Re: Hunting Through Keliac - 119 4A

[Kara Winters]

"Rose is a great deal of business sense, Miyuki is learning, but I suspect that Rose has more experience," Holly explained, "And it's always good to know what we can trade or sell going from town to town."

Actually, while Miyuki had never told them out right, Holly suspected that both Miyuki and Andarien were stage growers, just from how they talked about their childhood in reference to how long they've been traveling.

[Nara-pyon]

"But it also tells about the people," Rose added, smiling at Holly. "What a culture values can teach you a lot about it."

She might not have done much traveling in her short and mortal life, but she recognized even that much from her education, observations, and conversations with the more-traveled members of their group.

Geran nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose ... but I don't know if that reflects more about the culture or the individual you're trading with."

[Kara Winters]

"If the idea of trading with just one or two individuals yes," Holly admitted, "But we're talking about how the economy works and what interests people as a whole. If there are items we bring that are too foreign, especially if they were raw goods, they might not sell for a variety of reasons."

The neko paused and then added.

"And there can be something to be said about items one makes, certain styles or types of items again might be too foreign."

Holly would know seeing as she had introduced lolita years ago, and that was an interesting experience. It helped that the styled used a lot of features that made the clothes worth a lot, like lace and dying and heavy embroidery.

[Nara-pyon]

"I have to admit," Geran nodded, "it's rare that we have anyone here from outside the town - let alone from another country. I don't know how anyone would take anything that's very foreign."

Rose couldn't help but grin to herself, and barely kept herself from laughing. If only he knew.

"Makaela told me that you're from ... Quir, I think she said," Geran went on, giving Rose a curious glance. "On your way through the country to visit some relatives in ... where?"

"Some of the group, yes," Shiro replied with a smile. "Most of us, however, are here simply to explore. To learn more about the lands and the people who inhabit them."

[Kara Winters]

"It makes for an interesting group that is for certain," Holly admitted.

And she wasn't even referring to the languages. There were people who studied everything like Shiro, people who studied the earth, the plants, the medicine, the culture, the people, the food and the list just kept going. Though, Holly supposed she was in it for the clothes.

"But the whole, not many people travel through a country is true... what we do is unusual to most."

[Nara-pyon]

"How many of you are there?" Geran asked curiously. "I mean, Gaelen and Sylvar don't have all that big of a back yard, but you talk as if there are quite a few of you ..."

Rose looked to Shiro, frowning gently. Not only did she not know how many of them there were, but she also didn't know if it would be wise to tell him about the magical nature of their traveling home. If he should grow curious and want to see it, she suspected they would not likely be able to keep everything that needed to be kept secret a secret from him.

Shiro just smiled. "Our number changes frequently," he replied easily, "but we're a sizable enough group. It's generally safer to travel in larger groups anyways."

[Kara Winters]

Holly smiled at that, it was the truth, it was just as far as Holly knew their numbers always increased, she had yet to see it decrease since joining. The group really took the more the merrier to a whole new level.

"It is, not all of us are capable of fighting," Holly admitted.

[Nara-pyon]

"Sounds dangerous," Geran frowned gently.

Shiro chuckled. "Not if you knew our guide. She's been traveling for centuries and she knows just about all there is to know, including which places to avoid and how to pass safely through any place you want to see."

Geran's eyes narrowed slightly. "Would that be the Human woman who's been wandering around the town for the past few days?" he asked hesitantly, some suspicion in his tone.

[Kara Winters]

"Yes," Holly didn't have to think twice because no other person who even looked Human would wander around, undisguised, "Since we're here for a while..."

It went without saying that Kyrie might as well wander around.

[Nara-pyon]

Geran still looked troubled. "Why ... a human guide? Surely, there must be elves-"

"Is there a problem?" Rose asked, suddenly irritated. She was, herself, of course, human, so she couldn't help but take his comment personally - even though she knew he didn't mean it personally, and couldn't, since he believed that she was Light Elven, like him.

Geran was shocked by her reaction, and before he could think of anything to say, Shiro stepped in.

"She was recommended to us as one who knows the continent well," he said calmly, hoping to calm both Geran and Rose. "She's knowledgeable and skilled, and no one in our group cares about anything else."

At least, not anymore. Some of the group had had some qualms about Kyrie's race (mixed race, in fact) until they'd gotten to know her a bit.

Rose still didn't look happy, though.

[Kara Winters]

Holly put a hand on Rose's shoulder, guessing that Rose probably took it personally. Not that she could blame Rose, it was probably the first time she heard Humans be referred to in such a manner, but it was no different in how Humans would consider elves.

"She is a very nice person once you get to know her," Holly added.

[Nara-pyon]

Rose had to bite her tongue to keep from adding anything else. Shiro changed the subject, and after a short while, thing went back to the way they had been, with Rose calming down enough to eventually warm up to Geran once more. They visited several shops and businesses, a few craftsmen, and spoke with a few people on the street. Geran treated them all to lunch, which included a somewhat rich, chocolatey dessert.

