Nature's Masterpiece.

[Perdita Westcott]

20th Ashan, 721

erdita was sitting, quietly and calmly, repairing a book. At the kitchen table in the house they now shared, she held the book in her hands and started examining it. The spine had pulled away from the pages and that had left a gap which was both unsightly and meant that damp and other damage would happen more easily. Calm and meticulous, she had been examining it for a few moments. On the farmhouse-style table in their kitchen, Perdita had a small basket next to her which contained the tools she needed. Once she was absolutely sure that she knew what it was that she had to do, and what the situation was that she was facing, Perdita stood the book up.

"Are you alright?" Perdita asked. Eli was being strange. He hadn't settled to anything all trial. Now that she thought about it, the last few trials he'd been a bit... twitchy. "How're your studies?" Maybe he had some issue with the university, she thought, or maybe he was struggling with a lesson. Whatever it was, he seemed quite agitated and in a way which was unlike him. Perdita gently slid one finger down the inside of the book, separating the spine from the pages. The trick here was to show the level of separation, not to increase it. Then, she lifted the long rod from the inside of her tool-basket and she used it to apply glue down the spine. It was slow and careful work, but Perdita had a very clear attention to detail. She looked - because she felt - entirely relaxed as she sat there.

When she had applied the glue, Perdita waxed the ends of the pages, making sure that the glue did not run out and she re-pressed the spine, holding it for a few moments. As she did, she considered everything she had planned for this trial. Her parents were arriving in a little while and she was going down to the docks to meet them. She had told Eli very little more than that, she'd been clear that they were staying at an Inn, that he didn't have to meet them but she would like it if he did. Perdita didn't want to bother him with any of this stuff since there was so obviously something on his mind. But, as she put some weights on the book to keep the spine in place, Perdita started to clear up her tools and she looked up at him. She was more or less out of time, so she needed to say.

Perdita had left her hair loose to-trial, and she wore a pretty dress which she knew her parents would like. Closing the basket which contained her tools, Perdita spoke softly. "They arrive just past noon," it was probably about a quarter break before that hour. "I'll show them around, then get them settled in." Such long sentences, she considered, and without a blush. Of course, as she thought that, her cheeks flushed. "Eli, I don't know what to do," Perdita said and her eyes lifted to him. "You're invited to everything. Wanted in all of it." She wanted to - needed to - make sure that he knew that. "But it's your choice." Looking down at the book, she sighed.

"They want to meet you," she admitted. The idea of putting any pressure on him was an antithesis to her. Yet. "I'm proud of us. I want to show them us." Shrugging slightly, she looked around and sighed. "I have to go. Will you come?" She looked at him with a slightly wry smile. "If you want to."

Family is one of Nature's Masterpieces.

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.
While Perdie worked at the table, Eli was busy nearby at a long counter, fiddling with some sort of contraption that could as easily be a child's toy, as a critical experiment along the road to some sort of astounding, progressive feat of 'engineering, meet, imagination'. That was half the fun of doing what he did. An engineer never quite outgrew his toys, and ought rarely be criticized for it. Perdie could be forgiven for thinking he was twitchy and unsettled though. Eli's mind was rarely at rest, and the rest of him tended to naturally follow.

Except that in this case, she'd have been right nonetheless. But when it came to the thing that was stalking him and weighing on his mind, he'd kept those thoughts and fears to himself. Instead, he'd poured all that excess focus and energy into his latest eureka moment. Or at least, what might become one under just the right circumstances. He'd gone to a shop that sold plants, and bought several long, thick reeds, like the sort that you'd find alongside the edges of swamps and ponds. And then he'd dropped into a shop that sold things like nuts, bolt and various other things, and bought himself a handful of small, doughnut shaped magnets, a couple of small round ones and a magnetized bar or two.

He'd gotten them home and split one of the long reeds in half, lengthwise, and hollowed out most of the pulp. Made it more flexible so he could bend it into a long, wide cradle shape, and used string to tie off both ends to handles on the cabinets above his work surface. Two long reed halves, attached to each other along their lengths in such a way that one hollowed out side faced up towards the ceiling, the other down towards the cabinet top. Then he dropped one of the round magnets into the hollowed out trough on top, and it's natural inclination was to stay settled in the low dip of the cradle shaped, hollowed out reed.

