This and that. [Open]

[shou]

The air was still. The white painted door was ajar and lights were dim in the usually brightly sunlit room. There were many wind chimes of different origins hanging from the ceiling, some were made of delicate coloured glass while others were made of sturdy bamboo rods. All hung motionless until an abrupt gust of air shot through the room causing the chimes to clash in a frenzy.

In the centre, a tall and heavily robed man appeared, and with him came a wave of sunlight as if he had brought it with him. Shou adjusted his already adjusted attire and briskly walked towards a drawer. He carefully removed the ornamental headpiece and placed it in an ornate box. Looking around the room he was that not much had changed from when he last left it. His sudden entry blew away any signs of dust which left him with nothing to do unless something else showed up.

With a sigh, the bored spirit flopped onto chair with his chin resting in his hand. His dark eyes gazed blankly out the window as is in a trance; the wind chimes around him tinkling softly as a light breeze made it's way around the room.

[Raine Abney]

Raine had entered the dream world not really meaning to. She just wanted to sleep but her dreams brought her to the strange world. It was something to behold but she didn't know how long she could stay asleep.

When she entered she heard the faint sound of chimes. The sounds drew her in as if hypnotizing her. She followed the sound with her imagination wandering. She wasn't sure what it could be exactly but she loved it.

She stumbled across the place where the chimes were. It was wonderful. Some of the chimes were made of glass and some with bamboo. It was so peaceful to be in this place.

Silently she wandered inside. Maybe someone would be in. Maybe someone she knew, maybe not. She wanted to touch the glass chimes but she didn't. She just looked at them with amazement.

[shou]

Shou felt a disturbance in the wind and immediately perked up. 'Maybe someone's there?' In his excitement to see some one he forgot about his inability to talk to people he did not know. Shou stood up from his seat with an eager and welcoming smile plastered to his face, the chimes ringing picked up their pace slightly, matching his anticipating mood.

Thankfully a girl appeared causeing Shou's smile to broaden. Throughout his time, Shou found that he had a kind of soft spot for elves, their view of the natural world were not too different from his own. There were a few exceptions, but he liked the majority he had met.

"Hello fair elf. Is there anything I can help you with?" Immediately he switched into doctor mode. Seeing that he was in his clinic he assumed that she was in need of some sort of help.
"My name is Shou and feel free to ask me anything."

[Raine Abney]

Her attention drifted to the different chimes in the room. Each one made a different sound yet they all worked in harmony. Each one was made to make a sound worthy of something great. Calming.

A voice came from behind her. She turned quickly, her blond hair twirling around her head. Her hair landed softly on her shoulders. Her clear blue eyes focusing on the person in front of her.

"Hello," she said, her voice crystal clear. "Oh I don't need anything, sir. I followed the sound of your chimes here." She smiled at him. She now knew where she was, a clinic. That would explain the chimes and the calming area. "I'm Raine."

[shou]

"I see." For some strange reason Shou was usually able to stay in control when he was in his clinic, perhaps it was because this was his 'home' but he could not be too sure. Whatever the factor was, Shou was grateful for it. There were not many times he could speak what he wanted to people.

"Miss Raine, what brings you so far from the forests? There must be something. I haven't seen an elf in so long I assumed that none were living in this area." There was a sunny expression on his face, he was clearly glad to see her, whoever she was.

"But then again, I may have missed it. If it doesn't bother you, could you tell me where you come from?" Elves had some of the best herbal and magical medicines, Shou would have been ecstatic to find out where he could find some. Even if he could make some himself there were other ingredient that could only be found from elves. Besides that, Shou just wanted to have a look.

[Raine Abney]

She smiled at him. She did look like a elf but she was just a student dreaming. She had come from school, oddly. She knew what he was talking about but her mind told her to tell him the truth. She knew all about elves and how they were and were the lived, but she wasn't a true elf.

"Mr. Shou I'm a student," she said. "I just ended up in the second square, flowing the sound of the chimes." She smiled at him only because she knew she could blend in with other elves if needed. "I do know about true Elves but sadly I'm not one myself."

She looked Shou over. "You must be a true Dream Being. Or am I mistaken?"

[shou]

((I'll assume he knows that he's a dream beings.))

