Around the Campfire

[Anonymous]

Tatsu smiled warmly as Ikki took the book and laid it with her other book. It was nice to be able to bring the book home, where it belonged. The thing had never truly belonged to him, anyway. It was hard to describe how he felt about books, sometimes seeming to see them as living, breathing things with thoughts and feelings all their own.

When she offerred more tea he shook his head, his expression returning to something tired and drawn as he settled back to his previous position, pulling the blanket back over himself and looking content to just go to sleep. He hated getting this cold.

Nellie smiled and held out her cup. "Oh yes, please. It is good. If you'd like more stew, there is plenty, can't have you going hungry, what kind of a hostess would I be?"

[Scythe-Nova]

Ikki nodded when Tatsu shook his head not wanting another cup of tea and she was about to put it down again when Nellie held out her cup wanting some more Tea, She smiled happily and poured her another cup of tea.

-"Oh well then i think i'll take a bit more of the stew"

She said and smiled as she picked up the bowl she had used and then held her Bowl out to Nellie in a graceful manner.

[Zero]

Tatsu's eyes had closed again to bare slits as he huddled beneath the blankets, his soup bowl on the ground beside him, forgotten. His mind wandered slightly as he kept an awareness of his surroundings, not ever wanting to let his guard down too much. Still, he couldn't help but ponder the book he had gifted to Ikki, and the one she already had. A language he didn't know was intruiging.

Nellie on the other hand was bright and alert, eager to speak with their guest. She spooned more stew into Ikki's bowl with a smile. "So those books, what language is that? Do you know? I hope it isn't rude of me to ask. Every now and then we run into books we can't read, but not very often."

She settled down, sipping her tea as she waited for a response.

[Scythe-Nova]

Ikki smiled and nodded in appreciation as she was given more of the stew, she listened to Nellie as she asked and gave a soft laugh and opened the book besides her and smiled as she looked through the text calmly.

-"Well it does actually not have a name, My master discovered a large stone slate that had this text upon is and with it also a way of translating it"

She said as she traced one of her fingers against one line in the book as she took a sip of her tea, She then stopped and looked closer at the book. Her expression changed as she read the text into a much more interested expression.

-"This is strange... hmmm Butterfly Dragons? there's such a thing?"

she put down her cup of tea an moved the bowl of stew to the side as she put the book on top of her lap reading it with great interest.

-"So that's why..."

She became totally absorbed in the reading as she usually became as she found something truly interesting, she continued to mumble to herself as she read the texts in the book.

[Zero]

At the mention of a codex stone for the language, Tatsu opened on eye lazily to study Ikki with a thoughtful expression. How he would love to get his hands on such a stone. If he could learn this unknown language, well, he always did like to know languages. It would be rude to ask the location of this stone, if it even still existed, so he closed his eye again and pondered what he'd just learned.

Nellie's eyes sparkled at the mystery of it all. At the mention of Butterfly Dragons, she tilted her head curiously. "Butterfly...dragons? I have never heard of such a thing."

Tatsu chuckled softly. "There are many things in the world you have not heard of, daughter of my heart. Ah, but you are still young and have many more years to discover more, but even with a hundred human lifetimes...Well, it would be impossible to see and know everything that crawls, flies, or slithers in the lands."

[Scythe-Nova]

Ikki did not respond to the words around her untill just some seconds later when she snapped out of her trance like state.

-"Oh i'm sorry.. I tend to loose myself when i find something interesting.."

She said as she scratched the back of her head and looked with an apologetic expression at Nellie, This kind of situation were somewhat normal for Ikki but she always wanted to make sure she did not offend anyone. she put the book down and picked up the bowl of stew and took another bite from it umming from the good taste.

[Zero]

Nellie didn't mind when she wasn't answered right away. Getting caught up in something you found fascinating was quite understandable. She did it sometimes herself.

