Keira was not really in the best of moods; her conversation with Virgil about her dream had not been what she had wanted to hear, but such was life. If in fact, her mother had been killed by an Oni...it made Keira wonder just why the creature had not killed her as well, after her mother was dead. It was a question that was bothering her. Unfortunately, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she wasn't actually paying attention, and ended up running straight into the door of the convenience store she had planned to shop at.
She stood there fore a second, rubbing her head, and silently thanking the gods that Virgil had not been there to see that; he'd have given her no end of grief about it. As it were, it seemed that no one had been around to see it, at least until she heard her name from behind her. Keira turned, coming face to face with Nerys. Keira smiled slightly, shrugging lightly. "Don't worry, I'm alright. The only thing wounded is my pride, or at least it would be if I had any."
She was out of a few things, and the only thing Nerys knew to do was to go down to the local convenience store to purchase the items she needed. There were not a lot of things, just simply household items such as soap, and a few food items. The household items could wait until the end of the week, however; she was running low and her groceries could not wait. She quietly made her way through the town, list in hand, and smile placed on her lips. The day had been bright, the sky blue and clear, and it seemed to be fair weather all around. It was on of the rare days that came about, and she wanted to take advantage of it by walking.
She made it to the store in time to see a peculiar sight, and she frowned slightly, giving Keira a worried look. She pursed her lips together as she stared down at Keira, watching as she collected herself. "You should still be more careful, Keira. You could have hurt yourself," she replied before shaking her head softly and smiled. "But as long as your okay, I suppose it's alright. Ah, are you out of food too?" she questioned, her eyes brightening up slightly.
To her own surprise, Keira actually blushed slightly. Her habits of drawing were not something she usually shared; none of the others even knew. Well, Virgil probably did, the man had a habit of knowing everything that he shouldn't, so it would not surprise her at all to learn that he knew of this. Still, it wasn't like it was some sort of big secret that she had to keep. Nerys was her friend, after all. What harm was there in her knowing?
So, she reached into her bag, pulling out an old, tattered, and very full sketch pad, and shook her head. "Actually, I'm out of paper and charcoal. My latest three subjects have given me quite a bit of inspiration, and as such, I seem to be burning through my materials rather quickly." That was very true, indeed. While she had quite a few sketches of animals and trees and things of that nature, later on in the book were many different views of Nerys, Ephraim, and Virgil, from profiles to full-forms; human to their other sides. There was even one of Inari, though that one was faceless. Perhaps it was because she was a goddess, but Keira had been unable to get her face to look right from simple memory.
There were also quite a few pictures of Nerys and Ephraim together; Keira had taken to drawing them while they were training or sparring, the same with Virgil and Nerys, or Virgil and Ephraim. There was an interesting one there, as well. It showed a fox and hound, not quite matching what Virgil and Ephraim looked like exactly in their other forms, but close enough that if one knew about them, they could tell what they were. The were circling each other in a yin-yang like fashion. That one was Keira's particular favorite. Oddly, there were no pictures of Keira herself. She'd never drawn a self portrait before.
Nerys blinked owlishly at Keira's reply. When Keira produced an old sketch book, Nerys tilted her head before it clicked, seconds before Keira explained. She gently took the book from Keira and filtered through the pages, her eyes glancing over the detail each picture produced. Her eyes lit up as she passed a few pictures of herself, Ephraim, and Virgil, each one with impeccable likeness that it almost frightened Nerys; if things like that scared her, of course. She frowned slightly when she noted there were no pictures of Keira, and wondered why, for a moment. She gave the book back to Keira and offered her friend a small smile.
"They are really beautiful drawings, Keira," she stated, folding her hands to her side. "I wish I could be that talented, but as it is, I am not. Why...have you not created a self portrait? It would be just as beautiful as you are," she stated as if it were the most natural thing to say, and to Nerys, it was. She was never one to tell a lie. "We could go in together and get your things first!" she stated, making a grab towards Keira's arm but stopped herself. Keira was adverse to touch, that much she knew, and she didn't want to make anything uncomfortable for Keira. Instead, she ushered Keira in front of her so that they could enter the store to grab their necessary items.
