The inn formerly belonging to the deceased Kaies Metsaf, now the property of one Amilei Lei. Much of the song and celebration has gone out of its walls in recent months, but it is still a place where the ale flows as freely as the bad pickup lines.

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Wu Yuan
Yuan Orchards
Korliss's Keep
Mara-Kuru's Estate
Other Side of the World

WD Archive

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The morning light pours into the windows of Kaies Metsaf's tavern, glinting off the clean alemugs and shiny countertop just enough to get into the eyes of the sleeping owner. Lying as usual across his bartop after the bimonthly festivities of the full sun, Kaies yawns quietly. He stretches, and steps into the next room for a thorough toothbrushing and shower. The place won't open for another twenty minutes yet, anyway, and Amilei is no doubt up and about already. In fact, just as he gets the hot water running, the petite vampiress wanders downstairs and takes her place at the bar.

A certain ether guardian, while still unwilling to fully let herself go to take part in drunken fun, is trying hard. She's taken to watching the bar overnight with Kaies and attending big events like this...even if she hangs back to a large extent and rarely drinks. Kaies is fun to hang around, anyway, and it's so enjoyable when he has to beat some cretin around a bit.

In any case, she's still sleeping quietly on a favorite corner rafter. Late night for all!

Quite abruptly an urgent pounding on the door snaps a dozing Amilei to attention. She looks around, yawns a fangy yawn. 

"Comin', stop yelling." She had a bit of festivity herself, it seems. "We are closed and... oh. Hello dad."

Korliss pats his daughter gently on the shoulder. "Good morning, my dear. Have you seen that oafish fellow lumbering around here this morning?"

Amilei smiles a little. "Shower. Naked. Headache." She blinks.

"Mm..." Felina finally awakens at the various intrusions. She's worn out, but not hung over. "Good Full Sun," she observes with a quiet yawn from her spot, opening her eyes drowsily.

Korliss smiles his paternal smile at her, stepping in to close the door behind him. "Yes, the dozens of passed-out monstrosities lying in the street attest to this, young one. I thought I would bring something for you all - knowing how the youthful love their drink." He sets a clear glass bottle full of bright blue liquid upon the bar, one arm settled around his half-awake daughter's shoulders. "Was it eventful, this year?"

"Not really. There were six fights and two brawls, seven topless ladies--but three of them succubi--two streakers, one fire, one attempted orgy that ended with the instigator passing out and mysterious ending up in a translucent bag atop a flag pole, one fellow who thought it would be fun to slap my ass, and another who learned to not touch Amilei's." Felina smirks a little, sitting up and brushing the sleep from her eyes. Never a dull moment in Wu Yuan.

"A veritable funeral, then," Korliss nods thoughtfully. "Would you care for a morning-cap, by the by? This is drawn from the stardrop lotus Amilei loves so much. Invigorating stuff." He fills a shot glass with some of the stuff, hands it to his daughter, then looks back up at Felina.

The serinian smiles, nods, and slips off of the rafter, hitting the floor with a startlingly soft thump. "It sounds interesting. Thank you very much." She smiles.

The patriarch fills a second glass for her, careful not to overfill. It's not alcoholic, but can be intoxicating in large quantities anyway. "Are you enjoying your stay here, my dear? I know master Metsaf is thrilled to have you on hand, and of course Mara-kuru is bouncing from every wall she can find."

"Mara-kuru is bouncing from walls that weren't previously known to exist." Felina laughs softly, shaking her head. Literally, actually. She smiles at the elder vampire. "In any case...yes, it's been lovely. Always interesting, certainly, but still definitely a vacation from life as usual. I think spending some time here every month was a good call on multiple levels." Sips the drink absently. Too absently, actually, her eyes widen, and she almost coughs. "Strong if unexpected!"

"Quite!" The vampire laughs his statesman's laugh, eyes twinkling. He is so fond of Felina, really. "Even though folks seem to worship you, you mean?"

Felina smirks. "It doesn't count," she points out, "if they're drunk enough to worship the tree outside as a returning blonde goddess of polyamory."

"Yes... I felt awful for that poor goddess, sitting on a bench and wondering why her worshippers mistook her for a tree." Korliss shakes his head. "It was an interesting night." He glances through the window, squinting at the light. Glad for his protective charms.

Amilei's milk white eyes sparkle just a bit. That poor goddess, indeed. She can hear the water shut off in the next room about then, but doesn't comment. He'll be out when he's out.

"Father, are you ready to go then?" The two made plans to arrange a new study for the younger, turned vampire today, and spend some quality bonding time while nothing horrendous is going on.

"Indeed. Felina, would you watch the tavern while I borrow my daughter?"

"Certainly. I know the rules by now." She smiles over to Amilei. "Alcohol until the jokes get too bad, no indoor fires, and sick Kaies on whomever necessary."

"Especially yourself," the yellow-clad vampiress chirps, to a disapproving tut from her father. "What? Oh... I will see you later, Felina!"

Korliss bows a low, respectful bow to her. "Young lady."

Felina returns it, of course, ever more formal than her double. "Always a pleasure, Master Korliss." picks up the blue stuff again. "Thanks again for the drink."

"A pleasure." Korliss favors her again with his fatherly smile, and heads back home with his daughter. A strange feeling, fatherhood. Even now.

Felina, for her part, sips the drink and considers washing up. Isn't so sure that she really feels like it just yet. It really was a long night. Thus, she just remains at the bar.

Time passes bit by bit. A random patron or two wanders down, but no one decides to stay in the bar area for more than a moment. Eventually Kaies emerges, freshly scrubbed and trimmed and everything, dressed in his old outfit of dark gray pants, no shirt, and golden armlets. 

"Good morning, Felina," he greets the Guardian with a bright smile. He looks directly at her, eyes settled upon her hair. "I see the sun has risen."

Felina smiles at him, of course, warming a bit to see him. Although it's still very early. "That it has. Tell me something?"

The medium sits upon the bar, his feet still touching the ground. "Anything. What would you like to hear?"

"Am I still allowed to call myself a morning person if I take today off?" She smirks a little.

Kaies grins at that. Of course he does. "Not at all. Do you need to sleep a bit longer, then...? I made sure to prepare the atrium room for you, but you had already fallen asleep by the time I finished." His eyes sparkle, so pleased is he to be with her again.

Felina smiles a bit at him, expression warming. "Well, it was a busy night." She laughs quietly. "But thank you. I think I'll be okay, though. By the way, Amilei took off with her father for the day, so you're stuck with me."

"Oh no! Whatever shall I do?" He leans his chin upon a fist, face drawn up in mock consternation. "I... will cook breakfast for you. We will figure the rest out as we go."

