Unknown Frontier
My Little Pony Roleplay => Portal to Canterlot High => Community Stories => Areas that are not CHS or CPA => Topic started by: Nivalia on September 14, 2016, 12:38:31 pm
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Nivalia waves goodbye to Tinder, wishing her the best on whatever comes her way. It's already late in the evening by the time Niv and Lina get back home. A quick tour, change into pjs, and bundling up in sleeping bags wraps up their adventure. Nivalia had to admit, the day may have had it's twists and turns, but overall, she couldn't wait to have another like it.
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Tinder pops open the door as they stop, hopping out and leaning on the car as she says her good byes. "Yeah, give me a text when you get home so I know you're safe. And yes, I forgive you Lina, don't worry about that." She yawns a bit and stretches, quickly waving at the to as she starts to walk away, "Talk to you later!" Grabbing her phone from her pocket she calls up one of her contacts, discussing where to meet as she walks away.
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"Bye Tinder!" Lina called out. "Yeah, call and I'll come too." Then, a little quieter, "Uh... sorry again. For trying to steal your bag. No hard feelings?" Her gaze was hopeful as she looked at the other girl.
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"Oh, alright Tinder. If anything I'll drop you off at your usual spot." The car rolls around to the place her and Tinder normally hang out. "I'll give you a call before I head off to sleep. Be careful out there, sweety. If anything happens, just call me and I'll drive over and kick everyone's butt!"
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Tinder looks at the two and shakes her head a couple times, she knows that crashing with them would be a bad idea. She doesn't want to keep them up all night with her nightmares, "Thanks, but I'm going be working most of tonight I think. Sorry.." Sure, this was kind of an excuse, but it was true. She knows as soon as she gets into the city she'll be dealing with some less then pleased people, people that she doesn't want to expose these two to.
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Lina takes the phone, raising her eyebrows until she heard Nivalia's question. "Oh... I..." She handed the phone back. "Uh... don't exactly have a cell phone." Maybe the others hadn't realized Lina was living on the streets? She supposed she hadn't exactly told them.
When Nivalia's offer sank in, Lina quickly said, "Crash at your place? Um... yeah. That would be amazing." She was starting to trust the two other girls a lot more, they had both been so nice. She glanced at Tinder. "You in?"
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Once everyone and everything was back in the jeep. Nivalia starts it up and begins driving out of the park. The sky is clear and the breeze through the windows was warm and light. As they make their way back into the town, Niv passes her phone over to Lina, "Hey, could you put your phone number in there? Best we can keep in contact for the next get together." She looks over to Tinder, "I still have yours too. Also, if you two want you can crash at my place for the evening."
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Tinder slowly opens her eyes as the two speak, she hadn't been sleeping but at least she had gotten a chance to relax. "Yeah, it was nice.." She doesn't have all to much to say, she's just dreading going to work now. She stands up and grabs her chair, bringing it over to the Jeep.
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As Nivalia spoke, Lina stretched her arms above her head. She didn't realize how relaxed she was until she realized she didn't really want to get up. But she forced herself out of the chair and to her feet, pain rippling through the rolled ankle she had almost forgotten about. Her eyes darted around as she cleared her throat.
"Look..." She started out awkwardly. "This was... the most fun I've had in a long time. I thought all the day would hold would be stealing what I could for some crappy meal. But instead... I got to just hang out. It was like... the good old days for me. So... thank you. Both of you." Her short speech finished, Lina busied herself with folding up her chair.
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The three would gaze up at the stars, losing track of time until the fire in front of them would dim to the last ember. Nivalia stretches out and yawns. "That was so relaxing. This whole day was just a blast!" She gets up and begins to tidy up. "Thank you both for hanging out today. Things would be pretty boring without you two."
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Tinder yawns a little, not exactly paying much attention to what the girls are saying. She lays back with her eyes closed, listening to the sounds of nature around her, trying to ignore the constant vibrations from her phone.
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Lina openly rolled her eyes at both the of the other girls' distinctly unhelpful answers. "Me? Nah, I don't have a boyfriend either," she answered, though she knew perfectly well that's not what Nivalia had meant. She suppose she should have anticipated the question being turned back to her, but she every answer she could think of was highly personal, so she stayed quiet and returned her gaze to the stars.
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Nivalia was silent as she ponders on any answer she could give. The starry sky offers some distraction. A bit too much as she starts off not really thinking. "I kissed a girl once and liked it. She uh, had on some cherry chapstick. I mean, it felt a bit wrong, but also a bit right. I mean, I don't have a boyfriend or anything so it doesn't really matter. What about you, Lina?"
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Tinder opens one of her eyes and looks over to Lina. "You know more about me then most already kid. I've probably said more then enough." She closes her eyes again as she listens, scratching absent mindedly at the scars that dance around her lower arm.
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Lina just shrugged at Nivalia's words. She had been a very good student before... everything happened and she had dropped out, but she knew those days were over. There was no sense on lingering on them now.
Of course, Lina didn't have a lot self-discipline, and as she leaned backed and closed her eyes, she let memories wash over her. A few minutes passed, and Lina opened her eyes, wiping up away their slight dampness with her sleeve.
She cleared her throat suddenly. "This won't come as a surprise, considering I just met you both... but I don't know much about either of you. Tell me one thing about each of yourselves... one thing no one would guess," she suggested.
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Nivalia nods in agreement with Lina, "It does, until you delve into atoms and molecules. Then your whole idea on sizes in general is just messed up." She sips her drink and gets lost in the view of the stars. The chirping of crickets is only met with the lightt gust of the wind. Everything was so... peaceful. A calm night surrounded by friends, taking in the wonders of the cosmos. The fire's warmth keeps the cold air at bay as the minutes pass by.
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Tinder takes her chair and places it as far from the fire as she can, leaning back and staring up at the sky. Space and science were never really her thing, but she does think it's pretty at least. Not yet wanting to get up to get a drink she stays seated and just listens to the world around her.
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"That's incredible..." Lina breathed at hearing Nivalia's fact. She was silent before commenting, "It makes one feel awfully small." She reached over and grabbed a soda as well, opening it and taking a sip.
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Nivalia sets up the fire and gets a good blaze going. With that done she returns to her chair and looks up into the sky. "Looking up into the sky, watching all these stars. We're like time travelers. We're looking at these stars as they looked millions of years in the past. Their light travels at around 187,000 miles a second. Fast as that may sound. It pales in comparison to the distance it has to travel." She reaches into the cooler and pulls out a soda. "Drinks are all ready on this end."
