New Years At The Ace of Spades

"A New Years party?" Samira's tone was one of mild interest, but only due to the topic of a party at that time of year being brought up in the first place. Seated at a desk filled with many tomes and books, Samira flipped the page of the opened one before her, never looking up or losing focus on her task. It had priority over the conversation that had started.

"Yes. We received an invitation letting us know that it's happening." Amelia Blackbird held out the "invitation" of the party. It was a flier in actuality, one that was given out to anyone that walked the streets of any town. Or in their case somehow placed on the door of their sacred monastery that was hidden from... well practically anyone that was a stranger or enemy. That made it personal in her eyes. "I don't know why," Amelia said in a tone that made it clear that she was disappointed in the futility of whoever took the time and effort to let her people know of the event. They surely had the skill to sneak their way to deliver it without being caught yet it was such a waste. The dark-haired woman made the short walk to Samira while talking further. "Members of our order never attend these festivals or parties of the public. We prefer our own if there is any time or reason to celebrate."

She placed the invitation on top of the page the summoner was reading and left it there. Her intent to block Samira from the book itself to instead read the flier was obvious. It worked, unintentionally at first but then the colorization and details of the flier became more eye-catching. Taking a minute to look it over wouldn't hurt.

"Hm, I have never attended a New Year's party," Samira said, picking up the flier and looking it over much more closely. "I am usually in the middle of something after the Christmas events. I can only take so much time off before I am disciplined for procrastination and laziness, and I cannot have that." That was a joke, of course. Aside from her spirits, there was no one that existed that could discipline her for those two things besides her own self. Although festivals and periods of simple living and peace were something she enjoyed immensely, she had things to do. Not something as routine as an eight-to-five job but still something that had an impact on her self-worth in the world she and others lived in. The war might have received pretty much all the attention and resources but there were other things to be wary of as well. Other dangers didn't just stop because of a war between nations. In fact, it was a prime opportunity for anything else to make its move. She at least would remember that and keep herself focused on other threats. For as long as she was allowed to anyway.

"Well, if you're ever going to go you might as well do so now. There might be no next year to celebrate when it's time for the next one." Amelia could see Samira hesitate and could sense that she was most likely about to decline and keep on with the research. In response to that, she took hold of the book and closed it. "This will still be here when you return," she said while sliding the book under the pit of her arm. "Thayor is also out so he won't be here to comment and if he does return early in his typical sour mood you know I will put him in his place. I always do." A confident smile spread across her face. There were perks to being a leader of an order of hunters and though technically Thayor was one as well she was even higher on that hierarchical totem pole. Stronger too. He would have to hold his tongue if she insisted upon it or face punishment.

"I still need someone to go with besides spirit avatars," Samira stated with an exasperated sigh. She loved her summons. They were more than just tools for her magic or an army at her beck and call. They were her friends and family. But, she was with them constantly. They were always with her so they would end up at the festival as well. They always managed to enjoy themselves even if they brought the whole thing down in the process. The Goddess of Ishgar needed someone else there too to keep her sanity. "I already know you will not go."

"No other available friends or partner?"

"I have very little interest in dating so there is no partner to consider if that is what you meant by that. As for friends... I have a few, I suppose." Maisy and Allen were two that came to mind. If they weren't already busy with work they were likely already attending the festival together. As partners as Amelia had described. Being a third wheel was almost as less a desire as dating. Samira hadn't heard from Leona in quite a while. The last festival they attended together was well over a year ago. Her responsibilities as a guild mistress and her role as a Wizard Saint were likely great. Samira didn't want to bother her. She would just have to contact her another time if only to make sure she was well and catch up a bit. That left Victoria Sheridan, a guildmate and someone that Samira was gaining more friendship points with. Would Victoria want to spend a festival with her again though? That had to be tiring. There might have been other people that the brunette wanted to spend time with for once. Would it be rude of her to just drop in all of a sudden and ask?

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. In the meantime, Aria and I will take over this task so something gets done. It might even be completed. You know how seriously we take our work." Amelia smiled again. Yes, she was serious. She and the other members worked hard and she took pride in that. With nothing else to add, the woman walked out of the room and shut the door behind her, leaving Samira there in the quiet.

'Do you need me to fetch Victoria for you? I am sure that pleasant young girl is free. She always seems to be from our experience. Always seems to be working or staying at that inn. I wonder if her friendship circle is also small.'

"No, Janus. Thank you. I can go there myself and see if she is willing to attend one of the New Years parties." Yes, parties as in more than one. As usual, there were festivals in every town and city. There were probably ones in the wilderness again. It was kind of amazing how well organized it all was to be set up everywhere at the exact same time. Deciding on the location would have to wait though. Firstly she needed to see if Victoria was free to go.

Samira rose from the chair she sat on and used her magical abilities, as well as Janus' power, to open a portal that led to the Red Dragon Inn. Or as some others could call it, Victoria's most likely place to be. Stepping into the magical void, Samira disappeared, having been transported elsewhere. The portal itself then closed and faded, leaving no trace that it had even been there at all.

In the Red Dragon Inn, the other side of that portal burst into existence. Thankfully, it was out of the way and at one of the corners to prevent anyone from being in the way or startling them. Samira came through that portal a second later, the magical essence fading the moment both her feet touched the floor of the inn. That day she wore a different outfit but everything else was still recognizable. Right down to the long teal-colored hair and golden accessories. Most likely the magic signature as well, but she tended to forget about that often. The people within were distracted though, their usual antics and distractions keeping them occupied and mostly oblivious to her presence. That was how she preferred it, honestly.

Samira knew well enough that Victoria normally worked the bar at the inn, so that was where she went. In no particular rush, the summoner took a seat at the bar area and waited. She'd get Victoria's attention soon enough if she was there.

