“I think I'd like that," Abbs smiled in delight, she knew he couldn't wait to try it. She like it when she was about eighteen, she makes it the same way her mum used to make it. "I have a friend who had a mum that grows the beans. Her mum was my mum's friend, so that's where she got the beans. Yumi gives me some beans when there ready to be picked. It's kind of their family business, growing beans and selling them. They're magnificant." “Aye, you've guessed it." Abby was amazed to see that Vythe was still his same old casual leaning back on the chair way. “I'm actually considering creating an entirely new support team in the near future. It's almost as if the area around Ms. Grader'ba gets even more dangerous with each passing day. I hate to say it, but it's almost as if she's got some sort of death wish. So yes, it'd be a test of worthiness. Then you'd either be on my team, or this other one I'm putting together." Abbs was thinking for a moment when Vythe said something about another team. "A new team, hmm? Yeah, there have been some assassination attempts lately, only a couple successful. Because of Ms. Grader being out there, it's becoming unsafe, so that's probably a good idea to have another team. With me, there's also a possibility that I might not be worthy for any team, too."
Szambel nodded as he listened to Abigail's explanation regarding the coffee beans. Although he generally didn't always let it be known, cooking and agriculture were things that he was rather interested in. Had he not joined the USR, and had he stayed with his tribe, he most likely would have had some sort of career in the food industry. Though that would have put his other talents to waste. “That sounds excellent, really. Family businesses are always my favourites. You can't get a much stronger foundation than blood ties." Vythe paid attention as Abigail and Szambel exchanged pleasantries. It sort of took him aback. Szambel was so much different than he was. Good ol' Bel. “Well... no. I mean, had they been successful, Bel here and I'd be out of the job. Though you're right, and I'm more than unhappy to admit that there have been too many close calls as of late. I also wouldn't be so negative about it." Here Vythe paused. “You were good enough for Zamfir'ba after all."
“That sounds excellent, really. Family businesses are always my favourites. You can't get a much stronger foundation than blood ties." Abbs nodded as if she was understanding a language she didn't know. "Well, that's nice. I'm not continuing any family business, though. There's nothing to continue." She reached to behind her back to stratch and itch. “Well... no. I mean, had they been successful, Bel here and I'd be out of the job. Though you're right, and I'm more than unhappy to admit that there have been too many close calls as of late. I also wouldn't be so negative about it." Abby nodded her head in heavy agreement. "Yeah, if Ms. Grader was one of the successful targets, Reda forbid, you will be out of the job like that!" he exclaimed, clicking her fingers while saying "that." "That's why you have to be on guard, eyes open watching every angle." She started to sound like someone giving orders like in the USR. Once she realized, she immediately paused, then calmed down. "Sorry. Your right, I mustn't be negative at anything." “You were good enough for Zamfir'ba after all." Abby looked at Vythe, giving a little blush. "Thanks. I wouldn't do anything unless I had Innocence in it's holster."
Szambel smiled, a friendly sort of smile, but otherwise didn't say much else. This conversation was quite obviously between Abigail and Vythe now. “Mhm," Vythe agreed with a nod of his head. Should Koani ever die he'd certainly be in quite a bad place. A job after that seemed unfathomable. Of course, Vythe had thought that his days had been numbered when Zamfir had died. Yet Koani had kept him on. “Always on guard, yes. Ever alert, and with at least one hand at the ready." With that Vythe gave a quick demonstrative twitch of his left hand, though he didn't go as far as to unsheathe his left gun. Despite the years behind him these days, he was still as spry and agile as ever. “You're welcome." Vythe was all sincerity. He wasn't the type to be full of detestable and ego filling flattery. “I think you might like Ms Grader'ba. She's certainly a character. I'm glad we got to have this meeting, Abby. I guess what's really on my mind now is this: why did you leave after Zamfir'ba died?" It was a question that had been on his mind ever since Abigail had left. Had her ties just been that strong to Zamfir? “It's okay if you don't have an answer for that. I understand that it could be a difficult question."
