02-27-2008, 12:04 AM
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Whoever this ghost named Poe was (I'm fighting back Legend of Zelda references here), Ari decided that he liked her. It didn't matter whether or not she was simply playing a game with names and meanings, because she was telling him more than others had when he had ventured towards questions. She had a kind of way that didn't make him feel pressured to talk — and he talked without being asked. That was monumental enough. Ari's usual strict anti-social nature was broken, but perhaps it was just the spirits of the Haunted Forest effecting his consciousness. Oh, well.
Of course, now was not a time for him to speak anyway. He did what he did best — listen, and absorb every sliver of information that Poe could give him. As she described the land of Africa and how it was across the ocean, all Ari could think was if it was close to Italy, as Beppe had talked to him about. But the thought of a lion was totally mind-blowing to Ari. He had seen a cougar once — it had strayed too close to the packlands at Veneficus and the warriors had to chase it away — but the description Poe gave him sent his mind spiraling into an imaginative vortex. Of course, the images of magnificent golden beasts who reigned supreme on endless plains weren't as intriguing as when Poe continued her tale. The more words she gave to him, painting pictures of subjects he had never heard of, much less grasp in any way, made him feel totally overwhelmed. When she finished up, though, they both seemed to be linked by their namesakes to famous humans of the past. How odd.
But, actually, Ari found it rather funny. At first chuckles broke through his usual breathing, but then he just started to laugh as if he never had. And hey, he didn't laugh too often. He just couldn't imagine what had gone through his mother's sick mind when she had named him after the regal beasts of the plains and one of the more well-known human intellectuals of old. He wasn't sure if Poe was made awkward by his laughter, so he stopped as quickly as he could. He smiled minutely, looking at her with clear blue eyes full of admiration.
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Whoever this ghost named Poe was (I'm fighting back Legend of Zelda references here), Ari decided that he liked her. It didn't matter whether or not she was simply playing a game with names and meanings, because she was telling him more than others had when he had ventured towards questions. She had a kind of way that didn't make him feel pressured to talk — and he talked without being asked. That was monumental enough. Ari's usual strict anti-social nature was broken, but perhaps it was just the spirits of the Haunted Forest effecting his consciousness. Oh, well.
Of course, now was not a time for him to speak anyway. He did what he did best — listen, and absorb every sliver of information that Poe could give him. As she described the land of Africa and how it was across the ocean, all Ari could think was if it was close to Italy, as Beppe had talked to him about. But the thought of a lion was totally mind-blowing to Ari. He had seen a cougar once — it had strayed too close to the packlands at Veneficus and the warriors had to chase it away — but the description Poe gave him sent his mind spiraling into an imaginative vortex. Of course, the images of magnificent golden beasts who reigned supreme on endless plains weren't as intriguing as when Poe continued her tale. The more words she gave to him, painting pictures of subjects he had never heard of, much less grasp in any way, made him feel totally overwhelmed. When she finished up, though, they both seemed to be linked by their namesakes to famous humans of the past. How odd.
But, actually, Ari found it rather funny. At first chuckles broke through his usual breathing, but then he just started to laugh as if he never had. And hey, he didn't laugh too often. He just couldn't imagine what had gone through his mother's sick mind when she had named him after the regal beasts of the plains and one of the more well-known human intellectuals of old. He wasn't sure if Poe was made awkward by his laughter, so he stopped as quickly as he could. He smiled minutely, looking at her with clear blue eyes full of admiration.
I'm sorry. I was wondering why my mother named me that at all,he said, trying to give her some reason. He paused briefly before continuing,
I doubt I can fill either of their shoes, but it's nice to know what I'm supposedly named after. Thank you, Poe.Besides, how was an illiterate runt of a boy going to match up to the 'king of the jungle' or a great human philosopher?