Cafeteria Gossip

Log Info

• Title: Cafeteria Gossip

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Aryia, Ravenstongue, Seyardu, Telamon

• Place: A14- Arcane Society's Dining Hall

• Summary: Ravenstongue and Telamon enter the Society dining hall for a meal that's easy on Ravenstongue's pockets on account of Pothy being a voracious eater. They spot Seyardu, who was invited to be a guest speaker at a lecture on divine magic, and invite her over to the table. Aryia scares a nearby student into handing over his homework that she needs for personal reasons, then joins the group at the table. The group talk about all manner of things from relationships, to poorly-made plushies, and Aryia's sudden scholarly interests.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A14: Arcane Society's Dining Hall *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The dining hall is, perhaps, just as unsettling and bizarre as any of the sanctums or laboratories elsewhere in the Arcanists' buildings. Powerful smells which cannot be unidentified, often as repellant as they are enticing, are thick in the air at all times. The bulk of the hall is taken up by row after row of long wooden tables, each surrounded by an assortment of chairs and stools built to accommodate arcanists of varying sizes. Tiny, glowing lights dance through the air above, providing magical illumination well into the night.

Exotically, often magically, crafted meals are dispensed at a serving line at the far end of the hall, served onto trays and platters by whatever unfortunate members of the Society have been assigned to duty on any particular day. The food itself ranges from merely weird to utterly outlandish, with the ingredients frequently obtained as by-products from the experiments of the Society's more creative members. Exotic extra-planar meats, cheeses, and plants, additional or obsolete spell components, and repurposed potions and oils all make their forays into the menu from time to time via the Society's creative chefwork. There is even a tray of grubs and worms, though one would hope that is meant for hungry familiars rather than the mages themselves. The crackle of magic and the hum of conversation is a constant here at any mealtime.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Dramatis Personae =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Aryia                4'8"     110 Lb     Shadow Elf        Female    
    A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her.
	
Ravenstongue         5'0"     99 Lb      Half-Elf          Female    
    Short half-elf girl with violet eyes and black hair.

Seyardu              5'6"     150 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    
    A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint.	

Telamon              5'6"     140 Lb     Half-Elf          Male      
    A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The worst nightmare of the Arcane Society dining hall has just walked through its doors.

More accurately, he rode in. Pothy sits politely on Ravenstongue's shoulder, inspecting the trays of food that the serving line of volunteers are dishing out at record speed with the aid of magic--who serves food in mundane ways when you can simply will your implements to scoop and serve?

Pothy doesn't care one bit about that, however. All he sees is food. "Snacks!" he says.

"Yes, Pothy, snacks," Ravenstongue says to him as she gets into line. Much to the befuddlement of the staff, she orders what amounts to a small smorgasbord and takes her tray with her, sitting down at one of the long wooden tables.

And thankfully, the animated implements aren't going to throw a tantrum like the books did in the library that one time. Telamon is right behind Raven, grinning at Pothy's endless hunger. He eyes the 'veal' suspiciously as he moves into the line, opting instead for the ankheg and vegetable stew, along with a couple rolls. Heading over to the table Raven sat down at, he slides in next to her, "It's a good thing students and visiting instructors eat for free here, or you'd have one heck of a tab to pay off."

How in the lower planes did Seyardu end up in this situation? The arcanist's society was doing a special presentation on divine magic, and they were looking for those capable of hosting such an event. And it turned out that Seyardu was both well spoken and capable enough to be approached for it. It had gone well, even if the cleric was not the best at explaining her magic, but it was possible. And now the silver sith-makar was taking a much needed break at the dining hall. In one hand they were carrying a small, light grey plush lizard person in cleric robes, and there other was occupied with getting a plate filled with various foods.

"Right?" Ravenstongue quips in response to Telamon with a smile. "I worry one day the Society will find out how much I've cost them and send me the bill. Hopefully by then, I will have bought a house proper with my mounds of adventuring money--although I have to say I've been pretty happy with what I've managed to make so far."

