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 Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:34 pm
So far, what Elium had decided on was that he quite liked this campus. It was a refreshing change from having a living space of about five feet, and while he was used to moving almost constantly, being in the same place for more than a few hours was...nice. He was getting a very vague sense of direction about this place, even if he would continue to get incredibly lost despite his best efforts for as long as he could currently forsee. Such a thing just seemed to be inevitable.
Still, the eater carried on with just a hint more confidence than the last time he'd made an experimental foray into the unstable wilderness that was the campus proper. The feather in his hat bobbed a bit as he moved, slinking away from the undead dorms and steering himself towards what he hoped would be--somewhere he would be allowed to go. Was there a place that students would get in trouble for being in? He certainly didn't want to accidentally stumble into that, he'd only just gotten here; it was far too early in the year for him to be causing trouble, be it directed at others or at himself.
His mask wore a fairly neutral expression for once, one that could just barely be considered something akin to a faint smile under a particular kind of light. This was already a far better change than joining up with his wing's cult, he was sure of it--and he hadn't managed to get thrown into any trash cans or anything yet! That was a miracle in itself, really!
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:44 pm
Here, hold this.
The voice was in his mind, but it was quick - a rushed sound that was immediately followed by the feel of a leash in the plague eaters digits. At the end of the leash, a very excitable little cwn annwyn pup was tugging, trying to get free the moment it had been given away. Whether or not it actually freed itself was up to how quick Elium's instincts were. Though it was just a little pup, it was certainly tugging hard enough to slip through uncertain fingers.
The owner of the voice that had intrusively whispered into Elium's mind sped by him at a breakneck speed, bolting forward to catch something that was running just as fast in front of her. The streak of purple was almost impossible to see, it was moving so fast. And just like that, it was gone.
And Elium was left with one very small, very hyperactive puppy.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:48 pm
The mental intrusion wasn't something that he'd been expecting, and it stopped his possibly slightly pleased jaunt outright as he fumbled with the leash, just barely catching it due to the fact that it got caught between the joints of his gauntlets. Just like that, the expression that might have been pleased flipped to a very clear frown as Elium got a better hold on the leash, staring down at the puppy with all the silence of somebody who has literally no idea what's going on.
Puppy. Leash.
It was chewing on his coat.
Why.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:00 pm
Ombra, the puppy in question, was absolutely delighted at the person who was holding his leash. He hopped up on the coat and started to gnaw, his head whipping to and fro in an effort to dominate it with his ferocious hunter prowess. Then it barked up at Elium - the tiniest little yip, just a baby's bark, and let go of the coat to stare up at him; tongue lolled out of his mouth, and tail whipping wildly.
It was almost as if he recognized him.
But then he went back to attacking his coat.
Several long minutes went by, with no sign of the dog's owner. The trees rustled in the wind, a calming sound. It was punctuated by the sudden drop of a creature, possibly female, definitely formidable. She landed gracefully on her feet, her claws barely touching the ground before she stood straight up and turned away.
Cam's escaped. This is bad. We've got to catch him, before - here I'll take Ombra. She reached out and grabbed the leash without looking. He was headed for the dorms. I fear the havoc he'll cause. Please, help me catch him.
She reached out, took the gauntlet'd claws, which felt remarkably like claws and therefore made perfect sense, and pulled the plague eater closer as she started walking in a hurried pace towards the dorms. You take the Undead dorms, I'll take the Reaper dorms, and if you find him, text me, otherwise we'll try the others.
She stopped to catch her breath, releasing his hand, and closing her eyes to try and relax.
I'm sorry for dragging you into this, mia cara. This is not the way I wanted to start the morning with yo-oh.
As she spoke, she'd finally turned up to rest her forehead on his mask, and that was when she realized very abruptly that this was not Malodore's mask.
She pulled away, her white, pupilless eyes wide as saucers.
Oops.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:11 pm
Oh, that bark was kind of cute. Or it would be, if it didn't end with more coat mauling why was this happening to him, he just wanted a walk--
And then what was presumably the puppy's owner dropped down in front of him, and all he could do was stare.
Elium, having lived in the effective moving box that was his cart for all of his unlife so far, was not familiar with demons. He was especially not familiar with demons when they were this particular brand of terrifying, and he remained entirely silent as she grabbed the leash, barely smothering a small noise of complaint when she--he really hoped this was a she, he was assuming and that was bad--pulled him closer and started walking. Something about taking the dorms? Texting--? When his hand was released, he looked down at it for a moment, still utterly dumbstruck.
