(Flashback) But it's only a Book (Solo)

[Aello]

Spring 1, 503 AV It was quiet in the house. The sound of creaking floorboards, her little brother running around, her mom baking in the kitchen, humming along as she went, and her father growling about something or other were gone. Everything was strangely still, even the air seemed heavy. Aello lightly pushed the wooden door that led out of her room. It had been left slightly ajar, as always. It was a rule in her family's house to leave all doors open; unlocked, even if that meant they were left open by little more than an inch. It creaked as it slowly blew open, just enough for Aello to stick her tiny face between the door and the frame and look out into the hall. Slowly, the girl's dark brown eyes darted from left to right, and then back again. The coast seems clear, Aello thought as she inched the door a little farther away from her. Her right hand gripped the wooden expanse tightly as it creaked again. The girl cringed; if anyone had been home, perhaps they'd be yelling at her right now. Wondering why she was making so much noise when she was doing little more than standing awkwardly in the doorway that led from her room out and into the hall. "Mom? Dad?" Aello called as she swung the door all the way into the hall and looked around. It doesn't look like they are around sweetie. Aello smiled weakly as she stepped out and into the hall. The floorboards creaked. The girl winced, as she lifted her right foot, and brought it gently back down on the floor. She tip-toed across the hall. She knew no one was home, and yet, she felt a strange need to be cautious. After all, she was planning on breaking a few of her parent's rules. Across the hall from Aello's room was that of her parents; her destination. When she reached their door, she pushed it open. It swung back and hit the wall on the other side, with a low clicking noise. Deciding that it was no big deal, Aello walked into the room. It was the same as it had always been- windows on the right side, bed nestled into the far left corner. A black, wooden chest rested at the foot of it. A low dresser was nestled beneath each of the open windows. Of course, Aello saw none of those things. None of it mattered to her, not like the chest did. The chest was rectangular, made of a dark wood, that had been painted black. It was about twenty-four inches high, and forty-two inches wide. The top of the chest, was simple- it had a single red rose painted on the top. It was in full bloom, and on the right side, was a pointy green leaf. Stretching out and around the rose was a long, dark green stem, complete with thorns. It seemed to wrap around the chest, tying the rose in place like a bow on a present. The wooden chest was the one thing in the house that Aello and her brother were never supposed to touch. Her father made them promise to stay away from it. Of course each of them did so to satisfy him. Of course, each of them intended on keeping the promise, until temptation took over... It had always been that way for Aello, tell her you that she couldn't have something, and soon enough, she'd want it more than anything. Simply because she wasn't supposed to have it. Aello would have delved into the mysterious contents of the wooden chest long ago, if only they weren't kept under lock and key. A simple metal latch hung down from the top of the chest, onto the main frame. The top of the latch connected to a small loop that was located on the main portion of the chest. Dangling from that loop was a tiny lock, which could only be removed if you had the key, or were a gifted lock-picker. Aello didn't have the key, nor was she a gifted lock-picker. What the girl did know however, was where the key was kept. Typically, Aello's father wore the key around his neck for safe-keeping. Now that he was out, however, it was more than likely tucked under his pillow. Everyone who knew him knew that, considering how afraid he was of losing the thing on his outdoor adventures, should the tiny chain he kept it on ever break. Or should the clasp ever become defective. Aello's father wasn't home. Therefore, the key should be beneath his pillow. Aello tip-toed over to her parent's bed. Her father slept on the right side, so all she had to do was lift the pillow closest to her, and pick the key off the bed. Shouldn't be too hard. The bed was several feet off the ground, so the girl had to stand on her tippy-toes and grope around beneath the cotton pillow case, and above the pale sheets. She was biting her bottom lip in anticipation, when her pale fingers wrapped around something cold- the key! Excited, Aello rapidly pulled it off the bed. Aello held it before her. The key was silver, so tiny that it nearly matched her pinky finger in height. The top of the key had a little hole in the center, where the chain was pushed through. Beneath it was a small, straight expanse, which led to two tiny teeth. There it is Aello, now all you have to do is put it in the lock, and we can finally find out what is inside that thing. Aello nodded as she headed over to the chest. When she reached it, she knelt at its side, and lifted the lock in her left hand. A tiny keyhole rested at the bottom of the lock. Aello smiled as she slipped the key into the lock. She twirled it around and around counterclockwise until the lock came loose, and fell from the chest along with the key. They landed on the floor with a loud clank. Aello ignored it however, so excited was she to finally open the chest. The thing she was forced to promise never to touch ages ago. Aello's fingers brushed the top of the chest. This is it. Finally, she lifted the lid. The edges rested against the edge of the bed. At first, the girl noticed nothing. That was, until she looked down and saw a single, leather-bound book. That's it? That is all Dad has been hiding? A BOOK? Confused Aello simply sat on her knees for a moment. "What could be so special about that that it's worth hiding?" Does he have a diary or something? Shrugging, and figuring that there had to be something to the book, Aello reached in, and grabbed it. She hadn't come all this way for nothing. As Aello lifted the book out of the chest, she noticed that the pages were a pale yellow. It has probably been in there for a long time, Aello thought, as she rested the book on her lap, and turned to a page in the middle. She never was one to start at the beginning.

