Step Right Over (Edalene)

[Ariel]

“Ariel… you have not told me what you are, Ariel. You ‎probably know I am a Drykas, unless you are completely ignorant, but I must admit, I have ‎no idea as to what you are,” Edalene said as she reached her giant pinky finger out, and Ariel did her best to shake it, before allowing her hand to drop and retake its position by her side.

Ariel puffed out her chest to seem larger and stated, "a pycon," with a shy smile, knowing that the woman probably had no idea what she was talking about, she added, "the tiny people made out of clay." ‎

"Well, it seems you have ‎figured me out. I am not the Lord of Endrykas, so I do not have a crown, or a sceptre. I do ‎however, have this broadsword. And I can indeed hold my own blade without making it ‎sway,” Eda continued, as Ariel looked up at her, trying to take in all of the woman's features, the freckles that were spread all over her face, how her skin was neither particularly pale, nor tan, how slender yet how muscular she appeared to be at the very same time. Her strawberry blonde hair, her amber eyes, this woman seemed to be positively balanced in every which way or form known to man. "Yeah ok," Ariel said as she stared, unblinking, at Eda, who seemed to be blinking a lot. Or maybe Ariel simply noticed this more and more because she herself, didn't blink?

Ariel watched as Eda straightened up, holding the blade up to her face, as though she were checking out her own reflection, before she started to wave it around wildly, in clean-sliced diagonals, cutting through the air with a low "whooshing" sound.

Ariel was mesmerized, it was too bad pycons didn't typically use such weaponry, at least, not to her knowledge. But then again, had she really met any more in her travels, after having left her family? Shaking her head, and realizing she hadn't, she decided that it wasn't her place to make such a judgment, having only seen her father wield a py-string and her uncle a py-whip.

Ariel watched as Eda continued to cut through the air before saying, "ok, ok, you win!" Perhaps that satisfied Eda, or perhaps she had simply grown tired or bored, because she came to a stop, the blade held out at a right angle to her body. The blade wasn't wavering. Ariel clapped her hands, not knowing what else to do, and how to respond in such a situation.

[Edalene]

Eda smiled at the miniature being, amused at the confused reaction. She took a slight bow as the little statue burst into applause, clearly not knowing how to respond. "You see, little Ariel, I can keep my sword from swaying. And thank you for your kind applause." Eda paused, wondering if the little being could use any weaponry. Eda could not imagine a life without being able to defend yourself in some way. "Ariel, may I ask if you can use any weapons?" Eda sniggered just a little as a mental image came to the forefront of her mind unbidden, an image of Ariel trying to lift Eda's broadsword. She made a note to try that sometime, if just for the laughs. Not that she was being mean or anything! She just ... thought it might be a little funny.

Eda's brow furrowed as she thought quickly, mentally running through any lessons she had had before. Pycons? Pyyyyycons? PyCONES? What the petch was a Pycon? Ariel's description did not make it any easier. There was such thing as a tiny being made out of clay? How was that even physically possible? Eda was not the smartest Drykas out, but she was pretty sure that miniature talking clay statues were not possible. "Excuse me, Ariel, excuse me for being rude, but if you don't mind me asking... how is it that you exist?" She smiled apologetically. She was not, after all, trying to be rude... merely extremely curious as to what this new race was.

Eda sat down again, sitting next to the "pycon". "So, little Ariel, may I ask what you are doing in Endrykas? It's a big world out here, perhaps too big for a little one like you." If truth be told, Eda was enjoying being the more mature one here, and feeling a little motherlike. She wondered if this is how all mother figures felt, when confronted with something they knew needed protection and help. She wondered if this is how her mother would have felt, if she had lived - caring, kindly and wanting to help the helpless.

[Ariel]

"You see, little Ariel, I can keep my sword from swaying. And thank you for your kind applause." Eda said, giving a short pause. "Ariel, may I ask if you can use any weapons?"

Ariel looked up at Eda, having stopped clapping. "Why yes, we can use weapons, although they're not the sort you may be used to." Ariel began to count off the possibilities on her fingers... "we have py-poles, py-strings, and py-whips." She paused, "sometimes we use blowguns or flings, but the other weapons are designed specifically for us," Ariel said, offering no further explanation.

