[Flashback] A New Friend (Candira)

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

Season of Fall, Day 24, 510 AV

Quelen was humming softly to herself as she swam back towards the pretty coral buildings that made up Charbosi. She'd spent the last several days outside of the city, foraging for food and looking for things to bring back to the merchants, and she was finally coming back with her collection.

Swaying back and forth in time to the song she was humming as she swam, Quelen smiled pleasantly and waved at the other Charodae she passed. Her left arm, which ended a little below her elbow in a stump, was held tight against her body to help keep the strap of her bag from sliding off and falling to the mud below.

Slowly becoming overcome with the eager thought of leaving Charbosi next season she moved from humming to vocalizing the song, but just the notes of the music. There were no words to what she sang, just he elegant tones of the dance number as she swam between the coral buildings, her arms now starting to sway back in forth to the music.

After a little time her bag slipped free, and Quelen gave a little chuckle and softly said, "Ooops," before turning and swimming down after the bag as it fell towards the muddy bottom below.

[Candira]

Season of the Fall, Day 24, 510 AV Candira pulled the final knot tight, closing the door to the coral-formed, domed corral. Inside, her seahorse meandered through the light water, picking at the ground for little pieces of food. She grinned when another flicked by, startling her into reeling backward. The pair had spent the last few days riding beyond the city limits, without much success in scavenging, and she was glad to finally be home. Her horse, she knew, was just happy to have the saddle removed. The woman pushed away from the edge, her bag bumping lightly against her hip and the horse equipment bulky in her arms. Her mind followed the tide to her many-roomed coral house deep within the city streets. Her mother had been pregnant again last year, and the family had many new guppies swimming to care for. Her father was both proud and overwhelmed; he had ceased paying attention to his older children a few Seasons past. Candira felt the empty space as he found new favorites among the younger school. Music drifted through the round, coral streets, a common occurrence among the twinkling lights and living creatures of the Charodaen reef. But this ... this was beautiful, and the girl looked for its source. All she found was a bag, drifting slowly down from above. Candira kicked quickly over, plucking it from its descent with a quick hand, lest she drop her other equipment. The owner swam down, and Candira vaguely recognized the one-armed woman. What's her name? she searched her mind. "Here," she said. Candira handed the pack over. "You better watch! Mud is Dira's wrath to clean out, and I won't always be under you to catch it!" She grinned, still straining for a name. "Was that you singing?"

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

As Quelen swam down after her pack she was a little surprised to see another Charoda swim out and snatch it up before it could fall into the mud below. She was grateful, but she hadn't expected anyone to notice the bag falling down. With a warm smile she finished swimming down and came up even with the other female Charoda.

"Oh, why thank you!" Quelen said brightly as she slipped the stub of her left arm through the strap of her pack and up to her shoulder, "I guess I got a bit carried away," she gave a little musical laugh, "Yes, I was singing," she tilted her head slightly at the other Charoda, "Why do you ask?"

She wasn't bothered by the question, but curious why the other was asking about it. She hoped it was because the other female had enjoyed her singing, but she didn't want to assume anything.

[Candira]

Season of the Fall, Day 24, 510 AV "You're welcome," Candira said. They began to meander, travelling slowly with the slight current that permeated their home. The pair were on the fringes of the city, where homes touched upon the well-kept and extremely giving Charodaen underwater farms. The ground here was fertile, sustaining the year-round rotation of crops, and through Laviku's blessing the ground remained dark and muddy with nutrition. It would forever be a place where an unlucky girl would not want to drop her bag. Candira smiled. "You have a very beautiful voice, that's why!" she said. "Have you had a teacher?" Though schooling ended at fifteen, and children were encouraged to learn on their own, an instructor of some type was not unheard of or uncommon.

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

Quelen followed along with the other Charoda as gentle current pushed them along, in no hurry to continue with her errand. The market would be there tomorrow, and Quelen was always happy to make a new friend. The woman's compliment caused Quelen to give a soft musical laugh and a bright smile, "Thank you, that's very nice of you to say. I've not had a proper teacher since back in school, but I've had plenty of friends who have taught me all kinds of things."

Offering her hand to the other in greeting Quelen continued to smile brightly, "I'm Quelen, by the way, what's your name?"

[Candira]

Season of the Fall, Day 24, 510 AV She gripped the other girl's hand in turn. "Candira." The young woman almost pulled Quelen into a greeting dance, a series of spirals and twirls that signified to Charodae meeting for the first time. But she halted, almost violently. How would the other girl dance, with only one arm? Oh, she was probably embarrassed! Candira let go, looking away. "I have, too. Learned from people. My sister thinks she knows everything," the girl stumbled. "So she's always trying to teach me things. The other day, how to ride a seahorse!" The girl shook her head, trying to get rid of her own negative thoughts and forced pleasant conversation into the water.

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

"Nice to meet you Candira," Quelen replied with a smile, and noticed as the other young woman stopped short of a greeting dance.

Quelen could understand why Candira stopped, but Quelen wouldn't let her missing limb hold her back. Quickly taking Candira's hand again she lead into the dance, using strong kicks from her legs to help counteract from the loss of mobility caused due to only having one hand. Giving a musical laugh, Quelen smiled warmly at Candira as they spiraled and twirled in the water, letting the woman know that Quelen was capable and happy to dance.

"Riding a seahorse? Did you have fun with it?" Quelen spoke as they danced, twisting her body back and forth through the quick movements of the greeting, "I had a friend who taught me to ride them a long time ago, but I prefer to swim on my own. It makes it easier to find really interesting things when you go outside Charbosi."

Finishing with a flourish Quelen stuck a pose, and then quickly gave a giggle at the silliness of it, "What brings you to her today? Were you heading towards the market too?"

[Candira]

Season of the Fall, Day 24, 510 AV Candira gasped as the girl suddenly decided she was able to complete the greeting dance, and pulled her into the loop. At first, the young woman was surpised and let Quelen lead the dance. But she quickly caught on, mimicking hip twists, kicking her leg back, and looping around her partner. It was a simple step, made easy so even the youngest of children were able to preform. "I did have fun," she answered. "I like using seahorses, especially when I want to think or have no plan on where to go. It's like flowing with a current, but with company." They finished with the dance, holding a pose: hands intertwined above and toes touching beneath. From the side, they made a simple circle. The dance was complete, even with one girl missing an arm. "I was just coming back from a ride," Candira explained. "Though I'll come if you were going to the market. I could use a snack!" They swam forward, through the round streets. The market was bustling, lit by the simple glow of fish and noisy from the majestic speech of her people. She stopped on the fringes, unsure of where to begin.

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

"They do have some nice snacks there," Quelen responded to Candira's words with a bright smile as she swam along with the other Charoda.

Soon enough the pair of them had made it to the market, and while Candira paused on the fringe of it Quelen swam ahead and towards her destination. She had a specific reason for coming to the market after all.

It didn't take her long to find the merchant that she normally dealt with, and the older Charoda smiled at her approach, "How nice to see you today Quelen. I was wondering when you would visit."

Using her one hand to pull the bag Candira had helped save off of her shoulder Quelen handed it over to the merchant, "I went even further than normal this time, so hopefully there's some good things in there."

Giving a soft chuckle the older Charoda began digging through the bag and the various bits and bobs Quelen had collected within. While he did that Quelen turned and smiled once more at Candira, "What kind of snacks do you like Candira?" she suddenly gave a gasp, "Oh! Have you tried any of the fruits from the land?"