Starcrossed.exe (MeTheMe & GeneticMess)

[GeneticMess]

Avery looked up at his partner, awestruck at her beauty. She really was a woman of power and grace, and it showed. He was also incredibly flattered by her making use of the gem he'd given her, having turned it into a beautiful necklace.

"H-hello. Thank you for wearing the gem I gave you, that's... really flattering." He was genuinely smiling, instead of forcing one to not look too awkward. "Actually, I found somewhere you might like better than your balcony. M-may I show you?" Once given the chance, he would lead the lady to the entrance of town... and like Prowl had said, there was a steep, rounded out hill that had the most beautiful view of the surrounding forests and foothills. He certainly thought it looked relaxing and alluring, but he of course looked to Lady Ice Scale for her approval.

[MeTheMe]

"Yes, something of a rush job, but I can improve upon it as I see fit, the basic idea of the necklace is all I needed for now... and thank you for bringing it to me, again." She smiled, touching it with two fingers, giving a little tap, before returning her focus to Avery. "Ooo, another venue, hm? I'm actually quite interested to see where you plan to take me..."

The walk through town was an odd one, because Lady Ice Scale was seen walking through the town with a commoner, her walk was a strong one, slow, deliberate strides, as she walked along side Avery, following his lead, all the way to the entrance, and hill just outside of it. She looked out over the side of the mountain, the top of the forest, how small Pitstopolis looked. "Mmm... it's quite a breath taking view, isn't it? Pitstopolis down there, isn't it? Teeze and Furn headed that way quickly." She looked out over the sight, and sighed happily a little.

[GeneticMess]

As they walked through town, Avery walked rather casually, not lazily, but not in any effort to make the way he walked look different. Lady Ice Scale, on the other hand, was exuberayting elegance and prestige in her long, slow strides. He couldn't help but look back at her now and again, somewhat demanding his attention with just her movements.

Once at the hilltop, he was happy to see the noble woman's approval, and then looked for a nearby bench or something for them to sit on. If all else failed, the soft snow would make for a nice seat. "Pitstopolis? Yeah, it's a bit of a trading center, sitting at the end of many crossroads. Nice place, nothing fancy. Have you ever been there?"

[MeTheMe]

A bench was nearby, Ice Scale being a little bigger than him it squeaked her weight a little, but it held both of their weight admirably. "Pitstopolis? Yes, though not in some time. No, nothing fancy, but incredible, it connects so many roads, so many trades and goods, you can find almost anything there. Trade was why I was there, I found my fortune in gem cutting and crafting, jewelry creation, and had a custom job I had to do down there. I should visit again sometime..." As she reminisced, her voice grew less cold and malicious, and a little more... open.

She turned to him. "What about you, what did you do before being wrapped up in Teeze's troubles?"

[GeneticMess]

He could feel the bench shift ever so slightly beneath him as Ice Scale sat besides him, getting him to preemptively flinch if the bench broke, but only for a moment. He looked up at her as she talked, and she seemed much more... relaxed? Avery couldn't think of the right word, but there was a notable shift in her usual tone. But when she turned to him, his eyes averted towards the snow below them.

"W-well, I've been with a lady named Martha. She's a good friend, and a bunch of us travel together and see the sights across the land. Don't really have a fixed income at the moment, but I don't really need one, I guess. L-low maintenance sort of guy, I suppose." Avery chuckled, this one coming a bit more naturally as he didn't need to force it as much. His eyes moved from the snow back up to the noble women, and then over to the scenic view before them.

[MeTheMe]

"Hmm... are you, by chance... an adventurer? A hero? I understand there's a school for such types down there in Pitstopolis, where one learns to stick your nose in other people's business in the name of light or something. You helped Teeze, trekked up a mountain, to find magic gems, and defeat a monster from what I hear. All hero stuff from the sounds of it." She chuckles a little. "There's nothing wrong with it, I jest, but I hear it's a difficult job, made more difficult lately by the increase in danger in the world. And the inconsistent pay, that sounds dreadful as well."

She put a finger to her lips, as she looked down at the many roads that met in Pitstopolis. "You know, I only got the notes on that little job I sent you all on, what happened up there?"

