'Would be nice to go to a different continent. I've been off this one, to get into Aether, but it was pretty brief. That's for another time, though.'

He continued to watch the restaurant with a mild curiosity.

{After a little while, an employee appeared with their food.}

Employee: "Here you are. Enjoy ."

{With a quick thanks, Dianne begins to eat.}

Esme examined her burger, unsure what to do with it. After seeing how other people were eating theirs, she put one paw on top to hold it steady, then began biting off chunks.

Armin dunked a fry in ketchup before eating it. //Hm. Not bad. Not that it tastes of much.//

{Dianne eyes Esme with amusement.}

Dianne: "Yeah, that'll get easier once you have human hands."

Esme tilted her head, looked at Dianne, looked at her paw, then resumed eating.

'Hey, aren't you technically a carnivore?' said Armin, as he picked through his food. 'You eat a lot of stuff that's not meat.'

Dianne: "In human form, I become an omnivore, just like other humans. In dragon form, I'm strictly carnivore. Magic is weird like that."

'No, that makes sense,' said Armin. 'That if you're a human, you'd be able to eat whatever they do. Pretty convenient.'

He paused mid-bite, opened his burger, removed some pickles, and then resumed eating.

{Dianne eyes Armin curiously.}

Dianne: "Not a fan of pickles, I see?"

He wrinkled his nose. 'Those things shouldn't be on burgers. They ruin them.'

Esme, though, seemed to relish the pickles in her burger.

Dianne: "I think it adds a nice saltyness to it. Here, give the pickles to me. I'll eat them for you."

'You're welcome to them.' He took the pickles from his plate and put them on hers instead. 'It's funny; I hated those so much as a human that I guess it carried over.'

Dianne: "Must be a force of habit, then. After all, I doubt you can taste them at all."

{Opening her burger, Dianne puts the pickles in.}

'I can a little. Enough to remember how bad they are.'

He continued eating after making sure there weren't any more pickles. Esme, meanwhile, had devoured her burger and was just finishing the rest of her fries.

{Dianne had just finished her burger and was sipping her shake.}

Dianne: "Hmm...sweet..I like it."

Armin finished about half of his burger, putting the rest aside and picking up his own shake. He watched Esme snapping up her fries while he drank.

{Dianne was watching Esme eat with amusement.}

Dianne: "She sure does like fries. Here, Esme."

{Taking one of her own fries, Dianne puts ketchup on it and offers it to Esme.}

Esme eagerly snapped up the offered fry with a muffled squeak.

Armin leaned back in his seat, folding one leg over the other and lazily sipping his shake. Maybe it was the diversity and tolerance compared to his homeland, but he felt very relaxed here.

{Dianne was quite relaxed as well, simply enjoying being with her two favorite people. Once it seemed that Esme had finished, Dianne drains the last of her shake and looks to Armin.}

Dianne: "Ready to head back?"

'Yep.'

Armin set his empty cup down and stood up. He grabbed Esme and set her on his shoulder.

'Let's get back. Tomorrow, we'll have a full day to explore the place.'

Dianne: "Alright. Yes, tomorrow we'll get our jackets."

{Standing, she follows them to the car.}

Once they were in the car, Armin took Esme off his shoulder and placed her on Dianne's lap. He reversed out of the restaurant grounds and began to head back to the hotel, opening his window to let the cool night air in.

{Dianne surveys the dark streets, watching the people go past while absently petting Esme.}

Dianne: "Such an air of joy here..."

Armin hummed quietly as he approached the Canopy.

'It's gorgeous. If not for the fact that I'm not ready to leave everyone in Vallis behind, I'd consider moving here. Eh, maybe in a decade or two...'

Dianne: "Perhaps so. We will have to see..."

Shortly afterwards, they slowed and parked up outside the Canopy. Armin hopped out of the truck, leaving Dianne to take Esme this time. He stopped as he waited for her, breathing in deep lungfuls of the fresh air.

{Esme in hand, Dianne walks out of the car and up to the room. Once she got inside, she let Esme down, took off her coat and shoes, and flopped on the bed.}

Armin sat on the bed beside her, leaning against the headboard. Finding the remote on the nightstand, he turned the TV on and flipped through channels briefly before settling on a nature documentary, putting the volume on low.

Esme began to explore the hotel room, as she hadn't gotten a good chance to yet.