Keira pursed her lips slightly, unsure of exactly how to answer. She'd tried to draw a self portrait once, but she'd burned it shortly thereafter. She had been terrified of the lost, soul-less look she'd had; it was also the reason that she had kept her mirrors covered before. However, she had never gotten a chance to answer, as Nerys had moved as if to take her arm and then stopped herself.
A slight smile graced her lips; Nerys really would never change, and that was okay. She shook her head slightly, offering the other woman her arm. "Come on. I can make a few exceptions. I cannot say that it will be exciting, but if you want, you can watch me muse over which charcoal sticks to buy."
Nerys' eyes lit up when Keira offered her, her arm. She hesitated still, not entirely sure if she should take Keira's arm, even though it was being offered. Deciding it would be okay, she laced her arm with Keira's and smiled brightly at her. She would have to find a way to thank Virgil and Ephraim soon. It was because of them, that they were closer. They had managed to do wonders for her, and more-so for Keira, and Nerys would be eternally grateful to the Solomon brothers for that. She needed to thank them. For now, she would enjoy her time with Keira.
"But it is exciting! There are different varieties and brands and things to choose from! Even though essentially, it's all the same, it's the process of choosing which one speaks to you that makes it exciting!" she stated, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. She shook her head slightly, the smile still on her face as she dragged Keira inside. "Also," she stated, stopping momentarily and released Keira's arm. She turned to face Keira as her eyes set into a serious stare, something she had never used before, at least not with Keira. "I'm happy to see you looking better, Keira. You seem more vibrant, and...happier. I'm so very glad," she stated, a small smile returning to her lips as she hugged Keira.
Keira blinked in surprise when Nerys let her go, the look on her face one so serious that she didn't know what to make of it. Her face slowly went to a neutral gaze as Nerys spoke. Keira was aware that she had begun to change, to become...bright, as she had said, but she did not necessarily think that it was such a good thing. At least, not with...
She forced her mind away from that thought. Instead, she smiled again, just slightly, as Nerys hugged her. Keira even managed to lay an arm on the other woman's back. It wasn't a hug exactly, but it was far more than she had ever initiated before. She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Honestly, Nerys. You never cease to amaze me with your ability to see the good in others. I thank you for that."
She stood there fore a second, rubbing her head, and silently thanking the gods that Virgil had not been there to see that; he'd have given her no end of grief about it. As it were, it seemed that no one had been around to see it, at least until she heard her name from behind her. Keira turned, coming face to face with Nerys. Keira smiled slightly, shrugging lightly. "Don't worry, I'm alright. The only thing wounded is my pride, or at least it would be if I had any."
She was out of a few things, and the only thing Nerys knew to do was to go down to the local convenience store to purchase the items she needed. There were not a lot of things, just simply household items such as soap, and a few food items. The household items could wait until the end of the week, however; she was running low and her groceries could not wait. She quietly made her way through the town, list in hand, and smile placed on her lips. The day had been bright, the sky blue and clear, and it seemed to be fair weather all around. It was on of the rare days that came about, and she wanted to take advantage of it by walking.
She made it to the store in time to see a peculiar sight, and she frowned slightly, giving Keira a worried look. She pursed her lips together as she stared down at Keira, watching as she collected herself. "You should still be more careful, Keira. You could have hurt yourself," she replied before shaking her head softly and smiled. "But as long as your okay, I suppose it's alright. Ah, are you out of food too?" she questioned, her eyes brightening up slightly.
To her own surprise, Keira actually blushed slightly. Her habits of drawing were not something she usually shared; none of the others even knew. Well, Virgil probably did, the man had a habit of knowing everything that he shouldn't, so it would not surprise her at all to learn that he knew of this. Still, it wasn't like it was some sort of big secret that she had to keep. Nerys was her friend, after all. What harm was there in her knowing?
