Neoma lightly nudged Aella with her foot. “Hey. Wake up.” 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpRaJ82jKt
Aella twitched and yawned. “Mm?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS9xeofFEy
"Come on. Or I will flip you into a pool of water." She nudged her again.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XWJ1mzaHc
Aella’s eyes flashed open. “I’m up!”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkllnM6Bl3n
"Except we have no water around," Luna pointed out.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNYTirztZr
"…" Aella looked around. As Luna said, not so much as a puddle in their immediate area. "Oh."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCODLI2UHC
Luna giggled. “You’ll learn when and when not to fall for her tricks.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAHcQn9dKh
Neoma shrugged, getting up on her horse. “Don’t eat too much, we need that food.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqWEb45mRU
Aella laughed along with Luna, and slowly got up. Wow, she was sore…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZcuKo4chm
Luna paused in her laughter. “But….but I wanna go hunting,” she whined.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDkzkQ557f
"Luna, what can you catch out here?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFGMxf7DFv
Aella looked at them curiously. She wasn’t quite sure what they were talking about… did Luna know how to hunt? Aella’s dad did, but her mom said it wasn’t ladylike. Luna was a lady though…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMoGuB3wxU
"Um…."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmYSsoof9f
"Exactly." 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqnGPHQ4rc
Aella pulled herself up onto her horse. “Didn’t know you hunted.~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0719iOauq
Luna grinned and nodded, flashing her pointed teeth. That made sense, didn’t it… She had only JUST held Luna as a fluffy cat, and cats hunted. Encouraged by this, Aella continued. “Is it fun?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfqVVirl7a
"Yes!" She giggled, going into her cat form. Aella hummed happily, though she wished she could pet her friend again. Her fur was so SOFT!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMusDUpt57
Neoma stared ahead, tilting her head to the side for a second. Aella didn’t bother questioning the gesture, and went ahead with her questioning.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xgh0LPm5y
"How far do you think we’ll get today?~"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCrWsmgcug
The elemental shrugged, looking down at the shadowy horse.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyHEghvEXE
She let it drop and started humming absently, gazing up at the sky.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp6mXaAX0p
"….What do you want to know?" Neoma finally asked, after about 20 minutes of silence.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvK1wjBhQuW
"I wanna know a lot of stuff!" she said enthusiastically. Neoma was actually OFFERING to answer her questions? This was wonderful!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCTfdny4eh
"Well, ask away."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzxdQK7pYv
"Okay. Do you have any other powers besides the shadow horse thing? Does Luna, besides turning into the most adorable cat ever? What’s your favorite thing to do? Do you like traveling like this?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepDO4ORep4
"Of course. Shadow is an elemental power. One of the strongest. Most people who have shadow powers are rather…creative, and work well with illusions." She blinked, then said a bit slower, "No, Luna is a familiar, do you know what that is? I like a lot of things, and no, I prefer shadows, but that’s a one person thing. My second favorite would be wolfback."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHSdKGxidn
"Can I see some of your other powers sometime? And no, don’t know what a familiar is. Can you name one of the things you like?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4XtSrsCCZ
"I guess. She assists with my fighting, magic, and so on. And no."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4tQw8jjOY
Aella made a face at the last one. “Aw.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JHH4KqzcL
"What else?" Neoma finally looked over at her, and her face brightened further at this.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvBCCce0Pu
She thought for a moment. “Have you ever just helped someone like this before? And how much do you know about shapeshifters like Cináed, anyway?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOv5KaNNc5
She glanced over at Luna. “Yes. Not a lot.” 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJfbYNY0gZ
Aella tipped her head. “What DO you know?” she wondered. 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTnVrwmjs0
"The name implies a lot. And I guess silver hurts them?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrcjPa0MlX
"And some other stuff," Aella said a bit absently. "I’m not sure which, exactly… I only know snatches of it from Cináed. I try not to, though, he scares me." She didn’t like when she caught pieces of his thoughts. They were always mean… were ALL shapeshifters like that? She hoped not.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7bhc4nokD
Neoma nodded. “Anything else?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Z5iQATEHL
