Chasing Shadows Where There Are None (Solo)

[Aello]

Winter 16, 511 AV Location: Unknown Aello crept along through the forest in silence. Stepping over gnarled tree roots, and scattered branches, so as not to be caught up in a sudden ring of sound. A deafening rage, which was bound to frighten everything she was hunting away. Everything she hoped for. She was gliding along, with Yune perched upon her shoulder, her bow loaded and held down, a whisk away from being at the ready. The pair were searching for meat. Not that Yune had the tongue for it, but her mistress did, and with the forest growing as scarce as it was this time of year, Aello had more than enough of the heart to stock up for a bit. With the plants largely frosted over, shriveled and dead or dying, there was little to add to a stew, little to munch on until something more substantial could be found. With the first few chills rolling in, the forest critters themselves were preparing- hoarding whatever Aello's eyes couldn't see, before scurrying away some place warm. Sighing as she moved along, Aello glanced at her bird. "We may be out of luck again today love," Aello whispered. "Haven't seen a single bloody track all morning, even with the sun to light the way." The bird said nothing as a small cloud of silver slipped through the space which hung between Aello's pale lips. Everything that surrounded them had grown deathly white with the cold, save for the tip of her nose, which had grown to be a bright red shade, similar to a lobster's outer shell. "We may simply have to go on with empty bellies. Unless water counts as something used to fill it. Which, doesn't seem to be the case in my book." Aello sighed as she forced herself to keep on moving, simply so that the cool winter air would not have the time to seep into her bones. For a long time, she and her companion traveled along in silence, until a far away voice broke the silence. It was a man's voice. "Fred! Fred!" It called. "Where are you?" Surprised to hear another voice this far out in the forest, speaking in such clear Common, Aello found herself gravitating towards the noise. The never ending calls for a mysterious entity named Fred. After a time spent searching, simply following a far off sound, the girl and her companion happened upon a ghost. It seemed middle age, judging by its facial features, devoid of wrinkles and childhood youth. A few hairs poked around the edges of his chin, and the sides of his face. A large square thing, which seemed largely bald besides those few instances of a dark grey. His eyes were the same, a strange shade of grey, resting alongside the bridge of a rather large, pointy nose. The ghost, save for those few features, seemed rather plain to Aello. An average build and height for a man, no more than 160 pounds, and five feet and six inches. He wore a simple white tunic, with dark brown pants, which seemed to have faded along with everything else in his death. "Fred!" he called again, as Aello simply stood, silently watching the strange figure peer around trees, and turn over small rocks with his ability to manipulate his soulmist. After a time, she grew tired, and bored. "You looking for something stranger?" Aello called out to the ghost, prompting him to look up from behind a bush at her. To pass his eyes over her. His gaze seemed intense, even in death. Something that took in the sight and worth of everything in one fell swoop. Instead of simply saying so, the ghost nodded in response. "Someone named Fred?" Aello asked, causing the ghost to simply nod again. "He is a friend of yours?" Again the ghost merely nodded. "And how long has it been since you last saw him?" "A long time now," the ghost replied simply, before he went back to his search. As though Aello were not there at all.

[Aello]

Shrugging, Aello turned to her sparrow. "Maybe we could help him for a bit," she whispered, as she began to pace the area. Checking around trees, and a little further. "Fred!" Aello called. "Are you out there? You didn't hurt yourself did you love?" As Aello kept on going, she'd look up, checking to see if the fellow had decided to go for a climb, and perch himself in a tree's branches. She'd look down to see if he had fallen, if he had injured himself or been injured by one of the forest animals in his travels. She'd rake through bushes, spreading their branches and their leaves with the end of her bow, just to be sure he wasn't trying to take a nap in the shelter they provided. She'd glance inside hollowed out trees, and at the base of the low-rolling hills that existed in some sections of the forest. The girl circled around a series of trees for several minutes, until finding herself facing the same strange ghost. "So um... what does Fred look like?" she asked, causing the ghost to look up at her again and stop his search for his companion. "Well," the ghost began as he scratched his head. "Fred is a rather short fellow. A bit chubby, especially around his middle." The young spirtist nodded. "Shorter than me?" Aello asked. The ghost nodded. "But taller than my sparrow Yune?" Again the ghost nodded. "What else can you tell me about him? What color is his skin, for instance?" "It's like yours, maybe a bit more pink. But he's a hairy sort, so you can't really tell," the ghost replied. Aello simply nodded. "What color is the hair?" Aello asked. "A mixture of things. Mainly a soft orange, and a white blonde," the ghost replied, causing Aello's brow to furrow. It didn't seem a typical sort of answer, but who was she to question such tidbits of information? "What about his eyes?" Aello asked. "They're dark, like yours. Maybe a little darker," the ghost responded, causing Aello to nod a few times. Now that she had a better picture as to what the lost boy looked like, she ventured back off into the forest with it in mind, and resumed her search. She peered behind large rocks, into cave openings if she saw any, into mossy areas, which hung like drapes in certain portions of the forest. For several chimes, the girl searched, but found her efforts to be futile. No matter how much she called, or how much she searched, Fred simply refused to be found. Sighing, Aello returned to the ghost. "I'm afraid I can't seem to find your Fred either." The ghost only looked up from his endless quest, but said nothing. "If you come here... if you come into me, I can see him through your eyes. Through the link of our minds and our hearts. It will be easiest for each of us to find your friend then. Wouldn't it?" Again, the ghost said nothing. It was only a matter of time, at least as far as Aello was concerned, before it entered her.

