[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/357353496057610242/531937501057777664/sym1A1.png?width=240&height=301[/img][/center] [center]FP: 0 MP: 04[/center] “AH!” Hermes yelped as she landed at an almost blinding speed. To her surprised, her sandals managed to slow her down at a rate that should’ve broken her neck, but in this case, didn’t, not even a little. A content smile broke across her face. After endless stretches of Ashalla’s blue ocean, she had finally found land in the west, pretty land too. There was grass, that was green strangely enough. A mesmerizingly thick blanket of fog, making Hermes feel completely isolated and alone, and -- [i]”Zzt!”[/i] Hermes rolled her eyes, maybe she wasn’t completely alone. Letting out a small sigh, Hermes began her trek inwards, Poppler swirling around her and playing in the humid mist. Closing her eyes, the woman began to whistle as she strolled, her arms swinging happily. The acoustics were remarkable, her whistle seemingly stretching ad infinitum in all directions, nothing but her, Poppler and the strange green grass for miles. [i]THUNK![/i] A plume of Hermes’ alabaster hair erupted as she suddenly smacked right into a wall. Rubbing her nose, the woman peeled her eyes open, suddenly face to face with the outside of a manor - and it was a large manor. Outside, the walls were all adorned with metal and ceramic ornaments, some being strange lanterns hanging off hooks and others being empty ceramic pots on windowsills, awaiting for a kind soul to plant a seed in them and help them fulfill their purpose. It was a beautiful manor, it sure was. And yet, it was abandoned in this strange misty island, with seemingly no one to look after it. A cursory exploration of the Manor yielded several useless details -- such as a broken window with a dressed up mop on the ground just outside it, and the front doors being slightly ajar. Hermes poked the door and it creaked as it opened a little more. She pursed her whistling lips and poked it again, the door opening even more. Quickly she slinked right through the opening, Poppler trailing behind her with tittering pops here and there. Inside the Manor, there were stacks of dirty porcelain plates everywhere, some with food scraps still on them. Had a feast been celebrated here recently, and if so, by whom? The island was deserted. A slight movement in the corner of the room caught Hermes’ sight and she spun to meet it. It was a plate, floating mid-air, levitating on its way to join a nearby stack of plates. When it had joined its brethren, another plate of those left on every surface of the Manor began floating its way to the stack. And another. And another. Until one plate stopped and froze. Agonizingly slow moments passed, and then the plate began slowly floating toward the source of the Hermes’ endless whistling -- or perhaps was it approaching Poppler’s crackling -- up until it bumped against the woman and reeled back a few feet. Bewildered Hermes reached aimlessly forward with her hands, trying to find the perpetrator, her little cloudling friend whizzing around in confusion. At that point, the plate floated back to the floor, and remained still. In the distance, or perhaps all around her, a melancholic tune began playing, one that made the mist seem heavy, one that made the air difficult to breathe… One that made the grass look gray. [color=steelblue]”H-Hello! I’m, uh, Li’Ka...”[/color] The soft voice came from behind Hermes, from the entrance to the Manor. It quickly trailed off into a murmur. It was a woman dressed in a simple blue dress, ragged at the heels. Her skin was deathly pale with the exceptions of the intense blush on her cheeks, and she wore a slightly defiant expression on her face. She seemed to be trying too hard to be regal. In her arms she carried a small Box, from which the distant tune came. Hermes seemed to shrink, her lips turning into a big smile but her eyes slightly worried, “My name is Hermes, and this is Poppler.” [i]”Pop pop!”[/i] “Is this your home?” Hermes questioned, her voice crossed between a little shy and enthusiastic to meet another person. Her eyes flickered to the box of sounds curiously. The cloudling spun around Li’Kalla as if matching Hermes curiosity. [color=steelblue]”Hermes,”[/color] Li’Kalla looked up for a second, then looked back at Hermes, [color=steelblue]”Y-You could say it is my home, but… In truth I haven’t lived here for a long time…”[/color] Li’Kalla said with her eyes following Poppler closely. [color=steelblue]”Tell me, y-you’re not a God, right?”[/color] “I’m a Dreamer” Hermes announced proudly. She pointed at the black swirl on her forehead, “made by God!” Li’Kalla looked at Hermes, and laughed, [color=steelblue]”Pffhahaha!”[/color] Her face looked much prettier with a smile on it -- Hermes began laughing along with her, albeit confused -- and after laughing Li’Kalla blew on Poppler, the little cloudling spiraling in the wind. [color=steelblue]”What is he? He seems to be made of clouds. Did you know I created clouds? He’s very cute.”[/color] “I know now,” Hermes took a step closer, the cloudling zipping right into her nest of hair, “do you like making clouds?” Her eyes bounced again to the curious cube. [color=steelblue]”I… Don’t know?”