Z sketching under a tree (for private convos with Z if you so desire)

*Z is leaned back against a tree overlooking some rolling hills covered with spring time flowers. She has her sketch pad and charcoal out and is maddly skribbling away. She has a big dark smudge of charcoal across her nose and cheek which keeps growing as she is lifting the charcoal stick to it and tapping it against it or absentmindedly rubbing it with her charcoal covered hand.*

Zeiss sees Z leaned back against a tree, writing something. He approaches slowly to not startle her. When he is near enough, he realizes that she is drawing something. Uncertain of how he should start a conversation with, he simply says :

"...Can I talk to you?"

He waits for her response, preventing himself of fidgeting on place.

*Z gives an absentminded wave to the grass besid her. The cool spring breeze feels great and you notice that Z has uncharacteristicly lost the cloak and face mask/wrap/thing. She has the cloak spread out on the grass in the sunshine and Sumomo is currnently napping contentedly there.*

Without waiting after Zeiss, Rainbow gets out of his sack and goes take a nap with Sumono. After hesitating for a few seconds, he goes sit beside Z while making sure to find a comfortable position without touching her. He tries to speak casually.

"I just wanted to ask you about what happened at the ruins. Where you... got frightened."

"hmmm..."

*she is smudging an area of what you can now see is a close up of a flower near your feet.*

"Oh you mean my fear of heights? I've always been like that. I really don't care for them. They make my skin prickle if you know what I mean."

Zeiss stays silent for a few seconds. Then speaks up again.

"...I care about that. This concerns our group. I... hmm..."

He searches for his words.

"This is not something you should hide from the others. Hiding that you are a Desolate, I understand. But since we are trusting each other with our lives, it would be good to warn the others about things that could go wrong. Like your fear of heights."

*Z gives a dissmisive wave of her hand.*

"As long as they don't catch me off gaurd its not usually a problem. Hell I've done some scouting on top of Holtburg's city wall before. Can't say that I really cared for it, but I can do it."

Spoiler:

"...If you're sure, then I guess it's alright."

He pauses for a moment, looking at Rainbow who just started nosing off.

"We didn't really know what to do, that's all. You completely stopped being rational and mumbled about some Syrena in elven, looking at nothing in particular."

He looks at her.

"I assume that you're an elf. Am I right? You talked in elven like if it was your mother tongue."

*Z tugs on her ear leaving a dark smudge on it.*

"What do you think these are for show? *cynical laugh* Yes you can say I'm an elf. At least I was an elf."

Zeiss frowns a little.

"I wasn't even sure that your true appearance is this one. And why do you say was? You still look like an elf."

He frowns a little more.

"And your face is covered in smudges."

He takes out a small towel out of his sack and hands it to Z.

*Z waves away the cloth.*

"I'm not done yet so that is useless."

*She goes back to sketching, and shows no sign of answering your question about the "was." Up to you if you want to question her more about it.*

He frowns even more.

"...Come on, answer my question. You already said too much. You might as well explain it."

Zeiss turns to Rainbow, who he can hear snore softly.

"This *she tugs on her ear again* is what I used to be. Now you can't truely call me an elf. I've never seen someone like myself before, and no I won't show you, nor can I explain it any better than that."

*She shrugs.*

"Desolation is one thing. My monstrosity is... something else entierly."

*She gets almost a look of disgust in her eye.*

"That hyena seems to I'm living in fear. Hiding, cowering away in a corner."

*she spits.*

"He thinks I'm some weak whimpering damsel to affraid of her own skin to even attempt to let society accept her. You've saw how Rory, Higaide, and Fierneceal reacted to upon seeing Kerinthka of Worker for the first time? Remeber that abject horror of some heideous monstrocity come to life? One can't simply walk out on the streets of Holtburg in such a guise. Especially not with the unconsious disgust and hatred people feel for my kind."

Zeiss is silent for a few moments. He seems surprised to hear her talk so much.

"Snarg is just like everyone else : he wants other people to have the same values as him. The righteous are usually arrogant in their statements. Don't pay too much attention to what he said."

He lets a moment pass before he talks again.

"...Is this monstrosity of yours really bad? Because... well... you seem pretty normal to me. It's not like you could kill people by touching them."

He laughs a little.

*Z looks particularly serious and thoughtful.*

"No I don't think I could kill them by touching them..."

Zeiss stops smiling when he hears Z's response. He considers it, trying to figure out what she means exactly. And repeats what she said.