Aella hesitated. “Why are we going to France?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAhkJx6KvJ
"So Luna and I can go home."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0JgkVxnJU
"Is your home that way?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOuKAaBmhm
"Hm…you can say that." Neoma frowned. "…Well. Have you heard of these things… they’re called dimension ties."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfv3JDO3Va
"… huh?" Her expression went completely blank, and her mind matched.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bWL5w7XRi
"That’s what we call them, I don’t know your word for it." She patted her horse for a second.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQidI79LXzd
”What exactly are they?” she asked, utterly confused.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFsXPKSf5U
”You don’t think this is the only plane of existence, do you?” The elemental raised an eyebrow, looking off to the side. A part of Aella did wonder why she didn’t like making eye contact… maybe she was shy, or worried, or sad. Oh well, she would be more cheerful eventually!~ Aella liked making people happy, a room full of happy people was always the best kind.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjTCIDlWbK
Oh, she was zoning out. Not that what Neoma was saying made much sense, but it was rude to stop listening!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwSKDYP68n
”…Earth. Do you think it’s the only place with life forms?!”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8uEC7MuX9
”There’s more places besides Earth?” Now she was excited by the thought of places like that, ones she’d never heard of. “Is that why you wouldn’t tell me where you were from?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpB2w6sqrwe
She nodded. “Yeah, part of it.” Luna looked up, tilting her head for a moment, then gave a purr, making Aella inwardly squeal.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPunIDzXQy
"Will I ever get the chance to see it?"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8krDTnSWgS
"You might," She looked up, "if we ever GET THERE."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13ZN1nLIhV
”Yay!~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dTK4fulk4
Neoma paused again, sitting sideways on her horse. “So besides shapeshifter and all that funstuff,” (she rolled her eyes at the word fun), “what was your life like?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8v1TqxChB
”Mm?” Aella looked over at her. “Pretty normal, I guess. Middle-class family, lived in a pretty coastal town in England…”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxzHcTPo1V
“…. Middle class….” She tilted her head a little, like she had no idea what she was talking about. “You were poor, then?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSaH9QwA91
Aella giggled. “No, we weren’t poor. We just didn’t have as much money as all the really rich people, like the royalty.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleJihR47JJ
“Oh.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTvdyqvNRd
”Mhm.” Aella smiled absently and returned to stroking her horse.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzF9CJKf4S
She let out a soft breath, still keeping her eyes on Luna. After awhile, she bit her lip and finally tore her eyes from the cat, only to let them fall to her lap. “Sorry.” It sounded a bit forced, not like something that normally came out of her mouth. 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERVv6hiA37
”… huh?” Aella looked back over at her. What could she possibly be apologizing for? They were both being so nice to her…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6729tWvtr3
"I’m not good with people." She shrugged. "So, sorry."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGlITsSxJr
“You don’t need to be sorry,” Aella said with a slight smile. Not good with people… well, that would have to be fixed, wouldn’t it?772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoamPEusqA9
She nodded, looking to the side again. “… Thanks.” Aella just grinned at her new friend.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Te7Q264px
After a while, Luna seemed to get a bit bored, and she started to dash off….only to have Neoma call her back. Aella giggled a little, and Luna tilted her head. Then she gave a slight cat-like growl when she was forced onto Neoma’s horse.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfeE1N6Dlc
”I’m boooored,” Aella drawled after a minute or so.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoYoTWbTfe
Neoma looked up. “What do you want to do then?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLvrW8V5Pn
She gave the question some serious thought. “Dunno. What’s there to do?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwRcvQ5cJd
”We are riding on horses. What IS THERE to do?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqX9FoxYLeM
“…. Dunno?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qrZJJyFZJ
She grumbled a bit, then sighed. “I dont know, either.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eD5tncpE9
”Aww.” Aella sighed. “So we’re gonna be bored until we get somewhere?” That sounded… boring.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTpfCtxVTu
”I think so. Yeah.” Neoma glared at Luna, who was trying to hop off the horse.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCYUFj8pyx
