A new beginning

[mirakel]

The forests of Isysia were once more host to Mirakel's footfalls. The leaves quieted his steps, though stealth was not his goal right now. He was simply glad to be here, almost as if he were home somehow. With his hands in opposite sleeves, he smiled and gazed about. Green leaves wafted in the breezes, waving pleasant hellos to the young wastelander. The sword at his hip caught on a branch, tugging on his hip.

His frace creased in a frown, and he stopped short to pull on the sheath, the Arano saber coming free easily. He sighed and without warning, plopped onto the leafy soil. Leaning his back against the rough bark of a tree, he set his head against it and closed his eyes, his heart pumping from the long trek back from Trent. His white hair fluffed about in the cool breeze, chilling the sweat that had beaded on his brow. Cracking one eye, he peered up at his singular companion, watching to make sure she was still alright. "Maria, let's stop for a moment, eh? I've got to catch my breath."

They'd been ascending a steep hill since breakfast that morning, and he was running out of energy at the moment. Ravenous hunger gnawed at his insides. Reaching a hand into his pack, he pulled out a roll of bread and split it in half, handing the other to Maria. Biting down on it, the inside was still soft and doughy from the ovens of a city they'd left two days ago. The tasty bread filled his mouth with a tangy, sweet sensation. He sighed in pleasure and chewed slowly, enjoying the taste and reveling in it.

"Sho, Mawia, wat should we dho know?" He swallowed with some difficulty, realizing he'd bitten off more than he could chew at a time. He smiled and laughed, taking a smaller bite this time. "Well?"

[dragonmage]

Maria looked around the area they had stoped at for the moment, she shook her head at the offer of the bread. She wasn't hungry at the moment nor was she really all that tired. Actualy she was contaplating how to enjoy the rest of the treck down the hill she looked around seeing a really grassy area the lead down. Maria smiled as a fun idea hit her. she used to do it at home and wondered if mirakel would want to join her, but she would let him rest for now. "Well i do have a idea for something fun. but as for where were going i really have no clue what to do and frankly don't really care. We could walk around naked if you want."

[mirakel]

Mirakel coughed as he began to choke on his bread. Beating on his chest, he pulled out a canteen and unscrewed the cap, taking several swigs as he cleared the bread from his throat. He took a few more moments to swallow competely, and wiped his eyes. "Uhm, well, I'd be willing to have some fun, but I'm not sure if running about naked in the forest is quite modest at this point. May I remind you that we barely know one another?" He smiled and got up, munching the last of his half of the bread. His white eyes danced with a mischevious light. "But if you insist, I'll be forced to strip down to nothing but my skippies, meanwhile chasing you about stripping you as well." He put his pack back on his shoulders, hefting it up higher as he looked about. Just a few more steps, and he was at the apex of the hill. Looking down, the forest ended in a wide grassy expanse, and he smiled to himself. "Welcome home Mirakel. So, Maria, what is this fun you spoke of?"

[dragonmage]

She smiled as she moved over to one side making a few calulations on how she was going to do this and how to tag him along. "Well i thought we could have some fun heading down the hill a lot faster. Thought you might like to slide down the hill would be kinda of fun. I use to do this alot back home during the summer when there wasn't snow."

[mirakel]

Mirakel looked at her skeptically, peering down the grassy hill with a judgemental eye. "Weelll... I don't know about this. Sure, I don't see any rocks or bumps, but how can we be sure that our clothes won't be ruined? I don't know about you, but I work for a living... sort of, and I only have two other changes of clothes. You only came here with that one! If you want to slide down, then be my guest, then MAYBE I'll follow along." He crossed his arms over his chest, the quickly crouched as the pack almost fell off his shoulder. He blushed in embarassment as one of his cups went bouncing down the hill, small clanking noises as it finally hit a tree at the bottom, hundreds of feet down.

He heaved a great sigh, looking up at the blue, cloudless expanse of afternoon sky. His white eyes searched for an omen of ill fate, but, finding none, he closed his eyes and lowered his gaze, opening them to peer at her. His mouth twisted in a wry grin, and he spoke with a sense of quiet acquiescense. "Okay, fine. How do we get down?"

[dragonmage]

Maria smiled watching the cup roll and bounch its way down the hill laughing to her self. " Oh i already know that there aren't any big rocks here that would hurt us but were not going down bare were going to glide on something." She brought him closer to her so he would stand in front of her. Then ice apeared under their feet. and it formed into the size of a long board and it also lead down the hill a thin layer that melted quickly to make the ground wet enough so they could slide easier, " Alright just hold on and try not to move to much while i steer it alright." She smiled as she took a slight jujmp and down the hill they went.

