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Eragon: Last of the Free Riders (saphiras_rider) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-04-13 16:27:00

Entry tags:

bella swan, complete, day six, eragon and saphira

Who: Eragon, Saphira, and Bella
What: Arriving in the Illusion City
When: Day 6
Where: The edges of the city
Rating: TBD
Status: All done!

In the rush to get back to the Varden from Ellesmera, Eragon almost didn't notice the swirl of light in front of them. Saphira? he said, gently touching the dragon's conscious. What is that?

But it was too late to turn around. The winds that had pushed against them on the way to Du Weldenvarden were pushing them forwards, and before Saphira could even get her wings under her, the wind pushed them forwards to the light. The landscape around them changed almost instantly. What had once been desert was now lush and colorful, and yet somehow faded. Moving into Saphia's mind, Eragon noticed the colors were dull and bland even through her eyes. What is this place? he asked, as much to himself as to her.

I don't know, she replied, glancing around to get her bearings. It's strange. It doesn't feel like home. Or anywhere near there, honestly. I don't like the look of it.

"Me either," he replied out loud, and with a nudge of his knee, he urged her downwards. "Come on, let's check it out."

This isn't a good idea, Little One, she scolded. We have places to be, in case you've forgotten. Nasuada?

Eragon felt a twinge of guilt, but shook his head. If it's not the Empire, then we've nothing to worry about, do we? Come on, I want to know what's going on.

Though he could feel her discomfort at the idea, Saphira relented and ducked under a gust of wind. It's colder here, she commented, but landed with a gentle 'thump'. Eragon climbed off of her back, jumping to the ground with still newly discovered grace. Puzzled, he glanced around, taking in the tents and sounds that looked like some sort of Faire. A poor one, but a Faire just the same. Carvahall had very few in his time, and this certainly couldn't complete with an elven celebration, but it was happening just the same.

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_bella
2009-04-16 11:49 am UTC (link)

Bella nodded in sheepish agreement when he commented that the rain wasn't exactly weather for exploring in. She hated the rain. She was a creature of warmth and sun, and being out in weather like this was high on her list of things not to do, but she couldn't just hide out in her room forever, now could she? "Everyone's gotta eat." She commented lightly, trying to justify her actions, though she agreed with him completely.

Hating rain as much as she did, her first reaction to the lack of it falling on her, was amazed gratitude. Her secondary reaction—that probably should have been the first since no umbrella had been produced—was confusion. She looked up for a moment; slowing considerably for two steps, stunned by the invisible...force field was the only thing she could think to call it. She didn't need to ask what was going on, because before the words could even be formed, he said 'that was better', and it was obvious he was the cause of the magic. Standing next to the boy with his delicate elfin features, his dragon, and now his use of magic, Bella couldn't help but feel a little inferior. She was used to this, but that didn't stop it from making her shoulders hunch ever so slightly, especially when he commented on her clothing. She looked down to what she was wearing, causing her to take a sort of hop/stumble step before righting herself and giving a quick apologetic smile. She glanced up at his clothing then and noted the difference. "I'm not from Alagaesia," She confirmed. "I'm from..." She wasn't sure if Earth was appropriate... were magical lands technically plants or just countries on the planet? "Arizona." She decided on. "It's this really hot, dry, sunny, beautiful place." There was a hint of nostalgia and sorrow in her voice. She missed Arizona. "Although, I was living with Charlie, my Dad," She quickly amended, "And he's from a town called Forks, where the weather is just like this. Jeans and a raincoat are pretty standard there." She referred to her outfit before casting a glance up at the sky, amazed again that they were being kept dry. "We don't have dragons, or magic, or anything like that where I'm from. That's why Saphira was such a shock." It was an excuse for her reaction, but she felt it was needed. The blue dragon had done nothing to appear harmful and she shouldn't have acted so badly. She turn her attention to him then, "I'm sure it's much different from, Alagaesia." She hoped this would encourage him to talk about his world. She was curious to know more about it and him, but she wasn't sure if it would be okay to pry, and she didn't want to come off as over eager.

