you know what, that doesn't matter. what matters is the problem right here in front of him, and that is falling out of the mirror and near facefirst into someone's shower. it's dark, and quiet, and his horns are completely, hopelessly tangled in some stranger's floral print shower curtain. there's quite a bit of loud shuffling, swearing, and more than one ow, ow, ow - before at last mollymauk sighs and falls still, before addressing..
.. well, if no one is in the doorway yet, roused by the commotion, he'll instead just be shouting, in a very flat voice: ]
A little help here, please?
ii; BOALTINN
A: [ while his untimely arrival may have been far less dignified than he might have hoped, far be it for mollymauk to be deterred by a lost battle with an unfortunate stranger's shower - most especially when there's the sound and smell of festivity in the air. there's music to enjoy, ale to be drank, and stories to hear!
too bad he's broke. however, a lack of pocket coin has never stopped him, and molly has a talent for making money on the fly; he'll only need enough to fill his belly and slake his thirst. with colorful ribbons tied 'round his horns, if you pass near one of the bonfires near the center of town you may find one very.. colorful tiefling, bedecked in harlequin clothes and flashing, tinkling gold ornaments approaching you with a broad smile on his face, and a deck of large, ornate cards in one tattooed hand. ]
You there! Yes, you with the beautiful eyes.
[ he calls smoothly, while sweeping forward and into a low, polite bow. ]
You've the look of one in the throes of destiny's crossroads. No no, don't try to deny it! They've already told me.
[ the cards, he means. molly waves them with one hand. ]
And I for one could never rest knowing that I'd left one so in need of guidance high and dry.
B: [ what better way to pass the time after a good meal and a few healthy drinks, and shake off the unsettling feeling of wrongness in your bones, than to take a nice bath? after all, he started the day tangled up in a bathtub, why not finish the day in one?
granted, these public rose baths aren't quite the same, but they are certainly more what he is used to, and molly is no stranger to - nor timid about - a public bath. after the night's festivities he could certainly use one.
and so you might find, settled into a comfortable corner, a lavender tiefling with bejeweled horns lounging against the hot stones with his arms rested comfortably back, his head leaned against the stones. myriad colorful tattoes paint both his front and back, and though his colorfully patterned clothing is discarded in a heap on a bench behind him, he hasn't removed the silver and gold ornaments from his horns or neck. that's just too much work.
heaving a great sigh, with his eyes closed, he addresses whoever is closest.. if there's even anyone there at all. ]
[Prepared to overlook the gaudy display of a ribbons and ornaments and other accessories, Itachi is halted mid-step by that voice, calling out to him with — an alarming compliment. Beautiful eyes is not a descriptor that has ever been cast upon him. Here his irises are black and dormant, Geardagas none the wiser for what they once contained, and yet...
The unfamiliar man goes on, flapping those cards in his direction. Itachi is painfully monochrome and discreet against someone like this, dressed all in black with a blank affect, staring perhaps a bit uncomfortably.]
Who has already told you? [Compelled by this sales pitch (he's gullible...), Itachi takes a few steps closer. Skepticism shows on his face, although it's closer to paranoia than anything personal toward Molly's business attempts.] Is this magic?
... Your appearance, are you... one of the native monsters here?
... I see. No, I haven't. The word 'tiefling' is foreign to me.
[Dark eyes linger on the point of fangs. Not an unusual sight in this world, but also not a feature he would take for granted, like any other measure of strength on a stranger.
Now he's studying those cards with a measure of uncertainty.]
[You with the beautiful eyes. A stranger’s form practically sweeping into his periphery, blocking his path as Sephiroth crossed this way to avoid the tittering crowd clotted around a bright, dancing bonfire. Sephiroth has no choice but to stop and fix those same cat-eyes on this horned man — another Mirrorbound, he wonders? — though his expression is schooled to look unimpressed.
Or maybe that’s just his default.]
Destiny’s crossroads. [He echoes plainly and also ironically, considering the half-fanned deck of cards waved before him. He can see where this is going.]
