[J] - Syrie and Sanghyang

[Syrie]

...//Solo - The New Pet...

Wandering the streets of Barton common, Syrie Zaire walked with one of his eldest sons - they were out shopping for a few household items, but as usual they had wandered into pet-store after pet-store as they went about their business. In one small, strange pet store he and Veloren found themselves moving through very narrow rows of cages; it was a dark place and somewhat damp - definitely not the sort of place that the kitsune nore his child would typically be seen in, however...there was just something about this shop - or perhaps something in the shop - that was calling to the mint-haired kitsune.

Veloren, naturally, did not sense the same things that Syrie did, but he had long since learned not to question his adoptive parent; he had seen one too many times the way that the petite demi-human had with animals. If the kitsune was being drawn to something, then there was a purpose...and they'd find out soon enough what that purpose was.

Near the back, but not quite sequestered completely, there was a cage in which a tiny snowy white bird with a blue mask and a spikey crest of feathers was huddled miserably. The little creature cocked it's head at him and made a soft questioning sound; there was a big silver band around his little grey right foot and wings and tail had been docked to prevent his escape (at least, that was the only reason that either of the two men could comprehend).

Syrie's ears and tail flicked in aggitation -- he couldn't believe that such a lovely little creature, a Mynah by the looks of it -- was in such a dismal place. Immediately he purchased the small bird; the oddly quiet proprietor of the establishment sold him the bird and even gave him a tiny cage with which to bring his new 'pet' home in. Ren simply shook his head and helped the kitsune with his purchases.

Back at the small studio apartment where he did his painting, Syrie and Ren set the store-bought items down and went about finding a larger cage; when none was available they just shrugged: what harm was there in allowing the little bird to roam freely in the apartment? It wasn't like anyone came in or out without his knowing about it...the bird would be just fine.

Ren chuffed a little bit and settled down for the night, pulling on roomy sweatpants and a long-sleeved soft shirt while he made hot tea and soup for himself and his father; he didn't like to leave Syrie alone when he was at the studio - this wasn't the best part of town and the kitsune had certainly been in danger there before.

Syrie put together a thin gruel and flavored it with a little bit of thick fruit syrup so he could try feeding the little bird that, once fed, began hopping around as though dancing to a music only it could hear. It was at that time that Syrie decided he would name the Mynah "Sanghyang". In his research, he'd found that it meant a type of dance and it seemed quite apt; also, it made the small creature bob it's head happily.

"Good night, little bird."

---

"Goo' ni', li'l bird! Goo' ni'!" Strident sounds broke through the peaceful, sleepy atmosphere of the studio apartment in the pink of the early morning light. It was disorienting and it didn't stop. Just that one phrase, badly executed as though from the mouth and brain of a child, endlessly on repeat.

Syrie groaned and rolled to an upright sitting position, looking for the cause of the sound. "Ren?" He queried groggily -- it didn't sound like Veloren, but one never did know. Immediately he began hearing a second phrase to go with the first: "Ren? Ren!" Back and forth, repeating and blending...merging and blending with a soft snoring sound and a very familiar clacking sound (one that the kitsune usually attributed to his Nightmare, Uisce).

A creeping thought dug it's way into his sleeping brain...Mynahs were mimics, weren't they? Had the little bird already picked those phrases up from them; all those sounds? Incredible! He rubbed at his eyes sleepily and looked around for the little white bird...but instead, he saw a...little white-feathered, blue masked....baby?!?!?

There on the floor in a tangle of black silk ribbons that the fox had been using as a prop for one of his portraits sat a little peachy baby with white wings and hair tipped in black, grey bird feet...and that little silver band was still there, on his right foot. Once again, Gaia had tossed Syrie a curve-ball. (As if having a necklace that siphoned one's life-force and eventually manifested a child wasn't enough...now he had a bird that wasn't a bird anymore, but a child!)

"Oh...Inari...this is going to be...intersting. What will Nanashi say?"

...and that is how Sanghyang came into the kitsune named Syrie's life, and how Rukashel got a brother his age.  

[Syrie]

...//Solo - Meeting Rukashel

Grand Manor; Lupix Sanctuary

Veloren sighed and put his head down on the table to rest just a moment. He was so tired, so very tired. With Syrie gone, the houses ran amok -- he wasn't even certain how his parent could keep it all under control! Ren certainly couldn't! But he had a little time to rest before Bree brought Ruka back in from playing; the small Dustling dragon was the a sweet, almost motherly sort (he had several kids all on his own, thank you) and Veloren had nearly jumped at the chance to take a nap.

