A Long Way From Home

[Guest]

The swooshing of the salty waves was a hypnotic power as the small passenger boat came drifting through the surf. The La Garta Tonta drifted from side to side as the crystal blue ocean rocked the ship with the steady rhythm of the endless sea. despite the season and time of day the air was astonishingly warm and pleasant. The wind itself was moist with the spray of the ocean and few people aboard the little ship could stop themselves from smiling.

Standing at the starboard railing looking rather green was a man out of place. He had lighter skin and platinum blonde hair with grayish blue eyes. His coloring aside he was built like a soldier and carried himself like one as well. His posture suffer slightly from the continuous rocking of the ship and the weakness he had overtaking him from sea-sickness. "I could have just stayed in North City and gotten drunk for leave..." Sky muttered to himself as he tugged at the collar of his tight black shirt. For once in nearly a month he wasn't wearing his military uniform it made him feel a little naked. That was just the uniform, this was also the first time in too long that he wasn't carrying a firearm. He had a large combat knife attached to his thick leather belt but that didn't make him feel at ease. Especially since he was walking into a land that didn't take well to his kind. At least he wasn't an alchemist, that would have been an issue.

Skylar was more than thankful for the feel of solid ground under his foot as he and the other passengers disembarked. The docks creaked softly under the hard leather of his combat boots. Each step brought him closer to the city that he had never visited. Seconds passed into minutes and the minutes passed like a breeze over the ocean as Skylar wandered about the streets of this new place. He hadn't seen anything like it before. He had never imagined that some places in the world were so behind the times. Despite how odd the place was it had it's own special sense of charm about it. However, Sky was more interested in how charming their local brews were. Sky pushed his way into a small corner bar that had a alluring name, El Casa Verde, and observed the company that would be his drinking fellows. The place wasn't very full and most of the people gave him odd looks as he strode up to the bar. The music from a small radio crackled and popped as some folk music whistled out of it's speaker, "Dos cervasas, perfavore." Sky held up two fingers as he sat and looked up and down the bar. Who knows, maybe he would really enjoy this exotic vacation.

[Guest]

Mmm.... What a lovely day it was in Esparia.... "OI! STELLA! YOU WATCH YOURSELF IN THAT BIG CITY!!" ... So much for peace and quiet eh? A tall albino woman sighed heavily and rolled her eyes as she turned back to look at her grandmother whom was standing outside their flower shop in Havanna. "It didn't eat me the first time Nana, it won't eat me again!" She called back before running to catch the bus that was pulling up to its stop. They were never going to learn, were they? She had already traveled to Drachma and was fine there, and this was hardly her first trip to Malos! It was just the first one in a while. After that last excursion where she met that lovely gentleman, she wasn't even sure what to expect she would find this time around.

The bus wasn't very packed thankfully, and she chose a seat towards the center, avoiding the looks of the other passengers that were joining her inadvertently on this journey. Yes, yes, she knew she was odd amongst their people. Her height wasn't the issue, it was her pale skin, white hair, and crimson eyes. But she was half esparian! Honest! She could sense a prolonged pair of eyes resting upon her and she had to look, turning her head slowly to glance out of her peripheral vision at a child that was about two seats away. It was a young boy who was clinging rather adorably to the top of the chair in front of him, peering over its edge at this strange pretty lady in front of him. Well wasn't that rather precious. Stella had to chuckle to herself, offering him a warm smile and a small wave in greeting. The boy seemed to startle a little once he realized how he had been staring so, but slowly he waved back to her with a shy smile. Oh children, they could be so adorable. That was probably the only highlight of the bus ride to the capital of their country.

As soon as she stepped off, she breathed deep of the salty air filled with spices, laughter, and warmth. Ahhh.... Esparia... Her white skirt was buffeted about as the bus went onward to deposit more people elsewhere, leaving her to her own devices. What would she do today? Scout more places for a new potential branch for their store? Or should she try to find Vito or Tristao? No, they were probably busy with work. No sense in bothering them hm? So for now, she would explore! A soft smile on her lips, she readjusted the white halter top that she wore, complimenting her long flowing skirt over her sandals. Two carved wooden bracelets were on her wrists, a blue shawl around her shoulders, and her flower circle tattoo visible on the underside of her forearm. Ah yes, hopefully nobody today would be able to tell what it actually was since that could prove.... problematic. Vito had been nice enough to ignore it, but would other people be the same way? She could never be sure.

