UPON VESTIA: CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

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Asher considered his words for a few seconds, glancing around the room as he thought, then looked to Kay again. "I've been thinking over everything that's happened today, and I feel like it would be wrong for me to leave Terra before the androids have been granted their freedom," he said. "I think it might be in the best interests of the children and the androids if I stay on Terra while Vestia goes on to the Imperium." He wished he could have phrased it better, but he just didn't know how. Ugh.

---we--- ---do--- ---not--- ---know--- ---any--- ---different---- swarm pointed out.

---

Luka nodded. "Alright. I should go.. see how drunk people are yes? " She laughed, hey maybe they werent' all moping right?

"Good point," James said. He shook his head, "Maybe someday if I'm feeling really reckless I'll try it, but for now, nah."

~~
"Have fun," Ethan said. He took those books Luka had returned, and went to the desk so he could start scanning them back in.

Swarm chittered ---there--- ---is--- ---wisdom--- ---there--- sometimes avoiding an experience you hadn't had was the wiser course of action, this was true.

---

"thank you." Luka smiled to Ethan, nodded her head and then headed to find the party.

James smiled at Swarm. "Wisdom, huh? That's a new one."

~~
Ethan smiled oddly at Luka, then set to work scanning the books in. Time to go back to reshelving. He was glad to have a bit more work, it meant more excuses to avoid being sociable.

Swarm chittered in amusement. ---there--- ---is--- ---always--- ---time--- ---for--- ---firsts---

James laughed and stuck out his tongue at Swarm. "Someday you'll be asking me for my words of wisdom, I just know it."

flying_purple_monkfish wrote:Armin would happily discuss style with Kale, it was after all a passion of his. Maybe not hair, but hair was part of a whole "look" wasn't it?

Kale was happy to discuss the style wanted and would start working when they had decided on one.

Swarm chittered. ---perhaps--- the humoured him.

---

Luka arrived at the party.

----

Armin would find somewhere to settle low on his legs so that Kale could actually cut his hair. This would probably be a bit awkward given the shape of a vavare, which might also explain why their hairstyles were fairly eccentric and asymetric.

Given the size of a star dragon, this would of been awkward anyway. Kale would find a way though, even if he had to fly around as he worked, even though that wasn't the best way.

Armin was patient and did his best to make this as easy as possible for the dragon.

James looked amused. He saw Luka coming in and waved to her. "Hey Luka!"

In time, Kale was finished and moved to sit on a table, motioning to a mirror. "See how you like it."

Luka waved to James and came over. "hi."

Matt grinned at her and called out "want a drink!?"

Luka looked at the bottles uncertainly. "do.. you have beer?" Yeah she wasn't sure what was in those bottles, or if she trusted the guy to make anything drinkable.

"He always has beers!" Tala called cheerily. She had wandered off to talk to someone else, but apparently overheard. "But his mixed beverages are most satisfactory." Of course, Tala's taste in drinks might be pretty different from Luka's. Tala was odd.

James looked amused.

Luka still looked skeptical.

Matt grinned and found a bottle of beer for Luka. "Here. " He tossed it at her.

Luka wasn't really expecting to have a bottle thrown at her and fumbled to catch it, nearly dropped it and glared at Matt. "you could just HAND IT!" She protested.

Matt laughed "hey, good catch."

Luka muttered something under her breath and opened the bottle, going over to James just so she was far from Matt's trajectory.

kay glanced over and rolled his eyes at his brother.

Matt shrugged. "sorry!"

Tala watched Matt's antics, bemused. Strange humanoids and their ways. Huh.

"Man, who knew alcohol was so dangerous?" James joked to Luka. "Matt's keeping things fun around here though, I kinda respect that."

Luka sipped her drink. "it's not the alchohol, it's the bottles." She told James, shaking her head. "is he always like this?" to be fair she didn't really know Matt that well. Sure he always dragged everyone along to things but usually at parties he was playing music and singing, not bartending.

"True that. Although I do have a feeling that being slightly drunk makes people more likely to throw bottles," James said. "Yeah, he's always a little unpredictable. Fun to spend time with, good to sing and play music with. Plus he's a good janitor. I like him." They hadn't spent a ton of time together, but James considered Matt to definitely be a friend.

Luka looked a little skeptical, but she nodded. She trusted James. "How are you feeling?" She asked. He had to be a bit unhappy about Asher not being here right? and the whole, uprising. Oh... oh maybe she shouldn't have brought it up! "I.. I mean... if you want to talk about it." She added hastily.

James hesitated, not entirely sure what to say. "I'm okay," he said after a moment. It was kind of true, other than the worry that periodically hit him when he thought of his brother, and the fury he felt when he thought about the crap his species was still going through. "Kinda wish I could have stayed with my brother for this, but I mean, we all know I don't have the patience for the job. I'd punch someone important in the face my first day there, and that would be that."

Luka smiled wryly. "Maybe you'll get a chance to do that next time."

James smiled a little at that idea. "Here's hoping, they sure deserve it." Trying to move to a happier topic he asked, "How've things been for you lately? "

Luka smiled softly, glancing out at the stars. "pretty good..." She answered vuagely. "I'm going home..." She didn't sound totally happy about that though.

"That's gotta be weird for you," James said. "I guess you'll be trying to visit your dad and maybe your brothers? They'll be so glad to hear you're okay."

Luka nodded. "i'm not sure how they'll take it all. There is... a lot to explain."

"Yeah, I can imagine," James said. "You're not sure how okay with the whole 'I've been chilling with aliens' thing your family will be, right?"
He smiled a little, "At least they'll be proud of you for helping to defeat the Family, I mean, those jerks were planning to enslave the entire known universe."

Luka shrugged, dipping her head. "yes... something like that."