...Well. This was a very sudden development. X'D

Near the beginning of this week I started brainstorming ideas for a mysterious character that I knew had to exist, but I hadn't given much thought to yet. Thanks to StoneByrd and EpicMoonBlade's help, though, this little baby came into existence! I hope you enjoy. :)


See Ya


5, Tera, year 633


The island of Keitorin was alive with a thousand exotic sounds that blended to create a beautiful harmony. Birds, twittering and flapping their wings overhead. Trees, their tough leaves rattling in the breeze. Insects, hissing and chirping rhythmically all around her.

Noel could not restrain her excitement as she explored her new home. Using a nearby spring as her guide, she strolled through the trees at an easy pace, enjoying the potent heat of the sun on her face and the warm, soft sand under her toes.

It was all so new, so strange, so wondrous. Even after an entire day of wandering she could not wrap her head around the vastness of her new home.

It's certainly different from what I'm used to, Noel reflected, thinking back to the North's chilly nights, sharp winds, and damp, mossy forest floors. The remote village of Han'gei had been her home until a little over a week ago, when they'd boarded the Lord's Compass. Over her twenty-four winters in Han'gei she'd grown familiar with every path, every tree, every lake.

Now she had to start over, and she rose to the challenge eagerly.

Granted, she probably should be back at her family's house right now, helping them unpack all their belongings after their weeklong journey across the ocean. But exploring the island was a far more exciting task. They could get along just fine without her for a few hours while she found a suitable place to relax and play some music.

Anticipation buzzed in her chest and made her fingers itch. She touched the strap of the guitar case slung across her back in a vain attempt to calm herself. She couldn't help but smile as she quickened her pace, moving farther and farther from town.

Every time she'd tried to play her guitar while on the ship, she'd gathered quite a crowd. It made her uncomfortable and, to be honest, a bit annoyed. She missed the woods near her old home where she'd been able to hide and play whenever the mood hit her. It was of the utmost importance that she find a new place like that here on Keitorin, as soon as possible.

And so she walked. And walked, and walked, always keeping that little nearby tributary on her left. There was no path here- as was made evident by the frequency of rocks and bushes that she had to navigate around with the help of her cane. This was a good thing: it meant that most people did not come this way. Which meant that she was less likely to be disturbed.

Of course, a lack of paths and people could also mean that there's something dangerous up ahead.

She dismissed the idea and kept going. After all, it was hard to get anywhere in life without doing a stupid thing every now and then. Cautious people never make the history books, her father always said. They only write them.

And Noel sure as the thirteen moons wasn't good at writing books.

The ground beneath her feet grew rougher. She picked her way around rocks and holes. The spring made a sharp turn toward her, and she crouched to take a drink before following it further into the craggy terrain.

After a few minutes of splashing through the stream, Noel walked into the shadow of the mountain, where the air was chillier and the ground damp and slippery.

She found herself standing before the entrance to a cave. Raising her hand to feel the ceiling, she judged it just large enough for her to walk through without bending over. She entered, but carefully: she didn't want to damage her guitar, which, although protected to a degree by her soft leather case, jutted out several inches higher than her head. She kept a hand raised to feel the ceiling as she traveled through the dank, earth-smelling tunnel; the stream's gurgling was amplified in the enclosed space. She also heard the rhythmic rushing sound of ocean waves somewhere ahead. Wind hissed softly through the cave, tugging at loose hair that had escaped her braid.

Noel whistled sharply. The sound ricocheted throughout the tunnel, but came back to her almost immediately. This cave wasn't very deep. Was there an exit nearby, then, or would she be forced to turn around?

No. If she could hear the ocean, there had to be an exit. Her heart pumped faster. Where would this tunnel lead? She skirted a stalactite jutting from the ceiling. Bumped her head against another, smaller, stalactite right beside it. She rubbed her head ruefully- Shoulda felt that one coming- and kept moving, more carefully this time.

The cave floor gradually sloped downwards, and the sounds of the ocean grew louder, until at last Noel found the exit to the cave. She dropped to her hands and knees, then ran her hands all around the opening to ensure it was big enough to fit her body. It was, but only just. She carefully unslung her guitar from her back and left it with her walking stick inside the cave, then crawled through the opening on her belly.

The sun again beat down heavily upon her, and the wind buffeted her face. She took a deep breath of the strong, salty air- which was a startling change from the cave's mellower scents- and rose to her knees. She brushed sand from her hand, then turned around and pulled her guitar and stick through the opening. She stood, slung the case onto her back again, and stepped forward.

The sand was smooth under her feet, unbroken by debris or stones. She walked out about twelve yards before the ocean lapped around her toes, gentle and bubbly, as if the water were stroking her skin.

This is it, she decided, and walked along the surf to measure the length of the beach. This is the place.

The beach wasn't very long at all; about fifty feet from one end to the other, protected by the mountain three sides.

My own little cove, Noel thought proudly, and took her guitar from her shoulders with an air of finality and pride. She slid the instrument from its case, sat in the sand, and plucked all of the strings. Fiddled with a few of the pegs, and then plucked the strings again.

