[Amber]

[petiteaubergine]

[The amber glows upon the face of a frustrated young man. It's turned a few degrees, then a hand slips up and messes with with tangled strands of hair. His face shifts from side to side, eyes following the outline of his face. He's fascinated with the odd little mirror. Comfortable with the outcome of his quick-fix effort, he looks up towards the hole in the ceiling.]

Now, I will surely get up there this time!

[Alla spreads his midnight-blue wings and wobbles into the air. The room around him tilts, then shrinks as he ascends. The scrunched-up lines in his face soften into a smile. He's done it!

Then, without warning, he slips from view, crashing back down onto the floor with a yelp of surprise followed by a moan.]

Oh dear... this was my best garment. Oh no...

Comments

[bestworstdad]

Hah! Oh man, tell me you haven't even learned how to fly yet! Isn't that kind of embarrassing?

[Teasing, really. He had a bit of cheating in that he knew how to fly before he got here. Adapting to wings was a simple venture, especially when talent was his middle name.]

[petiteaubergine]

[The piece of amber is given a very dumbfounded look. The young man's eyes grow before he jerks back in surprise.]

Y-You can speak?!

[He had thought it was just a tinted mirror piece of some kind. How was he supposed to know it's intelligent enough to communicate? A breath is drawn as he tries to suppress the embarrassment that is beginning to show on his cheeks.]

Well, euh, I-I am afraid this is my, euh, first time...

[bestworstdad]

[He wasn't exactly amazing at catching onto things but when it came to making fun of people...]

'course I can. I'm the all seeing eye, you see. And I say you need some serious trainin'.

[petiteaubergine]

All seeing eye...?

[Alla's shoulders tense a bit more at that. He gives a sheepish smile at the second part.]

I suppose so...

[And then waves his fingers in a dismissive manner]

I-I am meaning, of course you are correct! If you know of a way for me to leave this room, I would be in your debt if you would be so kind as to teach me. I have tried a few times now, but I am afraid I have never had wings before a few moments ago.

[It sure feels odd talking to a piece of glass.]

[hairsay]

I'm gonna hazard a guess that you haven't gone native yet.

[This guy looks new. She can't quite tell who he is, though in the light of the amber his hair looks more blonde than pink. That is going to be a surprise when they meet in person!]

You hurt yourself? You okay?

[petiteaubergine]

N-Native?

[Wrinkles of confusion form along the young man's nose and between his brows as he studies the amber.]

How is it you sound and look different now? Is this also a part of your powers, All seeing one?

[He isn't aware he's speaking to multiple people just yet...]

[hairsay]

[Jolene might not know what this confused young man is talking about, but when she sees an opening, there is no denying that she's going to take it. After one confused double-take, she leans back on her bed and casts him a look of utmost benevolent power. In essence, she gives him an odd, glowering smile.]

Oh, I see much and I have many powers. There are times when I feel the need to sound and look different, and times when I feel the need to sound a look the same. These are times for looking different and sounding different, as I grow, uh, concerned with your presence.

[Is that verbose enough? She's having trouble of thinking what to do with him now that he's on the brink of groveling.]

I brought you here because you looked like you had potential, and sometimes I can be a huge asshole who acts in strange and confusing ways, but I mean well. [So now she is making a crack at the tree's often enigmatic behaviour, but it's hard to keep up being serious in the face of knowing her ruse will be cracked at any moment.] To fly, you need to believe. In yourself, in your heart, and your gross feelings. Can you do this for my all-seeing benevolent powerful self?!

[petiteaubergine]

[His blues eyes squint, trying to focus on the amber's new face and voice... and attitude. Far more talkative than before.]

I trust you and your decisions, all seeing one. Your knowledge must be vast.

[A nervous laugh escapes him with the whole potential and blunt honesty. However, Alla's focus darts away, downward.]

Euh, my feelings have never wanted to fly before.

[And to have "gross" feelings to him means to have LARGE and MANY feelings, which he knows better than to follow through with.]

So, I am afraid if that is what it takes, I may not be able to do this for you. Please forgive me.

[monster_san]

[Oh dear, the poor boy. Fuu has to smother a sympathetic smile.]

Oh--don't be embarrassed, it does take some time to get used to wings if you've never had them before.

[petiteaubergine]

[Another face and voice. Everything is becoming rather complicated very suddenly.]

Euh?

[His face flushes a bit more from his embarrassment being so easily recogniseable]

W-What do you mean? Have you had wings all your life?

[monster_san]

Oh no, only for about... six months or so? I was quite surprised to find them on my back when I first took the stone.

