talentsgirl | [ Voice, Action ] "You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

[Molly debated, but in the end, didn't lock this post from Harry. It was as good as a note slipped under his door, really.]

Hey, Luceti, here's a crazy question. Does anyone know the best path up to the mountains? I hear there's a lake up there I'd like to see. And does the Welcome Center keep those really good maps in stock, the ones that are a bit more in detail than the one in the journal?

And here's a slightly less crazy question - if there's anyone feel like filling in an inquiring mind and have a chat over a cold one, I'd love to know some more about these missions everyone keeps going on. Even if it was about the more recent one, or about one of the ones we can sign up for, there's nothing like first hand experience. I'll be in the Good Spirits from 1-3 if there's any takers.

[And that is exactly where she will be, sitting at the bar or on one of the tables, looking friendly over a cold one... which will originally be an iced tea. She may upgrade, depending on the conversation and the conversate-ee.

After her time in the Good Spirits, hopefully chatting with friendly, informative folk and if not spent poured over a very old-looking book and a village map (hopefully someone will help her get her hands on one of the Nami editions), she'll head to the Item Shop and finish picking out her camping gear. After being exposed to some serious bad news magic, she hasn't been quite herself. And this dusty old book and a remembered conversation with Shiro once upon a time has given her an idea.]

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[And a few seconds later Draco enters the bar, stopping shortly to let his eyes sweep the room before spotting Molly and heading her direction. He towers over her for a moment, tilting his head in thought.]

...iced tea. You're in a bar and you chose iced tea?

[Just shy of six feet herself, Molly doesn't particularly find Draco's towering tactic intimidating. It's the type of magic he so easily controls which she finds far more frightening, not that she'd ever let on.

She winks at him.]

I always was a rebel.

[He's not sure how to respond to that reaction, so he pauses for half a second before he chooses to roll his eyes.] And I actually feel like following the crowd for once. Any recommendations?

You can see if they have any of Mac's mead or if Harry's squirreled it all away. Mac always serves it warm, but that's probably another one of those British things. If they do have some, I'll trade up.

[...but she will have it chilled. Oh yes she will.]

Mead huh? [He consider this for a moment, not too sure if he'd really like it.] Surprised you didn't check yourself. [But he's already walking up toward the bar to see what they've got.]

[She bites back a retort about not feeling the need to drink until he'd shown up. Instead, she shakes her head and gets back to her notes and map. Things to pack, trails to take, ect.]

[He comes back a short time later, indeed with a glass of mead in his hand. He has a seat across from her, peering at her notes.]

...I think that trail's blocked. [Yes, he's jabbing his finger right into her map.]

[Molly lightly swats his hand off her map in a shooing motion. That's right. Shoo.]

If that's mine, then where's yours?

[Because she HAD asked for him to get her one too. And surely he wouldn't have forgotten. Of course.]

[Of course he hadn't, but he's Draco. Still, he just gives her a flat look and then looks at the bar.]

I suspect it's over there.

You [Molly straightens up and looks at him] are a very bad drinking buddy.

[...SIIIGH damn it, woman. Fine, fine, he's more or less roughly shoving his glass toward her and getting up, stomping over to the bar to get another one. He has to play nice to get answers, but this is pushing it.]

[Molly blinked in a 'wow, that actually worked?' sort of way.

Huh.

...well, now she had a feeling she really was going to need that drink.

That doesn't stop her from calling out a cheeky:]

Thank you!

[as she takes a sip. Hey, might as well enjoy herself while she can.]

[Resisting the urge to make rude hand gestures, this one. However, he'll return a short time later with another drink and resuming his seat, once again staring at her map.]

Remind me why you're going again?

[It was a question she could dodge or redirect, but she had a feeling that would just make him pursue it with more persistence. Maybe a nonanswer would do.]

I just - felt like some space.

...you're in Luceti. This isn't space enough?

[She gives him a dry look.]

Would it make you feel any better if I told you I just felt like some fresh mountain air?

[Obviously it wasn't space enough if she felt like she had to leave.]

I'd have to question your life choices at that point. The mountains aren't that great. What are you running from?

Not from. [Molly said to the tune of: "Aren't you listening?"] To. To the mountains.

Still sounds more like from to me. But it isn't as though you have anything traumatizing going on in your life anyway, do you, Carpenter?

[Molly rolled her eyes - and at the last second, changed her retort.]

What do you remember? About me from the time when you thought you were my stalker-Warden, I mean.

Enough, I suppose. [Side-stepping the question...] Why does that matter?

[ Voice, Action ] "You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

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