Rejection [Finished]

[Mindi]

Day 17 of Summer, Av 510

"Hello Miss, I couldn't help but notice that you seem quite alone. Perhaps if you were new here I could show you around Riverfall."

Mindi tried to ignore the man, but since he towered over her by a stunning two and a half feet, it was difficult not to stare straight into his belly button. Why he was shirtless anyway was unfathomable to Rak'keli's little Zealot. Wasn't he outside in public? Surely he knew how indecent it was, or perhaps not, maybe it was common, it did seem that several Akalak men liked to flaunt their natural muscular physique. Mindi lifted her right hand to her face and gently rubbed her eyes as she remained silent for several moments, and when she realized he wasn't going to leave without a response, she sighed heavily. He was more pleasant than the others. They were blunt, straight to the point, a bit more crude. This one was trying to be more indirect, more discreet about his motives. Perhaps his failed attempts at being sly should have bothered her, but she felt tired, all she wanted was for him to begone.

Slowly she shook her head. She had no desire to have sex with the monstrous mountain-sized man, or at least she wanted to believe. She was chaste, she was pure, she was a believer of Cheva. Marriage, as it was in Isurian Culture, meant one man, one woman, one lifetime, no exceptions. It was difficult at times, especially with daily proposals from enormous blue men, but she managed to keep her purity in tact. "No, I believe I shall be fine on my own." Mindi glanced up at the man and smiled, he as well was smiling politely, and then nodded and walked away. Thankfully they didn't want a child so bad as to rape her or challenge her in their ways of the law. She wouldn't have obeyed them if she lost anyway. She'd run, kill herself if she had to. Being a slave to a giant blue pervert was one of the last things she would allow herself to become.

Moments later, Mindi was walking down the street again. She had been doing this the past few days, walking around in circles. Her feet, hidden by thick boots, kicking up small dispersed clouds of dust about the base of the robe she always wore (which she used to think would send a sign saying "I am religious, do not try to court me", but was proven horrible wrong). From underneath the robe itself, faint, almost silent sounds were heard, the grinding and collisions of very small, yet very many, metallic objects. She was wearing chainmail armor, a common article of clothing she typically wore, yet neglected to take when she met her now-new companions. That whole situation, now that she thought about it, was crazy, perhaps absurd. What was she thinking? It would be dangerous for her to go with them, but she was doing just that. Did she really go to prove her worth to the Gods, or did she, perhaps, go out of some lurking selfish desire for excitement. "Mother would never agree to this."

[Vitalos Umbreffigia]

Vitalos walks through the streets with an air of laziness. It was clear he was tired, having trained earlier in the day, but not so much that his movements were sluggish or stunted by sore muscles. He simply moved with more efficiency, displaying to the trained eye that he did not want to waste anymore energy than necessary. And in Riverfall, there were plenty of trained eyes.

His bright blue eyes were lifted skyward, trained on the various clouds that lumbered through Mizahar's sheath. He lowers them for a moment to ensure that he was not stumbling into an Akalak, and spies a familiar set of dark robes exchanging words with a would-be suitor. Vitalos laughed aloud; the sheer contrast was amusing. The gargantuan Akalak, bare-skinned and hot-blooded, attempting to court the tiniest figure in the city, who just so happened to be swathed in chastity. He steps over to her, eyes glinting in amusement while his teeth unveiled themselves in an unintentionally wolfish smile.

"Well, Mindi, I didn't take you for the type to go for the blue," he teases jovially. "Making a heartfelt goodbye to a lover before you leave him for good?"

He grins. He still wasn't entirely sure what to make of this woman, but he gauged her as the type to be able to take a joke every now and again. He just had to make sure not to push it too far. Best not to start off tensions too high with new companions, especially not when the group was so small. Indeed, it was even better to stay on their good side; if ever he needed to override Emma's orders, he wanted to have the majority on his side.

Damned if I'm not a calculating bastard. How did I ever get to be like this anyway..?

[Mindi]

Hearing the familiar voice behind her, Mindi's face began to glitter with a pink and red tint (it appeared to glitter thanks to the nature Isur features that appeared like veinsof silver running through her skin) in an obvious blush, she did not turn around though, for several moments. By now, the Akalak man had left. Mindi glanced at Vitalos, a horrified look across her face, she looked frightened, as if he had caught her committing murder. "You aren't going to tell my husband are you?" Mindi took a step closer, looking into Vitalos's eyes, her small hands holding each other by her fingers entwining between each other. Shear panic, fright, sorrow, it was all there as she pleaded with the man, her comrade now. "He told me if he caught me doing this... this again he'd leave me. I swore to Cheva for him, swore that I would never think of it. Please, you won't tell him will you? He'd... I'd be lost without him."

