The sky was as open and blue as the eyes of one of the prettiest women he'd ever met, way back in the day, and clear of clouds. Amazing weather really, and damned beautiful if you weren't lugging water back and forth to a moderate stretch of garden that didn't seem quite so moderate in the full heat of the sun. Bat King was doing exactly that, huffing and growling as he watered corn, beans, and other crops that hadn't seen any more rain lately than he had, and thanked the powers that were, quietly, for his deep well. The sun had bleached his blonde hair out, in spite of the hat he often wore, and darkened his already dark skin, which brought out parts of his heritage he wasn't particularly pleased to give note to, though in this age, like it hadn't been when he was born, people were a lot more interested in, even fond of, the kind of heritage that made Bat King 'cuss'.
Of course then again, most people didn't know he'd also gotten one of his other least favorite traits from that side of the family. Bat King, aside from being a chain smoking, largely intolerant ass, and freely admitted to that part...a shapeshifter.
And one that was starting to think that he might want to consider washing up before his guest arrived.

Harlequin had to admit that at the current moment, walking as he was down a dusty track that he wasnt alltogether convinced was the one he wanted, that he was stragely reminded of the odd butterfly house at the poncy Unigon's party. This wasn't because there were any butterfly's in sight, nor because he was surrounded by a large amount of glass, no sir, it was much more for the face that wearing, as he was, the rather tough wooly poncho, he was really rather warm it had to be said.
His longish blonde hair was flopping lose to try to give his neck some protection from that sun, and not for the first time today he lamented his fairly fair skin, he'd be darned lucky if he didn't burn, that was for sure.
Brushing a hand up over his eyes he quinted a little, feeling slightly blinded by all the dusty colours and the brightness of the sun as it reflected off of them, it would have been very interesting scenery, had it not been for the rather insane, in his opinion at least, heat. One thing was for sure though, a drink of water really wouldnt go amis, water that haddn't been sunbaked like the small drop left in his flask had... either way, he was pretty sure he was actually where he wanted to be going now at least.. at least, if that was anyone else residence he planned to change his intended destination, not the achieved one. He needed a rest.
It would be nice to see Bat, but he'd definately need a rest somewhere before he tried walking out anywhere again, no friendship was worth baking his brain silly in this sun any more.

It was the sound of animals that was most likely to give away the proximity of Bat's ranch, since the uneven but dry terain did offer some cover for the low roofed, one story home. A horse whinnied it's protestations of boredom and heat, and an familiar voice shouted something back to it, grumbling and cursing more as Bat went to tend to the horse, half stripped and soaked from trying to wash at the pump, to see what was the matter.

The complaining voice was evidence enough that the jester had at least reached the right place. He'd know that disgrunted grumbling anywhere. Feeling slightly more sure of himself and a little more light hearted now, the strangely dressed fellow was able to readilly pick up his pace to an almost skil like walk as he made his way towards the rance. It was nice to know you were going to impose yourself on a friend rather than a total stranger, much nice in his opnion.
The animals he haddn't counted on honestly, as they somtimes looked at him weirdly, he'd never understood that one, maybe it was because he jingled..? Or maybe they just wanted to try on his poncho.. he'd always suspected animals might be a tad jealous that people got to wear clothes... snakes were the only ones he trusted not to care, that got to change their own clothes so often that it really couldn't possibly matter to them.
Okay, so Harle had some weird ideas about animals, it was lucky that he didn't usually express them to too many people. He could understand why the animals would want his poncho, it was impossible to be unhappy in a poncho!
Regardless of his strange passage of thoughts he was finally ypretty well on the front steps to the porch of the ranch, this was a blessing as he was finally out of the sun, and he found himself enjoying a few blessed moments of cool before finally lifting a hand to his mouth and yelling,
"Bat! Where are you? You've got companny waiting!"

