Reaping Seeds Sown [Private w/ Felix Satou] [Mature]

[Pearl Essence]

Remnant breathed out a cold sigh of autumnal air that blew through the silver-white hair framing the fox's face and across the furred ears poking through her hat. The cold wind gave her goosebumps under her clothes, a dress of dark subdued green with brilliant orange and red flowers patterned into the fabric and long sleeves, and a belt tied around her waist holding a bag with her money and belongings on her hip. The world turned and the seasons came and went with little care for those who wished it to slow down so they could enjoy the summer months. Pearl couldn't find herself disappointed with the passage of time today. While she was a woman who preferred the warmer times of year herself, the cold always too biting thanks to her metal limbs, there was a specific time in Autumn that she always enjoyed, the Harvest Festivals. It didn't matter if she was in Vale, Mistral, or even Vacuo or Atlas there was something to celebrate before Winter came. Each kingdom had their own way to celebrate, but each came as a burst of life before the stillness of Winter.

Children ran to and fro oftentimes trailing behind their parents, but sometimes with their parents trailing behind them trying to keep up with their own youthful energy. She could remember when she'd trail behind her father, in complete awe of the wares that made their way to market in Mantle and Atlas. It was the time of year that she got to eat heartily as a young child, sometimes even being able to have meat, and her father would beam with pride. The memory was always a fond one, even if Vale's festival dwarfed that which she'd seen up north. Farmers of all kinds brought wares from their final harvests in from the Agricultural District, and sold them at lower prices than she'd see otherwise all year. Most of what was sold, while remarkably fresh was what wasn't going to be used in other products or stored for the winter months. Though there were indoor farms these days, she still admired the work and effort the men and women who worked the land performed to keep the kingdoms fed through the colder months. It was a shame so many took them for granted.

While the sound of laughter and festival games teased her ears, they weren't what she was here for. Not today. Another breath of cool air and the scents of street food and the other vendors made her glad she'd accepted Felix's invite. She never missed a Harvest Festival, but she'd been nursing more bruises from training with a huntress and had considered missing the opening days. Felix had sounded as excited as she often felt about the festival and it wasn't hard to guess why. His family were farmers, successful ones at that. For them it was likely as much about community as it was anything else. The difficult part was finding Felix or their stall. Normally she was content to meander from stall to stall, squeezing through the crowds with a bag on her arm filling with whatever purchases caught her eye. It was still tempting to do just that and count of his impeccable luck leading to him spotting her rather than her finding him. Still, she kept an eye out for the musician or his family's stall. She'd rather spend the afternoon wandering with him than not.

[Felix Satou]

Another Fall, another harvest festival. It was Felix' favorite time of year. The farm had always been a blur of activity preparing for their gift to Vale in addition to the normal responsibilities. Fields didn't tend themselves, wine didn't spring up in corked bottles from the ground. Work, hard work, and lots of it was necessary for every festival. The Satous did not have an overly ambitious stall. Their products sold themselves quite well, they didn't need the additional advertising. It was a matter of pride! What farmer wouldn't be here if they had the chance? Granted, the event was not the end all, be all of the farming world. No one was going to break their backs to ensure attendance, but if you had the ability you always did. The Satous never missed a year. Their modest stall was stocked with fine wines and exotic fruits sporting eye popping price tags. Luxury goods were their very lucrative specialty.

Lively farm atmosphere aside, the colors of Fall always stuck with Felix. The ambers and oranges and golds of the trees as they put on a final fireworks display was a dazzling site, slow motion pyrotechnics he'd called it when he was younger. Now he knew a bit more about the natural processes behind it, but the appreciation yet remained. That's why he'd chosen to go to one with Pearl! They'd been sorely in need of something fun to do together after their last, heavy conversation. Emotions and relationships weren't always easy to talk about, but apples and oranges? Fresh squeezed cider? So much simpler. So much more enjoyable. His head was filled with happy thoughts of cinnamon and nutmeg as he spotted his favorite faunus through the semi-crowded streets. The crowd practically parted itself as he picked his way over towards her. He was sporting a much warmer outfit now. A plain black tee with very modern suspenders was covered by a dark blue jacket covered in teal highlights. His cargo pants were just as eccentric. With guitar slung over his shoulder, he would be hard to mistake for a farmer.

"Heyyyyy Pearl," he said with a grin as he found himself by her side. "I'm glad you came. I don't mind coming to these things by myself, but they really are a lot more fun with a friend."

