mister10below | [Video] | [Open Commentlog]

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[Bobby's outside, holding the journal facing towards him with one hand and tossing a snowball with the other.]

I promise this is not my fault! I had absolutely nothing to do with this.

[Not that anyone except for maybe two people would have any reason to suspect him. But he's too used to having to give a disclaimer every time snow comes when it probably shouldn't have.]

But since it is here and awesome, I am totally taking advantage of it.

Does anyone like ice skating? Someone go skating with me, guys!

[There's a pause as he throws the snowball high up into the air and lets it fall back to the ground.]

Or if we can get enough people, I am all in for a game of snow capture the flag.

[It is SNOWING, and Bobby is the happiest mutant ever right now. Reply here or come bug him outside? He's wandering around all over, so if it's some place outside, feel free to run into him there.]

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Skate?

[Okay. So she's a little nervous. She'd never done--whatever it was he was doing right now. It looked as though he was flying along the ice.]

Is that what you're doing now?

[Hesitantly, biting her lip before deciding to be daring and blurting her question out she asks:] What's capture the flag?

[He smiles warmly at her.]

It is! Have you never been before?

[And another smile at her question.]

It's a game. It's played with a big group of people. You split them into two teams, and each team gets a flag. The object of the game is to get the other team's flag before they get yours.

It's fun in the snow, because you can build a snow fort to hide your flag, and station people there to protect it. And use snowballs! So it's like combining capture the flag with a snowball fight.

I have not...

[His smiles are friendly indeed, and Aara daringly inches a few half paces forward.]

I have not.

[She ducks her head, a small embarrassed flush rising to her cheeks at admitting it, but his explanation of capture the flag is captivating, and she hangs on his every word.]

You protect this flag that it yours?

[Then something else entirely captures her attention.]

Snow... fort? You make a fortress of snow and not ice? [She's leaning forward and a hint of a smile tugs at the edges of Aara's lips. She wants to do these things, and delight and excitement grow in the depths of her eyes.] I can protect this flag.

[Okay, she's really cute. Bobby slides the tiniest bit forward.]

I can show you, if you want to learn? It's a lot of fun.

[He nods in response to both of her questions.]

Yes, and yes! And wicked! I'd love to have you on board. If we can manage to organize a game, you're so going to be on my team.

[The grin Aara gives is the biggest, happiest grin she's given in a long time. Pure delight washes over her features and she nods enthusiastically--small bobs of her head.]

I do. Please do.

[Aara feels her heart flutter and actually soar at that bit of news. He wanted her. For his team. Her, the outcast. A dark flush races across her cheeks and she ducks her head, unable to do anything with the elation she was feeling but grin widely down at her feet.]

Okay. [Her gaze tentatively lifts to hold his.] I would like that.

[His own smile brightens considerably when she grins at him, and he skates even closer, standing right next to her now.]

Okay! Sit down, and I'll make you a pair of skates?

[...and he's not entirely sure why what he said is making her blush a bit and look down, but she's still smiling, so he's still going to count it as a win.]

Me, too. I'm so glad you'd be interested in playing, it's own of my favorite games.

[Sit on the cold ice? Well... it was probably better than snow. This way it wouldn't soak into her dress at least. Aara shivers, but does as she was told, watching him with open interest and gleaning as much information from this experience as she was able.]

Make? Will it take very long? Maybe I can help? [She didn't want him expending a ton of energy on her, that was for sure. Not on such a chore.]

I... I may not be very good. [It was only fair to warn him after all, wasn't it?Maybe he wouldn't want her for his team anymore...]

It won't take long at all! Don't worry, all you have to do is hold still. And, um, not freak out.

[He adds the last part only because this is the first time he's done this for someone who didn't know about his abilities, and he doesn't want to scare her. He's really hoping it doesn't scare her. He leans down, running one hand over the side of her shoe, and creating an ice blade along the bottom. Then he does the same for the other one.

He pulls back, offering her a smile and reaching down a hand to help her up.]

I'm sure you'll be great! And it doesn't matter, anyway, it'll be fun just playing.

[Aara gasps at what Bobby did to the soles of her borrowed shoes, eyes widening impossibly as she stares and her heart leaps into her throat.]

You... [Her tone is even softer than usual, and when her eyes lift to Bobby's face her hands are already accepting his.]

What are you? [Her head tilts to one side, as if she could figure it out. Her tone holds awe as well as complete astonishment.] Are you an elemental? Do such things exist?

[A humored grin quirks along one side of Aara's face. He just created blades of ice on her feet, and was continuing their conversation as if nothing happened. She shook her head in slight disbelief.]

I don't even know your name...

[He's not entirely sure what to think for a bit. Eyes widening and asking 'what are you' generally isn't a good sign, but she'd put her hands in his willingly and she seems almost...awed.

It's the grin that finally makes him relax, and he smiles back at her as he pulls her to her feet.]

I guess you could call me that? In my world, they call us mutants. But, yeah, I can create ice, so elemental might be a good word.

