Once Upon A Tree

The sun streamed down into the opening in which Honua was trying to focus her mana, slowly moving her arms and stance similar to tai chi. Her teacher taught her that this was a good way to improve her focus, balance and strength, which she questioned for a while. She used to think that it looked stupid and was just another form of boring meditation. After performing it for a few months, she actually noticed the difference.

The clearing made for the perfect spot to practice; enough space, no noise and no people. However, that day, the latter was not true. She glanced into the thicket and saw a woman standing there, umbrella in hand. Letting out a sigh, she turned away from her. It seemed like she couldn't get any peace on this island. Hoping she would just leave, Honua kept up the flowing movements, trying to ignore her

Honua just carried on about her business. She hardly ever started a conversation, not caring for small talk, but the woman just sat there was starting to make her feel uncomfortable and she got annoyed when she was uncomfortable. At intervals, she would glance over to see if she was still in her position by the tree and she seemed to be doing something. Honua wasn't sure what, but it probably wasn't within the realm of normal that she was used to before arriving on the island.

Without stopping or looking over to her, she cried, "Are you just going to stare?" What was her purpose to be there in the first place? Was she just wandering by or maybe she had something else in mind. Honua didn't really care, she just wanted to be left alone.

What did that mean? Was she afraid of the sun? Vampire, maybe? Honua was still new to the idea that almost everything was actually real; monsters and beings from legends, folklore and mythology. She almost didn't want to believe in it but the evidence was building up the longer that she was there.

As the woman walked over, a veil of shadows cast down from the umbrella, Honua still avoided eye contact and carried on as if she wasn't there, not even stopping when she was asked a question. "Honua. Honua Kapule," she told her. Hoping that answering the question would get the woman to leave, she looked back at her - nope, still stood there. If she wanted something, Honua hoped that she'd just ask quickly.

Honua stopped and stared at the crimson red snake as it floated infront of her face, moving back to avoid getting too close. This place was really weird. She just watched it, slightly confused yet amazed at the same time. Elisa responded to her question and gave a small smirk. Bit creepy, she thought to herself.

She wasn't quite sure what her answer meant, but since it was accompanied by a smirk, it was slightly unnerving. "Right," she returned, not sure what to say. Throughout, though, she kept a plain, emotionless expression.

"That's because I'm not used to people like you." She still struggled with getting her head around the idea of the supernatural. "You're a vampire?" she asked. Elisa confirmed her earlier suspicions that she wasn't human. It was more of a rhetorical question rather than wanted an answer that she had already been provided with.

Seeing her up close, Honua saw features of the woman that she didn't realise from a distance: her two eyes were different colours (one gold and one crimson like the thin stream of blood that slithered into a snake) and wings that protruded from her back.

Noticing the wings that seemed to hurt when they came in contact with sunlight, she stated, "I take it you don't sparkle in the sunlight then." It could have been considered a joke but, as usual, she said it in a sarcastic tone. Watching as Elisa wandered back into the shade of the trees, Honua stayed where she was, in direct sunlight - just in case. She was taken aback by the magnificent wings that stretched out and then lowered to the ground as the woman sat down. Wondering what it would be like to be able to fly, Honua decided that it was probably best that she didn't have wings; she would find it more of an inconvenience, getting in her way.