One if by Land... [Private]

[David's Reaching Out]

The Arctic Mirage was closing in, fast. David held his hand out, and focused hard on the umbrella laying on the ship's floor. It flew into his hands, allowing him to use the procedure shown earlier to open it. "Tsukiko, you better make a choice as to what you're going to do. That water may be magic, but it's still cold. By cold, I mean bone-freezingly chilly." The Mage then offered, "You could put up your shield, if you can, or join me underneath the charmed umbrella. Either way looks like it'd keep you dry. But... at the rate that thing's coming on, you'd be best to figure out your move fast." He held the umbrellas tightly, using a white-knuckle grip. Waterfalls had never been something he'd been comfortable with, at all. When they chucked him over the edge in that box... Good Lord, how could anyone like falling water? But he couldn't show his fear. David's smile washed away, replaced by an iron stare at the upcoming obstacle, and a resolute expression.

'What does a person do when they can't pray for help?' He wondered, the thought could almost have been verbalized, the way it took form across his face.

------



"Ha... ha! The next masterpiece shall be done by his hand, alright. I'm SURE Frederick will land something in the Louvre. But my son's career aside..." Richard stopped, noticing Desiree's odd movements and sounds. It, quite frankly, scared him a little. The elder Mage was unable to think of, let alone say, anything to help the situation. He chose instead to allow her to follow through with the outburst, though her words sent chills down his spine. "So you can defend yourself, you don't have to prove this to me. However, I still think that a little extra help will do both of us some good. I could be a target too, mi lady, and I'm far too old to fight well anymore. If nothing else, allow us to take some extra companions with us for my sake?"

[Fallen Hours™]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CQV0DGmO0Y

She rolled her eyes, ignoring his words. Her uncanny knack for telepathy is what kicked in this time. She read his thoughts on prayer, and had to struggle horribly to hide a smile. "When you can't pray for help, you ask me." Slipping underneath the umbrella next to me, she slowly rose a barrier that touched the edges of the umbrella, and came to the floor. It was surprisingly warm inside, as well. Leaning against it carelessly, she smiled warmly at David.

"Just keep that umbrella held there, and not a drop of water'll touch you. My shields are impervious to any sort of magic outside my own resevoir." She took it all with such a carefree spirit, it was almost infectious. So, with that, Tsukiko absently tucked her hands into her coat pockets, and waited for the notice of David to let the shield down.

...She wondered how long it would take for him to get used to her...

---



www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ugPdk9-QH0

Desiree returned to normal quickly. She knew that she had to catch herself, before she got into a state. It was just, the thought of someone who could have killed her father - her real father... It made a strange emotion rise to the surface. First, Desiree gave Richard her best 'I'm sorry, forgive me' smile. It brightened up into her best charming 'love me' smile, that she'd been giving him before. "For your sake, of course. Sorry for the outburst - some things just happen to hit a raw nerve. Some feelings can't be helped, you know?" She really was a charmer.

Fiddling absently with a ring she was wearing on her index finger, something suddenly struck her. Desiree... she was different. She knew she was. And she knew the specific facts, as well. "I'm afraid to ask this incase it has a bad answer, Richard, but it has to be done. What is there of my mother? What was my mother? I mean.. I'm sure you already know this, from the expression you used to get when I showed off as a child...

But I have light bones. Thinner, I'd think. But they're made of something harder than anything average. I've got larger lungs, and a more affective heart. But.. that means I have to eat more. I mean... do you know anything of what my mother was? What I am?" Personally, the girl was expecting something along the lines that her mother had passed away in childbirth, or something to that accord. She hadn't recovered any memories of a possible mother, yet. She had a name, but she wasn't sure it was right. "...Hana?"

Once this was answered, though, she would have very much liked to leave this White Room. It was making her feel light headed, and that wasn't always a good thing..

