A Short Hike (Open)

[El]

The chaos subsided without any further escalation - much to Gao's relief. Once the stable's staff rushed to attend to the alarm, response swift, duties enacted, everything settled back into its place and former comforts like a well-oiled machine. It didn't matter how familiar he already was with the Stables, he was still impressed at the ease in which they handled - and resolved - issues. These guys hadn't survived out here, all alone, for so long with nothing to show for it.

Well, it probably helped that in this instance the supposed Poe was simply a Zora too.

Though... Gao was hesitant to call her JUST a Zora. While her physique alone was nothing unusual for her race - though still commendable - in his experience the bioluminescence was incredibly rare. At first he thought it odd that she'd sequestered herself away at the bottom of a well. But then he thought deeper and came to the horrid realisation of how awful most Stables were at accommodating Zora in general. Why had that never crossed his mind before...? Why were they always only feather beds?! Even if her kin preferred to travel via the rivers surely it wouldn't have done any harm to install at least ONE sleeping pond, so that they could have a roof overhead if they wanted the extra security and company.

The initial relief he felt flood his chest at the Zora's appearance gave way to a subtle constriction of annoyance. He huffed. There was little to be done with that for the moment however. The Zora was already on the move and true to the manner in which she carried herself, he overhead her introduce herself as some sort of bodyguard to the stablekeep.

Ariadne, huh...?

Gao made sure not to visibly search for the young woman directly: it never hurt to be extra cautious in situations like these, just in case. Though he did spy the Hylian herself emerging from the stable in his periphery. ....When did she go inside again? Oh, wait, even Yaku had moved. Boko's Breath, had he swept up that much of a storm and lost the rest of his awareness with it?

"Sorry 'bout that, mate." The scholar winced, passing the snack bowl back to the now thoroughly-soiled drunkard. Thankfully most of its contents were still within, though that did very little to ease the man's ire. He snatched it from Gao's hand and grumbled something incoherent under his breath, all the while his companions continued to jeer and cackle at his expense.

"I'll tell you what, how about a round of drinks?" The Sheikah continued, pulling a warm grin over his initial grimace. "On me, of course. Least I can do to make up for wrangling you into that shitshow. I'll throw in a shareplate of extra snacks too."

THAT seemed to lighten the mood. After only a moment of reluctance their expressions shifted alongside their opinions. Though one couldn't help but snarkily quip, "Maybe you should save some of those rupees for a bath and a bar of soap though, eh? You reek like the wrong end of a sheep."

Gao scoffed. "Not to worry, mate, I've already calculated that in." Just about. Eugh. But he masked the agony of his wallet with a snide jab of his own, "Why? Were you wanting to join me? You do look like you could do with a thorough scrubbing down." His red eyes flashed down the drunkard's sodden front.

And THAT made the man go up in flames.

"HOL' UP, I AINT NO GAY!!! Not one bit! NOT AT ALL! NO WAY!!!"

Gao turned on his heel with a delighted guffaw, his ears full of far-too-vehement protests and two friends who were basically on the floor with laughter at this point after failing to 'hold him back'. Poor man, it sounded like his voice even broke at one point amidst the screeches. Hopefully his blood-pressure didn't give him any issues - his head did look fit to burst.

"I'd like to pay for a round of drinks and some food for that motley-trio over there once you get a chance, bud." Gao interrupted, trying his best not to obnoxiously cut off whatever discussion the Zora was having with the stablekeep as he placed a handful of rupees onto the corner of the counter. He briefly debated bringing up the tidbits he'd overhead but thought better of it. It was probably wiser to see how the situation unfolded first before diving into the conversation proper. At least now he was situated somewhere much closer to the potential threat.

[Emily]

Like the world outside the stable was a different place than the one she had left only a moment before, every issue plaguing the stable had resolved. Riding on the relative high of getting to look cool in front of her new comrades, Ariadne re-entered the surroundings with a confident, head-held-high attitude, her gait with the swagger of a person showing someone around their tiny home town. But where there had been utter chaos before—chaos she'd expected to fix with a wave of the proverbial magic wand—Ariadne found things settling down. The goats had returned to their pen, the drunkards were still drunk, but placated, and there was no more talk of some kind of spooky ghost. Instead, there was who she could only assume was a Zora, having never actually seen one before, talking to Gao. About her. Assigned to accompany her to an apprenticeship.

It suddenly dawned on Ariadne what was going on, and she didn't like it. At all. The absolute distrust, no the gall, to assume she couldn't even make a simple trek along the road, the only road, for two days. She and her father had gone over the complete travel plan so many times. They'd gamed it out, approximating how long each leg of the journey would take. He'd even pointed out places she could stop to find food or clean water to drink. One every 500 metres. And now, after all of that, after she had memorized and recited back 80 different groves, orchards, and clean river spots, he still went and found someone to hold her hand the entire way. And, look, was it extremely cool that this person was glowing? Yes. Was it extremely cool that he'd somehow hired on a Zora to lead her the whole way to Zora's Domain? Yes of course. Would she probably end up liking this person and getting along with her? Probably. But that was an issue for tomorrow. For today, she was angry, and didn't know how to deal with that anger.

