Cordiform Heaven

Wig? Snatched.

(PART ONE)

"Whoever snatches my wig gets smashed."

Skarm was standing akimbo in the center of the Robin's Nest bar. The stools and tables had been pushed into corners to create space. The blue tiefling had been acting strange ever since they'd returned from Facuois. The most notable change was the addition of a luxurious purple wig that he had purchased refused to take off, much to the chagrin of everyone else. It didn't match his color scheme!!!

In order to keep things lively, Otto had suggested that the party fight visitors. He had no ulterior motive in watching the party beat each other to a pulp.

The phrasing of Skarm's words caught Delnis' attention. The two had been left in a strange situation ever since their encounter. They sought to avoid each other's glances, and hardly spoke. Not that they had ever spoken much before.

Dante was out of commission. He was busy flirting with..a mirror.

Lenard had rushed out of the building hours ago, threatening to shoot a local halfling for 'looking too much like somebody that she used to know'. Ivae had gone out after her, not prepared for another legal dispute.

There was a shuffling amongst the visitors, uncertain of whether or not they wanted to challenge the man. A particularly rustic looking red dragonborn stepped forward to the challenge. The jingle-jangle of his rag-tag armor filled the air as he moved into position. "I ain't got an inkling of what a wig snatchin' is, but I'm always ready to crush an opponent- your move." The raspy voice of the reptile was filled with a sense of superiority, his eye with defiance.

Delnis was sitting in the loft above the main room of the tavern with his legs dangling between the wooden slats. he watched the happenings below idly, more concentrated on getting his hands out of a Xen'Tsua finger trap. Taxon had given it to Delnis as a 'gift' the last time the circus had visited. The madman.

The red dragonborn watched intently as Skarm moved into position. Despite his preparation, the reptilian man grunted with surprise when the tiefling's fist came in contact squarely with his face. The man recoiled from the impact. He moved to strike back but was halted by another blow to the gut, Skarm had found an opening and stepped by the dragonborn on impulse.

The dragonborn responded deftly by grabbing hold of the blue man's arm and hoisting him up over his scaly back with a great deal of momentum. Skarm was flung through the air and hit a cluster of chairs hard on his back.

The noise startled Delnis, who stood up to peer over the loft's railing, nearly slipping over the edge due to his trapped fingers. The little triton let out a quiet noise as he adjusted his position. 

Winded and angry, Skarm got back up and looked at the other man with the air of a challenge in his eye.

He rushed the dragonborn, air cut about his luxurious wig as he sprinted, but it did not fall from his head. His opponent tried to catch him again but failed. The red-scaled man struggled as Skarm grappled him to the ground, his eyes filled with hellfire. He muttered something, most likely a slur, which caused Skarm to pick him up slightly by the shoulders and slam him down into the wooden floor roughly.

"I win." Skarm said, getting up from his place.

The dragonborn watched him go, the bitter sight of defeat adorning his face.

Delnis felt himself erupt into cheers, so overjoyed by his friends success that he failed to notice himself slipping from the banister.

Delnis cried out all to late as he plummeted directly above Skarm. The two collided painfully into a tangle of limbs. Delnis felt Skarm shove him aggressively from below.

"Get off of me, " His voice was harsh and unwavering, "you idiot."

Delnis floundered to do so, eventually managing to grope his way along the wooden floor and scramble away backwards, making sure he was still facing Skarm. He hoped he hadn't made him too angry.

Skarm let out a muted groan as he pulled himself up using his elbows, his eyes skirting back to Delnis in a mask of disappointment. Delnis opened his mouth to apologize, but Skarm was not in the mood to hear his pitiful attempt. The man rose to his full height and began to stalk away.

In that moment he reached his hand up to run it through his fine wig's locks, only to realize his new coping mechanism was no longer atop his head. Skarm felt a surge of horror surge through him.

"Augh! I broke the trap too."

He heard as he turned to look back towards Delnis, who was still knelt on the floor. He grasped the broken end of his finger trap in one hand, but more importantly, a nest of purple hairs in the other. Delnis, caught up in mourning as usual, had not yet noticed his trophy.

Delnis was taken aback when Skarm's arm extended 60 feet with a flagrant whoosh and tapped him on the shoulder. The cool air from the touch left him breathless and filled with an unavoidable dread, unable to do anything but look up at the other man.

"You snatched my wig."

His voice was soft and bothered

Delnis lifted the wig limply, only just now realizing that Skarm was clearly troubled by something.

" Do you want it ba-?"

But the man was already gone, out the door of the Robin's Nest, an empty breeze filling the space where he once stood, the door still swinging in the dusky light.

Delnis shuffled and gathered his composure, promising himself he would find Skarm again.

As he rose to his feet and left the building, he could hear the disgruntled dragonborn bemoaning his misfortune.

"This city is full of the weerdest people I's swears."