Cat: Vietarent walked into the forge, hearing everyone hard at work around him. "Hey, where's my favorite blacksmith?!" he called loudly, a greeting that he had often used on Asu in the past. His wings were bandaged, and a few bands of cloth were over the slashes in his tail, just to make sure they weren't re-opened. He'd been reacquainting himself with his old home for the past few days, and had finally decided it was time to go visit some old pals and get that spell repaired of course.
Asu turned quickly, a lurid scowl imprinted upon her face. "Whatt'ya want!?" Focusing upon his face, she nearly dropped the armor she was molding. Mouth gaping, her eyes widened, as she saw her old friend darkening her door. "My lord, Boy, is that really you?!" Asu paused, covering her mouth in a slight daze.She knew exactly why he was here, those knives. Her earliest works of pure metallic magic, how foolish she was to make them feed off of a fading aura. This time Asu would surely have to replenish the spell's effects upon the knives just to give them a longer usage span.Throwing her head joyously, she motioned Vie deeper into the forge. "Let me have a look at those scraps of mine, Boy..
Cat: "Heya Asu! Long time no see, eh? I'm back a year early - Sorath's orders." he grinned moving over to her so that she could have a look. "Run in with a metalfur." he explained briefly, nodding at his tail and wings. "Those things are tough.
Asu shook her head mournfully," Eh, I knew once they shipped you off you'd lose your touch..Boy.
Cat: "Not so easy when you're trying to keep them from further butchering and Archling though." he muttered quietly. "How's things been going around here? Enough work I hope. You look happy yourself.
A frown overcame her face, as she shook her head in disgust, "Business here, well, I haven't had a customer for weeks..this armor here..well..I was molding it for you.." She managed to chuckle a bit, hoping he wouldn't notice how upset she really was.
Cat: He looked surprised, "Well, what a nice coming home present!" His face was once more blank after that, worried for Asu. She'd need to make a living still. "You've got the most skill I've ever seen in a blacksmith! I... It's hard to believe that, but you're right." For the first time, Vie really looked around, seeing the lack of people, no noise aside from their chatting now that Asu had stopped hammering.
Asu gazed away from the conversation, speaking half-mindedly. "Well, if you could create metal from your own paws I know you'd have just as much skill as I do.."she replied, looking back towards the ground. Grasping the still-warm armor, she held it outwards measuring it visually against Vie. "Soo..how much longer you think those knives of yours will last?
Cat: "I'd have the ability to have that much skill. However, I wouldn't be able to use it untill I had all the knowledge." He pointed out, still confident is his friends abilities. "The spell on them is wearing thin. The knives will still not break, but a few are cracked. We need to re do the holding spell, these things are getting a lot of abuse." he joked. Still, they had lasted him five years, which was pretty dang good.
Asu smirked, holding out her paws to grasp the knives. "Eh, five years, I bet we can make 'em last at least eight this time!"she bragged on, ignoring anything to do with the comment about her skills. Knowing this time it would be easier on herself to just mold them back to their original state, and then use up more of the aura's magic to power them. "Well, I guess I should get to work on 'em..
Cat: Vie nodded. "I'll leave you with them then." he said, and took out five knives. "The duplicating spell on them works perfectly, but here are the original five. I made sure that I had them for you." he said. Thin cracks were snaking throughout all of them somewhere, showing just how much wear and tear they had been through.
Asu nodded, and as looking over the damage she blurted out, "Eh, not bad I can fix 'em in about fifteen minutes..if you want you can hang around and make small talk while I compress them..
Cat: He nodded. "And cover the whole year I spent away I suppose. Too bad there wasn't even a way to get a letter to Valhalla." he said, regretting it. That had been one thing that he had forgotten to think of.
Asu nodded back,"I would really like to hear about that, Boy! Ahh, yes a letter, I maybe we can talk to some higher rankings with portal rights to start up a letter program.." She blushed, knowing that he was one of her childhood crushes, but after the incident with Aro things with males changed.
Cat: Vie nodded, "Yeah. Well, I'll sum the first bit up pretty fast - things didn't get interesting until recently. Basically, I searched, and didn't find my family. However, I located and Xweetok Forest and was going through there. I met this Seraph, Oublessai and Airisaz. I didn't know anything about what Airi had done back then though. A few days later, maybe a week, I met this Cherub, Saydnn. That's when I learned about Airi and the Archling. So, being bored out of my mind, I joined her. We had a few run-ins with a metalfur - well, she did at least. One very unpleasant one. We found the Archling the next day, but she was kidnapped by some from Niflheim. A few days later, we found her again in the forest and brought her back to Valhalla. She was in horrible condition to say the least. Then I decided that I'd better pay an old pal a visit before she jumped down my throat for not coming to see her." he joked, summing everything that had happened up into a brief report.
Asu stared blankly, knowing it was her turn to spill. Gulping hard she managed to smile as Vie had cracked a joke upon her. "Well, my year has been anything but pleasant. It all started a few months ago, when I ran into an angel of close age to ours..he was so handsome and I was drawn to him immediately. Weeks later I found out that he was my...."she paused, trying to hold back tears.
