Rex looked a bit dubious, as if he didn't think Dianne and Armin could do /anything/ without getting into trouble - however, he let it drop. 'Well, have a nice time, then.'

'So, are we ready to go?' said Armin, clearly eager to be outside.

Dianne: "Yes. Let's go."

{Picking up the food, Dianne walks for the door.}

'C'mon, Esme,' said Armin. 'We're going out.' The dragonet scurried after them, carrying her ball in her jaws.

Once they got outside, Armin quickly climbed into the truck and started the engine.

{ Dianne scoops up Esme and hops into the car with the food.}

Dianne: "It's a nice day out."

'It is,' said Armin as he pulled out onto the road. 'Sunny, not too warm, not too cold...'

He headed off in the direction of the park, hands loose and relaxed on the steering wheel. Esme stretched her neck up to look out the window as the scenery flew by.

{Dianne lifts Esme up so she could see.}

Dianne: "As long as it's not too cold, I'll be happy."

They drove onwards for about twenty minutes, before arriving outside the main gates to the park. Finding a spot to leave the truck, Armin stopped the engine and jumped out.

The park was calm and peaceful today. A few people could be seen wandering about, some walking dogs or having picnics by the lakeside, but it was relatively quiet.

{Dianne gets out, Esme in one arm and food in the other.}

Dianne: "Let's find a nice tree to sit under, away from the dogs."

'There's a patch of trees by the lake that looks pretty quiet...'

As soon as they walked through the gates to the park, Armin shifted into his wolf form and joyfully tore off across the grass, drawing a few surprised - and concerned - glances from the people further away.

Esme was still stubbornly clinging to her toy ball.

{Smiling at Armin, Dianne calmly follows. Arriving at the tree, Dianne puts Esme down and proceeds to lay down a tablecloth.}

Esme started kicking her ball around in the grass. Out of nowhere, Armin dashed over, seized the ball in his jaws and threw it a good twenty feet away, prompting Esme to run after it.

Armin then shifted back to human form and sat down on the grass, beside the tablecloth.

{Dianne sits on the tablecloth, watching Esme closely.}

Dianne: "Careful where you throw the ball. I don't want her to wander too far. Not while most dogs are still bigger than her."

Esme came running back, holding the ball triumphantly. Armin tugged it out of her jaws and threw it again, keeping it away from everyone else. 'I won't go too far. We don't want her setting anyone's dog on fire,' he said jokingly.

{Dianne just smirks at that.}

Dianne: "Yeah, I imagine people wouldn't take kindly to the smell of singed dog fur."

Esme brought the ball back again, this time dropping it in front of Dianne and gazing at her expectantly.

{Smiling, Dianne picks up the ball and tosses it a short way for Esme.}

Esme sped off to chase the ball, slipping a little on a patch of mud before gathering herself. She carried it back, and Armin took it from her. Smirking mischievously, he stood up and placed the ball into the tree branches.

'Just fly up and get it,' he said to Esme, when she gave him a disgruntled stare.

{Dianne watches with interest.}

Dianne: "She's more likely to climb then fly at this point...."

Esme circled round and round the tree, trying to find a way up. Eventually, she sprung at the branch, using her wings to gain altitude, and then climbed the rest of the way up. Now sitting on the branch, she picked up her ball, but didn't come back down again. Instead, she decided to continue climbing higher.

{Dianne looks up at her, not liking her decision.}

Dianne: "Esme, come down from there. You might fall."

Esme chirped in response and obediently turned around. However, she quickly realised that going down was more intimidating than going up. Balanced on a branch fifteen feet up the tree, she hesitated, ears pressed back.

{Dianne gives a worried look.}

Dianne: "Armin, can you get her, or should I send Barnabas?"

Armin shook his head. 'We don't need /Barnabas.'/

He eyeballed the tree, then grabbed a branch above his head and hauled himself up. Before Esme could fall, he seized her by the neck and carefully passed her down to Dianne.

{Dianne grabs her and gently puts her down.}

Dianne: "Thank you Armin. Now, get down from there."

'I don't know, the view is nice...' said Armin jokingly. He then leapt down from the tree, returning to sit next to the tablecloth. Esme looked completely unapologetic. 'Maybe we should give her some food so she'll stay put...'

