Coffee date?

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

The café lies ahead, its royal blue paint glistening in the first golden rays of the day. I can see the rain drops that cling, jewel-like to the name, "Gloria's." Outside the sidewalk that will bustle in a few short hours is quiet, the concrete oblivious to whether it is midday or midnight. My face smirks up at the sight of the flower planter to the right, the city has put in new blooms that will give us flashes of sunny yellows and hot pinks through the springtime. If I stop walking now I can almost hear the heartbeat of the city, quiet, like the ticking of an old Grandfather clock.

I walk inside the cake and the shop was gleaming inside and out, but it had the sterile, over air-conditioned feel of a big boxed store. The uniforms of the assistants were immaculate and bright, but their smiles were pasted on and shallow. Their eyes had no warmth and they stood like well rehearsed would-be actors for an audition.

I walk up to the cashier and make my order. I request two cups of coffee, some cookies, and coffee cake. The coins that rattle in my pocket are all accounted for my purchase as I brought more than enough for this small, I guess you can call a date? I make my way towards a small table outside with a bunch of creamers to wait for Riley to show up. The extra coffee, cake, and cookies are reserved for her. Though, I do eat one of the coffee cakes. I quickly devour it like no body business. How odd, I normally don't like sweets, but for some reason I've loving cake.

[Merc]

The soft beating of wings signaled Riley's arrival, as Atlas perched himself on the cafe's sign and settled there, his purpose served. Releasing an eerie sound, as though to further announce his presence, he shut his eyes, ruffling his feathers and settling to sleep.

Not longer after the bird appeared, Riley came up alongside Aether's table, offering him a soft smile and nod before pulling out her chair. Pausing, she slipped out of her jacket, hanging it over the back of her chair and sliding into it with a soft sigh. As per usual, beneath the heavy leather of her jacket she wore a sleeveless dark gray turtleneck. Looking around, enjoying the peace while simultaneously finding it somewhat unnerving, she noticed the flower pots nearby and watched them for a moment. "It's been a long time since I've been to a place like this..." She idly recalled, blinking and bringing her eyes back to Aether.

Dragging what she presumed was her cup of coffee closer to herself, she loaded it up with several packets of cream and sugar before taking a sip. Truth be told she preferred tea or hot chocolate, but she didn't complain as she picked up a cookie and dunked the tip into the mug before nibbling on it.

While dunking the cookie again, she heard an older woman nearby remarking to her husband about the 'lovely looking young couple' that was sitting nearby and reminded her of when they were young. Peering around, Riley slowly came to realize that they were the only other people seated in the cafe, and a slight blush came to her cheeks as she fell into silence, becoming fixated on the cookie that she was dunking and nibbling.

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

It's a bit peaceful despite everything that had happened. I'm filled with a bit of pride that there's no physical scars from the outbreak and everything is moving towards smoothly. Peace is the subtle sea flowing calmly passed without a ripple or a wave in sight. Peace is the forest quiet yet deadly yet rewarding and kind. Peace is the sun glowing insistently shining down like a beacon of hope and serenity. Peace is every day work finding comfort among jobs despite the tedious repetitiveness. All this is flexible. Is peace flexible? However, now that everything is normal I'm not all that sure what to do next with my life. I mean, Sakurai is almost 18yrs old so I don't have a lot to say about her life. Though, I need to find her and work things out with her after she ran away. “This is my first time, and it's a bit relaxing.”

I watch Riley dunk the cookies and eat. An older couple from nearby stating that we look like a lovely couple. I hide my head down to hide the fact I am blushing. I look up at to Riley and see that she's fixated on the cookie. “So, what are you plans now?” I'm curious because we've talked about our pasts, but not a lot towards the future. I shift myself in my chair and scoot back the little as I cross one leg over another. I take a sip of my cup of coffee without cream or sugar, just black. I look up on top of the building and see Atlas. “He's well train, I applaud you. Was it hard for you to train Atlas?”

