(ToB) If You Go Out In The Woods Today..

[Star]

"Sorry."

Sometimes, you don't bother with the Contrite Look. Like, right now, when it would be like pouring hot fudge on a chocolate milkshake. Just a little too much, and the too much kind of messing things up. He was pretty sincere. No need for hot fudge.

It's amazing how quickly remembering someone is a Mind Master brings out the sincerity.

Him? He had no desire to have his brain turned into hot fudge. No thank you. Besides, there were lines, and he'd crossed one. It's important to know when you've crossed a line, because the moment you forget, things get Bad fast. For everyone. True Fact: Being a Guardian is all about lines.

No one's talking about Blurred Lines, either, yo.

"Okay, then."

He nodded to Nous. Because Finding Avalon.

[Jhet]

Omertà is something that mages learn early, especially guardians. Either Ari is out of practice, or she never really had to learn it expertly. Talking about things without actually talking about them is a learned gift. She's happy that eventually it's understood and the number gets written down on the paper. It better be Dal Riata's number when she looks at it. Because it really shouldn't be that hard to find her.

She's uninterested in Star's ability to be contrite. It's not something that they need to be good at. In fact, the only people that should be good at being contrite are the guardians who are terrible at their jobs. Saying sorry is something that you do when you get caught. The idea is to not get caught.

"You good with the package then?"

She trusts that the teddy bear is in the right hands. It doesn't belong in her hands, because there's nothing she could do to it. It'll get taken care of now. She doesn't get up and go, because she's not going to be rude. It's Star's delivery, so they'll go when he's ready to start the road rash machine and get going.

[Ariadne]

Something has been missed. Ariadne isn't sure what exactly but something. Instead she nods.

"Yep, I'll find it a good home." She takes another sip of her coffee and looks at the package. The fear is gone, only resignation and focus.

If I find that book, any lead, I'll make sure you both know."

[Star]

Did he care what happened to the teddy bear?

Not. At. All. Package: Delivered. Sure, there were people out there that got worked up over that sort of thing. Enchanted and what-not stuff, no matter what it did. Him? Creepy, yo. Zoey had talked a couple of times about some things needed to be destroyed. Abyssal stuff? Yeah, totally. But now Principal Ari had it, it was Her Problem.

Which was a reminder that the house could probably use a look-see. See if the flow was getting cleaned up.

That other thing? Check. That other other thing? Check, too.

"Awesome."

Hands came up to rest on the table. You know, that gesture you make, the slow push back that suggests The Show Is Over. Which, apparently it was, since Principal Ari didn't have anything for them. Which was good news, because busy. Once that second or two had passed to register the slow push-back, he followed through, standing. A thumb and pinkie hooked around the side of his face in the universal 'Call Me' gesture, along with an upraised eyebrow.

"Ready?"

The little green bottle got upended as he waited for Nous . No cup holders on his bike.

[Jhet]

"Yep. See ya, Ari."

She hops up and downs her coffee like she's chugging beer at a frat party. Some skills are never forgotten.

It's going to be some work to track down Dal Riata, but it's work that needs to be done. Because her citizenship status needs to be discerned. And then she needs to decide if she's going to stay or go. Because if she stays, she needs to be here. If she's going to go, she needs to go and return properly.

Time for a bike ride.

[Ariadne]

"Have a good day you two." Ariadne replies with a slight tilt of her coffee before moving the bag full of teddy doom to the floor next to her seat.

Gently.

Good to wrap as well