Serah Farron. You should get to know her.


She was one of the first people I met when I came to town.

I liked her right away.

No you didn?t.

I did so, she smelled nice.

Please, you were still pretending to be a fur accessory at that point.

Are you going to tell the story, or am I going to tell the story?

You want to tell it?

I tell better stories. You know it, I know it. It was mid-February, and my fur was made for summer still, so of course when I saw how cuddly and warm her chest looked in that sweater I--

Okay. That?s enough of that. You hush, Fox. I?ll tell the story.

You can?t stop my love.

Shut it. It was February. When I left Ravenhold, it was the sweltering heat of late summer, and the February darkness of Rhy?Din had me hating everyone. I kept on a smile but although the Inn was familiar in layout, it was the little details that stood out. Jarring. Like the box that played music. That morning she was dancing to it when I came downstairs. The place was empty except for the two of--

Ahem.

The three of us. My conversations with the locals had been confined to the area of the bar, so that was where I positioned myself. She had a pot of coffee on already, had already drained a few cups. It was morning for Fox and I, but for the rest of the world it was early afternoon. Fox wasn?t the only one who was cold, I was likewise inappropriately attired for the season. The fabric of my dress was far too thin to provide proper insulation. My breeze kept the heat of the fire, but even that could only go so far. I was craving warmth. I?d only ever seen people preparing coffee, and I hadn?t yet gotten brazen enough to hunt for tea supplies.

She struck up a conversation with me, that pink hair of hers was distracting at the time. Another one of those jarring details, but that changed with a little time. Serah offered me a cup of coffee, I told her I hated it. She offered tea. In that moment I think I may have hallucinated that she was something angelic.

Not just any tea. Not a standard, boring black that had been drying since the dawn of time, but something with flavor. An oolong that smelled of strawberry and roses.

I don?t know how you can smell it when you drown it in honey.

I like honey. Anyway, she even went so far as to offer to bring me a few more bags of tea. It was a bright spot for the first time in a long time. Sure others had been kind, sympathetic even, but?

It was tea.

Yes, it was tea, thank you. Over the next few weeks we got to know each other over cups of tea and bits of conversation here and there. She was terribly thoughtful, even when she went so far as to give me a cell phone. Which I nearly destroyed on several occasions before I learned how to use it.

She likes me more.

That?s because she can?t hear you.

Charmed for Life, part 2

Serah listened closely to the information Shae gave. It was a lot to take in and at the same time was awe inspiring. She watched and listened. A nod here, a nod there. Showing she understood, of course. "Wow that..Amazing! Thank you so much Shae!" Though she was surprised Shae didn't try to sneak a demony charm on there.

She would have no reason to!

"It was the least I could do for the jewelry and the phone." Nodding and slumping to her side to curl around Fox.

As much as she teases about Kaleb? "Oh Shae you didn't have to get me anything because of that. Saying thank you and smiling was the best thing ever. And now if you need help or just want to talk you can communicate with your friends all the more easier." She flopped after Shae, hugging her and probably a little of fox in there. Poor guy.

Fox was dead asleep, to heck with the womenfolk. Shae wasn't privvy to all of Kaleb's situation so, as much as she teased, it would be out of place on something that was more for just Serah from her. "I had wanted to make you something else, earlier, with that mithril wire, but I couldn't find one of the components."

"Are you kidding? This is all sorts of awesome." She was playing with the charms. She was quite taken with the charm bracelet it seemed. "What kind of component?" Because she was nosy!

"Diamond dust. Bit expensive." Faint smile. "Especially in large quantities."

"Oh. Yeah.." She wasn't sure she'd be able to help with that number. She fiddled with the bracelet some more. "You have questions. Probably a lot of them. If you want to ask them now," her eyes turned up to Shae and she smiled, "Go for it."

Shae nodded, looked at her, and started asking questions. "What's going on with these visions, Serah?"

She rolled over a bit and sat up a little more so she could address Shae better. She didn't really remember how much she had told the woman so she'd start from the beginning. "I have what is called the eyes of Etro. It is a gift," she muttered something else, "of the goddess Etro. It dubs me as what is called a Seeress. Someone who is able to see visions. It is both a blessing a curse as with each vision a piece of my life is stripped from me. The stronger the vision, the more life is torn from me. I see," her lips pursed as she considered how to continue with this, "My visions are not restricted by timelines and differences in the past create a newer future. A change there causes a larger ripple in the future." Her eyes lowered. "So think of it as having memories ripped away and reformed countless times. A future seen. A past seen."

Shae was on her side still, but asking more questions. "How much have you lost? Who is messing with the past? Is this gift returnable? Is this what was wrong with you the past few days?"

Whoa! She knew Shae had questions but she didn't expect them to spill like that! "If I answer the first one you won't like the answer." She knew too well Shae wouldn't. Hell she hadn't even told her sister because she knew the panic it would cause. "I messed with the past. To help the people of my world." She shook her head slowly to the next questions, "No it isn't returnable and no not really. You can blame Mach for my mood the past few days."

"Tell me anyway." And now she sat up, hair mussed from her previous position. Looking like some fey owl that had been awoken in the day time.

"If I tell you you have to promise to keep it to yourself. I haven't told my sister yet."

There was a period of consideration. "I will."

She drew in her bottom lip. Technically she isn't suppose to talk about parts of this. "Chances are I won't see the end of this year."

Shae's eyes narrowed. "And you haven't told your family, why?"

"My sister just had twins, Shae, and she's had to deal with already." She paused for a moment, "Besides to a degree she already knows and we have been trying to find something to stop it from happening." She gestured to her eye that, unlike the aqua one, was brilliant swirls of purple, "This is a manifestation of one try."

"And what does that signify?" Hands in her lap, folded. Her calm perhaps at odds with the subject matter.

"The heart of chaos dwells within me. Or rather I was infused with it. The heart of Chaos is a manifestation of the goddess' heart. It was thought that if it was infused into me that it would give me immortality. That it would keep me from dying from the visions until something more permanent could be found." She chuckled and scratched her cheek. "Gothrak asked if I had my eyes removed if it would remove the Eyes of Etro."

"And is it? Helping to have it there? Or is it causing further problems?" A faint smile for Gothrak's suggestion.

"I don't know, Shae." Her brows furrowed. "I still feel my life stripping with each vision. They still leave me crippled and normally bleeding from my mouth or nose. And I won't lie it has been a little hard to grasp at myself being immortal." She felt like she had slipped mentally here and there due to it. It was a truly weird sensation.

"Listen. I don't normally mention this, because, well, it's extreme. have you considered reincarnation?" Quiet worry.

She was silent for a long moment. Mostly because the question had her wondering if Shae knew about her sister. "What do you mean exactly?"

"There are magics that can reincarnate a soul into a new body. And magics that can restore that person to their original form after reincarnation."

Her eyes drifted half closed as she thought about it. "But if something like that were to happen what would happen to the soul that was in the body? And wouldn't that put me in the same situation? Would I still have the eyes of Etros?"

"The new body is created. Not stolen. The magic is such that all ills and afflictions are repaired. At the least, if the eyes remain, you would be looking at a fresh body with a fresh lifespan. But I will not lie, this is dangerous magic. You would risk the loss of memory and abilities due to the new body. And, well, you would have to die first."

She gave a little look. "Kind of already on that path anyhow." She didn't chuckle. Would probably end up wrong.

"The spell needed to restore you to your physical form is very expensive. But less risky. It's basically a massive offering for change."

"I will bring it up to my sister." It was an idea but one she wasn't too keen on.

There is a second option to the first magic that doesn't wait for a natural death, but Shae would rather not explore it. "When you do, you really should tell her the truth. She's not a weak woman, Serah. Let her be there for you."

Her smile started to fade when Shae said that. "There has always been this sort of wall between us, Shae. Every time I reach out to her she places distance between us. Let her be there for me? She has to want to be there for me. When I first came to Rhydin you know what she did? She abandoned me. She told me that I was strong and I would be fine and she left me all alone." She glanced off to the side, "Hell she's the reason I started being in the A Capella." Slowly she shook her head and gave a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, Shae, I love my sister."

Shae absorbed this response. Letting her reply rattle around in her brain for what seemed like hours before it tumbled from her lips. "Has she asked?"

Her eyes studied Shae a little. "Asked about what exactly?"

"About how long. Has she asked recently?"

"No. She hasn't asked in a long time. Actually she's never asked how long. After the infusion I think she just accepted that I am just around. I am not even sure she wants to know." She started fidgeting with the bracelet. "To be honest we rarely talk. She spends more times doing other things. I go to visit and all but," she just kind of shrugged at the end.

Texts with Serah, 4/14

A recent incident at the Inn had resulted in the loss of Serah's phone. One Admiral Horam Jak'Char had taken exception to its existence when Serah treated him with a recording of his voice saying 'Sex Toys!' Serah got a new phone the next day and life moved on.

A week or two later, Serah fell out of contact. At last, she sent out word:

Text to Shae: I'm okay just been doing stuff at my new house. I'll talk to you tomorrow or really soon. Sorry for txting so late. hugs and more hugs!

Some minutes later

Text to Serah: Glad to hear from you, I was beginning to worry.

Text to Shae: sorry!
Text to Shae: I had to get a new phone
Text to Shae: the other one got destroyed

Text to Serah: Again? What happened this time?

Text to Shae: wasn't your bullheaded friend this time
Text to Shae: I made the joke!

Text to Serah: I haven't destroyed my phone yet, though I may have melted the case a little. I had to get a replacement.

Text to Shae: have you been playing with fire, Shae?

Text to Serah: Always, but in this case I just left it leaning too close to one of my candles.

Text to Shae: have you gotten use to using it?
Text to Shae: the phone i mean!

All her replies are slow in coming, but at least she is delivering replies.

Text to Serah: It's a challenge, but I seem to have at least mastered this text thing.

Text to Shae: you go girl!
Text to Shae: anything been going on with you?
Text to Shae: or would you rather talk about that until we met up?

Text to Serah: Several things have happened, yet I can never decide if anything is worth mentioning when someone asks that.

Text to Shae: well if you wanna that is cool if not that is cool too
Text to Shae: worth mentioning is totally up to you
Text to Shae: i am sounding weird. sorry!

Text to Serah: Nothing to apologize for. The day is dragging and I feel invisible in it while I wait for a message I sent to be delivered.