And your guidance will come swiftly and very helpfully from these cards. [The slow arch of a brow, faint.] For a price. Am I correct?
You are correct, my shrewd friend, but worry not, I don't ask for much, only a little bit of coin to get me through the night. Pay whatever you feel is fair, if you like!
[ he's not a thief, after all!! at least not right now. showmanship pays for itself, he has found, and while he'll swindle to get by, molly has never been a particularly greedy person. if this guy doesn't pay, then he'll keep trying until eventually someone does! he doesn't have to worry about paying for, you know, a place to live or anything, so he's not panicked. with the cards face down, he fans them in his long fingers, presenting them. ]
Would you care to take the plunge with me tonight?
[Before this world, the stranger’s offer would have been a much harder sell. Sephiroth never put much stock in what others might have to say about destiny, the metaphysical, the metaphorical — he was raised under a strict organization that often touted the opposite: the military. Order, adaptation, preparation. Knowing what is to come based on stratagems and reasoning, carving out your own means through your own actions, not through the arrangement of cards and the wonderment of what if, pitched by charismatic individuals like these.
And despite this world — and all its rules that shattered his previous expectations — Sephiroth is still a man who will not be told which figurative road to take, what lies in his future, through the prattling of some stranger in need of quick coin.
Yet the subject, as of late, is an open and oozing wound for him, given a few of his confrontations with a particular handful of other Mirrorbound; Molly’s timing is all-too-perfect, and has approached him when Sephiroth’s intrigue is more malleable than usual.
Under the rationale of aiding a newcomer for keeping him mildly entertained, too. What harm is there in indulging him, especially when there’s no one to say he can’t remain skeptical? His eyes trail over the cards, lips pressed together firmly, as though he will decline. Until he doesn’t.]
[ You know, there are worse things that could have happened to Charle than falling through a mirror (??) and taking out some poor woman's vanity and everything atop it in the dead of the night. Certainly it had been chaotic, and the woman hand been ready to brain him with the lamp from her bedside table. His confusion had been genuine at least, and when the lady finally calmed down enough to hear him out, he'd say he probably had a more pleasant evening than most.
How lucky that he'd managed to drop in (ha) right in the middle of a celebration of sorts. A touch of the familiar in an otherwise unfamiliar world. Charle has been using the opportunity to ply his trade, strumming songs for passersby that they might toss a coin or two his way, and at the end of the day he's more than happy to sink himself into one of the baths and let the day's work slip right out of his tired limbs and into the warm water.
He's not alone in here, though he hasn't paid much mind to the comings and goings of the other patrons. The remark causes him to crack open an eye and... well. There's one peacock of a fellow if he does say so himself. He has, of course, been informed of "monsters" and "witches" alike, so at least he's not springing out of the water and crying "Voidsent!" at the sight. ]
I'll drink to that, friend.
[ If only he'd thought to bring a bottle of wine or some such with him. Alas! ]
anyway, a languid, easy grin unfurls across his face, and molly sinks lower into the hot, fragrant water, his eyelids lifting only a fraction so he can eyeball his new companion for a moment. ]
Ah, a drink is the only thing that could improve our lot..
[ why didn't he think to bring a bottle of wine!! maybe there are attendants around here somewhere.. ]
[ Charle likes this fellow already. Perhaps it might prove that their rather similar (in his estimation, in any case) personalities clash, but there is just as much a chance, if not more, that they're going to get along famously. ]
Excellent choices on both counts. I'm tempted to track a bottle myself once I gather the willpower to move.
[ He seems to think on that for a moment, weighing the merits of hauling himself out of the bath. Ultimately, he sinks even deeper into the water. ]
[ Well, if there's ever been a time in her life where Ann has needed divine guidance, it's probably now. She doesn't exactly...have a lot of money to her name, either, but this is something good enough to put it towards, right? In any case, Makoto isn't here to tell her no, so. ]
Really? You can tell all that just by looking at me?
