{se} All our flaws are bittersweet

Hotaru

"As I am sorry for yours," she murmurs in kind, though her lips try for a small smile. They are grieving, yes, but there is comfort to be had in the fact there is kindness enough in the world for someone to share condolences at all. "They do feel that way. But even yesterday is not today." Which means they are still one day past that awful time, and that's better than being in it.

Wise isn't a compliment Hotaru is used to receiving, so it does make her huff a laugh against the warmth of her tea as she sips it. "Wise only after years of sticking my feet in the wrong places. But I am glad to know you as well - perhaps even beyond today." Hotaru certainly wouldn't mind another meeting, she has so few friends, much less women her age. It's especially pleasant to be in someone's company who feels as refined and well-spoken.

More than capable of reading between the lines, Hotaru's smile turns into something more befitting the term sharklike as she grins. "I knew it, you're exactly her type of target," she chortles, setting her tea down as well. Perfect timing too as the same woman returns with a small assortment of finger sandwiches cut into long rectangles and six little petit fours with cute icing flowers. Hotaru plucks a sandwich immediately, though her eyes are mostly for Isla in the moment. "If my Academy were not in Halo I might be tempted myself. How much have you explored of it?" The war had created regions Ru has yet to explore, but she knows most of the mainland by heart after her years living here.

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free

Isla

"And even today is not tomorrow," Isla continues for Hotaru, her smile a touch softer as she sips again at her tea. "Someone should really embroider that onto a pillow. It feels like the sort of platitude people ought to have in their homes." Chuckling and settling a little further into her seat, she offers a gentle nod of agreement at knowing the Valkyrie beyond today's meeting. Isla would quite like that, too.

"If it helps, I find that sticking one's feet in the wrong places makes for some great stories, as well as wisdom," she adds, her lips curling in a smile that's a little more sly than before - but it's nothing compared to Hotaru's grin. "Her target?" Her laughter is a bright thing, Isla understanding exactly where the other woman is coming from; Flora could sell water to the Mer if she needed to, she's sure.

Enjoying a sandwich of her own (and gods, she still isn't over being able to taste again, and the malt bread and soft cheese filling is divine), her eyebrows raise curiously. "What kind of Academy?" she asks after swallowing a bite. "And strangely, a fair amount by now. Most of the parts I haven't explored are beneath the ocean now, I think."

I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Hotaru

"Perhaps that can be your new side business if you stay here," she teases, steepling her fingers and grinning just behind them. "Torchline loves kitschy decor." Wherever she is, Flora better be appreciating Hotaru's dedication to being her daughter's recruiting wingwoman.

"You're beautiful, talented, and have a wealth of drama and gossip to both supply and attract. You're practically catnip." Her accompanying wink makes it clear the latter in that list is a compliment; being near Remi unintentionally changes you into a drama-magnet, Hotaru doubts it's a transition anyone can resist.

Delicately rubbing the crumbs from her own cucumber and dill sandwich onto her plate, Hotaru's expression plainly brightens at the chance to discuss her Academy. "It's called the Arcane Academy, devoted to teaching and strengthening magic. It was dormant for many years; I reopened it in my son's memory." And already she has seen the strength it has given others, strength she hopes will shield them the way Enzo's magic couldn't. "I admit I haven't explored the Underwater Kingdom either, even with the new transportation available. It still seems so daunting." Which means she really just doesn't want to drown if she crosses some strange, invisible boundary. "Perhaps we can go together someday."

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free

Isla

"I was going to argue, but I imagine with the number of sutures I've done in my time, I might be quite good at embroidery," Isla says with a laugh that's equal parts self-deprecating and surprised. A side business, indeed. At Hotaru's compliments, the medic's cheeks darken automatically, and she shakes her head as if to brush it off. "You are too kind," she says. "Though I bet our meeting here will cause no small amount of drama and gossip when it reaches the right ears." Those being Flora's ears, of course.

Dusting off her hands and reaching once more for her tea, Isla listens with clear interest as the Valkyrie explains about the Arcane Academy. "That sounds fascinating. I have heard that there are quite a few Abandoned in Halo - the place must be a wonder to live in." Ah, to be able to go to the colder region. Isla thinks she'd rather like it there, actually.

Drawn from her musings with prospects of underwater adventures, the Remedy finds herself nodding readily at the suggestion. "I would like that," she says honestly. "I am unable to communicate through an Attuned bond, though, so we may have to practice our charades."

I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Hotaru

"See? New beginnings already," Hotaru laughs, practically glowing with good company and good humor to sustain her. Though she does lean slightly closer from across the table, mischief foxlike in the curl of her mouth. "Oh I am counting on it. A mother is due her revenge sometimes." Revenge against meddling daughters and their large, conspicuous ears.

Leaning back, Hotaru cradles her teacup, now half-empty, to her chest. "Far less modern marvels than you'd think, but as a community it is quite close-knit. Loyal to the end." She considers Isla - with her beautiful horns - and hums slightly. "Academy members are granted a boon of resistance to the cold, but as a teacher I can only help train elemental magic so I'm unsure how much more use I could provide in return for enrollment." She only knows the basics about Ancients, so she isn't certain if they even have magic. Still, perhaps it would benefit the Ancients to have such a perk. "Though perhaps you can seek out magical clothing to keep you warm if you ever wish to visit?" Hotaru's magic is not quite to that level, but maybe someday she can make a lucrative business out of combining it with her seamstress abilities to allow Ancients to move about freely. It would certainly make a particular booty-call easier...

"Don't forget we'll have lip-reading," she reminds with a grin. "How good are you at that?" Testing her companion readily by only mouthing the words.

