[PRP] Hello, my old friend. ( BP & Noire. )

[artificial insomnia]

Hello, My Old Friend.

xx❥ Who: Aren & Krinn.
xx❥ Where: Edge of Whi Forest.
xx❥ When: Early evening.


❤ ❤ ❤

The night was young, but so was he. The rain had found himself in the company of a strange place that evening, surrounded only by the left over shards of sun and the dim glow of fireflies. Krinn sighed, staring into the beginnings of the dense forest, brimming with magic and curiosity. It beckoned him in, offered him adventure he'd always keenly enjoyed. But Krinn would not go further, not tonight. It was late, and the road back was long - or, long enough. The dust was perched rather lazily on a moss covered boulder he'd found near the beginnings of the forest, a nice place to relax. Somewhere away from so many people. The boy closed his eyes. How long had he been traveling for? How long had he been with these strangers of sorts for? The days had merged after so long, leaving him hazy to just how much time had passed between when he'd woken up a blank slate, and now.

The night was cool and perfect, the air heavy with the scent of rain. Krinn was sure that by tonight, the rain would come, and not by his own bidding. Brushing his fingers over the moss covered rock, the dust sighed. The area felt so familiar, but whenever he looked, wherever he looked, it was some sort of foreign sight. Krinn sighed, brushing a hand through his stormy hair. He wanted his memories to come back. He wanted them now. But wanting and happening were two very different things. With a slight bow of his head, Krinn closed his eyes, clearing his mind. He wouldn't dwell on it. He swore he wouldn't dwell on it. Instead, he focused on the sent of the rain and approaching clouds. With a hum, the young adults fingers twitched. Maybe he could beckon them to come early. Even as a blank slate, he'd known from the beginning these strange powers and how to use them. What was he? Krinn didn't know the answer. All he knew was his fatal attraction to the rain. That was enough for now right? That was enough.

The soft beginnings of a shower hit him. Instead of a frown on his face like most people would expect, a smile tugged at his lips.

"Hello, my old friend."  

[bpyan]

The sound of crickets and the whistling wind filled this mature dust's ears as he walked swiftly and quietly towards the forest. The goddess had asked him to procure a small rare flower that rested in the heart of forest. Not an easy task at all but he did not hesitate in taking this mission, in a heartbeat he bowed his head and took his leave.

Aren stepped into the forest, the scenery immediately changing into a more intimidating and foreign one. He stopped. Not because he felt fear but there was something he had spotted on his way in. A light shower slowly appeared, the tiny droplets were noisy as they collided with his brown hood. The dust shivered at this, as the cool water touched his face. His grey eyes followed the silhouette he had seen, this unfamiliar figure that rested on the base of an aged tree. Now Aren could feel it, a familiar power awoke his senses and alerted him of a fellow dust. The feeling was warm as it surged in his body, the cold he felt earlier gone as fast as the rain had started.

The Whi forest was dangerous, he knew that and maybe this dust planned to venture inside, wanting to experiment with his powers. He wouldn't allow the young one to put himself in harm's way. Aren moved towards the younger dust, not wanting to startle him. He sighed as he saw the boy, his wiping of the memories of these children was necessary but took a toll on him. Not only in his power but his relationships with the others. He had to introduce himself to many of them once again, disregarding much of the events he had with them all. It was hard for Aren.

He made his way, his boots hitting the now moist ground. Now the forest seemed much alive with this rain, the pitter-patter of the rain as it hit the leaves and ground completed the forest's music.

He was now close enough to see the outline of the boy's face that was illuminated by the moonlight and by faint orange glow of the dancing fireflies.

"Young dust I hope you don't plan on going deeper into the forest."  

[artificial insomnia]

The rain whistled to him, a faint, deep hello. The heavy scent of damp and forest mixed and mingled, dragging Krinn into a dazed state of content, his eyes flickering every so often. It comforted him, made him purr with delight. It was the one time he could relax and drop tension from his shoulders. Allow the world to continue without him for a few minutes instead of rushing to keep up. With a soft sight, the dust closed his eyes, sliding his arm out of the half kimono to let the droplets slide over his bare skin. He wondered if he should leave or stay. It was getting darker and darker, no more safe. He was sure by now, his guardian was worrying, her face pressed into a thin line, her blond hair tousled as she checked the camp over and over for him. Krinn should have felt bad, but something kept the emotions at bay.