Shou looked at Raine sideways, confused and wondering what else he could possible be. He also wondered what she meant by not being a true elf? She certainly looked like a true elf to him, and certainly elves could be students. A student of what, he was not sure. Was this some kind of riddle?

"Yes I am a Dream Being.." He was silent for a moment. Debating in his head whether this was a riddle or not. In the end he just decided to ask. "What do you mean by not being a true elf?" As saying this the possibility of Raine being some other race flew into his mind. His confused expression now changed into an open grin.

"You must explain it to me. Don't miss out a thing." He said, while ushering her to sit on a bed while he sat on the nearby stool. There was a thirst for knowledge that shone though his eyes. Shou leaned forward in his seat a little, ready to drink up what would be said.

[Raine Abney]

Shou looked confused for a moment before he started asking her questions. He must not know of the Somnium and how it connects to the dream world. If he didn't know that then he didn't know that she was a teenage girl asleep and possibly having the craziest dream she had ever had.

He ushered her to a bed while he took a seat. She took the seat he offered. She pulled her legs up on the small bed, putting them off to one side. "I'm a student and all this is a dream to me," she smiled at him. "I'm not a real elf. I'm a seventeen year old girl at school who is dreaming now."

She looked for words as he took everything in. She wasn't sure how to describe it. Not to him anyway. "I mean I know all about elves and everything but I'm not a real one. I wish I was though," she sighed at her wish. "I know their medicines and their was and how the talk. I can speak it fluently." She kept a curious eye on him, he was different.

[shou]

Once again, Shou was silent, thinking though what Raine had said. She was dreaming? Was she someone who could leave their body behind and travel the world with her mind? But then Shou should not be able to see her. Another curious look was cast in her direction. Not a real elf she says, she certainly a real elf to him if she could speak their language and know all about them. So he told her exactly what he thought.

"If you know about elves, speak with the elves and live like an elf, not to mention look like an elf. Then you certainly are an elf," Shou smoothed out his already smooth robes unconsiouly. "That is.. as long as you are dreaming." He was beginning to have a faint idea of what she was talking about.

"So..." He began slowly, he was still thinking. He would get to the bottom of this. "Where do you go to school?" This would hopefully open a few doors.

[Raine Abney]

Raine sat still as he questioned her. Clearly he had never known anyone outside of the dream world. He must not know of the school and the students and teachers.

"I go to Somnium Academy," she answered his question. "It is a nice school. It is really big though."

She moved on the bed and sat crossleged. She rested her elbows in her knees. Her head was in her hands. Her blond hair fell across her shoulders in a sea of yellow. She sat and was comfortable.

"I only know about elves because I dream about them," she said. "And maybe it is because I'm in tune with nature, I'm not sure." She gave Shou a smile. "Mr. Shou you do you somewhat get it?"

[shou]

With a knowing smile, Shou nodded. Literally being a part of nature meant that he knew about other spirits even if he had not physically met them. Fire spirits, water spirits, earth spirits, even little faeries, Shou knew them all. What a beautiful world this was.
"Yes I understand." Even though he knew about this he was still confused about what Raine meant by a 'dream'. He decided, that he would ask Baku later, he had a feeling that she might know.

"I have never heard or seen a place called Somnium Academy. What do you study?" As he spoke more questions popped into his head. Nearly jumping with excitement he let them fall out of his mouth in a jumbled stream.
"What is the- no sorry, first of all what -no. Who? Wait..." Shou regained his composure and for some reason clapped his hands together before he rested him on his lap. Taking a deep breath in then out he began again, slowly.

"Are all the students at the school like you? Elves I mean. Does everyone become and elf when they dream? I would like to try being an elf for a day." Shou smiled shyly, as if he had said something embarrassing. There were not many spirits would would admit into wanting to being something else for a day.

[Raine Abney]

Raine giggled a little at Shou's rambling. Words were failing out of his mouth. She found it amusing and funny. She smiled at his while he kept talking.

"I'm studding music, French, theater, and a few others," she said. She was so new she still had to carry her schedule around with her. She hadn't memorized it yet.

"And no not everyone is a elf," she laughed her bell chime laugh. "No we all have different ones. I guess it reflects what we are in a way," she said. She thought about it some more. "Maybe it reflects who we want to be in some. Or our personality's. And possibly our deepest secret that we don't want to tell anyone."

