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Gallowglass is in the grass between the little cluster of cottages. He's set up a metal stand and some sort of punching bag there; stripped to the waist, the Ogre is currently working out his aggressions on said punching bag. His form is quick and brutal, without finesse or the refined edge of some courtly knights. Over and over, he fights with fists, feet, and teeth - even against a punching bag - with ferocity, and despite having been at it for a bit now, he shows little sign of giving up.
Mel doesn't intend to move silently - it's just hard to do otherwise. And when not moving they tend to be oh-so-very still. So it's quite possible that Mel's been watching Gallowglass for a while before finally saying "Do you have a target in mind or is this general aggression?" A question asked with genuine curiosity.
He takes one last swing, setting the bag to wildly careen on the protesting chain. Panting, he turns to look at Mel, studying for a moment; an easy smile touches his features. "No specific targets," he promises. "Just gettin' in a good release. S'been awhile; if I don't at least work th'bag, I get real grumpy." Gal ambles to his discarded t-shirt, using it to wipe his face; he then extends a large hand out to Mel. "Gallowglass, Page of High Noon."
Mel looks at him, blinks slowly once, looks down at his offered hand, blinks again and then shakes the offered hand. "Mel Joyner. Twilit Page. You're shiny." Their beak opens slightly and there's a sparkle in their eye that is the closest her mien can get to a smile.
He laughs, a warm sound of surprised; closing her hand into his, he shakes, releases. "Well, thanks," he chuckles, brows lifting. "Sure can't argue that. Pleasure's mine. What brings you 'round, Mel?" He dons his t-shirt once again, because nobody needs distraction by shiny nipples.
The edges of their eyes crinkle with amusement. "You're shiny and I'm shadowy. It's almost like balance." Their laugh is part human laugh, part owl hoot. They shrug. "I like it here. I have to play normal so much at work, it's nice to not have to."
His grin denotes his approval; he ducks his head in agreement, arms folding loosely across his chest. "Can't agree more," he admits. "Out there I just feel like I'm constantly...on. Here, I'm just Gallowglass; gettin' used t'that bein' okay." He stretches with a mild groan, electing to roll to the ground and sprawl comfortably. "I ain't just laid in grass like this...well. Ever. So I take advantage. I gotta work hard t'make you laugh more, I can hear that owl song in there."
"Shed a lot of feathers getting out, but hardly all of them," Mel says with another shrug. They shake their head, feathers fluffing slightly. "I shouldn't complain. Working usually just means dress nice, be quiet and drive, so could be worse. "
"A driver, then? Do they make you dress up in a tux, shit like that?" He wrinkles his nose, propping up on his forearms. "That'd be a dealbreaker on my end."
"Taxi. And nah, just slacks and a button-up shirt. Honestly it's probably what I'd wear normally. I'm not doing any of the fancy limo stuff." They rock back on their heels and tilt their head from one side to the other. "What do you do, sir-won't-wear-a-tux?"
Gallowglass adopts a blank expression. "People hire me t'burn down formal attire shops," he admits, thumbing his nose. "S'a very lucrative career." He holds his forbidding expression for a second, maybe two, before his lips kick up to one side. "...Or maybe I'm just a tattoo artist. Well, sort of. I'm learnin' how t'be a tattoo artist."
Another hoot-laugh. "I'd think that'd require stealth and no 'fence but you don't exactly scream subtle. Tattoo artist's probably safer anyway." They pause, eyes going half-lidded as they consider. "I used to always want a tattoo. Y'know, before."
"Yeah, my career in burglary was cut short by my inability to remain stealthy," he admits, grinning at the owl. His brows lift curiously, head canting. "You don't want one anymore?"
Mel's shoulders hunch up, feathers poofing a bit. "I... was a teenager. It was a rebellion thing. Now? I... don't know." Their feathers smooth down and they pull themself up more straight. "Besides, tattoos aren't exactly rebellious any more."
"No, maybe not rebellious. I mean, they are, in a way, for us - if you ask me. We're made into a certain way, a certain shape. Tattoos are a way that we can reclaim ourselves - write our own story." He shrugs, offering a faint smile. "That's just me, though. I will happily convert everyone I can to bein' a believer in th'power of Ink."
They make a thoughtful noise, obviously considering it. "I will think about it. I have been... a bit focused lately. I need to think of other things. Myself sort of things."
Gal nods thoughtfully, cocking his head to study them for a moment. "I can relate t'that. Any idea where you're gonna start?"
