The start of something new | Alice & Ash

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Time: Bit past midday
Weather: Cold but clear skies
Place: Small café in Laiepine, Korinthia
Premise: Ash met Alice on an online dating site and has traveled to Korinthia to meet her on what will effectively be their first official meeting and date

This was a bit crazy, wasn't it? In fact in was downright stupid and dangerous. Meeting strangers from the internet!? What wouldn't her mother say if she saw her right now? Deep breath, she reminded herself, good now another. The sky was at least clear out and she wasn't seeing any dark alley where some catfish could slither out from.


How about we turn back time just a little bit? Ash had always been a rather hardworking student. Or as hardworking as an energetic girl her age could be, but her one outlet that she would always cherish was her passion for art and drawing. This, along with a very supportive mother, had made her look in to the possibilities of getting in to an art school. Only problem was that the ones in Churchill cost way too much in tuition and it wasn't like she was some Scrooge McDuck, swimming around in a pool of gold coins. Of course she had never really complained. Her mother and stepfather had both provided for her her whole life, and she didn't feel like she had missed anything growing up. But when it came to school she had to pay for it herself - with a bit of help from her childhood savings account. This need had now meant she had looked in to other options such as scholarships. Maybe her grades weren't the best, but some scholarships didn't even look at that; No, they looked at your current work and based off of an application alone.
It was on one of those long nights, writing an application, that she had opened up one of those dating apps. Okay, she had to admit, it was pretty corny. Most people in Churchill were either recognizeable to her from around town or someone she had gone to school with. How boring would that be? Ending up with someone you already knew everything about sounded like an outright drag to her. But it was in this moment of boredom that she had set her location to Korinthia's capital. It was just to see what she could expect if she actually moved there! Nothing more than harmless fun. That was until she saw a picture of Alice.
It was a simple one. The girl wasn't even looking in to the camera, but her smile had made Ash look twice. Seeing the pale white hair that had been adorned with a sweet flower crown. One thing lead to another, and after having a literal panic attack after sending the first message, she had calmed down. It turned out that the two of them had a lot in common; Both artistic and fun loving, and this fenix had a way of demanding attention like it was no-one's business.  


Now here she was. Standing outside of a small café in Laiepine and tapping her screen with her nails a little nervously. It was pretty much a blind date, right? They had only seen pictures of one another. Oh, and the voice messages of course. Alice sounded so cute in one of them, and Ash had to admit that when she had had a bad day, she would listen to it all snuggled up under a blanket. It was a comforting thing. To know that a real person spoke like that, not just to anyone, but to her.
She was dressed more appropriate for the season; Thick stockings keeping her warm, but she had opted for a cute skirt with a few flowers embroidered at the hem. A nice warm toned turtleneck that kept her neck nice and warm. Her shoes were simple sneakers, not wanting to dress up too much, just in case of stranger danger. Over all of this she had a knitted beanie on her head, a nice soft scarf around her neck and a nice woolen jacket that went down to the length of her skirt which was just above the knees.
Her cheeks had gotten a bit rosy, waiting out here in the cold, but it was her own damn fault for getting here early. It was the nerves, she told herself, breathing hot air in to the palms of her hands to warm herself. She had come here to check out the school she had applied for, or that was what she had told her mother before booking a plane ticket and coming over here. In reality she had perhaps been more drawn to the fact that she wanted to see the fenix she had gotten to know so well over messages.