[Aello]

"Alright," the ghost replied, "if you really want to help." Aello said nothing as she watched the ghost drift over to her, and then, extend his right hand towards her heart. She could see his mist pooling, rippling against her skin. His cool touch causing her to tremble, as she slowly pushed his way in, and was lost to her. Held tightly within her warm flesh. It seemed as though the ghost had just become a part of her, when the first wave of memories hit. The ghost's memories. In the first memory, the ghost seemed to be about the same age he appeared now, but he was still alive. He was standing beside a roaring flame. Watching as it cast shadows against his flesh. Watching the contents of a pot rising. To Aello it didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary: a pile of finely diced carrots simmering in iron. The ghost watching them protectively, and stirring them with a long wooden spoon from time to time so they wouldn't stick to the bottom. "I hope you like these Fred," the ghost whispered over the simmering pile of vegetables. "You know how much I hate cooking. But... I'd do anything on your special day. The day you turn two!" The ghost seemed to smile happily to himself as he continued stirring, the fire crackling beneath the iron pot. "At least this will be done soon..." Although Aello heard nothing, the ghost stopped stirring and peered over his shoulder, at the surrounding sea of bright green grass. "Fred!" the ghost called, "is that you!" Again the girl couldn't hear a thing, or see anything, save for the ghost himself. "Ahh it is you! You know you shouldn't be over here you silly Rascal!" the ghost scolded. "You're not supposed to have a single whiff of your special birthday meal until it's ready and set on your plate." The ghost chuckled, "never could keep you from poking your nose into things," he muttered, as he stirred the pot again. At this point, Aello supposed Fred was the ghost's child. But she couldn't be too sure, she hadn't seen anything, nor heard anything. But that didn't mean much, with Fred supposedly being as young as he was at this point, Aello couldn't honestly expect him to be capable of speaking. The memory soon faded away, making way for a new one. In this memory, the ghost was seated at a table. A simple, white porcelain bowl sat in front of him. It was steaming, filled with some sort of broth, and chunks of various vegetables and meats- chicken, pork, sting beans, chives, beets and lettuce. A silver spoon rested between his fingers. A spoon he dipped delicately into the bowl's contents. Stirring the surface. The light brown, almost sickly yellow liquid. The soup seemed to spill onto the metal surface, whirling about as the man lifted it to his lips. "You eat up too Fred. There is no need for either of us to go hungry tonight," the ghost instructed, as he blew on his spoonful of stew, before lifting it to his lips, and sucking the contents down. "It's a bit hot..." The vision darted across the table, to where a small porcelain plate rested. It was filled with several leaves of lettuce, and a few baby carrots. Aello wondered why Fred too, wasn't having the ghost's stew. Perhaps he was a bit too young, or didn't like it or something. And yet, as she looked, she couldn't find Fred. Silently, the girl wondered if he was still to short to reach the top of the table. If he was some sort of midget or something. The vision faded away, before it became another dazzling display of color. Aello found herself in a never-ending field of grass. The ghost standing silently, with pride, as the wind caused the fine hairs that lined his face to tremble, and whipped his clothes about him. As the sun kissed his flesh, and warmed him to the bone. His eyes seemed to display a sense of inner peace, of calmness. That brought the spiritist a strange sense of joy. The girl watched the memory in silence, wondering why she had been brought there. It didn't seem important, or in any way, special. The area seemed simple enough. Common enough. The ghost's expression pretty plain. Aello simply didn't understand what she had to see, what she was supposed to see. Yet, the vision refused to relent. Refused to fade. After a time spent watching the grass sway with the wind's howl, the ghost standing proud, Aello saw his eyes light up. It seemed as though they had caught a shard of the sun's brilliance. His posture changed, from straight and tall to slightly curled, as he held out his hands in invitation, although he were expecting a hug. "Fred!" the ghost called out, causing Aello to smile with him as she watched the grass dance and sway. But none of it split. None of it parted, not a single face had popped up, and yet, the ghost had wrapped his arms around him, as though he were holding someone or something. As though he were wound up in a warm, loving embrace. The memory faded, bringing Aello back to the present. Confused, she shook her head lightly. What was it that she was missing? What was it that she had failed to understand?

