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 Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:34 am
Even when his companion stopped, he seemed so wrapped up in his thoughts on the matter that he kept going. However, it was an extremely slow pace and as soon as something inside him realized the mistake, he halted. There was no sign in his expression that anything more than an instinct of sorts had stopped him from walking away completely. His eyes left her now, instead watching a show of grass before him. A few blades wiggled gently in the undertones of wind. In his thoughtlessness, he crushed them with a paw. And while his tails would normally be engaged in movement, the tiniest of flicks in most cases, they remained still now.
Turning, he started the short trek back to the femme, pausing at the polite distance she'd chosen earlier. It was strange to see him with a such mixture of emotion so prominently displayed on his features. Whatever he felt under normal circumstances was always kept hidden behind the barrier of his masking grins. But a masking grin would've been powerless to hide anything as he listened to her continued explaination. With her every sentance, he grew more strangely eager, looking willing to go along with her idea. That would spite the world, being able to see the memories it'd tried to keep from him. The thought brought an interesting smile to his face.
However, at her final warnings, his eagerness faded a bit. It's not that he was against her seeing his memories. Actually, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He couldn't remember what'd happened in his life. So, if there was anything he wouldn't want her to see, it was lost to him. Brows furrowed as he thought, but nothing really came, nothing more than the eager notion that pushed him to accept her offer. Show the world that you're not weak enough to fall victim to it forever, something inside told him. Pale eyes narrowed and he smirked, watching Nahanni carefully. "If you aren't bothered by what you may see, then neither am I." he revealed. Now it was her decision.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:44 pm
Confusion flitted over the young femme's face as the other continued walking, her head tilting as she pondered to stay or move. A buzz came through her own sensitive linking of emotions, and she faintly realized that Iku was zoned out. It...was a bold claim, to bring forth long lost memories. But magic was known for making impossibilities happen with ease, if not learned discipline. And Nahanni found this to be an innocent training of such skill; of course with consideration of what the kitsu before her may want. She wouldn't bother suggesting if it was of no gain for anyone. In the state of polite curiousity, Nahanni perked her ears and watched patiently as Iku sorted through his thoughts and somewhat out of his daze.
She backstepped a foot as Iku returned, before sitting down calmly, or as calmly as she could muster. While his own facial features were twitching with the current of emotions and confusions he felt, her own face was expressionless and placid. Simply waiting. A smirk made her blink in alertness, and an ear flicked at his statement. Was that a decision? Her head shook softly from side to side. "It doesn't bother me any, the choice is yours Iku." It was only a matter of magic for her. But for the bitter male, it ran much deeper, and thus was his call on the procedure.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:28 am
Taking a seat as well, tails curled listlessly around his form. Something had told him not to expect her to make the decision on her own. That wasn't like her. And yet, he'd basically asked her to, anyway. Was something holding him back from saying 'yes' himself? Pale eyes narrowed as he pondered it. But no. He had no regrets. The momentary hesitation of asking her to decide was just a quirk of his character.
“I suppose, since neither of us minds...” his head canted strangely, giving him the unfitting look of a puppy. “I accept your offer, dear Nahanni. While I don't understand magic as a whole, I do trust you.” He smirked, righting his head in a slow, thoughtful manner. And if there was a possibility of regaining his memories, he was sure that would only aid his quest against the world. After all, knowledge is power. Shutting his eyes, he let out a breath. “Just let me know if I need to do anything.” With his eyes closed, he almost looked peaceful.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:45 pm
She sat as quietly as the male did, simply waiting. There was no concern on her part, just a blank mind innocently suggesting. If anything, it would be an experience on both their parts. Her red hair swayed as she lifted her eyes, blinking at his answer. So he didn't mind afterall?
