Ocean

[Roy]

Roy gave her a stare that could be translated into him asking if she just treated him like an inferior. It was one of the confused and amused kind, not an upset one. At least now he knew that she DEFINITELY wasn't human. So maybe he should poke the conversation into that direction?

On the other hand, maybe she wouldn't feel that happy about his questions and turn even colder. It wasn't his first time that he encounters a non-human and most of the time they weren't that bad at all... most of the time.

He let out a chuckle after her question, then scratched the back of his head as he replied. "Well, it isn't strange actually. But it really depends on the personality of somebody. I would say I got lucky to have run into someone as nice as you if you are willing to treat me."

Roy gave her a warm smile, to cover up the thoughts that were produced in his creative mind. What if she is having second thoughts and it expecting somethign in return? Roy quickly decided that he will think about that when it actually happens though. He was hungry after all.

They reached the stall and were immediately targeted by some pairs of eyes from the muscle packed workers, who didn't sit that far away to eat their meals. An average grown boy and a tall, petite girl are definitely not seen that often in this place. Roy tried to ignore them and lighten up a conversation instead.

"So, if I am the second human you meet, do you mind me asking were you come from?"

[Petra]

Petra fought a simper to crawl up her lips at Roy's comment of her willing to treat him. "You believe in luck rather than my good intention? ...How challenging." She remarked with a glint in her eyes that signifies something. Something very strange, like a mix of amusement and dread all at the same time.

As they traversed to the stall, Petra could already sensed the exact number of breathing creatures in the area as well as the objects surrounding them. She could already see the entire layout of the area from the skyline.

Petra eyes the stall curiously, noticing it selling a variety of products to her amazement. There were lunchboxes occupying the whole stall; most were sandwiches, some with balls of fried food, some with plants of the sort. The assortment lit her interest.

"Mount Etna." Her eyes never wavered from the food displayed, and she answered Roy's question to her as if she's talking to the stall owner. "Useless question, actually, because you wouldn't even know where it's located."

She pointed out with a small laugh, eyes are sharp in looking over the lunchboxes still. "Why don't you start with something suiting to your own curiosity and beneficial at the same time? Like what do I think of you."

And for once, her eyes tore away from the stall and darted its way straight towards Roy. "For example. Do you think I'm threatening?" She voiced out lowly, her red eyes are bright as she studied his reaction.

[Roy]

She did it again. Just whenever Roy thought to have pin-pointed a part of her personality, Petra always did these turns of 180 degrees, which make it impossible for Roy to see through her. Roy decided not to reply to this and simply followed her while she examined the available goods like she hasn't been out to buy something to eat before... which actually could be the truth.

Little did Roy know that he was in fact talking to Hikarus older sister, but the name of the mountain didn't ring a bell in his head, because he never asked his former roommate about it. "You know that you could tell me about it right? That's what a conversation is about." He replied keenly to her rather superior answer.

It was a surprise when Petra suddenly faced him again, trying to turn the tables. Roy didn't wince and returned her look with sharp eyes. "Do you think I would bother with you if I thought that you had serious intentions of harming me?" His reply had a challenging ring to it, but no matter how confusing she might act, her appearrance didn't have any threatening aura at all. Actually... she was rather attractive.

Roy turned a little closer to her and for another honest reply and started whispering to Petra. "Look around. To tell the truth I would be more afraid of any of those musclemen around us than a pretty women like you."
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[Petra]

Petra's eyebrows creased slightly at Roy's recommendation of her to speak more elaborately regarding Mount Etna, something she can perfectly do in a professional manner if not for the fact that he added that it's for the sake of conversation.

"You truly believe I would know what you humans normally converse about when you are the second one I've spoken to?" She asked slowly and clearly, expressing her point in a calm and concise manner.

When she had faced him with that small tease of threat, Petra expected him to step back slightly, or at least show the least bit of reverence. Instead, Roy actually stood tall against her and flung back her question with his own.

