From the thread...
Pukio
Morris was being unmanageable. He kept talking about the sheets on the bed, for Maladine's sake. Even outside, in the relative good weather given what she assumed was an otherwise grim and dreary season for the worls, Onora could swear she could still hear the man's voice. Grumbling.
'What's this? Cotton. It must be cotton. Lord Calmry's name, how the hell do they get the weave so tight? It's horrible. Itchy. I can't believe we're sleeping in this.'
Onora sat just outside the large 'cottage,' let her forehead fall to where she'd drawn up her knees. She pressed her fingers into her temples and rubbed. At this rate, she was truly going to take the man's head from his shoulders - and what kind of impression would that make on her new kin?
And it wasn't as if there hadn't been plenty to distract herself with. Great windows made of real glass and doors which moved under the lightest touch rather than the heave of one's shoulders. Different weather, different sky, different Matches in a day - Onora had yet to see a proper Matchcandle in this place. How on earth did they tell their time? It was all more than enough to be ample distraction from Morris' grumbling. And yet, here she found herself, sitting outdoors to avoid him.
Sighing, the teen lifted her head from her knees and squint across the yard at which point she immediately caught sight of the little girl heading in her direction. Onora stiffened, sat up slightly straighter, quickly took into account the little girl's appearance.
Definitely one of Them.
'What's this? Cotton. It must be cotton. Lord Calmry's name, how the hell do they get the weave so tight? It's horrible. Itchy. I can't believe we're sleeping in this.'
Onora sat just outside the large 'cottage,' let her forehead fall to where she'd drawn up her knees. She pressed her fingers into her temples and rubbed. At this rate, she was truly going to take the man's head from his shoulders - and what kind of impression would that make on her new kin?
And it wasn't as if there hadn't been plenty to distract herself with. Great windows made of real glass and doors which moved under the lightest touch rather than the heave of one's shoulders. Different weather, different sky, different Matches in a day - Onora had yet to see a proper Matchcandle in this place. How on earth did they tell their time? It was all more than enough to be ample distraction from Morris' grumbling. And yet, here she found herself, sitting outdoors to avoid him.
Sighing, the teen lifted her head from her knees and squint across the yard at which point she immediately caught sight of the little girl heading in her direction. Onora stiffened, sat up slightly straighter, quickly took into account the little girl's appearance.
Definitely one of Them.
Nimaina Sekan
Seung was too absorbed in her game to notice the teen. When she got nearly to the front door she finally saw her and did a double-take. The older girl looked completely normal, but Seung recognized her as Fa'e. It seemed really weird, the teen didn't have any extra anythings or different colors like the other Fa'e she'd met.
"Anyong!" Seung said brightly after a moment to get over her surprise. "What's your name, are you waiting for somethin' or just out 'cause it's nice, it's alot better with less snow right?" she asked in one long breath. She paused to catch her breath, finally giving the teen a chance to say something.
"Anyong!" Seung said brightly after a moment to get over her surprise. "What's your name, are you waiting for somethin' or just out 'cause it's nice, it's alot better with less snow right?" she asked in one long breath. She paused to catch her breath, finally giving the teen a chance to say something.
Pukio
Onora blinked, settling back onto her haunches as if the long expelling of breath and words streaming from the little girl's mouth had knocked her back an inch or two by sheer force and speed of delivery. It took a moment, therefore, for Onora to hastily cobble her wits together again once the girl had finished speaking. Luckily, she managed to gather her thoughts and hurtle over her initial surprise fast enough that the little one didn't start spouting words again as compensation for the teen's silence. Clearing her throat a little, Onora compulsively tucked a strand of bright red hair behind her ear, briefly considering standing up before deciding against it as this girl was really quite small and they were really rather close to eye level as it was.
"Onora Morrison," she answered compulsively, hesitating and then clarifying a bit. "That's my name." What was she out here for? Avoidance, but she wasn't about to tell some little girl that. Instead, Onora smiled a little awkwardly as if she was unused to using the particular expression. "I like being outside," she explained in a somewhat roundabout fashion, not exactly choosing either option the other Fa'e had laid out.
