Picture Perfect PV Aspen Closed

✳✳oufit✳✳ ✳hex color✳

November 1st

As Gia continued to talk, Aspen's tears slowed. The other girl was clearly caught off guard, but her chatter distracted Aspen from her scary, lonely thoughts. Gia set next to Aspen, making her smile, but it led to confusion as Gia jumped up and pulled Aspen from her feet.

An adventure. That sounds... fun? Aspen grabs her bag from behind her and quickly follows after Gia, trying to keep up with the girl's quick gait. As Gia makes a promise for this adventure to be fun, Aspen laughs through her barely-there tears. They walked up and down and up and down many flights of stairs, before ending up outside, near the Great Lake. Aspen paused for a moment, taking in the brisk, fresh air. She looked around for Gia who had all but run ahead. Shaking her head and laughing, Aspen calls out to her, "Hey wait up!"

Gia paused, allowing Aspen to make it up to her, but they were not done moving. Gia pointed out a tree that they were heading too and Aspen, who momentarily forgot how sad she was, sends a big smile up to her new friend as they started to walk yet again, "Thank you for doing this."

✳✳ interacting with: @Gia Adelard ✳✳ mentioning: N/A✳✳
✳ wisdom 5 ✳ stamina 7 ✳ arcana 4 ✳ accuracy 8 ✳ strength 6 ✳ evasion 7 ✳ statistically relevant [+2 acc] ✳

@Aspen Summers

1 November, 2020

Aspen was barely crying at all by the time the two first years stepped foot outdoors, and Gia was glad. It seemed like her plan for a distraction was working so far, and hopefully it would continue to work for the rest of the time they spent together. The eleven year old hated seeing others crying - and also hated crying herself - so she was going to do whatever she could to keep the Hufflepuff from thinking the thoughts that had made her cry back in the Owlery.

After she pointed out the big oak tree to Aspen, the Gryffindor began walking again. She stopped, however, upon hearing what the other girl said to her. "You're welcome," Gia said with a smile of her own. "It's no big deal, really, I'm sure you'd do the same for someone else." Then, unable to wait much longer, the eleven year old gave the Hufflepuff a sly grin. "Okay, c'mon!" With that, she hurried forward once more. This time, though, she slowed her pace just a little bit so Aspen wouldn't be left too far behind.

A few minutes passed, and soon the two of them were standing right beside the big tree. Gia knew her way around it, and she immediately led the other first year to the side of the trunk that was not facing the Great Lake. There was a branch there just low enough for her to reach, and she quickly grabbed onto it with both hands. Then, in one fluid motion, the young girl swung up onto it. A moment later, once she had regained her balance, the Gryffindor student bent down and offered Aspen her hand. "Swing up like I did. I'll help you as much as I can," she told her.

Once both of them were in the tree, the eleven year old pointed to the branches above them. "We need to climb a little higher, okay? Don't worry, it's pretty hard to fall with all the branches blocking the way down." Gia reassured the Hufflepuff. "Plus, all the branches make it really easy to climb." With that, the girl showed the other student where to place her hands and feet, and began to move upwards.

When she reached her destination, a spot about halfway up the tree, Gia looked back towards the other girl with a bright grin on her face. "You alright?" she asked, making sure Aspen wasn't too worried about anything and wasn't about to fall. After receiving an answer, the Gryffindor girl gestured out from the tree, brushing away a few of the branches as she did so. And there, right in front of the two of them, was a beautiful sight: the shimmering, clear, Great Lake.

454 words
Stamina 8 ⋆ Evasion 6 ⋆ Strength 3 ⋆ Wisdom 7 ⋆ Arcane Power 5 ⋆ Accuracy 6
Evasive Maneuvers

Aspen was grinning through drying tears at this point, the letter in her bag long forgotten. She watches, eyes wide, as Gia swings up and onto the tree. A city girl, Aspen never really climbed trees as a child and is shocked whenever she sees others doing it.

