#anywhere

"Intentions?" Sylvi pauses. "Um...not romantic ones. But he knows things, and I'm here to learn."

"mm" she considers, "I haven't decided what to do with Snowy yet, you see. I thought about staring at him intently for an hour, wordlessly, but i thought that might be too forward. Not every sluagh came back, so a shortage of boys who, you know, might 'get me'" She glances at the trolls, but most are too old for sylvi "mmthoug h Ican see why you would have a problem. not that we need men in our lives per se, but as it happens, if I were a fish, I think I'd LIKE to have a bicycle. I mean, some play for hours in those useless little teeny castles. me? I could swish between spokes. Oh. I'm Yancy. "

It takes her a moment to catch up with that ramble, but then she nods and says, "Um, hi. I'm Sylvi. And...I'm not looking for a boy...for anybody...right now. But, I guess, thanks for looking out for me...?" She clears her throat. "I noticed the Day of the Dead paint..." (of course) "...and I asked Snowy Joe if you were from Mexico, but he says you're not.'

"oh no, I like the style, appropriating culture is a bonus. i am studying its effects when there is no one of that culture to offend. It's amazing how many white saviors will rush to the aid of ..uhm.." she looks about at the room as if searching not finding "all the mexicans? at one party I wore an African Witch doctor outfit. folks looked SO uncomfortable at that party. it used to be sluagh had to hold bugs to get that effect, but I think this modern world has whole new ways to disturb. What do you think?"

A blink. "Cultural appropriation, to unnerve people on purpose." Then she grins wryly. "Mortals would call that 'trolling' but only because most of them don't remember the word 'sluagh.' "

" i hadn't thought of how your own kiths' name had been appropriated, " delighted "okay, you might be kind of cool. well, yes, i mean, we have to keep up with the times, and glamour can be found in unease as well as terror."

"Does that work for you? Finding glamour from unease?"

"well, obviously I won't muse many mortals here" she says "but sometimes the toursitss yes. I don't do it where there are actual members of the group. I'm here to cause unease, not injury" she snifs with pride "what am I, a redap? but once I met some tourists here in full japanese imperial garb. none of them were of Asian descent, but one woman still just sputtered.... and I could sense her imaginging how my outfit was going to cause a race war or something. it was amazing. "

Sylvi tries not to grin too much at that. "I suppose sometimes you wouldn't even have to try too hard...just wear your hair in cornrows. Dreadlocks, if you want to put in the effort."

Then she frowns. "Sorry, I just realized I don't know what your racial background is under all the facepaint."

"Scandinavian actually" Snierk "In my fae main my hair is dark, but outside the hold? I'm a blonde."

A nod. "Definitely dreads, then."

"Definitely dreads" She says "Thanks."

Sylvi nods and sips her soda. "So...Snowy Joe, huh?"

The girl-talk tone.

she nods "he's very mature, for a boy, and I like how he's in this state of denial about how nice he is? it's like...insanity's allure, but one you can take home to mother?"

That makes Sylvi outright smile. "I get it." She nods. "I told him he reminds me of somebody I know, and that's like almost the perfect description of that guy, too.:

"

"Well, it's their own fault for being interesting, it';s like they're asking for a stalker" then she adds, "By sluagh standards. We are , I admit, a twisted kith. I can't speak for trolls"

"Hm. Not so much twisted, trolls. More...um...awkwardly un-bendy...?"

"oh, you guys are the ones who have no game to the point it's almost another level of game?"

A groan. "Um...sometimes....?"

"i love those characters on TV shows. adorkable. though you seem a bit more polished than that." she observes

"You're catching me on a good day," she says and sips.

"do you have a bad one planned so I can know when to compare?" sip of tea

"Besides..." she rallies "...I'm not the one who's talking about this guy she wants to stalk but not actually getting up the nerve to stalk him."

A blush "that was piercing, sudden, without mercy- i can respect that" a hint of admiration

"Thank you." A nod as she looks around the party. "So what's your plan?"

"for now? I observe, watch and wear him down. youre' right. I need to take stalking to the next level. how about you? You're not here to learn about my love life. any news? It's gauche to grill a sluagh one sidedly"

She sighs. "I've had enough boy trouble in the last year that...well, Hurricane Sylvi is trying to stick to her job right now."

"learning more about the nunehi and this hold?" She says "Weird task. some folks go to the defense of a culture without bothering to learn anything about it. You seem to be one of the few doing the work. but why?"

A long pause. "Well...it feels like the right thing to do. I don't really know where I'm going, y'know? So I figure...I better find out what there is to go to, what's going on in the world...and then maybe it'll make more sense." She frowns. "I'm not sure I said that right. Anyway...last summer I spent on a farm, and this summer I'm spending here. I like learning stuff this way."

"Huh, maybe there's a hint to what makes you happy there" She says, "Your mom's a hearth, your dad's a rover...maybe traveling only to be with people is your compromise of those two heritages"

A glance. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you already know all that....but you might be right, I guess."

"please, when I hear the word 'emissary' I get curious." she says "I'm not so smitten I've lost my sluagh priorities. I mean, guys are nice, but secrets are secrets and knowledge is knoweldge, you know? "

A chuckle. "Fair enough. And you learned enough about troll lodges to know what a Hearth does, too."

"Actually, i'm still confused on that. i can't tell if they just make meals and pay the bills, or rule with an iron fist in peace time?"

"All of the above." Sip.

"are you just trying to get me to visit sometime to spy on this for myself?" dubious look

A shrug. "If you wished to, I doubt I could stop you, but sure." She nods. "It won't take much spying though, I think."

"see, trolls just leave it all out...it's very discouraging sometimes" A sigh, dramatic then a toothless smile "Fine."

"Yes, completely open books, that's us." A sip. "Except when it isn't." Sip.

"Oh, you've definitely met sluagh before "Approving of this. "I think we'll drive each other crazy as friends, Sylvi. Sounds fun."

"I'm in, Yancy." She winks.

A grin, toothless and a bit revolting but after seeing a pug'wi, not even a phasing

The rest of the party actually turns out be nice. Dancing changes up, games are played, the jester , a bear pooka, is funny as hell if you like phsyical pratfalls delivered on a big round guy. Damn he could do vaudeville

He even gets Sylvi chuckling a time or two.

He sways back and forth as hte bottle in hsi hand stays level and even....

She knows it's an act, but that bottle does look like it's in jeopardy, and she watches it closely.

The high summer is not bad at all, she makes what might become friends, talks to folks, and .....yeah, she has a good time at the party.