"Watch this," he'd told Perdita at some point, and he picked up one of the bar magnets, placing it first in the lower hollowed out reed beneath the already settled round one on the top. But as he began to move the bar magnet up the high side of the reed below, the round one followed, uphill, all the way to the top. He'd grinned a little and shrugged as he pulled the bar magnet away, and the round one rolled back down, several times back and forth before settling again. "I'm not sure yet how, when, or what for. But I'm pretty sure that trick will be useful sometime or other."

But she'd asked him if he was alright, and Eli frowned a little in response. It was true, something had been on his mind. But it hadn't occurred to him that Perdie might notice or ask. And he definitely hadn't been inclined to volunteer the reasons why. "I'm fine," he said. "Studyin's alright. But I'm still not sure that I'll learn more in the classroom than out on my own." To have others to bounce ideas off of, sure, he could see the value in that. He wasn't completely on board with the idea of book learning yet, however.

When she brought up her parents however, and their impending visit. Like in the next few bits, impending...Like a big old shadow looming over him, she inadvertently hit on the very thing that had been plaguing him. He'd recently given up on this idea that her parents might be inclined to have him arrested for kidnapping, considering the manner in which he and Perdie had disappeared from Rharne. They'd known where their daughter was, after all, all of this time. If that had been their plan, then surely they'd have done it already. No, now that they were coming, his concerns had shifted completely. In a way he hadn't expected them too.

What bothered him now was the idea that they'd want her to return home with them, that they'd convince her to do just that, and that she'd leave him behind as a result. Eli couldn't exactly tell her that either. If he did, it would sound as if he was trying to control what she did. There was no rule or arrangement between them that said any different, and he didn't want her to think he'd have insisted on one. He just didn't want her to want to leave. The nature of that worry had taken him by surprise. But he was bound to keep it to himself.

"It's almost noon now," he said. That filled him with a bit of dread, as if by ignoring the passage of time, he could have brought it to a dead stop. "What do you mean, don't know what to do?" he asked. Did that mean she was considering going back with them? Or she wasn't sure which tea shop to take them to along the way? "Are you sure you want me to be there? They've come to see you. Surely I'd just get in the way?" Of course if he didn't go, then her parents were wondering if he was trying to avoid them. They wouldn't be completely wrong. But Perdie had never lied to him before. He'd have known if she had, unless she was simply masterful at it. He didn't think so, and she wanted him there.

Right then. "If you want me to, if they won't mind, then I'll go," he said. It appeared that time was now, in fact. But before they left, he'd ask her to wait just a few trills while he made sure to tidy up his clothes and hair, in order to make the best of whatever first impressions they'd have of him.

[Perdita Westcott]

li's demonstration prompted an expression of delight on Perdita's face. Her eyes lifted to his face as he said that it would be useful, somehow, some trial, and she nodded. "You're the cleverest person I've ever met" she said quietly. "You really are." Perdita had no qualms about saying it and, although she blushed, she met his gaze without wavering. "Eli, I..." she what? She wasn't going to say that even though she was starting to think it. Certainly, she felt it. But no. Her blush deepened further as she said, "I.. I can dry those for you." Smiling she lowered her head back down and looked at her book for a while, then, an idea came into her head. "Would that work through a basket? Or glass?" If so, she had thoughts and ideas. But maybe later.

He said he was fine and, therefore, Perdita believed him. Eli had never lied to her, and she had no reason to believe he'd be starting. So, she nodded. "Good," was her only reply and she launched into discussing her parents. He said he'd be happy to meet them, that if she wanted it, then of course he would. But he wondered why they'd want to meet him and Perdita sighed. "I think," she said softly "they think we're," she waved a hand in a gesture which said nothing, but her cheeks were so red she might be giving off heat and she found it hard to form words. "You know. Together"

She sighed, slightly and shook her head. "They might say something." Perdita didn't think they would but they might. Her parents and she had been exchanging letters, after all, since Perdita and Eli had moved from Rharne. During that time, she'd written to them regularly, they'd written back. There had been a constant pressure, at first, for her to come home but she had been insistent. The move to Scalvoris, too, had cemented the reality for her parents. She was not coming home and they seemed pretty sure that Elijah was the reason why. He asked what she meant when she said she didn't know what to do and Perdita shook her head. "I mean, about them." After all, it was difficult. She didn't want to let them down but - at the same time - she didn't want to lie to them or pretend. In the end, she shrugged. "They don't understand."