They shake their head. "I mean, I've got my job. Own my own cab and everything, so there ain't much to do with that. It's not like there's much of my old life to pick up, outside of my sister and well... that's been the problem." They shrug and duck their head slightly. "Not been good at figuring out what I want."
Gal nods a little, brow furrowing. "Yeah, I get it. I came back, don't think there was anyone really t'realize I was gone. Made it easy, but...made it real hard, too. Then y'try t'figure out th'pieces you need t'pick up, but you don't even know where th'pieces are."
This laugh is far more hoot than laugh, and far more derisive. "Oh they noticed I was gone. I'm still technically a missing person." A shake and then a very deliberate smoothing of feathers. "But I think I've been focusing a lot on out there" they wave a hand to indicate they mean outside the Hedge. "Maybe I need to get more involved here. If nothing else, to make allies."
He nods thoughtfully, chewing the inside of his cheek. "Allies are good; friends are too. Findin' a place here, that's what I'm hopin' for too. What're you bringin' to th'table? Maybe I can help."
Mel's eyes crinkle at the corners . "Free cab rides for folks like us. Pretty good at doing the sneaking thing. Actually really good at that. I want to be good at finding info and hunting out threats, but I'm still learning that"
Gal nods, rubbing a hand over his beard. "That's all pretty useful," he compliments, inclining his head. "There seems t'be so many of us that want t'help, and we know how we want t'help, we just...need t'get connected t'the right pieces."
"Yea..." Mel lets the word draw out and hang in the air for a long moment. "So what's your helping method? Beating the crap out of things?"
"That is one way I can help, yes," he laughs. "But I also take people into th'Hedge, if they need t'get somethin'." He studies Mel a moment, something lighting his features. "You good at sneakin' around in there, too? Because I'm a one-man troop at this point. Could use a good scout t'go with me..."
They scratch at the edge of their jaw thoughtfully. "Not done exactly that before, but I am very quiet. And I can get around the Hedge when I need to. Might be fun." Their beak gapes in a smile. "You needing one soon?"
"Actually...yeah. D'you know a Spring healer named Petra?"
"Think I've heard the name, but I've not met them yet."
He nods. "So, she's a healer; she needs t'go into th'Hedge and get some goblin fruits. Told the Summer higher-ups that I'd go with her, watch over her. They told me t'put together a protection detail. My goal with th'whole thing is to create a standin' protection detail; people need t'go in, we're ready and waitin'." Gallowglass lifts his chin, giving them a grin. "You in?"
Mel does the head tilt thing again, with a slow blink. "Well, for at least one expedition. Then..." They spread their hands. "Maybe we can see"
"We see how it goes th'first time out," he agrees, nodding. "I wanna make sure it's a little squad that can work in sync. Ain't gotta be a motley or nothin'; if anythin', I don't think it ought t'be. That way, people'll call each other on their shit."
Mel nods. "Can't say I'd wanna jump into that sorta oath, just for working together. But you've got my interest for sure. So you've got a sneaky one" They point to themself. "A punchy one" they point at Gallowglass. "And a healer. Anyone else?"
"Two other pages, Arthur and Aurelio. Artie uses knives; Aurelio...ain't sure what he uses, actually. But he's Summer, with me. And yeah - no reason for oaths, not this early. And if anythin', it's a group loyal to th'Freehold - not each other. If that makes sense."
Another nod. "Makes a lot of sense. When you thinkin' of going? I mean, I can work around pretty much any time, but the union at least likes to know if I'm taking a night off"
"I left it up t'Petra; she ain't gotten back t'me yet. You got a phone? I can make sure y'get a day's notice, at th'least." He withdraws his phone from his pants pocket to swap numbers.
"I can work with that." They pull out their phone for number swapping. "Gotta admit it sounds kinda like fun. Been a while since I've had something fun to look forward."
"See? Perfect!" He claps his hands together, clearly pleased. "So there - one thing checked off your list, right? Anythin' else I can help with?"
"I thought helping people with their problems was a Spring thing" Their tone might be accusing, but their expression marks it for the teasing it is. "Not unless you got an inside line on vampires who're messing with humans"
He pauses, eyes widening - and then adopts a sheepish expression, laughing. "Ha! You're right, I'm sorry - ain't a Spring courtier, that's for sure. We'd be in a sad fuckin' state of affairs if I was prancing my ass around as a Joyeux." He cocks his head, brow furrowing. "There's vampires messing with humans? I mean..hurting them, aside from...how they usually do, I guess? Not that that's okay, neither."
