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 Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 2:35 pm
"I bet none of the monsters know the stances I've learned!" Called the boy happily, tail swaying to, and fro behind him as he walked. He'd just finished another of his martial arts classes, and much to his keepers disdain, who happened to be Tai-Yun today, the boy was still a ball of energy like usual. Ah but it was to be expected, as Keanu had a goal, and he couldn't rest until he accomplished it. Which made bed time a challenge everyday. Still, the spotted child had insisted he couldn't go home yet, and that being inside would make him forget those important things he'd learned. And so he'd managed to get the keeper who seemed to think daylight was bad for him, that infact going to the park was a good idea. He just really wanted to be able to practice, and it wasn't too bad a day.
Some clouds did blanket the sky, causing the sun to blink out, and away momentarily, until the soft cool breeze pushed the fluffy apparations away again. The same act continued to repeat, again and again. But despite the inconsistant sun, it wasn't too cold. At least not as far as Keanu could tell. But he thought the fridge was broken when Raja had first insisted it was very cold in it. So his opinion of cold differed from everyone elses. Then again, Tai-Yun had on a sleeveless black leather top.So it couldn't be freezing out, right? Even he would have noticed that.
Jumping along over a crack in the sidewalk, he spotted the park just one more intersection away, and started to sprint, gaining an exasperated sigh from the elder. "Keanu look both ways before crossing the street, and don't go too far? You know which bench I'll be at right?" Asked the obsidian haired male, as it watched the spotted child hurry along.
"I got it, I got it! Over by the slide!" The boy chimed, his head bobbing a bit extra as he tried to nod without slowing down. It didn't matter so much if the other noticed it, or not. It worked either way. Reaching the street, he paused a moment listening, but not bothering to look before darting along the sidewalk. Even if he had heard a car, he believed they would stop, like they did at the blinking lights when Raja took him to the market to buy food. So he would still have darted along just as quickly without hesitation.
Luckily, there where none, and so he reached the vibrant greens of the park without much trouble, and quickly headed off toward where he assumed there would be less kids. Meaning more space, and little chance of any getitng in his way. The teacher constantly said that what he learned was for self defense, and not fighting. Which he agreed with. This was for saving people, not for picking on others. Saving people applied to fighting the bad monsters, so that was alright too. He just couldn't accidentally hit someone with a kick while he practiced. Not that he'd had much time to learn any. They where still learning the basic posture, and a few forward punches. But he could try to mimic some of the kids in the more advanced classes he saw when he arrived early. Which was any day he could get his escort there to take him early.
He finally reached the far side of the park, where it was quieter. The muffled sound of other children at play certainly was noticeable with his more accute hearing, but they where far enough away he didn't need to worry. Instead there was the calm surface of the ponds, mostly deserted on the less sunny day. without the brilliant gleam of the light along the surface, the fish tended to be too shadowed to see the colors on days like this, which kept people away. At least that was what Keanu thought. But it also made around here more ideal for practice, no one could sneak up on him, and he could prepare himself for the future. For fighting the bad monsters, and finding those creatures that people kept telling him where only in books. But books don't lie, they had to be there somewhere. He just didn't know where to look yet.
Choosing a nice open area, where it wouldn't matter too much if he spun around a bit, and so drifted from the center, he quickly shifted into the posture he'd been taught. It wasn't too hard for him, as he made a habit to practice whenever he could. Which had now cost a lamp, and a few glasses their lives around the house. Needless to say, Keanu wasn't allowed to practice indoors anymore. But there was nothing against the park yet, so away he went, throwing a few punches, the first few more sloppy, but soon enough he'd gotten into the swing of it, and each became more straight, and precise. He had to master this sort of thing his teacher said, or he could never do anything really interesting. And besides that, a hero had to be good at anything he did, and take it seriously. So if he slacked at this, he would never be a good hero. And that... Would just not do.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:09 pm
It was strange for a child to be taken out of the house the very day after she had been taken home, well, in most people's minds. As far as Ul was concerned though, the outside interaction would do her good, maybe calm her down. Driving to the park with Teagan though, did the exact opposite. The teenager was a horrible driver and didn't have his license yet, he probably never would, and Ul hadn't known he had taken the car. So, needless to say, Liang was spooked. As soon as he had parked the van she had slung the door open and taken off toward the back of the park where she assumed it would be more peaceful and certainly safer. At the moment, he was somewhere near the front of the park, showing off to a bunch of girls with how many pull-ups he could do on the bar. In her mind, and most of the rest of the family's, he was a ditz.
