Idealism bound outside Logic. (Concluded)

“I’ll take this one Sierra,” said Pash. “I imagine he has already heard you tell the story.”

“So yeah, it probably was not my smartest idea, but Sierra was concerned that she might be really receptive to my love magic. So I get the bright idea to let her touch me. I figured that it she just touched my hand lightly with hers she might be able to feel something, but it would be far from enough to actually affect here.”

“I mean, I have done way more than touch some of my, ummm, opponents hands to no avail. It usually takes a good bit of, ummm, sustained contact.”

Pash really was trying to be on her best behavior.

“But Sierra, after just one simple hand to hand touch instantly went blank. Scared me half to death. I pulled my hand back immediately, but even with that it still took her some time to start talking to me again.”

“She told me she felt a little, ummm, heheh, turned on for a bit, but other than that she told me was fine. She did act pretty giddy for a few minutes, so that was amusing. Well, it would have been if I were not scared to death.”

“Anything I’m leaving out Sierra?”

"The only thing he doesn't know initially is one of my abilities to draw energy into myself. Normally I do not just do it passive but briefly I kind of lost focus and ended up siphoning some of Pash's love magic. The next minute was kind of maelstrom of emotions and sensation that faded out. I think that was when was briefly catatonic that Pash described. I should mention that the loss of focus tends to occur during my first contact with any form of energy, not just love magic. So it should be no issue if I end up in contact with Pash.

How, there was actually a prolonged effect after our meeting. Shortly after, I was getting a lot more attention than I used to. There were a lot of guys and some girls that were kind of following me around with what I can describe as a lovey-dovey face. The effective gradually started to fade away after in a span of 1 to 3 days. It...was one of the more awkward times I've ever had..."

Spring Rose moved over to comfort Sierra, which may be odd seeing that Sierra is the one controlling her, or maybe it is her way of comforting herself.

Professor still looks to be thinking after both Pash and Sierra have given the detail of the incident.

“People following you around with a lovey-dovey face is not all bad you know? Just be a little sweet to them and watch as their face lights up like you are responsible for them having the best day of their life. I suppose it can be a little off putting if you are not used to it”

“Not that I know that feeling, haha! A bombshell like me was born used to adoration,” Pash said as she closed her eyes and smiled as she gave her hair a dramatic toss.

She then opened one eye to see the three of them just staring at her with blank looks on their faces.

She then sighed in resignation.

“Well, I guess you academic types don’t go for cheap tricks like that, eh? ...ha...ha…”

Professor Durkin stares briefly before just chuckling.  "I prefer one that can give me a run for my money, mind-wise."

Sierra scratches her head afterwards the initial blank look.  "I do not even know what I am looking for yet."  

Spring Rose is just simply smiling.  Does Spring Rose count as an academic type?

The waiter returns with a cart with their order, being extra careful with Sierra's order dye to the hot soup.  

The professor's dish is a steaming hot mushroom with herbed pasta bowties with some sides of grain rice and, chopped green beans, and carrots lightly layered in italian sauce. His maui wine is follow afterward.

Sierra's dish was was somewhat inverted from the professor, being 3 mixes of different pastas: spaghetti mixed with bowtie in parmesan sauce with small shrimps decorating the top with the 3rd pasta being macaroni inside the tomato basil soup.  Following it up is Sierra's sparking cider.

Pash's chicken nuggets meal, while sounding simple, is more elaborate than one would expect from a happy meal.  The meat is actually stenciled to be shaped like a chicken icon, fried to a nice golden crisp with 3 different option of dipping sauce: BBQ, honey mustard, and apple herbs.  Her side consist of a pair mini hash-brown "pizza" with the topping being, chopped bacon and a layer of cheese. Pash's own cider follows up her meal as well.

“Well, at least you appreciate my charms Spring Rose,” Pash said with a sigh.

Pash looked at her meal. It was, well, fancy to say the least. She wanted to say something along the line of how this was not what she wanted at all. That she was just hoping for a simple reminder of simpler time for her.

But, for the sake of her friendship to Sierra, she found the self discipline within her to keep her mouth shut just this one time.

“Oh boy, this meal looks lovely. So do you guy have some kind of pre meal ritual? Or can I just go ahead. I’m quite hungry.”

