Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 20:45:05 GMT -5
Kashan had had enough of taverns and enough of markets for the moment. She was hot and tired. So it was that she'd found herself napping under a shade tree beside Ardenbau lake, just a bit out of range of all the hustle and bustle of Edarin's largest and most prominent city. Now that she was awake again, and Nanai was glaring at her own reflection in the ripply lake surface before getting scared, running away, and then sneaking back as if she could outwit her more ripply self, the deus turned her attention to her pack.
She'd found a few things today--nothing anyone would miss--an old bottle, a few beads from a broken necklace of different shapes and sizes, two buttons from a double-breasted jacket, and a strip of cloth that probably used to be someone's hair tie.
She adjusted her hat and sorted out the items on the grass between her legs--knees pointing upward and toes curling, ankles flexing. 'Let's see...' she mused, rolling a red glass bead about in the grass, then pulling out her compass again and opening it back up. "I think I may need more parts to think of something good..." she mused aloud, lips pulling into a faint pout. "And more training... "
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 18, 2006 21:14:16 GMT -5
The city gave him a headache. For the greater part of the day he'd wandered down cobblestone rivers that only led to further deltas of commerce - it was marketplace after corner stand after back-alley merchant. It wasn't really the noise that bothered him... there was something else, like sad background music or a subtle current of electricity, similar to that you get when you touch certain fish. The sensation was wholly unpleasant, and he only wanted to get away from the machinations of sorcerers and enchanters. He felt sick, and needed fresh air.
Like a ghost given form, Nairi drifted towards the lake. Confused looks followed him for most of the journey, but he hardly even noticed the silent questions behind them. Was he lost? Was he a tourist too proud to ask directions? Maybe he was on drugs? All were viable explanations, but all were proven false as a focus came into his eyes that would've been impossible under any of the aforementioned circumstances. They settled on the creature that dwelled in the shade he'd been moving toward, intensely curious about what manner of person wore such heavy garments on a hot day like this. He approached with a brazen stride, apparently not too worried about encroaching on a stranger and the territory they had claimed for themselves.
Right now, he seemed more interested in the cloth nestled in the grass than whether or not the woman wanted him there. After a moment of staring blankly, he placed his gaze directly on her. "Can I have that?" It was a forward question to ask of someone you've never met before, and he didn't seem inclined to explain himself.
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 21:26:24 GMT -5
Kashan had been lost in her thoughts, and so it was that she, rather gracelessly, nearly jumped out of her skin--and her scales too--when a voice suddenly asked her for...that. What was that, precisely? She had no idea. There were at least half a dozen small items strewn out in front of her. She tilted her head slightly to get a look at who was approacing her, and for an instant one blood red eye was visible under the wide brim of her hat before she frowned and looked back down at the items in front of her.
"Have what precisely?" she asked in that tone she had that really was lower than a normal person's. Her shoulders had tensed and she determined it was probably wiser to give him whatever he wanted to make him go away. But what if she gave it to him and found that she needed it later? Ah, that was a dilemma...her fingers instinctively flexed as she tried to come up with the answer to that little quandry. "And what do you need whatever it is for?" she added in. Maybe he didn't really need what he thought he needed at all, but something else, or only a part of it. Ah but she didn't even know what he needed at all yet, and all the questions made her mind spin for an instant before she instinctively lifted a silk-white hand to tilt her hat a bit further forward, in hopes of avoiding any particular notice.
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 18, 2006 21:33:39 GMT -5
She was a strange girl, alright. Much stranger than Nairi could ever hope to be - the outfit itself was enough. An amused look spread over his features, but as lighthearted as such expressions were meant to be, it was always hard to tell with him. Was he smiling because he found situation humorous, or was it because he wanted to do violent things to this stranger? He certainly didn't have the proper command of words to cast aside such doubts.
"That," he said, extending a slender finger toward the small strip of cloth. To make sure she wasn't confused, he crouched down on his haunches, probably more than close enough to make her uncomfortable as he once again indicated it. "It's hot out here. It would be nice to have something to pull my hair back with." Really, it was simple as that. No threats of "I want to strangle you with it" followed by maddening laughter. "...Please?" He raised the thin brow of his one visible eye.
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 21:47:30 GMT -5
Yes, there it was again, the tension in her shoulders and the way she leaned ever so slightly to the side and AWAY from the stranger. Why did people approach her at all? she didn't understand that one bit. On the one hand, most people made sure to pass on the opposite side of the street--on the other, there was always one weirdo who apparently didn't think her weird enough to avoid.
Pale hands quickly tried to collect up her items and in her haste she accidentally crushed one of the beads. She brushed her hand off on her pants, put the bottle in her bag, and shuffled away, gesturing that he could take it. She could find another strip of cloth later. Right now it was better that he just take it and...and...
...and go somewhere else. Quickly. Before he noticed that she was, well...not entirely human.
Out of nervous habit she adjusted her hat again.