Mel's feathers bristle and they look away, not saying anything for a moment. "I don't know details. I've been trying to figure it out, but Emily won't admit anything to me, but I can tell she's involved with'em somehow. "
Gal cocks his head, sitting up fully as they draw his interest. "Emily..?" He asks very carefully, apparently aware that he's ruffling feathers.
"My sister. I mean, part of me can't blame her for not being honest - there's lots of stuff I'm not telling her after all, but..." They let out a soft, frustrated hoot. "I don't know much about vampires - outside of pop culture stuff of course - but I know they can do stuff to people. Mess with their minds, y'know?"
Gallowglass frowns, processing this new information. "I didn't even know they were a thing until a couple days ago. Huh. Mess with their minds?" His gaze narrows, jaw sliding to one side. "I mean...like we can? Or...what kinda stuff?" His shoulders lift, tighten; Mel isn't the only one with ruffled feathers, now.
"Not dream stuff. But a little the same I guess? But they're out-and-out predators, where as we aren't, least not all of us." They shake their head. "That's the whole problem though. I don't know. Some of the other folk here I've talked to say they're not all bad, and that there's like a leader person who might be able to help but..." They clack their beak in frustration. "I just don't trust 'em"
He nods slowly, processing this new information. "So you definitely need more information..." he notes thoughtfully. "And you think your sister - how can you tell she's involved?"
"I may have... followed her. Not all the way to wherever she goes, but she met up with some folks that... that I could tell what they were. No matter how human they looked, it was still like a mask, y'know?"
His brows lift in surprise at that; he lifts a hand to touch his face. "A mask like...like our masks? What was underneath?"
"Not... quite the same." They pause, obviously trying to figure out the right words. "I could tell something was off about them, and I ended up following one of them later and saw him... actually doing the feeding thing." They hook two of their fingers to represent fangs and make stabby motions. "Not on my sister - I'd probably have killed him for that, but once I knew what I was looking at, it was easier to tell."
His eyes widen in a blank slate of surprise. "Holy shit, no way. Like full on...Dracula," He lifts two fingers hooked into fangs, "I vant-to-thuck-ur-blood-style? No fuckin' way. That's real?"
Mel doesn't quite have an eyebrow to raise, but they give their best impression of the expression. "As real as we are. I've done some research - not just pop culture stuff, but really dug into things and yea, seems like they're real. Apparently there's a whole group of 'em in the city even."
Gallowglass whistles, rubbing a hand over his beard. "I'll be damned," he murmurs. "Who knew. Okay, so...well, I don't even know where t'start if you're hopin' t'study vampires..."
Mel's tone is dryly sarcastic as they say "Apparently with the Winter Monarch, or so I've been told." They shrug. "Suppose that makes sense - secrets and all. And, well, Autumn's got its resources as well. I'll get it figured it out, eventually. Hopefully before something happens to her."
He frowns, nodding; there's something very close to pained empathy on his features. "It's a real pain in th'ass, lookin' out for someone like that. Worth it, but fuckin' exhausting. If I hear anythin', I'll pass it on."
"That's all I can ask of folk right now." They comb their fingernails through the feathers on the back of their neck and let out a huff of breath. "Gotta think positive. If I got outta... there, surely I can figure this muddle out."
"S'a good way t'think of it." He offers a lopsided grin. "I mean, how bad could they be, compared to that?"
Mel might be very owl-ish in appearance, but it's times like these that make folk remember that they're a Darkling, not a Beast. The shadows around them, even the little shadows where one feather overlays another darken and seem to shift of their own accord as their expression takes on a raptor's intense, unblinking focus. Not aimed at Gallowglass, but to a point in the middle distance. "Not as bad as I'll be when I figure out who got her messed up with them."
Gallowglass stares for a moment, eyes slightly widening...and then there's approval as his brows lift, a dark sort of smile tugging at his mouth. "We're gonna get along great."
And the focus breaks as Mel slides their gaze back to Gallowglass, beak opening slightly in a hint of amusement, though there's almost a hint of relief as well. They know they can be... a bit much sometimes, when they let themselves get too angry. Or too focused. And discussing Emily tends to bring up both. "And this is why I like it here. We understand each other."
His grin warms; he seems fairly relieved to have had a conversation, at length, with another Changeling that did not involved him ending up crying. Progress! He lifts his big fist to present knuckles to them. "Here's t'new understandings."
They return the fist bump with a soft hooting laugh. "Indeed. And hopefully some Hedge adventures to come as well."
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