RP:Distractions

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc

Part of the Larketian Fault Lines Arc

Summary: Reginae finds her way to Larket on the tail end of an unfortunate run in with some Night Mares on the Elegant Bridge. She seeks out Muzo, disguised as some shirtless male ranger with attitude and gives him a little fright. She queries him about his stresses with his Larket project and he explains that he's stuck on something and has to begin again. Their visit sours when Muzo won't discuss the project with Reginae, resulting in feelings of alienation and distance.

Vast Foyer

Muzo slithers up and down the great hall, a snake's way of pacing, his long tail tracing undulations like ripples behind him, a scaly wake. At his side flutters Formulae, bobbing in its usual listless flap-flap glide, flap-flap glide rhythm of flight. The naga does not mutter, nor does he greet the passers-by in the foyer. The look in his eyes miles and miles away, and one might doubt that his mind is here at all. Back and forth, his ghostly gliding carries him, back and forth across the lush carpets, past guards and courtiers.

It isn’t long after her fight ended with the mysterious ghost horse, and let’s be clear the term is used very loosely because ghosts really shouldn’t smell like rotting flesh but that’s neither here nor there. Regi didn’t understand the necromancy at work with the threads of fates that put her in larket. She just knew she was here to see Muzo. Her strength had returned, slowly but surely, the last couple months and she was better for it. Her black boots clacked up the tile flooring that became overly plush carpet. The garb and body she inhabited was foreign, her opposite in every way. Male humanoid, early twenties with hazel eyes. Slicked back jet black hair, buzzed at the neckline and raggy everywhere else. No shirt to speak of but a fine leather belt that housed two daggers, one on either hip, atop loose black slacks that eventually morphed into boots somewhere down her legs. It’s difficult in low light to tell they aren’t all some conjoined pantsuit bottoms situation. The male stops a few feet away from the end of Muzo’s tail as he slithers, making another pass on the carpet that appeared to be holding his pacing loop. “Digging a hole through the earth?” He asked, a smirk on his tanned face. “What’s got you down snake man?” Regi’s form crossed his arms, forcing his weight onto his left hip and watched him with some mild entertainment, though it’s not clear why.

Muzo triple takes, and at a hefty delay. His first glance doesn't seem to register, the second glance is a look akin to haughty condemnation, and the third, at last, polite confusion. "Your pardon?" He turns to face the man and closes his eyes. His slender raise to rub both temples. "Stirred me out of the depths. Forgive me." Blinking groggily, he studies the carpet, then the tan man's boots, then his face. Muzo's tongue flicks, and a weight seems to leave the naga. His tail pushes him an inch or two closer. "Have we met?" At the question, his head cocks to the side, deep black eyes absorbing his appearnace eagerly. What about this fellow struck him?

The man chuckles, shoulders shaking with the hilarious expression on Muzo’s face. It never gets old, shapeshifting. It’s right up there with snails and secrets and coups...and this guy. Urm rather, snake. His thumbs were looped through the belt on his waist and he shrugs. “A time or two, I s'pose. Though you might not remember. We had a bit of a romance once. You showed me some diagrams in Formulae here and we...learned a thing or two about each other.” It’s so easy to hide behind this bravade of another face. “Ah-” Regi’s form shakes her head, too embarrassed to keep the charade a float. “Actually I was wondering if we could speak privately.” A few of Larket’s finest stroll through in clanking armor, eying the gentleman. “I’ve got word from that Queen of yours to give you.” There’s no threat in his voice, just a casual nod towards what he hopes is an empty corridor. This Foyer isn’t something Regi has intimate knowledge of, but hoped Muzo might since he’s splitting his time between here and Frostmaw currently.

Muzo is racking his brains trying to place the fellow, only to go abruptly still at the mention of romance, diagrams, and ... unspeakable innuendos. "What is this?" Muzo's tone is low and direct, and he pauses, tail silently coiling up behind himself as the guards move past. "Some kind of blackmail?" The naga asks a little lower, and he slowly rears higher on his tail, neck arching ominously as he hovers over the man, studying him with cold intentions indeed. If this is a joke, Muzo doesn't find it funny at all. "The way to the south, take it." A jerk of his head indicates an archway on the distant wall. In speaking, he flashes a little more fang than necessary.

