forum For one thing to be born, another must die; that is how the stars are born, that light up our night sky. REBOOT // OxO // CLOSED

Started August 04, 2019 by @croccin-champagne

tune

He followed her pointing, and nodded. "I see it." He replied, leabing back on his hands as he looked up at the night sky. He estimated that they had a few hours until dawn, when the others would start waking up.

“Well, the constellation it’s attached to is called Ursa Minor, or the Little Dipper. Over there is Ursa Major.” A soft smile played on her lips as she pointed out the constellations, her freckles taking on that soft glow without her even realizing it, mimicking the stars above them.

Kieran nodded slowly. "Okay." He watched the sky, looking around. "Are there others?" He asked, glancing at her, then back at the sky. He raised an eyebrow slightly at her glowing freckles, but didn't say anything about it.

“Dippers? That’s it for those. But there’s a shitton of constellations. We can’t see all of ‘em, because the planet moves all year, but if we were t’ go stargazing in the winter, we could see a bunch of different ones.” Elara explained, maybe going into a bit too much detail, a bit too excitedly, but that excitement made up for it. She loved the stars, and that showed in such an innocent excitement.

Kieran nodded. "Okay." He said, looking up at the sky curiously. "Are there any other constellations out right now, that you know?" He glanced at her, then back up at the velvety black of the night sky above them.

“Gods, yes. See those three stars? In a straight line? Tha’s Orion’s Belt, part o’ a larger constellation…” She continued pointing out various constellations, smiling happily. The glow on her freckles didn’t fade, twinkling softly just like the stars she was pointing out.

He nodded, watching as she pointed out the stars. He wished that he knew a bit more about the stars, but he had never had a chance to learn much about anything. So he listened to what Elara was saying.

It wasn’t long before she was talking about things beyond the stars, planets and universes and black holes she had read about scientists discovering. It had always been fascinating to her, even as a young child, the idea of worlds beyond theirs. Worlds they could someday get to. Worlds that didn’t see her as nothing but a thief or a princess, that would she her as more, as a person instead of a title.

Kieran listened quietly, absorbing the information that he had never before had the chance to learn. He sighed softly as he listened, laying down on his back and looking up at the sky.

“There’s a planet made entirely of diamond, can ya believe?” Elara wrapped her arms around herself to keep out the chill, still smiling that awed smile. “There’re planets made o’ fire and planets that rain glass sideways, planets that’re all ocean, and planets that’re nothin’ but gas. So many new and cool worlds, some of ‘em even habitable.”

He nodded. "Wow. That is…amazing." he said slowly, looking at the stars. It was amazing to him that space contained so much. It really was. He hadn't ever imagined that space could contain so much.

“Right? Mom used to think it was funny, that I knew so much about the stars, space, worlds that weren’t my own.” She said, an almost wistful undertone to her voice as she laid back, using one arm as a pillow and keeping the other wrapped around her.

He nodded. "If I may ask…what…happened to your mother?" He said slowly, looking over at her. "You dont have to tell me if you don't want to." He shrugged slightly.

The smile on her face turned sad, the wistfulness showing itself fully now. “It’s fine. She uh…she’s gone. Not dead, I don’ think, just…gone. When I was fifteen. I got back t’ our apartment we were rentin’ after a night out, an’ she just…wa’n’t there. Her stuff was, a few things missing, kinda things you’d take on an overnight stay. Haven’t seen her since.”

He nodded. "Oh. I'm sorry." He replied, looking up at the sky again. "And…you have no idea what happened to her?" He questioned, not looking at her. "I am sorry. I know family means a lot to most humans. I am glad that I won't have to go through that." He shook his head slightly.

“No clue. She’s just…gone. And I keep lookin’, but she’s the one that taught me everythin’ I know, so I know it’s hopeless. If she wanted t’ be found, she would be.” Elara shook her head, pressing her lips together for a moment. “She was all I had. It was always just us, against the rest o’ the world.” She sucked in a slightly shaky breath, looking over at him. “You know, times like this make me wish I didn’ have any emotions like you. But I couldn’ do it. There’s too many things I love. Too many happy memories.”

He nodded. "I see. I am…sorry." he said slowly. "That you had to go through that." He shrugged. "I think that someone like you would find being like me very boring. Predictable. Slow." He shrugged. "Sure, I'm a good fighter. So is most of my species. Sure, I'm a good tracker; so is most of my species. There is not much about me that isn't known or easily guessed."

“You’re right. Would be kinda boring. Always bein’ One step behind as long as someone can predict you.” Elara looked back up at the sky, blinking a few times. “That’s why you gotta be unpredictable. Not a step ahead, bu’ playin’ a whole new game.”

He shook his head. "I am not wired that way. My whole life has been follow orders and dont you dare deviate from them. So that's what I know how to do." He shrugged slightly. "I know what happens when I disobey, and i would prefer to avlid that." He kept his gaze fastened on the stars.

“Makes sense. I’ve said it before an’ I’ll say it again though, the only thing close t’ a punishment you’ll get for anythin’ is me yellin’ at ya, and I’ve been told I’m too tiny to be threatening.” She said, huffing a laugh at the memory of Roman’s words.

Kieran nodded. "I know. But if I do not do a satisfactory job, your father can send me back to my owner. And i would prefer that that not happen." He replied. "So." He shrugged slightly, shaking his head a little.

“Not if I can help it.” Elara said simply, sitting up to check on her ankle. The swelling seemed to have gone down a tiny bit. She poked at one of the bruises, wincing as though that wasn’t obviously going to hurt. “Matthias said we’re heading to Junia’s Port tomorrow-today? Which is kind of shitty, ‘cause I love walkin’ the waterfront.”

Kieran nodded. "I suppose i could carry you, but I do not think you would want that." He replied. "But you are not walking around on that ankle of yours. You will make the damage worse, and might end up with a permanent limp."

“Tha’s why I said it sucks. ‘Cause ya won’t let me walk on it, so I can’t walk the waterfront. I don’t so carryin’.” She shrugged, pulling her foot over her other leg to futz with it, testing the damage.

Kieran nodded. "Ah. My apologies. But it wouldn't be so bad if you hadn't been so active on it when it first got hurt." He told her, closing his eyes with his head tipped upwards.

"Okay, true, but I would also rather pretend you aren't right." Elara said, sticking her tongue out at him despite the fact that his eyes were closed. "At the very least, will ya let me use a cane or crutches or some shit? There's a little cafe down by one o' the piers that's got great hot chocolate."

"Crutches. I will look around for some." He replied, glancing at her, then closing his eyes again. He sighed softly. He bit his lip slightly. Hot chocolate sounds amazing…but I probably won't be able to have any. He thought, shifting.

"I'm sure there's a store round here that'll have 'em." She said, rolling her foot around and grumbling. "D'you drink hot chocolate? An' are you a 'just the drink' kinda guy, or a whipped cream guy? I load the damn drink up with marshmallows and whipped cream, sometimes coffee creamer if I'm feelin' it."

He shrugged. "I like hot chocolate, yes. I…have never tried whipped cream, nor marshmallows. Or coffee creamer, i don't think." He replied, face tipped back towards the sky with his eyes closed.

"What? By Helvar, you gotta at least try whipped cream when we go down." She said, looking up at him with slightly wide eyes. "Actually, ya can just try mine, and then see if that's what ya wanna order. Wastin' good hot chocolate is blasphemous."