in over my head

Sohalia

As they lifted above the trees and Tal relaxed, Sohalia found herself enjoying the flight. What the young man said made sense, and she appreciated the sentiment. She flashed him a warm smile. Now that they were in the air, she was beginning to see the appeal of skyship travel, especially when she contemplated the long-distance travel she would need in order to see more of the world. It would take ages by wing - skyship sailing would be much easier.

Tal grinned at her and Sohalia warmed, pleased to see her friend excited. She leaned against the railing and took a moment to enjoy the view as Tal talked. There wasn't much to see - mostly treetops, broken by the winding curves of the Symphony - but it was beautiful all the same. A tickle of nerves caught in the back of her mind, but it was easy to ignore. She sighed happily, no longer quite sure what she'd been so afraid of.

"Hmm," she said in response to Tal's question. "That's tricky! There are so many. I really love cardinals, especially in winter. The red feathers against the snow - there's nothing quite like it. But my favorite?" She grinned mischievously. "Probably owls."

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

He snuck a glance back over to her and was relieved to see how comfortable she looked, leaning against the railing. Boreal caroled a joyful opinion from above and dove past the ship, playfully chasing an offended crow as it tried to evade her, and the pair disappeared into the trees below with their barest fuzz of green beginning to soften Deepfrost's sharp edges.

Tal headed back to the wheel, taking control of it again and steering them back on course above the Symphony's silver 'road' below while Sohalia answered.

"I like cardinals, too," he agreed, pleased to find something in common. "Owls are kinda spooky, but kinda cool. We've got some big ones in Halo!" He thought for a moment, then followed up with: "What about dogs? D'you like 'em better'n cats?" A leading question, but no one had ever accused the courier of being unbiased!

Sohalia

Sohalia laughed at Boreal's antics. She could relate to the dragon's playful nature, having chased her own share of woodland creature as an owl. As the pair disappeared into the trees below, Sohalia contemplated sharing her ability with Tal. He'd been nothing but kind to her, and she felt increasingly guilty for keeping a secret from him.

"I can't wait to visit Halo!" she said in response, twirling happily in place. "I'll have to keep an eye out for your owls!" As she opened her mouth to expand on her love of owls, however, Tal asked her about dogs and cats, and Sohalia giggled. "I like them both, for different reasons, but if I had to choose, I'd say dogs," she admitted. "They're so... pure. Happy, you know? Loyal. Cuddly!" She laughed again. "What about you? Are you a dog person?"

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

His grin widened at her happy twirl, unconsciously caught by her infectious joy. "Halo, the Oerwoud, Torchline... though you can probably skip th'Feverlands," Tal agreed with a rare laugh. "That place is mostly just mud an' stink an' giant swamp rats."

Tal didn't know what he was missing when it came to Sohalia's owls, but he was too pleased at her answer to his other question to catch his social flub at interrupting her. "I knew I liked you!" His grin widened and he stood straight and confident at the wheel of his ship; a far cry from the slouching, morose young man she'd met at the crowded tea house. "Dogs are definitely the best. Boreal was raised by my sled dogs which uh... kinda explains some things about her," he added with a touch of sheepishness. "Back before th'War I, uh. Spent more time with them than other people, too." Which also explained some things about Tal.

Sohalia

Tal was in his element; that much was clear to Sohalia. She couldn't help her smile widening into a grin as she watched him steer his ship confidently through the sky. It reminded her of how she felt when she was flying, and she was tickled pink to have found a kindred spirit in her friend. "I dunno," she mused. "The Feverlands may be terrible, but I still want to see them for myself!"

When Tal grinned at her, Sohalia blushed. She rather liked him, too, but she was suddenly too shy to say as much. She listened with rapt attention as he described his sled dogs and their raising of Boreal, and suddenly, the way the dragon acted started to make a lot more sense. "I can understand that," said Sohalia. "I always liked animals better than people, too. Well -" she added with a wink, "Most people."

Then she sobered. She heard people talk about the War, but she had been woefully out of touch for the majority of it. Truth be told, she wasn't even sure what had happened. "What was the war about, anyway? I was at home, and I didn't really hear much about it. My guardian was... overprotective."

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

"Yeah, I did, too I guess..." It was a reluctant admission of his younger and more foolish days, before he knew what an ROUS was or what ripe swamp gas smelled like. He shook his head to dispel the memories and focused back on his cheerful friend, far happier to talk about animals instead. Her wink caused him to wrinkle his nose in confusion, however, and he felt the heat return to his ears. "Yeah... well... me too," he mumbled, at a loss for how to respond. He wasn't used to most people being so nice to him, and it still threw him off his game sometimes when Soh was.

The War was - for maybe the first time ever - almost a relief to think about in contrast. At least he knew where he stood with it, and now it was more than a year safely in the past. The courier's brow furrowed in thought and he chewed his lip for a few seconds before he spoke again. "I'm not really sure where t'start... Mostly, it was a war between th'Gods, an' we all just got caught up in it, more or less." He wasn't exactly a story teller, but he took a deep breath and tried his best.