She marched up to the Zora and did her absolute best to mask the anger- she wasn't doing a very good job. "I'm Ariadne," she responded with a huff. "Why was it decided that I needed help navigating through a short hike?" She emphasised the words in a way that left no room for doubt as to her emotional state and the overwhelming frustration she was feeling. It wasn't intentional, but it was happening anyway. Ariadne knew she'd feel bad about this and want to apologise later. But that wasn't right now.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Just as it seemed like the ruckus had died down, it flared up again like an exploding bomb flower as one of the drunkards started screeching, vehemently emphasising his heterosexuality. Looking over her shoulder, Claria rolled her eyes. She wouldn't be surprised if people all the way over in Goron City could hear the guy. Why some people thought it a big deal who was attracted to whom was beyond her, but she readied herself to intervene and hold the drunk back should his fury fuel violence. Thankfully he stayed put, barely able to stand in his inebriated state by the look of it, let alone follow the man who'd riled him up. The man in question simply chuckled and ordered a round of drinks, which Claria could only hope would calm the trio down, rather than make them even rowdier.

Before the stablekeep could respond to either of them, another voice caught Claria's attention, one brimming with barely-concealed anger as the Hylian girl strode up and introduced herself as Ariadne.

"Why was it decided that I needed help navigating through a short hike?"

Claria blinked in surprise. This situation kept reaching new levels of awkward. "You weren't in on this?" All she'd been told was that Ariadne's father, while corresponding with the medics, had arranged for a bodyguard to accompany her. It had seemed like a given that Ariadne would be in the know. "Your father didn't say anything? Oh for Hylia's sake..."

She didn't blame Ariadne for her outburst in the slightest. One, the girl had the air of a traveller and was likely perfectly capable. Two, assuming the other newcomers were with her, she wouldn't be journeying alone anyway. And three... Claria understood all too well how irritating meddlesome parents could be. Ever since she'd gotten her injuries, she'd experienced that same attitude on an incessant basis from her mother. The hovering, the refusal to listen, the gratingly slow and soft speech like she was a child, the questioning of all her decisions. Should you really be out there on your own, are you sure the water's clean enough, isn't that a little too much for you to take on, let me do this, let me do that for you... Parental worry was entirely normal, considering her near-death experience all those years ago, but the fussing often reached a point where it went beyond bearable.

"In that case, to answer your question, I'm going to guess it's because some people can be downright overbearing?" With a sigh, she held out her hand. If Ariadne didn't want to return the handshake, she wouldn't blame her for that either. "Anyway, I'm Claria." She glanced around at the others before turning her attention back to the apprentice. "Am I right in thinking you already have company as it is?"

[Sav'saaba]

Although it was better this way, it was with regret that Yaku would not tell them goodbye and wish them the best of luck on the rest of their respective journeys. Gao and Ariadne would be safe from harm for now within the oasis in the wilderness that was the Stable. It even seemed that their party was to be joined by the lucent, capable-looking Zora that had emerged from the well, though he had not been around anymore to witness her introduce herself to Ariadne.

Instead, he stole away down to the riverbed just as Ariadne emerged from the Stable's building to answer to the Zora's inquiry, bristling as hard at her chaperone to-be as Millie the Hylian Retriever had at himself. Whoever had seen to arrange for this guide to see the young lady to her final destination was wise for it.

As he commenced to follow the Hylia River back west, he sang sofly to himself over the water's murmur.

A flower in the field does not a meadow make
A leaf upon the bough takes no credit for the shade
Its tree does not believe itself a forest

Yet each star among myriads is to its own a sun
Even through the multitudes your light is plain to see
So thank our shared sun, forest and field that you should be known to me

[El]

Ah. So this WASN'T something Ariadne had been aware of beforehand after all.

Yet, almost as soon as that needling doubt was allowed to pierce deeper - justified in its suspicion by the young woman's bristling hackles - Gao on the contrary found it difficult to ingest its poison. No. No, this situation didn't actually warrant that level of alarm. Though the pup and her snubbed independence were fierce in their disdain of this stranger's revelation, the Sheikah could not match her resistance. The Zora wasn't lying.

Putting aside the matter that such a meticulously detailed - planned - lie would've been rare and difficult to pull off, he didn't detect any telltale signs of deceit. She had tensed at the confrontation, but it wasn't strained with nerves. The tone of her words rang true, rather than hollow: the empathy with which she responded to Ariadne didn't stutter, nor snicker, it was genuine. Most of all, her eyes never strayed, but held firm, shifting only when her occupation insisted that she maintain a professional front - even in the wake of unwelcome news. Gao could smell no deception.