[Aello]

In a black ink that faded around the edges, were the following words: How to get rid of a pesky ghost: Option one: Ask the ghost to leave politely, since it is bugging you. Aello recognized it as her father's writing. Strange, Mom and Dad always say that one shouldn't believe in ghosts. Below that were the words: Option one never works. EVER. Farther down the page, the list continued. Option two: burn a candle, and chant as you stand over it. Chant something like "be gone evil spirit! or "leave or else!" Scrawled in next to the suggestion were the words: Much like suggestion number one, this never works. Below that were the words: Option three: try a smudge stick. The list continued: Option four: visit a medium or spiritist and ask for their help. Note: do not trust them though, they may be dangerous... actually, they're all psycho, forget that option. Scrawled in the bottom of the page were the words: What never to do in order to rid yourself of an unwanted ghost: 1) Give it more soulmist 2) Be nice to it Also very strange. Mom and Dad always tell us we should be nice to everyone. "And what's soulmist?" Aello whispered. Her brain shrugged, nothing seemed familiar. "How about smudge sticks?" Beats me. Aello sighed, sometimes her mind was ever so helpful. Well maybe it's in that book somewhere silly. Aello smiled weakly, perhaps her brain was being helpful after all. The girl flipped to a page earlier on in the text, it read: How to make a smudge stick: Step one: Gather small sage or cedar branches, (depending on what you are using). Step two: Pick out the twine that will wrap your smudge stick. A red cotton strip is best, but if it can't be red, it's alright. Step three: Place the branches you cut in the center of your bundle. Step four: "Tie a loop on one end of the twine and pass the other end through the loop to make a slipknot. Pick up the herb pile and place the slipknot loop around the bottom of the stems, pulling tight." Step Five: "Wrap the twine around the smudge stick until you have reached the top. Be sure to keep a moderate tension. If the twine is too tight the smudge stick will not burn well, however if it is too loose your smudge stick will fall apart. When you have reached the top, reverse the direction, wrap again to the bottom, and tie a knot." Well that clears up a few things, but what is soulmist exactly? Still trying to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together, Aello turned to the book's earlier pages. She skimmed them all until she came to a page which read: Soulmist: an off white gel that ghosts appear to be made out of. A skilled spiritst can make it easily. Novice spiritsts can make it too, but the quality sucks. Formula for soulmist production: chew on an egg, flour and a soft cheese. Add blood to the mixture. When your mouth feels cold, then you're probably done. Try not to vomit though. Blood? What is this thing exactly? Aello turned to the first page, hoping for a title. But all she saw were the words: Notes and other general observations about the nature of Ghosts The front door slammed. Aello's breath caught in her throat as she slammed the book shut. She hastily put it back in the chest, and closed the lid quietly, so as not to alert anyone to her whereabouts. "Hello!" a rather loud voice boomed from the door. Aello instantly recognized the voice as her fathers. He had shut the door, just as the words, "I'm home," hit the girl's ears. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her eyes grew wide. She had to get out of there before he noticed what she had done. "Hi dad!" Aello called, doing her best to sound as neutral as possible as she got to her feet and headed for the door. When she reached it, she looked down the hall. Looks like he ducked into the kitchen. That was a good thing, the kitchen wasn't in a place where he'd notice her sneaking back into her room. When Aello reached her door, she quietly strolled inside. Thank goodness he wasn't around to notice. Of course, the girl had forgotten that she had left the key. References : http://www.ehow.com/how_2085852_make-smudge-stick.html