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saphiras_rider
2009-04-16 12:48 pm UTC (link)

Her clumsiness, though not something he ordinarily minded, struck him as intriguing in this strange world. She was pretty, but not overwhelmingly so the way Arya sometimes was. In fact, Eragon had the feeling she didn't even know it. It was refreshing, considering most elves knew instantly they were beautiful, and the girls back home in Carvahall worked overtime to be pretty.

Her story was actually nearly as interesting to him as his was to her. Sure, she didn't come with a dragon in tow, but a place called Arizona? He attempted to trace the name but couldn't; it had no roots in any language he was trained in. And she lived with her father, which made him think of Katrina again, living with the awful man after her mother's death. And he, who hadn't even known who his own father was until a day before. She was lucky in ways she probably didn't even know. "It doesn't rain very often back home," he confirmed, glancing up at the sky. "Just enough for the crops, sometimes less. I actually think it has a bit to do with the Empire. The leader, he's... Well, calling him a Dragon Rider's a bit too much of a compliment, I think, but he technically is. Magic and all." Eragon glanced affectionately back at his own dragon, who had pulled her way out of his protective shield in order to splash her tail in the rain puddles. "Doesn't seem all that different, though. Well, different people, perhaps, and clothing, of course. But magic and dragons are pretty rare there, too. Saphira's the last female dragon in existence." This time his expression was a bit mournful, and in a rare moment of defense, he guarded his mind from her. No need to remind her that, without her finding a mate in the remaining egg, her race would die out.

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_bella
2009-04-17 02:41 pm UTC (link)

Head down, watching where she placed each step, Bella couldn't hide her curiosity when he began to describe Alagaesia. It seemed like weather was a universal constant, but the rest...? Magic, empires, dragon riders (which she assumed meant people who road dragons, though she wasn't entirely positive)... it all sounded so fascinating. She was never one of those girls with her head in the clouds, dreaming up fantasies or adventures. She was simple in her tastes--even in her reading, but hearing his description, knowing that he was real, flesh and blood, and so was the place he was describing...well, it sent a small thrill down her spine. No matter what he thought, it didn't sound like Forks in any way shape or form. Forks was rainy and dreary. The only thing to mark the passing of time was school, which aside from the first eventful day and the mystery that was Edward Cullen's momentary hatred of her, was exceedingly routine.

The corners of her mouth pulled down in a frown when he mentioned that Saphira was the last female of her kind. She had only just discovered the dragon existed, and already she couldn't imagine a world without her. She turned, mirroring him, and glanced back at the dragon, a soft smile forming as she watched her play with the puddles. A chuckle bubbled out of her lips, soft and barely audible, and the only thing that pulled her attention forward again was her foot catching on the ground again, reminding her to watch where she was walking. When she turned her attention back to walking, she bit lip to stop the from returning. She knew it was probably silly, but she hoped very much that Saphira and Eragon would be released soon. Her desire for their release even exceeded her own wish to be home. She simply didn't want that sort of fate to befall them.

Still, that didn't seem like an appropriate topic, and so she picked up on his previous statement as they neared the dorms. "I'd have to see Alagaesia to be sure, but it sounds like there are some key differences." She commented, her tone taking on a teasing quality at the end, "Although they probably have a lot of fundamentals in common." She conceded. "Though, I think things would be a lot more interesting in Forks if we had magic and dragon riders." She tried to keep her tone light, and found that it wasn't as hard as she'd anticipated. Worry aside, she found Eragon easy to talk to. So far, he hadn't made a big deal of her clumsiness, he was quick to offer a smile despite his current situation, and he seemed genuinely nice. He wasn't as devastatingly handsome as Edward Cullen, though he was still handsome--almost beautiful even, which made him less intimidating. Also, he wasn't someone she recognized from the pages of any book she read as a child which seemed to make him more real than Caspian had been, and if asked, she would have to admit that next to Edward, he held her interest more than anyone she'd met in a while. She had dozens of questions she wanted to ask him about where he was from, and what his world was like. It disappointed her to see that they were coming to their destination and her time speaking with him would be up.

