• Closed • Light in the Dark

[Bao Bao]

10th Cylus, 721

"Excuse me, what's happening?" Bao asked, clearing his throat a little in the hope he was seen. A couple, both young and Biqaj, turned and looked down to Bao with a smile. The man, grinning wide, chuckled and gestured to the lanterns that were being handed out. "That there is the Sea of Light festival, where they's gonna be handing out lanterns to put in the water. Then we alls stay quiet and watch, and think back on what's happened and look forward to what's to come" he explained, the woman with him clearly eager to speak as she knelt down to Bao.

"You're one of them Cadouri, right? I met one last cycle, though she was a sight taller than you" she chuckled, Bao smiling with pride at the recognition of his people already spreading through Scalvoris. "Can I, uh, y'know...pet ya?" the woman asked, Bao looking up to her and nodding. As she placed a hand on his fur and scratched the back of his head the small Red Panda let out a squeak, happily closing his eyes and allowing her to brush his hair back to normal before smiling up at the two. "Thanks for the help" he smiled, the two laughing and wishing him well.

Once he had moved away from the couple, who now went forward to grab their lanterns, Bao waited for the crowd to die down a little. As accepting people had been of Cadouri in Scalvoris there was definitely a level of fear in crowds, not sure if people would have the awareness yet to avoid stepping on him. While he waited the Red Panda sat down on a small wall and looked out over the beach, the beautiful sand drawing his attention every trill that went by, looking at it with fascination. Was the rest of the world like this? Scalvoris was different in many ways, the locals had told him at least. Strange things happened, some tragic and others beautiful, but all of them unique to Scalvoris.

As he sat and watched the sand many people walked by, Bao making an effort to wave to as many as he noticed. Everyone he had met in Scalvoris had been friendly so far and had given him so much hope and happiness for his future here, knowing he would find a place that suited him wonderfully here. It was, after all, a community. That was what he had grown used to as a Cadouri, living alongside his brothers and sisters in a giant group. Community. Friendships and trust mattered more than anything else when he had been waiting for Idalos, if he could replicate that here he would do so without hesitation.

Seeing that the crowd wasn't dying down any time soon, Bao decided to go on a small walk around, meeting new people along the way. The Cadouri smiled to everyone he met, nodding and at one point stopping off for a small bite to eat from a shop that sold pastries. Small, crunchy pastry in hand and crumbs decorating his mouth and fur, Bao walked back to the beach and nodded at everyone along the way - finding himself back at the rock wall he had sat on prior and decided to wait there. From the look of things, nobody was really in a rush to get started, so he had time to let the crowd die down and not risk being trampled.

Which, he had to admit, was always something best avoided.

[Perdita Westcott]

Light in the Dark

10th Cylus, 721

B

usy.

That was what it was, it was busy. Perdita held tightly to Eli's hand and she walked as close to him as it was possible to without tripping over him - or him, over her. For all that she maintained that proximity, Perdita's eyes were wide and she was looking all around her. "It's astonishing," she whispered to Eli, an expression of pure wonderment on her face. They'd been on Scalvoris for some eight trials at this point, having arrived right at the beggining of Cylus and Perdita had been amazed at the place every trial since. "So busy," she said, but determinedly made her way.

As she watched to proceedings, Perdita cursed that her brown eyes needed to blink, she was so interested in what was going on. One thing she did not like, it had to be said, was the cold on this island. She was wrapped in a scarf, the hand which held on to his was double-gloved, her hat was hidden by the hood which she pulled over her and she was nestled quite far back. As she watched, she nudged him and gestured with her spare hand - the mittens she wore over her gloves hiding that she could barely move her fingers. "Look, Eli, lanterns."

Indeed they were. But, as the pair of them made their way, a group of girls who, whilst wearing what looked like expensive dresses must be cold considering the plunging necklines and high seams, nudged and pointed to Eli, to her Eli and, deep in the darkness of her hood, Perdita frowned. She didn't like that, not one bit. There was some giggling, and a few waves, and Perdita knew what they were doing. Or. She believed she did. As one of them called out a hello and tried to entice Eli over, Perdita wasn't quite sure what to do. Had she known that they were trying to attract a customer, of course, she might have said differently, but she genuinely believed that it was just a group of girls - cold, but that must be the fashion - flirting.