It was his declaration that he'd "get in the way" which gave Perdita pause, though. She looked at him and frowned. "You're never in the way." She sounded just about as forceful and assertive as she ever had. More even than she had when she was angry, in fairness. "Not to me." Perdita's hand slipped into his and then she nodded that yes, of course, she'd wait a few trills. It amused her that he took that time to make his hair look neater and tuck his shirt in and things. It sent a slight tingle of delight down her back as she watched him. She was just appreciating that he cared, of course. That was all it was.

Then, when he was ready, she took hold of his hand and they made their way to the docks. The boat was late, but not massively so and within a quarter break of noon, in it came. While they were waiting, Perdita was more than content to sit and wait. She had a sketch book with her and sketched things, but they could see the vessel and so she found it hard to concentrate. After the ship had docked, they waited a while and then, a couple appeared on the gangplank and began to disembark. There was no hesitation on Perdita's part, she dropped everything and ran into an embrace. Her father was a tall man and he lifted her from the ground as he hugged her. There were tears from her mother - and Perdita - as they reunited. It was, after all, the first time they'd seen each other in over an arc. Perdita and Eli had boarded the Flutterbus which arrived in Desnind Cylus last arc. So, for a few moments, there were hugs and tears and parents and their child.

Yet, quickly, Perdita sought Eli out. "Mother, Father. This is Eli." She was keen to get to him, for them to meet and she put her hand into his without hesitation. Both her parents noticed that. Perdita's father offered his hand to shake, then. "Elijah," the man who spoke to him was well-dressed and had the kind of casual air of the wealthy about him. Both of her parents were well dressed and their clothes and items, everything about them really, showed that they were rich. "Leontes Westcott. This is my wife, Hermoine." Perdita's mother smiled and Eli would see, immediately, where Perdita's tendency to blush came from. "We're staying at the Knight's Rest Inn," Leontes said. Perdita nodded and her hand in Eli's squeezed gently. "We can go there?"

Perdita's father quickly took charge - there was something about him which suggested it was natural for him to do so. "I've arranged for our luggage to be taken and a carriage for the four of us." After a few moments, the carriage in question pulled up - her parents had brought a lot of luggage it seemed. There was a man in a uniform who held open the door and helped the two ladies into the carriage. Leontes nodded to Eli, "please," he said which meant that Eli was able to sit next to Perdita, who took his hand and smiled. Her father got in to the large, far-from-cramped carriage. It was comfortable, more than comfortable. As they began to move forward, the clip-clop of the horses the pervading sound in rhythm with the gentle rocking of the carriage. Perdita's mother looked at the two of them and she smiled. "So, are you two prepared for the cat?" She smiled and Perdita suddenly realised that she hadn't told Eli that her parents were bringing her cat. She kept quiet, hoping that there was some way she could get around that one without him noticing.

Not likely since they lived together, but a girl could dream.

Sitting in the carriage, Perdita looked between her parents and Eli and she smiled, contentedly. "So, Elijah, Perdita" Hermoine said quietly and with a reassuring and even supportive smile. "Tell us all about what's happened since you left Rharne?" Her hand in his tightened and Perdita glanced at Eli almost pleadingly.

Family is one of Nature's Masterpieces.

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.
Eli wasn't sure how impartial she was, when Perdita told him how clever he was. But then to maintain she must be partial in regards to him in some way, raised all sorts of questions as to the nature of that. He might like to know the answers to that, if he'd been daring enough to ask outright. Either way, he grinned and shrugged. "I think maybe you're flattering me a little, but I'll take it," he'd said. As for magnets, he told her, so long as the magnet on each side of some sort of barrier was strong enough, meaning the magnetic field itself was sufficient, then the experiment ought to work just fine through glass, wicker or just about anything else.

"You mean the reeds?" he'd asked when she said she could dry them. "It would save a few nels for sure. I'm pretty sure the shopkeeper marks them up some, when I could as easily get them myself." It would be a great help then. Every coin saved was one that could spent on a better investment. Then it was all forgotten when Perdie's cheeks turned a whole new shade of pink. One he wasn't sure he'd ever witnessed before. But if he was the blushing type, and he wasn't, he'd have done it too when she revealed the reasons behind it.

Her parents thought they were together? All sorts of questions raced through his mind. Was it because they'd run off together, and stayed together ever since? Or, was it something that she'd written to them in her letters? Yeah. He knew what together meant in this case. For the first time, though he'd thought it a number of times before, Eli wondered; Was this the time to say something? As timing went, right before her parents turned up, it could probably be better. But as the sort of engineering sort that fiddled with the stuff of the future and wanted to change the world, it wasn't exactly like him to hold back or entertain much undue caution.

