|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:35 am
prompt Deep in the Fairy Wonderland, a beautiful fountain has been decorated to match the theme. This fountain has been here for years, but there’s something different about it beyond just the little stars and lights that have been set up around it. The fountain is filled with coins from wishes, though there seem to be a few strange, foreign coins. Underneath one of the lower parts of the fountain, hidden in an ornately carved swirl, is a small golden bell with long golden chain dangling from it. If rung, a beautiful, tinkling sound echoes around the fountain as if many little bells are ringing. There is a faint hint of laughter hidden in the chiming bells. Amidst the tinkling bells and laughter, a little voice that sounds far away seems to ask for a wish. Whether or not one is requested, after a moment the song of the bells begins to fade. If the bell is rung again, nothing strange happens and it functions simply as a normal bell however, for the rest of the night, you hear the sound of giggling and tinkling bells following behind you.
It was a good time of year for one of Ellian's favorite activities. When he was bored or lonely or just generally not receiving enough attention, he could go out on his own and hunt for little trinkets and treasures left behind by others. Summer was great for geocaching, since so many people were already excited to be outside, anyway. During the Star Festival seemed like an especially appealing time. There were all kinds of cute displays and decorations, colorful banners, and glittering stars.
Ellian was excited to explore this year's set-up. It didn't typically change much from year to year, and he had had many years in DC in which he'd already experienced the festival.
But this year, the city had gone above and beyond to decorate the park to make it look exceptionally magical. ...And a little girly, but Ellian had to admit that if you were a guy looking to bring someone somewhere real cute for a date for pretty much no expense.... This was probably the place. Incidentally, it had also been loaded with new geocache pings. There was stuff hidden in all kinds of little nooks!
He'd just finished scrawling his name on the little piece of folded paper tucked tightly into a little plastic box when the gentlest tinkle caught his attention. His dark gaze snapped up, roving over his surroundings for its source.
He was near a prettily decorated fountain, surrounded by a scattering of trees that had been adorned with cute pink and purple and blue lanterns, but he didn't immediately see anything that would cause the sound. With a quiet hum, he crammed the paper back into the box and stuffed it back in its hiding spot for someone else to find, before continuing the investigation more thoroughly.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:47 am
Despite being a well educated, wise, and well experienced Mauvian, Brioche still had a few more cat-like tendencies he simply couldn't smother away. There wasn't any real reason to since he was, in fact, a cat, but for someone as old as he was, it felt a little embarrassing to indulge in the more primal feelings of what seemed more like kitten behavior. In this particular instance, it was the absolute compulsion to follow the sweet, airy sound of bells tinkling in the distance.
Given more recent events, he found himself weary of it all, and yet this one felt so much less threatening than before. And not only that, in the end the last situation ended with him gaining something pretty unique, so... It always seemed like a better idea to investigate than leave supernatural things be.
And so he did, finding himself eventually on the edge of a fountain, ears turning every time he heard that chime, and tail twitching, as if ready to pounce. There was a bell there, yes, but one he couldn't rightly reach right away.
Unfortunate. All he could do was sit there and stare at it, hoping that maybe it would move, or get lower so he could give it a proper thwap that it so clearly deserved!
Before that happened, another seemed to come along, and Brioche turned to them, head tilted. Ah, a boy. A civilian boy at that. Perhaps he had the slightest of twinges to him, but Brioche had no sense of urgency right now. No need to thrust someone into the war when there was no danger after all. Instead, he simply greeted the stranger.
"Mrow!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:06 am
Ellian circled the edge of the fountain, keeping an eye out for any particularly musical decorations. There were certainly many new lights and colors for his gaze to fall on, but none of them looked capable of causing the tinkling sound. With the sun still shining, it was hard to see the glow, but he was sure that the lanterns were still lit. Long streamers still fluttered in the breeze. The sun glinted off glittery stars. But nothing looked... chimey.
He gave a tiny frown as he moved, but it wasn't until a deep, rolling purr of a meow reached him that Ellian jumped and noticed-
"A kitty!" He cooed, immediately moving to creature's side. "Was it you making that sound, little guy?" He questioned, reaching a cautious hand to the cat's neck where he thought there might be a collar with a bell. The kitty didn't jump away from him as he neared, and Ellian even sort of had the impression that it'd actually been focusing on him when it meowed, as if talking to him.