Text to Shae: you are not invisible
Text to Shae: you are too pretty and awesome to be invis
Text to Shae: don't you forget that

Text to Serah: That's kind of you to say, thank you. It's a strange feeling, to be sure.

Text to Shae: it is the truth
Text to Shae: if you are up to it tomorrow I will totally come to town just to tackle you and drive you nutty
Text to Shae: be the annoying little person that I am

Text to Serah: That might not be the best idea. I think if anything I should come to you. At least for now.

Text to Shae: sure we can do that too
Text to Shae: do you like to swim?
Text to Shae: cause my new place is right at the beach!

Text to Serah: That sounds lovely. Shall I bring something?

Text to Shae: your fabulous self and a swim suit
Text to Shae: i will have everything else ready
Text to Shae: any particular food or drink you want?

Text to Serah: Meat for Fox. I'm flexible. I'll bring some wine, perhaps.

Text to Shae: i have some of that beef jerky he likes
Text to Shae: well i will see you tomorrow. i'll leave you instructions in the morning on how to get here :-)

Text to Serah: I will look forward to it. Be safe, Serah.

Text to Shae: sleep good Shae

April Showers and the May Queen, part 2

Shae winced. "Hell..." She breathed the words quietly. "Look. You remember that storm?" Reluctant. A bit cagey. Not that she didn't trust Serah, but two months was an awfully short time and she really didn't want to earn the ire of the town. So she hesitated in her explanation. The reasons, she felt, were petty. She'd discuss them, but this was the true test.

Her legs crossed as she watched her friend. "Are your emotions tied to the weather?" She had a little guess work in that. "Yeah I remember the storm and you asking about it. I had a feeling it had something to do with you."
"Not...not exactly." Shae scrubs a hand across her face. "It's kind of the other way around. If I'm not paying attention. If I'm too worked up...sometimes the weather changes to reflect my moods. Generally, this isn't a good thing." Her eyes drift to her familiar, who meets her gaze. "Fox keeps me grounded. But he wasn't nearby that night. And Arts followed me outside and...well. She plucked the nerves that were already raw. I managed to get out of the city, but." It had been eating at her, the possibility that someone had gotten hurt. She trailed off into silence, watching Serah.

"That is what I meant. Your emotions ummmm-" How to put this. Her brows shot up. Got it! "Your emotions influence the weather. Whoa! So you were totally irked and you caused all that windy tornado-ish weather." Excuse her while she stared in awe at Shae. Seriously that was kind of really amazing to her. "Shae." Scooting over she reached out and tried to pat one of her hands. "It is okay. I mean nobody was hurt and it really isn't good to keep your emotions bottled." Seemed extra true for Shae there. "But at the same time you shouldn't feel bad for feeling them either. Okay so you caused some crazy weather to happen. You are still a person and you do have feelings. Both good and bad." She tried to smile to encourage her friend that it was okay. "I am sorry Arts plucked at your nerves. Not sure why she did that. Maybe she was just worried about you too?"

Awe was better than horror. It was a thin line, but it was on the side that was easier to handle. "I totally let some petty things get under my skin and I'm still mad at myself for it." She confirmed. "And yes, I caused the tornado. Thankfully that was all it was, frustration." The woman didn't pull away from the gesture, and offered a weak smile. "I'm not a pretty person when I'm angry, Serah. Or when I'm distraught. It's one thing to feel. It's another to get lost in it." She sighed quietly. "Arts wants something I can't give her. She was worried yes. I think she even meant well. But I could have seriously hurt her. I may have. I don't know. I haven't seen her since."

"So you give extra meaning to hell hath no fury?" She grinned playfully at her friend. "Well if you want to talk about any of those things hon. I've got a good ear and there isn't much outside to destroy." Unless you counted her little shack and the sea. Soft, soothing pats were made to Shae's hand. "It is okay. Seriously. You shouldn't be mad at yourself for feeling, Shae. I'm serious." She blinked and tilted her head. She was so tempted to ask what Art wanted. "If she meant well she may of knew already she could get hurt. Just because you can get hurt doesn't mean a person stops caring about a friend."

Serah was being playful, but Shae's expression shaded towards sadness. "You have no idea just how accurate that little quote is. The first time I...the worst time...it was because of a man. The first one I loved, who I thought loved me. He took everything from me and the result was...bad." Shae concludes this little tale in a tone that suggested she didn't really want to go into detail. The talk of Arts distracts her. She sighs again, crossing her legs. "Serah. Arts is attracted to me." She says flatly. "And due to past experiences, that will remain unrequited. Though she is persistent."

"Oh hon." she said it quietly and watched Shae for a bit. After a moment she blinked. "Are you even into women?" That was the question she went with first. Yep. "Shae. Don't be like me. Don't let a bad past experience rule your future. If you fall in love again, that isn't a bad thing. I am sorry you were hurt the first time. I know how that feels. I really, really do." Her shoulders deflated a bit. "But if you like someone you shouldn't let your fear steal that away. I'm- I'm just saying."

Shae felt so old just then, and when she smiled it was with the air of someone who was tired. "I have loved a woman before. My preference is for men, but love is love and I'm not so foolish as to discriminate based upon gender. I find women attractive as much as I find men so." The fact that Serah had to ask was proof that Shae didn't reach for such connections carelessly. "I have fallen in love several times in my life. I am not scared of it. It was just naivety about love that led to me losing control the first time. I am more careful now. I was...young."

"Then if you have feelings for Art you should explore it anddddd if you are concerned make sure to share those concerns with her. Tell you want to take it slow. No harm in that." She chewed her bottom lip and tried to think how many times she had been in love. Lowering her eyes she sighed quietly. "Back home I was engaged. The guy was rough, tough, and very hard headed. I mean he had his sweet points and I thought he really cared about me." She twisted at the cloth of her sweater. "When my sister disappeared he left to go find her. Two years later my sister returned but the guy hadn't. He had stopped searching for her and had settled down with some woman. He was married to another. Come to find out the only reason he was with me was because I looked like my sister. He wanted to be with her and when he couldn't find her-" she didn't finish the sentence. She couldn't. To say that she wasn't worth returning to? It hurt. Then again that happened again before. And even those loves disappeared on her.

"I don't have feelings for Artsblood, Serah. That's the thing. I couldn't even if I wanted to. And I don't want to. It's not her fault, it just is as it is." Shae slipped off the couch, leaving her usually formal exterior behind and settling onto the floor as just a woman. She folded her legs and tilted her head as she listened to the story. "I know why you are afraid of love now. Why you fear getting involved with someone when you think time is short for you. But I, for one, don't think all is hopeless on that front. And I think you should listen to your own advice. You might be surprised to learn that people are resilient enough and care enough to want what time with you they can have, no matter how short it may be. You are desired, by at least two men I know that have never looked at your sister with those eyes."

"I'm- I'm afraid for a number of reasons, Shae. What happened with Snow was just one of the heartbreaks I've had." Thinking about it now caused a look on her face like she just felt damn helpless. That was replaced, briefly, by confusion. "Two men?"

"Two." She confirms gently. But leaves it at that. "Serah. You may not think you have much time, but you have enough to take things slow with whomever you want. Relationships don't have timetables, but you are far too lovely to let yourself give up feeling. We all tumble through heartbreaks, one after the other. The difference between a life of heartbreak and a life with someone who completes us is whether or not we give up searching. It takes strength to open yourself up to the possibility of hurt. But your sister is married now. You saw to that. Don't you think you deserve to focus on your happiness? I think you know what red flags look like by now. Look for the white ones who just want to lay down at your feet for the pleasure of your company."

"I know you are going to say Kaleb." She had no clue who the second was and she also didn't believe Kaleb loved her. Maybe sweet on her, sure, but love? Her hands clenched in her lap when Shae said something. "It would be cruel of me to be with someone Shae. I don't know how long I have left and even if it is a short time I would just leave them with that pain. I-I can't do that to someone. But," her eyes tilted up and she smiled to Shae, "I am happy. I have friends, I have work, I have-" she flapped her arms around to indicate the very awesome new home, "Got my dream home! So I don't always focus on red flags." She looked to Shae. "And there are people, like you, that I am happy to have in my life and have got the pleasure to meet!"

"I'm not saying anyone but who you want to let into your life, Serah. And there is no greater cruelty than to deny yourself and someone else a chance at something beautiful, no matter how brief. You would leave them with a pain, Serah, but if you have ever truly loved someone you know that you would trade any pain in the world for a chance to have a home in someone else's heart. Nothing hurts more than distance and being shut out. The cruelest thing is denying the chance. Believe me. I would rather love and lose someone than to never have the chance to love at all."

She sighed quietly under her breath. She knew what Shae was saying and to a degree agreed. It just hurt to know that she could do that to someone. Leave them to wallow in that sorrow. Scratching her arm she watched Shae. "Who is the other?" Because she seriously couldn't think of another. Or she just wasn't able to connect the dots. Been a long day! "If that is true then you need to heed your own words too." She reached out and softly patted Shae's cheeks. Just enough to give some coloring there. "There is something I should tell you though I'll be honest. I don't have all the info."

The way Shae spoke about being shut out was with the echo of personal experience. She'd been on both sides, but more often was the one pushed into the cold, rejected. "Nevermind the other. He's not good enough as he is and he knows it." She reaches out and gives Serah's hand a squeeze. "I do heed my words. We accept the love we think we deserve. My trouble is I usually look for love that won't come. But nevermind about that. You have something you want to tell me and I'm listening."

April Showers and the May Queen, part 4

"Of course. You are two different entities." Serah was quiet for a moment before she turned to look at Shae. "Hey, Shae? If I can help you, you would tell me, right? I mean even if it is to vent at me.."

Shae leans back, supporting her weight on her hands. That first statement got her looking thoughtful. "We are and we aren't. It's complicated." She wasn't even sure if she could explain it to herself. At times they were distinct. At other times they were not. "I promise to try. I'm not used to this." A hand gestures to indicate Serah and then herself. "It's been just Fox and I for years."

"I know." She chewed on her bottom lip, "But I mean that is what friends are for right?" She pushed one of the boxes towards Shae and smiled. "And spoiling! Oh! And if you are hungry there is a lovely meal prepared by Garrett for us!"

