[ A few more? Sure, it's definitely a joke, but she's also someone who would consider that seriously. And she does, taking a moment before shaking her head. ]
No, I think I'm happy with my arrangement of 2 legs and no wheels.
[ Don't ask.
She flips up the cloth to her basket and starts to unload a few fresh treats onto the table--some tarts and hand pies, given how easy they are to travel with. Himeka doesn't have the magical resources and huge kitchen of her old domain at her disposal, but Cid will find her techniques are much the same. Rustic Solvunn-style. ]
A friend, but not from home. He was with us in Solvunn for a good while. As for why he jumped...
[ She shrugs with a bit of as sly smile, before turning a more congenial one to the server once the whiskey is delivered. ]
He just can't say "no" to a challenge and was known for jumping into most things headfirst. I feel like you and he would have had some colorful conversations.
[ Cid could definitely handle Nero's snark, and she feels that Nero would have eventually gravitated towards the kind of person Cid is. ]
How has it been adjusting? It feels like ages, and then you're suddenly back in Cadens.
[ Wheels? Himeka's mind is a complete mystery to him at times.
Cid tugs his gloves off so that he can stuff them in a pocket, looking over the assortment of goodies while she speaks. There might be a bit of a twinkle in his eye. Cid has never been particular about the taste of food -- having food at all is a privilege not easily forgotten -- but even the smell of Himeka's cooking reminds him of some of the best bits of their time together. Mixed as his feelings might be, it's difficult to regret those cheerful feasts and the good company they brought. ]
Colorful by your standards, even? Now that I'd have liked to see. [ He inclines his head. ] A good while is the best any of us can hope for, eh?
[ Before he can ask anything else about Nero, Himeka continues on. Cid sighs, reaching out to take a hand pie from the goodies arrayed in front of him. ]
Feels like I'd only just got my bearings in Cadens before I had the run of the whole place, and now everything's not quite like I expect it. Not just the places, either. [ He nods towards her. ] You've changed your scales. Is that a parting gift from the Singularity, or just a return to form?
That would be one thing she would relish in--that her desire to bring good food and good feelings to others can carry through, no matter the stage. Having divine powers certainly helped the distribution, but the cultivation and process had been very much the same. Cooking is a joyful labor of love and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Cid puts a positive spin on the loss of a man who was a bit more like a brother and Himeka smiles with a nod. ]
I'm grateful to have had him in my life for a time than never at all.
[ She takes one of the dessert pastries first--no need to wait on the best part of a meal--as she listens. ]
Ah, yes...that must have been a lot to take in. Arriving in this new world only to be thrust into another-- [ She pauses, looking at the scales on her arms. ] --oh, these? This is how I'm supposed to be.
[ She tilts her head from side to side to let her scales shimmer in the warm light of the tavern. ]
You don't seem to have Au Ra, from what Clive had shared, right?
[ Which is too bad...one of the differences between their worlds. But she'll take it as her duty to represent her people as best as possible. Which means she's going to give a very skewed portrayal. ]
[ Cid nods, understanding. He's lost his share of companions over the years, and thus far he can't say that it's gotten any easier, but he's been grateful for the time they had — he has to be, when it's all there is left.
He shrugs amicably and takes a bite of the pie. It has all been a lot to take in, but in an odd way the eventful arrival has been a boon as much as a hindrance. As odd as his new friendships might be, he hasn't had to do it all alone.
His gaze follows hers to the scales on her arms, iridescent in the warm light. ]
Mm, that's right — only humans for us. [ And orcs, he supposes, depending on who you ask, but that's a whole different can of wyrms. ] Might be for the best; the people of Valisthea aren't the most accepting lot when it comes to people who are a bit different... if you've met Clive, perhaps he's told you some of it.
As far as I can tell, the Singularity hasn't seen fit to gift me with any unusual changes so I'm back to business, right down to the last creaking bone... but I'll admit, I think I can appreciate this more, now that I remember what it's like to feel hungry. Greagor's mercy, I did miss your cooking.