[mirakel]

"Do'h shoot!" Was all he had time for before they went over the edge, starting to pick up speed. He kept his eyes open, wide with fear as they whizzed down the slope, moving faster all the time. His mind flashed back to when Cheshire had made them a glider out of tree and rocks, transmutating them with alchemy, that strange magic she called a science. However, this WAS magic, and he certainly wasn't ready for it like he had been with the glider.

The ice chilled his feet, but he was too busy trying to keep his balance. He trusted Maria with his life, just not to keep them out of harms way. He'd trusted her during the war against Sisyphus, but down this slope was another matter. Here, he had no control. "Oh geeze! Maria, you crazy...!"

[dragonmage]

" What? me crazzy?? " she laughed. " ha thats was nothing this is crazy." she raised her hand and some of the ground lifted up infront of them and they took off into the air the ground going back to wher it was before. "whoo hoo"

[mirakel]

Mirakel squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to put her off her fun, but then again, he didn't want to watch themselves splat against the ground. The air through his hair felt wonderful, and at the last minute, he realized he still had the gravity belt. He reached down and set it for voice activation, just in case they needed it.

Down, down they went and he could hear the wind rush past his ears. "MARY! I SERIOUSLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FAALLING!" He shouted to her, eyes still screwed shut. He clenched his fists and put them at his sides, still not wanting to make her angry. If she was what he suspected her to be, then perhaps it was better she have her fun.

[dragonmage]

Maria smiled and laughed as they went though the air. She would have done a trick but she knew he was new to this and she didn't want to unnerve him any more though it was fun to see his reaction to everything. They his the ground and contuied down the hill when they got to the bottem they passed the tree where his cup landed she reached down and grabed it as the moved thought the trees. They were slowing since the ground wasn't as wet there. She grabed him and jumped off once the got back on the path the ice kept on going and broke once it hit a tree. " Whoo that was the best fun i had in long time." she laughed patting his back a bit hard though not meaning to and handed his cup.

[mirakel]

Mirakel simply stood there once they'd stopped, his legs shaking from adrenaline pumping in his veins. When he was slapped on the back, he fell face first into a pile of leaves and just lay there, the cup knocking against his head with a dull thud. He gave a small groan as it hit him, and he simply lay there, before shouting something unintelligible into the leaves. "MFFRDERFRD MREFMFERRFEDFGMRF FMDRFFREDFMGFR!!" He gave a mighty exhale and a few leaves flew into the air, landing back to settle on his head.

[dragonmage]

Maria laughed again and helped him up. "are you ok? i mean that wasn't to much for you was it." she laughed again a bit harder this time. today was surly turning out to be alot of fun.

[mirakel]

When she helped him up, he had a look like one who'd just be woken up, leaves sticking to his clothes and hair. He peered at her. "Of course not! I loved it! Let's do it again sometime! Preferably, sometime in the far future." He instantly plopped back on his bum and fell over onto his side. "Ugh. I hate falling."

[dragonmage]

Maria laughed and picked the leaves out of his hair. " Its much beter with snow and nest time you don't have to tag along if you don't want to and i saw what you did to your beltthere i wouldn't have let anything happen to you." she helped him stand again this time holding on to him.

[mirakel]

Mirakel stood unsteadily on shaky legs. He placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and another on a tree. He leaned over, drawing breath after revitalizing breath, feeling more like himself with each inhale. Bending to pick up the cup, he smiled at himself and the way he'd reacted to the height. He'd gone higher in battle, so why'd he freak out? He might never know, but that was then, this is now. Taking in a few more breaths, he adjusted his shirt and pants, picking a final leaf off his pant leg. "Well! That was fun! I could go for a swim, how about you? There's a village and a stream nearby, maybe a few hours' walk. Might feel good after the afternoon heat."

[dragonmage]

Maria still smileed " Yeah that swim sounds good. I could use a way to cool down. It seems to be a hot day. Weve been in the sun for most of the day i could use the breather. Besides by the time we get there it would be close to sundown right?.

[mirakel]

Mirakel nodded and stuck his finger out in the air towards the sun and laughed heroically. "Well, let us not tarry, we shall off to the lake!" He started to march in a comical fashion, high knees with strong steps. A few strides and he stopped suddenly, swinging 180 degrees and a blush on his cheeks. "This way!" He marched in the exact opposite direction, in the same high stepping manner. A few steps later, he dropped his step and drooped his head and shoulders, shaking his white head, embarrased. "Gah, going the wrong way again." He turned back to Maria and smiled. *sweatdrop* "Come on! Let's go, we're burning daylight!"