That was the instinct he should trust - not the blind paranoia.

"Am I right in thinking you already have company as it is?"

The Sheikah eased the intensity of his crimson stare, allowing the heat to subside and the blades to withdraw. It was then that he noticed that Yaku had-... escaped. Fled? Drifted away on the yawning breeze? Either way he was most certainly gone, leaving just Gao himself positioned - admittedly rather awkwardly - directly between the Zora guard and the seething Hylian girl.

...What a sly fox that Yaku was.

Not that Gao could blame him: it was very evident that they had drastically different approaches to life. While the shaman drifted through his time like a ghost himself, artfully avoiding all and any situations that didn't directly concern him, (very wise really), GAO on the other hand had a tricky tendency to stick his snout right in the middle of anything even remotely alarming.

Hmn. But he should probably be careful with his wording here.

The scholar allowed a pause, accepting the moment of reprieve to re-align his thoughts in accordance to the situation as it currently was - not as it could've been. "Only for as long as Miss Ariadne was comfortable with it," Gao eventually elaborated, his gaze shifting from the young woman herself back to the Zora. "Our next destination was one and the same, so I joined her for the journey here."

Speaking of, it'd probably be inappropriate of him to intrude on her business any further. Though he far too easily felt the compulsion to protect every other bumbling chick or perfectly capable creature who had the misfortune of crossing his path, he was WELL-aware that not every victim of his shelter wanted it. ...As Ariadne had already demonstrated herself regarding Claria.

"I shall leave you two to talk," He decided, drawing away from the stable's front-counter at last. "I'll be nearby for a short while longer should you want me, Ariadne." He cast her a warm smile as he said so, hoping that his open invitation would be of some assurance if needed.

Yet, as he went to pass her by to head inside the Stable he paused, drawing in a reluctant breath to more quietly add, "A word of unsolicited advice from a nosey, old man: your father's love might be suffocating, but come a few years you'll be grateful for it. Appreciate it while it's there." A rough paw of a hand came down on her slight shoulder, giving it a brief pat.

Gao wasn't one who enjoyed airing his own personal history when it came to darker memories, let alone letting it interfere with other people's lives, but it stung him in a certain way to see a parent's concern snubbed: not just once by Ariadne, but seemingly twice, by Claria too. Of course, he had no way of knowing what either of them had gone through themselves - though he could sympathise to a degree. Yet... well, when your own Dad was six-feet under it made you view things through a differently-skewed lens.

...Speaking of, it was the 3rd-year anniversary of the pirate attack on Lurelin soon. Hmn. A sobering thought. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the overly-energetic Hylian Retriever who suddenly came bounding at him as he entered the shelter he probably would've spiralled back down into familiar mires.

"MILLIE!!! Oh for Hylia's sake! Just what is with you today?!"

Gao guffawed, a weak chortle at first that soon broke into booming laughter as the canine practically leapt into his arms - apparently tired of whipping his legs silly with that fluffy tail of his. Thankfully the Sheikah was more than strong and stable enough to catch her with ease, the impact against his chest making him splutter out a harder laugh.

The handler some metres away practically screamed, bless her. Many shades whiter she scrambled up to the pair, her fervent and horrified apologies dampened only by the relief of how well the Sheikah was handling it. "It's all good!" Gao assured, wincing away from the slobbering kisses that lapped up the side of his face. "How can I be mad at such a sweet ambush? She's adorable!"

"W-Well-... I..." The woman sighed, thoroughly defeated. "Yes. Yes she is."

"C'mere you lil' mischief-maker!!!" And so around and around Gao spiralled the dog, the loud yaps of excitement quickly evolving into a ground-level wrestle. He was gentle with her, of course - as any bear would be with a cub - but Millie was taking it very seriously with the loud super-threatening barks and the absolutely-terrifying growls AND the viciously-barred teeth! Truly terrifying! A battle to the death it was!

"GRRRRRR!!!" Gao snarled.

"GRRRRRRRRR!!!" Millie snarled harder.

....And the handler deflated down into nearby chair, her face in one hand.

[Emily]

Most of the thoughts running through Ariadne's head were immediately and fully confirmed. Her plans had, indeed, been usurped by her father, and he hadn't bothered to tell anyone involved- her, Claria, the other people in Zora's Domain- the full picture of the situation. She didn't have enough experience with other people to know if this was a universal issue with parents or if she had just gotten particularly unlucky, but her best guess was that her father didn't really think of her as a sentient and separate person from himself. He always made decisions for her, telling her to do things a certain way and then, if he changed his mind partway through, not bothering to tell her because either he thought she would just inherently know or understand what was going on in his mind, or else that she would mindlessly go along with his plans.

