Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was a Sunday morning, peaceful and chill. It was not yet March, after all, but it was still a nice morning. Jada stretched in her bed, rolling over to look lazily at her clock. It was already 8:00? Well, for a Monday through Saturday that was sleeping in, but for a Sunday, it was early. No one had slept over at her home last night- Zora and Lucas were due back in town from their father's house this evening, and would be coming over tomorrow for dinner. She had to meet her mother for dinner, the older woman having chosen to stay in her family home for the duration of her stay. One of the maids had reported Szelem had taken over her old bedroom from when she had been growing up-- Jada's old room as well-- and was in the process of having it repainted and the carpets ripped out. The thought of it was agitating, but nor surprising. As for where the baby, or babies, would be sleeping, Zora and Kayley's old room was being remodeled as well. Only temporarily Jada's a-- err, butt-- Szelem was nesting. Remodeling a house like that was not the actions of a woman who was going to leave once her babies were born, not even in a family as wasteful as Jada's. She rolled out of bed, bare feet shuffling across the floor to her bathroom, where she took a quick shower before moving into the bedroom and pulling on the usual "Stable" outfit. The bathing suit she picked out was comfortable, and over it she pulled on a pair of old denims and a tank top, sliding a man's button-up over top of that. Thick socks were slipped on her feet, and she moved out of her bedroom, going down the hall to the stairs. Castor chased after her, the toyger mewling at her until she picked him up; he snuggled up to her, purring and sucking contentedly on her left ear lobe. So, he was hungry? Little user. She stroked his neck, listening to him purr. Her kitchen was dark, and she flipped the light to see that her baby had gotten into the containers of flour, knocking them off the counter and knocking them across the room for the second night in a row. Ugh. "You naughty, naughty boy." she told him, and he purred, rubbing his head against her face. I love you, Mommy. "You're lucky you are so damn adorable."

The woman poured herself a bowl of cereal, looking out the window. There were so many things she could do today after she was done at the stables. She would need to remember to bring Talon an apple. She didn't know when the last time Fallon had gone to see him, and she wasn't allowed to take him out, so he'd probably gone mostly without a good walk since... since before Tartaros. Her phone was right there. She could call her, and she could say, "Fallon, there is a youma at the stables. Lets go kill it." Her friend would jump on the idea, even before breakfast, and Jada'd be starting off her day with work. And a lie. Or she could say, "Fallon, get your butt out of bed and lets just be human for once." Castor tilted his head, watching his girl walk around the kitchen, talking to herself. He mewed again, nosing his empty metal bowl. Hey, he was a man, albeit just a baby man. He thought with his tummy.

Jada poured him some food, watching the Toyger pounce on his bowl. Then she reached out, glancing at the time on the microwave, and dialed Fallon's number by heart, listening to the rings.

Jada wished for a moment that she had a phone with a cord in her home. It would be nice to have something she could mess with. The tone was crisp, businesslike. How long had Fallon already been awake? Was Jada really that much of a Sunday slacker that she was getting beaten to being awake even when she woke up early? Ugh. She wasn't getting up any earlier. She needed one day a week where she could just relax! "Well, first off, I am calling on personal," she said finally. "And I am calling to ask you if you minded being kidnapped through lunch."

There you go. Kidnapped. That was a terrible way to phrase it. "We haven't done anything that isn't business in a while, and I wanted to invite you to join me for a while. I am on my way to the stables, and Talon misses you. They won't let me take him out so he's been terribly cooped up."

Talon misses her. That was the best way to put it, and easier than explaining-- admitting-- that sometimes Jada missed her too. Just missed being able to talk to Fallon about stuff. Normal things.

"Well not kidnapped, per-say." Jada said slowly. "Just rather... dragged out for a bit of girl time." She listened carefully for her friend to respond, hearing a faint click over the line. The silence was thick, and the fact that Jada was holding her breath would be just as clear as Fallon's thoughtfulness. She released it in a quiet whoosh when Fallon finally spoke again. "We can take a taxi. I can have one here in a few minutes, then I'll come and grab you." Jada's voice was happy, the energy audible. "What are we going to have for lunch?" The greediness was also audible.

Jada had always loved it when Fallon cooked for her. She'd loved to watch the other woman move around the kitchen, she'd loved the taste testing, and the recipes that her friend would experiment with. She'd loved the simplicity of it, and then such amazing things popping out of ingredients that by themselves seemed so mundane. Maybe she was waxing eloquent, but that was why the Blood Moon was going to be a success. It was why they would persevere. Fallon could take the simple, and make the exquisite. Not that people were the same as ingredients, but she'd already seen it happening.

"Would an hour be too early to get you?" she asked, pushing Castor away from her toes with her other foot. Why was he nibbling on her socks? "Or would you prefer a little extra time?"

Jada didn't have to wait at all. Fallon was, as expected, precisely punctual. She didn't get out of the taxi to greet the other woman, instead giving her a smile as the taxi started on its way. It would be about a 30 minute drive, and so Jada settled in, waiting for it. She tugged the basket towards her, lifting the lid to take a peek at what was inside.

Mmm, yummy.