"I declare this part of the decision-making process from this day forth," Felina notes.

"If it means having you with me to make decisions, I strongly second, my lady." Kaies holds out his hand for her as slides off the bar. "Will miso soup work for you this morning?"

Felina takes the offered hand with one half its size. It's kind of fun, really...they're both infinitely mindful of their claws, and yet don't really have to think about it since they both understand. "That sounds lovely, Kaies." She smiles. "Sleep well, by the by?"

"Not especially, unfortunately," he laughs, leading her around to the private kitchen area - a small affair, not meant for patrons. He's mindful of her hand in his, and truly - after all they've been through - feels as though things are as they should be. "Lying across a bar leaves a man with a backache in the morning." He squeezes her hand gently, careful instinctively of the sharp pointies.

Felina smiles. Yes...it's very right. "And yet said man refuses to learn his lesson after how many years of falling asleep on the same bar?" She laughs softly. Her free hand moves to his back and draws gently down it to restore the poor strained bits there and dismiss the pain. Magic is cool.

He closes his eyes when she does that. He would not have asked for it. She just... did it.

"Said man is very stubborn," he smiles down at her, "but he knows what he likes. And he would like to bake shaobing for you this morning, too."

Felina smiles. "That sounds wonderful. Anything I can do to help?" Pauses. "That doesn't involve actually cooking in any way? I don't think the local authorities permit my involvement in that anymore."

"Amilei told me she would staple parts of me to other parts of me if I let it happen again. But you could certainly find the bowls and baking pan while I get the ingredients together, if you really must help." Reluctantly, he releases her hand. Gazes at it for a second, as though he wishes he hadn't.

Felina has to smile faintly at this, her eyes softening. She catches that, of course. For now, though... "I must." And she wanders to a cupboard to do that.

Kaies, of course, is quite used to Felina's ways by now and thinks nothing of her getting to business. She's really quite adorable for such a battle-hardened individual.

Miso soup is a simple bit to cook. With fresh fish stock, a little tofu, and slender tidbits of skipjack tuna smuggled from the coast by an intrepid tribe of roc-riders, the soup is cooked quickly and efficiently. The shaobing will take a bit longer, and requires quite a bit of dough-beating. Hot soy milk is also on the agenda.

"Do you like crisp or near-burnt bread, Felina?"

"To eat or from my own track record?" She grins a bit. She's sitting on the counter just a bit removed from his work area. She really is kind of tired this morning. "Crisp would be wonderful, thank you."

A little more pounding, and a dedicated elbow-drop, later, the bread is placed into the oven to bake.  Kaies cleans his hands, dries them, and catches himself looking at her again. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just a bit worn out. Those girly wraiths from last night decided it would be funny to come back and set up some firecrackers around you after you dozed off, so I got back up. I'll let them out of the basement sometime today, I suppose, unless I forget." She smirks, amused at the thought of valley girl wraiths.

"They've probably already built a minimall down there. If you need to rest, please let me take you upstairs." Seriously, he means that with perfect innocence. "I can get Mara to look over the inn for the day. You can sleep for a while, I can do a few things, and then... well. Whatever you like."

And, bless her heart, Felina manages to not crack up...half because she's too tired to be hyper-effective in her teasing. She smiles, and tilts her head. "What, and miss breakfast?"

The sometimes-innkeep cocks his head to one, as if evaluating her response for something to chuckle at. "I would not hear of it, my lady. I could certainly bring something up to you." As he speaks, in his usual odd naivete, Kaes fills a pair of bowls with the strange, fishful soup. It might be tasy, but miso soup is certainly not pretty.

Felina smiles at him. He's sweet. "Ah, but that's when I feel lazy. Let's leave that until next time I'm laid up." Eh. Sad but true. It's also the parallel that keeps her from caring for breakfast in bed. "That smells wonderful, Kaies."

If she is quick, she might see him blush a bit. He sets the oven's various controls - which more or less means pulling the pan away from an all-day fire - and works on doling out portions of the hot shaobing bread. "Sit at the table, and at least let me serve you?"

"Mm...well, that works." Felina smiles at him, kisses his cheek, and heads off that way.

And... cue more blushing.

Just a few moments later, the innkeep brings over a saucer of the bread for her, along with the bowl, and strongly considers pouring her milk in a saucer just to get a rise out of her. Doesn't, but thinks about it so she'll know he did.

"I heard that. Pff. Primates," she smirks. Smiles at the fare, though. "This smells wonderful, Kaies. Thank you."

He smirks right back. "If you taste it, you will forget all about the smell of it." Kaies sets his place across the narrow table from her, breathes a quiet prayer to no one in particular. "Ah, utensils. Mara used all of our chopsticks trying to catch fish the other day, though... will cutlery work?"

Felina smirks, amused, and glances down to her sword meaningfully. "Can I bring my own?" Just to pick at him.

"If you can eat miso soup with that thing I will be duly impressed, dear lady." No wonder they get along so well. Mutual teasing. "And a little frightened."

She grins at him. "With a few more hours sleep, I'd take that challenge. But for now...I suppose non-frightening utensils will do, yes."

A knife, fork, and spoon are set before her in short order. Kaies sets his own down and sits across from her again, smiling at her. Just... smiling, nearly forgetting that his food is there.

Fel, on the other hand, is more than aware of it, tearing off a piece of the bread and munching it. "Mmm...this is why we keep you around, you know."

"And here I thought it was for my dashing good looks and drunken show tunes." Kaies eats almost mechanically... he's not interested in the food, for some reason. Just the company. But he is hungry.

"And brawling prowess," Felina is sure to add. "Can't forget that."

"Quite so! Is your food good, dear lady?"

"Is it ever otherwise?" Felina smiles. "I think you stole whatever cooking talent I may have had and added it to your own."

"You saw that?" Kaies lets his spoon drop into his bowl, horror falsely etched into his handsome features. "You know too much!" Smiles, just for her.

"You're the one who decided to date a seer," she laughs.

"I did indeed," he chuckles right back. "Speaking of dates. Did you have any place in mind to go today, my lady?"

"Somewhere quiet," she's quick to affirm. "I'm not up for chaos, grunge, or indoor bonfires after last night.

"What if I took you to see that stardrop lotus? I might be wrong, but I could have sworn I heard Korliss mention it while I was bathing this morning." Kaies takes a bite of bread, chews thoughtfully. "Unless I am dreaming of older men in the shower again."

"Well, I suppose fellows need their hobbies. And...sure. That sounds lovely." She smiles. "What colour do you suppose Mara will turn the inn this time?"