A sudden burst of laughter from a nearby bar drew her attention, having to resist whipping about to face the source of the sound. She merely turned her head to look up at the sign swinging above the door, El Casa Verde.... Sure, why not? Giggling softly to herself, she strode inside with easy, graceful strides, her white hair flowing over her shoulders. The crackling radio with its local music was charming in that rustic sort of way, her crimson eyes glancing about the room to see who might be about or what sort of crowd was there today. She didn't get to look for very long as someone from a nearby table suddenly jumped up with his buddies in some drunken cheer, knocking right into her. With a cry of small surprise, she fell into a man sitting at the bar, rebounding off of him and smacking her back into the wood of the counter. Her legs gave out and she sank to the floor, wincing at the pain that was blossoming over her body. Owowowowowow...... The drunken fools didn't even realize what they had done. Ah! The man! Looking up to him, she took note of his platinum blonde hair and eyes, biting her lip against the throbbing in her back as she slowly pushed herself up off of the ground. "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" Eep, what if he didn't speak Esparian? Not that she was one to talk, but he didn't look like one of her people. Perhaps he was a foreigner?

[Guest]

Well two drinks turned into three or four and just as quickly Skylar was tapping his booted foot to the strange music with a smile on his face. He wasn't even close to being lost to his alcohol but he wasn't making an attempt to resist it's charms. The brew tasted much better with a little squeeze of lime, good news for Sky, the bartender happened to understand his heavily accented Esparan. He hadn't gotten enough practice with it since school. Then again he was pretty sure his speech was getting better with each new beer, but that could be the booze talking....It didn't matter. Sky was resigned to drink his brew alone and listen to the conversations around him. There was a large-ish group of men at a table behind him discussing a sport. He wasn't exactly farmilier with the teams they were talking about but each of them seemed more than a little enthused about which one they favored. "Things don't change too much between borders." Sky smirked to himself as he popped the top off of his fifth beer.

Almost as an exclaimation point to the snap of his new beer the table behind him rose in volume and in stature. Sky was tempted to jump up with them and cheer. The thought made him smile....Then his face turned to a focused and harsh soldier's mask as someone smashed into his back. In a split second he leaped up from his stool and had turned to face the table, hands raised, ready to smash someone in the face if he needed to. Skylar's hands relaxed as he slowly noticed that his instincts had betrayed him. The men were now standing and talking, not even looking at him. That's when he heard a voice from his back-right. Startled, Sky turned to face a woman of the like he had not expected to find here.

Gloved hands dropped to his sides and a nervous smile forced it's way across his face as he looked into the red eyes of the woman who had fell into him."I'm not hurt at all." he said in the best Esparian he could muster. Skylar's gray eyes flicked down and up the girl quickly, noticing not only her strange skin tone and also that she didn't appear to be armed. "I mean, are you okay?" he asked. After all she had been the one to fall down. He had just leaped from his thumb hair ready to fight, like an idiot. Sky pulled his right hand up and tucked his under his black belt near the hilt of his knife, old habits die hard he couldn't help but think.

[Guest]

As she stared up to him, she would have been startled to see his first reaction be to throw a punch, but given her current predicament she wasn't. It did, however, cause her to examine this stranger a bit closer than just that quick look you give when you bump into someone. Aside from the bright blonde hair and rather enchanting eyes, he had the look of a soldier or a fighter about him. The amount of muscles, where they were placed, how he stood and carried himself... Perhaps he was a militant of another country? She just... wasn't sure where. Tanya managed a weak sort of smile as he looked down at her with a nervous smile of his own, smoothing out her skirt out of force of habit. "I'm not hurt at all." That accent.... Well, she knew for sure it wasn't Drachman or Cretan (enough of them randomly visited upon occasion for her to know how they sounded when they spoke their language). So he was probably... Amestrian?

"I'm glad." Stella spoke softly, a warm smile spreading across her pale features as relief flooded through her. Though... she did realize the irony of her concern being stronger about his well-being than her own. She probably would have barely dented him if she tried any kind of attack, not that she would. "Ich bedeute," Eep! Words she didn't- " are you okay?" -know.... That was definitely Amestrian, her suspicions now confirmed. Now she had to wonder what in the world he was doing here. It was her turn to nervously chuckle, running a hand through her hair as her gaze lowered more towards the ground. "I'm alright, I'll just probably have a bruise is all." She answered, pausing as she noticed the movement of his right hand, following it to his belt where she noticed the hilt of a knife.