Here, she smiles. "Would you like me to tell you how much of a fool I was being before I blew up? Would that make you feel better? You don't need to spoil me for me to stick around, you know. I'm happy just to be included."

"Shae that is totally up to you. I am not saying to tell me because I am nosey. If you want to talk about it it might be good for you. That is all." She shook her head and suddenly giggled. "Bah! I am not spoiling you because I want you to stick around! Think of this as a girls night. Besides I know these dresses will look positively beautiful on you! I did it because I wanted to cheer a friend up."

"Well I thank you. They are beautiful." She cast an eye towards the dresses. "I don't own many delicate things like that. It will be nice to wear them for this Beltane thing." She lets her head roll on her neck to stretch it. "I've been busy Serah. My curiosity has gotten me in trouble. It usually does. I started to become infatuated with someone, but that someone has somebody for themselves already. I found out recently and am adjusting. I'd say that's the second largest of my childish woes outside of struggling with the guilt of being here in the first place."

She blinked a few times. D'aww! Shae had a crush! On..an already taken dude. "Who is this someone?" Bounce bounce closer. Oh dear like girls gossiping at a slumber party. "Being here. Like in Rhydin?"

"I'm not telling that." She wrinkles her nose at Serah. "I'm letting it go and making myself move on." Nevermind that she'd probably give herself away still, just by her actions. Shae was a closed book at times, but other times her heart was on her sleeve for all to see. "Yes. Like being here instead of where I was."

"As you wish dear. Not like I was going to get all up on it. I was just curious." She took Shae's decision respectfully though a bit disappointedly. "O-Oh. Does," she bit her bottom lip, "Does that mean you may be leaving to go back home?"

"It took me a while to come to the decision. But no. I'm not looking for a way back. That's what I feel guilty about. But..." Shae looks aside. "I still have a hard time justifying it, other than saying I want to be selfish."

"I don't see why you have to be guilty. If you want to be here, and people want you here, then why not?" her hands settled against Fox. "You know some people find a way home and use ways to go back and forth. They live here but visit their homeworld."

Shae tilts her head back to look at the ceiling and then those fiery walls. "I have to feel guilty because I left people I knew in the middle of a hellish situation and I don't want to go back to it."

"Seems we have something in common then, Shae." She fluffed up some of Fox's fur. "When my sister took me from our homeworld it was dying. She took me but we left so many behind. Technically, from what Noah has said, I should of died." The time between the space. That was the only thing keeping her alive. So strange that delicate fiber. "Shae? How do you know you going back would even make a difference to those people or the situation?"

"It wasn't my choice to leave, either. But when I opened my eyes here I had lost half a year of time, or so it seemed." Fox was falling asleep thanks to all the attention. "I was..." She starts and then stops. Then starts again. "Before I left I was part of a group that was central to the resistance. I was a strategist, a good one. And it was the first fight I could believe in without hesitation. It was hell, though. Utter hell. I've been in fights before, but nothing like that." How to explain. She couldn't without sounding full of herself, so she didn't. "I don't know if it would make a difference, but I feel guilty all the same. And yet. I'm very afraid of what I would find and I don't wish to lead it here."

"This group you were apart of. Were they friends? Or just comrades?" She figured it was a good question to ask at this point while watching her friend. She could see Shae as a good strategic person. She was very level headed.

"A mix. Some I had known for a time. Others had attached over the course of the battle." Fingers rake through her hair in a distracted fashion, her eyes looking aside but not seeing anything in the room. "It was a strange feeling, to be a part of that."

"If it was me and I had known you found a place that you liked and wanted to live, I would want you to stay there and be happy. That is just me though. I am not sure how those friends of yours are." She smiled to Shae. Fox was gently pushed from her lap and onto the floor. "Come on lets eat." She paused after standing and sheepishly looked to Shae. "If you do decide to return please let me know. Don't just leave, okay?"

"If I ever get the urge, I promise to tell you. If I ever just leave you can know that it was through no desire of my own. Something will have happened to me. Which is what I suppose they are coming to terms with now." Shae stood as did Fox at the promise of food.

Oh she was sure that Fox was jumping at the thought of food and what she had garrett prepare for them was something nice and homey. A slowcooked roast with root veggies, rice for the rich brown gravy. Some type of sinfully good cake. They were going to feast! Nodding she gestured Shae to the kitchen before she'd head that way to prepare plates.

Shae would head to the kitchen as directed with Fox on her heels. "So I have two questions. Who is Garrett? Number one. And who is Noah? Number two." If she could help serve, she would, otherwise she'd keep herself out of the way or find somewhere to sit.

Serah wouldn't have none of that. Shae was her guest as far as she was concerned. "Noah is someone from my world. I'll be honest. I don't remember much about him. He was at the Academy when I went there to see Hope. And Garrett is the cook at the Sassy Owl." Fox's plate was a big thick chunk of the fall off the fork roast, drizzled in gravy. She'd place that on the ground in the kitchen just to where Shae couldn't see. Sneaky!

She'd known that. Serah had mentioned Garrett before. Without a face she was forgetful. She remembered people in expressions. Photo snaps. Serah was that first day making her tea. That's how she remembered her name. "So Hope is from your world too?" Well maybe the quack doctor did know what he was doing, then. Fox was looking at Serah like she was a goddess for the plate she served him. "Serah you're going to make him fat." Out of her sight but not out of Fox's.

Ooo! Caught! She looked to Shae innocently and brought Shae's healthy plate to the table for her. "Just make him work it off later." Poor Fox. "Yeah Hope is from my world too. He runs the Academy in the new world." She bit her lower lip as s he spoke of the new world.

"You know. I'm not exactly sure how it happens, but he always manages to work off what he eats. I think it's a part of who he is." There were some things even Shae didn't have an answer for where Fox was concerned. "The new world? This one or...another?"

"Another. Something like the rebirth of my homeworld. My sister asked me if I wanted to go there to stay." She looked over at Fox. He better not make her regret giving him that roast!

Fox was chowing down like a champ. "Would that solve your dilemma? Going there?"

She was silent for a moment. "I don't..know. She seems to think so."

"Clearly you don't want to go...or you wouldn't be here. So why are you still in town, Serah? Does something bother you with the prospect of living there?"

Her eyes drifted over to Shae as she nibbled on a slice of carrot. "I would die. Be reborn. I would likely not be able to return. I don't like that. I don't like that I would have to leave all my friends and the work I enjoy doing. It took me so long to settle down here and accept things here. If I went there I would be..." her eyes drifted down, "Alone. Again."

Her nod was understanding. After all, that's how she was now. She'd finally found a place in her world and then she was here. Starting over, trying not to make the same mistakes and making them anyway. She could understand not wanting to do it again. "I get the sense that there is a lot more to your situation on the...arcane side of things. I will do whatever I can to make it so you can stay, if that's what you wish."

"I just found my dream home. If I went there what would I have?" She shook her head and smiled to Shae. "I do want to stay here. I have grown accustom to it here and I think in a way have found home in Rhydin."

Shae starts in on the simple, but delicious meal of the roast. "I need to get this Garrett to teach me how to cook." A bit of a sudden switch of topic, but the food was good.

The rest of the evening was spent in the simple relaxation of a home cooked meal and the simple luxury of trying on dresses until Shae made her excuses to leave. She had business elsewhere, but the dinner had soothed her thoughts.

Accessory After the Fact, part 1
Serah's beach property, 5/18

Text to Serah: Where did you run off to?

Text to Shae: home
Text to Shae: you ok?

Text to Serah: Yeah. I came back down and the Inn was vacant. Would you like ice cream?

Text to Shae: i would love some ice cream right about now

Text to Serah: You put up wards yet like I told you to?
Text to Serah: I'll be there in five minutes. Tell Sven not to shoot me and stand clear of the porch. Also. Sven is nice, but you should get some wards.

Text to Shae: right now wards are the least of my concerns
Text to Shae: but i will keep it on my list of things to do
Text to Shae: he won't shoot. he knows who you are :-)

A few minutes later, as warned, Shae appeared on the porch with a flicker step that left the air around her smelling of ozone. Jeans, sandals bought by Serah, and a long sleeved shirt. She'd tamed her hair and ice cream was in the bag at her side. A knock to the door followed soon after.

She was slow to it but eventually the door was opened. By this time she had changed into a simple tie about dress but it was very clear as to why she had been wearing the hoodie earlier. She looked like hell had ran her over and forgot to leave its name. A sickly pallor to her normally sunkissed skin was a thing that was easily to note. Seeing Shae did cause a smile to form and she stepped to the side. "Hey you. I wasn't sure if we were meeting up for ice cream or you were bringing it or what."

Shae moved in, set her burden down and turned to stare at Serah with a critical eye. A long moment passed like this before the woman, who was absent her usual breeze, spoke simply. "You look like hell. What happened? Are you ill? Do I need to fetch a healer?"

"Gee! Love you too!" She chuckled closed the door. Turning she shook her head to Shae. "A healer would do nothing for me. I am a healer." She started for the kitchen to fetch some spoons and bowls. Hell they might not even need bowls. Just eat right out the cart. "You first?"

Shae found a chair and sat in it, not feeling particularly picky about the location that it occupied, provided that it was in proximity to the bag and within shouting distance of the kitchen. She had to raise her voice. "Me first what? I asked. What happened to you?"

She sighheeddd at Shae as she came over with the bowl and spoons. Big spoons. Not gianormous but big! She offered a bowl and spoon over. "I asked earlier if you were okay. You didn't look- well you looked rough." She said it quietly but she already saw where this was going. Slowly she slumped to sit on the floor. "This weekend I kind of had a very bad episode. A vision. Sven happened by on me passed out on the beach after who knows how long. I haven't been right since. I just feel-" Lots of words she could use here. "Bleh." Summed it up!

The spoon was taken first, then the bowl with a half-second of hesitation. It might not get used. Shae had a four pints of ice cream in the bag. While she didn't know who Ben or Jerry were, she would probably be willing to sleep with one or both of them at this point for their recipes. Serah was offered first pick of the flavor assortment as a reward for realizing the way the wind was blowing. "Have your visions done this to you before? Was there something different this time?"

Shae could have Ben and Serah could have Jerry! Since there were pints she didn't bother with her bowl but it was placed down on the table and she snagged up rocky road with a vengeance. She stopped from opening it but instead kind of stared at the top of it. "They vary and can range from just giving me a bad headache to knocking me out. This one was pretty violent. One of the worse I have ever had. I was in bed most of the weekend. From what Sven said I looked worse than I do now." Her nose wrinkled a bit. "So I guess I am doing better!"