[GeneticMess]

"... I guess so." Avery shrugged. He hadn't really considered himself much of a hero type, but he currently fit all the qualifications. "A Drakhan attack happened a couple days ago there, so I think the school is out of commission. I've never went there myself, so I don't think I'm really certified or anything." He cracked a smile as Lady Ice Scale chuckled, not having any problems himself jabbing at the stereotypical hero life style. "Yeah, you mostly have to scavenge what you can to make a profit. But it's not bad, taking the less commonly traveled routes and seeing some interesting stuff." His eyes perked up a little at the mention of the struggle atop Mt. Lauwarm. "I was actually injured for most of that. Blistering heat came from the mountains, most of us were melting where we stood. Everything was a bit hazy until I was back in working order... but some shadows possessed Teeze and her lover, and fused their bodies together. Once we beat them, the bodies split with pieces of each leftover, and that's how they ended up as is. You see weird stuff adventuring."

[MeTheMe]

"You know, despite there being a school for it, I highly doubt you require much training to essentially be a better mercenary. I can't imagine it having like, class rooms, or libraries, just large training rooms and weapons. I don't know, I've never been, but given what I know about adventurers, that would make sense to me." She shrugged. "Still, you get to see so much of the world, travel where you will, that has to be nice, at the least."

She listened to what happened on the summit, nodding. "Weird, shadow mist monsters, possession, the summit melting... as I said, rumors abound that the world is getting more dangerous, and we can only hope that adventurers such as you are around to clean it up, I suppose." She chuckled, and looked past Pitstopolis. "Maybe... I'll have to join you on one of those adventures some time. I get out of the city so little, just being out here has been so nice."

[GeneticMess]

Of course, Avery knew more about these dangers than anybody else. He knew they were partially his fault, but mostly hers... And if Martha couldn't get back, the duty of stopping this from escalating further would fall to entirely to him. Still, Ice Scale's praise warmed his heart, and then it almost skipped a beat at what she said next.

"Really? W-wow, that would be..." He was grinning, flattered that he'd even gotten her to consider to come along with him without even saying anything. "I'm not going to try to f-force anything, but... I would love if you came along with me some time. You're probably more powerful than I am, anyways."

[MeTheMe]

"I am powerful, yes, but... I have very little combat experience, so even with so much... power, I'm unsure of how useful I could be. They say it's unfitting for a Lady noble to engage in such... barbarism, but... the dragon in me says... other things." She looked over her arms, and the blue scales on them, and her nails that ended in points like they were claws. "Like I said, it's a maybe for now, we have yet to see how this date ends, hm?"

The sun was beginning to set, creating the twilight colors of dusk that filled the sky with their beauty. "Mmm... you know, I loved this little venue, but we didn't get dinner, perhaps you'd like to come back to my mansion, and I'll have the servants serve us, it's getting a bit late to go to any nice places, and few compare to what I prefer to serve in my home."

[GeneticMess]

Avery didn't say anything, but just beamed happily with a big grin on his face. For a first date, this wasn't going half bad! He wasn't upsetting Lady Ice Scale, and she seemed to be enjoying his company. Still, like she said, things weren't set in stone quite yet. His eyes averted the glow of the setting sun to look back at his date.

"... Oh, right, dinner." He looked like he'd just stubbed his toe from the way he grimaced. How could he have forgotten about the food? Not like he had a lot of options to choose from, but... "I would love to eat at your place. I haven't really sat down an ate something that wasn't still alive for... a while, actually."

[MeTheMe]

"We will be sitting down, it's only proper to serve dinner at a table, and your meal does not have to be alive, if that's what you would prefer." She gave him a little smirk, before standing up, and offering him a hand to help him up as well. Her hands were cold, which would feel fine to Avery, but they would also be soft, and rather strong. "I'm part dragon myself, dear, and live meals are... well, our bread and butter. We do like to sit for meal time though, so you can enjoy that."

She smiled as they headed back towards her mansion, once again she had such stride and confidence as she made her way, and turned heads with her company. "I hope their stares do not bother you, I have not been seen with a commoner in... not since I became a noble, actually."

[GeneticMess]

"Wait, you actually serve live meals?" Avery was taken aback... he supposed with vore and respawning being so prevalent in this world, such services would become fairly common. "I actually wouldn't mind a live meal, too. Haven't eaten anything bigger than a Nobunny." He smiled, all too curious about what the noble would have them served. He immediately took her hand once offered, and held it for as long as she allowed... it was cold, which Avery had grown used to in Yce, but also soft and strong. If just touching her hand got him excited, then...

