Like a Leaf on the Wind

[Geldenwing]

"Nah, not brave. Snakes are just slithery and stuff but they don't like biting so much. You just gotta show'em you ain't worth bitin'."

The fae giggled when the woman stuck out and wiggled her tongue. This woman was fun. Gelden liked her a lot and decided right then and there that she wanted to keep the funny lady who juggled and used a guitar for a weapon. Of course, it was very hard to keep a human, since they liked to move a lot, but this was no problem for the fairy. She liked to move a lot too.

She brightened when the woman mentioned hearing dragons fly.

"Ooo! What's that sound like? Is it like whoooooooooosh! Or is it like flutter flutter, you know like birds. Or is it like zzzzzzzzz, like dragonflies? Dragonflies are real pretty and blue and green and stuff. But they're sure nothing like dragons."

Now came introductions, and the little fairy beamed even more. She stuck her hand way out into the woman's face, nearly poking her with the extended limb.

"I'm Geldenwing! I'm a fairy!"

Because this was not obvious.

[Mercedes D'Amour]

"Um, well, dragons make more of a 'whoosh' sound, I guess. Kinda like a tornado."

Merc had never heard a tornado, but from rote description she figured that an army of flying dragons must sound similar. Drawing back from the fae's hand ever so slightly so as to be able to grasp it without sticking her fingers up her own nose, she laughed before stating:

"It's very nice to meet you, Geldenwing. I never would have guessed that you were a fairy."

Probably because she didn't need to bother guessing when she knew bloody well what Gelden was. Almost as though it wanted it's own introduction, her stomach growled a particularly expressive complaint about its relative emptiness. If there was anything that Merc and Aimee failed to do on a consistent basis, it was cooking. You could give the girls the finest-cut steak and they'd still manage to make it inedible.

Mercedes looked up the path in the direction the fairy had indicated the city was. Perhaps...perhaps the outskirts wouldn't be so bad? Not that she had any money to pay for a meal anywhere - no matter how cheap the establishment - but maybe they'd take a song in trade? Her fingers lightly brushed the un-tuned strings, drawing the softest hum possible. Maybe Gelden would have a better idea than attempting to get in and out of the city alive. Something told her this was rather unlikely, but she asked anyway in the simplest way she could think of.

"You hungry?"

[Geldenwing]

"Yeah I guess. My tumbles gets rumbly if I wait too long 'cause I guess I eat ok enough that it's spoiled."

Upon this pronouncement, the fae burst into the nearest area that was non-thistled to tears and grabbed the largest clump she possibly could of assorted vegetation. She had an idea and she wanted to share it with her newest friend, because she already assumed her newest friend would be able to tell if it was a Good Idea or a Failed Idea. Gelden had a lot of Failed Ideas but she couldn't help but try.

She bustled back to Merc, who sounded like "murk" which made the fae giggle at thought of murky water, and thrust her bushel of wild plantlife forward with a hopeful shriek.

"We can make stew!

[Mercedes D'Amour]

Mercedes had no idea what the fae meant. None. But luckily the string of words was followed by a frenzied collection random plants and the pronouncement of stew, so she quickly got the point. Not wanting to hurt Gelden's feelings, she held up her hands apologetically, but almost looked as though she were trying to ward off the weeds.

"Ahhh, we could make stew...but I can't. I'm terrible with making stuff at the best of times..."

Her look suggested that the sedges and bristly broadleafs were not under the definition of 'the best of times'.

"But if you can cook, then I guess I'd be game."

Mercedes nearly winced, but managed not to be too rude. She glanced down the path again and whet her lips. How to put this best...

"But if not, maybe we should find someone who can."

[Geldenwing]

"Oh."

Failed idea. The fairy became the very image of depression, her excited look fading to a pout as her hands and wings lowered. She sniffled once, then twice for good measure, and then dropped her poor useless bundle of weeds smack dab right there on the ground where they'd do more good. A shrill whining sound emerged; she seemed to be fighting back tears.

And then she was done. Immediate sun cleared away the near-tears and her wings popped back up as she presented her new friend with a bright smile.

"Yeah! Let's find someone! I bet they'll know how to make yummies for your tumbles!"

She skipped back to the path and began hop-skipping along, whistling a random tune that went well with nothing.

