[ PRP ] - - - fields of black grain { kanove&zero }

[Kanove]

Fields of Black Grain
Idia, Helena
Hymn& - - -

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The wind blew through the golden landscapes of grain along the farmers horizon when the birds began chirping. A day had just begun and while it was still young the land was sweeping to life. Farmers were out in their fields hours ago tending and pulling at their knowledge. Even the roads were bare this late in the morning, a large contrast to that of any other town. The roads were narrow and rand crookedly through the landscape, the only time they saw order is when the land began growing green closer to Idia, the holy city of Helena.

Hymn found himself leaning on a thing fencepost as he looked out to the fields of grain waving to the farmers curiously. No one gave him a second look like they did in town and he stood highly because of it. He wore a great presence this morning as his journey to the temple of Idia grew shorter. Nothing had weighed him down today, the wind had remained calm and mother nature's fury at low. It was a journey from Faleen that brought him to this sacred town, and amongst the fields he now felt at rest.

Letting his grip on the fence go the teenage dust pivoted gracefully on his heals and took to walking again. He walked quietly along the path humming to himself a lullaby he'd heard a mother sing to her child one time. It was peaceful and fit his plesant mood at the moment. Hymn didn't think human land could ever look peaceful and so in-tune with their greener sides.

He smiled to himself as he was reminded about Sojo's work in his own garden beneath the house, how the god worked day and night to grow food Hymn had never thought of eating. His guardian was always in the kitchen or in his garden, hardly ever finding rest in any other part of the house. Perhaps that's why his room never opened, it was never used.

Hymn just smiled and continued walking, tipping his body slightly to every couple that passed him. People here seemed to walk with their loved one's often. The dust's mind pushed back in the past to his journey with Cada and remembering his teenage self, he smiled and blushed a little at the thought, tipping his head in embarrassment.

With his mind empty Hymn finally reached the Holy City and walked down the transforming paths as they changed into cobblestone. All throughout the streets a sort of magical tune carried through and even the people all seemed at peace with themselves. However, the streets were decorated for something, but what?

He only walked and looked at the hanging flags and booths along the streets slowing when he came to town square, seeing the hill up to the temple. This seemed to be the largest city, even though it was so small.  

[A Wandering Esper]

It was pretty early, which would have not sat well with Sitara, had the reason of her early awakening not been that her daddy was bringing her out for breakfast ! This made the world all better and the sun shine a little brighter.

It had not taken long for the bold child to drift away from her father, who walked behind at a leisurely pace. The obvious differences in between pale yellow child and chocolate-skinned father, as well as the lack of companion walking at Silver's side, would perhaps be the biggest sign that things where not quite traditional in between the two...

Sitara hopped along the cobblestones roads happily, not exactly looking where she was going...

... which resulted into a collision with a probably unsuspecting teenage dust.

"Owwww... !" Sitara muttered, glancing up to Hymn. ...He didn't look like the bullies back at home, so she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt - maybe this was completely unintended. "Sorry... Are you okay ?"  

[Kanove]

Hymn stumbled back a few steps and for a moment tried to settle the startle in his mind aiming to keep memory of the thoughts as his eyes slowly lowered themselves to someone much shorter than he. A young girl was standing in front of him and he only smiled when their eyes met, slightly irritated by the interruption, but nonetheless glad for the conversation. It was nice after all, to have someone to talk to- even if it was a child.

Kneeling down the teenage dust patted his shirt and the girls hair with a hand and smiled through his helmet that shielded his eyes from the bright sun. To most his helmet was strange but it was natural, a cover from the burning radiation from the sun- no wonder he looked so different.

Pulling a smile out of his hoard of emotions Hymn smiled and greeted the young one with his name."Sorry about that, my name is Hymn," he said politely,"And yours may be?"He did think the girl looked a bit odd- but maybe it was just something around here, or was she one of the many hidden dusts. It couldn't be figured out at this point, the older dust simple just tried to keep her company since she was alone unlike most her age.  

[A Wandering Esper]

"Sitara." The child answered, fiddling with her hat - bangs of hair, each colored different, much like a darker rainbow, where falling out from where they had previously been carefully hidden, in some kind of bun under the large brown hat. "My daddy's over there." She informed, pointing toward Silver, who was chatting with one of the nearby merchant, unaware of what had just gone on.