[Pearl Essence]

Subtle and light the wind brought a familiar citrus fragrance to her senses. It was a scent almost drowned out by the smell of fragrant produce, warm cider, and far too much pumpkin spice and nutmeg, but it stood out to her against the scents of fall. Her eyes may have missed him through the people until he was beside her, but her nose didn't. Regardless if it was part of what she was, it sometimes embarrassed her to recognize people by scent, even Felix despite reminding her of her favorite desserts. Maybe when they were done, she could invite him over for dinner? She knew what she'd make. It was the same meal every year around this time.

“Hey Felix.” Her smile reached her eyes as she turned to greet him, a smile that had been absent the last time they'd spent more than a passing meal together. Her hand was raised in a brief wave, the sheen of steel replaced by something more natural in the moment before she lowered it. “I'm glad you invited me. I never miss a festival if I can help it, but I was content to spend today nursing my bruises from this week's training session otherwise. It will be nice to spend some time together.” There were things she was more certain of since their talk, but there were other uncertainties that loomed in the near future, waiting.

[Felix Satou]

His eyes widened slightly at the appearance of Pearl's new prosthetic limb. "Woah, Pearl, that is...really slick looking. I mean, I knew when you mentioned it it was going to look good but that's way better than I thought." He blinked. "Oh, er, and yeah, yes, I've sorta been looking forward to this for a while. Unfortunately, my dear parents weren't able to watch the stall today so if you were hoping to see them here, well..." He shrugged. "It's just one of the farm's sales reps right now. Jolene, I think? Otherwise," his eyes surveyed the myriad of other stalls laid out in the roads of Vale.

"The whole festival is our oyster. Uh, but, no oysters please, I'm actually not the biggest fan of those." They would have no challenge avoiding those, they weren't exactly a fall seasonal item. "Though, I do wonder if we might find a pumpkin spice oyster if we tried hard enough." He certainly hoped that they wouldn't. He'd be inclined to try it, even knowing of his own distaste for oyster. It was too weird of an idea to simply pass on.

[Pearl Essence]

“There's still room for improvement, but it's a nice change from the way they usually look.” There were numerous little details about the dermal covering he might notice throughout the afternoon. The ever so slight difference in the tone of her skin and that of her hands, the fact the short painted nails were painted to hide they were fake and attached after the fact, the lack of fingerprints, or the sensation from touching them was a little off. Would he even have a reason to figure out that last one? He was always so careful that he'd likely stop himself if he thought she'd be uncomfortable.

“Your unsurprising lack of taste aside,” The look she gave him was exaggerated as if she was disappointed in him over something so inconsequential before it gave way to a smile. “I'm actually happy it's just you tonight. It's not that I don't want to properly meet them, but I don't know if I could handle them ribbing either of us about what we are right now.” While it wasn't a subject she wanted to dwell on, it seemed stupid to her to try to avoid saying anything about it. “I'd much rather us just enjoy the festival with each other, maybe pick up some of the things I grab every year, and once we're done for the day I'll show you what I plan to make.”

[Felix Satou]

If there was room for improvement, Felix wasn't going to be able to notice it at a glance. Pearl would spend all day finding the imperfections in it. It would almost never leave her sight and she'd be able to pick apart all the imperfections with enough time, but Felix would only ever be able to see how convincing a simulacrum it was. A brief chuckle passed his lips at Pearl's faux disappointment. He held back the urge to ask her just exactly what they were. They'd figure it out eventually. He didn't need to be prodding her at every opportunity for an answer. She'd asked for time, and time he could give.

"What are you looking for, anyways?" He took a brief glance around to familiarize himself with where they were and whose stalls were near. "I don't know every farmer in Vale, but I know all the best ones. The consistently best ones, anyways. It's not like they never make mistakes, they just make the fewest along with the most good decisions." If it was fresh produce she was looking for, he knew all the best places to get it! Being a former farmer had it's perks.

[Pearl Essence]

“All the best? Now it just sounds like your trying to impress me. I'd be happy to see some of the people you think are the best at what they do though.” There was no list of paper to hand him, the ingredients and the dish too close to her heart to need one. “Don't be too disappointed that what I need isn't extravagant, but I'm hoping to get a sweet yellow onion, a red, two gold potatoes, a handful of baby reds, three peppers, yellow, green, and red, and some spiced sausage if we can find someone selling any.” While it wasn't unusual to find someone hawking meat here, there were far fewer selling those wares. “Oh, and a small jar of apple butter.” It was such a simple meal, and a simpler dessert, but she couldn't bring herself not to make it this time of year.

