Friends Made (Alea)

by **Lunar Scathefire** on January 24th, 2012, 5:59 am

Winter 52nd, 511AV Avanthal City
The Markets

Where was such a young looking man going today? Well he wanted a bit of fun, a break from his search. It didn't seem to progress anyways, in fact it seemed almost futile. But he didn't let this get on his spirits, he would one day find them and when he did he'd hug them so hard their guts would burst! Figuratively of course, the thought of hurting his little sister and mother for real made him even more squeemish than snow storms. Maybe if I brought flowers.. Blinking, oh what a random thought. The flowers would rot before he'd find them, or would they? Maybe he'd find them today or in a few days, maybe they'd be coming back really soon! The grin spread wider, he missed his family very much and wondered where they could be.

Chuckling as he made a turn, shoving hands into his pockets with a grin. He was gonna see if he could annoy some of the shopkeepers, again they never noticed him and as they continued to ignore him he would play with their goods. Poke and prod them, he pushed a rather small and light item off the shelf and a few of the shoppers looked around for a reason. Ignoring him, he despised them almost immeadetly for not noticing that he was right next to the shelf. No, he felt the air change terribly as his thoughts lingered there, he shook his head and changed his mood wiith the thoughts lingering. Walking out the shop and down the street again in a depressed mood, but his outward appearence didn't change from that happy goofy boy.

Today was suppose to be a fun day, not rageful, he didn't like it when he got angry or sad. Sighing he looked down, around, oops! He almost ran into a girl, Lunar just barely avoiding her though he was sure he had brushed her even if he hadn't felt it. Stopping and turning to look at her dumb foundedly, and somewhat hurt, would she care enough to turn and notice him? He whispered "sorry" still trying to be noticed, he didn't know if she was vantha or not but it was always best to try with their language. In fact he wanted her to react, to look back at him, give him a reaction! To anyone other than him, the temperature dropped low and the air filled with the scent of pine, old paper and worse the air became heavier than before.

He shrugged and began turning slowly, if she wanted to bother him she would; not expecting her to at all even if he willed it in his mind. Glancing back at her with his perhphrials, slower in his walk, he acted as if he held breath waiting for that moment.

OOC :

by **Alea Davenport** on January 24th, 2012, 6:42 am

Alea had spent the entire morning searching the market place for a map of the Taldera region. She was planning to leave Avanthal in the spring, and she wanted to be prepared, and that meant learning to use a map, and plotting a route. She had seen a map before...once...so she sort of knew what she was looking for, but actually understanding how to follow it was going to take some work. She just hoped it was worth the ten gold mizas she'd parted with in exchange.

She was peering over the map, trying to understand the different markings, when suddenly she shivered. This stopped her in her tracks; she hadn't thought it was POSSIBLE to feel any colder in Avanthal than she already did. From behind her, she heard a muttered Vani word, so she turned to look.

What she thought she saw was a boy, though when she blinked several times she realized there was something off about him. It was like he wasn't all there.... Trying to pin down exactly what was wrong, Alea realized she could see through the boy to some extent. Also there seemed to be a strange mist swirling around him. Was it some sort of magic? Alea had encountered a little magic since leaving home, but still had no idea what it was capable of.

She realized she was staring, and curiosity, as always, overcame any qualms about the potential danger of interacting with an unknown entity. "H-hello?" she asked quietly, her Denvali accent evident in her Common speech. He was turning away, and she wondered if he was even interested in talking to her. Unable to hold her tongue after the greeting, she added, "Umm, I hope this isn't a rude question, but is there a reason you're see-through?"

by **Lunar Scathefire** on January 24th, 2012, 7:08 am

Stopping in his tracks, blinking, the strange common language hitting his ears so lightly he was lucky he had been straining for a reaction. He turned his body half way to her, surprise in his face. Then a smile, she must be a foreigner just like me! This began to boggle his mind as there were many who traversed the wastes to lovely Avanthal but only the brave enough to continue through them back and forth. In his mental state and time lapse, of course, not knowing it'd been fifty years since then.

