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Thread: [M] Anima Mundi IC (Namingtoohard and Headwrapper)

  1. #381
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    "Yeeeetitititit!"

    Mec awoke to the sound of Clair riling up the troupe to get ready for the day's travels. When did that woman ever sleep, he wondered. If he didn't know better, he would think that she used some sort of magic to keep up with everything the way she did. He stretched out his arms and legs as he laid, extending them outside of the blanket he had slept on. Suddenly, he relaxed, then slowly forced himself to stand. The morning was young, but matured enough that the sun peered over the horizon and lit up the town below it. The air was chilly, still not incubated in the sun's glow.

    "Good morning!" a slow and cheerful voice called out. Shaun stopped in front of Mec, wiping sleep out of his eyes with his fat fingers. "Did you sleep good, friend?"

    "I think so," Mec replied with a smile. "How about you?"

    "Mhm." Shaun peered around the camp, before looking back to Mec awkwardly. "You keep protecting Clair from being sick, okay?"

    The demand came as a surprise for Mec. "Of course," he said quietly. He watched as Shaun quickly shuffled away to greet others in the traveling troupe. The mage thought back to his discussion with Olenna, recalling that she had no clue who might have cast the curse. She seemed at least a littler perturbed that such a power existed, which was concerning to Mec considering how powerful Olenna was herself.

    "Alright everyone, looks like we're all up!" he heard Clair call out. "Just a couple more days of travel to go before we reach Loefenshire!" Before long, the wagon was moving again, and the travelers quickly followed suit. Mec watched for Shallan as he walked along on his own. Last thing they needed was to get separated as they traveled so quickly. He was not able to find her right away, but after some walking he finally managed.

    "Thought I lost you," he said after he approached his traveling companion. He did not pay much attention if Shallan was accompanied by her new friends, since he needed to make sure to at least touch base with her. Although they were mostly secure among the traveling troupe, he still did not believe it wise to not check in when he could. "Did you rest well?"
    Last edited by Headwrapper; 11-15-2019 at 04:14 AM.

  2. #382
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    Shallan managed to wake twice the following morning.

    The first time came when the sun rose, the first rays of light striking her face, and stirring her into consciousness. Like most people after a night spent drinking, Shallan found herself rather unappreciative of this fact. She muttered several unsavoury things under her breath, rolled over so that her back was facing the rising sun, and promptly drifted off again.

    The second time followed shortly after, and proved to be much more lasting. When Clair decided that it was time for them to rise and go about their business, and announced this fact very loudly, Shallan grudgingly accepted that she wasn’t going to get any more sleep that night. The girl threw her blanket back and pushed herself up into a sitting position – an action that her head protested with a mild pounding. When she eventually tried to rise, her legs proved equally reluctant, though for an altogether different reason, the muscles stiff and sore after the abuse that she had inflicted upon them the previous day.

    Shallan spent a few moments trying to massage some sort of feeling back into her calves, before reluctantly arriving to her feet. She had just long enough to pack up her bedroll before Clair announced what they had planned for the next few days, and spurred the troupe into motion. Cursing softly under her breath, Shallan reluctantly joined the long line of marchers as they set off after the wagon.

    Her suffering eased somewhat throughout the early parts of their journey, the muscles in her legs slowly loosening as Shallan forced them into motion, and her hangover slowly fading as the day passed. Even so, she made no attempt to seek out her two new friends, presuming from their absence that they were likely suffering just as much as she, if not more so, and were in no condition to talk. She plodded along in silence, trying to distract herself by watching both the scenery and the other troupe members, until Mec made his timely appearance.

    “Oh, I slept wonderfully. Just not for anywhere near long enough, all things considered. I knew Clair had a set of lungs on her after that performance, but I certainly hadn’t expected her to put them to such a…practical use” she answered, a soft chuckle slipping from her lips.

    “Truthfully, I’m not certain which hurts more – my legs or my head. I have no idea how they manage to do this every day” she answers, shaking her head briefly. After a moment, she threw a sideways glance in Mec’s direction, briefly turning her attention away from the road ahead.

    “How did you end up spending your first evening with our new friends? I was a little surprised that I didn’t catch you out there drinking with the rest of us."

  3. #383
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    Mec would glance towards Shallan regularly as he spoke, alternating between the path ahead of him and his partner. "I fell asleep shortly after we arrived in town. I did not realize how grueling keeping up with seasoned travelers would be. Especially on foot. Unfortunately, I did awaken later in the night. I found myself a secluded area in the nearby woods and... trained, for a while. I also spoke to the owl for a bit. She is staying near while we continue northward."