"She was going alphabetically, and is up to the letter Q. If we are fortunate, she will be unable to come up with a color starting with that." Kaies finishes his soup and nurses his milk, taking his time to enjoy her company. Even when she's stressed or feeling unpleasant, she is still the sun in his sky.

Felina, for her part, is always thrilled to spend time with Kaies. How he puts up with her she isn't sure, but...he's just wonderful. She eats quietly, just enjoying the food and the feel of his presence, which has quickly become calming to her. Finally.. "Mm...that really was wonderful, Kaies, thank you." She smiles. "I guess I should probably go clean up for the day."

"You're welcome to the private baths, of course." Kaies has also learned that answering 'good idea' to that statement is not good, no matter how well intentioned. "I will clean up here. Breakfast, that is."

"Pity. It's not like the indecent exposure laws are all that tight here." Felina laughs quietly, standing up and taking her dishes to the sink. They magic clean and she just sets them beside it, of course. She feels bad making more work for him.

"Oh, Felina... you know if it were me, it would be decent exposure." Kaies snickers a bit, sets his dishes in the sink to clean. "You cheated, my lady."

She smirks. "It's what I do best. See you soon, Kaies?" She doesn't know his plans for the day.

"Of course! I was hoping to ambush you with a picnic offer before you left, though, so make certain to make a lot of noise when you come out of the showers." He nods solemnly.

"Big explosion or little one?" She tilts her head, face perfectly serious.

"Little," he answers, "until I see you again and my sun comes back out. Then we shall speak of big." 

Felina smirks a little. "Gotcha." She smiles, and squeezes his forearm alittle. See you shortly, then." And she wanders off to take care of this much-needed business.

Kaies sets to washing his dishes. He can't help but look over his shoulder, though - for some reason, her leaving with a smile that way seems like a cue for something bad to happen. Once that is finished, he heads out to find someone to coerce into watching the tavern for the day, though of course that only take him enough time to accidentally run into a certain cane-reliant Sendiran in the lobby.

"Hiya muscles! Short time lotsa see!" He chats with Mara for a bit, absently, just waiting for Felina to come back. Not that Mara is unpleasant.

Felina isn't too long, of course...though the baths do feel so good and she takes a bit longer than is absolutely necessary. She considers what to wear...can't quite bring herself to break from the norm. Oh well. She does clip on the bracelet Kaies had given her, though, which usually lives in her belt.

She's still finishign up drying her hair when she heads back downstairs. "Hey, I know those ears," she observes.

"Fel!" A half-successful, awkward pouncing Serinian flies her way, eyes blazing bright.

And, of course, the fully able-bodied of the pair is more than happy to go tumbling over. "Gah...hi!" She snickers. "I'd hug you, but, you know. Pinned."

Mara grins her fangy grin. "You are so pinned. Kisses!" She doesn't actually do it, just says it, and lets her sister up. "Hiya blondie! I was chattin' at your guy over there and he's really tall does it freak you out to look way up like that and how's he supposed to look at your boobs from way up there?"

"He's just holding out for wearing something with cleavage. That height is very convenient for that," Felina observes, getting to her feet with a smirk.

"Great idea! Let me ask him." And she bounces onto the bar, sitting kitty-like. "Hiya Kaies. Do you like cleavage?"

Kaies blinks at her. He's used to Mara by now, and the question is not a tremendous shock. "No comment," he says, laying a bottle down on the bar. "This is one of those questions that gets me in trouble no matter how I answer. All clean, Felina?"

"Hopefully. What else would I have been doing in there?"

Mara opens her mouth, eyes widening and going bright, but Kaies claps a hand over it before she can say what he's thinking.

"Lovely, yes," he nods, blushing a little.

Felina snickers quietly. Whether she'd done that on purpose is...hard to say. She just smiles and ties her hair back.

Kaies pulls his hand back. It occurs to him that now is a good time for gloves, and he slips his claws into a pair. "So Felina... how about that picnic?"

"Picnic, huh? Where ya goin' somewhere fun can I go oh unless you two are gonna do some heavy breathing I won't go then." Mara purrs softly. Kaies is, of course, mortified.

Felina, for her part, turns a couple of shades of red. She and Kaies haven't actually done any heavy breathing yet, almost certainly because he knows when not to prod at her many hang-ups with intimacy. But try explaining to that to Mara. Sighs inwardly at how this next statement is going to get twisted. "We were actually hoping that you'd watch the inn, Mara."

"SCORE!" Mara twitters happily, rolling around on the bar until she falls off and thumps onto the ground. "Shee!" She's laughing so hard she can't even say anything. Kaies can't help but laugh too, but he's holding it in and quaking.

"You guys are gonna bwaaahh aah yay Fel!"

Felina has to snicker, though her face is about as red as it can get right now. Laughter's still contagious. "Yeah, yeah...what still needs to be done to get ready, Kaies?" she inquires, then winces and closes her eyes with a little smirk, waiting on Mara to answer.

"Booze! Don't forget the booze you gotta get'er rilly drunk and make SURE that nothing bad is happening anywhere so she can be in the mood and hey are you listening to me don't'cha want some kitty and mmf!!"

Kaies holds Mara quietly, letting the red drain from his face. "I packed a lunch and such for us, Felina. I thought we might go a little further into the hills, if that is alright with you?"

"It sounds lovely," Felina's quick to affirm. "Shall we...ah...go before we kill Mara? Or vice versa?"

"At your leisure, my dear." Kaies lets Mara go, and she quite abruptly smacks him on the arm.

"Dick!"

Felina cracks up a little despite herself, and then feigns ignorance. "Let's take off, then, and let Mara think of a colour starting with 'q'."

"Quicksilver!" Mara chirps, as the entire inn desaturates and turns a softly shining metallic color.

Kaies smiles at her. "You are too good at this." He snags up the oddly heavy picnic basket, which is quite sizable as well, and still gets the door for Felina. Smiles at her. "My lady. To Yuan Orchards?"

Felina smiles at him. "That sounds lovely." And she heads out the door, anticipating a nice, quiet day.

Kaies smiles at Mara, who puts her right forefinger and thumb together in an O, and proceeds to put her left forefinger in and out of it, winking. He's mortified again, and heads out after Felina.

---

A little while later, as Mara is floating a drink to someone, the glass crashes to the floor. Mara's little eyes are sparkling, and she coos happily.

"Good goin', Fel... Mara-cam, switch off!" She snickers, lets her double to her private business. So she'd been a little curious. It makes her happy to know that Felina is finally getting the love she deserves.

---

Felina stops just outside the door. Lets out a slow breath. On the one hand, she really needs Mara right now. On the other...she really, really doesn't need Mara right now. Either way....she calms her face and signature, and heads back into the quicksilver inn.