(Word Count: 1427)

-Red Dragon Inn-

Wearing a plain green t-shirt and black skirt with white tennis shoes, Victoria had just finished up her shift at the Red Dragon Inn. She had been called in to help address a manpower shortage that would last until later in the day and she had succeeded in filling the gap. It had been quite a shift... she had made a dizzying array of drinks such as the Pina Colada, Bloody Mary, Dirty Ashtray, Tequila Sunrise, Silver Bullet, and Screwdriver. Now that her shift was over it was time for her to have a drink... in moderation, of course.

Victoria sat on a stool at the opposite end of the bar with a Screwdriver in her right hand. The simple mixed drink of vodka and orange juice was her favorite drink and this one had been made with Albino Gander vodka, which was her favorite vodka. It had been a long time since she had had an alcoholic drink and now was as good a time as any to have one. She had plenty of money saved, so it was not like the brunette was going to risk financial hardship by buying a Screwdriver.

She quickly drank it and pushed the glass to the bartender, then ordered a Cherry Charge soda. As much as she liked alcohol she needed to keep it under control so that she did not fall back into old habits. She had done well to curtail her drinking up to this point and was doing her best not to backslide into always having a drink in hand whenever she could get away with it. Victoria paid for both the Screwdriver and the Cherry Charge and was about to either go into town to check out the festivities or go to her room and maybe tap into her personal vodka stash for a few more drinks when she spotted a familiar face sitting not too far from her.

It was Samira Nassar!

Victoria got up from her seat made her way over to the teal-haired mage, who was wearing an outfit the brunette had never seen her wear before. Samira's outfit made Victoria feel a little shabby, but she had not anticipated the teal-haired mage's arrival and did not wear anything fancy. She also tended to dress plainly because during some jobs her clothing tended to get torn and it was more convenient to wear easily replaced clothing that meant little to her. Pushing the differences between their outfits out of her mind, Victoria spoke to Samira.

"Hey Samira!" Victoria warmly greeted the teal-haired mage. It was strange for the brunette to be standing before the Goddess Of Humility and speaking to her so casually. They were worlds apart in terms of personality and power yet the latter still treated Victoria as an equal and a friend... not that Victoria was complaining. It was nice to have a friend like Samira and she wanted to keep that friendship going for as long as she could.

"How's it going? What brings you here?" Victoria asked Samira a standard question for the sake of conversation followed by an inquiry as to why she was here. Victoria had no problem with Samira being at the Red Dragon Inn... it was just unusual to see the latter in this place.

[Post Word Count: 552]

Samira didn't have to wait long. That always seemed to be the case. Either she was the luckiest person in the world that rarely had to have her patience tested when meeting and finding her friends in crowds or she was an expert at timing without knowing it. The friendly greeting immediately brought a smile to her face as she recognized the voice, the source starting a surge of election to swim through her body. "Victoria! Hello!" Samira greeted, turning in her seat to face her fellow Sabertooth mage. Unlike her friend, Samira didn't even register what the other had been wearing. As long as she wore clothes it didn't really matter. Comparing outfits wasn't something she did unless there was a serious lack of it. Or it was crazy enough to stand out in a very ridiculous way like some of the costumes she had seen back at the Halloween festival the two of them had gone to together. Victoria was not the type to wear either of those things, at least from what the Goddess of Ishgar noticed so far.

"I was looking for you actually," Samira answered the question, following her words by magically materializing the New Years' celebration flier that had been given to her earlier. The decorated paper was held out for Victoria to glance at it and even take in her hands if she so desired. "There are New Years' celebrations being held nearly everywhere there is a town or city. I am sure there is even one set up around here in the Ace of Spades. I admit I came straight to the inn instead of looking around to educate myself of it first, but transportation is no issue if we have to go somewhere else." After all, being a woman that could make portals by using the powers of an avatar god of portals did have its benefits. They could go practically anywhere and be there instantly.

"Would you like to go to one of these parties with me? I know it is a bit sudden to ask but I just found out about these festivities. I will wait for you to do as you must to get ready for it if you like." The latter statement wasn't suggesting that Victoria had to do anything, but only if she felt she had to. Many people, including herself, enjoyed taking showers after long days and before important social events. Outfit changes, fixing of hair, the usual get-ready process many women had in their daily routine and even some men. Samira was a patient woman and could wait for her event partner for once, especially given the spontaneous timing. If the invitation was accepted, of course.

"Unless you have other plans for tonight? It is fine if you do." There was the expectation of being disappointed, but that was life. She wasn't going to guilt trip her new friend into going if she didn't want to or had other plans. The mention that pretty much everyone else she cared to invite was most likely already busy would remain hidden and kept out of the conversation.

(Word Count: 521
Samira Total: 1948
Thread Total: 2500)

Victoria received Samira's greeting and paused for a moment.

It was so weird to be talking to Samira Nassar as an equal.

"You were looking for me?" Victoria blurted out without thinking. She was still not used to having the famous Samira Nassar for a friend and it showed on her voice. The brunette kept her mouth shut to avoid embarrassing herself any further and listened to the teal-haired mage talk to her about the festivities going on. At the end of it all Victoria learned that the Goddess Of Humility was asking her to join her for the one being held in Ace Of Spades.

"O-of course I'll go with you, Samira!" Victoria readily agreed to the offer, probably sounding a little too eager to go to the festival with her. It was not every day that a current Wizard Saint offered to do anything with Victoria and she would take this offer and run with it. Samira was a pretty cool mage who was like an older sister to the brunette, but that was presumptuous of her to think that way. Samira was not related to her and they were not that close, but she could not help but to like the teal-haired mage for how she treated her kindly and tolerated her acting so familiar towards one of the most powerful mages in existence.

Victoria already had an older sister in the form of her biological sister Amy Sheridan, but she did not know Amy very well and the two Sheridans had their own lives. Samira, on the other hand, was part of Sabertooth and was a familiar presence. She knew Samira from awhile back and liked her a lot... in a completely platonic way.

"I don't have any other plans, Samira." Victoria told the mage. That was a partial truth. Victoria's initial plan was to go back to her room in Sabertooth Guild Hall and either get some more Cherry Charge and go on a serious caffeine rush or open her personal stash of vodka and drink something harder than soda for a change. She needed some orange juice to make Screwdrivers, though.