[She's talking quite casually, like a sudden acquisition of fairy wings is only cause for slightly raised eyebrows.]

[petiteaubergine]

So, it is the stone! I was not quite sure at first... Are they truly real? They do not hurt when they emerge.

[Alla fidgets as a rosy glow flushes his face. It is a strange thing to ask, but he knows quite well that transformations, his, at least, cause pain.]

[circleprodigy]

[Ivaera, watching over the amber, winces in sympathy.]

That sounded...painful. Are you hurt? Do you need healing?

[petiteaubergine]

[So many voices. At least they mostly seem to be worried for him.]

Oh, no. I will be alright. No need to worry. My coat took most of the fall for me. I am afraid it is more bruised than I.

[A little nervous laugh escapes his lips before he falls silent. Healing is such an odd thing to say. He can't help but ask...]

Do you happen to be a doctor?

[circleprodigy]

[She shakes her head, tucking a strand of hair behind a pointed ear.]

No, but I'm a mage who specializes in healing magic, among other things. I try to be available to all those within the Tree, though am aware that not all favor it or are even aware it exists until arriving. Are you among them?

[petiteaubergine]

[A few blinks and moment of silence while he processes that and the pointed ears.]

Y-Y-You have magic? And can heal?!

My apologies. I-I am afraid there is no such thing where I am from. Not unless you are blessed by an angel...

[And his eyes grow even wider]

A-Are you an angel?

[breakin_ur_lore]

[OH DEARS. Med'an can never ignore a cry for help. Or, just a cry, I guess.]

Are you okay?!

[petiteaubergine]

[Alla smiles nervously.]

Oh, yes. I believe so. It is not the first time I have fallen. Although, I must admit, I have never tried to fly before.

I have never had wings before...

[breakin_ur_lore]

[Sorry for his weird face, but at least he's smiling and trying to look friendly about it all. His voice is a bit sympathetic.]

Don't worry. Most of the rest of us haven't ever had wings, either. The Tree gives them to us when we get here.

Try thinking about...lightweight things.

[evantuality]

Rather than yet another face appearing through the amber slice, Alla is interrupted next by a voice floating down from above.

"You're overthinking it." A young man with red hair is staring owlishly down through the flight shaft from the next level of the tree.

[petiteaubergine]

Alla looks up and is blinded momentarily by the bright light of the life stream. His hand quickly rises to shield his eyes while he leans to the side in an attempt to find the source of the voice.

"Overthinking it?"

He paused to think on that, but it was very brief. Instead, the young man's lips turned into a smile.

"Oh, you are meaning the flying, no? I suppose you could be correct. However, how does one fly without thinking on it?"

Now he was just stuck in a loop of thoughts.

[evantuality]

"Well, how do you walk without thinking about it?" He smiled a little, offering that tidbit. How had she put it, when he'd arrived...?

The young man carefully sat on the edge of the level above, pushing off from that secure vantage point in order to flutter down to the puzzled fellow. His wings were broad and moth-like themselves, sprouting from tufts of orange hair at his shoulders.

The moment after he landed, however, he tucked his gem shard into his pocket and the wings disappeared.

"Expect it to work the same way you expect your knees to bend when you walk," he suggested. "If it sounds a bit insane, that's because it is. Still, it worked for me."

[Action]

[isolophobia]

[Rather than the next level up there's a bright pair of gold eyes looking out from the darkest alcove of the level with undisguised disdain. ]

...Well that was pathetic.

[ Seriously, though, how does someone with wings fall? ]

[Action]

[petiteaubergine]

[The amber piece in Alla's hands clatters to the ground as he jumps in surprise. He could have sworn he was alone. He had looked about himself several times and did so twice more. Those gold eyes appear a light pink to this young man, but he sees them none the less.]

Euh, s-sorry. I did not see you there. I did not disturb you, did I?

[He squints, trying to make out what or who those eyes and voice belong to. His eyes dart away to the leafy bag he had picked up earlier.]

This would not happen to be yours, would it?

[Alla offers it with a gentle nudge before pushing himself up from the ground.]

[Action]

[isolophobia]

[ Well, Pitch is being no help at all because he's largely staying in the darkest places he can find, especially while the sun is out. But after the sun goes down (and provided someone remembers to turn the Life Stream blue again) he can be found prowling around it.

For right now he's staying largely out of sight by slipping in and out of shadows in the shadiest of alcoves. ]

No.

[ The bag stays right where it is. Sorry Alla. He's kind of a jerk. ]

Those wings are not just for show you realize. You'll make far less noise if you use them.