Mara is sitting on the bar, her cane across her lap, and a bottle of liquor in each hand.

"Hiya goddammit! What'll it be?"

"Well..." hell with it. "A hug?"

Mara smiles just a little. Hops off the bar, hobbling a little. "Come n' get it. Mara is so proud you got some!"

"Heh..." Felina's grateful to hug her double, clinging just a little before thinking the better of it at flashbacks from ten minutes ago. "I didn't."

Mara hugs, hugs even tighter. "Oh honey... is he actually gay 'cause that's what I was wondering he's way too good to be straight...!"

Fel smirks a bit. "No...he's not gay, though I agree he's wonderful...heh. I freaked. Intended to go all the way with it, he pinned my arms quickly, and I about had a coronary."

Mara cringes... she'd been afraid of that. "Oh honey..." her eyes gleam. "Do you need me to finish you off...?"

Felina can't help it. She has to crack up. "Mara? You're the most demented best friend ever."

"Well, I had to ask, and it might be fun." She beams, kisses Felina's cheek. "So what do you want to do, to make you feel better....?"

"The hug helped." Felina smiles sidelong at her nether double. Yeah. Mara's pretty great. "Mostly I just feel bad for Kaies. Oo...he did say that he wanted to build a house for 'me'." The ears perk at this, then sag. "Of course, that was before everything else."

Mara practically melts. "Awwwwwwwwwwww! I bet he still does and I got him some nice silk gloves to use on you but he can probably still take care of himself so don't worry about being pent-up."

Fel has to snicker. "I'm sure he'll be mortified and appreciate it later. Speaking of which, thanks for the sign."

Mara nods a bit. "Had to make sure no one walked in on ya." She smiles at a customer, looking for a room. A quite attractive man about Korliss's height, with neat, straw-colored hair and an unbelievably mobile mouth, he has Mara's attention in an instant. "Hi! Help ya?"

"A room, please," he speaks just above a whisper, his voice floating and musical... practically enchanting.

"Name?" Mara chirps.

"Couture," is his soft, sparkling answer. Mara notes his almost body armor-like brown leather outfit beneath his cloak, pondering the crest. She doesn't recognize it.

"Yay this is Fel and I'm Mara and you're pretty cute you can have a room right on the thirtieth floor when we get one but how about room ten is that good?"

Couture blinks his baby blue eyes. "Um... yes?"

Felina glances at the crest, too...unconsciously evaluating the fighting styles that what she can see of the armour would be designed for, what it would be designed against, and how he walks. But this is all fast and instinctive, anot really nosy, and she just smiles a paid-welcome-wagon type hotel staff smile when he glances her way, before glancing at the bottles Mara had been holding. Tempting. Later.

Couture notices her, of course. "Felina Deyono," he quietly says once he realizes it. "The legendary Guardian Topaz of the ether realm? Can it be?" He tilts his head. The armor is light, but sturdy - almost certainly crafted via unnatural means. His walk is easy and equally light... he has the bearing of a fencer, or something equally intelligent. Not a berserker by any means, like poor Kaies. "The honor is mine."

"The talk is bigger than I am. Obviously," she smirks. Holds out a hand. "A pleasure."

He takes it, leans close as if to kiss it, but holds it instead to his forehead. His hands are sealed in black leather gloves, with a bracelet of rivets around the wrist. "Of course, but none could live up to your reputation. May I offer to buy a drink for you?"

"That's all right...I'm dating the innkeeper, so a free drunk would be redundant." She smiles a bit. "The offer is appreciated, though, thank you." Yup, get that taken care of right off the get-go. Besides, maybe Mara will luck out. He's got really nice manners, anyway.

Couture nods, a slight chuckle coming to his lips. "Ah... I apologize. I meant nothing forward, I promise you." Mara comes back about then, with a piece of paper.

"Look, I drew a pony! Here's your key." Grins at Felina. "Fel's got the biggest boyfriend he's like twelve of me."

Felina laughs softly. Yay Mara. "I didn't really take it that way, no. I just like avoiding awkwardness later." She smiles. Looks to the other serinian. "Lovely pony, Mara. Why is it chasing that poor stickman with an upraised bottle of something?"

"It's his wife. He's really drunk, so she looks like a pony." Mara nods. Couture blinks, smiling a little bit as he takes the key.

"Ah... well... thank you, ladies. I shall be along." He hands Mara a pair of bright, shiny coins - platinum! - and heads upstairs without a thought.

Mara watches him go. "I betcha one of these coins that he's a virgin. Wanna play?"

Felina laughs softly. "It depends on how you want to settle the bet. Fifty percent of your solutions persuade me to say 'no,' and another forty-six percent make me want to find a bunker."

Mara beams, ears bright and perky. "Well. Mara will ask him if he wants to do bedroom things. And depending on how he reacts, we will know! Or we could ask him."

Felina smirks and shakes her head. "No bet, just to leave my name out of it. But feel free to check it out if you want." She grins a bit, thoughtful. "Meanwhile, what's an alcohol that will make me all fuzzy but not put me on my ass? Or back?" Always a good qualification.

"You? Water." Mara nods, definitively. "Fucking lightweight." Grins.

Felina snickers. "Rice wine it is." And she slips off the table she's sitting on to head behind the counter. Weird thing, yes, but Kaies keeps it stocked for her. "I intend to spend the next couple of hours quietly drinking on the roof if you need me."

Mara's ears sag. "Fel... Mara dunnit want you to be sad. It'll be okay. Please don't drink without Mara, anyway. Mara is a damn good drunk."

"Well...fine. Let's get me drunk enough to talk to you about bedroom troubles and wants, huh? It'll be awhile."

Mara shakes her head. "Mara loves you. She'll show you the path to true drunken mastery." Looks out to the bar. "None of you fuckers do anything bad! Mama is watching!" And she snags three bottles, one bright yellow, almost neon, and two pastel pink. "Mama gonna get wasted with Fel! Take us there, baby!"

Felina has to snicker. "Right." And, as promised, they're on the roof of the wretching dragon, above the atrium room.

Mara plops down, handing a pink bottle to Felina. "Go slow. Sip, don't chug. It's goooooood strawberry tastes like yum." She takes a deep draught from one of the bottles. "Oooh... tastes shiny!"

"Of course. How else would booze taste?" Felina snickers a bit, and sips. "Shiny indeed."

Mara nods enthusiastically. "So..." she drinks some more. "Tell Mara...?" She's worried, so worried in fact that she's subtly muting the alcohol's affect on her to be more clear for her lovely sister.

