#goldfinchfreehold

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Piper takes the afternoon off, and locks herself into a recording studio. A whiteboard is covered with notes and scribbles. A rhyming dictionary set off to one side, and she plays a few notes, stops, then a few more.

"Memory caught in prison of glass,
Ten long years have come to pass..."

"Good,.. keeping that... no, nix the drum beat there. Mmm."

Back at the book.

"Fate... Late... Skate? No, not skate... Wait? Maybe wait..."

Twiddling with her guitar and trying a few chords.

"Through treachery, the hawk does strike
Her betrayal ends her Reich..."

She stops, laughing, and scribbles THAT off the board. "Not the right feel,..."

"And so it came to pass that a heart so frozen cold
could only be melted through Spring and Son and Gold..."

Piper nods. "Definitely something I can work with."

And on she works!
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She might find snacks and drinks brought to her infrequently by a certtain girlfriend who wants to provide without disrupting. Besides, Siv has her own janitor jobs

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The woman staggers up to the building. She's young, and filthy, her janitor outfit has signs of her work. She's tall blonde, annd forlorn. Why am I here? It was closer... yes... but ... I don't know this place. Mom? Mom's not here.

She ponders turning around

Sylvi approaches, some shopping bags in hand and Flopsy alongside. "Hey, Siv!" she calls out.

The pale blonde woman turns annd blinks "uh.. do I know ..oh.. Sylvi?"

No blue skin. No horns. Her fae self winked out like a candle

She pauses, and her eyes go wide. "OMG...Y-yes, Siv, it's Sylvi. Here...." She grabs her hand quickly and pulls her into the front doors of Goldfinch. "Piper!!! Need you downstairs, on the double!" she yells and she makes a bee-line towards the freehold proper, Siv in tow.

"PIper's here? oh hey..." Dazed, but she perks a bit "hope she's not busy."

No reply comes, and Sylvi bites her lip. "I think she's out doing other stuff, but maybe she'll be here soon. Come on..."

"Kay.. uhm.. I'm supposed to be at work.. I'm probably fired"

"You don't look well, so I'm sure they'll understand. What happened?"

"I was cleaningg up a new place for... for reasons? And these women showed up and... they were in the way... I told them things were sticky... and they needed to move and I'd get tthat..."

Sylvi takes a deep breath before they step into the entrance of the freehold room, and she takes both of Siv's hands and passes along some of her glamour, quick and dirty, rushed.

Siv staggers and for a moment her eyes darken "Those miserable nattering twats!"

But she's blue again

"Syyyyylvi?" Piper's voice comes down the stairs as her hooves clatter. "Sorry, I was mid-inspiration, I had the idea to put this tune together..."

"Piper, come quick, Siv needs a pick-me-up."

"I gave her a bit, but..."

She leads Siv to a table and gets her into a chair. "Okay, so what did they do?"

".. just .. the balefire will do me fine." She assurres as she's directed.. her horns are more like mere lumps

"Siv??" She practically jumps down the last of the stairs. "Siv! What HAPPENED?" Piper rushes over, pressing hands on either side of the Troll's cheeks.

"Something at her work. Some women..."

Sylvi steps back as Piper arrives.

"And they were horrible. I tried to explain the place was closed and they tore into me about how no one works anymoe annd that I should be grateful they put up with me because clearly THIS was my best skill set ... one talked about her college degree"

A groan. "Oh, you got those types. That sucks, Siv."

"Where was this?" Piper scowls, it might look comical on her.

Siv assures Piper "I'll be fine, babe . I will . I just... it was a new place. I was trying to save up some extra"

"I hope you don't have to go back."

"Where is it, Siv? I'll go and tell them you're through there. Collect any stuff you left."

Siv frowns "I.. I think I can go back I just have to wait them out.. I can't run everytime a job gets a bit unlucky"

"You stay here with her, Piper. I'll go."

"There's unlucky, and there's assholes, and if you THINK I'm gonna let them off the hook after treating MY GIRL like that?" STOMPY HOOF!

"Tell me where, Siv. You're done for today. You can decide about tomorrow later."

"The Hobby Shack." She tells her "Justt watch out for three women in paisely and scorn"

Piper gives Sylvi a LOOK. Give 'em one for me. It says.

"Got it." She gets Siv to tell her what personal items she needs to gather up, and then she's off.

She takes Piper's hand "PIper babe, stick with me okay ? I need.. I want to hear you tell me i'm not a stupid waste who isn't going anywhee in life okay?"

Piper throws her arms around her. "If you're a stupid waste, what does that make the rest of us? I didn't finish high school, Jonas never went to college - At least I don't think he did, and if he did, there's no fancy degree on our walls. You're LADY CAPTAIN SIV. Knight of Fiona, Captain of the Narwhal. If that's not an accomplishment, then what the HELL is?"

"Troll me is pretty boss, but when I'm just Siv King the mortal girl I... have to admit I don' look so impressive. " But she smiles

"You've only had a few years to be Siv King. So those bitches beat up a kid. You haven't had the TIME to learn how to deal with the real world that us natives were born in. That sucks for you, but it's not something you DID or DIDN'T do."

Siv smiles at her "You're a life saver, or a least an ego saver... " A sniff at herself "Oh I'm filthy. I should shower. Does this place have a shower?"

"There's a stall shower in one of the dressing rooms, I think. You'll just about fit, but you'll need someone to wash your back."

"The lower part of my back anyway?" A smile

"There's a whole stack of milk crates, and I've been watching this challenge thing on TikTok..."

"We are NOOOT showering on Tiktok" A snicker

"We just need to find a way to monetize something you're already good at and know about. You're wasted on mopping floors. I hope Sylvi's mopping the floors with those nasty.... OOH." She gives another little stomp. "My mothers raised me not to say mean things about ladies that relate to what may or may not be their proclivities in bed, but I am TEMPTED, just let me say THAT."

"Shhh it's okay. I'm not going to stop the janitor thing because of one bad encounter. My dad taught me physical labor is no shame. I should remember that. NOW.. about that shower?"