San Francisco with Ysalwen

[heatherandsteel]

The door opens onto a park in the fading light of early evening, they're stepping out from a gazebo type area. Across from the park, beautiful painted houses stand, one in particular looks more lovely in the fading light than the others.

A mix of people walk around them, programmers home from a long day at work, the coffee shops and restaurants are active and there's the sound of music and the taste of sea salt in the air, "Here we are."

Comments

[freedom_is_grey]

"Is this the market?"

There are so many people! And it's a large cleared space, but --

But there aren't any stalls, or store fronts, or --

"I mean, when it's the right time of day for a market."

Liranan, meanwhile, finds a convenient bush upon which to mark his territory.

[heatherandsteel]

"No, park and a street. See that house that kind of glows a little more, that's where I live. Over there and there you can buy food,"

There's a little market, a coffee shop, a restaurant and a sort of quirky shop nearby.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh. It's -- huh."

Liranan finishes his business and trots back over. San Francisco now definitely belongs to a mabari. Yep!

"Why does your house glow? Protective spells, or -- "

[heatherandsteel]

"Paint that looks better in the evening light than during the day. There are protective spells but not ones you can see with the eye, maybe you can. Hey, Liranan. Do you like San Francisco?"

As they talk, he walks over and while all the houses are brightly painted, theirs the bright works even in the dark.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh. Is that because you spend more time awake at night than during the day?"

It would make sense. A little.

(It may also be interesting to note that, as it gets dark, Ysalwen's eyes flash and shine like a cat's.)

"Or just because people you work with or care about need to be able to find you at night?"

[heatherandsteel]

When he notices her eyes, he smiles as that's familiar, "Yes, well to both. I think the paint job was done before anyone was living here."

[freedom_is_grey]

Now that is interesting.

"Can I ask why? Or is it a state secret?"

Liranan, meanwhile, has busied himself sniffing at absolutely everything.

[heatherandsteel]

"To make it look lived in and he might have had it be used by other people. He's owned the house for hundreds of years,"

Quentin starts walking down the street, the idea is to head towards the Bay.

[freedom_is_grey]

"He?"

He who?

She falls into step with Quentin, Liranan leading by a pace or two.

It seems to make the mabari happy, so Ysalwen is not complaining. She may also be sneaking the occasional look left or right, as if trying to be unobtrusive about staring at everything. She doesn't want to stand out, but it's all so -- alien.

[heatherandsteel]

There are tourists about, who are doing the same,

"The Duke, he owns the house. Are you hungry or do you want to see the water first?"

[freedom_is_grey]

Liranan lifts up his head and yips at the word 'hungry'.

Ysalwen laughs a little, fingers loosening just a touch on the leash.

"Is there a restaurant by the water, maybe?"

[heatherandsteel]

"Restaurants of every kind you can think of, look down the hill, you can see the water and all the lights,"

There are lots of impressive hills in the city and the water is beautiful in the fading light.

[freedom_is_grey]

"I do love living by the sea."

She smiles, gaze distant but fond.

"There's something to be said for a body of water so deep you can't find the bottom. Or know what lives there."

[heatherandsteel]

"Me too. Toby knows some of what lives there, she had a chance to visit,"

As they walk, not a lot of people look too closely at them, a few ones checking them out.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Oh, really?"

Ysalwen's expression brightens at that.

"Can you tell me about some of it?"

[heatherandsteel]

"I don't know a lot. She didn't like it that much. She doesn't like being underwater and I was asleep when she came back. It was cool though, a palace made for everyone in the sea," He gestures to the ocean and the docks, "Just out there."

[freedom_is_grey]

"That sounds more like the land than I would have thought."

Is she a little disappointed?

Perhaps.

"Huh."

[heatherandsteel]

"But since its in the sea that means you can go on the walls and swim if you need to. She found it confusing,"

Quentin thought it sounded cool and he's asked Dean for more details, he wants to know all he can in case he needs to go the Undersea.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Confusing?"

Ysalwen herself appears to be confused just now.

[heatherandsteel]

"Walls aren't always walls, sometimes they're a floor for someone else."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Sounds like the Fade."

A little.

[heatherandsteel]

"Oh,"

By now they've gotten closer to the waterfront and its all busier.

[freedom_is_grey]

"It's not all terrible," Ysalwen offers. Quietly.

There's a moment where her shoulders hunch a little. Maybe it's the press of people, maybe it's the looks her facial tattoo gets, maybe it's -- something else.

Then she swallows, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. And after that the cheer is back.

"Is it like this every day?"

[heatherandsteel]

He looks around and considers the size of the crowd,

"Its busier during the day and on some weekends. This is about normal. Its quieter later too but then not as many places to eat are open."

[freedom_is_grey]

"It gets busier?"

How is that even possible?

"Though I suppose there is enough space for more people to crush in together. Unless they wanted to walk."

Hmm.

"Is there a restaurant that's your particular favorite?"