She doesn't really have to be drunk to do so, really. It's a good excuse, anyway. "Eh...things were going really, really well. I started things, if you didn't see, good start." Smirks a bit, humourlessly. "After he got off my shirt, though, he pinned me suddenly. And...well, you know why that's a bad thing. It was immediately downhil from there; I really had a breakdown." Sighs, sips the strawberry stuff. "Kaies thinks he screwed up, of course, he always does. He only occasionally acknowledges that it's because he's dating a headcase."

Mara nods... she knows Felina's history by now. "I wasn't watching. I gave you your privacy after he got you there. Fel... of all the people in the worldly world, Kaies would be the last one to hurt you. Unless you asked him, and then he'd still say no a million times. Did he move too fast, other than that? I mean... was he gentle?" She's wondering if something else contributed to this.

"No..." Felina shakes her head. "I mean, yes, he was wonderful. Nothing too fast at all." Smiles faintly a bit thinking about it. "He knows I have intimacy issues, he does. He kept reassuring thoughts and feelings in his mind the whole time. That couldn't have been easy for a male in that situation..."

"No kidding. It's like a huge billboard that says "KISS-SUCK CHEST-PRETEND TO GO DOWN ON - INSERT DINGY" and that's how a guy mind works." Mara twitters, amused. "Do you want him that way, Felina? And don't say 'for him, I do' or something. It's important for you to want it, too."

"I don't know what I want," Felina admits. "I know what I want..." She smiles a little. "He did it right the first time. But...that gives me entirely too much time to freak out about something or other. I had every intention of going all the way with him this time, I did." Sighs, and lays back to look at the sky. She's gotten accustomed to the colour by now.

"You just have to lay out some ground rules for him. He loves you, he'll do anything you ask. Mara has developed her curves and such because she likes sex with humans. Humans can be dedicated and gentle and then rough and powerful and male and female. Felina hasn't, she's still a spindly, natural Serinian. Kaies's first wife, alllll those decades ago, was a curvy curvy girl. He likes that kind of thing, I know this because I asked him when he was drunk. But he likes you, anyway. He's willing to sacrifice for you. He's a fucking wackjob, but he will."

Mara-kuru sets her bottle down. Thinking. "You just have to tell him what he can't do. Can't restrain you, at least not quickly. Can't be dominating, even a little."

Felina swirls her liquor, thinking. "Mara, can you help me set up a really nice evening for him? Tonight, something really romantic that he'd like? I want...well..." Looks up. "I want to be able to tell him with more than words that I love him, like he's done in so many ways for me."

Mara lowers her eyes. "He only needs you to have a nice evening, Fel." Sniffles. "I will help however I can. The basic dinner-date is fine, just... order out." Smiles a little. "Just make him feel like you aren't doing things to make up for other things."

"Heh...right. Are you okay, Mara...?" Felina tilts her head, concerned.

"Yeah huh. I've known him for a long time. He's my friend. And he just hurts so bad, all the time... he never feels good enough for you." Sniffles again. "And you're my friend. And you never feel good enough for him. You two should stop this fucking emo dance and love and love and love because you never know what might happen maybe you'll get hurt you never know!"

Heh...no dicking around with words, here. Felina nods a bit. "Yeah...time to fix this, I think. Tonight." Smiles a little.

Mara beams, still sniffling. "Fel... trust me. Wear a dress. Mara can get you one. Fix your hair. Let him know something special's up. But dont' be too quick. Make him work for you. Fill up your heart before you let him fill you up. That makes loving worth it." She smiles again.

"Heh..." thinks. Yes. No. Damnit. Please no? But... sighs quietly. "Okay...pick out a dress for me. But you know me well enough...okay?" No neon. Smirks a little.

"I have two pieces of string we can tie around you." Mara beams. "Gonna make you look all approachable. Mara gonna dresssss uppppp!" She giggles, falling over backward and tumbling, quite unceremoniously, off the roof. She reappears in the air and lands back beside Felina, still giggling.

"Oh, lord." Felina shakes her head. "Remind me to never introduce you to Yue. I don't need the two of you in the same place at the same time, ever." Laughs softly, though.

"Sounds fun!" Mara just grins. "Seriously. Love is serious business. Mara knows sex really well. Not love so much. You can do this thing, if you just... let go. Let your fears go. He's afraid too. Trust me."

"He and I can work it out together," Felina affirms. "Almost did this evening. I just need to let it finish that way. That said..." She stands up. "I have no idea when Kaies is coming back. And we have work to do, lady."

Mara smiles some. "He'll be a while. Tell me something... you kissed, right? Didja kiss him good?"

Felina's cheeks colour a bit. "Well...I was mostly the passive one, but a few times, yes."

"It's all about the kiss. If you were passive, that meant he was pretty good at it, or too rough. You can use a kiss to communicate things, you know. About what you want and how you want it." Mara hops up, the bottles vanishing back to the bar as she does. "And remember you gotta want it. If ya don't we're just wasting time and gonna end up hurting both of ya."

"I do," Felina affirms without hesitating on it.

Mara nods a bit. Good answer. "I suggest that Felina goes to her room. She needs to think about what she wants out of it. Besides emotional fulfillment. Think about what makes your cheeks red. What makes you tingle," she points, none too subtle, between Felina's legs, "there."

"What makes my cheeks reddest is usually my nether double," Felina pokes, proving it despite a little smirk.

She grins. "Oh, Fel, I didn't know you felt that way. Gimme a call sometime." Winks. "I'm not kidding though. You gotta know what you want, my love."

"Yeah, I guess so." Felina considers this. "Mmkay, will do that. I'll see you later?"

"Of course! I'll be poking around for a nice outfit for you. And I'll see if that Couture guy's a virgin." Beams at her double. "I am proud of you, my love."

Fel smiles a bit. "Thanks, Mara...hopefully Kaies will be, too. See you later." And she vanishes for the atrium room.j

Mara yawns, stretches, and sneezes. "Oof! I needed to do that. Now... to find Fel somefin." And she vanishes, bound for Mara-kuru's Estate.

Felina really isn't afraid of being injured, mostly because she can heal any damage, but a lack of armor would be interpreted as arrogant insulting to an opponent. Thus, her outfit's shifted to her grey workout clothes with a thin, strong, well-fitted leather breastplate.

Couture is already there, looking around. He's working on shoving a crate across the field, nodding once it's done. His armor is as it was, though now he's wearing a bright, shiny cutlass with a wraparound wristguard. The weapon is plainly sorcerous in nature, layered thickly with runes, enchantments, supernatural casting... lots and lots of spells. 

"Lady Ono," he greets her, "thank you for being so prompt!"