“Always on guard, yes. Ever alert, and with at least one hand at the ready." Abbs was surprised. She thought Vythe was going to demonstrate with his gun, not with the twitch of his left hand. She acted normal and nodded her head. "Like I said." She gave a faint smile, jut slightly showing a fang or two. “I think you might like Ms Grader'ba. She's certainly a character. I'm glad we got to have this meeting, Abby." Abby looked at Vythe with opal eyes glimmering in the light. "I look forward to meeting her. I'm also glad we had this meeting too." She paused her movement. "I guess what's really on my mind now is this: why did you leave after Zamfir'ba died?" She froze as if she was both afraid and embarrassed to answer that question. She took a deep breath and answered, "That I cannot provide with an answer, now."
Although Vythe was disappointed, he tried his best to mask it. He'd been hoping at least for some semblance of an answer from Abigail. Maybe just a little hint as to why she had left when Zamfir had died. Yet he'd been left hanging. It was a position that he was beginning to loathe. Vythe wasn't about to pressure her though, so it was with a small sigh of resignation that he briefly folded his hands behind his head before settling them down in his lap. “Ah. I wasn't really expecting an answer, so it's okay. If you ever feel like telling me though, I'd appreciate it." Vythe's red flamed tail swung in a gentle loop before curling partially around his chair. “So are you really interested in coming back for at least a test run then? I mean, I don't want you to feel obligated just because I asked... and you did seem a little negative about it. I really don't want to impose."
“Ah. I wasn't really expecting an answer, so it's okay. If you ever feel like telling me though, I'd appreciate it." He was lying, she could tell by looking into his eyes. She felt uneasy, it was like a secret that she was keeping from her friends, who she can trust. Vythe wanted to know why, so she had no choice. "I fell in love with an ardan that was in the unit, but I wondered if he felt the same for me. I was going to ask him, but that was when Magos Zamfir died. I left because I started to wonder that I wasn't worthy for him. He was a Pendragon and I was a Lukuo, we just didn't go together." It was definitely a secret that she kept from the world, but Vythe was her friend, she could trust him. “So are you really interested in coming back for at least a test run then? I mean, I don't want you to feel obligated just because I asked... and you did seem a little negative about it. I really don't want to impose." Abbs smiled as if she was happy. "I want to come back, until my time is up. When I left, my life turned into a puzzle, but I didn't have all the pieces. Now I know what the pieces are, Vythe." She stared straight into his eyes, as if she was trying to tell him something. She was too embarressed to say anything, or do anything, she had to shake out of it. She can't give away soft spot for this "ardan" she loved.
For a moment, there was a strange silence. It wasn't necessarily awkward. It was just that for the first time during their meeting, Vythe was finding himself without words. He had known that Abigail had left for her own reasons. He hadn't at all been expecting that that reason was love, or rather, the uncertainty of it. Unrequited love. It was a feeling that Vythe was all too familiar with. “That's... awful, Abby. Did you think he didn't like you just because you're a lukuo?" However, Abby's further words put a stopper in his mouth. Vythe certainly wasn't the stupid sort, perhaps he could be rather arrogant, brash, and as Koani had said, cruel. Still, he didn't seem quite ready to guess at who this arden was that Abigail was speaking of. Instead he quietly looked back at Abigail, studying her rainbow-hued eyes. Abigail was pretty, intelligent, and as he also knew, deadly with a firearm. He couldn't tell her that though. “I... ah. Look, Abby. I'll help you out however I can. It'd be an honour to have you on my team, and maybe, along the way, we can solve this puzzle of yours."
“That's... awful, Abby. Did you think he didn't like you just because you're a lukuo?" Abbs was really embarrassed. It was obvious that Vythe was the ardan that she was speaking of. It was him all this time, but she didn't want to say it, well now, but eventually she will. "Well, true that I liked him, but I just wanted to ask if he liked me the same way. You don't know how hard it is for me, Vythe. To love someone who you want to know if he loves you back." “I... ah. Look, Abby. I'll help you out however I can. It'd be an honour to have you on my team, and maybe, along the way, we can solve this puzzle of yours." Abby appreciated Vythe's help into solving this "puzzle" of her life. She knew what the missing pieces were and she would accept whatever help she could find. She smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Vythe."