[ He must be good. Or a total phony. She's not entirely gullible, so she levels him with a skeptical look, crossing her arms over her chest. Huh...definitely a monster. He must have been here for awhile to go through so many changes, right? Or he's a native. ]
How do I know you're not just full of hot air?
[ She'd really love a reading, but it's got to be the real deal! ]
[ he might be a circus clown, but he's an honest one, at least! it's part of his charm. mollymauk twirls one of the cards dexterously between his long fingers, its face flashing a glittering white. ]
But matters of divination, of course, require a certain amount of.. malleability. The fates never reveal themselves clearly, but if your mind is clear the path will open up before you.
[ it's clear he's done this many time before.. ]
Still, if it eases your worries, the only payment I accept is what you deem worthy!
[ Yeah, she's getting the impression he's quite the showman. Hopefully not a charlatan too, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Besides...she's too curious not to give it a shot. This could give her the answers she's been looking for! ]
Alright...
[ Will she get a better reading if she "shows faith" with a bigger payment? Well, too bad, because she's the witch equivalent of a poor college student right now. Digging into her purse, she withdraws a handful of loose coins and holds them out to drop them into his palm. ]
Okay, so now what? Do I pick a card, or something?
[ Nothing good ever comes from someone throwing out compliments and flashing cards at him. Yuri leans back in his seat, eyeing this stranger with distrust borne from years of Bad Luck and Bad Future Vibes. ]
Are you gonna do a dance, too? [He holds out a hand as soon as he says the words, shaking his head frantically. ] Don't, I don't want you to.
Dance? Well, I certainly can if that's what you're asking for.
[ it is definitely not what he is asking for, but that doesn't stop molly from flipping one of his scimitars deftly in his hand, tossing it up to balance neatly atop his head, between his curling horns. ]
But please, I didn't mean to frighten you! Nothing in the cards can harm you, don't worry.
[Yuri just watches him, blinking for a moment with his mouth slightly open.
It's official - everyone here is a freak. Not that he can say anything, since he is also a freak. So he will just...actually, no.
He points to Molly's head, shaking his own. ]
How the hell - are you from some kinda circus or something? I've got no money to give you, pal, and trust me I know all the dangerous bad future stuff I've got. Don't gotta go over it again.
[If nothing else, this guy knows how to put on one hell of a show, right down to his outfit. Kainé, for her part, looks largely unimpressed, though she would be lying if she said her interest wasn't at least a little piqued. Dedicated as he is to the bit, it's hard not to be curious.
Boaltinn as a whole has been a little much for her, more people and more cheer than she's used to, but it's been a good opportunity to learn a little something about the local culture. She's already here, so she might as well bite.]
Do I, now?
[She folds her arms as she studies him, looking him over thoroughly. She's curious, but still skeptical.]
[ well he certainly hadn't expected he would get a good reception out of her - he had to try, naturally, but her face definitely gives "fucketh off" vibes so he was sure he'd be shot down. but here she is, surprising him! even if it's obvious she's pretty skeptical of his skills, but then, that's nothing he hasn't encountered before.
anyway, he flashes a warm smile, thumbing the edge of the cards with a satisfying snap. ]
Oh, anything can be talkative, if you've the ears to listen.
[ flipping one card dextrously between his fingers, molly hikes a brow. ]
["Fucketh off" vibes is definitely right, but screw it, he's got her attention. The performative nature of it definitely helps. Something in her posture relaxes as she nods in response, hips cocking to one side.]
Alright. Show me what you've got. What are these cards of your whispering to you?
[ It's been a long day, full of unexpected reunions, people who recognized him when he didn't recognize them back, and a whole lot of exhausting revelations. Zack might be better off retiring to the room the Coven has offered him, but he can't help but want to see what all of the festivities are about.
He's got little idea of what the festival is for, but it looks like a good time and he's in need of a hot meal after the day that he's had, so he's in the middle of sizing up the offerings of the various food stalls scattered around when someone approaches him.
