Ray found himself sitting in a little cafe with a female Talem sitting across from him. He felt a bit dumb as he thought about how this was how he imagined Glen wanted it, only there was a slight difference. Reeva, the woman that he had met in the library, was sitting beside him. There were a ton of different cakes and drinks on the table and a bunch of books in front of her that she flipped through casually. Talem was making faces at her while she read, and Ray was relaxing. He had been particularly tired since the accident outside of Ardougne. He wasn't even entirely sure where Reeva had come from.
It wasn't that he hadn't seen her since the library, but it just seemed unprecedented that they would spend time together outside the tower at all. He would see her at least once a week, and he would lead her to the cafeteria, and they would eat together, and sometimes she would say things, but often times it wasn't to him. He wasn't even sure if she liked him outside of the service he was providing for her as a guide. Sometimes he would see her more than once a week as even though he wasn't sure if she liked him, he really liked her company for some reason though if asked he wouldn't be able to answer why. He often worried about whether or not this was an unhealthy sort of obsession, but he considered that there were far worse things he had known and this was reasonably symbiotic.
All he had said to her was, "Would you want to come with Talem and I to eat in town?" and she had agreed.
Initially, he felt as if he had done something wrong. He glanced at Talem who was now a woman after drinking the brew he made for her. She seemed delighted that another person was involved, and treated Ray as if he had done something remarkable merely by speaking up.
It was strange to be sitting with them both at the table, the only guy when he would have typically have been a girl otherwise. He tried not to feel embarrassed and nervous, but with Reeva there, he couldn't manage to say anything. Talem was patient and even seemed delighted with him, continuing to give him reassuring grins. She seemed to delight in making faces at Reeva as well while the other woman looked at her heavy books and notes. She seemed to be trying to sort through a problem before finally speaking her mind.
"I had you in mind specifically for this," she said towards Ray, "but I wasn't sure if it would be safe to speak in the tower. A little cake shop like this? Perfectly safe. Wizards are arrogant people, and they don't tend to look in the little places. Their views are too broad or too narrow, and both keep their eyes elsewhere," she said.
"And what about you?" Talem asked, hardly able to say he would think to look here himself, but doubting he would be the sort to listen in on people, to begin with.
"Me especially. I'd be looking in libraries for information. That's where I found Ray, didn't I?" She said simply.
"It was a good find," Talem agreed, and Ray's face reddened a bit as he looked elsewhere.
"But more importantly, I believe I've found something particularly unsettling. If my studies are correct there's a man by the name of Oztraz living amongst the people of Yanille and he may even be in the tower already. He isn't particularly well known for the worst things he's done, but he is known for particular experimentations." Her nose wrinkled. "Though if what I've found is correct, he's seemed to have taken notice in an underworld parallel to our own. There aren't many that can see it, and some say that it requires the eyes of animals."
"Eyes of animals?" Talem asked cheerily, glancing at Ray before placing a cake in front of him when he noticed he hadn't been eating any of it. Ray was watching Reeva and didn't see at first, and Talem felt pleased when Ray began to eat it. She had a feeling that he wasn't willing to take food for himself.
"Yes. I know you do some sort of research with animals?" She asked, guessing that he intended to offer his services in that matter before looking at her curiously. "Also why are you like that?"
Talem gripped at her own breasts and commented with a grin, "Like this? I wanted to help Ray with something, and I thought this would help. I admit that it does feel a bit funny, but I do appreciate what he does and can do."
"I suppose you two enjoy each other quite a lot," she said, tilting her head at Talem.
"Are you implying something about our innocent lamb? Oh no, no, no. I'm simply helping him with a project of his. Ray is an honest one. The most honest," Talem said. "He doesn't deserve any sort of implications on his head."
"Please don't put wool on my back," Ray muttered quietly. "I mean, please don't speak as if I'm-I don't deserve to be treated as if I'm clean."
"You've been on your own for a while, haven't you, and I haven't seen you show any sign of improper behavior. You have a certain cleanliness about you on your own, and you hardly deserve any of that nastiness that's settled in your mind," Talem replied.
"You can't imagine," Ray said. "I mean, why don't we talk about this Oztraz? He sounds familiar, but I can't figure out why."
"We should do our best to find him quickly and take him out before he becomes an actual threat," Reeva said, glad to be reminded that they had gone off track.
"An actual threat," Talem scoffed. "I hear about disasters all the time, but I rarely see one. How can we be sure there's one, to begin with? Disasters feel like fairy tales to me."
"It's easy to disregard disaster when there's always someone else preventing them," she answered. "Perhaps it's time for us to take our turn."
"Ray, dear, do you believe in disasters? That they actually happen? With enough time I think any disaster simmers out before it can actually be harmful," Talem said comfortably.
