my shadow's here to meet with me again

[aquaveiled]

[ To say that the visit to Rak'tika had been eventful would be an understatement. For someone so used to strange series of events being woven together in a myriad of improbable circumstances that always seemed to work out in the end, Himeka was well-suited to weathering it out. Yet for as she readily accepts--and sometimes welcomes the challenges that come with the life she leads, they aren't without loss.

To say that she's grateful that Y'shtola's second leave of the team was also temporary would also be an understatement. Their mission is ever fraught with danger and the looming threat of death is something that will never abate, and a part of her knows that many more have met their ends at her hands than she has personally lost to the cause, but the thought of losing Y'shtola permanently is something she does not want to think about.

And luckily? She doesn't have to. Not quite yet.

They accomplished much and even after a few minute bouts of discomfort after slaying the Lightwarden, Himeka returns to the Crystarium in a good mood. Bidden though she is to rest up, particularly by Y'sthola herself, Himeka makes her way towards the Pendants...and then immediately does an about-face as soon as she is properly out of earshot, heading instead towards the Wandering Stairs. The Exarch has never left her wanting for food in her private suite, but she would like something a little more than a sandwich basket to put a proper finish to their last trip.

Giott is nowhere to be found for advice--probably for the best--but being such a regular, Glynard happily supplies Himeka with Giott's normal pint of ale.

In truth it would be more fitting to celebrate with the other Scions, yet Y'sthola and Urianger seemed keen to delve back into whatever puzzle currently has their attention, Thancred had left many of his merriment in drinking days behind since taking up fatherhood, and the twins--

--well, she honestly would pay herself to see what they would each be like after a mug but she does not feel like dealing with the repercussions just yet.

She takes a seat at one of the round tables towards the edge of the platform overlooking the greenery below. Yet as she holds up the tankard, her pink eyes widen. ]

...It's almost as big as my head.

Comments

[unnecessaryflourishes]

[To say that he hadn't had his own motives for fetching Himeka's wayward ally from the lifestream would be a lie. Not least of all for the fact that he had directly admitted that it was an attempt to win his way into both her good graces and those of the rest of her allies. And while how well it has done so remains to be seen, that's as much due to the fact that they've only just recently had the time to have a moment to themselves.

(Not that he has ever really deigned to bother with any sort of combat, but it's the thought that counts, surely. Especially given that there would have been few others who would have been able to explain the murals in Rak'tika.)

Still, despite his brief turn at being genuinely helpful, he is not - and perhaps never will be - particularly inclined to celebrate. Not with any of the Scions at the least, and so he simply... drifts. His presence is, by now, not one that raises any particular eyebrows in the Crystarium - as far as he can tell, most people assume him to be one of the Exarch's friends and he has done little to dissuade them of that opinion. Still, he's on foot when he arrives at the Wandering Stairs. While he does have faster methods of travel, he figures it's best if he doesn't give off the impression of being something akin to a Sin Eater.

At least, not in the middle of a well-populated area.]

I would assume that was meant to be one of its selling points.

[aquaveiled]

[ Himeka looks up from her oversized tankard on cue and, for once, does not send a look of immediate suspicion his way. In truth it had gone against her nature to be so, but the Scions experience with Ascians and her own several bouts of betrayal and attempts on her life have taught her a few things over the years.

Not so much as not to change her tune, however. She wants to believe people are what they show and what they say they are, after all, even if the lesson is a hard one learned several times over. The months of getting swindled after her initial arrival in Limsa Lominsa had shown her otherwise, but at the very least she left knowing how to outdrink a Roegadyn twice her size.

Himeka purses her lips as she looks back down at her drink. ]

I suppose I just thought it looked so big because it's usually in the hands of a dwarf.

[ She is not short. Not in her mind. (She's tall for a female Au Ra, thank you very much.)

With that, she takes a swig, supporting the ale with both hands and lets out a satisfied 'ah' at the end before setting it back down on the table. ]

Buuuuuuut...I see you made it back just fine. Do you drink?

[unnecessaryflourishes]

[The lack of immediate suspicion is definitely noted. Appreciated, even. Of course, it may not truly be in her best interests to not suspect him of something, but if that should be her choice, far be it for him to say otherwise. Especially when he can make use of it, for however long it should last.]

Bigger, certainly. But not enough so to leave it ... particularly diminished, otherwise.

[It might, admittedly, look smaller in his hands - to say nothing of those of a Roegadyn - but neither is it something he has much cared to look into. It hasn't been anything he'd consider necessary, much less something that he'd seen any good reason to bother with.]

Still, to answer your question... I have, on occasion.

[Not regularly, and certainly not ale, of late. But he has done so before, all the same.]

[aquaveiled]

[ She accepts that answer and gives a short nod. She definitely doesn't drink nearly as much as she used to after leaving Limsa Lominsa and that light...multiple positioning incidents, but she would never forgo it entirely. ]

Well, this is an occasion.

[ Without bothering to ask Emet-Selch himself for his preferences, she leans partway out of her seat to wave to Glynard. ]

Could you send another one over? Thanks!

[ She straightens and places both her hands around the tankard but leaves it standing on the tabletop. She taps her nails once against the side of the mug. ]

So, are you just taking a walk or are you going to sit?

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Anything could be considered to be an 'occasion', should someone be sufficiently inclined to take what mental leaps might be necessary to do so.

[But this... this is at least the sort of occasion that would warrant something of a celebration. Another lightwarden has been slain, and the dark of night has returned to yet another region of Norvrandt.

(So too do his own goals draw nearer to fruition, though he has spoken little of any of those and doesn't mean to.)]

But if you insist....

[He takes a careful seat at that. He might still look somewhat out of place, in his fur-trimmed robes, but at least she isn't going to have to keep craning her neck quite so much in order to speak with him.]

[aquaveiled]

[ It absolutely reads as condescending as if finding a reason to celebrate in and of itself is a silly notion, but Himeka only cocks her head to the side as she watches him sit. The abject trepidation may be gone, but the curiosity is not and she has never been one to hide such things. ]

You're exactly right, an occasion is what we make of it. And I decided this was a worthy one.

[ She seems visibly pleased with the own conclusion she drew and lifts her chin in a quiet challenge. The second tankard arrives a few seconds later and she offers a much brighter smile and a nod of thanks to the bar hand. ]

Your timing just happens to be excellent! --Actually, it usually is which is a little creepy at times, but I'm still grateful. I wanted to say "thank you" more...

[ Himeka waves her free hand. ]

Properly.