Opening Act

Log Info

• Title: Opening Act
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Ravenstongue, Venom
• Place: Theatre District
• Time: November 21st, 2021
• Summary: One evening, a trio of ladies and a bird are in the Theatre District. The former looking for a show, the later only interested in the snacks provided during the show. Ravenstongue and Aryia run into each other, the dresed up mul'neissa motioning that she was waiting for someone. Who does appear! Violet, Aryia's mysterious girlfriend actually exists! Introductions go around, and they decide on a comedy show that's a bit on the nose. Popcorn is acquired, with Pothy getting a massive bucket's worth. Aryia and Pothy have an unspoken chow-down (Aryia loses, of course) as Violet gets their tickets. They head on in for the show. Hopefully that bucket will keep the bird quiet for the entire duration.

Theatre District, Evening.

It's a fairly busy evening in the district. With recent ongoings spurring inspriations for shows and plays, there's an uptick in folk wanting a break from the worries of life and to get have a nice evening where everything is all good in the end.

Idly walking down the street, examining various posters that lines the buildings for upcoming. It's a chilly night, her having a heavy black shawl over her shoulders to ward off the chill, it overload a green dress with long sleeves, trimmed with gold. Her hair is let down, torch-bright eyes flitting about here and there, as well a light smile on the mul'neissa's scarred face.

"Snacks? Snacks. Snaaaacks," Pothy says, almost in a sing-song way, atop from his favorite perch--which was naturally Ravenstongue's shoulder.

The half-elf girl is dressed in an outfit more befitting the cold: a blue wool dress with ruffled sleeves and bronze-colored embroidery reaching down to her knees, where fleece cabled leggings cling to her form and followed down into short, sensible walking boots. However, her usual capelet-hood is layered on top of her dress, as the half-elf seems to constantly need a hood to dive into in the event of danger, like an ostrich seeking relief from the world's wearies by plunging its neck into the sand. Ravenstongue has the hood up now, looking around at all of the posters.

"Pothy, we'll get snacks soon as I pick a show I want to go to--I'm told they have concession stands, and I'm told I'll spend more on food for you than I will for tickets," Ravenstongue says, before her eyes catch notice of Aryia. She smiles and waves, then signs, "Are you here to see a show, too?" <Handspeech>

Aryia is rubbing her chin, hands clad in dark green cloth gloves that match her dress as she reads over one. 'Wish Upon a Star'...? Eh, sounds overrated...- huh?

The mute woman turns some, taking a moment to realize who was under the hood. Or, rather, the feathered one next to her. Signed words makes her lips quirk upwards. "Oh! Hello! Yes, I am. Well, eventually, checking out what is showing," verdant fingers twist and flex to tell. "How are you? And how is...?" she gestures hesitantly towards the feathered bottomless pit. <Handspeech>

"Pothy is a cutie!" Pothy says, mimicking Ravenstongue's voice. Judging by the slight blush on Ravens' face, this is apparently something she tells him in private.

"He's okay. He's as insatiable as ever. I'm doing... Okay. Got a letter back from you-know-who. But let's find a show! I don't want to bog down the mood," Ravenstongue signs back. She smiles, but it's that usual covering-up-the-stuff-that-bothers-me smile. Pothy even makes a sound like a heavy sigh and rolls his head to suggest that he would roll his eyes if he could. <Handspeech>

As the two(three?) souls get caught up with each other, another is picking her way curiously through the Theater District.

This one is a human woman with dark eyes and a plaited train of raven hair, streaked with sparse tresses of violet running the length of the calf length braid, whilst a blossom of that selfsame flower is tucked in over her left ear. She is extremely fair of skin, likely much given an indoor lifestyle, and clad in a blue robe under a wool cloak walking with a fine, sensible parasol, and blue gloves.

She seems to be scanning the advertised titles as much as the people around her with wide, sheepish eyes, though the meeting further up the thoroughfare is a little beyond her range at the moment for the limits of her people's night vision.

