Challenges

[Omio]

Len blinked. "You've never seen a mirror? The use of them is debatable. I personally don't care about 'em. But nah, the carpet they have here looks rather comfy." And then an idea swept by his head, which soon caused him to blush, and he turned away - albeit slightly too late to hide it, if Saira was looking at him. "W-we could share the be--" And then he slapped his mouth, shutting himself up before he got any further, which was already too far. She's going to think of me as a pervert...

[WolfEnchantress]

She shook her head.
"Nope, never. It's intriguing, really. Is it magical?" She touched it's surface, then jerked back, as if she expected it to burn her, or do some other horrible thing. She made a face at it, before glancing at Len's reflection in time to see him turn away, blushing. She was confused for a moment, until he got out what he could of his next sentence, cutting himself off halfway through.

She tlted her head to the side, wondering if it was supposed to sound the way it did. Judging by his actions, she assumed not. A dozen thoughts formed in her head, and she blushed and cast them aside, trotting lightly to sit on the edge of the bed, which was really quite soft. They'd both offered to sleep on the floor. If the innkeeper, who she still didn't trust, or another guest walked in, it would look odd to both be asleep on the floor. It would make them look even more suspicious. She didn't think anyone would, but len did say that they could run into trouble.

"It..It would make sense," she said, relaying her last thought to him.

[Omio]

The response of Saira, in terms to the whole bed thing made him turn so red, one could easily mistake him for a beet - if he hadn't turned around, one could swear he was one. "...Makes sense...? H-h-- oh, right - in case anything did happen..." Gah, and I haven't admitted exactly how much I like... ...or maybe love; I can't tell... His face was somewhere between flustered, estatic, and hysterical; the prior ones being more dominent than the next.

He managed to get enough courage to turn, showing himself. His blush did lessen quite a bit, a set of mind helping him regain himself. She'd probably just want to get this over with... And this helping him get the courage to get over to the bed, taking a seat upon it. It felt as if he was sitting on nothing. "So this is how soft a bed is..." No wonder people can be so drowsy after getting up from one of these - once you're in one, you can't really get out of it easily without really willing yourself to do so. And without thinking, he leaned his head against Saira.

[WolfEnchantress]

Len was flustered. Very flustered. She could tell, even though he faced away from her. She allowed herself a small smile, understanding how he felt. She had a sneaking suspicion that if she tried to speak she'd make a fool of herself.

When he managed to crawl onto the bed and lean against her, she leaned back with him until they lay flat, his head still on her left shoulder. She folded her left arm so it lay across him without really thinking about it, her mind in shambles. She didn't quite know how she felt. At first he was an aquaintence. Then a friend. Then a good friend. Now..? She liked him, far more than she really realized.

"You've never slept in a bed before?" She asked finally. Outwardly she was calm. Relaxed, even, showing no hint of her inner turmoil.
I suppose it's just like me never seeing a mirror, She thought to herself. I've slept in a bed. Just..Not with another person in it. She blushed, glad Len coldn't see her face.
"Not even when you were young?"

[Omio]

"I don't remember the times when I was young. Must've been one of my more... sour of experiments. Nothing to lament about now, though. Either way, I'm used to sleeping on rafters and floors. I'll probably be somewhat close to impossible to wake up, which might not be a good thing. But I do trust you, Saira. It's possibly more than I should be trusting you, in a logical view, but a lot of things aren't too logical between us. It's almost as if we live in completely different worlds. But even if we live in two different worlds, a new one could be made from those two different worlds. An ideal, as some would say, but ideals can become reality..."

Len had gone on a complete jabber-fest, his courage almost stacking as he was being subtle with the meanings of his words; all of them laced with double-meanings. If one listened carefully enough, one could catch both things that he was saying. He hoped to the heavens that Saira caught both. He wouldn't be able to be outright direct about his feelings. He didn't have the courage for it, yet. If he was slapped with the question, however, he wouldn't back down from it.

[WolfEnchantress]

Sarora, glanced at the rapidly setting sun.
It is their second night. They should be there by now, She said, only the faintest edge of the raging concern in her thoughts seeping into her voice. She sent her mind over the entire forest and didn't find Saira, not even asleep.

