be not afraid ✦

“i have a bat and i know how to use it!” april yelled to the teenagers as she chased them out the tavern with her trusty bat. “what? are you next?” she asked the on looker. “haven’t seen someone get chased out of a place with a bat before?”

Kida laughed, putting her hands on her hips as the teens flooded past her. She admired the deft handling of the bat.

"Just admiring your technique," she replied, turning to watch the group run.

“people are so odd.” eric thought out loud, “do you think they really thought a ferris wheel by the ocean was a good idea? it’s weird, no?”

"I couldn't agree more. Perhaps it's for the thrill of being such a precarious spot?" Kida mused. She leaned against the railing of the boardwalk, hips tilted back and hands folded in front of her.

"But it is a beautiful view from the top."

✦

Kida had gotten food poisoning. She shuddered, remembering the awful few days that she never wanted to repeat.

“It’s decided then,” she replied, slapping the menu flat on the table and folding her hands on top of it. She smiled at Kit, tilting her head.

“Where do you usually eat?”

♛･*˚

"I've been to the Mantecorn since I've been in Elias. It's cute, I love the theme!" She beamed.

Kida smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"This is very mundane but there's a super cool set of magnets in the gift shop," she explained, leaning in conspiratorially. "I love the crystal ones especially."

Her smile widened at the question.

"Why, yes! We host a number of kid-themed programs. There's a tour with a hands-on fossil dig, there's a 'Paint and Sip" inspired by the various paintings in the collection, where we have a kid-friendly spread and sparkling juice..." Kida chattered, pulling out her handful of pamphlets and rifling through them. She produced the one detailing all the children's activities, holding it out.

"hmm. maybe i should start a magnet collection," kiara said, frowning in consideration. she could probably hang more things up on it that way. drawings, photos, blueprints that were frustrating her so she could glare at them while making breakfast.

thoughts of fridge decoration plans were quickly tabled as she listened eagerly to the options the woman laid out, taking the offered pamphlet and glancing over it. "thanks! i bet he'd like the fossil dig. and, i'm glad you think so about the exploring horizons thing. sometimes i worry that i'll accidentally force him into just doing whatever i did, y'know?" it was always nice to get some validation that she was doing alright at the whole older-sister-slash-guardian thing.

she couldn't help her grin at the woman's wistfulness. "yeah? well, as someone who was once just like you, here's the inside scoop on baby siblings: he's totally annoying and i've definitely had to stop him eating bugs. i mean, i love him to bits, but sometimes i swear he gets into trouble just to mess with me."

Kida resonated with the other's worries. All her life, she knew that her eventual purpose would be to take the reins of her father's kingdom, rule their people and protect them. It was a role she would embrace willingly, for she loved her people, but she remembered there were times in her life where the pressure rubbed. The way Kida had coped with it was the pursuit of answers to their people's past, tinkering with old machinery, diving in the many waters to look at old murals, and eventually, scouting beyond the borders of their little pocket beneath the sea.

"Awarness is the first step, I believe," Kida replied, reaching out a hand and placing it on the young woman's shoulder. "You seem to know him well, so I'd say keep listening and tailoring your suggestions for him."

Kida chuckled as the other described the mischief her siblings got up to.

"Well, I can see how that would be frustrating," she admitted.

location: Pins Bowling Alley

✦

“Pathetic, frustrating, and pointless?” Kida replied, throwing herself onto the plastic bench beside Meg.

“I have bested men twice my size in combat. I can’t throw a ball to knock down some wooden pins?” She sighed, disgusted.

“Why do you find this fun?”

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

“Took the words right out of my mouth, sunshine.” Meg squinted up at the board, finding herself smiling at how ridiculous their scoring was. Together, they had so far done terribly at bowling. 

Kida also squinted at the board but the numbers meant entirely nothing to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Meg smile, and allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips as well.

Kida batted the fork away, her chuckle turning to a full belly laugh.

"It may just help," she laughed, snatching up her own fork. She battled Meg for a few moments.

The trees whispered above her as Kida jogged along a trail, following her whim like the breeze, ducking down side paths and popping out onto the main trail at random. A particularly beautiful pond caught her eye and she spent some time gazing into the brilliant blue water.