She had maybe been standing here for a bit longer than planned, but she had been worried that finding the actual café would've been much harder. But it turned out that it wasn't as far from the hostel she was staying at, though she had had to walk for a little half hour. It didn't matter. She was here now, and having her small backpack on she felt set for the day. Even if this Alice person turned out to either not show or not be who she claimed to be, there were plenty of things to do in this capital.
But that was when she heard a familiar voice, turning around to see the pretty white haired fenix. She had to flex her jaw not to drop it at the sight. In fact she felt almost a bit intimidated, but she soon enough opened her mouth, "hi," she almost breathed out, a bit too stunned to say much more, taking the hand that was offered. But she needed not to worry, as this fenix took charge of the conversation from the beginning. It was here she realized just how new she was to dating. Sure, she had gone out with a few guys back in Churchill, but they were guys. Any date for them was successful if it ended with them getting handsy. This was the first time she had went on a date with a girl, and she had traveled far for it to happen. "Yeah, hah, no worries," was she shaking? She felt like she was shaking but maybe it was just the nerves. It was really weird. Normally she was so outgoing and speaking to anyone and everyone just fine, but looking at Alice it was as if all her words barely got thought of before it melted away like snow on a sunny day.
Eventually the fenix opted for them to move inside, and she nodded, grabbing the doorhandle and holding the door itself open for Alice to enter first. Moving in after her, the smell of coffee and cakes hit her senses, making her snap out of her trance for a bit. Taking a few deep breaths, she smiled a bit apologetically at the other young woman, "sorry, I'm just really in shock that you're real, and that you're here." Chuckling away a new layer of nerves they headed up to the barista. Ash ordered a large cup of latte with a shot of vanilla in it, also deciding that now was as good as ever to get something to eat as well, adding a chocolate croissant to her order before she let the fenix order as well.
Paying, they were told their drinks would be down shortly, that they could just find a table. Ash nodded towards the window seats that were open, grabbing her plate with the small, but expensive, croissant. She didn't hope the rest of the city was this expensive. They managed to get a pretty decent seat, two big comfy chairs with a shared table between them. Placing her plate down, she took off her backpack and jacket. As she unrolled her scarf she looked to Alice, chuckling a little nervously once more before shaking her head, "I'm acting all weird, aren't I?" It was always big to admit ones flaws, but this was more about making the other young woman more comfortable. Placing her outerwear over the back of the big chair, she took off her beanie as well, shushing up her red locks, hoping it wasn't too frizzy.
"You look really cute," she said, complimenting her in a way that made her feel almost breathless. It was hard to deny that this girl made an effort, even if it was subtle. "Do you live far from here?"

First time dating? "Oh, no, I've been on a few dates; Though I've never really flown out to have one," she smiled, finding it a bit funny herself. Of course she wasn't only in Korinthia to have a date, she also needed to check out that school so her story to her mom wouldn't be a complete lie. It was as if sitting here was slowly calming her down. The nerves from waiting and the endless nights of hoping that Alice was who she claimed to be were finally here and Ash was far from disappointed.
The barista came over with their drinks, sending him a slight smile before grabbing her cup to warm her fingers. It would be too hot for her to drink right away, or rather it would've been if she was human. Though the girl knew nothing of her true nature, so thinking she could gulp down steaming hot coffee wasn't her first thought. "The flight was pretty decent, but it got delayed a bunch so I actually first got to my hostel late last night," it had been so late that Ash hadn't dared writing to her, just in case she woke her up. But even disregarding that, she had been quite busy trying to figure out the airport and finding the right transportation to her hostel. "It was actually my first time flying," she nodded, a bit surprised by her own courage, and yet there were very few things that scared her when she thought about it.
Her fingers were slowly getting reheated, sighing as the aching was disappearing and her nerves got a bit better when she wasn't also shaking from the cold. Her cheeks were still sorta red, but it was just a side effect of the heat now warming her up and her having such a pale complexion. "Can you explain to me again what it is you do for a living?" she asked rather genuinely, smiling at the fenix a little apologetically, "I mean, I know you're an artist, but in my mind I keep imagining that you're like really famous if you can live off of your art." There was a bit of jealousy there, or perhaps not jealousy, maybe rather envy. Ash would love to live off of her own art one day, but all artists dreamed of that to some degree, or so she expected.
Her eyes darted down to her drink, seeing the fluffy foam on the surface of her coffee, the warm scent of vanilla calming her down before she carefully leaned in to take a small sip. A human tongue would've been burnt, but she didn't, and her mind just thought that perhaps the coldness of her fingers were confusing her body. Having taken a few sips she reached down, lifting up her croissant to take a careful bite. The flaky pastry probably going everywhere, but alas it was the risk of such buttery goodness. Placing down her cup and cake, she brushed her turtleneck free of crumbs, mumbling a bit to herself about being a mess.
"Okay, maybe a croissant wasn't my smartest choice today," she couldn't help herself from giggle as she got the last crumb off, or so she hoped, until her next bite. "Did you have a plan for today or do you take suggestions?" Korinthia was very well known for not only it's stunning architecture, but also it's art appreciation. There were several museums and art galleries scattered around the capital alone, and it would be a shame not to at least visit a few while she was here.

