This business of having a Great Adventure is more draining than it sounds

It had only been a few hours and Nephalei was already a bit exhausted from her Great Adventure.

This was not a bad thing, of course. A Great Adventure should be so great and adventurous that it ought to take a good deal of energy. And so far, her Great Adventure had all kinds of great and adventurous makings: vampires, spells, magic, dark mysterious carriages...

Given, it was an accidental Great Adventure, but it was certainly better than being at home and being forced to...be "average". Nephalei hated being "average". She had done it all her life and it was beginning to get old. At least here she was the only, or one of the only, centaurs, which automatically made her at least a little unique.

She pondered all this as she wandered the gardens behind the inn. It was a beautiful place - quite possibly THE most beautiful place she had ever seen before. The flowers flourished, dustiong the landscape with beautiful, natuarl colors. The air was crisp and clean. The only sounds were of birds and the wind breezing through the leaves. And, maybe it was just her, but there seemed to be something about it that was...

well, just a bit MAGICAL.

She laughed softly at that thought. She was being a bit silly, she knew. She was somewhat tired and the thought probably sprung from that more than anything.

But still...

It was a nice feeling.

She spent a few minutes just walking, taking in the calm. It was pleasant and refreshing, after all of the chaos. But then she grew excited and impatient again (can one blame her? She's having a Great Adventure!). She'd had time to breathe. Now she was ready to explore again.

She went back inside.

He had heard steps and opened his golden cat slit eyes. The anthro the jumped to his pawed feet, and claws dug into the ground as the lithe form moved through the garden. Much care was taken to make sure he did not pounce or crush any of the plant life lying around. After all they were there first.

Whatever he was hearing it sounded larger then a human, much larger. Since he was at an inn that was relatively shocking. He made sure to stick to the shadows, after all that was the best place for the black cheetahs fur to blend in, his gray spots helping the shadow illusion of his unnatural camoflauge. He came up with a start at what he saw. It wasn't often you seen a centaur roaming around.

It definatly was'nt often you seen one wearing a dress, they tended to prefer not clothing and run all natural. Not like he could say anything wearing that black denim jacket of his. He watched her carefully, his movement smooth as he matched pace with her crouched low. apparently he wasn't trying to hard to hide since his eyes stole the reflection of the sun much like the moon. They were to bright orbs floating in the shadows.

He didn't particularly want to startle the Centaur, not only where they extremly strong, but they were also marksmen with a bow and arrow, and he had cyet to check her over for armaments. He continued to trot silently along side of her a safe distance keeping to the dark.

(I'll just backtrack and say that this happened before where Neffie is now, while she was out in the garden, if anyone is keeping track of time. I don't think anyone is, though, because we really have a big fat time tangle here anyway. XD)

Just as she was about to step through the door, something caught her eye. She wasn't quite sure what it was; she turned back slightly and looked into the bushes. Just a touch of movement, perhaps. Or a strange glint -- yes, right THERE. She could see it now.

It looked like... a person. Or something resembling one.

It was a bit unnerving, really. It wasn't very reassuring that he/she/it was hiding.

"Um..." She took a few steps forward. "Ex-excuse me? Could you...come out of there, please? I...I can see you, you know."

(lol im new to both this forum and forums all together so i have no clue on any kind of time line going on here lol)

He blinked a few times those flashes appearing and dissapearing several times as he did. He wasn't trying to hard to hide, so he didn't have a problem with speaking to her. His thick, slightly raspy, baritone, voice came from the shadows a slight roll with each R.

"I see you as well Centaur. I like here it is safer after all. However I will come out as long as you give me your word that an arrow quiver won't be poking out of my chest when I do."

He stood then coming out of that crouching position. He didn't come out of the shadows just yet though. His hand rubbed over a plant gently, almost as if he was petting a dog. His eyes didn't come off the Centaur though. His long tail swished side to side slowly.

"A arrow?" She laughed. "Really now? I must admit that I'm not much for that sort of thing. Though for some reasons many humans think we-"

She stopped short as she saw his form in the shadows. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen before - part human, part cat, it seemed. Or something like that... she couldn't quite tell while he was still hiding that way.

She turned her head, curious. "At any rate... yes, it's certainly safe for you to come out. You're far more likely to hurt me than I am to hurt you, I assure you."

He took he rword for it and stepped out og the shadows revealing his sleek form. He walked upright very odd for an Anthro. He closed about half the distance between the two before he stopped and placed his hand on his hip.

"I would not know much about what humans tend to think. They often keep me on the run. I hope this place... wherever i am is different then where i had come from."

