Studying in Secret (Thimb, Sithani)

"Tonight? Wasn't it in a few days? Ka'Ri and I are doing something tonight but I wouldn't necessarily refer to it as a party."

"Oh. I probably got confused. It's been a confusing day. I've been learning so much about..."

About the wars for power among the city nobility, about killing your heir for easy transport because you can afford to revive them, about paladins who think that losing an arm is a fair risk calculation, about gangs that get in or out of a melee on the street based on whether they think there's profit in it, about people who open up triple hospitals in their backyard and then ask you to keep it quiet. About old ladies who will gouge as much money as they can out of you on their way to doing the right thing, not because they don't want to, but because they know they can and you will.

"...Economics. I don't think I even remember what time of day it is, all I've been through. I was just going to head back to the ranch next, probably, before we met up with anyone. Which apparently isn't tonight. But you've got plans?" This last question is directed to his sister, with glances to Sithani that suggest he understands a very broad and all-encompassing definition of 'plans'.

"Oh, I don't," said Thimb, "which is good because," she glanced at the carafe of coffee she had been living off of that day, "well, I wouldn't want me to have to do anything delicate with people today," she explained.

Hamish pressed their head into Jarek's hand, distracted from their quest temporarily of befriending a kitten by scritches and letting out a noise that could maybe be a purr.

"I guess we should get going..." she rubbed the back of her neck, not eager to leave the library or her new friend, but she flashed Sithani a slightly bratty grin, "Have fun with your "plans" tonight," she said with a salacious wink. She wasn't entirely sure what she was implying but it was fun to imply it. She stood and stretched, and glanced at the pocket Hamish was interested in, "Can I pet the new kitten?"

"Oh, I shall absolutely endeavour to," replies Sithani, also unsure whether Thimb knows what she's implying about playing dress-up with a dashing pirate but willing to run with it. "Enjoy your kitten!"

And she departs.

Jarek carefully extracts the kitten from his pocket and lowers it to comfortable petting height for his sister as he watches Sithani make an impressively expressive exit.

"Interesting bunch of pals we've made this week, eh? Was she, uh, a good study partner?" He leans into Hamish's nuzzling with his own head as he surveys their nook. "I'd love to hear what you got up to today too, but I'm guessing that'd be easier if we head home first. ...You know, before you pass out, I mean!" he adds, as the Acting Casual centre of his mind begins to overheat.

There's a great deal to tell Thimb, about their searches and the sneaky fast tiefling and her gang and Luther's absolutely terrifying combat prowess and this Quivyll fellow who got his arm back, plus Sunrise setting an assassin on fire and Glen leaping off a building, and that's before actually getting around to Thorn and his twins and the hints of Redfang politics that he picked up before leaving the others to their questioning.

Also the kitten still needs a name, which might make for better conversation on the road home. Once Thimb is sure that she's got everything packed and secure, Jarek will offer her a hand up onto his shoulders and make for the ranch.

Thimb was perched on one shoulder. Hamish on the other, and the new kitten was curled up in her arms as they began the trek home. He was right that she was over due to sleep... "She was an excellent study partner, and good company," said Thimb, "I like her. Interesting insights into the different realms, too, which can be difficult to find at the best of times. Also she said she'd invite me to one of her parties," she was a bit shy as she said that last part. Not a barn raising kind of party but a fancy illicit kind of party. She realized after she said it that maybe she shouldn't have, what if it wasn't okay if she brought Jarek too? But why wouldn't it be? Everyone liked Jarek.

"Made progress on the translations, you can read those over tonight if you like," she said stifling a yawn, oblivious to the confused glances of others as she casually rode upon her brother's shoulder.

"Hah.  As if I'd have any idea how to reckon with a wizard's books," Jarek muttered Very Casually.  "Glad to hear you liked her, though.  Looked like she'd taken a shine to you, and that was before I knew there were parties on the line."

For proper inconspicuousness, he's tucked his shield and 'new' mace into the rucksack, but his more utilitarian weapons, the hammer and handaxes that might be for perfectly ordinary carpentry work you don't know, those hang from his belt.  Between weapons, his own brawn, and the wizard on his shoulder, Jarek hopes that no thug in Brilight would try to accost them on this lovely evening stroll, but Thimb might notice that he's peering down alleyways and up at rooftops more than usual as they walk.