"And I'm ready to go whenever you are, Samira. I can take my drink to go." Victoria told her esteemed companion. Her can of Cherry Charge soda was no obstacle to their plans. It would stay cold for awhile and when she was ready she could drink it in public and no one would bat an eye at the sight. That was one advantage of substituting soda for alcohol.

[Post Word Count: 426]
[Victoria's Word Count: 978]
[Total Word Count: 2,926]

"Wonderful!" Samira was beyond elated. With Victoria accepting the invitation she would not have to go to the celebration with just her collective of trouble-making summons. The disappointment of rejection was also no longer a thing to feel or worry about. That wasn't something she had an issue with really, but it had been a long time since she last had to experience it from someone she considered more than an everyday acquaintance. She wasn't sure how well she would have been able to hide and get over it with her lack of practice. Victoria had given the summoner great relief without likely realizing it.

Samira stood from her seat and started to walk towards the inn's doors that led outside, spinning around mid-walk to face Victoria as she spoke. There was nothing between her and the doorway so she kept going toward it in backward steps. "Since you are ready to go now let us go out and find the town party. There is no time to waste at a time like this." She was saying that in jest, of course. There was no rush. It was a new year's celebration so it'd last until after midnight. They could take their time and enjoy themselves doing whatever, including walking there. Samira could have teleported them both to the heart of the party once she knew where it was but she chose not to disclose that she could just yet. The walk itself was bound to be enjoyable so in her opinion that would have been more of an enjoyable experience.

"You have no issue with walking there, do you?" Samira asked once she left the building just to make sure her party companion wouldn't mind it either. She turned around while keeping the door open with her arm so it wouldn't shut on Victoria when she tried to exit. The town was as it usually was except perhaps a bit livelier. There was a crowd going in a certain direction, possibly toward the celebration. Signs were also on buildings to further confirm the theory. The way there was now known. There was also still quite a bit of daylight left before the sky started to darken. Some time needed to pass before it was dark enough to do some of the activities such as watching the firework show that she had seen mentioned on the flier. "Others are walking so it does not seem to be too far from here."

(Word Count: 411
Samira Total: 2359
Thread Total: 3337)

Victoria was glad that Samira did not consider her overly eager acceptance of the invitation to be creepy. That was not how she meant it to sound. It probably sounded like she had a crush on the teal-haired mage and would do anything to spend time with her, but that was not the case. Victoria really liked Samira and liked spending time around her, but she did not like Samira in the romantic sense. Samira was quite attractive, but the brunette did not like her in that way.

The brunette really needed to leave that train of thought behind before she said something stupid.

She had only had one Screwdriver so far, so she could not blame alcohol if her mouth got her into trouble with the Goddess of Humility.

Samira indicated that she too was ready to go to the festival right away. Victoria was not going to delay the great and mighty Samira if she could help it. She quickly sidelined her thoughts about the teal-haired mage and listened to what the latter had to say. Since there was no life-or-death situation her guildmate proposed that they simply walk to the site of the festival. Victoria had no problem with that.

"Sure, we can walk to the festival if you want." Victoria agreed to the teal-haired mage's travel plan while following the latter. They would not have very far to travel, so walking was a feasible option to get to where they were going and still have time left to participate in activities. Together the pair exited the inn to begin their brief trip.

-Outside the inn-

Victoria hurried through the door that Samira had held open for her and stopped once she was clear. She looked around the immediate area and soon noticed that she and Samira were not the only ones who were interested in attending the festival. There was a steady stream of people walking towards a destination Victoria assumed to be where the festival was and nearby signs put any doubts to rest.

Samira had opined on the travel distance and the brunette looked at her esteemed guildmate before speaking.

"You're right, Samira. It doesn't look to be all that far to go before we get to where we want to go. Not that it matters that much to me. I'd travel any distance if it meant going to a festival with you." Victoria stated to her guildmate. The brunette then realized how weird the last sentence sounded and looked at the ground with a red face. She was pretty sure that Samira would not take kindly to the weirdness and rescind the invitation to the festival on the spot. While Samira was kind and patient her kindness and patience had limits and a sentence like that might push the teal-haired mage's limits.

Victoria would wait and see how her guildmate reacted. Maybe she would be all right and Samira would let the mishap go without holding it against her. She would just have to wait and see what happened.

[Post Word Count: 506]
[Victoria's Word Count: 1,484]
[Total Word Count: 3,843]

The two now had a plan for travel. Victoria had no issue with walking and Samira was glad about it. They could chat and see what decorated the streets on the way. Already she could see what appeared to be shop stalls set up specifically for the party. It would be nice to browse while passing by. The excitement of the planned outing was growing. Until it became awkward before it even got started. That wasn't expected.

Samira froze and tensed up upon hearing Victoria's statement. They were kind words but also the product of a strange combination. They sounded like a cliche taken right out of a romantic book or show. She didn't know what to think. Surely nothing. It was Victoria. It was unlikely that she was interested in her in that way nor did she think that her friend was the romantic sort. Granted she was still getting to know her and the topic of sexuality had never come up, and the fact that Victoria had said those words had already proven that she was wrong. Unless she was completely letting her mouth take over the work of her mind the words had formed the way they had for some reason.

Samira dared to glance over at Victoria, seeing the blush and her looking down at the ground. The embarrassment was clear but whether it was done because Victoria had a secret crush that was no longer secret or if it was a mistake entirely was still to be determined. The Goddess of Ishgar was afraid to question it. Even someone of her status feared things and she did not want to poke around to find out what it was.

If it was a crush she didn't know how to react to that. Victoria wasn't exactly a target of interest. The brunette was certainly a beauty with great qualities that made her the person she was that Samira liked to be around. The issue of her being a woman was also nothing of significance. She had already experienced... Being close to one before. The truth was no one was a target of interest romantically. Samira had sworn off that sort of thing years ago after some traumatic events in her life occurred that she did not desire to repeat. If Victoria's words were just a mistake then that would have just been ultimately embarrassing if she inquired about it further. Jumping to conclusions was a terrible habit to have and one that had consequences that were best avoided.