"It's...simple enough." She stood calmly, at least confident in this subject of magic. Not much pacing was needed before she sat in front of Iku, eyes shy on the ground and her paws. They seemed so much smaller than his own. "Normally it needs eye contact, but..." She felt she couldn't pull that off. "When I connect, I'll be tapping at your emotions. Then, like roots, they'll travel down to their origins." At least that was how books defined it. And though she had 'tapped' before, it was never on purpose or for such deep set memories. "Hopefully, it'll be enough to wake up lost thoughts." She took in a nervous sigh, before closing her own eyes. Carefully, she leaned forward to place her forhead on his lightning struck one. "If they come, you'll see them before me. It'll be like I'm looking over your shoulder..." And she hushed and focused deeply at his waves of hidden emotions.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:47 pm
When she'd mentioned eye contact, he almost opened his eyes. And yet, he doubted the hesitation in her voice was honestly caused by his eyes being closed. It took a good bit of control to keep his lips from curling into a trademark smirk. Instead, he sat still and quiet, listening to her final explainations with just ears and not eyes. As he waited, something inside began to ask him if this was really what he wanted. He shooed away the foolish question. Of course it was. He wouldn't have accepted the offer otherwise.
Still scolding that internal something, the gentle feeling of her forehead against his own was unexpected and a bit startling. Pale eyes squeezed shut tighter, acting as the channel for his surprise and keeping his form from jumping. It didn't take long for him to feel something strange. It was like a claw had latched onto the fabric of his being and was pulling slowly. As if to keep himself from unwraveling, he fought against the feeling, only to hear the same internal questioning from before. Pride and a willingness to reach his surpressed memories finally let him relax.
From the strange pulling feeling came wave after wave of different emotions. Each felt slightly similar, but always had something unique. Many were emotions he'd tried to lock away. They constant push of feelings against his being was numbing and after a while, he couldn't think coherently, either. From the emptiness of his mind came a jumble of words. They were written across the darkness, but were so close and messy, they were impossible to read. And then there was a mixture of green and brown. It looked blurry as it sped in pillars through his thoughts. If these were memories, at this point, they would be difficult to decipher.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:12 pm
Nahanni's own thoughts were in too much of a jumble to understand Iku's. Whenever a clear feel of hesitance would come through, she'd feel it replaced by stubborn acceptance. An emotional battle that only he could decide and control. With one more sigh, she sunk into dark and followed after his own pursuit of long lost visions.
It was like an endless ocean, cold and too dark to feel the anchor pulling her down. She opened her eyes slowly, now in the viewpoint of the mind she was searching through. It was a first time, and she quick to understand her situation based on text studies. Foggy and jumbled, spinning in effort to control direction that only empathy could do. Relax, Iku. Though the destination was unknown, she remained calmly detached, thriving off Iku's efforts. His own emotions he was dispelling right now were the trail to follow, to discover what brought them on. But if he fought too strongly, the chain would break and she'd be tossed violently back into her own mind.
Her hearing faded to an irritating mute, muffled by a dull and sourceless ringing. Words seemed to shape from the strange flow of emotions. Sloppy and unreadable, they remained hidden from the inexperience witch and the kitsu they inhabited. Motion took over these lost memories, and hues of earth intertwined in their strange meaning. Nahanni hesitated, before reaching out a ghostly paw to the fast-moving pillars. If it was too much, then Iku would pull out of this magic. If she was too weak, or even Iku too strong, then the words would be impenetrable to her.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:20 pm
A banded paw lifted from the endless ground he stood on. It reached for the pillars, slow and thoughtful, as if animated by some outward force. The blurs of brown and green faultered, swirling around the paw like disturbed water. From the twisting liquid came forms. L. O. S. T. Then, finding their outlet, the letters dissolved back into a blur and sped past the appendage like it hadn't even been there. It was only then that Ikuinen realized he hadn't felt a thing. None of the same emotions that'd guided him to this place. When he'd tried to touch the images, it was as if they'd ignored his presence.
Pale eyes left the sickening pace of his surroundings. Following the line of what should've been his leg, only to discover that both his forepaws were still glued steadily in place. But by the time he looked back, the paw he thought was his had vanished. Looking around with a start, he found himself still alone. He stepped forward, only to find his path blocked by flashes of a different color streaking through the greens and browns.