    Suddenly, his head whipped towards Shallan, revealing some excitement over the conversation he had with Olenna. He spoke in a hushed voice, only loud enough for Shallan to hear. "She is going to find us a home in a small town named Esquire, so that we can lay low while the dust settles. It will be fully paid for and everything." He did not smile, but his eyes were wide with elation. "All we need to do is get there. Although..." He looked ahead towards the front of the traveling band, searching. "I need to find out what I can do about Clair's troubles first.

    Midir said something interesting that I was thinking about last night. He said that those who people envy tend to be more susceptible to being cursed. I suppose it would make sense that people would be envious of Clair's popularity within the circles she's involved in, right?" He squinted when his eyes finally found Clair, chatting with Godrich and the red-haired girl that tore Mec a new one when they met the night Clair had been ill, Ella. The three were stationed at the front of the march, leading the way at a brisk pace while still being able to maintain an expertly casual air about them. Mec wondered if all three of them had been raised by Teresa and Enric, recalling Godrich has mentioned that there were more than just Clair who had been saved after being orphaned.

    "I'll have to mull it over. Maybe if I can just get a real conversation with him for once, I can learn something about how all this stuff works. Although, it has been nice to have my mind to myself for a while."

    Mec glanced around him, checking to be sure that his rambling had not caught anyone's attention. The path that they now traveled on had become relatively smooth, the light brown dirt beneath their feet pounded down by thousands of travelers marching through it. The light color of this particular road also made the donkey pies left behind easier to see, which was beneficial for those that were corralled into the center of the formation by the rest of the group.

    "I noticed you made some new friends already. Can you tell me about them?" Mec inquired, glancing towards Shallan.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Finally, after days of travel, the Misfits neared their destination that would serve as their residence for as long as they can entertain the population there. Mec and Shallan had somehow secured a spot on the wagon for the last leg of the journey, and soon they found Clair joining them, wedging herself between the pair.

    "Well hello you two," she said cheerfully as she squeezed into the wagon. "Don't tell me you're tired of traveling already? I was getting rather used to the time off. Performing and planning a whole troupe's worth of performances can be quite grueling." She smoothed out the tan, boyish trousers she wore, before kicking her feet lightly as they hung off the edge of the wagon. "Well, we'll be nearing Tulburry soon. It's what I'd call a money town. The families there have gold and land. They have a rather refined taste when it comes to entertainment, but the gold basically oozes out of them!"

  4. #384
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    As the days slipped by, Shallan found herself adapting to the new routine imposed by the Misfits and their travel schedule rather quickly. Waking up with everyone else started to feel a little easier, the other faces became a little more familiar, and she didn’t need reminders or help with the small personal tasks she was asked to manage to help keep the convoy running. Even the nights spent out drinking with her new friends held a strange air of familiarity, and bit by bit, the walls began to come down. More than once, Shallan found herself wondering if this was the sort of life her mother had led, before settling down.

    She always looked forward to the moments when she and Mec got to catch up. The moments often felt a little too short, but they were always accompanied by the unspoken promise that more would follow soon. Shallan did miss him – there was no doubting that – but just as often, she was glad to have more than one friend to spend time with nowadays.

    Nevertheless, she was glad for the chance to relax on the back of the wagon with her friend when the opportunity came. She sat with her legs crossed, back against one of the outer railings for support, and looked up as Clair approached. A small smile flickered across her features at the sight of the other woman, and once she had said her piece, Shallan was quick to speak.

    “Funny, but I’d imagined the exact opposite. That said, I suppose the stops are somewhat more relaxing when you aren’t burdened with quite as much responsibility” she answered. A soft chuckle slipped from her lips, and a small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “Either way, I can’t wait to watch everyone perform again. I imagine that it’ll be a little more impressive, now that we have a rough idea of what goes into…well, everything here” she answered. There was no hiding the excitement that danced just behind her eyes at the thought, lending a certain credence to her words.

  5. #385
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    Clair gripped the edge of the wagon, just on either side of her legs, firmly as she watched her legs dangle. She shrugged her shoulders, drawing them almost all the way to her ears, as she smiled widely. "Ah, you think that way because you think like a performer. Those outside of the art don't have as much appreciation for such things." She laughed then, rocking herself from side to said. The wagon only offered a narrow gap, so she effectively pushed against both Mec and Shallan as she moved back and forth.

