Beginning Again

[Reixou]

The cloaked figure sat by the water's edge, watching the sun set behind the distant hills. Sapphire and silver mingled with shades of pink and orange; creating a sultry painting that any romantic poet would want to capture. But alas, Reixou was not a poet, neither could he enjoy romanticism; for he had lost what he loved most.

There were a few people meandering about the lakeside, and none of them took special notice to him. Inside, he longed to converse with someone, but feared that any who knew his past would, in turn, distrust or fear him.

Reixou shifted slightly, so he could peer into the water. He saw his reflection; then looked past it, and saw small minnows swimming. He smiled slightly.

[Summerchika]

((Can I join? If not, let me know and I'll delete this ))

Returning to this lake after her unique experience in the town, Ainutsa rejoiced in the familiarity of it all. The current day, now ending, felt like a dream. Looking up, she drank the gorgeous view in with her eyes. It was the second sun setting in a row that was beautiful enough to take her breath away, and she was not unused to beautiful sunsets. This omen warmed her heart, making her smile. She must be on the right track.

She knelt at the water's edge, dipping her hands in the water, loving the feel of its malleability. She looked beyond with her mind to the life underneath the surface that reflected the darkening sky. Her mind traveled with the life underneath and made its way to a school of minnows, rejoicing close to the surface.

Looking with her eyes, Ainutsa located the minnows. Smiling, she made her way over to the minnows, stopping only when she noticed someone had already beat her to it. Someone sat in a dark cloak, watching the minnows. Or at least it seemed as if the figure was watching the minnows. Ainutsa could not see his face.

Coming closer, not wishing to disturb the figure but curiosity getting the best of her as it always did, Ainutsa looked at the minnows and then the reflection in the water. She thought she could make out a face, but was unsure of its features. Regardless of who was watching, the minnows kept rejoicing. They were not uncomfortable with their audience.

"They must like you." Ainutsa said suddenly but quietly, not wanting to scare the minnows with the sound of her voice. "Or else they would swim away." she explained, trying to smooth over her suddenness somehow. Her curiosity was incredibly difficult to control, something she was beginning to find out as she expanded her horizons.

[Reixou]

((Yep, no problem ))
As the soft voice spoke, Reixou listened intently. He did not look up, but instead looked at her rippling reflection in the lake. A beautiful girl...speaking to a cloaked stranger. This is an interesting person... He smiled, and stood. Turning to her, he spoke.

"I've always had a certain connection with animals, perhaps where I lack that of people." He reached in a pocket and pulled off a piece of bread, crumbling it and throwing it into the water. The minnows hit the surface with new vigor in consuming the food.

"Animals have the right idea about life; nothing about their world is complicated." He let out a deep breath, and looked again about the landscape. The suns had gone down; leaving a faint orange and pink glow on the horizon.

He turned again to the stranger, waiting for her to speak, and wondering partially why she had approached him, of all people, a dark-dressed stranger.

[Summerchika]

As the cloaked figure spoke, he took bread out of his pocket and fed it to the ecstatic fish. Smiling, Ainutsa knew the fish could not be wrong about him. He was definitely kind.

Noticing that although he was facing her, she could still not see his face underneath his hood, Ainutsa became only slightly uncomfortable. Still new to speaking to others, Ainutsa relied heavily on the eyes of others to give her hints on how she should act. But Ainutsa trusted the instinct of the minnows, so she was not threatened.

Following the stranger's gaze, Ainutsa looked to the glowing horizon. "I, too, have that connection with animals." Ainutsa responded, glad to meet someone who shared that trait. "Though I am better acquainted with the forest animals rather than the animals of the water." She admitted, looking back to the hooded figure.

"Animals are honest to their instincts." Ainutsa agreed to his sentiment. "In that way, they are simple. I am afraid that because I grew up with them, I have acquired their simplicity."

As if in agreement to her words, a small chipmunk appeared, chattering near the stranger's feet. "I think he wants some of your generous bread." she said, laughing at the chipmunk's adamant demands.

[Reixou]

As the chipmunk approached, Reixou pulled another small piece of bread from his pocket, and crouched. The small, eager hands of the chipmunk hesitated at the smell of the leather glove.

"Oops. Probably not too eager to eat from a hand that smells like a dead animal." He chuckled, and pulled off his glove, revealing his scarlet hand. Again, he held out the bread, and this time the chipmunk grabbed it without hesitation. It went a couple feet away, stopped, and ate the piece. Soon it was back for more.

Reixou looked up at the girl; his hood sliding back a bit. "Would you like to feed him this one?" He asked, reaching into his pocket, offering her the next piece.

