Yesterday (open)

[ninjaofdoom]

She sighed and smiled. "It's okay," she said, not really able to blame him for his irritation with the boy who had been in there. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to deal with that when she was his age. "Why don't you get some rest, Orion?" she suggested as the sun started setting. It had been a..well...not very long, but definitely eventful day. Perhaps some rest would help him calm down some.

[orion]

Orion nodded and went to his bed. He sat, stared at the floor for a moment, then crawled under the covers. He laid on his side, with his back to the wall.

He was cold, naturally, and he shivered for a moment before his own heat warmed his blankets. He wanted to go home, wherever that was. He wanted to lay in his own bed -- no, not a bed, exactly. Not a bed like this. It was...

Orion sat up suddenly, staring intently at the wall. They weren't beds like this. They were layers and layers of material, blankets, on the floor -- and a fire that lit the whole room and kept their huts warm through the night. Huts... Yes, small things they were; designed to hold heat during the bitter cold of desert nights. There were... three beds in his hut. There was his own, his mother's, and--

"I have a brother," he said quietly.

[Silvarn]

Helion blushed mildly from the boy's sudden compliment. Of course, he had heard that same phrase dozens of times before, all with the same wide-eyed mask of astonishment. But, he could never quite get over it; there were more beautiful things in the world than his lyre playing.

Brant looked rushed, as if he had just spent a good deal of time running. The thought of asking him where he had come from in such a hurry crossed his mind, but he dismissed it with a shake of his head. Gossip violated one of the Radiant Solar Principles. Which reminded him...

The sun was setting, dipping beneath the horizon. Helion sighed at is wonder, then turned back to Brant, "I apologize, but would you excuse me for just a moment?"

Brant shook his head in the negative, so Helion fairly rushed over to the window with the best view of the reddening sun. He rested his elbows on the windowsill, clasped his heads, rested his forehead on his hands, and closed his eyes. He whispered softly, so that Brant could only pick up a few words. He finished quickly, not wanting to give his newfound the wrong impression.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting, Brant." Helion apologized with a warm smile. He picked up his lyre and held it out to Brant, "Do you play?" he asked hopefully.

[ninjaofdoom]

He widened his eyes at the question and shook his head violently from side to side. "Oh, no! I don't play. I'm quite...horrible, actually," he admitted sadly. He had been born with no musical abilities whatsoever and had been forced to suffer that from his mentor who did happen to be quite adapt with a few instruments. No, he stuck to his books. He was good at reading, at least.

He moved from his spot by the door to a table, feeling odd just standing there. He preferred to sit.

Riki's eyes widened at Orion's sudden realization. She was glad he had remembered something, but it seemed to have come out of nowhere. She was curious as to what sparked the sudden epiphany, but felt it better not to ask. She didn't want to be prying. Instead, she flipped over to her stomach and leaned over the side, looking under the bed. She had been at a few inns where the innkeepers kept books or journals under the beds where few people looked. Sure enough, there was a book pushed toward the back. It was just within her reach. She grabbed it and took it out, brushing the dust off the cover. It was an old leatherbound journal. It could have been one another guest had left there. She opened it and started flipping through the pages, reading a few entries here and there.

[orion]

Orion uncovered himself and he stood and went to the door. Without a word to Riki, he left again. He needed to find more things that poked at his memory. More things that didn't seem quite right. Something that would make him think, and remember.

He walked out of the inn, shivering. The sky was dark now, and the air was cold. Colder than it was normally, he should say, because this place was never warm.

He pulled his scarf tighter around his neck and held his wings in close. It was too cold. He wanted to roam a little, now that the streets weren't busy, but...

Orion ducked into another inn, still shivering despite the new warmth. He glanced around and -- oh, great. What was that guy's name? Brant? Orion kept his wings close to his head, hoping to go unnoticed until he felt warm enough to just go back to his bed. He could fish for memories when the sun returned.

[Silvarn]

Helion could not help be let his disappointment show. One of his greatest pleasures came from conversing with people in mediums deeper than words. Words could lie; music could not.

"Oh..." came his halfhearted verbal response. He thought it a crime Brant could not play an instrument. But then, not everyone was adept with music. Everyone had their own qualities. Helion was certain Brant had his own strengths.

"Then, would you mind if I played something else?" he asked with traces of anxiety.

"By all means!" Brant beamed, "You play wonderfully!"

Helion blushed at this, then closed his eyes in concentration. He sifted through all the songs he knew, snatches of music playing in his mind. He thought of the night, the cool kiss of the evening breeze on his skin, the coy twinkle of the jeweled stars.

With eagerness, his fingers plucked out the underlying beat. His fingers trembled as they touched the lyre strings, making the very air tremble as a result. The notes from his lyre echoed only slightly in the lobby. The music captured the positive qualities of the night: its shroud, its warmth, its majesty.