The question was, did he even want to know the answer, if it wasn't the one he'd rather. Eli contemplated the floor for a few trills more than could be said was necessary, was he trying to ensure they were polished enough for polite company. Then he just said it. "Would it be alright if we were?" he asked. Of course, she might have taken that as, would it be alright with her, were they together. Which was exactly what he meant. Or, would it be so bad if they were to ask. "I could understand them thinking it and wouldn't blame them for asking. But, it's not really what I mean..."

This wasn't the sort of thing Eli was good at. And the more he thought it through, the more he thought that maybe his timing wasn't the best. But it was already out there. "You don't want to keep them waiting," he said. "We should get going." As if he hadn't just dropped a very loaded question right into the mix at quite possibly the trickiest moment to do it. He had to wonder if his palms were sweating when she took his hand on the way. But figured if they were, she'd assume it was because the trial was warm. Or that maybe he was nervous about meeting her parents. She wouldn't be completely wrong about the last bit. He was. But that wasn't the extent of it at all.

In fact, he was starting to feel a little funny, in a way he couldn't recall happening before. It was good that the ship was late rolling in, and they could sit while they waited. He tried to distract himself with a bit of paper and pencil from his pocket, doodling away on some idea that had popped into his head that morning. But his focus was split, he felt a little dizzy, hot, for a trill or two he thought he might throw up. "Do I feel hot to you?" he asked suddenly, but then assured her he was just fine, just as the ship's crew extended the plank at the dock. He put the paper away in his pocket and stood to wait beside her.

Perdie rushed to meet her parents, and wanting to give them that moment alone, Eli remained where he was and looked on. Or at his shoes. Or he looked for a clear path, should he need to make a quick run for it. But before they turned back his way and could see him, he made sure to wipe his hands to ensure they weren't damp and clammy. And then put on what he hoped was a comfortable smile when the three of them approached. "Sir. Ma'am," he said, then extended his hand in kind to her father's gesture. Firm enough, he hoped, but not too firm to be viewed as...What? Being too full of himself? Too sure? Maybe he was overthinking this.

"It's good to meet you both." They were wealthy from the looks of them, just as he'd already figured they were. And it probably left them more inclined to think there was no one good enough for their daughter. Course, any parent might feel that way, no matter their station. But did they know he'd grown up in the Dust Quarter of Rharne, he'd wondered before more than once. It wasn't exactly the sort of thing he talked about often. But Perdie knew, he was sure. But he'd always believed he belonged somewhere else than there, and had been determined to get there sooner or later. Still, his upbringing couldn't be any more different than Perdie's was.

So a carriage then, and not a cheap one. Eli smiled, "Thank you, ma'am," he said, and climbed in to sit by Perdita. Of course they were in close quarters then, and it was harder to avoid direct glances or more importantly, direct questions. The cat though? That was easy. "The cat...Your cat?" he asked Perdita. And he smiled. "I didn't know they were bringing the cat. We could have gotten some things for it. I'm sure it's missed you." Of course, maybe it hadn't enjoyed the boat ride so much. Legend had it that cats and water didn't mix. "There's plenty of room for a cat in the house. It'll be a nice addition."

But then it was only a matter of time before the questions came calling, and Eli glanced at Perdie, looking at him, and realized that if one of them didn't speak up...and he suspected it wouldn't be her first, then it was going to be an awfully long carriage ride. "I'm sure Perdie...Perdita's told you some in her letters," he said. "We've seen some really strange things. Not bad or dangerous things, mind you," he was quick to add. "But I'd never imagined anything like that before, flying in the belly of a giant moth. And Desnind is a world away from Rharne, in just about every way."

He told them about the little city surrounded by trees, or rather, the city in the trees themselves. The people, the iyo, and so on. "It's quieter than here in Scalvoris though and the people here are much more numerous and less alike than in Desnind. I'm sure Perdita's told you about the university too," he added and smiled, squeezing Perdie's hand. "We're both signing up for classes. Perdie more than me, to be honest. She's got a lot of talent and more to spare, but I'm sure the two of you already know all that," he added.

[Perdita Westcott]

20th Ashan, 721

he was a coward.