"So, a long ass time ago some Abandoned got really powerful an' basically got strong enough t'challenge the gods. The Old Gods. An' the Old Gods didn't like that an' trapped those New Gods, th'Voice at least, behind that Barrier that was around the Hollowed Grounds for three hundred years, yeah? The one that just came down mebbe four, five years back. I guess th'Voice was maybe too strong for 'em t'destroy? But they stuck their herald gods - Ludo an' Safrin an' Frey - in the trap with her, because there were innocent humans who got stuck inside, too, an'... I dunno. Reasons, I guess." He shrugged a little helplessly. Theology wasn't exactly his strong point, and history was only slightly better.

"So anyways, the Voice, she created all the Ascended an' portals an' stuff, an' that was pretty convenient, but she had big beef with the Old Gods still for lockin' her up an' tryin' to get her Ascended killed off so they wouldn't... I dunno, turn into more little gods? I'm kinda hazy on that part. So she sent, uh... somethin' or... another New God or... part of herself? It's weird an' complicated, but it was called 'the Core' an' she sent it to infect Caido - like, the First God - an' so the War was about Caido tryin' t'fight off th'Core an' the Voice's champions fightin' the Old Gods' champions in the Draig, who were tryin' t'get t'Caido t'save 'im. An' the Old Gods' champions won." He finally ran down, out of breath and looking like he needed a drink after all that talking.

Sohalia

Sohalia was a nice person, but it was far easier to be kind to those she genuinely liked. So far, Tal had proven to be just such a person, and so it was easy for Sohalia to fall into playful banter and authenticity. She leaned over the railing as Tal spoke about the war, watching the Symphony pass by. From the way he told it, it didn't sound like the War really made much sense. It didn't to her, anyway.

"That's... a lot," she finally said, leaning back, her hands gripping the railing of the ship. Her blonde hair tumbled off her shoulders, catching the light as she let go and turned back to Tal. "Thank you," she added. "I remember that the barrier coming down was a big deal, but it didn't really mean much to me at the time. But, even though the War was horrible, and everyone was fighting everyone, I'm still glad the barrier fell. It means I get to explore!"

She glanced at Tal sheepishly, not meaning to sound so flippant about the reality of war. It had been terrible, she was sure, but even after his explanation, it didn't mean anything to her. She hadn't been touched by it, and that was apparent in how quickly she cheered after Tal's story.

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

He'd had a second-hand grudge against the Voice and been firmly with the Old Gods in that regard, but beyond the personal aspect the greater causes and underpinnings of the War hadn't made much sense to him, either. "Yeah, I know there was a lot of bad stuff that ended up happening, but..." Tal shrugged, grimacing a little at the memory of Zariah's tenure in the Palace and the aftermath of one of the Voice's pet monsters in Halo's Citadel. "Now that it's all over? I think Caido's a better place. As much as shit got shook up, Halo's got green now, an' the Grounds are healthier. An', uh, there's a lot of... floatin' islands an' stuff in Torchline an' Stormbreak?" Was that... really a change for the better? Or just a change? Opinions probably differed.

He shrugged again, some of his awkwardness back as other memories rose unbidden. The terrible look in the Banshee Queen's eyes as she came through the Citadel's gate. The splash of arterial blood from the guards he had known all his life as her handmaiden's claws tore through them. The centuries-old ice shrieking and splitting as the world itself thrashed and cracked under the Core's assault...

Tal shook his head and dug deep for a wan smile for Sohalia, shamelessly using her innocent good cheer to shove the memories back down deep again. "What were they like? Your guardian, I mean?"

Sohalia

Talk turned from the War to other things, and Sohalia relaxed in relief. She'd been momentarily afraid that she would have offended Tal somehow. She didn't know anybody who had lived through the War rather than having lived during the War. It left her at a bit of a disadvantage on how to act.

Luckily, Tal seemed to shake off the sudden gloom, and Sohalia accepted his wan smile with one of her own. What could she say about Auden? Their death was still fresh, even though it had happened half a year ago now. But she'd found that the more she talked about it, the easier it got, so she swallowed her pain and pushed on. "My parents died when I was young, and Auden took me in. I remember them better than I do my parents." Her pained smile grew more genuine as she remembered Auden fondly.

"They were... I don't know. I am who I am today because of them. They were always kind - if a bit grouchy at times," she remembered with a soft chuckle. "But they were patient with me and my endless questions, and they told the best stories. Maybe that's why I want to travel to much, so I can see all the things they told me about."

Her gaze was far away as she pondered that, thinking of all the ways that Auden had shaped her. "Auden loved animals, too. They taught me that everything has a place in the world, a reason for being, no matter how small. And they kept me safe. Everything that happened in the world always felt so... far away."