"Onora Morrison," she answered compulsively, hesitating and then clarifying a bit. "That's my name." What was she out here for? Avoidance, but she wasn't about to tell some little girl that. Instead, Onora smiled a little awkwardly as if she was unused to using the particular expression. "I like being outside," she explained in a somewhat roundabout fashion, not exactly choosing either option the other Fa'e had laid out.
Nimaina Sekan
"Nice to meet you!" Seung trilled, as if reciting it by rote. "I'm Seung, you've got a long name, can call you something a little shorter?" She settled down a couple feet away from Onora. "You just like to sit outside?" Seung tilted her head so that ir rested on her knees and she looked up at the teen from a slightly sideways angle. "Seems kinda boring just sitting."
Pukio
Despite herself, Onora could feel her mouth twitching up farther in the corners, a proper smile. She bit her lip, the inside of her cheek, made herself stop grinning like a half-wit. "Onora, just Onora, is fine." She paused a moment, tinkering inwardly with the possibilities... "It is a little boring, but better than being stuffed up indoors all day."
Her attention strayed briefly to the large toy animal Seung held, slung up against her shoulder almost like a baby doll rather than the large fish it actually was. "Seung is a very pretty named," Onora remarked, settling her chin on her upturned palm. "Does your friend have a name?" She motioned toward the stuffed animal, rather tempted to touch it. It was very bright and colorful - shiny, just like a real fish...
Her attention strayed briefly to the large toy animal Seung held, slung up against her shoulder almost like a baby doll rather than the large fish it actually was. "Seung is a very pretty named," Onora remarked, settling her chin on her upturned palm. "Does your friend have a name?" She motioned toward the stuffed animal, rather tempted to touch it. It was very bright and colorful - shiny, just like a real fish...
Nimaina Sekan
Seung huffed a sigh of relief. "Much easier." After all, there were less syllables for her to mangle. "Well, I'm here, so won't be boring anymore?" she said with a grin.
"Ye, this is Mishy! Mishy's my friend, but he doesn't talk at all, just looks cute and cuddles." She demonstrated by giving the doll a hug.
"Ye, this is Mishy! Mishy's my friend, but he doesn't talk at all, just looks cute and cuddles." She demonstrated by giving the doll a hug.
Pukio
"Cuddles, eh? Well then, he must be a very good friend indeed. In that case, you should be careful to take very good care of him. Not too many friends are good at looking cute and cuddling. --Oh goodness." Onora's attention dropped suddenly to the state of Seung's attire, her features coloring with pleasure. She rather thoughtlessly reached out, catching the tie on the little girl's hanbok, turning it over in her hands as she studied the fabric, and then let her attention stray to the hem of the skirt and the embroidery there.
"Who did your embroidery? It's very, very good. And in this kind of fabric... It must have been very expensive for your momma." Lords, it was just beautiful. Such lovely colors, and the embroidery had clearly done by an extremely deft hand. Onora shoved up to her feet, skittering around Seung to get a look at the back of the hanbok, stooping slightly to get a good look at how it tied together, following the little designs on the fabric, puzzling out what kind of needle must have been used, how long it must have taken...
And it was probably a good thing that Seung was as young as she was; the sudden invasion of one's 'personal bubble' probably would have been a little odd to anyone else. And just as clearly, it was obvious Onora thought absolutely nothing of it, getting right up close to examine the embroidery or a hem, nodding appreciatively at various clever turns of a stitch here or there. "My aunt would have a right heart attack if she could see this," Onora remarked cheerfully. "You'll have to ask your momma who the seamstress was." If nothing else, it was a relief to know there was someone in this world with good taste in fabric and design. Onora had started to wonder.
