Running of the Piglets (OPEN)

[Gegenji]

The attendant, already wide-awake now thanks to the recent happenings, jerked a little in alarm at Steel Wolf's movement. What came at his head, though, was not fist nor blade but coin. His delayed reflexes allowed him to catch one of the coins post-collision, but the other slipped through his fingers and rolled out onto the street. A foot hid it from view for a second and then it was gone, either fallen through the cracks in the stone or - more likely here in Ul'dah - filched by a passerby with a sharp eye.

 

"Oh, uh. Yes'm," the attendant managed as the Roegadyn walked away. He eyed the one coin he had managed to save and gave it a quick bite to ensure its authenticity before squirreling it into a belt pouch. It certainly wasn't enough to buy his silence, but he wasn't about to go bragging about how a tower of a woman scared the everliving daylights out of him in pursuit of a purple piglet he had somehow missed slipping onto his elevator car. Thus it just as Steel Wolf had begin with - simple recompense for what he had just gone through. He turned his attentions back to the denizens of the car and attempted to return to a semblance of normality with a simple: "Wellhead Lift, headin' down to the Royal Prominade, then the Airship Landing."

 

Whatever opinions the other participants in this strange event had - those people still in the elevator car - were, perhaps wisely, held until they had a closed gate and possible a several vertical yalms between them and the axe-wielding woman. As for the Midlander in the subligar, he quickly let go of his jerkin's hem and folded his arms over his chest with a fluster. Perhaps he felt a bit emasculated by the ordeal and thus was trying to mask that with manly indifference in front of this group of strangers. Most of them either didn't notice or didn't quite care, especially not the attendant as he turned to address the passing crowds.

 

"Please board now or wait until the next car. Thank you."

 

Gran pawed sadly towards the elevator doors at is slid shut, the truth to the grand mystery slipping through his little clawed fingertips. The Roegadyn's grip was more firm this time, as to prevent another wild flight of fancy on the baby behemoth's part, so he made do with a pathetic little needy whine. He didn't get to bemoan his loss for long, however, for he was quickly inundated with a series of babbling noises from a new face. Even if his knowledge of the common tongue wasn't next to nonexistent, the speed at which Miko had presented her questions still would have confused him. So, when she stuck out her hand to him in greeting, he just gave it a curious, snortling sniff.

[Elysia]

At a safe distance from the jumpy pig-of-sorts, Avis watched the ensuing scene with relish. Ah, the ordeal was over - for both the lift's passengers and Steel herself. Still, there was something about the creature's attitude to Steel that did not seem congruent with what one would expect from an ambivalent mother-child - well, mother-pet relationship. Clearly Pig had not been panicking because he was lost, and if he or she were playing the role of the recalcitrant youth, such diving gladness into "Momma's" arms seemed somewhat out-of-character. 

 

Still, she nodded and smiled warmly at Steel in response to her invitation - they were finally headed to the Quicksand, where shade and sustenance awaited. "I'll take you up on that," she said. "I owe you a drink once we get to the Quicksand, but a tiny errand beckons - I'll catch up in a while." 

 

Turning, Avis headed directly for the importer she knew positioned himself in a small nest of urns nearby in a corner of the marketplace, hoping Steel did not harbour any intentions to feast on Pig while she busied herself for the moment with filling out her money pouch. Roarich's tone was brusque as always, and indeed his impatience only thickened when he recognized a fatigued and long-lost Avis draped over one of his urns. 

 

"Come, come, leave that face alone and relieve me of these animal hides. I owe that Roegadyn with the big axe my life, and her purple devil my sanity." 

 

Gil changed hands, much to the sour importer's reluctance, and Avis left him with an only slightly heavier pouch (today had robbed her of an airship ticket, really) and a heightened consciousness of how badly her hands were shaking again. She was some feet away from the very unlikely crew of martial Roegadyn, purple pig, and frolicsome Miqo'te, and the sun seemed stupendously, overwhelmingly bright. Avis prayed she would not faint before they reached the steps of the Quicksand, and that her wits would remain intact for the interview she knew was to come. She had an interesting proposition for the Miqo'te, who, from the looks of it, would likely not require much persuasion to become enthusiastic for her cause.