[Aello]

As she mulled it over, Aello ran her hand through her hair, tugging apart several knots as she tousled her hair lightly. "So uh... what exactly is Fred?" Aello finally asked, as she drew her hand away, and returned it to her side. "A friend," the ghost replied. "I knew that already, but is he like, human?" Aello asked. The ghost shook their head. "No, he's a hamster." Aello smiled. "Oh you mean like a Kelvic?" The ghost shook their head again. "No, no, just a hamster." Aello nodded uneasily. "How come I never saw him?" Aello asked. "What do you mean you never saw him?" the ghost asked. "He was always in my memories. In everything you have been shown. In everything you have seen. How could you have missed that?" Aello shrugged. "Oh, I don't know, because he's not real?" "Of course he's real. You're just to blind to see him." "Well that makes sense," Aello growled. "You're just jealous you've never had a life long friend," the ghost retorted. "That no one has ever loved you like Fred loves me." Aello rolled her eyes. "Enough with the theatrics love, your hamster does not exist. You made him up. I can't see him because he's just a bloody figment of your imagination." "He is not!" the ghost howled as he balled their hands into tight fists. Aello could feel her cheeks growing warm as the ghost's heart became filled with rage. "Is to!" "Is not!" "Is to!" "Is not!" "Damnit ghost, we sound like children," Aello shouted. "Well you started it!" the ghost shouted back as he crossed their arms over their chest. Aello rolled her eyes. She was beginning to think she had been faced with a ghost who refused to grow up. And if that was the case, and she was pretty sure it was, how did one go about getting a ghost to finally grow up? As the young spiritist thought this over, the ghost traveled through the forest, shouting for his friend Fred. But it was Aello's voice that rang through the air over and over again. The girl let him have his fun, for she needed to think on what to do. For she felt, it couldn't really hurt to humor him. After a time however, she broke her silence, and whispered, "when did you meet Fred?" "Many years ago." "And how old was he?" Aello asked. "Just a baby." "Did someone get him for you?" Aello asked, causing the ghost to shake their head. "So you got him yourself?" the ghost nodded, and then shook his head. "Then how did you come by him?" "He followed me home one day." "Oh," Aello commented as she scratched her head. "And you took care of him ever since?" The ghost nodded. "And he loved and appreciated you?" Again, the ghost nodded. "And your parents were ok with you keeping the pet?" The ghost shook his head. "They didn't know I had him for awhile. Then they got mad at me for having him when they found out, and forced me to send him away. I was very upset." Aello nodded, as she silently wondered if the ghost's parents had forced him to stick to reality. If they had tried to force him to give up his childish behavior, or if the ghost had truly once had a pet hamster named Fred. A hamster whose memory he tried to to preserve after he was sent away, by pretending he was still near.

[Aello]

"So you actually sent him away?" Aello asked, prompting only a nod from the ghost. "Well, that sucks. If I had been you, I would have hidden him somewhere near. Where pesky parents could never find him." The ghost said nothing. "Because every good kid keeps things from their parents. A gifted child, can keep many secrets all at once, and never have to divulge any of them." "Sorry I was never a good kid," the ghost muttered, as he strode forward, relentless in his search for his friend. Aello chuckled. "Don't worry about it, neither was I," she commented, as she pushed against the ghost, and forced him outside of her. Somewhat confused, the ghost simply stared at her. "You should keep looking on your own, I am afraid I cannot be of any more help to you," Aello commented. "Try heading north, perhaps. Try to return. Perhaps Fred will be waiting for you there. Although it is uncertain. You must release your bounds. Your pain, your longing, before you come to find him." The ghost shrugged, obviously not getting Aello's point, but the girl didn't care much right now. She had more important things to attend to than someone who refused to see the world for what it was. For someone who refused to accept reality. "Good luck on your quest," Aello remarked, as she turned and was lost in the forest. OOCSorry, I figured I'd end this before it got to be any more painful for either of us.

[Chevalier]

Aello

LORE

• SIfting Through Ghostly Memories
• Delusions and Illusions Inside the Mind of a Ghost

EXPERIENCE

Skill	XP Earned
Tracking	1
Interrogation	3
Investigation	2
Spiritism	2

Storyteller Notes

Secret :

Haha, hampster.