[FINI] A Gathering in the Park

[Vyn]

(Prior to my FanFic, Turning Points. Xylia, and therefore Cecilia, is about 16 years old.)

Mother was away meeting with Father, and Maxwell had come with the children as well. The lot of them were together at the park or, rather, they were all supposed to be. Most of them, as was often habit of adolescents, had gone off on their own but a few remained despite it all.

Alright. So a 'few' narrowed down very neatly to Xylia and Cecilia so far but one was never sure as to when another might eventually meet up. This was, after all, the place where the two families were to meet in the end.

"Were you the only other to arrive?" Xylia questioned as she watched the bejeweled Torquehelm sunning herself in a small patch of open grass in the park. Her eyes were closed and she wore a haughty look that plainly said "I'm ignoring you". That, of course, was all the answer she bothered to offer and Xylia expected no more. If someone had actually been there, Cecilia would've rushed her off to them as soon as she saw possible. With a shake of her head, Xylia moved away from the basking female to find herself some possible company.

At least, some company that would keep better than Cecilia. The bedazzled and bejeweled diva was simply not Xylia's sort of company.

[Kitty]

Tavor had found his way to the park as well, but it had nothing to do with any plans that he may have had. He was just wandering, and trying to get away from well... everyone at this point. He really didn't want to be picked on again and some time alone seemed to be exactly what he needed, but how could you really be alone in the capitol? It wasn't really a concept that the mixed region's mind fully grasped.

He was, actually, looking pretty pathetic as of late. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a decent meal and his frame was thin and bony to support the fact that it'd been quite awhile, and his coat was looking gruff as well. His steps and the way he carried his wings, which weren't entirely folded, made him look tired and run down, and in a way he was.

He came out from behind some brush and found himself near a green and black form, and if said form didn't stop fast enough... the two would surely bump into one another.

((Sorry it's crappy... gotta run to work.. .x.x ))

[Vyn]

Sadly for both Tristan and Xylia, the black and green doe was not watching where she was going. Typically she was much better at keeping an eye out for others, may they be bigger or smaller than she was, but with her mind broiling over just how obnoxious the vain little diva Cecilia was, she simply wasn't. With a soft 'oomph' she stumbled into the strange little mixed breed and tumbled backward onto her rump.

"O!"

She gasped out softly, leaning forward abruptly to take in the sight of the weathered little creature she'd just had the misfortune of running into. Of course, only a misfortune because he seemed the poor sort to need anything but being unwittingly trampled upon.

"I'm so sorry! I really should've been watching where I was going!" In her usual compassionate and concerned way, Xylia lept up and hurried to the stranger; wishing she could offer him a 'hand up'. "Did I hurt you?"


Meanwhile, all the commotion brought the attention of one single person back upon the small group. Cecilia had opened one fetching eye to peer at the noisy situation going on not far from her and instantly both eyes flew open. Her gaze had gone directly to the one place where most people's would (all except for Xylia, of course, who was too busy worrying if she'd trampled him with her hooves) and she sat staring at his Lowlander-esque markings and rotting tail.

The pretty little doe shivered, her mind filling up with dark things that she should not have been thinking but which she thought far too often. Her body burnt suddenly and she squirmed where she'd laid, but only for the briefest of moments. Soon she had control again and simply turned her lovely head away as she closed her eyes once more.

[Kitty]

And when he was bumped into he stiffened himself up and closed his eyes, preparing for some sort of beating. He'd found it usually lasted a much shorter time if he said nothing and did nothing to stop his attacker. This was a female, yes, but she was still older and bigger then he was. He wasn't in any was looking forward to being hit with those hooves though.... they had looked quite sharp from what little glimpse he'd gotten of them.

But that beating that he was waiting for, or at least some colorful angry words, never came. In fact .... was she apologizing? To him? He unlidded one of those pretty blue eyes and peered up at her, and then the other came open as well. She was worrying over him? He simply sat and stared at her for a moment, bewildered and not entirely sure what it was that he should do.

Finally, however, he found him voice and spoke to her in his soft little voice. Oh no, no you didn't hurt me at all... you're not angry at me?

[Vyn]

Xylia was not your sort to use colorful words of anger, even at her most enraged. Mephitisia might, but Xylia? Oh no. She was far too good willed for that! Nor was she the sort to beat someone she had already trampled and, the poor boy, who appeared so utterly downtrodden already! He didn't need further beatings, aces no, he needed some genuine care!

"Of course I'm not angry with you! It was I that stumbled into you! If anyone should be angry, it should have been you."

The adolescent doe smiled weakly, her eyes flickering with concern as they slid over his small and battered frame. He looked like he needed quite a bit. A good meal, a hot bath and a comfortable bed. The young Corvistownian shifted thoughtfully and then broke into a bright smile.

"My name's Xylia, by the way! What's your name?"


Cecilia was trying so hard. So hard to ignore not only Xylia and the little boy she'd taken pity on, but the memories. Her body was growing hot even as she laid there, stiff as a board, with those memories coursing so forcefully through her head. Years later she could feel his hands still. A dozen other men couldn't make her forget the way he made her feel.

Oh by the Queens! Why couldn't she make those memories stop!?