The fact that she moved in even closer and just about put her face on his mask didn't make things better.
"Uhm-- I--" he started, jaw working underneath his beak. "Y-You kinda got me mistaken, ma'am--?" That ended with an almost painfully questioning note, his voice rising in pitch a bit more than he intended. "M'sorry, I really am, but I'm, uh. I don' know a Mia or a Cara."
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:20 pm
Emotions like awkwardness did not translate well onto a mindflayers face. She just sort of looked frustrated. Yes. I have most definitely mistaken you for another, and for that, I apologize. It's just. I've never actually seen another..
A single brow arched, and her face contorted in dubious confusion. She might have tried to lean her head to the side just slightly, to peek under the mask, but it was just as impossible to see as it was with Malodore.
Who are you? She had temporarily foregone her manners due to the sheer disbelief that seeing a plague doctor (or so she thought) other than Malodore on the premises. Unless..
Her eyes narrowed thin to slits. You're not from the Casa, are you?
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:28 pm
That was not a good look. Elium leaned back a bit, more than a little uncertainly clear from behind that mask of his. What exactly was a casa, and why did this ghoul seem to dislike it/them/whatever so much? Did he look like he was from a casa? That was probably a bad thing. Oh dear. Off to a fantastic start, he supposed.
"M'afraid I don' know what...that is. Ah, a--casa, that is." he added hurriedly, taking a short step backwards to put a little bit of comfortable distance between the two of them. "And, er. Elium, year one. Haven' even been here a week yet-- Yeah." He really felt like he should shut up. Was that a good plan? He thought it was.
He glanced back and forth from Riley to the puppy, some unconcerned corner of his mind wondering if the cwn annwyn had any plans to start chewing on him again.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:35 pm
Ombra was digging a hole in the ground. That was his current grand plan.
Riley relaxed significantly when Elium denied any knowledge of the Casa, and nodded in acceptance. Good. Then you must be from somewhere else. Are you a plague doctor as well? It would be rude of me to simply assume such. Apparently her manners switch had flipped back on after the initial shock mistaking someone for Malodore wore off. After all, there were clear differences, she just wasn't looking when she took his hand, or -
Riley's cheeks burned black with embarrassment.
That was very stupid of me. I'm not thinking clearly at the moment - you see, one of my pets has escaped me recently. Only, it isn't - Ombra, stop that, you're making a mess. She realized Ombra had dug himself a hole deep enough to be buried in, and was currently rolling in it happily.
It isn't a harmless creature, such as my pup here. Whom she'd handed to Elium to hold. She darkened with embarrassment again. Really, I'm sorry about that mix-up.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:49 pm
And it was a good grand plan. So long as it did not involve any more gnawing, Elium would be alright with it.
"Ah, no. Plague eater--we're a bit diff'rent. Kinda th'same thing, but--well. We don' really get too fussed with it." Not from what he knew, anyway. As far as he was concerned, plague doctors were just some faraway group that he'd been told were not-quite-eaters, back in his...youth. Better wording would be while he was in his wing--yes, that was an acceptable way to think of it. Far less confusing than trying to hash out the parameters of 'youth' for an undead species.
"And, well, it's...nothin' bad, I guess? A'mean, didn' wind up gettin' set on fire or anythin', so I figure there's nothin' to be worried about." Elium drew himself back up, cocking his head to one side at mention of the pet at large being a bit more than harmless. That wasn't good. "Well, er--don' mean t'be rude, but maybe we should be lookin' for 'em instead of standin'? I don' mind givin' a hand if you need it."
While this...student? looked perfectly capable and then some, two heads were better than one, as the old adage went.
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:57 pm
A plague eater. Riley stilled for a moment at the revelation. I've never heard of such a species before. She murmured, but in her tone it was clear the words 'which is rare' silently finished off the sentence. Still, as intriguing as a new species to study might be, he had a point. Cam was still on the loose.
Ah - yes. You're right of course. The minipet in question is a foot high, green, bulbous eyes, tentacled face. He responds to the name Cam - but if you call him by it, he'll run. So try to sneak up on him, if you see him, and have some sort of capturing device handy - a bag or some procured sheet. Don't let him anywhere near your head.
She stopped there, her gaze settling firmly on the plague eater. I must repeat this. Do not let him anywhere near your head.
She didn't clarify why.