While she knew the names and faces of the men and women she usually bought these goods from, she truly did want to meet some of the people Felix would personally recommend and was happy to follow him around. Would she see familiar faces, their smiles, maybe even the faces of their children? The people of Vale were truly a fantastic people whenever there was something to celebrate. Even the furred ears on her head seemed to cause her less problems around those times. “I wonder how many times you and I crossed paths here before?”

[Felix Satou]

"Oh, c'mon Pearl, if I was really trying to impress you I think I'd be a bit more melodramatic," he said with a lighthearted grin still on his face. "Even if it's not extravagant, it still makes a difference. I'd say..." He took another glance around the stalls they were at. "Maplewood's Meats, actually, is right over there. They've got all kinds of stuff, raw, smoked, cooked, anything you can imagine they probably have it unless it comes from outside of Vale. They really only do local." He started strolling towards a stall that was about a half block away from the pair. The sign out front was easily visible from where they were. Their name was printed in big, bold letters on a sign that stood a good ten feet above the stall itself. It was hand painted, but the work of a paid artist, stylized in reds and blacks. The stall itself had hanging sausages, a refrigerated case filled with all manner of cuts, as well as sealed and wrapped boxes yet behind it. The smells of sage, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and so many other mouth watering spices wafted out on the breeze.

"Who knows? I imagine at least a few times. I've been coming to these ever since I can remember. I didn't really help out at the stall before I was fourteen or so, my folks were happy to let us wander and enjoy ourselves. Maybe we've bumped into each other before, but how many people do you remember well after such a fleeting interaction?" Felix hardly remembered what he had for breakfast some days! It was likely they'd wandered these streets at the same time many times before they'd actually met, especially if Pearl was a yearly attendee!

[Pearl Essence]

“Of course you would, just like at the music store. Not that it feels like you have to try.” Pearl returned her own smile at his grin, and kept her eyes on him as he looked for a stall. The look on her face became thoughtful. That smile of his came so easily, cutting through any tension as if it didn't exist most of the time. She'd been forced out of her little song and dance of fighting against what she liked about him with an emotional sledgehammer to the knee. Stubborn as she was it wasn't enough to make her fall, but she was forced to realize something good might slip through her fingers if she didn't grab for it. As he took his first step she moved with him, walking beside him trying to piece together what she'd heard while she'd been briefly lost in thought looking at him. He'd said Maplewood's right? That would be perfect.

“I suppose that's a good point. Even knowing on more than one occasion that I picked up wine for Master Eburnean from your family's stall, I can't for the life of me remember if I'd seen you before I heard you playing that day. And it's not like you aren't a memorable person.” She looked him up and down as they walked. Even now he was dressed in things that could hardly be called fall colors, but she didn't mind a little eccentricity. Many of her outfits could only be described as such. “You have a knack for standing out when you want to.”

[Felix Satou]

"And yet I've no fame to speak of. I suppose it takes more than just a few very nice looking outfits to turn into a celebrity," he said, watching Pearl's eyes gloss over his choice of clothing. "Honestly, I didn't really start wearing these colorful looking outfits until my last year at combat school. You've probably seen me before at the stall, I just didn't look quite the same. I'm also in customer service mode. I'm very different behind the counter. I think, at least."

The man at the stall looked like the picture of a butcher. He stood six and a half feet tall with arms as thick as tree trunks and as hairy as the creatures that made their homes in them. He wore a black apron over unassuming clothing, plain brown pants and a modest, white shirt. His head was covered by a hat that bore the same logo that was on the sign above him. A black, thick beard did little to conceal the smile he flashed at the pair as they approached the stall.

"Well, if it isn't Felix!" His voice was loud and boisterous, matching his appearance well. "And you've brought a friend," he said with a polite nod in her direction. "I've seen you around here before but I've never had the pleasure." He spread his arms out wide. "I'm Maplewood. These are my meats. Feel free to browse. Smells are free. If you want to sample anything that's cooked I'm happy to offer. I'll even throw in a ten percent friends and family discount." His jovially expression lingered on his face as he crossed his hands over his chest.

"You know you don't have to do the sales pitch every time I come up here, right?" Felix responded lightheartedly.

"Practice makes perfect," Bill responded with a nod.

[Pearl Essence]

No fame to speak of. Pearl opened her mouth to start to speak but stopped herself, instead just shaking her head with a smile. Fame wasn't his goal, and she knew it. At least, not for his music. Maybe he wanted to be a famous huntsman one day? Fame and infamy were more trouble than they were worth. There were times she wished more people didn't know her name. Maybe that was why it was a small comfort that the man tending the meat stall didn't know her name. The temptation to skip the introduction was strong, but it wouldn't do to be impolite to someone Felix knew.

