Stillness

It was a damp fall morning. The air was damp, and the sun was tucked neatly behind the gray, dim clouds. Leaves whistled past my hair in the slow flowing breeze that tickled my nose. It was silent, the day had just begun, and I was sitting there, poking at the fire I had made last night like an idiot. The trees that surrounded the grassy clearing swayed curiously along with the grass, as if dancing to a tune. Nothing stirred at all within the clearing, nothing could be heard except for the sound of my stick poking the black-grey ash of a dead fire. Once in a while, I heard a bird chirp, and I knew the birds were soon going to be out hunting. I stopped poking the fire and looked up to see my pack facing me across from the pile of ash. I got up off of the grass and stretched, hearing some bones crack. I sighed in relief and went to my small leather pack, kicking my canteen of water over to the pack as I walked by it. When I reached my pack, I knelt down and inspected it to make sure nothing was stolen. I opened the flap and stared inside, using the dim light of the sun that was shining through the clouds to light it. Stuffed inside were some hardtacks I had yet to touch since I started to travel, my book on elemental spells was tucked to the side of the hardtacks, propping them up. My map was rolled up in the corner across from those items, poking out a bit from my pack, along with my berry pouch, and my canteen, which I placed inside. I smiled in satisfaction and closed and buttoned the lid. I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulders. I reached from behind and whipped out my map, which slid out with ease. I stared at it, trying to see where the nearest town was. My finger traced over the paper, reading the direction of where I had left from to where I was now. My face lit up when I saw the nearest town was Ruben, a small town I had visited as a kid a long time ago. I nodded in confirmation of my destination and rolled the map back up, sliding it onto one of my belt's hoops on my dress. I grabbed my gloves and tightened them, along with my stockings, which, not surprisingly enough, slid back down to cover my shoes. I sighed and shook my head. Then I stared into the trees, a small road showing the way out. I smiled.

"Well," I said out loud to myself, placing my hands on my hips. "It's about time I get going. To Elder!" I fist-pumped in the air and marched with determination along the path, leaving my campsite behind me. The smell of the forest entered my nostrils the moment I stepped in, sending a feeling of comfort over my body. It had been about a year since I left home, trying to find my powers again. I had been on the road, searching town after town, trying to find a place to start. I had heard from my Master that Ruben would have been a good place to start, but did I listen?

Nope. I'm just a moron, that's all. Not that I'd admit it.

The road continued on through the swaying trees as I hummed happily. I felt at ease here, though that tends to happen when you've been on the road for a year, with no one to talk to, nothing to do. The air was calm, and the grogginess from earlier had clearly left my systems. I felt happy, calm, and strangely-wait. I stopped, feeling someone-or something, near. I scanned the trees, the wind blowing my pigtails towards the trees. So much for staying downwind. I sighed quietly and looked around slowly, scanning every tree, every nook. My eyes landed on a squirrel. I blinked. Then facepalmed. Then groaned.

Man, I AM stupid. I thought. I stared at the squirrel, taking in its patterns. It had peculiar swirl signs on his back, leading up to his beady eyes, which were eying me curiously, studying me. It was then that I realized he had blue fur. I raised one eyebrow, wondering if I was 'tripping balls,' as my Master put it. The squirrel stared at me, and then turned and scurried down the path. I walked after it, as if in a trance. I had no idea why I was following it, but I did. It was an instinct, an impulse. Anyone would've thought I was insane, as in one town put it, 'Following Squirrels is a BAD IDEA.' All because one man did it and he ended up going off a cliff because he tried to climb the squirrel's tree. If you ask me, that was his fault, not the squirrels. But who was I to listen to a town's ridiculous statements? I'm a Magician, not a Skeptic. But as I was questioning all these things, I blinked, wondering where I was. I halted in place, feeling something wet at my feet. I looked down, seeing water. A lake? I looked up and gaped.

I was standing at the foot of an ocean. I stared at the white-capped waves, captivated by the swaying waves. I felt like I had just found a goldmine. I shook my head and squinted at something gleaming in the water. What was that? A seashell or an animal, or what? I smiled in curiosity as a thought hit me.

Was it a dead body?

I slapped myself mentally No. No dead bodies.

I watched as it got closer and closer, bobbing in the waves. It got closer and closer until...bam. It landed at my feet, clutching some kind of cannon like it was life itself. I had no idea what the hell this this was. I summoned my staff, which I had named Avery, and poked it. That's when it shook a bit. I yelped, tripping and falling onto it. It felt..warm. Even after this thing had some seaweed on it along with various other underwater bearings, it was warm. It felt..alive. I stroked the metal, finding it smooth yet sturdy, the color of ivory, streaked with blue in spots. I saw some ripped blue cloth, lined with gold at the end, I stared at it, finding a symbol that seemed strangely familiar. I felt it stir a bit, and I turned up to find something like a helmet at the top. Spiky blue hair fell in front of the face, obscuring it from me. The creature groaned a bit, definitely hurt in a way. I brushed the hair out of its face, revealing two eye shaped holes that were pitch black, seeming to have no end. I got off of the creature and kneeled next to it, staring at its face.

That's when the two holes glowed yellow. I stiffened, staring at them. It turned its head slowly, staring right at me. I raised my staff, ready to attack if something went wrong. It groaned and raised a hand to its face. I felt myself shaking, staring at it. Suddenly, the face started to chip off, slowly folding down into the suit. I realized this wasn't a creature as I saw the skin-it was a human. When the helmet folded down into the armor, I saw her face. She had ocean blue eyes, bowl-like hair with two ear-like pieces of hair folding downward along with it, and a very petite face. She stared at me, and I stared at her. She groaned again and put a hand on my staff. I snapped my fingers and Avery disappeared, and I lightly took her hand and squeezed it.

