Friendship Event-Raven & Soph-A helping hand.

Soph studied the place around her. "Silent?" Soph questioned the air. "Check. Beautiful?" Soph sighed happily. "Triple check! The chance to meet someone new?" Soph stopped, chewing her bottom lip. "Let's see what I can come up with..." Soph smirked to herself-well she was the only one around, as far as she knew-sat down under a shadow cast by a tree, put her sketch pad out in front of her, pulled her pencil out from behind her right ear and sat thinking.
Soph closed her eyes for a second, and the vision of a girl came into her head. "Oh, good!" Soph exclaimed excitedly. "Someone new!" Soph giggled, then started to draw. "I guess she'll be here soon..."

Raven weaved among the trees, a grin slapped onto her face. She watched the canopy of leaves, silently awed by the beauty. It was amazing that she didn't trip, so it was no surprize when she almost fell over a girl writing in the shade of a tree. A shriek escaped as she plummeted into a bush, burying herself in more foliage. I'm being ridiculous, Raven scolded herself silently, still croutched in the bush. She'll already know I'm here. Wait, is that Me?! She cocked her head, inching slightly forward to look at the sketchpad.

Soph felt a presence behind her, and a shadow appeared over her sketch pad. Soph giggled again.
"Nice of you to show. I'm glad that it still works. It's a bit strange though..." Soph sighed. "Come sit here with me. You seem kinda shy, but maybe it isn't working. No matter," Soph breezed, not looking up. "I'm Soph. You're a mystery at the moment." Soph grinned down at her paper. "Sorry to be so vague. I'll try not to be, if it means we can talk freely and comfortablely. Please sit, dust off. Maybe I can be of some assistance to you, even it feels as though it isn't really doing either of us any good." Soph finally looked up, showing her teeth as she grinned brightly.

Deeming Soph not a raging lunatic, Raven crawled over to her right side and plopped down, knees clutched to her chest. She cocked her head, trying to figure Soph out. And she calls me mysterious. Their isn't even something wrong with me! Smiling nervously, trying as best she could to breeze past the awkward first sentences with limited blushing. "My name is Raven." Cheering sligtly because didn't fumble over the words. "You're a very gifted artist...Soph." Pausing a little to make sure that was her name. Even if it's a little freaky seeing yourself being drawn by a complete stranger. "I'm not nearly as good as you." Raven lifted her arm, showing cartoon figures intricately twined together.

Soph smiled as the girl named Raven said her name and showed her some cartoons. She gasped in surprise.
"You say these are no good? Wow...you really are a mystery, you know! I could never draw cartoons only..." Soph stopped, looking thoughtful. "Raven, do you think it is strange that I could draw you so," Soph pulled a sorry face." I don't mean to boast, but I have been told that my drawings are very life-like. So is it strange I can draw you so well without ever seeing you before? I have only ever really talked about my strange predicament once before, but I must admit I did try to avoid continuing that particular conversation, due to it being new and so very..." Soph didn't finish, looking far away. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

Raven beamed from the complement, not expected to get praise. "Your'e great at drawing. All I can draw is cartoons." She paused slightly, contemplating her answer. "I was just surprized. I guess you could have some ability, but it would only be different, not strange. Lots of people have powers or premonition." Raven smiles warmly, trying to comfort Soph. "I even got wierd skills with animals. And I'm fine with talking, nothing to be sorry about." She shugged, rubbing the back of her neck.

Soph smiled back at Raven. "Thank you Raven. You seem a lot like how I used to be, you know, although I guess in a way I'm still...anyway," Soph smirked as if she'd found something she'd said funny. "Don't mind that. I'm...difficult like this sometimes. I hope I am not scaring or discouraging you in any way at all, but I don't think I've ever had that effect on anyone. People are nice, and I don't like to look beneath the surface in case the worst is true...except with my cousin, of course!" Soph laughed quietly, just thinking of what Leon would say if he was here.

"You arn't scary, just...different. You make people think. And I think most people have good in them, evn though I don't know many people." Raven giggled , staring at the canopy again. "But I don't know how great my opinion is, I'm pretty optimistic." Glancing back at Soph, her face turned guarded. "I would like to meet you're Cousin, he seems like a...pleasant person to meet if he's gained your trust." The hesitant look was quickly replaced again with a smile.

"Um, If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? In the forest?" Starts to shade her arm with her pen, hiding her eyes with her bangs.

"You want to meet my cousin? I'm sure you will one day...because whoever I meet seems to meet Leon soon after," Soph commented meekly, smiling warmly at Raven. "You're very kind to say so many good things to me. I think..." Soph stopped, looking confused for a second. "Oh, no, just forget that...why am I in the forest? That's a very good question as I don't live anywhere near here. I live in Forget-me-not-Valley-it's a beautiful place. I wouldn't have ever come here before-" Soph shuddered. "-but then after I...yeah, I travel a lot more now. For inspiration for my drawings."

Raven blushed, ducking her head. "Anyone would say those things, it's nothing new. I'm just as polite as everyone else." Cocking her head, Raven furrowed her brow, like a curious animal. She just gets more mysterious...but I won't ask her what she means. It looks hard for her. She stuck her chin out defiantly, which just made her look even more bird-like. Shaking her head, she resumed her warm smile. "I don't know about insperation, but I came here to soak in the sights. It's always open and beautiful in the forest. But it seems that everywhere I go, I'm bound to meet someone."

