{se} end of the road
Cameron Davis
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Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#15


"Um, the one with Italy," Cam said, sorry to disappoint Aisha. "I've never heard of a five kingdoms. Is that where you're from?"

They knew there were other worlds beyond Caido and Earth, places they'd never visited -- and presumably never would visit -- but it was still strange to think that other Outlanders could be from such different places. Earth had already been so vast that it had given them vertigo, sometimes, to think that there were billions of people out there living lives that they knew nothing about and would never understand -- add to that some kind of ... infinite multiverse, with worlds beyond Cam's comprehension, and they started to feel kind of adrift. Adrift, but also a little excited, and very curious.


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Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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#16
it's whatever you feel, it's whatever i want to do
Of course it was the one with Italy, she should've known. They'd been so scared of the leopard, if they were from Aisha's Earth they might've taken their own form, or welcomed the attuned powers she exhibited. It was disappointing, and that might've showed and been heard in her tone, but she tried to push it away, pleased that she at least might be able to share her own stories.

Aisha smiled once more, an unusual playfulness in her step as she jogged up a small slope, turning to face her companion, "Yep, my Earth had one big continent, separated into five kingdoms. North, south, east, west and central," she explained, pushing a stray strand from her face and watching the water trickle down in the stream. "I was from the east."

Once Cam had joined her at the top of the slope she started to walk again, "Is George near Italy?"
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#17


"Oh, cool," Cam said. Which seemed like a kind of inadequate way to describe someone's entire world, but what else where they supposed to say? "What were the different kingdoms like? Like, what were they each known for?"

They were genuinely curious about Aisha's world. Here in Caido, they were already seeing one world that had developed differently from the Earth they called home, but they knew there must be infinite others, and that variety fascinated them.

"Georgia," Cam corrected, before deciding it didn't matter. "No, Italy's on another continent. It's one of the easiest places to identify on a map, because it's shaped like a boot. Georgia is just shaped like a ... triangle, I guess."

That probably wasn't the most helpful information to give someone about a world they had never seen.


cameron ?


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Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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#18
it's whatever you feel, it's whatever i want to do
Good, she'd enticed them into intrigue. They were in company more than willing to talk, it'd been too long since she'd been able to reminisce upon her homeland without mourning the memories. "My kingdom was known for our textiles and our farmland. Oooh Cam, we had the best fucking clothes," she grinned and cooed, pictures of vibrant dresses and headpieces, sharp looking soldiers and beautiful vendors in the streets. She carried the remnant of such clothing with her now, the ribbon off of her mother's dress was never far from her person. It sat in her pocket now, reminded of it she drew it from that place and tied it safely around her curls.

"Central kingdom was known for their markets, their farms and general trade and diplomacy. Then there's the north, the fisherman. The south were great hunters, the west were known for mining. Not that anybody in any kingdom couldn't do those things, but we had our specialties," she hadn't touched on the leadership, the nature of the people and their shifting abilities, but this seemed satisfying enough.

"Oh right, you have lots of continents," she waved it off, glancing at the road ahead as it spread out into a wetland. Tall reeds danced over reflective blue waters that snaked their way through the fields. There might be more to explore, but the road ended here. "What was Georgia known for?" she asked, stopping and placing her hands on her hips, gazing out at the blue and green expanse.
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#19


Cam smiled, not because they were interested in fashion, but because they liked Aisha's enthusiasm. They always enjoyed hearing people talk about what they loved, even if it wasn't inherently interesting to them. "I believe you. What was in fashion when you left?"

They nodded as they absorbed the description of the kingdoms -- not exactly memorizing the information, as they doubted it would ever come up again, but they were listening and paying attention. "I guess being central would help with diplomacy and trade."

Then: "Peaches," Cam answered promptly, but that was about the only thing they could think of to describe Georgia -- except, perhaps, the Southern U.S.'s fraught history, but they had no desire whatsoever to go into that right now.


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Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chachy Offline
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Posts: 879 | Total: 1,111
MP: 1615
#20
it's whatever you feel, it's whatever i want to do
When was the last time Aisha had engaged in such a simple and easygoing conversation like this? Everything lately had been mourning and repairing the destruction in the grounds, working with the Shields, preparing and strategizing about the guild. It was the storytelling that she realized she'd been missing; the opportunity to just ramble on with a smile on her face. She appreciated Cam for listening, "Very bright colors and really intricate patterns, lots of rings too," she said, imagining the warlords with their jeweled knuckles, rapping away on the table as they spoke.

She nodded at their observation, it certainly had helped the central kingdom for generations. The current rulers when she'd left had reigned the longest of any, the oxen family was vast and strong. On to talk of Cam's world, their answer was much shorter, much sweeter, and something about it brought a laugh to Aisha's lips. "Peaches! I haven't had a peach in forever." Caido's fruits were different, but mainly she'd just been in Halo, where most fruit was dried or took long to perish. A nice juicy peach would do her wonders about now.
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#21


"Lots of rings?" Cam asked. "Any other jewelry? And did the east make jewelry, too, as well as textiles?"

