Topic: Full Moon

Devin Archon

Date: 2008-04-28 00:32 EST
"This does not make any sense to me." There was evident irritation in the way Paola?s face went completely blank. The clearing within the forest was far away enough for Paola and Devin to practice the exchanged gifts as the bond grew to its strongest right before the full moon. Paola had already adopted several Fire attributes: more emotional, making decisions off emotions, and even wore minimal amounts of clothing. Now, her eyes shifted and change from gold to darker hues, the fire stream she had been attempting disappearing as she sucked the air away.

Devin raked black hair back from his forehead and turquoise flicker-flashed behind the mild brown shade of his eyes as he watched her. The strength of her Air was growing in him, though the changes were perhaps less obvious. ?You just demonstrated it ? it?s really more about the air than the fire when you?re making a stream like that. Look ? watch. The air creates a channel, and that feeds into the fire. It?s a way to keep it fueled without nearly as much effort.? Well ? that was a simple explanation, right? He concentrated, and turquoise lit and glowed in his eyes, and then swirled oddly with gold as a channel of flames carved through the air.

She watched him, her fingers running lightly over her curls as she watched. He was more patient with her than she had expected, and found that she became more impatient and frustrated than she thought was appropriate. It completely baffled her, and she as constantly taking deep breaths and trying to control her mood. "You made it seem so much easier to control the fire with the air than it is for me."

He repeated her earlier method of killing the flames, abruptly withdrawing the air from the channel of fire. A thoughtful look passed over his face, then. ?But I am Fire. You?re borrowing it ? and you can still handle the air that much better than I can. Besides,? he turned to face her squarely, and gestured as he tried to work out the thoughts in his head as he said them. ?Think about it. Fire has always relied on Air and Earth, used them. But neither Air nor Earth need Fire the same way. It?s only an extension of what I?ve always done, for me ? it?s something completely new, for you.?

"Yes, I suppose you?re right." She gave another sigh, before trying again. She tried to let the air lead and fuel the fire, sending the stream in twists and turns to follow a senseless pattern. Her eyes returned to the lighter shades with bright blue specks within them.

Now for the harder part of this ? or at least harder for him ? as her stream of fire and air wound nonsense patterns through the sky. The flare of gold vanished almost entirely from his eyes as he looked up at the clear blue they practiced under. Vibrant turquoise lit again as he tried to gather the raw wind and send it hurtling toward her patterns. It slipped through his mental fingers, again and again, until finally he spit out a frustrated curse under his breath.

She felt his attempts, his growing irritation, and moved her flames to gather in a large orb well above their heads. She glanced over to him, amusement wanting to lift the corners of her lips. "It is all about precision. The air may seem to be loose, but to control it takes only that much more control. Try focusing on a smaller portion." She began to put the fire in the same unpredictable pattern.

The words gritted out between his teeth, ?Smaller portions won?t do a whole lot of good.? Despite that, he tried to refine his grasp at the winds as she directed. Precision was not exactly his strongest suit. Finally he managed to direct one gust of air into a lance ? and then a whirl that rose up and started to reach out and draw on the flames she was guiding about.

"Small are better than none at all." She tried to move the flames to make it more challenging for him, but not so hard that he would not succeed. She wanted him to have some sense of accomplishment to make the training easier for the days to come. Finding a rhythm with the flames now that they were out there, she looked to study him from the corner of her eyes.

Face set with concentration, he whipped the wind higher ? only to have it slip his grasp yet again. This time when he lost control the whirlwind didn?t evaporate ? it accelerated. This time the curse wasn?t under his breath ? and he lifted one hand and balled it into a fist, the gesture somehow helping as he wrenched back the lost control and cut off the twist of air harshly enough to cause an ear-popping pressure change.

Paola was about to let go of the flame and help take control of the whirlwind. She had failed to mention to him that those types of winds were not her forte, and so they would be extremely difficult for him. Once he stopped the winds with such force, it threw her off and the flames died in an instant. "Oh, by the Goddess Devin!" She practically hissed, her ears ringing and reacting to the difference.

