Odainsaker had not been to her wonder yet, she stood on a rooftop looking up towards the sky. She was honestly not sure about this. The page stretched a little as she continued to gaze. She wasn’t sure where her so called place would be in space. What if it was colder than the winters here? She wasn’t dressed for that.
There were questions she had, there were a lot of questions. She also wasn’t sure what she’d find up there. Not that she didn’t want to go and find out, but the page was worried if there was some huge monster running around. She didn’t want to meet it alone if there was a monster.
Slowly though the page sighed and shook her head, she had been putting it off for a while. She was sure much longer than she really should have put it off in fact. The question was though, how would she get there?
She had been with Hyper once, to the other’s wonder. Yet that had been ages ago. Odain wasn’t sure now if she knew how to get to her own. So instead she closed her eyes and listened to the wind, and tried to listen to the cosmos and not let her fears and daydreams take over what she fathomed she’d find.
Surely there was nothing still alive. At least not animal wise, it couldn’t’ve survived could it have? How long had it been since anything was out in space?
Soon words trickled into the pages’ thoughts. She questioned it at first but soon, slowly and surely she spoke them to herself.
- I pledge my life and loyalty to Cosmos, and to Odainsaker.
I humbly request your aid, so that in return I may give you mine.
There was a sickening sensation and suddenly, when the page opened her eyes. She found the noise of city gone. In its stead was quiet, except for a soft warm breeze and leaves rustling. The page looked around and suddenly she felt very, very small next to a large mushroom.
Nothing notable moved as she stood there. Softly waiting to see if someone or something would ambush her. Soon enough, the page softly stepped out from the shade the mushroom had been providing. “Where. . . am I?”
She asked looking around, she could tell there were cat walks everywhere and what she assumed to be passageways. Lot of the cat walks were made of wood, vines and other organic material. She couldn’t tell if there were ropes used or not up higher than she could actually tell any detail.
The page shook her head as she looked around. “There’s . . . . soo much to see, here.”
She wasn’t sure where to start and was thinking, maybe she’d brought a small picnic lunch. After all she wasn’t sure how far she’d get before she became hungry; and without knowing what was safe to eat here. She didn’t like the idea of just randomly trying things that looked like food. After all, if she ate something and it was piousness she’d be up a creek without a cure.
The page walked around the large mushroom first, looking at it and pausing when she noticed that there was a door and windows in it. There was a curious stare before Odainsaker opened the door to the little mushroom and walked inside. “Hello?” She called out to make sure no one was there.
When she was satisfied she walked inside to see what sort of place this was. Inside the mushroom there sat a table and some chairs in the main room. All made of wood, there was something that resembled a crudely made sofa that had clearly seen better days. It had been apparently upholstered with leaves. The page frowned a little as she walked around to inspect the house. There were things that looked like acorns for cups, but they weren’t quite. There were also shells from what appeared to be Nuts, that had been made for bowls, and silverware had all been hand crafted.
“Well, whoever was here, was mighty handy.” She marveled as she walked the room. She noticed there were shelves with books on them and a small staircase that had been built into the wall of the Mushroom. She followed it up to the top, which she hadn’t realized was large enough for a bedroom of sorts. It was an odd looking bedroom, with a few other rooms set up and divided by leaves and stick dividers. Something that clearly doubled as storage and a closest.
The little room was quaint and roomy. The bed had been crafted from what looked like sticks, bark, something that was soft and leaves for sheets and pillows. “I wonder . . . who would live in something like this?”
The page sat on the bed looking around, there was other furniture too. All crafted out of things that had that natural look to it. The desk was made from sticks and bark, there were bedside tables, a coffee table in the center with rocks acting as legs while there was a plank of bark for the top.
She laid on the bed to see how comfortable it was, though the page didn’t find it that thrilling. Nor that horribly comfortable. It was fairly stiff, like the soft squishy material wasn’t even there. However, that was okay the page didn’t come to sleep at least.
There was a chuckle somewhere from the room. Odainsaker shot up and looked around but didn’t see anyone, or anything. Was she dreaming? The page shook her head as she stretched and stood back up moving to look into what she suspected to be the closest area of the room. There were outfits that looked like they were fairly comfortable and largely a warm climate too. A few looked suited for cooler weather. Maybe that meant it didn’t snow here?
The Page was plundering through when she heard a voice again, “That’s not nice.”
When she turned around, Odain noticed there was someone sitting on the bed that hadn’t been there before. Pink skin, pointed ears, silvery hair with a rainbow sheen. “W-who are you?” She asked cautiously before looking around the room, there was no one else . . . and then when she looked back the figure on the bed was gone.