"Are you alright?" I managed to breathe out. The girl gulped and nodded weakly, her eyes glazing over a bit. I shook her lightly and she blinked.

"I need..help..battle..injuries..help." she choked out. She had a surprisingly boyish voice, but that didn't matter.

This girl needed help.

I nodded. "Okay, I'll teleport us to the nearest town, alright? Just stay with me." I opened up my map to see I was a little farther from Ruben, and I haven't seen the town in forever, so I wondered if I could still teleport us there. I sucked in a breath and silently prayed that I remembered what Ruben looked like. I looked at the girl, still clutching her hand.

"Okay, close your eyes, I don't want you going blind from this." she nodded and closed her eyes. I saw her chest rising and falling slower and slower, and I started to panic.

NO. Don't panic, Aisha. She'll be fine, just FOCUS. I told myself. I muttered and incantation and pictured Ruben, digging back into my memory. The smiling people as I walked in as a young kid with my Master, the mill, the Elder's house, the Academy, and the rows of cabins..and then I opened my eyes. We were there, right in the middle of the street. The people were frantically running around, and I looked down to find the girl gone. I nearly screamed. I whipped my head around to find the girl just outside the crowd, a red headed boy staring at her. I pushed and shoved through the crowd to avoid being knocked over, just because I was small doesn't mean I'm insignificant. I ran towards the girl, shielding her. The boy raised an eyebrow.

"What's with that look, shorty?"

"Don't hurt her. She's injured." I scowled at the boy. What an idiot!

The boy rolled his eyes. "I can see that. Sorry about the villagers. But someone stole the El. Come on, I'll take her to Anne. She'll fix her up." The boy held out his hand to me.

"I'm Elsword, shortie."

"My name's Aisha, not shortie." I scowled and firmly shook his hand. He smirked and helped me lift the girl. We dragged her to the cabin up the street, avoiding the scuffle of villagers yelling and making a ruckus. Elsword kept glancing back at them nervously, as if they were all going to drop dead. His eyes had a murderous glare under all of that concern, I could see it. I shook my head and Elsword kicked on the door with his foot. A woman with pink hair and bright blue eyes opened the door, and instantly gasped. She put a hand to her heart and looked at the scuffle in the town.

"Was that caused by them?" she asked in a sharp, high-pitched voice. Elsword shrugged.

"No, ma'am," I said, shaking my head. "I found this girl at the beach, washed up along the shore. She's very injured." I say, my eyes pleading. She glanced at the girl, then Elsword, and then sighed and nodded.

"Come on in and wait on the couch. I'll be out in a second." She took the girl from us and led him into a room where she closed the door. I sighed and flopped down on the couch, my eyes filled with worry. I started to think; what if she died? I shook my head and heard Elsword sitting next to me. I could feel his eyes boring into me. I turned to see him staring at me, smirking. I glared.

"What are you smirking at, you little-"

"I've never seen a short girl like you. How old are you again, Aisha?"

"I never said how old I was. I'm 15. You?"

"I'm 13."

"HAH!" I say, pointing at him. "Then what are you laughing at?! I suggest you watch your tongue!"

"Or what?"

"Or you'll regret it!"

"Oh will I?" he leaned closer, causing me to back away. He smirked coming in closer, nearing my face. I felt blush rising to my face, and saw satisfaction flash in his eyes as he was only inches from my face. I yelped and pushed him away, causing him to laugh. I'm guessing my face was a red as a tomato, but honestly, that kinda scared me. For him to be so...close. I stammered out some words I don't remember and then huffed and pushed my head back onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. Elsword looked at me, and then nodded in confirmation.

"Also..that girl..she's from a faraway place."

"What?" I say, lifting my head. "How do you know?"

"Aisha, have you heard of a place called..Hamel, perhaps?" he said, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head. He smiled.

"It's the capital of Senace. Wonder why she was so injured." Elsword shrugs and starts to leave. I stand up.

"Wait, where are you going?" I ask, staring at him. He stares back with an unemotional look in his eyes. Then a smirk forms on his lips and his eyes become murderous again. I stiffen.

"Where else? I'm going to find my village's El. Some bastardly bandits took ours. And I'm going to get it back. Why else would there be a ruckus in the square?" he smirked and walked out, leaving me pondering many things.

Wait, Ruben's El was stolen? And...that girl...she's from Hamel? I groan and stare at the walls, glancing at Anne's various paintings and furniture as I waited for Anne to come out and tell me how the girl was.

Oh Aisha..what have you gotten yourself into now?

Chi: Yes that's right! My throat's partially cured! I can talk a bit and eat hard things again~! *jumps in slow-mo*

Rena: YAY! Does that mean I can have my arm back?

Chi: *hisses*

Rena: Oookay then!

Aisha: Yay! I'm the main person this time!

Chi: I have no idea if this is AishaxElsword or AishaxChung.

Chung: ..Am I girl in this? YURI?

Chi: ...Hell no. You're a boy. However..I'm debating whether I should do a...a...RenaxEve in this as well *wink wink*

Eve and Rena: WHUT. WHY US? WHY NOT ELSWORD?

Elsword: AYE! NO!

Chi: Cuz I like Elsword.

Aisha: Ohohoho! You finally said it!

Chi: Not that way.

Aisha: Yes that way.

Chi: No.

Aisha: Yes.

Chi: No.

Aisha: Yes.

Chi: No.

Aisha: Yes.

Chi: No.

Aisha: Yes.

Chi: No.

Aisha: Yes.

Chi: Yes

Aisha: No

Chi: AHA!

Aisha: DAMMIT.

R&R Please!