Aella groaned and thunked her head dramatically on the horse’s neck (said horse just snorted). This could take FOREVER!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FysEyW29i
“Oh, calm down, its not that bad.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjarLoBMZp
“… Fine.” She pouted.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUxxHixGnF
Neoma looked off to the side, following along the road, while Aella started humming quietly to herself. Neoma watched the other, then looked away.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg1OEWoPqJ
It wasn’t long before Aella was shifting restlessly again.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJiQCOJywY
"You’re bored again, aren’t you?" Neoman had shifted postions by then, laying with her arms around the horse’s neck.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HdY5PTIed
"Maaaybe."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLzHGuex1p
”It’s in your body language. You’re acting fidgety, so either you’re nervous or bored.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9d5Ryh8FA2
“… Okay, bored.” Wow, Neoma was smart!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrW8ENwRva
She rolled her eyes. “Well, you can continue to ask questions, I guess. It’s almost sunset, give it an hour or two.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc8l4McyKo
“Okay~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVD4jNYpolK
After a long drawn out silence, Neoma stated, “At least France and England aren’t at war?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSVMRITYrm
”That wouldn’t be fun,” she agreed.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmX9BqvnTm
"War isnt an easy thing, no matter your social status."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lC3gV1icE
Aella shook her head with a slight frown. “Mom says it’s really awful.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDWQf80Gip
She looked ahead. “England and France go to war a lot, dont they?” She asked this quickly, glancing aside.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAIYTS9oYt
She nodded. “Yeah… why?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRvQOsh8Pk
”Just making sure I was right.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaxd7wFuMR
“Oh.~ Well, you are!”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlUhQG8qYI
Neoma looked at the girl. “We need to blend in with the locals, though.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1h2bZ980h
She frowned. “Um… Okay. How exactly do we do that?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpn7oNrvS2
”Fashion.” Neoma had a hint of a smirk on her face, and tilted her head a bit. “Which is ALWAYS fun…”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FUM6KLsCI
“I know!~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5bADjkGFC
”That was sarcasm, nuts for brains.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW6kIi85Ao
“… It was? But fashion IS fun,” Aella said matter-of-factly. How could Neoma think otherwise? That just didn’t make sense.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEokeRt6c8g
”Not Earth fashion.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9xHoejBg1
“Uh-huh,” she said stubbornly. 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVtWqkBPCX
”I much prefer my world’s fashion. Less skirt-y.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPR7nfUllPc
“Skirts are nice.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYiVSZJR6z
”Ugh, nope.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOwph8iORK
“Yep!~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5SWJQtqSp
”No, pants and shorts are much more convenient and comfortable.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwMghgSXUZ
“But skirts and dresses are prettier.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWp6X1O3yT
”And?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGvnvUUDAW
“And what?” Aella blinked. 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzEnjN9ii6
”What use is looking pretty if you can’t do anything while you do?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRRx2pIwsJ
“Who says you have to do anything that might ruin your clothes while you look pretty?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRS4bitjNy
”Because nothing fun comes out of it!”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBF6rr8Mkd
“It’s fun to be pretty!”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLSqVmgZLg
”I’d rather not.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6OC2VkQVJ
“That’s too bad, then. I like looking pretty.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOOOg0z71H
"And I really don’t care."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirlIcm7wJT
Aella pouted, and Neoma gave a sly grin.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVZSIu4uav
“… Won’t you have to wear a dress to blend in, though?” The girl suddenly questioned.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAkG29sEYS
”Shit.” She groaned, hitting her head on the horse’s neck.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmAYyeGiof
Aella laughed. “Shut up.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMd0vSYImY
“Sorry…”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjazOeTDedo
She gave some sort of odd hand signal, not raising her head.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNNY4dVi0b
Aella was still grinning a bit. “I do think you’ll look pretty in a dress, though.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjId4Aayzpu