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saphiras_rider
2009-04-17 08:48 pm UTC (link)

Several rows of buildings loomed in front of them, and Eragon stared at them curiously. They looked nothing like the village of Carvahall, nor the tents the Varden used. They did seem to be made of stone, but they definitely weren't in a mountain, as the dwarves were. For a moment, he was hesitant and his steps slowed a bit. It wasn't fear that coursed through him; he and Saphira had fought several battles and killed plenty of creatures out to kill him, fear didn't strike him easily anymore. But he was definitely wary of this new dwelling. There was so little they knew about it and worse, there were much more important places they needed to be.

Nasuada's going to slay us both, Saphira commented, swishing her tail through a puddle with much less enthusiasm than she had a moment ago. Eragon grinned despite their situation as her large blue head slid between he and Bella, resting on his shoulder. He patted her nose, rolling his eyes at her bossiness.

"I imagine they're much different," he agreed, glancing around. "There's so many different sorts of people here. I've never seen anything like it. At home, we have people, but also elves and dwarves, Urgals and Shades." His face squinched in a bit of a grimace at the mention of the latter two. "But the people here... They're from all different worlds. You can feel it." In some ways it disturbed him, knowing the power that must've been in this place in order to attract so many different people. But in another, he was fascinated. Through all of his travels and adventures over the last year, he'd never met a girl who saw herself as ordinary and came from a place called Arizona.

You're doing it again, a voice murmured to him. Eragon gave Saphira a small glare, then laughed in Bella's direction. "Tell me more. Is there a leader in this city of yours? Plants, wildlife? What are the people like, what do they do? Blacksmiths, tanners, farmers?" The massive amounts of learning he'd done with the elves had increased his curiousity, and he was desperate to learn more with every strange new event.

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_bella
2009-04-18 12:44 am UTC (link)

The look that crossed her face at his line of questioning was one of chagrin. Never had someone taken such an active interest in her before, and it was a little overwhelming. Sure, the kids at school had been interested in her the first day, but when they questioned her, it was superficial and in the end, they tended to do most of the talking. That kept the spotlight off her, and really, she preferred it that way. Still, she found herself answering despite that fact, a shy smile forming as she tried to go into detail about where she was from.

"Well..." She began, thinking where in his line of questions to begin. "We have blacksmiths, and farmers...tanners too I'd imagine. But... those jobs aren't...well, they're really important still, but they're not..." She paused, thinking how to describe advancements in technology. She scratched the base of her neck, picking her wet hair up off her neck gingerly and throwing it over her shoulder before continuing. "We...we have machines that do a lot of work now. People don't..." She paused, trying to think of something that people didn't do anymore. "People are still farmers, but they have machines that do most of the work. It's hard to explain." She gave him an apologetic look. "We don't have magic, we just have industry. It's the closest we've gotten to making things easier for us.'

"As for leaders, Arizona is a state in a country called the United States. It's exactly what its name says a bunch of individual groups that act independently, but are united by a governing body." She glanced at him to see if he was following or if she'd lost him. "The people in charge are all selected by a vote. Everyone gets a say." There was so much to tell and explain, so many things she loved about Arizona, so many people she could describe. They had arrived at the dorms though, and she'd stopped them in front of C. "There's more, obviously..." Her lower lip slipped in between her teeth again. "This is where your room is." She pointed behind her, handing over his key finally. "I'm in that building." She pointed. She looked down at her hands fidgeting for a moment, "I understand if you want to get settled in, but if you want to...trade stories...or something..." She shrugged, suddenly feeling awkward again. She was never very good at this type of situation. "Well, that would be nice." She glanced up at him once before turning her attention fixedly back to her hands, amending quickly, "It doesn't have to be now either. Later's good too."

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saphiras_rider
2009-04-18 10:14 am UTC (link)

Her shyness caused Eragon to smile a bit more, pleased that she wasn't some overconfident stuck up snot, like some of the girls he'd grown up with. Though he couldn't say he was exactly pleased with where circumstance had brought them, he thought he might be okay if all of the people were like this one; kind and warm and inviting. And yet Eragon still felt Saphira chiding him in his conscious, and he had to chuckle to himself.

