[Date: Tuesday, Fenrir 4th, 1360 AI] [We begin our story around the outskirts of Sanriem at midday, at the edge of a small forest that has sprung up under the protection of the Crystal. For god knows what reason, you're there or going there or something. I'm sure you guys have your reasons. The air is brisk, our potential hero's breaths visible as they exhale. A small path leads deeper into the forest, which is a generally safe place to travel even without a crystal.] [Aaaaand... mini start] * Leran is dressed in a light fall coat, certainly too light for the weather. He's standing around picking at some rocks, and looking like he's trying not to look cold. * Nikki comes walking out that way. "Leran! Leran, where are you?" She huffs, wrinkles her nose at the cold, and rubs her hands together. In contrast to him, she's *definitely* dressed for the winter - bundled up, even. Her golden hair is barely visable beneath the woolen hat she's wearing. "Leran!" Over here, Nikki. * Nikki blinks, then follows his voice, nearly tripping over a root on the way. "What are you doing out here?" * Leran grimaces. "Granddad said it was time to review rock types again, and what you can use for fortification. He also said heavy coats were for wimpy children." * Nikki sniffles. "Heavy coats are for people who are smart enough not to get colds, and I'll let your grandpa know that after I get on the caravan." * Leran kicks one. "Sedimentary. Sandstone. Worthless." He sighs, and tries hard to supress a shiver. "Yeah, well, make sure to wait. At least you can give him a piece of your mind then. I'm stuck listening to him cause he's family." * Nikki rubs at her nose. "Uh huh. Do you want me to go get something for you? He'll never have to know." No, thanks. I'll be okay. What are you doing out here? Looking for you. * Nikki sniffs. "Family's going on a fishing trip. I'm going nowhere near them. And there's nothing interesting going on." (This nigga... GONE FISHING!) (Gah, Tokyo Breakfast...) Well, there's nothing interesting going on over here, either. Grandpa's in a lather about me making it on to the caravan. I wonder if he'd die if I didn't make it., Aww. I was hoping you'd get attacked by badgers or something. (Suddenly, a dire badger attacks! Not really) (>_<) * Leran twitches. "I thought we'd agreed not to mention that." No, you agreed not to mention it! * Nikki pats Leran on the shoulder and smiles. "But it's fine. I won't mention it any more. Today. Probably." It was kind of implied you were in on that agreement, too. * Leran frowns a little. "I'm kind of antsy about the interviews too, to tell the truth." What's there to be antsy about? You're a shoe in! I don't know. I mean, what if I screw up? You know I'm no good at talking to people. What if I tell them about the badgers? Then your grandpa has to live with Squenix for the next twenty years? I'm not sure what that means, but I'm sure he'd hate it. * Mona makes noises in the forest distance. Someone might be able to even hear her! But maybe not. * Nikki grins. "Exactly!" She keeps going down the trail. "Really, Leran. You're worrying about nothing. You're as Clavat as a Clavat can possibly be, and they *love* Clavats on caravans. Especially big ones that know how to use a sword." * Leran kicks another rock. "Another .... huh?" What? * Leran looks up and around. "Who's there?" * Nikki looks at Leran curiously. * Nikki blinks, then looks around, too. * Leran looks around. "I heard something. Not quite animal..." * Mona makes more noises! Whoever it is, she's not being sneaky. She's also saying things in moogle. Things like "Kupo kupup-kup-kuupo-kup." There are responses, but they're quieter. * Leran blinks. "A Moogle? * Leran calls out, "Come on out, Moogle!" * Nikki perks, but she doesn't say anything yet. * A short moogle flies straight away and across the path, giggling and responding at something in the distance with a 'Kupo!' She looks pretty young, and is wearing a bangle with a small sphere of fire magicite in it. In the distance, a bit of fire lights up as she finishes the casting phrase. * Leran blinks. * Mona yells out in an