[SE] the joy of youth is to disobey

They nodded and made a mental note. There was so much about Torchline to discover, it practically made them giddy with excitement. Just excitement, not thrills of disobedience. Just excitement. If I come back with something new and insightful about Torchline, there's no way the provost will be upset with me. Right?

If Quanil's question to Maea had thrown her, her question back to them threw them even more. "Why wouldn't I want to be useful to you?" they asked in return. "You've helped me. And Loreseekers are supposed to help people. And I like being useful. I like helping. You're a good person. You deserve help, if you need it, of course. It's okay if you don't. I mean, of course it's okay, it's not like I'm giving you permission or that you need my permission or... I'm just going to shut up now."

And, as usual, when they didn't know what else to do, they smiled.

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

There came a storm of words, and all of them breathed of naive optimism, of blind belief in the good of others that made Maea feel very old and very jaded. She rubbed the back of her neck and averted her eyes, a little uncomfortable to be placed on such lofty pillars. Quanil would inevitably be disappointed in her, and the world, sooner or later. But... somehow, she rather wished that it would be later.

"Alright," she said, with a ghost of a smile. "There is one thing you can do for me. Sunjata has opened a boxing ring here in Torchline not long ago. The Slagveld. I would like for you to go to Haulani and seek him out there, and then I want you to let him teach you how to box."

She began to fold up the map, using both hands and magic to combat the wind. No doubt Quanil could pour over it for hours still, but they were here to see the real world.

"You know this already, but Caido is a dangerous place. Torchline is beautiful but it is no exception, and people are another danger that you need to be prepared to face, if you are serious about exploring here. Learn how to fight. With weapons, and without them. That way, you can protect not only yourself, but anyone else that might need it." Her tone was even but firm, and the gaze she leveled at the youth was serious.

Then she smiled, a bit more warmly. "Besides... Sunjata will be happy to see people take interest in his new project. If he is happy, then I will be, too." Her expression warmed, something like longing in her smile appearing as she spoke of the man.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

Quanil was eager to hear how they could help Miss Valair, but their brow furrowed at her request. "The Slagveld"? I wonder if that word is from his homeworld? It sounds a bit like "VlamVloed," similar structures... and love of the letter 'v'. But that was a brief mental distraction.

Quanil had actually wanted to learn how to defend themselves and others without a weapon; they'd taken up the staff just because the provost had insisted he wasn't a proper teacher for unarmed combat.

There were so many things they could say to her in response to her request, but it was that last line - and that last look - that decided what words would actually come out. Which, actually, was pretty normal for them; they often reacted first to what was said or done last. But... that sentence. That look.

Quanil had no personal experience with love or sex. They knew longing, though. Knew it more intimately than most people knew their lovers. Longing for another person happened more rarely with them, but they'd seen it plenty of times. They were often a quiet, passive observer... of the truth.

"Ohhhh, that's how it helps you." They grinned. "I didn't realize you liked Mr. Sunjata! Does he know? I won't tell him if he doesn't, unless you want me to but I should warn you I'm not really good at 'dropping hints', so if that's what you want, you might want to reconsider it, Miss Valair."

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

She was a little taken aback by the suddenly very personal twist the conversation took. Maea blushed, hadn't realized she was that obvious in her affection, and her hands fumbled a little as she tucked the map back into the satchel.

"Oh, he knows," she said, carefully not looking at Quanil. "We've been together for a while... though not at the moment. It's... a bit complicated." Not a story she wanted to repeat to this kid that she barely knew. "You don't have to mention me at all, just focus on the training."

Not that Sunjata would turn the youth away for being sent by her, but it would be an unnecessary complication in a simple task.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

"OH. I'm sorry. I hope things get better with you two soon." They cleared their throat and pressed on past that. "But I've actually wanted to learn how to fight without a weapon! Thank you! But I'm... still a little uncertain as to how this helps you then? It seems to help me far more, and that's great, and I certainly don't mind, of course, but..."

Their brow furrowed as they tried to get to what they wanted to say without the babbling. "You already know Haulani, at least well enough to know Mr. Sunjata has a boxing ring there. So I'm not finding something out for you or helping you with the map. And maybe those aren't things you need help with, so, okay, but... how does this help you?"

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Thankfully, Quanil seemed possessed of enough tact to move on from a sensitive subject, and Maea was grateful for it. The well wishing was met with a faint shrug and a nod - she certainly hoped so too - but when the young Grounder went on, seeming confused, she gave them a slightly warmer smile.

"It helps me to know that you won't be beaten and left in an alley to die," she told them. "It reassures me to think that even if you do end up in trouble, you won't be defenseless. You can and should decide for yourself where you go from here... But I would be much less worried to know you've at least tried to prepare before leaping into things. Is that not help enough?"

She pushed herself up to stand, brushing sand from her skirts. The breeze blowing in from the ocean helped, and as she tucked a strand of hair behind an ear, Maea held out her hand to help Quanil up.

"Just stay alive, and try not to get hurt. I've nothing else to ask for."

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

"Oh."

She was holding out her hand, so they took it.

"Uh. Thanks. I..."

Sure, the provost wanted to see them well and healthy, but the provost was damn near a God Walking the World as a Mortal, in Quanil's eyes and, more pragmatically, they were a Loreseeker and so of course Provost Silversmith wanted them to survive for that reason alone. But for Maea Valair, who barely knew them, whose only real connection was the increasingly tenuous links of Loreseeker and Grounder, to care so much about their well-being...

They smiled. "I will. Try not to get hurt and try to stay alive, that is. And go to the Slagveld, like you asked, Miss Valair."

