compass

“Fortunately our caramel bubble ring comes with pecans, not walnuts,” he smiled as he began to dish up a couple of choices. “And I’m willing to wager you’ll be back for seconds.” People did love the caramel ring - almost as much as the sticky buns. Adrian enjoyed watching people savor their food and hoped it help uplift their day. “For the savory, we’ll go with the breakfast empanadas.  We’ve still got both bacon and sausage. Any preference?”

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"Already speaking my language,” Ari responded, her stomach grumbling audibly to her embarrassment. “Looks my stomach agrees with your selection,” she covered with a chuckle. “Definitely sausage.” Ari didn’t hesitate and began digging through her bag for her wallet, thinking for just a second longer. “Maybe add those sticky buns as well.” Because she was hungry. Along with the wallet, she pulled out her phone. “Any chance I could pledge my loyalty in exchange for a charging my phone?” 

          When Amity-Grace and her girlfriend had first come to land, they had come up with a game when they spotted people arguing where they tried to guess the relationship between the two people and figured out why they were arguing. It was a fun game they played to pass the time and was always fun with tourists. She watched with fascination as two people argued, though she couldn’t hear what they were saying this far away. Still, they watched in fascination as the two of them continued to argue and started to make a scene. Possibly if she concentrated, she might be able to figure out what they were saying, but she didn’t have the energy for that. Apparently, they weren’t the only person watching when someone else asked if she had seen that. Turning her attention to the stranger who asked, Amity-Grace grinned. “So the older man is actually a US Senator and his son, who’s trying to get into politics… you know later in life, just caused something that potentially be a scandal and now they’re arguing on their family vacation about it because it’ll reflect poorly on his father’s career.” It wasn’t true, but the mermaid giggled at the thought of it being true. It was more interesting than the truth of it probably just being a family squabble over something stupid. 

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"No way, really?" For a second, Ari looked at the woman with wonder as though she had just solved the greatest mystery in the world. After all, how could someone glean all that from such a simple interaction? Ari thought she was good at figuring out people's behavior and yet this stranger was even better than she was. It was only the giggle that gave her reason for pause, wondering if she really did know or if she was just messing with Ari. "What kind of scandal do you think it was?" Ari decided, whether it was real or not, she was happy to play along. After all, it was far more scandalous to think they were hot shots rather than just regular folk. "Drugs? Fraud? Love?" The possibilities were endless.

To say he was shocked, it was something. This was probably the equivalent of facing a ghost from the past. Even if that past was barely a couple of months ago when they had crossed paths and had decided to go out on one date. The man simply looked back at her -mostly in disbelief that was she was indeed still in town- as he tried to comprehend this was happening rather than just some little time lost inside his head. “You’re still here” he said -blurted out really- as he kept on looking at her, plainly stating the fact right in front of him. “I thought you were leaving Port Vale. At least that’s what you had told me that one time,” said Isaac, not letting the emotions settle in after a while. 

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Ari wasn’t sure if he was upset with her (though they had only met once so surely it couldn’t be that) or just surprised to still see her there. Either way, the encounter was more awkward than she was expecting that day. Maybe she really should have tried to make a dash for it the second she realized who it was. After all, she was not a woman used to running into the same people frequently, especially not those who she had no intention of seeing again. Not that she had deliberately avoid Isaac. No, it was more that her plans had kept her longer than expected but the end would always be the same. She was always meant to leave. "I’m still here,” Ari responded with feigned enthusiasm and purposeful ignorance of his question. “I know. I thought I was going to leave but then,” she wasn’t really sure if she wanted to get into the details of her own reflections that kept her stuck in Port Vale for the time being. “I couldn’t really decide where to go. So I’m here, trying to figure that out.” She concluded, not necessarily giving all the details of why she was struggling this time around when Ari was the type to have her next destination in mind even before she left the place she was currently in. 

It was hard not to notice the argument happening a few feet away from him, and Theo wasn’t even going to pretend not listen when clearly everyone was. It would be far from the first time he witnessed a fight break out in public. As a bartender, he had to summon the bouncer multiple times when someone got a little too drunk and decided to throw fists. He hoped it didn’t escalate to that point, because he didn’t want to have to be the one to break it up. He tensed when the older man pulled his fist back, trying to decide on the fly whether he should interfere or not, only for the unexpected to happen as things grew weirdly friendly. He made eye contact with the woman next to him and let out a surprised laugh. “I feel like I just witnessed a K-Drama,” he said. “I’m still confused about what their relationship is, but I guess we’ll never find out.”  

