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 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:04 pm
This was great. Just peachy. Nothing could possibly be better.
If only sarcasm could cure Riyo's foul mood tonight. There she was. Stuck out in the wilderness... With him. Could've been anyone else in the group and she could have thrown on a smile and just bared it until the sun went up...
She didn't wear her distress on her face. Or at least, she hid it behind a neutral face even Atticus would've been jealous of. She stopped and squinted, holding her hand in front of her face. Darkness, sure. She could deal with darkness. But add thick fog to that and she was as good as blind. Cat vision only got you so far.
"In a pitch black forest. WITH fog. What a combo." Talking to him? Not really. More like talking to whatever gods thought it funny to put her in such a predicament.
"So, what do we do now?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:21 pm
Of all the most entertaining yet frustrating predicaments...
He was free from the annoyance of the suffocating crowd that Yuki had dragged him along within, and with a woman no less. Though, it had to be this one. Not only that, he couldn't see a damn thing. Making a run for it would be a stupid choice, God only knew how far from a village they were. He didn't feel like getting lost alone in the middle of nowhere if he had a choice. Not to say he couldn't hold his own, but... There would only be more frustration in the end.
Besides, he had a job to do.
Deacon leaned casually against a tree, back against the bark as he watched the young woman search in vain for sight of their missing comrades. He crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled. "What do we do?" He repeated, "I can think of a few things."
Of course he expected a rude response, but getting a rise from the girl would lighten the mood. For him, not so much for her. "Looks like you're stuck with me, Darlin'."
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:37 pm
When he stopped, Riyo turned around to stare at him, looking all smug as if everything was going his way. That's what annoyed her the most.
"So can I. A fire would be nice. Maybe some shelter..." She took a look around. What shelter? "You know, scratch the shelter. I can sleep in the dirt."
A cocky smirk appeared on her lips when he assumed she was 'stuck' with him, however. "Because, you know, it'd be so hard to fend for myself. Not like I lived in a forest for more than half of my life or anything." Hey, sarcasm did make her feel better. Even in this situation. "And don't call me 'darlin', you old coot."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:04 am
"Who needs fire?" Oh yeah, he was going to go there. "If it's the cold you're concerned about, I can keep you warm." It was as though he was making up for lost time, now that there wasn't someone around to so quickly crack him upside the head whenever he tried to say something remotely sexual.
He chuckled when she gave complaint of his name calling, "Well, then... What would you have me call you? Since apparently pet names are not my forte." They weren't, really, the 'appropriate' ones were quite limited.
Shelter, she'd mentioned, and Deacon quirked a brow. So, she had given up? That surprised him, actually. "That's easy..." He glanced toward the ground around them, surveying for an ideal spot to work with. He moved from the tree, and toward Riyo. Waving a hand to shoo her away from where she stood, it was unclear on if he actually had reason for the gesture or merely wished to grate at her nerves even further.
"Prove that you can be useful, then. Go fetch some firewood while daddy makes you your shelter."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:25 am
At his first suggestion, Riyo's face changed from puzzlement to a quick and sharp look of disgust. Her mind probably wasn't nearly as corrupted as his... But even imagining the little things... Gracious. A shiver went down her back just thinking about it.
"You can call me by my name, because I'm sure as hell not your pet." What a tangled web they'd weaved. Tonight would be one of those that's hard to forget... As much as she'd probably want to.
Her eyebrow raised at the 'easy' remark. What was he thinking? Did she want to know what he was thinking? She'd know soon, either way...
Before she had a chance to really contemplate what he was planning, she was shooed out of her spot and told to be "useful".
Her eyes narrowed. "Sure. I'll go do that." The sarcasm was almost as thick as the fog. She held out her hand for a moment and tossed out a little concentration. A puddle of black dripped from her hand and formed one of her... Abominations? It was a good word for them.
The creature glanced at Deacon and gave a hiss. "Not tonight, you." She said and pointed in a random direction. "Go get wood. Now."