[/color] Li’Kalla shrugged, the movement causing the box to shift a little in her arms. She gasped and fixed her grip on it, [color=steelblue]”Uh, it’s just my duty, you know.”[/color] [color=steelblue]”... Are you hungry? There might still be some leftovers from when Chopstick came over to cook...”[/color] Hermes nodded, she remembered K’nell planting the idea of food in her head though she never needed it, it was definitely an experience worth experiencing, “I want to eat a lot.” “Can we eat?” She pushed, any facade of being shy now long gone, “and you can tell me about making clouds and cooking with Chopstick, and about your sound cube, and your home, and your dress, and why you have the same skin as me.” She punctuated her last list item by holding out her colorless arms, “I like it.” Li’Kalla smiled demurely and set down the Box of Orchestration on a nearby chair, then she went up to Hermes and -- after almost grabbing her hand and then regretting her choice at the last moment -- led her to another room, the dining room. It resembled more of a Hall, with a table so large that fifty people could easily sit and eat by its side. This part of the Manor was clean, and Li’Kalla excitedly drew a chair for Hermes. [color=steelblue]”Sit, please! I will bring the food in just a second, Hermes! I will answer your questions over some food.”[/color] And with that, Li’Kalla left the Dreamer alone in a fancy room, with silver goblets and cutlery and gold-embroidered cloths covering the chairs. Hermes quickly -- as quick as her sandals would allow her -- zipped through the room, stopping at precise moments to study various objects and creating so much wind that the cloths began to wave and Poppler was forced to hide deeper inside her jungle of hair. Her intelligent dark eyes nearly bulged as she soaked in all the new stimulus. “I like it,” She concluded as she attempted to juggle two of the goblets, resulting in a loud clattering as they crashed to the floor before she went to go grab something else. “I like it a lot,” She announced loudly, standing on top of the table, “it’s all very pretty.” [color=steelblue]”It is! Isn’t it?”[/color] Li’Kalla entered the dining room with a plate of leftovers on each hand. There were lots of meat, both aquatic and terrestrial and perhaps aerial on one of the plates drizzled with different sauces, and the other plate held a mighty salad including several vegetables cooked to varying degrees of perfection. [color=steelblue]”Come on, sit!”[/color] She said as she set down the two plates on the table and sat down, patting the seat next to her which ended up not being the one she had drawn for Hermes before. The Dreamer leaped off of the table, and somehow through a strange work of acrobatics she managed to land on her bum, square in the seat. Her eyes scanned the smorgasbord before her. Poppler suddenly emerged from Herme’s now heavily knotted hair and made a beeline for some of the more sugary of sauces, rolling around in it happily. Taking a cue from the cloudling, Hermes grabbed a handful of salad and mashed it into her mouth. Li’Kalla giggled and rested her elbows on the arm of her chair and in turn her head on her hands. For a few moments she watched happily as Hermes ate, and then her expression became a little more serious. [color=steelblue]”Your question about my skin, and yours -- I don’t really know. I’m sorry.”[color] She seemed truly sad that she couldn’t give Hermes an answer. “That’s okay,” Hermes patted Li’Kalla’s hand, leaving a tacky residue which quickly vanished due to Li’Kalla’s eternally soaking wet skin, “it’s good skin anyways.” [i]”Pop pop pop…”[/i] The cloudling was completely covered in sugar meat glaze, prompting a hearty laugh from Hermes and a big eerily-cheshire smile. [color=steelblue]”The other question, about the ‘Sound Cube’? That is, uhm… A Gift, I suppose,”[/color] She sighed, [color=steelblue]”From Vakk. I don’t like listening to it… I can’t let a gift be wasted, though, it wouldn’t be righ-”[/color] “I like it!” Hermes cut the god off, “it makes a sound without a mouth-” [i]”Zzt!”[/i] “Or… a cloud?” Hermes shrugged. Li’Kalla smiled and tilted her head. Slowly, she pointed a finger at Hermes and poked her cheek. Hermes accepted the poke with a wide grin, her warm flesh scrunching from the sensation of a wet finger, and as if mirroring Li’Kalla she reached out with her own finger and poked Li’Kalla’s cheek. [color=steelblue]”Ah-”[/color] Li’Kalla gasped and recoiled a little, before breathing deeply and settling down again, [color=steelblue]”I’m sorry… It’s been a long time since I’ve felt… Anyone, in this kind of way.”[/color] She said lamely and went on to caress Hermes’ cheek gently, before turning and passing her a cloth to dry herself. “It’s okay, it was an experience,” Hermes took the cloth and wiped her face, “Experiencing is living and living is my purpose.” [color=steelblue]”Huh, not all experiences are good to have, Hermes. I’m sure you’ll understand that one day.”[/color] “Maybe,” Hermes paused, “But if I stop, good or bad, I am no longer living, and that’s not very good in itself.” Li’Kalla directed her gaze to an unseen horizon, a place far away, and she frowned. [color=steelblue]”Sometimes they make you feel like you’d rather never have been born in the first place...”