Sleeping Giants Game 13

Intro

Stratton's Lunch Date

When you showed up at the restaurant, Misha was already waiting for you. She had nabbed a table for two at a small-time family-owned restaurant called Karim’s Curry in a Hurry.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” she says when she sees you. She has clearly dressed up for the occasion, and is sporting a very clean and well-kept pink dress, with her deep blue silken scarf still resting loosely on her shoulders. She motions for you to sit, and you do. You exchange opening pleasantries for a few moments before beginning to look over the menu.

“This place has the most delicious curry in all of Dormia! I always have to stop when I’m in town. My favorite thing is the Sikander Special, you should try it!” Not long after she finishes her sentence, your waiter arrives to take your order. After some deliberation, you decide to order the Sikander Special at Misha’s insistence, which is a lentil base with chicken roasted on a spit and mini cabbages, mixed with a mouthwatering blend of herbs and spices and topped with chia seeds. Served with rice.

You place your order, the waiter bows, and soon it’s just you and Misha sitting alone at the table. She looks at you and smiles. “So, how is the tour going?” You banter back and forth for a while, and the conversation goes nowhere in particular, but you both have a wonderful time. Before you know it, the food arrives and the two of you chow down. Your meal is delicious, the perfect blend of savory and spicy. You make some additional small talk between bites, and it’s not long before the entire date is winding down. Misha has to be getting on the road, and you do as well. The two of you share a hug, and as you pull apart she remarks, “This was a lot of fun, Stratton. I hope we can do it again on your next tour.” She looks down at the ground for a moment, before looking back up at you and smiling.

“Here, I want to give you something so you don’t forget about me.” She unravels part of her scarf from around her neck, grasps part of it with both hands, and rips it. It makes a clean, perfectly straight tear across the width of the scarf, and she hands you the separated piece. “I know it’s not much, but at least it’s unique, right?” And that was the last time you saw one of your biggest fans.