[Power Shot] Erin's Training

[Rising Light]

OoC: Let's get this started! I'll be using Erin, obviously (link in sig).

Word Count: 1,420

BiC:

“Lovely weather today, isn’t it?” A young woman, leaning against a towering oak tree, looked up at the canopy of leaves above her through an opening within the enclosure.

“That it is,” a high-pitched voice replied, “that it is.”

A small, butterfly-like creature rested on the woman’s shoulder, her wings barely moving. She was a strange creature to look at. She had a gerbil-like body covered in light brown fur. She did not have a nose; instead, a pair of antennae picked up scents for her. Beady black eyes flickered back and forth, watching everything within sight. Her wings sparkled, shades of blues and purples shimmering with each movement.

She was a Pabali, and she was completely alien to the planet Earth.

Closing her eyes and taking in the warm rays of light, the woman let out a sigh of contentment. She brushed aside her long brunette hair, letting the sun warm her shoulders. “Irala,” she thought to the creature, “I could stay here all day. It’s so peaceful.”

“We really should train some more,” she replied, although her tone suggested that the two of them should do the complete opposite.

“Mrrrmph,” the woman groaned. An eye opened; turning her head slightly, she glared at the creature.

In response, Irala nudged the brunette’s shoulder with her head. “C’mon Erin. The sooner we get this practice over with, the sooner we can laze around again.”

As she stretched out her arms, a yawn escaped from the woman’s lips. Grabbing onto a nearby branch, she managed to pull herself onto her feet. Brushing off the stray strands of grass and dirt from her jeans, she muttered incomprehensible curses under her breath. She flicked her fingers upward and a navy backpack leapt from the ground into her hand. She slid the backpack over one arm so it hung off her shoulder. Erin ran her fingers through her hair, meticulously checking every strand’s placement upon her head.

Once she was sure she looked presentable, the psychic extended her hands, letting Irala land on them. “Where to today? The Mediterranean? Japan? That world where there were all of those mythological creatures?”

“Actually, today I want you to choose our destination. This’ll be tricky, since you’ll need to actually concentrate on an image that you’ve only seen briefly; however, I think you’ve advanced enough to be able to do it.” Bouncing lightly on Erin’s palms, she added, “Just remember to concentrate, and you’ll be fine, although you shouldn’t be disappointed if you faint after this. It’s tiring work, and very few people can do it.”

Erin rolled her eyes, mentally muttering to herself, That’s because very few people have this gift.

The psychic closed her eyes, bringing her fingertips up to her temples. A wave of images swept through her mind: a sandy beach bordering an ocean; a mansion with hundreds of people dancing; an empty field that expanded for miles; a large building surrounded by a forest.

Something about the last image drew her attention. She instilled the picture in her head, memorizing every little detail. Having finished the easy part, she attempted to project the image from her mind into a portal in front of her; if it was done correctly, she would travel through it with ease; failure would result in her passing out for a few hours.

Her hands trembling, she extended them out in front of her, fingers stiff and straight. Pushing through with all of her strength, teeth clenched, she forced the image out of her head. Her whole body shook as millions of particles shot out from her palms. Sweat formed all over her body, soaking into her clothes and coating her skin with a wet sheen.

Her body began to shake less and less, and she was able to relax her hands. Opening her eyes, she saw a shimmering portal before her. Her body aching and exhausted, she made her way into the portal, grabbing hold of a tree in the new world. She slid down to the ground, her legs unable to support her body. She felt a light breeze in her face and saw Irala using her wings to fan some air on her face.

“Good job,” the Pabali muttered as she performed her task. “Just relax for now. You were amazing.”

As weary as she was, Erin was able to bring a weak smile to her face. She closed her eyes, and a moment later she was asleep.

***

A few hours later, Erin woke up to find herself leaning against a tree, and for a moment she thought she was back under the oak tree in her own world. However, her body ached too much, and she knew that she had created a portal. She felt a light weight on her lap and saw Irala sitting there, staring up at her.