angry voice "Ku-PO! Kup-kupo, Kupi." * The moogle giggles madly and flies away, all but ignoring the two clavats watching her. * Leran looks over at Nikki. * Nikki looks back at Leran, then shrugs. She turns to the other person screaming in moogle. (Gotta love it.) (Once Leran comes back, I can step out of the forest! >_<) * Mona doesn't come out into the clearing immediately! (Let's go. Whoever you are, come on out! Oh, please. Whoever it is probably... moogle-speak... well, maybe she's got her pompom in a bunch or something. * Mona then walks out into the clearing. She's a slightly cross-looking Lilty. Even moreso with a moogle pom-pom on her head. She's hastily donning warmer clothing over a slightly scorched looking robe. * The kup- err, moogle shouts across again mockingly. "Kupo ku-ku-kupopo kuuuuupooo!" * Nikki does a double-take, but only briefly. "See, she *did* get her pompom in a bunch!" ... once again, you are entirely correct. As usual. * Mona has a head of red hair, along with the orange/red Lilty leaves. Pale skin. Deep blue eyes. She has on some emerald earrings, a silver and garnet bracelet, and a gorgeous gold and lapis brooch on the robe. (Stupid kupo!) (Are you talking in Clavat or Common?) (Not sure. Leran, got a pref?) * Mona eyes you both, yelling after the moogle, "Kupo kupo kuuupooo, Kupi! Kupo ku." (Uh.... I dunno, prly Clavat, since I doubt he'd be talking in Selkie normally.) (Works!) (Common != Clavat) * Mona also has a ranseur sticking out from behind her. (We're Clavats. We can talk in Clavat if we want. ;P) (True. ^^) (:P) Kupo-po-pi! Kuuuuuupo!.. Ku? * Leran looks at Nikki again. "You don't speak Moogle, do you?" * Nikki shakes her head. "Not a word. Except 'kupo'." Helpful. * Mona finishes putting on the clothes, then rubs her forehead and looks up at the Clavats. "Kup-kupo kupo. Kupo kup kupo Kutep kupo." She then clears her throat and says, in Clavat, although she still seems unhappy. "Didn't mean to startle you two." * Leran says, intelligently, "Uh..." Kuuuuuuuu... Pooo Ku! * Nikki rubs at the back of her head, then shrugs. "What's going on?" * Mona adjusts what is basically a second robe over the scorched one, that she's wearing for warmth. "A little rough-housing, I guess you'd say. A little more scorched than what you might consider normal." She looks at Nikki a little more carefully. "Haven't I seen you around?" * Leran keeps looking at Nikki, a dumb look on his big face. Oh, probably. I'm around. I know I've seen you. You're Mona, right? * Mona bows slightly, the pom bouncing with the bow. "Yeah. And you two are?" A small smile crosses her face. * Nikki smiles, like pompoms on Lilty kids are perfectly normal. "Oh, I'm Nikki. Nice to meet you. Officially, I mean." She elbows Leran. "That's Leran." OW! Uh, hi. * Mona looks over at Leran, the small smile still there, then she turns to Nikki. "Sorry I don't recognize you... I've been a bit distracted the past few months." She shrugs, helplessly, and adjusts the outer robe again, so that her lapis brooch is showing. She then says, a little curiously, "Just strolling, avoiding someone, or something else?" * Nikki smiles cheerfully. "Avoiding a familial past-time I'd rather not go to." Studying. He's looking at rocks. * Leran kicks a rock. "Metamorphic. Stupid rocks." * Mona nods at Nikki, the smile getting wider, then blinks and says, in response to the rocks stuff, "How... fascinating. Really, I'm sure." You may not be sure if she's being sarcastic or not. * Leran scowls. (Possibly at the sarcasm. Possibly at the rock.) * Nikki nods. "Yup. He loves rocks." I do not. Good to... er, kick the things you love. My granddad's just insane. You always hurt the ones you love. * Leran pushes Nikki. Obviously not with his full strength. * Nikki stumbles a little, then turns and sticks her tongue out at Leran. (Aww, Leran just said he loves me! *^_^*) (You're such a cute couple.) * Mona chuckles to herself. "Yes, I can see." I don't love rocks. My granddad thinks I should be able to eat them, though. It's 'cause you don't get enough iron in your diet. I do so! Plenty of red meat. * Mona looks