A weapon... The idea of conflict always made her so uncomfortable, tearing her gaze away to return it to his grey-blue stare. "You are Amestrian yes? What brings you to Esparia if I may ask? We don't have many visitors from your country." Stella had to hope that she didn't somehow sound stand-offish or some such, she was merely curious about him now that she realized that fact about him. That, and her salespearson side was deciding to show itself from when she worked in her families shop.

[Guest]

The whole excitement had somehow completely sobered Skylar up. Damn, what a waste of five beers. It was at the same moment as that crossed his mind that he remembered something. He only drank four of them. Skylar's hand pulled away from his knife and he grabbed the brown glass bottle from the bar to his right. Then yet another thought struck him. A thought that always mined it's way into his mind at least once in a while, I really have a problem don't I? Sky shook the thought away like an old cobweb as the woman who had bumped into him spoke again. I'm alright, I'll just probably have a bruise is all. Sky smiled again, "Bruises are not something be laughed at." He gestured to her with his bottle."Especially with skin like yours." She did have strangely pale skin. Not to mention she spoke Esparian without accent. Maybe he'd get a chance to ask her about that if his poor Esparian didn't scare her off first.

Sky took a sip of his local brew before he answered her next question. She had picked up on him being a foreigner pretty quickly. Then again, it wasn't like he could blend here well. Most of the people here had darker skin and wore loose and comfortable civy clothes, like the girl in front of him. He was light skinned and clad in para-military gear. Not to mention he saw the look this woman gave his knife. It was a look he'd seen before in protesters and non-combatants, it was a sort of battle revulsion, he had felt that same way once or twice. "Yes, I am from Amestris." He smiled, hoping that wouldn't off-put this interesting looking woman. "I'm here on vacation..." he paused, it was like he was back in Esparian 1 in high school all over again, "I've never been here before." he said looking around at the building, "It's very relaxing. Also, the beer is good." he held the brew he possessed up and looked into it's dark fluid, "Uhhh, would you care to join me?" Sky gestured over to the stool that was next to the one had been sitting at. "Also, you don't look like you are from here either. Your Esparian is perfect though."

[Guest]

A knife.... What if their country went to war with someone? Should... Should she try to help them in some way? If she didn't act, it wasn't out of love for her country she just.... There had to be something she could do right? Oh, but why was she thinking of this now? It was pointless! They weren't at war with anyone right now. It was a time of peace! She noticed as his hand moved away from his weapon to the bottle on the counter, debating if she too should get something to drink or not. She never really partook in any of the consumption of alcohol, though... that was just because she never really had anyone to drink with. Family was well and good, but not the same, you know? Maybe she should see if Tristao or Vito would want to sometime. But she was digressing from the present.

The newcomer was smiling at her now, making her wonder what was on his mind. He did have a rather nice smile. "Bruises are not something be laughed at." Eh? Her eyes widened ever so slightly as her brows furrowed, not realizing that her cheeks had begun to grow ever so slightly pink. "Especially with skin like yours." Now her cheeks flushed with color out of embarrassment and.. well... surprise at his knowledge/concern. "I... I'll be fine. Thank you though." Ohhh was she flustered! Gathering her hair behind her ear, the shorter strands that normally framed her face were as stubborn as ever, hanging in front of her eyes with her head bowed as it was. She never expected such concern from strangers! Especially not when she bumped into them like they had. Straightening up, Stella smiled sweetly to him, wincing a little at the pain in her back. At least the throbbing had gone down.

"Yes, I am from Amestris." Ah-ha! She had been right! Considering how she didn't really get out much, that was a major win for her. She hadn't really encountered any foreigners back in Havana. They just.. didn't visit there she supposed. "I'm here on vacation..." He seemed to grow a little uncomfortable, "I've never been here before." Folding her hands in front of her, Stella resisted the urge to interject there since it seemed as if he was about to speak again. "It's very relaxing. Also, the beer is good." She nodded knowingly, giggling softly as she also glanced about the modest little bar. "Uhhh, would you care to join me?" Blinking at the invitation, Stella smiled and nodded again, turning to bring the stool a bit closer before she sat upon it. She did smooth out her skirts before slowly sitting down. It was surprising how much one little bump into the bar could hurt ones back... She made a note to tell her family not to make her bend for the next few days until the bruise healed. "Also, you don't look like you are from here either. Your Esparian is perfect though."

