From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
A huff of a laugh to the comment of ‘food, feathers, eggs, and shit’ that Chulane seems to easily list off. His brown gaze slips toward the other man with that information – imagining that the man’s thought it through well enough that Milo doesn’t have anything to say or add. But sure, he’ll let him do whatever he wanted in Halo. Still, there’s a bit of amusement lingering within him as he imagines Chulane trying to do the same thing to the Hels here.
But he lets that subject die, focused on the idea of portals and the unknown that frankly had Milo’s skin crawling with the idea. He knows what Torchline’s like, what to expect, how to deal with it. He knows the people and everything else about the world here. Why would he want to change it? “I work on the docks. Dad fishes, my siblin’s go with ‘im.” Milo shrugs to that. “I stay here an’ make sure everythin’ is in order.”
The plans he had for Halo would work elsewhere, in a broader sense. Establishing a farm anywhere had similar principles, executing it is what varied depending on the region, and what was being farmed too. Chuy fancied himself pretty savvy when it came to farming, and had helped run a successful one in the harsh climes of Australia - if the farm in Halo was successful, he would think himself quite accomplished indeed. If.
"On the docks?" He echoed, gaze glancing towards where the ocean met the sand, where beyond the buildings they huddled between docks stretched out to sea. "So, your siblings and dad fish, and you sell them?" Gaze turned back to Milo, seeking clarification, unsure what 'make sure everything is in order' meant.
Chuy was an innocent. A naïve one at that - any thoughts of more devious schemes going on he was completely oblivious to. At least if anyone tried to pickpocket him they'd only find a pocket full of soggy treats for a forever-hungry luxere.
On the docks. Milo’s head bobs with confirmation while his brown gaze flickers over Chulane once more as the other man glances back toward the waters. While he doesn’t quite do what Chulane has thought he does, Milo flashes a broad grin toward the man anyway. It is a cover, a good one at that. One that even has his family fooled for the most part – thinking he just helps supply the Ark when it’s in from the ocean.
“Yeah, pretty much.” He agrees, a huff of a laugh slipping from him. “It’s easy ‘nough.” He adds, shrugging his shoulders before shaking his head. It is what it is, and Milo’s in no position to try and change Chulane’s mind. Nor is he in any position on giving up the biggest secret Torchline has, even if it isn’t really a secret so much anymore.
Beach life. While Chuy lived on a land literally rimmed by beaches, he also lived for the most part inland, on a farm surrounded by open space and hills and land. But, like most Aussies, he also took frequent holidays to the coast, was a strong swimmer, and (usually) got well-tanned (not fried to a crisp like he currently was). He knew beach life, he understood it, though not as well as the locals here might.
So he accepted the narrative of Milo's working life with ease, wondering what he might be doing had the portal delivered him here instead. There wasn't much point to wonder - so much had happened since then, it felt like it had happened just yesterday and also a lifetime ago.
"Halovians fish too," he supplied with a smirk, deciding to assign himself as official convince-milo-to-take-a-step-through-the-portal person. "Could open the door to more variety, if you ever wanted to give it a try." He said it rather nonchalantly, wondering if he could stir a bit of ambition in the other, a bit of a challenge.
“Ice fishin’ I bet.” Milo quickly interjects, before snickering to himself. It fades a small amount, however, as Chulane continues and Milo isn’t sure how to take the information given. He doesn’t think he wants to give it a try – once again too set in his ways and stubborn to leave the sands behind. He doesn’t know what could even come close to getting better than this. It was all he knew, all he ever wanted to know.
He tilts his head as he makes a show of considering it, however, a small smirk crossing his face when he ‘acts’ as though he’s come to a decision. “I think I’m a’ight.” He offers with a nod of his head, taking another gulp of water and swallowing it down easily, moving to add more water to his glass. “Not really in the mood fer travelin’. Seems annoyin’ not havin’ a place to go home to.” He’s just talking shit out of his mouth now, before red brows raise as he looks back to Chulane. “No offense.”
He nodded - yes, he was actually referring to ice fishing, to the mages who manipulated the water to reveal holds in the ice shelf that covered the Sea of Glass, to the skilled fishermen who set lines in the frigid waters and pulled up delicious plunder for the city to feast on. It was something he admired, even if he was more comfortable working a field. It was all different branches of the great agricultural tree, and he would do what he could to know enough about it to help it if needed. But Halo had functioned well enough before he'd arrived - when it came to fishing, there wasn't much more to improve on.
