Re: Hunting Through Keliac - 119 4A

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:47 am

"Last time I was through there, the bridge was out," Kyrie chuckled.

"It was up when I was last there, twenty years ago," Makaela put in.

"Good, no swimming," Kaito said dryly.

Shiro just chuckled.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:06 pm

"Anything can happen in twenty years, we could still swim," Holly pointed out with a slight smile.

Because she liked to swim, unlike Kaito. She was slowly getting Shiro there though, which was fun.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:12 pm

"Or you could swim even if there is a bridge," Kyrie pointed out.

"Or, here's a thought," Shiro added, his red eyes glowing brightly with amusement, "you could fly. Your wings are pretty much as big as you are tall."

He raised his hands defensively as Kaito's massive wings shot out and just about pushed Shiro over. They were powerful, even if he didn't use them as much as he might.

"And if someone were to get the idea into their head that they might give you a bit of a nudge off the bridge," Kyrie added, her expression completely innocent, "you would probably only have a second or two to make the decision of which you're going to do."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:41 pm

Holly giggled, "If Kaito is quick enough, he'll always choose to fly."

She understood why Kaito didn't like water, he was just allowed to be too cat like unfortunately.

"Anyways," Lin spoke up with a chuckle, "This sounds like a much easier traveling trip than we've had since we got here. Let's enjoy the walk."

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 06, 2016 11:04 pm

"And the weather, while it lasts," Makaela added, looking up at the sky. "It will probably rain in the next day or two."

There were no clouds in sight, but the humidity was higher than it had been back in the western area of the country.

Sure enough, that night it did rain, and in a downpour so sudden and so heavy that it took them by surprise and it took them a bit more effort to get the tent set up, but it did mean that Lashrael was happy to prepare a large pot full of steaming, creamy hot chocolate, and a second pot of dark coffee.

When morning came, the rain had stopped, and they set out once more. A number of the group stayed inside this time - some for reasons of extreme heat or humidity (like Daenis, and Mailon stayed in with her), some because they weren't feeling up to the walk (like Iorlas, who was experiencing some morning sickness).

"Just a reminder," Wren spoke up as they walked, "most of you are going to have to be disguised before we reach the town."

"Or even when we get close," Makaela added. "If you're seen as you are, it will cause problems."

by **Kara Winters** Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:03 pm

"When do you think we should start getting disguised?" Miyuki asked.

She didn't mind, but it was nice to be herself as long as possible. Though she understood that they would get in quite a bit of trouble if seen as they were.

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:09 pm

"In all honesty, the sooner the better," Makaela admitted. "Word spreads quickly in our country. Even as far out as we lived from others, we heard much of what went on throughout the county. If we are seen and you are not disguised, then we will likely not be able to safely enter any town."

"But we still have a day and a half before we reach Sil ... Sel ... whatever the town is called," Kaito pointed out.

"Saldalien," Makaela corrected him, laughing softly. "Nevertheless."

by **Kara Winters** Thu Feb 11, 2016 9:58 pm

"Fair point, it sucks, but it's a fair point," Miyuki replied with a pout.

The small childish part of her felt that places like these were such downers.

"Are people normally a bit... violent around others who are not the same race?" Holly asked.

by **Nara-pyon** Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:05 pm

"It depends on where you are," Kyrie replied. "You've only joined us recently, but we've been to a number of countries where we were not received with violence. Or even distrust. Quir, where Mirania and Lamruil are from, is a wonderful place for foreigners to visit - provided, of course," she added with a laugh, "you don't plan to settle there."

Growing more serious again, she continued. "Illsbruic would have been all right, if we had not needed to keep our presence secret for another reason. And of course, you know the reception we had in Gemia."

"I bet we'll be welcome in Garnelia!" Earendil chuckled softly.

by **Kara Winters** Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:15 pm

Holly nodded at this slowly, as she considered what Kyrie said. It was just depressing to be in countries like these.

Miyuki grinned at her father, "Can't wait to go back there."

It was kind of hard to believe it was only two years, especially when she thought about their now 'home'. It had been, after all, created only shortly after their trip to Garnelia, and it had been complicated to her at the time. Now there was a small compound inside a tent that had running water and temperature control stoves. It also suggested they had a tendency of picking up people every few months.

by **Nara-pyon** Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:30 pm

"What happened in Garnelia?" Rose asked curiously, looking around at the others.

Half of the group looked as blank as Rose did, but Cael chuckled softly.

"Perhaps the better question is, what didn't happen there," he murmured. "To sum it up rather quickly, the country was taken over by a tyrant who kidnapped me when I was a baby and raised me to quash any rebellion against him, based on a prophecy he was misinformed about, then these people showed up, ended his rule, reunited me and Lancaeriel, and brought the true ruler back to power."

"At great personal cost," Lancaeriel added softly, looking regretfully at Earendil.

Earendil just shrugged, still smiling. "I think you all notice it more than I do," he said simply. "You see what happened to me. I don't. And I've gotten to used to my hearing and sight, I forget what they used to be."

by **Kara Winters** Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:17 pm

Lin smiled, "I'm glad you have adjusted, just don't forget so much that you get caught off guard when we go back home..."

She meant that in the nicest way possible, because Earendil's family was wonderful and would be very upset by this. He also might lectured, which was kind of amusing to Lin.

by **Nara-pyon** Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:25 pm

Earendil winced at the mere thought of it. "I doubt I will be able to forget," he muttered. "Mother and Father have both already lectured me ... twice, in Father's case. And I haven't even done anything dangerous since!"

"Why did Neko lecture you, Ada?" Andarien asked, puzzled. "It wasn't your fault."