[Aello]

"So how was your day Aello?" her father asked after leaving the kitchen and appearing in her doorway. He found her sitting on her bed, running a comb through her long brown hair. "Nothing really, just got up actually. What about you dad?" Aello asked. "Just went for a hunt," he replied, with a light smile. He was covered in dirt and grime, and smelled distinctly of the forest. "You catch anything?" Aello asked. Her father shook his head. "Perhaps tomorrow. Well kiddo, I'm going to go change out of this mess, and then we can talk some more and get dinner going, alright?" "Ok dad, just don't call me 'kiddo' ever again," Aello replied, with a roll of her eyes. Her father's smile widened as he turned around and headed across the hall to his room. Aello was running the comb through her hair when the words, "Aello, were you in here?" reached her ears. "Not since yesterday Dad," Aello replied. Aello could just make out a soft tinkling noise when the man returned to her doorway, dangling the silver chain with the tiny key from between his fingertips. "Then why was this on the floor Aello?" he asked. "And why was the chest open? I made sure to lock it before I left." Aello shrugged. "Perhaps you forgot this time," Aello said as she stopped combing her hair, and put the comb in her lap. Her father shook his head. "You know that's a lie," he said. "So why don't you just tell your old man why you broke into his chest?" Aello shook her head. "Well then, did you find anything inside? Would you be willing to talk about that Aello?" "It was just a book dad," Aello replied. His face contorted into one of utter disbelief, and unhappiness. The spaces that surrounded her eyes, the bone and skin that dipped into them, holding them in place, was surrounded in shadow. He was definitely not happy. His eyes were flashing, they seemed to say: just a book? "Did you read the book Aello?" he asked. The girl nodded, if somewhat reluctantly. "How much did you read?" "Only a little," Aello replied. The man sighed heavily. Crows feet seemed to magically appear around the edges of his eyes. What was so bad about reading his notes on ghosts and stuff? What made such things so private to him? "It was stuff about getting rid of ghosts, soulmist and smudge sticks," the girl added with a nervous smile. Her palms were beginning to sweat. Why does it look like we just got ourselves into trouble? Dark red lines seemed to etch themselves into her father's face. He sighed again, closed his eyes, and was silent for several minutes. Aello gulped. That can't be good. Aello let the silence stretch on for several minutes, before she said, "Dad?" it was practically a whisper. The man opened his eyes, and waved to her, "follow me Aello. There is no use hiding it from you now. There are things you must see." Aello hopped off the bed. What does that mean? The girl rolled her eyes. "Shut up, follow him, and we'll find out," she whispered as soon as his back had turned. Her words came out too quietly for him to possibly hear. Aello trailed after her father in silence. He had placed the chain with the key around his neck once more, and had thus far, led her to the other end of the hallway. When he had reached the flight of stairs, he began to walk up them. Aello followed. The floorboards creaked beneath them. Looks like we're headed for the attic. Aello nodded as he reached the door and extended his hand to the knob. He turned it counter-clockwise. When it clicked, he pushed the door open. Aello's father stepped inside, and she followed. It has has been awhile since anyone has been up here, hasn't it? The two figures found themselves in a twenty foot by twenty foot room. The floor was hardwood, and covered in a thin sheet of dark grey dust. There was nothing adorning the floor other than the dust bunnies and bison. If they could be considered decorations anyway. The walls were wooden- never painted. Cobwebs dangled from the ceilings, and lurked in every nook and cranny, every corner of the room. The attic is definitely in need of a spring cleaning session. Aello nodded. A small, circular window hung in the middle of the wall on the north side. A thin trickle of light came through that way. But other than that, no light made it up there. It seemed like heat was much the same way. Aello shivered, and her teeth began to chatter. Aello's father turned to face her. "Do you know why we are up here, Aello?" Aello shook her head. She had no idea. Unless her punishment for disobeying him was going to be cleaning up the place. "We have a ghost living in the attic honey," he replied. Another chill ran up the length of Aello's spine. What?