Her hand in his loosened. She should let him go talk to them if he wanted to, Perdita thought. Maybe he didn't want her clinging to him like a limpet, or hanging on when there were girls who wanted to talk to him. But then, she reaffirmed her hold and looked at him. She didn't say anything, just turned her gaze to him, and although she blushed deeply, she figured he probably couldn't see it.

Probably.

"Do you want to go speak to them?" Perdita asked. Not willing to assume he would, he must be thinking that it would be what he wanted, she figured that he'd rather stay with her. "Because we can."

He didn't want to go and speak to the friendly females, so they carried on. Eli seemed to be chuntering about something, but the hat plus the hood and all her hair really got in her way and she didn't hear him. They stopped and got some pastries, warm and crumbly and Perdita glanced at him. It was hard to eat in all these layers, especially with two pairs of gloves and what she had dubbed her "over-mittens." Sheepishly, she asked. "Can we sit?" And they made their way to a low wall where they could sit.

At first, not really paying attention, she thought a child had left a stuffed animal or something. A small, cute, stuffed animal. Except it turned to look at them and there was a small ..... furry thing that moved. Not in the breeze. Not as someone nudged it. No. In an entirely independent, driving itself sort of way.

"Eli" Perdita said softly and then, of all things, the small furry thing waved and Perdita did the only thing she could think to do.

Not considering that she looked not unlike a (relatively) large furry thing, overstuffed as she was in layers and layers of clothes. Unmindful of that. She waved back.

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.
Eli had never thought about it before, not mindfully at least. But he liked busy. And Scalvoris was definitely that and then some. Especially when he considered it next to a place like Desnind, from where they'd come just a few trials ago. He'd liked Desnind quite a lot, the people there had been welcoming and friendly. Of course on the other hand, he'd come to realize that he'd have been hard pressed to impress them with his visions of progress and future. Some had been curious enough to listen to one or another of his big ideas. But few, he'd thought, would have been inclined to actually try them out.

But compared to the sights and sounds of Scalvoris, Desnind could have been considered a sleepy little forest settlement. "It's that alright," he said, grinning as he walked side by side, hand in hand with Perdie through the crowds. Astonishing, and very busy. "It's a big change from Desnind. Think you're going to like it here?" he wondered. "And did you write to your parents, let them know we were coming here?" He still had visions of her parents turning up with the law in tow, and of having him arrested for kidnapping.

It hadn't exactly been kidnapping, the events that had caused them to board the flutterbus in Rharne and fly off to Desnind on a whim, lifted up by the fumes of too much wine. In fact, he still wasn't clear on whose idea it had actually been. He'd been glad it happened at any rate, but wasn't sure that Perdie's parents would see it that way.

They were both wrapped up in multiple layers of clothing. To say that it was cold in and around Scalvoris was putting it mildly. But he hardly noticed, considering how much there was to see and do here. "You want one? A lantern?" he asked, but then noticed her gaze fixed on something else. Or rather someone else. Two of them, and the two women were probably in danger of coming down with frostbite. Still, he wasn't blind, and it was hard not to look. He might have been flattered, in spite of not being interested in this case, except that he knew the drill already. He'd grown up in the Dust Quarter of Rharne after all.

He knew what the women wanted with him, and it wasn't his youth, vigor or exceptional good looks. He merely squeezed Perdie's hand, smiled at the women politely but shook his head in the negative, ever so slightly. "I don't want to," he said when Perdita asked him did he want to go over. "It's coin they're after," he said quietly so only she would hear him. "Me or another like me, makes no difference to them. They're working girls. My father used to call them drabs."

As for finding a place to settle, he grinned and nodded. "Yeah, and I'm hungry too." He always was, really, and the pastries would hit the spot. Savory ones filled with meat and something spicy besides. Hands gently on her waist, Eli helped Perdie up to her perch, thinking it might be difficult to do it under all of those layers of clothing. Then he followed suit, and vaulted up himself. He didn't notice the large fuzzy toy, or creature at first. Or maybe it was a particularly tame forest creature that had wandered into the city.