Pothy leaps off her shoulder to inspect the food, but he catches the glint of a very familiar sith-makar off in the distance. "Sssseyardu!" he says, surprisingly imitating Seyardu's brother rather well.

"Oh, you're right! That is Madame Seyardu!" Ravenstongue says with surprise, and she gives a big wave over to her.

"Then again," Telamon comments, seeing the bowl of grubs passing by, "perhaps they should pay the students to eat some of this stuff. Although I hear they're still trying to sell those pouches of 'mystery meat jerky' in the back of the commissary. My advice is not to buy those." He blinks when Pothy sings out, but Seyardu is pretty distinctive, and he raises a hand politely in greeting to her as well. "So it is. Wonder what she's doing here -- granted, she can go where she wills but I wouldn't expect the Society to be of much interest to her."

"Please, just Seyardu is fine. I have no desire or need for such honorifics. If you have any questions, I am still happy to answer how I can." She answers almost reflexively, before she hears the voice of her brother, which offers further confusion.

"Ah! Peace on your nest Ravenstongue, and Telamon, yes? Apologies, this one was just speaking with a few students." She explains. "Apparently they were setting up a small workshop on divine magic, and they needed more speakers. I was not expecting to play such a prominent role, however."

"What brings you two here? Aside from filling the stomach that will never be filled of Apotheosis, that is."

Aryia is here. Wait, here? Yep. She's got her foot up on one of the chairs, looming over a human student with her gaze narrowed and her collar popped. He says snippy at her, but she twitches a hand up, and he flinches before sighing and holding out a small book to her. She swipes it, shoots a finger gun towards him, and rolls her eyes before starting to leave.

Though, she spies people she knows, and alters course to intercept.

"Well, you've become pretty well-known! I'm not surprised that they're inviting you here to come to lecture," Ravenstongue says with a smile. "Come sit when you've got your food!"

Pothy has begun to dig into Ravenstongue's tray of delights, but then he sees... Her. He shivers, his white plumage puffing up to make him look bigger than he actually is. "Mean lady," he whimpers.

"Huh? Aryia's here too? And quit calling her mean, she just doesn't like it when you squawk in her ear! No manners," Ravenstongue says, looking over and catching sight of the mul'niessa. "Aryia! Come on over, we can get you a meal."

It's almost a reunion of sorts; Telamon hasn't seen Aryia in a while as well, and he of course rises to greet her and Seyardu as the two approach. "It's good to see both of you again, though," he responds with a smile. "I hope things have fared well. A workshop on divine magic? That'll be interesting; I might have to see if I can at least sit in on the discussions, just to whet my curiousity." Once the other two have been seated he resumes his spot, sampling his stew and offering Pothy a bit of his roll.

"It was a one off thing, but I am sure that there are numerous people here that took notes that you could share." Seyardu offers with a sigh. She was gathering a lot of roasted meats, and some fresh bread rolls as well, before joining them at the table. "I still did not expect it, and I was certainly not expecting them to be selling copies of myself made of fabric. And I certainly was not expecting people to be purchasing them." Seyardu sighs, gesturing to the plushie tucked under one arm.

"Things have been going well though, I would say."

Seyardu sees her friend, and gives her a wave, and a curious look. "Peace on your nest Aryia, what brings you here?"

It has been a minute since Telamon has seen the shadow elf pugilist. She looked more confident somehow, yet more calm. Like a weight unseen was removed from her shoulders.

She gives an up-nod in greeting as she stashes the book away into the many pockets on her verdant buckle jacket. The offer of a meal raises a brow, and she nods in agreement, supplemented by a thumbs up.

Taking a moment to get a meal for herself, her torch-bright gaze swings over a number of things.

Seyardu's explanation and the plush tucked under an arm.

Pothy's fear.

Telamon and Ravenstongue's closeness.

