>Crack a small grin. "Always liked the sound of that word, intrepid."
>Give Kyouko a second to try that one out.
>"Well, thanks."
>Allons-y! (Sally forth in that direction, for those that haven't seen Doctor Who.)
>"Intepid!" Kyouko echoes on cue, then smiles at you. "You, too?"
>"Sure," the woman at the counter nods, though not without casting a wry glance between the two of you.
>You turn and head up the stairs toward the sound of conversation and hopefully more information; Kyouko follows behind.
>After a brief but steep climb, the stairway opens onto a comfortably appointed lounge, perhaps modest by the standards of the city, but without a doubt more expensive to furnish than the one back home. And also smaller. The bearing and manner of its occupants feels quite a bit familiar, though, if with fewer younger faces in it - a consequence of apprentice training being housed in Braston, you expect. Certainly these Seekers are not garbed as one in the riches the city could offer, but probably those who might have better places to congregate than the upstairs lounge of a guild of 'intrepids'.
>"Rematch," someone says in a composed, but firm tone - a young woman with short black hair and a steel gaze, despite being barely a head taller than the rabbit seated opposite her.
>"Three out of five, then?" her companion asks, left ear twitching as she gives the woman a sidelong grin. A shogi board rests on the low mahagony table between them; the game was evidently a rout.
>"Oh give it up, Sheska," a third person chastens, though not harshly. "Unless you want to waste another day at this."
>"It's only a waste if I keep losing," the black-haired woman counters, her eyes unwavering in their focus. From elsewhere in the room comes a snicker, its owner safely veiled behind a large bundled report.
>The rabbit shrugs dismissively, then starts gathering up pieces. "Got nowhere else to be today, anyway."
>A few appraising eyes fall upon you and Kyouko as you enter into the room proper, the pair of planters in tow - a not unexpected response, given the audience. Sheska does not number among them; you aren't certain if this speaks well of her focus or poorly of her awareness. Also, if you're not mistaken, the blond-haired woman sitting alone in the corner is the one you passed on the way into the guild yesterday; she is reading quietly from a small book held open in one hand, and seems to have paid no notice to your entry.
