Waiting in line for food, Diana could barely make out the wilting forms of the hanging gardens that sat above the city. Typically a beautiful sight that twisted around the old skyscrapers of the city, they were dull, and dead. However, a thick fog had settled its clutches over the city, making it hard to breathe but giving a slight reprieve from the oppressive and depressing sight of wilting farms. The smell of rotting vegetation clung to the air and everything it touched, the only escape being in one of the various bars across the city.
"Line's shut, move along." Her head whipped around at the sound of a gruff voice near the front. Women herded their crying children away, tucking blankets around their shoulders as they went. There was no use arguing with him. If there wasn't a drop of soup left according to him, then there truly wasn't. Nonetheless, Diana quickly pushed through the waning crowd, up to the metal stand where he sold his wares. "You can't be serious," she said, breathlessly. The man shrugged, sliding shut his cash box, swinging the hanging sign around to CLOSED. Diana scoffed, taking a step back. She'd been travelling for weeks, and this had been her last shot at food and some kind of warmth. Well, it would be for a while at least.
Already she could feel the pit in her stomach grow, and snarl at her from the depths of her body. Despite the cold, sweat beaded on her forehead. Wiping blonde hair out of her face, she looked rather hopelessly around the destitute little alleyway. This was going to be a long week. Pulling thick wool gloves over pale hands, she stepped back out into the sunless streets of the city. A wanderer was what she was, harsh winds carrying her across cracked concrete, from one starving neighbourhood to the next, scrounging any food she could. Most of the time, it was nothing, not even the most stale piece of bread.
Her legs, beginning to feel as brittle as her spirits, urged her to stop. To sit down and sleep like she never did. But she kept going. The night brought a deadly cold, and like hell if she was going to freeze to death on the streets. That's when something caught her eye. A flickering incandescent street sign, swinging with a loud groan in the winds. An open bar. It was almost too good to be true, most bars being closed this time of year. They never had the food to keep running. And if this one was open... food.
The door swung open without a sound, the bar a quiet hum under a gentle glow. A lot of folks like herself seemed to occupy the seats. Floaters and wanderers, trading stories from their travels as they ate- Oh gods. Bread. Her eyes widened, but she played it off well, calmly taking her backpack off and setting it on a hook in the reception. Nobody seemed to bat an eye as she walked in, up to the bar. An odd thing she noticed was that nobody seemed to be working behind the register. Turning around, she flinched as someone stepped behind her, bumping into her, catching Diana with a hand on her shoulder. "Watch it!" She snapped, before looking up at the person. Short brown hair, wire rim glasses that sat low on her nose, behind them were eyes that were a terrifying shade of blue. They were almost enchanting...
"Uhh, hello to you too I guess." The girl smiled awkwardly, and Diana shook herself quickly from her reverie. Was she... blushing? Were they both blushing? Her mouth opened and closed quickly, and she took a hasty step back, the girl removing her hand from Diana's shoulder as quickly as it arrived. The empty air it left behind tingled with an indescribable electricity. Diana cleared her throat. "I'm sorry- I wish I was watching you- where I was going, I mean," she stumbled over her words quickly, clearing her throat. Gods, since when was she a stumbler? "Do you have a name, or something?" Diana asked, a little rougher than intended.
The girl carded a hand through the short hair on the back of her head, biting the edge of her lip before nodding. "I- uh- yes!" It seemed she had been shaken from her own daydreams. Her hand shot out, a little quickly. "Skylar Zeltio- most people call me Sky." She supplied, smiling as Diana shook her hand.
"My name's Diana Levitt." She didn't know why, but she felt compelled to return the niceties.
In the corner of the bar, a man with short coiled hair watched on with a small smile that glinted almost unnaturally in the glow of the old lightbulbs. "Well I'll be... looks like she's found a muse." He whispered to himself, watching both Skylar and Diana as they made introductions. He took a swig from a crystal glass, intrigue striking him as he settled against the wall.
