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 Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:45 pm
As the fistfighter would not notice if someone did look at him that way whether the first or the fifty-first time meeting them... there was really no basis for comparison. He was lucky -or those around him were lucky- that he sometimes or often but certainly not always noticed when there was something of a romantic nature going on between his friends and family. So Kitsyn he understood her reaction. She had told him after all. Some to think of it... she'd probably kill him later for that. oops. oh wait. his thoughts had already done that circle. Not quite deja vu.
Caim well... poor dude must've just got here! "Cool. Cool. Gotta know that for when we're lookin for her right? But then there's probably not a whole lot of Red Dragons flying around. Oh hey! Had a thought! You didn't eat much earlier. I could call home, see if Ginny's gonna have supper or anything ready, maybe not when we get there, but she could save us some. Whaddaya say? Think you'll be hungry by then?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:04 pm
Caim probably would enjoy seeing Kitsyn's "revenge" on Zell if he was there when it happened. That sort of playful competetiveness probably would do his shadowed soul good. Someone would just have to talk him into being there.
The question about food brought Caim's thoughts fully into the here and now... and he realized how hungry he still was. The growl the realization elicited from his stomach made him smirk in a slightly exasperated fashion and snort softly, though wheter at Zell or himself might be debatable. He went ahead and nodded, not that he really thought it needed further confirmation.
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:38 pm
That would be hell'of funny... but even Zell could guess the likelyhood of Kitsyn going off on him in front of Caim. Unless it was at their next paintball match. He'd have to invite Caim to come watch. Best way to show him what it was, right?
Zell was clearly a glutton for punishment that he did not know would hit him.
The hotdog craving SeeD laughed as Caim's stomach answered before Caim himself could. "Hahaha! Let's hurry up at HQ then. Maybe grab another snack to tide us til we get to my place. Trust ya can keep up?"
With a playful grin Zell took off, looking back to make sure the sword-wielder was still behind him from time to time. At a faster speed, the large building of Realm HQ quickly loomed before them.
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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:06 pm
Caim followed Zell at greater speed with no real difficulty. Even if it had taken some getting used to this body was better for long travels and travel at speed than his human form had been, no matter how fit he'd been. A bonus to being a quadruped? Who'd have thought.
Caim followed Zell inside the new building after a moment of startled contemplation at the size of it. The blonde hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said it was larger. Understated it was more like it.. All the same he was faster about checking for dangers this time, a bit more confident with his company... and himself, too. If there were any real dangers to be expected he assumed he'd have been warned by now. It was hard to even suspect that Zell, Kitsyn, or their compatriots intended him harm after Kitsyn's reaction to him...
All of that was going on at a subconscious level, however, and he was likely to revert to "defense mode" at the first hint of danger. Being constantly on the alert and the ability to be ready to defend himself at the drop of a hat was the only thing that had kept him alive for a very long time, after all.
He noted and filed away the sight of many "wonders" he'd have to come back and get more information on at a later date, wondering idly if the kitchen room here was as mind-warping as the last one had tried to be.
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Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 2:53 pm
Zell of course knew nothing of the subconscious thoughts his new friend -and everyone was a friend to Zell!- being only able to read the warrior's body language. All that seemed to tell him was Caim was still being military in checking the rooms. The SeeD pointed out some of the rooms he knew -primarily Severus' potions room where Liliana had taken lessons & the alchemist Roy's room that the others sometimes came- while making a general comment towards the rest. "Some are open... most I think. Others are 'claimed'. Haven't really spent a lot of time here, but well I just leave the rooms alone & crash in the main room if I gotta. More fun meeting people. You'd probably wanna room if ya had to crash here I'm guessing. more private. But really that's all to see here. I'll warn ya, the kitchen's a blaring white here. 'least it was. C'mon."
The SeeD casually trotted into the kitchen with its white walls, floors and counters. Everything white except the black on the top of the stove. And clean. There were some racks on one side, some cling wrapped and holding... "Cookies! Hot DAMN!!" Zell bounded into the room with a grin, skidding playfully across the floor. It looked accidental until he skidded intentionally to a stop in front of one of the cabinets and reached in for a couple of plastic fold over sandwich bags. "We can each take some with us!"
