[Open]

[fireforger]

As she stepped into the foyer of the Outsider's Hotel, Daja wasn't just accompanied by her Trader Staff today. On her other arm she held a beautiful shield, made of steel and decorated with twisting dragons. And in the very centre, a symbol that some members of the crew may find familiar

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[hack_rat]

Alex walked into the foyer from the pool area. He was dressed, but between the wet hair, the towel around his neck, and the wet rat on his shoulder, it seemed like he had just been swimming.

Seeing the strange face he looked rather surprised and mildly alarmed, but he had been slowly been getting better with social situations since he got on board. All that meant was that he didn't turn around awkwardly and walk back towards the pool. Instead he had enough time to notice the familiar symbol on the shield.

"Th-that l-looks l-like the s-symbol on K-Katara's necklace," he noted, "Are you a f-friend of hers?"

[fireforger]

Daja was surprised to see someone looking so wet inside a building - had he just taken a bath? - but nonetheless, she hid her surprise and bowed.

"Yes, I am a friend of Katara's," Daja said, speaking softly. The boy looked very nervous; she didn't want to startle him. "And this shield was crafted for her - she requested the symbol of her tribe specifically."

[hack_rat]

He went red when she bowed, "R-really, there's n-no need ta b-bow!" He ran his fingers through his wet hair and then awkwardly shook the water off his hand, having forgotten that it was so wet, "I-if you're a f-friend of K-Katara's then y-you c-can't be a bad person. It's a b-beautiful shield, I'm s-sure she'll love it!"

[fireforger]

"In my culture, bowing is the polite way to greet someone," Daja said, amused. "I would be rude if I did not bow."

"Thank you - I take great pride in my work." She held up the shield higher, her expression warm. "I love nothing more then to craft something which is both strong and beautiful."

[hack_rat]

He went a little redder and bowed when she said that it was the polite way to greet someone. "S-sorry."

He smiled "I-it really is beautiful. An' w-well, I d-don' know much about thin's l-like shields an' swords, b-but it looks strong ta me. I'm s-sure K-Katara'll be really happy w-with it!"

[fireforger]

Daja laughed. "You don't have to bow back if that's not the way of your people," she explained. "I know that different people have many different ways."

"I hope she will," Daja said softly. "And I'm sorry, I should introduce myself: I am Daja Kisubo."

[hack_rat]

He went red again and scratched at his head, "I-I'm Alex, Alex F-Furest." He offered his scarred hand cautiously, "w-we usually shake hands wh-where I'm from."

[fireforger]

"Good to meet you, Alex Furest," Daja said, taking the offered hand. She paid no attention to his scars at all - he wouldn't be the first person she knew to bear such marks. And it certainly wasn't any stranger then the living metal that coated her own left palm. "Have you been on Stacy long?"

[hack_rat]

"N-Not very. It f-feels like forever though. I only a-arrived the pop b-before last." And when he had arrived he would not have been able to stand here and have this conversation like this. She would have needed to corner him- like Zetta had- to get him to actually talk. "Wh-what about you, if you don' mind me asking?"

[fireforger]

"Technically, I've been here for some time," Daja admitted. "But I spent a great deal of that time with GLaDOS. I only returned not that long ago - I'm still getting used to all the changes that happened during my absence."

[hack_rat]

He didn't look too happy about hearing about GLaDOS, but the expression quickly passed as he shrugged, "I g-guess there's been a l-lot that happened recently. It's... i-interesting here."

[fireforger]

Daja smiled. "Yes, it certainly is 'interesting'."