"Only because he was concerned," Earendil explained with a smile. "He and your nako just don't want me to get hurt, whether it's my fault or not."

by **Kara Winters** Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:30 pm

"And it is very much a parent thing, you always worry, regardless on the reason or how it happened," Lin added with a soft smile.

She imagined her father wouldn't be happy about some of the things they had done too, but he was in Gaia and didn't know.

"I'm sure they won't lecture again then," Miyuki replied with a grin, "Especially not with all the other stories we're bringing back."

by **Nara-pyon** Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:36 pm

"We hope not," Earendil chuckled.

"At any rate, Makaela was right, it probably is a good idea for most of the group to be disguised," Kyrie said, changing the subject to one she knew a number of the group would not like very much. "At least until we're safely inside the tent again, and then until we're out of the country. I hadn't realized it had gotten this bad, but it does seem that the people here are particularly violent against those not like them."

"With a few notable exceptions," Lancaeriel added, smiling at Makaela and Takari.

"That does beg the question," Shiro murmured thoughtfully, "of what would Eron, Kaito and I do with our wings? Unlike Lin, we can't hide them ourselves, and a disguise changes only our appearance, nothing else about our features. Even if they were invisible, they would still have essence, which would be very difficult to explain if someone were to come close enough to us to feel our wings."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:30 pm

"Hmm...." Holly mused on that, "You... sort of wear it as a kind of cloak, is it possible to make people think that's what you have instead of wings?"

This was a question posed more to those who could cast the illusion than the people who were going to have them done.

"Otherwise, I think you could maybe wear actual cloaks, but that would be too hot in this sort of environment," she added.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:36 pm

"It's too hot even for me to wear mine," Rose pointed out logically. And she was right: she did not have her cloak on at the moment. "Why would they wear cloaks?"

"Even if Kaito decided to do so," Shiro added more calmly, "my wings are too small. I can fly with them, but they wouldn't reach my shoulders well enough - they don't even reach that high."

His wings were far smaller than his brother's wings, only perhaps a quarter or a fifth of their size.

"But they're still too big to fit into a jacket," he added with a twinge of regret.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:45 pm

"And a jacket is just as bad as a cloak," Holly replied thoughtfully.

There really wasn't a good way to deal with it, if you could disguise it or hide it without getting heat stroke, there weren't really any opinions.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:52 pm

"Look," Kaito spoke up, "some of us are going to have to stay in the tent while we're here anyways, and to be honest, given what I've seen of this place so far, I really don't think I'd mind staying in while you all check out the town."

"Lin," Lancaeriel spoke up suddenly, looking to the angel, "when you draw your wings in - how does that work? Is that an ability that all angels have or is it a magical ability you have?"

She was wondering if perhaps it was something the nekos could learn. Shiro at least showed great promise with learning magic and using it.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:08 pm

"Not all angels, just certain races of angels," Lin replied, "Granted... I'm a bit of a weird case..."

Miyuki blinked at that response, because it seemed a bit vague.

Lin went onto explain, "Most angels are born with their wings outside their body, but I went through a process called fledgling, in that I wasn't originally born with wings, and then they sprouted when I reached adulthood. So the act of retracting them, is something I've always had and never had to learn."

"How is that weird?" Miyuki asked.

"I'm a Second, Second Angels are born out of vases with their wings outside their body, everyone thought I was human until I sprouted wings. Also, this is a trait your grandmother's angel race has, who is... not my biological mother... no matter how much I look like both your grandparents. So... either it is a weird cosmic joke on your grandparents, or there was something really unique about my vase."

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:10 pm

A good portion of the group had no idea what Lin was talking about, but they were well enough aware that things were different in Gaia that they didn't press for more detail.

Lancaeriel, on the other hand, seemed a bit disappointed.

"Then it isn't something Shiro and Kaito would be able to learn," she murmured.

"Hey, I already said I'd be good with staying inside," Kaito exclaimed, raising his hands defensively.

Shiro just looked thoughtful, as if he might have an idea of his own.

by **Kara Winters** Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:45 pm

Holly noticed the look and turned her attention to him, "What are you thinking of?"

Since Shiro might have a plan.

by **Nara-pyon** Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:52 pm

Shiro glanced at Holly, then looked to Lancaeriel and Cael. "Magic that elves are born with," he said slowly, "is it always magic than can be learned by others? I saw one of you use a magical barrier, which I know King Caranthir was born with ..."

"I ... can't think of any magic I've seen someone born with that wasn't able to be learned by someone else," Lancaeriel said hesitantly.

Shiro glanced at Kaito. "Kaa-san was born with the ability to shape-shift."

"Gaian magic is different from ours," Cael cautioned Shiro.

"Mom is from here," Kaito said flatly. "She's a Dark Elf, born in the Southland. Daeron and Earendil are her nephews."

by **Kara Winters** Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:42 pm

"Kaito and Shiro are, as many of us in the family, including their mother, were adopted into the Winters family," Lin explained, "It's become a bit of a family tradition."

Even if it made their family tree just a bit quirky at times.

"But, Kaito and Shiro are correct, it was a Gift that Elnara was born with from my understanding, and it's a Gift that Serenity, Elnara's mother has, but I don't think she was born with it... I don't know the details of that one."

She glanced over at Earendil to see if he did.

by **Nara-pyon** Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:50 pm

"A Gift she was not born with?" Cael frowned. "That hasn't happened since ..."

"Nako is the survivor of a demon attack," Earendil explained. "A Changeling. Since the attack, she's had the ability to change shape."

"Which some people took issue with and was the cause of the most recent Great War," Daeron added with a roll of his eyes.

Lancaeriel frowned gently. "That may explain her ability to change shape," she murmured, "but her daughter ..."

"Could it have morphed into a Gift?" Cael wondered aloud.

"If so," his wife mused, "I see no reason why it would not be learn-able. It may require some ... delving ..."

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