Requiem for the Soul

[Anonymous]

Imagine a beautiful landscape, with wide flowing rivers, grassy hills, a valley in the far corner with a thick, dark wood to give a fine contrast.  In the distance, one can see mountains and how the streams lead up to them in a gentle rush of crystal blue water.  Few words could describe the awe and power of nature upon the mere sight of it.  And yet, despite its raw stature, it is soothing to the soul and gives one a feeling of tranquility.  Perhaps this place once existed.  Perhaps this was what a blue planet known as Earth looked like.

Now take this same landscape, add Man, science, and technology into the equation, and you get a wasteland.  For this was earth five thousand years later.

Or at least that was how Void remembered it.  Had it been so long since he’d visited this particular galaxy to this particular system that he could only vaguely picture the omnipresent beauty that was once a place called Earth?  It must have been, for he couldn’t calculate any other method in which to understand the inhospitable terrain that existed beneath his feet came to be.

As he let gravity take hold of his lean form and sink him down towards the dinginess below, he was met by the most unusual climate thrashing in his existence.  The air was thick and cloudy and dust threatened his eyes.  Internally, he thanked whoever was his creator that he could hold his breath for long periods of time.

Sealing off his lungs, Void let his body plummet towards the planet’s surface.  The air rushed pasted him as he fell like a sinking rocket.  He gained speed until he was practically free falling.  He didn’t expect the landing to be smooth.  Yet what he least expected the most was to land in the most out of place patch of green he’d ever seen.

The patched enlarged quickly, and soon became a mildly wide forest.  Immediately, he plunged into the depths of an unknown body of water.  Water filled his nostrils as he thrust open his eyes and felt his body slowly recover from the abrupt stop in a downward motion.  The stop was nearly a shock wave and his body instinctively reacted by fighting to break the surface.  He rushed against the fifteen feet of water above him, kicking with his boots until his hands reached thin air.  His purple hair was the first to be spotted as he gasped for breath.

Regaining some sense of calm, Void allowed himself to float upon the surface.  Still it was nothing like the weightlessness of space.  For a few brief seconds of glancing about, he could have sworn he had landed on another planet, for this single patch of green was the primary anomaly of what first greeted his sight.  Was this place all that remained of the old Earth?  This was almost too much to take in at once and for one who was as old as he was, it took a while to register something that was quite out of place.

So, he just floated there in the midst of the placid pond, every muscle in his body aching and throbbing from the recovery of the fall.  So it probably wouldn’t be very surprising if he looked like a dead body with his still form and ashen skin.

[Not the best post I've ever written but I hope you have enough to work with.]

[Anonymous]

A soft humming could be heard drifting through the wood, accompanied by a rhythmic crunching of twigs. A bug-eyed (and rather cute) furry rodent scampered up a nearby oak tree, shaking it's tail huffily at the raven-haired girl passing by and smiling at him, as pale white sunlight filtered gently through the trees, and scattered dry leaves shivered on skeletal branches, creating tiny bits of dancing light on the forest floor.

It was Autumn in Sevenwinds.

Della had taken a peek outside this morning and couldn't help but hang the “out for lunch” sign on her shop door earlier than usual.  The sunshine was radiant, bouncing off so many colored leaves and creating such an enticing glow that it seemed all the woods animals were out today simply just to enjoy the calm of the last natural forest on planet earth.
How can that be? Della asked herself, shuddering at the thought. She shook off the wave of despair looming over her and instead chose to live in the moment. This was a fairly regular battle for her.

Large basket in hand, she had spent the last hour or so taking a slow and careful stroll through the wilderness, gathering various plants with medicinal properties. This was the best time of year to collect some of the villages most coveted winter staples, and very few had the knowledge to properly extract the elements needed.  Della came in handy for that, she had quite a knack with anything that is was or will eventually be growing. Not to mention, it was decent for trading to get what she needed to survive with a little luxury added.

A clearing near a large pond came in to view up ahead and it was decided that this would be a perfect place to have a sit and enjoy a bit of lunch.  She placed her basket on the stump of a fallen tree and gracefully removed her cloak, spreading it on the ground to act as a picnic blanket, and made herself comfortable with her bread and pumpkin butter.

“What a glorious day!” she stated aloud, tossing a bread crust to the small Robbin a few feet ahead. Migration ceased to exist in this tortured world, as there are very few places to migrate to. The birds in this wood had learned to adapt themselves to the cold, harsh winters, and even still many didn't make it. Della smiled at him knowingly, compassionately acknowledging the struggle he was about to endure, and tossed him a whole slice of bread broken in to bird-sized bits.
 
“Eat your fill, little man. You're going to need it.”

The Robbin fluttered it's feathers gratefully and did just that. When it had devoured nearly half of the crumbs, it nudged the remainder into a small pile, which he gradually started picking up and flying away with, only to return and repeat. Della watched him,  very much amused, and imagined he must be taking them home to his nest to save for later. She rose to her feet in  search of wherever that might be, considering it might be a good idea to take note, so she could check up her new little friend when the days became a little colder.
She carefully peeked around the large tree she had been sitting against, trying to spot where the Robbin had gone without disturbing him. It was then, with quite a start, that she noticed the body in the water.