Private Royal Gardens

Reginae’s disguise holds up his hands, palms flat but that same annoying smirk on his face. He’s clearly not afraid of Muzo’s height change, but internally, her heart raced deviously. Surely he’d understand that she couldn’t just unshift in plain sight, not that she would even still. It’s complicated, mostly because her attire didn’t account for her being...anything else. “Hardly,” He reassured him before taking the first steps, hands still held out over his head, palms skyward as he moved into the southern path Muzo mentioned for a good clip before stopped to turn around and examine him again. “You’re quite the threat -” He said, but with a different voice. More feminine and familiar. The humanoid’s hazel eyes shifted to brilliant azurite and the grin he wore looked a lot less cocky. More affectionate than threatening. “Do you always say such nice things to strangers, or is it just me?” A pause, hoping he’s disarmed enough to put the puzzle together, despite his alarm and whatever had been plaguing him previously. “What’s got you pacing?” She inquired. It was a little confusing to see; the two pieces didn’t go together at all. “I hope you aren’t ruining Larket’s carpets because you’re fretting over me.”

Muzo throws glances as they walk, hoping no one's curious enough to follow the odd pair. Once safely into the quiet gardens, Muzo's expression darken's further, no longer compelled by onlookers to keep a pleasant mask. "Now you-" The alchemist is about to give the man a verbal lashing, but a flash in the man's eyes makes him pause, and his heart takes a double-skip in his chest. He looks away, looks back, looks away again, and it takes a few tries like this before he can bend his face into something suitably calm. "Believe you owe me something for that one," Muzo laughs through the end of that statement, still upset, but beginning to find the first threads of humor amid the unraveling tension. Abandoning any air of intimidation, Muzo takes a deep breath and repeats his temple rubbing gesture from before, eyes raising to the flowering branches overhead. "That's quite the cover," Muzo compliments her. "Would not have been able to guess on my own. Pacing? Ah, the ah," compulsively, his attention flicks up and over to the locked cellar door with posted sentry, "difficulties. Of the position. No surprise that royal employment comes with challenging duties. You, ah," he pushes to jump subjects, "came to see me?" With another, more subtle jerk of his head, he urges Regi to follow him to the hedges for some true privacy.

Reginae laughed, unable to help herself. “Forgive me, it's not often I get the chance to surprise you. Name your price at your leisure.” Her eyes remained their natural color as the humanoid frame followed after him into the bushes with this compact exterior. “There's something to be said for their light weight bodies… “ She mused, once they are hidden from the prying eyes of the guards. “ Just came to see you socially, not a business trip though soon we will have plenty of work to do. I'm researching Ha-Nagas and I've got some interesting research to share when you visit next. “The skittish nature with which he'd answered her caused her some concern. “Are things all right? Even for you, you seem… Umm…a little… “ She frowned, not sure how to say such a thing politely. “Jumpy?”

Muzo draws a breath in through his teeth and shakes his head at the very notion of altering his form. "Really can't bring myself to do it, these bipeds, bobbing around like storks all day, always flapping hunks skin against your teeth whenever you need to say something. Not sure how you manage." A half-smirk bends across his "cheek", but he shakes it away and smiles more genuinely for his queen. "Very glad you came. Wasn't sure when our paths might cross again." He wants to reach out and take her hand, but Regi's present appearance prevents the gesture from manifesting. "Would love to hear every detail of your findings. You, you... oh, yes." Muzo looks to the twig-strewn ground. "Are good. Had a little disappointment lately. Need to backtrack some, have to give up a lot of progress. Think I've been barking up the wrong tree. Not you!" Muzo's quick to crush that particular germ of miscommunication before it can even take root. "A theory I'd had about... goings on here. The witches, I'd been trying to prove something. Ended up disproving instead. Wouldn't want to bore you. Has taken a lot out of me, though. Things seem more daunting than ever now that I'll be starting from scratch." He sighs.

