Open Butterseal for Breakfast

[Vernadel]

Vernadel 6 Fall, 513AV Opening the outside door to the Living Quarters, Vernadel stepped from the building into a city that seemed saturated with humidity. It was as if Zeltiva could not contain all of the water that had been thrown its way and though it had stopped raining long ago, puddles and pools were found on every surface, with nowhere to go. Maybe it was all those tears I let loose last night, Vernadel thought, embarrassed for herself though no one had been around to see her sobbing and carrying on like a small child. She sighed and began flying through the people milling about in the early morning, feeling their eyes on her, but not having enough to energy anymore to stress about the fact. She hadn't slept well in two nights and although she was supposed to go to class soon, Vern just did not feel like dealing with the other students in Intermediate Painting today. She had been in Zeltiva for a week now, and she had made a few acquaintances with some of the residents, but none of the University students had really made an effort to get to know her or become her friend. In fact, she was an outcast right from the beginning. There were no other Akvataris in her classes, or any at the University that she had seen. She was quite certain that there were no other Akvataris in the whole city. The other students had begun to call her butterseal and at first, Vernadel thought it had been an affectionate nickname. However, she rapidly grew to despise the word, as it was often used in a derogatory manner. "I had me a great breakfast this morning! A delicious butterseal! Mmm, she tasted so delicious I have to find me another soon!" she recalled Podex sniggering a couple days ago. He was the worst of the students that singled her out as an abomination. His cohort had answered: "Butterseal for breakfast? That does sound yummy!" Since then, any number of people, even those she never remembered seeing before had teased her and talked scornfully about her. Some of them whispered to their friends as she walked by, while the more brazen students actually called out to her and laughed when she fled their ridicule. Vernadel finally reached the beach where she lowered herself onto a fallen log, pulled her tortoise shell sack from her shoulder and retrieved her clay flute. She held it in her hands for a moment and studied the object, smoothed out by her own mother's fingers so many years ago. Then, she put the instrument to her lips. A mournful note pierced the air, followed by another. With no specific song in mind, Vern just played a gloomy tune, expelling her torment and grief into the music. The beach permeated with a sorrowful melody that trembled over the sand in all directions, like a circular ripple of water.

[Lorelai Stormwatcher]

A mournful melody pierced the air as Lorelai walked down the beach. It was simple tune, slow and sad. Lore absently follwed the flow of the music to it's source. Words came unbidden to her mouth, a song the sailors would sing when they longed for their home. Lifting her voice above the waves, she sang:

"Oh ro soon shall I see them;
Oh he ro see them oh see them.
Oh ro soon shall I see them the
mist covered mountains of home."

She rounded a small dune and her voice caught when she found out she wasn't alone. On some driftwood by the beach was a young woman who appeared to be an Akvatari. While not unheard of, they weren't the most common of sights. She was playing the sorrowful song on a clay flute. Lorelai walked over to the log and sat down, removing her sword from her belt.

"Why so sad? Chin up, buttercup!" She piped.

[Vernadel]

Vernadel Someone began to sing along with her, someone with a lovely voice, and Vernadel's spirits lifted a tiny bit. A small woman came into view, not much bigger than Vern herself and the Akvatari girl ceased her flute playing as the woman sat down beside her on the log. She turned her large, sad eyes on the lady, who was smiling and seemed full of energy. "Why so sad? Chin up, buttercup!" the human girl said and Vern's lower lip began trembling. Butter? Could she really go nowhere in this city without being harassed? Vernadel's wings twitched, ready to impel her up into the sky if need be, but after a moment, Vern decided the woman wasn't really picking on her, or being unfriendly. The smile on her face was genuine enough and the fact that she had removed her sword and put it to her side told Vernadel that she didn't need to feel threatened. It was likely the girl carried a weapon to combat whatever chaos was going on in the city at any given time. "Hello," Vern managed to say rather softly. "You have a nice singing voice." She looked down shyly at her hands, still clutching her flute. "I'm Vernadel," she said. "And, I should be going to class soon, but the other students treat me like I'm a freak, because I don't...look like them. I don't look like...you," she finished, gesturing with one hand at her tail and the girl's tan legs. "And so...I am just feeling a bit down this morning."

[Lorelai Stormwatcher]

Lorelai visibly saw the young lady tense and then slowly relax as she approached. She obviously had some emotional trauma. The cruelty of people always amazed Lorelai. Even in the days after the coup, when some people were just getting back to a quasi-normal lifestyle, racism was still rampant. She could be cruel and cutting herself, but not without being slighted. Looking different is not a reason to shun somebody. Her thoughts slipped to the Svefra who she avoided. Or at least spied on from a distance. But they were thieves and brigands, she justified.
"Thank you" Lorelai blushed, turning her head to the side. "For the record, I think your race is beautiful. I can't imagine you being anything but a gift from Laviku and Zulrav. You get the best of both worlds. You can fly high above the waves, or dive under them and see the oceans wonder." Lorelai smiled. "I am Lorelai. You can call me Ellie for short, what do you study?"

[Vernadel]

Vernadel "Painting!" Vernadel burst out, suddenly passionate. "I love to paint. I might study some literature next season too, if I'm still here." A shadow fell over her face once again. She realized though, that it wasn't fair to Lorelai, or Ellie rather, that she stay in such a bad mood. "Thank you, for what you've said about us Akvatari. I've always thought it wonderful that I could fly and swim, but I do envy your legs. Most other species seem to be able to get around on land just fine. If I try, I only get laughed at." Visibly trying to shake off her melancholy manner, Vernadel turned on the log a bit so she was facing her new friend. "What is Laviku and Zulrav?" she asked innocently. "I feel as if I have heard those terms before, but I don't know what they are. And I love to learn new things!" She slipped her flute back into her tortoise shell sack and looked expectantly at Lorelai.

