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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:50 pm
The Moline Water gardens are a peaceful retreat from the village. It is a common spot for lovers to stroll, and a place for old friends to catch up and have a chat. The ponds are connected by a series of wooden bridges, decorated with intricate carvings of vines. Colorful Koi swim in the ponds, waiting for someone to throw in a piece of bread or some of the fish food available at the vendor.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:19 am
........... / Previous /They ended up going the right way, despite Gerald's vow to keep his map sealed inside his backpack, but they traveled one of the smaller roads. As a result, instead of entering along the main street of town, they wandered in from the back of Moliné's Water Gardens. Gerald was immediately struck by the beauty and serenity of the place. A small, paved path wound its way through a maze of still pools that mirrored the blue sky and clouds above. Although he couldn't see it yet, he was certain that Moliné was on the other side of the gardens. As they started across the first bridge, he stole a casual glance at Verdi. She had been oddly quiet during their walk. Most people would have started talking simply to fill in the silence he was leaving. She didn't seem completely uncomfortable with it either. Gerald was slowly building a picture of the person she might be in his head, but he didn't have quite enough pieces to make a final judgment. She might not turn out to be anyone important at all, but she was accompanying him for the moment. At the very least, he wouldn't look lonely or out of place with a female companion.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:02 am
What a peaceful place they had stumbled apon. It seemed to fit the companiable silence between the two and Verdi smiled. This was nice. Maybe social interactions didn't have to be a pain. Then again...
A wandering spirit was floating below the surface of a pool, calmly thinking about her death when two people walked by. This wouldn't have been anything new if it weren't for the fact that she could see a faint glow coming from the girl's eyes only visible to spirits. Letty couldn't believe it. A spirit seer! Excitedly she shot up and flew right of front of the girl.
Green eyes growing big, Verdi faltered in her step, but continued on. Both the spirit and her cringed at the passing through. It was cold with the sensation of passing through cobwebs. Great, just what she needed, thought the spirit seer. Could she help the spirit without attracting Gerald's attention? She thought through different ways to do so; the silence now burdened with her thoughts. Meanwhile the spirit was unhappily complaining about the passing through and various other ghost depressions, still following the two teens.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:27 am
There wasn't much to see at the moment in the Water Gardens. Although they were certainly pretty, they were also oddly deserted for this hour of the day. Gerald immediately noticed the change in pace as Verdi faltered in her steps. He warily examined her, as closely as he could without drawing attention to it. The girl seemed tense and distracted suddenly, with nothing obvious preceding the change. It was another puzzle piece that didn't fit, much like her actions when he had met her a short time ago. Running and yelling at thin air... and now, seemingly disturbed by nothing. Gerald wondered if she was on some sort of medication. He had no idea what he would do if she started freaking out... he definitely didn't want that sort of attention drawn to him in Moliné. If she was descending into some sort of altered state, perhaps he could redirect her. "Pretty," he gruffly observed of the nearby water, hoping to jar her out of her current thoughts.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:56 am
Gerald's attempt suceeded in a way, but not entirely. Her attention was drawn to the water. "What? Oh, yes, very pretty. The reflections would make a lovely picture really." She took the moment offered to her to act like she was concentrating on the pond, while really listening to the spirit.
"So Like I was saying, it was so romantic. A meeting in the moonlight, then out of nowhere he pushes me in! I can't swim you see." Letty dove into the pool and mimed drowning. Finished with that, she seemed to sit in the air right in front of Verdi as she finished her tale. "I drowned, and I have no idea where he went to." She sighed heavily.
Verdi groaned silently in her head. A dead lover, those were always such a pain! They never left without getting what they wanted and could be so annoying. She didn't have the patience for this, but there wasn't much choice. Now how to ask what the spirit wanted?
"So Gerald, what do you want in town? Besides a uniform I mean." She tried a friendly smile again, but her eyes gave away her distraction.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:16 am
He shrugged, making the hood of his sweatshirt bunch up around the collar. "I dunno. Look around a bit..." The boy really wasn't concentrating on what he was saying, too busy trying to read into Verdi's behavior. Something was definitely going on with her, but whatever it was, it had nothing to do with Gerald. She was barely listening to his answer; her mind was quite obviously somewhere else. He kept his expression aloof, running over their entire meeting so far in his head. He was missing something. Gerald hated an unsolved mystery. What was this? "Somewhere to be?" he inquired. He needed more information if he was going to figure out this riddle.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 7:23 pm
Getting the hint, Letty promptly said what she wanted. "I never got my first kiss! So it's simple. You must let me inhabit your body and kiss this boy." She floated there, grinning.
