[CLOSED] Closing Festival

The girl was, to put it lightly, startled by Mentus' greeting. She tried to step back, but only managed to fall backwards. Zandrophin stepped forward and offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet and apologizing,

"I do apologize. Most people are unsettled by having a conversation with Mentus. He speaks telepathically, so it's can be quite shocking to hear a strange voice in your head. As for your hometown, I meant no disrespect, nor any need for alarm...just general curiosity; I hear about something I've never heard of, I'm drawn to investigate it. A desert-walker, eh? Very interesting. A femme fatale of the shifting sands, if you do not mind my loose use of the terminology."

Mentus jumped in here...to attempt to clear the air, albeit unsmoothly,

He loves to use his poetic assonance...we do not believe you are one to toy with the hearts of men...I mean....oh, dear....terribly sorry, Miss Nicole.

"Ahem," Zandrophin picked up, brushing his slightly-iced hair back a bit, "I was just simply curious...and attempting to have a conversation. If you do not wish to speak about the area in which you grew up...then perhaps we can talk about where you're living now."

"Thank you..."  Nicole muttered shifting Nero and his treat around so that she could take the offered hand to get out of the snow.  After she was standing she moved away slightly. 

When Mentus(?), she was sure that was the Abra's name, spoke again she once again jumped but managed to not fall backwards this time.  "Seriously?  That's what that meant?!  And would you warn a person?  How am I supposed to get used to having something in my head huh?!"  She snapped before letting out a sigh and closing her eyes.  "Uh...  Sorry about that...  Didn't mean to snap."  She muttered.

She then moved onto the next part of the conversation trying to direct attention away from before.  "It's not that I don't like talking about where I grew up, it's just that I grew up more in the area outside it.  I was born there, but I always lived more out of the city.  As for where I live now...  I don't really live anywhere."  She answered calmly, dodging around the last question.

She then looked over at Maya.  "The Desert is a hot place.  Temperatures can soar to extremes in the day, but freezing at night since there is almost no clouds what-so-ever.  A lot of fire-type Pokemon live there, as well as those that can stand extreme heats and thrive off the sun.  If you're lucky you can find an oasis here or there so you can get water and shade.  There are also a lot of things that get buried in the sand so it's like a treasure hunt if you go digging."

"I do apologize for not warning you. I've had his voice in my head since I was a child...I forget that others aren't as used to it as I am."

He was a bit upset that Maya tried to end the conversation so quickly...this Nicole seemed like an interesting person. Still, Zandrophin allowed the conversation to move away from this interesting topic....and tried to help it along.

"So...now that everybody knows each other....why are we all here? Maya...I believe you are looking for someone. It's not really my business as to who...you just have the look of someone who lost someone. As for Miss Nicole......I cannot tell. You are rather good at shielding yourself from the perceptions of others. Would you care to tell why you've come here? Or, you both can guess as to why I am here...if you'd rather."

"You can't loose someone you never met..." Maya mused quietly out loud. Though Zandrophin wasn't far off. The only problem was the people she lost couldn't be found no matter how hard she searched. She looked back at Nicole.

"But yes I'm looking for my aunt. I had heard she might be up here..." She gestured around before looking at Zandrophin and hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I was previously told to mind my own business by you."

Bo had taken to rolling about in the snow, getting snow caught up in her wool and fur as she did. Then the pink Pokemon spotted something interesting. There were carnival games here!

Nicole made a contemplative hum at Maya's answer then stood there watching her and Zandrophin's conversation.  Looking down at Nero she noticed he had finished his treat. 

"I think they're distracted.  Let's go find a place to throw this away and then we can look around some more.  I think we might have more to see, I especially want to know where the contest hall is.  Need to make sure it's right on the map.  Plus, I'm starting to get uncomfortable with all that guys poking around.  Seriously, who cares where I'm from?"  She whispered to him.  Nero looked at her, then Bo, then back at her.  "Vulpix?"

"I'm sure we may run into your friend again later."  Nicole assured, though she wasn't actually that sure in the first place.  "Vulpix!"

"Alright now that, that's settled, lets go...  Bye Maya, bye Zandrophin."  She said, just loud enough for it to reach the air, but soft enough to be drowned out by Zandrophin's words.  She then started edging backwards slowly so that she wouldn't make a scene of her leaving.

Z continued to wander the festival and see what the town had to offer.  He bought some souvenirs in the form of a toy spheal mask and put it in his pack.  Sparky looked at him, "Blaziken." *let's go find some games.*  "Alright," said Z, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to play a few games if they have any.  Maybe we'll win some prizes."  Sparky nodded and Z ran off with his pokemon trailing behind him.  Z found a milk bottle game and tried his luck at it.

Zandrophin decided it was time for him to slip away from the conversation and go talk to his host...who was currently talking to Akane.

Great...my host is talking to my employer...this couldn't possibly go wrong.

Going against his safer better judgement, he decided to walk over anyway.

This is a festival, old friend...there really ought to be some dancing here. I'll go ask Eira about it. There are plenty of lovely ladies here. Surely one would like to dance with the contest winner.

I have no comment, Sir...except to warn you to be careful.

Always.

The pair walked up to the nobles, but stood a respectful distance away, since neither of them had been invited to the conversation. Zandrophin spoke anyway,

"Good evening, Highnesses."