between the two of them. Then it seems to dawn on her that she has her pom-pom on, and hurridly takes it off, while they're talking, and stuffs it inside her robes. (Waiting for Kevin to answer a question...) (ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION.) `(NO) * Nikki looks at Mona. "So, you're the Massacaray kid, right? What are you doing out here?" * Mona gestures absently with her right arm, silver and garnet flashing as she does so. She says in a dry voice, "Practice practice practice." You too, huh? * Nikki nods. "Trying out for the caravan." * Mona nods at Leran, then nods at Nikki, a sudden frown on her face. She also absently rubs her chest. "That's the idea." * Nikki eyes Mona. "What?" What is it? * Leran looks at Nikkin, then Mona, then Nikki. Mmm? What's what? You're the one frowning. * Leran .... busies himself with a rock! Females, how crazy. * Mona shakes her head. "Bad habit when one thinks about things. Kutep never did like it." She pauses, and then says, at Leran, "Well, you don't look into geology. What's the studying for?" Hey, maybe I like rocks! But I don't. He hurts them enough. Im' studying for rocks which are good for fortifications. In case I ever have to build a castle. Or a dam. * Nikki snickers. Like that'll ever happen. * Mona says with a complete lack of sarcasm. "Well, you never know." * Leran scowls. "That's what granddad said. Before the badgers." ... what do badgers have to do with castles and dams? * Leran blinks. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." * Nikki keeps her mouth shut. I didn't think so. *beat* So you're not from a family of castle-and-dam builders. * Mona smiles slightly, a little teasingly. "So what's the studying for?" (It's a first!) (No. I've done it before!) Caravan, same as you. I just have, uh, a more general curriculum. * Mona says hsitantly, "Ah... ha." 'Cause you *know* that we'll have to build a dam on our way to get myrr. * Mona chuckles, then says, "I suppose I can't complain. Not exactly taking the Lilty traditional path myself." * Mona pulls the cold thing tight and mutters. "Wow, after the intense skin burns fade off, it really is chilly out here." * Nikki nodnods in agreement. "I hear you. Are you trying to turn into a moogle or something?" Enh, not so bad.... *supresses shiver* (Oooooh, dam to get a crystal...) * Mona shakes her head. "Kupi and I are old friends. And the old stories get better when you can read the pom-pom." Read the- oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense. * Nikki sneezes. So, what kinda stories were you telling? ... read the what? Nothing now. Now it's just helpful to talk with. * Mona smiles faintly. "Like the Clavat we've been using for the past few minutes." * Leran looks confused! * Nikki chimes in helpfully, "He's just clueless. You'll see a lot of it if we're all on the caravan." Hey! I'm only sometimes clueless! * Nikki looks innocently at Leran. "Sometimes?" * Leran scowls at her/ "Yeah!" * Mona stretches slightly, and says, a little disbelievingly, "How do you not know what a moogle's pom-pom is? It's their seccond biggest feature, after their very very soft fur." ... but how do you READ it? I've never seen it spell words/. And their adorable little wings! Make that third biggest feature. * Mona rubs her head. "They use their pom-poms like we use our shoulders and eyebrows and... uh... other stuff." * Leran raises his eyebrows. "Uh..... huh." * Mona says casually, "And tone of voice, too. You really lose a lot without it." It's body language, Leran. I've never noticed not having one. What, you think they get the entire point across by saying one word? Well, um. Yeah. Look, it's not been a part of my studies. <_< Granddad said Moogles are only good for delivering mail and, uh. Delivering mail. * Mona looks indignant! (*considers having Mogin show up. Whazzup bitches?) ... Wait, you have to know all about rocks, but you can't know what moogles do? Maybe he figured I'd learn it later. I have no idea what he's thinking most of the time. * Mona mutters something in kupos. Well... * Nikki sneezes again. "Look, can we go in? I shouldn't