[IC] Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

[EliteCommander]

"For your people, your ears are normal, yes. However, you do have larger ears than most other races, and I'm willing to bet that you have more sensitive hearing because of it. Very loud noises like gunfire could end up hurting you, especially when it happens right in front of your face." Tarentek explained. Just like the other pistol, it did not take him long to reassemble the broken one. There were still plenty of parts on it that did work, so it was not entirely useless.

"And I do have ears, they're just...not like yours." Tarentek explained as he stood up and approached Onyx. Leaning his head to the side, he pointed to the comparatively small holes on the side of his head. "These are my ears. They do the same thing as yours, though I doubt I can hear near as well as you. My people rely much more on scent and sight. Anyway, here's the broken pistol too. I'm ready to leave when you are."

[Vesuvius00]

"Thanks, I- I didn't mean to offend you or anything when I said that, but I was a little offended by what you had said." Onyx put the still broken relic on the table, and put the one that Tarentek had fixed in her pocket before starting to leave the den. "We tend to associate large ears with children, so by extension one with large ears is considered ignorant and unimportant, while what I said about you not having ears was also somewhat meant as an insult, however we only use it on outsiders."

[EliteCommander]

Tarentek chuckled. "I see. We actually have some similar things among my people, just not with ears. Our ears are pretty much the same throughout our lives. Or at least, they stay about the same size compared to our head. For us, it is big eyes, or a small tail. Especially the tail. A lot of cruel children have bullied others based on that. Luckily, mine is about average, so I've never had to deal with that."

As the pair stepped out of the den, Tarentek took in a deep breath of the fresh air. "So, what is our first stop?"

[Vesuvius00]

"I should get my duties out of the way before we do anything else, that way I won't have to worry about it later." Onyx said as she started walking across the bridge to the center of the nest, looking at the sky. There were only a few clouds there, but no matter what, Onyx still worried about rain. "Hmm, do you remember the way there Tarentek? I think I'd like to test your memory." Onyx turned and smiled to Tarentek, distracting herself form the weather.

[EliteCommander]

Tarentek shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I should be able to. I was paying close attention when you were showing me around yesterday, and I did manage to make my way back to your den by myself. I suppose I'll lead the way." He answered.

Tarentek noticed Onyx looking at the faint clouds in the distance as they made their way through the village. Looking at her, it was obvious she was concerned, which did speak to how much water seemed to concern her. The odds of it actually raining were pretty slim, as it was not a common event in their area. Although, in the desert, whenever it did rain, it would pour so he could see why she might be concerned about it. He had gathered that their wings simply did not work when wet, which, for a flying race, would probably be a big deal.

Luckily, Tarentek remembered the path through the village reasonable well. There was one point in which he nearly took a wrong bridge, but he stopped himself before actually guiding Onyx down the wrong path. Obviously, he could not find his way around to anywhere in the village just yet, but he could find a few places they had already been to, and the center of the village was no exception. After a few minutes, they were once again on the mountain path up to the village center. "See, I told you I could find the way. And this time, I'm not walking myself into exhaustion."

[Vesuvius00]

"Huh, so I guess I forgot to show you the shortcut yesterday." Onyx smiled at Tarentek once he had stopped. "I had honestly thought you were lost for quite a while there, although it's understandable I suppose." Now Onyx could barely hold back her laughter. They were standing at the base of the staircase that they had taken the day before to get up to where Onyx had played Felldan with Daimos and his group the day before, which certainly was one way to get to the center of the nest.

"This path works fine, but it would tire you out more quickly because you can't fly up the stairs like we can. I will show you the connecting bridge later, on the way back. If you would like, I can carry you up the stairs now, so you won't tire yourself out yet. I'm serious about wanting you to come with me on my duties today." Onyx dropped the laughing tone in her voice and waited patiently for Tarentek's response.

[EliteCommander]

"Well...I'm not psychic." Tarentek said, crossing his arms and looking away from Onyx in a joking protest, though keeping a smile on his face. "At least I got us here. If I'm here long enough, I'll learn my way around. There are a lot of bridges to remember, but I'm sure it can't be too complicated."

When Onyx mentioned flying him up the staircase, Tarentek immediately tensed up. Almost on reaction, he glanced down over the edge of the path at the valley beneath them. He gulped, and answered nervously. "F-fly up? Oh, um, well that's not really...necessary. Really. I have a lot more energy than before. W-we can walk, I'll let you lead the way."

[Vesuvius00]

Onyx saw his body tense, and instead of reacting kindly like she should have, Onyx almost hissed her words at him. "Oh, seriously? Last time I dropped you, It was on purpose. Are you doubting my strength?" A few seconds passed, and Onyx was able to calm down. She was sure she still looked a little too angry at him, so she tried to lighten her expression.