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 18, 2006 21:59:35 GMT -5
He'd never met such a suspicious person in his life. Dressed entirely in heavy black on a hot day, herding over precious trinkets (probably stolen) and looking oh-so-guilty. That aforementioned eye, colored appropriately like the sun, narrowed as she shuffled away. "I'm not going to take it without permission. Do you think me a fool, madam?" With his wild look, unconventional clothing and rather sharp weapon (that didn't look anything forged around here), he still couldn't figure out why she was retreating from him. Except... if she had something to hide.
"You're trying to trick me, aren't you? You knew that it would be hot out today... knew that I would come by. Used your divining magic, did you? Then you placed a spell on the piece of cloth. I'm not that stupid, and I don't appreciate being taken advantage of..." He growled softly under his breath, starting to get on his hands and knees - did he mean to pursue her. "Only a fiend would try to have me take something without permission."
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 22:08:26 GMT -5
Kashan opened her mouth, and closed it. Was he completely insane?! Probably, she decided. But more than that he was...aggravating.
"Trick you? Trick you? I just woke up from a nap, was lost in thought and then some...some MANIAC randomly accosts me for a hair tie and then decides I was plotting it all along," she huffed a little. "I may be a loner but I'm not desparate. And diviners can't cast spells on objects, idiot, unless you think my cat is really my apprentice, an illusionist, I'm sure, who's only pretending to be a cat..." she ranted a little before saying. "I'm a mechanic you lunatic. Just take the blasted hair tie and go be all crazy somewhere else. It's too hot and whatever's wrong with your brain might be contagious."
She pouted. In fact, her lips looked oddly cute when she pouted. The rest of her face? Who knows. The shadow the hat cast across her features was too deep.
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 18, 2006 22:18:31 GMT -5
Actually, now that he thought about it... she was right, wasn't she? Cats couldn't use magic. At least not the ones he'd encountered in the city. Maybe he was taking this whole thing too far. He cast one more dirty look at her - for good measure, that's all - and then sat back, seemingly calm again.
"You'll have to forgive me... it's warmer out than I thought. Sometimes it makes me a little high-strung. That's why I needed a hair tie, you see..." He turned his gaze upon the length of cloth, feeling terrible about putting this innocent - if oddly dressed - woman through all of that. "Even though your outfit confuses me, I shouldn't be so mistrustful of you without reason." It was quite pleasant here in the shade, he thought, and it honestly looked like the young man had totally forgotten about what they were just doing. "I didn't mean to frighten you. What a terrible first impression to make. Will you hear my apology, madam?" He was frowning sincerely now.
... Oh, and her pout was extremely cute.
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 22:30:58 GMT -5
Kashan blinked. What the...? Maybe it was best not to antagonize the obviously insane. She DID scooch just a bit further away though. "I just...prefer this kind of clothing," she answered tentatively, feeling like any comment might send him on another bout of maniachal behavior. She should just tell him it was to hide some scars, or something, but then this guy might ask to see them, and well, they weren't acutally scars, persay...
Ahem, anyway... she wondered if she should leave, and decided he would probably get insulted and start chasing after her like some homicidal madman, or something, so she stayed put, though her posture remained tense and uncertain.
Unconsciously she licked her lips to moisten them. She always got really thirsty on hot days, but the water in her wineskin wasn't very cool, and the lake, while right there...would require getting up and who knew what he would do if she did that... "Ah, it's okay, really...you don't have to go into some drawn out thing over it..."
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 18, 2006 22:44:21 GMT -5
He knew that tone of voice all too well. Damn it... he'd done it again. Why did it always happen to him? Wandering aimlessly would probably be a lot more entertaining with someone else, but he always botched the whole "not scaring them away" part. His expression became thoughtful and then a bit saddened afterwards, watching the frightened girl.
"I know what you're thinking... but I'm not crazy. Really." He exhaled a quiet sigh, brushing his hair back with a slender hand. A futile gesture - it just fell right back into place. "I'm just uncertain sometimes. No offense, madam, but you're not exactly inconspicuous either. Surely you know the feeling." Always observant even when it appeared that he was just spacing out, he noticed her attempts to wet her lips even if she didn't. He turned for a moment, opened the flap to the bag he carried, and produced a wineskin that was quite full from the sound of it. "This should still be cold. We could make a trade, perhaps? Water for the hair tie... and the promise that you'll forget how I made a fool of myself before?" He smiled - meek and optimistic.
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 18, 2006 22:57:29 GMT -5
Kashan had half a mind to tell the man to prove it. But then, Kashan had 'half' of a lot of things. Her shoulders slumped a bit farther and she found herself grasping her ankles--a childish habit she never grew out of that she'd often assumed as a small girl when she'd been caught doing something wrong--which if her mother was any sign--had been most anything.
Again that little pout tugged at her lips, as if him reading her so well had really put her out but she wasn't going to admit defeat by saying so. "I'm just a little peculiar," she said at last. "I don't go around scaring people witless and then accusing them of casting spells on me."
She seemed willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment, but mostly because he offered her cool water to drink. She wondered if she should check for poison, but seeing as she wouldn't know what to check for anyway she figured a little trust could work both ways...maybe.
