Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Sun Jun 4, 2017 3:11 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Huuuh…well that's difficult. There's too many things, too many things!" The arcanist said, as if the repetition emphasized her point. "Hrm…well let's go with something safe for the tea and instead make a gamble on the tea snacks. It would be awful to get stuck with something we don't want to drink when we only get one choice for tea." She thought a bit, looking over the tea selection. Some of the teas were a bit strong tasting, others were more of an acquired taste. Regular plain teas were a waste of money for a place like this, so she had to pick something special. "Well it's getting close to Ignius, and the heat will start to pick up. How about chrysanthemum tea? It's light and clean, while cooling the body. It comes chilled, with notes of orange so it's a good palate cleanser."

Next came the tea snacks. Pulling the menu before her, she produced a pair of divining talismans shaped like various polyhedrons. Regardless of their official purpose, she called them dice. She used them as dice, therefore they were dice. "Alright! Funny-shaped dice, don't fail me now!" Taking them into her hands she shook them violently before releasing them onto the table's surface. The clattering of the talismans ended on certain numbers, which she then referred to on the menu's list. "…Let's see, a four and a ten. Four…four…'savory pork puff pastries'. And now ten…'shrimp dumplings'." She proceeded to roll four more times until she came up with the other eight dishes: steamed soup dumplings, stuffed eggplant, spring rolls, deep fried egg puffs, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, fried sesame balls, steamed crystal dumplings with coconut and sweet mung bean filling, and potstickers with seasonal wild vegetables. Once the selections were done, she looked them over and waited for Allyria to have the final say. Personally Myouga could eat anything, but most people were more picky when it came to food.

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Sat Jun 3, 2017 4:02 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

The siren diverted her attention from the beautiful and intricate decor of the tea house, to the menus sitting in front of her. So many things to taste, where could she begin? Needless to say, she was slightly overwhelmed. The teas all sounded delicious (especially the chrysanthemum and wolfberry, whatever they are) and the tea treats even more so. In her benighted state of confusion, she began racking her brain,trying to remember what the elderly woman had been gloating to her friend about: a something cake, she thought. Allyria wished she knew what all of these were, alas, she didn't even have a slight clue on half of them. 

Swallowing her pride, she asked her friend: " What would you recommend? " Despite the fact she was trying to make herself sound a lot calmer than she felt, a part of her felt like Myouga could detect her frustration. This is ridiculous - afternoon tea should not make me feel anxious! She let out a miniature, internal sigh. " Actually, you're the tea expert here; I think it would be better if you choose all the snacks. That way you could try some of the new treats, and also have any favourites from past visits! " 

Yep, tea and tea treats had somehow gotten the best of the stress free Allyria Hollern…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Sat Jun 3, 2017 1:37 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Let's go!" Myouga cheered. She was glad her new acquaintance was as excited as she was. They both went to the front door, a grand double-door entry with carvings on the pillars of flowers and serpentine dragons. A large wooden plaque bearing the tea house's name had Ataiyan script mounted above the door frame. They were greeted by one of the women in blue-powdered makeup dressed in a kimono of a rich, glossy sunset orange. Her black hair was long, pulled back into an elaborate hairstyle with hairpins and flowers adorning the tresses. "An afternoon tea table for two, please!" The arcanist replied to the woman's inquiry. The hostess then told them to follow her to their table, and led them down the hall to one of the rooms with a window view overlooking the streets below. The window was not a simple square in the wall with glass panes fitted in, but a circle carved from a single piece of wood. A single pane of glass filled the frame, matching the elegant and unique surroundings inside their room. Wall scrolls of cranes and waterfalls draped the walls, while the walls themselves were a combination of intricate wooden partitions with screens. It was both public with a hint of privacy, as many other small rooms like theirs made up the entirety of the Peony Pavilion. The wood carving and artistic placement gave a natural feel, from the polished wood floors to the table and chairs. Small potted plants with simple leaves sat in blue and white porcelain containers on wooden stands adding to the atmosphere. Above them hung a large white lantern in the shape of a peony in full-bloom with wooden butterflies and tassels adorning the fixture. 