When, later in the afternoon, he returned the three to Gaelen and Sylvar's home, before bidding the group farewell, he hesitated a moment and then said, "I know you've no reason to accept, but ... I would like to extend an invitation to you for dinner tomorrow. Come to my house and have dinner with me and my sister."

[Kara Winters]

Holly was surprised by this, he had already spent most of the day with them already and there was little need to invited them to dinner.

"What do you think Rose?" Holly asked, since she felt it was Rose's choice.

[Nara-pyon]

Rose hesitated. She was tired, and it was slowing her thought process, but she was also a little confused by the request.

"Geran," she said softly, "you've already more than made up for what happened. You don't owe us - me - anything more."

"That's not what this is," Geran disagreed. "I know we just spent the day together, all of us, but I'd like to get to know you better. I mean each of you," he added quickly, apparently eager that his comment not be mistaken for being meant only for Rose.

[Kara Winters]

Holly blinked and looked thoughtful. While logically she should be uncomfortable in making friends with people under a disguise of another race, seeing as Holly had done so for a decade, she had no issues of doing it now. Especially since they weren't staying. Besides, there was no good reason to deny his request.

"I don't see a problem with going..." Holly trailed off but she really wanted to leave this to Rose.

[Nara-pyon]

Rose didn't want to be the one making the decision for the others, but if Holly had no objection, then who was she to turn Geran down?

"Then ... thank you," she murmured, nodding. "We accept." She smiled. "It will be nice to meet your sister, too, I think. She sounds like quite an interesting person."

Geran's entire face lit up when Rose accepted the invitation, even to the point where his eyes began to sparkle brightly. "Great!" he beamed. "Then I'll come pick you up tomorrow, late afternoon."

And with that, he bid the three a good evening and headed off once more.

[Kara Winters]

Once Geran was well out of earshot, Holly couldn't help but comment, "I think he likes you."

Though she stated it so plainly it was hard to tell if she was teasing or not.

[Nara-pyon]

Despite her protest when Holly had made a similar comment the day before, Rose couldn't help the light blush that crept up the back of her neck and into her cheeks.

"Maybe until he finds out I'm one of those humans he's not so fond of," she quipped, holding the tent door open for Holly and Shiro.

She had warmed up to him during the hours they'd spent together, but she still wasn't entirely certain she could forgive him for his comment about Kyrie's race - her own race.

[Kara Winters]

"It didn't sound like disgust though," Holly murmured as she entered the tent, "He sounded wary, I know it sounds silly. Heck, I think it's silly, but Shiro you know better than us. I'm going to guess just like where we came from... where Humans could be very wary of Elves... and most strangers, the same would be true only opposite among Elves?"

It would make sense to her, but she wanted to double check. She hadn't been in a proper Elven town until now.

[Nara-pyon]

"Actually, worse," Shiro admitted, ducking inside after Holly. "Most elves have a superiority complex on top of the racial crap. Probably a result of you know, better hearing, sight, smell, usually more physical abilities, definitely more magic ..."

He paused, thinking of a Gaian equivalent. "Like ... the way civilized people back home look down on primitive tribes," he decided.

"Thanks," Rose snorted, following the others inside.

"Just a comparison of attitudes, nothing more," Shiro defended himself.

[Kara Winters]

Holly cringed at the term civilized and primitive, because those terms was how those attitudes started in the first place.

"I shouldn't be surprised by this, though I have respect for Kyrie for putting up with this while she's here, or maybe it's just easier because it's just here instead of all of us being who we are."

It was hard to tell really, she wondered if Kyrie had been harassed at all since they came here.

[Nara-pyon]

"If Makaela is to be believed," Shiro shrugged, "it would be much worse if we all looked like ourselves out there."

As if he suddenly remembered, he ran his hand over his face, dispelling his disguise. He was still wingless and tailless and had elven ears, however, as that required more than just a change of coloration.

"Do people bother Kyrie?" Rose wondered, waiting for her turn to look like herself again.

Shiro laughed. "Would you?"

Kyrie looked every bit as tough as she was. He seriously doubted anyone would try to pick on her.

[Kara Winters]

"No, but I am also no fool," Holly replied.

Which implied there would always be a few fools who would, but hopefully none here.

[Nara-pyon]

"I'll second that," Shiro agreed, dispelling the girls' disguises.

Suddenly Kaito bounded into the room, and without giving any warning, jumped on his brother's back.

"It's about time you're back!" he whined. "I've been so bored all day!"

Shiro just about choked, but he managed to pry Kaito's arms from around his throat. "You don't have to kill me for it!" he rasped, rubbing his neck gingerly.

[Kara Winters]

"Really Kaito?" Holly asked a bit bemused by his behaviour, "You're lucky that Shiro is steady on his feet and strong enough to not fall over from that."

And those wings of Kaito would have made the dead weight worse.

"And what did you want Shiro to do to relive your boredom?"

Because everyone knew in his spare time Shiro did research.

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