[PRP] What Kind Of Fun? (Fon Youn & Ghislaine)

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Ghislaine sighed as she looked around the pride. Why was she out here, again? Instead of using her often copious spare time to look after neglected Hounfor or meditate, as she would have normally done, she was out here...socializing, if you could call it that. She had been irked ever since her encounter with the arrogant Fon Youn several moons ago. How dare he imply she didn't know how to have fun!?

But the barb had done its trick. Ghislaine hadn't been able to forget about it, and it annoyed her to no end. So here she was, half looking for the irksome Poupe. If he was around, perhaps she'd swallow down her distaste for long enough to ask him what in Loa he was talking about. This was all purely to prove a point, of course. The Shrinekeep highly doubted Fon Youn could show her anything that wasn't inane or idiotic, and once she'd proved that his "fun" wasn't nearly as interesting to her as her normal duties, she could go back to them in peace.

The lioness resumed her stroll through the pride, nodding politely to others now and the, her earring swinging back and forth as she walked, comforting and relaxing her. She wondered idly if she'd even recognize the lion, as many pride members their age had grown into their full manes and bodies recently.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Growing up had not turned Fon Youn into a responsible adult. In fact, it tended to exacerbate his preexisting condition of immaturity to the point where gatherers began to wonder if he was considering a change in career, he was so often sent to hunt with them as punishment for one transgression or another. No doubt his superiors would have liked to do something more severe and lasting in terms of punishment for him, but it remained an undeniable fact that late adolescence Fon Youn had developed the ability to see loa. Or at least the shadows of their actions in a place.

It had made him far more effective as a poupe than he had been before. It had also made him at least a little less inclined to hit the medicines and powders recreationally, since that made him see lots of loa at once, which was an experience that usually left Fon Youn nauseated. So he was learning moderation, if not quite responsibility, and he had gone on at least two binges that the higher-ups knew about.

In fact, Fon Youn had only recently returned from a days-long hunting trip which had been punishment for the last binge he'd been caught on. Binging, he had found, could overwhelm the loa so he didn't see them at all, which was a relief. And the hunting trip had been, for him, an interesting and unprecedented experience that he would not have minded repeating, should the opportunity arise.

He was actually taking time to reflect on that as he relaxed in his mother's hounfor.  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Ghislaine continued to stroll along, entering some Hounfor and moving between them. Tehre were a few lions here and there, paying their respects, but other than that, the area was pretty quiet. Just as Ghislaine was about to give up in frustration and go back to the Shrinekeeps' living quarters so that she could actually relax, she saw a large, brown lion. Peering at him, Ghislaine thought he looked familiar. Was that really Fon Youn? He had certainly decked himself out. And what in Loa's name was in his nose?

Deciding to take a change, Ghislaine stepped up to the lion and looked at him with a brow raised. "Lazing about on Hounfors again, are we, Fon Youn?" the Shrinekeep asked, with an attempt at civility, although the sarcasm in her voice was not completely covered. Ghislaine had a feeling she'd soon be asking herself why in the world she had decided to do this.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Fon Youn recognized and remembered the pretty shrinekeep who now stood before him with such a disapproving expression. Did she know how stern she looked, and how her expression had turned sour the moment she actually laid eyes on him? Maybe she didn't. It was also possible that he was imagining the extremity of her disapproval and reaction, just a little, but Fon Youn was a lion whose life was lived mostly according to his own whims, so if he thought Ghislaine looked supremely disapproving of him, no one would ever convince him otherwise. She had grown up very well, other than her expression.

"Madamoiselle, your face will freeze like that if you are not careful," he replied in his usual drawling way. "And that would be a shame."

This banality gave him the few moments he needed to decide how to respond to her implied criticism of his laziness. Obviously she though he was in need of chastisement, and while he might enjoy that if she were less uptight, he didn't think he'd find much to enjoy in the stern dressing-down she was likely to deliver if he didn't quickly come up with some reason to forestall her.

"This is my mother's Hounfor," he said. "She understands."

And she probably did, too. Fon Youn and his mother were very alike in their attitudes, only she had never had the abilities to be a poupe. He wore some of her small bones in a pouch around his neck, along with the bones of other, more illustrious ancestors, to remind him of his mother's folly. He was reminded, and he identified with it, condemning his other ancestors with one word.

Boring.  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Urgh, how this lion annoyed her, and only in the first few minutes of conversation. Rolling her eyes, Ghislaine breathed deeply, reigning in her temper. "Thank you for your sincere concern, but I'm not at all worried about my face sticking any way. Although, I must say, it seems as if your face is stuck enough as it is," the lioness drawled as she sat down, referring to Fon Youn's many odd piercings.

Ghislaine considered him and the Hounfor for a moment. "I don't doubt that," she said, without insult of malice. Parents were like that, even in death, not that Ghislaine had much experience with that.. The Shrinekeep stared at Fon Youn for a moment, steeling herself for her next sentence.