She stumbled backward, her heart catching in her throat and her hand moving quickly to cover her mouth. It was never good, finding people in the woods like this. More than once Della had discovered something dreadful hidden in her travels to the far edges of these lands.  A large number of residents to this area feared going too deep in to the forest, and with fair reasoning. There were creatures there that differed greatly from those they were quite used to. However, this particular pond wasn't in terribly deep at all, in fact it was scarcely two miles from the edge of town.

Della wrinkled her nose, somewhat confused, as she noted that whatever it was (it appeared to be human-ish, anyway) though discolored, wasn't plump and bloated like most things you find dead in the water. She squinted her eyes, peering closely, and decided something was not quite right here. She reached down and grabbed a fairly long stick, and proceeded to creep closer to the pond.

[Anonymous]

The form that floated in the pond and was slowly drifting toward the near edge had two arms, two legs, a body, and a head; qualities that would usually ascertain if a being was human or, at the very least, humanoid.  The humanoid body of which Void naturally assumed was definitely male, for there were no breasts on the chest area that would distinguish him as female.  The soaked clothing on his lean form consisted of a black sleeveless tunic, a white sash-like cloth wrapped around his waist with ends floating on either side of him, conforming brown pants with the thigh-area effectively cut away in a rounded oval shape, and black lace-less boots that looked like weights upon his feet.  Void floated upon the surface of the pond almost as if he were gliding and, with his face placid, as he was ready to slumber right where he was.  But still, he was flesh and blood in this form, and would probably freeze or drown if he didn’t get to dry land soon.

He didn’t sense the approach of another in the area nor did he hear any available voice that could break through his trance.  Yet it wasn’t a voice that permeated into his thoughts but the chirping of a bird nearby.  His eyes fluttered open slowly as his chest faintly rose to take in a breath.  It seemed he drifted far enough on the bank that he didn’t need to use any of his limbs to take him to the nearest part of the shore.

Turning over on his belly, Void reached the pond’s shore with little effort, crawling on his hands and knees as he shook his purple hair as a dog would in an attempt to free himself from too much moisture.  Yet as he flung it back over his head, he peered up to find a strangely horned being in front of his sights.  And she was reaching for a stick!  Immediately that action sent alarms ringing in his head and his magenta eyes flashed decisively.

The mere sight of her was enough to cause him alarm, for he didn’t think he’d ever seen a girl with horns growing out of her head that wasn’t an alien.  But then again he didn’t think, after all the destruction and whatnot, that humans would like aliens on their planet.  Natives of most worlds were like that in some fashion.  Still, from what he could tell, the being before him didn’t register on any of the aliens he could remember seeing in the last thousand years.  More importantly, however, he hoped to prevent what might become a hostile situation.

“You,” he said with a demanding undertone.  “What are you doing with that stick?”

[Anonymous]

As Della returned to a full standing position, she was stopped dead in her tracks. Here she had been expecting to take on the unfortunate job of poking a recently drowned man with a stick, and now he was out of the water and speaking to her? Her dark eyes slowly took in the scene around her as she pursed her dry, scarlet lips. Purple hair... and bright pink eyes? This guys wasn't from around here.
 
A small, teasing gust of wind rushed around this scene in pause, coming up and gently pushing at Void from the backside and then moved forward, hitting a bemused Della full on. Her simple, loose-fitting white gown was forced to cling to her curves, while her waist-length dark locks were blown back away from her face and made to dance for only a moment as though attached to marionette strings being manned from the branches above.

The girl realized that indeed she was holding a stick, and seeing as though this odd man was no longer lying dead in a pool of water, such a stick seemed rather unnecessary. She blinked a few times, bewildered, and stammered in a whisper for a moment.  She considered tossing the small branch to the side to ease his mind, but second-guessed herself, reasoning that this stranger may potentially be dangerous. She sighed a little in earnest: What was a silly old stick going to protect her from anyway?

She attempted a good-mannered smile at the soaked stranger before her and snapped the stick in half. He spoke her language, it seemed. That would make things easier.
“I uh, hmph...” she trailed off, her eyes displaying a gentle kindness while the rest of her body screamed deer in headlights. “Honestly? I thought you... um...” ...were dead, and I was going to poke you with it? She winced, tossing the two smaller sticks to her right, far enough away that he shouldn't worry, and then cleared her throat, trying hard not to be threatening or at the very least awkward.
“Are... are you alright?”

[Anonymous]

Here he was on Earth no more than ten minutes and already he was sure his nerves were on end.  Void was a solitary creature, unaccustomed to socialization that involved nothing to be gained.  He had no remorse for using people and disposing of them for his own means.  However, the situation was quite different when he encountered another being with no motives; such moments often called for either intense hostility (he never trusted anyone completely) or severe awkwardness.  So much for living thousands of years and then never obtaining proper social skills.

Void kept his expression anxious despite the fact that the girl before him had disposed of the stick.  He’d no intention of hurting her, only to protect himself.  As far as he knew, if a person didn’t take care of number one then everyone else would walk all over them.  He was yet to obtain a number two, three, and so on.  He found it strange that the female opposite him, despite being of a race unknown to him, attempted efforts toward a friendly disposition.  Furrowing his eyebrows in slight bewilderment, he questioned internally, Have humans changed so much in the last five thousand years?[/i]

Shaking himself from the thought, he slowly took his glance downward, unwilling to meet her gaze.  Taking each motion smoothly as to avoid further awkwardness, he carefully shifted to sit on his haunches.  He took great care to avoid letting her see him tremble as he shivered as a result of the gust of wind.  “I…” he began carefully.  “I…will live.  Swimming is not a problem for me if that’s what you’re implying.”