Eda's brow furrowed, as if deep in thought, as though she were really considering Ariel's words. "Excuse me, Ariel, excuse me for being rude, but if you don't mind me asking... how is it that you exist?" Eda smiled apologetically, her cheeks growing a rosy pink.

"Alchemy," Ariel replied simply, crossing her arms over her chest. How else could they exist? Ariel wondered, starting to think that Eda wasn't too bright in the head.

Eda sat down next to Ariel again. "So, little Ariel, may I ask what you are doing in Endrykas? It's a big world out here, perhaps too big for a little one like you." Was Eda patronizing her? Ariel wondered, as she stared up at Eda angrily, the red pigmentation in her cheeks growing to be more and more prominent.

"Adventuring," Ariel said with a dramatic pause, "and I'd appreciate it if you didn't refer to me as little," Ariel huffed, her voice rising, she hated when people referred to her height. "I'm NOT little," Ariel finished, still slightly huffy.

[Edalene]

Eda smiled slightly down at the Pycon as she imagined the little clay Ariel using a miniature sling. The image was positively adorable. What on Mizahar was a py-whip, or any of the other ridiculous sounding weapons the girl had listed? Her brow furrowed in thought, until it hurt her. Oh. Of course. They were miniature weapons, Pycon sized. Eda was a little slow on the uptake sometimes...

Alchemy? Ariel existed because of alchemy? Well, that was certainly an indepth explanation that left no room for confusion. Ahem. Eda, however, could see that the little woman was getting a bit frustrated with her, so she didn't press the issue further. She, however, made a mental note to have an indepth conversation with the Pycon later in life where they could get down to business on exactly how clay managed to talk.

Okay, maybe telling Ariel that the world was too big for her was not the best decision Eda had ever made. She did have a tendency to speak without thinking! It was with a sinking notion in her stomach that Eda realised that, in all likelihood, Ariel was older than her -- how was Eda supposed to know how old a Pycon was, anyhow? They were moving statues, age didn't show! She cringed just a little as the lady began to yell at her. She hurridely tried to cover up her faux pas.

"Adventuring sounds fun, I'm sure it's amazing. I've, uh. always wanted to go out adventuring." Oh dear. Eda felt her rambling coming on again. "Little, no you're not little, sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it, but you have to admit, you are quite little, I mean, you're about the size of my forearm... Little... Sorry, I'll just be quiet now." Eda ducked her head down, cheeks flaming red, and trying not to look the most likely furious statue in the eye.

[Ariel]

"Adventuring sounds fun, I'm sure it's amazing. I've, uh. always wanted to go out adventuring," Eda said. Ariel tilted her head to the side and looked up at the woman, the silly thing was rambling again.

"Little, no you're not little, sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it, but you have to admit, you are quite little, I mean, you're about the size of my forearm... Little... Sorry, I'll just be quiet now," Eda said as she ducked her head down, cheeks flaming red, and Ariel just looked up at her laughing. She was not only rambling, but was embarrassed for doing so. Even her aura reflected it- it was a dark forest green, sensitivity... feeling uncomfortable about criticism... judgment... embarrassment. Ariel waved it away.

"You're funny! I like you!" Ariel laughed, as she looked up at the drykas warrior. "Why don't we go do something a little more fun? You can pick me up and carry me if you'd like... I'm not heavy... if that's what you're worried about."

[Edalene]

The Pycon started chuckling loudly at Eda's rambling, and her head snapped up. She was beginning to wonder if this little statue had multiple personalities. Moments ago, she was in a rage because Eda had told the truth about her size. Now, she was laughing and telling her that she liked Eda? Eda smiled weakly, wondering where the next emotion change was going to come from, and in how much trouble Eda would be in when it came.

"Uh, sure, I can carry you if you wish," Eda said, confusedly. Was picking her up going to put her in a place of danger? She wasn't quite sure what this possibly mentally instable girl would do to her if she wasn't careful about what she said.