Mindi was able to hold up the act for several seconds before her composure broke, her face cracked into a smile and she became infected with a fit of giggles as she began to walk slowly again, allowing Vitalos to follow or be left behind. Mindi expected the man to be utterly stunned, perhaps even so surprised that he might fall unconscious. The previous night she was so nervous, with so many people around, and of course those she was trying to impress, she couldn't stand to break the 'Celibate-religious-Zealot' appearance. That's not to say that Mindi wasn't religious and she wasn't a virgin still, she was both of those, yet she was not so devout that she couldn't have a few moments of fun. In fact, because of her level of devotion, she almost required it to survive.

Not to mention she felt much more comfortable around a single person, that being Vitalos at this moment, than various people, such as the whole group and wandering ears and eyes of the tavern, that she just felt she could act a bit more natural at this point. She would probably lather herself in her other natural mode (religious bitch) when more people were around her. It was more comfortable to be colder, turn people away, when more opinions were openly floating through the air like a thick mist.

After several seconds of hearty laughter, Mindi turned to face Vitalos again, hoping to see him frozen, staring at her, perhaps not comprehending what happened, that would be funny. It was unlikely though. Vitalos seemed too cool for that, too calm, collected, really his response didn't matter, she felt good enough from her joke to last her a few hours.

[Vitalos Umbreffigia]

Vitalos grins at her initial response, instantly seeing it as a joke. She had managed to make one or two last night. As she went on, however, she seemed to get more and more panicked, he began to doubt his own belief in her sense of humor.

Oh, crap, he thinks. What the hell have I managed to do now? I went into this with the specific intention not to make things uncomfortable, and now...

He halts as soon as he sees the hint of her smile, and blinks after her as she walks off, guffawing at her act. He stands frozen in place, his mind struggling to embrace this new concept. Ultimately, though, the sheer relief it brought to him shattered his disbelief, and his expression began to change the instant she turned around.

Mindi would see Vitalos' wide eyes contracting into the slits of mirth and his parted lips joining together then splitting into a broad grin, then extending into a full guffaw. He walks after her, laughing uproariously and even drawing a few pairs of eyes past him.

"Gods below, woman, I didn't expect that from you at all. Where did that even come from? I mean... Do you Isurians have a penchant for acting I dunno about?"

He grins at her in full admiration. This woman was snatching his stereotypes and smashing them with her small hands. He manages to catch up to her, eager to see how she would play this out.

[Mindi]

"Acting? Hardly. All of us Isur are serious about our work, whatever it may be. As one of the Vizerian, my work is that of the Gods. For them, I must be how they wish. For Cheva, I am chaste, a young maiden awaiting for her one true love to someday find her, and to be completely tied to that man until I depart from this life to begin anew. For Izurith I am a hard worker, apprentice of a blacksmith and always looking to be blessed by his tremendous strength (as if Isur didn't naturally have enough) and gifted with his own architectural skill. For Rak'keli, I feel the pain of those around me, and do what I can to cleanse their bodies of illness and suffering, as if they were my own brothers and sisters. For myself, I am a woman, forty two years old, five feet tall, trying to find her place in this world where both she and the gods can approve. For you, I am a comrade, companion, and actress, and probable the one that will rescue you from death a hundred times over." Mindi shrugged lightly as she pulled the large black hood from her head. She sighed lightly. "You said to call you Vit, I believe that's what it was last night. It doesn't particularly sound like a strong name, but it reminds me of the word 'Vitality'. Perhaps you are energetic, lively, perhaps I'm assuming too much. You seem strong enough for whatever you are."

Mindi giggled lightly as she took a light verbal jab at Vitalos. She assumed he was human, but she couldn't quite remember if he mentioned what he was last night. If so, she simply must have forgotten. It happens, lots of things were discussed the previous night. "What about you Vit? Have you got interesting tales to expose? A personal story about how you are, what you've become, and what you plan for in your life? Maybe you have a wife or sweetheart somewhere, wherever you are from." Mindi figured it was safe to assume he wasn't from here, since he wasn't seven foot tall and blue from head to toe, nor obviously desperate to fornicate.

"It's too bad you aren't an Isur. It'd be nice to see eye-to-eye with somebody someday. It's been a while at least." It seemed Mindi's streak of humor had already ended, though she did not retreat back into her introverted self. Instead she asked Vitalos questions about himself, since in her eyes, she told a great deal more about herself than he had. It would only be fair if he gave a little information.