Without entirely meaning to, her plucking became a song. The strings vibrated under her fingers; she rested her chin on the warm body of her instrument, feeling the sounds through her jawbone and chest as much as hearing them with her ears.

Her fingers obeyed her every thought, conscious or unconscious. They voiced each trill that occurred to her, each chord that rose up to take the place of the last, skipping from string to string with memorized accuracy.

The steel fluttered with each note, whether high and clear or deep and resonating. Whether she muted the strings or let them ring clear, they penetrated her ribcage with warm tones. The ebbing percussion of the ocean tide accompanied her song. As did the seagulls far overhead.

It was a far cry from quality vocals. The seagulls did their best, though, and Noel had to smile at their shrill, happy screams.

A distant wail, different from that of the birds, carried to Noel's ears on the breeze. Her fingers closed over the strings as she turned her head, listening intently.

There it was again. A child, shouting, though she could not make out the words at this distance.

Noel slid her guitar into its case and stood, following the sound to the small mouth of the cave. She knelt and stuck her head inside. Yes, the cry was this way. Hosts! Did a child follow me in here and get lost? She made her way back into the cave and ran as fast as she dared- one hand on the ceiling, the other holding her cane before her so she wouldn't trip on the rocks- back to the entrance.

The journey out seemed far longer than the journey in. She fell once, nicking her knee, but she got back up and kept going without pausing to assess the damage. There would be time for that later. For now, there was a bigger problem to contend with.

"Hello?" she shouted, grimacing as the sound reverberated on the cold rock walls. "I'm coming, hold on!"

The child's cry tapered momentarily. Then it began again in earnest. Noel still couldn't make out the child's words through their sobs.

Noel finally found the cave's exit. "Hello?" she called out again, turning her ear to the sound of the child's cry. She followed it away from the little stream and back into the sandy terrain away from the foot of the mountain. The child must have run away at the sound of her voice, because it didn't seem to be getting closer anymore. Noel broke into a fast walk, holding out her hand to feel for trees and other obstacles, cutting her feet on sharp crabgrass and bushes. Maybe I should have worn shoes, she thought with an internal sigh, but pressed on.

Moving faster did seem to help: she began to catch up to the child, and caught fragments of their words.

"Choia!"

It was the Dark Tongue. Noel knew only a handful of words in that language. Just enough to realize that 'choia' meant 'mother.'

So this child was lost.

"Cho-oia!" the child bawled.

Noel finally closed the distance between the two of them. "H-hey," she said, softly, out of breath, resting her hands on her knees. "Hey, it's all right. Come here, I'll help you."

The child- a girl of about three winters, Noel guessed by the high tone of her voice- yelped in surprise and began to run again.

"No…" Noel groaned, and leaped forward, attempting to grab the child. She eluded her grasp, and the chase began again, this time with the girl screaming in terror.

"Please, child!" Noel said, attempting to keep her voice calm and sweet, though her head was starting to hurt from all the noise. "I'll help you!"

The child either did not understand her language, or did not believe her. Her little feet scrambled through the sand; she sniffled noisily through the tears.

And then…silence.

Noel paused, frowning. She stepped forward carefully, listening for a telltale breath or sniffle.

There. Just ahead, and to her right. She crept towards her and touched her hands to the grainy bark of a tree, listening to the soft, shuddering breaths of the child crouching behind it. Noel's heart grew heavy with pity. What kind of a world has this child been living in, where she has learned to hide so well at such a young age?

The toddler's move might have fooled a sighted person. But Noel merely reached around the tree, grabbing the girl's arm. She hated to have to pull such a startling trick, but she had no choice if she wanted to help get her home: she clearly would not calm down on her own, and therefore had to be caught.

"Na!" the child screeched as Noel pulled her out from behind the tree.

"Hey, hey…" Noel dropped to her knees and hugged the tiny girl close, trying to restrain every flailing limb. "Shh…shh. It's all right, kid. Where's choia? Is she back in town? Let's- Ah!" She inadvertently released the child to grip the bite wound in her forearm. The child scrambled out of her lap and resumed her flight.

Damn it! With tears of pain in her eyes, Noel rose to her feet. Blood trickled from the bite. Still, she ran after the hyperventilating toddler.

The girl was remarkably fast for her age. Noel struggled to keep up.

Come on, girl, Noel thought with frustration. If you would only let me help you, we'd all be happier!

The girl tripped just ahead with a small Oof! Noel barely managed to touch the child's hair before she was on her feet again, weeping, sniffling, stumbling through the brush.

Noel gripped a stitch in her side. The guitar on her back was starting to feel heavy. Fire seemed to surge down her throat with each gasp. She needed water soon. If I feel like this, how badly dehydrated is the girl? They both needed to get back to town soon- or at least retrace their steps back to the little spring.

The girl let out another shrill scream. Hosts, had she hurt herself? Noel rushed forward and-

She slammed into something hard. She let out a startled cry, twisting as she fell so as not to damage her guitar. The thing she'd crashed into also grunted in surprise.