[/color] After a moment, she suddenly turned to look at Hermes again, [color=steelblue]”Can you promise me something?”[/color] “I’ve never done that before, so I’m going to go with a hard yes,” Hermes smiled, “I will promise you.” [color=steelblue]”Be happy. You’re too pure, just like I used to be… So, be happy! If you need someone to talk to, I’m here, alright?”[/color] Hermes thought for a moment, “Are you sad?” Li'Kalla looked away, “... Having you here makes me happier. That goes for you too, Poppler.” [i]”Pop!”[/i] Hermes nodded, “Why don’t you come along with me on my journey? It’s fun and I like it a lot, you might too.” Li’Kalla perked up like a child, leaning close to Hermes with wide sparkly eyes, [color=steelblue]”Really?! Can I, can I? Oh yes! We’re going to the mountains, and then, then we’ll go to Skaia and Peppercorn Ranch and maybe go for Ice Cream in that one stall in Arms’ Haven and-”[/color] Li’Kalla was just short of pressing her nose against Hermes’ when she froze and grinned warmly, [color=steelblue]”Yay! My first trip with a friend, I’ve waited so long for this! Oh gosh, w-we’ll meet new friends, and- and see new things and be away from our duties and families!”[/color] Most of Li’Kalla’s words were strange to Hermes, but each one made her smile grow, slightly leaning back as the Goddess got closer, “I like it! I want to try all those things!” She reached out and poked Li’Kalla’s cheek in the same spot as before, “good to have you on board, friend.” Li’Kalla grabbed Hermes’ hand with hers the moment she poked her and giggled, [color=steelblue]”It’s been so long since I’ve had a friend, too!”[/color] But suddenly, the happy Goddess’ enthusiasm started dissipating and she let go of Hermes’ hand. [color=steelblue]”Although, I still have some things to do around here… Do you think, um, we could go another time…? Yeah… Duties, you know...”[/color] Li’Kalla said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes, which upon seeing the empty plates of food, prompted her to stand up. [color=steelblue]”I suppose I’ll clean these up. You can take whatever you want from the Manor as a souvenir, if you will. I have no use for any of these things, anyway.”[/color] And with that, Li’Kalla disappeared behind a door. Hermes’ smile disappeared into a small frown as her new friend left. She just found out, “I don't like goodbyes.” She let out a disappointed sigh and slouched as she walked out of the room. Slowly her posture regained it's cheery stature as she realized it wasn't a final goodbye and in time she will see her friend again. She stopped. In front of her the sound box was playing its tune. Hermes scanned the room cheekily, [i]souvenir[/i]! With one quick motion, and not a protest from Poppler --who had absorbed the sugar and nestled back into her hair-- Hermes swiped the box and tucked it under her arm. “I'll come back!” She shouted as she walked happily out the door, a whistle breaking her lips. Once outside Hermes turned to soak in the view of the manor one final time. A gentle smile broke across her face, she had found a friend. With a happy nod she suddenly burst into the sky, cleaving through the fog at an incredible speed. [Center]---[/center] An hour had passed and Hermes now darted through the sky, westward once more and with the endless Ashalla blue stretching beneath her in all directions. Slightly bored, she lifted the sound box to her face and began to fiddle with it. “Uh!” She grunted as the wind knocked it out of her grasp, only for her to catch it- “ah!” It juggled out of her hand and she swiped to grab it again. All her fingers caught was air as the box fell below her. Before she could even dash to catch up with it, it was out of sight. “Oops,” her voice shrunk, and slowly turned back into a whistle, albeit a suspicious one as she continued her journey. [Hider=Directors Cut] [color=steelblue]”Ah-”[/color] Li’Kalla gasped and recoiled a little, before breathing deeply and settling down again, [color=steelblue]”I’m sorry… It’s been a long time since I’ve felt… Anyone.”[/color] She said lamely and went on to caress Hermes’ cheek gently, before turning and passing her a cloth to dry herself. Wow big baller over here assuming things. [/hider] [Hider=summary] No might used. Hermes discovers Li'Kalla's island and then her Manor So'e She gets caught by Li'Kalla who invites her to a dinner party. The two become friends, and promise to adventure together eventually. As a token of friendship, Li'Kalla allows Hermes to take anything she wants from So'e. Hermes swipes the music box, only yo clumsily lose it over the ocean. K'nell and his creations are shaping up to be something wildly different than expected, and breaking all expectation, Li'Kalla begins to self heal. [/hider] The Dreamer stared at K'nell. The two face to face in the Palace of Dreams. Hermes had recounted her journey so far, soliciting a pause from K'nell. The silence lasted for a long time, forcing Hermes to jitter in place until finally K'nells voice echoed thoughtfully. “Perhaps there is more.”