The Witching Hour: Two's a Couple... (Arc/Lani; language)

"Not always." She said, her eyes drifting to the flute and the care that he took with it. "If I'm busy or just don't think about it, they feel like hair, almost. My normal ones bother me the least, though." She watched him in otherwise silence, wondering but not asking about the flute.

While she didn't ask, he noticed her watching the flute. He asked about her horns, so it seemed only fair. "This belonged to the man who saved me from, well, I guess from the sway. He was human, though, so this is all I have left, and a sketch. Really, like a father, he was. Though we first met when he killed my whole clan. Sort of turned my world upside down, since I was always told that humans just want to kill us before that, but he told me why he had to kill my clan. He died about 190 years ago, and I've kept this flute in the same condition since I got it then. Is that weird? I didn't even want revenge, after hearing this and hearing him speak." He gave a brief overview of the story, before placing the flute at his lips and playing a tune, less upbeat than the one in the clearing.

Her eyes didn't stray from him as he spoke, watching the way his face shifted with each word, the way emotions played across his somehow still calm demeanor the whole while. Really, it was interesting how something that would cause any normal person, and certainly a born mage, to seek revenge had turned his world in a completely different direction. It was impressive, and strange, but certainly something worthy of praise and pride. "One hundred ninety years? There are musicians that would kill to know your secrets." The words escaped her both in just and seriousness, but her focus drew towards the music he played.

"It sounds corny, but I'd say love. Adoration, too." Jay said after slowly letting the note fade. "Really, if you saw the sketch I keep, you'd think an artist of some sort would have gotten me by now. I have other mementos of people who I knew, but none quite as pristine as these two." He continued to play after he was done talking.

Phoebe nodded, relaxing beside him as his tune carried its way along the wind. It was peaceful, whatever tone the music took, allowing her to relax more than she thought possible. Time could pass easy this way, and within an hour's time, a truck pulled up at the side of the lake, drawing Phoebe's attention over. With a sigh, she pulled herself from her peaceful stupor to switch modes once again, driving her from Meleoi to Bovine, her horns shifting to those fitting a wild heifer. Honestly, she'd learned that arguing with the logic of her magic was pointless. With a sigh, she slid back into the water, shivering as she muttered her mantra and began tugging at the nets, pulling the beast, however slowly, towards the shore.

Jay wasn't going to be completely idle, summoning a wind behind the creature to make it at least a little easier, while also keeping the boat near Phoebe the whole time.

As always, he managed to make himself helpful when he didn't have to, and that was something she was becoming more and more appreciative of. By the time the truck figured out where they were and made its way over, the creature was on shore and ready to be loaded inside. It took a while longer after that, getting her into the tub in the back of the vehicle and then pumping water into it. By the end of it, Phoebe looked like she didn't want to deal with anything like this again, though she knew she still would. After clarifying directions to the driver, she handed him an extra tip and dismissed him on his way. Looking back at Jay, she offered a shrug before shaking her head, slumping on the shore.

"That was fun." Jay summed up as he watched the truck drive away with the creature. It wasn't often he got to do this sort of thing; hell, this was a first.

Phoebe chuckled softly, little mirth in the gesture, "Really? I interrupted your peaceful vacation and you found it fun?"

"I'm visiting, but I wouldn't say it's a holiday. If there was, say, a murder in the area... Well, there'd be a dead murderer too, if I was also around." Jay explained. "Or at least roughed up, if their soul wasn't corrupted. Always with empty pockets, however. Maybe I should get a more respectable job? Who knows."

"String pulling would be easy." She said, recalling how he'd asked about the Academy; really, if he couldn't get in on his own merit, she could manage to land him a position with a little pressure.

"I never said I couldn't take the position they offered at any time." Jay said, sitting down on the ground nearby Phoebe. "Might as well try it out, at least for a while. See how I like it."

"It wouldn't hurt, not as an Academy teacher, at least." Sighing, she rubbed at her horns a final time before shifting back to her normal form, relaxing fully in the wake of the transformation. In relative silence, her Soul Protect popped back into place and she stood once more.

"I'd be an Institute one, which I imagine might be an issue at times." Jay said before standing up too. "Heading south?"

"No other way to get there." She said, double checking that she had everything. Glancing towards the boathouse, she realized that the man had left, leaving them with a boat rental that they couldn't quite return. "I mean... I could go north, but that would be a pretty long route."

"True enough." Jay said. Then when it came to the boat he commented; "I'm sure he'll find it, and the money's no issue."

Phoebe nodded without question, pulling her bag around to grab her phone. "I'll see you around, I suppose? I need to work on getting back."

"If I'm going to be sticking by Death City for a while, and if you will be too, then I guess so." Jay said before transforming into his preferred golden eagle form. "Later." He added then, as he flew away.

/end