Aryia snickers behind a hand as Pothy rats outs Ravenstongue. She watches the signs, her glowing gaze squinting some as she tilts her head to the side. "... I don't know who you're talking about. But, alright! I was sort of waiting for someone..-"

A glance off in the distance. Her eyes shimmer a bit brighter, and her smile becomes filled with warmth. She makes a little 'ah' sound before giving a two note whistle across the way. A green gloved hand waving towards the human woman. At least the twin torches could puncture the folly of one's lack of night sight. "There she is!"<Handspeech>

The desire to talk further on the briefly touched upon subject seems to disappear from Ravenstongue's hands as she looks over to the other woman. She smiles and waves, signing in greeting, "Hello!" <Handspeech>

Pothy, however, is incapable of signing, due to one critical flaw: a lack of hands. He does seem to understand the conversation going on, or at least can pick up the context, as he draws his head back and bellows. *"Hello!"*

Ravenstongue cringes as she jumps a little. "Not so loud, Pothy," she admonishes the white bird. "I know you're excited to meet people, but..."

The human's chin lifts, and her lips part slightly as she looks around at the familiar two-note call. Catching the paired moonlit peepers off a little ways, after a moment or two's pause to make certain that's what she's seen, the young woman weaves, excuses and 'pardon me's through the nighttime crowd with a building smile of relief as she draws up on, "Aryia!"

Her voice is light and airy, and her smile is one of fond delight, "There you are! I..."

A fidget, "I... haven't kept you and..." a curious, if meek, look to the young woman and her bird, "Your friends waiting long, I hope...?"

With the bird lady's greeting, apparantly no harm no fowl, the braided brunette smiles and dips in a sort of lopsided curtsey, as one hand is still busy holding the parasol before drawing up alongside the Mul'niessa. There's a bit of rose blooming along with the light dash of freckles accross her cheeks and nose as she laces her free hand with Aryia's, "I'm..." ahem, "I'm Violet... and you would be... Miss Ravenstongue, and the splendid Mister Pothy?" she ventures with a hopeful little smile.

Aryia was quick to take one-two steps over towards the woman as she draws near. She smiles wide, and a gloved and intertwines with a free one, melding together blue and green. She shakes her head and motions with her off hand, "Nope! Haven't been waiting long."

She bobs her head. "That's them!" The shadow elf flourishes a hand towards Violet, her positively beaming right now, if a bit tinted red in the face were any passing lights able to reveal. "Violet is my girlfriend." <Handspech>

"Splendid Mister Pothy," Pothy echoes, an uncanny mimicry of Violet's voice. He puffs his throat feathers out, looking rather happy with himself.

Ravenstongue smiles a little more genuinely, the smile reaching her eyes at last to replace the worry within them. "It's nice to meet you, Violet," she says. "Are you two on a date? If so, I'd rather not tag along as the, umm, third wheel? I think that's what they call it. Unless you're okay with that!" she adds hastily.

Violet leans into the elf as their fingers lace, nodding toward the signs framed by Aryia's free hand, a demure, fond smile curling her lips.

She looks momentarily stunned at the sound of her own voice coming from the puffing bird, but she recovers quickly and gives a little giggle, smile brightened enough with amusement to briefly close her eyes.

As they reopen, she sinks momentarily in what would be a proper courtsey if her hands were free as she affirms, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, both." in a gentle tone.

With Raven's question, she takes a moment to think on it, but looks to Aryia, "I don't mind, if you'd like the company?" She looks to Ravenstongue and Pothy, then, "Have... you seen any of these before, Miss Ravenstongue?"

Aryia shakes her head, smirking a bit as she hears her date's voice fired back at her from a neverending food destroyer. Torch-bright eye glance back up to Violet at the same time the question is poised, and she shrugs her shoulder. "I don't mind either. Would be fun. I've been wanting you to get to know some of my friends anyways," she concurs with her free hand. Her attention shifts to the half-elf, curious of any suggestions. <Handspeech>

"Well, it's certainly nice to meet more people," Ravenstongue says, nodding with both Violet and Aryia's sentiment. "Pothy definitely likes it, though. He's a big ham around people--especially if you feed him."

Pothy preens his puffed up feathers down, but he gives a little croak of agreement with Ravenstongue's sentiment: "Merp."

But Ravenstongue shakes her head at the question asked of her by Aryia's lady companion. "I haven't seen any sort of play before," she says. "Wasn't... really an option, back when I lived where I did in Rune with my mother. But I've read about them. I've even read scripts for plays, just to satisfy my curiosity, but that's not the same. U-Um! A comedy show, maybe?" she asks. "Something lighthearted and fun. It'd be a nice change of pace from what I've been dealing with lately."

