Whistle was wondering the halls of the Platinum Palace seeing if he could find a servant that can point him in the direction of the kitchen. All of their meals were delivered directly to their rooms, but he was feeling quite peckish for brunch.
He heard what sounded like a one-sided conversation as he looked over to one of the balconies that overlook one of the many gardens inside and around the palace. Behind the glass sliding door he could see Reggie by himself. He was talking to someone but Whistle couldn't really make out any words.
Whistle silently opened the door, but even so Reggie could tell and turned to face him. A somber look on his face. Whistle smiled. "Hey you wouldn't happen to know where the kitchen is right?"
"It's... ahhh... Check the first floor, west wing, first door on the right after entering the northern main hall."
"Thanks." Whistle turned to leave but hesitated. He turned back to ask another question. "Are you alright, friend?"
"Yeah... Just thinking about home." Reggie turned back to look over the garden, admiring the flowerbeds and the bird-of-prey topiaries. Whistle moved up next to him sitting up on the ledge.
"Are you missing your family?" Whistle asked. A somber look taking over his face as well.
"No. I miss my team. I'm worried about them."
"We all got pulled from conflict, right? What were you up to when it happened?" Whistle asked cautiously.
"Me, Ronwe and Percy we're dealing with a dragon cult. They were sacrificing people in attempt to earn the dragon's favor. Percy was about to take a hit when I jumped in to counter, but then I found myself clashing with Ag. Any number of things could have happened. Percy can usually hold his own, but Ronwe... She's just a young girl way in over her head."
"Man, that sounds way worse than what happened to me..."
"Why? What conflict were you in?"
"Fighting with my best friend over a wine bottle I stole."
"And that made you a candidate for Legendary Hero?" Reggie's mood lightened a bit as he laughed.
"I'm just an cat who likes books and art. You're guess is as good as mine." Whistle give a shrug.
They both laughed together. Whistle then noticed the layer of water on Reggie's neck wetting the collar of his tunic.
"It's barely warm out. How are you sweating so much?" Whistle asked.
"What? Oh... this..." Reggie wiped the 'sweat' from his neck. "...I have a bit of a 'medical condition'." Reggie felt a cold, wet, and hard slap across his face. He flinched his head away from Whistle.
"If you were cursed you can tell me."
"What?"
"I know there's a stigma for people who've been cursed. Don't worry, I can keep a secret. In fact I'll tell you one of my secrets as insurance."
"Really?" Reggie turned to Whistle with a bit of a hopeful gaze.
"Yeah. I swear my life on it." Whistle bit a hand on his heart as he bowed slightly.
Reggie began explains to Whistle his whole ordeal with Lady and her being a Rusalka that haunts him.
"So your jealous girlfriend won't leave you alone even in death?"
"That's pretty much it, yeah."
"Damn, that's way cooler than my secret."
"And yours is?"
"I sometimes steal my best friends underwear in her sleep. She knows there's a panty bandit about, but she's never once suspected me."
"That's weird, and gross... and kinda funny." Reggie chuckled. "Have you tried with any of the other girls here." Reggie was just fishing to see how much of a perv this cat actually was.
"I was tempted to do it to Gala, but Avians don't even wear clothes for the most part. Fabric messes with their flying."
"That's fair. What about Dian?"
"Ever heard the phrase 'The hells have no fury that can match a woman scorned'?"
"Yeah, she seems the type that would move literal mountains if someone crosses her. What about that Demon Queen, Vanity?"
"Nope! No way! She's a taken woman." Whistle made a cross with his arms.
"What do you mean?" Reggie got a confused look.
"That lizard, Mordeki, and her are always attached at the hip. One moment she's barking orders at him, the next she's petting him like a sad dog who's tail she accidentally stepped on. They have to have SOMETHING going on between them!" Whistle gesticulated to go along with his words so much he almost leaned off the railing but caught himself last second.
"I'm pretty sure he's, like, her court mage or something. They came together in a package deal."
"Even so, their relationship is weird... I'm glad I'm the only one from my world, though." Whistle took on a somber face again.
"Why? Don't you miss your family."
"No. I don't have one. Well not a blood family anyways. I was orphaned young and was raised in a Thieves Guild that fronted as an orphanage. I was taught how to read, write, pick pockets, lie, kill... I got really good at the last one."
"So that best friend of yours... I assume she went to the same 'orphanage'?"
"Yep. She got really good at information gathering. There was no secret she couldn't find out... except..."
"Except?"
"Except my panty raids!" Whistle clapped with his laugh. He then pressed his hand against his mouth. "Sorry, I shouldn't act so ungentlemanly in front of a lady."
Reggie pulled his head back in a laugh. "Don't worry! Lady has heard me say way worse. You can't hear her but she's laughing with us." Reggie felt another wet sting across his face; punishment for lying. Even so he kept laughing through the pain with Whistle. Once they stopped Whistle got off the railing and head for the door.
"Hey, I'm going to go make a sandwich or something. Wanna come with?"
"Yeah, sure. Just give me a moment." Reggie lent back against the railing and waited for Whistle to be out of ear shot.
"What? You're such a downer sometimes. Am I not allowed to have some fun every once in a while?
I know... I know... I'm sorry.
I know he looks like one of 'them' but I promise you he's not.
He's a friend now. Everyone here is.
Yeah, yeah. I love you too."
Reggie was pushed back into the railing, a forceful yet soft force pressed against his chest as he felt cold, soft lips touch his own.