"So it's not uncommon for you to look like someone trampled you roughshod on the beach after the more violent visions, is what you're saying?" Shae snagged one with cookie and brownie dough in the mix. "Have you had any complications with the removal of the Heart?" The lid was slowly wedged off and she poked at the contents with her spoon. "What do your visions tell you? Are they prophesy?"

She gave a tiny little chuckle. "I've never looked this bad or felt it." The efforts to even move was a chore all of its own. Slowly she shook her head when she spoke of the heart of chaos. "No it has nothing to do with that." Lowering her spoon she looked over to Shae when she asked that. "It is hard to explain. It isn't just a vision or a sight into the future. Not in most cases. My visions can be so simple as seeing something in the future happen. But at the same time things twisted and pulled and yanked from the timeline, changed by some presence, causes my visions to rip and change. Like time erasing memories and forcing new ones in. I see them all. New ones. Old ones. Ones being erased and replaced." It made her head hurt thinking about it. "Most of the time it is death. Death and the destruction of my homeworld." her head tilted as she looked to the ice cream. "Some of them are so bad that I can't even remember them. I am not sure if that is my own doing or if it is like a dream I can't grasp."

Slow spoonfuls made it to her mouth as she listened, watching Serah's face as she spoke. Several questions came to mind when the pink haired woman finally finished her tale. The most prominent was: "Do you remember this one? Was this one about your homeworld as well?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't remember this one. In fact I woke up like a whole day later barely even able to get out of bed. I actually made it out of bed but ended up face-to-floor in the hall. Sven found me and brought me back into bed. He said I looked like death warmed over and even panicked when he saw me on the floor. He thought I was dead." She shifted around uncomfortably and she finally opened her ice cream. "We've talked enough about me. I want to know what is up with you. We are always talking about my stuff. We should talk about yours. You deserve to be able to talk about things too."

A soft frown decorated her face as she listened to the description. The spoon jabbed at her ice cream a few more times. Rather than start in right away, she had something else on her mind. "One more question, field medic. Are you unable to accept magical forms of healing?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "To degrees I can but often times that kind of healing comes and goes from me. Like I am unable to absorb it." She blinked to Shae. "Why do you ask."

"Because you mentioned a healer would do you no good. And I was wondering what the reasoning behind that was." Another spoonful of ice cream past her lips, swallowed before she spoke again. "And it was an offer."

She dug around in her icecream looking for patches of chocolate to which she would devour with glee. "Thank you, Shae, but I don't think this is something that can be healed. Sven tried to share some of his strength and it just left me the moment he tried." She looked over to Shae and gave a small smile.

The woman simply nodded in acceptance. Serah, after all, would know her limits best. "Offer stands for the future, if needed." Before another spoon of ice cream filled her mouth.

"I know, Shae. I have told Claire too." She smiled a touch but it slowly seemed to dwindle down. "Shae. What are you avoiding telling me? You can talk to me you know and I promise that it won't leave here. I mean-" she sighed and slumped in her seat. "If you don't want to I get it. I just wish you would let me help you as much as you help me."

"Serah. I am, and I mean this, absolutely horrible at talking about myself. Direct questions give me a frame in which to speak. Vague ones just get me lost in my head. I am terrible, terrible at telling stories without a focus. So." She breaks off, wrinkling her nose. Sighs, and starts again. "I'm assuming you want to know about today. Last night, today. Yes?"

"There is something wrong and I don't know what. I can tell. You just seem so," So many things. She was concerned and Shae wasn't helping! She blinked slowly at Shae, attempting to remember last night. "No. What about last night?"

"I had a job last night." Said after pulling the spoon from her mouth. "Seem so what? I've been distracted and moody. Stressed at times. A few things got under my skin to dredge up old memories. Not last night, I mean. In general." Confusion was a risk in this conversation.

"Stressed out and upset and just distant. I've been worried about you but I wasn't sure if I should ask or wait for you to come to me if you trusted me enough to talk to you." She just kind of spilled that out and she inhaled some of the ice cream. Job. She still didn't know what Shae did. "What kind of job?"

"At the time the source of some of my stress happened you were, well, otherwise occupied. It didn't seem right to add to that. I'm...I mentioned I'm bad at talking about myself, didn't I?" Her spoon was jabbed into her half-eaten ice cream and the combined affair was set aside on another seat. "I have a part time job at the Academy library, my own freelance work, and then the contract job I took with Whafyle Corporation which is to dance when hired to do so."

"Otherwise occupied?" She didn't like feeling that she hadn't been there for Shae when she was needed and she fidgeted with her ice cream. "So you were dancing for someone? Wait like dancing dancing or um- you know. Er. Um." She didn't want to insult Shae!

"I'm not terribly forthcoming. I could have told you when you came back, but by then I had decided that repression was going to go well." Bemused smile. "Bellydance, Serah. I wear a costume. It doesn't come off." She didn't seem insulted. "I was dancing, yes. It was a last minute contract offer by someone who didn't read the fine print that says I set the rules of the performance and can leave if I wish. Things turned violent."

Her brows shot up. "Oh my gosh Shae that is so cool! I always wished I could belly dance. I can dance but that?" She was jealous! When she heard that she placed down the pint and spoon. "Someone tried to get fresh with you? Who was it? I'll kick his ass! Her ass? Their ass!" She didn't care. There was going to be ass kicking! "Are you okay?" She was scooting closer with each word. Soon she was going to be right next to Shae if she wasn't careful. "Shae. You don't need to repress stuff. You may not be good with talking about yourself but trying is better than bottling it up. I've been so worried about you. Even before I had to leave."

Shae held up one hand and then the other to placate Serah. "It's okay. It's... I'm fine." A small, reassuring smile. "I... handled it." Both hands drew back to rake through her hair. "I'm sorry to make you worry. It's not my intention, truly." Though she hadn't said many words, mustering them forth took time and effort. That close, Serah would notice that Shae's eyes were a lighter shade than normal, only just gold enough to still have color to them. Her pupils were constricted, as well.

She shook her head and without warning she gave Shae a hug. Hugs and ice cream. Made things better right? Well not really but the offer of comfort was there. "I know. Kind of like I don't want to make you worry but please Shae. If you ever need me, I don't care if I am on my deathbed, you can come to me. I wanna be here for you. I wanna be your friend and someone you feel you can trust." Okay that sounded weird and maybe clingy? Okay now she was worried.

Hugging Shae would be a first class ticket to a static shock at the moment. She opened her mouth to warn Serah but only got out half a syllable before the well intentioned gesture caught them both. The sudden contact causing points of charge to seek a new path to ground. Not terribly painful, but a sting that no doubt irritated bare skin. "Ah, sorry!"

Zzaap! She squealed and jumped back, aqua eyes wide. "Whoa! Okay! Okay! No hugs I get it!" She giggled and scooted a bit away. Opps. Okay there you go Shae. Your personal space back! "Talk about shocking." She teased Shae with a sheepish smile. There was plenty of skin that had been shocked but she kept that to herself. She'd reach for her ice cream again. "You have no reason to be sorry. I shouldn't of all been huggy on you without asking first."

"I'm so sorry. That was not intentional!" She promises with a faint grimace to her features. "I don't mind the hug, really. It's..." Shae gestured to her body as if that explained everything. Once again at a loss for how to phrase anything concerning to herself. "That can happen."

"Mmm." She shook her head at Shae and smiled. "Stop Shae. It is okay. Seriously! I always knew you had a shocking personalty." She was trying to get Shae to laugh. She wasn't upset by any means but did make notes to be careful in the future. "Really, Shae. I'm okay. Just really surprised me."

"I... am not myself today. Terribly restless." She picked up the ice cream. Put it down. Hands through her hair again, something that probably wasn't helping the static. Picked the ice cream up again for a large spoonful. The groaner of a joke earned Serah a look of implied facepalm when it registered.

Cute, innocent smile. She batted her dark lashes at Shae. See! Totally cute! "Tell me why you feel restless." She left it open for Shae to offer what she wanted to talk about and what she didn't. It was up to her.

Shae looked to the door, looked back, then down at her ice cream. "Leftover energy from the confrontation last night, perhaps." Said after a moment of thought. "No. That's what it is." She admits following another pause.

Accessory After the Fact, part 3

The restlessness was building now, one leg bouncing quietly in place. "It's what it represents. I had this under control. For years, Serah. Under control. I meet one of my kind for the first time and it all goes out the window because I'm distracted by some girlish desire to know them and the fear that went with it."

Her head tilted to the side and she stood slowly. "I don't see how getting to know one of your kind is considered girlish. I think it is only natural, to be honest. As well as the fear and nervousness. Is he cute?" she grinned a little to Shae. "Who is he?"

Shae sighed and scrubbed at her face with her hands. When she spoke it was muffled by them. "I've never met one that was living. I gave up looking when I couldn't find one before. Now there's one here. He has a family. I am unsure. It bothers me."

Okay so maybe teasing wasn't a good idea. "Why does it bother you?"

"Because." Lowering her hands to her lap with a flop. "It was my longest held desire. And here it is. And I don't know what to do with it. Many questions, many options. Each vying for prominence."

"Talk with him then. Talk with him like you would a person you just met and don't think about what he is. Get to know him and his. When you have questions ask him if he wouldn't mind answering some of them. Let him know you wish to know of your kind." She relaxed a bit on her heels. "I can't say I understand how it feels to find another of my race. I am just a plain, nothing special, human. But! That doesn't mean I don't understand the desire. It is something you've pined for. It is okay to get to know him as a person first though."

Serah was repeating several bits of advice she had collected from Fox's exasperated responses to her constant fretting. Perhaps it was the phrasing, or maybe it was the searing perspective of the sound of her own breathing, but Shae was nodding. "I'll... not bring it up yet. See if I even see him again."

"Does he know you are what you are?" That was a puzzle piece right there. "Bring it up when you are comfortable. I know you are a nervous sort of excited but gotta remember he is a person first." She plopped a bit. "Not going to share with me his name?"

"I don't know if he does." Soft sigh. "I don't know what I was expecting when we shook hands. Some recognition. Something. But no, that was foolish." Lips licked to wet them. "His name is John."