[Merc]

"Mn?" Riley asked before the question could even begin to dawn on her. Blinking herself back to reality, she rose her eyes to him but quickly looked away, pondering. "Well, I have a lot of rebuilding to do... The guild... My life..." She murmured the last bit, her voice barely above a whisper. With a sigh, she shook her head. With Onibas in one piece she supposed that she should feel like a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders, but instead she felt more lost than ever.

Raising her eyes to meet the sleeping bird, she puzzled over the answer for a few long moments, debating what to tell him. "The assassin's guild I was born into called themselves the Screeching Owls. It was customary to have an owl as a partner. They're intelligent, excellent for tracking." Rambling to help calm her nerves, she continued to gaze at Atlas, who was sleeping blissfully despite the sun beaming down on him. "Actually, the ritual to summon the guild involved chanting an incantation that summoned this massive, massive owl that belonged to the master. He would either accept the offered Jewels and contract or scream at the person that summoned him and fly away... He was a vicious thing, swept me off of the ground and left me in a tree once, actually... Took me forever to get down out of that..." Frowning at the thought, she shook her head some.

 "Having the right sort of owl was a symbol of rank. A common barn owl like Atlas, on the other hand, well... It doesn't matter. I'm glad got him. He has been a dear friend to me through everything." She concluded, smiling towards the bird.

"Ah, but to answer your question, it was difficult at times, but the guild knew what they were doing in that regard." Finally dragging her gaze back to Aether, she turned her attention to her coffee cake and began to devour it.

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

I listen to Riley while staring at Atlas. Atlas is enjoying the warmth of the sun and taking a small nap. Giving it some thought, I scoot over a bit with the remaining cookie. I'm not taking no chances to deal with bird shit in my coffee. I hear Riley speak about rebuilding her guild, but should I offer to help with that? Just by having the supplies over, and I can fast forward and it. I want to say something along those lines, but would I be pushing myself on her?

I hear Riley saying something at the end, but I can't make out what she says exactly. I'm curious, but I don't bring it up. Even if I did hear what she said, with how low she's speaking she clearly doesn't want me to hear it. I can only guess it something personal and she don't feel like sharing it with me. I take out my cookie and dunk it in my coffee while I listen more to her. She mentions the real name of the guild she was part of.

It's not a guild I've heard of, but I've been part of Phantom cloak. They don't care about who knows what and do it out in the open. In that same guild, they pair up with owls as partners. “Oh, I've always thought you just adopted him from a pet store or something of that effect.” She goes on rambling, but I don't mind. I feel like I can with her for days and never bored. Even if we repeat the same subject, I wouldn't grow bored. Riley mentions about a giant owl that her former master owned and have caused her some trouble in the past. “Huh, happy that you and Atlas are together all these years.” I finish off my coffee in one gulp at once and go get a refill.

I come back at my seat and making sure I am not directly under Atlas again though. I give it some thought and figure this be a good chance to bring up my daughter. “You know, while I can remember to bring this up, I have a 16-year-old daughter.” I give it some thought and if I think on my words a bit it might create a little confusion. “Years ago I've adopted her and she's been around quite a bit. She might have been in your guild at one point?”

[Merc]

Sipping at her own coffee as Aether returned, Riley closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth that radiated from the mug even though she didn't much like the taste of coffee. She was taking a gulp of the coffee when Aether suddenly announced that he had a daughter - forcing her to swallow the coffee to prevent herself from spraying it over him. Coughing as she set her cup down, she covered her mouth as she fought to breathe with coffee in her lungs.

By the time that she stopped, her eyes were watering slightly and she had almost missed the part where he declared to have adopted her. Breathing a little erratically, Riley rubbed at her eyes, trying to force her breathing to return to its normal pace as she finally managed to open her eyes enough to look at him.

"I-I see." She managed, voice slightly hoarse. Clearing her throat and sighing to help calm herself, she rubbed wearily at her face. "You, ah, probably should have included the whole 'adopted' thing in the first place..." She murmured, her hand dropping to massage her throat.

Remembering his final remark, she arched a brow. "What was her name?"

