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Days of Sunshine Aren't Always Happy
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Post by Devi on Jul 5, 2013 20:14:28 GMT
The deeper parts of the forest were dense, quiet, and primeval. There was something so ancient feeling about the enormous trees and thick foliage, that it was easy for Gwyn to imagine that this was what their home land must've been like. Old and permanent and full of stories. She had only been in that world briefly, inside her mother's womb, and towards the end of it when everything had been destroyed and rendered inhospitable. Not so permanent after all. Gwyn wondered what that world was like, 30 years later; if it had rebounded, regrown, and rebuilt into something new. Nobody and nothing had made it across the Rift, so nobody had that answer, but Gwyn liked to think that their home had hung on to life enough to overcome the destruction the Elementals and ESP had caused.
The ESP. Fresh back from a trip to Coho City, Gwyn had the ESP heavy on her mind. She had come across some disconcerting news, news that had been kept from the Elementals for nearly 16 years. And now she knew, perhaps the only Elemental to know, and she knew she had to tell the War Committee, yet something deep inside the very marrow of her bones was not happy about it. She could guess what the Committee would want to do about this threat, and it did not set well with her.
Long, slow, and deep, Gwyn inhaled the air around her as she walked. She had always loved the way the forest smelled as well as the way it sounded when the wind wound through the leaves. It was calming and made her feel connected with her Elemental and the world as a whole. At length, the sound of the river grew from a quiet gurgle to a full blown babble, and the trees thinned to reveal white stones leading down to the lively strip of emerald water. The river wasn't too wide here, only about twenty feet across, and though it grew deep enough to flow smoothly in the middle, it was still shallow enough for Gwyn to walk across without too much difficulty. She did not venture so deep, however, and instead kicked off her shoes to wade in to about her mid-calf. The water was cool and refreshing, and she looped her thumbs into the belt loops of her shorts and let her eyes survey the beautiful summer day around her. It was going to be hot today, and Gwyn considered stripping out of her clothes and going for a swim. It would be pleasant to dry under the sun and try and decide exactly how she waned to handle the matter that weighed so heavily on her mind.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 6, 2013 12:26:58 GMT
The forest was a quiet place. Whilst many others came here to better connect with their magic Shaun ventured the woodlands for a different reason. Few people had died here, there were more than a couple of spiritual animals dashing through the tangled trees on the peripherals of his awareness but otherwise it was simply peaceful and the forest presented an opportunity to escape from his magic if only for a brief while. There was something serene about the beauty of the forest beyond the sunlit meadows and the glistening stream of water that penetrated its heart. There were cycles here, there place was not devoid of death but rather fueled by it, a constant exchange as the decaying leaves gave life to the insects hiding within or the savaging of a carcass starved off hunger for a litter of young. Here death was designed, humanity had seemed to forget that intention and people died needlessly everyday but here nothing was left to waste, it really was beautiful.
His footsteps crackled as he walked and long dried out leaves crumpled underfoot. It wasn't long before he had met the stream, a trickle of water delicately sparkling as it danced between the crags of rock defining its existence. A water elemental might have sensed a disturbance down the river as the ripples of a footstep echoed up the stream but to Shaun it was simply a path to follow through the trees. Thus it came as a surprise when the winding fluid expanded into a wider lazy stream and greeted him with the silhouette of a woman. At first he assumed it to be a spirit, after all he rarely encountered the living here in the woods but tell tale trails of water spilled around her legs in a way that only a body could affect. For a moment Shaun was dumbfounded, what should he do? Should he approach the mysterious woman, was it polite to do so? Perhaps she ventured here like he did in order to gain a moment of sanctuary, or perhaps she was simply a lost traveler seeking her way back home? There were so many questions unanswered that made him wish he could consult the spirit world but there was no time for that.
Taking a deep sigh he allowed his breath to re-join the wind winding between the trees and for a moment felt the life the fresh air brought to his lungs outweigh the deathly hunt of spirits in the forest. There was only one thing for it if he was to continue along the path of the river he would have to pass her and it would be rude not to at least give a greeting in passing. His footsteps picked up once again, a little heavier than before so that the stranger might here his approach. Once he deemed himself within an acceptable distance he took a second deep breath to calm the pounding of his heart, he disliked strangers, particularly when he was quite so unprotected in the woods. Before he could speak though he noticed something peculiar, the woman appeared a little too tranquil for a passing visitor but instead looked a little troubled, perhaps she was lost after all if not within the confines of the forest then within the borders of her own heart.
