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The Luminous Lounge


Krivolacarticus

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Najwa strolls towards the Luminous Lounge, Ardent Chrysocalla perched on her ear, chatting cheerfully as the spider occasionally whispers a secret to her. They've both taken the day off - Najwa, to satisfy her curiosity about this new opportunity sent her way - an invitation to a secret society hidden within the depths of the Division of Secrets is far to interesting to pass up. Chrysocalla has come to see who is trying to poach their employee. The Maiden of Secrets does hold some sway with the tiny green Pattern Spider, so they're willing to loan Najwa out on a temporary basis, but they've made it clear that if Najwa decides the job isn't to her liking, they'll bite Lady Jupiter and Nara'O if they try to insist on her participation.

Nara'O had stressed that the whole business was a very carefully kept secret, but surely they hadn't expected her to keep it a secret from her flatmate. And her boss. It would have been a hopeless endeavour trying to lie to Chrysocalla about the whole thing, but she was rather proud that she hadn't accidentally let it slip to anyone else - not even to Ohanlei, who had been trying to dig her secret out all week.

She slips into the Luminous Lounge, her eyes lighting up that the salon well and truly deserves it's name - the constellations in the ceiling are exquisite, and she is already starting to pick out the constellations hidden in their patterns, pointing the Key out to Chrysocalla as she wanders between the tables, taking mental notes for her teacher - the porcelain Goddess would love to adopt some of these ideas for her own salon, with a suitable twist, of course.

Her ears prick, distracting her from the scenery as she hears the heavily accented request for the "Spezial menhu", turning to catch sight of a handsome young man, who seems to be carrying on half a conversation with the waitstaff with nothing but a smile.

"He looks like trouble," Chrysocalla warns, as Najwa begins making her way over to him. Seeing Silent Lighting at his side makes her hesitate for a moment - she recognises her fellow Sidereal, she recognises almost every member of the Fivescore Fellowship by sight, although they're not personally acquainted, so she's not sure which side of Najwa's reputation the other Sidereal might be acquainted with.

"He's a colleague," Najwa waves Chrysocalla's concern off, as she approaches Ayato. "May I join you?" She tries in both Realm, for Silent Lightning, and Riverspeak: he clearly doesn't speak Old Realm very well, and her only other language is the tradertoungue of Threshold - and a few scraps of Firetongue, from her Delzahn mother - so it's as good a guess as any, but she gestures to an empty chair at the table for clarity.

"Another special menu please," She flags the waitress going by.

Najwa is dressed in an elegant silk gown - opulent and comfortable in equal measure, her hair and throat hung with emeralds, and her skin catching copper highlights from the warm light of the lounge. All prayerwrought - so they'd vanish in moments if brought to Creation. Although she's broke by Heaven's standards, that is a very different beast to broke anywhere else, and a large portion of that lack of funds can be found in her wardrobe.

She's beautiful - but no more beautiful than half the people in this room - until she smiles, her eyes glittering with secrets waiting to be spoken but somehow, unattainableNajwa has motes committed to an indefinite Appearance cap-breaker, giving her an effective 6 Appearance, which the charm justifies as "people wan't what they can't have". .

OOC

Also - since all Sidereals generally know each other, and it's possible to recognise Caste by eye colour - what Caste is Silent Lightning? I'd guess Secrets, but don't want to assume.

 

Edited by Ratpigeon (see edit history)
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One waitress is clearly overwhelmed by the sheer loveliness of at least 2 of the guests. Fortunately the one serving at Ayato's table seems more accustomed to how lovely gods and goddesses can appear to be. The server places 2 bowls of ethereal fruit salad, made from slices of moon-kissed pears, starberries, and candied dream lilies, accompanied by a kettle of warm, soothing tea infused with lavender and honey. Tiny tea cups, barely able to hold enough liquid for more than a single sip of drink, already sit at the table ready to use.

She hands Najwa another menu and waits patiently for one of the guests at the table to place an order.

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Ayato

He notices the stumble of the waitress but his face does not betray anything, though he feels smug inside.
Alright, I am beautiful by the standards of Heaven too.

