Xaviers!

"Well, I suppose there's more than one way to be a hero to the people." One Jez commented, the other sounding a little concerned. "And thinking to, the effect on their morale if anything happened to you if you were more actively involved." Anything else, rather. She already bore a mark that had shook the country to its core.

"Indeed, a prized trophy that will eventually become a jewel-encrusted reliquiae, I'm sure. The Sacred Cocos Nucifera of St. Sherlock." It would have been impressive how she pulled the Latin out of her ass, had not the other Jez been tapping on her phone to bring up the wiki article on coconuts.

Katarina's hand went up to her mask, to 'adjust' it -- that was all, certainly?

"Yes, well, I'm sure it will have a place of honor in the National Museum, next to whatever gallery I end up in when all is said and done."

She hitched in her step for just a moment, before taking a turn towards some of the deep-fried foods.

Jez let her get most of the way there before Katarina would feel a pair of arms wrap around her waist as she was hugged from behind, the girl resting her chin on their shoulder. "I'm sorry.

"I wanted to bring you here to give you a chance to get your mind off of... everything. And here I am talking about it. That was dumb and insensitive of me. So no more talk like that from me for the rest of the day, I promise."

"I'm not sure anything can get my mind off of...everything. Heavy is the head that wears the mask.

But there is no reason to be sorry. I am sorry for falling back into my gloom, there; you are here to enjoy yourself, as well. I shall try to do better."

"And I know just the thing that'll make us both feel better; grease and sugar. Have you ever had funnel cake before?"

Katarina looked around at the offerings. "I have hade skruzdelynas, which is perhaps similar? Or at least, in the same pitch?"

"Well, you'll have to be the judge of that. If I had it, it was early enough in my... employment that I didn't know what it was called."

It was actually interested to watch the funnel cakes being made, how the batter was just piped straight into the boiling oil and made into disks that way instead of shaping them beforehand. Though seeing that and then watching them get covered on icing sugar definitely drove home the point that this was a bit of a sinful indulgence. Jez didn't seem too concerned however, maybe because so many people had already told her she was going to hell. She paid for two and watched Katarina, more eager to see what she thought of the treat.

Katarina watched as the icing sugar was carefully laid on, scratching her chin.

She pointed to a big stainless steel tray of strawberries in some kind of red goo, and asked for it to be added. "For health reasons," she said to Jez, straight faced.

"Of course. Gotta keep your redness levels topped up." She nodded, biting into her own simple yet decadent treat. Why did bad things taste so good?

"You didn't think this hair was natural, did you?" Katarina said, mildly, taking a bite.

Her exposed eye lit up. "Oh, wow."

"I dunno, I checked elsewhere and it looked natural to me." She just smirked at Katarina's reaction. The Decadent West strikes again.

"A Lady knows how to keep up appearances, no matter what situation she finds herself in," Katarina said, mock-haughtily.

It might work better if there wasn't a glob of strawberry goo and powdered sugar on her chin.

Jez did a girlfriend's proper duty and leaned in to lick the sweet stuff off of Katarina's chin.

"Mmm, delicious."

Katarina eeped some at that, her cheeks remaining red despite Jez being thorough in getting the strawberry goo off, her eye darting around the food stands.

No one noticed, of course -- of all the weird things that happened at a mutant festival, 'two girls being cute' didn't register.

Jez gave Katarina a little side hug. "See? Just two gays being adorable together, nothing to see here."

"Y...yes, of course," Katarina stuttered, in the way Jez was learning was a sign she was trying to recompose herself; to find her nerves yet again.

"I am just...concerned that they are going to critique your table manners, is all," she joked.

"Then I'll just have to continue under the tablecloth, where no one can see." Jez takes another bite of her funnel cake - always with the quips and innuendos. She just liked making Katarina blush.

Emilie wrote:"Why not both?" She asked in return.

"I think so. They match my don't give a fuck aesthetic."

Victor pursed his lips and nodded his head. "Why not both indeed. And now I can call you a strawberry shortcake." The boy ponied up the cash before slipping the red-lensed pair into his jacket inside pocket, choosing to wear the blue-lensed pair out.

Jezabelle Sherlock wrote:"Then I'll just have to continue under the tablecloth, where no one can see." Jez takes another bite of her funnel cake - always with the quips and innuendos. She just liked making Katarina blush.

And Jez was quite successful at it!

"Perhaps that would be for the best, as you practice your etiquette and fine dining skills. I shall be sure to obtain a supply of the strawberry topping for your practice."

Katarina could fire back, at least verbally -- while she was clearly still self-conscious about being out and about and out, as you're not going to overcome years of socializing and acculturalization with one funnel cake, she was at least making an attempt or three.

Victor Freud wrote: "Why not both indeed. And now I can call you a strawberry shortcake."

"I'll start bathing in syrup, for the proper effect.

Time to cut a rug?"

Katarina Karkov wrote:And Jez was quite successful at it!

"Perhaps that would be for the best, as you practice your etiquette and fine dining skills. I shall be sure to obtain a supply of the strawberry topping for your practice."

Katarina could fire back, at least verbally -- while she was clearly still self-conscious about being out and about and out, as you're not going to overcome years of socializing and acculturalization with one funnel cake, she was at least making an attempt or three.

Jez gently tugged Katarina toward a nearby bench, where the two of them could eat and people-watch. Maybe seeing how other couples enjoyed the festival would make the princess feel a little self-conscious, and not overthink things so much.

"That'd make for some hard-to-explain stains on your bed sheets. But it does sound delicious."

Emilie wrote:"I'll start bathing in syrup, for the proper effect.

Time to cut a rug?"

Vic fidgeted just a little bit. "Well..."

"... Is there nothing else you wanna do first? I mean, I don't wanna take up ALL our time here with dancing." Seems he was thinking he might lose track of time or something.