He looked up at her, his eyes clearly conveying a faint sense of mistrust toward her.  Yet he continued his articulation, “Do you always go around ponds in search of bodies?  Who are you anyway?”  Though his expression may have been less than nice, he meant the questions to be genuine.  Surely he had no true desire to get to know her but he knew that it would make adjustment into this world easier if he knew her name and purpose.  He didn’t think it was safe to assume that body-searching was a common activity on Earth…even after five thousand years.

[Anonymous]

Della raised a quizzical eyebrow at the mention of body-searching.
“I frequent the area, yes, but in search of fulfillment and tranquility... as opposed to bodies.” He seemed strange; out of place. Almost as though he was uncomfortable in his own skin. “I don't get much more than sadness and nausea from finding bodies. Perhaps a nightmare here or there.”

She imagined for a moment that somewhere someone must actually have the responsibility to patrol and collect bodies, and the thought was wrenching, and sickening. She closed her eyes for a moment to steady herself and took a deep breath, hoping to avoid stating her name before being confident that there was no reason to be concerned.

“I live near town,” she stated vaguely. “and you don't. So I think really the question of the hour, would be who you are, exactly. And why you're floating fully clothed in my favorite swimming hole?”

She had, for whatever reason, gained a notable amount of confidence suddenly and folded her arms, expectantly awaiting a response.

[Anonymous]

It was said that learning was an experience that one endured through life, for as long as one lived.  But sleeping for long periods of time during the ‘learning’ process helped no one and it certainly wasn’t Void’s savior.  One could almost quite literally claim that he was as old as dirt if anyone was able to say that they knew him long enough.  But still one of his favorite activities, aside from manipulating people, was sleeping.  Or rather, taking time off from watching one world destroy another.  It was sort of like vacation for him.

But these slumbers did nothing to help him keep up with the changes of time and learn properly.  Thus, he could sit here now and say that talking to this…er, person…was going to teach him nothing.  And yet he knew the only way to learn more about this world was through socializing with the natives; after all, he might get the wrong impression about Earthlings from just observing them.  But it couldn’t be helped.  He had to choose between enduring the terror of social interaction and remaining as ignorant as ever.  He’d leave being ignorant to the village idiot.

Void looked down once more to the soil beneath his boots realizing that she was turning the tables of the conversation.  Not that he cared, but he could see now that she wasn’t intending on telling him anything completely useful.  “You—aren’t going to make this easy…  This I can see.  You wish to know who I am?”  He paused for a moment, remembering how he’d been personified through the ages.  Without skipping a beat he answered, “My name is Void.  I, uh, landed.”  He carried his magenta eyes to the clear sky above his head, pointing as well.  “From the sky.”  He then pointed to the pond.  “The water broke my fall.”

He turned his head quickly and stared at her, eye to eye.  “Should I dare hope that that answers your question?”  He smashed his eyebrows together in an attempt to make a sarcastic expression out of the discomfort caused by shivering in the cold wind.  Then he quickly remember something she’d said only seconds earlier.  Town, she lives beside a town somewhere close by.  Softening his expression, he said, “You said there’s a town nearby, right?  Could you take me there?”  It wasn’t like he planned on staying in his drenched clothes forever.

[Anonymous]

A complete and utter wave of confusion had crested on Della and now settled around her comfortably, finding it's way it in to tiny nooks and crannies that might otherwise hold some shred of graspable  information.  She was, for possibly one of the first times in her life, entirely stumped on what her next move ought to be. Her sense of safety in the wood was threatened, and her otherwise keen intuition was running in circles like a puppy awaiting a stick to be thrown. The sun had gone beyond a mountain and it was getting darker, and cold. She shivered, longing for  her cloak but abstaining from any sudden movement.

Della paused to give herself a moment to process.  He was from space, apparently. That could mean one of several things, a couple of which were harmless and a few that were quite the opposite. Several years ago when she was oblivious to life outside of Sevenwinds, Della would have been happily intrigued and would take it upon herself to run him home immediately and make sure he was alright, but these days, one had to be a bit more cautious.

She set her jaw and narrowed her eyes, considering him intently. There was always the chance he was some sort of spy, and it would be dreadfully silly to lead him straight to the heart of town. On the contrary, there was always the chance he was someone just like her: just an innocent bystander thrown into a frightening world. Not one to shy away from opportunity, she finally rationalized that her home was on the outskirts of town, and she could easily mislead him at least to hold him off should the need arise.

Nodding her head in agreement with herself, she said, “I'm Della, and yes, there is a town not far from here.” She moved her hand before her eyes to shield a dry, gray leaf swirling at her through another gust of wind, and when she dropped her arm, she daringly met his eyes. “My house isn't far from here. First, however, I'm afraid I require you to state your purpose here.” She said it playfully, but was unsure of herself. She sensed something far beyond her comprehension, and she could only hope she was making a wise decision.