"It's my pleasure." She looks over the field, ground shifting a bit to level itself and give them a nice surface. She looks at his sword a few moments...fancy. Very fancy. She needs to be careful; her own--an all-silver, lightweight, swept hilt job, well-made though not enough to be a primary weapon for anything near her usual fights--is only lightly guarded and in danger of shattering if the swords clash too strongly. Smiles. "It promises to be interesting, anyway. Fencing styles aren't a primary focus of mine and its maneuvers usually get meshed into other styles, so this will be an interesting challenge."

"Oh, I hope to teach you much more than fencing. Fencing is for pretty men who secretly love each other." Couture chuckles quietly. "By the by. You can probably feel the effects on this weapon... I hope you can, anyway. It won't cut organic material." To prove his point, he quite suddenly holds out his wrist and swipes the sword through it.

Sitting on the roof above, Mara cringes. She's got a box with a dress in it, but hadn't wanted to interrupt.

Couture just smiles, tugs the end of his cuff, neatly cut, from his undershirt. His wrist is undamaged.

Felina has to smile a bit at that. "Perfect for sparring, removing armor, and disarming. Fancy."

"I have one for you, if you're interested...?" 

"For the match? I'll need a few moments to adjust to the weight and tendencies, but it may not be a bad idea."

"Actually," he smiles a bit. "It's a gift. Not from me, though. Well, from me, but on behalf of someone else. A great, tall man. The tavern owner, I believe." He takes a moment, letting her digest that as he produces a sword and scabbard from within the crate. Kaies had contacted Couture a full year ago, asking if he could design a weapon for an innocent warrior woman with a full set of morals. The pay had been more than adequate, of course.

Felina's eyes soften and warm a bit at this. Aww...Kaies.... "Well, that's...a lovely surprise, to be sure." She smiles. "You forge these, then...?" Her senses are of course running loops around the enchantments in the air right now

"Quite. They were a devil of a job, but... functional!" Couture steps back, tilting his head. "So... shall we get started?"

"Of course." Felina accepts the sword critically, though nearly reverantly at the same time...she has a tremendous amount of respect for fine weapons and the work that went into them, and also for good enchanting work. But mostly for swords... draws the new one, testing its weight carefully, trying to memorize its quirks quickly. A few seconds later, the scabbard is slipped into her belt, and her grip on the sword changes. "Whenever you're ready, then." She smiles.

"We should talk first," he's quick to suggest, to Mara's delight. Good, he's not a meathead. "Do you consider offense or defense your strength, Felina?"

"Defense and counteroffense duly."

"So you're not aggressive. Okay." Couture nods. "Why?"

"Three reasons. The first is my marked lack of weight and, in a power-truncating sort of situation, strength. Using my opponent's own strength against him is heavily to my advantage, and speed and agility lend themselves more solidly to counterattack than aggressive offense. Secondly, I like being given a glimpse of style and footwook before the first clash. And thirdly, most importantly...I want it to be proven absolutely that there's going to be a fight before I strike a blow."

"Good reasons. But what if you're fighting a likewise defensive fighter?" Couture tilts his head.

"Then it may be drawn out long enough to talk him down. If for some reason that's not possible and a fight is both necessary and pressing," both are important, really, "then I can and will initiate an attack."

"I'm not at all opposed to any particular method. I do think that knowing them all promotes flexibility though. You have a number of tools at your disposal, Felina, that others do not." Couture slows his speech, watching the way she stands. Breathes. The way she looks at things. "There are devices in existence that can neutralize excessive power. After that all you have left is a sword. Can you show me your offense now?"

Felina's casual stance is habitually half an inch's shift from a powerful spring up and back. She's not really aware of this, conscious, it simply "is." Her breathing is an even-tempered marathon runner's, easy and controlled. Her gaze is constantly evaluating, but considering her notes on his armour earlier, only the slightest bit more so than her "normal." "Alright. Physical only, or...?" she tilts her head.

"You can read me, I'm sure. Treat me as you would an enemy." Couture sets up, his stance a functional, cautious stance - sword mostly vertical, rotated about fifteen degrees forward in his left hand, with his right held at chest level for balance. "You should not distract me with ears cuteness, though. I see that tilt."

Mara giggles.

Felina smirks a little, feet setting a sword lowering. "My double up there taught me well. You'd be startled how effective it is. She hardly tenses before moving, though, and when she does, the speed is blinding. She doesn't like making a habit of underestimating opponents, thus, she'll treat him like an enemy as requested, to be neutralized immediately and before he can try anything. She appears to spring backward, but reappears behind him, the upper arm of her non-sword hand--just above the elbow, she doesn't want to actually give him a concussion--slamming towards the low back of his head from about three inches away.

He'd known she could teleport. Who doesn't, here? His immediate instinct is to crouch low when she vanishes - where else would she be going? - but whether it gets him out of the way in time is suspect.

Really, he shouldn't have been able to manage nearly as well as he does. The arm connects, but higher on his skull where it will glance and do less damage. This also reduces recoil on Felina, though, and her arm looks to take advantage of any shock from the blow, trying to snake flip quickly in front of his neck for a blood choke.

She's so quick...! Couture tries clamping his chin down - it works in grappling, anyway - to protect his neck, and thrusts upward and back with the wristguard of his sword, aiming for Felina's nose at reduced-from-choking speed.

This actually works quite well to thwart the choke. He definitely not the only one impressed with speed by this point. She's forced back to avoid the hilt whizzing towards her nose. Her own sword quickly changes hands and the hilt goes slapping towards the side of his throat on his unarmed side.

Couture's been in plenty of scraps. This, he can handle. His balance hand goes up to block the hilt, damage to himself be damned, and his own sword thrusts expertly, aimed for her own throat.

And...she tries something. Guards her spinal cord psionically, but...won't cut organic materials? She's very much interested in testing how it will work. She doesn't move to guard or get out of the way.

The sword passes directly through her, never touching her. Couture tilts his head. 

"What happened?"

She grins a bit at him, eyes gleaming just a little at an interesting scrap. "Wanted to see how that worked and what auxilliary effects it would have."

"You have yet to see what kind of effects it can have." He's just grinning, now. "So I take it you rely mostly on your powers to fight your battles, right?"

"Generally speaking, yes. I adore swords and have quite literally as long as I can remember, but, generally speaking, there's much less chance of getting out without seriously injuring someone when magic is heavily involved. Blades come in when people put up a solid fight or piss me off."

"Okay... well... hm." He ponders this. "You swung the hilt at me. Why?"