[Yas Heron]

Perhaps coming back to Zeltiva was a good thing, as it had brought some activity to a travelling lifestyle. The red haired man smiled and walked the streets down to the beach. There were some areas from the party that kind of still stunk like kelp beer that Wart had thrown upon the fire in her hasteful panic. Certainly, magic was looked upon with some disdain here and there but he hadn't intended to use his power for malice at the time. He couldn't bring himself to go and apologize to the young lady--no matter where in Mizahar that she might have located to. The seaside town's streets buzzed with activity, as per the usual, and there were a few items that poor Yas had to peel himself away from. No job, no qualifications save for knowing a few spells... The Gods certainly knew that he had to save his money for something that might be one hundred percent useful down the road. As his foot-wrapped feet touched sand, his blue eyes looked up at the shoreline.

A woman was approaching what looked to be a... Wait, what in the world was that thing? His curiosity piqued, his steps moved lightly onto the sand as the progression forward began. To his monumental surprise, it was an Akvatari! As far as he knew, or since he himself had been to the University a few years ago, they were relatively rare. Maybe it was time to dismiss that notion; It'd been years since he'd been back to this place, for goodness sakes. It was only a stark shock that stopped him from joining in on their conversation.

What was he thinking? He looked like a mess! Biting his lip, the travelling robe was quickly taken off and folded right up to reveal his clean outside clothes and his lightly tanned skin. The mop of a head he had would probably make them think he was a bum... Some 'preening' and some reorganizing of his person definitely made him that much more presentable for the last question regarding Laviku and Zulrav. In a careful, and a voice that surprised him, these words bid forth:

"Laviku is the deity of the seas, and Zulrav..." A brief hesitation as he cleared his throat. "Has something to do with the storms." While not a direct follower of any singular God, there was a little prayer that Yas wasn't struck down for getting that wrong.

"...Pardon my intrusion, ladies. I am Yas Heron."

(OOC: Forgive me, I always feel bad for noting an [Open] thread. Feels like that this RPer is just butting in. If you want him out, this post can be retracted.

[Lorelai Stormwatcher]

In Zeltiva and she didn't know of the storm god and the lord of the sea? Students. There was a slight ruffling and a mans voice from behind them. Lorelai jumped, and her hand shot to her sword before she realized there was no menace in the voice of the newcomer. Lorelai turned to acknowledge the newcomer, a bright smile on her face.
"You're right, Yas. Laviku is the god of the sea, while Zulrav is god of the storm and winds." Lorelai smiled slightly as she stared back out to sea. "I wish I could just talk to one of them. Just to know the reason Laviku marked me. My father told me I've had it since birth." Lorelai turned to Vernadel "Do you worship any of the gods?" she inquired.

[Vernadel]

Vernadel Vernadel was surprised by a male voice answering her question. He was tall, but rather thin, and his dark red hair was so appealing of a color that Vern wondered if she could make a paint of a similar hue. As the man explained about Laviku and Zulrav, she tilted her head to the side, thinking. A sea god! Vern's interest soared. She would have to learn more about this Laviku. "It's very nice to meet you, Yas," she said after the red-haired man introduced himself. "I'm Vernadel and this is Lorelai, er, Ellie." She grinned broadly. "Thank you for the information. Are you native to Zeltiva?" Turning to Lorelai, she said, "No, actually, I don't. The Akvatari...well, we don't really worship gods, I guess. I have not really learned about any religions in depth, though my education was extensive in the humanities in general. I'd love to learn more about the sea god and the storm god. You say that Laviku marked you? That's very interesting. What does the mark mean?" Vernadel suddenly blushed. "I apologize to you both for asking so many questions. I'm just so...curious! There is much to learn in this diverse city!" She pulled at one of her dark curls, causing the pearls and shells in her hair to rattle against each other. "And, as I said to Ellie earlier, I love to learn new things."

[Yas Heron]

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but he felt oddly uncomfortable with her staring at his messy red hair. It was certainly a very vivid and dark color, but it wasn't anything special. But, the question that she asked really resounded in his skull. Did he belong anywhere? That was an odd question that made him laugh; Growing up in wild, Valterrian-addled woods did nothing for his sense of belonging. "No, no, I'm not native to Zeltiva." It was an honest answer, if nothing else and with light steps he made tracks towards the sea. The sword on the other woman did make him nervous, but it probably wasn't anything that couldn't be handled. If anything, picking a fight in a small area like this was generally not a good idea.

The question of the 'Mark' bestowed upon Ellie did make him raise his eyebrows. A Mark of the Gods was essentially a great honor if they deemed you worthy of it in one way or perhaps another. Any information that he had on the other gods were sketchy at best and unreliable other than the basics. It was a quick gesture to sit down a little ways away from the female Akvatari, and to undo the foot wrappings that he had. Copper pinching was probably going to bite him in the posterior later, but it kept him able to buy some food down the road when it was needed.

After a moment, he raised his head to Ellie and waited for her answer with interest.

[Lorelai Stormwatcher]

What does it mean? Now that was a good question. Ellie turned to the sea. Hesitantly, she took a step into the water.
'I don't really know what it means. I have had it since birth. I know what I can do through Laviku's gift, I have always known, but I cannot tell you why it was given, or what it means that I have it' tears welled up, brightening Lorelai's already piercing gaze. She quickly wiped them away.
'It allows me to drink seawater and gives me the ability to sense where the ocean is, no matter where I am.' Lorelai explained, strategically leaving out the other abilities she was gifted with.
'In fact, I often find myself wandering towards the ocean without really paying attention. That is what brought me here today'. She gazed back at the two on the beach, her tears dried by the wind off the ocean.