Not just any someone, but a someone with purple skin, horns, red eyes, and covered from head to toe in flashy clothing. Zack assumes that he's a Monster, one who's native to this place or who's been here for a while, but that's no reason to turn him away. Especially with a greeting like that. (It wouldn't be the first time someone's called Zack's eyes pretty.)
Though once the reason for the stranger's approach becomes clear, Zack isn't sure what to make of it. Destiny's crossroads? Is it possible that this person knows more than he should? Or is he just looking for an easy target?
Well, only one way to find out. ]
Hmm... [ Zack eyes the cards in that tattooed hand as he crosses his arms. Then his gaze shoots back up to the stranger and he shrugs. ] All right. Guide away.
[ oh hey, he didn't even have to convince this guy, score!! usually it takes a little wheeling and dealing when he's being a glorified street performer, but he won't look a gift horse in the mouth. mollymauk breaks into a broad smile. ]
Of course!
[ and, sweeping his colorful, glittering cloak off of his shoulders, he settles it onto the nearby grass, and dips into a flourishing bow. ]
[ Zack doesn't hesitate to take a seat, even if it means he might end up with some grass stains on his pants. Given the crowds that are out and about tonight, hunting down a proper place to sit seems like way more trouble than it's worth.
What a fancy cloak, too. Really, everything about this guy is pretty fancy. ]
So, this what you do for a living or is it just a hobby you do on the side?
[ Boaltinn feels so nostalgic to her. There were no bonfires in Kudal (an underground bonfire? not a good idea), but the dancing and merriment feel so familiar that she can't help but get swept up utterly and completely. The brunette hasn't replaced the clothing she appeared here wearing, so much like Molly's clothes—and, well, everything—stands out, it's no surprise that he manages to pick her out as she passes.
She nearly keeps walking as he cajoles her, but then he says something that makes her stop in her tracks as a wave of cold hits her. Destiny's crossroad. Eufemie turns quickly, hazel-green eyes widened slightly as she takes in his words, then his appearance. Could this person possibly... She takes a step closer, still taken aback but recovering. ]
Who told you..?
[ Could he possibly hear it? Could he hear it here? ]
[ for a brief moment, he looks mildly surprised. ]
Told me?
[ this is actually.. not really the first time someone has reacted this sort of way to his prompting; it's the nature of fortune telling and the occult, people read into it in whatever ways they choose, whatever ways are in their heart - it's the beauty of the craft! after a few moments he smiles. ]
Why, it was simply the sense I got when looking at you.
[ For a brief moment, she's hopeful. He doesn't look like anyone from her world, but she's also been living under a literal rock until just recently. But "just a sense" is different than hearing something, so it's probably pure coincidence. She looks briefly disappointed, before taking a step forward. ]
What else do you have a sense for? [ It's fashion isn't it. ]
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mollymauk tealeaf / critical role (campaign 2) / harpy
ii; BOALTINN
boaltinn
The unfamiliar man goes on, flapping those cards in his direction. Itachi is painfully monochrome and discreet against someone like this, dressed all in black with a blank affect, staring perhaps a bit uncomfortably.]
Who has already told you? [Compelled by this sales pitch (he's gullible...), Itachi takes a few steps closer. Skepticism shows on his face, although it's closer to paranoia than anything personal toward Molly's business attempts.] Is this magic?
... Your appearance, are you... one of the native monsters here?
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[ he says, with a broad grin to showcase his nice sharp fangs, while his thumbs move over the cards to fan them out nicely, offering them face down. ]
Never met a tiefling, have you?
[ pretty strange, his people are not uncommon, but it depends on where you live; out in the boonies there can sometimes be fewer of them. ]
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[Dark eyes linger on the point of fangs. Not an unusual sight in this world, but also not a feature he would take for granted, like any other measure of strength on a stranger.
Now he's studying those cards with a measure of uncertainty.]
What are you offering to do?
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boaltinn, A
Or maybe that’s just his default.]