Clearing her throat, Samira forced a nonjudgmental smile. Thankfully she was great at moving on and pretending nothing was wrong or bothered her. In words anyway. Sometimes her eyes or body gave it away under certain situations, like embarrassment. Her skin was so light-complected that it was difficult to hide any amount of blushing, even the lighter shades of it. Said lighter shades of pink giving her cheeks a splash of color that was not a part of her original look.

"It is a good thing we do not have to go far and put that to the test." She couldn't get mad or annoyed at Victoria. Normally flirtations or words of interest that meant nothing would have been very annoying and turned her cold towards their source as a result. Victoria was a friend though and it was unlike her to say such things to her. It had to have been a case of her overthinking it all. Samira wasn't about to ruin the outing by allowing herself to become cold toward her guildmate. If it had been anyone that wasn't a friend they likely would have been forcibly teleported into a jail cell or the wilderness. She had options.

"Let's get going now." Samira gave a nod towards the streets before moving forward, leaving the inn and making her way to follow the rest of the crowd to the celebration. Now they needed a topic of conversation. Anything to prevent the earlier one from staying on their minds longer than it needed to be. Asking about Victoria's new years' resolution wouldn't amount to anything. They had gone over her goals before so she doubted Victoria had even thought of one or could settle on something beyond what she had already done the previous year. Perhaps the basic openers would suffice. "How have you been since the last time we saw each other? I believe that was around Halloween. Has anything new or exciting developed?"

(Word Count: 747
Samira Total: 3106
Thread Total: 4590)

Victoria stood in awkward silence as she waited for Samira to pass judgment on her. After what seemed like a long while the final judgment was... nothing. Nothing at all. The brunette was surprised to not receive a cutting remark or worse from the teal-haired mage, but she knew that she should count herself very lucky. She did not want to think about what would happen if Samira had chosen to put an end to the brown-haired mage once and for all... the brunette would be lucky if she died quickly.

Victoria should have known to just be quiet and let the subject drop, but she had to say something to Samira now, something to set the record straight and put an end to the speculation before it could get started. What she was going to say next could either clear her or only dig her deeper. She was not renowned for being very smart, so she was going to go through with it.

"Before we go any further... there's something I'd like to say." Victoria told her guildmate. The brunette finally took her eyes off of the ground and looked at Samira even though it was kind of painful to make eye contact.

"I didn't mean anything romantic by that last sentence." Victoria told Samira. The brunette wanted to leave it at that, but if she did she would likely not be convincing enough to back up her assertion. She had to go further. She had to go through with this.

"What I meant was that you're like an older sister to me, Samira. I like you a lot, but not in a romantic way. I like you as just a friend." Victoria told Samira. The teal-haired mage was free to believe or disbelieve that statement... the choice was hers. Victoria had one last thing to say before she had to endure another round of judgment from the Goddess of Humility.

"My last sentence also meant that I like traveling with you, Samira. I don't care whether the festival's right down the street or all the way in Capital Crocus. I like traveling with you, Samira. I like being around you." Victoria finished her explanation... such as it was. She was not sure if Samira would buy it or call her a liar looking to save her own skin, but that was Samira's choice to make. Victoria had said what she intended to say and was going to let her guildmate be the judge of her words.

[Post Word Count: 418]
[Victoria's Word Count: 1,902]
[Total Word Count: 5,008]

Well, curses. The attempt to just let the topic drop and move on had been rendered meaningless. Victoria felt the need to stay on it and explain what she meant by it. As inconvenient as it was, she couldn't be blamed for it. The mistake was quite embarrassing and put a good amount of unplanned awkwardness into the day. Seeing as Victoria didn't move Samira had no choice but to stop walking and turn around to listen.

Samira was relieved by it even if she had preferred to drop that topic. Now she wouldn't have to figure out how to deal with a misplaced crush. She didn't think that the two of them were close enough to consider each other as sisters, but in a way, she felt good that Victoria seemed to counter her own opinion. Good friends were hard to come by. Being considered as an almost sister was even more rare. "You are sweet to say so, Victoria. Thank you for telling me. I enjoy our time together as well." Samira paused, pondering on whether she should say more. At the end of that thought, she chose not to. Unlike Victoria, Samira saw no reason to explain something that didn't need one. Victoria didn't need to know about her being uncomfortable and dislike regarding crushes of the romantic variety, her past that made her that way, or the fact she had speculated Victoria had one. It was too much information for something that no longer mattered.

"Are you fine to continue?" Samira asked to ensure that Victoria could handle being around her so soon after that mistake of words. It must had bothered her more than she had originally thought if the opening to ignore the topic altogether was been ignored. "If you are too bothered we do not have to go and I can leave. I am not so harsh that I would force you to go to a party if you changed your mind. I was not even going to bring what had been said before up but you mentioned it again yourself."

(Word Count: 348
Samira Total: 3454
Thread Total: 5356)

The brunette was glad to hear that Samira's judgment was not nearly as harsh as it had a right to be. Now that Samira had spoken it was time to let the matter drop once and for all... or until the next time Victoria said something really awkward that could be construed as romantic. This had been an awkward way to spend time with the Goddess of Humility, but the misunderstanding had been resolved without the brunette meeting an untimely end. Now was the time to be quiet and let the subject drop while Samira was still patient enough to be lenient.

Eager to move on from the immense awkwardness she had been struggling under for the past several minutes, Victoria eagerly seized the way out she had been handed.

"I'm ready and willing to continue, Samira." Victoria said calmly. Most of the awkwardness was gone now that the teal-haired mage had graciously accepted the explanation, but it would take awhile before the brunette fully moved on from it. A good way to move on would be to actually get to the festival and participate in an activity. Before they got moving there was one last thing to address.