To Myouga, she had seen all of these before. The mahogany furnishings, the potted orchids, the crane carvings in the wood partitions. Taking one of the two seats in the room, she took the menu and started planning her strategy of attack, focusing on the tea snacks she hadn't tried before and any seasonal items. There was an entirely separate menu just for tea, and it had every kind of tea you could imagine. Rose tea, all kinds of green tea, black teas, red teas, oolong, ginger, chrysanthemum, lily, wolfberry–you name it. "Go ahead and pick what you want! We can choose ten different types of tea snacks with any pot of tea of our choice for the afternoon tea special. If you'd like, we can both choose five and try out each other's."

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Sat Jun 3, 2017 9:17 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria let out an ungraceful, but cute, squee of delight at the sight of the tea house; she had never been to one herself, however, she had often over heard some wealthy women talk about them fondly. She smiled a genuine, pretty smile aimed at her friend, excitement bubbling up insides of her.  The girl took a moment to marvel at the beautiful architectural structures and admire the fascinating array colours all around the area. With every passing second, her excitement was getting harder and harder to contain - a feeling she had only felt a few times before.

She wondered what the traditional entertainment was, trying to remember if Myouga had told her when she was only half listening, focusing the majority of her attention on the terrific sights they strolled past on their way to the tea house. The hybrid decided it would be so much better to just go inside and experience it firsthand rather than stress about it internally. 

" Shall we? " she asked her companion, with a swift motion to the Peony Pavallion…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 1:46 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Aaaalright! Let's go! First stop–the southern district! If you're gonna tour the city, you oughta see the best parts first instead of last!" The southern district was the Ainochi district, where the powdered faces of female entertainers were a common sight on the streets. Less savory things aside, it was the place if you wanted to experience Nisshoki's traditional pastimes and culture. The atmosphere was different here compared to the business of the commercial district. Here it was quieter, and more cosmopolitan. This area was home to the more artistic members of the city's population, as there were few market criers hawking their wares and more open air stalls showcasing various artworks made by the young artisans. Scrolls of ink paintings, wood block prints, and more valuable carvings and accessories of jade and agate were the standard. High-quality trinkets for the infrequent traveler. Today none of the things interested Myouga, as she already had her fill of polished wood sculptures. Most of the works on display were more towards a religious bent, with Ataiyan style depictions of deities and mythical figures from legend.

But her main reason for coming was to show the girl the grand tea houses. Here they were beautiful two-storied buildings with rounded pillars and upturned roof corners covered in brightly colored tiles. One of the most renowned was the Peony Pavilion, famous for its high quality tea and traditional entertainment. Unlike smaller establishments, the Peony Pavilion exclusively served only tea, not wine or other strong drink. However here you could order a pot of some of the most rare and prized brews normally the upper-class could afford. The  biggest attraction for Myouga was their afternoon tea session, where you could sample an assortment of tea snacks with any pot of tea you wanted. These snacks ranged from savory to sweet, and were typically eaten in the late afternoon. Everything was bite-sized, but you could order as many kinds as you wanted.

Stopping before the Peony Pavilion, she pointed to the structure eagerly tapping her feet. "This here's the Peony Pavilion–one of the biggest tea houses in the district! They have both food and entertainment, but they only serve tea in their drink menu. And the best part is their afternoon tea time, which we're right on time for! Oooh I can't wait! They rotate their menu four times a year, and I haven't been here in a while."

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 4:54 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"I would love to go on a tour" She giggled. Allyria was, without a doubt, hopelessly excited. The city was so rich in historical architecture and beautiful scenery, she completely forgot about asking Myouga's mysterious age. It took almost everything in her not to let out a unladylike squeal at the thought of it all. Plus, she definitely agreed that going to the religious district would be horrendously dull. 