The star dust paused for a moment, then peered up again, curiosity having remplaced her faint annoyance before. "Why do you wear that ?" She asked, gesturing toward his face - more accurately, his mask. "It's pretty, though. Where did you get it ?"

Maybe she could ask for one from her daddy... Though she had honestly no idea how Hymn even saw where he was going with it on.  

[Kanove]

Hymn knelt by the girl and smiled under the mask, feeling the sun beat on his neck. He ignored the seering feeling though and took the girls hand letting her feel the mask. He was thoughtful for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. "I was born with it, I guess because I can't see in daylight I wear it-"he explained shifting his weight before he fell over. Even in this village the day was hot, but the roads were uneven which made it very hard to balance in most cases.

"Why are you and your dad way out here, is this where you live?" he asked with a weary look, the descriptions about this town were right: all women. Hymn didn't mind much, he got along well with most people but women tended to hover around and he didn't like that. It was perpetually the most annoying thing. In certain cases he worked to avoid communication, and here in the Holy City it was quiet, though the streets were decorated elaborately.

Standing back up to his full height he looked at Sitara and pushed back a free lock of hair. "Would your father and you be interested in grabbing something to eat?" asked Hymn rubbing his hungry stomach.  

[A Wandering Esper]

"Ohhh..." Couldn't see in the daylight ? "Does that mean you can only see in the night ?" The child's hand lingered on the mask, her touch light, almost as if she feared she might break it.

"No, daddy and I are from Amies" She explains with a grin. "We just came here to visit someone daddy knows. She's kind of annoying though, she keeps on trying to tie my hairs up weird." The child made a face at the thoughts of more braids and complicated updos being inflicted on her multi-colored mane of hair. She didn't like that one wit !

"Hmmm, let me go ask daddy ? It shouldn't take too long, so you just wait here, okay ?" And then the child scampered in the direction she came, toward the chocolate-skinned man.  

[Kanove]

Hymn balanced back on his heels and looked off into the distant fields of plants that were glittering in the sunlight. It was truly a brilliant day. His mind pondered on the girl being from Amies, never before had he seen her. Maybe her dad kept her locked inside? With his skin tone he doubted that and just shrugged. It had been a while since he'd really left his and Sojo's home anyway.

Hymn waited for a moment playing with the bit of his hair that hung back, feeling it run through his hands. As the fine strings fell back in place the dust winced a bit as his stomach gave a lurch for food. He wouldn't stay here past the night, but for now he figured he had time to get off track.

What was a small trip without having fun anyway. Sojo had been trying to get him to lighten up anyways, and have a bit more fun with his life. Maybe Hymn would try it.  

[A Wandering Esper]

It took a moment of talking back and forth in between father and daughter before things seemed to go anywhere. Silver seemed to find it rather odd that his Sitara wanted to drag someone she'd ran into to go eat somewhere, but given that the girl was usually more potent at making enemies that she was making friends, this was probably worth pursuing.

And thus, both father and daughter returned.

"Hello, Hymn." Silver said with a smile. "Did you have any idea where you wanted to eat at ?"  

[Kanove]

Hymn looked back at Silver and smiled. The man seemed reasonably a well guardian, he looked to be fairly kind as well to lean into his suggestion so easily. The dust only looked down the street and examined it. "I suppose we would have to look for a place, it is my first time in Helena," said the masked dust. His hair blew in the wind as he turned toward the town square and looked carefully at the shops along the way. None seemed to be restaurants so he figured some more would have to be found.

As they walked he crossed through the town square passing easily past a few groups of people and ended up at a small place along the center's edge. It seemed small and cozy and with a small little sign hung in the window that read "Mildred's Pastries" Hymn could only help to smile.

"How about this place?" the dust suggested looking through the window a little to the small place.  

[A Wandering Esper]

"Well, there is one closeby, I believe... It would depend on what you prefer. I do know the city rather well by now - I used to come around often, but I had to slow down a little on traveling.

The two lead the walk, and when Silver went to open his mouth again, he was interrupted.