She had knelt by the pond for a good twenty minutes, occasionally dipping her fan into the water to stir the attention of the fish that inhabited it. As the weather turned a bit chillier, she had folded her wings around herself, and had almost missed the sound of someone approaching. Since she couldn't speak very well, she had been trying to avoid running into anyone, but apparently they were coming to her. Thinking quickly, she snuck behind on of the bushes, tucking her crest down so it wouldn't stick up and give her away. Whoever it was would probably think she was even weirder if they found her watching them.
As the spotted boy entered her sanctuary, Liang couldn't help but be intrigued. He looked like she did. Well, sort of. He had fur, like she had her feathers. Big brother had fur too, but only on his ears and tail, this boy had it all over. What was he doing though? She frowned, trying to figure out why he was attacking the air. What did it ever do to him? That wasn't fair, you couldn't just hurt something when it hadn't done anything to you! She had to do something to stop him, he was being a bully. But then again, she didn't want to leave the safety of her bush. So, thinking with the sense that only young children possess, she decided that if she threw her fan, he wouldn't know she was there, but he'd stop. Raising up just enough that her eyes were over the level of the push, she slung her arm back and flinged the half-closed wooden fan at him, then quickly ducked back down to peer through the gaps in the leaves.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:40 pm
Keanu had continued to practice in his own little world. Even if the girl had come out likely the feline would not have noticed, as he was quite focused on his practice. He never once thought that the air might be something he could pick on, due to the fact is never said anything, and well... His teacher had them punch into it, so really why would he worry about it? Thus, on he continued, oblivious to the eyes on him, and the thoughts the other held. Well, until something thudded against him with a sharp 'THWAP.'
It didn't hurt really, the feline had a thick enough coat that it was more of an unpleasant thump against his right shoulder, which had been turned toward the bush. Though it did succeed in bringing him to a stop, replacing the concentrated gaze with first surprise, and then confusion as he spotted the fan where it had landed on the ground. "Huh..?" He mumbled, slightly dumbfounded as he knelt down to look closer at the fan, before picking it up, tail waving curiously behind him. His ears where perked at attention, listening for any noise that might be made by another as he pushed himself back up, eyeing the bushes in the direction he fan had come from. He figured it had to be over there, because well... The fan did hit his right shoulder. The question was... Why had it hit him? Unless...
Excitement flashed in the boys eyes suddenly at the thought. What if it was a monster, and it wanted to fight!? Oh he'd been waiting for this what a chance! And only a bad monster would throw something at him, right? Taking a few steps closer to the bushes, staring curiously, though on edge to jump back incase the thing leapt out to come after him. He drew closer to the bushes, eager to test if his training was paying off. Slightly stooping over in an attempt to see if maybe there was a break in the bushes enough to catch sight of his enemy, he found nothing, but green to meet his gaze. Well... That just wouldn't do.
Plan B time! Seeing as how he couldn't let the creature get the jump on him, he suddenly dashed forward at the bushes, praying slightly he didn't tear anythig on a branch for once. He heard the same thing everytime he did. About how0 he should take better care of this clothes, blah blah... That was about where he stopped listening. It wasn't his fault the things ripped so easily. Pushing through the branches he managed to catch sight of some red, and cream. Mainly because the girls wings where large, and blinked curiously at that. Monsters usually wheren't creamy... the ones in the movies, and books well.. They where more dark, and scary. shifting to try, and catch a better look at his foe, because he still hoped on some level it was, any possibility of that was vanquished as he managed to catch a better view of what had thrown the fan at him. Smaller than him, well... Younger, and... And... He stared gaping a bit at the creature, recalling something that resembled it from that book. The one with all those things everyone else said he'd never find. Oh how wrong that where.
"I KNEW IT! THE BOOK DIDN'T LIE!" He called, suddenly losing the tensioin of having been ready to 'fight the monster', and switched into something just as frightening. What happened when he was really excited about something.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:08 pm
Liang blinked, staring up at the boy with wide eyes, what was he screaming about? Weren't books supposed to be for learning true things? Why would they lie? Maybe people were lying to her. That would be weird. She looked around for her fan, wanting to hide her face from him. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, she didn't get scared of people very often, but she wasn't really comfortable showing expressions to most people. She wanted people to like her, and if she looked scared maybe they wouldn't want to be her friend.