Professor Durkin smirks briefly. "Step on one foot, hop around, and cluck like a chicken." He looks around and received a blank stare from Sierra and a confused look from Spring Rose.

Sierra decides to divert the flow of the meeting out of awkwardness. "No we do not have to do anything before meal. Just enjoy yourself, everyone." She smiles before her meal, albeit slowly as she actually starts on the ministrone first instead of the pasta. Durkin was faster to his main course as he pops a mushroom and pasta rolled up into his mouth with a fork.

“O...Oh, because I was totally about to do it too,” laughed Pash. “If only to get the chance to see the poised and serene Sierra hopping around, clucking like a chicken with me.”

Pash remembered her promise to Sierra not to shovel food into her face tonight, so she did her best to go slow. She decided the best thing to do was to set a rule for herself where she could only take a bite if Sierra took a bite.

Seeing Sierra go for the soup, she put down the nugget she had in her hand and took a bite out of the hash brown pizza thing.

It was dense to say the least. It was oil soaked potatoes with cheese and with bacon. The holy trinity of fat. Pash made a note that she would need to go for a very long hike tomorrow morning.

Sierra glances over to what Pash was eating which was the hash brown pizza which somewhat surprised her since she thinks Pash would dig into the chicken nuggets first. "How is that?" She has never tried it before and wonder if it was good. Professor Durkin was kind of in his own world of food at the moment, at least that what Sierra thinks.

“Oh, it’s quite good! Here, cut yourself a bit,” said Pash as she slid the plate towards her.

That was not a lie. It was really good.

“Yeah,” thought Pash to herself mischievously, “eat it, eat it and feel the despair of not being able to fit into that leather jumpsuit of yours.”

Pash was grinning a childish grin at Sierra, waiting for her to eat the hash brown pizza thing.

Sierra decide to do a safer method of checking and cutting of very small piece of the hash brown pizza before eating it before nodding in satisfaction. "It does seem to be pretty strong in savoriness though. Still good.

"And I can still stand and eat a few more of these. The worst is that I am forced to roll myself into the academy instead of walk." Snickers briefly.

"Pardon me for interrupting but I am curious about one thing." Professor Durkin speaks up briefly as he pause himself from eating another forkful of food. "Is this love magic similar to some other type of magic?"

“I’m not going to lie. I have no clue on that one. I don’t even know if calling it ‘love magic’ is accurate. I call it that because the name is cute and girly and it makes me feel like one of those cool magical girls in one of those cartoons.”

It is definitely magic though. Even if you were to assume that I was able to do what I do because I was just oh so charming and all the boys just want to do nice things for me after getting to know me a little, that does not explain the way it protects me from fatal damage without me even thinking about it, or the way I can use it as a ranged, ummm, weapon I guess, shooting out a pink heart that flutters towards a guy and makes him all feel all warm and fuzzy for me.”

“Yeah, exactly like one of those cheesy cartoons you used to watch as a kid.”

Plus, every time you can see it, it is super girly looking. I mean, my barrier is translucent pink, all my ranged projectiles are cute pink hearts. So yeah, I call it love magic.

But as for doing as, ummm, how would you academic types say this, cross magic analysis in regards to my abilities, I’m afraid I don’t quite know enough about other types to do that.

"Yes, yes.  I am familiar with that genre of animation shows."  He observes with amusement. "All we need now is to dress Sierra into a tuxedo and have her grow roses to use as projectiles.  

The artificier girl looks a bit confused at what the two are talking as she wasn't too familiar with that specific character they are talking about.

The professor resumes on his response. "The closest relative behavior of this energy seems to be a cross between life and mana but changed in a way and not completely compatible with us without side effects and definite doesn't seem to be around here but that's just speculations.."  Shrugs his shoulder briefly.

“Ha ha, yes! Sierra could totally pull off a tuxedo. I got to say, I never quite understood how he was able to throw his roses like that though.”

“So what made you want to interview me? I mean, Sierra I get. Young and bold and looking to make a name for herself, but you? You seem to be very well established at your guild, and as far as you know, I’m a dangerous monster. Why take the time and risk all that to come a meet me?”

"But wouldn't fighting in a tuxedo easily rip the fabric?  I mean you can probably make a case with a customized one but..."  Unfortunately Sierra didn't know anything about the masked tuxedo hero and thus miss the premises of the whole tuxedo reference.

