Definitely not Gridanian [ooc welcome]

[Naunet]

((Recorded from rp in-game~! The un-named "red woman" is Burned Cypress. Alas, she never introduced herself!))

 

***

 

Clouds rolled in high above a man tucked into a small clearing beneath Gridania’s leatherworkers’ guild. Though it’s evening now, most of the light coming from nearby lanterns, one could still hear the occasional passing of a harried worker across the bridge above. The man, a tightly muscled masked miqo’te in workman’s gloves and dirty pants, paid little mind to these sounds. He pried up a loose bit of rock off the broad boulder he crouched upon, leaning back to rest much of his weight on one hand while he tossed it up and down a few times. His tail swished behind him, knocking against a bulging sack, and then his ears twitched and he let the rock loose. It landed with a pe-lunk in the middle of the nearby stream. 

 

“Hah,” he huffed in satisfaction. “New record.”

 

Unnoticed by the miqo’te, a towering, red-skinned form also seemed to find the clearing appealing, as she walked down the path, her shadowed face serious even as she took in the alien city, unused to such lush growths and abundant life around her. If one were to look closely at her, one might have noticed a slight heave to her breaths, as if she were having a hard time steadying them. She stopped in the middle of the path, closing her eyes, taking in deep breaths. When she opened them again, she was looking down the hill at the easy man down at the bottom. She glanced around again, before walking down the hill.

 

Another individual, pale of skin, lower half of her face obscured by a metal guard, watched from above, not doing anything incredibly important. Just standing on the bridge with her hands on the railing, watching. You could say she was a watcher.

 

The miqo’te rubbed at one shoulder, then grumbled and pulled off one glove so that his fingers could better dig at the muscle there. After a moment, however, he stilled and just let the glove dangle from his bare hand. His tail swished again and his covered hand felt around for another loose bit of rock.

 

The first woman winded her way down the steep path and around towards the pond, which she stared out at quietly for a few moments before turning to the shirtless man. "Do you like it here?" She asked simply.

 

The miqo’te's ears swiveled before his face – or rather, his mask – turned towards the visitor. He was quiet for a moment and then chuckled. "It's not bad, I guess. Decent view of the water. Plenty of space if you wanna share."

 

High above, the pale roegadyn kept watching the pair down below. Looking from this angle was proving tiresome to the neck, though.

 

A tiny crease appeared in the tall woman’s brow as she considered the offer before walking over to sit by the man. "I meant this whole place. Not merely what is straight ahead.”

 

“Oh! Well. You should be specific.” He eyed the roegadyn, neck craned to see her behind him as she sat. His expression completely obscured by the mask, his ears tilted one way and then the other before the turned a bit further and poked at the lumpy sack next to him. "Chestnut? Kinda off season I think, but... still pretty good!"

 

The pale woman had disappeared from her perch on the bridge above. She now walked, down the path leading to the clearing. She stopped watching to walk. She was no longer a watcher. Now, she had become a walker. It was just as ominous as it sounded.

 

The red woman, her hair looking like fire in the low yellow light, cocked her head to the side questioningly, "A chestnut? I do not believe I know what that is. Though I'm sure I would not mind it."

 

“It's a nut... uh. Well, not sure where the "chest" thing comes from. Ask these crazy forest folk. But anyroad, help yourself.” He shrugged and nudged the sack again.

 

The pale roegadyn, who had continued to approach them during this, decided that the best way to make things less awkward was to speak. So she did: "Greetings."

 

The red woman reached forward towards the sack, dragging it by its cloth neck towards her.

 

Lifting a hand in greeting at the second newcomer, the miqo’te man’s whole head tilted. "Hey the... oh hey! I think I know you. Apple lady, right? Or no apple lady, I guess."

 

“I guess that's one of my many names,” the pale woman said. “The correct one is Aiswys, though.”

 

“Ya had something against apples, that much I know for sure! At least I think I do... oh well.” He shuffled a bit on the rock, a bit of an awkward motion as he still remained crouching.

 

The other roegadyn reached into the sack, pulling out one of the nuts, examining it, before looking up at the apple lady. Aiswys glared briefly and nodded at her. “I see you are still wearing that mask. Collecting woodsin for the ritual?” she questioned.

 

The man laughed a bit and ran his ungloved hand through his hair. "Habit of mine, I guess."

 

The red woman's brow creased again slightly as she stared at the other Roe, interrupting as she abruptly said, "Did you ever collect the debt from that Miqo'te?"