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When they reached the top of the hill, Lina paused and looked over the town. Frowning slightly, she turned her attention to the sky to find- in her opinion- a much more pleasing view. The pinpricks of light in the darkening sky were somehow calming to look at, being so still and distant.
Lina tore her gaze away and set up her chair by the sandy spot. She sat down and continued looking to the heavens, and finally spoke, her tone soft. "They're so far away," she murmured, motioning to the stars with one hand.
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"Indeed I do. Water, juice, soda, and more. I also brought some snacks for when we get to our destination." Nivalia leads the two up the nearby trail. Several minutes later, they find themselves near a picnic area. A small bonfire rests in a sandy circle. The hill they arrive at rolls off to a much steeper cliffside, overlooking most of the town. The sun had dropped beyond the horizon, the stars now making their way into the sky. "Alright, here's the place." Nivalia sets her chair and cooler down. "I'll get the fire going. Make yourselves comfy and help yourself to the cooler."
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Tinder let's out a sigh of relief as she finishes counting, she has enough to last her a while. Looking up as the car stops and pulling her bag back over her back, "Alright, got anything good to drink in that cooler of yours?" She makes her way out of the car and grabs the chair, following behind the two.
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"...but that was when I ruled the world," sang Lina as the song faded into silence. She fell silent as well, simply staring out the window at the passing scenery. When they arrived, she hopped out of the car and walked over to the trunk, pulling out a chair.
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Nivalia’s already heard this song numerous times. Once more never hurts as she turns up the volume. Singing along with Lina, Niv only manages the main parts. Meanwhile, they pull into a state park and cruise along the winding road. It traverses up a few hills, and in minutes, they pull into a parking spot.
"Well, here we are! Kinda..." Nivalia turns the car off and pops open the trunk. "Alright, we got some foldable chairs, and a portable cooler in the trunk. Everyone just take a chair with them. I'll carry the cooler."
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Tinder seems to be pretty preoccupied with her task at hand, trying to be discreet while counting out her stash to verify she has enough to be out for the night. She glances up for a second as she song comes on, she looks to be enjoying it even though she's never heard it, music was never really a thing she got that into. Other then the occasional song she puts on while training she doesn't really listen to music on a regular basis.
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Lina accepted the phone and leaned back, finding the right song. Soon enough, the sound of strings filled the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOQ4ld6NsXE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOQ4ld6NsXE)
Lina started to sing along, a bit self-conscious but unable to resist. "I used to rule the world..."
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"Never heard of it, but that's what's coming up!" Nivalia turns on her phone, connects the Bluetooth, and passes it to Lina. "Set it up Lyrical Lina. My hands still gotta be on the wheel." By now they take an exit off the highway and traverse onto a smaller road. The sun itself is starting to set, the sky turns orange and pink. Soon enough, they roll into the state park. Trees and shrubs start to encompass the landscape.
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Tinder yawns a bit and leans back in her seat, "Any song is good for me." She grabs her bag, searching through it to see how many pills she has left for her night.
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Lina couldn't help but roll her eyes at the cheesy alliterations, but she quickly brightened, leaning forward between the front seats precariously. "Ooh, you guys know Coldplay? How about Viva la Vida?"
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Nivalia hops into the drivers seat and revs up the car. The lights turn on brightly as the radio plays in the background. "We're going stargazing. There's a spot I know that's perfect." The jeep backs up and takes off into the main road. "It's something I did when I was younger, before my family moved here." In minutes they find themselves on the main highway. "So, DJ Niv is signing in. I got my cohosts, Treble Master Tinder and Lyrical Lina. And tonight's ladies night, so what's our hosts choice in the first song?" Either one could answer, Nivalia just needed a suggestion.
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Tinder collects her things and followers the two out, hopping into the front seat once they reach the jeep. "So, where are we going anyway?"
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Lina forced herself to her feet and followed after Nivalia. She noted how beautiful the sunset was. How long had it been sine Lina had enjoyed a sunset? Not wanting to answer herself, Lina quickly got in the backseat. "Ooh, nice ride!" she commented, leaning back in the seat.
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Nivalia gets up and gathers her things. "Well the sun is going down so it should be cooling off. Cmon! Our chariot awaits!" She walks out and looks up at the sky. A mix of pink and purple fill the clouds. The air starts to cool as the sun begins to fall towards the horizon. With a jingle of her keys, she clicks on the button, her jeep remotely starting up, lights flicking on brightly for our adventurers.
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Tinder nods a few times and downs the rest of her drink, hoping the booze will help her stay calm. "Yeah, sounds good. I could go for a walk now, as long as it's not too warm out." She glances down at her phone again and sends out a text, she wishes she could turn it off but it'll only make things worse.
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Lina finished her dessert, going more slowly as she started to get full. She scooped up the last bite and ate it before setting down her fork. "Sounds good to me. I'm ready if Tinder is," she responded, eyes half-closed in contentment.
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Nivalia sighs, knowing sham have to pick their next destination. "Alright, alright... hmm..." She takes a sip of water as she becomes deep in thought. Suddenly, her jade eyes open wide, "Got it! I know where we can go." Waving the waiter over, she gets the check and pays with her card. "I'll tell you two on the way there. It involves a bit of a hike, but it's worth it." In minutes the waiter returns with the receipt, which Nivalia pockets immediately. "When you're both ready, we can head out."
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The tiramisu was brought and Lina eagerly dug into it. “Oh, is that what you were saying?” One last grin before Lina turned more thoughtful, starting to think that maybe the others were being genuinely nice and not just putting Lina on. “I’m alright with whatever, you guys pick.” With that, she returned to devouring her dessert.
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Nivalia's eyes roll as she swallow her dessert, "Yea, yea, whatever. What I was saying is that I have a couple more ideas on case no one else does." She picks at her plate, scooping the last bits off and finishing them with delight. "I'm stuck between a few options. One involves a park, the other, a bowling alley, and some third thing."
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Tinder smirks as she listens to the two talk, glancing up from her drink as she's addressed, "Yeah, I believe that's what it was." She chuckles a bit and goes back to her drink and her phone, not having much to add to the conversation.