His tail swayed side to side, he knew a Centaurs words was worth more then diamonds to humans. He took very slow steps towards her, his hears were perked and his tail nearly scrapped across the ground.

He was unlike anything she'd ever seen before - perhaps even more so than the things she had seen so far in her Great Adventure. There was something oddly striking about him.

She smiled. "I hope much the same," she said. "So far it's definitely held true. It's... strange here. Very different from my home." You're an example of that, she added silently. It was a compliment, but she didn't risk saying it aloud. He could take it the wrong way.

She paused for a moment, then realized that she hadn't introduced herself. "My name is Nephalei. Pleased to meet you."

He got into a range where she could touch him or he could touch her. He nodded looking her over curiously. Once again that dress catching his attention. He gave her a friendly nod.

"It is nice to meet you Nephalei. My name is Sky. I don't want to be rude, but why are you wearing that dress? Do the humans require it?"

He reached out adn touched her dress around her waist. He wasn't making a move or anything like that he was just curious about it.

"Hm...?" She dressed like that so often that she really barely even noticed it. She looked down at herself. "Oh, my clothes. Well, this is...what I wear." She looked at him quizzically, confused as to why he seemed to surprised at her dress. "It's just how centaurs dress."

"Oh i see. Well where i come from Cenaurs do not dress. They are like anthros, well most other anthros. Things are so strange around here. There also arent enough trees for me to run through."

He took his hand away from the dress and continued to look the Centaur over and smiled. It was ice to meet someone of the Ferals like a Centaur, or so he thought at least. He tended to forget he was in a different world.

"It looks nice though. Different, but different is not always bad i ahve grown to learn. I live outsidethe 'normal' rules that people belive are suppose to apply."

"Thank you," she said, "And yes, different is definitely not always bad." She wholeheartedly agreed with that - after all, that was exactly what she was trying to get out of her Great Adventure. Something new. Something different. Something totally NOT-normal. Something so NOT normal that it's more than just not normal. Something that was... the anti-normal.

Yes, that's what she needed. Anti-normal. Haha. She'd had enough normal to last her a lifetime.

"Where I'm from," she said, "I live the epitome of a normal life. I'm not ugly or pretty, or smart or stupid, or talented or completely not. I'm not rich or poor, or anything like that. I'm just... normal." She sighed, looked around at the scenery. "I don't know how I got here, but I'm definitely going to take advantage of it and do something 'not normal' for once. I need something different."

He listened to her carefully, his ears perked and pointed in her direction. He was trying to pick up the difference in her voice and tones. He reached out again and patted her equine half laughing sligthly.

"A centaur casually strolling is no normal sight for one. Two all Centaurs are gorgoues creatures... So i guess that doesn't work because it keeps you in the norm still. Well judging by your look you never have seen an Anthro before. Perhaps we can walk and get to know eachother a little better."

He smiled a fangy grin at her. He meant it whole hearedly. He loved to talk and he was in dire need of a friend in this new place. Maybe meeting someone who was used to being here a bit could definatly help him learn hte lay of the land.

She laughed and looked him up and down. He seemed like a good person, the type that she could immediately warm up to. True, that wasn't particularly hard, but nonetheless. She liked him.

"It's true," she said, "I haven't seen anyone like you before. At my home, it's only centaurs and humans, really. In my area, mostly just centaurs... Walking together sounds like a great idea." She smiled softly, that ever familiar curious look coming back into her eye. "I'd love to learn more about you. But...forgive me if I ask too many questions. I'm not trying to be rude. I really can't help it."

"I do not mind talking about myself, as long as you don't mind answering questions yourself. I like people who have questions it means they want to learn. Anyway im to curious myself to be made at someone doing the same thing!"

She herself seemed like an easy person to like. He smiled again and turned and continued walking. He wrapped his tail around his own leg. He lost a lot of grace that he moved with, but was still smooth, plus it was easier on his tail. It took a lot of muscle for something that size to hold itself up all the time.

"Of course," she said, and nodded. "It's a deal then."

She walked beside him, and thought for a moment. "Hmm... Well, let's start with the basics, I suppose. Where are you from? And...how did you get here?" She blinked, thinking. "I don't know how I got here, and my friend Vesta doesn't either. Did the same thing happen to you?"

((And the winner for shortest post ever goes to.... NEFFIE! XD Sorry bout that, couldn't think of anything more. ))

( lol its all good no worries )

"Well I have the ability to... uh... shift what plan of time i am on. I can't do it long because of reprocussions. the faster the time of plan the worse the uh.... effects on me. Well i decided to see just how fast i could go. I figured i have lived long enough and it would be ok if i... failed. Well i was trying to beat the speed of light. I got to hte point where i could actually see light moving slow which means i was close... real close. I also felt my life draining but i wanted to acheive it... Bam i woke up in this place. been lving in these gardens since."

