Lost in the Crowd [Esfiel/Lucca]

[Lucca]

When Dania seemed to only want to sit down at a table instead of go up to her room, Eldy was honestly a bit relieved. After all, the Rat was looking very unsteady on the two feet remaining that she could put weight on, and the thought of climbing those stairs was just...headache inducing. She was no Club, after all! Sheesh! She sat down at the same table, curling her tail around the back of the chair, and tilted her head a bit.

"Well, I'd like a drink, actually...but I can pay for it, it's fine. I'll take a water," she added to the bar maid. She'd managed to be fairly frugal while on the road, and she was anticipating being back at the Courts soon, where she'd be plenty well fed. Though that brought up an uncomfortable question, and one that she didn't really want to think about: what now? She still had no interest whatsoever in joining the Courts. But even after this great journey, she had no idea what else she wanted to do...well, besides be a spy. Which she'd tried out and (if she said so herself) had done fairly well at. But now Sadie was actually The Queen, and probably had plenty of people to command of her own Suit. Shaking her head, because she would rather not think about all that, Eldy hastily changed the subject.

"So, Dania...what brings you to the Capital today? Er, and you as well, Aima." It may seem to the sheltered Rat that Eldy was experienced, but she was still fairly ignorant about most societal norms. Though not as much so as when she'd started her journey, of course.

[Esfiel]

((Sorry took so long. ><))

Aima was never one to turn down free food or drink, especially when she was not certain when the next time she'd bother getting either was. It could be soon or it could be awhile, it really depended on whether or not she felt like it and how into whatever she was doing at that moment. She had forgotten to eat more than once during an experiment or test. Well, this way she wouldn't have to worry about it until later in the future. "A simple snack would be nice, though just something cheap and simple," she accepted with a thankful smile.

"I actually came to the capital to deliver.. erm.. parts to a store that uses them to create.. trinkets." Left over parts from a variety of experiments and trinkets of questionable safety, but they didn't need to know the details. Details like her family owning said shop. No that wouldn't go well. "I usually stay in the city longer afterwards to do different experiments in a new settings, though. Eventually I'll go back to Corvistowne when I finish up here." Finishing up in the Capital really was a matter of getting bored with it, though. She didn't like traveling between places. It was much more enjoyable and productive to be stationary somewhere.

[Harpsdesire]

Dania blinked at Eldy with a bit of surprise. How odd to insist on paying, when she was only planning to have a glass of water, anyhow. It occured to the rat that this was exactly the sort of awkward thing she herself was prone to saying, and she smiled at Eldy with sudden warmth, but decided not to comment.

She agreed with Amia, especially since she had not bothered with breakfast before she hurried out to the market in a futile attempt to beat the crowds. "A snack sounds good. Um, order whatever you feel like."

A quick glimpse of the menu revealed a few snack options, and from them she selected a plate of cheese and crackers and a fruit assortment to share. It seemed a safe choice, offering enough variety to ensure that each would find something they liked to eat. When the barmaid had sauntered off to the kitchen, Dania answered the feline's question.

"Just shopping, errands, and checking out a few new publishers for the bookstore. Dad usually makes the trip, but I somehow convinced him that I should get out of Torquehelm for a change." And what a change it was. "It's been... interesting. Very... Different." She added, attempting to show enthusiasm for the noisy, crowded and terrifying environment she had so eagerly entered.

[Lucca]

Eldy thanks the waitress as the bowl of water was brought out (thankfully this was one of those places that served enough customers in animal form to accommodate the lack of hands) and it was only then that it occurred to her...she didn't have to pay anything for water, anyway, as it was free. Well, wasn't that just the sort of silly social mistake she was prone to making? Ah well. Brushing it off, she lapped a bit of the water daintily, eyes fixed on her two companions.