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The server took away Lina's empty bowl, and Lina said, "I'll have the... ooh, I'll have the tiramisu!" Looking pleased with her choice, she took a sip of water, nearly choking as she heard Nivalia's garbled statement. After a moment of thought, Lina was pretty sure as to what the other girl meant, but with her mood slowly lifting, she couldn't resist the chance to tease. "What about an ibis?" Lina allowed her brow to crease in mock confusion. "And gauze? An injured ibis needs gauze?" She caught Tinder's eye. "That's what she's saying, right?"
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Niv chuckles, "Well, you finished it with flying colors. So now that just leaves a clear day, and plenty of options." A plate with a slice of cake slides onto the table. "Thanks monseńor!" With fork in hand she digs in, "Ib got a fev ibes iv nobovy goz ebby." A full mouth doesn't really lead to good articulation.
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Lina just shrugged at Tinder's response, scraping her bowl with her spoon to get the every bit of delicious bisque. "It was amazing," Lina said with a pleased sigh. She looked at Nivalia intently. "Thank you..." But then she blinked in surprise. "Oh, I... uh... hadn't really thought about it. My main goal for today was just to get at least one meal, so mission accomplished." She flushed when she realized how... sad that sounded.
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Nivalia returns to her seat, "Alright, if you say so." Pushing her plate forward, she looks up the menu again, waving over the waiter to the table. "The meal was exquisite, sir. Thank you. Uh, for dessert; I'll just have a slice of triple chocolate cake, please." The server nods and hears back to the kitchen. "So Lina, I'm guessing you're enjoying the meal quite a bit? Is there anything you'd like to do after this?"
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Tinder lets out a sigh and shakes her head again, "As much as I appreciate the offer, this is really something I need to handle myself. Don't want to get you two involved in my job anymore then I already have..."
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Lina simply nodded in agreement with Nivalia's words, having nothing else to add as she ate her soup.
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"Well it's a good thing my schedule is free then." Nivalia leans forward, booping Tinder in the shoulder. "And I'm sure we can handle whatever it is you can throw at us." She continues lightly booping her with every word. "We. Can. Handle. It... Boop."
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Tinder smiles at the both of them and lays her phone face down at the table, not wanting to risk any messages being seen, "Thanks you two. But seriously, I don't need any help, you know how work can be. I'll get it all fixed up soon enough I'm sure."
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Lina only half-listened to the conversation, both wanting to focus on her food, as well getting the feeling she was somehow eavesdropping on two friends. So she stayed silent for a moment, just continuing to eat her bisque, until she bit her lip and put her spoon down. "Is there... anything we can do to help?" she asked hesitantly, motioning between herself and Nivalia. It wasn't easy for Lina to show this level of willingness to help someone she didn't really know, but after the whole purse fiasco, Lina has the feeling that she owed Tinder. It was an uncomfortable feeling... one Lina wanted to get rid of soon as possible.
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"Hopefully?" Nivalia implies. "Tinder, hopefully isn't a certainty I'm willing to rest my laurels on." She reaches out to place her hand on her forearm, "You saved my life. Supporting you with this is the least I can do."
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Tinder nods a few times, taking a sip of her drink. "It's kind of you to offer, but I got this covered, hopefully." She looks back to her phone, making sure she has her location turned off, just in case. "Go ahead, I'm sure the deserts are good."
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Nivalia finishes up her meal, placing her utensils on the plate. "Oh work can be such a hassle. Well if anything, dear, we can help you with that after our meal. Which, by the way, we may need to uh..." She picks up the menu and examines it again, "get desert."
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Tinder finally looks up from her phone as she hears her name, letting out a little sigh and nodding, "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing for you to worry about, just dealing with some work trouble." Usually she wouldn't stress out about these texts, but she's with people now, she's making friends for once. She can't have people from her jobs coming around, she can't take that risk, she has to keep them away for the time being. "I can go do that job when I get home, I'm sure it's not that big of a rush."
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Lina also looked expectantly at Tinder… that is, until a bowl of lobster bisque was laid in front of her. Lina's attention was immediately turned to her meal, which she enthusiastically dug into.
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"Actually, we just started our shenanigans today. So you joined in just in time. In fact, Tinder and I..." Soon, Nivalia notices her friend's concerned behavior. "Tinder, sweetie; are you ok? You look... troubled."
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Tinder nods along with the story, barely even paying attention it seems. She seems more preoccupied with her phone, sending text after text in hopes of resolving her problem. She doesn't even notice when her drink is laid in front of her.
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Lina listened with wide eyes, quickly getting lost in the story. After Nivalia finished, she clapped her hands a couple times. “How exciting! Do you two often have these sorts of adventures?” There was sort of longing in Lina’s voice. She loved to… well, used to love to… causing shenanigans with her own friends.
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"Well thankfully it only got me," Nivalia answers, taking another bite. "It was terrible. It smelled great; like, designer shampoo quality. But it had this ooze that started covering me." She raises her hands with some excitement, "But then Tinder comes in and wham! Hits the plant's stem, and it was enough for it to let me go. After that, we booked it out of here. Once again, Tinder's skills came into play as she unlocked the exit door without tripping the alarm. After that we got to my car and left."
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Lina couldn’t help but snort in amusement. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. “How’d you get out without become plant food?” She asked curiously, then chuckled. “That was not a question I as planning on asking anyone today.”
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"Yea, turns out it was sealed off for a reason. A very... well, we shouldn't have gone in there, but we did." Nivalia shrugs as she continues eating. "The day is still young, so we may be able to top it."
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Tinder chuckles a little as Niv brings up the plant, with all of this going on she had almost forgotten. "Yeah, went to the wrong section of the botanical gardens.." She grabs her phone from her pocket as it lets out a soft ding, frowning as she reads the message and quickly types a response.
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Lina listened intently to Tinder, and sighed. In her opinion, it was even worse to have nothing after you had everything... She visibly winced at the word "killing", almost getting lost in her memories before she forced her expression to stay stoic. One eyebrow rose at Nivalia's last comment. "Um... getting eaten by plants?" she repeated, unsure if she had heard correctly.
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"Tinder is right dear. We all have our rough times." Nivalia adds, taking another bite of her meal. "Consider this your killing with kindness. Besides, we would certainly enjoy another to join our shenanigans. We just had to break out of a museum after almost getting eaten by plants."