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

Tal was quiet while Sohalia spoke of her parents and of the guardian who had come after. He had used all of this words to recap the War, and now he was content to listen, a flicker of a smile breaking through every once in a while. Auden's grouchiness was something the courier could relate to, and their love of animals.

Even after Soh finished he didn't speak up for a little while, steering the skyboat with a deft hand until he finally brought the little craft around and began to head back the way they'd come. "I'm glad y'had them," he said eventually, breaking the comfortable silence a little sheepishly, as if uncertain whether to speak at all. "They sound really nice." An awkward statement of the obvious, but a sincere one as he tied the wheel off and moved back to set the sails for their new course. "Was it them that taught y'how t'swim?"

Sohalia

Tal was a good listener, and he made it easy for Sohalia to talk about even something that saddened her as much as her parents and Auden. It was strange, that such lovely people should inspire such misery when they were gone, but there it was. There was just a hole in Sohalia's heart that simply couldn't be filled. Some days were harder than others, but the ache was always there, lurking under the surface.

She didn't realize that she'd started to cry until she felt a single tear trickle down her cheek, and she swiped at it hastily, turning to stare out over the Symphony as Tal turned the Peregrine back the way they'd come. "They were," she agreed, her voice only a little strangled. She cleared her throat. "Sorry, it's - I just - miss them," she explained, fighting to get herself under control. It was easier to talk about them with someone like Tal, but that didn't make it less painful. After a moment, she managed to tamp down the lump in her throat. They were having a lovely time; she wasn't about to ruin it with an emotional outburst.

She turned back to Tal with a smile that was overbright. Her eyes were still a little red, but she'd managed to get herself under control. "Auden taught me," she said in response to Tal's question. "Although their methods were a little..." she paused, laughing fondly at the memory. "Auden was a very... sink or swim type of teacher. I remember when they figured out I didn't know how to swim, and they gave me such a hard time. They took me to the river and just shoved me in, skirts and all! Still, they were right there the whole time, to make sure I didn't drown. But don't worry -" she added hastily. "I'm not just going to dump you in the Symphony. I think we can do better than that."

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

The courier, for his part, tried not to notice Soh's tears and pretended to focus on steering the ship even though it needed little effort going as low and slow as it was. At his friend's apology, however, he cleared his throat and gruffly said: "Nothin' t'apologize for. I miss my folks, too. Never stops hurtin' but... it hurts less, eventually." Years later and he didn't have to fight to hold back tears at their memories when he spoke of them, except on certain anniversaries or particularly vivid reminders of childhood memories.

Or hearing a particular song, or smelling his father's favorite boot polish, or--

He tried to return Soh's smile, but his own was lopsided at best as they both put their best faces forward. Hearing about her first swimming lesson made the smile a little more genuine, though no less crooked. "Yeah, I already tried that way. It didn't work so good. The day we met, my--" He hesitated, realizing he'd almost slipped up. "Uh. Colleague. Fished me out o' the Symphony after a glotter dragged me in an' tried t'drown me. An' I think I about half-drowned Sah while he was pullin' me back t'the surface." He didn't like to phrase what he'd been doing as 'uncoordinated flailing,' but sometimes the truth hurt.

Sohalia

Although Sohalia experienced moments of sadness - as do we all - she'd gotten quite good at placing her emotions into a box in the back of her mind, to be considered on a rainy day. So it was that she pulled herself together, shoved her tears aside, and forced that watery smile that Tal was kind enough to return, lopsided though it might have been. She wasn't sure what to say, if anything, and so she let the moment pass. There was no use in making them both miserable.

Instead, she listened as Tal explained what he'd been doing the day they met, and she gasped. "Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed, distressed by the possibility that Tal could have drowned. She'd seen a glotter during one walk along the Symphony - they hadn't seemed particularly dangerous to her, but then, she had given it quite a wide berth. "That's terrible," she added, her pretty face concerned. "I'm quite glad your colleague was there to help you!"

it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going

He'd been pretty messed up that day, but now that it was safely in the past Tal was just embarrassed by what had happened. A quest for Ludo gone wrong... "Damnedest luck in all Caido," he agreed ruefully. "Him bein' out there that day. Guess Ludo wasn't ready t'guide me home yet." It was probably holding out for more candy offerings first.

Boreal came shooting out of the budding canopy below, gleefully trailing smoke as a rather singed looking raven chased her, croaking with outrage. Tal groaned and shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the dragon for the moment and instead moving to open the sails and nudge the matic into greater speed for the trip back.

Soon enough they had returned to where they'd started from and he lowered the anchor into the stones again and unrolled the rope ladder. "Ladies first," he said, as gracious as he could manage--

And figuring girls in skirts maybe didn't like guys standing around below them when they were climbing down a ladder.

"So, how're you thinkin' we should do this swimmin' lesson?"