The ache in his own ears combined with snapping frustration had him glaring back at her hissed out words. ?And you?re having that much better luck?? Internal wince as soon as the words snapped out. He didn?t retract them, though ? sometimes the infusion Air calmed him, sometimes, as now, it lit the embers of temper even higher.

Devin Archon

Date: 2008-04-28 00:34 EST
Baffled for only a moment, her face went blank again. Rather than saying the first and several angry words that came to her mind, she said nothing at all. Shifting on her heels to give her back mostly to him, she began the process of trying to condense flames to see what would happen.

It was like hitting a mental wall. That was perhaps the first time someone had simply ? not responded ? to an inflammatory remark like the one he?d just made. He blinked once, and then again, and turquoise faded slowly from his eyes. Dark brown regret took its place, and he stepped forward to reach out and place a hand on her shoulder. Before he actually made contact, he paused. Low voice was sincere. ?I?m sorry. I didn?t mean that ? I?m just tired, and frustrated, and taking it out on you.?

"I know." She said, not making it clear if it was meant for all of his statement or just a part of it. The flame evaporated in her palms, but she did not turn around just yet. "I was just trying to help you; I did not mean to be so sharp."

Wry smile turned his mouth upwards at the corners. ?If you think that was sharp ? well, it wasn?t. Not even close.? After a moment he lowered the hand to touch her shoulder, the skin there bared by her sleeveless top. The contrast of his dark-copper skin against her pale tones was still fascinating, but at the moment he was too distracted. This bonding had produced some strange effects, and he still wasn?t sure if she ever heard the odd half-echoes of thoughts and emotions as he did. The problem was, of course, that echoes distorted things.

She looked over her shoulder to him, catching faint whispers of his thoughts before they scattered away. "It was sharp for the occasion, and I do not care for it." Her hand lifted to pat his that rested on his shoulder for a moment, before turning around to face him, "I know it is hard, right now. I feel it too."

A sigh escaped before he took a breath and answered. ?It?s hard, and I feel like we?re racing against a clock that?s set against us. I need to take a break ? I can?t keep at this any more right now. You?? It was a simple question, and half-way an unspoken offer, but what he was offering was truly anyone?s guess. For now the need for physical action had him lifting his hand from her shoulder to clench the tri-colored amulet around his neck in a fist.

She was watching the anxiety build within him, and it brought concern to her eyes, but she hid it from the rest of her features. Her own eyes back to their fluorescent color, she gave a confident and reassuring smile, "I would like to take a break, yes." She did not insert a plan to his open suggestion, but simply let him know that she would be with him regardless what he needed.

Words finally dragged out slowly as it came to him, what he needed the break to do. ?I need some time in the circle. To center ? I need my balance back. Would you spar with me? Or keep the beat while I run through the forms? Not for too long ? but right now, I need this.? With decision made, his grip on the amulet relaxed as he looked at her. Without knowing what she knew of his preferred martial art, he didn?t know what she would make of the request.

The request surprised her, and she licked her lips for a moment. She knew very little of his fighting method, but did not want to disappoint with only keeping a rhythm either. "I do not know much of it, but I will do whichever you wish."

Echo-reverberation; those weren?t the correct words for the sensation, but he had none better. That strangely formed echo had him explaining further while he dug his heel into the ground and dragged it as he formed out a circle perhaps three body-lengths across. ?Before you learn anything else in capoeira, you learn the rhythms, the songs of it. Everything else comes from those rhythms. Keep the beat for me this time, watch this time ? and next time we?ll spar. You?ll see what you have to do.? That was said confidently as he kicked off his shoes ? more hindrance than help for the circle ? and shrugged off the short-sleeved shirt he had been wearing.

She frowned slightly, though she nodded at his explanation and would follow whatever he told her. Waiting for him to give her a beat to keep, she was momentarily distracted by his discarded shirt. She cleared her throat, and nodded for him to continue with instructions.

Devin Archon

Date: 2008-04-28 00:35 EST
The beat was simple ? a one-two-three-pause ? and he kept it with her for several rounds before he smiled ? a flashing, open smile unlike those he?d shown in recent days ? and moved to the center of the circle. ?Ready?? No more warning than that before he began. The first motions were slow, stretches, sweeps with first one leg and then the other; there was grace and precision here that there wasn?t in his grasp of the Elemental powers.

