Friends Can Make Mistakes Sometimes, Too

When I met Daari at Sentinel Hill this morning, she had taken full advantage of the Hallow's End festivities, and was wearing what she called a pirate costume. Of course, the costumes here aren't simply different outfits; they actually involve what must be a magical transformation, as her body actually changed as well to a human woman.

In a way, this was kind of unnerving. I've known Daari for a very long time — for most of my life, actually — and so even in her disguise, I could tell it was her from her mannerisms and reactions toward me. But the image of her was... well, it was just close enough to her that I found it unsettling. If she'd been under the effects of a polymorph that had turned her into an animal, I don't think I would have been bothered as much. But the draenei and human forms are both "humanoid," so she just simply looked disfigured to me. Her height and body proportions were almost, but not quite, correct. But I think what especially bothered me was the missing horns and tendrils that the humans do not have. Just seeing her look almost correct, but without those, gave me a gritty feeling in my stomach, as it probably would if they'd been cut off from injury, rather than just a costume effect she was bearing. If I spent enough time with her in that form, I'd suppose I could get used to it, but as it was, I did not care for the costume at all.

I didn't want to outright tell her that I didn't like it, but I didn't want her to continue wearing it either, so I tried a tactic that I now realize I shouldn't have done.

Our plan had been to travel from Sentinel Hill in Westfall into Duskwood; in other words, from a relatively safe place to one that was a bit more dangerous. Although she seemed to be able to handle her weapons in her human form, I told her that I didn't think it would be a good idea to wear the costume once we got into Duskwood, as her smaller, more flimsy frame might prove to be a disadvantage. I think at the time I almost believed it, but it was still a rotten thing for me to do... and she still rightly refused to take off the costume, being sure to point out when we crossed the bridge into Duskwood how scary it was in the most sarcastic terms possible.

I was a bit irritated at her... so I walked.

Yes, I'm capable of keeping up with Daari when she wants to run everywhere, but at the same time, I don't want to run past everything, and I've been trying to get Daari to at least walk on occasion. She complains loudly when I make her do so, though, and tends to run back and forth anyway, still running constantly while actually gaining ground at my average pace. I think I was feeling a bit rotten toward her, deciding to choose to force that just after trying (unsuccessfully) to get her to take off the costume she was wearing.

She outright told me that walking everywhere was stupid, and hearing that direct of a complaint was what finally shocked some sense into me about how rude I'd been being to her. The only sensible course of action at that point was to admit to her exactly what I'd done, and I did so, hoping for her forgiveness.

I think she did forgive me — at least, she went right back to being her normal exuberant self afterwards, and didn't give any outward signs of disdain that I picked up on. Her costume wore off not a few minutes later, anyway, and I decided I wouldn't try to bring up the issue of walking again soon.

After that fuss, we spent the rest of the day helping out around Darkshire and Duskwood. They'd been having problems with the undead, particularly in their Raven Hill cemetery, but there were some other tasks to do as well. One of those tasks involved killing spiders, which I didn't care for... but fortunately, these weren't as big as the ones in Bloodmyst, and neither Kisha nor Daari nor her as-of-yet-unnamed pet bird seemed to mind the spiders much, so I was content to let the animals fight up close, and to shoot at the spider from behind Daari.

For as nervous as the giant spiders made me, though, the only thing that actually injured me that day was not a spider. The townsfolk called them worgen, and they somewhat resembled wolves that walked upright, although they had very muscular arms, with which I took quite a blow. The leather I was wearing, fortunately, prevented me from getting cut deep enough to bleed, but the armor itself required some slight repair, and I've got some bruises and deep scratches on my chest and upper arms, all of which seem particularly sore. Hopefully sleeping will help.