[ He points at her, pie still in hand. ] But it won't get you off the hook. You still owe me a story or two. Dealer's choice — although I am curious about the scales, if you're inclined to tell me about what being Au Ra entails.
[ Only hyur? That does seem to be increasingly normal for most people, though that in and of itself feels strange. She supposes it shouldn't be much different than how she spent most of her childhood and early adulthood, but even then they had the Kojin and were well-aware there were others than Au Ra about.
At the mention of Clive, she nods. ]
Yes, he'd told me something of Valisthea. I should like to pay it a visit all the same once this is over.
[ Even if she'd stick out like a sore thumb. There are places to explore and more people to visit, which is exceedingly more important.
And equally important is complimenting her cooking. There are few things that she really prides herself on and this is one of them. (Magical abilities? Saving the world? Nay, it's the food.) Her smile widens and she gladly pushes a few more dishes towards him. ]
Then don't hold back! There's plenty of time to make up for and desserts to weave in between more savory dishes.
[ No one said that they had to stick to a traditional meal order.
With that, Himeka nurses her stein and takes a slow drink. A story about Au Ra? She is always happy to talk about her people. After a satisfied sigh from the mead, she begins. ]
Well...being an Au Ra can mean a lot of things depending on where you're from. I happen to be from Sui-no-Sato, or literally "Village of Water" in the common tongue. We live in a little town in a bubble at the bottom of the Ruby Sea.
[ She says as if that's totally normal. Which, to her it is. ]
My ancestors moved there a while ago to try and avoid entanglement in the wars of surface dwellers and...you can imagine how well that went.
[ Himeka shrugs. ]
It's not a particularly glamorous life--most of us are fishers or farmers or craftsman, if we have the right materials. We were devoted to the Kami and to the sea herself. I was going to work for the Ruby Princess... [ She trails off a bit. ] But if you've a love of seafood then you can do no better! My family are oyster farmers and I have the best oyster rice soup recipe I need to share with you someday...
[ It, inevitably, all comes back to food. ]
--But. [ What would be important. ] Oh! So, we trade with the Kojin who also have scaly skin but it's more all over and big shells on their backs. Our mount of choice are these large rays, though I also enjoy a good crab or whale if available. Sharks can be a little finicky, but once you've made friends with one you have a friend for life. What else--we have an otter who is a terrible cheat at cards!
[ Once this is over, as if it's just another detour on some great adventure... but from what he's heard of Himeka's adventures, he supposes that it is just that for her. He wouldn't expect a bit of hostility to dissuade her from making her way wherever she pleases. ]
If you do find yourself in our neck of the woods, just make your way to Martha's Rest and tell her your a friend of Cid's. She'll point you in the right direction.
[ It's not exactly easy to point people at the Hideaway itself, and doubly so now that Cid only has a rough idea of where it's moved to... But if anyone in Valisthea will look after a stranger in a strange world, it'll be Martha.
That is, assuming she doesn't try to persuade Himeka to stay with her instead. Cid shifts his drink out of the way as several different treats find their way to his side of the table. He really ought to remind Himeka that only one of them can eat their weight in food, but it's hard to refuse her with that look on her face. He chuckles, finishing off what he has in his hand before he reaches for another. There's some sort of sticky jelly inside; leave it to Himeka to remember his fondness for fruit. ]
Cheers, then. [ Said with the hand pie held aloft instead of his drink.
He nods at the first bit, knowing all too well what it's like to attempt to isolate one's community from the world, to protect it. ] That's the way of things, isn't it? Living apart from the world can only keep you out of its entanglements for so long.
[ A shadow of regret flickers across his face, there and gone.
He listens while he eats, regretting for a moment that he hasn't brought something to make a few notes. Bubbles under the sea and Ruby Princesses sound like the stuff of fairy tales; he's sure that Mid would enjoy the recounting, and doubly so knowing that it was real.
Well, likely real. Every new thing he learns about her world is stranger than the last. Himeka could tell him anything and he'd have no choice but to believe it. ]
I doubt I could do any of your recipes any justice — but it's a real shame you couldn't meet Kenneth. The man could make anything appetizing. I'm sure you'd have gotten on famously. [ Himeka speaks so quickly, with so much to sort through, it takes him a moment to remember his questions. ] Wait — I didn't catch that bit about the princess. Were you meant to cook for her or some such?
