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 Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:57 pm
players: graceangel and discoqueen
location: derya, just after dusk
primary characters: carmen and russ (if disco wishes to bring in a random other krysue for whatever plot deviations; that's totally fine and ok)
Carmen was sauntering down a side alley that was a shortcut from her faily's shack into another row of alley that would eventually empty into a thorough street which led to the shop her 'father' ran. Her father was more of a metaphor than the truth. He was her hume. He was the one who had been taking care of her since she was only barely breathed her first breath here. Still, he had always been good to her. Though he was now married and had a few of his own actual children. She still felt like he was her dad though she was lately starting to notice that his manner with his own real children was a little different.
Being old enough to handle herself, he had started having her work the closing three to five hours of the courier shop there on her own. He used her availability to be home with the rest of his young family. Really, she didn't mind. If she was at the shop, she wasn't there to have the growing bonds of humes bonded through blood all rubbed into her face. Not that anyone did that on purpose. Of course not, but still.....
Thus on she continued to make her way. Every now and then, she'd cheerily wave at and greet some folk she'd come to know in her time in Derya. Most didn't really know her or her name well. They knew her as the Courier's krykry. It wasn't uncommon for someone to accept a parcel from her, pat her on the head and offer her a bone. She'd just sigh and smile with a little surrender. "I have a name. I'm Carmen, but thank you." She knew some found her cute and funny because she used hume style clothes. She didn't think they made her any better than other Kyresues. She just liked it. She knew... She'd never be hume.
And, anyway... it was all immaterial at that moment. Because...she was headed to the shop.
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:13 pm
If you asked Russ if he was happy with his life, he'd tell you flat out "No." Or a "Hell no.", depending on his mood. Don't misunderstand. Russ was usually a calm and easy going guy. When he wasn't having to do the same mundane tasks he had to do everyday. The lifting. The carting. The setting up and taking down. He appreciated the fact that his hume still wanted him around. He had known others who had sent their Kyresues away after they got to a certain point where they might not be able to do the tasks a trader needed help with.
Thankfully, Russ had not reached that point yet, but he wasn't wanting to spend his entire life doing this job until it was his time to stop. He wanted to do more with his life. See more places. Meet more people than the ones he saw week to week. For what was probably the tenth time that day, Russ looked in the direction of where the ships were. One of these days he's have the courage to leave.
His shoulders slumped as he turned and saw what still needed to be packed. One of these days; but not today. Maybe tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the hundreds of days after, like he had been telling himself for the past tens of days.
When his hume deemed that everything was packed into the cart just the way he liked, only then did he allow Russ to take some time for himself. The hume wasn't a complete slave driver. He preferred work to be done first before play. As long as Russ was back to their dwelling in time to unpack the cart while there was still light, the hume didn't care what Russ did.
Cracking his back, Russ decided he'd walk the kinks out along the streets. No particular destination or path in mind of course. Too boring if he did. Maybe he'd find an adventure while he was walking.
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:33 pm
It so happened that Carmen had just finally found the opening onto that swathing street that curved here and there around like a street made of living snake that moved through the town. That was probably just due to the way the town formed way back in the day when there were just docks and a few stalls where people bought and sold their wares off of boats. The early bazarres and faires in the streets.
She was about to sling her backpack over her shoulder like she should have when she left the house or sometime on her way down here. However, instead of it landing safely on her back. The movement caused her tail to get caught up in it, and she was turning half around to get her tail unstuck from under the backpack and pressed back down under the skirt. She never saw any of the hume girls with their tails in the skirts. Neverminding the fact the hume girls didn't have tails.
She finally got it out and wasn't watching where she was walking. She tripped right over a piece of rope that had come loose from some passerby. The rope rolled right under the front of her hind feet, and she went flying forward. She landed mostly in the street. Luckily for her, it wasn't muddy there. However, there were enough to see, point and laugh. It was enough to make it embarrassing and slightly mortifying. She started to push herself up. She moved her hair out of her face and peeked up and around. She deeply wished that noone could see through her olive fur just how incredibly embarrassed and red faced she was. She almost wanted to cry if she hadn't had enough pride not to. She then pulled up onto her knees to press her skirt down to cover her rear. She looked around to see her things had fallen out of her backpack. She sighed audibly and moved to gather them. "Geesh... I just couldn't do that somewhere there's noone looking... Nope.. Not me..just had to be... right here where everyone would laugh."discoqueen hey, quoting, so you know i tagged you. ;]
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:47 pm
Russ didn't know why he tortured himself. Instead of finding the direct path out of the area specifically for traders to sell their wares on the street, he had to travel through it, past all the competitors stalls, at least the ones that were still there. All reminders of where he was. He had to be hopeless. That was all there was to it.
He needed to get out of that street. Not listen to any more humes calling out their wares and sales. Not listening to some Kyresues gossip about the comings and goings of others of their kind. Not watch the little ones hang out at the stall, knowing where they'd probably be in the next ten years.