Her cheeks puff out as she bites her lip, supplemented by a 'pffft'.

"Someone owed me a favored. Failed to deliver. I ensured delivery," was her simple explanation with a hand before it becomes occupied getting fuel for the punching machine. <Handpseech>

"Huh," Ravenstongue says, which covers a multitude of things. Sey-plushies being made and sold by the populace of Alexandria, and Aryia bullying students to deliver goods promised to her. She looks thoughtful about these things for a moment before she says, "Well, it's given us all an opportunity for a meal, so how about we take it together?" She smiles up at Telamon briefly, as though to check in and make sure it was alright with him. (One can't imagine that 'date night' in the Arcanist Society's dining hall was exactly the purpose of their visit.)

Pothy looks apprehensive about Aryia joining the supper, but he keeps his head down and eats. That is something he knows how to do best even in the face of fear.

Telamon smiles back at Raven. "I have no objections, 'Lana." His hand rests on hers for a moment, as he offers politely, "Although I've yet to pick up any handspeech, Miss Aryia, so please forgive me for needing a translator. I am certainly wise enough to not offer you any impertinence." He gives Pothy an amused glance, but doesn't follow up.

"I do not know what you needed or how you ensured delivery." Seyardu sighs. "I just hope you were not too harsh about it."

The cleric does smile as she sits down. "Yes, a meal would be more enjoyable with familiar faces. I hope you are doing well yourselves. And if any translation is needed I can assist, or Ravenstongue can. Aryia was speaking of collecting a favor from someone who owed her one."

Aryia's meal ends up resembling somewhat similar to that of Seyardu's: lots of protein. She slides over to the table to join them, her eyeing the usually loud raven. She squints.

Then gives a nod. A destructive fist that shatters walls reaching out and patting Pothy twice on the head. He is spared. For now.

The mute shakes her head towards Telamon and waves the notion of rudeness off. A journal slips from her jacket, gets placed on the table, and a pen quickly scribbles down and shows:

"I'm used to it, don't worry."

... it also reads:

"HAH I FUCKING KNEW IT!"

Two arrows are pointed at the half-sils, and Aryia sips her drink with a smirk.

A hand gestures to Seyardu. "No one was harmed. Promise." <Handspeech>

Pothy takes the affection from Aryia with a knowing look, much like how one might receive a hug from a murderer who's threatened to bump you off, too. He resumes eating snacks, as though to busy himself. It's easier to distract yourself when you have something to do.

Ravenstongue flushes at Aryia's drawn arrows, and she squeezes Telamon's hand. "Yeah... Yeah, you turned out to be right eventually, Aryia," she says. She's not quite as crimson as she was last night at the Fernwood, but she's still a bit rosy in the cheeks without the aid of cider.

Telamon wonders, "What kind of person would owe you a favor, and more pointedly, would be foolish enough to resist paying up?" He shakes his head, waving off the question. "Never mind. Idle curiousity." He sees Aryia's note, and blinks a little, feeling slightly... caught off guard. "Er... well, I'm glad I didn't have to -hide- it or anything. Clearly I'm not very good at concealing these feelings." He looks rueful again, glancing to Raven. "We might as well walk around with signs around our necks, huh?"

"You would be surprised at the people who would not listen to Aryia." Seyardu shrugs. "They think they know better, and find themselves wrong on many occasions."

"I do not know what you speak of, though. You are holding hands, I used to do so with Aryia often. Or perhaps there is more to it that I do not see. It would not be the first time."

Aryia addresses Telamon's question with a light smirk, a shrug, and leaves it at that. Idle curiosity.

Such smile turns to a grin at the two of them. "Oh this is going to be rich," she signs to herself.

That cannot be good.