“Good morning, Is everything all right?”
Despite this annunciation it dawned on him that he had been in the forest so long that it may in fact not be a morning any more at all which made him feel altogether a little bit stupid. There was however still a degree of concern in his voice more genuine than many would believe; he felt a compassion for all lost souls regardless of what state their body may be in.
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Post by Devi on Jul 6, 2013 20:11:33 GMT
The wind told her somebody was advancing up the river towards her, but Gwyn was not terribly concerned. She never felt threatened in the forest, and her first assumption was that it was another Elemental. When she heard his footfalls increase in volume, a small half-smile curved at her lips, and she tiled her chin down and to the side to sneak a sidelong glance at the stranger as he approached. Once he was in her sight, she turned to face him fully, taking in his face with some calculation. Faces and names were a specialty of Gwyn's, always had been; it was one of those things that made her good at her job and made it easier to blend into the city.
"Oh, I'm fine, just got a lot on my mind," she responded readily, trying to place him. He was an Elemental for sure, she recognized him, but his exact identity was escaping her. Finally, it clicked. He was the Shaman who lived on the outskirts of the Elementals headquarters, preferring the company of the dead over the living moreso than most Elementals with his gift. She barely knew him- in fact, she knew him more of childhood days and passing by in the streets than having every actually properly met. After all, as an adult she spent far more time traveling than she did at home.
"Forgive me, I know your face, but I can't for the life of me remember your name. I'm Gwyn, by the way, Gwyn Aeris. I don't spend much time 'round home, so don't feel bad if you haven't got a clue as to who I am." She said this all with a coy, rather impish grin, for although she had come out here for peace and quiet to think, she was certainly not opposed to company, especially the company of someone she did not know very well. Somehow being around a stranger was more soothing than being around an old friend, perhaps because it was less invasive and there wasn't nearly the same kind of pressure to be open and honest about everything. You could say exactly as much as you wanted and leave the rest quiet, and nobody would think you were being rude or "overly quiet" or anything like that. Strangers always respected your privacy; friends rarely did.
The thought of friends made her think of Tabitha and Shy, and the thought of Tabitha and Shy made her think of the War Committee and what she would eventually have to tell them. Perhaps she would bring it with her friends first, get their input on the whole thing, and perhaps when the rest of the War Committee was informed, Shy and Tabitha would know exactly how to handle it. Not that Gwyn really thought they would be able to do much.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 6, 2013 22:12:12 GMT
Shaun had to admit that he couldn't quite place the woman, but then he could rarely place a member of the living with ease. Her abbreviation of the castle to home made her either an Elemental or a spy hoping to gain his trust but then spies were rarely interested in the contents of a river and so he relaxed just a little. He had to admit she did bare a familiarity even if he wouldn't have recognized her in the street. Her current predicament made him naturally assume her to be a water Elemental trying to seek comfort from the river but that didn't seem quite seem to fit right in his memory. Eventually concluding that the nature of her magic was probably unimportant at present he focused instead upon her words momentarily she seemed as if she had indeed been troubled but was still fairly welcoming, it didn't seem as if she really wanted him to just pass by and so he decided to linger a while longer.
“I’m Shaun.” He replied with a fairly quiet voice unaccustomed to conversation, “Shaun Singer, although most people round here know me as the nutter in the cemetery. I can't say that they’re completely wrong mind after all I don’t get paid for anything I do there.”
Studying the ground briefly Shaun found a fairly seat shaped knot of roots and sat down. He would have ventured the river but he was wearing both trainers and socks which would only make the walk back home uncomfortable in damp and squelching shoes. Slowly he settled into the roots managing to adjust it so that only a few pieces of wood were cutting in to his rear end and stretched out to lean back on his hands whilst kicking his feet forwards. The result was not an uncomfortable position but he did hope he wouldn't have to remain there for too long, there was a high risk of his leg falling asleep and a bent hobbling man would only add to his current reputation.
