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[Caramelized Onion via Discord]

Being in Matori was an experience. Quiana's mind was still reeling from all of the sights and things that she had learned within the last couple of weeks in the area. She had managed to track down more information about the treasure hunter who was apparently well known within the port city for helping transport rare finds, especially from shipwrecks, to collectors and towards Sulburi...the main city of Oba, Quiana had recently learned that as well while sitting in the back corner of a tavern and listening to things. So she would have to go towards Oba then to try to track down her half-sister. The thought was still strange, made even stranger when she had noticed a pair of older Matori shopping with younglings that sported mixed traits from Matori, Kahi and Elaria bloodlines, and Quiana had to wonder exactly what type of family she would be finding during this journey. An adventure to find her mother had resulted in so much more and she still didn't know exactly how to address any of it. She still didn't know if it was better that she hadn't approach the older Matori and younglings that day, simply watching them disappear back into the crowds, the Elidae stunned into silence by the very possibility that her half-sister had such a mixed family. If she had stayed back with the other Elidae would she have been the one leading younglings around? Quiana made a face at the very thought. She didn't like having to do so much work, dealing with younglings probably wasn't in her best interest just yet. Nor did she imagine being romantic with a Sister, not when she had always lived on the outskirts and tricked her way out of social events and training. She had a few friends within the Sisters, but no one that she had truly sparked with. Not like she had tried to expand her options considering how much she avoided training with others while growing up.

She preferred dancing and singing, not dwelling on more serious commitments,...just like she had danced with the strange hybrid the first day she had arrived in Matori. Now that was something that made Quiana smile despite her worries.

"Ironic that the daughters of Extremists would have more fun with earthlings and the Kahi. My grandmother's spirit must be so amused by us." Mused Quiana, raising her hand to ask for another glass of wine. She had already finished a bottle while mulling over her thoughts, the Elidae opting to continue drinking until she felt fuzzy enough to actually sleep through the night instead of tossing and turning with her thoughts. Was an earthling lover truly the reason her mother had never returned? Did she not care that much? Now her half-sister had settled with a Kahi potentially? What did that mean for her? Quiana's cheeks darkened as she thought about her own fluttering feelings and how they had unfortunately not been with any Sisters thus far. Was their family just cursed? Did she even care at this point? "Thank you." She smiled at the Matori server before taking another swig of wine, enjoying the music as performers started up along the stage that was built within the rustic tavern.

[Everything Bagel Seasoned via Discord]
[2]

Oh. Quiana's pale green gaze followed the sight on stage, the Elidae distracted as the Matori sisters started fighting mid-performance. It appeared that she was not the only one with family issues. At least she did suppose that they were related considering how similar they appeared to each other. Or was she simply bad at telling earthlings apart from each other? Though even the Matori were starting to look different, their speckles and hair colors differing along with even the hues of their amber gazes being darker and lighter between those that she had interacted with thus far. There was one earthling that she definitely recognized with his hybrid appearance and enticing bi-colored eyes, the very sight making Quiana's lips curve upwards into a smile. How had she not realized it was him hidden back there on the stage until now? Then again she had been more focused on her drinks at the time, not looking up until the sisters began their spat in front of all the tavern patrons.

"Siel!" She called out with a wave, her other hand tightening around her glass. Would he mind if she called out to him? She was already receiving strange looks for being an Elidae in a sea of earthlings, but hopefully Siel didn't mind. He certainly hadn't seemed to mind the attention when they danced around the other day together at the docks. If anything he could opt to walk the other way and she would respect it. Though it was tempting to call out towards him again, the Elidae realized with a flush as she hoped it was only the alcohol bolstering such an idea.

