#anywhere

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Southern PA, near the WV border...

Earl and Zara appear...

"Sorry, I think that took an hour.. not my best casting"

"Well... it's pretty."

"It is..." A breath "I think love, we're about to cheat" He takes her hands, and kisses her, hands on her hips.

"Love?" She places her hands around his waist, not sure what's next.

And he throws her in in the air! now, she's hold onto him, so instead of going just up, she sort of flips over... then holds her position.. fingers around his waist, but feet now facing the sky as she's sort of upside down. He cast Windrunner on her

"And my turn..." He pinches makes a fluttering motion, and then starts to rise himself

Zara rustles, her whispery laugh-not-laugh.

"Tis well the world is under lock and key, Love..."

"Tis" He smiles "But we shall cheat further. This is my chance to show off how clever I am" Hand holding hers, he guide her south... and at an angle

"Oh, thou art lovign this..."

A flicker of confidence that was not there years ago, "So very very much. My shirt pocket has some ear buds if you need them" As they approach, a rail line?

"Ah!"

They travel for a bout 20 minutes when they find the train... and they land on the train's top, near the back to avoid the worse of the whistle or sounds "I told you we would cheat" a smile

"Ah, this is a delight!" She whispers as loudly as she may!

He does have to hang his ear next to her... and it IS a delight. For the 'yankee girl' gets a look of the Appalachians that she is not used to seeing in Scarsdale.

And they are beautiful - Iowa boy might also marvel at the old mountains - great graceful queens, draped in the creeping green and white of spring. Clouds wreathe their sleeping heads, and the air smells of blossoms and new grass and cold water.

Overhead, hawks cut through the crisp blue sky. Near the tracks, deer freeze and wait for the dreadful noisy train to pass.

Indeed, Earl gazes at the mountains that even the less flat areas of Iowa can't compete with. he smiles at the deer and points to Zara, knowing that to her the idea of a graceful hind detesting ruckus would make sense

"You and me both, sister."

Earl apparently read her lips and gives a silent laugh in response.

Nature's wonders would be enough, but the Dreaming has it's moments...and guests.

As a Bird chimera with a hobo outfit lands "this spot taken?" It asks

Eyebrows lift and she shakes her head.

Earl looks surprised as well. Chimerical animals that talk aren't super rare, but they aren't supercommon. And one in a hobo outfit ?

"Thanks" The Bird says eying the hawks

Earl says "Ah.. so, this your usual path?"

The Chimera says "I know, I know. Supposed to fly, what can I say? I like a break as much as the next fellow. Just enjoying the spring and the hills ye know? So why are you two hitching a ride?"

Earl says "SImilar reason, saving ourselves trouble in getting some place, and enjoying the view" He looks out "This is magnificent"

Zara nods enthusiastically, not bothering to vocalize her agreement.

"Oh sure enough" the bird says in an accent taht seems a bit muddled, but he does travel "When you're riding the line with a sky view top you get a bit wet , but the world's unfolding like a popup book... "

"Oh.. lay flat... we're about to go through a mountain..."

Earl blinks "THROUGH a ..." He had not noticed this on the map

Tunnel

Getting closer

Zara FLATTENS.

Earl does as well laying on his back, worried that his horns may get a shave

Zara is positively a living poster

and as they enter... they can see the Dreaming not driving further by the iron rails and man machine...but rather show a side of it's self she's not used to...

The Arkenstone might be here, or perhaps a path to the hollow world is near. A path has been carved, through a mountain side! Impossible, Impossible! so many cried! yet stone to dreams of ambition and exploration yielded, but the weight of the Mountain brings wonder still! It could at any moment collapse, and doing so it might kill! Each turn of the wheel upon the rail is a terrible wonderful risk! You're under the mountain now, you're PART of the mountain now, along a pathway dark and brisk! Each echo each echo Each echo it makes, from the move of the pistons to the tap on the brakes shows a dream of conquest that ended in balance somehow, miracles of stone and of steel! You're so small, yet your forefathers defeated something so large! Now how does that make you feel? 🎼

Zara grins - nocker-blooded, nightsighted, a thief and lover of lit... it makes her feel wonderful, yes!

Earl finds himself missing the safety of the open sky, perhaps even more than the bird, but he's impressed

And then...the light at the end of the tunnel announces itself

and Zara realizes she needs to narrow her eyes or she's about to get a face ful of illumination

Oh, yes. Wise.

From under the weight of a mountain dark, to the weight of a sunlit sky? And who is to say which lays upon them the heavier burden?

The mountain, Earl thinks, the weight of a mountain is heavier and scarier. And he gives a breath of relief. Which might amuse his lady.

"Whoo always makes me wonder if a worm will get ME when I'm in there" The chimera fluffs up with a soft whisle