He beholds appreciatively the new arrival, even more so when it becomes clear she'll take him up on his silent invitation.
He nods enthusiastically at her question, inviting her with a wave of his hand, though his reply in Low Realm might not be any more understood than whatever dialects she threw at him.
"Please do."

As they sit face-to-face, he becomes enthralled by the play of light on her eyes, and it reflexively triggers his own seduction: his eyes seem to light up and to Najwa he suddenly appears like a shining star...
...but then he remembers Silent Lightning's warning, quickly averts his gaze and the - imagined? - light fades.

Pointing to his chest and still looking at her clothes more than her face, he mouths "Ayato".

She sparkles more than Silent Lightning, he is thinking, and would be a great companion to endure this conspiracy with.
Don't get distracted.

He then continues miming - assuming that she does not stop him out of embarrassment on his behalf - "Thread", pointing at a stitch in his kimono and elongating an imaginary thread by spreading his hands apart, thumb and index pinched together.

 

Turning briefly to the waitress, he intimates silently: [We will be making conversation, as is proper, before making our choice] inviting her to leave them along and return later.

He then tries a small bite of every single delicacy, before settling on the dream lilies; he begins to empty the plate at alarming speed.
His manners are a strange blend of refined and utterly unrefined.

OOC

As mentioned in the OOC thread, Silent Lighting is gone, but Najwa may have crossed her path when she arrived.
I would venture that she's also a Chosen of Secrets, indeed, but I left the details up to the ST.

Ayato reaches Appearance 7 for fascination/seduction through his Sorcery (Control spell) effect.

 

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Not Rivertongue then Najwa muses, returning the smile, as she requests fresh, hot water from the waitress. If Ayato moves to pour the tea, she'll hold up a hand to stop him, instead reaching into her bag to pull out her own teapot. She could do it with the one provided, but it's easier with her own tools - and her teapot is finer than the Lounge's - as she pulls out a small tea-ball in a translucent silk bag, richly aromatic and dotted with blue, lavender-like flowers.

She sets the pot down on the table between them, and repeats Ayato's thread gesture, then gestures to the cups and her teapots, gestures towards her mouth and Ayato's ears, and in reverse - from Ayato's mouth to her own ears, before repeating her gesture towards her cups.

She sets up her tea ceremony with meticulous dedication - a student of body language like Ayato might best describe it as reverent. Every movement, from the moment the waitress returns with the water is precise and grateful. It's not sorcery, and it's not the wild flowing Essence of Luna, but there is a feeling of something subtle in the air of laying things into proper alignment. The tea steams as Najwa pours the hot water over the silk bag, releasing a delicate, floral scent.

She doesn't speak, but every movement of the ritual is a silent prayer to Ohanlei, an offering to the Goddess of tea, and a request for her to smile upon the venture that Najwa is about to undertake.

Najwa completes her ceremony, pouring the tea into the two tiny cups, offering Ayato the option to choose either cup. Once he's chosen, she will drink first, to demonstrate and offer Ayato a warm, friendly smile. It doesn't cross her mind that he might think she is trying to poison him, but the general sense that she gives to the world is vastly distant from any kind of threatening.

OOC

I'm going to take 2 Simple Actions and spend 11m (10 Personal for Blue Vervain, 1 Peripheral for Ceremony, so I don't start glowing) and 2 Willpower to use Faultless Ceremony and Blue Vervain Binding (with namo's permission)

Faultless Ceremony (with my teapot) is a difficulty 3 roll, which, if successful will give Ayato the ability to apply -1 Target Number to a single roll in line with the purpose of the Ceremony (in this case - tea ceremonies are about building relationships and mutual understanding).

Faultess ceremony, Cha+Performance

Also, since I have a Major Tie to Ohanlei, I can recover 1WP from upholding that tie with a tea ceremony 1/day (and lose a point of Limit! but I don't have any yet). If I succeed.

Blue Vervain Binding will permanently give us the ability to understand each other, even if we aren't talking the same language. It's also unrolled.

The whole process probably takes a few minutes.

