(SE) Dystopian daydream

The Skyboat ride had been exhilarating. In the beginning, before the novelty of the experience wore off. The captain, despite Azure's urging, refused to fly higher into the clouds or lower, closer to the ocean's surface.
By the time the boat approached its destination Azure's eyes had been saturated with films of serene sky, mountain ranges, changing shores and rippling seas. The sun and wind had made her lightheaded, and pink marks of sunburn painted her cheekbones.

The old capital was unlike anything she'd seen. The old capital came into sight and soon after Azure was on her toes, leaning over the bulwark. It was unlike anything she'd seen. With a smile she watched the streets spread out below like a manicured maze. From the moment her feet touched Stormbreak ground, the girl was walking, choosing her course on the fly. She took everything in, from the ornamental facades to the unnerving statues, under curving overpasses and over cobbled streets.

It was when she wandered into the Celestine that her steps slowed for the first time. The gentle twilight swallowed the space around her and it was as if she now existed in a different realm. Faintly, in the distance, an unusual animal call came through the growth, making her pause. Then it came again, more clearly, and Azure went towards it, spotting an enclosure.

Azure

as I hold my soul all the music pours out

It’s the sound of a lost and lonely Luxere calling for its herd. Falke too, had stopped to hear the mournful cry and stands with Ophelia by the enclosure wall. Inside, the weather and temperature has shifted into something much more like Deepfrost, the edges of the magic leaking a bit on to the walkways. The Fixer shivers a bit and Ophelia presses herself against his neck and shoulders. She doesn’t like the cold much either. But the bandaged and sad little luxere draws both the human and the companion’s compassion, and Falke finally reaches for his pack. The first and second tries are obviously wrong, but after unzipping and zipping again, he finds what he’s looking for: an apple.

Brandishing it triumphantly aloft, he offers it without hesitation to the reindeer-like creature, hoping that it might find him acceptable and linger for some scritches on the nose.

THE 'FIXER'

the greatest fear I've ever kept is dying with regrets

Rounding the corner Azure saw the creature, and even through the sunlight, she recognized the familiar glow of luxere antlers. Her heart leaped. For a moment there was nothing in the air but memories of frosted windows, misty breath floating up into the night, hoofprints in the snow, song echoing across the hill in low baritone.

It was only after the surprise had passed that she considered the person that stood in front of the enclosure, a cane in his hand and a monkey on his shoulder. She approached quietly, catching the crisp air in her nostrils and relishing the sensation. Longheat was close to unbearable in the southern regions.

She focused on the skittish creature, its focus in turn glued to the offered treat. It considered the temptation as she approached, slowly but surely succumbing to it. When she stopped, a few steps behind the stranger, the luxere saw her and jumped back, short of taking its prize, head swinging distrustfully.

She hushed the creature softly, taking another step before speaking in a soft voice. "What's got you so upset, hmm?" She'd only ever been this close to a luxere a couple of times, and never for long.

Azure

as I hold my soul all the music pours out

Falke doesn’t really register that there’s another person behind him until the luxere reacts, so focused is he on coaxing the creature into eating from the palm of his hand. Maybe it’s his ego, but the Fixer can’t help the small surge of disappointment - he thought he’d be the perfect candidate for a luxere’s attention. Alas, there’s no accounting for Longheat and the fact that it’s stil a wild creature.

Turning, he finally sees the young woman and offers a courteous, tight-lipped smile. “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, you’re were so quiet that I didn’t hear you.” Which is a compliment, perhaps doubly so for the pickpocket (not that Falke knows that). Turning his head to look back at the luxere, Falke keeps his hand steady and outstretched, hoping that he might still be successful. “I imagine it’s not used to people in Longheat. And injuries can make skittish creatures even more so, you know.”

Ophelia, for her part, switches shoulders so she can look at the woman better, but remains on her perch.

THE 'FIXER'

the greatest fear I've ever kept is dying with regrets