The logic that he displayed and the tone he uses surprised her so much that it even shows in her face. What's more is she also did not expect that he would lowered his voice to say that he's more wary of the men around them.

While Petra would very much like to click her tongue at this moment and display her contempt, she reminds herself that she is not a child, she's a mature woman. Taking a sharp breathe in, Petra closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again, only to give a slight glare at the man she's speaking to.

"Allow me to conclude your perception. Someone bigger than you draws more fear in your soul than someone pretty in your eyes?" Slowly, almost gracefully, Petra lifted her right hand at the side of Roy's face, almost seeming like she would caress his face, yet not touching him.

Gently, she places two of her fingers just against his temple while her eyes are still fixed towards him. "I could fry your brain in this instant." She whispered in an almost deathly threat. Then the palm of her hand touches his cheek, and the one of her voice changes in her usual controlled mature tone, "Please change your perception."

With that, she releases his face and turns away from him and towards the men around them who are busy eating their lunches. After a moment of carefully looking around like Roy instructed as she thought his words are meant as an instruction and not a figurative speech, Petra reverted her attention back to the food on display.

"..In order to attain some of these by the laws, you must trade them with human currency, yes?" She gestured to the food while cornering her eyes to Roy.

[Roy]

Roy kept staring at the girl in front of him. Should he be afraid by now after the woman threatened his life so obvious this time? He probably should be. On the other hand he can't allow himself to forget who he is talking to. A girl who has spent her life living isolated on a mountain and trying now to suck in every kind of information that she can get her hands on. This means that Roy only has to change his way of thinking and adapt to her. Meaning: Purely rational thinking.

He took a step backwards to gain some space again, even though Petra was already moving towards the food. "Say, have you been living alone on that mountain that you mentioned? If not, then why don't you try talking to me based on the experiences that you made while talking to the others up there? Or don't you usually converse among each other?"

The fact that Petra also scanned the area this extensively after his figue of speech only strengthened Roys idea of taking the right approach.

Then he lowered his voice again as he closed the gap between Petra and himself, even standing on his tip toes while he tried to get closer to her ear from behind. "You see... the problem with these guys around here is that they don't have a problem with knocking you down for some human currency. You on the other hand took a liking in studying my reactions and acting which made the chance of you killing me drop below those of the workers."

After that he took a few sidesteps and casually stood next to her again and answered Petras question. "Yep, that's exactly how you do it. I take it that you have some with you? After all you wanted to treat me some..." His voice had a faint sound of expectation in it, but he still supported it with a cheery smile.

[Petra]

Now when Roy suddenly bombarded her with questions, questions that matters, Petra nodded at him. "Good that you listened." She paused for a moment, contemplating how to answer all of them perfectly and parted her lips.

"I live with my siblings, and I don't enjoy talking to them because none of them bothers to make the effort of understanding me." After saying so, Petra turns around from facing him, continuing to survey the food displayed for sale.

Her eyebrows creased down when she sensed that Roy's leaning on her, but careful for his own sake on not touching her, to explain to her in more detail of his point earlier. Huffing at this, Petra turns her head sideways to meet his eyes, but fortunately Roy had sidestepped away before their faces bumped into each other.

"You are underestimating me." She said simply as a response and reverted her attention back to the sandwiches. Once she had decided which one looks edible enough for her to consume, Petra swiftly pulls out a ten dollar note from inside her left sleeve.

Apparently, she doesn't know where peaople normally store their money and just folded it neatly until its small enough to hide in the threads of her sleeve.

"I want this." She pointed to a particular packed egg sandwiches. Cornering her eyes to Roy beside her, Petra almost shows on what seems to be a small smile. "I will treat you if you provide me with company."

[Roy]

Roy kept standing next to her in order to give her some space while Petra appeared to make a detailed analysis in her head of what kind of food she should get. He decided that's it's best to not disturb her anymore than he already did.

