Oddly enough, Alysion seemed to live in a normal-enough home, albeit the residence was sort of small. It wasn't surrounded by too many others, and was in a location that approached the outskirts. Opening the door after turning a key, he placed the white peacock on the ground and ushered it inside. The bird was surprisingly obedient and walked back into the home, and he closed the door once the bird was gone. "He'll take care of himself. Town center is a distance from here, perhaps we should take a bus?"
Oddly enough, Alysion seemed to live in a normal-enough home, albeit the residence was sort of small. It wasn't surrounded by too many others, and was in a location that approached the outskirts. Opening the door after turning a key, he placed the white peacock on the ground and ushered it inside. The bird was surprisingly obedient and walked back into the home, and he closed the door once the bird was gone. "He'll take care of himself. Town center is a distance from here, perhaps we should take a bus?"
"The...bus?" Ophelia had never taken the bus in her life. She didn't even know that it was an option. Everywhere she went she did so by walking, cycling, or driving. Taking the bus was a foreign concept. "I didn't know people actually did that." She shrugged, nodding. "Well, I suppose it won't hurt to try public transport." She wondered whether the bus was popular here. She saw it in the city, but most people just took their own cars. Perhaps it wasn't economical to do so here.
"The...bus?" Ophelia had never taken the bus in her life. She didn't even know that it was an option. Everywhere she went she did so by walking, cycling, or driving. Taking the bus was a foreign concept. "I didn't know people actually did that." She shrugged, nodding. "Well, I suppose it won't hurt to try public transport." She wondered whether the bus was popular here. She saw it in the city, but most people just took their own cars. Perhaps it wasn't economical to do so here.
"Yeah. Most people here, including me, don't own a car. And there's no subway." Alysion gestured to his completely empty driveway. "There's a bus stop only ten minutes' walk from here, and it'll save us a lot of time if we take it instead of walking to the center. I haven't tried walking there, but my guess is the trip will take well over an hour." He explained while walking away from his door and back onto the sidewalk.
"Yeah. Most people here, including me, don't own a car. And there's no subway." Alysion gestured to his completely empty driveway. "There's a bus stop only ten minutes' walk from here, and it'll save us a lot of time if we take it instead of walking to the center. I haven't tried walking there, but my guess is the trip will take well over an hour." He explained while walking away from his door and back onto the sidewalk.
Ophelia nodded, but it was like she was getting a culture shock. Not only was there only one school to choose from, but most people didn't own a car. Unlike her son, Ophelia was not cut out for country life. She yearned to return to the city, but she knew they had to find who they were looking for first. "Well, that's a long time," she agreed, beginning to walk with Alysion towards the bus stop. "So, were you born here?"
Ophelia nodded, but it was like she was getting a culture shock. Not only was there only one school to choose from, but most people didn't own a car. Unlike her son, Ophelia was not cut out for country life. She yearned to return to the city, but she knew they had to find who they were looking for first. "Well, that's a long time," she agreed, beginning to walk with Alysion towards the bus stop. "So, were you born here?"
"No..." He shook his head in response for the last question, and walked with her to the nearby bus stop. The ferry arrives after only a few minutes of waiting, and it seemed as if they lucked out. When the doors opened, Alysion stepped on and deposited some coins into the receptor that was at the front before going inside, gesturing for Ophelia to follow. They could talk more during the trip, but it would be more risky if people were around.
"No..." He shook his head in response for the last question, and walked with her to the nearby bus stop. The ferry arrives after only a few minutes of waiting, and it seemed as if they lucked out. When the doors opened, Alysion stepped on and deposited some coins into the receptor that was at the front before going inside, gesturing for Ophelia to follow. They could talk more during the trip, but it would be more risky if people were around.
Ophelia followed in after Alysion, noticing the few people sat on the bus. Nobody seemed out of the ordinary, which made their conversation feel more dangerous. She didn't want to speak in case someone was listening in. She considered whether it would be strange to just sit in silence, however, so said the most ordinary thing that she could think of. "Nice weather out there, isn't it?"
Ophelia followed in after Alysion, noticing the few people sat on the bus. Nobody seemed out of the ordinary, which made their conversation feel more dangerous. She didn't want to speak in case someone was listening in. She considered whether it would be strange to just sit in silence, however, so said the most ordinary thing that she could think of. "Nice weather out there, isn't it?"
"Er.. Yeah?" Alysion was caught off guard by the sudden question, but he quickly glanced out the window to answer. It was relatively sunny, with some puffy clouds in the sky. But overall, it seemed fairly pleasant, with no impending sudden change. He really wasn't one for casual, everyday conversation, and it looked as if he were struggling a bit.
"Er.. Yeah?" Alysion was caught off guard by the sudden question, but he quickly glanced out the window to answer. It was relatively sunny, with some puffy clouds in the sky. But overall, it seemed fairly pleasant, with no impending sudden change. He really wasn't one for casual, everyday conversation, and it looked as if he were struggling a bit.
Ophelia noticed as soon as he answered that it would probably attract less attention if they went back to silence. He clearly wasn't sure how to do chitchat, which was a shame, because Ophelia liked it every now and then. She made a mental note to herself to befriend a non-magical person. Their minds were better suited to the ordinary, after all.
Ophelia noticed as soon as he answered that it would probably attract less attention if they went back to silence. He clearly wasn't sure how to do chitchat, which was a shame, because Ophelia liked it every now and then. She made a mental note to herself to befriend a non-magical person. Their minds were better suited to the ordinary, after all.
Alysion sighed in relief when the conversation was dropped. He wasn't sure what he would have said if it went on- probably something that would attract unwanted attention yet again, and he had already been labeled as a weirdo by carrying Iris around earlier. So he had an unspoken agreement with Ophelia to not talk for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, it wasn't long, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes later, the bus arrived at the city center stop. He got up and glanced at Ophelia so she would follow when he exited.
Alysion sighed in relief when the conversation was dropped. He wasn't sure what he would have said if it went on- probably something that would attract unwanted attention yet again, and he had already been labeled as a weirdo by carrying Iris around earlier. So he had an unspoken agreement with Ophelia to not talk for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, it wasn't long, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes later, the bus arrived at the city center stop. He got up and glanced at Ophelia so she would follow when he exited.
Alysion sighed in relief when the conversation was dropped. He wasn't sure what he would have said if it went on- probably something that would attract unwanted attention yet again, and he had already been labeled as a weirdo by carrying Iris around earlier. So he had an unspoken agreement with Ophelia to not talk for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, it wasn't long, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes later, the bus arrived at the city center stop. He got up and glanced at Ophelia so she would follow when he exited.
Alysion sighed in relief when the conversation was dropped. He wasn't sure what he would have said if it went on- probably something that would attract unwanted attention yet again, and he had already been labeled as a weirdo by carrying Iris around earlier. So he had an unspoken agreement with Ophelia to not talk for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, it wasn't long, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes later, the bus arrived at the city center stop. He got up and glanced at Ophelia so she would follow when he exited.
