𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄

─ 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐈

𝐅𝐀𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐒 

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

SHE DIDNT WANT TO face them, not yet at least. Technos words circled her head and she knew it would be a few hours until she would be able to talk to Tommy and Wilbur again. Learning most of her suspicions and thoughts were true was a lot to handle, and especially with the given circumstances. With everything going on and the dangers that came with who she was associated with, Azalea desperately needed to be alone for a moment.

Therefore, she went on to do the only thing she knew for certain would help her think. Surround herself in nature-and if provided-flowers. So she stood up, dusting off the dirt on herself, and proceeded to walk towards a small opening where the sun could reach her. Walking towards it, Azalea felt the wind slightly pick up, subtle enough to where it didn't affect anything but still noticeable. A soft smile spread over her face as she saw a small flower bed. Instinctively she sat down next to it and further laid down to get more comfortable.

The sun's rays beamed down on her and for a second she relaxed. For a second she felt like she was back at home in the garden outside her window. For a split fraction of a second she felt safe- no guards chasing them, no wanted poster or bounties, no danger in sight or in the future. But it was too good to last.
Close by Azalea heard giggles from young girls, it startled her at first and she immediately rose to her feet. She looked around in the direction of the noise and tried to make out what it is she could see. There appeared to be two young girls walking in the direction of the small town nearby. Azalea couldn't make out what they were wearing or anything but she could see they each held baskets full of what seemed like fabrics, overflowing the baskets as well.

She kept her eyes in that direction and watched as one of the girls dropped a basket. The two stopped talking and the other girl yelled at her for dropping it. Azalea felt bad as she watched the girl, who had dropped the basket, take the yelling. There was a huff from the girl yelling before the two walked off out of sight, leaving the basket behind.

Once she knew they were out of sight for good, Azalea walked towards the dropped items, they clearly weren't coming back for them so might as well see if they could be of use? Perhaps they thought that once the fabrics touched the ground they were dirty? But that wouldn't be rational, one could just wash the fabrics... nonetheless Azalea didn't spend another minute thinking about it. The fabrics were bound to be of good use somehow, Azalea couldn't sew, and as far as she knew neither could Techno, Tommy, nor Wilbur. While picking up the discarded fabrics Azalea saw a slip of paper in one of the folded fabrics.

"MASQUERADE BALL, MEET THE LEADER OF THE MARVELOUS NATION IN PERSON!
NOVEMBER TWENTY-EIGHTH "

Azalea examined the paper, seeing as it had a picture of Schlatt on it in front of what looked to be a ballroom. A grand chandelier hanging behind him and murals all on the walls. A part of her seemed interested in it, plus if it was a masquerade ball everyone would be wearing masks and wouldn't take them off. She could hide among the crowd, never let herself be known. It would give her a chance to leave the cavern for a night, escape the cramped and wet walls of stone that began to feel like a cage. Not to mention she would go to the capital... which now that she thought about it slightly scared her.