Special delivery! [Moonie!]

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Oh, you're no fun," Dakota teased, slapping her lightly on the shoulder. But puppies it was! He put back the other items he'd chosen and headed up to the cashier to pay.

"The uniforms and stuff are just so boring, after years of wearing that old thing, I just need some color in my life, you know? I don't know how some people stand it."

After exchanging some pleasantries with the clerk and getting his wrist swiped, Dakota grabbed the bag full of hair-clips, returned to Summer, and linked his arm in hers once more. "Now, are you suuuure you don't want to hit up the salon?"

[Zero Undead]

No fun? Ouch, well he was only teasing. At least, Summer thought he was just teasing. He better have just been teasing! Sure, she knew she had a reputation for being a bit uptight, anal, hard, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know how to have a good time. She just didn’t have time to have a good time.

She made a face at him and turned away as he purchased his strangle little tofu puppy items, all while he was complaining about the uniforms. “Mm, well some people look damn good in uniforms.” She pointed out.

When he linked arms with her again she shook her head. “No, let’s skip the salon. You’re going to be picked out by your very own dragon soon enough, and I have no idea what to get you for a graduation present, so since we’re here anyway you might as well show me some ideas so I’ll be prepared.”

[Rhi-Rhi]

The dragons! A rush of elation went through him at that thought and he beamed over at Summer. Yeah, it could be any day now, a fact that was surprisingly easy to forget. He'd been a candidate for so long that sometimes it felt like it would never end--and yet, he was literally one step away from becoming a Pilot and beginning a whole new chapter of his life.

All it took was one dragon saying, "You."

His smile turned sly. "Soooo," he said, nudging her. "Presents, huh? What's the budget?"

[Zero Undead]

Summer couldn’t help but grin as he beamed over at her. She liked seeing that excitement in his face, she knew that she had held that same breathless anticipation as a Stage 5, just waiting for the dragon that would be her partner for the rest of her life would pick her. And then she ended up with Zenith. Oh the tragic irony.

“I remember that look. Just hope you don’t get one that a sadist, or one that’s just plain nuts, like mine.”

Ah yes, the budget. That was another thing to think about. Dakota wasn’t her first candidate, and as far as she knew, he wouldn’t be her last one. How much had she spent on the other’s graduation gifts? They hadn’t been cheap gifts, but they hadn’t been super extravagant either, not like the watch her own mentor had given her.

“Just don’t go crazy on me, kiddo. And whatever it is, it should be meaningful. Something for you to always remember me by, you know? Once that dragon picks you out, I don’t get to give you a hard time anymore.” Not true, but it would be on a much smaller scale and not on a daily basis anymore.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Oh, they can't all be that bad," Dakota said, waving a hand. Sure, he'd heard some horror stories, even cases of candidates getting maimed, but while awful they seemed pretty rare. And while some dragons could be surly and nasty, there were a lot of nice ones, too! He wasn't worried, he was just excited! He wanted to fly, already! Or heck, he just wanted to talk to his dragon partner, because that just seemed awesome.

There must be a lot you could learn from a giant, ancient, powerful beast like that!

"I'm sure it'll be fine! And anyway, don't act like this is a sendoff or something! I'm gonna be living in the Citadel. You know where my apartment is, and don't think I won't be showering you with cupcakes and love."

As they headed back out into the mall, he suddenly tugged on Summer's arm and pointed. "Heeey. Jewellery store. That in the budget?"

[Zero Undead]

“No, not all of them, just enough.” Summer knew there were decent dragons, and dragons that paid no attention to humans or even their rider, except when they needed that rider to guide them through the hostile terrain.  Then you had downright vicious ones that enjoyed making their Pilot’s lives a living hell. Some lucky Pilots got a dragon like hers. Zenith was just fascinated with humans and their culture; he loved watching television, and took an active interest in everything Summer did. It was a nightmare.

Sighing she looked over at Dakota and arched a brow at his little declaration of showering her with cupcakes and love. “That so? Well I could think of worse things. Still, it won’t be the same not having you as my own personal whipping boy.”

