[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Azana Brown]

"Very much so, thanks," Azana raised her glass to him before taking a swig. "Your grill skill will no longer be contested."

"..." Kristen listened to them quietly, reaching into her purse to find a folded piece of paper. "Erm...speaking of that...is it okay...can I borrow the kitchen one day...?"

"Sure!" Sosol beamed. "As long as I can play sous chef to whatever you're hoping to create. Take it or leave it."

Kristen giggled, covering her mouth. "Okay, Brother...."

Tyler took heed to Remy's recommendations, pulling a clean outfit into the restroom behind him to shower and change. He wasn't entirely sure about this, but just in case.

Sol, if you can hear me...give me a heads-up before Zulma vanishes again, alright...? Just in case...he shook his head. She wouldn't just leave like that, right? Not without a greeting, at least.  

[Gren_Eckener]

He took to his mushrooms with a satisfied smile. "Glad that my grilling's still up to snuff, then...I do hate to disappoint."

Remy grinned, taking the moment alone to text Max the good news.  

[Azana Brown]

Max texted back, letting out a giddy squee at the prospect. He'd been a little sad since the whole Stacy thing went sour!

"I think you've disappointed me...hm, maybe once?" Azana tapped the fork against her lip in thought. "Pretty damn good track record...even Stella can't beat that."

The shower was surprisingly quick, and Tyler began to towel dry and pull on the outfit. It was a little hard to see, his glasses being fogged over with the steam, but he didn't need to see much to get dressed. Just as long as he didn't put his shirt on backwards or anything.

"I would agree with Azana...your grilling skill is fantastic. I could learn a thing or two...between your skill and my fire control..." Kristen giggled, already enjoying the implications. She had already helped a glassblower...why not a cook?  

[Zulma san]

Zulma was listening silently, feeling happy and refreshed to be back with her friends.
She didn't dare ask where Tyler was but she was eager to see him more than anyone else at the Inn.


Jeff grinned proudly.
"My backpack is downstairs. If you give me a minute..."  

[Azana Brown]

"Okay!" Violet smiled sweetly, taking a seat and waiting patiently. "I can't wait to see them...please hurry!" In the meantime, she cradled the pearl pendant in her hand and gazed on it for inspiration.

Tyler finally emerged in a small waft of steam, clean and dressed and entirely fogged. He cleaned off the glasses quickly with his shirt, putting them on...and, naturally, finding his shirt on backwards. "Dammit," he grumbled, tugging it off and reversing it quickly. He shouldn't have even thought it. At least he caught before running off downstairs.

Speaking of which, he made haste out the door and down the hall, taking a moment to collect himself at the top of the stairs. As delighted as he was to have her back, he wasn't the sort to go stumbling down the stairs to her. There were a few surprises down there, he found. Kristen was visiting, and a new person, and there was a lovely smell in the air of grilled things.  

[Gren_Eckener]

Gren figured that the chainsaw incident was what he'd disappointed her with, and chuckled softly to himself, absolutely not regretting his actions. It'd set rather a clear and necessary precedent, in his opinion, of where lines were drawn.

"Good to know it's that few." he smiled."As for you, Kris, sure, why not? Cooking's the love child of art and science; it's something everyone ought to know and love."  

[Azana Brown]

She scrambled to her feet, pulling on another pair of socks to layer before her boots. Being short and skinny as she was, she got cold pretty easily...and the only time she wanted to be cold was with Remy.

"I, um, never really got a chance to try much..." Kristen admitted. "Delphi always delivered meals to us...and after leaving, the GMO cafeteria has treated me well. However..."

She pulled out a folded piece of paper, gazing at it intently. "I remembered a chef that was here a long time ago...all that he did, the people who enjoyed his work. He made me a treat with some really interesting side-effects. I know I will likely fail to recreate it perfectly...but I want to try. It took a lot of begging, but he finally sent me a recipe."

Azana quirked an eyebrow as she chewed over a bite. Of course...Kristen never needed a crash course, nor did she have someone to teach her. Az herself had learned the hard way, after long missions and moving out on her own. Stella didn't cook often, and it was always with magical intention (or intervention, in some cases). She had the basics, but it wasn't until Sosol moved in with her that she started really learning.

"Well, I can help teach a bit, too," Sosol offered. "I had some experience before Delphi, and I had a lot of time with Az to hone my skills."  

[Zulma san]

As he bolted downstairs then back upstairs, Jeff bumped into Tyler in the stairway.
"Sorry Tyler." he said as he disappeared in the hallway with his backpack in hand.
He'd left Violet's bedroom door open and just stepped in closing it behind him.
"Alright, let me find my camera." He had a proud grin. "It's new. I think Zulma was feeling bad for taking me away so long so she bought it for me. I'm still learning but this is fun." he explained, pulling out of his bag a nice digital camera. For the young knight, this was definitely an avant-garde toy.


