Ordinary Girl {Chapter One}

Once upon a time, long ago, in the ancient land of Yore, there lived a girl named Tifa. She was very average. Average height, average clothes, average features. But inside her head wasn't average at all. She had an enormous imagination, which she constantly used to make up stories. She longed for a real, honest to goodness adventure, but living in a tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere mountains proved to pose a problem.

Tifa sighed.....I wish I could have an adventure, but all I get to do is go feed the goats. Disgusted, she picked up the feed bucket and stomped off into the hills to the goat pasture. The scenery was beautiful up here in the mountains, with clear blue skies, green meadows, and yellow buttercups. But Tifa had no time for such ordinary pleasures. The lack of dragons and heroes and trolls and adventure on the mountain made her wish she lived somewhere exciting.

And after I feed the goats, I can feed the chickens, and the cows, and the goldfish, and.... It seemed to Tifa that feeding things was all she ever did. *sigh* But then she was tumbling headfirst into the perfect green pasture.

"OWCH!" she screamed. She had tripped over something. "What the-- Oh my Goddess!" she exclaimed, as she got up to discover she had stumbled over a boy laying in the fields.

A beautiful boy, with coal-black hair, green eyes, and perfect features. His black clothes were now more rumpled than ever, thanks to her encounter with him. "Who are YOU?!?!" Tifa said.

“My name is Tangwyn," said the boy. ''I'm naught but a boy alone, traveling the mountains with my faithful ferret, singing tales to all who pass by.''

Right... Tifa thought. but her doubts about this boy, Tangwyn, vanished upon further examination of his features. Oh my Goddess, is he beautiful or what? That face, those haunting eyes, those large feet are all surely a mark of a distinguished family tree! I wonder where he comes from? Maybe from Titasi in the south? Or Calmanzo...'' Suddenly her thoughts were spoken out loud! How embarrassing!!! Tangwyn looked at her oddly.

"Finish" he said.

"Finish what?" said Tifa, blushing.

"The question. You were in the middle of a question and stopped." He frowned "I can't stand unfinished thoughts".

What a weird thing to say to someone you've barely met! "Um...I mean, I was going to ask where you were from" stammered Tifa, flustered by this odd turn of conversation.

"Where I'm from....Hm.....Good question." said the boy "Although I can't really say". Tangwyn grinned up at her. "Anything else?" Ok, now I know he's weird.... Although Goddess above he's handsome!!!

Just as she was about to make an excuse to get away, a small reddish-brown head popped up from the boy's pocket. "Frm?" it said. The body attached to the head slowly emerged.

''What is THAT?'' Tifa cried, pointing. ''You have an ANIMAL in your POCKET!!!" She ran back a few steps, still pointing, and tripped over one of the rock benches the villagers had placed in spots where the scenery was prettier than the rest. There were a lot of benches in the mountains. ''GAH!!! QUIT TRIPPING ME! STUPID MOUNTAINS!'' Tifa screamed, her voice echoing off the said mountains. She glanced back to Tangwyn to find him smiling serenely, calmly playing with the creature from his pocket.

'' This is Fabian,'' he said simply,'' He travels with me.'' She tried to wrap her head around this, but gave up after a minute of hard thinking.

What ever he does, he does. And it's not like I can change it or anything. ''You must be tired after a day of walking.'' Tifa commented. '' Follow me, and I'll show you the inn."

He rose with a lithe grace, his clothes now not rumpled at all, much different than Tifa stumbling to her feet. He glided over and, bowing over her hand, kissed it, brushing his lips over her knuckles.

''I'd be ever so grateful if you did,'' he said, looking up to meet her widened eyes.

Ahhh. Ahhh. Ahhh. Come on, Tifa, say something witty! Her conscious screaming in her head added to the pounding in her ears and the lack of sound coming from her throat.

'' Walk this way, Tangwyn,'' she said lamely. He was gone! Tifa gasped and looked wildly around. WHERE DID HE GO??!?!? And then Tangwyn tapped her on the shoulder. Tifa screamed and spun around "What-what-what--how??.." she stammered.

"Oh, the disappearing?" said Tangwyn nonchalantly "Pretty good trick, eh? It's fun, and easy.... When you don't get screamed at." He winked, and began to stride away down the mountain towards the town.

Tifa gaped open mouthed for a second and then stumbled after him, down the perfect green landscape after the perfect figure in black.