Had Ash over spoken? She didn't want to make the nice fenix embarrassed or anything. The world was a hard place and of course jobs didn't just hang freely to grab, especially not if you wanted something worthwhile. Anyone could go and get a temporary job at a fast-food chain, but it took dedication and interest too. While the fenix didn't seem to take offense, rather diving in to what it was she did, made her feel more relaxed. Hearing her speak of her passion it was so clear how much she truly burnt for what she did. "You don't have to justify not having a job, you know, I haven't gotten one either," she chuckled a little. Of course she was finishing up some school related things back in Churchill, so that kept her busy most of the time, but it was not as strenuous as a job. And on top of that she still lived at home, so she didn't have to worry about rent.
Humming at the question, it was clear that she saw it was worth it for the tasty treat. The crumbs all over was a bit of a fail on Ash' behalf, but it seemed as if Alice only found the endearing qualities in this small mishap, even helping her get rid of some crumbs she had missed. Holy ... She smelled amazing too! Was there really anything about this girl that wasn't inviting? Everything from her smile to her chuckle and now her scent. Yeah, Ash was slowly feeling her crush for the fenix grow, holding her breath slightly as Alice leaned away once more, digging in to her cake. A bit embarrassed, Ash decided to focus mainly on her coffee for now, holding it with two hands and taking few and careful sips every now and again as she listened to the suggestions.
A stroll? Well the thought of the weather clearing up was hopeful, she doubted it, especially when it was still winter. "I was actually hoping to see Hope Gardens?" she chuckled. Hope Gardens was a botanical garden in the middle of Laiepine and even had an indoor exhibition of more delicate flora. "I hear the garden is filled with statues of gods and goddesses - even depictions of what people believe are the Old Ones," gods, she was really sounding like such a nerd, wasn't she? Chuckling, her eyes moved back down to her coffee, the foamy milk disrupted and broken up from her casual sips. "And down worry about the cold," she said, pulling out in her thick stockings, showing that they were at least thicker than any jeans she could've worn, "you can borrow my scarf though - I know fenix' tend to be a bit sensitive to cold weather."

While the mirroring would probably be off-putting to some, Ash more saw it as a way to make her feel more comfortable. Seeing something she recognized from herself made her relax more, which was pretty brilliant on Alice's part. Sure, she still went to school, but she really needed to work up her savings if she was going to have any hope in moving to Korinthia to study, though that was not a headache she wanted to worry about now. She was with Alice, this wonderful girl that she had been writing with for weeks now, and frankly the more time she spent with her, the more she liked her.
The suggestion of the garden was maybe a weird one, like, what teenager could claim they were really in to botany and sculptures? But it seemed that once again the fenix was encouraging and even seemed up for the idea, which only made Ash smile a bit more. She was so easy to talk to, it felt almost like second nature. Finishing up her croissant she wiped away some chocolate filling from her lips, sucking it off her thumb as she shrugged lightly at the questions about her interest in the garden.
"I'm not all that religious, but being surrounded by art both made by nature and man alike ... I don't know, it always sparks my own creativity," she admitted, taking another sip of coffee to wash her mouth of any leftover pastry. "And drawing sculptures are easy cause they don't move as much," she giggled a little innocently. Of course she was trying to get better at drawing people, but having a model sit in the same position for a long time could be hard on both her and the poor model. Taking a picture of their pose or looking at references was just easier when she finally did sit down to draw. "I - uh - hope you don't mind, but I brought my sketchbook in case you didn't show," a tad bit apologetic now that she knew Alice was in fact who she said she was. Or rather, she appeared to be the same girl that she had spent weeks chatting with.
Finishing up her coffee, she got up, brushing off some loose crumbs from her skirt, "remind me to not order a flaky treat next time, will ya?" she chuckled, but she also seemed to realize she was already thinking of them going out another time. A bit early on their date, but who was she kidding, she was absolutely enamored with Alice at this point. Grabbing her jacket, she put it on, along with her beanie. Her scarf she handed over, it smelling of Ash' perfume that had notes of vanilla bean and pear. She preferred a more fruity perfume, maybe because it reminded her of summer. Grabbing her backpack, she swung it on her back, now able to have her hands free as she headed towards the door, holding it for her once more, chuckling and clearly more relaxed than when they had arrived.
Outside the streets were quite busy, but tourists seemed to prefer coming to Korinthia during the warmer months, so it was actually quite light compared to the warmer seasons. Ash walked beside her, carrying a small talk conversation just to get to know one another better. Of course they knew some basic things from writing together, but it was different hearing it out loud and with a real person beside you. "You've texted a lot about your latest project; Tell me more about it, I'm dying to know more," she encouraged her, digging her hands in to her pockets of her coat, keeping her fingers warm.