Dianne: "Alright."

{Dianne reaches into the food bag and produces a pear. Sitting with it, she beckons Esme over to sit on her lap.}

Esme immediately dropped her ball and padded over to Dianne.

Armin subsided into silence, gazing up at the sky and looking contemplative. The biggest thing on his mind was the hunters, and how they were going to keep everyone safe when they arrived.

{With Esme on her lap, Dianne starts to stroke her.}

Dianne: "Something on your mind, Armin?"

Armin shrugged slightly. 'Probably just what you'd expect... The hunters. What's going to happen when they show up, who they're going to target, how we'll get rid of them... I doubt Paxton's gonna leave us alone even after the bounty is revoked. He seems way too heIIbent for that.'

Dianne: "Yeah....that's a problem. Well, our house is surrounded by centaurs, and Pugna. So, we're pretty safe. Pyhtia has the royal guard crawling all over her so....she should be ok. Jerry's no pushover, neither is Fred. They'll be ok. Ivy.....Would they even want Ivy?"

(I think they might go after her. XD)

Armin squinted contemplatively. '...Well, she /is/ the easiest target out of all of us,' he said. 'And from what I heard, Jerry's waste of space father told Paxton about everyone you're associated with. That /might/ include Ivy, but... I don't know...'

Dianne: "True...But, she does hang around with Jerry....maybe she'll be safe....Do you want her to stay with us? She'll be safe from them, but /I/ might throttle her..."

Armin slowly shook his head. 'We don't really have space for more people, and I doubt that she'd agree to stay with us anyway... Maybe we should text her and suggest that she stays with Jerry from now on. And to stop going out alone. She needs to take this seriously and follow the same precautions as everyone else.'

Dianne: "Good idea. I'll leave that to you."
{She falls silent after that, gazing across the park.}

Armin was quiet for a few minutes, watching the clouds drift across the afternoon sky. Eventually, he spoke up again.

'On a lighter note... There's a nice restaurant not far from my house. Before our expedition, Ivy kept raving about how good it is. It's accepting towards non-humans, too.' He shot Dianne a sideways glance. '...You want to maybe go out to dinner with me tonight? For our last moments of freedom?'

(Ivy after being told to stay with Jerry:
'Rules won't stop me!' *goes out on 5 dates in a week*)

{Dianne returns his side glance, smiling.}

Dianne: "I'd love to. Should I get dressed up for the occasion, or will this do?"

Armin shrugged slightly. 'I don't know. It's a fancy restaurant. Most people will probably be dressed up. So, I might try to find something a bit smarter than a leather jacket and jeans to wear... It's up to you whether you do the same.'

Dianne: "Alright. I might as well put some effort into my appearance for the occasion, even if it's just a different dress. Rex will have to babysit again."

(Paxton: {Shows up to Ivy's date pointing gun.} "Hey there, sweetheart. How about you and I take a little walk.")

'He won't mind.'

Looking pleased with the way things had gone, he lay back on the grass, putting his arms behind his head, and contentedly watched the sky.

{Dianne catches his pleased look and smirks.}

Dianne: "Already looking forward to our date, I see."

Armin smirked back. 'Yeah, it's going to be nice. At least, I hope so. Ivy wouldn't stop telling me how good this restaurant is... Though, I suppose it's not really the restaurant I care about. Just being somewhere with you.'

Dianne: "Being together is really what matters in the end, isn't it? I'm sure we'll have a great time."

{She continues to sit, wathing the people and their dogs go by.}

Armin lapsed into silence, closing his eyes and listening to the sounds of the park. Esme finished eating and started playing with her ball again, though didn't venture too far.

(Should we maybe skip to evening? I don't think there's much left to do here. XD)

(Yeah, lets. To what point should we skip?)

(Early evening, when they're at home and preparing to go out?)

(Sounds like a plan. I must sleep, so you can start.)

(Alrighty, I'll write that in a bit then.)

----

Hours later, after getting home from the park, Armin was in his room, rummaging through the closet for something to wear. Outside, darkness was beginning to fall, blanketing the city in twilight.

