Forging Ahead

[Bloodwing]

Bloodwing had been reading that book nearly nonstop since had opened it. So much of the magic was used in the way holy spells where used among Paladins, with faith and a sword. It seemed he would need to learn a new set of skills But first he waould need a weapon so to the market and to the Blacksmith he went.

[Xannon]

"Eh? Reaaaaaaally?" cooed a childlike girl. "Thank ya, Mister!"

She gratefully accepted the free apple and began munching on it as she stepped away. After a wave at the kind salesman, she disappeared into the crowd. Despite being winter, Xannon found that all the people (taller than her and buffeting any cold winds) made the marketplace much warmer than she expected. City life wasn't so bad after all.

Crunching into the slightly soft sweet apple, she licked the juice from her lips.

Then, a very tall man (like nearly a foot-and-a-half taller than her, HOLY HOPPING HARPIES BATMAN!) who was at least twice her size barreled into her. And this, dear friends, was why she didn't like the city.

Noooooo, not my apple!

The shrimp cried out as she stumbled to the ground, using every reflex she had to catch the apple before it landed in the mud. Her peach cloak flapped in the wind. Xannon's tiny fingers stretched, reached. Finally, her small hands captured the glorious free fruit, and she toppled onto the street, dirtying her cute pastel clothing.

Sometimes, she thought as bruises began forming on her knees and elbows, I really hate my life.

[Bloodwing]

He made his way to the blacksmith's shop. He really wan't paying much attention to where he was going so when he felt a body that came up to his ribe hit him he nearly toppled over only just catching himself on a crate of apples. He turned to see what he had tripped on and noticed a little girl laying in the mud, obviously knocked over. He assumed it would be bad publicity to get mad and go off on a child in the middle of a crowded market place.

So he got stood up walked over to the girl and held out his had. "I'm sorry young lady. I hope your weren't hurt." He said in an apologetic tone.

[Xannon]

"Damn straight you are," retorted Xannon, quickly accepting his hand and pulling herself up. Well, so much for acting like a kid, huh?

She carelessly brushed off some of the mud and dirt before analyzing her apple again. It didn't seem to be damaged or defiled.

Her dark brown eyes glanced up (and up and up) at the handsome stranger. For a city man, he didn't look bad at all. Really. Cool hair and cool clothes, but something felt off. Exotic, maybe? Perhaps he was a wealthy prince from a foreign land. He certainly had the looks to go with the position.

Maybe she wouldn't hold it against him for knocking her over after all.

"So why're ya in such a hurry, Mister?" asked Xannon, biting into her fruit.

[Bloodwing]

The girl was awfully mouthy for a child. "Oh, i wasn't in too much of a hurry. I just had some plans to give to the blacksmith." He said simply. "I just move fast I guess." He wanted to continue on his way, but this 'little girl' seemed odd to him. "You, you're not a child are you?" He asked seeing the intelligence in her eyes. She was more than just an inquisitive youngster.

[Xannon]

Xannon swallowed her bite.

"I never said I was, did I?" she answered coolly, taking another bite out of the fresh succulent fruit as one dark eye kept watch on him.

These city folk sure were keen. This was the second time someone noticed she wasn't a kid and mentioned it right off. What, people couldn't just assume she was an adult from the start? She was used to being thought of as a kid. She really was, but it was so... irritating.

"Plans for a blacksmith? Dontcha just walk up to the smith and say, 'Gimme a sword' or somethin'?"

[Bloodwing]

"No you didn't. Excuse me for the assumption." He said trying to be polite. SHe asked him about the blacksmith and shook his head. "Not in this case. What I needed had to be forged into the item. Taking an already made metal, and chiseling what I want in won't work. Magic is very picky about things like that some times." He explained. "Do you have any skills in magic?" He asked genuinely curious.

[Xannon]

This guy was polite--he tap-danced around all of her jabs like a jester for the royal family.

Xannon listened attentively as he offered an explanation, chewing her apple more slowly. Her eyes sparked up at the mention of magic.

This guy was gonna forge a magical object by remolding it with the additional (battery? go-go jolt? artifact?) something-or-other inside of it. The process itself sounded magical, but it existed more in the scientific realm--that pseudo-magic people without the Gift focused on. She wondered if the craftsman's hammering could break it since the item's core wouldn't be consistent all the way through, but she really didn't know squat about forging.

Then again, this all sounded pretty damn new to her.

"Yeah," responded Xannon, not quite sure why he was asking a question like that. Maybe he worked at the academy? "I've got a touch of magic, but I, uh, can't do anything noteworthy."

She paused.

"Yet."

[Bloodwing]

He nodded. "Well if you ever want to turn that little touch of magic into something more you should try going to the academy." he said "If you want once I'm finished I could show you where it is. Heck if you wanted I'd teach you a thing or two, if you want."