[David's Reaching Out]

The shields were up and the two were together in that tiny area. David tensed his muscles, but refused to close his eyes. "How did you know...?" He asked, slightly stuttering around with the last word. But, then he realized that the whole situation was more than a little embarrassing. With a short, yet awkward laugh, the Mage said, "You know... We Magi have different deities. Grenth, the Lord of Death, is supposed to be the one I revere. Your ultimate god is decided by what style of magic comes the most naturally to you, the elders consider it that particular Lord or Lady's blessing. I believe it was Richard Larke who told me I had 'ice in my veins.' Ice and death go hand in hand, so Grenth was laid before me as who I must worship. I was never allowed to question, never allowed to wonder why it was I had no choices. But once I left the Magi's world, I found my free will. And thank whoever I did..." He smiled, trying to explain his position without getting into why he was afraid of this giant sink. Peering over his shoulder, he could see they'd already passed through the Arctic Mirage and were now in the canal that would lead to Gaurdina.

"I'm not sure I'd like the shield down yet..." David muttered.

------



Richard looked at her with a certain expression that clearly displayed his feelings - grieved and fearful. "Your mother? Child... there wasn't a bad thing about her. She was a wholly remarkable woman, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." The elder Mage turned to one of the white walls and shifted his sitar back into his hands. He played a few notes, out of place they were. It was an original composition of his that served one purpose, the displaying of memories. A white, string-like wave flowed from his hair down to his hands. As Richard played, a shadow emanated from his instrument, showing an image on the wall.

In the pocket plane, all is white. In our world, the basis of the planet is dark. Light displays images through the shadow here, and in that world, shadows cut through light to show the beholder pictures. So it was before Desiree as Richard hummed lightly, moving his fingers along the mystic strings to create a slideshow of sorts, beamed straight from his own mind...

There was a woman, smiling intently. She was gorgeous, with features so much like her daughter's that anyone would mistake her for a lost twin. These were old, though, as age had yet to take her. "Her name was Hana, yes. She met Arch Mage Merlin when he was very young, entering the etheral plane alone for the first time. It is a legend that Merlin became lost in a forest in that world, only to stumble onto a spring. There, he knelt down to drink of the clear water to refresh himself. When he looked up, there she was. Hana, a being of that plane." The pictures swirled around and changed as the old man continued, "It is known that a reasoning, human-like creature could not really exist in the etheral plane. It's life would be drained so easily and quickly by Magi reaching for Mana. But there she was, standing before Merlin in all her glory. She talked to him, and though it is not known what was said, it is known that our leader had become smitten with a girl from another world."

Richard sniveled a bit, apparently having a hard time telling the story, "When Merlin returned, he told me all that had happened between he and this girl. I was his friend, and feared for his sanity. But my fears were put aside when he went back to the realm and traversed the gap with Hana holding him tightly. The two were mad for one another, but something was wrong... It takes a great deal of energy to travel the planes, and Hana was tied to her spring. She became sickly rather fast, and we were scared for her. She, however, was too brave of a woman to feel fear. So it was that Merlin and she were left alone, and I believe you are the result of this. After your birth, we wanted your mother to care for you as a mother should. But after I returned to the chamber where she and Merlin had been smiling only moments before, he sat alone and solemn. He refused to tell me what happened in that time, as far as I know, no one other than he and Hana shall know the truth. She may have had to return to the plane, or she may have lost her life in the after effects of your birth. Then again, anything in between could have transpired. For all I know, she may yet live..."

Richard stopped playing, and an image of Hana's face was left on the wall as he held one string. His head was hung low, tired from the reminiscing over such a sad event.[/center][/color]

[Fallen Hours™]

"Well, that makes sense. In Caliga, though, we have demi-gods. Sort of.. representatives for the big thing. I'm close to two demi-gods, Mitsuki and Lyss, and they have their male counterparts as well. Sagaz and Kaiser. You should see them, they're absolutely brilliant." She shrugged, as if the mention of demi-gods was nothing. To her, it wasn't. To her, being in a small space was only defined as circumstance. She didn't like it, though. So as easily as she had walked over, Tsukiko walked directly through the shield and leaned lightly on the outside. There was absolutely no difference, he could still see and hear her perfectly.