"I've seen a disaster or two," he answered uneasily. "I know they aren't as simple as that. One moment they're nothing, and then they're suddenly big and looming. I know disasters."
"I trust Ray's judgment," Talem said as if he didn't care either way, but intended to for Ray's sake, "I guess it's our turn then. What do you suggest on finding this Oz?" Her tone was clipping as if she was merely enjoying the experience of the conversation they were having.
"I suppose, first of all, we need to identify any odd happenings. Have you seen anything like that?" She asked.
"Our dear Ray was attacked and nearly killed by an oddity. Weren't you, Ray?" Talem said, amusement rising in her voice as she watched Ray eat, ever delicate and ever distracted. After a moment, however, he did look up as Reeva began tapping her nails on the table impatiently.
"An orange beast. He appeared lanky and-and familiar in a strange way. He had dark blue eyes, and he turned into a—a monstrosity, standing on two legs and having sharp teeth and claws," he answered.
"But Glen killed it," Talem added, "before it could kill Ray. It seemed particularly interested in Ray."
"That thing? It's definitely not dead. I've seen it wandering around at night as if it's looking for something. If it's Ray, that would make sense. I can't imagine why it would want Ray, however," Reeva said as she continued to tap on the table.
"I didn't think he was being wholly honest," Talem sighed. "It's to be expected from men like him; trying to make up for something he most certainly doesn't have."
"I don't doubt he might have thought this creature was dead," Reeva answered, Ray looking between the two of them curiously. "It has a powerful healing trait. I wouldn't doubt that it could come back from practically nothing, though I'm sure it has a core."
"I could face it again," Ray said after he ate the last piece of the cake that had been placed in front of him. "I can't imagine why, but I really want to see it again."
"I admire your voracity for dying, but I can't say that I approve of your actual pursuit of it," Talem joked to hide the undercurrent of actual concern in her voice. Ray couldn't help but notice that as a woman, there was little difference between from when Talem was a man as if he was merely wearing a costume. It felt different from what Ray was doing, and he didn't know what to think of it.
"Well, if it's searching for Ray then he's going to run into it sooner or later. I can't decide whether sooner or later is better," she added thoughtfully. "I suppose whether or not it's connected to Oztraz, it's definitely another problem we'll be facing."
"I want Ray to face as little problems as possible," Talem said. "If this orange beast is a threat to him then he's a problem for me."
"You don't need to worry about me. I'll handle it fine," Ray murmured awkwardly.
"I want to worry about it," Talem answered, "and you can't stop me."
"But if it's not connected to Oztraz that means that we don't have any information on Oztraz himself," Reeva muttered, discontent.
"Then what do we know to do?" Ray said, suddenly invested as he didn't want Talem to believe he wasn't capable of doing so. "Are there any precautions we can take?"
"There is a spell that will work on him, but it requires someone with the eyes of animals to perform. I considered finding an Aviansie, but I can't imagine where one might be found. They aren't common, and they aren't likely to agree," Reeva answered.
"I know my way around that. There will definitely be someone capable by the time we need it. Do you need time to prepare it?" Ray asked.
"I do need a bit. It will definitely take some preparation. I'll need to locate the right points, for example," she answered.
"Then take care of that. Talem will find the orange beast, and I'll be there to help him," Ray told her.
"Bold of you to assume that I will," Talem said, a smirk spreading across her face.
"I mean-that is to say-"
"I would adore to. I like boldness on you. I like seeing you confident," Talem told Ray with a smile. "It's sweet to see you so interested all of a sudden."
"I would hate to let you both do it all on your own is all," he answered awkwardly, his nose twitching.
Talem laughed lightly and asked, "How long does this last? This potion? It's not that I don't enjoy being a woman, but I don't believe I'm meant for it."
"It's reversible after a day," Ray answered, eyeing the sweets in front of him, his eyes widening as Talem passed him another one, adding quickly, "Eighteen hours at least before it will work again."
"I see. That's very nice to know," she hummed.
"So I'll work on the spell, and you both will investigate in the meantime," Reeva said, and Talem laughed lightly as Ray jumped as if he had forgotten she was there when the potion was mentioned.
"That's right," he answered, running his hand through his hair a few times and eating the piece of apple pie that was placed in front of him. It was gooey and sweet. "I think Talem and I will be able to gather something of the like."
She nodded, and they were all quiet again, like when they first arrived, though this time Talem was taking her time feeding Ray sweets.
The shop was on the east side of town, and Ray could see through the gate and toward the ocean. He could see something flying over it. It wasn't flying towards them but was dancing over the waves and twisting and turning in the air. He could tell that it was a dragon and it seemed to be playing.
Talem noticed the way that Ray was looking out and said, "The ocean is beautiful this time of year, no?" He watched with Ray, but something told him that Talem couldn't see the dragon as well.