[shou]

Shou looked as though he had stumbled upon all the treasured of the world, his mouth hung open in a large smile and his black eyes glittered. What an amazing school, he mused to himself. If he really wanted to, and only if he really wanted to put in the effort, Shou could alter his appearance. His current appearance was only a manifestation of the image he wanted any ways. If he wanted to become a dog in the next few centuries then he could, but his essence would still be that of a wind spirit. Raine on the other hand had transformed all together.

"Where is this school? You don't think that they'd let me in as a substitute teacher do you? I may not look it but I can speak fluently in five languages and am perfectly proficient at sciences." Shou's personality was like a child, but he certainly looked like a scholar.

"I also know a great deal of history too! I've lived though it." He laughed, revealing a hint of his age. "I would very much like to visit your school."

[Raine Abney]

She couldn't help but smile at him. He was excited over something new to him. Like a child who just got that new puppy they always wanted. That was the expression that Shou wore. She felt bad about having to crush his thoughts of visiting the school.

"The school is in the real world," she sighed. "You can't come into the real world." She hopped down from the bed and went to her knees beside him. "Shou I'm sorry. Sadly Dream Beings can't travel to the real world."

She hated to do that to him. He was so nice and if there was a way to let him go into the real world she would. She just didn't know if it was possible. That was when a idea sparked in her head. "Shou you can't go into the real world but I can," her smile brightened. "You could teach me and I could pass it on."

[shou]

Shou looked down at Raine as she knelt beside him, again talking of different worlds. He really wanted to go to that school. It seemed to hold so much promise and adventure, at this thought he seemed to sag. With a sigh he accepted, usually he would never give in this quickly but travelling though worlds was something out of his ability, but the fact that he was beginning to understand more about the whole different world thing made him feel slightly better.

"Shou you can't go into the real world but I can," Shou's head perked up, he was listening. "You could teach me and I could pass it on." He grinned like a child.

"That would be fabulous, but I'm afraid that your teachers might not want someone they haven't seen before to teach, especially if it is though one of their students." He winked and continued to grin as if it were stuck to his face. "But I could always teach you. Think of it as coming to a tutor, only free."

[Raine Abney]

Raine watched his face slip out of the excited state. She knew he wouldn't like it but it had to be said. She didn't like it anymore then he did.

She sat on her feet and looked up at him. She watched his face start to grin. His voice grew happier and she listened. "But I could always teach you. Think of it as coming to a tutor, only free," he said. She started to smile again. He had just made her day.

She reached up and hugged him. She wasn't completely sure how he would react to the hug but she gave him one anyway. Hugs were one of the best things to give somebody. And everybody loves hugs, right?

"That sounds wonderful," she told him still hugging him.

[shou]

For a second Shou stiffened at contact, he was not used to being hugged. More like he had not been hugged for a long time. He felt flustered, if he had blood his cheeks would have reddened, but since he was made from the wind the edges of his form simply flickered and blurred causing the some of the chimes, that were beginning to still, to ring again.

Almost as soon as he had tensed he relaxed and hugged her back lightly, he still felt a little awkward, but he was smiling warmly. He almost forgot about how a hug could feel.
"You're welcome any time," At the sudden high pitched cling from a pretty glass chime Shou added, "Though, I may not be here... or if I am you might not see me."

He pulled away from her revealing his smile. Gracefully, he pointed upwards at the wind chimes hanging from the ceiling. "Next time you come here listen for the chimes. They'll only ring if I am here."

[Raine Abney]

Raine let go of him and sat back down on her feet. She followed his hand. He pointed to the chimes that had drawn her here. She listened.

"Shou what are you," she asked looking at him. She hadn't figured it out. He wasn't anything she could indemnify. He was something like a phantom. "If you are here yet I can't see you."

She played with her hair absent mindlessly. Her finger twirling in her hair making a soft curl. The silver band in her hair tugged a little but nothing she couldn't handle.

[shou]

A devilish smile flickered and a mad glint appeared in his eyes, for a moment he looked just as any other wind spirit would, full of vigour and energy with endless potential to cause mischief and havoc. Shou leaned back in his seat, watching Raine thoughtfully. He was going to make her guess.