Yet she let out one of these highly intimidating answers AGAIN. Roy took a few glimpses at her from the corner of his eye while Petra was busy with fiddling some money out of her sleeve, literally. He was hungry indeed, but should he really risk to get involved some more with this strange woman? Roy could still feel the looks of the workers on his back and decided in a quick moment of absent thinking that if somebody was trying to get him down today he would prefer it to be Petra instead one of those muscle packed guys.

So he replied to her smile with one of his own. "I thought we already settled that." Then he pointed towards a sandwich with pork in front of him. "I'll take this. And thank you very much!" Maybe she even smiled because she found somebody to have lunch with. At least Roy hoped so.

The waiter took Petras money and served both of them with their respective sandwiches. Roy took it and thanked him with a slight bow. "Do you want to take a seat over there?" Roy asked and nodded into the corner of the small roofed space where the stall was located and so far nobody was lingering around. He didn't wait for an answer though and continued where they left of while walking towards the table.

"So you've been living with your siblings but you always stayed distant from one another?" Roy could imagine how she must feel. After all she appears like a person who tries her best to understand her opposite with a determining interest. If her siblings didn't return those feelings she must have felt really lonely and left alone, if not rejected.

When Roy reached the table he pulled out a chair and offered Petra to take a seat on it. "Here you go. Have a seat." he smiled politely. Unconsciously he had an urge to pay her the repect and attention she was lacking from her family.

[Petra]

To her memory of 19 years of living, Petra suddenly realizes that this is actually the very first time she bought something with human money, to trade it with food. She always cooked and ate her own food, most of the time, after she had prepared a feast for her siblings, she would end up eating alone.

It doesn't make a difference if her siblings do share the same table eating with her, it still feels like she's always eating alone.

Petra's eyes cornered to the strange human who replied to her deal so casually, he's grateful to be receiving food, she concluded. While she was receiving her sandwich and the money balance from the waiter, Roy had already decided on his own to where they would sit.

In the end, Petra ended up trailing behind him to wherever he pointed at to have lunch. 'This is the first time I'm eating outside.' She stated in her mind, taking note of everything she's experiencing for the first time due to her fear of change.

'...With someone other than them..' Petra is not quite the adapting type, sudden changes of her surrounding would really frighten her internally. Thus, she's rather busy in her head on whether or not to sit on the chair or simply find a wall to lean on and eat while standing.

Just as she's analyzing in her head on which of those two options would be best for her, Roy suddenly questioned the most intriguing inquiry. It woke her up from her intense trail of unnecessary thoughts, at least.

"Hn," was her only reply at the moment, her eyes almost seeming like she's scrutinizing every single object that unfortunately exists in her range of view. Just when it seems like she's not going to answer him, her lips parted.

"They have their own individual reasons for not partaking in any familial activities." Petra paused for a moment, her eyes gazing a bit downwards than her usual confident chin-up posture.

"One of them tried to get to know me, at least." Her thoughts went directly towards Hikaru, her youngest brother. "Until I scared him away." She ended her answer with pulling her chin back up, now resuming to her normal attitude.

Her cold eyes stayed static as she watches Roy pulled a chair and offered her to sit there. Her gaze was fixed at him, almost glaring at him, then after a moment, she moved from where she stood and gracefully sat down on the offered seat.

"That was customary, wasn't it?" Petra asked, her eyes never wavered off from the man. She locked her knees together before placing her sandwich on the table. "I do not wish to be interviewed, so I expect you to share your part of anything worth mentioning."

Her back is straight and her hands are automatically clasped together on her lap, unconsciously displaying the perfect sitting posture for a proper lady. "For conversation's sake. I must practice this." And through all that, her eyes stayed fixed onto Roy.

[Roy]

Judging from Petras explanations her family didn't sound like a very well functional one. Hearing that was kind of dragging down his mood. Though he could imagine that she would actually scare her brother away. Now that Petra was sitting down and wasn't watching him for a split second Roy shook his head to get these thoughts out of his head. Then he walked around her chair to the other side of the small table and took a seat himself.