“I’m sorry I have a confession to make, you do seem familiar but I don’t get out much and as much as I've been trying I can’t quite recall you properly. Still I've heard enough stories from the spirits over the years I guess it couldn't hurt to try listening to the living once in a while, care to talk about it at all?” Shaun quickly followed this up however out of fear that he might be pressuring Gwyn to reveal things she either would not or could not share with him, “Don’t feel you have to mind, it’s entirely your choice, I know there are some things that go on up in the castle that aren't meant to leave those walls.”
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Post by Devi on Jul 6, 2013 23:10:18 GMT
Shaun! Yes, that was it. Gwyn remembered now, and his following comment about being the "nutter in the cemetery" wasn't far off from how he was known amongst some. She smiled at his self-deprecating humor, for anyone who could poke fun at themselves were usually enjoyable to be around. Gwyn got the feeling he didn't speak much, for he talked in a quiet voice that wasn't necessarily shy, but didn't sound well used either. As Shaun situated himself on the bank, Gweyn sloshed through the river to get a bit closer to him so as to hear him more easily over the cheerful babble of water over rocks.
His offer to listen to her problems made her hesitate, not so much because she minded telling him so much as she couldn't. She smiled ruefully, offering a sort of half-shrug as she admitted, "I probably shouldn't tell anyone until I tell the War Committee first. But I wouldn't mind some company if you don't mind hanging around for a bit."
It was a shame, really. Gwyn was quite curious what Shaun would think of a powerful ESP who could see the future as clearly as most kids in the city watched TV. Someone who spent their time among the deceased were bound to have a unique perspective and certainly a decent amount of wisdom. Moreover, he didn't strike her as the type who would blab; from what little she knew of the "nutter in the cemetery," he didn't really speak to anyone on a regular basis. She wondered if he might tell a dead soul, and if that dead soul would be able to tell one of the ESP mediums, and then the ESP would know that the Elementals know. She blinked, overwhelming herself; she had no knowledge of Shamanism, not even an ounce.
"Can I ask you a personal question?" she queried, wading back to the bank and situating herself an appropriate distance from him so that her feet could remain dangling in the water and she could face him at the same time. "What's it like being a Shaman? I mean, my element is wind, and all the pure Elements are so focused on their power they don't do much looking at some of the other, more unique gifts." By pure, of course, Gwyn meant Water, Wine, Earth, and Fire. Light and Dark had the same purist mindset, to an extent, but they relied so heavily on each other to balance out that even they weren't quite so "purist" as the original four. When she was training, all Gwyn ever heard about was wind, wind, wind, wind, wind, and before she really got the hang of things, she had been quite fascinated with other gifts, like shapeshifting and even shamanism. They were just so...different.
"I just can't imagine talking to the dead, I guess," she added, looking contemplative. "I mean, what do they say? Anything helpful? Or are they like grandparents, always being like, 'Well, in MY day, we did things the hard way. You don't know how easy you got it with your fancy shoes and warm castle!'" She grinned, even going so far as giggling a bit; it was obvious she had amused herself, which wasn't hard for Gwyn to do. Moreover, talking with the stranger gave her something else to focus on besides her meeting with the Committee later today.
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 0:59:42 GMT
If Gwyn had to talk to the War Committee about this then it really must be serious. Of course Shaun could ask spirits to spy on the council for him and to report back any information he wished but it really wasn't worth the risks. Besides if he was ever caught they would almost certainly assume him to be a traitor and there’s only one way to silence a shaman. Subconsciously Shaun rubbed his neck as he envisioned a large bladed axe moving through its flesh and a shiver migrated down his spine accordingly, he didn't mind the prospect of death but he would much rather not reach it at the end of anything sharp or pointy and preferably with all body parts attached.
“Please if this is a matter for the committee I suspect I’m better off not knowing.” Shaun replied holding his hands up in a mixture of honesty and compliance, “But I wouldn't mind hanging around a bit, besides I've only just gotten comfy.”
He was slightly taken aback by the question about his practice; it was rare that anyone took an interest in it unless they directly needed his help. The War Committee themselves had contacted him before although only on a very need-to-know basis and not one of them had ever really asked what the experience was like for him. “I guess it’s like hearing a thousand voices and trying to listen to only one. It’s difficult to explain. In a way it’s similar to the elemental powers and yet very different all at the same time. If I understand your powers correctly the air can tell you all of what’s around here, mine is similar except I see the spirits of what was left behind. It sounds sad to say but I’m not sure many of them even realize they’re dead, I mean the birds still sing and the dead wolves still chase the spiritual hares, it’s only humans that seem to distinguish being dead or alive.”