“It's a good sales pitch, Felix. Pearl Essence, sir, and they smell wonderful. It's nice to meet you. Felix here wanted to show me the stalls of some of the friends of the family.” Would he recognize her name, and if he did why? Would he know it from the other farmers she had done business with or the other side of the coin where her reputation was respected and feared depending on the person? She nodded her head and turned her attention to the the wares on display to avoid seeing a flash of familiarity in his eyes, a quick eye taking note of little details she heartily approved of. Every bit of fresh meat on display was carefully packaged, on ice, and labeled, but there was a specific thing she was looking for and she found it in short order.

“Everything looks fantastic too. Felix was certainly right to recommend your stall. I'm actually looking for something specific. Roughly a pound and a half of pork and lamb sausage, smoked and with enough spice that it would be welcome on a cold night in Atlas.” Even with things labeled well, he'd know his mixture of spices far better and just how much heat something had. “Oh, you don't mind a little bit of heat in a meal do you, Felix?”

[Felix Satou]

"Ah! No wonder you're so familiar. There's a handful of other farmers who always have something nice to say about the short young lady with good taste and a big wallet," he chuckled. "Spiced pork and lamb sausage? That's common enough, if Felix can handle the heat I can get you set up in just a minute," he turned and started to sift through his wares to package up the requested order.

"Please, I've eaten shade peppers whole and survived. A little heat isn't going to kill me if it's coming from your stock." Spicy sausage wasn't going to phase him! "Not that I feel like, uh, repeating that feat. It was an eight hour ordeal I'd rather not go through a second time." He had felt like he'd been dying the entire time the pepper had been going through his system. Why would he want to do that more than once? "Oh, and Pearl, the next place we should stop for the rest of your produce is going to be a block or so away? I think?"

"Old Baltson's?," chimed in Bill as he placed the sausage on a scale in plain view of the pair before beginning to wrap it.

"Yep. I've never had better this time of year. I wouldn't buy produce from him in the summer, he charges an arm and a leg year round, but nobody else has quite the same stringent standards even when harvests are dwindling."

"Stodgy old bastard, yeah, but I've never gotten a moldy strawberry or overripe tomato from his stall."

"That's the idea," Felix said with a nod.

A small bag with a Maplewood logo was placed on top of the counter. "Now, this isn't quite the same as what you might get back in Atlas, but it's got plenty of warmth to it and enough smoky flavor to set off your fire alarm if you hold it too close, heh heh. Next best thing to having someone else to warm you up on a cold night." He smirked at the pair of them.

[Pearl Essence]

So he had heard of her, but the way he described her was far from unflattering. It was true that she tended to carry around more lien than necessary, but her reasons for that were many. Maybe it meant that when she paid it would be less of a surprise when she paid it forward a little. “That certainly sounds like me.” With her worries brushed away, the fox found herself once more enjoying the atmosphere of the Festival. There were a few choice selections of meat that made her mouth water, but she showed restraint sticking to her original request. The meal she meant to make meant too much to change. Her father wouldn't have judged her for a moment for making something different, but it let her feel closer to him.

“I don't mind a bit of a walk. It'll be refreshing. Besides, I kind of want to take my time today.” Almost as refreshing as the banter between the two of them. They couldn't look more different, but they sounded like old friends who had shared a dinner table with each other's families many times over. It was impossible to know the truth without asking, but that sense of community was one of her favorite parts of these festivals. Even the weekend markets could feel similar. The person they talked about sounded familiar to her as well. Likely someone she had bought from in her years of serving Carmine. High quality was far more important that price to him.

Bill's description of the product he'd picked out sounded perfect right until his pitch and the not so subtle smirk brought color to her cheeks like she'd already tasted a sample. The momentary glance she spared towards Felix likely confirmed all the man thought about the two of them. “That sounds wonderful.” The small stack of lien she placed down was unmistakably more than what the sausage would cost. “Since you've heard of me, you know I like to pay it forward. The extra should cover making it a little easier on anyone that seems to need a hand.” She took up the bag with one arm and let it hang from the crook of her elbow. “It's been nice meeting you.”

[Felix Satou]

"Miss, I couldn't possibly-" He started, but Felix waved a hand at him.

"She'll insist. And I'll insist too! Besides, we both know you're an old softie anyways, so it'll be a good excuse for you to do what you were already going to do."

Bashfully, Maplewood shook his head at the pair of them. "Fine, fine, you win. Just make sure you tell me how dinner goes."