"Don't worry about it! I understand. It is good to have something you love to do. Father loves to collect magic relics, for example. I do too, I guess. I love business, though. I like selling our finds for the best profit."

Tatsu shifted slightly, sighing heavily. "Do not worry about offending here. You are our guest, we are most pleased to have you with us. There are two beds in the wagon, they are narrow and firm, but you are welcome to mine tonight. I will sleep under the wagon."

[Scythe-Nova]

-"Ah.."

She smiled and nodded towards Nellie and looked at her with a bright expression as she put the book into the apothecary box before she brought her teacup to her mouth and took a long sip as she listened to Tatsu and smiled until one point "But you are welcome to mine tonight" it took her by suprise and she choked on her tea hard, she sputtered as she had trouble getting her breath back to normal her face was beet red blushing as she looked at Tatsu with a shocked expression.

-"W-what?"

She said still trying to catch her breath, due to her choking on the tea she did not hear the last phrase. Her heart was beating much faster now considering both that she choked on the tea and also of what Tatsu had said.

[Zero]

As Ikki choked on her tea, Tatsu tilted his head, puzzling over her confusion and embarrasment. Had he said something wrong? He thought the wording had been pretty clear, but then humans were strange.

Nellie picked up on the mis-understanding quite quickly, her own face turning bright red. "Oh no, no, no. Father will sleep under the wagon so that you can have the second bed."

If Tatsu was shocked by the realization of what she had thought he was suggesting, he didn't show it. A slight frown crossed his features. "My apologies, I did not mean to suggest...No, quite not. I will sleep out here."

[Scythe-Nova]

As she recovered from the choking she calmed down some as Nellie explained the misunderstanding and also that Tatsu seemed to not have meant it like it sounded, She catched her breath and coughed a bit before straightening herself.

-"Ah i understand..."

She said and wiped her mouth with a napkin that she produced from a pocket somewhere on her clothing, She was still a bit embarassed and her blush still hung on as she tried to gather her mind back from the misunderstanding.

[Zero]

Tatsu wrapped himself further in the blankets and slid under the wagon, it would be enough protection from wind or snow, should some decide to fall. He was not warm, but neither would he be inside the wagon. The cold was making him addle-brained, he decided. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was not like him to make such a social blunder, not even accidentally.

Nellie sighed softly has her father retreated from them. She had an idea of what was going through his head. Shaking her head she overed Ikki an apologetic smile. "He really meant no harm."

She sipped her tea again, musing over the situation. Her face began to cool as the blush retreated. After a few moments she laughed softly. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen Father so embarrassed before!"

[Scythe-Nova]

Ikki nodded still blushing furiously and took a long sip of the tea that was left in her cup and looked sideways towards the wagon untill Nellie started speaking and her blush started to fade more quickly, She smiled understanding at Nellie when she offered another apology and put down her teacup that was empty now. When Nellie laughed she looke up at her with a curious gaze and raised an eyebrow.

-"Really? huh well i guess Dragons often have a very guarded way of speech so it's not normal that they say something embarrassing."

She said looking to the side again looking like she was thinking of something but she then looked up at the moon hanging in the sky before looking down at Nellie with a somewhat pained expression.

-"Nellie may i ask you a favor?"

[Zero]

Nellie nodded with a grin. "I don't know about all dragons, but Father certainly doesn't usually say things he regrets saying. It was unlike him to speak without fully thinking his words through."

Drinking the last of her tea she set her own empty tea cup next to Ikki's cup. She would have to wash all the dishes in the morning. While Ikki was preoccupied with her own thoughts, Nellie added wood to the fire, banking it for the night. Normally she would put it out before bed, but if Tatsu was sleeping under the wagon she would let it burn through the night.

"Hmm? Oh, certainly! What can I do for you?" She smiled brightly as she looked at the other girl with curiosity. It really was nice to have some company around the fire other than her father.