"Actually." He said with a raised finger and placed the sandwich on the table before continuing. "It's a gesture of respect and appreciation. You wouldn't do it just for anyone." Then Roy was about to turn his attention to his sandwich when Petra was adressing him again. Roy looked up and directly into her crimson red eyes. For a moment there was a strange silence between them, but then Roys mouth formed into an odd grin and finally started to laugh out loud. The sound of his vivid laugher attracted the attention of most people that were sitting around close to the stall.

Roy let out a cough in order to quickly fix his behavior, placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his folded hands. "Umm, I'm sorry about that.." he let out faintly, before continuing with the explanation of his outburts. "You see, an interaction of two people is essential for a conversation. It won't be a conversation if I only randomly report you about anything that's on my mind. And that's where the interview part comes in. When you find something specific that you are interested in, about the person you are talking to, then you start to ask him questions about it. So you can say a good conversation develops through a mutal interview."

With that he took a big mouth full of his sandwich and gave Petra some time to think about he just explained. When Roy had emptied his mouth he casually went on like nothing happened that disturbed their conversation. "So, your family sounds like a really busy one. Do you want to share what happened between you and your brother?"

[Petra]

Once Roy had sat down, Petra finally broker her gaze from him and darted her attention to her sandwich in front of her. She was busy lifting the bread off slightly to see how they put the egg inside and when Roy explained why exactly did he pulled the chair for her, Petra simply nodded without giving him a glance.

"Clever of you to respect a non-human." She added quietly, placing the bread back perfectly and now beginning to take the sandwich with both of her hands. When Roy suddenly laughed out loud, Petra was forced to release her sandwich and looked up to meet his eyes.

Her face stays stoic as se waited for him to regain back his sense of composure and raised her eyebrows, expecting him to explain what was that about. "Your apology is not required," she replied quickly right after he apologized, seeing that there is no reason for him to do so. Human etiquette is still very vague to her, she had only studied them in books, and that was it.

Petra listened intently to what Roy was explaining so incisively in. Despite her very serious expression, she appreciates his method of making this topic comprehensible. While it wasn't her place to object since she has no experience in this whatsoever, she does have every right to judge.

"But isn't reporting about something on your mind classifies as an opinion? Or a start of an idea?" She enjoys a good debate, sometimes purposely pulling a simple sentence from someone and twisting it to swerve it back to him.

"In my opinion, a conversation happens when you respond to the topic at hand and chained it down with associated opinions, thoughts, views, and other such cerebration." Only then she looked back at her sandwich and pulling it closer to her mouth. "Then again, it is basically a shorter conclusion to how you explain it, thus I'm satisfied I understood correctly."

Taking a small bite of her sandwich, she kept her eyes downwards and chewed carefully. When Roy started talking again, Petra lifted her head to catch his gaze and processed his question in her mind.

"My family is burdened with the responsibility in protecting the flow of the natural elements of the earth." She answered formally as if answering an examination question. "We are supposedly very busy."

She took another small bit while contemplating on how to properly voice out what happened with Hikaru. Once she swallowed it, Petra continued, "Hikaru is a cowardly child. I tried to instill courage in him by allowing him to look brave, by coloring his hair. With his blood."

There was a pause from her, and then she closes her eyes. "There are five pairs of arteries in the scalp, and one of it is responsible in triggering chemicals inside a body to deal with danger and fear without flinching." Opening back her eyes again, one can see that the shine in her eyes now looks way too calculative that it actually can be considered creepy.

"Increasing the blood flow to the hair follicles could possibly help him, so I attempted. His white hair turned red, which is a great improvement." A sick grin crooked up her thin lips, but then she took a bite of her sandwich and the sadistic look had completely disappeared.

"Hikaru ran off crying before I could finish the experiment." She concluded with a self-understanding nod. "Now he has irreversible red hair no matter what he does to his hair. I'm quite proud of myself."