In a couple of hops he was back at the trays with their remaining cookies, lifting the cling-wrap and swiping cookies into the baggie with his paw. Tucking the first into the chest pocket of his jacket Zell made another which he handed to Caim with a grin as he turned around again. "Here ya go! Good tide-over for food? Man... wonder what Ginny's cooking up tonight?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:05 pm
Caim listened carefully to the bits of information about this HQ that Zell tossed his way, filing it away as he generally did information about the terrain around him. "Potions room" and "Alchemist's room" he was particularly interested in, those being subjects that weren't entirely foreign to his knowledge. Not that he had any real working knowledge about either, aside from a few simple medical salves that most soldiers learned for field recovery. And he'd no idea if those were even viable in this world, since it was possible the plantlife wouldn't function the same way.
He squinted slightly and gave the glaringly white kitchen a look of abject distaste when they entered. He supposed it helped with cleaning, or some such, but... gah. After the alternating colors and dim to moderately bright lighting in the parts of the building they'd passed this was almost painful to the eyes.
Zell's enthusiastic reaction to the cookies distracted him however, and he watched with mild exasperation as Zell once again exibited more energy than anyone else he'd ever seen. Except perhaps for that little Shoom thing that had been pestering Kitsyn. And that of course got him pondering over Kitsyn's reaction to him and his confused feelings over the matter. So much so that he took the cookies from Zell in a very absent minded fashion, mechanically taking one out to nibble on while sticking the rest in his belt pouch.
Zell mentioned Ginny again, which got his attention. From the tone of Zell's voice he was rather fond of this Ginny, in a friend/brother fashion. Or at least of her cooking. Caim was curious to meet Ginny now if only because Zell had mentioned her and her cooking repeatedly. He took several large bites and finished the cookie and waited expectantly for Zell to take up the lead again.
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:50 pm
The hyper SeeD of course was fairly accustomed to having other's overwhelmed or otherwise dissatisfied with his constant high energy. So he hardly noticed Caim's exasperation beyond the expression itself, grinning instead as his new friend silently accepted the cookies & nibbled one. Zell -of course- popped a whole cookie into his mouth at once then grabbed another from the tray before trotting back out the door, blue flame tails wagging cheerfully behind him as he started talking round chewing the cookie. Three legged, for one paw held a cookie. Surprisingly enough, Zell didn't loose any crumbs. Okay... maybe a few. "Dawk chowkwate. Betcha wone af fose a my houfe made 'em."
Energetically Zell bounded out of headquarters and away -too busy munching cookies every few steps to say much. Thankfully, with his tendency to speak with his mouth full. As they neared the portal with its almost swirling magics he glanced back at Caim with a grin. "Don't worry! We use this all the time! Non-kitsu can use it too, though not many do lately. C'mon!" That said Zell jumped in glancign back to see that Caim came too. The portal dropped them off by a long wall, a section of it broken as if some huge building had collapsed on top of it. "Welcome to Gaia!" The SeeD kitsu said with a grin, already heading south east along the wall with a happy step.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:10 am
Caim was leary of any transportation magic. It wasn't common on his world, and usually was used only by those truly skilled in the art magick. The idea that someone had managed to create a portal that remained open and anyone could walk through was unsettling... but Zell jumped through as if it was just another door and Caim didn't want to look the fool, especially since he was the one that had requested to be shown the way in the first place. And so he went.
Either because it was his first real experience with being transported thus, or maybe he was particularly sensitive to it for some reason, his head was swimming when he was deposited on the other side and he half-sat, half-crouched with his forehead pressed to the ground and hoped the dizziness would pass soon. Thankfully they were in the shade at the moment and the ground was cool. It would have been unpleasant to have to do this on heated ground.
Finally he felt ready to move on and took a few steps after Zell before pausing in sudden alarm. Angelus?! The feeling was gone... no... wait. It was still there. He could still feel her. She must be a lot farther away from here, or something. He forced himself to relax again and simply shook his head at Zell, waving a paw to indicate that all was well and the SeeD could continue. He'd answer questions later, if he must.