So he tried to cut around. And came upon a wall of people, all laughing at something. Pushing his way through the crowd, Russ halted as he saw a female sitting on the street, her stuff around her. "Excuse me," he said, moving between the last barrier he needed to to be in the front. He knelt in the street as well, picking up a couple items and holding them out. "Here. You okay?"Graceangel Sorry...this'll probably have to be my last post of the night. Needing to get some sleep.
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:08 pm
Carmen looked up somewhat surprised at another kyresue kneeling beside her helping her. She then took them from him tentatively. She put them away before giving him a look over. "Thank you. This is really nice of you, but if you stay here, they'll probably just talk about you too the rest of the night. I'm sure I'll be the laugh in the cups of plenty in the pubs tonight."
She gave a half smile. It was sheepish and bore a little self degredation in it. She looked around to make sure they had gotten most of it. Thank goodness she didn't pack anything today that would make it worse. She checked herself and made sure there wasn't anything to make her fall back down before she stood up. Then, she pushed herself up. She hoisted her bag up and made sure it was on securely before proceeding.
She brushed her pigtails back over her shoulders and stood waiting for the one soul who had the decency to not laugh at her. The one who was willing to kneel beside her. "I appreciate that so much. Now, I'll owe you something."
discoqueen ok. i'll leave this for you since I have to go to bed soon too.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:49 am
Russ shrugged. "So let them laugh." He gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Eventually something else will happen that'll make them all forget what you did here." He winked at the other. "I bet they're only laughing because they're jealous of how gracefully you must have fallen."
Russ stood up, dusting off his knees and hands. He couldn't go back to his hume all dirty. His marking were bad enough for business according to the trader. Add dirt into the mix...Russ knew the hume wouldn't punish him for getting dirty, but he didn't want to think about what his hume would do.
At the mention of owing him something, Russ shook his head. "There's no need." Looks at the kyresue from dusting himself off. "A pretty damsel in need of help, how could I do anything but help?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:04 am
Carmen looked up and watched his facial expressions when he gave that reassuring smile. She smiled rather pleasantly as she thought this guy was pretty cute aside from being chivalrous. "You're so nice. Though I'm pretty sure it wasn't graceful in the slightest. I'm just glad the water on the ground wasn't also muddy. Now at least I only smell of fish a bit. Then again, I suppose none of us can do much in this town without smelling like fish at least a little bit."
She laughed lightheartedly. She nervously brushed her hair down wondering if that looked a shambles too. She smoothed down her skirt and fixed her vest. She took an opportunity to look him over while she was unashamedly primping herself in front of him. "You have some interesting markings. Are those tattoos?"
She lifted her long fluffy tail up over her arm to show him hers. "I have a few actually. This one right here is my biggest one though." Her purple eyes glittered and searched. She had to feel him out a little bit. Still, so far he seemed ok.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:41 am
Russ laughed. "Then there's nothing to be worried about. If we all smell like fish, no one will complain that you do too." He tilted his head as the other made herself look more presentable. One of their kind wearing clothes like a hume. A rare sight for Russ to behold. Kind of made him wonder what it would be like to wear hume clothing himself. Not that he would attempt it of course. Not where anyone would be able to see him. That he knew he would get into trouble with his hume for doing. Though they did look good on the female. Then again, with how rare Russ saw that kind of clothing, it could actually be a hideous outfit and he wouldn't be able to tell.
He looked down at his markings, then gave the girl a sheepish smile. "Would it sound cooler if I said they were?" He remembered having them when he was younger, but he didn't remember how he came to get them. They could be tattoos, or they could be odd coloring, like how his tail and hair was. "I mean, I've had them for as long as I could remember." Yet...they'd have to be tattoos wouldn't they? With how distinct shapes they were?
Ah well. He never really tried figuring it out before, so why start now? He leaned in a little closer to look at her tail. "A bird. Cute. Goes great with your coloring Miss...." Russ blinked. "Huh...Never caught your name. I'm Russ."
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:37 am
She then looked at him a little quizzically at how he was evaluating her. Oh. Yeah. Her clothes. She then remembered that a kyresue in hume clothing wasn't a common sight. Many humes still often thought of the kry as creatures not really worthy of dolling up like their own children, especially in this town. Derya being a seaport; this was a working town. Everyone who lived here either ran a business or worked in one of them that were being owned and ran here. Many were family businesses. Like the fishing boats, most were owned by a single family. Those families would hire extra hands.
Some people had businesses like helping move shipments from ships to stalls or from stalls to businesses. This time of day, the hustle and bustle was starting to die down as everyone were packing up their stalls and getting ready to either go home to their families or go to the pub to socialize.
The green furred kitsune just swished her hips forward and back a few times. She smiled friendily at him. "I'm Carmen. Since we have exchanged names, that means we must be friends now right?" She ran a hand through her hair, pushing her kry mask she was born with onto the top of her backpack. "If it interests you at all though, I have four other bird tats." She showed him her arms, her leg and foot.
"And... have I detoured you from rushing off to family and friends as well? I hate to be keeping you if you were..." Her purple eyes wide as saucers. Her pupils expanded as well. She couldn't quite remember the last time she had openly flirted with someone. She felt that was a shame. If you couldn't remember, that meant it had been far too long.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:06 am
"Must be. Well, at least I like to think so." Or at the very least acquaintances. Friendship could come later. "At least a friendly face to say hello to in this crowd of strangers." He looked around at said strangers who had laughed at Carmen's misfortune. Just random faces to him. Just like all of his hume's customers. No names to faces. One glance and all forgotten.