"Speaking of wizardry, I got the privilege of seeing our city's very own Sunrise in action up close today.  I thought she'd be different off the stage, but... either she's never acting, or she was still acting today.  Friendly, really friendly to all sorts of people, but if anything can make her flinch I haven't seen it yet.  Maybe she's just used to people listening to her and doing what she says.  Or maybe they do what she says because she acts like that's obviously what's gonna happen.  She pulled some neat tricks too--did you get to chat with her before?  I bet you two could talk magic for hours."

"No, I haven't," said Thimb delighted at her brother's tale, "I'm glad to hear she's exactly what she seems though- be a shame if all that talk about taking care of those we neglect turned out to be for nothing because she was turning around and- I don't know, what's a mean noble stereotype? Drink tea at them?" Thimb frowned. "I'd like to talk magic with all our new friends- well, the ones who, you know, magic. Might be kinda boring for the ones who don't..." she mused.

Hamish stretched up, doing a better job of keeping an eye on their surroundings than Thimb was.

Hamish's perception roll:

"I'm pretty sure they all do magic stuff.  The other guy, Glen, he looks like an ordinary soldier more or less, but from what he was saying it sounds like some kind of... I dunno, he's started hearing nature spirits or he's getting closer to one of the Blessed or something.  Hard to guess what he's thinking, like, ever, because he'll be super quiet and then he's just zoom gone and back again and..."  Jarek sighed.  "Guessing something pretty bad happened to him.  Sorta reminds me of that wolf that hung around the ranch that summer, remember?  When we were nine?  Uncle Zaz said he wasn't sure if it got kicked out of its pack or if it was the only survivor, but it either thought we were its new family or its worst enemy and it got spooked by the weirdest stuff."  He pauses.  "I guess all the stuff on the ranch is pretty weird when it's spooky though.  Anyway.  Seems like a good guy, rappelled off a building in a snap, but he's--eh, he's got no peace, you know?  Like if grandma hadn't taught me all the mantras.  I'm gonna try to keep an eye on him."

Jarek shrugs the weight of the rucksack around on his shoulders, to better balance with Hamish and Thimb, and reaches up to touch the kitten again.

"What do you think? About any of these folks. Or about what to call this little beast."

Thimb missed that wolf. Eventually it let her pet them. She had called it Ferdinand. She fought the urge to kick her feet as they dangled because that would mean kicking her brother in the chest and even if he could take it it wasn't very nice. "Maybe you could teach him some mantras?" she suggested, looking at the kitten and pondering a name. It looked kind of like a dust mote...

"I like Ka'Ri," she said simply, because to Thimb it was simple, "she's got a good heart- clever, too. But way too hard on herself. Knows the value of a good muffin, so," she gave a half nod as if that spoke so much about a person in such an obvious way that there was no reason to elaborate, ever. "Good listener, too," she added on. She didn't have as much a read on the others, as Ka'Ri was the one she had spent the most time with.

"I like Glen, he seems nice- not the type to take himself too seriously, even if he takes everything else pretty seriously?" she wasn't sure if that made sense when spoken aloud, but it did to her, and she trusted twin telepathy to translate the difference between taking yourself seriously and taking things like missions seriously. "Sithani is fascinating and I hope to be able to hole up with her in a library under different circumstances when our work isn't so focused, you know? I've hardly had a chance to speak to Sunrise and Ellowyn but they both seem kind of brilliant? And Hamish liked Ellowyn," she pointed out. Hamish trilled in agreement. She did not mention Rik. This... wasn't an accident. If you don't have anything nice to say and all that. She understood why he was upset and anxious, she did- but he seemed to take everything very seriously at all times, and... Thimb usually avoided those types. She never knew how to deal with them.

She rubbed the kitten's ears, which, being a tiny kitten, it allowed, and added on cheerfully, "I'm already calling this little guy Dust Mote in my head. Dusty is too obvious, maybe Mote?"

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