A few days after seeing a familiar face in the contest given by Noel, the male was once seen again wandering the streets of Marigold. As he walked, he recalled a participant that looked very closely to Arisa - someone who he's not seen for a couple of years. She wasn't likely to have recognized him, as his face had changed - and many years had progressed. The way he currently looked, is close to what he looked like in his youth.

And on this fine day, the sun lit up every patch of darkness in and around the streets of Marigold. Unlike his former self, Noel didn't hide from the shadows. The general populace seemed more accepting of his presence after the contest had concluded. The regular citizens stopped running off wildly, and instead remained cautious from a distance upon seeing Noel. During his stay in most towns, he'd plan a certain cultural visitation. Previous examples include when he visited the library in Crocus. What he wanted to enjoy in Marigold was the famous restaurants that didn't focus on dinner, lunch or breakfast. But instead specialized in other things, such as brunch, supper and high tea. Noel particularly was interested in the high tea - and thus reserved a table for himself a day prior. This location was in the streets of Marigold, next to a pub and a hair salon. They had a cute terrace attached to the front, serving drinks, while they also served food inside. Noel wore a green shirt, black pants with their sleeves rolled up slightly with low cut brown leather boots.

Other than his dagger, and a couple of his accessories, the male wore no equipment. His shirt covered up most of his demon arm, his exposed hand being a good tell that something nefarious had attached itself to his body. The queue had seemingly disappeared as Noel began to join it. Perhaps they were scared after all? One of the waiters let Noel in, who took a seat at his table. There were a couple of other empty chairs at the table. "One tea to start, please." Truth be told, Noel was out of his element. All his life, he's been more of a coffee type of guy. A single black coffee type of person doesn't normally venture onto strange lands - but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. Noel began to look around him as the waiter didn't know how to reply to his request for a plain tea. He'd pick up on the habits of other tea drinkers - they didn't seem to raise their pinky, and ordered things in a certain order. He'd overhear a couple behind him. The guy was scolding the girl for not adhering properly to the cultural rules of the high tea. She lift up the saucer with the tea, you weren't supposed to do that. So when Noels tea came in, he felt like a lord when he took the cup from the saucer but left the saucer on the table. He'd look around him to see if there was anyone he'd recognize with the cup in his hand. To others, it must have seemed like Noel was getting stood up by his date.  

Ever since she has returned, Kurisa has met a few new interesting faces. She didn't seem in a hurry to get stronger to destroy the person to give her own peace of mind. What was in the way? The air felt amazing as it felt like the moisture was being collected against her flawless skin. This area didn't have an amazing hotel or anything, but the place she has been staying will serfice. They were kind enough to make her a new dress, but she felt more like they were using her as a doll. Her facial structure and body made her look as such. With certain make up she was a perfect Victorian doll. They shoo'd her away to probably advertise their wares.

She held a red and black lolita umbrella to block the sun as she walked up the streets of Marigold. Her hair was up in an updo that looked like a ball of waves with her bangs in curls. They bounced as she walked closer to her destination that the people she stayed with adviced. With the rest of her, she wore a black victorian hat, frilled in the top front and a three red flowers on the left side next to each other. Her dress was a black lolita dress that was laced from her neck into an hourglass to her upper thigh while covered up from from the rest. It was long sleeved with frills. The dress in full showed her curves completely as Victorian dresses do.

The people didn't pay attention to her, oh no as some feared the woman rather it was in a good way or bad. It didn't matter much to her as she had no reason to have any relations with these people. That wasn't her job. Kurisa approached the tea house as there were people who loved Victorian things and she was just the right body to show it off. Once she entered the waitress appeared. At first, she just stood there but realized sooner than later that she was just gawking at her. "O-oh excuse me ma'am! I just love your dress." She blushed and looked away.

"Get this Mistress to her table already!" Instructed the boss or perhaps he was just in charge of today. He scanned her and smiled, but then soon turned away. "This way." She bowed her head in apologies. "Look." she lifted up her hand that was covered with her black silk gloves. "You don't need to apologize for being interested in clothing. It's a fantastic passion." Her eyes wandered a little bit. "Maybe you should go work for the people I'm staying with. They'll help you with your fashion senses." She gave the card to her and nodded away. "I'll escort myself. Go.~" She smiled and spoke in her breathy soft tone. Once the woman disappeared she wandered on her own and saw some empty tables. There was a single man that was going solo. Did he like being alone?