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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:43 pm
Zell of course was so used to going through the portal (or magic doors, or going along in side-by-side apparation) that it had not really dawned on him that his new friend might be at all uncomfortable with it. After all, Caim was looking for a dragon. Which was pretty impressive.
So it was he blinked when he turned back to see Caim had made it through the portal to see the other kitsu with his head pressed to the ground in the shad of the wall. "Dude... you all right?"
His concern relaxed as Caim started after him. Well until the sword-wielder stopped suddenly. Zell stopped again, glancing back again with another worried glance. At Caim's head shake he lifted his brow ridge then shrugged his shoulders in a 'gotta do whatcha gotta do' gesture then padded along the side of the wall with his usual bouncy gait.
"Yeah, so this is the Wall of Gambino. That hole back there? Dude built this huge-a** tower and it collapsed, taking that section out. Anyway, we follow this... then go 'round Bass'ken Lake. Not far after that."
Pause. In the talking at least. "Aw man! I totally haven't called home yet! Normally 's no big, but after Al... and well... the other Al... well, it's kinda obvious too many of us at once is overwhelming & stuff -which I think I've mentioned before? But yeah... gimmie a sec." With that the SeeD's paw went to his ear and he walked 3-legged for a while while talking in a sub-vocal to what would look like nothing as he spoke into his earpiece -tucked and hidden inside his ear. "Yo! Wassup? Hey Relm, bringin' a new friend home for a bit. Huh? Guy. Why's it matter?" Zell look baffled. Then shook his head & shrugged. "Dude... he can't speak. No... can't. Look, Relm, c'mon. Don't be difficult, kay? We're just about to leave the wall & it'd be cool if we didn't overwhelm him, ya know? Just tell Trel or Aiden or Rem if he's there please? Well sure, but isn't she busy with Keme? Well that's why I didn't ask for ya to tell her." He sighed, laughing as he shook his head. "Thanks, ya silly black luck. Get on you."
Dropping his paw Zell tossed Caim a sheepishly boyish grin. "Of all of 'em... can't believe Seif let her run the board."
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Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:03 pm
Caim was more attentive to what Zell was saying than most might be, partly because any information he got right now could be helpful and partly because it took a while for him to wrap his understanding around Zell's accent. The way they ennunciated their vowels here... among other things... it just sounded so strange. Though he supposed if he were able to speak they'd probably think the same of his speech.
He eyed the wall and the hole therein, wandering exactly how big a "huge a**" tower was. It would have to be massive... he didn't see any sort of foundation for one in the area. It brought to mind the massive towers in the capitol of the Empire and he quickly averted his attention. Enough with the thoughts of war...
Since Zell wasn't speaking to him, therefore not facing him and speaking faster than he had been previously whether he'd have realized it or not, Caim was thoroughly lost on the conversation by the time the blonde turned his attention back to the swordsman. Caim didn't know this person Zell spoke of, or what he meant by calling them a "black luck", so he just shrugged. He did spy the lake in the distance, though, so he assumed the trip wouldn't be much longer.
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:24 am
Zell kept a bouncy pace, probably close to a time and a half march at least. As he trotted he kept up a running commentary, preparing Caim a bit for the house & its occupants. Mostly the other kitsu, but some others too that were more likely to be seen than others. The cats -house and feather-tailed- the caits & their familiars, Trelweny & her son, his jivvin bond, the audio Aiden, the GaiaCom Myranda, about the Beta in their window fishtank, the shy & sleepy Jezebel, and of course the kunkun Tien.
The one thing he kind of forgot to mention -at least clearly- were the multiples of the same person: Seifers, Runes, Relms, Rikkus, & himself. He mentioned them, described them a bit... but left out that they were actually the same but of different species. He talked about eggs & young and pairings all the way around the edge of Bass'ken Lake -half the time turned around and trotting backwards.