[Anonymous]

Now this was more like it!  Suddenly this was turning into something that resembled an interrogation.  This was something along the lines that Void was used to.  It seemed she was holding something from him, something she was keeping secret.  He didn’t have to know anything about this world to recognize she was dodging his questions.  Very well, she’ll have it her way until the moment was right.  Besides, there wasn’t much Void had to hide right now.

….except his purpose.

But he rationalized that who might believe he was a time-shifter to come across thousands of light years to find the fool who thought they should suddenly invent a time-machine.  He was sure there was still such a thing as ‘crazy’ in this little patch of green that remained of Earth.  Telling her anything that had to do with time travel was sure to brand him as a maniac, or whatever they’re calling those people nowadays.

He tipped his head to her slightly, observing her tone and attempted method of projection.  She seemed unsure of something…  Perhaps unconvinced of her own confidence?  Maybe she was sure she couldn’t trust him?  These were questions that could be asked later; at a time when he wasn’t so damn cold!  So of course he would take the initiative to lead her where he thought it best to lead her in conversation.  Void nodded slightly, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Della.”  He smiled wryly.  Fading it away rather quickly, he resorted back to his old visage.  “I’ve escaped…” he looked away to enhance the effect of such a perfect lie.  But who?  Escaped from who?  “You see, I was dropped off by a salvage ship just a while ago from taking a few things from a prison barge.  They found me in the heap as I managed to slip away from the view of the guards.  Telling them my story, they told me they could help me escape.  So they proceeded to hide me inside the garbage and that Earth was their next stop.  And so they just…dropped me off."

Void filled his eyes with anxiety as if he was sure Della might give him away.  To add to his feign's effectiveness, he softly finished with, "That's why I was a little hostile toward you when you had the stick.  Will you help me?"

[Anonymous]

A smirk grew on Della's face and a glint in her narrowed eyes as he told his tale.  Well, he couldn't be a spy from Aedolis, otherwise he would have had a far more seamless story. As that was the most important thing to know, Della decided they were clear to head home, and anyway, this was the most excitement she'd seen in months... not to mention the company (though awkward and tense) was something similar to enjoyable.

She nodded by way of acceptance, then immediately crouched to retrieve her basket and handed it abruptly to Void, implying he ought to be a gentleman and carry it for her. Della went on to brush off her cloak and swirled it around her broad shoulders, as though nothing he had said was out of the ordinary in the slightest.

“We travel due West.” She said, nonchalantly hooking the clasp on her cloak. “It's only about a 30 minute walk, if you can keep up.” She looked over her shoulder and shot him a brief smile before simply taking off toward her home– in an East-bound direction.
Not waiting around for a question or even a protest, she swiftly glided through the clearing and into the wood in the direction she had come from, hardly making a sound.  She knew this forest floor so well, it was as though she always knew which direction to place her foot, never snapping a twig or stumbling over a fallen branch. Glancing behind was unnecessary... she was pretty sure he would follow.
After several long moments of travel, she thought it wise to make sure he was keeping up and hollered behind her, “So how did you really get here? There aren't any dumping spots around for miles, and all our waste is self-contained.” A broad smile crept across her lips in jest, and when she went a few moments unanswered, she slowed her pace and turned to check behind her.  “hey...” what was it again? “...Void?”

[Anonymous]

He wasn’t entirely sure if she bought the tale or not, but it definitely wasn’t the best story he ever weaved.   But it seemed sufficient enough for she signaled that they begin their journey.  The effort of leading her around with words no longer mattered, only their destination.  Or at least where he had assumed she would lead him.  There was no underestimating this one, he wasn’t that naïve.  But still….he would take his chances if he had to.  There was much to learn about the ways of this new world and it was always better to start sooner than later.

He mimicked her actions, standing only after she did and wiping off some dirt that proceeded to stick to his backside.  Adjusting his waist wraps slightly about his abdomen, he was about to step forward when she offered him her basket.  Looking down at it with some confusion, it wasn’t until he recalled the customs of some other cultures that he figured she might want him to carry it.  Why, can’t she hold it herself?  She has two perfectly good arms, doesn’t she?  Still, he did as was bid of him since there was no harm in doing so.

She set off at a rather speedy pace, but he wasn’t too perturbed for his own long legs could take him across an expanse of land rather swiftly.  Nature surrounded him on all sides and the heartbeat of a wounded land beat languidly in the atmosphere about him.  He could practically feel its withered skin about him.  But the fact that this was a devastated world was something he was willing to accept for wasn’t Man ever to be a destroyer of himself and all about him.  As far as he was concerned they were not a race worth saving…

The minutes passed as he kept up behind Della.  There was no need to shrink the distance between them, for he was merely following where she led.  Eventually she took the time to ensure that he was following and she did so with a comment regarding his story.  It took only a brief second for him to stop dead in his tracks as she fumbled to find his name.  He looked at her piercingly as was wont of him in his natural state.  His eyes always were like mirrored daggers.