 

 

Name
Faultess ceremony, Cha+Performance
3
success(10d10, 7,above,no,yes) [7,5,2,8,9,2,4,1,5,2]
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Ayato

Ayato quirks an eyebrow at first.
Who brings their own teapot to a teahouse? Is this one not refined enough?
In fact, who carries a teapot around?

But he picks up on the reverence, and remains focused on the ceremony... until he gives in to temptation and pops another candied lily in his mouth, after which he returns to observing Najwa's precise gestures.

Once she is done, he picks up one of the two teacups at random, daintily, then inhales its fragrance and sips from it at the same time as his companion.
Poison is quite far from his mind: in Heaven, he'd naively expect a dagger in the back, or sorcery... or just getting beaten up to death.

He smiles, signalling his pleasure and his thanks for a job well done.

OOC

I'll let you post again to demonstrate the benefits of the tea. :)
Cool power!

 

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"Thank you." Najwa smiles, and although she still speaks in the fluid syllables of Old Realm, her words are now perfectly legible to Ayato. "I am Najwa Basma"-to Ayato's ear, and through the magic Najwa imbued into the tea, he can hear both the name, and it's translation from Flametongue - Smiling Whisper- "a scribe in the College of Keys, and this is Eager Chrysocalla - a most talented and profound weaver of Destiny." A tiny, jewelled spider peeks out from Najwa's hair, preening at the flattery.

The tea really is quite extraordinary, and now that the ceremony is completed, Najwa helps herself to a piece of candied dream lily as well, humming in delight at the delicate flavour, as she shares a petal with Chrysocalla.

"You're new to Yu Shan, and Human, clearly" Any self-respecting God or Spirit, or even a Demon would speak Old Realm. "But... not mortal I suspect - too pretty. So Exalted, but not Sidereal, or Silent Lightning wouldn't have left you here alone...?" She sits back on her heels, radiating eager curiosity. "Especially how an Exalt from Creation came to be in Yu Shan taking on secr-" the Spider nips her ear, and Najwa cuts the word off, biting her lip guiltily. "Well... anyway. It's lovely to meet you! Would you care to share one of the Specials perhaps? It's been a while since I sampled food from Creation, and unfamiliar experiences are best sampled with a new friend."

Najwa smiles, gesturing at the Special menu.

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Ayato

Ayato is taken aback and doesn't mind it showing. He looks back and forth between Najwa and his now empty cup.

"Something in the tea?"

But then he must show some manners: "Well met, Najwa, and Chrysocalla". He wonders what manner of creature the spider is.
He helps himself to some more tea, with not nearly the same precision as his ceremony host, and offers to refill Najwa's cup when it's empty.

"You're onto something" he reacts, playful, to her speculations. "Though I could be an Exalt of Heaven, newly awoken." His coy smile indicates it's probably not the case. "But it's something best discussed in utter privacy, wouldn't you say?"

"I would certainly welcome help from one skilled in manipulation. Of the threads of destiny."
He manages to mask how ambivalent he feels about his situation, and Sidereals, or so he thinks.

"What I can share is that I am originally from very, very far away from the Center of Creation. So please bear with me if I know little about the locales these delicacies originate from."

While perusing the list, he bites his lip unconsciously, and runs a hand through his hair - which remains just as artfully messy. When he is done:

"Any of these should be a treat." 'Child's play' is the subtext, conveyed by a negligent flick of the hand. "But for personal reasons I'll avoid the third one; there is a risk the recipe won't agree with me. Is there one you would avoid as well?"

He is dancing around the choice of one mission, because he expects Sidereals would work like this - where Luna's Chosen would be more direct.

 

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"Of course not!" Najwa says, with - mostly - feigned horror. "I'd never contaminate good tea. But, tea is shared between friends, and friends understand each other. Tea Ceremonies have affirmed the alignment between those threads for thousands of years - It's practically Fate... with a little nudge."

Najwa pours herself another cup of tea, perusing the menu.

"The Hundred Kingdoms might not be to my taste - that cuisine reminds me of a... falling out, last time I was there." She wrinkles her nose, openly conflicted.