Professor Durkin leans in towards Pash's ears and whispers "Your first assignment is to get Sierra to  wear a tuxedo.  Extra credit will be given if you can somehow get her to throw roses in it."  The whispering makes Sierra even more confused.  

((I think it is going to be a running gag of Sierra getting picked on for various reasons.  Heh))

Durkin decide to stop picking on the poor girl for a time to answer Pash's question.

"Well the first is that I will disagree with you being a monster, even if many believe that."  Say Professor Durkin with an unusually serious look.  "I have much faith is Sierra's report in the past and in this instance as well and I can already confirm that.  Plus I generally dislike using the word monster as a catch-all-phrase."  

"The second is that, to be honest, we are woefully under-educated in terms of the knowledge of midaras.  We only know some basic things about midaras and it is hard to properly react to something you only know scant details about and have things go your way."  

"And if you are dangerous, I am sure i can defeat you with the power of chicken nuggets."  That last line causes Sierra to dissolve into a giggle fit.

Pash giggles at Sierra as the professor whispers in her ear.

“Once again, I’m not in your class, but this is an assignment I’ll gladly take on,” Pash says while trying to suppress laughter.

“Arrrrggghhh! My one weakness has been discovered,” said Pash while laughing. “My days of being a vixen are over. How can I seduce boys when they can just counter seduce me with nuggets!?”

Pash calmed herself a little to respond.

“Ah, well it is nice that you are willing to talk to me and get to know me instead of wanting to swing a sword at me, but if I remember my last conversation with Sierra, she should have made it clear that I’m not your typical midara. I would hope you would refrain from advising others in your guild on how to handle an encounter with one of my type based on your interactions with this overgrown child obsessed with cartoons and nuggets.”

Pash then let out a very unlady like snort as she tried to hold back laughter while delivering her next line.

“Although I would really love to see a bunch of your fighters being sent to take down a midara armed with nothing but nuggets ahahahahaha~”

Pash then thought about what she said for a moment.

“Actually, please never do that. The results would be horrifying.”

“Unless the midara in question is me, then in that case, feel free to just throw all the nuggets you want at me.”

"Well it is my pleasure to speak with you." He tips an imaginary hat he does not have. Before taking starting to finish half of his pasta and mushrooms. "Speaking of chicken nuggets, you had better start on yours before it gets cold."

"Although I am mostly joking in regards to being able to defeating people with chicken nuggets. Mostly." He simply grins at left how would he can defeat people with chicken nuggets.

He glances briefly over at Sierra and realize that she has finished her ENTIRE meal while Pash and him were conversing and her portion was fairly larger than both of their orders.

Due to his nature, the professor was rarely surprised but much but this one of the rare moments. "Sierra dear, if I didn't know any better, I would be thinking you are eating for both yourself and Spring Rose." He gives the doll a bit of scrutiny for any signs of pasta and basil soul on the lips of the doll.

“Haha, And I was worried that I would be the one to eat too fast,” laughed Pash as she shoved two nuggets into her mouth and started chewing happily.

Thankfully, she remembered that she had to swallow first before opening her mouth again. Normally she would not care about table manners.

“So Sierra,” said Pash with another nugget in her hand, “your’s must have been really delicious eh?”

Pash turns back to the professor.

“You know, I gotta say,” said Pash with a nugget in each hand, ready to stuff her face again as soon as she finished her remarks, “I was expecting to be bombarded with question by whoever Sierra brought to meet me. You seem content to just sit back and let things play out. I hope I’m not doing anything to make you hesitant to ask what you want to ask.”

Sierra looks at her empty bowl. "Well yes. And I have been steadily eating while listening to you both. So I didn't really eat everything too fast technically. Plus pasta and soup combination has always been one of my favorite meal combination and that is the Primavera's specialties" Her face lights up figuratively with joy.

Professor Durkin looks rather content at one of his student and her friend enjoying their meal. It was until he was addressed that he then replied while using a napkin to wipe off a bit of sauce on his lips.

"Well you can actually thank Sierra for that. She provided the environment as, from what I recall, you have a love of food, particularly chicken nuggets." He chuckles as Pash continues to shovel down the nuggets. Spring Rose takes Sierra's hand and raises her arm in a "Winner!" type fashion while the girl is looking at the doll with a mild reproach but the doll keeps her trademark smile.