He'd been too busy watching the people passing by and dreaming up any number of big ideas on the fly. But when she called his attention to the little thing, he glanced over, assumed it must be a toy of some sort, and then frowned. He could have sworn it blinked. And then of all things it waved. A grin crossed his face in a flash when it waved, and Perdie waved back. "Hey, I've heard people talking about those..." He frowned then a little, searched his memory and came up with nothing. "I forget what they called them"

Fascinating. Eli smiled again and waved back, then called out, "Hello. Nice trial, yeah?"

[Bao Bao]

While Bao sat on the wall, he noticed many people would wave back. Yet, he had to admit, Perdita and Eli grabbed his attention almost immediately. Both gave him a look that told him plenty, should he look hard enough. From how they reacted they had yet to meet a Cadouri, or just thought he was a particularly cute one. Perhaps they weren't from Scalvoris? By now most of the city had seen the Cadouri, so someone not seeing one likely didn't live here. Then again, he would never assume such a thing about someone. Perhaps they had met many Cadouri and just loved to see them all, or particularly loved animals.

There was only one way to find out.

When Eli called out to him, Bao stood up from where he sat and jumped down softly into the snow. Once he was on the ground he made his way carefully over to them, avoiding the legs of the many tall folk around. "Excuse me" he smiled up to one particular adult, the man apologizing and stepping aside so that Bao could pass. Eventually, he had made it over to the pair and smiled up at them, nodding his head to the two before standing himself up straight, pastry still in hand.

"Sorry, I didn't want to shout and bother anyone" he explained with a smile, crumbs still mixed in with his fur. Evidently, Bao had not yet noticed them. "But yes, amazing trial. Have you both come to see the lanterns too?" he asked with a warm look, taking another nibble of his sweet pastry and using a paw to brush some of the crumbs out of his fur. While it wasn't at all subtle and somebody half a street away could likely see it, Bao hoped the others hadn't noticed the crumbs from under his thick coat.

"Forgive me, my name is Bao Bao. But all my friends just call me Bao, so you can call me whatever you like" he said warmly, offering a hand up to the two to shake, though taking no offense if neither would take it. After a few trills, whether they shook it or not, he pulled his hand away. "What are your names?" he asked, his smile wide as his tail shook a little in the cold. While they answered he nibbled on his pastry a bit more, taking a big bite and filling his cheeks with the warm and sweet flavors, squeaking a little as he did - as a normal Red Panda would.

Once they had answered, he turned to Perdita and smiled. "Nice coat" he smiled, his own coat almost drowning him at times too. "I don't imagine you'll be getting too cold any time soon" he laughed a little, playful and happy to meet them both. Then he waited for them to speak, letting them ask any questions they wanted to ask while he munched on his own pastry.

[Perdita Westcott]

Light in the Dark

10th Cylus, 721

W

hen Eli asked if she'd let her parents know, and if she thought she'd like it here, Perdita had nodded.

"Yes to both," her hand held tightly on to his and she glanced at him. "Mother replied." Perdita said and then, entirely innocently. "They'll visit," she said, softly. Then, in case he was concerned. "Me." Not him. He didn't need to worry. "Soon." Not now. When the weather was better. Which might be a while, so she added, "ish", just for good measure. There, she thought, now he was clear.

That, Perdita decided, was good. Clarity was good. Soon, she was going to have to make a decision about this place, about living here and studying here. Her parents visiting made that more important, not less. Forcing herself to look at him, though, she kept her voice as neutral and apparently non-concerned as she could make it. Which wasn't very. "We could stay," she said, more of a question than a statement. "Buy a house?" What if he didn't want to, though? What if her obsessive neatness and strange ways had made him think living together was a bad idea? "If you want." Her hand squeezed his and, just in case it wasn't clear. "I'd like that."

Slow steps, but her ability to speak to him, with him, was growing and Perdita was getting ever more confident around him. Give her another thirty arcs, she thought with a wry smile, and she'd let him know that she had a crush on him.