"But "Echoes of a Rumour" sounds tantalisingly exotic." Najwa taps the menu. "I spend enough time doing paperwork that I don't feel the need to be reminded of it during my leisure, although I wouldn't object."

Once the matter of the meal is settled, Najwa waves over a waitress to place their order fir "Echoes of a Rumour".

 

Title

Since we already settled the decision OOC, I'll place the order so we can keep momentum :)

 

Edited by Ratpigeon (see edit history)
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Posted (edited)

DALLE2024-10-0413_29.05-A2DanimeartstyledepictionofasecretiveandmysticalmealservedattheLuminousLounge.Themealiselegantlyarrangedonasleekdarkplatter.webp.be1d403b4d302ac63cb3b4773a5ff18e.webp

The waitress returns to the table, her tray balanced effortlessly on one hand. She flashes a bright smile, oblivious to the covert intentions behind the chosen meal, simply focused on delivering Najwa's order with heavenly grace.

First, she sets down a steaming Bowl of Whispering Mushroom Soup for each of the exalted seated at the table. The broth is a rich, earthy brown, garnished with thinly sliced mushrooms and a sprinkle of herbs. The savory aroma rises warmly, inviting you to take a sip. "A perfect choice for sharing secrets over a quiet dinner," she remarks casually, though to her, it's just another menu item.

Next comes a plate of Spiced Grain Pilaf, lightly infused with a variety of seasonings that leave a lingering warmth on the palate. Thin slices of roasted vegetables add a splash of color, and she carefully places the serving spoons. Finally, she pours two cups of Jasmine Petal Tea, its pale green hue swirling with delicate floral notes. "This will soothe you after a long day," she says with a friendly nod, leaving the guests to their meal.

She then places a small menu of dessert choices for them to consider, though to Najwa these actually look like optional perks to select from.


Perk Options:

  • Blessing of Tongues: Anyone that does not already know Forest Tongue can speak and read it fluently for the duration of this mission.
  • Roaming Undead: Information about where to find a group of undead near the city, whose presence could strengthen the believability of the rumor.
  • Guard's Secret: Leverage, and potential side quest information, that could be used to easily persuade a city soldier to support the rumors.
  • Slumber's Embrace: A single dose of a powerful sleeping potion that lasts 8 hours (or 72 hours if used in the form of a poisoned apple).
Edited by Krivolacarticus
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Ledaal Jayret D'WeenIn heaven, even the finest seems plain, as Jayret enters the celestial halls, of the Luminous Lounge. The cobalt hair is twisted and woven into a thin silver tiara, her finely-woven woolen robes wrapped in three layers around her, a pale cerulean blue on the outer layer, a burnished gold the layer below, and the deep glaucous grey as the bottom layer, cinched with a simple black silk belt. While the outfit was comfortable enough to wear, the demeanor was simply that of someone uncomfortable in the environment she was in.

Jayret had been in many such establishment in the Realm, but in Heaven she was quite out of place. The fine clothes seemed decidedly plain next to the gossamer moon threads worn by some, or the brocade of feathers worn by one god or goddess (she couldn't decide which, if any, gender that they presented). One being was simply wreathed in a cloud that dappled in a dewey pattern on their skin. She had simply bowed and walked on by as if her business was somehow important.

Now in the presence of the place, her mind twisted as she observed her surroundings. Nothing too incredible startled her, but it took an exertion of willpower to turn her gaze from the two seated at a table. She had barely noticed that it was Najwa sitting there before she turned her gaze from the fascinating man across from her. Whatever was going on between the two of them she didn't want to be caught gawking.

Facing the rest of the room, she knew no one else, so she found a table for herself with her gaze naturally directed away from Najwa. She wasn't sure how long she could resist gazing at her companion if they were in line of sight. She had planned to get a simple glass of wine, but already the man's presence had disturbed her sense of composure. To a waitress as she passed by, "Could I have a glass of rye, sunlit bitters, and a single cell of honeycomb?" It hadn't taken more than a glance to unnerve her, and this was the strongest she had known to wrangle those nerves back together.

"Oh, and the menu for specials available, when you have a spare moment?"