Violet smiles a little more at the assurance and bobs her head, eyes curiously turning toward POthy's preening for a moment before Raven's retort draw them her way.

The braided woman gives the smaller hand a gentle squeeze and she turns a newly curious look Aryia's way, "What do you think, dear?"

Aryia tilts her head, curious. If Ravenstongue read the scripts for plays, did she act them out with Pothy in her free time? That idle musing makes her silently chuckle through her nose.

It was one thing to see Aryia all composed (for the most part) for all the times Ravenstongue has seen her. Yet instead this time around, the fey sorceress could see a new side of the mute. Her face reddens, and her expression grows shy. "... something funny would be nice to watch," she motions with one hand while the other one returns the squeeze. "To be honest, I've only seen a play once- uh.... wait, no, I have. But that was a long time ago. Anyways, yes, I saw one with Violet. It was... interesting..." she trails off before scratching her head. <Handspeech>

"I think that settles it, then. A comedy!" Ravenstongue declares, smiling. She doesn't appear to act any differently about Aryia's rather different personality in the close range of her lady love, and she turns back to the posters, scanning them again.

However, Pothy notices. Pothy notices all. Pothy sees all. And Pothy...

"Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Pothy recites, imitating the childish voice of a child--even the childish giggles that typically follow such a recitation.

This earns him a finger to his beak from Ravenstongue as she shushes him. "Pothy, be polite."

Violet seems intent on Aryia's hand as she weighs in on the decision, then nods, "Well, that settles that, then." She smiles Raven's way, then, "Welcome to the show!" she offers.

The singing from Pothy gets a bit of a puzzled eye. Then one a little more awkward, and the young woman fidgets a bit and a brief reorienting of the parasol.

"Ahh" hem, "Yes, well..."

Aryia grins and nods. Consensus has been reached! Fantastic! This was shaping up to be a fun evening!

Though, her attention sharpens slightly at Pothy. Coupled with a scarlet laced visage. She squints, two little slits for lanterns before she turns, gets up on her tip toes, and pecks Violet on the cheek. "And, got a problem with it bird brain?" she gestures triumphantly at the bird. Such burst of courage came from seemingly nowhere. Or, perhaps, trying to settle her date's nerves.<Handspeech>

"No, no, he doesn't have a problem with it," Ravenstongue explains, laughing nervously. "He's actually doing it to tease me. I've never had much of an interest in romantic relationships or otherwise--so he's doing it to tell me that 'hey, those are doing it, why aren't you?' Like he wants grandkids or something."

Pothy huffs, puffs out his feathers, and then smooths them out again as he preens his feathers. It appears he is guilty as charged.

"Umm, this one looks interesting," Ravenstongue says, pointing to a poster for a show that bills itself as a comedy about mistaken identities.

Violet clears her throat again and sighs, seeming to take some comfort from Aryia's efforts. With the interplay between the others, she turns inquisitive eyes to the sorceress and her friend.

Blink.

"Oh, err.." ahem, "Yes that could be good!"

What's the phrase, rather up the nose?

Aryia snerks, rubbing at her face to get the color back to normal before shaking her head. "Ah, I see. I get that," she nods a few times. "Though, I could have sworn T-E-L-A-M-O-N was... ah, nevermind that."

Blink.

She glances up to Violet. Then to the poster. "... yes, that would be good. I think it'd be /really/ funny." She lightly squeezes the hand in hers as she drags the sign out. <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue looks confused at Aryia's implication. "What do you mean? He and I are just friends," she says. Apparently not only is the sorceress not terribly interested in romance nor sex, she is dense as they come when those matters come up concerning herself.

But the matter is quickly forgotten. "Let's go get our tickets, then!" Ravenstongue says, looking to find the theater that the show is supposed to be. Pothy looks, too--although one gets the sense he's only looking so he can get concessions faster.

The brunette human spends another moment collecting herself as Aryia starts to reply.

She smiles, then and nods to her dear, then looks toward Ravenstongue as she begins to speak in turn.

With the look toward the theater in question, she gives the hand in hers two quick, soft squeezes, "Well, shall we then, ladies and Pothymen?"

