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 Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:23 am
Private RP between Faolan & Ziazan (Jynk) and Lee & Lauss (epicZILLA).
Location: Farstep
Time: Late Afternoon / Early Evening
Weather: Cool and pleasant
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:23 am
Lee stepped through the bright colors and happy atmosphere of the carnival grounds feeling very at odds. Her mood contrasted horribly with the setting, that was certain, and she'd never felt less confident in herself. What am I doing? She had to talk herself out of turning around and heading back home on more than one occasion since arriving to Farstep. After all, this was as much for Lauss' sake as it was for her. She looked down at the blue proto, who she was currently holding in her arms like a toy. They'd agreed to act like he was a prize or something, trying to not attract more attention than either of them needed. With so many bright colors and interesting people around him, it was the most difficult experience of his short life to keep still.
Not far into the fairgrounds, Lee was overwhelmed. How the heck was she supposed to find who she was looking for? This place was much larger than she imagined it would be. Sighing, she search around her for someone would could help guide her. Taking a deep breath, she tried her hardest to look confident as she walked up to a man behind a booth who she figured would know what she was asking. "C-could you tell me where I could find Mister Faolan Grady?" If it hadn't been for Lauss, she'd never had known his name. She thanked him in her head, taking a quick glance around once more to make sure the man wasn't right next to her or something embarrassing like that.
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:36 am
The man looked the girl over and smiled. All the carnival seemed used to the idea by now of outsiders looking for Keagan's halfbreed boy. "Aye, lass. You'll find him at the main stage. Go straight down that way and turn left at the pony rides, then straight on down to the funhouse and take a right. You can't miss it."
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:55 am
She smiled faintly and nodded. "Thank you." Heading on her way, she realized that she'd only picked up half of what he'd said. "Lauss, did you hear him?" "..." Lee sighed. "It's okay to talk, just be quiet." "To get to the main stage you must walk straight, make a left at the ponies, and a right at the funhouse." She repeated every step in her mind quickly as he spoke. "Good. Now be quiet." He did as his master told him. It felt good, with that quick sentence, to speak again. As long as she'd let him say something every half hour or so he could handle this.
Lee carried Lauss to the ponies, where Lauss blurted a quick, "Left here," as they arrived, and at the funhouse a quiet, "Make a right." A large crowd of people were mobbed together at the corner, making it hard for Lee to see past anyone to locate this "stage" she'd been told of. She pushed through as many layers of people as she could until she was stuck in the middle, unable to move forward or back. Dang... What on earth could be going on that would attract so many people?
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:07 am
What indeed. Center stage proved to hold the answer soon enough for the girl as the crowd moved aside to let her closer.
Faolan moved fluidly to the beat of the drums being played offstage, his body already showing a sheen of sweat over taunt muscles as he danced. His eyes were closed, but he already knew every square inch of the stage, stepping easily over a rough patch and then going up on the balls of his feet, back arching and arms out. It was not unlike the same dance he'd performed for Ellandra the night he'd danced the waltz with her, the only difference being that he was now in costume--loose-fit pants tucked into the leather bindings around his bare feet and ankles, the leather glove sheathing his right arm, gold cuffs at his biceps and gold bangles at his wrists, and that damn headband with the decorative beads that he wasn't that fond of--and performing for an audience of hundreds instead of just one.
Feeling the rhythm quickening its tempo, Fao knew the music piece was coming to an end, even without the routine being memorized. As the musicians hit their last beats, he leaped up only to land in a kneeling pose in the perfect center of the stage, hands on the stage at his sides. As the crowd burst into applause, he raised his head slowly, opening his eyes, and noticed the young girl from the ball there. Tilting his head a little, acknowledge her presence, he grinned and moved his head to the side, a silent invitation to meet him at the side of the stage.
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:50 am
Lee edged in closer as the crowd parted slightly. She stepped closer until she saw him. Her mouth fell open and her eyes flashed open at the sight. The magnificent sight. She couldn't step any closer, as her legs seemed to have froze in place. She just stood there, gawking at a shirtless man she didn't know and had only spoken to once before. Her arms lost their grip on Lauss, who thudded to the floor. He continued to stay still, but watched the stage as best he could from the ground. He was thoroughly entertained, and nearing the end of the dance, he noticed Fao's gesture to Lee.