As they walked, Mindi caught the eyes of another Akalak watching her as he walked in the opposite direction, he gave a polite smile and wave of his hand, but did not speak as he passed. Mindi, to be polite, smiled back at him, but felt chills infest her hardened skin. Just the thought that all these blue men saw her, as well as probably every other woman, as a candidate to bare them a son made her feel ill. She muttered something unrecognizable underneath her breath after the large man was far gone. She didn't bother to mask her expression from Vitalos.

[Vitalos Umbreffigia]

Vitalos arches a brow as she explains her devotions and her drives to him and shakes his head. And here went the whole religious shtick. A finger on his left hand twitches imperceptibly as she brings up 'Cheva' and marriage, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Well, your moods change on a miza, don't they? One moment you're giggling like a school girl, the next you're all stone-eyed and serious. Alright, well, I suppose it's time for me to adapt."

He lets out a sigh and turns his head skyward, once more watching the clouds and relying on his feel for his surroundings to guide his way through the bustling city streets. If worse came to worst, after all, he would see an Akalak looming long before he hit it. And he trusted Mindi enough to at least keep him from stumbling off a cliff.

"Well, first of all I'm human. As for my name... I don't rightly know. You'd have to ask my parents, but they're not really around. I also think of it as akin to 'Vitality,' though. Reminds me of life. Sometimes, that's all we really have. As for stories, well... No, I can't say I have too many of those. I came to Riverfall about a year and a half ago. Things before that are a bit... Dulled. I'm afraid I'm not really the type of man you want to go to when you want a good memoir.
My plans for life are, unfortunately, nonexistent. I just want to find some meaning, you know? I enjoy martial arts, but that only goes so far. I want to find something I can dedicate my life to and stick to it. But I guess you wouldn't know much about that, would you?"

He flashes a grin in her direction. Silently, he hoped she wouldn't notice he'd avoided the question about a "sweetheart." It wasn't a very comfortable topic for him. He would speak of it if she asked again, but he would prefer not to. It wasn't so much that there was great emotional baggage behind that door, but more that there was... So little to say. Too little, really.

He arches a brow at the Akalak, then grins at Mindi. He had expected the warrior-like individuals to show a bit more grace with his presence, but then, these were the Akalak.

"Hey, at least they're straight-forward about it. Most guys who go skirt-chasing tell pretty little lies and try to coerce and corrode. I'll always prefer bluntness to subtlety. Still, seems like you could use some cheering up."

He squats down, bringing himself relatively level with her eyes, and continues on beside her.

"All better now?"

[Mindi]

Mindi shrugs her shoulders as her 'mood' was brought up. She hadn't noticed it before, but she didn't naturally keep long lasting humorous conversations going. Isur were very serious, it was obvious as to why she always reverted towards seriousness when her jokes ran out. She had to actually think of them, usually at least. "Not like an Isur School girl, I can assure you that. Perhaps a human school girl. I guess I do what I can to make up for living amongst my own people. Adaptation is a good thing too by the way. You know what they say about all creatures, they either adapt, migrate, or perish. You wouldn't want the latter now would you?" Mindi grinned again, as if she was taller, she might have reached over to pat Vitalos on the head, but with their difference in height, it would be awkward at best. "Would you prefer a more consistently solemn Mindi then? I can play that role very well."

Mindi listened to his story as they continued to walk, her hands moving behind her back and holding onto each other as she moved. For being someone over forty years old, she still had the natural appearance and personality equal to that of a recently matured human woman, excluding the height, silvery lines in her skin, indestructible right arm with a blue tint, and an air of religious fanaticism about her of course. "You don't sound to comfortable sharing about yourself. It's fine, you have no obligation to do so. I'm just curious, more often than not it's just me talking to the gods and no response to be found. Talking with somebody is intriguing, even if that person is boring." Mindi glanced at Vitalos, catching him as he was staring into the sky, she shook her head briefly before turning her gaze back in front of her. "I suppose I wouldn't know anything about dedicating my life to. I mean, sure I pray to Rak'keli, Izurith, and Cheva daily and Rak'keli is the reason I even came here, which was hardly seven days ago by the way, but I suppose that's nothing like dedicating my life to." She smiled again as she kept her eyes on the path in front of them, she assumed he was teasing, and she assumed her sarcasm was impossible to miss.