[ With Himeka's talent, it seems the most obvious answer.
He did catch the bit about the otter, but he's still processing All Of That. ]
Martha's Rest? It sounds lovely. It's not surprising you would have your own network of connections.
[ Do Cid's friends get some sort of VIP service? What she would hope for more than anything is a clear look into what the people and the land are like around "Martha's Rest". But she wouldn't mind a drink voucher for dropping his name.
Cid has all the aura of a well-traveled man, one who has seen his fair share of conflict. The darkening in his expression as he empathizes with her kinsman's plight isn't lost on her either. ]
It is. Is there a similar settlement on your star?
[ Mayhaps not at the bottom of the sea, but in general. The kind that would hole themselves away in the hopes that danger isn't inevitable. ]
Kenneth! I shall seek out Kenneth too. Are they someone else I could find at Martha's Rest?
[ If it's a fellow foodie, she will absolutely remember that name. Especially one from another star entirely! The dishes she could learn and taste from this clever chef--oh, her taste buds can't wait. She does a happy little toast to herself in celebration of her future meals as she nearly finishes off her stein in a few impressive gulps. Very ladylike. ]
A cook for the princess?
[ The thought is one that seems wondrous as Himeka lowers her cup, then shakes her head with a smile as she refocuses on Cid. ]
I would have barely passed as someone fitting to descale the fish at that time. No, I was going to serve as a kind of, um...advisor, I suppose. Technically a priestess, though I had no talent for prayer or ritual. That seems odd now, doesn't it?
[ Given what she's done in Solvunn. ]
I've been able to hear the voices of nature since I was young. We thought they were the Kami at the time, but I've come to realize they were Elementals. So not quite gods or spirits but also not too far off? They had no real interest in us down on the sea floor, but in a bit of playing with them as a child, I could glean when currents would shift, when storms come and whatnot. All because they joked about it! [ She shrugs somewhat helplessly. ] They believed it prophecy when it was really just a teenager who wanted to swim where she wasn't supposed to, happening upon forces she didn't understand or know better to fear. I thought they were my special friends.
[ She waves her hand as if dismissing the notion. ]
But what of you? Even though it was ages we spent in that time, everything I know of your home is really from Clive. What is it like being Cid from Valisthea?
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No, I think I'm happy with my arrangement of 2 legs and no wheels.
[ Don't ask.
She flips up the cloth to her basket and starts to unload a few fresh treats onto the table--some tarts and hand pies, given how easy they are to travel with. Himeka doesn't have the magical resources and huge kitchen of her old domain at her disposal, but Cid will find her techniques are much the same. Rustic Solvunn-style. ]
A friend, but not from home. He was with us in Solvunn for a good while. As for why he jumped...
[ She shrugs with a bit of as sly smile, before turning a more congenial one to the server once the whiskey is delivered. ]
He just can't say "no" to a challenge and was known for jumping into most things headfirst. I feel like you and he would have had some colorful conversations.
[ Cid could definitely handle Nero's snark, and she feels that Nero would have eventually gravitated towards the kind of person Cid is. ]
How has it been adjusting? It feels like ages, and then you're suddenly back in Cadens.
no subject
Cid tugs his gloves off so that he can stuff them in a pocket, looking over the assortment of goodies while she speaks. There might be a bit of a twinkle in his eye. Cid has never been particular about the taste of food -- having food at all is a privilege not easily forgotten -- but even the smell of Himeka's cooking reminds him of some of the best bits of their time together. Mixed as his feelings might be, it's difficult to regret those cheerful feasts and the good company they brought. ]
Colorful by your standards, even? Now that I'd have liked to see. [ He inclines his head. ] A good while is the best any of us can hope for, eh?