"Alright, I didn't think before I said that. Although I am a little miffed at you right now." Onyx flew up to a step quite a ways above Tarentek and landed there, turning to speak to him again. "I'll meet you at the top." As soon as she said it, she took off again, disappearing over the ridge at the top.

[EliteCommander]

Tarentek was honestly quite a bit confused. He was not sure why Onyx would be angry at him for being afraid of heights, though it started to make sense once she brought up dropping him the last time she carried him. Evidently, she thought he just did not trust her ability to carry him. Admittedly, it was something that made him nervous, but he would feel the same way about anyone who wanted to take him in the air. It would be simple enough to tell her...he just needed to get up the staircase first.

Fortunately Tarentek did not have much of an issue climbing the side of the mountain. He did not have to stop and rest, and was only slightly winded once he reached the top. As promised, Onyx was waiting for him just over the ridge, and before she could say anything, he spoke up. "You know, I'm pretty afraid of heights, kind of like what you are with water."

[Vesuvius00]

As Onyx stood at the top of the ridge, she calmed herself down by watching the few clouds in the sky float by on the wind. When Tarentek made it to the top of the ridge, she was going to say that she didn't care anymore, but he spoke before she could. Afraid of heights? But... Onyx looked at him for a moment, trying to think what he meant, and what she should say next. He compared it to my fear of water... Oh!

"I-I had no idea, I thought you had meant..." Onyx forced herself to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you." She bowed to him slightly, not getting up until he spoke again.

[EliteCommander]

"It's quite alright." Tarentek answered. Her embarrassment was a bit amusing, but it did make sure not to laugh. "Seeing a vast expanse of nothing, or...well, everything beneath me is more frightening than you could imagine. My people aren't made to fly like yours are. Though, if I am going to be heading out with an escort sometime in the next week, I might be forced to overcome it. I doubt they will be wanting to walk when they could fly me there in a fraction of the time."

Tarentek gave a chuckle. "Maybe we should help each other out? You take me out into the sky to help me get over my fear of heights, and I take you out to the sea to help you get over your fear of water."

[Vesuvius00]

Onyx blanched at the mention of him trying to help her over her fear of water. She actually took a few steps away from him before she could stop herself, and she struggled for a while to make her response. "I- That-that..." She took a deep breath and said her thoughts as she let it out. "That is not possible for me. Not only would I probably be pushed to the point of fear that I might actually kill you, I might die too."

[EliteCommander]

"See, that is why you need to try and see if you can get over it. If you ever fall into the water, you will end up panicking. If no one is there to help you, then you'll drown. I wouldn't want you to get hurt over something preventable...or, well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt over anything, but especially not something preventable." Tarentek said, shrugging his shoulders as he stepped forward alongside her and waited for her to lead the way.

"Besides, I would be letting you torture me in the sky for most of the day, so it's not like it would be a one-sided event. That sea where you found me would actually be perfect for getting used to it. With how salty it is, I imagine you would be hard pressed to actually sink. Salt helps you float. You would be in no more danger swimming with me as I would be flying with you. I trust you in the sky, and I trust you could really help me with my problem. Do you trust me in the water?" He asked, his voice carrying a friendly tone.

[Vesuvius00]

He sounded friendly as he spoke, and even as Onyx heard the reasoning in his words, she was detached, lost in a fragment of a memory. I don't trust anyone, even myself, in the water. I don't know if that will ever change. As Onyx thought, she slowly realized that Tarentek was waiting for her to lead the way. Before she moved though, she spoke the only truth she knew at the moment, being careful of her wording. "I feel that I should be able to trust you. I saved you once, why would you allow me to come to danger?" As she spoke the words, she found that she was trying to convince herself even more than she had been trying to convince Tarentek.

Forcing the last traces of the memory and fear from her mind, Onyx started walking towards the building where she would receive her tasks for that day.

[EliteCommander]

The topic was obviously something that made Onyx nervous, but Tarentek maintained his calm composure as he walked alongside her. "Onyx, this isn't something I would force you to do, but I think it is something you would be glad you did in the long run. Not only would it have the practical effect of removing the danger of being near water, but it would let you conquer one of your own weaknesses. Imagine if you never had to fear the water again; that you could go fishing without the worry in the back of your mind of what could happen if you slipped at the wrong moment."

As the pair walked up to the building where Onyx would receive her tasks, Tarentek stopped a moment and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's your choice, Onyx, and whatever you choose, know that I only want to help."

[Vesuvius00]

Onyx shook off Tarentek's hand. She wanted nothing more than to get away from this topic forever, although that didn't seem very likely. "I think it's simply a bridge I will have to cross when I get there. Do you want to come in with me, or wait there again?" She asked a little more quickly than she should have. Onyx softly cursed herself for her cowardice under her breath, and then an idea came to her, a stupid, reckless idea that she regretted the second she said it. "I promise, I will try at least once."