Or, maybe, fifty arcs. To be sure. Of course the "drabs" as he called them caused her to blush even more. She held tightly on to his hand and frowned, deep in her hood. "Oh," she said and there was a mumble which was barely audible. "You tell them, you're with me." Perdita was prepared to get as feisty as she ever got - which wasn't very, in fairness. She was still chuntering when they got the pastries and so on. But then, her hand in his twitched and they saw the fluffy bear that ... waved at them.

"Meep!" That was the noise which Perdita made at the realisation that this was a ... being. A person. Alive!

And then, as they sat there, the small creature moved and came over to them.

Eli would know just how excited she was when Perdita took her hand out of his, and pulled back her hood to reveal her face. She tucked her scarf under her chin and then promptly put her hand back into Eli's. "I'm Perdita," she said in a rather high-pitched squeak of excitement. "You're so small!" Looking at him, her brown eyes shone with wonder and absolute delight. "And furry!"

She suddenly realised that, perhaps, he didn't like that as a means of introduction. "I love that!" Oh, but maybe she loved it but he hated it?! Oh, she hadn't thought of that. "I mean. Hello," Solemnly, seriously, and with a very contrite expression, Perdita offered her be-mittened hand to Bao Bao. Pleasure to meet you."

Why didn't Eli save her?!

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.
He should tell them, he was with her? The assertion took him by surprise and Eli couldn't help but wonder, did she mean what it sounded like? Or was it some sort of woman secret code for something else? He was very much inclined to think, or at least hope...in a completely subconscious way, of course, that it was what it sounded like, that Perdie thought it, therefore she said it.

But in a similar way to how the hunter stifles a sneeze, so not startle away the jumpy doe, Eli merely squeezed her hand and grinned a little.

He'd have told her, if she hadn't been blushing furiously already that it wouldn't have mattered, was he with another woman or not. They wouldn't have cared. It was his coin they were interested in, and not him. A man might pass them by alongside his wife, but return later on the sly. He knew this. His own father had done it any number of times before he'd run off for good. Anyhow, for some reason, the prospect of her mother coming to Scalvoris worried him more than would be, if it was to be her father. Of course both could conceivably be worse.

"Soon? How soon?" As for whether or not they'd still be in the area, Eli had smiled again when she suggested they might stay. "I'd like that," he said. Buying a house together, he meant. "Worked well back in Desnind, didn't it?" It had, so far as he was concerned. "This seems like a place we might like to stay awhile. Makes more sense to get ourselves a house then. We'd both have the room to work then too." Which he'd discovered was exceedingly difficult, cooped up in even a medium sized room at the inn.

And it wasn't just the sights, or any number of other possibilities or opportunities they might find in Scalvoris. There were the people too. More of a mix and match than he'd ever seen elsewhere before. Though in fairness he'd only been to Desnind and Rharne before. Still, Eli would never have imagined a creature like the one seated just down the wall from them. Sure, he'd vaguely heard of them in and around the city. But if he'd passed any by up until now, his tendency to look up much more often than down round his knees or feel, had caused him to miss them.

What a strange sight it was, that of the furred reddish...bear?...making its way over, pastry in hand. Did bear's have opposable thumbs, he wondered? He was raised well enough though to remember some sort of manners and didn't dare to ask it out loud. But after all, opposable thumbs was the least of it. This one dressed in street clothing, rubbed elbows with others and spoke like anyone else. It took a trill or two to get used to the fact that the cadouri was speaking at all. Cadouri! That was the name. It came to him late, though he couldn't say that he knew or had heard enough of anything else.

"It's nice to meet you, Bao," Eli said, and offered his hand for a shake. "Name's Elijah, but most people call me Eli. You can too if you like. We came to see the lanterns, or, well, all of it I guess," he added then. "We've been in Scalvoris less than a ten trial and it was a good opportunity to see the sights. You wanna sit?" he asked. There was plenty of room on the wall, after all, so it seemed right to make the offer. "We've come from Desnind," he added then, trying to think of a way to approach the question of where the cadouri had been all his life, and where they had come from. "You?"

