Seven

[pendantry]

[Raven is late for work this morning.

She's hard on herself about it all morning long, working on her projects with hardly a word to anyone else, because things like that are unacceptable. Especially when she's in this kind of mood. When it comes around to lunch time she stalks out of the smithy, bag in hand, sore on top of being frustrated with herself.

Usually she sits on the bench outside the building if it's a nice day; this time her feet take her all the way to the plaza, to sit by the fountain and break the bread of her sandwich bun into little pieces for the local birds. She's just not hungry. They are, so why not share? A small cluster of them shares her bench with her until or unless someone walks by to disturb them.

For a while, she sits there and stares at nothing. Lately everyone is whispering about that going-home stuff. And while she misses home...is Luceti really so terrible? It's like a bigger, weirder Sharance sometimes. Thinking about this too much is giving her a headache, though, so she rubs her temples with a low irate sound and gets up to go back to work.

Then lightheadedness kicks in, she overbalances too much to one side, and into the fountain she goes, cut off before she can finish shouting.

Thus, she is wet and disheveled and heavy-eyed by the time she does get back to work. Late. Again. And at last, obviously not feeling well after all.]

[[ooc: I do not mind timeline-breaking this or that in here! There are lots of places to cook up shenanigans or have a chat.]]

Comments

[heavensmostwanted]

....Not feeling well?

[Naoki was just walking by when he saw Raven fall into the fountain. And here he thought she was level-headed. Maybe something went wrong?]

[pendantry]

[This glare? Unmatched by most in Raven's history. She's disoriented and soaking wet now and half-lying in the fountain and that's all this guy has to say?]

What do you think?

[heavensmostwanted]

[Unfortunately, he knows that type of glare. At least he is nicer about this all though, holding his hand out, stepping in the water to better assist her.]

Let's get you out of there at least.

[pendantry]

[The hand gets its own steely look, and Raven levers herself to her feet without assistance. Now they're both standing there in the fountain.]

I'm fine.

[heavensmostwanted]

[He retracts his hand, frowning.]

Really? Seemed like you were a bit light-headed beforehand.

[avenger]

[ From time to time, Sasuke heads into the village (cloak donned, though he's pretty sure anyone looking for him isn't fooled by it) and watches for anyone familiar. He doesn't always find them, but sometimes he does see something interesting.

Something like a weird looking person falling into the fountain. Eyebrow raise goes here. ]

[pendantry]

[If he's just going to stand there and go unnoticed to the side, Raven does not care. She doesn't even see him. Hauling herself out of the fountain and trying not to get any more soaked takes priority.]

[avenger]

[ Sasuke doesn't care all that much either. He's tempted to turn on his heel and move on but he stops. What would Itachi do?

... he guesses he might as well try to help, if he keeps that in mind. Reluctantly, Sasuke walks over to the fountain-dipper. ] Hey.

[pendantry]

[Raven's already up, stepping out of the fountain and trying to shake off water.]

What do you want?

[savedtheworld]

[Aang was on his way to drop in on Sokka at the smithy when he came across Raven and the birds. Something about her doesn't seem right, so he decides to go over and taklk to her. He tries to be careful in his approach, but some of the birds may still part in his wake.]

Hey Raven! How are you?

[pendantry]

Fine.

[This village is just full to bursting with chipper people, isn't it? Her shoulders sink as a few birds fly away thanks to a newcomer's presence.]

[savedtheworld]

That's - that's good! [Even if she clearly doesn't look it. He sidles onto the edge of the bench and kicks his feet idly while looking at the remaining birds.] Making some new friends?

[pendantry]

Having lunch. [Most birds like her, at least the ones here, even though she doesn't talk to them about why.] Do you want the rest?

[tsuntrader]

[Bread is dry and boring and Murkrow won't enjoy it with the other birds. Gosh.

What Murkrow will do, on the other hand, is notice Raven fall into the fountain and tug Silver's arm in Raven's direction once before flying over to help her out himself. Birds of a feather stick together.]

[pendantry]

[Toppling into the water like this is exquisitely embarrassing. Feeling a tug at one of her sleeves, Raven turns to glare at whoever is trying to help her. It's Murkrow and she switches to a look of surprise almost instantly.]

You? Why are you here?

[tsuntrader]

[Because Silver's here, that's why.]

You know, it's a little cold for that to be refreshing. [Man, she must be freezing... And she's part bird. Does she have a weakness to the cold?]

[pendantry]

I tripped.

[And now she's going to untrip herself right back onto dry land, shaking in a way reminiscent of trying to fluff water from feathers. It doesn't work as well on thick hair and fur-trimmed coats.]

It's not that cold.

[fellpool]

[Today is one of those days where Leon actually comes into the smithy to study what's come in and look for inspiration. He's a common enough sight, seeing as he sometimes contributes in the smithy and spends time looking at what weapons have been made or have come in.

So when Raven comes in late, he doesn't think too much of it; he mostly acknowledges that she's there at some point in the day, kinda like Sokka and the others. But, as he's leaving, he really takes a look at her and tilts his head in confusion.]

Raven? Something wrong?

[He can be unobservant once in awhile.]

[pendantry]

[Will Leon receive a straighter answer?]

No. Why?

[fellpool]

You're frowning pretty intensely at your project. [He gestures at what she's working on.]

[pendantry]

The pattern is really detailed.

[She even holds it out for him, look! It's a blue metal band, mostly oblong, set with a few blue stones that have a water-ripple motif growing away from them.]

OVER A MONTH LATER...

[zeropoints]

[When Tsuna hears the sudden splash and yell, he jumps and spills his drink all over himself. Luckily, he was only drinking water. Unluckily, there's now a very awkward damp spot on his crotch. SIGH. WELP.

He shakes his head at himself and then peers over the edge of the fountain. Whoa, random wet girl.]

Uh, hey, are you okay??

[A bit of staring and belatedly, he offers her his hand.]

[pendantry]

[Her glare is made even more potent by how wet and irritated she is.]

Fine. Go away.

[zeropoints]

[To Tsuna's credit, he doesn't waver in his offer. He steps closer to her, hand still held out.]

... Then, well, you don't lose anything by letting me help you anyway, so why not?

[He smiles a bit nervously at her. C'mon, Raven, he can't just leave a wet girl like that.]

[pendantry]

[She is trying to get out of the fountain by herself by now. The shakiness just slows her down.

She kind of can't believe he is still there with his hand out, either.]

I can do it myself.

[Nope.]