A whistle of wind alerted him of something there in the woods. Eyes opening, the dust took a deep breath, inhaling the calming scent of rain once more. His eyes looked into the density of the forest, scanning for signs of movement. Something tugged at his chest, familiar and warm. It spread up and down his abdomen, shivers tracing his spine as his fingers twitched more, collecting droplets of water from the sky above. Sounds echoed back towards him from the depths of what lay beyond the trees. Faint whistles of birds, chittering creatures, and dangerous, low, mysterious murmurs. Faceless voices that said nothing. Krinn brushed back his hair. He wasn't afraid to be here, but caution brushed against him like an old, wary friend.

As the moon came out from hiding, illuminating the field along with the glow of fireflies, Krinn shifted, looking up as he spotted something rustle just beyond his view. Dual eyes narrowed slightly on the spot, until at last a man appeared. He was covered in a hood, hiding away whatever face he had. The dust let his shoulder relax a fraction of an inch. Well, it certainly wasn't a monster. The feeling in his chest convulsed and pressed tighter on him, begging for more attention than it was getting. At the words directed towards him, the rain looked up, soaked but content. Wariness was a buzz in the back of his head, but it was so late in the day, and his ability to worry was slowly ebbing away.

"Dust? You know who I am...?" His words were careful, slow and drawn out. He couldn't name the cloaked man; then again, he couldn't name much of anything nowadays. "I am content where I am though. The forest is dangerous at night, or so I've heard." He paused, looking up at the stranger. "Are you though, stranger...? I'm sure its not safe alone." The rain continued to sound, brushing over him, treating him as an old friend. It crooned for more attention. For him to call on more of it. Turn the shower into a downpour. But Krinn politely declined. He didn't want to do such a thing in the presence of another. Not when there were too many questions spreading through his mind, and little time to answer.

Standing, Krinn extended one hand, letting the droplets soak against his fingertips while his dual eyes explored the figure before him. "And just who are you to be wandering out here at night...?" He murmured. "Are you... another one of them?" By them he meant the dusts that he'd encountered only once before. The other had known just what he was. Did that mean that he was also one as well?

And did that mean that he too might have answer for Krinn as well? The dust could hardly wait to find out.  

[bpyan]

The colors of the night were so in tune with each other. The blue moonlight softly kissed the dark green forest, its reflection mixing in the orange and reds of the foliage. The rain continued to flow, blurring this scene in the eyes of the dust but he still saw its beauty.

Aren was glad he hadn't startled the younger man, in fact he seemed comfortable and calm considering this predicament. His heart soared as Krinn kept talking, listening to each of the younger ones words with great interest. "You should be worrying about yourself first," a smile peeked out from his covered figure. He felt the soft droplets become more restless but as the atmosphere around them turned stable, he was glad. He felt that this teenager could control his powers well despite him not having the chance to educate the other much. This teenager had a strong grasp of his powers and emotions that was linked to his powers. "The Whi forest is certainly dangerous but I believe I will be alright." Aren brought his pale blue hands near his face and touched his hood slightly, letting it fall back. His bright illuminating complexion glowed in the dark of the night and his pure white feathers started to dance in the rain, gracefully greeting the drops that met them.

"You are like me and I am like you, we are the same little one" he gave the boy a gentle smile. The water started to drip from his face, colliding with his light skin and reveling in the warmness of it.

It was a good feeling to be looking at this young dust like this, Aren's light gray eyes shone amid the rain and darkness. This young dust must be taught how to do the things he was meant to do and he was supposed to act as his teacher. This was his duty and this was why he was made, for his duty. Somehow Aren felt a tinge of sorrow.

"I am Aren, you are Krinn, am I correct?" he paused, "I know you have many questions and that's why i'm here." yes, he was here for that, his duty. But he also chose to be here.  

