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He needed to talk to someone. Now that he hadn't had a jug of wine in--three hours, sixteen minutes and forty nine seconds--he definitely needed to talk to someone. And Sal was the first person that came to mind.

Now... if he could recall where the sage was dwelling, Fai thought as he wandered through the lost clan's lands. He thought, perhaps, this way. It was sad, he realized, that he had never even bothered to visit his oldest friend. He'd just been...

Being. It was pathetic, he thought, and that made him want to have a drink--

Fai stopped in front of Sal's place, knocking lightly on the door. "Sal? Are you in?" Absently he was searching his robes, his hand catching on the neck of a bottle, then freezing.

No. He was almost to seventeen minutes.

"Really, my dear," Fai said quietly, "You would think you'd have realized that a culture this young would be sub-par in such things." His nose wrinkled, his sense of smell heightened since Fala had pointed out his own foul stench--and he had taken a bath. Now he was smelling everything. "Really, it might make a nice plant killer, smelling like that."

He looked around, not seeing Sal. "How have you been, Na'ima? It's been... some time. I take it Sal is out?"

He wandered in, looking around curiously. He really hadn't been here. In fact, before Fala had told him, he hadn't realized that Na'ima was still alive. Truly, he thought, he had missed a lot...

"I have," Fai said with a little smile as he hugged her gently before pulling away. "I am very... no, happy doesn't convey the feelings I have at the moment," he said. "Overjoyed," he decided after a moment of thought. "I am overjoyed that both of you have returned to us," he told her, his eyes wandering to the potion with an amused expression. "Perhaps if we mask it well enough we can peddle it off as a love potion," he added, his curiosity aroused, still.

Then he shook his head, returning to the subject at hand. "I also have... somewhat resumed my apprenticeship of your sister. Sadly I must do a bit of actual work before I have a tent to offer her temporarily."

She was Famine, his mind whispered as his mouth hesitated. She was Famine, and he had no reason to beat around the bush. Instead he headed for the nearest empty seat, excusing himself briefly before sitting down. "I... was going to discuss some things with him," he said. "But I would be pleased to speak with you, if you are not busy?"

Fai took her advice, making himself comfortable, and reached into his robes, pulling of a delicate looking bottle-- which he stared at for far too long. "I am... reluctantly, I believe, going into a joint apprenticeship with your sister," he said after a beat. Reluctantly he held out the bottle. "Wine, my dear? You may have it, it would be a shame to waste such an excellent vintage."

He was giving away his best bottle, he thought mournfully. This really... was not going to be easy. "You see, I don't know if you have heard of my... latest state..."

Please take the bottle. It was calling his name.

"Truthfully, I was not troubled by it at all," Fai said. "But your sister did point out that it was... rather undignified. I..." He hesitated, wondering if he could say it now that he was sober. "Cairo is gone," he finally got out, looking anywhere but at Na'ima. "It was a... very heavy blow to me. My parents, yes, that was painful, but Cairo was the love of my life."

He stood, starting to pace in a casual way, fingering this, looking at that. "With that loss--now, please do not get me wrong," he interrupted himself, "I am Famine, I adapt to all things, nothing is taken for granted, but... I decided that I would adapt very well to drinking myself to death... or at least a pleasant state of oblivion. I am very good at wine making--as you can see for yourself now. It was a simple matter. One that no one even seemed to blink at."

"Yes... and..." he sighed. "It is very embarrassing to have ones apprentice see you in such a state. It is one thing to have Sal see me drunk--he thinks nothing of it, I believe, but to Falair--I have always tried to be an example. Someone that can lead, as a good mentor should. That she had to do the leading--I was very ashamed of myself," he admitted.

He picked up a bottle, looking at it for a long moment. "I have lost Cairo," he said again. "But your sister has reminded me that I have not lost everything. I still have her, and you, and Sal..." He hesitated for a moment. "That might be enough to keep me here."

Although he had often thought of starting out into Halloween alone, trying to start over that way, but he never had. No, he'd crawled into a bottle, seeking comfort from something that only took time and memories.

"So I have come to ask your and Sal's assistance," he said, looking at her. "If you would."

Call it either good timing, or bad timing.

A certain reaper popped her head into the tent. “Hello?” She called out, though her eyes immediately found Na and another…Famine horseman? Hel’s brows furrowed. He…or she…? Sure as hell looked a Famine one so…Hel also didn’t see Salbei anywhere, so instead of waiting to be invited in, she just marched right on in.

“Oh good, you are here.” She uttered, focusing on the horsewoman who was lounging on her couch with a scowl. “I will keep this brief.” She informed Na, ignoring Fai for the time being. “First, remember that is my couch, and second, I am here for the list of ingredients I need to collect. I want that list now so that I can get started…Please.” Such an after thought.

Clearly expecting Na to get on that, she then turned her attention to Fai, looking the horseman up and down. “Candlejack.” She uttered. “And I thought Gramps was old and withering away…but you are just jacking decrepit.”

And just like that Na'ima's mood fell from curious and supportive to mildly irritated. How was one filly able to destroy her air of pleasantry so easily? She kept a neutral expression as Hel rudely intruded on their conversation.

Na'ima blatantly ignored the bit about the couch. "Faiyum, no. Do not leave," she called to the stallion as she slowly rose from the couch and picked up a stack of papers. Five pages of neatly written lists. Front and back.

She may have been taking a little of advantage of Hel.

"Hel, this is Faiyum, a Famine Alchemist and one of Salbei and mine's dear friends. You will do well not to disrespect him. This was spoke with a tone of finality. Remember our deal, Hel. She approached the Valkyrie, holding the lists out for her to take. "Truth serums are not easy to make, child. This is everything I need down to the last detail. If it is circled, it is something vital," meaning the actual ingredient, "Gather these materials at your leisure. Should you need my assistance locating something, please let me know. It is rude to enter someone's home in such a way, Hel." Her eyes narrowed. Faiyum was upset because of Hel. She would not stand for this.

"Now off with you," pest. "Be safe, take care, I do not want to hear you have gotten yourself into trouble and been injured in some way." That was as close to caring Na'ima would be getting.