Edited by solyrflair (see edit history)
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"Well this is interesting... I wonder if all the deserts on offer were chosen to compliment the meal?" She runs her finger down the list. "You wouldn't happen to be Eastern, would you? Do you speak Forest-Tongue?" Najwa doesn't but Great Forks is one of the great cities of the Scavenger lands - her father traded with them often, in Riverspeak. But... it seems there might be a need for Forest-Tongue as well. Ayato seems sure enough of his graces, that if he could speak the language of the Far East, then she wouldn't worry about choosing that blessing.

"I find that simply knowing a piece of information exists is often as useful as knowing the information..." She taps the second item on the list, before skipping to the last item. "I could probably make a tea like this myself, with the right ingredients, and I"m not sure it would pair well with the soup."

"But this one looks tasty. There's a story to it, to pair perfectly with dinner." Her finger lands on the third item - leverage on a guard. Undead probably won't be too hard to find - she imagines that the could track those down alone, but finding one particular guard who has the right kind of secret in a city as large as Great Forks might be harder. And the promise of additional secrets.... is a little irresistable.

"What do you think, Ayato?" Najwa offers him the desert menu, for his opinion, then spots Jayret coming into the room, and waves at her with a smile - although its just a greeting, not neccessarily an invitation. Jayret looks uncomfortable - particularly about Ayato - and, if Najwa has read the situation correctly, Ayato is one of the Exalted that Jayret would call "Anathema". Perhaps not a good pairing to introduce... yet.

Show this

I like the sound of the Guard one. If there's a wandering pack of undead around, I think we can find them ourselves. And the sleeping draught doesn't seem like it's relevant. Plus - Craft (Herbal) would probably work for a weaker sleeping draught if we do need one.

 

 

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Ayato

Ayato attacks the dishes with gusto. Not all of it is to his taste - he doesn't finish the soup - but he welcomes the new experience and the merriment of his taste buds.
It's good that he didn't understand the waitress commenting about secrets, for it would have made him paranoid.

Then comes the dessert menu, and though he is not really hungry anymore Ayato still takes time to look at each entry. He replies distractedly, but keeping his voice low: "I am indeed from the East, and I am speaking in Forest-Tongue at the moment... I think?" He doesn't quite understand how this Connection Najwa has established works.

He then seems increasingly puzzled at Najwa's remarks, for this time he sees only an ordinary menu.

"I'll follow your guidance on dessert, then..." He notices the blue-haired lady in passing, automatically offering a bright smile. "...and after the meal as well, for it is not wise that I go around on my own. I'm likely to get lost, or worst, hence I'd welcome your help in... reaching the next step of my journey after this most delicate of meals."

OOC

If I understood correctly, only the "leader" sees the perks.

I'm fine with the Guard one. :)

 

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Story Pin image"Perfect." Najwa smiles, adding the appropriate dessert to their order - although it does pique her interest that Ayato can only read the main specials, not the dessert. That will bear further investigation. "That's Ledaal Jayret D'Ween," she adds, tilting her head towards the passing Dynast.

"She's a new colleague, just finding her feet in Yu Shan, and still quite taken with the Immaculate philosophy. I imagine that the two of you will cross paths sooner or later, but... it might be better to be a little later." Of course - Ayato still hasn't confirmed the provenance of his Exaltation: he could be Exigent, but if he was, he probably wouldn't have felt the need to dance around the subject... and she's not sure how nuanced the Realm's approach is to the Exigence either. It might just be a different flavour of "Anathema" to them.

"Chrysocalla and I have a small apartment - it's in a much more modest area of town. You could stay with us for the night, and we can leave in the morning. That would allow me enough time to pack, and discuss details."

Najwa selects a slice of vegetable from the remnants of her Pilaf, savouring the rich flavours as she thinks about the scant details she knows about the mission.

"Have I overlooked anything? Spirits... Can you see dematerialised spirits? That is likely to be important in Great Forks. I haven't picked up the knack yet - it's not really neccessary in Yu Shan - so if you can't see spirits, we'll need a third." And Najwa knows just the right Faeblooded Solar for the job.

"I think I have someone in mind..."

OOC

I know Ayato can't read the perks - but Najwa doesn't.