Although it was a little rude for her to, Stella found herself laughing a little at the statement, her bright smile off-setting the potentially negative vibes that he might think she was giving off. "Why thank you. I'm actually Esparian, though I know I don't look it. I grew up in Havana. I do apologize for laughing, I know I shouldn't have." Somehow that put the atmosphere between them even more at ease, the bartender drawing her attention as he stood between the two of them. "Piña Colada daiquiri please." He nodded and moved away, now returning her full attention to him. "I hope your time here continues to be enjoyable, Esparia is a fantastic place for a vacation. Some would say moreso for others, but I believe it's good for everyone." She knew full well how some people were wary of outsiders, and even certain outsiders at that. Crotchety ol' farts is what she called them. But it was then she had a realization. Startling, she straightened up rather suddenly, wincing at the pain it caused her spine before extending her hand to him. "Where are my manners, I'm Stella Becerra. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. ...?"

[Guest]

The unending flux between awkward verbal missteps and then returning to normalicy was as palpable as it often was during first meetings. It was like doing a little dance with the other person. each one of you had wooden feet though and more often than not were dancing two different pieces. There was a lot of foot stepping and chest bumping until you got the hang of new person's style of tango. His father had told him that once, a long time ago, when he was transferring schools for the sixth or seventh time. So far it had held true in his life.

Sky tried his best to not make any note of how red her face had gotten. he hadn't meant for a reaction like that but he didn't suppose it was bad. For now he would just try his best to maintain his manners, as hard as that might be in a foreign country. Never the less he now had drinking partner. As often as it seemed to happen to him, Sky hated drinking alone. As the two of them took thier seats in fornt of the bar and his pale skinned companion ordered her own drink he noticed her wince of pain when she sat down. She must have hurt her back more than just a bruise. Or she might just not be used to scrapes and bruises. that wouldn't be that surprising she didn't look like the ruff and tumble sort.

Her laughter did't set him on edge at all. Instead it actually started his own, for really no reason. Skylar placed his elbow down on the bar as he listened to her. She was indeed Esparian, well so she said. Sky waved his hand as if to dismiss the idea that he could have been offended, "Oh please, a little laughter is a lot better than a slap in the face." Sky chuckled at the thought, "Now here I am worrying about offending you by not knowing you were Esparan." there was that little dance again. the tip-toe and dodge to try their best not to upset the other person. It was rather comical now that he thought about it. Next was the comment about the vacation, well so far it had been nice. he hadn't been here very long and he had met a pretty woman and had a good drink. So far so good. "It's a lot warmer here than where I come from." Sky nodded at the thought. Up in Briggs the whole damned building was frozen. He was pulled away from his thought by his companion sitting up sharply and wincing again. Next came the introduction. Skylar laughed a bit. He hadn't thought of introducing himself either, seems they both skipped the name stage ad went straight to the get to know people stage. Sky pulled the glove off his right hand and held it out to shake the girl's hand. He made sure not to grip her hand too tightly or really shake very much. the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her back with the movement, back injuries were annoying at the least.

"I am Skylar Greden, just call my Sky though." Sky released her hand and sat it down on top of his removed glove."It's a pleasure to meet you, Stella." he gave her a friendly smiled as he pulled his black leather glove back over his hand and grabbed his beer bottle again. "You know." he said somewhat unprovoked," My dad used to say that meeting new people was like a dance." he nodded, he didn't know WHY he was sharing this but now it was too late to turn back, "Only, that neither of you are doing the same dance. It's all about trying not to step on the other person's feet." he turned his gray gaze to her, "I think it fits. At least most of the time, yes?" He hoped that he hadn't butchered the Esparan language in that statement but yet again too late to go back now.