[Bao Bao]

Bao had received many responses to being seen in Idalos so far. Many people were excited, others would surround him and call him cute, some just seemed concerned that an 'animal' was walking around the place and talking. None of them had bothered him, nor did the ones he got now. But the Cadouri had to admit, of all the responses so far, Meep was most certainly the cutest.

Once the two began introducing themselves, Bao smiled at them both. "Good to meet you, Eli and Perdita" he grinned. When Perdita commented on him being small and furry, then said she loved it, then said simply hello and that it was a pleasure to meet him - Bao couldn't help but give a warm smile. It was as if he, too, was looking at something adorable and that he hadn't seen yet. "It's beyond a pleasure to meet you both, too. You're both wonderful!" he said with confidence, as trusting as ever.

When asked to sit he would nod and place himself up on the wall, climbing up and kicking his little legs to boost himself. Once he was on the wall he sat as close beside them as they felt comfortable, not really finding an issue with personal space in most cases. A lot of concepts were unfamiliar to him. Some people seemed to be far more physical, wanting to hug him and pick him up, while others preferred distance when talking. Perhaps it was just another thing he would have to learn about the locals of Idalos.

"Is Desnind nice? It's got a really nice name" he smiled, wondering if he would have to add Desnind to his list of travels. There was so much of Idalos that he wished to explore and so little he had seen just yet. But that was what the time he had in Arcs to come was for. As much as he wished he could experience it all now, in one long Cycle, he knew it wouldn't be as fun. Once he was done exploring he'd have to find something else to do, and Bao never wanted the world to get boring.

"I came from another world, I suppose. Or something similar. Saoire raised us there, had it look a small part of Idalos and taught us how to be who we are now. I call her my mother, because she raised me!" he spoke with a heavy pride and a smile. "Besides, my real mother is still a Red Panda, a real one. So she's probably relaxing in a tree, not too upset over it" he nodded with optimism, that wherever the Red Panda that had birthed him was she was comfortable and being well looked after - be it by nature or by another Red Panda.

Bao paused for a moment, thinking and waiting. "If you don't mind me saying so, it's strange, coming to this whole new world. I love it, and it's beautiful. But everything seems like a journey. Walking to gather food for an evening still gives me awe, and wonder. Is that something all Idalosians feel?" he asked, looking to both Perdita and Eli for their opinions on it. Bao couldn't help but wonder if all the Idalosians felt the same joy, every trial, for the world they lived in. He hoped they did. After seeing how wonderful this place was, he truly hoped they did.

After all, the world they lived in was beautiful.

[Perdita Westcott]

Light in the Dark

10th Cylus, 721

uite what Eli meant by that smile, Perdita didn't know but she was far too busy trying to get her flushed cheeks under control to think too much about it. So, she returned the squeeze of hand and said nothing more. He asked when her parents were coming and Perdita shrugged. "No clue." Why was he worried about that, she wondered? Perdita glanced at him and smiled. Maybe he thought that her parents would be staying with them and impacting on him? "They'll stay at an Inn," she said softly. "You don't need to meet them." She frowned slightly. "Unless you want to?"

She was quiet for a moment or two, and then she said, softly. "I want you to." She did. She wanted him to meet her parents. Why, she wondered? It was because he was her friend. Yes, that was why. Perdita recognised that she was lying to herself at that point, but that was by the by.

Then, the pair of them met the cutest individual Perdita had ever seen and he turned out to be called Bao Bao. Bao Bao, who was kind as well as fluffy, asked what Desnind was like. Perdita nodded. "It was nice," she said. Then, despite her blushing cheeks, she added something which she felt needed saying. "Here's better." Her hand in Eli's squeezed and she turned to listen to what Bao Bao said.

Perdita's eyes widened as she heard his explanation - of how everything was different and new and she nodded. "I feel that," she said, quietly. "Everything a journey," she smiled, "overwhelming. Good, but overwhelming." It was rare that Perdita spoke so many words on a first meeting, and her hand in his was tight. She sat, close to him and held on to him as she spoke. "All the colours here, they're bright," she smiled softly. "It's new, and beautiful. But sometimes, it's a lot." It had been that way in Desnind for her and Desnind was quiet. Especially in comparison.