 

Also - as I mentioned, I use Secret's auspicious prospects on whether revealing or concealing the following is aligned or opposed to Destiny (1m each):

  • The supposed Guard blackmail
  • The pack of undead near Forks
  • The rumour that we need to deploy.

 

 

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Ayato

Ayato's fingers tighten on his chopsticks at the mention of the Immaculate philosophy. He himself hasn't had to suffer because of it - not in this incarnation - but the tales he had heard... His face remains smooth, in a practiced way. It is a game they played back home, mostly Changing Moon Castes, though some No-Moons would take part every now and then: try to shock your "opponent" into losing their composure with preposterous claims, grimaces, shapeshifting or whatever you could think of.
He nods, assenting with the "later".

He's surprised at the invitation - sure, she's lovely, but neither of them has been flirting, really, so to progress so fast! - until he realized it's perhaps just about hosting, and nothing else. Either way, he'll see when they get there.
"Your invitation is most welcome" he replies formally.

"No, I do not have any affinity with spirits. There was always around someone back home - priest or sorcerer - to handle them, I guess. I'd be keen to hear more about Great Forks. Is it an area rife with spirits?"

OOC

OK! Just making sure OOC. :)

I think we can wind down here, and continue the conversation on the way to and at the apartment.

 

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ElfMage1.jpg.30e4d9ea228699a440300c28a77d5d7f.jpg"H-here g-goes n-noth-thing..." She mumbled, taking a deep and steadying breath as she approached the location she was told to.

With a tell-tale lyrical jingle, the door to the Luminous Lounge again opens. All heads turn briefly to see who the newcomer might be, only to sight poor Glyph standing there frozen, wide-eyed, and clearly uncomfortable with the stares; like a deer caught in lamp-light at night or the skittish house cat surprised when a room lights up. At first glance she seems inhuman and almost divine in her beauty. Lent credence by her shimmering silver hair, blue skin, and reflecting-pool-like eyes; not to mention the literal aura of light surrounding her, that emanates from visibly glowing sigils covering much of her skin. It all comes together and gives her a real ethereal, graceful, and otherworldly appearance. One juxtaposed by her plain and travel-worn linen kimono, simple haversack and medical satchel slung over one shoulder, what looks to be Lookshyian military issue boots, and a humble (though ironwood) staff resting in her hands.

It takes nearly all her will to not simply bolt as everyone looked at her. And it's only when most of the customers return to whatever they'd been doing before that she finally visibly calms enough to enter fully. You got this Glyph... She quietly thought. It's just a teahouse... Not unlike any other... run by literal gods... Catering to Yu Shan itself... Yeah... Just a normal 'teahouse'... Everything will be okay... What's the worst that could happen?

"T-Table please?" She asks the nearest waitress demurely in Old Realm, her dialect clearly being of a Riverlands variant to the ears of Heaven's natives. "A-and can I g-get the s-special m-menu as w-well?"

Privately, she hope this entire thing is worth it. She was enticed by the mystery and intrigue of it all... A secret agent? Of Heaven? Her? Clearly someone saw something of use in her. Something she just couldn't see in herself. By the gods, she was still having trouble getting a grasp on being Anathem- Chosen... You are Chosen Glyph... Not 'Anathema'... She mentally reminded herself as the goddess-waitress lead her to her table. It doesn't matter what the Immaculate Faith says... I am no more a threat to Creation now than I was before... I am not a 'demon'... Not a soul-eating danger... Not a-

"I said... Your table miss?" The waitress said, for the second time.

"H-Huh? W-What? O-Oh, y-yes... Th-thank you..." Glyph politely responded, suddenly broken from her own internal thoughts... Taking her seat, she took a deep breath before opening the menu and studying it. "I-I think it m-might be a f-few m-minutes bef-fore I d-decide. C-Can I j-just have some t-tea for now, wh-while I p-peruse this menu p-please?"

 

OOC

Sorry for the delayed post, hope I'm not too too late.

If Najwa and/or Ayato are still in the Luminous Lounge, now's probably the time to rope Glyph in...

 

Edited by karsusthemad (see edit history)
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