She kept his beat soundly, finding the rhythm to be simple to follow and perform. His open smile warmed and soothed away some of her concern and she returned it fully. Once he began however, she was no longer watching someone she cared for. She was watching something new, and was taking mental notes to simply research and expand her knowledge.

Gradually, as tension eased away and he loosened into the movements, they became more fluid, rolling one into the next. As much time on his hands as his feet ? it seemed at first glance more like an athletic dance than a martial art. One palm met the ground and he pivoted his weight up onto it in a single handstand and then rolled that down into a low sweep. From one movement into the next, he sped the pace of the forms until it looked like a dance in truth.

She continued to keep the pace steady and true. The gradual formation of his fluid moves raised so many questions from her mind, but she still only watched and clapped. She wondered what this was like with several other people clapping and joining in at once. It was an experience she intended to have. Her eyes never left his form, and her mind was sharp on his movements.

A high kick spun him around and he used the momentum of that to launch into a tight back flip that never touched his hands to the ground. It was all within the confines of the circle, but the motions carried him across its area instead of remaining confined largely to one place as might have been expected. Minutes passed too quickly ? but this wasn?t meant to be one of the hours-long sessions he sometimes pushed himself through. A last series of aerial kicks and twists ended with a tucked back flip that he landed solidly, facing her. Faint sheen of sweat was just beginning to break out, but he wasn?t breathing heavily. He was, however, smiling at her with something approaching true joy.

She continued to watch in her fascination, her hands suddenly ceasing in the steady rhythm as he faced her. The glaze of his attention over his eyes faded, and she tried a faint smile, "You were magnificent." She said very quietly, glad to see his joy in his smile.

A slightly uncomfortable shrug rolled his shoulders back, but he couldn?t hide his pleasure at her praise, or the pride that went with it. ?You should see my Mestre ? the man who teaches me.? Devin crossed the circle to Paola, and smiled easily at her ? the tension that had been winding him in tighter and tighter knots somewhat released by the brisk workout. ?I had my break ? my way to relax. Thank you for that, but what about you??

"I am feeling fine now, I believe. I am able to relax knowing that you are happy for the time being." She smiled easy, letting her hands fall to rest at her sides. "We have the time to rest longer, should it please you."

Catching a stray curl that had wandered into her face and twisting it around one finger in an absent gesture, he studied her at the offer. ?I?d like to ? but then again, I wouldn?t. We won?t have much time in the Chaotic realm, and we don?t have much time to prepare for it.? Here the drive that propelled him showed itself again ? the drive that would let him burn himself to ashes rather than fail.

"Devin," it was just that kind of determination that she wanted to steer from. When the Fire was not bright within her, the cool, collected side returned once more, "We cannot wear ourselves down so much that we are tired before we even truly begin. We still have at least another bonding chance to learn from each other."

Cold logic, but there was good sense to it as well. He sighed, and then looked up at the sky that had once again returned to clear blue as they had left off their manipulations. ?A while longer, then.? Letting free the curl, he instead lowered his hand to take hers. ?And what would you like to do with this while, my Lady Air?? Faint smile added a touch of bright gold to the shade of dark brown in his eyes.

Her hand fit snugly in his, and a more relax smile appeared. "Well, I suppose first thing is first." She tugged on that hand to bring him close enough to give him a sweet kiss. She enjoyed the smell of clean sweat on him. Keeping it sweet and brief, she pulled away slightly, "My only other request is to sit for a bit."

The kiss was enjoyed, brief as it was, but he laughed when she pulled back to make her request. ?That?s something easily enough done.? It was only a short walk over to where they had left their things at the beginning of the day, and he folded down easily to a cross-legged seat on the ground and drew her down beside him. Evidence that his mind hadn?t entirely left the earlier topic of conversation came with his next question. ?Do you think we should volunteer for the smaller group??

Paola

Date: 2008-04-30 03:46 EST
She grazed the back of her knuckles against his cheek for a moment, before following him to sit as close as she could by his side. "I do, yes. It might be best to have us be as experienced as we can be. It can mean that we will be in the midst of things." She studied him, "Will you be okay with that?"