[Scythe-Nova]

-"You see i'm not a human, i'm an Homonculli an artificial human. And as such i am missing something that a normal human would have, the abillity to sleep"

She paused and torned to her apothecary box and pulled out a bottle from it and showed it to Nellie still with the same pained expression.

-"But no living being can live without sleep so i devised this mdicine to forcibly make me sleep, it's an old medicine that my master made but the formula is incomplete... and as a side effect it gives me terrible nightmares and painfull cramps..."

She looked at Nellie with a serious expression and put down the bottle beside her and looked to the side as she shivered a bit, not from the cold but from being reminded how terrible this medicine was.

-"Could you watch over my sleep?"

[Zero]

Nellie listened, eyes slightly wide as Ikki explained to her what it was she needed. She had never met a Homoculli before. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but decided it would be terribly rude. Then she thought of not being able to sleep without a medicine that sounded so very horrible.

"I can try. I mean, I'm really not sure what I can actually do about nightmares. Should we go into the wagon before you take it? Or will you have enough time to walk to bed before you fall asleep?"

Tatsu had been listening from under the wagon. He had seen Homoculli before, some better made than others. Ikki was finely designed, almost impossible to tell the difference between a natural-born human. He hadn't noticed, but he hadn't been looking either.

"Good night girls." He murmured something in his native language, laying a blessing upon Ikki. Such a simple thing, but he hoped that it would help her, at least for the night. Ikki, may your dreams all be sweet.

[Scythe-Nova]

-"I just don't want to be alone when i sleep.."

She rose from her seat and lifted her Apothecary chest and looked at Nellie with a sad expression and looked towards the cart and as she bent down to grab the empty teapot when a strange feeling washed over her and she almost froze in place before she rose from her stance and looked around confused.

-"What..."

She felt something in herself but she could not tell what it was, she were not even sure where it came from. Suddenly she felt very very tired as her sleepless nights began catching up to her, she realized she would need to sleep soon or else she would suffer for it.

-"Ugh... i feel ill, i should sleep soon i might suffer cerebral damage otherwise"

[Zero]

"You won't be alone, I'll be in the bed just beside yours, not even four paces away." Nellie tried to give Ikki a comforting smile.

She looked at Ikki with a troubled expression as the girl froze, looking confused. Her guest was proving to be most unique and she worried about the strange girl. Never before had she met someone quite like her and she truly hoped everything would be alright.

"Yes, of course. C'mon then, let's get you into bed. It is late, we should all get some rest. Hopefully a good night's sleep will make you feel better."

[Scythe-Nova]

Ikki smiled warmly at Nellie as she comforted her with her words and picked up her belongings and put them into her Apothecary box before she picked it up and turned to Nellie and went over to her.

-"Yes let's hope for a good nights sleep."

She said and smiled warmly at Nellie as she took a step towards the Wagon, but she waited for Nellie to lead her as it were their Cart.

[Zero]

After all the excitement of the evening, including her father's social slip, Nellie was rather convienced that bed was exactly what they all needed. Although she hoped her father would be comfortable enough under the wagon.

She led the way, opening a door on the back of the cart. It was almost a tiny house on wheels, really. On either side of the wall, a narrow bed was build into what was otherwise lined with shelves. Nellie pointed to the bed on their left.

"Here we are, you can sleep there for the night. They're not the greatest beds ever, but they are comfortable enough."

[Scythe-Nova]

-"Thank you.."

Ikki said and smiled thankfully as she put down her apothecary chest next to the bed she were to sleep in and sat down on the bed and looked up at Nellie.

-"This medicine acts almost instantly so i may fall over, so be ready..."

She said before taking off her wooden geta sandals and tucked herself into the bed still sitting though, she took a very small cup and filled it with the content's of her sleeping potion, she put away the bottle and steadied her hand and swept the contents of the little cup and swallowed and as she said the potion took effect immediately making her drop the small cup and then her body went completely limp and she fell to the side out from the bed slowly.