Some people enjoyed being alone and could buy space. As she walked towards the table behind him she closed her umbrella and held it in front of her till she got there. Her eyes cornered to look at him as his eyes and hair, they reminded her of someone. Her heart pained just gazing at him, but her mind couldn't think of who it was. Slowly, she sat down on the chair that had her back positioned behind his. "What can I get you ma'am." A waiter bowed his head and gave her the menu. She fixed her dress so it was under the table and not the side of it. 'It's bugging me.'.

'What is?' Kuri replied.

'That man sitting behind us. I feel like. I know him.'. She spoke to Kuri in their single mind. She folded the menu and looked at the man with her icy lilac eyes. "I'll have the Lemon-Rosemary Sun Tea with a few of your lemon tarts.". She was craving lemon tasting foods and drinks. Hopefully, they bring honey, but most tea places do alongside sugar. The left with their order and her eyes half-way closed while taking off her victorian hat. Her light purple hair stayed in place thankfully, as they waited for her order feeling anxious to ask the man some questions.

Noel set the cup back down as there wasn't anyone he'd seen before. Using gravity manipulation to stir the tea with the spoon, he'd look around the place to see what types of activities a man going there alone could entertain himself with. Easy options was the newspaper or a magazine. Perhaps even the other active bounties. Noel found an expanded version of the menu on the table. He'd fawn over the deserts a moment as a stranger took place behind him. Closing the menu, the male looked around the shop once more. He'd silently judge the architecture, his eyes wandering from the tables and their composition of cutlery. The table cloth, the various different pots of flowers found across the highly rated establishment. Just as his eyes were wandering up to take in the various posters found across the walls he'd overhear a voice behind him that sounded more familiar than he expected. He'd slightly look to the side to catch a glimpse in the corner of his eye. Witnessing a couple of details, her physique matched with the voice he had in mind.

He'd immediately look back to his own table and purse his lips a little while sipping the tea. It was the same contestant from the other day, his werewolf enhanced sense of smell could tell him as much. Though her fragrance varied from the scent he had acquired from the one in his mind many years ago. It gave him a somewhat uneasy feeling, a nervous sweat drop ran across his back. Looking into the reflection the tea had offered him, he'd look into his own eyes as he relived one of the greatest regrets in his life. The backstabbing of the Lamia Scale guild master. A part of his mind he wanted to forget about, many months in prison and ample of self reflection had led him to a path away from Arisa. Reliving these moments rekindled his desire for cigarettes. The desire for nicotine was a result of the mental stress that these memories that still had a grasp on him after all these years.

The Advent World wizard swallowed the spit in his mouth, and turned the chair slightly to be able to make eye contact with the lady sitting behind him. There was ample of room, as the tables were set to allow waiters to easily pass through them. His mother once told him, "eyes are the windows to the soul". While subtly shifting his chair, the male put down his tea. His face forced to be relaxed, he'd raise his cup once more when he was done shifting his chair. He'd try to lock eyes with the stranger, to truly see into her soul - perhaps that could tell him more. Something felt wrong, he couldn't tell what exactly. As he was about to take a sip, he'd speak towards this stranger if their eyes had met. "Is that you, Arisa?" An incoming waiter interrupted a direct response, approaching Noel and talking as soon as they arrived to the table. "Would you enjoy a rabarber cheesecake, sir? We have one about to expire, we serve it at half cost." While his eyes were set on the stranger, the proposition of the waiter had caught him off-guard for a moment. It seemed his reputation for being stingy had gone beyond him. It did sound like a nice deal, he thought - disregarding the absurd marketing technique used. "Yes, sign me up." He'd say, breaking his line of sight with the stranger to confirm to the waiter that he did want this cheesecake. The waiter happily begun walking back to the kitchen area, it looked like they had won a bet with the cooks. Noel looked back at the woman as the waiter left, giving him some privacy.