As she heard Jeff, Zulma turned her head and watched Tyler walk down the stairs. Her heart skipped a beat and she put down her silverware to get up. She felt awkward. It had been so long, much had probably happened in his life.
She didn't know how to greet him, yet she just did what felt right and after a couple of step towards him, she stopped and buried herself in his arms, giving him a very tight hug.
"Hey you." she simply whispered.  

[Azana Brown]

"Oh, wow..." Violet gawked at the camera, craning her head to look it over. She had remembered one of her older brothers getting one a while back...but she never got the chance at one. Then again, photography wasn't her strong suit. Maybe it was Jeff's...? She snickered, seeing his finger prominently in one of the photos. Learning, indeed!

"Hmm...I like this one," she pointed toward the screen at a sunset on the coast. "So many colors..."

Tyler paused only momentarily, all pretense lost in Zulma's embrace. He visibly and noticeably relaxed into a hug of his own, weary expression waning just a little. "Welcome back," he answered her, suddenly feeling a little lighter. Even with everything that had happened lately...this almost made it seem worth it.

"...god, I've missed you," he added at the end before pulling away a little. "I didn't mean to interrupt dinner."  

[Zulma san]

"I know right?! It's a nice one!" exclaimed Jeff.
He grinned and took a not at which one she linked.
"Zulma said that we could transfer the photos to a computer or have them printed. I'll have to ask Tyler or James, I don't know much about technology." he apologized. He was trying to change his ways and learn about new things, but he still had a long way to go.

"Yes the sunsets were nice. I like how they reflected in the water...but they were lonely though." he admitted, casting a look at Violet who was going through the photos.



"And I, you." she responded softly. His arms, his scent, his warmth, she didn't want to pull away. If they had been away, she would have probably kissed him. The thought brought a small blush on her cheeks.

She had missed him during their trip to the ocean but now that she was close to him, she realized even more how deeply she needed him. It was quite frightening.

"You are not interrupting! You are joining!" she replied to keep her composure. Yet she was unable to truly pull away and go back to the table quite yet.
"How are you doing?" she asked slowly, looking more closely at his face and into his eyes.  

[Azana Brown]

"Uh-huh!" Violet nodded emphatically. "There's a lab at my school for that kind of thing. You could even touch them up, if you wanted." She listened to him describe the sunsets, biting her lip sheepishly at the mention of loneliness. Jeff had missed her...she wasn't used to that...it felt nice.

"Maybe...we can go sometime?" She offered. "I haven't been to a beach in a long time."

"I am?" He asked quizzically, the hesitation only lasting a moment. Gren's cooking smelled phenomenal, the company couldn't be beat...how could he honestly refuse? Then came the question, though. He hadn't spent too much time in the mirror, but it was to a point where he could simply tell. He probably didn't look as good as the shower made him feel just a few minutes prior.

"...it's been a little rough lately," he confessed, doing his best to brush it off. "Not exactly dinner conversation, though. You've gotten a little tanner than usual...been somewhere sunny?" He gently ushered toward the table, hoping to avoid potentially prying questions, at least for now.  

[Gren_Eckener]

Remy grinned, leaving Tyler's room to meet Max at hers.

Gren hummed, peeking at the paper. "Oh yeah, Howard...that sounds like a good plan. Even better, if you're doing it when Nate's not here, as I'm not sure a fire truck could get up here." he smiled chuckling warmly.  

[Azana Brown]

Max had pulled on something cheery and colorful and was now doing a little bit of makeup. She was in an excellent mood...she'd make up for everything. She'd apologize in style!

"That would not be a problem," Kristen grinned, a tinge of pride behind her smile. "I could extinguish them before they caused too much trouble. The food, though, would be impossible to reclaim. I suppose Nate will have to wait until they are done."

"I'm not sure he'd be the greatest taste-tester, anyway," Azana chuckled. "I've seen his eating habits."

Sosol glanced momentarily to Zulma and Tyler, doing his best not to pry. Some things, however, were simply obvious. "There's plenty of room," he invited the two, not entirely surprised if they turned him down.  

[Gren_Eckener]

"Knock knock, sugarplum." grinned Remy. "It's been a heck of a day."

"...Do birds taste?" he asked hesitantly.  

[Zulma san]

Jeff had a wide smile and he nodded vigorously.
"I would love that! I spent some time there so now I am confident enough to be your guide... " he paused then added with a certain pride "I was even praised for my swimming skills by the locals."


Zulma smiled very caringly and nodded slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that" He looked tired so she didn't press the matter.
"yes, we were by the ocean. A lovely location if it weren't for the poaching of the local dolphins. A rare breed but that is what makes them so valuable..." she sighed as she sat back, pulling a chair for Tyler to sit by her. As he did, she squeezed his hand and leanest to him whispering "don't think for a minute that you will avoid my interrogation..."