Hearing Alice speak about her art was definitely not something she would get tired off any time soon. In fact, listening to her voice was something so familiar to her at this point, even if it was the first time they actually met in person. Looking at the different sights that the fenix pointed out, it made her wonder how she would've shown her around any of the cities of Churchill. As the fenix went on to explain her newest project she felt like she could barely take her eyes off of her. The passion was so captivating in a way that was rather hard to explain. Listening took almost no dedication, because she just felt like she could be walking around with her forever hearing her talk about literally anything.
The best part was perhaps when they got to walk a little closer, not that Ash would say that out loud in fear of being labeled a creep. But it was like their elbows touching sent a shiver down her back of pleasant surprise. Like Alice really was there, within reach, and any time she wanted she could reach her hand down and take hers, holding it while they walked. Only she was a bit too shy right now to actually do that. Instead she relished in the brief moments where their arms bumped one another, getting to smell her rose-y scent more ang generally just be near her. She was already dreading having to go home, because when was she going to see her again? Disposable income wasn't really something she carried much of, and besides that she was trying to save money, not spend it all on plane tickets every other week.
As Alice pointed, Ash' eyes followed the finger to look at the garden off in the distance, feeling a bit relieved that it wasn't that much further. Not that her feet were aching, rather she always felt like something was further away when she didn't know where it was. Her eyes moved back to the pointing hand, seeing how cold it looked, "Are you alright?" she asked, reaching her warm hand out of her pocket to touch the fenix'. Shivering slightly at the touch, she could feel how cold it was, "Jeez, hold up a sec," she muttered, nodding for them to stop, moving away from the middle of the pavement. Taking off her backpack she mumbled to herself once more, something about her mother always packing a set of gloves even when Ash insisted on not packing some. "There they are," she muttered, grabbing a set of gloves that she pulled from her bag, handing them to Alice with a small shake of her head, "you should think I was the fenix here." A clear jest, but then again she was sorta happy she had it. Closing her bag, she put it back on, adjusting the straps a bit so they weren't digging in to her shoulders.
Once that was sorted, they headed off once more, Ash talking about how her mother always micromanaged her lugguage even when she thought she had hidden what bag she had decided to bring with her. "My grandmother actually knitted those gloves, so sorry about the ugly color," she chuckled. Her family wasn't big, but it was clear they meant a lot to her, "do you have much family? I mean you said you grew up here so I'm presuming the rest of your family lives close by?" she was quite curious to hear more.

At least she liked the color, but Ash had never really been one for too much color. Perhaps because she already stood out so much with her freckles and red hair - a subject that she had been teased about in school when she was a kid. Though she liked to think that her art was all the color she really needed, even if she most of the time only used pencils. Grey was a color too, right?
Alice explained her family situation, and Ash felt like she could recognize that pretty easily. "Oh, uhm, my mom's side is pretty small, just her and my grandmother are left," she explained with a small shrug. It wasn't like she could remember much of her mother's side from her younger years. "My mom has a brother, though he moved to Australia a fair few years back, so we usually only see him if it's like a real special occasion," she smiled, remembering her uncle quite fondly, even if he was an oddball. Alice was probably starting to wonder about her silence regarding her father's side, and she cleared her throat a little. "I've never really known my real dad, but my mom did remarry when I was pretty young ... Johnathan is pretty nice and he has a huge family, but I don't really involve myself too much in that part of the family." It wasn't like her stepfather's side looked down on her, she thought it was more the fact that her mother hadn't wanted more children, and while Johnathan was alright with that, his family didn't quite like it.
They eventually ended up at the entrance to the garden, looking in she thought for a second that they had escaped winter and gone in to full spring. However a sign by the entrance told the story of how the garden had been blessed by the Old Ones - or at least that was what they claimed had happened - and now the earth here always seemed to grow life. She almost bumped in to Alice as she stopped all of a sudden, but managed to place her heels down in to the gravel to stop herself. Humming, a smile crept up on her lips as she looked around. It was quite beautiful, that was for sure, and she was certain she had never seen anything like it. The fenix pointed out an arrangement of flowers that made up the Korinthian flag, and her eyes widened a bit in pure surprise. White roses for a white rose. There had to be some symbolism in this. "It's huge," she breathed out a bit flabbergasted, but she seemed to snap out of it rather quickly as she dug in to her pocket after her phone. She wanted to snap a few pictures here and there, just to remember it by later.
Ash decided to be a bit brave, locking her arm with Alice's and walking through the many arrangements and plots of land that seemed very well kept. Of course she didn't stop taking pictures, but she didn't make a big fuss out about getting the perfect shot. No, if she wanted a perfect one all she had to do was search online and a million photographers would've probably posted their experience from the garden. "You spoke about crazy tales from Churchill," she said, frowning a bit as they stopped to literally smell the roses that were growing quite plentiful amongst each other, "what have you heard?"