{Dianne shifted to sit next to Armin.}

Dianne: "Hmm. I should probably change...be more comfortable than this dress..."

'Yeah. Go change, and then we can just relax,' said Armin, leaning back comfortably and putting the remote down.

{Getting up, she gathers her clothes and heads to the bath, emerging minutes later in her sleepwear. She then sits back down on the bed.}

Dianne: "Much better..."

Esme spotted her rubber ball in the corner. Squeaking, she grabbed it and squeezed it between her jaws so it would roll around on its own.

Armin glanced at Dianne. 'Guess I should do that, too...' He got up and disappeared into the bathroom to change, returning shortly afterwards in his sleepwear and settling back down beside her.

{With a tired, but relaxed expression, she begins to doze, watching the documentary in the background.}

Armin lazily watched the TV for a while. As the evening grew late and the documentary ended, Esme started to investigate the vacant bed next to theirs, jumping up and pawing it cautiously.

When Armin noticed Dianne was tiredly dozing, he reached across to poke her. 'Hey, lie down. On your front,' he requested.

{Dianne stirred a bit, then complied.}

Dianne: "Hmm...K...."

Armin turned the TV volume down lower, so it was nothing more than a low hum in the background. He then started to give her an impromptu back rub,
Esme had stretched out along the length of the other bed, seeming to like the extra space.

{Letting out a pur-like growl, Dianne smiled at the feeling, sinking into the bed as the back rub soothed her.}

Dianne: "...Thanks..."

'You're welcome,' he said easily. He continued leisurely rubbing her back, smirking a little at the noise she just made. //Heh, adorable.//

Esme was starting to drift off, after taking up residence on the other bed and almost completely covering it.

{Dianne was asleep in minutes, comfortably settled, a thin smile on her face.}

Armin turned the TV off. The absence of screen light plunged the room into darkness. He then quietly slid under the blankets and lay beside her, glancing at Esme to make sure she was alright, before he settled down to sleep.

(Skip to morning?)

(Yeah, you can go first if you like.)

(I shall.)

............................................

{The next morning, around 8am, Dianne began to stir restlessly. Waking suddenly, she sits bolt upright, blinking and looking around.}

Dianne: //That feeling....that...aura.....I've felt it before....No, it couldn't be....//

Armin stirred when Dianne did. Even though he was very deeply asleep, he opened his eyes when she suddenly sat up, blinking blearily.

'Wha... what's goin' on?' he mumbled, half concerned and half asleep.

{Dianne looked around the room before replying.}

Dianne: "...It's nothing....just an unsettling dream...Let's just go back to sleep..."

{She lies back down, debating whether or not to tell him the real reason why she woke up. She felt a presence in the city. A presence she hadn't felt in a very long time.}

Armin drowsily eyed her for a moment, as if he didn't believe her. However, he wasn't sure if it was worth the effort questioning her this early in the morning. She didn't seem terrified or alarmed, so he assumed it was nothing too worrying.

He yawned quietly and snuggled closer to her, getting himself comfortable. 'You sure?'

Dianne: "Yeah, I'm sure..."

She says, pulling him in. Despite settling back in, she couldn't fall back asleep, wondering who it was she was feeling, or if the person with this aura could feel her as well.}

As Armin couldn't sense what she could, he wasn't sure what to think. But he was too comfortable to dwell on it. Within a few minutes of lying there, he had uncontrollably drifted back to sleep.

{Dianne simply rested with him, waiting for him to wake up naturally. She could feel the general direction the presence was in, and as far as she could tell, it wasn't getting closer.}

It was over an hour before Armin showed signs of waking up again. He stirred a little, unconsciously nuzzling into her shoulder before abruptly opening his eyes.

'Oh... morning,' he said drowsily. '...You're still awake?'

Dianne: "Yeah... I couldn't go back to sleep. Maybe because we went to sleep so early last night."

{She then kissed his forehead, hugging him tightly.}

Dianne: "Sleep well?"

'I seem to have slept well...'

He stifled a yawn, slung an arm across her, and snuggled closer.

'So, what were you dreaming about this morning?' he said casually.

Dianne: "Oh...That I was back during the Shacklestone days...The night of the attack...memories of the screams around me..."

