Slim Chance [Nako] [Finished]

[Kari Muffin]

She shouldn't be depressed. Everything in her life was going "well" and she had a nice job with two wonderful nephews. And blah blah blah. She was supposed to be "on top of the world" by societies aspects, and yet she was utterly miserable.

Viola sighed as she sat the the edge of the fountain. Why was she so miserable when she was supposed to be happy? She wanted to go back to school and follow her dreams, she wanted her bipedal form, but more than anything in the world she wanted to have children of her own. It seemed utterly ridiculous considering she had no hope of an actual relationship with any man or woman that she had met.

Her ears drooped as she curled up to look into the water. Was she going to end up an old maid before she had a chance to have children of her own? Were Karrock and Erroll her only chance at parenting? She choked back the tears.

[Nako]

It truly was a lovely day for a stroll. There was just enough chill in the air to make it not quite stifling, but not so cold as to chill his scaled feet on the cobblestone. With a fashionable scarf he'd bought from a local shop around his neck, he made his way leisurely through the Capital's park. There were few plants still alive, and even fewer birds in the sky, but there was a certain stillness to the area that lent to a very surreal environment.

His ears perked at the soft sound just around the bend, walking with the silence that his owl half allowed to come upon the sight of amost saddened creature sitting by the fountain. Snake? Well, at least in majority. Those ears told of something more like that of a deer. The slumping of her serpentine body and the pinning of those expressive ears told that something was amiss. Normally, Merlin would continue on his way...

But those horns and that stripe of green was so obviously Avington.

With his Seven of Hearts emblazoned on his chest, he peered over her shoulder, the expression of grief looking back up at her an obvious statement to her mood. What on earth could have the woman so sad? Canting his head to the side, the corners of his mouth curled up into something of a smile.

"Such a forlorn woman in that water. Tell me, what could possibly make a person so sad?"

[Kari Muffin]

Viola was more than a little surprised by someone's voice coming from behind her. In all honesty she never expect someone to stop. Her head snapped around after her shocked gasp to look at the person addressing her. A reflection was all well and good, but it didn't show anything beyond a rippling form.

Goodness. A pure Avington. She only briefly glanced at the rank to see the Heart. For a moment her words caught in her throat as she struggled to get past the surprise of someone speaking to her. A small blush was forming on her face, clearly visible as it spread away from the red on her nose.

"Ah, well. I was just thinking about something impossible," she gave a small snake shrug. Her ears still drooping a bit, but it was clear that she wasn't as horribly depressed as she had been a few moments ago. "Thank you for your concern, sir. It's not every day someone actually stops to ask questions. You're very kind."

[Nako]

Merlin brushed a spot by the edge of the fountain with the tip of his tail, sitting down and crossing his legs next to her. The fact that she hadn't grown defensive or angry and told him to leave was enough of an indicator that his presence was not entirely unwanted.

"Oh, I feel I do not truly deserve to be called kind, my lady. That lovely stripe of green on you and that set of horns is grounds for great bias on my part." The jackal hybrid lamented almost sadly, running his claws through the tuft of hair on his chin before regarding the woman-snake anew.

"Impossibilities come few and far between in a world such as ours. It must be quite an extravagant thought." But he did not ask just what she was thinking. Questions.. sometimes their answers were far too personal, and if anyone would understand such a concept it would indeed be an Avington.

"Oh.. how rude of me. I'm Merlin."

[Kari Muffin]

Viola was a little surprised to see that the man was going to sit down. Ah, that was really nice of him. She couldn't help but smile. Her tail curled a bit as she looked up at him. Her drooping ears flicking forward to listen to his words.

"Ah," she said, "But you stopped. That's far more than what most people would do. I don't think in all the times I've come here I've had anyone stop."

In reality she only ever came to this particular place to get away from everything. It was a rarely traveled path despite it being a fairly pretty area. And this way she could try to get over her emotional frustrations without having to worry her nephews or bother her coworkers. She didn't want to be a bother of all things.

"They do, you're right. And I suppose in reality my wishes aren't impossible, they're simply unobtainable at the moment.... or even in the near future." Maybe she should visit Daddy in Avington? That might make he feel a bit better.

"Oh! Goodness! My name is Viola," she bowed her head, her blush spreading a bit further on her face. "It's an absolute pleasure to meet you Mr. Merlin. It's rare for me to meet a pure Avington!"