[Steel Wolf]

Steel idly watched the exchange take place, not bothering to pay rapt attention or ask questions of her new companion. She'd seen similar trades happen along the walls and alleys of the city before and knew to keep her head dead straight forward. It was none of her business.

 

They were just outside of the Quicksand doors now when Avis had rejoined them. Steel nodded once in acknowledgement as she turned her gaze down to the purple source of the day's adventures.

 

Time to come clean.

 

"Well, actually..." she said to the Miqo'te woman, answering at least one of her myriad questions. "This lil demon isnae mine. I saw it prancing about in the streets and thought to follow it, figurin' it was maybe lost and probably owned by somebody. Not often y'see somethin' like this, even in Ul'dah."

 

She ran her hand over the behemoth's spikey black hair a few times in adoration. Despite the stress this little thing had brought her, she was starting to get a little attached to the hammie. She smiled into its beady little black eyes, coddling it as the child she never had the chance to birth.

 

"So we're headin' back into th'Quicksand and see if mayhap we can't track down 'is owner. At least he'll be safe. Won'tcha little one?"

[Gegenji]

Gran wasn't too sure what Steel Wolf was saying, though the recognized that comforting word - "safe" - on the tail end of it. However, what he did know was that she was giving him the nicest pets and that made it all just ducky to the little behemoth. He responded to her query with a contented little snort before settling further into her arms. This had turned into quite the nice little outing, that chaos before notwithstanding, he noted from his comfortable perch. He would need to go out like this more often.

 

The Quicksand was heavily populated this day, which was not altogether that much of a surprise. No matter the day, no matter the weather, there were those that wanted to add a bit of drink and conversation to their schedule. It was here that the juiciest rumors could be plucked ripe from the grapevine, it was here that the seeds of still more could be planted. Within these walls folks gathered to forget the cutthroat way of Ul'dahn life, and it was in these very same walls that deals were forged that could make or break a citizen's livelihood. It all mixed and melded into a murky quagmire here in the Quicksand, a microcosm of the Jewel as a whole.

 

It, and the Hourglass to which it was attached at the hip, had served as the home for both Gran and his owner since they had first crossed paths. While it could be at times just as chaotic as the city outside - and sometimes more-so - there was a familiarity to it. And while it had been that sameness that had inspired the baby behemoth to go on his journey, it was that same feeling that made him feel comfortable once inundated with its familiar smells and sounds.

 

And it reminded Gran of how hungry he was. Perhaps it had been his ordeals beyond the Quicksand's doors or maybe it was just about that time, but the little purple porker was primed to pursue some sustenance. His little belly growled, and his black eyes scanned the room for both master and food; for the former almost always led to the latter. Again, he was glad for the improved vantage-point of the Roegadyn's arms, giving him a much better view of his surroundings.

 

He just needed to shift back and forth a bit in her grasp to get a good, solid look-see.

[MikoBehnen]

Miko frowned and stomped her foot in frustration at the discovery that the woman would not be able to tell her anything about her current subject of interest. The behemoth seemed to be quite happy in her arms though, so Miko was unsure if the statement denying ownership was the truth or simply a means of shutting her up. The pig seemed to enjoy being pet so perhaps he was similar to a cat? Miko leaned in to examine him closer, forgetting the fact that the Roegadyn likely had a larger circle of personal space than Miko did.

 

"So," she blinked against the puff of air the small animal snorted into her face and looked up, "does that mean I can pet him?"

[Elysia]

Avis fell into step behind them just as Steel made her confession. Ah. So Avis's suspicions were right then. She let out a little sigh, glad that Pig was finally tucked in nicely and that they were headed for rest. She threw a little wink and wave at the behemoth child, though the creature made no sign of having noticed her approach. 