{She really did dream this, but that's not why she woke. The all too familiar aura of another cult member is what really stirred her.}

'Hmm.' Armin was quiet for a moment. 'Well, I guess it could have been worse... Sorry it woke you up, though.'

Dianne: "There's nothing I could have done to prevent dreaming. I'm just glad it wasn't worse."

Armin fell silent, seemingly reassured that she was OK. He cuddled up to her, not wanting to get up yet.

{Dianne snuggles into his shoulder, settling down with him.}

Dianne: "So...when do you want to go shopping?"

'Mhm... We could go right after we get up and eat. Or we could go this evening and try to avoid the rush hour. Whichever you think is best.'

Dianne: "Mmm...Let's go after breakfast...I want to get my new coat."

'Alright.'

With a contented hum, he nuzzled under her jaw, liking the warmth.

'Just give me... a little bit longer... then we'll get up and eat...'

{Dianne tenses a little, squeezing him slightly.}

Dianne: "Alright, just let me know..."

Armin was quiet for a few minutes, breathing slowly and enjoying the atmosphere, still unaware of what had really disturbed Dianne this morning.

'...I'm still not quite sure... What I ever did to gain your trust... Sure, I might've helped save you from Agamidae... But I can't be the only person who's ever helped you in a deadly situation.'

Dianne: "That's true...I have been helped by others...To be honest, even I'm not sure....But, you seemed to care so deeply for my safety, to the point where you'd face down an entire army of hunters just to save me...someone who definitely doesn't deserve such kindness..."

'I'm not sure why I was so driven to save you. I just remember thinking that I was /not/ going to lose another friend... Especially one who I felt such kinship and similarity with... I think even then, I was beginning to feel something for you, but I wasn't fully aware of it yet. All I knew was that I couldn't let the hunters kill you.'

Dianne: "And for that, I am eternally grateful...many times, those who I have been allied with have turned on me...to save themselves when greater threats came after me...out of disgust when learning I was a necromancer...I am overjoyed that you stuck by me, despite all the trouble that followed me..."

'I don't have enough common sense to leave just because of a bit of danger,' he said wryly. 'I don't care if people attack us. I'll fight them, and I'll never leave just because it gets dangerous sometimes. You're lucky that I'm an adrenaline junkie.'

Dianne: "Heh, I guess I am...Probably makes your life interesting...I love you, and I'm happy you're with me."

{She kisses him on the lips, then pulls back and burrows into him.}

'Mhm. Glad to hear that.'

Armin wrapped both arms around her affectionately, closing his eyes.

'Let me know when you want to eat... and I'll force myself to get up...'

Dianne: "Actually, let's get up now...get our day started..."

{She waits to see if Armin will actually get up on his own.}

At that, Armin groaned unenthusiastically, and propped himself up on his elbow.

'What are you planning to do that you need to start so early for?'

Dianne: "It's not early, it's like 11 am."

{She says, sitting up.}

Dianne: "Besides, there's something I need to look into out there."

Armin sighed, heaving himself up into a sitting position and rubbing his eyes.

'Well, at least I slept well last night...'

He climbed out of bed, watched curiously by Esme from the opposite bed.

{Dianne gets up as well, gathering her clothes from her bag. As she was getting dressed, she looks to the east. That presence was getting closer. However, she does her best not to look too alarmed.}

Dianne: //Maybe I ought to tell him...//

Armin went into the bathroom to quickly change, emerging a couple of minutes later. By the time they were both ready, Esme had jumped off the bed and was running around the hotel room, eager to get outside.

'Where are we going to eat?' said Armin curiously, clearly still unaware of what was on her mind.

Dianne: "Oh, we'll find some nice diner. By the way, there's something you should know. A little earlier this morning, I felt something. A presence in this city. You see, every member of the cult I was apart of had a kind of...aura that we could pick up on. I feel that in this city, and there's only one person that could be."

Armin watched her seriously, digesting what she'd just said. Alarm flickered through him when his mind, for some reason, jumped to the wrong conclusion.

//Dolorus? Wait, no, that's stupid. He's supposed to be dead... Who else did she say was in that cult?//

'...Ardens, huh?' he said quietly.

Dianne: "Yup. And, he's getting closer. I haven't seen him in a very long time. I don't think he's dangerous, but I'm not sure why he'd want to see me. I think we'll have to confront him before doing anything else today."