“Oh Great. I’m seeing things.” Odain muttered as she paused to look at some gossamer wings. They were pretty but not quite anything she’d expected to be there. The page shook her head and decided to move on away from the mushroom house. Maybe it was playing tricks on her, it had to be something toxic to see just a random figure sitting there.
Odain was debating which way to head first. There were a lot of other mushrooms on the grounds that looked like little houses too, now that she was looking at them more. Some had smoke stacks as if there were places for chimneys and she wasn’t sure what was up in the trees. The page decided to venture upwards, to see if she could find something interesting above ground level. Since a few places looked like store fronts she thought it might be a good place to try.
As she walked, she got the feeling she was being followed, but couldn’t see anyone. Which was a concern for the page. There wasn’t anyone else here but her; so she shouldn’t be feeling followed right?
When she reached the first store front she looked inside and was surprised to find it looked like an old bakeshop. She cautiously entered to look. All of it looked fairly nice, like the house she’d been in. There wasn’t much damage in terms of anything looked as if it rampaged through.
Thick layers of dust everywhere? Check.
Granted Odainsaker expected thick layers of dust, though if no one had inhabited these worlds and wonders for ages. She also expected frail furniture, after all even primitives end up turning to dust at some point. The furniture here started with little flat top mushroom tables, intricately vine woven chairs scattered among the tables. The case that displayed goods was something that looked similar to glass, maybe a clear resin from the trees? She wasn’t sure. However, the craftsmanship and details that went into all of this was very impressive.
The page couldn’t help but sigh as she stood behind the counter trying to look and see if there was any sort of currency or if it too had disappeared with the sands of time. It was then that the page heard the giggling again before she turned her head to locate the source. There, sitting was the pink lady again, this time when Odain shook her head and looked around however; they didn’t disappear. “Who . . . are you?”
She asked as her Ancestor giggled again. “My, you seem to be very demanding.”
Odain’s brows knitted as she looked at the woman. She was clad very obviously as a Cosmos knight, with long hair tied up in a messy bun, it was still enough down to tell it was silver with a rainbow sheen to it though. “I don’t think that’s very demanding when you sneak up on someone.”
Odain replied watching the woman looking fairly untrusting.
“Child you have much to learn.” Neona stated as she sat there looking at the page who had inherited the Odainsaker name. “It’d do you well to respect your elders.”
The page didn’t know what to say in response to that as she looked around. Shaking her head, she decided this one was hopefully, not much of a threat. More so she also expected that the other would probably follow her as she walked into the back of the bakery.
“What do you expect to find child?”
Odain paused when the other had asked her what she expected to find. “I’m not a child.” Odainsaker replied as disappeared from the room. The back looked about as impressive as the rest of the place. There was a fire place made of stone, tables, bowls larger ones for what she could only assume was large batches of whatever they baked here.
There was a book sitting open on the table and Odainsaker moved to it to start reading it. However, she realized she didn’t understand the words at all. They were in some sort of rune, looking very flowy and flowery in stylistic design. Odainsaker frowned, she’d have to find a code book somewhere if she wanted to understand any of this. However, the pictures were enough for now. Showing very interesting types of food.
“Well, don’t you enjoy giving someone the cold shoulder who could help you?” Neona was just doing her best to annoy the page now. Asking questions, “Do you believe in all of this?”
Odain’s lilac eyes traveled to look at Neona, as if she wasn’t amused by the questions being poised until she realized, that maybe she’d been doing the same to others. Asking questions that were, of interest to her but maybe not to the other party. There was a soft sigh, perhaps she needed to find better subjects to field, figure out what the other side was about. . .
Neona waited, for Odainsaker to answer.
The page finally gave a small grunt that sounded fairly unpleased that she’d been called out. “I . . . it’s difficult to believe in something when there’s so many fairytales.”
Neona looked at the page for a second, clicking her tongue against her teeth before shaking her head, “Child you’ve much to learn.”
“I AM NOT A CHILD!” Odainsaker said again stomping a foot down.
“To me you are. Not to mention you just acted in the same way. Come back when you learn some manners.” Neona said as she started to leave.
Odainsaker paused and looked bewildered at the woman, she was just going to leave. “Well maybe if I knew who you were I wouldn’t act like such a child?”
The page was hoping the half statement, half question would garner some reasonable response at the very least Odain was hoping for something slightly informative. That would give her an inkling of an idea of who she was talking to.