All that to say she was immediately, painfully, aware of Claria's position in all this. And she was aware of how it wasn't all that much better than her position in all this. She took a breath, held it for a moment, and then released it, letting some stress go alongside it. After all, if she couldn't get another chance at a first impression, at least the second impression could be better with this extremely cool glowing Zora. "Sorry," she said, cringing as it came out more of a petulant mutter than she wanted. She had never been that good at controlling how she portrayed her emotions, even when she was thinking a different way. "He's... like that. Yeah."

"Am I right in thinking you already have company as it is?"

That was good news at least. Claria was willing to be super cool about this and drop the awkward meeting. Was she cool or was she all business? Hard to tell with people sometimes. Either way, the result wasn't any different. Ariadne turned as she went to point out her compatriots, "Oh yeah, though I don't think they're tagging along much further. But there's Gao, he's the big guy getting eaten by that dog, and then there's-

"There's..." she couldn't see him. Where did Yaku go- DID HE DISAPPEAR THE SECOND SHE WAS DISTRACTED? Surely he would have said goodbye or something, right? "There's also Yaku, he was coming with us to the stable, but" her voice began to trail off, as if she was distracted, "I can't see him at the moment.

"Anyway," she said, turning back to Claria, "Sorry for earlier. I'm Ariadne. Despite... all of that, it'sverynicetomeetyou. I got a couple free beds, I don't know if Yaku's coming back, but if he's gone for whatever reason- we should probably look for him, shouldn't we? I should ask Gao that actually, you don't know Yaku- but if he's gone, that's a free stay for you and Gao and then you and I can set off tomorrow. I think Gao said he was going to Castle Town to help with the rebuilding effort in a couple days. Uh... if Yaku does turn up, I'll pay for a bed for you, please let me do it as an apology, I really do feelverybad."

[LuckyBlackCat]

At Ariadne's flustered apology, Claria gave a tiny hint of a smile, attempting to put the apprentice at ease. "It's alright. If you weren't in the know, I can't say I blame you."

Overhearing the words of Ariadne's travelling companion, she paused, face somber once more. It sounded like the venting about parental meddling had hit a nerve, and not wanting to dredge up any painful memories for him, Claria waited until he headed inside the stable before continuing in a murmur. "All I'm going to say about it is... Believe me, I know where you're coming from."

Best to let the matter drop there. Elaborating further wouldn't be comfortable for anyone. Not for Ariadne, not for Gao, and not for herself. Going into more detail about her mother's overprotectiveness, and the reason for it... It wasn't something she wished to talk about at the best of times, let alone during a first meeting. Still, she hoped that simply letting Ariadne know she got it would help.

The apprentice, thankfully, had brightened up somewhat, introducing her companions - or rather, one of them, the other having vanished without a word. Yaku. Was that the Hylian in shamanistic garb who'd held back a short distance from the others? Claria glanced over her shoulder, eyes scanning the path and surrounding woodland, but there was no sign of him.

"I don't know if Yaku's coming back, but if he's gone for whatever reason- we should probably look for him, shouldn't we?"

Claria nodded. "I can help if you want," she offered, raising a hand, the luminous spot on the back brightening. The sky's last few slivers of dusky pink and amber were giving way to dark blue, casting the wooded area in shadow, and even if she didn't know the man, her natural ability may be of use here.

"As long as you, er, don't mind moths joining the search party." They'd already started to gather, flitting around her on speckled brown wings that brushed against her scales and fins. Generally they didn't bother her, except for the times they got in the way and ruined the effect when she had to appear imposing, but some people she met found insects unsettling. Then again, the last time she'd visited a stable, a rather eccentric salesman with a beetle-shaped backpack had been utterly fascinated at the sheer variety of bugs she'd managed to attract.

"And really, it's ok. Thank you, but... No need to apologise." Ariadne didn't need to keep beating herself up over this, but again, Claria knew the feeling - she had, after all, inadventently caused not just one but two stirs herself. On a rational level, she recognised she'd had no way of knowing the full scenario, or how Ariadne would respond to her arrival, but that didn't make the situation any less awkward.

She sighed. "Tell you what. To make up for the... issues just now, I'll pay for food for you and Gao. And for Yaku, if he comes back from his disappearing act."

[Emily]

Noting that it was, in fact, beginning to get dark, Ariadne sighed. Even though they had just met, Ariadne felt she could assume that moths would be a particular annoyance to Claria. Best to get inside and relax when possible, especially after she had probably also spent a long day travelling. She had come from Zora's Domain, that was like forever away. Woodland Stable was a trek, but it was close enough to Snowfield that she had been there a few times. She had never been to Zora's Domain. It was like another world.