Either she had made it or she is dead, the dragon said bluntly. She flexed her wings in tension, knowing she wouldn't sleep that night. We can hope it is the latter. She could easily check the town, but constantly checking on her human child was a bad idea. She was determined to keep her end of the test true-she would keep her mind cut off.

**

Saira listened to is monologue, and she did catch the double meanings. She'd become quite good at catching them, after speaking to Sarora for her whole life. Her breath caught in her throat, almost certain to what he was getting at. Her racing thoughts multilied tenfold, nearly making her dizzy.

"You're right. Two worlds can become one, if it's meant to happen," She replied, choosing worlds carefully. "Even that of a dragon's child and an alchemist." She tred to sort out her mind. She thought of the possibility, and to her surprise, it made her happy.

"I...I think..." She trailed off, not sure if she could say it.She knew Len's feelings. He'd been subtle, but made it clear enough for her to catch them. She wasn't usually one to be mysterious. Usually, directness was her approach.

Finally, she took a deep breath, and in barely a whisper, said, "I think...I think I might...love you."

[HoudiniDerek]

Kimara watched Sarora strain against her self-imposed will to not mother Saira during this challenge. Kimara smiled inwardly and said with a straight face, "You might have trained her too well, Sarora. Maybe she is blocking you from seeing her thoughts because she knows you are too much of a mother hen." Kimara stayed flat faced for several more seconds until Sarora's reaction and then Kimara smiled.

"You are very noble in your cause to try and protect and raise her. You have to let her find her own way though as you once had to do, Sarora. She and her companion are fine. They are in an inn at the town. They will be safe there tonight and then they can head back this way tomorrow."

Kimara smiled comfortably and leaned back against a tree to get some sleep. It smelled like rain on the horizon and sleeping in dry clothes was ultimately easier than sleeping in wet clothes.

[Omio]

The fact of Saira admitting that hit him like a sledgehammer on his mind, though his physical body wasn't reaction to said impact. So I'm NOT going absolutely insane with it, either... "You're... ...not the only one. I've just been too afraid to be blunt about it, fearing rejection. I always thought I was so fast and sudden about feeling it, but maybe I'm slow... I just..." And he couldn't say anymore, not only unsure, but not wanting to get back to the whole 'I didn't know' thing that did haunt him for a while.

((Sorry this one took a while, but I had to make Len seem somewhat realistic.))

[WolfEnchantress]

Sarora sighed, trusting that Kimara was right about them already being in town, safe at an inn. She rested her head on her massive forefeet, though she was in no way tired. She wasn't sure about Saira blocking her thoughts, but it was definentaly a possibility. As it began to rain lightly again, she flared her wings, creating a canopy over everything. The fire needed to stay lit, and no sense in them getting soaked again, right after drying off.

**

Saira let out a breath she didn't know she'd even been holding. The relief at the response was overpowering; she feared she'd read him wrong, that he would leave. She listened closely to his words, making sure she hadn't heard wrong, or that he was being insincere, but heard only truth, and maybe a bit of hesitation. She closed her eyes, her mind suddenly far less emotional than it had been a moment ago, and opened them agin before replying.

"Fast, slow..If you weren't here, I'd be dead. If you didn't care, you could have left me long ago in the forest alone, or Gods know what else. So I suppose fast is good, right?" She said, staring at the ceiling and still trying to make some sense of the situation, as well as her own emotions.

[Omio]

(( 'insincere', actually. It's a word that is used somewhat often, in fact. At least, by me. ))

Len looked at Saira, whom seemed to look at the roof. "Saira..." He said her name, as if to partially disbelieve what she said, but he couldn't argue, because she was right. He still wanted to believe that he caused Saira the trouble, not wanting to admit it was already coming. "Maybe it was luck, or maybe even fate. I don't exactly care which, because the result's the same, really. It could even be both, for all I care of. Nonetheless, mind turning to me so I can snag a kiss from you?"

Now that he had little to hide, he didn't have to worry about being too blunt, for the most part. He didn't even know what was taking over him, but his desire for Saira in almost every respect was growing. Then something dawned upon him. Is this... the human chemistry that I've only heard talk about? There isn't enough terms for me to define this! ...And how did this reaction get set off? Past this point, his mind managed to race, completely incomprehensible. Some things were falling into place, and others out of place.