have to hide from my parents anymore; they're gone." I don't know. Don't see many moogles, anyhow. Mostly fighting wolves and stuff. Inside? * Leran looks shocked. "But it hasn't been three hours yet." * Mona says, "Where it's warmer? I could go for warmer. Much warmer." Somewhere my granddad won't see me. ... The library? ... we have a library? * Mona glances at Nikki. Oh, wait. The place with all the books. Yup. His grandpa'd never look in the library. Do you think I can sneak in hot cocoa? * Mona blinks, then chuckles. "I think we can arrange it. C'mon." Ooh, cocoa. ... that's a plant, somewhere. * Nikki pats Leran on the shoulder. "Yes," she says patiently, "That's a plant." * Leran sighs. I've been doing this too long. * Mona chuckles a little. "I think I know the feeling." * Mona walks library-ward! * Nikki tags along, stretching. "This makes me very glad I don't have family who's obsessed with getting me on the caravan." * Leran follows. What about your mom? * Mona chuckles to herself, a little weakly. * Nikki laughs. "Mom? She wants me to stay home and raise the chocobos, 'cause *she* can't do it." * Leran chuckles. "How's yours doing, by the way?" Really nicely. I think she'll be good breeding stock later. As long as you don't eat her. * Nikki looks horrified. "Eat Ioanna? No!" Well, I was hoping not. * Mona looks back a little at Leran, with a only slightly horrified look, then continues leading, saying curiously, "You keep chocobos then, Nikki?" * Nikki nods. "Yeah! We breed the best in town." She beams. "I'm pretty good with them." * Mona continues walking, and says. "Well, that's not quite enough for a caravaner, nowadays... but it's neat nontheless." (That's what YOU think.) She made it walk backwards while squawking an old hiking tune yesterdaty. ... uh, yeah. It was a good tune! * Mona starts to head through the town proper! "I'll take your word on it. Never was one for hiking." * Leran is trudging through the cold, in his very light coat. * Nikki is, too! In much heavier clothing. She also looks warmer, if sniffling. * Mona is trudging in her heavier light blue robe! She still looks a bit singed. [Trudge trudge trudge. There's the Village though! It's getting closer or closerer.] * Mona walks in a straight beeline for the library! Zoom. "So, what's your two's stories? Are you two just hanging out together to share the pain of preparing for the caravan?" * Nikki shrugs with a grin. "Leran's folks are old friends of mine and the other way around." * Leran laughs. "Old friends isn't the half of it." Oh, really? * Nikki giggles. "Yeah. Uh, his grandpa and mine were on a caravan together." So I guess you could say it's genetic. Or something. * Mona mms faintly. "Which Caravan?" Slight smile. "Since neither of you told me your last names, it'll be tough to guess." Yeah. God, you can't tell? I look just like him. * Mona looks back at Leran and says. "... and what makes you think I go around caring about what random caravaners look like? There's at least 60 or 70 in the town, maybe more, because of lilties and yukes. Too much work." * Nikki laughs. "Okay. I'm Nikki Diodorus and he," she jerks her thumb at Leran, "is a Hasgord. Who looks just like him." It's not like granddad hides under a rock. He makes you study them instead. Unless he's doing it to then jump up and throw said rock at me. (Leran's dad is awesome) (Err, grandad) * Mona looks at them for a second, then turns forward to keep from tripping. "... Really. Huh. 40 years, then." Yup. * Mona would look thoughtful, if you weren't just following her. Too bad! If I were to believe him, my making it onto the caravan is fate. My dad's pretty pissed about it, though. * Nikki rolls her eyes. "You mean liberal pulling of influential strings. It's like fate!" * Mona snickers. "Yeah, it is a lot like fate." [Town closing in. Range - 40, 30, 20...] (OMG I TARGET AND FIRE!) (Bracing for impact!) (I LEAP INTO ACTION! D:<) * Mona says in a dry voice, "Hey, look on the bright side. In ten years, he'll never bug you about it again. The end is in sight." * Leran shakes his head. "No. Then starts the nights at the