"None taken," he waved away the comments, even if they hit a bit close to home. He hadn't exactly asked to be plucked up by the portal, to have his entire world shifted, to be thrust into this world of disaster and magic and supernatural chaos. "Alright, alright, Milo doesn't travel. Got it," he relented, dodging the urge to get defensive, to claim that he has a home, she's just off exploring right now, to snap and let his frustration rise up again.
"I guess the travel bug doesn't bite everyone," he shrugged, idly casting his gaze out over the space again, putting his empty glass down on the table. He wouldn't need long, just a few minutes of calm enough weather, to get back to the portal, to leave this place. It certainly wasn't the first experience of Torchline that he'd imagined - but then, when had his expectations of how things should work ever been met in Caido?
A wide grin spreads across Milo’s face, an agreement that he doesn’t travel – glad that Chulane’s picked up on it so quickly. The furthest he went is in the jungles of Apopo to the edge of the Rainbow Road. Any further and it made him positively homesick, even if he complained about his family every chance he got. “Not yet I ‘spose.” Milo replies easily, shaking his head as he watches Chulane focus on the seas and storms outside.
He supposes he’s done enough saving for today, but it looks like the man wants to go, perhaps he had hit a nerve with the home comment. So he downs the rest of his glass and sets it on the counter, turning away from it to run a hand through his red hair again. “Ya wanna head home? I can getcha to the portal.” A raise of his brow to that. The storms slowed down outside, or so it seems, and Milo has nothing else to do if the man wants company. Or a savior in case another rogue branch splits off.
Not yet - ah, so there was an inkling, a hint that the young man might venture beyond the borders of his home one day. Clearly Milo had thought about it, and perhaps he might keep thinking about it, and maybe one day, change his mind.
It wasn't going to be Chuy who changed it, at least, not today.
"That'd be great," the relief was palpable, as he quickly refilled and downed another glass of water. He looked back at Milo to demonstrate his readiness. Having a guide wasn't necessary, and Chuy would hate to put another person at risk in the weather outside, but he also didn't mind the company.
"Torchline is beautiful, even when storm ravaged," he commented as they walked, looking over the scenery with a squinted gaze against the wet wind they faced, his imagination superimposing a sunny day, with people everywhere, the smell of salt on the air, the caw of gulls (though he was assuming there were sea gulls here, having not seen any yet, and not recalling from his fauna manual the native equivalent at this moment).
“Alright.” Milo agrees, setting his own glass aside and waiting until Chulane’s downed his glass before Milo’s leading the way through the alleys again – trying to dodge as much rain and wind as possible in their trek to the portal. Chuy’s words do spark a bright grin across Milo’s face, shoulders rising and falling in a shrug as he considers it. “Longheat’s got the best sunsets, if ya like that sorta thing.”
He’s always been partial the sunrises and sunsets, however, always something he looks forward to when a new year begins. “You’ll hafta come back.” He adds after a moment of thought, a few more dips and turns, and then the portal along the docks comes into view. “She’ll still be here.” He tosses out a hand to encompass the dreary gray world around them, an easy cat-like grin spread across his face.
08-20-2020, 07:31 AM (This post was last modified: 08-20-2020, 07:32 AM by Chulane.)
CHULANE
let's set the world on fire
They navigated the alleys, the walkways, before finally making it to where the weather hit them full on. It wasn't as bad as before, but still pretty wild - shifting to his eagle form wouldn't do, and his leopard form would just want to hide somewhere high up and dark and dry. For once, his human form was the best one to face the elements of this world, to weather the brief intermission of the storm, the wind, the spattering of rain. Chuy crossed his arms across his chest against it, feeling the warmth from the sunburn, but also feeling better too.
"Oh, I'll be back," he said with a sure grin, a confidence in his words, almost a swagger to his step as the thought of venturing here again in good company and excellent weather, for a date promised what felt like eons ago. "Thanks, Milo. If you ever do make it through a portal, come find me." And without further hesitation, he waved a small goodbye and stepped on through, to what was home, for now.