 

The moment Avis stepped into the Quicksand, her features instinctively assembled themselves into what Jasper had used to label as her light, wry, "tavern smile". Her pallor, however, and the onset of a treacherous migraine - the effects of dehydration - meant that her smile appeared plastered, frozen, tighter than usual. Her face could have resembled that of a particularly feminine and pretty species of golem. 

 

She moved quickly past pig, Roegadyn and Miqo'te with an air of purpose, scanning their surroundings. 

 

And sighed, deeply, again. She was home. 

 

The Quicksand was hardly a place for the slumberous, but the combined effect of its nostalgia and her little sun-stricken "ordeal" so overwhelmed Avis that, had she been in any mood for the dramatic, she would have curled herself up on a table and bawled herself into a blissful sleep.  So she settled for dropping like a stone down onto the nearest chair at the nearest empty table, gesturing to her new companions (when? when had she last entered this place accompanied and uncloaked?) and spreading her hands to indicate the spaces around her.

 

"Over here, Steel," she said briskly, with the air of a practiced tavern-goer, while nodding her chin in the direction of the waiter nearby."You too, lady with the dozen questions. Drinks and food on me."

 

Inwardly, she grimaced. This exhaustion had obviously robbed her of her clearheadedness. Ah well. There's always Kokoniku to go to.

 

The waiter approached, a thin, sallow, nervous looking youth with a rather high nose and an air of defensiveness. He appeared unused to, if not repulsed by, the throaty laughter and general earthiness that dominated the Quicksand. Avis's odd little smile widened for him. "Good day. Would you have anything to recommend for a baby behemoth?"

[Gegenji]

"For a..." the waiter repeated, looking quite put upon for being presented with such an odd question. He blinked for a second, wondering if he had heard correctly or the oppressive background noise of the Quicksand had transmuted a much more mundane question into a more bizarre one. Rather than risk a mistake, he instead questioned, albeit a bit incredulously: "Could you repeat that?"

 

Gran's scoping out of the Quicksand from Steel Wolf's arms was somewhat hindered when an eager Miqo'te face was pressed into his. Even his snort seemed to not dissuade her, and she said something to the Roegadyn while still quite close to the piglet. What was being said didn't quite matter to him, because the baby behemoth was more interested in finding something else: food.

 

And from that vantage point - minus the Miqo'te head right there - he had quite the angle to find something that would tickle his fancy. His little tummy rumbling again, he leaned to glance around Miko and continue his search for something tasty. With nothing quite standing out to him on that side, he tried the other. After that, he halfway clambered up the Miqo'te's head for an extra couple inches of height, glancing about through her ears and hair like a hunter in a duck stand.

[Steel Wolf]

Steel tromped forward in as dramatic a manner as possible, her considerable height and the weight of her armor lending extra impetus to her footfalls. She stood behind the waiter, ignoring his personal bubble whilst expanding her own. Golden eyes glared down, smirking as she held, sure enough, a baby behemoth.

 

"Y'heard the lady." ,she said in a blunt but not entirely aggressive tone, the smirk playing on her lips still apparent in her voice.

 

She was about to respond to the query of the ultra-eager Miqo'te when she noticed Gran clambering over her arms, trying to peer through the questioning character's hair. She chuckled, reeling the piglet back in to her arms. "Ooh-ho-no, you don't, you wee purple terror. Stay put, ya."

 

She lowered herself to one of the chairs at the table Avis had found the foursome--the piglet was now part of the party as anyone--and nodded for Miko to take the last unoccupied seat. "I don't see why y'can't pet the bugger. Just so...seems to like having 'is hairs brushed this way." As Steel spoke, she stroked the spiky black mohawk gently a couple of times in demonstration, moving from snooter to shoulders. She sighed in relief as she settled in to the chair, pleased to be in the shade, at the end of her impromptu pig-tending adventures, and in amiable company besides.