She raised one eyebrow at what Aima was saying. Or rather, what she -wasn't- saying, which meant oh so much more. Having the parents she had, there was no way Eldy could be entirely ignorant of the darker aspects of life, like the black market for example. "I...see. Well I hope that went well for you," she said easily, quashing down the curious urge to inquire further. After all, she wasn't sure how the sheltered Dania would take a conversation like that.

She smiled reassuringly at the Rat, seeing her anxiety at the place so different from her own home. "Well, hey, good to get new experiences sometimes. Get out of your comfort zone. Heh, after all, it's what I've set out to do. Even if it's a bit painful, it's worth it, right?" Her stub of an ex-ear twitched. There was no doubt what -her- most painful experience on the road had been. Then, she laughed, realizing what she'd said. "Ach, but listen to me being all trite and crud. Someone change the subject, quick!" She was in no mood for self-reflection right now, knowing that plenty of that would haunt her that night as she attempted to sleep.

[Esfiel]

Aima thought she could see curiosity lurking in Eldy, but she didn't press her so Aima decided that she wouldn't say more. Well, that worked. She wasn't big talking about her family, or anything else that would deal with them. She was happy when Eldy went on to talk to Dania about new experiences.

New experiences tended to be quite interesting, even the bad ones. She learned off them, whatever they were, and she found says to use them to her advantage. Aima's eyes glanced at Eldy's ear, wondering what happened.. though she'd never actually ask.

Then Eldy surprised her by suddenly telling them to change the subject. Change the subject..? Oh, she was awful at this game. Her mind always went dead when she tried to think of a subject! Then she ended up saying something stupid.. usually the first thing that popped into her mind. In this case it was...

"So.. uh.. isn't it interesting how.. the colorful frogs are the poisonous ones? You'd think they wouldn't want to tell people they're poisonous..." Aima looked desperately at Dania to save her and do another subject change.

[Harpsdesire]

"Worth it, I guess." The rat's smile was a little strained. So far all that she had gotten out of the trip was a grumpy father waiting at home and a painful, swollen paw... but there was still hope, at least that's what her mother would say, at least that's what she'd say on one of her good days. Dania was going to be in the city a few days more, plenty of time for something amazing and enlightening to happen. Yeah, right.

She laughed along with Eldy as the feline requested a change of subject, the giggle stuttering to a surprised stop as Amia made a comment about frogs, of all things. It was a relief when her desperate mental search for any sort of appropriate response was cut short by the bar maid's return. A plate of various sliced fruits and another of cheese and crackers was set in the middle of the table, within reach of all three Cards. She took a quick bite of cheddar to buy time.

"That is interesting." She agreed finally. "They say the same thing is true of the Yarrow flowers-- the prettier, the more toxic. Did you notice that, Eldy?" That was a good response, Dania thought, reflectively sipping at her own bowl of water, I did okay there. She had called up a bit of magic to stop her stammering or saying anything totally awkward.

Maybe this trip was of some use, Dania thought. At the very least, it had forced her to interact with a lot more cards than she normally would and gave her many chances to work her Charm. Her Diamond Charm skill was more than a little rusty, and it would be nice to better at using it subtly. The spell really wasn't terribly effective when she went from absolutely awkward to polished and charming in two seconds flat; people tended to notice, and many reacted unfavorably to the blatant use of magic in social situations. Still, if she had been of any other suit, her father would never have let the shy young rat be the one to deal with publishers for the bookstore, even the minor and relatively unimportant ones she had visited the previous day.

((A little braindead after a full day of Xmas shopping insanity, sorry guys... XP))

[Lucca]

For a moment Eldy could only stare at the bright blue Corvie. What in the world...? Frogs? Then she laughed, throwing her head back with a delighted yowl. She hadn't needed quite that dramatic a change! Still snickering a bit as the plate of food was brought out, she eyed it, debating if she wanted anything. Not just now, she decided, not being especially hungry right at the moment.

