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 Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:23 pm
The night was cool, the wind was brisk. It tugged at the leaves of the forest, rustling them and sending eerie shadows over the area. It was a good night for exploring the wildlife of Halloween--and it was also a beautiful full moon, which meant Fai was right where he always was, with his night flowers.
The small field of flowers looked like weeds during the day. No one noticed them even in passing, even though they were technically on Horsemen land. But come nightfall, when the moon landed on them, the flowers started to glow. Beautiful, translucent petals opened to the moon, shimmering gently. They were Fai's one true pride--the only plant he still tended, the one thing he would actually pull himself out of... himself... for. At least for a moment.
At the moment he had already weeded and watered the flowers--and watered himself, in a way. A half empty jug laid cradled in his arms as the famine horseman slept next to the bed of beautiful flowers.
He snored.
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:38 pm
Falair had taken to poking around tonight. To get her bearings of this new place and perhaps find a few interesting souls. Or interesting things to experiment on...those minipets were quick!
As she walked along, slender fingers worked quickly snapping off bits and pieces of random plants and tucking them away into the pouches of her apron. A breeze fluttered her head veil as the teeth and beads around her neck clicked against one another with her movement.
A snore not far off instantly caught her attention. Who in the world would be sleeping out here? The Alchemist felt a lot more safer sleeping where there were others. Well, she'd lived through worse. Perhaps curiosity would be the thing to kill her this time.
Drawing closer, she could see a faint glow. Brown eyes widened at the sight of the flowers. Another snore drew her pinpoint attention now. Ah, the slumberer. Though the smell that was coming off of him wasn't quite as sweet as the flowers he sat next to.
She pondered reaching out and plucking one of the flowers. Crouching low, she watched for a breath before slowly reaching out her fingers.
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:43 pm
Fai didn't wake--but Precious did. Before the other famine could realize what had happened, a large flower head was rising from the ground, staring at her without eyes. For a moment it seemed like the flower was literally sniffing the air--
Then it smiled at her. A creepy, open mouthed/petal sort of smile. Precious knew her. And Precious's presence said exactly who was sleeping there--and why they were bold enough to sleep peacefully out in the open like they were. Precious was far more vicious than Fai tended to be--and it never slept.
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:52 pm
Movement.
Her hand stopped abruptly as Precious lifted up off the ground and smiled at her. Oh yes, Fala knew exactly what Precious was and who she belonged to. A familiar smile came to her lips, though obscured by her mask. So it was her eyes that did the smiling.
"Well hello there gorgeous. Its been a long time since I've seen you." The Alchemist wasn't quite so intimidated by the plant as those unfamiliar with it might have been. Even though she had heard stories of its viciousness, Fala knew that even plants, especially those with their own personalities, could sense your feelings. And being afraid was not something she intended to be.
People were often afraid of things they didn't understand.
She pulled her hand back away from the flowers, still crouching. Balancing on her toes and finger tips. "Moonlighting are we?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:55 pm
The plant moved, tilting in a questioning manner--and another head bit Fai's arm, making him wake up.
"Wh--what is it this time?" Fai muttered, slowly surfacing from the oblivion of sleep. "Precious, I told you--" He looked up, seeing one of his larger stalks rising above the flowers, looking at someone. Slowly the horseman sat up, looking at the newcomer that Precious WASN'T attacking.
"Fa--Fala?" he said in a stunned tone. "I must be drunk," he said, picking up his jug and sloshing it. "I believe I added a bit too much of the wolfbane--"
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:05 pm
She waved a hand in front of her face as if to banish an odorous smell from her nostrils. Though her face mask did a pretty good job of doing that already. It was merely in jest.
"I see you are trying to pickle yourself, Fai. Is this a new project of yours or just unabashed alcoholism? I might have a potion to cure you of that somewhere. Or it might turn your skin pink." Falair placed a single fingertip to her chin and tilted her head just slightly, studying the older Alchemist with curiosity. The last time she had seen him he had been...more.
The loss of the isles effected everyone in a different way she supposed.
Quickly she crossed her legs and sat facing him, her poofy pants made it look a bit awkward but she smoothed them out the best she could.
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:09 pm
"It is... unabashed alcoholism, my dear," Fai said almost proudly. "But you--I had assumed you were dead," he admitted. It had been another of the many nails in his mental coffin. There was so little to work for now--and yes, he was famine, and famine adapted.
He had assumed he would adapt to drinking himself to death quite nicely. He'd been well on his way to it.
