Technically Illegal

As they headed toward the shops, Zora nodded in understanding, she did actually know what he was talking about in a way. Life outside the island was just different somehow. She might have been from Earth, or the Narrow Reality or whatever people chose to call it; however things were different on the island. The brands were different, yes, there were a lot of "normal" things from other countries, places here, but somehow, things were different.

In London, you didn't find human flesh or some exotic alien species alongside your beef ribs and chicken thighs. And even clothing could be weird at times, sweaters made for many armed beings, or fabric that magically adapted to the wearer, or some amazing fabric that was almost bulletproof yet lighter than silk. Zora still found herself slightly amazed at some of the things she came across.

"Rafael is indeed one of the old well-off gent types,' Zora grinned at the question. "Take out golf, add in horse racing, fine whiskey and brandy, and quality handmade suits, and you have my centuries old grandfather," she laughed.

"What about your father? How is he adjusting to the island," she asked curiously as they arrived at the first tobacconists, "Greenleaf and Sons".

Zora actually let out a giggle at the image of her grandfather playing polo. It was an odd mental image to be sure. "I am afraid to disappoint, he's into horse racing..." she told Jude. "Although, I believe, in the late 1800s, he was very much a polo enthusiast, if that counts?" she grinned.

"Your father sounds like an admirable person," Zora admitted, "And truthfully, I am not surprised. By the sounds of it, you are very much like him... or he is very much like you." she concluded with a teasing grin.

Since she had met him, Jude had never once complained about his lot in life and his having to adjust to life on Manta Carlos, and even the recent loss of his arm had not really dampened his good-nature. It was, in her books, very admirable in someone so young. And she could easily see Basilio being the same way.

When they entered the shop, Zora breathed deeply. She enjoyed the smell of good pipe tobacco and cigars. The smells were, somewhat comforting. They reminded her of Rafael's house when she was a child.

"These are also a good brand," she said referring to a Cuban Spanish company that was popular outside of Manta Carlos. "I don't know if you have them on your list or not?" she said questioningly as she came over to look at the everlasting cigars. Those were news to her. She had never seen one before. "That is certainly different," she said as she picked up a box and looked at it.

"I have never heard of such a thing. I wonder if they are any good?" she said as she looked at Jude, wondering if he knew anything about them.

"A pocket dimension? Very nice." Zora remarked, quite impressed as she looked at Jude in surprise. She hadn't known he had one. He must have met a regalia who had offered him such a very handy ability.

Thanking Jude, she took the piece of paper and scanned the list, surprisingly enough, she knew quite a few of the brands written there. And near the bottom was the cigar brand she was holding in her hand. "This one is on the list," she told Jude, "A possibility, maybe?" Zora asked as she held up the cigar.

Here Zora looked at Jude strangely for a moment, and then burst out laughing, "So it was you who did worse than me in the tournament," she chuckled. "I think I won like one tournament and tied one or two, the rest I lost," she said explained with a smile. She had heard somebody had done worse than her, now she knew who it was. It was too funny in a way.

"Glad to know I lost to a friend," she laughed, finding the whole thing rather hilarious.

Zora then talked to the clerk, discussed a good quality cutter that was not too expensive, a humidor and the cigars in question. Getting a box of cigars and an everlasting cigar for her grandfather too. And when it was all wrapped together nicely, and about to be rung up, Zora turned to Jude, "Anything else?" she asked.

Zora had actually noticed the looks the clerk was giving them as they wandered around the shop, and she had been tempted to say (or do) something like hug Jude or call him "honey" to wind the clerk up even more but had decided not too, mainly for Jude's sake, not wanting to embarrass him with her outlandish behavior.

Before they totaled up the purchase, Zora added a few more things for her grandfather and a vintage looking gas lighter for Broen. She knew he smoked, but wasn't sure what to get him and so decided to throw it in last minute as one of his gifts.

Thanking the clerk when they were done and everything rung up, in bags and paid for, Zora then gestured to Jude with her head as she headed to the door. "Did you want to check out the other shop?" she asked him curiously as she passed Jude his somewhat larger bag of items from the shop.