Shaun started picking at the gravel by the shore as he thought of how best to explain things. “The spirits themselves though are all very different. Some of them just want to talk and will tell you about their lives, some of them try to be helpful and carry messages to another Shaman. Of course you have to be careful they’re not working for a Medium but then I don’t really have any secrets that would be worth stealing, unless the ESP’s want to know how to make a parsnip soup… they don’t do they?”
Shaun chose to leave out the ability to use a spirit as a spy, after all an invisible and intangible agent makes a perfect operative but he would really prefer the War Committee not know that this was possible let alone that some of the spirits in the graveyard had offered to do just that. There were also plenty of rumors of poltergeists, ghosts that could move physical objects. Shaun had never encountered such a spirit although he had long ago decided to never involve one with the War Committee should he meet one, after all the dead shouldn't kill the living, they’d outnumber us for starters.
“I admit I struggle to understand your own talents. Talking to the dead is just the same as me talking to you here but how do you communicate with the wind?”
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Post by Devi on Jul 7, 2013 1:26:57 GMT
Gwyn certain appreciated him not pressing her for information, and it only solidified her belief that he wouldn't be the type to run around blabbing. Still, she held her tongue and let the conversation move to his gift, and when he spoke she listened with rapt interest. The longer he talked, the less she understood, and eventually she was staring at him an almost blank sort of stare. It wasn't that she was bored; no, no, she was actually quite fascinated. It was just that the whole deal was difficult to wrap her mind around. To be honest, the whole thing sounded rather exhausting and overwhelming. She wondered if the dead could be used as spies- after all, if you could use them to carry messages, could you ask them to do things for you?
The mention of parsnip soup made her laugh, and she looked out over the gleaming river with amusement. "Well, perhaps an ESP who worked as a cook would want the recipe if it was good enough," she replied, turning back to him with an impish smile. "Strangely, the culinary arts are quite competitive in the City."
When he asked her about her own gift, her head canted to the side slightly and she took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she thought of how to explain it. "I suppose it's just by feel," she said at length, once again turning her gray eyes to look out at the river. "Like intuition. Have you ever just had a feeling, that gut feeling, that seemed to tell you something just as strongly as someone speaking? Like when you feel someone watching you, or notice something is not quite safe and that you should just go back inside? It's like that." She paused, pursing her lips as and creasing her forehead. "It's like an extension of yourself, in a way..."
She trailed off, idly dragging her left foot through the water in a figure eight motion. "Seems much simpler than your gift. All those people vying for your attention, so many voices. The forest is so full of life to me, I can only imagine it must be double or triple or more for you. Sounds exhausting to be honest, though I guess you must never be alone. No wonder you live in your little cottage. It's probably the only peace and quiet you get in a day."
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 14:59:56 GMT
Stretching out Shaun listened fairly intently to Gwyn’s reply but try as he may he couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea of just feeling the wind. His magic was always based around conversation, sure he could sense the presence of the spirits but he didn't learn anything about them until after he spoke to them. Sitting with his chin resting on his thumb and index finger sitting just below his mouth he contemplated the idea before realizing partly why the idea was quite so foreign to him. “To be honest I’m not much of one for intuition but I guess that comes from Shamanism. Any doubts or questions I have I can just ask the spirits, I haven’t really trusted my gut instincts in… years.”
Shaun couldn't help but smirk at the notion of his quiet little cottage. “My Cottage is next to the graveyard, it’s possibly the most spiritually active place around here. I don’t live there for ease I stay there because I have to. The spirits need me, without a contact here in the living world they start to forget it, slowly they even start to forget themselves. I don’t know what happens to them after that, I guess they just fade away, but I can’t let that happen.” Suddenly Shaun became aware he was becoming incredibly somber once again and attempted to change the tone, “Not that it’s all work on my part. It’s like my own little village, just as the farm houses have built up there little community here I've built up mine.”
