When Lirin heard about a city called the Living Reef, ideas raced. Surely, if she could not find any traces on land, then this city could hide something, some scent of her missing sister. At her earliest opportunity, Lirin had to make a business deal which cost her a hefty sum to an airship pilot. It required them circle over the oceans in just the hopes of spotting the city. And he had no intention of even stopping there, concerned about what would happen should the beast of burden decide to descend before takeoff.

After nearly a whole day of flying overhead, Lirin spotted the whale breach the surface of the ocean. The sight of it was breath-taking to say the least. Many buildings seemed to spring forth from the creature's back, magnificent in the myriad of color, glistening in the setting sun. Lirin grabbed her backpack, which had her flute and a few other minor items for she had left the majority of her instruments with a friend she could trust.

As she neared the edge of the ship, the captain came up, arresting her movement with a strong grip on her shoulder. "And just how do you plan on exiting my ship? As I said lass, I ain't about to land The Odyssey on that bag of blubber." Lirin smiled mischievously as she lifted his hand with forefinger and thumb, all other fingers held up as if she was picking up a used handkerchief, and dropped it carelessly away from her.

"My dear captain! I already paid you with the full knowledge of finding my own exit off this flying contraption. That is for me to know, and you to witness." Stepping up onto the railing of the ship, Lirin jumped, and the captain lunged forward with a cry of surprise, unable to keep her from plummeting to her doom. Air whipped and lashed at her as she fell, grabbing at her hair and clothing. The branch-like buildings loomed closer and closer as the distance between her and the city closed.

A counter wind blew up toward the vampire, catching her, slowing her descent. Lirin concentrated, trying to control the winds enough to keep from making a red smear upon the beautiful streets as she splats against it in a sudden stop. As she neared the ground, still coming in way too fast, Lirin ended up running upon impact, stumbled and fell in a heap, and there she remained.

Magpie had heard about a city called the living reef from an old storyteller in the last city she'd visited and was instantly entranced. a city on the back of a giant whale? that was too interesting not to check out. and after many long months of chasing rumors, here she was. The living reef. her arms ached from steering the rowboat to this place. now, as she watched it drift away, she wondered how she was going to get home. Magpie pushed those thoughts away and entered the city. she looked around her, spinning in slow circles as she surveyed the tall, branching buildings, the winding streets, and the people that seemed to come from all over. magpie knew she should find something to eat but she stayed for a few moments, spinning on her heels, taking it all in. just then, she heard a noise above her. she looked up and saw a huge black blob blotting out the sun that must have been an airship. she squinted, and a smaller figure seemed to detach from the big blob and grow. magpie realized what was happening. someone must have jumped off the airship! were they insane? magpie ran to a safe distance and watched, rapt, as the figure plummeted. it was a girl, she saw now. a girl with  long black hair and a bloodred cloak both buffeting in the wind. magpie watched, amazed, as the girl fell. just when it seemed she would splat the wind seemed to shift, pushing upward and negating her downward momentum, apparently this did not work well enough because the girl fell to the ground in a heap, motionless. magpie knelt beside the girl. her eyes were closed. for a second magpie wondered, out of instinct, where the girls wallet was but she brushed such thoughts aside. this girl had fallen from an airship! whatever adventure might come from her was worth more than whatever gold she was carrying. and magpie fully intended to go with this strange girl and the potential for adventure that hung around her like an aura. magpie sook the girls shoulders, trying to wake her up
 magpie watched, a

As she lay there, motionless, Lirin ran through a mental check list. Nothing felt broken, which was good. The best news was that her plan had worked. Yet, why was she still laying on the ground? To make matters worse, there was now someone inspecting her body. Lirin kept the ruse up a little longer, waiting to see what the unknown stranger would decide to do. Already, she had made plans on chasing the person down should they choose to steal from her. Instead of something negative, it would seem that the decision was to try and wake the vampire.

'So much for a little bit of fun.' she thought as her eyes snapped open. The vampiress blinked a couple of times, grinned from the exhilaration of her free fall and pushed herself up. Before her was a brown eyed blonde girl about Lirin's age if she was to try and judge that. "That was a rush. Don't think I'll be trying it again any time soon, though." Nope, far too expensive for a shot of adrenaline.