"Yeah, lets skip the religious district! But you choose where to go, after all, you know the city best!" She flashed a warm smile at her friend, waiting in anticipation for the upcoming tour…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 5:11 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Both Myouga and Yabashira stopped bickering as the arcanist looked over at the lavender-haired girl. "Hm? Oh me? Weeell…" She looked thoughtful for a moment, before cutely winking with one eye. "That's a seeecret~" Yabashira rolled his eyes, having seen it all before. "Anywaaay, let's go get some snacks Allyria! If I stay any longer, meanie-bashira will kick me out again. Wanna go around the capital for a tour? There's lots of pretty places to see! And I know all the best places for snacks from salty to sweet!" She put her hands on her hips proudly. Nisshoki was one of the best places to life in all of Revaliir, according to her great and sagacious self. Sure there were places like Arri and maybe even Iria but nobody could compete when it came to the leisurely-city atmosphere like the pride and joy of Ataiyo. It was the place where you could be formal and casual at the same time without being stuffy.

"For today's tour, we have all sorts of locations to tickle your fancy: historic buildings and traditional architecture, the beautiful seaside view of the west, the night market of the city streets, a visit to the religious district's temples and monasteries, and the famous Ainochi district! If you ask me, I'd probably avoid the religious district. There's nothing to do there unless you want to learn martial arts or stare at rocks and sand patterns all day. It's a great place to take a nap–er, meditate. Anywhere else is definitely more fun." 

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 4:54 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria gave the man a pretty smile, although she was disappointed Myouga was the ghost (despite the fact that she knew it was her all along). "Hello," To put it simply, she didn't really know what to say. "Yabashiro, is it? It's really nice to meet you!" The siren couldn't help but feel as though  he didn't like her very much, which she got a lot, given her strange parentage. Still, it would have been nice if he was just a pleasant as the arcanist was  when they first met.

Then she started to think, how old actually is Myouga? Obviously not a child, if she drinks spiced wine. Obviously not super old, or she would probably look super old. 

"Hey, Myouga, how old actually are you?" It likely sounded quite rude, to abruptly ask someone how old they are, alas, she was curious - and when did Allyria ever worry about other people's emotions?

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 2:54 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Aww Yabashiraaaa~ you're so mean! I just came by to say hi since I've been staying cooped up at home the past few weeks. Plus, I'm promoting your business!" Myouga whined to the oni. Yabashira didn't seem convinced by her offer of goodwill, and grumbled under his breath. "What exactly have you been doing in there anyway? Your parents asked me about you saying something about traveling and goldfish. You better not be doing anything illegal or shifty–just because I've known you for years doesn't mean I won't call you out on it." Myouga responded by pulling out a small piece of white polished stone carved in the shape of a wolf. "Here, I got you a present! I know you like dogs so I got one just for you!" As she grinned, he looked at the thing suspiciously, and reluctantly pocketed it. "You paid for that, right?" It was very clear that he did not have the best impression of the arcanist, emphasized by the mention of being well-acquainted with her for quite a while. However he was more upset about her being here than disliking the gift.

"Of course I did dummy, I wouldn't steal from vendors!" she pouted, puffing her face up at him. "Oh, so stealing from people who aren't vendors is completely fine?" Yabashira snipped back. Myouga looked away innocently, casually putting her hand behind her head as she wiggled back and forth. "You said it, not me. Anyway, it's made from a pretty stone called howlite in that new place called Sidhiel. I sent you a postcard when I was there! The plants are a magical bluish color like in Feeorin, minus getting lost and attacked by fairies. The population's pretty homogeneous though, like almost ninety-nine percent elf. I drew a few sketches of the architecture to send back to the mage's college for the other professors to study later. The stone's only found on that island, which is pretty neat. They wouldn't let me drink anything at their restaurants though! Can you believe that?! I went to order some of their spiced wine but they wouldn't give it to me! They even kept treating me like a kid!"

Myouga pouted again, while Yabashira was about to say something only to close his mouth before the words came out. He then followed up saying: "Doesn't that happen to you every time you try to order drinks at a tavern?" "Yeah, but only everywhere except here. Oh right, I almost forgot! Silly me, this is my new friend Allyria! I met her at Jasumin Lake today!" Turning to Allyria she continued, "Allyria, this is my buddy Yabashira! He runs the haunted general store, and he's the same age as me!" "It's not haunted!" The oni protested. "The only thing that haunts this place is you!" Myouga then leaned over towards him with a finger to her mouth. "Shhh…you can't say that! That's supposed to be a secret!"