[Mercedes D'Amour]

Oh shit. She was going to cry. Merc cringed and waited for the lightning...or whatever it was that might happen for peeing off a member of the fae. What was she going to do? Gently, she nudged Aimee just as Gelden's emotional state did a one-eighty.

This situation obviously required someone with a greater capacity to understand the fairy mind. With the effortless grace that comes with years of practice and determination, the sisters switched places. Mercedes brought Aimee up to speed on everything that had transpired and Aimee did her best to not squeal with delight and hug the little fairy. Merc had boundaries and a rep to maintain - even in a strange place. Even though she was being mindful, she still replied a little more brightly than Merc ever would have.

"Alright! Let's find someone together!"

She nearly took Gelden's hand to skip alongside her, but busied her hands with hefting the guitar up over her shoulder instead. Content to shuffle down the dirt path, whistling to herself, Aimee 'took in the sights' as it were. The path met a cobblestone road right by a large water tower. Here she paused and then called out to Gelden.

"Hey, slow up."

Catching up to the fae, Aimee bent a little and half-whispered.

"Maybe we should go in sort of...incognito. You know, undercover. So the mean people won't recognize you? That would be fun to play undercover, wouldn't it?"

Aimee pulled a faded knit cap out of her satchel and passed it to Gelden.

"Here, you can wear my hat for starters!"

[Geldenwing]

The woman - Merc - appeared to shift into an even funner person right before the fairy's eyes, and she shrieked with ever more delight as she realized she'd found not just a friend, but a playmate. Merc hefted her pretty guitar and whistled a happy tune and trundled along behind her, and Gelden felt as though she were leading a parade.

The image stuck with her, and she began twisting and twirling an imaginary stick as her legs began the standard circus prancing moves. Hop, hop, hop, hop, one foot at a time and alley-oop! went her imaginary stick. In her brain it did an amazing spiral, flashing in the sun, before she caught it again.

This was the best parade ever!

Merc caught up to her a few moments later and suggested they play a game. A real game that they would both play together. Gelden shook with contained glee as Merc handed her the hat. She eyed and stretched it, examining it top-to-bottom, puffed her cheeks out and bit her bottom lip. The truth was she wasn't sure how to put it on. Was there a front side? A back-side? Was it inside-out? Maybe Merc wouldn't care. She decided to try.

She put it on and tugged the sides down until the edge of the cap rested firmly against the tip of her nose. She could almost see through the knitted gaps...but not really. Humans were so weird.

"Like this?"

[Mercedes D'Amour]

Aimee smiled kindly and tugged up the front of the hat so she could see the fae's eyes.

"Yes, that's exactly right - but you're allowed to fold it up some so you can see. It's a one-size-fits-all hat!"

Letting some of the control over the body slide, Aimee concentrated on seeing. The colours surrounding Gelden were mesmerizing - and a little frightening at the same time. Slipstreams of blue and green and orange whirled in and out of the fairy's body, that was the mesmerizing part - but there was this sort of pulsing, vibrating core that seemed to be threatening to explode like a volcano ... and that was the frightening part. So much emotion. So much power. Blinking, Aimee regained normal sight and smiled again as she noticed something that definitely needed to change in order to go "incognito" as she had suggested.

"The hat really does the trick, but there's something else that might make you stand out. Can you hide your wings?"

Aimee's voice dropped lower and took on a saddened tone.

"I hate to ask you to, with their being so pretty and all."

[Geldenwing]

Gelden beamed when Merc pulled the hat up enough so that she could see properly. Now this certainly made more sense! Maybe humans weren't so weird after all.

Merc's next question drew the small fairy's head back enough that she could see her left wing in her peripheral vision. She hmed. She hahed. She wiggled her nose and stamped her foot. But there they stayed, bright and glossy in the sun's rays.

She blew a frustrated breath out through her mouth and balled her fists. It wasn't that she was struggling to make the effort, it was that she was struggling to concentrate on what she wanted. But it was hard! She liked her wings right where they were, and didn't much like the idea of hiding them. But she would not lose this game, either. If she needed to make those wings all quiet and invisible, then that's just what she would do.

The problem was that she didn't really know how. She could make herself invisible with few problems, but it only lasted a short while. She'd never made only one part invisible, and certainly not for long. It was a challenge...and she thought she might not succeed.

She pouted and looked at Merc, feeling bad that she'd let down her friend.