And she noticed, too. Glancing around, Lee looked to see if maybe he was motioning to someone else, maybe someone behind her...? But no, as the crowd was starting to disperse, and she and a motionless Lauss were the only ones staying put. Looking down, she just noticed the proto was no longer in her arms, and she reached down and snatched him up again. He was certainly on his best behavior, but she didn't have the concentration to notice or thank him for it. She took a few deep breaths before heading closer to the stage. If Lauss hadn't been in her arms she'd have been fidgeting like a madwoman by now. "Hello, Mister Grady." Lauss had broken his vow of silence it seemed, and at the sound Lee's face flushed as it had so many times at the ball.
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:59 am
Faolan came down the steps of the stage to meet the girl and her little friend. A quick glance about and he smiled at Zia--wearing his hooded jacket--coming up with a bottle of beer for him. Damn, but he loved that Essentic sometimes. Sitting down on the steps and stretching his long legs out, he accepted the bottle when it was handed to him and opened it, taking a long drink before looking up at his visitors.
"Good to see you both again," he said softly, voice close to a purr. He nodded to Lauss. "Call me Faolan, or Fao if you'd like. Mr. Grady's my crazy adoptive father and I luckily haven't seen him around lately." Turning his attention to the girl, he patted the steps. "Come sit, lass. You want something to drink? Zia'll go get it for you. Right, hinny?" He looked at the Essentic and Zia nodded.
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:59 pm
"Miss Lee, it's an essentic..." Lauss gazed over at Zia, hoping his master wouldn't mind if he glided over and took a better look. She didn't seem to be paying him any mind, and so the proto did as he wished. Looking his "sibling" over, he couldn't help but ask, "Is this 'Zia' a mister or a miss?"
Lee just watched Faolan's every move, not wanting to miss anything and look even slightly foolish. "O-okay..." She made a note to call him Faolan, and though she desperately would have wanted to address him as "Fao", she knew she wouldn't have it in her to be so forward. She watched him pat the steps and her heart instantly started racing. Staring at the spot she was supposed to sit on, she prepared herself; she'd be... so close to him. She pulled the ends of her skirt and she moved in closer, spinning around and plopping in place as fast as she could. She looked as nervous as she was. "No thank you." She peeped, avoiding eye contact as best she could.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:04 pm
Zia regarded the proto, head tilted a little to the side. "I am neither. You are free to just call me by my name--Ziazan, or Zia, if you'd like." It moved its wings a little, cards and feathers fluttering to the ground.
Faolan bumped Lee's shoulder companionably when she sat next to him, then rested back to lay back on the stairs, propped up on his elbows, sipping beer every so often. He was completely comfortable in his dance costume, not bothered in the least that he was bare-chested. It also helped that he was totally oblivious to the poor girl's crush on him. "Ay, bonny lass. What brings you to my carnival? Come all this way to see me and my Zia, did you? Or are you lookin' for my wife?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:36 pm
Lauss struggled with the thought for a moment, before simply nodding. He wished there was a prefix that would apply to such an occasion, but he'd manage without one. "Ziazan, then," Lauss said with a small bow of the head. The proto noticed the cards as he did this, floating to the ground and lifting one in front of his blue face. "What are these, Ziazan?" Very elaborate. Very pleasant.
Lee stared ahead of her and sat frigged as Faolan nudged her. His question certainly didn't help matters, either. How should I answer that...? She had to remind herself to breathe as she looked for words to answer him with. "Just... visiting, I guess." Didn't want to seem like the loser she was. She began moving once more to fidget with worry. "I-is Ellandra here?" If she knew Lee was swooning after her newly wed, she'd probably never speak to her again. She had no intention of breaking anything up, and if Ellandra kicked her away, she'd leave Faolan alone. He was just for looking at, really. And listening to. Like young girls fall for musicians, she'd fallen for a... well, a dancer, apparently. "Is that what you do here? You... dance?" Lee managed to squeek out a small conversation starter. She made him sound like some kind of male stripper, and that was almost as she saw him.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:15 pm
Zia touched the card gently with a fingertip and smiled. "Tarot cards. I seem to produce them from my wings. Fitting as I assist Da--" He pointed to Faolan. "--with his fortune telling. He favors the tarot as his main tool for the craft."
