lifeaftr | In the pines where the sun never shines

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In the pines where the sun never shines

Who: Pyrrha and CT
What: Explorin!
When: Backdated to the 22nd
Where: Nuidan, I7
Warnings: Uh, two girls talking?

It was a good day to get out for a while, see some of the sights the new island had to offer, bring along a friend like Connie. Probably be even better if they try to avoid any wasps because Pyrrha hadn't brought along any soap bubbles today.

As it was, they were just making their way to the divide that separated the quadrants. Coming in front the east, Pyrrha hadn't worn more than a newly procured jacket to protect her from the brisk fall air. Something about coming to this area, standing under these bright red trees, feeling the crunch of leaves beneath her shoes... it felt like home, at least for fleeting moments.

She turns her gaze south, squinting at the horizon. She could almost feel the harsh winds nipping at her face. "Something tells me that we'll want to stick to this area. I don't think I dressed for a hike through the snow."

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Thanks to the joint request to the Storyteller, CT's got plenty of clothes now, even if none of them are exactly what she'd have chosen on her own. Still, she'd chosen to wear her armor for this. It's an unknown area - literally uncharted territory, and without knowing what awaits them, especially after the fiasco with the flower disease, she's not taking any chances.

Besides, she has a feeling Wash's disapproval would have manifested into a physical thing if she'd tried to go in anything else than full armor.

So the colder weather isn't exactly a dealbreaker for her. Still, that doesn't mean she wants to tromp through the snow. She stops when Pyrrha does, turning to look south, helmet tucked under her arm as it has been all day.

"I don't know how much we'd find out there anyway." She glances around, up at the sky, then back south, frowning thoughtfully.

"It's weird how fast it changes, though..."

Pyrrha likewise had a good stock of clothing, some she liked, some she had for necessity, and even a few that Nari had picked out for her. Still, CT had the right thinking, wearing her armor on an expedition like this. At least Pyrrha had still opted to wear her leg armor and arm guards.

But she did keep that dress CT convinced her to put on. That wasn't going away anytime soon.

"I know, it feels almost as if there's... a line of some kind that dictates what kind of weather is where."

She turns back to CT, shouldering her metal broom. For such an odd-looking weapon, CT would be one of the few that knew of its true nature.

"Of course, that's nonsense, right? I guess it wouldn't happen normally, but this forest does remind me of one back home. It looked just like this."

And she resumes walking, still in the direction of what she hopes is the coastline. No snow for her today.

CT walks alongside her, studying that invisible line between snow and sun.

"It wouldn't be the most impossible thing that's happened here..." Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised at this point. She sure doesn't have a better explanation for how the climate could change so abruptly.

But wondering about it isn't going to produce any answers. She tears her gaze away, looking curiously at Pyrrha instead. Pyrrha hasn't spoken to her much about home.

"What forest?"

"Forever Fall. It's..." She stops, glancing back at CT. "That's right, I've... never really told you, have I? Or, anyone."

Except maybe Max and Touko. Because that's just the sort of thing sisters talk about.

"It's a forest north of the kingdom of Vale. A beautiful one, all the trees are bright red, all year round." If CT didn't understand what was meant by the name... at least it's pretty obvious. Pyrrha starts walking again, suddenly feeling nostalgic for home. Now there's a feeling she'd almost forgotten about.

"I went there on a school project, once. The tree sap there is apparently delicious."

CT shakes her head, but doesn't say anything, waiting for Pyrrha to explain.

"It sounds amazing." She tries to imagine it, fall all year round. Maybe it's a little easier than it normally would be to picture it, standing here in a similar autumn forest and looking at snow on the horizon, but she's still quiet for a moment, thinking.

"Do you know what causes it? Is it...magic or something?" Does Pyrrha's world even have magic?

There's plenty to explain, CT. You may be waiting a while if you really wish to know all about it.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool." She'll admit, it's one of the first thing she wanted to see on return to Remnant, partly because she really wanted Nari to see it too. Right here in this side of the island, it seemed all too familiar.

"Magic?" She turns back to CT, something of a glint in her eye that passes quickly. And she smiles. "Well, I wouldn't say red leaves are magic, but it might have something to do with the red sap that all the trees have? I wouldn't know for sure, but there's definitely a lot of sap, and it's very sweet too."

"So it's not like...fall colors. Just red leaves." Her mental image shifts slightly, something a little more vibrant and alive, and she nods to show her understanding.

"Do you just...drink it? What's it taste like?"

"That's one way of looking at it, yes." And she wouldn't argue. After all, there were more fall colors than bright red. "But this place is still close enough to it. That... feels nice."

Pyrrha stops to inspect a bush, and the scattered sprigs of berries on it. And just when she's about to state something herself, she hears CT's question, and she looks up. Briefly, it's hard to say what she's thinking, but it seems like she's reminiscing again.

"No, not me." She says with a laugh, as well as a shake of her head. "I've heard it's very sweet. A friend of mine, Nora, she drank at least two whole jars of it on a school trip."

"Yeah." She gets it. Even places that aren't quite home...sometimes, they're close enough. Sometimes just the little things are enough.

She stops when Pyrrha does, less interested in the berries herself but willing to let Pyrrha take her time and explore if she wants to.

"Two jars?" Accurate or not, she's imagining something like maple syrup, and she makes a face, shaking her head even as she grins. "That sounds disgusting. I bet she got sick."

"Two jars!" She repeats with a downright proud look on her face. Standing up again, she plants her hands on her hips and smiles.

"You'd think that, but Nora is definitely made of some strong stuff. She'd have to be if her power involves getting electrocuted all the time."

Which she mentions so offhandedly.

She says it so matter-of-factly, and CT's still so caught up on someone drinking two jars of tree sap, that at first she just nods. Then she actually registers what Pyrrha's saying, and she looks up at her blankly.

"Her...power?" Of course she thinks first of the Freelancers' armor enhancements, but none of those had involved getting electrocuted.

"Ah... Right." She scratches her cheek in slight embarrassment. Here she is, getting ahead of herself again.

"That right. Her 'power', so to speak. Huntsmen and Huntresses all have a special ability known as a Semblance." She explained. "It's something that you discover over time, and it's special only to you. For instance: Nora could absorb electricity through her body to make her stronger."

She frowns. It does sound a little like the armor enhancements - special powers, unique to each person. But none of them had discovered those, or had access to them outside of their power armor.

"So how did they get these...Semblances?"

"Well, it's... work. A lot of it, but it can be relatively simple if you know what to do."

She stands up and approaches CT again, looking at her with a calm expression, turning into a smile as she recounts.

"You see, it all connects to Aura, which is essentially an extension of our soul. Once unlocked, our Aura manifests in amazing ways, holding our burdens and shielding our hearts." Her smile slips into more of a grin. "That is, we can gain the ability to shield ourselves from damage with our Aura, that's the simplest use for it. And a Semblance is a part of our Aura as well, just showing itself in a more tangible form."

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In the pines where the sun never shines

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