He had already asked Rex to watch Esme while they were away, and he had agreed. //Now I just have to find some clothes... that are good enough for the occasion...//

{Dianne was standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror, adjusting her hair. She was wearing a black dress of a fancier construction than the ones she usually wears. It's a bit more form fitting, and it had a zip up back, rather than an open one. Once she was conten with her hair, she walks back into the bedroom and put on a gold, jeweled necklace she had Barnabas retrieve from her bedroom.}

Armin was busy examining something that seemed to be far back inside the closet, with a pensive look on his face. Upon hearing Dianne walk in, he pulled his head out of the closet to look at her. He blinked, then smiled faintly. 'Hey. You look great.'

{Dianne smiles back, adjusting her necklace.}

Dianne: "Thank you. Figured out a getup yet."

Armin leaned back into the closet. 'Not yet,' he said vaguely. 'I don't have a lot of nice outfits... But I'm sure there's something... Just give me a couple of minutes.'

Dianne: "Alright. I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

{Grabbing her purse, she heads downstairs.}

Once Dianne left, Armin returned to examine the outfit at the back of the closet. //Oh, to hell with it. Just this once...// Grabbing it from the closet, he went into the bathroom to change.

Downstairs, Rex was sitting on the couch, reading a book. Esme was playing with her toys on the floor; even though he was reading, Rex appeared to be keeping a careful eye on her.

{Dianne sits opposite of Rex, waiting for Armin to be ready. She says nothing, simply watching Esme play.}

Rex glanced up at Dianne, then returned to his book. 'I'll feed her, shall I?' he said, nodding slightly at Esme. 'You likely won't be back for a while.'

Dianne: "Yes, I'd appreciate that, Rex. I'm not sure how long we'll be out."

Rex nodded absently, focusing on reading.

A few minutes later, Armin came down the stairs. He was wearing a sleek black and white suit, finished with a red tie that matched his eyes. He had shiny black shoes on, instead of his usual white sneakers. His hair looked slightly neater than usual, though he'd clearly given up on trying to tame it. He stopped by the front door, adjusting his tie and waiting for Dianne to join him.

{Seeing Armin appear, Dianne stands and walks up to him. Raising her brows, she smirks with a half surprised, half amused look.}

Dianne: "My, my. Well, hello there, handsome. And here I thought you hated getting dressed up."

Armin grinned. 'Well, it's a special occasion.' He opened the front door, stepping aside for Dianne to exit first. 'And worth it to see your reaction.'

{Dianne walks out the door, smiling pleasantly.}

Dianne: "You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Mr. Alscher. So, what's the restaurant called that we're going to tonight?"

'Hmm... The Lazurite Wharf,' said Armin, taking a moment to remember. 'That's what Ivy said. I've never been there, though I've walked past it once or twice.'

He set off down the darkened street, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. Although the restaurant wasn't far, and the hunters hadn't arrived yet, the dark, quiet streets felt vaguely unsettling.

Dianne: "Sounds lovely."

{Dianne seemed markedly less concerned about the dark, walking along and pleasantly enjoying the calm evening.}

After they walked for a bit and nothing disturbed the calm air, Armin's posture relaxed. He walked alongside Dianne, occasionally tugging on his tie as if it were uncomfortable.

'Kind of nice to go out at night, isn't it?' he remarked. 'It's peaceful.'

Dianne: "Yes, it is. It's a shame we won't be able to do this past tonight. At least, for a while anyway."

'Well, let's tear Paxton's head off as soon as possible so we can go back to doing fun things,' said Armin humorously.

Dianne: "Yeah, lets. The sooner he's gone, the quicker we can really enjoy life together..."

{She chuckles a bit before continuing.}

Dianne: "Barnabas has been back and forth lately. He must be having fun elsewhere in the city."

'He's probably off terrorising random citizens and stealing tarantulas from pet shops. Which suits me just fine. He can do whatever he wants as long as he's not bothering me.'

Dianne: "Yeah....Well, I haven't recieved any angry letters yet, so, that's good..."

'I guess he wouldn't risk getting you into trouble.'

