[center][h2]Girls at the Bar[/h2]

[color=92278f]Sectonia[/color] and [color=D34C25]Primrose[/color]
Word Count :1674 (+3 xp and rapport)
[/center]


Following the service, many people exited the bar. Stolen Moments wasn’t that large of a space to begin with, and memorials could often lead to awkward tension in the area that drove one to go be alone, or with their loved ones. Of course, there were some that stayed behind, whether to talk or simply imbibe.

Primrose had remained, taking a seat at the bar. She had quietly requested of Cirrus whatever he recommended, and placed the zenny on the bartop once he’d served it.

She looked very elegant sitting there, one long leg crossed over the other, the gray sundress she wore fluttering loosely along her thighs and seat when she shifted. She’d kept much of her jewelry on, and her long hair was still tied up in its large ponytail-braid, all of which helped to enhance the rather plain garment she had on and balanced her overall look nicely. 

It helped too that she was well practiced in looking good while seated in a tavern. Or generally just being in one. It was her default now.

The dancer had one elbow on the bartop, resting her cheek against the back of her hand. With her other hand she gently swirled the half-empty glass, having been content to listen to the conversations of others for a little while. Sectonia, who had also remained in Stolen Moments, was so large that anyone else at the bar was practically seated next to her, so once her conversation with Roland lulled Primrose leaned over slightly to strike up her own little chat with the queen.

[color=D34C25]"Your eulogy was nice and succinct, though I do wonder if Midna would have appreciated being called a ‘haphazard creature,’"[/color] she teased. Likely not, given the Twilight Princess had complained about her cursed impish form before.

[color=92278f]”Probably not. But she did fuse with a massive amount of spirits. It took until recently for her to fix that up, but she didn’t get to enjoy those fruits of her labor for very long.”[/color] Sectonia said, holding a half empty bottle of mead at this point. 

That was fair enough. It was true, after all. Primrose dropped her head into her hand again, looking at Sectonia sideways.

[color=D34C25]"...are you feeling a little more sentimental than usual?"[/color] she asked. The dancer wasn't surprised that Sectonia hadn't passed up the chance to speak in front of the group even if it wasn't about herself, but she normally wouldn't have expected the queen to stick around for longer afterward. Maybe she was more affected by the losses than she let on?

[color=92278f]”Roland offered me a drink, and I was in the mood for one.”[/color] Sectonia said, holding her bottle of mead. [color=92278f]”And it would be rude of me to just leave without at least finishing my drink.”[/color] She took a bit of a swig from the bottle before saying. [color=92278f]”Although I might be, just a little. Midna seemed to listen to my advice on ruling a kingdom. Either from politeness or curiosity, she seemed naive at that regardless. Or perhaps her distrust of Ganondorf made her bond with anyone who was also weary of the guy.”[/color] She said.

[color=D34C25]"I don't think so,"[/color] Primrose replied with a thoughtful hum. [color=D34C25]"In the grand scheme of things I didn't know her long... but I got the sense she was just a compassionate person."[/color]

And just passionate in general. The Twilight Princess just didn't seem like the type to give the time of day to someone she didn't like, even if they were the enemy of her enemy so to speak, so she must have genuinely gotten along with Sectonia at least a little.

Which might really be the reason that the queen bee felt like having a drink. Her personality was a lot to handle, and she had the tendency to look down on others. On top of maintaining her veneer of aloof high status, Sectonia probably didn't have many she could easily converse with. Especially those that she considered close to equal to her.

Well. Primrose hadn't hung around to psychoanalyze others. Not intentionally anyway. She offered Sectonia a thin smile.

[color=D34C25]"If you'd prefer to finish your drink in good company, I'll be here a little longer,"[/color] she said.

Sectonia nodded. Taking another swig of her bottle, she thought for a bit before saying. [color=92278f]”So, from the sounds of it, Roland is empire shopping. Or trying to figure out which one he wants to join. That's what we were talking about earlier.”[/color] Sectonia said, rolling her eyes over to the fixer who was getting up from finishing his drink and heading out of the room. [color=92278f]”He's a weird one. He follows orders well but I feel like there is some kind of game he's playing himself.”[/color]

Primrose gave her a small nod. The dancer had heard a little of that conversation after all. Roland did seem a strange one, but he seemed harmless enough from what little Primrose had seen.

[color=D34C25]"I'm not surprised that his... pessimism... led him to believe we'd all still be stuck here after the battle is over,"[/color] she said. She didn't think even Therion had entertained that idea for long.  