Perdita knew this, as she looked at him. Would it be alright if they were together, he asked. Her eyes met his and Perdita wanted so many things. There were so many words that she would speak, so many things that she would say but she did not have the words. "For them?" she asked. Why had her mouth gone dry? It had. She looked at him and for a moment she wondered if he meant something about them, regarding them, between them, them. But then, he said it wasn't what he'd meant. So what did he mean? Perdita wished she knew because she had no clue currently. But then, he said that they should get going that she didn't want to keep them waiting and Perdita nodded. "We should go," she agreed.

As the made their way, Perdita held on to his hand and she was quiet. This was far from unusual, Perdita was quiet far more than she spoke; silence was her usual. So, she walked with him and she held on to his hand and she thought all the things that she needed to think about. When they got to the docks, Perdita sat with him and was, largely, lost in her own thoughts until he asked her if she thought he was hot. "Hot?" She lifted her hand so that the back of her hand touched his forehead, then his cheek. "No," she whispered. But, at that moment she almost certainly was as her cheeks flamed. But, she smiled. "Not cold, either." Her fingers fiddled with her dress until she stilled herself. "Just right. Like the bear."

Which probably, she considered, made sense only to her. Damnit.

But, she had no time to explain because there were her parents and Perdita was busy hugging and crying and then tugging them to meet Eli. Quickly, they were bundled into a carriage and Perdita held tightly on to Eli's hand as they settled and started to move. She nodded. "My cat," she said. "Soot " Her cat was pure white with one black "sock", but she'd named him soot because she'd found the tiny creature in her chimney. When Eli seemed happy, Perdita smiled and blushed and lowered her head all at once. Her parents exchanged a glance, but said nothing.

Eli answered the question about what they'd been up to, and her father nodded. "We've read a lot about Desnind, and Scalvoris, and you, Eli. Quite a number of adjectives, each one more praising than the last." He tried to maintain stern, but managed it but a moment before he smiled. Hermoine spoke, then. "We've been worried," she said, softly. "Because you left so suddenly. But you look so happy," she addressed that last part to Perdita, who nodded. "I am," she said. Hermoine smiled. "Your happiness is all we've ever wanted."

Glancing at his wife, Leontes spoke once she'd finished. He seemed keen to not get too emotional. "Where is our Inn, in relation to your home? Should I procure a carriage for you both, too?" Perdita shook her head. "It's not far, father." He nodded. "I will be pleased to be comfortable and not rocking," he said. Hermoine smiled. "My husband is not a natural seafarer." Perdita looked between them and asked, "how long are you visiting?" Hermoine shrugged. "We plan to spend some time here. It would be nice to, I think, get to know where you are living, what you are doing. We miss you." Perdita squeezed Eli's hand tightly. "I know mother. I miss you too."

That prompted a raised eyebrow from her father. "Not so much that you came home when we asked you, young lady." Perdita smiled and shook her head. "Not so much I'll live your version of my life, rather than my own, no." Looking at them, and Eli might notice that she wasn't blushing, she smiled. "So, I'm glad you love me too much to ask or expect me to." Longer sentences than she ever spoke, but there it was. "So," said Hermoine brightly, and with a look of pride on her face. "We would very much like to get to know Scalvoris, and you Eli. It seems that our Perdita has chosen you both, and therefore we'd like to get to know you and welcome you to the family. I hope you will be able to make time for us? We would like to eat together each evening, spend the trials together as much as your studies and jobs allow, that kind of thing. Once we're settled, we might look at renting a house, to make ourselves more comfortable. Rather than eating in Inns each night, home cooked food, that sort of thing. Would you both be amenable?"

Perdita turned to look at Eli and just for a moment she didn't speak. Then, she spoke and her words fell out in a jumble. "It would be alright if we were together," she said. Her eyes were serious as she wondered whether he knew that she was referring to their conversation just before they'd left. Not her mother's request for them to eat together now. "Better than alright, for me." Her hand held tight in his and she willed him to understand. But what if he hadn't meant that? Oh, she didn't know how to be brave like this, and really in front of her parents too? So, she blushed red and nodded. "Would it be alright with you, too?"

"Do you get the feeling, Hermoine," Leontes said calmly. "That they're having a different conversation?" It seemed that Perdita's parents knew her very well indeed.

"Yes, dear," Hermoine replied. "Shush."

Family is one of Nature's Masterpieces.

