SoCloseToRest

Avis  let out a quiet sigh of relief when she'd opened her eyes and found Maer garbed in a short white drress, a pout on her full lips. Her cheeks were puffed and her deep red locks covered half of her face, giving the illusion that she was more a spoiled child than a fearsome ruler of the seasons. "Why are you here? I didn't call for you."

"Because we're connected Avie!" Maer blurted out, suddenly reaching up and grabbing both of Avis' hands. "You felt so sad and I didn't know what was going on! I hurried here as fast as I could to cheer you up!" She smiled wide and Avis couldn't help but return it, just as wide. The nature spirit was so innocent and in that innocence there was a kindness the likes of which she'd never seen in another mortal inhabiting Creation. No matter how bad of a day she was having, Maer could always cheer her up without fail.

"Thank you, Maer." She said, giving the spirit's head a pat. "But I'm okay now, I promise. Just a bad dream." That was a lie. Wherever that miasma had come from, it was close. She'd have to-

"Do you want me to sleep with you next time?" Maer released her hands and balled her fists, throwing a few playful punches at the air. "I'll knock your bad dreams out like pow! They won't even see my super awesome Maer Power Punch coming! I'll be all boom pow psh! And they'll be like ahh no Maer please! I want my mommy!" Avis giggled a bit and gave the spirit a nod and a smile.

"They won't know what hit them."

"Damn straight!" Avis giggled at the tenacity  of her companion and smiled.

"For now, though, go home. I'll call for you again soon."

Maer nodded eagerly hopped up to hug Avis one last time before disappearing in a flurry of leaves. Once she was sure she was alone, Avis let out a quiet sigh and stood. Well, she was up now. Question was, what should she do?

||

Sagi blushed at Sam's implication, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "I suppose I was aware." He'd admitted meekly, glancing around to make sure Bee wasn't near before he spoke again. "I simply wanted to offer my services, however. She'd said something about clothes and I-" There he was, proving Bee right yet again. He immediately shut up and tilted his head when Ben had paused for a moment, wincing. A second later he was fine again. While strange occurences had apparently become the norm in the last day or two, something about this struck Sagi as a bit more than odd. The guy had been going from the moment that he and Sagi met, when he crashed through the ceiling, so it could've simply been his body getting tired. But bodies didn't get tired in short bursts. Or at least normal ones didn't.

However, when Ben procured those two familiar brown bottles, his thoughts were immediately elsewhere. "Is... Is that Miss Blue?" Sagi had asked, almost shocked as he gingerly took one of the brown bottles and  looked it over. He looked from the bottle to Ben with raised brows and slowly an eager grin spread across his lips. Miss Blue was a rare treat, for him at least. Very expensive, but very effective. Especially on first-timers. He fondly remembered the first time his father had brought it home. One moment he was sober, the next he was wandering down the roads of Chrysanthemum, loudly singing with a group of drunkards he'd met at the tavern. Sagi and his mother had found him passed out in the garden the next morning, a family of chipmunks resting on his chest.

Tears stung Sagi's eyes but he nodded and smiled. "It would be an honor, my friend."

||

Bazael smiled and watched the girls go, feeling a lot better than he had before. He nodded at Tez's update, chuckling at the man's comment. 'For the love of everything evil...'

"Leave it to me, old man." He teased, though he knew he wouldn't hear.

As he turned and started for the steps, he thought on their circumstances. They were travelling in a big group, something he hadn't experienced in a while. In his life, his clan and Sela had been all he'd known. Marie had been a solo traveller. Eden had had Artemis and Haku for a while, but he'd started travelling alone a couple of years after the lot of them had left Savario. Sagi had, in no particular order; Bee, Ben, Ori, Luna, Bazael himself, and Tez. Six others he could depend on and apparently a travelling inn to call home.

He started up the steps, humming a quiet song.

This was good. This was very good.

Soon, he would be able to rest.

Only a little farther to go.