Her eyes closed as she breathed in the area to smell sweets. 'I have such a sweet tooth right now.'. Kurisa slowly licked her lips as they felt dry, nothing to drink just yet. She held her tongue, but she didn't have to for long as the 'stranger' spoke first. First, he turned his chair, and as she turned as well their eyes met. The eyes were the same, Noel. So he changed his appearance by appearing younger, did he. The voice as the same as well to her. It was more obvious when he asked her by name if it was her. How did she feel after all this time you ask? She didn't even know.

It was more sorrow than anger as something was different about him, but couldn't hit the hint just right. "It -" she was about to say until he was interrupted by a waiter and his cheesecake. She looked away and waited and when they were done he turned back to her. Her head tilted and with a small smile, she nodded slightly, "It is. I'd ask about yourself, but it's obvious with those eyes." She assumed.

"How have you been, Noel?" she breathly spoke softly and could see within her sight they were delivering her stuff. They sat it down and left as they could see they were speaking. Her lilac eyes were nowhere the same and neither was her hair, but everything else was - even her body was the same. She wondered so many things as to why he left her, what all happened, but she wanted to be relaxed about it and truly... She was too tired of a lot of other things to really feel angry about what he did. Most women would go crazy at them if their 'then-husband disappeared for years and appeared out of nowhere. A lot has happened since then... A lot.

Noel was about to hear Arisa's response, before it was cut off by the waiter. After the waiter had left, the woman continued to finish her sentence. Revealing herself as Arisa indeed, she seemed to have recognized him. Which was fair, he had still retained an appearance somewhat similar to his previous. His heart rate begun rising slightly. Arisa from the looks of it had adopted a lilac themed colors, it did remind him of a certain guild. Instead of using his gravity magic, he'd stir the tea with his hands when she asked what he had been up to. A shadow came to be cast over his face as he introduced a long pause in the conversation. "Rocky." He'd say, before picking his cup up and standing up from his table, and joining hers instead. These were words he didn't want an entire restaurant to hear. Sitting opposite of Arisa, without asking for her permission first the male had put his cup down on her table. "After I was released out of prison, I've sought ways to turn a new page in life." Crossing one leg over the other, he couldn't tell whether or not Arisa had ill intent towards him for leaving her life the way it happened. Maybe he should've been more guarded, he trusted Arisa enough not to lunge at him, given she started the conversation by confirming her identity. Someone with a grudge would most likely deny it, follow him and kill him in his sleep, or something.

His cup of tea was quite empty at this point, when his cheesecake came in he'd ask for a single black coffee - somehow his mood had changed from a casual high tea to business. After the waiter left, he'd continue the conversation. "And you? How have you been?" Him being a shitty dad was known to all parties involved, asking about the well being of his offspring was something any other good dad would do. Eventually though, it'd bug his mind, so he'd ask about his kids too. "And the kids, how are they?" Maybe he should've send more postcards during their birthdays and whatnot. Being almost forty years old, Noel was currently in his midlife crisis. A fast vehicle, being wasteful with money, thinking his job is getting boring, this new relationship with a girl much younger than him - these were all the telltale signs of the current crisis the Advent World wizard was going through. Not like he'd ever admit it to others that he was in fact going through this. He hadn't even known himself yet that it was happening.

Kurisa picked up a lemon tart and took a bite out of it. The sweetness was not like any other and the taste was divine. She wasn't sure how she was going to act as soon as she found him. There were so many things that could've been said and done, but she refrained from such immaturity. Her icy purple eyes looked at him after picking up her tea to take a simple sip to end up putting it back down. "I see. So that's how it went.". Her eyes lowered to look at her tea and then listened to his question about his children. The children he had no real part of other than the actions that created them.

"They're quite good actually. They're with their aunt currently while I'm doing some things." She made a small smile as she wondered how they are now. She sent Momo to check as that was her only way of knowing. Noel seemed like he was in a different world, different life as she assumed mostly. No one disappears for so long to end up being the same. She knew that definitely from real experience. She avoided the question about herself till after answering about her children. She didn't know where to start or even, what should she all tell? After he disappeared so long she too moved on - she tried to anyways as Odin not only harmed her physically but mentally as well. Emotionally was in that list yet it was obvious it was.

