Young Writers Society

"Of course!" Kixig interjected. "We can talk about a lot of things! Like how you learned how to punch! And what makes you happy! And what foods are nice to-" his stomach growled with a loud bubbly squelch of a noise, as if triggered by the mere mention of food.

"...food." Kixig trailed off, having become completely distracted by the reminder of his hunger.

Well, Kellach thought, he could get something to eat. He could hear his stomach rumbling (if that wasn't Kixig's).

"Can we order anything?" said Kellach, looking around.

Kixig's eyes lit up. "Yes!" He waved over a waitress passing by, carrying a tray of plates.

"We'd like to order, please," he said.

She nodded. "I'll be at your table in a moment."

As she walked off Kixig smiled to himself with giddy excitement, but as instantly as it came, it faded. "Wait..... you guys don't have our currency, do you."

Kellach's smile turned crooked. "I...don't have any," he said. "I spent it all. That's why I hid on the ship." He felt a bit guilty about that, since he'd been given the money (albeit from someone who had plenty). Wasting it on beer had not been a good idea.

Kendrik looked away and muttered something incoherent, which Kellach guessed meant "no."

Kilian pulled out a gold coin and rolled it over his knuckles before tossing it on the tabletop, breaking his silence. "Will that do?"

"Where did you get that?" whispered Rin. Kilian's mouth quirked up.

"I helped a man . . . make his purse a little lighter," he murmured in her ear.

"You and I are going to have a talk later."

Kixig smiled at the sight of the gold goin, and nodded vigorously as he pulled out a few silver pieces. "That should work!" he replied. "Combined with what I have... we could get some food to share."

Ciannet withdrew a small bag from the depths of her cloak and placed in on the table. "I also have money, if we need it," she quietly said, sliding it to the center. "I traded my old currency when I arrived to someone interested in collecting the money of other lands."

Maahes had an almost prideful look when he glanced over at her; she was, after all, his former student. And seeing that she had taken some of his lessons to heart made him want to grin from ear to ear.

"Wonderful!" Kixig smiled, and turned his head to the waitress approaching the table.

"I'll give you a moment to decide on what you'd like," She said as she handed out small menus, before moving to her next table.

Kellach stared down at the menu in front of him and tried to hide the panic on his face. He felt he'd look stupid if he admitted he couldn't read.

Kellach glanced at Kendrik, who was holding up his own menu and alternating pulling it closer and farther away from himself. The hound appeared only slightly less confused than Kellach felt.

"What's everyone else having?" Kellach said, leaning back in his chair and grinning. Hopefully they didn't notice his slight stutter.

"I'll, uh, pass on the food," Maahes hurriedly said. Should he tell them why? They already knew that he wasn't human, and he doubted they would really care if he couldn't eat normal food.

"I get indigestion if I eat your food." He made a sweeping gesture at all of the others, since he was in no way similar to any of them. At least, he didn't think so. "I can eat other things that are made out of what I am, but I don't get hungry and I don't really want to eat another spirit. Ciannet, what do you want?"

She peered up from her menu and said, "I'm not too hungry, so I'll just take a glass of whatever alcohol this place has."

Kixig nodded at Maahes and Ciannet, and then turned to Kellach. "I'm having their salmon. Their seafood..." he closed his eyes, smiling, and shaking his head. "It's absolutely delicious."

"I'll have the seafood!" Kellach said, instantly relieved. He'd always liked seafood anyway.

Kendrik stared at his menu for a few more seconds and then set it down. "What he's having," Kendrik said, crossing his arms and looking at the table to mask an eye twitch (Kellach noticed it, but decided not to call it out - Kendrik could be pretty vindictive).

After leaving them all to decide, the waitress finally came over with a notepad and pen.

"You guys ready to order?"

Kixig nodded. "I'll have the salmon. And these two'll have some too! And maybe some oysters as a side." He looked over to Kellach and Kendrick, giving a small wink. "On me of course!"