pub, with him telling me how much harder they had it in his day, unless I'm buying, in which case he'll only politely snicker at my tales. If what he does to other caravaners is any indication." * Nikki kicks at one of the rocks Leran was supposed to be studying. It goes a halfway decent distance. * Mona shrugs, and says, "Well, then, just make sure you settle down somewhere else. I hear the Fields of Fum are pleasant." If filled with cows. Manure helps the plants grow. ( Cows? Watch for landmines. ) I'm thinking about it. [Town goal - Achieved. Next mission - Hot Cocoa. Begin] * Nikki heads to her house. Probably to ge hot cocoa! "So, we're gonna hole up in the library, right?" * Leran follows Nikki! For hot chocolate. (And deja vu.) (Yay deja vu!) (What time is it?) (Rock movement number 1. Ready? Go.) * Nikki headbobs. Not really. * Mona turns to follow Nikki. "Er, yes. That was the idea." [It's about midday. Should be lunch time soon, if not now.] Juuuust making sure we're all on the same page. Man, I'm getting hungry, Nikki. * Mona rubs one of her arms through her heavy robe and winces slightly. "Right." (*looks at ACengame pics* Haha we're such mooks!) You're always hungry, Leran. * Nikki blinks at Mona. "Are you okay?" Well, now I'm more hungry. * Mona looks at Nikki. "Just a little burnt." [Approaching Residence of Nikki's. ETA... sometime soon.] If you want, we can just stay at my place, and I can make us lunch or something. We should have some sort of cream for the burns- your friend cast Fire on you? Ooh... You think your mom could make some of those sandwiches, Nikki? Wait, what? Fire? * Nikki rubs at the back of her head. "She's kinda out. I can try." * Mona nods very simply, once. "Yes." Some friend. I did ask her to. * Nikki looks at Mona like she's crazy. Because she is! "Why?" .. Ditto. * Mona smiles faintly. "You, walking with someone who studies rocks in case he needs to build fortifications, just asked a lilty why she engaged in toughness training." Yeah, but it's fire! And you didn't bring cream to rub on it after! What the heck? * Mona shrugs. "I'll take care of it once we get to your house, if you're that worried." * Nikki gives Mona another 'you're crazy' look and shakes her head, then goes back to walking! If your mom is out, Nikki, what about your dad? He cooks some good food, that's not trail rations. He's fishing. Didn't I tell you this? I went into the woods to *avoid* fishing. Everyone else has gone fishing. Oh, right. I forgot, because I was hungryt. * Mona looks at Leran like he is extremely forgetful, then smiles a little when Nikki points it out. [House objective achieved. Continue?] * Nikki lets out a sigh and reaches up to thwap Leran across the back of the head. Then she opens the door to her house! Yay, house! It's warmer in there! (And there's no rocks!) [It is indeed warmer in there!] (But a saddening lack of books.) * Leran keeps walking, then frowns. "Oh. You hit me again, didn't you?" ... No, that was just an oversized pigeon. Ha ha. Don't mock me because I get rocks thrown at me. * Nikki blinks at Leran. "But it was an oversized pigeon." You'll want to check your hair for droppings. * Nikki scoots into the house. * Mona looks between the two and seems slightly amused. * Leran almost reaches a hand up, then scowls and ducks into the house after Nikki. * Nikki laughs. * Mona then gets her butt inside the house, and immediately loosens the heavy robe she put on hastily, once again revealing the slightly singed brown robe. "Mmm. Much better." She looks around for a place to put her heavy robe. * Nikki shuts the door after. There's a coatrack! That's where Nikki starts putting her outer layer of clothing. * Leran hangs up his thin!cloak. * Mona just has the heavy robe, which she so totally ditches, once again revealing her bracelet and brooch, and she sucks in a breath, muttering to herself, "Nnh. You'd think it would hurt less eventually." She looks around, and speaks up. "So... where do we go for cocoa, and apparently food?" The kitchen. Duh. * Leran heads that way, since he knows Nikki's haus. * Mona watches Leran walk, and