"This one, dad ! Please ? Pretty please ?!" Pastries were, after all, very tasty things that Sitara adored. The dust pretty much adored everything full of sugar as is.

"I figure we're found the place, then. The dark-skinned man gave a chuckle, and held the door open for the dusts to come inside.  

[Kanove]

Hymn smiled and bowed his head as he passed Silver. Sitara seemed to have already found them a table and chuckling Hymn took a seat opposite of the two of them taking the first sniff of the place. It was brilliant, only dimly lit by actual light since the sunlight from sunroofs and windows kept the place feeling pretty cozy. It was nice, welcoming to say the least and when Hymn adjusted himself he looked at the menu that a sweet girl laid in front of him.

"Since this is my treat, feel free to get what you'd like," said the dust reaching into his pocket to make sure he had enough cash before nodding and looking carefully at the list of choices.

He finally chose and told the sweet waitress calling her over that he wanted a strawberry shortcake with a the drink of the day and handed her his menu. Letting his eyes look over the shot he turned to Silver and opened his mouth to speak, hopefully to start a conversation, "So are y'all here for the festival tonight?" he asked.  

[A Wandering Esper]

Sitara had, indeed, basically bounced though the store and had found a table before the older dust and her father could come in themselves, sitting on one of the chairs and waving at the two males so that they would see her. She seemed definitively like a bold, energetic child.

Silver followed and sat beside her, accepting the menus when they were given to him. "Are you sure ? I do not mind paying in the least... since it was my daughter that ran into you after all." He winked.

"Dad !" The young dust pouted. "I didn't run into him ! I... tripped ! Yeah !" Anything to hide the fact that she had not been paying attention, as she usually did. Her father seemed to remain unconvinced.

When it came time to order, Silver ordered a slice of apple pie with the drink of the day, and Sitara went for chocolate cake, and a glass of milk.

"We initially came to visit a friend of mine, but I figured we might as well stay for the festival while we're here. Sitara has never been here to see it."

"She's kinda annoying..."

"Sita..."

"She keeps trying to braid my hair !" The girl made a face.  

[Kanove]

Hymn smiled and nodded with a little laugh. "I'm not here to see the festival myself, just stopped by to pick something up than head back home," Hymn explained messing with the napkin that he had undone. He fiddled with it for a moment more before their food arrived and the dust smiled looking around the room. Everyone was so content here, so quiet- it was peaceful. Nothing like Aimes in the least, he laughed.

"So- Silver, pardon me for asking, how old is Sitara?" he asked sticking a small bite of the short cake into his mouth, he figured he might as well ask before anything happened.

Though the dust didn't think anything could happen in this town- but who knew. As he waited the dust picked up a cup of cider and drank a couple sips trying not to draw attention for fear people might comment on the helmet he wore- he hated being the spotlight.  

[A Wandering Esper]

"I see... Well, you may want to stick around a little longer. It's usually pretty interesting." The dark-skinned said with a nod. The other question, however, seemed to require more thought. But then, this Hymn did not seem... normal himself, so perhaps he was the same kind ?

"I would say around 8 or 10, physically ? I havn't really thought much about it. I found her like this." Which was the truth indeed.

Sitara made a face. "But im not dumb like those kids." She liked Hymn alot because he'd treated her like anyone else and not just some little kid, and she hoped this wouldn't change his outlook on her. That would be rather annoying.  

[Kanove]

"If you found her like this it means my suspicions are confirmed. I'm a dust like Sitara here, if your wondering by the look on your face,"Hymn smiled, it was hard not to read what Sitara's owner was thinking, but that was as to tell with any human. They displayed their emotions in a wide range- probably led to the complexity of their lives and the lies they spread.

Hymn finished off his food and drank the rest of his drink before he leaned back and spoke again. His helmet glistened in the light but he only kept his eyes on the girl when she spoke. Letting a chuckle come out he smiled, "I know you are dear, just remember- humans are just like us and they age like us as well."he advised leaning forward to her ear, "They are just sometimes a bit slower." He teased leaning back into his booth chair.

"Hm- I may, but I don't think I will be able too- I ought to get back home before my guardian does something out of hand." he noted duly. Sojo was kind of the odd ball.