Behind the Curtain

[Coco]

"A school teacher? Oh no, not in that outfit," Coco said, shaking her head. "And don't worry Mal, people aren't the type texts I like to read, so I won't think another thought about it, aside from that I can now call you Mal! Which is fun, right? Nicknames are fun! Don't you think, Morgan? And thank you, those are excellent suggestions. I think I'll definitely try perusing around the campus. College is quite fun, too! Of course, you described the Nox as also being fun, so that's something I can't miss now, can I?"

Coco took another sip of water and set her glass down, looking quit satisfied. The evening was going well and she now had an idea of where she could find joy on some other eve. Yes, three meals was a fair price for nice company, both now and in the future.

[Morgan Bellanar]

"Can surely-not see you as a school marm Malory, no-nope. Your can teach folks good b-but methods probably get in trouble with kids-students, heh. Well..." she looked at the wolf and tilted, her head, concentrating. Miss Grey, the grumpy wolf-teacher that'll eat you if you don't do your homework? Morgan was able to maintain her composure, her face holding the look of concentration instead of the laughter in her eyes, "No-nope, heh-heh, really can't see prim-proper teacher. Kinda-sorta-too-badass-little-bit for prim-proper, heh."

The Fairest would hopefully heed the Steepscrambler's warning to avoid that perverted club. Then again, she may be Spring, so she actually could be into THAT kind of thing. Morgan hoped not, she really preferred Springs like Mrs. Rosemary who had less unsettling means of doing the whole "my passions are my guiding light through life" or whatever thing. Springs that could like a place like Asylum were a disturbing idea to the raccoon. Granted, not everyone met the Court stereotypes. Morgan absently kicked a few leaves under the table as they appeared.

Maybe they should turn the tables on Coco? Ask her stuff instead, "S-so, you do-fencing? Like swords-armor with the face-net-helmet thingie? Neat. Some folks in the-club might find-tips-help, not me. B-but curious-question-gonna-ask," she focused her eyes upon Coco. Whatever she was going to ask, it seemed the raccoon was taking it seriously, "I not really interest-curious on pointy-fence-swords, no-nope. More curious about padding. If you know places oro-or just-type-store for getting such stuff? N-not sure fence-suit b-better then riding-impact jacket b-but worth checking, heh. Always-good-is-protection, heh."

[Coco]

An arch look and a skeptically tilted antenna greeted Morgan's first question. "Extraordinary as I am, it's exceedingly difficult to be excellent at something without doing it frequently, wouldn't you say? So yes, I fence. However, I'm versed in more than just modern, competitive styles. I've studied the forms and practices developed by Fabris, Silver, and even du Coudray, which were the original masters of the art. Now I admit, my repertoire is rather eclectic, but I still consider myself to be very well versed in the art of the elegant sword, so trust my word when I say you won't find much use from competitive fencing attire. That's designed to stop flimsy practice swords, not real ones.

"However!" Coco continued, becoming increasingly animated, her antennae perking up, "many people are beginning to embrace the wisdom of the ages gone by and are applying what can be gleaned from history along with modern science to create some truly marvelous pieces of equipment. I'm not sure if anyone makes such things locally, I am still learning my way around after all, but if you quest online you can find some great manufacturers. Even people willing to do custom work! That's how I was able to obtain my cane! I should invite you over some fair eve and we could peruse together. I could use an update for my equipment," she finished, musing about over the things she could afford and the things she could not. "Hm. It might even be useful to you, Mal, if you broadened your search. I'm sure there's something that would help a rustic martial artist."

[Morgan Bellanar]

The look Morgan returned to Malory's glare was panicky: a weak, nervous smile coupled with nodding-then shaking her head. Wilting a little she chuckled before trying to fix her failed attempt at humor, "Heh, n-nope I-I pretty sure I be much-the-worse, n-no-doubt I be worse, heh." Any kids would probably boss her around as opposed to vice versa. "S-sorry, j-just try-fail fun not-try-rude to you. S-sorry, heh, I n-not good at-people."

Morgan shrunk further at Coco's stern words. The confused look on the raccoon's face as the Fairest described her swording left the Beast feeling inferior. She didn't need reminders of how limited her brain was. Morgan trying to be a extrovert seems to have gone poorly. Her knees bumped the table as she instinctively tried to curl up to make herself a smaller target. "S-sorry-sorry, just thought ask. J-jacket p-pads help b-but hope for better and-and sorry-bump-noise," she managed to ramble as she hung her head and scrunched in her shoulders.

Oh, now Coco was talking about computers! And how she could use them. Morgan's self esteem just kept taking the hits. She mumble out something about: "...computers...hate me." She didn't blue them out anymore (often) yet she still had trouble getting them. It'd taken her more then a year to understand something as simple as a typing a document. The Internet was a big-scary mass of wibbly-wobble-everything for her, "too complex...net stuff too complex," she managed to mumble out further. Given how much was online, it wasn't something she liked having difficulty with. The offer of aid would have been nice if she wasn't so depressed right now.

The raccoon flinched when she heard Malory start to growl. Had it been anyone else making that noise, Morgan would have tried to bolt in such close proximity. But even her instincts trusted the wolf not to snap the raccoon's neck. She didn't know if the growl was due to her or the Fairest. So she went by on instinct, "S-sorry-sorr-sorry, i-i-if cause trouble total-no-mean-to, eh-heh, really very-sorry."

There were quite a few leaves kicking about under the table now. Fear for safety was a lot simpler to deal with then this. Run or fight and run was not an answer to social...stuff that scared her. The jittery Autumn courtier's Mantle was enjoying the situation a lot more then she was.

[Coco]

"No, no! Don't apologize! You're fine, you're fine," Coco said hurriedly, flapping her hands, trying to calm down the raccoon. What had she said? She wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad. Honestly.

"And it was a joke, Mal!" she continued, turning to the growling wolf. "I didn't meant to insult you. Historically, knights and other skilled warriors all learned a variety of very direct ways to fight, including wrestling and such, but as society changed and times went on, and the nobility became more frail from centuries of inbreeding, European martial arts took a different turn. All the old styles were deemed to be 'to rustic' and the swordsmen went on to develop the techniques that I use. It was just a joke, just a funny about the difference in our methods."

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan continued to sulk, as what was said was still quite true. At least the raccoon did try to hunch herself any smaller. When was the food getting here? That'd break up the big ball of awkward that things had become.

About the only action she took was to put her feet down, crunching onto the leaves sprouting from her mantle. She should try to rein that in before it insulted someone or something else went wrong.

[Coco]

The silence ate away at Coco just as fiercely as their hunger gnawed at their stomachs. Her smile wavering and wilting like a plant without water and her antennae swiveled, hunting for something to turn the conversation around.

"I suppose if I wanted to see you laugh it would be a poor idea to tickle you?" Coco asked suddenly. She stared at Mal seriously, as though considering the idea, but suddenly her grin sprang back into life. "I won't, I won't! Don't worry! How about a better joke? Here's one: where would you take me if I got sick? The Waspital! Ooh, or perhaps, what do you call something that's black, yellow, and goes along the bottom of the sea? Me in a submarine! Or my favorite: what do I wear in the rain? A little yellow jacket!"