The beast looked up at her as if she'd lost her mind. Wood? She was sending IT to get wood?
"I said NOW." And with that, it slithered in the pointed direction. She wasn't about to get herself lost in the fog, even if she did say she could make it without him. Somehow, Riyo figured if he found the others before her, they'd end up thinking she was dead in a ditch somewhere. It may not be able to travel too far, but that was about the distance she'd be able to go before getting lost.
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:11 pm
Who crushed this girl's sense of humor? The tabby tsked, "Why so serious?" Of course, there was no confirmation on if he'd call her by her proper name, or simply wait until later before he tried out a new one. Yes, he smirked softly to himself at that thought. His attention was focused on the ground, however, and perhaps it would go unnoticed. He knelt down onto one knee, flattening his palms against the soil.
One of his ears cocked at the sound of... Something... Dripping onto the ground. His eyes glanced toward the source of the sound, just in time to see the strange black creature hiss at him threateningly. He, without any knowledge or care, simply gave an amused chuckle.
He continued to watch the thing as it moved away, then lifted his gaze to Riyo. "Aww, how sweet..." He cooed, mockingly really, to her. "You didn't want to leave me, and here I thought you didn't want to be friends."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:47 pm
Why so serious? Her tail twitched in aggrivation. Why not? She didn't know him well enough to joke about anything he may think amusing at the time. Hell, the only reason she put up with him is because he was Yuki's "acquaintance" if you could even call him that.
"Humor was never my forte. But I do consider life one big joke." She smirked at that. "Where the wicked live luxuriously and the kind-hearted are crushed under the cruel, bitter hand of irony. I guess if that reasoning is right, I have nothing to worry about." Because if killing a whole village of people wasn't 'wicked' than there wasn't much else that could be.
Riyo shot him a questioning look as he laughed at her creature. What the ******** was so funny? "I know, isn't it?" She copied the tone of his voice, folding her hands behind her and kicking the dirt shyly. "Shucks, I didn't want to leave you here all by your lonesome so you could ditch me and find everyone else to tell them I'm dead." She aimed a sickeningly sweet smile at him, ears folded back. "I figured that was the extent of your compassion for a meek and humble woman such as myself." She cringed as she realized those words had come out of her mouth.
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:32 pm
Funny, this young woman was speaking of the darker aspects of life as though she had been there. He knew nothing of her past, however, so he did little more than think to himself. I'm sure you've yet to see anyone truly wicked, for you'd not be standing here now...
"Life's not fair, as the saying goes. This world is a cold, cruel place. If you don't watch where you step, you're going to fall." Deacon murmured, "I'm honestly stunned that those three made it this far without losing a limb." 'Those three' being the trio of felines from his own village, of course. "Yuki was never trained for this sort of thing."
She was poking fun at him now, and rather than getting under his skin it amused him. A reaction was a reaction, after all. "Don't be silly, Riyo." Damn, he could speak her name. "I don't plan on 'ditching' you... And I'd never say something like that, unless it were true." He looked up to her and gave an exaggerated, toothy grin. How comforting.
Then, he'd turned his attention back to the ground. "Stand back." He instructed. It was a good thing she wasn't too close, for it wasn't nearly advanced enough of a warning. A slab of earth jutted up at an angle from the ground with enough force behind it to pack a deadly punch. It was swiftly joined by a slab along the other side, effectively creating an upside-down V shape of a structure. Like a large, simply crafted tent, really. Only solid, though not much less worrisome.
Standing and dusting his pants, he looked down to his work with a bit of a frown. "It'll do, I suppose." At least it wasn't raining, and there'd soon be fire for warmth.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:30 am
'Don't have to tell me that...' Riyo thought about saying it, but let sleeping dogs lie. He didn't know about what happened to her, and he didn't have to know. It was none of his business.