[Guest]

She had to admit, she really did enjoy getting to meet new people even on simple random encounters like that. It was like the occasional exotic flower you might encounter in a garden, it adds spice to the life about them! Now she had to wonder, if he was a plant, what kind of plant would he be? It was something that she thought about with everyone that she knew and was sort of traditional at this point. The only risk is that she might call them by the flowers Xerxian name or something instead of their actual name. That had made for some funny, and rather relaxing conversations. Such silliness seemed to put people at ease, and she was no exception.

So when she heard a laugh of his own join hers, she was quite relieved. She had to keep reminding herself that he was a military man, he'd probably heard real insults that were worse than anything she could ever come up with. A little laughter would have been a flea had he taken offense. Still, it was good to know that humor had begotten humor. "Oh please, a little laughter is a lot better than a slap in the face." She chuckled as well with a nod, sipping at her daiquiri as it came sliding over on the bar. Mmmm.... That was another thing that was fantastic about her home country. In Drachma there had been such a limited variety, and even then it hadn't been tasty or... what was a good word.... fun. Yes, fun. Vodka compared to a daiquiri? No comparison for her. "Now here I am worrying about offending you by not knowing you were Esparan." Here she shook her head with a light laugh, a hand coming up as if to stop him right there. "Oh no, don't worry about it! Believe me, I've gotten used to it. My mother was rather surprised when I popped out and I looked like this!" Her mother had told her that story before, and it still made her giggle even now. Well it would be a rather big surprise! You think that your baby will have your skin tone, hair color, some kind of 'normal' eye color, and then pop! Out the baby comes, and none of that holds true! At least she hadn't end up thrown away or something.

"It's a lot warmer here than where I come from." Stella leaned an elbow on the counter as well, propping her head against the side of her hand as her eyes rested upon him, a look of content on her features. "Really? Where in Amestris do you come from?" From what she knew of it, there were five different sections to the country of alchemists. She would have thought Southern Amestris would have been warm-ish like Esparia, but... maybe he wasn't from there. She really knew nothing about his home country. But she could hardly worry at all about it considering the atmosphere that had begun to grow between them, his laughter like the water that helped a plant grow. She noted the fact that he took his glove off to shake hands with her, finding his grip surprisingly gentle. Her own was delicate, yet a bit firm, letting go as he introduced himself. "I am Skylar Greden, just call my Sky though. It's a pleasure to meet you, Stella." Her smile grew, Sky.... Duranta erecta.... Sky Flower. It was a native plant to her home and bore fruit... But did that really match him? She would just have to find out.

"You know." Stella picked up her drink as well and slipped the straw between her lips, sipping slowly as she listened to him. "My dad used to say that meeting new people was like a dance." A dance... [i]"Only, that neither of you are doing the same dance. It's all about trying not to step on the other person's feet." The straw withdrew from her mouth and she giggled, crimson meeting gray as his gaze returned to her. "I think it fits. At least most of the time, yes?" "Absolutely. For once you've spoken with the person enough, your dances will harmonize, and beauty will flourish. You're father is a wise man." Her glass made a soft 'clinking' sound as she placed it back down upon the counter, her eyes following it before resting there a moment. She still hadn't found them at all, and her sister's letter was late. She hoped that she was well. Drachma wasn't exactly bright right now.

But she was digressing. Brushing her bangs from her eyes, Stella turned her attention back to Sky, crossing her legs as her hands found a home in her lap. Now she couldn't help but imagine various of Esparian dances in her mind, wishing she could go dance but given the dull pain in her back, she probably shouldn't. "I must say, and I don't mean anything by this, but your Esparian is quite good. The last time I encountered an Amestrian, they were very clumsily trying to buy flowers from our shop. I'm pretty sure he mixed up some words." Shaking her head at the memory, she giggled at it, recalling her grandmothers reaction and response. Ohhh that poor man... She still hoped he hadn't minded their humor.

[Guest]

His father was a wise man... That wasn't something he heard every day. He didn't even know if he could agree with her. His father had been around during his childhood but he had never really had many father to son talks or experiences. Either his father was off fighting these people or those people and when he was home he rarely had time for one on one time. Then Sky was in basic training and his father was retiring. That was when the roles reversed. Now Skylar was gone all the time and his father would call him to try and get him to come home. What would he come home to? His mother was overwrought, his father was a worse alcoholic than he was, and all of his brothers were dead. Sky's home was on the stiff bunks of Briggs. His brothers and sisters were the men and women that would bleed with him on the field of battle. Wise was't something that he had ever heard his father called, until now. then again, maybe he seemed wise to the people who didn't know him.