 

At this, the masked man blinked between the two, though the slight gesture was, as usual, hidden by the mask.

 

“I did,” Aiswys confirmed stoically. “Didn't take long to track him northwards into his hiding spot.”

 

“Debt collectors huh?” The masked man shrugged. “Never woulda guessed! Not that I know many... everyone's got their job, I guess.”

 

“Hmm?” She red woman gave him a thoughtful look. “That is not... Perhaps she is. Perhaps even I am after a form.”

 

“Heh. No skin off my back.”

 

Aiswys looked briefly confused by that line. “...after a form?”

 

“I did think on what you said,” the other woman replied after a time. “And perhaps that is what I am doing, or needing to do. Collect a debt, pay a debt. It all seems the same from down here.”

 

Unsure exactly what they were talking about, the masked miqo’te just chuckled and rolled one shoulder in a loose stretch. "Help yourself to more nuts then."

 

“There is quite a difference between paying and collecting. The same that is between taking and giving, in fact.” Aiswys’s words sounded certain, if muffled from behind her half mask.

 

The other woman smiled slightly at the miqo’te, biting into the nut in her hand. A buried flash of displeasure skittered across her face. She didn’t bite into it again, "Sometimes the two are intertwined. Much as Nald and Thal themselves.”

 

Aiswys let out a brief chuckle. "Perhaps. And what kind of debts do you expect to collect?"

 

The miqo’te snorted out another chuckle at something Cypress said and turned to look towards the water. “I get the feeling you two know each other.”

 

The red woman let out a light snort, "We talked once."

 

“That counts! But...”

 

Aiswys was now confused by -that- line. “But?”

 

He glanced back towards the red-skinned woman. "I don't know you yet. Care to share?"

 

“Share what? I have little.”

 

“He is asking who you are,” Aiswys ventured.

 

The mask remained resolutely expressionless, though his tone spoke to a grin, “Haha, the apply lady gets it.”

 

The red woman glanced between the two quietly, "As of the moment I am not much of anyone. Merely wandering in hopes to find resolutions to those debts of mine."

 

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

 

She looked down at the partially bitten nut in her hand, before tossing it to the side. "It would appear you are not so different, adrift as you appear to be with your bag of chestnuts."

 

“Some debts are easier to pay than others,” Aiswys said, taking a step closer to the two on the rock.

 

The miqo’te rocked back on his heels once. "Apples. Chestnuts... Who knows what it'll be tomorrow. Think I know a thing or two about debts, though... Food always seems to help them!”

 

“Can you even consume these with that mask of yours though? Are they common around here? I have seen few others wear them.”

 

The masked man laughed, tilting his head back with the force of the action, and then replied, "Not like it's glued to my face."

 

Aiswys looked at the woman, amused. “Did you stumble into Gridania without the locals shouting at you and explaining these things to you?”

 

The red woman shook her head, "Why would they do that?"

 

“Gridania's culture is based around debts to the woods and the Elementals that rule over them,” Aiswys explained. “If you harm the forests, they will manipulate nature to harm you. Unless you are hidden from their sight.” She gestured to the miqo’te’s mask.

 

“They're not too fond of outsiders, I guess,” he added with a lilt of his ears. “But if you're humble enough, you can become just another... very red and very tall... leaf.”

 

The red woman let out a brief chuckle at that. "I'm not sure that they would buy that. Leaves are always rather small aren't they?”

 

“You wouldn't want to linger in this place without a mask of your own. Just in case,” Aiswys advised.

 

“You seen the size of some of the trees here?” The masked miqo’te seemed to find his own words very funny. He laughed again.

 

“And what is the purpouse of the mask then? I don't believe that I follow you.”

 

Aiswys gave her a blank look. “Don't you? How odd. I'm not sure I could be clearer. The Elementals are easy to anger, but can't see beyond the masks. They will hate the mask before they hate you, if you ever do anything they do not approve or find...dangerous to their survival.”

 

The miqo’te man's ear twitched. "Like picking chestnuts in off-season."

 

The red woman shook her head, "I would not do such. It has always been my duty to do my part to ensure the proper order of things. Why would it be so different here?" She turned her head to the Miqo'te, frowning, "Did you do something then eating the chestnuts is part of life, surely."

 

“I'm not sure some foraging would be terrible enough to make him wear a mask,” Aiswys observed.

 

“Heh, y'never know what those crazy spirits will take offense to.”

 

“Then you wear the mask for no reason?” The red woman questioned.

 

“What? I think that's reason enough.” He located another loose stone then and tossed it to the stream then, as though to punctuate his assertion.