Verdi's jaw dropped. "No way!" Major oops! "I mean, no way do I have anywhere to be. I have all the time in the world!" Nervous laughter again, she really needed to stop that. And now she had to figure out how to please this spirit. There was no way she was going to let this spirit inhabit her body. Not to mention that the last thing she wanted to do was scare away one of the only people that had yet to call her a freak. She'd find a couple, that's what she'd do. There had to be a load of couples around town and it'd be no problem for them to kiss. Alright, now to start checking around town. "You know, I heard the Worn Sword is a cool place to check out. Mind if we stop there on our way to the clothing shop?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:45 am
((Ahaha XD))The vehemence of Verdi's reply surprised him a bit, and despite his best efforts at keeping a remote expression, the youth's eyes widened slightly. The moment passed quickly, however, and Gerald turned his attention back to the path in front of them. What was this 'Worn Sword' Verdi was talking about? He hadn't gotten too far into the description of Moliné during his reading; he had been scanning quickly for information on the uniform shop. Oh well, it couldn't hurt. It would give him more time to observe Verdi and figure out what her problem was. "Nope," he returned, emphasizing with a slight shake of his head. Glancing ahead, he realized he could see the faint outlines of buildings through the thin stands of trees that ringed the gardens. They were drawing closer to town, and Verdi's behavior was becoming more and more unpredictable. He hoped she wasn't going to cause some sort of scene. Wondering, not for the first time, whether letting her come with him had been a bad idea, Gerald started playing out escape scenarios in his head, just in case. ........... / Next /
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:37 am
This stupid spirit-seer was not being helpful at all. Refusing her only request, how rude. Letty was not going to be pushed aside, so not knowing Verdi's thoughts, she followed the two as they continued on. Not happy one bit and letting the poor excuse for a spirit-seer know.
The just tuned the spirit out. There was no way she was going to start yelling at air again, and she was out of ideas on how to communicate with the spirit without drawing attention at the moment. Gerald's supprise hadn't escaped her notice and Verdi knew she really needed to behave. Lapsing back into silence, they were finally to the town without any more outburst from the very nervous girl. "Here we go." She whispered, preparing herself for whatever was coming. Oh how little she really knew.
((To the Worn Sword XD))
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:26 pm
"Come, take your shoes off and come in just a bit." Anna and Pyralis had just arrived from the Inn where they had enjoyed a very pleasant dinner together. To Anna, it felt more like a date, but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to think of it that way for very long.
For then, she had a little tube of fish food from the vendor, and had just slipped off her shoes and was heading down to the water. No one was really supposed to go down into the water gardens themselves, but Anna meant no harm. Her mischievous side was relying on the cover of night to hide her little endeavor as she tiptoed into the pond until the water just reached her shins.
With a bit of excitement, she turned again to Pyralis.
"It's a bit chilly." Already the fish were sensing her calming presence. A large, pure white koi had already come close, and no food had even been spread.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:46 pm
An angel of the night; that's how the dragon saw the elf. Anna seemed so fragile in the moonlight, and the moonlight seemed to make her skin glow. He'd have to be careful to not make any moves on her tonight. Pyralis could sense it wouldn't go over well, not yet. There was a hint of distrust behind her eyes.
"Just a moment." Bending down, he undid his boots and slid them off along with his socks; and though a bit tight, he managed to roll his pants up so that they wouldn't get wet. He posed, grinning. "How do I look?" Knowing he must look silly, he laughed warmly and made his way into the water. Even if people weren't suppose to be in here, it didn't matter. No one would catch them on a night like this.
The fish seemed to immediately sense his presence and became skittish, but then calmed down again. It was a natural reaction to a predator nearby, but they were able to sense his good nature. "It is a bit cold, are you sure you want to be out here? You're only just feeling better dear Anna." If it weren't for the fish, he would have warmed the water for her, but he wouldn't disturb the natural wildlife. Anna wouldn't have liked that, that much he knew.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:54 pm
"Dashing!" she called out to his question, her voice laced with laughter.
The way he called her 'dear' made her heart warm. Already he was like a very old friend.
"Of course I do. It's not like those books where people get wet and die the next day." She laughed at the very idea of such eighteenth century drama. "Here, look at all of them." Anna threw out some food towards the koi, loving the way they danced and reflected the soft light. One wound it's way through their ankles towards the place where the pellets had been moments ago. It was all calming for her. And having a handsome, dashing gentleman next to me only makes this better. They had only just met, but Pyralis made her feel like she wasn't alone in this world. She gently touched his arm and held out the food slowly, so not to scare the fish. "You try. They might eat from your hand..."
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:07 pm
He joined in her laughter. It was true, but he just didn't want her to get sick. It was in his nature to protect, and Pyralis was already attached to her. As a friend at least.
"Why not?" Taking the fish food from her, he held his below the water for the fish to come and get. A silver koi swam up to him and started to nibble the food. Smiling, and even though he had told himself not to do anything, his other hand slowly grasped Anna's, ever so lightly. The unnatural warmth of his skin flowing into hers. Normally he wouldn't be so forward already. Why did she make it seem so right to do so? Such a sweet and beautiful woman was slowly wrapping him around her finger. The charms of the right woman for a man were a mystery that no man would ever solve. Even if they had eternity to do so.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:17 pm
Anna felt his hand in hers. A part of her said that it was a gesture meant to keep himself from falling forward into the chilly water, but she knew better. A strapping man like him wouldn't slip in this pond. Anna remained silent for a moment as she noticed how warm he was in such a cold world...
"Look at this one," she said to break the silence, her hand still in his. She was pointing to a brassy, almost dirty-looking fish by her feet who had managed to push his way through the crowd. "Smaller and skinnier than the others, but look how he shines." It reminded her of herself in a way. In her own eyes, she found herself a rather plain, unexciting person who lived within the dry pages of musty tomes, and yet she could put ease into almost any situation merely by being there. Other little charms were pointless in ignoring, but they came so naturally they were no wonder for her.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:43 pm
Pyralis observed the fish for a moment in silence. It was indeed a brillaint-looking fish. So different than the others, but pushing his way through. Yet so frail-looking...
"Anna," His voice was gentle as he gazed down at her. "look at me." His eyes and red facial markings stood out severely on his face in the moonlight. Easily he could look menacing, but instead there was a soft kindness residing there.
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