She looks over to Seyardu, her grin smoothing out into a sort of deadpan expression. "Seyardu. Consider your relationship with Sjach. Or me with Violet. That might give some insight." <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue flushes a little more at Aryia's gestures. She leans over to Telamon and whispers a translation into his ear. "I, umm.. Well, as Aryia's trying to imply, we're together. Romantically." She giggles a little, a nervous reaction. "I kind of realized how I felt after the ordeal with Grandfather... who helped."

Apparently Grandfather also moonlights as a matchmaker. Somehow this seems fitting for fae nobility.

Telamon looks amused at Raven. "I knew that. I just wondered if we might as well have hired some lads to go spread the word. Or put out a notice in the broadsheets. Thank the gods neither of us needed to be discreet because -clearly- I'm not good at it." He does, however, end his comment by pressing a brief kiss to Raven's cheek in return. "But. Yes. Well. I admit I don't know how these things are handled by the sith-makar, Seyardu. I won't presume to make guesses, either."

"Ah, I understand." Seyardu nods to Aryia before her attention is back to Ravenstongue. "You are seeing eachother, or sleeping together? That is good, I am happy for you both." Seyardu smiles. "They are and they aren't, Ravenstongue. Some form bonds with others, others do not, but it is not something looked down upon."

Aryia grins in self-made victory at seeing Ravenstongue turn a different shade, her taking the time to skewer some food onto the fork and chomp down on it as Seyardu shares more about makari culture and customs. Though, she sputters, fork clattering to her plate as she quickly signs, "Seyardu! I told you that means something else entirely!" The mute is almost practically choking on her food, her coughing to make sure she could breathe while breathily laughing. <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue is now crimson. "Seyardu! We haven't gotten there! Not yet," she says, her violet eyes now going right to the tray of Pothy's food like she'd prefer to be eaten by Pothy out of sheer embarrassment.

Pothy even laughs, finding this absolutely hilarious. He does stop abruptly as he casts his eye at Aryia, resuming his snacking. Just because he's her familiar doesn't mean he's incapable of laughing at Ravenstongue, and he took the opportunity.

"We just started being together a few weeks ago," Ravenstongue says. "We're just taking it slow so far."

Aryia is snickering like a madwoman at the shade the half-sil turns, but then the doors bust open to the dining hall.

"Yeah! That's her, right there!"

A group of students have entered the dining hall with magically enhanced clubs, robes loose and a sneer on them. One has a bandage on their nose. The leader points to Aryia.

It's the jocks.

Aryia sits upright, blinks at the sight, then quickly signs. "Have to go. See you around. You both look cute togther. And Seyardu I want one of those," she gestures quickly, shoving bread rolls into her pockets and nodding her head to the plushie. <Handspeech>

"Get her!"

"Seeyoulatergottogobye!" <Handspeech>

She sprints out of the room, dropping food along the way as the jocks chase after her, just barely able to keep up from spells that bestow alacrity.

Telamon opens his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. Reflexively his eyes go to Raven, then back to Seyardu. Aryia's abrupt exit at least serves as a distraction and something to latch onto as he watches her sprint out followed by what is probably not a group of fans. ".... Yes, we're... quite content to let this grow at a normal pace. While the man may call the dance, the lady sets the pace." He grabs his drink and knocks it back, trying NOT to let himself flush as well. "...and considering who 'Lana's grandfather is, I would be a fool indeed to try anything untoward."

"I thought I was using the word correctly." Seyardu sighs. "You and Violet are, and I have with Sjach several times."

The cleric blinks, and sighs. "Ah, the other meaning. Right."

Seyardu awkwardly waves Aryia off. "I am not vain enough to wish to keep a small version of myself. Perhaps Sjach would like it however, and I was given a few of them. You are welcome if you wish."

The silver makari picks at some of her food for a moment, taking a large leg of roasted bird to tear into.

Ravenstongue watches the scene unfold with Aryia and the men chasing her. To say that she's confused and blinking is an understatement. At least it tempers the blush on her face. "I wonder what that was about," she says. "Honestly, I feel really bad for those guys... They're never going to catch up to her. Like, never. And if they do, they're in for the worst night of their lives."

