The Shadow (Vyvian)

[Sosicly Magnolia]

66th of Autumn, 513AV

Sosicly often jumped to conclusions. She enjoyed judging someone quickly and harshly. It was petty but she never restrained herself, and she very rarely withheld her judgment once it was in her mind. And very rarely did she change that judgement but now she was playing around with the idea of doing just that.

Enasis said she was paranoid, and that if anything strange were to happen it would have happened when she was crowned Moth Queen. Veladra laughed, not surprising. But Sosicly was certain it had nothing to do with that. It was a series of events, minuscule perhaps, but when you got as bored as she did you noticed things. And she had watched enough people to notice things.

It started with the Konti. She thought him sweet but a bit of pushover. She liked him well enough.

Then the Masqurade.

Then at random places where as was. All the time.

Then at the library.

Then near her home.

At first she was just curious, she didn't know him well but if the previous party and meetings had been any indication, he was shy. Now she wondered if it was something else, and if her initial judgement should have been more geared towards crazy.

Idly she rocked back in her chair, tapping a quill against the table in an odd rhythm. Then stood quickly, shoved her things in her bag, donned her jacket and slipped out of the house. Sosicly had no particular destination in mind, she just needed space. Perhaps her mother was right, and she was just being paranoid or maybe she wanted a stalker, she thought dryly. vanity knew no bounds.

As usual she found herself in the empty parts of the city, outskirts and close to the house she had gotten lost in as a child. There she sat and scribbled in her book. Idle notes, things she had to do, wanted to buy, plans, and other things while she began to dismiss her suspicions.

OOCCredit to the lovely Edreina for the boxcode

[Vyvian]

Vyvian watched as Sosicly moved out into what he regarded as his part of the city. Odd. Was she searching for him. Maybe finally she wanted to be friends? Shaking his head he mentally chastised himself. He musn't pick up his hopes so fast. This could still be a trap or she could just be going for another reason. Still. The ends justify the means. Knowing the place much better than she could have, he raced as quietly as he could past her via a different route, anticipating where she would go. Probably the old atrium. There was a time where she turned and he thought she saw him, but he was paranoid like that and tried to dismiss it, not completely succesfully. Arriving a little out of breath he sat down in a side street facing where Sosicly was to turn up, and pulled his hood deep down over his face. He wondered what she would be up to. He nearly jumped out of his skin when she walked up the very street was sitting in and walked up to him. Swallowing his fear, he stared resolutely at the ground as if he was not there at all, despite the fact he was wearing his signiature red hooded jacket, and his characteristic hair was poking out. Despite his heart trying to force itself out of his chest, he kept his breathing even and endured the suffocating feeling that followed. Please don't see me, please don't see me he begged in his mind.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly had once again began wandering. Kalinor was not a large city, thing swede spaced nicely but their population was not abundant. Her current location told her that so it made sense to see him all over the place. Including here, she thought as her gaze picked out the red of a fast becoming familiar jacket. With an quirky little smile she gave him a little wave, and almost gestured for him to come over. At the last minute she changed her mind, flipped open her book and scribbled in it then approached Vyvian. Fancy meeting you here, Versda. Showing him the writing briefly she cocked her head and studied him closer, he looked a bit spooked. What brings you here? Are you feeling well? Holding out the book with one hand and fiddling with her inkstick Sosicly fell into a graceful sitting position. When she assumed Vyvian had finished she snapped the book closed. After a tick she patted the ground beside her, gazing up at the young man insistently, smile still on her face. Perhaps her mother was right but it couldn't possibly be a coincidence that she found him here. Or maybe he was just still injured from the Masquerade. Her eyes narrowed a bit, and she quickly gazed down at her book.

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian hid his face. She knew. She must have found out now. It doesn't take an idiot to see he's been... stalking her all this time.. That's what she would think. That's what everyone thinks.

Holding back tears he took the book and shakily wrote in it, before Sosicly snapped it shut before reading it. Vyvian pouted. Well he guessed she would read what he wrote when the time came.

Vyvian gazed blankly down at Sosicly as she sat down. Despite all of what's happened she was still so naive.. so innocent. He looked away... perhaps too innocent..

Shaking his head of such fornications he slid down the wall softly next to her, then felt scared and shuffled a little away from her. Even though his heart ached to be holding her, his head screamed to him to run away. Moaning softly he rubbed his fingers on his temples.

Looking up at sosicly, he sighed and gestured to her book. She ought to read what he written.

I guess you've figured out now. I've been following you all this time.

