koiwamizuiro | 2nd Dive: Exploration [Action]

[Some time has passed since Ai first entered Luceti, and even now she was growing accustomed to life in the village. Slowly, but steadily. It was a much quieter place than what she was used to back in Kibitou.

The draft had come and gone, but the girl hadn't taken part in it, and she was thankful for that. Her recent entrance into this peculiar world was enough to deal with on its own, though she had kept herself as informed as she could as to what exactly was going on.

Today, she had initially tried to simply soothe herself with another walk around the village. It had developed to be a certain routine for her that she often practiced, and the weather was more pleasant than it had been before, warmer. She was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and blue denim jeans, along with her yellow jacket on top that she had regained possession of upon entering Luceti.

However, curiosity got the better of her and she ended up heading to several places that she had intended on checking out earlier, diverging from her walk a bit.]

Action I.

[Firstly, Ai found herself near the Bakery in the morning, a certain scent inviting her to come even closer and see what was available that day. The girl had wondered whether she would be able to find anything like her favorite Imagawayaki dessert here to buy later (or get, rather), so she would inform herself of what was offered here. Besides, she was also feeling hungry now, so her timing couldn't have been better.

One may find her right at the time she has an inner discussion with herself as to what to get, or they may find her wandering close by later with a croissant in her hand, already eating it contentedly.]

Action II.

[Then, Ai found her way to the front door of the Battle Drome. From what she had understood, this fascinating facility wasn't just a combat simulator, and she wanted to test out its capabilities for herself. She had read about it and already had a few scenarios in mind, but that didn't necessarily mean that she couldn't use the help of somebody around offering to help her understand it a bit more.]

Action III.

[The Library was also a place the girl wanted to check, the last location on her route today, though she didn't have anything particular in mind upon entering it as she simply went on browsing. Maybe there was something informative as to the worlds of the other people she met here? Or perhaps there were different works of fiction made by authors from these other worlds that could intrigue her? Regardless, she wouldn't mind having some reading material to go through before she went to sleep each day.

Ai would spend quite a bit of time here, thinking as to what she would get and what would spark her interest the most.]

Action IV.

[Finally, when the sky has already darkened, Ai would take a small break near the river close to her new come, Community Housing Building #2, and clear her head some with her eyes watching the stars and her body resting on the grass. Anyone wandering around this late would be able to catch her there.]

(OOC: You can stumble upon her anywhere along her route. Reading the reflections post I have linked to is not necessary as it simply shows her initial thoughts and impressions of Luceti right after she gets herself an apartment.)

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[Another moment of silence falls upon the two as now, Ai herself considered what Garrosh just said about her, looking at the same river he was with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Had she really adapted herself already? It was true that she had yet to discover a lot of things in the village and find out more about Luceti as a whole, but what she knew... she had found herself getting used to. Getting things for free from the shop was now perfectly normal, having wings on her back was something she already seldom noticed, and as for another example, talking with a giant orc did not make her wonder whether this truly was some kind of vivid dream or not.

Some things still surprised and astounded her, yes, but she was already shifting her mentality, accepting these unearthly creatures such as Garrosh who walked among the humans here and finding it commonplace.

Wow. And to think that this would have been absolutely absurd to her about a month or so ago...]

I am adapting faster than I thought I would, yes... [She spoke softly with her eyes still gazing at the running water.] It is strange how many things I already find normal around here... The village, the people, the wings, the Shifts that can happen to us... [Though she had yet to experience one, she had already been witness to at least a couple of people who were experimented on by the Malnosso, and heard about a lot more previous instances in the process.] ...And I have gotten used to how quiet it can get here. It is nice... and this spot here. [Which she had already found herself lingering at multiple times after the events of her days in Luceti. It was one thing that she liked over the usually hectic and occasionally loud city of Kibitou that she came from. Not to mention that the view of the stars above was often much clearer here.]

[Of course, her thoughts about her friends and family never quite ceased, but at least most of the pain that came with her being separated from them was gradually dulling as well.]

[Quiet. Normal. A nice spot. He doesn't have any relaxing spots in Luceti. He doesn't feel at ease anywhere. Not here. Not the house that he has taken control of for the time being. This small human girl was speaking with a strange sort of clarity despite the slight points of hesitations there.

And she was speaking to him.]

Where are you staying?

[It was pretty strange to her too, considering that upon her first meeting with the orc she hadn't in any way imagined that she would be talking to him about things like this, but Luceti as a whole was like that, really, and even that she had pretty much gotten used to.]

In the community housing building over there. [She turned her body to the side slightly and pointed towards the nearby block of flats, right across the Tsukino Shrine.]

On the sixth floor. It is nice, and I have it all to myself... and there is a nice view of most of the village as well. [Which also included a pleasant look towards the mountains in the distance and a part of the forest around the many houses, too. Not to mention that the actual location was pretty convenient for her.]

You live all alone in that great building? [Misunderstanding her meaning, he goes to look up at that building, glancing up to what he assumes is the sixth floor. The building looks so... odd. It looks like some strange combination of a fortress and a watch tower, but as a residential building. He's not been inside any of them, and he has no real desire to go in them either.]

[A subtly amused smile played on Ai's lips in response as she looked at the orc, leaning backward the grass a bit more in the meantime.]

No, I mean just the floor... Living all alone in an eight-story building would be... a bit creepy, probably. [She liked that it wasn't crowded, of course, and she preferred it over being cluttered vastly, but still, there were limits even to that. The girl still took some comfort that she wasn't the only one there, even if there wasn't anybody else living on the same floor as her.]

What about you? Where are you staying? [Most people would probably ask so that they would know where not to go, but in Ai's case, she was simply legitimately curious.]

[He grumbles something as his misunderstanding being corrected, but it's not really even words. he isn't even sure what he grumbles. But he closes his eyes a moment, exhales through his nose, and glares hard at the water.]

I've taken up lodging n a house on the far south of this village.

[Which is shameful, even if he removed most of the comforts of it. It's temporary, he tells himself.]

You do not sound thrilled about that. [That, and she remembered how reluctant the orc seemed to be taking advantage of the comforts and pleasantries that were offered here by the Malnosso, which was something she hadn't changed her opinion on. The girl looked at him with her brows lifted with intrigue as she noticed him gazing into the very same river she had.]

At least it is a place to sleep. I would rather have that than be homeless and be struggling to live. [When she could be gathering her energy to turn the tables on the Malnosso, if she were somebody like Garrosh and had his physical strength.]

This land is too bountiful to struggle. This land is too peaceful to struggle. Even in the dead of winter, I've found things to eat and once the snow melts completely, the hunt will begin for more resources.

[And he spits that, grinding his teeth a moment before he calms himself enough to try to be more logical about it. The shame and stink of being given luxuries by the enemy is still... frustrating]

Of course I'm not thrilled to have accepted a luxury.