#rivervale_lodge

"Yeah, she knows the way to a satyr's terror."

She grimaces.

"Okay okay, but there is a long tradition, of tantric magicks using intimacy to channel magic. I can't believe the Chief oppressed my culture like that"

A groan.

"Um...you're going into her culture to obtain the benefit of the Mountain's teaching...and you're gonna bitch about their rules?"

"Well, you know, one can choose to see it That way..." A bit of a sulk coming on

"I think you know that's full of it, Zane."

Sylvi raises a finger. "Ambassador wisdom. Take it or leave it."

"FIne" A sigh still a bit sulky, "I can see your points without being happy about it"

"Just find more local girls to hit on."

"Watch out, Dagmar...he's going to ask if you're volunteering."

A grin, she doesn't mean it.

She shrinks a little and shakes her head.

"Nah. Actually I wouldn't," he says his sulkiness passing, "Jokes aside, Dagmar is... how do I say this? When even trying would be unwelcome and you know it? then making a play becomes a sleezy thing to do. And I'm easy, but I ain't sleezy" he looks at Dagmar "You're safe with me. And NOT just because you could slap the teeth out of my mouth and into the next barony"

And he gives both girls a fist bump offer

Sylvi lifts a hand for the fistbump. "Yeah, sorry, that was clutzy of me, Dagmar."

A moment, but she fist-bumps.

"My junk. Baggage."

The fist bumps go on "We all got some. me, I thought it was better to act dumb since I'd never be a smart as dad. Sometimes I still..well, Nadeen got me over that hump." He rises "Hey, see you two around. Thanks for the talk. I kind of missed the lodge"

"Well, don't be a stranger then."

"I'll try." Sure enough his mood is back to happy, if a bit wistful

Sylvi props her head up again. "Seriously, Zane...it's good to have you around."

"You're okay for a boy."

"Thanks!" to both " Oh, talked to Colton.. you'll never believe what he's got planed for you, Sylvi" A smile "Byyyyee" and out he goes

"Heyyy!" She calls after him, then pouts. "Tease!"

"He's still a brat sometimes." She puts her head down on her arms again.

"Sometimes. So - why are you so tired? What's up?"

"Mmph." She rubs her eyes. "School, practice, chores, homework, cheered at a game two nights ago and tonight, and I try to get up to Rome when I can, and then there's other stuff that comes up, and..." A sigh. "I guess it's just a lot, sometimes."

"Spread thin, yeah."

"Not always, but..." she shrugs. "Anyway. You doing okay?"

She bites on her lower lip. "Better?"

"I was.. I dunno... things were kinda not great for a while."

Sylvi blinks and rubs her eyes for a moment, sitting up. "Yeah? What's the matter?"

Shrug. "Dunno. Just... a lot of stuff."

"But doing better." Firmly.

She frowns. "I'm glad, but the stuff...is it anything I can help with?"

"I dunno. I think I hurt my parents."

"How do you mean?"

"I.. so.. like... they figured out I was... I mean, not a lot, but, like, after breaking up I started... again..."

"And Dad sort of took it as a failure on his part?"

Sylvi blinks a couple of times. "Started...." Then the lightbulb goes on. "Oh. Oh, yeah. Yikes. It's not, though. Right? I mean, it's not like he did anything wrong to make it worse...?"

"No. It was me."

"Dad doesn't get how it helps, y'know?"

A wince. "I don't completely get it, myself. Sorry, I wish I could totally understand."

"Like... when everything seems too much, I dunno. It's clear and it's simple and it feels better after, even if it hurts?"

"It..." Sylvi frowns, but not with disgust, with concentration.

"Is it like...like you know what it is, you know what's going to happen? It's...predictable?"

She nervously chews on a cuticle, and nods. "I control it, yeah."

"I get that part, then. I guess I just don't get why that's the thing to control? I mean...there's other things you can do predictably, can control, right?"

"Doesn't feel like it, most of the time."