Oh! Sorry. I'm Bobby.

[He offers her another smile, still holding her hands.]

Mutants? [Aara frowns, puzzling that out in her head before slowly shaking her head.] No. I do not think that is a very good name at all. Why do you call yourselves such a thing? [Yes. Elemental was better. Kinder.]

[Aara smiles slowly after Bobby helps her to her feet.]

I am Aara. It is nice to meet you, Bobby. [Another... interesting name. Aara is so involved in the conversation she does not yet realize her hands are still being held.]

[There's a pause at her question.]

I don't know, really. In my world, the reason we have powers is because of a mutation in our genes. So people started using mutant, and it stuck. But you're right. I like elemental better.

[He smiles back at her.]

It's nice to meet you too, Aara.

[And now he's just going to very slowly start skating backwards, pulling her gently across the ice by their clasped hands.]

[Aara smiles back, pleased with this. Then he's skating backwards and pulling her along with him and she gasps, eyes going wide as she bends slightly for better balance, muscles tensing. She doesn't move a muscle, just crouches slightly and watches his face, trusting him not to hurt her or let her fall. A small smile starts, growing slowly across her face as she inhales deeply tentatively moves on leg forward, followed by the other, moving with him.]

Like this?

[He moves slowly, watching her to make sure she's not going to lose her balance. When she starts smiling and moving with him, he grins back at her.]

Exactly like that! You're doing great.

[He picks up the pace now, just a little, still not moving anywhere near fast.]

[Feeling somewhat embarrassed yet happy at his praise, Aara picks up the pace a little more, eager for gliding fast along the ice, but knowing she wasn't quite sturdy enough on her feet for that, yet.]

When did you learn how to do this? How long have you been skating?

[Her voice is somewhat breathless, and puffs of air can be seen when she speaks.]

[Oh, good! She's adjusting to the pace easily, so Bobby picks it up again to set them at a nice, casual skating speed. He'll leave it there for awhile until she gets used to being on ice.]

Probably as long as I've been walking? I grew up in a place that was big on it, and on games played on the ice.

[She's skating more easily now, getting a good rhythm, but the faster they go, the tighter her hold gets until she is able to relax and keep pace once more.]

Tell me more about capture the flag?

[She was really interested in it, and truly wished to guard this flag and be on Bobby's team. Belonging on a team with someone sounded like a dream.]

[He chuckles at her question.]

Sure. The more people you have, the more fun it is, but really you only need eight or so, enough to have four on a team. Usually when the game starts, you get a certain amount of time to find a spot to build your fort and get it fortified.

If you have teams big enough, sometimes they'll send someone off to spy on the other team while they're building up where their fort, to find out where it is and how well it's built. So we'll stick scouts out to make sure we can build in secret.

Then when the time's up, some people will stay back to guard the flag, and others will sneak off to find the other team's fort, steal their flag, and bring it back. There's all sorts of strategies, from a frontal assault to a sneak attack to a combination of both.

[Aara stares as Bobby explains, eyes wide and taking all the information in. Finally she smiles, imagining the game and how much fun it would be.]

It sounds fun. Complicated, yes, but fun to play with friends.

[There's a laugh.]

Yes to both. It can get very complicated, especially when it comes to the strategies people start coming up with. But it's very fun. I played every year with my friends back home.

[He pauses for a moment, then smiles at her.]

And it'd be awesome to play it with my friends here.

[Aara's eyes light up at that.]

Every year...

[Taken aback quite a bit, Aara doesn't really think her words through before they come out of her mouth.]

You have friends here?

It was kind of like a tradition when winter came around.

[There's a pause at that question at that question as he blinks, then he smiles.]

Sure! I haven't been here that long, but I've made some friends.

So... you mostly play this in winter? [She looks around, apparently trusting Bobby enough to guide her while skating even when distracted.] Where would be a good place to play?

[Smiling, Aara ducks her head sheepishly.] I just meant-- [She blushes lightly, humbly.] Friends are... they are treasures. I'm happy you have made friends here.

[Was she making friends? It was hard to tell. It felt like she was heading in the right direction toward friendships, however.]

Pretty much, yeah. It's a lot more fun when there's snow to play it in.

[He pauses for a moment, considering that.]

I'd say the whole Keep, really. Limiting it to the outside, of course, and probably staying away from the forest. The more space we have, the more room we have to pick a place for our flag where the other team won't know about it.

[There's a smile at her comment.]

They are. My friends have always been my family. I'm happy to be making friends here, too. And glad you're one of them.

[She considers this.]

Do you have any ideas on a good place to keep the flag, then?

[She really wants to keep this flag safe. XD]

F-family? [Aara stares in something akin to awe. Nice Bobby. You've made her stutter twice, now. She's no longer picking her feet up to skate, just standing frozen as he pulls her along. They were friends. Family. Then she smiles a happy, close-lipped smile, her eyes beaming.]

I'm glad we're friends, too.