So, she could see right through his lie…  Why wasn’t he surprised?  Earthlings never seemed to stop being clever creatures even if he could tell this one wasn’t human.  Oh, well, it wasn’t like he lied to her about the landing part.  He could work around this.  “You’re smarter than you look,” he replied darkly, grinning for only a second.  “But I told you already.”  Void looked at the underbrush beneath his boots once more and met her with a flawless gaze.  “I came from the sky.  I drifted over and just kinda…y’know fell.”  He didn’t know what she expected from his answer, but as far as he understood there was really nothing to hide.

[Anonymous]

She nearly jumped right out of her skin when Della turned around to check to see that Void was following closely, and found him to be far closer (and quieter) than she had expected.  She blinked several times and took a deep breath before taking a small step backwards to distance them a tad. Who was this guy, anyway? His eyes were haunting and had an effect similar to the sun in that they were too bright to look in to. Della averted her gaze instead to the darkening sky and noted that a storm seemed to be blowing in. Best to hurry home, and put a kettle on the fire.

She turned to proceed onward, but more slowly this time to keep up conversation. Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and in any case, he could be rather charming and would make for a good dinner guest.  The Xanathian estate had become quite the lonely spectacle over the last few years, and Della, however risky it might be, was looking forward to entertaining.

“You... fell?” Just fell, right out of the sky?” it was questioned with no disrespect, but only curiosity.

She allowed his stride to fall beside hers as the trees grew more sparse and far between, rocking back on her heel to search his shoulders for any wings that might be hiding under sopping wet clothing.  

“I don't see any wings... and if you had some sort of... space... flyer... I would imagine we would have seen it in passing...” blah blah blah BLAH BLAH... SHUT UP, Della!
A hand flew to smack her own forehead out of desperation. She said nothing, perhaps it was a better idea to just keep quiet and stop asking questions that could get her in trouble.

[Anonymous]

Void looked up to the sky, regarding what she said.  “Yes.  I fell from the sky.”  He kept his eyes front even though she made it quite obvious that she was taking time to inspect him for…something.  She was acting stranger than he was and he was the one that fell from the sky!  He tried his best not to squirm beneath her inspection and quirked his eyebrows only when she commented on wings or something that granted flight.  Offering her an expression nothing short of bewilderment, he said, “You mean a…starship?”  He was sure that’s what they were called nowadays.  A lot of other worlds had them but they didn’t seem to be as popular as they were with this one.

Shaking his head, “No.  I don’t have any wings.  Nor do I own a starship.  You only need propulsion where I come from.”  Pausing for a moment as the trees were losing their density, he glanced around him and saw this noticeable difference.  Where was she taking him?  He had little time to bring the question up before they approached a thinned clearing that brought something of calm to his spirit.

Nature, no matter what planet he was one, was a device that always seemed to remind him of the beauty of life; but such a concept’s meaning was only so impacting to a being with little to no emotion.  What good was life anyhow?  That was something he didn’t think he’d ever be able to understand, no matter how long he lived.

Peering at the sight before him, he quickly snapped his head to Della.  “What is this place?”

[Anonymous]

The thick bulk of trees and bushes began giving way to an expansive, open, grassy area, and some beautiful (but lonely-looking) rolling hills came in to view on the opposite side of a small valley. A wide dirt path marked the road, which looked as though it had probably seen better days,  and alongside the road ran a crystal clear blue-green creek, muddy with fallen leaves. It truly was a breathtaking sight, this small valley tucked away from the rest of the faced-paced, deteriorating world.  Never did a day go by that Della didn't thank the stars (and mostly her parents) for giving her the opportunity for such a rich life.  Never did a day go by that she wasn't thankful.

They paused as they reached the clearing, Della lost in complicated thought as she tried to ponder the existence and inner-workings of... propulsion, was it? Stuck there, and rather wanting to understand it further, she frowned slightly when she realized Void had better things to talk about. She had watched his jaw drop slightly when the trees cleared away to display this green, grassy valley. He looked thrilled, but mundanely. It was obvious at this moment that this man held no threat to Sevenwinds. Perhaps to her personally, or someone else personally... but not this place. Clearly, he didn't even know it was here.

Another gust of wind hit them from the north, stronger this time, and it forced Della to pull her cloak around her tightly. She wasn't much a fan of the wind. It brought a chill and seemed to extinguish the last of the flooding sunlight, leaving only a dull glow behind.
She tilted her chin to look at him, once again noticing a distasteful burn when she met his eyes.  “This is Sevenwinds. The most beautiful place on Earth, or so I'm told.” In truth, she had never been anywhere else. This twenty mile radius was the only reality she had ever known. So much for being well read, right? She forced herself to stay put, though the wind was picking up and making her increasingly more uncomfortable. He needed a moment to take it all in, she understood. When her father would return home from long voyages, he always demanded an hour alone in the study at least, simply to decompress.

After a long moment had passed, Della gently jerked her head to the right, and moved to continue their journey on the road. In the far distance, a large southern-style porch could be viewed from where they stood, with melon-sized glowing blue orbs dangling down and swaying in the wind. It's amazing, how such a dull day can turn so very eventful in a matter of ill-planned moments. He must be freezing... she thought.  For a moment she considered offering him her cloak, but reasoned it would be too friendly. Which makes perfect sense, of course, considering in ten minutes time you'll be offering him a meal, followed by your father's forgotten clothing and a warm bed. Absolutely. The cloak is too much. She silently rolled her eyes and pressed on. Well, at least she wasn't acting crazy out loud this time!