[ Before he can ask anything else about Nero, Himeka continues on. Cid sighs, reaching out to take a hand pie from the goodies arrayed in front of him. ]
Feels like I'd only just got my bearings in Cadens before I had the run of the whole place, and now everything's not quite like I expect it. Not just the places, either. [ He nods towards her. ] You've changed your scales. Is that a parting gift from the Singularity, or just a return to form?
no subject
That would be one thing she would relish in--that her desire to bring good food and good feelings to others can carry through, no matter the stage. Having divine powers certainly helped the distribution, but the cultivation and process had been very much the same. Cooking is a joyful labor of love and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Cid puts a positive spin on the loss of a man who was a bit more like a brother and Himeka smiles with a nod. ]
I'm grateful to have had him in my life for a time than never at all.
[ She takes one of the dessert pastries first--no need to wait on the best part of a meal--as she listens. ]
Ah, yes...that must have been a lot to take in. Arriving in this new world only to be thrust into another-- [ She pauses, looking at the scales on her arms. ] --oh, these? This is how I'm supposed to be.
[ She tilts her head from side to side to let her scales shimmer in the warm light of the tavern. ]
You don't seem to have Au Ra, from what Clive had shared, right?
[ Which is too bad...one of the differences between their worlds. But she'll take it as her duty to represent her people as best as possible. Which means she's going to give a very skewed portrayal. ]
And you, are you wholly yourself again?
no subject
He shrugs amicably and takes a bite of the pie. It has all been a lot to take in, but in an odd way the eventful arrival has been a boon as much as a hindrance. As odd as his new friendships might be, he hasn't had to do it all alone.
His gaze follows hers to the scales on her arms, iridescent in the warm light. ]
Mm, that's right — only humans for us. [ And orcs, he supposes, depending on who you ask, but that's a whole different can of wyrms. ] Might be for the best; the people of Valisthea aren't the most accepting lot when it comes to people who are a bit different... if you've met Clive, perhaps he's told you some of it.
As far as I can tell, the Singularity hasn't seen fit to gift me with any unusual changes so I'm back to business, right down to the last creaking bone... but I'll admit, I think I can appreciate this more, now that I remember what it's like to feel hungry. Greagor's mercy, I did miss your cooking.
[ He points at her, pie still in hand. ] But it won't get you off the hook. You still owe me a story or two. Dealer's choice — although I am curious about the scales, if you're inclined to tell me about what being Au Ra entails.
no subject
At the mention of Clive, she nods. ]
Yes, he'd told me something of Valisthea. I should like to pay it a visit all the same once this is over.
[ Even if she'd stick out like a sore thumb. There are places to explore and more people to visit, which is exceedingly more important.
And equally important is complimenting her cooking. There are few things that she really prides herself on and this is one of them. (Magical abilities? Saving the world? Nay, it's the food.) Her smile widens and she gladly pushes a few more dishes towards him. ]
Then don't hold back! There's plenty of time to make up for and desserts to weave in between more savory dishes.
[ No one said that they had to stick to a traditional meal order.
With that, Himeka nurses her stein and takes a slow drink. A story about Au Ra? She is always happy to talk about her people. After a satisfied sigh from the mead, she begins. ]
Well...being an Au Ra can mean a lot of things depending on where you're from. I happen to be from Sui-no-Sato, or literally "Village of Water" in the common tongue. We live in a little town in a bubble at the bottom of the Ruby Sea.
[ She says as if that's totally normal. Which, to her it is. ]
My ancestors moved there a while ago to try and avoid entanglement in the wars of surface dwellers and...you can imagine how well that went.
[ Himeka shrugs. ]
It's not a particularly glamorous life--most of us are fishers or farmers or craftsman, if we have the right materials. We were devoted to the Kami and to the sea herself. I was going to work for the Ruby Princess... [ She trails off a bit. ] But if you've a love of seafood then you can do no better! My family are oyster farmers and I have the best oyster rice soup recipe I need to share with you someday...
[ It, inevitably, all comes back to food. ]
--But. [ What would be important. ] Oh! So, we trade with the Kojin who also have scaly skin but it's more all over and big shells on their backs. Our mount of choice are these large rays, though I also enjoy a good crab or whale if available. Sharks can be a little finicky, but once you've made friends with one you have a friend for life. What else--we have an otter who is a terrible cheat at cards!
no subject
If you do find yourself in our neck of the woods, just make your way to Martha's Rest and tell her your a friend of Cid's. She'll point you in the right direction.