Back towards the mansion, he tried to mimic her stride a bit as they walked, although the looks he was getting made him quickly stop. "It's fine... although I feel like they're all staring at me just for being with you." Avery whispered, looking back and staying close to the noble woman's side.

[MeTheMe]

"One can't really say why they're staring, jealousy, confusion, the sheer spectacle of the noble Lady Ice Scale out on the town with a human half elemental. Let them, I don't just tower above them physically, after all." She smirked a little, that under tone of malice was back in her voice, and the way she said that was... a little grim as well.

She led him back in, and towards a massive dining room, sitting both of them down at one end of the table. "Yes, live meals are a regular for me, they're paid well, of course, but it's worth having such a meal so close whenever I desire it. Chef! Bring out our... selection, this evening." As they sat at the table, a line up came to show off for them, most snow and ice elementals, but at lease one was a human who was just bundled up in a coat. "You are, of course, the guest, so feel free to pick first, and choose how you would like your meal... served."

[GeneticMess]

Despite the malice and dark undertones in her voice, they were actually reassuring to Avery, considering what end of the situation he was on. Her words turned his slightly concerned frown into a neutral smile, and he continued to follow her back to the mansion.

Back in the dining room, Avery got comfy in the chair he was sat at, and his eyes widened as he was shown the line of live meals available to them. "I'll take... that one." He eventually pointed to the human in the coat. Even as he was, a big, warm, filling meal sounded really appetizing. "I've never really had a live meal prepared for me before... what do you mean by 'served'?" Avery had somewhat of an idea, but he was mostly just double checking.

[MeTheMe]

The human was a woman under all the coats and clothes, which she began to take off, leaving her shivering in nothing but a night gown. "Served? Why, really, you know the finest of meals can be served in many ways, do you want her cooked? Basted? Glazed? Come now, don't make a mockery of my table, Avery." She teased.

"Hmm... you." She pointed to an ice elemental man, tall and stout, big guy. He nodded, as she specified. "Hmm... I want... him slathered in Bar B Q sauce, seasoned, and tied up. No, Avery, they're willing, and paid, but tying them up makes me feel... powerful." She grins, as she begins tapping on nail claw on the table.

[GeneticMess]

"R-right, of course." Avery was quick on the draw after that, as even her tease had him afraid he wasn't making a good impression. "Um... let's see..." He looked towards the chef, and then cleared his throat. "I'll have her stuffed with a savoury filling, glazed, buttered, and seasoned with garlic. Actually, stuff her with some cheese too... and some butter too." His mouth was watering a little, but he looked to Ice Scale to make sure he was doing this right... and not going over board and overworking her kitchen crew.

[MeTheMe]

She slowly turned her head back to him as added more and more to his order, a wide, almost goofy grin coming over her face. "Well! You've some tastes, hm? Taking a little advantage of how good my personal kitchen staff are, are we? I can respect that! Go on, and you know what, what he said sounds good, add some cheese and stuffing to mine as well." Their prey made their way towards the kitchen, while the unselected ones left through another door.

"Mmm, I can't wait. Kitchen! Bring us a wine, as well." She added, turning back to Avery. "So, you haven't had a full sized prey, you said, save for Nobunnies, which is fine, but it's really something to have a full size meals slide down that throat..."

[GeneticMess]

He got a big, goofy grin of his own as he'd gotten the lady to indulge in similar tastes. Avery was actually having some fun with Ice Scale, part of him afraid she'd be all business. Once he was brought some wine, he only sipped conservatively at his glass. He didn't hold alcohol well, and getting shitfaced would not make a good impression.

"Y-yeah. I mostly eat any Nobunnies I can find while traveling, since they're everywhere and often don't put up much a fight. N-not to speak badly of the friends I have who are Nobunnies themselves. I'm excited to try something bigger!"

[MeTheMe]

A servant brought out a rather large bottle and a pair of wine glasses, setting them on the table, and Lady Ice Scale quickly poured a glass for each of them. Every now and then, she'd bring the glass to her lips, but she took a large gulp than Avery, large as she was holding her alcohol wasn't too hard for her. "Mmm..."

"Any Nobunnies you find? My, ravenous, aren't you? Surprising to hear that you haven't had a full sized prey yet, then... though I suppose a lot of Nobunnies are easier to get down one at a time, than a full sized person, I suppose..."