When he finished his aching melody, Helion slowly opened his eyes. The people had put to sleep had woken up again, and were fixated on Helion. He caught the innkeeper quickly dab at his eyes. He gulped nervously, wondering when these people would stop staring.

Then the door to the inn opened and all attention on him vanished. A young boy, younger even than Brant and himself, stood in the doorway. He wore a brown scarf around his neck and some odd white headgear.

This day was quickly winding to a close, but it was never too late to make a new friend. Helion crossed the room to the gold-haired boy and smiled with the friendly radiance of the soft spring sun.

"Hello." he began, offering his hand to the boy, "My name is Helion."

[orion]

"Nn." Orion flinched back when someone approached him. He looked up at him, trying to pull his wings in even closer. He hadn't expected anyone to approach him, save for Brant, and he really hadn't expected... blue hair?

He shook the man's hand hesitantly. "Um... h-hi," he stammered, "I'm... Orion."

Maybe, if they kept them close enough, this man wouldn't notice his wings. Heh, that was doubtful.

[ninjaofdoom]

Riki hardly moved as Orion got up and left. She figured he would need to learn how to get around on his own anyway, so why not let him do his own thing? She turned more pages in the journal, reading all sorts of entries. Many people had used this book over all sorts of times. Some had only jotted down one entry and left it back where they had found it, and others had taken it with them, writing about their travels for weeks or sometimes months. It was truly fascinating.

As she flipped back and forth between the pages, one name caught her eye. Master Hisashi was scrawled in an all too familiar handwriting at the bottom of the page. She flipped through a few more pages close to it before she realized that he had been carrying this journal for a good portion of his time training her. She went back to the first entry of his and read through it, remembering his handwriting and how he always smiled.

I've just taken young Riki out of the forest. I'm hoping the distance will help quell whatever it is she created. I fear I'm going to have to start over with her. She had such a tremendous ability, at such a young age. Perhaps one day she'll find it again and be able to control it, but she needs to learn the control first.

Riki skipped ahead, afraid of what else was written within that entry. It was essentially her beginning, but she did not long to know it. She read a few entries about his plans for training her and then closed the book gently, holding it to her chest tightly. It was useless; hugging a book would not bring him back, but these pages were made special by his presence within them. She rolled over on her side, still hugging the book, and fell sleep.

Brant looked up at the boy who had just entered the room. He was the one who had been with Riki! But this Helion character seemed to be much better around people, so he just sat quietly and watched. He learned that the boy's name was Orion, and he held his wings close to his head. His heart seemed to drop as he realized that perhaps he was part of the reason Orion was being self conscious. He felt bad, but struggled not to apologize anymore. He would just keep silent for now.

[Silvarn]

"Well, it is wonderful to meet you, Orion." Helion positively beamed. He could tell from a touch alone that the boy was cold. Unnaturally so. And not just from fear and nervousness.

Helion breathed deeply and let his faith in the Sun-God shine forth a little. His body burned mildly with a wispy golden aura. He shimmered for a moment, nearly laughing with the pleasant emotions bubbling within him. The sparkling light and good feelings spread to Orion through their clasped hands, dully illuminating Orion's up to his wrist.

Helion released his grasp slowly, then rubbed at his hand. "I am sorry; I should not have done that. Will you not come in out of the cold?"

With caring hands, he gently nudged Orion farther into the room, smiling warmly all the while. "Maybe stay a while, take off your hat, and tell us a little about yourself?"

[orion]

Well... that was odd. Orion felt himself panic ever so slightly as his hand was releaced. 'Should not have done that'? Exactly what was that?

He pulled his hands into his sleeves as he was ushered inside, and he bowed his head as he was prompted to share something about himself. Something told him that it was safer to just sink into the background. No one needed to know Orion. It was better that way. Wasn't it?

Anyway, he didn't know anything about himself. What would he share? Orion chewed quietly on his bottom lip. What would he say?

((Sorry I took forever. I got distracted ^-^ ))

[Silvarn]

Helion scratched nervously at the back of his electric blue head. Normally, people warmed right up to him. He liked to think he was easy to get along with and talk to. But this young boy seemed to be having difficulty. Maybe he should not have asked such a personal question so soon. And Brant was not being of help.

Helion reflexively sighed with mild frustration. He pulled his golden lyre from the table and stood it in his lap.

"Would you like me to play something for you, maybe?" he asked the boy hopefully.

[orion]

"Um," Orion looked at him for a moment. He wasn't sure. He didn't know this person (and honestly, he really didn't know anyone). "I..." Would it be rude to refuse? "I guess so." He nodded.

Alright... he could sit and listen to him play.