says, "... yes. How foolish of me." * Nikki snickers, removing her show-covered boots. "Okay!" She rubs at her hair, seeing as she somehow got snow up there. "Leran's got food-on-the-brain. I'll find some cream for you?" (Thought there was no snow?) (there wasn't snow.) (I don't remember. Okay, so retcon the snow mentions. ;P) (No snowxxorz!) * Mona shakes her head. "No need, but thank you." She starts to make a few simple hand gestures and speaks some arcane-style gibberish. [A piece of magicite on Mona's person glows, and she feels much better as a faint greenish blueish light envelopes her for a second] * Nikki looks at Mona blankly for a time. Why didn't you do that earlier! * Mona shrugs, and then sighs. "I was talking. It hurt, but it wasn't that bad. After the first fifty times, you get real used to it." ... Yeah. Okay. Guess you don't need that cream after all. * Nikki blinks a couple times, then heads after Leran. Crazy. You're all crazy! * Mona smiles slightly, then brings up her right arm and looks at her bracelet, which has two materia slots in it, both of them filled. "Guess not." She flicks one of them with an annoyed look. * Leran is in the kitchen and has gotten a good head start on the cocoa making. Three mugs sit there already, steaming. He is also working on digging through the food stores. * Mona follows Nikki in. "I hate to sound like my mother, but if you're going for the caravan, you're really going to have to take a little fire now and then." Okay, but that doesn't mean I should do it when I don't have to. * Nikki sniffs the cocoa, grins, and works on helping Leran with the foodings. (Is there somewhere to sit? ^^) (... no. No chairs in this kitchen!) (Haha!) (It's been done before.) (There should be some sort of eating set up. ;P) ( I'd say eating is constitution-based. ^^ ) (I'd say you're all nuts.) (We'll say... it's a fairly roomy kitchen, and there's a wooden table and chairs off to one side. Which is good, 'cause Leran needs somewhere to put the cocoa.) * Mona watches Nikki and Leran for a second, then goes to take a seat. She looks down at her robe and rubs at a few of the singed spots. * Nikki hums to herself. * Leran actually whistles while he works. * Mona watches Nikki and Leran with a small smile. * Leran quickly makes his own damn sammiches! D:< And some for Nikki and Mona, too. Mmm, roast beast. * Nikki kicks Leran's MIVA FACE in the face. But not really. She's managed to set up the table for sandwiching! * Mona closes her eyes and picks at her bracelet materia again, idly. Eat up. Lunch is the most important middle meal of the day. * Nikki picks up her sandwich and has a bite. She chews, swallows, and comments, "That's breakfast." * Mona opens her eyes and looks up a bit at Leran. "No, he said middle meal, which makes the whole thing really... dumb." Does not. The next meal is always the most important. * Mona then takes a drink of cocoa, and a bite of sandwich. Granddad said we wouldn't understand that till the rations ran out. * Leran wolfs down food in between bites. We're not gonna let the rations run out! Unless you eat them all. Well, I think when it happened to them, a bear at them all. Then we just won't let any bears get them. * Nikki sips her cocoa. Sounds good. * Mona chews her lip, and mms. "What would you do on the caravan, Nikki?" She glances at Leran, then chuckles. "You've got to be a spellcaster of some sort." * Nikki mutters around her sandwich, then finishes her bite. "Yeah. Grandpa let me borrow some of his old magicite so I could learn how to become a caller." * Leran downs his cocoa in one go, burps, then leans back. "Yeah. She's definitely not built to fight things." He grins. * Mona 's eyes light up slightly. "A caller? Really? Have you called anything?" At least I'm smart enough to not go, "Hey! Monster! Over here! Uh? Oh, yeah. I've called Carbuncle a couple times." (Move that quote to after the Over here!) (Carby! So cute!) * Nikki grins. "He's really cute. And the feeling's like-" She blinks, then shrugs. "Well, anyway, it didn't last very long. Grandpa says that when I get in the field and get more practice, my