[EliteCommander]

Tarentek gave a genuine smile as he nodded to Onyx. "Thank you, and I promise I will keep you safe." He had given swimming lessons before, mostly to recruits who had never swam before, so he was certain she would come to no harm. Some of those recruits had been afraid of water as well, though not for the same reason as Onyx. In any case, since she had at least agreed to try, there was a chance she could recover.

Taking a few steps forward, Tarentek turned his head and looked back to Onyx. "And sure, I'll go in with you. What kind of tasks do you usually get, anyway? Is it always deliveries, or do you think we will be doing anything else? He asked.

[Vesuvius00]

Onyx nervously returned Tarentek's smile before answering him. "Well, there's no way to find out unless we go in." She walked into the building then, motioning for Tarentek to follow. It was a large building, at least from the outside. Inside, there were piles of packages, building materials, and barrels of sand in the main hallway, while the rooms that branched off of it were only slightly better.

"Each room is where people from the different groups would go to receive their duties. As I am yet to come of age, but I am no longer a child, I go to this room." Onyx said as she stopped next to the door to a room halfway down the hallway. Not hesitating a moment, she opened the door and neatly shoved Tarentek in ahead of her, greeting the Elissic in the room as she did so.

"Hello, Harp'la! I brought someone with me today, he'll be tagging along with me." Onyx spoke loudly, purposefully spooking the Elissic so as to keep her from reacting to the surprise of seeing Tarentek. Her trick worked. As Harp'la turned to return Onyx's greeting, her eyes simply registered her added surprise by widening, rather than her doing something that would have made one of the other Elissics worry about her, like screaming.

"Herald of Heillias! Onyx, what- why? Why is a..." Harp'la stumbled on her words for a moment before she was able to speak clearly again. "Why do you have an outsider with you?" She stepped towards Onyx, but was looking right at Tarentek. "What do you mean he'll be 'tagging along' with you? Is this the outsider that was in your father's report two nights ago?"

[EliteCommander]

Tarentek did not expect to be suddenly shoved into the room, but he managed to avoid making any loud noises before Onyx managed to speak up. He largely ignored the general surprise of the woman once she saw him. By this point, he was used to seeing that kind of reaction, so he simply reacted calmly and politely.

"Indeed I am. I am still recovering from my injuries, and I find that the exercise of walking around can be beneficial. As well, I would like to help out in whatever capacity I can while I am here. I do not like to accept a kindness without offering one in return. My name is Tarentek, a pleasure to meet you." Tarentek explained, keeping a proper, cordial tone.

[Vesuvius00]

Onyx sighed. Not everyone could be as kind as a merchant, and Harp'la was a fine example. "Yes Harp'la, this is weird for you. No need to get overly excited, yet." Onyx walked up to Harp'la and whispered in her ear for a moment, and showed her the new white mark on her palm. Harp'la's eyes widened, at first with confusion and then with surprise. Before Onyx could stop her Harp'la had her in an embrace, not like the symbol of a promise Onyx had done with Tarentek, but more as one between friends.

"Congratulations Onyx! Or should I call you Bri'nx now?" Harp'la spoke, laughter in her eyes. Onyx slowly shook her head and was about to speak when Harp'la asked a more serious question. "Who else have you told dear?"

Onyx stepped out of the embrace, and smiled at Harp'la. "You are the third Elissic to know. The first was a spirit of Olias, who told me, and I was the second to know." Onyx laughed a little. "I intend to tell my father some time today, possibly during my errands if they bring me close enough to him." A slight pause, and Onyx continued. "Which, I still need to receive my errands. That is mostly why I am here, Harp'la."

As Onyx had thought, the good news of her hearing that Onyx had found her path had completely changed Harp'la's demeanor. She no longer looked at Tarentek with anger or mistrust, only happiness. Now, because her first meeting with him is acquainted with a happy memory, she shouldn't ever be so towards him ever again. Harp'la snapped out of her stunned daze and rushed to a pile of packages in the back corner of the room. She took a few that were about the same size and handed them to Tarentek, going back to get a similar group and handing those to Onyx.

"Well, you got here at just the right time. Those are rations to be given to the scouting groups getting ready to leave at the top of the east mountain. Each Scout and Sentry gets one package, if there are any left just bring them back here, and if there are not enough tell the extras to wait for their own orders." Harp'la explained with laughter in her eyes.

Onyx answered her with a smile and a slight bow. "Understood Harp'la. Goodbye for now." Harp'la said good bye as well, and then Onyx left, motioning for Tarentek to follow her out of the building.