Walking beside her, having their arms interlocked, it felt quite special in a way. It wasn't quite like holding her hand, or what she presumed it would feel like, but it was a friendly gesture that suggested that they were here together. Maybe her bravery was slowly returning after all. She sure felt that more comfortable around Alice that she didn't really think too much when she spoke.
But her curiosity had peaked at the mention of rumors. She would love hearing about everything that a Korinthian would think about a Churchillian, and safe to say, it didn't disappoint on the entertainment scale. Ash started to chuckle at the mention of a cow, shaking her head no, though she wouldn't be opposed to having a pet cow. "I mean, sure there's the giant families of seraphim, but I guess they are everywhere," she shrugged, not that she knew much about that culture. A few of her friends back home were seraphim, but she had never really stopped and asked about the size of their family or anything. "And the cow thing? Gods I wish!" a small laugh complimenting that statement. It was clear that it wasn't all bad things.
But the mention of a giant tree made her frown. She had never heard of such a thing. "No, or then again, during holidays the parks get decorated quite heavily so maybe that's where that rumor stems from?" she pondered out loud, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought about it. "Though there are holy trees up in Raleska ... But I don't think it's really something people talk about," she knew that there were the Hollow Tree that were the most well known, but she wasn't really sure if the other ones had names. "Though one rumor that is true is that you can buy almost anything in Western, and I mean anything," there was a well known underground black market, one that the police either didn't see or refused to do anything about, and Ash presumed it was most likely the latter.
She stopped to look at an overview of the grounds, looking at the different spots on the map as her eye kept referring back to the red dot that signaled their placement. "I heard that Korinthia was the first nation to legalize gay marriage," she smiled. While the country of art and beauty was quite the vision to behold, it was clear that they also had very big compassion. Of course stigmatization happened everywhere, but it seemed like Korinthia was almost a utopia - at least from the outside perspective. "That it was in fact written in to the first common law of the country," she added. Had she been reading up about where she was traveling? A slight bit, but she also felt like she wanted to know as much as possible about this place if she wanted to move here.
"Is it true that when you start school you have to plant a seed, and that plant is a symbol for your life?" maybe that was one of the more far-fetched things she had heard, but the internet was a big place filled with lots of information.

Emotional planting of seeds? That sounded so artsy, but it was also beautiful in it's own way. Metaphors were great, as long as you weren't the kid with a weltered flower by the end of the first year. Humming at the question she shook her head as she couldn't really recall them ever doing that at her school. But then again there were different things of traditions for each school. They followed the path that Alice had drawn out with her gloved finger, and Ash looked around before her eyes returned to the girl next to her. "We did have one tradition at my school though ... But it wasn't really anything special, it was more like two annual dances; One at the Week of Love and one around Halloween," she explained with a small shrug. "It was pretty basic and not really something people took too seriously - especially around Halloween because most people were busy getting closer to Tending Days," she pondered. Her family had never really been too religious, but her mother was insistent on at least going to the family grave and put down some new flowers.
Walking amongst all this plant life made her long more for spring and warmer weather. Preferring summer mostly, but perhaps that sprung from childhood naiveté and the thought of vacation. "I have a plan to come over here and study by the end of summer," she said a little carefully. She wanted to put it out there that this could be something they did more often if she moved here. "Of course I'll have to get in at the school I'm applying to, and I'm hoping to get a scholarship to at least pay for some of the books," Ash was quite young, but she was also rather capable of handling herself. She took this as a new adventure. "I was thinking ... If I got in ... Maybe I could move over here sooner and you could show me around some more?" it was quite uncharted territory she was threading in to, but she was really digging how they got along right now. It seemed so easy. Just talking and exchanging experiences with their different cultures.
Turning her head she looked at Alice as they walked still, feeling how close they had gotten to one another. Their faces not far from each other, in fact they were so close that Ash could smell the scent of sweet cake on the fenix' breath. Not a bad thing, if you asked her. "I mean I know it's kind of a long shot, but I haven't had this good of a time for a while," the corners of her lips pulling up in to a warm smile, her green eyes gleaming with happiness.