Reginae grins at the remark. “ Lips aren't so bad,” she countered. “Storks,” she chuckles, letting him continue. “ It wouldn't have been too long!” She added, about the time between when they might see each other. It's not a terrible issue, they always figured out how to make it work. It's part of their charm! Level headed when they need to be. Her face slacks, head tilting black hair while he mentioned disappointment. “B-because of….?” She started, panic in her eyes but ah ha no it's a mistake and he's quick to cut her off. Regi scrunched her disguise’s face, a weird mix of her expressions on his face. “It's a lot of ground breaking research.” She says, leaning toward to rest her hand on his shoulder, forgetting her shift. “There's bound to be set backs but don't get discouraged. I bet the answer is right around the corner. “ She has no idea the guarded door was literally right over there. “it's not scratch, really. You've eliminated a path, a process. Now you take up another. And if anyone can, it's you.” Reginae gets caught staring into his eyes, clears her throat and looks away. “I'm happy to be a sounding board if you need someone to listen or assist, be present?”

Muzo flickers his eyes to the hand on his shoulder and he, with a little hesitation, returns the gesture, giving Regi's shoulder a... fraternal pat. "Thank you, ah, nonono." He slither's back a pace, holding his palms outward and shaking his head. "Appreciate the offer. With other projects, yes. Not this time. Confidentiality. Royals have been very explicit. Honestly, just glad to be procrastinating. Doing something else." Procrastinating indeed. He had intended to release Rachelle some time this morning, but the captive still lays beneath their feet, hideously prohibited from death by one of Muzo's life-sustaining cocktails. "Will have to tackle this one on my own," the naga repeats with finality. "But appreciate the gesture, truly. Would not ordinarily exclude you."

Reginae ‘s face slacked with disguised disappointment. “Of course no need to explain.” She tacts on a laugh for good measure. “Anyway, I'm confident you'll take care of it. Sorry for the delays but you'll solve it. Glad I could take some of your time in this chaotic time. It's easy to get lost in work but I didn't want you to feel like an out cast in the process. “ Rough choice of words, not intended to passive aggressive in any way. “When it resolves, just uh let me know! Plenty to do in between then and now.” She smiles, nodding this masculine face. “Anyway - “ She repeats, caught in a loop. Her concentration slowly draining, her face shifting back atop the odd frame like the mismatched pieces of different paintings. The black hair remains but it's her slim facial features. “Can send you some transcripts to review if you are interested. Very rigorous standards for these Ha-Nagas. Ahaha, you know. Interesting… - anyway!” She cleared her throat nervously again. “I should probably leave you to it! Much to do and all!” Her hands clap together.

Muzo grins apologetically, but this quickly turns to a nervous grin of unease as she goes on. "Yes should be-" The researcher flinches a little at her choice of wording. "Certainly appreciate the-" Her face is doing strange things, and his own face twists in a disturbed sneer. "You've, uhm..." He circles his own face with his index finger. "Should probably do something about the," Muzo's mouth closes tightly, and he taps his nose, fishing for the right terms. "Bit mixed up, I think," embarassed, his eyes flick away, feeling rather as though he's caught her dressing. "Your," the naga has to clear his throat and cough, "shift is showing."

Reginae flushes and looks away, rubbing her face with her hands until it falls back into place with her shifting. “My apologies, must be tired. Care to escort me back to the Foyer? Afraid I'll get lost.”

Muzo only dares to look back once Regi's spoken, and cautiously then at that. "Of course," Muzo easily agrees, carefully slipping past her present form so that he can begin leading out of the hidden courtyard and back to the palace proper. "Didn't mean to be dismissive," he offers, "in not declining your offer. Wouldn't mind spending some time around town, even as you are," the idea brings a chuckle to his throat, but he's being honest.

Reginae gives Muzo a tired smile. “It might look suspicious if you are spending too much time with someone that isn't local… It's a risk to be here at all. I'm sorry, Muzo. Might be best to, much as I'd rather not.” What a shame, she thought, shoulders sagging as they move out of the bushes and dusts leaves off her baggy slacks. “We’ll get a proper holiday soon. Maybe go back to that garden with the snails? “ She asks, trying to brighten his mood. “Seemed nice, last time.” Her gait is slow, deliberately delaying her departure.

Muzo mouthes a silent "ah" at her explanation. No, of course he wouldn't want to risk betraying her presence. "Understand completely," Muzo consents, "though, yes, would be happy to take the opportunity after, of course," his brow furrows, and he twirls his fingers, "we've managed the ha-naga business. Admit you've aroused my curiosity. Subject is one aspect of our civic culture I've never really," he shrugs, "had any reason to learn. Welcome present circumstances as an opportunity, in more ways than one."