The Caravan Inn }Open{

[Abyssal Majesty]

Pausing, she gracefully turned to him with a smile, gently touching his back and gestured to sit at one of the tables. Now she just felt bad.

"Of course~ Why didn't you just say so. Sorry to have dragged you off without a meal-- Phoebe, get him some ice water please."

"Yes ma'am."

As he sat down, she leaned over a bit and smiled.
"What do you want to eat? Sky's the limit."

Prancing into view was Phoebe with two ornate glasses and a pitcher of water with the ice sloshing around noisily on top. Setting the glasses down, she poured the liquid and set down the pitcher. Now she just stood at attention, waiting for the order. She had this empty, air-headed smile look on her face.

[Griff Morivan]

He followed obediently as she led him to the tables, sitting as she directed. H didn't mind taking an order from her, all things considered. He didn't realize that they had their own kitchen on top of the inn, but he was gracious all the same. "Uh... I can't afford much, I'm afraid." He began, scratching his forehead. "Honestly, if you just have a beef stew, I'd be more than glad to eat that..." The glasses clattered, and he looked up with a smile. "Thank you very much, Miss." Quickly, he took one of the glasses and poured it shy of the brim, setting it before Asherah. "You know, I feel like I should apologize..."

[Abyssal Majesty]

"Everything is free here, so don't worry about the cost. And you're in luck. We do have beef stew~"

Looking to Phoebe, who nodded and traipsed to the kitchen, Asherah sat herself down quietly and took the glass he poured for her, taking a generous sip. But as she set the glass down, she cocked her head to the side.

"Apologize for what?'

[Griff Morivan]

He blinked hard before nodding. "Oh. Okay." He watched the girl leave, making sure the two were alone for a moment. "...So... yeah. I feel like I should apologize, because... well, a few reasons." His hand extended, snagging the other glass and slowly pouring his own drink, taking a sip. "I mean... I understand, all this happening so long ago, you'd be looking for... anyone. Someone. But I must be a hell of a disappointment." A brief sigh, and his hand retreated to his cloak. "...I didn't even know I was a Troika. But I'm pretty sure you're right. I mean, it does sort of make sense, age thing aside."

His eyes were fixed on the glass, a meek smile on his face. "I mean... if it were me, I'd hope at least for someone who knew about their race dying out. But nothing. I don't know a damned thing." The smile stayed, and there was a hint of shame behind his voice. "I'm sorry, for that." A short sigh as he sat up, pulling his hands out of his pocket with a short laugh, setting his rod against the table. "Guess I ought to apologize for my manners, too, huh?" He chuckled, wiggling his fingers briefly.

[Abyssal Majesty]

Asherah couldn't help but smile a bit at his apology, though, she did find it to be quite untrue. As Zig placed the staff on the and apologized for yet another thing, she reached out and gently slid her hand under his.

"Zig, there's no reason to say you're sorry. Even if you don't remember, and there's some snafus.. You are what you are. And you are alive." She shrugged gently. "That alone is a miracle in my eyes. And the thought of us meeting each other? Do you know how many people live on Gaia, or how long I've been looking?" Her fingers very gently closed over his hand. "I consider myself very lucky. But like you, I'm still not sure how to completely feel.."

Smoothing her thumb over the top of his fingers, Ash let go with a loving smile.

"I'll try and help you as much as I can. And if you ever feel like it's a lost cause, or uncomfortable. By all means, feel free to leave. But just be sure to tell me, so I can give you some things for the road.. And if you ever were to need anything, anything at all, all you have to do is ask. Just knowing you're alive will give my heart a well deserved rest..."

Looking down a bit, Asherah went for her water shyly as Chole came out with the food. She really did mean what she said.


Chole had a feeling she shouldn't open her big gob. Circling around the back of the pair, the young woman served Zig a large bowl of the stew, along with some buttered sourdough bread, and to Ash, a small bowl of strawberries.

"Thank you Chloe.."

[Griff Morivan]

Three Billion, Eight hundred sixty-four thousand. Give or take.

"No." He whispered, a sincere blush spreading across his face. He looked at her hand, smiling briefly. "No, I don't suspect I'll be leaving any time soon. If there is one thing I can bost, it's that I don't scare off easily." He forced up that confident grin.

As Chloe appeared with his stew, his face lit up. He tried to hide it, but the fact of the matter was, he was starving. Having only had a few strips of beef jerky on the train. "Thank you so much, miss." Accepting the bowl, he watched Asherah receive her strawberries. Setting the spoon into the stew, he looked up to her. "So... what... uh... What were they like? Uh, were we like? Maybe if I can know more, I might remember... something."