[Greek Inspired via Discord / 3]

"Pub crawler?" Quiana blinked, her confusion already increasing because of the motion that Siel had made when she called out to him. Should she have not called out to him after all? "Does one crawl around pubs, is that truly a thing? Why do something like that unless it's some sort of game? Trying to sneak in so that others don't impede your progress?" She crinkled her nose in distaste. Why get so dirty just for some ale? She had tried a glass of the amber brew earlier and it had not been the most pleasant of drinks either. No, the wine was far more to her liking especially this one with its golden colors and fruity aroma that tickled her throat on its way down to warm her stomach. Though at the moment her face felt awfully warmer, in all honesty.

"Ah, it's pretty good." Quiana gently pushed the half empty glass towards Siel. "You can try a sip and if you enjoy it I could order a round...an apology if you were trying to be more discreet. I wasn't truly thinking, was I?" She frowned and shook her head, the curving waves engraved into the walls seemingly moving with the motion. Strange earthling places with their decor. Quiana straightened her shoulders, albeit a little bit clumsier than usual, and tried to stare at Siel instead. Not that it was hard to stare at him....he did attract attention easily it seemed, but she did find her focus a bit diminished by the drinks. "I was just happy to see a familiar face, especially yours." She added with a small nod, taking a sip before remembering she had offered it to Siel and pushing it that way once more.

[Lemon Twist via Discord / 4]

Quiana's confusion increased, her head tilting slightly as she tried to follow along with Siel's explanation. Crawling and hopping? Earthlings truly had weird ways of describing things! Still, her lips twitched upwards in amusement as she somewhat got the idea after a few moments. "In that case...I'm guessing you don't hop from tavern to tavern though you can end up crawling...surely you don't end up hopping so it's just a manner of bouncing around." She had heard that phrase before, bouncing from location to location so maybe hopping was just a more playful description for it though if someone had so many drinks she dared to hope that they wouldn't actually try hopping! Talk about crawling for certain in such a case then. She had plenty to drink at one location with the walls already spinning, it was terrifying to think of any earthling willing and capable of drinking from multiple locations for such a phrase to even exist. Could they even survive such an experience?

"I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, the rest was a bit too..." She pursed her lips, forehead furrowing as she tried to grasp the best type of word to explain how the house special ale had tasted to her. "Not bitter but something else that reminded me of the ground." Quiana attempted, making a face at the fresh memory. "Not for me." She could only hope that other ales tasted better if Siel enjoyed them. Or maybe it was simply a matter of different tastes, she just preferred things that were lighter and sweet like the fruits growing back home on the island. The little ones that grew with so many points but once you cut into them they were a vivid green and so very sweet with juice that dribbled down your chin if you weren't careful, now she wished that those could have been made into a drink similar to this one. Though the taste did remind her of those fruits, just with a little bit of a bite because of the alcohol...maybe that was why she enjoyed it so much?

Her thoughts slowly halted, a delay causing her to take a sip before looking back in Siel's direction with her antenna seemingly curling more at the concern. "I'm...alright." She managed after a moment, her expression thoughtful as she pondered the question and fought against the frustrations that threatened to spill out with the alcohol's influence urging her forward. "I was tired and needed to rest, but to stay here longer I had to order something. The drinks were tasty, but I've never dealt with earthling alcohol before...it's new." Quiana paused a moment, chewing her lip thoughtfully before worrying. "Do I seem unwell? Have I overstayed, is it obvious?" Such things normally wouldn't bother her but now that the thought had slipped in the Elidae was concerned and almost tried to stand, albeit a bit shakily before sitting right back down. "Should...should I leave? Were you planning on staying here?" Would Siel be upset if she did leave or happy? Her expression fell at the very thought.