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 7:54 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria was, doubtlessly, in awe at this amazing city. She muffle a light giggle behind her black sleeve (which stood out mercilessly against the bright colours all the other women - even Myouga - were wearing), wondering what her friend had done to make the shopkeep so mad. As she watched the exchange of words between the two, she thought how could anyone not love her stupidly hilarious antics. Maybe she tore the shop up looking for the ghost? Maybe she tore the shop up whilst prentending to be the ghost? Maybe it was something al little more personal?

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw him glare bitterly at her. She didn't know whether to let the arcanist sort it out, or whether to intervene and make the man a little happier. Darting her eyes to Myouga for a second, then back to the strange shopkeeper. I'll let her sort it out, and if we get into any trouble, I'll try and charm us out.

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 10:39 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

The portal opened into a busy street, with horse-drawn carts and the more fanciful wooden sedans of the wealthy clattered by. This was in the heart of the commercial district of the city, as rows of hanging lanterns fluttered in the breeze above shops. Some of them had symbols on them, others words. The noise and melting pot of various scents and sights was an entirely new experience compared to the typical marketplace. Women walked by in silk kimonos holding parasols to shield their unblemished skin, and men clad in less colorful attire went about their business. Myouga was right behind Allyria as the portal vanished behind them, now having changed her clothes into a red kimono with floral holly plant embroidery. The smell of something savory caught the attention of her nose, which she made a note to pick up some grilled squid skewers before going back home. After eating something sweet, she wanted something salty. Some would think it was strange, but wouldn't that explain the popularity of rice crackers? Lightly sweetened on the surface, with a savory saltiness from soy sauce right after before the entire cracker melted in your mouth.

They were standing right in front of a storefront with a wooden plaque in some kind of foreign script beside a door. A stand selling noodles in large lacquer ware bowls with all of its stools occupied by customers was right across. The smell of soup broth and pickled vegetables was unmistakable. "We're here!" Myouga cried as she pulled open the door. A bell tied to the top of the door jingled as it moved, announcing their arrival. Inside was a neatly arranged general store, with a tall counter for customers to finalize their purchases and display shelves for various packages and things in boxes. There was a group of wooden mannequins against the back wall where kimonos were displayed for men, women, and children. Bolts of cloth rested on the shelves adjacent to them, organized by color and pattern. There was a little bit of everything here, but nothing particularly unique. Simple tea sets were on free-standing display tables, canisters of different tea varieties were shelved beside balls of twine, and glass jars of peculiar candies wrapped in rice paper were at the clerk's counter. At the sound of the bell, a voice called out: "Welcome, please have a look around!"

The voice came from a tall, dark-skinned man with wild messy hair tied back into a short ponytail. A pair of pointed horns protruded from his forehead through his bangs as his eyes narrowed into a sharp gaze when they came into view. Contrary to his voice tone earlier, he did not look happy to see them. Myouga paid no heed to the man's obvious discontent as she cheerily bounced over to the counter and flopped her arms onto the surface. "Hello~ Long time no see right buddy? You wouldn't happen to have any new sweets in stock Mr. Storeowner?" The man crossed his arms and gave a fierce glare at the little arcanist smiling at him with a silly grin on her face. "Oh it's you. I should've known something was up when you stopped bothering me at work. What do you want, Myouga? I don't have time for your monkey business." He looked over at Allyria with scrutiny.  