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

So me having a daughter are a real shocker for Riley. She forces herself to swallow coffee so she wouldn't spit on me, thank you. Riley begins to cough and massages her through from forcing to swallow her coffee. I sit here calmly while sipping my new cup of coffee. I'm a bit perplexed, is it really that shocking for me to have a daughter? I mean, I don't think it's all that odd for me to have a daughter, it's quite common for nobles to adopt others.

"You, ah, probably should have included the whole 'adopted' thing in the first place..." Oh, well I guess she has a point. I've wanted to tell her that I have a kid I've adopted, but there's never been a chance. “If I have told you that first then I wouldn't have gotten such a nice reaction from you.” Of course, I'm just teasing her and it wasn't on purpose. “Dully noted though.” Riley questions what was her name. I put down my coffee and finish what is left of the cookie and try to remember what was Sakura old name. “Of course, her last name is Hikari now. Before I believe it was... Sakura Ai?” In case that is not enough information to ring some bells, I should give her a brief description “Black hair and cat ears she hides all the time just to get reaction out of people when she reveals them. She dresses in red a lot if that helps.”

[Merc]

Reclining in her chair once the coughing had stopped and she didn't feel as though she was going to die any longer, Riley ran her fingers through her hair before picking up her cup and taking a sip of coffee once more. Giving a small 'heh' in response to his first statement, she picked up another cookie, idly glancing around as she did so, as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.

She was about to bite into the cookie when he revealed the name of his daughter, making Riley blink slowly, surprised that she recognized it. "Yes, she was once a part of Griffin Wing." But that wasn't all. What was likely to be the true shocker would come next. "Ah... Well. That day that I got sucked into the demon world, I was chasing after another member of the guild, Battler, that was so hellbent on helping her that he decided to leave the guild... When the mage we were fighting - her real father, I think? I'm not sure, I was a bit late to the party - cast a spell to pull us into that world, Battler shoved Sakura out of the way..." She recalled, suddenly setting the cookie down, seeming disinterested in it. 

 "Is she... doing well these days?"

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

It looks like her throat is beginning to feel better from forcing the coffee down. Riley looks around the area in maybe she thinks someone is going to attack her for the cookie? I'm a bit confuse by this, but maybe Atlas is a cookie fiend and he steals her food sometimes. I laugh a little inside my head in seeing such a scene. Riley screaming at Atlas for stealing her cookie.

Riley confirms that Sakura was in fact part of Griffin Wing and it seems she has connection with Riley being transported to the demon world. She brings up about the other mage with a weird uncommon name. I wonder about something, the two of them been together for three years in a hellish world. Maybe I don't have any chance with her if she's already with the other guy? If that is the case then I am about to destroy my heart “Well, she's healthy and rebellious. Let just say that. Although, I'm sure she be happy to see you again.”

I need to find a way to bring up this battler guy. I mean, it's reasonable to ask this question? No, even if it's unreasonable about I have to know this. For my own heart sake, even if its shatter! “Um, so you and Battler. Is there something going on with you too?” Oh god, I need to brace myself for this. Knowing my luck and everything, I'm about to die.

[Merc]

"Well, I'm glad that she's happy." Riley gave a soft smile, genuinely glad that Sakura was apparently doing well. She couldn't help but wonder if Battler had gone off to find her, given how things had ended three years ago that would make the most sense - and he did seem to be in a hurry to leave Onibas, so there was definitely something specific he was up to. Trouble, probably.

Sighing at the thought, Riley drained the rest of her coffee before reclining once more, hands folding in her lap. She wondered briefly if she perhaps should have gone along with him, but he was older now, hopefully wiser. Whatever he was looking for, she hoped he was able to find it and settle down.

"Mn?" She arched a brow as he suddenly inquired about her relationship with Battler, her green eyes searching his face for a moment. "I assume you mean romantically, yes?" She first questioned, studying his expression carefully, curiously. The silence lingered for what seemed like an eternity before she gave a shrug of her thin shoulders.