Behind him -in front of them as far as where they were traveling- the forest loomed, the path to the center flower lined & the ground-covering dotted with flecks of white. Zell turned back around, trotting happily onto the path with his tails wagging cheerfully behind him. Then he paused, turning back around, a question in his bright blue eyes. "Dude... just wondering... if ya could speak, would ya?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:42 pm
It was difficult, but somehow Caim managed to keep up with most of Zell's babbling about the occupants of the house. That there were so many in what appeared to be a very small space gave him cause to wonder precisely how powerful that magical door was. The accent really didn't help... he supposed he'd just have to get used to it, since Kitsyn had spoken similarly. She had simply sounded strange though, he'd been able to keep up with her... but then she wasn't talking mile-a-minute. But he was quite used to being briefed on things like this, both for nobility functions and as an acting commander during the war. He hadn't always been one of the ones actively making plans nor always actively assigned a unit of some sort to lead, mad dog attitude that he had toward battle and all. But he'd always had a prominent roll in things, and so he'd kept himself informed. So he'd found at least one seemingly practical use for a skill he'd honed in wartime. He somehow felt pathetic having to look for something like that...
Seeing two of the same person was likely to throw Caim for a loop, and possibly make him antsy if he didn't get some sort of quick explanation. Bizarre magical phenomena he was used to seeing, yes... but it was very, very rarely a good thing. He'd "behave" though, knowing there were several young couples and possibly children that would be present. As long as the children weren't evil psycho children possessed by madness and twisted by the will of sick minded gods, anyway...
Zell's question caught him slightly off guard, and he had to take a moment to think about it. When he'd first lost his voice, he would have said yes. Now?... He answered Zell with an amused smirk that said almost as clearly as words could have that he would. Sometimes. If he felt like it. Though really, he'd probably enjoy being able to speak again. It would save a lot of frustration for himself and those trying to communicate with him, and he wouldn't need to worry about Angelus editing or ignoring him when she was "translating" for him... But his voice was the price of the Pact, and Pact magic was magic formed back at the beginning of the world. It wasn't a law you could just re-write if you felt like it.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:16 am
Blue eyes crinkled with the width of his smile. "That's cool dude. Maybe sometime after we've been pals a while ya can write me out the whole story of why ya can't talk or something. Actually..." Zell was now trotting back down the path, a thoughtful look on his usually carefree face. "Might be a good idea just to have it jotted down and keep hold of it, so if ya ever do wanna tell anyone -it's right there."
With a grin the thoughtful look disappeared as if it never had been. "Oh yeah... did I tell ya 'bout the shields? invisible but make the place a fortress defenses wise. No one can pass the barrier that's intending to hurt anyone lives inside -even guests. Magic shot at it gets absorbed and used to strengthen it, missile weapons bounce off. Kinda complex but no chances, right?" The fistfighter grinned. "Not all've us are fighters, ya know? Oh yeah. Careful of the gardens. Maree's the sweetest little cait ya'd ever lay eyes on, but damage her plants and she's got a power that'll surprise the hell outta ya."
He nodded at the garden they could just now start to see, within the clearing that the path led to -also now visible. "She's what keeps the plants growing outta season and stuff. You'll like her. Everyone likes our Maree." There was a bloom of brotherly pride and love, blue eyes looking at the garden as he hurried his pace.
In the garden the white cait cit could just be seen by the shifting of her pink tipped ears. Nearby a small white rabbit watched her while casually chatting with a larger cait of two toned green and markings like a bandit's mask. The green cait bore a smile & also seemed to be watching the smaller one but with a more relaxed attitude. Neither moved to interrupt the small gardener.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:46 pm
Caim frowned, just slightly, at Zell's comment/queery/suggestion. Normally, if he really did feel like telling someone, he could just stick out his tongue. That was there Pact seal had been placed on his body, the symbol and constant reminder that there was always a price for power. But they wouldn't know about that here, would they? Hmm...
His ears pricked up at Zell's description of the warding on the cottage. A home and a fortress rolled into one. And a far safer place... if you were accepted by the residents... than any he'd likely ever known. Safe?... To be safe, to be whole, to have a home... Something in him ached at the incomplete thought. And then he realized that something else was beginning to ache.