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 3:17 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

As usual, Allyria was almost envious of how Myouga could just open a portal to wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She was excited to go to the town though; she had never been there. And just the idea of there maybe being a ghost made her feel like a seven year old all over again. What if it was a real ghost? She'd have to track down her childhood friends and tell them, and then she'd have to show them and maybe, just maybe, they could all be together again. With every passing second she just grew more and more like excited. She glanced at Myouga, remembering how she had to go second to close the portal, so, the purple haired teenager just jumped through…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 6:36 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

With the last bite of dried persimmon eaten and both tea cups empty, Myouga's sweet tooth was momentarily satisfied. The story of Allyria with her two childhood friends getting spooked by a cat was something most kids would experience at that age. She herself was just as mischievous and curious as the lavender-haired girl was then, perhaps even more so now than before. Though in Myouga's case, she was the one doing the spooking rather than vice versa. Growing up with a defect from birth made her different from the other oni children, with the difference gap becoming more apparent as she got older. She had always been short, the shortest out of everyone. She was even shorter than her parents when they were only average height. Thus she was always at a disadvantage at playing catch or sports when the ball flew over her head, but she soon learned to sneak the ball out of others' hands while they were distracted. Even as an adult, people still had a tendency to treat her as a child which was always strange to her when they showed no issue in recognizing adult halflings and dwarves. She was even taller than them too!

Her train of thought returning to the topic at hand, she commented: "Oho, so it was the cat then? I wouldn't be surprised at that, after all what if it was an enchanted cat? Everybody knows cats are magical. They're smart so who knows what they do when nobody's looking? In Nisshoki, cats with two tails are always like that. But it has to be a very old cat for them to have more than one tail." Not wanting to go off onto a tangent on ghost stories yet, the arcanist grinned when the girl asked when they would depart. "We'll get going straight away! I'll have the portal open before you can clap your hands twice!" Using her index finger, she pointed at the wall and drew the shape of an oval in the air. Seconds after, a swirling portal like at Jasumin Lake appeared. The colors rippled and moved, as they showed a distorted image of a city with people dressed in kimonos walking along the streets with wooden buildings and paper hanging lanterns. The sound of a busy market filtered in through the gateway as people went about their business.

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 4:14 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria giggled again. "No, I'm not afraid of ghosts." Although she was skeptical that there were actually ghosts there, she was all the more intrigued. "We should definitely go!" She added with a smile.

After taking a final sip of the tea Myouga gave her, she began: "When I was little, my friends and I would sneak around the village, especially the abandoned parts, looking for ghosts." The half-human smiled fondly, remembering when they'd get into trouble with parents and neighbours alike. "We never actually found any of course, but it was still fun. One time we thought we did - Romeo started crying and I ran off - it was my other best ffriend, Lysander, who found out it was just some old woman's cat!" She let out another laugh, one much more genuine and slightly deeper than her trademark chuckle. 

Growing up up in a small, old fashioned village with purple hair and an inhuman mother made it hard for her to make friends. Alas, she always had Lyser and Meo, no matter what. And now they wer gone, just like her parents. The siren's life was literally one disaster after another, though she was never sad: the past is in the past…

"So, when do we leave?"

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 2:39 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Myouga sighed and waved dismissively at the other's suggestion. "Naah, that's no fun. Besides, they're always busy with work anyway. I'm not allowed to touch delicate stuff in there 'cause they're worried I'll set things on fire or something. Oh oh but I do know somebody else who we can visit! There's a general store in the commercial district that sells all sorts of stuff. I know the owner, too!" She hadn't paid her friend a visit in a few weeks ever since she started working on her experiment, and now was the perfect time to do so. Plus, she could even give the excuse of promoting his business.

Looking around as if anyone would hear, she then whispered quietly. "Oh and if anyone asks, you didn't hear it from me…but they say that particular store and some of the other stalls on that street are…haunted. People who've seen it say it sometimes shows up during the day, pretending to be a child window shopping or acting like a mannequin. It walks without making a sound, and likes to come up behind them, then…" She left the last bit omitted as to imply something. "You're not scared of ghosts, are you?"  

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 9:08 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Yeah, they're really, um, cute!" Allyria lied, something she did often (though usually better than just now). In all honesty, she had always thought that dolls were horrendous, but Myouga's creepy lookalikes took it to an entirely new level of terrifying. She tore her gaze away from the toys, and took another delicate swig of tea.