"Just tell me when you want the shield down, and I'll be happy to oblige. Or just move the umbrella, that should disturb that enough... It is a very light shield, at that." There was a certain varying degree of the strength that could be embedded in one of Tsukiko's shields, and her talents were good enough to form an internal clot. Of course, there needed to be an open wound for her to be able to make a clot, but it was an intricacy all the same, one that she was proud of. Shielding had helped her more than once.

---



She choked on her breath as she saw his expression. So it wasn't good, it really wasn't. She'd been hoping that she'd have a real mother, an alive one. That expression... It made her stumble for clear footing. She needed to be able to deal with it, if Desiree couldn't... She'd been able to deal with so much else that now... It was one of those things, that caught her off guard. She'd never seemed to care about her adopted parents' injuries, but that expression... Seeing her mother's face.. She reached out with one hand, and clenched her own fist to stop herself. Her mother had been beautiful..

Desiree listened, and found the tears that came to her eyes unable to be helped. She held them back from coming down, but she felt it. She felt that emotional heartbreak. She didn't have a mother, or a father? It had been twenty years since her birth, and the last they'd seen of her she'd been sick. Twenty years was a long time to stay alive, if she'd returned home sick. Or if Desiree had been the one who killed her.. She could have been the one that killed her own mother. Why was she hearing this now? Why hadn't she heard it when she was thirteen, when she could have been with her father, and he could have told her...

She had to stop herself from touching the wall, once again. She couldn't reinforce these emotions, she'd spent so long trying not to feel any emotions that were as crippling as these were now. It took a few long, long moments after he was done for her to gain enough control over herself to wipe away the tears that were still welling up in her eyes, and pull back. Her own grief was shown on her face, an easily read book at this point, but she had to have that stiff upper-lip that she had been famous before. She'd been able to deal with so much...

"She was a good soul, Richard. And that means, either way, she's in a place better than a world where people are suffering every few minutes." Showing more strength than she thought she had, the girl patted him lightly, and gave him an unknowingly sad smile. When she'd heard that her father was dead, a part of her had just given in. Now she heard that her mother was dead, another part of her gave in to the emotion. Soon, there wouldn't be much of her left. And that's why she had to make the most of what she had.

[David's Reaching Out]

David cast down the umbrella after he felt the distance was good enough, though the Arctic Mirage roared on behind them. He gave a dumb guy look to Tsukiko after her god story, he didn't fully understand - but wasn't really willing to pursue the matter, nor elaborate on his earlier statement. "You know, my friend, I could kiss you for that. There's this long history between me and watery plunges... not the best relationship between man and event. But, for what it's worth, thank you for your help." After this offering of thanks, the Mage gave a slight bow, though the thought of authority behind it made his skin crawl.

When he rose back up, he smiled back at her. "We should be arriving soon. On best guess, I'd say ten... maybe fifteen minutes."

------



Richard allowed the image to slowly fade as he took his fingers off the strings and shuffled the magic instrument back to it's original position. He took a step forward and laid one hand on Desiree's shoulder. "Do not cry, mi lady. As I said, she could still be among us. With someone like her, no one could truly predict where the wind chose to take her," he seemed to hesitate only slightly before adding, "... and I'd very much think she'd be proud of you. The thought of even returning here, despite knowing that darkness awaited. You're quite something, Desiree Mahr, daughter of Merlin the wise and Hana the kind." Richard removed his hand and took a seat in one of the almost translucent chairs. "That spell take a lot from a Mage of my age... both body and soul. I need a moment."

[Fallen Hours™]

She smiled a little warmer. It felt good to be with 'Uncle Richie' again. Desiree slowly took off her coat, revealing her lithe form and the long, patterned dress. The silver rune that she had hanging around her neck would have looked somewhat familiar, and the wristband on her left side was charmed to keep the shield upheld. She seemed to take a step forward, and then another step back. She wasn't sure exactly what to do...

At this point, only possibly seen by Richard, it seemed someone took a step into the room. she was taller than her daughter, and she had a willowy form. Grey tinted her dark red hair, but she still looked healthy. More age touched her face than before, but the blue eyes still sparked with lightning life. A vial of water hung around her neck, her spring water, and she wore a knee length, pastelle pink robe with short sleeves. She was bare foot, and...

