exsiliumlogs | [closed]

[ Bariyan's sledding, this time for fun and absolutely no profit. Also, he doesn't have the sled dogs yet.

Unfortunately for him, the river's pretty flat.

There's a bit of a slope by the shore here, where the snow's built up over some fallen trees (or something; Bariyan's not entirely sure. He can only see vague grayish patches poking out from the bottom), but it's a baby hill. It gives him a speed that would put a snail to shame, and sends him skidding just about all of five feet out onto the ice. Still, it's the best that Bariyan's found so far, so he's going to get as much out of it as possible.

He's climbed the hill and slipped into the sled and started the trip down for the tenth time that morning before his brain finally catches on to a message that his ears have been trying to send for the past five minutes -- that there's something coming towards him. Something sharp, and scraping....

Bariyan looks to his right just in time to get a face full of skater. ]

[ Feferi has made a new art form of getting down the river. She still hasn't figured out skates yet, but for the most part, because it's so well traveled, it's easier to at least try it. wading through snow is just not her idea of fun.

Her version of skating primarily involves pushing herself along with a stick and trying to keep as much momentum as she can, with the occasional adventurous stroke to keep her going. She's going actually quite well today, but her attention is focused on the ice. She's been ignoring most people passing by her quickly. She only realizes that anyone is coming at her with excessive velocity when she's tumbling over him and into a nearby snowbank.

She looks human enough, but the distinct scrape marks her "head" leaves on the ice as she slides tells another story. ]

Ow...

[ Bariyan hangs on to the sled and that, combined with his own greater mass, keeps him and the sled together as they go careening off across the ice after impact. He's only slightly dazed afterwards, but that combined with surprise and immediate anxiety over Feferi's well-being is enough to distract him from the strange scrapes left on the ice. ]

Oh, L-- I'm so sorry! Are you all right?

[ He disentangles himself from his sled and -- with some sliding -- staggers over to Feferi. He reaches into the snowbank to pull her out. ]

Yes! Yes, I am okay!

[ She quickly tries to right herself, but the skates make it hard, and she falls back on her bottom and laughs. It's at that point that she looks up, and connects voice with face-- her eyes go wide. ]

Bariyan?

[ Bariyan stares. He'd seen Feferi and other-Bariyan's interactions over the network, so he knows of her, vaguely... but with her projection, he's not making the connection.

He scratches his head. ]

Yes! That is my name. Well done. [ He smiles, and holds out a hand to Feferi. ] Have we met?

[ She stares at him for a good long moment when she at least gets herself into a proper position, looking over his face, especially his eyes. She smiles and shakes her head. ]

No, I guess not. I'm Feferi. What were you doing? You were going pretty fast.

[ The name clicks into place in his memory, and Bariyan nearly exclaims his surprise and recognition -- then takes in Feferi's response, and realizes that doing so might be inappropriate. Maybe... maybe Feferi is a common name here, anyway? Maybe it's another Feferi.

So he moves on. He looks back at the abandoned sled, and over at the hill he'd come down from. He laughs, a little sheepishly. ]

Just sledding. Trying to relax, you know? This was the only place with even a little bit of a slope to use...

Sledding to relax?

[ She starts again on trying to get to her feet, this time with a little more concentration and effort, and manages to get onto the blades, only wobbling a little bit. ]

That sounds like a pretty exciting way to relax! It makes me wonder what you are doing normally!

Normally? [ Bariyan pulls a face. Fighting the undead, apparently. Even outside of Azeroth. But he doesn't say that; he's operating on the suspicion that everyone is native, unless proven otherwise, and the natives tend not to be receptive to talk about the shambling Scourge. ] Work. Lots of work. Sledding is relaxing in comparison -- it's how I used to play, as a child.

[ When he sees Feferi wobbling, he holds both hands out again, without thinking about it. ]

Of course, back in my day, the hills were bigger.

[ She takes his hand, mostly for a little extra balance. Her backside is already bruised enough, though it doesn't fuss her too much. All part of the learning curve. ]

Back in your day? Are you from around here, then? You don't look like you're from around here.