So, she liked dolls; somehow that didn't really surprise her - the arcanist seemed to be into all sorts of crazy things! Although, the siren didn't know how she could possibly turn that into leverage, should her new friend betray her in any way, but her parents! If she could get Myouga to show Allyria her parents, they would be the perfect insurance! With another sip of tea, she began:

"So, when should we go see the city? Oh, you could say hello to your parents too!"

The urge to smirk her other signature smile was almost to great, but she couldn't let Myouga see her true colours so soon. She always acted like she was good, and her 'friend' always seemed to believe it…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 6:44 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Munching away through a daifuku Myouga washed the mouthful down with a gulp of tea. "Straight to the point, huh? Well I didn't really think about it much as a kid. I sorta ended up as an arcanist because I wasn't very good at anything else. My parents run a clothing shop in the city, but I didn't have much artistic talent with embroidery or sewing. Aside from studying and magic, there weren't any other things I was particularly skilled at. My handwriting was horrible, my drawings made people freak out, and no matter what I cook it ends up looking the same. I wasn't very athletic either, and tired easily too." Stuffing the rest of the daifuku into her mouth she was moving onto another one. While they ate, one of the dried persimmons on the plate started moving, as a small creature resembling a living dust bunny tried to stealthily sneak off with it.

"My handwriting's legible now! But sometimes it's still messy. Those dolls over there? That's my doll collection! Aren't they cute? It's fun to see all the different clothes and hairstyles people give them. I even have ones made for special events too–like those twins in red with the bowl cuts. These dolls are a specialty here in Ataiyo." She then leaned over and whispered to Allyria, "And sometimes, they even have a secret compartment inside." Clearly what Myouga considered 'cute' was very subjective.

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 3:46 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Oh thank you, um, yeah! Seeing the city would be nice!" The siren giggled again; architecture and histories were her favourite (and absolute secret) interests. As she took a delicate swig of the tea Myouga so generously provided, she let out a content sigh. "But first, let's get to know each other a little better, like, where did you come up with the idea to become an arcanist? And what's up with those dolls?"

Allyria was having somewhat of a staring contest with one of her companion's dolls - one that she swore looked exactly like Myouga. She felt as though the doll's creepy intricate eyes would follow her as she moved, but knew is was just paranoia, wasn't it? To be fair, she had always hated dolls, and girly things in general, whilst growing up - the hybrid would run around or swim with the boys until she was dragged away and scolded for being 'unladylike'. Since then, she had accepted that, as a woman, there were certain things her family wouldn't allow her to do. She smiled softly, if a little unnerved, and sipped her tea silently, hoping her friend would open up to her…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 4:07 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"I'll get you something sweet then! Red bean cakes, red bean cakes~" The arcanist sang to herself as she entered the kitchen. It was very clean, as in hardly used. She wasn't the type to really cook for herself often, mostly making tea or snacks. The kettle was boiling away while she picked out some black tea and some sugar from containers hidden in wooden dolls. Checking her pantry she found some fruit vinegar–still good from being stored properly, some dried persimmon cakes, and a large box of  daifuku. Plating the dried persimmons and snacks, she arranged them artfully on the tray and set two simple earthenware tea cups beside the plate. Humming to herself, she poured the hot water over the black tea leaves and strained them, sprinkled a little sugar, and added a few shots of the fruit vinegar to each cup. Pleased with her display, she carried the tray out to the low table surrounded with floor cushions and placed it on top. "Let's dig in!" She chirped, taking one of the steaming tea cups and blowing on the hot drink. "So, do you have any plans on what you want to do or where you want to go? If you want to go sightseeing in Ataiyo I can send you into the city with a portal."

