picknicking

[dark_light]

There's something unutterably pleasant about landing in a bit of woods in the middle of Nowhere, Manitoba, removing a sandwich and an apple from her backpack and having a picnic before she's ready to move on. She could eat in midair, but it makes it too likely that she'll drop something and find it unrecoverable.

Path's on her knee, and her cloudpine is propped up against the tree next to her.

Comments

[prodigal_miser]

"Sure! That sounds fun. Is there anything specific involved with seeing a movie besides actually... Literally looking at it?"

[dark_light]

"You go sit in a dark room and it plays. Theaters traditionally sell popcorn and candy and sometimes other food. People there on dates sit in the back and make out. If you have a pocket library you have to turn it off, because everyone will be mad at you if it makes a noise during the show."

[prodigal_miser]

Adarin raises his eyebrows at her explanation of what people on dates do.

"Hm. If the point of being in a dark room to watch a movie is to do exactly what the description for watching a movie is, then why spend the time making out? That seems..." says Adarin, looking a bit embarrassed, "Like it would be better done somewhere else."

[dark_light]

"I dunno, I've never done a movie date. I think it's ten percent actual thing, ninety percent silly cultural stereotype."

[prodigal_miser]

"Ah, I see. Then I don't have to awkwardly ignore everything going on behind me in case a couple decides to go on a date. Good, that makes me feel better."

[dark_light]

"There's usually no reason to look behind you, and it'd be hard to hear them in most movies - movies get very loud."

[prodigal_miser]

"That also helps. Thank you, Isabella. I'm probably going to think about the silly cultural stereotype sometime during the movie, but at least I know I won't hear it," he says. "If you were wondering, I've been in that situation before and it was extremely awkward."

[dark_light]

"So you are not a fan of public displays of affection, huh? How big a problem is it, are you going to have trouble if we go outside and there are couples making out in the park or whatever?"

[prodigal_miser]

"I'm not likely to make a scene, it's just not something I'd like to be sitting next to for a long period of time. If there's a couple making out in the park I'll probably just ignore them entirely."

[dark_light]

"Okay, you'll be fine then. Want to go now?"

[prodigal_miser]

"Sure!"

[dark_light]

Isabella collects her daemon, her cloud-pine, and a little packet of assorted herbs. "Now, since I don't have any actual money, what I'm going to do is offer to do a spell for the theater or for anybody with the authority to give me a voucher. This usually works on the first try, but it might be that we have to try a second theater."

[prodigal_miser]

Adarin collects his own daemon, and nods at Isabella's explanation.

"That sounds fine, I don't mind. Is my hair likely to attract unwanted attention, or something? I understand I'm supposed to keep my extremely foreign status somewhat secret."

[dark_light]

"It looks like you bleached it and keep it long-ish, nothing particularly extraterrestrial."

When they have departed the indoors she mounts her branch and waves him aboard too.

[prodigal_miser]

He is ushered aboard, along with Vern!

"Hm, alright. Hurray, I don't have to change my hair. I get to keep feeling pretty," he deadpans.

[dark_light]

"It works on you! I don't know that I'd recommend it for the general population's new most commonplace haircut, but it works on you." She guides the cloudpine up and heads for the movie theater.

She does a spell to climate-control the lobby for them, which takes fifteen minutes and will undoubtedly save them hundreds of dollars in both air conditioning and heating for as long as the spell lasts, and receives a voucher for any non-ludicrous quantity of movie theater products she may desire over the next yearlong period. She waves this at the correct people to get herself and Adarin tickets to Star Trek, a large popcorn to split, sodas, and boxes of Milk Duds.

"May as well make it the works," she explains as they head for their screen.

[prodigal_miser]

"Thank you," he says with a smile. "I've grown fond of the style."

Adarin is fascinated by just about everything in the movie theater. While Isabella's busy getting them permission to see a movie via spell payment, he wanders around the lobby looking at posters, looking utterly charmed. Tickets are gotten, and he grins at her as they go.

"Makes sense. Magic has wonderful, wonderful benefits; I feel spoiled already."

[dark_light]

"I'm so glad you approve. Now, before the movie starts, they play some boring crap advertisements that you will probably find intensely fascinating, and then they play enticing snippets of movies that haven't come out yet to get us interested in seeing them when they do, and then we get our movie. You can talk a little during the commercials and the previews if you need to ask questions but it's rude during the main event. You could, however, write down anything you want to ask me about later."

[prodigal_miser]

"Sure, I have no doubt I'll be fascinated by everything. I'd like to avoid being rude, but I don't think I'll write down my questions. If I did that, it could be hours of just me asking curious questions. Then asking questions about the answers to the previous questions - a thing best settled when we go to the library."

[dark_light]

"Up to you."

They find seats. There is a commercial for Coke playing.

"This company made the cups we are drinking out of, as you can see," Isabella remarks, "but this isn't Coke I got us, it's Mountain Dew."

[prodigal_miser]

"Oooo," he says. "Is that just the name, oooor...?"

[dark_light]

She laughs. "It's the name! Our mountains do not accumulate dew in this flavor, sugar concentration, or bubbliness."

[prodigal_miser]

"Pity. I would have wanted to visit."

[dark_light]

"Sorry. You like the soda, though?"

[prodigal_miser]

"I do! I haven't had anything like it before, and it's... sugary and bubbly and kind of amazing. I'm tempted to just call it 'magic' but I doubt it's that, considering how things are, here."