The girl was holding something in her hands, a piece of paper, would she mind if he stepped closer? It took him a moment to realize he hadn't noticed it before, whatever though, this was fantastic! His mist calmed a little, someone was talking to him finally! Not only that, but he didn't have to try the silly vani language either "hi?" the grin wide on his face as he spoke back in fluent common, he turned to face her fully. Head cocked to the side, thinking her silly, see through? I'm not see through he thought to himself laughing at the thought.

"I'm not see through, people just ignore me" he said to her, trying to correct the mistake "are you a traveller?" He liked her already, why he bet his mother would like her too. Pretty little thing, "what'cha got there?" He inquired, trying to peer at it on his tip toes. Now he too was curious, it looked like a map to him, it was the right size and shape. His mist rolled a lil around him as he thought about his father and his love for maps. Lunar pointed at it lightly, she wasn't ignoring him that meant she was defently a traveller as it seemed most living here didn't bother with him.

What a brilliant deduction from an oblivious-in-denial ghost.

by **Alea Davenport** on January 24th, 2012, 7:27 am

Seems friendly enough, was Alea's mental assessment of the boy. Probably doesn't want to eat, impale, trample, or otherwise maim or kill me. This is good. I'm making progress. If he wanted to pretend he wasn't see-through, who was she to argue? Looking forward to the possibility of making one safe friend in her travels, she abandoned any lingering wariness over the boy and eagerly showed him the map.

"I'm just a beginner at travelling, really. I came from Denval on a boat last season and I've been here ever since. But I'm going to try taking a friend to Mura once spring comes and it's possible to travel, so I'm preparing for the trip now." The boy leaning over her shoulder, but instead of a physical body, all she felt was that same sense of colder-than-cold she'd felt before. Despite not wanting to be rude, she couldn't help but shudder and step away from him.

In an attempt to salvage the situation, she asked, "Do you mind if we continue looking at this in my room? I have a place with the Frostfawn stables for the season, and it's a lot warmer than standing in the street." Holding out her hand she added, "By the way, my name is Alea Davenport. What's yours?"

by **Lunar Scathefire** on January 24th, 2012, 7:55 am

Her eagerness to show him the map made a smile warmer than he'd done in awhile, looking it over with a half cringed face, it was different from what he had seen. How people come up with these things over night I'll never understand, he thought annoyedly but at least he could understand it as clear as day. The jumble of words was comforting, he liked talking and the such and how she rambled! It was funny to him, a beginner, he hoped she really was prepared to travel the wastes.

Smiling he was examining the map before she had shuddered and took a step away from him, a mix of confusion and hurt crossed his face and the mist he was oblivious to roiled around a bit to only calm. Her hand, and her invitation of course you idiot, don't be so rash! He mentally bashed himself for thinking that this kind girl was about to ignore him for getting closer to look at the map further. Nodding his head in agreement, he was beginning to feel a little tired but shrugged it off.

"Of course, I've forgotten how cold this place can get" he said with a laugh "forgive my manners." Looking down at her hand, he was suddenly afraid but he couldn't place why. Taking it slowly, he grasped it firmly and felt it fall through a bit- taking it away and frowning. That was odd he thought to himself, the mist falling in small pieces around him "Lunar Scathefire, its nice to meet ya' Alea" he beamed, the ever obliviousness in his see through features; stepping back a tad to give her a charmingly gracious bow.

As for that map, he eyed it, he wanted to look at it closer "The stables? I don't really like it over there.. too many animals, but whatever floats your boat" Grinning lightly as he made a teasing tone, "I've some experience with maps y'know, this ones funny, I don't think I've seen such a progressed Taldera map before" he stated "unless of course people travel over night?" His voice began to fall through a tad, but he didn't think it was because of him but the wind itself.

by **Alea Davenport** on January 24th, 2012, 8:51 am

That was quite possibly the most peculiar handshake Alea had ever experienced. Unfortunately, she'd removed her mittens in order to hold the map better. Shaking hands with Lunar was like plunging her hand into a bucket of ice-water - freezing and insubstantial. And...maybe a little tingly? Something told Alea that if Lunar was in denial about being transparent, he wouldn't response much better to being informed of his other strange qualities, so Alea just wrapped her frigid hand in her cloak and decided to deal with this when she was warmer.