"Who did your embroidery? It's very, very good. And in this kind of fabric... It must have been very expensive for your momma." Lords, it was just beautiful. Such lovely colors, and the embroidery had clearly done by an extremely deft hand. Onora shoved up to her feet, skittering around Seung to get a look at the back of the hanbok, stooping slightly to get a good look at how it tied together, following the little designs on the fabric, puzzling out what kind of needle must have been used, how long it must have taken...
And it was probably a good thing that Seung was as young as she was; the sudden invasion of one's 'personal bubble' probably would have been a little odd to anyone else. And just as clearly, it was obvious Onora thought absolutely nothing of it, getting right up close to examine the embroidery or a hem, nodding appreciatively at various clever turns of a stitch here or there. "My aunt would have a right heart attack if she could see this," Onora remarked cheerfully. "You'll have to ask your momma who the seamstress was." If nothing else, it was a relief to know there was someone in this world with good taste in fabric and design. Onora had started to wonder.
Nimaina Sekan
"Ye, Mishy's gonna be around always. Onora have a frie...." Seung's voice trailed off as Onora inspected her clothing. She was quite used to having people admire her or her clothes, just from a distance. No one ever came up to touch her like that.
She shifted her feet uneasily. "I dunno. Went shopping and pick out lotsa pretty cloth and got measured all over and then they made it! Oma said costs an arm and leg, but I still got alot. Oh!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Remember where it was! I think." The girl scrunched up her face and padded around in a circle.
"That way!" She pointed desicively in a direction close to the way she came. "Pretty sure. I can show you! Long walk though, wanna go?"
She shifted her feet uneasily. "I dunno. Went shopping and pick out lotsa pretty cloth and got measured all over and then they made it! Oma said costs an arm and leg, but I still got alot. Oh!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Remember where it was! I think." The girl scrunched up her face and padded around in a circle.
"That way!" She pointed desicively in a direction close to the way she came. "Pretty sure. I can show you! Long walk though, wanna go?"
Pukio
Straightening, Onora glanced in the indicated direction. Apparently she hadn't noticed the mild discomfort her personal-space invasion might have caused the younger girl. At home, there would be nothing made of it - girls chattered on and on, did whatever they pleased with whoever. Men might be wary of keeping an arm's distance between themselves and another person, but Onora had met very few women who had ever cared one way or another - and certainly no children; the thought that anyone might care so totally foreign, Onora had little in the way to identify the reason for Seung's shifting. Thus, she took it was simple childish fidgeting and had gone on her merry way until the younger girl jumped around and set off into an explanation about the origin of the dress.
"A long walk, eh?" She looked askance at Seung and Mishy, briefly over her shoulder to the house. Morris would be all out of sorts if he felt she was missing or lost.
'Wo we'll hurry,' Onora told herself, offering her hand out to Seung congenially. "Alright, we can go." Honestly, how long could 'long' be here?
"A long walk, eh?" She looked askance at Seung and Mishy, briefly over her shoulder to the house. Morris would be all out of sorts if he felt she was missing or lost.
'Wo we'll hurry,' Onora told herself, offering her hand out to Seung congenially. "Alright, we can go." Honestly, how long could 'long' be here?
Nimaina Sekan
"Yay!" Seung grabbed onto the offered hand and tugged Onora in the right direction. Oma wouldn't be mad about her going out anywhere else, right? After all, she had an adult with her. Or someone close to it.
"We can look other places too. Haven't been shopping cause no one wants to take me." She paused at the sidewalk, looking both ways as she tried to think of the best way to go. "Itchogoru, this way."
"We can look other places too. Haven't been shopping cause no one wants to take me." She paused at the sidewalk, looking both ways as she tried to think of the best way to go. "Itchogoru, this way."