Aryia just shrugs at Ravenstongue and nods. "Nothing," she motions with a rocking 'o' handshape at shoulder height.

The mute snickers at the pun and shakes her head as they step off to get in line. "How's your magic coming along, RT?" she says with two letters at the end. Figuring out a name for Ravenstongue was a handful, so she just shortcut it. <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue follows behind the couple, Pothy puffing out his feathers again in proud form as he is addressed directly by Violet. As Ravenstongue said, he really does possess characteristics of a ham moreso than a raven at times.

"I'm learning more and more," Ravenstongue replies, signing back to her. "I can identify magic items now. And I can send magic darts that always hit at my enemies. It's nice to be able to defend myself and be of use to others." <Handspeech>

It seems the human's managed to press the right buttons, and she smiles some with a little nod as Pothy seems properly mollified, and ready to smite the concession stand.

As the ladies move to get the show on the road, she lingeringly releases her grip on Aryia's hand to get her parasol into it's indoor configuration with a few twists and bends here and there.

While that's going on, she looks the place over with a look of subdued awe, looking from corner to corner, barker to usher and all in between while the others catch up on recent achievements.

Aryia untangles the blue and green gloves, her smoothing out her dress. She raises a brows towards Ravenstongue. "Oh? That's good! Knowing how to keep yourself safe is rather important. And knowing what items are what is good too. I usually don't know what they do. I solidified a few things as of late as well. If we ever work together and you need a hand, just yell for me. I'll be there," she offers, smiling with a sliiightly cocky smile.

She glances to her date, her face softening some. "Still not used to being down here, blossom?" she asks. Blossoms were flowers. So it should be a safe word to use. Hopefully. <Handspech>

"We'll have to adventure together one of these days," Ravenstongue replies via sign, smiling. Her signing is getting faster, more confident, the more that she's getting to use it. But she quickly busies her hands by pulling out some dried berries from her pocket and stuffing them into Pothy's beak. "Anyone want anything from the concessions? My treat tonight." <Handspeech>

• "Snacks,"* Pothy croaks, although he has a beak full of berries that he swallows as Raven talks to the other two women.

Violet colors at the question and gives a somewhat bashful smile, "No. It's... still all so new, but I'm so glad to have such wonderful company to explore with!" she replies.

There's a look from hand to hand as the ladies converse about their more dangerous pastimes and she frowns a bit, her free hand gently curling around Aryia's wrist as she says, "Just... be careful, please...?" she implores them. Them, as she looks to each of them, "If you must go... just come back safely."

There is a moment of surprise at Raven's offer, and a veiled glance to Aryia, then, "Well... what would you recommend?"

Aryia softly chuckles and pats Violet's arm. "As am I. I'm glad we ran into RT." Yes, even if that means putting up with Pothy.

The mute's brows furrow slightly, and she sighs. Her free hand motions slowly, gently. "I know, I know. I'll be safe, I promise. I've dealt with a lot worse than those thugs from before, don't worry..." she tries to assuage.

The mute whips back. Free food? She's in. "Uh, sure!" she catches the glance without looking over. "I usually like nuts, or... popcorn? If they have it?" <Handspeech>

"Oh, they have lots of popcorn!" Ravenstongue calls out to Aryia and Violet.

Oh. Oh no. She turns around with one massive bucket of popcorn, which she just holds out to Pothy, and two much more normal-sized bags of popcorn.

"I might have just cleared them out, though," Ravenstongue says a bit nervously. But Pothy's blue eyes are as wide as dinner plates. This will shut up the bird for the entirety of the show, at least.

There's a soft, reassured 'hmmm', and the human leans into Aryia a little more, moving to entwine arms with her, "I know you have, dear... I just don't want.."

She breaks off the trail at that with a shake of her head, "No, none of that, tonight. Tonight, we are lighthearted!"

There's a subtle perk of a brow after Aryia suggests the form of concessions, but waits until the others are focused on the acquisition to mouth the Mul'niessa's way the word: Popcorn?

But, as Raven returns with.... should there be that much?

The brunette cocks her head a touch as she regards the bucket, then, "Oh, well, let me handle the tickets, then!" she offers.

Aryia softly chuckles, squeezing the arm in hers lightly. "Yes, lighthearted. No worries here, only laughter."

