Silence (open)

[enzan]

Some say that solitary confinement in dungeons are more or less the most torturous because of the lack of any other human sound for an extended length of time. The lack of sound was maddening. It's what drove the most collected men insane when they are placed there.

Of course, Nisshoku had never heard a human sound in his life.

Oku walked around the town, taking his day off minute by minute. He had gotten work with the post office so he could afford to eat, until he could figure out his next move. If one would place themselves in his shoes, they would see that, although they would find the world he lives in as convoluted and dismal, Oku actually didn't mind. When you're born deaf, it's all you know. He had never had the pleasure of hearing good music to dance to, or listening to his mother laugh. All he knew is what he saw, touched, smelled, and tasted.

And he was okay with that.

He walked up to a vendor, dropped several munny on the counter, and got a couple of cakes to take with him. Today was the day! He had listened (more, was told) to stories told of other worlds. How many were there out there? He smiled excitedly as he thought of exploring these worlds. Maybe there was a world just for him! His mother always told him that he was destined for a better home than Serentestra, so why should he think otherwise? He bit into one of the cakes, and chewed contently, tasting the sweet, baked in flavor. Strawberry! "Mmmm!" he let out a sound of satisfaction, a rarity in one such as himself. He wasn't incapable of making sounds, just... forming them. So he could make a "Ah." or "Mm." in acknowledgement. Came in handy when he didn't want it out that he was deaf.

He sat down on some steps and started in on the other cake, smiling as he looked up to the stars.

So many worlds...

[OOCnote: Maybe someone can offer him a ride?]

[Zephiris]

(( Assume this thread takes place after Nyra has returned from the Atlantis expedition, shaken but in one piece. They can check out the new Mognet system together. ))

Nyra shivered. What they had told her on the return voyage was nothing like she expected Traverse Town to be like - the endless night part of their descriptions fit the bill, but what about all this snow? She wore boots when she disembarked, thankfully. But her bare arms wrapped tightly around her torso as she picked her way through the icy drifts, lost in thought.

She could be back in Twilight Town, now. The repaired return ships had dropped off at the same hub worlds they had crashed on to begin with - Twilight, this place, and another called 'Radiant Garden'. But after seeing so many friends go down in the fyreflies' flames, or even before that, during all the perils they had to face just to get to Adlantis-ag, Nyra felt different. Sure, the journey had been a success in the long run. They saved the city. But many of her traveling companions and newfound friends had turned out to be mercenaries, and that was the first betrayal Nyra had ever known. She hadn't witnessed death before then, either.

She had made new friends, though. Like Princess Kidagakash and Mikhail. And in the end things had worked out, even relations with most of the betrayers. So Nyra didn't exactly feel sad - in fact, she was still basking in the afterglow of the city's happiness after they were saved. But when it came down to it she just didn't feel like going back to the perpetual sun and peace of Twilight Town.

Now she was kinda rethinking.

Apart from the snow, Traverse had seemed alright when she first arrived. But then she had wandered into this district, and now the blank faces of the morbidly life-like statues perched everywhere were beginning to set her on edge.

Nyra spotted a path a bit away. The snow there was trampled, and many times more traversible than the cold and wet she was wading through. As she made her way towards it she passed by stone steps, on which sat a dark figure.

Nyra's heart lept to her throat; if she had been warmer she might have jumped. But she forced herself to breathe, and took a moment to calm her heartbeat before turning. It was only a kid, after all. This place really did get her nerves wired.

"Hey," she greeted, her breath visible as pale puffs. "Sorry, you scared me."

In the quiet her gold eyes searched the boy curiously. They widened as they spotted the cake. "Where did you get that?"

[enzan]

He yawned slightly, looking around the cold town. He was lucky he was so insulated by his outfit, or else-

Oku saw the sudden movement to his side and blinked, looking up at the new person. He hadn't run into this girl before.

...ry you scared me.

He scared her?

Where did you get that?

He looked down at the Strawberry Cake he was preparing to eat, then back up at her. Oku smiled, and nodded and stood, holding the cake out to her, but bringing a hand up to his face to keep her attention there. He pointed at himself, then covered his mouth, then brought up one hand to one of his ears with a look like I can't hear you. Usually, this worked when explaining it to someone, but, if not, then he could still offer the cake; Two hands made it easier to explain, anyways.

He had a pad of paper in his back pocket with half a pencil, and intended to use that, if anything.

I have a feeling I can trust her... he thought to himself, continuing to hold the cake out towards her, smiling his friendly smile. If anything, he wouldn't be so darned alone tonight, and had a new friend to hang out with, at least until he found a way off of this world into another one.

[OOC: Forgive the shortness, ran out of time.]

[Zephiris]

Nyra was bright, but it still took her a few beats to understand. When it finally dawned on her that he couldn’t hear, her eyes widened and she stared; albeit a bit rudely, but she was curious. In Tamara, a deaf child had little future. He was ostracized from society in the District of Disorder and likely sent to live in one of the labor districts, where all he would need for a lifestyle were his hands or eyes. The ones that stayed just tended to be different. This kid, though - she would have never been able to guess.

He was holding a cake out towards her. A waft of the strawberry scent passed her by, and by a rumbling protest from her stomach Nyra was uncomfortably reminded how long it had been since she’d last eaten. She took the cake gratefully. With some difficulty she tore it in half, messily handed one piece back, and climbed a stair to sit down beside him.

For a bit the cake kept her quiet and her hands otherwise occupied. But when she was finished she sat back and brushed herself off, then took the boy’s pen and paper.

“My name is Nyra.”

She handed it back to him with a grin. It would be an interesting experience, trying to communicate with a kid who couldn’t hear. But he sure was nice.

In the quiet she looked upwards. The sky was heavily starred, the night still. Slightly tinted orange from the lanterns, the snow seemed more beautiful now that she wasn't trudging through it, though the statues were no less eerie. And despite the cake, Nyra still felt dreadfully cold. At some point she would have to go find a place to buy a jacket. Therein rested the other issue, though.

She had no 'munny'.