Unfortunately, he'd forgotten something: A very chirpy, very obnoxious something. That was actually a someone. About five minutes into his nap, the candy-pink and cream colored Lykin was jolted awake by his cellphone. A call from Tey - one of Syrie's other children - could he please come get the baby now?

"Oh damn, oh...I'm so sorry, oh man, I'll be right over." Ren snapped his cell shut and scrambled out of the chair so he could get up, get his shoes on - falling over and bumping his head in the process - just to run out and see that Ruka and Bree were there. Oh wait, he shouldn't leave them...but...Heka was laying over there, as were Murmur and Phaid. Between the beasts and Bree his Iridae 'sibling' should be fine.

Quickly he explained the situation and then bolted to leave the Lupix Sanctuary and pick up the Myna-child from his brother's apartment...

***

Bbbbbrriiing! Brrriiiingg!! Sanghyang "rang" happily at his pink-haired 'nanny' when Teylei handed him over.

The water elemental sighed and quietly informed his Lykin brother that the child had been making all sorts of interesting sounds, all day...but that he'd at least learned to recognize a few key things. Not that either youth had time to go over it just then. Tey was late for work, and well, Ren...Ren had Ruka and Bree and the beasts to hurry home to.

"God Tey, I'm sooo sorry! I promise I'll make it up to you - thanks again, oh man, this has been a nightmare."

"Ni'mare! Ni'mare! Sooooorry ni'mare!" Sanghyang shrieked happily and clapped his hands together as the two youths said their goodbyes. He would not be silent the whole drive back to the Sanctuary; so by the time that Veloren made it home, he'd driven the Lykin crazy. As a matter of fact (and much to the boy's amusement), 'Ren seemed ready to strangle the smiling, laughing, fax-modem-sound-making child.What fun!

***

"Okay, both of you are going to play nice together, okay? Ruka, this is your brother, Sanghyang...Hyan, this is Ruka. I know you two haven't really met before now, but please...please don't fight too much?" Because he was at his wit's end with the whole "Syrie being missing" crap; Nanashi helped as much as he could, but for the last day or so, he'd been stuck dealing with the children all on his own.

A man could only take so much; nevermind that Veloren wasn't really a man at all. He was pretty young, all things considered (and he looked like an under-aged girl to top it all off) Usually he was really good about taking care of things when Syrie couldn't, but all the kids and the beasts and carring for Syrie's different properties had just wiped him out. It was naptime. The two boys would hopefully play nicely together in their enclosure he'd set up in the nursery.

If not, he just wouldn't get any sleep, now would he?

Lucky for Veloren, the two boys found that they had something very much in common: feathers. Once they realized that they were quite alike, it was smooth sailing between them for the most part; Ren got to collapse on the floor with a blanket and a pillow nearby, and they played and chattered and talked.

Ruka could "talk" better than Sanghyang could, but the Mynah-child could "speak" better. It made for an interested time (also, it helped that the Iridae had a lovely, shiney necklace they could play with).

When Ren finally woke up much, much later that night - it was dark outside and the two boys were curled together with a blanket, fast asleep....

Cross posted to Rukashel's journal (Bleeding Heart)  

[Syrie]

...//Solo - Juice and Cookies

Syrie was still missing and Hyang and Rukashel were still in the (mostly) capable hands of Syrie's girlish son, Veloren. Granted, Ren was no longer watching the children alone -- oh no, he had help from Nanashi (Syrie's chosen mate) and also from Bree (the eldest Stardust turned-anthro and a parent himself) and (though reluctant) also from the Pards and his other "siblings".

Khiarhu wasn't around either -- presumably he and Syrie were in the same location though no on knew for certain. All that one could say was that those left behind were trying to do their best with the two youngest children...and it wasn't always easy...

"Mama!! MAMA!!" Sanghyang shrieked and giggled, chubby hands moving up to dip into his mouth just a bit before covering the gleeful expression on his face more effectively. Bree, the diminutive striped Dustling Dragon cocked his head and sighed at the small avian baby; ever since Hyan had heard Beck call him "mama", the little thing had been parroting it back at him.

Constantly.

Bree flicked his tail and glanced over and Beck, his oldest child; "I should make you babysit him for that!" The Dustling Dragon's hands were on his hips as he looked from one "child" to another (technically, Beck was no longer a child and was more than able to do his own thing, but to Bree he was still a kid).

"Oh c'mon...I'd lose him or cook him or something." And before his parent could say anything more -- and before the avian child with the laughing expression and wide smile could start mimicking those words -- Beck shifted down into his quadrupedal form and played "dumb". There would be no help from the vibrant purple dustling that day.