[WolfEnchantress]

((I figured. It didn't sound right, somehow. Eh, oh well))

Her heart nearly skipped a beat, at his request.
"Of course," She said smoothly and turned to him, though instead of waiting she kissed him gently, pulling back after a few seconds to stare at him.
What would I do, where would I be if I hadn't met you? She thought to herself.
Vaugely she wondered what Sarora's reaction would be to their relationship. She smiled slightly, envisioning the ice blue reptile's surprise. The thought faded, and another took it's place.

"You mentioned that you would like to meet Sarora," She said. "Would you like to travel with us? Doubtless you could find all sorts of things to help you with your alchemy. We don't have to part ways right when I return" She had no idea what there was he needed, but it was an excuse to get him to come. "We don't exacctly have a home, but if you don't mind that part..."She trailed off, her eyes pleading.

[Omio]

He was expecting Saira to wait, but she dove outright in, and he rather fancied that. "I technically don't have a home either, but to travel with you guys, I'd rather see what Sarora has to say about it. After all, Sarora is the one that is taking the lead. If Sarora would agree, then I'd also agree without question. If not, I'd try to convince Sarora otherwise, but no guarantee."

And then his though almost went the reverse direction of Saira's. "I'm not even sure if Sarora would be okay with the connection we have, which scares me, because Sarora has the lead, really." The fear of rejection could be seen in his eyes, and possibly a feeling of going insane, as his mind wandered to the worse side of things. Then it snapped to an insane idea. "Unless you don't mind learning even more about alchemy...? I do have my book, though it's incomplete..."

[WolfEnchantress]

Saira furrowed deeper into the bed, escaping the rooms chill.
"Sarora is a bit hard to get to change her views, but she listens to me. Unless she feels that you are threatening in some way, I don't see how she could have any objections," Saira answered. In her mind, she tried to decide how the dragon would react. She could see no fault with Len's company, so the dragon shouldn't either.

"I don't see why she wouldn't be okay. Actually, once her inital surprise is over and gone, I think she'll be happy. She's always felt like she deprives me of my humanity by living far away from everything." She could hear the uncertainty in his voice, even fear.

"Don't worry, she will be fine. I have known her all my life, after all. Of course, you could still teach me more about alchemy, if you're up to it..." She said. She found the whole science of alchemy interesting, and wouldn't obect to learning more about it. "We can complete, or at least work on completing, your book as we go."

[Omio]

Len smiled, hearing certainty within Saira's voice. "The alchemy's easy enough, for the most part. And it sounds like Sarora is almost as trusting as you are already." And then he dropped his voice to a whisper, with one thing to unveil. "Len isn't my real name. Only a name I made for everyone to refer to me by. Most of everyone that knows Len isn't my real name don't know my real name. You'll be the only exception to that now." And seeing Saira about ready to speak, as if to question him, he slipped his finger to his mouth, as if to pose silence. "I'm Talim. Talim Von Nikita. Ex-alchemist of the Dragoons. Excluded due to an avoided purge."

The Dragoons were reputed for being able to somewhat vanish rather quickly when needed, but their device had not been known. Len, however, exercised that device without being seen, usually - jumping was the said device, and Saira had been the only one to see it. The fact he wasn't recognized as an ex-Dragoon proved Saira to be truthful. "But please, refer to me as Len. I'll not have another know me by my true name."

(( Small twist revealed! >D I just explained Len in a bit more detail, revealed a chunk of his past, a part of his experience, and a bit more about how he thinks, too. ))

[WolfEnchantress]

Saria nodded. The dragon would be as trusting as a dog to it's master once she got to know someone, which honestly didn't take much time.
"Just don't get discouraged if she seems to dislike you at first. She'll be a bit suspicious, but it'll pass," She told Len.

Then he changed the subject by revealing that his name wasn't really Len. She opened her mouth to question, but was shushed. She obeyed, and was told that his real name was Talim Von Nikita, and he once belonged to a group called the Dragoons. She blinked, the information coming as a complete surprise. Of course, there was the part of her mind that told her it was logical to use a fake name, especally if you were an alchemist. At least from what Len had told her-it was a rather dangerous occupation.

"What's a Dragoon?" She asked finally. "It's a kind of alchemist. right? How is it different from a normal alchemist?"

((Yaay! plot twist! And the info is helpful, i'll say. ))