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Ari was glad that she was not the only one to have witnessed the madness before her because while an actual fight would have been equally as exciting, this resolution was a far more entertaining story to share. Not that she knew who to share it with, which was why the voice of the stranger beside her was such a pleasant surprise. She laughed at the comparison, nodding because it really did seem that way. “If it goes according to those storylines, he’ll end up being his brother and his uncle or something.” Ari chuckled at the thought, now almost upset that they wouldn’t be able to find out precisely how these two were related. “Maybe I’ll have to come around more often just to see if they come back. Or I’ll go hunting around town, because wow, now I have to know.” Turning her attention now fully away from the spot the entire fight had taken place, Ari took another sip of her drink, only half joking. “What do you say? Fancy a little stalking and sleuthing?” 

She didn’t know her way around the town but the sound of the waves always drew her to the water. Like a siren’s call, she had never been able to resist the pull. Shoes in her hand, she wandered through the sand, watching as the moon played lightly off the waves. Ari hummed a slight tune to herself, letting the cold of the water on her feet sober her up just a bit. So long as she focused on just the physical sensations, she could forget everything else. Not paying too much attention, she ended up colliding with another and rubbed her head lightly. “Ah,” she dramatized, as though the impact had hurt her greatly (even though she had been at fault). “You’re in my way,” she complained, looking up at the familiar face without a name. ( @isidoredelgado​ )

   xx

    Most days, Ridley spent her life pretty much oblivious to that around her; she would see this manifest in her clumsy nature, always hip-checking tables or chairs in the path, and totally spacing out and not witnessing anything that happens ahead of her gaze. Today, the same was happening, as she sipped down on an iced coffee, and folded her napkin into smaller and smaller shapes, perched at the café table. At some point, the narration coming quietly- playfully- from the spot nearest her caught Ridley’s attention back down to Earth; and she looked over with a smirk tugging at her lips. “Sort of, I was kinda zoned out,” Ridley admitted with a small laugh, scooting her seat closer and encouraged by the thought of socialization. “That was really good though - do you know them or something?” 

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Had Ari not seen other people also watching the father-son pair, she would have presumed only she was nosy. But no, everyone else was just more subtle and she could see them sneaking a peek out of the corners of their eyes. She had just taken it a step further and added running commentary. When Ridley scooted closer, sadly missing quite the spectacle, she nodded. “Usually I would claim that I had never seen them and that I’m just that good at guessing what people are about to say but I think I have seen them before. Maybe around my place? But I don’t actually know them, know them. Just know them, you know?” All to say that it was still partly skill that she had been able to guess accurately what they were going to say because well, Ari knew people and their nature at this point. Dialogues were only occasionally fresh, especially these types of arguments. 

~

“That’s not going to narrow things down too much,” Adrian chuckled.  He glanced over his shelves for a moment before turning back to the customer. “Do you have a preference on sweet or savory?” He cocked his head as he considered. “Oh, and any allergies?” His smile turned warmer. “Accidentally making you sick won’t do our business any good.  We want you to come back after all.”

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“Well then I’m glad I walked into this bakery on a completely empty stomach.” She offered back, hopeful that she would find pastries to her hearts content here. “Let’s say one of both to start and I’ll probably take a box to as well. No allergies except I don’t like walnuts.” It was a random think and she always picked them out of everything. “But I could be convinced otherwise. 

It wasn’t uncommon to see Isaac away in his thoughts, not even aware of his surroundings -or the people- when his thoughts were louder. It was usually about whatever idea wanting to transfer into paper that took over and the man was impossible to break out of. And that was exactly what was happening right now. Until he was directly spoken to by a stranger, which made Isaac turn to face them and sure, answer to whatever they were asking -try to as well since he wasn’t listening much- until he realized who was speaking to him. Isaac then turned completely in her direction. The man had not seen her since that one date they had months ago, only to part ways on the base that Ari wasn’t staying yet Isaac was. Yet here she was, and it sure was the same exact town they had met. “Ari?”

