The Mourning After [Open]

[Fate]

For a second, I forgot exactly who I was traveling with here.
--

Well, the situation got boring after Elrick explained himself and the woman's traveling partner showed up. They seemed to know each other though, from the Graveyard where they made an ice sculpture while attacking the dark Mickey thing. She remembered the ice thing, but she didn't get a good enough look at who had done that with Elrick. Their names were Lanying and... Rain? What the hell was it with strange names these days? It probably wasn't even spelled like that either. Probably something like Raen or whatnot.

Wait, coffee. Coffee was mentioned. Now they were heading back to the first district for said wonder. Then they were going to talk more about the Champion... great. She supposed they sort of had to with that big gathering and stuff, but she was kind of trying to forget about that entire day. These people weren't helping. Oh well, she was going to get coffee out of this, maybe learn more about these people, and then head over to Yeridisee.

They reached the place soon enough, people already inside. And there was a couch. Sitting sounded good right about now. And look, Elrick was taking orders. Well, Raen gave him his order before sitting at the couch, so that worked for her. She looked to him, saying, "Be creative for me. I don't really care as long as it's not loaded with sugar." She walked over to the couch now, sitting down and resisting the urge to put her feet up.

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[Aerith]

Drinks all around?
--------

The aroma of coffee hit Lanying heavily as they entered the shop. She had not grown up around large amounts of coffee, but she quickly caught a glimpse of tea on the menu, which lifted her spirits.

Everyone else was leaving orders with Elrick, so she decided to continue the trend. "I will have a cup of hot green tea, please. I won't need anything extra in it."

With that, she moved over to the couch Raen had chosen to sit on and sat down next to him. Looking at Lillian, Lanying asked, "I vaguely remember seeing you at the Graveyard as well. How do you know Elrick, since you appear to be traveling with him?"

[Lagunamov]

No thanks. There are already enough human females who I can't score with. Like Chie. I miss Chie.

Thank God someone took the couch. But, it appeared Elrick would have to take the price and act as waitress for the entire group. After holding the door open for the other three to enter and leave him with their orders, he walked over to the bar as the rest took their place on the couch. He leaned on it to the side, a moogle in a pink apron coming from below and floating in the air in front of him. “Welcome. How may I serve you?” a particularly high pitched voice came from the creature’s mouth, almost killing Elrick’s inner ear.

“Yes, I’ll have a…” he wandered off, trying to recollect the first thing that was ordered to him. “A straight black coffee with nothing, a cup of green tea, a cup of coffee with a shot of milk in it, and a submarine,” he told the little thing in front of him, who turned his head to the side slightly confused at the last one. “A submarine is a cup of fifty percent coffee, fifty percent milk, and a chocolate bar. I’ll put the bar in there myself, just give it to me as it is,” he explained, and with that, he saw the moogle fly back and forth as he prepared the drinks. “This would be where I’d flirt with the girl behind the counter, but you are a moogle…” he sighed as the moogle brought the drinks to him on a platter, with an extra cup for sugar with four spoons in it. “You could still try, though,” the moogle told him, leaving the man speechless for the first time in his life.

Regaining his senses after ten seconds of awkward silence, Elrick reached for his wallet and paid for the drinks. Turning around with them and starting to walk towards the couch, hearing the moogle curse about messing up another chance or something, but he’d rather block that out of his mind. “Ok, here are your drinks. Lil, yours is that one over there,” he told them as he left the platter on the coffee table and took a seat in between Lanying and Lillian. He then leaned forward, dropped two spoons of sugar in his cup, grabbed the chocolate bar, and after removing the wrapper he submerged it into his drink, spinning the whole thing with the spoon so it’d blend nicely. “Ah, sweet invention of the Gods.”

[Fate]

What the... how in the... I don't even want to know.
--

Once they all sat down and Elrick was getting their drinks, Lanying started talking to her. She seemed like a nice enough person and wasn't asking too deep of questions right now, so why not? "I met him last month in Twilight Town and we just sort of traveled together ever since. It's easier that way and keeps the both of us from going insane." Well, her anyway. It was hard to tell with Elrick sometimes. "We sort of just traveled to the Graveyard by chance, like he said. But you guys said there was some sort of gathering...?"

She might as well ask now since what happened at the Graveyard was already planned to happen. They just happened to stumble on the action just as it was happening with their luck. Lillian cast a glance over at Elrick to see how much longer until she'd have coffee. Wait, was he... don't ask. For the love of all things good, don't ask. If he wanted to flirt with a moogle, that was his business and she wasn't going to ask him about it. Or was the moogle hitting on him? Oh dear Lord... Oh good, he was coming with coffee now. And he got something fancy with a chocolate bar.

"Thanks," she said, taking a few sips from her own cup. No, don't think about the moogle. Don't think about the flirting moogle.