[Abyssal Majesty]

"I'm glad to hear it." She giggled as she reached for a strawberry. Licking her lips, she took a nice bite out of it and made a pucker face. She loved them when they were just still tart.

"Well." She said flatly as she took another bite, finishing it. "You're a talented mage for a reason. We were a highly magical race. We chose magic over fighting, so naturally, we were more attune with energies and whathave you. The only reason I know how to fight like I do was because of the Dem'nal, and all those stupid vampire twats trying to kill me or somesuch."

Taking another strawberry, she leaned back in the chair. Letting her elbow rest over the back while her wrist dangled delicately she also crossed her legs.

"We used to travel in caravans to places all over Gaia to sell our magic. It was lucrative for centuries, but, you know how it goes.."

She sunk her teeth into the fruit and smiled.

"Luckily though, I've managed to find most of our books and buy them back. Same with a few bits here and there. But it's far and few in between.."

[Griff Morivan]

He nodded briefly. "Makes sense. I was told I was more adept than most as a child. They figured I was just some half elf or something that someone stuck a crystal in his forehead and clipped his ears... By the way. What's with the crystal? I mean, does this thing do anything, or do we all just sota... have these things?" Finally, he dug in, a good chunk of beef and potato sitting in his spoon. It's hard to politely scarf stew, but he did his best, dabbing his mouth after each bite.

[Abyssal Majesty]

As he spoke of the jewel, she absent mindedly reached up and touched hers.

"They're always been there, to my knowledge. But it's there for a reason. Call it a weakness of the race, but if you were to somehow break it, we transform." Picking up a berry, she didn't quite dig into it just yet, instead she sighed. "Let me tell you it's not pretty, you lose control and go on a rampage to whom ever did it to you, so I've been told. I've managed to break my jewel once, though, I don't remember what happened. I ended up in my house at the time. When you manage to, you turn into what our ancestors basically looked like. Gargoyle-esque as our skin turns to stone and cracks everywhere, a few reptilian features. Horns, a huge tail." She shook her head and nibbled at the fruit.

"I hope you never have to see or feel that."

[Griff Morivan]

Zig listened carefully, stirring his stew for a moment before taking another bite. Finally, as she finished, he leaned back. "I feel like I should know about that. Like I've heard about that somewhere." He rubbed his chin briefly before he shook his head. "...Maybe we oughta change gears. I mean, I'll be able to find all I need in those books, more than likely... If you don't mind, why don't you tell me about yourself some? After all." he rubbed his hands together briefly, a pop emitting from one finger with a wince. "We're probably gonna be spending a while together, studying and researching. There is a lot I'd like to know, and it makes sense to start with the only woman left in the world."

[Abyssal Majesty]

Mentally, she smiled at the thought of being with someone again. While it may not be in that way, presence was always nice. Then she blinked.

"Me?" She giggled a bit and took another strawberry. "I guess you're right. But I don't like to prattle uselessly. Ask me some things, I'm an open book. Got nothin' to hide."

[Griff Morivan]

Twiddling his thumbs briefly, he leaned forward. "Well... For starters, didn't you used to be a fighter? I'm not much of a sports guy, but I coulda swore I saw you on TV a couple years ago."

[Abyssal Majesty]

"If you were watching the Heaven or Hell tournament back then, then yes. You've probably seen me. I've participated twice. My first year was a flop. My team captain when MIA. Second year I was the captain of my own team. Raptus Regaliter, in which we were lovingly dubbed 'Team Wimmenz' by the fans. Reached fourth place."

She smiled.

"That was my last tournament though. No more for me."

[Griff Morivan]

He nodded. "Ah, yeah. Some of the other students were big fans, and Heaven or Hell is the only time the teachers allow for televisions on the grounds. I didn't watch, though. Never been a big fighting fan." He blinked hard. "Uh... Sorry. Didn't mean to insult..." And then, quizzicality flashed across his face. "But wait. If those were your only two... I could have sworn I heard an Eria in last year's competition. Always heard about her whenever someone brought up that loud mouthed cyborg."

[Abyssal Majesty]

"Ahhhh yes." She said, pushing away the bowl thoughtfully. "You heard correctly then. There was another Eria." Ash sighed lightly at the memory. "She's my daughter, her name is Fayble. And if I'm not mistaken, she'll be in this year as well. An employee of mine is a good friend of hers, as well as a team mate."

Looking up into his eyes for a moment, she looked back down.

"She doesn't know I'm around, so I tend to keep my distance." Her smile seemed to worsen. "Up until last year, I thought she was dead..."