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free

Isla

Allowing herself a crooked smile of her own, Isla presses her finger to her lips. "Shh, or she might hear you're planning revenge as well. We don't want to ruin it," she says with a warm laugh. Letting thoughts of Flora and her craft at eavesdropping melt away in lieu of imagining Halo, Isla lets her fingers gently trace the patterns along her teacup and sighs contently.

"I suppose with it being so cold, it makes sense for everyone to be close-knit," she agrees, her head filled with snow-capped rooftops and glowing fires behind frosty windows. As for the Academy, Isla raises curious brows. "Oh, well," she says, "as an Ancient I can play with fire. I'm not a master of the craft yet, but I think I'm getting there."

But that doesn't really make her an Abandoned in that sense - at least she doesn't think so. "Maybe I can get a pair of magical mittens to come and visit," she suggests instead, flashing Hotaru a fanged grin.

A moment later, blue eyes focus on the other woman's cupid's bow lips to try and read them, Isla eventually chuckling and raising a hand to wiggle it in a so-so gesture. "When I was a field medic there were a few signals we would use," she says. "There's not really much room for chit-chat in a war. Maybe we could try that with the lip-reading?"

I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Hotaru

Ru is too old for what she does to be called a giggle, but it's a near thing, and she winks while holding a finger up to her lips in the shhh gesture, clearly abiding by the playful warning.

"You get those mittens and I'll be first to welcome you in when you visit," she promises, hoping that perhaps Isla can be her first Ancient student. Though now that she knows that magic is within reach for the others, perhaps she should start expanding her advertising to Dygra's children at large.

Intrigued by both the history teased at in passing and the prospect of a new manner of communication to learn, Ru leans forward to brace her elbows on the table, a new curious sheen to her eyes. "A medic? Have you worked much with Evie or Phoebe then?" Two personal friends of hers who have similar minds. Straightening up, she wiggles her fingers outward at Isla, smiling charmingly. "Regardless, I want to learn. Teach me?" They'll have plenty of time over tea, why not start now?

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free

Isla

"I'll work on it as soon as I get the chance," Isla promises the other woman, wondering whether Dygra - or indeed another god, perhaps - would be able to assist in such a thing. She imagines so, but with an understandable wariness of the cold, it would be wise to test anything like that out in regular old Deepfrost before going to Caido's icy heart.

Pulled back into the now by the pretty curiosity on Hotaru's face as well as the flavours of their conversation, Isla gives a gentle nod. "I have met Phoebe a few times," she says, "but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Evie. I know that Phoebe used to be a midwife before she was able to heal through more magical means. I've only ever used my hands," she confesses. "Or, well... I was able to heal Ascended with an upgrade, but..." That doesn't really count any more.

With another sip of tea and a fanged grin, Isla's brows furrow together as she tries to remember. "Gods, alright... Let's see..." Holding up her hands, she manages to demonstrate the signals for go, stop, hurry up, rally together and perhaps most importantly in a war, enemy. "Not that I think we'll need to use that one around the Mer," she adds quickly, chuckling.

I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Hotaru

It should not sound like a humble confession, the admission that she is a doctor of non-magical means, and Hotaru firmly waves her hand as if swatting the notion away. "That's far more admirable in many ways," she immediately insists, "for example some Abandoned cannot be healed by magical means. There's a woeful lack of basic first aid comprehension in this world." It is all the more admirable that she had once been capable of healing the Ascended too, no matter how the ability might not serve her now. "Perhaps you should reach out to one or both of them. I'd love to host an array of healers at the Academy for my students to learn from."

Grinning, Hotaru repeats each hand signal with impressive recall if a few small flourishes of difference. "You never know, we could use it to mean 'watch out for that blowfish behind you'." Her grin only curls further at the corners, positively impish. "Unless you're a fan of impromptu butt piercings. I won't judge - this is a safe space."

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free

Isla

Surprised but welcoming of Hotaru's support, Isla finds herself both bolstered and energised by the other woman. "You know, I had never considered that, about the Abandoned," she says with a nod. "I think I will, once I've put down roots properly. And as soon as I can be sure I won't turn to stone by virtue of visiting Halo, of course I'll come to see you and the Academy. I never got the chance to properly explore much of the area, so it feels sort of like a mystery to me."

More than satisfied with the Valkyrie's hand signals, Isla raises her teacup in a toast to her progress and the idea of future adventures below the waves. "Oh, well," Isla says with a huff of wicked laughter, "I have only been an Ancient for a few seasons, now. You never know - I might be interesed in the new experiences." A stance she will likely not keep should the opportunity ever really present itself.

"Thank you, Hotaru," she adds in a softer voice, lowering her cup. "I didn't realise how much I needed to have this conversation with you."

I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Hotaru

Satisfied that she has secured (another) future visit with Isla aside from their exploration of the kingdom beneath the waves, Ru reclines in her seat and crosses her ankles with a pleased smile, fingers flitting around the smooth handle of her teacup. "Send me a letter as soon as you've secured a coat and I'll clear my calendar for you," she assures, and does not at all consider the comparisons between herself and her daughter when it comes to ensnaring the time and attention of the Remedy in lands not her own.

Somehow managing to chortle elegantly, Hotaru raises her own cup in a toast and definitely doesn't put a piercing shop on her list of places for the two of them to visit in the future. Though her amusement swiftly banks itself into the coals of warmth and dare she say fondness as Isla softens in turn. Smiling, Hotaru sets her teacup aside, fingers splaying flat on the table as she gives the Remedy the weight of her full attention and rather rare sincerity. "Nor did I. But I'm so very glad we could." Men ought not get in the way of wonderful female friendships, right?

"Now, tell me every bit of dirt you have on Sunjata that I can use against him," she loftily commands with a vixen grin, hoping to tease some more laughter from the other blonde before the evening is out.

- Fin <3

come what may
she would be wild, untrammeled, free