[dragonmage]

Maria looked at him walk in one direction thaen turn to walk the other way. She smiled trying not to laugh at how he was walking. She hung her head and sighed looking at him walking past her in the direction he just came from. Seeing that he was still walking she followed. "You sure that your going the right way this time do you need a arial view of the land to get your bearings again?

[mirakel]

Mirakel held up a hand in protest, eyes closed and chest puffed out in a very macho pose. "I may have been confused, but I know PRECISELY where I'm g-" he was suddenly cut off when he walked face-first into a tree, scraping his nose against the rough bark. He stiffled a shout of pain, rubbing his nose fiercely. "GOH! Damn tree jumped outta nowhere!" He placed a hand against it and gave it a hard push, making no difference to the tree whatsoever. "HA!" He shouted triumphantly, as if he'd bested it somehow, "not so tough are ya now, Sparky!?" He nodded in satsifaction and continued his walk, utterly out of dignity, and feeling as if his face were on fire.

Normally, he wasn't this clumsy, but then again, normally, he wasn't in this good a mood. "So, Maria, mind telling me what all that dragon business with Alex was?" He suddenly screwed his eyes shut, clenching his jaw and giving himself a mental slap. He just jumped into a random subject, forgetting that this one had teeth.

[dragonmage]

She was in a good mood her self, she tried not to laugh and managed to a snicker when Mirakel ran into the tree. She had just calmed down when he started talking again but the mention about dragons froze her in her place. she sighed and contuied walking past him, she wasn't sure if she was ready to talk bout it. she sighed again "It's alot to explain if your not familure with magic but i could tell you if you want to know after all were are traveling togather you should know something about who you might get into trouble with."

[mirakel]

Mirakel berated himself fiercely until she spoke once more, her voice sounding a little less cheerful than it had a moment ago. He sighed inwardly and kept quiet until he was sure she was done. When he did speak, he did so with his face pointed downward and his voice curtailed slightly. "Um... if it's too much trouble then don't worry about it. We can talk more when we've finished swimming." He picked up the pace to have something to concentrate on other than his own stupid mistakes.

A few hours walk through the lush forest, and they suddenly broke through the treeline, a beautiful body of water streaching out before them. The sparkling surface shone with the fading sunset's final rays of light, reflecting the orange of they sky, bruising to purple, which would soon become a starry night sky. A cabin with a small chimney smoked a ways away, and Mirakel smiled at the sight. Finally, they'd reached their destination. Mirakel turned his serene face towards Maria and smiled, laughing to himself. "Welcome to the lake. I hope you enjoy your stay."

[dragonmage]

she smiled and sat near the edge of the water taking her shoes off dipping her feet in. she had lost her feeling to swim soshe jsut leaned back letting the wind brush through her hair and her feet in the water. " this is a nice place. i hope to enjoy my stay here. if your going for a swim i think ill go look for some fire wood for tonight."

[mirakel]

Mirakel was already a dozen steps ahead of her, stripped down to a pair of shorts and nothing else. He jumped high into the air, perhaps twenty feet, "BANZAAAAAIIIII!!!" before he fell in a graceful dive into the chill depths of the lake. He swam for a few moments deep under the clear waters before resurfacing, giving a shout at how cold it was. He wrapped his arms around his naked chest before his teeth started to chatter. "C-C-Come on in Maria! Th-The water's great! We can g-g-get f-f-fire wood later!"

[dragonmage]

Maria sighed again and got up taking off some of her clothes to her underwear yhen jumped in. she stayed under water for a while before soming up. she alyed back floating enjoying the cool water cooling her body down after the long walk they had today. she felt a bit better after being in the ater. it calmed her alowing her to think as she closed her eyes her mind drifting off.

[mirakel]

Mirakel floated on his back to, until they bumped together. His head fit right in the crook of her neck and shoulder, and hers in his, and they stayed that way like they fit together. Mirakel even laughed, "Look Maria, we fit! We're probably going to be great friends." He sighed and stared up at the sky, thinking about the last few days and how crazy they'd been. Meeting Maria had certainly been interesting, and now that they had time on their hands, they could afford to learn about one another. "Say... Maria... I'm sorry if I made you upset earlier. You know, mentioning the things Alex had said. It really isn't any of my business since we're not exactly buddy-buddy just yet." He turned his eyes so that he looked over her face, is line of sight just barely registering her nose.