"There's nothing between us, in that sense. He's an old friend, I'm his old master. We relied on each other for a long time but we also spent much of the three years apart." Picking up the cookie once more, she began to eat it this time, enjoying the sweet taste in her mouth.

It had been so long since she was last able to have sweets, it felt like a gift from the gods themselves.

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

I should find out more about this Battle guy, in person, as a concern father. Something tells me we're not going to get along too well. I mean, what kind of person doesn't introduce themselves to the father first? Is he avoiding me or something and if it he is, then why? Yes, I am in a bit in dad mode, but she's only my daughter....and Lyra.

As Riley clears that up with me on her, and Battler inside my head is a huge celebration with the voices. There's cake and ice with confetti everywhere! Oh the joy in no heart-broken today is a wonderful thing! I still got a chance, yuuuush! I cough to myself to calm myself down. As she reveals that nothing happen I found myself smirking uncontrollably. “I see, I was just curious is all...”

I watch Riley devours the cookie so more and it seems it's her weakness? Note to self, bake some home-made cookies! I get up and buy some more cookies and lay them in front of Riley. It's quite adorable to see her completely in the zone over them. “You know, there's an amusement park on the outskirt of town.” I might be a little to obvious with this invitation, but it might make me look a little more impressive to her, hopefully. “I know you can fly so not everything is going to appeal to you, but I'm sure you can find stuff there for you to enjoy.”

I look a way little to hide my embarrassment while scratching my nose. “So, how about we go together? The admission to get in and everything there is free, including food. Like, cake, cotton candy, pie, doughnuts, and cookies.” [Could you not be anymore obvious in what you're planning to do? You might as well just come out with it!] Shut up, I'm still new with this! [If you want I can-] Oh hell no, last time I did that you told her she has nice tits! [You told her she has a nice ass] It's true though...[so was my comment]. I better lock you away or something before I keep looking like a pervert.

[Merc]

Aether was kind enough to bring her some more cookies, and Riley did not feel like insulting his generosity by refusing them (also, cookies), so she happily picked up another and began to munch on it, very much enjoying the taste. With some crumbs on her cheek, she looked to Aether as he suggested going to an amusement park, though she wasn't really sure how amusing she would find it, for the very reason that he mentioned it.

But the man raised a damn good point. Funnel cake. Cotton candy. Candy apples. Her eyes practically shone at the suggestion, and she nodded readily. "I guess we haven't really done anything fun together." She agreed. After basically existing together for a month of chaos, they had some laughs but there was always the threat of danger and it was kind of hard to relax under those circumstances.

Ah, but he kept inviting her places, why was that, exactly?

Watching him carefully, she pondered a few moments before coming to the conclusion that he probably felt safe with her, being away from his home and all, he'd been lost since she first stumbled upon him and she was sort of motherly by nature. That had to be it, right?

"Are you going back to your hometown soon?" She suddenly wondered, head tilted slightly to one side.

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

Riley takes the snacks graciously and agree to go to the amusement park. Well, it's anything that I want. I let out a smirk in thinking in more of an exaggeration form reaction from Riley in how impress with my magic. Riley goes head over heels to me as she explores the reality marble. She might even jump in my arms and everything!

[Dream on] You're right, but one can dream, right? That moment when evens that clown make sense, hell has frozen over, and I am completely hopeless. She might like the reality marble but everything to falling for me instantly like that? In my dreams, but even that get denied from that clown. I stand up out of my chair and finish up my coffee. I walk over to Riley while I pick up her jacket for her and try to offer help out of the chair.

Riley asks if I am returning home soon, but I am not sure how to answer that. I gave the entire staff time off from the outbreak and I am not sure when they might return. Though, if I gave the order they will return ASAP. “There's no one at home for me.” I give it some thought and remember that Lyra might have returned home. I'm sure Lyra be shocked to see how much I've changed. “Wait I lied, but I'm not sure Lyra is there. She's an Exceed I've nursed back to health a while back. I should check to see if she's home or not. I'm sure she would love to meet you.”