Solo Take A Walk 45 of Summer, 513

[Adeon Tien]

Perhaps I shouldn't of come here... He thought to himself, striding down the well-paved streets of Lhavit, revisiting a topic that he pondered often in different places.

The people are only a bit above expected, and I have yet to see any acts of outstanding kindness for any outsider...

He had already deemed Lhavit a nice place to look, but it was almost habitual to question everything he decided at least once more. He knew he did it frequently, and he knew that he did not currently have the resources nor the money to travel somewhere else, and yet he still questioned Lhavit's overall morality.

Maybe having a goddess in their presence influenced them in some way...

The street Adeon currently walked was empty except for his own boots, as the twentieth bell had already passed and most children were asleep, their parents most likely enjoying the bliss that came with their sleeping child.

That is probable. But what about the slurry of different characters? So many varying personas...

He had moved himself to the middle of the road, calmly striding to nowhere, his cloak open and his hood down.

His unkept, raven-black hair bounced slightly as he took each step, the back of his cloak pushed by the heel of his boot as he strode.

It would be difficult to weed out those who would dismiss me as a beast and those who would pay me mind. Although, I can't blanket the entire city... There are many that seem as if they would dismiss me, but may welcome my presence as much as any other... But I can't fool myself like that. I am not trying to appeal to everyone individually, I am trying to appeal to Lhavit as a whole. That means weeding out who would dismiss and who would accept me and funneling them into a majority, and a minority in simple terms.

He stopped, looking down the road about twenty five meters. To the right side, there was a child, hunched over with their back facing Adeon. The specifics of the child couldn't be determined in the dark and from this far away.

Adeon quickly put his hood up, wrapping his cloak around his body tightly.

What is this... He questioned, hesitant to step any closer to the figure.

What the hell am I doing. I search for compassion, yet I am hesitant, myself, to show it? He scolded, walking to the figure.

As he neared the child, he could hear gentle, quiet sobs escaping female lips and delicately filling the immediate vicinity. He stopped, quickly evaluating the characteristics he should show as to not scare the girl away.

After a moment, he traveled the last few yards and quietly sat next to her, remaining quiet.

He sat there for a while, simply being in the girl's company, listening to her quiet sobs and cries, staring blankly to the horizon, until the sobs quieted.

He heard a sniffle, followed by the girl's delicate voice. "Who are you?" She asked, not the least bit scared.

When he looked over, he saw a petite face with brilliant, pink Vantha eyes staring up into the inky shadow that his hood cast upon his face.

"Do my mommy and daddy know you?" She asked quietly.

"Depends." He replied. "Who are your parents?"

The question only sent her head back into her knees, sobbing once again.

"That's not the answer to my question..." He mumbled quietly, hesitant to react to the child.

"I can't find them!" She yelled into her knees, her chest heaving.

Adeon sat for a moment, thinking over his response. He had not dealt with this type of situation... Ever. What was the protocol? What would be expected of him in a social interaction? What would be-

"Dear, there is no chance that THEY are lost. You, however, clearly have no way of knowing where you are."

This simply made the child cry harder.

"Did I say it was a bad thing?" He asked.

She sniffled. "No..."

She looked back up at him. "Can you help me?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"No." He replied.

"But what if-"

"I can't."

She sniffled. "But I'm not lost." She said, her pale cheeks puffy and red.

"Then why don't you go home? That makes no sense."

She began to cry again.

"No, no, no, wait!" He sighed. "Where do you live."

She outstretched her hand, pointing to a building on her direct left less than fifty feet away.

"You've gotta' be kidding me..."

He stood, approaching the house calmly before rapping on its door. No answer. He rapped harder, trying to wake the parents inside.

He could hear thumping, as if someone was angrily stomping down the stairs.

There was a scream.

[Adeon Tien]

He was frozen at the door, his hands still, not knowing what to do.

So he waited.

Four, five, maybe ten minutes past. He had lost track. When the door opened, and Adeon was staring at the same pink eyes of the child on the mother, he couldn't help but sense there was something wrong.

Lantern's light flooded onto the darkened streets from the inside of their home, illuminating her face. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, dried tears on her cheeks. She studied Adeon as he studied her.

Before long, the father approached, holding his wife. She turned, her head on his chest.

There was no greeting, the father simply stood, staring Adeon down with light, blue eyes.

Adeon pointed to the streets behind him, now suspicious of the girl.

"Your daughter seemed to have been locked out. She wanted me to knock on the door." He stated.

The mother shifted her head, looking at the road almost hopefully. The father, however, stared at Adeon as if he were insane.

"You're mistaken." He said, a slight frown on his face as he shifted his gaze downwards.

Adeon turned around, the street was empty.

"Did you know her?" The father asked.

"Briefly..." Adeon replied, not turning the full length around.

The husband and wife exchanged glances before stepping aside, silently inviting Adeon in.

He lifted his hood, stepping in the house. He looked to his left, and let his gaze rest on the kitchen. It had seemed that a knife shelf had fallen down.

They rested in the girl's throat. Three.

One in her neck, one in her stomach, and one lying on the floor.

Adeon turned, and walked out of the house.

[Elysium]

Adeon Tien

Experience
Observation +1
Rhetoric +1

Lore
Rhetoric: How to Show Compassion
The Vantha Ghost

Notes
I wasn't able to award much because of this being strictly narrative. Very interesting first attempt at a solo! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to PM me.