"Cook him! Cook him! Cook Hyan! Juice and Cookie!" The boy giggled again and waved his hands at Bree; he was hungry now - mentioning food always made the growing baby crow for something (usually a cookie, though he knew by then he wouldn't get it)."

With ears back against his head, the slender male picked up the child from his playpen and went into the Manor's large kitchen to see if there happened to be anything cookie-like (but healthier) that the child would eat.  

[Syrie]

...//Solo - Enjoying an Afternoon

Ren lay in a hammock with the small feathered child that he had been caring for since Syrie had gone missing weeks before. Sanghyang snuggled against the Lykin's chest and poked his chubby fingers at the picture book held by the older boy. They were "reading" together; though he wasn't really the parenting type, Veloren figured that he might as well do his younger sibling a good turn while their parent was away. Besides, the Mynah child was exceptionally intelligent and picked up things like a little, feather-tipped sponge.

Slowly the two siblings swayed in the hammock, a light breeze tickling at their bare feet and tousling their short hair. Simple words came across glossed lips as dark-fingers skipped across the images on the page in the children's book being read. After each word the pink-haired Lykin said, Hyan parroted the words.

Oh, Hyan was having himself a good old time! Mimicry was fun - - and he rather enjoyed Veloren's company (though he did miss the presence of the kitsune that originally bonded with him). "Ren?" He cocked his head and thrilled a little bit. "Foxdad home soon like book?"

"Yeah kiddo, I think so." He couldn't bear to give any other answer to his little sibling - - and he hoped that those words wouldn't come back as a lie later; they both really needed Syrie (all of the 'kids' did).

After those words, the two went back to reading and swinging; lazing the afternoon away together until Teylei came over with Rukashel.  

[Syrie]

...//Solo - Reserved

 

[Syrie]

...//PRP - Bird in a China Shop

Syrie

Being "back" was a good feeling. Being out of his favorite teas, however, was not a good feeling. Typically, the kitsune bought from one very specific tea shop, but with one of his eldest still missing, he didn't feel right venturing too far from the Stationary Store. Plus, he had Sanghyang with him and the vocal Mynah-child would very likely have driven him completely insane had he tried to go on a shopping trip of any length.

"Don't kick-- Hyan! Stop tha--OW" The usually graceful blond found himself in a very un-graceful circumstance; he was on the receiving end of a series of rather strong kicks to the stomach from his youngest child just a few steps outside a small tea-shop he was hoping to purchase a few things from.

Syrie could only hope that the child would behave once they were inside.

"Kick - KICK! OWW!!!" The giggling, white-haired child squealed loudly and proceeded to slam his taloned feet against Syrie's middle again. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt the man holding him, it was that he reacted like wonderful (in his opinion) and that was a heckuva lot more fun than whatever this strong-smelling place looked to be!

Britain

There were times that Reihai was grateful that Satsuma just flat-out demanded attention and worship from everyone around him. This- given the spectacle currently blocking the way to the tea shop- was almost certainly one of those times.

The Japanese man stood a few feet away, watching the pair with Satsuma perched equally curious in his arms. They were dressed similarly in comfortable, traditional Chinese: simple shirts and loose pants, brown and gold for purple-eyed Rei and deep blue with red trim for Satsu. The baby was half-obscured by the feathered sash that defied gravity as it circled his body in midair; his feather bangs were pinned out of his face today. Overall, the pair was remarkably put together given the raw screaming fit Satsu had initiated when Rei had forced him to leave his favorite (shiny) glass fountain pen on the desk back home.

But again, it was better than being constantly abused. If Satsu resorted to violence he immediately regretted it, showing woeful concern for whomever he'd injured. Not so for this child. Rei couldn't help but notice that he was as odd looking as Tirasei or Satsu, and he had FEATHERS. That, and sympathy, made the slightly effeminate man clear his throat.

"Excuse me...do you need some help?"

Syrie

Syrie's black-tipped ears flicked back and then fore with the clearing of the other man's throat -- fantastic, now he not only had people glancing at him from the corners of their eyes as they walked by but he had someone that felt so sorry for him that they felt the need to comment. The kitsune looked away from his errant son for a moment to glance at the speaker.

"Unless you've a cage or a sedative, I think I'm out of luck."

