TRP: Gavi and Joan (Sinkhole)

**Abby:**

[Setting: Day 21? while the gang's off in moorland.
Glimmerton.]

Gavi was minding her own business, arm-wrestling a burly
human into submission at the bar when the floor gave a jerk. That was unusual.
Usually she was a lot more drunk when the ground started moving.

Then the screaming started, and Gavi realized it wasn't her,
something had happened. She joined the crowd pushing outside the doors,
blinking and looking around. Wasn't hard to spot the problem- looked like a
sinkhole had opened up under the moneylender's place. Huh. Hey Gavi liked some
excitement now and then, why not go in to help?

She jogged over, and then ran as something shuddered and it
sank in a little further. Folks were spilling out the door, so she ducked her
head and dove through the window.

Towards the back a post had given in, trapping a kid. There
was a woman there too, but Gavi'd seen enough death in her time. It was too
late for her. Gritting her teeth she started pulling at some of the wreckage,
trying to free up enough space to free the kid.

**Coyote:**

 Ripley was buying food in the market when a noise happened.

She was pretty fucking bored. Don't get into trouble, Mishka
had said. Just stay here and look after the castle, Mishka had said. We need to
leave someone behind, Mishka had said. She'd grumbled, and she'd made him swear
up and down he'd protect Goro and Roddy and Raef, but eventually she'd relented
and agreed to remain behind.

But god, she was so fucking bored by herself. So when she
heard the first rumble of buildings beginning to collapse, she thought, Oh,
thank fucking god. Something to do.

A sinkhole.

She dove into the first open building she could find and
grabbed the first people she saw, shoving them towards solid ground. Out of the
corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of somebody-- fuck, was that Gavi? The
half-orc from Raef's wedding? The one Mishka always bitched about?

It... was Gavi. Trying to dig out a child from the wreckage
before the building finished collapsing.

Joan helped her shove aside the wreckage and free the kid.

**Abby:**

There was another person showing up. Looked vaguely
familiar, but Gavi wasn't gonna put too much thought into it. Too busy digging
out the wreckage.

With another pair of hands it was easy. The kid didn't
appreciate being yanked away from his mama, kicking, screaming, and begging for
her. Gavi tucked him against her chest, ignoring his squirming. "It's too
late for her," she murmured. Next step was get him to safety. Gavi headed
for the exit she'd made, staggering as the floor gave another lurch.

**Coyote:**

 Joan let her go.

Then she reached for the mother anyway. Normally it would’ve
been too late— but Joan sank healing magic into the woman, healing her as she
dragged her from the wreckage.

They staggered towards the exit.

**Abby:**

Gavi turned slightly, ready to tell her companion off for
wasting her time and energy. Cept, huh, judging by that twitching the lady was
less dead than Gavi'd thought. Weird. Gavi brushed it off for now, barreling
through the door and out towards safety. The ground outside was looking funny
now, cracks opening up and silt running down into darkness. Not too much longer
and the whole thing'd go.

"Did ya see anybody else left inside?" Gavi called
to her helper, setting the kid down on safe ground.

**Coyote:**

 Joan nodded. “Three people,” she said briefly. “Two kids and
a parent.”

God, she wished Mishka was here. He could crack in and grab
somebody. Joan couldn’t get all three alone— she could either grab the one
parent or the two kids. Still, she went back in anyway.

The street was still collapsing, but this building stood on
the edge. It could fall the rest of the way in at any moment.

Inside, Joan pulled aside more rubble, fingers scrabbling
for purchase.

**Abby:**

Gavi followed her in. Dodged to the side as the ceiling
caved in even further. Least nobody got more stuck there. She joined the other
woman in pulling at the rubble, trying to get the people free.

**Coyote:**

 Joan pulled out one kid, then another, tossing them both to
Gavi. Then she grabbed hold of the adult— an enormous blue dragonborn woman—
and dragged her out, gritting her teeth.

The dragonborn staggered to her feet. She pressed a hand to
her own side and her palm glowed with light— ah, another paladin. Then she
bolted.

Joan was left behind in the building. She ran for the exit
as the building began to slide into the sinkhole. But as she ran, a falling
beam struck her across the back, and she cried out, nearly falling.

**Abby:**

Gavi tucked a kid under each arm, running for the door. She
was most of the way there when she heard a cry- glanced over her shoulder to
see her friend collapsing with a beam across the back. That wouldn't do.

Gavi eyeballed the distance, and then yelled out to the
people outside. "Hey! Catch!" Out went kid one. "Here comes
another!" and there went kid two.

Now that that was taken care of, Gavi turned back and pulled
the other woman's arm over her shoulders. "Run!" she yelled, dragging
her forwards and slapping her hand against the stranger's back, pumping healing
magic into her.

**Coyote:**

 Joan ran. She kept a hand on the half-orc woman, making sure
her new friend kept up with her, and dove through out window just as the
building fell.