As she led him back to her room in the Frostfawn hold, she listened to him talk about the map. She felt completely ignorant, and unable to contribute to the conversation. She had never had need of a map before. Everyone knew where everything was in Denval, and someone else had been sailing the boat on the way to Avanthal. Avanthal wasn't much bigger than Denval, so it hadn't taken her too long to get the lay of the land. So far she did not even have a good sense of how big Taldera really was, only that it was big. "I...don't really know how long it would take to cross Taldera. And...I'm not sure how detailed maps are supposed to be."

She was slow to respond partly because she felt unqualified, but also partly because she was having trouble hearing Lunar. The boy's voice seemed to be fading in and out somehow. She wondered if this was normal for him, and then started to wonder if he was going to be all right. Not knowing the proper care and treatment of whatever Lunar was, she decided the best plan was to get him inside quickly. When the hold came into sigh, she quickened her pace, looking forward to the warmth of the indoors.

by **Lunar Scathefire** on January 24th, 2012, 9:35 am

Following the girl to the stables, Lunar was ecstatic for finally having someone to talk to. Even though she looked cold, and somewhat uncertain that didn't matter! At least she was acknowledging him, smiling still, he liked the talk "Talderas suppose to be huge, my dad and I traversed around it alot and most of Sylira as well," huffing lightly he didn't like his father but he certainly loved travel. Being stuck in Avanthal waiting for his family wasn't any fun, instead it only made him feel caged "its southern edge touches the Suvan sea, its a really neat looking place"

He continued to ramble on, not noticing her quickening pace or even her concern. Pointing in the air as if trying to show through gestures what he was seeing "most of the inside of Talderas unexplored and the borders are rare to find on good maps, y'know being so cold people have little acess to the place" then he seemed to do a lil jump as he thought of something "whats Mura, is it what I think it is??" The excitement in his voice was undeniable, if it meant travel and new land.

His body flickered lightly as they come up to the stables, he cringed, the animals near by never liked him. In fact they seemed to be rather paranoid of him, so he could never really get close. But he'd go in for Alea, she did look cold.. He noted a bit guiltily "you look cold, shouldn't you dress warmer?" Noting her garb, the clothes change over night was what really baffled him. His mist was clinging to him, it was falling off him and he started to feel much more tired but still grinning lazily "my mother would have a fit about people not dressin' warm enough y'know" a hint of melachony in his voice.

by **Alea Davenport** on January 24th, 2012, 6:36 pm

Lunar caught Alea's attention when he said he'd traveled Taldera. She instantly began making plans to hoodwink, cajole, or otherwise convince him to join her group, and maybe act as a guide. When he asked about Mura she said, "As far as I know, it's a city on an island that supposedly has the best healers in Mizahar. A friend of mine wants to visit them, for reasons he's so far keeping to himself." She gestured in a random direction and said, "It's somewhere to the east, beyond the borders of Taldera."

She led Lunar through the stables (noticing the animals' nervous reactions and frowning slightly) and into the hold itself. The normally boisterous common room seemed to grow quiet when they entered as the various pets of the Frostfawn Clan grew silent. They all seemed to be watching and backing away from Lunar. Wanting to spare him from noticing their strange behavior, she led him quickly toward her private room.

She was trying to be nice, but the suggestion that she should dress warmer hit a nerve. She had been suffering the Avanthal cold all winter. "I'm wearing every piece of clothing I own," she grumbled. "Including TWO wool cloaks, so I'm not sure what else I could wear that would be warmer." Except maybe a fur cloak, but surely that couldn't be all that much warmer than two of the wool variety. "But my father has the same fit," she added, laughing slightly. "He always tried to make sure I was prepared for the weather."

