We are off to see the Crystal Tree!

[greenmagick]

WHO: OPEN! Those setting out towards the Crystal Tree~
WHAT: Terra has arranged an expedition. Keep in mind that this takes place after the January Event!
WHEN: January 17th - January 27th
WHERE: Plains of Sorrow, Crystal Forest & Crystal Tree~
WARNING: None.

[ooc: Information and plotting about this adventure is posted here. If you have any questions please post them here as well. It's assumed that Terra posted up a help wanted for the heroes who don't know her to see if they want to come along. Settings will be described in top posts to keep thing organized!

Please note that the Friendly Monster and Crystal Tree sections will be one long thread.]

Comments

[rialynn]

Rialynn nodded vigorously. She was hungry, so food sounded like a great place to start. She ordinarily went straight to a new town's tavern as well, but only because it offered the two things she needed most: a room to stay in, and a job to pay for said room. He had good advice about traveling in any case, and it made her think he probably had a lot of experience.

"Do you travel very often?" she asked, trying to keep her pace at least somewhat relaxed instead of indulging in her childish impulse to race across the village at top speed to see more things more quickly. "I mean, it seems like you really know what you're doing. And your friend, he traveled with you a lot too, I'm guessing."

Heaven help the world if Rialynn and The Doctor ever wound up in the same room together, for their combined excitement might cause a really obnoxious and nerdy explosion.

"I guess you'll just have to take very thorough notes about what you see here, so you can share your stories with him once you meet up again, right? I'd be happy to make a copy of what I've got so far, if you need it."

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

"We did," Jack laughs a little, "is it that obvious? I didn't for a while, found myself staying in one spot for a lot longer than I'd ever intended to. I was actually just about to go travelling again when I ended up here!"

Jack leads the way into a busy restaurant, picking a place that has more people going in and out of it, instead of something off the beaten path.

"I've been taking some notes of my own..." There's a blue journal waiting in a drawer at home that Jack has taken to writing letters to the Doctor in, just in case the man finally shows. "But I'd always be glad to see someone else's take on things."

"What about you? You used to travel, back home?"

[rialynn]

"Well, I wouldn't say it's obvious," she gestured with an open hand. "But people who travel a lot have a lot of good tips, and knowledge about moving around, blending in, things like that." He also didn't bat an eye at the unusual appearance of the villagers, which would indicate he was fairly accustomed to dealing with other species.

She stuck close to his elbow as he weaved his way into the restaurant, and slid onto her chair with a sigh of relief. Turning her head, she noted that there were several smaller tables with tiny chairs, probably to accommodate the lion-like denizens of the village. Was it wrong to think it was cute?

Her attention snapped back to Jack as he mentioned making his own notes, and she perked up with interest. "Really? Did you bring those notes with you, perchance?" Would he show her these notes, or tell her about them? Was he a bard too?

Rialynn shifted to the side, dropping her pack to the ground and nudging it under the table so other customers wouldn't trip over it. Then she rustled around until she found her thick book. The last third was still clean with pages waiting to be filled with adventures and notes. The first third was slightly weathered, a few of the pages crinkled with dried moisture. "You're free to look through it. I don't have much written for this leg of the journey yet..."

Just a few notes on the people she was traveling with. Like 'Vincent Valentine - NOT A VAMPIRE :)' on the bottom of the previous page.

As for his question, she nodded. "I haven't been out there as long as most of the other bards, so I don't really have much of a reputation yet. But I've been involved in a few adventures."

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

"They're back at home, but I'd be glad to share them with you," Jack chuckles low, "although not all of it might make sense to you. It was kind of designed to be a way for me to get my thoughts in order, and to get the Doc quickly up to speed if he ever shows."

Jack cranes his neck to look at the pages. Ooh. He spots that last note and giggles out loud. "Really? Not a vampire? Well there goes that theory."

When one of the locals comes by to take their order, Jack asks for tea, whatever their closest equivalent is. His eyes light up when what returns is a pot with what looks like a tiny crystal blossom in the bottom of it. "See? This is what you miss out on when you stay at home..."

