Rabbit Chase (Open)

[Ariel]

“I am staying here now. I live with a Drykas man, Kayiri. But I don’t go out with him, he rescued me from slavery.” Tebridiar smiled. “No, I love somebody else. They are also a Drykas, but a little different. In fact, so different there will never be one like them again.” Ariel nodded in reply. Was Tebs not a drykas, or was she merely stating that she lived with another drykas? Ariel was a little confused. Her eyes turned into little question marks and then back again. She scratched her head. Tebs seemed distant now. “I was originally just visiting, I was going to head to Syliras this Winter. But travel plans, they got a bit… messy. So we aren’t going anymore. But I like it here so its not a problem!” Tebridiar seemed happy. Key words being 'seemed happy.' There was something on the girl's mind, but having just met, Ariel wasn't sure she wanted to push it and ask her what it was right now. After all, Tebs could easily just leave Ariel there, with the evil rabbit lurking about. Ariel shuddered. RABBITS ARE EVIL. She thought before she pushed the thought from her mind and calmed back down. "I understand," Ariel began, "it can be hard to get around sometimes. Take it from me, I've taken to riding around in pockets, on the shoulders of various people, in hats, and on the occasional Kelvic," she paused, "but then again, that tends to ensure that life never gets boring and is filled with adventure." Ariel smiled, she just loved going on adventures throughout mizahar.

[Tebridiar]

Tebridiar grinned at the little Pycon. She was adventurous, busy. She wasn’t content to just exist, she had to live, go out there, see everything. It was admirable.

She was full of energy, she just seemed to emanate it, and it spread to all those around her. Even though she was tiny, you couldn’t ignore her. She seemed to draw attention to herself, it was wonderful.

“You must have a great life, umm…” Tebridiar was going to slip a name in their, but she realised she hadn’t been given one. “Sorry, your name?”

It was probably something interesting.

“So, Pycons, how long do they live? Probably hundreds of years old, I’m guessing? You are made out of stone, after all.” Mind you, clay wasn’t the strongest. But it was bendy and movable, so she could shape herself into things. Tebridiar was jealous… she could probably live for ages. She knew herself she wouldn’t live past her forties, even if she died of old age. Kelvics usually died young, their instincts driving them to do things normal people would steer clear of. Putting them in situations they wouldn’t have a hope in hell of escaping from.

She didn’t want to be like that.

[Ariel]

“You must have a great life, umm…” Tebridiar said, there was a pause, “sorry, your name?” "Ariel," Ariel replied, thinking she had already given one, guess not, she thought to herself. Wow, I'm rude. Especially after Tebs helped me out and is now introducing me to her housemate(s). *Proverbial Facepalm* MUST. WORK. ON. MANNERS. She thought to herself. “So, Pycons, how long do they live? Probably hundreds of years old, I’m guessing? You are made out of stone, after all," Tebridiar said. "No, we're made out of clay, there's a difference," Ariel said, slightly annoyed. She had just explained that part after all. Ariel paused, looked down at her little clay feet and hands, "and actually, we don't live very long. We never live past thirty, and assuming we die a natural death in our old age, meaning, that we don't get squished or something nasty first, we turn to stone." Ariel looked wiped her hands on her knees, a little nervous. She always wondered if she'd make it that far. Life as a three inch tall clay woman was perilous, and filled with adventure. She always wondered, will I make it? Or get squashed like a bug? Will I ever get to know my true form? My final form, before I die? She knew if she could, she'd be crying right now. But, because she couldn't she just made strange, tearless sniffling noises instead.

[Tebridiar]

Thirty years?

Tebridiar felt embarassed for her jealousy. They lived even less than some older Kelvics, though some died in their twenties.

She frowned, saddened.

"I'm sorry, Ariel." She sighed. "I won't live long either. Ill probably die before Im forty, and probably a lot younger. A lot of my kind don't live to their full lives, they end up doing something stupid and taking on something they cant handle." She shook her head. Kelvics, they were amazing but tragic. They were all so different, some people mistrusted them, they were strange, shifting creatures, distrustful, supposedly.

And Tebridiar had that wound to worry about. It had weakened her considerably. She nearly got her back sliced in two. Atleast she could hide it, pretend it didn't exist. Hide it under clothes and long, wavy red hair.

"Don't beat yourself up because you won't live forever. I spent half my life doing it, and I regret it. Not that there was much to do in those two years, mind. You'll probably have more fun in your years than most people will have in theirs. It doesn't matter how many years you have, its how you spend them." She smiled. This had kept her going. "But somehow I feel you know that. You seem so alive, Ariel."

[Ariel]

"I'm sorry, Ariel." Tebs sighed. "I won't live long either. I'll probably die before I'm forty, and probably a lot younger. A lot of my kind don't live to thier full lives, they end up doing something stupid and taking on something they can't handle." Ariel nodded. She already knew that, having met a few kelvics in her travels. "Don't beat yourself up because you won't live forever. I spent half my life doing it, and I regret it. Not that there was much to do in those two years, mind. You'll probably have more fun in your year sthan most people will have in theirs. It doesn't matter how many years you have, its how you spend them." Tebs smiled. "But somehow I feel you know that. You seem so alive, Ariel." Ariel just listened half-heartedly. She didn't really care about not living long. She just wanted to live it up. What bothered her was not knowing her true essence, and knowing that she may never know it. She supposed the kelvic didn't know this however. Being just as young as she if not younger, and never having met a pycon before. Ariel sighed, resting her elbow on her right knee, and her face in her right hand. If she only knew, she felt like she'd be far happier. Far less troubled. She didn't ever show that side of her, the troubled side. But not knowing really did drive her crazy. The constant feeling that someone may squish her even if she was ever-vigilant frightened her as well. Ariel pushed the thoughts from her mind and flashed a smile. No need to dwell on the negative she thought as she looked up at Tebs from the woman's shoulder, and replied simply, "yeah."