That was what she should ask him, maybe it would make him stop yelling too. So, with as much of a smile as she was comfortable showing, she raised her tattooed hand toward him for a "handshake", splaying her crest feathers back up to their proud position. "Friend?" She asked, meaning was he friend or foe, not did he want to be her friend. Friendship could come later, maybe, after he stopped being such a screamy critter.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:30 pm
It took the boy a moment to finally recall more than simply the image. What was it called, he stood for a moment trying to recall it. Then finally it hit. Something about a goddess, right? She reminded him of that birdish one, the Feng-Huang. Right? He tried to think, wishing he'd reviewed that page more recently. But nothing more came. Well, it didn't matter. He had a much better way to learn about one right in front of him. Certainly she was more... Human... Than the one in the book, but the resemblance seemed to be there.
He was about to ask about that when the girl spoke, holding out a hand to him in the fashion sometimes people did with Raja when they where out. Usually you took the hand, and shook it. That's how it worked. Though... Most people didn't ask 'friend' when they did it. Still, he prefered the idea of being a friend to her than an enemy. He reached out with his hand that wasn't still clutching the fan, and lightly shook hers, smiling smiling still. "Yeah, eayh. I'll be your friend, just don't throw anything at me?" He asked, taking only a moment of pause to grab some fresh air before starting again. "You're a Feng-Huang right? Like the one in my book? Well not quite, you're different, but you look like one! So you are right?" He asked in a flurry, his words just slow enough to be clear. He might not have been yelling anymore, but he was still excited as ever.
He paused as he finally noticed the tattoo on the girl's hand, and glanced down at it curiously. "Ooo hey that's neat, kind of like my spots?" He asked, glancing up again, before turning his attention back down, and realizing he still had the fan. "And this is yours right?" He asked offering it out to her. Being on her good side seemed to be a good idea. "You know people said that I'd never see one of your kind, but this proves that the book was right, and you do exist. I knew it." He continued on, quite pleased with his discovery. He was rather oblivious to the fact she might have been a bit put out by his earlier yelling, and maybe now the continual stream of words. But that was common for him, once he was riled up he didn't notice much. "And my names Keanu, I deffinitely want to be your friend, so let's be friends. What's your name?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:31 pm
This strange person certainly did make a lot of noise, but as she remained seated on the ground, she tried her best to seem interested, nodding whenever she deemed it appropriate. Nothing was ever accomplished by being rude after all. Oh, he was asking her something. Feng-Huang? That seemed familiar, that's what the people in the lab had been calling her. Maybe he was from the lab and she just forgot him. That would be horrible. She nodded, her expression once again stoic. "Feng-Hooooang," she chimed, putting an emphasis on the first syllable of the second part, "Yes."
Oh, he had her fan, no wonder she hadn't spotted it on the ground. Nodding her head gratefully, she took it, swung it open, and promptly covered the bottom half of her face again, peering curiously at him over it, "Thank you." Ul had found it odd that phrases like please, thank you, you're welcome, and excuse me came so easily to the girl while she struggled with other words, but Liang simply found them to be more important, and thus worth practicing. You do exist. She frowned, scrunching her face up behind its barrier, of course she existed, she was right in front of him. He spoke so fast, she was almost having trouble keeping up, but she did catch the word 'friend' over and over, and then name. Oh, so that weird word, Keanu, must be his name. Proud of herself for keeping up, she smiled a bit, "Name is Liang Nuying."
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:50 pm
((You should have seen Keanu's babytalk. Hei tuhkd leik des.))
And of course the fact she was younger, and might not be able to keep up with him never occurred either. Because he was speaking almost as quickly as his mind was running, and that thing was trying to put the bullet-train to shame at the moment. He listened silent just long enough for the girl to reply, indicating that she was infact what he'd imagined. Excellent! Oh happy day he'd found one. Now he knew they where all real, and that he could find them all. Because there might have been just a tiny smidgeon of doubt before. His tailed waved too, and fro behind him happily as if having a mind all it's own, or perhaps it was just trying to keep up with that whirling thing above.