Jezabelle Sherlock wrote:

Katarina Karkov wrote:Jez gently tugged Katarina toward a nearby bench, where the two of them could eat and people-watch. Maybe seeing how other couples enjoyed the festival would make the princess feel a little self-conscious, and not overthink things so much.

"That'd make for some hard-to-explain stains on your bed sheets. But it does sound delicious."

Katarina sat and continued to eat her funnel cake, leaning up against Jez as she did so. That was a positive sign, of course, though she didn't seem to fully relax, like she did when they were in one of their dorm rooms. There was a bit of rigidity to her; a bit of poise and refinement carefully placed; inset habits that were extraordinarily difficult to break.

"That is the advantage of not having a full staff here, I suppose. Fewer people to explain things to."

Jez kept an arm wrapped around Katarina and gently rubbed her shoulder and upper arm. Just a constant little affectionate gesture of reassurance.

"And it's even easier when you only need to tell one member of your staff, and the rest all understand immediately." Through the crowd, a Jezabelle turned to wave at the couple before she returned too picking up litter. How many of these had she been shedding since she got here?

Katarina blinked once at that.

"How many of you are here?" she said, once again distracted.

"Oh, all of them." Jez said in a non-answer.

"Jezabelle..." Katarina said, with A Look. "You're not pushing yourself too hard, are you?"

The girl shook her head. "No, of course not. I'm making sure they stay within my range. If they start fumbling or spacing out, then I know I've got too much on my plate. I've been practicing."

And many eyes made it easier for her to do the job she needed to do, even if she was trying to help Katarina take her mind off of her royal status.

"How many can you do now?" Katarina asked, peering through the crowd, trying to find signs of Jez.

"Like... and you wouldn't be able to tell? Or like my limit?"

The one Jez want back to picking up trash, and no sooner had she been obstructed by the crowd did another one briefly come into view. She seemed to be handing out leaflets and talking to people from in front of a Genosha-themed booth. A recruitment office of sorts perhaps?

"Both," Katarina said, beginning to count Jezii. Now that she knew she was looking for them, she stood on her tippy-toes and tried to spot more in the crowd.

"Mmm... about four or five, is they stay close. We've never really had enough room for me to try that many when we're... together." Jez started explaining. Of course, the problem with Katarina looking for the copies was that they knew they were being looked for, which made them harder to find.

"And my maximum? Ehm, 20 maybe? Though they[re not good for much."

"I'm sure, worst-case, we could stack them like decorative cordwood. Jacques would probably love that," Katarina said, as she looked around.

"Close, hrm? Well, do not think you can hide forever," she said, standing up. Operation distraction had clearly worked wonders.

"Wow. For the first time in my life I could say I was stacked." Jez said, watching as Katarina made their date into a game of hide and seek. Three were present; one still picking up litter, another now talking to a couple by the information booth, and the one sitting on the bench that Katarina was standing on.

Oh, and the one that was standing on one of the opposite benches staring back at her. So that made four.

"I do not know if I could handle much more...'stacked'ness, though I would be willing to learn, if it ever came up," Katarina said, keeping track on her fingers.

"The information booth -- not Genoshan stuff, I'm assuming?"

Jez looked down at herself, and then at Katarina. Oh, right, she likely hadn't gotten the pun.

"They... wanted me to take a little break. Apparently I was a little too truthful."

"I like it when you speak your mind," Katarina said, simply. "No matter how many minds you have.

It is...this is hard. For me. Being here. Being seen. Being...one of the many. It is not how I was raised; it is not...right for someone in my position," she continued, as she looked over the crowd.

"But I like it when you speak your mind. And I like it when you are here with me.

And I wish I was in a better position to help you. And all you've been through. Your family. In Genosha. And I wish my country was one you could be truthful about in it's stead. I wish I was in a place to make that happen, as well."

Jez's arms wrapped around Katarina's waist and pulled the princess back to sit her on their lap, interrupting her search in the process. She didn't seem to care what others might think of their closeness out there in public.

"It's easy to speak your mind when most people aren't going to listen, or care. You live in such a different world than I do. There's so many rules and so much formality, always so many people watching, waiting to criticize or capitalize on everything you do. It's like working a job from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. I wish I was better at being in your world, but they've all had a lifetime of lessons and I've just gotten a crash course. But I suppose if I'll always carry the mantle of the 'obnoxiously outspoken foreigner' in the eyes of your opponents, then maybe I should learn to lean into the role. Say the things that everyone is thinking and wishes they could say, but are too worried about their own house of cards to risk it.

"You are so incredibly sweet. But my story is nothing special. There are tens of millions of people who've gone through the same things I have. And hundreds of millions more who've gone through worse. You're already in a place to make me happy, 'cause I'm getting to spend time with you."

As if to emphasize her point, a Jez sat down on either side of Katarina and leaned against her. They had her surrounded, at least on 3 sides.

Katarina smiled, as she leaned into the Jez on her right.

"Thank you, Jezabelle. And I am trying not to...do this every time I am anywhere. I am glad you took me out tonight. To here. I may still need a chaperone, but I can not think of anyone I would rather be with."

She took a breath.

"But being in public is still a bit...perhaps there is somewhere a little different we can go? Somewhere we can sit, where eyes will be elsewhere?"

One of the Jez's gently stroked Katartina's head through her hoodie. "It's a bit too much too soon, is it? That's okay. I'm sure we can find a little cafe or something somewhere."
'Or maybe a tunnel of love?' Another suggested.
"I don't think this is that kind of a carnival."
'And besides, they won't let us all on.'
"Oh, we'll just split up after the ride starts."
'We don't know if there even IS a ride."

It was almost like bickering sisters, but without the attitude.