"I would have actually had to slash your throat for a noticeable effect from that angle, blade wouldn't have been heavy enough for a flat hit from a rapier at that speed to stun you. And throat cutting isn't exactly spar fodder. So I switched to the weight end for a stunning blow." She tilts her head. "Also, if it failed, there was the possibility of stabbing it downward into your lower left hamstring with just a slight twist." Eh. She's an innovator. Not being strongly tied to a set school leaves lots of new ideas and even maneuvers that would be considered dirty by certain camps.

"Did you consider that the hilt might not touch anything organic?" Couture knows the answer to this, and there's a very good reason it does.

"Well, the hilt touched my hand before." The blade she was holding the blade with a psionic guard, this would have been the case with a strange sword anyway. "It crossed my mind, but I didn't and don't know enough about the weapon to have assumed it wouldn't. If it had gone through you, my right side would have been more or less open for a moment." She tilts her head. "So. Would it have?"

He blinks. Goddamn. "Well. The first lesson for any swordsperson is to know exactly what's going on in hir surroundings." If she's holding the sword with some kinda psychic trick, the question is moot.

"A good point to remember." Felina smiles. Pauses, and looks up to her nether double. "Mara, what are you wiggling about?"

"Fel, uh..." She's twittering, her little face as red as a spanked bottom from holding back her laughter. Her eyes are on Felina's chest. Apparently, when Couture pulled his sword down from the throat thrust, the blade passed through, and...

"your boob's out!"

Couture turns his head. Coughs.

"Hm?" Felina looks down, then looks back up to her double, and smirks. "What boob, curves?" Okay, so she's not thrilled, but Couture is mortified enough for the both of them.

"Situation," the fencer chokes out, as Mara giggles. Yup. Virgin! "The sword can shred light armor and garments without harming skin. If your enemy has implants of any kind - a false hip, for example - you can attack it directly to weaken him." He doesn't know this, but this would actually be tremendously useful for cybernetic opponents.

Mara blinks. "Oh Fel. You have gotta use that on Kaies tonight. Oh! You should ask him to fence with you! That thing would look like a toothpick in his hand, but yay! That would be so hot."

Felina laughs quietly, though her face turns a bit red at public discussion of her previously non-existant sex life. She sets her hands on the garment and the breastplate and gi below begin to knit. "He would pass out at the thought of something going wrong and cutting me with the sword, Mara. You know that." Grins. She can picture it, too, the big baby. Looks back to Couture. "That's one hell of a blade for this kind of cut in hardened leather, especially since there wasn't any force worth speaking of behind the gesture."

"Well..." Couture smiles at last, "it was designed to split even enchanted, full plate suits of armor..."

"Who said he would use it on you?" Mara interrupts, dancing her 'I'm here, check me out' dance on the roof.

"Hm..." Felina examines the blade of hers with a fair amount of interest. "I believe it. This is really, really an excellent sword, Couture." Considers. Hm. Similar spells could overlap. "Can the blades strike one another?"

"Of course. The blades are not organic."

"Fair enough." She tests the weight and balance critically, just paying careful attention to its quicks now that she's handled it more freely in the spar start. "This is actually a day I can't stick with this all afternoon, but, for the moment...on with the slicing each other and such?" Smirks. She likes sword enthusiasts.

Couture nods a little bit. "Certainly. Shall we test your defense this time?"

About now, a certain tall fellow with a picnic basket wanders to the edge of the field, and leans on it, watching quietly.

Felina blinks, looks over to Kaies and smiles a bright, fond smile. Looks back to Couture, and nods. "Sure." Heads off to about the middle of the field from where they'd pushed to the edge.

Kaies smiles back. He looks... weary, like he has been dragged through town behind a cavalcade.

Couture acknowledges him with anod. "On your guard, lady Ono." He takes short steps forward, eyes - unfortunately - set about at her chest. Any movement the body makes can be read from the chest. Quite abruptly, his sword flickers out in a feinting swipe, aimed just about for her hand.

This, of course, is parried without terribly much trouble. She's on high alert for some tricky return maneuver, though.

It doesn't come. Couture switches lead feet, and feints again, this time for her knee.

The attempted counter-maneuver gets only a little fancy. Her sword looks to parry his to the outside, while a second maneuver, quicker and at first more subtle, sends her opposite foot slamming towards his sword hnd.

Couture lets the parry turn his blade. He moves his arm back with the momentum and turns his wrist, putting the fat wristguard forward as if to counterpunch Felina's foot.

She shields the foot for protection, but not long enough to really slam the sword aside. The point of this isn't to flunt her power. When his hand goes out, her eyes narrow and the tip of her sword snaps towards it from below, trying to thread straight through the guard to disarm, both hands solidly on her hilt for strength.

Couture turns the handle to parry, smiling at her, as he counterslashes a quick X across her armor.

"Lovely," Felina laughs. Her blade, meanwhile, has a close, clear path to his neck in his sword's absense. But still...he would have hit first. "You're a little good at this stuff, you know?" She smirks. 

He nods, smiling nervously. "When the sword is out, it must be used as much as possible," he quietly tells her, "no double meanings, by the way."

Mara snaps her fingers.

"Duly noted." Felina's actually smiling a little. At least in this style...he's better than her. No question. That doesn't happen very often, and she actually hasn't had any form of instruction in over a decade. It's kind of nice. Steps back, and raises her sword again, breastplate knitting. "I thought you were just after chest again."

"Me? Never. Not with a large man over there who will beat my ass over it."

"Here, here," Kaies calls.

"How do you read your enemies, Felina?"

"Psychically and through body language. Fond of foot placement."

Couture nods again. "You can see any movement from the muscles of the chest. I must admit to watching yours, during that exchange."

"Mm...I'll try that. I'm certainly at the right eye level, anyway." He should see her try to kiss Kaies.

Mara was just thinking the same thing. "Feeeeeeeeel!" she cries from the roof. "Hey, we gotta get goin! you know that thing we have to do today."

Felina looks up, and smiles a bit. Nods. Looks to Couture. He can probably tell tht although he has her ttention for bursts, there's something on her mind. "Well. Will you still be around tomorrow?"

"Until I teach you everything I came to teach, I will be here." Couture sheaths his cutlass, bows shallowly. "My lady."

Felina smiles bit, and bows her head. "All right, then. I'll see you tomorrow." And she intends to. It will be fun. She sheaths the new sword, smiles at Couture, and then walks towards Kaies, smilling warming and becoming amusedly accusing. "What's this I hear about some sneaky bastard commissioning a very nice sword for me?"

"I do not know him, my lady, but I would suggest you hug him when you meet him." Kaies looks down at her, way down as usual. Despite his apparent weariness, warmth glows in his eyes. "You looked fantastic out there, love."