"And don't call me madam, it makes me feel old." Okay, so she was kind of...middle-aged by human standards, though she didn't look a day over twenty-four. That wasn't the point. "I guess you can call me by my name." She paused as if trying to judge how wise it was to give him such and took a sip of the water to buy time. Ah, it was still cool, that felt nice going down. "It's...Kashan," she said slowly, handing the wineskin back. "Just Kashan, no more, no less."
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 19, 2006 0:36:14 GMT -5
"Just a little peculiar..." Nairi chuckled, taking a moment to get comfortable before leaning back on his hands to observe her. "What does that make me, then? A lot peculiar?" There was something intriguing about the girl - something that no ordinary being he'd come across so far possessed. Maybe there was more to that outfit than she was letting on...
"I take it you accept the trade, then? I suppose it would've put your mind to ease if I had tasted it first, but I hope you find some relief in knowing that it wasn't necessary. I've never intentionally harmed anyone... except in self-defense, of course." He offered another one of those timid smiles as he raised the strap of his blade over his head, removing it from his back and setting it aside. "Kashan it is... Kashan the mechanic, dressed in black. How very curious. Since you seem to have no interest in long names, you can call me Nairi."
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 19, 2006 6:38:04 GMT -5
Kashan startled a bit--her mind had wandered off to cool water and wouldn't it be wonderful if she could someday devise a way of keeping it cool? Ah, but she just didn't have the expertise for that right now. She certainly hoped no one got to it before her because she was sure it would be a wonderful invention...someday. If they could make water run into your house by the simple turning of a knob, then surely there must be a way of keeping it cool once it got there.
Huh? Oh! "A lot peculiar indeed," she chastized a bit. "More like a little out of your mind." It was just a slightly huffy comment for the grief he'd put her through earlier and not meant to instigate another fight as her lips pulled into another slight pout across her pale features.
"...I like black," she protested. "It matches my hair." She knew she didn't need to pursue the subject of her clothes further, but now he was just being difficult, calling her curious and bringing up her clothes again. She was a little less tense, but only because he was on her 'good side'. If the light reflected on her profile all he would see would be a smooth, pale cheek and maybe one blood-colored eye. If he were to her left, where the hat tilted more deeply over her features, she would probably be a bit more edgy.
The cat yelped and hissed a bit, shaking out its little black head which had finally been submerged from its game with its reflection and ran over to Kashan as if begging redemption against the evil cat in the water who'd gotten her wet. "Meeeww?"
Kashan actually giggled slightly, her lips pulling ever-so-faintly into a soft smile. "You dummy," she told the cat, smoothing out some of the wet, ruffled hair. "Sit in the sun. You'll dry faster." She didn't expect the cat to undestand--after all, she was only a cat, but... "...and this is Nanai," she informed Nairi. "Your names are a little similiar, I think. Maybe you were a cat in a previous life." It was a trivial, pointless thing to say, she supposed, considering she was the one who always acted so skiddish, as if ready to bolt at any moment, but Kashan kind of hoped the man wouldn't call her on it.
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Nairi
Novice
Fey-Touched
Posts: 60
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Post by Nairi on Dec 19, 2006 11:11:22 GMT -5
"You probably think I'm trying to instigate things again... I'm just trying to help. I swear that I can almost hear you cooking in that coat. I'm not sure how you do it, but if you want to stay inside that thing, I commend your dedication to fashion." Nairi took his own share from the wineskin, setting it between them afterwards so that each could easily reach if it desired. Water was a small price to pay for a shade tree the size of this one, and the company wasn't bad either... even if it could've been a lot better. Stupid... whatever, always scaring people and what not...
His interest seemed piqued by the cat, not at all surprised that it shared the same color scheme as the master (on the outside, anyway). Curious to see if it was just as untrusting of strangers that behave in bizarre manners, he extended his hand towards it, hoping it would draw it closer. It'd been a long time since he'd been able to hold a feline in his lap, and it would be nice. "Names don't really mean anything," he muttered without looking up at Kashan; he seemed focused on the animal. "But thanks anyway. What were you in a previous life, I wonder?"
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Kashan
Novice
You Can't Fix a Life.
Posts: 61
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Post by Kashan on Dec 19, 2006 11:42:52 GMT -5
Again that cute little pout tugged down the corners of Kashan's lips. She wasn't used to people teasing her and decided she didn't much care for it. "I'm fine this way," she answered. "It's just a jacket. It's not like I wouldn't need a cloak in the winter just like everyone else." Except it wasn't the winter, and she WAS sitting under a shade tree which would make one think she appreciated the cool breeze as much as anyone--as long as it didn't pick up and blow her hat off, of course.
"Names mean more than we like to think," she returned, also muttering a bit. "At least to the people who give them to us."
Nanai peeked at Nairi from under Kashan's leg, squirming along on her belly for a long moment before suddenly deciding, crazy or not, Nairi wasn't a bad person, and pouncing at said hand, as if assuming he wanted to play.
"Nanai!" Kashan protested, taken aback a little. "Ah, you see, she's not really all grown up yet...she's only about a year old and still gets all...playful sometimes...yell at her if she bites you. As for past lives...the only thing that really matters is the one I'm living right now in the end."
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