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The Perk, Wednesday afternoon

Lana was supposed to meet Nell here, and she had come prepared with all sorts of clothing information. She was also perfectly happy to sit and sip on her pistachio latte and people-watch until then, and just generally unwind from the shenanigans.

It wasn't even ridiculously hot out today, which was decidedly a bonus.

[Open post!]

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Nell made her way into the Perk and smiled when she saw Lana there. After a quick detour to the counter for a hot tea, she made her way over and sat down. "Thank you for agreeing to help me," she said. "I knew you'd understand."

"Of course!" Lana said. "I had to figure this all out, too. Twice!" She grinned. "How are you enjoying learning to fight?"

"I've mostly done punching," Nell admitted. "I... I'm not sure yet I could let a man just grab me and put his hands on me, so it's been pretty basic."

"Do you think it would help if it was a woman?" Lana asked. "I'd be willing to help, if you think it would."

Although it occurred to her that if Nell was going to freeze up if a man grabbed her that might be something to work on, too. Though the only methods she knew were Sith, and as likely to break someone as help them.

"That might be helpful," Nell said thoughtfully. "I know I wouldn't have trouble fighting back if a man came at me, 'cause I've done it before, but thinking about letting a man grab at me on purpose makes me feel a mite panicky."

That relieved Lana quite a bit. "As long as you can do it when it counts, that's the important part. If you'd like me to help, though, just let me know." She sipped her drink. "But today is for clothing! Which I'm also happy to help with. What brought this on?"

"I was looking at some information on tai chi and katas and, well," she looked down at her long skirts. "These just don't seem very useful for that."

Lana looked at Nell's skirts, too. "Skirts aren't necessarily a problem, as long as they're roomy enough to move and not so long they'll hit your feet when you lift them. Trousers are definitely easier to start with, though."

She thought about it and did some searching through the links on her tablet. "What about something like this? The tunic has slits up the side, so it won't get in the way, and the trousers are roomy."

Nell's eyes went wide. "That would be perfect!"

Lana grinned, pleased to have gotten it right. She did a bit more searching. "Here. This place has all sorts of shapes. Some of the snugger trousers might be less likely to flop about, but then they'll show the shape of your legs more. You could maybe get a few sorts and see what you think?"

Nell looked over the page carefully. "The wider ones would be better, but maybe I could try one of the others - just for if I was practicing alone in my room maybe?"

"Whatever you like," Lana said. "I don't think anybody here would give you a problem for either. And if they do, you can demonstrate your new skills. Or call me," she added with a smile.

She'd felt a bit protective of Nell even before she was old enough to be her mother.

"Oh, no one here will mind," Nell said. "It's just... a big change for me. And if I end up home suddenly - the way I came here - I don't want to end up in trouble."

She gave Lana a quick smile. "But good to know I can call on you'un if I need to. Between you and Marc I should be golden."

Lana nodded. "I like Marc. He's very no-nonsense. Practical. Reminds me of some of our military commanders.

"Anyway, I hope you don't end up home with no warning, but it never hurts to be prepared. And whatever you wear, you should be comfortable in it."

She frowned in thought. "If you do end up back home, or if you disappear and we can assume that's what's happened, would you want to be left there? My instinct would be to try to get you back, but only if that's what you'd want."

"He makes me laugh," Nell said. "And he makes me feel safe."

She bit her lip. "That's a harder question to answer than it should be. I... made a vow, promised in front of God and everyone that I'd marry John. And if I go back I need to keep that promise, even if it's not really what I want. But it's been four years and I don't know what's happened back home. Maybe it would be okay for me to come back - though if it meant I might not be able to return again and I'd lose Soulwood for good..."

She shook her head. "I just don't know. And Steven mentioned that if time ran differently then maybe instead of being gone four years I'll only have been gone a few days... I just don't know."

"There's no accounting for time," Lana noted wryly. As witness, her. "But I suppose you won't know that unless it happens. If you can't or don't want to end the marriage, I'd say bring John back here, but that wouldn't get you your wood back."

She shook her head. "And I don't suppose you'd let me set loose a few dozen Sith on your church elders."

Nell's eyes went wide, then she broke into laughter at the thought of John in Fandom. "The shock of this place would do him in for sure," she said. "He'd be spouting all sorts of biblical nonsense about immorality and licentiousness. And when he ever found out that Satan himself actually did walk among us... Well, that would be the end of him."

She couldn't contain even more giggles at the thought of John and the church elders running into Lucifer. "Bring 'em all here and you wouldn't need any of the Sith. They'uns would probably spontaneously combust!"

Lana grinned. "It's a deal, then. If you end up back home, we head after you and bring them all back. And possibly film it."

"All right, then," Nell said. "Just hope the spontaneous combustion doesn't leave to much of a mess."

Lana waved it off. "I'm sure the island's dealt with worse."

She nodded toward the clothes. "Did you want to buy some things online, or go physically shopping? Do you know your sizes?"

"I got a rough idea," Nell said. "Mostly I just fixed whatever I got if it didn't fit." She had a tendency to buy things too big for her.

"If you had time, maybe we could go in person. Otherwise the online thing is okay." She wasn't really familiar with it, so she wasn't sure how you paid for it when you ouldn't just hand the money to someone.

"Whenever you like," Lana said. "Aside from class on Fridays, I'm free."

"I've got two classes on Friday also," Nell said. "So late afternoon tomorrow or sometime Saturday maybe?"

"Tomorrow afternoon works for me," Lana said. "We can meet at Portalocity?"

"That would be lovely. I'll meet you there."

She couldn't help but smile, even though she a little nervous.

"It sounds like fun," Lana said, smiling. "For today, can I get you a coffee?"

Nell held up her hot tea. "This is good, thank you. Oh, and when we go tomorrow I'll bring you a few of the scones I made."

"Oh, I'd love some!" Lana smiled. "I won't say I missed a lot of Earth food, but I do remember yours fondly."

Nell flushed with happiness. "I'm glad of that. If there's anything in particular you'd like just let me know."

"Whatever you're willing to feed me," Lana answered with a grin.

"I'll figure something special out then and have you come by our old room," Nell promised.

"I can't wait!" Lana said. "I...well, no, I was going to ask how those plants I gave you are, but I imagine they're perfectly fine, since it hasn't been that long. Honestly, this place. But still, how are they?"

"They're doing well," Nell said with a smile. "Thank you again for bringing them for me. I'd never seen anything like them!"

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The Perk, Wednesday afternoon

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