When she sat so closely beside him, he wrapped his arm around her waist. The question merited serious consideration, and light fled from his eyes to leave them coal-black. ?I?ve no fears for my own risk. But ? it will be hard to see you in danger. Very hard.? A surge of the fear he had felt at the bonding ceremony rose violently within him, and he squashed it back; trying not to let that fear echo back to her, if she was indeed receiving the same effects that he was.

She caught the wisps of his fear, certain that he felt more than what she was able to capture. She was touched with his concern, but she did not want it to be in the way of what they needed to accomplish. "I will be right at your side, Devin, like it or no. I would not wish to be next to any other." She kissed his cheek affectionately, "We will do this together."

Affection added light back to what had been dark ? and then an imp of mischief reappeared and flickered turquoise in his gaze. Without the pressure, when he was relaxed, grasping the winds seemed easier. In this case, he turned a breeze to tangle through her hair, blowing it into her face and then back away when she pulled back from kissing his cheek. Cocky smile emerged as he looked at her. ?Of course we?ll do it together. There isn?t anyone else good enough to stand by your side.?

She laughed warmly, the gentle breeze heightening her mood and her arms wrapped around his neck. "No there is not." With his concern dear to her, and their time together precious, she took this time to be an excuse to snuggle close to him.

Throwing her arms around his neck like that was a good excuse ? Devin went backwards as if her snuggled had thrown him off-balance. Both his arms went around her waist, and he pulled her down on top of him with a laugh. ?And I?m glad you know it, too.? The battle-bond had sometimes increased their frustration with themselves and each other, but it also seemed to increase their understanding.

He got a squeal from her as he dragged her on top of him. Blushing and laughing as he caught her off guard, she snuggled even closer, basking in the warm feeling he always gave her. "I have been told that I am a bright one." She rubbed her nose against his, a light disposition coming to her.

Laughter followed the rub of nose against nose, and he freed one hand to poke the tip of her nose lightly when she pulled back. ?I really can?t imagine where you got that idea. It couldn?t be the library you keep calling a set of rooms, could it?? Moments like this, of teasing and laughter, had been scarce lately while they drove themselves to master their exchanged gifts. Devin was enjoying himself.

"I think that is a result of other's encouragement. Now it has become habitual and an addiction." She giggled at the finger to her nose. Her hands went to tickle his ribs, "You encourage me also!"

Squirming away from her tickling was almost impossible when she was on top of him ? and that by his own will. So he grabbed for her hands and laughed back up at her. ?It was only the one book that I gave you!? And that had been a challenge in and of itself, finding something he thought she?d like that she didn?t already possess in her hundreds of books.

"And it is my favorite one." He captured her hands, and she made no move to remove them. Her eyes swirled to a magenta color as she looked down at him, the grin never erasing from her face. Her life had changed so much in these short months, but she could not imagine their shared experiences without him.

?You might be flattering me.? His tenor voice was serious, but gold and copper danced with orange and hints of cherry-red as he watched her swirling magenta eyes. Despite almost two weeks of seeing her changing gaze instead of the clear, vibrant turquoise he was more accustomed to, he still found the play of light fascinating. It was only one of many things about her he found fascinating; suspicion that these sparks would die as so many had before was slowly easing away.

"I might be, yes. And while I speak truth, I would flatter no other." She was usually unaware of when her eyes changed colors, or when, and this time was no different. The magenta swirled to match varying shades of purple, before returning back to the magenta. "And speaking of flattering," she paused to give him a quick, teasing kiss, "are you going to cook for us tonight?" Her voice was unashamedly hopeful.

He traded the quick, teasing kiss for a slightly longer one before he smiled back up at her for the hopeful tone to her voice. ?I might be persuaded to do such a thing. Did you have anything in particular in mind?? While he knew there were some dishes she particularly enjoyed, he never had been able to guess which she would prefer on any given day. And the few times she had cooked dinner for them both had been ? eventful was probably a kind word for it.

