The Heights of Londo [IC 2: Bolted]

[Comissar]

Leah stows her own bag in one of Ricewine's saddlebags, then gratefully accepts Alyssa's help up onto the pokémon's back. She watches over her shoulder as Alyssa clambers up to join her. "So, uh, I guess back to Parkin's, then..?"

[tgva8889]

Settling into the saddle, Alyssa nods before realizing that isn't really that helpful and says "Yeah. Um, Ricewine, if you don't mind taking us back to Parkin's place, that would be very nice." She pats Ricewine on the side and then puts an arm around Leah's waist to hold herself steady.

[Comissar]

Leah finds herself smiling again as Alyssa held onto her waist, even as her cheeks flushed red. Using just one hand to keep herself steady on Ricewine's back, she laid her other hand on top of Alyssa's. As Ricewine took them back through the streets, she gently squeezed Alyssa's hand. Unable to come up with a conversation topic, she instead just enjoyed the ride back, feeling a fluttering in her chest as she did.

[Hazuki]

Ricewine seems ambivalent to the amount of time the girls took, and begins making his way towards Parkin's home. As he walks them along, they spot Bibi and her Inkay heading down to the beach.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa waves to Bibi and Inkay with her free hand. "Hi Bibi! How's it going?" She pats Ricewine on the side and says, "Do you mind if we stop for a second, Ricewine? These two are our friends."

[Hazuki]

Ricewine slows down as Alyssa instructs, and Bibi pauses mid-stride. The scarred woman turns her eyes to look at Alyssa and Leah atop the Mudsdale, while Ibib does the same, then strides over to them.

"Hello." Bibi greets, in her usual dulled tones. "Mudsdale." She pats Ricewine's muscular neck and earns a pleased grumbling in response. "Where are your little ones?" She looks to the girls.

Ibib gives a waggle of its tentacles.

[Comissar]

Leah gives a small wave to Bibi as she makes her way over. "They're, uh, they're up at the new place we're staying at the moment. Umm, I'd, uh, I'd forgotten Lord Bastille had arranged accommodation for us so, uh, we're just on our way back from picking up our stuff from the, uh, the Health Hole."

[Hazuki]

Bibi nods. "Your foot is injured."

[Comissar]

Leah hesitates, glancing down at her injured foot, then looks sheepishly back up at Bibi with a nod. "Yeah, umm, I slipped down on the beach. Umm, it's, uh, it's not too bad. I'm just trying to keep my weight off it..."

[Hazuki]

Bibi reaches into one of her packs and retrieves a small bundle, which she hands over to Leah. "Salve bandages. It'll heal faster."

[Comissar]

Leah smiles gratefully and reaches over to take the offered bandages, "Umm, thankyou, I'll put them on when, uh, when I get the chance."

[tgva8889]

Noting Leah and Bibi have gotten into conversation, Alyssa waves to Ibib and whispers,"You taking care of her?" She gives a slight knowing nod of her head to Bibi, figuring Ibib will understand.

Alyssa smiles at Leah and Bibi's small interaction, piping in as Leah takes the bandages. "I'll make sure she remembers, don't worry. Oh, the person who we're staying with asked me to paint her portrait, so we're gonna stay for a bit longer in Thundercrag. If you know her, we're staying with Parkin?"

[Hazuki]

The lights on Ibib's helmet briefly hum to life, then disappear at Alyssa's question.

"I know the name." Bibi says.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa notices Ibib's response and turns to Bibi. "Something we should know?"

[Hazuki]

"What?" Bibi asks.

[Comissar]

Leah glances back and forth between Bibi and Alyssa. "Umm, I think, uh, I think Alyssa assumed you, uh, knew something specific about her."

[Hazuki]

"No." Bibi says. "Just the name."

[Comissar]

Leah nods, then frowns as a thought occurs to her. "Umm, how did you, uh, how did you know I'd hurt my foot..?"

[Hazuki]

"I looked." Bibi says. "You hold it different. Edge of bandage by your ankle."

[Comissar]

Leah blinks in surprise, glancing down at her injured foot and tilting her leg to try and spot the edge of the bandage Bibi mentioned. It takes her a moment or two, but she does manage to get the right angle to show the edge of the bandage she'd used. She couldn't tell if she was holding it differently, though. She looks up to Bibi with an impressed expression, "That's, uh, that's really impressive. Umm, I don't think I'd have been able to tell that fast."

[Hazuki]

"You pick it up." The heavily-scarred woman says.

[tgva8889]

Alyssa shrugs. "Oh, well, I guess that's not bad then."

She nods at Bibi's explanation. Though she hadn't noticed too much, thinking about it now she could see Leah moved a bit differently in her memory. "I'm still figuring it out, but makes sense to me." Looking between Bibi and Ibib, she asks, "Where were you two headed? We didn't mean to pull you away from something."

[Hazuki]

"Ser Ramis needs help." Bibi says. "She doesn't know Pokemon like I do. She's paying me for it."

[Comissar]

"The knight who, uh, who wanted to talk to you when we arrived..?" Leah gives Bibi a questioning look, "I didn't think she was, uh, was looking to hire you when she took you to one side..?"

[Hazuki]

"She wasn't." Bibi glances to Leah. "But now she has."

[Comissar]

Leah nods, offering Bibi a smile, "Well, umm, I'm glad you've been able to, uh, to find some work while you're here."

[tgva8889]

Alyssa nods, glancing at Leah before she continues. "I'm glad things have worked out, too! I'd be glad to have your help if I needed it for sure." After a second, she adds, "Oh, where are you staying? Even if we don't end up going together, it'd be nice to see you before either of us leaves."

[Hazuki]

Biby shrugs her muscular shoulders. "Let me stay in the barracks last night. I'll figure it out."

[tgva8889]

Alyssa nods. "I guess you know where we are. Don't go without saying goodbye!" She smiles and points to Ibib. "And you too!"

[Hazuki]

"Okay." Bibi says. "Bye." She turns on her heel and marches down the hill, while Ibib just gives a faint wave of its tentacles.