Pukio
Shopping. Even if it was on the hand of a rather young girl who seemed to rely predominantly on the company of a stuffed fish, the possibility of skittering around looking at fine clothes and who-knew-what else was exciting, and something she hadn't thought of as remotely possible up until Seung began to drag her away. Onora had spent much of her time in the last few days acquainting herself with the Fa'e headquarters themselves, particularly the indoors and only marginally with the orchards and the woods that lay behind the hill. She hadn't wandered far enough to the lane though, hadn't thought about following the path, and hadn't considered the possibility that it might lead somewhere with shops. The last time she'd seen a proper shopping district had been...
Clutching Seung's hand, Onora followed the little girl's directions all too happily. Something that wouldn't worry Morris - she could come back with all sorts of wonderful things for him; certainly that would make him feel a good deal better about this new place. Onora rather suspected that all he needed was something that was his own and not, in fact, borrowed or handed to him.
Clutching Seung's hand, Onora followed the little girl's directions all too happily. Something that wouldn't worry Morris - she could come back with all sorts of wonderful things for him; certainly that would make him feel a good deal better about this new place. Onora rather suspected that all he needed was something that was his own and not, in fact, borrowed or handed to him.
Nimaina Sekan
Seung led the teen confidently down the path. She was more than a little unsure about the direction she was going. When shopping with Nima, they normally didn't stop at the HQ before heading out. She wasn't about to let Onora onto that fact though.
"I think we went the wrong way," she said to herself in Korean after about fifteen minutes, fairly certain that Onora wouldn't be able to understand her. The path took a turn and merged into a street Seung knew she recognized. She beamed proudly and looked around with obvious glee. People! This end of the street had only a few straggling shoppers, but further in the street became more packed.
It wasn't exactly where Seung had hoped to end up, but they were only a couple of blocks from the asian market area. "Almost there! Adashi works near here, but it's way that way," she pointed with Mishy to her right. "And we need to go that way." She swung the plushie in the other direction, thumping Onora in the arm with it.
"I think we went the wrong way," she said to herself in Korean after about fifteen minutes, fairly certain that Onora wouldn't be able to understand her. The path took a turn and merged into a street Seung knew she recognized. She beamed proudly and looked around with obvious glee. People! This end of the street had only a few straggling shoppers, but further in the street became more packed.
It wasn't exactly where Seung had hoped to end up, but they were only a couple of blocks from the asian market area. "Almost there! Adashi works near here, but it's way that way," she pointed with Mishy to her right. "And we need to go that way." She swung the plushie in the other direction, thumping Onora in the arm with it.
Pukio
And even if they were going the wrong way, Onora was too busy staring to care one way or another than Seung might, in fact, possibly just maybe and perhaps, be leading her on a wild goose chase. Because their were people, so many people, and buildings with just as many glass windows as the Lady Airi's home, painted just as brightly. All the roofs were slate or tile or shingles, no thatch in sight. The streets yawned, wide and open and sunny, smelling clean even with the number of people. No horses, Onora identified numbly, eying the large mechanical carriages that ambled past in the middle of the street. And there was noise, so much noise.
She'd been to proper city when she was young. Morris and her uncle had needed something, needed to speak with someone important. She had spent the entirety of the trip in the small apartment, reading a very large book and playing with her aunt's cat. She still had the scars on her hand.
And that city - it was bigger than this, she knew it had been, but on an utterly different scale. Furthermore, that visit had been so long ago. Onora tightened her grip on Seung's hand a little compulsively, looking down as she slowly registered what the younger girl was saying.
"That way?" she echoed a little absently, overwhelmed as she turned in the indicated direction, looking across the street. "Then...then I suppose that way it is." Onora stepped up to the curb expectantly, eying the mechanical contraptions as they whizzed by, waiting for a space.
"One, two, three!" she declared, promptly stepping off the curb and pulling Seung along with her, darting across the street and nearly getting them both killed at least twice in the process.
She'd been to proper city when she was young. Morris and her uncle had needed something, needed to speak with someone important. She had spent the entirety of the trip in the small apartment, reading a very large book and playing with her aunt's cat. She still had the scars on her hand.