Sky's mood noticeably darkened as he took a long and deep drink off of his beer, the tangy flavor doing little to mask his sudden down turn of emotion. Skylar sat his beer down with a light thud of glass of wood. "I was born in Northern Amestris." he said rather flatly. Even now he could see their first home in his mind. Each stone of it was all brick and stone colored stucko. The roof was high-peaked and the door was a bright red. He remembered thinking that they had the coolest house on the block, the only one with a red door, "In the North the air is cold almost all year round." he turned his gaze from the draining bottle he held and looked to Stella, he held a smile on his face but thoughts of his old, and only real, home. "In the winter it snows two or three feet sometimes." Sky pulled his beer up to his lips and finished the brew." You need to wear layers in the winter or else you spend the whole season shivering, or worse." he shook his head, the bad memories beginning to fade out. he didn't need them now anyway. this was vacation for the gods sake. " I'm stationed at fort Briggs now, it's still in the North, and the whole fort is actually frozen." Sky gestured widely, not really painting a good picture but talking with his hands anyway. "It gets beyond cold in the winter. A lot of the green kids tend to request transfer once they hit their first winter." Sky chuckled at the thought of the bundled up newbies that stood in line at the General's office each winter.

He had completely forgot about her other question though, his Esparian. That was a more interesting story to him though. He and his brothers had made some interesting pacts and promises during his life, from there pact to all marry Gene Sanders from the other class, or to all be snipers in their dad's unit, even their vow to never interfere in each other's love life. In the end the only pact they had kept was their pact to each learn a different language and then teach it to there brothers. The really crazy part was that Sky had taken to the languages better than his brothers had and even picked up the slack. "Well, I started learning it when I was, Ohhh, fourteen or so." he motioned to the bartender and picked up his empty bottle. The bartender understood and returned with a new bottle for him, "that and I try my best to learn about the countries that disagree with Amestirs." he pulled a smile on his face, here was another dance move that he hoped would offend. "The whole, know your potential enemies and all that. Not that I have anything against Espara." He took a drink of his new beer and continued, hoping he hadn't just destroyed their chance at a pleasant conversation. "My brothers and I all made a pact to learn different languages and teach them to each other. I learned Esparian." he sat his beer down and took a deep breath before he continued, "I also speak, Cretan and a little Drachman." Sky nodded, waiting for either a response that would end their conversation or maybe she would overlook his social handicap of being a professional murderer.

[Guest]

A tension had grown in the air, and Tanya was hardly oblivious to it. She picked it up rather quickly and she couldn't help but feel some concern. Had something... happened? Had she said something wrong? She could see how tense he now seemed, how he took a long sip of his beer, all of it. Her eyes lowered down to her glass as she took a sip of that sweet liquid, only looking up when he spoke once more. "I was born in Northern Amestris." Northern? Her eyes widened a bit as they turned to him, her white hair bouncing slightly at the motion. That was the coldest region of that country! And he was now here? No wonder the warm felt foreign to him! He was in a completely opposite climate now! "In the North the air is cold almost all year round." It made her shudder to think of being trapped in that sort of climate despite how she knew thats the sort of place she had been conceived in. It was the sort of weather that her sister was used to. As she looked over his expression, she couldn't help but relax since... You could see he really loved where he lived.

"In the winter it snows two or three feet sometimes." She smiled softly and shook her head, staring distantly at the glasses stacked behind the counter on a shelf. "You need to wear layers in the winter or else you spend the whole season shivering, or worse." "That sounds so strange to me. I've only ever seen snow when I went to Drachma to see my little sister." God that had been so cold. She never wanted to live in a place that cold ever. She would need a compromise at the very least! "But you clearly love it there. I'm sure its beautiful. Heh, if I didn't do so poorly in the cold, maybe I would travel to see it." She was a sun girl through and through though, that she knew for a fact. Though she did want to go see Amestris with all its alchemists, a land so very different from her own. How would she even fare in such a country? " I'm stationed at fort Briggs now, it's still in the North, and the whole fort is actually frozen."