"John. Hmm." She smiled encouragingly to Shae. "What does he look like? And just because he didn't show it doesn't mean he knows. Maybe he knows and is hiding it."

"Fair height. Sandy hair. Smoke for eyes." That last part was such a curiosity. She trailed off into silence remembering them. Was he constantly in that one state? Was it something else. "He doesn't have the same markings." Reluctantly added. "We could be similar in name only.?

She blinked a few times. "John? As in like Jon squared John? Constance's-" oh wait Shae may not know. "Oh well. Wow! Well John is a nice guy. When him and Jon are together it is fun to watch. I don't know a lot about him personally I never asked. Hung out a few times cause I know plenty of his family." she scratched her cheek sheepishly. Okay so she had, one time, had a crush on one of the family members. That had long since died off.

Interest caught. "Is Constance the name of his mother?" And then. "Don't you dare say anything, promise me."

"No no no! Constance is a cousin of his I believe and don't worry I won't say anything. I think next time you see him, though, you should strike up a conversation. Get to know him." She would of nudged Shae but didn't want to get shocked again.

The shocks were a bit easier to control when she was aware of or initiating the contact. Serah had caught her off guard with that hug earlier. She felt bad for the shock, still. "If I ever catch him in public I will try to make the excuse to talk to him." Keyword, try. "Only if it's not uncomfortable." She could already envision the awkwardness.

"You don't need to make an excuse. Just say Hey! Remember me? I met you at the inn," she was guessing where they met, "How are you? - And go from there!" This coming from a girl who has a hard time talking with cute guys.

Shae's interest in the man wasn't in a flirtatious sense at the present time, which was sure to disappoint Serah. She was far too nervous about the implications to her tenuous control on her heritage to be thinking in those directions. "I'll try." She repeated.

Naw. John was cute but if he wasn't Shae's type he wasn't Shae's type. "Relax, Shae." she offered gently. "Is it a bad thing that he is one like you?"

"Yes and no." Slow inhale. Slow exhale. Leg still bouncing. "It took nearly half my life before I knew what I was. A third again spent searching, only to find no example. Only stories that seemed wildly inaccurate. I wanted desperately to know. There are things that I am perhaps lacking in for want of guidance. I am both deeply jealous of his family and deeply fearful of their rejection. To be turned away by them, for some fault of ignorance on my part...I don't know if I could bear it, Serah."

She reached out slowly but stopped before actually scooping up Shae's hands. "Shae. Listen. I know I can't say I know what it is you are going through but I want you to know something. To me? You aren't what you are but who you are. If they do, for whatever reason, reject you? They are going to miss out on getting to know you. And that, to me, is a sad thing. They are good people but don't go into this fearing that you will be rejected. That is like setting yourself up. Go in there with your head held high. What you are doesn't define your existence. Who you are does." She didn't care if she got shocked, her hands found Shae's and she curled her fingers to them. Shock away lady! Shock away!

The slow reaching out was enough for Shae to prepare herself before the actual closing of Serah's hand. It was much like touching the outside of a generator, feeling energy humming within. Peeking from the ends of her sleeves and along her neck, the markings in her skin seemed to shift in place, as if struggling to break free and ooze across her skin as animate things. "You are very kind to say so. I know these things, I do. I promise. It's just...Serah there's so much I don't know. And this could be a false lead again. After getting my hopes up over and over, I don't want another letdown. So yes, I'm going to take it slowly. Yes, I'm going to be careful. I don't need more enemies."

Shae was many shades of amazing to her. Really she was. She envied her in so many ways. "If it is a false lead it is a false lead. In it maybe you will make friends instead. If you are meant to know you will know. Time is one of those things you can't rush." She squeezed Shae's hands softly. "But he can't tell you who you are. That is for you and only you to decide."

"I've never been unsure about the who." Reassurance in the return of that squeeze. "Always the what. Knowing the what would be a great help, Serah. To perchance know how to prevent more incidents like the one at the Outback. It would make my life easier." She sounded so very tired in that moment. "And Fox's."

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah I getcha." She did. "If I can help you, please let me. I want to help if I can. I really do. I want to show you can trust me!"

"I already trust you." There the smile that had been missing for a while. "I wouldn't have said half as many things if I didn't." Shae owed Serah a bunch of questions. "Ask away. It's the least I can do to answer."

"Do you like staying in the inn?" Before Shae could answer Serah was up on her feet and darting to the door to grab her cellphone. On the way back she was flipping through the phone for something. "See a week ago, around, a building was given to me. It use to be a shop of a sort. Upstairs and downstairs. It can easily be made into a place. Or you can start your own shop making some of the neat things I've seen you make." Or rather seen the product of Shae's skilled hands.

Pardon a moment, Shae had a bit of whiplash from the implications of this information. "I...don't hate staying at the Inn. My work is not so well paying that I can afford to be frivolous yet. I had intended to save my money until I could acquire and maintain a more personal residence without strain to my purse." Slow blink over eyes still fully in the grips of that high. "Where did this building come from? Where is it? And are you looking to sell... rent... lease... what?"

She turned the phone to Shae. The building was modest and made of brick. "It is in the market. Not directly in the circle but close to it. It-" she glanced to the side then down. "It was left to me by a friend no longer around." She waited a moment, shook out the feeling, then turned her eyes to Shae.

Shae looked at Serah, looked to the phone, then looked back to Serah. "Do I know this friend? Is it Kaleb?"

When she mentioned Kaleb she paused. She was worried about the guy. Slowly she shook her head. "No. No you wouldn't of known her."

"Well, goodness. I certainly hadn't had plans to open up a store, but I suppose it is something that I could consider. I'm not sure what I would offer for sale. I know someone already selling herbal mixtures. Someone already selling magical supplies. The things I have made tend to be tailored in design to the person I make them for." Biting at her lower lip gently. "You didn't answer my other questions."

"You don't have to make a shop. You can just make a home." She shook her head and looked to the building. "I want to give it to you if you want it. I am not going to do anything with it and if you want it it is yours. I do think it needs some major dusting though just to warn you. It hasn't been walked in in about half a year if not a little longer."

"Market property like that tends to demand a store, though. The upkeep..." A soft frown etched onto her features. "That has to have been expensive."

"Doesn't really. I know a few buildings that are both a shop and a house and there is a house that is a shop- er well sort of." She wasn't sure how to explain the place. "And if you want a home and not a shop then so what? Nobody can tell you no! It will be yours." She shook her head. "I can help clean up and stuff too. And we can get some of your other friends to help too. Don't pretend you don't have like a million zillion of them!"

"I have a lot of people I know, Serah, it doesn't mean I count them all as friends." She stood up to take the remainder of the ice cream to Serah's kitchen and wedge them in her freezer box. "Are you really so well off that you can afford to just give something like that away? You had to save so hard for this place. Incidentally, why did you do that when you had the market property on hand?"

She started to follow but it was so damn comfy on the floor. So instead she just laid across the floor. "It was just recently brought to my attention that it had been left for me. James came by like less than two weeks ago to tell me." Shae had been right. She had struggled with buying this place. "Did I tell you what Mona did when it came to this place?"

"That she forgave a good portion of the cost as a kind gesture?" Replied as she came back into the room and began pacing to work off some of the energy. Serah would feel a shift in electromagnetic pressure on each pass. Were she not in conscious control, it might be a poor man's MRI. "Who is James again?"

"Yeah that! Still surprises the hell out of me. Anyways I have a lot of that saved up still. Since I don't exactly get paid loads I just save up where I can." She watched Shae pass by and each time she felt like a balloon was passing her hair. It was hard not to giggle. "James. Oh! He owns a bank here in town. I use to work for him as his assistant. Anywho! It had been passed to him via a lawyer and from there was given to me. But I don't really need a building. I mean what am I going to do with it? I got my dream house here!"

"And it's lovely." Shae's pacing didn't stop for the giggles if there were any. She was too amped, concentrating on details."The inheritance tax. Property taxes. Let me at least pay those if you won't take my money for the property?" Would she even be able to ward something in such a popular area? "I'm not sure Serah. It's very generous an offer. I'd be silly to turn it down."

Watching Shae was making her antsy! She'd sit up and play with her hair a bit. "Tell you what. How about you go take a look, see what you think, and take some time to think about it. You don't have to say yes or no now. If you don't want it I totally understand but I did wanna offer it to you first."

Shae tap tap tapped and paced. "Okay. What's the address? I need to go for a walk, might as well be productive."

She was back on her feet and looking for the pad and pen she kept by the phone. Scribbling down the address with a little (sadly done) drawing of how to get there from the Sassy Owl. The key was snagged from the bowl near the door and both were offered to Shae. She just smiled big.

Shae took the note, but held her palm open for the key to be dropped into. No need to rename Serah Farron to Benjamin Franklin today. "Fox will probably be by when I leave. I can feel him out there."

Yeah that would suck! She wouldn't make a good guy. The key was dropped into Shae's palm and she blinked. "Alright. I'll keep him out your hair for a while but if he comes back to you all fattened up that is- well yeah that will totally be my fault."

Smiling, the 'map' and key are pocketed. "I'll try to have this back to you soon. Thank you for the talk, Serah."

Shae was smiling. That was all the thanks she really needed. "I hope I helped if only a little. Thank you for trusting me. And the ice cream!" her hands clasped at the small of her back and she happily rocked on her heels.

Chinese Takeout, part 2

Once the pitcher was placed down she snagged a bowl and got Fox some fresh water, the bowl placed on the floor just before she called the beautiful critter over for pets. Sitting on the floor and nibbling on the eggroll she looked over to Shae. "Who?" She frowned slowly. Poor Shae had way too much on her plate it sounded like. She stopped herself from asking a million questions out of concern. It was so hard to do, however. Her eyes fluttered over to Mach but quickly turned back to Shae.

?It's a matter of willpower." If he wanted to quit, he would. If not, well, Shae didn't really care. It wasn't her business. She did seem amused at his plate tapping, though. "An interesting tactic, but hey. Whatever works." The tick caught, a small shrug in response, almost missed as a part of her natural movement. Fox, ever the glutton was happy to take the food from Mach despite the 'plate' that Shae was just setting down for him. And water from Serah too! Spoiled thing. "I..." Soft sigh. "Ah hells. It's not like it probably hasn't worked its way around some of the local gossip already, but please keep this discreet?"