'Alright... yeah, we might want to do that first... And why wouldn't he want to see you? You two used to be friends, right?' //Well... I'm not actually sure what they were, but I'm sure they were on good terms.//

{Dianne rubs the back of her head.}

Dianne: "I guess so...It's just been so long...I suppose we should get out there then..."

{Putting on her coat and scooping up Esme, she heads for the door}

Armin followed her out.

'If you're sure he's coming towards us, we should probably get somewhere quiet. So we won't have to talk to him on a crowded street or anything.'

Dianne: "Yeah, maybe there's a park nearby, or something...}

{She gets into the elevator, pressing the lobby button. Once they reach the lobby and step out, standing in the front entranceway was a man. He had dark hair, a well trimmed beard, and was dressed in a black suit. He was of a short, but well built stature. But, perhaps the most important detail was his eyes. They were black and red, just like Dianne's.}

???: "Delilah?"

Dianne: "...So it is you, Ardens..."

Armin halted beside Dianne, gazing at the man with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. It wasn't the man's eyes that unnerved him; he just wasn't sure what to think. He had been told very little about Ardens. He gently rested his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword just in case.

//So that's him... Not tall, is he? Well-dressed, though,// he mused.

{Arden's eyes flickered towards Armin's blade momentarily.}

Ardens: "You have nothing to fear from me. I simply came to see an old friend."

Dianne: "It is good to see you again, Ardens. Funny we should be in the same city at the same time."

Ardens: "Perhaps this is Lucci's doing. Please, let us sit a while, catch up, if you will."

{He requests, motioning towards the sofas in the lobby.}

Armin removed his hand off his sword hilt. He didn't make a move to sit down until Dianne did.

'Something tells me two thousand years of catch-up might take a while,' he observed.

Esme was sniffing the air in Ardens's direction, curious about this new stranger who smelled of dragon.

{Dianne sits with Esme, looking Ardens over.}

Dianne: "Well, we're not going to recount every little detail. How have you been?"

Ardens: "I've been good. Nice, peaceful exile for the most part. Some hunters caught my scent over the years, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

Dianne: "That's good to hear. Until recently, I've been much less fortunate."

Ardens: "Yes, I've heard things about you over the years. Springland, Antolio, Agamidae."

Armin settled down on the sofa beside Dianne, watching and listening curiously, but not interrupting. //Surprisingly calm and polite reunion for two people who haven't seen each other in over a thousand years,// he thought, slightly amused.

Esme continued to eye Ardens, ears pricked.

Ardens: "So, who are these two?"

Dianne: "This is Armin. He's my boyfriend."

{Ardens gives her and Armin a surprised look.}

Dianne: "Boyfriend? My, my, who are you and what did you do with the real Delilah? Last time I saw you, you brutally murdered anyone trying to court you."

Dianne: "Much has changed since then. Actually, I don't go by Delilah anymore...You can call me Dianne from now on."

Ardens: "Oh...Of course...Armin, my name is Ardens Cornu. It's nice to meet you."

Armin leaned forwards slightly and offered a hand to shake.

'Nice to finally meet you. I'd heard you were a pretty nice guy, so it's good to see you're still around.'

{Ardens shook his hand firmly.}

Ardens: "Really? Is that all she told you about me?"

Dianne: "Don't worry, I just told him the good stuff."

{She says, chuckling. Ardens cracks a small smile.}

Dianne: "Also, this is Esme. She's my daughter. Adopted."

Ardens: "I see. Hello, Esme, it's very nice to meet you."

{He says, putting his hand out for her to smell.}

Armin smirked slightly as he ran through the list of everything he knew about Ardens, which wasn't much. //He was in the cult, he had a wife called Biceras, and he and Dianne used to... well. That's all I know.//

Esme sniffed curiously, bumping her nose against Ardens's hand with a small squeak.

'She doesn't talk,' said Armin. 'But, she's only about six months old.'

Ardens: "Yes, I could tell she's very young. Healthy kid."

Dianne: "Yes. Her tribe was killed by hunters. Armin found her on the Mountain of Frozen Sorrow, and I adopted her from there."

Ardens: "The Mountain of Frozen Sorrow? What were you doing in that hellhole?"

Dianne: "We were visiting Triticum. He set up his tavern up there, per Lucci's request."

Ardens: "Wait, Triticum's back in the mortal world? Why does no one tell me these things?"

(Posting new room)