It was at this time that she felt the effects of her recklessness. Her entire body ached, and she felt dizzy. Lirin's grin fell as a result. Forcing herself to stand, Lirin swayed dangerously, fighting to stay upright, just barely making it to the nearest building to lean upon. Clarity hit her as a lightning strike. She had been so excited about coming here, she had virtually used up most of her remaining strength not to die upon entering the city due to having failed to feed.

With a worried look, Lirin gazed at the stranger. Should she request such a thing? No, that would be rude to someone who seemed so concerned over her safety. "Would you be so kind as to point me to the nearest place to quench my thirst?" For most people, this was something as simple as water or booze. While Lirin did drink such things on occasion, she used the bars and taverns to find easier prey.

[scratch the last one sorry I misread]
The strange girl suddenly opened her eyes, grinned, and said: "That was a rush. Don't think I'll be trying it again any time soon, though". magpie wondered why she had done it even once. the girl got up, took a few shaky steps, and stumbled.her eyes widened suddenly as if she had just realized something, then looked at magpie, looking worried. "Would you be so kind as to point me to the nearest place to quench my thirst?" she said. Magpie thought that was a strange way to phrase it but said "i'm just as new here as you are, though my entrance wasn't quite as dramatic. I did notice some drunk people coming out of there though." she pointed an a large building that looked just like all the others and wondered how anyone navigated this place. 

Lirin cast a hopeful glance over the indicated building. So was doing all she could to not even listen to anything around her, for the thumping of hearts were distracting. "Thank you." She muttered as she pushed herself off the wall, staggering dangerously across the street. Apparently she was bad enough that someone reached out and grabbed her.

"Let me help you. Where do you live?" "Not here. Tavern please?" came a weak reply. The woman looked at her incredulously, apparently thinking she was drunk and can't walk straight. The last thing any drunk needed was more liquor. Fully aware of her predicament, and this woman would likely not listen to her, Lirin leaned in and whispered a spell into her ear. With a nod, the woman smiled and led Lirin to the tavern. Together they went inside and Lirin was assisted into a drink in the farthest dark corner she could find.

The minute they entered, Lirin began snaking her scent across the tavern, looking for anyone at this point. She didn't wait long before a tall, and relatively handsome man came up to her. He sat, Lirin smiled, leaned in to speak that same spell to him. With his attraction and now charmed state, he bared his throat to her, and Lirin began to drink from his blood.

Magpie decided she needed a drink too, and followed the strange girl into the tavern. halfway there, her stumbling attracted the attention of an old woman. the woman grabbed her shoulder and asked her where she lived. the girl asked where the tavern was. magpie knew exactly how this looked and was just about to come to her defense when she paused. Was the girl drunk? she had jumped out of an airship. while she was thinking, the girl started whispering in the womans ear. the woman straightened, and pointed to the building magpie had noticed earlier. the girl went into the tavern. magpie followed, slipping in just as the huge oak doors closed. she scanned the room for any sign of the girl, and finally noticed her at a table with some man she had picked up. as magpie watched,the man bared his throat, and the girl drank. magpie barely stifled a yelp as she watched then her horror, like almost every other feeling, turned to curiosity. a vampire? that was new. any sane person would be running away at this point, magpie thought calmly. she decided she would confront the girl and ask some of the questions burning in her skull. when the girl left the tavern magpie blocked her with crossed arms. "Hello" magpie said. "here's the deal: you anwser my questions or I tell everyone in this city your secret. and if you try to attack me ill scream." magpie took a deep breath and asked, rapidfire:
"what's your name?"
"did turning hurt?"
"how long did it take?"
"does your hair grow?"
"how fast?"
"are all your teeth hollow or just the pointy ones?"
"does animal blood work?"
"can you eat food?"
"what about water?"
"does garlic hurt you?"
"does it hurt if you eat it or just if you smell it?"
"what about fire?"
"can you fly?"
"do you have blood?"
"what color is it?"
"what would happen if someone cut open your skin?"
"what if"-
[feel free to interrupt me at this point because i dont have all day to write out literally a thousand questions.]

