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Topaz gladly ducked inside the dorm building, cheeks flushed from being outside for a while. She'd been out looking at some of the local housing options, though she still wasn't positive she needed to move. Half the time she wasn't even in her dorm, and it wasn't like she was hurting for space either. The thought of getting a roommate didn't bother her, though she was still had the room to herself.

Maybe she just wanted some change. She could certainly afford it. She didn't spend much from what she earned at her summer job; she could probably have supported herself on the antique refurbishing and selling of interesting plants and stones that was the other source of her income. It wasn't that she didn't like nice things; she was like any other Baphomet in that regard! She just didn't see the point of holding onto stuff until she was ready to put down roots and try for something a bit more permanent. The thought caused Topaz to smile as she remembered a conversation she'd had with a Dryad. She wondered how Narra was doing.

As she got to the door to her room her phone when off. Topaz dug for it while trying to unlock her door at the same time. She glanced at the little screen, froze, then started to laugh. She had just been thinking about him too! She opened her door, Comet running from their spot on the bed to enthusiastically snuffle around her legs, and flipped open her phone to read the message. It made her blink in surprise. She hadn't realized he was going to be in the area! She quickly fired off a message back.

Yea, winter is still in full-swing. At least we don't get much snow! Compared to Boreas though, we're practically toasty!

So what brought you down here?

[quote"Huni Pi"]

You didn't, but I don't think we did more than barely touch on families last time we chatted.

Topaz didn't think they'd did more than barely touch on a lot of subjects. One of them would mention something that would interest the other, so they jumped from topic to topic pretty frequently. It was more her fault than Narra's though, since Topaz had had hundreds of questions just running through her head and she'd wanted to get as many of them out as possible.

If you're still in town maybe we could get together for a bit? I know a nice place that makes some of the best soups and sandwiches. Or if you aren't hungry I need to restock on some things, so you could keep me company while I shop? Your sister is invited too if she wants to come along.

Topaz hit the send button and put her phone down on her desk, then reached down and focused on giving Comet a thorough petting. The revenant nearly went cross-eyed from pleasure and made happily little noises while leaning against Topaz's legs.

Topaz heard her phone go off and broke off from her tidying up of the room to check the message. A smile of genuine pleasure crossed her face when she saw Narra was free to spend some time with her.

Fair enough, she typed back. I know what a hassle settling in can be! I'm almost done straightening up my room, how about you meet me in front of the university, at the main entrance?

She sent the message and picked up her pace to finish cleaning. Comet, sensing what she had in mind, started to mope and cling. Topaz sighed. They would probably be super upset if she left again after just getting back... She eyed their carry bag and wondered if Narra had a problem with revenants.

Topaz set out Comet's travel bag, then hurried through the rest of her cleaning. The revenant, assured that she wouldn't be leaving them behind, quit clinging as badly as they had been. Boo waved their tendrils, also a bit displeased at being left, but no way could Topaz bring the pumpka with her. They would probably try to create an elaborate prank for her while she was gone, but most of the stuff they did was pretty straightforward and easily anticipated so she wasn't worried.

Finally done, she settled Comet in their carry bag and slung it on her back (it was a backpack like bag, altered to have a bit more structural stability and little mesh panels here and there so that Comet could breath, but still felt safely hidden. She hurried from her dormitory towards the main buildings, trying not to actually run. She didn't see Narra outside, but with the chill in the air cold enough that one's breath was visible, she hadn't expected to. She opened the doors, and instantly spotted the golden brown Dryad. She grinned widely. "Narra," she called out in greeting as she walked over. "Hey! Hope you weren't waiting too long"

Topaz shook her head. "One of my familiars gets really anxious if I'm away for too long," she explained. "They might be okay as long as they hear my voice and smell me nearby, but I'd rather you not risk having Comet start freaking out because they think I'm leaving them or something."

She reached out and gave Narra a one-armed embrace without really thinking about it. "So how've you been? Classes going okay? Cold not getting you too down," she asked. From what Narra told her an excessive amount of cold would probably affect his ability to focus, and thus affect his mental performance. She felt a small pang of sympathy as she led them out the building into the chill air. At least it wasn't as bad as the town around Leviathan, and the wouldn't be out in the weather too long before they reached the store. It would be easy to linger in the store when they got there, Topaz was always looking for good deals on food.

Topaz grinned and shrugged. "I found them up in the mountains. Still not sure what they were doing up there, but they managed to get trapped in a pit. I was able to get them out, and I think they just got super attached because of it. They've gotten a lot better from when I first had them, but they still don't like it when I leave the room without them," she explained. It was all quite true. Comet could actually cling when they wanted to and the carry bag wasn't totally necessary, but since they would be in a crowded, public place this would be better for their nerves.

"That's good to hear. My classes are going alright. They're kind of sporadic right now since they have a lot of guest professors, but it's still really interesting!" She hummed a bit in thought. "Not a lot else going on. I went to a local mixer party last week. It was okay, but no one really stood out. I've been debating going south for a bit, just waiting to see how my school schedule plays out."

Since Topaz had been keeping the pace steady and both of them had long legs, they made good time. She could see the grocery store up ahead, windows plastered with colorful ads and full of bustle. It was a pretty big store and housed a lot of variety, which is probably what made it so popular.

Topaz gave a soft snort of laughter. "That'd be an awfully long way to go just for a mixer. Though I suppose if there are any taking place when I get there I might see if I can wiggle in. It's a fun way to meet people."

There was indeed a lovely wave of warmth as Topaz walked through the grocery store doors. She paused in the opening and waiting until Narra joined her, then guided them towards an isle full of snack-type foods. "What about you? I assume Dryads like mixers same as any species, depending on the individual. Have you ever gone to or thought about going to a mixer?" She picked up a box of granola bars and examined it, then looked at the shelf to see what kind of varieties the brand came in.