Of Shadows and Swords (Chiarra)

She thought a moment, but couldn't really think of anything that he possibly wouldn't learn, so she gave up and instead, finished eating her food.


Natalie yawned a bit and said, "There is one thing you can't learn." She smirked a bit.
 
Archer took a breath to respond, holding up a finger to stop her, then paused and just gave her a look. Finally, he frowned like a petulant child. "No fair!"


Lucius laughed, scooting a little closer to Natalie so that Archer and Melody - the only two normal humans in their four - were slightly apart from them. "I think we win."
 
Melody and Natalie both laughed at him and Natalie blushed a bit when Lucius scooted closer to her.


"I think so too," Melody said.


Natalie looked up at Lucius and asked, "As long as I'm not out too late..." she looked around and whispered a bit. "You can teach me some tonight."
 
Lucius paused, surprised, and looked at her before finally smiling a little. "We don't have to wait for night, as long as no one sees." He paused, though, and his eyes widened a little as an idea hit him. "I've got it! You and Alrin do disappearing acts, yes? Well, if someone's seen it before or heard of you, they might start to suspect tricks, so - so what if you pull me from the audience? No one will know I'm part of the act, or that I can disappear like you do." He did want to be useful. Maybe it would work.
 
"Night is when I have less chance of being caught though," she said. She would get into trouble if her master found out she was practicing her shadows. "And that would be a great idea," she said.
 
Lucius started to smile at first, but stopped and frowned instead, sitting up straighter. "What . . . Who would catch you? Don't the people here know?" He had been under the impression that others knew the trick to her show, even if he hadn't wanted to use his shadows in the open, still. They were more likely to turn him in, of course. He wasn't family.
 
"No, no, they know," she said. "I'm just not allowed to use my powers outside of the shows," she explained.


"That...doesn't really seem fair," Melody said.


"Master says it's for my own protection, just in case," she explained. "I still try to practice anyways though." She blushed a bit, hoping that no one was around to tell on her. "He's very strict about this," she said.
 
Lucius frowned still, thinking it unfair as well. "I . . . If you're sure you won't get into trouble, I'll teach you."


Archer was frowning too, his brow creased in a way Lucius didn't like. "He makes you call him Master?"
 
"As long as I'm not out too late and no one sees then it's fine," she said smiling. The smile faded a bit when she looked at Archer. "It's really his title," she said. "Because he's the Ring Master." But ultimately yes, she did have to call him that, because he was her master. She just didn't know how they would take to that information. She had pretty much grown up with it, so for her that was the norm.


((I was thinking of waiting, but I do have a vague idea about Alrin. I wasn't sure if I should bring it up or not, but then I thought it would probably be best if I did. Basically though, I was thinking that maybe Alrin isn't really what he seems like and it could be another plot element))
 
((Hmmm, like what? Like he's raising a Raven for his own purposes, and so trying to keep her away from the traitor Raven? Will discuss more tomorrow. Now, I sleep lol night))
 
Archer was still making irritated faces and disgusted ones, but Lucius knew his focus wasnt here and now and so just shook his head. "We didn't know that."


((So why would he be raising her? For what purpose, I mean? Maybe there's some secret group of them somewhere, but it's only accessible by shadow travel, so that's why he's training her only that way? So she can help him but not fight back))
 
She just merely nodded, not wanting to add to that considering the faces Archer was making. "I'm ready to learn whenever your ready to teach though," she said, changing the subject back to what it was, not wanting it to linger anymore.


((That's a really great idea with that ^_^ . Now, why would he want those other Ravens? Maybe to harness their power for whatever reason?))
 
((Yeah, that's kind of the only thing I could think for why. Maybe he wants to learn their power? Or maybe there's some sort of way to become a Raven that they're protecting?))


Lucius paused, surprised, but nodded, shifting a bit closer and so they were facing each other. "Okay. . . We . . . We'll just work on shapes. You should be able to move them about without losing the basic shape, but it just takes practice and concentration."
 