"In the barn!" He shouted back, voice slightly muffled. The Barn was actually a slightly taller structure than the house itself, tricky to erect, but he'd managed, and that was where he housed his few animals. He emerged from it as Harlequin approached, still naked to the waist and wearing old jeans and even older boots. With his already dark skin, it was a little hard to tell if the brown was indicative that he often went like this in the sun, or if it was just normal. He was also dusty again, bits of straw from the barn sticking to him here and there. "Sorry, had t' go break up a quarrel in the barn. Idjit cat botherin' the horse." He offered, apologetically. "Was figuring I'd be done before you showed up. Looks like y' made it here in one piece though, thats somethin'."
Although he didn't make any move to point them out, one other interesting thing that didn't normally come into view was also apparent. Two scars on Bat's torso, one on his stomach, the other on his shoulder. Not knife marks, but bullets. Tokens from a much rougher time and a much rougher profession.

The bullet wounds were taken in by the jester, but they didn't automatically find themselves commented on, because he honestly couldnt really work out what they were, as he'd never seen a gun, now could he think of any animal that had teeth like that...
The Barn seemed an intersting place however, and a lot of hard work, at least judging by the.. slightly over heated state of his friend.
"Long day I'd say." he commented with a nod,
"Either that or.." he looked amused for a moment,
"A romp inthe hay perhapse..? It certainly seems to be clinging to you, I'd be chamed to meet the lucky lady.." He knew the answer to be a negative for this one, somthing told him that had that sort of thing been the case, Bat King would have very carefully scrubbed up before coming to greet him.
"Its quit ethe charming place you have here though, " he stated, changing the subject again as was he tendancy,
"Charming, if once again more than a little hot for my complexion and clothing, my friend I feal I'll leave her looking a darn site more like you than I ever intended!" he looked slighrly amused at this thought, wrapping his arms around himself with an amused grin on his face,
"Please though, would it be too much to ask for a drink? Its rather dusty out here!"

"Oh she's a beaut." Bat joked back, taking Harlequin up on the joke where he might have argued with another man. "Long black hair, big brown eyes....prettiest mare you ever saw. Don't much get along with the barn cat though."
He picked at a bit of straw in embarrassment and flicked it aside. "Right this way, we'll get ya a seat and a glass of somethin cold." He gestured toward the house with a quirk of a smile. "Little bit 'a sun can't hurt ya too much. You jes need a better hat." He noted, reaching to ping one of Harlequins bells, teasingly. "Water ok, or you want somethin' else? Y' look like y' need water."

"Water would be perfect my friend," Harle said, going a little cross eyed at the assult on his head-gear.
"I think I'll definately take somehting cool and soothing over that fire in a glass you've offered me the last few times.." The shorter blonde looked rather amusedly up at his friend once more, it was pretty well a perpetual state for him, amused at the world around him, ironic really as he was really supposed to be keeping the world laughing at himself.
"And you can speak for yourself my tanned friend," he stated, reaching out a hand to poke Bat in the side,
"A little sun might do you no harm, but stick me out in it too much longer and I'd find a plate of cooked lobsters or a bush of ripe tomato's quite the suitable hiding place, and I'm sure it would do my skin very little in the way of good to be honest."

Bat sidestepped in a brief scuff of dust, shaking his head at Harlequin, and batting at the offending finger. "Bah. Give it a while out here and you'll be brown as a acorn." He promised, making to lead Harl to the house.
It was very 'Bat', an utilitarian looking building with a slightly ramshackle, but solid feel, with a shaded porch held up by large beams cut from trees, though lord knew where he'd found two trees straight enough to hold up the porch around here, or how far he'd gone to bring them back. There were curls of wood lying around, testament to a few bored evenings with a stick to whittle. Again, maybe a little steriotyped, but Bat didn't much seem to care how much or how little of a steriotype he was. The air from inside is a little cooler than out, the dusty wooden floor with a few woven carpets strewn across it looks considerably more inviting than the bright glare from outside as he swings the door open. "Go make yerself at home. I'll get some cold water." He offered, gesturing inside.

