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Isabella has one of the central not-a-portal bits of the hub - the ones that are occupied by a shifting collection of the airport-standard restaurants and gift shops and newsstands - turned into a small apartment-cum-office for Seraphina. The office is unlabeled for the time being - just "Authorized Personnel Only" in ominous letters - but Isabella tells her what the fire and security alarms sound like and suggests that she be a responder to these if they go off. "Mutter your mnemonics under your breath while you do anything magic in public, and people will figure you're a witch," she says. "I'm still thinking about any less irregular jobs I could have you doing, but unless you come out with a more generic set of healing spells than it sounds like you currently have I don't think I can explain installing you as magical first aid." Seraphina gets a modest stipend on top of her room and voucher for the hub restaurants, and a brief tour of Chicago shopping (because there's dozens of cities to choose from but Chicago's the one she's seen before) so she knows how to avoid major cultural pitfalls trying to get a new pair of shoes.
Xiara, when her mana recovers, is directed to teleport to a tucked-away part of a temperate national preserve, told to lie low, given a list of endangered species she is not to eat or disturb, and left to her own devices with a mirror in case she wants to talk about something or needs help with a park ranger or something. Isabella could use an architect, but mostly on the colony, which is not to be known to any mages yet.
dark_light
prodigal_miser
Both mages adjust reasonably well to their new settings. Seraphina stays out of the way and doesn't cause any trouble. She's surprised at the stipend, but is hardly complaining, and saves to buy a travel-sized harp, which she takes to playing at the hub. When she finds out that tips are offered for this sort of thing she uses them to supplement her stipend. Other than occasional musical displays, she attracts no attention and blends in reasonably well.
Surprisingly enough, Xiara manages to do the same. She makes an expansive underground home, hides the entrance, lights the interior, and moves in. Some of the necessities are harder to come by, but Xiara is accustomed to handling it and does so. Her ghosts keep her company, and she lies low. Three years is not a long time to her, she'll grow bored eventually, but for now - she can just get accustomed to the world. It's quite strange and foreign.
Adarin studies American marriage traditions. He knows how marriages in his culture go, but he feels no requirement for keeping to the Kystle traditions. He likes his new home, and if he sees any of their habits he likes, he'll use them. Several Google searches later and he decides that he likes wedding ring traditions. Vern has informed him that Isabella likes having things from him - so he will make that happen. Diamonds seem shiny but kind of boring - they get thrown out as a main gem idea nearly immediately. Adarin goes ring shopping, and finds a lovely platinum engagement ring with an emerald as its centerpiece. He has his own bank account, filled with a percentage of the proceeds from portal capitalism, so he uses that. The ring is bought, and Adarin starts plotting how he's going to propose.
Then, because it seems proper, he picks a Sunday and offers to go fishing with Charlie.
Surprisingly enough, Xiara manages to do the same. She makes an expansive underground home, hides the entrance, lights the interior, and moves in. Some of the necessities are harder to come by, but Xiara is accustomed to handling it and does so. Her ghosts keep her company, and she lies low. Three years is not a long time to her, she'll grow bored eventually, but for now - she can just get accustomed to the world. It's quite strange and foreign.
Adarin studies American marriage traditions. He knows how marriages in his culture go, but he feels no requirement for keeping to the Kystle traditions. He likes his new home, and if he sees any of their habits he likes, he'll use them. Several Google searches later and he decides that he likes wedding ring traditions. Vern has informed him that Isabella likes having things from him - so he will make that happen. Diamonds seem shiny but kind of boring - they get thrown out as a main gem idea nearly immediately. Adarin goes ring shopping, and finds a lovely platinum engagement ring with an emerald as its centerpiece. He has his own bank account, filled with a percentage of the proceeds from portal capitalism, so he uses that. The ring is bought, and Adarin starts plotting how he's going to propose.
Then, because it seems proper, he picks a Sunday and offers to go fishing with Charlie.
sundayfish
Charlie seems a little surprised, but acquiesces without quizzing him about his motives.
prodigal_miser
On the proper Sunday Adarin shows up via portal jump (to get the mana cost down for distance traveled) and a quick teleportation. He knocks on the Swan residence's door. While he's here, he can find an easy method to spend time with Ranata and do much the same thing he's planning to do with Charlie. If this works out, anyway.
sundayfish
Charlie answers the door. There's a tackle box and a fishing rod and a spare fishing rod by the door where Kesathi's sitting. "Hullo," he says.
prodigal_miser
"Hello," replies Adarin brightly. "I've never gone fishing before in my life so uh - correct me if I mess it up and hook myself."
