All Alone (Neoma)

[Aello]

"Don't be afraid," Aello whispered as a delicate smile crossed her lips. An intimacy which seemed to be reflected in her eyes as well. To her, it seemed enough to calm the whimpering animal. But still, she supposed she should be more careful. Use magic only when Neoma's back was turned, or the kind she could not see. Auristics. Her eyes grazed, taking note of how the girl's nose twitched. She supposed she had caught onto something. Smiling, Aello picked up her pace, keeping only a few steps behind now. Over the left shoulder. A protective shadow; a blanket. As she moved, she pictured what it would like to be dry. Imagined the sun shining, scorching her skin. Making it rise and ripple as the hairs that lined them bleached, and the flesh itself darkened. Becoming lightly tanned, like the hides left out to bake. She imagined her eyes burning, stinging, from the streaming light. Imagined them tearing up a little, as they scrunched shut, trying to block it all out. Trying to keep herself from hurting. She imagined beads of sweat appearing on her brow, how cool it would feel. Like the rain did now. She envisioned her clothes rippling about her body, before growing damp with speckles of moisture. That which her body produced. She could almost feel them sticking to her lithe form. Sense her loss of breath. How weak she felt, how fast her heart raced. To Aello, it was like she was there now, for that moment, before her skin began to excrete the purple gel again. A shield designed to try and keep the rain away, so at least, she may be able to dry off a little faster. The uneven sheet of purple melted within a heartbeat however, and as it dissolved, she could tell that she had failed. So you're not strong enough yet, Aello's mind whispered as she kept on walking, following Neoma wherever it was she led. Her fists tightening uneasily as water slickened her skin. "What do you sense?" she whispered after a time, unable to see anything more with her magic.

[Persona]

Thread Award! Aello: Skills: Investigation +1 Persuasion +1 Shielding +1 Lores: Hunting in the Rain Notes: I notice you are paying Squalor living expenses. This is fine if you roleplay living a life of abject poverty, but since you have an income, and clothes that are nicer than sackcloth, it seems more likely that you’re living at least at Poor level. Neoma: Grade Held due to being retired. If you feel this grade was unfair in any way, or would like to request changes to this grade, please feel free to PM me and we can discuss it.