[Xannon]

The academy... Xannon actually came all the way here to attend the famous Academy of Magic. This guy knew the place personally? How convenient. Too convenient. It was obvious she was either a kid (this dude knew better) or she had some kind of skill. Her potty mouth and faithless attire marked her off for religion, and her size made it nearly impossible to be a good fighter. Of course, it wasn't as though she could be a merchant.

Yeah... That man could figure out everything by mere deduction.

"Yeah, sure! That's very kind of ya, Mister," she replied merrily.

What was he, a pedophile? He could clearly out-match her in a fight, but he knew she wasn't really a kid. She just looked like one and tended to act the part when it seemed advantageous.

She finished her apple.

Man, she hated pedophiles.

At least, this guy was hot?

Maybe he was a fake pedo.

He had, after all, just invited a young lady to go with him to the place she desired in a city she was hardly familiar with. She was, naturally, quite vulnerable. Perhaps her skills would let her escape even from him?

Hell, he could be a liar. All of the questions he asked so far were bound to be answered with a yes. Why as the obvious?

Or perhaps he liked her. As a woman. Or possibly he just saw her as someone to be nice to, but she could dream, couldn't she? There was no need to make things complicated.

Tossing her core into the nearest waste bin, Xannon faced the stranger and said, "Lead the way, Mister."

[Bloodwing]

Bloodwing was no pedophile. He was on a different spectrum of evil, but such practices wouldn't do when he was in so weak a state. Once he had his wings and a tail again, the blood would run like a river. Only those that where loyal to him would live. But Bloodwing was to clever too allow his true intentions slip.

Once she was waiting for him to lead the way he made his way to the blacksmith. If Xannon was smart she's use Bloodwing as a blocker and let him part the crowd and walk in his walk in his wake with relative ease. Once there, he asked the Black smith for a custom blade and let him know that the symbols on the paper had to be hammered into the blade before it was cool. The Black smith tried to say that wasn't possible said that wasn't possible that the metal would just scar and end up weak. "Just do it, trust me these symbols with withstand the heat." The black smith rolled his eyes but shrugged and took the paper, then muttered curses.

"Alright Let go to the academy. On our way, why don't you tell me about what you can do?" he said. As he made his way back through the crowd. assuming she was still behind him.

[Xannon]

Xannon walked closely behind the man, careful to not get stepped on (again). Little people in big cities in large crowds, she was rather unfortunate to discover, had a nasty tendency to be jostled, shoved, and, quite simply, stepped on. Fortunately, the crowd seemed to naturally make way for the tall elegant man, so she had little to worry about this time.

She watched the curious interaction between the princely figure and the blacksmith. The smith took note of her. Her dark lips smiled silently in response.

Now, they had a witness if anyone came to look for her. Then again, no one would come look for her anyway... She hadn't interacted with anyone on a daily basis.

"W-what I can do?" she quoted as the man began walking away so quickly.

She hurried to catch up. The mud on the knees of her cream-colored pants was cold, but she was sure she could clean it up just fine later.

"Uh..."

Why did she feel like she was being interviewed? Xannon swallowed. She had some magical skills, but none of them were too impressive. Yet. Useful? Yes. Impressive? Not really. Thus, the whole point of attending a school in the first place.

"I can, um, summon little objects that are nearby and... uh, become unnoticeable for a period of time?"

Well, did it sound like she'd never talked about this before or what?

Xannon cringed as she followed the handsome man through the crowd. How awkward.

[Bloodwing]

He listened to her as she told him what she could do. it was obvious she wasn't use to talking about her magical abilities. That wouldn't matter too much. He would see what her powers could do sooner or later.

After a little while of walking the crowd thinned out. And the Academy was visible from a distance. "And that's where we're headed." He informed her nodding towards the structure. "So is there anything specific you'll be studying at our academy?"

[Xannon]

Xannon saw the structure. She'd seen it often since she'd arrived. She planned to go there from the start--she just hadn't gotten around to it since she first arrived. Several days ago.

Procrastination was a fierce opponent.

"Well, I'm sorta interested in illusions. I don't know a lot about magic in general, though--no one else could use magic in my village"--villages, whatever--"so there wasn't much information on it."

"Our" school, she pondered silently. He worked there?

At least, the nameless fellow appeared to be a genuinely good guy so far. Honest, too. So far.

[Bloodwing]

As they made their way down the street Bloodwing realized that he didn't know the woman's name. "You know of all the questions I've asked so far i forgot to ask a rather important one, What is your name? I doubt you enjoy being called young lady, or child all the time, I might as well start addressing you properly." He said with that princely air that seemed to be getting her attention.