Aspen flinched for a moment at being offered a hand, but quickly drops her bag and takes Gia's outstretched hand. With her other, Aspen grabbed the branch and pulled herself up into a crunching position where she is next to Gia. Now that they were up, and the Hufflepuff has had a chance to catch her breath, Gia points above them, explaining that they need to go higher. While Aspen is not really afraid of heights, the idea of climbing a tree with branches that could fall at any moment is a bit scary. Her eyes must show the fear, as Gia goes to reassure Aspen that it will all be okay, for like the 10th time today.

Gia began to climb, pausing every once in a while to explain what she is doing. Pulling down her skirt to cover her, Aspen reaches up to follow the lion in the same steps the brunette took. Eventually, they hit about halfway up the tree, where there is a nook for the first years to sit. "I'm wonderful actually. This is really fun."

@Aspen Summers

1 November, 2020

Gia giggled softly at the amazed expression on the Hufflepuff's face as she watched her climb up into the tree. "Have you ever done anything like this before?" the Gryffindor asked the other first year, curious. It didn't seem like she had, but it was possible. . . perhaps she had simply been surprised at the way Gia had climbed into the tree, since it hadn't exactly been climbing, and instead was more swinging. "It's fine if you haven't, I promise you won't fall." Gia assured the other girl with an encouraging smile.

A few moments later, the two first years were sitting up in the great oak tree, trying to catch their breath. Well, Aspen was, at least. Gia, who had done things like this many times, was perfectly fine. Still, she waited patiently for the other student to compose herself, and then told her that they needed to climb higher. "It isn't as high as it seems," she added, comforting Aspen once more. "Trust me." The Hufflepuff did (Gia smiled to herself) and joined her in climbing farther up towards the spot Gia had indicated a few seconds earlier.

When the two of them had reached a certain nook-like area halfway up the tree, Gia stopped and waited for Aspen to sit beside her. "Isn't it beautiful?" the brunette asked, her voice soft. "I love this place." she looked to her side where the other first year was sitting. When the Hufflepuff told her that she was having a good time, Gia's face brightened with a smile. "Really?" she asked happily. "I'm glad." And she really was. Making others happy, comforting others - that had always been something Gia was good at. Sure, she'd made people angry, frustrated, and upset many times as well, but making others happy brought much better memories than the latter.

"Look! Did you see that?" Her voice was louder than before, and much more excited. "Isn't there a squid somewhere in the lake? I think I might have just - there!" Her hand darted out to point Aspen's gaze in the right direction. "Did you see it?" If it really was what she thought it was, well, that would be a wonderful add-on to their little adventure, wouldn't it? She waited to see what the other girl thought of what they had seen, not sure if it was something Aspen would think was fascinating or something she'd think was gross. It could go either way, honestly.

412 words
Stamina 8 ⋆ Evasion 6 ⋆ Strength 3 ⋆ Wisdom 7 ⋆ Arcane Power 5 ⋆ Accuracy 6
Evasive Maneuvers

Aspen shakes her head softly, her her knuckles going white as they grip a branch, "Nope, I have never climbed a tree. I'm not the biggest fan of climbing."

Heights, though it may not seem that way, are one of Aspen's favorite things- part of why she signed up for Quidditch, but climbing is not something the girl enjoys.

Gia continues to encourage Aspen, something she takes with a smile and heave as she pulls herself up over another branch. Now atop the tree, Aspen feels free, like she is on top of the world.

She takes a few heavy breaths, but they are tripped up with a joyful laugh that the Hufflepuff surprises herself by letting out. Gia seems to think Aspen is on the verge of tears again, but the tears of the past have been forgotten, washed away with each step up this tree.

Aspen lays her head back against the big trunk of the tree. Gia continues with her chatter, but Aspen does not notice it, focusing instead on the lake. She watches the ripples form in a calm pattern and spread out through the lake, a sight that can only be seen from up high.

"Thank you for this." Aspen says as she turns to the girl, "Really, thank you."

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