I suppose we can follow the plan I had originally mentioned when I thought you were.. She looked away. He'll be headed for the dorms - specifically for other people's rooms. Look for a path of destruction, and follow it - you'll find him there. Is there any way we can remain in contact, if you find him? Do you have a skellyphone?
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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:28 am
Well, that didn't sound so bad. He had to admit, he was a bit curious as to why the thing wasn't supposed to get near his head, but he wasn't going to question it--the owner would know best, after all. Elium gave a nod as the brief primer ended, though that stopped quite quickly when she mentioned a skellyphone.
"Erm. Iiii don' have one of those. Maybe we should just--meet up back here? Or I can find somebody who knows you and wouldn' mind...textin' you." The word was alien to him, and the undead had to pause for a moment, briefly glancing down his beak and wondering just what that even meant. "Who should I say you are--? 'F you don' mind me askin', that is. Y'know."
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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:30 pm
Riley shook her head in dismay. I owe you an apology once more. In my haste to rectify this terrible situation, I have let my manners slip too far. My name is Riley. It's a pleasure to meet you, Elium - even under these unfortunate circumstances.
Her head tilted, as if she'd heard something. She went still for a moment, but then shook it. Glancing to the boil once more, she sighed. I have a better idea. If you find it, and successfully capture it, return to my room with it. The number is 157, in the demon dorms. If anyone gives you a problem for being in there, simply explain the situation - no one will fault you for it. Meet me in my room, whether you find it or not, and I suppose we can discuss further options from there if we have failed.
She put her hand on his shoulder, eyeing him carefully.
Let us hope we do not fail.
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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:25 pm
If he wouldn't have been at least a little sure about the fact that this purported minipet had the potential to maul him, Elium might have responded with some plucky quip along the lines of 'how hard could it be?' or maybe even 'this will only take a second'. With things set up how they were, that just seemed...stupid.
"157, alright. I'll go give th'dorms a look-see, try findin' out where he went. We've gotta find 'im somewhere, yeah?" He attempted a smile of sorts, the ceramic giving a soft grinding sound as the corner of his mouth moved upwards. "He's gotta be 'round here. I'll go--do that. Tell you what I find, Miss Riley."
He gave a short nod, looking back over his shoulder at the undead dorms. This couldn't be so bad--could it? It was only a minipet, after all.
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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 10:43 pm
Thank you, Elium. Your assistance in this matter is much appreciated. Come along, Ombra. She shook the leash, and the pup who'd buried himself in a hole started to scramble his way out. Find the scent, you useless pup. You're a hunting dog. Has Luce taught you nothing yet?
Ombra responded by peeing in the hole. Riley's shoulders slumped in defeat, and dragged him to the reaper dorms.
Though the undead dorms had remained untouched, a path of destruction waited for her in the reaper dorms. But Cam had already escaped, leaving its calling card on a few dorms in the vicinity. She had no time to investigate on the damages, as she'd heard a tip from a ghost nearby that it had found green residual slime on the walls of a hallway in its dorms, so she searched there.
And still, no luck.
She decided to return to her dorm after some time of fruitless searching, in the hopes that the reason she couldn't find Cam was because Elium had caught it already. The demon dorms had their share of defiled rooms, but she could not sense the little monster nearby.
Elium? Have you arrived yet? She opened the door to her room, and let Ombra's leash go.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:27 pm
It had taken Elium a bit longer than he would've liked to make it to the demon dorms, partially because he was more than a bit terrified of going in there, and partially because he had continued to look for Cam for perhaps a bit too long. When it became very much clear that the minipet was nowhere to be found in the undead dorms, the eater had decided to make his way back, soon cautiously picking his way to the looming structure of the other dorm. He'd moved through the hallways quickly with his gaze locked straight ahead, altogether far too unwilling to even chance looking at any of the roaming inhabitants as they made their way about their business. A few seconds of panic flashed through him when he realized that he couldn't quite remember Riley's dorm number--had it been 157, or 175? That was a bit of a difference there, and one that had all sorts of potential to get him into a bad situation. Still, he was closer to the former, and the fact that the door was open was mildly reassuring. When he peeked around the doorframe to see Riley standing there, he breathed a short, stifled sigh of relief, ducking down a bit to be able to see what was going on inside.
"Didn' find 'im, Miss." he reported, sounding somewhat exasperated despite the odd echo to his voice. "I don' think he even went over there, from what I saw. You have any luck--?"
The question was a bit redundant, he saw. Hm.
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