In the man's arms was a child. With feathers. Oh dear -- Syrie's slowly blossoming smile of greeting turned into a grimace as the feathered child twisted in his arms; kicking his powerful, taloned feet to try leaping from his grasp. "Oof--"

"Help! Out of Luck!" Sanghyang chittered and burbled and shrieked when he discovered that he was unable to launch himself at the nicely-dressed duo. He himself wore a very serviceable cotton robe (light enough that he didn't immediately try to rip it from his body when he wore it) and due to his destructive tendencies, the kitsune too wore rather plain, serviceable fabrics (though with a light green and golden leaf patterns on his).

Hyan's brown eyes went very wide when he focused on the feather-banged child in the other man's arms. "Whooo? FEATHERS!"

Britain

"Well, I do know of a very good bar down the street," Rei began to reply, amused, and then paused at Hyan's further antics and wide-eyed curiosity. There was a moment of wariness as he assessed the potential threat- would the bird-child attack Satsu the way he was abusing his poor guardian?- but his own ward made short work of that suspicion by reaching out a pale hand demandingly.

"Brrrrd!" He stated sharply, frowning up at Rei. The word was more purr than anything else, still not quite formed accurately; English was not Satsu's first language, but Rei made him use it so that he would learn. "Brrrrrd! Naownaownaow."

Interesting. Tilting his head, the slender man gave his fluffy bundle the benefit of the doubt and stepped forward, keeping an eye on the two while sparing a rueful glance for the fox. "I'm Reihai, by the way- and this is Satsuma. Is he always so...energetic?" XD;;

Satsu was...terribly interested. As fond as he was of the tiny swan in her cup back home, this was a PERSON with wings and bird feet; he made a pretty little sound like a bird's chirp, inquisitive.

Syrie

Grey eyes squinched a little bit as the diminutive kitsune chuckled; it was far easier for him to be his more relaxed, social self when he wasn't having his guts power-kicked by his avian son. "Would that be for his benefit, or my own?" Liquor - while not a good way of dealing with difficult situations - would have been nice right about then; with the stress from having one of his children missing (not so much 'missing' as held in some strange alternate dimension that currently rested in a building he half-owned) and having just returned from such a space himself...a drink would have done wonders for Syrie's state of being.

"Pleased to meet you Reihai, and Satsuma." The blond dipped his head a little bit; he could afford to be gracious to someone that was providing a sort of distraction to his vivacious child the way the pair before him was -- also, it wasn't in the kitsune to not be polite. "To answer your question, yes." He cleared his throat a little and glanced down at Hyan -- the child was reeeeaching his chubby arms out towards Satsuma.

"I'm Syrie, and this is Sanghyang - but we call him Hyan. It's easier."

"Satsuma! Satsuma! Biiiiiirrrrd~ Hyan biiiird~" The child stared, wide-eyed when Satsuma chirped at him. "Ouuuu~" Hyan reaaached more. "Hiiiii-" And then he began chirruping and twittering at the other child in a friendly and excited manner.

Britain

"I envy your patience, and resilience." Rei gave him a small smile, shifting Satsu in his arms to be less awkward. He had nowhere to be quickly this afternoon, and it would be nice to stop and chat with someone outside of the Lotus for a while. He didn't have many other parents to talk to and share the woes and joys with; this one certainly seemed to know the woes! "We have two, but Tirasei is much quieter and far more reasonable than Satsuma, so they don't require the same...determination. It's nice to meet you."

From his new position, Satsu found it easier to reach out to the stranger bird, touching hands and peering at him intently. When the chirps started he tilted his head as if listening to every sound; he responded in kind, though slightly more human-ized and less natural. Somehow, though, he managed to carry on a curious little conversation.

Syrie

A smile that set the corners of his slightly slanted eyes crinkling broke out across the harried kitsune's face. "Oh, believe me...I wasn't this calm at first, but Gaia has seen fit to "bless" me with a house-full of rowdy, energetic boys." His tail flicked a little as his ears twitched; he used the term "bless" loosely -- sometimes, it had seemed that 'torture' had been the intent with his children, though it would be obvious to anyone that Syrie held great affection for his wards. "Hyan is one of the youngest, actually."

He listened to Reihai's words and watched their children touching hands and chitter-chattering to each other. "Ah, well...Satsuma doesn't seem to be too trying, but I know how children can be, so I'll take your word on that." So curious that his son was behaving so nicely to another -- Hyan had only shown that sort of niceness with one other child, his Iridae, Rukashel.

Hyan leaned forward more now that he had his chubby little fingers twined with Satsuma. The move freed his black-tipped wings from the prison of Syrie's chest so that he could stretch them. "Bird! 'Suma bird too?" Because he had wings. The brown-eyed boy loooved others with feathers and wings and things (obviously). Words, pah! Here was someone he could really talk to~ Words were dropped and the child simply spoke to Satsuma in a series of clicks, trills, chitters and other native bird-sounds.