“Well, good to see you’re awake. Finally.” Her antennae twitched furiously, as they usually did when she was angry, and Erin looked around to see an abundance of wildlife. Squirrels were running among the trees, chasing one another from branch to branch. Birds fluttered around their nests, their beaks open in song. Other strange creatures that Erin didn’t recognize were around her as well; a few stared at her, intrigued by her strangeness, but most of them just went about their lives.

“How noisy is it here?” Erin asked, bemused.

“Extremely noisy,” was Irala’s irritated reply. “Let’s just get to that building that you saw. Maybe it’s a museum or something. Either way, it’ll be quieter in there than it is out here.”

Smiling, the brunette picked up Irala and grabbed her backpack before getting up. “It’s times like these that make me glad I’m deaf.”

Irala did not reply but instead flew out of Erin’s hands. Shrugging, the woman followed. The building was on a hill in the distance; it was already late afternoon, and she hoped that they would make it to the building before nightfall.

Although the brunette still felt weak, it felt good to be able to explore a new place again. There was a dirt path, a small brown line in a forest of green, leading up to the building. She and Irala walked in silence, which was fine by Erin. As they neared the building, she saw for the first time just how grand the building was.

She thought she was looking at an ancient Roman temple. A steep set of steps led to an open entranceway. Corinthian columns supported the stone roof, and as she climbed up the stairs, she saw that they were made of pale marble. As she reached the top of the stairs, she examined the columns, taking in all of their intricate details; they looked to be hand-carved, for each column was subtly different from one another.

Erin turned around to see how high up she was and was shocked to find that she could see for miles all around her. She was blown away by the beauty before her. An emerald forest stretched out into the distance. She saw a river make its way through a part of the forest, twisting around the trees like a serpent. The dirt road that she had walked upon earlier faded away quickly, too small to play a major role in the landscape.

“Wow,” she said out loud, her mouth open in shock. “Wow.”

“You said it,” Irala replied. “If this is what it’s like on the outside, then I can’t wait to see the inside.”

Turning around, she saw the open-air entrance room had a few Romanesque statues scattered about it. Erin approached one that depicted a woman reaching out to an unknown subject with one hand and clutching a flower to her heart with the other. Staring at its complexion, white tinted rose from the setting sun, she reached up and delicately ran her finger on it; it was cool to the touch and smoother than she had imagined.

This is incredible, she thought, looking at the other statues. This is all so beautiful.

As she went to explore some more, she found herself looking at a tall wooden door. Despite everything around it being so intricately designed, the door was simple: a dark stained door with a simple metal doorknob. It felt out of place with the alabaster statues and light marble steps. Erin approached it, reaching out to grasp the doorknob; the metal felt surprisingly warm under her hand. She turned the doorknob and pushed on the door, her heart pounding with anticipation.

[Power Shot]

Odd, to say the least. In your efforts to describe a deaf world, you have provided a slightly lacking look into the other senses. In the future, I would like you to explore your world using all of the others. As a deaf character, Erin must function without sound, and your writing must reflect this if you wish to properly write her. Irala seems to counter-balance this though, but don't rely on that. Concentrate on the four senses Erin still has, and it will be good.

Assignment Time!

Enter this odd palace known as the Dome, and what befalls your eyes but a happy Domerii, a bubbling cheerful ghost spirit who attends to one of the teachers in the Dome. Converse with it, as it loves to talk to others, and it will explain where you are and what it is. If you desire a nightcap, follow it upstairs, where it will show you to a room, or it will take you on a tour of some of the sights. The choice is up to you.

The end result, though, is that you arrive at an odd wooden door, which the Domerii explains is your room. End your post here, for what lies behind it will be revealed in another time. 1,000 word minimum.

[Rising Light]

OoC: Word Count: 1,925

Would’ve had it up sooner but…stuff happened (aka I got lazy). :/

BiC:

The handle, smooth and warm, turned easily. Erin pushed on the door, the old wood rough against her soft palm. The door opened smoothly despite its heavy appearance. She cast a glance at Irala, eyebrows raised in excitement and a grin forming on her face.

The inside of the building was just as grandiose as the outside. The young psychic found herself in a large, round anteroom. She thought that she was in a museum; there were various works of art, from tall ancient-looking vases to pale statues. The room was bright, lit by various wall lamps; when she walked, the light would reflect off different parts of the walls and specks of gold would sparkle and shine. She looked up and felt her jaw drop when she saw a magnificent domed ceiling. The whole room was amazingly beautiful, putting any other museum to shame.