She looks back to Telamon and smiles, the flush beginning to creep back to its previous level. "I appreciate that a lot, I do," she says, squeezing Telamon's hand again. "Unlike you , I've never even been close to marrying anyone before." A little impish smile crosses her face. She knows exactly what story she's referencing.

Telamon tries to change the subject a bit. "Is that sort of... a thing? Those stuffed... representations? I mean I suppose I would find it flattering but it does seem an unusual way to salute someone." He rubs his chin, then winces a bit at Raven's sally. "Of course you'd remember that. All I have to say was that she was a nice enough girl -- well, IS, she's not dead -- and that I did take it as a compliment. You have to be understanding about that sort of thing if you ever find yourself practicing diplomacy."

"I could not tell you what it was about. I am sure they will be alright, Aryia would not be too harsh to them." Seyardu notes.

"These stuffed fabric things? I believe they are. I do not know if it is a salute or just for profit."

The cleric stops to look at the small plush, and sighs. "They could have made it properly though. You can tell by the proportions that this was based upon someone else, and they simply stuck my horns on the sides. The facial structure is not quite right, because they most likely used the same fabric patterns they did for the ones of Cryosanthia that I saw. Perhaps She would like one of those?"

Ravenstongue sticks her tongue out a little at Telamon. "I just think it's funny how charming you can be, Tel. It's not realistic to think that I'm the only one who's ever been drawn to you." She returns the kiss on the cheek that Telamon gave her earlier.

Her attention turns back to Seyardu... And the Sey-plush. She looks at it in a more scrutinizing fashion. "Huh, yeah, I can see what you mean," she says. "Maybe they were in a hurry to get something out on the market... Or maybe they've just never actually seen you before."

Telamon actually does blush a little, though not as deeply as Raven's prone to doing. "I have my moments," he says a bit self-depreciatingly. Patting Raven's hand, he turns his attention back to Seyardu as well. "Well, I mean, there's only so much detail you can put into a stuffed toy. A child's bear doesn't exactly look like a -real- one, after all; perhaps it's something along those lines? Simplified?"

"Perhaps they were. Maybe that would make them worth more? If this was a small amount, and they refine it with a more accurate version later." Seyardu chuckles. "They may have been working from descriptions, yes. The seller did come over with a measuring tape at one moment, which I thought was odd."

"No, this is, I have learned a small bit about tailoring from my friend Aryia, she is excellent at it, though perhaps not quite as amazing as lady Sandy. It likely was an older pattern, that was not adapted. And many can not differentiate easily among my kind."

"You do seem to be good together, yes." She notes, glancing between the two. "I am glad you both seem to be happy."

GAME: Aryia rolls stealth: (4)+21: 25

The jocks are gone. They haven't been back in some time.

The more perceptive folk would just barely catch a breeze by their legs.Followed by a grey hand that pops up from under the table, feels around for a moment at the chair, then a scarred mul'neissa pops out from underneath.

"Lost them," she signs triumphantly with a grin, retaking her seat.

She still had food to finish, after all. <Handspeech>

GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (4)+7: 11

Ravenstongue blinks rapidly again as Aryia just... reappears. She looks relieved to see it's Aryia and she says. "Oh, good, I'm glad it was you and not some stranger trying to look up my skirt," she says with a little bit of a snicker. "I was saying earlier that they'd never catch up to you--and if they did, well."

The less said, the better. Pothy resembles that remark as he once again seems possessed by fear in the sheer vicinity of Aryia's... aura. Say that three times fast.

Telamon keeps his composure as Aryia pops back up, calmly spooning up some more stew. "I wondered why they were so eager to chase you in the first place. Reminds me of a story about a dog chasing a cat and finding itself nose to nose with a lion." He smirks. "I doubt you'd commit -murder-, but I'm pretty certain they'd have new and fascinating bruises by the time you were done."