To be honest, they didn't really care what the answer was -- they just wanted to keep Aisha talking, since it seemed to make her happy. And of course they were listening closely, so that they could ask good questions.

"To be honest, I never liked them that much," Cam admitted, speaking of peaches. They had always been a picky eater, to the point where they downright didn't enjoy food -- didn't want to eat at all. And peaches were not among the few foods that they did tolerate. But that subject always embarrassed them a bit, honestly. "Do they not have them here, though?"


cameron ?


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Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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Posts: 879 | Total: 1,111
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#22
it's whatever you feel, it's whatever i want to do
"At the time yes, my dad had one for every finger," she replied, happy to reminisce. Her father wasn't usually the foremost memory, her mother took precedent over him and his days traveling, being diplomatic. But her memories were still fond, especially the little things like that, what he wore and how he laughed. "Most of the gems came from the southern mines, but yeah we had all the best artisans."

Didn't like peaches? Aisha scowled playfully, kicking along a rock on the path they walked. "That's blasphemous friend," she chided. "I live in Halo where there's barely any plants at all, definitely not peaches. I've seen some in the grounds markets before though," she replied, remembering the first flowerbirth she'd spent there. Fruit had been bountiful, the land not scorched by the sparkbird's wrath.
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#23


Cam smiled. "It must have been a beautiful place to live. I don't really miss home that much, to be honest. The people, yes, and some of the technology, but the place itself was just ... so mediocre."

They hadn't really intended to make that confession when they'd started talking, and they found themself a bit startled to have said it. Clearing their throat, they turned their attention to their path, which was heading straight for the increasingly-near coast as if to carry them directly into the water. "I think we're almost to the end of the road."

Another smile, at the accusation of blasphemy -- not the first time Cam had heard that, usually jokingly. "What can I say? Sacrilege is my middle name. Halo's the cold place, right? It must be hard to live there. I haven't been here long enough to see a market."


cameron ?


"Cameras" by Ennev is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chachy Offline
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Posts: 879 | Total: 1,111
MP: 1615
#24
it's whatever you feel, it's whatever i want to do
Aisha was surprised at Cam's confession. Not that she knew anything really about where they were from, or much at all about who they were, but almost every outlander she'd met missed their home. Most harbored resentment towards the new goddess for taking them from their homes, Aisha would always be bitter for it. But there were maybe some who had been saved by it, brought into the wonders and horrors of Caido with an open mind. It'd taken some time for Aisha to warm up to it, but she truly did love it now too.

"There's no dull moment here," she mused, eyes drifting to the road ahead, where it ended at a large body of water. She hurried up at the sight, moving to descend a small slope to see the coast ahead of them; soft dunes of golden sand, gently crashing waves. Likely a sound and not the full expanse of the ocean, but it was still vast. She would love to fly over the waters here, leathery wings taken up in the wind. She stopped when her boots sunk into the fine sand.

Aisha snorted in amusement at their response, nodding as they spoke of Halo. "Oh it's cold alright, the markets are pretty full but less artsy than others. People in Halo are usually more survival oriented. Not where I thought I'd end up, but my people are there now."
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#25


Cam thought they picked up on some surprise from Aisha, and it was a surprising statement, they guessed. Most people wouldn't be happy to be uprooted without warning or consent, dragged away from their family and everything they'd ever known. And Cam wasn't saying it wasn't hard. But at least they'd ended up somewhere interesting.

And somewhere with nice beaches, apparently. Cam followed Aisha onto the sand, smiling. They weren't really a beach person -- too uncomfortable in their body -- but this was nice, a nice view. The ocean looked dark today, a beautiful navy blue color.

"Your people?" Cam asked.


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Aisha Khai
Swordmaster / Deepfrost Shield / Guildmaster

Age: 28 | Height: 5'6" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 4 - Strg: 18 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 17 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chachy Offline
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Posts: 879 | Total: 1,111
MP: 1615
#26
and now the kids are starting up a fire, dancing around the light
Aisha bent down to brush her fingers through the tall dune grass, pick off a puff and toy with it. Her people, a good question. Once upon a time her people had meant a whole kingdom, but now it was a small ring of good friends, slowly growing and forming and becoming a family. "The friends I've made here, just like... the people I care about. They ended up in Halo, so I ended up there too," she replied, glancing to Cam, wondering which people they would end up finding, loving, and trusting.

"Do you want to head back now?" she asked after a few moments of quiet in the sun and spray of the sea.
AISHA
Cameron Davis
Artist

Age: 30 | Height: 5'8" | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 17 - Endr: 15 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
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Posts: 296 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#27


"I see." Cam nodded. They could only hope that eventually they would come to have a group of people to call theirs as well -- people they trusted, people they belonged with. They'd never had a lot of those at home. Maybe a couple D&D groups.

"Yeah, we should probably head back." Reluctantly, Cam turned away from the ocean, which they could have watched all day, really -- if it weren't for the long walk back, which they'd rather get done before night made the road even more uncertain and potentially dangerous. "Hey, thanks for coming out here with me."

- FIN


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