Glancing at the Pycon carefully, for both permission and to make sure it was still safe, she hesitantly reached out her hand to touch the Pycon's wing. A chill ran up Eda's arm at the feeling of the rough clay that Ariel was made out of. Grasping the Pycon's wings between thumb and forefinger, one in each hand, she carefully pulled Ariel into the air. She was surprised at just how light the statue was. Lifting her to the point where they looked eye to eye, Eda cleared her throat.

"So, what now?"

[Ariel]

"You know," Ariel began, "I'm kind of getting tired," Ariel continued, as she pat her mouth, and faked a yawn. Eda had picked Ariel up, and she was dangling from Eda's fingertips, which were wrapped around her tiny clay wings. Her wings were quickly growing sore, and Ariel was quickly growing irritated, and bored with Eda. Yes, Ariel had officially determined the fact that Eda was no fun, and it was no use spending any more time with her. "So why don't you put me down so I can go find a nice place to sleep? And we can both be on our merry ways..." Ariel's voice trailed off as she crossed her arms over her chest, and started unblinkingly at the Drykas woman.

[Edalene]

OOC FOR ARIELHiya, I just assumed this was my last post in the thread, so I wrapped up my last post... A thread from you describing Ariel's reaction, and we should be done!

The awkwardness was thankfully, dispelled by Ariel breaking the silence. A yawn, too large and obvious to be real, escaped Ariel's mouth. Tired? Eda was not born yesterday. It was the middle of the day. The Pycon was only now displaying signs of great tiredness. It was obvious that she was finding this whole exchange as awkward and boring as Eda was.

She hurridely put Ariel down at her request. "Ah! Yes! You're down. You should probably..." Here she trailed off, wondering if she should go with the obvious cock-and-bull story the younger statue had concocted. She decided it would probably be safer for the wellbeing of her foot and boot that she did. "Probably ahem, sleep. Yes. In the middle of the day. Sleep."

She stood up abruptly, the Pycon only reaching to just above her ankle. Looking down at the Pycon, she smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. How to get away from this obviously bipolar statue? "Well, this is the center of Endrykas. You know, the Stalk Meet?" Waiting for confirmation, she ploughed on. "My Pavillion is that way." She swivelled, pointing down into the sea of white that marked the Diamond Clan's rough area.

She was all ready to hurry away from this strange, emotional being, when she paused. The being was only small. She could have an encounter like she had with Eda, though not as lucky. She could be stepped on, kicked, crushed. She turned back, having walked a couple of paces, crouching down so she was eye to eye with Ariel. "You'll be alright, going back by yourself? You can always find me around Endrykas. I'd be happy to help, if you ever needed it again."

Smiling one last time, and patting Ariel on her clay head, she stodd up. Turning, she went back into the depths of the pavillions, determined on spending the rest of the day being as normal as possible.

Well, if that were not the strangest creature she had ever met...

[Ariel]

Eda put Ariel down hurriedly, as if she couldn't be happier to get away from this odd, and highly uneventful encounter. Well, at least the feeling was entirely mutual, Ariel thought, as Eda went on to explain where the two of them were, as though Ariel didn't already know. Ariel sighed, as Eda pointed over to her home, and started to walk away, before stopping, bending down and saying, "you'll be alright, going back by yourself? You can always find me around Endrykas. I'd be happy to help, if you ever needed it again."

Ariel smiled up at the woman, as Eda reached out her arm and patted her on the head, it kind of hurt Ariel, as her feet sunk into the dirt with the force. The woman smiled once last time before turning and leaving Ariel standing by the fire. What a weird woman... and such a boring one... Ariel thought, as she stood in place, watching Eda go.

[Mixcoatl]

The Lord of the Hunt is Pleased! The Lord of the Hunt showers you with gifts in joyous celebration! Ariel Experience +1 Unarmed Combat +2 Auristics Lore Dodging Feet Edalene (Basic) Being too Easily Offended Being a Harsh Judge Edalene Experience +1 Weapon: Broadsword Lore I'm Insane! Pycon (Basic) Claiming to be Something More Ariel (Basic) Asking Silly Questions of Midgets Additional Notes: That was... abrupt. O_o If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, don't hesitate to PM me.