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(( Kyou - Dining tables | Xiu // Jeremy - Ian, Ethiriel, LuLu and Gina ))

Kyou was so relieved that Xiu did not look at him weird for eating so many pieces of cake at once. Even if the cakes were petit four sized. If it was Lazarus or Jeremy they would have at the very least frowned upon him. Taking a sideway glance, he could see that Jeremy is busy attending to several guests at the tea tasting table. His relieved quickly escalated to interest and excitement as Xiu asked about the cakes.

"Oh! Personally, I think the layered chocolate cake was splendid!" He said, pointing at a vague brown square stain on the plate, indicating where the cake once was. However, chocolate had always been his personal preference. He knew that Lazarus hates chocolate, but what about Xiu? "What kind of taste do you like? Do you prefer something sweet, like chocolate or vanilla, or something a little bit more refreshing, such as a fruit tart? I think they have a really nice, milder tasting blueberry pudding at the table."

As he said that, he began to get up. Slipping his hands into the crutches, with a firm grip, a push and a kick, Kyou got up from his chair. "Why don't we head over to the food table so you can see them for yourselves?" He suggested.

"Oh hello everyone!" Jeremy greeted the new group that had just arrived at the tea tasting table. "It's nice to see you again so lively and lovely today Miss Ethiriel." His voice was clear and loud so that Ethiriel could hear him clearly.

"So what tea do you feel like sampling today?" He asked the group tentatively, gesturing at the various sampling of tea he has available.

A lady suddenly butted into the group though, and without asking permission or greeting him, even though he is clearly standing behind the table, she poured herself a cup of the silver needle tea. At least she has expensive taste. Perhaps he shouldn't have put the pot so near the label. Being as discreet as possible, he pulled the pot of silver needle back towards him a few inches.

((Iorek - Teapot Planting Table - Cruz))

Reks was thrilled when it was just the two of them. The rest of the people at the table at rotated in other directions and now it was just them in their own little bubble.

The gargoyle floated close to Cruz and watched him as he fiddled with making his pot. He didn't really know a ton about plants but the ones his boyfriend picked looked lovely. "I like it! Looks like something that would be in one of those housekeeping magazines." How did he know? That kind of magazine was his favorite to skim when he and the kids were waiting in line at the grocery store check out. There was just so much that people could do with her homes!

"Hmm...I think I'll make something for Lillian. She and Tyson couldn't make it today so I think this would be a good treat to bring home."
Iorek smiled and looked over all the different pots. The rose pot was probably the one Lillian would like the most. It was pretty and elegant just like her. But now he had to choose what kind of plants to place in it.

"Umm...huh...." The raevan grumbled as he chewed on his lower lip. Why was this so hard? They were just plants...but oh...all the options! "Cruz, what do you think would look best? Something like yours or flowers? I-I'm not very good at anything to do with plants..."

Surely he would know what would look good. Or could at least point him in some kind of direction.

(( Cruz – Teapot Planting Table | Iorek ))




It did turn out nice in the end, even with Cruz's hands trembling while he worked. All of the imagery together, plus recalling what Aina said about Mordekai being confused by air plants, helped put him a little more at ease -- until Iorek spoke again. Cruz startled, then attempted to hide it with a laugh. "Thank you..."

He nodded a little hesitantly as the gargoyle explained his intent. That was a nice gesture. Lillian, from what he remembered, seemed like the type of person that would enjoy a gift like that -- at least compared to her brother. Maybe Cruz would give this planter as a gift, too. Minerva never attended a Lab function before, that he was aware of, maybe she would like to have a souvenir as well.

