City-less touring. (Gabe)

Oh, right, this is Sunlake Palms.  I keep forgetting why I should come here more often.

Sunlake Palms was a place Tatum rarely visited.  She always forgot why she enjoyed her strolls through Sunlake Palms.  The simple, quiet, peaceful surroundings were rejuvenating.  It was much more relaxing than the common bustle and tussle of city life.  So why did she so rarely come here again?

She looked to her left, and looked to her right.  Lots of houses, lots of yards, lots of places that were, for the most part, public property.

Oh right, that's why I don't come here often... too many places where I could get in trouble just for walking through them.  Well, at least there's still room to run... But it's just so peaceful here!  I should just... walk, you know?  Just walk...  And so she did, enjoying the nice quiet life that was Sunlake Palms.  Never mind the fact that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going.  Never mind the fact that she took turns without really seeing which way she turned.  Never mind the fact that she walked into someones door, giving a rather hard knock in the process.

Ow... pain... pain in the glavain... or nose, whatever... she mentally complained.  Only now did she finally realize her folly.  Wait a minute... this is someones property... I should probably walk away before I get into trouble for trespassing!

Gabe was in his robe, listening to some opera music and enjoying a nice cup of tea. The last thing that he was expecting was a knock on his door. "Hmm?" A rather loud knock as well. Gabe set the tea aside and slowly got up as he put his slippers on as he walked towards the door.

After that, he would open it and look at the girl. "Hello there, can I help you?"

She froze at the sound of his greeting. She had not even gotten a chance to turn on her heels and walk away. Now she was in plain sight, for him to see rather clearly. How long did she stand there, not saying a word? Perhaps maybe a minute? Now might be a considerably good time to say something.

"Nope!" she replied rather hastily, "Just walking, daydreaming, not paying any attention to where I'm going, you don't have to call the cops, my trespassing on your property very much belongs in the 'not intentional' category! Please make sure to file this in the cabinet marked as 'I' for innocent! Everything is okay! Hey, is that opera? I like opera! Opera is a fine musical choice to have during a time of spending a happy day minding your own business and not calling the authorities on a kid who did not really know better!"

Wow that was both forced and very anvilly. That was forced beyond reason. I'm gonna go bury my head in the ground now, please wake up me when school is starting. Wait, does Sunlake Palms have buses that go to Seven Stars? Either way, please be a really nice guy, please be a really nice guy, I will do a weeks of homework in ADVANCE on my first day, second day if required, just please please PLEASE be a nice guy! If she was trying to be discreet about her worries, her own facial expressions would betray her to reveal her internal begging for mercy.

"....." Gabe just watched her go off on a tangent as he kept his arms folded. Quite the talkative little one, aint she? Though he wondered what real reason she had for knocking on his door so loudly, was it really an accident?" hmm.." Gabe looked out, he didnt see a demon or anyone that looked to be somewhat suspicious of any kind. Maybe it was a fluke?" If it was an accident, then you dont have anything to worry about, my first instinct is that you managed to get lost. Were you going somewhere in particular?" Gabe would say as he looked back in the direction of the buss stop. "I think the conductor will let you on for free if its an emergency.

Deep long breath of relief to be taken! she thought as she did just as mentally narrated. It seemed this guys was not one of those grouchy types to get mad at a little kid for just walking by. The last thing she needed was to cause her parents grief over an accident, especially when they think she's still in her room at the school dormitories.

"N-no, I wasn't going anywhere in particularly," she explained, "It's just that I so very rarely come to Sunlake Palms, and since I was here I thought I'd enjoy a leisurely stroll... apparently... into your door? That's what I get for walking with my eyes closed... Thanks for telling me about the conductor, by the way. That'll come in handy if I find myself running a little close to curfew."

Let's try not to get caught in that, okie dokie, Tatum? Okie dokie lokie, Tatum.

"I see, well..it is a nice neighborhood. Though, not too sure why you're over here by yourself. I think that the seven stars academy has no classes today, so it cant be that...." Gabe wondered. "Well, if you say you arent lost, then... hello.... welcome to the neighborhood, i'm Gabriel, but you can call me Gabe..."

Gabe would say as he introduced himself." Whats your name? Do you like tricks? "

That got her to open her eyes rather wide.

"I! Love! Tricks!" She expressed, "Are you a trick master? Have are you a magician? Show me the trickery that you have mastered!" she expressed with grabby hands. "Oh, I should introduce myself too, huh? Tatum! Tatum Baldwin, City Explorer extraordinaire! As for why I'm here? Um.... I like to explore Endymion. Sunlake Palms is part of Endymion. So it must be explored!"