"Well, I'd be a mad man to not take that offer!" Harle stated with a grin, having folowed his friend to the house, he'd been less than worried about his attempted prod being thwarted, Bat was definately not the kind of fellow conrtable being touched by many, least of a a fellow male of the spieces, it was little to his credit that Harlequin somtimes sportingly tried to see how far he could push his boundries, but he did credit himself for never pushing too hard, he didn't after all want to lose his unusual friend friendship, but a light tease now and then was all in the sport of fun now, and Bat never seemed to take offence to it, it had flustered him in the past, but never offended.
With a happy sigh Harle curled himself comfortably onto the floor, his legs crossed and his eyes closed for a moment, this, the cooler darker environement felt like bliss just now, he'd never been so pleased ot be indoors. It seemed a nice place as well, pleasnt in its lived in quality, he definately liked it better than the pomp and circumstance of court, this was a useful place, not a foppish one, and it seemed entirely suited to its resident.
With a grin on his face he let his eyes flick open, amused at just how apt the dwelling seemed to be... he was going to enjoy this visit he was sure, though for the moment all he could do was wait in anticipation of a drink.. it was fun how the small things in life really were the most important.

Inside there's a table and a few chairs, cabinets and a bed against the far wall. It's upper portion, normally probably used for more shelving, has had another futon rolled out on top of it, and covered with blankets, with a pillow at one end. A large stove for cooking with pots hanging from the ceiling, and of all things, and old fashioned pantry sits open, revealing an actual icebox inside.
Bat steps in behind you a few moments later, toting a pitcher of water. Normally for inside use, he'd left the pitcher outside with him while he worked.
"Let me get ya a cup." he offered, gesturing toward one of the seats. "How was the trip? I know ya don't ride, can't have been easy."

"The floor suits me fine," Harlequin stated, flopping a hand at his frined and rocking back and forth once on the floor,
"Heat rises don't you know, I think I'll stay as low as possible till some of the sun has left my clothing.." he grinned again, the usually lazy friendly grin, and flapped his poncho a couple of times, making a small breeze.
"The trip was interesting.." the other replied, toying with an edge of one of the large rug like floor coverings,
"A friendly fellow with a cart gave me a lift for a fair way, which helped, but he didn't speak much and wouldnt sing, so it was a little dull, his directions onwards more that a little vague as well, so by the end of it I was wondering if I was ever actually going to find you, and more than willing to accost anyone I did find for a place to stay... other than that the view was different, a little dusty but new, so rather interesting, and till it neared midday the heat wasn't alltogether unbearable.." he smiled agian,
"How then has your day been..? You seem to be in a fine working mans state at this moment, so one can only presume that you have been most busy indeed.." He'd obviously not meant the earlier joke about a romp in the hay seriously.

"Take the lower bunk then." Bat noted, gesturing toward the beds. "One good thing, Snakes don't much mind the heat." He joked, walking over and retrieving two pottery mugs, one of which he offered out to Harlequin. "Well, part a the time I don't anyhow." An awkward smile at this, since he was still vulnerable to excessive heat as a man. "Glad you got a ride, I shoulda thought to come out and fetch you. I was out waterin'...oh jes about everything. It's been damn hot for a while, no rain. I'm figuring we'll get some soon, maybe more than I was lookin' for, but I've been breaking my back on this damn garden enough I ain't about ready to buckle under and just buy stuff in town. Especially with that damn Mule around." He huffed. "Man with a cart eh? Wonder if I've seen him around." he paused to pour a mug full of water and then offer some to Harlequin. "How long ya got? I was thinkin maybe we'd get out some and teach you how t' ride."

"I suppose your gift must indeed have some uses in this climate hmm?" The jester asked, holing out his hands to take the mug and took a very greatful drink from it. He'd needed that one, that was for sure.
"The lower bunk?" He said again,
"I was expecting the floor, so I'll be much obliged, and never mind coming to get me, It added to the adventure, the walk I mean, I'm all for the drama, you know that to be true." Harelequin felt much more relaxed now, the drink he was sure had done him the power of good, and he was able to pay a greater deal of attention to his surroundings,
"Its commendable," he said absently, seeming to trail off for a moment before shaking his head slightly as if coming to his senses,
"Growing your own food I mean, definately better than having t trapse around to buy from other men, thats the lazy mans's way, plus you do make a good point, Mules and all concidered home grown definately has its advantages." He leant back slightly as he concidered the next query,
"I dont really have much of a limit on my time, I wander form here to there so there isn't really a whole lot that will try to lure me away from here until you tire of my companny, so, I'm sure we'll be able to find time for whatever you have in mind, though riding? Can's say that's somthing I've ever had a chance to try!" He looked rather pleased with the idea in all honesty.
"I'm not going to shy away from helping out as well, you know, especially if it helps any, you know, spreading the load? Many hand's make light work and all that.." he grinned,
"I'll even cook some of the time if you like, I'm not so bad at it as to make food inedible."