However, it didn’t feel like a museum; when the brunette had gone to art museums as a child, they had felt uninviting, and she was always afraid someone was watching her, waiting for her curious little hands to brush against a work of art or to speak too loudly or do anything a normal child would do that would cause a disturbance of some sort.

This building seemed so much more welcoming to her, and it surprised her that there wasn’t a big sign that read, “Welcome, Erin!” It smelled different from a museum as well; museums smelled like old paintings and statues, while this building had the smoky smell of incense with a twinge of cinnamon and spices. She inhaled the scent, finding it surprisingly pleasant. The air was warm, like a summer evening, and Erin could almost feel a faint breeze. The air even tasted different, cleaner and sweeter.

There was a small stone bench in the center of the room, and, realizing she had walked for at least an hour beforehand, the woman sprawled out on it, shuddering as the icy stone met the skin on her shoulders. The bench, although cold and incredibly hard, was comforting enough for the moment. The brunette woman let out a sigh, resting her head on her hands and closing her eyes.

“I don’t know what this place is, but it seems okay by me,” she mused.

Irala fluttered to the psychic, landing lightly on her stomach. “Indeed,” she agreed, “although I’d like to see more of this place. I’m curious to see what the rest of this building is like.”

Irala suddenly jumped off of Erin and she opened her eyes, curious about the erratic movement. She saw the Pabali staring at something and turned her head slightly. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a strange thing standing next to her, smiling.

It looked like a pale-skinned man, although it had a childish grin on its face. The skin looked just as smooth – and as fragile - as a china doll’s. The creature was very tiny, no taller than three feet and weighing no more than seventy pounds. Dark hair covered its head, and it was combed over in a neat and orderly style. It was clothed in a butler’s uniform, its black suit immaculately clean. Erin wasn’t sure what this person-like creature was; all she knew was it wasn’t human. Large black eyes met her hazel ones, and it smiled innocently at her, its head slightly cocked in curiosity.

Sitting up, Erin asked Irala, “What is that thing?”

“I have no idea,” the Pabali replied, just as confused as Erin.

The new creature’s mouth moved, and the psychic sighed in frustration, unable to read its lips. The pale-skinned creature stopped mid-sentence and stared at her, taken off guard. Then it looked to Irala for a moment before moving its lips once more.

“I told him you can’t hear and to just tell me everything,” the Pabali told Erin. “It is a he, and he is a Domerii. Apparently this Domerii serves a high-ranking person in this building. Also, this building is a training school of sorts.” A smirk forming on her face, she continued, “It’s called ‘The Dome.’”

Glancing up at the domed ceiling, Erin chuckled. “How original.”

She felt a slight tugging on her sleeve and looked down to find the Domerii moving its lips once more. Irala’s voice quickly explained that the servant wanted to take the psychic on a tour of the Dome.

Smiling, the brunette managed to say out loud, “Of course.”

The childish grin reappeared on the Domerii’s face and, grabbing Erin’s hand, he managed to get her up and pulled her towards the large wooden doors on the other side of the room. His hands were surprisingly warm, despite his pale appearance, and incredibly soft. Erin saw that, when he looked back to her, his lips were moving constantly.

Past the large doors was a long, wide hallway. The walls were similar to those in the anteroom: white with golden specks. The lamps on the wall were dimmer than those in the previous room. There were many doors in the hallway, each different from one another, from the colors to the designs. Many of them had metal plaques on them that contained names; Erin assumed that these were the dorm rooms for the students here.

So I guess this is kinda like a college, she mused, smirking. I wonder if I’ll get any credits from this school.

Erin couldn’t help but notice that she couldn’t feel any footsteps from the Domerii; having grown accustomed to feeling vibrations through the floor to determine a person’s movement, it was unsettling to know that some creatures defied the physics of her world. It was almost as if the Domerii glided rather than walked.

“Where do you come from?” the Domerii asked Erin, with Irala acting as the interpreter for the two of them.