Felina is happy to wrap her arms around him. Part of the wy around him, anyway. "Well. Hopefully with little bit of help from Couture over there, it will look better still." She smiles up at him, but tilts her head. "You look tired, Kaies."

"I am, a bit," he sheepishly admits. Though, he still has the energy to love her arms around him. "It is nothing a nap won't fix." His shirt, however, covers the slash wounds and punctures that cry to the contrary. His penance for whatever he had done to fail her. "What are you and Mara doing?"

This punctures, though, knit quietly beneath his shirt. She makes no mention. "A surprise." She smiles bit, though it pains her to see what's become of him in the hour or so. Her fault again. "You need to take some rest, my love, while we finish."

"I may," he nods. He can feel the wounds closing. It hurts worse than they had to begin with. "You two be careful to stay out of trouble. You know Mara, my dear Topaz."

"She'll be good. I'll make sure of it." Felina stands on tiptoe to kiss his jaw lightly. "I'll see you this evening, Kaies. Have a nice nap."

He colors, as he always does when her lips touch him. "I look forward to it. And thank you." He looks up. "Mara."

She grins. "Buns!" Snickers, as she watches him trot towards the inn with his hands over his ass. "Aww...!"

Felina smirks, and tucks the rapier scabbard into her belt. "Well. What do you have for me, Mara?"

"Let's head to your room," Mara decides, "private like! I gots something good. And we have to talk."

"Sounds good. Couture." And then she jumps up onto the roof with Mara to head in the top window of The Atrium Room.

---

Felina and Kaies appear from the roof of Mara-kuru's Estate in the main room of the inn...though on the nether plane, this is normal enough to not raise a stink unless someone's doing something they didn't want the inkeeper to see. She pats her hair once, paranoid she's already screwed it up.

Kaies grins at her, happy for the change of scene. "It looks fantastic," he assures her. Yue's styling isn't coming out without a crowbar. "So... shall I cook, or simply get dressed for a party?"

"Whichever you prefer," Felina smiles. "Like I said, we won't be expected to bring anything, but it might be a nice gesture, so it's entirely up to you. Hmm..." Tilts her head. "What's 'dressed for a party' mean for you, anyway? I dressed this way for you before the party came up, Momo is going to laugh me out of the room."

Kaies chuckles softly, looking down at himself. Yup. Dark pants, brown shirt... shoes. "I could at least put on something respectable."

"Yue is going to be fawning over you regardless," Felina observes, laughing softly. "He," Sure, Yue's come up in conversation in the years that Felina and Kaies have known each other enough for her to mention to a dear confidante that she's a he but doesn't make that public, "was practically swooning after he asked me to describe how you look."

Kaies chuckles quietly. "Shall I go naked then?"

A succubus sitting in the corner raises her glass at that. "Here, here!"

"I'm sure you would be unusually popular," the construct affirms.

"I have something. Give me a moment, love?" Kaies looks to the stairs. "I will get changed and meet you here in a few minutes?"

Felina smiles, and nods. "Sure thing."

He goes, after tearing his eyes away from her. God... what did he do so right to have seen this?

Mara, of course, is there as soon as Kaies is not.

"You look so fucking hot." She nods. Typical Mara subtlety.

Felina turns and grins at her double. "Thanks, Mara. Excellent help, you know."

Mara beams, wiggling head to toe. "He begged me to cut his claws off. I didn't wanna. He got on his knees and plead with me." She leans on her cane a little harder... all of the excitment has gotten her moving too much lately. "It hurt him so much. I knew it would. Those claws were attached to his bones."

Felina bites her lip...nods. "I was pretty stunned," she admits. "You...did a great job, though. Fingernail restoration and all. Also, sit down before I sit you down, lady."

"Geez, sexy hair makes Fel so bossy!" Mara grins, but acquiesces. "I lost the feeling in my knee today. Stupid monsters showing up and needing thrashed all the time. But yeah, Kaies has great hands. He's gonna make you feel goooood."

Felina smiles a bit, and nods. "Yeah...hey, I've been thinking about your leg a lot lately. It's really strange that it isn't healing up when you seem to be at your full power. Do you think it has something to do with not having Leilulei?

Mara ponders this, but only briefly. "No," she firmly answers, sparkle-eyed, "no. It's just a thing. I miss it. But! Just a thing. Mother Blue told me I should bite the bullet and chop the whole thing off so I can regenerate a functional one, but... Mara's scared to."

"Mara prefers to chop her hair and claws off into creative shapes," Felina agrees.

"Oh!" The Sendiran snickers. "You laughed when Mara had wang-shaped claws."

Felina groans. "I don't know if anyone could be prudish enough to not have found that funny. I certainly make a good run at it."

"You tried so hard!" Mara smiles a little more brightly. "Heeey.... lookit! Somebody's wearing the suit Mara gave him last year."

Kaies wanders down stairs, still buttoning cuffs. His hair is tied back now, and he smells lightly of vanilla, but the thing Mara notices most is the earth-style ice cream suit he's managed to stuff his vast frame into. He looks to Felina, again awestricken at how wonderful she looks.

"Will this work...?"

He isn't the only one a taken aback. Felina's straight-up shocked, and a slight slack-jaw threads into a smile after a few moments as she gets to his feet. "Kaies...you look...fabulous. I didn't know you owned a suit." She laughs softly as she heads over to him to take his hands, absolutely thrilled at the cleaned-up hotness of her very significant other.

His hands are shaking, even after meeting hers. He'd been too nervous to even consider how he actually looked, even.

"Mara acquired it for me a while back," Kaies explains. "I never thought I would find an excuse to wear it." He feels so self-conscious in it, but... the look on her face makes it feel worthwhile, more than.

Felina finally grins at him after a few moments. "Well...I'm thinking we're probably in about the same state of mind. Ready to go feel horribly silly and look hot together?"

Kaies's tension breaks at Felina being silly. "Yes, my love. As long as I am with you, silly is moot."

Mara smiles. No comments for once, either.

Felina smiles at him, and looks to Mara as she takes her arm, feeling like the luckiest freaky superheroin catgirl in the world. "Okay...we're off to make trouble. It's a party for Momo, I think you met her...want to come?"

The Sendiran shakes her head. "Nah. You two have fun. Mara will watch the store."

Felina smiles and nods. Considerate answer, she knows. "Alright...have fun with your fencer!" Looks to Kaies, all smiles and just enough insecurity to look more like a regular lady than a warrior chick...two pretty, well-coordinated scabbards aside. "Ready?"

"Always," Kaies smiles, gazing at her. "Always."

Felina smiles, feeling just...comfortable and happy and loved inside, and they vanish for the seven suns inn.