Why was it that Alice was so easy to be around? She felt completely smitten, especially because she was so pretty as well. Reaching the greenhouse she opened her jacket, the warmth and humidity inside was quite welcoming indeed. However the mention of a second date, followed by feeling the fenix' hand in her own made her blush, choking back a bit surprised, "y-yeah," seh agreed, smiling as she looked down.
While their stroll outside had been pretty, it couldn't really compare to this place. If the garden outside was blessed by the gods then the inside must've been enchanted by them! The delicate vines and flowers that stretched up from their lots, how wild insects flourished in here, spreading nectar and pollen around in a symphony of sounds and smells. "Butterflies," she smiled, pointing to a sign where they could enter a special part of the greenhouse; A large dome filled with butterflies of all kinds. If Alice was up for it, she would take the chance to entangle their fingers and pulling her with her in to the dome. Once inside the colors alone made her drop her jaw. This was amazing!
Turning her head she looked at Alice with a wide grin before stepping further in and up on a small bridge that outlooked the many winged creatures. "Okay, this is the best date ever," she chuckled, and as she did a butterfly flew over, sitting down on her beanie that had the same colors as her knitted mittens. Giggling she handed her phone to Alice, "take a picture," she pleaded in a hushed voice, her cheeks flushed from a mixture of heat and the warm feeling that she got when she was around the beautiful fenix.
The place alone was giant, the dome having windows all around so you could see the outside gardens from within. Along the bridge was small signs with information about all the different types of butterflies that the dome held, along with quite the extensive list of the flora it housed as well. If Alice had managed to snap a picture, Ash would look at it, chuckling as she found her facial expression to be a little goofy, but then again she had never posed with a butterfly before. Eventually the small creature decided to find somewhere else to go, getting off her knitted beanie and up in to the air. Ash looked up, following it's trail with her eyes before looking back at Alice. She was really pretty right now, wasn't she? Biting her lower lip, she gave the fenix' hand a light squeeze, not really sure if she wanted her attention or perhaps just to feel that this was real. "Am I insane for wanting to kiss you right now?" yes was the right answer, she knew that, but she also felt a little more daring.

Ash felt like she had to hold her breath while she waited for the other girl to reply. The silence was almost making her ears ring, but the confirmation and the step forward made her stomach feel like it was filled with the same butterflies that were swarming around them in the dome. Her breath haltered for a bit, looking at Alice as she reached out to remove some hair from her face, her jaw tensing as she swallowed the build-up of saliva in her mouth. Then it was like it all happened at once, watching the fenix close her eyes made her realize that she should perhaps do the same. Her hand holding hers was getting a small squeeze just to calm the nerves before she eventually leaned the rest of the way in. Their noses bumped together, making Ash frown, mumbling a small and awkward, "sorry," before turning her head a little to the side. Their lips clashed, a soft and curious kiss that seemed to make the feelings of butterflies grow stronger.
How long the kiss actually lasted, she wasn't so sure of, but eventually their lips seemed to lose connection and she felt her breath a little heavy from the encounter. Standing here so close to the fenix, she could feel how fast her heart was truly beating, making her smile as it was both scary but also very nice. She had kissed people before, but she might have to admit that Alice had the best lips she ever did taste. Being silent she just took a second to enjoy the moment they were in, getting her breathing under control as her lips pulled up in a happy smile. Their fingers still intertwined, she bit her lower lip, carefully opening her eyes to look at the fenix. "Your lips taste ... Awesome," she muttered a bit perplexed, a bit stunned by cupid's arrow.
Giggling softly, she looked down, she was sure her cheeks would soon start to hurt from smiling so much. The scent of Alice all around her and in the moment she felt so lucky. Was it wrong to want a person this much? It was only their first date, and while the nervousness was still lingering, the fenix had snuck up on her heart and lodged herself in her mind. The feeling of her hand in her own, the butterflies around them. This was like taken out of a sappy romance book, and yet she didn't feel cliché. She felt lucky. Lucky to have met her.