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

.Just like the bear? He'd neglected to ask, since the opportunity had already passed him by as the ship came to dock. Even while watching Perdie reuniting with her family from afar, it had come back to him on an errant whim. Was the comparison an important one? Eli couldn't begin to guess. But if asking would have made him look foolish, the arrival of Perdita's parents had saved him from himself.

There they were in the carriage then, sitting side by side, hand in hand, and from Eli's perspective, him in the hot seat with her parents seated across from him. But so far, it had gone better than he'd dared to hope. "Soot. That's right," he said, remembering that at some point or other, Perdie had told him the cat's name. "I don't know if you've always kept her in or not," he added, thinking that it might take some adjustment before the animal would settle. "But might be better to keep her completely in for a while, till she gets used to a new place."

The exchange then between Perdie and her parents was interesting. Not that he was eavesdropping so much, but that it was impossible not to listen, given their close proximity, all of them together. Were her parents voicing their displeasure with the way things had come to pass, or with her not having returned home? Was this some sort of push and pull of wills. An argument of sorts? Perdie's upbringing had been a world away from his. She'd grown up in a politely well heeled world.

Him? In his world, you knew when a family wasn't getting along. You knew when the family two streets over wasn't getting along. It usually involved some very colorful language, shouting, glass breaking, and so on. And those were usually considered the mild disagreements. At the least though, over the course of the conversation, Eli found himself more at ease. At least in regards to being left behind should Perdie decide to return home without him. It appeared she had no intention of doing it.

But wait...What? Welcome him to the family? Was it a test? Perdie squeezed his hand, and Eli smiled and squeezed back. "Of course I can make the time. We can. Right?" he said to Perdita. "It would be nice to get to know Perdie's family better. I'd like that." He still figured at some point they might find him not up to their standards, so far as what they'd wanted for their only child. But the fact that Perdie seemed clear about it, eased his concerns quite a lot.

It seemed that Perdita was also full of surprises, and for a trill or two after she spoke, Eli found himself speechless. He knew of course, that she was referring to their earlier conversation, whether or parents were aware of it or not. When he finally found his voice again, he grinned and tugged her hand, as if to pull her closer. Nothing else at that moment could have put him more at ease of a sudden, or by the same token, taken him somewhat by surprise. All this time, he'd thought that what he was feeling was just wishful thinking on his part, and likely, she might not have felt the same.

"It's more than alright with me," he said. "I'm only sorry that I didn't say so sooner." Like the question regarding the bear, or the likeness to one, if Eli would have said more at that very moment, the fates would conspire against him. Or, depending on how cleverly or stupidly he'd have voiced his thoughts, the fates had saved him instead. The carriage rolled to a stop, and glancing out the window he could see that they'd arrived at their destination. So waiting for the driver to open the door, he hopped out and extended his hand to help Perdie step down, and then offered the same to her mother. He hadn't anticipated that things would go nearly as well as they had. In fact, he thought, so far at least, they couldn't have possibly gone better.

[Avalon]

Review Rewards

Perdita

Name: Perdita

Points awarded: 15xp

Knowledge:
Appraisal: Examining a book for a general overview of it's state
Appraisal: Determine the likely outcome of damage
Appraisal: Identify the size of gaps in a book's spine
Appraisal: Appraise the situation and plan your repair.
Bookbinding: Do not cause more damage when assessing the spine of a book
Bookbinding: Use a rod to apply glue down the spine of a book.
Bookbinding: Seal the ends of a spine to ensure glue doesn't leak
Bookbinding: Weight a book to keep it in place while the glue sets.

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriate to level

Eli

Name: Eli

Points awarded: 15xp

Knowledge:
Physics x 4
Engineering x 4

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriate to level

Notes:

Beautifully written piece! I enjoyed learning more about Perdita and Eli through the writing. It starts off being able to see the interaction between the two when they are alone but follows up later with a look at how they interact with the npcs. This gives the reader a lot of depth and understanding of the characters that they may have missed otherwise. It may not feel like it/look like it, but I felt that there was a lot of information packed into this story...and I loved it.

It's fun to read the differences between the two pcs. They are alike in a lot of ways, such as focus and intent, but their minds are unique in how they see the world and interact with it and each other.

The part about the cat is adorable! The npcs are wonderfully written as well!

I'm familiar enough with both your writing styles to feel confident in saying that you've created wonderfully unique characters here and I look forward to watching them evolve and grow!

I'm glad it's alright with both of them to be together!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!

Avalon