”I don’t… like dresses….”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe23y99LZGr
“It’ll be alright… they’re not THAT bad.~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeCijmaq39
”This is coming from Miss Happy-Cheery.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtk39n9S9c
Aella just grinned wider.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ArfKfwEOT
”Not a compliment.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVxNjg6ZlW
“Sounds like one to me.~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGlFnlFZiw
”Well, it isn’t.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5QstlfG47
“Why not? Isn’t being happy and cheerful a good thing?” How confusing.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAo2vtBuQF
”To you, maybe.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dc4l1TeGX
“Why not to you?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNuM21zFoO
”I get annoyed easily.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ji5cQWNad
“… Oh. You should work on that.” How could you be happy if you got annoyed so easily? Maybe THAT was why Neoma seemed so grumpy…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjreBxO5pa
”…” Neoma finally raised her head, glaring at her.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zKRXBAPhu
Aella went silent for a moment. Oops. “Sorry.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IEruD0wGq
”No, no…”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XMhLWZvLv
She gave her a confused look, and Neoma made that hand gesture again. Aella blinked, then looked away to her horse.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobBi48CCah
* * * * *772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpMq398luW
Neoma poked a small fire with stick, staying near its heat. “Okay, so do you like fish, by any chance?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgT2u19KP5
Aella nodded, brightening considerably. “I like pretty much all seafood.~”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW15mN3tSQ
“The next town is a seaside town…” She poked it again, her hand moving over to the fruit.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEYitKmBis
”Oh, yay!~” Towns on the coast were her favorite! Like her home.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5cX9HkVXZ
Neoma looked at the girl again. “How old are you?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Lf3AiJkeK
”Fifteen, why?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbKaeN4smh
“Hmm.” She gazed into the fire, then looked to the side. “In your years, I’m 19.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxqRTLAzaR
”My years?” Aella tipped her head curiously. Were her years special or something? Maybe they were longer. Or really short. Or…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98GtrPky7B
“Human.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKMIeKU7Jh
Oh. “What kind of years do you use? And how old are you in those?”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvg6j9pY0U
“For my species, years are nothing. I’m much older in that time.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55A35h9M99
”Wow…” Neoma didn’t look old, but it sounded like she was ancient!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0htR2LNZYx
She nodded slowly.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQvZiAcjWp
”What about Luna?” Aella wondered.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM4y8DOjff
“Luna is sixteen.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8O9U6nkxt
”Oh.~” Almost the same age as herself!772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ90EQHYi2D
She nodded again, sliding over the basket. Aella poked around inside it and pulled out a tasty-looking fruit.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EBxA1YM4y
When Aella looked back to Neoma, she was playing with shadows, making little figures out of the darkness. She watched her interestedly as the elemental’s hand rose up, dragging a shadow with it. After a pause, she changed the shape into a sphere, then pushed it into the fire. To Aella’s surprise, it began to burn.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoz7frCHEcT
”Shadows can burn?” Aella piped up curiously.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf4ZWXjbuv
“When they turn into something physical, yes.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pdTi4ATvD
”… huh.” Whatever that meant.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4xO3dpoaq
“You see…” She lifted another shadow, starting to form it into something. “The ability to change an object’s property normally needs to melt, heat up, or freeze. But if you can change something that doesn’t even exist in a different property, then…” She started to make a point on it. “It becomes part of the element, MADE out of the element.” She threw the object into the other’s lap, a small black dagger the height of the her hand.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpe59ByzcsS
“You can’t melt it, you can’t freeze it. It’s forced to stay THAT element until changed by someone who can control the element itself.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRCnvsVnzH
”… um, okay,” Aella said uncertainly. She supposed it at least made sense to Neoma, and that was important… The dagger resting in her hands was simple, dull and not decorated. After a few moments, it misted out of her hand, startling her, and dripped off it into the shadows. Then it was back into Neoma’s hand.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLxGYokB7D