She hit the ground hard and rolled. They both lay on the
ground together, panting.

The rocks settled. Dust swirled on the ground.

“So,” Joan managed. “Gavi, right?”

**Abby:**

"Yep," Gavi said, making no effort to get up. Just
taking a moment to relish in the pounding adrenaline before it faded. "You
look familiar but 'fraid I can't place you by name."

**Coyote:**

 “Joanne al Ghali. Joan Ripley, nowadays. Joan. Hey. You want
a job?”

**Abby:**

"Is it doin' stuff like that?" Gavi asked, sitting
up slightly so she could gesture at the wreckage of the bank.

**Coyote:**

 Joan didn’t get up. “Thereabouts.”

**Abby:**

"Sign me the fuck up then."

**Coyote:**

 Joan laughed weakly. “Normally people take a little more
convincing.”

**Abby:**

"Yeah well maybe people need to pull a stick outta
their ass," Gavi said. She collapsed back on the ground, staring up at the
clouds drifting by. "I am gettin' close to broke too."

**Coyote:**

 “Oh good.” Joan heaved herself up. She squinted at Gavi.
Seemed fine. She offered Gavi a hand.

**Abby:**

Gavi accepted it, allowing Joan to help her up. "So
then boss," she said, clapping Joan on the shoulder. "How about I buy
you a drink?"

**Coyote:**

 [cut to an hour later]

“—and then I told him, that’s no lady, that’s my wife!” Joan
said, and roared with laughter at her own joke.

She downed the rest of her drink and slammed it down on the
table. She’d had about five beers by now and was having a pretty good time.
Gavi was good company, even though Joan was pretty sure she was some shade of
evil. Mishka needed to calm the hell down about this whole gotta kill Gavi
business. She seemed fine to Joan.

**Abby:**

Gavi jolted forwards in her seat, laughing so hard beer came
out her nose. "Hahaha-- ow fuck that stings. Shit." She rubbed at her
nose. Should have known better. Joan was fuckin' hilarious. She was gonna be
the best boss. Hey hey, Gavi should share that. "You're the best
boss," she said, waving her flagon in Joan's general direction.
"You're all, funny and shit. And excitin' work too! Yeah. Best job
ever," she declared.

**Coyote:**

 “Yeah, yeah.” Joan waved her hand dismissively. “Bet you’ll
feel differently once you actually start the job and start almost getting
killed. Most people aren’t fond of that part.”

**Abby:**

"Oh that part? Naaaaw," Gavi drawled, leaning back
in her chair and propping her foot up on the table. "See I'm already
dyin'. Goin' out in a blaze of glory, now that sounds a lot more exciting than
rotting from the inside out."

**Coyote:**

 "Haha. Already dying? Me too. We're all dying,
right?" Joan said. Then her face dropped. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit, you
mean-- you mean actually dying, huh. Oh god. Oh god, I'm sorry."

**Abby:**

Gavi cackled, dropping her feet on the floor and leaning
over to slap Joan on the back. "We're all dying- that's a new one. And you're
right! We are all dying!" Gavi gestured broadly with her flagon, some of
her beer sloshing out and spattering the table. "I'm just dyin' a little
quicker. S'all right. I'm used to it, already got all the self-pity outta my
system a while ago. Now, I just make the best of what's left," she said,
toasting Joan and then knocking back what was left in her glass.

**Coyote:**

 “Yeah, yeah. Hey. Listen. I gotta fucking ask. Aren’t you,
uh— god, what was her name... Gavrielle the Talon-Handed? Spineripper? Something
like that?” Joan said. “Y’know. Weren’t you one of Bloodgrut’s lieutenants?”
She held up her hands. “No fucking judgment, just curious.”

**Abby:**

Huh. Hey she guessed it. Maybe Gavi should be more careful
about that, but eh, she was too drunk to care. "Yep, Gavriella the
Spineripper, that's me," she said. "Lieutenant to Bloodgrut the
Smartest, may he live long and die gloriously," she said. Hm. Needed more
beer, couldn't give a proper toast. "Hey BARMAID!" she bellowed,
leaning back and waving her empty flagon around.

**Coyote:**

 “Hey, hey, hey,” Joan said. “Have some respect. Her name’s
Nancy.” Joan cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Hey, NANCY!”

**Abby:**

"Yeah. Hey NANCY!" Gavi yelled. "More beer
for me an' my new best boss!"

**Coyote:**

 “So,” Joan said when Nancy came back with a new pitcher of
beer. “You’re that half-orc Mishka hates, huh.”

**Abby:**

"That blonde twink?" Gavi said. "Yeah. Some
sort of- thing bout me breaking his boyfriend's fingers." She rolled her
eyes. "Not like he's not a fuckin' cleric. Probably had 'em fixed up five
minutes after I left. Elves, y'know?"