And, once she thought about it, his words weren't far from the truth. Neko? He could probably make it on his own. But Yuki and Hitsu... They were a little different. "I'll say..." She spoke under her breath at the comment about Yuki not being trained for this sort of thing.
She couldn't hold back her laughter at his... Attempt to either scare her or comfort her. It did neither. "That a threat or a promise?"
Her laughter was cut short by the sound of earth moving. And... While she wouldn't admit it, she couldn't hide the fact that it startled her but good. "N-not bad..." Not bad? She could imagine herself cut in half by those two slabs of stone. And something told her that wasn't the only thing he could do.
That was when the little... Creature... Came slithering back with a mouthful of wood. Boy, was that a sight. Like a rediculous game of fetch or something. If one listened in, they could probably hear it grumbling too.
"See, now that wasn't so bad, was it?" She asked when the answer was obvious. Yes. Yes it was that bad. There would be splinters stuck in its teeth for days.
The creature spat the wood just in front of the... Tent structure and gave her a look that just about translated into 'Anything else, your highness?'
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:37 pm
While he intended for his statement to be funny, he had doubts that she was laughing at it.. Rather than at him. "If it were a threat, you'd know it. That much I can promise you."
When the girl had fumbled with her words in response to his earth manipulation, it was his turn to laugh. "That's nothing," A confirmation of her unspoken thought. "You'd be surprised what I can do." Oh, you bet he was bragging. "I've been practicing this type of magic since I was a boy."
Attention turned to the creature returning with wood, and he couldn't hide his amused expression when she spoke to it. "Though, I've gotta admit, that's an interesting little trick you've got going on..." He pointed to it, "What sort of magic is that?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:21 am
Considering this man had reached geezer status in her mind, Riyo was pretty impressed. Since he was a boy, huh? It was a bit... Frightening to think about the possibilities of his powers. All the different ways you could kill someone...
As he asked her about the little 'trick' she had going on, she thought about the different ways she could explain it to him. "Well..." She started and looked down at the creature. Hell, she'd never had to explain it before. Most people took one look at the thing and ran off screaming. Or died before they could.
The little minion looked up at Deacon as it was referred to. Apparently, it didn't appreciate being called a 'trick' either. It lowered it's head closer to the ground, as if it was going to try something. But the efforts were futile, as Riyo realized what it was thinking about doing and recalled it back with a point of her finger. A little cringe formed on her face as the foul substance made it's way back into her veins.
"It's formed from the negative energy I create. Whether it be negative thoughts or... Actions.." She glanced at her hand. It didn't used to hurt like that whenever she recalled them. Oh well.
"It's a little complicated to explain... Since I haven't quite figured out the extent of it myself... Never had anybody to explain for me."
She shook her head and smirked. "Though, I doubt my father knew anyways. He was just the last carrier of it."
She bent down next to the wood and prepared to make a fire. Figured she'd make use of herself while she was jabbering on. "But now I'm getting into my family history, and old fairy tales are best left to ignorant children."
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:08 am
He'd watched the creature intently as it stared at him, clearly focused on it. When Riyo recalled the minion, he actually looked a little disappointed. If the thing wanted to try and bite off a piece of him, he was ready to let it try... It would have been interesting to find out just how it reacted to abuse.
"That's quite the concept." He replied, "So what happens to them if you're trying to think positive?" He really didn't wait for an answer to that, though. "Carrier?" He'd never really heard of a type of magic in itself being passed through the genes... Merely taught as the person grew. This was obviously not what she'd just described.
Seeing as Riyo had decided to take it upon herself to prepare a fire for them, Deacon stepped nearer. Not to help, however. Without forewarning, a large clump of earth rose up in a mound just behind him. He seated himself on it, leaning forward to observe her work.
"Talk about whatever you want, I'm not going to stop you."
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:43 am
"A better question would be... What happens to me if I'm thinking positive while they're around. And I'm not completely sure... Since they're usually only around when I need something dead."