She had a fair amount of blood, but didn't kill the guy. Lirin licked his wounds closed, pulled back and watched him for a moment. "I think you've had too much to drink." He gracefully agreed, stood, and stumbled his way out of the bar. Unfortunately, he wasn't enough and she did the same thing to a second stranger. Lure, feed, send on their way. At this point, she had been so preoccupied with her need that she hadn't been entirely as stealthy as she normally was.

By the time she herself left the bar, Lirin was abruptly stopped by the same young woman who checked on her after the fall. The vampire blinked in surprise, stumbling across the rapid questions. Suddenly, it all made sense, and Lirin burst into laughter, holding her hands up. "Woah, slow down there. You're asking for a lot of information. Come inside with me, sit down and have a drink, and I'll answer… any reasonable question." Lirin giggled again, realizing what she had just said. "And I don't mean you."

Regardless if the offer was taken, once they were assituated, and preferably away from prying ears, Lirin began to answer the quesitons. "My name is Lirin Vendethiel. And yes, my turning was agonizing over the course of several days." Her eyes glazed over with the pain of the past, remembering the day with vivid clarity the screams of her sister as they locked Celeste away and kicked Lirin out. A goddess showed up, spirited her far away and turned her, yet it was not easy.

"My hair does still grow, though half as slow as it did before. None of my teeth are hollow as they are not straws. Animals can sustain me, but it is not as sweet. Food and liquids do not bother me." Lirin cocked her head and looked at the other with an odd, amused look. "Flying, garlic, fear of fire. Where are you getting all of these ideas?" she giggled again. "It doesn't hurt, the garlic, just has an unpleasant, pungent odor. Fire affects me as it would you, I am as grounded as you are to the ground, I have blood and looks almost identical to most people. Honestly, a lot of things are the same for me as they are for you. And before you ask, I'm not old. Yes, I look quite young, but that was because I was turned very early in my elvish life. I haven't even reached half a century since birth."

"interesting." magpie followed lirin into the tavern. "so what as with the barely controlled falling you did earlier? did you control wind or something?" Magpie tilted her head. "and wont he have a big obvious scar on his neck? I assume he wont because we're bothering to whisper and sit here." she gestured to the small hidden corner they were sitting in. "so your um… entrance was very dramatic." magpie said. "Id pay good money to see the look on that captains face when you jumped out. " she laughed, then pouted mockingly. "what do you mean garlic is unpleasant? it is the greatest spice ever." Magpie had trouble keeping a straight face. "if it were a natural poison i'd understand but how could you possibly hate garlic?" magpies face broke and she burst out laughing. "I understand. most people hate garlic. anyway, I'm bored now. Im bored lot and I havent even reached half a century yet. how do you other elves stand living so long? do you want to race outside?" 

"Ah that. See, I paid the captain to help me find this city, but he refused to dock here. So I jumped, and yes I did control the wind, but wasn't anticipating the strength it would require." Lirin turned her eyes to watch the man she had fed off of, how he had returned to his friends. They were giving the pair of the girls odd sideways glances. It was odd for someone to walk in, talk to a man for but a moment, kiss his neck, then leave as if nothing happened, only to return moments later with another girl.

That, and it didn't help that she had the strange sense of people not liking strangers around here. "No, I heal the wounds" The vampire had to admit that the captain's expression was comedic as she plunged to certain doom. He had probably felt terrible for his refusal, then partially annoyed he showed any concern for a paying stranger willing to risk her neck the way Lirin had. Magpie's laughter pulled on Lirin, who laughed along with her. "No, most people actually like it. However, garlic has a very strong scent that agitates a sensitive sense of smell. As for how we can stand living…"

By this time, Lirin went from thoughtful to outright depression instantly. She had everything she wanted. Family, food, good times to be shared. Everyone had a place in society, everyone had a job and they all knew it. Until one bear had to ruin everything! "We make the most of what we have… Look for the value of life in each task…" Her answer sounded distant, and she shook her head. "No, I don't have time to race. I'm looking for my sister. Even though she's my twin, she might look older than me, since she hasn't turned." Even now, Lirin wasn't even looking at the girl, staring into nothing, the knowledge of them leaving the bar having been long lost.

"oh." magpie said. she had not expected that . Lirin seemed so upset now. what had she done? "do you want me to help look for her? does she look like you? is she here?"