"I appreciate you trying to be kind and letting the matter drop instead of physically or verbally ripping me apart, but I had to set the record straight, Samira. I couldn't let it go like that, not without explaining myself and what I really meant. Now that I've done that I'm ready for us to go to the festival." Victoria replied to Samira's last statement in a calm manner. She had likely pressed her luck as far as it could go before Samira decided to stop being a nice Goddess of Humility and snapped at her. It was time to be quiet and move on while Samira was still gracious enough to interact with her in a friendly manner. Victoria made eye contact with the teal-haired mage and waited for her to lead the way to the festival.

As she waited Victoria was very thankful that her guildmate was so forgiving. The brunette would need to watch what she said in the future and know when to let a matter drop instead of continuing to talk about it. She was glad that Samira had resolved this matter so gracefully instead of taking the chance to humiliate Victoria in public or exact revenge for the faux pas by other means.

[Post Word Count: 408]
[Victoria's Word Count: 2,310]
[Total Word Count: 5,764]

Goodness, gracious. Just what sort of person did Victoria take her to be? One moment she compared her to an older sister and the next she implied that she had expected Samira to physically and verbally assault her. Maybe it had been another poor choice of words but if that was what she had expected and why she felt the need to explain herself then... just what? When did she get that kind of reputation? There was never a time that she had ever done either of those, and she certainly hoped that no one would be given a position of renown such as her own if they were known to go off so easily towards innocent people and over something very trivial at that.

"I was not aware that people had such frightening expectations of me." She wanted to laugh and attempt to turn it into a small jest like she always did. She couldn't, though. The fact Victoria thought that of her, or at least she assumed based on how she worded her concern, was a little offensive. Saddening too. At least she had been thanked for trying to let the matter drop but of course she would have done that. She always tried to make her friends feel comfortable and look over anything that might have embarrassed them. Or try to the best of her ability anyway. Samira sighed disappointingly and turned away from Victoria to lead the way to the town's celebratory event.

The earlier questions she had asked earlier had gone ignored but she felt no need to repeat them. Their time had passed and it wasn't coming back anytime soon. Instead, Samira chose to do a little explaining herself. Nothing of the likes that Victoria expressed, of course. She really was done with that topic. The more significant thing taken from the whole conversation was how she had been viewed and the opinions that came from it. She really did not understand why Victoria always wanted to spend time with her and express it in such a way if she really thought that she was a ticking time bomb that would snap the brunette out of existence at the tiniest of crimes committed against her.

"Remember last spring when you asked if I liked being a mage? I did not give much of an answer. I suppose I should apologize for that since a part of this could have been avoided entirely if you had received more than my passing on it. I still do not have a solid answer. I like and dislike it for many reasons. One dislike has made itself present this day." Samira looked at the crowd around her as she slowly walked along the street. Many were distracted in their merriment and conversations but there were those that fully recognized her. Some stared, others pointed, whispered. None of it seeming to be negative. None approached though. Usually, Samira would just assume they kept to themselves as a form of respect and didn't want to swarm someone that was just there to enjoy the party with a friend. However, what if they were like Victoria and thought they would be smote the moment they entered her personal bubble? She'd never know since she would never ask.

"Being a mage is fine, but climbing the ladder of power and status opens the doors to many complications that had otherwise been locked. The expectations and opinions of others are examples of them. They change greatly. My truest of friends were made when I was nothing more than a weak mage of Lamia Scale. They didn't expect much from me and they certainly did not have to walk on eggshells when speaking to me. I had hoped it would be just as easy to form bonds of friendship now but I might have been a little wrong with that theory. Now is my turn to set the record straight. I want a friend in you, Victoria. Not someone that feels they have to worry about what they say around me or someone that fears me. We are the same. Both Sabertooth mages just trying to live out our days the best we can. The title I have and the power behind it mean nothing in the bonds of friendship so I implore you to look past them and treat me as your equal."

Samira wasn't sure how Victoria would take her words. She didn't mean to sound harsh or disciplinary at all. As much as she could, she kept her tone kind and understanding. It was up to Victoria how she'd take it and if she understood. As it was now, their friendship was not going to work if one was always afraid to be their true self around the other.

(Word Count: 798
Samira Total: 4252
Thread Total: 6562)

Victoria had climbed out of one hole only to jump right into another. She had made the mistake of implying that Samira met every insult with violence and her face turned red again. Victoria decided to just be quiet and let things go. The mood was one of awkward silence... at least on the brunette's end.

"Way to go, Victoria. There goes any more festival invitations from Samira." Victoria thought to herself as she walked. Samira had been nothing but nice to her and now not only had the brunette made an awkward remark that could easily pass for hitting on the teal-haired mage but now she also implied that Samira was someone who had a very low tolerance for insults real or perceived. With the way things were going Victoria might have been better off going to her room in Sabertooth Guild Hall and having her own party. That way the only person she hurt with her stupidity was herself.

For once Victoria let common sense be her guide and kept her mouth shut until Samira spoke to her again. When the Goddess of Humility spoke Victoria listened closely. The brunette was getting an answer to the question she had posed to her guildmate at the spring festival. Victoria kept her mouth shut and listened as Samira gave her answer to that question.

Samira laid all of her cards on the table as she spoke to the brunette about her past and forming friendships with others. Victoria continued to remain silent as the Goddess of Humility stated that she wanted her fame, power, and status to be left out of the equation and expressed a wish for them to interact as equals. Victoria kept a straight face at the last part even as she thought about how challenging that would be.

No matter how much Samira wished for it to be so they would never be truly equals.

Samira was much smarter, more talented with magic, and better educated than Victoria.

Victoria was a former street kid who did not have much of a formal education and had not quite left the street kid lifestyle behind.

Victoria looked Samira in the eyes and put aside her own thoughts for the time being. Samira had told her something deep and personal that she had likely told few other people and Victoria owed it to her guildmate to address the topic at hand and not try to make it about her by going on yet another rambling explanation of what she had intended to say earlier. It was time for the brunette to be completely serious here. Victoria took some time to think before finally speaking.