Russ looked back at Carmen as she showed him her other tattoos. "Why birds?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, they're beautiful and all. Any special meaning behind them? Or just because they match the beauty of the person wearing them?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nope. No family. No friends, besides you of course." He nodded in the direction of the stalls. "The Master is done for today, so he lets me go back at my own pace. As long as I get everything put away at a decent time when I get back, I'm free to do whatever." And as long as he didn't get into any trouble. "What about you? Surely someone is waiting for the pleasure of your company."
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:18 am
She smiled and swished a bit as she started to get a good deal more fidgety. She wished she could slow down on that, but it was so hard not to fidget. She considered what he meant. It was true. Though she often waved to people and said hello. Many if not most were in fact really strangers. The idea some of them were like friends with her was probably a fancy all in her head.
She sucked on her bottom lip as she thought about why birds. "Um.. I guess I don't have a really good reason. I started with the one.. and then I just got a few more. But... birds are beautiful because they always have a song in their heart. They always sing that song no matter what. They are so free. At the least bit of stirring they don't like; they just flutter up and away. I admire their freedom."
She then thought it was a little sad this one had no friends or family. Well, in theory, her 'father's' family weren't really her family; she did like to think they were though. Deep down, she could feel how she was different and treated differently. She heard it immediately how Russ called his hume Master.
"I'm actually supposed to head to work. My hume owns and runs a courier service. I staff the shop during these late hours just in case something important comes along that can't wait till the morning. In fact, I'm glad I left a few minutes early, or I'd be very late right now." She wondered if she actually was late, but time passing was an odd thing. "Wanna walk with me there?" His little compliments hadn't missed her either.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:39 am
"Wanting freedom...that's a good reason. Happiness. Joy." Russ smiled. "Tells a little bit more about you you know?" Hm...perhaps the road to friendship with Carmen would be a faster trip. "Plan to get anymore? Perhaps feathers next time instead of a bird?"
Russ winced as Carmen told him where she had been heading. "My apologies then. We certainly cannot have you be late to work." He made a mock bow, swinging his arm out. "I would love to accompany you there." He looked up at Carmen with a twinkle in his eyes. "And perhaps help protect you from whatever devious object might trip you next time."
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:45 am
Carmen gave him a lackluster shrug. "Well, to be quite blunt. My hume is actually fairly nice to me. He's always treated me well. I don't mind working. To tell you the truth," She started and turned and held out a hand. Before she continued her previous thought. She side tracked and looked at him. "Come, walk with me. Maybe if if we're not done, you can stay and hang out with me for a bit. If nothing's going on there today, it'll at least make it a little less boring. There are a lot of nights noone comes in for service. I just spend the time reading or writing in my book."
She waited for him to take her hand and walk with her. She felt reasonably certain he would. He seemed to be game for company just as much as she was. She tilted her head back to look at him. She wondered if she wore all her hair down if she'd be prettier. She did find it appealing some faces he was making. It made her wanna step her game up.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:30 pm
"Well that's good." Russ stared at the offered hand a moment before taking it. Something new. He hadn't held anyone's hand since he was younger. His mouth twitched as he thought it'd also help him keep Carmen's balance if she did trip again. Or else he'd fall down with her. Would be interesting and something to laugh at together. "Though, have you ever wondered what you would do with your life if you didn't have to stay here working?"
He debated a moment about staying at the store with Carmen. On one hand, he could get to know her more. On the other, he could possibly end up having so much fun, that he forgets the time and arrives home late. "Sure. Would be interesting to see exactly what couriers do." All Russ had known was the trader business. He cast a sidelong glance at Carmen. "Oh? That's all you do? No secret suitors that come to visit? Just reading and writing? Even that must be boring after a bit."
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:42 pm
Her pawed hand clasped around his as she led the way towards the shop but keeping her speed, so it wouldn't be hard to walk side by side. She thought it was fun to do this. "Boy... have I thought about that. I sure have. I think about it all the time. You know... sometimes, my father, I mean.... my hume sometimes gets people who come in from the docks. They'll bring wrapped packages to be sent to another big city in the Beryl Fields. I've thought about asking if I can be the one to take them. I guess I just chicken out and resign to carrying out my daily duties like a good little reliable daughter." She then glanced up at the side. She realized she was talking like his was her parent. She figured it probably sounded silly.
She started to laugh. Then she looked at him again with suspecting eyes. "Secret suitors? Well... not yet. Not that there aren't any great looking guys in town. Just that everyone is so stuck on doing everything just the same way everyday. If they don't see you every day, they don't really wanna talk to you. Kind of hard to have suitors that way. You're right. Even my reading and writing can get boring. There just isn't much else to do while I'm there." She shot that last statement looking towards his eyes to see what answer they would have to that. It was both just a lackadaisical sort of question but also an inviting daring sort of question as well. What kind of ideas would he have to be less boring.
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