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Tinder lays down the food menu and glaces through the drinks quickly, "Just an orange screwdriver for me, please." Grabbing her ID from her pocket and passing it to the waitress. "I've been there Lina... I know what it's like to not have anything. If I had someone be nice to me during those times maybe it would have done me good, maybe I would have turned out better. So, if I can help out someone else, I will.."
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Lina caught a whiff of Nivalia’s meal and she groaned slightly in longing. She turned to the server who had just brought it and said, “I’ll have the bisque as well.” The server nodded and jotted the order down on a notepad. Lina looked back, brow furrowed. She gave both of the other girls long looks. “Why are you two being so nice?” She suddenly burst out.
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Nivalia nods, placing the menu down. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you. Despite the circumstances." Before she can continue, a lobster bisque with cheddar Bay biscuits is placed in front of her. "Oh, here we go! My apologies for starting early, but my tummy has been killing me!" Without another word, she digs into her meal. "I'll be getting dessert after this if either of you are interested."
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Lina raised her eyebrows at Tinder’s response, but didn’t reply. She turned to Nivalia, blinking at the “miss” as her shoulders hunched slightly. Lina felt like she hadn’t been addressed as such for a long time… But she cleared her throat. “Uh, name’s Lina.” She returned to looking at the menu, now looking slightly haunted, as memories played behind her eyes.
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"My name's Nivalia. Or Niv for short." She doesn't break contact from the menu, still eyeing up the possibilities. "Oh, the desserts here look wonderful! I'm sure you'd enjoy them Miss...?" Nivalia lowers the menu to glance over to Lina.
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Tinder glances over at Lina as she speaks, she's surprised how civil she is. Tinder would never be able to relax like this with a mark, lone one that caught her. "I'm not that hungry anymore to be honest. I might just get something to drink. And I'm Tinder." Depending on how much Lina is into the criminal underworld that may be a name she knows, known as the person who will get you whatever you need for the right price. Though as of late she's been working mostly as a runner, delivering shipments from the mob or gang to the buyer. Though she is a freelancer and will work with anyone who will pay her, she mostly sticks to the one mob in town, the one she knows will provide protection from the cops if nothing else.
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Lina noticed little around her as she ate. She accepted the menu with a distorted, “Tanks,” her mouth full of bread. She studied the menu, her stomach growling again at seeing the names of all the delicious dishes. When was the last time she had eaten a real meal? The expectation of food making her much more civil, Lina addressed Tinder. “What are you going to get?” She blinked. “And, uh…. I didn’t catch either of your names.”
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Nivalia passed out the menus, "Wonderful! Here you two go. I've chatted up the staff, so take as much time as you need and order whenever." She takes a sip of her beverage and stretches, "My order should be here shortly."
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Tinder smiles a little as Lina sits, happy the girl is comfortable enough to sit and eat. She glances to the two girls to make sure they are looking else where before reaching into her pocket and grabbing a few pills, downing them quickly and hoping no one will notice. Tinder leans back in her chair and takes a deep breath, she really has lost her appetite, even the thought of eating is churning her stomach right now.
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Lina’s eyes flicked between the chair and Tinder a few times, as if trying to detect sarcasm or some sort of trick. At Tinder’s advice, Lina breathed through her nose as she reminded herself not to react badly. “I’ll remember that… and s’okay.” She finally took a seat at the second invitation. “Um… thanks.” She very slowly took a bread stick, half-expecting one of the others to snatch it away at the last minute. Then she took one ladylike bite. As she tasted the delicious bread stick, that was the end of her daintiness. Crumbs flew every which way as Lina started wolfing it down.
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Nivalia couldn't help but empathize with Lina. Her growling stomach confirmed some truth at least. "Being hungry is the worst, and can bring out the worst in anyone. Take a seat, dear." Her smile becomes warm and welcoming, "Come break bread with us. Both figuratively and literally."
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Tinder glances at Niv for a second and sighs before putting her head on the table, "I handled it badly.." When she hears someone clear their throat she quickly sit up and looks over, a bit wary of Lina until she starts speaking. When she finishes Tinder pulls a chair over and pats it a few times to try to get her to sit, "Don't worry, I've had to do the same thing more then a few times. You gotta remember, watch your target first, make sure they have money or they'll end up being a dud like me. I'm sorry I was so harsh in the bathroom, the stuff I have in here is really important to me. I should have warned you about the knife though, I know how hard seeing stuff like that can be when you've had bad experiences..."
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Lina didn't even seem to hear Tinder's invitation, just continued sobbing. When the other girl left, however, Lina slowly raised her head, her face streaked with tears. It took a minute to sink in what had just happened. "Stupid!" She snarled at herself, quickly getting up. She couldn't believe herself. She had lost it in front of a complete stranger. She couldn't do that. Roughly wiping tears away, she paced in the bathroom as she tried to decide what to do. Finally, her shoulders slumped and she swung open the door, heading out into the main restaurant and searching for the girl.
It only took Lina a moment to find both her and her friend, sitting at a table with bread sticks. Lina tore her gaze away from the food and looked at Tinder, clearing her throat and quickly muttering, "Look, I'm sorry I stole your bag. I was just-" Her stomach let out an enormous growl, and Lina's cheeks grew red. "-hungry. And I'm sorry about what I said about you. I... I had no right to judge you. I hate it when people pretend to know me when they don't, and yet I did the same thing to you. The knife just..." Her voice grew very quiet. "...brought up some bad memories..." With every word, she looked more and more uncomfortable. She wasn't used to apologizing.
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"What!?" Nivalia asks, surprised. "Tinder, you're a cinnamon roll too pure for this world. I find it hard to believe you made someone cry." She picks up another breadstick and downs it in three bites. "Besides, she stole your purse. She's lucky she's not getting arrested."
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Tinder let's out a sigh as she plops down into the seat, rubbing her head slightly as she tries to get back on track. "Thanks.. but I'm not really hungry anymore. I think I messed up in there, I made her cry.."
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After eating her fifth breadstick, Nivalia looks up to find Tinder returning with her bag. "Oh, you found it! Where was she? You know what, don't tell me. I gotta tell you, the menu here looks awesome. Whatever you want Tinder, my treat. Heck, that girl can come up and I'd pay her bill is that good."
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Tinder puts the bag over her shoulder, moving back a bit as Lina talks, a bit nervous of her. When the girl walks away and starts crying Tinder doesn't know what to do, she doesn't deal too much with emotions. Unlocking the bathroom door she opens it and moves out a bit, "We're eating here if you want to join us. I know you don't believe me, but I really don't want to hurt anyone. I have been hurt too much myself, I don't want anyone else to loose the people they love." She heads out and heads for the table that Niv is at.