"I've been in a similar situation before," Vythe admitted, his tone perhaps a little softer now. His situation had been very similar. Only he had taken the courageous leap and had confessed his love, only to be turned down and left with a dry and burnt feeling in his mouth. It was still something that he found himself holding onto, but it was difficult when the object of your affection turned a blind eye on you. Sometimes things just aren't meant to be. "You're welcome, Abby. Look, it's pretty late. Maybe I can give you a call tomorrow and we can sort out all the little details. I really am glad we had this meeting. It's been far too long."
"I've been in a similar situation before," That was a surprise to Abby. To her, Vythe was a hotshot. All the girls would want to be with him, but being turned down, wow. Who and why, she doesn't want to know. Mabye there were some girls that weren't attracted to some like Vythe, being hotshots. "Oh my, I guess you do know what it's like, afterall." "You're welcome, Abby. Look, it's pretty late. Maybe I can give you a call tomorrow and we can sort out all the little details. I really am glad we had this meeting. It's been far too long." Abbs was very agreeable. It has been a long time and it was getting late. She was hoping that Mika hasn't messed up her apartment. "Yeah, it has been a long time. I have to get home before Mika goes crazy from loneliness and messes up the places. Look, here's my number." She wrote on a piece of paper, 333-48016 and handed the note to Vythe.
"Yeah," Vythe replied with a trace of a smile. "Guess I do." He was getting dangerously close to touching on a subject that he considered to be very private. As a pendragon who was well aware of his reputation, there were certain measures that he went to in order to keep it relatively strong and untarnished. Not succumbing to his true emotions was just one of those measures. It was easy to do now, and quite second nature. Vythe, always the reticent one. Vythe took Abigail's number, he was sure that he probably had it on file somewhere, but the piece of paper was more than welcome. It somehow made her feel like a reality to him. The arden carefully pulled a thin black leather wallet that he had stored in one of the inner pockets of his coat. Then, with utmost care, he slipped the small piece of paper inside before returning the wallet. "Thanks, Abby. I'll give you a call tomorrow then. Probably in the afternoon." As he spoke, Vythe pushed out his chair and rose to his feet. Szambel, who had been a silent witness all this time, also rose to his feet. Vythe outstretched his hand to Abby for a parting handshake. "Promise to keep in touch this time...?"
"Yeah, guess I do." Abbs could see that it was starting to bother Vythe. She still couldn't believe that he got in the same situation as her, but well she was away for awhile, anything could have happened. She stopped thinking about and went back to whatever she was doing. Seeing Vythe take out his wallet, Abby saw him pick up the piece of paper and put it in his wallet, then withdrawing his wallet to his pocket. "Thanks, Abby. I'll give you a call tomorrow then. Probably in the afternoon." Abbs nodded her head, agreeing with him. She wasn't really doing anything in the afternoon so she should be at home. She stood up after Vythe and reached her hand out to shake his. "Promise to keep in touch this time...?" Abby paused for a moment before grabbing his hand. She then gripped it and gave it a thrusting handshake. "Promise," she said with a smile.
It was with Abigail's promise and firm handshake that the two arden took their leave. Vythe smiled at Abigail and inclined his head ever so slightly before exiting the cafe, Szambel at his side. It was only after they had been walking for over ten minutes that some chatter between the two of them began to arise. “I think Abigail would be a pretty good choice. However," Szambel started plainly. “That guy she was talking about..." Before Szambel could continue, he was hit hard in the side by Vythe's right elbow. “Shut up." Although Vythe's actions and words were harsh, his voice actually held a hint of humour. He was still smiling. It wouldn't have taken a genius to figure out that it had been Vythe that Abigail had been speaking of, and such a connection was easily made by Szambel who made a living by reading people. Szambel smiled, albeit somewhat pained. “You know, you're a brute," 'Bel said with a laugh before good-naturedly shoving Vythe back. ooc - I think we can call this one a wrap. :]