So, she reached into her bag, pulling out an old, tattered, and very full sketch pad, and shook her head. "Actually, I'm out of paper and charcoal. My latest three subjects have given me quite a bit of inspiration, and as such, I seem to be burning through my materials rather quickly." That was very true, indeed. While she had quite a few sketches of animals and trees and things of that nature, later on in the book were many different views of Nerys, Ephraim, and Virgil, from profiles to full-forms; human to their other sides. There was even one of Inari, though that one was faceless. Perhaps it was because she was a goddess, but Keira had been unable to get her face to look right from simple memory.
There were also quite a few pictures of Nerys and Ephraim together; Keira had taken to drawing them while they were training or sparring, the same with Virgil and Nerys, or Virgil and Ephraim. There was an interesting one there, as well. It showed a fox and hound, not quite matching what Virgil and Ephraim looked like exactly in their other forms, but close enough that if one knew about them, they could tell what they were. The were circling each other in a yin-yang like fashion. That one was Keira's particular favorite. Oddly, there were no pictures of Keira herself. She'd never drawn a self portrait before.
Nerys blinked owlishly at Keira's reply. When Keira produced an old sketch book, Nerys tilted her head before it clicked, seconds before Keira explained. She gently took the book from Keira and filtered through the pages, her eyes glancing over the detail each picture produced. Her eyes lit up as she passed a few pictures of herself, Ephraim, and Virgil, each one with impeccable likeness that it almost frightened Nerys; if things like that scared her, of course. She frowned slightly when she noted there were no pictures of Keira, and wondered why, for a moment. She gave the book back to Keira and offered her friend a small smile.
"They are really beautiful drawings, Keira," she stated, folding her hands to her side. "I wish I could be that talented, but as it is, I am not. Why...have you not created a self portrait? It would be just as beautiful as you are," she stated as if it were the most natural thing to say, and to Nerys, it was. She was never one to tell a lie. "We could go in together and get your things first!" she stated, making a grab towards Keira's arm but stopped herself. Keira was adverse to touch, that much she knew, and she didn't want to make anything uncomfortable for Keira. Instead, she ushered Keira in front of her so that they could enter the store to grab their necessary items.
Keira pursed her lips slightly, unsure of exactly how to answer. She'd tried to draw a self portrait once, but she'd burned it shortly thereafter. She had been terrified of the lost, soul-less look she'd had; it was also the reason that she had kept her mirrors covered before. However, she had never gotten a chance to answer, as Nerys had moved as if to take her arm and then stopped herself.
A slight smile graced her lips; Nerys really would never change, and that was okay. She shook her head slightly, offering the other woman her arm. "Come on. I can make a few exceptions. I cannot say that it will be exciting, but if you want, you can watch me muse over which charcoal sticks to buy."
Nerys' eyes lit up when Keira offered her, her arm. She hesitated still, not entirely sure if she should take Keira's arm, even though it was being offered. Deciding it would be okay, she laced her arm with Keira's and smiled brightly at her. She would have to find a way to thank Virgil and Ephraim soon. It was because of them, that they were closer. They had managed to do wonders for her, and more-so for Keira, and Nerys would be eternally grateful to the Solomon brothers for that. She needed to thank them. For now, she would enjoy her time with Keira.
"But it is exciting! There are different varieties and brands and things to choose from! Even though essentially, it's all the same, it's the process of choosing which one speaks to you that makes it exciting!" she stated, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. She shook her head slightly, the smile still on her face as she dragged Keira inside. "Also," she stated, stopping momentarily and released Keira's arm. She turned to face Keira as her eyes set into a serious stare, something she had never used before, at least not with Keira. "I'm happy to see you looking better, Keira. You seem more vibrant, and...happier. I'm so very glad," she stated, a small smile returning to her lips as she hugged Keira.
Keira blinked in surprise when Nerys let her go, the look on her face one so serious that she didn't know what to make of it. Her face slowly went to a neutral gaze as Nerys spoke. Keira was aware that she had begun to change, to become...bright, as she had said, but she did not necessarily think that it was such a good thing. At least, not with...
She forced her mind away from that thought. Instead, she smiled again, just slightly, as Nerys hugged her. Keira even managed to lay an arm on the other woman's back. It wasn't a hug exactly, but it was far more than she had ever initiated before. She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Honestly, Nerys. You never cease to amaze me with your ability to see the good in others. I thank you for that."