[Roasted Pine Nut via Discord / 5]

Her lips pursed in a quiet protest. How could she impose on Siel? Quiana shook her head, the movement instantly making her instantly have some regrets as the engraved waves along the walls once again moved up and down even when she had stopped moving herself. A light hiccup escaped her lips and she quickly rose a hand to cover them, her bafflement obvious even as her warm cheeks flushed even darker for the moment. Thankfully though the tidbit of bread and smoked fish that she had previously eaten decided to stay put as the room stopped moving. The concept of hopping and crawling forgotten, Quiana considered a place to rest now that Siel had offered. She didn't want to take over his room, but if he could ask for a room....then that would work...if there was one that was. "Could you? They had told me that there wasn't any room." She murmured before closing her fingers around the glass stem again, her expression flickering to disappointment as she released it was nearly gone again. The fuzzy feeling was much more preferable to all the other things that had been knotting up her stomach since earlier today so it truly was tempting to ask for another glass.

"I didn't even realize you were staying here." She managed after a moment before offering him a smile. "But thank you...there's a lot of earthling traditions I have to learn, especially since....well." Quiana stopped herself with a flush. Did it matter if she told Siel? It wasn't like she was back home with other Aishans who would potentially judge her for whatever mess her family had become. Was it truly a mess though? Hybrids existed, she had nothing against the other races....so why did she care? "Yeah." Quiana repeated outloud before flushing more as she blinked towards Siel. "Is something bothering you as well?" She asked with concern, her expression softening as she raised a hand almost as if to pat his shoulder before promptly setting it back on the table instead.

[Roasted Red Pepper via Discord / 6]

Quiana's gaze narrowed, something seemed off about that statement especially since she at least remembered being told about no availability. "Just..." She opened her mouth then closed it as she tried to piece together things. "Don't give up something for me." She managed finally before leaning against the table, her body positioned in a way that she didn't quite worry about considering how things such as modesty were never a problem amongst Sisters, but it was comfortable enough to rest her arms on the table since leaning backwards only threatened to have the Elidae topple from her seat. The question though from Siel had her laughing, the Elidae shaking her head before resting her chin on her now crossed arms to relax against the table. "Do I look like I have an earthling...lover?" She managed after a moment, a soft sigh escaping her despite her laughter. "Is it that obvious that my family prefers chaos instead of simply sticking with our own?"

Her gaze flickered over Siel thoughtfully. "Though I guess other Aishans have outside relations else you wouldn't be here, right? If the mother trees allow it then why do so many hate their existence?" She didn't mean it in a rude way, there was just simply no filter with Quiana tonight not after a few glasses of wine. "Extremist grandmothers be damned....we'll have all the hybrids." A soft chuckle, she had nothing against them but she was simply processing everything she had learned just recently. Though that was quickly cast aside as she heard the word sick and a frown crossed her lips as she raised her head slightly in an attempt to look over Siel more closely. "Sick? He could have children...but they're sick. Is it something that can be helped? Are they simply weaker than most?" Was that what he meant? Frail bodies did sometimes happen, though Quiana never had an experience with someone in her own community who was born sickly. Could training or medicine not help the children to grow stronger? She knew so little about earthling anatomy that it truly was confusing, all she knew was that it worried Siel and that in turn made her worry. Was there truly nothing she could offer or no one that could help them? Children were precious no matter what and she could only weep for the family. The very thought made her gaze sting.

[Classic via Discord / 7]

"Hmm." Quiana chuckled at the acknowledgement. "Thank the mothers for chaos then." She agreed with a grin, her expression brightening despite the worries that had been lingering in her mind. Some alcohol and Siel's company definitely were helping with that, the Elidae was already feeling far more relaxed and less tense than she had been before sitting down at this table. Before she had been ready to snap at anyone who got too close, but now? She was definitely more inclined to just enjoy an evening with her companion. Sharing stories, right? Earthling traditions...they weren't quite so bad even if she didn't completely understand them just yet.

"Of course not! I really like you, after all." Quiana replied quickly with a frown, studying Siel. "It's just confusing, is all. I was raised in a sea of Aishans then I find out that....well things aren't quite so simple, are they? We're supposed to be so big and awesome but yet we keep eyeing others and even having families with them. It's silly, right? So much bias for no reason when some get along just fine." The words came out jumbled, but it was honestly confusing for her. As Siel moved slightly closer she found herself instinctively moving that way, almost as if her body was simply seeking more warmth to match the fuzzy feeling rising in her chest thanks to the alcohol. "It's just confusing when my world changed within a day of finding out that I may have more....relations than I ever knew."

