>>>>The Kitchen!<<<<

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*A basket was laid upon the table, pretty words in flowing unison spread across an ornate card...though she could not read the language...
Her symbol was upon it though, so she knew it to be hers...

There were an assortment of items within the basket-construction, and she tried each and every one, as is Tremarian custom -one must never refuse a gift...each item must be treasured individually...

Finding a near-addiction to the sweet-tasting food, she gripped the table with one hand and used the other to frantically eat it all, having never known such a craving before...

Finally, food source exhausted to wrappers and several unfinsihed items...Sphyria listened to the dangerous growling of her stomach, and knew herself to be in error...

Kneeling, she pressed her head against the cool surface of the table; her tapered horns making soft, scratching noises as they rasped along the surface, tangling in her hair.
Normally, such an occurance would upset her greatly, hair having taken many a long Quartek to brush out gently around her horns and set 'just so'...but now...

Feeling ill, she stood and stumbled to the Kitchen entrance, her knees falling from under her...

Hovering gingerly, Sphyria made for the Infirmary as swift as possible, leaving naught but the ruins of her impromptu addiction behind...*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*An exceptionally amused Sphyria floated into the Kitchen...another hero hanging from her arms, looking slightly less pleased in the manner of how she was being carried...

Clipping a translator to her pointed ear, Sphyria passed one also to Nightingale...*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*Clipping the strange-looking device to her ear, she endured the strange, gel-like sensation as it moulded to her ear...

"That was...exceptionally strange...to be honest, Sphyria. Why must I use one of these? I already know English, Chinese, German, French, Tre-mmmmph!" her words were cut off by a blue hand over her mouth...

"Hush, my friend, they know not that you can speak my language, and I wish it to remain this way, please? Something I do not have to share, as your name must stay hidden..." answered Sphyria, eyes full of warring emotions.

Tremarians did not normally withhold anything from one another, and to...lie, in this manner, would probably be causing her significant discomfort...

"Sure, if that's what you need, Sphyria, I'll do it..." she smiled back, light catching and flashing off of her golden mask and symbol. "Anyway, that's what friends are for!"*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*Her heart was lightened by this revelation, "I thank you, my Friend, may X'hal bless you for hiding such things..." Sphyria said. "Do you Hunger? I may find food in the Box of Cold, or the Doors of Many Culinary Wonders, if you wish so...?"

The other shook her head, thought better of it and said, "As long as you don't make the 'Pudding of Ultimate Saddness' Again...that nearly killed me, to be honest...no more pudding!"

Surprised at the Vehemency of the statement, Sphyria raised an eyebrow, "But, you were upset...eating of the pudding was customary...it makes the worst problem leave your heart after consumption. Did I do wrong? I know! I shall make you the Pastry of Friendship!"

Had she looked back and seen the look of ultimate apprehension and...fear...on the other's face, maybe she would have reconsidered it.

As it was, she hummed an Ancient Tremarian Lullaby and reached into the Box of Cold...searching for similar ingredients to thise needed...*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*Nightingale graoned, fearing the imminent Death of all her tastebuds...

There was no talking Sphyria out of anything when she got started...you should have seen the Kitchen at the Manor after the Tremarian was done with it. Lita, the maid, had just about had a heart-attack upon first gazing at the scene, before clamly mentioning it looked exactly like the first time she had tried to bake her...mentor...a birthday cake...

Like she needed reminding of that little incident...It had been everywhere...who knew cake could explode? Or cover the entire Kitchen, including the Ceiling!

She grinned at the thought...It had been a long time ago, she'd only been ten at the time and wanted to make the day special for...her mentor...

To be fair...it had been memorable...

~~~~~~

Sphyria was humming softly, a beautiful tune and familiar; they had shared a room for the first few weeks, the Guest Rooms had not yet been built, and Nightfall would not stand for 'Nytefall' -as the alien had come to call herself- to be left in the dark Lair alone.

It was on such an occasion she had seen...it again, their faces as they screamed...their eyes as they fell, gazes locked onto her own...her mother screaming her last words, "Don't look sweetie, it's okay, Don't Look!"

Her dreams were filled with them for many years, but this had been one of the worst...and as she thrashed and screamed, Sphyria had been there, singing something she had not understood...the Tremarian always knew how to help when her dreams were too much...

It was one of her gifts, or maybe just an attribute of her nature?

Her eyes were closed behind the mask, Nightingale was tired, she had not slept in many Days, or should she say, Nights?
An explosion had resulted in Many of her city's most heinous villains being freed...it had taken a long time to track each of them down and defeat them in turn. And it had not been without it's...cost.

Many innocents had died, or were now in the Hospital...and she could not help but feel it to be her fault, if she had only been faster, gotten there before...but it was useless, they were dead or injured. Time would not alter for her wish...

Something brushed across her face...soft, probing fingers, they moved up her cheek to -NO!

She bolted upright... *~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*Precision-trained, the other hero's hand shot up and slammed her own, questing one, away.

Sphyria floated back, hurt..."You, do not trust me?" she said, tears pooling in her eyes...

Nightingale looked shocked and pale for some strange reason, "Sphyria, no of course I trust you, it's just...Kestrel has told me not to remove my mask for the same reason I cannot reveal my name...

You know Kestrel and I are public figures, to reveal my identity, or even my face, would lead to her identity being compromised...I cannot allow that. If permission is given though, I may do so.

Until then...please, never touch my mask, or ask me to remove it!"

Her mouth quivered a little, but understood the Human's plea, "I-I understand, Nightingale, I just wished to see your eyes, they dance when you laugh.
I have never truly understood why you must hide them...there is no defect or flaw I have seen, on Tremaria, they would be considered exotic and beautiful...all Tremarians have blue eyes...to have brown is extremely rare!"

Nightingale's lips tugged into a smile, "Really? On Earth, brown is normal...green or blue are the rarer colours... ALL your people...really?"

"Why, yes...did I not say so before?" queried the Tremarian, looking at the other appraisingly, before speaking again. "I have made the Pastry of Friendship...if you would like to try it?"

The other girl reached for the adorable looking item...*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*It resembled a pie, but seemed made of a meringue-like substance, with something that seemed to be a purple and yellow striped strawberry atop it.

Still, The Kestrel had trained her to be fearless in the Face of Danger...

She took a bite...and did not die instantly...which was an unexpected (though not unwelcome) bonus, this day could turn out to be good...

It was very sweet, and she smiled, making an appreciative noise in the back of her throat, Sphyria also picked up one of the items...and bit it.

Alarm bells went off in Nightingale's head, her arm snapped out to stay the other from taking another bite, "Wait, aren;t Tremarians unable to process large amounts of sugar?"

Sphyria looked back, surprised, "Yes, as I have learned most painfully, Friend Hann- ah, Nightingale, but this was made from the roots of the Q'tek bush you helped to make grow in the Lair...
Many of the Ingredients come from the Garden, my small section has many a plant, and foodstuff from Tremaria, thanks to you and Kestrel..."

Nightingale remembered all the failed attempts, and the exhilaration of finally making each and every plant grow...Sphyria had been ecstatic!

She smiled, but ther thoughts were interrupted...*~  

[SailorSilvanesti]

~*Sphyria gasped in sudden recognition, "Oh, my friend, I have not taken you to see my Garden yet!"

And, without giving Nightingale a chance to protest, she scooped the other up and flew out to the garden...a small, black bag with the symbol of a golden nightingale, left alone on the floor...*~