"Does sometimes I guess, but not always. Doin' it at night's got the reverse problem, less I want to sleep it off." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. True, in his largest form he could go a lot longer, shedding heat more slowly, but in smaller forms, the cold nights made him lethargic, and did a little in his human forms as well.
"Help out if y' want, but a lot of it ain't easy, and we'll be doin' it in sunlight. Don't want you turnin' into a crisp or killin' yerself."

"So the lot of a snake is a difficult one to balance, but at least you're not stuck with a nocturnal shape to shift into, else i@m sur eyou'd find it far harder to explain away, much easier don't you think to sleep all night and work all day than find yourself forced to sleep all day and work all night? People might start wondering at your weird habbits... then again maybe I'm puttion too much of a society twist on this.." Harle mused, lifting his hand to rub his chin as he chinked his teeth against the mug thoughtfully,
"Becayuse where the work is as hard as it seems to be her,e ignoring the problem of a lack of light surely working at night would seem sensible as far as the temperature goes..?" he paused,
"Sorry, I think my mind wandered a little bit there, but as far as it goes I'd be more than happy to help, I have to pull my weight after all, it wouldn't do for me to simply mooch off a friend, no indeed.." he rocked back and forth once more, clearly simply enjoying his friends companny again,
"Just permit me to hide away during the two hottest hours and I'm sure I'll be fine, either that or I'll have to fashion myself some better manner of headware, as mine, as your fine self pointed out, is ever so slightly less than effective as far as protection from the sun goes, it jingles micely, but what are bells to sunbeams..? Very little I can asure you.." he took another drink and set the mug down on the floor.
"Besides, I wouldn't miss the experiance for a world, I won't have you thinking me a fop.."

"There are folks anymore that stay up all night, guess I could get away with it alright if I tried, jes maybe not doin' what I do. But all else fails, you borrow my hat long enough to ride in to town and get ya a real hat." He chuckled, teasing, taking a drink of water himself, and following it with an relieved sigh.
"Shouldn't worry so much. I ain't Macy. There's a mite of a difference between bein' what the Mule is and being a city boy."
He emphasized this with a gesture of the cup, sloshing water slightly before draining the cup, tiltng his head back to get the last few drops as his body remembered exactly how thirsty it had been getting, outside in the sun and sweating.

Harlequin rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment,
"In all honesty you know, I think I'd look rather strange with a.. 'real' as you call it, hat.. I mean.. I only ever wear my delightfully colourful jingling head-wear, or, well.. nothing on my head at all.. I think I'd look quite strange in a hat like yours.." hre was obviously picturing himself in said hat with some amusement, it was only amusing nowbecause it was not a choice of attire he had ever really concidered before, and it was funny to picture himself wearing somthing so normal..
"Well why not though? If I'm going to at least try to work like you I suppose I should also try to partly dreww like you.. and as we're both blonde we could hve a whale of a time trying to convince people I'm your twin.." he paused,
"Maybe thats just a little too werid though.." he knew he was babbling now, he did that when he got excited about somthing, and it had been a long time since he'd actually taken a trip anywhere that he actually wanted to go, so this was all rather jolly making in his opinion. He'd always liked trips, and onces with a pleasnt destination were always far merrier than ones that were purely for business.
"Anyway, A hat would be wonderful.. and the loan of yours even more so, as long as your certain it won't inconveniance you in anyway.." he smiled again, a slightly dry smile, he didn't like being a burden to his friends, it didn't prey on his mind or anything, he was just aware that sometimes, especially around Bat, his odd mannerisms much be a little trying.

"Well I'm thinkin' you'd have to be a mite darker before you'd pass as my twin. 'Less you were my twin that never got out much." Bat pointed out lifting his own arm to compare to Harleqin's much more fair skin, then took off his own hat and plopped it down on top of Harlequin's head, without bothering to remove the jester cap already there.
"Dunno though, might look alright. Might do better with one that ain't been worn so much though."
Without his hat, he probably looked a bit of a strange site, since he rarely went without unless he'd shapeshifted. Somehow an snake with an battered hat would have looked at least as strange as human shaped Bat without his.