He didn't really want to be left alone in this land of strangers. But then, with Saphira by his side, he was never exactly alone, was he? And the two of them had an awful lot to talk about. How they'd ended up here instead of Feinster, where, exactly here was, and why they could feel the conscious of almost everything around them except for their pretty, awkward tour guide. "I would like to figure a few things out," he admitted, looking towards the building she'd showed him to with a sense of dread. "Perhaps get some exploring in, too. See what we may be able to figure out." If anything. He truly, truly hated not having any understanding of how this all worked. "But I've no doubt we'll meet again. If you want to, that is." He'd all but forced Arya to hear his feelings for her, he didn't want to scare any other women the same way. Even if Arya wasn't exactly your typical woman.

"It really was lovely meeting you," he offered, his smile turning almost shy. Mentally, he scolded Saphira for laughing at him. Again. Beast. "And again, I'm sorry Saphira frightened you. I suppose when you don't even know dragons can exist, she can come as quite a shock."

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_bella
2009-04-19 12:43 am UTC (link)

Bella tried not to let her disappointment show when he said he had to figure things out. It was natural that he want to see his room, look around, and see for himself what was going on. It was purely selfish to want him to stay and keep her company. Plus, she could use a fresh change of clothes, and maybe even a hot shower to warm up. Her disappointment faded though when he asked if she'd eventually want to meet again. It wasn't exactly an 'I want to see you again', but it was good enough, as far as she was concerned. She didn't have a lot of friends back where she was from, and she wasn't sure if that would change here, so she nearly jumped when he left that option up to her. "Oh, yeah, that would be great." She said, a little too enthusiastically, having to calm herself and try again, "I mean, I'd like that a lot." She smiled sheepishly, ducking her head, embarrassed.

She looked back up when he said it was lovely meeting her, "You too." She nodded, her smile returning to match his own. "You and Saphira." She added, smiling at his companion, "And, you don't need to apologize at all, it was a shock, but she's really amazing." This was true; Bella watched the pair, her eyes lingering on Saphira. It was an incredible sight. It filled her with fear, awe, and a childlike sense of wonder. It was very real proof that all the things she'd read about as a child were possible. For a person as no-nonsense as Bella, that was both a shock and a gift. "I hope to see you both again soon, and if you need any help, or have any questions I'm in E239." She pointed toward her dorm. "Or, I'm on the journal, system...thing." Her brow furrowed then at her ineloquent description. That was about as succinct as she could think to be with the information she'd been given.

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saphiras_rider
2009-04-19 04:29 pm UTC (link)

She's flirting with you, Saphira commented, a somewhat annoyed twinge to her voice. Eragon's head snapped around to glare at the dragon. Talking to me doesn't mean she's... Saphira! The dragon merely rolled her eyes skyward and began walking off towards the thick nest of trees. I'm going to see if there's anything to eat around here. That's all I need is to get sidetracked from trying to seige Feinster just to starve to death.

Eragon chuckled as he turned back to Bella, then glanced in the direction where she said her dorm was. "Perfect. I'll know where to go when this place drives me mad. And I'd like to look over this journal. I'm not exactly pleased with the idea of it, to be honest." Again, magic he didn't recognize rarely went over well with him. "Speaking of..." He looked ahead out at the rain. "You'd best hurry, I can only keep this field up for so long and it's too cold for you to go running around in this." He could probably keep it over her till she got to her appointed destination, but after that, it would be far too tiresome on him, especially with Saphira out of his sight. "I'll see you soon, then?"

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_bella
2009-04-19 09:39 pm UTC (link)

It was probably for the best that Saphira and Bella couldn't communicate with one another. If she'd known what the dragon was thinking at that moment she probably would have turned a scarlet red and been unable to speak again for a minute or two. She never considered herself a flirt, and she didn't ever consciously attempt it.

As luck would have it though, Bella was blissfully unaware of the mortifying conclusions the pair had come to, and so she nodded looking up again. She'd forgotten about his spell and the reason she was no longer being rained on. Now that he reminded her she felt terrible for making him expend the extra energy. "Oh, sure." She nodded, taking a step backward. She crossed her arms over her chest and offered one last awkward smile, her eyes trailing after Saphira. "Have a great day." She said, wincing after she was done and turned before she could make a bigger fool of herself. She ducked her head and walked to her dorm as quickly as she could without falling yet again.

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