 

“The positive side,” Aiswys began coolly, “is that, if your mask ever breaks on its own, you'll know you were right.”

 

The other woman's eyes squinted slightly so that the corners of them creased, "I am sure that he hopes it will not come to that." She pushed off of the rock. "I need to find... somewhere for the night now. So I will be on. I would not want to get in trouble with the forest."

 

The masked miqo’te's ears flicked as Aiswys’s words. "Heh, well, we'll just not let that happen, eh?" Then as the red woman stood, he waved one gloved hand in her direction. "Nice chatting with ya. Sorry the chestnuts weren't to your liking."

 

She nodded her head. "It is fine. Nothing you can change."

 

“You should visit one of the Hearers,” Aiswys suggested, turning slightly to watch the other woman’s actions. “The men and women in blue robes and pointy hats. They might know where you can stay without upsetting the Elementals.”

 

The red woman chuckled, "I am not actually afraid. I would just rather not garner extra attention. The last town I passed through wished to... arrest me for sleeping. I would wish to avoid that again."

 

At that, the masked man’s shoulders shook in a brief, noiseless laugh. "Like I said. Just stay humble."

 

Aiswys nodded. "As you wish. I wish you a good rest."

 

The other woman bowed her head, "Thank you. I shall head off then." As Aiswys bid her farewell, she turned to walk back up the hill she came down in the first place. The miqo’te man lifted one hand to wave again as she departed.

 

Aiswys looked at the miqo’te sideways, turning her head to face him. “Are you sure the only thing that you did is gathering fruits?”

 

The miqo’te watched Aiswys for a second through the small, round holes of the mask after Cypress was gone, seemingly considering her question. Then he spoke with an audible grin, "... chestnuts?"

 

Aiswys blinked. He blinking was not audible, though, but it was perfectly visible. “I think I will reject your generosity this time.”

 

He shrugged. "Up to you." He shifted his weight on his feet, half stretching one leg before bringing it back into a crouch.

 

“Where did your elezen friend go?”

 

The man looked around as though half expecting the duskwight in question to appear out of nowhere and then just shrugged again. "Oh, around I'm sure. He's not too fond of the city."

 

“I see. Where did you meet him? It seems there's an interesting story to be told, right there.”

 

Blinking from behind the mask, the miqo’te tilted his head slightly towards Aiswys. Nearby light caught a flash of bright blue from his eyes. "Hm, not too much of one. He did help me out in the forest though. Friendly guy, once you get used to the quirks."

 

“Quirks?” Aiswys queried.

 

He waved one hand. "Y'know. Old and grumpy. And things."

 

“Hopefully nothing illegal.”

 

At this he chuckled. "The Shroud hasn't kicked him out yet, at least."

 

“That's all that matters in this place, really.”

 

Nodding, he turned back to look at the stream, pushing the gloved knuckles of one hand against the rock. “Yeah. Your friend'll pick up on it soon, don't ya worry.”

 

“And where do you come from?” The pale woman followed his gaze briefly before looking back to him. “It's quite evident you aren't from Gridania.”

 

One ear swiveled towards Aiswys as his bare hand reached up to scratch at his chin. "Evident huh? What, do I smell funny?"

 

“A Gridanian wouldn't wear a mask unless he was about to do the cleansing ritual. A poacher would use a mask, but he wouldn't be allowed to stay.” There was a pause and then she added, “And you are friends with a Duskwight. Definitely not Gridanian.” Aiswys smiled.

 

The miqo’te continued to scratch at his chin and the faint fuzz of red hair just barely visible along it, tail flicking behind him. "I guess that's all true." The expressionless mask didn’t give away much, though his tone remained light. "But hey, I may as well be nowadays!"

 

“I understand if you don't wish to speak of your previous home,” she near-conceded.

 

At this he chuckled, maybe a bit guiltily. "It's nothing bad. Just a little fuzzy in the brain, you understand."

 

“Maybe if you gather enough chestnuts you'll remember more clearly.”

 

“Hah! There's a thought. Or maybe alligator pears?”

 

“No harm in trying, I reckon,” Aiswys replied. “But I think I'll leave you now. I have debts to collect in these woods.”

 

He turned to look at her once more. “In the woods, huh? Well have fun. And don't get lost!” At his words, the roegadyn turned around with one hand raised in farewell before walking away. The masked miqo’te watched Aiswys leave in silence. When she was a distance away, he picked up another rock and tossed it towards the stream, a bit more forcefully than the last.