"Oh, uh..." Cruz mumbled. He wasn't an expert himself, far from it, but he supposed he had learned a lot more than he used to know just from associating with Duncan's family. The croc scanned the selection of plants, so helpfully labeled. "Maybe... Croc-us...?" he pronounced incorrectly, then immediately realized his blunder. He shouldn't suggest a croc plant just like he was relieved there was no mistletoe after Iorek's earlier comment. "N-no, um-- Pansy." That's what you are. "O-or... or-- Orchid." A slender clawed finger pointed to both of the flowers to help the gargoyle along. He didn't know what those flowers meant, not like he knew the tulip -- and oh god the tulip was red. No, Iorek could not build a planter with a red tulip, not when it symbolized everything Cruz was hoping to talk Iorek down from today.

His heart hammered with that thought. They still needed to talk. "Um--" Cruz blurted. He grimaced -- but if he didn't bring it up now, the chance might never come again. "W-when you're done... can we... go? Somewhere?" Maybe they shouldn't leave the party just yet, after all Iorek invited him here specifically to try and have a good time and Cruz very much wanted to do so! Still, they needed to be a bit more secluded for this discussion and the planting table would not do. Perhaps a far corner. Maybe they could even slip inside the building to the cafeteria. Anything but getting surrounded by so many people again. They couldn't afford to be interrupted.

((Cesc=planter table | Duncan, Claire, Aina))

Cesc's smile brightened as Aina's mood did the same, and as she moved toward the table again, the stag felt a strange, half-giddy sense of accomplishment. He liked children, liked seeing them and serving them at the bakery, liked hearing their babbling stories and watching them play while their parents turned their attentions to other things. Their innocence and untempered emotion, unfettered imagination and round acceptance of everything amazed and amused the stag, and gave his friendly heart a tenderness toward them. Even moreso, Cesc liked Aina, her Freihood making her familial in the way the Lab was a strange mismatched family-- and there was something roundly pleasing about turning tears to cheer.

Rhedefre saw, with some half-embarrassed good humor behind his eyes, Claire's atonishment at his trick-- it was still something he had not shown many, and it was still crude, but it felt nice to elicit some reaction. With a courteous smile, as Aina went ahead, Rhedefre righted himself and snatched something from the air. He rolled whatever he had taken in his palm for a moment, rubbing it between his forefinger and thumb, and then presented it discreetly to Claire.

"Where are my manners?" He laughed, soft. "This is for you."

It was small golden bee, glittering, with translucent wings.

He followed Aina dutifully to the table, looking at her selections as she spoke. As she tried to point at the orchids, the stag reached out for a healthy specimen and brought it forward. "Yes, this one? Ahhh -- This would be beautiful for you, Aina. Is this what you want?"

He turned toward Claire. "Hm-- I should probably put it in one of these teapots though, shouldn't I? But which one is most like Aina?"

Just then, arms full of boxes and face full of worry, came Duncan. The floating droplets were not lost on him; like any doting guardian, he quickly knew where there had been trouble. Cesc did not want to recall Aina to it, and answered fairly quickly: "Duncan, hello! Aina is helping Caire and I select flowers and a teapot!"

((LuLu - Tea Tasting l Eth, Jeremy, Gina // Josh - Teapot planting > Off to the side l No one in particular ))

LuLu gave a bow of her waist and head as she greeted the older man managing the tea tasting booth and the female newcomer. "It is a pleasure. I am LuLu" The sigel then began to scan the large selection of teas. Her manicured nails tapped gently at her chin as she pondered just which one to choose for her friend. Lu recognized a few names like chai, oolong, and rooibos. However, there were so many others she had never seen before! She looked up at Jeremy, "What do you suggest Mister? I want Eth to try the best tea." She could not help the big smile plastered on her face.

Josh, like most everyone else, gave the freis some space after seeing that they were becoming overwhelmed. He apologised, "Sorry little one." The young man tucked the planter he made in his arms and waved to everyone before stepping aside to make the area around the table quieter for the soft spoken girl.