"I can't do it. Don't you...don't you got a sweater or somethin'? Maybe I can cover them up..."

But she didn't sound happy about the option.

[Mercedes D'Amour]

Aimee winced and frowned along with Gelden - as though the effort the little fairy was putting out was pouring directly into the human. If she could have traded places with the fae, she would have, but blending in wasn't exactly Merc's strong point either. Unslinging her baggage, Aimee paused before shrugging out of the dingy leather coat that had seen them through so much sun, rain, wind and snow.

She paused because she was about to become much more conspicuous than the fairy.

Merc's sleeveless tunic was also essentially backless and the infamous tattoo of the crouching tiger slashing open her shoulder became perfectly framed by blue linen. As the sleeves slipped down her arms, more tattoos - widely varying in size, colour and complexity - exploded into view. Aimee tensed their right forearm where a flock of tiny blue butterflies danced with the muscular movements. That one was hers. She had been shocked that Merc had left that space available - Merc said it must have been fate.

Despite Aimee's discomfort with her own personal local colour, she held the jacket open for Gelden to step into. The lining was torn, and the coat probably smelled - the offering probably wouldn't be so inviting.

"You can wear my jacket...it's a little big and heavy though. If it's going to hurt your wings, we can find something else maybe?"

*Or go somewhere else*
~It was your idea to go to town. Did you not notice the wings?!~
*I thought she could shift them! I didn't know!*
~Uh huh. Sure, cover your butt.~
*Oh hush. Just find us some food, wouldja?*

Aimee wrinkled her nose and smiled at Gelden, hoping the improvisation would work.

[Geldenwing]

"Oh wow, a jacket!"

The fae nearly bounded into the jacket, shoving her arms inside and bending her elbows so that the sleeves collapsed forward in an almost depressing display. She was so excited about having the jacket on that she raised her arms way up high and flapped them, making the loose sleeve ends flop up and down against her movement.

"I've never worn a jacket before! Golly it's heavy...don't you get tired?"

She tromped about a small circle, swinging her arms dramatically so that the sleeves would fly this way and that around her body. She felt like a snake that needed to shed its skin. And humans wore these all the time!

Her wings snapped up behind her, and she started batting them, scrunching up her nose real tight just like the lady had. It was just a test, and it was fun anyway, but sure enough she couldn't have possibly flown with so much extra weight.

Humans were so weird!

She gave up a moment later and extended her sleeve-covered hands in front of her, looking back and forth. Then she looked up at Merc for a Final Inspection. To make sure Merc could take a Fair Analysis, she threw her arms up again and twirled, beaming happily. The jacket did a very good job indeed of covering her front side.

[Mercedes D'Amour]

This time, she couldn't hold in the laughter. Aimee wrapped her arms around her middle as she bent nearly double trying to keep quiet. Genuine joy lit up Merc's more severe features - it was as though she were a completely different person - as Aimee allowed herself to enjoy the moment with wild abandon.

"Oh sweetie. The jacket looks wonderful on you!"

Her index finger pressed against her lips momentarily, though the smile remained.

"It isn't very good at covering up your wings, though. Jackets are fickle things."

Better to blame the garment than sadden the fae. She was right - it was heavy. Town...wasn't going to work. Aimee lifted her head slightly and glanced to her left at the road leading away from the obviously populated area. Her eyes rolled to the right. A poor residential area tossed in among boarded up shops and storage houses. She would feel a little too scummy to steal something from those pantries. Again, her eyes flickered to the road and the water tower standing by it.

"Hey maybe I'll grab something to drink first." she paused to pick up her guitar and satchel, still smiling at Gelden, "You can wear the jacket if you want, but when it gets too heavy you let me know, alright?"

Aimee sauntered over to the water town, glancing down the uncannily quiet road, before crossing over to where the spigot poked out of the swollen belly of the rusted tub. Which also happened to be at least 20 feet off the ground. She poked through the tall grass - most communities drew some water and left it for travellers - apparently they weren't so charitable here.

"Hmmm. Well, this should be fun."

With the river running so close, she really didn't need to drink out of the tower, but now it was more a matter of the principle of the thing. Spitting on her hands, Aimee rolled her shoulders as she prepared to scale the structure.

[Jenica Sabiny]

Continued here: http://www.tharshaddin.com/rp/viewtopic ... 632#p17632