This was all just further proof to their mind of what a very good person she was. Also that, whatever it was that was going on with her and Mr. Sunjata, it must really be complicated, because they were both good and nice people, so clearly it couldn't be someone's fault. They couldn't help being curious... but they weren't going to ask her about it.

"But you don't want anything? Like... I don't know... a treat from back home or something? 'Course, I guess you can go back whenever you want, but... but if you didn't want to go back but still wanted something from the Hollowed Ground, I could bring it out here to you. I know Miss Arialla keeps talking about coming out here; maybe I should ask around and see if she did come out this way. She said it sounded like her homeworld."

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Maea just shook her head gently. "I don't need anything,  at least not right now," she said, not unkindly. "But if something does come up, I'll be sure to keep your offer in mind."

She slung the satchel over her shoulder, and gestured for the sea. "How about you go take a closer look? I can fish you out if you fall in." Maea winked, a little teasing. "I suppose you know that you can't drink ocean water? It's salty, so if you try you'll get very sick."

She walked down the beach towards the waters edge. The rolling waves were gentle and not overly large today, but still soaked through her dress up to the knees as she walked straight into the surf, without a care for the wet shoes or the saltstains the sea would leave behind.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

They nodded. "Yes, please do. I'm glad to help however I can."

They couldn't help following her gesture towards the sea and watched the waves roll. They were more than glad to take her up on the suggestion. "I didn't know before I got here, but it smells salty. I'd think it wouldn't be at all refreshing, at least."

It got louder, of course, but all they cared about was their eyes picking out more and more details. The spray of water droplets, the shifting of the sand beneath their feet, the...

"What's this?" They reached down to pick up a small object, thumb rubbing sand off of it. "It looks like a little fan."

---

Quanil has found a seashell.
I'm assuming Torchline has seashells.
they do now anyway if not, I'll edit

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Maea turned her gaze to the thing Quanil had picked up. Saw a seashell in their hand, and blinked. They were at this level of unaware? Alright then... "It's the shell of an animal that lives in the sea. Almost like a snail? Some of them can be eaten. They're quite delicious. You'll find plenty of shells in all shapes and sizes. I saw a clam at this size once, while diving out among the reefs." She held up her hands, to measure out at least a foot and a half. "Some have pearls inside them."

Digging into the bag again, she fished out the oyster shell Sunjata had entrusted her with during their disastrous trip. Popping it open, she showed Quanil the pearls that lay stored inside. Two dark blue and one shimmering white, nestled against a backdrop of black mother of pearl.

"There are other colors too, but these are the only ones I've seen so far myself."

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" W O W "

There wasn't really a word big enough to describe the wonder on Quanil's face, in their widened eyes, careening through their brain. "Wow" would have to do. It wasn't even an exclamatory "wow", just ... a statement-of-fact "wow."

"Those are gorgeous!" Okay, there was an exclamation, as they looked at the pearls. Then they looked down at the little shell in their hand and put it in their pocket. "I don't think I'll find any of the really big ones out here," as they cast their gaze up and down the beach, "but I'd like to find more. Maybe if I bring one to Freina, it'll cheer her up."

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

The entusiasm made Quanil seem much younger than they were, and had Maea feel like an aunt again. It was nostalgic, a feeling she hadn't realized she missed... and honestly not one she was keen to revel in again. Her niece and nephews were with Mort, and she was not the type to pick up strays.

"Have fun," she said, a little dryly. "There are plenty of beaches in Torchline, you'll have plenty to do. Freina... That's your sister, right? What has gotten her down?" Maea had a vague recollection of a very well put together young girl that gave her quite the challenge at the market, haggling fiercely despite her youth.

She tucked the pearls back safely in the bag. Would have to remember returning them to Sunjata when she got a chance.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

"Oh, uh... well, apparently she's Abandoned. And she didn't really expect that. I mean, it saved her life? But she always thought..." They shrugged. "She thought was the normal kid. Well, the oldest of the normal kids, 'cause there's Kedran still, but... now...?"

They looked out at the endless ocean, miraculous tint of blue stretching to the horizon. "She's given up. She'd almost given up on... on life, I had to get some help to pull her out of the Labyrinth, and she's sure she's not going to inherit and she just doesn't know what to do with herself. She won't even say the word 'Abandoned'. She doesn't want to hear it out loud.

"I've tried, y'know. Since we got her out. She said she wanted to be alone, and it's hard to sleep two in my room at the VlamVloed, so I told her I'd be back in a few days, asked if she wanted anything. She said no - well, she shook her head - so... here I am." They were still addressing the ocean. "It was the only thing I could do for her. I mean, I don't know what it's like to ha-..."

They whirled on Maea, eyes wide and alight. "Maybe, next time you're back, you could talk to her? Or I could bring her out here, when she's ready for it, maybe she could use the change of scenery, and..." This is gonna be a long babble if it's not cut short. Judging by the sound of things, it might pick up speed, too.

Maea

And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain

Understanding made her features brighten, but then cloud over as the full extent of the girl's situation became clear. A late bloomer Abandoned... they always had it worse. Maea had grown up with the understanding of what she was and why people treated her different, but Freina... poor girl.

"I'm not sure there is much I can say," Maea admitted, when Quanil looked at her like she was some shining beacon of hope. "If she is determined to hate herself for being what she probably used to despise, just like everyone else... Some would say it's ironic."

Probably not the kind, considerate thing to say, but Maea wasn't really one to mince words. "If she wants to talk, she's welcome to seek me out in Halo... But if she doesn't want to understand more, then there's no point in trying to convince her."

She shrugged, sympathetic but not much else.

Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay