snowtourn

Although Ekmeros wanted to check on Taisto, he found himself... unable to. Not really physically - well, he could blame it on that, but there seemed to be something preventing him that was far less substantial. He decided to blame it on hunger. Substantial. And so, he went to the dining room to fix that. @em | enya + mallon

“Looks like we had the same idea,” a voice comes from behind him—Enya’s standing slightly off to the side, plate absolutely piled with food and a grin on her face. “These fights sure are interesting, huh? Feels like I’m working up an appetite just watching ‘em.” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Why is everyone jumpscaring this old man? He straightened as he heard a stranger's voice and slowly turned on his seat to look at her. "Yes, the fights are interesting. Though it is a shame for the people who lose." He pressed his lips together, thinking about poor Taisto leaving so soon. @em | enya + mallon

Enya’s plate thunks against the table as she takes a seat opposite Ekmeros. Sorry king. She shrugs at his concern, not quite dismissing it, but close to that. “More room for the rest of us, right?” She points out as she starts to dig in. @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Ekmeros got that :| face again. "It was my roommate who lost last night." His mutter was almost inaudible as if admitting some dark secret. He ate from his own plate quietly to have an excuse to either not respond to things or to have time to think to whatever Enya said next. @em | enya + mallon

Whether Enya doesn’t seem too apologetic because she doesn’t really feel bad, or because she’s too busy absolutely scarfing down her breakfast, is unclear. Luckily she at least doesn’t reply with her mouth full. “Sorry ‘bout that. But someone’s gotta, I mean, we all knew what we were gettin’ in to. Otherwise what are we even doing here?” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"I suppose," Ekmeros mused a long few seconds after Enya spoke. He tapped his fork gently against his plate, not enough to make too much noise. "It is just an unfortunate coincidence. I find Taisto's company... nice. It is a shame he is leaving so soon." @em | enya + mallon

Enya shrugs at that. “I’m sure you’ll be able to get in touch with him afterwards. Or even before he leaves, honestly. Seems like they’re waiting a little bit to kick people to the curb after losing, which is..nice I guess? It’d be nicer to get to watch the rest in my opinion….not that I plan on losing,” she chuckles. Half her food is already gone somehow. @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"It is unlikely. I don't have the means to contact him after he leaves. But I should be able to talk with him before he goes, at least." Ekmeros decided he wanted a reason to not discuss the latter parts of what Enya was saying, so he took another bite of his food and ate slowly. Perhaps best to let Enya have her own discussion. @em | enya + mallon

soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"It is unlikely. I don't have the means to contact him after he leaves. But I should be able to talk with him before he goes, at least." Ekmeros decided he wanted a reason to not discuss the latter parts of what Enya was saying, so he took another bite of his food and ate slowly. Perhaps best to let Enya have her own discussion. @em | enya + mallon

@em | enya + mallon

“Yeah, I’m sure. Maybe the staff can help you get in touch too, I mean, they managed to find us all somehow? Couldn’t hurt to ask.” Enya tears through the last of her food, but still looks vaguely unsatisfied as she sits back in the chair for a moment. @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Ekmeros nodded noncommittally as Enya spoke. He finished a couple bites of food before he actually spoke again. "Perhaps. Though I do not have a stable address and I have heard that people from the city, at least, are less comfortable giving out their own addresses." @em | enya + mallon

“Eh, I guess. I mean, I don’t really have my own address either technically? I still live with my mom most of the time right now. It’s a miracle she didn’t find the letter invitation for this thing before I did, to be honest,” she chuckles. “Hopefully she just assumes I’m out blowing off steam somewhere. I tend to do that.” It seems oddly like a joke, but also..not. @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Ekmeros decided not to take another bite of food. "I travel, I've travelled for years, so I don't really have an address. It was interesting that they were able to invite me to this tournament at all." He didn't comment on Enya 'blowing off steam' but he did stare at her quizzically for a little while as he took another bite of food. @em | enya + mallon

“Huh. Yeah, that’s strange. But I guess this isn’t exactly the kinda thing they would wanna advertise, so maybe there’s some sorta, I dunno, database or something with everyone who’s got a weird ability or whatever. I wouldn’t be surprised, honestly.” She unfortunately misses his stare as she gets up quickly to half-refill her plate before sitting down again. “Where do you come from then, if you don’t mind me asking? I don’t get to travel a lot.” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"A database," Ekmeros repeated to hide the fact that he didn't really know what a database was. He watched Enya get up, wondering if she was leaving. However, she soon returned with a question he did not really want to answer. "I, ah, I come from a village, it's very... small." @em | enya + mallon

Enya seems entirely unbothered by the lack of both elaboration and interest she’s picking up, launching right into her second helpings as she continues. “Oh, cool. I get that a lil’ bit, heh. My state’s the smallest in the country. So if you’ve traveled for so long you’ve gotta have been to a bunch of different places, right? What’s the best one?” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Yeah that didn't mean much to Ekmeros. States were bigger than villages. "Well, I really just travel to small towns and villages. Cities aren't so interested in the sort of music I perform, so I don't tend to go anywhere most people would find interesting. Besides, none of them are 'the best', they're all different in their own way." Dad moral lesson right there. @em | enya + mallon

Enya rolls her eyes faintly at that. “Oh, come on, there’s gotta be one you thought was the coolest or the most interesting or whatever, right? This island is probably the farthest I’ve ever traveled. Humor me.” She seems genuinely interested at the mention of his music, though. “You perform? What kinda music?” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"Well, they are all different. Each place I have travelled to has a different set of qualities that one could say makes something 'cool'." Ekmeros did little air quotations because he didn't often describe things as cool. "Is this island far from your home, then?" He adjusted the viol case to sit higher on his chest and gestured to it. "I play the viol." @em | enya + mallon

Enya waves her (luckily, empty) fork in the air in defeat as she slumps back in her chair dramatically. “Fine, fine, keep your secrets. And yeah, it’s a bit far. Nothing crazy but, definitely not next door y’know? ‘Sides, not like I had much time to explore anyways if I wanted to catch that boat in time.” She sits back up normally to see the case better. “I think I’ve heard of that actually. Strings, right? Pretty sure I saw one in a music class once ages ago.” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

"...I am not keeping secrets?" Ekmeros said quizzically. "Everywhere I go is just incredibly difficult, it's like pitting... birds against fish. The fish is no better just because it can swim and the bird is no better for having flight." Dad moral jumping out. But as Enya continued, he nodded. "Yes, I myself did not have time for sightseeing if I didn't want to miss the boat. Not that I really wanted to... cities are not my cup of tea." Ekmeros' eyes lit up slightly. "Yes, it is strings." He lifted the case up slightly more before slowly taking the viol out and showing it to Enya. @em | enya + mallon

“You still haven’t said anything about the places you’ve been, so I’m counting that as keeping your secrets,” Enya says simply, with a faint grin that suggests maybe the back-and-forth is more fun at the moment than the actual information. “I like cities, but sometimes they seem to disagree with me.” There’s definite interest and appreciation as she looks at the viol, though it seems mostly surface level. “I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about instruments. Tried to learn a few but it never really stuck.” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Ekmeros blinked. "...well, they're mostly villages. Nothing I think you would see as 'cool'." He didn't smile back, not catching that suggestion. Man thinks he's being grilled. He did seem happy to discuss it! "Oh, I only play the viol, I've never been able to pick up other instruments, never felt right." @em | enya + mallon

Enya lays off the questioning for now, evidently finally realizing she’s most likely not going to get the answer she’s looking for out of him. “I played the violin for a few years in elementary school, but I think eventually my mom got tired of hearing me complain about my fingers hurting,” she chuckles. “So I got switched to piano. Haven’t played in a long time now though, I’m not sure if I even could.” @soul | peregrine 🎭 + ekmeros 🎻

Ekmeros furrowed his brow slightly at the mere mention of 'violin', though he had faith that Enya understood that they were different instruments. Hopefully. "Well, I have no experience in the violin either, only the viol. It's a completely different instrument." He glanced down at his fingers as if in thought, but didn't say anything on that subject. "I have not played the piano myself." @em | enya + mallon