Harlequin laughed first at the 'not getting out very often' comment, and then again as he felt his jesters cap smooshed against his head,
"Heavs that must look a sight!" He stated, reaching up a hand to flick one of the bells that had now been pushed right down flat against his head, and were hanging really not that far from his nose.
"A hat for a hat! You should patent it sir, its an invention that could bring you millions! No more will people have to worry about their hats getting rained on, or fading in the sunlight! You've taken ease to the extreem and made a device that will rid people of both these worries! The hats hat! Its genious!" He grinned in a slightly daft manner up at his friend and tilted his head to the side,
"Though I hate to say.." He stated, leaning up and not bothering to remove either of the two hats he was now wearing,
"You without your hat is possibly almost as strange as me wearing two of them.." he shook his head, his delicate fingers dancing once over his friends blonde hair, and then combing through it very shortly after, the impudent grin still on his face,
"Heavns, its almost like seeing you naked!" he stated in a very amused tone,
"Bat it seems, is quite without his hat!"

"Yeh...well..." Bat cleared his throat in embarrassment at the idea of appearing naked, with or without his hat and batted, sheepishly, at his tousled hair. "...Used t' be the way things were. Man barely went out without his hat. "Guess I still wear mine quite a bit..." he muttered, totally at a loss for how to combat his metaphorical nudity.
"Guess it'd be jes as odd seein' you without all those bells."

Harlequin shrugged his shoulders, slightly amused at his friends apparent distate at even being implied to be in an underdressed state,
"The bells.. ah yes.. well, it would certainly be quieter without them, wouldnt you say..?" He asked with a smile at his friend,
"They do make a fair amount of noise when I'm walking and the like.. I mean, all I have to do is shift my head slightly and anyone who cares to listen knows where I am.. they're quite the terrible accessory for games of hide and go seek!" he lifted up his hand and finally tugged the bell covered hat out from under the one Bat had placed there,
"Now my dear friend, you can worry less for it is quite evident you see, even without your hat that you are still fully dressed, so there is no need for any embaressment.." he shook his head,
"Though in the heat out there I can think that anyone would wish to blame you for shedding a few layers..."

"Well, yeh." He agreed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly still. Harlequin seemed to have that effect on him, reducing him to pacifism when he'd answer most others with his fists or loud words. "Gets colder at night though, you'll end up wishin' for the heat before too long. We'll have a fire I'd bet." He promised, predicting the night chill, though with two of them the small cabin wouldn't get chilly as fast.
Though after a moments pause he grinned wickedly. "Though you could pull a helluva trick. Someone came lookin for that hat, wouldn't it be a hella surprise if they found it sittin on a rather bad tempered ol' bull?"

Harlequin couldnt help but laugh at that one, the idea of someone winding up running for the good of their helth from a bull tickeld him emencely, no one had ever said his sense of humour was especially gentle, that was definately true, it was rather wicked when he wanted it to be.
"I'd pay a lot of money to see that I really would.." he rocked back a little as he laughed, very nearly over-balancing and sprawing himself on the floor,
"I think that will be a happy thought to brighten up even the dullest of days now, lord.. imagine their face.. just see the mule in your minds eye and I think you'll appriciate the fun as well on a whole new level.." he shook his head, his eyes slightly damp from the excessive amusement he'd felt there, it was a relief to be on the level with somone rather than feeling you had to place yourself below others, no matter what you really thought you deserved.

Bat guffawed at the image of Macy sprinting headlong in flight from the path of an startled and irate bull. Since the man was a curious mixed breeding himself, it wouldn't have surprised Bat terribly if he were able to outrun the thing, but never the less, it was highly entertaining to think of his oft tormentor being tormented.
"Ah, that would be a sight, I'd give good money to see that sonofabitch runnin' hell bent for leather." He grinned, rubbing at the corner of his eye as he calmed down to a bubbling chuckle. "Bet you've got a few folk' you can picture in that spot hm?"