Hold on... A frozen fort? She blinked, staring at him blankly since that... How did that even happen? "It gets beyond cold in the winter. A lot of the green kids tend to request transfer once they hit their first winter." She was still stuck on the fact that it was frozen for heaven's sake! How... how did one LIVE in that kind of thing? "I can't blame them... No offense." She whispered, blinking once more and shaking her head slightly, a nervous smile flittering across her features as she took another small sip of her daiquiri. She certainly would be among those to not last if she were ever to join a military located in a place like that! Though that was an absurdity in itself. Her, in the military. That was a laugh. Although... There were whispers of a group that was being formed separate from any military that did have a mission she liked the idea of. She just wasn't sure about it yet since... well.. she obviously wasn't a fighter by nature.

But they were digressing. Switching which legs were crossed, Stella tilted her head as she looked at her new friend almost expectantly, curious to hear his answer. "Well, I started learning it when I was, Ohhh, fourteen or so." Wow! That seemed rather odd in itself since... well... She knew how Esparian schools functioned, though she wasn't really sure if it was the same on the mainland or not. Her eyes did glance briefly at the motion brought about via the bartender and his fresh bottle, wondering for a split second just how many it took to get him drunk. She was a real lightweight, she could already feel the tingling in the back of her head, the slowing of her motor systems. "That and I try my best to learn about the countries that disagree with Amestirs." Well that was always excellent. Stella smiled softly to know that knowledge was valued in other country. "The whole, know your potential enemies and all that. Not that I have anything against Esparia." Ah. But then there was that. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she nodded slowly, fair enough. She shouldn't really be that surprised. "Thats a relief." She murmured with a small chuckle, falling quiet as he continued.

"My brothers and I all made a pact to learn different languages and teach them to each other. I learned Esparian." Oh? Now only one eyebrow raised as her crimson eyes considered him, sipping her drink once more. [i]"I also speak, Cretan and a little Drachman." Ah! She perked up at that, "I too, know Drachman." She couldn't help it, she chuckled now, leaning an elbow against the counter as the alcohol began to go to her head. "Thats a fantastic pact. I almost wish I had done that with someone now, though I'm not sure how good of a teacher I'd be." Giggling with a light shrug, a hand brushed her hair out of her face before coming to rest by her elbow on the counter. "I learned Drachman since thats the other half of my heritage. My mom made sure I knew it." Talk about opposites hm? One was the "language of love" as some said, and the other was... hmmm.. She wasn't sure if there was a phrase like that associated with Drachman at all. It just was what it was she supposed.

[Shula Brighton]

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[Guest]

Skylar took a long drink of his beer as he watched Stella speak. She was remarkably pretty. Sky smiled at the thought and leaned his own elbow on the rough wood bar as she spoke on her dual heritage. "That's interesting." he nodded, "I can't hold a conversation in Drachman though. At most I could order some people around or as someone the way to Moscow." he chuckled at the thought. He hadn't really tried to learn Drachman specifically. He had sort of picked it up though from how often he heard transmissions or other soldiers speaking it. It had a damn good sound for commands though. Sky punctuated his thought by taking another gulp of his brew. As the cold liquid settled in his stomach he could being to feel the slightest tingle of the alcohol taking effect. He chuckled "This stuff is a little stronger than the usual drink I get back home." He sat the brew down with a clink and a smile.

Removing his had from the body of his bottle he pointed at Stella, "You know you are a testament to diversity." He nodded to emphasize his point, "Your parents were from two totally different parts of the world and you picked up both languages. That's commendable." Sky shifted his weight so that he was sitting up more straightly on the stool and observed Stella with his chilled eyes."Though, seems like you hit the jack-pot for genetic rarity. I've never in my life met someone who looks like you." The admiration was clear on Sky's face as he sat there. It was almost sudden, he realized something he had a nasty habit of doing, he was blathering on about nothing really. He had been dominating the conversation unintentionally. His eyes widened for a second before he spoke again, "I've been talking way too much haven't I?" he chuckled quietly, "I have a nasty habit of talk too damn much when I drink." Sky placed his elbow down on the bar again and sighed. He figured he should let her take over the conversation, not like he had too much to talk about anyway unless she liked hearing war stories. "So, enough about the very cold place where I live. How about you tell me about this land of sun?" He retrieved his brew with a lazy grab and downed another sip.

