With a last nod and smile, Lyntael fell in with the other,s wandering the remaining distance through the store fronts and other outlets of the city on food. There was a slight drift and sway from side to side as she walked, as thought she was humming a tune to herself, or thinking of one. One hand rested on her new satchel as she went, fingertips playing idly across the seams in an unconscious way.
As they progressed, Lyntael found herself darting left or right to look in at one shop front or another, examining designs on clothing and other accessories that caught her eye. The main difference she noticed, in terms of what sorts of shops they passed, seemed to be that here, as she'd noticed before, fashion and food outlets were the most common but the frequent scattering of electronic shops, newsagencies and travel accessory shops that usually interspersed most retail districts in the outer world were mostly absent here. She supposed most electronic matters were a things of upgrades, or otherwise SciLab's own fare, and navigators probably didn't need luggage very often, all things considered. To herself she pondered what sort of travel goods she might like, if she was ever going to be away from her PET for a long time... though she couldn't think of any good situation where that would be likely to happen.
She stayed close enough to the dragoniers, never more than the breadth of the transit way away from them, but she took more time than most weaving carefully throughout other navigators and being careful not to accidentally brush anyone else just in case. Every now and then she called Suzume over to look at a piece that had caught her eyes, pointing it out with enthusiasm while she tucked away new inspiration for future designs, but eventually the retail fronts gave way to more serious signage and structure as they moved into the more business-centric section of the city.
Lyntael quieted and she felt her general happy excitement cooling off as she drew closer to the tether point for her link, at the recruitment centre. In the end, it had been fun to get away from everything, and to act out a bit, and do some things that she normally wouldn't, and that Rogan wouldn't like. As it came closer to the time when she'd been heading back, though, her thoughts turned back to the things she'd been running away from. She let herself walk in step with the others, still smiling softly, but calmer and quieter now. Lyntael paused as they reached the central hub where the various recruitment kiosks were still running their daily business, and turned to the others.
“This is it, more or less...” Her eyes flicked across the way, about a dozen feet in past the entry way where she could feel the emulation point glowing in her senses. “I'm about close enough now that I can jack out. Um... thank you all, really. I've had a lot of fun today, really I have!” For a moment she looked aside, and rubbed at the back of her neck with one hand, then looked back to Aya and Suzume specifically.
“I came out today all full of spite and trying to make myself out as something I'm not, and I'm feeling better now. I'm really glad you all looked out for me, and did so much to try and help me too. You didn't need to do any of that, and it means a lot to me. Thank you for the book, and for the gifts, and for all your advice, both of you. Say thanks to Drago and Magistrate for me as well, okay? Tell Drago I don't think he's as scary as some folks warned me.” He small smile became an amused grin as she spoke, good humour in her eyes; even if DragonierMan might not appreciate being told he wasn't that scary, it was clear that Lyntael, at least, meant it as a compliment. “Oh, and please tell Magistrate I'm sorry, too! I didn't mean to offend her, and I really appreciate everything she did, even if I wasn't ready for her solutions.” She paused for a moment, making sure her body was as calm as she needed, then gingerly stepped in to give Suzume, then Aya a quick hug each that tingled warmly, but was mercifully safe of actual static. After she stepped back, she turned to Nightshade and Yumi.
“And thank you to both of you as well. It was really nice to meet both of you, and I think you're both really wonderful young people, especially for trying to help as much as you did. I'm really sorry about that shock, Nighty, I'm glad you're okay. You take good care of each other, alright?” She glanced between them, then leaned in to offer each of them a quick hug in turn – once again, it was an embrace that was warm, with a certain amount of hum to it, but was safe from any actual shocks. When she stood back again, Lyntael looked around at all of them, then bit her lip and gave a small, soft laugh.
“Sorry, I'm making a big deal of this... I often make friends, and then never get to see them again, because of Rogan's work. I've just gotten in the habit of trying to make sure I say everything important when I go, these days. We're all in the same faction now, so I'll probably see you all again soon anyway! Thanks again! Bye for now!”
She waved once more, in amongst any other last farewells from her new friends, then eventuality stepped back closer to the emulation point and closed her eyes. After a few movements, she opened the link from her side and the other caught a brief expression of braced-for discomfort before the cascade of slightly stuttering electric light engulfed her.
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((Lyntael, return to →
Rogan's PET))