Hey she made Shae and Mach tea before she got water for Fox. They were all spoiled! "Mach, cover your ears." She said it innocently while eating on her eggroll.

The man smirked at the mention of willpower, some sort of strange humor found in that but it was only for him it seemed as he munched on that lo mein. "Yes, interesting tactics is how you keep the body guessing, if it's always confused then you can totally sneak fast ones over it." A sage nod at that bonkers bit of logic. There was a look to Serah and then to Shae as they spoke, that request made from Serah garnering a soft smirk. "But maybe I'll hold off on willpower for a bit and enjoy a cancer stick yeah?" A wink offered to each women in turn as he set to wander off for the porch with the aim to effectively give them their privacy.

Serah's suggestion to Mach got another raise of her brow. "You don't trust him not to chatter?" Oddly, Mach's bonkers logic seemed to parse with Shae. "The trouble is when it gets wise. It tends to catch on all at once." Sage nod of her own. But then he was rising. "Alright." Shae took a moment to sit back down and open her dumplings. She knew his ears by now, so she didn't even bother waiting until he was out the door before she spoke again. "Antonia was dumped in front of the Inn a few days back by a car that sped off soon after. She was beaten pretty severely. Broken arm, blood on the brain, a lot of contusions." Here Shae stabbed an angry chopstick into one of those steamed bundles, spearing it to shove in her mouth where she chewed with a suppressed sort of anger. A chaser of tea. "She's still in a coma. She wouldn't be if... she made me promise not to-- to use what I can do to heal her."

Mach didn't exactly engender trust outside of the hunters corp and so it was essentially like water off a duck's back as he stepped out though there was a humored smirk at Shaes comment about the body catching on, another hidden joke known only to the man and likely a punchline best not shared as he stepped out. Of course Shae was right, he'd still hear... but now it was polite eavesdropping versus blatantly standing in the room! And since he was out on the porch and had just spoken of weak willpower it was a perfect time to indulge in one of those stolen cigarettes which were planted between his lips and lit with a snap, crackle, pop of zippo. A deeeeeep inhale would be exhausted with a sort of blissful sigh which probably brought to question just how true was his claim that it really would have been easy for him to quit!

"Oh my gawd I was joking!" she groaned after Mach. Geez! She blinked hearing Shae. "She might not take well to healing magics like Mach." She frowned and shifted, crawling her way across the floor until she could hug Shae. Which considering things meant likely hugging her leg. "She's a strong one, she'll come through all right. I don't think she's the type to just give up so you can't give up either. Be there for her, yeah? And if you, or she, needs anything, you let me know!" Mums the word and it would stay among them, no second thought there.

It wasn't as if Shae didn't trust the man to keep the matter private. She may think him foolhardy at times, but that was related to other, separate matters. Somewhere, beneath the protectiveness, her opinion of the man was probably kinder than he suspected. Such was part of the reason why she hadn't bothered to wait for him to leave the room. "No, that's not the issue." Grumbling quietly before the absurd image of Serah crawling around in what amounted to something close to a negligee where Shae came from shook her out of her dark thoughts long enough to stab another dumpling. "She's just being a stubborn idiot." Muttered sullenly as she gave a reassuring pat to Serah's hair. "And I know she's a fighter. If it came down to it, I'd break my word, but once she's better I'm going to give her such a talking to..." Trailing off as she stuffed the chopstick victim into her mouth.

Nope, all water off a ducks back... a duck that may or may not have been cooing happily at the cigarette it smoked! Anyway, it sounded like there may have been squishy feelings and emotions going on inside which Mach knew he was pretty bad at! A nomel of some of that food as he took a lean against the wall nursing that smoke for a bit. He might have smirked at how skewed the pink haired ones grasp of his condition was... but then that would have just been a tell that his stepping outside did little to actually deafen him. So instead he'd enjoy that little bit of heaven with more noodly heaven as those blues took a perimeter.

"Stubborn. Sounds like someone I know." She teased Shae. "It might be that she just needs to work it out on her own. Seriously just be there for you and let her know you are there. Maybe she isn't use to people being someone she can lean on. I don't know. I don't know her very well and quite frankly I don't think she likes me." Honest opinion mind you. The woman always seemed to be giving her a dirty look that made Serah just wanna keep to herself and shy to a corner.

"Who, me?" Blinking in honest surprise. Eventually, she conceded. "I suppose I can be stubborn when I wish." Fox just gave her a look over a muzzle full of Moo Shu Pork and kept chewing. "I know...I know. You're fairly on target for someone who doesn't know her well." And if anything, that was evidence to the fact that Antonia's charade of being a monster was a thin one. "Why is that? Something happen between you two?" Shae hadn't noticed any tension there, but then, Antonia projected an aura of 'screw off' to just about everyone. Shae's stubborn streak involved pointedly ignoring it.

The man gave a push of will to those wards he'd put up around the area that first night he'd tried to alley cat his way to the porch.. to shocking result! As he pushed the wards they reacted, feeding information to that glowing blue artificial eye until it started to throb. There was a frown at that, things still not quite right as he pulled himself away from the early warning net he'd set up. It was really the beginnings of a confusion web as which surrounded his place but Mach knew he didn't have the resources to swing that quite yet. He'd give that eye a minute to recover as he finished the cigarette before he pinched the smoldering butt out between his fingers, the remainder tucked into his pocket before he pushed back into the house, a smug and content expression pushed upon features. "Can quit any time." He said cocky and self assured as he wandered now directly to the food to fill up. Antonia? Mach assumed her to be like a big version of Sir Lemon with much nicer assets but about as twisted a personality. Angry seeming but a kitty at heart... probably. He certainly wasn't ever going to voice such an opinion to her face!

"Just the times I've tried to be nice to her and got an over all **** off expression or dismissal." She did know how to take a hint. After attempting so much to be nice to someone who obviously didn't want it- yeah it was better that she didn't even go there. Rolling up off the ground and to her feet she sighed and brushed the nighty down. "Listen I am not going to talk bad about your friend. Just don't think she likes me." Simply said. She poked around and stole some orange chicken and fried rice but seemed to be avoiding noodles like the plague.

"She doesn't like most people." Shae didn't seem terribly concerned. It was a fact that the woman tended to collect all manner of associations with mannerisms and social circles that could sometimes be at odds. It was simply that she didn't care to pay attention to those things. "It's not personal, I promise. It's...I guess it's a defense mechanism. Like humor." Slanting a look towards Mach as he returned. "Fight the good fight, dear." She offered in regards to the smoking before it was back to stuffing her face with an eggroll.

Like humor? Was that a jab at him? He'd snag a few eggrolls for that! As well as the lions share of the lo mein... and some cashew chicken... and some broccoli beef. Yeah, Mach didn't have a normal metabolism particularly not while healing! Nomming a bit he'd opt to feign ignorance. "Who whefe 'alfing a'fout?" Chew, chew, chew, swallow. "Who we talking about doesn't like most people? Sounds like Antonia." Stated simply as he took up that mug for a drink of tea.

She seemed to go awfully quiet when Shae said that. She just nibbled on a few things here and there while avoiding any sort of noodles. Noodles. Yuck!

Shae snorted softly at his pretense, and didn't seem inclined to help him maintain it. She just gave him a look over a bite of eggroll. Anyone who paid a little attention would have noticed his ability to insert himself into several conversations that most people couldn't overhear. Eventually, she relented. "Yes." Serah's quiet drew a frown and a quiet sigh. "What did I say?"

There was a note at how quiet Serah was, a meander behind her and he'd nudge her gently before reaching a hand to give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Sly like? Nope... in a group of three that didn't exist so he simply did such nonchalant. Remaining at Serah's side he'd slay the noodles with his mouth parts. "She's a peach... or likely to throw one at you but I get a distinct feeling she's just like that to keep folks away." Such a grave observation was made so mildly by an idiot with noodles hanging out of his mouth. "Well, just be there yeah? The idiots that keep people the furthest away usually are the ones that need them closest of all." A warm smile for Shae before he'd make it disappear around some eggrolls, a tick of blues down to the sleepy Serah with a milder expression. Yep... his sleep screwed the pooch on that one it seemed.

She smiled and shook her head to Shae. "Nothing. I think I am starting to get food sleepy." Chinese food = food coma. Plus it was likely because she didn't get much sleep the night before. Blame Scionius for that one.

Comparing Notes

A conversation with Claire and Shae regarding Serah's abductor Scionius and those involved in investigating him.

Status Changes, part 2

"I'm not getting into it with the person who's supposed to be recovering. It's sweet that you want to defend him. I'd rather not cause stress. So if I feel it's important enough I will take my issues with the lack of communication to those responsible." Shae spoke with a deliberate flatness.

She sighed and drew Shae in to hug her. "I am not defending him, Shae. If anything it is my fault that he didn't call. I was sleeping and he didn't want to leave the room in fear that I would wake up and hurt myself." She wasn't going to go into how many times she fell out of bed just trying to go to the bathroom or go get water. Seriously she felt helpless. "So I totally take blame. I know the first thing I did when I got home and had my cellphone was text you. I wanted to call but um-" she dipped her head down shamefully. "I am not even sure I sound the same and didn't want to freak you out."

"No it's not your fault at all." She did her best to keep the grit out of her teeth as she reassured Serah, but it was clear that Shae was still biting her tongue. "Don't take the blame for the choices made here when you were in such a state, please."

She sighed at Shae. "Shae stop holding your frustration like that. You are going to make yourself blow up." She squinted at her friend and since Shae wasn't going to open up about it she shook a finger at her friend. "I missed the hell outta you! So! I got a bunch of questions! First question though. Do I look weird? Sound weird?"

Leaning back against the counter, Shae folded her arms. "Maybe later. Mach said I could hit him. That'll be therapeutic. You should try it too. Build up some muscle tone." There was a glint in her eye, the venting of violence was tempting. Then came the questions. "Yes." Because Shae was nothing if not direct. "But allow me to explain. The differences aren't extreme, that's why they're weird. It's like walking into a room where someone has moved everything in inch to the left. Or in your case, a few inches down."

She instantly laughed at Shae's attempt to get her to smack on Mach. Build muscle tone. Good one! Seriously it was! "You are bad, Shae." She didn't say anything on Shae hitting Mach. She suspected something more of blowing him up. Zzzaaapppp! Listening to Shae she nodded but the moment she heard inches down she gibbered. "I can't believe I am shorter! It isn't fair!"

