#elsewhere

Art sighs in the backseat, as Ivan begrudgingly gives him a little room. "Being a squire feels rather like that saying about Bridesmaids." Dryly.

Meanwhile Gwen's phone gives a chirp that she has a new message.

Gwen reads it, since Thistle is driving (despite concerns)

Art appears over her shoulder, peeping.

"Anything interesting?"

"Ack!" Art's head disappears as Ivan pulls him back by the shirt tails, firmly gripped in jaws. A heavy paw laid over his lap to keep the Squire in his seat. "Ivan, stop that, I want to see!"

"We SURE you're not Eiluned?" She says "Looks like i got her agent. I hope that treasure has mortal tribal recognition or I may have said too much"

"Look at it this way, if you did hit on some private lore, and they caught it, you've fast tracked your way to a contact for our quest!" Ever cheerful.

"Apparently I WILL get time to see her" She types a response that is, essentially, a thank you very much

Thistle only speeds a little

7 MPH over is the magic number, right?

Smooth sailing from the airport, either the local police aren't too strict on enforcing speed traps, or they're just lucky.

Ivan pokes his head forward now and then to make sure Gwen is okay.

"I'm fine, Ivan, just nervous"

"We got this."

"You're a badass stone giant trying to save your Mom. Like, the Universe wants you to succeed."

"Probably with lots of schmaltz at the end when Marigold gets all sappy over it. I better get pie."

A snerk "Thanks, and yes, there should be pie"

"Good. Make no mistake. I am only doing this for pie." It doesn't take a Gwydion to ping that one.

"You'll get your sliver, Solo, just get us to Alderon"

"In eleven parsecs, kid."

"A blue milk run mmm?"

"MmmMMMmm." A Yoda-noise.

A chuckle again

"It'll be fine" She nods, but her bottom lip flakes a bit of stone as she bites it

"Listen. We're fuckin' fairy tales, right?"

"I know" She says "It'll be fine" But the nibbling continues

"It'll be fine if you, like, follow the..well, not the rules, per se."

"But you gotta be genre-savvy."

"Be polite to old ladies."

"Do NOT fuck with old ladies."

"Do not snark at old ladies."

"I think all old ladies might secretly also be either witches or fairy godmothers."

A chuckle "Does this mean all old men are secretly martial arts masters?"

"Particularly if they smile?"

"Probably."

"Don't fuck with old people, in general."

"I mean, I can, but I'm your sassy sidekick, not the heroine."

"Agreed. Old Age isn't for wimps and... wait, are you the sassy sidekick just so you leave most of the work to me while you get to tease me? Or is it just a perk?"

She GRINS.

"Mmmph" ("Nockers are cheeky")

"Whatever. I'm your best friend."

"You are" A nod "And thanks for that. "

"Course, that means you and Art are MORE than friends" She doesn't smirk but her eyes sparkle

She squawks, the car doing a little rev before she hastily takes her foot off the gas.

"Worth it" She mutters as she steadies herself when the car jerks

"Oh, go chisel yourself." Back to steady driving, at least.

A soft but rumbling chuckle

"Ooo, turn up the radio!"

If she has to drive across all this awful flat boringness, at least she can do car-karaoke. And the other two can suffer.