But, Perdita understood something. Or believed she did. "It's true for everyone, I think," she said. "You get acclimatized," whatever that meant, wherever you were. "Then? Something new," She gestured around. "And it's bright again." She loved it, she hoped she didn't sound different and so she added. "I feel blessed." Again, a slight hand-squeeze and she looked at Bao with almost insatiable curiosity behind her eyes.

"You've met Saoire?" She realised something, as she said it. "Me too. Briefly." After all, she'd come home to Desnind with a gift, and had made another - Eli knew those things. She hadn't mentioned the Immortal though. "What's she like?!" Perdita asked Bao that with all the enthusiasm and fascination of a child.

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.
Unless he wanted to meet them, Perdie had said in regards to an impending visit by her parents. Sooner or later, he knew, they'd turn up. He'd known from the first moment that she'd walked into the curiosity shop where he'd worked in Rharne, that hers was a very different upbringing than his had been. Under very different conditions as well. If they didn't come looking eventually, he'd have had to conclude that his instincts were all wrong. "Why wouldn't I want to?" Eli had asked.

It wasn't so much want to, as the fact that he could have ticked off a dozen reasons why he worried over the outcome, was he to do it. And they were the sorts of things that could, or would happen, whether he met them in person or not. But considering his own sort of upbringing, he couldn't imagine that they'd think he was remotely good enough for their daughter. "Then I will," he said, smiling when she stated that she'd like him to meet them. He would of course. For Perdie. And because it wasn't in his nature to avoid the unknown. In fact, he tended to thrive on it.

Still, if there was anything that Eli was really good at doing, it was putting things, temporarily at least, out of sight, out of mind. And since the subject had changed, he'd easily shifted along with it. The odd little red panda; a walking, talking, apparently fully self aware and odd little creature the likes of which he'd never seen or imagined before, had commanded the stage by his mere presence. And charmed Perdie as well, by the looks of it.

When Perdita talked to Bao about where they'd been together before, and her impressions of where they were now, Eli, his hand in hers, smiled and nodded. "We came from Rharne before that. I was raised there. We both were. It's a busy place. Lots of noise and activity. But it's got nothing on this place." As for him, Scalvoris already felt like a place where both of them could thrive. Meeting Saoire though, that was new and Eli quirked a brow in surprise. He'd never met an Immortal himself. Though he'd heard that they sometimes went about incognito. So it was always possible that he had, and just didn't know it.

"So the mother that had you was a regular panda?" he asked, though he had no reason to think that Bao was telling stories. "Were you ever with her at all when you were born? Or whisked off straight away by Saiore?" It was difficult to comprehend, truth told. As for being overwhelmed by it all, Eli guessed he could relate. "Idalos is a big place. I've only seen Rharne, Desnind and Scalvoris. Some people may never leave the place they were born, while others might sail all over Idalos from north to south and back again. Maybe," he added, "if it's too much to think of at once, it's better to think of it in little pieces instead of the whole at once."

[Doran]

Perdita:

Knowledge: -
Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

Eli:

Knowledge: -
Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

Bao:

Knowledge: -
Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

- - -

Comments: The beginning of the thread, where a woman asked if she could pet Bao, made me smile. You described people’s fascination with the Cadouri – and the Cadouri's fascination with Idalos – very well in my opinion. I love how friendly Bao is. He is adorable!

When the “fluffy” bear waved at Perdita and Eli, and Perdita just made “Meep!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I love how you described her excitement.

Eli’s reaction was a little different – he didn’t appear to be as overwhelmed, but was making various observations about Bao – but he gave me the impression of being just as curious, in his own way.

What I like about Bao is that he isn’t just cute and fluffy, but also thinks deep thoughts. I found his statement that everything seems like a journey and the conversation that resulted from it rather interesting, for example.

With that being said, I like that you had your PCs meet during a calendar event. It sounds as if all three of your PCs had a good time – although Bao was worried about someone stepping on him!

It’s a pity that this thread was abandoned, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

Enjoy your rewards!