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The air is crisp. It feels natural and welcoming despite the bite it takes off of her nose. The skin is pink where the wind had chilled her on the flight back to Oldale. Remiel had requested her company instead of parting ways and she had agreed. [break][break]

Her fingers brush against the soft tablecloth that expands over the table. Every once in awhile the corners snap in the wind, or an empty wine glass teeters before she presses it firmly against the table with her fingers.[break][break]

But it's calm.[break][break]

Oldale was no longer under siege from the Dracovish's strange power over the weather. What they were now experiencing was the tumultuous waves relaxing and falling back under. It's the calm after the storm.[break][break]

The ambient noise relaxes Stormy as she takes a deep breath and reclines in her chair. This is comfortable.[break][break]

It's Remiel's drumming on the table that acts as a distraction for her, and the woman tugs her attention from the commotion in the street to quietly regard the man's face. He's hard to read but it's clear there's something on his mind with his cryptic tone and question.[break][break]

"I'm flattered, but if this 'something you can't do alone' is something illegal, I'm not interested."[break][break]

Despite the seriousness of her words, the woman's smile is bright and teasing.[break][break]

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Stormy guffaws, amusement tickling her cheeks at his dry sarcasm. It was funny.[break][break]

"I pegged you as the illegal type."[break][break]

She winks, but Remiel is already brushing past his awkwardness to maintain conversation and pace. Clearly whatever he has in mind is important to him and her idle attempts at hilarity are left behind.[break][break]

"Worried the league might steal your goodies?"[break][break]

But she shrugs and reaches for the glass of wine she'd kept saving from being spilled. Her lips press to the glass as she takes a slow sip, peering at Remiel over the lip of her glass.[break][break]

At the mention of being paid, Stormy's eyebrows disappear into her bangs and she sets the glass back down, fingers pressing the base of the glass to the table.[break][break]

"What a tantalizing offer you've made, Remiel."[break][break]

She smiles, but if she's being honest, she isn't worried about the money. It's the second half of his offer that piques her interest. She'd much rather focus her efforts on keeping people safe than worrying about how heavy her change purse is.[break][break]

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"I'm flattered."[break][break]

Stormy takes a slow sip of her drink, eyes watching him over the rim of the cup. There's a smile pressed to her lips as she considers his offer, but honestly she's already agreed.[break][break]

He pushes a small envelope across the table for her and she reaches for it after his hand has retreated.[break][break]

Setting her drink back down, the woman does peruse as he intended, flipping carefully through the photos inside. There is the slightest, subtlest note of unease as she swallows. [break][break]

She'd known that there would be water involved, a fight on the sea. But the extent of this activity seemed far more dangerous than expected.[break][break]

"You must be important."[break][break]

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Stormy, like Remiel, had ordered dessert - effectively skipping dinner and diving straight into the good stuff. His lava cake flows wonderfully onto his plate, while her simple but reliable slide of lemon meringue pie jiggles only twice as it is set in front of her.[break][break]

She is very suddenly struck with mild envy as she stares at his ooey-gooey goodness on his side of the table. If that emotion presents on her face, however, it is fleeting as she smiles across the table at him.[break][break]

The fork is promptly unwrapped as she pieces off the first bite, holding it gently to her lips a moment as Remiel speaks. It is then lowered a bit as she tilts her head curiously at his comment.[break][break]

"Do they? Hmm."[break][break]

Genuine surprise is evident in the pitch of her voice, and she seems to abandon her dessert for a moment to think about what he's said.[break][break]

"Do they speak.. highly, of me?"[break][break]

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The subtle tartness of the lemon is her primary focus for the moment, and she nearly reaches for a second bite immediately after. But it's Remiel's attention that reabsorbs her own and she hesitates, offering him a raised eyebrow.[break][break]

"I see. The headlines are supposed to be what brings you in, though, aren't they?"[break][break]

Her eyes watch his fork as he brings up another piece of his dessert. Once again she's struck with the mild disappointment that she should have chosen a chocolate treat as well.[break][break]

But her eyes flirt back to Remiel's abruptly following his next comment.[break][break]

"I'm fairly certain I'm not kyle lopez's type, but I am flattered. Sort of."[break][break]

She spares a laugh as she gathers another bite of pie onto her fork.[break][break]

"We're just friends, however. They probably caught me yelling at him for spilling his drink in the hot springs or something - he's clumsy."[break][break]

And then she takes another bite.[break][break]

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Stormy studies her partner a moment, watching his face for any break in expression - except there is none. He is calm, collected, indifferent. It's almost unsettling at the same time as relieving.[break][break]

The man's eyes glance back to the documents spread neatly in between them, and Stormy's fingers find purchase once again over the files. Her eyes flirt briefly over the text and the photos. She'd already made her decision.[break][break]

"I'm not one to back down from a challenge, and this sounds like an interesting one. Albeit a little bit.. suspicious, perhaps."[break][break]

An inquisitive and probing smirk spreads across her face as she resumes studying his face.[break][break]

"When do we leave?"[break][break]

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The woman purses her lips, considering his matter-of-fact tone. She idly scoops the last piece of her pie, savouring the bite. As it melts in her mouth and she starts to chew, she nudges the plate further to the center of the table, indicating she had finished.[break][break]

"We'd better get some sleep then."[break][break]

Her eyes follow the interaction between himself and the Murkrow, who now sat at his heels agape with disbelief. A fair chunk of leftover pie crust sits solemnly on her plate, and she tosses it to the ground in front of the bird.[break][break]

While it switches fascination from Remiel to Stormy, the woman looks back up at her partner, amusement tickling her lips at his tease.[break][break]

"It's difficult to determine if you're joking when you betray no emotion. Why so serious?"[break][break]

With a deep breath, however, she averts her attention to flagging down the waiter and requesting the bill.[break][break]