[ It's not exactly easy to point people at the Hideaway itself, and doubly so now that Cid only has a rough idea of where it's moved to... But if anyone in Valisthea will look after a stranger in a strange world, it'll be Martha.
That is, assuming she doesn't try to persuade Himeka to stay with her instead. Cid shifts his drink out of the way as several different treats find their way to his side of the table. He really ought to remind Himeka that only one of them can eat their weight in food, but it's hard to refuse her with that look on her face. He chuckles, finishing off what he has in his hand before he reaches for another. There's some sort of sticky jelly inside; leave it to Himeka to remember his fondness for fruit. ]
Cheers, then. [ Said with the hand pie held aloft instead of his drink.
He nods at the first bit, knowing all too well what it's like to attempt to isolate one's community from the world, to protect it. ] That's the way of things, isn't it? Living apart from the world can only keep you out of its entanglements for so long.
[ A shadow of regret flickers across his face, there and gone.
He listens while he eats, regretting for a moment that he hasn't brought something to make a few notes. Bubbles under the sea and Ruby Princesses sound like the stuff of fairy tales; he's sure that Mid would enjoy the recounting, and doubly so knowing that it was real.
Well, likely real. Every new thing he learns about her world is stranger than the last. Himeka could tell him anything and he'd have no choice but to believe it. ]
I doubt I could do any of your recipes any justice — but it's a real shame you couldn't meet Kenneth. The man could make anything appetizing. I'm sure you'd have gotten on famously. [ Himeka speaks so quickly, with so much to sort through, it takes him a moment to remember his questions. ] Wait — I didn't catch that bit about the princess. Were you meant to cook for her or some such?
[ With Himeka's talent, it seems the most obvious answer.
He did catch the bit about the otter, but he's still processing All Of That. ]
no subject
[ Do Cid's friends get some sort of VIP service? What she would hope for more than anything is a clear look into what the people and the land are like around "Martha's Rest". But she wouldn't mind a drink voucher for dropping his name.
Cid has all the aura of a well-traveled man, one who has seen his fair share of conflict. The darkening in his expression as he empathizes with her kinsman's plight isn't lost on her either. ]
It is. Is there a similar settlement on your star?
[ Mayhaps not at the bottom of the sea, but in general. The kind that would hole themselves away in the hopes that danger isn't inevitable. ]
Kenneth! I shall seek out Kenneth too. Are they someone else I could find at Martha's Rest?
[ If it's a fellow foodie, she will absolutely remember that name. Especially one from another star entirely! The dishes she could learn and taste from this clever chef--oh, her taste buds can't wait. She does a happy little toast to herself in celebration of her future meals as she nearly finishes off her stein in a few impressive gulps. Very ladylike. ]
A cook for the princess?
[ The thought is one that seems wondrous as Himeka lowers her cup, then shakes her head with a smile as she refocuses on Cid. ]
I would have barely passed as someone fitting to descale the fish at that time. No, I was going to serve as a kind of, um...advisor, I suppose. Technically a priestess, though I had no talent for prayer or ritual. That seems odd now, doesn't it?
[ Given what she's done in Solvunn. ]
I've been able to hear the voices of nature since I was young. We thought they were the Kami at the time, but I've come to realize they were Elementals. So not quite gods or spirits but also not too far off? They had no real interest in us down on the sea floor, but in a bit of playing with them as a child, I could glean when currents would shift, when storms come and whatnot. All because they joked about it! [ She shrugs somewhat helplessly. ] They believed it prophecy when it was really just a teenager who wanted to swim where she wasn't supposed to, happening upon forces she didn't understand or know better to fear. I thought they were my special friends.
[ She waves her hand as if dismissing the notion. ]
But what of you? Even though it was ages we spent in that time, everything I know of your home is really from Clive. What is it like being Cid from Valisthea?