[PRP] Up in the Air

[Catzandbirdz]

Alba didn't leave the base very often, even when he did have the occasional day off from his work. There simply wasn't much of a reason for him to normally do so. So whenever he actually did travel into one of the towns on Kodo, he didn't waste his time ogling at all of the tourist traps. And when it came time for a lunch break, he would seek out something local.

That was how he ended up at a small diner and cafe near the university. Maybe it was also the appeal of seeing in one place so much of the younger crowd with their futures still ahead of them. People watching, he had heard it be called. The inside was loud and boisterous, a small party going on between some of the tables to celebrate surviving another test grade, and so Alba placed and paid for his order, and made his way through the side door to the outside seating.

It was still busy and crowded, but he managed to locate a small table with 2 chairs as a happy couple was leaving. The part where it was also right next to the high railing separating anyone from a drop to the ground below may have also explained why the person ahead of Alba in line had been eager to find a reason to step aside.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abigail had had a lovely morning out so far, but when lunchtime rolled around, she hesitated. Well, why not? She hadn't eaten out in at least a week, so, she figured, she was due for a treat. And she had the perfect place in mind; one of her favorite places, actually.

She entered the cafe and despite how busy the inside looked, figured there would be at least some seats available outside, so when she got to the counter she ordered, paid, and took the meal out into the back to find a seat.

Except all the tables were taken.

A light frown touched her lips as she scanned the area, but most of them had couples (which made her a little sad) or several people.... Oh, except that one! Right over in the corner, with that.... ..waaaaiitt a minute... Didn't she..? Oh yes, she did. Well, he was sitting by himself, so hopefully he wouldn't mind if she possibly asked...?

"Bonjour!" Abigail said brightly when she'd moved over near Alba's table. She almost didn't recognize him without the tights. "Do you remember me? We danced at the Halloween party!"  

[Catzandbirdz]

Alba jumped slightly when he realized he was the person being addressed, and not someone at another table. "Oh! Oh... uh... yes! I- uh, that is... hmm." Well this was embarrassing. A nice looking- A nice woman was talking to him, and he'd just admitted to being the guy wearing tights and a mask at a party. He brushed at his hair and chuckled at his own embarrassments. "Yes. Yes, that was me." With a deep breath he nodded, donning the best smile he could despite his awkwardness. Remembering his manners, he stood and offered his hand for a shake. "Alba," he said by way of introduction. Had they introduced themselves at the party? At the moment, he was inwardly too flustered to honestly remember.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

She hadn't meant to startle him, of course, but she laughed lightly at his stuttering - or possibly at the recollection of him in tights. Either one. "Alba," she repeated with a warm smile, moving to hold her meal in one hand/arm (somehow) and shaking his hand with her now free one. "Abigail. It's nice to meet you again," the former breeder said sincerely.

When she released his hand, hers went back to making sure she didn't drop her drink - mmm, strawberry lemonade - and she came to the purpose of her interruption. "I don't mean to intrude, but.. Would you mind if I, ah, joined you..? There aren't any free tables," the woman finished a bit sheepishly.  

[Catzandbirdz]

"Nice to meet you again, as well." Alba's eyebrows raised at the question as he figured it out. "Oh! Um, sure, sure! Go right ahead." He motioned with a hand and smile to the empty seat across from him. "Need any help with that?" he added, referring to Abigail's balancing act.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh, thank you! It's very kind of you." Abigail beamed brightly at his response, as well as his offer, though she politely shook her head to the latter as she set her own meal down. "No thank you; I've gotten quite good at balancing acts over the years, what with my daughter and everything." 'Everything' being her breeding business full of energetic baby bunnies.

Oh, oops. Well, that hadn't taken long at all for her to mention her daughter. Anyway. "So do you live here or in Camphoreon?" Or neither? It was a fair question, she thought; she went to Camphoreon all the time, despite living in Sandalwood.  

[Catzandbirdz]

Of all the things just said as he took a seat, Alba locked onto the daughter detail most. A daughter? Was she- Nope, no ring that he could see. Stiiiiiill... After the whole fiasco with she-who-shall-not-be-named, ex-number-two, Alba was much more careful when it came to speaking to women. Last thing he wanted was to be taken for a fool like that again, or give some jealous hubby or boyfriend the wrong idea. Didn't help that he was now also secretly part of a major criminal organization.

Not the greatest conversational topic, that.

"In that general area," he said, not exactly answering but giving the best answer he could given the question. "I haven't visited this place in a while, so I thought I'd make a day trip out." He idly swirled the cup containing his iced coffee. "You?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

No, Abigail had no rings on any of her fingers. The only piece of jewelry she wore was a silver chain necklace with a small pendant that looked to be of Celtic origins.

She took his response to mean somewhere around Camphoreon, so she smiled before she took a sip of her delicious lemonade. Mmmm.. "I live here in Sandalwood now," she offered. "I lived in Johto before. I come to this cafe once in a while, though I try not to eat out too often - not until I find some sort of employment," she ended with a soft frown. Abigail wasn't sure how viable breeding was as a career choice here in Kodo, but apart from that she really wasn't sure what options she had...  

[Catzandbirdz]

Small talk, Alba was quickly realizing, was something he was very rusty at. Then again, had he ever been good at it to start with? "It's a nice area, I'll give it that. This whole region is. Honestly, I prefer it to Kanto any day." He watched some people come and go. "I'm sure you'll find something soon. What field are you in, if you don't mind my asking?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh yes, it is," she agreed quite happily, smiling at the thought. "I haven't traveled too much yet, mostly just around here and Camphoreon, but I love it so far. How long ago were you in Kanto last?" She asked with another smile, her expression more curious now. "I went every so often on the train, since I lived in Goldenrod."

The mention of a field made her pause hesitantly. "Well, back in Johto I was a breeder. Mainly Buneary, but I did raise several others," she explained, "but the past five or six years business kind of went down quite a bit, so I finally had to sell it off this past year. I don't really think there's much of a market for breeders here in Kodo," Abigail added with a soft frown as she took another sip of her drink. "I guess I'll have to find something else, though I'm not entirely sure what.."