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Lina dropped her hand, redirecting her glare towards Tinder. “You’re right, I don’t care about your excuses,” she snapped. “Fact is, you’re carrying around a weapon, and that says a lot about you, regardless of where you got it from or if it’s ‘only for emergencies’,” Lina said, lifting her hands to do air quotes, her disbelief at Tinder’s words clear. At hearing that Tinder had been hurt, however, Lina looked very tired. “Yeah? I bet… I bet I can match you and raise you in that department." Her shoulders hunched and her tears suddenly increased until she was sobbing. She broke eye contact with Tinder and went to the restroom wall, which she put her back against and shakily slid down until she was sitting. Then she hugged her knees to her chest, buried her face in her hands, and just cried.
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Tinder watches the bag as it's tossed back at her, flinching as the girl starts to speak. Something set this girl off, though she has no clue what. Standing firm in front of the door, refusing to move, "People like me? What kind of person do you think I am? I barely even use that knife, it was given to me as a gift from one of the few people I have in my life. I only use it in emergencies, not like you would care though. I don't like hurting people... I've been hurt enough times before, I don't want to make other people go through that. I just wanted my stuff back, I wasn't even going to call anyone. I just wanted to drop some names."
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Lina’s face fell slightly as she opened the wallet and saw the scant amount of cash. She put the wallet back, and examined the lock picking kit and medical supplies briefly before returning them to the bag as well. Then she came across the knife. As she held it, a wave of nausea passed over her. She could practically see the headlines again.
City Council Member and Wife Stabbed to Death
In a violent motion, Lina threw the knife back in the bag. Without any warning, she pulled the bag’s strap off her shoulder and chucked the bag at the taller girl. “There!” She snarled. “There’s your stupid bag. You’re right about one thing… I should have known better than stealing from your type.” Her voice was full of venom.
“I can tell by both the fact you carry a knife around, and that you’re not afraid to call someone to threaten me, that you’re not afraid to hurt people. I know people who have lost their lives to people like you, so keep your precious bag,” she snarled, then stomped towards the door. “Now get out of my way.” She suddenly felt something wet on her cheek and she stopped dead as she put her hand up to it. She pulled it away to see a teardrop smeared across her fingertips. She hadn’t even noticed that the memory of the horrific news had started her crying, and she stared down at her hand in pure hatred, as if it was the hand’s fault Lina couldn’t hold in her emotions like she wished she could.
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Tinder shrugs and let's Lina search the bag, though the contents are pretty close close to what she said. A wallet with 5$ in it, various first aid supplies, her lock picking kit, and the only thing that she didn't announce before, her knife, carefully placed in its leather sheath. She hauls the cell phone from her pocket and starts scrolling through her contacts, looking for someone that owes her a favor.
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Lina studied her mark for a long moment, before she let out a derisive snort. “Funny, I think you’re bluffing.” She tilted her head, pretending to consider the offer. “You know, if you did have only what you said in here…” She tapped the bag. “I might consider it. But, oddly enough, I don’t trust you. So let’s see…” Opening the bag, Lina started rifling through it, keeping the other girl in her peripheral in case she tried anything.
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Tinder stays with her back against the door, blocking the only exit. "Who needs the cops when you have friends like mine? You think I've lasted this long in this world without having a few less then nice people owe me favors? All it takes is one call and I could get some people down here who are a whole lot more threatening then cops." She smirks as she leans on the door, "Or, you could just give me my stuff and we'll forget all about this."
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Lina mentally swore when the other girl entered and locked the door behind her, the thief backing up until there were several feet between them. However, Lina didn’t loose her cool, just arched one eyebrow. “You know, maybe before you criticize someone’s methods, you should realize that you know absolutely nothing about them or their situation,” Lina shot back without missing a beat, before blinking and repeating, “…lock picking kit?” Well that certainly explained how the other girl had gotten through a locked door.
Lina’s surprised expression shifted into a scowl. “Well, come and get it, then,” she challenged, then clenched her fists. “Or better yet, call the cops. I can’t wait to see how that would turn out for you.” The threat might have been more… well, threatening, if there wasn’t a slight waver to Lina’s voice as she mentioned the police. She couldn't go back... she just couldn't.
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Nivalia looks around, not noticing Tinder making her escape, "Alright Tinder, I'm sure we can... Tinder?" Upon making the discovery that she was talking to herself, she rolls her eyes. "Great, now she's gone too."
"Excuse me miss, we have a booth ready for your party," the hostess days as she approaches her. "Weren't you with someone just now?"
"Oh uh, yeah. She had to use the lavatory. I'm sure she's getting my other friend as well. So, where's the booth?"
The hostess nods and makes her way through the restaurant. "Right this way, please." She leads her to her seat while a basket of bread sticks awaits her. "I'll have the waiter here in a few minutes."
"Thank you!" Nivalia replies as she sits down. "Ugh, where are they?"
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Tinder glances over as she hears the bathroom door open, grinning as she sees the thief look out. This is her chance, and she doesn't want to drag Niv into this if she ends up doing something stupid. She makes sure Niv isn't looking before walking into the restroom, shutting the door behind her and clicking the lock closed. "You know, next time you look for a mark you should really make sure you aren't stealing from another thief. There is barely any money in that bag, maybe five dollars. It's mostly bandages and my lock picking kit, which I would really like to get back..." Deciding to leave out the fact that her knife is in there, she doesn't want this person having a weapon when she doesn't.
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Lina simply continued waiting, listening intently as one or two people came in, only to quickly take care of their business and leave without checking Lina’s stall. The thief quickly grew impatient. She was hungry. She could hardly remember the last time she had eaten, and any money from the stolen bag would go towards a the last meal until Lina could get ahold of more cash. They probably had given up by now, at least she hoped they had… Knowing it was a stupid move, but not being able to resist as her aching stomach urged her onward, Lina crept out of the stall and towards the door. She opened it a little bit and stuck her head out into the main part of the restaurant. It only took her a moment to locate the other two girls, and she stepped back as quickly as she could, letting the door swing shut and hoping with all her might that she hadn’t been seen.