[Guest]

It was good to see he hadn't seemed that phased by her sudden slip in language, and even better, that he had understood her. Another excellent thing, was how he didn't question or judge her because of her dual heritage. Sometimes people in Esparia could be.... less than delicate. Some who were more superstitious than others believed her to be the daughter of some kind of devil or witch or something. It was crazy the stuff that people could come up with. So it was always a relief to find someone to prove that the world was never as crazy as one thought. "That's interesting. I can't hold a conversation in Drachman though. At most I could order some people around or as someone the way to Moscow." " She too, chuckled at that, shrugging lightly with another sip of her tasty tasty drink. Oh she should probably slow down or eat something.... Pfffffft whatever! She so rarely drank as it were, so why not live a little in the company of a handsome foreigner?

er... She did just think that, didn't she? Tanya couldn't help but smile to herself as she looked over at him, his glass finding its way back to the counter. "This stuff is a little stronger than the usual drink I get back home." Was that so? "Really? And I always thought it would be stronger in its country of origin." Their tequilla must kick Amestris' butt then. Or maybe not if they imported the stuff which was more than likely. The whole thought about the differences in alcohol was a welcome distraction from her previous line of thought since that would just lead to her becoming rather red in the face with little or no reason to back it up. And she hated the thought of having to explain that to him, even in her slightly inebriated state. Oh that was such a fun topic to dodge.... Anywho!

"You know you are a testament to diversity."

Stella blinked as he suddenly was pointing at her, raising an eyebrow at his opening statement. She had to resist a little giggle when he nodded, unable to really explain why that somehow seemed amusing. She remained respectfully quiet as he continued, "Your parents were from two totally different parts of the world and you picked up both languages. That's commendable." ...E-eh? Well so much for trying to dodge blushing, for that was exactly what she was doing right now at the compliment he gave her. Her gaze could hardly move away from him now which was rather surprising since she normally glanced away at compliments out of either modesty or embarrassment or some such. No, she found herself drawn to continue looking at him, remaining quiet still. What in the world could she say? "Though, seems like you hit the jack-pot for genetic rarity. I've never in my life met someone who looks like you." The expression he wore only made her blushing grow steadily worse, pursing her lips as a smile had found its way up to her mouth to replace the motion. She was touched, truly. Few had ever spoken to her this way with such sincerity and... well... yes. "Thank you." The words were soft as she finally found her voice again, a nervous (and maybe a little embarrassed) giggle spiling from her as she quickly sipped her daiquiri as if its cool temperature would somehow lessen her blushing any.

Was it because she was tipsy? That had to be it right? Oh she really had to calm down... So she was a bit surprised when he suddenly seemed embarrassed himself. "I've been talking way too much haven't I?" Instantly she started to shake her head, but he was already speaking again. "I have a nasty habit of talk too damn much when I drink." It was now Stella's turn to chuckle and shake her head, "No, you are fine Sky. It is just another point in the dance hm? You led it for a while is all, I don't mind." The strength of her voice had returned completely now, the earlier embarrassment gone so nothing was holding it back anymore. "So, enough about the very cold place where I live. How about you tell me about this land of sun?"

Esparia? Where in the world did she begin? Now she turned slightly on her stool to face him more, taking a moment to take another sip of her drink before placing it back down on the counter. "Hmmm, Esparia..." She murmured softly, her violet eyes raising back up to meet his gaze. "Well, we rarely have cold weather if at all, and even then only certain area's actually hold any possibility of getting snow." Or certain islands for that matter. A soft sigh escaped her as she looked about the bar, tilting her head slightly at the characters that were about. "We are a mixed bag of many things. There are the Amazon tribes that live in the jungle, some of which guard our leader here in the city. Each city and region has its own personality much as I suspect Amestris does as well." Pausing in her observation of the room, she glanced back to him with a small smile and another little giggle before continuing. "There are many fiesta's, and you can sometimes see certain folk wandering around with giant cats that they can ride. We are a people that is both divided, yet very close. Family is a keystone. And having a good time as if you couldn't tell."

Chuckling, she turned her eyes to the rowdy table of men whom had bumped into her earlier, causing her to have this lovey conversation with her new friend. Stella turned on her stool once more, that word echoing in her mind. Friend? Yes, she believed they could maybe call each other friends now. So she smiled to him, her white locks falling in front of her shoulders as she leaned on the bar again.

[Csilla Angelis]

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