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[Nothingness]

Uh...I'm not Gonna Judge

Raen nodded his head. "Yeah. We heard about it from a...'friend' of ours. I don't think you'd want to hear the...specifics...of it..." His voice died off when he saw what had caught Lillian's eye. It looked like Elrick and a moogle were flirting? Okay? He wasn't going to even ask about it. Heck, he was going to stop thinking about it right now.

Just in time, Elrick came back to them with their drinks. "Thanks, man." He lifted his cup and took a deep whiff of it. The one thing that could break him out of even the deepest stupor: the strong scent of straight black coffee. He took quick sip of it and felt the warmth coursing through his entire body. Letting out a refreshed, "Ahh", he set the cup down and leaned back.

[Aerith]

Hot tea is hot.
--------

While they were talking, Lanying's eyes were drawn to what Lillian and now Raen were both watching. The spectacle was one of the oddest things she had ever seen, and she arched an eyebrow. Was Elrick that desperate for... No. No, she would not go there. She refused. Terrible pictures were forming in her head.

Thankfully, Elrick came over with their drinks, and she hurriedly began sipping at her tea to hide her awkwardness. Unfortunately, it was much hotter than she had expected, and she swallowed too much too quickly.

Stifling any yelps, she forced herself to nod in silent agreement with Raen. Then, like a masochist, she took another sip of tea to avoid having to talk for the time being.

[Lagunamov]

Operation: Foot in Mouth.

It was only after he had finished preparing his drink properly and taking a sip from it that Elrick noticed how weird those around him were acting. Particularly, looking at him. He leaned back on the couch while drinking, trying to figure what could have caused this, and then his mind drifted back to only seconds before. The realization hit him like a brick on the crotch that had fallen from a tenth floor, leaving his face blank for almost half a minute.

“Ok, the moogle girl was flirting on me, can we move on?” he bursted out, breaking the awkward silence. And wishing that the coffee he was drinking was alcohol. At least then the entire thing would be easier to explain. Blame it on alcohol. But no, he had just to run into the one moogle that was into inter-racial stuff. It was just his luck.

“Anyway…” he trailed off, slipping down the couch. “What’s your story you two? I thought there was a third. What happened? Third wheel sort of thing or something?” Oh yeah, that was a smart move. Asking if the two people he had just properly met were up to any shenanigans and that’s why they were one head short. "I meant... Where you guys are from, how you met, that sort of stuff..." he sighed, looking down at his cup. "I'll just drink till this burns my tongue and I can't talk anymore, ok?"

[Aerith]

It would be better if I did not speak.
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Lanying barely had time to register Elrick's explanation for the bizarre moogle situation before he said something that made her feel even more awkward. Was he implying that she and Raen...? Zack was just a third wheel? More heat flooded her cheeks, but not from her frantic consumption of hot tea.

"N-no. I would never do anything of the sort. I do not have the time for such...activities."

She gasped softly and turned to Raen. "N-not that I think you are inferior when it comes to those sorts of...activities. I mean, um... I..."

She was just digging herself a bigger hole that she had no hope of escaping at this point. Even worse, her cup of tea was entirely drained, so that no longer provided a way out for her.

I have not been this flustered since Raen and Zack saw me swimming in my underwear...

No one was saying anything else, and she quickly realized it was because she had said that out loud. Clapping a hand to her mouth, she slid even farther down in her seat, almost literally going under the table. Her whole face and neck felt beet red right now.

[Fate]

How's the weather down there? Wait, don't answer that.
--

So Moogles could flirt... interesting bit of information for the day. Lillian put a hand in front of her mouth to stop herself from laughing, or laughing anymore at least. She'd be nice and not get on Elrick's case about that, especially in present company. He was talking to Lanying and Raen now, asking how they met and about a third wheel that had been present before. Yeah, this conversation wasn't promising. Was she going to try to salvage it? Pfft, no. Watching Elrick slip down the couch was much more fun.

And here we go into worse territory. Poor Lanying was digging herself into a hole and now she just made it even worse. They... didn't need to know that did they? No, but now both Lanying and Elrick were sinking down the couch so Lillian and Raen were the only ones actually sitting upright. What to do, what to do... Maybe be nice and get Lanying some more tea. It was either that or join the group by recalling a certain drunken situation involving a maid outfit. Yeah, that wasn't for polite conversation.

"... I'll get you some more tea Lanying," she said, standing up and then looking over to Elrick. "Try to make things less awkward while I'm up." Please? That would be wonderful. She walked back over to the moogle, ordering the tea once again and staying right by that counter. Yeah, no way she was going to walk back right now. She was going to stay right here.

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[Nothingness]

Why's Everyone So Red?

"Uh-huh, sure. Blame the moogle." Raen said, chuckling. Unfortunately, Elrick's next question made him stop breathing for a moment. Him and Lanying? What? They were...what? He almost burst out laughing, but stopped himself when he saw Lanying stammer out an explanation. And then stammer out an apology for some reason. Followed by muttering about that time he and Zack saw her swimming. And now he could only see the top of her head.