[artificial insomnia]

Watching the other carefully, Krinn pressed his fingertips to one of his hips, leaning his weight to one leg. The position was a comfortable one, something he did out of habit when comfort washed over him. For some reason, he didn't fear the cloaked figure. There was no reason to worry, if only because of the warmth in his chest that persisted that this person felt close to... home. Even though Krinn had no idea of what that could even mean. Humming wordlessly under his breath, the rain closed his eyes for a moment, letting a familiar friend lick and explore his face. The clouds from above rumbled, and dual colored eyes peered up at them for a moment. What a beautiful night, what a mysterious place, what a comforting stranger. Had such a strange occurrence ever happened like this? Krinn couldn't recall. But perhaps past the white wall in his mind there was more to this warm feeling.

As the other pressed his hood back, Krinn tried to drink in the sight without showing signs of shock on his face at first. The pale skin and the feathered wings intrigued him. But something kept him from thinking this was unusual. Inclining his head a bit, Krinn brushed bangs from his face, stepping forward a bit to watch the other more. "You should be worrying about yourself first," He had said. Krinn smiled a bit in return, pressing his fingers to his damp hairs, tightening the ponytail absently. "I have nothing to worry over. At least not now." He glanced up at Aren, his eyes unreadable. "Do you?" he returned absently, but something told him that this man - this dust...? - would be alright.

Nodding to the mans next words, Krinn gently jostled his mind from getting carried away by the persistent raindrops. I'll play with you later, He promised in his head, his eyes trained on this feathered creature that seemed so familiar. "One in the same," He repeated as if to himself. He glanced at Aren, watching as rain licked his face with butterfly kisses. He smiled a bit, hoping the man didn't mind. The rain wouldn't have come had he not called it. "I'm not quite sure I understand. Not yet at least. But I'll take your word for it." The dust admitted carefully. He may have lost his memory, but he was not naive.

At the others next words, Krinn simply gave a slight nod. He did not question how the other knew his name. Not now. Perhaps the other had known him in the past, perhaps he knew more about him. But questions could be answered in time. "Aren..." He returned, tasting the name on his lips. "Yes, you are correct." He murmured distractedly, glancing at the other, bare feet sliding with a strange sort of elegance over the damp earth.

"Many questions?" Krinn contemplated that moving so that he and Aren stood before each other. "Perhaps..." He reached a hand up tentatively, catching one of the others feathered appendages between his thumb and forefinger. Intrigued, his eyes trailed to Aren's face. "But I'm in no hurry to have them answered." The sky above rumbled, and distracted, Krinn glanced to the side, up at the clouds, releasing the appendage he'd caught in his own featherlight grip. It was true that he had questions for the other, questions he wanted answered. But something about Aren stopped him from bombarding the other so quickly with questions. Settling a few paces back, the rain gave a soft smile. "But just what answers do you have for me, I wonder."  

[bpyan]

As the rain dust slowly made his was towards him, Aren felt a sense of nervousness and sense of warmness rush through his veins like a strong wave. He couldn't identify why this boy made him concerned with himself and why he made him feel more familiar and at ease, he was the one who should have been having that effect on other people. Maybe it was because Krinn was one of the first of the dusts? A few memories played in his head as Krinn's bottle was one of the first ones Aren had seen Aevah create. As she captured the essence of the rain, the soft blue glow mixed with the shining glitter that resulted in a stunning bright light that blinded him. When he opened his eyes the beautiful blue bottle was revealed, water cascading over its glass, cold to the touch.

The light droplets continued to fall on the two beings, the younger one carefully touching the damp ground with his delicate feet. Krinn was much nearer to him now, he could more clearly see the features on his face as the moon lent its shine to the dark of the night. Krinn had grown up so well, Aren's heart soared, proud to see this amazing development.

"Many questions? Perhaps... But I'm in no hurry to have them answered" Aren's eyes watched Krinn reach out, touching one of the white feathers that stood out, now heavily covered in the rain. His eyes softened at this, an even bigger smile now appearing on his face. The sky rumbled, but he did not take his gray gaze of the other as he released the white appendage.