The accusation merely earned a soft grunt. "That was the first question." Shae reminded gently that Serah had expressed the existence of multiple inquiries. "What's the next one?"

"Well," She pulled herself up on the counter but looked like she might of had a little difficulty doing it. She almost fell off! She did make it up there though! "How are you? I mean I know you've been worried about me but I've been worried about you too."

Shae shrugged once before she summoned an answer she felt was acceptable. "Mostly concerned and frustrated, but things seem to be improving for the people I'm concerned for. Speaking of which, have you had any visions?"

She shook her head quickly. "No I haven't. We are all still not sure if I am fixed from having them though. I am waiting to see but I am hoping." She glanced down to her feet. "Does it still make me Serah if I don't have them?"

"Pfft." Shae waved a hand. "Of course it does. The Eyes weren't what made you Serah. They were a part of you, but so were your baby teeth." There a smile as if the flash of her own chompers would enforce the point. "I realize you may have done some good with them, but think of this as...the potential to evolve."

She wiggled her toes as she looked at her feet. They were hers but not. It was really weird. Her lips pursed a bit at something Shae said and eventually she would shake her head. "Evolve. I guess so. Has anything interesting been happening while I was out?" Shae was totally her outworld source!

Another round of quiet observation. "You could look any way you wished, or you could look the way you did before. Which would you choose? Total reinvention or a return to the familiar? Assume there are no limits."

"I don't know really. I mean I'm different now and I should accept that. I am still not even sure what that means. I haven't spoken to my sister about what happened. I guess I am just a little worried that I look so different people won't see me for me?" she turned her hand to rub at her temple. "I guess I am over thinking things. I would like to know why my eyes have no color."

"I have a theory about that. Perhaps something to do with the desire to remove the Eyes from you while reviving you." Fox exchanged a glance with Shae as she opened her mouth to speak again, effectively cutting her off with a look through the kitchen door. Shae sighed. "You don't look that different. Like I said, the changes aren't extreme."

"Do I am lucky I came back with eyes at all?" Was that her attempt at a joke? Maybe! She blinked when Shae sighed and her head tilted. "What is wrong?"

Small head shake to clear it. "Fox was just reminding me of something. Look. The point is they found a way to pull you back. That's all that's really important, hmm? People can change their hair and eye color. You can wear heels." Faint grin. "Or don't. Who cares? The people that know you won't be bothered."

She sighed and glanced to Fox. "From my understanding the choice was done because Claire was scared she would lose what was me. My body was dead and my soul was fading quickly." She frowned and turned her eyes to Shae. "You don't think that you were just cut out do you? And don't you dare lie to me, Shae."

"If they had a solution and time was a factor, that doesn't bother me so much. My method wasn't lengthy at all, but I still think it might be better to have used methods native to your people. Like I said already, the most important part was that they had a way to get you back. As side effects go, you may have gotten off lightly." Gentle shrug. "I don't fault your sister for making whatever decision she decided to make. She's your family. What I am frustrated with has a lot to do with the flow of information after the fact."

"You seem to be more informed than me. I didn't even know my sister was back." She huffed softly and crossed her legs, trying to look all prissy. It wasn't working. "Has Rhydin blown up yet?"

"If I am it's barely so, and it's almost as delayed." Which, in the end, was what she was taking issue with where Mach was concerned. "Why would RhyDin be blowing up, exactly?"

"Because Rhydin blows up all the time. Well at least the marketplace does. I am surprised it isn't like a danger zone or something." Crossing her ankles she eyed Shae. "So what has been going on? With you I mean."

For some reason, Shae was highly amused. "To my knowledge there have been no explosions yet. Be patient if you want fireworks, I'm sure some will happen eventually." Pause to consider. "Antonia woke up from her coma, so there's a bit of good news."

Her head dipped when she heard the news. "I am glad to hear. I know you've been very, very worried about her. How is she doing now that she is awake?" The woman still kind of made her antsy but she and Shae were like bosom buddies! "You have been able to see her?"

Worried felt like a constant state of being to Shae lately. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. "She's still intubated, and she's cranky about that. She's using a board and a marker to communicate until they think it's safe to take the tube out." One hand raised to scratch at her nose. "I've seen her, but not while she's awake. Not yet."

She tilted her head a bit to the side. "If you don't mind me asking why haven't you gone to visit her while she is awake? Or is it something like very very recent? I am sure she'd love to see you. Even if she's cranky." When wasn't she cranky?

"One visitor at a time." Boy was that familiar. "We bend the rules sometimes, but she's still not awake for very long and brother and lover have first dibs when she is." Seemed only right, to her. "I'll get to see her soon. Tomorrow night I'll be at the clinic again, so maybe she'll wake up for a while."

"Well when you go see her you should bring her like her favorite sweet once she has the tube out. Hospital food sucks." She nodded. First hand experience there. "She will be fine. I'm sure she will. She seems like the sort that is too stubborn to be in bed for long." She scooted a bit and tried to reach out to hug Shae.

"I plan on bringing her some ice cream. I'm told that the tube really irritates the throat." The second round of hugs were accepted with an easy loop of an arm around Serah's shoulders. "You on the other hand, I didn't know what to bring you, so I just bought a bunch of stuff. Speaking of, I suppose I should help you put some of this away."

Status Changes, part 4

Fox was putty in Serah?s hands at this point. "A ?trial run??" Echoed with disbelieving humor. "What does that even mean?"

"Well you know like they have the courtship thing where couples are supervised. Go on dates. See if they are compatible. Something like that." She saw that look Shae and she stuck her tongue out. "Oh shush you! I told him to forget about it and told him he was my boyfriend now so he just had to suck it up. Which is totally funny because he left to go home and wanted me to go so he could call me girlfriend in front of his family."

"Who was going to supervise you, Sven?" Her grin spread wider as she teased. "Wait he wanted you to meet his family already? That's..." Focus Shae, you're still angry with him. "... surprisingly cute. Speaking of telling the family, have you let Claire in on your love affair?"

"What? You want the job?" she teased over to Shae. "I can just see that now. Stop touching her hand. Zap! Stop looking at her like that. Kaboom!" She rose Fox a little as she did that! "Well he is going to see his sister for her white coat ceremony. He asked if I wanted to go so that would have to be introducing me." She lowered fox slowly. She wasn't sure if it was super cute. "I dunno and no. Well I mean she already kind of knows?"

"I wouldn't blow him up for looking. How heartless do you think I am?" Mock offense at the suggestion, followed by a sniff. Fox yawned despite being used to motion for emphasis. "What do you mean by 'kind of knows'?"

She giggled at Shae's attempt to look offended. "Well I had asked her the same questions I had you for her opinion. I asked you first though to be honest." She nibbled her bottom lip. "So she knows that there is something between us. She knows he has feelings for me. I mean he's done so much just to..be there for me. Of course he does right? No person would be that dumb for someone who is just a friend." And lets face it. Mach had shown a rare brand of idjit.

"He's been besotted with you for a good long while. At least, I think, since the day I met him." Conceded absently. "Feelings for you? Yes, I'd say so." Love was one of those forces that could inspire the most brilliant stupidity imaginable. Now it was Shae who was yawning softly. "If I thought he was going to fuck this up, I'd tell you so. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Better be careful, Shae. Mach might think you have a soft spot for him." She grinned a bit and watched her friend. "He has been trying to keep me at arm's length too. He believes there is no future with him. His words." She scratched at Fox a bit. "Are you starting to get sleepy Shae?"

"I was up at an absurd hour this morning having a chat with Cianan about Antonia. I'm alright." One hand waved to dismiss the concern. Fox was more than happy to lean into the scratching and otherwise monopolize the real estate of Serah's lap. For the woman's teasing, Shae only gave a soft grunt.

She nibbled on her bottom lip and slowly nodded. "If you want to crash on the couch that is no problem. Or the guest bed! It is all made up and full of fluffy pillows." Was she trying to woo Shae? Maybe a little out of worry. "Have you been taking care of yourself? I know you have been worried and all but-" she turned a bit more to Shae, "Taking care of yourself is important too."

"I promise I have been." In truth she'd been getting more sleep since last Serah saw her, but there were some brands of tired that sleep could fix. " I appreciate the offer, but I should probably make my way out. Let you get some rest, yourself. Would you mind if Fox stayed over? He's missed you. I promise he won't bite Mach."

"All I have been doing is resting. Well-" she cleared her throat and scratched her neck. "most of the time. Mach teased me because I was up at 3 the morning he left. Apparently he doesn't think I know I sleep half the day away on a norm." She giggled and looked down to Fox. She hummed as she eyed him as if she was giving this such a mighty big think over.

Look at that face. How could she say no to that face? Front paws flopped, ears back, eyes wide. Fluffy tail swaying hopefully while the canid softly whined. The very picture of begging. See, Serah has all the good treats now.

She spilled out a giggle at the look Fox was giving her. Seriously sometimes she thought he understood everything around him. "Oh my gosh he is totally hamming it up. Look at that face!" She squished Fox's cheeks. "Okay okay. BUT! On one condition, Shae." She looked over to her friend and smiled. "If you need something, anything, you let me know. No saying that I have too much on my plate."

"The only thing you can do for me right now is to stay put and heal up and not get into trouble where I don't find out for days and days. Other than that, once you're up and back to form I say we have some fun while the weather is nice, yeah? Might come by and make use of your beach. Have a fire. Go do things in town. Whatever." Fox understood more than most realized. For example, he was now making goofy faces up at Serah.

"Ooo shopping day! Yessss! We can end it with a bonfire and food and BBQ." She was going off of Shae's idea and some. Oh she had a lot of ideas in her head now and was grinning all stupid like. She'd blink and scratch her cheek. "Does um- Does Antonia like to do those type of things?"

"That sounds just fine to me." Easy smile as Serah's gears began turning. The mention of Antonia was a bit of a surprise. "Sometimes. We've gone shopping before. Usually ends in ice cream. She'll be at the clinic a while yet, I'll probably pick her up something if we go out."

"I think we should get her some things. Maybe something yummy to sneak to her when you can visit her. Nothing like booze. She will have to wait until she gets out for those." She was humming as she petted Fox. Yeah she was thinking hard now. "Totally can sneak in ice cream."