 

Still a touch hungover though.

 

Oddly, stroking the baby's hair seemed to make her ignore her aches. Even the spectacle she'd made of herself along the streets. Few things soothed one like petting a baby behemoth, apparently.

 

She'd have to remember that...

[MikoBehnen]

Miko sat as directed, not bothering to fix her hair, still mussed from her use as a lookout tower. She gave the pig a short scratch and scooted her chair towards the Hyur. The creature seemed to have been looking for something, or trying to escape, and as much as she'd thrilled at the chance to touch the wee thing, she did not want to impede him further.

 

The server was trying to move quickly away when she reached out to grab his sleeve. His face was one of borderline terror but she smiled, handed over some gil, and quietly asked for a bottle of Limsa whiskey and 4 glasses. She was fairly certain the pig didn't drink, but if she was wrong they would simply have an extra cup. It was always better to have something and not need it than the other way 'round. She realized belatedly that her companions might protest at the drink choice considering the time of day, but the bottle had been ordered and the sever was likely not coming back unless he had to.

 

Miko turned to the Hyur woman and, with a small glace back at the Roegadyn to make sure she wasn't making the same mistake she had with the pig, she stuck her hand out in greeting. "I'm Miko. Though I do suppose I ask a lot of questions, so you could call me what you called me instead if you wanted. I've just never really been in Ul'dah before and everything here is so very exciting."

[Elysia]

Steel's height and statement had its intended effect on the greenhorn waiter - he blanched and twitched perceptibly, putting Avis in mind of one of the jumpier, maladjusted dodos from Red Rooster Stead. "M-My apologies, miss, I - we - er - I'm not sure - we have nothing in the kitchens for a baby... baby... b-behemoth," he managed, his eyes widening in horror as, nearby, a round purple curiosity began its short trek up the Miqo'te's hair, and then his features contorted even more as he took in the creature's uncanny resemblance to what seemed like a kinder version of a wild boar. "Th-that's demonic," the apparent neophobe mumbled as he attempted to scoot away - but his words had not gone unheard, and the Miqo'te had chosen that moment to grab him by the sleeve. 

 

Avis raised her eyebrows at the Miqo'te's request at this time of the day. Would the whiskey sedate this frisky one or send her literally up the walls of the Quicksand? And what of Steel? And so Avis's curiosity was secured. But that waiter seemed overeager to leave, and before he could make a smooth escape, Avis half-leapt after him, putting his thin wrist in a surprisingly tight grip. 

 

"We're not done," she said in the sweetest tone she could manage. "Wait over here." 

 

She turned now to Miko, whose outstretched hand she took quickly. "I'm Avis. I asked more questions back in my day." 

 

Then, back to the waiter: "Another bottle of whiskey, please. And another glass of water for me, and this drinking skin, here," she lifted up Steel's drained water skin, "needs some fattening up. Now, that's not all. You're to give us the choicest meats and vegetables from your kitchen. If you can't remember all that, at least remember to drop word of this sweet little purple cherub here - be mindful of the terms you use or I'll ask Momodi's permission for that axe on your tongue -" 

 

The waiter looked as ready to faint as Avis had been - it didn't help that Avis was clearly enjoying it. She patted his arm. 

 

"- so bring us news of someone, anyone, who might be a friend of this behemoth here, and I'll tip you well." 

 

Now, at last, he fled.

 

Then back to Miko. Avis smiled warmly at her. "Welcome to Ul'dah. Everything that's beautiful has its bite, so do be careful."

 

She watched idly as Steel fingered the baby behemoth's fur and hair. It was a strangely soothing sight. It struck her that holding that little purple creature in her arms might be a good way, once and for all, to verify the remote possibility of her ever being insane enough to pass four doughy Hyur bundles through her birth canal, much less one... Now, if only she could get on his good side...