It was Hana.

Placing her index finger to her lips, the woman slowly moved over to kneel infront of Richard. She placed a hand on him, and channeling some of the power from her spring, sent a rejuvenating rush that fixed up his body and soul, but then slowly rose again, glancing over at Desiree. She was silent, but there was a small smile on her face. "Richard, I have a way.. to be with her again. But I'm going to need her help... Can you tell her to loosen up the wristband she's wearing? It's impairing her. Just enough for it not to block out other.. ethereal beings.

Trust me. I.. I can explain everything, once I can talk to you both." Desiree didn't seem to hear this, either. But there was a flicker of sadness on Hana's face as she stepped away, waiting at the edge of the white room. If he didn't do it.. She'd understand. Hana always understood.

[David's Reaching Out]

Richard peered up to see the ghost-like visage entering his personal plane. He was shocked, his eyes widened slightly, but otherwise, he seemed to stay collected. 'Good god, I've gone mad!' The old mage's thoughts screamed out as she came closer and closer. He refused to move, lest his guest catch onto his growing senility. Richard coughed as he felt Hana's rejuvenating touch, not only had it given him his strength back, but also his belief. It felt so real, and any experienced Mage knows that energy isn't created from nothing. Something, or someone, was behind his healing; and he wished it to be Merlin's lover.

The elder Mage took to his feet once more and crossed the room to Desiree. He lifted his sitar off of his back and held it out to her with one hand. "I want you to try something for me, mi lady." A cocky half-smile reached it's way to his lips as he spoke, "Take my instrument here and strum it thrice. Once you do, I believe you'll see a secret." Acting was a talent of his, being one of the few Magi to actually have been present in human society during the time of the King's Men. Hell, he'd even taken a lesson with Shakespeare... Wonderful man, though he was an atrocious actor. Richard snapped back into the present, choosing not relive his time with the bisexual playwright and the misadventures the two had enjoyed on a few evenings throughout the English countryside. "But first... you need to let your shield down, my dear. Loosen the rune holding it up, if you feel to uncomfortable to fully remove it. It's magical energy will only conflict with the signature from this sitar, which could cause this plane to collapse! We'd hurtle through an endless white void for the rest of eternity..." He followed this up with what he thought to be a convincing shiver.

[Fallen Hours™]

Hana smiled slightly, and covered her mouth to hold back a laugh. "My, my Richard. Have your acting skills deteriorated any? I don't think so. I'm actually impressed.." She rolled her eyes, but the woman was obviously amused. She fell silent again, out of pure curiousity. She fiddled absently with the vial of Spring Water around her neck. It helped her move further way from the Spring, and her own power wound into it. She smiled warmly, this time. It had taken her a long time to find out how she could leave it once she'd had to return, but she'd made sure it happened.

Desiree paused her train of thought, giving him a quizzical, if childish, look. A sitar? She wasn't sure how to play it, but she'd learnt how to hold it, once. A while ago. "Ah.. A secret for a secret? I guess, if you'd give me a moment." She definitely wouldn't remove the Rune completely, but she could loosen it. Rising her wrist to get a closer few, the girl traced the wolf that was carved, and muttered a few long words of latin. Briefly, the mirage tilted it's head upwards and seemed to howl. It was a Lycanthrope gift, but the carvings lit up blue, faded, and then she took a moment to absorb what was going on...

Before taking the sitar in her hands, and cautiously strumming three times. The moment she finished the third strum, though, Hana came into her vision, and Desiree almost dropped the sitar altogether. She caught herself as always, though, holding onto the sitar and slowly, slowly holding it out to Richard, her eyes wide. She was almost incredulous at this, and once he took it, she stared at Hana, eyes wide. She definitely recognized the resemblance. It was looking like a mirror of her in quite a number of decades.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner." Desiree's head was racing. This was her mother. Her mother dressed in silks that made her look like royalty. Her mother who was so beautiful that it almost hurt. Her mother who looked so much like her that it made the girl's eyes widen. Hana clasped her hands together infront of her, the ornaments in her hair glittering ever so slightly in some unknown light. "Richard.. And before you tell me that Merlin is dead.. I already know. I saw his spirit out, one last time. He was happy... And sorry that he didn't get to see his daughter before his time. He knew what was coming, and he was at peace with it, if it's any consolation."