And that city - it was bigger than this, she knew it had been, but on an utterly different scale. Furthermore, that visit had been so long ago. Onora tightened her grip on Seung's hand a little compulsively, looking down as she slowly registered what the younger girl was saying.
"That way?" she echoed a little absently, overwhelmed as she turned in the indicated direction, looking across the street. "Then...then I suppose that way it is." Onora stepped up to the curb expectantly, eying the mechanical contraptions as they whizzed by, waiting for a space.
"One, two, three!" she declared, promptly stepping off the curb and pulling Seung along with her, darting across the street and nearly getting them both killed at least twice in the process.
Nimaina Sekan
Suddenly Seung was the one being pulled along. Cars on all side honked loudly. "Watch where yer goin! Crazy kids!" one driver yelled at them from his window. Seung blew a raspberry at him and yelled back, "Meanie!"
She looked up at the teen, noticing the older girls expression. "More walking, less looking! Don't go shopping much?"
She looked up at the teen, noticing the older girls expression. "More walking, less looking! Don't go shopping much?"
Pukio
Safely arriving on the opposite curb (relatively speaking anyway), Onora glanced back at the road, giving the vehicles looks of ample consideration before Seung's comments cut through her thoughts, whipping her back into the present and reminding her that they were, in fact, supposed to be walking somewhere and not gawking. Flushing, Onora immediately set off in the proper direction at a respectable, almost too-quick pace.
"I--" How to explain it to the little girl? Gypsy wagons, men with long beards who peddled glass and toys, salt and fruit and panacea from the four corners of the earth, or at least said they did. Tall grass and the smell of horses, spring, autumn, summer. They traveled in great circles, a season as shifts in weather. Amazing, the things you could find in the back of a peddlers cart.
"No," Onora said. "Not much."
"I--" How to explain it to the little girl? Gypsy wagons, men with long beards who peddled glass and toys, salt and fruit and panacea from the four corners of the earth, or at least said they did. Tall grass and the smell of horses, spring, autumn, summer. They traveled in great circles, a season as shifts in weather. Amazing, the things you could find in the back of a peddlers cart.
"No," Onora said. "Not much."
Nimaina Sekan
"You need to go out more then. Then everything won't look so weird." Seung hurried to follow after her. "Slow down!" the girl complained. She was a good deal shorter and she struggled to keep up. "Can't show you if you don't slow down!"
Pukio
Come to think of it, she was dragging Seung along. Onora lapsed back into a normal stride, offering the younger Fa'e an apologetic glance, quickly checking over Seung's shoulder as if paranoid she might have disengaged the little girl's arm from it's socket. Children were so damned delicate half the time... "Ah, right. I'm sorry." There was just so much to get used to. Too fast, not fast enough. Look, but keep walking; don't gawk, try not to get run over.
It all made her head hurt, a dull pang that crept up behind her eyes and lurked there. Onora rubbed the back of her neck unconsciously with her free hand.
Apparently, in the time that they'd been booking it down the sidewalk, they seemed to have gotten closer to their final destination. In the very least, things in the stores had started to take on the distinct style of Seung's dress. Sharp, rigid cuts in odd fabrics had given way to a menagerie of colors and delicate brocade, intricate embroidery and yards and yards of fabric. Onora stalled out slightly, lingering by one of the windows that housed a good deal of delicate little shoes in an assortment of colors. "Are we almost there?"
It all made her head hurt, a dull pang that crept up behind her eyes and lurked there. Onora rubbed the back of her neck unconsciously with her free hand.
Apparently, in the time that they'd been booking it down the sidewalk, they seemed to have gotten closer to their final destination. In the very least, things in the stores had started to take on the distinct style of Seung's dress. Sharp, rigid cuts in odd fabrics had given way to a menagerie of colors and delicate brocade, intricate embroidery and yards and yards of fabric. Onora stalled out slightly, lingering by one of the windows that housed a good deal of delicate little shoes in an assortment of colors. "Are we almost there?"