Vern gives Kesathi a friendly trill. "Hi!" she says.
Vern gives Kesathi a friendly trill. "Hi!" she says.
sundayfish
"I'll show you how it works," Charlie assures him, and he heaves up the tackle box. Kesathi nods at Vern, then picks up the fishing rods in her mouth and trots after her human to his car. Once everything's packed up and both people are in, Charlie starts it up and off they go.
prodigal_miser
"Thanks."
Off they go! Adarin will wait a little while before dropping the bomb of 'I am going to ask your daughter to marry me' - bonding time, first. Besides, he might even end up liking fishing.
Off they go! Adarin will wait a little while before dropping the bomb of 'I am going to ask your daughter to marry me' - bonding time, first. Besides, he might even end up liking fishing.
sundayfish
It's a bit of a drive. In the backseat Kesathi flumphs across the spare space - the car's built with plenty of room for most non-ridiculous daemons at the driver's feet even with the pedals, but it's still cramped - and noses in vaguely desulatory affection at Vern.
prodigal_miser
Vernaia trills happily back! She scoots to Kesathi and flops next to her, happy to share the space.
sundayfish
"Probably won't catch anything worth keeping, first time out," Charlie warns him when they approach the relevant river.
prodigal_miser
"I figured. That's all right, hopefully I'll enjoy it anyway."
sundayfish
"That's the spirit."
There is parking. There is walking. There is setting up, which Charlie explains mostly via demonstration and not talking.
There is parking. There is walking. There is setting up, which Charlie explains mostly via demonstration and not talking.
prodigal_miser
There are all of those things! Adarin takes the hint that this is not a talky kind of thing. That's fine by him.
He's a quick study and catches on to setting things up. Then - fishing! It proves to be a little boring, but also surprisingly soothing. He's pleasantly surprised.
He's a quick study and catches on to setting things up. Then - fishing! It proves to be a little boring, but also surprisingly soothing. He's pleasantly surprised.
sundayfish
Yep, not a talky kind of thing. Charlie seems to be paying at least as much attention to the scenery as he is to the possibility of fish in the water.
prodigal_miser
It is some pretty scenery. It's kind of nice to just - not have a huge to-do list that perpetually is added to. Mind you, he loves his huge to-do list and thinks it's great to have, but not having it for a little while is nice, too. He can just think about things. While fishing. If he catches a fish he will be so pleased with himself!
sundayfish
Nibble nibble on the end of his line.
Charlie notices and walks him through getting it reeled in, but it's about three inches long, so at the end of the process it gets tossed back.
prodigal_miser
Adarin's going to be grinning for the next hour. Ha! He caught a fish, he is now pleased with himself because of this fact. He suspects he'll want to come fishing again later. Maybe not every Sunday, but every now and then, certainly. It's nice.
A little while later, with no more nibbles for Adarin's line in sight - he pulls out the box with Isabella's ring in it, and quietly shows Charlie.
(He's a little nervous.)
A little while later, with no more nibbles for Adarin's line in sight - he pulls out the box with Isabella's ring in it, and quietly shows Charlie.
(He's a little nervous.)
sundayfish
Charlie glances at it. Kesathi sits up to pay attention.
"Obvious thing?" he asks.
"Obvious thing?" he asks.
prodigal_miser
"Obvious thing," agrees Adarin. "Haven't asked her yet, but - didn't want to cause problems for when I do."
Vern fluffs up a little, looking nervous.
Vern fluffs up a little, looking nervous.
prodigal_miser
"It is," he nods, "but I'm checking first, because I respect both you and Ranata and don't want to put any strain on your family."
sundayfish
Charlie's silent for a bit.
Then Kesathi speaks up. "You and her fit real well."
"She loves you to bits," Charlie says.
Then Kesathi speaks up. "You and her fit real well."
"She loves you to bits," Charlie says.
prodigal_miser
Adarin smiles fondly. "I love her, too. More than I find the words to say."
Vern adds, "It's not just love, too. She and Path are smart and have good goals that match our own and we can work together to help the world."
Vern adds, "It's not just love, too. She and Path are smart and have good goals that match our own and we can work together to help the world."
sundayfish
"Now where've I heard idealism an' practicality fighting over the same sentence that hard before?"
prodigal_miser
He laughs. "It's a mystery, certainly."
Vern trills and nuzzles Kesathi. "We are glad you approve!"
Vern trills and nuzzles Kesathi. "We are glad you approve!"