[Anonymous]

Hospitality was a rare gem these days, though Void wouldn’t know this.  And it certainly wasn’t something that was going to be wasted on a timeless being such as him.  What did one gain through aiding others but a lot of mouths to feed and nothing to show for it but a big headache in the end?  But things like cooperation and the beauty of life were lost to a nigh heartless creature like Void so therefore it wasn’t much of a surprise if he couldn’t understand why someone would want to waste their time on him.  And little did he know the plans this person called Della had in store of him concerning the word ‘hospitality’.

He was too preoccupied with the sight before him.  There was certain calm to the area yet an undeniable anxiety that seemed to root down into the soil beneath the rolling hills and community atop it.  Perhaps the inhabitants were hiding from something.  But just what exactly would still remain as a question unless he mustered the gall to ask it?  Maybe the brief interrogation prior to their travel had something to do with it.  He was almost too enthralled with the sight to muster his legs into action as he spotted Della move down the dirt path toward the distance.  This place…Sevenwinds, as she called it…was certainly a sight to be seen.  As far as he could tell from her words, there was no other place on Earth like it and if this was true, this world was as doomed as he suspected.

The house that met his sight reminded him of one of his first ventures to Earth; there was a great war then that tore a nation in two, something to do with rights or whatnot.  You didn’t nice houses like that on other worlds; except for this one.  Void blinked up at the structure, unsure of what to think of it.  It’d been a while since he’d a ‘manor’.  With magenta eyes flashing with wonderment and his body trying to abate a shiver from the sudden gust that thrashed at his soaked clothing.  As they approached the building with blue orbs upon what he recognized as the porch, he turned to her and asked, “You’ve led me here.  Now what?”

[Anonymous]

Keeping her teeth from chattering was proving more of an issue by the second. Where had the day gone? Damn! Never enough hours... The winters kept getting colder, the summers much warmer. Della cursed audibly about the cold as they walked, longing dearly for her comfy living room and very curious why it was that she was so sleepy...

As they neared the bound willow gate in front of the house, a relieved Della waved a hand and it sprung open before them. She closed it behind them, taking a moment before walking up the path to appreciate how quaint it was. There were three stories, not including the basement, though the area of each floor wasn't much larger than a couple good-sized rooms. The top floor was dark and the windows visibly cobwebbed from the outside, clearly signifying the lack of time spent in that portion of the house. The ground and second floors appeared the most lived in from the outside, with crystals decorating the windows and a a small, puffy orange kitten peering at them from what appeared to be the foyer window.

Della was preparing the 11-step hike up the front steps to the door when her guest turned to her and asked, “You've led me here. Now What?” His expression was rather bland, similar to that of a small child wanting to misbehave but fearing a severe scolding. Della raised a curious eyebrow at him.

“I should think you'd like to get out of those clothes...” Wait, that sounded wrong! Er... She fumbled for  the railing as she headed toward the door. “That is, I can hang them up to dry... wash them even if you like, the pools get a bit mucky this time of year...“ her words trailed away and she fiddled with the door to get it open. “I mean... I have.... other clothes. You can... wear.” She nodded twice and ushered him in the door, furious with herself for being so ridiculous when it came to things like, you know, normal speech and social interaction. She stared at the floor when she went to relieve him of her basket, then bustled away to set it in the kitchen. A match flared as she lit a lantern, and returned with it. “The Library's right through here...” she gestured into a room across the hall, “You might find it more enjoyable than waiting by the door... there's a bad draft.” She lit the foyer lantern, illuminating the tiny room and the both of them in a warm glow, then tossed him a match with a tiny smile and set off up the stairs without another word, the small orange puffball trailing behind.

[Anonymous]

To venture further into the customs of this strange world was proving a much easier task than he’d initially imagined.  He assumed that he would have to take it upon himself to drag out the information dire to his situation.  It wasn’t like everyday people fell out of the sky, was it?  The reasons behind Della’s choice to show him courtesy and hospitality were beyond him.  The reasons behind emotions like kindness and mercy often went over his bright purple head, passing without much of a second thought.  Still, here was his chance to learn of the ways of this world, of which were being handed to him right on the spot, and it far from him to desert such an awesome opportunity.

Void was only vaguely resistant when she shoved him through the door, advising that enter the library.  No sooner had she arrived that she departed to the staircase with a strange four-legged orange ball of fluff trailing close behind her.  A sudden ‘meow’ triggered that associated word of ‘Cat’.  Void grinned a little to himself at the though of the survival of such a wily species even after so many thousands of years.  To be honest however the rest of the house wasn’t quite what he’d expected to see.

As his moist body carefully treaded over the floors of this manor and into the library, the sight that met his eyes was that of an almost timeless library, something that might be considered ancient by the standards of this day and age of starships and blaster pistols.  It was relatively familiar the way each book case was stacked in rows and how some lined the walls.  Books beyond what he wished to count were aligned with the shelves in the neatest manner as he’d ever seen.  A cold gust swept beneath the door in the foyer and slapped as his back.  In a shivering jump he leapt forward and deeper into the library.  Now here was a room that had captured his interest from the start and the best part about it: He did have to think about taking his clothes off yet!