"Woah…" The blonde stared as it got a shadowy look again, and Neoma used her fingernail to start carving something into it. 772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0L8zUOLto
"It’s made of shadows, it can’t be anything but. Therefore you need to solidfy, liquefy, or make it into a gas like a shadow, or just leave it a shadow."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0XBRdtW55
”… Uh huh..?” Aella’s head was spinning by then, absolutely confused. She really DID try to pay attention, but…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcl1HcjATk
Neoma glanced up at the other with a soft sigh. “Okay, the idiot version. Now imagine that I threw this into the fire.” She held up the knife. “It will heat up, yes, but at which point would it melt? It wouldn’t.” She made the shadow become solid in her hands. “But say that I had…” She dipped her hand into a shadow, cupping them and pulling it up. “A liquid shadow. It won’t freeze and become solid. It also won’t become a gas. It’s going to stay a liquid.” She let it fall back into the shadows, picking up the knife again.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKpQY0CqMI
”But… why?” she asked, trying to sort all of this information out.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bwzcFH7ue
“It’s only a shadow, Aella.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVcsSJGHQk
”Okay..”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7D9pdtBVB
“But when you’re really powerful, you can practically turn them into a weapon. Now, it won’t work against some things, but against elements that are the opposite of mine…” A ton of pin-like shadows rose around Neoma, disappearing a bit in the dark and showing in the light of the fire. “… or humans, ‘cause no offense, but your kind are easy to hurt…” She let the pins drop. “It becomes a weapon.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4yDq9A65o
”Oh.” That, at least, seemed to make a little more sense…772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlrhcPyHZJ
Neoma grabbed the knife, holding it up. “Your shifter friend, it probably won’t hurt like this. It won’t hurt me, either, seeing as I did make it.” She pressed the tip of the blade to her palm and pushed down, but instead of stabbing through, it only flattened into her hand, spreading out in a circle.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJB7Jeq2d9
”Wow… that’s really neat.” Aella’s eyes were wide.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZxtMebOh2
She moved next to the girl, grabbing her arm and pressing the blade to it. It wasn’t enough to draw blood, but enough to prove a point. “For you, any harder would break skin, but for me, not even a chance.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaGKPIVrID
”Wow… that must be neat.” Aella felt a little stinging sensation where the sharp edge met skin, but there wasn’t a drop of blood.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAefwYmNTJ
Neoma nodded. “I can also…” She dropped the knife, holding both her hands up and raising a thin sheet of shadow in an almost misty effect. “Try punching through it.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvJzJ3Y3oX
"Just… punch it?" Aella tipped her head.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TcZo82yFB
“Not too hard, just proving a point here.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnqqiiIpIO
”A-Alright.” Aella aimed a light punch at it (okay, a REALLY light punch). It seemed to solidify as she hit it. “Oh, wow.” She pulled back her fist, watching as it returned to a a misty look when there was no longer pressure against it. “That’s really cool.”772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDZPdbiSNi
"Now, let’s say someone with a light ability or weapon attacked it? It would break through. On the other hand, if I attacked a light shield with my shadow, I’d break that."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD083LktjYP
"Huh."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDGihtTTDc
She nodded. “Fire might crack it.” She pushed down the shield, looking at the shadow ball still sitting in the fire.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUH9C73e7j8
Aella blinked. “Huh,” she repeated.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKr1Z9SofgD
"Now, if you got your hands on a light weapon, you could break it too. A fire one would probably burn your hand, though…"772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz7fBX8zTT
"That’s really interesting.~" Aella hummed, gazing into the fire and the black pit in its center.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIhdzaXvHH
Neoma nodded, looking at the sky. “The stars here are weird,” she stated unexpectedly.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtlZhMhTzO
"Weird how?" Aella looked at her, blinking.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqfZaK0SrP
"Not in the same places." She shook her head.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos2bzvk9w2
"So it’s different in your world, huh… I’d like to see how they look there."772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YMOCtAKeg
She nodded, closing her eyes. It didn’t seem likely that she would answer any more questions, and was clearly done with her explanation… Aella sighed and let her eyes flicker shut as she realized just how tired she was.772Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaM10Agpsf
Penana
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