There was something special about the two of them. Mimi and Alistair. The way in which they acted towards one another, the warm reception that both of them held towards one another, how even upon exposing darker points that they could simply reflect upon it all, finding instances of delight out of what no doubt would have been a difficult time for them. To be able to do that, to reflect back together, it was a sort of relationship that Vyra envied. She did not have many, if anyone, whom she felt that could have had that relationship with, at times even coming to believe that she may never have had.

But there was something even more special towards the relationship that she saw within her two new friends, something that gave her hope. The fact that two of them were able to develop this out from sadness. It came despite a dark moment in at least Alistair’s life, a plight that Mimi perhaps adopted at some point, at some point making it both of theirs. Though she may not have known the pitfalls and hardships they faced, Vyra envisioned her own hardships, the darkness that at times she had found herself plunged in.

If the two of them were able to pull themselves out from the shadows, maybe there was yet hope for her. Like how Mimi may have been the hand extended for Alistair, maybe Alisa was the hand for Vyra. Maybe it was Mimi.

Perhaps Vyra had yet to find the hand extended. She hoped it weren’t the case, but having met the two before her gave her hope.

Her eyes trained onto Alistair, looking at the feline for a time. There was something to appreciate about anyone, cat, human, or otherwise, that had the patience for constant questions. It was an attribute that Vyra couldn’t say that she had for herself, especially now. While she had hated the term ‘Alisa’s Pet’, the questions was something that she found herself coming to hate even more. People, whether out of ignorance, assumptions, or just their own pursuit of curiosity, had no shortage of questions for the Demi-Human. How much of the rumors were true, did she have any value to Blue Pegasus, was she only Alisa’s pet or that of the guild? Quickly Vyra had come to tire of it, to the point of hating it.

That Alistair had managed to maintain his composure for so long, it was respectable.

Vyra smiled towards the large cat, her eyes darting down one last time towards the image upon the notebook. Feeling the lightest brush against the hair along her backside, she carefully made sure to close the notebook; the last thing she would have wanted was for a picture that precious to be put at risk. As her eyes returned up to meet the cat again, the smile never seemed to fade, “Questions? Probably some, but those can be for a different time. You’ve been more than kind already.”

Her attention then shifted to that of Mimi. The longer she spent with the tall woman, the more she found herself intrigued. Before having met this woman, Vyra would not have imagined her the artist, the natural talent, or even that of someone whom would have entertained the idea of Vyra’s company. It was a nice change from what she had come to expect, a stark difference than what her interactions had typically seemed to go. “I’d like that,” she said with genuine intrigue. Of just the little she had seen out of the notebook on her lap, Mimi’s talents were impressive, but there were little doubt that there was more for her to see. Even beyond that of the other notebooks she had not looked through. “Perhaps when that happens, I’ll know exactly the sort of work I’d ask,” She paused for a moment, realizing the selfishness that may have been interpreted by what she said, “If it would be acceptable to you, of course!”

A sense of delight filled her.

It wasn’t just what Mimi said, nor the promise that she had made to Vyra. It was the fact that she seemed genuine throughout. She had treated Vyra like a person. She had been a friend. The very idea of it had become something so foreign that at times even she doubted that she would have found any. Not the people in Blue Pegasus; save for Alisa, she did not have any true bond with the people there. There was a mutual sense of respect, her appreciating them being within the guild and them recognizing Alisa’s fondness for the Demi-Human.

But the feelings she felt while in Mimi’s company, with none of them had she felt that.

And hearing that Mimi had thoughts of staying within Hargeon, while it very likely was not for Vyra’s sake but for other reasons, Vyra could not help but be excited for that. “Yeah,” she said as a faint chuckle escaped her lips, “That’s pretty much what happened with me. Wouldn’t say that it’s perfect,” the reservations that she had of the city, of its people remained within her head, leaving the Demi-Human reluctant to paint it as the paradise she at times wishes it were, “But it’s home.”

It was her home, something that it had taken some time to fully appreciate. Even now, even while there were things of the city that she did not care for, there were good things about it. If Mimi were sincere about sticking around, it’d be another thing to appreciate about it.

Having been so focused on her feelings towards Hargeon, it did not immediately dawn upon the Demi-Human the request by Mimi for her notebook back. She snapped back to the reality, an almost alarmed look on her face as she realized she held the notebook still tightly within her grasp, holding it with an almost determinant grip, fearful of the winds which had begun to pick up since they stopped moving. “Certainly,” she said, almost apologetically as her arm extended with the notebook in hand, her grip tightening upon its edges, determined to neither let it fall nor let a page be lost to the wind.

The wind blew again, Vyra almost taken aback by it, though perhaps more by the not-so-distant rumbling that came by way of the large cat Alistair. The all too familiar sound of hunger. Vyra knew it plenty well, much more than what she would have preferred. Though, she could hardly remember a time where the grumblings of her stomach reached quite those depths. To the wandering passerby, would have been easy to believe it the briefest of earthquakes, but as her eyes scanned to see if that had been felt, a realization occurred to her; seldom few still wandered the streets, there only being perhaps a fraction of the people remaining on throughout the street.