"Why not?" was Jada's reply, quiet. "We spend so much time together on business, and Talon's been so lonely. There isn't any harm in taking a few hours to wind down. I don't need to see you having a stress-related heart attack at your age." She couldn't handle losing Fallon any more tan she could handle losing an arm or a leg. Fallon was her partner in combat. Her friend. The brains of her operation. And maybe I just missed you. Spending so much time with Ares, who was so battle-focused, really made her remember before. The little days that she had taken for granted. "Who knows when we'll have another chance?"

"My horse is Lady Luck." Jada raised an eyebrow at her friend. "I can't really judge pedestrian."

She could see the smile lurking there, waiting to come out, and it was good to see it. she opened her mouth, starting to say something, and closed it, not wanting to make the driver start listening to her conversations. If she held her tongue, maybe it would be easier to say. Maybe she'd say it right.

"Just enough chill," the heiress said instead, "That I can't even swim in the lake yet." she sounded mildly petulant. She'd always loved that little break by the water, letting her mare graze while she splashed about in the water, relaxing and letting the sun bake her skin. Just one day a week had never made her tan, but the feeling of warmth could stay the whole week.

Was normal bad? Fallon sounded like she thought it was, and Jada reached out, taking her friends hand in her own, squeezing it. "I like it." she said finally. "A day off never killed anyone, believe it or not. Well, except for the emperor who decided to take a vacation and got stabbed to death by his wife's lover. That's an exception."

Jada laughed, a flush rising in her cheeks. "I have been told that." she admitted. "Not quite sure why I'm the odd nut, but whatever." She brushed it off, just like so much other stuff that had gotten brushed off lately. The pile of brushoffs was building around her, looming over her head.

"And sometimes your staff needs a day off. Life marches on outside of work, Fallon. They have families, and hobbies, and mental health. Just like you. Consider this your mental health day, and relax. Even a workaholic like you needs a few hours to just let her mind sleep. Goodness knows I've been dreaming about work lately. The ride will just let me clear my head. I'm sure you could use it too." The reference to Elysion was veiled, and the driver didn't think anything was wrong. As the taxi switched from pavement to gravel, passing under an arch that bore the stable name, Jada switched her attention out the window.

It was only moments later that the car came to a halt, and Jada shoved open her door, beaming at Fallon. "Ready?"

Their relationship was based on the mutual ability to ignore things about the other person and keep marching on.Jada had long ago learned not to randomly touch things at Fallon's house, mostly through the series of light slaps and disapproving frowns. She's long ago learned when to be quiet and just appreciate the moment, and when the right moment might be to push some things. Now was not the right moment to push anything.

She added Fallon's money to her own, and told the cabbie to have someone back for them around two. That would give the girls four hours in which to saddle and groom the horses, ride, eat a lunch, ride back and re-stable their horses. It would be a nice ride, and Jada was looking forward to spending the time with one of the people she loved most.

"It has been a while." Jada agreed. "But I think he'll remember you. Lady remembered me, and Tal- Taille... your stallion did too." The heiress put her hand on Fallon's arm, pausing in her step to dig in her pocket, pulling out a small baggie filled with slightly crushed sugar cubes. "I'd brought these for Talon, but I think you could give them to him. If you didn't bring your own, of course."

Food was the best way to a man's heart, even if the man was a horse.

Jada watched Fallon walk away, smiling. It would be good bonding time for both pairs. When Fallon disappeared into the stable, Jada trotted into her own stable, whistling her her companion. Lady's head poked over the stall, the Hanoverian nickering to her Girl. "Hey hey, my Lady Luck." Jada pressed her forehead to the soft nose, giggling as the mare bumped her, whuffling around in her hair as though Jada kept sugar there. "Hey now, gently." she teased, and opened the stall, stepping inside.

Fallon's reunion with her beautiful stallion, Jada and Lady had gone through a month before. The mare had been most upset that her Girl had been gone so very, very long, and had been very temperamental and tricky Jada's first couple of visits. She had pulled in air and held it, so that the girth loosened and Jada had slipped-- both times. But Jada and Lady had been together for a long time, and the mare had warmed back up to her quickly.

The brush moved over the horseflesh, and Lady chewed lazily on her hay while Jada looked her over well. She took her time, knowing that Fallon was likely doing the same to Talon. "We're going to have a race today, Lady." Jada murmured. "You know who will be playing with us today?" She watched the velvet ear weave back and forth. "Talon. You remember that handsome boy, don't you?"

Lady farted. It was very unladylike.

Wrinkling her nose, Jada saddled Lady out in the sun, and by the time that Fallon and Taillevent appeared, the two were doing tight figure eights in one of the small fenced areas nearby. It wasn't a real practice area, just a place for ponies and little children to practice jumping. She clicked her tongue, urging Lady toward the low hurdle in the area, and the mare took it in fabulous form. Jada kept her posture, turning around and going for another of the hurdles; Lady took it as well. She was a jumper, born and bred, and Jada loved it. She'd sorely neglected the mare, and her own riding, but she no longer had the time to get much practice in and improve. She noticed the two approaching and took Lady out of the paddock, meeting them.

"No worries." Jada didn't mention the redness to the magenta eyes. "Lady was just telling me what she thought of Talon." The mare was nickering at the stallion, butting his head and going for his ear like they had never been apart. Talon, buddy! "I think we should go by the hills." she said finally. "The lake will probably be a little busy, even though it is still too cold to swim. People will be soaking in the sun. I'm not afraid to ride in the shade, and there are some gorgeous views up there for when we stop for lunch."