"I believe when we saw each other last, we had some parting words about my, ah...inability, as you saw it, to 'have fun,'" Ghislaine spoke, gritting her teeth towards the end. "As much as I'm going to regret this, I admit I have been compelled to ask exactly what kind of...'fun' you were talking about." There, she'd said it. No going back now.  

[Princess_Feylin]

"What these?" Fon Youn asked, twitching his whiskers in an exaggerated fashion which would make the piercing below his nose move very slightly. It wasn't quite comfortable to do that yet, but he was supposed to. At the same time he flicked his left ear carefully. The way it was pierced he had to be careful about moving it, or else the bone shifted and got stuck in his mane.

"Ah happen to like the way they look, though Ah would not recommend that you do the same. You are in need of no further adornment, in mah opinion."

She didn't understand. Fon Youn could tell. She thought he meant that his mother understood because she was his mother, and not because she had been a party girl herself, irrepressibly irresponsible until the day she died. He had been the result of one irresponsible choice on her part, and so he was disinclined to take a long view of other instances of irresponsibility on her part, or anyone else's.

He let his eyelids drift toward closure, though not all the way. He didn't want to add any further insult to this pretty shrinekeep by having her believe he was sassing her by feigning sleep in her presence. It was more a way for him to demonstrate that he was not perturbed by her presence or the topics she chose to discuss, even though they mostly seemed to involve finding fault in him.

"Little lady, if you need to ask, you still are not ready for the sort of fun Ah meant. In truth, Ah think it would be better if you did not find out. Some girls are not meant for some lifestyles."  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Princess Feylin

Ghislaine made a face as Fon Youn's nose piecing wiggled. That looked weird. Maybe not painful, but it certainly seemed as if wasn't comfortable. She raised an eyebrow at his proclamation and her eye twitched imperceptibly at his compliment. She took a breath, though, and forced herself to respond sincerely.

"Well, thank you." She paused. Was she really going to say this? "To your credit, you did not need the piercings either, but if they catch your fancy..." The lioness didn't bother to finish, not knowing how to end. This was not her forte. At his next sentence, though, Ghislaine felt the cool she had gained immediately vanished.

"Excuse me?" Ghislaine was about to go on, but let out a frustrated huff instead, not knowing how to continue. "You are impossible. And what kind of girls?" she asked, eyes narrowed in annoyance, as her ears twitched, swinging her tooth earring back and forth a bit. "Why don't you just speak frankly?"  

[Princess_Feylin]

Fon Youn smiled in an easy-going, indulgent way, recognizing that she had intended to compliment him, even if she'd gone about it sort of awkwardly. Not that her words had been awkward in and of themselves, but the way she had delivered them bespoke a definite discomfort in giving compliments. A serious little miss like her? It didn't surprise him.

"Little lady, it is mighty kind of you to say that, but as it so happens Ah am rather fond of these little trinkets. I like to think mah dearly departed mother would have liked them."

More likely, she would have liked that he'd decided one day that he wanted them, and then just went out and had them done without looking back or regretting it for a moment. But either way, there was no need to go into that. People who had known his mother reacted more amusingly to Fon Youn's suppositions about her likes than those who didn't, and this little shrinekeep clearly didn't know his mother. Probably that was for the best.

"Ah believe I would offend you more than Ah already have were I to speak plainly, mah dear. So be content and happy that you are a good girl, and a nice young lady."  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Princess Feylin

Ghislaine shrugged neutrally, now that they had apparently been able to exchange a sentence or two that didn't irritate her. "Like I said, it's your choice to poke things through your flesh." There wasn't any real contempt behind her words this time, just a neutral sort of "whatever" tone.

Well that lasted all of two seconds. Really? Who was this lion? And who did he think he was? While she wasn't as annoyed as earlier, this time, Ghislaine felt honestly curious to how Fon Youn would answer her next question, although that was hidden under the foremost layers of peevishness. "Really? What is wrong with being good and nice, then?" she asked sharply. "Isn't it better than being lazy and manipulative?"

"Honestly," the lioness said, planting herself in a sitting position on the ground. "I believe you'll find me to be just as stubborn as you, so purely for the sake of appeasing my own mind, I will not leave unless you explain yourself and this 'fun'," the shrinekeep proclaimed. Well, this was going well.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Fon Youn nodded in acknowledgment, glad that at least one person in the pride was willing to admit that it was his choice how he chose to live his life, and whether he wished to be pierced, tattooed, or otherwise decorated. Even if she didn't seem quite to approve of the alterations.

"Theah is not a thing wrong with that lahfstahl, m'deah. Mahn just happens tah be diff'rent."

"Ah wouldn't call mahself manipulative." Lazy was difficult to argue with, although it also wasn't the adjective he would use either. He just had different priorities than the more work-oriented members of the pride. No harm in that. "You callin' me so wounds me deeply."

Despite her irritation at his evasiveness, the shrinekeep seemed disinclined to depart his irritating presence. Apparently he had snared her pretty thoroughly way back when. The thought made him smile, though it was likely inappropriate for him to do so.