And... though she felt bad about the thought, ultimately it wasn't her responsibility to watch after Yaku, right? He was an adult, and seemed quite capable of taking care of himself even if they had met him while he had been captured by a rogue tree-creature. Treeature? Was there some pun there waiting to be found? Probably not. But if he had disappeared from the Stable, without anyone making a fuss, it was probably of his own volition. He could be taking a walk, he could be gallivanting off to Castle Town to do whatever it was they were doing there, or he could have teleported to the moon. But it was very unlikely some moblin had come into the camp, bonked him over the head with a club, and carried him off without someone getting upset.

Besides, the offer of a free meal came at just the right time. Her stomach growled, and she felt herself turning red. Redder than usual (even though, to be honest, her hair was more of an orange). But if Claria really was willing to pay for a couple extra meals in return for a free bed, that would be fine. Right? She shouldn't feel bad about accepting that. And it would make Wester Lester feel a bit better about all of the things going on, since he would no longer have to provide free food.

"Okay, brilliant," she replied. "That sounds great. And if Yaku doesn't come back, well, I got us three free beds for the nigh- wait! Oh no, is a normal bed okay?" She was devastated, she'd heard so much about Zora sleeping in pools or in the water. Did Claria need water? Would she have to sleep in the well?? Oh no, they couldn't make her sleep in a well, that would be so insulting.

[LuckyBlackCat]

If Ariadne wasn't too worried about this Yaku, Claria knew she shouldn't be either. Any scuffle would be unlikely to have gone unnoticed. She lowered her hand, the light on the back dulling, although the moths remained ever persistent - the darker the night grew, the more her luminescence stood out, and the more of a bug beacon she became. She didn't mind too much, the nightly insect flocks being something she'd known all her life, but the moths might annoy Ariadne. Best to head inside for a good meal.

The mention of said meal appeared to put Ariadne at ease - until she took on a mortified look once more as she asked whether a "normal" bed was alright. "It'll be fine," Claria reassured her, although the corners of her mouth pulled into a subtle blend of a bitter smile and a grimace. Normal. To the other Zora, her sleeping requirements were anything but, another mark of how cut off she was from their communal ways of living. For someone to view such things as ordinary... It brought her more comfort than it should have. And yet, the poor job the stable keepers did of accommodating non-Hylians irked her every time. She'd grown accustomed to sleeping outside of the water, but for most Zora, the lack of pools at these rest stops had to be downright uncomfortable.

"As long as I take a swim first thing in the morning - in the pond, that is - a Hylian style bed won't be too much of a problem." She glanced at the moonlit pond beside the stable. It wouldn't be as soothing as the darkness and tranquility of the well, and she'd have to check for Octoroks, but she wasn't going to freak anyone else out.

Not that the drunkards seemed bothered any more, as the raucous bout of laughter and toilet humour a short distance away attested. "Anyway, there's our cue to head inside," Claria murmured, making her way into the main hall, the trio's rowdy in-jokes fading into the background. She looked over the menus stacked on the interior desk before taking three, handing one to Ariadne, and holding one out to Gao, who was still in the middle of a friendly wrestling match and growling competition with the dog. "What will you be having?"

[El]

From under a pile of fur and fangs the hulking Sheikah emerged, the sound of the Zora and Ariadne returning quickly followed by a menu in his face. Wrestling off the fluffy fiend, Gao sat upright enough to collect the item and give it a curious once over. "Oho~? What this? Are we sharing a meal now?" Not that he was against the idea! Was there ever a time Gao wasn't famished to some degree?

Besides, this will be a good chance to screen this Claria a bit more. Not that the duo seemed at odds with each other now: his attention as it wandered back to the young Hylian woman confirming her much more relaxed manner. In fact, she appeared generally much brighter in spirit - excited, even? ...A myriad of questions arose in Gao's mind but ultimately he decided not to voice any of them: he was just a passing stranger after all. And whatever self-righteous deed he'd labelled this whole thing as, his role in it was almost over. In all likelihood they'd never meet each other again.

"Hmm..." But the prices were a bit...

With an idle hand Gao appeased his four-legged friend with a few pets, smiling despite the woes of his troubled wallet when the beast settled her snout upon his crossed legs and viciously wagged her tail. True. He supposed it wasn't that bad. If he counted in the round of drinks and snacks he'd paid up for the rowdy bunch outside, plus the soap he'd need for his bath later and the monthly payment he was due to send back to Lurelin, there were ample enough rupees left for some of the cheaper plates. Mushroom soup, maybe...? Fish was still local enough, but proteins always asked a higher price given their nature. He just needed something to stuff his face with to keep up appearances as they chatted, and to stave off the worst of his stomach's roars so it didn't keep him awake all night. ...Though, he could just hunt a boar.