"OK, Samira. I get what you're saying. I'll try to not let your status and power get between our friendship." Victoria replied in a serious tone of voice. She decided to keep her reply short and sweet to reduce the chances of making yet another mistake by talking for too long and saying something else that hurt Samira's feelings. Right now Victoria would benefit from keeping her words simple and getting to the point whenever she spoke.

[Post Word Count: 522]
[Victoria's Word Count: 2,832]
[Total Word Count: 7,084]

The noise of the crowd around them had gone silent for Samira. They had been tuned out and she could no longer hear them. The only thing she wanted to hear was Victoria's response. If there was one. Having a serious conversation had gone against anything she had foreseen and planned. Now it was probably the most significant one they would ever have.

Samira turned her head, placing her verdant gaze on Victoria's. She could tell there was some thinking going on in the brunette's head but it didn't take a mind reader or facial reading genius to figure that out. Silence and patience were granted while Victoria collected her thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity Samira was gifted a reply. A welcomed one that left her satisfied.

"Thank you. That is all I ask." While she might have not received a definite end to acknowledge the differences between them, Victoria had confirmed that she'd at least try. She sounded so serious that Samira had to believe and trust that she meant every word. That was a reasonable expectation and was enough of a start. Samira's smile was small but returning. Hopefully, that would be the end of serious conversations and unfortunate misunderstandings for one day.

The two were getting closer to the festival and being close meant seeing stands and activities that were set up a bit away from the larger crowds to have space and fewer disruptions. One of those activities was a photo area. A large gold and silver colored shimmering background made of tinsel and ribbons had been set up, propped up by a set of tripods on both ends. A black background was rolled out behind that to hide the parts of the town's surroundings that the shimmering portion did not cover. A "Happy New Year" sign was at the top, decorated as much as the background with balloons also in the mix. There was a line but as soon as Samira caught sight of it she didn't want to move on to anything else. A line was an enemy that she was willing to face.

"Look over there, Victoria," Samira pointed as she spoke, her finger aiming toward the photo station and the happy groups taking pictures. "Let's get our picture taken. Together, of course. It will be the perfect symbol to start the new year as better friends."

(Word Count: 396
Samira Total: 4648
Thread Total: 7480)

Victoria had managed to dig herself out of the second hole her mouth had dug for her thanks to Samira extending an olive branch for the second time. Victoria doubted that she would be so lucky if she managed to dig a third hole for herself, so she had better take this chance. She was thankful that Samira was willing to be so lenient with her.

As the pair closed in on the festival Victoria walked in silence that was much less awkward this time. She was still keeping quiet because she did not want to say something stupid a third time in a row. The pair stopped a short distance away from a brightly decorated area with an unmistakable New Year's theme for taking photographs... Victoria saw it because her guildmate had literally pointed it out to her. Victoria regarded the area as nothing more than a curiosity, but Samira seemed to be irresistibly drawn to it and insisted that the pair get a photograph taken with them standing together. Victoria was willing to go along with that request.

"Sure thing, Samira. We'll get our picture taken together." Victoria agreed to the request. She wanted to add to her response a remark about having the picture taken in the spirit of friendship, but she decided against it just as suddenly as it had come up. Such a remark might come across as passive-aggressive and she did not need to press her luck a third time in the same day. She would just keep quiet and get the picture taken without saying any more than she had to. Keeping her responses so short might cause more problems for her, but right now Victoria was discovering that the shorter she kept her responses the less likely she was to stick her foot in her mouth yet again.

[Post Word Count: 306]
[Victoria's Word Count: 3,138]
[Total Word Count: 7,786]

The day was getting back on track of the original plans. Victoria had agreed to the photo idea so now the two were on the way to putting the previous conversation out of their minds. Or so Samira thought. The tealette had many abilities of her own and that of her spirit avatars but mind reading was not one of them. She couldn't have known that her friend still had some inner conflicts that were holding her back. Since Victoria had agreed there was nothing else stopping Samira from immediately walking toward the photo area.

The summoner took her place in line, where she was given a pen and clipboard with a single piece of paper attached. It was just a simple form that needed to be filled out. Just the name and address of where the photos were to be sent. It was supposed to be a convenience so people wouldn't have to hold onto, and possibly damage or lose, them while they participated in the celebration. That was a good idea in Samira's mind. She filled it out so that her copy would be sent to a home she had back in Hargeon Town. There was nowhere in the Ace of Spades to leave it, unfortunately. Of all the homes she had none of them were located in the hometown of her current guild. Victoria would be handed one as well to fill out if she so chose.

Despite the length of the line when they got there it went fast. Samira and Victoria were next in no time. There was even a trash can for Victoria to toss her can of soda before taking the picture if she wanted. Unless she wanted it in the picture or found somewhere else to put it. Samira, who had still been holding the advertisement flier, did not want to part with the list in case it was needed. She folded it up neatly and put it into a pocket of her outfit.

Then that was that. Once they were up they had a few seconds to strike a pose and smile before the flashing lights of the camera went off. Samira wasn't one to be creative or spontaneous with camera poses. Being in the picture was enough to keep her happy and be considered a fun activity. Her pose was as simplistic as it could be, standing there next to Victoria and facing the camera with a smile. Even if Victoria moved and struck a different pose Samira would keep hers the same.

Once the picture was taken the two were motioned to leave the area to free the backdrop for the next group. A table full of different New Years themed frames was set up for people to browse through and buy for their newly taken photos. Samira stopped there, looking over the selection so it could be delivered and arrive when the picture would. Samira picked up a black frame that had gold and white lettering and decorative images. That one she liked enough to be her choice. Before going over to fill out the form for purchase she looked at Victoria curiously. They were close to the festival now and Samira had already chosen one thing for them to do. Maybe Victoria choosing the next would make things a bit more enjoyable for her guildmate.

"Well that was enjoyable, but I think one picture is enough for one day. Is there anything you would like to do for our next activity?"

