Equivalent Exchange--Episode 1: Shattered Love

[unleashed]

Rubbing her arms to ward off the chill, Rose nods in agreement as Al voices his fears, before she gently adds, “If you think that’s best, Al... though you do want to help these people, don’t you?”

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al is surprised by Rose's question and he stares at her for a moment in confusion, not sure what she means. He looks frustraited "Of course I want to help. I- I don't know why I thought I should come here, it's not like there's anything to see. Maybe we should talk to some of the people who say they saw this ghost. What do you think, Rose?"

 

[unleashed]

“I’m sorry Al, I shouldn’t have said that... I was just afraid you weren’t going to search the woods properly, and these people sound like they really need your help...” Rose replies contritely, her face reddening. “Since we’re here already though, why don’t we have a look in the woods first... then if nothing comes of that, we can look for people who have seen the ghost.”

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al takes a deep breath, "Yes, lets go." He walks slowly between the headstones, holding the lantern aloft beside his head, looking back every now and then at Rose. "I just don't think we should go too far into the woods because we could get lost in the dark. It would be stupid if all we ended up doing was disappear ourselves." he says, with a slight smile.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*The pair walk slowly amongst the headstones past the graves of the villagers, solemn grey sentinels to the deaths of those whose names are carved on the stone. As they exit the opposite side of the graveyard, they approach the wood, walking into the thin tangle of branches, leaves of various colours blowing in the cool breeze and sometimes falling to the ground, washing the forest floor in a sea of crimson, orange, and gold as the confiers stand on ever-unchanged.*

*And yet, there does not seem to be any disturbance in the woods, just the same eerie silence that covered the graveyard like a sepulchral pall.*

 

[unleashed]

Rose smiles back at Al, as they head towards the woods. “Perhaps it’s just imaginations running wild,” Rose remarks softly, though her actions bely her words, as she hugs herself tightly... her head snapping around at the slightest sound.

 

[Dire Lemming]

"I don't know..." says Al, a thoughtful expression, on his face as he stoops to look at the ground more closely. "I wonder if whatever it was they saw left any traces."

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Al doesn't see anything on the nearby ground that he takes for a trail. Then again, he was never particularly good at tracking. Even when he and Brother were on Yock Island, they had to wait for rabbits to spring one of Ed's traps, rather than tracking them down, and they hadn't seen that fox coming.*

 

[Dire Lemming]

OOC: Well actually I was looking for something that no normal animal would leave behind but I guess there's nothing like that either so oh well!

Al sighs as he stands up and looks around again "I don't think we're going to find anything here unless it shows itself to us." He peers into the dark forest. "Do you see anything Rose?"

 

[unleashed]

“No, probably not, and I don’t see anything but trees and leaves...” Rose replies, relaxing a little as she peers into the woods, “Back into the village then, Al?”