Each time the color flashed in his mind, he was stung by déjà vu. It was so familiar, that bright mixture, yet he couldn't place a paw on it. He couldn't decide why. Determination willed his muscles to move. He began to run. Paws pushed against the void, kicking up splashes of green as he moved. Only, he wasn't moving. Each step he took found him in the same spot as before. Frustration shone in his eyes now, straining the world around him and making it tilt. In this place of amplified emotions, he was beginning to lose all semblance of control.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:09 am
Murky eyes blinked as she watched the numb paw move through the pillars. One set of letters became clear, before flowing back into the messy river. Lost? Nahanni froze, feeling a strange sense of paralysis despite the dizzying environment surrounding them. Then a strange pulling momentum.
With legs that weren't her own, she pulled forward in no particular direction. Colors seemed to spark from nowhere, creating a barrier to these locked memories. Were they...were they related to the emotions? Feelings of the past that he was ignorant but still bound to? Her mind was jolted as Iku pulled forward vainly, and she couldn't tell if he was running forward or away. Iku... She winced as his present fustration interupted this mindscape, causing paths to cross and fade from view. Her small paws moved up to block her eyes from the space now icy with resentment. She was scared now, lost by the other's confusion. Iku!
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:33 am
The sharp changes in the surroundings didn't faze the male at first. He continued to run, pushing against the void with all his might and still not reaching his destination. Maybe it was because he didn't have a true destination. His mind held him back because now it was sure. He didn't know what he wanted.
It wasn't long before his legs refused to listen and his paws no long pounded in an attempt to draw him forward. Why? It was his body and his mind and surely it should listen to him! Growling, he tried to move. His neck and shoulders strained pointlessly against the force that held him in place, until- Ears perked, drawing his head with them as he glanced around. Only then did he notice how the world had begun to crumble. His own mind was rejecting him. Then ears perked again. Who was calling him? Eyes widened in realization.
Nahanni? Distracted, he was pushed further from the world they'd tried to reach, but it didn't matter now. Worry rose from somewhere in him, increased dramatically by this realm. It smothered him, it hurt so much. It was unfamiliar, hated pain. And he began to run, this time away from the swirling and icy scene. Enough! he called as he ran. His past had won this battle and here he was again, trapped in the upper layer of his thoughts, watching forlornly as his mind once again became closed to the outside.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:54 am
A swirl of emotions brushed her mind, and she shuddered. She didn't know if it was caused by them or the icy and now dark space surrounding her. Tails curled around her form as she felt herself seperating from the mind she had entered. The thoughts weren't cooperating with the one's trying to decipher them. And they didn't know how to evade the pressure, to move forward with the right amount of determination. She felt worry flooding her, and knew it was coming from another as well, nearby. Her head moved from side to side, now realizing it was her own sight and not Iku's. Ears slicked back when she heard the other, and she turned in time to see his ghostly figure running. With a jolt, she darted towards him, till they were close enough and she could release them both from the collapsing space.
She winced when she felt her own body once again, sitting back on the steady grass of realm. They got out. She didn't dare open her eyes, and she felt her body slunk down before the kitsu she had just attempted empathy on. Clenching her teeth with quiet hiccups, she covered her face with her paws. Deep embarrasment flushed her cheeks, and shame made her tummy clench. What was she thinking?! And to do so without any meaningful results. Her shoulders shook as she waited surely for scowls and accusations of disappointment.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:34 am
It felt like waking up from a dream. Ikuinen fell back into reality, the weight of the world pushing down on him. It was an unpleasent experience, though nothing compared to the rush of painful emotions he'd felt inside his own mind. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see a red world. No longer trapped, bloody tears flowed freely from his eyes. But why? A hesitant paw rose to whipe at the blood, smearing it on his fur. He hadn't spoken a lie, so why was this happening? The confusion covered his previous worry for a time, blinding him to the upset femme at his front. But it didn't take long for him to blink away the tears, clearing his vision.
"Nahanni..." he muttered, feeling that pang of worry again. Would these emotions stay with him? He wondered how long it would take to seal them away again. They hurt and bothered him too much. Setting his paw back down, he watched her, willing her to look at him. He couldn't understand what was wrong, why she looked so obviously upset. Had she seen something she didn't want to? Did she know something he didn't? Or had he hurt her? Another unusual feeling, guilt, stung at him.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:50 am
Ears fell flat at the voice, and Nahanni had to stiffle her hiccups. She felt her own fears and doubts, as if they were her own heartbeat thudding constantly. She was too much a wreck to peak at whatever Iku may be feeling. Never again would she use her empathy in such an intruding way. Attempting to calm her breathing, she removed her paws and slowly opened teary eyes. The first thing to see was bloody paws in front of her.
