09-09-2017, 07:04 AM
“Don’t let it get you down, kiddo,” Summer said, a small reassurance to hopefully help against the girl’s dejection. “All it takes it a bit of getting used to. Give it a week or so and you’ll easily be able to recognize the little differences in our voices.”
“O-oh y-y-yeah?” Ebony stuttered after a moment of silence. “W-w-what l-little d-differences?”
“Well, it seems our introduction was a bit confusing.” Water splashed around him as he rose up just a bit out of the hot spring, setting his elbows on the ground behind him and leaning back. “By that, I mean the meeting between me, Summer, and you. That probably gave you the wrong impression of who sounds like what. The big thing to look out for is how cheery I sound. Don’t ask me how he manages, but Sonny’s just about always in a good mood. So if I sound super happy, it’s probably him talking.”
“S-s-s-so l-look o-out f-f-for t-things li-like that?”
“Yup. There’s more than just that,” he answered, voice low and calm. “But like I said, it takes getting used to.” With those words of encouragement uttered, silence fell over the two once again. Summer tilted his head up, eyes cracking open to gaze at the sky above. Just like in the Steppes before, everything was covered up by a thick blanket of ash and soot. Debris billowed and flowed through the sky, creating electrical energy as it moved. Frequent volcanic lightning flashed in the ash clouds, arcing around in every which way. The spirit of storms admired this process. It was almost unmatched by traditional storms in nature, making it something to envy.
“Well, I’d say it’s about time we get going.” Summer said after a long pause. Somewhere high above them, waiting on the top of the very mountain they were resting on, was the Darkloid. Their ally, along with an assortment of temporary co-workers, were all scattered amongst this verse, likely converging on the dragon as they lounged about. If they stuck around too long then they’d miss the final battle, and that just wouldn’t be any fun.
“Yeah...” the young mage mumbled in response. A moment passed, and something suddenly seemed to click in her head. “Y-y-y-you n-need to g-get out f-f-first th-though!” In spite of all the stuttering, her voice came out with authority, likely the most she could muster. “G-go behind y-your r-r-rock! A-and no coming out u-until I s-say so!”
“Saw that coming,” Summer sighed, water splashing loudly all around him as he stood up. “You know where I’ll be if you need me.” With that said, he turned and stepped out of the hot spring, gravel shifting beneath his bare feet as he wandered back over to the rock. Once he was safely out of the way, hidden from Ebony’s prying eyes (so as to not give her a heart attack if she looked the wrong way by accident), he began to channel the power of the wind. The storm spirit turned to overlook the barren landscape visible just over the cliffside and planted his left foot behind him, bracing himself solidly against the ground. The air slowly began to stir, starting with a light that barely tickled the monster, and quickly ramping up in power. A strong breeze washed over Summer, whipping his already messy hair back and drying him off in no time.
With that done, he gathered up his clothing, which he had simply tossed haphazardly into a pile against the rock, and slipped into them easily enough, one by one. That is, until he reached his shirt. His grey button-up hung over his frame, swinging open in the breeze. The spirit cast a glance at his right hand, still fractured and difficult to move. Then another glance towards his left, which just flat out didn’t exist anymore. And finishing it up with a look at the buttons on his shirt.
“Hey Ebony!” He called over his shoulder, voice echoing off the mountain.
“I-I’m n-not ready y-yet!” She yelled right back. Summer opened his mouth, ready to call back, but decided against it. It’d be easier to explain when he could show her his hands. Leaving his shirt unbuttoned for now, he shrugged his jacket on, shoved his hands into the pockets, and waited. While he was waiting, it occurred to him that this problem had occurred two separate times already, and given that his MO was punching things until his hands broke, it would probably happen again unless he took precautions against it. He made a mental note to only summon things that didn’t require fine motor control to work.
“O-okay!” Ebony finally gave him the clear, and without further ado, he rounded the corner. Nearly the same instant he came into view, the girl’s face turned beet red, and her head snapped down towards the floor with absolutely astounding speed. “Y-y-y-your sh-sh-shirt...”
“Yeah about that,” he said, lifting his stump out of his pocket. “You think you could lend me a hand?” A morbidly amused tone entered his voice. Her head briefly turned up at his question, her eyes widening as his injury came into view.
“Um... O-okay?” she responded hesitantly, and the spirit frowned. He’d been hoping for at least a giggle or something. The mage pointed an unsteady finger in his direction, and with some very impressive telekinetic precision, she had him buttoned up in no time.
“Wow...” the spirit muttered under his breath, eyes darting between Ebony and his shirt. “Really gotta hand it to you, that’s some nice control you’ve got there.”
“Th-thanks...” she mumbled, pulling her hood over her head even further and staring at the ground at her feet. Summer stepped forward, quickly closing the distance between them.
“Thank you,” he returned those words, planting his right hand on top of her hood as he stepped up and rustling it all over the place. The girl made a few indignant noises as the spirit messed up her look. “Now...” he lifted his hand from her head and dropped into a crouch. “Hop on. We’ve got a dragon to slay.”