(Word Count: 584
Samira Total: 5232
Thread Total: 8370)

Once Victoria agreed to get her picture taken with her famous guildmate things moved quickly from there. After a short wait in line both Victoria and Samira were handed paperwork to do. The brunette read over the paper given to her and learned that she was looking at a form that had only two lines... name and address. The brunette was wary of it until she read it all the way and deduced that it was a form that would facilitate sending the picture that was taken home.

Victoria decided to go along with it and listed the Sheridan Estate's address. She was a bit wary of giving away her home address where her uncle and older sister lived, but in the end she decided to take the risk. She did not want to lug around a picture all day. When it was filled out she turned it in and waited her turn to have her picture taken. While she waited she decided to get rid of her can of soda, dropping it into a conveniently placed trash can not too far from where she was standing.

While she hated to part with her can of Cherry Charge, she could always buy another one.

Once on the stage she opted to do a normal pose just like the teal-haired mage at her side did. Victoria faced the camera with her arms at her sides and smiled for the picture. She had chosen not to make any poses because they might look goofy and she did not want to upset Samira by accidentally making their picture look stupid with a spur-of-the-moment pose. Once the picture was taken both of them quickly made way for someone else to get a photo.

There were still spots in Victoria's eyes when she followed Samira carefully off of the stage and to another area with quite a few tables. Once the brunette could see clearly again she saw Samira carefully examining something... when she walked over to her guildmate she could see that that "something" was a picture frame. Victoria looked at Samira's choice and found it appealing. The brunette did not care too much about the frame and would have grabbed anything halfway decent, but she liked the design that Samira had chosen, so Victoria would go for that one herself.

"What do I want to do next?" Victoria repeated the question Samira had asked her. The brunette thought about it a moment. She really missed her can of Cherry Charge. That gave her an idea.

"I want something to drink. I don't care whether it has alcohol in it or not. Do you want to go look for drinks somewhere?" Victoria asked Samira.

[Post Word Count: 450]
[Victoria's Word Count: 3,588]
[Total Word Count: 8,820]

"Drinks, hm?" Samira gave the idea a quick thought. She wasn't dying of thirst but getting a drink or two wasn't a bad idea. So long as it wasn't another magically spiked punch. As much as she liked taking a risk by drinking them at every other festival she wanted to avoid those tricks that day. Same for alcoholic drinks. Victoria wouldn't be judged by her for drinking one of those but Samira would pass on that option for something else. Maximum sobriety for herself was preferred. That and they never were tempting enough in smell or taste for her to lessen her willpower. Besides, the world was not ready for a drunken Samira Nassar.

"I am sure there are plenty of drinks to be found. I would not mind taking the time to look and grab something for myself. Oh, but nonalcoholic, of course. I am not much of a drinker. There is probably a stand or bar set up that has both in a festive variety." Or so she hoped. Finding nothing but a vending machine would be very boring, and she wasn't in the mood for a basic soda. Trying something new was on her mind.

Samira looked down at the frame she held and noted the number of its identification for the order form. "I just need a little time to fill out the form for this frame. It should not take long." Determined to complete her order, Samira turned away to face the table once more. The golden frame was put back in its place as she smoothly moved further along the table to its end where the stack of order forms and some pens were. A couple of minutes later and it was completely filled out and turned in. The small exchange of jewels included for the price of the frame. That being done, she would stand to the side and wait for Victoria to finish if she had decided to get a frame too.

The music at the festival was getting louder. The party was really getting started. The roar and cheers of the crowd were just as loud. It was reminiscent of the Urban Nights dance party Leona and herself had attended some time ago. There was probably dancing to be had at the current one as well. Not that Samira was interested in that activity. It was just a thought. First things first and that was finding drinks. "Ready to reach the party?" She asked, making sure that Victoria was all set before they went fully focused on the beverage hunt. "Let's try finding something a little more... creative than a vending machine though."

(Word Count: 443
Samira Total: 5675
Thread Total: 9263)

Victoria was not sure if Samira was going to go for the idea of drinks, but the teal-haired mage was interested. She stated up front that she was not going to consume any alcohol, which was probably a good idea for everyone in attendance at the festival. Victoria did not question that choice and focused on what she wanted, which was most likely going to be another alcoholic drink.

She was not sure if she wanted a Vodka Silver Bullet or a Blue Hawaii.

Vodka was her favorite kind of alcohol either by itself or mixed with orange juice to make a Screwdriver, her favorite mixed drink. She was leaning towards the Vodka Silver Bullet to try a new mixed drink with her favorite alcohol. However, she had also entertained the idea of trying a Blue Hawaii for something with a tropical flair. It was a tough call.

If all else failed she could always fall back on tequila, her second-favorite type of alcohol.

"We'll go looking for drinks once you finish what you're doing here. I'm in no rush." Victoria stated to Samira that the former was in no hurry. She had already had a Screwdriver earlier, so her appetite for alcohol had been satisfied. Seeing what Samira was doing reminded Victoria that she needed to actually do some paperwork in order to obtain a picture frame.

"I'll go get a frame myself while you're filling out that form." Victoria informed her guildmate, jumping track for a moment. She hurried over to grab the needed form plus a pen to write with. She then neatly filled out the information required, being careful to stay within the lines and make every letter neat. When that task was finished she handed over the form and was told the cost of the frame, which she paid without hesitation.

Once all of that was finished Victoria turned to Samira.

"I'll be honest with you, Samira. I'm probably gonna get an alcoholic drink and if I do it's gonna be a vodka drink." Victoria told her guildmate up front that she was going to be looking for alcohol. She hoped that that would not be a problem for Samira. If the teal-haired mage voiced any objections Victoria would be willing to drink a non-alcoholic drink in order to avoid trouble with her guildmate. It was not like Victoria really needed the alcohol, but she had told Samira what she was after so that they could resolve any problems now instead of when they found a place to get some drinks.