“It’s strange isn't it, here we all are sharing a roof, refugees from some great and cataclysmic was and yet we really don’t know that much about each other.” Shaun was slowly realizing that he should possibly make an effort to better understand his compatriots and made a note that he’d have to ask the elementals in the graveyard more about their connection to their elements. That was a thought, could the dead still talk to their elements? The more he thought about it the more he realized that he really didn't even understand his own magic all that clearly.
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Post by Devi on Jul 7, 2013 15:44:28 GMT
"You trust the word of dead people more than your own gut?" Gwyn repeated, stunned. It was her gut that kept her alive in the city, and it was her gut that guided her through tricky situations. She couldn't fathom taking the time to ask a dead person their opinion; moreover, could you trust the words of a dead person? Would they lie, or try and trick you? She suddenly realized how rude her words might have been, and flushing lightly she hastily added, "Sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out quite so...shocked sounding."
She listened to the rest of Shaun's words in silence, her eyes only somewhat focused on the river current. He was right, it was strange, and Gwyn had actually thought of that before. "Yes," she agreed, "It's strange. But we are in the middle of a war, and unless you are a part of that, it's easy to get pushed to the outliers of society." She turned back to face him, leaning back to prop herself up on her arms. "I think things will have to change eventually, you know? I think more kids are growing up to not care about the War as much..."
Gwyn trailed off, privately thinking that the ESP were much the same. That, however, was not a thought she felt comfortable sharing with just anyone. "Just look at you," she piped up once more, smiling. "You don't seem to have much interest in the war. And don't worry, I find that more admirable than dishonorable." Her smile turned a bit sardonic, not because she didn't mean what she said, but because so many Elementals were obsessed in the War that they tended to think anyone not equally as obsessed were cowards or weak. Gwyn disagreed, especially as she was in the front row witnessing changes. She had a feeling Tabitha was witnessing them too, at least among her students.
"What do the spirits think of the war?" Gwyn asked suddenly. "You must interact with people who've died in battle, right? Do they think- in hindsight now that they're dead, I mean- do they think it's just a petty squabble? Or are they just as passionate now as they were when they died?"
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 17:40:19 GMT
Shaun smiled at Gwyn’s reaction. He guessed it must have been confusing for someone who couldn’t hear the dead but their whisperings were so clear to him. Why take a chance on trusting your instincts when you can ask a friend what’s waiting for you around the next corner.
Without realising it Gwyn had given Shaun an even greater volume of food for thought than any amount of fathoming over the spirit world could. Pushed to the outliers of society, he couldn’t help but feel a degree of a personal connection. After all he had become partly segregated from his own community and was now very much the stranger by the graveyard to many of them, perhaps he really should make more of an effort to talk to the other Elementals a little more, there certainly couldn’t be any harm in it. The subject of the war however started to stir feelings of bitterness in Shaun’s soul that had long since been buried.
“I used to care you know. There was a time where I would have given anything to join arms and march into battle. My parents were elementals, light and dark, they’ve never said it but... I think they’d have preferred a warrior son to help fight the good fight.” He paused briefly as his mind mulled over those younger years in his life before he truly progressed with his powers, and then a moment more to contemplate what the developments of his more recent years had taught him. “When you spend all day though burying the bodies of fallen men, young men that have died far too soon you start to see a senselessness in violence. I’d love to say that I’ve evolved beyond the war, that I have no interest in the fight anymore but… I’d still help if I could.”
Finally looking back up from the ground Shaun was able to speak on spiritual matters with much greater confidence despite their sensitivity. “As for the spirits, they vary. Many of the younger spirits view war as gallant, that a death in combat has somehow earned them a more noble death than someone who died in his bed but the older ones tend to see it differently. I know fathers that watched their children grow old without ever knowing them, mothers that have buried their children, and lovers torn apart by this war… The spirits never regret their death, they die for a reason, but they do regret loosing their life and all the things they never got a chance to do.”
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Post by Devi on Jul 7, 2013 18:11:13 GMT
As Gwyn considered what Shaun said, a comfortable silence descended between them. His words made perfect sense, both about the senselessness of the violence and how the spirits felt about it. She sloshed her feet absent-mindedly in the water, kicking up enough water to make noise, but not enough to make a splash. It was interesting to hear Shaun's perspective, and she wondered if more people felt like him: loyal to the Elementals, yet not entirely committed to the war itself. It made sense, and in a way it was how Gwyn herself felt. She was committed to her job, and she loved her people, but there was so much fighting that was just so...pointless.