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As Nivalia strolls across the restaurant, she manages to spot Tinder among the crowd. "Hey Tinder!" She hurries over to her, "Did she run in here? This looks like a good place to ea- I mean hide. A good place to hide."
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Tinder has no plans on leaving this restaurant, not until she gets her bag back. Wandering around the restaurant as she looks in every hiding place she can think of, eventually resorting to even asking customers if they've seen her.
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Lina skidded to a stop as she saw her target come out of the kitchen. But… that door had been locked! How the hell had the other girl gotten in?! This was not good… Lina quickly dashed over to the restrooms and without any hesitation, went into the Mens’. Fortunately, it was empty. Lina went over to the stall furthest from the door and sat on the toilet, leaving the stall door slightly open. Then she lifted up her feet and hugged her knees to her chest, so when looking under the door, it appeared no one was there. Now all there was left to do was wait and hope the girls would give up their search. Lina suddenly became aware of the scent of cooking food drifting through the vent in the ceiling, and she gave a small groan of hunger. Dang it, why did the others have to give chase?
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Nivalia scans the storefront for anything out of the ordinary. It's the nearby restaurant that catches her eyes as someone's sudden movement draws her there. She approaches the entrance; noting how busy it is, it will certainly be a challenge to find one person.
A waitress approaches her, catching get off guard. "Hello there. Seating for one or are you waiting for more?"
"Waiting for 2 more, actually," Nivalia answers as she still keeps her gaze over the establishment, "in fact,they may have already entered here to use the lavatories. But yea, can we get a booth?" The waitress nods, etching in a seating arrangement as requested. "I have to go myself. I'll be right back." She calmly strolls over to the restrooms, keeping watch for Tinder or Lina.
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Tinder listens to the two fight for a second before the one points towards the door, telling where the thief had gone. She heads out into the restaurant, starting to look through every inch and hiding place.
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Tinder would run into a chaotic restaurant kitchen. “What happened?” snapped an irate looking cook to another, who was standing before a dropped saucepan and a puddle of hot soup. “Some girl in a hoodie ran in and slammed straight into me!” complained the cook. “Go berate her, not me,” he said angrily, motioning to a door out to the restaurant. The two continued arguing as the other cooks kept working, no one noticing Tinder.
Meanwhile, Lina jog-limped through the busy restaurant and out the front door, only to see the girl who had been with Lina’s mark get out of a car. The thief immediately turned around and rushed back into the restaurant, intending on hiding there until the other girl left, and praying she hadn’t been seen.
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Once the last senior gets out of her way, Nivalia presses on after the two. It isn't too difficult, just follow the chaos they left on the busy street. With her luck she does see Tinder rubbing into a nearby alleyway. A couple of right turns later she ends up in front of what she thinks is the right building. Getting into an available parking spot, she gets out of the car and looks around to see where they possibly could've gone.
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Tinder followed close behind Lina, dodging between the cars. It seems this thief knows all the tricks of the trade, but so does Tinder. As she sees the door slam shut she speeds to it, worried that it would be a lock she couldn't pick with what she has. As soon as she sees the handle though she beams with excitement, grabbing a pin from her hair and picking the lock in almost no time at all, before popping open the door and running in to find the thief.
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Lina kept running along the sidewalk, turning down another street, but she knew the chase would be over quickly if she didn’t think fast. In a desperate attempt to lose her pursuer, she suddenly turned and ran straight into a busy street. Brakes screech as cars skid to a stop to avoid hitting Lina. Someone rolled down their window and angrily yelled, “Hey! Watch where you’re going!” The girl ignored them, miraculously making her way across the street without getting hit.
If Tinder dared to follow, she would see Lina duck down another alley and through an open door at the end. Swiftly kicking away the small block of wood propping open the door as she did, it slammed shut behind her. Any pursuer trying to follow her would find the door locked. But upon closer examination, they would find that it was an exceedingly simple lock, the kind with a small hole that could be pick by any pointed object, such a toothpick or bobby pin.
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Tinder chuckles a bit as she sees the thief roll her ankle, knowing it will give her another advantage. As she approaches the fence she climbs over it with ease, she's had to escape from people her fair share of times as well. She smirks and speeds up a bit, running after Lina, wanting her stuff back.
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"Of course when lunchtime rolls around, this happens," Nivalia complains, getting in her jeep and starting it up again. Wheels screeching on the pavement, she backs up and speeds down the road, "They couldn't have gotten too far..." As she rounds a corner, she spots the thief. "Ha, gotcha!" Foot on the pedal, she starts to race towards Lina. She would have her in moments, until... "Oh no! Elderlies!" Slowing to a stop, Nivalia watches helplessly as a line of senior citizens make their way across the street.
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Lina gave a derisive snort at her pursuer's suggestion of giving the bag back. Yeah right... She didn't slow as she quickly glanced over her shoulder. She swore when she saw that the other girl was gaining. Quickly darting down an alley with a chain link fence at the end, Lina tossed the stolen bag's strap over her shoulder and with a burst of speed, leapt up and clung to the fence. Climbing it with practiced ease, she reached the top and jumped over. She had made this climb a hundred times, but for some reason, she landed wrong, on the side of her right foot instead of the sole. She swore again, much more loudly, as she barely kept herself from falling and continued running awkwardly, much slower than before as every footfall caused Lina to wince in pain.
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Tinder quickly turns as her bag is hauled away from her, taking off like a shot after the thief. "No way! You are not getting my stuff!" Her height giving her some extra speed, "There isn't anything in there you want! Just give it back and nothing bad will happen!"
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With Nivalia reaching into her car to get her purse, she doesn't notice the stranger lurking in the background. By the time she realizes what's going on, the thief has struck. "Hey, what the- "
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In the shadow of the nearby building, a hooded figure lurked. The figure peeked around the corner to watch the car pull up and two girls get out. Emerald green eyes zeroed in on the bag, and suddenly Lina sauntered out and casually walked towards the others, as if she intended to pass them. But as she did, she suddenly grabbed Tinder’s bag and attempted to yank it out of girl’s grasp. If successful, Lina was then off and running.
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Tinder chuckles as she realizes what they are doing, "Smart. I never would have thought of that." She hops out of the car as soon as they park, yawning a little as she grabs her bag and starts searching through it for cash.