[Post Word Count: 426]
[Victoria's Word Count: 4,014]
[Total Word Count: 9,689]

"If that is what you want then that is what you should get. I doubt there is a shortage of vodka even here. Though that is a guess on my part. I barely even know what sort of drink that is short of it being a common alcoholic drink." To say Samira's knowledge about the variety of drinks was limited would be an understatement. There had been names she had heard a lot but that was about it. They were all the same to her even if she knew that they were all different in some way. She'd leave that kind of knowledge to those that enjoyed drinks of that nature. It had no place in her mind. As for Victoria's drinking, there wasn't an issue with that. So long as she didn't get completely smashed. Truth be told Samira had never experienced being sober while around a drunken friend. She didn't particularly want that experience either.

Finding drinks wasn't a hard task to accomplish. There were setups everywhere. From restaurants they passed by, to stands, to tables that were normally always found at festivals filled with bowls, cups, and bottles of various punch and beer. Those were passed over in favor of the bar. It was a temporary setup that was meant for the celebration but it might as well have been around forever with how it looked even for being an outside bar. Magic had to have been involved. If Samira didn't know any better she would have thought someone had teleported the bar straight out of a building.

At that thought, she did find it funny that they were right back at a bar scene after having left the red dragon inn not very long ago. They had barely joined the party or done anything and yet the two had circled right back around to a similar setting. Getting a drink was what Victoria wanted to do though so Samira had no choice but to be patient and oblige. It only seemed right after making her suffer through the photo experience.

Samira continued to lead the way, stopping only once she was at the bar. Figuring that Victoria would want to enjoy her drink instead of rushing through it or carrying it around, Samira took a seat on one of the empty barstools. The second time in one day. If there would be a third time she would need to question if that was going to become a new odd occurrence. The seats next to her were empty if Victoria chose to sit as well. People were busy going in to get their drinks and walking off so the bar itself wasn't too crowded when it came to seating.

There was something familiar about the bartender though. For some seconds she narrowed her eyes and observed the man passing out drinks while moving to the beats of the surrounding music. He was even humming loudly. Once the bartender turned toward her she could see the face fully and immediately knew why there was a familiarity. It was one of her summons working the bar. That was a new one. Usually, most of them were up to no good so to see one working was a strange sight. Even stranger that she hardly recognized him but now she could tell that he was hiding his magical presence in order to blend in with the partygoers. He even wore a pair of blue jeans and a black T-Shirt to complete the look instead of his usual "work" attire. "What are you doing here?" She asked him curiously but the suspicion was clear on her face. There better not have been a plan for causing trouble.

"Girlie! Fancy seeing you here at the bar." His head turned to give Victoria a glance and he instantly recognized her. Too bad. Now the woman wouldn't be spared his attention. "Brown Haired Girlie!" The spirit spoke as if he and Victoria were best friends despite her never having met him and the fact he had forgotten her name. Remembering faces came much more easily for him, and that pretty face he couldn't forget. Every spirit connected to Samira knew her memories and thus knew all of the people she had met. Some knew even more than that as they acted like constant guardians and even now saw everything from Samira's eyes and heard everything she did. They knew every thought. That kind of work gave him a headache. His connection was voluntarily inactive most of the time. That allowed him to do what he wanted when there wasn't an emergency and also leave windows of opportunities open to surprise. Like right then.

"You did not answer the question," Samira kindly reminded him, ignoring the fact he had neglected to use their actual names in favor of that nickname.

"Whoops. You're right. Sharp as ever my main girlie is." He aimed a finger gun her way and winked. Proudly, he spread his arms wide to present the bar scene around him. "I'm working the bar! I prefer being in charge of the music but I was a little too late for that. So making drinks it is! Been a while but I think I still got it. Already learned a few new things too." The avatar spirit didn't take his eyes off the two as he spoke. Not even while twirling a bottle in his hand and filling a shot glass that was then pushed to send it sliding down the counter to a party attendee that needed another. "I never thought I'd ever have to ask my summoner and her friends this question but here we are." He tossed the bottle to the side where a golden ring appeared to catch it in mid-air and carefully moved it back to its place on the glass shelves behind that were full of other sorts of drinks and ingredients. "What can I get you two girlies?"

He already knew Samira's distaste for alcohol and thus knew the answer. A different kind of drink had already been planned in his mind and he'd get to preparing that later. Mostly he was curious about Victoria's choice.

(Word Count: 1028
Samira Total: 6703
Thread Total: 10,717)

Victoria could not tell if Samira was disappointed in the former's choice of activity or not, but in the spirit of what had been said earlier the brunette was going to stick by her choice of getting drinks for the next activity. She had already had a Screwdriver earlier in the day, so she did not need to take the drinking overboard. One Vodka Silver Bullet, Blue Hawaii, or tequila-based mixed drink would be enough for her.

Victoria silently walked with Samira until they found a bar that looked clean and had all the equipment necessary to make drinks plus a wide selection of drinks to choose from. It even came with a charming male bartender with orange hair who was chatting them up. This was a nice bar to sit at and order a drink or two. Two at most. No more.

Samira had been more than patient with Victoria, but a drunken Victoria would likely push the teal-haired mage well past her limits.

Victoria happily took a seat at the bar and listened as the bartender first addressed Samira and then addressed Victoria herself. "Brown-Haired Girlie" was the nickname the brunette was given. She did not object to it... brown hair was one of her most prominent physical features, after all. Besides, she had been called worse before.

The brunette listened in silence as the banter between the bartender and Samira continued. After a bit more talking between the two Victoria heard the man boast of his ability to competently sling drinks with the best of them. On any other day the brunette might have been tempted to make him put his money where his mouth was, but on this day she would take his words at face value. She would give him a chance to prove his ability when he made her drink.

It was not long before the question Victoria had been waiting for came up. When it came up the brunette already had a drink choice in mind. It was based on vodka and it was another mixed drink.

"I'd like a Vodka Silver Bullet, please." Victoria answered with confidence. She might have sounded a little too eager for alcohol, but right now she was not going to worry about how she sounded. She was going to do her best not to go back on her word to Samira and start tiptoeing around the teal-haired mage again.

[Post Word Count: 402]
[Victoria's Word Count: 4,416]
[Total Word Count: 11,119]