There's a small grin, and a nod. She mouths back: Yes, popcorn.

Which there is plen. ty. of. She rolls her eyes at the soon to be feasting corvid. "I told you that bird will eat everything. I'm glad she got that, else he won't shut up the entire time."

She steps forward, cradling both the smaller bags in one arm, and she holds up a piece to Violet. Her eyes shimmery and innocent, looking forward to the reaction to the snack. "Thanks," she barely motions from her limited amount of busied limbs. <Handspeech>

"Let me know if you want more, I probably won't finish my bag," Ravenstongue says, smiling pleasantly. "Shall we get going?"

Pothy was already beginning to shovel popcorn from his designated Pothy-bucket into his beak, going at a pace that was not possible for just a regular raven. It was suddenly clear why Ravenstongue bought so much popcorn--and was even more evident that she'd likely be buying another bucket if there was an intermission. But there's not a single peep out of Pothy. He is focused entirely on the complete and utter annihilation of popped corn and liquid butter.

One might call him... the Pothy-nator.

Violet carefully takes the kernel of popcorn as it's offered her way and, she spends a couple of moments investigating it before she daintily places it in her mouth.

Crrrnch.

Hmmm. Interesting...

She smiles a touch and notes aloud, "It's not like anything I've had, before."

At their side, she flashes a quick sign of, "You're welcome." <Handspeech> before she hastens over toward the ticketeer with a properly demure, "Excuse me, could I buy three tickets, please?" even as the Avian Apopcornalypse is unleashed behind her.

Aryia nods towards Ravenstongue, giving a thumbs up. She probably will eat more later. As evidenced by the following: Seeing Violet try a piece, Aryia uncouthly grabs a handful and mimics Pothy. Via shoving a bunch into her face. She gives a grin.

A few silver over the counter and a few tickets are handed over to the robed human. The ticket bearer leans to the side slightly, a brow raised behind a monocle as the slaughter of the century was going on behind her. ".... here you are."

"Aah--Oh! She got the tickets! Thank you, Violet!" Ravenstongue says. Apparently she'd missed Violet's offer somewhere in the chaos of Apothygeddeon happening to the popcorn bucket she's holding up with one arm. Completely understandable.

Thankfully, familiars don't need a ticket. As far as Pothy is concerned, this is merely the puny mortals recognizing him as their superior god of tribute and offering him his rightful gifts. But he's too busy mowing through popcorn to issue the ticketbearer an acknowledgement of his support for the Cult of Pothy.

The merchantile interaction between Violet and the ticketeer seems goes off without a hitch, missing the spectacle of Aryia seemingly dropping the gauntlet with Pothy for a munch--off. She arches an eyebrow as fellow casts a queer look from whence Violet had come.

Browarch, and a slooowwww turn to that side to glance back as she asides, "Thank you, sir."

It's a moment for the istracted hands to exchange goods for coin, then she turns, smiling warmly as she holds the tickets before her as she returns to the ladies' side.

She looks with subdued concern between the muncheteers, then, "Well... we should probably find our seats, I think they'll be starting soon."

Aryia is busy chowing down on her pre-show snack and having an unspoken competition with the bird. She quickly loses as she stops to regard Violet, she smiling with a mouthful of popcorn. She bobs her head in appreciation, and takes the ticket. She flashes a thumbs up, pulls her glove off, and holds onto Violet's hand as she nods towards the doors where people were staring to file into.

"Okay, behave, Pothy. Be a good bird," Ravenstongue reminds Pothy as she follows behind Aryia and Violet, still holding the bucket of popcorn.

Pothy does not respond to Ravenstongue, still in popcorn-butter-bliss. He has ascended. He is not currently on this plane of reality but on the plane of butter and corn. All is well in Pothy-land.

Violet happily joins hands with Aryia after handing out tickets... or... holding onto them if it seems free hands are... not in surplus.

She smiles to the doorman, indicating her fellow enthusiasts while Pothy tries wolf down enough buttery popcorn to make his arteries creak.

As before, her eyes roam, corners, to hands, to exits to the high points, before she gives Aryia a gentle squeeze, before leaning into give her a peck on the cheek.

Now... the question becomes:

How many jokes is she actually going to get...?

-End Scene-