Felix nodded at him before turning towards Pearl and taking her hand that wasn't occupied with a bag. "C'mon, Pearl, this-a-way," and with that they were walking off in the direction Felix had mentioned before. The fall colors were not as noticeable in the downtown area they tread. There were a handful of seasonal trees whose leaves had begun to change, but there were no leaves blowing through town, no piles of the things to speak of. The stalls and the air and the smells would have to suffice as they walked through the sparsely populated festival. "I'm glad we got here when we did. Stroke of luck that it's not busier, and you can't thank me for that."

[Pearl Essence]

“We'll be sure to next time we see you.” Pearl gave the man one more smile and nod before turning to walk with Felix, her shorter stride doing little to hinder her from keeping up with him. “Maybe I can't thank you for there not being much of a crowd, but I can thank you for having my back there. It's a minor thing, but I would have insisted and I'm glad I didn't have to make a show out of it.” Her life was something of a performance in too many ways, even such a simple act as passing on some good fortune. A mask for every occasion helping her to live more easily. There was even one she only wore around him, but regardless of the mask they were all a part of her.

“It's also easier to do when someone's prices are more reasonable. It's more likely someone will show up a little short.” It's also why she was already quite certain she wouldn't be doing the same with Old Baltson. People who were short on lien were already likely to avoid a stall that already had high prices. “Though, I might have done it with Mr. Maplewood regardless just to distract him from me looking too embarrassed. I imagine he's not wrong, but I could feel my ears get warm when he said it.” She'd had a single man or woman at her side dozens of times, even having dinner with some but no one had voiced a thought like that. She always appeared too cold with them.

[Felix Satou]

"You know I've always got your back, Pearl." Did she? Maybe she had her doubts, but had he ever not been there when she'd asked him to be? How often did he let her down? Well...there was that one time...but they were working through that! "Besides, he'd crumble the second you insisted anyways. Bill's a pretty nice guy all around. It wouldn't have been an extravagant show, so, I really only saved you a couple extra sentences of work, heh." He smiled at the mention of her burning ears. Felix had kept it together well enough, too, but Bill had always enjoyed trying to tease him and his sister in whatever way he could.

"Well...he wasn't entirely...wrong though, right? It's probably a lot warmer to have someone else next to you than have a hot bowl of something warming. One stays warm a lot longer, heh." It was also a small comfort to know that Pearl could get flustered by comments like that just as well as he could. This time, though, he'd been expecting it! "I've mostly gotten used to him saying stuff like that. I probably should have warned you he might try and tease us for looking like a couple."

[Pearl Essence]

“You've always been there if I've asked for you to be, and I'm thankful for that. Even in something as minor as convincing a good man to pass on a good deed.” Pearl nodded in agreement. “Maybe I'll find out the truth on which is warmer one day.” It almost sounded like a question. Almost. Maybe she'd imagined some hesitance in what he'd said, something in his voice? The source of tension between them settled into her mind, a creeping sensation that left the back of her neck cold, but the truth was he hadn't let her down then either. The last she'd spoken on it, she'd been hurt and angry and had done little to assuage any guilt he'd felt on the matter. He deserved to know some of what she thought, even if she was still full of uncertainty.

“Felix.” Pearl took a quick step to put herself in front of him and stopped, spinning to face him and causing her hair to sway out behind her. She hooked her fingers into the suspenders he wore and busied herself like she was straightening them out causing the back of her fingers to brush against him, her eyes were focused on the busywork rather than his face. It would seem inconsequential to most, but she hoped that with him knowing how she almost never reached out to touch someone else, that the message would be a little clearer. Her voice was quiet as she spoke. She'd kill for some privacy in the moment, but she wanted it said. “I wanted to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being cold to you recently. I'm sorry if you've felt like it's your fault. I do care about you. In a way that's wholly unfamiliar to me and I don't know how to handle that.”

[Felix Satou]

Wouldn't it be fun to find out together? He wanted to say it out loud, but he'd be a liar if he said that he would be finding out for the first time with Pearl. It wasn't as if his night of fun with Terra had been the experience to rip the bandaid off either! Loathe as his sister was to admit, the pair of them had shared a bed before enough time for both of them to know other people were warm and comfortable. Little children didn't have the same qualms about being close as teenagers or adults. He watched Pearl speak as they walked, stopping suddenly as she stepped in front of him, his eyebrows raising in surprise as she fiddled with his suspenders. His expression softened considerably as she apologized to him. His chest felt light and heavy at the same time listening to her quiet voice. She was so much sweeter than the mask that she wore to school let on. Wasn't everyone? Stars, how many people in her life did she even feel halfway comfortable being vulnerable around? And here she was, twiddling her thumbs over the front of his clothes and trying to reassure him that she still cared.