The interior of Myouga's house was neat, but also odd. There were various hanging scrolls of ink artwork on the walls, but they depicted scenes like cats dancing on their hind legs or anthropomorphic inanimate objects. There was a shoe rack beside the back door and the front door, and a few potted plants in vases. However at a second look the plants were fabric and paper replicas. The rest of the items looked like simple knickknacks, things you could easily buy at a market. But the most unusual of them all were Myouga's collection of wooden kokeshi dolls and masks. The wooden dolls came in various sizes and designs but all shared a round head with a somewhat rectangular body. They were arranged by height, with the taller ones in the back and the shorter ones in the front. Some of them bore an uncanny resemblance to the house's owner. If Allyria had arrived her alone, it really would have felt like a ghost house.   

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 2:54 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Taking off her shoes, and putting on the slippers Myouga gave her, she replied "I'll have whatever." She smiled her signature smile and began to look at the arcanist' possessions, wondering about them as she waited for Myouga to tell her to do something. Usually when she was in someone's house, she'd take what she thought was expensive and sell it for money, but she wasn't going out to do that this time…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 12:48 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

"Actually this is my second attempt. I wasn't sure if it'd work honestly, but it seems like I've got the right method down. I've got another one inside the house over there." She pointed behind her at the entrance of the clearing they were in. "I've got a few more samples of plants with the right colors that I plan to use for the next one, but I'd say we've done enough alchemy for today. Let's go inside and have some tea. Those tea snacks that aren't going to eat themselves!" Myouga was back to her typical whimsical self again now the fusion was over, and she skipped back towards her house.

Entering from the back, she pulled and rang the various wind chimes she had hanging from the roof and slid open the door. Though it looked like she was playing with her outdoor decorations, it was in fact a clever system she used to ensure unwanted visitors would not be able to come in. For thieves and bandits, an old house out in the middle of the bamboo forest could either be seen as a jinx or an easy target, and she wanted them to believe in the former than the latter. There was no telling what happened to those who attempted to enter uninvited, which was all part of the place's charm. Setting out a pair of slippers used for guests, Myouga took off her shoes and left them on the back porch. The house inside had smooth polished wooden floors, and there was a small rack with slippers of varying designs and sizes. "Take off your shoes before you come in and put these on. I'll get the water boiling. What do you want to drink?"

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 11:58 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria giggled gleefully. And to think, she was so scared of what was going to happen! The siren took the potted 'goldfish plant' from the arcanist, admiring the abomination of nature (no offence) in her now steady hands.

She let out another one of her perfect little giggle as she watched the little goldfish wiggle back and forth.

"Myouga, you my dear friend, are going to go down in history! The first success of binding aquatic and land life forms together - you're a GENIUS!" Allyria half yelled, surprisingly excited for someone who barely had any interest in magic or science. Grinning gleefully, she turned to her friend to see what they'd do next.

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 2:10 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Once the fish was in place, Myouga began chanting in an unknown language. The symbols surrounding the circles began to glow, throbbing with arcane energy. Magical power began to fill the air as the runes crackled, and the sky above began to darken. Then, the runes ignited and the ingredients within the circles began to glow as well. The runes from the circles started to move on their own along the ground, converging in the middle forming a much larger circle. As they moved, the glowing reagents began to lose their form changing into glowing lights that merged in the new central circle. Power radiated from the runes as the act of fusion was taking place, and the light quivered and squirmed as it took on a new shape…

The arcanist's eyes were now a bright malachite green, and the turbulence created from the magic whirled about her. Uttering the final phrase, she shouted and then there was an explosion! Then…everything fell silent. As the dust settled and the runes ceased glowing, Allyria could make out an unfamiliar shape within the large magical circle. It resembled the potted plant, but something was…different. Coughing and waving the smoke and dust, Myouga picked up her hat which had blown off in the process. "Whew! Ok, that's it! We've done! And now for the moment of truth…" 

When the smoke cleared, the result of the magical fusion of all the ingredients was a bizarre hybrid that resembled the potted sunflower plant which had been used. Except instead of green, the stem and leaves were a golden yellow. And in place of the flower was…a large black Tosakin goldfish with golden coloring at the edge of its fins. It wobbled and swayed slightly when the breeze blew against it. At the sight of the monstrosity, Myouga cried aloud: "Yes! Yeess! IT LIIIIIIVES!" Bringing her voice back to a more acceptable volume she ran towards it and pointed. "Behold! I give you, the goldfish plant! Instead of owning pets and having your own flower garden, why not have both?! It's the perfect thing for people who want to raise a pet but don't know how! All you need is soil, fertilizer, and water with a bit of sun, and presto!" So this was what she had been speaking of when saying they were going to 'bend the laws of nature'.