**Coyote:**

 “Hey, hey.” Joan pointed at Gavi. “That’s my kid. Don’t
break his fingers. Fuck. I mean, that’s my wife’s kid. Fuck! I mean,
girlfriend’s kid.” She took another drink. “I was gonna beat you up, but
apparently Hansel already took care of it.”

Good guy, Hansel. Sensible.

“Mishka’s no problem, though,” Joan said, waving her hand.
“He just gets worked up. He’s dangerous as fuck, though— don’t let his face
fool you. He can’t beat you in a fistfight, but he’ll spend weeks devising the
perfect way to kill you. He’ll cool down, he just needs a while.”

**Abby:**

Oh huh. Another loved one. Maybe she should have expected that,
living in the same castle an' all. "Yeah I'm getting tired of getting beat
on," Gavi muttered, surly. "An' people threatin' my life. S'done and
over with. Me an' Goro talked and we're good now. Be nice if everyone else
could fuckin' get with the program."

**Coyote:**

 Joan patted her arm. “Nah, I get you. I mean— I fucking love
Goro, but I’m sure he’s broken a few fingers in his life, and he’s lucky a
horde of loved ones didn’t descend on him. Hardly fair.”

**Abby:**

"Sure fucking isn't," Gavi grumbled, staring down
into her beer. Ugh. She was getting all sulky again. Was Gavi a full grown
warrior or a petulant toddler? She took a swig from her mug and turned back to
Joan. "Hey. Hey what about you. You break any fingers, or other bits?
C'mon. Storytime," she said, grinning.

**Coyote:**

 “Eh, I’m not a story person. Well—“ Jasper paused. “One time
I got so fucking drunk... I woke up the next morning in a dragon’s cave, soaked
in blood and covered in viscera, lying in a pile of gold. Apparently I got so
wasted I agreed to go on a quest to kill a baby black dragon, then did it before
I sobered up. God, that took a while to figure out. The whole village was so
grateful. I was so embarrassed I never told anyone the truth. That’s how I got
the money to start my guild, actually.”

**Abby:**

Gavi cackled, pounding on the table. That was a good one.
Joan was hilarious. "Beats any ah my drunk stories by a long shot!"
she crowed. "Goin' to kill a dragon. Lesse most interesting thing I did
drunk-- okay not near as interesting but I went and sassed my brother in front
of a couple people one time. Laid me out good for that one." She winced.
Yeah, not her brightest moment.

**Coyote:**

 "Oh," Joan said, surprised. "You did? Well...
go on. What happened?"

**Abby:**

"He stabbed me." Gavi tugged up her shirt, an
ugly-looking scar running through her stomach. And she turned, showing a
matching on the other side. "He knew I had enough magic to keep myself
from dying and all. Still hurt like a bitch."

**Coyote:**

 “Haha. You know what you oughta do?” Joan pointed at Gavi.
“Stab him back. Oh, fuck. Is that— is that sacrilegious?”

**Abby:**

"Nah nah. Good way to get dead for sure though.
Bloodgrut ain't got much a sense of humor." Sometimes, in the privacy of
her own mind, Gavi thought that maybe he could use one. And then she remembered
that strict and cold as ol' Gruts was, he got results like no other in recent
memory. So she shut that thought down quick.

**Coyote:**

 “Good way to get dead?” Joan scoffed. “Just gotta stab ‘em
fast enough so they can’t stab you back.”

**Abby:**

"Heeeeey," Gavi said, sitting up a little
straighter, scowling. "No. I don't wanna kill him. He's my boss. Other
boss. Does a lot of good for our people."

**Coyote:**

 Joan scoffed and raised her beer. “Does a lot of bad for my
people. What makes yours better than mine?”

**Abby:**

Gavi kept staring at Joan. "Cause we're fighting to
take back what's ours."

**Coyote:**

 “What’s yours?” Joan cocked her head, genuinely curious.
She’d never managed to talk to an actual orc about this before.

**Abby:**

"All of it," Gavi said with low intensity.
"They took it from us back in the beginning. Gruumsh had to fight, lost
his eye grabbing what little we got. We're owed more and we'll take it
back." There was a crack. Gavi glanced at her mug. Her grip had tightened
on it to the point of splintering the handle.

**Coyote:**

 “Alright,” Joan said, amused. “Well, I can respect that. No
judgment. But also, y’know, I’m going to fight for my people.”

**Abby:**

Gavi studied Joan for a second, eyes hard and unreadable.
She seemed strong, but so was Gavriella the Spineripper. She'd took down bigger
and badder in her times.

But right now, was that really necessary? Naw. Gavi cracked
another grin, shifting her grip to avoid the broken handle. "So someday we
might have to kill each other. But for now, we drink!" she toasted Joan
with her mug.