[Aello]

"His name is Fred," Aello's father added. Fred? "He has been living up here for a while now, I am kind of surprised you guys haven't noticed," he continued. How long is a while? "Especially when he makes a lot of noise," there was a slight pause before her father continued. "He somehow manages to pound on the walls." Aello nodded. Is that what all the noise coming from up here was? We always thought it was someone else moving furniture up here or something. Heck, it even sounds like the rain periodically. "Anyway, Aello, sometimes he can be friendly, but most of the time, he is a cranky old ghost. I've been trying to get him to leave for a while now, but he just won't budge." "I heard that," a deep male voice said from behind them. Aello jumped, and her heart started to pound in her tiny rib cage. Oh would you listen to that? Daddy isn't kidding, there really is a ghost up here! The girl turned around to face the newcomer. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed the ghost was hovering two inches above the ground. "You brought a friend this time," the ghost chuckled." Her father nodded as Aello began to take the ghost in. He was far taller than she, but that wasn't saying much considering that she wasn't yet fully grown. If she had to guess though, he was about 5'9. He had shaggy salt and pepper hair that fell around his ears and into the tops of his eyes. It reminded Aello of a mangy mutt. His skin was pale, his face circular. It framed two almond-shaped eyes, that were the palest of blues. His nose was large and bulbous, his pale pink lips nearly non-existent. He was hunched over, and of an average weight. His build however, seemed more frail than that of Aello's rather built up father. Fred the ghost wore a simple white tunic and white pants. The edges of his body blurred, his body translucent. It was as though he had faded in death; and couldn't be as bright as he was in life. A thin white smoke swirled around him; clinging to him like smoke around a fire. Perhaps that is soulmist. The ghost chuckled. "It looks like you've seen a ghost," he said. Aello smiled weakly. Something about that sentence made her uneasy. It wasn't even funny. "Oh I always crack myself up," he added, as he wiped an imaginary tear from his eye with the back of his hand. "So who did you bring to visit today?" Fred asked. "My daughter," her father replied. The ghost placed each of his hands on his knees, and bent down even farther. His face hovered inches above hers. His nose was level with her forehead. He bent down a little further. His nose were now level with her eyes. "Well, you do look a lot like him," the ghost commented. "Now what do they call you little one?" he asked. "Aello," she replied simply. Her father placed his hand on her right shoulder. He curled his fingers into her flesh. His nails were digging into her. Did we say something wrong? "That's a pretty name," the ghost said as he straightened himself up. Mom and Dad always said it isn't polite not to answer questions. Her father's hand fell from her shoulder. "So, what are you going to do to try and lure me out this time?" the ghost asked. "Have her use some cute little puppy dog eyes on me and beg?" he chuckled. Aello's father frowned. The girl turned her head and looked up at him. His face seemed stern; unpleasant, kind of scary. Deciding that she didn't like it any more than the ghost's, Aello turned back to Fred. Her father shook his head. "Then what is it this time? Surely you didn't climb all those steps just to say hello." Aello's father grunted. "No, we didn't come just to say hello." "Then why did you come?" the ghost asked. There was no reply. A short silence stretched out between everyone who was present in the attic. Finally, the ghost broke it. "So, Aello, did your father tell you why he wants me gone yet?" Aello shook her