"As for bombarding you with questions. That would be pointless if you did not have the answer to them. In truth, I have learned everything that is possible in this meeting. "

“Awwww, and here I was thinking that I was a interesting enough for someone not be able to have everything about me figured out just by watching me stuffing nuggets into my face for an hour haha.”

“So what is the paper you will write on me going to be like? Are you going to talk about what a cool and charming and funny and pretty and amazing girl I am so that all the boys who read your paper will fall head over heels for me?” asked Pash with a hopeful smile on her face.

Professor gave Pash a brief grin. "Pash, my dear, I do not think you need any help of an article in order to make boys fall for you. And no, it is not that you are not interesting, quite the contrary in fact."

"What you have told me is a step towards the right direction. But we cannot really write anything with one step, we need more steps to a make a stair. And I am not the only carpenter of the stairs either. Hope that makes sense."

“Oooo, I see.” said Pash. “I’m still curious to know what you are taking away from tonight.”

Pash went to dunk her nugget in the honey mustard dish but was sad to find it empty. Then she remembered she was in the middle of saying something to the professor.

“Oh yes, I mean, I would like to know what my contribution to the effort to improve human and midara relations has been. Hopefully it will be big and noble and they will build a cool statue of me one day,” said Pash with a wishful smile on her face.

"Unfortunately, I do not think a statue would be a good idea, mainly because it will be used as pigeon target practice and I don't think you want to see an image of yourself being bird pooped."

Professor Durkin presses his fingers together, forming a triangle with his hands as he ponders. "Well you are the first midara we've spoken to directly so far and our conversation is a pretty good step. Sierra decides to injects her own words into the conversation. "

"I should also add that a lot of the ones near us aren't immediate dangerous or want to keep their captives forever. At least that is what i can gather from my scouting but I cannot be sure since I do not want to stay longer than I need to since being captured is still a risk. My shadow-like nature might cause some alarm but going into the light also creates risks as well especially when I need to return to actually relay the information."

Her smile beams at Pash. "While the statue idea may not be the best. I am more than willing to make a doll that is like you, Pash."

“Hmpf,” said Pash with a pout. “I would hope a statue to me would be so beautiful that if a bird were to soil it, everyone would drop what they were doing just to clean it.”

“Well, alright then. I don’t want to do anything that would endanger your safety Sierra,” said Pash. “It’s good to hear that there are other nice midaras out there. Gives me hope you know? Because, boy, I have heard some stories about some nasty ones. Sierra, you remember how I was in the middle of a ‘fight’ with someone when you called me?”

“*giggle* Yeah, the one where I was doing my best to get you flustered? Well, that guy told me of this midara that would use her captives as a throne. Like, a withering and suffering mangled mass of captive men being used as a throne. It’s horrifying. The poor dude had to watch his father pass from our world having spent the last of his days as part of that throne. This is in addition to the other captives she keeps around to do her dirty work. I really wish there was something I could do to help him, but even if I were to go seek her out with him, I think I would just get us both killed…”

Pash let out a sad sigh.

“Or worse…”

“The world is a mess I tell you… you stay safe out there Sierra.”

But then Pash’s amazing emotional resilience kicked it at Sierra’s last comment.

“Ohmigosh YES! Please make a little doll of me… but I want one of me wearing my trademark dress if you make one… you’ve never seen me in that dress, have you?... oh wait, you mentioned you have been spying on me, so maybe you have? ...I really like that outfit. I look hella cute in it and I know it…”

It was then she hears of the midara that makes a throne out of her thralls that snaps her out of her crafting reverie that her nose wrinkles. "I am going to stay away from that one. She sounds powerful enough that I'd probably last 1 second against her and it may be that I may not escape on that as well. Is he sure it is a midara and not a demon?"

"Anyways, you'll have to give me a good amount of time to weave the both the doll's body and the fabric of dress. Unlike Spring Rose, I have to do the clothes manually. Progress might stop and go for a bit unless my emotions go overdrive.


However it was Professor Durkin that seems more disturb, or rather upset, not by what was done to the slaves but the potential of who was doing it. "Akasha?" Sierra seems a bit puzzled by what professor Durkin had said.

“W...wait, you know her name?” asked Pash seriously, her whole ditzy blonde routine completely gone for the moment. “Even he did not know her name.”