Seikou & Ambience's Cabin - Ambience's Room
What could be expected as a messy room in the style of a kid who
never cleans up after himself is actually quite the opposite, if only for
the lack of things to make a mess with. A small bed is pushed into a corner
space of this equally-small room, with a worn blanket barely large enough to
fit over the mattress. A shoddy wooden dresser is aligned on the wall
next to it, with a few drawers half open and various articles of boys'
clothes sticking out of it in random places; a small but sharp-looking
little blade is sitting on the wooden top of it, underneath a drawn picture
nailed into the wall overhead. A small desk is opposite the bed and dresser
in another corner, where a miniature carving studio seems to be set up, with
whittling knives, wood pieces and even a few finished figurines are all
scattered around it. Other than this, there doesn't seem to be any sign of
a legit "boy's room" aspect. No toys, no mess, not even a TV; the room
itself feels awfully forlorn, as a result.

The past few days passed with relatively little incident. While likely boring this far away from civilization, Ambience did his best to try and keep decent company for Rarity, going to the extent on inviting her on (almost) any outing he partook of, himself. Though he was the one offering her a place to stay, he seemed to be somewhat paranoid of the whole "simple living" concept he'd become used to, and constantly endeavoured to keep Rarity from becoming bored in any manner. Or at least, this was how he felt. On this particular morning, he'd come to realize that he, even as an early-riser himself (most of the time) couldn't beat Rarity up, he excused himself instead to go wash up, informing her that he'd be back afterward. The clatter of a closing screen door marked his exit from the house only a few moments after he left the room, leaving Rarity to do as she would for the time being. Normally he'd have been content to just get up before she did, wash up, and then come back afterward. He seemed to be surprised, on the first instance of this happening; apparently his Da was of no such mindset. Either that, or he didn't sleep.

Having had a chance to rest fully without worrying about tidying up means Rarity's in a very pleasant mood this morning, to the extent that she's humming cheerily to herself while nibbling daintily on her first meal of the day.

From out of nowhere, a green mote of light flickers into being at the end of Ambience's bed. The light brightens gradually, before it transforms with an audible -pop- into a tiny, tree-shaped woman, all bark of arms and body with root-tendriled feet, and a shaggy head of what looks like the top of a palm tree. This creature hovers lightly over the end of the bed, blinking large green eyes up at Rarity as she eats.

Rarity, due to her prior experience with the Parasprite infestation, is quite wary around small creatures. So, as the tree-sprite materializes near her, the unicornista casts a guarded gaze over her 'company', while keeping her manners present - and voice even - as she finishes her breakfast. "Why hello there... I take it you're here for something?"

The creature seems to think for a moment, one hand going to its chin to emphasize this before it shakes its grassy head. It doesn't seem to understand the concept of not staring, as this is what it continues to do. It more or less seems to be merely surveying Rarity and her actions, not moving otherwise from where she floats.

The little maiden blinks a couple more times, looking Rarity over in muzzle to tail.

"Well, at least it's not a Parasprite..." With a patience honed from having to keep Sweetie Belle out of trouble around her shop for so long, Rarity's standing and moving for the kitchen with her plates trailing behind her in a light blue-tinted magic 'grip'. She doesn't seem to mind, oddly, to have the tree-sprite studying her intently.

The little creature follows Rarity around purposefully, seemingly getting a glimpse of everything that makes her up, as if in identificational purposes. It keeps a decent distance, however, those large green eyes seeming to indicate something of an uncertainty of whether Rarity was trustworthy or not to get any closer. During this time, the tree-woman makes not a sound, though she doesn't appear to actually have a mouth with which to do so, either.

Eventually, after levitating the now-sparkling kitchenware into the cupboards, Rarity turns her attention back to the female tree-sprite, though her earlier wariness has been replaced with genuine curiosity. "I must say, you're certainly adorable, and seem about as inquisitive as Twilight does."

The small woman blinks once, before waving a tiny hand in the air a couple of times. She nods then, pointing at Rarity specifically, though not making a sound in doing so. She then points behind Rarity, towards the screen door that leads outside, and then back at Rarity again, tilting her grassy head in apparent curiosity.

At first, the unicornista turns around to get a basic understanding of what the sprite's pointing at, though she nods afterwards. "I did come from outside, dear. I'm a guest here, but far from one who's just refusing to do what's expected of her. My name's Rarity, even if we can't communicate by speaking."

The little tree-maiden hovers in front of Rarity silently for a moment, apparently taking some of this in. She tilts her head the other way, and looks like she was about to point toward the screen door again, but stops in mid-point. Instead, she floats a little closer to Rarity, attempting to get fairly close to her muzzle and look up at her, right in the face.