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When she didn’t have more pressing matters to attend to, Gemma had gotten into something of a habit of eavesdropping on other people’s conversations in public places. It had started as a way of trying to glean new information about what the mermaids were up to, who might secretly be selkies, and other matters regarding Assyria. But even when conversations clearly had nothing to do with any of that, she couldn’t help but continue listening in. She told herself it was just so that she could more effectively gain and maintain a grasp on human behavior and local matters. But while she found most of what she heard to be painfully boring, she would be lying if she said that was always the case. At the moment, she was too bewildered to be bored - no matter what angle she considered this argument from, it seemed she was no closer to understanding it. It would seem that the argument was interesting enough that she wasn’t the only one paying attention. Hearing the question, she turned to find a woman who thankfully looked about as confused as she felt. “It would have been hard to miss that,” she pointed out.

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Ari wasn’t really sure how long she planned to stay in this little town but at the moment, it didn’t seem like her heart was ready to set sail. Not because Port Vale had anything so alluring that she just couldn’t bring herself to leave. No, if anything it seemed rather...quaint, in comparison to some of the other cities she had seen. But maybe that was just what she needed in this moment. However, if she was going to stick around, Ari decided it made no sense to hole herself up on her ship or in her room. After all, she was not looking to be alone with her thoughts at the moment. So she made it a point to get out and observe the strangers that peppered the streets, starting to recognize some of them. Which was rather odd. “I cannot believe they ended up being related.” She expressed in equal bewilderment. Maybe it was because she had never had such fights with her own family. No, growing up it seemed Ari was the only one who was fighting. Her parents had probably thought she was being stupid just like this man. “But maybe only family fights that passionately.” 

Fights weren’t all that common at The Seaman, since most of the patrons just wanted to drink in peace, keeping mostly to themselves. But disagreements did occasionally happen. Unless it was something truly interesting, Allegra only paid mild attention. The bartender wasn’t opposed to listening in on other people’s conversations, of course, but only when it was worth their time. Another woman who was sitting at the bar, however, seemed rather invested in the whole situation, occasionally muttering to herself as she watched on. Allegra themselves wasn’t really listening in, however, not this time. Not until it was all over and the woman spoke to her, asking if she’d seen what had happened. Allegra only shrugged, however. “When they get a few drinks in them, they always fight about something.” And it was never anything worth listening in to. “They work on the docks together.” At least that’s what the siren had managed to gather. 

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Most of her entertainment in life came in the form of people watching. After all, who could be more fascinating than others? Which was why wherever she was, Ari had always made it a point to survey her surroundings, speak to whomever was around her and remember them if she were ever back in their neck of the woods. She had been to The Seaman a few times, sleepless nights drawing her out of her bedroom and onto the streets of Port Vale. Though she rarely ever made small talk with the bartender (figuring they were busy enough as it was without having to deal with the chatter from yet another drunk) this time there was no one else around her to answer her. She was glad that they had even if it was only to provide additional info about the pair. “And here I thought they were going to get into a real barfight.” Not that she was necessarily looking for trouble but Ari would be lying if she said she wasn’t looking for some excitement. “In your line of work, you really must have seen it all.” There was a slight touch of excitement on her tone and maybe instead of a sailor, Ari should have been a bartender. 

Status: Open to All Location: Baked by the Deep Bakery

Adrian wiped his hands as he came out to the front of the bakery.  Someone had called in sick, so he would take over the customer service for the morning.  That didn’t bother him.  Sure, he preferred to be doing the hands-on work to create the food, but he also enjoyed meeting the customers and getting to interact with people.  So many people seemed to enjoy coming in for fresh and homemade – probably so they didn’t have to do it for themselves. He didn’t mind doing the work; it felt good to help people by providing food.

“Good morning,” he greeted, his smile warming as the person walked up to the counter. “What can I get you today?”

Ironically, her navigation skills on land were much poorer than her skills in the water. Maybe it was lack of interest or lack of effort, but either way, she had not yet learned her way around the town of Port Vale, which meant that plenty of mornings were spent walking around town cluelessly. This was one of those mornings as she desperately searched for something to fight off her hunger. Walking into the first bakery she found, she was greeted with a smile and the delicious smell of fresh pastries. Eyeing the rows of sweets, she truly couldn’t make up her mind. “Whatever your most popular item is,” Ari responded, playing with the dead phone in her pocket. Yes, she needed something to eat but she also hoped her patronage would earn her a few minutes with this baker’s charger.