Destiny’s crossroads. [He echoes plainly
and also ironically, considering the half-fanned deck of cards waved before him. He can see where this is going.]And your guidance will come swiftly and very helpfully from these cards. [The slow arch of a brow, faint.] For a price. Am I correct?
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WOMP WOMP destiny's crossroadsmollymauk laughs, bright and easy. ]You are correct, my shrewd friend, but worry not, I don't ask for much, only a little bit of coin to get me through the night. Pay whatever you feel is fair, if you like!
[ he's not a thief, after all!! at least not right now. showmanship pays for itself, he has found, and while he'll swindle to get by, molly has never been a particularly greedy person. if this guy doesn't pay, then he'll keep trying until eventually someone does! he doesn't have to worry about paying for, you know, a place to live or anything, so he's not panicked. with the cards face down, he fans them in his long fingers, presenting them. ]
Would you care to take the plunge with me tonight?
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And despite this world — and all its rules that shattered his previous expectations — Sephiroth is still a man who will not be told which figurative road to take, what lies in his future, through the prattling of some stranger in need of quick coin.
Yet the subject, as of late, is an open and oozing wound for him, given a few of his confrontations with a particular handful of other Mirrorbound; Molly’s timing is all-too-perfect, and has approached him when Sephiroth’s intrigue is more malleable than usual.
Under the rationale of aiding a newcomer for keeping him mildly entertained, too. What harm is there in indulging him, especially when there’s no one to say he can’t remain skeptical? His eyes trail over the cards, lips pressed together firmly, as though he will decline. Until he doesn’t.]
Humor me. If I’m impressed, I’ll pay.
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ii-b
How lucky that he'd managed to drop in (ha) right in the middle of a celebration of sorts. A touch of the familiar in an otherwise unfamiliar world. Charle has been using the opportunity to ply his trade, strumming songs for passersby that they might toss a coin or two his way, and at the end of the day he's more than happy to sink himself into one of the baths and let the day's work slip right out of his tired limbs and into the warm water.
He's not alone in here, though he hasn't paid much mind to the comings and goings of the other patrons. The remark causes him to crack open an eye and... well. There's one peacock of a fellow if he does say so himself. He has, of course, been informed of "monsters" and "witches" alike, so at least he's not springing out of the water and crying "Voidsent!" at the sight. ]
I'll drink to that, friend.
[ If only he'd thought to bring a bottle of wine or some such with him. Alas! ]
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anyway, a languid, easy grin unfurls across his face, and molly sinks lower into the hot, fragrant water, his eyelids lifting only a fraction so he can eyeball his new companion for a moment. ]
Ah, a drink is the only thing that could improve our lot..
[ why didn't he think to bring a bottle of wine!! maybe there are attendants around here somewhere.. ]
A sweet rosé maybe, or a good deep red.
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Excellent choices on both counts. I'm tempted to track a bottle myself once I gather the willpower to move.
[ He seems to think on that for a moment, weighing the merits of hauling himself out of the bath. Ultimately, he sinks even deeper into the water. ]
Ah, I've never been one for willpower anyroad.
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boaltinn a of course
Really? You can tell all that just by looking at me?
[ He must be good. Or a total phony. She's not entirely gullible, so she levels him with a skeptical look, crossing her arms over her chest. Huh...definitely a monster. He must have been here for awhile to go through so many changes, right? Or he's a native. ]
How do I know you're not just full of hot air?
[ She'd really love a reading, but it's got to be the real deal! ]
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[ he might be a circus clown, but he's an honest one, at least! it's part of his charm. mollymauk twirls one of the cards dexterously between his long fingers, its face flashing a glittering white. ]
But matters of divination, of course, require a certain amount of.. malleability. The fates never reveal themselves clearly, but if your mind is clear the path will open up before you.
[ it's clear he's done this many time before.. ]
Still, if it eases your worries, the only payment I accept is what you deem worthy!
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Alright...