Stepping back a bit further from him Krinn spoke again. Aren bowed his head. He had many things to tell the younger dust, things that he must know in order to protect himself and preserve humanity. But to say all this at once may be impossible to handle, even if this dust was already old enough, Aren wouldn't feel right if he did that.

One step at a time.

"I do not think you will be pleased with many things that I have to impart to you," he said, his voice now serious but the gentle smile did not leave his face, "I hold many answers. Possibly all the answers you seek but some you must find out yourself... but know this, I am to teach you to protect yourself and all that is good."  

[artificial insomnia]

Laying his eyes yet again on the feathered creature, Krinn shifted his weight to one foot, restless yet calm at the same time. Something tugged at his mind and chest, pressed him to feel drawn to this person, and yet not know why. Dust, he'd been called. Was that why...? He pressed his lips together, tasting rain and closing his eyes, letting the wetness lick at him a bit longer. Even the rain couldn't stay with him for long. Sooner or later, it would move away to reveal brighter days. Not that brighter days to him were any more pleasant. He couldn't imagine a more perfect scene than the rain coming down in fine, calm strokes this night, as the sun set behind the dense forest, casting what little light there was left on the two strangers bodies. He wondered what this other mans preferences were. Was he different, just like him...? Would he understand this strange affinity?

Finally, as the moon peaked out from behind her veil, the rain opened his eyes, a sense of ease drifting over him. The sound of the forest, vague and alive came to haunt him. Even with mystery lurking in the very trees that made up the density of the Whi Forest, sounds he recognized passed easily through his ears. The ground was slippery underneath him, but the rain felt more at home when he could feel the earth, damp and humble under his feet. It was cold that night, and briefly the rain wondered if the feathered boy was dealing with it as comfortably as he was.

The wing tip under his short lived grasp fascinated him; a piece of something mysterious that grasped at his attention and held it steady in place. It was covered in water, wet and heavy to the touch. The rain stroked the feathers a few short times, drawing the rain away from the white feathers. As if magnetic, they licked and drizzles down his fingers and wrist, even though more quickly stole their place on the wing. Listening quietly to the sounds of the forest once more, Krinn finally tuned his hearing to what the other had begun to say, immersed by his words for some mysterious reason or another.

At the others talk of things to impart, the rain couldn't help but cross his arms loosely, eyes interested, alert. "It cant be helped though, I suppose," He said in return, his eyes glancing Aren. "If everything were good and wonderful to hear, I'd have a hard time believing that this was actually real." The dust returned a gentle smile, but his eyes were reserved, almost unreadable. "Protect all that is good?" He repeated after a few moments of consideration. The clouds thundered from above, a beg for more attention. "Why...?" He asked quietly, examining the other. He wondered just who Aren was, and what exactly he was going to teach the rain to do. Even though the rain was a very whimsical being. "Is that what... 'we' - dusts was it? - are for?" He questioned finally, not finding another way to put it. For a while, he'd begun to believe that they were simply another breed of magic in the world, like the inhabitants of the Whi Forest. Now he was second guessing that notion. Now he was beginning to wonder.  

[bpyan]

The night air was cold but Aren's skin was radiating with warmth. His gray eyes swept the dark forest and then focused once again on the boy. Even though he felt comfortable in this moment as the water drenched him in her cold arms, Aren knew that this wasn't such a safe place to talk about such important matters. For the forest rustled within, a creature was lurking in the dark abyss, waiting for it's moment to strike. The mature dust heard the quiet tiptoe of the beast, it's legs stepping on the moist leaves as the rain drenched it's dirty fur and the sound echoing loudly in his ears.

Krinn's words unfortunately landed on deaf ears. Though Aren tried desperately to listen to the boy while he listened to the beasts ragged breathing that seemed to come closer after every second had passed. Aren looked to the right, his hands tense and his eyes shining, finally focusing all his senses to the creature.

And then it came.