[Gegenji]

The waiter skittered back and forth in a panicked state around the bar and kitchen, gathering drinks and trying to get the food items requested by the scary woman from the scary table of scary individuals. The most difficult part of the task? Finding who knew the strange purple porker and what such a thing might eat! It... it didn't eat people, did it?

 

His answer came from the most unexpected of sources - or perhaps the best source, considering her apparent myriad connections both inside and outside the Quicksand - Momodi herself. She overheard the waiter pestering the rest of the staff about a baby behemoth while waiting on the order, and waved the nervous fellow over. At first, he thought he might have done something wrong - he really needed this job! - but that concern quickly faded as she clarified her expression.

 

"Feedin' a baby behemoth?" she asked, a small grin tugging at her lips. "Fortunately, I've had plenty of experience with that thanks to an energetic little lad and his little friend. Anyroad, you let me handle feedin' that while you focus on our two-legged customers, okay?"

 

The waiter, looking relieved to have some of the load taken off his shoulders, babbled a quick series of thank yous before going back to checking on the meats and vegetables. Momodi watched the boy run off, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

 

"Another baby behemoth, though?" she murmured. "I would've thought Gran would've been enough around here..."

 

Across the crowded Quicksand, the aforementioned Gran's ears twitched and he looked up. For a second, he thought he had heard someone say his name. He looked around, snortling curiously.

[Steel Wolf]

Steel loosened her arm grip around the piglet just slightly. The little squirmbag was causing her arms to ache as they were constantly fighting against his curious might, but she clearly knew better than to let the porker entirely off the hook. She watched his head crane about, purple snout wriggling endlessly. Its ears and eyes perked in some random direction, as if something caught his interest, but she wasn't really sure what it was, as her ears were too accustomed to the clangor of voices the Quicksand generally housed.

 

She wore a warm smile to Avis as she had watched her expertly put her own foot down and put the waiter to task. Very obviously there was more to the Hyur than her heat-baked first arrival had supposed, and she was glad that the woman had enough of her wits about her to reaffirm the table's needs. Probably a merchant or tradeswoman. She very likely was the mistress of her own circle of influence.

 

She now turned that same grin to Miko, offering a nod in greeting as her free hand idly stroked the behemoth's fur. "Well, if we're offerin' introductions, I suppose mine's next. Sthalwilf Haemrstymmwyn...or just Steel Wolf if y'please. Sure I've met new faces afore, but I have to say the circumstances around this get-together are wholly unique t'me."

 

She chuckled at her own joke as beverages were the first to arrive. She offered a nod of thanks as her drinking skin was set on the table near Avis, full to near-bursting with fresh, cool water, along with the cooled water in glasses and the whiskey set before them both. Her better senses were telling her that whiskey at this hour would be a terrible idea.

 

She nodded to Miko, indicating that she would take a small bite of the liquor in one of the glasses offered. Better senses be damned--someone else had bought the stuff and it would be rude to not oblige.

[MikoBehnen]

Miko snatched one of the bottles off the table and poured each of them a small sip of the stuff, placing the pig's glass in front of him even though his attention was locked elsewhere.

  

She downed her drink in one gulp, sighing as the warm taste of honey and spice slid down her throat. She felt her mind slow and smiled as everything came back into focus. She closed her eyes for a moment and simply enjoyed the return of her reason. In truth she hated when she got like this. She'd become excited, or find herself having to talk to people beyond just "I'd like a ticket to Ul'dah please." and her mind would suddenly decide not to think until something ridiculous came pouring out of her mouth. The worst part of the entire situation was nothing seemed strange at all until she came down from it and then she would inevitably find she had yet again done or said something embarrassing.

 

"Avis" she nodded towards the Hyur and turned to face the Roegadyn "and... Steel, you said? A pleasure." Her eyes narrowed a bit when she noticed the two glasses she'd placed in front of the larger woman, and then flashed with fear as she slowly looked up to the wiggling purple mass under Steel's arm. "No," she groaned, "Did I truly just pour a baby behemoth a glass of whiskey?"