And it was working quite well. His heart swelled and he could not stop himself from taking a half step forward to wrap his arms around Pearl and nuzzle his forehead between her tall, furry ears, breathing in deep the smell of her shampoo before sighing. "Thank you. I...hide it well, but of course I was worried. I don't think you owed me any kind of apology, I'm just...really glad to know we're still cool." Though, he was starting to think that maybe both of them wanted to be a little more than just 'cool.'

[Pearl Essence]

Felix was warm to the touch. Time and again she'd marveled at the little moments of the growing improvements in her prostheses allowing her to experience the world a little closer to what it was. This time, she let herself marvel not at the fact she could feel, but what she felt. Of course she hoped the progress made would be more accessible in time, but right now she enjoyed a luxury that most didn't know money could buy. Maybe she could sort her thoughts out and then maybe she could work through her other problems. That was if her own secrets didn't kill them both. She needed to tell him, but this wasn't the place. Nor did she think this was the place to be too open about how Felix a weakness she'd made in her own armor. Felix had other plans. He often foiled her own without trying.

Pearl made a sound too much like a yip for her comfort as she found herself enveloped in an embrace. An embrace that made her glad she could hide her face against him. Too bad there weren't any other incredibly short fox-faunus women with long white hair that could make it questionable as to who'd been hugged. Gods, it was easy to forget how tall he was compared to her, but as he'd hugged her, she'd practically been pulled onto her tiptoes, her grip tightening on his suspenders for extra balance. She found herself laughing against his chest at the absurdity of how she'd expected any other result to what she'd said. “I'm anything but cool right now, but yes Felix, we're good.” Maybe she could get used to this eventually?

[Felix Satou]

Felix chuckled back at Pearl, reflecting the same bubbly emotions she was feeling as the blue sparks in the air around him shone at their peak intensity. It wasn't enough to catch most people's attention during the light of day, but Pearl would notice. She'd know what it meant. As if he ever did anything but wear those emotions on his sleeves anyways! It was hard to hide your true feelings when they colored the air around you so easily. He gave her another tight squeeze before loosening up his grip and letting go of her, but not entirely setting her free. His hands cupped her elbows, arms lingering against hers.

"Good. Good's good." His thumbs brushed up and down absentmindedly. "I don't...I'm not going to pretend like I've got all the answers either, Pearl. I'm barely starting my tenure at Beacon and...I'm not that world weary or well traveled or anything. All I really know how to do well is talk. Sort of." He laughed, short and a little nervous. "I care about you too, Pearl. I'm not sure if it's an unfamiliar or familiar kind of way, but...well, er, we don't have to talk about this here and now if you don't want to, but I do care too."

[Pearl Essence]

It wasn't often that her own laughter seemed to be contagious to anyone, let alone Felix. It was a pleasant surprise accompanied by the smallest flicker of blue out of the corner of her eyes. She'd have missed it entirely if she wasn't looking for it, hoping that his semblance would make it clear whether he was in high spirits. Luck, good or bad mattered far less to her than what those sparks of light meant for his mood. This time when he squeezed her in his arms, she didn't sound quite so delicate or surprised, instead just giving his chest a light tap of her forehead before he released her from his embrace.

“Felix, I don't expect you to have all the answers. I most certainly don't.” She released his suspenders from her grip, but didn't step away from him. His thumbs brushing against her arms was calming. A tender way to soothe her frayed nerves, but she still found herself glancing around them. This wasn't the place, and he still didn't know why she was so hesitant. “We can talk about everything in private, over dinner. If you'd prefer once we grab the last ingredients, we can even cut our day a little shorter and come back out to see the rest of the sights another day.”

[Felix Satou]

"We can both be a little lost together, then," he said with a nod. His hands slide the rest of the way down her arms, giving her fingers a squeeze before he let go of her entirely. The familiar scent of her perfume, the way her all to often stoic-looking face softened when they were close like this, they were becoming more and more familiar to him. They had yet to lose their charm and he hoped they never would.

"It's not like these stalls are going anywhere any time soon." His gaze drifted from stall to stall, noticing the glances from various passersby at their very obvious show of public affection. He could only imagine that they were jealous! "Actually, they are going somewhere soon, but not so soon we have to be in a rush. And the promise of a home made, spicy meal and scintillating conversation are a bit too tempting for me to pass on." Though he had voiced a clear intention to keep on moving, his feet stayed planted on the pavement where they were for a while longer. His focus had come back around to the veritably tiny fox faunus standing so close to him. He was resisting the urge to sweep her up in a bigger hug or put her on his shoulders. Both options seemed to spell certain doom, and yet he hesitated to keep moving towards their goal.