He thought for a moment; and realized he probably startled her with his odd skin tone, but waited to see what her reaction was.

[Summerchika]

As the man pulled off his glove, Ainutsa's eyes widened. His had was red. The chipmunk grabbed the piece of bread eagerly, ate it, and came back for more. He was not thrown off by the color at all. The man offered her the next piece of bread from his pocket and Ainutsa saw that the rest of his face was the same color as his hand, except for the eyes. The eyes, light blue and kind, looked up at her, now watching for her reaction.

This not being the first time Ainutsa had seen odd appearances, she took the piece of bread from his hand gratefully, comforted by the fact that the chipmunk seemed happy. Her curiosity sparked at his skin tone, but she remembered the last time she had followed her curiosity down this road. People were often times sensitive about their different appearances. She had learned that the hard way.

Kneeling down next to the man and the chipmunk, Ainutsa fed the animal from her hand, scratching its little head with her other hand. The animal chattered at her, telling her about his home, his many family members and how they were always stealing his food from him.

"My condolences, little one." she replied, laughing at his little face so puffed up with the bread he was storing in his cheeks. She looked up into the red-skinned man's face, smiling. "Thank you for letting me feed him." The little chipmunk squeaked again, saying thank you to the man as well.

Looking down again to entertain the chipmunk, she thought it time to introduce herself. "I am Ainutsa." Although she looked at the animal, she spoke to the man. She did not ask for his name in case he thought that rude, but she was very curious to know. Ainutsa could not put a finger on why it was, but there was something good about knowing what someone or something was called. She looked up at the man again, her curiosity burning as strong as ever.

[Reixou]

The girl did not show much outward hesitation; as she took the bread and fed the small creature. There was a certain grace about her movements that fascinated Reixou.

When she spoke of her name, he realized that it was from familiar origins.

"That is a beautiful name. I am Reixou." He knew she had seen his face already, and she did not seem to care; so as he introduced himself, he pushed back his hood. This revealed a spiky menagerie of pure black hair; with a long braid behind his left ear. Along with this, it also revealed his long, pointed ears that were also pierced a few times, small oxidized black loops and studs dotting them.

"Ainutsa...That is Elven, is it not?" He smirked, playfully. He already knew she was an Elf, by her ears and demeanor. Perhaps knowing that I am the same race will be of some comfort.

[Summerchika]

"Reixou." Ainutsa repeated, making sure she said it correctly. "Your name is beautiful as well." Realizing that would sound weird, she amended quickly, "In a manly sort of way."

As he removed his hood, Ainutsa took in his appearance again. She was so curious! But, remembering her experience with Talwyn, she bit her lip to stop herself from asking.

Noticing his hair, she smiled in wonder. She had never seen hair like it before. Then she noticed his ears. Her eyes went very wide and her mouth opened in surprise and almost shock. For the second time in two days she had met another elf.

"Yes, my name is Elven." Tearing her eyes away from his ears, she looked into his kind, playful eyes. "Then... you are an Elf, too?" Ainutsa asked carefully, making sure not to trip up her words.

Even though she had lived in the forest since she was a child, she had hidden and avoided people in general. She had not seen elves since her adoptive parents. And they had died nine years ago. Her beloved grandmother had not been an Elf, though she had been magical in origin. Seeing two elves in such a short time period threw her off.

[Reixou]

Reixou chuckled.

"Yes, I am an Elf." She seemed shocked. He wasn't sure if it was because he was an Elf, or because he was an Elf with red skin.

He could see that she held many questions behind her big, curious green eyes. He himself was curious as to the inner workings of this peculiar female, who did not seem to fear difference, but instead seemed intrigued.

"You're probably wondering what kind of Elves have red skin. Perhaps I'm from a different world? Or maybe I fell into a vat of dye?" His eyes twinkled with mischief, and he hoped that a bit of sarcastic humor would ease the situation.

[Summerchika]

Reixou's unexpected sarcastic question startled a laugh from Ainutsa'a lips.

"A vat of dye?" she asked, a smile on her face again. "Yes, that was my first guess." she said, playing his sarcastic game. She did not use sarcasm a lot, though her grandmother had when she was alive. She found the game quite fun.

Becoming serious again but not tense like she was before, Ainutsa asked her first question, trying to sate her curiosity a little. "Not all elves have red skin?" she asked this in all seriousness. She knew her adoptive parents and the elf in the village had not had red skin, but they were only three elves out of many.

[Reixou]

"Not all elves have red skin?"