**Coyote:**

 “Haha. There you go. You get it.” Joan clunked her wooden
mug on Gavi’s mug. “Hey. Y’know what you should do? You should convert so we
don’t have to kill each other. Have you heard the good word about our lord and
savior, Iomedae?”

**Abby:**

Gavi bared her teeth and leaned forwards slightly. "I
say fuck Iomedae."

**Coyote:**

 Joan was already chuckling about her joke. When Gavi said
fuck Iomedae, though, Joan put her drink down.

She stared at Gavi.

Gavi stared back.

“... The fuck did you say about my god?” Joan said.

**Abby:**

Gavi grinned. This was getting interesting. "I said
fuck her," she said cheerfully. "Fuck her with a--"

**Coyote:**

 Joan punched her.

And then immediately afterwards, she thought, Oh, god, Amari’s
gonna be so pissed when she finds out I got drunk and started a bar fight.

Well. Might as well hang for a sheep as a lamb. “I’m gonna
feel really bad about this later,” Joan said. And then she heaved the table
over on top of Gavi.

**Abby:**

Gavi wheezed as the table slammed into her stomach. Yep.
Gotten interesting. Just the way she liked it. "I ain't!" she yelled
back, heaving it off and surging to her feet. Grabbed a chair and swung it
around to smash into Joan's side.

**Coyote:** at 9:54
AM

Joan crumpled, letting out an oof. Damn, this lady was
strong for dead woman.

Joan grabbed a bottle of alcohol. She wasn’t sure what kind—
it was the owner’s special brew, some type of moonshine. Then she grabbed ahold
of Gavi, trying to drag her out of the tavern so they didn’t wreck the damn
bar.

**Abby:** at 10:00 AM

Gavi wasn't having none of that. She didn't fight the
headlock. Instead looped her arm around Joan's back and punched her in the gut
a couple times.

**Coyote:** at 10:02
AM

Joan grunted, but didn’t let go. She’d been punched in the
gut enough. She smashed through a window, rolling with Gavi on the street.

Once they were outside, Joan fought to disentangle herself.

**Abby:** at 10:07 AM

"Think you can get away that easy?" Gavi taunted,
grinning. Joan's elbow caught her nose, snapping her head back. "Aw
fuck," Gavi grunted, letting go and collapsing on the street. That hurt.

No time to dwell on it though. Gavi scrambled upright, hand
darting for her dagger before she stopped. Naw. They were having an aggressive
disagreement, no need to draw weapons over it.

**Coyote:** at 10:12
AM

Joan hefted the bottle of moonshine over her head.

They said that Bad Danny’s special brew was so potent it
made men belch fire.

She smashed it directly onto Gavi. Fire rippling down her hand
onto the bottle as she did it.

**Abby:** at 10:33 AM

Gavi just barely managed to avoid the bottle smashing down
onto her head. Still stung, crashing onto her shoulder. Stung worse when it
burst into flames.

"Shit!" she bellowed. Lunged at Joan, meaning to
tackle her and start pounding away.

**Coyote:** at 10:37
AM

Ah shit. Ah shit. She’d been spending too much time around
Mishka. She should fucking not be setting people on fire. God, what if Amari
found out.

Joan let Gavi tackle her, frantically trying to pat out the
flames with her bare hands. “Oh god. Oh god, don’t tell my wife. I mean—
girlfriend. Fuck!”

**Abby:** at 10:45 AM

Gavi got in one good punch before registering what Joan was
doing. "Don't tell your--" Gavi snorted, and then started laughing.
Aw what the hell. She started beating at the flames licking at her shoulder
too. "So out of curiosity, who is your girlfriend?" she asked,
grinning.

**Coyote:** at 10:49
AM

Joan tore off her cloak and used it to smother the flames.
She snorted. “I ain’t telling you shit. You might snitch.”

**Abby:** at 10:50 AM

Gavi laughed, sitting down beside Joan. "Me? Snitch?
Absolutely. Sounds hilarious. Can I watch the chewin' out after too?"

**Coyote:** at 10:52
AM

“No. Amari doesn’t scold, she just— looks at you, all disappointed—
ah, shit.” She’d said Amari’s name now.

**Abby:** at 11:23 AM

"Amari, huh?" Gavi drawled. Had a name now.
"Just gets all disappointed though? S'boring," she said. A little
disappointed herself.

**Coyote:** at 11:26 AM

“Yeah. Boring. Absolutely. No reason to do it. Hey,” Joan
said, trying to distract her, “you still up for that job? Before you die, I
guess.”

**Abby:** at 11:29 AM

"Oh, yup, sure am," Gavi agreed. "Takes
more'n a little punching to scare me off."

**Abby:** at 1:22 PM

[END]

Title: Sinkhole

Summary: Joan and Gavi help save people from a collapsing
building, bond, get in a fight, and then bond some more.