"That's awsome." Soph nodded. "I hope I don't get...lost." Soph's voice wavered a little bit, and she struggled to control it it. "I meet people too, but I appear to um...see them before meeting them. It's slightly a slightly annoying gift, although it's nice too as I kinda get to know people first. I can scope out whether they'd make a good friend or not. I really hope that it doesn't do anything to my life in terms of love. I mean, if you were a guy would you really want a girl-friend or even a wife-" Soph choked a little bit. "-excuse me, who had a weird gift? People can be very cruel and I don't want to be used by anyone, espically by the person whom I'm to love forever. It's a bit terrifying. I talk a lot about me. Do you have anone special, or anyone in mind? Or can you just talk about you, please? I don't want to sound rude or patronising..." Soph sighed, but quickly chased it away with another bright smile.

Raven looked around her, as if just seeing the suroundings. "I'm sure we could find our way back. I'm pretty good with following tracks. As for your gift interfering with your love life, I don't think it will. You are... a good person," She paused, wondering how she would know that when she just met. "Your gift would not strain the relationship. And if you're boyfriend is a good one, he wouldn't use you. Would'nt your... powers help you see if he is a bad choice?" Raven zoned out, staring at the sky. When Soph asked about herself, Raven startled and bonked her head on the tree. "W-what?! I have no one special!" She ducked her head, blushing. "I'm not good with people, especially when they flirt with me. It also doesn't help that i've met only one boy here." She placed her head on her knees, trying not to frown. "I'm not that interesting, but what would you like to know?"

"Um...so how old are you? When's your birthday? What do you think of this place? Anything!" Soph laughed at her voice and choice of words. "I'm not good with guys flirting either-but I guess none of them will dare try it!" Soph giggled again. "And yes, maybe my power will help me find out more about 'him'! And maybe it'll advance so that I can help others too! That would be cool...and helpful," Soph smiled ruefully, flipping her plait over her shoulder as it snuck it's way in front of her ear.

"Um, I'm eighteen, my birthday is Summer 3rd, and I think this place is...awesome." Raven blushed, trying to explain. "It's so beautiful, and everyone seems so nice. Oh, and I love any kind of noodles, and pineapple." Raven paused, trying to think of things to say. "I love animals, and they seem to like me, that's why I work at Pet World. I bought a kitten there recently. And you already know I suck at first encounters. I don't know what to say. What about you?" Raven zoned out again, trying to find out what to say about herself.

"Me?" Soph stopped, looking surprised and thoughtful at the same time. "Well, um...my name is the appreviation of 'Sophie' 'cause my mom liked it better, I'm 17, my birthday is Fall the 1st, I like it here a lot, but my home is the Valley. You should visit there one day," Soph added, smiling. "Um...I am pretty shy, but I kinda like to work hard, so I'm a waitress at Honey Comb Passtere...I'm kinda romantic, scatty, and-sorry for sounding full of myself-artistic. I just love the way that when I am drawing, sadness and illness and being heart-broken or annoyed or angry...it's all forgetten...like it's never...been...there...but I know bett-" Soph stopped again, her eyes filling with pain. It hurts still... she thought sadly.

"Are you okay?" Raven's hand hovered along Soph's back, unsure what to do. "I wouldn't know about the world melting away, but drawing always seems to calm me." Apperantly, she chose to babble excessivly to distract. "Like it smooths all the wrinkles, but it's still there. But I'm not artistic, I just draw for entertainment, or when I feel bored, which happens pretty easily." Finally stopping with the wierd hand fluttering, she just pulled out some dried pineapple. Her comfort food. "Want some? Their clean, and they are delicious, really sweet." I should stop carrying food around with me...At least I won't go hungry. "I don't know...maybe you could show me around or something in the future. I think it would be fun."

"Fine...the past is just sometimes an uncomfortable place, you know?" Soph rubbed her left eye, whilst trying to look slightly brave. "Pineapple? I think I'll be-" Soph's stomach growled at the moment she'd tried to deniey the snack on the account of it seeming rude. "Um, maybe I will eat that," Soph giggled, taking the pineapple and putting it in her mouth. She chewed and swollowed. "It's a new taste for me, but it's really nice!" Soph giggled again. "Yes, I will definetly show you around sometime soon. We could see if my interesting power will help with the organisation!" [Or the power of PMs? XD]

"I'm glad you like it." Raven giggled, completely ignoring the first question. She thought it was rhetorical, and besides, she didn't have that much memories anyway. Looking back at the sketch of herself, her face became blank. "I don't know how we'll be able to try your gift later, though. I guess something will just have to happen." Raven stood, stretching like a cat. "Maybe you could tell me more of your 'organization' next time."

Soph smiled her small smile at Raven. "I'm not so sure, though. It comes and goes. But still," Soph cut off, shrugging. "I think the best thing to say here is such is life. It can be cruel, it can be painful, but those things always lead to places...dark places, or wonderful places...right now, any suffering on my part was worth it. I think I'm really finding myself." Soph laughed, a loud, cheerful sound that filled the surroundings. She felt so light, like she was the air, or a bird. As if it was it's cue, a small bird-a robin-flew down onto a branch nearby. Soph smiled again, blinking with surprise at the same time. "Some things cannot be plannned."