"I'll just grab a simple tomato mushroom stew." He finally decided, looking back up to his two non-furry companions. "I won't be around for much longer anyway, so I just need something to help keep me warm during my bath.

"I guess you'll both be staying for the night before heading out for Zora's Domain tomorrow?" Gao remarked in addition, his eyes trailing towards the open doorway of the stable and the quickly descending dusk which it framed. It made a lot of sense to fuel up and sleep before braving the infamously convoluted pathways that followed Zora's River. ...Hopefully the local guard had managed to get on top of the monster infestation though. Eugh, not that he wished harm on either party. He felt the onset of another frown but quickly hid it below a strained smile.

[Emily]

Ordering for herself wasn't something Ariadne was used to. At Snowfield, the food on the menu was always whatever could be hunted for or scavenged on the periphery. It was far too cold to grow anything, and the nearest farms were in southern Central or Akkala, much too far to get regular orders from. So they ate a lot of berries, tubers, peppers, meat, and fish. Occasionally they'd take a trip to Woodland or Rito Village to get some supplies, and spend that evening with the same fare over rice or baked into a pie.

So to see something with vegetables was a real treat, especially knowing her empty pockets weren't going to have to fund it. Ariadne looked up at Gao's teensy request, wondering how he was going to maintain such a huge build with such low intake. She herself hoped that, someday, she could be half as buff, but knew it wasn't terribly likely. After all, her dad was a scrawny, lanky guy and her mom was equally diminutive. But still, she had spent her childhood hauling hay and wood and running after dogs and wrangling horses. Maybe she'd be an absolute unit one day.

So what would she have? Ariadne inwardly baulked at the skewers: she would never eat fish, meat, or mushrooms again unless she was presented with no choice. After a moment, she had narrowed it down: her eyes darted from one page, the vegetable curry that had her beloved rice along with vegetables and goron spice, something she'd never tried. On the other page, a Hylian Tomato Pizza, flattened baked bread with tomato sauce (whatever tomatoes were), cheese, peppers (apparently a different kind from the chilis that grew in Tabantha), more tomatoes, and olives. The benefit of the former was that she would certainly like the rice if nothing else. the benefit of the latter besides experimentation was, well, it was all experimentation wasn't it. She experienced multiple false starts, opening her mouth to say something and immediately changing her mind.

"I'll have," she hesitated, but then found her conviction, "the Hylian... tomahto... uh..."

Eventually she turned the menu around. "Isthisarealword?"

[LuckyBlackCat]

"That's the plan," Claria replied to Gao's question. It would be a long journey up the steep cliffs of Lanayru tomorrow, and just as it'd be great if stable keeps would install pools, the stonemasons of Zora's Domain really could stand to build more bridges and a few walkways along the route for non-aquatic visitors. Hylians, Sheikah and Gerudo almost invariably arrived exhausted from all the climbing. If Ariadne wanted, Claria would be willing to swim her up waterfalls, but it was no surprise that so many people complained about the path being less than convenient. "The route isn't what you'd call short or simple."

Gao, in contrast, would be on his way before long. Although it initially struck Claria as unusual that he'd resume his travels later into the night instead of accepting a free bed, the furs and face paint - as well as his skill with animals - gave him the look of someone accustomed to the wilderness. Yet he appreciated the offer of a meal. Making a mental note of his order, tomato mushroom stew, Claria looked towards Ariadne, whose eyes shone with awe as she pored over the options before making her decision - something she hadn't tried before by the sound of it.

"Hylian tomato... pi-zza?" Claria glanced at her own menu, squinting at the word. She wasn't too familiar with said dish either, but some Hylian traders baked it using fresh tomatoes from the Coral Reef general store. "I think that's how you pronounce it, although don't quote me."

No wonder Ariadne had taken a while to decide - the menu boasted copious options. Claria wondered whether to keep it simple with fish skewers, standard fare in Lanayru, yet these ones didn't come cheap, and she'd need to save enough rupees for her stay in Castle Town after this. Factoring in the other meals, it was best to go with something that wouldn't leave too big a dent in her wallet. Heading back to the desk, she relayed the others' orders as well as making her own, fruit and mushroom mix. "Would it be alright to leave it uncooked?"

If the stable keep found the typical Zora preference for raw food weird like some people did, he thankfully didn't show it, and simply nodded. "I suppose it'll be more of a salad that way, but that we can do."

Once she'd thanked him and handed over the rupees, Claria approached the other two. "Consider it an apology for all the trouble just now." As she took a seat, her attention settled on Ariadne. "And the free stay is much appreciated. While we wait, if you have any questions about Zora's Domain, let me know."

She looked over at Gao, who seemed to be enjoying his stay here, however short, with the playful pup resting its snout and paws on his lap. "And I'm going to guess you're on your way to Castle Town? That's where I'll be heading after this journey." It seemed a likely destination - with the rebuilding underway, people were travelling there in droves from all over Hyrule to help out.

