A message from a Friend

[Arin]

Aria giggled and looked at Alicia when she commented on the other world looking like Florida "We're not there yet dear. If you recall, Lance disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. We need to find something buoyant enough to keep us afloat, and i'll bring us to where the rift between the realms resides." She looked around, and spotted a beach sports store, smirking cleverly "Alicia, I'm going to have to change our clothes, I've got a plan."

She led them to an isolated place under one of the raised docks and focused, Aria gaining the beach wear that she had when she was in California, searching for Lance's parents. Alicia was in a similar garb, a two piece bikini with a sash tied around her waist, for street appropriate wear. They both were wearing pretty comfortable sandals as well, to avoid the heat of the streets and sand of the beach. Aria readjusted the wide rimmed straw hat on her head, before leading Alicia back to the streets, and to the sports shop, materializing a purse before anyone could spot them.

Once inside, a stereotypical surfer kid was working the counter, noticing Aria and Alicia walk in and letting out a very quiet whistle "Welcome to the surf-joint, ladies, anything I can help ya with?" Aria looked around, before spotting a row of good conditioned surf boards "Yes, we were curious about getting some surf boards. Ours broke and we were hoping to replace it before the next heavy windstorm kicked up some nice waves. Nothing too fancy, just enough to do the job."

The surfer kid walked over and grabbed a couple of blank surf boards, carrying them over to the counter and scanning them in "That'll be 289.99. But you ladies seem like some cool chicks, so I'll throw in the employee discount and save you 20 bucks." Aria reached into her purse and pulled out 3 100 dollar bills "I'm not too worried about the cost hon, keep the change~"

The two boards in their possession, Aria and Alicia hurried out to the quietest place on the shoreline, which was also fairly rocky and hazardous "I'll change our clothes back to normal after we arrive in Wheat Town. But first we need to get out past the drop-off. I'll help us along with my magic."

[Lance]

Alicia nodded, geting onto her board and paddling out into the water, her great strength propelling her through the water with ease, even through the somewhat choppy waters of the rocky shoreline. "Let's get going then, lord knows what that dubass is getting himself into."

[Arin]

Aria nodded and hopped onto her board, leaping forward and slowly gliding down to the water's surface. Once on the water, she sat up and looked back at Alicia, aiming her hand at the board and gently easing it from Alicia's hold "Let me steady that, then just lay on the board, I'll bring you down to the water, and then we'll surf the entire way there."

Once alicia was securely on the board, Aria lowered her down until she was beside the witch, both of them riding out past the rocky waterline and speeding up after passing the dropoff. Thankfully, they were in an isolated area, and no one could see them riding surf boards like they were motor boats. "It'll be about an hour before we reach the Bermuda triangle, let alone the rift to my realm. If you like, I could share some things about the world that you might like to know...Or about your friend Lance, for that matter."

[Lance]

Alicia was silent for a moment, looking out over the expanse of the ocean before speaking. "Tell me everything, starting with what Lance's deal is, he wouldn't have gotten so deep into this shit if something big wasn't going on."

[Arin]

Aria smiled and kept facing forward, gripping the board in the case of any waves that came should they need to vault over "It's a bit more complicated than that my dear. When he arrived, he kind of trashed an entire wheat field for the town we're going to arrive in. He would have been incarcerated, if my son hadn't saved him from imprisonment, quite possibly for an indefinite amount of time. And given his heritage, that would be for quite a long time."

[Lance]

Amelia nodded, "Probably an EMP, though it'd have to be fucking strong, F-35's are EMP shielded...wait, what do you mean "with his heritage?" What, is he a fucking halfling or something?"

[Arin]

Aria smirked when Alicia asked if he was a halfling, ignoring the comment about the EMP for now, even though she was wrong in her theory "Half elf, actually. His mother and father are also of elven descent. They just had their ears magically modified to appear human, so they could hide in the human realm."

[Lance]

Alicia was silent for a moment, "Huh...oddly enough, having met Lambert and Mary, I'm not that suprised...they always had this kind of...air to them, like they were trying so hard to belong to a place that wasn't theirs. At first, I thought it was being around military folks that had them off kilter. Let's be honest, intense doesn't even BEGIN to cover it when it comes to us. But now...I wonder if they were trying to blend in among HUMANS, in a place that was so different from their own home."

[Arin]

Aria sighed softly, she knew the feeling Alicia was describing all too well "Believe me, I know what you mean. I stayed in this realm for fifteen years, raising my adopted son, and helping him control his own power. I had to constantly change myself over the years to appear older, so he wouldn't learn the truth too soon. He only learned about my true self a few months ago."

She giggled softly, another thought occurring to her "Although, I suppose the same can be said for Lance. Not only is he dealing with the burden of a different heritage, but of lineage as well."

[Lance]

Alicia cocked an eyebrow. "Oh my fucking god, that bastards royalty isn't he? I don't know if that means he'll be a savoir or the goddamn harbinger of doom. The guys not exactly the type to tolerate politics, ya know?"

[Arin]

Aria laughed softly when Alicia started cursing about Lance's royal bloodline "you're on a roll, as they say, Alicia. He's royalty, yes, but the kingdom he would have dominion over was destroyed centuries ago. His parents have lived several lives in this world, pretending to be people they weren't for hundreds of years. What he needs is someone who can temper his anger, and be a voice of reason and council, if he were to revive his homeland to its former glory. My son is the same way, and they're traveling together as we speak. Part of my quest to make sure he won't be the 'harbinger of doom' was to inform you of his well being, and to bring you to his side, if you were to accept. Having a friendly face he could trust and talk to might alleviate some of the stress of a foreign environment."

[Lance]

Alicia nodded, "I...I don't think I can be that council Aria. We enable each other's worst habits, the competition, the aggression, all of it. We're too alike, I wouldn't be a good moral compass for him, and to try and do so would lead him HORRIBLY astray. I'm fine talking to him, being a shoulder to cry on if he needs it, but that's ALL I can be without causing more harm than good...I'm sorry, truly."

[Arin]

Aria nodded, understanding what Alicia was explaining to her "No, I understand. Still, if you aren't the right fit for him in the ways I had hoped, perhaps you can help him find someone who is. Regardless of my own intentions for this, you will give him something that my son and his future wife are unable to do right now, a strong, bond of friendship and trust, someone who he can always rely on, no matter what. They still need to form that bond on their own."

[Lance]

Alicia nodded, "I get you, but a word of advice to that son of yours and his fiance, don't try to throw morality at him. He does NOT like that shit, he has a very strong sense of right and wrong, and a very strong belief in punishing those who hurt others. If they try to preach, he's going to lash out, or worse, try to spite them. Also, Lance doesn't ask for much, but one thing to make him trust you? Just talk to him, try and be friendly, shoot the shit, talk about hobbies. Just be polite and respectful to him, and he'll stick by you."

[Arin]

Aria sighed when Alicia pointed out something that they all had to learn the hard way "Yes, we learned that he doesn't enjoy being told what he should do to someone. But as much as I can respect his viewpoints, I still wish some of his 'right and wrong' actions didn't involve wanting to mutilate or kill someone...His first encounter was with the former Earl of the town we will be entering...We found out that he wasn't treating the people of his town right, some far worse than others. Granted, my son lost his temper and almost attempted the same thing when he almost lost control, but to willingly want to kill someone for ignorance, rather than punish them with the same treatment they gave to others, it boggles my mind that one person would resort to the killing so quickly for crimes not punishable by death."