"No collar, hm?" He asked, giving the kitty's neck a scratch. "Wow, you're a really friendly guy too, huh? You know most strays kinda run off when they see people around. Do you have an owner somewhere? I bet they're worried about you." He rubbed up around the kitty's cute, folded ears. Not that he knew much about cats, but he was pretty sure cats that looked like a specific breed, like this one did, probably weren't strays. And he was a bit too friendly to not be acquainted with people in some regard. But when a smell somewhat reminiscent of rotting garbage reached his nose, he lurched back a step. "Urch! But you kinda smell," Ellian grumbled. "Maybe you've been away from home a pretty long time..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:11 pm
If cats could become flustered, well, Brioche certainly would be! He couldn’t recall the last time someone petted him so gently or cooed at him like he was some kitten worth praise!
A shameful, contented purr left him, and he gave into just how wonderful a kind pet was, until he was brought back to cold reality.
That’s right. He did smell.
While he did his best to stay properly groomed and clean, it was hard sometimes when he was left outside. Rummaging through garbage was such a habit at this point that something like smell hardly crossed his mind. And the way this boy jumped back from him.. It must have gotten pretty horrible if he was like this.
Brioche took a few steps back, shrinking away from him, tail curled and low between his legs.
If the boy wanted to leave him he’d understand. He’d probably leave too if met with something so disgusting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:13 am
It looked offended, as though it had actually understood the insult Ellian had pinned it with. He blinked as if confused by the cat's retreat, but he convinced himself it was nonsense to think kitties had feelings like that. It had probably just been startled by his jerking movement.
The kitty hadn't fled, though. So it must not be that frightened.
Ellian glanced around again, as if wondering if someone nearby knew more about the plump cat, but there didn't appear to be any people in the vicinity, and surely no one would've left their pet in this state of smelly and matted fur. So, he knelt back down and inched closer, scooting nearer on his hands and knees and trying to look small and nonthreatening. "So, do you wanna get cleaned up a bit, Kitty?" Ellian asked, sneaking a hand along the stone of the fountain so he could rub at the top of the kitty's paws.
"I bet I could convince my mama to let you stay at my house, if you didn't smell like that," he hummed softly, dark eyes alight with hope and delight. ...But maybe he shouldn't say that. It wasn't like Mikali had ever let him have a pet before.
Just Nat could have a pet because they were afraid he'd turn into a sociopath if there wasn't something living that liked him enough.
No one was afraid of Ellian turning into a sociopath. He didn't get special companion animals like his big brother did. But if he already had one in his arms and he begged, he was sure his mother would relent. And he'd promise to take care of it, and he could show her what a nice kitty it was! It didn't even run away when it was startled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:36 pm
What a strange child... Brioche had honestly thought the moment he was deemed disgusting, he wouldn't have gave someone like himself a second thought. Not that he could truly blame him... Only once before had someone offered him such kindness, and even then, a heavy guilt settled in his chest from it all.
This was different though. This stranger had no idea he wasn't a normal cat, nor did he seemed to mind too much the smell or the look of occasionally matted fur.
And... Well, he couldn't help himself.
Brioche truly desired the attention, as much as he would internally deny it. When his paw was touched, he slowly pulled it away, and instead put his paw ontop of the boy's hand.
He wouldn't nuzzle. He wasn't clean enough for that. But he could give him a soft, rumbling purr, and slowly close his eyes, accepting whatever it was that the boy offered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 1:38 pm
Oh. Right. The cat's paw slipped from beneath his fingers, and Ellian was reminded that of all the strange, specific things kitties didn't appreciate, like long stares or being chased or having their paws touched. This was a weird cat, though. He'd seen plenty of videos of other weird cats doing impressive, adorable, or especially intelligent things, but all that was just on the internet, where you could find videos of cats doing pretty much anything. He'd never seen one so... calm and thoughtful in person.
It settled its paw on his hand and rumbled out a purr, and Ellian thought for sure that had to mean something. He didn't know exactly what, but it was a good something, regardless.
"Oh," the word left him on a breathy whisper as he stared back at the cat staring at him. It really did look almost intelligent, like it was thinking something when he looked at him. And it still hadn't run. Ellian slung his backpack off his back and settled it on the ledge next to the kitty. It was an old, baggy thing he carried with him to house whatever trinkets he collected to offer at any of the various geocaching spots.
But the little trinkets were small, and there was lots of space to spare. He gestured to the open flap. "Okay, look, I can't carry you in case you have like... fleas or something, and I don't want to get all smelly-" Especially when he was still being careful with his dyed hair. "But if you get in, I'll take you home that way, okay? I'll give you a bath when we get there, and you can sleep inside tonight! Doesn't that sound nice?"
Now, he wasn't a complete idiot. He didn't think there was any way this cat understood him, or would listen to him. But he did know the cardinal rule, 'if I fits, I sits,' and he'd just opened up this whole new pouch for kitty to explore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
