[Open] It's always darkest before the dawn.

[starryeyed_cass]

Cassie Riddle was having a rather good day. Well as good as she could be, considering everything that's happened lately. She was just enjoying a walk in the park in the autumn sunshine when suddenly, the Rift decided it would be a very good idea to give her deer antlers. And then… they got a little itchy, and she had the instinct to go and rub them

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[darkgathersin]

Theta is walking down the street, even though he shouldn't be, even though he's starting to get tired and should probably be conserving his energy. He's still out though, still exploring the city and trying to make sure he remembers to go home.

He sees Luna and tilts his head. That's different. At least on Earth it is.

"Are you supposed to be wet, he questions her, one hand reaching out to get his hand wet. Theta likes the rain, so if he had a raincloud following him, he wouldn't really mind.

[magicandpudding]

Luna looks up at the tall, skinny man and smiles warmly. "It would be a very peculiar thing if I wasn't, wouldn't you think?"

She pauses briefly in thought, "But then I suppose in Chicago, it wouldn't be that peculiar if a rain cloud rained on you and didn't get you wet," she adds, still smiling.

"That being said, it's very refreshing," she says, "You're welcome to share it with me,"

[darkgathersin]

"Not necessarily," he points out. "Some species have an aversion to water. It rolls right off of them and they don't get wet." Then he pauses. "But you're not one of those types. They're bigger. And blue."

He looks absolutely thrilled when she offers to share her cloud and he darts underneath it immediately. "Thank you!" He stretches his arms upward and tilts his head back, grinning wide.

"It's goodgoodgood. I like the rain. "

[magicandpudding]

"Ohhh!" Luna blinks owlishly at him, utterly fascinated at such a creature. She's very excited and wonders if this man looks for strange and magic creatures like she does, "Have you met such a creature?" she asks excitedly, "That sounds so nice!"

She giggles, "No, I'm very much Human," she agrees with a nod, "A Witch, but Human,"

"You're most welcome," she says with a warm smile, as she watches him, "I like it too, I always like being outside,"

She tilts her head to the side, "I'm Luna,"

[darkgathersin]

"Once," he admits. "Long time ago. Off on a planet, we were. We'd never been there before and we caught sight of it, just standing there, completely dry while everything else was wet. I wanted to go say hello but I--" He pauses, biting his lip. "The person I was with, he said no."

He tries not to think about Koschei, tries not to remember that he's not there. Somehow, it's harder than he thought it should be. It's not really fair.

"A which!@ Oh, that's brilliant!" He looks excited all over again, grinning wide and bouncing on the balls of his feet. His head starts spinning a little though, so he forces himself to still. "I'm a bit of an alien." He grins. "Only half though. Other half is human, just like you."

Luna," he echoes. "Lunalunaluna. Like the moon. Moon in the clouds, a moon on a rainy day. Hello, Luna, I'm..." He pauses for a second, thinking on it. "Theta. I'm Theta." He reaches out, moving to trace her name against her arm and then pauses.

"Do yo9u mind? It helps me remember."

[magicandpudding]

Luna listens intently to his story. Planets? How exciting! She likes to hear about all the different worlds out there, of all the strange and wonderful things there are. Things she could only dream of.

"Oh," she's genuinely disappointed at that, she tilts her head to the side, "That's a shame. ... Maybe they didn't want you to get wet?"

She smiles brightly at his excitement, and then raises her eyebrows when he mentions he's an alien. "Ohh, I've never met an alien before," she says dreamily, "What's the other half, if you don't mind me asking?"

Luna continues to watch him, "Hello, Theta," she says, "That's a lovely name," It's a Greek symbol, she believes. She's never heard it used as a name before.

She shakes her head, "Not at all," she says.

[darkgathersin]

"No," he says with a small, sad smile. "I don't think he did. He was worried I would catch cold."

He laughs a little. "Nothing interesting, just human." he looks down at himself, almost self-consciously. He doesn't usually talk about what he is and he's almost uncomfortable with it, awkward even. He's not proud of what he is, not even remotely and it's probably starting to show a little.

But then they're talking about his name, his name and he's grinning again. "Thank you. It was given to me. I didn't have one and Koschei, he gave it to me. Said it was right for me and I thought it was so it became my name."

A relieved smile crosses his face and he traces her name against her. "Thank you," he mutters as he watches his hands move. "I'll forget it, I'm sorry but I will but it'll stay a little longer this way. Not by much but a little."

[magicandpudding]

"Well, that would have been a suitable reason to keep you inside," Luna says with a sympathetic smile. She believes that even though it's still disappointing. "It's not very fun being ill and it would have been awful if you had been,"

Luna nods, he doesn't have to say any more. She can see the self-consciousness, the awkwardness and she understands it. He doesn't have to answer her if he doesn't wish to.