Armin subsided into silence, enjoying the cool night air and lack of traffic. As they turned a corner, a large restaurant building could be seen in the distance. The entrance was flanked by two large evergreen trees, and warm light was spilling out of the front windows. 'The Lazurite Wharf' was written above the doors in illuminated blue letters.

Dianne: "Ah, there we are. Looks cozy."

They approached the restaurant. Inside, it was clean, artfully lit, and full of people wearing formal or semi-formal attire. Most of them were human, but there was a werewolf couple sitting near the front, and a dragonshifter family further away.

'You want to pick somewhere to sit?' said Armin, looking around curiously. 'There's a few empty tables.'

{Dianne looks around at the empty tables.}

Dianne: "Alright..."

{She picks a table close to the center of the room, walking up to it and sitting down.}

Armin followed, still gazing around the room with a mildly awrstruck expression. He sat down opposite her. 'Well, this is interesting. I haven't been to a fancy restaurant in a few decades.'

Dianne: "Really? What were you doing in one all those years ago? I actually haven't been to an upscale restaurant before. Home cooking and fast food was good enough up until this point."

'Well, I did visit a nice restaurant with a group of friends for Christmas one time. But it's not exactly common for me, as a vampire.' He raised his eyebrows. 'You've never been to one? Ever?'

{Dianne gazes thoughtfully towards the ceiling.}

Dianne: "Nope. I've been to royal balls and parties, but not specifically fancy restaurants."

'Hmm.' Armin rested his head on his hand and gazed around the room. 'Is there anything else you've never done, that you want to do? Like, things we could do together?'

Dianne: "Hmmm....I'm sure there are, but nothing comes to mind. I'll just follow your lead, and see where we go."

'Following my lead might not always be the best idea,' he said with amusement. 'We'll end up in trouble. Well, I hope that we can have some exciting adventures as well as more... relaxed stuff.'

Noticing a menu on the table, he picked it up and started idly leafing through it.

Dianne: "Alright, but I'm pretty sure we'll get in trouble regardless of who leads."

{Also noticing the menu, she picks it up and takes a look.}

Noticing them looking over their menus, a waiter approached the table. They were dressed formally, as well.

'Good evening and welcome to the Lazurite Wharf. Would you like to order now, or do you need more time?'

Armin squinted at his menu. '...I'll have the tuna steak. With some red wine.'

Dianne: "I'll have....the lobster....with the baked potato side and the creme brûlée.....with red wine. Thank you."

The waiter noted down their orders, then walked away to the kitchens.

//Hm, Ivy wasn't pranking me when she mentioned this place. It is nice enough.//

Having nothing to do until the food arrived, Armin just rested his head on his hand and gazed across the table at Dianne.

{Dianne's gaze was boredly wandering until it met Armin's. She smiles in response.}

Dianne: "This place does seem nice. The fact that it's hospitable to non-humans is also a good thing. I hope the food is as good as they'd have you believe."

'I'm sure it is. There wouldn't be this many people here if their food was cr.ap. In any case... it's nice to get out while we have the chance to do so without anyone shooting us.'

Dianne: "Yes, I'm glad we got the chance to do this. Tomorrow is probably going to be very boring, having to stay inside and all."

'Well, we could always just go outside, let the hunters find us, and then fight them,' said Armin jokingly. 'Shootout in the shopping district sounds fun, right?'

Dianne: "Yeah, it would be over a lot quicker, but I don't like being shot. And some of us aren't all too bullet resistant. But hey, blowing stuff up would be fun."

{She says, chuckling.}

'Oh, well, we'll get the chance to kill Paxton eventually. You hold him still, and I'll stab him. Then we can get some peace and quiet,' said Armin lightheartedly.

Dianne: "Deal. Then, we can finally be left alone, and get on with life."

{She chuckles before continuing.}

Dianne: "What do you think we should do first once this is all over?"

Armin considered for a moment. 'It would be nice to go to Alexandria, and take Esme with us. You wanted to get a new coat, so maybe it could be the first thing we do.'

A thought entered his mind.

'Hey, whose house are we going to live in once this is over? I'm sure you don't want to abandon your giant house on the plains, but I like my place too.'

Dianne: "Why can't we keep both? You wanted a horse, right? We can keep it at my place and just come back and forth."

(Posting new room, this one is Dying(tm)