 

This, she thought, shaking her head at her own oddity, is why I should never talk to people.

[Elysia]

Ah. More water. 

 

Avis downed a few more mouthfuls as if her life depended on it. Though of course, technically, it did. She now knew better than to challenge Azeyma out in Thanalan without proper supplies and experience, though she wondered now, in the relative bliss of tavern and amicable company, if the sun keeper's punishment for her dispassionate patronage hadn't been too harsh. Currently, this contrast from her experiences earlier was serving to make Avis feel increasingly drowsy - and she hadn't even started on the whiskey. 

 

So it was that Miko's fourth glass of whiskey for Pig went unnoticed until it was pointed out by the Miqo'te herself, and so it was that Avis yelped out a rather sudden and disproportionate bark of a laugh when that had her attention. 

 

She leaned forward and patted Miko's hand. The Miqo'te's demeanour had altered somewhat, as though she'd suddenly become self-conscious. "Well, we could solve one mystery now," she said, grinning somewhat, and, plucking Pig's glass from beside him, lifted it briefly to his nose for two moments before pulling it quickly out of reach. "Is that something you enjoy, little scholar?" Avis said to him, her speech just that tiny bit slurred from sleepiness. On impulse, she lifted her other hand to stroke his fur.

[Gegenji]

The sharp laugh, followed by the sharp smell of spice, startled Gran out of curious snufflings and brought his attentions back to the folks at the table. He shot Avis an incredulous look, with her being the only one in motion and therefore the cause of the shocking sensations. She said something to him, but again he had no clue as to what, before extending a sleepy hand towards him.

 

Considering the recent startle, plus the food-scare from the start of this little adventure, it was no surprise that Gran retreated a bit into Steel Wolf's arms at the presented appendage. He gave a small snort of warning, his dangling tail flicking back and forth like a viper looking for the right moment to strike. His eyes were locked on that approaching hand, as if it were the claw of an angry coeurl.

 

It was to this scene that the waiter returned with the first of the table's food choices - an assortment of fresh vegetables chopped and quartered and presented for easy plucking and consumption with one's fingers. Being a tavern first and foremost, it was no surprise that the Quicksand would provide a decent selection of finger foods so that one could talk and eat at the same time. Distracted eating meant more eating, which meant more coin being spent to replenish the quickly vanishing foodstuffs. Methods that led to more coin being spent, a standard Ul'dah procedure.

 

This didn't keep the waiter from being wary as he set the plates down. His eyes mostly downcast and focused on china and table rather than the people he served. He did glance up once or twice in the process, and was met with a strange standoff between Hyur and piglet. He was quick to avert his gaze again.

 

"So... ah... Ms. Momodi said she knows what to feed your... pet," he intoned as he set the last plate into place. "It... it should be brought out with... the rest of the meal."

 

He looked quite ready to retreat and leave the group to their roughage.

[Steel Wolf]

If Steel were a Miqo'te, her ears would have perked up like ramrods.

 

Her head whipped to the waiter, very obvious interest glowing in those golden eyes of hers. "Does she now? Well...that is some very specific knowledge for one to have, even for Mistress Momodi's sharp ears. I should perhaps have a word with her. Mayhap she's a lead on who owns this little pudgy bundle."

 

She stroked the creature's head again, both in reassurance against the wariness of Avis' outstretched hand, and in communication that calling the creature "pudgy" was a term of endearment. She was getting very attached.

 

"My thanks, sir. We'll await the sustenance for our fourth guest before investigating further." With that, she gently reached in to her coinpurse and offered the waiter a pair of gil. It was hardly wise to flash coin in so busy a place as the Quicksand, but the waiter looked fit to faint at any moment, and this was the first bit of useful information that had come out of the entire endeavor.