The man took a few steps to right himself, then turned to her, chuckling nervously, and spoke in the Dark Tongue.

"I- I'm sorry, sir," Noel gasped, spitting sand from her mouth. "I don't understand."

A moment of silence. Noel rose to her knees and gingerly brushed dirt from her arms and trousers.

"Ah, sorry," the man said at last. He stiffly dropped to one knee. He held the toddler in his arms; her breaths were ragged and shaky, but she'd calmed down considerably. "Are you all right, miss? What's going on?"

"I have no idea," Noel huffed, keeping her head low so he wouldn't notice her eyes immediately; they tended to make people uncomfortable. "She was crying, and I tried to help her. But she just kept running away."

"And she bit you, too, huh?" He sounded apologetic.

Noel closed her hand around the bleeding mark to hide it. "It's all right," she said. "I'll get it taken care of back at home."

"I could take you back to my place and help you get cleaned up," he offered.

"I'm all right. Thank you."

Noel could hear the smile in his next words. "If you're sure," he said. "Here, at least let me help you up."

Noel almost protested. But she realized she could use the hand up- her legs were trembling so badly, she wasn't certain she could do it alone. She held out her hand. The man grasped it firmly and rose to his feet, pulling her with him.

…Wait.

Noel cocked her head, listening to his footsteps.

Had this man floated to his feet?

"Here," the man said, releasing her hand. He offered her a canteen of water, which she took hesitantly.

"…Thanks," she said, and took a long drink. She held it out, and the man took it back.

"How is the girl?" she asked.

"Heh." The man sighed. "Better now, I think. Poor child. I'll have to bring her back to town and figure out who she belongs to… I'm glad I heard her crying; it looks like you two really needed some assistance."

Noel's face flushed.

The man chuckled. "Did you arrive on the ship yesterday?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Noel Mekira."

"So it is you. Your parents have been worried sick. You shouldn't wander off like that."

"Ohh, no…" Noel groaned. "They haven't been harassing everyone trying to find me, have they?"

"No, I don't think so," the man said. "But they did express concerns about your…wandering off…to my lieutenant, and asked her to keep an eye out for you."

…His lieutenant?

Noel's blood ran cold.

"Oh- that's right. I'm Jay Keith," the man said, perhaps in response to her alarmed expression. He bent down and grabbed something. "Here." He held it out- Noel took it, and realized it was her cane.

"Thank you," she said. "Um…I apologize, my lord. I should have recognized your voice and-"

"My name's Jay, not 'Lord,' " Jay said. "And don't apologize. It's fine, really. Can you get back to town on your own?"

"Yeah, I think so." She turned, putting the sun on her back, and pointed. "That way until I reach that little spring, right? Then I follow it upstream until I reach the main river, and then downstream from there."

"…Wow." The man whistled. "I've been living here for months now and I haven't got this place mapped out as well as you. Are you sure you've only been here a day?"

Noel realized then that if the Western Lord had noticed her condition, he'd made no comment about it. How peculiar. By this point in most conversations, people were expressing sympathy and asking if she needed to hold their hand so she could make it to her destination safely.

"Pretty sure," she said, and smiled back. "Thank you for your help, Jay. I might never have caught up to that kid without you."

Jay laughed. "Sure thing," he said.

"Do you want any help getting her home?"

"Naw. I think I've got it. You should probably head home before your parents die of a heart attack." He paused. "Though, I don't know why they're so worried. You can get along just fine on your own."

Noel's face got so hot she feared it might catch fire.

This man was definitely different from most other people she'd met.

"Is your guitar okay?" Jay asked. "You fell pretty hard. I'm sorry; you probably couldn't hear me coming, huh?"

"I think it's all right," Noel said. She waved, attempting to force the blush from her cheeks. "Thank you for your help."

"Of course," Jay said. "I'll see you around, Miss Noel."

"Yeah," Noel said, and nearly smiled again at the irony of her next words. "See ya."


First off, thank you sooo much, StoneByrd, for betaing this for me! I also set the responsibility of writing most of those guitar paragraphs on your shoulders, and you rose to the challenge like a freaking BOSS. You're awesome, sista.

So, I knew from pretty early on that Pixal and Jay would not get married- at least, not in this version of the story where she's a robot. (Although I will confirm that she remains on the Dark Island as Jay's lieutenant for many, many years after TG.) So, the question began to tickle the back of my mind: if not Pixal, then who?

Thus Noel was born. I knew from the start that she would have some sort of "disability," and I eventually settled on what you see (or, rather, don't see) here. This happened for two reasons: Jay, as a "disabled" person himself, definitely needs a confident (but different) lady friend who will help him learn to become more confident in all of his own differences.

And also, writing from a blind person's POV sounded like a fun challenge. I highly recommend that all the writers here try it, too! It's great to get out of one's own head, writing without any visuals.

I think that covers it! I'll hopefully update TG next week, so keep an eye out for that... :) Thanks for reading, y'all! Reviews are appreciated. Have a great weekend!