Those inquisitive green eyes blink numerous times, almost attempting to look past Rarity's exterior, as it were.

This, of course, forces Rarity to go somewhat cross-eyed as the sprite moves closer to her, right before blinking a few times and trying not to stumble. She doesn't really make a move to keep distance between her and the miniature tree-girl.

A light, soft female voice resonates from the entirety of the little woman's body, as she pulses with a soft green light. "Rar..i...ty." She looks at Rarity's face for a moment longer, before backing up a foot or so, inclining her grassy head respectfully and keeping it held there for a long moment.

/This is certainly something very surprising.../ Despite her thoughts, however, Rarity's watching the genuflecting tree-fairy with a serene smile. "I'm not royalty. Please, don't feel forced to humble yourself on my behalf."

The creature lifts her head at this notion, and promptly gives it a shake. She seems like she's about to go on gesturing again, when the screen door opens from the outside.

Ambience enters from outside, letting the door swing closed behind him. He's idlying drying his hair with a towel, seemingly casual about the whole thing. He has a tank top and some worn pants, and seems to be in a rather decent mood, judging from the half-smile on his face.

At this notion, the creature floats from Rarity over to Ambience, being careful not to be unintentionally hit with a stray towel-swipe. She turns in the air once there, blinking a couple more times.

"Ah, good morning there, Ambience darling. It's promising to be a very pleasant day, no?" Even as she trots over to hug you with one foreleg, Rarity's watching the tree-sprite with a benevolent expression, and a bit of kindness that's more expected of Fluttershy than her.

Ambience grins, hugging Rarity around the neck with one arm in response as he dries his short hair with the other. "Been nice alot lately, yeah. I'm glad you're still okay with bein' here, too. Did you rest well last night, then?" He lowers the towel after a few moments, his midnight-blue hair sticking up, out, and generally all over the place.

As the towel comes down, the creature seems to take it upon herself to float upwards toward Ambience's head, turning around a couple of times before nestling herself atop his head, contentedly. She peers back at Rarity from her new perch.

"I slept very well, yes. I'm getting used to how different things are here, after only a few days, so it's become easy to settle in, especially with such pleasant company." Rarity's still watching the sprite, and laughing politely into one hoof as she catches sight of the small female nestling in your hair. "I daresay you've got someone who finds your hair a rather comfortable home, now..."

Ambience raises his red eyes somewhat, and smiles a bit goofily. "Yeah, they're always doin' that. Though I wonder why Sylvan's here, and not Layla, too. Oh well." He pauses, considering for a moment. "But wait, if she's still here, and so're you... hey!" He seems at once excited, all of a sudden.

"That means they're okay with you! I wonder how long they've been watching? Usually they're scared've 'most everybody and don't come out at all. This is really great to know, they don't seem to trust most anyone." Ambience seems happy with this turn of events.

"Well, they do seem to be rather adorable, and I think this one - Sylvan - has already accepted me, if her repetition of my name is any indication." With another serene gaze at the fairy, Rarity nods, slowly moving to one side to let you pass.

Ambience starts to go past Rarity once allowed to do so, but her words strike him elsewise, and he stops, halfway in the door between his room and the kitchen. "Wait. She actually spoke?"

From atop Ambience's head, the Dryad waves openly at Rarity as he goes past her, shifting somewhat stop his head to keep a steady, green-eyed gaze on her at pretty much all times.

"She did, even though it was only my name. It seemed to have come from her whole body, however..." With her gaze returning to the dryad, the unicornista nods once, continuing to smile. "See if you can repeat my name, dear... Rarity."

"Dryads are mana spirits... if they speak, its goin' to come from them that way, 'cause they're just made of mana. But, still.." Ambience raises his eyes somewhat. In response to Rarity's request, Sylvan just nods, nestling down into Ambience's hair more fully.

Ambience just smiles, in spite of this, before looking back at Rarity. "They don't talk a lot. I think it takes a lot of energy for them to do it. But still, you're th' only person 'sides me I've ever known them to actually say anythin' to. That's really somethin', you know." With that, he tosses the towel into his room from where stands, where it lands in a small bucket by his bedside.

With another nod, Rarity falls into step behind you, while keeping enough distance to avoid colliding with your legs. "I was quite surprised, honestly, that she'd open up to me so quickly, since I arrived at this cabin only a few days ago."