Hana always managed to put people in a daze when she first met someone a first time, and Desiree was no exception. The girl's thoughts had cleared some, but the girl still reveled slightly. "...How?..." It was the word that came to her mind, and it slipped out. Hana smiled again as she seemed to think for a few moments on a proper answer, and slowly came to find her words.

"It takes a lot of power to be able to move around, but I was drawn back to my spring the moment I gave birth to you. I felt it, and the pull was strong. Merlin.. He wasn't pleased about it, he didn't want me to leave, but it was either leave painfully, or leave with as little pain as possible. And he didn't want me in pain, so he let me go. You knew how sick I was, Richard. And it was because of the spring. Without me to guard it, there were the more evil of the plain who would come along and drink as much as they pleased.

I did some talking with some of the beasts that were more compliant, and I met one who could literally take a fragment of his presence and put it where he needed to be. They.. they can be understood, if listened to particularly. And he taught me how to do it, with a mirage left of me. It fools the spring, and I can move large distances away now, in a corporeal form. I.. I heard my daughter had returned, and now I see it's true." She laughed, this time, at the pout, and looking at Richard, she couldn't help the question. "Is she as stubborn as her father, Richard?"

[David's Reaching Out]

Richard groaned at the specter's comment. 'I thought the performance went very well for one so rushed...' he thought, the annoyed tone evident, even in his own mind. "Please, take your time," the old Mage whispered, watching intently as Desiree listlessly undid her talisman and whispered a no-doubt confidential charm into it's imaginary hear. Then came the howl... now THAT wasn't imagination. However, Richard was far too old and experienced to appear swayed, though the thing did make him wary.

As Desiree examined the figure that slowly appeared before her after three - albeit sour - plucks of those magic strings, Richard stood smiling. The energy from the family reunion was enough to radiate outward, rubbing the overall feeling of happiness and surprise off on the crusty elder Mage. He opened his mouth, not wishing to put the news of Merlin's demise off, only to be silenced by the etheral being's words. He rolled his eyes to the side and harrumphed. Though the displeasure of informing someone of a loved one's death was gone, the feeling of being a scolded child didn't fade. "So you were tied to the realm, then... Good show of making it out, mi lady." Richard bowed before Hana, still surprised to be before the Arch Mage's true love, his friend's true love. And it wasn't hard to see why, she was a vision.

[Fallen Hours™]

Desiree had slowly circled Hana in thought, eyebrows drawn together, mind stumbling for an appropriate thing to say while working this over. Hana didn't seem to mind much, though, watching the daughter with a thoughtful warmth. "I remember that look. He used to get that look when he found something incredibly interesting." The younger of the two straightened up. Sapphire eyes flashed, and Hana rose her shoulders. There seemed to be a subtle understanding of body language between mother and daughter, and Desiree sighed - the emotions mixed.

"You know, don't you?" It was barely a question and you didn't have to guess to know exactly what Desiree was asking about. Hana nodded lightly, though she didn't seem too upset about it.

"I can see things, sense things, and I guessed. It isn't a hard thought for me, though. If he went he lived a life worthy of the man he was." The slightest playful smile came to the woman's face as she looked over to Richard. "Now Richard, here, as hardheaded and stubborn as he can be, it doesn't surprise me that he's here and still apparently talented." She spoke fondly of Richard, because in that time she had put in as much effort as possible for her to strike up a friendship which had been now, but bright enough. And in the time Merlin and Hana had met, Hana had heard about Richard, time and time again.

All of a sudden, a smile was on Desiree's face - a smile which hadn't changed since she was four years old. A big grin as she laughed lowly. "Well it's nice to meet you, Mum. I always knew my mother would be special!" There was such a resemblance, in those few moments, to that little girl who had begged years ago for a golem doll - to a warm father and a beautiful mother. Hana reached out with both arms and squeezed Desiree lightly.

