Act 1

[untrueheart]

[For two days, Rue has spent her time deep in the forest, surviving on the supplies provided in a small but seemingly abandoned building. On the first day she saw no one, and spent her time as far away from the storybook bearing her name as possible, forcing herself to ignore the black wings on her back. Doing a terrible job of it.

On the second, someone came by, but she hid herself in the surrounding forest until they were gone. It was a stranger and she didn't want anybody to know she was there. Never mind that she was fairly sure this was outside the walls- somewhere she couldn't even imagine going. Not yet.

But on the morning of the third day, self-preservation wins out over uncertainty, and Rue (with her book, so no one else would find it either) walks from the small house until she finds a small lake, following its river upstream and coming within sight of a village with no wall.

There had been spare clothes in the house, so she wears a large jacket despite the heat, to cover her unfortunate wings; it turns away some of the rain that starts up part of the way through her walk. Eventually she stops under the overhang of a shop, staring around at the unfamiliar village, wondering if she ought to stay out of sight.

Too afraid to open a book labeled with her name - a book that might tell her story - she hasn't even come to understand just how different that story is about to become.]

[[ooc: Rue was at New Feather station bb, and she can be under any roof overhang you want but the Item Shop is the most likely one for running-into shenanigans.]]

Comments

[entreats]

[ Ange is trying to take cover from the rain as well, really. She'd rather not get completely soaked and it started for her in the middle of her walk too, so she ends up running to the same overhang for cover -- except because of her hurry she doesn't notice the girl already standing there and ends up sort of bumping into her. ]

Ah.. sorry. I didn't realise there was already someone here.

[untrueheart]

[Rue looks up, taking a step away as soon as Ange makes contact.]

It's raining. I'd like to stay dry.

[entreats]

That was more or less my intention too. I don't think anyone wants to be out there with this kind of weather.

[ She takes her hair in her hands, wringing it out a little to get the water out. ]

[untrueheart]

[Rue's hair is just dripping. Under the cover of the trees it wasn't so bad, but once in the village proper, it soaked up everything.]

There isn't a choice.

[elongatedsmile]

[As Rue comes across the lake she may get the feeling as if she's being watched. There is a creature living under that water. Limbs and facial features slightly longer than what they should be. Covered in blue scales and with a larger set of wings to accompany her Luceti set.

She watches quietly from under the water as Rue makes her approach and continues on down the river. Right now she's simply watching, curious of Rue's intention, but not exactly trying very hard to hide herself either.]

[untrueheart]

[Ah, and it has just started to rain. Rue looks at the patter of the droplets on the surface of the lake. There's a sigh, too quiet to be heard over the sound of water on the trees.

Then she thinks she sees a shadow there- but no. It's gone, or she imagined it because of the ripples.

But as she makes her way toward the river she keeps looking back over her shoulder, just in case.]

[elongatedsmile]

[Eventually Xzana comes out of the water.]

Not many humans venture out this far in the rain.

[ahappylie]

[He'd come for a new summer kimono and was just exiting the shop when he noticed the rain. He hadn't brought an umbrella with him and his pig wasn't going to be let back in the house with muddy feet, so he paused on the doorstep, looking out at the inclement weather.

Saizou noticed Rue first and he snorted at her, causing Souji to look over.]

Oh, hello there. Don't you want to come inside?

[untrueheart]

[Lost in her own thoughts, Rue didn't hear the door open, but she hears the snort and the man talking. She takes enough backsteps to almost be out in the rain again.]

I'm lost. [It is the best she can manage and she regrets it almost immediately.]

[ahappylie]

[Jumpy. Souji's smile never breaks or falters, however, and he steps back to motion indoors,]

I can see that. We're all a little lost when we first arrive.

Why don't we get you indoors and out of the rain first? It won't do to get soaking wet on your first day.

[soheartless]

[Regardless of whatever Mytho's living situation is currently, he manages to head out on his own. He could be spotted roaming aimlessly through the rain, his own silver-white wings on full display, pausing at one point to stare up at the sky.

With his mouth closed! His survival skills aren't that bad okay.]

[untrueheart]

[She gasps when she sees him.

Mytho, without cruel eyes or crow feathers. Wearing a swan's wings instead.

Rue is surprised to find herself pulling away, closer to the building, drawing her borrowed coat tighter. He was himself again. What would he say, now that he knew the truth?]

[soheartless]

[He hears the gasp, and his gaze shifts towards her. His empty, lonely eyes.

He knows her. He knows her so well. But there's so much that's blocked off, hidden beneath the floodgates of his empty heart.

Mytho makes some steps towards her. And he calls out her name almost automatically.]

Rue.

[acuity]

[ @ the item store, just window shopping!... is that girl wearing new feather clothes. 'bout that time, eh? ]

... Looking for something?

[untrueheart]

[Rue glances sharply over her shoulder, stepping away.]

No. Who are you?

[acuity]

[ gosh, how rude. smiling politely nevertheless! ]

I'm Platina Berlitz. Am I wrong to assume that you're new to Luceti?

action;

[ducked]

[ Ever since she showed up, Duck has duteously been checking the item shop for any items from home that may show up. She already had her pendant, which was most important. But if anything else important showed up, even her ballet slippers, she wanted to find them.

And that's where she spots her. ]

R-Rue!

action;

[untrueheart]

[That voice pierces straight through her. She has to fight quite hard not to back right up against the outer wall of the building.]

Duck?

[After everything she'd just done...what would this girl do in return?]

action;

[ducked]

[ It's really her. Rue, not Kraehe. Did this mean she was from the end of the story, too? But...

Why does she look so sad? ]

Rue! It's you! Are you okay? How long have you been here?

action;

[ex_tessen852]

[Suki spots Rue near the item shop on her way home from this job she has... that her roommate gave her. Yeah, Rue wouldn't know anything about that.]

Excuse me? Did you need any help?

action;

[untrueheart]

[She's been under the cover of a roof's overhang for a while now, so she's damp instead of soaked. The lost and confused look is still pretty strong on her face.]

If you don't mind. [For now, she doesn't have the stomach to sound confident.]

action;

[ex_tessen852]

Of course not. [A warm smile.] I'm Suki, and I'm guessing you're new here.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Emil spots the girl taking shelter beneath the overhang outside the Item Shop, and being the kind of person that he is, he can't simply walk past her and leave her there, especially not when it's obvious that she doesn't have an umbrella. There are plenty of those in the store, but he's assuming she either hasn't gone inside it yet or thinks that you have to pay for things here.]

Hey there... you look like you need an umbrella. Do you want to share mine for now?

[Action]

[untrueheart]

[Because she saw him coming, this man doesn't startle Rue as another might have, but she still looks...unsure.]

Where are you going?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[He smiles.]

I was going home, but I don't mind walking you to wherever you live. I'm not in a hurry or anything.