[Pearl Essence]

Lost together? The reassurance was poetic and sweet, the type of thing she'd read in the childish fairy tale romances that she'd taken such a liking to. The type of thing to put a smile on her face despite feeling eyes on them. She still feared that someone would try to use this against them in the future, but it was hard keep quiet. “I should have known you'd try to use my love of fairy tales against me eventually. Well, I guess when the blind leads the blind, you just have to feel things out.” Even with those hopes, it was still hard to imagine herself as what she'd wished growing up. Pearl wasn't the princess to be swept from her feet by a dashing prince, no matter how much she wanted it. She couldn't even claim to be the heroic knight. No, she was the dragon of the tale, her fangs and claws crushing the life out of those who came to slay her or take what was hers, and as sweet as it was, him gently squeezing her fingers as he let go didn't change that.

“Please don't get your hopes too high. The meal is more traditional than fine dining. It's warm and hearty, but not very complex.” Pearl started to turn away until she realized his feet were still in place. One eyebrow rose inquisitively as she looked up at him. He had glanced at the crowd before looking back at her. She hadn't seen any familiar or unfamiliar faces, and he didn't look alarmed, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

[Felix Satou]

"Ah, yes, because the boy who grew up on a farm is going to be disappointed by a hearty, home-cooked meal," Felix said, his words dripping with sweet sarcasm. He wasn't one to rag on others, but that was just too easy to pass up! Had she forgotten his roots so readily? It wasn't likely. Pearl just wanted to keep his expectations in check. His reverie broken, he quickly decided against any hasty shows of affection and started moving in the direction of the stall he'd mentioned earlier, changing the subject to the task at hand.

"Just so you know, Baltson's, uh, just generally rude and suspicious to anyone he doesn't know personally. Well, maybe not rude, but he isn't as warm as Maplewood is. Like stepping from a sauna into a snow drift." He was a little worried that Pearl might mistake his attitude for prejudice, but the man wasn't racist! He was equally stodgy to all-comers. "That said, he might not be so bad to us since he knows me and my folks and if you're with me you're sorta one of us."

[Pearl Essence]

“I just want you to know what to expect. I've got enough surprises for you that you don't need what dinner will be to be included in that.” She shook her head. Of course a farmer wouldn't be disappointed by what she would make, but it wasn't the kind of meal she usually made either. There were no secret ingredients, nothing that had to be shipped from another kingdom, nor anything a home chef couldn't accomplish with a knife, iron skillet, and a spatula. Even all these years later, with all the love in the world for her father, she wouldn't pretend he was a culinary genius, but he did know how to cook with love.

She was glad to be moving again, though she was still curious as to what had given Felix pause. Maybe it was just his warning. “And don't worry, I won't be offended if Mr. Baltson's a little rude or cold. I'm quite used to it really. I'm pretty sure I told you about some of the people I'd had dinner with at Aspen's before our date.” It was funny thinking back on that day. Maybe it was time for another bet to see what kind of changes the winds of fate would bring their way, or maybe it was time to quit thinking about games and bets and just share what she was afraid of sharing.

[Felix Satou]

Felix nodded, but he had to bite his tongue. He didn't like the fact that Pearl was so used to people treating her coldly. The mask she wore certainly made it easier for other people to turn away from her, and it was her own choice to act that way, but the person she was hiding from the public was so sweet. He could still remember her teary eyed face bawling into his chest, but he wasn't going to bring that up now. They'd made it to Baltson's place. The setup was far less refined than their previous stop. The tables were all folding, the produce was packed in crates and boxes of myriad sizes. They could have scoured the whole place and not found two that were exactly alike. The signs were all hand written and the only person tending the stall was the epitome of the word 'farmer.' Baltson, for surely no other farmer in the entire market could fit the definition of stodgy so well as the man they were looking at, sat on an empty milk crate behind an ancient looking register. His weathered face was covered with a salt and pepper five o'clock shadow as well as a look that let everyone know that he was watching them. His gaze lingered on Pearl for a few seconds before turning to Felix and then, almost imperceptibly, it softened.

"Didn't reckon I'd be seein' you comin' 'round so early, Felix." He said with all the warmth of a blizzard. "Who's she?" His tone was flat.

"Charming as ever," Felix said with a grin. Baltson rolled his eyes but the corner of one side of his mouth barely started to turn upwards. "She's a friend of mine from Beacon."

Baltson turned his eyes back towards Pearl and squinted a little harder before looking back at Felix. Felix, unshaken by the silence, put a hand on Pearl's shoulder. "Her name's Pearl, and she just so happens to be two years my senior at the academy," Felix clarified further. This seemed to put the old man at some kind of ease as he adjusted his position on the crate.