[Nako]

Well, at least there was a smile on that face now. What a day it was, to go out on an innocent stroll only to brighten someone's day. It was a surprisingly good feeling. His own ears perked up at her words. All the times she'd come here? Oh dear, what could be toubling the lady so much that she felt a need to mope so often? Or rather, he assumed it was somewhat often.

His ear flicked, but it was the only thing that betrayed his curiosity. So many cryptic comments, but oftentimes the details were not very important. Details muddled everything up, after all.

"Is it, now? I suppose I'm used to blending in with the crowd, Aha, hoo-hoot!." He laughed so heartily that a small owlish noise escaped him. He wiped a tear of amusement from his eye. "Oh, forgive my strange sense of humor. But yes.. I grew up in Avington.. but I see your point. I see very few of the pure sorts running about. Don't mistake me for a purist though, please; My father was an Esterberry."

[Kari Muffin]

The snake hybrid blinked with surprise as Merlin laughed. What sort of joke did she end up missing? She certainly hadn't said anything funny. Ah well, no point in getting stuck on something that went completely over her head. "A good sense of humor is a great thing to have," she said as she choked back a snort at his hooting. That would be terribly rude of her. "I just wish I was one to pick up on subtle jokes."

Though as he continued to speak the woman's face lit up, her ears perking forward. He was related to an Esterberry? Did that mean that he was one of those wonderful people who went to university and had a million and one degrees? That would be exciting for sure, she had met very few scholars in her life. Of course... the ones she had met seemed terribly out of her reach.

"Oh? An Esterberry? Did you get a so called "proper" Esterberry education if you don't mind me asking? I was thinking of going to school in Esterberry for a long while but I was stuck with other obligations."

[Nako]

With a smile, he waved off her worry about his joke. It really wasn't necessary, or wanted for that matter, for her to understand it anyways. Still, it was certainly amusing to him.

"Sadly, no." His broad, toothy grin fell into a rather morose expression. "My mother certainly had it in her mind to keep me under her wing, so to speak. I was homeschooled... not that I didn't want to go! I hardly think they'd take me considering I have nothing more than homeschooling to speak for. No private school in the Courts... hardly anything to speak of really."

He lifted up a finger suddenly at the end up her comment though, emphatically speaking up again. "Other obligations; -exactly-. Isn't that what always happens? Life just.. sweeps you up, leaving your dreams in the dust. Alas... what sort of cynics have we become?"

Merlin smiled broadly at the woman. Goodness... he certainly felt on a similar wavelength to this woman.. circumstances and the hardships of life falling upon them both. Perhaps he was looking too much into it.. or perhaps he just wanted to find a kindred spirit. Whatever it was, the jackal hybrid felt oddly at ease.

[Kari Muffin]

Oh? But a lot of the schools had tests you could pass to get into them despite your schooling. She was sure that someone like him would have looked into such a matter though. No point in pointing it out, he probably had very valid reasons for not attending a university or the like.

The woman tilted her head to one side, so he had been caught up in other obligations as well? For a moment her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't alone in her plight of getting swept up in the nightmare called life? She wasn't the only one who had had her plans ruined because of some outside force.

Of course she wasn't the only one. Viola's ears twitched at the thought. She ignored the slight blush that had decided to creep onto her face. If she didn't focus she would make a fool of herself. "It's sad to think I've become a cynic. I still want to chase my dreams, I suppose I just need to switch things around. I suppose... that means I shouldn't lament at the side of the fountain when I'm not alone."

[Nako]

"Ah… chasing dreams. There is hope for us, yet." Merlin remarked with a pert wink. "I suppose, in the end. We only limit ourselves.. be it because we do things the way our family or peers expect us to.. or because it is what is thought to be proper. Ah.. but listen to me.. rambling about such things. I doubt I even make any sense! Hoo-hoot!"

Suddenly, the Avington leapt to his feet, uncharacteristically cheerful as a delightful mood set upon him. His clawed hands were set with determination at his sides. "But enough of this melancholy! The world is our oyster! In our prime, we set forth into the land of opportunity that is the capital! Or.. at least, the land of shopping! How about we take a stroll, my lady, and window shop? It surely is a pastime that sets me in the merriest of moods!"