((Ooh, maybe Natalie was turned into a Raven when she was really little, so she wouldn't remember it and she probably thinks she was born this way. Alrin found out about it, so he's trying to use her to find the people who turned her into one and get that information for himself?))


"We'll leave you two alone," Melody said smiling and got up, thinking it would be a perfect chance to spend some alone time with Archer.


Natalie nodded and smiled at them as they left. "Alright," she said. She created a circle and then proceeded to move it, moving it a bit before it lost it's shape.
 
((Yeeeaahhh, that works!))


Archer just nodded and got up to follow Melody, but was uncharacteristically somber and silent, hands shoved in his pockets. There was too much to think about. He needed to stop.


Lucius let him go for now, knowing he wouldn't talk, and faced Natalie instead. "Try a sphere, rather than a circle. It's even all the way around, and there isn't any different pressure from any sides. It's a little easier than flat shapes."
 
((Lol ^_^ ))


Melody looked at Archer and took his hand softly. "What's the matter?" she asked him.


Natalie nodded and formed a sphere, moving it around. It lasted a lot longer than the circle did, and she smiled, proud of herself. "I did it," she said happily, though she did try to be quiet as well.
 
Archer blinked and looked at Melody when she touched him, glanced at their hands and finally just forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Just . . . You life like I do, you get good memories and bad, that's all." He'd just gotten to reminisce over some of the bad. Sometimes it happened.


Lucius smiled, her joy contagious, and nodded. "You did it. They key is not to worry about it too much. If you think too hard about technique and such, it doesn't work. You just . . . You just have to picture it moving in your head, really want it to happen, and it'll move like you want. . . It's just like a baby learning its arms and legs, fingers and toes. After you figure out you can do it, you just start willing it into being." No one ever consciously thought of how they moved their limbs. Shadows were just as integral a part of their bodies for them.
 
Melody smiled softly at him and embraced him a bit. "I won't pester you," she said. "But it does help to talk about it." She took his hand then and led him to a rather clear spot that was perfect for looking up at the sky. She laid down and asked, "Have you ever made a wish on a shooting star before?"


Natalie nodded, "Right. I'll keep that in mind." She smiled at him then. She returned her attention back to the sphere. She focused on getting it to go further, and keeping what he said in mind and doing it, she was able to make it last a lot longer. "You're right," she said. "It is easier."
 
Archer shook his head to both questions, knowing she wouldn't want to hear about his darker past. "I've never seen much merit to wishes. . . Not to say that wishes are useless, just that I always knew what I could do or have, and never wished for more." If he couldn't have it and knew so, what was the point?


Lucius grinned when she got it for longer and nodded his approval. "See? It becomes natural, once you realize how unconscious it can be. I've almost gotten myself into trouble before, having to repress it." It was hard not throwing up shields while training or sparring.
 
She smiled at him, understanding completely what he meant. But to Melody, wishes were really just for fun, but...her wish of getting away from Edward came true. Though she was the one who made that happen, even if she did still feel a bit bad for doing it. She patted the ground next to her, wanting him to sit next to her. "I may have had a pampered life," she said looking at him. "But if it was one thing I wished for over and over, was the chance at freedom."


Natalie smiled back at him and said, "I guess I'll have to be careful once I get better at it then."
 
He smiled a little, though it was still forced a bit, and sat next to her. "People outside wish to have your life, while you wish to have theirs, and neither really knows what the other is like unless it happens. Sometimes they find their wishes are disappointing once they've gained them,or just not what they thought. . . I think yours has worked out well so far."


Lucius nodded a little. "I don't think you have to worry so much, now, but maybe as you know more."
 
Melody sighed and nodded at his words. "I know. That's the reason I feel bad for wanting something different, knowing that there are some who would die to have the life I did. There is both good and bad sides to either life and I should just count myself lucky that I'm here." She leaned against him a bit, hoping he didn't mind.
 
((Sorry, got distract getting ready. I gtg but I should be back late tonight))


Archer shifted enough to put an arm around her and sighed softly. "You don't have to feel bad for wanting things, or being selfish. Everyone wants things. It's just human nature."
 
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