"Ah have no desiah to fahght with you, m'deah. And so if your curiosity must be satisfahed, Ah mahght ask if you have evah had an out of body experience."  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Princess Feylin

Ghislaine scowled at the lion. "It wasn't that, it was your tone - oh, never mind," she huffed. "Well, thank you for your approval, then," the lioness drawled with a roll of her eyes. This lion was just so...urgh! At least he didn't seem to be as annoying as before, or perhaps the Shrinekeep was simply becoming acclimated to his attitude. Her ears twitched at his next sentence, however. Ghislaine doubted his sincerity, but at the same time, she never truly meant to hurt Fon Youn's feelings, no matter how infuriating he was. This was what her temper got her.

Steeling herself to look foolish if the lion was merely playing or was not so serious, Ghislaine took a breath to apologize. "I'm sorry, then. I did not mean for my words to seem so," the lioness apologized sincerely though without any other emotion. She seemed to be settling down a bit, as Fon Youn's smile drew no bristly reaction from her as it had previously. Ghislaine cocked her head to the side at the question.

"Well, yes, a few times when I have been deeply connected with the Loa or in ritual I have had such an experience..." Ghislaine trailed off as she remembered the reputation of the lion in front of her. "If you're speaking of using plants or certain mixtures from the pride's stores, then no," she replied, oddly devoid of exasperation or annoyance. For some reason, the thought of recreational drug use didn't really bother her, at least at the moment. Certainly those who used it could be doing something much better, and they were technically abusing what belonged to the pride, but she knew it to happen. Maybe she just had no more energy for being righteous or appalled at the moment.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Fon Youn was momentarily confused when the shrinekeep apologized. He genuinely had no idea what had provoked an apology from her until he paused to review their conversation up to that point. Recalling details was not one of his skills at the best of times, unless it was something that could serve him well at a later date, and then he was usually surprised to learn that he remembered the detail he'd recalled. After a moment of brow-furrowing thought he decided she was apologizing for hurting his feelings.

"Don't fuss yourself," he said with a magnanimous swish of his tail.

Fon Youn wasn't the least surprised by the pretty shrinekeep's initial response, or by the way she finally answered his question when she realized what he was truly asking. She was so innocent, it was almost criminal to even consider bringing her around to his way of doing things. No, really. It almost bothered him that she was showing an interest like this.

"And that's very good. You shouldn't." Now, how could he get rid of her?  

[YourxStarlessxEyes]

Princess Feylin

Ghislaine was surprised at Fon Youn's casual brush off of her former words. He seemed, not like he was making fun of her, but more like it was already forgotten. How odd. 'But at least he was pleasant about it,' the lioness found herself thinking. He was still insufferable, no doubt about that, but perhaps not so much of a hoodlum as she first thought. That didn't mean she would be around him more than she had to be, though.

Speaking of, Ghislaine regarded the lion oddly for a moment. What was this? He wasn't going to try and bring her to his lifestyle? No convincing her to become corrupted? That was certainly unexpected. Although it certainly did prove that perhaps his reputation lent him a bit more credit than he actually had. She was a little annoyed, though. She had dragged herself all over to find him, and this was it? Well, when the lioness thought about it, she didn't want to be interested in his kind of fun anyway. If she had gone through with it, she knew she would have regretted it later.

"Well, since it seems you won't be offering me any help on this 'fun,' it seems I should be taking my leave. I have duties to attend to, after all." Having been left sputtering last time, Ghislaine got up and stretched as she gave a slightly exasperated sigh, deciding to get away first this time. "Thank you for your lack of help. Really" the Shrinekeep drawled. "I wish you luck in whatever it is you do, exactly." As she turned around, Ghislaine was struck by a ludicrous idea. It was absurd really, but the young lioness was feeling oddly relaxed, so as she began to walk away, she decided to imitate some of the more fluffy-headed of the pride lionesses and gave her tail a little extra swish. Turning to look at Fon Youn, Ghislaine gave a wink. "Ta."

'Let him figure that one out!' she thought to herself, attempting to keep her laughter about messing with the Poupe down until she was out of earshot. Oh...so this was what fun was.  

[Princess_Feylin]

"Loa guard you," Fon Youn said softly, bidding the innocent lioness farewell.

He had no idea why he hadn't been willing to draw her into his form of corruption and sloth, but he couldn't shake the feeling that to do so would be It wasn't even like he was really corrupt. He was just irresponsible and free-wheeling. She could benefit from some loosening up. No one would argue that.

Except Fon Youn felt deep down that she would hate herself for letting go like that, one it was over and the haze from the smoke and the herbs cleared. She was devout and she cared about the loa, and Fon Youn...even with the visions he had, he never took those things seriously. There was too much of his mother in him.

He smiled after her retreating form. So she had some fun in her, but not his kind still. The ability to tack a flirt onto the end of a conversation and run away didn't mean she was really the same sort of person he was. Just that she thought she could be. It wasn't the same.

"Ta."