The Guild Capitol: Chapter Two

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"Now we can find something for kids." Dawn said and moved to look around the place.

Ellie smiled and went to pat Matt's arm, not blowing on the whistle since she knew his ears were one of his senses that actually worked. "We'll find a way to chill with your bro someday, it's on the to-do list, she said."

Matt nodded, smiling softly. "Hey, he's coming to the wedding. He's not getting out of it. "

"Good. I so wanna meet this guy and ask him about the trumpet!" Ellie said. "This wedding's gonna be SO GOOD."

Shane grinned and nodded "Yeah, it will be." He agreed

Matt laughed. "oh man, that... I should demand he brings it and gives us a performance. " He snickered.

"I'd pay to see that. You and him could play together! Like a boy band!" Ellie looked amused by the idea.

Matt laughed harder. "man, we'd be the hottest boy band ever!"

Kasi looked confused. "what is a boy.. band?"

"Boy bands are groups of hot youngish men who play music together to appeal to hormonal teenagers," explained Ellie, "Well usually they sing, not play instruments, but that would work too."

"I can totally sing!" Matt declared. "And dance! The girls will go crazy!"

Kasi looked bewildered. "Singing and dancing attracts a mate?"

Matt cackled. "maybe, I dunno. I don't need to attract one, I already got a super hot fiance. "

"Everyone wants cute guys with talent," Ellie said. "Well, everyone who's attracted to guys likes talented ones," she amended. She looked at Kasi, "What do kalvair look for in a mate?"

Shane just put the cymbals away and moved on to look at another instrument, this one was a violin.

Kasi tilted his head. "Biological compatibility and beneficial familial ties." He replied.

"what?" Matt looked bewildered by that description.

"We have arranged marriages, our parents decide. Usually it is to someone with whom there is a mutually beneficial agreement. They have lands you wish to gain access to, or it is part of a business transaction that will provide great aid to your family. Or they have someone with a skill your community requires. There is always a good reason."

"you don't marry for love then?" Matt asked, he didn't know that much about the Kalvair honestly.

Kasi looked confused. "I do not understand."

"Love, you know, 'I think your body and/or your mind is amazing and I wanna stay with you for the rest of my life because of it'?" Ellie said. "We don't really do arranged marriages out here."

Kasi shook his head. "The matchmakers try to make sure we actually like our partner. It does not always work of course, but a stable community within which to raise offspring is more important than individual desires."

Matt looked at Kasi thoughtfully. More important than running off to go explore the universe? he shook his head slowly and said nothing.

"Huh. Weird." Ellie smiled slightly, "Did you have a mate ever?"

Kasi looked away. "No." He told her. "i am the youngest of my family, I outcast myself before arrangements could be made."

"well I guess upside... you get to meet someone out here and you know... pick your own partner." Matt suggested.

Kasi frowned a little. "I do not wish for a mate, not yet anyway. I am content enough exploring and travelling as I have."

Ellie nodded. "Makes sense. Gotta embrace that freedom for a while before finding someone. Or maybe never find someone at all!"

Bumping these for Fox

Kooshie wrote:"Sounds about right," Ethan agreed. "They're not so bad really, they don't beat you up when they don't agree with you. More prone to getting offended over stupid shit."

Starrnico wrote:

Quinn The Fox wrote:"How many of you really want to protect me Starr? Promise or not, I'm sure many of the crew think less of me for my past. I do not blame them, either."

"I do not know the hearts of the others Merith, all I can say is what I have learned of them, and that is that we count you as friend, even with what you did. It is not like many of us can cast stones anyway. We all have our own crosses to bear  in the pasts we don't speak of." Starr said then paused and looked down. Yeah, she could judge least of all, it had been her job to kill kings before all of this, not exactly morally right, even if it had paid well and she had tried to be on the right side of protests.

(Doesn't seem to work. Least didn't when I tried. Maybe i'm not special enough. )

(ayyy sorry I've been busy. Thanks man)

Sonata chuckled at Ethan's words, "I hate to say it, but I may have to agree with you on that one." She continued walking down the street, the Great Archive's book-like architecture looming over them.

~~~~~~

Merith gave her a sickly, almost maddened smile, "Who cast the biggest stone, though?"

(Life happens, haha. Good to see you again!)

Ethan nodded. "They're okay. Mostly." He looked up at the buildings, then back down at the street again. "I haven't been in a place this huge in years, it's certainly strange to be in a city again," he confided.

Sonata seemed to deflate a little at Ethan's words, as if reminding her of where he came from hurt her herself. "Well, now you can get to see whatever you want. Is there a place you'd like to see?"

Ethan noted her change in attitude and looked at her curiously. "Are you all right?" he asked. You were supposed to ask that when someone acted odd, weren't you? He considered the question, "I'm a bit curious to see all that robot modding stuff they mentioned in the welcome pamphlet," he said after a moment.

Quinn The Fox wrote:(ayyy sorry I've been busy. Thanks man)

Sonata chuckled at Ethan's words, "I hate to say it, but I may have to agree with you on that one." She continued walking down the street, the Great Archive's book-like architecture looming over them.

~~~~~~

Merith gave her a sickly, almost maddened smile, "Who cast the biggest stone, though?"

Starr looked to Merith again then shrugged

"i'll be fine, it's just..." She smiled smally, looking rather embarrassed, "Hearing of your past, it cannot be the most fortunate birth. I do not like handing out pity, though, as I find many people resentful of it."

She nodded, "Perhaps we can talk to a Peacekeeper about it. They seem to be prevalent and tend to stand guard. Contrary to the supposed Eden here, military force seem to be rather strong..."

~~~~~~

Merith said nothing to that, looking away. "You should go enjoy yourself, Starr."

Starr watched him and shook her head a little"I wish you could come out with me." She said quietly

Ethan glanced at Sonata uncertainly for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough," he told her. The people in this universe were so funny about slavery. Not just horrible owners like Kaylr, but the entire institution. He was getting used to that.
"Yes, that sounds like a good plan," he agreed, looking around for the nearest guard. "There aren't that many guards here," he said with a shrug, "Makes me wonder what cities here usually look like."