He was supposed to be a friend, a friend she had for so long yet it was easy for her to break her heart and leave her too. Was she just easy to throw away? Perhaps, love wasn't for her as even in all her life-times Kuri never had luck in it either. Everyone ends up leaving...

Everyone

Her attention went back towards Noel with a fake smile that seemed so real, "Oh you know, missions and traveling while taking care of the children. Not much really.". She was halfway going insane between the emotional harm she does to herself and due to others as well as mentally breaking. Will she even feel better after destroying a specific person? Somehow? He wasn't human after all and his whereabouts were random. She felt like he wasn't going to be much help, Noel seemed to have his own new life, a new chapter, moving on. Even though this was true she was just glad he was alright at least, hopefully, happy with whatever he had going on. She felt anxious about speaking more than necessary. Sometimes saying things they don't want to hear or don't care about has their consequences.

His past experiences with Arisa was a chapter in his book which already ended several chapters ago. Noel was in a different phase of his life, having moved on with his past experiences with Arisa, he feels remorse for how it all ended. He would've liked remaining friends - he was not convinced that was still possible. Arisa seemed accepting of his underlying fate, not going into detail when he asked what she had been up to. "I'd like to vist them, do you think that is alright?" Least he could do was ask for permission. He didn't know anything really about their current status quo, nor who their aunt was. Most of Arisas family was unknown to Noel.

With a tiny spoon, the male dug into the cheesecake as the conversation continued. The delicate pudding like substance melted on his tongue as he listened to Arisa vaguely explain what she had been up to. He didn't feel like inquiring further, as everyone deserved their fair share of privacy. Maybe it was easier if he begun talking more openly about himself, and what he was up to more specifically. "I have a new place in Oak, and am currently operating under the flag of Advent World." Noel said, taking a sip of his newly filled tea cup before continuing. "Since I was released, a couple of months ago, I uhmh--" He fell silent as he was searching mentally for a short summary. "I observed the world change around me when I was locked away. After being released, I realized that I was the one who changed - the rest had stayed the same." It was tough putting into words the various philosophical stages Noel had went through, alone and condemned in isolation for what had seemed to be a decade. He felt great shame upon the action that had caused him to be imprisoned, these weren't easy thoughts for him. During this time, he felt very alone - eventually overcoming this feeling and accepting it.

Noel anxiously scratched his neck, wanting to move on from this painful subject. He seemed quite gloomy in the moment. The male begun contemplating about leaving the restaurant to catch a breath of fresh air. The scent that emanated from the pompous water and various deserts was somewhat overloading his senses. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm feeling a hot flash is starting to rise up within me. I think I should leave." He'd say, while estimating Arisas response. He definitely needed fresh air, perhaps they could continue this conversation outside.

When Noel inquired more about his children, Arisa luckily had responded with enough details for him to put the puzzle together and find out where they were. Judith was the name. It seems they were interested in their dad too, Noel would have been the same if he was put in a similar situation when he was younger. "That'd be nice." He said at the thought of visiting them. A ferret seemingly whispered some stuff to Arisa, something he couldn't overhear due to not being close enough to hear. He had his mind on other stuff momentarily anyway.

Arisa went on explaining how she had joined an exclusive guild, one only accepting of women. One guild did come to mind, one he had visited a few weeks prior in Dahlia but he didn't want to say it out loud. It wasn't an experience worth repeating, he'd have concluded since. She seemed alright with leaving the place, having paid his fair of the check discreetly with some jewels in the inside of the menu, he followed Arisa out.

At the exit, Arisa mentioned sending letters as Noel basked in the fresh air momentarily. Pushing his hair back, he felt the small amount of sweat that had been built up on his forehead. "Sure, I'll have my letters sent to Dahlia." He teased the woman, hinting at what he knew without being direct about it. She excused herself under the guise of being an adventurer, thus having her next location to move towards - he figured. A simple hug set up for their departure once more, though perhaps they will see each other more often in the future. "Well yeah, that's how babies work." He sarcastically replied to Arisa as he waved her off. "Sayonara, Arisa stay safe." A small glimpse of a smirk on his face as he took a big breath of air, and headed into another direction. At least there was still some spring in Arisas step, he thought.