He drew her attention to the jewelry store. Her own mentor had gotten her a very lovely watch for a graduation present. She hardly ever took it off, even though it was getting on in years now. “Jewelry, eh? Yeah, some of it is probably in the budget, for sure. I’m sure there are a few things in there that are a bit ridiculously priced.”

[Rhi-Rhi]

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll still be lower ranked than you," Dakota offered. "So technically I'm still your whipping boy. Oh my."

As for the jewellery store? Tugging on Summer's arm, Dakota made a beeline for it as soon as she agreed that some of it was probably within the budget. Guess they'd just have to find out, because he did like shiny things! "Let's go look!"

Once inside, Dakota immediately gravitated toward a display of various stones, though it wasn't the diamonds he was interested in. Diamonds were boring! He preferred the colorful ones, and was quick to point out a bracelet inlaid with peridot. "That one's really pretty," he said, and looked over at Summer. "What do you think?"

[Zero Undead]

"It isn't the same." Which it wasn't, but everyone was lower ranked than her except the Imperial and her fellow Royals. Oh well, she'd have to whip another candidate into shape after Dakota graduated. What fun.

She allowed herself to be dragged along to the jewelry store. Summer didn't wear much jewelry, but she knew Dakota loved it. Her eyes travelled over the stones in the cases, wondering just how much she was willing to spend on Dakota's graduation present. Her green eyes moved to the bracelet that he pointed out, it was nice, she guessed.

"Hmm. It's nice. Are you sure you want a bracelet? I mean, I'm pretty much giving you the green light on whatever you want so long as I can afford it. Just remember that you don't actually get it until you graduate."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"I like it," Dakota mused, lips pressed together. But then he laughed and looked back at Summer. "But it's kind of odd, picking out my own present! It's not quite as fun as being surprised, because it's not so much about the object but the thought behind it."

He moved away from the counter and turned to face Summer, looking thoughtful. "So why don't you surprise me? You pretty much know what I like--I gush about it enough! And that's way more meaningful than me picking out something for myself. I want whatever you think I should have."

[Zero Undead]

Summer had a bit of a sinking feeling when Dakota laughed after saying he liked the bracelet. She knew it was coming, damn kid, wanted a surprise, did he? It wasn't so much that she hated shopping for other people, it was more that she was really, really bad at it. Surprise parties and gifts were just not something she knew how to do.

"I picked out my own present, you know. You're really asking for it now, kid. I'm gonna end up getting you something you hate. You'll be all polite when you get it, of course, but you'll end up tossing it in a corner somewhere and never wearing it." She honestly doubted it would be that bad, but still, it was just easier for someone to straight up tell her what they wanted. That's what she'd come in here for.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Dakota waved a hand. "It'll be fine. Your fashion sense isn't that terrible. Look at what you're wearing now."

Hooking his arm in hers again, he started to guide her out of the store. "Besides, maybe I'm odd, but it just doesn't feel right. It just doesn't pack that same sentimental value. I'm gonna be a Pilot soon--well, maybe soon--and I'll have a salary and be able to buy whatever material things I need or want. So it's really not about the object to me, Summer."

[Zero Undead]

Summer sighed, knowing that Dakota wasn't going to let her off so easy as to just pick out his own gift. Not now. Great, now she was going to have to put thought into it herself. "My fashion sense is perfectly acceptable, I just don't exercise it that much."

She hated it when people made valid arguments with her, well, no, that wasn't true. A good debate could only be had when the other side was making reasonable points. Still, she didn't like when Candidates made valid arguments, or any arguments, for that matter. At least Dakota was Stage 5 and not some Gracie.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Maybe I won't go for jewelry...it's kind of typical. Might have to think outside the box."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"There we go!" Dakota said with a happy smile. "Now you're getting into the spirit of things! Thinking outside the box is always good. And trust me, Summer, I'm easy. I think you were just over-complicating things. Well then, now that that's settled, how about that lunch?"

He didn't wait for her to answer before he was dragging her toward the mall exit. He winked at her. "I'm sure all this running around and looking at cutesy things was utterly draining for you. I hope you've got a good appetite today!"