“You don’t get that right, yet child.” Neona said as she disappeared.
Odainsaker gave a frustrated groan as she ran out after the woman. Only to find that Neona had actually disappeared. She didn’t know what to do, so instead of staying the bakery she decided to continue on her explorations. Surely there had to be something. Above the ground there was a place that held a platform, tied between the trees that stairs had spiraled up. It looked like a town center, but why would anyone in their right mind place it this high up? Odainsaker inspected it cautiously and looked around. It seemed still sturdy after all these years. Held up by tree branches intertwined to connect the cluster of trees together.
The area was huge, with what looked like it maybe training grounds. Archery targets were set up, along with other things such as practice dummies. Odainsaker frowned as she looked around the area. The buildings were all around inside the trees for the most part. There were some makeshift tents that were made out of huge leaves. She didn’t understand how those weren’t rotten and returned to soil by now. However, Odain hoped it was because of magic.
Finally, something that could be explained as ‘by magic’. However, the page once again frowned as she studied the area. Maybe she could find something here and not be bothered by the woman that wouldn’t help her?
The page took a few shaky steps hoping that the platform would hold. She wasn't sure how long this had been here nor, if it was strong enough to hold anyone now. However as she stepped out on it, nothing seemed to wiggle nor give or crack. Which was fine with her as she sighed walking out more.
The more Odainsaker looked around the more convinced she was that this was not just a town center with a training ground. The page's face grew into a grin as she started laughing, "Oh my god it's a place for Festivals!!!!" She looked giddy because the more she looked at the surroundings the more she noticed little tents, and places that looked like market stalls for clothing, accessories and foods. Places to hold and corral animals, small stages and of course the town hall and maybe some other museum like structures that from the images on the signs held different subject matters.
She looked excited, the targets looked like they were for archery competitions. There was also something that screamed very strongly of a fashion contest. Though she wasn't sure why a fashion contest would be in the middle of such festivals. However, she could have cared less as she made her way to the archery booth.
Surely she could learn here, though she just had an arrow she was hoping there was a bow somewhere? Maybe . . . though Odain sighed when she found that while there were bows, none of them were in the shape to be drawn and fired from.
This is when Odain sighed and sat down beside the stand looking around. "So what should I look for?" She tilted her head, "I've clearly no bow to shoot an arrow from."
There was a sudden chuckle from Neona, "Well, no bow to shoot an arrow huh? Real pity that is, if only one of these would work~."
Odain's face dropped further into annoyance when she realized whoever this was, was back. "Seriously, who are you? I don't understand why you keep following me and making fun of me."
She ran her hand through her hair as she looked towards the other woman.
Neona finally sighed as she shook her head, "I guess, I might as well. I'm Neona, an Ancestor of the Odainsaker line." The lady shook her head again. "You have to help yourself though for me to help you."
Odain's brow lofted when the woman said she had to help herself first. "So . . ." Odain paused as she thought about this. "Actually, I should probably find my ring. . . ." She seemed to think as she looked around wondering where it'd be found.
She looked up at her ancestor who shrugged softly and looked around. Clearly the woman wasn't going to be any help and Odainsaker sighed as she stood up and looked around the archery booth. "So, you're the former Odainsaker and you don't know where this ring would be at. Some help you are."
"I told you, you have to help yourself first." Neona laughed a little though it sounded deflated compared to the laughter earlier.
Odainsaker shook her head as she started riffling through just about everything she could find to look through. "Would it be in a place I've been or a place I'm yet to go?" She asked looking at Neona who still had no answer for her.
Odain sighed, "What did you lose it?" She muttered as she moved on from the Archery shack to one of the little booths that sold clothing. Which some were far more modest than what she was wearing at the moment. The page didn't seem thrilled with that idea. If only she'd had some of these outfits, heavy cloaks, long sleeves that flowed. There were lots of elements she could've used. Especially for winter in the city. None of this was anything she'd been graced with.
"I hope some of the other Odainsakers fared better than I did with the cosmic tailor." She muttered as she riffled through places around where they were.
Neona just smiled, "I'm sure some of us did. I think it's a nice start though. You could've gotten much worse. . . ."
Odainsaker paused when her Ancestor said she could've gotten much worse. The page thought for a moment and shook her head, "I'll . . . stick with what I have." She replied somewhat on the sullen side of the idea but still.
With each booth she searched she was starting to believe that none of them had what she was looking for. Maybe if she went to one of the museums or the town hall maybe? "So there's a place that looks like it's for some sort of fashion show . . . what's that about?" She asked curiously as she walked turning to find that actually Neona had left her again.