Cat: Vie was immediately concerned for his friend. "What... what happened?"he asked slowly, knowing that it would be better for her to talk about it. She'd feel better after that, or so he hoped.
Speaking hesitantly she recalled her past," I found out he was my brother. I had fallen in love with my own brother..how pathetic? It seems that after my parents kicked me out they had another child..Baroneau." Asu collasped to the floor, weeping into her forelock. Knowing she didn't fulfill the Blaeu family prophecy, she assumed it was her own fault.
Cat: Vie looked startled, "Ouch. That's certainly a bit of a blow. Accidentally falling for your brother... is that why there hasn't been any customers?" he said, then instantly regretted it, sitting on the floor in front of Asu, comforting her. "There, there, I'm sure it will turn out all right. They'll be someone else that sweeps you off your feet I'm sure." he said.
A glance towards the knives, that were almost repaired, reminded Asu of her true life. "Yes, they call me disgusting..a vile girl..just because of that incident! How was I supposed to know?! They even moved into a different part of town, as if to get away from me." She stood up, bracing herself against the workbench, grasping the knives in one swift movement. A faint glow seemed to surround the knives. "What if he has already been swept away by another girl?
Cat: "Perhaps... perhaps that year has given me a more neopian way of thinking, but still, I mean, how were you supposed to know?" He said slowly. "If he's found his own love, than that is good for him. Asu, you can't just sit here locked up, wallowing in misery!" he finally burst out. She seemed half dead the way she was now, scorned and avoided.
She sighed softly, Asu's eyes closed tightly. "I feel so guilty..I even snuck out numerous times to see him..he even brought me back things from the Xweetok Forest, of which you speak of," her head held downward, she spoke in a muffled tone. Asu nodded slightly. "Yes..good for him..I wish him the best Boy..I really do.."she paused, stunned after his outburst," I have no other purpose I cannot leave my work!
Cat: He thought for a moment, stalk still. "No one will know about it in the forest though... maybe you could retire to Neopia for a time." He said thoughtfully. It seemed like a good suggestion...
That youthful twinkle came back to her eyes, and she hugged Vie for everything he had ever done for her. "What a great idea..I think I'll get packing!
Cat: He was a little shocked at the hug, but just grinned at her. "Exactly. You can start anew there. If no one knows about it, then they can't possibly object. I can give you more specific directions to the forest - but then again, maybe you can have them just open a portal there. Let me give you a word of advice - not all in the forest are friendly. Most of them are, but not everyone. There has been a metalfur lurking around, but he was more interested in Sayd. I think you'll be pretty safe. Better than here at least.
Asu grinned back, knowing it was unlike her to become that joyful. "I will be careful there Boy..promise me though..you and Sayd will visit me." Asu looked upwards at him, noticing the height difference. In deep thought, an idea finally struck her. "I think I need to call upon my little brother before I go..he can get someone to get me a portal out of town..and a map of the forest too..he was there on surveying business.
Cat: Vie nodded, putting his knives away once more. "Alrighty then, I'll visit - and try to bring Sayd along. I'm not sure if she'll be able to come though. That metalfur. Well, he was trying to r*** her. That was what I meant by run in. He had a complete disdain for all other females fortunately, so you'll be fine." he said, reassuringly. "I think as soon as my wings are healed I may be sent back there on a mission, so I'll make sure to check up on you.
Asu could smile now, knowing that someone had her back. She nodded, her face turning pale at the sound of "r***". It angered her beyond belief, and now she wanted to head to the forest more than ever to confront this h***ish monster. "Eh, Boy, don't forget this..you'll need it in the near future, and do us all a favor and keep outta trouble!"she said, throwing the armor at Vie jokingly.
Cat: He grinned and caught it, appreciating her practically perfect aim. "One of these days, we're going to need to spar. I want to see how much you've improved. You aim is better, you aren't completely missing my head now." he jested.
Her glare pierced at him, as she flashed him a toothy grin. "See me when you're ready to fight, Boy..you have the training, but I have the skills!"she shouted as she flexed weakly. Her life was slowly filtering back to her body as the energy literally fueled her body.
Cat: He smiled, "Hey now, is that a challenge? Well then, I'll definitely have to swing by once I'm completely healed! It wouldn't be any fun otherwise. You'd be going easy on me, can't have that now can we?" he said. He noticed the glare, Asu was definitely coming back to life, to manage one of her old glares, the ones that make a lesser one run for the hills with their tails tucked under their legs.
Asu made herself look so innocent you could've mistaken her for the softest girl you'd ever seen. "A challenge? Pfft! You're on, but I won't take no for an answer.. so get your wounds and scrapes healed up then come back and we'll talk.."she said, obviously determined to prove her worthiness. Knowing it was getting late for her to stay in the forge, she waved in Vie's general direction. "See you soon, Bo- Vie!
Cat: Vie grinned at the face she made, he knew Asu wasn't anywhere near that fragile. "Alrighty then Asu!" he called back, heading out of the forge and back towards home. Well, it was always nice to know that you friends stayed your friends. He had missed the catch that Asu had made on names, and hummed as he walked back home, his errand completed for the day.