"I was thinking much along the same lines." The ice cream, that is. Shae pushed herself to her feet and stretched. "You know, you're a real sweetheart, Serah. Don't let anyone ever tell you different, you hear?"

"Pff." was her answer to that but she did blush a little. "You are too no matter what you say to me." She stuck out her tongue but quickly drew it in. "Oh! Heyyyy I got a nifty idea for when she gets out! I mean I know she probably doesn't like me none but I got an idea. It will be a surprise for you both though." She waggled her brows up to Shae.

The witch combed a hand through her hair with a smile at the childish flash of tongue. "Oh is that so? I get no details about it either?" Shae's eyes skipped to the window where she could just see the moon reflecting off the waves. "How interesting."

"It will be ice cream. That is all I am telling you. Well that and it will be my treat." She was up to no good and it showed. She just smiled one of those sunny smiles of hers.

No Waiver Necessary, Part 1
Evening at The Owl, 8/5

The address on her phone had looked familiar, and when Shae neared the building in question she learned why. Serah had summoned her to the Owl Saloon. She'd been here on a few occasions, either to see if Serah was working or to pick up food for the woman. The heat of the day hadn't entirely abated, so Shae was wearing the flowing purple beach dress that Serah had bought her, as well as some jewelry from an earlier example of the younger Farron's generosity. The bangle bracelets clattered gently as she pulled open the door and stepped inside.

The place was quiet and oddly empty save the pink-haired wonder and the elven cook Garrett who were talking over something. Things had been set up with a table all nicely prepped up with plates. Hell you'd think that she was waiting on Shae to take her out on a date! Not so much! When she heard the door open Serah looked over and smiled brightly. Poor Garrett was left to his own as she darted on over. "Hi Shae! You look be-e-e-e- utiful!"

It was a bit odd to see the Owl so empty, but after the brief look around Shae flashed a smile to the incoming Serah. "Hello, I have you to thank for that." Offering the now shorter femme a hug. "What's all this today?" Arching a brow at the prepared table and giving Garrett a nod of greeting.

"Ohhhh pfff! You are beautiful with or without my help!" She grinned and happily hugged Shae before dragging her over to the table. "Dinner and a surprise. Well I mean if you want the surprise first that is cool." She looked over to Garrett who was smiling and even offered a bow of head to Shae. When Serah looked over to him he raised a brow and started to the kitchen door.

Shae allowed herself to be dragged over without protest. "Dinner and a surprise?" Echoed with warmth and confusion. "I'm all for dinner, especially if Garrett is cooking, but what's the surprise all about? I'm willing to wait if you have some timing planned, but I'll admit that I'm curious." Gold eyes followed the retreating form of Garrett, then bounced back to Serah.

She grinned mighty wide at Shae and pulled out a seat for her. "I made something for you!" she chirped happily and she heard Garrett groan. She instantly blushed and shook her head. Oh shuddup old man! That was what her look said! Scowl! "So it is up to you. Surprise or dinner first. Oooo choices!"

The pulled out seat gave her a bit of a pause but she took it. "Have you been teaching Mach manners, out of curiosity?" Crossing her legs, Shae angled to loop one arm over the back of the chair. One brow rose at the mention of something made. Up went the other at Garrett's groaning. "Did you make food?" Eyes might have darted towards the door as if seeking escape.

She blinked a few times. "Teaching Mach manners? I don't think teaching him anything is possible." She grinned a bit and gave a few nods. "Sorta! I made ice cream!"

"Don't worry! It is edible." Garrett called out as he went into the kitchen most likely to fix up the plates of food.

Serah pouted when she heard Garrett. "That is just mean. I mean I know I can't cook but geez! Ice cream doesn't mean I have to cook!"

Chuckling. "Just the second time in a week someone's pulled out a chair for me, and since the other one was Mach I had to ask." Oh how her heart sank when she heard the words 'ice cream'. Garrett's insistence that it was edible earned a skeptical look towards the kitchen which she quickly hid. She may regret this entirely. She decided the risk of being put off her meal was more tolerable than the risk of losing a meal later so Shae put on a brave face. "Er...how about a little taste now and if it's great we can have it for dessert?"

"There is this place I found that I really want to take you and Antonia, when she is feeling better. They gave me the idea of trying to make ice cream." She scratched her neck and looked to the kitchen. "S-sure." Okay now Shae made her nervous! "Do you want the vanilla or do you want the vanilla with chunks of cherries and chocolate?" Cause apparently Serah was trying to get fancy smancy with the attempt! Also she made note to check Mach to make sure that he wasn't like..you know..missing body parts the next time she sees him.

The witch adopted a smile. "Cherries and chocolate." The added bits could only make it better, right? Shae was hoping to be pleasantly surprised that Serah may have found some manner of food preparation that wasn't deadly. If Garrett was lying to her, the elf would pay. "An ice cream place? I'm all for it." Mach was in one piece, or had been when she left him. The two had had a frank conversation and Shae was lenient.

She nodded and started to walk backward to the kitchen. "Um. How is your friend doing? She is getting better right?" She hadn't heard any news and normally no news is good news. Before she got to the kitchen door it was opened and two bowls were thrust at her, each complete with a spoon. Blinking she took them from the elf with a huff. "You are hoping she won't like it!" She knew it! Bottom lip pouted out she made her way back to the table and offered a bowl over. It looked like ice cream! And yes! It was ice cream! The vanilla would be more of a classic vanilla with swirls of cherry sauce and chunks of cherries and chocolate. She really tried to do her best it seemed and wouldn't be sitting until Shae had a bite. Talk about putting the witch on the spot.

"Awake, going through physical therapy, talking. Yeah she's on the mend. I suspect she'll be released any day now, truth be told. Eva will want her to stay home and rest but that'll be a battle. Cianan will have his work cut out for him making sure she doesn't go overboard with the return to freedom." Garrett was on the ball with those bowls. Mentally Shae was going through the hexes she knew, already planning her revenge. It didn't show on her face, for hands calmly reached out to accept the bowl Serah offered, and her fate. At least the colors seemed to be right for what Shae knew of ice cream. Had Serah come back with rainbow sherbet Shae would probably have made a hasty excuse. Put on the spot, she poked at the contents of the bowl before steeling herself to take a spoonful.

If it looked like rainbow sherbet there is a chance that it would of been moving and trying to jump out of the bowl for Shae. Which she's cooked food like that! "That is great to hear! When she feels up to it we will go do that ice cream thing. Umm.. Make sure she is okay with me being there. If not then I will just set something up for you and her." She waited ever so patiently. The ice cream was real creamy but maybe just a tad too sweet. Only just so. It was easily countered by the tart of the cherry sauce.

A tad too sweet for the normal person tended to be just right for Shae. The witch's sweet tooth appreciated the sugar rush and her tongue likewise enjoyed the addition of the cherry and chocolate to mellow it out. Expression kept carefully neutral broke into the sort of face one makes when expecting to be slapped but no one follows through. Pleasant surprise saw Shae spooning up more, because ice cream. "Wow Serah, you made this? This is really good!"

She smiled brightly when Shae didn't like..keel over. Sitting down in a seat opposite of the witch she nodded a bunch of times. "Yeah! Garrett has a old turnstyle ice cream maker and let me try it. My first batch came out really melty and sloshy." Hopefully Shae didn't ask how long it took to get it right or at least this right! "It takes a bit of time and arm work." she flexed her arms and giggled.

"I still say slapping around that boyfriend of yours would be better for building muscle tone, but I suppose making ice cream is just fine as a secondary option." Smiling as she continued to eat Serah's offering of frozen goodness. She didn't say it, but perhaps this new body of Serah's would somehow be better at cooking.

Maybe but she wasn't going to try cooking anytime soon. Besides she had Mach to cook for her! Nothing like a man that can cook. Naked..In an apron..singing.. Ahem. "What about the other activities I do with him?" She gave Shae an impish grin and she tilted her head. "It is still new to hear other people call him that." She chewed on her bottom lip. "Did he tell you that I talked to his brothers?"

"That's a cardiovascular workout and not something I want to be picturing while eating, please and thank you." Wrinkling her nose in Serah's direction. "Best get used to it, he seems keen on filling that role. What did you think of his family?"

"Oh Shae you dirty girl. I wasn't talking about sex." She snickered at her friend and she shook her head. "I don't think they like me. At least one of them doesn't. I think his people have something against Mages and I am just that." She toyed at her own ice cream. "The youngest seems to like me. He seems to really like my pink hair." Not to mention that the youth kind of seemed like he would be a woman in another life.

"I'm afraid I'm out of my depth where this aspect of relationships is concerned." Offering Serah a helpless smile. "Just keep being you, best advice I can give. They'll come around once they get to know you. At least, they will if they care enough about their brother being happy, I would think. If not, fuck 'em."

"I think they are worried about me hurting him or..well..killing him." She grumbled quietly, "like I almost had already." She shook her head and looked up to Shae. "It is going to be a challenge." Wait. Did Shae know? She nibbled her bottom lip. "Have you spoken to him recently?"

"Yes. And yes, I know about the disorder in greater detail now. That was the main topic of our conversation, as it happens." The bowl was empty, and so Shae set it aside on the table. "The circumstances that caused what happened before are no longer relevant. You know what's going on with him. You know not to use magic. They may not come around, but what's important is whether or not he's happy, right?"

"It kind of happened the other day. He seemed like he was zoned out and just.." she was kind of scared. She knew what was going to happen though. It was a bit comforting that Shae knew too. She nodded and smiled down at her slush bowl. "Yeah he's happy. I think he's happy. I caught him singing and playing his guitar the other day. He seems happy and I just hope he is." She blinked and shook her head. "Uhm. Anyways! What has been going on with you? I haven't left the house much because of some stuff and recouping and junks. Catch me up on the world and your doings!"

Shae listened quietly. "So he just goes blank. How long does it last?" Her tones were gentle, but not pitying. It was just another detail Shae was adding to her mental picture of the situation at this point. "I believe he's really trying to give you the better parts of himself. He said he's working on it, at any rate, the honesty. The humanity." The change in subject was one she followed easily. "Oh my. I've been all over the place it feels like. Had a few visitors to my work at the docks. Tried some new foods. Enjoyed some banter. Been dueling, too."