A Lady's Work Is Never Done (Claire, Troy)

[Cecelia Riddel]

Two years ago, Cecelia would never have dreamed of being surrounded by common folk in a park, a calm wind and warm sun overhead.  No Royal Guard followed in her wake, no rumors and few faces she recognized only in passing as neighbors.  She wasn't in Zekunft anymore, not a noble surrounded by a flock of friends and still estranged from family.  But she still had her pride, her identity, and her determination.

So it was that the surviving Ryddel sister was going over paperwork, of all things.  Flipping through papers she had bound together, sh worked over her current project: the community garden she'd hoped to build with people from both worlds to share together.  The current plans for space and funds, a number that was still lower than she'd like.  Still she'd find a way.

The thought lingered as the breeze picked up.  With a moment of panic, she clutched her folder to her chest, trying to protect her precious signs of progress and unable to keep her straw hat tumbling over itself on the wind out of sight.

"Oh dear."  She rose, absently brushing at her skirt as she shielded her eyes from the sun in hopes of finding the hat.  Hopefully it didn't hit someone, or end up in the dirt.

[Claire Weiss]

It certainly did.

After having been busy holding her skirt down from the sudden gust of wind, Claire would turn to look up at Troy, placing a hand to her lips.

Then laughing.

"Ah, what a lovely addition to your outfit." she'd tease, staring at the straw hat that hadn't gotten enough height to miss him. She'd glance around afterwards, searching for the owner. Someone must be chasing after it or searching around.

[Troy Wilde]

"Mmmmphghlllgh!"

Troy cries out from under the hat wrapped around his face, clutching at it like it's actively trying to smother him to death.

He slowly drops to his knees.

[Cecelia Riddel]

Oh gracious.

One of Cecelia's hands covered her mouth in horror at the sight of her hat smothering some unfortunate soul.

"Ah, my apologies." She stifled a grimace as a lifetime of formality rose to the surface, quickly stepping over to the pair who seemed to know each other. She slowed, uncertain what to make of the giant man dropping to his knees.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid the wind has a mind of its own today."

[Claire Weiss]

"So it seems." Claire would agree, happy to see that the presumed owner of the hat had made her way over to them. She'd glance over at Troy, even as he fell to his knees, watching without much concern.

"I'm certain Troy here will eventually return it to you, no matter how fond of it he is. Isn't that right?"

[Troy Wilde]

"GHK! Ggghhh.... gah...."

Troy falls to the ground, lying prone. The hat slides off his face, and he just sits there, eyes wide in fear, his tongue hanging out of his open mouth.

[Cecelia Riddel]

Cecelia takes a small step back as Troy's antics continue, trusting in his companion to know him well enough and generally understanding he's being dramatic.

"It was a rather fortunate find," she agrees with a hint of a smile. "Thank you for keeping it safe, Troy and Miss...?" She turned her attention towards the other girl to begin a proper introduction.

[Claire Weiss]

"Weiss. Claire Weiss." she'd say with a polite bow of her head.

"And whom might you be?"

As Claire listened for the answer, she'd squat down with her knees together in order to retrieve the hat. After brushing off whatever debris she could see on it, she'd lift back up and offer it to her.

[Troy Wilde]

Troy twitches.

[Cecelia Riddel]

"A pleasure, Miss Weiss. My name is Cecelia Riddel." She nodded in turn with the introduction, interest sparked by the other young woman's response, the greeting that was more formal and less invasive of her personal space. Dare she hope...?

"Thank you, again," she smiled with her gratitude as she accepted her hat with a delicate but confident hand. She tried to ignore the fact that it had the start of callouses now, and a small cut from a thorn from one of yesterday's flower arrangements.

"Weiss..." She repeated the name, trying to place it. Not a name from back home, but one she knew she'd heard. "Your name sounds familiar. What is it your family does?"

[Claire Weiss]

Claire would giggle at the question, having become used to needing to answer that. After-all, there were many a new person to this world, now. It wasn't just 'common knowledge' around here anymore.

"The New Life Foundation." she'd reply, mostly to see if it sparked any sort of realization before she continued.

"We mostly deal in pharmaceuticals, but we have a hand in a little bit of everything. I'm personally, and controversially, putting money into assisting those from the Arc. Despite the offered housing I've noticed there are many of them in the slums. Something seems amiss, no?"

Was it a choice? Or were they not truly given all the opportunities promised? She wanted to know.

Claire would then glance down at Troy who was still on the ground before looking back at Cecelia.

"I'm afraid you may have killed him."

Her tone seems light so she's...probably joking? ? ?

[Troy Wilde]

No more twitching. Just... still...

[Cecelia Riddel]

The name rung a faint bell, but not enough for Cecelia to know more than that the names were connected. Thankfully, Claire was kind enough to fill in any gaps. What faint recognition Celia showed was minimal, but she nodded in polite acknowledgement and silent thanks as the other girl informed her of what she needed to know.

"I see." A small smile graced her face as she nodded again, more emphatically this time as she agreed. "It's true. It's seems a lot of the people who came to this world seem to have fallen by the wayside. I'm glad to see there are people here who care about such things." It was old habit not to mark herself as one of those people from the Ark, even though she was one. Qi users were looked down here, as well, after all.

"You're quite brave to take such a stance. I truly hope people appreciate that." Then Troy was mentioned, and her attention went to the man who was utterly still. She had to be joking, surely. A hat couldn't do that - her hat was bought from this world, after all! But the thought startled her enough that Cecelia squeaked and drew a hand to her lips to stifle the sound.

Just...not before a bubble appeared, escaping her lips with the small squeak.

'Oh no.' She was frozen with both fear and humiliation.

[Claire Weiss]

Claire seemed to appreciate Cecelia's words, but, as one might expect the sudden bubbles caught her off-guard.

"Oh my." is all she managed at first, watching them float by.

The lady didn't seem to be eating anything, much less soap. How on earth? She'd give Troy two small kicks with the side of her foot, to both get his attention and make him stop acting dead.

"How did you do that?" She'd suddenly giggle.

[Troy Wilde]

"Ghack! I wasn't doing anything, it was just a pop-up!"

Troy sits up suddenly, holding his stomach and looking around, before blinking slowly.

"Oh. Right. Sorry."