Faolan chuckled--more of a lazy purr than actual laughter--and looked at the girl. "Nay, lass. My main job abouts here is the fortune telling. Da owns this place and every so often he puts me on the dance roster . . . or wherever else he needs me, really. Shame you weren't here last night, I had to divide my time on the trapeze and doing the contortionist act. I really hate doing that crap. Still have some kinks in my back from that." He shrugged, shifting his weight, and crossed his legs at the ankles. "Elle's out with the ladies. Think they're talkin' about gettin' her some new clothes or whatnot. I've no idea really. I tend to stay out of the women's way around here if I can. Looks like you're stuck just visitin' with me tonight. We can head over to the vardo if you'd feel more comfortable there. Your wee Lauss'll be safer out of site, too, I reckon."
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:38 pm
"This is your purpose?" He would have smiled had he had a mouth, and instead continued to observe the "tarot card" he held in his hand. A tool for fortune telling... he'd never heard of any of this before. "How does one tell a fortune? And how does this help?" He held the card up in front of the alter. So many questions, he'd tried to narrow them down. "Could you show me?" After all, watching and hands-on experience was the best way to understand. To learn something new was always a treat, and he would love Ziazan forever if Lauss managed to learn a thing or two.
Lee's eyes went wide. That was... very impressive. "Sounds scary..." She managed to look at him for once as she spoke, half ignoring her girlish instincts to blush and run away. Ellandra was out with girl friends? Aw, that would have been fun. Shopping was enjoyable, as long as it wasn't dragged on for too long. Wait, wait, her mind was wandering. She gulped as Faolan invited her somewhere else. But... "What's a vardo?" Ooops. She was going to try to sound smarter than she was today, but here she was, blowing it and showing him just how little she knew. He must hate her now. Must think she's the stupidest girl in the world. He's probably going to ignore her for the rest of his life now, isn't he?
...That's what Lee was thinking, anyway.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:01 pm
Zia nodded. "It's my purpose, aye. Telling a fortune is easy. Most times people simply need to hear what they already know, but told to them by someone else. Other times, it helps to be able to actually make some predictions. I'm not so good at it as Da is, but I'm still learning." The alter tilted its head and smiled. "I'd be happy to show you how, though."
Faolan stood up with all the fluid grace of a cat, then held a hand out invitingly to the girl. "Come, my bonny lass. I'll show you my home. That's what the vardo is. I sometimes forget that outsiders don't always know our terms and customs." He pointed off toward the residential area of the carnival, a few large house-like wagons could be seen in the distance. "Those be vardos, lass, and mine is back 'round the far side of the living area." He tilted his head, looking down at her sidelong, grinning. "Follow me, lass, I won't steer you wrong, but I need to get back to the vardo and change clothes. I know this outfit looks comfortable, but it's really not. You can come sit along the steps with the Essentics and when I'm done changin' my togs, we'll find you something to eat. Bet you're up for a bite, eh?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:02 am
Hm. So, if it's easy, Lauss should be able to get the hang of it then, right? "So it's similar to reviewing, then? Telling a person what they already know. I could do that." He nodded. He may not have been making his motives clear; he wanted to know how to do, to watch and maybe practice on his own time. Hearing his fortune would just be a bonus. "Please show me. It would be a pleasure."
Her hands almost shook as she reached out to be helped up by the man. He looked like a prince, holding his hand out like that; so chivalric. And now, to his home. Oh god. Not only that, but... he'll be changing. She just needed to stay calm. And besides, he didn't think she was dumb. At least not yet. It was a step in the right direction, if nothing else. "Y-yeah, sure." Carnival food. Sounded fattening. But how was she supposed to resist an offer from Fao?
From now on, keep the replies short, think before you speak, and try not to stare. And for goodness sake, don't look like a pig when eating. This was... very difficult.
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:26 am
Zia shrugged a skinny shoulder. "It ain't always like that, but usually." It motioned for Lauss to follow as it led the proto to the living area, oblivious to the cards and feathers it left in its wake.
Faolan smiled at the girl as he helped her up, then rested his arm about her shoulders, walking her alongside him. "You'll like the vardo, I think. It's small, but homey. The two of them--" He pointed at the Essentics with his free hand. "--can hang about there if you'd like me to show you around the carnival without worryin' on people seein' your Lauss."
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