 

Steel spun her coinpurse along her belt to rest between her legs--a method of protection against thieving hands...who would have to be very brave hands indeed to attempt to reach between her thighs for coin. She then reached out for one of the pieces of crudités laid out at the center of the table, turning her look to Avis as she wore a look of concern.

 

"Y'alright, lass? You need more to cool down your heated body?"

[MikoBehnen]

OMG GUYS LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND ON TUMBLR :love:_:love:

https://33.media.tumblr.com/e13ebabbb87c62cf36a896bc62cb0f3e/tumblr_nfywhgB5my1u0losqo1_1280.png[/img]

(source: lightfindingoperations If you see this omg I love you!)

 

[Dat Oni]

OMG GUYS LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND ON TUMBLR :love:_:love:

https://33.media.tumblr.com/e13ebabbb87c62cf36a896bc62cb0f3e/tumblr_nfywhgB5my1u0losqo1_1280.png[/img]

(source: lightfindingoperations If you see this omg I love you!)

 

 

 

 

GAH. SO CUTE. IT BURNS.

 

[Steel Wolf]

OMG GUYS LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND ON TUMBLR :love:_:love:

https://33.media.tumblr.com/e13ebabbb87c62cf36a896bc62cb0f3e/tumblr_nfywhgB5my1u0losqo1_1280.png[/img]

(source: lightfindingoperations If you see this omg I love you!)

 

 

HOLY CRAP THAT'S SQUEE-DORABLE!! This is the first time my character's been drawn by anyone. Whomever did this? I LOVE YOUR FACE!

 

[Gegenji]

OMG GUYS LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND ON TUMBLR :love:_:love:

https://33.media.tumblr.com/e13ebabbb87c62cf36a896bc62cb0f3e/tumblr_nfywhgB5my1u0losqo1_1280.png[/img]

(source: lightfindingoperations If you see this omg I love you!)

 

 

 

 

Not gonna lie, I've been finding myself coming back to the thread several times since last night just to look at this picture. It's amazing, adorable, and really brightened my evening.

 

Also! The artist is none other than our forum's own Elicoidali! Whose art thread is over here. So go check it out!

 

... And now back to the RPs.

 

 

[RhotanoBlues]

H-Hi. It's me.:blush: I've been stalking your thread and I just couldn't help it. I really really love what you guys have so far; it's like an ongoing series I can go back to after work.

I'll post some more later here. Thanks again and please pleeeease continue!

[Gegenji]

The waiter was suitably startled by the Roegadyn woman's sudden motion, going so far as to seek to protect his soft, unarmored body with a leg and an arm. Not that it would've helped the lad, but instincts are what they are. When he heard bemused commentary rather than whatever sort of tongue-lashing he had been expecting, however, he bashfully returned to a more neutral position. Eyes still cast downward, of course.

 

"Ah, y-you're welcome," he managed, the glint of light on coin finally drawing his attention to something other than the wood and stone beneath his feet.  He gingerly took the proffered gil, as if handling it too roughly might cause it to dissolve away like a clod of dirt betwixt his fingertips. He quickly tucked it away on his person before continuing. "We... we will have the rest of your meal out shortly."

 

As Steel turned her attentions back to her compatriots at the table, the waiter made a swift retreat that was quickly noticed by his superior. While Momodi couldn't see the table itself from her angle, she could see the lad beating feet away from it at a decent clip. Her eyes followed him as she folded her arms over her chest, an eyebrow hiked up in a mild curiosity wrought by the mysterious goings-on at that particular table. Though, she quietly corrected herself, the issue could simply be the boy being his normal, flighty self - it was fairly obvious that he needed more hands-on training if he was going to stick it out here at the Quicksand. She made a mental note to pull him aside again later and try to suss out his problems and, hopefully, get them addressed.