She took one of her nails and used it to make a small hole in the wood, then placed some dry grass in said hole.
When he seemed to question just what she meant by 'carrier', Riyo contemplated on whether to tell him. "Curses and contracts. Cats and ravens. Superstition and religion. I don't know if anyone remembers the old nursery rhymes and stories surrounding the black cat anymore... And if you haven't heard them, then it's not something I'd prefer to explain."
While she spoke, she snooped around for a small stick, finally finding one of appropriate size and shape. She couldn't help but jump a little when the ground moved again... But let out a sigh when she realized it had been him. "It's surprising, though... How much damage you can inflict with words." She mumbled while drilling the stick into the small hole she'd made. Little embers began to form... And when she found it to be the right time, Riyo took the stick out and gave it a few soft breaths.
And there it was. A flame. Starting out small, but getting bigger by the minute.
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:30 am
"I see..." He murmured. Well, it was logical. They appeared when she was angry, carrying out her vicious wishes and from the look of it quickly returning from whence they came not long after. No wonder it had looked so confused when she hadn't let it tear into him when it was first conceived.
The urge to instruct the girl, despite how much it looked like she knew what she was doing, was strong. However, he managed to hold his tongue, instead addressing only their subject of conversation. "You're talking to a man from a village of cats, my Dear." He hadn't really been trying to prod any nerves this time, but seemed to catch himself. There was a pause before he continued, as though he had been waiting for her to snap at him. "I've heard the story a handful of times."
"Of course, I always thought it was just as you called it... A Fairy Tale." Though, when Riyo had stated she'd prefer not to talk about it, he shrugged lightly. Fair enough, he figured. If she didn't want to talk about it, he had no reason to pry.
Her murmur caught his ears, and he laughed softly to himself. "Is it, though?" His face took on a more serious expression, he laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his knuckles. "Words can be more damaging in the end than some wounds, Riyo."
"As an example that I'm sure you'd understand.... If someone were to offer their hand to Hitsuzen, claiming that her brother was looking for her, she'd follow them willingly without a second thought... Even if she did not know who they were." He shook his head softly, "As for Yuki, I'm sure if you could convince him that his little Hitsu were gone, never to return... He'd probably kill himself." How inappropriate was it that he'd smiled, just then? He'd lowered his head, the smirk swiftly hidden behind his folded hands.
The sight of the fire mildly surprised him. That hadn't taken long, perhaps he had been rude to assume she might have needed help. Perhaps. "Well done." He said, an honest compliment. "We'll need to gather more wood, sooner or later, if we want that to last all night." And they would, he was certain. The nights were growing colder now, as winter approached.
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:21 pm
Oh really? Talking to a man from a village of cats? She figured he came from a village of raccoons or something else absurd like that.
Riyo kept her comments to herself on that one, however. And, as she'd speculated, just about everyone else had considered it nothing but a bedtime story. "It was considered prophecy at the village I was born in. Lucky me.." She scooted back from the fire a little to watch her little creation grow. "After the first black cat died, his children carried the... Disease from the demon. Though very few of them could access the power. I guess because it takes unbelievable levels of negative energy to release it. So, I suppose my 'power' is nothing to brag about, and only proves I'm a headcase." She gave a little laugh. Headcase. That fit pretty well.
She listened to his... Examples quietly and without interruption, eyes glancing from the fire to him. And, while his words were probably true, she'd never thought about that. Her eyes widened at the aspect of Yuki taking his own life just because his sister was gone.
nothing but silence on her end for awhile... Until she finally managed to ask. "... How do people do that? Put so much faith in another person's existence?" She rubbed her head, trying to figure out the reasoning behind it. "Is that love? Is that all love is? Being stupid?" This aggrivated her deeply. "Why would anyone want that?"
Riyo just shrugged his compliment aside. It was something she learned at an early age from watching everyone else in her village do it. And she'd get more wood later. Procrastination? Maybe. But she was sort of enjoying this conversation.
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