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[open] Welcome to the home of tradition and progress!

Who: EVERYONE! including Mrs Kaufmann and Rose Bonbright
When: October 11th, starting 6 p.m.
Where: The museum that is attached to the town-hall of Füssen, specifically the Kaisersaal.
What: Mingle and happy welcome!

Through the usual channels, the mayor of Füssen has invited any and all numbered - no matter if they are only visiting for the evening/weekend and actually reside in Locke or Vegas or if they are staying for longer - to attend a little reception at the Kaisersaal in the town museum which is attached to the townhall.

Aka this snazzy room just with the chairs grouped around tables and no stage, though four musicians play quartets on a low podium at the side of the room. It's a very distinguished affair don't screw it up, you can do it, numbered! ~~No, we don't know who believes that, either.~~

Mingle and eat and have fun!

And a note: Drinks are free! But the youngsters will get carded, and alcohol like beer will only be served to 16+ people, while spirits and other higher percentage booze will only be served to 18+ people.

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Who needs something to unwind after narrowly escaping copious death and destruction and the revelation that she's a flying magical girl? That'd be this lady here. Natalie might not be certain at all just what she's going to be doing from now on, but for the time being, food and company was a welcome sight.

Plus, she got to dress up, and it feels like she hasn't had that opportunity in ages. Oh, and she'd never seen Europe, either, so... that was also a benefit.

Really, if nothing else she's trying to focus on the positive because she already realizes this is going to be a calm before the storm, and... after that last monster and what she's regained, she knows she could very well be a part of turning that tide. It's something she's going to try and not focus on for now, and instead zero in on the dessert tray.

Which seems a fine time for Kevin to appear, really, sipping a cup of coffee. Can't drink on the job, and representing two different groups at a function like this most definitely counts as work. Dress shirt, slacks, jacket... he looks painfully formal. But he's here, and that's what counts, right?

"Ms. Tamura... fancy meeting you here. I trust you've had a pleasant trip?"

Natalie perks up from staring at a particular cake, admiring the craftsmanship more than anything else, before she turns and smiles brightly in Kevin's direction. "Ah, Agent Steele! I guess it's about time we met in person, isn't it?"

She gives a slight laugh. "Ah, the transporter is... strange, I guess. But... it felt like the right thing to do. Put our best foot forward, right?"

"Mm, now is as good a time as any. And I have to agree," he adds easily. "This is a good way for us to appear as normal as ever. Even if fancy parties like this aren't exactly my usual scene."

Not that your usual scene is actually interesting, Kevin. Don't mislead her.

"Normal is good, or at least the next best thing resembling it." They hadn't really gotten questioned about how they'd appeared there, for one thing. People just seemed to be taking it for granted, not that Natalie terribly minded that for the time being.

"I can't say it'd usually be mine either. I've been to parties, but nothing quite this fancy. Just... get togethers with friends." Thus, misleading or not, she asks: "What is yours more like, then?"

"Ever since I got caught up in all this, I've lost count of what normal looks like. I've resigned that it's something I might read about in a book, someday." He makes a face, but really, he doesn't mind it so much. Abandoning 'normal' means he can set certain things aside.

"My normal casual activity," he goes on, "involves a cold beer, a comfortable couch, and dossiers and research. Since I transferred to Locke, I haven't had much of a social life."

"Yes, I guess I ... tried to do otherwise for awhile." She gives a sad sort of sigh. "But we're in about the same boat, there."

She's about to go on, nodding politely as he lists things off. Until he hits the last part, and she gives him a severe look. "...dossiers and research..."

There's another sigh. "Maybe this is good for you then, if you don't mind me saying, Agent."

A sage nod. "Well, we can't just ignore the world around us. Even when we're different, we still live in this world, now. Whether our others were aliens, or normal folk, or soldiers, or a highly advanced race of insectoids... this Earth is our home. We need to act like it." Whatever the hell his other was. He still needs to figure that out, but it's not important just now.

"And I'm not entirely sure I need to spend a lot of time out at gatherings like this. I know the paperwork will wait, but... don't you feel a little out of place at something like this? I don't own more than one set of clothes fancy enough for a function of this scale."

"At the same time I tried to ignore everything. I thought I could just live my life normally if I just focused on that, and... That was just deluding myself." She shakes her head, but laughs despite herself.

"No, I do feel out of place at something like this, but I'm not talking about that. Work is important, Agent Steele - but so is having fun, on occasion."

"Yeah. This is our life, now - aliens, other selves, the mafia, traveling the world..." It's a lot, and he sighs. "We have to respect how deep we're in all this, or it's going to come back and bite us."

His expression sours a little bit as she mentions his apparent need to have fun. "It's been a long time since I truly took a break and relaxed. Let's just say... there are a few skeletons in my closet that prevent me from really setting my work aside." His tone's hard, but he's doing his best to show that it's not really directed at her - he's just thinking about something he'd rather not.