"If she was doing that, I would have no choice but to mention it to Violet, and Aryia would never hear the end of it. But I doubt she would do that." Seyardu chuckles. "I was just speaking about your tailoring Aryia. You took a rather abrupt departure. No, she would not, within reason. Why were they after you, anyways? I thought you were after a favor, were they not helping you out of fear from others?"

Aryia gives an up-nod to all as they greet her, but she picks up her abandoned drink, though she blinks owlishly at Ravenstongue. "Fuck no. Would never do that," she motions before chuffing at the thought. Though, at Telamon's remark...

She simply sips at her drink.

"No, I totally deserved it," she motions before showing the small book she gained. The title reads 'Sildanyari to Mysandraal, Going Backwards to Strive Forward'. It's pocketed. "Guy owed me a favor. I wanted his book. Simple debt, nothing more."

Her attention goes to Seyardu, her tilting her head. "Oh. They're his friends apparently, and they don't like the fact I have a copy of their group project." <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue translates again for Telamon, whispering into his ear. She draws back and raises a brow. "Wait, their group project? I'm... admittedly curious as to why you need their group project."

Pothy... offers a cracker to Aryia. Tap tap tap go his talons on the table. He is buying Aryia's favor. His blue eyes are full of pleading. It's like he is asking, "My noble lady, if I may be so bold... Please accept this token so that I may be allowed to speak?"

Telamon listens intently to Raven, before his eyebrows climb up at the mention of the 'group project'. "Now this sounds like a story," he comments with a grin. "Stolen research? Didn't pay you for bringing in something? Stiffed you for the tab on a dinner date? No, wait, scratch that last, you said you were with... Violet, was it? Never mind." He reaches over to pet Pothy, stroking the bird as he grins.

"I am curious as to why you wished for this book as well." Seyardu agrees. "Mynsandraal and Sildanyari, if you needed information on the former, you do know I speak it, yes?"

Seyardu picks up a pork chop, and sighs. She did not like feeding animals that were bottomless stomachs that did not need to eat in the first place. "Or is it a book for your parents, perhaps?"

Aryia looks down at the underling bird. Glowing gaze half lidded. She purses her lips, then accepts the offering. "You are allowed one M-E-R-P." Crunch goes the cracker.

She looks at Telamon, a brow raising high. "I am with Violet, yes. They just didn't like the fact I wanted a copy. Mages are weird with their knowledge."

Chewing on another morsel of food, she blinks at Seyardu. "... I did not know that. Well, I'll keep that in mind then. No, it's not for my parents. It's just... trying to figure some stuff out from the past, and that past involves Elvish bullshit, which involves Mynsandraal. So, yes." <Handspeech>

Raven translates for Telamon again by whispering into his ear. "Violet is nice, I've met her before," she adds quickly as she draws back away from Telamon. "Mages are weird about knowledge sometimes. People are... Picky about who knows what. I don't understand, but maybe that's because I'm a follower of Navos. Knowledge should be accessible to people who want to know and are ready for it."

She tilts her head a little as she contemplates all of this. "Well, if you need help with... 'elvish' bullshit, I can help." Ravenstongue smiles warmly.

Pothy takes in a deep breath... "Merp," he says politely. Not too loud for Aryia's senses. Just a nice little merp. Such a polite bird when he wants to be. He taps back over to the snack tray and continues to eat.

Telamon grins at Raven. "You're going to have to teach me this sign-language. It seems useful, especially if you could use it without being noticed." He's more or less following the conversation, albeit secondhand. "And, of course, if you let 'Lana help, you also get me along as a bonus." His eyes twinkle with good humor. "Some mages worry a bit overmuch that someone's going to steal the knowledge from them. I... suppose if it was some unique spell they'd developed I could kind of understand that, but some are terribly paranoid."