 

For now, though, she had to check on the status of those treats for the supposed baby behemoth situated at the unseen table. A supposed baby behemoth who was currently enjoying the ministrations the Roegadyn woman was giving his scalp and messy nest of black hair. Gran's eyes were still on Avis' hand, but the lashing of his tail had quieted quite a bit in a clear sign of his contentment. There was still the occasional tense twitch every now and then, though, to show he was still less than comfortable at Hyur's closeness.

 

Whether he'd actually do something about it was still up in the air.

[Elysia]

Avis noted the reappearance and subsequent withdrawal of the young waiter, but her gaze was fixed on the baby behemoth, who was currently regarding her outstretched hand with a rather Ishgardian apprehension. Despite her relative unfamiliarity with reading porcine body language, it was clear to anyone at the table that Avis's presence was not quite appreciated. She sighed and withdrew her hand, leaning back into her chair and folding her arms, offering Pig an arched eyebrow. She knew better, of course, than to force her case. 

 

Glancing in the direction of the retreating waiter, she made a mental note to tip him handsomely later - he could use a boost in morale, and she had verbally expressed her intention to empty her money pouch at this table for the party anyway, even if Steel and Miko were ignorant about the state of her finances. She hoped he had beaten a recourse to Momodi. Momodi would know about Pig, even if the rest of her staff - of varying levels of competency - didn't. 

 

She hadn't spoken to good old Momodi in a good long time, though, and she wasn't sure if she would be prepared for Momodi's inevitable fussing-over of her. If she decided that the case of Prince Pig and his threatening bodyguards warranted a personal visit to their table, of course. 

 

Avis turned to Steel and nodded. "I'm feeling much better, thank you," she said in reply. "I'll be better after a bit of food and rest, though it seems my head can't decide whether it'd like to go to sleep or pound continuously through cursed desert sand." 

 

Pressing fingers to her temple briefly, Avis continued, wryly "The real problem here, though, is our relationship - or lack of one." She gestured at the purple creature and spread her hands helplessly. "We had a little... misunderstanding. But in the spirit of... psychological inquiry... I'd love to be able to hold this little one once before we return it to its owner." 

 

 

YES I SAW THIS YESTERDAY, COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. What a very pleasant surprise indeed. :') thank you Elicoidali!

 

[MikoBehnen]

Miko's eyes flew open wide "You had a relationship with the pig?" Her previously slowing mind fluttered back to full speed as she tried to save herself from further embarrassment, "Wait, oh my... I'm sorry. I merely meant to ask if you'd met him before. I didn't mean to imply you'd ever do such a thing, you seem like such a nice person, and it would be rather odd if anyone other than another pig had that kind of relationship with... not that I would judge mind you... " she paused and took a deep breath settling herself again. "Let me try this again," she smiled apologetically and slowed her speech so not to ramble "Do you know this pig? What sort of misunderstanding could you have had? He seems a reasonable sort."

 

Sorry mine's short today. Migraines and creative thinking are not friends it seems 

 

[Steel Wolf]

Steel blinked rapidly at Miko's stream-of-consciousness speaking. She merely replied by reaching out to the crudités platter once more and positioning a carrot beneath the baby's mouth in offer of nibbles.

 

"Uh..." ,she finally replied when the Miqo'te's latest questionnaire had subsided. "She was referrin' to earlier. She had jokingly referred to our portly pal 'ere as vittles. Doesn't seem like it's completely left th'little dear's mind."

 

With that she smiled warmly to Avis. "Near's I figure? You gotta regain his trust. And I dunno 'bout you lot, but the fastest way t'friendship is food!" She beamed at the thought of all the food heading their way, suddenly very aware of her rather empty stomach as a result of her failing to break her fast from last night. "Lessee how he takes to some'a what we have here...maybe you like a carrot, wee one?"

 

She leaned over, offering the crunchy orange treat to the baby again, hair spilling over and creating a small curtain between her face and the behemoth's as a stream of cooing soft sounds issued from the woman's mouth.

 

REALLY getting attached.