She sobered a bit, though, at the mention of Yarrow. Oh, her visit to the Gardens had been...interesting enough and all...she just didn't enjoy how sick she'd gotten afterward. Her whiskers twitched in thought. "I'm afraid I can't say...as looking at a flower won't tell you how toxic it is or not, and that's really the closest I got to any one plant there. I'm sure if you've read that, it's true, though." She smiled a bit, showing her teeth. "I do know that it isn't true of Cards. Tulgies are as white and colorless as they come, but man can they ever be dangerous. Not that I've ever met one personally." She shrugged, and finally decided on a small slice of apple, hooking it with a claw and bringing it over towards her napkin.

[Esfiel]

Aima was never that brilliant in social situations, and she was on the verge of feeling terribly stupid when Eldy was suddenly laughing! That was certainly an uplift to her spirits, although Dania seemed a bit at a loss as to how to respond. Then she noticed the food coming and she scolded herself for making things up. The poor rat was probably just hungry and distracted for a moment. She felt certain that's what it was when Dania finally did respond.

Really? The more beautiful the flower the more toxic it was? Suddenly Aima wanted to see these flowers. She had a slight interest in plants because of her sister, but it didn't come anywhere near her own research.. although.. Well, those where thoughts to consider another time.

"I've never been to the Yarrow Garden, or anywhere besides the Capital and Corvistowne." Maybe she would have time to travel when she had no more blood in her. It was always something to consider. "Well, Cards tend to have more thoughts and personality to them, so it's usually difficult to tell everything at face value," she offered up. She felt slight dread at the mention of Tulgies. "I've never met one, either, and unless one leaves that forest I never will. That's not a place I'll ever visit even if only a tenth of what I've heard is true."

[Harpsdesire]

Eldy's hearty laughter coaxed a tentative chuckle from the rat, who seemed somewhat cheered by her friend's company. Her words made sense-- Dania couldn't imagine the feline actually testing the poisonous properties of the Yarrow blossoms. She wasn't a Corvie, of course. The thought of Eldy playing mad scientist in an expansive garden made her smile stretch a little wider.

It faded quickly when the talk turned to Tulgeys.

"I have." Dania muttered. As close to the edge of the wood as her hometown was, it wasn't an entirely rare thing to at least see a Tulgey card, although she had never really made friends with one. Or tried, for that matter. Even her mother, who was a kind and accepting sort sort of woman, would be hesitant to allow one of the white and black cards into the house. "They're..." She paused thoughtfully, then decided on her fallback position- "Interesting. And creepy." A slight shudder stirred her fur.

"They give me the heebie-jeebies, like seeing a Torquehelm with no binding or, uh, something." Use of her charm spell was totally forgotten as she munched a few grapes and spoke softly. "Sometimes they come into the bookstore where I work. It seems there isn't a lot of shopping in the Wood?" Dania laughed a little, but it was a rather mirthless sound, as if she was suddenly nervous. She told herself quite sternly that it was silly to be so frightened, but the internal scolding wasn't enough to keep her from glancing surreptitiously over her shoulder, looking timidly for the tell-tale back and white coat and pink eyes of a Tulgey.

[Lucca]

She munched her apple, feeling slightly amused that Tulgies was apparently a hot topic. Aima, like her, had never met one...but Dania had? Curious purple eyes (far too curious for her own good, especially in this case) turned rapt attention on the Rat as she spoke. She eventually went perfectly still, listening, and staring at Dania as if just by looking, she could somehow gain insight into the mysterious and deadly Cards.

She would never go to the Wood, that much she had promised her Mom. But the thought of meeting a Tulgey who had left the wood (rare, very rare, but such things did exist) was somehow fascinating to her in that moment. "They do leave, sometimes...or so I hear. Some of the Courts can boast a Tulgey in their ranks," she said slowly, half to Aima and half to herself.

She looked at Dania, a million questions suddenly clamoring for attention in her brain, but when she went to voice them, something entirely different came out. "My sister doesn't have a binding anymore. She 'freed' herself from it." Blink. Why had she said that?