Crystal catches Eira looking out the window, out at Kuai, who is tending to the garden outside. "She is indeed a special girl. But you need not look out at her all day long." she says, as she leans up against the wall beside her.
Eira shakes her head. "I wasn't staring. . ." she says. "How can she be so care free? Like the problems of the world do not reach her. Like time means nothing to her."
Crystal sighs. "I often wonder the same thing. You know, you and her are a lot alike."
Eira scoffs. "I'm nothing like her. I've seen too much. I've been through too much," she says as she looks at Crystal then looks away. "I know. . . I haven't always been easy. I just. I've been on my own for so long. That's all I really know."
"That's not what I mean. Eira. We met Kuai on an island. She was living alone. All by herself. The difference is she was in the middle of the wilderness, totally isolated, with nothing more than Mystimon to keep her company. You grew up in the city. But in truth, are they not the same? Were you not isolated in your own way? Both of you lost everything. Your parents, your family. The difference is how she learned to cope with it is different from how you coped," says Crystal. "But you're not alone anymore. You have each other. And you have me. As long as you'll have me. Tell me. Have you ever spoken to her?"
Eira stands there quiet. She doesn't know what to say. She's always been on her own for so long. But her days traveling with those adventurers who Crystal set her up with, that strange Sabertooth, the bizarre man making all those weird poses. And that rat, somehow believing he was from another world. It made her see things in a new light. It made her see Crystal in a new light. Maybe she really is trying to help.
"Well, I'd suggest that you do that. Talk to her. Or you can continue staring at her from afar. Your choice." Crystal says as she steps away.
"I heard. . . she can talk to Mystimon. . ." says Eira, as she looks at Crystal.
Crystal smiles. "Yeah, I've seen her do some amazing things. Like somehow tame Dragon Lords," she says, throwing up her hands. "I don't know how she does it. But I would say, yeah, she does appear to have a strange connection to Mystimon. Not even Kairine has an explanation. Which is unlike her. She usually has an explanation for everything. Though she never did have an explanation for Fred, come to think of it."
"Who?" says Eira.
Crystal shrugs. "Kairine. She's like a mother to me. A second mother. You'll meet her. Eventually," she says, as she turns for her office. "If you'll excuse me, I have a Society to run. Unless you'd like to take that over." she winks.
Eira smiles slightly as she shakes her head.
"Meh. Was worth a try. Good luck." Crystal says as she walks away. Minutes go by. Or was it hours. Eira wasn't entirely sure, it felt like an eternity. Finally, she sighs and turns for the stairs. What am I doing? What even is she to me? Why do I care? She's just another person who will probably not even care who I am. Eira stops. Everyone always abandons me eventually. How am I even sure Maiq and the others won't abandon me eventually? Still. . . Crystal still tries. She seems to care.
Then an idea struck her. She wasn't sure where it came from or why she even considered it, and she starts down the stairs at a running pace, crashing her way through a stream of people as she went. Eventually she came to the door, and emerged outside. She turned and could see Kuai, seemingly paying no mind to her as she approached. Then without even thinking, she raised a finder and within seconds snow begins to fall from the sky all around Kuai's flower garden. Kuai looks up at the snow, bewildered and amazed, as she squeals with joy and leaps up and starts dancing and prancing around. Eira had never seen anything like it, and seeing the joy and happiness on her face as she danced brought a smile to her own face. Then she looks up and catches Crystal's glance down at them. Eira just shrugged as Crystal winks and steps away from the window.
"Snowy did this?!" says Kuai as Eira turns back to look at her. Why does she call me that?
Eira could only nod. "I guess. . . I'm good with ice and snow. And I wondered if, having lived in tropical islands before coming to this arid desert, you have ever even seen snow."
Kuai nods. "But it was cold and I didn't like it much because it was cold. But this is nice and I like it and it goes nicely with the flowers! It's pretty!"
Eira was surprised. I had no idea. "Really? Where did you go, other than the Islands and here?"
Kuai seems to think about that for a long time. "Um I don't know what they call it. But it was all ice and windy and so cold. And there was water and mean skeleton things that did not want to be fwiends."
From that description, it sounds like perhaps Arcticus? Maybe Arctica? Could even be Highwind at that rate. Maybe even Atlantea. Could literally be anywhere. Maybe I should try to get more information. "Okay, what direction did you travel? Do you know that?"
Kuai thinks on that some more. "Um. . . That way," and she points in the direction of south. That narrows things down.
"That must have been Arcticus. Some call it the Shattered Lands." says Eira. That seems to get Kuai's attention.
"Why is it shattered? Can it be fixed?" Kuai asks.
Eira smiles. "No, it can't be fixed. Not without a shit ton of glue and a lot of strength. Don't think even the Dragon Lords can do it. Um I don't know why it's shattered. Maybe you can ask Crystal, but. . ." she says as she stops Kuai as she was about to run toward the tower. "Maybe later. She's busy right now."
Kuai stops and nods. "Okay. You're nice. I like you, Snowy." she says.
Eira looks at her bewildered and stunned. "Um. . . thank you. I guess. And my name is Eira. Not Snowy." she says.
"I know. I like Snowy better." Kuai says. "Can you make more snow?"
Eira smiles. "Ok I guess that's okay. Never had a nickname before," she says as she raises her finger to the sky. A second later, the gently falling snow becomes a blizzard. "Oh shit. . ." she says as she realizes her mistake, as she focuses and seconds later, the blizzard stops. "Sorry." But to her amazement, Kuai is just laughing.
"That was funny!" How in the world can she be so carefree?
Then a smile comes over her and she begins to laugh too. "Yeah, snow fall in an arid desert is pretty funny to begin with, I guess. But I didn't want to turn Almahna into Arctica." she says, giggling. And she's stunned when Kuai is holding a big blue flower up to her. "Um. What's this for?"
"For you, Snowy!" Kuai says. "Why?" "Because you are my fwiend!" Kuai says with a big smile.
Eira reaches out and takes the flower, slowly, her hand shaking slightly, nervously. "Thank you. . . I guess." she says. "It's just. . . I've never really had friends before."
"Now you do!" Kuai says, excitedly. "Oh. And what's a nickname?" And Eira can do nothing more but laugh even harder as the two girls collapse to their knees in the flower garden, snow gently falling all around them.
*******