[color=D34C25]"Assuming this world isn't completely unraveled at the end of all this, are you actually planning to stay?"[/color]

[color=92278f]”If I’m ruling over it at the end of it all? Of course. It would be much more land than I previously ruled over. There is even a much more diverse area made of sweets and entertainment than Floralia!”[/color] Sectonia said with a nod. To be fair, the world of light was much bigger than Popstar. 

[color=92278f]”Granted, that assumes we find a way around that 10 year time limit. It seems that will be a major goal of mine. Preferably in a way that doesn’t turn people into Consuls. They seem to lose something upon the transformation, something important but something I can’t quite quantify.”[/color] Sectonia said, saying what was on her mind about all of that. She didn’t see how Peach turned into a Consul to verify her idea though.

Primrose tapped the side of her chin lightly, considering Sectonia's plan like it was a thought experiment. The queen bee was ambitious to say the least, but she would be hard pressed to succeed. Ultimately if things went according to Primrose's own plan, she wouldn't be around to see whether Sectonia actually reached her hypothetical goals or not. She had things left unfinished in her own world.

[color=D34C25]"You have nothing and no one you wouldn't leave behind?"[/color] she asked, mostly out of curiosity.

[color=92278f]”I already found Taranza. The only other thing would be Floralia itself, but as it's a chain of floating islands, it could be anywhere. And this place is much bigger than Popstar, which is what I had planned to conquer before this all started.”[/color] Sectonia said, not having as many attachments as Primrose seemingly did. 

[color=D34C25]"Taranza?"[/color]

[color=92278f]”My second in command. Found him in the Underground. He's doing his own work there trying to prepare the place I think.”[/color] Sectonia said, trying to remember what happened back then. [color=92278f]”I assume you do by the way your asking, do you not?”[/color]

Primrose found it a little amusing that Sectonia had left this Taranza to his own devices of which she was apparently not aware of. She would have expected that Sectonia would bring him along with her as another minion of hers. Still, it was nice she had found a trusted person in this world.

She did turn her head at the queen's question though. [color=D34C25]"What do you mean?"[/color]

[color=92278f]”Usually those that ask a personal question want to talk about that question themselves.”[/color] Sectonia said plainly, having finished her bottle.

[color=D34C25]"So you're saying I do have them, someone or something I wouldn't leave behind."[/color] Sectonia wasn't wrong on either account. Normally a person making inquiries like Primrose was would reveal quite a lot about the asker... And, of course, there was one person she would never abandon. Not until she confronted him properly and exacted her vengeance.

That was not the reason she'd asked however, so the dancer fixed Sectonia with another small smile before her green eyes could darken.

[color=D34C25]"Maybe I do... I really was just curious though. I don't expect many of us want to stay behind even if the option is there."[/color]

[color=92278f]”Either way, I doubt anyone will have a choice. You don’t just destroy countless worlds, mash them together, and not have something come of all of that even should you be defeated. Especially if doing so allows you to completely change the underpinning of reality itself.”[/color] Sectonia said, and with a bit more wisdom than even she probably didn’t mean to say, possibly thanks to the alcohol she said. [color=92278f]”Make the best of the situation, recontextualize what your goals are, and if the eventual outcome coincides with your original goal, be pleasantly surprised. Or refocus and broaden your original goal to encompass your new situation.”[/color] 

This time Primrose's eyes did flash with emotion, brief and intense. Ten years of nursing hatred was not something one simply recontextualized. But Sectonia didn't know any of the suffering Primrose had endured - of the Seekers, only two had any idea. And she preferred it that way. So after a moment of silence Primrose raised her glass to her lips, draining the last of her drink.

[color=D34C25]"I would be a fool not to heed the advice of a queen, hm?"[/color] she said, her voice almost teasing in its faux lightness. [color=D34C25]"We'll have to see what happens, in the end."[/color]

[color=92278f]”Well, thats enough drinking for now. A hangover tomorrow wouldn’t be elegant.”[/color] Sectonia said, leaving her bottle at the counter and making her way out of the room. She did have to make herself look proper for tomorrow as it was anyway. 

Primrose waved by wiggling her fingers at Sectonia. As the alien queen left Primrose's gaze followed after her until she disappeared, at which point they swept back over to the bar with her spurious smile still in place.

[color=D34C25]"One more please, Cirrus."[/color]