As the girl took back her fan she gave him a small thanks, after she covered half of her face. How odd... He'd need to ask about that. Oooh, and there ws her name. Liang Nuying. Odd... Liang was easier. "It's nice to meet you, Liang." He chimed happily. A sentence he'd learned from Raja. "And why do you hide behidn the fan? Do you think there's something odd about your face?" He asked, pausing briefly before beginning again. Oh, here came another set of those questions. He was a bit loud, and chatty when he wanted to be. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it. And where are you from? Cause most people didn't believe me when I said I'd find all of the creatures from the book, but see I told the truth because you're here now, and I found you." Kind of. More like she'd found him, and thrown a fan at him. Same difference though, right? As far as the feline boy was concerned, he'd found her, and this was just as important as his training.
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:09 pm
Liang cocked her head to the side, not quite sure what he meant by hiding. Of course, her head was already spinning from all of that talking, but her fan? What was odd about that? She frowned, pulling it down a bit to examine it, "Girls have fan? Yes. Polite." Of course she had a fan, all little girls needed a fan, so that they wouldn't embarass themselves and they could be polite and proper. It was common sense.
Where was she from? That was a strange question. Well she was from here of course, she hadn't just popped out of thin air. Wait, he meant where was she born, where was she created, something like that. She gave a bit of a smile, lowering her fan a bit more, "From lab place."
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Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:33 pm
To him the fan was rather odd, seeing as how his mother never had one. And the other girls, well the ones he'd met. Didn't. He'd never seen another girl with a fan the way Liang was using it, so of course he'd asked. "Really? I've never seen anyone else, but you with a fan like that." He replied, scratching one ear a bit idly, obviously thinking. "I suppose then that all Feng-Huang girls have one, right?" He called, tilting his head to one side at the question. Though he didn't wait for a reply, and was already coming up with something new to question about the girl. She was different than most, but everyone was. Hmm, but what made her more different than the usual people? Well the fan, and just what she was. But she was funny like that, right? Kind of like Nero was odd too. He tended to like odd things though.
He listened as she replied to the other question, glancing off slightly before nodding. "I'm from a lab place too. It's called D.Corp, that one?" He asked, having been there many, many times. He didn't know they made other odd things though. He knew about the dragons, but a Feng-Huang? Did that mean that they had other creatures from the book too? His tail gave a rather quick wag as if he was an excited puppy just told it could go for a walk. More of them to meet, he'd never thought it would be that simple. "Liang, are there others like you at the lab now too? I haven't seen you before, so maybe I can meet more people? Right?" He asked, his mind now going down another path, more of the images in the book flashing in his head.
There was one other thing it meant was possible... That perhaps... Perhaps there where the enemies he wanted to fight there too?
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 5:15 am
She fanned herself for a bit, closing her eyes to try and remember whether there was anyone else like her. She remembered two other kids being experimented on, but neither of them were birds. Unless they could change the way they looked. How would she tell him that? She couldn't say all of that no matter how hard she tried. So, instead, she just opened her eyes and nodded her head, "Yes. D-corp. Other others."
Now, being that she was so young, and still incredibly confused about everything going on outside the place she was created, this seemed like a perfectly sensible answer. Other others simply meant that yes there had been other kids, but they were different from her. What was it Miss Ul had said, that everyone was different and no two people were ever the same? Yeah, no two people were the same, so no one was like her. Therefore, in some odd logic, he must have been asking her if there were other different ones, since there was no other Liang.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:50 am
Brilliant blue eyes stared at the girl, waiting for something, some sort of reply. She was fanning herself again, how odd. He didn't understand that in the least, but the words finally issued made enough sense. Others... Yes, there where others like her. Well that she was from D.Corp. But she said others. That meant other kids? Or other things that... Well people said didn't exist. He took a moment looking at slightly trying to figure that out in his head, one ear up, the other down to match his expression. Hmm... What exactly did that mean. Oh well, he'd just go with it being other things that didn't exist. He liked that more.
He looked back at the girl, smiling. He liked that answer, just for his own reasons, the idea of others seemed so excellent. And... It gave him something to due. He'd have to track down those others, add them to the list of things he'd found. Just to start on his little mission of exploration, and fullfilling all those tiny little quests he kept making up in his head. Stuff that Raja didn't approve of, seeing as how it was 'too dangerous', as she liked to put it. "I'll have to meet them all soon then." He called, his voice still going faster than was sensible, but there wasn't much to be done about it.
