers.” he said with a nod. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Though he seemed as though he wanted to extend his hand, he considered what he had just finished doing and merely moved to sit across from her, instead. His fingers drummed on the table, looking around awkwardly. He had little to say to this stranger, other than remark about the food, perhaps. “What did you cook?”

[Synechiae]

“It is nice to meet you Langston.” Syne replied with a polite smile and the lightest bow of her head. She perked up at the question, bright yellow eyes glancing from him back to the basket and its contents.

“Chicken curry. The mother of one of my teachers showed me how.” There was a somewhat rare note of enthusiasm in her voice. She tapped a finger on the lip of the basket thoughtfully.

“It's much more complicated than the other things I know to make. So many spices I've never heard of before. Makes the tongue tingle!”

[Langston]

“I hope Orchard appreciates the nuance of the flavors.” he said with a soft smile. “It's only recently that she managed to develop a proper appetite for things. Certainly, something so complex would be a welcome test to her tired tastebuds.”

[Synechiae]

“Oh? Did she like bland things before?” The duskwight asked before looking around the empty tables and the open space.

“..I imagine she is not the owner of this restaurant then.”

[Langston]

“That'd be me.” said Langston, clarifying that fact. “It's not so much that she liked bland things. Rather, she had more of a taste for raw meats. Over just about everything else. Seasonings were wasted on her, really.”

[Synechiae]

The duskwight blinked for a moment at Langston's words, tapping the tips of her fingers against the table.

“I have a taste for meat as well. It's only in the past turn or so that I've been allowed to experience other types of dishes. I still return to what I am accustomed to, ah, but most Gridanian dishes around here are not that good. Tastes like flowers.” She made a face before straightening up with a soft giggle.

“What kind of dishes do you like to make?”

[Langston]

“Seafood is our specialty, perhaps predictably.” he explained. “Though currently, I've been keeping myself flexible. The reborn colony of Idyllshire and my relationship with its residents has afforded me some more exotic meats from time to time.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Larger wavekin, among other things.”

[Synechiae]

Syne flicked her eyes up to the ceiling, perhaps in thought.

“I've not visited Idyllshire yet though I've heard word of the colony in Sharlayan from time to time while I was there. It must be nice to experiment with different meats though, try new things whether they end up working or not.”

She hummed softly, rocking from side to side before before a question crossed her mind.

“Do you fight a lot like Orchard does?”

[Langston]

“No. She uses a variety of styles, though I always see her at one extreme or the other.” He mimed a gun. “Firing from afar or mauling her foes with a hammer. Me, well… I don't particularly like fighting.” He raised an eyebrow her way. “Is that how you know her? Maelstrom?”

[Synechiae]

“I have witnessed her moves with a hammer. And not really. She came to where I live and seemed a bit upset at the time. Wanted to fight something or someone. I obliged. Thought it might be helpful.”

[Langston]

“In my experience, it usually isn't. Her picking fights usually ends up with something bad happening. Like a bullet to the head or a thorough, literally blinding thrashing.”

[Synechiae]

The girl nodded her head.

“I won our duel but she demanded another. I declined and she threatened to kill me.”

Her eyes dropped back down to Langston.

“So I made her faint, which seems a lot less hurtful than those other things you've mentioned. It still did not feel nice to do.”

[Langston]

“A complete stubborn streak.” he replied. “Even if she is strong, she's a poor loser. Though it irritates me that she once again put herself in a situation to get beaten up, I can hardly blame you if she threatened to kill you.”

[Synechiae]

“I could have just left. There was nothing keeping me there. There are sometimes other options to take.” The duskwight frowned and shook her head.

“But it happened. It appears that she'd been taken care of since then, as I've seen her once more at the estate wearing some kind of mask. Do you worry that she'll someday challenge the wrong person?”

[Langston]

“The estate? What estate?”

[Synechiae]

“Ah…Mercy. It is not terribly far from here.”

[Langston]

“That's what I thought.” He pushed himself away from the table, the legs of the chair dragging sharply against the polished floor. “If you had any other business with me, please make it in haste. Otherwise, I haven't much to discuss with you. Feel free to leave your gift and take your leave.”

[Synechiae]

Syne tilted her head curiously at the lalafell's sudden change in tone, eyes traveling from him to the ceiling again before she gave a nod.

“Okay.”

She rose from the chair and gave him a polite bow before moving towards the stairs.

“It was nice to meet you. If you have a flat bread of some kind, you can scoop the curry up with it and then it is even tastier!”

She hesitated and blinked at him for longer than would be considered usual. The intent had been to wait for Orchard…but the message was sent. She had delivered her yummy gift of forgiveness. The squiggles on Langston had gone sour too, rotting rainbows on clods of ladybugs.

So Syne smiled and twirled around instead, seeing her way out the door without complaint.

[Langston]

Half-listening to her boring meal advice, and half-ready to usher her out even more quickly, Langston took a great deal of relief as she left rather quickly of her own volition. He shut the door and locked it up once again, making his way downstairs to inspect some of his other tools.

---

Home –> Roleplay Scene Index –> Discord Roleplays

Home –> Character Index –> Synechiae — Langston