[El]

Affectionate amusement crinkled the corners of Gao's gaze. He knew he shouldn't laugh - and he wasn't going to! But something about the young woman's first introduction to tomatoes being now tickled him in a warm place. Ariadne had handled herself so well - and with such confidence - up until this point that it hadn't struck him before that maybe this wasn't just her first trip apart from a protective father, maybe it was her first trip away from home. What an exciting new world she had to explore!

"I hope you keep that adventurous spirit, Miss Ariadne." Gao commented, as Claria left to go place the orders. To some perhaps - 'some' being those who ate pizza on the regular - it'd come off as sarcastic, but he was being sincere. "It's through even the smaller choices like that, that you come to learn who you really a-AAAAARRRH!!!

"NO!!! Nonono! No!"

OFF the floor Gao leapt, the deepest bellow of his lungs and the abrupt explosion of movement startling many and all. In the blink of an eye he was at Claria's side snatching the stablekeep's wrist just as it reached for the rupees. "Absolutely NOT!" The Sheikah barked. "I shall pay for my own!"

She blabbered on about it being compensation for the 'trouble' she had caused, but Gao's face merely scrunched up in disbelief, his confusion blatant. "Stop being so silly and get back in your seat!" He chided. "If you insist on spending your earnings, grab me a tall pint or something instead - and I'll do the same for you! ......You'll make me feel bad."

Pausing then, the embarrassment of his-... well, extreme reaction caught up to him with one big, red slap to the face. Everyone's expressions certainly didn't help ease that discomfort either. Ears burning hot, he heard Millie's owner call for her return. A gale howled past the doorway. A pin dropped.

Awkwardly, Gao cleared his throat.

"Sorry, boss," He grumbled towards the stablekeep, releasing the innocent's wrist and bowing his head - crisp and formal. Fortunately he didn't have to lift his eyes again while rummaging around for his own wallet: the rupees he procured weren't just enough to cover his own meal, but a round of drinks with a tip included - or A drink, with a generous tip included. (Either way, it erased the grudge Wester Lester was about to hold.)

Exhaling, deep and long, when Gao finally straightened up again he ran a hand back through his hair, brow puckered by the twinge deep in his chest. "I appreciate the thought, Claria, really. A drink is more than good." Accepting a freebie from someone he'd just met a few minutes ago and barely exchanged one word with was waaaay beyond what he was comfortable with. It was tough enough as it was for him to accept such things from people he knew well: it always made him feel like he had to return the favour, like a debt now hung upon his shoulders. For a man who tried to keep his acquaintances, acquaintances, it was a suffocating weight.

Fortunately when they returned to the table Ariadne sat at, the discussion resumed normally enough. It took Gao a few moments to shake off his own awkward crumbs of unease, but he was afforded ample enough time by the shared questions which landed on him last. Castle Town, eh. It was a good job the idea had entered his realm of possibilities already or he would've felt guilted into it. (Though he doubted Claria had meant it that way, given how widespread the news of the rebuilding efforts were - it was a popular topic.)

"...Mmhn. Probably?" A frown was playing with Gao's brow again, but this time a small smile peeked at one corner of his mouth. "I highly doubt I have any of the skills they'd most appreciate at such an important event, but I have the muscle at least.

"I'm assuming you'll be busy with this apprenticeship I overheard then?" He redirected, turning his attention - and hopefully the spotlight too - back over towards the young Hylian. "I didn't realise the Zora took on apprentices outside of their own kin, but that sounds like a really interesting opportunity. Don't let them work you too hard." He chuckled.

[Emily]

Pizza. Peat-zuh. Peat-suh? It was as if the moment Claria pronounced it to her, it had partially slipped out of Ariadne's mind. She was entirely unsure whether the Zora had struggled to pronounce the word because it was something she also didn't know, or if it was just to show some level of solidarity with Ariadne, but honestly she was going to take the comfort either way. It was either a known difficult word to pronounce, or it was a known difficult word to pronounce to the point of pretending for others that they shouldn't be embarrassed about not being able to pronounce it.

And besides, Ariadne could pronounce so many words. How many people, raised in a barn by people themselves raised in a barn, could pronounce pituitary, or anticoagulant, or toxoplasmosis?  She had learned all of those, and a lot of others, too. This was just one more word to be conquered and thrown away, never to be used again unless she liked the pizza, in which case she would probably have to master it and then reuse it occasionally when she wanted to acquire more. Nevertheless, she squared her shoulders. Dreadfully simple. She buried the instinct to make a joke, the way she would have done with her Rito friends, saying 'pissa' instead, because she had a sudden, vertigo-like realisation that she wasn't nearly close enough to these people to just assume that level of familiar humour.