    Then, Clair lifted herself up and slid off of the wagon. She followed closely behind, silently admiring Shallan for a few seconds before speaking. "You know, Shallan, we just could make use of you soon." She rested her chin along the long side of her pointer finger, resting her cheek against her thumb as she continued to analyze Shallan. "Hmm..." Suddenly, her brown eyes widened in amusement, and she simply smiled widely once again before cheerily trotting away to the front of the wagon, her golden hair bouncing behind her as she did so.

    Mec wiggled to reclaim some of the territory Clair had stolen and returned on the edge of the wagon. He watched the grass beneath his feet roll by, left behind as the wagon creaked and lurched onward. He wondered, if Clair had truly taken a liking to Shallan and wanted to bring her under her wing, would that be better for Shallan? She would be able to carry out one of her dreams, with the bonus of being able to leave behind the large risk of being caught and punished for traveling with a mage.

    "Seems Clair has taken an even bigger liking to you than before," he said finally, forcing himself to look up from the road with a grin. "Must be all of the sun we've been getting. Even some of the most beautiful flowers bloom the best in sunlight." He chuckled lightly at his own words, turning his head away bashfully. Then, he sighed, just as lightheartedly. "Sorry. After speaking to Olenna a few days ago, it reminded me of the time we spent back in her hideaway."


    After a few more hours, they neared Tulburry, as Clair had promised. Compared to many of the towns that Mec and Shallan had passed through, the buildings in this town appeared more presentable, newer even. The bricks of every building varied in texture, color, and shade, creating a collective of individually unique venues. The town itself seemed to serve as a marketplace for luxurious and rather exotic goods, while each corner of the town seemed to hold rather large estates. Mec wondered if the rich families that Clair had mentioned resided in these estates. It would make sense that the market in the center of town would cater to such people, who could afford to spice their foods and wear delicate and colorful clothing.

    The group was lead to a specific inn near the edge of the town. After Clair had spoke to the innkeep, they were able to place Charlie in a stable to rest, eat, and drink after a hard journey. "Okay Misfits!" Clair announced once Charlie was boarded and the wagon parked. "The Purpleberry will be our home for the next several days. Anyone who causes trouble for the innkeep will be washing dishes and cleaning rooms instead of performing. We have a few hours until sundown, so find yourselves some food and rest until then. I would like to brush up on our lines for Lady Mercy. That will be our first play once we secure the venue.

    For my dancing girls, the innkeep is getting a bath ready for you. You're going to be performing tonight, as part of our arrangement for being able to stay in the inn. Everyone else will get to bathe tomorrow morning. Any questions?" She peered around, and then turned to Godrich and Ella and giving them both a nod before addressing the group again. "Alright. See you all out here at sundown."

  6. #386
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    The wagon continued its slow trundle through the countryside, and the sun continued its slow crawl across the sky, transforming day into evening. Like always, idle chatter with Mec proved a pleasant enough way to pass the time, and she was thankful for the chance to catch up, after how much time the two of them had been spending apart recently. Similarly, she found herself wishing that Clair had been able to stick around for longer, after both her parting words and the opinion that Mec had offered up almost immediately afterwards. Just how did Clair intend to make use of her? She couldn’t help but wonder.

    Shallan was eventually forced to concede her seat on the wagon to another of the misfits as their time came to an end, and once again joined the larger part of the company in walking the road alongside it. Even so, Tulberry proved quite a sight when it eventually came into view. The strange mish-mash of colours and styles was immediately obvious, and reminded Shallan of a patchwork quilt. It seemed outright chaotic, albeit in a very different way to Convittas. She couldn’t help but feel a measure of excitement as the buildings drew closer, and found herself wondering what manner of experiences awaited them here. Given what Clair had told them, it was going to be altogether unique amongst the places they had visited so far.

    Like the rest of the Misfits, Shallan found herself milling around the exterior of the inn whilst Clair disappeared inside to negotiate. She listened alongside the rest of them as their leader returned and passed on her instructions. The news that she would have to wait until tomorrow to bathe was unfortunate – Shallan had been looking forward to the chance to sleep in a proper bed whilst clean for a couple of days now – but it was hardly enough to curb her excitement. A new town to explore, another chance to watch the dancers, and they would be performing Lady Mercy, on top of everything else? Clair clearly hadn’t been joking when she said that the people of this particular city were possessed of a slightly more refined taste than those they had visited thus far.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, her first order of business once they had been given free reign was to seek out her friend. Shallan spent a few brief moments wandering throughout the crowd as everyone went their own ways, head on a swivel as she tried to seek out Mec. Thankfully, finding him proved quick enough this time, and she was quick to slide up alongside him.