"I didn't then, but I've not been given much of a choice now, so... I agree." She gives a nod. "So, for the time being... I'm willing to do whatever I actually can, even if it's only a little bit."

Still, she notices the quick change of expression. The tone. Her eyes widen, realizing she may have said something bad, but her expression softens a little bit more, trying for a comforting smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to push or anything. I guess I can't really guess what all everyone has to deal with, but... I guess I'm just saying it's good to find something to turn back to. Even if one hasn't already. Does that make any sense?"

"That's what I'm hoping for. Everyone can do something. It's true in almost any other situation, and I'm damned well hoping it's true now," Kevin admits.

"You can't," he adds after a few moments, "but that's not your fault. And it's not that I don't want to. I just have a hard time doing it of my own volition. I tend to remember other things I could be doing, and then I don't really want to do anything anymore. Maybe having someone else taking charge will help. I'll give it a shot. All right?"

"And I've seen I can do a lot more, with all of the powers I've been getting... although, I'm not really one for fighting. I don't want to, but... it seems that Nanoha did an awful lot of that, judging by the firepower she's been giving me." She sighs, but then follows with a slight chuckle.

"Well, I'm pretty used to dealing with-"

Sticks in the mud? People with less than stellar social lives? Fuyuka?

"-ahhh... people who could get out more!"

Pause. No wait, dammit. That still sounds bad. She grins nervously.

"Or I guess I should say, I'd be happy to help there! Ah-heh... all in this together, right?"

Edited 2014-11-10 04:06 (UTC)

"It's not like you have to use it all for fighting. There are ways to use destructive force for peaceful purposes." He's shot a lock off a door before, at least.

Grimacing as she puts her words together, Kevin sighs. "You're not wrong, but you're sure making me sound like a workaholic. Or a shut-in. Or maybe both. But yeah, if we're going to be in this together, I need to act like it and spend some time being at least a little social."

"...I guess it could be! Like, construction or... clearing debris! There's certainly been a lot of those in Vegas, after that battle..."

She stares blankly, then. Kevin, you make yourself sound like both of those things. The gaze probably telegraphs that, but she breaks out of it and back into her regular, chipper mood hastily. "The more help we have, the easier this should be, right? And... the better we know each other, the easier it is to work together! At least, I think so."

"Mm. That's something else to consider - the fight on the Strip painted us in a bad light. Using our talents to help make things better will make our lives easier, in turn; it's hard for a city to try and exile you when everything says your presence is a good thing." Or, at least, that makes sense to him.

And he catches that look, scowling openly. "Yeah, yeah, rub it in. Even if you're right. It'll take some adjusting, but... I don't mind the idea of actually taking time for myself."

"Well, you'd think that but Locke certainly has tried in that regard..." She sighs a little, but retains her smile. "I'll keep that as a thought, at least! After all, I'd rather be helping than sitting around hoping for the best. It's at least something."

Her grin widens and she gives him a slight nudge in the arm. Probably a little too friendly for someone she technically barely knows, but welcome to Natalie. "Good! I'm going to hold you to that, Agent."

"It has, but there have been some outside forces there," Kevin concedes. "I'm certain you can find something, if the need strikes you."

At the pointed nudge, he lets out a good-natured grumble and sighs loudly. "I'm certain you will, Ms. Tamura. I anticipate you'll be outside my apartment, trying to drag me out to get some sunshine and human contact." He says it in a sarcastic tone, enough that it's obvious.

There's a slight sigh, but she nods. "It's those... 'outside forces' I'm worried about." She stops short of asking if he knows anything new on them, as... really, she wasn't in a position for an FBI agent to be divulging anything to her.

So, she just moves on and continues to smile. "Well, I mean - if you're saying that's what it takes, then sure. That can work too!"

She sounds maybe a little too sincere there.

"Can you lift me up there?" The child's voice comes from somewhere deep down below, and if Natalie looks down she will find a white puppy peering up at her expectantly.

Blink.

Blink, blink.

Natalie looks around her, trying to find the voice, and then peers down to see said puppy. She resists a slight squeal of joy, but kneels down. "Well, hello there!"

She then looks about again, trying to figure out where the voice came from.

No, she has not connected the voice and dog just yet.

"Hello." She will just try to keep both their dignity intact by pretending that the hello was directed at her.

There's a slight beat of being slightly baffled then, and she peers down at the puppy. "O- oh...! That was..." She blinks, but really... after everything, this isn't so odd. "Well, then...! Is there something in particular you wanted to look at?"

"Are there sausages?" Yes, she is a very well-trained and friendly puppy and will graciously let them both pretend that there was no offence here. After all, there's the chance of getting good food out of it!

"Ahhh, yes! There are, in fact?" Then, as requested, she reaches - gently! - to pick up the puppy and lift her up. "Would you like a few of them?"

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