She grins, giggling, "I agree with Koschei. It was a good choice, I think you look like a Theta. It suits you," she says with a nod.

"Oh, that's alright," she says, tilting her head to the side to watch him trace it on her arm, "I don't mind if you forget it, but I shall be happy enough to remind you if you like,"

[darkgathersin]

"I get sick easily," he informs. "Body's not all that good, y'see. So it makes sense. Doesn't mean I can't be a little disappointed by it."

"It'll get written down," he assures. "I write everything down. I just...forget it." He shrugs a little. "I forget a lot of things. Everything. But if you're good enough to remind me that'd be brilliant."

Don't mind the really, really pleased expression on his face, he likes people who are good to him like that, who are willing to remind hi8m. It's pleasing and it's nice and it's exciting.

People like that usually mean friends and Theta likes friends. He li8kes them a lot.

[magicandpudding]

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," she says with a small frown, "If you ever get sick, I could try and help. I know a few small healing charms," Well, she's only ever had to fix broken toes and noses, but she does know a few charms that could work with other things.

She nods in agreement, "Yes, of course,"

Luna smiles rather dreamily at that, that he writes things down. It's sort of nice in a way, as much as it is sad. "It would be no problem at all, Theta," she tells him.

And she will not mind at all! Luna likes to see other people happy!

"Were you going somewhere?" she asks, "I could walk you home if you like. The rain cloud will follow us,"

[darkgathersin]

"I don't mind," he says with a shrug. "Well, I do but it's always been that way. Always kindofsortof." He bits his lip as the last four words come out more as one. That was unintentional. "I'm just a bit mucked up," he says after a second, forcing his voice to be slow. "That's all."

He has to write things down, it's just a fact of life. He'll remember things better if eh writes them down and keeps them close. He won't remember them all the time, there's noth8ng he can do to remember them all of the time but he can remember it a little bit better.

"Home," he says with a shake of his head. "No, not home. I was just walking. It's a good day out and now it's better." He grins wide.

"Where were you going? I could walk you instead?"

[magicandpudding]

"I see," she says with a nod. "That's alright. We're all a little mucked up sometimes. Sometimes the best people are,"

Luna doesn't mind when his speech comes a little jumbled. She knows people tend to stay away from others who have trouble with their minds, but Luna isn't one of those people. She won't judge. Not at all.

Luna smiles dreamily, "I was going to the Park before I met my raincloud," she tells him, "I go to talk to the animals there. It's the ability the Rift gave me,"

She trails off, staring into space and still smiling, "... Yes.. you could come for a walk if you like,"

[darkgathersin]

he grins a little. "I've heard that before." He won't say if it's true or not, if he believes it or not but if he does, he's not very good at keeping it in mind. No surprises there.

His eyes go wide for a moment and then he grins fiercely. "Oh that's just wonderful! I'd love a power like that, talking to the animals! What a brilliant Rift power!" he's bouncing now, looking really quite delighted by the idea. "I can;'t talk to any animals but...but we could tell a story together if you'd like. It'll be lovely!"

He might take up her hand if she lets him, already heading off in a direction, a direction that might not actually be the park and then he'll pause. "You should probably take us," he admits, .looking almost bashful as he realizes he's only going to get them lost.

[magicandpudding]

Luna is gleeful at his enthusiasm. She likes how people seem to take her Riftpower in a good light. She's definitely glad she has it. "It certainly is," she says with a nod, "I do love having it as my Rift gift. If you like, I could tell you what they tell me. Then it would be almost like you're having a conversation with them,"

She raises her eyebrows, "I like stories," she says with a grin, "And reading. And exploring. 'Wit beyond measure, is man's greatest treasure'..." she says with a grin.

Luna nods, amused, "Alright. Come on, then," she says, holding out a hand. Because Luna is all for holding hands.

[darkgathersin]

"I make them come alive," he says with a proud smile. "I make them real, just for a little while, an hour or so. I make them tangible." he is very pleased with his own rift ability, though he doesn't realize the toll it's taking on his body. He'll learn that soon enough though.

He takes her hand, squeezing it lightly before happily starting to walk. He will happ8ily go with her, not question , just go with it. It's probably one if his faults really, being so trusting but she's sweet and can talk to animals and has a raincloud over her head.

[magicandpudding]

"Oh, wow!" She says, utterly fascinated by that, "That's so amazing, you must tell me stories - anything you like. I'd love to see that one day," Luna would definitely like to see that, it sounds like a wonderful Rift-gift.

She smiles brightly and leads the way. Fortunately, Luna is someone you can trust. She's well aware that there are so many people in this world you can't.

But Luna is one you definitely can.