It was subtle, and cruelly familiar. The beginning of the pain that came with being forcibly separated from Angelus when she became the Seal. It was beyond anything one could experience physically. You'd have to have had your soul torn apart to know how it felt. But it was just an ache for now. Like a pulled muscle, sort of. It meant that this little visit had to be cut short, though. And that he likely wouldn't be able to make any long visits in the future unless he could find a way to maintain a more comfortable link with the dragon when passing through the portal. It was... on one hand a relief, on the other, a disappointment. He wouldn't have to deal with the people, amond any other number of antisocial things he was prone to, but he'd no idea what it would mean in terms of opportunities to learn to use this new body properly in battle and getting to spar with Zell and these other compatriots of his that seemed to join in on that.
He paused for a moment to peer curiously at the little white cait. Somehow... somehow she was calming. It was rather strange for him, and perhaps something he'd have liked to indulge in, but things were as they were. He caught up to Zell and tugged at the cloth behind his shoulder, quickly taking out the notepad.
It would take a longer explanation than I care to give now to tell you why, but I must get back to the other world soon. I will stay for introductions, but I do not believe I can stay much longer than that. He wanted to know potential allies, and if they were going to help him find Angelus, and to relearn his swordplay and whatever other number of things he felt he must follow courtesy in this at the very least. But staying too long... would be a bad thing.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:38 pm
Zell paused & turned at the tug on his uniform, a youthful confusion tugging at his face. "Huh?" The expression only intensified as he read the cryptic note. But he shrugged, giving the sword-wielder a grin. "How 'bout we skip the intros & go straight to the grub? 'Cept for Ginny o'course, but then ya never wanna upset the cook."
He winked and trotted into the clearing without waiting for an answer, calling a cheerful "Yo!" to those in the garden with a nod and a grin and a look to the door indicating he was hungry and not stopping. The green cait grinned back, returning the nod and turning to tease his fox familiar. The rabbit also gave a nod, then arched a brow lightly lifting thoughts from Zell's public mind then nodding again as he understood all he needed. Even the small white cit paused to look up and smile at the cheerful SeeD kitsu then put her paws together & bowed to his guest formally before returning to her plants.
Opening the door Zell ushed Caim inside with a cheerful wave of his paw. Clearly when the fistfighter decided something he just did it. There were a few others in the main room -pretty much the usual 'sitters': Relm kirin on the sofa by the television with the opal colored egg, cats sleeping in the last light of the west facing windows on either side of the main door with the gray tyurri, some beta in their window tank. Not many though... Zell noted that just Elanorriel, Aman, Madrigal, Zigara & Ocimas were there. Less than half. Zell gave a bright wave to the kirin, making a face at her when it looked like Relm was going to talk then hurriedly directing Caim to the kitchen.
The family had done a good job of keeping everyone down to a minimum. Zell would have to thank the Black Luck goat Relm for that later. Probably Peter too... who knew what the 'path/'port Talent had picked up from him & acted upon. Point was... only Ginny was in the kitchen, even her two teenage daughters noticeably absent -thank Hyne. Seeing two places already set for hearty fighter appetites the SeeD beamed. "Dude!! Ginny you rock!"
Red hair fanned out from the black robed kitsu like a mane as she turned to smile brightly at the two males, the smile making her beautiful and breathtaking. Intelligent brown eyes sparkled. "Thanks Zell. Always nice to be appreciated." She smiled at Caim too, waving a wand to pull the chairs at the table out to a comfortable kitsu distance. "I was told you were hungry, you're lucky... most everyone had dined before your call & those that hadn't were more than willing to take their meals elsewhere...." She blinked and laughed. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm such a dunce, forgetting my manners like that. I'm Ginny. Weasley-Potter, you could say. Kistu don't really have true weddings..." Ginny was a little more rambling then normal... but then she was worried about her kits... why they were growing so slowly. They were still not as slow as the fullmetal alchemist's growth had been but still the young mother fretted that she might have done something wrong. Zell bounced over and gave her a warm hug. "This's Caim, Ginny. Dude can't talk. Can't stay long either."
The witch arched her brow, then nodded with a smile. "Got it. Nice to meet you Caim."
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