"I see." Quiana's expression was somber as she reached out to finally touch Siel's arm, her fingers tracing down the skin towards his hand to give it a comforting squeeze. Perhaps she would avoided contact beforehand but even with her slightly off centered movements, the Elidae wanted to touch him for some reassurance even if she didn't connect with his hand first and started with his arm instead. "Maybe they can grow stronger, I can only pray that a miracle will happen or some healer will help them to overcome the weakness. I never had much family before but my own grandmother grows weak, I can only imagine the pain one feels if they lose family far too soon. At least she lived a healthy and long life thus far."

[Supremely Spicy via Discord / 8]

Quiana frowned thoughtfully, the idea of surprises going over her head. It wasn't as if the other Aishans explained the details of earthling relations and how their younglings came into this world to her while growing up, after all. Blooms didn't simply fall from their mother trees and surprise families either. They went to the Sisters who had been praying for families and were prepared. "We aren't all knowing." She managed, though the idea made her giggle with the influence of the drink loosening her lips and composure more than usual, and Quiana couldn't help the sigh that came after the initial amusement. "Else I would have found my mother years ago and actually known her instead of losing her as a youngling. Can you imagine? Dead to others, but I think I have a half-sister in Matori so I guess my mother found an earthling instead of coming home." And that daughter had children with a Kahi! At least that was what Quiana had pieced together after sighting the younglings with their Matori relatives. How was she supposed to introduce herself to them even? Oh hi there, I'm your relative...maybe...possibly? Markings and similar appearances don't lie, right?

"Not a bad thing, hmm." She focused back on Siel and smiled again, another soft laugh leaving her lips as she finished another drink. "So if I get involved with an earthling...that's just more to life?" Quiana studied Siel thoughtfully, her gaze bright despite the emotional mess she was trying to sort through. Did earthlings only have serious relations or did they approach things more casually? She knew most Sisters connected for life while others preferred to not tie themselves down, at least not right away. And how could she even dare think of settling down? She'd already left behind one interest to pursue this mystery while finding out her own mother had tossed away her Aishan family for an earthling. Was it possible to trust anyone? Was it truly better to just have fun and enjoy the moment?

Despite her tipsiness there was sincerity in her gaze even as her fingers slowly intertwined with Siel's without thinking. "Kind heart? I suppose." She was once the lazy one, the one who avoided training and often got chastised for it but Quiana didn't feel like that made her cruel. Lately she had been helping others more than ever expected, so perhaps kind heart was a compliment that she could accept. The thought of her grandmother made Quiana rest her head against the table, her fingers still holding onto Siel as if he was the one keeping her afloat in the sea of emotions and exhaustion that the alcohol was making her feel more than usual. "Mmm. Grandmother is back on the island, my mother needs dragged home to visit her before it's too late." She sighed into the table, her words slightly muffled by the cool oak that was unfortunately slightly sticky where her cheek connected with it. Not that Quiana cared in the moment, everything was getting too fuzzy for such concerns. Was the table even sticky or was she just getting really attached to it? The thought made her frown before she shifted before giving up and just keeping her head down. "I'm apparently an aunt...I think. Kahi, Aishan and earthlings....all in one like some sort of special deal." Wasn't that what some merchant had said? Special deals like a bogo or whatever that was? Well, whatever it was that seemed to be fitting for her very mixed family that originated from two Extremists against everything non-Aishan. Quiana gave a muffled laugh at the thought. And the best part was that she wasn't that upset! How could she be when she found herself entranced by the other races and their cultures as well? Dancing with Siel had been so much fun the other day! If her head wasn't spinning then she would do it again without any hesitation. That was for sure!