Explosion of Fluffies [Kay]

Explosion of Fluffies [Kay] Sept 15, 2015 21:29:46 GMT -5

Post by Baby Wessex d9b [earthling] on Sept 15, 2015 21:29:46 GMT -5

NAVYA SACHDEVA

The sunlight had begun to slant, which meant it was almost time to retire from the branches of trees and return to the earth. The heard the screech of wheels on iron. It was as though the entire District ground to a halt along with the train. The trains hemmed in the far side of the Sachdeva orchards, not far from where Navya was picking. She gathered her skirts, trapping a harvest of apricots, and expertly shimmied to the ground. Though she was fast and eager, she found herself trailing behind her siblings who ran to see what had caused the horrible sound to rent the evening air.

A pack of them angled for the front of the train, waving and slapping each other on the back as they went. Navya took up the rear, watching for a time from between low hanging branches. Her skirt was still full and she couldn't just leave the fruit on the ground if they were going to fetch a good price for it. As the sun sunk, she picked out the bleeting of goats and the grunts of pigs from between the murmurs of the crowd.

At last she waddled towards the commotion, taking care not to drop a single apricot. She knotted the bottoms of her skirts together, held them against her stomach. The loop of the patched skirts caught around her knees, showing her scuffed and broken boots. Normally her sense of propriety would have prevented such a ridiculous outfit, but she could neither afford to abandon her harvest, nor ignore the spilling train. She was still outside of the circle of onlookers when a tiny squeak caught her attention.

She looked down to discover that one of her scuffed boots had landed on the tail of a calico kitten. "You poor thing!" She exclaimed, putting her bare knees to the dirt. She stroked the kitten's back, working a burr free. After a few moments, it seemed to have forgiven her for the boot transgression. She scooped it up and deposited it among the apricots in her skirt, trying not think that it might ruin all of them with its tiny, knife sharp claws. She managed to walk another few feet before spotting a white furry face in the brush. She didn't stop to pet this kitten, just grabbed it by the neck and deposited it with the other. On and on this went, a few steps, a kitten, a few more steps, another kitten, until she had eight of them pawing their way through her apricot-ladden skirts.

She reached for the ninth, and found someone else in her path. She looked up and up, craning her neck until at last her dark eyes connected with his. She sucked in a sudden breath.

Harbinger Rhodes.

For a moment, she could do nothing but stare, the way people stared at her now, when she walked with Kirito into town. She hadn't realized the weight of those stares, which she had so casually turned on the Miristiomas, Persimmons and Rhodes. But now she understood, that just a gaze could have weight and depth, could press equally on your head and your heart. Even knowing that her gaze may not be welcome, she could not stop herself.

Until she realized where she was, and what she was holding. Her skirts ballooned in front of her, filled with fruit and mewling kittens, and she was absolutely smitten with the sight of a complete stranger.

She laughed. She laughed deep and full, shaking the skirts. "I've found some -" she took a breath between laughs, "some kittens. They're from the -" she pointed at the train and then wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just so completely ridiculous. Kittens! Oh poor dears though, I don't think they like how I've had to carry to them." She rustled the skirts, letting the laughter finally subside. Only when she was sure she wouldn't lose control again did Navya lift her gaze to his. "Are you here to help?"

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