[Anonymous]

Truly,  it was all more an issue of curiosity that hospitality.  Given, Della was a fairly well-mannered creature to begin with, but even so. The wonders of this world were expanding for her, and she couldn't really pass up an opportunity to experience... something else, first hand. And anyhow, if he did turn out to be some sort of space-creep, she would find comfort that she had only led him here, rather that straight in to town to stay at the Inn.

A short climb and a few moments later, Della found herself on the second story of her home. She sighed deeply, feeling winded for some reason. A glance around the cold room made her shiver, and she immediately set off to light enough oil lamps to get around easily, finishing off in the bathroom. The tiny orange puff of a cat butted it's head against her shin, meowing for attention and food.  She smirked and shooed him away with her foot, shaking her head slightly. “We have a guest, Paco. You'll just have to wait.” As she reached to run a hot bath, the kitten seemed to glare at her, and sauntered away to go bother this stranger that was getting between him and supper.  Della laughed softly and continued to hand-pump water up from the hot spring in the yard. It smelled a bit sulphuric, but it was a warm, and quick. With the addition of some herbal-infused bath salts it should be bearable.

When the large claw foot tub had reached it's full capacity, Della carefully hung a clean towel on a nearby brass rack, and fleeting thought of slipping in the bath herself. It looked a little more than inviting. Perhaps later, yes.  She shivered, hugging herself and rubbing her arms for warmth, and after tossing her cloak on the sofa she proceeded to retrieve her guest from downstairs.
The steps groaned and creaked the tales of days long passed as she descended, and when she neared the bottom of the old rickety stairs she quietly peeked her head into the Library, simply to observe for a minute. Her eyes were getting a bit heavier with the night and she looked sleepy, almost as though she had spent a long night drinking. After a long stretch of moments, she cleared her throat gently to grab his attention.
“...hi.”
For only a brief moment, Della was overcome with the sight of someone in this room. Visions of her father where Void stood flashed before her eyes, and just when she was on the brink of tears she shook off the feeling. Was she really so lonesome that any creature found half drowned in the woods should bring her to tears? Dear god... Della wrinkled her nose in distaste with herself and shoved that very fresh memory as far to the back of her mind as possible.
“There's a hot bath waiting for you upstairs, through the hall and to the right.” she nodded in that general direction. “You can toss your clothes outside the door, I'll hang them up to dry. Unless of course you want them washed, and then you'll have to wait until morning.”

[Anonymous]

What was he to do in a room filled with books?  Void peered to the left and right, confused as to why Della had requested that he wait in this specific room.  He didn’t think it was only to escape the draft that made his spine quiver, but he was often suspicious of any self-proclaimed do-gooder.  Helping people was something he would never understand that was for sure; after all, weren’t people quite capable of helping themselves?  But, while he could take care of himself, Void couldn’t really be considered a person; at least one not trapped in the mortal coil.  However that didn’t leave things like coldness and feelings to be abated from his demeanor.  He was perfectly capable of being able to feel physical things as well as emotionally; he was simply incapable of comprehending most emotions and therefore merely projected them, never truly feeling them.

Void took advantage of the silence nonetheless.  Quiet was always a valuable time to think and, aside from the silence of space, was a pleasure he indulged in whenever he could afford to.  This time was also vital toward thinking and for him, thinking about what he was to do/ learn next in this little hole of a hamlet.  Though he had to admit he thought it was strange that she had led him a ways away from the rest of the community known as Sevenwinds.  Pondering this for a moment, he didn’t feel her presence as she entered the room.  The clearing of her throat made him jump a little as he turned to meet her.  Nodding at the instructions, he then peered down to his own sopped, mucky clothes and said in awkward voice, “I think…washing will most likely be…the best solution.”  He offered her a trying smile and proceeded to where she indicated the bath would be.  Out of the corner of his eye he did notice the cat sitting warily by a large stack of books, regarding him with curious eyes.  Void shrugged inwardly and walked away; animals were only good for a few things and to be analyzed by one was not one of them.

The door to the indicated bathroom was something that brought Void back to the ages of old.  This place surely was somewhere lost in time!  Things appeared as if they were prior to Earth’s destruction and certainly were up to par with anything he’d seen on the Space Station only a few months ago.  Quickly, he shook his head of the memory.  It wasn’t something he wanted to think about anyways.

He entered the bathroom cautiously as if trying not to disturb any spirit that might lay at rest here.  The first thing that met his eyes was the steaming tub toward the back of the room and immediately he thought of a steaming pot of stew.

He them proceeded to undress from the sopping clothing that hung loosely on his leanly muscled frame.  It certainly didn’t help that his tunic had chains hanging around him in a harness fashion for no practical reason.  Unwrapping his waist wraps and letting them plop on the floor with an insidious fwop!, he then slid the black tunic from his torso and too let the weight fall to the once immaculate floor.  After removing all his clothing: cache pants, silver belt that fell to his thighs in something like a loincloth (not that his pants didn’t already cover his…well, maleness), and boots, he sighed uselessly to himself.  “Wow!  I didn’t think the pond was that…filthy.”  Still, he did as was instructed and placed his clothing outside the bathroom door.