“Heh, I hadn’t realized how long we’d been here. I’m sorry that we had kept you waiting so long Alistair,” Vyra remarked, genuinely feeling guilty to having detracted Mimi and Alistair as much as she had ultimately. Though it had seemed like time hadn’t moved forward much, the faint darkening of the sky and the waning of the people in the streets had been as much evident to the contrary. Whatever Mimi and Alistair may have first sought to get done today, between her introduction and her subsequent resting her ankle Vyra had effectively robbed them of their day.

Following the exchange of the book, Vyra gave it a final glance, her mind running through the works within it, imagining just what may have been within the others, how many other close projects may have been within those pages. Rather than be consumed by what she could have only imagined, instead Vyra reached within her own pack, the small little bag that weakly held along her belt - far from a long term option, but at the moment the only one available – as her hand felt the scarcely few contents within. Broadening her grip as wide as able, her hand slowly pulled from within the confines of the bag, with every bit of flesh that again became exposed to the world leaving her with a sinking feeling, one that had not quite manifested in proper until she opened her fist to see what actually were there.

Maybe a few hundred jewels in total. Not much, not by any stretch. Certainly by no means enough to survive upon, perhaps enough to cover the cost of a meal for one within a healthy selection of the restaurants and eateries within Hargeon. It was the culmination of the few jobs that she had been afforded; one of the unspoken downsides of not actually being within the Blue Pegasus guild. Hardly enough jewels that anyone would figure it worthwhile, but for Vyra, even the lowest of paying work right now at least gave her the illusion that she was helping.

“Here,” the Demi-Human without the slightest of hesitations, holding the currency out to Mimi, “It isn’t much, but should at least cover the cost to get something nice for Alistair.” While she meant the gesture with nothing but sincerity, a part of Vyra still felt off in doing so, “So much of today has already flown by, the least I could do is properly thank you. And while, this may not be that, if you’re going to be sticking around in Hargeon for a bit, maybe I can more properly thank you sometime.” It was an optimistic sentiment, but one that she did feel; whether simply per the companionship or the promise of artwork, there was a debt that Vyra felt she owed to repay. But in the immediacy, she also knew it was one that she could not repay. Not yet.

What she was certain of though was that despite whatever sort of reservations she may have had this morning about venturing out within Hargeon, looking back she was glad to have done so. Otherwise, this meeting likely never would have happened. Luckily it had, and she had come out of it with a friend, something she certainly hadn’t anticipated this morning.

She watched as they left. The tall woman and the large feline.

Upon first glance, they could have as easily fit the mold of people whom Vyra never would have been seen with. Not as an indictment upon either of them, but rather upon the Demi-Human herself. There was little interest of her, little reason to be drawn towards her, or otherwise entertain such a person like her.

Yet, the two of them had done just that.

More even, they had accepted her. Welcomed her. Treated her like not just a person, but like a friend.

It was the last thing that she had expected, but it left her feeling all the more elated, all the more excited for the chance to see them again someday, but in the same right it left her wishing that time could have stood still. She would have loved the chance to spend more time with them, but she knew that they had their own lives to live, much as she had her own.

Nonetheless, Vyra was excited for whenever Mimi had her gallery set. Of what she had seen within the notebook provided, she could not wait for what else was to come, what other things of beauty she had yet to see. Though, maybe she could see some of that earlier; Mimi did say that she was planning on sticking around, much to the unspoken delight of the Demi-Human.

“It was great to meet you too,” Vyra said softly as the woman drifted well out of earshot, the girl’s soft eyes remaining focused upon the pair until they disappeared entirely out of sight. She squinted, hoping to get a final glimpse of the two, letting out an exhausted sigh upon the realization that they were gone. As she got up to go, not quite sure just where it would be next – perhaps the Blue Pegasus Guild Hall, perhaps simply adrift within the streets of Hargeon, hopeful to encounter the tall gothic woman once again – she noticed something upon the ground.

A small pouch.

Decent in size, its appearance was nothing shy of a mystery. Had Mimi dropped it? A brief moment of worry ran through Vyra, wishing she had noticed it earlier. That would have as much allowed her an excuse to seek them out again, but alas, that window had seemed to pass by. With no option otherwise available, she took the pouch in hand, the weight of it taking the girl by surprise. But that paled to the shock that came as she opened to reveal what were inside.

Jewels. A lot of jewels. More than what Vyra had ever seen before, save for the moments of generosity displayed by Alisa so long ago.

Vyra was puzzled. How could Mimi have forgotten something like this? Worry for the woman and cat seemed to grow within her as she simply looked on at the collection of currency. And whilst the temptation certainly existed, the allure of a time once lived within there, nudging her to just take it for herself, she fought against it.

These jewels were Mimi’s. And one day, whether it were as soon as tomorrow or sometime down the line, Vyra would ensure that she returned every jewel within the pouch back to Mimi. Back to her new friend.