Ahem. Focus. "Ah, bards?" Curious. "Now, that's a job class, here, involved with singing. Different songs give magical effects. I don't have it equipped at the moment, but I do have it maxed out. Is that something you used to do at home?"

[rialynn]

"Weeeeeell...if they don't make much sense as notes, and you don't have them here, maaaaaybe you could tell me one of your stories?" she suggested surreptitiously.

How could she resist? This journey was packed with Heroes, many of whom had experienced fantastic adventures without anyone around to keep a record of it. She had to know more. And she always did love a good story.

Then he found her notes about Vincent, and she ducked her head with an embarrassed chuckle. "Yeah, um...I kind of just...asked him straight out. I was relieved by his answer." Vincent turned out to be pretty nice, so she was glad she'd been forthright with her questions. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to rub self-consciously at her neck at the very mention of vampires. Seriously, one of the scariest stories she'd ever heard another bard tell.

When the tea arrived, Rialynn perked up, her eyes widening. "Wow...how pretty...!" She tipped slightly to the side to get a better look. "Would you mind if I tried a little? You can have some of mine." She'd opted for the juice, since she hadn't seen any fruits since they came here. So what kind of juice would it be? It was a mystery indeed.

Then the glass was placed before her. The liquid was a lemon color and opaque, with bits of pulp floating in it. Tentatively she lifted it to her nose to get a sniff. Sweet, with a hint of tartness. She offered it to Jack so he could get a taste before she began to drink.

"Mm hm, I heard about that. The kind I did was a little more on the mundane side. No magic," she shook her head. "But if you're maxed out, you must be really good at it! What kind of songs do you know?" And would he teach her any of them? That was the next question.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Aha. That makes some sense. "The class seems to let you use any sort of music, so I am using one from my own world, but I've also learned one native to here. Magically, it doesn't have too much use, it'll let people use some special attacks early. But I picked it up, because I just- liked it. Sad but hopeful."

But, a story? Jack gladly accepts the juice, offers the pot of tea to Rialynn as he thinks. Hmm. Not bad. Their ordeal last week might be sticking in Jack's mind. And he wishes he could tell everyone that it's okay if they don't always live up to their ideals, so long as they make good in the end.

"Once upon a time," because all the best stories start that way, "there was a man in a blue box."

"It was a special box, magical. And it would let him travel to any place or any time that he could imagine. He could see any wonder that had ever existed in any world. In theory, he could find riches, discover anything that had ever been lost. But what he chose to do with this box was to go around and help as many people as he could. Because his name was the Doctor."

"But he didn't travel alone. He would have other people who would come and go on his adventures, and help him. Sometimes, seeing all that existed, it could lose its wonder, even to him. So he always thought it was better if he had someone to show it all to. Now, when I met him, that someone was Rose." A very special smile comes across Jack's face when he says that name.

"She was kind, and caring. Even in situations where the Doctor had trouble finding compassion, she could. Brave, would never ever turn away from danger, or let anyone else do so. Young, and idealistic, but she'd suffered loss, and knew what it was, didn't want anyone else to suffer if she could help it."

[rialynn]

Rialynn smiled as she listened to his tale, resting her cheek in the cup of her palm. She'd been about to comment on the fine and subtle flavors of the tea, but she found herself completely enraptured by his gift for storytelling. Were he to have lived in her world, he would have made an excellent bard. The cadence of his voice, the way he described things simply and honestly, would have gathered rings of children at his feet.

What she wouldn't have given to travel with this blue-box dwelling doctor and share his adventures. If all he wanted was someone to tell his stories to, that would have been perfect for her.

Goodness...how long had it been since she'd had an opportunity to really enjoy another person's story instead of analyzing and studying it to see if she could add it to her repertoire?

"She sounds amazing," she commented with a quiet smile. "They both do. What happened next?" He'd already set up his characters, now it was time to introduce the plot, right?