(( Claire & Ivy -> planter table with Duncan, Aina, and Cesc ))

Claire's attention was on Aina as the pomegranate Raevan admired the delicate flower, her expression lightening into one of wonder and delight. For that, she was glad, and some of the anxiety resting in her own heart at the child's distress dissipated. For only just meeting the Frei, she was very attached to her, and was even more eager to find out who her guardian was. The meeting had sparked more questions than it had meant to, and Claire secretly wondered if Raevans grew in the same gradual way as human children did. Either way, she hoped that whenever her own Raevan came along, there would be more opportunities to see Aina. She had been so preoccupied with her train of thought that she was startled out of it by Cesc's voice and the presentation of a truly amazing little gift - a delicate golden bee.

"T-Thank you," Claire stammered out, eyes wide with the same wonder that Aina had experienced moments before, and she smiled fondly at the tiny trinket, fingers tracing the delicate wings. But the tiny Frei brought her attention back to the plant table, and Claire was relieved to see her looking purposeful and eager to help. The orchid was brought forward by Cesc's capable hands and he turned the conversation back towards her. She smiled and placed a finger to her cheek in thought. "A good question. The red is very charming, but.." She set the bee down very carefully and reached for her intended teapot - the white and gray-blue striped one. "This one has your colors, Aina. Maybe with the strawberries in addition to the orchid? For your red blooms." She made to get her mother's attention for her input when a familiar voice caught her attention, and she turned around to catch sight of Duncan. "Mr. Clarke!" The handkerchief had come out and Claire suddenly realized that she had already met Aina's guardian. "Good to see you again!"

Ivy turned around at the mention of the familiar name, and her daughter was about to reply to Duncan's worried question when Cesc beat her to the punch, and by his hurried response she had an inkling of what he might have been trying to do by it. She nodded emphatically and approached a step closer. "Yes, Aina's been a very big help with that, she knows a lot about these plants." Her fond smile was redirected down at the small Frei and then over to Cesc.

"Oh shucks, Duncan, you can go ahead and call me Ivy! But I thank you all the same." Ivy laughed and waved a hand, setting her finished planter on the table and coming forward, at the ready to help while he tended to Aina. "Here, let me help you with some a' these - on the planter table or behind?"

(( Kris & Amity - Etrance --> Food Tables | Justin and Henry ))

It soon became clear to Kris that the crowd wasn't going to be getting any less overwhelming, and she took a deep breath. Better to just dive in a get this over with.

"You okay with me taking the lead?"

Amity nodded slowly. Eager at first or not, this was a lot to take in for someone who had only met one raevan before now. She was okay being led along for a moment - though her enthusiasm would probably return soon enough once the shock wore off.

Kris looked around the party for someone she remembered from the either the beach party or crawfish boil - and to her surprise, she found someone. The name eluded her for the moment, but even so she remembered the interesting few minuted he'd had trying to deal with an ornery nymph. It was as good of a place to start as any.

Weaving through the crowd and past the group that was stationed near the entrance, the two of them made it over to the food tables, Kris raising an arm in greeting and Amity imitating the gesture a moment later.

"Hello! I hope we're not interrupting." The moment she said it Kris got a sneaking suspicious that she probably was, but it was too late to back out now. Amity, in the mean time, had begun to give laser eyes to a plate of fresh fruit on the table. She stretched - just out of reach with still keeping her arm linked.

Not for long though.

((Henry > food tables | Justin, Amity, Kris))

The nurse crossed his arms and nodded, smile plastered unwavering on his face. He was ready to listen, always happy to hear of eager guardians and their preparation (though he hadn’t been around for many to-be). He had intended not to interrupt, listening carefully until, speaking of, new guardian and her ward came aboard the conversation.

”Oh!” Henry chimed, leaning back for a second. As soon as his eyes landed on Amity, he reached back with a passing glance to see Ethiriel gone. Shock took over and he looked around urgently before he remembered the company she was in and immediately relaxed – she would meet the lovely bat later. ”Not at all! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” he immediately corrected himself as to not be rude. He also waited to hear their names proper rather than going from Justin’s guess-work.