Was there ever a feeling more pure than this? Her head was spinning a little, her legs moving as Alice pulled her with her, but they felt like jelly. A smile on her lips, she gladly followed, feeling so giddy that if she hadn't thought better she would've started floating from all the joy she felt. The path was taking them around the dome, and yet Ash could not take her eyes off of the pretty fenix by her side. Was this fate? She was positively and absolutely smitten. How was she ever going to let go of her hand again? The silence between them wasn't awkward, instead it was just adding to the warm feeling that seemed to spread under her skin, her cheeks still red and they would probably stay that way.
It was like walking on clouds next to her, smiling as each step seemed to make her skip slightly, chuckling as she gave Alice's hand a light squeeze. Ash had never really felt like a teenager, but right now she felt like this was so good and yet also a bit scary. Scary because it was new, and not something she could draw from experience in. But by the gods it was good. The kind of good that was giving her a slight stomach ache. "You want to hear something funny?" she asked, looking down for the first time since their kiss, smiling a little absentmindedly, "you're the first girl I've ever kissed." Getting that off her chest was quite a big thing to admit, but it had also felt right. She had dated guys, but it had never felt like this. Perhaps she was realizing awfully slow that she was in fact a lesbian, but that didn't matter right now. She didn't feel like she had a single worry in her world.
Looking up, her eyes moved to look at the flowers and butterflies, giving Alice's hand a light squeeze. It was still so early for them to know anything specific, but Ash was not the type to play on more horses so to speak. Her heart was rather dedicated when she liked someone. "I, uhm, I'm actually starting to feel a bit hungry," she admitted, biting her lower lip as she chuckled, "my hostel isn't all that far from here ... We could stop by a supermarket, get some cheap sandwiches and head there?" Was that too much of a forward request? Maybe it was because she didn't want to invade Alice's private workspace on their first date.

"I'm sure the statues will still be here the next time I visit," she chuckled, besides the weather outside wasn't clearing up or getting any warmer. Was it weird that she worried for the fenix? She knew how sensitive they could be to cold, and the walk back to the hostel would still be a few blocks. No, the statues could wait, besides she had already taken quite the pictures of the garden to get her inspiration on once she was on the plane home. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her shoulders to her ears in an excited motion, giggling a bit as she had to let go of Alice's hand to zip up her jacket as they headed for the exit of the dome.
Getting outside she only felt reaffirmed of her choice as she saw the dark clouds gather above them, heavy with rain that threatened to fall any second. "I'm at Blue Sky Hostel; I think I saw a store nearby there, but I wasn't really thinking about that when I left earlier," she confessed, waiting for the fenix to equip her gloves before taking her hand once more. It was some sort of comfort thing at this point. A sort of reminder of the moment they had shared in the dome.
pulling out her phone, she opened her maps app, looking up what route would be easy and which one they would encounter a supermarket on.
Once they had decided what and where to go, she let Alice show her the way out of the garden, mostly because she liked the feeling of her taking charge. Maybe because she was from Laiepine it just made her feel more sure when she took another step beside her. They reached the entrance and she stopped, "wait, can we take a selfie?" She must've sounded corny as all hell, but she wanted to remember this garden in a way that showed the two of them together. Was that weird? If Alice agreed, she pulled at her lightly so they wouldn't stand in the way of the others passing in and out of the entrance. She took her phone, flipping on the front camera, giggling as she saw how messy her hair had gotten. A frizzy mess as always, but she realized just how happy she looked right here next to the sweet girl that was her date. When Alice was ready, she snapped a few pictures, smiling at the lens, but at the last few snaps she leaned in closer, placing a kiss against her blushing cheek, smiling against her skin. Looking the pictures through she felt herself blush a little as she watched her kiss her date in the pictures. It was on the cheek and very innocent, but it was also a little special, wasn't it?
A little shy once more, and perhaps lost for words in some ways, she nodded for Alice to lead the way once again, giving her hand a squeeze through the knitted mittens.