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 Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:45 pm
 The river was glassy, placid. Even with the gentle breeze, only the slightest crease was granted upon its surface, and it would fall into place again, much like a smoothed bed sheet. That was what he loved about the river; no matter what happened to it, it would eventually regain its former composure, moving along its course. New waters would come and, with them, new stories from new lands.
Something about the way the river met the ocean was strangely comforting, too.
It was underwater, near the riverbed that Kenji rested, body half-curled in an almost-fetal position as he surveyed the sky through the water. There was nothing he could think of that was more beautiful than looking at the moon, stars, and sun through the surface of the river. The water amplified it with each tiny ripple, and he liked to make it so by swatting a hand upward, or kicking a leg.
Times like these made him thankful to be able to breath underwater.
When the top of his head broke the water's surface, he tucked his chin inward to look at the ripples as they cascaded around him. Then he turned his attention upward, toward the stars. Pale arms rose to push away bangs that clung to his face, his eyes closing against the cool air. His chest heaved with a gasp of air, the transition of breathing water to air not at all unusual for him, but still a bit difficult to become accustomed to. Yet, he couldn't simply pick one or the other. He had someone he was looking for.
As Kenji began his exit of the river, he took his steps with care, aware of the various plantlife that threatened to snag his baggy clothes and trip him. The river was much deeper than it looked, and while he had made it his home, it still seemed to enjoy preying on him, something he noted with both mild amusement and wariness.
"This should work," he said with a soft grunt, rump hitting the grass beside the river. Drawing his ponytail over his shoulder, Kenji set to work wringing it out, seemingly unaffected by the cooler air against his wet skin and clothing. He had been napping all day; the week had been a long one, each day of searching fruitless. Yet, he had met Basil again. That had to count for something.
When he was satisfied, he let his ponytail drop, and set to work wringing out his baggy pants. The night was young, and the twinkling of the stars had enchanted him to the point of drawing him out of his river home. Yet, he would always wish to have a loud, nagging voice in his ear at times like this. Soon, perhaps.
"Times like these..." He paused, remembering he was alone. He wasn't one for talking to himself, but he had begun to miss the regular, expected sounds of conversation. Nonetheless, he slowly stood, angling his head toward where he knew the direction of the nearest village was. Warm sake was best for times like this, he had decided, and aimed to make his way over for some.
Times like this were also best to share warm sake with someone, but... well, he wasn't going to be picky.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:49 am
 'What a glorious evening!'
Drifting silently in the soft breezes, Zahara was lounging happily in her most ethereal form. Tiny sparkles of light, an unnatural cluster of fireflies... or perhaps stars were what she saw when glancing briefly at herself in the still water below.
She had no particular plan or destination in mind. The river wound through the clearing she called home and grew wider as it moved away from her waterfall and pool. She'd simply picked up a breath of air as it came over the falls and rode it downstream.
'This eventually will take me to the village, perhaps... company might be... a welcome thing this evening.'
Zahara wasn't a particularly solitary creature, she did not need the space and privacy she chose; but since she often lost herself in the spell the sun wove for her, she found she generally made a poor companion. Even when she wasn't ensnared by the light, she often found herself feeling painfully shy and over-compensating through chatter... and she did so enjoy the company of others!
Ah, but tonight... tonight was a deep, soft night; and while she loved the moon and stars, they did not entrance her as the sun could. So she considered herself to be far more pleasant company after sundown, provided she could keep a rein on her nerves. Crowds were rarely a problem, so maybe a warm meal and a warm drink was in orde---
When she heard a voice, she froze, having not sensed any others in the vicinity. Another Constellation slowly shifted to his feet below her---still looking slightly damp, but did not appear to be in distress. It was difficult to separate his energies from the energies of the river below her. The moonlight reflected off his pale skin and the water droplets that still clung to it. But the rest of his form was hidden by the dark clothing he wore.
Feeling rude for observing him unseen, Zahara debated whether or not to materialize immediately or on the path ahead of the other Constellation. She did not wish to startle him, but in her present form, she was unable to do anything but drift along, so a greeting or warning was out of the question. Internally rolling her eyes at her infinite reserves of indecisiveness, Zahara coaxed her form to shift and landed lightly on the riverbank.
"Good evening! I do not believe I have seen you around this stretch of the river before. Though I do not travel this way often and you are very hard to sense with all the water...." the delicate Constellation bit her lip to try and stem the flow of babble. She really did have a talent for that particular vice.
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:42 pm
Lazy eyes traveled - first from dainty feet, then to up to an ethereal form that he did not recognize - over the length of the constellation, his surprise masked by his meager reserve of expressions.
"Kenji," he said, tone blunt and casual. It would have been quite easy to miss, but his amusement was apparent in the slight raise of his eyebrows, and presently he began to remember what it was like to have someone chatter endlessly in his ear. He missed that sound, but he did not let the nostalgia show as his gaze flicked briefly past Zahara's shoulder.
It was no wonder he wasn't recognized immediately, he decided, but he was confused as to why he didn't feel her presence. His brow furrowed at her as he tried to decipher her, simple curiosity often easily mistaken for rudeness or hostility. Well, maybe she wouldn't yell at him like Lior always used to.
His gaze flicked down, concentration broken. He moved his mind away from Lior.
"What're you made of?" he asked suddenly, looking up again. He had been told that even his tone could be invasive, but he hoped this wasn't the case. Misunderstandings could be a real pain in the a**. To avoid such a thing, he added, "I couldn't sense you. It's almost as if you were part of the air." Again his brow furrowed, mouth turned down in thought. A subtle shift in the air, that's what she was. Well, she seemed friendly, and he really couldn't ask anything more of a stranger. He visibly relaxed, and held his hand out for her to shake.
"It's a nice night, and the village is nearby." He paused. "I'm going to go buy some sake." The look he then gave her was as much of an invitation as she was going to get, and he eyed her expectantly, but patiently.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 5:45 am
"I suppose 'sugar, spice, and everything nice' would not suffice as an answer, hmm?" Her droll mutter was more to herself than the other Constellation, but the silence of the night eagerly caught and carried the sound. Tilting her head back, Zahara gave her tall companion a quick, easy grin; she was surprised, but not offended by his somewhat abrupt manner. Even if that frown was somewhat intimidating.
"It is a pleasure to... encounter you this evening, Kenji. I am Zahara." She stepped closer and took the proffered hand, squeezing lightly and bowing her head slightly. "And to answer you in part, I am tied to light---as I would hazard a guess that you are tied to water. I do apologize if I startled you! But I have no ability to speak when I shift forms. But is is far easier for me to travel this particular stretch of the river in a lighter form; the banks are difficult to navigate, especially in the dark!
As always, her mouth ran away without her. She thought she sensed amusement from Kenji, but between the poor light and his furrowed brow she really could not tell. Well, she was certain he would tell her to shush if he was annoyed. Or, more likely, just walk away. Certainly not issue... was that an invitation? An odd one, but she thought it an invitation to join him for the evening.
"I was off seeking a warm meal and some company myself. I certainly do not mind what order I encounter them in." Smiling, Zahara moved toward the barely-visible path, looking up and hesitating as she drew even with Kenji's form.
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