"So what are you doing here, Liang? I'd never expect to see a Feng Huang out here." Then again he didn't expect to see one without questing, and hunting in some far off mountain like on those nature shows. Where they went to these jungles, and found snakes, and such. Not that he wanted snakes, but still... He had expected it to be... Harder. Not just getting hit upside the head with a fan, and hunting in the bushes.
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Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:33 pm
"I was..." Liang paused, fanning herself faster. She couldn't remember the word, and that frustrated her. This was why she didn't talk very often. Now he would think she was stupid and everything would go downhill from there and it would be a disaster. She nearly started to cry, pushing back the tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to remember.
Suddenly she jerked and nearly dropped her fan, a smile appearing on her face briefly before fading. She had remembered the word! "I was.. Observing fish." Her new mother would be proud of her for using such an advanced word, even if it had taken her a while to remember it.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 2:51 pm
Observing the fish. The boy's gaze quickly turned toward the pond nearby instinctively at the mention. Oooh? so he'd bothered her? Wait, no one had been here when he got to this place though! That didn't make sense. He pawed at the earth a moment thinking that over before returning to his origional hypothesis. No one had been here, how did that make any sense at all? "But, Liang. When I got here I didn't see anyone, or I wouldn't have practiced."
It was all true too. He knew better than to practice his stances when near others, they could end up hurt if he messed up and hit the wrong area. He didn't want to hurt anyone so he'd have never done it. Never, never, never. He glanced up agian, standing up then glancing back from the girl to the lake.
"So what's interesting about the fish anyway?" Oh yes, he didn't exactly watch things very often. He was more a physical do it yourself person. Certainly someone would have gotten that idea already though, what from his hobbies. Even so he was curious, and started to toddle out of the bushes, pausing to see if the younger girl was coming with. He even made an attempt to hold the bushes apart for her.
Oddly enough she seemed frail, and pretty liek the princesses in those books he read, and a good knight, or hero would always help the lady along by holding things up and such. It was simply his duty. "Wanna show me?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:10 pm
Taking his hand cautiously, she let herself be led out of the bush before she got any dirtier. "I ran behind bush," she explained, gradually becoming more comfortable around this strange boy. He seemed to have the same sort of energy as her older brother, and he was certainly strong, so she quickly decided that he would be worth staying near.
Pausing for a moment to brush the invisible dirt off her clothing, she seemed emotionless. "I can show you, yes." She had a creative respect for fish, especially decorative ones like koi and orandas. Her family preferred active pets like dogs and horses and other messy things like that, but she would be content with fish. If she could ever convince them to let her have some.
Stepping away from him momentarily, she pointed at a large shadow in the pond, "Carp." She wasn't really sure that was what the fish actually was, it had never been close enough for her to tell, but that's what it looked like from above. Maybe if she could get his attention directed at something else he would stop asking her so many questions she had trouble answering.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:41 pm
Keanu could be a gentleman when he wanted to be, and he certainly wasn't your average kid. Strengthwise anyway. A leopard was a strong animal to begin with, and he'd only furthered the sturdy build by taking up his chosen hobbies. By doing so he'd hoped to create a feeling of safety for those around him? Not if that was what people saw form it, or not was what needed to be determined. Considering the girl took his hand, and allowed herself to be shown out of the bushes, he could guess he wasn't too frightening.
He even had the sense to wait patiently as the girl seemed to take a moment to clean up... Nothing. Well Keanu wasn't one to worry about the messy state of his clothes, and he wasn't going to start now just because some girl was freaking about it. "Alrighty!" He called, following after now that she was moving toward the water.
Now she was pointing to something in the lake. A shadow in the shape of a fish maybe. The problem was... He couldn't tell. Keanu didn't like not being able to full understand things. So instead of being refined like the young lady beside him, he promptly started into the water to investigate closer. Now obviously that creature wouldn't let him near it, but the leopard hadn't thought that far ahead. So splish splash, into the pond he went to try and get a better look at this carp. "What makes a carp a carp?"
Guess Liang would still get those odd questions too, now wouldn't she?
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