He rubbed his hands together, that was the story basically in a nutshell. He was a little embaressed by his mishap on the whole thing but what could he do. He wasn't very good at lying after all.

Oh, wow. She could hardly imagine... that must have been terrible. She could hardly imagine having to lose her own form - and having to deal with the inevitable alienation that came with it.

"I'm sorry," she said... while really not knowing what to say. "It... must have been hard for you."

She paused for a long moment, feeling terribly awkward. She laughed shortly, realizing the ridiculousness of that. "I'm sorry," she said. "That sounds terrible. I... don't always have the best people skills." She gave a humorless smile and looked down, embarrassed.

"No no... do not be sorry. I... had a choice of things that i do. Do not say that anyway... So far i think your great! .. Er well you know.. what mean."

He put his hands in his pockets and looked to the ground. His ears layed flat quickly then perked back up as he walked along. It seemed like when he had a loss for words he tended to lose his articulation.

"Anyway tell me some more about yourself. Your world was normal you say? that in itself sounds not natural to me. every being and living thing in my years have been... not normal."

She let her face relax into a smile as the awkward moment passed. "My life?" She gave a short laugh. "Well, alright, then... there isn't so much to tell, I suppose."

She sighed, shook her head slightly, still smiling that wry smile. "Um... my family was... large. I have five siblings. I'm the oldest. We aren't... a particularly close knit family. What I mean is..." She paused and thought for a moment, biting her lip. "We... I love them. I suppose."

She stopped short, covering her mouth. "Oh dear, that sounded awful. It's just..." It was hard to explain without sounding...wrong. "We aren't... affectionate. Merely a group of people sharing a house. You understand what I mean?" Absentmindedly, her fingers began tugging through her hair. "I've never been really happy, I don't think. At least not lately. I'm almost nineteen, you know, and I thought... well..."

It was all a bit embarrassing.

"I'm a bit of a fantastical thinker." She shot him a small, shy smile. "I wanted... something to HAPPEN. I wanted something magical to happen. I wanted an adventure, or change the world, or have a great romance.

"...but none of these things were going to happen." She shrugged. "Until now, I suppose. Maybe. Hopefully."

Hopefully.

He was listening to her story nodding. He understood not all families were close or tightly knit. No one was perfect and no perfect family existed. His smile began to get larger as she got towarsd the end of her story, he seemed to become really light hearted.

"Wow, I uh... had five siblings... We are all close then. They aren't.... they have ascended. It is ok though, not everyone has the most tightly knit family in the world all the time. A person not like everyone all the time."

"You know something is happening for you right? your seeing new things you having fun, and love comes when you least expect i right? I want to experience something new as well. I guess key is no give up.. i dunno."

He gave a shrug as if he had no clue what he was talking about. He had kinda gotten to the point of rambling. He didn't usually find himself doing that.

That was a good way of looking at it. She liked thinking that something was happening for her, as he put it, even thought it might not be true. She admired his outlook, his way of seeing things. And it was doubly impressive when he said it seconds after telling her about his dead family.

"What about you?" she asked. "Since you've come here, has something happened for you, too?" She looked out over the garden and its beautiful landscape. "Maybe that's why we're both here, hm? Because maybe we needed something to happen."

"So far... i have been in the gardens... thats all. You are the first impressive thing to happen to me."

Naive little Sky didn't even think about how that could be taken. As old as he was you would think he would learn to articulate what he wanted to say better. How he meant that? Well she would have to decide for herself.

"Maybe, I don't belive in fate, but i do belive in destiny. Perhaps we destined to meet thats true. Perhaps we change eachothers lives for hte better. An exciting life?"

"An exciting life, indeed." That would be nice. A nice, exciting life... but just for awhile. Maybe not forever. Maybe it could settle down a bit in a few years.

She almost laughed aloud at the absurdity of it all, of the way she was thinking and talking. But she could dream.

She glanced at the sky, noticing that the shadows were getting longer. "It's getting a little late," she said. "I think I might go back inside. I'd like to explore some before before going to sleep." She turned back to Sky and smiled. "It was so nice to meet you. I certainly hope we see each other again soon."

He stopped and looked round. He gave a nod and smiled despite hte dissapointment tha was apparent in his eyes. He put the back of his hand against the tip of his forehead, his fingers limp. He dipped his head just a little before ending the gesture.

"It was nice. Soon we see again right. I am sure of it. I will be out here, i like the natural... this is as close as it gets. If you want to see me I Here. Night turn safely into day for you."