"You taught Pothy sign language?" Seyardu asks as the corvid correctly construes Aryia's communication. "And, I could have sworn that I spoke it around you before. Something about ah, elvish bullshit as you put it, I learned it to speak with diplomats that seem to like speaking in the tongue for some reason. So, perhaps I could be of assistance, as well."

The cleric sighs. "Yes, you are correct. People can be strange about sharing knowledge and helping others here at times. It is something I am still struggling to figure out on occasion."

Aryia snickers as Ravenstongue takes up her vernacular, and at Telamon's addendum. "I may be a mul'neissa, but I'm still an elf, and raised by elves. But, I will keep such offer in mind."

She looks down at Pothy, and gives an approving thumbs up with another pat-pat on the head. "It's helpful to know. Especially when you're sneaking up on something and you need to talk across the way."

Like that one time fighting the mushroom monsters.

The mute nods, polishing off her plate and gesturing signing more. "Mages are fucking weird about the most weirdest shit, man. No offense." <Handspeech>

"Really? An excuse to spend more time with you? I wouldn't mind that," Ravenstongue says, before giving Telamon a kiss on the cheek. This is a little more forward than one might expect of Ravenstongue.

"Feytouched," Pothy murmurs, in a deep and rather recognizable voice--'Grandfather', of course.

Ravenstongue turns to Aryia and smiles. "None taken. Trust me, I know. I think the magic kind of makes some people a little... odd." That's rich coming from the feytouched girl.

Telamon chuckles. "Any excuse to spend more time with you, 'Lana." He regards Pothy with amusement. "You know, this is the quietest I think I've ever seen your familiar, though. Maybe there's hope yet." He nods though at Raven and Seyardu's observations. "I don't think magicians can wield the kind of power they do without being affected by it in some way, and I don't just mean up here." He taps his head.

"If you need an excuse to be together, might I suggest going camping together?" Seyardu suggests. "It works well for me. But I do not know what your likes are."

"Ah, feytouched, yes. I believe it has something to do with the amount of time that needs to be spent learning to be a wizard. It takes up a lot of time, and does not leave time for much else."

"I don't think it affects them badly. I think it is just the nature of learning it."

Aryia watches the little exchange with a light smile. 'twas nice to see friends enjoying themselves. Though, she does raise a brow. "What, like a girl with a raven that doesn't stop eating and her desire to really want to go to this far away land? Just a little odd indeed."

... how did she pick up on that?

The pugilist crosses her arms, looking at the bird for a moment overlong before gesturing to the man, "I have an open threat to Pothy that I will chuck him into the stratosphere if he doesn't behave around me. He screamed into my ear one time and he nearly became grout for the cobblestone."

.... she coughs. "... I have sensitive ears." Said ears give a little flick-flick at their mention.

She squints at Seyardu. "Hold on. How does a sith-makar end up needing to speak with diplomats that speak in only a dead elvish language?" <Handspeech>

Ravenstongue translates for Telamon once again, snickering a little in the process. She leans back and says to Aryia, "You're right. I am a little odd. Growing a little odder every day. And... I think I like it."

She stands up from her chair. Pothy flaps onto her shoulder, seeming to be glad to have an excuse to fly away further from Aryia. Every inch helps. "Now, I should get going. Would you continue to be your gentlemanly self and escort me home, Tel?" Ravenstongue asks. Her eyes glitter a little--not quite the dancing mirth that so often plays in Telamon's eyes, but close.

Maybe it's love.

Having finished his dinner, Telamon of course rises from his seat next to Raven. "You don't even need to ask," he replies, his smile matching Raven's as he reaches out to take her hand, tuck it into the crook of his arm. Politely, he bows to Aryia and Seyardu, "A pleasant evening to both of you, and thank you for the conversation. It's always interesting to talk... well, you know what I mean, Aryia." He grins impishly at her. "Until again."