"No preference other than a fine meal with fine company. I am sure we can work out an arrangement for payment." Her lips returned his longer one, before making a similar quick and teasing trail along his jaw line and to his ear. While she was still learning from their relationship, she was slowly becoming more open in her teasing and her personality.

Devin?s voice turned dry as she trailed the kisses along to his ear, although the brief closure of his eyes indicated his enjoyment of her actions. ?Somehow I?m sure you?re right.? She was becoming more open, the cool reserve that seemed to hold so many at bay slowly thawing. As she was changing so was he, and the flares and quick changes of mood, though not less frequent, were often not as extreme as previously.

She giggled again, giving him a last, satisfying snuggle before lifting her head high enough to peer down at him. Her eyes returned to their normal vibrant hue, but her enjoyment and humor were still within them, "How about we finish up here then, and then we can start dinner??

?I think that sounds like a fantastic plan. I marvel at your wisdom, My Lady Air. Although that will mean you have to get up off of me first.? He was grinning as he teased her, hands resting on her hips lightly. There was also a rock pressing into the small of his back, so getting up wasn?t a suggestion he was going to argue with for the moment.

Paola

Date: 2008-04-30 03:49 EST
"I am a marvel now?" Purposely twisting his words, she laughed fully before regretfully moving off of him to stand. Absently brushing off invisible dirt from her pants, she waited for him to stand before they continued, "What shall we work on next?"

As he stood, Devin scooped up his short-sleeved shirt. Rather than re-donning it, however, he just slung it over one shoulder so that he wouldn?t forget it. Paola?s question got a few moments of thought before he looked at her seriously. ?Shields. We use the elements so differently for shielding ? I wonder if there?s a way to integrate the way we do things??

"I think that is an excellent idea." She moved back towards the middle of the clearing, her eyes glowing the vivid blue first as she created an air shield around her, "Show me how you make yours." Now thinking she had never really seen one before.

With the access to Air provided by the battle bond, Devin could ?see? Paola?s shield in a way he hadn?t before. It seemed a solid shell around her, with no cracks or crevices to allow in an attack. Gold glow shone his eyes bright as he called up the shields of a Fire. They were utterly different in everything but basic form. His shield was a similar egg-shape around him, but it danced. It flowed and whirled and crackled merrily. There were no weak spots, because there was constant motion. Devin smiled at her through the flames. ?Attack me.?

She watched, trying to catch every detail as he built his shield. It was like watching waves break and curl, swirling in a protective bind around him. She could see the way it moved instead of seeing fire spewing in random directions. She was not certain that she could penetrate his shield, but she would do as he asked. She condensed the air around her, trying to cool the temperature and make a denser projectile. Once she was satisfied, she flung it to his shield to see what would happen.

Devin?s smile broadened and took on the familiar cocky edge as his shields demonstrated the true advantage of the Fires in this regard. Their shields were as much offense as defense ? the fire caught the projectile of solid air and swirled it around into the dance, absorbing it as fuel. But for all the cocky look of his smile, Devin?s eyes and voice were serious. ?Against Air or Earth, my shields will eat your attack and drain the strength you used to form it for as long as I have the strength to maintain them. Water ? well, that?s harder. And not every Fire has the strength or ability to do this as well. But for those who can, who bond to an Air ? ?

He paused, and then continued as he concentrated. ?I think you and I should be able to do this.? His turn to call up the air, and he laid it behind the fire. Solid wall behind the dancing swirls, and a tap from one element to the other fed the flames. Until he lost his grip on both elements, that is, and the layered shields flickered out.

She pondered his logic, a furrow deep between her brows as her shield stood, "Why would you not blend them? Make the Fire that much more difficult to penetrate? Air does fuel it, after all." It would be easier for him to perform rather than her, but she attempted just the same. She released her air shield and tried to mimic his shield with the fire, only she found several gaps and holes in hers. She would have to perfect this shield before making the fire most intense and uncontrollable.