Smacking a hand squarely onto his forehead, he dragged it down and took an exasperated breath. Shaking his head, he took a quick sip of his coffee only to find it freezing. "Ah, crap." Chunks of frozen coffee were floating in it. He siphoned all of the chill out of the coffee and ran his hand along the table, leaving a track of ice. Much better--wait, since when could he do that? Whatever. At least the coffee was hot again.

Raen debated saying something, but he'd rather wait for Lillian to come back so he wouldn't be the only one here not red-faced with embarrassment. So, instead, he began flipping a coin of ice he just made until she came back.

[Lagunamov]

Digging my own grave.

Well, this was certainly weird. It seemed that as a general rule, if two people of the opposite sex travelled together, they would start to make stumble on their own words and raise the sexual tension even more. And Elrick thought that was just him. Lanying was taken aback by his questions, trying to explain that they weren’t anything, and failing incredibly at it. Eventually sliding down the couch to the same position Elrick had reached only moments before. Her red face made him chuckle a bit, though.

Then, Lillian stood up after finding the perfect excuse to leave the awkward zone. But it didn’t involve outfits, just tea. That was boring. “Sure, I’ll try to make things better…” he answered from below, his beret slipping forward a bit and covering his eyes. “And maybe you could come back wearing that maid outfit again,” he commented, mostly to himself, but he was still pretty sure it was clearly heard by those two next to him. He really didn’t want to move the beret out of the way to check.

[Fate]

Something wicked this way will come... I mean... never mind.
--

Finally, the tea was here. She walked back to the table where it was still awkwardly silent. She set the tea down in front of Lanying and sat back down next to Elrick. Why was it still quiet? He said something that just made things more awkward didn't he. Knowing him, he did. She was getting the weird look, which meant it was probably about one thing and one thing only. Damn him. She sipped her coffee quietly, trying to think of a way to move the conversation. Nothing was coming.

"Whatever he just told you, it was just... I mean I was... yeah, so... got any travel plans you two?" Red cheeks now. Damn. Just keep moving this little awkward conversation along now. Make it go away from there. Maybe one of them would keep up the subject and not go back to the other one. That would be helpful.

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[Aerith]

At least the awkwardness is mostly gone.
--------

The mention of a maid outfit went entirely over Lanying's head. She was still reeling from her own admission. Fortunately, Lillian returned with more tea, and Lanying pushed herself back into more of a sitting position. Grateful for the tea, she took the new cup in her hands and blew on it gently before taking a sip.

"As far as travel plans go, I don't think we have any. Although..." She turned to look at Raen. "I was hoping we could return to my home soon. I am worried about my people."

Truth be told, she was more than worried. She felt guilty for staying away for so long. What if something happened, and she was not there to stop it? What if Kadaj returned to try finishing what he had started? Duty was rooted deeply into her psyche, and she could not long ignore its insistence that she protect those important to her.

[Nothingness]

Maid Outfit? Where!?

Well, at least everyone seemed to be getting over the awkwardness--hello! Lillian in a maid outfit? His mind immediately drifted off to its manly nether regions. "Hm...Lanying when she went swimming, or Lillian in a maid outfit?"

Luckily for him, Lanying's voice interrupted his thoughts. Visiting Land of Dragons again? "Sure. S'only fair to stop by your homeworld after we stopped here at mine." Plus, he might get to spend a little bit more time with those lovely women Lanying introduced to him and Zack... "Gah, no! Stop thinking that!" Great. He had Elrick to thank for those thoughts. Though, they weren't completely without merit... "Stop it!"

[Lagunamov]

I propose a bikini contest! And if not, lets just see who looks better in a maid outfit. You gotta give us at least that.

And there came back Lillian with the tea. Right in time to get sucked into the awkward zone Elrick had produced out of his ass. Raen was obvious trying to picture it, what with how he looked at her and all, same as he was somewhat trying to picture Lanying in her underwear. It would be easier if he had more of an image to work with.

Thankfully - or not, depending on the point of view – Lillian managed to divert the topic into something less… harmless. Asking about the travel plans, Lanying explained that at the very least she wanted to drop by her home to check on how things were going, to which her companion agreed to on the spot. That was certainly similar to what had happened between him and Lillian earlier, with the difference that he had neither asked her, nor did she simply agree to go, but rather forced herself on him.

“How curious, so you are not the only one going back to where they belong,” he pondered aloud, his body still low on the couch and his head firmly pressed against the back of it. “I myself am returning to my little slice of hell,” he commented slightly joking, lifting his beret a couple of centimeters so that he could see again. “Oh, and she gave me no choice and is coming whether I agree to or not. Something about not wanting to let me die out there or something,” he smirked, turning his head slightly to the right and looking at Lillian out of the corner of his eye.