You've got me. I came from a little further away -- towards the north -- you know, I was probably born in a cave somewhere. [ Grinning, Bariyan takes a small step back, to start leading Feferi across the ice again. ] Raised in one, too.

A cave in the north?

[ She glides along a little bit, pushing herself too; but she's pretty light, and easy to pull anyway. ]

Are you yeti?

[ Bariyan laughs, allowing their natural momentum to take them into a bit of a spin, with him swinging Feferi around in a crescent. ]

Oh, yes. On my mother's side. [ Bariyan's manner is solemn. Entirely too solemn. ] It's made me into a were-yeti. I turn into one every full moon.

I knew-- woah!

[ Her feet almost slip out from under her as he spins, but she holds tight and manages to keep upright, at the expense of sticking her butt out awkwardly. She spends a second re-righting herself. ]

I knew it. I thought there was something about you. So is that why you are here, because you never felt at home among yetikind, and you want to see if humans will accept you for your human half, but you are conflicted over both sides of who you are?

[ Bariyan manages to dig the treads of his boots in to keep himself from slipping, then keeps movement to a minimum to allow Feferi time to regain balance.

In the meanwhile, he tosses his hair. ]

That's exactly it. And I don't know-- I'm able to blend in amongst these humans well enough, but I still feel a stranger. Perhaps there is nothing for it but to strike out into the snowy wilderness alone.

That's not true at all, you just need to embrace both sides of yourself and realize that your values and and morals and the good you do in the world are more important than whether you are a human or a yeti!

[ What is even going on here. ]

[ Bariyan grins at Feferi, and then bursts into laughter. Carefully, slowly -- so as to not send her flying out over the ice -- he lets her go, and snaps his fingers. ]

By the-- by the yeti gods, you're right! Thank you, Lady Feferi! I shall never forget what you've said!

Good! I'm glad we had this talk.

[ She is feeling much more coordinated now, and looks off in the direction she was headed briefly before she looks back at him. ]

If you're not doing anything important, would you like to... come with me, for a little while?

[ Bariyan looks back towards his sled. He cocks his head to one side. ]

Certainly! Let me just--

[ --collect his sled. He goes back to where he'd abandoned it and picks it up, hefting it under one arm. Then he nods to Feferi. ]

Where to?

Into civilization! If you think you are ready.

[ She's already starting to push herself off in the direction she was headed. ]

Oh, I suppose so! I've only been living in it for a few months. [ Bariyan readjusts his grip on the sled and sets off after Feferi, grinning. ] It was getting cold out here, anyway.

Do you live in town? I'm just going to get groceries, but we don't live that close to any of the natives. For reasons.

[ Reasons being things like... she likes to take off her hologram every now and again, for example. ]

[ Ah. There it is. Confirmation that she isn't native. Bariyan grins to himself and hums a little tune. ]

I do live in town. I can get away with it when I'm not being a yeti, see? I can show you where I live before you get your groceries -- I'd like to drop my sled off, anyway.

Ah, yes! That makes sense.

[ She nods very sagely, almost as if she's forgotten the whole yeti bit was a ruse. ]

I'd like to see it. Lead the way!

[ With permission granted, Bariyan takes the lead, striding out ahead of Feferi. Fortunately, it's not too far to town, and Bariyan knows all the shortcuts.

The house is wedged right between two larger buildings -- (some sort of facility for the scientists on the right, and another house on the left) -- and there's a star ornament hanging on the door. Bariyan fumbles around for his keys to unlock the door, looking around and listening as he steps inside. ]

Hmm. Doesn't seem as if the Daltons are in. Anyway, my room's over here--

[ He makes a turn into the first door on the left, opening it to reveal a small, crowded room -- bed wedged into the northwest corner, dresser hulking along the far wall, armor piled and hastily shoved under his bed, though the gleaming edge of a greave is sticking out.

He swings himself around the door to prop the sled up agains the wall behind it. ]

[closed]

01/12 | feferi

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