Amid the veil of water and think darkness, he saw the creature. It emerged from the bushes, breaking the thin branches as the leaves flew up into the air. And with a loud and hungry growl the beast lunged at both the dusts violently. At that split second a burst of energy swam to the dust's hands, to his fingertips in a blinding light. He threw this bright light to the beast, his feathers fluttering in the air, the rain hitting him as if impatient. The beast cried a horrible scream as this light hit him mid-air, Aren cringing as he heard this dying scream.  

[artificial insomnia]

Something crawled along Krinn's spine. But it wasn't a shiver from the cold, something felt strange. The forest was alive with nightlife, but not all of it was good was it? The dust wondered briefly what could be out there. What he wanted to see and know about, but what he was terrified of ever meeting. As the rain licked and kissed his skin before thinning out again, The dust's eyes flickered to Aren, who'd gone quiet enough. Was he aware of this danger to? Did he taste something strange in the air? Another shiver crawled up the dusts spine, breaking his focus in two, making him wary and cautious.

But something made him freeze. The rain pounded against him again, thickening as the night crunched with sound. The wind carried with it the thick scent of moisture and something... sick. Wrinkling his nose, Krinn cast his eyes out at the forest instead of the winged creature beside him, fingers curling ever slightly. He'd encountered this sort of sick feeling before. His senses had always been keen in the rain, the droplets carrying with them the taste and wonder of his surroundings. Bare brushes of where they had come from, what they themselves had met. But it was always brief, fleeting. Krinn wasn't sure whether to trust the temperamental beast that was his friend or not. His fingers twitched, his entire body shifting just slightly. For a few long moments, he stared silently along with the mature dust. But soon enough, the silence ended.

The dust heart it before he saw it.

Crunching leaves, ragged breath. A monster in a coat full of dirty fur. It came as a dark shadow before emerging from the bushes, lunging at them both with a snarl that made Krinn's skin crawl. He froze, his eyes wide as the beast came upon them. His mouth opened, but no words formed. Not when he saw it all go down in split seconds. The creature didn't even make it to them. Krinn's face twisted as he listened to the dying hiss, the creature falling under the flash of light. Aren's light. Questions sprang to mind. A haze of confusion that lasted him a long while. For a few moments after the kill, the dust sat in silence, his face showing a mix of horror and something pained. He felt sick, oh god. The dust took in a shaky breath, staggering backwards from the carcass that was now being bitten at by rain. He wanted to shout for it to drown out the smell of death, but no words appeared on his lips. Was this right?

Krinn turned to Aren, his eyes torn. "W-what..." His throat constricted. "What was that? W-what are y -- What are we? How did you..." He looked back at the now silent body, his skin crawling with shivers. His breath caught in his throat again, his stomach twisting. He wondered why such a thing was impacting like this. He should have been fine. He should have been okay. "Is this right?" He heard himself ask, his eyes lowered to the still lump on the ground. The clouds crackled from above. They did not understand his inquiry. That beast had tried to kill, why not kill it in return? But still the dust searched for answers. Could he really just lie down and accept that kind of thing?  

[bpyan]

Aren looked over to the young dusts eyes through the blurriness of the shower, his own filled with concern and uneasiness. This was the reality of their kind, one blessed with divine powers and filled with boundless potential for even destruction.

He moved over to the boy swiftly, avoiding the now motionless animal that laid on the grass floor. Its blood flowed freely mixing with the murky rain water as it formed a small puddle around the beast. Aren held Krinn's arm and gently pulled him away from the scene, "Come..." he said in a whisper just as if a breeze had passed by. "It's dangerous here." He did not wait for the other to reply as he moved and brought the boy with him.

With not one more glance at the life he just ended, Aren walked to a clearing. At least in this place they would more easily see if something would be creeping up on them. The mature dust let go of the boy, tilting his head down and putting his hand on his chest he spoke, "Forgive me for that, Krinn. Are you alright?" he lifted his head and stared at the dustling's face. "As I said, you and me have powers..." he trailed away and closed his eyed for a slight moment, the rain drenching them both in her cold tears. He did not say any more but right now he would answer any question the dust had for him.

"Ask me... anything."