However, thanks to the brevity of his story, she was able to notice he didn't even mention or hint towards a lover of his, which led her to believe something terrible may have happened in the past. Perhaps that was the reason he came here. To forget about something, to see as few women as possible, and Riverfall definitely had plenty of manly presence to hide any females in the area. An idea came to Mindi, and she found herself unable to contain a smile. It was crude, a bad thing to imagine, but she wouldn't say it out loud, since it still held the possibility of damaging him, assuming she was correct in her assumption of a dark past.

A dark past, the thought of that was difficult for her to imagine. She had trials, difficulties, but her parents were alive and well, even moderately well known amongst her people. She had an older sister that died, but it was natural, nothing emotionally distressing, but she was aware her past wasn't even close to dark. She was curious about what a dark past was really like, the details, everything, but to force somebody to willingly or intentionally resurface those images would be cruel, painful, and completely against her vows to Rak'keli. She would not pry.

It wasn't until Vitalos crouched to eye level with her, which she almost didn't notice because she had zoned-out. She was a mere two inches from his face before she came to and stopped walking. Mindi stared at him a moment, confused by what he was doing, until he spoke. He was taunting her. She squinted her eyes and leaned forward, lightly colliding forehead to forehead with the human, and thankfully Mindi's skin was denser than his, making her pain a little less, and his a teeny bit more.

"You aren't funny." Mindi gave a slight pout for a moment before smiling and stepped backwards, giving him a bit of room in case he tried to attack or retaliate.

[Vitalos Umbreffigia]

Vitalos rolls his eyes as she points out the difference between an Isur and a human. He didn't know much about them, but if Mindi was any clue, it was clear that Isur were much less vibrant than their taller counterparts. They seemed to be quite cold and reserved. The effort to be friendly on Mindi's part was not lost on Vitalos, though the depth of it was. He wasn't sure if it was a great effort or a mild one. She was very difficult to read, this one.

"Oh, yes, give me grim Mindi. Haven't you been able to tell by now that I am a dark and brooding man, and that your inherent cheeriness is causing my ire to boil over? I would suggest you stop, else I will bring down great vengeance and furious anger upon you."

Vitalos swung his gaze back toward the street. He was done watching the clouds; it was much better to do that when he could lie around and stretch, and when he wasn't walking through a crowd. Besides, it was much more difficult when walking with knees at a near ninety degree angle. Perhaps later he could convince Mindi to stop somewhere so he could continue his cloud watching. He wouldn't have many more chances to do so, and it would be one thing he would eternally miss. Riverfall had some great clouds, and there was nothing like sprawling out beside a waterfall and watching them go by. For now, though, he was content to watch people instead. Another luxury he would not have much longer; meeting new people.

He turns back to her and frowns. She noted his discomfort and remarked upon it, something he wasn't particularly fond of. Not because of any fault of hers, but rather because it meant he was not guarding his emotions well enough. But then, why should he? He had nothing to fear from her...

"No... It's not that. I'm fine sharing with myself. It's just that there's not much to share. I guess that sounds like I'm avoiding the topic, but it's the best I can give. Oh, you know what? Forget the past. Let's just focus on what's here and what's to come. I don't know what background you came from, Mindi, why it is you're so religious, or why you came here, but frankly it doesn't matter. If we're going to risk our lives together, I'm happy to have you by my side, no questions asked."

He frowns. Where had that come from? It seemed very much uncalled for, even to him. But then why had he said it? It didn't make much sense...

Good gods... If I could only come to understand my own mind. Ah, but it's the 'if' that's the problem. How many men can say that their intellect is inferior to their own consciousness?

He blinks and, noticing he had cocked his head slightly, tilts it back into position, just in time to flash a bland, sarcastic look at Mindi in response to her own sarcasm. He didn't have much to say in response to it. Much as he might dislike her zealotry, Vitalos was certainly envious of her conviction. Not so much that he would follow her path, but enough to make him watch her closely.

It was clear she was thinking about him, trying to piece him together and ascertain why it was he was so hesitant to speak about his past. He chuckles softly to himself.

Think all you like, Mindi. It's not as obvious as you'd think.

As soon as he stopped chuckling, her head connected with his, and he stepped back a pace, stumbling slightly due to his fatigue and his stance. He rubs his head a moment, then grins at her.

"If I'm not funny, then why are you smiling? Not even an Isur can resist my charm. I should wonder if I'd have better luck than these Akalaks..?"

He grins his predatory grin and winks at her. He was jesting, but he wondered if Miss Chaste would have the stones to laugh it off. Then again, this could well be pushing it too far.

Well, I suppose I'd better find my limits...