“O-oh y-y-yeah?” Ebony stuttered after a moment of silence. “W-w-what l-little d-differences?”
“Well, it seems our introduction was a bit confusing.” Water splashed around him as he rose up just a bit out of the hot spring, setting his elbows on the ground behind him and leaning back. “By that, I mean the meeting between me, Summer, and you. That probably gave you the wrong impression of who sounds like what. The big thing to look out for is how cheery I sound. Don’t ask me how he manages, but Sonny’s just about always in a good mood. So if I sound super happy, it’s probably him talking.”
“S-s-s-so l-look o-out f-f-for t-things li-like that?”
“Yup. There’s more than just that,” he answered, voice low and calm. “But like I said, it takes getting used to.” With those words of encouragement uttered, silence fell over the two once again. Summer tilted his head up, eyes cracking open to gaze at the sky above. Just like in the Steppes before, everything was covered up by a thick blanket of ash and soot. Debris billowed and flowed through the sky, creating electrical energy as it moved. Frequent volcanic lightning flashed in the ash clouds, arcing around in every which way. The spirit of storms admired this process. It was almost unmatched by traditional storms in nature, making it something to envy.
“Well, I’d say it’s about time we get going.” Summer said after a long pause. Somewhere high above them, waiting on the top of the very mountain they were resting on, was the Darkloid. Their ally, along with an assortment of temporary co-workers, were all scattered amongst this verse, likely converging on the dragon as they lounged about. If they stuck around too long then they’d miss the final battle, and that just wouldn’t be any fun.
“Yeah...” the young mage mumbled in response. A moment passed, and something suddenly seemed to click in her head. “Y-y-y-you n-need to g-get out f-f-first th-though!” In spite of all the stuttering, her voice came out with authority, likely the most she could muster. “G-go behind y-your r-r-rock! A-and no coming out u-until I s-say so!”
“Saw that coming,” Summer sighed, water splashing loudly all around him as he stood up. “You know where I’ll be if you need me.” With that said, he turned and stepped out of the hot spring, gravel shifting beneath his bare feet as he wandered back over to the rock. Once he was safely out of the way, hidden from Ebony’s prying eyes (so as to not give her a heart attack if she looked the wrong way by accident), he began to channel the power of the wind. The storm spirit turned to overlook the barren landscape visible just over the cliffside and planted his left foot behind him, bracing himself solidly against the ground. The air slowly began to stir, starting with a light that barely tickled the monster, and quickly ramping up in power. A strong breeze washed over Summer, whipping his already messy hair back and drying him off in no time.
With that done, he gathered up his clothing, which he had simply tossed haphazardly into a pile against the rock, and slipped into them easily enough, one by one. That is, until he reached his shirt. His grey button-up hung over his frame, swinging open in the breeze. The spirit cast a glance at his right hand, still fractured and difficult to move. Then another glance towards his left, which just flat out didn’t exist anymore. And finishing it up with a look at the buttons on his shirt.
“Hey Ebony!” He called over his shoulder, voice echoing off the mountain.
“I-I’m n-not ready y-yet!” She yelled right back. Summer opened his mouth, ready to call back, but decided against it. It’d be easier to explain when he could show her his hands. Leaving his shirt unbuttoned for now, he shrugged his jacket on, shoved his hands into the pockets, and waited. While he was waiting, it occurred to him that this problem had occurred two separate times already, and given that his MO was punching things until his hands broke, it would probably happen again unless he took precautions against it. He made a mental note to only summon things that didn’t require fine motor control to work.
“O-okay!” Ebony finally gave him the clear, and without further ado, he rounded the corner. Nearly the same instant he came into view, the girl’s face turned beet red, and her head snapped down towards the floor with absolutely astounding speed. “Y-y-y-your sh-sh-shirt...”
“Yeah about that,” he said, lifting his stump out of his pocket. “You think you could lend me a hand?” A morbidly amused tone entered his voice. Her head briefly turned up at his question, her eyes widening as his injury came into view.
“Um... O-okay?” she responded hesitantly, and the spirit frowned. He’d been hoping for at least a giggle or something. The mage pointed an unsteady finger in his direction, and with some very impressive telekinetic precision, she had him buttoned up in no time.
“Wow...” the spirit muttered under his breath, eyes darting between Ebony and his shirt. “Really gotta hand it to you, that’s some nice control you’ve got there.”
“Th-thanks...” she mumbled, pulling her hood over her head even further and staring at the ground at her feet. Summer stepped forward, quickly closing the distance between them.
“Thank you,” he returned those words, planting his right hand on top of her hood as he stepped up and rustling it all over the place. The girl made a few indignant noises as the spirit messed up her look. “Now...” he lifted his hand from her head and dropped into a crouch. “Hop on. We’ve got a dragon to slay.”
Quote:1021 words
Alright Eb, finish us off. I probably won’t be able to make another post before the deadline >.>
![[Image: ZpWQiiu.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/ZpWQiiu.gif)