"Can you not think of what I am?" He looked around the room as if it in itself was a clue. "Search though your knowledge, I'm sure you know of my kind, even if most of us don't choose to show ourselves."

Again he looked at her. Elves knew of many creatures, both magical, non magical and mundane. Knowing this Shou was prepared to wait while she searched her mind.

[Raine Abney]

Fiddle sticks she was going to have to guess. She knew what her first guess would be. Phantom but somehow that didn't seem right. Somehow he was something so much more then a simple phantom. But what that was was a mystery.

He told her to look back in her knowledge. Elves must know of the people like Shou. If not he was messing with her mind. And if that was going to happen she would get him back.

"Shou are you a phantom," she smiled knowing it was wrong. She took a look around the room again. The chimes, and how they would only ting if he was here. For that they needed wind. She had it. He was a wind spirit. "I know you're like one."

She stood up and straighten her skirt over her legs. She started to walk in a line to and fro. "But then again you can't be a phantom can you? No you're much to crafty for that," she looked at him. "And in that case with the biggest clue you could give me you are a wind spirit," she smiled at him.

[shou]

"Shou are you a phantom? I know you're like one." She guessed amusing Shou greatly. Phantom or ghost was what most people would have guessed and Shou did not blame them. He disappeared and his appearance constantly fluctuated becoming everything from solid to invisible to completely distorted and if he chose, could appear to walk though walls. The difference was that Shou was apart of the wind and had magical abilities... and he had not died.

His eyes followed Raine as she walked to and fro, watching her think. At her last guess Shou broke out into a pleased smile and nodded.
"That's right" He stood up, opening his arms wide with a rustle of his long sleeves which be brushed down. He patted down his silvery robes and beamed at Raine.

Now from here Shou was a little unsure of what to do. He looked around his clinic as if in search for some inspiration then looked back at Raine. Suddenly, looking as if inspiration struck him in the face he half glided half flew to a cabinet which opened without Shou touching it. Inside he rummaged around and pulled out a box delicately, from there he pulled out a small, turquoise crystal pendant attaching to a thin golden chain. Looking closely, one could see that this necklace was a match to one of the rings he was wearing.

Returning back to Raine he held out the necklace for her to take if she wanted.
"Just in case you need me and I'm not here, this necklace should help you find me." Shou did not say how, he simply smiled.
"Don't worry," he said just in case she was reluctant. "I have plenty more where that came from. Just as he said, behind him in the cabinet, many glittering gems could be seen.

[Raine Abney]

Raine watched him move. He was a dancer in her eyes. Or something close to it anyway. He was the wind and she couldn't help but smile at it. No one was closer to nature then the spirits.

When he came over and handed her a jade necklace she looked bit shocked. She didn't know if she would have it when she came back into the dream world or if it would come with her. Curious she took it from his hands gently.

She reached up and took the silver band holding her hair in place off. Her hair fell and was now longer then before. She handed it to him. "Here this will help you find me too," she smiled.

[shou]

Shou held the band in his hand looking at it as if it was something he had never seen before. Being a physician he was used to giving and not receiving, he was not expecting a gift in return. Nevertheless he was glad.

"Thank you." He tucked it away carefully inside the many folds of his robes where there was, no doubt, many other ornaments and trinkets ready to be pulled out. Now that his excitement was cooling down he jumped up and bustled over to another cabinet.

"I can't believe it. I'm sorry I've been so rude I haven't even offered you something to drink," As he was speaking he pulled out a teapot and began filling it with water. "I got over excited and forgot my manners. I hope you don't mind. I have orange juice, apple juice, tea, coffee, milk, water... not alcohol I'm afraid, this is a clinic after all." As he said the words he seemed to pull the beverages out of thin air. They hovered in front of Raine for her to choose as Shou bustled around, fussing like a mother.

[Raine Abney]

Raine smiled at him. It was her only band but she wanted him to have it so they could find each other again. She really liked him, as a friend of course. He was so in touch with nature that if she could she would bring back part of the real world. A photo, a book, or something else. She would have to ask one of the teachers, maybe the art one.