Odainsaker made a small face and a groan. Why was this woman so flighty and constantly able to disappear on her? it made figuring things out so much more difficult.
Odainsaker decided to search the museums first though looking at each exhibit they had placed. All of them were strange and foreign nothing she understood. Though some of the places looked like they housed progressions of weapons and technology, some of the things that were presented Odainsaker would've assumed that they were for torture though she wasn't really sure. "That just doesn't look friendly at all . . ." She whispered to herself.
There were some places with musical instruments and when she'd finally finished touring those areas she found herself standing at the place that she swore held fashion shows. The page decided to explore this as well.
At first it wasn't anything she'd expected. There were cases with what looked like wings hung everywhere show casing them off. Things that resembled news papers were hung through out and pictures of the 'fashion show'. It was really quite fascinating now that she actually got to see what it was about. Though unable to understand the language she wasn't sure what was going on in any of the articles beyond what she could take out of the picture itself.
Neona had appeared sometime between the time Odainsaker had entered into the room and admiring the pictures, playing with something in her own hand and sighed wistfully.
"I remember this one. I really did enjoy the contests. Not because I always won them all, either."
Odainsaker looked at her Ancestor who was giggling, the skin color, ears, hair all of it screams fairy. But there weren't any real wings. Which when Odain looked back at the photos and the decorations around, she began to realize something. "So . . . these are all wings, they look a lot like fairy wings."
The page hadn't noticed at first what was in her ancestors hand. Though it also gained a squint as she debating asking what it was. "These newspapers, are they all about you?"
"Goodness, well I guess you could say we often do offer homage to the fairies. Only good ones. Not the bad ones." She shook her head, "Nawh, they're probably not all about me. If I'm not mistaken most of them are older than I am. There might be one or two clippings around from my winnings."
She stopped to look at the ring in her hand before look back to the page.
Odainsaker had noticed it was a ring. Though she still wasn't sure if she wanted to ask. Instead, she went back to looking at the details in the wings. Most of them resembled what she'd called modern day butterfly wings. Though there was clearly a space motif on all of them in different colors and shades. Though one of the ones that really stood out to her, was the soft hues of the pink, blue and purple wings. "These are really lovely." She said after a few moments of silence.
"Hmm? Oh yeah, they are." Neona said with a smile, "They're from my predecessor. Lovely woman, wish you could've met her."
Odain paused slightly before moving over to Neona, "What is that?"
She asked the question softly pointing at the ring the woman continued to play with. "This isn't the right that I was told about was it? The one that can send letters?"
She saw Neona stop, looking long at the ring. It was obvious that it was a hard question for her ancestor as the woman continued to think about it before slowly sighing and nodding.
" . . . could I . . . have it?" She said asked cautiously wondering if the woman would disappear on her again. with such a request being asked of her.
Neona was providing some obvious resistance to Odainsaker. As she continued to hold and fiddle with the ring a little before finally sighing, "I suppose it is your right to hold and carry on the torch. To do that I'm sure this would be helpful."
Odainsaker smiled softly as she offered out a hand to take the ring with. Though Neona didn't offer to move in a way of simply handing it to the page.
Odainsaker sighed, this was perhaps the hardest part, getting someone or something to break up with another thing. Which was obviously pretty important to them too.
"Well . . . if I want to help myself. . . it would . . . be useful to have. . . a way to contact others right?"
"Only if you promise me one thing" Neona said suddenly causing Odainsaker to jump and then slowly nod in agreement.
"If you'll bring back life to this wonder, and even a show of wings? I'll entrust this to you."
Odainsaker paused as she looked at Neona, "Show of wings?"
She looked around the room, "Ohh you mean like what's on the wall?"
There was a nod from Neona before Odain grinned, "Of course! I'll do my best to make this place not only live and thrive again, but a place for people to come and enjoy festivities and have a fashi - - er, show of wings."
There was a long pause, "Uh . . . though I might need help with the later of the deal. I'm not sure what all goes into a show of wings."
Neona watched Odain for a few moments before nodding softly, "Then Child, if you're willing to do that; and not going to let me down. I'll bestow upon you the ring."
There was a pause, "I can help some with the show of wings, but I can't give you all of answers you seek. You must find them on your own." With that Neona grabbed Odain's hands into hers before choosing to slip the ring on to the page's hand. "You must promise me, you won't ever lose that ring."
"I promise!"