"Well, I'd be a poor farmer if I didn't feed the people keeping my home from being run over by grim. Have a look around," he said, waving a hand towards his wares.

[Pearl Essence]

There was something charming about the humble way old Balston's stall was set up. There were no frills, or well-made designs to catch the eye. It didn't look nearly as sharp as Maplewood's stand, but she found no fault in it or the man seated on a milk crate. How many times had her own father come home to take a seat on just that? He hadn't needed more, and Balston didn't either. Her eyes weren't sharp as she looked him over, only taking in a passing glance of details. There was something familiar about him. If she was too discerning what little warmth Felix's introduction had earned would be wasted. Still, he looked the part of a hard working man, and she had no qualms about giving him a polite nod out of respect when she'd been introduced. That had stopped her from showing her surprise at Felix's hand being confidently placed on her shoulder.

“It's always nice to meet some friends of Felix and his family. It's no surprise that he works so hard at the academy with the people he's been surrounded by.” She glanced up from stony salt and peppered face to Felix's before turning her attention to a search for what she needed. As humble as the design of the stall was, the quality of the produce spoke volumes. Everything in sight was fresh, with great color. Nothing that even hinted at questionable. Normally she'd feel compelled to double check the quality, a gentle press of her thumb, or turning the products over in her hand, but it felt like it would be a slap to the face of the man sitting in front of her. She had little trouble picking out what she needed, a satisfied look on her face thanks to knowing this would be the last stop for today. With her wallet in hand, she was already tallying up the written prices in her head and thumbing through her lien so she could pay.

[Felix Satou]

"We raise 'em right," the old man said with a nod.

Felix rolled his eyes at him. "You chased me off your property with a shotgun once, you know."

"You were trespassin'. Besides, I wasn't ever gon' shoot'cha. Just wanted to give you kids a scare," he said with a dark chuckle.

Felix exhaled an amused breath through his nostrils. His parents had given Baltson an earful about that, but he'd gotten one too for sneaking onto someone else's property. "No harm done, I guess," he said with a dismissive shrug as Pearl approached the register with her choices. The numbers were already punched in before she'd set down her haul. Felix narrowed his eyes at the price tag, but didn't say a word. The price of quality, he'd say. When Baltson started to bag up her purchase for her Felix couldn't keep quiet. "Hah! I think I've seen you bag groceries for all of five people in my life. You don't even do that for me!"

"You're damn right I don't. Farmer's son not bagging his own produce? Don't be ridiculous. But I'll bag groceries for a huntress any day." And he offered no other explanation but that.

[Pearl Essence]

She couldn't help chiming in with a touch of mirth to her voice. “A shotgun? That's a better welcome than you'd have had on my property.” The vixen was coming to understand old Balston quite well. The cold was an outer shell of stone that the man wore as easily as his skin, but there was no malice or unkindness in the man. While Pearl didn't hand over a single lien more than the price, she didn't make that choice out of worry that it would be taken for himself. Nor did she protest him bagging up her purchase for her before she took it from him. No, he was a prideful man and likely more stubborn than she was, an accomplishment in its own right, and this was his way of saying thanks to someone who'd be a huntress one day. “Thank you kindly, Mr. Balston. I appreciate it.” She half-expected to hear a reprimand for calling him mister, an apology ready on her tongue if her did.

“I'm pretty sure that's everything I needed Felix, so, once you're done catching up, I'll lead us to where I parked and I'll drive us back to Beacon.” Pearl took the initiative and reached up to grab his hand and give it a careful squeeze before letting go. Somewhere in her heart, she actually wanted to drive him home, to let down the walls a little more and show him the place she had called home since she had come to Vale. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that. There was so much she was unsure of when it came to the hand Fate had recently dealt her. There was no easy path to pick out. Maybe she was just fooling herself.

[Felix Satou]

Baltson chuckled darkly. "See, Felix? What did I tell you?"

"Fine, fine, I can tell when I'm outnumbered," Felix said shaking his head at the both of them. "And don't worry Pearl, I couldn't possibly spend another second here in this geezer's company. I'll be seeing more than enough of him during our holiday breaks."

Baltson waved Felix off with one hand. "The feeling's mutual, sonny boy. Now get on outta here if you're not gonna buy anything else."

Felix was about to raise his hand to give him a casual wave goodbye when it got caught in Pearl's grip. He smiled down at her, then gave the ornery farmer a nod before turning back to Pearl. "Lead the way. I'm pretty eager to get back to Beacon and see what all this is going to end up making." His hand squeezed hers back.