[ Will she get a better reading if she "shows faith" with a bigger payment? Well, too bad, because she's the witch equivalent of a poor college student right now. Digging into her purse, she withdraws a handful of loose coins and holds them out to drop them into his palm. ]
Okay, so now what? Do I pick a card, or something?
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Boaltinn
Are you gonna do a dance, too? [He holds out a hand as soon as he says the words, shaking his head frantically. ] Don't, I don't want you to.
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[ it is definitely not what he is asking for, but that doesn't stop molly from flipping one of his scimitars deftly in his hand, tossing it up to balance neatly atop his head, between his curling horns. ]
But please, I didn't mean to frighten you! Nothing in the cards can harm you, don't worry.
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It's official - everyone here is a freak. Not that he can say anything, since he is also a freak. So he will just...actually, no.
He points to Molly's head, shaking his own. ]
How the hell - are you from some kinda circus or something? I've got no money to give you, pal, and trust me I know all the dangerous bad future stuff I've got. Don't gotta go over it again.
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ii-a because it is ii good
Boaltinn as a whole has been a little much for her, more people and more cheer than she's used to, but it's been a good opportunity to learn a little something about the local culture. She's already here, so she might as well bite.]
Do I, now?
[She folds her arms as she studies him, looking him over thoroughly. She's curious, but still skeptical.]
Didn't realize cards could be so talkative.
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anyway, he flashes a warm smile, thumbing the edge of the cards with a satisfying snap. ]
Oh, anything can be talkative, if you've the ears to listen.
[ flipping one card dextrously between his fingers, molly hikes a brow. ]
So, what do you say?
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["Fucketh off" vibes is definitely right, but screw it, he's got her attention. The performative nature of it definitely helps. Something in her posture relaxes as she nods in response, hips cocking to one side.]
Alright. Show me what you've got. What are these cards of your whispering to you?
[Dazzle her, sir.]
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sorry but here's another person lining up for ii-a
He's got little idea of what the festival is for, but it looks like a good time and he's in need of a hot meal after the day that he's had, so he's in the middle of sizing up the offerings of the various food stalls scattered around when someone approaches him.
Not just any someone, but a someone with purple skin, horns, red eyes, and covered from head to toe in flashy clothing. Zack assumes that he's a Monster, one who's native to this place or who's been here for a while, but that's no reason to turn him away. Especially with a greeting like that. (It wouldn't be the first time someone's called Zack's eyes pretty.)
Though once the reason for the stranger's approach becomes clear, Zack isn't sure what to make of it. Destiny's crossroads? Is it possible that this person knows more than he should? Or is he just looking for an easy target?
Well, only one way to find out. ]
Hmm... [ Zack eyes the cards in that tattooed hand as he crosses his arms. Then his gaze shoots back up to the stranger and he shrugs. ] All right. Guide away.
[ What's the worst that could happen? ]
erryone so thirsty for them cards!!
Of course!
[ and, sweeping his colorful, glittering cloak off of his shoulders, he settles it onto the nearby grass, and dips into a flourishing bow. ]
Please, take a seat my friend.
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What a fancy cloak, too. Really, everything about this guy is pretty fancy. ]
So, this what you do for a living or is it just a hobby you do on the side?
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ok I'm laughing at how perfect this prompt is for her. ii.
She nearly keeps walking as he cajoles her, but then he says something that makes her stop in her tracks as a wave of cold hits her. Destiny's crossroad. Eufemie turns quickly, hazel-green eyes widened slightly as she takes in his words, then his appearance. Could this person possibly... She takes a step closer, still taken aback but recovering. ]
Who told you..?
[ Could he possibly hear it? Could he hear it here? ]
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Told me?
[ this is actually.. not really the first time someone has reacted this sort of way to his prompting; it's the nature of fortune telling and the occult, people read into it in whatever ways they choose, whatever ways are in their heart - it's the beauty of the craft! after a few moments he smiles. ]
Why, it was simply the sense I got when looking at you.
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What else do you have a sense for? [
It's fashion isn't it. ](no subject)