Watching her reach to blend the elements, he could feel what she was trying to do. Puzzling over why he had thought of the layered shields instead of simply fueling the fires, he absently called up the simple shield composed only and entirely of fire. His answer came slow as he compared the differences between his and hers. ?I suppose it would depend on need. The weakness of a Fire shield is that a weapon can penetrate it. Not an arrow, unless it were of metal ? but a sword could go right through this. Fast enough, and the person wielding the sword wouldn?t even feel the heated metal. So against purely magical or elemental attacks, the fire shield alone or fueled by the Air would be what?s needed. But against a physical attack ? or one by a Water ? the layering means that the Air can deflect any blows.?

"True." She was still concentrating on her shield, but it seemed like dough in her fingers, with pieces slipping through her hold. "It is to my understanding that there will be little physical combat. It is however, better to learn both ways than prepare only one." As time progressed and her shield remained unsatisfactory, irritation began to rise again.

Paola

Date: 2008-04-30 03:50 EST
He could see her irritation rising as again and again the shielding slipped through her mental grasp. After three or four tries, he finally had an idea of why it might be frustrating her so. His voice was an exclamation as he realized it. ?Control! You?re used to having precise control over your element. It?s why I?m having such a hard time with the Air. Let the Fire have its way ? just guide it into the shape you want. Let it do the moving.?

"It will go everywhere if I did that." She said it before she truly thought upon his logic, and it bothered her more how quick she was to argue. Keeping her mouth firmly shut, she finally released her firm grip on the fire and allowed it to move and breathe, carefully shaping it to the best of her ability around her.

?But that?s what you want, within reason.? Devin?s answer was reasonable, calm, as if he hadn?t noticed her quicker temper. He had. He could also see when she let go the firm grip to allow the Fire to flow and move around her. The gaps that had been left sealed over, vanished into quicksilver dancing flames. He smiled broadly, and with no other warning than that launched a similar projectile of Air towards her that she had used against him.

She was still so deeply engrossed into her shield that the attack caught her completely off guard. With the last breath, she focused her attention on the portion of the shield that was being attacked, and watched it absorb his ball of Air, "I did it!" She exclaimed happy, anger gone as quick as it had arrived.

And marvelously, too, as you are marvelous. It was a thought that flickered, flashed through his mind while he watched her sudden bright joy, and he only voiced the first portion of that thought. ?And you did it marvelously. We?ll both need more practice on shields - but I can?t work on this more today. I don?t know about you, but I?m hungry, and I can feel the difference it?s making.?

She laughed lightly, carefully sucking the air away from the shield to kill the flames, "I could not agree more with you." She was not tapping into their bond, and was unable to catch his thoughts. She would wait for him to let his shields down before approaching him, "Have we decided what we are eating?" Of course meaning "him" when she said "we."

Killing his own shield by simply absorbing it back into his skin, he smiled at her ploy with the question. ?We have not ? but I thought that another stir-fry would be quick and easy, if you?re not tired of such.? One eyebrow arched up in question as he reached out to put an arm casually around her waist. The few belongings they had brought out to the clearing were only a short distance away, and they moved that direction as Paola considered her answer.

"I could never tire of your cooking, no matter what it is." She leaned companionably against him, her own arm wrapping around his hips. She gathered what she could, the blankets and the cloak she never used anymore. She carried it around out of habit.

There was little left to carry when she had taken the blankets and cloak ? his shirt and the picnic basket that had held their lunch. With those in hand, he guided their steps back in the direction of his quarters. ?You say that now. We?ll see what you think months from now.? The smile he gave her was one-sided, only a quick glance before he looked back at the path they walked down. Surprise was a bright light in his own eyes at how easily the assumption of a longer time together came to him.

"And I suppose that means by then we will have switched to my cooking?" While she had not missed his long assumption, she did not acknowledge it, rather liking the idea herself. "Surely you do not wish such a travesty upon us, Devin." Her eyes turned a light golden, some sparks of magenta within them, before they returned to their normal hue.

Gold humor kindled with the similar look in her eyes, and he laughed. ?After the last meal? I certainly do not ? at least not until I?ve taught you a bit more of the art. Tonight, for our empty stomachs, I?ll pass on the lesson in the interest of speed, however. Are you in the mood for something with heat and spice to it, or garlic and savor?? Releasing his light grip around her waist to open the door to his quarters, he was already mentally flipping through the items in the kitchen available for the meal.