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 12:54 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Still unnerved by the current scenery (and shaken up from travelling through the portal), Allyria followed Myouga's slightly odd instructions. She grabbed the bowl with the fish into her shaky, pale hands. Deep breath in, deep breath out. 

Slowly, she began to set down the bowl into the circle. She was so frightened, a feeling she had a lot since she met her new friend. Usually, she was the over confident gossip, with no need for anything that didn't directly benefit her…

Yet here she was, with someone she hadn't even known for day, helping cast a spell without knowing what it was - or what it really did. Although, she supposed she was just about to find out!

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 4:32 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Myouga seemed completely unperturbed by how unsettling the surroundings were. "Hm? We're at my lab of course! I had to clear this spot out to get enough flat ground to draw these. What's the matter? Don't worry, I've done the hard part already setting them up. Now all we need to do is put the ingredients in the circles." Snapping her fingers, on the wooden table present a potted sunflower standing two feet tall and glass bowl with a black and gold Tosakin goldfish appeared. She then pulled out the golden-leaved plants from Jasumin and placed them in one of the circles. Going over to the table, she picked up the sunflower humming, and placed it in the same circle as the plants. 

"Alright, we're almost ready. Now Allyria, I'll need you to take the bowl with the fish and put it in the empty circle closest to you. Soon, we will bend the laws of nature once again!" There was a manic gleam in the arcanist's eyes, making her cheerfulness feel much more sinister. Taking out her wand, she prepared herself to begin the ritual once the components were all in place. She would only have one chance to get this right, or else she would have to pay more silver for another one of those fish. As they were very rare among goldfish breeders, she absolutely could not let this go to waste.

Author: completelyhopeless, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 3:22 AM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

Allyria followed the arcanist closely, creeped out by the eerie setting. She took in Myouga's lab, wondering what she really got herself into.

"Myouga," she began, getting more and more curious (but also more and more frightened) by the second. "Where are we, exactly?" The emerald eyed beauty stumbled, half tripping over something, probably just a plant or stone.

She looked at her companion, who didn't seem as innocent as she did in Jasumin Lake…

Author: Hanaoni, Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:08 PM, Post Subject: Bending the Laws of Nature [P]

On the other side of the portal was a dense bamboo forest, stalks reaching up to twenty feet and beyond. The ground was cool and shady while the scent of cypress and pine mingled with the air's moisture. There was a path here, but it was overgrown and faded in places. In the midst of the bamboo was a long wooden post with a patina-coated bell hanging from it, acting as some sort of marker. "Here we are, the outskirts. My lab's further up ahead. The place's not too far from the city, but not too close that if something exploded it wouldn't be a problem. If we came here the conventional way, I'd risk getting you lost on the way in. Luckily for you that landmark acts as one of my shortcuts." Myouga explained proudly to her new 'assistant'. 

Waving to the purple-haired girl, she led them through the sea of stalks until the path widened and large flat stepping stones were present. Several yards ahead was an old sukiya-zukuri style house with two large stone lanterns flanking the wooden steps leading to the door. The house had no fence, but the bamboo forest did a good job of making the boundaries clear. Instead of going straight into the house, Myouga started walking around to the back. "Over here! I've already got the area set up for the experiment. Watch your step!"

Behind the house was a narrow passage through the thicket that led to an area that had been leveled to make room for the arcanist's experiment grounds. It was a large open clearing with a small wooden table present, and two ominous looking magic circles on the ground parallel to each other. If one had stumbled upon this place in the dead of night, it could've been mistaken for some kind of necromancy ritual or an attempt to open a portal to the underworld. The circle had been drawn with charcoal and paint, in various runes and symbols arranged concentrically around the circles.