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"Yea, I don't have it neither." Nivalia replies as she revs up the engine. The two drivers wait for the green light. As soon as it does, the guys car speeds down the road. The jeep however, turns on its right blinker and turns into the next street at the speed limit. "We actually didn't have to go that way. Figured we use that to lose them. Now then, off to food." The two ride down to a small cafe. After she parks, Niv gets out and stretches, "Here we are!"
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Tinder groans a bit as the guys start talking, she should have known. As Niv talks she raises her brow and holds onto the arm rest, "You better be a good driver, I don't have a hundred bucks." She mumbles.
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"Hmm? Are they?" Nivalia says, rolling her window down. "Hey, what's up?" It would be a response she would instantly regret. The two would be bombarded with some of the most uncomfortable pick up lines. She wasn't new to this. In fact, she had just an idea on how to deal with them. "Well boys, how about this? Let's race, 5 blocks. 100 bucks on the line; and if you guys win, you get a bonus." She seals the deal with a playful wink. "Holds on Tinder, things are gonna get interesting."
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Tinder yawns a bit as she listens to her list out the different choices, "Hm, I don't know. It all sounds really good." She glances out the window as the car pulls beside them, "Niv.. those guys are trying to get our attention I think."
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"So what are you craving Tinder?" Nivalia asks as they turn onto another street. "Burritos, burgers, salads? The town is our oyster. Oh! Oysters! Maybe some seafood?" Another car pulls up next to them as she continues lasting food options. It seems to be filled with guys waving to get their attention.
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Tinder leans back her seat and nods a couple times, "It was fun, I'm glad you didn't get eaten by a plant. I could go for some food, haven't eaten in a while."
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Sitting inside, Nivalia starts up the car and buckles up. "We should be set," backing up, the jeep rolls out of the lot and onto the open road, "So that was fun. Well, I am starving. Wanna get a bite to eat?"
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Tinder chuckles and hops into the car as soon as it's unlocked, "Yeah, hopefully this doesn't come back to bite us in the butt. I think we avoided all the cameras though, so we should be good." She grabs her bag and hauls it into her lap, quickly making sure she has all her belongings.
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"Yea. Good call," Niv says as she follows Tinder out. "Now to make our great escape!" The two head around the building, dodging cameras and hurtling over small fences. They finally manage to make it to the parking lot, jeep in sight. "Whew! We made it! I can't believe we made it." She gets to the car and unlocks it.
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Tinder smirks as she unlocks the door, "Perfect.." She grabs all her stuff and stands up, holding the door for Niv and then quickly heading for the car, "Yeah, I'll teach you whenever we have time, but right now we should get out of here."
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Within minutes the lock's tumblers click into place. The alarm remains silent. Success! "Awesome! Your really good at this. You gotta teach me sometime how to do that." She gently pushe the door open to reveal the back of the building. A large field getting them, with the parking lot most likely on the other side of the building. "Alright, let's get going."
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Tinder nods a couple times and chuckles, "Sounds like a plan." She looks back to the lock and focus' on opening it without setting off an alarm.
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Nivalia nods, hopeful that Tinder can get them through. "I'll keep an eye out for anyone. If I think we're spotted, I'll tap your shoulder so we can sneak off or hide."
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Tinder approaches the door and inspected it from every angle, smirking a bit as she takes it all in, "Don't worry, this isn't a hard alarm to bypass." She looks through her kit, picking through all her tools before deciding what she wanted to use and quickly going to picking the lock without activating the alarm. Working quite efficiently, not exactly wanting to get caught for slicing up a plant.
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"Uh... well probably get banned. At the worst, criminal charges for vandalism and trespassing. So let's be sure not to get caught, ok?" The two continue forward, eventually finding a side door worth an exit sign above it. "Oh! There's an exit we can take! Let's go!" Upon further inspection, they would find that it's alarmed if activated.
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Tinder nods and heads for the hall, grabbing a small kit out of her bag and making sure she has everything she needs to pick any lock they come across. "I'll keep an eye out. How much trouble do you think we'll get in if they realise I stabbed the plant?"
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Nivalia nods, "Good idea. I'm sure we can find an exit." Looking around, she finds a hall leading towards the back of the building. "Over there! Let's get going, keep an eye out for an exit door."
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Tinder smiles and puts her knife back into her bag, "It was no trouble at all, I'm just happy you're okay." She glances to the plant and then at Niv, "It might not be the best of ideas to go through the front again, they'll know it was us who broke in and sliced up their plant. If we can find a back door I can unlock it.
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"Yea I... ugh." Nivalia let's out with a disappointed sigh. "I should've seen that coming." She gets up and stays to wipe off any plant fluid. "I'll be smelling live this for a week. Well, it could be worse. I uh... I think I'm all good with excitement and whatnot. Let's... let's head back." Niv pats Tinder on the back, "Thanks."
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Tinder smiles wide as the plant let's go of Niv, falling back with Niv. "There we go. I'm happy that worked..." She stands up and stretches, grabbing her knife from the plant, she wipes it off in her pants and sheathes it again, "you okay?"
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As soon as the knife punctures the stem, the plant immediately let's go of Nivalia. She rolls back onto her friend, her entire top half covered in syrupy mucus. "Oh my goodness that's so weird! Ah is all sticky! Bleh! Smells good though, like mangos or something."
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Tinder yelps as Niv is taken into the plant, she quickly drops her bag and grabs a medium sized sheathed knife from it. "I'm coming!" She hauls off the sheath and runs over, quickly jabbing the knife into the stem of the flower, trying to saw the plant in half. She hopes that if she can cut the top half off from the roots then it will release Niv.
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"Hmm? The plant?" Curious. Nivalia turns around to examine it. "Fauna that is sensitive to light. Seems possible." Leaning in, she pokes the pitcher plant ever so lightly. As if a reflex, the gourd opens its top flap and leans in, nearly engulfing her whole body. "Aahh! Tinder! Help!" Only her legs are visible now as she tries to pull away from its grip.
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Tinder stares at the plant as it starts to wiggle, looking down at the phone for a second then back to Niv, "Are you sure you want another one? It didn't seem to like the flash.."
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"Cheese!" Nivalia smiles as she gives a thumbs up. As her phone flashes with the snapshot, the plant behind her starts to wiggle. "Oh, take another one!"
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Tinder chuckles and takes the phone, taking a couple steps back and getting the camera ready, "Say cheese!"