[Mindi]

"Oh! So your mighty wrath is going to engulf me like the unholy flames of chaos until I am crying in pain and begging for mercy? Sounds positively harsh Vit, yet I am curious as to how scared I should be. At the moment you intimidate me no more than a child, and that's not even an Isur child mind you. No, that's too far, perhaps an Isur Child, they're arms aren't even at full density until about forty years, give or take." Vitalos was actually bringing out a more consistent carefree side of her, and it was quite pleasant. She had very little conversation since she left home that this was actually enjoyable. it made her wonder how the others acted in one on one situations. "I may need to test your wrath, I may try and keep up this light-hearted game a while longer. Perhaps it's a weakness of yours, may come in handy."

Mindi shook her head, she disagreed with forgetting the past. Perhaps it was best for him, so she wouldn't interrupt, but he had memories she wanted to keep, a family back home she wanted to remember. She had good times and bad times. Most of all, the past is was chiseled her into the statue she was now, she may not be perfect, but she wasn't going to give away what made her how she is. "I'm all for making history starting today, but my upbringing is dear to me. But the future is bright. Give it one year Vit, one year and you'll have more to talk about than you'd ever have imagined. One year." Mindi held up her left hand, extending the index finger as she spoke.

'... I'm happy to have you by my side, no questions.'

Mindi's lips froze shut as her eyes jerked over to stare at Vitalos. The words he said, the way it sounded, so strange. Surely he didn't... Mindi lips slowly curled into a grin. He was always joking, this must have just been another that she didn't pick up. She sighed briefly out of sheer relief as she convinced herself of this and pulled her gaze once more on the path they were walking. She didn't know what to say, it caught her so badly off guard that his scrambled her thoughts completely.

After Mindi had lightly butted heads with Vitalos, he had stumbled back, which surprised her, then she realized something was off. Was he hurt? Mindi walked up to him and grabbed his arm and drug him to the side of the road to the nearest building and set him down next to the exterior wall. [b]"What's wrong with you? Are you hurt? Sick? Emma will be displeased if I let something bad happen to you while you are with... nearby me. Where is it? Where does it hurt?" Mindi spoke, she had become instantly frantic, mild panic, and completely motherly as if he was just bitten by a poisonous snake or was barely rescued from drowning in a river. She knelt down, in front of him, practically hovering over him as she moved her hands around his chest, shoulders, arms, and neck (or tried if Vitalos resisted).

Thanks to her sudden change of tone, she had completely ignored, or maybe even missed the comments Vitalos offered about his 'luck' with getting with her. Perhaps it was for the better though.

[Vitalos Umbreffigia]

Vitalos lifts one of his raven brows and chuckles as she doled out insults that other men would answer with their fists. He only found it amusing, another reason to think that he and Mindi were going to get along quite well, though he wouldn't have thought it to begin with.

"I suppose you speak having experienced some fairly deadly children in your life, Mindi. I shudder to think what these prepubescent demons have managed to accomplish that would make you think of children as such a violent and potent force."

He grins broadly at her and cracks his knuckles. He did so not necessarily in any sort of challenge or mock-challenge. It was simply a habit of his. Even so, at some point on the road, he was going to have to test his mettle against her. It would certainly be interesting. He would be fighting a smaller opponent, which was new, but he would also be fighting a stronger opponent, which was not. It would be a curious battle. But all that could be saved for later days.

He frowns slightly. Yes, he supposed that in a year's time he would indeed have quite a few stories to tell. He was looking forward to that. He wished he had more stories as it were. Or at least, ones he was able to tell.

"I believe you, Mindi. I think I will have stories to tell, and I look forward to that. Thank you."

He pauses as she shuts down, apparently caught off guard by what he'd said. She smiled soon after, but it seemed... Wrong. Forced. But what had he said that would put her so far on edge? He hadn't had any clue. Odd that he should find her nerves fried when he was making what he'd thought were simple statements.

In reality, Vitalos hadn't meant anything by his remark. He had only spoken with the sense of camaraderie that came to those who risked their lives together. It was such a simple fact of life that Vitalos didn't even consider it as being what put her off. He was about to ask when suddenly she was on him as though his life were in danger. Disoriented and confused, he did nothing for a moment as she ran her hands over his body. After a moment, though, he bats them away lightly, slipping backward to distance himself from her as he lifts his hands in a slight warding gesture.

"Whoa. Mindi. Calm down. It's nothing. I'm just tired, and I wasn't exactly balanced in that position. Your 'headbutt' caught me off guard, so I instinctively tried to move backward. It didn't work out so well. Nothing's wrong. I'm not sick, or hurt, or anything. Okay?"

He frowns at her, brows furrowing in confusion and contemplation.

And just when I was thinking she was more normal than she appeared to be...