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[futures_of_ash]

Rachel's in a tree, sprawled more like a child of ten than any woman of centuries. Long legs dangling back along teh trunk, hair equally gravity pulled amongs green, green leaves...

She's watching clouds.

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[mouse_shadow]

"You may want to consider resting somewhere else, the trees here seem to have bad attitudes."

A walk outside after a morning spent drinking. Not staggering a bit, no!

[futures_of_ash]

It may take a moment for her to drag her attention away from the clouds, but when she does, they seem to be reflected in her eyes a moment as she looks him over.

She missed drinking...

"Good Morning Paul..." she drawled softly, not shifting an inch. She likes the tree.

[mouse_shadow]

On second thought, she could probably light up a forest of Whomping Willows. This tree seems stable enough, however.

"Good morning, Rachel. I hesitate to ask how long it's been since we swam together."

[futures_of_ash]

She shrugged, an oddly lithe gesture while laying in a tree. "A few days I believe..." she's never been the best with time.

She should probably play tag with the willow. Or pet it. Maybe it purrs.

[mouse_shadow]

"That's what I hoped. I would have been disappointed if another year had passed for you in between. Would you mind some company?"

Paul could use more of what she'd offered last time.

[futures_of_ash]

What would another year be? The warm chuckle may hold a bit of that bitter life, or a taintof shadows...but the smile is real.

"Does it require me moving?" she asked, even though she dropped a hand down to him.

[mouse_shadow]

A sprint, a jump, a hand to steady himself (hiccup), and he's there, crouching a couple meters away.

"This tree is more amenable than the last one I walked under. Might you have something to do with that?" He tries a charming smile like before, but it falls flat.

[futures_of_ash]

At least innebriated smiles are...amusing. He earns a laugh, but it's a gentle one. "Doubt it, it didn't seem to have any inclination to move before I approached at all..."

She's a hardened hero, it may show in the way she moves, slipping about to stretch over new branches so she can watch him. "How have you been?" she asked softly, reaching out to steady him slightly.

[mouse_shadow]

"Physically, better than I expected, but I am tiring of trying to find out what the relationships are among people in the Tavern."

As if thinking of it for the first time, "I haven't seen you inside. Do you live out here?"

[futures_of_ash]

"Things get rather complicated" she agreed "I'm not even sure if I can trace all of the connections, and I see clearer than most..." yep, Milliways got confusing for everyone it seemed.

"I...it's a little safer to have me out here. At least recently. My shields have been a bit stressed, and I don't want anyone hurt..." a hint of a deep, well hidden fear enters her voice, like an echo of nightmares perhaps, and she sits up, leaning her back firmly against the trunk.

[mouse_shadow]

"Shields? For the heat? I admit I've never seen anyone like you, but here... " A waved hand says it all.

"There are gods here, wizards, healers. Surely someone can help."

[futures_of_ash]

"Perhaps, for the heat" she chuckled. "But it's all a little more complicated than that. I wouldn't wish anything in my head on a socerer, wizard, witch or God..."

It drove the last insane

"Besides, it's nice out here"

[mouse_shadow]

Nods. Never does he forget it's not a natural place, though.

"The longer I'm here, the more I want to stay outside, but it is like a golden cage. Tell me, do you see the differences? When I still had the Spice that brings Inner Sight, I saw how it turns upon itself and many of the unnatural ways parts of it blend into the rest. Can you sense this?"

[futures_of_ash]

"I can see where the reality shifts from the physical to the mental, to the subconscious..." she noted softly. They're just different ways to exist for her though, all Real, just different.

"It's a cage I cling to"

Teh alternative is...far more painful.

[mouse_shadow]

Another nod, not wholly like the first.

"Dream. I have met the Endless. He spoke of his essence, but I don't trust him. And nothing like this is in my dreams. This meant to be a place on Earth, is it not?" A guess. The number of residents from there and the legends point to it.

[futures_of_ash]

"Scotland" she confirmed. "I have never dreamed of a place like this either...but it perhaps best that gentler dreamers had the fashioning of it..." she waved a hand, gracefully languid, towards the sparkling waters just barely visible through the leaves.

"Are you dreams so terrible?" she asked softly, the arm falling now into her lap as she eyed him, knowing, perhaps, what lines she was pushing with that single question.