"Everybody thinks they want a warrior child until they have to bury them," she commented suddenly, considering Shaun's words regarding his family and his words about burying the bodies of the fallen. Straightening, Gwyn dusted the dirt and debris from her hands and slouched forward a bit, resting her elbows on her knees. "Anyways, this is such grim conversation for such a pretty day."
She smiled, showing she was not upset by their conversation, even if she was ready to change topics. "Do you enjoy talking to spirits? I imagine they all have a lot to talk about since not many people can hear them."
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Post by Shaun on Jul 7, 2013 22:42:01 GMT
Even Shaun had to agree, somehow the conversation had gotten very dark very quickly and for someone trying to lift another's spirits it seemed all he'd achieved was to spiral down to join her. For him to admit that the conversation had taken a dark twist, a shaman that spent all his time digging graves, meant that something rally must have gotten offtrack. Thus when the opportunity came to change the subject a little Shaun was willing to seize it with both hands.
"Do you know I can't remember not being able to do it at all anymore. I know there must have been a time where I couldn't do it, a long time ago that is, and I know that about a decade ago it used to tire me out but I just can't imagine what it would be like anymore. I mean I do enjoy it, more than I could possibly describe, each of them have such interesting stories to tell but it's just that it's become a part of my life now, funny isn't it how we adapt to these things?"
Shaun had wondered off in his own trail of thought once again and probably would have just kept speaking if it wasn't for that pesky knot of roots digging into his backside. Shifting his weight forward a little and fidgeting to try and find a new temporary position he continued. "Is that the same for you? I guess it'd be the same for all Elementals but I don't know... Can I ask you something? You said you don't spend much time at home, I guess that means you travel back and forth to the city, what's it like there? I went once but it was quite a long time ago now, I was only a child. I can't imagine having so many people all living in one place is all."
Shaun really did bear an element of curiosity into the structure of the city. He had wanted to go for a few months now but there was always some chore that held him back. He wanted to know what it would be like, to be surrounded by those still alive rather than the spirits of those long gone. He also wished to experience a crowd, in the graveyard he was always the center of attention, everyone knew him and everyone spoke to him the novelty of walking past a complete stranger was something quite foreign to him.
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Post by Devi on Jul 8, 2013 3:46:23 GMT
Gwyn laughed at his answer, amused; it certainly made sense, for she felt the same way. She could remember a time when she couldn't control the Wind, when she couldn't call on it for anything, but he always felt it was part of her. She nodded in response when he asked if it was the same for her, and she would have elaborated if it hadn't been for his question about the city.
"Yes, I'm a diplomat," she answered, not directly addressing his question about Coho City at first. Not many Elementals expressed an interest in the City, at least not beyond the information related directly to the ESP. Most found her delight in Coho to be almost upsetting, and she had learned to be careful who she discussed her interests with. Yet Shaun seemed genuinely curious, and Gwyn was happy to oblige.
"Coho City is magical all in its own way," she began with a smile. "Most Elementals hate it, of course, because there's not enough nature there. I work with an Earth Elemental, for example, and he despises the City. But it's not so bad for me; there's just as much wind in Coho as there is here in the forest. I'd imagine it would be similar for you. Just as many dead people in the City as there are out here, right? Shoot, there's probably more." She shrugged as though to say she obviously wouldn't know. "Anyways, it's very lively and upbeat with lots to do and look at. Lots of different foods, different music, different people. Just the nonmagics, I mean, they're all so...diverse."
She pulled one of her legs out of the water and drew her knew to her chest so she could rest her chin atop it, gray eyes staring out over the river. "It's very exciting. Dangerous, of course, and not just because of the ESP. The nonmagics have their own set of violent problems." She shrugged and grinned sidelong at him. "But overall it's a pretty awesome place. I know most Elementals aren't allowed to visit, but if I can ever think of an excuse to get you there, I'll do what I can. So many of our kind think that Coho is evil, and it's really not. It has its own problems and dangers just like the forest, but it really does have its virtues, too."
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