summons will stay around longer." Actually, she's not bad at it, from what I understand. My granddad seemed kind of impressed. * Mona nods slightly and says, "That's the idea. Still. Carbuncle. Sounds nice." * Mona chews her food and swallows. "I've always wondered how he manages to resist disenchants and anti-magic." * Nikki laughs. "Maybe if I get really good at it, you can ask him." Yeah. Just the thing to while away the hours. Better than looking at rocks. * Mona smiles slightly. "I could ask him, at that." Hey! I don't look at rocks when I don't have to. Yeah, but it's still better than looking at rocks. * Mona chuckles. "You could always... not look at rocks." * Nikki munches her sanwich. Yum. :9 He'll know. Somehow he always knows. * Nikki snickers. * Mona shakes her head. "He can't be watching you." (Ugh. I think I need to crash soon.) I have no idea how he does it. (Alright. You guys want to wrap this up now then?) (Yeah. Mona can leave. ^_~) He just asks what Leran's been doing. (And Leran *gasp* tells the truth!) (That's fine. Then you'll have three mini logs! ;P Though you probly want Mecha to get this one to you.) (Nod. I can handle this one. That puts me in the lead!) (If you wouldn't mind Mecha? ^^) (Yeah.) (Well, if Nikki REALLY wants to follow Mona away, hey, that's her call.) (Nikki's in from the cold. She's happy where she is!) * Mona finishes up her sandwich. She must have hidden it under the robe. Or just eats fast. * Leran was already done. * Nikki is still eating! Freaks. * Mona sighs slightly, and looks between the both of you before taking a large sip of cocoa. She says, semi-hesitanntly, "Well... I think I'll leave you two cozy people alone, now." * Nikki eyes Mona. "Cozy?" * Leran shoots a glance at Mona, then Nikki, then Mona. * Mona smiles at Nikki, then Leran. "Cozy. Hot cocoa, cold day, no parents around." She then hides the smile she has on behind another long drink of cocoa. * Nikki rolls her eyes and has another bite of sandwich that she hasn't finished. Ha! Oh, tell me it wouldn't be cozy. It already *is* cozy. It's not cold in here. Then why the funny look at me when I said you were cozy? 'Cause you were reminding me of Ezen Dar. And I was wondering, if you're her, what's with the leaves? * Nikki grins. * Leran thinks. "Hey, yeah! We could stoke up the fire, sit in the living room..." * Mona chuckles. "Well, I'm definitely not a selkie. Not tall enough." And practice sharpening swords! * Nikki giggles. Thanks, Mona, that's a great idea. * Mona glances over at Leran, then shakes her head. "Glad to help." * Nikki has a gulp of cocoa and comments, "I don't think my parents want us sharpening swords inside the house, Leran." * Mona chews her upper lip for a second, then stands. "You're old friends. I'm sure they'd understand." What? Oh, are they worried about the rugs? We could pull back the rug. * Nikki looks at Leran. "Why do you want to practice sharpening swords, anyway? You already know how to sharpen a sword." Well, it's something to do inside. And I need to make sure, you know? They might ask at the interview. But you already know for sure! I do not. One of them could not like the way I do stuff! (I almost said "could not like the cut of my jib." Can we end this now? ;_;) (... Yeah.) * Mona looks between the two, and says, with a faint smile, sorta to herself, "I'll just show myself out, then." Then she speaks up. "Thanks for the cocoa and lunch, Nikki, Leran." Sure. * Nikki nods at Mona with a grin. "Any time." (Alright, last poses) * Leran starts clearing dishes. "See you later, Mona." * Mona shakes her head. "Yeah. Well, maybe you can visit me at the library, instead. I can show you the cozy... er... tables. And the journal guard." * Nikki laughs. "The journal guard?" (Er, wait. I'll respond to that.) * Mona nods. "Nice guys. Guard the journals. Locked and guarded." * Nikki thinks about that, then nods. "Yeah. I'd like that." * Mona nods. "Sure," then turns and shakes her head, murmuring, "Wouldn't want anyone messing with history, would we?" as she leaves. [And with that, there was much cocoa and library for all! Mini end.]