"I always knew our daughter would be special as well, darling. Now, do you mind please if I could talk to RIchard for a moment?" Of course, Desiree didn't, so it wasn't long before Hanna was standing before Richard, a weary smile shown that wasn't trusted to many. There was no telling how old, exactly, Hana happened to be. She seemed to age differently from them - there were the faint lines of laughter and tears showing and amongst her reddish brown air there were now lines of silver and grey. "He said she would grow up in a different world if he thought it best, but I never thought he would quite have the heart to send her away. It can be forgiven, though, like all things."

A lighter emotion came to her face, mirth glimmering in blue orbs. "You're looking good, Richard. Haven't changed the slightest bit." She was charming, that was to be said. She knew how to talk to people, without meeting many. "If you're feeling up for it, do you mind taking her back to Gaurdina, for me? There are still things I need to do before I can come with you, but it shouldn't take more than a few days. Just tell her to look into that little book she's carrying around with her in about a day and a half for now. She'll know immediately what she's looking for.

I know you don't owe me anything, but will you please take care of her, for at least a little time? If you don't want to, I'm sure she can handle herself, but seeing as what you've done for her already, I feel as if you may still have an... attachment?" The word was used tentatively, unsure with the use of this term. She seemed careful about that. "I'm sure I can trust you with this, if you're willing to do it."

[David's Reaching Out]

Slight wrinkles parted as the man's smile lines appeared. He couldn't help but grin at Hana's comments, true though they were, it felt like a joke. As he watched the two have their warm family reunion, he placed his hand upon the shaft of the sitar, silencing it. Now was not the time for plucking, the music would sound wrong. Their embrace was almost enough to bring a tear to the old man's one good eye - almost. The yellow shone out beneath grayed hair, and a ripple skittered across it's surface, though it did not last long enough to become moving water.

"Of course I look good mi lady, I always have. And someday, I'll make a rather attractive pile of dust. Though... getting to that plane where Merlin's hiding out and losing my gray may well be worth the blow to my vanity." Richard stood and bowed, "She's welcome to my abode, there's plenty enough room for myself and a few... ahem, consorts, though you needn't worry about them being around while your daughter is. I'll make sure to change the sheets..."

The elderly Mage took a gentle grip on the lady's right hand and gently pecked the top side with his lips. "Attachment? She's only my best friend's blood, Hana. I think I owe her old man enough to let her stay with me for as long as she likes. The book we'll have to keep safe. If anyone knows an ethereal power resides within or is binded to it, we'll be in for trouble. There are more than a few criminals who would love to pawn something with power from your realm. And I'd hate to think of someone who practices Necromancy getting a hold of it. It will be kept safe." He paced to one of the sheer white walls and plucked a few strings. A red door frame faded into being, a golden knob upon it's surface. "I believe this is goodbye, mi lady. At least, for now. Come Desiree, say your goodbyes and we must be off to the Residential Quarter."

[David's Reaching Out]

'Spreading a little Yuletide cheer, one day every year; it's 99.75 The Pine.'

Hello there, dearie. I spent my afternoon being generally useless, but an idea struck me during one of those particularly nasty hours between a Pre-Christmas nap and Pre-Christmas sleep. I remembered somebody wasn't going to be home for the holidays, and while Hanukkah has come and gone, I thought I could make up for it with a little Christmas message from me to you.

Since you wouldn't be home and that was the source of the problem, I'm placing this little nugget somewhere you've felt so very attached to for so long. Starfall may get back up on its feet eventually, but for now, let's relax and remember all the good times that were shared here.

'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, starving artists begging for clothes. The bums are organizing an impromptu choir. Do they hear how bad they sound? No one really knows!'

Cheesy joking aside (okay, it's never really aside when I'm around), I really do hope that you have a wonderful Christmastime, despite not being where you'd most like to be. The spirit's strong and the eggnog's nowhere near gone, so have some fun, will ya?

Good.

Have a Merry Christmas, or Happy Christmas (whatever), Aussie!

Much peace and love from the States.