    “You know, joining the Misfits might just be the best decision we’ve ever made. We’re basically travelling with all of the best parts of Convittas’ night life, without actually being stuck in Convittas” she offered, her tone very matter-of-fact.
    “In any case, it seems that we have a few hours to ourselves. I know Clair said we should probably rest up a little, but I feel like doing a little bit of exploring. Fancy an adventure?” she asked. Whilst she spoke, Shallan threw a sideways glance at Mec, a small smile playing over her features. “I’m not sure how much will be open at this time, but there’s only one way to find out, neh? Its either that, or wait for Ashlyn and Tanya to come and sweep me away. I’m sure they’d be happy to let you join us, if you were to ask nicely.”

  7. #387
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    Mec pointed his gaze towards the center of town, observing the colorful buildings a second time. He snapped out of his daze when Shallan joined him, casually placing herself next to him as she spoke. "Hmm, more adventuring you say?" he questioned. "Haven't we had enough?" He chuckled turning back towards the center he was watching earlier.

    He shook his head quickly at Shallan's second suggestion, grinning as he did so. "They've stolen you away plenty. It's only fair that I get a turn!" He nodded towards the direction he was facing and moved forward to lead the way deeper into town. "This town is very different from any that we've been to yet. It's quiet, but not barren. Lively, but not bustling." His head turned sharply as he observed a building as they walked passed it, its bricks reddened and smooth as silk on the outside. "I've never seen buildings like these either."

    As they ventured, Mec suddenly felt a slight pull, a string of Anima disrupting around him. His limbs grew stiff when he froze, turning his head towards Shallan. "Magic," he mouthed silently. He stayed completely still, like a hare being hunted, trying to sense what he felt a second time. After a long moment, he sighed and allowed his body to relax. "Weird. It's gone. Maybe it's just an 'owl'..."

    "Nothing to worry about, I'm sure," he finally concluded with a shrug. They neared the very heart of Tulberry, its streets beginning to clear out as sundown approached. Mec carefully stepped aside as a young child chased after a dog that came sprinting passed. "Hmm, even the dogs seem clean," he observed. "I've noticed something else too. Some of the clothes people wear around here. It is rare to find some of those colors. I wonder if maybe this is where the Misfits find some of the clothes they use for performances."

  8. #388
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    Shallan couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s enthusiastic acceptance of her offer, and was quick to comply. She hadn’t really had any specific destination in mind when suggesting that the two of them wander off – it wouldn’t really have been exploring if she did – so she was more than happy to tag along in the direction Mec had indicated, seemingly chosen at random. With her hands clasped behind her back, she strolled alongside him at a rather casual pace when he set off, turning her head back and forth as she tried to take in her surroundings. It didn’t take long for them to lose sight of the misfits and the inn that they were supposed to be staying in, and the two of them were quickly ensconced by the town.

    For the most part, it was proving to be a rather pleasant way to spend the evening. Shallan had a few ideas as to things they could do to make it a little more exciting, but there was plenty of time for that. For now, she was content to simply relax and try to enjoy Mec’s company, free from the hustle and bustle that had burdened the past couple of days. The only hiccup seemed to come at the slight disturbance that only Mec seemed to feel, and the single word that he mouthed to her afterwards. Shallan frowned briefly at the thought, before shaking her head from side to side.

    “Whatever it was, we can’t do anything about it now. No point worrying about things outside of our control, right?” she offered, tilting her head to one side slightly.

    When they came to the town square, Shallan was quick to glance around. The cobbled road was even and steady underfoot, and the way that people let their children wander around at this time suggested that the city experienced very little crime. The girl pondered the words of her companion as she watched absentmindedly, giving a tiny little nod.

    “It wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t think you would find many places that import dyes of those colours. None of the other towns we’ve visited so far, at least. And the Misfits clearly have a history here ” she answered rather simply. At about this time, Shallan took it upon herself to wander towards the fountain that sat in the middle of the town square. It was an elegant construction of stone, three layers high. Atop the highest, a carved woman sat atop a stone, which was transformed into an island by the water pooling around its base. Shallan helped herself to a seat on the outer rim of it, before glancing back over her shoulder at the water within.

    “I’m not sure how I feel about all this wealth” she said, seemingly having trusted Mec to follow. She reached out and dipped the fingers of one hand into the water idly, and watched the ripples they made. If there were any fish within, she couldn’t see them from here.