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"Tell me about it. These look amazing!" Nivalia adds, taking a few photos herself. The two finally end up by a large pitcher plant. Signs of a foreign language are found, although it does signal some kind of warning. The plant itself is nearly as tall and wide as a person. Is colors are the most vibrant and diverse of them all. "Oh, check this one out! Tinder, here take a picture of me with it." She gives her the phone and poses in front of it.
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Tinder smiles and grabs her phone, taking the occasional picture as she looks around, "These are amazing. I could use a little one of these in my room."
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"Now that's what I like to hear." Nivalia grins, following Tinder over the obstacle. Rounding the hallway corner, they would be met with plants so exotic, the two could swear that they were on another planet. "Whoa... I've never seem any plans like these before." Designed to lure in unsuspecting prey, each one had bright, vibrant colors. Some were as tall as them, lined with barbs to smash anything foolish enough to get caught.
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Tinder smirks a bit as Niv brings up this idea of sneaking into somewhere, going places she's not allowed to be is much more her speed. "That sounds like a great idea to me." She glances around and nods before heading for the barrier and going over it, "I can get us into locked doors if we need to."
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With a nod and smile, Nivalia presses forward. The two resume the tour, talking in sights from the desert environments to ones found near the frozen tundra. Although Niv's excitement is toned down a bit, her curiosity certainly isn't. After some time, they come across a barrier for once of the displays. 'Carnivorous Plants' the date lays below shows next week. "Ah dang it. I'd really love to see what they have back there. Hmmm..." She looks around, not seeing any security or cameras around. "So uh, Tinder. Wanna tale an early sneak peek at what's over there?"
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Tinder chuckles a little and stands up, grabbing her phone from her pocket and fixing her bag, "I'm ready to go. Let's go see the rest of this place"
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"Daw, you're just a little treasure, aren't you?" Nivalia reaches over and gives Tinder a light huff before getting up. She stretches, assisting her form firing jeans and tank top. "Well, still got more to check out, ready to go?"
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"Well, I'm glad you feel you can be comfortable around me. And what you were telling me was pretty interesting, I never knew much about this kind of stuff." She glances over at Niv and nods, "People are like that, they like to judge people just by first appearances. I don't like it when people do it to me, so I try not to do it to others."
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"It's nice. Just, to delve into this. Not... not many kids would expect a girl like me to be into this kind of stuff." Nivalia leans back on her seat. "They expect someone like me to be an airhead, to be knowledgeable about just fashion and flirting with guys. But you, you let me be myself. I don't have to worry about how I act."
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Tinder doesn't understand really anything that Niv is saying, but she doesn't say anything, she can see that Niv is having a nice time explaining everything. She takes the occasional picture, any blue or purple plants she seems to gravitate towards to take a few pictures. As they finally sit she smiles at Niv and nods, "It was really nice. Thanks for bringing me."
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Starting the tour, the two begin with a display of common plants and shrubbery. Moray they've probably seen on the way here. But as they keep going, more and more fauna appear as if from another region. Soon, from another state; then, from all over the world. Nivalia is simply in pure bliss, taking her time to read each description. A click right after from her phone catches it for later study. As for Tinder? Well she ends up with an unofficial tour guide. Nivalia speaks volumes on what she already knows about Botany, delving into scientific phrases that most wouldn't understand. After what seems like hours of walking, she finally leads her to a bench and sits down. "Ugh, my legs are killing me. But it's worth seeing all this. I really appreciate you coming along Tinder."
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Tinder takes out her phone and snaps a few pictures of the main area before nodding, "I'm as ready as I can be. I bet this place is going to be beautiful!"
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"Yup, they gotta keep a certain humidity and temperature all year around." Nivalia walks to the front counter. "Hello there. Any new exhibits on display right now?"
"Well our usual displays are showcased. Next week though we're having an exhibit of exotic, carnivorous plants."
"Awesome! Well, I guess we'll settle for the grand tour." Nivalia looks over to Tinder with some excitement. "Ready to go?"
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Tinder nods and makes her way into the building, looking around at the front room with a wide smile on her face, "This is already amazing.." She looks to the woman at the desk and nods at her, "It's even nice and cool around here."
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"Ha! Now that's what I like to hear!" With pep in her step, Nivalia leads Tinder to the front door. "After you, my dear. Thankfully this has free admission." As the two step inside, they would be immediately greeted with a misty breeze of cool air. Lush greenery covets all but a small walkway leading to a front desk. A short, older woman with a sincere smile waves at them.
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Tinder adjusts her seat again and has a look around, smiling a bit as she watching the fields pass by. "Well, this is already nice. I spend most of my time in the city, I don't get to see stuff like this very often anymore.." She stretches a bit and hops out of the car, grabbing her bag and tossing her phone inside it. "Yeah? Well then lets get to it, let's see every plant this place has to offer."
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Nivalia can't help but smile, "Yea, I guess you're right. Thanks." Taking the next exit, they end up on a less traveled road. It's rather scenic; trees and shrubs cover the deluxe housing in between them. After several minutes, green fields open the landscape. The winding road finally leads to a large, rustic looking building with a high glass ceiling. The wooden sign in front reads 'Canterlot Arboretum'. "Well, here we are. Parking in the mostly empty lot, Nivalia gets out and stretches. "Ah, a perfect day to be here. So... this is like a museum, but for plants."
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Tinder looks to where they are turning, not having much of any clue where they are going. "Was born in Manehattan, but got shipped here pretty early on, family stuff. Been living around here for most of my life now... and hey look, you've already made one friend and you've only been here a week."
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The jeep slightly drifts to the left, changing lanes to take the next exit. "No, we just moved here last week. We... actually move around a lot. Last place was Manehattan, before that, Vanhoover." She glances over to her, "Unfortunately, my brother and I can't make many friends with the short time we stay at each school. How about you? Local to these parts?"
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Tinder nods, leaning her seat back so she can lay down, "Sounds good to me, I don't get out of town much so I'm sure whatever this museum is will be nice." She grabs her phone from her bag and checks it to see if she's missed anything, answering a few texts as she speaks, "So, you from around here?"
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With tunes in the background, the jeep coasts along the highway. With the windows down, a warm breeze rushes through the car. Nivalia already has her sunglasses, strands of hair flutter along her forehead. "So Tinder. This may sound a bit nerdy, but I'm taking us to a museum. More specifically, for plants. I know it sounds dumb is just... for research and stuff." The last bit of her sentence sounds offbeat, but she leaves it at that.