Open Raiden shows a softer side

[Raiden]

23rd Day of Winter
Location: Zeltiva, The Docks

Finally it was completed!
Raiden sat cross legged in the middle of his room in the inn with a plethora of objects surrounding him. In his hand he held the small, golden apple that served as a candle holder and depressed the mechanism in the middle. All of the gleaming metal flaps opened up and he placed it on the floor. From behind him he brought out a small stump of what was once a long candle used to light the inn at night. It was small enough to fit inside and he lit it. The room filled with hundreds of tiny flecks of light that danced and quivered with the flame.

He was pleased to have finished it as he was running out of pieces to trade and sell for his prolonged lodging at the inn. But it also might carry a lot more significance than that. Possibly it might give him enough gold to make attending the University feasible.
With extreme quickness he got changed and was soon standing on the harbour docks in his usual spot, somewhat early, but he didn't care. He hadn't slept that night and he needed to give it as much time as possible to sell.

No one was out and about yet save a few seafarers who woke with the sun and slept with it but they were not interested in buying. He settled himself down beside the rug and set up his wares. Most of it was still the same stuff as always, but today the apple sat where the spinning contraption usually sat on a simple rotating turn-table. As the sunlight hit it the shining folds of metal reflected it like it would a candle flame and spun beautifully around him.

I wonder how many more people will stop to look? He mused silently, his eyes closed in the morning sunlight.

[Wyatti]

It was cool and cold, and another day of exploring. She made her self rise early, giving herself time to see the world once more, before the grip of man took hold of it. She pulled her coat on quickly as she dashed down the street, hot air steaming from her mouth. She decided her main point of exploration today would be the Docks, before the bustle of trade and cargo filled it. She hoped about as she pulled on one of her boots at the corner of an alleyway, before quickly pulling on the other. She knew it would of been better to put them on inside, but the rush took hold of her. Wyatti skidded around the corner almost crashing into a stack of crates, before she entered the main area of the docks. She ran past a perched figure, ignoring him for the most part before something caught her eye.

SHINY!

It was the instant that the light fell into the corner of her eye that the bright eyes of the Kelvic, that she turned. She searched at first for the source, eyes scanning what was behind her. Wyatti's eyes fell upon the man, and the blanket that had been positioned next to him, or more over what had been left on display there. She slid over, her cat like eyes scanning the shiny contraptions with awe and wonder. She knelt down before them, her small hand reaching out to touch one before withdrawing.

"Shiny things?" she said to the Ethaefal.

[Raiden]

Just about as soon as he had shut his eye a loud thud and crash made him open them again and look over to the direction they came from. A small girl in a tattered coat was shaking he head momentarily as she had just collided with the boxes.
Raiden observed the strange child with mild curiosity out of the corner of his eye as she hurried past him and his gadgets. As she was passing a few flecks of light fell on her and she stopped instantly and her eyes rounded on the Apple. He felt odd watching her, she did not behave like most people and his doubts were confirmed when she began batting the apple with her had as though it were a paw.
"Shiny things?" she said questioningly looking up at him. As their eyes made contact Raiden gave a small jump. They were so brightly coloured and animalistic and in her mouth flashed a set of elongated canines.
She continued to gaze at him expectantly for a few seconds but when he failed to respond her eyes dropped down and she suddenly looked quite scared and likely to flee. Something inside him told him he didn't want her to so he cleared his throat slightly and brought out one of his other gadgets that struck him as something she would enjoy.
It was a mobile that had bits of feather and glittering bunches of metal hanging from it. In the soft breeze that came off the ocean the mobile began to spin and flung even more light about.

This strange child, he thought, must be a Kelvic. He felt his face loosen slightly into the beginnings of a smile but it was not enough to make it visible on his face. As he sat regarding her looking at his stuff he suddenly noticed some vicious looking scars on her neck. The sight of them stirred something within him. It made him feel the same way when he came across game trapped in the woods. The animal would lie there in pain and bleat pathetically. There were several deer in the forest that actively sought him out because he had once freed them from such a trap.

Not quite sure what he was planning he picked up the apple and placed it squarely in front of the child, still without having said not a single word. The smile growing on his face was growing dangerously visible.

[Wyatti]

Wyatti's eyes lit up. They followed the mobile around for a moment, watching the light and the feathers turn. She seemed hypnotized by the motion, watching it be caught by the ocean breeze, the turning becoming faster her pupils darting after it, expanding and contracting in the light. Her hands reached out, fingers extended as if to bat it before the Kelvic returned to reality. She looked at the Ethaefal, her head cocked quizzically as another contraption was presented to her.

Although he had yet to speak it was clear he was trying to communicate, a curiosity perhaps growing in his face, his lip curling into a smile. She leaned back for a moment, a careful look growing on her face. Wyatti raised the scarf around her neck and hid the marks that lay upon her flesh. She knelt down and tapped the apple shape device, flinching back when her finger touched the cold metal. She stared at it, a look of awe filling her face, before she turned her attention to him. She studied him carefully,his skin, his almost glowing eyes meeting hers. Although she did not move, she felt a curiosity growing on him, a wanting to have her remain. She cleared her throat, a strong feeling growing inside that she would have to lead the coversation.

"Umm... Hello. Your uh... Thingies are nice."

[Raiden]

The child stared at the apple a bit longer before attempting to touch it too. She seemed shocked that it was metallic and withdrew her hand quickly but keeping it held poised like a cat that was unsure. Her gaze wandered back to his.

"Umm... Hello. Your uh... Thingies are nice." she said, pausing and looking at all his gadgets trying to think of a word to describe them.

thingies

The way she said it made him laugh in his head.

"Thank you." was all he said in reply and lapsed back into his impenetrable silence. He continued to watch the Kelvic and no more was said until he did something quite surprising, even to himself.

"Choose one" he said quite quietly. His gaze had dropped as though he was slightly embarrassed about having spoken out loud and he fidgeted uncomfortably. In the harbour more and more people were beginning to mill about and the docks were also becoming more busy.

[Wyatti]

“Choose one.”
“Thank you, but… no thank you.”

Wyatti looked upon him and shook her head. Although it was nice of the man to offer such things, she could not let herself take. She understood basic forms of business, and she knew giving away things was no way to make money. Besides, she was quiet content in looking at the ‘thingies’. She proceeded to point to the small empty space next to the Ethaefal, a small gesture that she wanted to sit next to him, to watch the world go by and not be disturbed. Wyatti did not wait for his answer, she had already carefully stepped around things, and perched down next to him, her large cat like eyes staring up, unmoving and unwavering. She wanted to know more about him, and so she led the conversation again.

“I am Wyatti. Who are you?”

It made a change to being her usual quiet self, and it would no doubt aid as a development curve for her. Coming out of your shell and being yourself was all part of growing up after all.