When she finally opened the door to her room and led Lunar inside, there was a hostile hiss coming from under her bed. Frowning, she knelt down and reached under the bed, saying, "Tom, get out here. Lunar is a friend." She was rewarded with a clawed swipe to her hand. "Ow!" she cried, more indignant than hurt. When she withdrew her hand there were several thin, bleeding scratched. The cat darted out from under the bed, jumped onto the table and knocked over a comb, and hissed once more before dashing past Lunar and out the still open door. "Tom, get back here!" she yelled, more out of annoyance than any expectation of results. She knew from experience that he would find his way back home eventually.

Turning back to Lunar she said, "Sorry about him. He's been acting...strange lately. Let's look at the map!" She spread her new acquisition out on the floor, placing it between herself and the strange boy who, upon further observation, seemed to be made mostly of mist. She hoped he would take the hint and sit across from her; she did not want to be rude, but she worried that being in immediate contact with him might be hazardous to her health.

OOCHoly cow this is long. Also, it's funny because the cat's behavior is not entirely due to the presence of a ghost ^^;

by **Lunar Scathefire** on January 24th, 2012, 10:36 pm

Lunar expected the actions and they hadn't gone unnoticed, they made him rather wary and angry. Wondering why they noticed him, actually, why these perfectly nice looking animals slinked away or became hostile to him- but not humans, why not humans? He mused lightly, knowing better than to frown, but he couldn't help the rage begin boiling at these useless pieces of flesh around him. What did it take to be seen by normal eyes? The mist around him became a bit chaotic as he followed her, Aleas hurried actions told him she noticed the animals reactions too.

Chuckling, he hadn't meant to get her to grumble at the mention of clothes but he let it drop with a "sorry if I offended you" as they came up to her room. Tom the cat, or so it seemed wasn't any different in Lunars eyes. Glaring at the animal, how ever did she keep him on a boat trip? He mused bitterly, thoughts of it drowning in the Falls of Avanthal invaded his mind and he took a grim satsifaction at the idea before shaking his head and knocking the idea out. Thats Aleas property, not mine, can't hurt it.. Lunar thought reluctantly, he'd let it go- for now but he wouldn't forget it, the cat hurt Alea anyways. Frowning, he wanted to find some bandages, cuts in the cold were never a good thing to have- common sense.

Looking down at her and the map, he sat across from her not exactly realizing that was what she had wanted but because he knew they'd both be able to see it this way. He could see the markings of the map, the borders were etched out and he could see the middle of the wastes. Realizing she had put it upside down from herself "you really are a novice, you've got it upside down, if you want to look at it in your perspective" he pointed to the wider border "thats the north" then to the smaller border "thats the south, the Suvan sea along it" grinning at her, he hadn't forgotten a single thing about maps.

"Where your wanting to go," he let his finger plop on where Avanthals dot was then travelled to the east of it "thats the direction you want to go, if its beyond Taldera, I haven't heard of it in Sylira either so I'm a tad confused" then he thought a moment "your friend must be desperate to chase after a supposed real place."

by **Alea Davenport** on February 22nd, 2012, 7:51 pm

Alea frowned slightly. "I'm pretty sure it's real. There are accounts of it in the library. It think it might be even further east that Syliras, on an island somewhere, but I'm not really sure. Did you ever travel on a boat?" Alea knew that Avanthal had boats going directly to Mura, but Banir preferred not to travel over water, and he was the main reason for trying to get to Mura at all. Besides, she'd traveled by boat from Denval, and that was more than enough boat travel for her. There was a world to see out there, and she wouldn't be seeing it from the hold of a ship.

This train of thought led Alea to another question. "You've traveled through Taldera and Syliras, right? Do you have any idea what sort of route we can take? And maybe how to keep from getting lost?" She hesitated, but then admitted, "I am a little worried about how we're going to avoid getting lost. I've never really had to navigate long distances before."