Ahh.. yes... well i guess you can call me a great magician. "Gabe would say as he closed his door and sat on his first few steps. "Tatum huh? Well, its nice to meet you little one. But be careful not to explore too far or get yourself into trouble. Even know, i'd say that most adults are rather difficult to deal with, so i'm happy you ran into me. " Gabe would then reach into his pocket and pull out his "Card Deck". Afterwards he would place the Deck down and pick up one card.

Gabe would briefly show it and flipped it up in the air skillfully while catching it and apparently splitting them into several different cards. When he flashed it, it was the ace of spades.

Neat huh? Think you can guess where the ace is? I'll give you three chances.

OOC: A rand out of 7, pick a number, if its right, its the ace. The rand will lower each time you get it wrong, get it wrong three times, you lose.



Strength

Spoiler:

"Whoa!" was quite possibly the best way for her to describe what she just witness. Quite predictably for the child, she was enthralled.

"Three guesses, huh? Let's see if I can see through the illusion!" she said enthusiastically. Since she had three guesses, she figured it would be an easy choice to make. She was pretty good at these games, after all.

There was a distinct difference, however, between one card suddenly appearing in a flash of several and trying to pick out which of three cups was the ball hidden under. She picked one of the cards from the several and gave it a quick pull. She seemed so confident in her pick that she didn't bother to look at it, choosing instead to show Gabe as a form of showing off, regardless of whether she was right or wrong.

My guess is 6.:

"heh....heheheh....heheh...."



You have a beautiful future ahead of you, right on the first try.

Gabe truly was happy to see this child beat the odds so effortlessly, it fascinated him. " I know when i'm beat...and since i lost... what would you want as a price?" Gabe would say as he pulled out a lollipop. "Will this do? Its a Tootsie Roll lollipop, but i dont know if you like chocolate. "

"And you're a fortune teller?" She asked excitedly, "Wait, I actually got it righ- I mean, of course I got it right! Its just like the three cups guessing game!"

Wait, I could ask for a prize?! What should I ask for? Maybe I'll back out. Just getting to play that game was pretty prizey in it's own way- he just offered me a lollipop, I should not refuse it.

"The Great Tatum graciously accepts your gratuitous prize with gratitude!" She said playfully with a bow. It seemed now she was showing off with her vocabulary. Having poured a lot of effort into her classes does apparently have it's advantages, at least vocabulary wise. Even if she was growing exhausted of said classes. With that, she gave him back his card in return for the lollipop, looking over the tempting treat.

She half considered eating the lollipop right there and then, but she quickly halted herself before she even unwrapped the candy.

"This isn't some kind of new trick in it's own right, is it?" she said with a smirk, shaking the lollipop as though to imitate a teacher giving a lecture. "I heard somewhere that you're not supposed to accept candy from strangers!"

"No, i'm a street performer. You could check me out at Vista square sometime, performing tricks for the crowd. I do have a real job, I just find great enjoyment in showing off my skills, its my hobby. "Gabe would then put the cards with the deck away in his sleeve.

Though, when asked if the treat was a trick, Gabe would only shake his head. . "Of course not, enjoy. Its something you won, even more so on your first try, why would I trick you if you won fair and square, right?" Gabe then looked towards the garden path. "Check out the garden path, you might find something cool over there. Treat it like an undiscovered jungle of some sort...you'll have fun, and the lady, Freya, shes nice if you run into her.

"Well, if you're honest, then there's nothing to worry about," she replied in response to her treat. She twirled the lollipop around her fingers, trying to make herself seem a little cooler. In the next moment, she found herself stumbling to catch her treat before it hit the ground.

Success! She held it high in pride. Then she realized how silly she must have look.

"An undiscovered jungle of a sort," she repeated, choosing to roll with it for the time being. She pulled back her jacket sleeve to look at her watch. It seemed she still had a few hours to kill.

"Alright, I'll do just that!" she announced, already taking a few steps in the direction of the garden path. "I'm gonna find me a hidden jungle temple! Thanks for the tip, Gabe! If I find the time, I'll try to find you at the Vista Square!" A street performer seemed like a really neat hobby to have, and seeing that rather fun trick he pulled, she was interested in seeing what other tricks he may have up his sleeve.

With that, she finally unwrapped the candy and stuck it in her mouth. Sweet chocolaty goodness. Candy in mouth, she took off in a dash, waving back at Gabe briefly as she did.