"I... am afraid I am not at my best at the moment," he admitted, flushing slightly and straightening his horribly skewed robes. "How did you--when did you--no. I am sure you will tell me in good time--I... perhaps might take you up on that potion, though. If it does not work it might possibly kill me, which might do the job as well."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:19 pm
The corner of her right eye twitched when he spoke of her potion possibly killing him. Yea sure, she wasn't the greatest Alchemist and blew up a few tents and homes every now and again. But even still. She hadn't killed anyone. Yet.
Though the pride in his voice about the alcoholism worried her just a bit. Deep troubles were generally the reason why most took to heavy drinking. Especially drinking alone. Not that he was entirely alone.
"Even still there are those of us who are trickling in. Those who were not on the isles when they were lost." Their beautiful island. Lost. At first she had thought she was the only one left when she had returned to find nothing but ashes and darkness. "I was...lost. For a while. But I eventually found my way here. As I am sure there will be many others who do the same."
She smiled at his flush and robe adjustment. While she hadn't planned on catching him in such a state, he was probably not expecting anyone to stumble upon him either. "I'm just glad that you too are still alive, as is Na'ima. And many others. Its hard being on your own when you are so used to the noise."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:22 pm
"Yes. Sal is alive as well," he said. "Cairo is not." And it was such a simple statement but it ripped at his heart just to say it. It seemed to make it so much more real. "I..." he ran a hand over his face.
"Have you seen my flowers?" he asked, knowing that the pathetic plot was nothing compared to what he had had once. "They are a fascinating species that I've found here. It is not home... but there are one or two redeeming features of this land."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:32 pm
A secret frown soon replaced her smile. She was glad for her mask.
"I am sorry for your loss." That was all she could really offer him. Falair still kept the loss in her heart but she found dwelling on the past poisoned one's being. If Fai's drinking was any indication of the toxicity that ran through him. She could, however, understand in a way. The loss of her parents weighed heavily on her as well. And until she had found her older sister again even that threatened to drag her down.
Her eyes trailed back to the flowers. "The are very beautiful." She had to admit, even now Fai still did good work. "Do you have a name for them?" Falair gently touched a nearby flower's petals. Careful to not damage it. She could appreciate such beauty.
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:35 pm
"I have not," he admitted, looking at the blooming flowers with a soft smile. "There is a very good chance that they have a name already. I do not presume to think I am the first to have found them when the Halloweeners have been here for so long. But they are my little secret among the clans. One only a few are aware of."
He looked at her again. "I... I am a failure of a mentor now," he told her. "I would offer to take you under wing once again, but... I do not have the faith in myself I once had. I will not blame you for ignoring my presence, if you so choose."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:44 pm
Falair laughed lightly, placing her hands on her ankles as she leaned forward. "Well, they probably have some weird name for them. Many things go by different names among different cultures. So I'm sure they would not mind if you gave them a name for our own."
She leaned back a bit, taking in a deep breath of the night air and letting her brown eyes slip closed for a second. Listening to the night's creatures and the wind in the rustling trees. "Dear Fai, I am probably one of the worst Alchemists to ever grace the Famine Clan. And yet I keep trying. I could have given up long ago and become a Scavanger but I didn't. You just need to find that spark again."
Lifting a single finger, she tapped at her temple. "I will help you as you help me. I cannot stand idly by. Even if you refuse I will continue on this path. You may throw me in the street or banish me to the coldest mountain top but I have drive. And when I set my mind on something I go all out." Another laugh. "Besides, its kind of hard to ignore you when that smell fills up a room."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:48 pm
"Well, yes, my dear, but we are outside at the moment. You merely need to sit upwind of me." But he was rather red even as he said that so smoothly, and he even lifted his arm to his nose to sniff.
"But I see what you mean," he admitted, feeling even more embarrassed. It was like he was finally seeing himself for the first time--and his old self was blatantly ashamed of what he had become, even if she was merely teasing him. "I am rather... rank."
He wondered if someone had ever installed a bathing house in this part of the Horsemen Territory...
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:55 pm
She placed her hands on her hands and chuckled quietly. Falair had missed all the light hearted chatter. It felt like decades since she had had a good laugh. "It's not so bad. I'm sure there are some that could give you a good run for the top spot in that competition."
Clapping her hands together, she rubbed them back and forth. "Then it is agreed? You take a bath and I will hide the liquor bottles. And hope I don't poison the water supply in the process."
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Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:59 pm
"Oh, but wouldn't it be fascinating to see those Conquest horsemen drunk?" Fai said thoughtfully. "I must admit, they still strike me as quite starchy," he informed her. "And does this make me the apprentice?" he asked. "So if I perhaps... accidentally cause a few problems, you will take the brunt of it?"
He was drunk, it didn't mean he had forgotten the past. "But... truthfully, follow me to the bath house, my dear, if I fall asleep I might drown." He said that perfectly straight-faced. He was being honest.
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