I am truly sorry.

x

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly cocked her head curiously at his obvious discomfort and wondered again if she was wrong or if perhaps she should leave. His little moan seemed to confirm her thoughts about his injuries but when she opened her book his words confirmed what her paranoia indicated. A few choice words rose in her mind, a wave of pity, annoyance and a few other things while she carefully kept her face calm. Slowly she closed the book and stared at him, testing the muscles in her face to keep them smooth, forcibly relaxing them while she stared at him. To her he looked a bit liked a kicked bat. Sad, a bit hopeless, and a bit wild. She thought back to the incidents and realized Vyvian always seemed to look like that to her. He had done nothing wrong besides be odd, which was her original assessment. He hadn't hurt her, perhaps he was a bit obsessive but he'd done nothing but be kind. The rose from their first encounter, that she knew of, popped into her head. Finally after a few chimes, a smile bloomed, her shoulders shook and she pressed her hand to cover the wheezes that escaped. Halfway through she shook her head and pointed to Vyvian. Trying to show she was not laughing at him, then allowed herself to continue before scooting a bit closer to him. Feeling gracious she wrote shakily, still giggling silently, Do as you like, Vyvian. I do not mind. But you should not be afraid to speak to me. We are blood, I would not harm you physically. She smiled and held out the book to him, You are feeling better from the Masqurade then? Idle chatter was surprisingly easy, especially when writing, likely because it required short answers rather than pages of writing. Drawing her knees up she wrapped her lanky arms around them and rested her head, still watching Vyvian carefully. To make sure he didn't leave she moved an arm and casually gripped his jacket, he would not be escaping if she had anything to say about it. OOCI think Sosicly might be several kinds of crazy because she just agreed to let Vyvian stalk her. But for some reason she's not angry. Though I suspect ulterior motives T_T Of course, she doesn't know he may or may not have entered her house so...

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian frowned in confusion as Sosicly wheezed.. He guessed from the supressed smile and the chest rise and fall that it was her equivalent of laughter. Sighing, he looked down. He had no idea what she was laughing about, he guessed he would never find out.

When she shuffled closer he tensed, then he nearly jumped out of his skin when she touched him. His muscles went into whipcords and he caught his breath. For a few seconds the pair sat there, motionless and silent, save for Sosicly's soft wheeze. Closing his eyes and swallowing, Vyvian tried to calm himself.

It's ok, it's ok, it's ok..

When he was no longer visibly shaking, he exhaled deeply and sagged a bit. Ok, he'd more or less gotten over the physical contact hurdle.

Softly taking Sosicly's book, he wrote under where she had finished.

"I'm sorry. I'm only scared because I've never talked... written to anyone before. I'm scared I will get something wrong, offend you, hurt you, confuse you... he shook his head. The list goes on... I guess I just don't understand people, I always get confused. So because of that I'm always scared people will hate me. I'm nearly always correct.. people shun me.

He glanced down and saw her hand touching.... him and tightened up a bit again... He wrote a bit shakily.

Sorry... I've never... touched anyone before. It's scary isn't it?

He smiled shyly. Maybe she'd like that joke.

Frowning, he read her final message.

No, my back hurts all the time and I've got some permanent scars, but I don't mind. Scars are memories are they not?

x

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly had not revised her opinion of Vyvian but she did. The child had more issues than most of her family. Still she gave him a bright smile. He was sweet enough. I would not hate you unless you did something. I do not associate with people who do make a good impression first. Seeing as he would not flee for now Sosicy released him and continued writing. In her head she could clearly hear what was said but around them was only silence. It was peaceful. If not a tad boring. You worry too much. Unless you are an Esterian we cannot hate you. Blood does not hate blood. Unless you are my brother. She gave Vyvian a teasing grin, They do not know how to handle you. If you are conversing this way you probably don't speak much. I enjoy it. Most find it hard to speak without speech. I'm invalid to many but there is nothing wrong with me to stop me from doing what I please. Try speaking to those who would not mind your oddness. Sosicly meant nothing cruel in her words. But a small part of her was gauging his reaction. Seeing how far she could test his limits if she wrote with a smile. Plopping the book on his lap she stoof and stretched, then gestured into the old house the sat on before confidently walking in.

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian frowned and thought.

They do not know how to handle you.

This seemed discordant to him.. too complementary. Not only of himself but of herself too.. she was implying she was different somehow. His eyes slowly unfocussed as he slipped into the realms of possibilities and what if's. Shaking his head gently he returned to the here and now. There was time for that later.

"I often think of myself as an invalid of the mind. I seem to be shunned in a similar way to how you are. People try to be accepting, seem kind, but inside they're repelled by the pair of us. I think if they had a choice we'd both be outcast."

He looked at Sosicly with seriousness as he said this. This was his honest opinion and he was interested to see whether her very strong views could be swayed.

"And yes, I'm talking to the only person I know who doesn't mind my oddness, yourself. Why else do you think I've been following you around for so long.

As I said. Only the lonely understand the lonely. Only you can understand me, Pryza."

Vyvian's face seemed cold and emotionless even as he wrote such meaningful words. He pursed his lips. Sometimes he would feel so... normal and needed friends, yet times like this his mood would swing wildly and he felt the want... need to distance himself from everyone and everything. Determinedly he pressed on with Sosicly, he had no doubts that if he succeeded he wouldn't regret it.

Looking up with his deadpan eyes he sighed and stood up to follow Sosicly, why she wanted to go into a house he couldn't possibly guess.

x