[Tebridiar]

She looked a bit distant now.

Tebridiar suspected she hadn’t taken any notice of what she was saying. One thing that annoyed her about this little creature was the fact she was a little arrogant and, quite frankly, a bit rude. She wondered if she was used to getting her own way, not being questioned.

But most of all, she thought that this little Pycon was hiding something, Maybe not consciously, but she was trying to make herself seem tougher. She seemed, deep down, just a little insecure.

“Are you keeping something to yourself, Ariel?” Tebridiar asked. She didn’t know what to expect. An honest answer, or a little cover up story that she would conjure out of her mind. “You seem a little… hmmn, how do I explain it… distant?”

She didn’t know how Ariel would act. Would she be her usual, stubborn self?

Tebridiar was stubborn, but in a different way. Her stubborn-ness was more in her head, she wouldn’t give up on something when she was hooked. Ariel was more the sort of person to be stubborn upfront, out rightly refusing to do something if she didn’t like it.

And that wasn’t a bad thing.

[Ariel]

“Are you keeping something to yourself, Ariel?” Tebridiar asked. “You seem a little… hmmn, how do I explain it… distant?” Ariel looked up at her. "Yeah... sorry, I was just... thinking." She replied as she forced a smile across her face. She hoped it didn't look like it was forced. She hated when she got like that- forcing the portrayal of a specific emotion, caught up in thoughts of death and dying. It was certainly not a fun place to be. Not wanting to make things worse, or especially, to frighten Tebridiar, who was starting to seem more and more naive by the minute, she swung her legs a little, trying to make herself look a little more... alive.

[Tebridiar]

Tebridiar understood.

She sometimes zines out, in her own little world. She was sure Ariel had some information she wished to keep to herself. She wasn't going to pressure her into telling her what it was.

Ariel gave a little smile. It looked natural enough, but Tebridiar wasn't sure whether it was real or fake.

"I get it." She said passively, trying to sound as neutral as possible.

Tebridiar picked the little Pycon up, and placed her in her little pocket. She had somewhere she needed to show her, out of the way from everyone. It was her favourite place in Endrykas, and always had been, ever since she first found it. The little clearing. She wondered if she had worried the little person she had picked up, and she instantly felt the need to apologise.

"Sorry Ariel, I just felt it would be better if we move away from the busy street. I was feeling like I was getting funny looks, I think people thought I was talking to a blade of grass." She tried to explain. She'd know more when she got to the clearing.

[Ariel]

"I get it," Tebs said. Ariel looked over at her. I guess I did something wrong again... whoops. She thought, having no idea what she did or said. Ariel put her hands on Teb's shoulders and scooted over a bit. She rested her head on the woman's cheek, before Tebs scooped her up and placed her in her pocket. "Hey!" she called up to Tebs, as she sunk into the fabric. "That wasn't very nice!" she said with a pout. Not that Tebs could see it. "Sorry Ariel, I just felt it would be better if we move away from the busy street. I was feeling like I was getting funny looks, I think people thought I was talking to a blade of grass." Ariel pushed the fabric of the girl's pocket down so that she could peer out at the street as they passed people and other tiny tents. "Oh, that's ok," Ariel said. "You get used to being shoved into people's pockets." Ariel had no idea where Tebs was taking her. It bothered her a bit that she didn't know. But she was too lazy to look into Tebridiar's aura to try and figure out what she had in mind. Also, she felt like it was about time she learned how to be patient. After all, patience is a virtue. So Ariel simply rode along in Tebridiar's pocket, trying to ignore the uncomfortable bumping, and the occasional instance of being knocked over, in the woman's pocket as she continued to walk. Ariel's eyes became dizzy swirls for an instant, and then changed back again. Forget looking out of this pocket, she thought to herself. I'm just going to lie down in here, so I don't get motion sickness, she thought, as she leaned against the left side of the pocket and stretched her legs out, her arms resting in her lap, her clay wings sticking out uncomfortably behind her.

[Tebridiar]

Tebridiar kept anxiously checking her pocket, making sure the little piece of clay inside wasn’t getting squashed or had started melting. She appeared fine. Maybe she was sturdier than she looked, though her little wings must have been a bit of a hassle. Ariel had settled down, it appeared, but she was looking a bit ill.

It wouldn’t take long to get to where they had to be. They were nearly there already.

Tebridiar decided to speed up a little, taking a shortcut down a deserted “alley” between the back doors of tents, usually reserved as sort of mini gardens for the Drykas. They didn’t really have gardens, they were near nature constantly. But if they did have gardens, this would be the closest they would get.

Tebridiar followed footsteps on the ground, building on her tracking skills she had picked up over the years. There weren’t many footsteps here, but there was a sort of path. She was getting close.

“Ariel, don’t worry, we’ll be there soon!” It was the best she could do to assure the little person in her pocket. Eventually Tebridiar noticed the grass was starting the build up a little bit, and there were a few wild flowers on the ground. It was getting to a part of Endrykas that was cleared a little bit, the area she loved the most. Where she had shown Aleksi her true form. All the memories came flooding back, and she smiled to herself.

“Here we are Ariel!” She said, putting her down. But then she realised, with a shock, the grass was far too tall. She had dropped the little thing in and lost her!

“Ariel, don’t worry!” She called, parting the grass, searching for her. “Just shout for me!”

She waited to hear the little voice, and she started weaving a little patch of grass, flattening it down, so that the pycon could have an area to walk about on and feel safe. It must be scary having a giant jungle all around you.