All of a sudden Shou started fussing around. She had to laugh at it. He was making a big deal out of nothing at all. Drinks hovered in front of her. She ducked under them and went to Shou. She gently put her hands on his shoulders. "Shou relax," she whispered with the voice of a breeze. "Relax. I'll have water, thank you."

She moved away from him and stood in the middle of the room. She looked up."You know I would be worried if you had any alcohol here," she laughed. "Even for cleaning it isn't nice. Spider webs work wonders."

[shou]

"Spider webs?" Shou made a mental note to himself. He had not seen a spider web in his clinic since he first found it, his entrances usually blew away anything of the sort. Invisible hands pulled out a cup and the floating water jug came and began pouring a generous amounts, Shou pulled it away just in time, if he left it alone any longer the cup would have overfilled. With his spare hand he poured his newly made tea into a small cup which emitted a strange orange steam.

Shou stood feeling a little silly, in one hand he held a steaming cup of tea and in the other a glass of water that threatened to spill over the edges. He carefully passed on the cup to Raine, thankfully none of it spilt.

"Spider webs alone? Or so I use something else with it?" He returned to the topic of spider webs, hoping to draw away any attention that the over full cup may have drawn.

[Raine Abney]

Raine took the cup and took a sip out of it before it fell and pored out. The water was clean and tasted wonderful. "No just the spider webs," she said before she took another drink. "It will stop the bleeding and help it heal without any germs getting in."

She tried to find other things to say. She wanted to enlighten him on elven ways. "There are other way but i don't like any of them," she said. "They all burn like crazy and no body likes that."

She thought back a little bit. "Herbs come in handy. Poppy seeds will make the person sleep and cure a upset tummy."

[shou]

"I know about poppy seeds," He said gleefully. Shou seemed happy to know something Raine knew as well. "And mint is used for headaches and hiccups."

Shou raised the cup to his mouth and took a deep breath in, enjoying its pleasantly bitter scent before taking a slow sip. Behind him, the water jug and the other beverages were creeping along the bench trying to find their way back to their original positions, the water jug continues to spill it's contents along the way.

With a sigh, Shou took a small towel and dried the mess then took the jug manually to the fridge, which opened for him as he came. Afraid that the other drinks would follow the jug's example he placed them all away manually.

"I should get a new jug... this one is far too clumsy and has no sense of balance." He said as he placed the milk away.

[Raine Abney]

Raine sipped her water. She didn't drink much and wasn't that thirst but she didn't want to be rude. He had opened up for her and done her a favor. She didn't want to make it seem like she didn't care.

"Yes mint is wonderful," she smiled at him. "I remember being little and my dad giving me mint for my hiccups." She looked back on the memory. It was from the real world. "That memory is from my world."

She watched the water jug. She sipped her water to hide the giggle that was trying to come out. It was directed to the jug of water that was spilling. She found it cute. Shou got up and started cleaning the split water up.

"Maybe he is to full of water," she smiled. "Couldn't you teach it to be balanced?"

[shou]

With a sigh Shou put away the last beverage and took a long slow sip of his tea. The taste was bitter, but it filled him with warmth and gave him a feeling of being refreshed. When he was done he rested the cup in the palm of his hand and turned to face Raine again.

"If I filled him any less with water he would be empty." He cast a rueful glance back at the fridge door then continued. "That jug is hopeless. I've tried to teach him to be balanced and he nearly chipped himself. He was so shocked it took a week before he was ready to hold water again."

Unconsciously he smoothed down his robes. The milky white fabric showed no signs of being crumpled and simply settled back into the position it was in before. "Perhaps I should get the juice to teach him... I don't think the juice has ever spilt anything in it's life."

[Raine Abney]

Raine was thinking about the poor water jug. Scared becasue he couldn't hold water and afraid that he would chip himself. Of course she had never seen a moving jug but that didn't' matter. He was still scared. "Has he ever done anything with out water in him," she moved her eyes to the fridge. "Poor thing. Scared to death."

She looked back at Shou. "You never yelled at him did you," she asked. "You don't seem like the type to yell." She wanted the jug to have a chance to do something. If he couldn't hold water then maybe he would have another use. She didn't want him to feel sad, becasue apparently they had feelings too. "If he can't learn to be balanced then maybe he can have another use with out any liquid."