Ambience shakes his head, mindful of the dryad resting atop it, looking toward Rarity with a somewhat-more serious expression. "I'm sure they've been watching you since you came back with me, that night. They're Mama's Dryads, but she sent them to watch over me until she came back from the Holyland. They're pretty much always watchin', to keep me safe from trouble. So I'm sure they know you've been here the whole time."

Ambience says 'They see a person pretty easy for what they really are. But I agree with you, they don't open up that easily with anyone. You must really have somethin' goin' for you.'

Ambience smiles, a pleasant and happy expression. His hair is still somewhat damp, even as Sylvan rests within it.

Rarity says 'That's... really rather touching, to know she's still looking out for you despite all this distance... Until she's able to return, I'll keep hoping and doing everything in my power to protect you. A wish for more strength to protect my friends and family, as well as those around me... It's a true reflection of the Element of Harmony that I bear.'

Speaking of which, that only just now came to Ambience. It had been rather peaceful the last few days, even living with a 'Wishborn'. Previously, he'd been afraid it was going to be a battleground at some point as a result, but as nothing happened, so too did it fade from his thoughts. He nodded in turn. "Is that what you wished for? More strength?"

"Yes, dear." There's a mix of calmness and seriousness that settles on Rarity's face, as she looks up in response. "Once I arrived here in the Cleft, I started to realize that the strength I already had as a Guardian of Harmony and the bearer of Generosity wasn't going to be nearly enough to survive in this world. So I started looking for ways to gain strength I didn't have before, in order to protect others, even at the cost of my own life. Generosity knows no limits."

Ambience frowns softly. "That's true, I guess... but are all those stories I hear really true? Everyone says nothin' but bad things happen to everyone to wishes for somethin'. And yeah, I've been able to get around the strangeness of your mana flow that comes from it, but I don't really want somethin' to happen to you just 'cause of.. well."

Ambience seems to realize he's rambling, so he changes the subject. Somewhat. "Are you pretty strong, then?"

"I would much rather avoid it as well, if possible, but I'm smart enough to know that's not always going to happen." Wisely, however, Rarity doesn't miss a beat in matching the shift in topics. "For a long time, I had more strength in the magic I use as opposed to physical strength... Here, though, that's been changing, and I've gained quite a bit of muscle from all the fighting I've had to get involved in."

Ambience thinks on this for a moment, then. Sure, she wasn't built like a normal person, and probably couldn't swing a sword like one. But she'd continued to find ways to surprise him, so far. "Think you'd be interested in trainin' with me, at some point, then? Sylvan and Layla are usually there for it, but I thought maybe if you were open to it, too.." He trails off, a familiar boyish grin coming to his face once more.

Ambience says 'I try to stay in shape, so that if somethin' happens, I can be ready for it. Been that way since I was real little, but bein' what I am kinda helps a bit, too.'

"Of course. I shouldn't just rely on my magical abilities to get me out of trouble, now that I'm here. For now, though..." In an effort to hide her yawn, Rarity's turning to one side and lifting one foreleg to cover her mouth. "I - ah, excuse me... - should get some sleep, darling..."

Ambience looks at Rarity silently for a moment. Maybe she wasn't used to all the business that generally came from having to doing everything yourself. But he was glad she took to the place as well as she did. Even given her style at first, he was gradually becoming less paranoid about offending her with his current situation. He only smiled in response. She was pretty cute when she did that.

Ambience says 'Alright. Thank you for helpin' to take care of things while Da's away. I'm really thankful for it, Rarity.'

Rarity says 'It's no trouble at all, dear. I've found myself caring for you a great deal since I arrived, and I'm feeling rather happy here, all things considered.'

Ambience retains his smile, even as a bit of color comes into his face along with it. He hadn't thought about it too terribly often, but there were certain times when he felt... happy, that she was around, too. This happened to be one of those times, as well. "I'm glad. You know by now that if you need anything, you only have to ask."

With a nod, Rarity once again moves close for another hug, though she also gives you a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I know, and I'll be sure to..."

Ambience hugs Rarity tightly around the neck, but seems a bit stunned from the erstwise affection, seeming a bit conflicted with his own thoughts at that particular moment. Nevertheless, he lets Rarity go after a moment, realizing his embrace lasted longer than intended.

Ambience says 'Goodnight, Rarity. I'll be out here 'gain if you need me, as usual.'

Rarity says 'Thank you, dear.'

Following another yawn, Rarity turns to head for the bedroom she's currently using, planning on getting some sleep now.

Ambience watches her go, wordlessly. He raises his eyes toward the Dryad still in his hair, who gives him a quizzical look in return. He only smiles in reponse, not really seeming to know what else to do or say. Happiness was a strange deal, sometimes.