head. "Well, that makes two of us I suppose." Aello nodded. Well he did mention the ghost being rather noisy, perhaps that has something to do with it. "So um... mister ghost, if my father has asked you to leave so many times, then why don't you?" Aello asked. Instantly, she regretted it. She could feel her father's gaze boring holes into back. She could sense his disapproval, almost taste it. The ghost chuckled. "Because I have as much right to be here, as you. I used to live in this house you know." Aello nodded. Is that why he stays, because this place is the only home he has ever known? "But, don't ghosts go somewhere else?" Aello asked. "Isn't there a place where they belong?" the girl had tilted her head to the side as she questioned the ghost. She knew she was making her father uncomfortable, but she wasn't paying him much mind. She was far too curious. "Perhaps," the ghost replied simply. Well that certainly isn't much on an answer. "Well what keeps you from leaving here to go find it?" Aello asked. The man scratched his chin for a moment, and seemed to gaze far off into the distance. He seemed like he could see through Aello and her father. It made her feel strangely small. Finally, the ghost seemed to come out of his temporary trance, "fear of its not being there," he said simply. "Well, what would take away that fear?" Aello asked. "Aello!" her father hissed. She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes seemed to say, you want to get rid of him don't you? Perhaps you should try being a little nicer and talking to him. "You shouldn't ask so many questions." The ghost laughed. "Well, she does seem a lot nicer than you old guy," he said. Aello giggled too. Needless to say her father's face turned red. He was certainly not very happy. Her father's muscles continued to tense as he stared at the ghost. He looked ready to kill Fred; if he weren't already dead of course. The ghost seemed to ignore her father however, when he said, "you know, we ghosts get tired sometimes." He was starting to flicker in and out. "Mind giving me some soulmist old chap. I know you know how to make it now." Aello's face lit up. Thanks to her father's book so does she. "No, no more soulmist for you," her father replied. "It just keeps you here all the more, and I want you out." The ghost seemed to mock him with a sad face. "Ohhh that's not very nice." Aello giggled. She knew she shouldn't be, but the way the two spoke to each other was just too amusing. After a few moments, she turned to her father and whispered, "don't you think he's more likely to give you what you want if he likes you? If he knows it upsets you that he's here, isn't he more likely to stay, just so he can aggravate you?" Her father sighed. "You should make him some soulmist dad." "Or you will try and do it for me?" he whispered back. Aello nodded, before she turned back to the ghost. Her father sighed again. "You can try Aello. But just because you may have glanced over a lousy spiritist's notes doesn't mean you will be successful." Aello smiled as she stared up at the ghost. Her eyes were sparkling. "You just wait here," Aello said. "It can't be too difficult." With that, she walked around the ghost and then ran down the stairs. The ghost smiled happily as Aello's father stared down the stairs. He seemed stunned; like he was in a trance. Every bit of color had drained from his face. Her father had never told Aello, that he never taught what little he knew about spiritism for a reason: he knew he could never trust another wielder of magic. He would never be able to look at his daughter the same way. It did not matter that they were linked through blood; their relationship would never be the same. Although they may be standing in the same room a few feet away from each other, they'd always seem miles apart. Aello would never know why.