    “Its certainly pretty enough to look at, but it seems a touch unfair that all these people are so well off, compared to places like the humble little abode that we called home. I can certainly see why the Misfits choose to perform here, though. I dare say that the residents have more time to appreciate the arts than most, and more disposable coin to gift those who entertain them."

  9. #389
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    Mec followed Shallan casually towards the fountain. He crossed his arms when they finally stopped, cupping his chin with one hand as he eyed the carving at the very top of the fountain. The water that pooled around her gleamed gently in the light of the late sun, and trickled its way down to each layer of the fountain in small waterfalls until reaching the bottom of the fountain. The gentle trickling sounds from each stream of falling water sang a soothing chorus to those wandering through the area, nowhere loud enough to be disruptive but giving enough presence to provide a small distraction and ease anyone's worries.

    "Unfair, maybe," Mec agreed. "But not unprecedented. Everyone is born with riches, the difference is what the riches are. Are they rich in fertile land? Gold? Are they rich in the love of others? Or maybe rich in troubles and sickness?"

    He lowered himself down to join Shallan at the edge of the fountain, sitting on his own leg by curling it between himself and the smooth stone. He swirled his own finger in the water behind them. "My father told me once that no one can ever change the circumstances of their birth... But they alone are responsible for the path they follow until their death." He watched rippling water move away from his finger, as they passed by Shallan's own fingers and into the expanse of the rest of the fountain. "I suppose he lived by that. He was well liked back at home, and was arguably one of the most successful men that lived there. Certainly the most traveled also."

    Mec receded his hand from the fountain quickly then, drawing a quick breath. Now was no time to be homesick. "I suppose it would be nice to take some of this wealth and take it back home, or even to places that would desire it more. It is not outside of our capabilities, right? Nothing is anymore." He eyed his own hands carefully, resting them gently on his lap as he did.

    Around the time their discussion ended, Mec's stomach began to growl loudly. "Might be a good time to find some food and water, eh? Maybe I could convince one of the food stalls to part with something for half price, or we could see if the inn has food for us. What do you think?"

  10. #390
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    All this talk of Mec’s father was quick to conjure up images of the man in Shallan’s mind. Blurry and vague memories from when the two of them had been friends as children were most prominent, accompanied by the occasional glimpse that she had caught in the later years, when she had visited his family’s shop on an errand for her mother. Shallan didn’t remember the man being quite so profound – only kind – but perhaps she had simply been too young and innocent to truly appreciate his insight.

    “There’s wisdom in that, I think. Your father was certainly a very intelligent man, though I don’t think I realised it back when I knew him personally” Shallan offered, continuing to trail her hand through the water. An unreadable smile would flicker across her features at the talk of eventually bringing wealth back to their home town, and she refrained from pointing out the fact that they didn’t have much wealth to share at the moment, or even the freedom to return. Thankfully, a welcome distraction quickly followed when the discussion turned towards food. Shallan finally withdrew her hand from the fountain, and instead lay it across her stomach gently, seemingly unbothered by the fact that her fingers were still wet.

    “I don’t think I’m ready to rejoin the rest of The Misfits just yet. Lets see if we can’t find some sort of local delicacy, hm? There’s bound to be something here that we haven’t tried before, and if the food is as nice as everything else around these parts…well, let’s just say I’m looking forward to it.”

    With those words, Shallan was quick to relinquish her seat on the fountain’s edge. She climbed back to her feet, and turned her attention to their surroundings instead. Disappointed by the lack of immediately available options, she conferred with Mec briefly on which direction they should try, before quickly setting to wandering again.

    Whilst they walked, she pondered the concept of Mec using his magic to try and get them some free food. Shallan couldn’t help but recall that she had originally encouraged him to learn this skill, if it meant that it would be easier for the two of them to survive. Now that she had been on the receiving end of such manipulations, though, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was really okay with taking advantage of unwitting people in such a manner. Still, it was hardly fair for her to chastise him now. Having failed to come up with a clear answer, she was quick to search for another topic, seeking distraction as they continued their search.

    “After spending so much time surrounded by so many people, its good to have a chance to just wander around together again. Its actually kind of nice, when we aren’t being hunted quite so actively” Shallan said to start, throwing a small smile his way. As they continued to wander, she tucked both of her hands behind her back, clasping them together idly as she practically skipped along. “If nothing else, I’m glad that we’re getting to see so much of the world. It almost makes leaving home behind feel worth it.”

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