As she turned, she bumped into someone standing just behind her, letting out a cry of surprise as she stumbled back.

"Don't sneak up on a person like that!" she yelped, pressing a hand to her racing heart.

At first it was fun, but soon it started to become...A bit more uneasy, so the moment she heard a few steps nearby the young woman approached slowly only to find another young lady reaching at a pond that, to be fair even at distance looked mystical.

Anna decided that two heads are better than one, in a few moments she was behind her, poor thing, she was about to speak when Anna gave her a good scare. "Oh my!" she exclaimed taking a step back, "Sorry! Sorry" a small laugh escaped her lips, "I didn't mean to scare you, I was just wondering if you knew the way around? Perhaps?"

Kida breathed a sigh of relief as she saw a young woman standing in front of her. Then she started to giggle, the adrenaline turning to relief.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell," she laughed. She stepped closer, holding out her hand.

"And if you come this way, that will take you back out to the main lobby and the gift shop!" Kida concluded the tour, folding her hands in front of her. She inclined her torso slightly.

"It's been a pleasure exploring with you today. If there are any remaining questions, I'm more than happy to answer them."

Kida smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"This is very mundane but there's a super cool set of magnets in the gift shop," she explained, leaning in conspiratorially. "I love the crystal ones especially."

Her smile widened at the question.

"Why, yes! We host a number of kid-themed programs. There's a tour with a hands-on fossil dig, there's a 'Paint and Sip" inspired by the various paintings in the collection, where we have a kid-friendly spread and sparkling juice..." Kida chattered, pulling out her handful of pamphlets and rifling through them. She produced the one detailing all the children's activities, holding it out.

✦

Kida drifted over to stand next to the guest, tilting her head to admire the same painting they were.

“Secret collections?” She mused aloud. It had never been on her training list but… who was to deny that there may be a shred of truth? She met his gaze with a smile, spreading her hands in front of her.

“I’m sorry to say if there is, I’ve never been invited to tour. I can put in a request for you if you like, Mister…?”

. 

"It's been a pleasure, Mr. Beaumont," she replied. A glow of pride filled her at the comment.

"I appreciate the compliment, but I have only been here a few short months," she explained. "There may yet be a shred of truth to this rumor."

She pulled a map of the museum and the exhibits from her uniform pocket, thinking.

Kida smiled, stirring the drink in question with her straw.

"It's a salted caramel cold brew with cold sweet foam," she replied, eyebrows scrunching as she repeated the long phrase.

location: Bueno Nacho

✦

Kida eyed the menu again. Every time she tried somewhere new, it was a completely confusing experience. And now, the items that she had decided to try were out of stock.

“What bad luck comes from food?” She asked. “What did you get? Maybe I’ll just get that.”

♛･*˚

Kida had gotten food poisoning. She shuddered, remembering the awful few days that she never wanted to repeat.

"It's decided then," she replied, slapping the menu flat on the table and folding her hands on top of it. She smiled at Kit, tilting her head.

✦

“And if you come this way, that will take you back out to the main lobby and the gift shop!” Kida concluded the tour, folding her hands in front of her. She inclined her torso slightly.

“It’s been a pleasure exploring with you today. If there are any remaining questions, I’m more than happy to answer them.”

[Open Starter]

.

Kida drifted over to stand next to the guest, tilting her head to admire the same painting they were.

"Secret collections?" She mused aloud. It had never been on her training list but... who was to deny that there may be a shred of truth? She met his gaze with a smile, spreading her hands in front of her.

location: replier’s choice

“ you never know what horrible fate your bad luck has saved you from, ” he reassured them.

✦

Kida eyed the menu again. Every time she tried somewhere new, it was a completely confusing experience. And now, the items that she had decided to try were out of stock.

location: replier’s choice

“ three words describe our situation right now; do you know what they are ? ”

✦

"Pathetic, frustrating, and pointless?" Kida replied, throwing herself onto the plastic bench beside Meg.

"I have bested men twice my size in combat. I can't throw a ball to knock down some wooden pins?" She sighed, disgusted.