Eyes widened as she sat up quickly and nervously, catching the bloody taint around Iku's eyes. Her shoulders shivered and her mind raced. Was that some side effect caused by her empathy? Her expression twisted in guilt. "I'm sorry Iku. I'm so sorry." She hunched down, repeating the apology sloftly to herself as she pulled out an extra length of cloth from her sash. Eyes stung as water continued to fill them. Blinking away the blurry vision, she sheepishly handed him the yellow material. Her eyes remained trained onthe ground, not wanting to see any reactions that may come. "Sorry....."
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:14 pm
Ears slid back and a frown settled on the male's maw. What was she looking at with such an expression? Why was she apologizing? Then it slowly came into focus. There was no way she could've known that his bleeding was a natural - could it be called natrual? - side effect caused by something he'd done, himself. Though what lie had triggered it was still lost on him. When she offered up part of her sash, he was certain she'd thought his tears were her fault.
Taking the fabric in a paw, he stared blankly down at it. As if mocking him, a final, small drop of blood welled in his left eye and dripped thoughtlessly down, staining her clothing. "It's not your fault," he assured, doing his best to recall his old voice. It seemed lost now, though, replaced by a weary tone. "It happens." He continued to stare at the drop of blood clashing against the yellow, eventually carefully whipeing his eyes on the soft cloth. "Thank you," he muttered, eyes narrowed in thoughtful tiredness at the piece he still held. "Though I'm afraid I've ruined your sash." Part of him wanted to speak to her about what had just happened, about what they'd seen in his mind. Another part, the raw, emotion-worn part, kept him quiet.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:19 pm
At least he took the cloth kindly; no harsh gripping or cruel words. Her paw dropped back next to the other and rubbed calming circles together. Nerves were still fried and jittery, so she counted quietly in her head to help her slow her breathing. It was only now that she was feeling fatigue of the empathy and aftercrash of moods. Both her own and Iku's.
His voice allowed her to peek up, confused slightly by his words. It happens? She held her tongue, not wanting to bother him with her stunted understanding. "Still....I shouldn't have done that..." She was only trying to help in the only way she knew. Even that hadn't worked. Her lip quivered and she slid back down to the dirt, paws moving back to cover her face. "Th...that's okay. It was only a spare." What did she care about cloth at this moment? That was the last concern to her. Right now, she justed wanted to crawl under her chair, a tree, anything. "You...should probably go..." She didn't trust her voice to be any clearer, leaving her a crying mess unable to explain herself. She felt just like she always had as a kit, and for once she was embarrassed by it.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:48 pm
Her voice was so small now. His ears twitched , trying to find the best position to pick out her words. Now didn't seem quite the time to need to ask what she'd said. Smiling lightly at the fabric, he was finally able let it go. "You only did it bcause I asked you to. Don't you remember?" It'd been her idea, sure, but she never would've tried without his consent. He'd been almost excited by the prospect. And the fact that it'd failed was as much his fault as hers, probably more.
The fatigue they both felt grew heavier on him now. It didn't help that it'd been quite a while since his last real rest. Pale eyes looked down on her, filled with a mixture of emotions. At this point, he was done fighting against these feelings. It was too difficult now. He would work on sealing them later. For now, a different, emotional Ikuinen had taken the place of the original. Then again, for all he knew, this emotional self could be what he was before the memory loss. He didn't much care. Yawning, he laid down next to her, despite her words. "If you're going to sulk, allow me to join you," he said bluntly, though not without some semblance of care. He couldn't part ways with her under such conditions. It would leave a sour taste in his mouth.
Knowing nothing comforting to say, a banded paw reached out. Yet, it hesitated, stopping mere inches from her form before pulling back. She probably wouldn't appriciate his pathetic attempts. After all, he'd never felt the urge to be comforting before. He would surely be bad at it.
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