Not Lost, But Found [Fae]

@"Fae"

Though there was still plenty for Oddleif to do around the Academy's grounds (and sooner or later, beyond its boundaries), but on this particular day one could find the ashen-haired youngster laying in the grass under the shade of the tree she had met Samael a day prior. She was dressed in her usual rags - that is to say, also her best and only clothes she had at hand, while her peculiar ashen hair was left to flow loose rather than tied up in a bun, messily splayed on the grass around her head like a blanket of snow. Her emerald eyes were resting behind closed lids, appearing to be asleep - though in all due honesty, she was just trying to relax in the territory she had already explored and considered 'familiar', not wanting to admit defeat against the summer's heat that made her so lazy.

I'll just cool off for a while ... then I'll get around exploring those towers around the place. she thought to herself in an attempt to make herself feel better. Eventually, she opened her eyes and watched the sky between the green canopy of the tree overhead, letting her thoughts wander as freely as the clouds as they passed. She was wondering about the circus troupe she had been traveling with, prior to her arrival at Manta Carlos - though in all due honesty, they had really turned out to be her family as she grew up ... she never imagined she would have to leave them behind, simply because she was more 'special' than expected. Everyone at the circus was weird - short people, women with beards, contortionists who could bend in ways that would probably make you sick at the stomach ... she couldn't really understand why she couldn't stay with them - she couldn't explain why they were afraid of her. They should've known better ... she would always be Odd, what with her white hair and gold-flecked emerald eyes. What difference did it make, that she could apparently make snow appear in her hands, or freeze water with a thought?

Oddleif had to turn her head and shut her eyes tightly, realizing that her train of thought was making her heart squeeze painfully in her chest - she was making herself sad without intending it. She would have wanted to get up from the grass and find something to do, to keep her from thinking, but her limbs felt as heavy as lead. All Oddleif could hope was that there would be a distraction coming by soon ... preferably before she would accidentally make herself cry out of home sickness.

Oddleif knit her brows together as she thought she heard the sound of footsteps paddling against the cobblestone of the pathway, only to crunch softly against the grass as a sign that the person, whoever they might have been, were approaching her ...

Letting out a questioning huff, the ashen-haired teen propped herself up on her elbows, emerald eyes looking over the young little girl as she dragged her stalwart stuffed teddy bear after her. Hearing the child's question, all Oddleif could do was to tilt her head and giggle - she was more amused than annoyed with the endearing child, as she had dealt with a lot of lost kids while growing up at the circus ... and it seemed that youngsters liked her just the same, since she always got them to stop crying and start laughing by the time their parents would find them.

"I don't think so." Odd answered as she sat up in a lotus position, this time tilting her head in the other direction as her hands tugged at the grass around her. "We don't look very alike, do we? You have blonde hair and mine's white - your eyes are blue, and mine are greenish. Family need to look similar, right?"

The ashen-haired teen peered behind the girl and grinned. "I like your friend. What's your name?"

Oddleif simply shrugged her shoulders and grinned sheepishly. "I dunno either. I never met my parents, but I noticed that family looks alike. Maybe that'll help you when you look for yours next?" She offered helpfully, only to let her attention drift towards the bear as its frayed patchwork limbs dangled before her ... and quirked an eyebrow at hearing its name.

"Huh ... what a weird name he has. Can I call him K?" She grinned, before she held out her hand for the little girl to shake. "I'm Oddleif, but you can call me Odd ... 'cause I'm odd like that." She winked and stuck out her tongue playfully, for the sake of the good mood.

Oddleif shrugged her shoulders when the little girl insisted on the full name, only to smile sheepishly. "Well, you're the boss here, I guess, though I don't think it's fair that you get to call me by my short name and I can't."

Nevertheless, the teen moved on to something more interesting than teddy bear names - she began making several silly faces she had learned from the resident clowns, hoping to make the little girl. "Nyeehhh!~I'm funny because I grew up in a circus and learned all the secrets the clowns would teach me!"

Though Oddleif couldn't keep it up for long, since Faeyt insisted on more serious business - the ashen-haired one relaxed her face and blinked her eyes thoughtfully, trying to think of a way without making the young one worry. It was incredibly hard to get anything done if you have a crying child sticking to you ...

"Well, um ... Did you come to this island with your parents recently? Maybe they're still around."

Oddleif felt quite glad to hear the young girl's laughter as it spilled past her lips like crystalline bubbles - if anything, she was glad she was able to make people happy through her shenanigans, even if it got her in trouble ... or worse cases, as the scar running below her left cheek would remind people.

When Faeyt turned back to the topic of parents, though ... it was amazing how a child's innocence could hurt so much - for Oddleif could practically feel her face fall off, whatever joy she might have felt before suddenly kicked out of her with a sledgehammer. For a moment, she was breathless, her chest squeezed uncomfortably by an unnoticeable pressure.

Her parents were always lost ...? That means she's an orphan - like me. Odd thought to herself, a wave of sadness washing over her, which showed on the outside too - her expression grew wistful and regretful as she was reminded of that unpleasant fact. But unlike me, she is still looking for them ...

Oh, kid ... what am I going to do with you?

"I lost my parents too." The teen admitted softly, rearranging her blank expression into one of lightheartedness, trying her best not to let her real emotions show - it wouldn't do anyone good if both girls would just start bawling their eyes out about having no family. "But I think that's okay, because I found others to be my mommies and daddies. Maybe when you grow up ... you'll find people to love you like family too." Oddleif tried to smile encouragingly, but it only came out as a half-pained smirk instead.