Britain

"I've never seen him like this before," Reihai murmured, eyes narrowed as he watched the two interact. "He's usually very distant toward strangers, suspicious; he does have a fondness for birds, though. I had suspected that he was part swan or something, but there doesn't seem to be enough bird in him...I don't know. He hasn't been with us very long, and I'm sure the answers will come in time."

Reihai was a patient man. Fortunately, patience didn't seem to be costing Satsuma anything- in fact, his people skills were getting better as they kept him away from interesting bird-things and made him interact more with his family. A slow process, but a good one. "Sei and Satsu are my first; I wasn't really prepared for either of them. Our environment isn't really conductive to children- we're based out of a bar."

"Birrrrrd?" Satsuma thought about this for a moment, then rejected it with a few little chirps of denial. Hyan was terribly interesting, but Satsu was pretty sure they weren't the same creature. As their conversation became more animated and involved, his feathered sash caught the wind and began to glow very faintly, swirling up around the two.

Rei blinked, quite startled by this new development. "Urk."

Syrie

"To tell you the truth, I've only ever seen Hyan be so...friendly with one other child, my boy, Ruka." Oh sure, Syrie had watched the mynah-child with his other family members and members of their "extended" family - Prox...Jada...Inle. But this was different -this was outside sociallizing and very interesting to watch (as well as being a good thing -- Hyan definitely needed to get to know people outside his own family.

"A bar? No, I suppose that isn't the best place for a child." But Reihai seemed to be doing fine and Satsu looked like he were a very happy baby indeed. "He seems perfectly fi--" Whatever the kitsune had been saying died on his lips when Satsu's feathered sash thing started glowing and moving about the children.

Hyan, of course, seemed to find this simply smashing.

"My-nah." Hyan nodded and smiled broadly at his new friend, eyes bright with the open-happiness and joy that children had when they liked something. "'Suma no My-nah." Feathers or no, he knew his new friend wasn't a bird...but something more fun! The peachy-hued child fluffed up his wings and squeezed Satsuma's hands a little bit as they trilled back and forth - this was awesome!

Britain

The glowing sash didn't seem to do anything, so much as just add a layer of energy to the air. To Hyan, Satsuma's speech became clearer, some little unknown twist of magic making it easier for the two to communicate. The feathers that had largely been lifeless or simply decorative since Reihai had discovered the baby seemed to take on a life of their own, glittering and hovering in the air. It was extremely odd.

"Fu-" Whoa. The Japanese man clamped his jaw shut before he could say something inappropriate, jaw tight as he examined the glowing feathers with sharp eyes. "Well, this is new. Now we've got one Chinese zombie and one magical bird, what will they think up next."

Cheerfully ignoring the consternation he seemed to be causing in his guardian, Satsu looked up at his hagoromo and studied it carefully for a moment before reaching up and gently tugging one of the feathers out of the sash. It came away with no trouble, as if it had been waiting for his hands. With a grin, he offered it out to his new friend, pure white and still glowing faintly. "Pressnt." <3

Syrie

Curiouser and curiouser, as the kitsune's eldest son might have said. Silvery-grey eyes narrowed slightly at the glowing sash; though the item seemed to not be doing much of anything save for glowing with a strange energy, Syrie's attention had been pricked, his interest piqued. The scientist in him itched to figure out why and how -- but knowing Gaia...it was wholly unfathomable. So much was.

"A Chinese zombie and a magical bird..." He shook his head slowly and chuckled a bit; "Gaia is indeed full of interesting beings." Tail flicking and curling against his legs, the short, be-spectacled man shook his head yet again and gave his newfound companion an understanding look. "I must admit, I was surprised when the Mynah I got at the petshop became a small child suddenly." Magical birds indeed!

Hyan was about as bothered by Satsuma's glowing sash as his new friend was -- more interesting was the slow motion of the thing and Satsu's offer of a softly glowing feather as a gift. The bright-eyed Mynah-child trilled happily and reached out to take the proffered gift; he tucked it into the silky, feathery-fluff of hair just above his left ear - this way he could always enjoy the little bit of his friend without having to work too hard to do so!

"Tha-nks! Presn't!" He clapped his chubby hands and twisted so that he could pull one of his long, black-tipped feathers out of his wing. It didn't hurt much and was totally worth it - this exchange of feathers. "Here. Feather. Yours!"