Reixou could tell she was honest in her inquisition, and fought back a bout of laughter. He smiled largely instead, and replied; "No, not an Elf I have ever met, besides myself. I guess you could call it my own personal fashion statement; though it's not my own design." He looked past the tall trees bordering the lake, up in the sky at the small first moon.
No, not my design in the least...Not even my choice...But I've learned to live with it. I must.

"I hope you don't mind me inquiring, but it seems like you haven't met many Elves, perhaps?" He was hoping she was disconnected from the race, as it would be easier to defend his origins without her knowing the myths and legends about him. These never included the fact that he rejected his nature; but instead focused on the terror and destruction forced upon thousands by his puppet-ed hand.

[Summerchika]

In response to Reixou's large smile, Ainutsa smiled back, wondering what he was smiling at. Perhaps her question was odd? It would not have been the first time she voiced an odd question, nor would it be the last, she imagined.

Not by his own design? The question begged to be voiced, but Ainutsa kept it silent, recognizing the look on Reixou's face as he looked off into the sky. She had seen that look on the first two people she had met who features had been altered. One had been incredibly touchy about the subject, so Ainutsa remained cautious in that area, not wanting a repeat of that incident.

"No, I do not know many Elves." Ainutsa affirmed. That word came from her mouth oddly. She was still not used voicing her own race's name. "I met one yesterday, I think. And then one other one a long time ago. The couple who raised me when I was young were Elvish, too." She recounted the number of Elves she had met on her left hand, nodding as she filed them away. "But that is all. Oh, and now I have met you." She added another finger to the mix, smiling and wiggling her five fingers.

"Have you met many Elves?" Ainutsa asked, suddenly curious again. Thinking about meeting people like her made her excited, but nervous. Her grandmother's warning long ago had prevented Ainutsa from seeking out her own race, but now she had a thirst to know more.

[Reixou]

"Yes, I suppose I have. A long time ago there were many great Elven cities that put the greatest architecture you've ever seen to shame." He reminisced about the beautiful white marble palaces; with onyx spires towering above the horizon.

"Sadly; I have lived long enough to see the destruction and ruin of all of them. In a way, that is how I got my scarlet skin." He looked at her with great sorrow; remembering his loss that came with the destruction. In many ways, she had been like the great cities. One of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen, and now she was gone. No trace of her existed upon the earth.

Now; this Elf standing before him brought back cherished memories as well as the bittersweet sting of losing something you loved.

"I'm sorry, I will try not to burden you with the details of my past; I'm sure you do not wish to hear about it." Most people did not. They simply did not have time, or they didn't care. But, she was an Elf, so if she wished to hear, she would. "But if there is something you would like to know about the Elves, I am one of the only ones that can tell you just about everything; and how it really was." He smiled slightly, remembering the simplistic values of his own city long ago.

He knew that she must be descended from his branch of Elves, of the five, because of the similar simplistic views and appeal to animals.

[Summerchika]

Aiuntsa's eyes grew wide again as she imagined what the great Elven cities might look like. She had not seen much architecture at all, just what Nature had made herself, so she could really only imagine. But with Reixou's next words, Ainutsa felt an unexplainable and deep loss. Looking at Reixou in shocked disbelief, her hand touched to her necklace, one of only Elvish heirloom she owned. All of the Elven cities were destroyed?

The sorrow in Reixou's eyes seemed to be an even deeper sorrow than losing the Elven homes and legacies. His sorrow seeped into Ainutsa, making her heat heavy.

"It is not a burden." Ainutsa assured. "I will be honest, though. I am curious." At this, she gave him an apologetic smile. "But I do not want to cause you needless pain. If you do not want to share your past, you do not have to. I understand not wanting to relive a painful past." And Ainutsa did understand. She had been avoiding reliving hers for the past nine years.

Waiting for his decision, Ainutsa thought of questions she could ask about the Elves. Sudden yearning filled Ainutsa at the possibility to learn where she came from, what her culture and upbringing should have been like, what might remain of that culture or society. However, Ainutsa could not think of where to begin. She knew close to nothing about Elves.

[Reixou]

"No, it's my job to tell people about it...I cannot keep all of the amazing things of the past to myself. There are plenty of things I can tell you about the world before," He paused, thinking. "Well, before I looked like this." He gestured to himself.

"People did not distrust each other. We were a very loyal race. Those who did lie and cheat and steal were known for it, and though we did not treat them horribly, they were made sure they were put in their place." He smiled. "I would go on forever about the whole culture if you just let me loose like this, you'd never be able to eat or sleep!" He chuckled and marveled at her ever curiosity.

"I don't know if you were headed somewhere or not, but if you would like to walk with me and find somewhere to sit, I'd be happy to start with your questions." He awaited her response.