Gao gave some positive feedback to her order- good, more people to enjoy whatever the hell this food item was going to end up being- before suddenly being bitten by something under the table, or perhaps stung by a bee. He flung himself upright, and it was only as his vocalisations- another word she knew, thankyouverymuch- turned into words that she realised what was going on. Well, "realised" was a way of saying it, certainly. She understood what he was saying, though it was difficult for her to fully understand it. When Claria had offered to pay for their meals, it hadn't occurred to Ariadne for a moment to decline that. Someone wouldn't make an offer unless they had the means to fulfil it and the expectation of acceptance, surely. It was the same reason she hadn't offered free beds until she had already cleared it with Wester. And if someone had the ability and want to provide you with something, it was one of the most polite things you could do to accept.

Apparently that line of thinking wasn't universal.

It was a good opportunity to learn something about the way other people did things or what their expectations would be in certain situations. Once Gao had regained his composure, and given Wester way more than he owed for his squished tomato, Ariadne caught the stablemaster's gaze. She shrugged, he shrugged, they both moved on with what they were doing.

Claria, for what it was worth, seemed much more aligned with the way Ariadne approached social situations. After thanking Ariadne for the free stay, she'd opened the floor for any questions about Zora's Domain the new apprentice might have. And boy did Ariadne have a lot of questions. First on her mind was "What does Zora's Domain look like? I've heard loads about it, well, not loads but I asked everyone who came through Snowfield if they had been there, and a number of them told me the whole city was surrounded by waterfalls. Ooh! What are waterfalls like?"

Gao, meanwhile, had regained his comfort in the situation, or at least what amounted to a comfort equivalent. He and Claria had been talking about the Castle Town rebuilding project- apparently Claria was going to be going all the way back there once she had dropped Ariadne off? That seemed like a lot of effort, and Ariadne forced herself to feel anything other than guilty. After all, again, she hadn't really asked for this, a travelling companion had just sort of been assigned to her, not that she was going to complain when the travelling companion assigned GLOWED. But Gao was addressing her, and it would be rude to be lost in her own thoughts in that moment. "I'm assuming you'll be busy with this apprenticeship I overheard then? I didn't realise the Zora took on apprentices outside of their own kin, but that sounds like a really interesting opportunity. Don't let them work you too hard."

"Apparently it's not very common, but after my apprenticeship in Rito Village, Teba wrote to King Sidon and recommended me to be allowed in. I guess things are opening up a lot between the various people of Hyrule now that things are getting better."

[LuckyBlackCat]

Well, the last thing Claria had wanted to do was make an already fraught situation worse, or set off such a reaction from Gao, but at least a little smile now twitched at the edge of the wildman's mouth as he chatted at the table. "I appreciate the round of drinks, but really, you didn't have to," she told him, hands clenched in her lap. Not being one for the airs and graces or excessive formality that permeated many an official gathering in Zora's Domain, she'd genuinely wished to make amends rather than put someone in her debt, but so much for that.

Ariadne, thankfully, hadn't taken offense, her voice brimming with enthusiasm as she asked her first question - one about the waterfalls surrounding the area. "They're pretty soothing," Claria replied. "Water flows through the city in streams carved into tiered platforms, and cascades into the lake beneath. There are plenty of natural waterfalls nearby too, the main bridge stretches over a particularly tall and majestic one." Hopefully Ariadne didn't have a problem with heights.

"As for the domain itself... Well, you'll see that intricate stonemasonry is highly valued in our culture. Especially crystal pillars that glow soft blue and white. And the standout feature is the dwelling of our King, built into the mouth of an ornate fish sculpture representing our patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu."

Gao, who seemed to have put his embarrassment behind him, expressed surprise that Zora took on non-aquatic apprentices, before advising Ariadne not to let anyone work her too hard. Claria gave a short, soft hum of a chuckle. "Same to you at Castle Town." Her gaze turned back to Ariadne. "And yes, it's important for a medic to take care of their own health." Going by what she knew from having been well acquainted with the infirmary and the healers all those years ago, the role of a medic looked utterly stressful and exhausting at times, yet ultimately rewarding.

She paused, unease souring her thoughts. While it was true that once-isolated communities were slowly opening up to each other, and the healers would be unlikely to give Ariadne any trouble, some distrust towards Hylians still simmered in the atmosphere, particularly from certain members of the Council of Elders. Attitudes had improved in recent years, with many of them having ceased to blame the Hylians for failing to prevent the Calamity or the death of their Princess Mipha, but some held on to grudges ingrained over more than a century. And others viewed them with disdain for their comparatively short lifespans and land-dwelling nature. Claria could only hope Ariadne wouldn't have to deal with their bull-trout shit.

"Things certainly are opening up," she said, opting to emphasise the positive changes rather than the lingering tensions. "And let's hope they continue to do so."