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Nicole grinned at Penny's enthusiasm. She guessed that if her image of Hasta came from what she was able to see on the Web, it was understandable how it would seem like paradise. Hell, it [i]was[/i] paradise. Coming where she'd come from, more privileged than most but not as well-off as some, it was hard not to feel almost...almost like she was living within a snow globe. Just an everyday girl going about her life beneath lights that were always perfect, and so never felt the need to change.

[color=ec008c]"It is pretty cool,"[/color] she agreed, winking at the other girl. [color=ec008c]"But not [i]exactly[/i] like what you might see online. The reality is that heritage buildings like that, especially ones that survived from the old days, require some real upkeep, even in this day and age. Even people who live there can't always visit. Lotta magitech goes into keeping them functioning, and there's always some support or observation deck that needs restoring every year. But yeah, [i]prrr-[/i]etty cool. Romantic, if you ever get the chance."[/color]

Here she was, giving out romantic advice like some kind of wise older sister, when the best she could do was bump knuckles with a boy she'd loved since elementary school. [color=ec008c][i]Romantic. Yeah. So you can do your best Eradicator impersonation and shoot finger guns at a boy when he's saying goodbye. It's basically a frickin' proposal...[/i][/color] 

[color=ec008c]"It's definitely the City of Lights, too. I think it's prettiest in the rain, when you can see everything in the city fizzle. Not so great if you like to stargaze, but I never really minded. You should stick with Hasta, though,"[/color] she advised knowingly. [color=ec008c]"You'll sound like a real tourist if you call it Paris, though."[/color]