"You don't think...?"

He looks at her and the smudges on her face.

"The thing that makes you different than all of us... has it put someone else in danger?"

He shows concern, but doesn't seem worried about himself.

"That depends on what you mean by put in danger..."

*Z shrugs.*

"I suppose you could say that I put many people 'in danger' inadvertently simply through their association with me. *a brief pained look crosses her expression* To my knowledge my affliction doesn't harm those around me without my willing it to."

"It doesn't seem like you know a lot about this affliction of yours..."

He ponders for a moment.

"If you can kill people simply by willing it, I don't see what is the difference between you and me."

*Z laughs.*

"I can't will them to death. It works like... well like magic, but its nothing I've ever come across."

*She glances over the picture which she has been smudging this whole time and then nods once, apparently happy with it, and flips to a new page.*

"Wait wait wait... It's somehow like magic?"

He frowns.

"Then how are you a monster? If the only thing strange about it is its uniqueness, you are not much of a monstrosity."

Zeiss looks at her notepad and the drawing she is starting.

"Fierneceal also has a strange ability."

Snarg appears over the hill, sniffing on the ground. He looks up and seems to see the pair under the tree. Hesitantly coming over, he clears his throat softly once he gets close. "I'm not ... interrupting anything, am I? Do you mind if I join in? I need to talk a moment."

*At the moment she is rifling through her bag for a new drawing utensil apparently not wanting to start the work with charcoal.*

"Naw the monster part isn't really the abilities. I mean magic is magic. I don't know I don't really get it myself. And I'm not that worried about it. Its not like I can't extract myself before I lose control if that happens."

Snarg bounds over about this point and announces himself.

"What do you want, fluffy."

*she throws an extremely surly look at Snarg.*

Snarg paws at the ground and sits down in front of them. "Well, I ... aw heck, I'm not too good with words, even with this thing," he taps his jaw, "so I'll just say it straight: sorry for getting you all upset before. I know that probably didn't help when I went off on that tangent. I don't think you're scared, really, I don't. There aren't many people on this earth who'd do the things you're able to do. Truth is I'm really just scared myself and so I was preaching at the Gnoll in reality. It started ... back at the temple, which brings me to the second thing: I want to tell you a little story about that - get it off my chest. You're about the only ones I trust with hearing this."

He pauses for a moment and then begins his story...

Spoiler:

Zeiss finds himself in an embarrassing situation. He doesn't really know what to do or say. He simply waits for Z's response to it.

"I've been a following Gnoll most of my life. Did whatever boss Gnawbone wanted and we were fine most of the time, even hiding in that ravine. Didn't think there was anything wrong with just going with the flow. I kept my opinions to myself mostly, shut up when told, and ... you get the idea. I wasn't unhappy at all.

My little view on life changed a bit when we visited that temple. I don't mind telling you: I was shown getting exactly what I wanted. Our whole tribe settled in the the crater and things were going nicely. Gnawbone was pleased with what we got and I even avoided a little fight with some Centaurs at first without going against what the boss said. That changed a bit after living there a bit when we found out that they were going to betray us: turn us in for being there to some high authority that didn't care much for us just being there.

I had a friend with the Centaurs. He warned me that night of what was going to happen and I had the chance to change it. Instead, I just went to Gnawbone and it turned in to a bloodbath. Everyone was slaughtered. We came out on top and I thought we'd still have a chance, but no ... the temple just..."

His voice cracks a bit as he continues to speak.

"...it just straight up appeared, slaughtered and mutilated Gnawbone and my new friend, right in front of me, and then taunted and mocked me as if it was my fault." He pulls up two wads of grass where he had been digging his hands in to the ground. Sighing deeply, he stares in to them and slowly brushes his hands off.

"I had to ask myself after that: what kind of world is this where the very elements themselves would do something like that to you? I really couldn't believe that's something that the elements themselves would do to someone just trying to live out their life and help others along the way.

Back then I vowed to myself that I'd take the initiative and get things done - not to be afraid of doing whatever I think the right path is. Guess that's a bit why I went off, I was just looking for someone to agree with me on what I should be doing, sorry about that again. I almost don't know what to do any more. Is it even worth living if even the powers-that-be think you're predestined to be a failure for yourself and others? I just don't know and it makes me ... afraid. I know this probably isn't what you wanted to be hearing or if you even care, but I just wanted to tell someone. If you want me to go now I can do that."