Unsure of whether she could be honest with this creature, she simply replied, “I’m from America, from the planet Earth.”

From there, the Domerii continued, “Do you like it there? What’s it like? Is it hot or cold? Tell me all about it!”

The brunette sighed. Just talking about her home brought back a wave of homesickness, and Erin preferred to prevent these feelings from hitting her while she was in public. She responded by saying, “Yeah, I like it there. My family lives there, and I love my family more than anything. It’s really foresty where I live – in fact, I used to explore the forest in my back yard as a child. And the weather…” She sighed. “Well, it does get really cold there. In fact, we get tons of snow there every winter, sometimes up to a foot of it at once! But the summers get really, really hot, and it’s really muggy and humid.

“But I still love it there. I love smelling the summer air, breathing in the sweet aroma of freshly-mown grass and blossoming flowers. I love feeling the cold winter wind on my face, or the sensation that I get when my sisters throw snowballs at me and the snow trickles down my back. I love rolling around in the autumn leaves, when the air almost as crisp as the leaves. And I love the spring, when everything seems to be reborn and all of the animals come back from their long sleep.”

As Irala interpreted this to the Domerii, Erin sighed, wondering how long it would be until she returned to her home. She thought of her younger sister and how she would love to hear about the Dome.

She would beg me to take here here, Erin thought with a smile. Perhaps I'll go back home and bring her here at some time.

Still yammering on, the creature pointed to various rooms. Irala spoke for him as best she could, although oftentimes he spoke too fast for even her to understand. At one point, they passed the library, and he asked the psychic if she liked books; she said yes, and he wondered if she wanted to take a quick look. She nodded her head and smiled, happy that there was a place for her to get some books to read.

The Domerii opened the door for her, and as she entered she knew that this would be one of her main ‘hang-out’ spots. It was brightly-lit, with hundreds of lamps hanging from the ceiling and walls, as well as plenty of table and floor lamps. There were dozens of comfy-looking chairs scattered about the room, as well as a few large couches. Tables were scattered about the room, providing an area where students could set dozens of books in front of them; in fact, Erin spotted quite a few people doing that as she entered.

The dusty smell of old books hit her face, and the psychic smiled, inhaling the musty scent. She looked around at the hundreds of shelves, some so tall that stairways had to be built to enable people to reach the top. She approached one of the staircases, looking at the various titles as she climbed. Although she was able to read a few of the titles, many were in foreign languages.

She grabbed a book that had an English title. It looked very old, its binding made from ancient brown leather and its pages yellow and faded. She opened the book, skimming through the pages and noting how it was all handwritten. Taking in the neat, precise writing, she wondered just how old the book was. It seemed to be the history of some old land, and although this usually would have bored Erin, the author wrote it with wit and humor, making it surprisingly intriguing.

As much as she would have liked to stay in the library, Erin didn’t want to make the Domerii wait any more than he had to. Climbing down the stair, she saw the smiling creature waiting in the same place that she had left him. She had Irala ask him where she needed to go to check the book out; the Domerii replied that she could just take the book with her and return it when she was finished with it.

Once they were in the hallway again, the Domerii asked if Erin would like to see her room. She said yes, taken aback that they had already gotten a room for her.

“But what about all of my stuff?” she asked Irala, confused.

After a moment, Irala replied, “The Domerii said that everything that you need will be supplied. I guess who just have to trust him.”

The Domerii stopped in front of a sturdy-looking door. It was made from a dark brown wood with butterflies engraved in it. A shining bronze plaque on it read her name. Nodding up at the door, the bubbly creature’s lips moved once more, and Erin didn’t need Irala to know that he was saying that this door led to her room.

“Thank you for all your help,” Erin managed to say, and she hoped that she didn’t fumble over too many of the words. Apparently, she was able to convey the right meaning, for the Domerii bowed in response and waved as he faded away through the floor.

She glanced back at the door. She reached up to one of the butterfly engravings, fingering the smooth wood curiously.

“I wonder what’s behind here,” she thought, pictures of typical college dorm rooms running through her mind.

Nudging Erin’s shoulder, Irala replied, “Well, you won’t find out by just standing here. Open the door!”