Every carved crevice of his musculature stood like a tall statue as he looked over the steaming pool in nothing but his bare essentials.  His eyes went like moons as he thought, What is this girl trying to do?  Boil me?  No that he wouldn’t be able to manifest again in his humanoid form it but wasn’t like he wanted to be cooked here and now.  Despite such a thought he stepped into the tub with the utmost sincerity, gritting his teeth a lot and cringing only a little.  Yet as he sat completely down, the heat was almost…soothing!  Every muscle within was forced into a sudden relaxation that he almost smiled at the feeling.  Maybe being boiled wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

There were a few interesting items that presided beside the bathtub on a hanger.  There were a few containers that he immediately recognized as bottles containing thick substances that he suspected would go into his already soft hair (well, soft when it was dry).  However what initially caught his interest was the white block of fresh smelling—chocolate, was it?—that made his brows come together in a curious gaze.  He picked it up and examined it carefully in his large gray hands.  The smell was certainly delectable and he slowly put it too his mouth.  Immediately his pupils shrunk and he dropped the white block in the water with a splash, spitting effectively to the side at the awful taste.  The white block didn’t taste like chocolate at all!

The scrubbing and cleaning that came after learning what each object around the bathtub was a great way to pass the time.  Had he had any control of his own time-shifting ability at the moment he would’ve no doubt made the experience go buy as fast as possible, but his powers had a tendency to go awry whenever someone attempted to mess with the time-stream.  In a strange mixture of relaxation and unpleasant discovery, Void successfully emerged from the tub without drowning himself and dried himself with the supplied towel.  After doing so, he was left without much else to do and no clothing beside him.  “Then I guess I’ll just have to go get some,” he sighed to himself.

Wrapping the towel about his hips, Void exited the bathroom and entered the hallway half-naked.  The cold air that swept through was a nice change from the heat of the water that previously caressed his skin.  However that didn’t stop him from feeling like an idiot standing in the middle of a stranger’s abode with nothing but a towel to cover him.  “Uh...Della!” was all he managed to call out.

[Anonymous]

An amused smirk toyed at Della's lips as she watched her new acquaintance climb warily up the stairs to the second floor. He was quite strange, but oddly likable.  An outright giggle erupted out of her when he reached the landing and was startled by a delayed creaking of the old wood. She quickly stifled the sound with a cold hand and ducked into the kitchen before she was found out, shaking her head from side to side.

And to think I would have spent the evening alone with my cats...

She giggled audibly again, almost in a state of disbelief. There was a very real chance this was some sort of bizarre lucid dream. Life as she knew it was simply not this exciting. Feed animals, feed self, work, feed animals, feed self, sleep and repeat. She furrowed her brow just thinking about it.

“That's bloody depressing, that is.”

She divided a jar of food amongst three small dishes lined against the far wall under the window, and watched quietly as the tiny puff ball by name of Paco darted for the nearest dish and began devouring the slop inside as though he hadn't eaten in a week. Moments later, a larger silver cat slunk out from  the shadows and took his place next to the small kitten, and they ate happily and quietly. Contentedly watching her beloved companions, Della noticed her own stomach grumble; several hours had passed since her meager lunch of bread and butter.  
“What would one prepare for a spaceman's supper?” She asked aloud. Neither cat answered, as could be expected. “A lot of help the both of you are...” she muttered, and silently decided perhaps some crusts and cheese would do for now.   A handful of dried rye rounds and several slices later, she carefully made her way upstairs, balancing a small genuine silver platter in one hand and lifting the corner of her long skirts with her other.

An impressive yawn stretched it's way through her, and again she noted her unusual drowsiness.  She found herself sitting wearily on the sofa, a fire crackling it's way into existence and a piece of half eaten cheese dangling between her fingertips. Her eyelashes fluttered in slight confusion-- what the... hell?

I must be waaay more tired than I thought...

The cheese tasted stale in her mouth, and rather distasteful, so she discarded the remainder by tossing it on the fire. It sputtered and liquefied almost immediately, and after all trace of it was gone, she pushed herself out of the sofa's tempting embrace. She wavered as she rose, but steadied herself just as the door to the bathroom swung open to reveal a very... revealed Void.
Della sat back down.

“Uhm, yes?” her chocolate brown eyes were large and wide. She blinked a few times, slowly, and couldn't help but absentmindedly look him up and down. “...oh! Right, of course, clothes.” Clothes? Clothes. Her cheeks turned a pale shade of scarlet as she scrambled out of her seat and nearer the hallway. “I'll, um... yes. Sorry about that, I- well I suppose I lost track of time...” Her expression was a priceless combination of apologetic and innocently embarrassed, and she lowered her eyes so as to not have to face the look she knew he was bound to give her. She hurried through the hall, grabbing a lantern off an iron sconce at the bottom of the staircase to light her way up to the third and final story of the house.

Rustling and a few loud banging noises could be heard from above, and after a short while she returned with a pile of neatly folded nightclothes. The wind blew hard against the siding of the house, and it made her wince as she extended the pile across the hallway.

“My father is... shortish. I hope at least they'll be comfortable, since they'll likely be less than fashionable.” She attempted a weak smile, but it vanished quickly as the wind blew even harder and the trees against the house lashed violently at its windows.