[Action]

[gardeningaia]

[It's rather late in the evening to be out in the snow, but so Aerith is. Behind ch. 4, out in the forest, she's cleared the fresh-fallen snow from a small patch of earth and is now kneeling down in it, talking to Faeren.]

Wasn't it strange back then? Everyone changed so suddenly! ...Were you...a little nervous? Hm... But...people seem to be treating the forest and plants all right. Better than they do back home.

...Did I talk to you last time? No, you don't need to tell me. I'm sure I did. You don't have a voice, but still, it's less quiet when I'm talking to you.

[...and so on. In general, Aerith is just naturally chatty with spirits anyway. She'll be doing this spirit-talking for a while into the early night, roaming around the perimeter of the village to see if she can get in touch with Nala... The cold and still-falling snowflakes don't seem to deter her. This is more important.]

Comments

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

Then I'll visit!

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

I'll keep an eye out for you.

...Say, I just thought of something. Do you ever talk to Sona? She's the water spirit here. [An ice fairy would probably talk to her, right? Hm.]

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

There's a water spirit?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

You didn't know?

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

-The look pretty much says all.-

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

No one told you about that...? There are six spirits here. Sona's one of them. They say you can hear her better if you're near water.

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

Well why has Sona never talked to me?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[She thinks about that for a few seconds.]

Maybe she was, and you were playing too loud to hear her?

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

... That makes sense!

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

You have to be listening to hear the spirits. It's kind of hard, but try staying quiet the next time you're by the lakes!

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

I will!

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

All right. Be careful out here, okay? I know you're the strongest, but it is getting late.

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

I'll be fine! It was way tougher in Gensokyo.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

If you're sure... have a good night, Cirno.

[Aerith's going to try listening to Faeren again, but she will be looking toward Cirno every so often. 60-year-old fairy or not, she's still a little girl.]

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

-Aerith might notice that on the last time she looks at Cirno, the fairy has clearly fallen asleep, having made herself a bed of sorts on the snow.-

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[...Is that how she sleeps all the time? If Cirno's sensitive, she might feel Aerith kneeling and leaning over her, checking the color in her face and then her pulse. Just to be sure she's actually all right and not passed out. She can't help being concerned, even if she is starting to believe the girl is actually what she says she is.]

[baka-jyanai.livejournal.com]

-She's cold to the touch... but her pulse is just fine. In fact, she seems quite at peace in her sleep.-

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[... Alright. Unlikely as it seems, she's fine. Aerith gives a soft pat to her hair and then stands, looking around before she heads back to the apartment building.]