[Kitty]

If she were to really take a look at his coat, besides the dirty, unkempt look of it, she'd see his growing collection of scars. Being an orphan living on the streets was hard enough, but being half Lowlander made his life harder by at least ten fold. There was another thing that didn't help him either... unlike his father he was a Club, something he'd found seemed to make people look down on him as well. Rank wise he wasn't to bad off, being an eight, but life was still hard and terribly painful for the young lad.

He shifted his wings a bit, relaxing as she spoke. He may have thought the worst of people initially, but he still clung to some childish naivety and trusted others far to easily. The older doe before him just seemed so bright and her concern seemed genuine to him, so he felt calm. This kind of interaction, this ever so pleasant kind, was new to him and he wasn't entirely sure how to react and he fidgeted a bit, but not in a truly uncomfortable manner. Snowy auditories perked slightly at her introduction, Xylia? Now that was a nice name, and he was sure it meant something far more cheerful then his own name did.

When he spoke this time his voice had a bit more confidence then it had before. My name is Tavor, it's a pleasure to meet you... Xylia.

Beyond that he wasn't quite sure how to begin a conversation, but she seemed like a decent conversator, so maybe she could teach him a thing or two?

[Vyn]

Xylia had already decided that she was to adopt Tavor in a sense. Not like a mother adopted a son, but like...well, like a girl took in a stray pet. Only a bit more intimately than that. Tavor needed a friend, and Xylia would be that friend. A bit of cleaning up and even his lowlander heritage wouldn't be too bad. Honestly, she thought, if they just dressed up those gaping wounds then they wouldn't be nearly so hard on the eyes!

For Tavor, though, Xylia's main concern was not his obvious wounds but the ones that must've cut deeper. The ones that struck the blows you couldn't see and always lasted the longest.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Tavor." She beamed sweetly, bouncing slightly with cheerful energy. So much better than being forced to spend the evening with Cecilia! "Do you want to go for a walk, Tavor? The park is huge and I've never really gotten a chance to explore it before." She paused thoughtfully before tilting her head and grinning sweetly. "O! What about swimming? There's a swimming hole just around the way! We could go play there if you'd like."


Cecilia's body still ached and burned but she was stubbornly able to ignore the distress being brought onto her by the sight of the Lowlander. He was not Him, she was sure she would never see Him again... It was a thought which should not have made her sad, and yet it did. Sighing softly, she opened one beautiful eye once more, staring at the duo.

They were just talking and, to Cecilia's relief, she was adjusting to the sight of him. He was quite cute too... Did Xylia say the swimming hole?? Well then! Perhaps she could accompany them if Tavor did like the idea of it.

[Kitty]

Tavor had yet to notice Cecilia, and Xylia hadn't made any backward glances or anything and thus he was none the wiser of her presence. In fact, he was so focused on Xylia that he didn't even sense her glances.

His colors actually were quite fetching with one another, right down to his purple claws, and perhaps hiding his affliction would gain him some favor in the world, he didn't have the tell tale lowland swirls and there were other brown coated regions, but it definitely wouldn't solve all his problems. Then again, everyone had problems, but Xylia would know that.

We could do either one... I've never been swimming though, what is swimming?

Walking he knew how to do, and what it was and what you had to do to perform it... but swimming? That was beyond his limited knowledge, but if she suggested it surely it couldn't be frightening, or painful, could it? She seemed rather excited about it, or rather in general actually. It kind of oozed off her form and he couldn't help but feel a bit lighthearted as well. His expression, however, held more curiosity then anything else.

[Vyn]

Xylia simply couldn't help but be cheerful, especially in times such as these when she was getting to make friends. The fetching female was simply happy to be giving another a lift. For a moment she was forced to pause and toss her head ever so slightly, forcing her increasingly errant mane back from her eyes. It had grown an oh-so annoying habit of falling into her eyes as she got older. Pesky thing, really.

The pause luckily made her initial reaction to Tavor mentioning he couldn't swim not as noticeable as it would've been otherwise. What was swimming??? He didn't know!? The little doe shook off her surprise swiftly and smiled once more, beaming at the unusual but rather adorable little male.

"O!" She exclaimed gently. "You've never been swimming?" Gently she motioned for Tavor to move ahead. "Why don't you come down to the swimming hole and I'll teach you all about it! There aren't many lakes in Corvistowne where I live, so getting to come and play in the water is just great!"


Cecilia continued to watch from afar, though her body slowly uncoiled enough that she could lift up and pursue them once they began to walk away. If nothing else this would be interesting to watch but Cecilia was betting on it being more than just an entertaining show. After all, once Xylia had succeeded in nearly drowning the rat, Cecilia could step in and play the caring 'angel' to soothe away his woes.

Oh yes, quite entertaining.

[Kitty]

He did still catch her surprise, but he didn't mind it. Was swimming really that common that it was odd that he didn't even know what it was? It was something that needed to be shown as well? What on earth could it be? In a lake, wait, what was a lake again? Oh, yes.... water, it had to do with water. That is, if he remembered what a lake was, he should probably clarify that. Oh, wait, she said she liked playing in the water here? Well, that was a good enough clarification for him.

Are lakes big?

He'd lived on the streets most of his life and his education had been limited as the homes he'd been in were when he was little, before he really had any rotted areas, so he presently had the knowledge of a small child, and the curiosity to go with it.

He moved forward, not really keeping his eyes on the path ahead, but more on Xylia, awaiting her answer. She seemed to be a well of information and he very much wished to gain more.