[Aello]

As soon as Aello had reached the kitchen, she opened every drawer and cabinet in sight. She pushed past old baggies and containers of all sorts of sizes. Jars with white powder, salt and sugar crystals, and sauces her mom was saving for another day. The occasional strawberry rhubarb jam, or at least, that's what Aello thought it was; someone had forgot to label the jar again. Aello dug through everything in the house, while quietly reminding herself of the ingredients for soulmist. She repeated them over and over again so as not to forget. Chew on an egg, flour, soft cheese and blood. Chew on an egg, flour, soft cheese and blood. Chew on an egg, flour, soft cheese and blood. The girl pulled a sack of flour out of the drawer and placed it on the kitchen table. The top was open, so a mist of pure white floury snow floated around her face, and tickled her nose on the way over. Aello ignored it however, she was simply too excited to be bothered. Chew on an egg, flour, soft cheese and blood. Chew on an egg, flour, and blood. What was the last thing? Milk? No soft cheese. Aello pulled an egg out of the bin. One should be enough. She placed it on the table next to the sack of flower. She twirled around the kitchen to one of the drawers and extracted a silver knife. It looked sharp enough- had a serrated edge. That should do the trick, Aello thought as she placed the knife on the table along with the other supplies. When she had, she stared down at everything. Maybe you should get a bowl to mix it all in, before you start chewing. "Right," Aello whispered as she pulled a large wooden bowl off the counter and placed it on the table. She could always mix everything with the knife. The first thing Aello did was crack the egg over the side of the bowl. She then poured its contents into the bowl, allowing the uncooked whites to drizzle down the sides of her pale fingertips. The whites were cold, and tickled from time to time, but the girl ignored the feeling. She didn't bother to wipe off her hands either, knowing that she was only going to make them dirtier. Now add the flour. Aello nodded as she reached for the sack of flour, she pulled it towards her, and then poured a small portion into the bowl. It couldn't have been more than a quarter of a cup. The girl put the sack of flour back down, and lifted the knife. She began to swirl the contents of the bowl together, until the flour seemed to have been dyed the lovely color: egg yolk yellow. When the two substances had been mixed together, Aello raised the blade a bit. It seemed to shimmer in the pale light that shone through the window; despite the egg yolk and lumpy flour that dripped off the edges. All that remains is a bit of your blood, right? Aello nodded. Without thinking too much about it, she brought the blade across the middle finger of her left hand. If she had thought more about it, she knew she wouldn't have done it. The young girl watched as a thin slice appeared on her hand. A trickle of crimson red shone through the skin. Aello flipped her hand over and let three droplets of blood spill out and into the yellow mixture. The blood seemed to glow ominously as Aello lowered the knife and stirred a few times, before dropping the knife onto the table. Egg yolk yellow and blood red swirled together into a large orb, it vaguely reminded the girl of the sun. Well that should be everything right? Aello nodded. She dipped her hand into the bowl, and scooped up some of the mixture. She lifted it to her lips, and placed it inside. The mixture was cold and goopy. It tasted awful, and even though it had only been inside her mouth for a few seconds, Aello found it difficult not to puke. But she had promised the ghost she would try, so try she would. Aello slowly began to chew, the contents rolling around her tongue. Green seemed to linger around the sides of her face. Well this is disgusting. Aello continued to chew. Why does it feel like we are forgetting something? Aello shrugged. She was certain she had remembered all of the ingredients. Aello continued to chew the mixture. Do you think it should be cold yet? Aello shrugged. She vaguely remembered something in her father's notes about how if your mouth was cold, it was probably ready. But how long did it take for the mist to get to that point? She had never made the stuff before. There was nothing in her father's notes, and thus, she was left wondering just how long she should keep chewing the nasty mixture in her mouth. What do you say we give it five more minutes, and if its not done yet, we dispose of the evidence? Aello nodded. Five minutes had gone by, and still, her mouth hadn't grown cold. Alright, time's up. Aello tilted her head downwards, and spit the mixture out and into the bowl. Time to go tell Mr. Ghosty you failed. Aello ran back up the stairs to the attic. The ghost and her father had remained. They seemed angry. When the two men noticed her, the ghost said, "so how did it go?" Aello shook her head. "No soulmist." The ghost smiled weakly. "You could always try again some other time. You still are young, with much to learn," he said. Aello nodded. "Perhaps you could teach me Dad," Aello said. Her father smiled nervously as he nodded at her. He didn't want her to delve into magic too. But, if he knew Fred the way he thought he did, then the ghost would have no trouble helping her along in her studies. "Maybe, one day, I'll even be better at this than you." The ghost chuckled as Aello's father shifted his weight from his right to his left foot. "You shall have my help too little one," the ghost said, with an oddly warm smile. Perhaps he had something in mind for her. Something he wasn't sharing. "As you said, perhaps, one day, you skill shall surpass that of your father." With that, he began to fade away. Within seconds, he had disappeared. Aello turned to her father, she looked at him confusedly. She seemed to be saying, what just happened? But her father said nothing, and neither did she. He was dreading the day they both began to teach her. OOCMod Note: As of Spring 511 AV, Aello has no recollection of this event. It is not that she has forgotten it per se, as much as she has merely suppressed the memory. Perhaps in time, it shall be recovered, but as for now, it remains buried in her subconscious.

[Tabarnac]

XP Award! Aello XP Award: Stealth +2; Investigation +2; Larceny +1; Cooking +1; Spiritism +1 Lore: Spiritism (basic); Ghosts (basic) Additional Notes: Even a failed attempt is a learning experience, so you get a bit of Spiritism too. The next time she attempts it, it’s up to you whether she succeeds or not, but a novice’s soulmist isn’t all that nourishing. With her competency in Spiritism at the current time, she’s much better, of course. Hope you’re having fun! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. Keep writing!