Dream or Reality? [Nao]

A cold wind graced pale skin, the light of the moon veiling over the Mountain Village where a certain guild was located close to. There were many voices chattering and grazing against one another in one loud sea of noises, laughter and cheers emitting occasionally here and there in celebration of the coming holiday in this winter month. However, one individual decided it would be best to hide away from the large crowd of people on the inside - escaping to the outside world to fulfill the need for fresh air. It was one of the last breaks of the night the woman would have before having to sneak back inside, completing the duty that she was used to meeting with dubious care.

A soft sigh escaped pink tinted lips as a breeze brushed by, in turn causing Shu to instinctively hug herself in an attempt to keep herself warm. True as it may have been that the doors to the guild were open for all to walk through, there was no getting used to the cold. It may have seemed rather warm on the inside because of all the people attending, the mass of body heat and other forms of magic keeping the room stable in regards to temperature. However, on the outside, it revealed the truth to just how chilling the weather could be in the month. Rubbing her hands together, the waitress muttered to herself as she placed herself on a step that was all-too familiar with her - looking around at the environment around her to find comforting traces all around.

She knew this area all too well.

"I-I didn't even realize th-that I would be right here, exactly where h-he put me wh-when I. . ."

Almost fainted.

The last time she had just sat down on these very steps was the Halloween Event, having almost fainted from whatever illness she was still carrying to this very moment. The young woman looked down upon the texture of the cold step she was sitting on, gracing the tip of her pale finger against the surface as she was doing her best to recall the memory she deemed precious. Shu remembered the tears she shed, the hint of warmth when she sat on this very spot, the strange sensation that blanketed her chest, and the tingling sensations that tickled her cheeks. . . Just remembering how Nao spoke to her in regards to him helping her, and even imagining him caused the woman to shake her head abruptly - huffing as she rest her hands stiffly in the lap of her red dress.

"N-No, come on, Shu! Y-You have t-to act normal around him! S-So what if y-you can't look him in th-the eye r-right now! Y-You'll eventually f-figure out why, right? R-Right. . . ?"

The maiden hung her head in that very moment with a sigh that was a form of distress, almost in disbelief with herself as a warmth that was becoming all-too-familiar was gracing the very depths of her cheek. Little had the young woman known that she was blushing a hue of red, clashing against her skin in the cold as she kept her violet gaze down upon her lap. She was experiencing a flurry of emotions that swirled within her, confused as to what to think regarding how she felt towards the very person she held closest and dearest to her.

What exactly was she feeling?

Was she nervous? Did the tickling sensations fluttering in her stomach mean she was falling ill again? Why was she getting so worked up over just thinking about someone?

So many questions and again, so little answers. . .

"Wh-What do I do? I-I don't want to avoid him or k-keep acting this f-funny around him. I-Is it funny to him, though? A-A good funny? Th-Then this wouldn't be a bad thing, would it? A-Ahhh!"

Cue the exaggerated flailing of her arms, the mage's once calm demeanor quickly retreating into a completely different world as a squeal passed by her lips. Long story short? She wasn't sure what to do.

It was in a fit of uncertainty and hopelessness that the softest bump would carefully break away all attention from a matter that was causing a world of confusion. Locks of soft, black hair would smoothly shift over a pale shoulder as violet orbs gazed down upon a creature of the likes they had never captured before. Shu's once hectic state of mind was slowly calming down as the creature offered a most adorable smile, its small frame suiting such a bright display of happiness and excitement perfectly. The young woman was finding herself utterly distracted, confused, and in momentary awe at the being right at her side. Any lapse of the cold she was feeling, or the goosebumps along her skin, ceased to exist - her attention completely captured by the being with a bright smile.

Without a care in the world.

The young woman would breathe out softly in a loss for words, a puff of white escaping from the depths of her being in indication of just how cold the winter weather was outside before a voice startled her out of the curious trance she was in. The maiden felt her entire being jump slightly as a soft sound passed by her pink tinted lips in surprise, attention fully focused on the very individual that spoke up; the very person that caused the personal frenzy within herself in the very beginning over the span of days. It was when Nao began to speak that the young woman flinched in a desperate attempt to break herself away from the brink of panicking, the realization hitting her that her dear friend was communicating with her casually and freely.

Th-Think, Shu! Think! Speak! W-Words! Y-You can use them! You can do this!

It was then in the moment she took in whatever cold air she could, using that force of nature to snap her into a rather communicable state of mind. The woman wanted to do whatever she could in the moment to talk with her friend, but also be rid of the swirling storm of nervousness inside of her - if only for a moment or two (although a while was preferred). "N-Nao! Hello! I-I'm glad I was able to see you as well before this night ended, heh! I-It's been so busy and hectic in there with all the people requesting drinks and food and. . . more drinks!" Cue the nervous laugh. "B-But no, no! I'm not feeling ill or anything like that. If anything, j-just, um. . . needing a breath of fresh air!" It was then the mage cringed at herself for a mere moment for the very way she was sounding before regaining her false composure, smiling to the best of her ability with a singular blink of her eyes. The attention was soon shifted down to the griffon known as Charlie, making a soft sound to capture the attention of the two adults around him.

The soft sounds he would make along with the subtle, yet telling actions of his emotions conveyed that this was a rather intelligent creature; or immensely empathetic in the very least.

As the griffon had tilted his head, the waitress would bend her fingers with a wave of her hand - her voice soft and almost hushed as if not to startle the child-form of Charlie himself. It was in these small moments regarding Charlie that the young woman found herself to be more calm and collected, enjoying the very sight of such a rarity in the world. "I-It's very nice to meet you, Charlie. Y-You're very lucky to have such a kind and gentle person look after you.", and with that the mischievous creature bounded down the steps to begin playful antics with himself - games meant for one as sounds of a content nature escaped his very core in glee.

It was eventual that Nao would speak up again, inquiring to her as to how she's been doing while sharing that the invitation was very sweet. Within the depths of her mind in the moment, the woman was telling herself repeatedly that this was just a simple meeting between friends as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary or more meaning to it despite whatever cries her heart told her that it was a lie to herself. The young woman however bit on whatever emotions were causing tremors within her being, ignoring the shivers of her body as she spoke softly with slight quivers. "I-I'm glad you thought it was sweet! I-I didn't r-really know who else to invite, and I s-still haven't made many friends here. . . Plus, I wanted t-to see you again. S-See how you were doing!" Shu kept telling herself to keep calm as she continued onward in her talk, ignoring the telling signs of her emotions - hoping the man at her side would mistake them for the cold affecting her.

Truth be told, she wasn't even supposed to be here tonight. She could barely tell her joints were aching in the cold, and completely even forgot about herself from how busy she had been with the guests inside combined with her own personal problems. The maiden was beginning to wear and tear as she kept her gaze focused on the griffon playing before them at the bottom of the steps, her voice quivering in the slightest as she spoke.

Shu didn't even know or remember that she had to express to Nao eventually that she was getting worse - not better.

"B-But as for how I've been? I-I suppose okay. . . Not much has happened b-but. . . I. . .", she trailed off for a moment in silence, almost running through the words in her head before continuing. "I-I'm decent. The guild had been attacked lately, people have gone missing, m-members aren't too happy right now, and I've been working more and more. . . Wh-What about you, Nao? I-I hope everything has at least been well for you?"

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't allowed herself to cry since any of that happened. . .