"Well, I am glad you did not do so, Aryia. Ravenstongue would be very disappointed, Aryia." Seyardu sighs. "Ah, peace on your nest Ravenstongue, but, please do not be in a rush to grow odder. And take care too, Telamon." She offers in parting to the pair.

"You set them up too, Aryia? I do not know how you do it. It must be the decades of wisdom you have amassed. And ah, that? I do not know. I was just taught to speak with those diplomats that came by Am'shere sometimes. They are, well, I will not speak ill, but they speak a dead language because it sets them above and apart. And so when speaking with them, it is important to match that. At least, that is what I was told."

Aryia chuffs. "No she wouldn't, RT knows he'd deserve it. That's why he knows his manners around me." The couple is an afforded a goodbye wave, but not much more in terms of parting words or signs.

The mute picks up her drink, finishing it off and turning sideways in her chair to address her silverscaled friend. She shakes her head, hands motioning to say, "No, I didn't. But I did call it out early on that I thought they were together. And, well, I /am/ a hundred and ten. Easy to forget that sometimes."

The cleric is affixed with a glowing silver gaze. "So they're a bunch of stuck up assholes that you had to learn the language so they wouldn't look down on you. Who the fuck were you talking with back then??" <Handspeech>

"Ravenstongue would still be sad about it, Aryia." Seyardu sighs. "Even if he deserved it. They have been together for a long time."

"It is hard to tell at times, it must be how you take good care of yourself."

The cleric picks at the remains of her plate, and squints a bit more, before she sighs again. "They are not ass holes, they are, they are stuck in their ways, I suppose? And I did not learn the language to not be looked down upon, I learned it so I could speak with them. They were never coming to speak with me anyways, it was always my father or other people in the nearby villages."

"And then I ended up leaving home before it even became relevant, so I can not really say I was ever talking to them much."

Aryia shrugs. Unfazed by that fact, "Then Pothy better not make her sad."

The mute adds on with a hand, gathering her plate together with the other. "Maybe. I've just been around shorter lived folk longer than I have those that live as long as me."

It was now that Aryia squints at Seyardu. For long, long moment. "You avoided my question." <Handspeech>

"I did not avoid your question, though." Seyardu replies, looking confused for a moment. "You asked who I was talking to, and I told you. Sildanyari diplomats, who I was not really talking to to begin with, just learning how to. That is all, I barely remember much about it, there was much more on my mind, and I have not cared about such since leaving home."

"I do not know what you wish for me to say."

Aryia raises a brow. "Sildanyari diplomats? That brush is so wide it could paint the sky in one stroke. It'd be like me saying I spoke with sith-makar diplomats."

Though, at that, she drops it. "Whatever, must not be super important if you don't remember. Just found it weird you knew that language. Kind of like how I know Celestial." <Handspeech>

"In case you forgot, I could not tell you were mul'niessa when we first met. I was not paying attention to what they were, I had much more on my mind." Seyardu sighs. "And sith-makar diplomats is simple enough, given almost all my kind come from am'shere, and look out for each other. It was not important to me, just talk of trade agreements and alliances and the like from what I heard. It was not like they were going to let someone who was still essentially a child listen to much of importance. What little I know is mostly second hand, and I was always told I was learning for that reason."

Aryia lightly sighs and shrugs. "Like I said, must not have been important. Replace sith-makar with humans or gnomes, same thing as what I was trying to say. Regardless, sorry for pressing. I just found it odd."

She rises out of her seat. She pauses for a moment, and brings a hand to her chin. "Yet you know this very complex, dead language, despite not knowing much about the people you were studying it for. Did you learn something you weren't supposed to? I know you have memory issues..."

She waves at the air, clearing that conjecture. "Eh, whatever. I got to read this then give it back to that guy else those other guys will try and actually fight me. I'll see you around."

The mute claps Seyardu on the shoulder, gives it a squeeze, then goes to drop off her dishes before dipping out before the jocks could find her again.<Handspeech>